Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 29

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 29
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 29

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In April, 1891, the Dime Deposit and Discount

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Bank was organized with James P. Dickson as president, but the resignation of that gentleman was followed by Mr. Breck's election to the posi- tion. The Dime Bank Building, where business is transacted, is one of the finest office buildings in the city and is centrally located. The bank was organized with a capital stock of $100,000, paid up, and there is now a surplus of $42,000, while since 1892 quarterly dividends of one and one-half per cent have been declared. A large business is carried on, both in the savings and business department. Mr. Breck assisted in the organization of the Eureka Cash Register and Paragon Plaster Companies, in both of which he is a director, and he is also interested in coal properties.

Elected on the Democratic ticket the first city controller of Scranton, Mr. Breck served for three years, then declined renomination. In 1892 he was a state elector for the Democratic party and in the campaign of 1896 upheld the cause of the "sound money" Democracy. For some time he was a director in the Lackawanna Trust & Safe Deposit Company, but resigned in 1893. As a member of the Scranton City Property Company, he has assisted largely in the develop- ment of property in the southern part of the city. At one time he was interested in the Pawnee Coal Company, that sold a large number of building lots on the south side. Afterward he aided in the organization of the Scranton City Cottage Company and was one of its most active workers. He was interested in locating the first silk mill here and the steel mill now owned by the Lacka- wanna Iron & Steel Company. In April, 1869, he married Mary Duer, daughter of John K. Duer, United States Navy, of New York. Three children were born of that union, of whom the only one living is Duer du Pont Breck, a resi- dent of New York. In May, 1892, Mr. Breck married his present wife, Mrs. Anna E. Beck- with.

In personal appearance Mr. Breck is imposing and dignified, and in character upright and hon- orable. His judgment is sound and, when once formed, is firm. Identified with the history of Scranton through its most eventful years, he has contributed to its growth and the development of

its property interests, and has maintained the deepest interest in its progress. In the law he is well versed, familiar with the principles of wise statesmanship and public policy, possessing a mind that is analytical, keen and judicious, and a temperament admirably fitted for the legal pro- fession.

C HARLES W. ROBERTS, who is recog- nized as one of the prominent Homeopa- thic physicians not only of Scranton but of northeastern Pennsylvania as well, was born at Salisbury Mills, Orange County, N. Y., Janu- ary 26, 1848, and is a son of Solomon B. and Sarah (Lyons) Roberts, natives of Newburgh, N. Y., and Connecticut, respectively. His paternal grandfather died on a farm in Wyoming County, Pa., when about eighty-eight years of age. He had five brothers who came from New York and settled on the Roberts tract in Wyoming County, now owned mostly by Everhart, a portion being known as Everhart's Island. One of the uncles was killed in the Wyoming massacre and after- ward the others returned to New York State. Their land, which was sold for taxes, is now worth millions on account of the discovery of "black diamonds" there. Our subject's great- grandmother attained the age of one hundred and two and his grandmother lived to be one hundred and four, both dying in Orange County, N. Y.

Reared in Orange County, Solomon B. Rob- erts engaged in the manufacture of carriages and in fancy blacksmithing at Washingtonville. He shod all of Robert Bonner's horses and at one time had Abdallah in his possession. In 1857 he moved to a farm in Russell Hill, Wyoming County, where he became the pioneer of the fancy stock farmers in the northeastern part of the state. In 1859, when he and his wife were returning from a carriage trip into New York and were within one-half mile of their home, she was accidentally drowned, and, on account of the ice and high water, her body was not found until the next spring at Wilkesbarre. The shock of her accidental death so disheartened her hus- band that he disposed of his property in Penn-

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sylvania and went back to New York, where he spent his remaining years in Chester and Flor- ida. He died in the latter village at the age of seventy-eight. Identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, he was a local exhorter and prominent worker in his denomination, and served almost continuously as Sunday-school su- perintendent.

The mother of our subject was a cousin of Gen- eral Lyons, who was killed in Missouri. Her parents were prominent in their locality in Con- necticut, and her brother, Henry, was a large and successful investor in real estate in Cleveland, Ohio. She was a Methodist in her religious faith and was a woman of noble character and consistent life. Her death occurred when she was forty-eight years of age. Of her fourteen children seven daughters and two sons are liv- ing. The oldest son, Albert W., who was in the government employ as engineer on the famous run from Chattanooga to Norfolk, bearing am- munition to General Sherman, was killed in a railroad accident on the old Midland road in New York in 1873. Solomon was with the flagship "Roanoke" for two years and then re-enlisted, but was never afterward heard of.

Reared in Orange County until ten years of age, our subject then accompanied his parents to Pennsylvania. When the Civil War broke out he was a mere lad, but patriotic impulses led him to enlist; however, he was rejected on account of not being the required height. In 1860 he came to Scranton, where he attended the academy for six months. Later he worked until he had enough money to pay his tuition at Herring's Business College, which he entered, graduating from the first class. He then joined a brother-in-law in Philadelphia, and it was while there that he enlist- ed on the one hundred days' emergency call in the Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania infantry. Afterward he went to Middletown, N. Y., where he was first with Albert Bull, wholesale and retail druggist, and then employed in J. Erskine Mills' drug store three years. His next position was with Boericke & Taffell, the largest homeopathic drug manufacturers in New York City and Phil- adelphia, with whom he remained for two years, opening their pharmacy in Washington, D. C.

Later, while in charge of their Walnut Street, Philadelphia, pharmacy, he attended the College of Anatomy & Surgery, from which he gradu- ated. He also took two courses in Columbia University medical department at Washington, after which he entered the Hahnemann College, Philadelphia, and graduated there in 1889, with the degree of M. D. He then purchased the pharmacy owned by his former employer and opened an office at Ninth and K Streets, where he practiced his profession and managed the store until 1892, selling out at that time on ac- count of the climate.

Alive to everything that pertains to his profes- sion, Dr. Roberts is connected with the Ameri- can Institute of Homeopathy, the Washington Medical Society, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Homeopathic Medical Society; the Homeopathic Clinical Society of Scranton, of which he was the originator and the first president; and the Inter- State Homeopathic Medical Society, which meets semi-annually at Binghamton, and of which he was the first vice-president and the second presi- dent. Before these organizations he has at vari- ous times read papers upon important topics. While in Washington he was connected with dif- ferent hospitals and dispensaries, thus gaining the practical experience that prepared him for active and successful practice. His office is in the Board of Trade Building, and his residence at No. 638 Washington Avenue. Politically he is a Republican, and religiously a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was married in Mid- dletown to Miss Mary Dunning, who was born and educated in. New York City.

C HARLES E. RETTEW. The family of which this well known resident of Car- bondale is a representative has long been identified with the history of America, and suc- cessive generations by their patriotic spirit and successful lives have made the name respected and honored. The first of the family to come to America was the great-grandfather of Charles E., a native of Wales, who secured a large tract of land from William Penn and established his home in the then wilderness of Chester County. Three

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times married, by each union he had two chil- dren. Little is known of his personal character- istics, but it may safely be assumed that he was a man of great energy, fearless disposition and strength of will, else he would not have left his native land and braved the hardships of life amid adverse surroundings.

The grandfather of our subject, Charles Ret- tew, was born in Chester County, Pa., and in ad- dition to cultivating a farm kept a country hotel that was situated on his place. His son, Robert, also a native of Chester County, was born July 16, 1816, and throughout life engaged in farming, at various times holding local offices of trust. He died at his home place June 1, 1894. The mother of our subject, Phoebe Ann, was born in Berks County, Pa., September 13, 1824, and died in Chester County December 4, 1885. In reli- gious belief she was identified with the Baptist Church. She was a daughter of Benjamin Smith, who came of an old Quaker family, but left that faith and united with the Baptist Church; he married a Miss Bailey, residing near Danville, who was a member of a family noted for long- evity, one of her brothers dying at the age of one hundred and eight, another at one hundred and three, and a third when ninety-six.

The family of Robert and Phoebe A. Rettew consists of six children, namely: Charles E., the eldest; Smith B., who is connected with the ma- chine works in Wilmington, Del .; Robert F., a machinist in Baltimore; Jacob, a carpenter in Philadelphia; Sarah E., wife of Leonard Fresh- colm, a farmer in Chester County; and Martha J., whose husband, Alfred Geiger, is a farmer in Berks County, though previous to his marriage engaged in teaching school. The early years of our subject were spent in Lancaster County, Pa., where he was born May 14, 1847. At the age of eigliteen he started out to make his own way in life, working at first for fifty cents per day. He entered the service of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad as an apprentice. After serving his ap- prenticeship he worked there as a journeyman for some timc and might have continued with the company many years, but his friend and fellow- apprentice, George Britton, who had gone to the war and returned in 1865, subsequently met with

a series of misfortunes, amongst others long sick- ness occasioned by the loss of one of his eyes by an accident in the shops. When the men were put on half time through scarcity of work, Mr. Rettew generously and voluntarily gave up his position in order that his friend might work full time, and thus be enabled to recuperate his losses and help a widowed mother. He did not see his friend again for ten years, and then but once, as soon afterward he was accidentally killed in the railroad yards in Philadelphia.

· Mr. Rettew filled successively the positions of fireman with the Lehigh Valley road, locomotive engineer on that road, the Baltimore & Ohio, and the Morris & Essex, foreman in machine shops of the Long Island Railroad, passenger engineer on the same road for one year, engineer in charge of Long Island City improvements, and foreman for five years in erecting the shops of the Bald- win locomotive works in Philadelphia, after which he spent six months in traveling for the same works. Later for a time he was in charge of the rolling stock and machine shops of the Mexican and Morrellos Railroad in Mexico.

December 1, 1885, Mr. Rettew came to Car- bondale, where he has since held the position of master mechanic of the Pennsylvania Division of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad and of the locomotive shops. His entire active life having been spent in the railroad business, he is thor- oughly familiar with every detail of its different branches. He is a hard worker, a careful man- ager, and very popular with the army of men in his employ. In addition to his duties in connec- tion with the railroad, he is interested in some local enterprises, and is president of the Sperl Heater Company, an extensive manufacturing concern. Fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias and a Knights Templar Mason. In 1873 he mar- ried Alice Card, daughter of a prominent con- tractor of Easton, Pa. They have four children: Charles H., who is connected with the Van Ber- gen Company, Limited; Robert Stanley, who is employed in the Miners & Mechanics Bank; George Burnham, and Anna Grace, who are at- tending school.

In 1889 the Republican friends of Mr. Rettew determined to run him for mayor of Carbondale.

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There was but little hope of his election, for two score years had passed since a Republican had been successful in winning that office, but he ac- cepted the nomination. His personal popularity among the workingmen of the city, as well as the better classes of both parties, gave him the elec- tion by a good-sized majority. It is said that he was one of the best mayors the city has ever had. During his adminstration of three years many of the present substantial improvements were made. The city hall was commenced, as well as other improvements that added much to the place. To this position he carried the same spirit of industry that has ever characterized him. Both in public and private life he is exact, methodical and judi- cious, and has guarded well the best interests of his fellow citizens and town.

G EDGAR DEAN, M. D. Through study in the best institutions of this country and abroad, Dr. Dean has acquired a broad fund of professional knowledge that en- titles him to front rank among the specialists, not only of Scranton, but the entire state as well. He has been very suceessful in the treatment of dis- eases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, and in addition to his private practice in these branches, holds the position of oculist to Lackawanna Hos- pital.

In North Abington Township, Lackawanna (then Luzerne) County, Pa., the subject of this article was born, October 27, 1853, and is the youngest son of Isaae D. and Polly (Heermans) Dean. His father, who engaged in farm pursuits and also in the lumber and meat business, came to Providence about 1868 and has since lived here in retirement. He was a son of James Dean, and further information concerning the family may be found in the sketch of W. A. Dean, pre- sented elsewhere.

The next to the youngest of six children, Dr. Dean was reared in his native place until fourteen years of age, after which he resided in Scranton and attended the Providence high school, then studied in Starkey's Seminary on Seneca Lake, New York, for two and one-third years. After- ward he went to Minnesota and taught school in

Janesville, Waseca County, then spent a few months at Junction City, Kan., and for one year at Ft. Edward Collegiate Institute on the Hud- son. In the fall of 1874 he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied for three years, graduating in March, 1877, with the degree of M. D. During the summer months he spent his time in Phila- delphia studying with his preceptors and in vari- ous hospitals. For thirteen months after gradu- ating he was resident physician to the Protestant Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia. Overwork resulted in nervous prostration and spinal con- gestion, which obliged him to cease his profes- sional labors for about two years, until he be- came strong enough to resume.

In the fall of 1880 Dr. Dean opened an office in Scranton, where he engaged in general prac- tice until 1887, giving special attention to the diseases of the eye and ear, and since then has devoted his time exclusively to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. In 1883 he was elected county coroner on the Republican ticket by a majority of seven hundred and forty-five, the largest majority ever developed for a Republican candidate up to that date. He served in that capacity until January, 1887. In May, 1887, he went to Europe for the purpose of special study and travel, and took lecture courses in Vienna, Berlin, Heidelberg and Stuttgart, also visited hospitals in other places. He was present at the Queen's jubilee in London, the sixteenth eentury celebration in Amsterdam, the Pope's jubilee in Rome, and the burial of Kaiser William in Ber- lin, returning home on the "Etruria," that made the best record for speed ever reached up to that time. On his return to Scranton he began prac- tice as an oculist, aurist and laryngologist, and now has a large practice, his office being at No. 616 Spruce Street.

While in Berlin, Dr. Dean formed the ac- quaintance of the lady whom he married in Scranton April 16, 1889. She was Miss Jo- sephine Ginsberg, daughter of Adolph Gins- berg, a silver and gold refiner of Berlin. Dr. and Mrs. Dean are members of the Second Presbyterian Church and Reformed Episcopal Church, respectively. He has important profes-

ANDREW MITCHELL.

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sional connections, being identified with the Physicians' Club, Lackawanna County Medical Society, State Medical Association, American and Pan-American Medical Societies. Before these various organizations he has read papers pertaining to his specialties, and has also fre- quently contributed articles to the "Ophthalmic Record." A number of these have been reprinted in pamphlet form for distribution among the pro- fession, two of the most important and complete being "Every Day Muscle-test Work, with Ex- planation of the Best Light and Apparatus," and "The Etiology and Early Management of Glau- coma." In the former is contained an explana- tion of his adaptation of electric light for use in connection with the hand phorometer. His opin- ions on every phase of the subjects of which he has made a specialty are regarded with respect by the profession and have been of the greatest benefit to others whose advantages in study have been less than his. He is a successful specialist, a man of broad intellect and keen insight, who has attained prominence solely through his un- aided exertions in his chosen profession.

A NDREW MITCHELL, a retired business man of Carbondale, is the last survivor of a family of sixteen children. He was born November 22, 1831, in Grangemouth, Stirling- shire, Scotland, where his father, Michael Mitch- ell, carried on the business of ship joiner and builder. Among the many contracts executed by him was the cabin and paddles of the "Charlotte Dundas," or "Old Comet" as some called it, built at the Carron Iron Works by Symington, and which was used to draw ships along the Forth and Clyde Canal, but the washing away of the banks by the violent agitation of the water, created by the paddles, caused its withdrawal, and its being laid up at Lock 16, near Falkirk, for many years. Here Robert Fulton visited it and took drawings of its machinery which he carried with him to America and made use of in the construction of the celebrated "Clermont." Mr. Mitchell fre- quently visited the old boat during the years of his childhood.

At the age of twenty-one years, accompanied

by his widowed mother and youngest sister, he came to New York and shortly after went to the island of Cuba, where he remained twelve years. There he took charge of some of the largest sugar plants, drawing out plans for and overseeing the erection of all the machinery required in that business, giving such complete satisfaction that he commanded the highest salary the island af- forded, and which was not a small one. While there he had yellow fever, which nearly proved fatal, as it had some years before to a brother in the island of Jamaica. On one occasion he was one of five white men on a plantation with one thousand negroes. The latter had planned an uprising to take place at midnight, when the white men were to be assassinated; the plot was discovered and ten minutes before the time the Spanish cavalry from the nearest garrison rode in like a whirlwind and seized the ringleaders, which was the first intimation Mr. Mitchell had of his danger. On another occasion he, with a brother-in-law, had gone over to the small town of Miryel, from the estate of Miryel which be- longed to the old Spanish general, Picero. While paying for some articles purchased he incautious- ly pulled from his pocket a handful of gold coins. While replacing them he noticed there were sev- eral evil-looking men lounging around. They had left the town but a short distance when the clat- tering of hoofs behind told them they were pur- sued. Intuitively divining the cause, they put spurs to their horses and fortunately took the right hand road, which skirted one side of an im- passable morass, while their pursuers, just miss- ing them at the cross roads, struck off on the left. At one point pursued and pursuers came in sight of each other, when the latter raised their arms and shook their machetes, or large knives, at the former, thereby letting them know what they might expect when they could lay hands on them, but providentially they reached the con- fines of the Miryel estate first and the others were afraid to follow. Had there been a Spaniard of the estate with them, as there always had been previously, they would not have been disturbed, but being alone they were considered fit objects of plunder and consequently of murder also, for these descendants of pirates in those days were

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not willing to work hard enough to make an hon- est living, where nature made it very easy for them to do so, and looked upon the possessor of gold as their lawful prey and fully believed that "dead men told no tales."

The General Picero before mentioned insisted that Queen Victoria had not a better appointed table than his, which Mr. Mitchell did not doubt, for every obtainable epicurean delicacy of the world was on it. One day he exhibited with pride to Mr. Mitchell a rarity which the latter did not greatly appreciate, as it was only a fine specimen of a common apple, but very uncommon there. The old general carefully cut it into dice form and passed it around the large table that all might have a taste. The last large importation of slaves from Africa arrived at Estate Alava while Mr. Mitchell was there, for slaves were sometimes smuggled into the island even at this date, in spite of the international law existing to the con- trary. He tells many other interesting anecdotes of his life in Cuba.

In 1865 Mr. Mitchell settled in Carbondale, where he had frequently visited before, and en- tered into partnership with the late John Stuart in his foundry on Seventh Avenue. He soon afterward sold out his interest in the business and with the late John Gorman and Joseph Alex- ander bought part of the land between Salem Avenue and the City Park which had been, short- ly before, completely swept over by one of the large fires with which Carbondale used to be afflicted. After selling off lots in Main Street and Salem Avenue, the Keystone Block was erected under his personal supervision. Half of this block belongs to him, as does also the Globe store, and one-half of the Opera House block.

September 5, 1866, Mr. Mitchell was united in marriage with Miss Mary H. Jeffrey (whose father was Alexander G. Douglas, of Paisley, Scotland, but her parents separating shortly before her birth, and her mother resuming her own name, she was adopted by her maternal uncle, Andrew Jeff- rey). This union resulted in the birth of five sons and six daughters, viz .: Miguel Douglas; Christi- na May, now the wife of H. H. Major (they have two children, Helen Eudora and Andrew Mitch- ell); Andrew Jeffrey; Marguerite Muirhead, now

the wife of Frank M. Garney, of Kingston, Lu- zerne County; Robert Duncan; Helen Ada; Alexander McLeod; Virginia Cassells, who died in infancy; Isabella Wyllie, Florida Fowler and Donald Clyde.

In 1870 Mr. Mitchell bought, from Stephen Torry, land in the eastern part of the city of Car- bondale, partly fronting on Canaan Street. This he laid out in lots, with two good streets and an alley. These lots sold quickly and on the greater portion of them he erected substantial homes for the purchasers, giving them all the time they wished to pay for them; he also built a large planing mill, thereby giving to the city of Car- bondale $50,000 worth of taxable property on what was before waste common. This planing mill, which did a large business, was struck by lightning on the 2d of July, 1885, and completely wiped out, together with the lumber yard, sheds and contents, involving a loss of $12,000, with no insurance. Neat homes now occupy the site. Mr. Mitchell is proud of the fact that he has helped a great many men to get homes for them- selves and that he never oppressed any one of them for payment. He has served one term in the select council, but refused nomination for a second term. He also refused nomination for mayor, and while thoroughly appreciating the esteem of his fellow citizens, preferred a quiet home life. The Andrew Mitchell Hose Company is named after him and it has established such a good reputation as a fire extinguisher, and is composed of such fine specimens of young man- hood that he is justly proud of the honor.

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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 29

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