USA > Pennsylvania > The Wyoming Valley in the nineteenth century > Part 2
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A REVIEW.
was a woman of great force of character as well as possessing great business qualities. Mrs. W. W. Loomis and Mrs. Blackman were daughters and W. D. Loomis is her grandson, who inherited her property. The next property belonged to Mathias Hollenback and extended to River street. On it was a building occupied by a refugee from San Domingo. The next building was the tin-shop of Samuel Howe. The next building was occupied by William A. Merrit, a hatter, and later by Mr. Van Fleet. The corner house had a wing that was used as a bar-room ; William Johnson kept a bar-room in a part of the building at a later day.
The south side of West Market street from River :' Next to the Hollenback store and residence on the corner was the office of Col. H. B. Wright. Where C. E. Butler now has his book store, stood the dwelling-house of Jacob Sinton: Mrs. Sidney Tracey was his daughter. Next was his residence and next lived Sidney Tracey. On the corner where the Wyoming Bank stands was a store conducted by Sinton & Tracey. There was a high board fence fronting on Market street and some large Lombardy poplars.
West Market street, between Franklin street and Public Square: Where the Rutter block stands there stood a house a little way from the street, where ex-Sheriff Jonathan Bulkeley lived in 1828. Mr. Bulkeley was a merchant. On the next property stood a build- ing occupied by Andrew Beaumont with the postoffice ; John C., his son, was a Commodore in the U. S. Navy. Henry lived and died in this city; Andrew was in the United States service; Eugene was an officer in the United States Army ; he retired and is living in this city. There were four daughters, all now deceased. Then came Edmund Taylor, Z. Gray and Charles B. Drake's store.
East Market street, from the Public Square: Beyond the Parrish house was the old stone jail, a two-story, eight room building, with kitchen attached, with an old porch in front. On the opposite side was an old house, the occupant forgotten. There was an old log house occupied by George Tucker.
East Market street : On the hill lived Christian Gruver, a farmer. Near him lived Abram Marks.
North River street, from Market : Where Music Hall stands was a tavern, kept by Mrs. Johnson, and later a building in which Samuel Nicholson, Thomas Blake and Andrew Beaumont, Jr., kept stores at different times. George II. Rosett, a nephew of George Hol- lenback, also had a store there. Fred. Mc. Alpine, the father of Andrew McAlpine, used the building for a tin-shop. Where William S. Wells lives was a small building. Then was the cabinet shop of James C. Helme. Later was a building built by Wm. Willetts, now oc- cupied by Nathaniel Rutter. Next, where Anthony Emily lived, was a large residence built and occupied by Lewis Worrel: adjoining was a large building in which he had a pottery ; on this lot Captain John Urquhart, the father of Dr. George, built and subsequently occu- pied the house now occupied by Arnold Bertels. There was a log house occupied by William Russell next. Isaac .A. Chapman, the historian, lived where Jonas Long's sons built their residence. Squire Eleazer Carey married Mr. Chapman's widow and lived there. B. F. Dorrance and Caleb Wright lived in the house at a later day. Above was the Ingham brewery; it was finally purchased by John Reichard; it stood near where what was the home of F. V. Rockafellow. Mr. Reichard built the Rockafellow house and lived there until he sold the property to Mr. Rockafellow. Across Union street was the Griswald house, occupied by Harris and Henry Colt, and their sister, Mrs. Gris-
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THE WYOMING VALLEY.
wald ; Andrew Beaumont, Pierce Butler and Sharpe D. Lewis married the daughters of Arnold Colt ; one son, Harris, was in the United States Army ; Ilarry was a prominent surveyor; Chester was in a department at Washington. Dr. Charles F. Ingham lived there and built the residence where his family now resides. On the bank of the canal was a house where the young men of Wilkes-Barre conducted a theatre, the talent being entirely local.
South River street, from Market : On the corner was the old Geo. M. Hollenback dwell- ing and store. This was a brick building, one of the four brick buildings in the borough. The ground floor on Market street was a store ; this was the leading store in this part of the State. Where the Valley House stands was occupied by the Phoenix tavern; from it the stages started up and down the river and across the mountain by the old turnpike. South River street and Northampton were important streets. The tavern was kept by Orlando Porter, the father of George Porter, the artist and preacher, and the author of a volume entitled "From Infidelity to Christianity." Mrs. John M. Burtes was his daughter. Later W. H. Alexander became the proprietor; he is the father of John, Charles, Emily. He was followed by MeGilchrist. The building was torn down. The next house below was built by Judge Chadles D. Shoemaker, the father of Fred., W. M. and Robert, of this city; it became the property of Amzi Fuller, who was a very prominent man ; Henry A. Fuller, Esq., of this city, is his grandson. The next residence was built by Andrew T. McClintock, Esq. On the next property, where Misses Caroline and Emily Alexander live, was the old stone residence of Jacob Cist; he was postmaster in 1821 ; 4 after his death Chester Butler married his widow, who was a sister of George Hollenback, and lived in the house. Where Irving A. Stearns lives was built by Judge John N. Conyngham ; formerly the site was occupied by a small frame house where Samuel Wright, a darkey, kept a confectionery and bakery ; Sam was a bachelor who was highly esteemed. The ladies of the village came to his place once a year and made him quilts and overhauled his belongings; he in return prepared an elegant repast for their entertainment. Judge Conyngham, who came into possession of the property, came to the town as attorney for the Philadelphia bank; after the bank was discontinued he became a member of the Luzerne Bar and finally President Judge, filling the position with great honor for thirty years : Mrs. . Charles Parrish, the wife of Bishop Stevens, Charles M. and W. L. are his children. Where Col. R. B. Ricketts and Benjamin Reynolds built their double block is on the site of the Philadelphia bank. Below it stood a century box, in the yard, where a watchman kept guard at night. The door of the vault in the bank was of sheet iron fastened by an old-fashion lock; the cashier was John Bettle. When the bank was closed Judge Conyngham moved into the building and here most of his family were born.' Hendrick B. Wright afterward lived there. Where Sheldon Reynolds lives was occupied by his father, William C. Reynolds. On the corner, where S. L. Brown built his residence, was a vacant lot. Of the opposite corner, across Northampton street, where Judge Stanley Woodward lives, was the residence of Lord Butler, the father of Mrs. Judge Conyngham, Mrs. D. Donnelson, Charles, John, Lord and Zebulon. After the Pennamite War the building was used for county offices. After Lord Butler's death it was occupied by John L. Butler; it was torn down by Judge Stanley Woodward and his present residence erected in its place. Where the elegant residence of Charles Parrish stands were two buildings, one a one-story building occupied by a carpet weaver named Overholtz, the other was a frame house ; in
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A REVIEW.
front of these houses was a stone supposed to have been used by the Indians to pound corn in as there was a shallow basin hollowed out of the top. Where Dr. Edward R. Mayer lived so many years was built by John W. Robbinson, father-in-law of Col. I. B. Wright. Where Col. Wright's house stands was a little unfinished house occupied by John C. Snow. Next to him lived Joseph Backinstow, a tailor. This man deserves special mention as the carrier of the gossip mail bag. The town was so infested with gossips that the men in self-defense employed this tailor to go and stand cach morning for ten minutes under the window of each gossip with a leather bag to catch the gossip. On the next property was the house of John P. Arndt, who brought to this town old Michael, the sexton of the old ship Zion, and the constable of the village. Later Thomas II. Morgan occupied it and used it for a stage house; Mrs. David Wilmot was his daughter. The boys of the village used the barn and the garret for a circus. There are only four survivors of the troop-N. S. Rutter, Charles E. Lathrop and C. E. Butler and T. N. Smith. John P. Arndt had a store house on the river bank that was used for an ark depot. Old Michael lived there after his benefactor died. Here he had a pound where he locked up pigs, cattle and drunkards all together. The boys formed a juvenile military organization, in imitation of their elders, who loved to wear brass buttons and on holidays would move up in line in front of old Michael's house and salute him. To show his appreciation of the honor done him he would come out and give each officer two pence and the privates one. In those days the bell of the old ship Zion, on the Square, would be rung by the old sexton for all the lights of the village to be · extinguished.
Where Mrs. Emery's house stands was the old homestead of Moses Wood, the father of John, William, Isaac, Matthew and Moses and four daughters. The next place was that of John P. Shott, one of the first houses built in this section ; it stood where E. H. Chase now lives. On the site occupied by the R. J. Flick residence was the home of Roswell Welles, who was one of the ablest lawyers of this section ; he dates back to 1800. He married a daughter of Col. Zebulon Butler. In front of where the William M. Conyngham residence stands, on the river bank, was a large double house built and occupied by Jabez Fish. This was a handsome residence, beautifully located. Mr. Fish farmed the island, which was called Fish Island. The old stage route from Northumberland came 'by the house. Here one of the many forts built along the river had been located, as it commanded a view of the river in each direction. This locality had been a favorite camp- ing place of the Indians for the same reason. Here stood a beautiful grove. Below there was a wide beach where the shad seines would be hauled in. The only house on Academy street was that of John Davis. Some distance below, on Carey avenue lived Henry Keck, whose son Henry deliberately shot his father with a rifle because he was coming home intoxicated. The young man was pardoned by the Governor, much to the disgust of the people of the town, who held a mock execution on the Public Square and hanged the Governor in effigy. Cuff Hick read the death sentence. Back in the early days" in the Valley there stood a log cabin built by the settlers for an Indian chief who had been con- verted to Christianity by the Moravian missionaries. This chief was esteemed by the settlers, The six nations became jealous of his popularity and as the Indians in the Valley were simply a tributary tribe, they sent a committee down here who fastened him in his cabin and burned the building. His name was Teedyuseung. He was intoxicated at the time. In front of the Fish residence was an old Indian burying ground.
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THIE WYOMING VALLEY.
Union, from River street : On the corner was the Ingham house, built by James C. Helme. Next was a small house occupied by the widow Wilson. Next lived Patrick Gor- man. There was a house where the Loomis residence stands. the occupant not known. On the corner of what is now Franklin street lived a family by the name of Bowman. On the opposite side lived Mr. Vernet; Mrs. Dr. Ingham is a daughter. Across the street Mrs. Tracy kept a boarding house. On the lower side lived Thomas Patterson. Next lived a man by the name of Kirkoff. On the upper side lived Job Barton ; his son Samuel was one of the postmasters of Wilkes-Barre. Near Canal street was the house of Conrad Picket, one of the first Germans who settled in this city. On the upper side of the street was Patrick McGuigan. Beyond him lived George Dickover, the father of William Dick- over, of this city.
Northampton street, from River street: Steuben Butler had a printing office on the southwest corner of Franklin and Northampton where he with Charles Miner published the Gleaner and afterward the Wyoming Herald. On the northeast corner was a one-story house occupied by Mr. Dupuy, a refugee from the island of San Domingo, the father-in-law of Ralph Laco. Next to Dupuy came the Gibson house, built by Chief Justice Gibson, afterward occupied by Judge Jones, then by Judge Woodward; Stanley Woodward was born there. Near him lived Doctor Streater, in the old Gildersleeve house, father of W. C. Gildersleeve. Beyond Main street, on the left-hand side, Lord Butler lived, where he began housekeeping. Next to him was Hart Alkins. On the opposite side of the street lived William Hart, the father of Port Hart. Jesse Fell lived in a house, a part of which is now standing on the corner of Washington street. This house is where the first anthracite coal is said to have been burned in a grate by Jesse Fell. This place was a tavern. Mrs. Joseph Slocum and Mrs. J. J. Dennis were his daughters. Beyond the canal lived John Connor, father of John, David, William and Mrs. John Dickover. On the next lot was a colored family by the name of Brown. Many fugitive staves escaping from bondage found shelter in this house. When the many citizens of our city who were in sympathy with the South rode Mr. Gildersleeve on a rail through the streets of the town this house was blockaded for defense; a shot was fired in the yelling crowd : a man was killed. This was followed by the house being raided. This house was a station of the under-ground railroad.
Hazle street, from South Main: On the top of the hill was the McCarragher farm- house; his son, Samuel, was a lawyer. Below lived farmer Sharpe, the father of Richard Sharpe, of this city; William and two daughters are his children. On the left side lived Joseph Davis, a farmer ; he shot a neighbor by the name of Divel. Near Blackman street was the gun-smith shop of Henry Young. Below, on the right-hand side lived David Williams, a blacksmith. There were two other houses below, the occupants forgotten.
Canal street sixty years ago had a house in which old Granny Young lived, one of the oldest houses in the Valley. The cemetery was on the corner of East Market street, and the sexton lived on the corner of the grounds.
What is now Scott street was the Parsons road. Judge David Scott lived on the hill; he was President Judge; William, his son, was a lawyer, and E. Greenough Scott, Esq., of this city, is a grandson; Mrs. Judge Kidder was his daughter. Beyond Laurel Run lived Johida Johnson, a farmer and distiller; his son Ovid F. became Attorney General of Pennsylvania; Johida, William, Priestly R., father of Henry F., of Kingston ; Wesley, father of Fred. C., one of the proprietors of the Wilkes-Barre Record of the Times ; Miles,
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A REVIEW.
the father of Wells Bowman Johnson ; Mrs. Charles Reel and Mrs. Henry Wilson are the children.
What is now Parsons was Laurel Run. Here lived Hezekiah Parsons, the father of Calvin l'arsons; he had a large carding mill and a broom handle factory located there; Mrs Benager Baily, Mrs. ITiram McAlpin were his daughters.
The old Miner's Mill road from Parsons is one of the old streets. John Albright, a farmer, lived near Laurel Run. Charles Miner, the historian; William Penn, the founder of the Record of the Times, Mrs. Jesse Thomas; mother of Isaac M. Thomas; Mrs. Fuller Abott, the mother of Rev. William Abott ; Sarah, the blind poet; Mrs. Stout, Mrs. David Thomas were the children. The Miner homestead is still standing. The next place was that of Asher Miner, a miller and farmer, the grandfather of Charles A. Miner, of this city, Dr. Thomas W., Samuel and Joseph Miner. Thomas Stucker lived above Miner's Mills. Then came the tannery of Mr. Bailey and a tavern kept by Mr. Elisha Blackman.
North Main street, above Union: Col. A. H. Bowman, an officer in the United States Army, lived on the hill on the left-hand side. The house is still standing and was a beautiful place in the past. Ebenezer Bowman, one of the first lawyers at the bar, lived in a small house adjoining.
The next place was that of Peter Alabach, on the same side. One son was a civil engineer and the other was an officer in the United States Army; was in the Mexican war; Col. in the late war, and died in Washington captain of the police in charge of the Capital ; his name was Peter. The next place was called the Rodgers place; one of the sons was a Baptist preacher. Above, on the left side, was a log house owned by Harris Colt; William Dickover was born in this house. Matthias Hollenback's grist mill and dwelling was at Mill Creek; he was a cousin of Matthias of Wilkes-Barre; his grandson was J. M. Hollenback. He owned a large farm and North Wilkes Barre plot is located on it. Nearly a mile above was the house and farm of John Abbott, on the right-hand side, the son of Steve. Robert and the two Misses Abbott, of Wilkes-Barre, are his children. Robert Miner lived above on the other side of the street, a son of Asher and father of Charles A. Miner, of Wilkes-Barre. William, was on the south side of the street ; he was a son of Steve. Above came Steve Abbott. the father of John, William and Stephen F., the father of the Rev. William Penn Abbott, and one daughter, Mrs. Robert Miner .. On the left-hand side was Thomas Williams, the father of George, Ezra, Thomas, Moses, Mrs. John Carey, Mrs. Matthias Hollenback, of Mill Creek, Mrs. David Blanchard. George Williams, who was County Treasurer at one time, lived across the street below ; his sons were Thomas, Edwin, Charles, Frank, and one daughter. Edwin is a prominent man in one of the cities of Ohio. A man named James Canedy lived above.
John Carey occupied the next place on the hill, on the right-hand side; he was one of the old families. The red school-house stood on the top of the hill. Crandel Wilcox lived next on a large farm, one of the finest in the county; his large family of children went west. On the same side of the street was a house where John Myers lived and in this house Lawrence Myers, of this city, was born. Ile was the father of Henry, Lawrence and some other children. On the right-hand side was Hiram Stark. The next place was that of Henry Hay, a blacksmith. James Stark came next ; he was a farmer, merchant, Justice of the Peace and a prominent man; his sons were Henry, John M., now of Wyoming, James, Hiram, Scott, a banker in Pittston, William, now of Plains,
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THE WYOMING VALLEY.
Mrs. D. Bea, of Pittston, and two or three other daughters. Fredrick Wagner lived above on the same side of the street ; Peter and .William, Mrs. James Stark, Mrs. William Apple were the children. Then came Benjamin Courtright, on the left-hand side, the father of Hamilton and James, who kept the White Horse Hotel in this city ; one son was County Treasurer; there was one daughter. William Apple lived next, a farmer. On the opposite side was the Half-way House, a hotel kept by Henry Shiffer. John Clark lived on the opposite side of the street. The next place was owned by a farmer and brick-maker by the name of Wilcox, the father of Bowen, the brick-maker in Plymouth, and the grandfather of Chester Wilcox, of Kingston; James, the gate keeper over in Luzerne, is a son. Moses Williams lived on the left-hand side of the street ; his children are Henry, Rev. John C .; Charles C. is a hotel keeper at Plainsville. Above lived Samuel Sailor, who kept a tavern and postoffice; here was where the mail was exchanged, which was done while the horses were being watered and the passengers were taking a drink of whiskey. Here the stage road branched off from the main road. We will continue up the main road : Above the forks was Joseph Swallow, the father of Rev. Miner Swallow, of Kingston, George, Benjamin and some other sons ; Mrs. Rev. William Keatley is one of his three daughters. On the other side was William LaBarr, a tailor, an uncle of Rev. John LaBarr, of Wyoming
Peter Winters came next ; he was a farmer and for many years Justice of the Peace. Joseph Armstrong, a farmer, lived adjoining. James Thompson came next. John LaBarr, a wagon-maker and farmer, lived on the left-hand side of the street ; his sons were Charles and the Rev. John LaBarr, and two or three daughters. There was a house on the right-hand side, the occupant was probably an Armstrong. Then came William Tompkins; Able, of Pittston, is his son. This brings us to Pittston.
To go back to the forks on the main road : Above was Cornelius Courtright, the father of Benjamin Courtright, of Plains, and Mrs. John Abbott ; the rest of the children's names are not remembered; he was County Commissioner, and a prominent man.
The next property was that of John Blanchard, of the old Revolutionary stock. Then came a few houses, the occupants not known. Then came Pittston.
The main road to Hanover from South Wilkes-Barre: First came Thomas Quick, the father of Thomas, of South Wilkes-Barre; Mrs. Avny, Holbert and Mrs. William Beyer were children. Next to him lived Frederick Naugle, a farmer. Auditor Jacob Rymer is his grandson. John Inman lived below. Then came Henry Fisher. . Below lived Bale- man Downing; Reuben Downing, late of Wilkes-Barre, was a son. Lorenzo Ruggles lived on the adjoining farm ; he had a large family. Mrs. Rev. John LaBarr is a daughter. This is down to the cross-roads.
On the river road at Buttonwood lived the Lazarus family (see H. B. Plumb's sketch). Near them lived Oscar Blodgett. Below was the old John Inman, the old Revolutionary Inman.
Then came the Dilley farm-house; William, Richard and other children were of the family. Below came the Red Tavern, still standing ; Sullivan Horton kept it sixty years ago. Farther down was the Garringer house. Then Peter Mills. A Fairchilds lived in the vicinity, of whom we have no information. This brings us to Nanticoke. Col. Andrew Lee owned a mill and residence. He owned a thousand acres of land in that section, and
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A REVIEW.
was a prominent man He was an officer in the War of 1812. He divided his property among his relations, not having any family. Mrs. Ziba Bennett and Andrew Lee were of his heirs. There were a few houses back at Newport, of which we have no definite knowledge.
South Main street, west side : Below the corner were some two-story frame buildings. One was occupied by the father of W. R. Maffett as a printing office. Here he published the Susquehanna Democrat. Beyond was the house of Judge Henry Pettibone ; afterwards the building was occupied by General Ross and in it he had the postoffice. Then came Allen Jack, a merchant ; his store was a brick building, one of the first four in the borough. Adjoining Thomas Davidge had a shoe manufactory. Beyond was the Crystal tavern ; here for a long time the stage stopped. Henry Cady, the father of Mrs. Augusta Laning, lived on the next property. Then came the Jermain house. In 1830 this building was used both as a store and residence. The next place was the old residence and store of Matthias Hollenback. The building is still standing-a long, low frame structure. Mr. Hollenback's trade extended as far north as the lakes and reached nearly every settlement and Indian village for hundreds of miles in every direction. He was the owner of many thousands of acres of land. Undoubtedly he was the most astute man that has lived in the Valley. He was in the Massacre, escaping by swimming down the river. It is said that he tied his belongings to his cue and put the gold coins he had in his possession in his mouth, one of which he lost when a bullet from the rifle of an Indian splashed water in his face. This store was at a later day removed to the corner of West Market and River streets and conducted by his son George. Below it was open country, with a post and rail fence next to the road.
Opposite where Lewis LeGrand's wagon-shop and residence now stands was a large frame house occupied by Frank and Lee Stewart. This house, like most of the houses in the borough, was built a little back from the street. Most of the dwellings were farm - houses and were of the old colonial order of architecture. Where the residence of the late Judge Edmund L. Dana stands was a small building supposed to have been occupied by the Judge's ancestors. Below was a farmer named Moore; some of his children live in the city. This section was only partly reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Edward S. Loop relates that he has seen deer feeding with the cattle in the fields near the road. An old gentleman, who has not been dead very many years, related that, when a boy, his parents, who lived near Hanover, would send him out to keep the deer out of the corn and the wild turkeys from the grain. The farmers very often would have their hogs killed by bears. The mother of Calvin Parsons had the experience, one night shortly after she was married, of having her house, at Laurel Run, during the absence of her husband, sur- rounded by wolves and panthers that filled the woods with their terrible discord.
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