Portrait and biographical record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 21

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: New York : Chapman Publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1068

USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Portrait and biographical record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 21

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Our subject, who is the only survivor of four children comprising the family, was educated in the public schools and Basel University, Switzer- land, and was ordained to the ministry of the Lutheran Church in Loerach, Baden, after which he was sent by his denomination to Texas for the purpose of organizing congregations. In 1851 he left Bremen on the sailer "Francisco," and landed in Galveston after a voyage of forty-nine

days. Going to San Antonio, he began his work there the first of the following year. Soon he organized St. John's German Lutheran Church in that city, built a house of worship and minis- tered to his people for a short time, but the climate proved detrimental to his health, and he therefore went to Fredericksburg, Gillespie Coun- ty, the same state, where he took charge of the adjacent mission field. Through his efforts, Zion Lutheran Church was organized and a building erected. In 1855 he was called to San Antonio by the executive committee of home mission work and continued in that city until 1860.

Prior to the opening of the war, Rev. Mr. Zizel- mann came north, taking passage from Texas on a sailing vessel March 14, 1860, and going to New York City. A friend, who was pastor of a church in Montgomery County, invited him to remain there until he found a location, but almost imme- diately he was offered the home mission work of Pennsylvania, and came to Scranton. During his six months' work as missionary, he explored the field, and several times preached in this city, which he believed offered a favorable opening for a church. May 18, 1860, he organized Zion Church, and on the 24th of August began to hold meetings in a hall in Lackawanna Avenue, where services continued to be held for three years. In the fall of 1863 he purchased from a Welsh con- gregation his present house of worship, in Miff- lin Avenue. This was enlarged in 1866 and again in 1886, to meet the needs of the growing con- gregation. In 1866 he started a parochial school, but after twenty years discontinued the work. He began to hold services in Petersburg in 1860, and eight years later a church was built; of this he was pastor for two years, in addition to his work in Scranton.

While in Fredericksburg, Texas, Rev. Mr. Zizelmann married Miss Christiana Barbara Schloterbeck, who was born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many. They became the parents of seven chil- dren, of whom five attained maturity and three are living. Emanuel, who was at one time chief of the fire department, died in 1893. Lydia, Mrs. Ferber, died in Scranton in 1890. Frederick W., who resides with his parents in the parsonage, is an employe of the Delaware, Lackawanna &

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Western Company, and secretary in the Nay-Aug Engine Company. Charles M. is a draughtsman and bookkeeper with Conrad Schroeder. Theo- dore is a watchmaker and jeweler in Scranton, and treasurer of the Nay-Aug Engine Company.

J OHN A. DUCKWORTH, well known as a successful architect and influential citizen of Scranton, was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1860, the descendant of English ancestors, who settled in New Jersey at a period antedating the Revolutionary War. His paternal grandfather, who was a manufacturer residing in Paterson, took part in the war with England, bravely de- fending the interests of the struggling colonies. John Duckworth, our subject's father, was born in Paterson, where he was engaged as a sculptor and modeler for a time, later, however, engaging in contracting. In 1856 he removed to Toronto, where he was a prosperous contractor until his death, in 1881. His wife, who also died in Tor- onto, bore the maiden name of Maria M. Night- ingale, and was born in New York City. She was the daughter of Thomas Nightingale, who was of English extraction, and for many years resided in Brooklyn.

The parental family consisted of fourteen chil- dren, of whom eight are living, John A. being fifth in respect to age, and the only one of the number in Pennsylvania. He received his edu- cation in Upper Canada College, from which he graduated in 1877. Desiring to become profici- ent in architecture, he entered the Mechanics Institute, where he remained until his gradua- tion. For five years he was a pupil of Williani Irving, a celebrated Scotch architect, under whose able supervision he became an expert in the busi- ness. In 1880 he went to New York City, where he was employed by D. & J. Jardine. Afterward he followed his chosen occupation in San Fran- cisco, and for four months in Chicago, returning from there to New York City.

Going to Wilkesbarre, Pa., in 1882, our sub- ject was for almost a year a member of the firm of Neier & Duckworth. In the spring of 1883 he came to Scranton, where he was employed as an architect with others for a year, and then, in

1884, opened an office, which he has since con- ducted. Among the buildings of which he has been the architect may be mentioned the follow- ing: Coal Exchange, at the time of its erection the largest building in Scranton; Wells Building in Wilkesbarre, New Hotel Jermyn at Scranton, public schools Nos. 7, 13 and 25, Scranton; pub- lic school at Dunmore, high school and schools Nos. 1, 2 and 3; Ransom Poor and Insane Build- ing; five churches in Dunmore, Scranton and Peckville; Carbondale public hospital, W. W. Watt, Burke and Leader buildings at Carbondale, and over three hundred other prominent build- ings in this city, as well as many throughout the valley. He has his office in the Coal Exchange Building, his city residence on the corner of Quincy Avenue and Olive Street, and a summer home at Lake Ariel.

At Dunmore Mr. Duckworth married Miss Elizabeth D. Spencer, who was born here, daughter of A. D. Spencer and granddaughter of Edward Spencer, a member of an old family of this state. Two children, John A., Jr., and Har- old, bless the union. Fraternally, Mr. Duck- worth is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Order of Elks and the Scran- ton Rowing Club. Politically he is a Republican, and in religious belief is identified with the Pres- byterian Church.

J AMES T. McHALE. During the period in which he has been engaged in the grocery business in Scranton, Mr. McHale has built up a large and profitable trade among the people of his neighborhood, and has gained a recognized position among the business men of the city. He is the proprietor of a grocery at No. 1602 Capouse Avenue, Green Ridge, which he purchased in 1892, and has since carried on with customary energy. In his store he keeps a complete assortment of staple and fancy grocer- ies, including everything needed in culinary lines.

The entire life of the subject of this sketch has been spent in Scranton, where he was born April 25, 1867. Ilis father, James T. McHale, who was a merchant tailor by trade, settled in Scranton about 1855, and here engaged at his chosen occu-

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pation. During the war he served for three years as a member of Company K, Eleventh Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, rendering faithful service in de- fense of the Union. On his return home, he re- sumed the merchant tailoring business, and con- tinued thus engaged until his death, in 1874. His widow, wlio bore the maiden name of Bridget Judge, is still living, and makes her home with her son. Of her three children, two are living, James T. and Agnes, the latter being a teacher in St. Rose Academy at Carbondale.

Until twelve years of age, our subject attended public school No. 27, after which he began to earn his livelihood. For fourteen years he was in the employ of J. F. Hougi, in which position he gained a practical knowledge of business, and thus became fitted to take charge of an enterprise of his own. In 1892 he bought out J. W. Brown, and has since engaged in the grocery business at his present location. Since the organization of St. Paul's Total Abstinence Benevolent Society he has been one of its active members, and has held the various offices, including that of presi- dent; in 1894 he represented the society in the convention at St. Paul, Minn. January 9, 1894, in St. Mary's Church, Dunmore, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McHale and Miss Bridget Dougherty, who was born in Dunmore, and is a daughter of Patrick Dougherty, an employe of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. Mr. and Mrs. McHale and their son, Cyril, have a comfortable home at No. 1420 Monsey Avenue.

E . JOSEPH KUETTLE. In 1882 this gentleman came to Scranton and began, in a small way, the manufacture of wire screens, his first location being on the south side at No. 320 Cedar Avenue. Afterward he re- moved to the rear of No. 511 Lackawanna Ave- nute, and here he has since carried on an excel- lent business. He receives orders for supplies from all parts of the west, south and north, though naturally the largest part of his trade comes from the east. He makes a specialty of the manufac- ture of coal screens, office railings, flour baskets, baskets for silk work and wire fencing.

Born in Dresden, Germany, March 23, 1836,

the subject of this sketch is a son of Charles Kuettle, a native of Dresden and a wire screen manufacturer. The paternal grandfather, Franz Joseph Kuettle, was born in Bohemia, but re- moved from there in 1807 to Dresden, owing to the fact that the government oppressed him on account of his Catholic belief. He devoted his time to the manufacture of wire screens and built up a good business. After his death his widow came to America, settled in Philadelphia and died there at the age of eighty-nine. The father, who served in the German army, died at forty years.

The mother of our subject, Charlotte Haubner, was born in Eisleben, and was a daughter of Johan Haubner, a nailmaker by trade and a soldier in the Napoleonic wars. Some years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Charlotte Kuettle came to America in 1870 and joined a daughter in New York, where she made her home until her death in 1875. Of her family of seventeen children, two are living. In his native home, our subject learned the wire screen busi- ness under his father's direction and afterward traveled through Germany and in Buda-Pesth, Vienna and other Austrian cities, doing journey- man work. In 1857 he enlisted in the army and for three years was a sergeant in a regiment of sharpshooters. June 20, 1866, he was ordered to report and entered his old regiment, the Twelfth Saxon Sharpshooters, after which he took part in various important battles and then spent two months in Baden. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.

July 16, 1870, Mr. Kuettle was again ordered to report for service, and was assigned to the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Ninth Army Corps, as sergeant. He participated in the engagements at Metz and New Orleans, and in the latter battle was wounded five times within about six minutes. One of the balls struck him in a limb. three in the knee and one in the hip. He was removed to a hospital where he remained for three weeks. Soon after he rejoined his regiment peace was de- clared, and he was honorably discharged May 26, 1871.

Shortly after leaving the German army, Mr. Kuettle resolved to come to America. Accord-

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ingly, in April, 1872, he left Bremen on the steamer "Herman," and after a voyage of nine- teen days landed in New York City, where he made his headquarters for eleven years, mean- time traveling around the country with first-class opera troupes. In Germany he had studied vo- cal music under Professor Konopaseck of Berlin and Professor Thirscher of Halle, and by cultiva- tion had added to his naturally sweet and clear voice. In New York he sang in a German opera under direction of Henry Koch, and then went to Louisville, Ky., with the English opera com- pany in which Madame Louisa Kellogg starred. Next he was connected with an Italian opera under Max Strackosch for about eight years, traveling with him throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Cuba, as second tenor. He is known as a remarkably fine singer and has won praise from people throughout the entire country. While in New York he was connected with the Harlem Mannerchor and Concordia Mannerchor, and since coming to Scranton he has identified himself with the Arion Society. He has never taken any interest in politics, but is loyal to American institutions and a defender of Democratic principles.

G EORGE B. CARSON. The family rep- resented by this well known business man of Scranton traces its ancestry to Scotland, where his great-grandfather, Thomas Carson, was a shepherd. John, next in line of descent, was born in the highlands of Scotland, but in early manhood went to Wales, and in Bre- conshire married Miss Ann Powell. Later he made his home in Glamorganshire until quite ad- vanced in years, when, about 1859, he joined his son, Thomas, in Scranton. He was born in 1806, and was over seventy when he passed away. In religious belief he was identified with the Con- gregational Church. His wife, who was born in Breconshire, was a daughter of Reese Powell, a cooper by trade and a life-long resident of that shire.

In the family of John and Ann Carson there were four children, all of whom came to America, and two, Thomas and a sister, are living. The

former was born near Brecon, Wales, June II, 1827, and at the age of two years was taken to Neath, Glamorganshire, where for a short time he attended the pay schools. At the age of nine he commenced to work in the mines, where he remained until thirteen, and afterward was simi- larly engaged in another part of the same shire. March 22, 1848, he left Liverpool on the sailer "Henry Clay," and after a voyage of twenty-eight days landed in New York City, whence he went to Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pa., and secured employment in the collieries for the Pennsylvania & Reading Railroad Company. In the summer of 1850 he went to Carbondale and prospected for coal, being employed by the Delaware & Hudson Company.

Coming to Hyde Park in 1855, Thomas Car- son assisted in sinking the Hampton shaft, and on its completion he became the inside foreman. He remained in that mine until 1890, when he was transferred to the Taylor mine, but after three months he went to the Storrs mine at Dickson City, and has since been inside foreman there, having one hundred and twenty miners under him. Politically, he upholds Republican doc- trines. For three years he represented the fifth ward in the common council, serving on different committees. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Ivorites. For years he has been a trustee of the First Welsh Presbyterian Church, and has been the Sunday-school superintendent. In 1895, ac- companied by his son and granddaughter, he took a trip to Wales, where he spent two months in renewing the associations dear to him in youth.

In Tamaqua Mr. Carson married Miss Cath- erine Eynon, who was born in Camarthenshire, Wales, and was a sister of Thomas Eynon. Eight children were born of this union, one of whom died unnamed in infancy. The others were Mar- garet A .; Mrs. W. T. Davis, who died in Wales; John, who passed away at the age of thirty-eight ; George B., the subject of this sketch; Edward and William, formerly employes of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company, but now de- ceased; Albert, a bookkeeper residing in Scran- ton; and Deborah, deceased. After the death of his first wife Mr. Carson married Mrs. Jane Davis,

COL. EZRA H. RIPPLE.

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whose former husband, Daniel Davis, was a mer- chant in Hyde Park.

Born in Scranton, February 12, 1856, the sub- ject of this article was reared and educated here. When he was about thirteen he began as a clerk, and a few years later started out for himself, about 1870 opening a small grocery, which he enlarged from time to time. In 1878 he took his brother- in-law into partnership, the firm becoming Car- son & Davis. Later he built a double store at Nos. 1309-II Washburn Street, and has since car- ried on a large general mercantile business, em- ploying several assistants and using three delivery wagons for the accommodation of his customers. In this city he married Miss Louise Hagen, whose , father, Henry Hagen, was a blacksmith with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. Three chil- dren comprise the family, Robert, Bertha and Ruth, who reside with their parents at No. 1221 Washburn Street.

In addition to his store and residence, Mr. Carson has other real estate interests here. For two years he had a branch store in Peckville, but disposed of it. In 1889 he was appointed on the board of school control to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of the member from the fifth ward. In February, 1890, he was nominated and elected, on the Republican ticket, for a term of four years, and at its expiration was re-elected. In 1895 he was president of the board, and at different times has done efficient committee work. He is a member of Hyde Park Lodge No. 339, F. & A. M., and the Ivorites. While not identified with any denomination, he has contributed to the Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church, with which his wife is identified. He has done active work in the ranks of the Republican party, and has been a member of the city and county com- mittees, at all times doing what he can to promote the party welfare.

C OL. EZRA H. RIPPLE. In presenting to the readers of this volume the biog- raphy of Colonel Ripple, we are perpet- uating the life work of one of the most honored residents of Scranton. Throughout a long, in- fluential and honorable career, both as a soldier

during the Rebellion and as a private citizen since that time, he has maintained the energy and integrity that characterized him in youth. Nor has his success been merely in accumulating wealth, but in the better sense of the word, he has been successful in doing good and in win- ning the esteem of a very large circle of ac- quaintances.

It being generally believed that heredity has much to do with the formation of character and that our lives are stimulated by the influence of our ancesters, a short resumè of the ancestral history of Colonel Ripple may serve as an in- dex to the liberal and humane impulses which mark his daily life, and which have won for him the regard of all. Of remote German descent, the family of which he is a member has been repre- sented in Pennsylvania for several successive generations. His father, Silas, was born in Han- over, Luzerne County, the son of Peter Ripple, who engaged in lumbering along the Susque- hanna. The former, in 1857, came to Hyde. Park, and engaged in hotel business on the cor- ner of Main and Jackson, where now stands Morgan's drug store. Of this place, which was known as the White Hotel, he continued to be proprietor for a few years, until his death, De- cember 4, 1861. In early life he identified him- self with the Whigs, and upon the disintegration of that party became a Republican. He married Elizabeth Harris, who was born in Mauchchunk, Pa., was throughout life a consistent Christian and a member of the Free Methodist Church, and died in Allentown in October, 1894. Her father, Abraham Harris, a native of England, came to this country in boyhood and settled in the Lehigh Valley, where he afterward had a meat market and also engaged in the hotel busi- ness.

In the family of Silas Ripple there were three children, but only two attained mature years, Ezra H. and Mrs. Mary M. Doster, of Scranton. The subject of this sketch was born in Mauch- chunk, Pa., February 14, 1842, and was a youth of fifteen when the family came to this city. He attended the common schools and Wyoming Seminary until 1858, and after the death of his father engaged in the drug business until his

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enlistment in the army. The outbreak of the war, with its threatened peril to the old flag, aroused within him the hitherto lambent flame of patriotism and caused him to resolve to offer his services, and his life if need be, for the pre- servation of the Union. Then a young man of twenty years, he had all the ardor and enthusi- asm of youth, the courage that never wavered and the zeal that never flagged. Early in the war he assisted in raising Company H of the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Militia, which did good service in the Antietam campaign. In '1863, in response to the emergency call, he enlisted in Company I, Thirteenth Pennsylvania Militia. In March, 1864, his name was enrolled as a member of Company K, Fifty-second Pennsylvania In- fantry, and he served on Morris Island, in the Department of the South.

During a night assault on Ft. Johnson, July 3, 1864, our subject was captured by the Confeder- ates and by them taken to Charleston, thence to Andersonville prison, where he was confined two and one-half months. He was then taken back to Charleston and from there sent to Florence, S. C., where, in March, 1865, he was paroled, after having suffered all the horrors of southern prisons for eight months. At Florence he was successful in making his escape, but was de- tected and tracked by bloodhounds that attacked him in a swamp three or four miles from the prison. By them he was badly bitten, as they pierced their teeth deep into his body. On be- ing taken back, he was seized with prison fever, and would undoubtedly have perished had it not been that his constitution was naturally rugged and strong.

On being paroled, Colonel Ripple went to the camp at Annapolis, where he was honorably dis- charged June 30, 1865. He returned home and, .with a desire to improve his education, became a student in Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. On leaving there he ob- tained a position with William Connell, with whoin, since 1872, he has been associated in coal operations. Upon the organization of the Scran- ton City Guard in 1877, he was elected captain of Company D, and was chosen major on the formation of the Thirteenth Regiment the fol-

lowing year. After five years of service in that capacity, he was elected lieutenant-colonel of the same regiment, in 1888 was chosen colonel, re- elected in 1893, and in April, 1895, was appoint- ed by Governor Hastings on his staff as commis- sary general, with the rank of colonel, which he now holds.

Shortly after the erection of Lackawanna Coun- ty, Colonel Ripple was elected, on the Republi- can ticket, the first treasurer of Lackawanna County (by election), and served for three years. His efficiency in that position being recognized by his fellow-citizens, he was by them elected mayor of Scranton in 1886 for a term of four years, this being the only time in the history of the city that the term has been so long. In 1896 he was again a candidate for the mayoralty, but a dissension in the Republican party at that time led to his defeat by a few votes. During his ser- vice as the city's chief executive, he received $6,000 in salary, but the receipts of his office turned over were $9,000, an amount far larger than received in any previous administration. The most important official acts of his term were the lighting of the city by electricity, the electric car systemand thecommencementof asphalt street paving. In 1878 he was chosen to serve on the select council, but resigned after a service of eight months, as the demands of his business did not permit him to give the necessary atten- tion to the position.

In this city, in 1874, occurred the marriage of Colonel Ripple and Miss Sarah H. Hackett, who was born in Carbon County, Pa., the daughter of Richard Hackett, mine foreman for the Dela- ware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. They are the parents of four children, Hannah, Jessie, Susan and Ezra H., Jr.

Colonel Ripple is a charter member of Lieut. Ezra S. Griffin Post No. 139, G. A. R .; is iden- tified with the blue lodge, F. & A. M., Lacka- wanna Chapter, R. A. M., Coeur de Lion Com- mandery No. 17, K. T., and received the thirty- third degree in Masonry at Cerneau Consistory No. 33, Scranton. In the Reformed Episcopal Church he holds the office of vestryman, and is an influential member. For some years he was a member of the board of health, and is now

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president of the Associated Charities of Seran- ton, member of the advisory committee of the Home for the Friendless, member of the board of park commissioners, and member of the board of commissioners of soldiers' orphans schools for Pennsylvania.

As has already been intimated, Colonel Rip- ple is prominent as a local leader of the Repub- lican party. He is president of the Central Re- publican Club, and served as chairman of the county committee in 1894. In 1888 he had the honor of being state elector, receiving the high- est vote of any elector in the state, and casting his ballot for Harrison and Morton in Harris- burg, at the meeting of the electoral college of that year.

Such is a sketch of the life of one of Seranton's most influential men, one who has at all times assisted in promoting the prosperity of the city by his progressive spirit and large enterprise.

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Portrait and biographical record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 21

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: New York : Chapman Publishing co. Number of Pages: 1068

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: New York : Chapman Publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1068