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moved to the East or Guile Hill, and remained there a number of years, when he removed near the Lenox line, and finally died, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Allen, near the Orphan School. His children were Cyrus Amanda, wife of Asahel Carpenter; Loisa, wife of Preston Richardson, and after his death she became the wife of Rev.. Edward Allen; Alma, wife of Emulous Tiffany; Louisa, wife of George Blakeslee; Margaret; and Jemima, married in Ohio; F. D. Thayer, superintendent of the Honesdale Water Works, is the only one now living.
ELKANAH TINGLEY FOLLET. His father, Warren Follet (1775-1830), came from Attleborough, Mass., at the age of twenty, in 1795, and settled on about seventy acres and afterwards bought one hundred and twenty-one acres of land in the northeastern part of Harford, where he erected his log house and began clearing his land. He married, in 1800, Patty (1782-1865), a daughter of Elkanah Tingley, who joined the Nine Partners settlement the same year as his own settlement. Her mother was an Aldrich. Warren Follet afterward built a frame house, which in turn , was supplanted by the residence of his son Elkanah, erected in 1868. He resided on this place forty years before his death and cleared considerable of the land. His wife was a member of the Baptist Church at Moxley, and most likely in her younger days belonged to the Harford Baptist Church, where her parents worshipped and were among its founders.
Their children were Cyrus, born 1801, died in Ohio; Hiram, 1803, died at Danville, PA, leaving children, John and Betsey; Sylvia P. (1804-1842), wife of Leonard Corse, of New Milford, left children Laura and Alvira; Elkanah Tingley, born Dec 9 1805, died Oct 6 1886; Ovid, 1807, resided on a part of the homestead during his life and left children, Virgil, George, William, Edgar, Ezra, Corintha, Celestia, Julia, Emma, and Henrietta; Robert, 1810, a farmer in Pitcher, NY, has children, Oscar and Della; Chloe T. (1812-1853) wife of Wisner Belknap, of New Milford, left children, Patty A., Julius, James, John Josiah; Warren, Jr., died young; Charles, 1823, resided in Franklin and had children, Demila and Ophelia; Patty P., 1828, the wife of Jacob Sebel, of Sheffield, Ill.
Elkanah T. succeeded to the homestead by purchase, and after selling seventy-five acres of it to his brother Ovid, had one hundred and sixteen acres left.
Here, where he was born, he spent his life. He was an industrious farmer, added sixty-seven acres to his real estate and made other improvements. He was honest in his business relations, temperate in his habits, a man of strict morality, and had a conscientious regard for the rights and desires of others. He married, in 1862, Helen Blanding, who was born in the same neighborhood Oct 17, 1834. She has been a member of the Baptist Church at Moxley's since seventeen years of age. Her father, Sabinas Blanding (1798-1846), a Presbyterian, joined at the age of nine at Harwood, married Sophronia Bronson (1813-1871), a member of the Baptist Church, who bore him children, Eveline, died young; Helen (Mrs. Follet); Marshall, born 1835, resides in Bureau County, Ill, Herbert, 1837, a farmer in New Milford; and Emory S. Blanding, died young. By her marriage to Gilbert Witter, after the death of her first husband, Sophronia had one child, Mary Witter, 1850, wife of Orlando B. Harding, of Gibson. Sabinas Blanding was the son of Joseph Blanding, who settled where Mr. Gillespie now resides in 1795, and came here with the Follet family. Joseph's wife was Huldah Martin, and his children were Joseph; Huldah, wife of John Dunn, of Harford; Sabinas; Elona, 1804, wife of John L. Tiffany, of Mount Pleasant, and after his death married Solomon Sherwood, of the same place; Martin; Charles; Aden; Reba; John; and Mandana, wife of Amasa Trobridge, of Great Bend. Sophronia Bronson was the daughter of Hosea and Helen (Pease) Bronson, early settlers of Jackson. The only child of Elkanah and Helen Follet is Warren H. Follet, born June 16, 1863, and married Nora, a daughter of Henry and Amanda (Foot) Chase, of Harford. He succeeds to the homestead, which has been the family nearly a century.
ABEL READ lived near the line of the township and was there as early as 1803. He had a good farm, which he left to his sons Abel and Noah, who lived and died here. Noah's son, Guilford, lived and died on the homestead. Joseph Blanding was an old settler here. . His sons were Joseph, Rebe, Sabinus, John, Aden and Martin. John Blanding had a good farm and was quite prominently identified with the Agricultural Society. He died recently, aged eighty-nine. All the family are now away or dead. David Blackington lived near the line and Jones Avery just across the line in New Milford. Gabriel Everett bought of Franklin Avery in 1836. He died aged seventy-seven. His widow is living, aged eighty-eight.
JOHN LESLIE. His father, John Leslie, a native of the Isle of Mull, Scotland, removed to the North of Ireland and acted for many years as land steward for one Montgomery, of Scotland, a large land owner. There he became a well-to-do farmer. His wife was Margaret Moore, and his father Malcom Leslie, of Scotland. The children of John and Margaret (Moore) Leslie who came to America are, John, Daniel, James, and Mary, the wife of Archibald Hanna, of New Milford. James came here after his other brothers did, and lived and died in Newburgh, NY. John was born in Benverdin, three miles from the Giant's Causeway, Ireland, on the family homestead, February 15, 1808, and died in Harford, this county, March 24, 1875. In 1829 himself and brother Daniel sailed from Port Rush, Ireland, and landed in New York. John had served five years at home in learning the cloth trade, and during his five years stay in New York, was, for a part of the time, a clerk in a white-lead manufactory. Both returned to Ireland in 1835, and John married the same year, Mary Ann Bernie, who was born in parish Ahadoey, Ireland, September 5 1817, and who was the only child of John and Nancy (Hunter) Bernie. Their ancestors were of Scotch origin, and, in common with the Leslies, Presbyterians, and belonged to those old stanch Presbyterian families who, two hundred years ago, withstood that almost intolerable persecution on account of their religious persuasion. After his death, John Bernie's widow came to America and died at her daughter's residence and was buried at Harford. John Bernie had one brother, Dr. George Bernie, of Belfast, a head surgeon on a British Man-of-war. Daniel Leslie returned, and lived and died in Newburgh. After their marriage, in April, Mr. And Mrs. Leslie sailed on the 29th of June, 1835, from Liverpool and landed in New York in August. They had some means with which to start in a new country. Mr. Leslie served as a clerk for some time in a cloth house in New York, but his wife not liking the city, they left for Newburgh, and upon hearing of the then far West, and the great opportunities offered for settlement, they came to Harford in the fall of 1836, and shortly afterward bought of Lyman Follet the present homestead, about one mile east of Harford village. Under the management of Mr. Leslie, the half-cleared fields and woodland in a few years gave place to well cultivated soil, the house was remodeled, out-buildings erected, and in due time, all the appointments of the new home bespoke the hand and judicious care of a thrifty, industrious and intelligent farmer. Here this worthy couple reared their large family of children, trained them in all that makes true manhood and womanhood, and gave them the best educational advantages of the Harford Academy and the graded school of the village. Mrs. Leslie brought letters from the church at home to the Presbyterian Church at Harford, and has remained a member since, devoted to her family and to the church. He became a member soon after settling here, was a careful and diligent student of the Bible, a lover of good books and thoroughly read many standard historical works during the latter years of his life. He was liberal to those in need, a supporter of charities, and a kind indulgent husband and father. Inheriting that individuality characteristic of the Scotchman, he was a man of high moral and religious impulses, judicious
in everything and honest in the purposes of life's work. He was one of the early members of the Harford Agricultural Society, served for many years on tits executive board, and for a dozen years or more served his township as assessor, often being supported for office by those differing with him in political opinion. It may be safely said that Mr. Leslie had the high esteem of all who knew him, and none knew him but to be impressed with his integrity of motives in all that he did. Their children are Mary, born 1837, wife of William T. Gillespie, of Harford; George H., 1838, a contractor in Sturgis, Dakota; John M., 1840, an employee of the Erie Railroad at Susquehanna; Dr. James D. (1843-1881), an eminent young physician, died at Susquehanna, whose sketch may be found in the medical history of this volume; William G., 1845, Proprietor of the Park House, Binghamton; Catherine E. M., died young; Joseph H. LO., 1848, an engineer on the Erie Railroad, resides at Susquehanna; Jennie E. and Alexander M. on the homestead; and Samuel M. Leslie, died young.
A post office was established at Kingsley's March 13 1886, Willis N. Whitney, postmaster. It is a station and shipping point on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. It was very properly named in honor of Rufus Kingsley, an old Revolutionary hero, who was the first settler there. Rufus Kingsley was born in Windham, Conn., February 1 1763. He entered the Revolutionary army as a drummer when thirteen years of age, and was at the battle of Bunker Hill. He served through out the war, and was discharged at its close. He came to Harford in 1809, and died 26th of May, 1846, aged eighty-four. His wife died the following Friday, aged seventy-nine. They had been married sixty years. Mr. Kingsley was not only a soldier of the Revolution, but he had been a soldier of the Cross for fifty years. He had one son, John, who lived on the homestead and died there; his son Rufus moved elsewhere. Mary Kingsley, of the old family, was the wife of Ira Nichols, of Herrick.
ANDREW J. ADAMS. John Adams (1745-1849), a Revolutionary soldier, of Ashburnham, Mass., came to Harford in 1837, being then ninety-two years of age, to spend the remainder of his days with his son James. He was a shoemaker by trade, an after reaching his one hundredth year would make a pair of shoes in a day. He was well educated, and methodical in everything he did, plain in his tastes and pleasant in his manners and a man of correct habits.
He never employed a doctor when ill, but depended upon simple herb remedies to recuperate health. At the age of one hundred and one he wrote several letters, which were published in his native State papers, evincing a wonderful retention of mental faculties and a mind cultivated and improved after maturity. He lived to the great age of one hundred and four years, one month and four days, and was buried on East Hill, in Brooklyn. He married, in 1770, Joanna, a daughter of Jonas and Joanna Munro, at Lexington, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Jonas Clark. She was born in 1747. His parents were Thomas and Lydia Adams, of Ashburnham. His children were as follows: John, born 1771; Levi, 1773, a tanner, settled in Harford about 1830, where he carried on the tanning business, (he died leaving a family, one son, Amos H., residing near Scranton); Joanna, 1775; Jonas, 1777, settled in Harford about the same time as his brother and died here, leaving a family; James (1779-1855), father of Andrew J., was a soldier in the War of 1812; Rebecca, 1781; Walter Russell, 1783; Betsey, 1785; and Dolly Adams (1789-1854). Of these children, James was the first to leave his native place, Ashburnham, and find a home in this then new country. He came to Harford in 1825, and bought two hundred acres of woodland, having only, a small clearing and a log house, situated one-half mile east of Kingsley's Station. His wife, Dolly Dicker man (1779-1818), whose father was a soldier in the Revolution, an fought for the colonists at Lexington, died in Ashburnham, leaving children, Nancy (1800-1859), wife of Loren B. Gates, resided in Harford a time and went West; Dolly (1802-1828), married one Brooks, of Massachusetts; James (1804-1880), settled in Brooklyn, and his sketch is in this volume; Elizabeth D. (1806-1875), married John Boynton, of Groton, Mass.; Jonas (1808-1870), died in Harford; and Joanna Munro (1811-1849) became the wife of Laban Capron, of Harford. For his second wife he married Lucy Sartell (1792-1864), and had children, John S., born 1820, a farmer in Harford; Lucy E. (1821-1882), was the wife of Alfred Jeffers, of Lenox; Sarah M., 1824, the wife of Hubbard N. Smith of Lenox: Mary Ann died young; Andrew Jackson, born July 10 1828; and William B. Adams, 1831 of Hopbottom. His second wife, and nearly all the children above mentioned, except the last tow, came with him to Harford. James Adams cleared most of his land, with the assistance of his sons, and erected a frame house, which was the residence of the family until it was remodeled by his son, Andrew J., in 1877, and an addition made thereto. He was a shoemaker and a farmer before leaving New England, but gave his time mostly to the improvement of his new home after coming here. He was a man of unpretentious ways, never sought official place, but quietly passed through his life's work, honest in his purposes and pure in his motives. He was fond of music, and used to play the bass-viol and bassoon at the services of the Universalist Church in Brooklyn, where he worshipped. Andrew J. Adams was born on the homestead in Harford, and succeeded to it by purchase at his father's death. He obtained his early book education at the district school and at Harford Academy. At the age of seventeen he went to Newton, Mass., where he learned morocco manufacturing and tanning. He afterwards worked at this business as a journeyman at Ashburnham, and followed it until the death of his father. He married, in 1852, Sarah J. Sawyer (1833-1867), a daughter of Abel Sawyer, of Ashburnham, where she was born. Their children are Herbert S., 1856, married Lottie, a daughter of Isaac Halstead, of Gibson; Nettie G.; and Hattie L. Adams. He married, for his second wife, Elmira M. Wilmarth, who was born in Harford, October 4 1838. Her father, De Lafayette Wilmarth (1812-1854), belonged to a family who were early settlers of Harford, and one Thomas Wilmarth was a constable here in 1808. Her mother was Harriet Payne, a daughter of Captain Oliver Payne (1780-1868), a native of Lebanon, Conn., who married Elvira, daughter of Deacon. Samuel Barstow, of Columbia, Conn., and were pioneer settlers in Gibson. Eight of Captain Payne's family served in the late Rebellion, including a son-in-law, one a captain and one a colonel. By this union Mr. Adams has two daughters, Emma S. and Jennie E. Adams. Since 1855, he has engaged in general farming. He was an early member of the Harford Agricultural Society, has served his township as supervisor for six years and as assessor for one year. He was a stanch supporter of the Union cause in the late Rebellion, and although not drafted, put in a substitute at nearly the close of the war at an expense of one thousand dollars. He was the prime mover in getting the depot built at Kingsley's in 1885, is a progressive, active business man, and one of the intelligent farmers of the county. He is a member of Live Oak Lodge, I. O. O. F., No.; 635, of Harford.
I. O. O. F. of Harford. On the petition of the following brothers, residents of this place and members of the "Huron Ladge," No. 438, of Jackson, PA, Austin Darrow, G. L. Payne, W. H. Shannon, Henry Grant, A. A. Eaton, W. A. Payne, D. M. Farrar, E. E. Corwin, William Ira, William Tiffany, A. V. Price, a warrant was granted, May 20 1868, by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for the institution of a subordinate lodge at Harford. Arrangements were made for a lodge-room over Guile & Eaton's which is properly fitted and furnished, and still occupied by them, April 1887. July 22, 1868, Daniel Brewster, D. D. G. M., assisted by a number of brothers of Montrose Lodge, came and proceeded to institute and organize LIVE OAK LODGE, No. 635, I. O. O. F., with the following officers: Austin Darrow, N. G.: E. E. Corwin, V. G.; Williams Tiffany, Secretary; W. H. Shannon, assistant secretary; A. P. Price, treasurer. Immediately afterwards, H. J. Tiffany was introduced and
instructed in the mysteries of the order. The doors were then opened to the public, and the hall was properly dedicated to extend the noble principles of the order. The brothers are all living, except Williams Tiffany, who died October 15 1994, although not a member of this lodge. The following brothers are officers for the ensuing term: Herman G. Adams, N. G.; Oscar C. Tallman, V. G.; Fred A. Osborne, Secretary; James B. Raub, assistant secretary; David L. Hine, treasurer.
Among the settlers of 1794-1795 were several members of the Congregational Church in Attleborough. In the fall of 1794 the settlement was visited by Rev. Daniel Buck, who had emigrated from New Milford, Conn., and purchased a farm near Great Bend, where he was preaching the gospel. The visit was soon repeated. These first sermons in the settlement were preached in a log cabin covered with bark, which stood on the side of "Farrar Hill". A "reading-meeting" was then established by vote of the people, and John Tyler was appointed to conduct it. The services consisted of reading Scripture, some printed sermon and singing. Not long afterwards missionary, named Smith, preached here a few times; after that an Irish minister, named Bolton, was employed a short time. Rev. Daniel Thacher made several transient visits. The people occasionally had the pleasure of meeting missionaries of the General Assembly or of the Missionary Society of Connecticut. Rev. Messrs. Asa Hiller, M. L. R. Perrine and David Porter have been remembered with interest. They were pastors elsewhere, but would employ a month or two in the year to look up the destitute in the wilderness. A church was organized June 15, 1800, by Rev. Jedidiah Chapman, of the Presbytery of Orange, NJ, a missionary of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. It consisted of seven members, Obadiah Carpenter and Anna Carpenter (his wife), John Tyler and Mercy (his wife), John Thacher, Mercy Carpenter (wife of Obadiah Carpenter, Jr.), and Miss Mary Thacher. All had letters from Attleborough church, of which Rev. Peter Thacher was pastor. The Articles of Faith, drawn up by Mr. Chapman were subsequently exchanged for others of the Congregational form. "March 3 1803, being met in church meeting, after prayer to God for direction, the church, after due deliberation, do solemnly declare themselves to be of the Congregational order, by vote unanimously. Voted, that the Confession of Faith of the 2nd Church of Christ in Attleborough, and Covenant, together with the Cambridge Platform, be the rule of faith and discipline." In April, 1803, John Tyler and Obadiah Carpenter were elected deacons. Meetings were held in the house of John Tyler, which stood on the site of the residence of the late Henry M. Jones. This was the first frame house in the settlement. Meetings were also held in his barn, which stood on the hillside, west of his house. The winter of 1802-1803 is memorable for its influence on the religious character and prospects of the growing community. In those days ministers were sometimes sent forth, two and two, to look up the sheep scattered in the wilderness. January 24, 1803, Rev. Seth Williston writes to the Missionary Society of Connecticut: "I came to a settlement called Nine Partners, intending to preach a lecture and pass on. This was Monday evening. They urged me to stay through the week. I agreed to stay and preach again the next day. I now agreed to stay over the Sabbath. That day was a remarkably solemn day. I believe God was in the midst of the assembly, of a truth. Sabbath evening we had about as full a meeting as in the day times, though there was no moon." Rev. Mr. Woodward had proceeded Mr. Williston, and on the Sabbath before had preached and administered the Lord's Supper to the little Church. Mr. Williston returned after two weeks and found the work had spread during his absence. He continue the meetings five weeks, and at times there were one hundred and seventy persons present, which was a large number for such a settlement. Sarah Thacher joined the church in 1800. In 1803, Joseph Blanding, Huldah Blanding, Sarah Thacher, John Carpenter, Molly Carpenter, Samuel Thacher, Betsey Thacher, Thomas Sweet, Nanny Sweet, Ezra Carpenter, Mary Carpenter, Obadiah Carpenter Jr., Achsah Tyler, Elias Carpenter, Abigail S. Claflin, Sally Chamberlin, Wright Chamberlin, Obadiah Thacher, Elizabeth Thacher, Anna Knapp, Elizabeth Jones, Patty Gere, Elizabeth Whitney, Ichabod Seaver, Mary Seaver, Nathan P. Thacher. In 1805, Elisha Bell, Sarah Bell, In 1806, Eliza Sweet, Nancy Howard, Abel Read, John Tyler Jr., Polly Tyler, Polly Carpenter, Joab Tyler, Elizabeth Read. In 1807, Caleb Richardson Jr., Hulda Richardson, Mary Tracy. In 1809, forty-seven were added to the Church. For five years succeeding Rev. S. Williston's visit the people had been supplied by transient missionaries about one-fourth of the time. In 1806 a small church was erected. In the winter of 1808-1809, Rev. Mr. Griswold, while here on a visit to relatives, suggested that Rev. Joel T. Benedict of Franklin NY, be invited to labor for a while. He came, and the addition of forty-seven members, before noticed, is the result of his labors. In personal address Mr. Benedict was frequently abrupt and pungent. He gave prominence to the doctrines of grace. Some of his discourses produced deep impressions. Meetings were held almost daily. Some of them were held in Brooklyn and Gibson, which were then within the bounds of the church of Harford. The work of the Lord was precious in those days. Distance, darkness and bad roads were considered but slight obstructions to the gathering of the congregations anywhere.
Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury was installed pastor August 3 1810, and continued in that relation until
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