Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Van Dyke, James 1853 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 2, 2005, 8:57 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. JAMES VAN DYKE, proprietor of a drug store, located on Third street, Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pa., and a leading and progressive citizen of that borough, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., in September, 1853, and is a son of James and Hannah (Bell) Van Dyke, and grandson of Joseph Van Dyke. Joseph Van Dyke, the grandfather of our subject, is of Hollandish extraction, and was a native and life-long resident of Northumberland County. He was one of the greatest pilots on the Susquehanna River and piloted boats from Northumberland to Fort Deposit to New York City; he pursued that line of business many years prior to the building of railroads in this section of the state. In later years he conducted a hotel and was one of the leading men of his community. He was united in marriage to Miss Elsworth, an English lady, and they were the parents of a large family of children. James Van Dyke, the father of our subject, was also born in Northumberland County, where he resided until 1857. In 1856 he was elected high sheriff of Northumberland County and January 1, 1857, moved to Sun-bury, Northumberland County, Pa. In 1865 he returned to Northumberland borough, remaining there until 1869, when he again moved to Sunbury, where he resided the rest of his active days. He passed from this life in 1880, at the age of fifty-five years. During his younger days he was a pilot on the Susquehanna River, but later he embarked in the hotel business, conducting the Washington Hotel. After he was elected sheriff he discontinued the hotel business to take up the duties of sheriff. In 1860 he built the Central Hotel at Sunbury and conducted it until 1865, when he erected the Van Kirk House in Northumberland. Later he built the Keystone Hotel at Sunbury and, after conducting it for two years, it was destroyed by fire in 1870. Mr. Van Dyke enlisted in the Civil War in 1862 as quartermaster of the 47th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf. He also dealt extensively in horses, selling them to the government during the Rebellion. He was married to Hannah Bell and they reared and educated a family of two sons and two daughters. James Van Dyke received his mental training in the public schools of his native town and at New Berlin Academy. Leaving school when young, he was employed in the drug store owned by Dr. Haupt, of Sunbury, with whom he remained six years, giving up his position on account of ill health. He then worked on the railroad for two years, after which he returned to Sunbury, and in December. 1877, entered the drug store owned by Dr. Charles M. Martin, remaining in his employ fifteen years. In 1893 he engaged in the drug business on his own account and opened a store on Third street, which he has since managed, doing a large business. Politically, Mr. Van Dyke is an unwavering Republican and has served in the borough council and as clerk. Socially, he is a member of Sunbury Lodge No. 203, I. O. O. F.; Sunbury Lodge No. 267, B. P. O. E.; Col. James Cameron Camp No. 160. Sons of Veterans of Sunbury; the A. O. U. W.; also a member of the Royal Blue. In January, 1877, our subject was united in the bonds of matrimony with Hannah Noth-aker, of Sunbury, and two children bless their home, namely: James P. and Mary L. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb