Portrait and biographical record of Wyoming and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, Part 60

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 60
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 60

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Among these men our subject was one. He entered the army as a private in the One Hundred and Forty-third Pennsylvania Infantry and was soon promoted to .be sergeant of Company A. In all the engagements of his regiment, twenty general battles and several skirmishes, he took an active part and at one time, during the cam- paign of the Wilderness, he with his regiment was under fire for over thirty consecutive days. In 1864 he became sergeant-major and in the spring of the following year was made lieutenant, in which capacity he served until his honorable dis- charge in June, 1865. An incident in the battle of the Wilderness shows his heroism. A space between the two armies, where many of the boys in blue lay wounded, was covered with dried leaves and brush, which caught fire from the firing of the enemy's artillery, and as the wind was to- ward the Union lines, the fire made rapid prog- ress toward the wounded men. The situation was alarming. Captain DeLacy suggested to the commanding officer that they fight fire with fire, which he had seen done when a boy on the farm. It was a hazardous undertaking, because it was directly between the armies and in line with the firing of the enemy. The commander gave his permission and the captain called for volunteers to assist him. Two responded, one, Roger Cox, now an engineer on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad at Scranton, and the other, John Otto, residing in Elyria, Colo. They suc- ceeded in stopping the fire and were not wounded, the rebels probably supposing they were on an errand of mercy and so did not direct their fire at them.

The Captain's comrades are wont to relate other incidents showing his bravery. They tell how, in the battle of the Cross Roads in Virginia, May 6, 1864, in the second day of the fight in the Wilderness, the enemy had succeeded in driving the Union troops out of the breastworks. The sol- diers were resting, when they heard a heavy mus- ketry fire. The order was brought down the line by General Osborne that General Hancock de- sired the brigade to retake the works and save the guns. The men fell in a hurried line and charged up the road, with Sergeant DeLacy in the lead. It was a perilous position, as there was

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a steady stream of fire from the enemy's ranks. The rebel color bearer was waving his flag over the works just captured by them, when Captain DeLacy ran across the clearing and shot him dead. The dropping of the colors caused a panic among the Confederates and the works were soon in possession of Union forces. It was a very daring undertaking on the part of the cap- tain and proved that he was a man of dauntless courage. Those who survived that awful day shook him by the hand and complimented him on his bravery. April 24, 1894, thirty years after the fight, congress awarded him a-medal for sig- nal bravery on petition of officers of the One Hundred and Forty-third. Colonel Conyngham, late of Wilkesbarre, who commanded the regi- ment, gave this testimony of the captain: "I looked upon Captain DeLacy as one of the most gallant men that ever wore a uniform under any flag in the wide world. His coolness in dan- ger, sound military judgment and especially liis perception of the right thing to do under all circumstances, always made a wonderful impres- sion upon me. Had circumstances been favorable for bringing him into public notice, I am satisfied he would have made a military record for him- self second to none."

Much interest centers in the life of a man so patriotic and brave. Mr. DeLacy is a member of an old Norman family that settled in Ireland in the twelfth century, but returned to France four centuries later, going back to Ireland to take part in the Revolution of 1798. His parents, Wil- liam and Catherine (Boyle) DeLacy, were natives respectively of County Wexford and Kilkenny, Ireland. The former, who was a shoemaker, came to America when nineteen and was among the earliest settlers of Carbondale. In 1839 he removed from there to Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, but shortly afterward went to Hazleton, Luzerne County, and in 1840 returned to Car- bondale. In 1842 he settled in Scranton (then Slocum's Hollow), but one year later bought a farm in the beech woods of Covington Township and there continued until 1861. His last year of life was spent in Scranton, where he died in 1862, aged fifty-four. His wife, who is still living in this city, is about ninety years of age. One

of their sons, John, was lieutenant of a company in the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Regiment for a time, later joined the Irish brigade of a New York regiment, and after being wounded in the Penn- sylvania campaign remained on detached duty at Fortress Monroe until discharged. He died in Scranton in 1890.

Our subject was born in Carbondale Novem- ber 25, 1834, and spent his boyhood years on the home farın. At the age of seventeen he began to work in the coal mines, and in 1853 com- menced to learn the tanner and currier's trade with John Mehan, of Covington, who gave him full charge of the business during the two and one-half years he remained there. Afterward he spent a year with his father-in-law and completed the trade of currier, after which he was employed as journeyman in Kingston, Pa., and vicinity un- til 1858. January 9, 1858, he married Rebecca Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah A. Wonders, of Wyoming. She was born April II, 1840, and became the mother of the following- named children: Sarah Catherine, widow of M. D. Roche, an attorney, and the mother of two children; Mary Elizabeth, Mrs. Hicks, of Scran- ton; Mrs. Anna C. Peel, of this city; William P., a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and now a physician living in the west; Nellie, Julia and Susan.

For a year our subject worked at his trade in Newark, N. J., after which he was foreman cur- rier in a tannery in Pike County, Pa., for eighteen months. Afterward he leased a tannery in Lu- zerne County, and while there entered the Union army. Since then he has made his home in Scranton. In 1878 he was appointed chief of police and organized the present force, adopting the uniform system. In June, 1885, he resigned as chief, and became assistant postmaster. Fra- ternally he has been connected with the Knights of Pythias and the American Legion of Honor and is identified with the Medal of Honor Legion.

At one time Captain De Lacy was chairman of the city Democratic committee and he has done effective work for his party. In 1892 he was elected alderman from the seventh ward and was commissioned by Governor Pattison in May, 1892, for a term of five years. He was deputy

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United States marshal, appointed by Gen. Thom- as A. Rowley, but resigned the office in the fall of 1871 to accept a seat in the legislature, to which he was elected then and re-elected in 1872. While in the assembly, he secured the passage of a bill establishing Lackawanna Hospital and was also instrumental in forwarding other important bills. He was elected alderman of the seventh ward in 1892 and re-elected in 1897. In various campaigns he has received the support not only of his own party, but of many from the Repub- lican party. For a number of years he has been president of the Scranton Veteran Soldiers Asso- ciation and secured the convention of the Asso- ciation of the Army of the Potomac here in 1892. Of this organization he was elected vice-president at Boston in 1893, Gen. Nelson A. Miles being elected president at the same time. In 1895 he was made aide on the Medal of Honor staff and on the staff of the Pennsylvania Department. In the convention at Boston, 1896, he presented an invitation to the Medal of Honor to meet in Scranton in 1897, and this was unanimously ac- cepted. In the meeting here in 1892 he was elect- ed president of the first army corps association of the society. For four years he was commander of Coi. William N. Monies Post No. 319, G. A. R., and is now quartermaster, also aide on the staff of the commander of Pennsylvania, W. H. Cum- mings.

H ON. CHARLES P. O'MALLEY, attorney of Scranton, was born in Olyphant, this county, July 16, 1870, and is a son of John and Ann (Gallagher) O'Malley, natives re- spectively of County Mayo, Ireland, and Haw- ley, Pa. His father, who was orphaned at the age of nine years, learned the trade of a confec- tioner, but later served in a Dublin regiment of the British army, stationed in England. At the expiration of his term of service, he left the army and for a short time was employed on the Derby track. About 1863 he came to America and set- tled at Olyphant, where he has since been em- ployed as a miner with the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. In 1869 he married a daughter of Michael Gallagher, who was for some years

employed on the canal and on the Pennsylvania Coal Company's railroad, going in their employ to Dunmore, where he died.

Of the family of two daughters and four sons, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch is the eldest. He was reared in Olyphant, where at the age of eight he began to work as a slate picker, in that way gaining the name of "breaker boy," so frequently applied to him during his candidacy for the legislature. He was employed in various capacities in the mines and was also for two years sexton of the church at Olyphant. For two years he was employed in the general store of R. J. Gallagher, in that place, and later worked for J. J. Walsh, also proprietor of a gen- eral store there. In 1888 he worked for the borough as a laborer, and saving his money ac- cumulated a sufficient amount to enable him to take a business course at a commercial school.

Through study in the night schools Mr. O'Mal- ley gained the rudiments of his education and he never lost an opportunity to add to his store of knowledge. In the fall of 1888 he entered Wood's Business College at Scranton, where he studied bookkeeping and stenography, but after three months his funds were exhausted and he went back to work for Mr. Walsh. In October of 1889 he came to Scranton to complete the study of stenography at nights. For three or four days he was employed to dig for abutments for the Swet- land Street bridge, after which he was for a month an assistant to a mason in the lower steel mills. In November he was employed by the borough of Olyphant to teach night school, in which he had some previous experience, having for two win- ters, when sixteen and seventeen, taught a night school in the basement of his father's house. While employed in that capacity he attended the day school at Scranton and then entered the em- ploy of Megargel & Connell, wholesale gro- cers, as stenographer, but at their request was soon transferred to the floor as salesman. At the end of the year he became an employe of the law firm of Willard & Warren as stenographer and while there he read law of evenings. In Sep- tember, 1894, he passed a successful examination, and was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna County.

GEORGE D. COUCH.

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Especial mention belongs to Mr. O'Malley's record as the representative of the fourth district of Lackawanna County. In 1894 he was nomi- nated for the assembly on the Republican ticket and was elected by a majority of eleven hundred and ninety-seven, in a district that usually gives a Democratic majority of eight hundred. He en- tered the assembly in 1895 and served on the judiciary, mines and mining, printing, and geo- logical research committees. He introduced a bill providing that hereafter, when territory is annexed to any city of third class, the annexed territory is subject to school and poor taxes the same as the city proper. He also introduced a bill providing for the use of good oil in the mines, which, it was said by the leading mining experts, would be beneficial to the health of the men and prevent asthma. This bill he succeeded in having passed through the house and senate, but it was vetoed by the governor, the miners taking no interest in it. Another of his bills was that se- curing provision for Carbondale Hospital, which was passed, this being one of four institutions, the only ones that received all the aid requested from the state. Of other bills, it may be said that he opposed the passage of the Garb bill, be- cause it attacked the denomination of which he is a member. He favored the compulsory edu- cational bill and worked for the passage of the firemen's relief bill, was also one of the active sup- porters of the bill to prevent gambling and pool rooms in Pennsylvania. A bill which he was largely instrumental in getting passed was that entitling the Scranton poor district to $17,000 a year from the state in support of its insane de- partment, which practically makes a state asylum of the Hillside Home. This bill reduces the poor tax about twenty-five per cent. As a member of the judiciary committee he secured the favorable consideration by that committee of any bill pre- sented by a miner who was a member of the house, and through that committee he succeeded in killing the anthracite county bill, which was introduced as a piece of party politics by his defeated opponent in order to make enemies for him. He met the issue face to face, stating his objections squarely and openly. In the passage of the superior court bill he took a warm interest

and introduced the amendment that brings the court to Scranton.

Mr. O'Malley launched the first boom for Judge Willard for superior court judge, and se- cured for him the endorsement of every senator and representative of northeastern Pennsylvania. At the adjournment of the session of 1895 he re- turned to Scranton and devoted his attention principally to politics until after the election of Judge Willard in November. When the latter retired from the firm of Willard, Warren & Knapp, our subject became a member, the oth- ers being Maj. Everett Warren, ex-Judge H. A. Knapp, and Roscoe Dale. He declined re-nomi- nation for the assembly, desiring to devote his entire time to the practice of law. He has met with especial success in municipal and election law. With his partner, Roscoe Dale, he has bro- ken up several fraudulent sheriff's sales and dis- couraged the practice of dishonest debtors con- fessing fictitious judgments to defraud creditors. He is a member of the Republican Central Club and is the official stenographer for the State League of Republican Clubs. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Young Men's Institute.

G EORGE D. COUCH, formerly one of the most active business men of Carbon- dale, was born in Uniondale, December 8, 1848, and died in Carbondale June 19, 1894, at the age of forty-five. His father, Benjamin P. Couch, was born in 1822 in Connecticut, whence he came to Pennsylvania, living for a time at Uniondale. He married Catharine Hice, and their only son was the subject of this sketch.

When five years of age Mr. Couch was taken by his parents to Providence, and there attended the schools, which, with the three months' com- mercial course in Wyoming Seminary, completed his school life. At the age of eighteen he en- tered the Second National Bank of Scranton, where he remained one year, at the end of which time he removed to Carbondale and took the po- sition of teller in the First National Bank, which position he filled for twenty-six years. As his

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hours at the bank were short, he formed the plan of establishing a small insurance business, not expecting it would develop to any great extent, but under his efficient management it increased until it proved to be second to none in Carbon- dale. Since his demise, Mrs. Couch, assisted by her son, has continued the business.

Fraternally, Mr. Couch was connected with the Heptasophs, Masons, and was treasurer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; also treasurer of the First Methodist Episcopal Church and the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion, and filled other positions of trust. Always interested in local affairs, he voted the Republican ticket and supported the principles of that party. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith, but after his marriage united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his wife belonged. July 8, 1873, he was united in marriage with Lydia J. Clark, daughter of Stephen S. and Jane (Jordan) Clark, the latter deceased, the former still living. She became the mother of four children. The eldest, Edwin Albert, died at the age of thirteen years. George Franklin, the second son, has charge of the insurance business established by his father. The other children, Helen and Fred, are at home.

W ILLIAM H. SANT. In the southern part of Wales, at the mouth of the Taff, stands the thriving city of Car- diff, the capital of Glamorganshire, where a noble old castle and a few suburban dwellings indicate that its history reaches far back into the past, while numerous iron-mills, shipyards, docks and railroads show that it has kept pace with the de- velopments of the passing years. In this city the subject of our sketch first opened his. eyes to the light and there his boyhood days were passed. In youth he learned the machinist's trade, which his father, Thomas, followed, as did also his brothers, one of the latter being now the general manager of the Dowling iron works. Mechanical ability runs in the family, almost every member possessing considerable talent in that direction.

From Cardiff ships ply to New York and other leading ports of the world, taking with them emi-

grants who seek home and fortune in other lands. At least one boy watched their departure with interest and thought of the possibilities that awaited him in the new world could he come hither. The other members of the family were content to remain in Cardiff, but in 1872 he crossed the ocean, resolved to venture his all in America. At first he was employed as a machin- ist in Susquehanna County, where he turned his attention to the manufacture of ornamental fenc- ing. In 1880 he came to Scranton and established a factory in Jackson Street, remaining there until 1896, when he sold the property to the school board and built at his present location, No. 110- I12 Chestnut Street. He is the oldest fence man- ufacturer here and takes the lead for fine work. In addition to the city trade, he has introduced his fences into different states.

Mr. Sant is a member of St. David's Episcopal Church, politically adheres to Republican tenets and in his fraternal relations is a Mason. In this city in 1887 he married Miss Jennie Jones, who was born here, and is the third of six children comprising the family of Evan R. and Ann (Har- ris) Jones, natives of Wales. Her father, who came to Scranton soon after his marriage, was employed the most of the time as an agent, and died here in 1891. Henry Harris, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Sant, emigrated from Wales to America and settled in Pittston, Pa., where he was foreman of Thompson's Coal Company; he married Mary Price, who survives him and makes her home in Scranton, being now ninety-four years of age. Mrs. Ann Jones is also living in this city. . In the public schools Mrs. Sant re- ceived a good education and prior to her mar- riage was employed as a tailoress. She is the mother of two sons, William and Alva, to whom will be given the best advantages within. the means of their parents, in order that they may be fitted for positions of trust and responsibility in the business world.

T HOMAS EYNON. Through the course of a long life and in the development of the various industries with which he has been connected, Mr. Eynon has won and main-

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tained a reputation for honesty, energy and per- severance. He is partner in the firm of G. F. Eynon & Co., proprietors of a general store at No. 105 North Main Avenue, Scranton, and is well known in business circles of this city. The fact that he has risen from a humble position in youth to a rank among the well-to-do residents of the city, adds another striking illustration of the power of determined purpose.

Mr. Eynon was born in Wales July 18, 1821, and in 1832 accompanied his father, John Eynon, to Canada, but the following year came to the United States, settling in Pottsville, Pa. When fifteen years of age he began to work at the car- penter's trade and this he followed continuously for ten years. From Pottsville he removed to Carbondale, where eight years were spent, and in' 1850 he came to Scranton. Here he assisted in opening the Diamond mines and worked at min- ing for two years, after which for three years he engaged at his trade. Afterward, for four years, he was foreman of the Hampton mines.

From mining and carpentering Mr. Eynon turned his attention to the mercantile business and opened a store on the corner of Main Ave- nue and Scranton Street, Scranton, where he car- ried on a profitable trade for six years. On clos- ing out the business, he went to Summit Hill and was foreman in mines there for three years. He held a similar position in Irondale, Ohio, and later had a mercantile store in Alliance, Ohio, for four years. Going from there to Steuben- ville, the same state, he erected a rolling mill and remained two years in that place. Since his re- turn to Scranton he has been engaged, first in merchandising, then for fifteen years as foreman of the Diamond inines, and since 1893 as a mem- ber of the firm of G. F. Eynon & Co. He makes his home at No. 322 South Main Avenue.

In 1840 Mr. Eynon married Miss Jane Ley- shon, who was born in Wales, but has spent her life principally in America. Seven children were born to them, of whom three are living. Albert B., who is cashier of the West Side Bank, is one of the expert financiers of Scranton and is recog- nizedas one of the ablest men of the city. George F. is a successful business man and carries on the general store in which his father owns an inter-

est. Jennie is the wife of Dr. B. G. Beddoe, of Hyde Park. During the late war Mr. Eynon was treasurer of the Hyde Park borough. He is a man who maintains a keen interest in all public matters and favors schemes for the promotion of the welfare of the people. He is a meniber of Plymouth Church and a contributor to its inain- tenance, as well as to the carrying forward of phil- anthropic plans. The Welsh citizens of Scranton have in him an able representative, and he is an honor both to the land of his birth and the home of his adoption.

W ILLIAM F. COURTRIGHT, outside foreman of the Sibley mines in Lacka- wanna Township, was born in Luzerne County, Pa., May 23, 1848, and there the first fourteen years of his life were spent, a portion of the time in attendance at the common schools. He first began work in the Burris colliery at Plainsville, and from there went to the Enterprise colliery. Through diligent effort and hard work, he acquired a thorough knowledge of mining in all its details. In 1869 his efficiency was recog- nized by his promotion to the position of assist- ant inside foreman and he continued in that capa- city until 1872, when he was made general inside superintendent. These successive promotions represent a great deal of effort on his part and show that his untiring labors in the interests of the company were appreciated.

Coming to the Lackawanna Valley in 1874, Mr. Courtright was made inside foreman of the Sibley mines, where he remained until May, 1876, and then went to the Greenwood mines. How- ever, in 1879, he returned to the Sibley mines as inside foreman and in that capacity continued to render efficient service until 1888, since which time he has been outside foreman. At this writ- ing there are three hundred and fifty-eight men employed in the mines, all of whom are under the supervision of Mr. Courtright. As may be sup- posed, his position is no sinecure. He is obliged to superintend the entire work and is responsible for its success and for the perfection of every de- tail. To his credit it may be said that he has never disappointed his employers, but has inva-

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riably rendered efficient service in their behalf.

In 1871 Mr. Courtright married Miss Zilpha H. Winslow, and they are the parents of two children : Martha, wife of Thomas J. Davis; and Ida. The family are identified with the Meth- odist Episcopal Church and attendants at its ser- vices. The record of the life of Mr. Courtright shows that he is generous and whole-souled, and his neighbors feel that they may call upon him for sympathy and help in hours of need. He has had his obstacles to surmount and his mis- fortunes to endure, but has worked steadily on- ward and is now in independent circumstances.

T HOMAS EMERSON. Though of Scotch birth and parentage, Mr. Emerson has spent almost his entire life in the United States and is thoroughly imbued with the spirit of our government, to the principles of which he is loyally devoted. His has been a busy and useful existence, for he began in childhood to earn his own livelihood and the years of man- hood were spent in hard work for the benefit of those dear to him. Now, in the twilight of life's day, he is living in retirement from active labors, and makes his home at No. 1605 Jackson Street, Scranton.

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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 60

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