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History of Tioga County, PennsylvaniaIf You Have Photos of People Mentioned on the Page, Send Them In For Inclusion Return to 1883 Table of Contents |
History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania
Biographical Appendix
BRIEF SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND LEADING CITIZENS.
REV. HIRAM BACON.--One of the oldest and most respected residents of Brookfield is Rev. Hiram Bacon, for 53 years pastor of the Free-Will Baptist church. He was born July 18th 1808, in Rutland, Tioga county, and married Mary Stebbins, of Potter county. His father was Alvin Bacon, who came from Vermont to Rutland in 1800. His family is of English descent, his great-grandfather having been stolen from England and sold in Connecticut to a man named Derby, to pay his passage money. Mr. Bacon's ministry has been successful and of advantage to the church.Many other biographical sketches, embraced in the body of the work, may be found by reference to the Table of Contents.
BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP.
SCHUYLER MELVIN BAKER has resided all his life in Brookfield, where he carries on a farm and is also a dealer in agricultural implements. He is a native of this township, born June 13, 1849. Mrs. Baker was Miss Satie Kibbe, of Harrison, Butler county, Pa.
STEPHEN P. CHASE has for 28 years been a resident of Brookfield township, in which his farm is located. He was born in New Bedford, Mass., November 29th 1840, and married Roxanna S. Hurst, of Brookfield. Mr. Chase served through the war of the Rebellion, carrying the colors of the 86th N.Y. veteran volunteers; was appointed color sergeant May 13th 1864; was wounded June 18th 1864 in the head and left ear and disabled, but staid in the service until the close of the war. The commandant of his regiment speaks in the highest terms of his moral character, soldierly conduct and helpful spirit toward his comrades. Mr. C. has been superintendent of the M.E. Sunday-school since the war, excepting one year, and has made the school a success.
MRS. ESTHER EGECOMB is the daughter of George and Esther Wood, the former from Providence, R.L., and the latter from New Haven, Conn. Mr. Wood was at sea three and a half years in his younger days. He and his wife removed to Tioga county in 1830, when the county was new and there was no mill nearer than Williamsport, 70 miles away. They have four children living, viz., Mary Ann, Henry, Esther and Horton. The subject of this sketch was born September 17th 1840, in the old homestead, and was married to Mr. Edgecomb August 4th 1872.
JOHN GARDNER.--Probably the oldest resident of Brookfield is John Gardner, whose birth occurred March 8th 1790, in New Galway, Montgomery county, N.Y. He was the son of Benjamin Gardner, a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His life has been mostly occupied with farming. He has been chosen school director for three years, and elected supervisor of Brookfield for the same length of time. He married Wealthy Grant, of Otsego county, N.Y., April 23d 1817. She died October 7th 1819, and he afterward married Abigail Capwell, daughter of Benajah and Mary Capwell. The second Mrs. Gardner died December 29th 1869. Mr. Grant's children are Sylvanus, Daniel, John Nelson, Charles and Milo; five of his children have died, viz.: Elvira Ann, Chloe G., Fanny, Lydia and Harvey. His son Milo married Sarah Leyton, December 29th 1869, and they have two children living--Dora and Lydia.
JULIUS GRANTIER is the son of Jacob Grantier, who came into Tioga county from Chautauqua county, N.Y., in 1848, and was the first dairyman in the township of Brookfield. Julius was born June 11th 1837, and married Miss Mary Bowman. He has been a prosperous farmer. His grandfather was a surgeon in the war of the Revolution until its close. Eunice Grantier was the daughter of Julius Johannes Seely, of Deerfield. They are of English descent. Mrs. Mary Grantier's father was born in Wyoming county, Pa., in 1812, and was the son of Godfrey Bowman, who served under Commodore Perry in his victory on Lake Erie.
W. C. GRIFFIN was born in Bainbidge, Berrian county, Mich., April 23d 1838. Besides his occupation of farming he has acted as collector and constable four years in succession, as school director five years, and school treasurer two years. He married Abigail E. Gibbs, of Clymer, Tioga county, who is the daughter of Edward P. and Eliza A. Gibbs, formerly of Newark, N.J. They have three children now living, viz. Lucy E., Clara and Ellsworth. Mr. Griffin's father, J.C. Griffin, built the first frame house on the homestead farm, the one now occupied by his son. His mother, Mrs. Lucy E. Griffin, was born September 22nd 1809, and died May 9th 1873. His wife's mother, Mrs. Eliza Gibbs, was born May 20th 1808, and died March 7th 1880.
HARVEY H. MASCHO is the son of Charles and Sarah Mascho, of Brookfield, formerly of Elkland. He was born April 19th 1854, in Brookfield, and in 1878 married Ellie Burdick, of the same township. He is a successful farmer, and occupies a portion of the fine farm on which his parents still live. He has been school director, assessor, town collector and supervisor. The Mascho family are descendants of David Mascho, formerly of Connecticut.
WILLIAM A. McCLEAN came from Fowlerville, Livingston county, N.Y. (where he was born August 27th 1857), to Brookfield, and settled on the farm where he still resides. His father, A. McLean, was a native of Scotland, and his mother, Catherine, was from Orange county, N.Y. He married Fannie B. Hood, daughter of John and Rebecca Hood, of Farmington, formerly of New York State. Mr. McLean has two children living, Allen A. and Frank.
MOSES H. METCALF.--Mr. Metcalf's birthplace was Lisle, Broome county, N. Y,, and the date of his birth October 29th t8iz. In early life he removed to Brookfield, where he married Lucy Hamblin. After her death he married Polly Ann Baker, an the 14th of December 1835. They have five children now living, viz. Hannah M., Janette R., Rosilla M., Mary E., Ira H. and Murray B. Mr. Metcalf was one of the pioneers of the township, and built the first house on the farm where he resides. He has been supervisor three years. Naturally ingenious, he is a farmer, a carpenter and a shoemaker. His father, Isaac Metcalf, was the first postmaster in the township of Brookfield, a soldier in the war of 1812, a justice of the peace many years, and lived to the age of 82. Mrs. Metcalf's parents, Ira and Sarah Baker, were respectively from Connecticut and Delaware. Her grandfather, John H. Brown, was a Revolutionary soldier, and was pensioned for a wound received in service.
DARIUS W. NOBLES has lived in Brookfield since his birth, August 5th 1823. His father, Asahel Nobles, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his grandfather, Azel Nobles, served in the Revolutionary war, for which service he received a pension until the time of his death. Azel Nobles was one of the pioneers of Brookfield, and built the first log house on the homestead farm. D.W. Nobles married Cornelia Leonard, of Westfield, July 5th 1848. They have four children now living George R., Walter L., Emma P., and Cora S. -all married. Mr. Nobles is a thorough farmer, and has been supervisor, township clerk and treasurer, and school director.
ISAAC P. PARKER.--Many years ago Ambrose Parker and his wife Ruby removed from New York State to Brookfield, where on the 4th of December 1830 the subject of our sketch was born. He married Ruth Kelley, also of Brookfield. They have five children living,--Nettie, Dottie, Phema E., Blanche, and Ambrose L. Two, Almira and Viola, are dead. Mr. Parker built the first frame house on the farm where he now resides. He has been supervisor and assessor in his native township. His father was born February 5th 1798; married Ruby Metcalf July 29th 1823; and died July 19th 1876.
SPENCER B. PLANK, of Sylvester, Tioga county, was born in Brookfield, June 25th 1851. He married Sarah McLean, of Brookfield. He carries on a farm and is also a merchant. He has two children now living, Willie and Katie. He has been school director two years. His father, Charles H. Plank, a resident of Brookfield, was born January 19th 1820. His mother, Mrs. Lurania Plank, was born in Homer, Cortland county, N.Y., February 7th 1815. The family is of English descent, and early settled in Connecticut. H. Plank was supervisor of Brookfield four years.
GEORGE RIETTER is the son of Michael and Frederika Riettter, and was born December 15th 1830, while his parents were residents of Wurtemburg, Germany. They came to America while he was young. His mother died in 1838. His wife is Rosa Bertch, of Smethport, MeKean county. Mr. Rietter settled upon a farm in Brookfield and is a thriving man. He has five children, whose names are Christina, John, Ernest, Frank, and Delano. He has been a school director. He has crossed the Atlantic three times.
C.G. SEELEY.--This well-to-do farmer was born in Deerfield, Tioga county, April 30th 1817. His wife was Polly Alvord, of Canisteo, Steuben county, N.Y. His father, Horace Seeley, of English descent, was one of the early settlers in Tioga county. He came from Connecticut and built the first log house on the homestead farm, where he resided until his death at the age of 64. C.G. Seeley has been school director and town treasurer. His wife's father, Lyman Alvord, was a pensioner of the war of 1812.
WILLIAM G. SEELEY JR.--The parents of Mr. Seely are W.G. Seely sen. (born February 12th 1822, in Brookfield), and Mrs. Matilda Seely (born February 2nd 1820, in Otsego county, N.Y.) They settled at an early day in Brookfield, where the subject of this sketch was born March 31st 1853. He is known as an enterprising farmer. His father has been supervisor and school director. He enlisted August 21st 1861 in Company K 1st regiment Pennsylvania reserve, and was honorably discharged August 22nd 1864 for wounds received in service.
ANDREW J. SIMMONS is a native of Brookfield, and was born December 12th 1835. He is the son of William and Mary Ann Simmons, the first of whom was one of the pioneers in the township and erected the first log house on the homestead farm; he was 76 years old when he died. Mrs. Mary Ann Simmons was the daughter of John H. Brown, who was wounded in the siege of Yorktown in the Revolutionary war and received a pension. Andrew J. Simmons married Martha Hunt, of Brookfield. He have eight children living, viz.: Gaylord, Frederick, Rosa, Mary, George, Amanda, Willie, and Lena. Mr. Wimmons, though now a farmer by occupation, was formerly a merchant, and postmaster for 20 years.
JOHN SIMMONS, another life-long resident of Brookfield, was born there in 1820, March 9th. He married there Miss Anna Bacon. He is a farmer. He has been justice of the peace 21 years. His only son, William Ethel Simmons, married Laura Warren, of Farmington; he died May 16th 1871, aged 26. William Simmons, father of John, was formerly of Wyoming county, Pa., and died at the age of 76 years. His wife's father, Dr. Ethel B. Bacon, was born January 22nd 1772, and died April 15th 1841. Anna Bacon was born April 6th 1783, and died January 15th 1855, aged 73 years.
SOLOMON THOMAS.--Among the prominent farmers of Brookfield is Solomon Thomas. He was born December 3d 1823, in Addison, Steuben county, N.Y., where his parents, Ezekial and Amy Thomas, were residents. He removed to Brokfield, where he married Charlotte Joseph. He father, John Joseph jr., was a soldier in the war of 1812. Her grandfather, John Joseph sen., was in the Revolutionary war, as was also Ezekial Thomas, the grandfather of Solomon Thomas.