Intensely interesting to the history of the immense growth of the Lackawanna Valley, and the marvelous enterprise shown in the bringing out of a comparative wilderness and building up the third city of this commonwealth, is the subject of this sketch-Mr. W. W. Winton. It is well to ascribe honor to whom honor is due, and it is a pleasure to state that the genius and foresight of this eminently public man has had much to do with our prosperity, and it is fitting to add that his brain projected and contributed largely to the vast operations resulting so successfully and prosperously, and we do not over-rate him when we commend him to his fellow-citizens as ranking among the foremost of our thriftest operators and noble benefactors.

He was born on the 29th of January, 1815, in the town of Butternuts, Otsego County, New York, where he received a very liberal education, well qualifying him for any business pursuit he might adopt. His father, Andrew Winton, moved to Providence, now in the city of Scranton, in September, 1833, where the son, fresh from school, was soon engaged as the village school-master at twelve dollars a month and "board around." The school house then used was the building opposite the barn of the People's Street Railway, at present the residence of Mrs. Delia Slocum. One evening his schoolhouse was honored by a sprightly sermon from the famous Lorenzo Dow, that eccentric American preacher, whose manners and attractive elo. quence drew after him immense crowds.

-W. C. BRYANT.

In the spring of 1834, he was engaged in the lumber business, having charge of operations in the forest then covering that portion of our city where the present blast furnaces are situated. In July of the same year he commenced teaching school in Providence, in the new Bell school house erected opposste the present residence of E. W. Weston, esq. In August, 1835, he commenced teaching school at Danville, in this State, and occupied every spare moment in the assiduous and arduous study of the law under the able instruction of Joshua W. Cowley, esq., who since then has become one of the most profound and able lawyers of Pennsylvania. Here he laid the foundation of the legal knowledge which has contributed largely to his success as a business man, and to which he has added by constant legal reading ever since.

While teaching at Danville he married Catherine Heermans, the eldest daughter of Henry Heermans, deceased, once a prominent merchant of Providence, and a sturdy Whig of those days. As a school teacher he won the lasting esteem of parents and pupils, inculcating in the minds. of the youths many sterling lessons of strict integrity, sobriety, virtue and honor, for which they now hold him in grateful remembrance, and often remark that "his advice as a teacher, and since as a friend, has and will be of permanent benefit."

In November, 1812, he opened a store at Wallsville, in Luzerne County, with A. B. Dunning as clerk. In December of the following

year he bought out the stock of goods of Harry Heermans, and C. J. Atwater acted as clerk in that store, then kept in a building next to the Heermans' mansion house. In 1844 Wallsville store was transferred to Abington Centre, and in 1845 the Providence store was moved to the corners in the N. Cotrill stand, and Chas. J. Atwater became his partner, the business being conducted under the firm name of Winton & Atwater until about 1848, when Mr. Winton became associated with the Hon. A. B. Dunning, under the firm name of Winton & Dunning, at Providence.

In 1850 he moved with his family to New York city, where he was engaged in merchandising opposite the Merchants' Hotel, and also on Broadway, until about 1858, when he returned to Providence, and soon became largely interested in coal operations and banking.

As a merchant-when Providence was the leading village, and Slocum Hollow but little known, depending for its mail upon the former place he soon became acquainted with all the leading farmers of the townships of Newton, Ransom, Abington, Benton, Greenfield and Scott, as the inhabitants of each traded at his store, and by his strict honesty and fair dealing he soon won their esteem and confidence, and has since held it, so that among the residents of the adjacent townships and elsewhere his name has become a synonym for all that is upright, pure and honorable. They left their savings in his hands for safe keeping and went to him for friendly advice, and his kind suggestions and personal efforts have saved many a neighborhood law-suit.

His banking career commenced in Scranton, two doors below the St. Charles' Hotel, on Penn Avenue, where a business as a private banking house was carried on successfully, until it was merged in the present Second National Bank, of which he is and for many years has been the president. This was the first national bank organized in Scranton, and its founders exhibited a confidence in the national government, for they started at the momentous period when the Confederates, in fierce battle array, stood with bristling bayonets and frowning cannon threat

ening the capitol, and while great consternation prevailed at Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

In 1865 he organized the First National Bank of Providence, and ultimately consolidated it. with the Second National Bank of Scranton, thereby increasing the capital of the latter to meet the business wants of the people; but desiring to furnish the people of Providence some privileges he continued a private bank at that place, under the name of Winton, Clark & Co., which in time was merged into the Citizens' and Miners' Savings Bank of Scranton, whereof Mr. Winton is president.

As a banker his untiring industry, his watchful guardianship of interests confided to his care, his pleasant smile, his kind heart, his sympathetic disposition, his high character for integ rity, have made him a favorite with our business men, and gained the respect and confidence of all. During the trying times of one year, when a "run" was feared upon all our banks, he was commissioned by several of our city banking institutions to go to New York, from whence he brought such a volume of currency that all the banks were able to stem the tide, quiet all appre hension, and go on without fear.

He is a director of the Scranton Trust Company and Savings Bank, and late its treasurer; a director of the People's Street Railway Company; has been treasurer of the Directors of the Poor of Providence for a number of years; late a director of the Pittston Bank; treasurer of the commissioners appointed to adjust and settle the indebtedness of the late township of Providence, treasurer of the Roaring Brook Turnpike Company, besides holding many other offices of high

lots laid out upon various large tracts of land about us, known as Winton's addition to Scranton; Winton's addition to Providence; Winton's addition to Hyde Park; Winton's & Dolph's addition to Peckville.

Many a poor man started in life by the sale of a lot to him for a home, and without any payment being required at the outset, owes his pros perity to this kind-hearted man, who never yet was known to press a man in distress, and we know of many cases where his liberality has permitted vendees in his many land contracts to go undisturbed even ten years without a payment, during the most pinching times, when he needed the money the most to carry on his various enterprises.

At present he is a lessor to the Oak Hill Coal Company, operating his tracts of land below Scranton; also lessor to the Green Ridge Colliery, operated by Mr. J. P. W. Riley; also to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company, of the lands in Scranton, late the estate of P. C. Griffin, deceased, whereon the Brisbin Shaft is erected; also to the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, of the tract of 440 acres of land in the warrantee name of David Brown, in the townsnip of Blakely, and part owner of the adjacent tracts of valuable coal land where the new and enterprising village bearing his name is located, and which promises soon to be one of our most thriving towns in the county. The branch railroad of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, running to this new village, is also named after him. A more perfect description of the village of Winton will be found below.

His enterprise has led him to invest in oil operations at Oil City; he has also purchased twenty thousand acres of valuable timber and mineral lands in Western Virginia.

It is our wish that he may be spared long to this community to enjoy the high and honorable destinction his upright and successful course has won for him, and that many future enterprises shall receive the stamp and imprint of his success. One of his latest acts as a public benefactor, was the erection in the square at Providence, of an elegant drinking fountain for man

and beast, at an expense of more than $1,000.00, which he cheerfully gave from his own purse.

The thrifty village of Winton owes its origin entirely to its founder of that name. Its existence may be said to have been begun by the opening of the Winton Breaker, which occurred July 9th, 1874. Space is given to these details in order that people outside of the coal regions may learn how a coal village is ushered into rank with neighboring towns.

About one hundred and fifty ladies and gentlemen assembled and embarked on the train over the Delaware and Hudson Road to Winton, there to witness the formal opening of the new breaker which has just been constructed at that point. The party, among which were several of the most prominent business men of Scranton, together with a large number of gentlemen directly interested in the coal departments of the Lackawanna Valley, was in the best of spirits, and was augmented by reinforcements at all the stations along the line. Among those present were: W. R. Storrs, R. Manville, George L. Dickson, W. B. Culver, Dr. Hollister, W. W. Winton, A. Mulley, E. Dolph, E. A. Coray, Hon. Lewis Pughe, R. W. Luce, Walter W. Winton, Rev. A. Barker, Rev. A. A. Marple, Dr. Bedford, J. T. Fellows, Isaac Dean, A. J. Norrman, James Slocum, George Griffin, James Archbald, O. P. Clark, Joseph Gunster, Ziba Knapp, W. O. Silkman, Mr. Filer, Mr. Livy, R. H. McKune, A. H. Winton, George Coray, Judge Merrifield, S. M. Nash, J. F. Snyder, J. Post, R. B. Brockway,. C. E. Judson, Dr. Gardner, George Breck, J. Barrowman, L. S. Fuller, John Zeidler, John B. Collings, Sidney Broadbent, H. K. Grant, J. Raymond, J. Jones, Mrs. W. W. Winton, Mrs. Nash, Mrs. Silkman, Mrs. O. P. Clark, Mrs. R. W. Luce, Mrs. A. H. Winton, Mrs. R. W. Winton, Mrs. L. Gaff, Mrs. Weston, Mrs. Pierce, Mrs. Filer, the Misses Dean, Filer, and many others.

Arrived at Winton the excursionists were conducted to the new breaker, headed by the Dunmore citizens' band, which discoursed several patriotic and enlivening airs. The Winton Breaker is situated a short distance from the Delaware and Hudson track, on a gentle decliv