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/531

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

thereafter he received an appointment as an assessor o f internal revenue. Ciovcrnor licary subsequently appointed him lieutenant colonel of the 8th Division. National Guard o f (’ennsytvania. Locating in Danville Mr. Bright, in com­ pany with Col. Charles Eckm.an, purchased the plant o f wh.at became known as the Atlantic Oil Refining Company, which was established by John Heller and Cltarles Shultz. From the crude oil they refined il­ luminating oil and lubricating oil in large quantities and did a very extensive business. In 1872 they disposed o f this business to Bailey & Welsch. Mr. Bright, having heard nothing for some years o f his brother Philip, who had gone to California, crossed the con­ tinent to search fo r him and found that he had Ijcen robbed and murdered. Returning one year later he bought the hardware cstablishmeiU o f Van Alcn & Company, which business he continued to carry on fo r fifteen years, first at the ’an .Alen place on M ill street. When the opera house wa.s built he move<l the business to that building, where he rcmaineil until he sold out to E. J. Moore. .After the death o f his mother he became owner of the family estate in V alley town­ ship. including the limestone quarries con­ nected therewith. He owned a winter home and orange grove in M arion county. Fla., where he spent the winters for several years before his death. His home at No. 13 2 Market street. Danville, is a fine brick resi­ dence. and the site commands an excellent view of the Susquehanna river, a s well as beautiful mountain sceneiy. In 1K72 M r. Bright was elected a member of the State Legislature, and he had the honor o f licing the first Republican to rc(ircscnt his district in that body. He died Sept. 17. 1910. and is buried in the Odd Fellows cetnelery at Danville. In February. 1872. M r. Bright married Lucv .M. Reav. who was Iiorn Sept. 8. 1843, in the suburbs o f Bim iingham . England, daughter of Jolm and M ary (Sum m crficld) Rcay. M r. and Mrs. Bright had no children. S .A M l’ E L J.A M K S W E I .L I V E R, o f Dan­ ville. has long been one of the best known men hi the hardware trade in and around that bor­ ough. where he founded the wholesale establishmctU now known as the W elliver Hard­ ware Comjiany. Mr. W elliver was bom in Montour county Feb. V 18 4 1. son o f .Abraham and Martha (W inder) W elliver, natives o f Pennsylvania.

whose ancestors were among the early set­ tlers of the State. The grandfather was aa early settler in Columbia county. Abraham W elliver w as a shoemaker by trade, and worked at farm ing all his life. Samuel J. W elliver attended the common schools and later Greenwood Sem inary, at M illville, Columbia Co.. Pa. His first occu­ pation was teaching school, which profession he followed for six years, l i e then came to Danville, and in company with his brother, William K ., established a book and stationery store. T w o years later they merged this business into a general store, which they car­ ried on for several years, when Samuel J. W clliver sold his interest to his brother and sub­ sequently took charge of the hardware store o f Charles II. W aters, until the lattcr’s deatli. H e then conducted the store for the widow and was also with Mr. W aters' successor one year, at the end o f that time entering the hardware business on his own account, in 1875. A year later he fonned a partnership with Jam es McCormick which lasted fo r seven years, when M r. W elliver bought out Mr. M cConnick's interest and in 1883 formed an association with Mr. J. H. Cole, establishing the fimi o f W elliver & Cole, who conducted the business fo r the next seven years. Then Mr. W elliver purchased vM r. Cole's sJiarc, and in 1894 the W elliver H ardw are Company was incorporated with a capital o f $25,000. w'htch in i S ^ was increased to Sioo.ooo. T his con­ cern has high standing in the trade all over this section of the State. For five years M r. W elliver conducted a luirdware store at N an­ ticoke. P a., which he had established, selling .same to his son. In 1865 M r. W elliver enlisted in Company I, 104th Pennsylvania Volunteer ln fan tr) with which he served until the close o f (he war. principally as clerk in (he provost iiiarshal's office. .At the close of the w ar he was deputized tn administer the oath o f allegiance. H e has served his fellow citizens in Danville as member of the board o f health. He is a Democrat and has acted as judge o f election. In i8(X> Mr. W elliver married Hlizalieth Best, who i.s of English origin, daughter o f Simeon Best. They have had eleven children, o f whom four died in childhood, the others being: W arren W .. M ary M artha, Bertha. Lulu, Ilarr)'. Jessie J . (deceased) and Frances. M rs. W elliver is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and M r. W ellivcr belongs to the Baptist Church. H e is a member o f Lotlge No. 109. 1. O. O . F .. of Danville.