History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 97

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 97
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 97
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 97

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).

The office originally was a " special " office, receiving its mail from Promptou in a " saddle- bag" under contract with H. P. Haight to carry it once a week for twenty-five dollars a year. It was practically a daily mail, as tlie teams hauling hides and leather to and from the tannery transported it free.

The compensation was subsequently increased to fifty dollars a year, till finally Mr. Bass, of Mt. Pleasant, carrying the mail via Bethany, daily made a detour, taking the Aldenville office in for the compensation allowed, and, after a time, it was made a daily route as it now is.

Iu the line of manufacturing establishments, those mentioned were the only ones, with a few minor exceptions. A saw-mill owned by "Boss" Thomas, a steam-mill, was run for a few years ;

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one built by Mr. Augustus Loomis is now in existence ; one owned and run by Orson Case, Esq., purchased from the estate of Mr. Amos Denslow, is still running quite extensively ; there was another on " The Flats" below the grist-mill, owned by Stone & Graves, of Hones- dale, and run by Robert Taylor. Nothing but a few stones of the foundation are now visible. Still another, owned by James and Amzi Burns, and subsequently by Mr. H. C. Gaylord, has been abandoned.

There is one now in active operation owned by J. L. Keene & Co. A cider-mill run by a small stream from the base of the Moosic, built by Mr. H. B. Curtis, has been, within a year, converted to other use by Mr. Curtis' son, George, quite an ingenious lad, who got from different persons the parts of an engine, boiler, etc., put them together, guided only by his own natural meclianical love of machinery, and now having learned the trade, has niade a success in grinding meal, feed, etc., largely interfering with more pretentious establishments.

There have been no lodges or secret societies except one of " Sons of Temperance," which ex- isted about a year, and was started in the house of B. B. Bunting, subsequently transferred to the upper room of Mr. Stephen L. Bunting's old " Curiosity Shop;" and one held in the hall of the upper story of Mr. Anson Wheeler's house, in 1863 or 1864.

The old curiosity shop of Mr. Bunting was an " institution " sui generis. Himself one of the most ingenious beings, he had accumulated a stock of material, including musical instru- ments, parts of clocks, watches, buz-saws, jig- saws, band-saws, wheels, eranks, parts of plouglis and all farming implements, wagons, sleighs, stoves, wind-mills, etc., ete.

Stephen L. Bunting was born in 1841, and died where his widow still resides, September 4, 1877. The old house where his father lived, stands in the lot on the path to the Maple Ford, about a hundred rods away, since torn down. He was the son of John Bunting, and both lie in the little church yard near the Bap- tist parsonage, near the northeast corner. " Milo John " has no monument to mark his grave, but his memory is treasured by his old neigh-

bors and friends as having bestowed on him that too rare gem, an honest heart. Of the family of John, there were five brothers. John Baruch Bunting, who, in his late years, became a preaeher in the Baptist Church, who had a natural shrewdness and ready wit which he used as oc- casion offered, witlı considerable tact, in his travels over the country, sometimes in his own conveyance, but quite as often on foot, carrying Bibles, religious works and tracts.

He is buried, and a neat monument marks his resting-place (erected by the Central Baptist Church, of Clinton), in the little cemetery there. Of the remaining brothers and sisters, there were Daniel D., wlio owned the farm now owned by the present justice of the peace, David Hop- kins (since succeeded by the election of A. R. Peck, Esq., February, 1886). He died there March 9, 1872, sixty-one years old. Children : -Apollos, who with his brother John, built the little tannery on the Perrine place ; Abija, a carpenter ; Patienee, who married David Saunders ; Eunice, who married Squire W. June and moved West ; Sally, who married Pierce Sloan, who owned the prop- erty now owned by Mr. George Moore ; and Sylvah, who married Norman Weaver, who owned the farm now owned by Mr. William Monaton, and lived near the site of Mr. Mona- ton's present residenee. They now are all dead.

Of the Olver family, independent of their de- scendants, Thomas, born in Cornwall, England, dicd December 6, 1875, and with his wife, who died January 22, 1885 (sixty-one years), rests in the graveyard near the parsonage. He was a sturdy, conscientious, upright citizen ; Wil- liam still lives a prosperous and highly esteemed member of the community, just across the line in Dyberry.

Heman Arnold, a brother of Hon. Phineas Arnold, associate judge of Wayne County, owned the farm which Michael Dwyer now owns, and died there about the seventieth year of his age, in 1858.

William Weaver owned the farm now in the possession of Patrick Low of Tanners Falls, but not occupied by him (Mr. Low). On the road leading from the " White Oak " past the

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

" G " house, used to be a log cabin occupied by one Mclaughlin, widely, if not pleasantly known, as the " Dog's Nest," and along in 1848 to 1852, standing in the woods, now cleared away. After the tannery had got fairly at work this was a great resort for the hands. Whiskey could be had there which made the wilderness howl niglits and Sundays, and with the barking and yelping of a dozen big dogs, more or less, made it necessary, even if it was back in the woods, to abolish it.

Mr. James Giles, born in Cornwall, England, came to this country in 1842, and after a few removals, located where he now resides on the White Oak road overlooking the White Oak Pond. His old house was partially destroyed in the great whirlwind in 1851, which uprooted large trees, blew down fences and leveled the Baptist Church. He subsequently built a new and larger residence to meet the requirements of an increasing family, and made a comfortable home, clearing up with great labor and patience, a large farm. Mr. Giles possessed, to a large degree, the esteem of the people among whom he located.

In March, 1865 (the 6th), his family was nost grievously afflicted, four children were taken down with the " black" fever, John C., aged fifteen ; Albert M., thirteen ; Lavina E., twelve; and Ocena, five years old ; all were buried the same day. Another son, William L., ten years old, died from the same disease, April 6, his father and step-mother, Mrs. Mary, wlio resided with them, soon followed, on the 11th day of May, 1865, and Thomas, the father, October 21, 1865, leaving to the family only three persons, Mr. James Giles and one son, Ralph, all of these are still living.

Silas McMullen, who formerly owned the farm now owned by Mr. John Martwick, was the father of a bright family of children. Wil- liam, who resides in Carbondale ; Charles, who lives in Waymart ; and two or three others. He died September 29, 1860, aged fifty-one years ; the result of an accident from being caught in some of the machinery of one of the stationary engines on the Delaware and Hudson Gravity road.

Henry Gummoe, Sr., the head of a family,

dicd December 2, 1875, aged seventy years. He built the house and owned about twelve acres of land, now occupied by Daniel Rutaw, and was from Cornwall, England. He was methodical in every thing he undertook ; his services were in constant demand as a wall- layer. Those fortunate enough to employ him knew that if he laid the wall it was good for a century. His son, Henry, still lives, a prosper- ous farmer, with hand and heart open to Chris- tian charity and kindly feelings to all. He married Miss Elizabeth Crago, whose mother died in the fall of 1884, in the eighty-fifth year of her age, a woman of sterling worth and an humble Christian all her life.

The Crago family were residents in Dyberry, but it may not be improper to here mention the affliction which overtook the family, inasmuch as so many of them sleep in Clinton, " the sleep that knows no waking." This is the record. In 1885, December 5th, Mary, eleven years ; De- cember 12th, Ella, nine years ; December 17th, Nettie, four years ; December 18th, Sara, eigh- teen years ; December 22d, Thomas, forty-eight ycars, the father. In 1874, February 9th, Catharine, thirty-seven years, the mother.

Levi H. Alden, Sr., who was the partner of Colonel Pratt in building the tannery, died at the residence of his brother-in-law, George L. Morss-since dead-near Carbondale, August 5, 1850, aged sixty-seven. Amanda (Tuttle) Alden, his wife, survived him till March 7, 1854, and died in Clinton in the house where Mr. Fleming now lives, sixty-one years old. H. P. Haighit has the clock now which was part of the furniture of their beginning at house- keeping in Greene County, N. Y. Colonel Pratt's history, as a whole, does not prop- erly belong in Wayne, Pike and Monroe, yet part of it does. The colonel invested some of his money here, and if he had made his residence here it would have stimulated enter- prises in this county that have been slumbering for years and years, and even now await the hand of a Colonel Pratt, or one of that kind to bring them to light. He was generous as sun- light, systematic as Governor Marcy, and gentle as a child. The colonel subsequently sold his interest in the Clinton property to his son-in-

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law, Hon. Colin M. Ingersoll, of Hartford, Conn., but Mr. Ingersoll finding the practice of law was more congenial to his taste sold his interest to the remaining partners, and never visited Clinton again. After J. P. Alden with- drew Hon. James Dickson, of Honesdale, was taken in as a partner.

Simon J., the father of David and Willis W. Hopkins, died September 9, 1870, aged forty- one years. He was practically a self-educated man, with remarkable native talent, which was largely improved by observation. Of that family Samuel went West; David, a brother, who now resides in Parkridge, N. J., was pro- minent in many of the interests of the New York and Erie Railroad during the time when Fisk and Gould were its leading spirits, and afterwards began the publication of the Ameri- can Sentry, a Greenback organ of considerable snap in New York. William, another brother, is a farmer, now living near the old homestead of the late Thomas Olver.

Fisher Case, and his son, Ralph, both lie in the Baptist burying-ground. Ralph was for many years in the employ of the Delaware and Hudson Company, having charge of the com- pany's reservoirs in the township and vicinity. Ralph was singular in his way, a keen observer of men and things, and was postmaster under the administration of Marshal Jewell, and kept the office in the store of Sidney Norton. Mr. Case died in the " Perrine " House. He owned the farm and built the house now owned by Mr. Edward Moran.

In the line of dealers in general merchandise, now retired, Edward Gaylord was the first, keeping store, in what is now the "Mill- house," from 1849 to 1851; afterwards the " Tannery-store " was started, D. W. Em- mons and William Gilmore being the principal dealers ; this store has been kept by Judge Dickson, Jr., and L. H. Alden, and is now kept by C. H. Wilmarth, though the building is owned by the Messrs. Fleming.

The grist-mill has been under the manage- ment of Mr. James W. Fowler (father), James (the son), George and Aaron, belonging to a family of seven or eight sons, all millers, and good ones too. (James, the son, married Celia,

daughter of William Bates, Sr .; George, mar- ried Eva, daughter of William Olver ; and Aaron, married Maria, daughter of Rev. J. R. Remsen, pastor of the Baptist Church.) Sub- sequent occupants of the mill were Mr. Gabriel Howell and Mr. Adam C. Clark. Mr. Howell was from South Canaan, and Mr. Clark from New York.

Luther Ledyard, " Uncle Lute," owned and lived on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. George Genther, and was quite prominent in the politics of the township. He was born in Brooklyn, Conn., .in 1794. His remains were interred on the farm where he died. His wife, Roby, rests by his side. She died April 4, 1880, aged seventy-eight years and sixteen days.

Daniel Arnold, father of Henry and Charles, and of Milo Gaylord's wife, owned and lived on the farm now owned and occupied by Milo. From the elevation at the north of his resi- dence a couple of hundred yards, a view is ob- tained, which, in extent and beauty, is hardly equaled from any point on the Catskills or the blue ridge of the Alleghanies. Mr. Arnold died in 1873, aged eighty-three, and was buried in the cemetery of the Central Baptist Church, Clinton.

Asa Stanton, who killed, in Warren County, the elk whose antlers have been in possession of the family for half a century, died July 7, 1883, aged ninety-three. William Giles was fifty-four at the time of his death, June 14, 1872. William Bates, Sr., lies beside his wife, Mrs. Betsey Bates, by the side of the main avenue, about midway of the cemetery. They were the parents of Samuel, William, Stephen, Jolın, Robert, Thomas, and besides, the daugh- ter heretofore named, Emma, wife of William Turner, of Clinton.

Mr. Philip Kennedy now owns and occupies the old homestead. John, the grandfather of John, killed the first elk that was killed in Wayne County.

Reuben Peck, the father of Albert Peck, Esq., who resides on the old homestead, and is one of the most estimable citizens of the town- ship, and of E. M. Peck, now a resident of Carbondale, holding a very responsible position

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

with the Delaware and Hudson Canal Con- pany, died January 13, 1870, seventy-one years . old. His wife, Sally Ann, died October 29, 1875, aged seventy-four. She was the daugh- ter of Benjamin King, of Mount Pleasant township, one of the old settlers there.

Julius T. Alden, of the firm of Pratt & Al- den, and the oldest of a family of three broth- ers, also head of the firm of Alden & Cum- mings, leather dealers in New York, was born in Windham, Greene County, N. Y., Febru- ary 18, 1821, and died at Little Falls, Herk- imer County, N. Y.

He married Miss Roxy, the daughter of Carleton Emmons, of Oneonta, N. Y., and the sister of D. M. Emmons, now of Huntington City, W. V., who built the house now occupied by C. H. Wilmarth, and which has been occu- pied successively by Francis Olver.

The township has within its bounds several artificial reservoirs,-the " White Oak," " Long," " Elk," " Mud " and " Swanıp," col- lectively holding a vast amount of water, util- ized in periods of low water in the Delaware and Hudson Canal, to keep up the supply for floating the company's boats to tide water at Rondout, N. Y. In the purchase of privi- leges for these reservoirs,-dams having to be built, considerable management had to be at- tended to,-parties in the interest of the com- pany, assuming that small dams only would be erected, and, in consequence, privileges for flowing would be purchased for a mere nomi- nal. sum. Notably was this the case in the leasing of the White Oak Pond, which it was said would be set back by a dam only twelve feet high, securing thus the privilege, and if required, the right to flood lands which it was deemed impossible to cover. The dam now measures twenty-six feet, making quite a differ- ence in the amount of water.

Samuel T. Saunders purchased what is known as " the Island," a high point of land which the " White Oak " surrounded when shut back. When he died it came into possession of his son George, who, with his mother, wife and children, now occupy it. These reservoirs, or lakes, afford some very fine fishing, having been " stocked " by some of the lovers of that

sport. McKnown introduced the black bass, while others, as George S. Purdy, Esq., sup- plied the streams with trout.

Mr. Erastus Loomis formerly owned the farm now occupied by Mr. Rude. He married Miss Mehitabel, sister of John Bradshaw and James Muzzey, she died several years since, and he still survives her, and is living with his brother, Hiram, at his tasteful mansion, about a mile north of the church, well preserved, and with a remarkably retentive memory, a moving encyclopædia of incidents connected with the early history of the township.

Newel Callander, once pastor of the Baptist Church, lived in the house now nearly adjoin- ing the mansion of Mr. Loomis (H. P). Sidney Norton before lie built where his son Myron and his mother reside, lived on the northeast corner of the road leading past Howard Bunt- ings, and where it intersects the old Belmont and Easton turnpike. George Kingsbury lives on the farm where his father, Joseph Kings- bury, lived so many years and where he died. George was a great hunter in his day, and it is necessary only to mention bear or fox in his presence to awaken reminiscences of Clinton in its primitive days both instructive and enter- taining. He married Mrs. Mary, the widow of James E. Belknap, whose sons, John and Harry, made an honorable record in the late Civil War, both losing their lives in the service. James was the brother of John, a relative by marriage of Hon. Nathaniel B. Eldred.

Henry Greiner, who was a soldier, lives on the farm adjoining the one occupied by Mr. John Belknap, and is the son of William Greiner, who formerly owned the farm now oc- cupied by Mr. John P. Pithick. William sub- sequently moved to Seelyville, and died there. Henry's brother, Frank, who married a daugh- ter of Mr. William Giles, died several years ago.

Mr. S. Benedict, late proprietor and editor of the Carbondale Advance, bought a part of what is now the farm occupied by the widow of Michael Moran, and built a house on it which was burned. He then went to Carbondale, and subsequently sold his property in Clinton to Mr. Moran, who occupied it till his death which occurred in 1886.

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Samuel Walker, a great hunter, lived in a house standing nearly opposite the carriage house of Mr. E. H. Curtis. He went West, became quite a prominent personage, and died there in July, 1886. His wife was Maria, daughter of Mr. Jacob Faatz, largely engaged in the erection and conducting the business of the " Old Glass Factory " in Dyberry. West- wardly from thence over the high lands and off to the left, south from the "G." House lives Moses, the son of William Cole, one of Clinton's best farmers and citizens, at present an honored member of the Board of School Directors, which has given to Clinton a system of Common Schools second to none in the county outside the graded schools.

THE LACKAWAXEN. TURNPIKE was char- tered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, July 16, 1828, and an election of officers was held at Belmont, September 28th of that year, with Rufus Grenell, president; Jacob S. Davis, treasurer ; and L. C. Judson, secretary. The latter was the father of " Ned Buntline." The following were elected as managers : Harry Mumford, Luther Stark, Thomas Slayton, John Crater, Levi C. Judson, Fisher Case, Virgil Grenell, Daniel Bunting, Seth Hayden, Ben- jamin Jenkins, Richard L. Scely, father of Hon. H. M. Seely (President Judge) and late president of the (now National) Honesdale Bank.

Governor David R. Porter, November 28, 1839, appointed Austin Davenport, Francis Griswold and David S. West commissioners to examine said turnpike road; and on the recommendation of the commissioners licensed the president, managers, etc., to erect gates for the collection of tolls from all persons traveling on the turnpike with horses, cattle, carts and carriages. This turnpike began at the Coehec- ton and Great Bend Turnpike near the village of Belmont, ran along the west branch of the Lackawaxen River, past what is now Alden- ville, and intersected the Honesdale and Clarks- town Turnpike at Prompton, a distance of fourteen miles and two hundred and fourteen rods. After an existence of twenty-six years, it was surrendered to the several townships through which it passed in 1866.

CHURCHES .- There have been four church buildings erected in the township, the oldest be- ing the Central Baptist, organized November 10, 1831, though the members living in the vicinity who had withdrawn from surrounding churches, met to consider the propriety of organizing themselves into a separate church October 23d of that year. Their first church building was completed and opened for public worship in the autumn of 1846. This house being destroyed by a cyclone July 25, 1851, a new one was erected on the same site and dedicated January 24, 1855 .. This made two that were built up to that time. For a number of years previous to the constitution of the Baptist Church at Aldenville, the place had been occupied as an out station by pastors of the Baptist Churches of Bethany, Clinton and Honesdale. The labors of Rev. Henry Curtis had been abun- dant and continuous. A flourishing Sabbath- school had been organized and sustained by the Baptists. Prayer-meetings were held and March 1, 1855, a "Council of Recognition " was held in the school-house at which Rev. Zelotes Grenell was moderator and E. L. Baily, clerk, and with sixteen members was constituted the regular Baptist Church of Aldenville. In February, 1856, Mr. Curtis became pastor, and on the 9th of July of that year, the churchi building costing fifteen hundred dollars was dedicated. Its present pastor, Rev. James R. Rensen, was installed in May, 1871. In 1880, the 25th year of its existence was celebrated with appropriate services. This made the third church building erected in the township. The plot of ground immediately in front of the church was deeded to the trustees of the Alden- ville . Baptist Church and their successors in office. The lot on which the church stands was purchased from the tannery firm for one hun- dred dollars.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was com- menced later than the Baptist, but owing to the burden placed upon the latter in erecting two churches so soon and thus delaying the comple- tion of their house, the Methodist Episcopal opened their house first, the Baptists, mean- while, worshipping in the school-house. To the labors of Messrs. Thomas and William

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

Olver and Mr. Charles Manaton are mainly due the erection of the neat and roomy church building. It is supplied with an Estey organ. It has had some able ministers. The lot on which it stands was donated to it by the tanuery firm, and is of the same dimensions as the Baptists' lot adjoining, seventy-five by one hun- dred and fifty fect. It was repainted in the autumn of 1885. This was the fourth church edifice erected in the township since 1845.

SCHOOLS .- In the spring of the present year the question of discontinuing the Independent school district began to be agitated,-W. C. Norton, of the " Ridge Farm," and his brother- in-law, Mr. E. H. Ledyard, being actively en- gaged in favor of its being discontinued, while Mr. Harrison, on whose land the school-house still stands, William Rude, L. F. Norton, W. W. Davidson,-son of J. K. Davidson, Esq.,- Mr. A. R. Squires, aud a few others, opposed. After considerable argument and examining of witnesses, his Honor decided that it must "go," and the future historian will not have to incor- porate in his legends the existence of an Inde- pendent school district in Clinton township. The spring term of court decided that,-and now the directors have entered into contract with parties to erect an additional school-house on lands of Mr. Rude, near the Central Baptist church.

The officers of the Independent school at the time of its dissolution were : Perry Saunders, president ; Charles E. Howell, secretary ; and Chauncey Davenport, treasurer.

The township board of school directors con- sists of Henry Greiner, president; C. H. Wil- marth, secretary ; John Dolph, treasurer ; H. B. Curtis, James R. Pethick, and Moses Cole.

George Curtis is now engaged in the erection of a steam flour and feed mill at Forest City. Other operations of the present are the erec- tiou of a hotel there by James Fleming, who was also made postmaster there, vice William Pentecost, and the erection of a steam saw mill by Theron and Earl (sons of H. P.) Loomis.

Forest City being a new mining town on the western border of Clinton, the township is repre- sented quite extensively in its enterprises ; and, independent of its mining interests, the town-

ship has contributed largely to its general pros- perity, which, if it shall be permanent, will be a source of pride to the people.

ALDENVILLE .- With a population of one hundred, is situated in Clinton township, Wayne County, nine miles northwest of Honesdale, the county seat and shipping point.

Following is the directory of the village :

Irwin Bunnell, flour mill ; H. P. Haight, dealer in stocks and postmaster; Albert R. Peck, justice of the peace ; J. L. Keene & Co., saw mill; George Moore, blacksmith; E. K. Norton, live stock ; W. C. Norton, live stock ; C. H. Wilmarth, general store.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 97

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