History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 111

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 111
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 111
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 111

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).

676

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

In 1822 the manufacture of lace commenced in England, principally at Nottingham, and Wil- liam learned the trade. He became an expert workman and earned good wages. Being in- dustrious and saving, he laid by in the savings bank a small sum, and in 1843 (April 19th) embarked at Biddeford, on the schooner "Arab," for New York, where he landed with his wife and three children, after a voyage of six weeks. A few days after landing they came, by way of

not a tree cut or a roek removed. He cleared, and improved and built a house and out- build- ings, and lived to see a fine farm, the result of his patience and toil. In December, 1852, he brought his family to the new home, where they have since resided, and where he died, on the 1st day of September, 1883, mourned and regretted by his neighbors and friends, by whom he was held in high esteem as a man of sterling integrity and a friend in need. In England he

steamer, to Rondout; thence by canal to Honesdale, where he worked at whatever lie could get to do until the following April, when he took the farm of William Hill and Thomas Hatton, to work on shares for one year. Dur- ing the next eight years he worked Ambrose Wheeler's farm on shares, at the same time put- ting all his spare time on a piece of wild land of one hundred acres, which he purchased in 1846, which is now the home of his wife and sons. When he came in possession of the farm there was a road only to the tannery, and

was in politics a Liberal, and in this country identified himself with the Democratic party, by whom he was elected to different township of- fices. On the 25th day of March, 1825, he married Margaret Perry, daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Tallin) Perry. She was born April 5, 1804, and bore him the following children : John, born December 26, 1825; Henry, born February 13, 1828, married Emily Hasken (their children were James W., Annie E., Frederick J., Perry, William G., Maurice and Archie H.); William G., born in 1834 (de-

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ceased); Ann, born December 26, 1835 (de- ceased) ; and William, born July 4, 1839, mar- ried Mary S. Vareoe.

GEORGE W. KIMBLE.

His father, Asa Kimble, was born and lived at the Narrows, in Pike County. He mar- ried Abigail Pellet, daughter of John Pel- let, and soon afterward, about 1816, moved

for many years. He died February 11, 1847. His wife passed away February 4, 1879. Their children were Nancy, Ephraim B., George W., John P., Isaae R., William and Martin.

George W. Kimble was born March 2, 1821; married, November 20, 1843, Phebe Schoonover, who was born November 3, 1821. Their chil- dren were Asa, born Mareh 12, 1845; Daniel M., born August 26, 1846 ; Abbie J., born February 5, 1848; and George A., born Jan.

Gill Primable Tumble

to Wayne County, where he bought two hundred and sixty aeres of wild land in Dy- berry township, the present loeation of the County Fair-Ground. His youngest son, Mar- tin K. Kimble, now resides on the old home- stead. The place then had a small house and barn on it and a small elearing. He ereeted new buildings, set ont fruit-trees, and made himself and family a good home. He held different township offices. Both himself and wife were members of the Methodist Church 65}

14, 1849. Mrs. Kimble died Sept. 20, 1864. For his second wife, Mr. Kimble married Lusetta Sehoonover, December 20, 1865. She was born in Lake township, Luzerne County, Pa., August 15, 1841. She has one ehild, Ella A., born October 11, 1868.

George W. Kimble was born in Dyberry township, Wayne County, and grew to man's estate on the home farm. He made his start in life by working an entire year and having sixty dollars in money at the end.

678

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

In the spring of 1843, in company with his brother Ephraim, he bought of Charles and Daniel Hoel the saw-mill built a ycar or two before on the Big Brook, in what is now Oregon township, and known as Kimble's saw-mill, and with it one hundred acres of all wild land, ex- cept about one acre cleared. For miles around there was only here and there a small clearing. The only building was a small house which stood near the mill, in the midst of a thicket of laurel. Into this house he moved with his family and commenced the work of clearing. Some of the first lumber they rafted and ran to Philadelphia market brought only six dol- lars a thousand feet, and sometimes they walked most of the way home.

They accumulated property, including large tracts of land, and worked together till 1858, when they divided their property. George W. Kimble had two hundred acres of land around the mill; but the mill, mill privilege and lum- ber belonged to both ; while E. B. Kinible had the store, blacksmith shop, etc., where Dyberry post-office now is. Ephraim died in 1880, leaving his interest in the mill to his oldest son, Isaac, and G. W. Kimble bought it of him. He now owns four hundred and fifty acres of land, two hundred and thirty acres cleared, with good buildings and other improve- ments, the result of his energy and industry.

Mr. Kimble is a Democrat in politics and has held different township offices. He is lib- eral in his religions opinions, as he is in all his acts, and he is spoken of as one of Wayne County's most honored men, as have been the members of his family both now and in past generations.

JOHN REIFLER.

John Reifler was born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, May 2, 1832. His father, Philip Henry Reifler, was born in 1808, in the same place, as had been his ancestors for many generations. He married Katherine Bauman, who was born September 15, 1811 ; she was daughter of Jo- hannes and Barbara (Ankle) Bauman. Mr. Bauman was a mason, and worked. at the trade in Gomaringen, Reutlangen County, Wurtem- berg, where his ancestors had long resided.

Philip Reifler died in 1852. His wife is still living and resides with her son. Their children were John, born May 2, 1832 ; Henry, born January 13, 1836 ; Margaret, born June, 1839 ; Jacob, born December 14, 1842; Dorothy, born in 1848. The children are all in this country but Jacob, who remained with his mother in Germany. Henry married Catherine Slach ; children are Jane, Emma, Henry and George. Margaret married Charles Abbott ; their cliil- dren are Carrie, Henry, William and Flora. Jacob married Barbara Bauman ; children are Jacob Jr., Kate, Barbara, Henry, John. Dorothy married George Younger; children,-George, Katherine, Amelia and Mary. John Reifler learned the weaver's trade and followed it until he was nineteen years old. On the 8th day of October, 1851, in company with his uncle, Michael Reifler, and family, he left home and embarked at Bremen in the sailing-vessel "Gus- taf," and after forty-two days on the water landed in New York. Tlie passage was a very rough as well as a long one, and their vessel came near going down.

His uncle, John M. Bauman, ex-county treasurer of Wayne County, had come over the spring before and had located in Honesdale, and to that place the new-comers made their way. Jolin was entirely out of money and had to borrow of an acquaintance in New York the means to buy a railroad ticket to Honesdale. In January, 1852, John commenced work in the Hungarian tannery, and worked at whatever was to be done until 1860, when he became foreman, a position he held nine years.

In 1867, in company with his brother Henry, he bought of the tannery company the saw- mill property he now owns, and twenty-eight acres of land surrounding it. In 1869 he bought out his brother and moved into the property, where he has since resided. Mr. Reifler has also bought the Baird and Car- bon farms, and now owns a large and valu- able property. The first money he earned after getting work he sent to his father in return for money advanced for his passage. In 1882 Mr. Reifler made a two months' visit to his old home, and while there his barns and all their contents were destroyed by fire.

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679

In politics Mr. Reifler was first a Democrat, but at the second election of Abraham Lincoln joined the Republican party, to which he has since belonged. He has been honored by his fellow-citizens with the office of county com- missioner and different township offices. He was elected commissioner in 1878, during the exciting times caused by what was called the Anti-Court-House Campaign. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church and has been

1856 ; married Henry Tamblyn, children are William, Emerson and Millie. Mary Cather- ine, born June 5, 1857. Caroline D., born November 3, 1858; married Edmond Lee. Matilda U., born January 29, 1860. Eliza- beth, born May 15, 1861; married Joseph Taylor ; children-Lester, Annie B. (dicd in infancy). Annie P., born May 18, 1864 ; mar- ried Eugene H. Gates. Dorothy S., born Feb- ruary 27, 1867. Lydia, born April 9, 1868.

John Biefler

for many years. He married, July 24, 1853, Miss Catherine Follmer, who was born Febru- ary 6, 1830, in Duslengen, Wurtemberg, Ger- many. Her father, David Follmer, married Dorothy Relling. Her grandfather, Martin Follmer, was a farmer and owned a large farm. To Mr. and Mrs. Reiffer have been born Henry, born October 10, 1851 ; married Thirsa Law- ton ; children-Nellie and Vernon. John G., born July 13, 1854. Margaret, born March 4,

Charlotte F., born Mareh 10, 1870. William F., born September 19, 1871. Annie B., born December 27, 1872. Mr. Reifler is in all that the name implies, a self-made man. Coming to this eountry a boy, with no one to help him to a dollar, he has by industry and good man- agement accumulated a fine property and dwelling; and stands high as a neighbor and business man.

680

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAPTER XXV.

PALMYRA TOWNSHIP.

ALTHOUGH one of the original townships, and, prior to the excision of Pike County including in its limits some of the early settlements of the Lackawaxen and Wallenpaupack region, Pal- myra as it now exists has been shorn of much of its historical interest by the divisions of ter- ritory subsequent to its original formation, and the earliest events that took place in its limits will be found classified in the history of those portions that have since been constituted sepa- rate political divisions. Upon the excision of Pike from Wayne County, in 1814, Palmyra was divided into two parts, the Wallenpaupack being the dividing line, and the portion thus set off contained the old Paupack settlement. Again, in 1850, the erection of Paupack town- ship still further limited the area, and Palmyra is now one of the smallest townships in the county. It is bounded on the north by Berlin, on the northwest by Cherry Ridge and Texas, on the southeast by Pike County and on the southwest by Paupack. The Lackawaxen, Middle Creek and the Wallenpaupack have their confluence in its southeastern portion, and the two former streams flow through it. In the western portion the drainage is by means of Swamp Brook, a rivulet that rises in Berlin. Much of the surface is too broken and hilly to be very available for agricultural purposes, though there is fertile soil of alluvial deposits along the valleys of Middle Creek and the Lackawaxen.

The first settlements in all this region were in Pike County, and Wilsonville, for a short time the seat of county government, seems to have been the first hamlet of the township. Occupy- ing a position on what afterwards became the dividing line, its history is closely interwoven with that of both counties, and it is probable that the first houses built in the place were on the Pike County side. Judge James Wilson,1

then one of the judges of the Supreme Court, was the owner of large tracts of land along the Wallenpaupack, and was led to believe that they were peculiarly adapted to the culture of flax and hemp, and that the manufacture of fabrics would be profitable. About 1792 he commenced the erection of a large factory for this purpose, at a point just above the old tan- nery site, at Hawley. While this was going up, several houses were built at Wilsonville, and it became a thriving settlement. Judge Wilson's factory was completed in due course of time, and was well built and equipped. Of its size and cost nothing definite is known now, but it has been estimated to have cost from eight to twelve thousand dollars, and to have been from thirty to forty feet square. It was put in operation, and did some work, but failed for want of material. Before he could realize his hopes of success the proprietor himself failed also, and the factory was sold to"other parties. It was afterwards burned by Benjamin Kimble and some one else to get the iron used in its con- struction.

Prior to the building of the factory, Reuben, Alpheus and Alexander Jones and a sister, who was know as Widow Cook, settled below the mouth of Middle Creek. Reuben, as elsewhere related, was captured by the Indians shortly after the battle of Wyoming, and escaped by out- running his captors in a friendly race. About the time of his settlement Elisha Ames made a clearing on what lias since been known as the

1 James Wilson was one of the purchasers of Colonel Jonas Seely's interest in the Indian Orchard tract and, though he subsequently met with financial reverses, was a man of much wealth at this time. He was born in Scot-

land in 1742, and educated at Edinburgh and Glasgow. At the age of twenty-four he emigrated to America, coming to Philadelphia, where he obtained the position of usher in a college. He studied law, and soon acquired consider- able celebrity. He was a member of the Provincial Con- vention of this State in 1774, and in May, 1775, was chosen a member of the Continental Congress. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and was repeatedly re-chosen to Congress. His colonel's commis- sion was obtained at the commencement of hostilities, and, in 1779, he was appointed Advocate-General of France in the United States, an office which he held for three years. He was a member of the convention that framed the Federal Constitution, and of the Pennsylvania Convention that adopted it. President George Washing- ton appointed him one of the first judges of the United States Supreme Court, and he was the first Professor of Law in the College of Philadelphia. He died at Edenten, N. C., August 28, 1798.

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WAYNE COUNTY.

David Bishop farm, and they were probably the first settlers in Palmyra, Wayne County.

Benjamin Haines (or Haynes, as it is spelled in some of the records) located on the place now occupied by George S. Atkinson soon after this. Haines was a friend, though a despised one, of Tom Quick, the famous Indian killer, whose exploits have been the text for many stories of adventure, and who, if legend is to be given credence, was the principal of a score of atrocious murders. It is stated in another chapter that Reuben Jones was accused of the murder of Canope ; but there is another version of his death that makes Haines the guilty one. It is related that after the close of the Revolu- tion, two Indians who had been friendly to the settlers in times gone by, appeared above the Cushutunk settlement on their way down the river to hunt and fish. They were Huycon, better known as Ben Shanks, by reason of his great height and disproportionate legs, and Canope. Canope was much esteemed by the whites, and was one of the best disposed of the Delawares. During the war both had been employed by the emissaries of George III., and when they stated that they were on their way to Minisink, Joseph Ross, of Callicoon, and Josiah Parks, of first raft fame, advised them to keep away from there, as there were a number of desperate men at Minisink, who would get into trouble with them on the slightest pretext. They particularly cautioned the Indians against Tom Quick, who was then at home. Thus ad- vised, Canope and his companion changed their plans, and, cutting across the country, went to Handsome Eddy, where they felt they would be free from molestation. Soon after they arrived they met Ben Haines, who was seemingly very friendly, and at once invited them to stay at his house, which courtesy they accepted. The next morning Haines told them that he was going to Minisink to replenish his supplies of rum and ammunition, and bidding them take care of the family while he was gone, started down the river. He went directly to Tom Quick's house, where he found the Indian slayer, and asked him to come over to the eddy and kill them both, promising to lead tlie Indians into ambush so that it would be easy work. To this

Quick readily assented, and after a plan had been decided on, Haines secured his supplies and returned home. It is said that he coveted the fine furs which the Indians had brought with them.

Among the friends of Tom Quick was one Cobe Chambees, or Shimer (pronounced Sha- mer), and as it was deemed better to have an ac- complice, Tom selected him to assist in the murder. A day or two later they reached Haines' house, and dropped in on the family just as Haines and his guests were about to take breakfast. His crafty confederate did not greet Quick by his right name, but treated him like an entire stranger, though one who was welcome to the rude hospitalities of his cabin, and after the meal had been partaken of, Quick and Chambees passed on up the river toward White Mills, only to sneak back and wait their victims in ambush. Haines proposed to the Indians that they all go fishing, and offered to conduct them to a place where there was good sport, and they consented ; though there must have been something in his manner which excited their suspicions, for Canope first required him to give a personal pledge of protection, which Haines did most emphatically. Near where Quick and Shimer were squatting in the bushes were some rocks that ran out into the stream, and thither Ben conducted his Indian guests. After they had fished a few minutes, Canope broke his hook, and as he had no other, reclined in a comfortable position to watch the sport of his companions. This gave Quick the opportunity he wanted, and directing Shimer to aim at Huycon, he drew a bead on Canope. Shimer, who was not accustomed to do such brutal murder, was so unsteady of hand that he missed his man, while Quick sent a bullet through Canope's arm and the back of his head, inflicting serious, though not fatal wounds. Huycon sprang into the bushes and fled, while Canope rushed to Haines and claimed the promised protection. The only reply Haines made was to push the wounded Indian into the water, and snatching a pine knot to beat his brains out with it, exclaiming as he did so, " Tink, tink how yon ust to kill white folks! 'pent, 'pent." The broken faith and atrocity of

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682

the deed were too much even for so hardened a murderer as Tom Quick, who said as he emerged from his ambush, "Damn a man who will promise an Indian protection, and then knock him on the head." The murder caused the settlers much anxiety, and was loudly de- nounced on all sides ; but its planner and per- petrator was never punished, and it is said that in his later years he often boasted of it.

Haines had several children, and Roger, one of them, afterwards lived in the upper part of the county. That Ben was a poor man is at- tested by the school records; for in 1811 his children were returned by the assessor as en- titled to the benefit of the law of 1809, which made it the duty of the county commissioner to pay for the education of the children of indigent parents. Abraham, Albram and Roger Haines were the first to enjoy schooling at public ex- pense.

In 1803 Jonathan Brink moved from Mil- ford and bought the Haines place. He acquired about nine hundred acres of land, and after living there for some time sold to Joseph Atkinson. Mr. Brink had married Sabra Edwards, of Madison, and brought with him one child, Diana, who married Aaron Godfrey and afterwards Loyal Hutchings, with whom she went to Michigan. Henry, the second son of Jonathan Brink, married Zubie Ainsley, and moved to Bingham- ton, N. Y. Moses, the third son, married Ann Roberts, and lived at Lackawaxen. Lucinda Brink was the wife of Harvey Bishop, and, after his death, married Abisha Kimble. Janett was the wife of Asa Corwin, of Beech Pond ; Amy married Caleb Simmons, of Watertown, N. Y. ; Jonathan was united to Rosetta Dexter, and lives at Hawley ; Sterry married Charlotte Dexter, and lives at Honesdale, and William died single.

One of the early saw-mills in the township was that erected by Jonathan Brink, on the west side of the Lackawaxen, just below White Mills. His descendants do not know the exact year when it was built, but records show that it was abandoned before 1816, and seem to point to 1805 or 1806 as the date when the first lumber was sawed there.

About 1815 Jason Torrey, Abisha Wood-

ward and Moses Killanı bought a tract of land a mile from Hawley, built a frame house and called it New Castle. Here they carried on an extensive lumbering business for several years and then sold the place to Joseph Atkinson, who afterward disposed of it to Russell Daniels. The latter came from Hartford, Conn., in 1824, and married Cynthia Killam. Eight children were born of this union-B. F. Daniels (who married Victoria Dexter), George W. (who married Louisa Beemer and lives at White Mills), Ira (the husband of Margaret Atkinson and a resident of Hawley), Elizabeth (wife of Dennis Slocum), Martin (who married Mary Compton), Electra (wife of John Bassett, of Honesdale), Edward (who married Mary Bai- ley) and Dighton (who married Fannie Snyder). The last two live in Hawley.

Among those who settled at Wilsonville in the early history of the place was Leonard La- bar. Just when he came or from what place he moved is not known. When the courts of Wayne were sent to Wilsonville, in 1802, he was living in a small frame house on the Pike County side of the Wallenpaupack, and after- wards, in 1830, he sold the tavern which he had been keeping and moved to Stroudsburg. There was a grist-mill built on the Wayne County side of the creek, in 1810, which stood until 1850, when it was rebuilt by William Shouse. In 1827 or 1828 Henry Harmon built a small mill near the quarry, between Hawley and Wil- sonville, the ruins of which are still standing. It afterwards became the property of John Roberts and Natlian Fuller and was operated by them until about 1850. These same gentle- men bought the Labar property, and it was sold in 1840 as the property of John Roberts. It was bought in by William Shouse, of Easton. John B. Cole rented the saw-mill for three years and then Shouse moved to Wilsonville. Mr. Shouse had four sons,-Jacob, John, Henry and Francis. Jacob located on the Susquehanna, not far from Williamsport, after operating a few years at Wilsonville, with James Mason as a partner. John returned to Easton, as did Henry, who was the victim of a tragedy in Honesdale in 1881. Francis died at Wilson- ville.

683

WAYNE COUNTY.

The saw-mill at Wilsonville has proved to be a very valuable property and has been much in- creased in capacity during the past twenty years. In 1870 it was bought by William A. Colling- wood and Hon. F. W. Farnham, and in 1877 Mr. Farnham sold his interest to G. W. Mil- lard, the firm becoming Collingwood & Co. The present capacity of the mill is forty-five thousand feet per day and about seventy-five men are employed at the saws and log camps. The firm has a large store at Wilsonville.

John R. Compton moved from New Jersey in 1803 and settled on the place where Robert Dycher now lives. He was for many years a constable of the township and was a valued citizen. He had nine children-Robert (who married Caroline Wood, and settled on the old Bethany and Dingman's turnpike), David (who married Jane Evarts, of Pike County, and settled in Berlin township), Dunnin R. (who married Martha Dexter and located in Cherry Ridge), Gehial (who married Maria Smith and settled near Hawley), Mark (whose wife was Elizabeth Garrett, and who lived at Indian Orchard), Susan (the wife of Samuel Kimble, of Honcsdale), Lucy (Mrs. Daniel Rattan,' of Berlin), Eliza (wife of John Cor- ryelle, of Texas) and Charlotte (now Mrs. Lo- renzo Van Buren, of Fishkill, N. Y.)

David Compton lived on the farm just below John R., and was also the father of a large family. In 1846 he sold out his place to John M. Ball and John Decker. Mr. Ball was a Baptist minister from Orange County, N. Y., and was of English descent. He built or owned a saw-mill on Swamp Pond Creek, and was the father of three sons and two daughters, most of whom are living. Henry Ball, proprietor of the Wayne County Hotel, at Honesdale, is the only one of the descendants who lives in Wayne County.

Among the other early settlers of the town- ship were many whose names will be found on the assessment list given below. It was made out in 1801 by Abisha Woodward, and is the oldest one preserved among the county archives.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 111

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