MRS. M. L. T. HARTMAN DEAD. [Daily Record, Dec. 22, 1896.] It is with feelings of sincere regret that the Record announces the death of Mrs. M. L. T. Hartman, which occurred suddenly yesterday at her home in Union Township, four miles west of Shickshinny. Mrs. Hartman, who lived alone with a little grandson, was apparently in her usual health. She had gone to the barn on some errand. and not returning a search revealed her lying dead on the floor. Death had been without warning and painless. Mrs. Hartman was 79 years old, and was born in that vicinity, and spent her entire life there. Her husband died 7 years ago, and she is survived by three sons and four daughters. Two sons, Edward and Luther, live in Shickshinny, and another son, James B. Hartman, is a contractor and builder, 113 Regent street, this city. Mrs. Hartman comes from a pioneer family in Huntington Township, the Trescotts, Her maiden names was Margaret Lewis Trescott. Ten years ago she wrote a splendid history of Hutington Township. and the same, as printed in chapters in the Shickshinny Echo, would have made a formidable bound volume. One of the earliest surveyors in Huntington was Samuel Trescott. He had a large family, of whom his son Solon was grandfather of Mrs. Hartman. Solon married Margaret Lewis, for whom the subject of this sketch was named. Their children were Seth, Hannah, Truman, Luther, Sylvester and Edward Lewis. Solon and his brother Samuel served in Washington's army in 1776 and 1777 and were in many of the engagements during those two disastrous years. After their terms of enlistment were expired the brothers returned to Huntington and both enrolled in the company of Capt. John Franklin, participating in the battle of Wyoming, where they were captured by the British. Escaping they hastened to Huntington and assisted the panic stricken settlers to escape down the river, and thence to New England. Solon remained in Connecticut some years, marrying Margaret Lewis there, and returned to Pennsylvania in 1794. He was born in 1750 and his wife in 1758. His wife's family came from France, having left that country during the reign of Louis XIV. Mrs. Hartman's book is authority for the statement that Margaret Lewis's mother was of the house of Bourbon, and related to Louis XIV, but was compelled to seek an asylum in England on account of having become a Protestant. Luther, the fourth child of Solon and Margaret Lewis Trescott, married Eleanor Parke. They raised a family of four sons and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Hartman was one. Mrs. Hartman was a woman of marked literary tastes and she inspired people with lofty ideals. Though advanced in years she knew not the feebleness of age and maintained her bodily vigor to the last. She kept herself young by seeking the society of young people, to all of whom she was specially helpful. Among the young people to whom she was particularly attached was Will S. Monroe, who has in recent years been winning many honors in the world of letters and pedagogy. This hastily prepared article may well close with a sketch of Mrs. Hartman as written by Mr. Monroe in 1887 as one of a series of biographies published by him in a Scranton newspaper descriptive of the poets of Wyoming Valley. The sketch, which it is to be regretted was so brief, was as follows: Mrs. M. L. Hartman, who has written extensively both in prose and verse during the past forty years. was born at Huntington in 1817; and her early education was that afforded by the common schools of nearly three-quarters of a century ago. She early formed a taste for reading and writing and manifested, even in childhood, an inventive faculty. After marrying, though burdened with the usual domestic cares, she kept up her habits of study and wrote frequently for the local papers. For many years, both before and after her marriage, she was engaged in teaching; and in the school room she found a successful exercise of her talents and a field of untiring influence and usefulness. During the Civil War she materially aided the cause of the North, both by personal aid and the wit of her brilliant pen. Mrs. Hartman has always been in demand as an after dinner poet; and much that she has written was designed for mere temporary effect and passed away with the occasion which called it forth. She has, however, written many odes, pastorals, and descriptive lyrics which teem with wit, sentiment, patriotism and poetic beauty. There is in her writings a blending of strength and delicacy, fondness for country hills and fields and a disposition to gladden and beautify even dull places. She is in love with the singing birds, the breezy fields and a [Daily Record, Dec. 23, 1896.] The tenth annual dinner of the New England Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania was held in Scranton Tuesday evening. The splendid dining room of the Hotel Jermyn was lavishly dec orated with flags, festoons and banners. The decorations were something unusual in profusion and almost hid the walls and ceiling from view. Potted plants were numerous and flowers hung from the columns supporting the ceiling. The menu cards and toast lists were held in tin covers, tied with blue and corn-colored ribbons. On the cover was a portrait of Jonathan Trumbull, with the inscription: "He has the proud distinction of being the only colonial governor at the commencement of the revolution who espoused the cause of the colonies." The tables were ranged in a hollow Square, with orchestra in the center. The dinner began at 7:30 o'clock and two hours were occupied in its discussion. There were 110 guests seated, so many more than were expected that an additional table had to be set. The dinner was served with grace and celerity, the force of waiters being so large that there were no delays of any sort. the The menu was sufficiently lavish to amply regale the assemblage and it was discussed with a vim and appetite that did credit to the New Englanders. The local newspaper men were shown courtesy of having a special table in the center of the hollow square, where they had every opportunity of catching the details, a bit of attention that was evidently appreciated. The dinner embraced turtle soup, venison, wild turkey, pheasant and the usual accessories. The dinner served without wine, though delicious cider was on the bill. was some Homer Greene, Esq., of Honesdale, complimented Connecticut in the following stanzas, a paraphrase of his famous song, "The Banner of the Sea:" With hearts of oak, through storm and smoke and flame Columbia's freemen long, For thee have fought, for thee have wrought, thy name, The music of their song. They sang the country of the free, The Banner of the Strong. This be our aim, that never shame shall ride On any breeze with thee, Thou emblem great, of every State the pride, Thou flag of liberty. And as our fathers did of yore, The Banner of the Free. The Scrantonians present, besides the officers, included Robert M. Scranton, W. A. Wilcox, R. H. Patterson, J. H. Torrey, Arthur Frothingham, William T. Smith, R. T. Black, Judge Hand, Judge Jessup, Rev. Roger Israel, C. F. Whittemore, Fred Whittemore and scores of others. Besides these were the following: Benjamin Dorrance, Dorranceton. J. W. Aitken, Carbondale. son." Dr. Mills prefaced his address with some suitable pleasantries and then passed to a more serious consideration of the Yankee parson. His theme was forcibly and entertainingly handled. The Yankee parson, he said, is the finished product of many generations of unique environments. He is the outcome of intense individualism, which is developed by the New England town meeting, the ideal political democracy, the college which trains men to think; the commercial life, in which the prizes go to the strongest; and the New England church, which is the most complete example of a pure democracy in existence. He is taught, polished and strengthened by his contact with his people, each of whom is an authority on all points of theology and life. Or else, if he has not strength to stand alone, as do his people, he becomes a mere composite reflection of their opinions. It is a heroic process that produces noble parsons; or spoils them if they can not stand the training. The Yankee's first cousin the ScotchIrishman, was responded to by Rev. Joseph R. Dixon, D. D., Scranton's latest clergyman, who quite distinguished himself. Rev. F. E. Hoskins, of Zahleh, Syria, gave an admirable dissertation on the Turkish question, which unfortunately the Wilkes-Barre people had to miss in order to catch their train. His practical description threw much light on the political situation in that country. The speakers who followed were Rev. G. Parsons Nichols, D. D:, of Binghamton; A. V. Bower and Rev. Charles M. Giffin, D. D. DEATH OF LEWIS STULL. [Daily Record, Dec. 23, 1896.] Word was received in this city Tuesday that Lewis Stull of Stoddartsville had died in Philadelphia at the home of his son, Eugene. He is survived by several sons and daughters, and will be buried at Stoddartsville. Mr. Stull had lived at that place ever since its palmy days as a lumber region. He had been postmaster there for many years, through all administrations, though himself a life-long Democrat. He had been ailing for a year or two and his death occurred while on a visit to his son. ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH. from the building the evening before. All was well when the sexton and others left the building shortly before midnight and the only explanation is that there may have been a defective flue or some other disorder in the heating ap paratus. The building was heated by steam from a boiler on the premises. Certainly no blame attaches to the sexton, Edwin S. Jones, who has filled the place for five years and has always proved himself faithful and conscientious in every detail. The church proper is completely destroyed, though the tower, vestibule and parish house escaped serious injury. Probably the loss is from $50,000 to $60,000, covered by $30,000 insurance with Biddle & Eno. The vestry held a meeting at noon at the residence of S. L. Brown. It was determined to rebuild and to do SO as speedily as possible. No definite plan was formulated other than it was agreed to see what money can be raised and then to rebuild without going into debt. The general sentiment seemed to be that the new edifice should be enough of a restoration to utilize the foundations (all the walls are ruined) and the tower and vestibule. This plan would save probably $15,000. Dr. Jones was cheered all day with messages of sympathy, written or spoken, some of them being accompanied with checks. Robert H. Sayre of South Bethlehem telegraphed his sympathy in the practical form of a subscription for $500. The fire was discovered on Christmas morning at 6 o'clock. It may have been smouldering for hours, but it certainly was not in a blaze very long before being discovered. The Record carrier, who went down Franklin street a half hour before the fire alarm, states that he noticed nothing unusual as he placed papers in the residences alongside of and opposite the church. Garrett Smith was on his way to the office of the United States Express Co. when he heard a cry of fire and he soon learned that the blaze was in St. Stephen's Church. Mr. Smith, who is a vestryman there, ran to the nearest box and turned in an alarm from 53. This brought steamers 1 and 2, but chief engineer Constine saw that he had a bad fire on hand and he sounded a general alarm, which called steamers 3 and 4. It was a bitter cold morning, mercury hovering near zero, and two fire hydrants on Market street were found to be frozen, so that much valuable time was lost in laying hose and hunting other hydrants. The hydrants on Franklin street proved to be all right and soon great volumes of water were being poured on the doomed structure. A crowd had gathered before the arrival of the firemen, for hundreds of persons attending early masses at the Catholic churches were on the streets. When the fire was first discovered the whole interior of the church seemed a mass of flames. That is what makes the case so mysterious. Half an hour before, all was dark and now it was all ablaze. As the fury of the flames prevented entrance, attention was directed to saving the parish building in the rear. Fortunately this is a separate structure, with only a passageway communicating, and the flames were kept from it. It escaped practically uninjured, a fact that makes the sorry lot of the parish much less sorry than it would otherwise have been. With axes the door of the robing room was broken in and the communion service rescued, though it was so hot as to burn the hands of Rev. W. D. Johnson and H. A. Fuller, who carried it out. They also got out with the alms basin and the ministerial robes, some of which were new and were to have been worn by the rector on Christmas for the first time. Besides the alms basin the only memorial saved was the communion service, in memory of Mrs. J. Pryor Williamson, all the rest, as follows, being destroyed: Windows in memory of Richard Sharpe's parents, Jennie Leavenworth McCulloch, Mrs. G. M. Harding, Miles Bowman McAlester, Miss Maria M. Fuller, Mrs. Ruth Ross, Volney L. Maxwell. Some of them cost over $1,000 each. Justice Pulpit in memory of Chief George W. Woodward, erected by his daughter, Mrs. E. G. Scott. Bishop's chair and communion table, in memory of Rt. Rev. William Bacon Stevens. Mural tablet in memory of Judge John N. Conyngham, erected by Mrs. William Bacon Stevens. Marble font in memory of her little daughter Ruth, by Mrs. William L. Conyngham. Chancel rail in memory of Anne Leavenworth Harding. Mural tablet in memory of Mrs. G. W. Woodward. Bronze eagle reading desk in memory of L. C. Paine. Besides smaller memorials, like book rests, which escaped annotation, Two small windows in the robing room, in memory of children of Rev. Dr. Jones and Rev. Mr. Hayden, escaped destruction, as did the clerical robes, though the latter were damaged. Of course the organ was destroyed, as also all the music, prayer books, carpets and church furnishings generally. Fortunately none of the parish records are kept in the building. SOME PARISH HISTORY. St. Stephen's Church has had an organized existence of seventy-five years. Rev. Bernard Page of the Church of England, ordained by the lord bishop of London for "Wyoming Parish, Pennsylvania," Aug. 24, 1772, was the first Protestant Episcopal minister to officiate in this section. Owing to the great political disturbances of that date, Mr. Page did not long remain in the valley, but retired to Virginia, where he ministered as assistant to Rev. Bryan, Lord Fairfax. No other minister of the Episcopal Church is known to have visited these parts until 1814, when that "apostle of the Northwest," Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, D. D,, held divine services in the old Wilkes-Barre Academy, and stirred up the church people of the village of Wilkes-Barre. The first baptism recorded performed by him Dec. 8, 1814. Who officiated during the next three years cannot be learned. No definite steps were taken to organize a parish until Sept. 19, 1817, when the church people met together and elected the first vestry, applied for a charter, which was granted Oct. 17, 1817, and engaged the services of Rev. Richard Sharpe Mason, D. D. was Dr. Mason was succeeded by Rev. Dr. Phinney. His ministry here was brief, and no record exists of his work. In 1819 Rev. Manning R. Roche became the missionary at St. Stephen's. The Sunday school had been organized in 1818 by Hon. David Scott, the president judge of the district, then the only male communicant of the church here, and the parish appears to have been prosperous. But Mr. Roche retired from the parish in 1820, and from the ministry in 1822. During the next two years, 1821-1822, the services were conducted by Samuel Bowman, a lay reader, whose connection with St. Stephen's is worthy of notice. Born in Wilkes-Barre, May 21, 1800, ordained deacon by Bishop White Aug. 25, 1823, he was, after a successful ministry of thirty-five years at Lancaster and Easton, elected assistant bishop of Pennsylvania and consecrated Aug. 25, 1858. He died in 1861. St. Stephen's parish was adinitted to the convention May 2, 1821. During the previous years her people had worshiped in the old frame building, "Old Ship Zion," which had been erected by the joint contributions or the various Christian bodies in the town. THE FIRST EDIFICE. It was determined, Dec. 27, 1821, to sell the right of St. Stephen's parish in this building, and to purchase a lot and erect a church. Through the aid of Judge Scott this work was begun and Jan. 15, 1822, the contract for the build. ing was let. This edifice was consecrated by Bishop White June 14, 1824. It was a low frame building, painted white, with a gable end to the street, a flight of half a dozen steps leading up to a long porch. During a portion of 1823 the services were in charge of Rev. Samuel Sitgraves, who in December of that year was succeeded by Rev. Enoch Huntington, who remained until 1826. He was succeeded in February, 1827, by Rev. James May, D. D. During the ten years' ministry of this godly man, the church in Wilkes-Barre from being a feeble missionary station, grew to be what it has ever since continued, one of the strongest and most effective parishes of the Episcopal Church in this section of the diocese. Dr. May was succeeded in 1837 by Rev. William James Clark, who remained until 1840, when Rev. Robert Bethel Claxton, S. T. D., entered upon the charge of the parish. After six years of zealous and faithful labor he resigned in 1846 to enter upon other and important fields of duty. It was during Dr. Claxton's ministry (and in his judgment largely due to the faithful service of his predecessor, Dr. May,) that such men as Hon. John N. Conyngham, Hon. George W. Woodward, Volney L. Maxwell, DeWitt Clinton Loop and others of ability and influence, became active and zealous communicants. For six months after the departure of Dr. Claxton the parish was in charge of Rev. Charles DeKay Cooper, D. D. Rev. George D. Miles took charge of the parish as rector April 1, 1848. During the eighteen years of his earnest and active ministry the parish was blessed with large successes. In 1852 the increase of the congregation was such as to demand enlarged accommodations. The church building erected in 1822 was a frame structure of one story with a tower at the northwest |