USA > Pennsylvania > The Wyoming Valley in the nineteenth century > Part 13
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C DON JOHNSON
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THE WYOMING VALLEY.
WILLIAM E. DORON was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey, in the year 1843, where he resided until the breaking out of the Rebellion. Ile was at that time nineteen years of age, and was serving an apprenticeship at the cabinet-making and undertaking business with' the firm of Thomas F. Keeler & Son. He enlisted in the Twenty-Third New Jersey Infantry and was attached to the First New Jersey Brigade, Sixth Army Corps. His regiment was commanded by Colonel E. Bird Grubb, the present Minister to Spain. After serving out the time of enlistment, he came to Pennsylvania and located in Wilkes-Barre; worked at his trade as cabinet-maker with Blackman & Laning. also at the carpenter business. In IS71 he went to Plains, in the Company Store, on the river road from Wilkes-Barre to Pittston. After serving as book-keeper for four years with Amsbry & Company, Crane & Leonard and Tozer, Crane & Leonard, he started business for himself at Plains, in the furniture and undertaking business, where he was successful for ten years. During his re- sidence at Plains he was always closely identified with the interests of the town. A mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for ten successive years Superintendent of its Sunday-School. In 1883 he came to Wilkes-Barre, leased the store in the Commercial Block, 25 West Market street, where he remained eight years in the undertaking and music business. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and was Commander of Conyngham Post of this city.
HENRY EVANS, born in Wales, January 6, 1857. Came with his parents to this county the same year. Was educated in the common schools. Worked in coal breakers and coal mines. Attended night school and graduated in Wyoming Commercial College. Elected County Commissioner in November, 1887, and re-elected November, 1890.
FRANK DEITRICK, born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, April 19, 1867. Removed with his parents to Wilkes-Barre when thirteen years of age. Was educated at Carbondale public schools. Appointed Assistant City Clerk in 1880; served as such until January, 1887, when he was elected City Clerk, to fill vacancy caused by resignation of J. C. Bell, and has held that position since then.
WESLEY ELLSWORTH WOODRUFF was born in Salem. Wayne County, Pennsylvania, in 1865. Son of the Rev. J. O. Woodruff. Graduated at Wyoming Seminary in 1883 and Wesleyan University in the class of 1887; received a degree from Wesleyan in 1890 for a special course in history and political science. Served on the Record of the Times staff from 1887 until 1890, when he left the Record on account of night work, when he became City Editor of the Evening Leader. He was during his college days connected with the college publication, and has at various times written for the New York and Philadelphia papers. Mr. Woodruff is an honor to his profession, and has fine literary taste. His account of the Mud Run disaster was an event in journalism.
ROBERT HUTCHISON, born 1835 in Nova Scotia. AAttended school at Minersville, Penn- sylvania, having moved there in 1838. In 1847 moved to Hazleton, to Schuykill in 1850, to Dauphin County in 1852, and then to Plymouth Township. With his father and some other gentlemen sunk a shaft and put in the first mining pump and hoisted the first coal on the west side-1854. For twenty years he had been with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Coal Company at the Boston and Pittston mines as the Outside Superintendent. Was a member of the Kingston town council and was a Trustee of the Kingston Presby- terian Church. Died February 22, 1894.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.,
HENRY WHITE DUNNING, son of Charles Sully Dunning, was born in Franklin, New York, September 11, 1858. Graduated from Willeston Seminary, East Hampton, Massa- chusetts, 1878. In 1879 entered the freshman class of Princeton College, New Jersey; remained there for one year and was obliged to discontinue his studies on account of his father's illness. Began to read law in the office of William H. Lee in Honesdale, Pennsyl- vania, and. continued his legal studies with Hubbard B. Payne, Esq., in Wilkes-Barre. Admitted to the Luzerne bar June 5, 1882. Assistant Superintendent of the First Presby- terian Sunday School; Recording Secretary of the Board of Managers of the Y. M. C. A .; Lecturer in the commercial department of Wyoming Seminary.
J. S. SANDERS, editor of the Wilkes-Barre Telephone, was born in Mahoning Township, near Danville, Pennsylvania, August 10, 1834. At the age of 19 he commenced to learn the printing business with Colonel Valentine Best, of Danville Intelligencer. After serving an apprenticeship he subsequently became the editor and publisher of the Intelligencer, which paper he conducted for three years. He afterwards purchased the Berwick Gasette, and published that paper until 1870, when he removed to Hazleton where he owned and pub- lished the Sentinel until 1879, when he moved to Plymouth and printed the Plymouth Record until 1884, when he became associated with Charles D. Linskill in the publication of Wilkes-Barre Telephone, with which journal he is still connected. Mr. Sanders was Post- master at Berwick under the administration of President Johnson. He is connected with a number of the benevolent societies of this city and is at present a Grand Tustee of the Knights of the Golden Eagle of this state.
BUTLER DILLEY, born in Hanover 1834; educated in Wilkes-Barre; a printer ; in the regular army; in the late war Quartermaster of the Eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers in the three months service; Captain of Company L, Twenty-third Regiment. Was Supervisor and is now Burgess of Kingston Borough.
CORNELIUS CRONIN was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England ; began his education in the Christian Brothers' School; went to Ireland at sixteen and attended the academies for six years; emigrated to America in his twenty-second year; served as mine clerk, school teacher, agent ; for a number of years was in the office of the Kingston Coal Company; has contributed many articles on economical questions to the metropolitan press.
CYRUS STRAW, born in Hazleton, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1837. Lived all his life in this county. Educated at Wyoming Seminary. Lived on a farm. Taught school. Been in the grain and lumber business and taken an active part in politics. Served in the War of the Rebellion, Company K, Eighty-First Pennsylvania Volunteers. Wounded at the battle of Antietam. Discharged for disability from wound, May, 1863. Elected Commissioner of Luzerne in 1885, for a period of three years. Always active in public school interests. At present a member of the firm of Phelps, Straw & Company, Hardware Merchants, Wilkes-Barre.
ROBERT P. ROBINSON, ex-Sheriff and Deputy Treasurer of Luzerne county, was born in Fairmount township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. Taught school and farmed until 1882, when he was appointed County Auditor by the Court; served three years, and as Clerk of the County Commissioners five years. Elected Sheriff of Luzerne county in 1889 by a plurality of 1292 votes-the first Republican Sheriff of Luzerne county.
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THE WYOMING VALLEY
SIDNEY ROBY MINER, son of Charles A. Miner, was born july 28, 1864. Graduated at the Wilkes-Barre AAcademy in the class of 1883 and passed the Harvard entrance examina- tions in the following fall. Took a post-graduate course at the Academy; went abroad for two months, and entered college in the fall of 1884. Graduated from Harvard in the class of ISS8 ; in the fall of that year entered the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania ; stayed one year. In June 1889, joined the Ninth Regiment, Company D, of which his brother, Asher, was captain, and served three years. In September, 1889, entered the Pro- thonotary's office as a clerk and remained till Janvary, 18go, when he returned to the office of L. D. and R. C. Shoemaker, where he had registered as a student. On January 22, 1890, helped to found the Luzerne Law Club, and was its first Secretary. June 16, 18go, was admitted to the Bar of Luzerne County. On account of the death of Ilon. L. I. Shoemaker, it became necessary to find new quarters. Moved May 1, 1894, into rooms 64 and 65 Coal Exchange Building.
S. L. HAGENBAUGH, born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. Educated at the public schools, and at an early age began farming. In 1861 he enlisted in the Seventh Pennsyl- vania Infantry, and was taken prisoner in May, 1864, and was in Andersonville and other Southern prisons for ten months. Mustered out of service in April, 1865. In 1868 he came to Wilkes-Barre, and in 1884 opened an art store in that city. He has the largest and the best trade in the county. He is a member of the Grand Army.
EDWARD GUNSTER was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, November 8, 1860. Educated in the public and private schools and graduated from Nazareth Hall in 1876. Took a special course in accounting in New York city. Took charge of the books of several busi- ness houses in Wilkes-Barre, and in 1888 opened an office for type-writing, collecting, ac- counting and general office work, that has become the leading office in these lines in the State. His present offices are in the Coal Exchange, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
JOSEPH J. McGINTY was born in Durhani, England, forty-three years ago. He came, when a boy, to this country, and located with his parents near Hazleton, in this State, where he remained until he was elected to the office of Recorder of Deeds: In 1874 he was chosen School Director, and during one year of the term was Treasurer of the Board. He was elected Delegate to the Democratic State Convention which was held in Harris- burg in 1883, and was again sent by his fellow workingmen to represent them in the National Convention of the Knights of Labor at Hamilton, Canada, in 1885, and also at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1886. In 1886 he was elected Recorder of Deeds for his adopted county, by an overwhelming majority, and re-elected to the same office in 1889, when the rest of the Democratic ticket was defeated.
C. BEN JOHNSON was born in Philadelphia in 1846. Was educated at the public schools of that city. Served four years during the Civil War in the 104th Pennsylvania Volunteers and Seventh United States Veteran Volunteers. Entered journalism at the close of the War. Edited the organs of the Miners' Union 1868-75. Came to Wilkes- Barre in the latter year. Was Reading Clerk of the House of Representatives in 1883, and Secretary of the Board of Trade 1887-91. Member of the House of Representatives in the latter year. During the time not here accounted for, was on the editoral staff of the Wilkes-Barre Leader. Established the Wyoming Valley Sanitarium in 1893, is Secretary and General Manager of same.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
WILLIAM BURNS DOW was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1850. Son of the late J. B. Dow, a teacher in the valley for half a century. The subject of this sketch followed the insurance buisness in Wilkes-Barre for twenty years, until five years ago, when he became proprietor of the City Steam Laundry, on West Market street, and at the same time having some dealing in the real estate and insurance business.
THOMAS SMITH, County Commissioner, was born in England. Came to this country in 1863. Followed mining for fifty years. Was an officer at different times in the Miners' Union. Elected as Commissioner of Luzerne county in 1390 and re-elected in 1893.
D. K. SPRY was born in Honcsdale, Pennsylvania. Educated in the public schools, and served in the War of the Rebellion in the Pennsylvania Cavalry. Studied pharmacy with D. W. Wells and George Wells of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Was for many years the leading druggist of Plymouth, and has been identified with nearly every interest of that place. He is a successful business man and deals largely in real estate. Holds stock in most of our large industries. He resides in Wilkes-Barre at the present time.
G. W. ZEIGLER was born in Lambertville, New Jersey, in 1855. Educated in that place. Entered the telegraph office of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Trenton, New Jersey ; took charge of the distribution of the Company's coal for three divisions of that road, the .Belvidere, New York and Amboy divisions; resigned after serving the Company for eleven years. In 1880 became proprietor of the Glenwood House at the Delaware Water Gap, one of the largest hotels in the country. In 1886 became proprietor of the Luzerne House in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and under his management it has secured the largest commercial trade of any hotel in the city. Mr. Zeigler held the position of Volunteer Paymaster in the Ninth Regiment with the rank of Captain. He managed the Band Fair of the Ninth Regiment. A member of the Elks and Royal Society of Good Fellows and a Master Mason.
BOYD DODSON, M. D., born in Schuylkill County 1867. Graduated at Jefferson Med- ical College, Philadelphia, 1889.
MINER B. AUSTIN, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was born at Muhlenburg, Luzerne- County, Pennsylvania, January 11, 1851. At an early age he evinced a decided talent for music and at once took up the study. He studied with private teachers of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton and at Wyoming Seminary where he also received his education. IIe came to Wilkes-Barre in October, 1868, and sccured a position as clerk in the music store of Prof. L. Prætorius in which capacity he was employed about four years. He then took up the work of his chosen profession as teacher of music and his efforts have been crowned with a marked success. He was organist of the First Methodist Episcopal Church for fifteen years and filled the position with credit to himself and to the eminent satisfaction of that Church. He is a cornet player in the Ninth Regiment Band, of which he has been a member since its organization.
WILLIAM E. BENNETT, born in Jersey City, May 5, 1853 ; received a public school and academical education. Followed occupation of clerk, principally with Coal and Railroad Companies. Married Isadore, daughter of John M. Connor, in November, 1882 ; has three children-Bruce, Helen and Louise. Elected County Auditor in 1887; re-elected, 1890 and 1893, on Democratic ticket. Religion, Episcopalian.
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THE WYOMING VALLEY.
JOHN SLOSSON HARDING, ESQ., son of Hon. Garrick M. Harding, was born in Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania, 1859. Graduated from Yale College in 188o. Read law _with his father and was admitted to the Luzerne County Bar 1882. In 1883 was appointed assistant District Attorney.
JAMES MADDEN, JR., was born at Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1860. Edu- cated in the public schools. Resides in Wilkes-Barre.
WILLIAM PENN ABBOTT, D. D., was born at Plains, Pa., December 31, IS38; edu- cated in the Academy at West Chester and Wyoming Seminary; licensed to preach in 1860; entered the Wyoming Conference in 1863; joined the Troy Conference in 1869. located at Newburgh; in 1872 was stationed in New York City ; served the Washington Street, St. Luke's and Thirteenth Street Churches. Died December 22, 1878. He was one of the great orators of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
CALVIN PARSONS, son of Hezekiah, was born at Laurel Run, April, 1815; educated in the valley ; entered his father's fulling mill at eighteen and later in a saw mill ; when he was twenty-one assumed control of his father's mill. Married 1837. Has filled the most important local offices; was prominent in temperance lodges and is an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Wilkes-Barre; director and charter member of the People's Bank, and President of the Wyoming Monumental Association. Lives in his beautiful home at Parsons where he owns a large farm.
JUDGE DANIEL LA PORTE RHONE was born in Huntington township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1838; educated in the Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, and Wyoming Seminary; studied law with Hon. Charles Denison ; admitted to the Luzerne Bar in 1861 ; candidate for District Attorney in 1864; elected Judge of the Orphans' Court in 1874. Author of two standard works on Orphans' Court Practice. A writer and lec- turer on literary, educational and economic subjects. One of the organizers of the Public Schools.
ISAAC TRIPP was born in Providence, Pennsylvania, September 7, 1817; came to Kingston in 1854 and occupied the farm now occupied by Frank Helme; purchased his present property of one hundred and thirty-eight acres at Forty Fort. Married Mrs. Margaret Shoemaker February 17, 1840; after her death married Hannah Rodgers Decem- ber 28, 1861. Mr. Tripp is a successful man.
PETER SHUPP was born in Plymouth, of German ancestry, 1820; educated in that' place ; a successful merchant and a prominent citizen ; father of Charles.
HON. JOHN J. SHONK was born at Mount Hope, New Jersey, in 1815, of German ancestry ; began life at hard work ; in 1854 went into business as a coal operator and later as a lumberman and tanner. Served in the State Legislature for four years, elected in 1874 : Hon. George W. Shonk is his son. Mr. Shonk has been a successful man.
F. L. HOLLISTER, D. D. S., was born in what is now Forrest Lake township, Sus- quehanna county, Pennsylvania, August 16, 1846; educated at the Montrose Academy and the Union School at Ilamilton, New York; graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in 1879; located in Tunknannock, later in Wilkes-Barre, where he stands among the first in his profession. Married Miss Lillie Baker September 10, 1869. Member of the State and other Dental Associations.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
DRAPER SMITHI was born in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, November 7, 1815; educated in the schools of that county. Came to Plymouth in 1832 and went into the employment of Gaylord & Reynolds ; four years later went into partnership with Gaylord ; in 1840 formed a partnership with Mr. Little, of Kingston; two years later engaged in the coal business; opened a store in Plymouth in 1847, which he conducted successfully for ten years, when' Mr. Shupp became his partner, continuing until 1864, when Mr. Smith retired from active business life. President of the First National Bank of Plymouth for twenty years ; President of the Light, Heat and Power Company and of the Water Company. One of Plymouth's successful men. Mrs. H. B. Payne is his daughter.
ALEXANDER FARNHAM, ESQ., was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1834; educated at the Wyoming Seminary, at the Academy at Waverly, Pennsylvania, and the National Law School at Ballston Spa, New York ; read law in the office of Fuller and Harding in Wilkes-Barre, and when he was twenty-one was admitted to the Luzerne Bar, 1855 ; District Attorney from 1874 to 1877 ; has declined political preferment ; is President of the Bar Association of Luzerne county. Married Miss Augusta Dorrance July 18, 1865. He has no peer at the Luzerne Bar.
ASA RANDOLPH BRUNDAGE, EsQ., was born at Conyngham, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1828; graduated from Centenary College, Mississippi, with honors; studied law with H. B. Wright ; admitted to the Luzerne Bar in 1849; elected District Attorney in 1855; has served many times as a delegate to National and State conventions; an official member of the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Married Miss Francis B. Bulkely in 1853. Is a Democrat in politics.
ANDREW DERR was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1853 ; graduated from Lafayette College in 1878 with the degree of A. B .; studied law with Hon. George W. Biddle in Philadelphia and in the University of Pennsylvania; was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar in IS78, and in the same year to the Luzerne Bar. In 1882 he entered the firm of Thompson Derr & Brothers, the leading insurance firm in this section. A director of the Miners' Savings Bank and has filled several offices of trust.
WILLIAM H. MARCY was born in Wilkes-Barre, October 1, 1836; educated in that city ; followed carpenter work, later book-keeper for the Germania Coal Company ; in 1869 went into the mercantile business. At the present time is in the mercantile and lumber business. One of the oldest members of Vulcan Lodge, No. 292, of Odd Fellows; member of Landmark Lodge, No. 442, Free and Accepted Masons.
JAMES R. SCOUTEN, EsQ., was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, September 26, 1858; educated at Wyoming Seminary and other schools; graduated from the Law Depart- ment of the University of Michigan, October, 1884, with the degree of Bachelor of Law ; began practice in Sullivan county; in 1886 located in Wilkes-Barre; admitted to the Luzerne Bar in 1887 and has been in active practice ever since. Married Miss Mercy E. Brunges October 20, 1891.
GEORGE T. DICKOVER was born in Wilkes-Barre, January 28, 1849; educated in that city; is a member of the firm of Dickover & Son, Brick Manufacturers; in 1873 became a partner with his father. Married Miss Francis Stocton April 28, 1883 ; has three children living. Is a Republican in politics.
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THE WYOMING VALLEY.
ANDREW WILSON MCALPIN was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1849; educated in the Wilkes-Barre Institute and the Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsyl- vania ; clerked for John II. Swoyer, later shipping clerk for the Lehigh Valley Coal Com- pany ; for three years was connected with the Wilkes-Barre Record of the Times; since 1887 has been engaged in the real estate business. Married Miss Ida Phillips in 1879. -
PATRICK HENRY CAMPBELL, EsQ., was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, November 24, 1843; educated in the public schools; served in the late war ; then attended the Wyo- ming Seminary for three years ; was a teacher and then principal of the Second District Schools in Wilkes-Barre. Studied law with D. L. Rhone; admitted to the Luzerne Bar in 1874; examiner in the Orphans' Court for a number of years. Married Miss Francis McDonald in 1874.
ANDREW JACKSON ELLSWORTH was born in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, Septem- ber 22, 1862; educated at Wyoming Seminary; at eighteen began teaching; taught in Wyoming county for four years, four years at Pringleville, this county, and was principal of the Dorranceton School two years. In 1891 connected himself with the Wyoming Valley Traction Company where he is now employed.
EDWARD RICHARDS was born in Wilkes-Barre, August 25, 1852; educated in the public schools ; in 1890, with Eugene K. Fry, established a wall paper and paint store on South Main street, Wilkes- Barre. Mr. Richards has followed painting and paper hanging since 1869.
JAMES HI. EVANS was born in South Wales, July 9, 1864; came to this country in 1870; educated in the public schools; lived in Johnstown, Wilkes-Barre, Terre Haute, Indiana; Edwardsville, and now in Kingston ; learned the trade of boiler making; established his present mercantile business in 1886, in Edwardsville. Tax Collector, Auditor and Treasurer two terms each, of Edwardsville. Was a member of the Republican County Committee three years and its secretary one year. Married to Miss Maggie Waters in 1886.
THOMAS M. DULLARD was born in the county of Durham, England, of Irish parentage in 1854; came to this country in 1869 and settled in Plains and followed mining; took an active part in labor movements and held important offices in labor associations; in 1885 elected President of the M. and L. A. A. of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties ; was the organizer of the K. of L .; Alderman of the sixteenth ward of Wilkes-Barre; in 1890 elected one of the Commissioners of Luzerne county and re-elected in 1893. Author of several popular songs. Won prizes at hand-ball. Married in 1889 to Miss Miriam Gocrlity.
HERBERT Y. REESE was born in Bristol, England, of Welsh parentage, April 2, 1843; educated in England ; at the age of twenty-five came from Wales to Johnstown, Pennsyl- vania, where he was employed as a clerk; came to Jermyn, Pennsylvania, and later to Wilkes-Barre, clerking in the company store ; was located at Sugar Notch for several years. Has been for a number of years reporter and circulation manager on the Wilkes-Barre Record of the Times. Married Miss Isabella Moody in 1862. A member of a number of associations.
DARRYL, LA PORT CREVELING, ESQ., was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1869; educated in the New Columbus Academy and Wyoming Seminary ; taught school ; admitted to the Luzerne Bar in 1888. Married Miss Kate Hice in 1887.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
GEORGE .W. EDWARDS was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, March 6, 1860; went to school in that city ; moved to Plymouth, Pennsylvania, in 1866; to Kingston in 1873; has been in the employment of the Kingston Coal Company, and since 1887 has been outside superintendent of Breaker No. 2. Member of Knights of Pythias and Red Men. Was the first chief of the Edwards Fire Department. Is serving his second term as Councilman.
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