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/523

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COLUMBIA AXD MOXTOUR COUNTIES

Irvin, born Oct. I2, i860, in Scranton, who i$ general manager and mechanical engineer of the Danville tou n dry & Machine Company at D anville; George, born Ju n e 4, 1 ^ 2, who died Sept. 2, 1863, in Scranton, F a .; and W al­ ter, bom Dec. 26, 1866, who is at home. St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church holds M r. Vannan's membership and receives generous support from him. In 1867 M r. Vannan joined the Masons, and has contin­ ued an enthusiastic member ever since. He is now the only living charter member of W ngsion lx)dge. No. 395, F . & A . M CO L. C H A R L E S W E S L E Y EC K M A N . now deceased, w as a noted man in every avenue of life. H e was bom Ju n e 27, 1837, at Punxsuiaw ney, Pa., where he re­ ceived the meager educational advantages of its public schools at that day. H e w as first educated to more peaceful fields. H is youth­ ful days were spent on a farm which never lost it's attractions. A n an early date he came to I^ n ville, Pa., to reside with an uncle. A t the age o f nineteen years. Garfieldlikc he trod the towpath of the now abandoned Pennsylvania canal and became a boatman. A t the tocsin o f Civil w ar he enlisted, be­ coming a private in Company I I, 93d R a i ­ ment o f Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, and for a time w as lost as a private soldier in the ranks of the Union army. But only (or a time, for (he retiring boy climbed rapidly from the musket way up into the shoulderstraps o f militarv distinction. A s a Union soldier his term o f service was long. H e enlisted at Danville. P a.. Sept. 15, 18 6 1. and constantly continued in the service until he was mustered out at Danville, Va., Ju n e 27, 1865. A s already stated, his rise was rapid. H e was promoted on the field twice in a single day for meritorious services, and at the close of the w ar he was in command of the 1st Brigade of the 2d Division of the 6lh Corps of the A rm y of the P o to m a c said to have been "T h e finest corps that ever faced a foe." H e was assigned to the head of his conis ffith) a l the grand review of the A rm y of the Potomac at Washington. 1). C.. a fte r the sunset at .Appomattox. H e w as then tcnclereil the rank o f brig.adicr general in the regular arm y service, which he declined with the modest remark that he had "seen enough o f w a r." H e was wounded three times in the liattle of the Wilderness, but he never left the field until the end o f that long and doubtful struggle. .At the battle o f Cedar Crcck he lu d two horses shot under him in less than twenty

minutes and w as himself almost mortally wounded in the side by a bombshell that tore the head off his horse and the pommel o ff hb saddle. H e led that matchless charge up Mar>'c’s Heights at Fredericksburg and re­ ceived special recognition frcxn President Lincoln. He took part in the following battles fought by the Arm y of the Potomac: Siege o f Y ork­ town, 'a., .April, 18 6 2; W illiam sU i^, Va., •May 5, 18 6 2; F air Oaks, V a.. M ay 3 1. 1862: Malvern Hill, ’a., Ju ly 1. 18 6 2; Chantilly, 'a.. Sept. 1. (86 2; Antictam, Md., S ro t. 17, 18 6 2; Frcdcricksburp:, 'a ., Dec. 13 . 1802. and M aryc's Heights. a .; Salem Heights. V’a.. M ay'3 . 18 6 3 : Gettysburg. P a., Ju ly 2-3. 1863; Happahannock Station. V a.. N ov. 7. 1863: Mine Run, V a., Dec. 2, 18 6 3; W ilderness, W, A lay s-6, 1864: Spottsylvania Court House. Va.. M ay 12 -13 . 1864: Cold H arbor. Va., Ju n e 1-2, >864: before I’etcrsburg, V a ., June l8. 18 6 4 : Fort Stevens, D. C.. JuL- 17, 1864; Charlestown,  ’a.. .Aug. 2 1, 18 6 4; Bunker Hill, a.. Sept. 13. 18(14: (Jpe<tuan. Va.. Sept. 19. i 8(ji4; Flint H ill, V a.. Sept. 2 (. 18 6 4; Fish er’s Hill. 'a .. Sept. 22. 1864; Cedar Creek, Va.. Oct. 19, 1864; Winchester, V a., Oct. 10, 1864; before Pctcrivbuig. V a.. March 25, t $ 6 5 : be­ fore Petersburg. V a.. A pril 2. 1 & 5; Sailor’s Creek, V a.. .April 6, 18O5: I-ce’s surrender. A pril 9. 1865. A t the close of the Rebellion Colonel Kckman returned lo Danville, Pa., where he was engaged in the mercantile business fo r the term o‘f three years. In 1866 he. with other business associates, purchased the DanviUe Oil Refinery, which he operated fo r about three years. Meantime he was also engaged in other business pursuits. In 18O9 he was appointed postmaster of Danville. I*a.. which position he held continuously for seventeen and a h alf years. He then removed to the city o f Reading, Pa., where he resided fo r alxHit one year, thcncc removing to the city o f H ar­ risburg, Pa., where he first became the super­ intendent of the LochicI Iron .and Steel Works and afterw ard superintendent of the Coleman blast furnace at that place. He then returnetl to Danville, Pa., where he liecame a manager of the Danville Bessem er Steel Company. On Ju ly 3. 1866. Colonel Itcknun marrie<i ^ p h ia Starker (tcarhart. a daughter o f Maylierry and M ary Catherine Gearhart, and who still resides at the Roaring Creek home. Three children also still survive him : M iss Katha­ rine G . Eckman, who resides at home; Miss F.lizalicth Boone Eckm an, a graduate of the Pennsylvania Hospital, [Itiladelphia. former­