USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 16
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In politics he is a strong republican, and has always worked for the success of the prin- ciples of his party. He has held various bor- ough offices, and is a member of the United Presbyterian church. In 1886 Mr. Jack was appointed by Gov. Pattison to represent the State as a member of the board of trustees of the State Normal school at Indiana, and at the expiration of his term of service he was re-ap- pointed by Gov. Beaver for a second term, which will expire in 1892. Summers M. Jack has won respect, confidence and esteem by his honesty, his ability and his energy. As a law- yer, he is true to his client ; as a business man, he is exact, prompt and accurate; as a citizen, he is honorable and just, and as a friend, he is kind and faithful.
TOHN A. JOHNSTON, a successful business man of twenty years' experience and one of the leading merchants of Indiana, was born in Plum Creek township, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1847, and is a son of Andrew and Rebecca (Malıan) Johnston. His paternal grandfather, John Johnston, was a native of and followed farmning in Plum Creek township, where he died June 19, 1843, while his wife, Jane (McCreight) Johnston, lived till September 16, 1862, when she passed away iu the eighty-fourth year of lier age. His ma- ternal grandfather, William Mahan, was a native of county Donegal, Ireland, and came to this country about 1819. Andrew Jolinston (father) was born January 23, 1811, and reared in Plum Creek township, where he has always resided, being successfully engaged in farming. He dicd
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Sept. 9, 1890, when in the eightieth year of his age, but the hand of Time had dealt gently with him and he was well preserved for an octogenarian. He was a democrat, a prosperous farmer and a member of the United Presby- terian church. His wife, Rebecca (Mahan) Johnston, was born in Ireland, November 13, 1816, and was brought to this country by her parents when only three years of age. She is a member of the same church as her hus- band.
John A. Johnston was reared on a farm and attended the common schools until 1864, when he went to the oil region of this State. Five years later he entered upon his successful mer- cantile career by engaging as a clerk with J. W. Marshall & Co., of Atwood, Armstrong county, Pa. In October, 1870, he and Thomas Martin bought out Marshall & Co., and ran for ten months under the firm name of Johnston & Martin. They then admitted John Stewart as a partner, and continued business under the name of Johnson, Martin & Stewart until May, 1873, when Mr. Johnston sold out to his part- ners. On Christmas, 1873, he formed a part- nership with W. G. L. Black, of Ambrose, and spent two years there in the mercantile business. He then retired from the firm and was engaged in the produce business until the fall of 1879, when he purchased the store of J. P. Leach, on Church street, Indiana. In 1882 he admitted A. T. Lowery as a partner, and in December, 1887, disposed of his entire interest to Mr. Lowery. In January, 1888, he bought one- half interest in Fred. Wegley's store, on the corner of First aud Philadelphia streets, in West Indiana. In Juue, 1889, Mr. Wegley was killed in a flouring-mill, and Mr. Johnston purchased his interest of his heirs. In April, 1890, he sold a half interest to D. C. Mack, the present sheriff of Indiana county, and the pres- ent successful and prosperous mercantile firm of Johnston & Mack was inaugurated. Their es- tablishment is known by the popular name of
" The Farmers' Headquarters," aud they carry a full and complete stock of general merchandise, deal iu agricultural implements and purchase all kinds of country produce. They command a large share of trade and patronage.
John A. Johnston was married ou December 20, 1870, to Margaretta Black, daughter of Samuel Black, of Armstrong county. To their union have been born five children : Ida E., Olive R., Rebecca A., Wellington B. and Martha B.
In politics Mr. Johnston is a republican. He is a member of the Merchants' and Salesmen's association of Philadelphia, Pa., and a member and elder of the United Presbyterian church. Much of his good fortune and mercantile success is due to his business ability, venture, activity and enterprise, yet a considerable part of his prosperity is attributable to liis reliability, promptness and fair dealiug.
FRANK KEENER, one of the young aud promising members of the Indiana county bar and secretary of the Republican county committee, is a son of Johnston and Lena A. (Armstrong) Keener, and was born in Arm- strong township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, January 24, 1862. The grandparents of Frank Keener on his paternal side were of German descent and became residents of this county, in which they afterwards died. The grandfather, Isaac Keener, was a native of Armstrong county, this State. He was a republican and a hard-working farmer, and died in 1877, aged seventy-five years. His son, Johnston Keener, was born in Armstrong township, where he was reared to manhood, after which he removed to White township, aud engaged in his present occupation of farming. He is a republicau, a member of the Indiana United Presbyterian church and a reliable citizen. He lias served in nearly all of his township's local offices and is in the fifty-sixth year of his age. He mar-
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INDIANA COUNTY.
ried Lena A. Armstrong, who was born in 1836, and is a member of the same church as her husband. She is a daughter of John Arm- strong, who is a native of Armstrong township. He is of Scotch-Irish descent, was born in 1804 and belongs to the U. P. church. He is a re- publican in politics.
Frank Keener was reared on a farm until he was eighteen years of age. His early education was received in the common schools of his native township. He then took a three years' college preparatory course at the Indiana Nor- mal school and entered the University of Woos- ter, Ohio, from which institution of learning he was graduated in June, 1887. During the winter of 1887-88 he was principal of Van Buren High school, Hancock county, Ohio, and also superintendent of the schools of the town- ship adjoining Van Buren. In the spring of 1888 he commenced reading law with the legal firm of Watson & Telford and was admitted to the bar of Indiana county in November, 1889. After his admission to practice in the courts of the county he engaged in his profession at In- diana, where he has his office with Watson & Telford, with whom he read. He has secured a practice which is steadily increasing and is regarded as a safe counselor and careful pleader. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, an active republican and has been serving since June, 1889, as secretary of the Republican county committee. As a high school principal and superintendent he was very successful, and in the practice of law he bids fair to make his mark at a day not far distant in the future.
TAMES M. KELLY was a native of Indi- C ana county, son of James Kelly and one of the early settlers of the county. At an early day the attention of George Armstrong, a lawyer of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, who attended the courts at Indiana, was arrested by the sprightli- ness of young Kelly and his skill as a performer
on the violin. Armstrong, who was without children, induced young Kelly to go to Greens- burg and become a member of his family, where he assisted him in obtaining an education and in the study of the law. Upon being admitted to the bar, he returned to Indiana and engaged in the practice of the law, where he had a brilliant, but brief career.
He was tall, slender, graceful, and most win- ning in his ways. He was bright and took the hearts of the people by storm. Although a member of the minority party, a federalist, he was irresistible as a candidate, and was triumph- antly elected to the State Legislature, in a strong democratic district. In 1820 he visited Cuba, in company with . Dr. Robert Mitchell, for the benefit of his health, but consumption had marked him for her own, and soon after his return home, in the same year, he breathed his last, aged thirty-five years.
SAMUEL S. LANDIS, M.D., assistant sur- geon of the 2d Pa. regiment of Volun- teers during the Mexican war, was a physician whose early and unexpected death in 1853 was much deplored in the northern part of West- moreland and the southern part of Indiana county. He was born in York county, Penn- sylvania, September 20, 1820, and was a son of Henry Landis.
Samuel S. Landis was reared in York county, where he read medicine and practiced his pro- fession in his native county, until he removed to Westmoreland county where he soon built up a good practice at New Alexandria. When war was declared with Mexico, he volunteered as a private in Co. B., 2d regiment, Pa. Volunteers, but was soon made assistant surgeon of the regiment and participated in its many battles in the Mexican republic until near the close of the war. Hardship, toil and death terribly thinned the ranks of the regiment, and Dr. Landis was one of those who, in the last few months of the
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contest, was stricken down by disease, so preva- lent under the burning rays of Mexico's un- changing summer snn. He returned to West- moreland county, where, after recruiting his badly-shattered health, he resumed the practice of medicine. He opened an office at New Salem, but soon removed to Livermore, where he secured an extensive practice, which extended into Indiana county and which was rapidly increas- ing at the time of his death, in 1853. On April 13, 1852, he married Margaret Todd, who survives him. Mrs. Landis is a danghter of Hon. James Todd and resides in her com- fortable and well-appointed home at Indiana, where she owns some very valuable and de- sirable property. She is an amiable and intelli- gent woman and has been a consistent member of the Presbyterian church for many years.
Dr. Samnel S. Landis was stricken down in his home at Livermore, by the hand of death, on September 20, 1853, when only in the thirty- third year of his age and in the midst of a highly successful career as a physician.
J TONATHAN N. LANGHAM, a yonng and rising member of the Indiana bar, is a son of Jonathan and Eliza (Barr) Langham, and was born in Grant township, Indiana connty, Pennsylvania, Angust 4, 1861. The Langham family can be traced back for several centuries in England. Several members of it came to America and from one of them was descended Joseph Langham (grandfather), who was born in Bedford connty, Pa., and followed farming for many years previons to his death, which occurred in August, 1864. Of his sons who lived to arrive to the years of manhood, one was Jonathan Langham, father of the subject of this sketch, who was born in Bedford county, this State, and is now in the sixty-seventh year of his age. When ten years of age he removed to Indiana county, where he located permanently and has continned to farm ever since. In con-
nection with farming, he has also been engaged to some considerable extent in the lumber bnsi- ness. He married Eliza Barr, who was born in Indiana connty. Her father, Robert Barr. of Irish descent, was born in this connty, in 1796, learned the trade of cooper, which he followed for many years and died in 1871, aged seventy-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Langham are the parents of twelve children. Two of their sons, Samnel S. and Joseph L., served as soldiers in the late war.
Jonathan N. Langham was reared on his father's farm. He attended the common schools and Purchase Line academy and completed his educational course at the State Normal school of Indiana, where he graduated in the class of 1882. Leaving school, he was engaged in teach- ing for several years. In June, 1887, he com- menced the study of law with John N. Banks, of Indiana, being admitted to practice on De- cember 6, 1888.
CHARLES T. LEMMON, stenographer of the conrts of Indiana county, is a self-made man in the trne sense of that term. He was born in Kittanning, Armstrong county, Penn- sylvania, July 14, 1861, and is a son of John H. and Rosanna (Taylor) Lemmon. His pater- nal great-grandfather, Thomas Lemmon, was a native of eastern Pennsylvania, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He served as a soldier in the Revolution. The following romantic story concerning him has been handed down in the family from generation to generation : While on his way to join the Continental army, he was very thirsty one day and asked for a drink of water from a handsome yonng lady who was present. Seeing his worn-out condi- tion, she lastened to bring him a glass of milk. Touched by her womanly sympathy and thonght- fulness, he told her, half in jest, half in earnest, that when the war closed he wonld return and marry her; which promise he afterward fnl-
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filled. Their son, Col. Daniel Lemmon (grand- father), in early life moved to Franklin town- ship, Armstrong county, where, for many years, he was engaged in farming and hotel-keeping. He served in the Black Hawk war, with the rank of colonel. He died in 1857, when in the seventy-fifth year of his age. His son, John H. Lemmon (father), was born at Kittanning. He is a blacksmith by trade, and is now in his seventy-third year. During the Rebellion he served in Co. K, 78th reg., Pa. Vols. for one year, and was discharged on account of his eye- sight failing. He is a member of the Protes- tant Episcopal church, and since the late war has been a stanch republican. He has filled the office of coroner of Armstrong county for several terms. He married Rosanna Taylor, who was born in Valley township, in 1819, and died in 1888, aged sixty-nine years. She was a mem- ber of the Protestant Episcopal church. She was a daughter of Thomas Taylor, whose father, a Presbyterian minister of the same name, was chaplain in the Continental army and was killed in the battle of Brandywine. Thomas Taylor was a native of eastern Pennsylvania, and re- moved to Armstrong county when a young man, where he was engaged in farming. He was a soldier in the Mexican war. He died in 1853, aged about eighty-two years.
Charles T. Lemmon was reared at Kittan- ning. While attending the public schools, he laid out a course of study for himself, which he followed diligently in spite of all obstacles. After becoming proficient in phonography, he assisted the late G. S. Crosby in his law office at Kittanning, as well as in the publication of the " Union Free Press," of which Mr. Crosby owned a one-half interest. He remained in Mr. Crosby's employ until June, 1885, when he re- moved to Indiana borough, having been appointed stenographer of the courts of the county, which position he still holds. He was married, in February, 1889, to Laura E. Shankel, daughter of Samuel S. Shankel, of Kittanning.
In politics, Mr. Lemmon is a republican, and like his forefathers is a communicant in the Protestant Episcopal church. He is one of the solid men of the borough, taking an active part in the business interests of the county as well as in the public welfare of Indiana. He is financially interested in several business enterprises of prominence in Indiana and Armstrong counties.
TTON. JAMES A. LOGAN was president judge of the courts of Indiana county from 1871 to 1875.
"He was a native of Westmoreland county, born in the limits of Burrell township. He received his education at Elder's Ridge academy, a preparatory school in Indiana county, and studied law with William A. Stokes, Esq., and with the Hon. H. P. Laird, and on motion of W. H. Markle, Esq., was admitted to practice on the 16th of May, 1863. After his ad- mission to the bar he entered into partnership with Mr. Markle, and remained with him until the senior member of the firm was appointed collector of the United States revenue of this congressional district. He was, shortly after his admission, appointed solicitor of the Penn- sylvania railroad, and after the Southwest rail- way was incorporated was selected to manage the legal affairs of the road, of which he was also a director.
" He applied himself with diligence to the study of the law, and soon evidenced legal talents of more than ordinary degree. He ac- quired a good practice, and was prominent as a rising politician in the Republican party, and was mentioned as a candidate for Congress a year or two prior to liis appointment as judge.
" Judge Logan, presiding with satisfaction in each of the three counties of his district under this appointment, was nominated by the Re- publican party as its candidate for election, and was elected, his party having a majority in the district. He presided after his election over all
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the courts of the district until Westmoreland was made a separate judicial district by the Constitution of 1874, when he was retained as judge of that county alone. He resigned in 1879 to accept the position of assistant general solicitor of the Pennsylvania railroad, a position in the legal department of that corpo- ration which he was the first to occupy."
H ORACE M. LOWRY. In the advance of modern journalism the newspapers of Indiana county have not been behind. To-day better home newspapers are nowhere to be found in the State than are those of this county ; nor do we know of the press of any county of equal population and wealth any- where which surpasses them in the full and complete chronicling of local as well as general news. Foremost among the influential papers of the county-seat is the Indiana Times, edited by Horace M. Lowry, one of the progressive editors of Indiana. He was born at Clarks- burg, in Conemaugh township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1856, and is a son of Hon. John and Nancy (McCartney) Lowry. The Lowreys were among the pioneer settlers of what is now South Bend township, in Arm- strong county, where, in 1773, Joseph Lowry (grandfather) came from eastern Pennsylvania and settled on a tract of one hundred and seven acres, which was one of the original thirty-five tracts of land first taken up in the township. He served as justice of the peace for many years and married more couples than any other squire in the county. Hon. John Lowry (father) was born near the village of South Bend, January 25, 1832, and died April 23, 1886, aged fifty- six years. He was educated in the common schools and by private tutors ; he read law in the office of Hon. William M. Stewart, and Hon. Silas M. Clark, judge of the supreme court. He was admitted to the Indiana county
bar in 1860, and soon became a prominent man in Indiana county, served as district attorney from 1862 to 1865, was elected as prothonotary in 1866 and held that office until 1873. In 1882 he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania and was re-elected in 1884. During both of his terms he served his constituents faithfully and was chairman of the committee on constitutional reform. His journalistic career commenced when, in connection with J. C. Rairigh, he founded the Indiana Times, whose initial number they issued on September 4, 1878. On the 13th of No- vember following, he purchased his partner's interest and was sole proprietor until his death, in 1886. He was an earnest republican who rendered valuable service to his party. In 1855 he married Nancy McCartney, daughter of John Y. McCartney, who was born in 1808, on what is now the State experimental farm near Indiana; married Sarah Coleman and was a merchant for forty years at Clarksburg. He was a son of Samuel McCartney, who came from eastern Pennsylvania, married Nancy Young, a native of Maryland, and died in 1815, of black fever, of which his wife also died in the same year.
Horace M. Lowry was reared at Indiana, where he received his education in the public schools of that place. He assisted his father in the publication of the Indiana Times until the death of the latter, in 1886, when he succeeded him as editor and publisher of the paper. Mr. Lowry has successfully kept the Times up to the demands of what a county paper should be, has always yielded the full and proper measure of support to his party and has never allowed any department of news, local or general, to be slighted in its presentation to the public through the Times. As a citizen Mr. Lowry takes a deep interest and just pride in the advance of his native county, and as an editor he is zealous in advocating and supporting all movements for the benefit of the borough and the county.
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C YAPT. DAVIS A. LUCKHART, a wounded veteran of the grand old Army of the Po- tomac, and the present trustworthy and efficient treasurer of Indiana county, is a son of Jacob and Lena (Davis) Luckhart, and was born in West Mahoning township, Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, March 21, 1841. His paternal ances- tors werc early settlers of Blair county, this State, from which his grandfather, Conrad Luckhart, removed to South Mahoning town- ship, where he purchased a large tract of land, and was engaged in farming for many years. He was of German extraction, stood high as a man and a citizen in the community in which he resided, and died May 6, 1861, aged seventy- seven years, seven months and three days. Of his sons, one was Jacob Luckhart (father), who was born in Blair county in 1810, and died in West Mahoning township in 1863. He was a farmer by occupation, a republican in politics and a strict member of the Baptist church, in which he had frequently served as deacon. He married Lena Davis, who was also a mem- ber of the Baptist church, and died in 1887, when in the seventy-first year of her age. She was a daughter of Abraham Davis, of Wales, who came to this county, where he was engaged in farming for many years previous to his death, on September 18, 1869, at eighty-three years of age.
Davis A. Luckhart was reared on a farm and attended the common schools of his native township. Leaving school, he learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed till the break- ing out of the last war. On August 21, 1861 he enlisted as a private in Co. A, 61st regi- ment, Pa. Vols., and was discharged with the rank of captain, and in command of the compa- ny, at Pittsburgh, Pa., on June 28, 1865. He participated in all the principal battles of the Army of the Potomac, and for meritorious con- duct and soldierly bearing was successively promoted until he was commissioned captain of his company. He was wounded four times
while in the Union service. His first wound was received when he was a private, at the battle of Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862, where a musket-ball fractured one of the bones of his left arm, which in the last few years has be- come paralyzed from the effects of that injury. He was next slightly wounded in the side, at Fredericksburg, by a -shell, while serving as a corporal in the color guard of the regiment. He passed safely through several battles until the dreadful wilderness fights came, in which, on the 24th of May, he had one of his little fingers split open by a minie ball. His fourth and last wound was received at Win- chester, where, on the 19th of September, 1864, he was struck on the left leg by a piece of shell while serving as first lieutenant. He was never in the hospital but twice, had several hair-breadth escapes and his life was once saved by a frying-pan in his knapsack inter- cepting a bullet that otherwise would have reached his heart.
After the close of the war Capt. Luckhart returned home; but in October, 1865, he re- moved to Missouri, where he resided in Mor- gan county till 1876. While in Missouri he was engaged in teaching school, milling and farming. In the Centennial year lie returned to his native county, where he worked at his trade for several years. In 1879 he was ap- pointed postmaster at Smicksburg, in West Mahoning township, which office he filled un- til October, 1885. The succeeding year he was elected justice of the peace, and held that office till the fall of 1887, when he resigned to accept the county treasurership, to which he had been elected by the Republican party. He entered upon the duties of the latter office January 2, 1888, and so far has ably and honorably dis- charged the same. The duties of his office are many and various, but to their discharge he ' has brought such good judgment, keen insight, great energy and executive ability that lie thor- oughly understands and satisfactorily manages
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the manifold complications of the business brought under his control. To the mastery of the more important business of his office, Capt. Luekhart lias added close attention to every detail of the minor affairs, and has been enabled to secure favorable results in the interests of the county and its tax-payers.
March 28, 1865, he united in marriage with Catharine Stear, daughter of John Stear, of Smicksburg, this county.
Capt. Luckhart is an active and leading re- publican, a member of the Lutheran church, and at present lieutenant-colonel of Encamp- ment No. 11, Union Veteran Legion.
D AVID C. MACK, a prominent and leading citizen, and the present efficient and popular sheriff of Indiana county, was born in West Wheatfield township, Indiana county, Pennsyl- vania, September 7, 1846, and is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (McRorey) Mack. His paternal grandfather, Robert Mack, was a native of county Antrim, Ireland, and came about 1798 to Pennsylvania, where he located in what is now West Wheatfield township, this county, and was engaged for many years in farming. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church, was a large landholder and influ- ential citizen, and died in 1844 at the age of 88 years. John McRorey (maternal grandfather) was born in county Antrim, Ireland, where he learned the trade of shoemaker. He came to this county about 1800, was an elder in one of the first United Presbyterian churches organized in Indiana county, and died in 1865, when in the 78th year of his age. Joseph Mack (father) was born in West Wheatfield township, where lie has always resided, and is an extensive farmer and stock-raiser. He is a prominent member and useful elder of the United Presby- terian church, a leading republican who has held various of his township's offices. He is a
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