COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES in real estate. H ts properties are an>ong the most valuable in the town and he lias done much to improve the apitearanee and su r roundings o f every piece o f real estate which has come int<x his possession. T h e Opera ltou.se* one of the finest in this State* has been greatly improved and refurnished since pass ing into his ownership, and being located on a ]trominent com er of the business district he has made it a handsome and attractive land mark and one of the s i ^ t s of the town. The building is four stories nigh* cost about $185*000. and has a seating capacity of 1*200. (> 1 Dec. 2. 1872, Mr. Edmondson was m ar ried to Anna A ., daughter o f C yrus ll. and Christiana Rcc.sc* residents o f Columbia county. T o (his union have been bom six children* th re e . o f whom, Lloyd Barton. George H. and Anna L.* are deceased. Those living a r e : NIargaret L .. w ife o f George M. H om torgcr. mechanical engineer at the l>anville State Hospital fo r the Insan e; Charles K* who is associated with his father in the insunince business; and David Edw ard, who is manager of the Opera House and ha.s charge of the various business interests o f his father in Danville. David Edw ard Kdmond son is married to Elmira* daughter o f Webster Foust, o f Danville. M r. Edmondson is a mcmtor of the Demo* cratic party and was for years one o f its lead ers in .Montour county. He lC N > k an active p;trt in the State campaigns and brought into the work the same ability and energy which have characterized all his labors. He has been chairman of the county committee and memt o r of the State Democratic t'ommiltcc* and served as councilman for nine years. H e and hi< fam ily arc members o f St. Paul's Metho dist Kpis'copal Church and Ittonil supporters of their tlenomination. Mr. Ivlmondson's fam ily was well repre sented in the bloody struggle of the C ivil war, on his mother’s side two uncles being in the Union ann y and one on the Confederate side, while two of his father’s brothers were adherents of the Southern cause. The E d mondson home in V i ^ n i a w as the scene o f one of the famous battles of the war. When E a rly repulsed the arm y o f Sheridan at Cedar Creek the retreat w as past the house and some of the shots strttck the building. During the engagement the old brick chapcl near by w as completely ritldlcd with cannon shot, and the fam ily were compelled to seek refuge in the cellar until the fighting ceased. W hen Sheridan made his famous ndc from W inchester he gathered his forces near the
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house and the fam ily were interested wit nesses o f ail the evolutions at the time. W IL L IA .M K. M O N RO E* head of the Monroe-Hall Furniture Company* o f Blooms burg* manufacturers o f high-grade furniture* is though a young man one o f (he leading figures in the business life o f that place. A native o f that great furniture manufacturing center* (irand Rapids* Mich.* he had excellent opportunities in his early life fo r ob sem n g how valuable a thorough knowledge o f his chosen line o f work would be* and he has been highly su ccessfu l M r. Monroe was bom Feb. 20, 1876, and received most o f his education in the public schools o f his native place. Then he took a course in the c o l l i e at Hig Rapids, Mich.* graduating in 1895. During his early years he had been trained to farm ing, but after leaving school he found employment at office work, and from the beginning o f his career has been connected with the furniture manufacturing businc.ss. .After working at Grand Rapids for a time he went to Wisconsin, where he spent six years* coming to Bloomsburg* Pa.* in 1902. There he became superintendent of the fac tory conducted by Robert H aw ley and W il liam II. Slate* who were doing a prosperous business. H is worth soon won recognition* and in 1905 he was m,ide treasurer of the concern* in 1906. when the H aw ley & Slate Furniture Company was incorporated, tocoming president, treasurer and general manager* with W. H. Slate* o f Philadelphia* as vice president* and H. A . Hall* secretary'. In 19 10 the business w as reorganized under the name of the Monroe-Hall Furniture Company* with M r. Monroe as president and treasurer, and Mr. Hall a s secretary'. T he establishment has raiike<l among the progressive business houses o f Bloomsburg since it was opened. T h e original buildings of the plant were put up in 1891 by W. H. Schuyler* Theodore Retlekerand Jacob Keiffer, who conducte<l the business fo r about one year, when it was taken over by the Bloomsburg Furniture Company, who o)tcrated it for a time. T he company was reoiganized as the North Branch Furniture Company and continued to operate the plant until |8(^. when it was leased to Messrs. HawIcy and Slate, who carried il on until 1906. The factory ha.s a <lesirab!e and valuable lo cation* in the east end of the town, and its connections with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad afford admirable ship|>ing facilities. The buildings are substantial twoor thrcc-story* brick structures* the main one
