History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 129

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 129
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 129
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 129

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).

Patrick and Bernard McCabe were squatters on a place west of Stevens', under the. mountains, at an early day. They are assessed as early as 1816, but abandoned their clearing and about 1835 Thomas Ferguson bought the place and cleared a large farm. Mr. Ferguson was a farmer and drover and county commissioner for one term. His children were George, Edward, John, Thomas, Joseph, William and Margaret, wife of Nicholas Stevens.

Charles Wildash located at Jericho in 1840 on the place now occupied by James Kerr. Jonathan Richardson, a carpenter by trade, from Philadel- phia, was a man of capacity. None of his descend- ants remain in the township.

Levi A. Webster married Martha Munn, canie to Salem in December, 1817, and remained with John Andrews, Jr., until October, 1818, when he moved into West Sterling and built the log house

his son Hubbel occupies, near Webster Creek. His wife was Emaline Beardsley. Benjamin and Daniel live in Tioga County, N. Y. Conrad D. Webster is in Hollisterville, and was constable and collector for seven years. Lucy, wife of John Conyne, lives in Carbondale, Gustavus is in Ster- ling, and Gilbert a blacksmith in South Canaan.

Lewis Barnes located about one mile south of E. Hartford's, in 1818. He has a family of ten children, some of whom were in the army. Port Barnes is a noted fiddler at country dances.

Robert Catterson came from Donegal County, Ireland, to Philadelphia, in 1811 and to Sterling in December, 1822. He settled on the Moscow road about three-fourths of a miile west of Noble- town and built a log cabin where John Hawk now lives. He was seventy-six and his wife Ann at his death survived until her ninety-third year. Their children were William, who married Martha Stevens and located one-fourth mile south of the homestead. He died recently, aged eighty-four; Ann, the wife of N. Stevens, who lived north of the homestead ; John Catterson, aged eighty-two, from whom the writer obtained these facts, residing west of the homestead. He says he and his wife, a daughter of Henry Stevens, were not worth twenty-five dollars when they were mar- ricd. "I put up a log cabin and was just as happy as the day was long. I erected a frame next year and the high winds blew it down. We had a family of nine children, some of whom are liv- ing in the neighborhood." As the old gentleman smoked a stub of a clay pipe and talked of old times lie secmed perfectly contented and happy.

William Catterson, a brother of Robert, lived in Philadelphia for many years and came to Ster- ling about 1845. He bought the Enoch Noble place one half mile west of Noble Hill. Of his children, Alexander, who lives on the homestead and Isabella, the second wife of Nicholas Stevens, are all who married in Sterling

The Catterson school-house was built just west of John Catterson's house, about 1832. One dol- lar per week and board were paid female teachers. Mary Ann Cross was one of the first teachers. James Van Camp taught therc about 1840.

William W. Hawk came to Sterling from New Jersey and worked on the Pennsylvania Railroad for two years, when he purchased one hundred

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and eighty acres of land near the head-waters of the streams that flow into Hartford's pond, cleared a farm and built a good house. He has one of the finest apple orchards in the county, from which he obtains from ten to fifteen hun- dred bushels of good merchantable fruit per year.

Platt Stevens located on the farm adjoining Hawks' about 1850.

Benjamin Correll came to Sterling about 1810. His children were William, Benjamin, Ervin, Elias, Theodore Alexander, Hannah, Mary, Emeline, Margaret, Carrie, Harriet. One winter he kept eleven deer in his cellar on potatoes and let most of them go in the spring.

Benjamin Correll was born at Montrose, July 18, 1801. He married Dorothy Mettz, moved to Howetown when twenty-one years of age and became one of the pioneers of the county. When the Belmont and Easton turnpike was being built he was one of the foremen and also filled the same position on the old Drinker turnpike when that road was constructed. He was captain of a boat owned by David Noble, used to convey lumber from the forks on the Wallenpaupack to Wilson- ville, and the first man who steered a raft over Clements' Falls, on the Paupack creek, as also one of the first men to run the narrows on the Lackawaxen. He was miller for Robert Bor- tree and Edmund Hartford for a number of years and afterward settled on his farm at Howetown. His second wife was Mrs. Mary Stucker, who sur- vives, aged eighty-seven. He died at John Kipps', in Greene township, aged eighty-four. He had fourteen children by his first wife, nine of whom were living at the time of his death, in 1886, and left eighty-two grandchildren, eighty- four great-grandchildren and one great-great- grandchild.

George W. Butler, Sr., settled in Sterling about 1835, on the road from the forks to Zion Church. He married Sylva Jones, his children being Elisha J. Butler, who lives on the homestead ; Horace L. Butler, of Lake; John Butler, of Greene ; Sally, wife of George Chamberlain, of Lehigh ; Charles, who was killed on the Allegheny Mount- ains; Manda, wife of James Hineline ; Maria, wife of Joseph Ferguson ; Angeline, wife of John L. Brown, who resides near the Paupack Forks, in

Salem ; Sylva, wife of Thomas Neville; and George W., Jr., lately deceased.

John Phillips came from Ireland to Sterling, September 15, 1830. He took up one hundred acres of land near Zion Church and cleared a good farm. His children were Samuel Phillips, of Clinton ; John B Phillips, who lives on the John Bortree place; Mary A., wife of Herman Bartleson ; Richard G. Phillips, who lives on the William Bortree place; Absalom, who lives in Dreher ; and George W. Phillips, who lives on the homestead.

Edward Mullensford, who resided one inile east of the Howe place, died February 24, 1858, aged seventy-four. His wife preceded him eight days, aged eighty-seven, their only daughter having died only a few months before. He left one thousand dollars to the Methodist society to build a parsonage, besides several other charities.

Franklin Coggins resided in Sterling, but left no descendants. Aaron Nelson, an old colored man, lived and died not far from Zion Church. He was a great fisherman.

Jeremiah Bennett named Sterling, or suggested that name for the township. He was also the first assessor. Richard Lancaster was the first justice of the peace.

There are six schools and four churches in Ster- ling. The Methodist class at Nobleville was formed about 1822, William T. Noble, who was an exhorter, being the first class leader. The first members were William T. Noble and wife, Charles Cliff and wife, Lyman Noble, William E. Ham- lin and wife, Simon Bortree and wife, Edward Mullensford and wife and Mary A. Mullensford.

William T. Noble led the class a few years, when it was divided, and Edward Mullensford and Isaac Megargel were leaders. They were associ- ated with Salem Church till 1859, when Sterling became an independent charge. The Methodist Church at Noble Hill was built in 1848 ; Pierce Coston and Roswell Noble were the carpenters who constructed it. The West Sterling Protestant Methodist Church was organized in 1879 and the edifice built about the same time. The first class was organized in 1855, Alanson Gregory being the first class leader. Robert Catterson, Eli S. Barnes, John Wallace, Cyprian Van Gorder and James Carruth were the first members.

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- Rev. Joseph Barlow, the Salem preacher, ministered in Sterling about 1837. The Presbyterians or Congregationalists were Phincas Howe, Mary Ann Howe, Lester B. Adams, Margaret Adams and Henry Adams. During Rev. A. R. Raymond's time Gabriel Brown, Margaret Brown, Joseph Megargel, Abigail Megargel, Abram Howe, Rebecca Howe, Morilla Howe, Alexander Ore and wife, William Ore and wife, Nathaniel Martin and wife, Thomas Brown, Isabella Brown, Tryphena Howe, Almeron Howe, Tryphena Adams, James Kerr and wife, Mary H. Howe and Benjamin Correll united with the church. The church had existed as a Con- gregational Church till September, 3, 1871, when Rev. Yates Hickey, presbyterial missionary, and Rev. C. M. Des Islets, of Salem Church, re- organized it as a Presbyterian Church, with P. Howe and wife, Miss Mary H. Howe, W. M. Howe, A R. Howe, Thomas Brown, Benjamin Correll, Margaret T. Adams, Amelia Cliff, Joseph Megargel, Abigail Megargel, Tryphena Megargel and Adelbert Howe as members. Lester B. Adams had been ruling elder of the old church and Benjamin Correll was made elder of the re- organized church. The church building was erected in 1850. The pulpit had always been supplied from Salem Church till 1884, when Rev. Norman Skinner, a student from Union Theo- logical Seminary, came and preached during that summer and the summer following. He found the church in a dilapidated condition, but the congregation rallied to his support in connection with the help of Roswell Noble, Oscar Noble, Charles Stratton, the Cliffs, Stevenses, Yateses and the community generally. The building was repaired and fifteen members added to the church. The Sunday-school is in a flourishing condition under the superintendence of E. T. Bone.

ZION EPISCOPAL CHURCH had its corner-stone laid October 25, 1851, by Bishop Alonzo Potter, during Rev. Edwin E Mendenhall's rectorship. The wardens were Richard Simons and John Phillips. The vestrymen were Edward Cross, Charles F. Clements, Ezekiel Ellsworth, John Phillips, John H. Bortree, Richard Simons, Eras- tus Jones, James Cross, James Simons, and after- wards Charles Wildash, William Catterson,

William B. Simons, Joshua Neville and Robert J. Bortree were prominent members.

The early settlers of Sterling were nearly all Irish descent, and came by way of Philadelphia. Some of them came up by the North and South State road and others ria Stroudsburg and through Monroe by the Wismere road. The Wallenpau- pack seems to have been the dividing line between the emigrants from Connecticut, who came by way of Newburgh and Carpenter's Point, and the Penn- sylvanians from Philadelphia. They founded a quiet community of peacably disposed farmers. They suffered hardships and privations, but by persevering industry have built up comfortable homes for themselves and their children.

In 1880 Winter & Ball, of Jersey City, N. J., purchased what was known as the Pethic property, containing about one thousand three hundred acres, and commenced, under the superintendency of Charles H. Stratton, the erection of a mill and factory for the manufacturing of umbrella and parasol handles and other turned goods. They built a very superior factory of its kind, employ- ing twenty to twenty-five hands. Mr. Stratton, who superintended the mill for five years, pur- chased the Daniel Bortree place of B. E. Hamlin in 1886 and has gone to farming, being succeeded as superintendent by his son-in-law, F. B. Weed.

Lyman Noble died recently, aged seventy-eight. He was a man of fine presence and bland in manner. He had a fine farm a little north of the village of Nobleville, and was one of the leading men of the place.

John Gilpin, who also died recently, aged fifty- nine, lived still farther north on the North and South road, and had just completed a comfortable farm-house, which he was not permitted long to enjoy. He was an energetic farmer.

The village of Nobleville is beautifully located on rising ground on the North and South road, among the green fields of the surrounding farms ; taken with its white residences and shaded roads, it is a very pleasant little country village. It con- tains three stores, a blacksmith shop, shoe shop, wagon shop, post-office, church and school-house.

Sterling Lodge, No. 959, I. O. O. F., was organized in September, 1879, with the following charter members : Rev. J. F. Warner, B. E. Hamlin, W. J. Wallace, Lewis Simons, George

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E. Cliff, Willam Yates, Daniel Bortree, R W. Balckom, A. C. Angel, B. L. Deckard, William Stevens, A. C. Howe, John H. Catterson, John J. Frey, M. J. Webster, P. T. Howe, J. R. Sinquet, S. T. Olmstead, Robert McLain and J. R. Osgood. The lodge is in good financial condition and meets over Hamlin's store. They contemplate building a hall for lodge purposes.

1830 came to Sterling and engaged in the lumber business, forming a partnership with his brother- in-law, the lamented James M. Noble, whose su- perior qualities of mind and heart rendered their intimate association for a long term of years most agreeable.

In March, 1840, the lumber firm of Noble & Hamlin bought the mercantile business of Wil-

W. E. Hamlin

BIOGRAPHICAL.

WILLIAM E. HAMLIN.

William E. Hamlin was born in Litchfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., June 7, 1811, and came to Wayne County when his father, Dr. Asa Ham- lin, moved into Salem township, in 1816. His brothers, the late Hon. O. J. Hamlin, Darwin Hamlin, and his surviving brother, Hon. B. D. Hamlin, had located at Smithport, Mckean Coun- ty, Pa., and while still in his teens he went there with a view of making that his permanent home, but liking Wayne County best, he returned, and in

liam T. Noble, and commenced merchandising, and from this time, with the exception of about two years, he continued in the mercantile business until January 1, 1879, at which time he sold his interest to his son, with whom he formed a part- nership in 1869. October 18, 1840, he married Deborah Ann Noble, of Sterling. He was com- missioned postmaster at Sterling in 1849, holding the office without interruption through all the changes of administration, and at this writing is one of the oldest postmasters in the United States, the citizens, without regard to party, recently joining in a petition asking that at Sterling no change be made. In 1854 he, with his partners

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in the lumber business, built the first steam mill in Wayne County, and for many years he engaged in manufacturing, buying and shipping hard-wood lumber. His industry and energy have only been limited by his ability to endure; his tastes were for, and he enjoyed most agricultural pursuits- gardening and fruit-growing-taking great pleas- ure, in his later years, with his garden and fruit, reaping the benefits, with friends, of many hours of labor, in years gone by, in the planting and rearing of the fruits best adapted to their climate. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in early life, and has ever since been connected with it, holding for many years the various offices of the church, and supporting, by a conscientious liberal- ity, all the departments of its work. During the winter of 1884 and 1885 the health of his beloved wife failed, and in March, 1885, she, who for so many years had been his constant companion, passed from earth. His was a nature to keenly ap- preciate the loss of one of the noblest and most un. selfish, Christian wives, the influence of whose life upon himself, his children and all that knew her had been the greatest blessing. He has three children,-Harriet A., Orra J., who married the late A. R. Howe, and B. E. Hamlin.

It is rare to find a person who possessed so many of the better qualities, and has been able to avoid so many of the bad. His character and conduct are well worthy of imitation, and can be studied with profit. A conscience moulded in Christian aspiration and trained by Christian practices has been his guide; what it bids him do, he does, whether hard or easy ; what it bids him avoid, is avoided, whatever the seeming sacrifice. With good, natural endowments, and a mind well stored with knowledge derived from the pursuit of litera- ture and the best companionship, he has chosen to be a listener rather than a teacher by words. His life has been one of physical labor, performed from a sense of duty to his fellows. He has acted on the belief that some must toil with their hands, and while himself competent to ride, yet willing to walk because others choose to ride. Of ambition he has had his full share, but it was an ambition to be felt rather than seen. His devotion of his kindred, great as any loving son, brother, husband and father ever had, has not limited his good deeds and their influences on all who have come within

the circle of his acquaintance. The world is bet- ter for his having lived in it.

B. E. HAMLIN.

B. E. Hamlin, only son of W. E. Hamlin, in October, 1869, at the age of seventeen, left the Philadelphia High School and engaged with his father in the mecantile business, occupying the storchouse built by William T. Noble in the early history of Sterling. In 1874 the present commo- dious building was erected. The partnership con- tinued until January 1, 1879, under the firm-name of W. E. Hamlin, Hamlin & Son and B. E. Ham- lin & Co., at which time he purchased his father's interest in the business. He has been extensively engaged in lumbering, mainly in hard wood, in addition to merchandising. In February, 1883, he, with Henry Gilpin, of Pike County, made a large purchase of bark and timber land in Elk County, Pa., and the firm of Hamlin & Gilpin have since built a modern and fully equipped steam mill, and are engaged in the manufacture of hard wood lumber, they having cut from their lands about one million five hundred thousand feet of cherry lumber that, from their siding on Pittsburgh and Western Railroad, is shipped to Chicago and the Eastern markets.

NICHOLAS STEVENS.

Among the early settlers of Sterling township, in Wayne County, Pa., was Henry Stevens, who came from Germany. He came to Sterling in 1800, and bought four hundred acres of wild land, on which he built a log house and which he partly cleared and improved. He became a pros- perous farmer, and the log house in time gave way for one of the finest residences in all the country around. Both he and his wife Martha lived to a great age, and died on the farm their industry and energy had redeemed from the wild- erness. Their children were Valentine, George, Jane, Nicholas, Martha, Mary, Ann and Henry.

Nicholas Stevens, our subject, was born March 9, 1798, at Old Paltz, not far from Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was but two years old when his father's family moved into the woods of Wayne County, and his earliest recollections were of the howling of wolves and the sight of deer and other

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wild game. He grew to manhood in Sterling, re- ceiving a better education than was generally ob- tained by the youth of that day. His father hired teachers to come to his house and teach his children, an advantage enjoyed by but few in those early days. Nicholas remained with his father until he was twenty-four years old, and with his father and brothers built sections of the North and South turnpike, and for their services

and held only township offices. He never used tobacco in any way, and drank no liquor as a beverage, and was never heard to use profane lan- guage. Mr. Stevens married, in 1823, for his first wife, Nancy Catterson, daughter of Robert and Nancy Catterson. She was born July 28, 1801, and died in 1844. Their children were Ann, born December 11, 1824 (she married Weston Wood- bridge; children,-Clarence, who died in the army

NICHOLAS STEVENS.

never received a dollar. Arrived at the age

above named, he commenced life on his own ac-

count on a piece of wild land on which he erected buildings and on which he made the first clearing.

To this farm he added until he owned four hun-

dred acres, of which he improved something over a

was for a number of years preceding his death a death, which occurred July 28, 1880. Mr. Stevens hundred acres, and on which he resided until his

during the Rebellion, Theodore, Emma, Mary, William and Laura) ; Henry, born June 4, 1826 ; Martha, born October 7, 1828, married Jacob Rosencrans (children,-Mary and Frank); Robert, born December 25, 1830, married Margaret Fer- guson (children,-Alice, Everet and Clarence ; Robert culisted in the Union army in the early part

of the Rebellion, and served till spring of 1865,

when he was sent home sick and soon after died) ; William J., born April 16, 1833; Nicholas D.,

member of the Episcopal Church. He was an ar- dent Republican for years. He was not a politician, I born August 28, 1835, married Arabell Burton

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

(one child,-Wade); Isaac E., born April 1, 1839, married Emma Swartz; Mary J., born May 2, 1842, married William Percy.

For his second wife, Mr. Stevens married Isabell (daughter of William and Elizabeth Catterson), who was born December 25, 1823. To them were born Elbert G., August 28, 1847; married, April 10, 1871, Miss Alice McFarland, who was born January 7, 1854, in Paupack, Wayne County, Pa. (children,-Selton W., born January 24, 1872; Burten E., born August 18, 1875). In 1875 Mr. Stevens engaged in the mercantile business in Ariel, Wayne County, and is doing a prosperous business.

Ernest A , born September 11, 1849 ; married, September 18, 1875, Irene M. Noble, who was born in Sterling, September 23, 1852; their chil- dren are Clinton C., born July 26, 1876 ; Wilmer N., born September 9, 1877; Fred, born Decem- ber 25, 1881. Mr. Stevens is now a resident of Hollisterville, where he has built a new store and has just opened a general mercantile business.

Atherton B., born June 18, 1857. He graduated at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, and is now practicing medicine at South Canaan, Wayne County, where he has a large and growing prac- tice. William A., born June 15, 1864. He is now attending Jefferson College, and expects to follow the medical profession. As stated in the beginning of this sketch, Mr. Stevens' earliest recol- lections were of wolves and other game of which he becanic a successful hunter. He killed two panthers and a good many wolves and bears, as well as deer and smaller gamc. The wolves used often in his younger days to enter his father's fields and kill their sheep ; and one of his amusements was the trapping and killing wolves.

JOHN WALLACE.

John Wallace, a native of County Tyrone, Ire- land, but of Scotch descent, is one of the thrifty and progressive agriculturists of Wayne County, Pa. He was born March 1, 1813, and reared on the home farm, where he assisted his father until he was nineteen years of age, when he, with his parents, embarked for America. His mother died on board of ship, and the survivors landed in New York City June 3, 1832. His father being

advanced in years, and his pecuniary possessions being limited, a double responsibility awaited young John, and, to prove himself equal to the emergency, he immediately sought employment, which was soon furnished him on the docks in New York Harbor. He subsequently removed to Orange County, N. Y., and there served four years at brick-making, when he again removed- this time settling in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he resided until April 1, 1840, at which time he pur- chased and located upon one hundred and sev- enty-six acres of land, his present homestead, in Sterling township, Wayne County, Pa. He was married in Brooklyn, N. Y., May 2, 1837, to Mary McDevit, who was born in County Derry, Ireland, February 1, 1812. She came to America June 10, 1832. The children born of this union are Elizabeth (deceased), who became the wife of W. W. R. Gilpin ; Joseph W. (deceased) ; Mary L., wife of John D. Houck ; Joanna, wife of George W. Weldy ; Sarah A., wife of Henry Benjamin ; and Martha J. (deceased). Mr. Wallace, now in the seventy-third year of his age, and his wife, a little over a year his senior, are both hale and hearty, and are enjoying the fruits of a hard- earned competency, surrounded by loving chil- dren and grandchildren, and many friends who bear evidence to their meritorious traits of charac- ter. They are both members of the Protestant Methodist Church, and Mr. Wallace is an active Republican. Licutenant Joseph W. Wallace, son of John and Mary (McDevit) Wallace, was born September 13, 1841. He spent his boyhood at home with his parents, who gave him a liberal education, thus qualifying him for the higher duties of life. He taught school for several terms, and, at the breaking out of the late Rebel- lion, was one of the first to offer his services to the Union. He enlisted April 20, 1861, in the three months' service, Company B, Eighth Regiment of Pennsylvania Infantry. He was regularly and honorably discharged at the expiration of the time, and re-enlisted September, 1861, in Company H, Forty-ninth Regiment of Pennsylvania In- fantry for three years or during the war. In 1864, January 1st, he availed himself of the opportunity offered to again enlist for the veteran's bounty, with an allowance of thirty-five days' furlough. | He was again mustered into service and promoted

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801

to a first lieutenancy, which commission he held at the time of his death. He was in many of the principal engagements during the war, among which were Yorktown, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Rappahannock, etc. He was killed by a bursting shell at the battle of Winchester, Sep- tember 19, 1864. His remains were brought home and deposited in the family burying-ground at Nobletown, Sterling township, Wayne County,

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 129

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