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 130
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 130
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W ILLIAM ROBINSON, deceased, for- merly a member of the firm of E. Rob- inson's Sons, was one of those men whom to meet was to like. His death was not only an irreparable loss to those connected with him by the ties of relationship, but the entire community as well. His many friends miss the congenial, warm hearted companion and his memory will long be cherished by the many who were fortunate enough to have possessed his friendship. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, May 18, 1852, a son of Col. Jacob R. and Eliza- beth Robinson. He came with his parents to this country when they emigrated here in the year following his birth. A sketch of his fath- er's life will be found elsewhere in this volume in connection with that of his brother.
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Mr. Robinson married Miss Helen, a daughter of Peter Burschel, in December, 1878, and to them were born three children, a son who died when a few months old, and two daughters, Lena and Amelia. Mrs. Helen Robinson died in 1882. In September, 1883, Mr. Robinson married Amelia Brenner, of New York City, and to them two children were born. Desiring to thoroughly master the brewing business he went to Bavaria and acquired a practical knowledge of the entire details of the business, and upon his return to this city assumed the superintendency of the brewery on Seventh Street. Mr. Robinson was a prominent member of the Scranton Turn Ve- rein and the Liederkranz. He was one of the organizers of the Scranton Hook and Ladder Company and one of the charter members of the Scranton Lodge, B. P. O. E., in which he was
past exalted ruler. He was also a member of the Eichenkranz Singing Society of New York City, besides many organizations of a social character in this city. He took an active part in local poli- tics and his counsel was much sought by the leaders of the Democratic party. His death oc- curred September 15, 1893.
C OL. GEORGE W. SCRANTON. This volume would indeed be incomplete were no mention made of the man to whose foresight, energy and business ability much of the present prosperity of the city of Scranton is due. With his brother, Selden T., he came to the Lackawanna Valley when the unambitious, sleepy village of Slocum's Hollow occupied the land now covered by large office buildings and beauti- ful residences, and where thousands of busy peo- ple ply their varied avocations. From that time to the day of his death, more than twenty years afterward, he was identified with the development of the place and a large contributor to its ad- vancement.
The genealogy of the Scranton family shows that it was founded in America by John Scran- ton, who emigrated from England in 1638 and settled at East Guilford (now Madison), Conn. There Colonel Scranton was born May 10, 181I, and it was also the birthplace of his father, The-
ophilus. The records show that his ancestors. took part in the French and Revolutionary wars and were closely identified with colonial history. His education was more complete than was given to the majority of the boys of his day, for, in ad- dition to the usual winter schooling, he studied two years at Lee's Academy, then a noted insti- tution, under the superintendence of Major Rob- inson. However, before his course of study was completed, his uncle, Chapman Warner, offered him a position in Belvidere, N. J., whither he went in 1828, beginning the duties of an active busi- ness career. A few years later he was offered a partnership with Judge Kinney in a store. After his marriage to Jane, daughter of George Hiles, of Belvidere, he relinquished his mercantile life for agricultural pursuits.
A few years later, in partnership with his broth- er, S. T. Scranton, he engaged in the iron busi- ness, buying out the firm of Henry Jordan & Co., at Oxford, N. J. Meanwhile Mr. Henry was desirous of developing the ores of the Lacka- wanna Valley and appealed to the new firm. After examining the ground, the new furnace was decid- ed upon. Colonel Scranton came here in 1840 and at once threw himself, with accustomed energy, into the task of developing the resources of the locality. A cousin, Joseph A. Scranton, had amassed a fortune in Augusta, Ga., and was in- duced to invest some of his idle capital here. In this way he became acquainted with the mineral wealth of this section, and, pleased with the pros- pects, he gradually increased his investments; he finally removed here and was manager of the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company until his death.
Nor were the energies of Colonel Scranton lim- ited to business affairs, but in political, educa- tional and social matters he was interested. While in New Jersey he was colonel on the staff of the governor of that state. Always a Whig, he la- bored earnestly in behalf of Henry Clay in 1844. In 1858, against his personal wishes, he was nomi- nated as the champion of the protectionists, and received a majority, at the election, of three thou- sand. He took a deep interest in the tariff meas- ure and it was said that no man in congress con- tributed more to the perfection of its details than
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did he. He was disappointed by its failure to pass the senate, but not disheartened, and upon his re-election, went back prepared to promote this policy as zealously as ever. However his health soon became seriously impaired and though at first it was thought he would recover, he gradually sank, and passed away March 24, 1861, at the age of forty-nine years and ten months.
C HARLES HUESTER, county recorder of deeds, was born in Hottenbach, Prus- sia, Germany, March 31, 1854, and is a son of Jacob and Sophia (Engers) Huester, also natives of Prussia, where the latter still lives. The father, who served in the German army and took part in the war of 1866 with Austria, died in his native land. The paternal grandfather, Nicholas Huester, took part in the Napoleonic wars and with a brother accompanied that illustrious gen- eral on his march to Russia, when Moscow was burned. The uniform which he wore is still preserved by his descendants in Germany. He was a man of rugged physique and strong con- stitution, and attained the age of eighty-six. In religious belief he was a Lutheran. His son, our subject's father, died at the age of sixty-four, while the wife of the latter is now more than seventy years old. They had three children: Charles; Florina, who is in Germany; and Katie, Mrs. P. Helter, of New York City.
Reared upon a farm in Germany, the subject of this sketch attended the common schools until fourteen years of age, and after coming to Scran- ton was a student in the night school for two years. In November, 1871, he came to America from Bremen, the voyage taking sixteen days. On reaching the United States he at once came to Scranton, where he was apprenticed to learn the moulder's trade in the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western foundry. He became a practical moulder, which occupation he followed seventeen years. In 1888 he embarked in the hotel saloon business, taking charge of a place he had started in 1883 at No. 815 Cedar Avenue. Here he built a hotel and has since engaged in business.
In 1894 Mr. Huester was nominated for re-
corder, his opponents being John Reece, George Schies and Ed House. He was elected on the Republican ticket by a majority of sixteen hun- dred and forty-seven, and took the oath of office January 8, 1895, for a term of three years. In the office he has seven assistants, through whose efficient service the work is systematically and accurately performed. He is a pronounced Re- publican and has frequently served on city and county committees and as delegate to conven- tions.
In this city Mr. Huester married Miss Numi- chin Sohns, who was born in Albany, N. Y., daughter of Frederick Sohns, a cooper now re- siding in Scranton. They are the parents of nine children: William, a clerk in the recorder's office; Jacob, Katie, Peter, Frederick, Frank, August A., Minnie and Charles, Jr. Mr. Huester has been connected with the fire department for twenty-one years and assisted in organizing Nep- tune Engine Company No. 2, in which he held a number of offices. For eight years he was fire- man of the steamer and for ten years the engineer, and is still an active member of the company. About 1885 he was made a Mason, and belongs to Schiller Lodge, F. & A. M., Lackawanna Chapter and Coeur de Leon Commandery, K. T. Twice he has served as sachem of Nay-Aug Tribe No. 140, I. O. R. M. He is prominently connected with the Scranton Athletic Club and the Saengerbunde, and in religious belief is iden- tified with the German Presbyterian Church.
J OHN E. ROCHE was born June 12, 1850, at Cecilstown, County of Cork, Ireland, and is the oldest son of Cornelius and Mary (O'Connor) Roche, of same parish. His early youth was spent in Canada, whither his parents emigrated the year of his birth, and his first at- tendance at school was at the Mohawk settlement near Deseronto, Province of Ontario, a majority of the pupils being Mohawks. In 1860 his par- ents came to Pennsylvania and settled near Mid- dle Valley, Wayne County, where his father cleared a spot in the wilderness to build a home. Three years later they removed to Hawley, and the subject of this sketch picked slate on the coal
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docks, was driver on the Delaware & Hudson Canal, brakeman on Pennsylvania Coal Com- pany's Railroad, peeled bark, cut lumber, etc., until 1872, when he moved to Scranton.
He became connected with the Father Matthew Total Abstinence Society shortly after his arrival, became prominent in the movement, was fore- most in the organization of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of the diocese of Scranton, and was elected its first president. The union now numbers ten thousand members and is the most potential organization in northeastern Penn- sylvania. He engaged in the grocery and pro- vision business in 1876 and retired in 1882 on ac- count of ill health. In 1877 he married Mary Louisa Campbell, daughter of Henry Campbell, of Carbondale. In 1882 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket and was elected to represent the city of Scranton for the years 1883-1884 in the legislature of Pennsylvania, and during the term had enacted reforms in the ballot law and secured an appropriation of $40,000 for the Lackawanna Hospital, Scranton, that being up to that time the largest amount obtained from the state for any institution in northeastern Pennsylvania. He was again a candidate in 1884, but was defeated, owing to the large Democratic defection to James G. Blaine, who was a candidate for president that year. After President Cleveland's inauguration he was appointed cashier of the Scranton post- office, but resigned in February, 1889, to repre- sent a wholesale hardware and mine supply house, and is at present engaged in that business with The Hunt & Connell Co., of Scranton. In 1892 he was elected a member of the select council of Scranton and was re-elected without opposition in 1896. He was the candidate several times for president of that body, but the Democratic party was always in the minority. He was the principal promoter of the building of the Linden Street and Roaring Brook bridges, both fine structures, costing $275,000. At all times he was active in municipal affairs and it may be truthfully said of him that for the past twenty years he has been the father of every public improvement in the ward in which he lives. He was a member of the Democratic county committee for several years, was chairman of that body in 1894-95, was
a member of the Democratic state central commit- tee of Pennsylvania for two years, was a delegate to several state conventions and was acting al- ternate delegate to the national convention of 1896.
Mr. Roche is self-educated, a good parliamen- tarian, a ready debater, and has led his party in the many contests for supremacy in councils with signal ability and enjoys the respect and con- fidence of the people of the city in which he lives, notwithstanding his activity in public life.
W ILLIAM F. HALLSTEAD, general manager of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, was born March 22, 1836, in Benton Township, Luzerne (now Lackawanna) County, Pa. His parents, Orin L. and Mary (Rivenburg) Hallstead, were both na- tives of Pennsylvania, and the former was in early years a farmer, but later became connected with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. Until fifteen years of age Mr. Hallstead followed agri- cultural pursuits, attending the village school about three months each year. In 1851 he began working on the railroad, then in process of con- struction from Scranton to Great Bend. When the section was completed he was employed as brakeman on a gravel train, but was soon pro- moted to be conductor, and in a few months was made yard dispatcher at Scranton. In 1856 he became assistant superintendent and in 1868 was advanced to the position of superintendent of the Northern division, Binghamton to Main Line Junction. Shortly afterward he was given charge of the line from Syracuse to Binghamton, in all two hundred and twenty-five miles under his personal supervision. Later he was appointed superintendent of the Utica, Chenango & Sus- quehanna branch, and several years afterward had charge of the construction of the line from Binghamton to Buffalo, which was completed in 1883. In 1885 he was appointed general man- ager of the entire system.
The company with which he is connected has, in addition to its main line, many branches ex- tending to the coal fields of Pennsylvania and the rich farming sections of New York; owns thou-
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sands of acres of coal lands, operates many mines, employs over eighteen thousand hands, and has a pay roll that averages $1,250,000 monthly, much of this amount being put in circulation in Scran- ton.
In June, 1858, Mr. Hallstead married Mary Harding, of New Milford, Susquehanna County, Pa., and they became the parents of a son, George. Mr. Hallstead is recognized as one of the most efficient and best qualified railroad men in the country. Step by step he has advanced to the responsible position which he now fills, hav- ing worked his way from a humble beginning to a place of trust and honor.
G EORGE W. FRITZ is one of the oldest, as he has been one of the most success- ful business men of Scranton, where he is engaged in the wholesale and retail harness and trunk business at No. 410 Lackawanna Avenue. His location is an excellent one, advantageous for the purposes of trade, and the building, in which he has floor space of four stories, is also conveniently arranged and equipped. In addi- tion to the manufacture of harness, he is a dealer in trunks and traveling bags of all descriptions, riding saddles and bridles, horse boots, blankets and robes, and in these lines has built up an ex- tensive trade.
The grandfather of Mr. Fritz on his father's side was for some time a land agent in Philadel- phia, but on retiring from business, settled in Col- umbia County on what is known as Fritz Hill. In that region the majority of his descendants now reside. The father of our subject, Ezekiel Fritz, was born in Columbia County, in early manhood spent a short time in Montrose, Sus- quehanna County, and then removed to Spring- ville, Susquehanna County, where he conducted a merchant tailoring business until he retired. His death occurred in Scranton when he was eighty-four. He married Esther Frink, who was born in Susquehanna County and there died. Her father was a native of Long Island and with some of his brothers came from there to Penn- sylvania in an early day.
The only survivor of four children, our subject
was born in Springville, Susquehanna County, June 16, 1835. He received his education in the public schools, and in 1850, at the age of fifteen, began an apprenticeship to the harness maker's trade in Montrose. After three years he went to Tunkhannock, where he worked as foreman for two years. He was then a traveling salesman for one year. In August, 1856, he opened a harness shop in Penn Avenue, Scranton, and con- tinued there until 1868, when he removed to his present location. An excellent manager and a man of genuine business ability, he has accumu- lated a small fortune through his industrious and intelligent efforts.
In political views Mr. Fritz is a Republican, and fraternally is identified with Union Lodge, F. & A. M. He is a member of Grace Re- formed Church and serves the congregation as vestryman. In 1866 he built a home in Madison Avenue, but has since erected a more modern and commodious residence. His marriage took place in Tunkhannock May 17, 1858, and united him with Miss Mary Lovenia Leas, daughter of Worley Leas, a tanner residing in the southern part of this state. They are the parents of two children living: John A., who assists his father in business, and Rozilla, at home.
J OHN W. TIFFANY was born in Harford, Susquehanna County, Pa., in 1833, the son of Orville and Mary (Marcy) Tiffany, na- tives respectively of Harford and Nicholson, Pa. Both died at the age of seventy-two. Of their children six are yet living. The paternal grand- parents, Thomas and Milly Tiffany, removed from Massachusetts in 1794 to Susquehanna County, Pa., and resided upon a farm there un- til death. The maternal grandparents, John and Polly (Hartley) Marcy, were natives of Wyoming County, and both died in Nicholson. Great- grandfather Marcy was a native of Connecticut and came to Pennsylvania with the Clarks, bring- ing with him an apple tree, from which origi- nated the celebrated Clark apple of this section. During the Wyoming massacre a tobacco box saved his life.
Reared on a farm, John W. Tiffany was edu-
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cated in the district schools and Harford Acad- emy. May 18, 1862, he married a daughter of Solomon and Polly (Briggs) Finn, natives respec- tively of Blakely Township, Lackawanna Coun- ty, and Wyoining County. Mr. and Mrs. Tiffany had five children, and three are now living, Jen- nie, Findley and Carl W. After his marriage Mr. Tiffany operated a mill at Nicholson. Prior to his marriage he taught four terms, and after- ward twelve terms; his wife was highly edu- cated and taught for eight years before her mar- riage. For twelve years he was school director. His first vote was cast for J. C. Fremont and he has since always supported Republican princi- ples, attending the party caucuses and township and county conventions. With his family he is identified with the Baptist Church and was Sun- day-school superintendent for twelve years.
R OBERT DAVIDSON was born in Rox- buryshire, Scotland, in the year 1784. He was a civil and mechanical engineer. He sailed for America in 1812. The vessel was cap- tured by an American privateer and the passen- gers landed in Canada. In the search that fol- lowed the capture, Mr. Davidson lost his tools and all extra clothing. He came across the bor- der into New York State, where he lived until 1829. He married Helen Kelly, of Saratoga County, N. Y. They became the parents of five children: Helen, who died an infant; Margaret, who died at sixteen years; Mrs. Jane Stewart, of Carbondale, who died in 1895; Mrs. Esther Muir, of Brownville, Neb .; and Peter Davidson, of Lack- awanna County. In 1829 Robert Davidson set- tled in Greenfield, Lackawanna County, Pa., where he bought a farm of two hundred and thir- ty-eight acres. He died in Carbondale in 1871 at the age of eighty-seven years. For many years he devoted himself to general surveying and me- chanics. He superintended the setting up of the machinery in many of the mills along the Hud- son and in the state of Virginia. He surveyed many of the roads in Lackawanna County. From 1845 his farm of over seven hundred acres occu- pied his attention.
Peter Davidson, after the death of his father,
Robert Davidson, came into possession of the home farm. He married Miss Charlotte Parker, daughter of Rev. Charles Parker, of Abington, Lackawanna County. Of the eight children born to them, six are living. For six years Mr. Da- vidson made his home in Waverly that his chil- dren might have the advantages of study in Madi- son Academy, of which he was treasurer and trustee. Since 1885 he has resided in Scranton. All of his children, excepting one, have made Scranton their home.
Mrs. Peter Davidson's paternal grandfather, Stephen Parker, came from Rhode Island and settled in Abington in the year 1800. In the fall of the year he planted his wheat, going back to Rhode Island for the winter. When spring came, he brought his wife out to the new home. The house that he built and the farm he settled upon, are now the property of his grandson, Charles Marenus Parker. Mrs. Davidson's maternal grandfather, Jonathan Hall, settled in Abington Township. He was born in Litchfield, Conn. His grandchildren now own the farm that he cleared and the house that he built.
Charles Parker Davidson, son of Peter David- son, was born in Greenfield, Lackawanna Coun- ty, in 1855. He attended Madison Academy un- til he was ready for college. He entered Cornell University in 1874 and spent two years there. Later he studied real estate law at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1888 he married Miss Anna E. Broadwell of Jacksonville, Ill. They are the parents of five children.
Mr. Davidson has been in the real estate busi- ness since 1881. He is a director in the Lacka- wanna Lumber Company, Peck Lumber Manu- facturing Company and the J. J. Newman Lum- ber Company, and is president of the Board of Trade Real Estate Company.
D AVID WILLIAMS, who resides at No. I201 Hampton Street, Scranton, and who for five years served as alderman from the first ward, is of Welsh birth and parentage. His father, David, and grandfather, William, were both natives of Breconshire, where the latter, a farmer and plasterer, died at the age of eighty-
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two; and the latter, who was reared upon a farm, but followed mining throughout the greater part of his life, died at sixty-eight years. The mother of our subject was Sarah Morgan, born at Bryn Tail farm, Glamorganshire, and reared in Car- villy upon the farm operated by her father, George Morgan. The family to which she be- longed was one of the oldest and most highly re- spected in the shire of Glamorgan. Her death occurred when she was forty-four years of age.
In the family of David and Sarah Williams there were four children who attained years of maturity, and of these two are living, David and George M., a miner with the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western road. Our subject was born in Rhymney, Glamorganshire, March 3, 1834, and in childhood attended a private school for a short time. When only seven years of age he began to work in the mines as an assistant to his father, holding the positions of door boy and driver and later working as a miner. In Febru- ary, 1859, he took passage at Liverpool on the steamer, "City of Glasgow," and after a stormy voyage of twenty-two days, landed in New York. From there he went to Pittston and secured work with a coal company, under John J. Evans, super- intendent.
Coming from Pittston to Scranton in 1872, Mr. Williams began to work in the Jermyn (now the Manville) shaft at Green Ridge, where he was employed until his election as alderman. In 1890 he was nominated on the Republican ticket as alderman from the first ward of Scranton, gained the election by a good majority and was commis- sioned by Governor Beaver. He established his office in Providence Square, where he dispensed justice for five years, retiring in 1895. He makes his home in Hyde Park, his residence being sit- uated on the corner of Hampton and Twelfth Streets.
The first wife of Mr. Williams was Mrs. Ann (Thomas) Evans, who was born in Swansea Val- ley, Wales, and thence came with her father, Wil- liam T. Thomas, to Scranton in 1849, and contin- ued to make this place her home until her death in 1890. Eight children were born of this union, of whom Myvanwy and Ivor are deceased; the others reside in Lackawanna County, excepting
William, who lives in Pittston. The second mar- riage of Mr. Williams, which was solemnized in Nanticoke, united him with Mrs. Anna (Davis) Rowland, the widow of Thomas Rowland, a miner who came to America in 1863, and settled in Scranton, where he died. Mrs. Williams was born in Merthyr Tydvil, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Davis, natives of Pembrokeshire, South Wales, the former a farmer and later a miner. Mrs. Williams is the mother of five children. In the miners' and labor reform movement, our sub- ject took an active part and was deeply interested. Politically he votes the Republican ticket and fraternally was in former years identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, but is not now connected with the lodge.
R EV. JAS. L. SHANLEY, A. M. The sub- ject of this sketch was born in Honesdale, Wayne County, Pa., on the Ist of March, 1861, a son of Patrick and Margaret (Curran) Shanley. About the year 1847 the father came from Ireland and located in Honesdale, there en- gaging in business, in which he continued until his death in 1883. The mother is still a resident of that place. Father Shanley received his ele- mentary education at the Honesdale Academy, graduating in 1880. The same year he entered Niagara University, Suspension Bridge, N. Y., and on his graduation from that institution in 1884 received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Two years later his Alma Mater conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. Deciding to study for the church, he entered upon his phil- osophical and theological studies in the seminary of the above university and completed the course in three years. While a student he was one of the editors of the "Niagara Index," a long-estab- lished and well known college journal. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O'Hara, at St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton, on the 24th of August, 1888, together with Revs. J. O'Reilly, J. V. Hussie, J. Enright, J. Fagan and P. J. Col- ligan.
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