Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania, Part 21

Author: Wiley, Samuel T. ed. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Philadelphia [J.M. Gresham & co.]
Number of Pages: 652

USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 21
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 21

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In politics Mr. Stuchul is a republican. He has always been interested in the material ad- vancement of the county as well as the pros- perity of his borough and served for five years as secretary of the Indiana county Agricultural

society, which was organized January 3, 1855. He is a member and elder of the United Presbyterian church and gives his attention principally to the practice of his profession. He is diligent and unceasing in working up his cases, careful in their presentation and leaves nothing undone to carry them to a successful issue.

THOMAS SUTTON. Although young in years and unassuming in manner, Thomas Sutton has attained to honorable standing and successful practice at the Indiana bar and is identified with several of the most important business enterprises of the county. He is a son of John and Mary Agnes ( Walker) Sutton and was born at Indiana, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1854. One hundred years ago Peter and Phebe Sutton, the great-grandparents of Thomas Sutton, left the strong Presbyterian settlement of Baskin Ridge, New Jersey, and came to the vicinity of Newport on Black-Lick, this county. Some time between 1790 and 1806 Peter Sutton became one of the pioneer settlers of Indiana borough, and in the latter named year had a log hotel on the site of Wilson's mercantile house, on Philadelphia street. His son, Thomas Sutton (grandfather), married Re- becca Loughry and was engaged for many years in the mercantile business at Indiana. He was a prominent man in the early history of the county. He was twice appointed as sheriff and served as such from 1809 to 1812 and from 1815 to 1818. He died in 1833, aged forty-nine. One of his sons was John Sutton (father), who was born May 20, 1814, at Indiana, where he died June 9, 1877, aged sixty-three years. In 1847 he married Mary Agnes Walker, a native of Cannonsburg, Pa. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, resides at Indiana and is now in the sixty-fourth year of her age. John Sutton was one of the most prominent and suc- cesssful business men and earnest and faithful

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Christian workers that ever lived in Indiana county. For over forty years he was successful- ly engaged in the general mercantile business and in dealing in real estate. He was president, for several years before his death, of the First National Bank and was a partner in the firm of McCartney & Sutton, which operated the straw- board-mill during his life-time. He and Judge Harry White were prominent among the founders of the State Normal school at Indiana, as well as being the largest contributors towards its establishment and support. He was also president of the board of trustees of that school from its organization until his death. He was a democrat in politics, but during the war he voted the National republican ticket and the State democratic ticket. He was a member and elder of the Indiana Presbyterian church, in which he was an active and zealous worker. For over a quarter of a century he was the es- teemed and honored superintendent of the Pres- byterian Sunday-school, in whose interests he labored faithfully. The part of his life most satisfactory to himself was that which was pass- ed in the service of the church and the Sunday- school. He was a man of unbounded charity, and his memory will be long held in grateful remembrance by the many poor whom he kindly and cheerfully assisted. His neighbors knew him to be a man who lived to serve the cause of religion, advance the educational interests of his town and to be useful to his fellow-men. In his life he demonstrated how a man may grow in business and yet keep his heart pure and his life unspotted from the world.

Thomas Sutton was reared at Indiana, where he received his early education in the public schools of that place. In 1870 he entered Princeton college, took the full three years' course and was graduated from that well-known institution of learning in the class of 1873. After graduation he returned home, read law with Judge John P. Blair and was admitted to the Indiana county bar at the spring term of 1876.

In the fall of the centennial year he entered Col- unbia Law school, of New York city, to pursue a special course of studies, but after remaining one year was called home on account of his father's last sickness. Shortly after his father's death he entered upon the practice of his pro- fession, which he has followed ever since. He makes a specialty of land titles, collections and settling estates, in which line of practice he has been very successful. He takes a deep interest in the material development and progress of the county. In 1878 he became a member of the Chill Car Wheel Manufacturing company, which changed its firm-name in 1885 to the present one of Sutton Bros. & Bell (see sketch of Hugh M. Bell). He and his brother, John W., own the strawboard-mill under the firm-name of John W. Sutton & Bro. In addition to his manufactur- ing interests he is owner of one of the most beauti- -

ful residences of Indiana, has a large, well- improved farm in. White township and possesses some very valuable property which is centrally located in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a member and secretary of the Indiana Chemical company, organized in 1887. Their works are on the Indiana Branch R. R., where they employ fifteen men and manufacture wood alcohol, acetate of lime and charcoal in large quantities. He is a stock-holder in the First National bank, of which he was president from 1886 to 1887, director from 1881 to 1887, and served as attorney from 1884 to 1888. He is a republican in politics, has served as a ınember of the town council and was borough auditor.

On October 22, 1878, he united in marriage with Ella P. Hildebrand, the handsome and ac- complished daugliter of Edward P. Hildebrand, of Indiana. Their union has been blest with two children : Edward H. and John S.

In religious matters Thomas Sutton follo ws in the footsteps of his father and is a member and active worker of the Presbyterian church and Sunday-school. He served as ruling elder in the church from 1879 to 1890. From 1878

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to 1882 he was treasurer of the Indiana Normal school, and since then has served as secretary of its board of trustees. He is a warm supporter of that institution and labors earnestly for its advancement. He is a well-read and successful lawyer. As a speaker he is concise and clear, and is distinguished for precision in statement and close connection in argument.

R EV. DANIEL W. SWIGART, the faith- ful pastor of the Indiana Baptist church, has served efficiently for twenty years in the ministry, and during that time has had charge of nine churches in his different fields of labor. He was born three miles west of Kittanning, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, June 28, 1838, and is a son of John and Sarah (Bowser) Swigart. His paternal grandfather was of German extraction and a native of eastern Pennsylvania. He afterwards became a well- to-do farmer of Bedford county, in which he died. His son, John Swigart (father), removed in 1812 to near Kittanning, where he followed his trade of stone mason and brick-layer and helped to build the Eagle hotel and other of the first brick houses at Kittanning. He after- wards engaged in farming. He was a member of the Dunkard church and a life-long demo- crat, having voted the Democratic ticket for fifty-four years. He died in 1878, aged seven- ty-six years. He married Sarah Bowser, who was born in 1800 and died in 1877. She was also a member of the Dunkard church and sleeps beside her husband in a cemetery five miles northwest of Kittanning.

Daniel W. Swigart received his education in the common schools of Armstrong county and Reidsburg academy of Clarion county, Pa., from which institution he was graduated in 1872. Subsequent to his graduation and also after his ordination, he took a three years' course in theology with a well qualified private tutor, the venerable Rev. William Shadrach, D.D.,

who made his home with him for three years. In 1870 he was ordained pastor of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist church in Clarion county, Pa., of which he had been a licentiate for one year previous to his ordination. He remained as pastor of that church for seven years, also had charge of the Strattonville church and organ- ized, in 1876, the Clarion church, of which he was pastor for two years. In 1879 he went to Greenville, Mercer county, this State, where he assumed charge of the West Salem church, which he served acceptably for two years. At the end of that time he removed to Saltsburg, Indiana county, and served Saltsburg, Loyal- hanna and Kelley's station Baptist churches for four years. In 1885 he came to Indiana, where he became pastor of the Indiana church and retained charge of Loyalhanna and Kelley's station churches until 1886, when he assumed charge of the Blairsville church, which he had organized in that year (1886). During 1887 and 1888 he was assisted in his ministerial labors by Rev. Wm. Shadrach, D.D. By this valuable assistance they conjointly gave one- half time to the three churches : Indiana, Blairsville and Saltsburg. Under his pastoral care the membership of the Indiana church has increased to one hundred and thirty-five, and Blairsville, with only twelve members in 1886, now numbers fifty-five.

On July 4, 1861, he enlisted in Co. D, 62d regiment Pa. Vols., was successively promoted to corporal, sergeant and first sergeant, partici- pated in twenty battles and skirmishes and was honorably discharged July 13th, 1864. He is a member and chaplain of both Indiana Post, No. 28, G. A. R., and encampment No. 11, U. V. L.

In 1860 he married Margaret J. Starr, who was a daughter of Jacob Starr, of Armstrong county, and died in 1868, leaving five children : Ella J., John J., Emma M., Frank H. and Maggie I. On April 7th, 1870, Rev. Swigart united in marriage with Emily Stoughton,

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daughter of Rev. Samuel Stoughton, of Butler county, this State. To this second union have been born five children : Eva M., Samuel S., Elvira, Emerson O., and an unnamed son which died in infancy.

He is an earnest, able and fearless minister in denouncing what is wrong both in public and private life, and in his circular-letter, written for the Indiana Baptist Association, in 1889, on the church and her relation to the world, he eloquently summed up his views on that subject in the following beautiful peroration :

" We must have more of the Christ-like spirit in our homes, and true friendship in the common walks of life. As the church contin- ues to rise upon the plain of spiritual develop- ment and moral purity, in the same ratio the world will become Christianized and the sanc- tified knowledge of God will run to and fro and cover the earth as the waters cover the sea."

D AVID BLAIR TAYLOR, one of the prominent, able and progressive members of the Indiana bar, and a man who commands the confidence of the people and the respect of the legal fraternity, is a son of Dr. James M. and Margaret (Blair) Taylor, and was born at Indiana, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 14, 1853. The Taylors are of Scotch- Irish descent and the American branch of the family was founded by John Taylor, whose ancestors emigrated from England to Scotland during the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. John Taylor came from Scotland to near Phila- delphia, where he lived to see his hundredth birthday. He was a strict presbyterian, and his son, Alexander Taylor (great-grandfather), was born in 1756 and removed to Bedford county, Pa., where he remained some time and then (prior to 1790) purchased a farm four miles south of Indiana, on which he died March 8, 1815. He served in the Revolution- ary war, in which struggle one of his brothers

was killed at the massacre of Paoli, and an- other, Lient. Matthew Taylor, fell in the battle of Long Island. He was married twice. His first wife was Mary Mckesson and the second Margaret McFadden. He had five children : Robt., Hon. John, William, Alexander, Jr., who founded the first democratic paper in the county, and Hon. James, who was sheriff of the county and served as a member of the Gen- eral Assembly. Hon. John Taylor (grand- father) was born in Indiana county in 1790 and died in October, 1846, aged fifty-six years. He was a man of fine personal . appearance. He served as county treasurer, deputy-surveyor, prothonotary, member of the legislature, associ- ate judge and surveyor-general of Pennsylvania. He was a democrat until the formation of the Anti-masonic party, when he united with the whigs. He was a man of ability and great usefulness. In 1813 he married Mary Wilson, by whom he had four children : Hon. A. Wil- son, who was born March 22, 1815, graduated at Jefferson college, became a republican, served in the legislature in 1859 and 1860 and in 1872 represented Indiana, Westmoreland and Fayette counties in the forty-third Congress ; Caroline (deceased); Dr. James M. and Wash- ington (dead). Dr. James Madison Taylor (father) was born and reared at Indiana. Leav- ing school, he read medicine and attended Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia, from which celebrated institution he was graduated. After graduation he returned to Indiana, where he practiced for several years and then removed to Kittanning, Armstrong county, this State, where he was in active and successful practice for about eighteen years. He returned to Indiaua in 1875, has retired from active practice and is now in the seventy- second year of his agc. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church, a republican in politics and has served his borough as school director. Prominent as a physician and useful as a citizen, he commands the respect

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of all who know him. He married Margaret Blair, who is a member of the U. P. church.

David Blair Taylor was reared for several years at Indiana. He attended Washington and Jefferson college, from which institution of learning he was graduated in the class of 1875. He then read law with his uncle, Hon. A. W. Taylor, of Indiana, was admitted to the bar of Indiana county in 1878 and ever since then, excepting two years, has been in the active practice of his profession. In the spring of 1890 he formed a law partnership with S. M. Jack, under the firm-name of Jack & Taylor. This firm is rapidly becoming one of the lead- ing and best known in the county and is mak- ing a successful record in the civil and criminal courts.

D. B. Taylor married Annie M., daughter of ex-Sheriff J. Daugherty. She died on Decem- ber 16, 1882, leaving one child, a son, named James. In 1887, Mr. Taylor united in mar- riage with Annie McFadden, daughter of Dr. James McFadden, who was formerly of Alle- gheny county, Pa. To this second union has been born one child, which is a son and named Blair.

In politics David Blair Taylor is a republi- can and at present is serving his borough as school director. From 1882 till 1884 he was · a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was assistant attorney of the C., St. P. & M. & O. R. R., whose chief attorney was John C. Spooner, now United States Senator from Wis- consin. Since his admission to the bar Mr. Taylor has conducted the practice of the law with assiduity, faithfulness and constantly in- creasing success. In the study of his cases he examines closely every fact that can possibly af- fect his client either favorably or unfavorably, and before a jury he carefully lays down the law and the evidence upon which he makes his plea. In addition to being an excellent crimi- nal lawyer he is well-known as an able and safe counselor.

YTEPHEN J. TELFORD, a member of the

well-known and prominent law firm of Watson & Telford and an able lawyer in suc- cessful practice for the last ten years at the Indiana county bar, was born in South Mahoning town- ship, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1853, and is a son of Rev. John C. and Martha (Oram) Telford., Rev. John C. Telford, D.D., was born at East Greenwich, Washington county, New York, August 7, 1821, and is a son of Stephen and Mary (Cree) Telford. He was graduated from Cambridge academy, in his native county, in 1843, and then entered the junior class of Jefferson college at Cannonsburg, Pa., from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1844. He then pursued his minis- terial studies at the Associate Theological school of Cannonsburg, from which he was graduated in 1848. He came to South Mahoning township in 1846, was licensed to preach on June 20, 1848, and was ordained as minister of Mahoning United Presbyterian church January 1, 1850. In the same year he was installed as pastor of Beracha and Lumber City churches, the former at Plumville and the latter forty miles distant in Clearfield county, which in a few years he resigned. From 1850 to 1867 he remained in charge of Mahoning and Beracha churches. In 1867 he removed to West Lebanon and his charge embraced Olivet and West Union churches, which he served for ten years. Since then he has devoted his entire time to West Un- ion church. For forty years he has been one of the most effective ministers as well as hardest workers in the U. P. church and had the degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred on him in 1888 for valued services, by Westminster college. In 1850 he married Martha Oram, who is a native of Cannonsburg, and was born in 1828. They reared a family of two sons and three daughters. Doctor Telford is one of the prominent and foremost divines of his church in this State, which contains many men eminent for piety, learning and ability.

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Stephen J. Telford was reared in his native township, where he received his early education in the common schools. He completed his ed- ucation at Westminster college and then spent one year at Allegheny Theological seminary. Leaving school, he engaged in teaching, which he followed for three years in the common schools and then was principal for two years of Purchase Line academy. From the field of teaching he turned his attention to the science of jurisprudence. He passed the preliminary ex- amination in 1878, pursued his legal studies with Hon. George W. Hood and was admitted to the Indiana county bar on March 15, 1880. He then located at Blairsville, where he practiced law until 1885. In that year he removed to Indiana and formed a law partnership with M. C. Watson (see his sketch), under the present firm-name of Watson & Telford. This firm is one of the leading and influential ones at the Indiana bar. In 1882, Mr. Telford united in marriage with Mabel White, daughter of Col. Richard White, of Indiana.

Stephen J. Telford is a republican in politics and a member of the Indiana United Presbyter- ian church. As a lawyer he acquaints himself with every detail of his case and makes due preparation to defend its weak points as well as to advance its strong ones. He is faithful to every interest intrusted to his care, is straight- forward in business and true to all of his engagements.

SYLVESTER C. THOMPSON, ex-deputy revenue collector of the Twenty-third dis- trict of Pennsylvania and a member of the relia- ble and successful firm of McGaughey & Thomp- son, real estate brokers of Indiana, is a son of Robert and Mary (Leasure) Thompson and was born in Rayne township, Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, Oct. 14, 1840. One hundred years ago his paternal grandfather, Hugh Thompson, left county Londonderry, Ireland, and came to

Westmoreland county, but subsequently re- moved in 1793 to Rayne township, where he followed farming till his death, in 1829, at sixty- five years of age. His wife . was Martha Thomson, of Scotch descent. Of his sons, one was Robert Thompson ( father ), who was born on the homestead farm December 13, 1801, and departed this life on the same farm, January 10, 1879. He was an extensive farmer and stock-raiser, a stirring and energetic man and a member and elder of Gilgal church, which is the oldest Presbyterian church in the county. He was an old time Democrat, filled several township offices and married Mary Lea- sure, who was born February 29, 1804, and passed away January 23, 1870, at sixty-six years of age. She was a Presbyterian and a daughter of John Leasure, who was a son of John Leasure, Sr., an early settler of Sewickly township, Westmoreland county, Pa. John Leasure was an Indian scout along Crooked run to protect the white settlers, and served as a sol- dier in the war of 1812. In 1796 he married Jane Culbertson, came to Armstrong township and in 1809 removed to East Mahoning township, where he purchased several farms with the pro- ceeds of wolf scalps, for which he received as high as twenty-four dollars each. He was a great hunter, made his own traps and was known as the " Old Wolf Trapper." His wife died in 1838, at sixty-five years of age, and he followed to the tomb in 1844, when in the eighty-second year of his age. A part of his pine lands are selling to-day at from one hun- dred and fifty to two hundred dollars per acre.

Sylvester C. Thompson received his education in the common schools and graduated from the Quaker City commercial school in 1866. After the late war broke out he left the farm, and in August, 1862, enlisted for nine months in Co. I, 135th regiment. Pa. Vols. At the expiration of his time he returned home and in February, 1864, he re-enlisted in the Union Army. He became a member of Co. E, 4th Pa. Cavalry, partici-

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pated in all the battles of his regiment, and was honorably discharged at Lynchburg, Va., August 1, 1865. While in the service he was pro- moted to second sergeant. From 1865 to 1885 he was engaged in farming, except six winters which he spent in teaching school. In 1885 Pre- sident Cleveland appointed him as surveyor of Western Pennsylvania and revenue collector for the Twenty-third District, composed of the coun- ties of Armstrong, Beaver, Butler and Indiana, which positions he held until November 1, 1889. In February, 1890, he became a real estate broker. His office is in the Cunningham building, and he is among the leading real estate dealers of the county. He possesses good ad- vantages and can offer the best inducements to investors in town or country property. In ad- dition to the flourishing business which he is engaged in at Indiana, he has to give a portion of his time to the personal management and supervision of the Thompson homestead farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres of choice land in Rayne township, which he owns. Some fifty acres of this land is heavily timbered. He is a pronounced democrat, was census enum- erator of Rayne township in 1880, and as deputy revenue collector was highly spoken of for both business ability and efficiency. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, Indiana Post, No. 28, Grand Army of the Republic and the Patrons of Husbandry.

October 14, 1867, he married Mrs. Eva G. Allison, daughter of Abner Griffith, of East Mahoning township. They are the parents of two children : Guy C. and Ruecetta. Mrs. Thompson edits the Indiana News. She is a graduate of Steubenville seminary. In 1880 she filled the position of assistant county superin- tendent of common schools and as a teacher was highly spoken of for both ability and efficiency, and is the leader of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of her county.

¥ R OBERT THOMPSON. Amongst the early settlers in the northern part of Indiana county was Robert Thompson, who was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1737, and came to America in 1778, with his wife, Mary, née Cannon, and six children : Hugh, Martha, James, John, Margaretta and Eliza- beth. After a few years' residence in the vi- cinity of 'Old Salem' Presbyterian church, Westmoreland county, Pa., they, in 1795, re- moved to what is now Rayne township, Indiana county, on Thompson's run, nearly two miles above where Kellysburg now is. Their son Hugh and his young wife, Martha, née Thomp- son, had attempted to settle there alone in 1793, but Indian hostilities compelled them to return to their former abode south of the Conemaugh river. Their permanent settlement in 1795 was made comparatively safe after General Wayne's defeat of the Indians in August, 1794. Robert Thompson was known as a man of noble character and sterling worth, and his wife as a most estimable woman. We learn from an interesting book entitled, 'History of the Presbytery of Kittanning,' that they, with their son Hugh, and son-in-law, Hugh Cannon, were amongst the founders of Gilgal Presby- terian Congregation, about four miles from their home. We quote from page 196 of that book as follows :

"' Gilgal, a mother of churches, traces her origin to an improvement in 1797 by Robert Thompson, Hugh Thompson and Hugh Cannon, from West- moreland county, who were soon followed by other Presbyterians, etc.'

"To Mrs. Thompson belongs the honor of giving to that organization its name, Gilgal. In physical, mental and moral qualities, and by their wholesome influence, these people were of those living at that early period, who builded well and better than they knew in the great structures of state, church and social life that we now enjoy nearly one hundred years later. It is related of this old patriarch, Robert

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania, Part 21

Author: Wiley, Samuel T. ed. cn Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Philadelphia [J.M. Gresham & co.] Number of Pages: 652

Author: Wiley, Samuel T. ed. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Philadelphia [J.M. Gresham & co.]
Number of Pages: 652