Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 102

Author: Chapman Publishing Company (NY)
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1068

USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties > Part 102
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties > Part 102

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While giving his attention largely to farm work, Mr. Yeager still finds time to keep himself posted regarding current events, and is fully in- formed concerning the great issues before the country to-day. He has never sought office nor cared to occupy positions of prominence, though at all times willing to discharge every duty that falls to him as a citizen, and interested in secur- ing the progress of local enterprises. In political views he is a Prohibitionist and has allied him- self with that party.

H ENRY LEACH. Probably no family now residing within the limits of this county has contributed to the development of its agricultural resources to a greater extent than has that represented by the subject of this sketch, who for many years has been identified with the farming interests of South Abington Township. At the close of the eighteenth century his father

came hither, and here labored, not alone for per- sonal success, but also for the welfare of the com- munity, and his services and those of his descend- ants entitle them to honorable mention among other persevering men.

The subject of this sketch is entirely worthy of the name he bears. He has spent his entire life in this county and is now numbered among the oldest surviving residents of South Abington Township, where he was born April 12, 1815. His father, Ephraim Leach, was born in Con- necticut, migrated to this county about 1800 and settled on land, the title to which proved to be poor. He gave a man power of attorney to sell the claim and other personal property. This the man did, then ran away with the proceeds. Later Mr. Leach returned and worked for the Slocum's, then bought property in South Abington Town- ship, settling here. His active life was devoted to farm work and he died at the age of eighty-one. His parents, Jabez and Sarah (Chilson) Leach, were natives of Connecticut, and she died there, but he left home to fight for our country during the Revolution and was killed at the battle of Monmouth, N. J.

The mother of our subject, Elizabeth Fellows, was a daughter of Joseph and Catharine (Turney) Fellows, natives of England, who emigrated to New York, removed thence to Pennsylvania; she died in Providence, and he was killed in Scott Township by a man named Malone. He was the first justice of the peace in Scranton, having been appointed to that office by the governor. Reared at home and educated in the district schools, our subject in early manhood established a home of his own, being united in marriage December 27, 1838, with Miss Anna J. La Rue, sister of Dan- iel W. La Rue. This estimable lady, whose energy and nobility of character made her co-operation with her husband of priceless value to him, was born in Delaware County, N. Y., March 9, 1819, and died in this county December 4, 1884, after nearly fifty years of happy wedded life. The five children born to bless their union are Angelett, Rosalia, Asa, Mabel and Viola, all of whom are married and have families.

Building the first hotel at Leach Flats, in 1857, Mr. Leach turned his attention from that busi-

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ness to farming, and bought the place on which he has since made his home. He has carried on general mixed farming, but of late years the man- agement of the place has been to a large extent in the hands of his son, Asa, a practical farmer and efficient, honorable man. His first presidential ballot was cast in 1836 for General Harrison, whom he also supported four years later, and he continued with the Whig party until its disinte- gration. On the organization of the Republican party in 1856, he joined its ranks, casting his bal- lot for John C. Fremont, and from that day he has never swerved in his allegiance to its princi- ples. His descendants, too, are of the same politi- cal faith. Asa, fired with the patriotic spirit dis- played by so many youths during the Civil War, endeavored to enlist in the service, though only sixteen years of age; he succeeded in getting as far as Easton, Pa., but was then sent home, great- ly disappointed that he was not permitted to fight for the old flag. He has, however, proved his patriotism by his loyal devotion to the welfare of the country in times of peace, by his thoughtful study of all public questions and by his stanch advocacy of all progressive measures for the bene- fit of town and county.

R ICHARD T. RENNIE, car accountant of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company, has had an experience such as falls to the lot of but few men and truly, if a full record of his life were to be written, it would fill a large volume. Not only is this a fact, but it is equally true that few books of travel and adventure now before the reading public would surpass in interest his own history. The result of his intimate acquaintance with the people of all lands, with nature in every possible phase, with the discipline such as can be found only on modern men-of-war, and, in short, of all his observation, is a broader horizon of thought and character than most of his fellow men pos- sess.

The Réné family (for in that way the name was formerly spelled) originated in France, and left that country when Charles, the Pretender, went to Scotland. Our subject's paternal grand-

father, George Rennie, was a civil engineer in early life, but later was appointed governor of the Falkland Islands by Queen Victoria. He married his cousin Jane, a daughter of John Rennie, who built Waterloo bridge, considered one of the finest structures in the world. It is composed of Aberdeen granite and spans the River Thames, near Somerset House, London. After its completion he commenced the construc- tion of the Plymouth breakwater, but died before it was finished, and the work was completed by his son, who was afterward knighted and became Sir John Rennie. George and Jane Rennie had four sons, namely: George, captain of the Bom- bay Horse Artillery; Sir William H., governor of St. Vincent, afterward governor of the Bar- badoes; John Charles, father of our subject; and Sir Richard T., judge of the supreme court of her Majesty's East Indian possessions, stationed in Yokohama, Japan, and Shanghai, China.

John Rennie, great-grandfather of our subject, was born at Phantassie, Scotland, June 7, 1761, and in youth attended the parish school of East Linton, supplementing the course there by two years at Dunbar and afterward attending lectures at Edinburgh. In 1780 he was taken into the employ of Boulton & Watt, at Birmingham, Eng- land, and developed great talent in the construc- tion of mills. Afterward he became pre-eminent as a bridge builder and constructed many of the best bridges throughout England. His greatest work in this department was the Waterloo bridge over the Thames, said to be the noblest structure of the kind in the world, combining in the hap- piest proportions the qualities of grandeur and simplicity. He also built the Southwark bridge and drew plans for London bridge, built after his death. He superintended the construction of many of the finest canals in England, and Lon- don docks, East and West India docks at Black- wall, Prince's dock, Liverpool, and those of Dub- lin, Greenock and Leith were all designed and wholly or partially executed under his superin- tendence. He also planned improvements on harbors and dockyards of Portsmouth, Chatham, and Plymouth, executing here the most remark- able of all his naval works, the celebrated break- water. He died October 16, 1821, and was buried

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in St. Paul's Cathedral. He had two sons, George and John, and two daughters, Jane and Ann. George and John were both eminent en- gineers, walking in the footsteps of their cele- brated ancestor, and constructing many of the great naval works of the world. They built ships of wood and iron and drained large tracts of land in the midland counties, and constructed marine engines for the war ships of home and foreign nations. George was elected fellow of the Royal Society in 1822 and subsequently was enrolled in similar societies in Dublin, Rotterdam, and other cities. He was the author of "Experiments on the Strength of Materials," "The Friction of Solids," "The Friction of Fluids," etc. He died March 30, 1866. His brother, Sir John, was knighted on the occasion of the opening of the new London bridge in 1831, which he executed from his father's designs. He died in 1874.

John Charles Rennie was born in England in 1827 and studied art in Italy. On coming to America he made the acquaintance of Margaret Livingston Culbert, whom he married, establish- ing his home in Mt. Vernon, Westchester Coun- ty, N. Y. Much of his time was given to art, to which he was devoted. He died when only thir- ty-three years of age and was buried in Green- wood cemetery. His widow, now about seventy years of age and a faithful member of the Episco- pal Church, resides with her son Richard. Her brother, John W., was born in New York, where his father had removed from Belfast, Ireland; he became an extensive importer in the metrop- olis and engaged in business there until his death, which took place at his residence in Yonkers on the Hudson.

Richard T. and George C. Rennie, the latter a resident of New Jersey, are the only sons of John C. Rennie. The birth of our subject oc- curred in Brooklyn, March 4, 1852. At the age of nine years he was sent to England to be edu- cated in the naval academy in Portsmouth. Grad- uating from the required course in December, 1864, he entered the navy as cadet and served on the training ship "Brittania." After having suc- cessfully passed his examination for the rank of midshipman, he was appointed to the "Amazon," which was wrecked in the English channel by

a collision with the mail steamer "Osprey," when on her way to America, both ships going to the bottom. With great difficulty the crew escaped to the shore. Next, he was sent to Hali- fax in the "Jason," and there joined the "Fa- vorite," which was afterward assigned to guard duty at the fisheries off the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. From there they proceeded to the West Indies, being stationed mainly at Havana. The ten years' war there was in progress and at one time the American and British con- suls, having prevented the shooting of some pris- oners, conveyed them to the "Favorite."

Sailing on the "Donegal," Mr. Rennie cruised off the shores of China, and was then transferred to the "Ocean," commanded by William N. W. Hewitt. On one occasion, while off duty, he visited his uncle, Sir Richard Rennie, who was at that time judge in Shanghai, China. The good ship "Adventure" took him to the "Rinaldo" for his next service, but in a short time he was as- signed to the "Zebra" at Shanghai and thence to the "Ocean" once more. The ship returned to England via the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena, where he visited the tomb of Napoleon. On this trip he was sub-lieutenant. At the Ports- mouth Royal Naval College he passed a rigid ex- amination in gunnery, navigation, etc., after which he took passage on the "Argus," bound for the west coast of Africa. All through the Ashan- tee war he served in different capacities, being at times on detached duty and for a while chief executive officer on the "Coquette" and after- ward lieutenant of the "Argus." At the close of the war he went to the West Indian station and on his arrival, in 1875, was transferred to the "Swallow." Soon afterward he left the service. He was presented by the British government with the Ashantee war medal for his services while in the war on the west coast of Africa.

As his mother was in New York City, Mr. Rennie went there and soon afterward entered the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern Railroad at Hoboken, N. J., where he held various positions. Later he was transferred to the office of the company in New York. In 1892 he came to Scranton as car accountant and has since resided here, giving his attention to the

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duties of the position. During the period from 1861 to 1875 he traveled all over the world, and being of an observant nature stored his mind with a fund of information of a cosmopolitan character. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, in politics a Republican, and fraternally belongs to Eureka Lodge No. 39, F. & A. M., at Newark.

P J. HORAN. The day of small undertak- ings seems to have passed and the era of mammoth enterprises is upon us. A business which has the leadership in any com- munity must be extensive and far-reaching in its effects. To control such interests men of master minds are required, having the brain to devise and plan and the will and skill to execute. Pro- gressive and energetic, Mr. Horan belongs to this class of citizens and in his business career has attained a high degree of success, being now president of the Union Cash Stores Company, of Dunmore.

Mr. Horan was born in Carbondale, Pa., in 1844. The previous year his father, Patrick Hor- an, removed to that city, and as a miner entered the employ of the Delaware & Hudson Com- pany. Afterward he was appointed tipstaff under Judge Handley, and when his term of service ex- pired he retired to private life. He died in Dun- more in 1895, at the age of eighty-nine years. He married Catherine Ford, and her death oc- curred on the Ist of July, 1896. Of their chil- dren, Anthony, who was one of the superintend- ents of the coal department of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, died September 30, 1896; P. J. is the second of the family; Bridget died in Dun- more; M. J. is senior partner of Horan & Mer- rill, Scranton; Catherine is now Mrs. Ferguson, of Pittston; and Mrs. John F. Duffy, of Dun- more, completes the family.

Mr. Horan, of this review, was reared and edu- cated in Dunmore, and at the age of thirtecn years entered upon his business career as a driver in the coal mines. He afterward became a prac- tical miner and was thus employed for some time. He then accepted a position as weighmas- ter, in which capacity he served for ten years. On

the expiration of that decade he turned his at- tention to mercantile pursuits and for two years was with the firm of Bryden Brothers & Cooper. He then formed a partnership with Williamson & Co., establishing a business on Chestnut Street, and conducting a profitable general mer- cantile establishment for two years. In 1870 the firm of Horan & Healey was formed and the re- lation has since been maintained with mutual pleasure and profit. In 1881 Mr. Horan pur- chased the Hinsdell clothing house in Scranton, which he conducted for three years, when he closed out and organized the firm of T. J. Kelley & Co., engaged in the wholesale grocery busi- ness in Scranton .. Mr. Healey is now in charge of that business, and in the meantime Mr. Horan continued to carry on a large general trade on Chestnut Street, under the firm name of Horan & Healey. In 1896, associated with Messrs. Man- ley and Swift, two prominent merchants of Dun- more, he incorporated the Union Cash Stores at Dunmore. Utilized in their business are twen- ty-one thousand square feet of floor space in the department stores alone, this not including the three stores which are owned by the individual members of the company. Mr. Swift has charge of the grocery department, and Mr. Manley of the general store. The latter is treasurer of the company, the former secretary, and Mr. Horan is its efficient president. Goods are bought on an extensive scale, eight or ten car loads of flour being purchased at one time and other things in proportion, so that they are enabled to buy at a low figure and their sale prices are correspond- ingly low. They have completely equipped de- partments, including a fine meat market and grocery. Sugar is also purchased by the car load and is stowed in bins that hold seventeen barrels. In the cellar is capacity for three thousand bush- els of potatoes; large refrigerators enable them to keep all perishable goods in excellent condition and so extensive is the cellar that teams can drive in and unload. The entire building is heat- ed with steam and supplied with elevator service. On the first floor, in addition to the departments previously mentioned, they also have dry-goods, shoe and millinery stores, while upstairs are the carpet, cloak and trunk departments. The hard-

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ware store, in charge of Thomas F. Cawley, a practical mechanic, is located at No. 314 Chest- nut Street.

Mr. Horan is a man of resourceful ability, whose operations have been by no means con- fined to one undertaking. In addition to his mer- cantile interests previously mentioned, he is presi- dent of the Scranton Packing Company, vice- president of the Economy Light & Heat Com- pany, a director of the Lackawanna Trust & Safe Deposit Company and of the Eureka Cash & Credit Company. He was also one of the origi- nal incorporators of the Lackawanna Lumber Company, and is extensively interested in build- ing and improving real estate. He was one of the originators and is a director of the Consumers' Ice Company; they own and operate Lake Ariel, Lake Henry, and Lake Poyntelle, at which places they have very extensive houses built for storage. He is president of the Dunmore Board of Trade.

Mr. Horan was married in Dunmore to Miss Mary A. Garvey, sister of Dr. Garvey. She was one of the organizers and is secretary of St. Jo- seph's Foundlings Home, and has been very prominent in benevolent and charitable work. Mr. Horan was elected a member of the bor- ough council for three years and brought to the matters under consideration the practical expe- rience gained from his business life. He was largely instrumental in securing the building of the extensive stone sidewalks, the suburb of Dun- more having more walks of this kind than any other town of its size in the state.

L ELAND B. POTTER was long numbered among the reliable business men of Scran- ton and was suddenly summoned from our midst by death. He literally grew up with this city, which was a very small town as he first be- held it in 1854. From that time forward he took great interest in everything pertaining to our commercial development and did his share in promoting the general welfare. The Potter fam- ily is of English descent and its members were early settlers in Massachusetts. Daniel, grand-

father of L. B. Potter, and whose home was in Hartwick, N. Y., served all through the long and dreadful war of the Revolution as a sergeant. The parents of our subject were Alvin and Mary (Barker) Potter, natives of New York and North Adams, Mass., respectively. The father was a tinsmith by trade and owned a shop in Cooperstown, N. Y.

Leland B. Potter was born in that village in 1832 and spent his years there at his father's home until reaching fourteen. Then going to Middle- town, in Orange County, he learned the tin- smith's trade and worked for a certain man there several years. Afterwards, desiring to see some- thing of the country he went to Virginia, finding work at his trade wherever he sojourned. In 1854 he located permanently in Scranton and started in the hardware business in partnership with the Douds, under the firm name of W. G. Doud & Company. Later the style was Doud & Potter, their store being on the west side. Sell- ing out his interest in this concern in a few years Mr. Potter opened a storehouse on Sixth Street, dealing exclusively in railroad and mine supplies, and made a success of the undertaking. The store is still running with the old title of L. B. Potter, the management being vested in Mr. Marsh, a son-in-law of the former proprietor.

Had he lived until October 31, 1896, Mr. Pot- ter would have been sixty-four years of age. His death occurred very suddenly, September 21, just after he alighted from his carriage. He was a regular attendant at the Washburn Street Pres- byterian Church, to which his wife belongs and of which her mother was a charter member. So- cially, he belonged to the Sons of the Revolu- tion, being a member of the Philadelphia branch, and politically he was a Republican.

In this city Mr. and Mrs. Potter were joined in marriage January 1, 1856. The lady was Miss Helen C. Finch, born in Windham, Greene Coun- ty, N. Y., and daughter of A. P. Finch, a native of the same place. His father, Willis, was a con- tractor and builder, who at an early day removed to Greene County from Connecticut. A. P. Finch followed his father's calling for a few years, but subsequently engaged in the foundry and ma- chine business and prospered from the time. of

A. P. GARDNER, M. D.

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his coming to Scranton in 1854. The small shop which he first operated grew to its present large proportions, and now all kinds of machinery are manufactured at the Finch foundries. The owner of these works died in 1881, aged seventy-two years. His wife was Sarah, daughter of Truman Tuttle, who was an early settler of New York State and whose last years were spent in New Haven, Huron County, Ohio. Mrs. Finch de- parted this life in 1876 and of her ten children six yet survive her. The only son living is Irving A. and the others are: Mrs. Coleman, of Jefferson Avenue; Sarah, of this city; Mrs. Morton, of Chicago; Carey, of Nanticoke, and Mrs. Pot- ter. The latter was reared in the Catskills and attended the public schools of her native town. Then she came to Scranton with her parents and since 1861 has resided at No. 153 Main Street. Her two daughters are Hattie, wife of E. F. Marsh, and Helen, Mrs. Williams. They were both well educated and were successful school teachers before their marriages.

A P. GARDNER, M. D. In the early days when homeopathy was unpopular and misunderstood, Dr. Gardner be- came one of its pioneer experts, and while for a time he was obliged to suffer the consequences of the strong prejudice against this school of medicine, yet he stood his ground manfully and as time passed by, the success of his treatment in acute and chronic cases won the confidence of the people. Homeopathy is now so popular that the present generation can scarcely under- stand the difficulties that its first followers faced and the obstacles they were compelled to over- come. It may well be a matter of pride with Dr. Gardner that his successful labors contribut- ed, to no small extent, to the removal of the long-standing prejudice. His part in its pro- mulgation in the Lackawanna Valley was in- valuable and his connection with the system will long be remembered. Though now retired from practice, he maintains his deep interest in professional work and keeps himself posted con- cerning all developments in the science. In his

home at Elmhurst, his time is happily and quiet- ly passed among his books and papers. He has retained his mental faculties and is still a strong writer on the subjects of the day. In years past his communications to the papers were widely read and discussed.

The first representatives of the Gardner fam- ily in America were three brothers who came from England prior to the Revolutionary times and settled on Long Island, later removing to the mainland of York State. One of them had a son, Capt. James, who may possibly be associ- ated with Gardner's Island. The Doctor's great grandfather, Samuel, settled in Orange County, and his two brothers, Jesse and James, went to the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. The former purchased two hundred acres, and leaving his son on that place, which now constitutes the Port Griffith mines, returned to Orange County. The latter, James, purchased land at Kingston just over the River Susquehanna, and eventually went with his son James to Ithaca, N. Y. Samuel Gardner, the Doctor's father, spent his entire life in Orange county and died at forty-five years; his wife, Nancy Parcel, who was born in New Jersey, died at the age of fifty-five. On both sides longevity was a family characteristic, though both the father and mother died in middle life; the latter's death was the result of accident. Their seven children were: Maria, deceased; Dr. A. P .; Samuel and Hannah, living in New Jersey; Mrs. Mary Davis and Mrs. Delia Alli- son, of Orange County; and Heman, who died in Wisconsin.

In Orange County, where he was born May 12, 1816, the subject of this sketch attended the district schools of his day and later he was a student in the city schools of New York. Reared on a farm and educated in habits of econ- omy and industry, he laid the foundation of a strong constitution and a successful life. Natur- ally a student, he prepared himself for teaching, which he began at twenty years. One of his former teachers advised him to study medicine, believing he saw in him a peculiar adaptation for the profession. While teaching he read some medical works and commenced reading medi- cine regularly with J. Harvey Horton, M. D.,

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of Brookfield, Orange County, but later was in the office of Dr. S. B. Barlow (a scientific man and afterward very eminent in the profession), who wished him to study homeopathy, but the young student laughed at the proposition, for he considered the system a humbug, believing that, if true, like mesmerism, it would be impracticable for good. He graduated from Crosby Street Medical College of New York, and January 1, 1841, commenced to practice as a regular physician in Carbondale, where

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Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 102

Author: Chapman Publishing Company (NY) Publication date: 1897 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1068

Author: Chapman Publishing Company (NY)
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1068