Cemetery Chronicles: George P. Friant

Posted on September 3, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Visitors to Scranton’s Everhart Museum can view hundreds of wildlife specimens ranging from forest animals to birds. In many cases, examples in this menagerie of fauna have been in the possession of the museum for over 100 years. One man, buried in the Dunmore Cemetery, had a hand in their creation and care which may also have contributed to his death.

Little is known about the early years of George P. Friant. What is known is that he was born in 1859 in Scranton, the son of David and Catherine Shoemaker Friant. The Friant family men were avid hunters and through this hobby George Friant became interested in the field of taxidermy. He then studied under the tutelage of Dr. Isaiah Everhart. The earliest account of Friant’s work appears in 1883 when he stuffed and mounted a wildcat that was exhibited at a local Hyde Park hotel. Following this, Friant regularly advertised his trade in local newspapers stating that preserving birds was his specialty.

In 1892 Friant assisted the state ornithologist at Harrisburg in the preparation of the Pennsylvania display for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and the 1895 Cotton States and International Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia. The exhibit highlighted forest animals that inhabited the woodlands of Pennsylvania and Friant earned a Gold Medal for his efforts from both events.

Also in 1893, Friant worked extensively on the restoration and remounting of a preserved mountain lion that was donated to Penn State University. For former students and followers of that school, the preservation of that specimen in the history of the university certainly holds a special significance.

In addition to his work in taxidermy, Friant also reported to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Department regularly. As a taxidermist, Friant could relay information such as population count and diseases on birds and other wildlife in the region to this department.

In 1908 Friant worked with numerous wildlife specimens from the personal collection of Dr. Everhart and those purchased by Everhart from the collection of Williamsport brewer August Koch. Koch, like Dr. Everhart, traveled extensively and collected a vast number of museum worthy pieces.

Friant played a significant role in cataloging and preparing the vast array of wildlife for display in the Everhart Museum. Over the next few years, Friant worked diligently to prepare hundreds of specimens and exhibits for the Everhart Museum. In 1912, he was appointed taxidermist for the institution, but his tenure would be short-lived.

George Friant died at the age of fifty-six on January 25, 1916. His death certificate reports that his death was due to chronic kidney disease. Newspapers of the day reported that Friant died as a result of arsenic poisoning. In his work as a taxidermist Friant used substantial amounts of arsenic and sulfuric acid. Both substances are toxic and continued exposure to the chemicals required for his work could have been contributing factors in Friant’s death. George Friant was laid to rest in Section 10 of the Dunmore Cemetery.

Cemetery Chronicles: Roy D. Hatcher

Posted on August 6, 2024 by The Dunmorean

From the 1880’s to the 1970’s public interest in roller skating has fallen in and out of popularity. Northeastern Pennsylvania was home to numerous roller rinks that were enjoyed by the public for both entertainment and competitive events. Chronicling the history of sports in this region would be incomplete without mention of one man buried in the Dunmore Cemetery who contributed to sporting history in a unique way.

Born in Scranton in 1898, Roy D. Hatcher was the son of Phillip and Emma Kline Hatcher. Educated in local schools, Hatcher began working for the Scranton Stove Works as a teenager. He continued to work for the Stove Works for the next thirty years but in his spare time built a career at the local roller-skating rinks in Scranton.

Hatcher began his sporting run in his youth by competing at local roller-skating rinks in 1914. By 1916, Hatcher held the Northeastern Pennsylvania roller skating title for the best time in a one-mile skate. Over the years, Hatcher competed against and aligned with local competitive skaters in matches, vying to win purses throughout the valley. In addition to skating competitively, over the next four decades Hatcher would referee, instruct others for skating competitions and become one of the most prominent boxing, wrestling and roller-skating promoters in the region.

Hatcher also operated the Exeter Roller Skating Rink in Exeter, Pennsylvania, the Lew-Roy/Rollercade in Wilkes-Barre and Lew-Roy Rink on Mulberry Street in Scranton. In 1941 Hatcher and his wife embarked on a road trip of the southern United States.

This began an eight year stretch of traveling almost 10,000 miles visiting roller rinks across the United States. Hatcher attributed this to his success, citing that observation of rinks in other parts of the country generated ideas that were implemented locally. Hatcher also noted that listening to his customers was key to a thriving business.

Continually adapting, Hatcher installed air conditioning, electric program boards, crystal balls, skate rentals, electric signs, and electric organs in his establishments.

Hatcher also participated in a local program to provide free or reduced rate admission to recreational venues to Army enlistees going through processing at the Scranton Army recruiting center. Enlistees would often be in town overnight and numerous religious and social organizations along with local businesses stepped up to meet the spiritual and recreational needs of the future service members.

For almost two decades, Hatcher operated the South Main Street Armory in Wilkes-Barre. In addition to roller skating, boxing, wrestling, and amateur matches were highlighted regularly at the Armory. Two evenings a week were reserved for children accompanied by a parent to participate in boxing parties. In the fall of 1950, Hatcher proudly brought regular roller derby shows to the Armory, drawing in teams from all over the United States.

Roy Hatcher, skating enthusiast and sports promoter, died at his home in Scranton on September 5, 1956, from coronary thrombosis. He was laid to rest in Section 13 of the Dunmore Cemetery.

Cemetery Chronicles: Anna Etzrodt Ellison

Posted on July 3, 2024 by The Dunmorean

“On the great clock of life, the time for health is now.” (Dr. Anna Ellison)

Born on December 26, 1888, to Albert and Elizabeth Etzrodt, Anna Etzrodt was raised and educated in Scranton. Following her early schooling, Anna worked as a dressmaker. She then furthered her education and was a 1917 graduate of the Dr. Reed Burns Private Hospital Training School for Nurses.

In 1919, Etzrodt matriculated into The Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. While at The Palmer School she met recently widowed fellow student Jay W. Ellison of Bay City Michigan. The two dated briefly and were wed in May 1920.

Following the marriage, Anna left school for almost three years. During that time, a son, Edward, was born to the couple. After a hiatus of almost three years, Anna Etzrodt Ellison returned to The Palmer School and graduated in 1923.

Following her graduation the Ellisons returned to Scranton, but Jay Ellison’s stay was short-lived. By 1924, Anna Ellison filed for divorce on grounds of desertion as Jay Ellison had returned to Michigan. The divorce never came to fruition and the couple remained estranged for the remainder of their lives.

Anna Ellison operated a chiropractic office in the Coal Exchange Building on Wyoming Avenue in Scranton until 1940. She then purchased a home at 603 Jefferson Avenue. In 1943, the house became Ellison Chiropractic Hospital. Ellison advertised regularly that her hospital offered a restful environment with one of the finest and most completely equipped offices employing a staff of nurses and trained technicians.

She felt her chiropractic method could correct health problems in all parts of the body. Ellison also practiced plasmatic therapy which involved inducing heat into blood circulation to treat illnesses. In 1942, Ellison’s estranged husband died due to colon cancer. Shortly after his death Ellison began treating of ailments of the colon.

Anna Ellison held membership in the American Bureau of Chiropractic, Pennsylvania Chiropractic Society, Anthracite Chiropractic Association of Pennsylvania, and International Plasmatic Therapy Association. Her establishment on Jefferson Avenue hosted guests in the chiropractic field who visited Scranton for conferences held at the Hotel Jermyn. Likewise, Ellison attended chiropractic and plasmatic therapy conferences both nationally and internationally.

During her career, Ellison received numerous accolades for her chiropractic and alternative methods of healing. But her greatest honor came from the son she raised single-handed. In 1943, while serving with the United States Air Force, Private Edward Ellison was interviewed and stated, “I want to become a chiropractor like my mother when the war ends.” In 1947, Edward Ellison graduated as a physician from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy.

Anna Ellison died at the age of 61 of kidney disease on August 24, 1950. She was laid to rest in Section 23 of the Dunmore Cemetery. Shortly after her death, the 20-room house that was the Ellison Chiropractic Hospital was purchased by the Jewish Federation. The house was eventually razed and is currently the site of Scranton’s Jewish Community Center.