Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 47

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 47
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 47

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

of the work he became foreman of a section, later was made outside foreman at Laurel Run and soon afterward was transferred in the same capacity to Baltimore colliery No. 3. After six months he resigned this position and came with Filer, Marsh & Reilly to the Oak Hill breaker, near Moosic.

Two years were spent there, after which Mr. Caryl was transferred to Spring Brook colliery at Moosic, and from there to a new breaker oper- ated by the same company. In 1886 he went to Forest City, Pa., as assistant superintendent of the Forest City and Clifford collieries, and re- mained there for nine years, resigning in 1894, after having been in the employ of the same com- pany for twenty-one years. In the year men- tioned he bought out the restaurant of M. J. Mitchell at No. 505 Linden Street, and this he remodeled and enlarged and has since conducted. In December, 1895, he accepted the position of superintendent of the Nay-Aug Coal Company in Dunmore, which had been in operation about a year and has a breaker, two slopes and one tunnel.

In Madrid, St. Lawrence County, Mr. Caryl married Miss Sylvia E. Stearns, who was born there, and died in Moosic, Pa. They had two children, namely: Ernest, who is with the Hill- side Coal & Iron Company; and Harry, at home. The second marriage of Mr. Caryl took place in Moosic, his wife being Miss Florence E. Dolph, a native of Spring Brook Township, Luzerne County, and a descendant of French ancestry, the family name having originally been DeWolf. Two daughters bless this union, Edna Dolph and Florence E. Mrs. Caryl was the fifth among ten children, of whom eight attained maturity and seven are living. She was reared in Spring Brook Township, and is a lady of good business qualifications, which fact is proved by her effi- cient management of the restaurant.

The father of Mrs. Caryl, Warren Dolph, was born in Blakely Township, this county, a son of Alexander Dolph, a native of Rhode Island, and a pioneer farmer of Blakely Township. Warren was in early life a farmer, later engaged in the lumber business in Luzerne County, and then re- turned to Moosic, where he is now living, at the'

407

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

age of seventy-six. He is an expert bee hunter, a splendid shot, and fond of hunting game. His wife, who is one year his junior, was Betsey A. Aylsworth, a native of Blakely Township, her father, Franklin Aylsworth, having come here from Rhode Island.

W ILLIAM THOMAS, master mechan- ic for William Connell & Co., at No. 1914 Cedar Avenue, Scranton, was

born in 1 Pontypool, Monmouthshire, South Wales (now England), May 24, 1836, the son of John and Jane (James) Thomas, natives of Nant-y-glo, Glamorganshire, and Pontypool, Monmouthshire, respectively. His paternal grandfather, William Thomas, who was a super- intendent of furnace, crossed the ocean at the age of ninety-one and until his death five years later made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Margaret Davis, who had settled at Merion Sta- tion, Montgomery County, Pa., about 1840. Our subject came to this country in June, 1865, but did not know the exact whereabouts of his rela- tives, and failed to find them until twenty years afterward.

The active life of John Thomas was principally passed as a master moulder in Pen Twyn, Mon- mouthshire, England, and he died in 1848, at the age of about forty years. His wife, who was a daughter of William James, a collier of Ponty- pool, joined her children in America and died at Minooka when seventy-four years old. Of her five children, three attained years of maturity: William; Mrs. Margaret Thomas, of Minooka; and Mrs. Catherine Seal, of Rendham, this coun- ty. The childhood years of our subject were passed in Pontypool until he was nine years of age, when, in 1845, he accompanied his father to Rouen, France, and remained there and in Le Havre de Grace until the Revolution of 1848. In the fall of the same year his father died at Wat- ford near London, where he had been employed as master moulder.

The poverty of the family obliged our subject to begin to earn his livelihood at a very early age, and for six years he was engaged as a work- man in machine shops, where he learned the en- gineer's trade. In 1865 he took passage on the

steamer, "Kangaroo," at Liverpool and arrived in New York after a voyage of fourteen days, proceeding from there to Danville, Montour County, Pa. After a year there, in 1866 he went to Minooka as an employe of Hon. William Con- nell, with whom he has since remained. For four days he was a laborer in the old Stafford mines and was there noticed by Mr. Connell, who said he had a more responsible position for an en- gineer and so gave him employment in that ca- pacity at the National mines. Soon he was promoted to be outside foreman in the Stafford mines, afterward was made locomotive engineer between the Meadow Brook and National, and in 1887 became master mechanic, with entire charge of construction. He now resides at the William Connell homestead in Minooka.

In Glamorganshire, Mr. Thomas married Miss Mary A. Sullivan, who was born in Rhymney, Wales. Her father, Jeremiah Sullivan, a native of Ireland and a mechanic by trade, came to America and spent his last days in Minooka, where he and his wife died. Of ten children of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, the following are living: Mrs. Maggie Keuster, of Minooka; James, who is with William Connell & Co .; Mrs. Nellie Hewitt, of Scranton; Harry, also with William Connell & Co .; Gertie; William, Jr .; and Maude, at home. Mary J., wife of John R. Wilson, died in Minooka.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Thomas has served on standing county committees very fre- quently and has been delegate to county, district and state conventions. For three terms he was school director in Lackawanna Township and served as secretary of the board most of that time. In Taylor he was past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and past' noble grand of Taylor Lodge No. 668, I. O. O. F., past officer in the encampment at Hyde Park, and past offi- cer of the Order of Foresters, but retains his con- nection only with the Odd Fellows.

H ENRY C. COMEGYS, M. D. Since ear- ly manhood Dr. Comegys has been en- gaged in the practice of medicine, for many years in his native town of Greensboro, Md., and later in Scranton, where he has his office

408

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

at No. 171 South Main Avenue. His long years of experience have given him a thorough knowl- edge of the science and of the varying forms of disease to which the human flesh is heir. In every diagnosis he is careful and accurate, ex- pressing his judgment only after the most pains- taking study; his decisions, therefore, are usually correct in every essential.

Born April 7, 1833, the son of Cornelius and Eleanor M. Comegys, the subject of this sketch laid the foundation of his education in the com- mon schools of Greensboro, and at the age of sixteen entered Dickinson College, where he car- ried on his studies for some time. On the com- pletion of his literary studies, he began to read medicine with Dr. Goldsborough, remaining with that gentleman one year. He then entered the medical department of the University of Mary- land, from which he graduated with the class of 1854. During the time he was in the university he read medicine with Dr. Miltenberger, one of the professors of the university. Returning to his home town, he opened an office and gradually built up a profitable practice, which consumed his close attention during the following years. In 1881 he removed to Scranton and has since be- come well known among the physicians of this city. During the late war he was for a year in the Union service, as assistant surgeon of Ha- mon General Hospital.

The position of pension examiner, which Dr. Comegys formerly held, was tendered him dur- ing the first administration of President Cleve- land. He is interested in educational matters, and has served as a member of the board of school commissioners for some time. In 1858 he married Miss Helen A. Boon, who was born in Maryland, the daughter of John Boon. They are the parents of a son and daughter: Cornel- ius, attorney-at-law, with office in the Repub- lican Building, Scranton; and Mary G., at home.

A NDREW J. MAHON. The Emerald Isle has given to the New World many of our best and most respected citizens, intelli- gent business men, industrious farmers and ener- getic workers in every line of human activity.

Not the least among them was the subject of this article, for many years a successful business man of Scranton and one of its esteemed citizens. Born in County Sligo in 1838, his life from the age of thirteen years was spent in America, and was devoted principally to mining and merchan- dising. Among the shafts which he assisted in sinking were Bellevue No. I, Barrowman, Tay- lor, Central and Oxford. About 1879 he opened a store at No. 509 Third Street, where he carried on a large mercantile trade until his death, May 15, 1894, at the age of fifty-six.

Thomas Mahon, our subject's father, was a freeholder and a wealthy man; in 1852 he brought his family to the United States and set- tled in Scranton, where he became the owner of much valuable real estate. By his marriage to. Ann Kellian, a native of County Sligo, he had six children, and of these Andrew J. was fourth in order of birth. In the schools of this city our subject had excellent educational advantages, and through study and observation became a man of broad culture and information. The store which he occupied was built by himself, as were also several residences in the fifteenth and ninth wards. Though prominent in the Democratic party, he never aspired to office, but exerted his influence in behalf of others.

In Scranton, December 14, 1864, Mr. Mahon married Miss Rose Coggins, who was born in County Mayo, Ireland, and grew to womanhood in this city, which she has seen grow from a small place to one of the commercial and mining centers of the state. In religious belief she is a Catholic and worships at St. Peter's Cathedral. Her children are named as follows: Mary A., Mrs. O'Malley, of Scranton; John, a bookkeeper for Goldsmith Brothers; Mrs. Catherine Joyce, of this city; Agnes, James, Rose and Leo, who are with their mother.

Thomas Coggins, father of Mrs. Mahon, was born in County Mayo, the son of James, a farm- er there. In 1848, accompanied by his wife and five children he left Liverpool on the sailer "Elizabeth Hamilton," and after a voyage of seven weeks and three days landed in New York. Thence he proceeded to Carbondale and built a residence into which his family moved. Later he

FRANCIS S. PAULI.

4II

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Coal Com- pany at Minooka, then engaged with the North Branch Railroad, afterward located in Dunmore and in 1854 settled in Bellevue, where he was employed by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company. He died July 4, 1850, at fifty-six years of age. His wife, Catherine Ma- loney, was born in County Mayo, where her father, Thomas Maloney, was a farmer. She died in 1874 at the age of fifty-six. Their children were six in number: Mrs. Mary Garvey, who died in Scranton; John, now a butcher in. this. city, who served through the war as a member of the Sixth United States Infantry; Michael, who enlisted at the first tap of the drum in 1861 for three months, becoming a member of the Eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, and serving one hundred and ten days altogether, when he was honorably discharged; Thomas, who was a member of the Second Pennsylvania Cavalry and was quartermaster sergeant until his death at City Point, while on the march; Rose, Mrs. Mahon; and Mrs. Ann Gannon, who was born in Scranton and died here.

In 1891 Mr. Mahon took a brief vacation from business cares and crossed the ocean to his old home in Ireland, visiting the places and scenes familiar to him in boyhood. Before returning to this country, he had the privilege of kissing the "blarney stone." He had many warm friends among the people of Scranton, to whom his noble character commended him. Personally he was a man of splendid physique, large, slender and well-built. He possessed undaunted cour- age and while mining often undertook the most dangerous jobs, which others refused to attempt; more than once he experienced narrow escapes when sinking shafts, but even the greatest danger did not cause him to lose his self-reliance and courage.

F RANCIS S. PAULI, the oldest surviving resident of Green Ridge, Scranton, has been identified with the history of this lo- cality since 1857 and for years was an energetic and capable business man, but is now living re- tired. He attained his present position by the ex-

ercise of perseverance and economy. When he began in life for himself, it was with a determina- tion to deny himself luxuries and save his earn- ings. This he did, notwithstanding the fact that his parents were wealthy and could have assisted him financially if necessary. As a result of his economy and activity, he is now the possessor of an ample fortune, a large part of which was gained while in the mercantile business. ·

Mr. Pauli was born in Reading, Pa., March 28, 1823, and is a son of Lewis J. and Sarah (Schein- felter) Pauli, natives of the same city as himself. His grandfather, Johannes Pauli, who was born in Magdeburg, Germany, came to America when a young man and settled in Philadelphia, becom- ing professor in a college there. Later he went to Reading, where he died. In addition to being a fine linguist and classical scholar, he was a preacher in the German Reformed Church. Dur- ing the War of 1812 he went to the front in de- fense of American interests.

When the coal mines first began to be devel- oped, Lewis Pauli sold his mercantile business and located the present site of Pottsville, which he and a few others owned. There for a time he engaged in coal mining, thence went to Phila- delphia, then to Easton, where he died at the age of sixty-four. His wife, at the time of mar- riage, received quite a fortune from her father, who had become wealthy through the manufac- ture of a copper guard. She was a member of the Lutheran Church; her four children were reared in the German Reformed faith. Her death oc- curred in Philadelphia prior to the demise of her husband.

The childhood days of our subject were passed in Reading, Pottsville and Philadelphia, where he was educated in private schools. About 1843 he began in the mercantile business near Pottsville, where he remained for some time. From Pottsville he went to Philadelphia and thence in 1857 came to Scranton and opened a store in Lackawanna Avenue. Later he built a block at Nos. 225-227, the same street, where he continued for many years, closing out the business in 1881. Since then he has given his attention to his real estate interests. He built his residence at No. 1554 Sanderson Avenue,

412

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

which was one of the first houses in Green Ridge. His marriage, which took place in Eas- ton, united him with Miss Martha Young, of that city, and they are the parents of a daughter, Mar- garet F. The family attend the First Presby- terian Church of Green 'Ridge.

Until the war Mr. Pauli affiliated with the Democrats, but since then he has voted the Re- publican ticket. Fraternally he is connected with Union Lodge No. 291, F. & A. M. In Easton he became an Odd Fellow, but did not transfer his membership to the lodge here. As a busi- ness man, he was known as a successful dealer in hats and gents' furnishing goods and furs, car- rying a heavy stock in each of these lines. Though not actively engaged in any enterprise, it requires a considerable portion of his time to oversee his various property interests, from which he re- ceives a competency.

C HARLES ZANG was a capable, efficient business man of Scranton from the time of his arrival in this city until the date of his death. Of German birth and parentage, he possessed the energy and perseverance charac- teristic of his nationality, and these qualities, backed by unwavering honesty, were the founda- tion stones of his business prosperity. Through his efforts, in conjunction with those of his part- ner, he built up the firm of Zang & Kapmeyer, his interest in which is now owned by his widow.

A native of Oberstein, Germany, Charles was the son of Carl Zang, and was one of a family of three sons and two daughters. He was the first of the number to cross the ocean and after- ward was joined by his father, who died here at the age of sixty-one. Having learned the black- smith's trade in his native land, Charles emigrated to America in 1867 and at once settled in Scran- ton, where he took a position in the steel mill of the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company. Later he was with E. Robinson's Sons for some time. In February, 1889, he formed a partnership with F. Kapmeyer in the bottling business and con- tinued thus engaged until his death, September 21, 1896, at the age of forty-eight. Fraternally he was identified with the Heptasophs, Turn

Verein, Sangerbunde, Benevolent Protective Or- der of Elks, a charter member and past officer of the Improved Order of Red Men, and past offi- cer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Shortly after coming to Scranton he identified himself with the Hickory Street Presbyterian Church, and remained an active member of that congregation until his death. This religion had also been the faith of his forefathers.

November 5, 1879, in this city, occurred the marriage of Mr. Zang to Miss Lena Weinick, who was born in Germany, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Wurtz) Weinick, natives of the same place as herself. Her father, who was the son of Philip Weinick, a farmer, followed agri- cultural pursuits until his death at forty-two years. In 1857 the widowed mother brought the children to this country, and from New York City came to Scranton. Of the five children, only two are living. Mrs. Zang was reared in this city and re- ceived public-school advantages. In religion she is a Presbyterian and a member of the Hick- ory Street Church. Her children, three in num- ber, are named as follows: Charles, who married Miss Lillie Bortree of this city, and since his father's death has looked after his mother's inter- est in the business; Lena, who is married and lives in New York; and Philip, of this city.

C LAUDE R. SMITH, ticket agent of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad at Carbon- dale, was born in Bannerville, Pa., June 12, 1868, and is a son of William H. and Eleanor (Bilger) Smith, natives respectively of Beaver Springs and Middleburg, Pa. His father, who for some years was engaged as a country mer- chant at Barnwell, passed from earth in March, 1876, when in the prime of manhood, and the orphan lad afterward made his home with his. maternal grandfather, John Bilger, who was sta- tion agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Mid- dleburg, Pa. Going in the office with him, he learned telegraphy and as he was an apt pupil he soon mastered the art. At the age of thirteen he was given charge of the telegraph office at Vail Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad and afterward worked in different capacities on four

413

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

divisions of that road. For a time he was night ticket agent at the Pine Street station, Williams- port, Pa.

In August, 1888, Mr. Smith made an applica- tion to the superintendent, Rollin Manville, for a position on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad, and the latter, becoming interested in the youth, told him he would give him a trial and sent him, as telegraph operator, to the little station of Mill Creek. So satisfactory was the result that the superintendent a few weeks later called him to Carbondale and made him ticket agent at the Union station. This position he has held since September 19, 1888. On the Ist of February, 1896, when the company occupied the new city station, he was put in charge of both stations, with his headquarters in the new depot.

A thorough and faithful business man, and well informed in every department of railroad- ing, Mr. Smith has the confidence of his su- periors and guards well their interests. His long experience makes his services especially valuable to the company, who appreciate his fidelity to them. While he is not a partisan, he always votes the Republican ticket and upholds the prin- ciples of that party. In 1892 he married Miss Isabelle A. Andrew, of Carbondale, by whom he has two children, Cecil Raymond and Eleanor Charlotte.

M ICHAEL J. LEONARD, of Scranton, has passed his entire life in this city, where he was born July 23, 1863. The family of which he was second in order of birth consists of six children now living, his parents being John and Nora (Wills) Leonard. The former, who came to Scranton in early manhood, secured work in the employ of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, and continued with them throughout his entire active life, being a practical miner. He died in 1894; his widow is still living and makes her home in Providence.

Reared to manhood in the city where he was born, the subject of this sketch obtained a fair education in the common schools of Providence. As a boy he began to work for a livelihood, se- curing a position as slate picker in the breakers,

principally of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. At length, through experience, he became a practical miner, but in 1889 discon- tinued work at that occupation and began in the bottling business in Scranton. In April, 1892, he opened the Leonard Hotel, a three story build- ing situated at No. 113 West Market Street, of which he has since been the owner and proprie- tor. Besides this, he is interested in other prop- erty, principally the three-story building adjoin- ing his hotel at No. III West Market Street.

The marriage of Mr. Leonard took place in Providence and united him with Bridget, daugh- ter of Patrick Walsh, of Wayne County. They are the parents of one child, a daughter, Mary.

J AMES J. O'MALLEY, who for some years has been a successful business man of Scranton, was born in this city July 28, 1860, and is a son of Patrick and Bridget (Casey) O'Malley. His father, who came here in 1852, took a position with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad and remained in that con- nection continuously until 1877. He then went to West Virginia and for five years engaged in farming in that state, after which he returned to Scranton and has since been an employe in the masonry department of the same road. By his marriage he had eight children, but only three are living, and of these James J. is the eldest.

The subject of this sketch obtained his educa- tion in the public schools, and when only nine years of age began as a slate picker in the Belle-" vue breaker. The occupation, while very weary- ing, was doubtless of advantage to him in instill- ing into his life habits of industry that were most useful in succeeding years. After a time he was made a driver in connection with the mines. February 14, 1882, he became a clerk in the em- ploy of Thomas H. Walsh, of Fifth Avenue, in the grocery business, and while acting in that ca- pacity gained a thorough knowledge of business methods. Feeling sufficiently familiar with the work to start for himself independently, in Janu- ary of 1886 he opened a store at No. 441 Rail- road Avenue, where he has since built up a large trade in groceries. In September, 1896, he added

414

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

to his business that of agent for Mrs. Mary Cusick in the livery and undertaking business, though continuing to give his personal attention to mercantile matters. He is a member of St. Peter's Cathedral and the Catholic Mutual Be- nevolent Association, while in politics he is firm in his allegiance to Democratic principles and has served on the county committee of his party. At Avoca, Luzerne County, January 6, 1891, he married Miss Mary Walsh, who was born in Moosic, and they are the parents of four children : Martin, Mary, Kathleen and James.

S AMUEL F. LINGFELTER, engineer on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad, with residence at No. 26 Birkett Street, Carbon- dale, was born in New York City, June 13, 1845, the fourth in order of birth among the children of Samuel F. and Sarah A. (Shaw) Lingfelter. For particulars in regard to the family history, the reader is referred to the biography of John H. Lingfelter. He was a child of four years when the family moved to Uniondale and in 1853 ac- companied his parents to Susquehanna County, Pa., settling on a farm near Elkdale, where his childhood days were passed. The death of his father, October 13, 1860, obliged him to become self-supporting at an early age, though even previous to that he had worked in the employ of others. In fact, as early as ten years of age he hired out to a farmer by the month, and for a time was paid $6 for his services. Later he tilled ·the soil of the home farm until his enlistment in the Union army.

The outbreak of the Civil War aroused Mr. Lingfelter, with every loyal citizen, to a realization of the danger threatening the Union, and he at once desired to enlist, but the fact that he was not yet of age detained him for a time and pre- vented. him from entering the service with his older brothers. At last, however, his desire was gratified and he entered Company E, One Hun- dred and Forty-third Pennsylvania Infantry. During the battle of Gettysburg he was taken very ill and was sent to the hospital, but failing to recover, was honorably discharged on account of disability August 23, 1863, returning to his

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 47

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