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 23
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 23
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The subject of this sketch was the eldest of six children, and is the only survivor. George died at the age of nineteen; Robert, at his death, left two sons, Frank and Robert William departed this life, leaving no children; Caroline and Mar- tlia died in girlhood. Their father, who was long an honored and prominent citizen of Scranton, engaged in the mercantile business at Center Moreland, Luzerne County, for one year. He then returned to Hyde Park, where he had pre- viously been instrumental in securing the post- office and had served as postmaster. On his re- turn, he was reappointed postmaster, and held that position for ten years, meantime erecting a building and engaging in the mercantile busi- ness. With a prophetic instinct regarding the future of this county, in 1838 he became a joint owner of the main portion of the lands now in- corporated in the central part of Scranton. As a result of his efforts, in 1840 the property was dis- posed of to Col. George W. Scranton, the founder of the city that bears his name.
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In 1843 Mr. Merrifield was elected to the legis- lature, where he was retained for three consecu- tive terms, filling that responsible position with marked ability. All public enterprises received his co-operation, when once he was assured of their beneficial influence. Especially was he con- cerned in the progress of Scranton, to which he platted several additions, among them the one known as Merrifield's plot of lots in the four- teenth ward and in Keyser's Valley. Educational matters received his encouragement, and as school director he contributed much to the im- provement of the school system. He also gave liberally to the erection of churches and the car- rying forward of religious enterprises. In 1856 he was elected associate judge of Luzerne Coun- ty, in which position his knowledge of law, gained by private reading, was most helpful. In 1870 he was elected president of the Hyde Park Bank, an institution that enjoyed the confidence of the community as long as he lived. The success that he achieved, the good that he accomplished and the enterprises which he fostered, entitle him to the lasting remembrance of the people of Scranton. After an illness of two months, he passed from earth June 4, 1877. The store which he built in North Main Avenue in 1831 still stands on its original site, opposite the Methodist Episcopal Church in Hyde Park, and his old res- idence is also standing.
In Hyde Park, then in Luzerne County, Pa., the subject of this sketch was born July 30, 1832, and here he was reared. His literary education was obtained in Wyoming Seminary and Oxford Academy, after which he began the study of law in Judge McCartney's law school at Easton, where he remained one term, later reading in the office of Harris & Wright in Wilkesbarre. In 1855 he opened an office in Scranton, where he has since continued in the general practice of law. This has been his life-long work, with the exception of a short time spent in the mercantile business as his father's partner. He was united in marriage at Owego, N. Y., with Miss A. Jen- nie Eldridge, who was born in Montrose, Sus- quehanna County, Pa., the daughter of James Eldridge, for many years a merchant of Owego. Mr. and Mrs. Merrifield have an adopted daugh-
ter, Jessie, who was educated at Miss Walsh's school in South Bethlehem, Pa.
A prominent and well known attorney and representative citizen of Scranton, recognized as such by a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances, Mr. Merrifield has also won prosperity, and although he began in his profession without capital, he has worked his way upward to a posi- tion of affluence. He is a warm friend to all en- terprises calculated to promote the moral and educational interests of the community. A man of loyal patriotism, his country and its interests have a warm place in his heart. In politics he is a Democrat, prominent in the councils of his party, by whom he was nominated for judge of court of common pleas in 1884, and for men- ber of congress in 1894 and 1896. When chosen candidate for judge, he defeated Judge Handley for the nomination; thereupon the latter ran on the independent ticket, causing a division of the Democratic votes, and resulting in the election of the Republican nominee. No one was more interested than he in securing the separation of Lackawanna from Luzerne County, and for about seven years he spent a portion of each winter at Harrisburg, lobbying for the bill. Fin- ally he was successful, and in 1878, when the vic- tory was gained, he was chairman of the com- mittee on the new county. Individually, he is a man of force of will and strong character, one fitted by nature and training for the profession in which he has long been prominent. Sufficient wealth has rewarded his efforts to enable him to live in comfort and to give generously to philan- thropic measures, so that his life may be said to be successful, in the best meaning of that word.
P ATRICK F. McDONNELL, owner and. proprietor of a general store at No. 34 Main Street, Carbondale, was born in County Sligo, Ireland, and was orphaned by the . death of his parents when he was a mere child. Reared in the home of an uncle he early learned many hard lessons in the school of poverty and toil. His education was obtained by observation and business experience rather than from text books. At the age of twenty he came to America
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and for a time was employed by a contractor in Scranton, working first in a quarry, then in the mines, and afterward at general carpentering. Being handy with tools, he picked up the trade without trouble, and always met with success in it. Not only did he make money, but, far better, he saved it. As he became the possessor of in- creasing means, he invested in United States bonds and in other ways put his money where it would bring in return a good interest.
As soon as his circumstances justified such a venture, Mr. McDonnell embarked in the gen- eral mercantile business in Carbondale. It was in 1878 that he opened his store, and for some time he carried on business on a small scale, but gradually increased his stock as the trade en- larged. After some time, wishing to retire, he established a nephew in the business, which he transferred to him, but was finally obliged to step to the latter's assistance and pay off the large in- debtedness he had incurred. While he was not legally bound to do this, he felt the moral obli- gation resting upon him. He then took the business again and since 1891 has conducted it at No. 34 Main Street, carrying a well-selected stock of dry goods, flour, feed, boots and shoes, etc. He is keen and shrewd, possessing the fac- ulty of making money more easily than some, and under his efficient management the business has become prosperous. He gives little attention to politics, though uniformly voting the Demo- cratic ticket. In religious belief he is a Catho- lic and a regular attendant at the services of that church.
C HARLES H. SHEDD, proprietor of the Royal Dairy at No. 536 Spruce Street, Scranton, was born in Kankakee, Ill., in July, 1864, and is a son of W. R. and Sarah (Griffin) Shedd, natives respectively of Eagle Bridge, near Saratoga, and Griffin Corners, Del- aware County, N. Y. The family, of which he is next to the youngest, consisted originally of five children, but one is now deceased. His fa- ther, at an early age, accompanied the other members of the family west to Illinois and grew to manhood upon a farm, later selecting agri-
culture as his occupation. He was thus engaged for a time in Kankakee County, but preferring the east, he came to Lackawanna County in 1869 and for some years made his home at Clarks Green. At this writing, however, he is living retired in Scranton.
Coming to this county in February of 1869, the subject of this sketch grew to manhood at Clarks Green, fitted by education and training at home and in school for the practical duties await- ing him in the business world. In 1884 he came to Scranton and four years later opened a dairy business, at first running only one wagon, but, as his patronage increased, he also enlarged his facilities for business and now has three wagons. He has his office and depot of supplies at No. 536 Spruce Street, where may be found every facil- ity for conducting a large and successful busi- ness, retail and wholesale. Besides the sale of milk, he also deals in butter, fresh eggs, cottage cheese, bakery goods and the celebrated Scott Valley cream. For the convenience of the pub- lic, he has telephones in his office and his resi- dence at No. 1618 Penn Avenue. The dairy is one of the largest in the county, the milk from over two hundred cows being sold.
The marriage of Mr. Shedd occurred in this city, his wife being Miss Jennie E., daughter of Samuel Storie, a farmer of Delaware County, N. Y., where she was born. They are the parents of three children, Donald, Margaret and Louise. Mr. Shedd is identified with the Green Ridge Presbyterian Church and in political affiliations is a true blue Republican. He has fraternal rela- tions with the Heptasophs, the Benevolent Pro- tective Order of Elks and Green Ridge Lodge No. 603, I. O. O. F. The large success which has already rewarded his exertions is due prin- cipally to his business acumen, great energy and constant effort to please his customers, whose patronage he has secured and retains through his honest dealings and reliability.
S AMUEL F. GOODRICH. In recalling the labors which have contributed to the development of Greenfield Township, we feel a glow of admiration for all who bore a part
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in the scenes of early days. Among this class was Jamin Goodrich, father of the subject of this sketch and a native of Connecticut, born near Hartford. The long journey from that state to Pennsylvania he made by wagon about 1815 and reaching Greenfield Township settled in the midst of the forest, where he built a log house. All the hardships incident to frontier life he expe- rienced. The nearest mill was at Wilkesbarre, and he traveled back and forth on horseback, carrying the grist. In that early day deer, bear and other wild animals were still occasionally seen, and all the surroundings were those of primitive nature. It required constant exertion for months to secure the clearing of the land by chopping down the trees that formed a thick forest growth.
Through industry and good judgment Jamin Goodrich succeeded in accumulating an excellent estate, well supplied with the improvements that make life in the country enjoyable and add to the value of property. He possessed the hos- pitable spirit that is a distinguishing character- istic of pioneers in any section of the country. Honorable in his dealings, he was justly highly regarded by his associates. In his old age, when physical infirmities prevented him from manual labor, he loved to review the past and note the many changes wrought by time, with the assist- ance of the pioneer's strong right arm. He could relate many an interesting incident con- nected with the early settlement of the township, where so much of his life was passed. On the old place built up by his industry, he closed his eyes in death February 20, 1872, at the age of eighty- six. His wife, who was Annie Gladding of Con- necticut, died at the age of sixty-seven years, five months and thirteen days. Their children were named, Ira, Jamin, Hart, Samuel F., David, Annie and Clark, all of whom are deceased but our subject and Clark, who lives in Hyde Park, Scranton.
On the old homestead in Greenfield Township, the subject of this sketch was born November 2, 1819. His education was limited to a brief at- tendance in the common schools of the district, but most of his time was given to farm work and the clearing of the home place. There he resided
until 1889 and then moved to his present home, five miles from Carbondale. In October, 1862, he enlisted as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania In- fantry, and was assigned to the Army of the Po- tomac. For eleven months he was engaged principally in guard duty, and the constant ex- posure and hardships of camp life undermined his health to such an extent that he has never been well since.
June 23, 1861, Mr. Goodrich was united in marriage with Miss Mary E., daughter of John T. and Eliza (Hatting) Whiting, of Susquehanna County. Her father was born in Massachu- setts in 1802, and spent his early life in Attle- boro, that state. After the birth of four chil- dren, he and his wife started on the then long journey to Pennsylvania, taking with them per- sonal effects, clothing and provisions sufficient to provide for their necessities the first year in their new home. In crossing a river, however, the boat sank. The father with the older chil- dren, and the mother with one child in her arms and the baby held by her teeth in its clothes, swam ashore, but their household goods were lost. A kind family provided for them, giving them dry clothes, and enabling them to proceed without much delay upon their way. They con- tinued the journey by canal, and arrived in Brooklyn Township, Susquehanna County, poor indeed, but full of courage and determina- tion. Mr. Whiting, who was a rake maker by trade, rented a small place with a shop, and thus secured a start; after a few years he bought prop- erty in Lenox Township, and there died in 1870. His death was caused by an accident in his own mill; his arm catching in the circular saw was severed from his body. He died two days afterward. Of his twelve children two died in infancy. The others were named as follows: Alfred D., now living in Lenox Township; Jonah S .; Eliza, deceased; J. L., of Lenox; George S., whose home is in Binghamton; Joseph E .; Henry H., a brave soldier in the Civ- il War, dying while in the army; Preston H., of Cortland, N. Y .; Mary E .; and Sallie M., de- ceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich are the parents of six
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children, Clara C., Fred M., Mary E., John R., Alva R. and Katie L. The eldest daughter married Nathaniel Goodrich, of Greenfield Township, and they have six children, Jessie R., Bessie M., Samuel A., Edna E., Ralph H. and Mabel M. Fred M., of Carbondale, mar- ried Susan Breeze, and they had two children, Sadie R., and Dora E .; after the death of his first wife he was united in marriage with Mabel Ferguson. Mary E. is the wife of Fred Collins of Scranton, and they have two children, Nora Estella and Cora Rosella. John R., a resident of Carbondale, married Eva Lozier, and they have a son, Harry. Alva is a young man of great physical strength and endurance, and has been offered a position on the New York City police force, but still remains with his parents, assisting in the work of the farm. The youngest member of the family is Katie L., who is an excel- lent musician, a sweet singer, and an accom- plished young lady, the pride of her parents; she is secretary of the Baptist Sunday-school and is popular in the social circles of the neighborhood. Mrs. Goodrich is a Baptist in religious belief, as were also her parents, though they were be- lievers in close communion, while she affiliates with the Free Baptists. In his political belief Mr. Goodrich votes the Democratic ticket and supports the party principles, and, like all old soldiers, he is interested in Grand Army mat- ters.
W ILLIAM VAN DOREN, M. D. The borough of Archbald is not without her share of members of the learned professions, who are a credit to the calling they have chosen and to the town itself. Among those who have been successful in the practice of medicine may be mentioned Dr. Van Doren, who devotes himself assiduously to his practice and the scientific investigations which will en- hance his professional knowledge and skill. He is recognized as one of the able pliysicians of the community.
The parents of our subject, John P. and Mary E (Dumont) Van Doren, were born in Somerset County, N. J., where the former followed the
occupation of a farmer. He died at the age of forty-one, and his widow is now living in Arch- bald. Of their seven children, only three are living: John, who resides in St. Louis, Mo .; Mary Ella, wife of Thomas Morrie; and William, who was born February 25, 1858, the eldest of the family. He was reared on a farm until thir- teen years of age, when he accompanied his parents to the village of Middlebush, N. J., and there he was given excellent advantages in pub- lic and select schools. From 1873 to 1876 he prepared for Rutgers College and graduated from that institution in 1880.
Shortly after the completion of his literary ed- ucation, our subject commenced the study of medicine, and in 1885 graduated from the med- ical department of the University of the City of New York. The winter of 1885-86 was spent in hospital work at Wilkesbarre, thus affording practical experience of much advantage to him. In the spring of 1886, his classmate, Dr. Harry Davidson, who had established a practice at Archbald, died, and he came to this place, where he has since built up a fair practice. The ex- cellent preparation which he received in college and in hospital work proved of the greatest as- sistance to him when starting out, and enabled him to gain the confidence of the people, which his skillful diagnosis of difficult cases and pains- taking care abundantly justified. At this writ- ing he is officiating as secretary of the Arch- bald board of health. In 1893 he was united in marriage with Miss F. Grace Decker of Clif- ford, and they have established a comfortable home in Archbald. Favoring the protection of home industries and the gold standard of money, he advocates the principles of the Republican party, and always votes that ticket at local and general elections.
O RLANZO WELLS. In Greenfield Township there is no farmer more high- ly esteemed than the subject of this sketch, who has spent his entire life on the place where he now lives. His estate is peculiarly adapted to the raising of celery, and hence he has decided to make a specialty of this vegeta-
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ble. He has also given considerable attention to stock-raising, and from the sale of milk re- ceives a valuable addition to his income. As a farmer, he is industrious, painstaking and per- severing, and deserves the success he has se- cured.
The father of our subject, William L. Wells, was born in Orange County, N. Y., August 10, 1816, and when a young man came to Pennsyl- vania, first settling in Clifford Township, Sus- quehanna County, but after his marriage remov- ing to his present home in Greenfield Township. Farming has been his life occupation, and to it he has attended strictly, taking little interest in outside matters. Notwithstanding his advanced years, he is hale and hearty, with his mental and physical faculties unimpaired. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mercy A. Run- nells, was born in Boston, Mass., July 20, 1815, and is vigorous of mind and body, attending personally to marketing in Carbondale and sell- ing the products of the farm herself. She is in many respects a remarkable woman.
There are five children in the parental family, namely: Orlanzo, the subject of this sketch, who was born June 15, 1846; William S., who was born July 3, 1848, and now resides on the old homestead; George W., born June 22, 1851; Lewis, born December 27, 1854, now a carpen- ter in Carbondale; and Samuel A., who was born January 3, 1856, and now resides at the old home place. Few educational advantages fell to the lot of our subject, for at an early age he was obliged to assist in the cultivation of the farm, and has always been a hard worker. A natural mechanic, he built his own house near the old home, and has also done some work of that kind in Carbondale; while he never reg- ularly learned the trade, he is a better mechanic than many who have served an apprenticeship.
At the age of twenty-one Mr. Wells was united in marriage with Miss Juliett Kelmer, of this county, and the following year they settled at their present abode. Five children blessed their union: William L .; Norman, who died at seventeen years; Arthur, Rosa Bell and Cora Anna. While Mr. Wells is interested in local affairs, as every loyal citizen should be, he does
not mingle with politicians, being content to dis- charge his duty by exercising the right of fran- chise. He favors Democratic principles and sup- ports the inen and measures of that party.
L UTHER LEE is one of the old residents of Greenfield Township, and has spent his entire life in this vicinity, having never been fifty miles away from the town. The sights and scenes of city life, or other supposed attractive spots, have never had for him any charms, and he considers them only "vanity and vexation of spirit." To him the idea of seeing the world or any part of it has no attractions, and he is fully content to live tranquilly and quietly under his own "vine and fig tree," with no ocular demonstration of the beauties of other localities.
In Blakely Township, where he was born, January 25, 1822, Mr. Lee spent the first seven years of his life, and then was brought to Green- field Township, where he has since resided. He and his older brother, Martin, of this township, and a younger brother, John, of Clifford, Sus- quehanna County, are the sole survivors of the ten children of John and Catharine (Rivenburd) Lee, natives of Duchess County, N. Y. The father, who was a farmer, died at the age of sev- enty-two, and the mother passed away at sev- enty-eight.
Though deprived of school advantages, Mr. Lee is a well informed man, and especially so in matters pertaining to farm work. March 6, 1847, he married Phoebe, daughter of John Cobb, who was his faithful helpmate until her death in December, 1894, at the age of sixty- five. Of their nine children, six are living, namely: Sabina Ann, Lafayette, Addie, Eu- gene, Emory and Oscar, all residents of this township. The youngest son, Oscar, assists his father in the management of the farm and is a young man of industrious habits and energetic character. He married Alice, daughter of George Vail, of Scott Township, and they, with their two children, Gertrude and Alberta, reside with our subject, making for him a pleasant home in his declining years.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
The eldest child of our subject is the wife of William Mclaughlin and the mother of four children, Thomas, Luther, Lewis and Caroline. Her oldest son, Thomas, married Ruth Steele, and they have two sons, Charles and Frank, thus making four generations of the family now liv- ing. Lafayette was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Spencer, and their two children are Lewis and Spencer; by a former marriage he had two children, Minnie and Zopher, of whom the former is the wife of Robert Heeney, of Scranton and the mother of a son, Frank. Our subject's younger daughter, Addie, is the wife of Clarence Vail, and they have one child, Etta. Eugene was first married to Harriet Lee, by whom he had a son and a daughter, Lizzie and Jesse; afterward he married Margaret Don- nelly, and they have two children, Everett and Bessie.
J UDGE CORNELIUS C. DONOVAN, al- derman of the twelfth ward, Scranton, and a well-known attorney-at-law, with office in the Republican Building, was born in the twelfth ward in 1856, being the only surviving son of Dennis and Mary (Dwyer) Donovan. His father, who was one of the early settlers of Scran- ton, came here early in the '50s and entered the employ of the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company, working for a time in the mines and later in a rail mill. In 1861 he settled upon unimproved farming property in Lenox Town- ship, Susquehanna County, four miles north of the home of Hon. Galusha A. Grow, where he cleared and placed under cultivation a small estate, continuing its management until his death in 1879, at the age of sixty-five. His widow, who survived him a number of years, made her home with our subject until her death, which occurred in October of 1891, at the age of nearly seventy years.
When about five years of age the subject of this sketch was taken by his parents to the farm in Lenox Township, and there his child- hood years were passed. From an early age he displayed a fondness for good books and a de- sire to gain a thorough education. To this end
he industriously bent his efforts. For a time he attended the district schools, then was a student successively in the graded school at Harford, Pa., the high school of Scranton, Merrill's Aca- demic School and the Keystone Academy at Fac- toryville. When seventeen years of age he began to teach school and was thus engaged in Sus- quehanna County for fifteen terms, covering a period of about six years. The money thus gained was used in defraying the expenses of his education, so that he may be said to have made his own way in the world.
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