History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 100

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 100
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 100
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 100

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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hands of William Greeley until 1856, when it was bought by Hiram K. Mumford, of Mount Pleasant.

INDUSTRIES .- The present territory of Dy- berry contains the sites of but few of the town- ship's early industries. They with one or two exceptions were located in what has since be- come portions of other townships, and are re- ferred to in the chapters devoted to them.

The mill at the outlet of the first pond was built by Abraham Brink, who came from Monroe County, Pa., at an early date, probably about 1800. It was on the premises afterward owned by Thomas O'Neill, and in the assessment of 1807 was valued at four hundred and sixty dollars. The mill was a very primitive struc- ture, with a single run of stones brought from the hard quartz rocks of the Moosic Mountains. This comprised the entire plant, and the pio- Deers were glad to take their coarse meal with- out bolting. The story goes that when one day, a visitor from the city asked the miller why he did not put in bolting machinery, and with sly humor the latter replied, "Our people don't want it, most of the meal is bolted after it has been cooked." This was the mill of which Pope Bushnell used facetiously to say that " it ground wheat so that it was almost as good as rye." A saw-mill was afterwards erected below the grist-mill, and a large amont of lumber was prepared there. Afterward, the property was sold to Colonel William Greeley, who ran both mills, until he sold out to Mr. O'Neill, the present owner.

At an early day August Collins had a saw- mill near the present fair grounds, and soon after, a Mr. Jacques had a wagon-shop and a water-wheel which ran a small saw for making churns and doing light jig work. In 1821 Stephen Day built a saw-mill where Bates' grist-mill now stands, and for many years it was kept in active operation. Elias Day ran it for a time and then sold to James Boland and Edwin Day. The mill was abandoned about 1845. During that year, Ezra Brooks built what was afterwards known as the " Blinn Mill," taking its name from a subsequent owner, James Blinn. The latter afterwards sold it to Hand & Kirtland, and they, in turn, disposed

of it to Coe F. Young. The latter, in com- pany with William Kimble, rebuilt it in 1863. It ran for four years after that, and was aban- doned on account of the scarcity of lumber in the vicinity.

An up and down mill was built on the Dy- berry by John Bates, in 1849, and in 1854 was bought by William, a son of Asa Kimble, who improved it by putting in Emerson patent saws. His business increased rapidly, and in 1878 he again increased the capacity of the plant by erecting a steam-mill near by. It is driven by a forty horse power engine and has a capacity of fifteen thousand feet per day, while the water- mill with recent improvements can produce nearly as much. Both these mills have passed out of Mr. Kimble's hands, and are now owned by Elias B. Stanton, of Honesdale, though the former proprietor manages them.

In 1869 and 1870 R. S. and J. I. Bates erec- ted a grist-mill on the site of the old Day saw- mill above referred to. It has two run of stone and is employed entirely on custom work, doing a thriving business. The firm became J. and J. I. Bates in 1867, and still retains that style.

What is known as " the Gleason Mill " was built by Elias B. Stanton and William Kimble in 1871, on the site of a saw-mill erected by a man named Gleason, many years ago. The saws in the new mill were kept busy for ten years, but are not now used. The mill is owned at present by Mr. Stanton.

TANNER'S FALLS .- The foundation of the extensive tannery and lumbering business now carried on at Tanner's Falls by Coe F. Young, of Honesdale, was laid in 1851, by Barnet Richtmyer, who then purchased a large tract of land and rebuilt upon the site of the saw-mill that Jason Torrey erected about 1830. As soon as the mill was in running order, lum- ber for the construction of the tannery was sawed, and in 1853 the first hides were " slip- ped." An enlargement of the plant followed the successful business of the first year, and the tannery soon had one hundred and seventy vats and a capacity of fifty-two thousand hides annually. Mr. W. N. Alberty, of Albany County, N. Y., became associated with Mr.

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Richtmyer, as his general manager in 1855, and since that time has held the position under the other proprietors, displaying much execu- tive ability. In 1862, Thomas Watson & Co., of New York, bought out Mr. Richtmyer and ran the business for a year, at the expiration of which they sold to Coe F. Young, the pres- ent owner. At this date, 1863, the real pros- perity of the place began. Mr. Young brought into the business not only plenty of capital but broad, liberal ideas and much enterprise. The tannery plant was at once much improved, and the method of conducting the business made more systematic. Up to this date a large pro- portion of the wages of employees had been paid in goods, at a store started by Richtmyer soon after he commenced. The plan had proved here, as has it elsewhere, unsatisfactory to em- ployer and employed alike. Mr. Young rented the store and paid cash wages, and the credit system, which had injured the business, was abolished.

In 1864 the saw-mill was converted into a circular mill, and had its capacity materially increased. Lath-making machinery was also added. It has since turned out as much as three million feet of hemlock per annum, but at present is doing comparatively little.

On March 1, 1881, a fire broke out in the bark mill and the entire building was destroyed, entailing a loss of nearly fifty thousand dollars, ten thousand dollars of which was not covered by insurance. The tannery was at once rebuilt, and has since been running full capacity. The property includes a number of dwellings for the employees.

The hamlet of Tanner's Falls comprises a post-office, and a school-house, where religious services are occasionally held, besides a smithy and the general store, run by R. J. Menner & Co., of Honesdale. The post-office was estab- lished in 1856, Henry Richtmyer being the first postmaster, and having the office in his store. In 1859 he was succceded by his brother, Lewis Richtmyer. The latter was succeeded by J. R. Mitchell, in 1863, and he in turn gave place to Theodore A. Corby, in 1869. The present incumbent, Mr. W. N. Alberty, suc- ceeded Mr. Corby in 1875.

WILLIAM NELSON ALBERTY, superintendent and paymaster of the tannery and mill works at Tanner's Falls, Dyberry township, Wayne County, was born in Albany County, N. Y., November 26, 1831. He learned the trade of a blacksmith with his father and worked with him until 1856, when he engaged as book-keep- er for Barnt Richtmyer, then owner of the large tannery at Tanner's Falls. He continued in this position until 1858, when, by his good judgment in matters of business relating to the concern, having won the confidence of his em- ployer, he was made general superintendent, and put in sole charge of the business. His fidelity to his trust, his ability in the manage- ment of the business, and his honorable and proficient methods of dealing with employees, have made him the almost indispensable man of this large business, and the successive firms who have come into possession of the concern,- Thorn, Watson & Co., Young & Cornell, and later Coe F. Young as sole owner, have retained him as their superintendent in full charge. Thus Mr. Alberty has been identified with this business for thirty years, and for twenty-eight years sole manager. He has served as school- director, but has always refused all other official honor, although often tendered it by his towns- people.

He married, in August, 1854, Hester A., daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Keator) Corby, of Binghamton, N. Y., by whom he has four children, viz: Kate, Frank E., May and Maud Alberty.

His father, Peter S., born January, 1804, married Maria Groom (1805-1877), by whom he had six children,-Edgar, of Dyberry, a blacksmith ; William Nelson, Frank, a black- smith at the Falls ; Amanda, wife of Nelson Bloodgood, of Sullivan County, N. Y., a farmer and lumberman ; Mary, wife of Nelson Miles, a mill-wright, of Wilkesbarre, and Alida M., wife of Lewis Wynkoop, a carpenter, of Bing- hampton. Peter S. Alberty followed his trade as a blacksmith at Potter's Hollow, Green County, N. Y., until 1862, and removed to Tanner's Falls, where he continued the sanie business until 1879, when he retired from active labor. His grandfather, Frederick Alberty,

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also resides at Potter's Hollow, and his father was the emigrant of the family from Germany.

The first religious services held at Tanner's Falls were under the auspices of the Presbyter- ian Church at Bethany, and were conducted by Rev. Elias Ward, of that village, about 1859. In 1870 the Methodist Church began to hold services, and Rev. Mr. Prichard supplied the charge. It is now on his circuit, but service is not regularly conducted.

office up to the time of his death, in 1880. His son, A. K. Kimble, succeeded him, and is the present incumbent. Beside the shop, the village has a hotel, store and the grist-mill of Jared J. I. Bates, and is a thriving place.

HAINES POST-OFFICE, which was named in honor of Benjamin F. Haines, editor of the Wayne Independent, was established in the western part of Dyberry township, May 18, 1886, with C. W. Bodie as post-master.

D. V. alberty-

DYBERRY POST OFFICE .- One of the ear- liest residents here was Ephraim B. Kimble. He was the second child of Asa and Abigail Kimble, who lived near the Fair Grounds, and were pioneers of the township. He married Miss Amelia Schoonover, and, in 1849, moved into the house now occupied by Robert Bates. Here he resided for five years, building the hotel property meanwhile, and erecting the wagon-shop in which he wrought during the rest of his life.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE BUNNELL,

Third son of David Bunnell, was born at Beth- any, July 6, 1813, and obtained his education from books in the schools of his native place. He was engaged at home on the farm, and worked for others in the vicinity of his home, until June 27, 1839, when he married Clarinda, a daughter of John Bonham (1790-1853) and

In 1854 he received an appointment as post- master from President Pierce, and held the Sarah Hamlin (1790-1882), of Mount Pleasant

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township. Her father was a native of New Jersey, and came with his parents to that town- ship when the country was new and quite un- settled. He was a member of the Methodist Church and a class-leader. Her paternal grand- father was . Zedekiah Bonham, one of the early settlers of Mount Pleasant township. Her mother was the eldest child of Harris Hamlin and Rue Easton, natives of Connecticut, who settled in Salem township in. 1801, a sketch of whose lives may be found in this volume, and

of the timbered part of it. He was an intelli- gent and representative farmer, and erected commodious buildings on his farm. He never sought political preferment, but with the family of his father and brothers, belonged to the old Whig party, and he was identified with the Baptist Church at Honesdale. He was firmly fixed in the principles of justice and right to all, and while by his industry and energy he carved out a fair competence for himself, he was always ready to lend a helping hand to

a sister of the late Butler Hamlin, of Salem, and of the late Hon. Ephraim W. Hamlin, of Bethany. Mrs. Bunnell was born March 7, 1816. The same year of his marriage he pur- chased, with his father and brothers, some seven hundred and fifty acres of land, a part of which is in Dyberry township, alluded to before in the Bunnell sketch. Mr. Bunnell made his homestead on this part of the tract thus pur- chased, and in dne time brought it under a good state of cultivation, and made large clearings

those in need. He was a man of correct habits and of sterling integrity. The homestead was occupied for a time by his son Oliver, but in 1886 his son Oscar farms it. He died at the premature age of forty-four years, and his widow survives, in 1886, and resides mostly on the homestead. His children are : Oliver, a retired merchant of Honesdale; Elory, enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was killed at the battle of Gettysburg in 1863, aged twenty-one

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years ; Amelia, wife of Ulysses Beers, a mason of Honesdale; Martha J., wife of Alva S. Keyes, a merchant at Gravity, Lake township, whose father, Danforth Keyes, settled in Wayne County from Connecticut ; Helen M., deceased, was the wife of Thomas Bines, of Warren, Pa .; Oscar, assessor of Dyberry township, resides on the homestead, and Almira, wife of Charles E. Mills, a machinist, residing at Ariel, Wayne County; Eugene P., died an infant. A sketch

as many interesting incidents of a personal na- ture. His parents, Peter and Elizabeth (Ward) Miller, natives of Plainfield, Pa., both died and were buried at Pittston, where his father carried on blacksmithing. His maternal grandfather was of American birth, but his maternal great- grandfather was a native of Germany. His paternal grandfather was also born in Germany. He was the eldest child and the only one who settled in Wayne County. The other children

of David Bunnell and other members of the family may be found in the History of Texas Township.

WILLIAM MILLER.

William Miller, born at Pittston, Luzerne County, Pa., February 8, 1800, is one of the oldest living residents of Wayne County, in 1886, and well preserved in mind and able to give much of the early history of the locality where he resides, in Dyberry Township, as well

were, Elizabeth, Margaret Ann, Margaret, Sa- rah, and Benjamin, all of whom died in Pittston.

William learned the trade of a blacksmith with his father, and remained at home until he reached his majority. Leaving his native place at the age of twenty-one, he worked for one year on the public turnpike, near Honesdale, and in the lumber business, but unfortunately for him, his employer was sold out of every- thing he had, and consequently young Miller lost his year's wages, leaving him as he had

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started out in life, without money. He engaged for the next year with William Schoonover, of Dyberry Township, to work his farm on shares, and at the close of the year, not only had a part of the produce raised on the farm, but had formed the acquaintance of his daughter Eva- lena, whom he married March 11, 1823. She was born May 5, 1808, was a devoted member of the Methodist Church, a kind and affectionate wife and mother, and died February 26, 1884. Her parents, William and Susannah Schoonover, came from New Jersey and took up government land in the township, and were among its early settlers.

For two years after his marriage he farmed Thomas Spangenberg, Esq.'s farm, and in 1826 engaged with Halsey Lotrop, at Bethany, in his furnace in the manufacture of plows, where he remained for two years, followed by one year working at his trade, at that place. In 1829 he bought seventy-five acres of land, where he has since resided in Dyberry Township, to which he has since added as much more. This land he has mostly cleared of its original forest, has brought under a good state of cultivation, and has erected suitable farm buildings thereon. For over forty years Mr. Miller has been a member of the Methodist Church, and a supporter of church interests. He was supervisor of the township for three years, and school director for nine years.

During his early manhood he was noted for his physical strength and his swiftness of foot, and his vigor, even at the age of eighty-six years, outside of his bodily infirmity, bespeaks a well-developed body and complete organization in his earlier years. He is cared for in his de- clining years by his grand-daughter (Nettie M., wife of Thomas J. Edsall), who takes care of his farm.

His children are,-Elizabeth M. (1824-82), was the wife of Henry Palmer of Dyberry ; Susannah S., died young ; Jacob S., born 1828, a farmer and superintendent of the cemetery at Honesdale; Simon S. S. (1830-64), was a farmer in Oregon Township ; Benjamin F., born 1832, a farmer, resides in Prompton ; Julia S., dicd young ; John W., born in 1836, is a farmer in Dyberry ; Andrew Jackson, born in 1839, a

farmer in Oregon Township ; Mary Jane (1841- 66); George W. (1844-73), resided at home, and was accidentally killed by a falling tree ; Evaline S., born in 1847, wife of William Wil- liams, a merchant of Honesdale.

EZRA BROOKS.

Captain Homer Brooks (1782-1864), one of the first permanent settlers of Dyberry town- ship, a native of Connecticut, came from Mul- berry, Vt., in 1818, and bought of Mayor Jason Torry, agent for William Drinker, one hundred acres of land, about two miles north of Bethany, on which he erected a log house. Returning to Mulberry the next year he removed to his new home with his wife, Freelove (1783-1845), daughter of Esop Thayer, and six children, and at once began clearing off the forest and fitting his land for cultivation. He brought with him a yoke of oxen, a span of horses, one cow and his faithful dog. A resolute disposition and a will to carve out a home in this new country, together with the above-mentioned stock, made up his possessions. He agreed to pay seven hundred dollars for this wilderness tract of land, which in time, after many years hard labor, was paid. He was one of the men . wlio early en- gaged in the lumber business in Dyberry, and, with his older sons, carried it on in connection with their farming for fifty years. He was a man of strong characteristics, and highly es- teemed by his townsmen, was supervisor of the township and held other positions of trust in the gift of the people. He was captain of a com- pany of militia during the days of general training, prior to 1850. The minutes of the Fifty-Seventh Anniversary of the Abington Baptist Association, contain the following : " Deacon Homer Brooks served the church in Bethany faithfully, was endowed with sterling excellencies of character, very much esteemed by the whole community, and a steady and use- ful member of the church. He was baptized by Elder H. Curtis. The feelings of his heart were most tender and affectionate, his judgment clear and his adhesion to the church and to the principles of the doctrine of Christ remained unchanging. Bethany Church and congrega- tion are deeply indebted to him for the crection

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of their meeting-house, and for saving it from subsequent liabilities." His second wife was Joanna Bunnell, now deceased. His children by his first wife are: Lucy, wife of Barney Bunnell, of Dyberry, died in Newark, N. J., in 1885; Alvira, wife of Gordon Graves, of Bethany, died in Chicago in 1877; Flavilla, wife of Rockwell Bunnell, died in Prompton in 1870; Virgil, settled in Lebanon township where he now resides, and Ezra, who resides

(Dayton) Barnes, who was born in Connecticut, October 22, 1813. Her parents were natives of Connecticut, removed to Coventry, Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1818, where they resided until their death. Her father died in 1875, aged eighty- nine ; her mother in 1845, aged sixty-one. Their children are Hannah, deceased ; Nancy L. Sa- bra, the first and third of whom reside in New York State, and two sons, Edward and Gilbert, who reside in Dyberry.

Ezra Brooks

one mile west of the old homestead ; Major E. resided on the homestead until his death, in 1876 ; William Drinker is a mechanic of Homer, N. Y .; Lepha S., wife of Lyman Gleason, a farmer and lumberman in Dyberry, died in 1882; Horace resides at New Milford, and Ortenca Maria is the wife of Mathew Watt, of Wilkesbarre Pa.

Ezra Brooks, second son of Deacon Homer Brooks was born in Mulberry, Vt., September 11, 1812, and married on Christmas eve, 1836, Nancy L., daughter of Daniel and Mehitabel

Ezra Brooks resided at home until twenty- three years of age. After two years he pur- chased fifty acres adjoining the homestead for five hundred dollars, upon which was a small frame house with one room. He cleared the greater part of his land, and has added to it, by purchase, ninety acres more. In 1847 he built his present residence, and he erected his com- modious barns and planted most of his orchard. In 1842 he built, in connection with his father, a saw-mill near Dyberry Falls, and ran it for sixteen years. In all Mr. Brooks has been en-

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gaged in the lumber business for fifty-three years, which he began as early as 1828, with his father. His first work was scoring and hewing wharf timber, which he run in single rafts, called a " colt " down the Dyberry and Lackawaxen, thence down the Delaware by putting four single rafts together, called a " double Delaware," to Philadelphia. This great raft was manned by four men, and aver- aged to reach its destination in three days.

Mr. Brooks and wife are closely identified with the Baptist Church at Bethany. He has sung in the choir of that church for fifty-four years, has served as chorister for forty years, been a member since seventeen years of age and trustee since his father's death. He has served as supervisor, and in other official relations, of Dyberry, and is known as one of its sterling citizens. Ever since he has been a resident of Dyberry he has taken pastime in hunting, and in the early days was rewarded almost invaria- bly with the game that then abounded in the forest, such as deer, foxes and wolves.

The children of Ezra and Nancy L. Brooks are Lucy M., wife of Augustus A. Ballou, a farmer of Dyberry, and Frederick N. Brooks who married Mary L., daughter of Milo Bedell, and farms the homestead.

LEWIS DAY.

Lewis Day, the only surviving son of Ste- phen and Mary (Bonnel) Day, was born in Chatham, Morris County, N. J., June 25, 1813, and resides on Dyberry Creek, in Dyberry township, on the farm upon which his parents settled, with their family of nine ehildren, in 1816.

Stephen Day (1769-1865) purchased three hundred acres of land for his homestead, and, with his sons, began clearing off the forest; but, before he had much passed his fiftieth birth- day, he became afflieted with rheumatism, and for about forty years prior to his death was un- able to do much manual labor. He was a man of strong Christian sentiment, and both him- self and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church at Bethany, at which plaee they were buried. He spent much time during his later years in the study of the Bible, and read it

through many times. His wife (1772-1842), a woman devoted to her family and to the church, was of German extraction. He was of English origin, was a man of correct habits, and reached the remarkably great age of nearly ninety-six years.

The eldest son, Elias, settled on one hundred acres of this land, and, with his father, built a saw-mill, about 1823, on the present site of the Bates grist-mill. He afterward settled in Ohio, and subsequently in California.

The youngest son, subject of this sketch, farmed the balance of the original purchase, and with his own hands cleared nearly all of the present improved land. On account of his fa- ther's affliction the care of the farm and all business matters devolved upon him, and, with that perseverance and resolution characteristic of his whole life, he so managed affairs as to close out all indebtedness on the place and make it the permanent homestead of the family.

Lewis Day is a man of modest and unassum- ing ways, industrious and judicious, and it may well be said of him " that he ranks among the intelligent and thrifty farmers of Wayne County."

Mr. Day's sketch would not be complete without referring to his hunting proclivities. He is known throughout the county and this part of the State as a great hunter and a good shot, and whenever he has had leisure during the proper season he has been on many hunting excursions, and successfully made bear, deer, and other wild game acknowledge man's su- premacy over all other animals. He has a rifle, purchased in 1840, with which he has killed one hundred and thirteen deer, and the one hundredth one he presented to Rev. E. O. Ward, of Bethany. He has frequently killed three deer in one day and wounded a fourth, but never laid four at his feet as the result of one day's sport.

He is a supporter of the church at Bethany, and interested in the progress and development of all enterprises tending to foster good citizen- ship and educate the rising generation. His first wife, Nancy J., a daughter of Gideon Langdon, of Dyberry, whom he married No- vember 6, 1838 ; died September 3, 1866, aged

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fifty-five years. His present wife, whom he married April 7, 1870, is Margaret Maria, a daughter of John and Martha Dabron, who settled in Damascus township from Sullivan County in 1863.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 100

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 1438

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438