Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 124

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 124
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 124

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In 1893, on the Democratic ticket, Mr. De- muth was nominated for county commissioner, and was elected by the largest majority given any commissioner that year. On the first Mon- day in January, 1894, he took the oath of office for three years, and has since served acceptably on the board, being its president at this writing. They are making important improvements on the court house, and have had a number of large transactions under consideration. Since 1866 he has been interested in the Scranton fire depart- ment, being a charter member and now president of the Neptune Fire Company, in which he has also been treasurer and trustee. He has served his party on county and city committees. Since 1872 he has been identified with the Lackawanna German Beneficent Society. St. Mary's Catholic Church numbers him among its active members and liberal supporters. He married in this city Miss Kate Reidenbach, who was born in Ger- many, and they are the parents of seven children, Katie, Louisa, Emma, Mary, Frank, Rosa and John Jacob.

R OBERT F. TAYLOR, D. D. S., who is engaged in the dental profession at No. 19II North Main Avenue, Scranton, was born in Grey, a county of Ontario, bordering on Georgian Bay, July 7, 1865. His paternal grand- father, who served for some time in the English navy, brought his family to America and settled in Ontario, embarking in the mercantile business in Young Street, North Toronto. During the

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Canadian Rebellion, he took part as a Mckenzie man. His death occurred when he was nearly ninety years of age.

The father of Dr. Taylor, Rev. Charles Taylor, was born in Yorkshire, England, and prepared for the ministry in Toronto, afterward being or- dained as a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has held pastorates in different parts of Ontario, and is now located at Barrie, Simcoe County. Though seventy-three and superannu- ated, he is still active and quite robust. He mar- ried Martha Bagshaw, who was born in Ontario, and was a daughter of Squire Bagshaw, who came from Norfolk, England. Though a jeweler by trade, after coming to America he engaged in farming. During the rebellion he held the office of magistrate, and tried a number of prisoners arrested for connection therewith. His death oc- curred when he was seventy-six years of age. In religious belief he was an Episcopalian. Mrs. Martha Taylor passed from earth in 1893.

The family of Rev. Charles and Martha Taylor consisted of ten children, of whom all but one are living. Three sons are in Canada: Charles, a minister; William, a contractor; and John, a dentist. Robert F., the next to the youngest and the only member of the family residing in Scran- ton, attended the grammar and high schools of the various places where his father resided. He received a classical education, and prepared to enter Toronto University. The study of den- tistry he began in the office of his brother in Campbellford, Ontario, after which he entered the Wisconsin Dental College and remained there until his graduation, in 1884, with the degree of D. D. S. Opening an office in Midland, Ontario, he engaged in practice there for a short time.

In 1892 Dr. Taylor began a post-graduate course in the Baltimore Dental College, and graduated the following year as valedictorian of his class, receiving the degree of D. D. S. Imme- diately afterward he began professional work in Scranton, where he has since conducted an in- creasing practice. He makes a specialty of the higher branches of dentistry, and has been quite successful in crown and bridge work, and por- celain dental art. Fraternally he is connected with Green Ridge Lodge, F. & A. M., Independ-

ent Order of Odd Fellows and Sons of St. George, while in politics he votes the Republican ticket. His marriage, which took place in Ontario, united him with Miss Florence A., daughter of William Bowles, a farmer of Bradford, where she was born. Four children bless their union, Hor- ace, Percival, Marion and Ruth, who, with their parents, reside at No. 1707 Church Street.

E DWARD T. SWARTZ, of Scranton, who has the reputation of being one of the most efficient engineers on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, was born in Pittston Township, Luzerne County, in August, 1847, and is of German ancestry. His father, Elias, who was born in Pennsylvania, was for a time proprietor of Lackawanna Hotel in Lacka- wanna Township, then took charge of Central Hotel in Pittston, later conducted the Central Hotel in Moscow. In 1859, while the hotel in Moscow was being remodeled, he was one day riding on the engine, "Old Virginia," toward his home town, when the engine blew up and he and four other men were killed. He was then forty- eight years of age.

The mother of our subject was Azubah Miller, a native of Lackawanna Township and daughter of Samuel Miller, who engaged in farming there. The family was of German extraction. In relig- ious belief she was connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her last years were spent in her home, No. 323 Franklin Avenue, where she passed away in January, 1888, at the age of seven- ty-four. Of her fourteen children, all but two attained maturity, namely: George H., member of a Pennsylvania regiment during the war and now a farmer of Eau Claire, Wis .; William H., who served in a Pennsylvania regiment during the war and is now engineer for the Pennsyl- vania Coal Company at Dunmore; Lydia A., Mrs. L. A. Meader, of New Hampshire, deceased; John B., a soldier in the war and now a moulder residing in Glenwood, Pa .; Ira M., quartermas- ter's clerk in the United States army, member of a cavalry regiment. during the war, and now in Portland, Ore .; Hattie D., Mrs. A. A. Lockard, who died in Lackawanna Township; Emma J.,

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Mrs. E. K. Crothamel, of Scranton; Edward T .; Charles F., a carpenter in Chicago; Benjamin M., an engineer in Elmira on the Delaware, Lack- awanna & Western road; Frank M., also an en- gineer on this road and a resident of Elmira; and Mrs. Addie L. Young, who died in New Hamp- shire.

After the death of the father, the mother reared the large family and cared for them until they were old enough to start out in the world for themselves. The subject of this sketch was edu- cated in the public schools of Pittston and Mos- cow and in Wyoming Academy. In 1863, when sixteen years of age, he became a brakeman on the main line of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, and after two years was made fireman. September 4, 1867, he was promoted to the position of engineer on the south division, be- tween Scranton and Washington, and has since served in this capacity, having run the following- named engines: Success, Ohio, Windgap, John E. Williams, Stroudsburg, Portland, John I. Blair and No. 55, having had the last-named since 1892. He has been very fortunate in his long ex- perience on the road, for he has never met with a serious accident and never lost a day from his work. However, he once had a very narrow es- cape; when firing he jumped from a passenger train at Pocono to take his engine, but the snow being deep and the surface frozen hard, he was thrown back under a truck that knocked him off the track, cutting his head and bruising him con- siderably.

In Scranton, on Christmas day of 1867, Mr. Swartz and Miss Mary Daniels were united in marriage in the house in Franklin Avenue, where they now reside. Mrs. Swartz was born in Car- bondale, the only child of Samuel and Mary (Brewer) Daniels, natives of New York, the form- er of whom died in New York City while on a visit there, and the latter in Pleasant Valley at the age of sixty-four years. Mr. Daniels was a contractor and builder by trade. The first sixteen years of the life of Mrs. Swartz were passed in Carbondale, where she received her education, but since that age she has been a resident of Scranton. Her two children, Emma E. and Jen- nie, died at the respective ages of four years and

twenty-one months. In fraternal organizations she is very prominent and active, being past offi- cer in the Order of Rebekah, member of Otsen- ingo Chapter No. 14, Eastern Star, at Bingham- ton, N. Y., and of Mrs. W. F. Hallstead Lodge No. 82, Auxiliary to Samuel Sloan Division No. 276, B. L. E. She and her husband are active workers in the Elm Park Methodist Episcopal Church.

Fraternally Mr. Swartz is officially connected with Moscow Lodge No. 504, F. & A. M .; Rob- ert Burns Lodge No. 859, at Scranton; Scranton Encampment No. 81; Patriarchs Militant No. 4, I. O. O. F., Rebekah Degree, and for some years has been second assistant engineer of Samuel Sloan Division No. 276, B. L. E. While he has never been active in politics, the duties of his po- sition preventing him from identifying himself with local affairs, yet he is well informed regard- ing the issues of the age and votes the Republi- can ticket at all elections.

J OSEPH P. SANBORN, of Scranton, was born in Gilboa, Schoharie County, N. Y., April 27, 1849, and is a son of Joseph and Mary A. (Pynum) Sanborn, natives of New York City. His mother, who died in April, 1896, at the age of seventy-nine, was a descendant of En- glish ancestors, who came to America in the his- toric "Mayflower." The Sanborn family also originated in England. Joseph Sanborn, who was a tinsmith by trade, removed to Gilboa after his marriage and there engaged in business as a tinner and hardware merchant. In 1851 he set- tled in Carbondale, and thence removed to Scran- ton in 1870, since which time this city has been his home. Prior to the opening of the Delaware & Hudson railroad he ran an express between Scranton and Carbondale, but afterward had a tinshop in the latter city. In 1859 he went to Orangeville, Columbia County, Pa., and there during the war enlisted in Company E of the Third Heavy Artillery. On the expiration of his term of enlistment, he again entered the ser- vice and remained until the close of the war, re- ceiving wounds in a number of engagements. After the war he was employed in Carbondale with the Van Bergen Company, and thence, as

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above stated, he came to Scranton in 1872. He is actively interested in Grand Army affairs.

The family of Joseph and Mary Sanborn con- sisted of six children, of whom two daughters and one son are now living. The latter, our sub- ject, was reared in Scranton and Carbondale and attended school No. I, situated in the midst of a grove of pines. At the age of thirteen he began to learn the tinsmith's trade under his father in the shop of the Van Bergen Company, and for some time was employed by a firm in Scranton. In 1872 he went to Escanaba, Mich., and worked at 'his trade for two years. On his return to Scranton he started in the business of breaking colts and selling horses, and continued in that way until 1889, since which time he has repre- sented C. A. Feas, of New York, the largest and one of the oldest manufacturers of artificial limbs in the United States. He is agent for the terri- tory in this part of the state, and is meeting with success in the business.

In Scranton Mr. Sanborn married Miss Fannie A. Wickizer, who was born in Abington Town- ship, Lackawanna County, a daughter of John and Lovisa Wickizer. Her father, a native of Wilkesbarre, was a son of Jacob Wickizer, whose grandfather emigrated from Holland and settled in Wilkesbarre, dying there in middle age. For nine years John Wickizer was engaged at shoe- making in North Abington Township, but from there came to Scranton and is now living retired in this city. He married Lovisa, daughter of Ho- sea Phillips, who was born in Exeter Township, and engaged in farming near Pittston, where she was born. Her great-grandfather, John, was born in England, and settled in the Wyoming Valley prior to the massacre. He died in Abing- ton Township at the age of ninety-six. Mrs. Wickizer passed away in 1889 at the age of sev- enty-two. Of her eight children, three are living, Mrs. Sanborn being the eldest. The oldest son, Loran B., served in a Pennsylvania regiment dur- ing the Civil War for nine months, and was hon- orably discharged at the close of the war.

Reared in Abington Township, Mrs. Sanborn remained there until her marriage in 1872. She is prominently connected with many social or- ganizations of Scranton, being a member of the

Daughters of St. George, No. 51, Waco Coun- cil, No. 45, Auxiliary of the Red Men, Ladies' American Protestant Association, and is a prac- ticing physician of the eclectic school, clairvoy- ant and business test medium, practicing under the law of 1869. Fraternally Mr. Sanborn is identified with the Patriotic Order Sons of America.

E NOCH PAGE, ex-chief of the Scranton fire department, has been one of the most valuable employes of the Delaware, Lack- awanna & Western Company during a period covering nearly thirty years. His position has been that of contracting for all the foundry work at the machine shops of the company in this city. In 1874 he was elected chief of the fire depart- ment and served as such about three years, and again, in 1888, was elected and acted in the same capacity for another three years. His first service as a fireman was in 1852, when he joined Engine No. 8 Company in Albany and became first assistant foreman under Daniel D. Tomp- kins. He was there for several years, and after coming to this city he joined our forces and helped organize Crystal Hose Company No. 4, of which he was an active member until he en- tered Nay-Aug Hose Company No. I.

Born at Chatham, Columbia County, N. Y., June 15, 1835, our subject is a son of Joel Page, whose birth occurred in Connecticut in 1800. The latter's father, Edward Page, was a farmer by oc- cupation in the "Nutmeg" state and was an early settler in New York. Joel Page learned the molder's trade and carried on a foundry for many years in Chatham and subsequently one in Al- bany. He won success by hard and diligent toil, and was in business for just half a century. At the age of seventy-five years death called him from his labors, and by a strange coincidence his good wife died at the same age. She was Miss Jane Palmer, a native of Pennsylvania. Of their family consisting of five sons and five daughters only two are now living. After the father's death the son, Isaiah, took the management of the old foundry until he also died, since which time an- other son, Hon. William Page, conducts it. R.

THEODORE VON STORCH.

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H. is foreman for our subject in the Scranton foundry.

Enoch Page was reared at his birthplace and was quite early initiated into his father's trade. In 1849 he went to Albany, where he worked in his father's foundry until the close of 1867. On New Year's day, 1868, he came to Scranton, tak- ing his present position with the company. The foundry has been enlarged to meet the demands of the trade four times its original capacity. In the three cupolas there can be managed about forty-two tons at a time, and employment is given to one hundred and thirty men.

The comfortable and hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. Page is located at No. 232 Mifflin Ave- nue. Mrs. Page was formerly Miss Amelia Rule, born in Baltimore and left an orphan at the early age of ten years. Six children have been born to them: Josephine, widow of T. M. Beal; Hat- tie, who remains at home; Jennie, Mrs. Hoffman, of Brooklyn; John, foreman in his father's foun- dry; Pierpoint, at home, and R. C., who is also in the foundry. The family are members of the Elm Park Methodist Episcopal Church. The first vote of Mr. Page was cast for John C. Fre- mont, and since the organization of the Republic- an party he has been one of its stanchest sup- porters.

T HEODORE VON STORCH Almost the entire life of this gentleman was passed upon the von Storch homestead lands in Providence, where he was born May 19, 1812. He was a man of strong convictions, yet so unassuming that only his steadfast adherence . to right, as he saw the right, marked him as a man of tenacious purpose. His life was not marked by thrilling experiences or brilliant ex- ploits, but was quietly passed in the discharge of duty-like the constant sunshine of an autumn day rather than the fitful flashes of an electric storm.

A son of Henry L. C. von Storch, the origi- nator of the family in America, the subject of this sketch grew to manhood on the old home- stead in Providence. His early days were passed in the old log house built by his father and in which he was born.

Those times were times of hard work, a con- tinual battle with nature, the days spent in clear- ing up a wilderness amid wild beasts of almost every description; wolves, bear and wildcats abounded; and deer were almost as tame as the cattle and far more plentiful.

In 1833 the estate was divided and Mr. von Storch continued with the improvement of the part which had fallen to his share. In 1840 he built what was for those times a very fine dwell- ing, in which he lived until 1872, then replacing it with a large modern residence. For more than twenty years he held the office of jus- tice of the peace and served as chief bur- gess of Providence nearly all the time it was under borough government. The land which he owned is underlaid with as fine coal deposits as may be found in the valley, and two companies operate it, the Delaware & Hudson Coal Com- pany and the West Ridge Coal Company.

It has often been said of Theodore von Storch that he never knowingly wronged anyone, but was always honest and straightforward in his dealings, and showed the highest moral courage in every position. Though not identified with any denomination, he was a Christian man, con- sistent, modest and upright in every deed, and his death, May 30, 1886, was a public loss. In his political affiliations he was a firm Republican. October 23, 1863, he married Josephine D. Bar- ney, who was born in Milton, Chittenden County, Vt., June 2, 1828. Her father, Hiram J., a son of Joseph Barney who participated in the Revolu- tion, grew to manhood in his native place, Mil- ton, and there followed the cabinet-maker's trade until his death. He married Orpha Church, a native of New Hampshire, and daughter of Con- stant Church, member of an old Rhode Island family and a participant in the Revolution. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Deborah Wheeler, was from Westmoreland County, N. H. Mrs. Barney, after her husband's death, took her family to Ulster County, and there her daugh- ter, Josephine D., was reared and educated. Her mother died there in 1839, nine years after the demise of her husband.

Mrs. von Storch was married in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and since then has made her home in

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Scranton. For many years she has been a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church and an interested assistant in its good works. She is the mother of two children, Theodore Cramer, born Oc- tober 26, 1864, and Helen Josephine, born March 20, 1866, wife of F. M. Vandling, the post- master of Scranton. The son, who graduated from Harvard University in 1887 with the de- gree of A. B., studied law in this city and was admitted to the bar in 1891, since which time he has engaged in practice. In addition, he is president of the West Ridge Coal Company, secretary and treasurer of the von Storch Coal Company, and connected with other corporations in Scranton.

J OHN J. KEARNEY, member of the select council from the third ward of Scranton and conductor on the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western Railroad, was born in June, 1853, at No. II, on the Pennsylvania & Gravity road, this county, but has been practically a life- long resident of Scranton, having resided here from the age of six months. His father, Stephen, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, and was the son of Michael Kearney, a stone mason and farm- er. In 1846 he crossed the ocean and settled in Philadelphia, but after a short sojourn there, went to Pottsville, securing work in the mines. His next employment was in connection with the building of the Erie road. Since December of 1853 he has resided in Scranton, which at the time of his arrival was a small place, known as Slocum's Hollow. For a time he was employed in the mines and later was interested in merchan- dising. He is now seventy-six years of age, and quite strong and rugged, notwithstanding his ac- tive life. He married Mary Laughney, who died in this city at the age of seventy-two years. Of their six children, Ellen and John J. were the only ones that attained mature years.

Looking about him to-day, the subject of this sketch finds little trace of the village in which his childhood years were spent. Gone are the swamps, ponds, rough roads and rude houses, and with the change of conditions, the name of the place itself has undergone a transformation. In boyhood he walked two and one-half miles to the Keyser Valley school on the mountain

road, where his education was obtained. At the age of fifteen, in 1868, he began to work for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company, his first work being that of carrying water on the gravel train. Later he was brakeman for five years on the main line. In the fall of 1875 he was promoted to the position of conductor, which he has since held, with the exception of a short period during the strike of '77. His run is now on the fast through freight from Scranton to Washington, N. J. In his railroad work he has been very fortunate; the only accident he has ever had was in boyhood, when he was run over by a gravel train, and for some time suffered from the effects of the injury.

A Democrat in politics, in 1890 Mr. Kearney was elected upon that ticket to the select council, and rendered efficient service there. Two years later he was again a candidate, but suffered de- feat. In February, 1896, however, he was suc- cessful in winning the election for a term of four years. He is a member of the Young Men's In- stitute of Providence, the Mutual Aid Associa- tion of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western employes, Division No. 12 of the Order of Rail- way Conductors, and High Works Young Men's Beneficial Society, being treasurer of the organi- zation last named. He resides at No. 1672 North Keyser Avenue.

B ENJAMIN E. COWLES holds the re- sponsible position of night dispatcher of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad for the divisions north and south from Scranton. In attaining this position he was not assisted by prestige or influence, but unaided has worked his way from an humble place to one of honor and prominence. His success is surely deserved, for he is faithful in the discharge of every duty, energetic and capable, and person- ally is the possessor of genial manners that make friends of his associates.

The record of the Cowles family will be found elsewhere in this volume, in the sketch of Wil- liam C., our subject's brother. Born and reared in Waverly, Pa., Benjamin E. Cowles attended the public schools of that place until he was fif- teen years of age. In 1871 he commenced to learn telegraphy at the old Abington station, now

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Glenburn, and after about six months' study was sufficiently familiar with the work to be able to accept a position. His first place was that of night operator at Lehigh on Mt. Pocono, where he remained for a year, and afterward for four years was employed as an extra for the company. In 1876 he became connected with the Blooms- burg division of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western road and was stationed at different places on that division for a year, after which he was promoted to be dispatcher, with headquarters at Kingston.

Retiring from the company's employ in 1879, Mr. Cowles accepted a position with the million- aire railroad prince, the late Austin Corbin, by whom he was given charge of the Manhattan Beach Railroad, and he continued in that capac- ity until 1884. He then returned to the home road as night dispatcher at Scranton, where he has since remained, filling the position to the en- tire satisfaction of superior officials. He has lit- tle time to devote to public affairs and cannot identify himself with politics, owing to the press- ure of business duties, but always votes the Re- publican ticket at elections.

In Wyoming, Luzerne County, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cowles and Miss Margaret Lay- cock, who was born in Bloomsburg, the daugh- ter of John Laycock, and member of an old fam- ily from Easton. They are the parents of two children, Garrett Bogart and Irene G.

R EV. SAMUEL C. LOGAN, D. D., LL. D., of Scranton, was born at Logan's Point, Jefferson County, Ind., December 21, 1823, and is a son of George and Susan (Logan) Logan, natives respectively of Lexington, Ky., and Mckeesport, Pa. In 1816 his father, accom- panied by his wife and their five children, left Kentucky, being led to this step by his abhor- rence of the institution of slavery, and at once upon crossing the Ohio gave freedom to his slaves. From a cousin of General Harrison he purchased a farm lying on the Ohio River in Indiana, and thus Logan's Point was named. There he died in 1875 at the age of ninety-one. His wife departed this life at the age of eighty-

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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 124

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