USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 50
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 50
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R EV. JOHN W. OWEN, of Kittanning, was a man who was full of love and char- ity for his fellow-men, true to his friends, firm in his attachments and unswerving in his con-
victions of the right. He commanded public re- spect, and his deatlı was greatly deplored. He was born near Clearfield, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1830, and was a son of John and Mary Owen. He was reared in Clearfield county, and received but the lim- ited education which that county then afforded. He was converted to Christianity in early life and subsequently became a minister of the Gos- pel in the church of the United Brethren in Christ, and was actively engaged in ministerial labor for nearly ten years, but was compelled by impaired health to retire from the ministry, much against his own wish and the desire of his congregation. He then took up and suc- cessfully followed the practice of dentistry in the borough of Kittanning for a number of years, until influenced to turn his practice over into other hands, and gave his atten- tion more fully to store-keeping, which he was carrying on in connection with the dental business. But finding that not fully remunera- tive, after a few years he gave liis whole at- tention to the building, repairing and renting of tenant houses (to which he had been giving some attention in connection with his other business), and in which he was engaged at the time of his death. Mr. Owen was chari- table and kind in disposition, and had a wide circle of friends.
December 20, 1861, he married Lavina C. Korb, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Korb, of Clearfield, Pa., who were natives of Ger- many. To Rev. and Mrs. Owen were born six children, three of whom preceded their father to the better land. The remaining three are Isaac S., Martha E., who gradnated in the Kittanning high school in 1884 and is now the wife of Thomas H. Logan, a prominent young business man of Logansport, Pa., and Sadie W.
Mrs. Owen is a member of the Methodist Pro- testant church and has always been kind to the afflicted and needy. As manager of her late
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husband's estate she has evinced good judgment and has met with fair success.
Among the papers of Rev. John W. Owen was found a biographical sketch of him, written by himself, which is modest and brief, and yet expressed in such simple and well-chosen lau- guage, that we quote concerning his ministry:
" I was born near Clearfield town, Clearfield county, Pa .; am a descendant of an old Revo- lutionary family, and was reared amid the dis- advantages of a new county. I was converted to Christianity in 1847, was licensed to exliort in 1854, and licensed to preach in 1855, my first class being Liberty Valley in 1858. I at- tended conference at Williamsport, March, 1859, and was appointed to Penn's Valley, and after- wards to Wilmore in 1860, to Knoxdale in 1861 and 1862, and was ordained January 4, 1862. I spent 1863 and 1864 on the Mahoning dis- trict, where I suffered from diphtheria. In 1865 I applied for and received from conference a local relation and still continued to preach, but was compelled to quit before the close of the year on account of the state of my health, and moved to Kittanning, April 1st, 1866." When Mr. Owen came to Kittanning, finding no church of his own denomination, he united with the Episcopal Methodist, and subsequently with the Protestant Methodist, to which he be- longed at the time of his death. He passed from the scenes of his earthly labor June 13, 1885, and his remains were interred in the Kit- tanning cemetery. Energetic as a business man, prominent as a temperance advocate, earnest as a church worker and useful as a minister, Rev. John W. Owen, when he died, left a vacant place that was hard to fill.
TON. CALVIN RAYBURN, president judge of the courts of Armstrong county, and well known as an able lawyer before his elevation to the bench, is a son of Squire James
and Margaret (Boyd) Rayburn, and was born on the old Rayburn homestead, in North Buf- falo township, Armstrong county, Pa., October 25, 1850. Some time after the close of the great struggle between England and France for political supremacy, which is known in history as the French and Indian war, the paternal great-grandfather of Judge Rayburn left the shores of Scotland and came to western Penn- sylvania, where he settled in the famous Ligo- nier Valley. Two of the sons whom he reared to manhood were Matthew and James. Mat- thew served as a soldier in the Continental army during the Revolutionary War. James Rayburn (grandfather), the younger son, was born in the Ligonier Valley, removed in 1797 to Armstrong county, and settled in what is now North Buffalo township. The farm which he purchased and cleared has descended in a direct line, and in the Rayburn name for four generations. He was an old-time democrat, and a strict member of the Seceder (now the U. P.) church. He died in 1837, when well advanced in years. His wife was Nellie Callen, by whom he had seven children, of whom six grew to manhood and womanhood. Nellie (Callen) Rayburn was a daughter of Patrick Callen, who came at the same time with James Rayburn from Westmoreland to Arm- strong county. Of the six surviving childreu, Squire James Rayburn (father) was born Octo- ber 26, 1801, and passed away November 6, 1886, when he had numbered ten days beyond his eighty fifth year. He gave his days to the cultivation of his farm and lived a happy and successful life. He was a Jeffersonian demo- crat, always was active in the support of his party, and frequently represented his district in county democratic conventions. With no thirst for office or no ambition for public place, he never refused to serve his own community in any capacity which he was desired to fill, and thus was frequently elected and served as justice of the peace. He was a strong and honored
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member of Buffalo U. P. church, which stood on his farm. A man of excellent judg- ment and conservative views, yet positive and earnest in convictions, he was extremely popular with his neighbors. In 1827 he mar- ried Jane Galbraith, who bore him five chil- dren, of whom three are living. After her death he married Margaret Boyd, a daughter of Robert Boyd, an early settler and long-time resident of Sugar Creek township. By this second marriage he had six children, of whom four are living : Robert, of Iowa; Jane, wife of Samuel R. Steele; and Judge Calvin and Cyrus, who are twins.
Calvin Rayburn acquired his elementary edu- cation in the common schools and prepared for college at Slate Lick academy. He entered Princeton college and was graduated from that famous eastern institution of learning in the class of 1875. Between his academic and col- legiate courses he taught three terms in the common schools, and after graduation taught an additional term in Brady's Bend township, and served for one winter as principal of Queens- town public schools. In 1877 his connection with school-work terminated with his services at the latter place, and he turned his attention to the profession which he purposed to pursue as his life vocation. In June of that year he registered as a law student with Hon. George A. Jenks, of Brooksville, who afterwards at- tained to National prominence as assistant attorney-general under President Cleveland's administration. Mr. Rayburn was admitted to the bar of Jefferson county in June, 1879, and in November following was admitted to practice in the courts of Armstrong county. On December 1, 1879, he opened an office at Kittanning and was engaged in the active prac- tice of the law until his election to the bench in 1889. In that year he was nominated unani- mously by the Democratic party of Armstrong county for president judge, and was trium- phantly elected in a republican stronghold by a
majority of seven hundred and twenty-two votes.
October 19, 1886, he united in marriage with Margaret McFadden, a daughter of Dr. James McFadden, of Buena Vista, Allegheny county, this State. They have one child, a son, named James Rayburn, who is two years of age.
Judge Rayburn was chairman of the county Democratic committee from 1882 to 1885, and was a delegate to the National democratic con- vention of 1884, at Chicago, which nominated Grover Cleveland for President. He is one of the youngest judges on the bench in this State, and so far has presided over the courts of the county with ability, firmness and fairness. Judge Rayburn is finely educated, modest and unas- suming. Asa man he is pleasant and agreeable ; as a lawyer he is careful and correct, and as a counselor is safe. His analysis of a case is very clear and exact, and he is one who would rather win a cause by clearness of statement and just- ness of argument than by fervor of appeal.
D AVID J. REED, ex-sheriff of Armstrong county, and a well-known funeral director and embalmer, is one of Kittanning's leading and reliable business men. He was born in East Franklin township, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1823, and is a son of Jolın and Margaret (Peeples) Reed. His grand- father, David Reed, was born at Gettysburg, Adams county, Pa., August 23, 1769, and after- wards came to this county in 1808. He was a carpenter, and worked at his trade in his early. days. After coming to this county, of which lie was an early settler, he gave his entire atten- tion to farming. He died in Franklin town- ship. John Reed (father) was born on Sewick- ley creek, Westmoreland county, this State, in 1792, and came to this county with his father in 1808, when sixteen years of age. He was a farmer of Franklin township, and was the first, in his section, to banish whiskey from his side-
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board. He was a great reader, and had a won- derful power of retaining what he read. He was a republican, and well posted in the politi- cal and general affairs of the day. The Glade Run Presbyterian church, of which he was a member, was erected on a corner of his farm in 1846, by his son, the subject of this sketch. He died December 23, 1878, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. In 1822 lie married Mar- garet Peeples, a native of Westmoreland county, by whom he liad eiglit sons. She was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, and died April 15, 1880, when in her eighty-sixth year.
David J. Reed was reared on his father's farm until eighteen years of age, and received his educational training in the subscription and free schools of his native county. He then left the farm and learned the trade of carpenter, at which he worked until 1858. In that year he engaged in the hotel business just across the river from Kittanning, where he remained until 1863, when he moved to Kittanning, and was proprietor of the Reed house for a time. In 1867 he was elected to and filled very satisfac- torily the office of sheriff for three years. He then was proprietor of the Eagle hotel for a short time, and for the last twelve years has been engaged in the undertaking business. His present establishment is located on Jefferson street. He has a large assortment of under- taker's supplies, including the latest kiuds of caskets and burial-cases, and also full lines of funeral trimmings. As a funeral director his services have always given satisfaction.
He was married on November 3, 1847, to Leah Wible, daughter of Jolin Wible, of West- moreland county. They have five children living, four sons and one daughter : Guy W., engaged in the livery business at Washington, Pa .; Robert K., in the mining business at Great Falls, Montana ; William H., engaged in dealing in horses at Washington, Pa .; David J., Jr., at home; and Leah, married to Samuel Dixon, of Kittanning.
D. J. Reed is a republican, and has filled several of the offices of his borough, He was elected county auditor in 1860, which office he held for three years. He is a contributor and an attendaut upon the services of the Presby- terian church. He owns several houses iu Kit- tanning, and is always willing and ever ready to assist in any enterprise for the benefit of his town or county.
WILLIAM H. REICHERT. Journalism has become a profession, and the modern newspaper is one of the most potent forces in the land for the education of public opinion as well as for the dissemination of news. A young and favorably known journalist in Armstrong county is William H. Reichert, editor of The Standard. He is a son of J. E. aud Hannah A. (Hilton) Reichert, and was born at Kittanning, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1858. His paternal grandfather, Rev. Gabriel Adam Reichiert, was born in Constance, Switzer- land, was educated for the ministry in Germany and came to the United States, where he was a faithful aud efficient minister of the Luthieran church for fifty-seven years. He had charge of a church in Philadelphia for some time, and then was pastor of the Kittauning Lutheran church for many years. He married Lydia, daughter of John Tyson, of Indiana, and they reared a family of ten children. One of their sons was J. E. Reichert (father), who was born June 9, 1834, at Kittanning. He served an apprenticeship of seven years in the drug-store of George C. Bowers, and in 1855 commenced for himself in the drug business, which he has followed successfully ever since. He has always been a republican, and is a member of the Pro- testant Episcopal church. On March 10, 1857, he married Hannah A., daughter of Rev. William Hilton, formerly rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church. To their union were born six children, of whom four are living.
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ARMSTRONG COUNTY.
W. H. Reichert was reared at Kittanning, re- ceived his education in the public schools and learned the printing business with John W. Rohrer, of the Sentinel. In April, 1874, he issued the initial number of a monthly paper called the Centennial, which he published until 1883, when he changed it to a weekly. In 1887 he changed it in name to The Standard, which he has continued to publish until the present time. The Standard contains all home and State news, besides furnishing its readers with everything of national interest, while not ne- glecting information of value or benefit to the tradesman or farmer. Mr. Reichert is one of the active young republican editors of the State. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Episcopal church of Kittanning, in which he has been organist ever since he was fifteen years of age.
August 9, 1883, he was united in marriage with Minnie A. Stofer, daughter of J. W. Stofer, editor of the Middletown Journal.
He has made a good record as a journalist, and stands well with the members of his pro- fession.
FRANCIS M. REYNOLDS, D.D.S., a lead- ing, progressive and successful dentist of Kittanning, is a son of George W. and Rachel (Lloyd) Reynolds, and was born on Jefferson street, Kittanning, Armstrong county, Pennsyl- vania, December 3, 1857. Among the early settlers of the county was William Reynolds (grandfather), who was born in 1783 and settled at Kittanning some time in the first decade of the present century. He was a tanner by occu- pation, acquired considerable property and mar- ried. He had several children. One of these children was George W. Reynolds (father), who was born in 1808, at Kittanning, where he always resided and where he died in November, 1869. He was engaged during his lifetime in the mercantile business. He was for a long time
in partnership with Alex. Caldwell, but finally purchased the entire store and in connection with it kept an extensive lumber-yard. He was a member of the U. P. church, a strong anti- slavery man and republican and one of the founders of the Sons of Temperance He mar- ried Rachel Lloyd, who was a daughter of Steplien Lloyd, one of Cambria county's earliest settlers and largest and wealthiest landholders, and died February 2, 1888. They had seven children, of whom three are living : Jennie E., wife of W. D. Crawford ; Dr. F. M. and Ida M. In his early life Mr. Reynolds served one term as constable of the borough, but after that refused to accept various offices that were prof- fered him. He was a very large man, of fine personal appearance and genial disposition. He was very popular with the farmers of the county, as he would sell them lumber on time and never hurry them for the pay.
Francis M. Reynolds received his education in the public schools of Kittanning and Mari- etta, Ohio, and the Indiana Normal school of Indiana, Pa. Leaving school, he spent three years in the hotel business at Parker City. Not having any decided liking for hotel-keeping, and entertaining a preference for dentistry, he entered the Philadelphia Dental college. After two years' close application and hard study he graduated from that institution in 1881. Imme- diately after graduation he opened an office at Kittanning for the practice of his profession. From that time until the present he lias steadily been building up the large and lucrative prac- tice which he now enjoys. He has kept abreast of his profession in its every department, has the late improved instruments and appliances of dental surgery and is ever awake to the ad- vancement of dentistry.
Dr. Reynolds is a member of the First Pres- byterian church, of Kittanning, the Royal Ar- canum and Improved Order of Heptasophs. He is genial and affable and thoroughly equipped for conducting dentistry in all of its branches.
Y
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R OBERT A. ROBINSON. The practical, honorable and succesful merchant does not spring, ready armed and equipped, into the active business of mercantile life, like Minerva from the head of Jove ; but, by careful training and years of experience, is fitted to assume and hold a prominent place in mercantile affairs. Such a training was received and such a place was held by the late Robert A. Robinson, of Kittanning. He was a son of Robert and Lydia (McKee) Robinson, and was born at Kittan- ning, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1817. The Robinsons, like many more of the early settled families west of the Alleghe- nies, were of Scotch-Irish origin. Robert Rob- inson, Sr., the grandfather of the late Robert A. Robinson, was one of the early settlers of near Greensburg, Westmoreland county, who came from eastern Pennsylvania. He followed farm- ing for some length of time, and then came to Kittanning, where he died in 1815, while engaged in the mercantile busines. His sou, Robert Robinson (father), was born in 1790, in Westmoreland county, and came with his father, in the early years of the present century, to Kittanning, where he was a successful merchant for many years. He was originally a democrat, but finally became a free-soiler, and had served as one of the early sheriffs of this county. He also had hield various borough offices, was a promi- inent business man, and died in 1856, aged sixty-six years. He married Lydia McKee, by whom he had five children : one son and four daughters. One daughter, Mrs. Sarah E. Col- well, resides at Kittanning, and is the only child living.
Robert A. Robinson was reared at Kittan- ning, and received his education in the select schools and the academy of that place. Leaving school, he was engaged in the mercautile busi- ness with his father until 1840, when he went to Rural Village, where he opened a store which he successfully conducted for eight years. He then returned to Kittauning, where he died
March 6, 1849, when only thirty-two years of age and in the very prime of his life. He was a democrat and an active business man. He was careful and judicious, and never extended his business beyond his capital, although he possessed the requisite credit to have done so. Safe as a business man and well liked as a citi- zen, he was much missed at his native town and wherever he was known.
On May 1, 1839, he married Matilda Cog- ley, daughter of Joseph Cogley, of Buffalo township. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson had five children, of whom four are living : Dr. Robert, a practicing physician of East Brady ; Lydia M., Arabella, wife of William Pollock, cashier of the First National Bank of Kittanning ; and Juliet.
Mrs. Matilda Robinson and her daughters are members of the First Presbyterian church of Kittanning. She is of English descent, and her paternal great-grandfather, John Cogley, came from England nearly 150 years ago, and purchased an island in the Susquehanna river (near Harrisburg), which he improved and cul- tivated. He died at Philadelphia, when on the eve of visiting his native country, and his grave is to be seen in a cemetery in that city. One of his grandsons, Joseph Cogley, was the father of Mrs. Robinson. Joseph Cogley was born in Dauphin county, January 11, 1776, came, in 1799, to what is now South Buffalo township, Armstrong county, where he died April 8, 1852, aged seventy-five ycars. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of what is now the U. P. church. He was mar- ried in 1799, to a lady who soon died, and in 1801 he married Rachel Jones, of Lancaster county, who was a member of the U. P. church, aud passed away February 14, 1849, when in the seventy-seventh year of her age. To Joseph and Rachel Cogley were born eleven children ; of these children but two are living : Dr. Thomas Cogley, of Madison, Indiana, and Mrs. Matilda Robinson. - Since her husband's death,
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Mrs. Robinson has resided at Kittanning, where she has a pleasant and comfortable home.
TILLIAM D. ROBINSON. Of the great elements of material wealth for which western Pennsylvania is noted, one is its great oil field. With the rapid growth and remark- able development of the oil industry of the great petroleum producing counties of Venango, Warren, Clarion, Butler, Bradford and Arm- strong is prominently connected the name of William D. Robinson, one of the leading and substantial business men of the old and time- honored Robinson family of New England. He was born at Parker's Landing, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, October 2, 1820, and is a son of Elisha and Elizabeth (Roher) Robin- son. His father, Elisha Robinson, Sr., was one of the best-known and most prominent of the early settlers of Armstrong county. He was born at Windham, Connecticut, December 4, 1791, and was a son of Andrew and Olive Robinson, who were of English descent and of. families which had been for several generations in New England. He learned a trade, and in 1814 came to what is now Hovey township, where he engaged in shoemaking and erected the first tannery ever built in the northern part of the county. In 1846 he gave control of the tannery to his son, Samuel M., and devoted his entire attention to farming until 1868. In that year the oil excitement became intense in the region about Parker's Landing (now Parker City), and he began to lease his lands to oil operators, for royalties. Many good producing wells were soon struck, and he found himself for the remainder of his life in receipt of a large income from his royalties. He was mar- ried, on January 7, 1816, to Elizabeth Roher, of Greensburg, Pa., wlio died at an advanced age, September 21, 1881. Their children were: Simeon H., Mary A. (Bovard), William D., Olive (McConnell), S. M., Frederick A., An- 23
drew J., Samuel M., Elisha and Frederick R. Of these children, Mary A., W. D., Samuel M. and Elisha are living. Elisha Robinson, Sr., after a long and well-directed life of activity and usefulness, passed away after a compara- tively short sickness, on October 17, 1874. A democrat of life-long standing and a man of scrupulous honesty, he was a fitting represen- tative of New England spirit and enterprise. He was actuated in life by the principle of the Golden Rule, and left to his descendants the priceless inheritance of a spotless reputation.
William D. Robinson received his early edu- cation in the subscription schools of that day. He then attended for two years a select school taught by a man of the name of Piersol, and in 1835 entered the freshman class of Meadville college, where he spent two years. Returning home from Meadville, he learned the trade of tanner with his father, but did not follow tan- ning very long. He next, turning liis atten- tion to the mercantile business, was a clerk at Brady's Bend for three years, and then opened a store at Parker's Landing, which lie conduct- ed until 1868. He also bought stock, which he drove to Philadelphia, where lie purchased luis goods. In 1864 he became the pioneer of the oil business at Parker City, where he sunk the first well of that place. He continually widened his field of operations as an oil pro- ducer and was interested in wells in Armstrong, Bradford, Butler, Venango and Clarion coun- ties. In 1880, after a very successful career, he retired from the oil business and left to other hands the care of the many important interests which he had managed so successfully. In 1858 he removed to Kittanning, where lie has resided ever since in a beautiful home with pleasant surroundings.
In June, 1852, lie married Mary Kelly, a daughter of Hon. Eben Smith Kelly, who was the eldest son of W. Bowdoin Kelly, and was born at Meredith, N. H., February 1, 1794. He left home on September 13, 1813, for Steu-
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