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January 14, 1898

EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY.
Sketch of Life of Lewis LeGrand

Has Seen Many Changes.
Lewis LeGrand, the well known carriage manufacturer of South Main street, reached his eightieth birthday anniversary yesterday, having been born at Providence, Rhode Island, Jan 13, 1818. Mr. LeGrand was one of a family of six children, born to Lewis and Eliza LeGrand, and of the family only Lewis and Washington, both of this city, are now living, the latter about 66 years ot age, being a foreman in one of the departments of the Dickson Manufacturing Co.'s plant on North Canal street.

Lewis LeGrand came to this city Sept. 20, 1840, and having learned the blacksmithing trade at Newark, N. J., commenced working for White & Case, who were then located on the southwest corner of Academy and South Main streets. At the expiration of a year Mr. LeGrand started a shop for himself on the corner of South and Franklin streets—in 1841—and at that time South street was the terminus of Franklin street. He remained there for nearly six years and then, having purchased a plot of ground on South Main street, where his carriage works are now located, removed to the site. What is now known as LeGrand alley was then open and called Wood's alley. Here Mr. LeGrand has been located about fifty-one years.

Mr. LeGrand was married to Miss Ella Lyons from Plains, a daughter of Parley Lyons, a well known farmer at that time, on Washington's Birthday, Feb. 22, 1842. Mrs. LeGrand died Dec. 31, 1895, aged 74 years. Six children were born, four of them being still alive, Mrs. Mary Batt of this city, Edward, Luther and Charles, the latter being associated in business as a partner with Mr. LeGrand.

The changes that have taken place in this city and valley since Mr. LeGrand's arrival here from Newark have been remarkable, and he says that he can hardly realize that the Wilkes-Barre of the present is the city that has grown and progressed from a little town or borough of something like 4,000 or 5,000 of that time, with only three brick houses. Among the men still residents of this city and vicinity who were here when Mr. LeGrand came on from New Jersey, and who have been lifelong acquaintances, are Nathaniel Rutter, S. T. Kittle, William Dickover, Marx Long, Christian Brahl, Judge William S. Wells. Samuel H. Lynch, Major Charles Roth, George H. Parrish, Calvin Parsons, Roger Miller, Barney Burgunder, Selig Burgunder, Isaac Tripp, Joseph Harter and William Morrel. In this list should be included James D. Laird, who died yesterday. Shortly after Mr. LeGrand's arrival here Theron Burnet, Charles Morgan, T. J. Leavenworth and Levi Howell came to this section.
While Mr. LeGrand was located in Newark, N. J., he was well acquainted with George H. Parrish who was then there learning the carriage trade, and their acquaintance has been of nearly sixty years duration. James D. Laird, who died yesterday, was also at work in Newark at the same time with Messrs. LeGrand and Parrish at the same establishment.

S. T. Kittle, who is about 82 years old, was in Wilkes-Barre when Mr. LeGrand reached here, and shortly after he established his shops on South Main street in 1846, Mr. Kittle erected a plant for the manufacture of chairs a few doors above Mr. LeGrand's shops. And thus they have been close neighbors for the long period of fifty-one years.

Mr. LeGrand, for a man of 80 years, is today in remarkably good health and splendid physical condition, considering the three serious accidents that befell him. In 1880 he was injured by being upset when his horse ran away, an accident caused by coal cars being backed across the wagon road at the Maffet breaker in Sugar Notch. His left shoulder was dislocated and arm rendered useless for over a year. Again in 1883 he was in a runaway on the side of the Wilkes-Barre mountain, sustaining a fracture of several ribs and internal injuries, while his brother Washington, who was with him, was seriously injured. In January, 1888, he slipped and fell on the sidewalk on Carey avenue and broke his left leg at the hip joint and was unable to walk for over a year, while his physicians said his case was one of fourteen on record where a person of the age of 70 years had ever recovered from the effects of such an accident.

Mr. LeGrand is universally respected. His has been a long business career of honest dealings with everyone, while his experiences with others have in a few cases been of a sort that caused enforced sacrifice and years of labor to meet obligations resulting from assistance rendered in a commercial way. Yet he has performed every task cheerfully. Today his life is serene and happy, surrounded by loving relatives and acquaintances. (Daily Record - NewspaperArticle)