History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 63

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 63
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 63
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 63

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).

November, 1836, as its first vice-president from July 17, 1856, to December 31, 1863, when he was elected president to fill the vacancy occa- sioned by the death of Colonel Richard L. Seely, and which he held without interruption until he retired on account of failing health, January 10, 1878, only four months and a day before his death.

This vacancy was not filled until the annual election, January 14, 1879, when the old board were re-elected and Robert J. Menner vice Zenas H. Russell (deceased).

January 13, 1880, old board all re-elected, but on March 8, 1880, another vacancy was occasioned by the death of William H. Foster, which was filled on the 25th of March by the election of Horace G. Young. January 11, 1881, the old board was all re-elected, and Horace G. Young vice William H. Foster (deceased). January 10, 1882, the old board was all re-elected, viz : C. F. Young, John Torrey, E. W. Hamlin, J. C. Gunn, Henry M. Seely, E. F. Torrey, H. Z. Russell, Elias Stan- ton, Robert J. Menner and Horace G. Young. January 9, 1883, and January 8, 1884, the old board was all re-elected except that in the latter year Hon. Henry M. Seely, having been elected president judge of this judicial district, declined re-election as vice-president and also declined to qualify as a director.

January 10, 1884, on motion, Henry Z. Rus- sell was unanimously elected vice-president in place of Hon. Henry M. Seely, and February 7, 1884, Edward O. Hamlin was unanimously appointed a director in place of Judge Seely.

On April 3, 1884, another vacancy in the board was occasioned by the death of Hon. E. W. Hamlin, the last but one of the directors who have been connected with the management of the bank since its first organization, in De- cember, 1836.

July 10, 1884, the cashier presented to the board the following statement :

"The dividend declared to-day is the fortieth semi- annual dividend of five per cent., declared by the Honesdale National Bank.

"Our charter expires by limitation December 1, 1884. During our existence as a National Bank we have earned and paid to our stockholders, including the dividend of to-day. $600,000.00

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

We have now on hand of surplus and profits 135,650.49

Net earnings as National Bank .. .8735,650.49

During the same time we have paid

State and National taxes amounting to. 102,864.13

Making gross earnings after payment of all expenses. .. $838,514.62"

On motion, Messrs. John Torrey, Henry C. Russell and E. F. Torrey were appointed a committee to take such steps as are necessary for the extension of our charter. October 2, 1884, the committee reported, through E. F. Torrey, that they had forwarded to the Comptrol- ler of the Currency, under date of October 1st, the application of stockholders representing four thousand nine hundred and ten shares of the Honesdale National Bank, that the sixth article of the articles of association of said National Banking Association be so amended as to read as follows :

" This association shall continue until close of business, December 1, A.D. 1904, unless sooner placed in voluntary liquidation by the act of its shareholders owning at least two- thirds of its stock, or otherwise dissolved by authority of law," which action was on motion approved, and the committee discharged.

December 4, 1884, the cashier presented to the board the renewal certificate of the Comp- troller of the Currency extending the charter for twenty years, or until December 1, A.D. 1904.

January 13, 1885, at the annual meeting of stockholders held for the election of direct- ors, the by-laws were so amended as to make the board of directors consist of nine stockholders instead of ten, leaving the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. E. W. Ham- lin unfilled and re-electing the surviving direc- tors, so that the directors and executive officers of the bank to-day are as follows :

Directors.

John Torrey. since November, 1836 Jeremiah C. Gunn 1844

Coe F. Young. July 6, 1865 Edwin F. Torrey 1865 60

Henry Z. Russell 66

August 6, 1874

Elias Stanton January 11, 1876

Robert J. Menner. 66

January 14, 1879

Horace G. Young ... . since March 25, 1880 Edward O. Hamlin ..... " February 7, 1884

Coe F. Young, president ; Henry Z. Russell, vice-president ; Edwin F. Torrey, cashier ; Samuel J. Foster, teller ; Grant W. Lane, clerk.

THE WAYNE COUNTY SAVINGS BANK was organized November 1, 1871, under a charter granted by the State Legislature, with an au- thorized capital of one hundred thousand dol- lars, of which fifty thousand dollars was paid in. At the first election of directors and offi- cers the following were chosen, to wit: Wm. W. Weston, Wm. H. Dimmick, Isaac N. Fos- ter, Richard Henwood, Wm. Wefferling, Robt. J. Menner, Lorenzo Grambs, Wm. H. Ham and Gilbert Knapp. President, Wm. W. Wes- ton ; Vice-President, Wm. H. Dimmick ; Cash- ier, Horace C. Hand.

The present board of directors is as fol- lows: Wm. W. Weston, Isaac N. Foster, Lo- renzo Grambs, George G. Waller, Wm. Weffer- ling, H. J. Conger, J. Howard Beach. Presi- dent, Wm. W. Weston; Vice-President, Isaac N. Foster ; Cashier, H. C. Hand ; First Teller, H. S. Salmon ; Second Teller, Wm. J. Ward. The last annual statement furnished to the audi- tor-general, shows the deposits to be $722,943, and the total assets $816,265. The building in which the bank is located was built especially for it, and was first occupied November 1, 1875. The success of this financial institution has been almost wholly due to the energy and sound business judgment of Mr. Weston, its first and present president.

WILLIAM W. WESTON is a son of the Rev. Horace Weston, born at Simesbury, Hartford County, Connecticut, in 1792, and who re- moved to Ulster County, New York, in 1814. He early became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was the pioneer preacher of that denomination in the western part of Ulster, and in Sullivan County, extending from Ellenville to Monticello. The distance cov- ered by his ministrations comprised about fifty miles, and his labors were arduous and trying. Owing to the severity of his ministerial tasks his health finally gave way, and he was eom- pelled to locate, which he did, at Ellenville, Ulster County, New York, about 1826. In 1829, as the Delaware and Hudson Canal Com-

WAYNE COUNTY.

363

pany was about beginning operations, he began the manufacture of stone-ware at Ellenville, and engaged in that secular occupation until his death, in 1848, although he performed min- isterial functions at irregular periods until the close of his life.

He supplied stone-ware along the entire length of tlie canal as far as Scranton, and as Eastern Pennsylvania was then rapidly devel- oping under the operations of the Delaware and

children, seven are still living, including Caro- line, wife of Rev. Wm. G. Wiggins, of Pater- son; William W., Daniel, who resides in Hones- dale, Minerva, wife of H. Y. Lazar, of Chicago ; Elnora, wife of George H. Dutcher, Ellenville ; Marilla, wife of N. T. Childs, of Binghamton, New York; and Loren, who also resides in Chi- cago.

William W. Weston was born at Ellenville, New York, November 7, 1828. He received

IMlerlow

Hudson Canal Company, he finally decided to locate at Honesdale, Wayne County, and in the spring of 1848 purchased land with a view to establishing a branch factory at that place. But " man proposes but God disposes," and the exe- cution of his plan was prevented by his deatlı from fever, in July of that year. His wife was the daughter of Daniel Briggs, of Wawarsing, Ulster County, New York, one of the early settlers from Westchester County. Of eight

only a common-school education, and at fifteen years of age entered the employ of his father in thic manufacture and sale of stone-warc. Upon the death of the latter, in 1848, pursuant to the plan and advice of his father, lie commenced the crection, at Honesdale, of the factory con- templated. The building was finished in the fall and winter, and in the spring of 1849 he began to manufacture at that place. He took charge of the new factory himself, while his

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brother looked after the Ellenville plant. In 1854 he placed his brother Horace in charge of the works at Honesdale, and he himself em- barked in mercantile pursuits, dealing in heavy goods, such as flour, grain and provisions, and, in connection with C. W. Requa and Smith Requa, under the firm-name of Reqnas & Wes- ton, operated a line of canal-boats from Albany, New York, in connection with a store at Ellen- ville and one at Honesdale.

This plan of operations continued until the spring of 1857, when the building of the Erie Railroad made a change necessary, and the firm dissolved, the Requas taking the canal business and the Ellenville store, and Mr. Weston the Honesdale business. Since that time he has carried on the mercantile business alone, with the exception of five years, during which period his brother Loren was associated with him.

In 1867, in connection with Hoyt Brothers, of New York, and F. H. Rockwell, of Hones- dale, he operated a tannery at Little Equinunk for seven years, the firm being known as Wes- ton, Rockwell & Co. He subsequently dis- posed of his interest to Hoyt Brothers, of New York. In 1873 he, with others, organized the Honesdale Glass Company, which has since been in successful operation, with Mr. Weston as vice-president and manager. In addition to these enterprises he has been active in other di- rections, and closely identified with all move- ments tending to develop the interests of the community in which he resides. He was one of the organizers of the Wayne County Savings Bank in 1871, and has since been president of that institution. He has taken an active inter- est in church work, and is a member of the Honesdale Presbyterian Church. His first wife, whom he married October 1, 1857, was Anna E., daughter of Deacon Isaac P. Foster, of Honesdale, who passed away September 15, 1876.

His present wife, Mrs. Mary E. Weston, is a daughter of John F. Roe, an old resident of Honesdale. His children born of the first marriage were Nellie, (who died in infancy,) Bessie B., Harriet Rowland (wife of H. S. Battin, of Chicago), William Foster, Charles Wesley and George Childs Weston.

INVENTIONS .- That the borough has not been lacking in inventive ability is readily ap- preciated when one takes into consideration that 'here was first worked out the problem of the sewing-machine and here lived a man who later achieved a great success in the same line of mechansm, and whose name was given to one of the many machines now in use-the Secor.

More than fifty years ago, in the mind of Dr. Otis Avery, originated the first plan for con- structing a sewing-machine for the relief of bur- dened seamstresses. After years of vigilant at- tention and almost constant toil he accomplished the solution of the problem which he had im- posed upon himself. His machine made a much stronger seam than any of the later ones, and the examiners at the World's Fair, in 1853, awarded him the highest premium for the best seam. So much tact and skill were demanded, however, for the working of his machine that it failed to meet the popular demand.

The Avery machine, patented in 1852, was thus spoken of by the New York Tribune in December of that year, ---

" Dr. Avery's machine was first exhibited here at the recent fair of the American Institute. It is com- pletely original, its features and arrangements not be- ing borrowed from those of other inventors. It oper- ates with two needles and two threads, which it inter- locks in something like a tambour stitch. We have examined its work with great care and have cut every other stitch on one side of the ;cloth and still have found the seam quite as strong as any other having none of the defects of the ordinary tambour stitch. It uses more thread than either of the other American machines, but less than the French. In respect to the rapidity of the work, we think there is no great difference. The great advantage of Avery's machine are its more simple mechanism and its greater cheap- ness. For household use these are of great import- ance."

The Avery machine sold for twenty-five dol- lars ; the others at from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five dollars, that of the Wilson be- ing the former and the Singer the latter amount.

The doctor's machine was introduced by him in England in 1854, and also sold to Louis Napoleon.

A company was formed in New York for manufacturing this invention, but lacking suf-

E 17 H. Ruchu

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ficient enterprise and strong rivals being in the field, its wares were superseded by others more ably pushed upon the market.

At the time Dr. Avery was laboring to per- fect his machine so as to bring it into use, a lad by the name of Jerome B. Secor was living in Honesdale, whose father was a gun-smith. He exhibited a high degree of mechanical ingenuity, which was encouraged by his father, and in time he became the deviser of several useful appli- ances and mechanisms. He was called to the work of improving the Singer sewing-machine, which he did so effectually that the company manufacturing and controlling its sale became the wealthiest in the United States.

While thus engaged Mr. Secor was impressed with the idea that, by proceeding on his own foundation, he could elaborate a machine that would surpass in utility either of those in use, and acting upon this thought, he eventually brought out the familiarly known Secor sewing- machine.

In June, 1856, Marshall Wheeler invented an automatic governor for marine steam-en- gines, that was regarded as a very valuable de- vice by the best authorities of the country. It consisted of some simple mechanism to regulate the opening and closing of the throttle valve by means of steam pressure.

Hiram Plum, in 1858, invented a machine for turning tool handles.

MANUFACTURES.

WOOD'S PLANING-MILL-THE OLD AXE FACTORY .- The ground on which is located Wood's planing-mill is one of the oldest manu- facturing sites in Honesdale. In 1832 Cornelius Hendricks bought ten acres of land, including this site, and also secured the right to the water- power of the Lackawaxen, and established there an axe and scythe factory. After a few years the property was sold by the sheriff and bid in by S. G. Cory for thirty-two hundred dollars, for Daniel Hendricks, an Eastern gentleman, for whom the manufactory was carried on by James Hendricks and one Cottrell. Again the cstab- lishment was sold to David Beers, S. G. Cory and I. J. Bassett, who fitted up the works for wood-turning, and rented them to Ten Eyck

Depui. This was in 1857, and a year later we find Eliphalet Wood associated with Mr. Depui and carrying on the first planing-mill in Wayne County. In 1857 Mr. Wood assumed the sole ownership of the mill, and when he died, in 1860, it was sold to E. T. Beers, Wil- liam Reed and David Beers, who carried it on under the firm-name of Beers, Recd & Co. In 1864 B. L. Wood bought out Mr. Beers, but the style of the firm was not changed. In 1874 Wood and Beers bought out Reed, and the business was then conducted by them until 1880, when Wood became the sole proprietor. Up to that time water-power had been used, but Mr. Wood introduced steam. Mr. Wood carries on a saw-mill, planing-mill and sash and blind factory. He sends much lumber to the Stephensons, the car builders in New York.

HONESDALE FLOURING-MILL .- This estab- lishment dates from 1838. It was built by J. C. Gunn & Co., the unnamed partners being Richard L. Seely and John Torrey. The mill was finished, and the first wheat received for grinding in November, 1839. Mr. Gunn was the practical miller, and tlie control of building and operating the mill devolved upon him. He made it a success from the start, and maintained the reputation of the establishment steadily from year to year. In 1849 he withdrew from the firm, and as Mr. Seely had previously retired, John Torrey remained the sole proprietor. Mr. Torrey leased the mill successively to various parties, and finally, in 1876, to Peter J. Cole, who has since operated it and made many im- provements. It is now supplied with the best improved milling machinery, and is second to 110 establishment of its kind in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

J. C. GUNN, who may justly be considered the founder of the above industry, is descend- ed from a family of English extraction, which early emigrated to this country and cs- tablished themselves in Connecticut. Simcon Gunn, the father of J. C. Guun, was a farmer by occupation and removed from Bedford, Conn., where he was born, to Lec, Oncida County, N. Y., where he passed the greater part of his life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Rhoda Aun Burton, daughter of

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

Jeremiah Burton, a native of Connecticut, who performed active service in the Revolutionary War, and who also located in Oneida County, N. Y. Their children were Jeremiah C. (our subject), Phebe (who married William Burton and resides in Iowa), George (who died at Fox Lake, Wis., November 26, 1879) and Eunice A. (wife of Frederick Farnham, of White Mills, Wayne County).

J. C. Gunn was born in Woodbury, Conn., July 31, 1804. His boyhood was passed upon his father's farm in Oneida County, N. Y., dur- ing which time he acquired an ordinary English education at the district schools of the neigh- borhood. At an early age he developed a taste for the milling business, and set himself to work to acquire a knowledge of the mechanical con- strnction and operation of a mill. He subse- quently operated a mill at Bowmanville, Canada, and at various other places, and in 1834 re- moved to Utica, N. Y., where he had charge of the City Mills, owned by Rutgers B. Miller, for four years.

In the fall of 1838 he was solicited by Rich- ard L: Seely and others of Honesdale to erect a mill at that place, and at once went to work to break the ground and prepare the way for millwrights, who arrived from Vermont in May, 1839. The mill was completed and set in operation in November of that year, and was owned by Richard L. Seely, John Torrey and J. C. Gunn, who did business as Ginn & Co.

Colonel Seely subsequently withdrew from the concern, but the remaining members of the firm continued to operate the mill until 1849. After that time the old concern was dissolved, and Mr. Gunn devoted his attention to private business. He has proven successful in all of his ventures, and has acquired a comfortable es- tate by the exercise of that persistency of pur- pose, energy and integrity of character which is the only basis upon which a substantial and lasting success can be established.

Mr. Gnnn has been a director of the Hones- dale National Bank since 1844, and has always taken great interest in that institution. Ever since he located in Honesdale he has been a consistent member of Grace Episcopal Church, was a member of the building committee on the

erection of the present church edifice, in 1853, to which he subscribed liberally, and for thirty- eight years has represented the church in the Diocesan Conventions of Pennsylvania, which met at various places. He was a warm sup- porter of the war for the preservation of the Union, assisted actively in the enrollment and fitting out of the various companies raised in Wayne County, and accompanied the first com- pany to Harrisburg. He spent three days upon the battle-field at Gettysburg, picking np and car- ing for the dead and wounded and assisting in alleviating the sufferings of those who fell in their country's cause. After the close of the war himself and his wife were among the most active of those through whose patriotism and energy the beautiful monument, which now stands in the publie park, was erected to the memory of those who had proven in their deaths the truth and beanty of that saying of Horace, dulce et decore est pro patria mori,-it is a sweet and becoming thing to die for one's country.

Mr. Gunn married, February 25, 1835, Ach- sah Melissa, daughter of Rev. Whiting Gris- wold, who died while pastor of the Presbyter- ian Church at Hartwicke, Otsego County, N. Y. His widow, whose maiden-name was Achsah Tyler, of Harford, Susquehanna County, Pa., subsequently became the wife of Major Jason Torrey, of Wayne Connty, and the mother of two sons-James, a young man of more than ordi- nary promise, who died at the age of sixteen, and Rev. David Torrey, D.D., a well-known . native of Wayne County, resident at Casenovia, N. Y.

PETER J. COLE, the present proprietor of the Honesdale Mills, is a grandson of Peter Cole, a native of Sussex County, N. J., where the Cole family has been prominently repre- sented since an early period. In 1813 he re- moved to Wayne County, Pa., where he took up government lands, to which he subsequently added by purchase, until he had acquired about one hundred and thirty acres. He was one of the pioneers of the connty and a man of indus- trious habits and good character. He married a lady by the name of Schoonover, and had two children,-Josiah, an only son, and a daughter, who married Charles Kimble, formerly of

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WAYNE COUNTY.

Wayne County, and who removed to Michigan in 1836, where her descendants still residc.

Josiah Cole was sixteen years of age at the time of his father's settlement in Wayne County, and was a valuable aid to him in his pioneer enterprises. Upon the death of his father he succeeded to the ancestral glebes and spent his life in agricultural labor. He was an influential and useful man and occupied various township offices in Texas township, where the

in Texas township, Wayne County, Pa., Feb- ruary 14, 1827. He was reared upon the farm, attending the district schools during the winter season, and subsequently completed his education at the University of Northern Penn- sylvania, Bethany, Wayne County. From 1844 until 1853 he taught district school in the win- ter. After his marriage (in March, 1852) the family tract was divided between his brother and himself, and he engaged in farming until

family seat was established. He married Char-| 1864, when he removed to Honcsdale, the lotte Brown and had four children,-Eliza A., who became the wife of Reynolds Cole, for- merly of Sussex, but later of Wayne County, a civil engineer on the Delaware and Hudson Canal ; Eleanor S., who married Charles H. Peck, of Preston township ; Peter J., the sub- ject of this sketch; and Lewis K., who was wounded at Fort Fisher during the late war and died in Wilmington Hospital.

Peter J. Cole was born on the old homestead,

county-seat, and operated the large flouring- mill at that place for Edwin F. Torrey. He continued in this relation until 1876, when he bought the stock and good-will of the concern, and has since operated the mill on his own ac- count. It is calculated to do both merchiant and custom-work, and, under Mr. Cole's man- agement, has enjoyed a wide reputation. The latter is recognized as one of the successful business men of Honesdale, and is a man of

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

character and influence. He has long beeu an active and useful member of the Honesdale Baptist Church, assisted in the erection of the present house of worship, and has been a meni- ber of the board of trustecs aud a deacon of the church for many years. His first wife, whom he married in March, 1852, was Mary E., daughter of Rev. C. C. Williams, at that time pastor of the Baptist Church of Honesdale, of whom was born Mary E., wife of Herbert E. Gager, of Lebanon township. His first wife died Jauu- ary 9, 1853. On November 9th of the same year he married Rebecca, daughter of John H. Brown, of Darby township, Delaware County, Pa., by whom he had five children, all of whom are living,-viz., Frank E., who is with Bab- bitt & Co., soap manufacturers, of New York; Henry W., engaged in the milling business with his father ; Anna A., Nettie J. and Bertlia A. Cole, residing at home.

THE HONESDALE IRON WORKS were started iu 1841 by Gilbert Knapp as a foundry and machine-shop. He took iuto partnership his brother-in-law, Andrew J. Bowers, and after a short time sold his own interest to Zara Ar- nold. The works were burned, but subsequent- ly rebuilt, and in 1847 passed into possession of Knapp, Bowers & Neal. James F. Knapp af- terwards bought the property, and took into partnership Thomas Charlesworth, the firm- name being Kuapp & Charlesworth. They carried on the works up to 1876, when they failed and Gilbert Knapp again became their proprietor aud operated them until 1883, when he sold out to M. B. Allen, the present owner.

William Skelton carried on a machine-shop aud foundry for a short time subsequent to 1860.

M. F. VAN KIRK'S STICK FACTORY, in which are manufactured umbrella aud parasol sticks, cigar boxes, etc., has been carried on by him since 1856. The business has been in ex- istence in Honesdale siuce 1832, its pioneer having been L. T. Presscott, who was followed by Captain Emory Presscott and oue Phillips, who brought it down to Van Kirk's time.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 63

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