USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > The Wyoming Valley, upper waters of the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna coal-region : including views of the natural scenery of northern Pennsylvania : from the Indian occupancy to the year 1875 > Part 34
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Susquehanna > The Wyoming Valley, upper waters of the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna coal-region : including views of the natural scenery of northern Pennsylvania : from the Indian occupancy to the year 1875 > Part 34
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EDWARD MERRIFIELD, esq., is a son of Hon. William Merri- field, who is noticed at some length in previous pages. He was raised in Scranton, and has always been identified with the best interests of the city.
February. Term, 1868.
MILO J. WILSON, esq., was admitted at this term of court. He was born in Wyoming County, this State, January 31st, 1833. After receiving the usual county school advantages, and a course at the Waverly Academy, he repaired to the New York Central College, Cortland County, N. Y. Com- menced reading law in 1858 with R. B. Little, esq., at Mont- rose. Entered the Union army in 1862 as a private in the 94th Ohio Infantry, and served in the Department of the Cumber- land his full term. After leaving the service he traveled west and engaged one year in the grain business. Returning east he located at Scranton. As a citizen and lawyer, Mr. Wilson is a commendable representative of the profession. During the spring of 1875, the Republican party chose him as a can- didate for Mayor on a purely upright record. The city being so largely Democratic, he was defeated only by about 500 votes.
May Term, 1868. Admitted Messrs Ranck, Butler, Unger, and Bunnell.
J. M. C. RANCK, esq., was born in Union County, Pa., in 1831. He was educated at Milton Academy, Northumberland County, and at Lewisburg University. He came to Scranton, April ist, 1868, after having practiced at Philadelphia, and New Berlin, Union County. He has been very successful in amassing property. He may be called the pioneer in the Building Associations of Luzerne County.
MESSRS. BUTLER AND UNGER, after being admitted, remained but a few months in the city.
L. M. BUNNELL, esq., came from Susquehanna County, where he had studied law at Montrose. He served in the Union Army, principally south of the James, in the Infantry arm of the service.
September Term, 1868. Admitted, Messrs. Stanton, Gunster, and Van Fleet.
WILLIAM H. STANTON, esq , originally from Archbald in this county, was educated at St. Joseph's College, Susquehanna County, Pa. He commenced practice in Scranton, and was the second editor of the Daily Times. Was elected District Attorney in the spring of 1872, and in the fall of 1874 was elected to the State Senate by the Democratic party.
FREDERICK W. GUNSTER, esq., was born in Lockweiler. Prussia, September 15th, 1245. Came to America with his parents and brothers in 1853. Was educated in the Scranton Schools, and for a time taught the Ward Street School, and the Grammar School. In 1364 he entered Sophomore Class a: Williams College, and graduated in 1867 with a class ot fifty with honors, the Faculty having assigned to him the Philo- sophical Oration. Returning home be entered the law office of Ward & Mahon. He served the city in the capacity of Assistant Clerk of the Commissioners and City Attorney, and in the fall of 1974 was elected to the Legislature. His depor !- ment there is on record, and known to the public at large.
CHARLES G. VAN FLEET, esq., was born June 3d, 1847, in Benton Township. Was educated at Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, and at the Clinton Liberal Institute, N. Y. lle commenced reading law with Merriman & Lamber!, of Wilkes- Barre, in 1866. Came to Scranton in 186;, and read with E. N. Willard, esq. Mr. Van Flect is a young man of fine literary
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213
THE JUDICIARY AND BAR OF SCRANTON.
taste, well read in the higher planes of thought and sentiment of the day, and making no professions of his attainments. enjoys them for the intrinsic satisfaction which he desires.
COLONEL CLARK E. ROYCE was born at Lebanon Springs, Columbia County, N. Y., in 1840. He graduated at Williams College, class of '50. Commenced the study of law at Co- lumbia College, New York, and was admitted to the bar in 1861. He then entered the army in August, 186t, with the 44th N. Y. Inf'try., and in November, IS65, was mustered out as Colonel of the 29th U. S. Colored Troops. In 1869 he came to Scranton, and for a while was associated in partnership with E. N. Willard, esq Colonel Royce is a lawyer of supe- rior ability, and a gentleman of fine sensibilities and culture.
February Term, 1869. Admitted Cornelius Smith, esq.
CORNELIU'S SMITH, esq., was born October 25th, 1838, in the city of Albany, N. Y. In 1850 he came to Pennsylvania, and was educated at New Berlin Academy, Union County. He studied law in Sunbury, Pa., with George Hill, esq., and was admitted to the bar there in December, 1853. He located in Pottsville, April, 1864, where he practiced law until Decem- ber, 1868, when he took up his residence in Scranton. He served as City Attorney for one year, and has been retained in nearly all the leading contested cases in this section, since his advent. He assisted in the defense of the murder case of Irving and O'Mara at Montrose, and was Attorney for the defense in the so-called Rioter's case, which grew out of diffi- culties in the strike of 1870. As an original thinker, and a close calculating lawyer, Mr. Smith has few equals at the bar, and had the years of hard toil of his youth been given to study, the superstructure of the legal profession, based on a thorough course, would have fitted him for a giant in his pro- fession. He is the closest student at his books of any of the Scranton bar.
April Term, 1869. Admitted, Wesley H. Gearhart, esq.
WESLEY H. GEARHART, esq., was educated at Lewisburg University, and studied law betcre he came to Scranton. His Success is greatest In the accumulation of money.
May Term, 1869. Admitted, Messrs Hart- ley, Jones (M. L.), and Snyder.
CYRUS W. HARTLEY, esq., deceased, came from Susquehanna County, in the vicinity of Glenwood. He had served in the Patent Office at Washington, D. C., after which he located in Scranton. It may be safely stated, that no young lawyer in the coal region led a life founded on principle so strongly marked as was that of the lamented Hartley. Strict in draw- ing the lines between right and wrong : uncompromising in every detail of his profession which affected his manhood ; of good legal attainments, and promising largely for the future field of usefulness, he was a rare and exemplary young man.
MEREDITH L. JONES, esq., is a son of the Hon. Lewis Jones, first Recorder of the Mayor's Court of Scranton.
J. B. SNYDER, esq., came to Scranton from Carbondale, and with his practice has figured somewhat in real estate trans- actions.
September Term, 1869. Admitted, Messrs. Hannah (H. M.), and Sturges.
HUGH M. HANNAH, esq., came from Susquehanna County. and is at present City Attorney. He followed teaching school to some extent, before he entered the profession.
EDWARD B. STURGES, esq., was born in Fairfield, Conn., in 1345. He attended the New York College for four years, and
served for a time in the Union army. Studied law in Connec- ticut, and was admitted to the bar in that State, in 1367. He came to Scranton 1869, and has followed the profession with a compelling dignity, which even his foes admire. While macy differ with him in points of policy and religious belief, none ever accused him of doing a dishonorable professional act. His aims and purposes are based upon settled convictions of christian duty.
December Term, 1560. L D Vickery, esq., was sworn in.
L. D. VICKERY, esq., had practiced in New York and Mis- souri, butsince his establishment here his time has been given to his duties as Secretary of a local Insurance Company.
May Term, 1870. Daniel Ward Connolly. esq , admitted .
DANIEL WARD CONNOLLY, esq., was born in Cochecton, Sui- livan County, N. Y., April 24th, 1847. His father, the late John Connol.y. well known in different parts of the eastern and middle States as a railroad contractor, moved to Scranton when Daniel was between two and three years of age. Mr. Connolly has, by growing up with the city, become part and parcel of its history, more especially, as in all of the improve- ments with which his father was connected, the son shared in the performance of the duties required as pay master and clerk. He is thoroughly a self-made man, and though young in years, possesses a remarkable understanding of men and character, a coveted ally in his professional duty. He studied law with A. A. Chase, esq., and at the present time, though young in appearance, is rising rapidly to the front rank of the profession. In 1872 he was placed in the political field as 20 independent candidate tor District Attorney, and having two candidates opposed to him he was counted out. Those famil- jar with the history of that campaign, are convinced that he was duly elected.
February Term, 1871. Albert Chamberlain, esq., was sworn in.
ALBERT CHAMBERLAIN, esq., had been for years a member of the Montrose Bar. He has figured considerably in the Republican party, and has in return been farored with official recognition, by holding office under the laternal Revenue policy.
May Term, 1871. Messrs. Wilmarth and Weitzel were sworn in.
W. S. WILMARTH, esq., came from Susquehanna County. where he had followed farming for a livelihood. He has, by an honorable course, earned the appreciation of his brethren in the profession.
. PAUL R. WEITZEL, esq., was born at Sunbury, Northumber- land County, and was educated at the Selec: School of Sus- bury, and at Dickinson Seminary. He entered the Law School of Easton, and graduated in 1856. He commenced practice in Carbon County, May, 1856, and has followed his professicc in Williamsport. Mr. Weitzel has worked up a lucrative and promising practice.
September Term, 1871. Messrs. Edwards, Lusk and Hottenstein were sworn in.
HENRY M. EDWARDS, esq., was born in Monmouthshire. England, February 12, 1844. of Welsh parentage. Ile was educated at Swansea, South Wales, and emigrated to America in 1864. Was managing editor of the Baner America, & Weiss newspaper, for three years, and afterwards studied law with F. W. Gunster, esq. Ilis practice among the Welsh people has grown into a profitable [ rofessional life.
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THE LACKAWANNA VALLEY.
W. D. Lusk, esq., came from Susquehanna, and remained in Scranton about one year.
A. S. HOTTENSTEIN, esq , came from Berks county, where he had followed farming, and served as Justice of the Peace. He is from a Pennsylvania Dutch family.
December Term, 1871. George S Horn, esq , was duly admitted.
GEORGE S. HORN, esq., was born in Scrantonia, the early village in the wilderness, which was afterwards developed into Scranton, and is the only member of the har who is a native of the soil, excepting John F. Connolly, esq. He read law with Ward & Gunster.
February Term, 1872. D. M. Rank, esq., was sworn in.
D. M. RANK, esq., moved from a country further south. He saw service as a Captain of Cavalry in the southwest, and has recently been appointed District Attorney to fill vacancy.
February Term, 1873. Messrs. Price and Sanderson, Jr., were sworn in.
SAMUEL B. PRICE, esq., was born in New Jersey, and was educated at Princeton College in that state, hut before gradu- ating he transferred himself to the University of Michigan, whence he graduated. He was admitted to the har of the lat- ter state, and coming to Scranton in 1872, entered the office of Col. Royce. He is a young man of clear understanding and intellectual power, and bids fair to do honor to his profession
GEORGE SANDERSON, JR , esq., was born at Towanda, and is a graduate of Harvard University. He read law with Samuel Rohb, esq., son-in-law of ex-Chief Justice Thompson, in Phil- adelphia, for two years, and for another two he passed in Har- vard Law School. Upon his return he practiced two years in Philadelphia, when he came to Scranton, at the request of his father, Hon. George Sanderson.
May Term, 1873. Frank V. Barnes, esq., was admitted.
FRANK V. BARNES, esq. His income being sufficient for any man, for comfort and ease, professional labors do not rest heavily upon him.
September Term, 1873. R. W. Arehbald, esq., was admitted.
R. W. ARCHBALD, esq., is a son of Hon. James Archbald, whose biography is given at length in other pages.
February Term, 1874. Peter Mahon, esq., a brother to James Mahon, esq., before noticed, was admitted. He has removed from Seranton to other parts.
May Term, 1874. Messrs. Connolly, (J. F.) and Simrell were admitted.
JOHN FRANCIS CONNOLLY, esq., was born in Scranton, April 27, 1853. He was educated in our schools, after which he at- tended the Columbia Law School, of New York, graduating on the 14th of May, 1873, with the degree of L. L. B. He opened an office at once in his native city, and thus far has ex - hihited powers of no ordinary nature. He is a young man, self-reliant and industrious, displaying graces which when fully developed, will place him among the peers of the pro- fession. Mr. Connolly's friends look forward to his future with pleasant and confident expectations.
EUGENE W. SIMRELL, esq., was born in Scott township. this county, and was educated at the Mansfeld Normal School of Tioga. He attended the law school at Alhany, after which he moved to this city, entering the office of J. M. C. Ranck, esq.
February Term, 1875. Messrs. H. B. Knapp and Chas. R. Piteher were admitted.
The former was a student in Judge Handley's office, the lat- ter of the office of Messrs. Gunster & Welles, both young men of industry and merit.
J. A. Clark, the author of this work, is a member of the Scranton Bar, but thus far has devote 1 his time to journalism. His biography, if ever written, must be by the pen of another.
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CHAPTER XXXIX.
CITIES AND TOWNS.
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CARBONDALE.
Much that pertains to the early history of this, the earliest city of the northern coal basin, has been given in the extended chapter on the Dela- ware and Hudson Canal Company. Its early settlement, and that of the infant corporation, is matched history. As a city, it was incorporated . in 1851. Its anna's do not differ materially from the incidents which are inseparably con- nected with coal towns, and among the few pecu- liar events may be mentioned the great mine disaster, which has already been treated in de- tail; the flour riot of 1842, wherein the peaceful little corporation was thrown into excitement by the flour famine, occasioned by an endeavor of a few to " corner" that commodity ; the breaking of the Durfee dam, which occasioned the loss of seven lives; the quieting of land titles; the great fires of 1850 and 1855, when the thrce corners of the public square suffered severely ; and such other events as mining districts occa- sion, because of the conglomeration of inhab- itants.
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Its list of Mayors is upon record as follows : James Archbald, 1851; Edward Jifkins, 1855 ; Gideon Frothingham, 1856; John M. Poor, 1857; Canfield Harrison, 1861; Anthony Gra- dy, 1862; Wm. Brenan, 1865; J. M. Poor, 1866; Thomas Voyle, 1867; Joseph B. Van Bergen, 1869; Thomas Voyle, 1873; William C. Morrison, 1874.
Recorders of the Mayor's Court: D. W. La- thrope, 1870; Alfred Dart, 1872; I. D. Rich-
ards, 1873; Alfred Dart, 1874, and again re- elected.
Postmasters : James W. Goff, William Eggle- ston, H. S. Pierce, Jesse Williams, Calvin Ben- jamin, C. T. Pierson, Martin Curtis, F. M. Crane, H. P. Ensign, Joseph Gillespie, Anthony Grady, D. N. N. Lathropc, W. R. Baker, Daniel Pendegrast, P. S. Jocelyn.
Next to Wilkes Barre, its newspapers are the oldest in this section of country. In 1828 the Dundaff Republican was issued by Sloan Ham- ilton, who sold it in 1831 to Earl Wheeler, and he to Amzi Wilson in 1832, who moved the entire office to Carbondale, changing its name to the Northern Pennsylvanian. He conducted it until 1837, when he sold it to William Bolton, who left for the Pacific coast during the gold fever, and died on his return.
Hon. S. S. Benedict, who came to Carbondale when young as a school teacher, afterwards en- gaged at publishing, and edited the Carbondale Democrat in 1845, which he afterwards enlarged, calling it the Lackawanna Citizen and Demo- crat. The fire of 1850 consumed the office, but it was re established and part of the title drop- ped. This was sold in 1852, when he bought the Luzerne Union at Wilkes- Barre and moved thither. John J. Alien came from Honesdale and rebuilt the Carbondale Democrat, and this title seemed to carry with it an ill-omen, for we find Messrs. Thomas Alleger and J. B. Adams again speaking to the world from a Carbondale Democrat. A Mr. George Reynolds, in the in- terim, had started a journal ealled the Trans- cript, and from this sprang the Adrance, so long and successfully edited by Hon. S. S. Ben-
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THE LACKAWANNA VALLEY.
edict, now by his son, Mr. E. A. Benedict. The erings, and during the political times of 1840-44 former has for years been considered as one of - the most influential citizens, having served the people in the State Legislature, as well as hold- ing the office of Justice of the Peace.
Upon the authority of Stephen Rogers, esq , one of the oldest citizens, the name of Carbon- dale was first announced when a wagon load of axes, picks and shovels came from Philadelphia, making its way through Canaan, Wayne County, marked "Carbondale." Its population in 1850 was 4,945; in 1860, 5.575; in 1870, 6,393. These figures are from the Census Reports, but it is apparent to any observer that there must be an error, or that the same principles which gov- ern other towns do not apply there. Assuming that it takes as many hands to mine eoal now as it did in 1845, which is really the case, then upon comparison, while the D. & H. Co. were putting out at the latter date but 273,000 tons, and during the war, the coal production was run up to 70,000 or 80,000 tons annually, which has been maintained since, the ratio of growth must have been equal in proportion. Add to this the large influx eaused by the machine and car shop and the Van Bergen Foundry, and the popula- tion swells largely ; then take into consideration the flow of other industries and branches of bus- iness, and it hardly seems possible that Carbon- dale has a population so meagre. Again, if the number of taxables in the city of as long as 1870-1-2 are counted and multiplied by five, which, in the coal regions, is a small estimate on families, then the numbers swell to about the amount that we endeavored to demonstrate by the coal production
.
The first dwelling in the place was built by Maurice Wurts, esq, in 1824, and for some years was used as a boarding house, and called the ' Log Tavern." In the year 1828 a Cath- olie Church was built, also a Union Church, occupied by Protestants, and used as a school house. The first frame building of the place was the store which Wm. H. Richmond, esq , commeneed business in when he came to Car- bondale in 1845. It was built by Salmon La- thrope, father of the late Judge Lathrope. The second story of this building was used for gath-
it was used by the Whigs. It was consumed in the great fire of September 15, 1855, having escaped the one just five years before, when nearly all the three corners were laid with ashes. On the ground where it stood, Mr. Richmond erected a three story frame business house, then considered the best store-room in this section of the State, since rented to Pascoe & Parry.
Up to 1858, all the coal taken out at Carbon- dale was upon platform cars, three boxes on each, holding respectively five hundred pounds, which were dumped by hand-power, two men doing the work. The coal was then transported to Honesdale, where it was run over grate bars, which was the only means of assorting it. The first breaker erected to break the coal for market was the one above the city, on the mountain, commencing work about 1858-9.
The oldest families who located there, prior to 1830, were Dr. T. Sweet, D. W. Lathrope, John M Poor, S. E. Raynor, Samuel Mills, R. E. Marvin, Henry Johnson, Stephen Rodgers, and D. Yarrington. Since then several gentle- men have made their names historic in the up- building of the place. One of the eotempora- ries of Mr. James Archbald, was Mr. James Clarkson, who has ever been regarded as one of the civil pillars of the town. J. H. MeAlpine is another name familiar to the citizens ; here, too, at the present day, is the father of Thomas Dickson, the President of the D. & H. C. Co Van Bergen is a popular name in its local history, being at the head of the vast Foundry there ; the firms of Gillespie & White, afterwards Gil- lespie & Pierce, were old landmarks; Rev. Mr. Bailey, a Baptist minister, lives in its church history ; Rev. Oliver Crane, the Turkish Mis- sionary, is another; Hon. Gideon W. Palmer figures in political history ; among the merchants of other days, were Jesse Williams, Michael B. White and others, too numerous to mention.
The real life of the city is coal, the only other large industries being the car shops and Van Bergen & Co.'s Foundry. The day prophesied by Judge Conyngham will certainly dawn in the lives of those now living, when there will be a vast continuous eity from Carbondale ou the
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CITIES AND TOWNS.
north to Nanticoke Dam on the south, and as Carbondale loses its individual identity, the his- torian may gather up the thread dropped here and resume.
PITTSTON.
This town, a truly representative one of the coal regions, was named in honor of the great English Statesman, William Pitt. In the early records it was called Pittstown, and the fortifi- cations which were ereeted to repel the border assaults, were termed the Pittstown Stockades. In 1807 Zebulon Marey built the first house-a rude log cabin. Its population has steadily in- creased until the present time, the census exhib- iting a population in 1870 of 6,760.
Nearly all the important events which have become classic in the history of Wyoming Val- ley bad an origin in Pittston, for topographically it is the first point and head of the valley, fol- lowing down the Susquehanna or the Licka- wanna Rivers. It is situated at the confluence of these two rivers, and its seenery is striking - and picturesque. By a reference to the early chapters, the tourist will find mueh in and around Pittston to gratify historieal research. Two of our views are taken from the vicinity of this town-Campbell's Ledge and Buttermilk Falls. An artist eould linger in eestaey around its limits, and find ample reward in its varied features.
Pittston Borough was incorporated in 1853, and its boundaries enlarged the following year. Prior to 1838 it contained only eight or ten . dwellings. During the latter year coal opera- tions were begun by Messrs. Butler & Mallery, and since it has taken the lead of all the towns of the valley as a purely coal emporium. Through it passes the Lackawanna and Blooms- burg Railroad, the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and the Lehigh and Susquehanna Division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and to this there may be added the starting point of the Pennsylvania Coal Company's road to Hawley, which is becoming so popular to tourists for its rare and wild beauties of landseape scenery.
The North Branch Canal passes through the place, but is not used at present.
At present two able papers are published- the Gazette, edited by G. M. Richart, esq., and the Comet by Mr. J. W. Freeman. The tone of these journals is strongly marked by a pride in local institutions, and much of the credit of Pittston's healthy and steady growth may be attributed to the striet fidelity with which the town is championed by these editors. The town has recently had added to its industries a Knit- ting Factory of some magnitude, a large Stove Manufacturing establishment, while its tendeney for years has been to draw so its limits manu- faeturing industries of a substantial and endur- ing nature.
The leading citizens are peculiarly jealous of the reputation of the town, and use every effort to advance its interests.
Its history has been marked here and there with a few ineidents which have ealled the atten- tion of the reading publie to the place. The Eagle Shaft disaster is still fresh in the memo- ries of the people, wherein several miners lost their lives by the burning of the eoal breaker above. while the men were at work far in the bowels of the earth underneath.
An item of history may be mentioned here, which to the 200,000 souls in and about this coal basin may seem ineredible in this age of improvement, viz: the man is yet living who, at Pittston, manufactured and sold nearly all the plows used in the first agriculture of the valley, and these plows were made of wood ! His name is James Van Fleet, now residing in Fleetville, and the grandfatter of Charles G. Van Fleet, esq., a rising young lawyer of Seranton. he was 89 years of age on February 9th, 1875, and still retains vigor of health. He came to Pitts. ton when but six months old, brought by his mother on horseback from his native place, Minnesink, Orange County, N. Y. His adven- tures in hunting when a young man are still entraneing to his neighbors, and he recalls vivid. ly all of the important events in the rise, pro- gress and development of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys. Marrying quite young to Christiana Gardner he bought a plow to begin
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