USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 48
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Boyd S. Henry was educated in the Union school at Worthington and the public schools
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
at Kittanning. He afterwards attended tlie Iron City college of Pittsburg, and was grad- uated from that noted commercial institution, whose alumni include thousands of our wealth- iest and most prominent business men. His first employment in a public character was in the prothonotary's office, where he served as a deputy for four years. He was then (1880) appointed deputy sheriff, in which capacity he acted efficiently for seven years. His energy and faithfulness while serving in those two offices constantly gained him friends and influ- ence, and in 1887 he was nominated for pro- thonotary by the Republican party and elected by a majority of nearly sixteen hundred. He assumed charge of that office in 1888, and his discharge of its dnties has been so satisfactory to his own party and the public that he has been re-nominated (1890) without opposition in the Republican party, while present indications warrant him a generous support at the polls, independent of political consideration. On December 15, 1887, he united in marriage with Elizabeth Campbell, daughter of S. K. Camp- bell, of Kittanning.
Of the eighteen persons who have served as prothonotaries of Armstrong county since its organization, from March 12, 1800, to Decem- ber, 1890, Mr. Henry is the last and was elected at an earlier age than any of his prede- cessors. Attentive, obliging and active, he has fairly won the success which has crowned the early efforts of his life.
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F FRANK W. HILL, prominent in the insur- ance and real estate business at Kittan- ning -and a descendant of one of the oldest families of Pennsylvania, which was planted in the eastern part of the State two hundred and twelve years ago, is a son of John W. and Jane B. (Parks) Hill, and was born in Allegheny township, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1863. The Hills trace their ancestry
back to a Hill who settled in eastern Pennsyl- vania four years prior to William Penn's settle- ment on the site of Philadelphia in 1682. One of his descendants was John Hill (great-grand- father), who was born in Lancaster and re- moved to Westmoreland county, this State, where his son, Hon. Jacob Hill (grandfather), was born. He was a prominent and useful man, was a contractor on the old Pennsylvania canal, then kept a store and hotel at Leechburg, and about 1845 purchased a farm of five hun- dred acres, in what is now Parks township, upon which he resided until his death in 1876. He served as a member of the General As- sembly of Pennsylvania for two terms-from 1842 to 1846. He was well informed, gave general satisfaction as a legislator and was a man of ability and influence. Hc was over six feet in height and of good personal appearance and agreeable manners. He was a strict luth- eran, a Jacksonian democrat and married Han- nah Eulem, by whom he had four sons and five daughters. One of these sons was Jolin W. Hill (father), who was born in Allegheny town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, May 22, 1828. In early life he came to Armstrong county and was engaged in farming until 1884, when he moved to near Greenville, Mercer county, Pa., where he purchased and still owns a well-improved farm. He is a democrat from principle, has held various township offices and belongs to the Lutheran church, in which he has served as an officer at different times. He mar- ried Jane Parks, daughter of John Parks, of Parks township. To their union have been born six children, of whom five are living.
Frank W. Hill was reared near Leechburg, and received his education in the common schools and the public schools of the above-mentioned place. His attendance at school was inter- rupted for one year, which he spent as a clerk in a store. Leaving school, he became a sales- man in a Bradford (Pa.) carpet house, which position he held for two years and then (1884)
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resigned to engage in the insurance business. One year later he removed to Kittanning, where he purchased the insurance office of Joseph Painter and since that time has been engaged in building up the extensive and prosperous business which he now enjoys. He is a mem- ber and vestryman of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church. Politically he is a democrat and was a delegate to the State democratic con- vention of 1887. He is a prompt, energetic and successful business man.
Jannary 2, 1889, he united in marriage with Ethel T. Pinney, a daughter of L. C. Pinney, of Kittanning.
In real estate matters Mr. Hill does a good business. He is well informed in regard to properties, both residence and agricultural. In the insurance line of his business he represents the following five old, large and responsible companies : Royal, London Assurance Corpo- ration, Hartford Fire, American Fire and Travelers' Life and Accident.
JON. WILLIAM FREAME JOHNSTON, governor of Pennsylvania from July 26, 1848, to Jannary 20, 1852, was born at Greens- burg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1808, and was a son of Alex- ander and Elizabeth (Freame) Johnston. Alex- ander Johnston was of Scotch extraction. He was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, July 10, 1773, and died near Youngstown, Westmore- land county, July 16, 1872. He came to America in 1797 and soon thereafter settled at Greensburg, Pa., where he married Elizabeth, second daughter of William Freame, who was a native of Belfast, Ireland, and fought under Wolfe at Quebec. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston reared a family of eight sons and two daugh- ters. Alexander Johnston held several import- ant county offices and was the oldest Mason in the United States at the time of his death.
William Freame Johnston read law with Maj. John B. Alexander, was admitted to the Westmoreland county bar in May, 1829, and soon thereafter came to Kittanning, where he soon rosc to a position of commanding influence. He was appointed district attorney, represented the county in the Assembly of Pennsylvania in 1836, 1838 and 1841, and in 1847 was elected a member of the State Senate. He was an ac- knowledged political leader and his bill author- izing the State to issue relief notes in allevia- tion of the panic of 1837 made liim very popular throughout Pennsylvania. In 1847 he was elected president of the Senate, and as such served as acting governor from the resig- nation of Governor Shunk in 1848 until he (Mr. Johnston) was elected governor in the same year.
As Governor he took a great interest in the mining and manufacturing interests of the State, and it is due to his unceasing efforts that we have to-day the "Colonial Records " and "Pennsylvania Archives." He was nominated for re-election by the Whiig party, but was defeated. During the late war he rendered valuable service in organizing troops for the Union army, in fortifying Pitts- burgh and aiding West Virginia witli ammunition in a critical hour. President Johnson appointed him collector of the port of Philadelphia, and, although he served efficiently for several months and made a splendid record as a col- lector, yet he was rejected by the Senate on ac- count of its hostility to the president.
On April 12, 1832, Governor Johnston mar- ried Mary Monteith. To their nnion were born five sons and two daughters.
Governor Johnston through life was a man of uncommon physical powers, iròn will and un- tiring energy. Amid all his cales of business and responsibilities of office he preserved his reputation for lionesty, integrity and morality. His life of usefulness closed on October 25, 1872, when he passed to the unseen world.
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REV. FRANK X. KETTL, a scholarly, able, earnest and faithful young pastor of the Catholic church and now in charge of St. Mary's Catholic church, at Kittanning, was born at Hollidaysburg, Blair county, Pennsylvania, January 22, 1865, and is a son of John and Mary (Lelmar) Kettl. John Kettl was born in the southern part of the kingdom of Bavaria, on December 9, 1819, and died at Hollidaysburg, Pa., August 6, 1876. He emigrated from Bavaria to Hollidaysburg about 1850, and be- came a foreman for the Blair & Cambria Iron company. He often served in the same capacity for contractors on stone, wood and iron work. He was very popular as a foreman with both his employers and the men who worked under him, on account of his honesty, fairness and kind disposition. He was a democrat in politics and a strict member of the Catholic church. He was married in Bavaria to Mary Lelmar. They had nine sons and one daughter, of whom all are living except Louis, who was killed by a train in the yards of the P. R. R. Co., at Altoona.
Frank X. Kettl was reared at Hollidaysburg and received his education in Fon du Lac col- lege, Wisconsin, and St. Vincent's abbey and college, Westmoreland county, Pa. Having his mind directed to the ministry, he fitted for the priesthood at St. Vincent's abbey, which was founded in 1846 by the saintly Rt. Rev. Boni- face Wimmer, who revived in America the grand institutions of the Benedictine abbeys of the middle ages, from which many nations of Europe first received the glad tidings of Christianity. Rev. Kettl's first appointment after being ordained to the priesthood was as assistant to Rev. John Shell, with whom he remained about fourteen months. He was then stationed at Huntingdon, but in a short time was appointed pastor of St. Mary's church, at Kittanning, of which he assumed charge on December 16, 1888. In addition to the membership of one hundred and ten families at Kittanning, he has charge
of the Ford City congregation and the care of twenty families at Nicholson's run. St. Mary's church was organized about 1851. The first services were held at the house of William Sir- well, and subsequently at private houses, tlie academy and court-house until 1853, when the present brick church was built on the corner of High and Water streets. The ministers of this church have been Revs. Mitchell, Gray, Scanlan, Phelan, O'Rourke, Lambing, Dignam, and Frank X. Kettl, the present pastor. Rev. Kettl has always sustained pleasant relations with his people in the different charges which he has filled, and his present pastorate has been characterized by a high degree of harmony. He is a finely educated and courteous gentleman, an earnest and successful laborer in his sacred calling and is well respected by all who know him.
D R. MARTIN LUTHER KLINE. Among. Kittanning's leading and successful dentists is Dr. Martin Luther Kline, who has been in the active and continuous practice of his pro- fession for over twenty years at Armstrong's county-seat. He was born in Clearfield county, Pa., June 8, 1847, and is a son of Martin and Rachel (Owens) Kline. His paternal grand- father, Solomon Kline, was a representative farmer of the day in which he lived. He re- moved some years after his marriage from Indi- ana to Clearfield county, where he purchased a farm and spent the remainder of his days in its cultivation and improvement. His son, Martin Kline (father), was born in Indiana county, but was reared in Clearfield county, where, in addi- tion to farming, he was engaged in the lumber business. He was a democrat from principle, a Methodist in religious belief and churchi-mem- bership and a useful citizen of the community in which he resided until his death, in 1874, at 56 years of age. His wife was Rachel Owens, a daughter of John Owens, of Clearfield county.
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They were the parents of twelve children, of whom nine are living. Mrs. Rachel Kline was born and reared in Clearfield county.
M. L. Kline was reared on a farm. He re- ceived his education in the common schools of Clearfield county and commenced life for him- self by engaging in the lumber business on the Susquehanna river which he followed for seven years. He then studied dentistry with his uncle, Dr. Owens, of Kittanning, and in 1870 formed a partnership with his preceptor which lasted for three years. At the end of this time he purchased his uncle's interest and practiced until 1888, when he admitted Dr. E. H. Wright into partnership witlı him. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, Knights of Honor and Sr. O. U. A. M. He is a democrat, but takes no leading part in politics and devotes his time principally to his large and rapidly increasing practice. He is a fine workman and has a well-fitted up and completely furnished office.
March 14th, 1872, he married Martha E. Hamlin, daughter of John Hamlin. To their union liave been born three children : George K., Lulela H. and Beula Blanche, aged respec- tively seventeen, twelve and seven years.
Dr. E. H. Wright, the junior member, was born near Kelley's station, April 21, 1863, and is a son of J. H. Wright, who was born Feb- ruary 22, 1837, at Mifflintown, Juniata county, Pa., attended Washington and Jefferson college and Gettysburg seminary, and removed to Arm- strong county about 1840. E. H. Wright was educated at the Elderton select school, studied dentistry, and was graduated from the Ohio Dental college, March 4, 1884. He practiced at Elderton until 1887, when he removed to Kittanning and became a partner with Dr. Kline.
He married, December 20th, 1887, Jose- phine, daughter of Thomas Morgan, of Fox- burg, Pa. He is a republican and a member of I. O. O. F., Royal Arcanum and Jr. O. U. A. M. He is a first-class dental surgeon, and the 22
firm is well-known as one of the leading dental firms of the county.
M ERION F. LEASON is accorded a place in the front rank of the members of the Armstrong county bar, and is recognized as one of the leading lawyers of the Twenty-fifth Congressional District, which has many public men who are prominent and distinguished in the legal profession. He is a son of Rev. Thomas Shark and Mary Moore (Laird) Lea- son, and was born at Leechburg, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, in 1854. Rev. Thomas Shark Leason was born in Venango township, Butler county, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1817. After completing lis academic studies, he en- tered, in June, 1844, the sophomore class of Washington college, from which celebrated in- stitution of learning he was graduated. He then commenced his theological studies at the Western Theological seminary, and was grad- uated from that well-known religious institu- tion. He was ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian church, and his first charge was Marietta, Ohio, where he resided but two years on account of his health. He then removed to Leechburg, where he remained in charge of the Presbyterian church of that place for ten years. He resigned at Leechburg in order to accept a call as pastor of the Mt. Tabor congregation of Jefferson county, Pa., where he has served acceptably ever since. He was a representative of the Christian commis- sion during the late war, and was stationed with the western army. Of fine education and sound theological views, he is a forcible and impressive speaker and an earnest and success- ful worker in the vineyard of his Divine Master. He honors his sacred calling by a consistent Christian life, which has won for him the respect and esteem of all who know him. He married Mrs. Mary Moore Stewart, widow of William B. Stewart, of Pittsburgh,
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and youngest daughter of Rev. Francis Laird, D.D., of Westmoreland county. They have four children, of whom three are living: Mer- ion F., Melissa and Elsie. Mrs. Mary Moore (Laird) Leason was born at Locust Dale, Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1816. Her father, Rev. Francis Laird, was of that grand old Scotch-Irish race that has made its impress on the civil and religious institutions of this country for all time to come. He was a man of unusual ability, a fine classical scholar and a highly-esteemed minister. He was a gradu- ate of Dickinson college, and was a power in maintaining aud spreading presbyterianism in western Pennsylvania. He was the youngest son of William Laird, of Adams county, Pa., who married Jane McClure, and whose father, William Laird, Sr., was the son of John and Martha (Russel) Laird, respectively of Scotch- Irish and English lineage, and who emigrated from England to Adams county, this State, about 1760. Rev. Francis Laird married Mary Moore, daughter of Hon. John Moore, a son of William and Jennett (Wilson) Moore, of Lancaster couuty, Pa., and who was the first president-judge of Westmoreland county, Pa., and also was a member of the first Constitu- tional Convention of Pennsylvania and a State Senator prior to 1790. Judge Moore's wife was a Miss Parr, a daughter of Isaac Parr, of New Jersey, a woman of intelligence, vivacity and fine personal appearance.
Merion F. Leason was reared in his native county, where he has always resided. He at- tended the common schools, completed the course of Tuscarora academy, and in Septem- ber, 1872, entered Princeton college, from which famous institution of learning he was graduated in 1876. After graduation he passed the preliminary law examination, read law with W. L. Stewart, of Brookville, and was admit- ted to the county bar in February, 1877. In the fall of that year he removed to Kittanning, where he has been engaged ever since in the
successful practice of his profession. In 1879 he was elected district attorney, and satisfacto- rily discharged the duties of that office. In 1889 he was the republican candidate for judge of the Thirty-third judicial district of Pennsyl- vania, composed of the county of Armstrong, but was defeated on account of dissensions within his own party.
June 30, 1880, he united in marriage with Hannah Reynolds, a daughter of Jefferson Reynolds, of this county. They have three children : Mary Laird, Jeffersou Reynolds and Helen Maude, aged, respectively, nine, seven, and one and one-half years.
M. F. Leason is a member of the Masonic fraternity and a Royal Arch Mason. He prac- tices in the courts of Armstrong and adjoining counties, and before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, to which he was admitted Octo- ber 25, 1880, on motion of John Gilpin.
CHARLES LENZ, a successful merchant and enterprising citizen of Kittanning, was born in the Province of Nassau, Prussia, March 17, 1838, and is a sou of Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Lenz, both natives of Germany. Jacob Lenz (father) was a miner in his native country, where he resided until his death, in 1850, when fifty years of age. He was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He married Elizabeth Miller, and they were the parents of six children. Mrs. Lenz died at her home in Germany in 1872, when in the sixty-fourth year of her age.
Charles Lenz was reared in the kingdom of Prussia, and received his education in the ex- cellent public schools of his native country. Leaving school, he engaged in the mining busi- ness until 1871, when he came to the United States. He first located in Mckeesport, this State, where he remained one year, and then came to Kittanning, where he has resided ever since. In 1875 he engaged in the mercantile
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business, in which he has continued successfully up to the present time. He is also a stockholder in the natural gas company at Kittanning.
On April 23, 1865, Mr. Lenz married Caro- line Heidersdorf, daughter of Philip Heiders- dorf, a native of Germany. Two children have blessed this union : Henrietta and Lizzie, who are both at home.
Charles Lenz is a republican in political matters, and is always prompt, energetic and successful in any enterprise in which he engages. His mercantile establishment is on Jefferson street, at Kittanning. He carries a well-assorted and heavy stock of groceries, and has a good trade. By natural business ability, good judg- ment and courteous treatment of his patrons, he has been very successful in business. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, in which he is also an elder. He is a member of Kittanning Lodge, No. 1511, Knights of Honor. Mr. Lenz owns considerable real estate within the borough limits of Kittanning, where he is known as a man of energy and reliability.
REV. HENRY L. MAYERS. One who has grown in favor and confidence with his people by his earnestness of purpose and the integrity of his character is Rev. Henry L. Mayers, the present pastor of the First Presby- terian church of Kittanning. He was born at Millersburgh, Ohio, December 29, 1847, and is a son of Lewis and Sarah Wheaton Mayers. Lewis Mayers was born in Wurmz, Germany, October, 1811, and died at Millersburgh, Ohio, August 1, 1883, aged 72 years. He was a worthy representative of the industrious and progressive German race which has become so powerful in the world during the last two cen- turies. He settled in 1837 at Millersburgh, where he was engaged in the dry-goods business until 1873, when he organized " The Exchange bank," of which he was a large stock-holder. He was elected annually as president of that
bank, from its organization until his death, in 1883. He was a remarkably successful business man, a public-spirited citizen in every way and an influential member of the Presbyterian church, to which he was always a liberal con- tributor. He married Sarah Wheaton, who is a daughter of Anson Melvin Wheaton, a teacher and noted surveyor of Ohio. They reared and educated a family of seven sons and four daugh- ters, all of whom are living and in good circum- stances. Six of these sons are successful busi- ness men.
Henry L. Mayers received his elementary education in private schools at Millersburgh and spent four years at Vermillion Institute, Haysville, Ohio, where he prepared for college. In 1868 he entered the sophomore class of Princeton college, from which he was graduated in the class of 1871. He took high rank as a speaker and literary man, being a junior orator prize-man, and carrying off a Whig Hall medal. He prepared for the ministry at Princeton Theological seminary, from whichi he was grad- uated in April, 1874. He was licensed by the presbytery of New Brunswick, New Jersey, April, 1874. His first charge was at Millville, N. J., where he remained for five years. His health then becoming impaired, he resigned liis charge, and was not in regular pastoral work for two years. At the end of that time, having recovered his health in a large measure, he ac- cepted a call, in March, 1881, from the First Presbyterian church of Kittanning, and has served as its pastor ever since.
On July 22, 1874, he married Margaret Phillips, a daughter of Lewis and Eliza Phillips, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Rev. and Mrs. Mayers were the parents of three children : Eliza Phillips, Lewis Deare and John Mickle. Mrs. Mayers was greatly beloved by tlicir con- gregation, was an intelligent and amiable woman, but her stay on earth was limited to a few brief years, and she passed to ler eternal home on March 10, 1887.
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Rev. Henry L. Mayers is an able and elo- quent advocate of the doctrines and the teach- ings of the time-honored old Presbyterian church, in which he is an efficient and success- ful worker. He is worthily treading in the footsteps of those grand old ministers who helped establish presbyterianism in western Pennsylvania. His congregation is one of the largest in the community, and they worship in one of the finest church buildings in the State.
J AMES H. McCAIN is one of the many members of the Kittanning bar who is held in high esteem for integrity, good judgment and professional ability. He is a son of William and Elizabeth (Galbraith) McCain, and was born near Slate Lick, South Buffalo township, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, June 17, 1844. The McCain family is one of the old families of the county Tyrone, Ireland, and one member of it in the beginning of the present century was George McCain (grandfather), wlio married Mary Ralston. They came in 1822 to South Buffalo township, where he purchased a farm and distillery. He was a cumberland presbyterian, and had two sons and four daugh- ters. One of these sons was William McCain, who was born in Ireland. He followed farming for some time, then was in the mercantile busi- ness at Freeport, and in the winter of 1853 re- moved to California, where he was elected judge of Nevada county. In 1857 he returned to Freeport, and three years later engaged in the oil business, which he followed until his death, in 1864. His wife was Elizabeth Galbraith, who was a daughter of Robert Galbraith, one of the early settlers of Butler county. She died December 19, 1888, aged eighty-five years. Judge McCain was a member and one of the first trustees of Slate Lick United Presbyterian church, and was a very strong man physically. He was a life-long democrat, an influential citi-
zen and a man of positive views, but very con- siderate of the feelings of those who differed from him. In all the duties and relations of a citizen he bore an honorable part.
James H. McCain is the eighth of a family of ten children, of whom five are living. He re- ceived his literary education in the common schools and Freeport academy. Having a taste and inclination for the legal profession, he read law for one year in the office of J. G. D. Finly, of Freeport, then (1872) attended the law de- partment of the University of Pennsylvania for one year and completed his studies with Hon. E. S. Golden, of Kittanning. He was admitted to the Armstrong county bar in September, 1873, and has been in active practice ever since. In 1880 he formed a partnership with John Gil- pin, one of the leading lawyers of Kittanning. Mr. Gilpin died in November, 1883, and during the following year he formed liis present part- nership with M. F. Leason, Esq. (see his sketch). This firm has a large practice and is widely known for its ability and prominence at the Kittanning bar.
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