The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-01

Mrs. Phoebe Gaylord Rogers recalls to
the Fittston Gazette interesting recol-
lcctiors Of a family closely associated
with the early history of the Wyoming
Valley, one of whose members, Amos
York Smith, was one of West Pitts
tons pioneers, one of the towns most
beautiful residence avenues, York, be-
Ing named in his honor. OF Mrs Rog-
ers, tie Wyglusing correspondent of
the Wilkes Bare Record writes as fol-
lows Mrs. Rogers maternal grand
mother was a daughter OF Amos York,
one of the early settlers OF Wyalusing.
He was taken captive by the Indians,
and though exchanged some months
later died before reaching his family,
who in the meantime having removed
to the valley. were in the massacre.
Wealthy, a daughter Of Mr.. York, mar
ried John Smith, father of the late DR..
Smith, of Wilkes Barre, the Mrs. Rog-
ers buried here being her grand
daughter. Mrs Rogers paternal grand
father, Major Gaylord, was a soldier
in the Revolutionary war and also
served as scout in Gen. Sullivan's
army. 1t was during the Sullivan ex-
pedition that he first saw Wyalusing
Valley and being favorably impressed
with the country, at the close of the
war he came here and purchased the
lands on the north side of the creek,
they being the grounds on which the
town now principally stands. The Gay
lords have been one of the most prom
inent families in these parts, and the
descendants are among the towns first
people. Mrs. Rogers, who had reached
her seventy-eighth year, was a lady of
rare Christian graces, her life having
been one of good deeds, spent in hard
toll for the peace and comfort of her
household and for the enjoyment of
those arond her. She Is survived by
two brothers, John l.. Gaylord, of this
place, and Miner M, living in New
Mexico"
DIR. Olin F. Harvey, of Wilkes Barre.
has placed in tangible form for pos
terity some interesting and valuable
matter relating to this ancient family.
On Nov. 4th. 1896, on the occasion of
| the presentation to the Luzerne Coun-
| ty Medical Society of a portrait of Dr.
| John Smith, whose mother was a
daughter of Amos York, of Revolution
| airy fame, DR.. Harvey read biograph-
| ical paper from which we make few
| extracts. DR.. John Smith, of Wilkes
| Barre, it is shown, was one of the
! early members of the medical society,
| having been elected at its second meet
| ing, April II, 1861. He was then the
| oldest physician-both in years and
| practice-in that community, having
| survived all his professional contem-
| poraries of early days, and eight years
| later he died. DR.. Smith was a ma
tive of Kingston, where he was born
| Nov. 4, 1889, the son of Captain Benja-
min and Welthea Ann (York) Smith.
| Captain Benjamin was the son of Cap
| tain Timothy, who was the son of
John. The last named was an original
proprietor in the Susquehanna pur-
chase and was a justice of the peace
here in Wyoming in 1772. In August,
| 1915, DR.. John Smith began the prac-
tice of medicine in New Troy (now the
| borough of Wyoming) Kingston town
ship. Where, or under whose direction
| and instruction he had pursued his
| preparatory studies DR.. Harvey was
unable to learn. For twenty-one years
| thereafter he made New Troy his
home, although his practice was not
| by any means, confined to that local
ity. In 1886 he removed to Wilkes
|
only 1900 and three practicing physi-
| clans.
DR. Smith worked diligently in his
| profession, and for years, even up tC
within a few years of his death, his
field of practice extended from Pitts
ton to Nanticoke. From the ouset he
had his share of the general practice in
| hn
heartedness and easy-going ways, had
more than his share of non-paying pa
tients. He was always particularly
kind and attentive to those whom he
knew to be poor and in straitened cir
cumstances, and during the civil wal
it was his rule to make no charge fol
professional services which he rendered
to the families of men who were enlist
ed and serving in the Union army, un-
less they were we'll able to pay for his
service. In August 1919 DR.. Smith was
appointed, by Governor Findlay JUS
tice of the peace in and for Kingston
township, and for several years he per-
formed the duties of the office. lr
middle age, he devoted considerable
time to politics, and was allied with the
anti-Masonic party which tlourisheC
here from 1928 to 1888. The candida!
of this party for governor in 1888, Jo
seph Ritner, was elected, and In 1886 nt
appointed DIR. Smith prothonotary clerl
| of the various courts of LuZerne cOun
ty. which office he held until 1889. Fol
several years DR.. Smith was a member
of the borough council of Wilkes-Barre
and was president of the council from
MAY, 1850, to May 1851. He was also
about the same period, member, anC
for a time, president of the board o
school directors of the borough. Benl
exceedingly methodiCal and regular il
his habits, he was able to devote
good deal of time to study and genera
reading, and during his residence il
Wilkes Barre quite a number of essay
on various subjects were contributes
by him to the local newspapers.
Or. Smith was married in 1914, t.
/. Mehitable jenkins, of Kingston,
; granddaughter of John Jenkins, esq
, an early settler in Wyoming, a justc
of the peace for several years, repre-
sentative from Wyoming, or West
moreland, to the Connecticut assembl!
upon several occasions, and prominen
in other ways in this locality for sew
eral years. John and Mehitable (Jen
ldns) Smith were the parents of tiv
sons and five daughters, the eldest o
whom was Amos York Smith, whom
we have mentioned as having givel
. the name for York avenue, West Pitts
ton. We have before us a copy of tn
? Gazette of Friday, Dec. 23, 1881, con
tanning an obituary notice of MI
, Smith. This notice says that early Il
life Mr., Smith engaged in business Il
| the upper part of the valley. where, b.