History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 95

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

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ADDISON BOYDEN was born in Vermont, October 10, 1805, was reared on a farm, and attended the common schools of his native place. When twenty-one years old he began working in the lumber woods of Canada, which he continued for eight years. In 1833 he came to Tioga county, and located in Delmar town- ship, where he followed the lumber business. In 1842 he bought 100 acres of timber land in Delmar, and after clearing a portion of it, sold it and purchased the present Boyden farm of 112 acres, a short distance west of Wellsboro, upon which he has lived up to the present. In 1831 he married Sophia Colvin, who bore him ten chil- dren, viz: Cynthia D. and Abigail, both deceased; Sanford N., of Wellsboro; Melvin, of Delmar; Alfred, of the same township; Mary M., wife of Luther Torpy, of Delmar; Charles F., of Delmar; Rosina A., wife of William Derbyshire, of Del- mar; Addison C., of Delmar, and Sophia S., wife of Loren Phippin, of Delmar. Mrs. Boyden died April 3, 1873, aged fifty-nine years. Mr. Boyden lives with his son Alfred on the homestead farm.

MELVIN BOYDEN was born in Shippen township, Tioga county, July 19, 1841, a son of Addison Boyden. He was reared on the homestead farm, obtained a com- mon school education, and worked at home until he was twenty-five years old, when he purchased his present farm in Delmar, and with the exception of three years spent on a rented farm, he has devoted his whole attention to clearing and improving his property. He was married December 6, 1862, to Sarah M. Fellows, a daughter of Asahel Fellows, of Delmar township, and has two children, Charles M., who owns and operates a fruit evaporator on the farm, and Ella S., wife of Charles Spencer, of Delmar. Mrs. Boyden is a member of the Baptist church. Politically, Mr. Boyden is a Republican, and has served as a school director six years. He is deputy constable for the north district of Delmar township.

ALFRED BOYDEN, son of Addison Boyden, was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, March 10, 1844, was reared on the farm, and attended the district

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schools of his neighborhood. In 1862, when but seventeen years old, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and par- ticipated in the following battles: Pollock's Mills, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Funkstown, Haymarket, Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Pamunkey River, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad and Hatcher's Run. He was promoted to corporal November 26, 1863, and was honorably discharged from the service at Harrisburg, June 29, 1865. Mr. Boyden returned to his home in Delmar township, and worked in the lumber woods for about ten years. For the following three years he cultivated rented farms, and then took charge of his father's farm, upon which he has since lived. He was married May 7, 1874, to Mary E. Loudon, a daughter of James Loudon, of Delmar, and has two children, Belle C. and Dana A. The family are connected with the Baptist church, of Wells- boro. Politically, Mr. Boyden is a stanch Republican, and a member of the G. A. R. and P. of H.

CHARLES F. BOYDEN was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, January 30, 1849, a son of Addison Boyden. He was reared on the farm, attended the common schools, and worked at home until he was twenty-four years of age, when he went to northern Wisconsin and operated a farm on shares for a year and a half. For the following six months he drove team for a milling company, and then returned to his home in Delmar, where he cultivated the old homestead for one year. At the end of this period he purchased his present farm in Delmar township, and has since devoted his attention to its cultivation. On June 22, 1873, he married Lydia Matson, of Wisconsin, who has borne him the following children: Elida R., wife of Ferdinand Nobles, of Delmar; Edith D., Edwin A., Flynn O., Sarah E., and Mary E., the last mentioned having died February 27, 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Boyden are members of the Baptist church, and in politics, he is a Republican.

ADDISON C. BOYDEN, youngest son of Addison Boyden, was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, July 30, 1852, attended the district schools and also the Wellsboro Academy. He worked at home until twenty-six years old, and then purchased his present farm in Delmar, which he has since cleared and improved. On June 9, 1879, he married Amanda Matson, a daughter of Horton Matson, of Delmar township, who has borne him two children, Bertha R. and Horace A. They have also an adopted daughter. Mr. Boyden and wife are members of the Baptist church, and in politics, he is a stanch Republican.

ALANSON J. WILSON, a native of Massachusetts, and a son of Solomon Wilson, came to Tioga county in the spring of 1839 and purchased a farm of eighty-six acres in Delmar township. He was a shoemaker and also a blacksmith, and after locating in Delmar township did considerable work in those lines, being one of the most useful citizens in the community. Though a man of limited education, he pos- sessed natural ability as a manager and accumulated a competence. Mr. Wilson married Julia Bradley, of Massachusetts, and reared a family of five sons, as fol- lows: James A., who died at the age of twenty-two; Henry B., Milon D., Ira C. and Baxter H., all residents of Delmar township. Mr. Wilson died in 1876, and his wife ten years before.

MILON D. WILSON was born in Steuben county, New York, March 21, 1831, and is the third son of Alanson J. Wilson. He was reared on a farm, attended the

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common schools, and when thirteen years old went to Wellsboro, Tioga county, -Pennsylvania, and engaged with William S. Taylor to learn the tanner's trade, at which he spent three years. He then returned home and worked in the woods and as a farm hand for about nine years. At the end of this time he purchased the farm upon which he now resides, and where he has since lived. On October 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served with his regiment up to December, 1862, when he was honorably discharged. Mr. Wilson was married December 1, 1856, to Mary Monroe, a daughter of Garner Monroe, of Delmar township, who bore him six children, viz: Daniel G., a resident of Potter county; Alanson W., who died in infancy; Rosanna M., wife of Tully Monroe, of Potter county; Mary E., wife of Frank Luddington, of Delmar; Caroline A., wife of Charles Loucks, of Potter county, and Lillian L., who died in infancy. Mrs. Wilson died September 11, 1891, aged fifty-nine years. February 21, 1894, Mr. Wilson married Philura Plumley, of Delmar township. He is a member of the Baptist church, while his wife is a Methodist. In politics, he is a Republican.

IRA C. WILSON was born in Barrington, Massachusetts, August 18, 1833, and was in his sixth year when his parents came to Delmar township, Tioga county. He was reared upon the homestead farm, attended the district school of his neighbor- hood, and when fourteen years of age commenced working in the lumber woods as a teamster; which he followed four years. Returning home he worked on the farm until his majority, and then purchased eighty acres of land from William Bache, located in Delmar township. At the end of six years, after clearing a part of it, he sold this property and purchased the old homestead, upon which he lived until he purchased his present farm of 120 acres, leasing the first to his son, Charles L. He also owns two other farms of 100 acres each in Delmar, and is one of the most prosperous farmers in the county. He married Mary Jane Nobles, a daughter of Loron Nobles, to which union have been born nine children, viz: Mary Louisa, de- ceased wife of George Smith; Emma, wife of Daniel Bennett, of Shippen town- ship; Lyman M., who died in infancy; Charles L., and Frank H., both residents of Delmar; Ella, wife of Charles A. Buckley, of Delmar; Frederick J., and Minnie, both of whom died in early youth, and Ira W., who lives with his parents. The family are connected with the Baptist church, and in politics, Mr. Wilson is a Democrat.

ROBERT STEELE, SR., was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, about 1766, there grew to maturity and married Esther Rowe. He served a short time in the Revolutionary War, later studied medicine, but never practiced the profession. About 1805 he came to Tioga county and located on the site of Ansonia, then known as Big Meadows. He reared a family of nine children, viz: John, James, Matilda, Ephraim, Henry, Elizabeth, Robert, Polly and William. Mr. Steele died at the home of his son Robert in Delmar township in 1836.

ROBERT STEELE was born on the site of Ansonia, Tioga county, October 12, 1810, a son of Robert Steele, Sr. He was reared on a farm and attended the pioneer schools of his neighborhood. Jn 1834 he located in Delmar township, purchasing the farm where his son Miles now lives. His wife, Mary Ann, was a daughter of William Blackwell, an early settler of Morris township. She bore him ten children, named as follows: Richard, who died in infancy; Lonisa, wife of William Wal-

Oliver Bacon.

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bridge, of Delmar; John, who died on his farm in Delmar, March 14, 1896; Sarah, wife of Peter Walbridge, of Wellsboro; William, who was wounded in the battle of Petersburg, and died June 27, 1864; Miles, Charles and Robert, all residents of Delmar; Mary A., wife of Willis L. English, of Morris, and Otis, who lives in Wells- boro. Mr. Steele died on the old homestead in Delmar, November 27, 1884. His widow lives with her son Miles in that township.

JOHN STEELE, son of Robert and Mary Ann Steele, and grandson of Robert Steele, Sr., was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, March 3, 1841, and lived with his parents until he was twenty-six years old. His father then deeded him a farm of 108 acres, two miles south of Wellsboro, where he resided until his death, March 14, 1896. Mr. Steele was married September 18, 1866, to Alice Copestick, a daughter of Charles Copestick, of Delmar. Six children were born to this union, viz: Raymond, a resident of Charleston township; Mabel, wife of Horatio Reed, of Delmar; Isabel, Robert, Claude, deceased, and Carrie. When Lee invaded Penn- sylvania, Mr. Steele went out with the Emergency Men to assist in defending his native State, thus proving his patriotism. In politics, he was a Republican, and served as clerk and treasurer of Delmar from 1882 to 1892. He belonged to the Grange and was a liberal supporter of the public schools. Mr. Steele was a kind father and husband, a good neighbor and a respected citizen.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, SR., was born in Scotland, there grew to manhood, and became a stationary engineer and miner. In 1830 he came to the United States, and worked in the Baldwin Locomotive Works five years. In 1835 he came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, remained a short time in Wellsboro, and then pur- chased a farm in Delmar township, on which he resided up to his death. He mar- ried Agnes Archibald, who bore him twelve children, four of whom are living and residents of Delmar township, viz: Frasier, wife of Thomas Clark; Thomas A., William, and Jane, wife of James Dale. Mrs. Robertson died October 14, 1886, at the ripe old age of ninety-two years.

THOMAS A. ROBERTSON, eldest son of William and Agnes Robertson, was born in Scotland, March 17, 1824, and came to the United States with his parents when six years old. He attended the public schools of Philadelphia and Tioga county in boyhood, and worked on the home farm until he was twenty-three years old. He then cultivated a rented farm for two years, at the end of which time he bought eighty-two acres on East Hill, Delmar township, a property he still owns, and lived there from 1850 to 1891. He then removed to his present farm, a portion of the old homestead. Mr. Robertson was married March 8, 1849, to Mary A. Moyer, a daughter of Jonathan Moyer. Four children were born to this union, viz: Margaret, who died at the age of twenty-six; George A., of Delmar; Adaline, wife of Robert A. Kerr, of Morris, and Isabel, wife of Rev. E. D. Rawson, of Allegany, New York. Mr. Robertson and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics, he is a Republican, and is also a member of the Patrons of Husbandry.

GEORGE A. ROBERTSON, only son of Thomas A. and Mary A. Robertson, was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, was reared on the homestead farm, and attended the district schools in boyhood. When twenty years of age he began working in the lumber woods, but soon returned to farm work. He later spent

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three years in the Hoytville tannery, then bought a farm in Delmar, near the Shippen line, which he sold two years later and purchased his present farm of fifty acres, east of Stony Fork. Mr. Robertson was married June 17, 1876, to Agnes Dort, a daughter of Russell Dort, an early settler of Delmar township, and has three children, Edith, Leon A., and Pearly A. Mr. Robertson, wife and oldest daughter are members of the P. of H., and in politics, he is a stanch Republican.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, youngest son of William Robertson, Sr., was born on the homestead farm in Delmar township, Tioga county, November 8, 1837. He at- tended the common schools of his district and worked at home until he was twenty- one years of age. He then began working out as a farm hand, but two years later rented a farm and continued to cultivate rented farms up to 1876, when he bought a homestead in Delmar township, which he sold six years afterwards and purchased his present property of fifty acres adjoining the old homestead farm, in which he owns a quarter interest. Mr. Robertson was married September 25, 1859, to Lydia A. Smedley, a daughter of William and Ellen (Shuart) Smedley, born September 6, 1838. They have one daughter, Mazie, born April 8, 1882. In politics, Mr. Robertson is an ardent Republican.

AARON SYMONDS was born in Connecticut, June 30, 1793, a son of John Sy- monds. In early life he learned the blacksmith's trade, particularly the manufac- ture of scythes, and followed that business until failing health compelled him to abandon it, when he turned his attention to farming. In 1836 he came to Tioga county and operated a saw-mill at Round Island, now Tiadaghton. He afterwards bought fifty acres of land on Middle Ridge, in Delmar township, where he followed farming until his death, August 5, 1842. Mr. Symonds married Phoebe Willcox, oldest child of Simon G. Willcox, November 5, 1818. She was a native of Chenango county, New York, and became the mother of nine children, viz: Luther, who died at the age of twenty-three; David B., a farmer of Potter county; Job W., of Delmar township; Hannah A., who died in 1888; Sarah A., deceased, wife of Darius B. Ford; Clarissa, who died in 1886; Caroline, and Emeline, twins, the former of whom died in girlhood, and the latter in 1886, and Betsey A., who died in April, 1863. Mrs. Symonds died in May, 1860, aged fifty-eight years.

JOB W. SYMONDS, retired farmer and blacksmith, was born in Chenango county, New York, October 20, 1825, and was eleven years old when his parents settled in Tioga county. On attaining his majority he began work in the lumber woods, devoting his summers to farming, which he continued five years. He then bought a farm of fifty acres on Middle Ridge, Delmar township, originally owned by his father, erected a blacksmith shop, and followed farming and blacksmithing. He did work for his neighbors, having picked up sufficient of the trade to be a fair workman. In 1856 he sold this property and bought his present farm of 100 acres, a short distance north of Draper. Here he followed blacksmithing and farming up to 1886, when he retired. Mr. Symonds married Cynthia Borden, a daughter of Benjamin B. Borden, of Delmar township, January 3, 1844. She was born April 10, 1828, and became the mother of ten children, viz: Phoebe J., widow of A. S. Torpy; George, an oil operator in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania; Mary E., who died in infancy; Betsey E., wife of Asher A. Hines, of Minnesota; Mary A., wife of Charles Orr, of Delmar township; Fidah M., wife of Albert Torpy; Myra B.,

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wife of Edwin Allen; Hurbin, who married Ida Compton, February 14, 1887; Katie, wife of Ira Rice, and Benjamin, the last five of whom are residents of Delmar township. In politics, Mr. Symonds is a Republican. He has been supervisor one year, and a justice of the peace fifteen years, in Delmar township.

THOMAS HORTON was born in Orange county, New York, in 1781, and came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1837. He purchased the farm in Delmar town- ship on which his son Thomas C. now lives. He married Anna Cully, who bore him a family of nine children, viz: Elizabeth, who married John Kimball; Hiram, and Hannah, who married Daniel Slosson, all of whom are dead; Susan, wife of Jeremiah Houghton, of Delmar; Thomas C., a farmer of the same township; Ezra, deceased; Hector, of Delmar; Sarah A., wife of P. G. Walker, of Stony Fork, and Samantha, wife of Edward Hastings, of Wellsboro. Thomas C. was born in Tompkins county, New York, September 1, 1820, came to this county with his parents, and married Marietta Stanton, who bore him six children, viz: Newell F., and Mary J., both deceased; Ezra, a farmer on Marsh creek; John and Nathan, both deceased, and Myron, a resident of Virginia. Mr. Horton and wife spent the re- maining years of their lives in this county.

HECTOR HORTON, youngest son of Thomas Horton, was born in Schuyler county, then a part of Tompkins county, New York, December 27, 1822, and was in his fifteenth year when his parents settled in Delmar township. He worked at home until twenty-three years of age, and then bought his present farm of 100 acres from his father, on which he has since lived, devoting his attention to general farm- ing and dairying. October 9, 1850, he married Permelia A. Emick, a daughter of William Emick, of Morris township. They are the parents of seven children, viz: Charles A., and Frank, both residing in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively; Maria, wife of Andrew English, of New Mexico; George, and Fred J., residents of Wood county, Ohio; Mary, and Hubert, both at home. The family are adherents of the Baptist church, and politically, Mr. Horton is a Republican. He is also a member of the Patrons of Husbandry.

DAVID GORRIE was born near Wilmington, Delaware, March 28, 1820, a son of Jolin and Agnes (Ower) Gorrie, natives of Scotland. David is the youngest and only survivor in a family of ten children. He was reared in his native place and in the City of Philadelphia up to the age of seventeen, and obtained a common school education. In the fall of 1837 he, with his mother and invalid brother, came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where he bought a farm of about 120 acres, in Delmar township, and devoted his entire attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1882 he built upon the farm of 125 acres, where he now resides, disposing of the old home- stead to his son Clarence. Mr. Gorrie was married in 1851 to Cerissa Griffin, of Delmar township, and has reared four children, viz: Clarence, who lives upon the old homestead; Norval, a farmer residing in Idaho; David, a farmer in the same State, and Lillie M., at home. In politics, Mr. Gorrie is a stanch Democrat. He is one of the prominent and respected farmers of Delmar township, and by his own exertion and energy has accumulated through the passing years a handsome com- petence.

LYMAN WALBRIDGE was born near Springfield, Massachusetts, February 6, 1786, a son of Joshua Walbridge, a Revolutionary soldier, born in 1758. He was

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reared on a farm, received a good education, and taught school for some years in his native State. In 1837 he came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and purchased the farm in Delmar township now owned by his son William, where he resided until his death, August 17, 1862. He married Ann D. Smith, a daughter of Rev. William R. Smith. She was born in 1795, and bore him six children, viz: William, a resi- dent of Delmar, born September 16, 1821, who married Louisa, a daughter of Robert Steele, and has two sons, Bion and Arthur; Elizabeth, a resident of Europe; Joshua, a judge of the common pleas court in Goldboro, Colorado; John W., an oil operator of Venango county; Robert S., of Delmar, and Peter D., who lives in Wellsboro. Mrs. Walbridge died April 10, 1880, aged eighty-four years.

ROBERT S. WALBRIDGE was born in New Jersey, October 5, 1831, and was about six years old when his parents located in Delmar township, Tioga county. He was reared upon the farm, and when twenty years of age began working out as a farm hand, which he followed for ten years. He then bought his present farm of 100 acres, lying west of Stony Fork, where he has since devoted his attention to agri- culture. On December 11, 1862, Mr. Walbridge married Mary Copestick, a daughter of Charles Copestick, of Delmar, and has three children, viz: Alfred C., an electrical engineer of Washington state; Bertha E., wife of C. E. Olmstead, of Delmar, and George B., a student at Lafayette College. Mrs. Walbridge died January 21, 1889, aged forty-seven years. In politics, a Democrat, he has served as township clerk and treasurer for several years. He is a member of the P. of H., and also of the K. of G. E.

WILLIAM TROWBRIDGE DERBYSHIRE was born in Denmark, New York, Decem- ber 28, 1809, a son of William and Laura (Trowbridge) Derbyshire. He was the second in a family of seven children, and is to-day the only surviving member of the family. He received a common school education, and when sixteen years of age went to Utica, New York, and spent three years learning the harness maker's trade, which business he followed about ten years in that State. In the autumn of 1837 he came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and located in Wellsboro, where he worked at his trade three years. He then purchased the Derbyshire farm in Del- mar township, and for the succeeding twenty-five years devoted his attention to clearing and improving his land, and working at his trade in Wellsboro. At the end of this period he gave up working at his trade, and devoted his whole attention to the farm. Mr. Derbyshire was married in January, 1835, to Mary Granger, a daughter of Levi Granger, of Otsego county, New York, to which union were born ten children, named as follows: William, who died at three years of age; Mary, Caroline, Elizabeth, George R., who died in a rebel prison in South Carolina during the war; Charles, and William, both residents of Delmar; Frank, deceased; Laura, wife of Charles Smith, and Marian, wife of John Russell, both residents of Delmar township. Mrs. Derbyshire died in August, 1891, aged seventy-nine years. Mr. Derbyshire is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, and in politics, a Re- publican. He is one of the oldest citizens of Delmar township.

CHARLES DERBYSHIRE, son of William T. Derbyshire, was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, May 30, 1846, was educated in the district schools, and has made farming his life vocation. His farm is located four miles northwest of Wellsboro. He married Mary Matson, a daughter of Edwin Matson, Sr., of Delmar,

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December 31, 1868, who has borne him five children, viz: Mary E., wife of John Hasker, of Delmar; William E., who married Lizzie Covert, of Wellsboro; Robert C., Charles F., and Marion C. The family are connected with the Baptist church. Mr. Derbyshire is a Republican, in politics, and is one of the school directors of his district.

WILLIAM DERBYSHIRE, son of William T. Derbyshire, was born in Delmar township, Tioga county, September 6, 1848, and has spent his entire life upon the homestead farm. On January 20, 1875, he married Rosina A. Boyden, a daughter of Addison Boyden, of Delmar. Five children have been born to this marriage, four of whom are living, viz: Carrie F., Mary O., William 'T. and George R. The family are members of the Protestant Episcopal church, and in politics, he is an adherent of the Republican party.

HIRAM L. ROBLYER was born near Horseheads, Chemung county, New York, March 14, 1825, a son of Hiram and Rhoda (Sanford) Roblyer. His parents were natives of Orange county, New York, whence they removed to Chemung county, and in 1837 located in Rutland township, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where they died, the father May 6, 1857, aged eighty-two, and the mother, November 27, 1859, aged seventy-eight. Their children were as follows: Austin, Diadama, Andrew J., David S. and Ira, all of whom are dead; Dorcas M., widow of A. B. Tanner; Hannah J., deceased; Sally Ann, widow of Northrop Smith, of Sullivan township, and Hiram L. The subject of this sketch came to Tioga county with his parents when twelve years old, and was reared to manhood in Rutland township. He afterwards worked as a farm hand for several years. In 1851 he embarked in merchandising at Elk Run in partnership with Northrop Smith, but in 1857 he sold his interest to Mr. Smith and bought his present farm of 104 acres, on which he has since lived. Mr. Roblyer was married October 3, 1855, to Almira Wood, a daughter of Solomon and Lydia Wood, of Sullivan township, where her parents settled in 1821. Three chil- dren have been born to this union, viz: Herbert, a resident of Delmar; Levi, who lives in Sullivan, and Harvey, who died November 18, 1877. In politics, Mr. Roblyer is a Republican, and has served as auditor and treasurer of his township. Both he and wife are members of East Sullivan Grange.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 95

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