USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 66
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 66
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has two children : Virginia T. and Margaretta; Caroline S., a teacher ; Blair P., and Tirzah M. Mrs. Marshall is a granddaughter of James Blair, of Ireland, who married a Miss Hunter, of Scotch descent, and came to Huntingdon county, from which he removed to Westmore- land county. Her maternal grandfather, Thomas Patterson, came from Ireland, and married a Miss Lytle, of Derry township, Westmoreland county, Pa.
William Marshall is an active republican, and has filled various township offices and is an elder in the United Presbyterian church, of which he and his wife are both esteemed mem- bers. He is a man of business ability and has frequently been executor and administrator, in which offices he has always served very credit- ably and efficiently.
W TESLEY WADE MILLER, one of the energetic and rising young business men of Parker City, is a son of John Wesley and Hannah (Pearsall) Miller, and was born at Brookville, Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1866. His father, John W. Miller, was born in Ohio, and came to Pennsylvania when about eighteen years of age. He was a carpen- ter and cabinet-maker by trade, which he fol- lowed for a number of years. For eighteen or twenty years before his death he was engaged in the grocery business in both Brookville and Parker City. He moved from the latter place in 1888 to Allegheny city, this State, where he died June 1, 1890, at sixty-nine years of age. He had been a member, since he was twenty years of age, of the M. E. church. He was a republican and a very active and stirring busi- ness man. He married Hannah Pearsall, daughter of Arad Pearsall, and a native of Brookville, Pa. She was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and died March 16, 1876, when forty six years of age. They were the parents of seven children.
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Wesley Wade Miller was reared in Jefferson county until he was eight years of age, when he came to Parker City with his father. He re- ceived his education in the public schools, and after leaving school served an apprenticeship of three years in the Phoenix printing office, of Parker City. Not liking the printing business, he in 1882 entered the office of the P. & W. railroad, at Parker City, where, in addition to regular office duties, he learned telegraphy. On May 1, 1883, he took charge of the P. & W. railroad office at Byromtown, Forest county, and was transferred from there to Clarion Junc- tion, from which, in a short time, he was sent to Foxburg, Clarion county, where he remained about three years as train dispatcher. In 1887 he came to Parker City, where he has served as ticket and freight agent ever since. He is also express agent for Wells, Fargo & Co., and has served faithfully and diligently in his different and responsible positions.
In 1885 Mr. Miller united in marriage with Kate Ervin, daughter of S. J. Ervin, of Parker City (see lis sketch). To this union has been born one child, a daughter, Ethel Lucile, born November 22, 1885.
W. W. Miller is a republican and is serving his second term as city auditor. He is a mem- ber of the M. E. church, Parker Council, No. 179, Royal Arcanum, and Parker Lodge, No. 761, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
D AVID MILLIRON. Few, if any, indus- tries have received more attention in the last few years than that of carriage-building, and one of the successful carriage manufacturers of this county is David Milliron, of Dayton. He is a son of Philip and Catherine (Procious) Milliron, and was born in Porter township (now Ringgold), Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, Au- gust 2, 1833. Tlie Milliron family is of Ger- man descent, and David Milliron, the grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was born in
Westmoreland county, from whence he removed in 1817 to Jefferson county, and afterwards went to Michigan, where he was engaged in farming until his death. He was a democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Barbara Cribbs, who was born in Germany and was brought by her parents to America when she was four years of age. They had five children, two sons and three daughters. One of these sons, Philip Milliron (father), was born August 9, 1809, in Westmoreland county, and went with his parents to Jefferson county, where he is engaged in farming in Ringgold township. He owns one hundred and thirty acres of land in that township, and, like his father, is a democrat and methodist. He married Catherine Procious, daughter of Nicolas Pro- cious, a lutheran, who owned a farm near the Westmoreland and Armstrong county line. They had seven children, five sons and two daughters. After the death of Mrs. Milliron, he married for his second wife Mrs. Eliza Weaver.
David Milliron was reared on his father's farm, received a common-school education, and learned the trade of blacksmith, which he fol- lowed for about twenty-five years. In July, 1863, he enlisted as a sergeant in Co. H, 57th regiment, Pa. Vols., and assisted in the capture of Gen. Morgan. He was mustered out of ser- vice on August 17, 1863. In the spring of 1873 he removed to Dayton, where he has since been engaged in the manufacture of carriages, and makes a specialty of all kinds of light work in his line of business. He is also engaged in drilling artesian wells with a steam drill, and in testing for coal and other minerals.
On August 19, 1855, he married Dorcas Freese, who was born in 1838 and is a daughter of Henry Freese, of Jefferson county, and to their union have been born five children, four sons and one daughter : Samuel F., who married Maggie Pontius, and is car-inspector at the coal works at New Bethlehem; Wesley C., who
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married Minnie Davis and follows his trade of blacksmith at Dayton; George B., who died September 22, 1865; Philip, who married Clara Rupp (now deceased) and is engaged in carriage manufacturing at Dayton, where he is a member of the Sr. O. U. A. M .; and Effie C.
David Milliron and his three sons are all stanch democrats. He has served three terms as justice of the peace in Jefferson county, and also two terms in the same office at Dayton. He is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a member of Council No. 400, Sr. O. U. A. M., of Dayton, and at one time was connected with the I. O. O. F. Mr. Milliron has a well-arranged carriage manufactory, en- joys a large trade and is a skilled mechanic in his line of business.
EPHRAIM MORROW, postmaster of Day- ton, and one of four brothers who served in the Union armies, ranked high as a station commander in the U. S. signal service. He is a son of Andrew and Mary (Cochrane) Mor- row, and was born in South Mahoning township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, Dec. 3, 1839. The Morrow family is of Irish descent, and one of its members, John Morrow (grandfather), was born in county Down, Ireland, from whence he emigrated to the United States in 1808, and settled in Cowanshannock township, Armstrong county, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1845, when he was in the eightieth year of his age. He was a member of the United Presby- terian church, and an old line whig. One of his sons, Andrew Morrow (father), was born in Ireland about 1804, and came to Armstrong county with his father, but in 1836 he removed to South Mahoning township, where he en- gaged in farming. He died in 1884, when he had attained the age of eighty years. He was an elder of the United Presbyterian church for about fifty years, aud supported the Republican
party. He held various township offices. He married Mary Cochrane, daughter of William Cochrane, of Armstrong county, and to their union were born eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom four are still living. Of the sons, John enlisted in 1863 in Co. G, 102d regt., Pa. Vols., and died in York,| Pa., in 1864; William, who enlisted in Co. A, 2d Battalion, Pa. Vols., and served six months ; and Dr. James J., entered the service of the United States in the fall of 1862, as captain of Co. G, 103d reg. Pa. Vols., served three years in the Army of the Potomac, was captured at Plymouth, N. C., by the Confederates, and held a prisoner of war for eleven months, during which time he escaped three times. Twice he was recaptured and taken back to Charlotte- ville, N. C., but the third time he succeeded in reaching Sherman's army. After he was mus- tered out of service, Dr. Morrow practiced medicine in Philadelphia, and in Crawford and Mercer counties. He died in Lawrence town- ship, Mercer county. Mrs. Morrow's father, William Cochrane (maternal grandfather), was a native of Ireland, and settled in Armstrong county, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, in 1850. He was a democrat in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian church.
Ephraim Morrow was reared on his father's farm, and after attending the subscription schools of his native township, he took an academic course, and taught two terms of school, after which he learned the trade of carpenter. On May 15, 1861, he enlisted in Co. K, 13th Penna. Reserves, and was transferred to the U. S. signal corps, in which he served one and one-half years, and then was in General Banks' Red river expedition in Louisiana. He was afterwards sent back to the U. S. signal corps, and placed in charge of a signal station on the coast of North Carolina, where he remained until he was mustered out of service, May 18, 1864. Returning to Pennsylvania, he went
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into the oil region, where he followed carpenter- ing. In 1874 he came to Dayton, which he has since made his home. On October 16, 1889, he was appointed by President Harrison as postmaster of Dayton, which office he still holds, and whose duties he carefully discharges.
On February 15, 1872, he married Nancy C. Mckay, daughter of D. W. Mckay, a sol- dier of the Union army, who was captured at Gettysburg and died in prison. To Mr. and Mrs. Morrow have been born two children, a son and a daughter : Mary J. and James E., now a printer at Kittanning.
Ephraim Morrow is a stanch republican, and in 1880 was appointed census-taker of the borough of Dayton and Wayne township. He is a member of J. Ed. Turk Post, No. 321, G. A. R., Union Veteran Legion, and Dayton Lodge, No. 400, Jr. O. U. A. M., of Dayton. Reliable as a citizen, faithful as a, soldier and efficient as a public official, Mr. Morrow has many warm friends.
FRANKLIN OTTINGER. In these days, H when so many accidents are occurring through ignorance and carelessness in tlie prep- aration of drugs and medicines, it is a matter of the greatest importance to the public to know where they can find reliable drug houses and competent pharmacists. One of the best quali- fied and most careful and attentive druggists of western Pennsylvania is Franklin Ottinger, of Parker City. He is a son of George and Eliza- beth (Haines) Ottinger, and was born in Bur- lington county, N. J., July 2, 1848. As the name indicates, the Ottingers are of German origin, and the American branch of the family is traced back in its residence in Pennsylvania to Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, where Franklin Ottinger's paternal grandfather, Alexander Ottinger, was born, reared, lived and dicd. He was a farmer, and of his sons who grew to manhood, one was George Ottinger (father), who
was born in 1812, and died in 1875, aged sixty-three years. When a young man he removed to Mt. Holly, the county-seat of Bur- lington county, N. J., where he became the proprietor and editor of the Mt. Holly Herald, a democratic paper of considerable force and extended circulation. The events of the last war changed Mr. Ottinger's political opinions, and he affiliated with the Republican party from 1861 to his death, which occurred in 1875. He was a prominent and useful member of the Baptist church, and married Elizabeth Haines, of Burlington county, N. J., who was reared in the Quaker faith, which she held until in the latter years of her life, when she united with the Baptist church. She was born in 1817, and passed away in 1882.
Franklin Ottinger was reared at Mt. Holly and in the city of Philadelphia. After obtain- ing a good English education he attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which institution he was graduated in 1868. Two years later he located in Pittsburgh, where he was engaged in the drug business until 1878, when he came to Parker City and established liis present drug house. He keeps a full assort- ment of fresh and pure drugs, chemicals and pharmaceutical preparations, all of which are up to the standard demanded by the United States Pharmacopoeia, besides toilet and fancy articles and proprietary remedies of established reputation. His drug house is complete in all its arrangements, and careful attention is given to the wants of a large and constantly increasing patronage.
In 1878 he married Ella S. Bair, daughter of William Bair, of Sharon, Pa. Their union has been blest with two children : George B. and Sue H.
Franklin Ottinger is a member of Parker Lodge, No. 761, I. O. O. F., Parker Council, No. 179, Royal Arcanum, and the Order of Solon. He is a republican in politics, has held various borough offices, and frequently, al-
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though not a politician, serves as a delegate to State and county conventions of his party. Mr. Ottinger has been engaged for several years as an oil producer. He is a pharmacist of skill, has a wide range of practical experience, and conducts his establishment upon the principles of integrity and correct business.
F ULLERTON PARKER, whose name will long live iu the recollections of the citizens of Parker City as a brave and kind-hearted man, was one of that class of strong, honest, active and courageous men, so essentially neces- sary to the growth and development of any town or city. He was a son of Judge John and Jane (Woods) Parker, and was born on the old Parker homestead, on the hill above Park- er City, in Parks township, Butler county, Pennsylvania, December 15, 1806. In the days of pioneer danger, privation and ad- venture in western Pennsylvania, the Parker family settled in what is now Washington coun- ty. Col. William Parker, the grandfather of Fullerton Parker, and in all probability a son of the founder of the family in western Penn- sylvauia, came from Washington county, in 1798, and settled near the site of Bear Creek furnace on Bear creek. He built the first grist- mill of northern Armstrong county, and although it was a log structure, equipped with machinery of the most primitive description, yet it was the main dependence for grinding of the settlers for many miles around. He was an influential man in his section, and prominent in military matters. One of his sons, George, was drowned at Pittsburgh, when Col. Parker was moving to Armstrong county. Another son was Hon. John Parker (father), who was one of the first associate judges of Butler coun- ty, and served as such for thirty-five years. He surveyed the northern part of the county, laid out Parker City as Lawrenceburg, in 1815, engaged largely in farıning, and was one of the
most prominent public men and highly re- spected citizens of his day. He was a presby- terian, and died in 1842, aged seventy-six years. He married Ann Woods, by whom he had eight sous and one daughter: James, John, Julietta, who married John Gilchrist ; William, Fullerton, George (see his sketch), Thomas and Wilson.
Fullerton Parker was reared on the home farm, and received his education in the schools of his neighborhood. In early life he operated a tanuery, and afterwards was successively engaged in most of the leading business enter- prises of Parker City until his death, in 1883. He owned the farm on which Parker City was principally built, aud was a republican in pol- itics. In the year 1832, he married Amelia Harris, daughter of Ephraim Harris, of Har- risville, Butler county. To them were born two sons and six daughters: Ephraim (de- ceased), William J., of Parker City; Jane M., wife of A. J. Haldeman; Mary A., married to P. M. Hollister; Juliet, wife of J. M. Agnew ; Ella P., intermarried with W. H. Spain; Liz- zie, wife of W. C. Mobley ; and Amelia, mar- ried to S. M. McGough. Mrs. Parker, who is a very intelligent and affable woman still, re- sides in the home mansion, where she is sur- rounded with all the comforts and enjoyments which make life happy and pleasant.
We leave to the pen of one well conversant with the history of Parker City to tell the story of Fullerton Parker's life, which he has ably done in the following article :
"Fullerton Parker, after a long and severe illness, died Wednesday, December 26, 1883. The name of Mr. Parker is well-known to many citizens of this city, and of the entire oil country, as he was identified with many of the important business interests and enterprises of the lower oil regions. Mr. Parker was one of the oldest residents of this section of the State. He was one of the projectors and principal stockholders of the Parker & Karns
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City and Karns City & Butler R. R., which, being built in 1873, were important fac- tors in the development of the Butler oil field. He was also one of the projectors and. leading stockholders in the Parker bridge, which was built in 1872. Through his enter- prise the Exchange Bank of Parker City was founded in 1871, and he was, for years, its president. Indeed, there was not any important enterprise connected with the growth of Parker City and the lower oil country in which he was not interested. Being a man of splendid phy- sique and indomitable energy, his enterprises were pushed vigorously and successfully, and the name of 'Uncle Fullerton,' as he was commonly called by his friends, was the syno- nym of courage and energy. With all his physical energy and mental shrewdness, Mr. Parker was a man of undoubted moral char- acter and courage. He was a consistent mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, and a man of decided convictions in regard to intemperance and Sabbath desecration. Many a time, in the palmy days of Parker, when the town was overrun by gamblers, Uncle Fullerton did the work of a half-dozen policemen, and he had the respect as well as the fear of the lower classes. With all his blunt and courageous manner, he was a true gentleman, and of a tender heart, and the children on the street all knew him, and welcomed the smile which he ever had for them. Having reached a good old age, liaving attained to the hoary head, which was to him 'a crown of glory,' he has passed away."
YEORGE PARKER. Descended from an old and honorable Pennsylvania family, George Parker lived a life of activity and use- fulness, and died enjoying the respect, good- will and confidence of his fellow-men. George Parker was the son of Judge John and Jane (Woods) Parker, and was the seventh of nine children, and was the last of the family to pass
away. He was born on the home farm adjoin- ing Parker and in Butler county, Pennsylva- nia, September 8, 1812. His paternal grand- father, Col. William Parker, moved from Washington county in 1798 to Bear creek, where he erected a mill. (See sketch of Ful- lerton Parker.) One of his sons, George Parker, was drowned, and another was Judge John Parker, a nephew of Hon. John Moore, the first president-judge of Westmoreland county. Judge Parker learned surveying with Judge Moore. In 1794, as a deputy for a sur- veyor by the name of Moore, Judge Parker surveyed most of the northern part of Arm- strong, and the southern part of Butler county. In 1797 he settled on six hundred acres of land in Butler county, adjoining the site of Parker City, which he afterwards purchased, and on which, in 1815, he laid out the village of Lawrenceburg (now the second ward of Parker City). He was an active and energetic business man, and one of the most prominent and respected citizens of his day. He was one of the first associate judges of Butler county, and filled that office for thirty-five years. He was principally engaged in farming and stock- raising. He was very influential and useful, and did much to promote and secure the settle- ment of his section of the county. He died in 1842, aged seventy-six years, and sleeps in Parker City cemetery. Judge John Parker was a strong presbyterian, and married Jane Woods, by whom he had nine children : James, John, Juliette (wife of John Gilchrist), William, Fullerton (see his sketch), Washington, George, Thomas and Wilson.
George Parker was reared on the homestead which he inherited, and obtained a good edu- cation in the schools of his boyhood days. He was chiefly engaged in farming and stock- raising, and was very successful in business. He also dealt in oil with good success. He was a republican politically and a member of the Presbyterian church.
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On June 20, 1843, he united in marriage with Jane D. Pollock, a woman of intelligence, refinement and distinguished ancestry. She is a daughter of Robert Pollock, and a grand- daughter of Margaret (Jackson) McCaughey, who was an aunt to Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States. Robert Pol- lock, son of Col. John Pollock, a large land- owner of Jefferson county, Ohio, was born in 1776, near Baltimore, Md., and died at Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio, in the year 1823. Mrs. Parker's grandmother, Margaret McCaughey, was, previous to marriage, Mar- garet Jackson, daughter of Dr. Joseph Jackson, of Ireland, who married Lady Mary Carr, sis- ter to Lord James Carr, and was the grand- father of President Andrew Jackson.
On December 10, 1887 (when in the sev- enty-sixth year of his age), life's labors closed with George Parker, and his spirit winged its flight from earth. His remains were interred in Parker City cemetery, and the following faithful and accurate delineation of his charac- ter as a Christian appeared in the public press :
"George Parker was born September 8, 1812, on the farm where he spent his life, close to the place where he fell asleep, and within sight of the spot where his body now rests awaiting the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God. In 1848 he united with the Presbyterian church, and soon afterwards was elected a member of the board of trustees, and held that office up to his death. Fre- quently the congregation desired him to hold the office of elder ; but, unassuming and diffi- dent, he did not think himself qualified, and therefore always declined. He was a man faithful in all his relations of life,-a loving husband, a kind, generous and sympathetic friend, and a consistent member of the church. His deep interest for his church and his desire for her prosperity he manifested in many ways. He always kept himself informed in regard to
her condition and needs, and out of his abun- dance he contributed cheerfully and liberally to the support of the Gospel. He loved the house of God, delighted in the worship of the sanc- tuary, especially in the songs of Zion, and Sab- bath morning always found him in the congre- gation of God's people. Some two weeks before his death, failing health compelled his retirement from active life. From the begin- ning of this sickness he seemed to feel that the end was near; yet the thought of death did not alarm him. He set his house in order, ar- ranged his temporal affairs, and then dismissed those matters from his mind, though he had a beautiful home here, and was surrounded by many dear to him, who honored and loved him ; yet he was not reluctant to depart. When the summons came, he was ready. All is well, he said, and fell asleep. When, on the following morning, we assembled in the sanc- tuary at the usual hour for worship, his famil- iar form was not to be seen in its accustomed place. His seat was vacant; his voice we could not hear; but we knew, in the sanctuary above, he, too, was engaged in praise and worship. He is missed at his home and in his church."
Mrs. Parker resides in the old Parker home- stead mansion, from which is obtained a com- manding view of many miles in the counties of Armstrong, Butler, Clarion and Venango.
A UGUSTUS T. PONTIUS, ex-commissioner of Armstrong county, and a Union vete- ran who lost an arm in the storm of battle be- fore Petersburg, is one of the successful mer- chants and business men of Parker City. He is a son of Ezra and Emily (Turner) Pontius, and was born at Dayton, Armstrong county, Penn- sylvania, December 24, 1841. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Pontius, was born Novem- ber 3, 1783, in Germany, and came to Centre county, from which he removed in 1812 to the vicinity of Dayton, where he was engaged in
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farming until his death in 1845, at fifty-eight years of age. His son, Ezra Pontius (father), was born near Dayton, December 15, 1814, and died in 1888, aged seventy-four years. He followed merchandising and farming, was an old-line whig and republican, and served in the Methodist Episcopal church for forty-five years as a steward and class leader. Although of limited education, yet he was some- what noted for business ability and financial success in his undertakings. He married Eliz- abeth Turney, daughter of Jacob Turney, a dry- goods merchant of Kittanning. Mrs. Pontius, wlio was a member of the M. E. churchi, was born in 1822, and passed away in 1862, at forty years of age.
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