History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 148

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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CHARLES JAQUISH, a son of Joseph Jaquish, was born in Delaware county, New York, November 21, 1823, and was in his fifth year when the family settled in Cov- ington township, Tioga county. He attended the common schools of that township, and when twenty-one years old bought a farm of seventy acres in Sullivan township, on which he resided up to the spring of 1885. He then sold his Sullivan farm and bought eighty-four acres of the farm which was settled by his father in 1828, where he has since resided. On November 12, 1846, he married Elizabeth G. Walker, a daughter of Lewis Walker. She was born on October 25, 1827, and bore him a fam- ily of six children, viz: Charles L., who died on December 30, 1880, leaving a widow, Eliza (Robinson) Jaquish, and one son, Frank C., who live in Mansfield; George H., an outside foreman in the mines of Clearfield county; Ellen J., wife of B. A. Webster, of Sullivan township; Joseph S., also an outside foreman in Clearfield county mines; Francis E., who died on March 13, 1873, and Jane A., wife of Lincoln Whitteker, of Richmond township. Mrs. Jaquish died on March 27, 1874. Politically, Mr. Ja- quish is a Republican, and has filled the offices of school director and justice of the peace. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. for thirty years, but is not now actively connected with the society.

CHARLES HOWLAND was born in Hamden, Delaware county, New York, Febru- ary 17, 1820, a son of Asa Howland, a native of New Hampshire, and a grandson of Seth Howland. Asa learned the shoemaker's trade in his native place, and later re- moved to Delaware county, New York, and became a farmer. In 1839 he removed to Springfield township, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where he followed farming for many years, but finally resumed work at his trade. He removed to Elmira, New York, about 1850, and there died July 4, 1861. His wife, Lucretia Benjamin, bore him a family of eleven children, ten of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Juliette, deceased wife of Albert Jones, of Elmira, New York; Marietta, who died in Elmira at the age of sixty-eight years; Charles, of Covington; Ransford F., who died in Williamsport, leaving one daughter, Hattie; Angilette, widow of Dr. Julius

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Rea, of Milford, Delaware; Antoinette, deceased wife of Robert Hill, of Elmira; Gaylord, a resident of Canandaigua, New York; Benjamin F., a leather merchant of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Leroy, who died in Kansas, and Janette, widow of George W. Parsons, of Elmira. Mrs. Howland died in Elmira in September, 1881. Her husband was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving from New York state. Charles Howland spent his early life on his father's farm. In 1840 he came to Tioga county and found employment with Boyd & Cleaver, a lumber firm of Covington town- ship. During the next twelve years he also worked for other firms, and made a number of trips down Pine creek, and the Tioga and Susquehanna rivers as a raft steersman, acquiring much skill and proficiency in that line of work. In Sep- tember, 1840, Mr. Howland helped load the first coal train that left Blossburg over the Tioga railroad, then just completed. In 1842 he sawed three months on the lumber used in the construction of the Seymour House, Blossburg. In 1858 he bought the Royal Walker farm of eighty-one acres, upon which he has since lived, giving his attention to agriculture. On January 1, 1849, he married Eliza Walker, a daughter of Royal Walker.' She was born August 11, 1824, and became the mother of seven children, as follows: Ella L., widow of S. A. Hoagland, of Marion, Iowa; Edward L., a box maker in the Covington Glass Works, who married Mary Williams, and has three children, Eliza, Pearl and Harry; Emma L., who died at the age of nine years; William E., a glass worker in Frankton, Indiana, who mar- ried Louisa Lutes, and has one child, Maude; Charles H., a glass blower in Frank- ton, who married Sarah Coe, and has one child, Hazel; Ransford and Randolph, twins, the latter of whom died at two years of age. Ransford is a packer in the Covington Glass Works, married Anna Marvin, and has three children: David F., Anna and Ransford. Mrs. Howland died October 29, 1873. On December 16, 1874, Mr. Howland married Martha J. Johnson, a daughter of Simon Johnson, of Troy, Bradford county. She was born November 22, 1836, and is a member of the First Baptist church of Covington. In politics, Mr. Howland is a Democrat, and has filled the offices of burgess, assessor, collector and served in the Covington council. He is also connected with the I. O. O. F., and the P. of H. societies, and is recognized as one of the substantial citizens of the borough.

JOHN CALVIN BENNETT was born in Sherman, Connecticut, September 9, 1812, and removed with his parents to the Canisteo valley, near Hornellsville, New York, about 1824. About 1836 he purchased a pre-emption right to several hundred acres of land near Clinton, Iowa, upon which he located. Owing to the unsettled condition of the country, on account of hostilities breaking out between the whites and Indians, he disposed of his claim and returned to Pennsylvania, settling in Richmond township, Tioga county. Here he was married September 11, 1838, to Olive Wilson, a daughter of Sumner Wilson, one of the pioneer settlers of that township. To this union were born two children, Albert M. and Frank E. The latter died in 1861. In 1849 Mr. Bennett removed to Covington and engaged in mercantile pursuits, continuing there during the remainder of his life. His death occurred on January 21, 1889. His wife survived him about a year, dying March 19, 1890. Mr. Bennett was a member of the Presbyterian church for many years, and was connected with the I. O. O. F. from 1849, in which year he joined the Covington lodge. His surviving son, Albert M., continued the business started

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by his father until January 1, 1896. In 1892, associating with other business men of Covington, they purchased the Covington Glass Works, of which he became manager. Resigning early in 1893, he removed to Elmira, New York, where he erected and became manager of the Elmira Window Glass Works, owned by the Elmira Glass Company, which position he still holds.

JOSEPH W. WHITING was born in Readsboro, Vermont, January 5, 1820, a son of Danforth and Rebecca (Sherman) Whiting, and a grandson of Danforth Whiting, who located in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, about 1827. Joseph W. received a common school education, and when twenty-one years of age bought a small farm in Columbia township, Bradford county, on which he resided for seventeen years, adding to his original purchase until he owned 215 acres. He sold this farm in the spring of 1849, and bought his present farm in Covington township, Tioga county, from Lyman Frost, which now embraces 325 acres. Here he has lived for the past forty-seven years, engaged in general farming. On October 24, 1867, he married Julia A. Kingsbury, a daughter of Absalom and Polly Kingsbury, of Covington township. She was born July 27, 1827, and bore him one daughter, Gena, born July 28, 1871, now the wife of James H. Kendrick, of Covington township. Mrs. Whiting died December 27, 1887, and he was again married May 24, 1888, to Laura N. Ayers, a daughter of Abijah A. and Thursa (Palmer) Ayers, of Canton, Bradford county. She was born September 22, 1847. Mr. Whiting is a member of the First Baptist church, of Covington, while his wife is connected with the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics, a Republican, he has served five years as justice of the peace, one year as assessor, one as collector, and about thirty years as a school director. Mr. Whiting is one of the prominent, well-to-do farmers of the town- ship, and is highly respected for his many sterling qualities.

STEPHEN F. RICHARDS was born in Milford, Otsego county, New York, October 26, 1823, a son of Rectus and Susanna (French) Richards, natives of Massachusetts. His father was a farmer and cloth manufacturer, and was twice married. His first wife, Susanna French, bore him six children, viz: William, who died in infancy; Mary, deceased wife of the late David Pitts; Stephen F., of Covington township; Emily, wife of Samuel Hitchcock, of Massachusetts; Otis, who was a farmer, mer- chant and teacher, and died at Nelson, Tioga county, and Susanna, who died in childhood. Mrs. Richards died in 1836, and he subsequently married Nancy Thayer, of Massachusetts. He died in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, in 1873, aged eighty-four years. Stephen F. obtained a good common school education, and in 1846 came to Tioga county. He purchased a farm in Sullivan township, where he lived up to 1858, when he sold it, also another property that he owned in the Frost settlement which he had bought in 1854, and then purchased eighty acres of his present homestead, since increased to 200 acres. Here he has resided, en- gaged in general farming, but making a specialty of raising and handling stock, principally horses, having sold one horse, Beucephalus, for $3,400. Mr. Richards has been twice married. His first wife, Mary Snow, bore him one child, Mary, now the wife of Harris Guilford, of Massachusetts. His second marriage occurred Sep- tember 29, 1860, to Elizabeth C. Johnson, a daughter of Joseph Johnson, of Cov- ington township. She was born in Blossburg, April 20, 1843, and is the mother of three children, viz: Stephen F., born April 20, 1863, and died on April 2, 1880;

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

William F., born March 20, 1866, and Edward A., born July 29, 1881. William F. was educated in the common schools and at Mansfield State Normal, and is engaged in farming on the homestead. He married Florence DeHaas, a daughter of Alexander M. DeHaas, of Clinton county, September 3, 1891, and has two chil- dren, Helen V. and Harold J. Both he and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. Richards are members of the Presbyterian church, also of the Patrons of Husbandry, and he is connected with the I. O. O. F. He has served two terms as justice of the peace, and in politics, is an independent voter.

JOHN KILEY, retired farmer, was born in Georgia, Franklin county, Vermont, May 27, 1821, a son of Michael and Betsey (Hurlbut) Kiley, the former a native of Ireland, and the latter of Vermont. His father came to the United States at the age of fifteen and learned the tailor's trade, and followed that business in connection with farming. He reared six children, viz: John, James, Ebenezer, Henry, Mary and Lydia. John received a limited education, and worked on the homestead farm in Vermont until twenty-one years of age. He then removed to New York state, where he worked in a saw-mill six years. In 1849 he came to Tioga county, Penn- sylvania, and found employment in the saw-mills on Mill creek, in Rutland town- ship. Three years later he rented the James R. Wilson farm in Richmond town- ship, which he cultivated up to October, 1862. He then enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and First Pennsylvania Volunteers, and participated in the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks. He was wounded in the latter engagement, which incapacitated him for further service, and he was discharged June 20, 1863. Re- turning to his home in Richmond township, he lived there until 1865, when he purchased a farm of 257 acres in Richmond township, and a short time later bought his present homestead of 167 acres in Covington township. He has been unable to do any manual labor since the war. Mr. Kiley was married September 18, 1848, to Dorothy Codney, who bore him six children, viz: Betsey, wife of Harvey Frost, of Richmond; Dorcas, wife of Samuel Frost, of Covington; Samuel H., a resident of the latter township; John, a physician of Morris Run; Lydia, wife of Prof. C. B. Clark, of Antrim, and Frank, a physician of Gordon, Schuylkill county. Mrs. Kiley died in February, 1887, aged forty-seven years. Mr. Kiley resides with his son, Samuel H. He is a stanch Republican, and a member of the G. A. R. and the P. of H.

SAMUEL H. KILEY, eldest son of John Kiley, was born in Richmond township, Tioga county, July 26, 1857, and attended the common schools in boyhood. In 1882 he purchased his present homestead in Covington township, and has since devoted his attention to farming. On December 25, 1879, he married Adel Clark, a daughter of John Clark, of Sullivan township, and has four children, viz: Love, John, William and Ross. Mrs. Kiley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Kiley is a Republican, and has filled the offices of super- visor and school director. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. and P. of H. societies, in both of which he takes an active interest.

NICHOLAS WATKINS was born in Connecticut, July 4, 1810, and was the youngest son of Benoni Watkins, a native of the same State, who settled on a farm of 200 acres where Austinville, Bradford county, now stands, in 1816. Benoni previously married Hannah Peet, and they reared a family of seven children, viz:

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Daniel, Delighta, Betsey, Sally, Abel, Granson and Nicholas. The subject of this sketch was about six years old when his parents settled in Bradford county. He worked at home until 1830, when he purchased a farm in Columbia township, Bradford county, on which he lived six years. In 1836 he bought a farm in Sulli- van township, Tioga county, which he cultivated until old age, and then retired to Mainesburg, where he died in May, 1893. He married Sarah Rose, to which union were born six children, as follows: John R., of Covington township; Benoni, a wagonmaker in Ft. Scott, Kansas; Lodemia, who died in infancy; Hannah, wife of Jesse Austin, of Mainesburg; Charlotte, wife of Omer Doud, of the same place, and Philetta, wife of B. F. Connelly, also a resident of Mainesburg. Mrs. Watkins resides in Mainesburg with her daughter, Mrs. Doud, at the ripe age of eighty- four years.

JOHN R. WATKINS, eldest child of Nicholas Watkins, and grandson of Benoni Watkins, was born on the Tioga and Bradford line, two and a half miles west of Austinville. He obtained a common school education and worked on the homestead until twenty-five years of age, when he began in life for himself, as a farmer. In the fall of 1869, he purchased his present farm of ninety acres, in Covington town- ship, on which he lived for ten years. He then went to Bradford, Mckean county, and carried on a fruit and vegetable store for two years, at the end of which period he returned to his farm in Covington. In 1889 he embarked in the lumber business, which he continued until the spring of 1896, when he resumed farming. On Feb- ruary 20, 1857, Mr. Watkins married Sophia Welsh, a daughter of Leonard Welsh, of Sullivan township, and has two children, viz: Rosa B., wife of David Ames, of Covington township, and Jay R., who was born on July 21, 1867. The family are members of the Church of Christ, and in politics, adherents of the Republican party.

ABEL WATKINS was born in Connecticut, in 1806, a son of Benoni Watkins, a native of the same State, who settled on a farm of 200 acres where Austinville, Bradford county, now stands, in 1816. Benoni previously married Hannah Peet, and reared a family of seven children, viz: Daniel, Delighta, Betsey, Sally, Abel, Granson and Nicholas. Abel was ten years old when the family located in Brad- ford county, and he grew to manhood on the homestead farm, and attended the pioneer school of the district. He later purchased a farm in Sullivan township, Tioga county, where he followed farming and stock-droving up to 1872, when he retired to Sylvania, Bradford county, and died in 1880. He married Mary Van Gorder, who bore him seven children, as follows: Hannah, deceased wife of the late Dr. Burchard, of Chicago; Andrew J., deceased; Emma, wife of E. R. Backer, of Elmira; George, a resident of California; Jerusha, widow of Dayton Hollenback, of Sylvania; Seely E., a farmer of Richmond township, and Frank, a lumberman of Covington township. Mrs. Watkins died on June 23, 1894.

ANDREW J. WATKINS, oldest son of Abel Watkins, was born in Sullivan town- ship, Tioga county, October 13, 1830, and was reared and educated in his native place. On attaining his majority he purchased a farm in Rutland township, whence he removed to Richmond, but returned to Rutland again. In 1870 he located in Covington township, purchasing a farm of 350 acres, one mile above Covington, to which he later added 180 acres more. He and his brother Seely also bought the

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old homestead in Sullivan township. In 1889 he moved to a small farm in Cov- ington borough, where he died in February, 1890. He married Clarinda Hurd, who bore him four children, as follows: Rush J., a steamboat captain in the state of Washington; Eugene O., of Covington township; Olive A., of the same town- ship, and Frederick B., deceased. Mrs. Watkins resides in Covington. Mr. Watkins served in the Union army during the late Rebellion. He was an active Republican, and filled the offices of assessor and school director.

EUGENE O. WATKINS was born in Richmond township, Tioga county, July 9, 1860, a son of Andrew J. Watkins, and grandson of Abel Watkins. He attended the common schools of the township and borough of Covington, and has always lived on the old homestead farm. On June 17, 1886, he married Mary A. Harding, a. daughter of Simeon and Lydia (Goodnow) Harding, early settlers of Covington, and has two children, Floy L. and Maude C. Mrs. Watkins is a member of the First Baptist church, of Covington. In politics, Mr. Watkins is a Republican, and is also connected with the I. O. O. F. and the P. of H. societies.

REV. GEORGE W. SCUDDER was born at Gorham, Ontario county, New York, August 25, 1818, a son of Ezra Scudder. He received a good education and in early manhood began preaching for the Free Will Baptist church, but when the slavery question began to be agitated, he became a Wesleyan Methodist, and for many years preached for that church in the counties of Steuben, Allegany, Schuyler and Tompkins, New York, and in Sullivan, Bradford, Tioga and Potter counties, Pennsylvania. He first came to Tioga county in the spring of 1863, and in 1865 purchased a farm in Charleston township, on which his son resided up to 1882. He then sold it and bought one in the northeast corner of Covington township, where he resided until a year and a half before his death, which occurred October 26, 1894, when he was stricken with paralysis and removed to the home of his son, Franklin B. Mr. Scudder was married to Emmeline Parsons, a daughter of Thadeus Parsons, of Clifton Springs, New York, October 21, 1841. She was born October 20, 1820, and is the mother of two children, viz: Ezra F., born July 28, 1842, and died June 21, 1859, and Franklin B., who lives on the old homestead. Mrs. Scud- der lives with her son in Covington township.

FRANKLIN B. SCUDDER, only living child of Rev. George W. Scudder, was born in Potter, Yates county, New York, June 25, 1845. When eighteen years of age he enlisted in Battery F, Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and served in the battles of Weldon Railroad and Chapin Farm. He was transferred to the light artillery, in which he served six months, and later three months as a mounted herdsman. In the fall of 1865 he was detailed to the provost guard, and later on the detective force, where he served until discharged, at City Point, in January, 1866. He returned to his home in Charleston township, and a year later went to Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, where he worked out and attended school at in- tervals for two years. Returning to his father's home, he worked for his parents until the fall of 1886, when he bought fifty-three acres immediately east of the homestead, which he cultivated until his father's death. He then inherited the homestead property of sixty acres, and is now the owner of 113 acres of well-im- proved land. October 26, 1868, Mr. Scudder married Roxie T., a daughter of Joseph Fawcett, of Sullivan county, where she was born on May 9, 1851. They

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are the parents of five children, viz: Jennie E., wife of Marlin Clemens, of Charleston township; Grace V., William W., Emma L. and Frankie B. Mr. and Mrs. Scudder are members of the Wesleyan Methodist church, while their daughter Grace is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics, the family are adherents of the Republican party.

THE BLOSSBURG COAL REGION.

MARTIN STRATTON was born near Towanda, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, December 22, 1807. His parents, Cephas and Hannah (Adams) Stratton, natives of Simsbury, Connecticut, settled in Bradford county in 1791. In 1813 they came to Tioga county, and located near Canoe Camp. They resided in Richmond township and in Mansfield until October 12, 1818, when the family left for Cincinnati, Ohio, settling four miles from that city, on Mill creek, where the parents passed the re- mainder of their lives. In 1821 the subject of this sketch went to Cincinnati to learn the carpenter's trade. After serving three years as an apprentice and one year as a journeyman, he went to New Orleans, where he remained but a short time. Re- turning to Cincinnati, he was induced, by promises of government work, to go to Fort Independence, Missouri. Being disappointed in this, he returned to Cincinnati, and in March, 1831, came back to Mansfield. After a three years' stay in Tioga county, he again returned to Cincinnati, and a year later removed to La Salle, Illinois. In 1840 he returned to Mansfield, and in December, 1841, located at Blossburg. For thirteen years he had charge of the repairs of coal chutes, etc., in Blossburg, for William Mallory & Company, and from 1861 to 1876 was in the employ of the Fall Brook Coal Company, at Fall Brook, as master mechanic. For a number of years he has been living retired in Blossburg, his residence, built in 1841-42, being one of the oldest houses in the place. In politics, he is a Republican, and has served as justice of the peace and school director. In religion, he is a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Stratton was married October 18, 1832, to Eliza Holden, a daughter of Daniel and Lydia Holden, pioneer settlers of Mansfield. Mrs. Strat- ton was born in Schoharie county, New York, in 1811, and they celebrated the six- ty-fourth anniversary of their marriage, October 18, 1896. Three children have been born to them, viz: Daniel H., Myron S., a railroad engineer, killed in an accident at Gray's run, Tioga county, August 25, 1892, and Lucy, wife of Rev. Marcellus Karcher, rector of Christ Protestant Episcopal church, of Blossburg. Lydia, an adopted daughter, is the wife of A. F. Gaylord of the same borough.

DANIEL H. STRATTON, eldest son of Martin Stratton, was born in Covington, Tioga county, January 1, 1834. He learned the carpenter's trade with his father, and from 1853 to 1855 he was in the employ of William Mallory & Company, of Blossburg. He then engaged in the grocery business in that place, continuing in the same three years. In the latter part of 1858 he went to Fall Brook, as foreman in charge of constructing and repairing chutes, etc., for the Fall Brook Coal Company. In 1864 he took charge of the railroad shop in Blossburg, a position he still holds. Mr. Stratton was married June 23, 1854, to Mary C. Scott, a daughter of Robert and Eliza Jane Scott, to which union have been born ten children, viz: Alice, deceased; Frank H., Mary, deceased wife of E. S. Guernsey, of Sala- manca, New York; Fred and Nina, both deceased; Lucy H., Jennie, Daniel R., a

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graduate of the Medical Department of the University of New York; Kate, wife of E. J. Bosworth, of Gaines, Tioga county, and Raymond. In politics, Mr. Strat- ton is a Democrat. He served in the first council of Blossburg, and has filled the office of justice of the peace, school director, auditor and township clerk. He is a member of the Masonic order, and of the K. of H.

FRANK H. STRATTON, eldest son of Daniel H. Stratton, was born in Blossburg, Tioga county, April 14, 1857, and was educated in the public schools and the State Normal School at Mansfield. He clerked for some years in the railroad shop office, and for seven years had charge of the weigh office in Blossburg of the Morris Run and Fall Brook Coal Companies. From 1885 to 1889 he was United States gauger of the Twelfth district of Pennsylvania, after which he again took charge of the weigh office of the companies named. On March 29, 1894, he was appointed by President Cleveland postmaster of Blossburg, which office he still holds. He is also superintendent of the Blossburg Water Company. Mr. Stratton was married in June, 1889, to Maria Bowen, a daughter of the late Stephen Bowen, sheriff of Tioga county from 1873 to 1876. They are the parents of three children, viz: Augustus D., Agnes and Nina. Mr. Stratton is an ardent Democrat. He is a past master of Bloss Lodge, No. 350, F. & A. M., and is also connected with Wellsboro Chapter, and Tyagaghton Commandery, of Wellsboro.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 148

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454