Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 24

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 24
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 24

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Meantime Mr. Donovan began the study of law with Lusk & O'Neil of Montrose and was admitted to the bar there in April, 1882. In November, 1885, he came to Scranton, settling in the twelfth ward and beginning the practice of his profession, which he has since carried on efficiently. His success in election contest cases has caused the people to regard him as a spe- cialist in that line. One of these cases he won in the court of common pleas, increasing the majority from twenty-two, the face of the re- turns, to thirty-six, but the opposition carried it to the house of representatives a few days be- fore the close of the session and there the decis- ion was reversed.

In February, 1887, Mr. Donovan was elected alderman from the twelfth ward and was re-elect- ed in February, 1892, being commissioned the first time by Governor Beaver and the second time by Governor Pattison. He was the unani- mous choice of both the Democrat and Repub- lican caucuses for a third term and was duly elected. With his wife and sons, Cornelius and William, he has a pleasant home at No. 309 Prospect Avenue. Mrs. Donovan was formerly Maggie Murray, and was born in Paradise, Mon- roe County, Pa., but resided for some time in Great Bend, Susquehanna County, where she was married in July, 1889.

For several years our subject has officiated as president of Division No. 3, A. O. H., which he represented in the national convention of the order at Detroit, Mich., in July, 1896. He is also identified with Roaring Brook Conclave No. 214, I. O. H., which he represented in 1895 at the supreme conclave in New Haven, and was

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elected to represent his lodge to the supreme conclave in Louisville, Ky., in May, 1897. Po- litically a Democrat, he has been a member of the city and county central committees since 1886, and for two terms has served as secretary of the county committee. He is a member of St. Peter's Church and formerly an active work- er in the Temperance Union of the diocese of Scranton, of which he was secretary for two terms. His legal practice is large and extends into the circuit, district, superior and federal courts.

S ANFORD E. WEDEMAN. The subject of this article is a native of Greenfield Township, has grown to man's estate on the farm which he now cultivates and has never been away from home except for short inter- vals. He is the son of a pioneer agriculturist of the township and grandson of a man who came here when the country was sparsely set- tled. He is therefore well posted regarding the history of this section and is proud of his con- nection with those who aided in securing its de- velopment.

During the progress of the Revolutionary War Daniel Wedeman, our subject's great-grand- father, a native of Hamburg, Germany, came to America, and served as a member of General Burgoyne's army. Settling permanently in this country, he devoted himself from that time to agricultural pursuits. His son, Henry C., was born in Blakely, Pa., near the site of the old axe factory, and some years after his marriage came to Greenfield Township, purchasing fifty acres of timbered land for $50. At that time the property was covered with a dense forest growth and was considered of little value, but by cultivation it became worth a considerable amount.

The father of our subject, Ebenezer Wede- man, was born in Providence, this county, Octo- ber 12, 1822, and was brought to Greenfield Township by his parents when four years of age. On the death of his father, he succeeded to the ownership of the place, and has here re- sided since, devoting himself to farm work.

With few opportunities for school advantages, he is nevertheless well informed, having been a care- ful, observant student of men and events. Reared in the faith of the Democratic party, to which his father belonged, he voted that ticket until the Fremont-Buchanan campaign, when he sip- ported the Republican candidate, and has since been a pronounced advocate of that party. His son, our subject, also favors Republican princi- ples.

In all his work Ebenezer Wedeman has had the efficient co-operation of his estimable wife, who was born, Ann Clarkson, in England, and came to this country at five years. She is still living, as are also her seven children: Frank, whose home is in Factoryville; Charles, of Whitewood, S. D .; Adelia, who is with her par- ents; Isabella, the widow of J. M. Russell; Hen- ry, who lives near the old homestead; Emma, Mrs. James M. Archibald, of South Gibson, Pa .; and Sanford E., the youngest, who was born March 30, 1862. The last-named was given a district school education and early in life be- came familiar with the work incident to the occu- pation of farming. Since attaining manhood he has relieved his father of a large share of the re- sponsibility of managing the home place and is successfully superintending its cultivation. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Agnes Muir, died in July, 1891, leaving two children, Majorie and Angus S. He is an active member of the Farmers' Alliance and maintains an inter- est in everything pertaining to his chosen call- ing. The original acreage of the place, bought by his grandfather, has been increased by subse- quent purchase and there are now seventy-five acres in the farm, the principal industry being the dairy business.

W ALTER FRICK, city engineer of Carbondale, was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pa., April 2, 1863, and is a son of Henry and Sarah (Blair) Frick, the former a native of Northumberland County, the latter of Lewisburg. They have long been resi- dents of that place, the father being engaged in the lumber business. The five children com-

BRYCE RONALD BLAIR.

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prising the family, Ida May, Jennie B., Walter, Annie E. and Sarah J. were born in Lewisburg and all are living there, with the exception of Walter. In boyhood he was given excellent educational advantages, attending the common schools and Bloomsburg Academy, and later taking a thorough course in civil engineering at Lehigh University.

The first employment secured by Mr. Frick in his chosen occupation was for the Lewisburg & Tyrone Railroad, and he continued in rail- road work, some of which was quite difficult, until 1890. In the fall of 1885 he located in Scranton, and was engaged with the Lackawan- na Iron & Steel Company, remaining with them one year. In 1886 he came from Scranton to Carbondale, where for some time he was em- ployed on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad as division engineer of the Pennsylvania division. Upon his election to his present responsible posi- tion of city engineer, in 1890, he took hold of the work with enthusiasm, and at once infused new life into it. Soon it occupied his entire time, and he is now one of the busy men of the city. His experience enabled him to discharge his duties with efficiency, and secured the public approbation. He is now serving his third con- secutive term of three years each.

Mr. Frick and his wife, whom he married in Lewisburg and who was formerly Margaret Bennett, have two children, Walter and Harry, and reside at No. 67 Wyoming Street. In poli- tics he votes the Republican ticket at the polls and lends his influence to that party. He is identified with the Engineers' Club of Scranton, Philadelphia Engineers' Club and American So- ciety of Civil Engineers. Fraternally he is con- nected with Carbondale Lodge No. 249, F. & A. M., Eureka Chapter No. 179, R. A. M., and Palestine Commandery No. 14, K. T.

B RYCE RONALD BLAIR was born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, September 21, 1832, the. youngest son of William Blair, a well known merchant and manufacturer of that city. At an early age he was taken into his father's warehouse, but the business being too confining,

was not to his liking. He turned his attention to civil engineering, and after a thorough course and some practical experience, he decided to make the United States his home, thinking it a better field. He arrived in Pennsylvania in November, 1852, and at once took out his first naturalization papers. He was first employed on the construc- tion of the north branch canal aqueduct at Tunkhannock, and in 1853 was engaged on the junction canal, New York, as superintendent on sections 30 and 31. In 1854, under Chief Engi- neer Thomas T. Wireman, he was engaged on the surveys and location of the Barclay Railroad in Bradford County, Pa. Late in the same year, under Chief Engineer Edwin McNeill, he was engaged in the surveys of the first railroad through the Wyoming Valley, the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg, remaining there as resident en- gineer and roadmaster until 1865, when he re- signed his position to accept one with the Not- tingham Coal Company of Baltimore, Md., about to construct immense coal works at Plymouth, Pa., as constructing engineer and general super- intendent. He built their works, at that time the largest in the world, and at the present time ex- celled by none.

In December, 1868, Mr. Blair was appointed chief engineer of the Jefferson branch of the Erie Railway from Carbondale to Susquehanna, through the wilds of Upper Lackawanna, Wayne and Susquehanna Counties. The road was built in twenty months, and cost $2,000,000. After its completion, he spent several years engineering and contracting, until 1876, being desirous of a more settled life, he engaged in the manufacture of shovels at Wyoming, Pa., in which he con- tinued until 1880. He then engaged with Hon. E. E. Hendrick, of Carbondale, to look after his interests in the oil regions and as constructing en- gineer in New Jersey, until 1882, since which time he has followed the lines of his profession as engineer and contractor. For several years he was city engineer of the city of Carbondale, Pa.

In 1857 and 1896 Mr. Blair revisited his native land. In 1858 he married Emma, the eldest daughter of Colonel W. A. Tubbs, of Luzerne County. Nine sons and two daughters were born unto them. Six of the sons remain: Bryce, the

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eldest, in Colorado; Rev. William T., in Mount Upton, N. Y .; Robert, Frank, Charles and Ralph, at Carbondale. Mrs. Blair died in May, 1894, aged sixty years, and was laid to rest in Maple- wood cemetery. Her pallbearers were Mr. Blair and five of his sons.

Mr. Blair was made a Mason in Lodge No. 61, F. & A. M., at Wilkesbarre, Pa., in 1857, and Royal Arch and Council at Catawissa and Knight Templar at Bloomsburg in 1864. Hon. E. C. Wadhams, J. W. Eno, Robert Love, David Levi and Bryce R. Blair, as charter members, obtained from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania the char- ter for Plymouth Lodge No. 332, F. & A. M., in 1859. He was elected W. M. in 1862, and later high priest of Valley Chapter, of which he is also a charter member. Of the charter mem- bers of Lodge No. 332, he is the only surviving member.

He never had any political aspirations, having an inbred dislike for the methods employed. He was nominated by the Taxpayers' Association for county commissioner and without any effort on his part secured the city vote, yet to his great relief he was not elected. The office of mayor has been frequently tendered him by both po- litical parties, but invariably declined. He is in- dependent in politics, belonging to no party, sim- ply an American citizen, exercising his right to vote and discharge his other duties according to his best judgment, and although actively en- gaged in business for over forty years has never appeared in a court house either as plaintiff or defendant.

G EORGE H. DIMOCK has been in the employ of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company since a youth of fifteen years, and for the past eleven years has held the responsible position of engineer. A native of Pennsylvania, his home has been in Carbon- dale since 1865, and during all these years he has shown himself to be an honest, industrious and energetic man, fully worthy of the respect of his fellowmen. He is an active member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, in which he carries a $3,000 life and accident insurance.

Fraternally he is connected with the Junior Or- der of American Mechanics and at one time af- filiated with the Ancient Order of Odd Fellows, but is now demitted.

The father of our subject, George D. Dimock, was born in Wayne County, Pa., and in 1865 re- moved to Carbondale, where he now makes his home in Canaan Street. Throughout his entire active life, a period of more than fifty years, he has been in the employ of the Delaware & Hud- son Canal Company, and during much of this time has worked as a car builder for the Gravity road. Though now seventy-six years of age, he is still quite hale and strong. His father died when forty years of age, but his mother, Mrs. Betsy Dimock, is still living, at the advanced age of ninety-six. Our subject has in his pos- session a picture, with her as the head, repre- senting five generations.

By his marriage to Sarah Swackhamer, a na- tive of New Jersey, George D. Dimock had four sons and two daughters, namely: Benjamin, who is employed as car repairer for the Delaware & Hudson Company; William W., foreman on the Gravity road; Louisa, wife of Warren Ellis, of Carbondale; George H .; Emma, Mrs. John Copeland, of this city; and John W., who is en- gaged in the gents' furnishing business here. George H. was born in Wayne County, Pa., April 18, 1850, and in boyhood attended school a short time, but his mind was too active for the dull routine of text book work, and as soon as possible he entered the great world of activity. In October, 1865, he began to work on the Del- aware & Hudson Railroad and for four years was employed as brakeman on the Gravity road, after which he was fireman on the steam road for six years. He was then promoted to his present position of engineer.

In 1869 Mr. Dimock married Sarah Blanch- ard, who died in 1873, leaving two children: Charles E., who married Anna Norris and has three children, Bessie, Eleanor and Gladys; and Sarah E., who married Horace Frear and has one son, Carroll. In July, 1875, Mr. Dimock married Johanna Hunter, who was born in Ayr, Scotland, in October, 1853. She was brought to this country at the age of eleven years by her

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parents and grew to womanhood here, receiving an excellent education. She is a lady of broad information and kind heart, interested in charita- ble work and active in the Woman's Relief Corps. Five children were born of this union, of whom the eldest died in infancy, and the third, Albert, died at the age of four years and eight months. The others are William H., Mari- on E. and Margaret H., all of whom are in Car- bondale. The family attend the Presbyterian Church and are interested in all religious enter- prises.

The interest which Mrs. Dimock has shown in the Relief Corps and in all army matters is not unusual, when the fact of her father's pa- triotism is taken into consideration. Though not a native of this country, he was ever loyal to its welfare and aided in preserving its identity as a Union. In October, 1862, he enlisted in the service and was assigned to General Banks' division. From that time onward he saw much hard service, both upon the battle field and in long and forced marches. In the most perilous positions, however, his courage never failed him. He was a true soldier, strong to fight beneath the folds of the old flag. At last, ere yet victory had perched upon the banners of the Union, he gave his life for the sake of the cause he loved so well, dying at Salisbury, N. C., where he was held prisoner by the Confederates, January 29, 1865. He was one of the truest soldiers that the One Hundred and Sixty-second New York Infantry gave to the service, and his name de- serves to be placed among those of our martyr patriots.

H ENRY J. & FREDERICK KUNZ, com- posing the firm of Kunz Brothers, are contractors and builders at Jessup, where they have excellent facilities for carrying on their business successfully. In 1893 the senior mem- ber of the firm came to this place from Scranton, where he had been engaged as a contractor, and later he was joined here by his brother, the two founding the business which has since grown rapidly and assumed large. proportions. Though possessing ability as architects, they have not

as yet entered that line of business, but in fu- ture years will doubtless add it to contracting.

The Kunz family originated in Germany, in which country Jacob, the father of our subjects, was born and reared. At the age of twenty- seven, in 1855, he crossed the ocean, desiring to establish his home in America. Since then he has been a resident of Lackawanna County, and while he has not accumulated wealth, he is well- to-do, with sufficient property to enable him to live in retirement from active labor. He has held local offices and is now serving as assessor. His marriage to Magdalena Hartman resulted in the birth of nine children, of whom six are living, namely: Mrs. Mary Luther, of Jessup; Mrs. Catherine Reisig, whose home is in Scranton; Frederick and Henry J .; Mrs. Lottie Truss, of Scranton, and Jacob.

The older of the brothers, Fred, was born in Scranton August 7, 1864, and received a public- school education. In early boyhood he worked at unloading coal, running errands and doing odd jobs, after which he served an apprentice- ship to the carpenter's trade, working on passen- ger coaches and sleepers for the Delaware, Lack- awanna & Western Railroad. On the conclusion of his term as an apprentice he began work as a house carpenter, for which he possessed natural ability. In 1894 he came to Jessup and bought out a former partner of his brother, with whom he formed the present partnership. He mar- ried Annie Sprandle and they have had two children, one deceased, and Fred H. In local elections he is independent and casts his ballot for the man whom he considers best qualified to represent the people in the office, but in national elections he always votes the Democratic ticket. Fraternally he is identified with the Heptasophs.

Henry J. Kunz was born in Scranton August 26, 1866, and in youth learned the cigarmaker's trade, but it was not congenial, and he turned his attention to tinning, plumbing and roofing, in which he is an expert. Afterward he acquired a knowledge of the carpenter's trade, and after working at it in Scranton, came to Jessup and formed a partnership with Charles W. Swick, whom his brother bought out. After the death of his first wife, who was Anna Freehorn, he

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married Nettie Wickham, and they had two children, Carl, deceased, and Raymond Henry William. In politics he adheres to no party, but is independent in his views.

R OBERT VON STORCH. The von Storch family, wherever known, has always made a good record, its members being promi- nent in public life and of that liberal and pro- gressive spirit which leads them to interest them- selves in the general welfare of their communi- ty. They have rightly judged that only the spirit of selfishness will chain a man to his own affairs and that the best citizens are those who strive to secure the welfare of their fellowmen. Rob- ert von Storch possesses this family trait and in the city of Scranton is recognized as a useful citizen. During his active life he was a railroad man, but for some years he has lived retired, making his home in the residence which he erect- ed at No. 612 East Market Street.

In Providence, Scranton, the subject of this sketch was born November 1, 1844, the son of Ferdinand von Storch, of whom mention is made in the biography of C. S. von Storch on another page. Educated in the common schools, at the age of fifteen he became an employe of the Dela- ware & Hudson Company, and later was with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western as brake- man. In 1863 he volunteered, in response to the emergency call, as a member of Company H, Thirtieth Pennsylvania Militia, and from Camp Curtis went on a forced march toward Gettysburg, but was mustered out at Harrisburg, with his company. A few months later he en- listed in the construction corps under Dr. Haw- ley and did service in Tennessee, returning home in June of 1864, and resuming work with the Delaware & Hudson. In December of the same year he accompanied a construction corps to Goldsboro, Newbern and Raleigh, remaining in North Carolina until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged in June, 1865.

From the time of his return home until the spring of 1867, Mr. von Storch was with the Del- aware & Hudson, after which he went to Colo- rado and was employed in a mine near Denver

about one year. In August, 1869, he became a brakeman for the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, between Scranton and Wilkesbarre. Afterward he was made fireman, and in 1870 became an engineer between Carbondale and Plymouth, later having other runs. In 1887 he retired from the railroad, with the intention of devoting the remainder of his life to the manage- ment of his property and the enjoyment of home and friends. He was married in Scranton, Octo- ber 25, 1869, to Miss Belle Rogers, who was born in Exeter, Luzerne County, Pa., but spent her girlhood years in Wyoming County. Her father, Nelson Rogers, a son of Alexander Rog- ers, of Maine, was born in that state, but re- moved to Exeter, Pa., thence to Wyoming Coun- ty, where he made his home on a farm until his death, at the age of almost seventy years. He married Jane Durland, the daughter of a family well known in Orange County, N. Y., and a lady of noble character, a devoted wife, and an affec- tionate mother, ministering to the wants of her large family. Of her eleven children all but one are living, and two reside in Scranton, Mrs. Rob- ert and Mrs. Godfrey von Storch. The former is the mother of three children, Alice, Madge and Harry.

Fraternally Mr. von Storch retains member- ship in the Brotherhood of Locomotive En- gineers, and is a member of Hiram Lodge No. 261, F. & A. M. In the work of the Methodist Episcopal Church he has maintained a warm in- terest, striving both by example and precept to promote the cause of Christianity. While he has never desired public office, he is well informed in politics and has always been a stanch Re- publican.

M RS. LAURA M. DE WITT of Fell Township, a representative of a family of pioneers, possesses a more definite and reliable information of matters concerning the first settlement of this part of the county and of the events incident to that period, than any other person now living here. As a little girl, she listened to the tales of her grandfathers and grandmothers, and they made an indelible im-

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pression on her young mind. The stories of hardship, trial, transportation, perils from wolves, etc., are still fresh in her memory, and an accurate idea of the first settlement may be had by a conversation with her on the subject. She is a woman of more than ordinary intelli- gence, grew to womanhood in this vicinity, was educated and taught school here, and has al- ways made her home in this locality. At this writing she is now living on the old homestead, although for some years she was away from it.

The grandfather of our subject, Daniel Wede- man, was a soldier in the Revolution and be- came an early settler of Providence, this coun- ty. A man of considerable ability, he had much to do with the formation of society and was largely instrumental in setting in motion the se- ries of events which culminated later in the for- mation of local government and social organiza- tion. With a general knowledge of the law, his advice was often sought in legal matters. For a man of his day and generation, he was ex- ceptionally well educated and spoke seven dif- ferent languages, which enabled him to attend to the wants of all nationalities.

Charles H. Wedeman, father of Mrs. de Witt, was born near Albany, N. Y., on the Hud- son, and came to this county in 1799 with his father, who was the first settler in the town of Providence. In Fell Township he engaged in farming and milling, owning a saw mill and hav- ing large lumber interests in this county. He was among the first to make use of coal here, taking it out of the side of the mountain for his own use and that of his neighbors as they slow- ly came and settled from various parts of the country. He died in 1865 at the age of seventy- two.

The mother of our subject, Ruth, was a daugh- ter of Franklin B. Aylesworth and a granddaugh- ter of David Aylesworth. The latter was born in Vermont, removed to Rhode Island and thence came to this county. During the Revo- lution he served for seven years as a minute man and afterwards received a pension until his death. For a time he was a sailor, but spent much of his life on a farm. In 1798 he made settle- ment in Carbondale Township and brought his

family here in 1804. He made three trips from Rhode Island on horseback, with no companion but his old Revolutionary musket. Having made a beginning here and started a clearing, he built a log cabin. February 4, 1804, he started with his family from Rhode Island, with two four-horse sleighs. Going over the route before, he had blazed the way, marking from time to time a tree, which served as a guide to the new country. There were no roads, traveling was slow and sometimes difficult, and frequently they were obliged to make their way with axe and muscle. Finally, via Wayne County, they reached their destination. David Aylesworth died near Carbondale in 1835.

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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 24

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