Sullivan-Susquehanna County PA Archives Biographies.....SMALL, William Henry 1835 - 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 4, 2005, 10:55 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. WILLIAM HENRY SMALL, one of the enterprising farmers of Laporte township, Sullivan County, Pa., was born at Clifford Corners, Susquehanna County, this state, the date of his birth being August 8, 1835. He is a son of Bradner S. and Harriet (Hunter) Small, and a grandson of Matthew Small. Matthew Small was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., and died at Havana, N. Y., at an advanced age. His wife died aged eighty years. Little is now known of Matthew Small, but that he was a soldier of the Revolutionary War and saw active service on Staten Island, N. Y. He was the father of Bradner S., our subject's father; Jane; Sarah Ann; Hannah; Lydia Ann; and Elias. In politics our subject's grandfather was an active Democrat; in religious belief he was inclined to be liberal. Bradner S. Small was born in Orange County, N. Y., where he grew to maturity; he learned the trade of a miller and wood-carver and, practically, followed these lines of business all his life. He passed from this world at the age of sixty years. In politics he firmly upheld the principles advocated by the Democratic party. He was the father of the following children: Asneth, now deceased; our subject; John Thomas, deceased; Esther, who married Henry White and resides in Virginia; Mary married Elmer Shewmann, and they reside in Corning, N. Y.; Julia, who resides in-Ithaca, N. Y.; Sarah Eliza, who married Byron Rogers, now deceased, and lives in Elmira, N. Y. William Henry Small was but seven years of age when his parents became residents of Ithaca, N. Y., and there he received his mental training and grew to manhood. Leaving home he went to Benton, Luzerne County, Pa., where he apprenticed himself to the blacksmith's trade for three years. From Benton he went to Laporte, his present adopted town, and there carried on his trade until 1861, the beginning of the most disastrous and bloody war of modern times. In response to a call issued by President Lincoln for troops to put down the Rebellion, our subject immediately enlisted in the 11th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., for a term of three months. He took part in the skirmishes at Haines Run, near Williamsport, Md., and later his regiment camped within four miles of Martinsburg; there our subject was ill a short time before his term expired and was sent to the hospital at Hagerstown, from which place he was honorably discharged. He then went to Harrisburg, Pa., where he was again taken sick, and upon his recovery he returned to Laporte, where he took up his former trade. In 1864 he moved upon the farm owned by the father of his wife, and upon Mr. Clark's death she fell heir to her present fine mountain-top or tableland farm of eighty-eight acres. Mr. Small has since purchased twenty acres of timber-land adjoining the estate, and on the Clark part of the farm has since been erected a fine two-story, modern farm-house and a commodious barn. He is a hard-working, careful farmer and his home and surroundings show that he is prosperous and progressive. Mr. Small was united in marriage in 1863 with Florence Clark, a daughter of Edward and Mary (Van Fleet) Clark of Laporte,, Pa., and they are the proud parents of six children, namely: Hattie, deceased; Andrew married Millie Fritz and at present resides at home; Emmet, deceased; Edward, Frank, and Merlin, all single. Politically Mr. Small is a Republican. In his religious views he is liberal. 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: 4.1 Kb