Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice Orwell Churches byV. C. Detty Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

A HISTORY OF  THE CHURCHES OF ORWELL, PENNSYLVANIA (Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist, Federated) 1803-1951 By Victor Charles Detty, Pastor Federated Church 1930-1943 Copyright, 1955 Printed in the United States of America Retyped & Submitted by Linda Selub Reprinted on this site 1999 with permission of Victor Charles Detty, Jr. This page is part of the Tri-County Genealogy & History Site by Joyce M. Tice No Unauthorized Commercial Use May Be Made of This Material

This Photo of the Orwell Bible Church formerly the Orwell Federated Church  was taken by Joyce M. Tice 11 August 1999 See older photo of same in Chapter VII

Joyce's Search Tip - January 2008 Do You Know that you can search just the 250 pages of Church Records and Histories on the site by using the Churches button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current What's New Page? .

When Nathaniel Chubbuck, Jr., left his home in Tolland County, Connecticut in 1812 to come to Orwell, Pennsylvania, to settle with his newly-wed wife, Hannah Lovet, whom he married January 28, 1812, his father gave him a saddle, and requested him on the first opportunity to invite a minister of the gospel to preach in his new home. Nathaniel Chubbuck had been to Orwell the year before and purchased the possession-right of 300 acres on Wysox Creek, formerly owned by Mark Mesusan, and improved by a clearing of about two acres and a log house. Arriving in February with his young bride, he found the roof broken down by the weight of snow two to three feet deep. With the assistance of a few neighbors, the snow was removed and the roof repaired. Here housekeeping began, a chest doing duty for a table, with shingle-blocks for chairs.

An account of the first preaching service is given by Rev. Louis D. Palmer in his Heroism and Romance: Early Methodism in Northeastern Pennsylvania, "From William Myer, of Wysox, he learned that occasionally Methodist ministers preached at Judge Gore’s in Sheshequin. Accordingly as soon as his log house was up he sought out the judge who promised to intercede in his behalf so that the preacher on his next round would visit the Chubbuck home. On the day appointed a goodly number of neighbors gathered though some were skeptical that the minister would come. Presently a stranger was seen advancing through the woods, and was met by the young man. The former inquired, ‘Can you tell me where Nathaniel Chubbuck lives?’ The reply was, ‘Yes, sir. He lives here and I am the man.’ Warmly welcomed by a waiting and responsive congregation, Marmaduke Pearce established this as a regular preaching place for itinerants." Mr. Chubbuck’s house was on or near the site of the present home of Edward Daugherty.

This, the first Methodist preaching in Orwell Township, was probably in 1814, and, followed up by more, resulted in the conversion of Mr. Chubbuck, who in 1823 was licensed to exhort by Rev. John Griffin. (David Craft, History Bradford County, 1770-1870). George Hammond held quarterly meeting later in the year 1814, according to A. F. Chaffee, History of Wyoming Conference.

NATHANIEL AND HANNAH (LOVET)CHUBBUCK had 8 children of whom 4 grew to manhood: (1) NathanielJ., born 1812, married Ann Cooley, lived at Monroeton, died 1890; (2) Horatio John born March 8, 1819, married Almira Chaffee and lived in Warren Township; (3) Lyman Sheldon, who lived on home place, born February 20, 1822, in 1845, married Phoebe Gleason, daughter of Daniel and Deborah Gleason of Connecticut, and died October 28, 1907, aged 85, was long a teacher, farmer and useful public servant, sang with P. P. Bliss and others in the Yankee Boys’ Quartette, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since he was 16, had 4 children: Mary Ellen (Mrs. Dr. O: D. Styles), Melville Eaton, of Towanda; Clare Edith (Mrs. Chas. W. Stevens); and Ephton Eugene (1861 – 1928), for many years superintendent of Odd Fellows’ Orphan Home at Sunbury, Pa., father of Miss Leah Chubbuck, 3804 Greystone Ave., New York (63), N.Y.; Manley Eaton Chubbuck (1886-1942), Marjorie Martwick (Mrs. Irving); and Mrs. Clara Holliday of Camp Belovis, Va. (4) Hollis Lorenza, born August 23, 1828, filled an important government position during the Civil War, witnessed the assassination of President Lincoln and came near capturing Booth, afterward living in Oklahoma where for more than 30 years he was an officer of the law among the Cherokee and Osage Indians, and was also long an assistant commissioner of agriculture. (Heverly, Pioneer & Patriot Families, Vol. II, Page 173)

Clara Edith Chubbuck, daughter of Lyman Sheldon Chubbuck, married Charles W. Stevens, had four children: Archie, Innez who married a Bovier and has a son; Harry L. Stevens, and another daughter. Harry L. Stevens married November 10, 1910, Lulu Mott, twin daughter of John and Della Streeter Mott, born October 27, 1887. Lulu Mott Stevens died June 23, 1950 and her husband, five years earlier. They had four surviving children: Edwin Stevens of Appalachin, N.Y., Miss Mary Stevens, of Towanda, Mrs. Andrew Moscrip of Wysox, and Miss Sarah Stevens of Hamilton, Montana. Edwin Stevens of Appalachin has three children: John, Betsy and Janet Stevens. The Moscrips of Wysox have two sons, Fred and Robert Moscrip.

Manley E. Chubbuck married Marion Bursey of Little Falls, N.Y., had two daughters, Jean and Dorothy, and a son James, a captain in the army.

The first Methodist Class Leader in Orwell was Aaron Chubbuck, a class being formed in 1814 consisting of himself, his wife, formerly Matilda Dimmick; his brother Nathaniel, Chester Prince and Thomas Thatcher. He remained a leader of this class until 1857, according to C. F. Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families of BradfordCounty. Others becoming members later were: Joseph Towner, E. L. Paine, Daniel Chubbuck, Robert Nelson, Lucius Fuller, Amasa Dimmick and Eli Gibbs .

Aaron G. Chubbuck, born August 4, 1791, a brother of Nathaniel Jr., was second of twelve children born to Nathaniel and Chloe (Eaton) Chubbuck. In 1855 eleven of these were living, their united ages being 600 years. Aaron Chubbuck married January 3, 1814, Miss Matilda Dimmick, died August 19, 1881. Soon after marriage, he emigrated from Connecticut with his wife and effects, two weeks being required for the journey. Appointed Justice of the Peace in 1819, he was re-appointed through a period of 21 years. In 1842 he was chosen prothonotary for three years, and Associate Judge in 1856, occupying the bench with David Wilmot, of Wilmot Proviso fame. He had three children: Lucinda (Mrs. Isaac Pratt); Horace G., and Matilda H. (Mrs. Charles N. Morey), who lived where the late Paul Frisbie did, and had a daughter and a grandson.

Thomas Thatcher, another early member of the class, lived near the Chubbucks of Orwell in the Wysox Creek Valley. His remains rest in the Orwell Valley Cemetery, formerly known as Ransom Corners Cemetery, as well as those of his first wife, Nancy Lewis. One of his daughters, Lucy, married Tobias Lent and was the mother of Lewis Thatcher Lent (born 1823), father of Miss Caroline Lent, late of Rome, Pa., deceased December 27, 1946; Mrs. M. L. Maynard, Ada Albine (Mrs. Charles Fox, grandmother of Howard Martin, of Schaghticoke, N.Y.). Another daughter of Thomas Thatcher was Sibyl, who married in 1825 (John Russell born in 1806). Sibyl, born in 1808, died in 1895; her husband in 1876. They had 14 children, ten of whom lived to maturity, one Sibyl Cerinda, being named after the mother, and another John Thatcher, with the mother’s surname.

To trace the pulpit of the Orwell Methodist Episcopal Church a beginning should be made with Tioga Circuit, and followed through the Wyalusing and Pike Circuits until Orwell Circuit was organized in 1839. Incorporate was effected in 1838. Marmaduke Pearce was presiding elder 1815-19. Preachers on this circuit were: 1815, Elisha Bibbins (buried at Orwell); 1816-17, John Griffin; 1818, Elijah King; 1819, E. Bibbins; 1820, E. Doolittle, and H. G. Warner; 1821, Asa Cummins and John Sayer; 1822-23, James Hodge and John Griffin; 1824, John Griffing, Caleb Kendall and Philo Barbery. (Historical Discourses of the WyalusingPresbyterian Church, by David Craft, 1870).

According to Chaffee’s History of Wyoming Conference, the church was built in 1828, costing $1601, and much of the timber was donated. A debt of $187.93 remained some time. Three brethren paid it off when the sheriff was about to foreclose. The building formerly stood back of the common but was moved to the present site in 1850, and repaired at a cost of $1,050.

According to Rev. David Craft’s History of Bradford County, "Orwell M. E. Church was dedicated March 22, 1839, was the first built by the Methodists in the territory, and was regarded as a very important enterprise. It is said many refused to assist in raising the building because according to custom the trustees refused to furnish whiskey, and declared that none should be used."

There is a difference as to dates in the statement of Chaffee (1828) and Craft (1839). Perhaps it is a printer’s mistake, or the copyist’s.

Marmaduke Pearce was born July 18, 1776 in Paoli, Chester County, Pennsylvania, son of Cromwell Pearce. He became a church member 1808, was licensed in 1811, joined Genesee Conference, was presiding elder of Susquehanna District 1815-1818; had various appointments till superannuated 1837, died 1852. "He made an enviable reputation as a preacher, a master of English style, and an able critic in grammar, logic, rhetoric." (Chaffee)

Elisha Bibbins was born in Hampton, Washington County, New York, July 16, 1790, died at Scranton, 1859. Boys by the name of Bibbins were enrolled in the Orwell Center Sunday School 1834-35. His grave is in the Orwell Cemetery. "At the time of his death he was visiting his old friend Dr. George Peck. After an afternoon and evening spent in charming conversation he retired at ten o’clock. While frail, nothing unusual or alarming was noticed in his condition. Before the dawn of another Day He was gone. He is said to have been a good preacher and a great soul winner." (Chaffee)

Rev. John Griffing lived the greater part of his life about two miles west of Owego, N.Y. His ministry extended from 1814 to 1836. He had twelve children, the eleventh of whom, Parmilia, married in 1850, Rev. Asa Brooks, and the eldest daughter, Clarissa, married Rev. C. W. Giddings of Oneida Conference. A son graduated from Wesleyan University and became a member of Indiana Conference.

Rev. E. Doolittle was the first pastor in 1817, of the Methodists at Binghamton, where he arranged to preach once in every three weeks.
 
 

A record book presented to the writer by Charles P. Chubbuck gives the enrollment of a Sabbath School in Orwell Township in 1834. It is entitled, "Orwell Center Sabbath School record commencing May 4, 1834. — O that the recording Angel in the realms of glory may record some good (in the book of life) as the results of this Institution." The spelling is as in the original record and differs from year to year, as in the Bebbins name.

"2^nd School, April 21, 1835." The first page has only one name, Franklin Dimmick, 16 years of age. Marks were made in two lines after each name, the upper line verses of hymns, under lines testaments. Total enrollment was 51, in nine classes.

Hollis S. Chubbuck, son of Nathaniel, Sr., became a physician, was the teacher of a class of boys: Edward Bebins, 19; William Green, 17; Horace Martin, 15; Joseph Bobins, 13. (Attendance for 21 Sundays in [sic] indicated by the marks after each name.)

Hollis S. Chubbuck, born in 1809, died in 1883, the son of Nathaniel, Sr., married October 10, 1831 Elizabeth A. Heath, who was born August 4, 1812 at Moorehouse Point, Conn., daughter of Hon. Stephen A. and Elizabeth Heath, lived a while at Susquehanna, Pa., and died April 27, 1879, at Elmira. Hollis S. Chubbuck became a physician, was the father of Mrs. C. R. Gerity, late of Elmira, and grandfather of Thomas F. Gerity of Lawrenceville, Tioga County, Pa., an investment broker, who has a son in Elmira, Robert R. Gerity, and a brother in Hollywood, California, Mr. H. Scott Gerity, 2520 Seventh Ave., Los Angeles, Calif.

Francis S. Chubbuck’s class enrolled, Robert Bebbins, 11; Horace Carpenter, 12; Otis J. Chubbuck (son of Jacob), 8; Lorenza McKee. (Francis, born in 1812, was the youngest son of Nathaniel Chubbuck, Sr.)

Thomas Browning’s class included: Edward Paine, 8; Daniel J. Chubbuck (son of David O.), 5; John Carpenter, 11; Chancey Ransom (Wm. C. was son of Henry Ransom), 9; Carlos J. Chubbuck, 6. Under these names, evidently added later, are Josiah Carpenter, Wm. H. Spencer, 11; Charles T. Spencer, 9; and Harrison Carpenter, 6, and J. H. Dimmick. (Thomas Browning was a brother of Lois Ann, wife of Charles Cowles, and was a Methodist minister in Ohio for many years, according to Mrs. Genevieve Cowles Smith.)

John N. Barnes taught: John Chubbuck (Horatio John, son of Nathaniel, Jr.) age 15; Sheldon Chubbuck (son of Nathaniel Jr.), age 13; and Orlando Chubbuck, 14.

Jacob Chubbuck’s class had the following: Elizabeth Chubbuck (marked: "Returned as teacher"); Betsey Lovett, (sister of Mrs. S. A. Green’s grandmother, Eunice Lovet Russell); Emaline Russell (married Benjamin Gleason); Lydia Ide, Mary Hall, Amanda McKee, Fidelia Chubbuck, Tulca Ann Drinkwater, Eliza Matteson. (A brother of Betsey Lovett lived to be 104 years old. His gravestone is in Nichols Cemetery and reads: Erastus Lovet, born in Conn. Dec. 18, 1786, — Died Jan. 19, 1891.)

Jane A. Barns’ class enrolled Harriet M. Chubbuck, age 14; Harriet Ransom (eldest daughter of Henry, married E. K. Collins), age 16; Lucy A. Beers, age 11. (She lived to be 100 years old, known as "Aunt Rilla"; she married George W. Brown.)

Lucy Howe’s class: Charlotte Ransom, (daughter of Henry, married A. M. Wattles), 11; Emily Matteson, 14; Caroline Ellsworth, 14, (married Cyrus Cook); Phebe Russell, 11; Candace Alger; Sally R. Passmore; Mary Ann Ransom (daughter of Henry, married Augustus Eddy), 14.

(Lucy Howe was the daughter of Uriah Howe and his second wife, Sallie Barker, and was born July 11, 1808. She was a sister of Earl Howe who was the father of Henry and William. She was also sister of Perley Howe, the mother of Therese, Leonard, Sally, Mary and Lucy Aurelia Brown, wife of Mr. John I. Eastman. Lucy Howe married August 3, 1834, Dan Robinson, brother of Linus who was the father of Mrs. E. J. Barnes of South Hill. Lucy Howe Robinson died May 19, 1878. Dan Robinson born January 29, 1809, died April 27, 1883. Her half-sister, Sally Howe, married John Beers, was the mother of Lucy Aurelia Beers, a member of Jane A. Barns’ class. Lucy Howe and her husband, Dan Robinson, who were married August 3, 1834, had nine children of record, 5 girls and 4 boys, all sur-named Robinson: Sylvester, born April 26, 1835; Sophronia, born December 5, 1836; Lemuel, born September 2, 1838; Loretta Lorena, born April 16, 1840; Lois, born March 2, 1842; Leander, born November 16, 1844; Pluma, born September 17, 1846; Anson, born August 12, 1848; and Caroline, born June 18, 1851.)

Betsey Seymour’s class: Elisabeth Paine, 8; Chloe Chubbuck, 7; Hannah Ransom, 13.

Elen Estabrook’s class: Martha Knapp, 6; Betsey F. Barns, 6; Jane A. Barns, 4; Matilda Matteson.

Elizabeth Chubbuck’s class: Sophia Alger; Amanda Prince, 15; Mary Ann Ransom, 14.

The Sunday School of 1835 commenced April 26, 1835, closed September 20^th, 1835, "on the 14^th verse, 2^nd Chapter, Luke." The first class was taught by Austin Eaton Chubbuck, in the place of Hollis S. Chubbuck, and had one new name — Horace Carpenter. (One can note the name of Eaton in the Chubbuck and Frisbie families since the time of Hannah Eaton (married name) about 1754 when cloth for a wedding dress was bought. Levi Eaton Frisbie (born in 19Levi Eaton Frisbie (born in 1947) son of Russell Frisbie, is the youngest with the name.

The second class, F. S. Chubbuck, teacher, had 3 new names: Wm. Browning, Ephraim Browning and Lathrop Spicer.

Thomas W. Browning’s class added Beccus Spicer, Abnah White, Granville Booth, Wm. Alger.

A class taught by S. (Seneca) Cleaveland had enrolled: Edward Paine, Daniel J. and Carlos J. Chubbuck, Josiah Carpenter, and later, Perry Coles, (father of Darley Weaver Cowles).

John N. Barnes’ class enrollment had three new names: Sherman Chubbuck, Tracy Bebins, Charles Paine.

Asa Crandal taught: Josiah Booth, J. Perry Cowles, Andrew Gorsline, John Beers.

Deborah Booth’s class enrolled 3 new names: P. Maria Smith, Hannah Ransom (daughter of Henry, married Stephen Vought), and Ruth Sanders.

Elen Estabrook’s class had 3 new names: Amanda and Melissa Spicer, Charlotte Denison.

Pamelia Chubbuck (wife of James, nee Keeney), taught Mary and Henrietta Sanders, Chloe Chubbuck and Elizabeth Paine.

Polly Chubbuck’s class enrolled Betsey F. Barnes, Martha Knapp, Amanda Rodley, Jane A. Barnes, Catherine Sanders. (Polly R. Chubbuck, was the wife of Rev. Francis S. Chubbuck. She was born in Orwell, Pa., August 2, 1813, married April 11, 1833, died December 13, 1877 at Birmingham, N.Y., converted in 1830).

Lois-An n Cowles’ class: Caroline Chubbuck, Jerusha Beers, Emeline Sanders, Lusena Chubbuck. (Lois-Ann was the mother of J. Perry Cowles. In 1835 the name of Lydia Sanders is listed as that of the teacher of Caroline and Lucena Chubbuck.)

Mary Hall’s class: Sarah Whipple, Candace Alger, Phebe Russell.

Rev. Francis Steel Chubbuck, one of the teachers, was the youngest of the family, son of Nathaniel and Chloe Eaton Chubbuck, and was born November 12, 1812, in Tolland County, Connecticut. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1829, and followed farming until 1849 when he joined the Oneida Conference and afterwards, Wyoming Conference at its organization. In his ministerial life he served many circuits, some of which necessitated 300 miles travel to make one round of visitation and having about 30 appointments. It is claimed his salary averaged but $300 per year during his whole ministry. He was very evangelistic. During his two pastorates on Northmoreland Circuit about 700 souls were led to Christ. (History of Wyoming Conference). He reared three children, a son and two daughters. His son, Emory F., became an Episcopal clergyman, was chaplain of the 31^st Massachusetts Volunteers. Rev. F. S. Chubbuck also served as a chaplain in Texas in 1863-1864. He died at Nichols, New York, on May 13, 1890. His wife, Polly R. Chubbuck, born in Orwell August 2, 1813, was converted in 1830, married April 11, 1833, died in Binghamton, N.Y. December 13, 1877.

In "June 1836 a camp meeting was held on Orwell Hill, near Jacob Chubbuck’s, and not withstanding the unfavorable weather, there were good results." (Craft, History of Bradford County, P. 151)

In 1837, during February a great revival was held in the school house, it being too cold to use the church. In February 1838 there were over 300 conversions on the circuit, 222 of whom became members.

The quarterly conference resolved December 2, 1837 to build or purchase a parsonage for the benefit of Wyalusing Circuit, and appointed A. Dimmick, Harry Parks and Joseph Towner a committee to perform all business transactions.

Amasa Dimmick, Jr., — appointed December 2, 1837 on a committee to acquire a parsonage for the Wyalusing Circuit, was the son of Amasa Dimmick of Tolland County, a Revolutionary soldier, buried in Ellington Township, Conn. Frank L. Dimock of Wyalusing has a snapshot of the gravestone. Amasa, Sr. was a preacher who walked the distance to Orwell four times in his duties as a minister. His widow, Matilda Ellis Dimmick, came to Orwell after some of her children had settled there. She died June 6, 1852, and burial was in West Cemetery on Chubbuck lot. The children born to Amasa and Matilda Ellis Dimmick were: Amasa, Jr., born February 9, 1787, married Sophia Price; Matilde, born March 19, 1789, married Aaron Chubbuck; Lucinda, born May 9, 1791, married Ariel Benton; Simeon, born September 9, 1793, married Nancy Robinson; Wealthy, born August 31, 1795, married 1, John Convern, 2, Mr. Benton; Harvey, born October 24, 1797, married Harriet Nuvels; Lois, born October 2, 1799, married George Watts; Nancy, born August 15, 1801, married Erastus Foote; Ellis, born August 18, 1805 (no other record); Francis, (no record of date of birth).

AMASA DIMMICK, JR., came to Orwell in 1812, married January 17, 1815, Sophia Price (1788-1885), and had children: Matilda Ellis, named for her grandmother, married William R. Sexton; Rev. Francis Asbury, married Drusilla Dawes; Sophia, married Levi Hoose; and Wealthy, married Sabin Allen.

Simeon Dimmick, brother of Amasa, Jr., married in 1816 Nancy Robinson, whose mother was a Giggins, a family of lawyers and physicians. Simeon and Nancy Dimmick had, besides three who died in infancy, children as follows: Caroline (unmarried; Rev. Simeon L. Dimmick, married Amanda McKee; Nancy M. married her cousin, Franklin Dimmick, son of Cicero; Harvey E., married 1, Susan Case, 2, Dora Chaffee; Harriet N. (Mrs. T. E. Gridley); LaFayette Giggins, married Mary Agnes Ryan; and Electa, who married 1^st, A. Clark Hanford, 2^nd, Mr. Shackleton.

Simeon L. Dimmick, son of Simeon and Nancy R. Dimmick, became a Baptist preacher, and had son Lorenza, who had three daughters, Maud, Pearl and Mildred; and a daughter Fannie who married Mr. Gronow, had no children, lived in Waverly, N.Y., but removed to Plymouth, Pa., where she died.

Harvey S. Dimmick, son of Simeon and Nancy Robinson Dimmick, married first, Susan Case and had a son Charles Sumner Dimmick, who had one daughter, Frankie, who married Will Boda, and lived at Waverly, N.Y., and two sons, Harold and William, the latter having the original Dimmick Bible in his home at Waverly. Harvey E. Dimmick married 2^nd, Dora Chaffee, and had children: Minnie, who married a Mr. Boda, had six children, and lived in New York State; Herman who died young; Arthur, who had three children; Mabel who married James Baldwin; and William who died young.

Lafayette Giggins Dimmick (1833-1916) son of Simeon and Nancy Robinson Dimmick, as a young man changed the spelling of the family name to Dimock, married February 4, 1875, Mary Agnes Ryan (1850-1926), a member of the Orwell Presbyterian Church, and had sons Frank L. Dimock, and Paul Eugene Dimock. Paul married Edna M. Voorhis and had son Paul Voorhis Dimock who married Mary Maag, and has a son John Paul, and a daughter, Mary Kathleen Dimock. Paul V. Dimock, Bell Telephone Company engineer, lives at Manhasset, N.Y. Frank L. Dimock married Alice E. Pierce, daughter of Fay and Cora Johnson Pierce. They live at Wyalusing, Pa., and have two daughters, Frances, who studied law; and Edna Marion who married October 19, 1946, Rev. John A. Sensenig, pastor of the Lycoming Presbyterian Church of Williamsport, Pa., and they have two sons, David Thomas, born December 27, 1947; and Mark Dimock, born February 4, 1950. Mrs. Sensenig resembles her grandmother Nancy Robinson Dimmick.

Rev. F. A. Dimmick was a son of Amasa Dimmick, Jr. He was a graduate of Syracuse University. He did much local preaching, always worked a farm and preached from home. He was a great-uncle of Charles S. Pitcher who recalls Mrs. F. A. Dimmick’s giving him bread and butter with sugar, honey or maple syrup on it, and the most delicious cookies. Mr. Pitcher wrote of his great uncle: "He was a fine Christian man and a power for good in the community, naturally kind and considerate but outspoken and aggressive when questions of right and wrong were involved. He lived his religion day by day. No matter how pressed he was for time, he had morning prayers and everyone within reach participated. At times the sitting room of his house would be filled. One day, when visiting the hired man, a boy friend, possibly about five years old, the dinner bell rang for morning worship. We went to the sitting room, sat down with the others. Uncle Francis read from the Bible explained the text, knelt for prayer, all the others kneeling except the hired girl who sat motionless in her chair. Uncle Francis turned to her and said, ‘Won’t you join us in prayer?’ She replied, ‘My knees are sore.’ Without a word he handed her a cushion from a rocking chair and she knelt in prayer."

Mrs. S. G. Green remembers him as the teacher of the adult Sunday School Class of which her mother was a member at the North Orwell Church.

Rev. Francis Asbury Dimmick was the son of Amasa, Jr. (son of Amasa, Revolutionary soldier of Tolland Co., Conn.) and Sophia (Price) Dimmick, both of whom were buried at Orwell Valley Cemetery, formerly known as Ransom Corners Cemetery, and was born February 1, 1818. (Bishop Francis Asbury visited Susquehanna Valley at Wyalusing in 1807). Francis A. Dimmick married December 13, 1842, Drusilla Daws, who was born March 12, 1820, died 1893. Rev. Francis A. Dimmick died November 3, 1892. They had children: (1) Helen A., born July 22, 1845, married 1866 Mason L. Ellsworth; had two children, Carl and Frank Ray, now deceased. (2) Vesta A., born July 8, 1848, died March 21, 1854. (3) Chloe A., born December 1, 1850, married 1874, Frank A. Darrow; who was born June 12, 1849. (4) Alice D., born May 19, 1854; (5) Mary Elizabeth, born in March 1855.

(3) The children of Chloe A. Dimmick and her husband, Frank A. Darrow, were: Mabel Almira, born May 4, 1875; Lillian Evelyn, born April 11, 1877; and Ethel Grace, born March 20, 1879. Mabel Almira Darrow married December 27, 1916, William Harris Blight, who died August 1, 1935, and lives at 414 Lake Street, Elmira, N.Y.; belongs to Trinity Episcopal Church. Lillian Evelyn married November 19, 1904, John Mason Parker, born August 25, 1872, and they live at 113 Front St., Owego, N.Y., and have two sons: John Mason Parker III, born September 6, 1906, and Francis Darrow Parker, born June 11, 1910. John Mason Parker III married September 1, 1934, Mattie Erma Edwards, has no children; Francis Darrow Parker married September 1, 1934, Miss Mildred Onalee Baird, with children: Francis Darrow, Jr., born January 14, 1938, died January 16, 1938; has daughter Catherine Pumpelly Parker, born August 30, 1944.

Ethel Grace Darrow married December 26, 1911, John Lewis Moore, in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Owego, N.Y., and lives at 1133 Vestal Ave., Binghamton, N.Y. They have had three children: (1) Ethel Margaret, born May 11, 1913; (2) Franklin Darrow born April 3, 1917; and (3) William Bradford Moore, born March 29, 1919; (a) Ethel Margaret married October 15, 1932, Harold Ernest Brewer; they have 7 children, all girls — Dorothy Elizabeth, born March 8, 1934; Olive Grace, born May 31, 1936; Ethel Florence, April 7, 1938; Lucia Rose, October 22, 1939; Mabel Ann, born January 10, 1941; Mildred Loretta, born January 11, 1945; and Helen Margaret, born February 15, 1947. (b) Franklin Darrow Moore married October 22, 1943, Mildred Elizabeth Harrington. (c) William Bradford Moore is not married. Franklin served four years in the Navy Air Corps as Link Aviation Instructor, mostly in Western United States, but several months on Hawaii and Tinian Islands. The family is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.

1. Alice D., born May 19, 1851, married in 1871, Hiram Pitcher; Hiram was born at Windham, Pa., June 2, 1849 and died May 1892; Alice and Hiram had seven children: Vesta, Frank, Libbie, Richard, Lida, Ben and Nathan Pitcher, Ben being the only one living in 1947. After Hiram’s death, Alice married second, a Mr. Smith; third, A. D. Forbest. She died May 24, 1932.

1. Mabel C. Smith, born August 30, 1893, married George Franks; they have one daughter and live at 118 Draper St., Sayre, Pa.
2. Walter R. Smith, born April 20, 1895, and his wife, Alice, live at 92 Lincoln St., Waverly, N.Y.
3. Blanche B. Smith, born May 20, 1898 (has same birthday as her father) married Henry Bochstahler, May 29, 1921, lives at 91 U Street, Buffalo, N.Y., and has a store at 435 Elliott Street; is a member of Humboldt Parkway Methodist Church.
4. Arthur S. Smith, lives at Cortland, N.Y., has two daughters. He was a member of North Orwell Church.
5. Alice May Smith died when about two and a half years old.
6. Wilton Jesse Smith, born April 14, 1908, married and lives at 416 Broad Street, Waverly, N.Y., has one child.

Libbie Pitcher, born November 14, 1877, in 1933 married Frank Lunn, had two children: (a) Pansy Lunn (deceased) and (b) Arnold Lunn, who is married and lives in Sayre, has one daughter.

Richard Pitcher, born April 14, 1880, married Margaret Denny and lived in the Middle West.

Lida Pitcher, born August 20, 1882, now, 1946, married Edwin Bowen, had two children: (a) Clifford E. and (b) Dorothy Bowen.

1. Clifford married in 1923 Clara McCormick, lives at North Orwell, Pa., has five children: Mary Louise, born November 8, 1924, married August 3, 1946, Mr. Albert Raupers; Geraldine Marie, born November 1, 1926; married July 6, 1946, Mr. James Connell; Richard Willard born February 25, 1931; Arthur Martin born September 5, 1934, and Judy Ann born June 9, 1945.
2. Dorothy Bowen, born January 18, 1915, married Hartley Ackley (son of Edward) lived at Norwich, N.Y., has three children: Edward born May 8, 1934; Joan Marie born September 28, 1941; Clifford Duane Ackley, born August 2, 1946.

1. Charles Hiram Pitcher, born October 16, 1907, married June 10, 1927, Hazel Sibley; has two sons: Benjamin W. born August 28, 1928, and John Daniel Pitcher, born August 28, 1930. They live at 209 Atlans Ave., Norfolk Va.
2. Raymond Wesley Pitcher, born November 26, 1911, married August 13, 1932, Naomi Barte, has 2 sons, John Wesley, born September 17, 1936; and Stephen Earl Pitcher, born March 16, 1941; live at R. D. #1, Owego, N.Y.
3. Donald Benjamin Pitcher, born August 18, 1915, married Caroline Dunham, September 3, 1938, has 2 children: Joyce Elaine born June 17, 1941 and Donald James Pitcher, born March 17, 1944; and live at 3 Spruce St., Owego, N.Y.
4. Robert Harold Pitcher born January 9, 1924, son of Benjamin Pitcher, died January 29, 1945.

Phoebe Pitcher, born November 11, 1889 and

Hiram Pitcher, born January 18k, 1891, are both deceased.

1. Mary Elizabeth, last named daughter of Rev. F. A. Dimmick was born in March, 1856, married December 1874, Seneca J. Cass, had 4 children: Eva A. (Mrs. John Kilmer of Potterville); Wesley Lee Cass, of Rome, R. D. #1; Guy W. Cass (deceased) and Robert R. Cass of Johnson City, N.Y. W. Lee Cass married Amanda M. Fisher, born September 22, 1879, who died at the age of 63, June 1, 1943; burial at Orwell Valley Cemetery, survived by her husband, W. Lee Cass, son, Clifford L. Cass; three brothers, John C. and Jason Fisher of Owego, N.Y., Harrison of Johnson City, and three sisters: Mrs. Phoebe Grimly of Nichols, (now deceased), Mrs. George Ketchum of Lounsberry, and Mrs. Arthur Taylor of Owego, N.Y.

1. Eva A. Cass, born September 22, 1875, married in 1896 John A. Kilmer, born February 4, 1877, who died October 15, 1939. Their children were: Herman L. (died in infancy), Hazel E., born September 2, 1900; and Albert R. Kilmer.

1. Hazel E. Kilmer married Hewlett A. Corbin, September 9, 1922, and had children: Maxine E. Corbin, born July 12, 1924, who married Carlton C. Jones, April 21, 1946; has a daughter, Diane Marie Jones, born March 22, 1948.
2. Albert R. Kilmer married December 31, 1926, Katherine Snyder, had children: Beverly J. Kilmer, born October 18, 1927; and John A. Kilmer, born October 7, 1930. Beverly married Frank Novak, February 19, 1949.

1. Wesley Lee Cass, born August 15, 1880, married Amanda Fisher, who was born September 22, 1879, and died June 1, 1943. Their children were:

1. Clifford Cass, born March 21, 1908, who married Eloise Fox, who was born February 8, 1906, and Francis, born May 17, 1913, died June 28, 1939. Francis married Susan Daugherty, who was born October 15, 1915. A child born posthumously died in infancy.

1. Guy Cass, born September 17, 1890, died December 2, 1937, married Miss Julia Browning and they had children:

1. Sibyl Clotilda, born September 17, 1912, married Kenneth Nichols and has 5 children;
2. Mary Elizabeth, born February 14, 1919, married Edward M. Cook of Rome; has 3 children;
3. Shirley June, born June 3, 1926, baptized June 12, 1938, in Rome Presbyterian Church
4. Montague Odell, born August 10, 1928, baptized with Shirley; also
5. Carol Joyce, born March 27, 1933.

1. Robert Ray Cass, born March 24, 1897, married Vivian Augusta Brown, and had children:

1. Uneta La Net, born November 7, 1922;
2. Robert Ray, Jr., born May 27, 1924;
3. Donald Eugene, born October 18, 1925.

WEALTHY DIMMICK, daughter of Amasa Dimmick, Jr., married Sabin Allen and had two children: (1) James P. Allen, 90 years old in 1948, Justice of the Peace at Rome; and (2) Kate Allen who married Sydney Pitcher, father of Charles.

1. James P. Allen was married by Rev. A. W. Loomis at Windham, Pa., to Frances Gleason (known as Frank), daughter of Benjamin and Emmeline (Russell) Gleason. They celebrated the 70^th anniversary of their marriage April 8, 1950, and had a son Arthur Allen of Windham Center, Pa., who married Mina Shoemaker, daughter of Charles A. Shoemaker and his wife, Mary White. Mr. and Mrs. James P. Allen also had 2 daughters,

1. Lena K. (born July 2, 1887), and (b) Mabel.

1. Frances, married Walter Conklin, lives in Binghamton;
2. James at home.
3. Beatrice, married Roy Moore; has 3 children;
4. Carlton at home;
5. Ethel, married M. Pipher;
6. Esley, Jr., married Gladys Adams, lives at Nichols, N.Y.

1. Leila, who married Percy Corbin, has a child Pemla B. born March 17, 1943, and lives at 403 N. Wilbur Ave., Sayre, Pa.,
2. Allen Carrington, who was married while in the military service to a girl of Salt Lake City, Utah, Miss Bonne, daughter of Leland Hendricks. They have three sons: — Ronald Allen Carrington, born May 8, 1947; Dennis Lee Carrington, born March 2, 1949, at Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, Pa., and Kerry Fred, born December 15, 1951.

1. Kate Allen, born July 3, 1853, married first, January 1, 1871, Sidney D. Pitcher, who died, aged 31 years, in 1877, when their children, Charles S. and Sadie, were young. Sadie (1872-1916) married Merton Reynolds, who disappeared 40 years ago, had two daughters, (a) Clare and (b) Melone, both married and living in Binghamton, New York. Mrs. Clare Kaelin, a graduate nurse, lives at 141½ Gaylord Street, Binghamton, New York, and has a married daughter, Mrs. Katherine Tighe, who has a son. Mrs. Melone Stahl, 68 Biglow St., Binghamton, is a widow, her late husband, Hugh H. Stahl, having been a veteran of World War I, a reliable and energetic Man. Kate married, second, William Tyrrell, February 26, 1880, by whom she had sons, William A., and James Reginald Tyrrell. William A. married Irene McGovern, had a daughter, Florence Compton Tyrrell, who married June 22, 1942, John Frederick Bertram in Rochester, New York. James Reginald Tyrrell also had a daughter and lived in Binghamton. Mrs. Kate Allen Tyrrell died February 20, 1944 in her home at Ransom’s Corners.

JOSEPH TOWNER was the 8^th of 11 children of Elijah and Mary (Knapp) Towner, of Towner Hill, Rome Township. Joseph married Amelia Pratt, was well known as a Methodist preacher, known as "Priest" Towner, died at the age of 57, April 12, 1854. Joseph took care of his aged parents at the old homestead for 15 years before their death. He was occupied in farming and preaching, and being a great favorite, was called from far and near to solemnize marriages and perform funeral rites. He had four sons and four daughters.

His son, Rev. Isaac Pratt Towner, born December 26, 1822, died 1887, was a prominent Methodist preacher for many years in revival work, built six churches, led in purchase of 3 parsonages. He married Sally Jane Van Nest, had 8 children, lost 4 by death at Mehoopany, Pa., 3 in one day. A descendent, Mr. Walter Towner, great-grandson of I. P. Towner, was connected with the Methodist Board of Christian Education in 1948. There is a family cemetery on a farm at Towner Hill.

Another son, John Griffin Towner, traveled for a while with P. P. Bliss, and they sang in a quartet known as the "Yankee Boys" in 1865, which included Lyman S. Chubbuck. A son of John G. Towner, Daniel B., was on the faculty of the Moody Bible Institute, composed 2,000 hymn and gospel song tunes.

L. W. Towner was a third son of Joseph, noted for his musical ability.

In the winter of 1870, John Griffin Towner for two weeks drilled the men singers in the village of Orwell, ending with a concert one day. He had to adjourn to attend funeral of an 18 year old daughter at Towner Hill. He died the following December of pneumonia, which also had caused the death of his daughter. Orwell at that time had several good singers including four Pendleton boys: Harry who afterwards was a leader of music in a Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, Pa., a position he held until his death; also his three brothers — Luther, Wallace and Edward; J. P. Coburn (30 years in the choir, a good tenor) and C. J. Eastman who was chorister of the choir in the Presbyterian church of Orwell for around 50 years; Carlos J. Chubbuck, leader in the Methodist choir. J. I. Eastman and C. M. Frisbie were also good singers at that time.

On March 17, 1838 a form of charter of incorporation of the Orwell Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church was presented by the Rev. George Evans and adopted by the conference. Joseph Towner, James Chubbuck, Robert McKee, Jacob Chubbuck, Harry Parks, George Van Nest, Alvah Cooley, Joseph Hamilton and Aaron Chubbuck were duly appointed trustees.

Of these, Joseph Towner was from Rome Township, then in the circuit with Orwell; George Van Nest and Alvah Cooley were residents at other parts of the circuit. This left James, Jacob and Aaron Chubbuck, Robert McKee, Harry Parks, and Joseph Hamilton the trustees from nearby.

James Chubbuck, born April 5, 1801, came to Orwell with his father, Nathaniel, Sr., and lived with him at the homestead till the latter’s death. After that he managed the farm until the youngest child arrived at maturity, when the farm was divided into three parts, he remaining in the house of his parents.

James married first Pamelia Keeney, sister of Simon Z. and Charles Keeney of Black Walnut, Wyoming County, Pa. They reared three boys and a girl; the eldest son, Carlos J., owning the homestead in 1878, the place now owned by Mr. Stanley Green. Charles E. moved to California, Carleton K. to Nebraska, and the daughter married Francis Woodruff of Morrison, Ill.

JOSEPH HAMILTON, great-grandfather of Mrs. Bessie Green of Orwell, was a trustee named in the charter, and was born in 1792, died in 1854, with burial at Orwell. He married in Connecticut in 1814 Miss Hannah, born February 16, 1793, third child of Nathaniel Sr., and Chloe (Eaton) Chubbuck. Hannah died in 1865. Joseph and Hannah Hamilton lived many years in Windham Township, just north of Orwell Township, had three children, all born in Connecticut: — Joseph Sheldon, Otis and Mary Ann, the last of whom died unmarried fairly young.

1. Joseph Sheldon Hamilton, born in 1816, died 1850, with burial at Orwell. He married in 1840 Sophronia E. daughter of Hezekiah Russell, one of the signers of the Orwell Church incorporation papers. Joseph S. and Sophronia Hamilton had three children: Augustus E., Martha, and Joseph E. Hamilton.

1. Augustus E. Hamilton, born 1841, died 1906, married in 1869 Carrie Babcock (1848-1915), sister of Avery D. Babcock, lived in Potterville a number of years, had three children: Guy, Florence and Joseph W. (1882-1903). The first two died in their minority. The other later lived a number of years at North Orwell, where Augustus, Joe and Carrie, a member of the North Orwell Church, died. Augustus served in the Civil War, being wounded, and never fully recovered. He was presented a Testament, now in the hands of Mrs. S. G. Green, by "The Citizens of Orwell" on his departure for military service.
2. Martha E. Hamilton (1843-1910) married in 1868 Avery D. Babcock (1839-1892), of Windham Township (Babcock’s Hill). They had a son E. Lynn (1874-1928) who married in 1895 Carrie Van Dyke, who died in 1924 (with burial at Valley Home Cemetery, Windham), leaving a daughter, Beatrice Babcock who was born 1897 and married W. D. Simpson, a veteran of the first World War, now deceased. Mrs. W. D. Simpson lives now on a Binghamton R.D., N.Y.
3. Joseph E. Hamilton, youngest of the three children of Joseph Sheldon and Sophronia (Russell) Hamilton, was born in 1848, died 1909. He married in 1874 Mary Ann Wheelhouse (1848-1929) and had a daughter Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. Stanley G. Green.

1. Otis Hamilton (1821-1876) second son of Joseph and Hannah (Chubbuck) Hamilton, married Mary E. Ellsbree, had a daughter, Charlotte (1850-1924) who married in 1875, William M. Jillson (1850-1926) and had one daughter, Mary Hamilton Jillson, who died unmarried in New York City in 1924, during which year also her mother died. Mr. George M. Jillson (brother of Frank) was in business in New York City working for the Borden Milk Company for a number of years. He was a very fine man. Another daughter of Otis and Mary E. Hamilton, named Helen M., was born in 1852, died in 1864.

JACOB CHUBBUCK, trustee, born March 5, 1797, came to Orwell with his brother, Aaron, went back to Connecticut and married October 7, 1819, Miss Minerva Tupper, of Tolland, Conn., returned with her at once and cleared and improved a farm in Orwell. He located on a tract on which later the house of Otis J. Chubbuck, his son, (now the home of John Platt), was erected in 1852. He died in 1873 in Towanda, Pa. He had 12 children, six of whom died in early childhood. His surviving children and their marriages were: Harriet M. (Mrs. George Crowfoot); Otis J., born May 7, 1825, a successful school teacher, county superintendent 1863-69, Register and Recorded 1873-76, married first, Eunice Hicks who died at the age of 30; second, Anne E., daughter of Simon Z. Keeney; Chloe E., married to P. W. Champion of Lanark, Ill.; Rev. Sherman A., born August 9, 1830, married September 21, 1863, Catalena (Cattie B.) Pendleton, was many years a member of the Genesee Conference; Ellen M. (Mrs. Leonard O. Brown, mother of Frank H., grandmother of Raymond Brown and Mrs. Stanley Conklin); Tracy J., married Mary Tripp, was a member of the 141^st Rgt., Pennsylvania Volunteers, served during the Civil War, lived on a farm occupied in recent years by the Elliott family; Julie A., died at 12 years. Rev. Sherman A. Chubbuck was the father of Charles P. Chubbuck, born September 13, 1873, died March 4, 1936, church organist for many years at Orwell, who lived on a farm south of a farm now owned by Mr. Stanley G. Green, the Charles Pendleton farm which was originally a part of the Chubbuck tract.

There are in the possession of the Frank H. Brown family some papers of Jacob and Minerva Chubbuck. One is a printed card invitation to Miss Minervy Tupper to a THANKSGIVING BALL. Miss Tupper, then 18 years old "IS requested to attend at Mr. M’Kinnery’s Hall, on Friday, Dec. 1^st, at 2 o’clock P.M.
 

R. HOLBROOK )		(I. GRIGGS
O. GRANT )	Managers	(E. YOUNG
			S. STEELE, Clerk"
Tolland, Nov. 17, 1815."

Another paper reads: "Jacob Chubbuck is a worthy scholar, he has exceled his class in spelling the week past. Friday Dec. 23, 1808. Certified by Cicero Dimmick."

A newspaper clipping indicates that Minerva, wife of Jacob Chubbuck, died in Rome, Pa. of paralysis, October 29, 1875, in her 78^th year. Her son Rev. Sherman A. Chubbuck, was then located in a parsonage at East Troy, Pa. Minerva Tupper married in her twenty-second year, was the mother of twelve children. The obituary item was contributed by W. Keatley, Methodist pastor at Rome.

Among papers shown the writer by Mrs. Kate Brown is a letter to Jacob Chubbuck from his brother Aaron.

Mr. Jacob Chubbuck, Ellington, Tolland County, Conn. Faverd (Forward?) per Mr. Chubbuck.

"Dear Brother

A very heavy thunder shower prevents or hinders me from splitting rails a while this afternoon & while I am in the house I improve the time in writing a few lines to you to let know a little how we are and to inform you that we are well, enjoying health as usual and are desirous that these few lines will find you in possession of the same blessing. It would be indeed a satisfaction to me if I could see you but there are so many hemlocks and hills in the way that it is vain for me to try to look there. If I could see you I could tell you a good deal of news that I have seen since I come from home, but we must wait for conversation together in that way till providence brings it about & improve every opportunity in writing that we have. I hope Father will sell his farm and come here and live for here is grand good land round here it bears great corn and grass and rye, which is encouraging to work I have got some good corn and potatoes and oats and some good hay for the little oxen to eat next winter and for the old cow. You must try to remember your Creator in the days of your youth be steady and nice and become a good boy try to get religion now before you die that you may enjoy real happiness and satisfaction in this life be a satisfaction to your parents in life and at last received to heaven —— You must write all you can think of when Nath… comes back and every opportunity you have. There are deers a plenty here and if you was here with that little Bester gun you would shoot a great many. They come some times near enough to the house to shoot them; they look neat.——

This from your Dear Brother Aaron Chubbuck.

Orwel Sept. 24, 1814"

GEORGE VAN NEST, trustee, born August 11, 1791, moved from Sussex County, N.J. to Standing Stone Township, settling the Henry Fisher place in 1816. He had three brothers, John, Daniel, and Isaac Whitfield, and a sister, Catherine (Mrs. Peter Lantz). According to C. F. Heverly, he was very energetic in clearing and improving his lands and at one time owned and operated three saw mills, shipping his lumber down the Susquehanna on rafts. Being an expert blacksmith, he manufactured many useful articles out of iron. He was a faithful Methodist and is affectionately remembered for his true kindness of heart and benevolence. He married first, Hannah Emory (born January 9, 1790, died June 8, 1844); married second, Mrs. Asenath (Schoonover) Huyck; died December 24, 1864. He had 11 children by his first wife. His brother, Isaac Whitfield Van Vest, also a mechanic, made the weathervane on the Wysox Church tower.

ALVAH COOLEY, trustee, born February 10, 1805, lived two doors south of the Myersburg Methodist Episcopal Church. He died August 15, 1896. His wife Elizabeth, born 1800, died August 31, 1880. Their daughter, Sarah Adeline, born May 14, 1832, joined the Wysox Church in 1852, died November 19, 1920, burial being at Wysox.

ROBERT McKEE, trustee, married Amy, daughter of Ebenezer and Lucina (Craw) Chubbuck. Ebenezer was a brother of Nathaniel and was a Revolutionary soldier who came with his wife in 1818 from Connecticut and occupied and improved the farm known later as the Cicero Cleveland place (north of the farm operated by Raymond Brown). Another daughter of Ebenezer Chubbuck, Fanny, married Asa McKee, grandfather of Elmer B. and Frank C. McKee, who became proprietors of the Towanda Daily Review in 1885. Robert McKee, trustee, died December 5, 1849, aged 70 years and 11 months, burial being at Jillson Cemetery in the north part of Orwell Township. His wife died in 1867 aged 79 years. The Asa McKee house is on the road between Windham and West Warren, is built of brick, and is not in the family now.

A copy of the charter of incorporation is recorded in the minutes book of the Board of Trustees. Article 1 set forth the name and title as the "Orwell Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church." Article 2 stated that church members formed the corporation. Article 3 provided for a common seal. Article 4 set forth the legal abilities of the corporation. Article 5 lodged power to conduct affairs in the Board of nine trustees. Article 6 limited liens by the Board to the consent of the Society and fixed the limit of $300 to be expended by the Board without consent of the Society. Article 7 required an annual report of the Board to the Society.

Subscribers’ names attached were: —
 

Aaron Chubbuck		Dan Russell
Amisa Dimmick		Hollis S. Chubbuck
James Chubbuck		Jeremiah C. Barns
J. M. Snyder		Joseph Towner
Thomas Wilcox		George Evans
Thomas Vought		Austin E. Chubbuck
Micajah Slocum		Ezekiel B. Mintz
Harry Parks		Nathaniel Chubbuck
Adan Marsh		James Cleveland
Stephen Bostwick		Joseph Hamilton
Freeman Wilcox		Jacob Chubbuck
Elisha Beebins		Morris Woodruff
Roswell Russell		Robert McKee
Samuel Keenyon		Hezekiah Russell
Cicero Dimmick		Alvah Cooley
Andrew Webb		Charles Homet
	Levi Ennes

One of the signers, Dan Russell, made the first settlement in Orwell. He lived just below the forks of the road from Rome to Orwell Hill, occupied in 1877 by his grandson Stephen, and by his great-great-grandson, Cleveland Russell, in 1948. Dan was born in Tolland County, Conn., September 26, 1770, (son of Captain Hezekiah Russell who fought at Bunker Hill), and was married September 21, 1791 to Polly Chubbuck, sister of Ebenezer and Nathaniel, the latter of whom settled by him later. His farm was said by Craft to have been the best on the stage route from Towanda to Montrose. With one exception, his children all settled within five miles, and in his life-time his descendents came to number more than one hundred. His children were Polly, born in Tolland County, Conn., January 29, 1794; Eunice, born in Sheshequin, June 23, 1796, married James Smith; Lydia born in Orwell, February 4, 1798, married William Alger; Roswell born July 17, 1799; Candace, Harriet (Mrs. M. B. Prince), John, Burton, Dan, Nathaniel, May 19, 1812; Tamson S., born of second wife, September 2, 1821. Mrs. Russell had nine children baptised January 24, 1819.

Roswell Russell, born July 17, 1799, son of Dan and Polly Chubbuck, and died January 61[sic], 1852, aged 52 years and 6 months, according to the Bible record in possession of Mrs. Fred Snyder, Orwell, Pa. Roswell married Roxanna Bandel December 31, 1820. She was born March 13, 1804, died December 7, 1877 aged 72 years and 9 months. They had children: Phebe, born June 15, 1823; Rosana, July 6, 1827; died October 11, 1842, aged 15; Ruth, born March 15, 1830; Charlott, born September 29, 1839, died October 28, 1842, aged 3 "years and one month, wanting a day."

John Russell, son of Dan and Polly, married in 1825, Sibyl Thatcher, died in 1876. She, born 1808, died in 1895. They had ten children who grew to maturity, and four who died in childhood.

Dan Russell, Jr., according to Bradsby’s History of Bradford County, born November 2, 1810, married Deborah Ann Forbes, who was born in 1806, and they had these children: Burton, who married Sallie Ellsworth; Mary, born in 1833, who married William Harrington; Helen M., born in 1836, married Amos Chilson; Dan E., born in 1839; Sophronia L. (1842-1845); Mercur J., born in 1844, married Anna Statia Russell; Ralph L. born in 1847, married Mary Kennedy; Samuel C., (1851-1868); and Asa, born in 1853.
 

Burton Russell had two sons, Ralph and Dan, who served in the Civil War.

Daniel E. Russell, son of Burton and Sally Ellsworth Russell, on account of wounds received in the army, had to sell his farm and was post-master at Windham Center, Pa.

Asa taught school five years, married Sarah Hendershot of Orwell, had three children: Harry L., Gertrude and Mabel. Mercur had four children: Cora, Burton, John and Helen.

Nathaniel Russell, born in 1812, son of Daniel and Polly Russell, married Juliette Morey, occupied the homestead, and had two sons, Stephen and Perry N. Russell, and four daughters.

Stephen married Mary Cleveland and lived at the home place in Orwell Valley. He was a very loyal church worker in the Orwell Methodist Church. Mary Cleveland was a very good teacher. Their children were, in addition to four girls who died in childhood: George, of Rome; Ulysses, Horace, Flora, and William James Russell. George Russell’s son, Leon, was a superintendent of Schools in Bradford County. Raymond, another son, was a high school teacher for many years in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Both graduated from Mansfield State Normal School. A daughter, Mildred, married Clarence H. Vought and they have a daughter Esther Jane, a U. S. Navy nurse, stationed at Bethesda, Md., and they live at East Towanda. Ulysses, born in 1865, married Nellie M. Rice, has two children: Frederick C. and Emilie Victorine Russell, the latter of Nichols, N.Y. Horace had a son Alan, who lives near Nichols, has been active in dairy cooperative organization; Flora who married W. Eaton Frisbie, was the mother of Russell E. Frisbie of Orwell. William James married Millie Brink, who died in 1906. William James died in 1943, aged 60. They had three sons: (1) Harold Wilson, born May 30, 1898, of Orwell, who married Beatrice Stoll, joined the Orwell Methodist Church by letter from Rome in 1949, with his son, Carlyle, and has three children: Georgianna (Mrs. Paul Overpeck of Los Angeles, Cal.), John Malcolm and Carlyle, all of whom married; (2) Earl Theodore who has a daughter and a son, and lives in Potterville; (3) Cleveland William who married Irene, daughter of Daniel J. and Clara B. Cron, has a son, Rexford Cleveland Russell, born November 9, 1929, and a daughter Margie Irene Russell, born August 28, 1943, and lives at the old Russell homestead, where was made the first settlement in Orwell, and which has been occupied continuously by the same son-to-son line to this day.

Roswell Russell, another of the signers of the charter, who settled in North Orwell, was born in 1786, son of Hezekiah, a captain in the Revolution, and his wife Lydia, owned the farm from which the early cemetery was taken, died May 26, 1873, aged 87. (Other children of Hezekiah were Dan, Michael, Hezekiah and Roxanna (Mrs. Anson Collins.) Polly Webster, (related to Daniel Webster) his wife, died March 8, 1871, aged 87. They lived together as man and wife 64 years, had two daughters: Marshie, who married Peter Wolfe of Sheshequin, Pa., and Amanda R. (born March 6, 1822) who married Solomon Sibley, and died December 21, 1906. Solomon and Amanda Sibley had children: William, J. Perry, Isabella, and Ralph.

William A. Sibley married Mary Alger, had one daughter, Minerva, who married Ward Chubb. Some of the latter’s children were: Helen, William, Mary, Harry, born at North Orwell. One son owned a shoe store in Owego. Most of the family lived in the last forty years around Owego.

J. Perry Sibley married Elizabeth Dunham, had one son, Samuel D. Sibley who graduated from Cornell University. A sketch of his life is given elsewhere in this book.

Isabella Sibley married William Cheney, and had children: Ralph, Cora, and Ernest. Ralph married and had one son, and died around 1917. Cora married Horace Harford of Windham Center. After his death she married Cars J. Stoll. They live near Binghamton in the summer, and in Florida in winter time.

Ernest Sibley married Iva Gridley of Windham Summitt, had a daughter Isabelle, born in 1913, and a son Donald, born in June, 1916. The mother died following his birth, and the grandmother raised the children, moved to Nichols, N.Y., joined the Methodist Church. Ernest married second Sadie Cavanaugh, and they have a daughter, Iva.

The charter was approved May 16, 1838 by William B. Reed, Attorney General, and by four judges of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for the middle district at Harrisburg, May 18, 1938, and signed by Judges John B. Gibson, Molton C. Rogers, Jno. Kennedy, Thomas Sergeant. Philo C. Sedgwick, Clerk, certified the instrument as presented to and approved by the court, and Jos. Ritner subscribed: "Let the foregoing instrument of writing be enrolled according to law." The law under which incorporation was made was an act of the general assembly of Pennsylvania passed April 6, 1791. The charter was enrolled in Charter Book No. 6, page 267, on May 18, 1838 by J. Wallace, Deputy Secretary.

orace