Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 123

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 123
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 123

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The paternal grandfather of our subject, Rob- ert Thompson, was born in Monmouth County, N. J., January 2, 1784, and moved from there to · Canada, locating in Iroquois, Dundas County, Ontario. March 28, 1805, he married Elizabeth Cameron, who was born in Canada February 23, 1788, of Scotch descent. Her father, who was of Scotch birth, emigrated from Cameron County to Canada and became a farmer near Cardnell. In religious belief the family were strong Presbyter- ians. Robert Thompson, though a mechanic by trade, spent much of his life on a farm, of which he became the owner.

Of ten children, James Thompson, our sub- ject's father, was next to the eldest. He was born March II, 1809, and was reared on a farm which was part of the old homestead. This he after-

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ward cultivated and upon it the family still re- side. His death occurred there in 1886. His character was above reproach, and he was an honored and prominent member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. One of his sons, David, is a magistrate in Iroquois at present. The moth- er of our subject, Rhoda Allen, was born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and is still living, in possession of her mental faculties, though now ninety years of age. Her father, Samuel, was born in Vermont, removed thence to St. Law- rence County, N. Y., and engaged in farming.

The family of James and Rhoda Thompson consists of eight sons and three daughters, of whom the eldest is sixty-four years of age. They are Mrs. Charlotte Robinson, of Tuscola County, Mich .; Ezra, a business man and attorney of Waupaca, Wis .; Mrs. Lydia Kelley, of St. Law- rence County, N. Y .; Myron, who resides on a part of the old homestead; Mrs. Salome Albraut, of Tuscola County, Mich .; Robert, a blacksmith at Little Bull Falls, Wis .; Nathan; Samuel, who owns a flour mill near Little Bull Falls, Wis .; Homer, who occupies a portion of the old home- stead; Edson and William, who also operate a part of their father's estate.

In May of 1865 Mr. Thompson went to Wau- paca, Wis., where he had a brother. For a time he worked in Janesville, later was employed in Beloit, then went to Greene County, Iowa, and assisted a contractor in building eight miles of the Pacific Railroad. From there he drove by team to Scranton, through Wisconsin, Illinois, Indi- ana and Ohio into Pennsylvania, and on the last day of the trip drove sixty-three miles, arriving in Scranton September 13, 1866. Here he drove a team for Joseph Church for two years and then began to deal in cattle and hides and tallows, making his headquarters here, and erecting large buildings for storage. He continued a large busi- ness, having fine machinery for tallow rendering and a first-class hide packer, and the hides he sold brought the highest market price at all times. In 1889 he retired from business. He owns four hundred and seventy-five feet frontage in Provi- dence Road, his residence being at No. 1251, and also owns five hundred and twenty-five feet in North Main Avenue, also three brick resi-

dences, a wagon repository, paint and blacksmith shops, which he rents. His attention is now giv- en to the oversight of his real estate business. Fond of fine horses, he owns a number that are standard-bred, including "St. Nick." He raised and trained "Blue," that made a record of 2:27 in Scranton and afterward went as high as 2:164 in Saginaw, Mich.

In December, 1874, Mr. Thompson married Miss Jennie Francis, who was born here, the sec- ond eldest of six children, and died at the family residence July 20, 1895, at the age of thirty-seven. Of her children, Viola died at the age of about one year. The others are Robert and James, members of the high school class of 1899 and 1900, and Ruth. Mrs. Thompson was a daugh- ter of John Francis, who was born in South Wales and came to America in early manhood, settling in Scranton, where he was employed as a miner in the Diamond mines of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company. He married Rachel Jones, whose father, James Jones, settled in Scranton in the early days, having come hither from South Wales, and was employed as a miner here. While Mr. Thompson has never been ac- tive in politics, he is interested in the national issues and always votes the Republican ticket.

J OHN M. ROBERTSON is the senior mem- ber of the firm of Robertson & Law, pro- prietors of the "Katydid" coal mines, located at Moosic. Through well directed efforts, enter- prise and industry he has acquired a competence and is now in comfortable circumstances finan- cially, a fact which speaks well for his ability and which is especially noteworthy in view of his for- eign birth and education.

In Glasgow, Scotland, where he was born March 22, 1844, the subject of this sketch re- ceived his primary education in the public schools. Later he became a student in the Edmington Col- lege of London, where he remained for two years. Next he entered St. Andrew's University in Scot- land, from which institution he graduated in 1861. His education completed, he at once began an active business career, forming a partnership with another gentleman in Glasgow and embark-

S. P. LONGSTREET, M. D.

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ing in the wholesale business. For five years he was thus engaged and on selling out, he took a position as bookkeeper for Isaac Baxter & Sons.

It was in 1867 that Mr. Robertson came to America, settling in Lackawanna County. For a time he was with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company at Providence, after which he was with the Hillside Coal & Iron Company at Scranton, being paymaster of the latter com- pany for ten years. On coming to Moosic in 1883, he leased land and developed the mines he now owns. At first he was alone, but in 1893 took his present partner into the business. The daily output of coal averages four hundred tons and the large business demands his close and careful attention.

In 1874 Mr. Robertson married Miss Jennie Law, sister of his business partner, and they have four children, David, Charles, John and Mar- gery. The religious connections of Mr. Robert- son are with the Presbyterian Church of Moosic, in which he is an influential member. Frater- nally he is identified with the Masonic lodge in Taylor. Besides assisting materially in the de- velopment of the resources of Moosic, he has an influence for good as a man of sound sense, un- swerving integrity and thoughtful disposition which make him just and considerate in his deal- ings with others.

S AMUEL PRICE LONGSTREET, M. D., coroner of Lackawanna County, is one of the most prominent physicians and sur- geons now practicing in Scranton. The Long- street family upon coming to this country lo- cated in New Jersey, and were among the earliest settlers there. One of the ancestors removed to Virginia, and the noted General Longstreet is descended from that branch. Dr. Longstreet's grandfather removed from New Jersey to Wayne County, Pa., and there engaged in farming. His son, William R., the father of our subject, was engaged in lumbering there, and followed the same business in Prompton, Wayne County, Pa., then for about five years in Moscow, this county, after which he went to Erie City, and there en-

gaged in the coal business until his death in 1873. He was one of those who gave up all for the de- fense of his country and served for three years in the Civil War. About 1847 he married Anne Krone, of Milford, Pike County, Pa., and they had eight children, of whom five are living, our subject being next to the youngest.

Samuel.Price Longstreet was born at Hawley, Pa., March 2, 1862, and when young moved with his parents to Prompton, Moscow and Erie City. He attended school four years in the latter place, then moved back to Prompton, and after his father's death attended the Wayne County nor- mal school there. He finished his preliminary education at the state normal at Mansfield, then taught for several years in the Wayne County schools. Having a predilection for the profession of a physician, and having spent much of his leisure time in reading up with the end in view of fitting himself for such a life, he entered the office of Dr. L. Kelly, of Olyphant, in 1879, and studied at intervals until 1883, when he entered the office of Dr. Hand, of Scranton, and later was a student in the medical department of the University of New York. After a three years' course there he graduated with the degree of M. D., March 8, 1886, and for the next three years was associated with Dr. Hand. In May, 1889, he began practice for himself and is still in the office in which he first started. In response to the urgent solicitation of many of his friends he allowed his name to be used as a candidate for county coroner, and his popularity was shown by the result of the election held November 3, 1895, by which he was elected with the largest majority of any candidate on the ticket. He has advanced ideas in medicine and surgery and avails himself of all opportunities to make him- self the more fitted for his chosen profession. He was the first physician in northeast Pennsyi- vania to successfully use the X-rays in his prac- tice, and in his first operation was successful in a case which had foiled the best attempts of other physicians. He makes a specialty of surgical operations and has been wonderfully successful in that line. In seventeen cases that he has had of appendicitis he has not lost a single case.

June 25, 1891, occurred the marriage of Dr.

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Longstreet and Christine Martha, daughter of William Evans, of Scranton, who is of Scotch- English and Welsh descent. Two children have been born to them, Anne Elizabeth and Sarah Frances. The family attend St. Luke's Episco- pal Church of Scranton. Fraternally the Doctor is a member of the Masonic order and the Benev- olent Protective Order of Elks. In his political affiliations he adheres to the tenets of the Re- publican party.

J OSEPH SCHREIBER, who is engaged in the milk business at No. 531 Pittston Ave- nue, Scranton, is a young man of business ability and has already established a trade in his special line among the people of the city. His patronage is large and constantly increasing, as a result of the energetic manner in which he car- ries forward his various enterprises. He has spent his entire life in this city and was born at the home of his parents in Pittston Avenue, July 25, 1863, the descendant of German ancestors.

Charles, the father of Joseph Schreiber, was born in Baden-Baden, Germany, and emigrated to America in young manhood, settling first in Newark, N. J., where he married. Later he re- moved to Cochecton, Sullivan County, N. Y., where he was employed for a time. In 1862 he came to Scranton and secured work as a black- smith with the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Com- pany, but after a time became a junk dealer on the south side. He was an industrious, hard- working man, and as such was respected by those who knew him. He married Miss Appolonia Guenter, a native of the same place as himself, and daughter of Ferdinand Guenter, who was for thirty-two years a soldier in the German army, was a participant in the Napoleonic wars, a man of splendid military ability and courage. On coming to America he settled in Jersey City, N. J., where he died in 1885 at the age of one hun- dred and six years and four months. His father had attained the age of ninety-nine years.

The family of which our subject is a member consisted of fourteen children, of whom John is a junk dealer in Scranton; Mary is married and lives in this city; Ferdinand, who graduated from

St. Vincent's, was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Gilmore, of Cleveland, and is now pastor of a Catholic Church in Vernon Junction, Ohio; Jacob is with our subject; and Kate lives in this city. The others are deceased. The childhood years of our subject were spent in Scranton, where he attended the parochial schools. At the age of twelve he began to earn his own liveli- hood, his first position being as moulder in Price's stove works on the west side. After six months there he was apprenticed to the tinsmith's trade with Hunt & Connell, and continued with the same firm for fifteen years. On resigning this position he engaged in the hotel business on Al- der Street and Pittston Avenue, being for one year proprietor of the White House Hotel. On selling out in 1888, he embarked in the milk busi- ness in a small place in River Street, but after a year removed to Pittston Avenue, where he oc- cupied a basement for a year. Next he came to No. 531 Pittston Avenue, where he carries on a retail business in milk, butter, eggs and cheese. In addition to this place he owns a creamery in Brown Hollow, Scott Township, this county.

June 17, 1887, in Scranton, occurred the mar- riage of Mr. Schreiber to Miss Rosa Ruf, daugh- ter of Col. Anthony Ruf. They are the parents of six children, Rosa, Mary, Annie, Joseph, Henry and Lorenz, to whom good advantages will be given for education. Mr. Schreiber at- tends St. Mary's Catholic Church with his fam- ily and all are identified with its work. Politically he supports Republican principles, but has never identified himself with public affairs, preferring to devote himself entirely to the business he has established.

P ATRICK F. GORDON, member of the common council from the second ward of Scranton and one of the enterprising busi- ness men of the city, was born in Girardville, Schuylkill County, Pa., September 6, 1864, and was the only child of Edward and Mary (Mc- Laughlin) Gordon. His father, who was reared in Wayne County, removed from there to Schuyl- kill County and for some time was employed in the iron works of Girardville. In 1866 he came

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to Scranton and here engaged in teaming. His he was the nominee of his party to represent the death occurred in this city in January, 1882, when he was forty years of age; his wife still lives here.

When only seven years of age our subject was put to work as a slate picker in the von Storch breaker of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Com- pany, but later was made office boy. From nine until eleven he attended the public schools of Scranton, and after working for Captain Fish for eighteen months again returned to school for six months. Next he became an apprentice to the plumber's trade under William P. Connell, but after six months left the place. At the age of fourteen he began an apprenticeship to the trades of blacksmith and wagonmaker under William Bright, with whom he remained for three years and eight months. Afterward he worked for Andrew Lord for eighteen months.

In 1885 Mr. Gordon started in business for. himself at No. 323 Green Street, where he oc- cupies two floors, 26x60, and is engaged in the manufacture of light and heavy wagons and in blacksmithing. The residence which he built for his family stands on the corner of Ferdinand Street and Summit Avenue. He was married in this city to Miss Annie Cunningham, who was born in Dunmore, and was the eldest of the six children of William and Mary (Hart) Cunning- ham; the latter still living. Her father, who in 1861 became a member of a Pennsylvania regi- ment of cavalry, served until the following year, when he was wounded in the leg and chest, and on that account was honorably discharged. How- ever, he soon re-enlisted and served until about the close of the war, retiring as first sergeant. During his second period of service he was wounded in the hip. In 1877, while acting as watchman on the railroad, he was run over by a train in Nicholson tunnel and was killed. Ap- pearances seemed to indicate that he had been murdered and the body laid in such a position that the train would run over him. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon are the parents of four children, namely: Mary Lauard; Edward; Carrie, who died at two years; and Lauretta.

As a Democrat, Mr. Gordon has taken a prom- inent part in local politics. In February, 1896,

second ward in the common council, and his pop- ularity is indicated by the fact that, though the ward has a nominal Republican majority of one hundred and seventy-five, he was elected by a majority of forty-seven. During his service in this position he has been chairman of the park committee and member of the auditing, estimate, fire department, pavements, light and water and streets and bridges committees. From 1885 to 1890 he was a member of Company I, Thirteenth Regiment of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, and when honorably discharged was serving as corporal. He was a charter member of Excelsior Hose Company No. 8, in which he has been an official, and is still active in the organization.

A LFRED E. CONNELL, manager of the Scranton Button Company, Limited, was born in the city of Scranton, June 24, 1867, and is a son of Hon. William Connell, one of the prominent coal operators of the state. In boy- hood he was given the best advantages which the schools of the city afforded, gaining the rudi- ments of his education in the public schools and afterward attending The School of the Lacka- wanna. Inheriting a love of business pursuits, which had been fostered by judicious training, he early turned his attention to commercial af- fairs and in these has since won merited recogni- tion.

During the season of 1886 Mr. Connell was in the employ of the Barber Asphalt Company. Next he took a position as salesman for the hard- ware firm of Hunt & Connell, with whom he re- mained in that capacity nearly five years. After- ward he became manager of the general mercan- tile establishment of A. E. Connell at Duryea, now operated under the name of the Lawrence Store Company, continuing there for two years. His service in these different capacities prepared him for the responsible position which he now holds and to which he was called December 13, 1892. Since then his entire attention has been devoted to the management of the Scranton But- ton Company, Limited, and under his able super- vision the business has grown in importance.

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The location is Brook Street, corner of Cedar Avenue, where the company occupies a three- story building in the shape of an L, covering two hundred feet altogether. Employment is fur- nished to nearly two hundred hands. The plant has a capacity of four thousand gross per day, the products being buttons of all varieties and styles, from the most dainty and diminu- tive to the largest and most striking. The sales are not limited to this country, though of course largest here, but shipments are made of the manufactured articles also to South America and Australia.

In this city Mr. Connell married Miss Jane Harris, who was born in Tredegar, South Wales, received an excellent education here, and prior to her marriage was a successful teacher in the Scranton schools. In childhood she was brought to America by her father, Job Harris, who was formerly with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company, but is now living retired. Mr. and Mrs. Connell, with their children, Edwin and Janet, reside in a comfortable residence, corner of Webster Avenue and Vine Street. They at- tend the Elm Park Methodist Episcopal Church, in which they hold membership. Politically he is a pronounced Republican, ever firm in his al- legiance to party principles, and fraternally he is connected with Peter Williamson Lodge No. 323, F. & A. M.

W ILLIAM C. COWLES, proprietor of a large hardware store at No. 1907 North Main Avenue, Scranton, was born in Waverly, Pa., in 1852, and is a descend- ant of one of three brothers who came from Eng- land in an early day and settled in Connecticut. The family is of good old Puritan stock. One of his uncles, Warren Cowles, was a member of the New York Assembly, and under President Grant held the office of attorney-general of Dakota, where he died.

The father of our subject, C. A. Cowles, was born in Southport, N. Y., and in early manhood traveled extensively as an agent for patent tur- bine water wheels. Settling in Waverly, he car- ried on a hardware business there until his death

in 1883, and during a part of this time the busi- ness was carried on under the name of C. A. Cowles & Sons. Fraternally he is a Master Mason, and an active worker in the Waverly lodge. He married Cynthia A. Raymond, daugh- ter of John Raymond, both natives of Benton. The latter removed to Waverly, where he en- gaged in the manufacture of Raymond's patent medicines, and carried on a wholesale and retail business until his death in 1860. His wife passed away five years previous to his demise.

The family of which our subject is a member originally consisted of five sons and one daughter, and all are living but the daughter. They are A. B., who has charge of the hardware business at Waverly, formerly conducted by his father; Wil- liam C .; B. E., night dispatcher for the Dela- ware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad at Scran- ton; James G., who is clerking for William C .; and R. R., who resides in Brooklyn, and is gen- eral manager for a lumber company in New York City. Until 1877 our subject was with his father in the hardware store and meantime learned tin- smithing, but in that year he came to Scranton as agent for the Singer sewing machines. The fol- lowing year he took a position as fireman in the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern Company.

Resigning from the road, Mr. Cowles went to Leadville March 26, 1880, and was there em- ployed at his trade until 1884, when he went to Aspen, Colo., as an employe of Durand & Lux. In 1887 he went to Glenwood Springs to open up a branch store for the firm, and carried a stock of goods valued at $100,000. In July, 1888, he returned to Scranton, and on the Ist of August opened a hardware store at No. 108 West Market Street, but in 1890 removed to his present loca- tion, where he has a building, 25x98, three floors in height, and furnished with elevator service. The value of the stock is over $20,000. He is also a stockholder and director in the Lacka- wanna Hardware Company at No. 221 Lacka- wanna Avenue, where are carried a full line of hardware, tinware, stoves, furnaces, sheet iron for roofing, and every facility for plumbing, steam and gas fitting. The firm represents the Abram Cox Stove Company.

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Fraternally Mr. Cowles is identified with Celes- tial Lodge No. 833, I. O. O. F., and Scranton Encampment. For two years he was captain of Canton Scranton No. 4, and now ranks as major of the Second Batallion, Second Regiment, Patri- arch Militant of Pennsylvania. In the organiza- tion of the Traders & Bankers Mutual Life As- sociation he took an active interest, and is the first vice-president. He was also one of the or- ganizers and a director of the Pocono Spring Water Ice Company; also of the Lorraine Land Association, that bought out Wood, Harmon & Co., and is now its treasurer and a trustee. In addition he is a member of the Heidelberg Inn Company at Naomi Pines, Pa., is treasurer of the Providence Board of Trade and of the Per- severance Club, belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a Republican in politics. While a member of the band, he was identified with Company D of the Scranton City Guard, and during his residence in Waverly he was second lieutenant of Company E, Ninth Regi- ment of State Militia, commissioned by Governor Hartranft. In Scranton he married Miss Carrie E., daughter of John and Caroline (LaBar) Whaite. Mrs. Cowles was born and educated in Waverly, and is the mother of one child, Catherine von Storch.

J OHN DEMUTH, president of the board of county commissioners and a well known citizen of Scranton, was born in the prov- ince of Oldenburg, Germany, in 1847, being the son of John and Annie Demuth, also natives of that province. His father and grandfather were both millwrights by trade and both remained in Germany until their death, the former passing away at an early age. His widow and their only child, John, came to Scranton in 1857, and here she was afterward married to Mr. Gundlach, their union resulting in the birth of two daughters. Mrs. Gundlach died in Scranton in 1887.

The early education of our subject was ob- tained in the common schools of Germany. When he was ten years of age he and his mother took passage at Bremen on a sailing vessel, and after a voyage of thirty-seven days landed in New

York, coming thence to Scranton. At an early age he was obliged to become self-supporting, so that his education in America was limited to a brief attendance in the night schools of the middle ward. His first work was that of a slate picker, after which he was employed as fireman for a year, and when only sixteen years of age he did duty as engineer and fireman. In 1863 he became an employe of the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western Company in the machine shop, later was transferred to the wood or saw shops, remaining with the company for thirty years, and during the latter part of this time he held the position of sawyer.

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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 123

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