USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Honesdale > History of the First Presbyterian society of Honesdale > Part 8
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Horace Hyde Tracy was born in the town of Columbus, Chenango county, N. Y., May 26, 1811, and he died in Hones-
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dale June 9, 1848. Mr. Tracy came to Honesdale about 1840. He became a member of the church, July 18, of that year, and he was elected elder October 15, 1842, at a critical time in the history of the church. His candor and decided Christian char- acter enabled him, in the six years in which he acted as elder, to do a great service for the church. His brother, Thomas H. R. Tracy, was division superintendent on the railroad of the Del- aware and Hudson Canal company, and he was employed to look after the company store house and boat yard. At an early age he made a profession of religion, devoting himself with all his powers to the service of his Redeemer. In discharging his duties as elder he was firm on the side of truth, acting with a conscientious regard to the great interest committed to his trust. His conduct was uniformly kind, conciliatory and upright. His integrity was unbending and his zeal was earnest and consist- ent. His piety was of a decided character. There was no turn- ing away in his heart from that religion which he early pro- fessed. His pastor, Mr. Rowland, visited him a short time before his death and after telling him that he (Tracy) knew what the result of his sickness was to be, he asked him the direct question: "Now you look the King of Terrors full in the face and how do you feel respecting his approach?" His reply was, "he is the easiest conquered of any foe I ever met." Thus, with sublime faith in God, he passed away in his young man- hood. The newspapers of the day state that his funeral was attended by an immense concourse of people. His two chil- dren are both dead but his widow, Clarissa Tracy, still lives, aged 85 years. She was one of the brightest women that ever came to Honesdale and a brief sketch of her is given elsewhere.
Col. Richard Lewis Seely was born December 23, 1796, in Jefferson township, Greene county, Pa. He was a son of Dr. John W. Seely and grandson of Col. Sylvanus Seely, who was a native of New Jersey and an officer in the American army in the war for Independence. In June, 1824, R. L Seely came to this county for the first time on a visit, and in August, 1825, he accompanied his father here again, when his father pur-
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chased the property of Sylvanus Seely, at Seelyville, at Sheriff's sale. He left Richard in the management of the property and he remained on it until 1848, when he removed to Honesdale and occupied his residence on Main street, now the property of Mrs. Kesler. October 11, 1829, he united with the Presby- terian church, being the twentieth member. October 15, 1842, he was chosen a ruling elder, a position which he filled with great acceptance until his death, December 8, 1863. He was President of Honesdale Bank from its organization in 1836, until he died. He was a person of commanding and attractive presence, of equable temper and cheerful disposition, just the person for elder at the time he was chosen. Enterprising and successful in business, he was nevertheless both just and gener- ous. Prosperity did not make him proud and scornful. He was helpful to the poor and such as were embarrassed in their concerns; helpful, not upon calculation of his own advantage, but from a benevolent regard to the welfare of those whom he sought to serve. In his friendships he was warm and constant, while in his resentments he was moderate and easy to be ap- peased. In all the enterprises for the adornment and prosperity of Honesdale he bore a willing part. His last service was for the erection of the present brick Presbyterian church, to which he pledged the sum of $2,000. He remarked a few days before his death, that he felt a deep interest in the project and was anxious it should be prosecuted while he and his venerable friends could participate therein. As a financial officer he was systematic, prompt, impartial and intelligent, as well as honest and truthful. In politics and religion he was equally removed from fanaticism and formality. At the time of his death two of his sons, Franklin and George, were with the Union army in front of Chattanooga. He had too much knowledge and charity to be a bigot. His inclination was not to curse, but to bless; not to sow discord, but to promote harmony. Col. Seely was also efficient as a trustee and during his time he was consulted on every matter of importance connected with the church. He married Maria, a daughter of Jason Torrey. His son George
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is in the electrical department of the patent office at Washing- ton. The other two sons, Franklin and Henry M. Seely, are dead.
John P. Darling was born in New York City in October, 1805. He removed to Milford, Pike county, and united with the Presbyterian church there August 28, 1832. About 1840 he took up his residence in Cherry Ridge township. His father Samuel, and his sister Maria, had a home with him as long as they lived. Mr. Darling became a member of the Honesdale Presbyterian church September 26, 1842, and December 11, 1845, he was elected an elder. His term expired under the rotary system in 1876. He and William Reed were elected at the same time and together with R. L. Seely and Horace Tracy they constituted the session until 1851. He was hospitable in his country home and attended session meetings and church services with punctuality until impaired health prevented him. He died April 24, 1890, aged 84, and was buried in the Cherry Ridge cemetery. His step-daughter, Mrs. Tears, now a valued teacher in the Sunday school, bears testimony to his worth as a Christian and man of character in his family and home.
Isaac Post Foster, one of the original members of the church and one of its first elders, was born at Quogue, South- ampton township, Long Island, March 28, 1788, and died in Honesdale, November 18, 1876, in his eighty-ninth year. His father was a deacon in the Presbyterian church and his religious training was strict after the manner of those times. He lived on his father's farm until he was eighteen when he was apprenticed to Zebulon Jessup, father of Judge Jessup, to learn the trade of tanner and shoemaker. He went to Montrose on invitation of his cousin, Isaac Post, in 1810. He visited the place, then only a cross road village, and in 1811 began to clear the lot he had bought and to erect a tannery and shoe shop, His old store house was afterward converted into the Exchange Hotel at Montrose. On July 11, he united with the Congregational church in South Montrose, under care of Rev. Joseph Wood, and on the organization of the Montrose Presby-
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terian church, September 12, 1823, by Rev. Gideon N. Judd, he was chosen, along with five others, as Ruling Elder in the church. In 1812 he married Mary Howell and as this was be- fore the era of "race suicide," they had an old time family of six- teen children. He met Jason Torrey who explained to him the advantages of the proposed town at Dyberry Forks, and he came here in 1826 and erected with his own hands a small store-house at the point where he and Major Torrey started a store, the first in Honesdale. The next year he erected his residence on Main and Park streets, then, as now, one of the most substantial buildings in the place. It was the best resi- dence in town for many years, and here he reared his large family. After a short time Mr. Torrey went out of the partner- ship and John F. Roe took his place. He saw the possibilities of a tannery in this county, which was then densely covered with hemlock. He associated with him J. F. Roe, D. P. Kirt- land and Ezra Hand and they built a tannery up the Lack- awaxen just above Blandin. This tannery soon passed into his exclusive control. He was one of the original members of the Presbyterian church and one of its first elders. Through all his business years he was closely identified with the pros- perity of the borough. He helped to organize the Honesdale Bank and was one of its board of directors until he died. He contributed his share in the management to its unvarying pros- perity. Mr. Foster had a robust frame of great endurance and mental capacities much beyond the measure needed for the successful prosecution of business, furnishing possibilities of intellectual power never fully developed in the higher fields of learning and investigation; and a moral organization so rounded and symmetrical that he could have broken over wholesome restraint only by violence thereto. He was never liberal to popular causes, only to those that were unpopular. Always active in church relations, he was not a Theologian. He re- garded religion more from its human and moral side than from the Divine or pietistic. Religion was not to him a speculation concerning God and his government of the universe; but a rule
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of conduct running from lowest to highest. He did not care to dogmatize; being too clear sighted and practical for that. He contemplated God mainly in the persons nearest himself; and found his best expression of his love to God in the recognition and performance of his duty to his fellow men; even in advoca- ting unpopular and aggressive opinions he never lost absolute self control, and took taunt and sarcasm from opponents with the utmost forbearance and good humor. He lived the laws standard of a pure man, in that his virtue was never questioned. It did not matter to him what the multitude might say or do, or what contumely and abuse he might bring upon himself, his loyalty to his convictions was unique, grand and sublime. At home and abroad, in marts of traffic, in public conveyances, in meetings for ecclesiastical or secular objects, he was sure to champion despised opinions if opportunity offered. In short, he was an agitator on all moral topics. Of course lie made himself of no reputation. Leaders in church and state de- nounced him as fanatical, infidel and incendiary. He took the spoiling of his reputation without complaint. He knew the penalty that all incur that are wiser and better than the masses of their day and generation. But he did not abate one jot of what he believed to be just and right, or relax one particle of effort to secure the ultimate triumph of the reforms to which he was devoted. He helped to organize the first temperance so- ciety in this county and to the end of his days his interest in the cause did not abate. He was the first Abolitionist in the county. Such a man could not fail of arousing enmities. He was hated and despised as the Master was upon earth. A Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian church, he was forced to re- sign. He did resign the office but in prayer and exhortation he remembered the slaves none the less. Often it seemed as if his lips were touched with the highest inspiration. So he went on year after year laboring, watching for the hour of triumph. It came. The proclamation of emancipation was issued and his heart overran with joy and thanksgiving. He had lived to see the entire membership of his church, with perhaps two or
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three exceptions, adopt and uphold his views as to the wrong of slavery, and to see the national government carry these views to full accomplishment, and he was satisfied. In his old age the church made tardy reparation by recalling him to the elder- ship, but the great political party of which he was the forerun- ner and apostle throughout this region, gave him no recogni- tion. His life and its ending is a noble ensample to all men to follow truth and duty as they see it, regardless of temporary expediency, trusting to the final triumph of the right for the vindication of their motives and judgment. The foregoing esti- mate of Mr. Foster is taken mostly from the pen of Francis B. Penniman, a friend and co-laborer. It has been taken in order that Mr. Foster might be fairly represented from his stand- point, but it would be unfair to the church as a whole not to modify some of the statements. It is true that Mr. Foster re- signed the eldership, but he was not alone in resigning. "It was a condition and not a theory" that confronted the church when he resigned. Differences had arisen in the session and those that differed from him resigned before he did and when at last Messrs. Foster, Brush and Bassett resigned, the church was left without an active elder. Then the church united upon the genial R. L. Seely and the devoted Horace Tracy as a com- promise between the factions. If Mr. Foster was compelled to resign, what motive impelled Stephen Torrey and the others to resign also? Later on Mr. Torrey was elected to the session along with S. D. Ward. They both refused, not through obsti- nacy, but because the time had not come for them to enter the session as they thought. Later on they were elected again and accepted, although Mr. Torrey did so with some misgivings; and after the slaves were emancipated Mr. Foster was again, November 25, 1864, elected, and he served nearly twelve years with his brethren. Mr. Foster and Mr. Torrey were two of the grandest men that have been in the session of the Presbyterian church, and as the smoke of battle clears away and we can see clearer we observe that each was strong and good in his own way. As long as evil exists the agitator will be necessary in
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order to advance reforms, and as long as society endures, the conservative is necessary to hold fast all that is good. The Elijahs of society are in advance of their generation always and meet with opposition from those who would not disturb the existing order of things. The agitator proclaims his message in season and out of season, and says, with truth probably, here is a wrong that should be put down. The conservative says your agitation only disturbs the peace without doing any good. Mr. Foster "prayed and exhorted" as Mr. Penniman says, doubt- less, at times, to the annoyance of some of his more conservative brethren. Stephen Torrey went about this whole community establishing Sunday schools and contributing liberally of his means to build up the church and to establish missions. Which did the most good, who can tell? Mr. Foster, according to his friend, did not contribute very liberally to popular movements. Probably he was one of those who did not believe in contribut- ing to missions if slaveholders contributed, that was the ex- treme view of the Abolitionists. But the Abolitionists kept on agitating until the slaveholders were provoked into a rebellion which culminated in the emancipation of the slaves. So agita- tion had its reward in a way that no one expected. And God uses men of different characteristics to bring about His pur- poses. Strong men differ; Paul and Barnabas differed but both were good men. The history of Honesdale Presbyterian church is richer for the strong men within its fold who had opinions, even if those opinions did clash sometimes. There always have been men of sufficient breadth in the church to keep the whole organization moving grandly on, and the church owes a vast debt in this connection to its able ministry as well as to its capable elders.
Stephen Day Ward was born in Chatham, Morris county, N. J., January 24, 1818, and he died, at Honesdale, September 14, 1874. The following is from the pen of his pastor Dr. Dunning: "He came while very young with his father's family into Wayne county. They resided at first in the valley of the Dyberry, east of Bethany, thence they removed to Bethany,
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thence to Seelyville and from there to Prompton. Here his father, Moses Ward, had charge of a plane. James Archbald, then General Superintendent of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company's railroad, in his journeys to and from Honesdale was accustomed to stop at his father's house. Mr. Ward, then a youth, attracted his notice and he gave him some accounts to arrange. Pleased with the manner in which these accounts were adjusted, he afterwards gave him a position as clerk, under R. Marvin, then at Carbondale. While occupying this posi- tion he was invited by the Directors of the Honesdale Bank to accept a clerkship in the bank. He entered upon the duties of the clerkship January 17, 1839. On the resignation of the Cashier, John Neal, Mr. Ward was elected to fill the duties of this office, and entered upon the duties of the cashiership Oc- tober 31, 1842, and in the discharge of the duties of this office he did for nearly thirty-two years, faithfully serve the bank and the business community. He was connected with the bank nearly thirty-six years. While a clerk at Carbondale he was hopefully converted to God and united with the Presbyterian church of that place on the first Sabbath of April, 1838. When he became a resident of Honesdale he united with the Presby- terian church of this place March 28, 1839. He was elected an elder of the church January 27, 1851, and with the excep- tion of four years, he served in that office until the time of his death. As a leader in the meetings for prayer, as a Sabbath school teacher, as a Sabbath school superintendent, as a leader of the weekly Sabbath school teachers' meeting, as a member of the session, as a representative of the church in our ecclesi- astical courts, in meetings of Presbytery, of Synod, and of Gen- eral Assembly, as a worker for the Sabbath school cause in the county, and for the cause of temperance in the community, Mr. Ward did earnest, faithful, intelligent and laborious service. With all that uplifts and blesses man, he had an active sym- pathy and did what he could. He was a diligent student of the sacred scriptures and admirably fitted to impart Biblical truth to others. His Bible class was always an attractive feat-
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ure of the Sunday school. Very few business men have done better or more efficient Sunday school work than he." Mr. Ward married Mary Foster, daughter of Isaac P. Foster, De- cember 30, 1841. She died May 6, 1903, aged 80. They had five children: Isaac, Frederick, Harriet, wife of P. W. Bentley, of Williamsport; Emma C., wife of Rev. Dr. Swift; and William J. Ward, who was elected an elder in the church in 1890.
Elder William Reed was born in Salisbury, Conn., July 5, 1802. He moved to Bethany in 1832 and in 1840 came to Honesdale and engaged in the mercantile business with John F. Roe. He continued in business until 1870 when feeling his strength failing and that he had enough of this world's goods he retired from business. He was honest, prudent, liberal and diligent in all the relations of life. He was a faithful Chris- tian man and discharged all the duties of life like one who ex- pected to give an account of his conduct here as well as here- after. By no act of his was any man wronged; while by his many acts were many aided and blessed. He was modest and retiring in all the acts of his life; there was nothing done for ostentation or display. He was always more anxious to be good than to appear good. He trusted in his God and was just to his fellow men and appears to have had no doubt but that he would be happy hereafter. He was elected elder De- cember 11, 1845, and served as such until he died March 18, 1879. His good wife preceded him a few months. His adopted daughter, Lucena Chapman Reed, wife of J. E. Richmond, speaks of her foster parents in the highest terms. They were conservative sincere Christian people such as every community needs. Mr. Reed was a man that could be depended upon in any emergency to do his duty. Such men are needed every- where. The world has never had too many of them. People that do plain duty in the common everyday affairs of life with- out expecting any particular reward for it, excepting the con- sciousness of well doing, are scarce enough to be appreciated when discovered.
Dr. Adonijah Strong, who practiced medicine in Wayne
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county from 1829 until 1879, was a native of Salisbury, Conn., where he was born October 8, 1800. He was a direct descend- ant of Noah Strong who came over with the pilgrims in the Mayflower in 1620. His father, Martin Strong, was for many years President Judge of Litchfield county courts. He was graduated from Yale College and studied with a purpose to enter the legal profession. Among his father's friends was Benajah Ticknor, a surgeon in the United States Navy, who urged Judge Strong to educate his son in medicine and surgery, with a view to his becoming an assistant in the government service. He accordingly studied medicine and was licensed to practice in 1824. He married Miss Mary A. Myers, daughter of Col. Nathan Myers, and instead of entering the government service he came to Bethany on the invitation of Hon. Pope Bushnell. After a short time he came to Honesdale and had a drug store where the Independent building now is. He prac- ticed his profession in Wayne county for half a century, dying in 1879. His practice for many years was very extensive. In his younger days he took quite an interest in politics, being a pronounced and leading Democrat. He united with the Pres- byterian church on profession of his faith in 1843 and was elected an elder in 1851, a position which he filled very gra- ciously until his death. In the session he was conservative, dignified and kind spirited. He was a gentleman, reserved and retiring in disposition, though an excellent conversationalist, both on subjects pertaining to his profession as well as outside subjects. He was rather spare, erect in person and dignified in appearance. His daughter Julia became the wife of Hou. Isaiah Snyder.
Miles Lathrop Tracy, son of Hon. Thomas H. R. Tracy, was born in Honesdale, March 10, 1836, and died January 9, 1884. His life long friend, Hon. T. J. Ham, wrote a very full account of his life, from which most of this article is taken. Mr. Tracy received a thorough academic education at Hones- dale academy, and entered Yale college in 1855. The death of his father necessitated his relinquishment of a college course,
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and returning home he devoted himself to business pursuits. He was at one time interested with Mr. Fuller and Oliver D. Gustin in the stick manufacturing business, and for a time he succeeded one of his brothers in the boot and shoe trade; but the main calling of his life, up to within a few years of his death, was as an employe and officer of the Delaware & Hud- son Canal Company. For some years he had charge of the company reservoirs in the county, from which post he was, in 1864, promoted to the responsible position of paymaster. In this capacity he made monthly trips along the whole line of the canal, from Honesdale to Rondout, paying the hundreds of employes along the route. Millions of dollars passed through his hands while serving as the company's disbursing officer, every penny of which was satisfactorily accounted for. In 1882 he resigned as paymaster and shortly afterwards accepted the position of General Agent of the Equitable Life Assurance Company. To no one more than to him has Honesdale been indebted for the special municipal and social advantages which it has enjoyed for a generation. Gifted with fine musical talent, he was for fifteen years of his earlier life a most efficient mem- ber of the Honesdale Silver Cornet Band and other kindred organizations, of which the place was at the time so justly proud. For twenty-five years he was the leader of the choir of the Presbyterian church, and during that time a foremost figure in all the noted entertainments given under the auspices of the Honesdale Musical Association, including the title roll in "Bel- shazzar," Ahasuerus in "Esther," etc. When still a young man he associated himself with William J. Fuller in the erection of Liberty Hall, au act of enterprise which gave our town a commodious place of entertainment, which has been instru- mental in bringing within reach of the majority of our people, talent which they could not otherwise have enjoyed. Nor was his influence less felt in other and more practical directions. For years a member of the Honesdale School Board and at the time of his death its treasurer, his voice and vote were always on the side of the largest advantages to, and the greatest practi-
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HON, H. M. SEELY MILES L. TRACY STEPHEN G. CORY
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cal good of the masses. As a member of the Town Council his influence was invariably thrown iu the direction of public im- provement. As an officer in one of our banking institutions he was efficient and courteous and, while sufficiently conservative, he was ever in favor of a generous treatment of enterprising business men. As a business man he was competent, prompt and thoroughly reliable. For several years he was Chairman of the Republican County Committee, in which capacity he served with great ability, and placed his party under weighty obligations. He held at various times nearly every office of trust within the gift of the local community, and he was at one time a Presidential elector. He was connected with the Presby- terian Sunday school for about forty years as scholar, librarian and teacher. When 17 years of age he united with the church. For twenty years he was a trustee and for twelve years a ruling elder, and in all these positions he was faithful in attendance upon the meetings of trustees and of the session, and in the Sunday school and choir. He was one of the finest looking men that ever walked the streets of Honesdale. "Born in the village when it was but a hamlet." "The child of worthy par- ents he was reared to an examplary and useful life. As a lad he was active and companionable, entering with unusual zest into the pastimes of childhood; as a school boy he was hand- some, bright faced, clear headed, ranking among the first in his classes; as an adult he measured up to the full stature of robust, generous, thoughtful, useful manhood." Mr. Tracy married Mary P. Hand, daughter of Ezra Hand, who is still with us, being a useful member in our church. His children, Howard, Annie and Mary are valued church members.
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