Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/470

4254 sons, Samuel and E. Newton, the latter now connected with the house of John T. Lewis & Bros., of Philadelphia. Mr. Wigfall's grandfather, also named Samuel, was engaged in the hardware busi- ness at Augusta. Ga., for some time, later settling in Montgomery county, Pa., where he died.

Mr. Wigfall's time has been devoted prin- cipally to his responsibilities as head of the Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad Company, but he has also had other local interests, and he is a director of the Bloomsburg National Bank. treasurer and director of the Industrial Building & Loan Association since its incor- poration in 1891, and a director of the Blooms- burg Water Company. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, and a Republican in political sentiment. ing, and ideal spots for camps and recreation are numerous. Eight passenger trains a day are run, four cach way, and two to four extra freight trains to Berwick by way of the Paper Mill. The road uses the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western depot at Bloomsburg, and connections are made with the principal pas- senger trains on that road as well as the Phila- Samuel Wigfall passed his youth in Philadelphia & Reading, and at the Paper Mill, delphia, obtaining his education in the public with the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg & Ber- schools, and when a young man was employed wick. The head office of the company is at as a runner for the First National Bank there. Market and Sixth streets, Bloomsburg, near He remained with that institution until he the D. L. & W. depot. About fifty men are came to Bloomsburg. June 1, 1889, here be employed in all departments, and the present coming secretary and treasurer of the North officers are: Samuel Wigfall, president; II. Mountain Lumber Company, with which con- T. Dechert, vice president; George A. Ritter, cern he continued until it dissolved, in the fall secretary and auditor; W. C. Snyder, treas- of 1892. Since January, 1890, he has been urer and superintendent; W. C. Fortune, connected with the Bloomsburg & Sullivan supervisor. Mr. Fortune, Conductor J. W. Railroad Company. This company received Scott and Engineer James Carey have been its original charter from the State Dec. 27, with the company from the very beginning. 1883. the promoters being C. R. Buckalew Capt. II. J. Connor was secretary and treas- and Col. John Jamison, of Bloomsburg. Capt. urer until his death, May 30, 1912. H. J. Connor and Silas Mellenry secured the right of way the entire length of the road. The first ground for the road was broken at the bridge a short distance north of Orange- ville in August, 1886, and the work went for ward under the direction of John A. Wilson, of Philadelphia, constructing engineer, and James C. Brown, of Bloomsburg, surveying engineer. It was substantially constructed and the same policy has been continued to the pres- ent, the company being noted for its high standards of maintenance and efficiency. The road was completed to Benton in 1887, on July 4th of which year the first train left Bloomsburg for Orangeville, carrying a large delegation of officials and stockholders. was completed to Jamison City in 1888. It is twenty-nine miles long, the route lying through the beautiful and historic Fishing creek valley, connecting the territory along the Susquehanna river with the North moun- tains. There are many highly productive farms in this section and agricultural interests have expanded notably as one direct result of the advent of the railroad. The industrial centers along the line. Light Street, Orange- ville. Forks, Stillwater. Benton, Coles Creek, Central and Jamison City, have felt the im- petus which convenience of transportation has given their activities, and many thriving busi- ness plants have been located in those com- munities because of the desirable opportuni- ties the railroad has brought within the reach of investors. The road traverses a beautiful section, a delightful region for fishing or hunt- It On Feb. 4, 1891, Mr. Wigfall married Helen R. Belfield, of Philadelphia, and they have one daughter, Elizabeth, who was born in August, 1901. COL, JOHN GOSSE FREEZE. late of Bloomsburg. Honored and remembered chiefly for his long connection with the Co- lumbia county bar. at which he practiced for over sixty years, a simple recount of the duties which occupied Colonel Freeze aside from his profession shows that he was much more than à successful lawyer. However, a mere recital of his achievements in the law and in the activ- ities of the community would suggest the large place he filled in its life but give no adequate idea of the accomplishments which made his career remarkable for more than its length. Though he attained his eighty-eighth year he was still maintaining his association with sev- cral trusts he was reluctant to relinquish in spite of his age. He had withdrawn from legal practice two or three years before, how- ever. Digitized by Google