USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 57
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 57
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August 11, 1881, he united in marriage with Harriet J. Birch, a daughter of Hon. John Birch, of Claysville, Washington county, Pa., late member of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania. To their union have been born three children : George Birch, born August 15, 1882; Susie T., born September 20, 1885; and James McCarrell, born July 14, 1889. Mrs. Wray is a sister of the Rev. G. W. F. Birch, D. D., of New York City, Hon. John M. Birch, of Wheeling, late U. S. Consul at Nagasaki, Japan, and T. F. Birch, an attorney- at-law, of Washington, Pa.
In politics Mr. Wray has always been a republican, although in local matters he votes for the most suitable and best qualified man. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and has, by his diligence, industry and capacity, become one of the most expert and best quali- fied druggists in the county.
LEECHBURG.
Historical and Descriptive .- Situated in a deep bend of the Kiskiminetas river, five miles above its confluence with - the Allegheny and sixteen miles south of Kittanning, is Leech- burg, one of the progressive and manufacturing towns of the lovely Kiskiminetas Valley. Leechburg is twenty-eight miles from Pitts- burgh and is situated in one of the finest agri- cultural districts and richest mineral regions of Armstrong county. The site of the town is on the "John Vanderen tract," afterwards called " Friendship " and at a later date known as " White Plains." Leechburg was laid out about 1828 by David Leech, a native of Mercer county, who erected a saw-mill and grist-mill. The earliest settlers were Michael Moorhead and Joseph Hunter.
The growth of Leechburg commenced with the construction of the canal, was checked when the railway succeeded the canal and revived with the establishment of its present iron in- dustries. It was laid out in 1828, incorporated March 22, 1850, and has a population of over twenty-five hundred.
On May 18, 1838, the steamboat "New Castle" arrived at Leechburg from Pittsburgh. The first school was taught by John Foulk prior to 1830, and in 1858 the Leechburg institute was established. The first resident physician was Dr. George W. Marchand and its leading phy- sicians now are: Dr. J. A. Armstrong and Dr. R. P. Hunter. The Leechburg cemetery was
incorporated September 5, 1864. The first church was the Presbyterian, which was organ- ized April 24, 1844. The Hebron Lutheran church was formed November 21, 1844, and the Methodist in 1846, while the Baptist church was · not organized until 1873. Natural gas was dis- covered in 1871, at twelve hundred and fifty feet, in a well on the Westmoreland side of the river and was first used in the rolling-mill in 1874.
The present successful iron industries had their origin in 1872, when Rogers & Burch- field erected extensive iron and tin works and gave employment to one hundred and fifty hands. Their works, including the Siberian rolling-mill, subsequently became the prop- erty of Kirkpatrick & Beale. The West Penn steel works comprise an open hearth.steel furnace at Allegheny and have their sheet- iron and finishing mill at Leechburg, where they employ nearly 150 men. Their mill ranks as one of the best of its class in the United States, and has largely added to the prosperity of the town. The Leechburg Foundry and Ma- chine company of Pittsburgh have an extensive plant, which has also added to the prosperity of the borough.
Leechburg is lighted by natural gas and con- tains steel works, a sheet-iron mill, and foundry and machine shop, a bank, eight churches, two hotels, two flouring-mills and two newspapers. Its volume of business is constantly increasing and it is rapidly growing in size and population.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
JOHN A. ARMSTRONG, A.M., M.D., of Leechburg, has been the arbiter of his own good fortune in life and his talent and labors have wrought out marked success for him in the field of his chosen profession. He was born in Allegheny township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1838, and is a son of John and Sarah (Armstrong) Armstrong. His paternal grandparents, Robert and Ellen (McKee) Armstrong, were natives of Ireland and settled in Westmoreland county about 1828. They reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. One of these sons, John Armstrong, was the father of Dr. Arm- strong and first beheld the light of day in Ire- land, in 1799. He married Sarah Armstrong, of Scotch descent, came to the United States iu 1826 and two years later purchased a farm in Allegheny township, Westmoreland county, which he paid for with his earnings as a con- tractor for excavations on the old Pennsylvania canal.
He was a mau of fair education and a member of the Reformed Presbyterian church and gave his childreu the benefit of a better education than what he had obtained. He was bitterly opposed to humau servitude and be- cause slavery was tolerated in the United States and sanctioned by both of the two great politi- cal parties of that day, he would never conuect himself with either of them. He died in 1872, aged seventy-six years and his widow passed away in 1877, when in the seventy-fifth year of her age. To their union were born ten children: Adam C., who was killed in Keu- tucky ; Ellen, wife of Hugh McElroy ; Robert, a Westmoreland county farmer; David, an artist by profession; Elizabeth, who married Hiram Steele ; Dr. John A., Sarah A., wife of James D. Boal; Samuel, who resides on the old homestead; Mary J., widow of Milton
Free; and Margaret, widow of William Sproull, of Parnassus.
John A. Armstrong attended the public schools of his native township, pursued his academic studies at Leechburg and in Pitts- burgh and entered Jefferson college, from which institution he was graduated in June, 1862. - Leaving- college, he commenced the study of medicine, but in 1863 became a member of Co. K. of a regiment of Pa. Militia. On August 29, 1864, he eulisted in Co. I, 205th regiment, Pa. Vols., and served until the close of the war, being honorably discharged on June. 13, 1865, at Vienna, Va. Returning home, he resumed his medical studies, and in September, 1865, entered Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia, Pa., from which he was graduated in 1867. In May of that year he opened an office in Leech- burg, where he soon built up the extensive and lucrative practice which he now enjoys.
On April 1, 1868, he united in marriage with Amanda C. McKallip, daughter of Henry McKallip, of Leechburg. Dr. and Mrs. Arm- strong have four children : Mary Blanche, wife of Harry Beale; Anna Orr, Grace Irwiu and Nellie Caldwell.
Dr. John A. Armstrong is a member of the Reformed Presbyterian church and is a republi- can in politics. He has a fine literary educa- tion, received, recently, the degree of A.M., from his Alma Mater and has served his bor- ough for the last twelve years as school director . with good purpose and to the benefit of the schools. After graduating from Jefferson Medi- cal college he took the full course of one of Philadelphia's leading hospitals, from which he was also graduated. He is an esteemed citizen of his borough and a successful physician whose skill has placed him among the foremost physi- cians in his section of the county.
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ARMSTRONG COUNTY.
TAMES J. ARTMAN, a well-known citizen of Leechburg, a wounded veteran of the grand old Pennsylvania Reserves, and a prom- inent member of the Grand Army of the Re- public, was born in Allegheny township, West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1841, and is a son of Michael and Catherine (Kepple) Artman. The Artmans are of Ger- man descent. His paternal grandfather, John Artman, was a native of Westmoreland county, a farmer by occupation and an active member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. Indus- trious and frugal, he reared a respectable family of ten children. One of his sons was Michael Artman (father), who was born on the Alle- gheny township farm of his father, in 1806, and died in 1888. He was an active and suc- cessful farmer, a worthy member of the Lu- theran church and a conservative democrat in politics. Although non-active in political af- fairs, yet he was elected by his fellow-citizens to all of his township's various offices. He was a very large man, of plain, unassuming manners and industrious habits. He married Catharine Kepple, daughter of John Kepple, of his own neighborhood, by whom he had nine children, of whom but one is dead.
James J. Artman was reared on the farm and attended the common schools until the commencement of the late civil war. On June 3, 1861, he enlisted in Co. G, 11th regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves, and served in the army of the Potomac for three years, during which time he participated in innumerable skirmishes and many hard battles. At Fredericksburg he was shot through the thigh, taken prisoner and lield for some time by the Confederates. After being exchanged he returned to his com- pany, and in one of the peninsular fights was again taken prisoner, but was fortunate enough to be paroled in a few days after his second capture. He was honorably discharged from the United States service on June 5, 1864, at Pittsburgh. After the close of the war. he
engaged in carpentering, which he has followed until the present time. In 1884 he came to Leechburg, where he has resided ever since, and is now engaged in millwrighting. In 1890 he attended the Grand Army of the Republic encampment at Boston, as a delegate from his post.
On September 17, 1866, he married Jacobina Fowler, daughter of Austin Fowler, of Alle- gheny county, a relative of Gen. Fowler. To their union have been born four children : Christina H., Katharine, who died at five years of age, Laura I. and Austin J., who is attend- ing school.
James J. Artman is an active republican in politics and has served as an elder and trustee in the Presbyterian church, of which he is a useful member. He is a member of Lodge No. 241, A. O. U. W., and Post No. 123, Grand Army of the Republic.
TOHN S. BOLE, a substantial citizen of Leechburg, is a son of David and Eliza- betlı (Shaeffer) Bole, and was born in Soutlı Buffalo township, Armstrong county, Pennsyl- vania, September 6, 1822. His grandfather, James Bole, was born in Ireland in 1752, came to America early in life and settled in West- moreland county, Pa. He afterwards removed to South Buffalo township, this county, where, on the 12th of April, 1815, he bought a farm of two hundred and one acres, called " Plom- biers," belonging to the estate of Claudius An- tonious Berter, a Frenchman, lying partly in Butler county, for seven hundred dollars, on which he erected a saw-mill. On November 26, 1818, he purchased the farm called " Union," containing one hundred and seven acres; on January 27, 1828, he purchased a large tract of land on which stood a saw and a grist-mill, for five thousand dollars. While he may not have been a wonderfully rich man, he evidently had means at his command. He was
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
an influential member of the Presbyterian church, and was one of the founders of Slate Lick Presbyterian church, in 1802. He was a drummer in the United States army in the war of 1812, and married Mary Painter, by whom he had a large family. He died in 1834, in thie eighty-third year of his age. His son, David Bole (father), was born near the bound- ary line of Westmoreland and Armstrong coun- ties, in 1798. He was a stone-cutter by trade, but followed farming, first in Butler county, some three miles from the village of Freeport, and afterwards, for the remainder of his life, in Allegheny township, this county, near Leech- burg. His death, which occurred in 1865, was the result of injuries received from being knocked off a railroad bridge in Johnstown, Cambria county. In politics he was what is known as a war-democrat; he attended the Presbyterian church and contributed liberally to its support. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of John Shaeffer, by whom he had ten children, seven sons and three daughters. Six of these sons served in the late war. His widow is now in her ninety-third year.
John S. Bole received his education in the subscription schools near Freeport, and after- wards learned the trade of stone-mason. In 1872 he came to Leechburg, where he has fol- lowed his trade ever since. He owns a large stone quarry near Leechburg, and a farm in the vicinity of that place. He is an uncompro- mising republican and a member and formerly a trustee of the Presbyterian church.
On June 30, 1846, he married Jane Carna- han, a daughter of Robert Carnahan, by whom he has had seven children : Nancy E., wife of John P. Klingensmith, who has four chil- dren-Leota L., Edna M., Homer J. and Earl C .; Mary, who married B. F. Hill, and died in Johnstown, January 24th, 1889; Robert, David, Anna, who married E. K. Sober, and has three children-Willavene, Jean and Mary (married B. F. Hill, and has had five children
-Harry W., John K., Frank L., and Myrtle and Ivy (twins), who were lost in the Johns- town flood); George, who married Alma Louks; and Lilian, wife of Frank Critsor.
John S. Bole is possessed of great energy of character. Industrious, patient and persever- ing, he has succeeded in acquiring a compe- tency, and, what is to be prized more highly, the esteem of all who know him.
DANIEL BOWERS. An old established and responsible furniture and undertaking house is the popular and highly patronized es- tablishment of Daniel Bowers. It is the oldest and only establishment of the kind at Leech- burg, and its proprietor, Daniel Bowers, stands high as a man of intelligence, integrity, energy and extended business experience. He is the eldest son of Samuel and Mary A. (Wan- amaker) Bowers, and was born on the Bowers farm, on the old canal, three miles below Leecli- burg, in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, on Christmas Day, 1846. Samuel Bowers (father) was born at Wilkinsburg, Allegheny county, August 10, 1815. At an early age he came to this county and settled on his present farm, below Leechburg. He quarried stone exten- sively for much of the masonry work along the old canal, and then for many years furnished the rock for many of the large banking buildings and business establishments of Pittsburgh. By prudence and industry he has acquired a com- petency. Originally a whig, and now a repub- lican, he takes an active interest in political af- fairs. He married Mary A. Wanamaker, who was a daughter of Henry Wanamaker, of near Leechburg, and died in April, 1890. They had three children : Daniel, Sylvester, who died at nine years of age, and Lucetta.
Daniel Bowers was reared on the farm. He attended the common schools and entered Leech- burg academy, where he fitted for the sopho- more class in college. Leaving the academy, he
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ARMSTRONG COUNTY.
taught one term of school at Leechburg, another at Salem Cross Roads, in Westmoreland county, and then was principal of Brady's Bend public schools for twenty-one months. He relinquished teaching to become book-keeper of Brady's Bend iron-works, at that time one of the largest iron plants in the State. At the end of five years' faithful and well-appreciated service in charge of the books of the iron company, he resigned in order to serve as assistant door- keeper of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, during the session of 1872. In 1873 he registered as a law student with Hon. E. S. Golden, of Kittanning, but during the same year, upon solicitation, he became cashier of the then newly organized Leechburg Banking company, and held that position for five years. At the end of that time he became partner in the general mercantile house of John Schwalm, and continued in partnership respec- tively with Mr. Schwalm's successive partners, R. B. Care & W. J. Steele, until September, 1885, when he retired from the mercantile busi- ness and purchased the interest of Fred. Grob- heiser, in the Leechburg furniture factory. In 1887 he purchased the interests of the remaining partners, and added to his business that of under- taking and embalming. In the disastrous fire of November, 1889, his house and store-room were burned, but upon their ruins he has just erected a fine dwelling. He now owns the only furni- ture and undertaking establishment at Leech- burg. He carries a large and splendid stock of furniture of different grades, and an unusually fine line of burial caskets and funeral goods. He understands thoroughly the latest and most approved methods of embalming as well as being an efficient funeral director. He was one of the prime movers in the organization, and is now president of the Indiana, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Butler county Undertaking association. In politics Mr. Bowers is an active and aggressive republican, and has been for three years a member of the State central com-
mittee of that party. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Royal Arcanum. Ever since he began life for himself his march has been steadily onward in the line of business, until he has attained to important and prominent stand- ing among the leaders of commercial enterprise at Leechburg.
On June 27, 1876, he married Lottie E. Foab, daughter of William Foab, of Pittsburgh, formerly a member of the firm of Foab, Ever- son & Co. They have had six children, of 1 whom five are living : Everson, William Foab, Mollie, Hannah Foab and Judson.
E ZEKIEL BREDIN, a prominent citizen of Leechburg, and a descendant of a long- lived race, was born on the old Bredin home- stead, in county Londonderry, Ireland, Febru- ary 24, 1836, and is a son of Ezekiel and Margaret (Thomson) Bredin. The Bredin homestead is situated some three miles west of the city of Londonderry, and has been in the possession of the Bredin family for several gen- erations. James Bredin (grandfather) was an Irish land-holder and a member of the United Presbyterian church. He married a Miss Montgomery, and lived to be over ninety years of age. One of his sons, Ezekiel Bredin, Sr. (father), was born on this farm, and after his father's death, succeeded him as owner of the old homestead. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church, in politics belong- ing to the Liberal party, and, like his father, lived to be over ninety years of age. He mar- ried Margaret Thomson, a daughter of Henry Thomson, of county Donegal, Ireland. To their union were born eight children, four sons and four daughters, six of whom are living. Five of these children are still in Ireland, while Ezekiel, the youngest, is at Leechburg.
Ezekiel Bredin received his education in a private school in Londonderry, and in 1853 entered a grocery store and served an appren-
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
ticeship of six years. In 1869 he engaged in mercantile life for himself, but the next year disposed of his grocery store and emigrated from Ireland to the United States. Upon land- ing at New York, he came to Pittsburgh, where he was engaged for several years as a clerk in commercial houses, and then with a feed and grain firm on Penn avenue. On May 31, 1877, lie removed to Leechburg and rented a store-room at the steel mill, where he engaged in business. In 1884 he erected his present building on the corner of Third street, in one part of which he put his grocery, while the other part he rented for a restaurant. In 1889 he sold out his business to his son and a Mr. Creery. He has been very successful in busi- ness, has invested largely in real estate, and is now among the largest property-holders of Leechburg.
September 29, 1859, he married Georgiana Kirkpatrick, a daughter of John Kirkpatrick, of Londonderry. To their union have been born three children, only one of whom is living: John C. Bredin, a merchant of Kittanning.
In politics, Mr. Bredin is an active republi- can, and has served several terms as a member of the borough council. To his quick percep- tion, good judgment and great energy must be attributed his financial success, as he has made his way in life by his own unaided efforts.
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WI ILLIAM ROBERT DUFF, one of the old and highly respected citizens and suc- cessful business men of Leechburg, has aided largely in securing the material development of southern Armstrong county. He is one of that class of men, in every county, whose integrity, industry and usefulness give prosperity to business in all of its many branches. William R. Duff was born near the old Poke Run Presbyterian church, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1815, and is a son
of James and Jane (McGeary) Duff. His paternal grandfather, Robert Duff, was a native of county Armagh, Ireland, and became one of the early settlers of the northern part of West- moreland county. He was a farmer by occil- pation and afterwards removed to the southern part of Butler county, where he purchased a large farm on Bull creek and planted the first apple orchard in all that section of country. He was a member of the U. P. church and was married in Westmoreland county, to Ann Duff, a native of Scotland, and who bore him several children. One of his sons was James Duff (father), who was born near the old Poke Run church, October 14, 1789, and died in 1818. He was a hatter by trade, a member of the U. P. church and a democrat in politics, as was his father before him. Active in church work and successful and honorable in business, he was cut down by death when entering upon what promised to be a long and prosperous life- career. He married, on March 11, 1814, Jane McGeary, daughter of William McGeary, by whom he had two children : William R. and Ann, who was born in 1817, and is the wife of Hugh Robinson, of Kansas City. Two years after Mr. Duff's death his widow, who was born November 5, 1789, and died in 1867, mar- ried Nathaniel Miller, by whom she had eight children. Her father, William McGeary, served as a soldier in the war of 1812.
William R. Duff was reared on a farm and attended the subscription schools of his day, which were taught in the old log school-houses on Bull creek. At seventeen years of age he left the farm and learned the trade of tailor, which he followed for nearly fifteen years in Pitts- burgh and at Tarentum, Pa. In 1858 he came to Leechburg, where he opened and conducted a merchant tailoring establishment for several years and then engaged in the general mercan- tile business on Canal street, which he continued until 1875. Since then he has been extensively engaged and largely interested in real estate and
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ARMSTRONG COUNTY.
especially in coal lands in southern Armstrong · and northern Westmoreland counties.
February 15, 1838, he married Elizabeth Miles, daughter of Thomas Miles, of Allegheny county. They had six children : Jane A., who married Samuel Sober, of Westmoreland county, and has ten children living, six sons and four daugliters : Miles, a machinist, who served in the 12th Ohio and 123d Pa. Vol. regiments, and was discharged once on account of his wounds; Charles, who lived in Tennessee and was killed at Dalton, Georgia, where he was serving as a soldier in a Confederate regiment ; John T., a prominent lawyer of Allegheny county, who filled one of the first appointments made in the Freedmen's Bureau, in Tennessee, and who for several years has been prominent and active in State and National politics in the anti-prohibition party, of whose last campaign in Pennsylvania he had entire charge; Willie, who died young; and one who is deceased. Mrs. Duff died in 1850, and Mr. Duff married for his second wife, Lavina Dougherty, daughter of Jesse Dough- erty, by whom he has two children: Mary Belle, wife of John W. Frew ; and Frank C., a graduate of Utica Business College.
William R. Duff is a republican from princi- ple, but was a whig during the existence of that party. He has served as justice of the peace for over thirty years, serving in Allegheny county for five years and at Leechburg for twenty-six years. In addition to serving as jus- tice he has filled all the other offices of his borough and was a member of the school board when the present handsome public school building was erected. He is a deacon and trustee of tlie Leechburg Baptist church, of which he is one of the founders. He is a charter member of Lodge No. 577, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, at Leechburg. . Although not enjoy- ing the best of health for several years, yet he has always kept up his business affairs in the best shape. Squire Duff is of Scotch-Irish descent. Although constantly engaged in the manage- 26
ment of his business interests, yet he is always active and progressive in church matters and never neglects the cause of temperance, which has enlisted his warm support and earnest labors for over half a century. He never made any use of liquor, has always been upright in his business dealings and is now in the vigor of well-preserved old age.
THOMAS JEFFERSON ELWOOD, ex- county treasurer of Armstrong county and present assistant manager of the West Penn Steel works, has been prominently identified with the business life and material prosperity of Leechburg for over a quarter of a century. He is a son of John and Mary (Patterson) Elwood, and was born at Apollo, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1840. The Elwood family of this county traces its American ances- try back to James Elwood, the grandfather of Thomas J. Elwood, who came from the north of Ireland to Pennsylvania with a brother, who settled near Philadelphia. James Elwood puslied westward to Westmoreland county, where he located and lived to the ripe old age of ninety-six years. He was a farmer by occu- pation and a strict presbyterian in religious faith. One of the sons born to him in his Westmoreland county home was John Elwood (father), who was born in 1796, three miles from Oakland X Roads, and died in 1878. He was a cabinet-maker and house building con- tractor, who erected many of the houses at Apollo and elsewhere in the southern part of this county. He came to Apollo about 1830, where he was one of the three nien who voted for Kimber Cleaver, the free soil candidate for governor of Pennsylvania. He was a man of decided views and opinions, was a decided aboli- tionist and held various township offices. He was one of the early methodists in this section of the county. He married Mary Patterson,
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