Sunday Independent, February 2, 1913
J. Bennett Smith Reminiscence
Sixty-five years ago the roads were in horrible condition. It was mud, mud everywhere; even Public Square was a sea of mud.
I will give you the names and occupations of the men who were prominent in Wilkes-Barre 65 years ago. As far as my memory serves me the judges, lawyers, preachers, laymen, merchants, landlords, carpenters, cabinet makers, shoemakers, blacksmiths, watchmakers, boat builders and boatmen and horsemen, farmers, constables and carriagemakers were:
The Old Time Judges
John N. Conyngham, George W. Woodward, L. Kidder and W. H. Jessup
The Associate Judges
Willaim S. Ross, Ziba Bennett, Edward Taylor and John Reichard.
The Prominent Lawyers
Henry M. Fuller; Hendrick B. Wright; Caleb Wright; Charles Dennison; Volney Maxwell; Lyman? ; Orastis? Collins; L. W. Shoemaker; Jonathan J. Slocum; J. B. Mills; Lewis Jones; Ed. Leclere; Ed. Covell; Warren J. Woodward; A. T. McClintock; Henry Beaumont; Horace Nicholson; F. J. Leavenworth; James A. Gordan.
The Prominent Doctors
Doctor Thomas Miner; Doctor Jones; Doctor Boyd; Doctor Smith; Doctor Day; Doctor Laird.
The Squires or Justices of the Peace
Esquire Thomas Dwyer; Esquire T. Buckley; Esquire Groff; Esquire Hugh Fell; Esquire Elijah Carey; Esquire Gilbert Burrows;
Constables
Old Michael McKinsey; Harrison Kirkhoff; Frank Horton; Jacob Schollet.
The Prominent Merchants
George M. Hollenback; Charles Reets; R. J. Flick; Ziba Bennett; John B. Wood; William Wood; Isaac wood; Abaim Wood; Mathew Wood; Martin Long; Marx Long; John Constine; Henry Betlbone; E. B. Reynolds; W. C. Gildersleeve; C. B. Fisher; Isaac N. Osterhaut; Fisher and Burgordis; Samuel Probst; O. B. Hilard and David Mordacle; John Fasier; Sutton and Tracey; Charles B. Drake; Samuel Koons; Eno and Tiller; Johnson's "Hardtimes" store; Jacob Anheiser.
Prominent Hotels (Taverns)
The Phoenix, by P. M. McGilchrist
The Wyoming, by Jacob Bertles
The Black Horse, by Andrew Bacon
The Whie Horse, by Pettit and Beisel
The Exchange, by Samuel H. Puterbaugh;
The hotel on the corner of Market and Franklin, by H. B. Hillman
The Old Fell House, by Phillip Banker
Steele's Hotel, John R. Dean
North Main Street, Paul Dunn
These were the taverns where the stages took up their passengers. There were no railroads in those fays, only stages and packet boats in summer time.
Stage Drivers
Stewart Rainow; John Teats; Stephen Divers; Jack Divers; Elijah Knox; Sterling Cox; Captain Kite; Isaac Barnes; Jeff Swainback; Elias Siglin; Harrison Williamson; George Root; William Hoffman; George Bruner; Charles Horton; James Bird; David Seaman; Dan Roberts.
Boat Builders
William Ridal; Stewart Bennett; Ed. Phillips; George Frace; Isiah Learn; Sylvester Dilley.
Prominent Boatman
George Willis; Charley Overton; John Keller; John Gates; James Hughes; John Hines; Sam Hines; Hugh Hughes; Peter Keller; William Willits, William Farrow.
Prominent Carpenters and Builders
E. Barnes, Earl Barnes, George Barnes; John Barnes; Stewart Barnes; Hiram Dennis; Ed. Cook; John T. Bennett; Josiah Bennett; S. W. Bennett; Ira Marcy; Reuben Marcy; Avery Marcy; William Oliver; D. A. Fell; William Dilley; James Drake.
Cabinet Makers
Oliver Helms; James Helms; Mark Hammer; M. Ehrett; Owen Ehrett; Thomas Craver; Louis Hitchler; Robert Kilmer.
Blacksmiths
Dan Bennett; Harry Wilson; John G. Fell; Edward Fell; Benjamin Drake; John Hoffman; Aaron Brown; George Hooth; Charles Hay; Adam Behee; John Behee.
Wagon Makers
Lewis LeGrand; Thomas White; Isaac Puterbaugh; Hugh Fell; Davis brothers.
Engineers and Surveyors
Henry Colt; W. H. Alexander; Charles F. Ingham; William P. Maffett; Samuel Hoyt; Israel Dickinson.
Jewelers
Daniel Collings; John Lynde; William S. Wells; H. Ansbacher.
Editors
Sharp D. Lewis; William H. Tate; Samuel P. Collings; William P. Miner.
Shoemakers
Daddy Hoffman; Hart Adkins; Thomas Davidge; Conrad Rimple; John Butler; James Russell; Joseph Barberr; Thomas Price; George Hoffman.
Bakers and Candy Makers
Z. Gray, John Gray, Thomas Robinson; Samuel Wright; Frank C. Waite.
Druggists
Charles Streeter; James Lamb; Seth Tuck; William Tuck.
Tinners
Samuel Howe; Theron Burnett; Benjamin Carpenter; John C. Frederick; W. Williams.
Bricklayers
Lee Speece; Captain Parker; David Parker; Benjamin Tucker; Daniel Hay; David Walker; William Dickson; William Patterson; Oliver Leach; Henry Brodhun.
Butchers
Jessie Dilley, Anning Dilley, Urban Dilley; B. F. Wells; J. D. L. Harvey; William Davis; Barney Burgunder; Seligman Burgunder.
Barbers
George Rex (colored); George Wilson; Josh Mason (colored), C. E. Porter.
Old Time Postmasters
Anning Cahoon; Daniel Collings; Ebenezer Collings; William H. Butler; Peter Pursell.
Tailors
Joseph Everett; C. Dalring; M. Gray; Peter Shively; William Williams.
Tanners
William Bowman; Josiah Lewis; Isaac Bowman.
Lime Dealers
F. W. Hunt; C. Schiber
Coal Operators
Samuel Holland; Lord Butler; John Butler; Alexander Gray.
Preachers
Rev. R. B. Claxton, Episcopalian;
John Dorrance, Presbyterian;
Rev. Thomas Purne, Methodist;
"Father" Dorsey, colored;
John M. Lesher, Lutheran;
Father Fitzsimmons, Catholic.
Powder Makers
Gould Parrish; George Knapp; William Doak.
Livery Stables
Lawrence Myers; Henry Myers; Daddy Carr; John Lawler; Peter Pursell.
