Portrait and biographical record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 85

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

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Ten years were spent on the high seas, but with his marriage Mr. Peters determined to set- tle down upon the land. Accordingly he left Cornwall, England, and came to America, reach- ing New York July 22, 1866, on Sunday after- noon, going ashore the following morning, and coming to Scranton Tuesday. At once he began to work for the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern Company, for one year loading coal in the Diamond mines, after which he was made as- sistant foreman under Daniel Langstaff, and held the position from 1867 to 1888. He was then pro- moted to be foreman of the Sloan mines of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company, and August 22, 1891, was made foreman of Cen- tral mines, both of which positions he has since held. These are old mines, that turn out from twelve to thirteen hundred tons per day, and are connected with the narrow gauge road.

Though he has never identified himself with public affairs, Mr. Peters is interested in every- thing pertaining to the welfare of the community and in politics votes the Republican ticket. With

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his family he attends Penn Avenue Baptist Church. His wife, who was Jane Gray, a native of Cornwall, England, is a daughter of William Gray, foreman of copper mines in Cornwall. The seven children of this union, all of whom were born in Scranton, are Mrs. Catherine Wheeler, Mrs. Alice Watkins, Mrs. Fannie Sanı- uels, Annie, Fred, Arthur and Carrie.

J AMES ARCHBALD. While various causes have combined to secure the present devel- opment of Lackawanna County industries and the present prosperity of its people, doubt- less the majority of the citizens will agree that there have been two factors especially promi- nent-the Delaware & Hudson and the Dela- ware, Lackawanna & Western Companies. With the building of their railroads and the opening of their mines, every industry was given an im- petus and many settlers flocked to the commun- ity that was capable of supporting them in com- fort. To the men who were connected with the / establishment of these roads, who gave their en- ergies to secure the financial success of the two companies and at the same time to develop the interests of this section, every citizen of to-day is a debtor.

Among those whose names are connected with both of these companies and with many other lo- cal enterprises, mention belongs to the late James Archbald, of Scranton. His name is perpetuated in one of the villages of this county, while the work that he accomplished in the upbuilding of the Lackawanna Valley is a visible monument to his memory more enduring than any of brass or granite. It was in 1825 that John B. Jervis gave him employment in connection with the work on the Delaware & Hudson Canal, and from that time onward much of his life was spent in this valley.

Through his mother, James Archbald was de- scended from the Wodrow family, originally of England, but later of Renfrewshire, Scotland. For three hundred years prior to 1700 they pos- sessed the hill of Eglishame and surrounding lands. The name was variously spelled, Wood- row, Widderow, Witherow, Vidderow and Wod-

row. The first of the family of whom there is any authentic record is Patrick Wodrow, vicar of the parish of Eglishame in 1562, who married Agnes Hamilton, daughter of a brother of the house of Abercorn; both lie buried in the parish churchyard. Of their two sons, Robert, born about 1600, was a lawyer and became chamber- lain to the earl of Eglinton; he married Agnes, daughter of John Dunlop, of Dunlop. Their fourth son, James, born January 2, 1637, was pro- fessor of theology in Glasgow University from 1692 until his death in 1707; his wife, Marga- ret, was a daughter of William Hair, proprietor of an estate in the parish of Kilbarchan, Renfrew- shire.

Robert, son of Prof. James Wodrow, was born in Glasgow in 1679; in 1691 he entered the uni- versity of his native city, where for four years he was librarian, meantime becoming familiar with ecclesiastical and literary history and imbibing a taste for the antiquarian. With the intention of becoming a minister, he studied theology under his father and completed his course in the uni- versity, after which he went to reside with a dis- tant relative, Sir John Maxwell of Nether Pol- lock. While there he was licensed to preach, in March, 1703, by the presbytery of Paisley. Oc- tober 28 following, he was ordained minister of the parish of Eastwood, now a suburb of the city of Glasgow. Possessing broad culture and the advantage of wide research of an historical and theological nature, he followed his natural bent of mind and gave much attention to litera- ture. His work, "The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution," caused a sensation throughout the country, bringing him some bitter enemies and some warm, life-long friends and admirers. This was followed by other works of a religious character. Much of his time was given to the collection of valuable manuscripts, which, togeth- er with some of his sermons, are preserved to this day. He died March 21, 1734. Of his sixteen children nine survived him.

The next in line of descent, Robert, was born December 21, 17II, was educated for the minis- try, succeeded his father in the parish at East- wood in 1735, but resigned the charge in 1757

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and settled upon the island of Little Cumbrae, part of Buteshire, just off the shores of Ayrshire, remaining there until his death in January, 1784. By his second marriage he had several children. His daughter, Mary Ann, was born June 24, 1764, and was married August 4, 1789, to James Archbald, son of James Archbald, of Knocken- don, Ayrshire. After their marriage they re- sided on the Cumbrae island, where he had be- fore been in charge of a sheep farm. There was born to them March 3, 1793, a son James, the subject of this sketch. In 1807 the family re- moved to America and settled at Auriesville, Montgomery County, N. Y., where they pur- chased a farm. The wife and mother was a lady of superior literary tastes, possessing a culture far in advance of the women of her day, and many of her writings were gems of thought expressed in prose or verse. Her library of twelve hundred volumes was one of the best to be found in the state. It was found that Mr. Archbald being an alien could not hold title to their land, but through correspondence with DeWitt Clinton, who had been greatly impressed with the literary talent of Mrs. Archbald, a special act was passed confirming the title to her husband. Mr. Arch- bald died August 3, 1824, aged sixty-one, and his wife, January 3, 1841, aged seventy-seven.

Under the direction of his talented mother, the subject of this sketch received a fine, al- though it was a self, education. In 1817, when the construction of the Erie Canal was com- menced, he became a contractor and built the portion that passed through his father's farm. John B. Jervis, who was engineer in charge of the work, was so well pleased with that done by the young man that he offered him a position on his engineering corps. Mr. Jervis was given charge of the work on the Delaware & Hudson Canal and in 1825 made his protegé resident en- gineer in charge of a division. In 1829, when work was commenced at the mines of Carbon- dale, Mr. Archbald was elected superintendent. Eight years later he accepted the position of en- gineer in charge of the enlargement of a portion of the Erie Canal, but the strife prevalent among the canal authorities disgusted him, and after a year he returned to the Delaware & Hudson

Company. In 1847 he was given charge of the construction of the Gravity road and the mines and works at Carbondale, Honesdale and Haw- ley. In 1851 Carbondale was made a city and he was chosen mayor, holding the office for four suc- cessive terms until his removal from the city. In 1854 he was elected vice-president of the Michi- gan Southern & Northern Indiana Railroad, and resigned from the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company and the Pennsylvania Coal Company, and gave his attention to the western road.

Meantime the railroad extension had caused the building up of the village of Archbald, and had also evolved from Slocum's Hollow the flourishing city of Scranton, the center of the coal trade of the valley. The Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western had been established and George W. Scranton, by reason of ill health, had resigned his position with that company. Mr. Archbald was chosen to succeed him as general agent in 1855, and with his family in 1857 came to Scranton, where he afterward resided. In 1858 he was appointed chief engineer of the road. In 1866 he was nominated by the Repub- lican party for congress, but was defeated. His death occurred in this city August 26, 1870. At the time of his death he was president of the Lackawanna & Bloomsburg Railroad, and a di- rector in the Dickson Manufacturing Company, Scranton Gas & Water Company and Scranton Savings Bank.

November 27, 1832, Mr. Archbald married Miss Sarah Augusta, youngest daughter of Maj. Thomas Frothingham and Elizabeth Frost. Her father was a major in the Revolutionary War, served in the state senate of New York in 1821- 22, and died in 1824. Mrs. Archbald died July 5, 1874, at the age of sixty-nine years. Their chil- dren were named as follows: James; Mrs. Mary Catlin, of Scranton; Thomas Frothingham, a railroad contractor who died in Corning, N. Y., February 16, 1883; Augusta, who died in Scran- ton, March 9, 1873; and Robert Wodrow, presi- dent judge of the court of common pleas of Lack- awanna County. The eldest son, James, was born February 13, 1838, graduated from Union College in 1860, and succeeded his father as chief engineer of the Delaware, Lackawanna & West-

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ern Railroad, which position he still holds. Dur- of a parochial school, where the children of the ing the late war he was captain of Company I, parish might receive a Catholic education. Aug- 11st 24, 1888, a community of Sisters of the Im- maculate Heart came here under the direction of Sister Alphonsine, who has since been Su- perior. The parochial school was opened on the 3d of the following month, with four hundred pupils, and the work has since been enlarged, the present average being six hundred pupils, who are carefully trained by fourteen Sisters. The English branches are taught, also French, Latin, German, vocal and instrumental music, and fancy needle work. One Hundred and Thirty-second Pennsylvania Infantry, and took part in the battle of Antietam and other engagements. In politics he is recog- nized as among the foremost Republicans of the state. His engineering skill is attested by the new Bergen tunnel of the road at Hoboken, N. J., with its approaches, and the extension of the same railroad, over two hundred miles, from Binghamton to Buffalo. January 25, 1865, he married Miss Hannah M. Albright, and they have several children.

R EV. EDWARD J. MELLEY. The his- tory of the Church of St. John the Evan- gelist shows what may be accomplished by zeal and energy, even with limited means. Prior to 1885 the Catholics residing in the south- ern part of Scranton were identified with the Cathedral, but in that year was begun a move- ment looking toward the establishment of the present parish. The work had its inception in the organization of a Sunday-school by Rev. T. F. Coffey in No. II schoolhouse, and so rapidly did the interest increase that the establishment of a church soon became possible.

July 18, 1886, in a meeting of resident Catho- lics in No. 10 schoolhouse, a committee was ap- pointed to wait upon Rt .- Rev. Bishop O'Hara and secure his approval, which was readily given. For the erection of a church the Bishop gave three lots on Cedar Avenue and Palm Street, but they were afterward sold, and a more desir- able location purchased in Fig Street. Rev. R. A. McAndrew, who was then rector of the Ca- thedral, was appointed to take charge of the new parish and in a few weeks he erected a tempo- rary structure, where, on the festival of the As- sumption, August 15, 1886, was said the first mass in the parish. Funds were raised for a per- manent building, work was soon begun, and the present church edifice was dedicated to divine worship April 17, 1887. During the summer of 1888 the present parsonage in Pittston Avenue was built and furnished.

The next advance step was the establishment

In October, 1889, Rev. R. A. McAndrew was transferred to St. Mary's parish, Wilkesbarre, and Rev. E. J. Melley, of Olyphant, took charge of the parish November 2, 1889. Under his su- pervision a convent, one of the best in the dio- cese, has been erected, and a site for a new church has been secured. Taken altogether, the present value of the church property is not less than $60,000. The convent is situated in Fig Street and contains, among other admirable fea- tures, a well arranged and equipped music room. The lots for the new church are located on the corner of Fig Street and Pittston Avenue, and the parsonage stands at No. 1411 Pittston Ave- nue. The work accomplished by the congrega- tion in so short a time is quite remarkable, es- pecially when it is remembered that the member- ship, while comprising over five hundred famil- ies, includes few wealthy people, the majority being poor or only fairly well-to-do.

The subject of this sketch was born in Ireland, and came to America in 1865. Shortly afterward he entered St. Charles College at Ellicott City, Md., and remained there until 1870. In the fall of that year he entered St. Charles Theological Seminary at Overbrook and took a philosophical and theological course of five years there, gradu- ating in 1875. On the 29th of September follow- ing, he was ordained in Scranton by Bishop O'Hara, being one of a group of five young men, all of whom survive. For seven years he was assistant in St. Peter's Cathedral, whence in 1882 he was transferred to Towanda as assistant to Rev. Dr. C. F. Kelley, and in October, 1884, was made rector of St. Patrick's Church at Olyphant, suc-

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ceeding Father O'Rourke, the first rector. While there he organized an outside mission and form- ed St. James Church in Jessup, building a house of worship there. From Olyphant he came to Scranton in 1888.

In 1896 Father Melley accompanied the Amer- ican pilgrimage to Rome, and they were received by the Pope. He also visited the British Isles, Germany, France and Switzerland. With the ex- ception of this trip, he has devoted himself close- ly to his pastorate, ministering to the needs of his people. In his church there are a large num- ber of societies, including St. Aloysius Temper- ance Society with nearly five hundred young men in its membership; Catholic Mutual Benevo- lent Association, with a large membership; St. Patrick's Temperance Society; Cadet Temper- ance Society for boys, a very successful organiza- tion; Holy Name Society, whose members are men pledged to avoid blasphemy; Blessed Virgin Sodality, with a membership of over three hun- dred young people; Angels Sodality, with five hundred children in its membership; and Colum- bus Young Men's Institute, a literary, social and benevolent organization.

J. FRANK SIEGEL. In his chosen voca- tion Professor Siegel has few peers and no

· superiors in northeastern Pennsylvania. A resident of Scranton since December, 1881, he has from that time been constantly engaged as dancing master here and in Wilkesbarre, having in each city about five classes and a number of private pupils. His dancing academy is in the Carter Building, Scranton, where he has a hall 40x90, well adapted to its intended use. A gen- tleman of affable manners and genial courtesy, he is very popular with the people, who rightly judge that he stands without a rival in his special line of work. He is the originator of numerous round dances, some of which have gained more than local fame. Among the dances of which he is the author may be mentioned the "Two- Step Waltz," "The Columbian," "The Ripple," the "Electric City Gavotte," "The Cross-step Jer- sey," "The Wyoming," "The Calla," "Waltz Min- uette," and the "Golf Three-Step," all of which

are unexcelled for rhythmic harmony of move- ment.

Born in Reading, Pa., August 23, 1844, Pro- fessor Siegel is the son of Moyer and Elizabeth (Roland) Siegel, the former a native of Germany, the latter of Reading. His father grew to man- hood in the parental home on the Rhine, and from there he came to the United States, set- tling in Reading and becoming interested in the manufacture of hats. He introduced the first hat-making machine used in Pennsylvania, and through prudent management built up the largest business of the kind in the state, the firm being known as the M. & J. Siegel Hat Manu- facturing Company. Prior to the outbreak of the war he retired from business and from that time until his death, at the age of sixty-four, lived quietly at his home in Reading. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church and fraternally was connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1870 his widow removed to Phila- delphia, and there died when sixty-four years of age

Our subject's maternal grandfather, George Roland, was the son of a Revolutionary hero and a pioneer of Reading. He was born in that city, and, when a young man, served in the War of 1812. Afterward he engaged in the manu- facture of hats in Reading, doing all the work by hand, as in that day machines had not yet been introduced. The family of which Professor Siegel is a member consisted of six sons and six daughters, of whom two sons and four daugh- ters are now living, he being the eldest of the survivors. In boyhood and youth he was a pu- pil in the public schools of Reading, Freeland Academy at Freeland, Pa., and Irving's Military Academy at Danbury, Conn., completing his education in the latter institution.

Inheriting the patriotic spirit of his ancestors who had defended our country in the days when it had few friends, it was but natural that Pro- fessor Siegel should feel the deepest interest in the series of events that culminated in the Re- bellion. His loyalty to the government led him to determine to assist in preserving the old flag. August 5, 1862, his name was enrolled as a mem- ber of Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-

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eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, which was mus- tered into the service at Harrisburg August 9, and ordered from there to Washington. He was present at a number of engagements, the most important being the battles of South Mountain, Antietam and Chancellorsville. The time for which he enlisted had more than expired when he was mustered out at Harrisburg, in May, I863.

On his return home he secured employment in the locomotive building of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad shops, where he remained eighteen months. In 1865 he went to Lancaster and for a short time was employed in the loco- motive shops, later in the stationary engine shops. About the same time he began to teach dancing, his first exhibition being given in 1865. After a brief period in Lancaster he returned to Reading, and for seven years worked in the hat finishing plant established by his father. How- ever, he did not give up the dancing business, but carried it on simultaneously with other en- terprises. In 1877 he went to Williamsport, Pa., where he soon established a large dancing class, remaining in that place for four years. From there, in 1881, he came to Scranton, where he has since resided. Upon coming to this city he secured a hall for giving dancing lessons, and fitted it up entirely at his own expense. In that place he remained for fifteen years, but upon the erection of the new building at the corner of Adams and Linden, he had the entire top floor arranged specially for his dancing academy, drawing the plans himself. This gives him the finest hall and suite of rooms anywhere in this section of the country, and the fact that he had charge of the arrangement of the same is suffi- cient indication that it is thorough and complete even to the smallest detail. The hall has a floor that cannot be excelled, and in addition there are office, reception room and dressing rooms, in which the comfort and convenience of his patrons were thoroughly considered. He is among the association teachers and uses the standard dances. His work has been uniformly satisfactory and he numbers his patrons among the most aristocratic families of the city. Identi- fied with the American National Association of

Dancing Masters, he is its only member in northeastern Pennsylvania, and attends the an- nual meetings of the organization, in which he is prominent and active.

In this city Professor Siegel was united in marriage with Miss Jessie S., daughter of the late Thomas G. Smith, a soldier in the Civil War and for years a manufacturer of candy in Scranton. His family consists of two children, Frances and Margaret. Interested in Masonry, Professor Siegel is a member of Peter William- son Lodge No. 323, F. & A. M .; Lackawanna Chapter No. 185, R. A. M .; Coeur de Lion Com- mandery No. 17, K. T., and Lu-Lu Temple, Philadelphia. He is a charter member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and at one time was actively connected with the Knights of Pythias and Grand Army of the Republic. In politics he is a Democrat, an adherent of the principles laid down by Andrew Jackson, and uniformly votes the party ticket, but is not radi- cal or aggressive in sentiment, conceding to others the same freedom of thought which he de- mands for himself.

J. MILFORD MORGAN. The early years of the life of Mr. Morgan were passed in his native country of Wales, where he learned those habits of industry and persever- ance characteristic of the Welsh the world over. On crossing the ocean and settling in the United States, he readily found employment, for he was a reliable and efficient workman. Since boy- hood he has been interested in the hardware business, first as a clerk and now as proprietor of a store in Taylor, where he keeps in stock a complete supply of stoves, tinware and hardware, as well as plumbing outfits.

Born June 21, 1857, near Talybont, the subject of this sketch spent his boyhood days in that place, where he attended school and later clerked in a hardware store, serving a four years' ap- prenticeship, after which he clerked in several stores, the last one being in Bristol, England. Feeling that this country offered greater oppor- tunities to a young man than his own, he came here in 1877 and went west to Chicago, where

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he was employed as a clerk for a time. How- ever, he soon returned to the east and found work as clerk in a hardware store in Wilkesbarre. From that place he went to Plymouth, Luzerne County, and was similarly employed for some years. It will be seen that his experience under different employers and in different towns gave him an opportunity to acquire a detailed knowl- edge of the hardware business and fitted him for the practical management of a place of his own. After a short visit in Europe, among the friends of his boyhood days, he came to Taylor in 1888 and the following year established the business he has since conducted.

In 1885 Mr. Morgan married Miss Elizabeth James, who was born in Haverford-West, Pem- brokeshire, Wales. They are the parents of four children, Milford G., Mary A., John V. and Ruth P., and occupy their own home in the bor- ough. Mr. Morgan is connected with the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Knights of Honor, and in his religious connections is identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He favors all progressive measures for the benefit of the bor- ough, and does all in his power to promote its growth and prosperity.

L EWIS TYLER CONNOLLY. Scranton cannot boast of a young man more ener- getic than the subject of this article, who is superintendent of the Scranton Fire Brick Com- pany. A lifelong resident of this city, he was born here on the last day of the year 1865, and in boyhood often skated where the courthouse now stands, up to the present site of Hotel Jermyn. The growth of this place from an unhealthful swamp to a city, with substantial business blocks and elegant homes, he has witnessed, and to it he has contributed as opportunity has offered.

The father of our subject, John Connolly, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, and at the age of eight years came with friends to America, re- maining in New York City until grown to man- hood. For a time he was employed on a rail- road contract in Springfield, Mass., after which he worked on the Erie Canal at Honesdale, Pa .; then was with the Delaware, Lackawanna &

Western and the New York Central Railroads. He assisted in the reconstruction of the Fourth Avenue tunnel in New York, and while engaged on this work his death occurred. The mother of our subject, Anna Allyn, was born in Massachu- setts and was a member of an old eastern family of Montgomery, that state. She was a distant relative of President Tyler, and a second cousin of Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary fame. At this writing she resides in Scranton. Of her six sons and seven daughters, all but one passed child- hood years, but four daughters and two sons died before they were twenty. Arabella is the wife of J. P. Stanton, a prominent contractor of New York City; Lillie is a widow and lives in New York; Daniel Ward, ex-postmaster and ex- member of congress, died in this city in 1894; John K., who was general boss in the construc- tion of the Weehawken tunnel in 1884, was the victim of an explosion there, which has rendered him permanently blind; Mrs. Carrie Lawrence, a widow, resides with her mother in this city; Jo- seph F. also resides in this city.

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Portrait and biographical record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 85

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