USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 37
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 37
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Buffington Township was formed from Pine in 1867, and was named in honor of Judge Joseph Buffington. The township lies in that part of the Ligonier basin which is between the Laurel Hill and the Nolo axis. A small area of the Lower Coal measures is in the north- western part of the township.
Among the early settlers were the McCart- neys, Clarks, Camerons, Dills, Misners, Stew- arts, McPhersons and Campbells. Dilltown was laid out in 1850, under the name of Frank- lin, but soon received its present name from Matthew Dill. The population of Buffington
township since 1870 has been: 1870, 877; 1880, 819; 1890, 644.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
"MTHOMAS BURNS purchased the Burns homestead in Centre township in 1790. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and served three years in the British army at the outset of the Revolutionary war. He then served four years under the noted Paul Jones and other American commanders. After his settlement in this section he chopped wood and burned coal. He died in 1833, at the age of eighty- four. He was twice married, first in 1800, to Mary Harea, who died in 1816, at the age of sixty-four, and second to Sarah Boyle, daughter of Robert and Mary (Johnston) Boyle. The children were: William, Thomas, Catherine and James. William served four months in the 105th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and seven months in the 177th during the war of 1861. He was also in the provost marshal's department for nine months. William and Thomas reside on the old homestead, where there is said to have been an Indian village. Tradition reports that for several years the dusky woodsmen would return to look for treas- ure said to have been buried there."
'H TON. JOSEPH CAMPBELL, of Centre township, was born in 1799, at the pres- ent residence of his widow, and was the son William and Ann (White) Campbell. William Campbell was among the early settlers of the township, and was engaged in some of the Westmoreland furnaces. William White, the father of Mrs. Campbell, was an early pioneer of Centre township. Both the Campbells and Whites migrated from Antietam creek, Mary- land, to what is now Indiana county. William
17
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
Campbell died when Joseph was a young lad, leaving a widow and two children, with a farm in the woods, without horses, implements, or the means with which to secure them. Joseph worked with Rev. Joseph Henderson, on the latter's farm, and the mother and daughter took in weaving. Slowly the land was im- proved and the necessary stock and appliances were obtained. Our subject was married, first, in 1836, to Nancy Elgin, a daughter of Daniel Elgin. She died in 1838, of consumption, and their only child died when three months old ; and second, in 1848, to Rebecca Allison, daughter of Andrew Allison. Their children were : Sarah Ann, Rebecca J. and Nancy Ellen. Mr. Campbell served in the various township positions, and as an associate judge for five years. He was among the earliest anti- slavery reformers in the country, and was termed an abolitionist more than fifty years ago. He was among the first men in the county to sign the total abstinence pledge, and was among the earliest champions of the tem- perance cause in the county. He died in 1879, not long after the above was written, and was buried at the Crete United Presbyterian ceme- tery. His funeral was attended by over a thousand persons."
YAPT. JACOB CREPS, a veteran officer C of the Army of the Potomac and a pop- ular citizen and active business man of Rayne township, is a son of Samuel and Eleanor (Wolfe) Creps, and was born in that part of Washington township which is now Rayne township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1836. His grandfather, Jacob Creps, was a native, in all probability, of Centre county. He came, in 1837, to what is Rayne township, where he died a few years after his arrival. He was a lutheran and an old-line whig and served in the war of 1812. He married and reared a family of three sons and three daugh-
ters. One of these sons was Samuel Creps, who was born in Centre county, in 1807, and died near Dixonville, in 1858. He was a whig and afterwards one of the early abolitionists of Indiana county. He was active in political affairs and married Eleanor Wolf, daughter of John Wolf, a whig and farmer of Centre county, who married Susanna Lutes and came to Rayne township, where he reared a family of six sons and three daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Creps were the parents of two sons and one daughter, all of whom are dead except the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Creps was born in 1814 and is still living.
Jacob Creps was educated in the common and select and normal schools. Before lie attained his majority he had assisted his father in clearing out a valuable farm of seventy acres of land. At eighteen years of age he engaged in teaching and taught five terms of school at one place and two at another. He displayed quite a military taste at a very early age and was a drummer and leader of the band in a militia company when only twelve years of age. At sixteen years of age he was elected first lieutenant of the Washington artillery and at the time of the Utah troubles offered his services to the government, but was not accepted. When Fort Sumter was fired on, he was captain of a militia company which offered its services for the three months' service. It was not accepted as the quota was full. Under the call for three hundred thousand men the company enlisted, and he resigned as captain and enlisted as a private, but was unanimously re-elected as cap- tain of the company, which became Co. A, 63d regiment, Pa. Vols., and served till 1864, when they were honorably discharged. Capt. Creps served under General Scott and every other commander of the Army of the Potomac and led the advance of that grand old army three times across the Rappahannock. The first time his company was given the honor of leading the advance they crossed on pontoon bridges. This
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INDIANA COUNTY.
company has a remarkable war record and it is. said had more men killed and wounded, accord- ing to its numbers, than any other company iu the United States service. Capt. Creps was always found at the head of his company and participated in all of the great battles between the armies of the Potomac and Northern Vir- ginia from the fall of 1861 to the winter of 1864. When his term of service expired he returned home and engaged in farming, stock- raising and stock-dealing, which business lie has followed successfully ever since.
He married Christiana Bookinmire, who is a native of Germany. To them have been born five children, of whon four are living: Ida, wife of William Campbell, an oil broker of Pittsburgh ; J. Augustus, who lives with his father and married Minnie Ray, by whom he has two children, Minorica and Ella E .; Johu F., of Allegheny city, who is a bookkeeper for Clever Bros., of Pittsburgh, and married Eliza Pulfer, by whom he has one child, Percy ; and Flor- ence, who is at home.
In politics, Capt. Creps was a republican until 1877, when he became a greenbacker. In 1867 he was elected sheriff, and from 1877 to 1879 was a member of the Pennsylvania legis- lature. In 1886 lie was a candidate of the Labor party for the legislature aud lacked but one hundred and ninety-three votes of being elected when the county gave twenty-five hun- dred republicau majority. In 1890 he was the candidate of the Labor party for Congress, in the Twenty-first Congressional District. He is a member of the Lutheran church, tlie Pat- rons of Husbaudry, the Loyal Legion and the Grand Army of the Republic. On August 21, 1887, the surviving members of his company presented him with a one hundred dollar gold- headed canc, and an address written on parch- ment, expressing iu glowing terms the high esteem in which he was held by those who had served under him on many a bloody field.
TILLIAM T. HAMIL, a well-respected W
citizen of White township, aud a de- scendant of two pioneer families of Indiana county, is a son of Robert M. and Jane (Trim- ble) Hamil, and was born in Fairfield town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Oc- tober 9, 1830.
The Hamil family is of Irish descent, and one of its members, John Hamil (great- grandfather), emigrated from Ireland to thie United Colonies in 1761, and settled in the famous Ligonier Valley, some two miles south of Palmer's fort. According to the old tradi- tions of Indiana county, he was the tenth set- tler who located in the Ligonier settlement. He married Elizabeth Gibson, who was a na- tive of Ireland. Their son, Robert Hamil (grandfather), was born in county Antrim, Ireland, and came to Peunsylvania with his parents. He was a "Seceder," or a member of the Associate Presbyterian church. During the Revolution his father, John Hamil, was drafted; but Robert went in his place, and served three years. He participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. He died in 1841, when in the eighty-third year of his age. He mar- ried Jane McKelvey, and reared a family of twelve children, five sons aud seven daughters : Elizabeth, Mary (wife of James Alexauder), Allan, David, Jane McClain, Robert M., Ann Frew, Ebenezer, Hannah, Joseph, Sarah (who married Alfred Lameroux) and Rachel (wife of David Brown). Robert N. Hamil (fatlier) was born in the Ligonier Valley, Westmore- land County, in 1805, and in 1831 removed to Centre township, and bought the tract of land called " Junction." On this farm the " Whis- key boys" lad an encampment during the Whiskey insurrection of 1794. Robert M. Hamil was a tanner by trade; but after he removed to Indiaua county, he was cugaged in farming until his death, iu March, 1886. IIe married Jane Trimble, and had nine children : William T., Margaret Jane (wife of William
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
Douthet), Samuel, Mary Ann, Susan, Elizabeth (wife of R. C. Carson), Sarah (wife of William Carson), Washington (who died while serving in the Union army at Fredericksburg in 1863), and Rachel (wife of William Staley). Mrs. Jane (Trimble) Hamill was a daughter of Wil- liam Trimble, and a granddaughter of George Trimble, a native of the north of Ireland, who emigrated from that country to the United Colonies in 1789, and located in White town- ship, Indiana county. He was soon driven by the Indians to the Conecocheague Valley, from whence he afterwards returned, in 1797, to this county, and settled in Armstrong township, where he purchased a tract of land called "St. James."
William T. Hamil was reared ou his father's farm, and attended the common schools of Cen- tre township. He removed in 1853 to White township, where he has been engaged in farm- ing ever since. On April 24, 1854, he married Keziah Beck, daughter of William Beck, by whom he had three children : William P. (who died in 1856), Franklin (who passed away in 1888), and Plymouth (who married Annie Campbell in 1884). Mrs. Hamil died in 1861, and Mr. Hamil, on May 27, 1862, married Mary Ann Ray, daughter of Matthew Ray. By liis second marriage he has five chil- dren : Jane, Quincy Adams, Clara Josephine, Robert and Matthew Wilson.
Squire Hamil owns a valuable farm, besides one hundred aud ten acres of the old home- stead farm in Centre township. He is a mem- ber of the United Presbyterian church and a republican prohibitionist iu politics. He served his township acceptably for six years as justice of the peace, and is frequently counseled by his neighbors in legal matters. He has always taken a deep interest in education, and con- tributed liberally toward the establishment of the Indiana State Normal school at Indiana, Pa., from which institution four of his children have been graduated.
A NDREW LEARN, a pioneer settler of Green township, was born in 1809, in what is now Bell township, Westmoreland Co., and was a son of Jolin and Elizabeth (Ashbaugh) Learn. The former was a native of the Sewick- ley settlement, Westmorelaud county, where he was born in 1785. He was a son of Andrew and Susan (Yorkey) Learn. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and located at an early period on Sewickley creek. His father and wife, their son George and wife and family, were killed by the Indians near Blue mountains. The tradition is that this massacre was committed by seven Indians from the Lake Erie country. The children of Andrew Learn, the pioneer, were,-John, Catherine, Elizabeth, Mary, Su- san, George, Sarah, Barbara, Rachel and All- drew."
A DAM H. MIKESELL, one of the comfort- ably situated farmers and most substantial citizens of White township, is a son of John P. and Sarah E. (Holmes) Mikesell, and was born in Centre township, Indiana county, Pennsyl- vania February 20, 1869. The Mikesell family is of German descent, and one of its members, Adam Mikesell (grandfather) was born in 1794, and came to Indiana county in early life. He purchased 500 acres of land in Centre township, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred in 1877, when he was in the eighty- third year of liis age. He was a inember of the Evangelical Lutheran church and an upright man. One of his sons, John P. Mikesell (father), was born on his father's farm in Centre township in 1833. He commenced life as a farmer in his native township, where lie re- mained until the fall of 1879, when he removed to White township. He owned one hundred and twelve acres of his father's farm, which he sold for about one hundred dollars an acre. In 1890 he retired from farming and purchased property at Indiana, where he has resided ever
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INDIANA COUNTY.
since. He advocates the principles of the demo- cratic party, and is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. In 1868 he married Sarah E. Holmes, a daughter of George Holmes, of Indiana, and to their union were born two sons: Adam H., and Torrence, born September 10, 1876. Mrs. Mikesell was born 1844, and is a member of the Lutheran Church.
Adam H. Mikesell was reared on his father's farm, in Centre township, and received a good common-school education. He has been en- gaged in farming ever since leaving school, except a short period during which he conducted a livery stable at Homer City. He lives on 92} acres of his father's White township farm, which he takes great pride in cultivating, and which is very productive under his judicious management.
On June 13, 1888, he united in marriage with Nettie Ralston, daughter of Samuel Ralston, of Cherry Hill township. To their union have been born two sons, Johnnie and Walter Gilbert, both now dead.
Adam H. Mikesell is a democrat and believes in the principles and practices of the demo- cratic party, whose interests and nominees he ever supports and whose success he ever desires.
Well situated in a favored section of his township, he devotes the most of his time to his farm and justly enjoys the reputation of being one of the most throughgoing and successful farmers in White township.
J TOHN PILSON, a prudent and industrious farmer, and one of the well-respected citi- zens of White township, is a son of John, Sr., and Nancy (Johnston) Pilson, and was born in White township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1803. John Pilson, Sr. (father), was born in Ireland, from which he emigrated in 1870 to the United States. He settled in White township, Indiana county, where he pur- chased three hundred acres of land, which he
cultivated until his death. He died in 1834, when he was in the seventy-second year of his age. He married Nancy Johnston, a native of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, by whom lie had five children, of whom three are still living : Susanna, who was born in 1807, and married Jesse Griffith, of Indiana county; John and Nancy, born in 1812. - Mrs. Pilson was a con- sistent member of the Presbyterian church, and died in 1851, when in the eightieth year of her age.
John Pilson was reared on his father's farm and attended the subscription schools of that period, in which he received a practical educa- tion. He has always lived a quiet and peaceful life and devotes his time to farming and stock- raising. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of the homestead farm, which is four miles from Indiana. He keeps his farm in fine condition and raises good crops of grain and grass.
He has never married, and Nancy J. Griffith, a daughter of his sister, Mrs. Susanna Griffith, keeps house for him. John Pilson is an es- teemed citizen of White township, a stanch re- publican in politics, and, like his father, is a con- scientious member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Pilson has never given time or attention to any other business than that of farming and stock-raising. John Pilson is one of the thrifty and prosperous citizens of his township, and while taking no active part in political life yet, he has decided opinions of his own concerning public affairs, which he has formed by closely watching the course of the political parties of the United States since Andrew Jackson was first a candidate for president in 1824.
J W. SHIELDS, of Rayne township, is a man of sound judgment and tried capacity, and as a member of the board of commissioners has exercised a conservative and watchful care over the finances of Indiana county. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Speedy) Shields and
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
was born in what is now Rayne township, Indi- ana county, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1835. His paternal grandfather, John Shields, was a native of Ireland and settled in what is now Black Lick township about 1800. He served in the war of 1812 and during part of that time was employed by the government as an Indian spy and to give notice to the western forts of any threatened attack upon them by Indians. His wife, a native of Scotland, bore him six children ; William, John, Mary McKee, Mar- garet Speedy, James and Joseph, all of whom are dead. John Shields (father) was born in Rayne township, where he owned six hundred acres of good farming land. He was also a stock dealer, purchasing droves of cattle and driving them to the eastern markets. In his early life he was quite a successful bear and deer hunter, but soon abandoned that dangerous pastime for his farm work and stock business. He was a member and elder of the Presbyterian church. He was a whig and afterwards a repub- lican in politics. He was a man of sound judg- ment, and served two terms as justice of the peace, besides filling several other township offices. He was elected county commissioner in which office he served with the usual success which had attended him in all of his township offices and won the reputation of having made an excellent county official. He died in 1872, agcd eighty-four years. His wife was Elizabeth Speedy, who died in 1860, when in the sixty- fifth year of her age. She was a daughter of Andrew Speedy, who was of Scotch extraction, came from Scotland when a young man and was engaged during his lifetime in farming in this county. He was a good teacher of vocal music and married Margaret McKee, by whom had six children ; Elizabeth Shields, Mary Kin- ter, Margaret Mclaughlin, James, Thomas and Hugh. He died in 1827, and his wife survived him several years.
J. W. Shields was reared on a farm and received his education in the common schools
which at that time were in the infancy of their existence, being looked upon in the light of an experiment. Leaving school, he learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed for ten years. He then bought a farm adjoining the old homestead and engaged in farming, which he has continued in ever since. He now resides upon the homestead tract and owns in all one hundred and forty acres of productive land. On March 5, 1865, he enlisted for one year in Co. F, 74th regiment, Pa. Vols., as second ser- geant, was honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Pa., and mustered out as first sergeant at Clarksburg, West Virginia, August 29, 1865.
March 12, 1861, he married Mary Thomp- son, daughter of Robert Thompson, of Rayne ownship. To their union have been born six children, three sons and three daughters : Annie M., Wilmer W., Lawrence T., Carlotta, Mary B. and Robert C.
In connection with his farming operations Mr. Shields gives considerable attention to stock-raising, in which he has met with good success. He is a member and trustee of Waslı- ington Presbyterian church and belongs to Indiana Post, No. 28, Grand Army of the Republic. In politics J. W. Shields has always been a republican and takes a lively interest in politics. In the fall of 1887 he was elected county commissioner and his term, which commenced January 1, 1888, expired January 1, 1891. To the work of the commissioner's office he gave the same care and attention that he gave to his own business affairs. He has been conscientious and impartial according to the best of his ability in the discharge of all public duties, and thus far he has been so suc- cessful as to win the commendation and good opinion of the public.
"JAMES SIMPSON, of Centre township, came to this country from Scotland, locat- ing first at what was called the 'Old Scotch
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INDIANA COUNTY.
Fort,' or Ligonier, near Laurel Hill. He suf- fered all the trials of frontier life in the French and Indian wars and the Revolution, and, with his brother Andrew and the White brothers, served for several years as scouts. His wife was Hannah White, and he and the Whites re- moved at an early date to the vicinity of what is now Blairsville, and built a block-house and stockade. They remained there for several years. Andrew was killed by the Indians near the mouth of Black Lick while going to warn a settlement below of danger. John White was with him, but escaped with a broken arm. Shortly after this they removed to Cherry run, on Two Lick creek, just above the mouth of the run. They erected a block-house on a bluff on the bank of Two Lick, which was called the 'Old McConaughey Fort.' Simp- son built a grist-mill on Cherry run, on land now owned by Mr. Lomison, and remained there until his death."
CAPTAIN-JOHN STUCHELL, a Union officer in the late civil war, and proprietor of " Traveller's Home," is a son of Christopher and Jane (Mahan) Stuchell, and was born near Plumville, in South Mahoning township, Indi- ana county, Pennsylvania, September 24, 1834. His great-grandfather, John Stuchell (some- times written Stuchal), was a native of Ger- many, and settled in what is now White town- ship in 1805. He had five children : Abraham, Christopher, Jacob, Mary McHenry and a daughter who married a Mr. Caldwell. The second son, Christopher Stuchell, Sr. (grand- father), married Elizabeth Lydick. He was an industrious and well-to-do farmer, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. He had nine sons : John, Christopher, Jacob, Abraham, James, William, Thomas, Joseph and Samuel. Christopher Stuchell (father) was born June 21, 1800, in Rayne township, and died in South
Mahoning township, September 29, 1867. He was engaged in farming during his life-time. He was a whig and afterwards a republican, and was an influential member and highly re- spected elder of the Plumville United Pres- byterian churchı. He married Jane Mahan, a daughter of John Mahan, a native of Ireland, who settled on the site of Newville, on Crooked creek. She was born on the Atlantic ocean, on board the ship which brought her parents to this country, and died in South Mahoning township, December 27, 1876, aged seventy- two years. Mr. and Mrs. Stuchell were the parents of three sons and six daughters. One of these sons, Christopher, served in the Union army in West Virginia, and is now a resident of South Mahoning township.
John Stuchell was reared on a farm. He received his education in the common schools, and was engaged in farming until the com- mencement of the late civil war. On Novem- ber 15, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Co. G, 103d regiment, Pa. Vols., was commissioned captain December 28, 1861, and commanded his company until April 16, 1863, when his term of enlistment expired. He served in the Army of the Potomac and participated in the battles of Williamsburg and Seven Pines or Fair Oaks. Returning home in 1863, he fol- lowed farming in South Mahoning township for four years, and then embarked in the wagon-making business at Plumville, in which he continued for seven years. In 1874 he at- tempted to work at carpentering, but was compelled to quit on account of physical dis- ability, which was the result of disease con- tracted in the army from exposure. In 1890 he came to Kelleysburg, where he took charge of the "Traveler's Home," and has continued in the hotel business successfully until the present time.
On March 22, 1860, he married Jane Mc- Cune, daughter of John and Margaret Mc- Cune, and a native of South Mahoning town-
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BIOGRAPHIES OF INDIANA COUNTY.
ship. They have eight children : Mary Eliza- · abeth, Margaret Ellen, Jennie Olive, Ora Anna, Leah Dean, Harry White, Maud and Mabel.
In politics Capt. Stuchell is a republican. He owns some property at Plumville, and is a thorough-going business man. He was a mem- ber of Plumville Post, No. 495, Grand Army of the Republic.
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