Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 25

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 25
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 25

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Franklin B. Aylesworth, who was born in Rhode Island, made this trip, accompanied by his wife and two children, Ruth and Elizabeth (the former the mother of Mrs. Laura M. de WVitt), and after reaching this county engaged in farming until his death, at seventy-eight years. His wife died when seventy-nine. Their grand- child, our subject, was born in Blakely Town- ship, July 15, 1844. By her former marriage to Stephen Williams, a farmer, our subject's moth- er had five children, of whom two are living, Joseph and Mrs. Mary Anderson. By his first marriage, our subject's father had three sons and one daughter, of whom two are living, Ebenezer, of Greenfield Township, and Solomon, of Car- bondale Township. Mary (Locke) Aylesworth, our subject's grandmother, was born in Glas- gow, Scotland, the daughter of a Scotch clergy- man, and came to this country in girlhood; she was one of the best informed women in this lo- cality and was remarkably active and intelligent.

March 27, 1872, Laura M. Aylesworth be- came the wife of Charles J. de Witt, a direct lineal descendant of French Huguenots who suf- fered persecution during the religious troubles in France. After her marriage she moved to Kingston, from there went to Pittston, and sub- sequently returned to the old homestead which her father gave her. Her two daughters are Bertha U., an accomplished young lady and suc- cessful teacher, and Blanche R. Mr. de Witt's great-grandfather, Jolin, was premier in Hol- land, and came to America with seven of his

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sons, who settled mainly in Pennsylvania and New York. From them have come the de Witts of the United States, many of whom have been persons of distinction and interesting historical characters. Mr. de Witt was one of twelve chil- dren born to the union of John and Julia (Albert) de Witt, of whom seven are living, namely: Mrs. Huldah Jackson; Andrew; Ziba, living in New York; James, of Kingston; John, whose home is in Wilkesbarre; Mary, of Scranton; and Charles J.

It is said that when the Aylesworth family started on the long journey from Rhode Island to Pennsylvania, our subject's grandmother wanted to bring many things that would prove useful in a new country, but was prevented from doing so by her husband, who knew the difficul- ties in the way, and the necessity of having as little luggage and weight as possible. However, she smuggled in a looking glass, which is now in the possession of Mrs. de Witt, and is a valued relic. She also took some flat irons, which for years were the only ones in the valley and were called into service far and near, whenever a dress or other garment was to be ironed. Mrs. de Witt remembers well riding with her father, when he got out of the wagon and picked for her some lilies from a pond, situated where now stands the court house in Scranton. Of the changes that have since been wrought she has been an interested eye witness, and as a member of a pioneer family, justly holds a high place among the people of the township.

H ON. JOHN P. KELLY. The biographies of successful men who, without the influ- ence of wealth or the prestige of family, have attained to positions of usefulness and honor serve the two-fold purpose of encouraging the young and paying a well merited compliment to the man himself. Both as an attorney-at-law and public official, Mr. Kelly has met with flattering success, and by hard work and diligent effort has deservedly won the position he now holds among the citizens of Scranton.

The subject of this sketch is the youngest of five children, one of whom, William, is president

of the Casey & Kelly Brewing Company of Scran- ton. The parents, John and Ellen (Downey) Kelly, resided for a time in Dickson City, where the latter died. About 1850 the father came to Scranton and secured employment in the brick yards of the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company, but later went to Olyphant, where he engaged in the manufacture of brick. At this writing he is proprietor of a hotel in Providence. John P. was born in Olyphant, January 30, 1862, accom- panied his parents from there to Dickson City and in 1873 came to Scranton, where he gradu- ated from the high school six years later. He began the study of law with A. H. Winton and J. B. Collings of Scranton, being admitted to the bar here in the spring of 1883.

In the fall of the same year Mr. Kelly entered the office of John F. Connelly, district attorney, as his assistant, which position he filled for three years. From that time until January 1, 1888, he engaged in practice alone, since which he has been in partnership with Joseph O'Brien. In the fall of 1888, on the Democratic ticket, he was nominated to represent the first district of Lacka- wanna County in the state legislature and was elected by three hundred majority, with the dis- tinction of being the only Democratic representa- tive from this district. While in the house he served on the judiciary, general and election com- mittees, and rendered able service in behalf of his constituents. Among the bills he introduced was one providing an appropriation for the oral school for deaf mutes in Scranton; also one pro- viding, in cases of contested elections for any county or judicial office, that the party receiving the highest number of votes on the face of the returns should receive commission and discharge the duties of the office until such time as the con- test was decided. This bill became a law and has proved highly beneficial.

On the Democratic ticket, Mr. Kelly was in 1891 elected district attorney, which office he filled until January, 1895. In 1894 he was again the candidate for the position, but in the general "landslide" of his party suffered defeat. While occupying this position, he convicted Frank Bezek, the first man who was convicted of murder in the first degree in the county, but the board of

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pardons commuted the sentence to life imprison- ment. At the end of his term of office he re- sumed practice, and has since been actively en- gaged in professional duties, having his office in Mears Building. He was married in this city to Miss Theresa E., daughter of the late D. B. Brainard, formerly proprietor of St. Charles Hotel. Two children have been born to the union, Louise and Marion.

M AJ. EVERETT WARREN. This influ- ential citizen of Scranton traces his an- cestry to illustrious forefathers, who took an active part in the early history of our country. The family history in America can be traced back to 1659, when the name of Peter Warren appears on the town records of Boston as a mariner. The most famous man that the family has given to the nation was Gen. Joseph Warren, who was born in Roxbury, Mass., June II, 1741, and died in the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775.

General Warren graduated from Harvard College in 1759, and the following year was ap- pointed master of the Roxbury school. He studied medicine with Dr. James Lloyd and began the practice of his profession in 1764. The passage of the stamp act the next year led him to publish several able articles in the "Boston Ga- zette," and brought him into prominence as one of the supporters of the American cause. He was chairman of the committee on safety, also served as president of the provincial congress that met at Watertown May 31, 1775, and thus became the chief executive officer of Massachu- setts under the provincial government. June 14 he was chosen major-general of the Massachu- setts forces and three days later he was at Bunker Hill. It is said that both General Putnam and General Prescott successively signified their readiness to take orders from him, but he re- fused, and in the final struggle when he was en- deavoring to rally the militia, he was struck in the head by a musket-ball and instantly killed.

Isaac Warren, our subject's grandfather, who by collateral descent was a relative of Gen. Jo- seph Warren, was born at Long Meadow, Mass.,

and was enrolled for the War of 1812, but did not participate in any active engagement. A shoemaker by trade, he followed that occupa- tion at Bethany, near New Haven, Conn. In those days shoes were uniformly worn by men, and he originated the first calf skin boots ever manufactured; they at once became popular and he was kept constantly busy in filling orders. His last years were spent at Goshen, Conn., where he died at the age of about sixty-three.

The marriage of Isaac Warren united him with Leonora Perkins, who was born in Bethany, Conn., of English descent. Her father, Israel Perkins, was a farmer of Connecticut and pos- sessed broad-information on almost every subject, his advice being in consequence sought by the people of his neighborhood. He married Mili- cent Judd, a member of an old Connecticut fami- ly. She was an industrious woman, of noble Christian character and a member of the Episco- palian Church. Her death occurred, during the Civil War, at the age of ninety-eight. One of her brothers was hid in a well for forty-eight hours, when the Tories came from Long Island to Connecticut, and in that way he escaped un- harmed. Later he became a brave fighter and received severe injuries while in skirmishes with the British.

Mrs. Leonora Warren died in Scranton, at eighty-seven years. Of her seven children we note the following: Israel Perkins died in Port- land, having given his early years to the preach- ing of the Gospel and his latter days to the edit- ing of a religious newspaper; William Edwin, who began as a bookkeeper, was connected first with the New York & Erie road, then became secretary and treasurer of the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western, afterward was engaged by A. T. Stewart and other prominent men of New York as an expert accountant, and finally died in New York, his home, however, being in New- burgh; Harriet is married and lives in New Haven; Isaac Watts, a contractor and builder, died in Binghamton; Harris Franklin, father of our subject, was next in order of birth; Cornelia Ann, Mrs. Edwin Ives, resides in Wilkesbarre; George Frederick, a soldier in a cavalry regi- ment during the war, later transferred as an aide

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on Grant's staff upon request of that general, is now a farmer and nurseryman in Harvard, Clay County, Neb.

Born in Bethany, Conn., March 10, 1824, Har- ris Franklin Warren moved with a brother to Newburgh, N. Y., about 1838, and there for a year attended the high school. In 1843 he was employed as bookkeeper for a large wholesale establishment in Detroit, Mich. Three years later he married Mary Ann Stroud, a native of England, and an adopted daughter of his em- ployer, Reuben Towne. In 1848 he left the em- ploy of Mr. Towne and engaged as bookkeeper for the wholesale mercantile house of Zach Chandler & Co., of which he became the junior partner in 1850. His wife having meantime died of cholera, in 1850 he married Miss Marion Mar- gery Griffin, who was born near Utica, N. Y., a lineal descendant of Nathaniel Griffin, who was given a farm near Utica as remuneration for services in the Revolution. The deed for this property was signed by Washington and is still in possession of the family.

The climate resulting in ague and other com- plications injurious to his health, Harris F. War- ren accepted a position in Scranton as book- keeper for the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern car and machine shops. For almost ten years he was in poor health, but finally regained his strength and is now hale and hearty. Since the spring of 1854 he has been engaged in business in this city, but since 1890 he has resided at his country home in Dalton. During the war he re- sponded to the draft, but was rejected by the medical examiner. Politically he is a stanch Re- publican. He and his wife are the parents of three living children, namely: Josephine, Mrs. W. C. Bartlett, of Philadelphia; Annie Leaven- worth, wife of F. P. Price, a merchant of Scran- ton; and Everett, of this sketch.

In Scranton, to which city his father had re- moved some years previous, our subject was born August 27, 1859. He received his early education in the public schools, and in order to prepare himself for admission into college, he studied Latin and Greek in Merrill's academic school, paying for his tuition with his earnings as a carrier boy for the "Scranton Republican"

and subsequently for the "Scranton Times." Af- terward he was employed as clerk and office boy in the law office of A. H. Winton, later was with Hand & Post, and paid over three-fourths of his modest salary to Frank Bentley, who tutored him for Yale during evenings. Entering the University in 1877, he soon distinguished him- self in his literary and forensic studies and gradu- ated in 1881, with the degree of A. B.

Admitted to the bar in 1882, Mr. Warren form- ed a partnership with Hon. E. N. Willard under the firm name of Willard & Warren, to which in 1892 Judge H. A. Knapp was admitted as a third member. Mr. Willard having been appointed by Governor Hastings one of the new superior court judges in June, 1895, Major Warren be- came the head of the firm of Warren & Knapp, undoubtedly the leading law firm in his section of the state. In 1881 he enlisted as a private in Company A of the crack Thirteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, under Capt. (after- ward Lieut .- Gov.) Louis A. Watres. After three years of service in the ranks, he became sergeant- major, later adjutant, and finally judge advocate of the third brigade, with the rank of major on Gen. J. P. S. Gobin's staff. After a continuous service of more than ten years, he resigned as judge advocate in 1891, and withdrew from the Guard. The pressure of professional duties caused him to refuse the commission of colonel on Governor Hastings' staff, also that of judge advocate on Major-General Snowden's staff, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

When in 1887, in the old Chickering Hall in New York, there assembled the first convention of the newly organized National League of Re- publican Clubs, Major Warren was present as a delegate from the Central Republican Club of Scranton, together with Hon. Louis A. Watres, and in the subsequent election of national offi- cers, was the unanimous choice of the Pennsyl- vania delegation for treasurer. In April of the following year, when the State League was or- ganized at Lancaster by the election of Hon. Edwin S. Stuart of Philadelphia as president, Major Warren was chosen the first of three vice- presidents. In 1894 he was elected president by acclamation, and re-elected at York in 1895, re-

WILLIAM H. RICHMOND.

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tiring in 1896. He participated in the guberna- torial campaign following, actively in person and through the League organization. He is a mem- ber of the advisory cominittee of the National Republican League.

Fraternally Major Warren is connected with Peter Williamson Lodge, F. & A. M., Lacka- wanna Chapter, R. A. M., and Melita Com- mandery No. 68, K. T. In Scranton, May 31, 1883, he married Miss Ellen H., daughter of Hon. E. N. Willard, and they have three children, Marion Margery, Dorothy J. and Edward Wil- lard. In politics a Republican, he has been secre- tary of the county committee, chairman of the city committee, and member of advisory com- mittee of state committee. In 1896, at the state convention in Harrisburg, he was nominated presidential elector of the eleventh congressional district. In religious belief he is identified with St. Luke's Episcopal Church, in which he is ves- tryman. He is attorney for a number of impor- tant organizations, including the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; New Jersey Central; Lehigh Valley; Erie, and Erie & Wyoming Val- ley Railroads, Scranton Traction Company, Lackawanna Iron & Steel Company, Pennsyl- vania Coal Company, and others.

W ILLIAM H. RICHMOND. The Elk Hill Coal & Iron Company, of which Mr. Richmond is president and treas- urer, was incorporated in 1863 and has since be- come one of the most important industries of the kind in Lackawanna County, operating two col- lieries, with a capacity for shipment of four to five hundred thousand tons per annum. Richmond Colliery No. 3 is situated at Dickson City, near Scranton, and turns out superior anthracite coal of every size. Richmond Colliery No. 4, about five miles above Carbondale, was built in 1893, when a shaft was sunk to two veins of coal at a depth of two hundred and two hundred and twenty feet below the surface, over which was erected a steel tower, fifty-two feet square at the base, and one hundred and eighty-seven feet in height. At a height of one hundred and forty- nine feet, as the coal is raised from the mine, it

is discharged from the mine car and gravitates down a steel chute, two hundred and sixteen feet, to the breaker, which is a hundred feet high, and then sixty feet to the main crushing rolls. There is a distance of two hundred feet between the shaft and breaker, in order to comply with the mine law of the state for the safety of workmen. The culm and wastes of the colliery are taken away by a pressure blower and through an iron pipe ten inches in diameter. Shipments are made over the Richmondale branch of the New York, Ontario & Western road to the points of de- livery.

The president and manager of the Elk Hill Coal & Iron Company, to whom its success is largely due, is of New England birth, born in Marlborough, Hartford County, Conn., October 23, 1821. His father, William Wadsworth Rich- mond, was a native of Chatham, East Hampton Society, Conn., and for some time was a black- smith and foundryman at Marlborough, where he settled in 1820. In addition, he also engaged in farming. He died in that place May 31, 1843, at the age of forty-six years. His father, Dr. John Richmond, was born in West Brookfield, Mass., and in 1795 commenced the practice of his profession at Chatham, East Hampton So- ciety, Conn., continuing there until his death in 1821. Many students gained their first knowl- edge of medicine in his office and his son-in-law, Dr. Smith, succeeded to his practice. The mother of our subject, Clarissa Bailey, was born in Chathan), April 19, 1800, and died at Marlbor- ough, October 26, 1834. Of her five children the two eldest are living, William H. and Harriet Kingsbury, widow of the late George W. Cheney, of South Manchester, Conn. She was a daughter of Joshua Bailey, Jr., and Ruth Sears, the latter a daughter of Elkanah Sears, of the Sears geneal- ogy.

In boyhood the subject of this sketch received such educational advantages as the schools of his native towns afforded. These were usually in charge of men who had been educated in Ba- con Academy. For a time he attended a select school taught by the late Israel M. Bucking- ham, brother of a former governor of Connecti- cut. At the age of thirteen he left school and

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began to earn his livelihood. For three years he was employed by a merchant at Middle Had- dam, Conn., but after the panic of 1837 returned home and worked on the farm and in shops near by. In May, 1842, he became a clerk in the store of R. H. More, of Honesdale, Pa., where he re- mained for three years. In 1845 he began the mercantile business at Carbondale, Pa., under the firm name of Richmond & Robinson, becom- ing the sole owner in 1853, and for ten years he also manufactured sash, doors, blinds, coal cars, etc.

In January, 1860, Mr. Richmond commenced mining anthracite coal near Scranton under the firm name of Richmond & Co., having for part- ner Charles P. Wurts, late general superintend- ent of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. In 1863 the business was transferred to the Elk Hill Coal & Iron Company, with Mr. Wurts pres- ident, Mr. Richmond treasurer and manager. The following year, however, he became the owner of the principal part of the stock, and is now president, treasurer and manager. Con- nected with the business there are two stores. Mr. Richmond has bought goods continuously of the firm of Stone & Starr of New York and successors since 1845, and of the late firm of E. S. Jaffrey & Co., from 1850 until they went out of business in 1865.

Until recent years Mr. Richmond voted the Republican ticket and he is still in sympathy with the party regarding tariff and coinage, but the enormity of the liquor traffic and its accom- panying evils caused him to ally himself with the Prohibitionists. Since 1842 he has been identi- fied with the Presbyterian Church and is a lib- eral contributor to religious enterprises. During the war he was unable to enter active service, but aided the Union cause by means of a substitute. By his wife, formerly Lois R. Morss, he is the father of three living children, and two are de- ceased. The three daughters, Mary Roxana, Emeline K., and Clara M., received classical ed- ucations at Vassar College, from which the eldest graduated in the class of 1876. She is the wife of Frederick K. Tracy, formerly from Mansfield, Ohio, an attorney by profession, but now giving his time principally to the Elk Hill Coal & Iron

Company, of which he is vice-president. Mr. and Mrs. Tracy and their five children reside with Mr. Richmond. The family is one of the most prominent in the city and its members are wel- comed guests in the best society of the place.

F REDERICK G. VON STORCH, who is engaged in the livery and boarding stable business at Scranton, was born in Abing- ton Township, Lackawanna County, August 3, 1873, and is a son of George and Emma (Sher- man) von Storch, natives respectively of Provi- dence and Scott Township, this county. His grandfather, Ferdinand, was the oldest son of Henry L. C. von Storch, and was a farmer, own- ing that part of the old homestead which the Electric City Land & Improvement Company has since developed. There the most of his life was passed and there he closed his eyes in death. He and his wife reared a large family, number- ing eleven children, of whom George, choosing the occupation of an agriculturist, settled upon a farm in Abington Township and there remained until his death in 1874.

The maternal grandfather of our subject, Ja- cob Sherman, was an old settler of the county and a well known farmer of Scott Township. His daughter, Emma, after the death of her hus- band, took her children to Scott Township, where she reared them, caring for them until her death in 1883. Of the three children, two are living, Mrs. Della Newton of Scott Township and Fred- erick George of this sketch. The last named spent his boyhood years principally in Scott Township, and until the age of thirteen attended the public schools there, but at that time went to Peckville to make his home with his guard- ian, Dr. J. B. Sickler. During the two years spent there, he was a pupil in the schools of the place. Returning to Scott Township, he spent a year there, and then in 1889 came to Scranton and attended Wood's Business College. His first position here was in charge of the breakers of the West Ridge Coal Company, after which he engaged in teaming.

In May, 1895, Mr. von Storch purchased the livery business of C. L. Smith at No. 221 Oak-

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ford Court, where he has a three-story and base- ment building, 40x60, and carries on a general livery business. In the basement he has the feed and sale stables, twenty-six in number, while on the first and second floors are carriages, cabs and coupes, and on the third the sleighs. In politics he is strongly Republican and endorses the views of his party conscientiously, believing that they are the principles which constitute the well-being and safety of the country. He cheer- fully performs all the duties of a good citizen, and takes an active interest in all matters per- taining to the welfare of his community. A promising citizen, he has obtained a good start in life financially and by his business integrity has gained the confidence of his acquaintances.

M ICHAEL FLANNELLY resides in Fell Township, three and one-half miles from Carbondale, where, in partnership with his brother John, he owns a valuable property and is engaged in selling milk and ice. Their place is excellently adapted for the business and they have so improved the natural resources as to be able to secure an abundant quantity of fine ice at a minimum of expense. They are known throughout the township as energetic, industri- ous men, who merit success by their honest en- deavors.

The founder of the family in America was John Flannelly, our subject's father, who was born in County Mayo, Ireland, but emigrated to the United States and became one of the pio- neers of Carbondale, assisting in the early devel- opment of that place. During most of his life he was employed about the mines, at outside work. Though he worked hard, he never be- came well-to-do, and was not able to give his children the advantages he desired for them. He died here at the age of sixty-five years. His wife, who is still living, bore the maiden name of Mary McChale, and was born in County Mayo, Ireland. Of their nine children, seven are living, namely: Michael, Bridget, John, Patrick, Maria, Matthew and Jennie, all resi- dents of this county.

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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 25

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