Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 95

Author: McKelvey, A. T., 1844- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

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The three children born to Mr. and Mrs. McAllister were: Maude E., who is a grad- uate of the Morristown High School and also of the musical department of Mount Union College, Ohio, a lady of unusual musical gifts; Charles L., who was born January IT, 1884, died July 12th of the same year ; and Ethelynd I., who is still a student, and who displays marked musical ability on the violin. Both parents and daughters are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. McAllis- ter has been a trustee for the past 12 years. In every way our subject is a most worthy citizen and with his family belongs to the best social life in Morristown.

J. TAYLOR HENDERSHOT, one of the best known citizens of Washington township, Belmont County, is a prosperous general mer- chant of Hendershot, of which he is also the postmaster. He was born in this township in 1849, and is a son of Ilenry and Mary ( Bar- rett ) Hendershot.

Henry Hendershot engaged in farming all his life, and for many years lived on the farm now occupied by our subject. He died in 1885 and his wife in 1871. The mother was prob- ably a Virginian by birth, and was in the block-house at Wheeling during the trouble with Indians. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hender - shot became parents of the following children : John Peter, deceased, a soldier of the Civil War; William, deceased, who also served in the army; Henry Clay, deceased, also a soldier of the Union Army; Elizabeth, deceased; An- nie ( McGar), a widow, residing near Belmont ; Lydia Bell, deceased, and J. Taylor, subject of this biography.

J. Taylor Hendershot was reared and has always made his home on the farm. Early in the "nineties" he established a general store, carrying a stock of goods invoicing about $2,000, and this he has since conducted in a most successful manner. When Hendershot was made a post office some seven years ago onr subject received the appointment of post- master, in which capacity he has since con-

tinued. He owns a farm of 16o acres, all of which is well improved and is operated under his direction. He was joined in marriage with Eunice Hall, a daughter of Job Hall, and they have three children : Birdie O., now at Steu- benville; Foster Welch, at Captina Mills, and Bernie Baer, at home. Politically he is a Re- publican and has served as township trustee and in other local offices. He is a member of Moriah Lodge, No. 105, F. & A. M., of Pow- hatan. In religious attachment he is a member of Grand View Christian Church.

Job Hall, father of Mrs. Hendershot, was born in Richland township, Belmont County, in 1824, and is a son of William and Nancy (Dillon) Hall, and grandson of Dennis Hall. The last named moved to Wheeling from Lou- doun County, Virginia, in 1805, and later lo- cated in Pease township, and finally in Rich- land township, Belmont County, Ohio. He was a miller by trade and followed milling throughout life. He married Rachel Shu- bridge, who died in Knox County, Ohio, and of the children born to them four died before leaving Virginia. The others, William Y., John, James, Nancy, and Priscilla, are now all deceased. William Y. Hall, father of Job Hall, was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, January 9, 1795, and came with his father to Richland township. He resided in Belmont County until 1854, when he moved to the State of Iowa, locating in Appanoose County, where he followed carpentering and farming. His death occurred January 13, 1870. His wife, Nancy Dillon, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, in 1801, and was a daughter of Job and Catherine (Colly) Dillon, who emi- grated from Pennsylvania to Richland town- ship when Mrs. Hall was very small. She died in 1833 in the prime of life. Six children were born to William and Nancy Hall, name- ly : Alma, born in 1822, married and moved to Iowa, where she died: Job; Lovina, born in 1827, married Isaac Meck and died in this county; Melissa, born in 1820, died at Arm- strong's Mills; Catherine, born in 1831, died single, and Nancy, born in 1833, who is the wife of William Slay, of Glencoe.

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Job Hall was four years old when brought to Washington township, where he has since made his home, having now passed the age of 78 years. He was reared on a farm, but later took up the trade of a millwright when 33 years of age. lle engaged at various mills and continued in the business until some five years ago, his last work being to help put in the rolls at the Armstrong Mills, which were later burned. He has resided on his present home farm since 1859, and has followed farm- ing during that period. He was married in 18449 to Elizabeth Hendershot, who was born in Washington township in 1824, and is a daughter of Daniel and Mary ( Brewer) Hen- dershot. They have five children: Eunice, born in 1850 and wife of J. T. Hender- shot ; James W., born in 1852, died at the age of two years; Alonzo O., born in 1854, resides at Bellaire, where he is engaged in the gro- cery business; Mary, born in 1857, wife of Samuel Carpenter, of York township; and Viola, born in 1860, married Charles F. Kocher, a blacksmith, and resides at Arm- strong's Mills. Politically Mr. Hall is a Dem- ocrat and has served in various township of- fices. Fraternally he is a member of Captina Lodge, No. 429, 1. O. O. F. His wife is a member of the Christian Church and he is a Universalist.

FREDERICK FRALEY, well known as one of the representative farmers of Washing- ton township, Belmont County, was born in Germany, December 7, 1838, and was six months of age when brought by his parents to this country. His parents, Philip and Bar- bara ( Vite) Fraley, upon coming from Alsace, Germany, first located in Monroe County, Ohio, but shortly after came to Belmont Coun- ty, locating on Cat's Run, in Washington township.

The parents of our subject both died on the home farm, the father in 1867, at the age of 77 years, and the mother in December, 1879. There were seven children in the family of Philip Fraley, as follows: Jacob, half-brother

of our subject; George, deceased, whose son Charles lives on the old home farm; Peter, a farmer of Monroe County ; Frederick ; Philip, proprietor of the Beallsville Mills, who also owns a farm in Monroe County ; Barbara, wife of John Andregg. of Steubenville, Ohio, and Charlotte, wife of Henry Anshutz, of Wash- ington township. All remained at home until marriage and each had a farmn.

Frederick Fraley remained at home longer than the other children, and he and his brother Philip secured of Charles Danford the John Noffsinger farm, on which he now lives. He has 160 acres, which he devotes to general farming and stock raising, and he is considered one of the substantial and reliable farmers of the township.

Mr. Fraley was joined in marriage with Mary Schafer, who was born in Monroe County, Ohio, in 1841, and is a daughter of Jacob and Catherine ( Intzinger ) Schafer. Iler parents came from Wurtemberg, Germany, and were early residents of Monroe County, Ohio. They were parents of nine children, as follows : Godfrey, who resides near Barnes- ville; Jacob, an engineer of Sardi, Ohio; AAdam, a retired farmer, who conducts a hotel at Newport, Ohio; Frederick, a farmer living near New Martinsville, West Virginia; George, deceased; Levi, who resides near Som- erton, Ohio, and follows farming; Mary, wife of Mr. Fraley; Catherine, who is unmarried, and Elizabeth, wife of Frederick Walter, who lives in Switzer township, Monroe County, Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Fraley have to children, as follows: Edward, a farmer, located south of Hendershot, married Miss Wright and has three daughters-Lucy, Carrie and Mary; Pauline, wife of Mathias Brown, resi les near her father and has three children-Lucy, Minta and Nina ; Clara, widow of L. G. Brown, resides with her father and has three children -Francis, Clarence and Bessie : Caroline, wife of Alfred Schafer, resides in Washington township and has five children-Lawrence, Leslie, Frederick, Elsie and a baby ; Charles, a farmer, living southeast of Beallsville, Mon-

HERMAN HARTENSTEIN.

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roe County, married Sevilla Kocher and has three children-Effie, Arlie and Lester; John WV. resides in Davenport, Iowa, and is un- married; George, who is in the pottery busi- ness at Steubenville, married Luella Schraw- ger and has two children-Dewey and Rus- sell; Jacob T., who resides in Steubenville, married Blemma Bilyen; Harry Berton, who is at home, and Oliver B., of Steubenville, Ohio. Two children died in infancy. In pol- itics Mr. Fraley is a strong supporter of Dem- ocratic principles. He is a Lutheran in re- ligious views and his wife is a Methodist.

HERMAN HARTENSTEIN, a venerable and honored resident of Belmont County, Ohio, has spent almost half a century of his useful life in the iron and steel works. h 1900 he retired to his farm near Bellaire,- this farm is most beautifully situated, being located on a hill overlooking the Ohio River. The original purchase contained but 30 acres, but later a 50-acre tract adjoining was added, making it one of the finest 80-acre farms in the vicinity. Here Mr. Hartenstein carries on general farming and his activity would put to shame many a younger man. Valuable sand pits are to be found on his land and large quan- tities of sand are sold for molding purposes.

As the same indicates, the subject of this sketch is of German nativity. His birth took place in October, 1830, in Saxony, Germany, and he is a son of Henry Hartenstein, who with his family emigrated from the fatherland, lo- cating in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1844. Purchasing a tract of land in that county, Henry Hartenstein followed agricul- tural pursuits for many years. About a year prior to his death, he sold his farm and re- moved to a near-by town. Both he and his wife died in 1895-within six weeks of each other-and both were octogenarians at the time of their deaths.

Although living in a distant county, our subject made it a rule to visit his aged par- ents at least once a year for many years be-

fore their deaths. He has four sisters, who reside on farms in different parts of Butler County, Pennsylvania, and his brother, Louis, is successfully engaged in mercantile life in the same State.

Mr. Hartenstein obtained his primary edu- cation in Germany, and after locating in the United States attended night school. When 15 years of age, he secured employment in the iron works at Brady's Bend, Armstrong Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, continuing to work there until 1849, when the plant was closed. After a brief sojourn at Pittsburg, he went to Wheel- ing, and followed the fortunes of a miner a few months. The following year ( 1850), upon the opening of the Belmont Mills, Mr. Harten- stein entered the employ of Bailey, Woodward & Co., continuing in the employ of that firm for many years after the La Belle Mill was built there by them, working in all 17 years with the Belmont and La Belle companies. He first worked in the rolling department and later was employed for years in the boiling rooms. Ile tended the puddling furnaces and, as the business grew, became manager of the puddling and heating furnaces, retaining that position for years.

In 1886 Mr. Hartenstein entered the steel works as assistant manager and filled that po- sition in an able manner until his retirement from the service in 1900, having spent 49 years in the business. He is well known all over the steel region and is one of the few men now living who were among the early em- ployees of the mills.

In February, 1852, our subject was united in marriage with Louisa Knipping, who was born in Germany in 1833 and is a daughter of Will- iam and Theresa ( Schlinkey ) Knipping. She came to this country in 1844 and was reared in the family of her step-father, August Wied- ebusch, who lived in Wheeling, West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Hartenstein have five daugh- ters and three sons living and have lost several children. Their two eldest sons, August and llerman, reside in the West. Albert, the youngest son, is a druggist in Bellaire. The daughters are Leona ( Mrs. John Murphy).

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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF BELMONT COUNTY,

Roberta ( Mrs. Peter Kern), Louisa ( Mrs. Jo- seph Glasser), Mary ( Mrs. James McKee) and Annie, wife of John Glasser, a manti- facturer of some note. All reside in Bellaire.

Mr. Hartenstein is a faithful follower of the Democratic party. While a resident of Wheel- ing, he served three years as a member of the City Council. Mr. Hartenstein was captain in the West Virginia State Militia during the Civil War. In fraternal circles, he is a promi- nent Mason, having a membership of 20 years' standing. He affiliates with the blue lodge and chapter of Bellaire and with Hope Com- mandery, No. 26, K. T., of St. Clairsville. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F. since he was 21 years of age. He is an active member of the Lutheran Church and contributed large- ly toward its support. From the foregoing it will be seen that our subject has led a long and active life and, although now in advanced years, is still a useful member of his com- munity.

Mrs. Hartenstein's father fought in the bat- tle of Waterloo and was never wounded. He was a brave soldier and was granted a life pen- sion by King William, who also awarded him a brass medal.

SAMUEL W. PERKINS, a farmer and stock raiser residing in section 17, Kirkwood township, Belmont County, was born in this township July 14, 1849. He is a son of Rev. Jonathan and Rebecca ( Majors) Perkins, and a grandson of Samuel Perkins, after whom he was named. The last named was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his widow received a pension for nearly 15 years.

Rev. Jonathan Perkins was born June 15, 1820, where the house of our subject now stands, and was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. He trav- eled the Moorefield circuit and was senior min- ister of the circuit. Ile later had a local charge and was a man of great popularity, en- joying the distinction of having united in marriage and buried more people than any other minister in the county. Ile served as

justice of the peace some 12 or 15 years, and his efforts were successful in amicably settling the differences of his neighbors without the intervention of the courts. During the Civil War he was captain of a military company which he took out to oppose the Morgan raid. He was a strong abolitionist and believed in a vigorous prosecution of the war. At one time he owned nearly a section of land and was a very successful farmer. In 1872 he had a large quantity of wool destroyed in the great Boston fire, but his loss was comparatively slight, owing to the property being insured. His death, which occurred August 28, 1887, was widely deplored, as he had lived a very useful life and came from one of the early families of the county. Ile joined the church at the age of 17 years and ever after was a consistent Christian. He served as a class leader in the church at Salem, and during a period of 15 years never missed a class meet- ing. He was united in marriage February 8, 1846, to Rebecca Majors, who was born in section 18, Kirkwood township, September 9, 1825, and died August 25, 1902. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for many years was quite active in church work. She was a great home woman until the death of her husband, when home lost its charins, and she thereafter spent her de- clining years at the homes of her children, whose chief joy was ministering to her wants. Eight children blessed the union of Rev. and Mrs. Perkins, five of whom survive, namely : Sarah E., wife of George E. Smith; Samuel WV. : Margaret R., wife of J. W. Anderson, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wichita, Kansas; Josephine O., wife of Albert S. Reynolds, a justice of the peace of Kirk- wood township, and N. S. G., who resides where his father lived.

Sammuel W. Perkins was educated in the common schools and later at Hopedale, after which he took to agricultural pursuits. lle has 210 acres of well improved land, and all is underlaid with coal. He raises some stock that he sells, and winters about 35 head. Ile is one of the substantial men of his township,

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of which he is now serving his second term as trustec.

March 29, 1876, Mr. Perkins was united in marriage with Nannie A. Anderson, a native of this county, and a daughter of D. P. and Margaret Anderson, the former of whom died in 1890, and the latter April 18, 1902, at the age of 86 years. Mr. Anderson and wife had the following children: Rev. J. W .; Mary, wife of Rev. W. G. Cash, superintendent of schools at Morristown for a time; Nannie A., and Ella M., wife of G. W. Warrick, who re- sides on the old Anderson homestead in this county. Our subject and his wife have four children, as follows: Emsley O., a member of the class of 1904 at Athens College: Isa Edith, who married F. J. Hamilton, a manti- facturer of cigars at Hendrysburg, O., and has a daughter, Carrie L .; Jonathan F., who lives at home on the farm, and Margaret R., who is attending school. Our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been trustee and steward. He has frequently served as super- intendent of Sunday-schools and has been a leader for about 10 years. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias. In poli- tics he is a Republican.

J. C. ISRAEL, a well-known agriculturist residing in section 2, Kirkwood township. Belmont County, Ohio, was born on his pres- ent farm December 21, 1833. TTe is a son of Robert and Mary (Taylor) Israel, and grand- son of Jolin Israel, who was a civil engineer and laid out the town of Sewellsville.

John Israel was born in England and came to the United States at an early age, settling in Maryland. He came to Ohio in TSor, and with his brother-in-law, Nicholas Gazaway, entered section 2, Kirkwood township, in part- nership, this farm having since remained in possession of the family. On account of ill health he took a trip to the West Indies, and returned mich benefited, but soon after died. TTis wife, Rachel Clary, died on the home farm at the age of 82 years. They had a family of

12 children, II of whom grew to maturity, but all have now passed away.

Robert Israel was born on the home farm in 1806, and lived there until he retired from active business, then moved to Morristown, where he died in 1891. He was a farmer and stock raiser and for a period of 20 years was a trustee of his township. He was a mem- ber and elder of the Christian Church in Mor- ristown. He was an ardent Whig and later a Republican, favoring a vigorous prosecution of the Civil War. He married Mary Taylor, whose father, Noble Taylor, was one of the best known men and largest land owners in the county at the time of his death, about the middle of the 19th century. Mrs. Israel was born in 1810 and died in 1858. To this union were born the following children: Sarah E., born in 1831 and died in 1868, was the wife of John M. Dickerson; J. C .; Noble J., born in 1836 and died in 1880; Clarissa A., wife of John M. Dickerson, resides in Muskingum County ; and Joseph H., who died in 1876.

J. C. Israel received his education in the dis- trict schools and has lived on the home farm all his life. With his brother, Noble J., he entered the army under General Brooks and was called out to repel the Rebels, who sought to invade the Northern States from Canada. They were in the service a period of 17 months and were with the regiment at Cleveland dur- ing Morgan's raid, and were sent as guards on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Our subject has some 363 acres of land, all well improved and underlaid with coal. He raises stock and grain, his land averaging from 50 to 75 bush- els of corn to the acre. He has never had to buy grain with which to feed his stock. He has served as land appraiser, was township assessor two years, and school director 12 years. He was county commissioner six years. beginning in 1885, and acted in that capacity during the construction of the county build- ings.

In 1856 Mr. Israel was joined in marriage with Elizabeth A. Pryor, by whom he had one child, who died in infancy. Mrs. Israel died in February, 1858, at the age of 22 years, and

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in 1860 he formed a second union with Sarah E. Skaggs, who died in 1860, leaving three children : E. L., a farmer in Union township, who married Ella Landers and has four chil- dren-Roy, Hobart, Dewey and Lillian; Mat- tie, a twin of E. L., who died at the age of six months; and Robert, a pharmacist of Mor- ristown, who married Mattie McCarrahan and has two children-John B. and Abbie. In 1871 Mr. Israel married Maria G. Gregg, a daughter of Steven C. Gregg, county commis- sioner for many years, and they have two sons, Emmet G., of Oklahoma, who married Kate Hill, and Albert, of Texas. Religiously our subject is an elder and member of the Chris- tian Church. He is probably the oldest Re- publican in the county, although not the oldest man.

JAMES PATTON FERGUSON, who has lived in the section of Belmont County known as Wheeling township since 1859, is engaged in the occupation of general farming, and also raises some fine stock, especially in sheep and cattle. lle is of Irish descent, being a son of Malcolm and Mary ( Patton) Ferguson, and a grandson of Samuel Ferguson, who was born in Ireland and immigrated to this country during the early part of the last century.

Samuel Ferguson settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at first, soon after his arrival in the United States, but his residence there was but of short duration for he removed to the State of Ohio in 1824, and was located in Colerain township, Belmont County, for a time. Then he lived with his daughter Han- nah on a farm in Wheeling township. This farm was his home during the remainder of his life and is but a short distance away from the land owned by our subject. While living in Pennsylvania, the first wife of Mr. Ferguson was taken away by death, leaving him six children, namely : James, Malcolm, Benja- min, Hannah, Sarah Ann and Eliza Jane. James Ferguson was born in Pennsylvania in 1808 and removed with his father to Ohio in 1824. He was educated in part in the com-

mon schools, but on the whole his education was mostly obtained through his own, indi- vidual efforts, for he was a natural student and had a wonderful aptitude for mathematics, oftentimes receiving difficult problems for so- lution from his relatives and friends in Ire- land. He made his home at McComb, Han- cock County, Ohio, reared a large family of children and lived to a very old age, being found dead in his bed one morning. Benja- min Ferguson was born in 1816. Hannah was was born in 1810 and married George Coss, a native of Ross County, near Chillicothe, Ohio. She is now deceased and left five children to mourn her loss. Sarah Ann was born in 1814 and married Mr. Wood. Eliza Jane was born in 1818, and married William Sloan, of Harrisville, Ohio. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Ferguson married a second time, but the second wife also died while he was in Pennsylvania and left no children.

Malcolm Ferguson, the father of our sub- ject, was born July 27, 1812, and was a native of the Keystone State. He, like his father, was also married twice, the first marriage be- ing contracted with Mary Patton, the mother of our subject, who was a daughter of James H. and Jane ( Walker) Patton. The maternal grandmother of our subject was a sister of Rev. John Walker, one of the founders and first teachers of Franklin College, and died at the advanced age of 91 years. When James P. Ferguson was but four years of age his mother died, leaving one other child, Mary Miller, and some time later his father married Julia A. Miller, a daughter of David Miller of Cadiz, Ohio, and a school teacher by profes- sion. They also had two children, named William Hanna and Nancy Jane. Mary Mil- ler, our subject's own sister, was born April 20, 1844, and in October, 1867, was united in marriage with Samuel MeCracken of Wiscon- sin and had the following children: Malcolmi F .. born September 13. 1868; Robert F., born June 15, 1870, who has been two years in the service of the United Presbyterian Church at Xenia, Ohio. Mrs. McCracken married a sec- ond time, being united with William Voshall,

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February 17, 1876, but died April 15, 1877. She and her infant daughter were buried in one coffin.

William Hanna Ferguson was born October 20, 1847, and obtained a thorough education at Franklin College, after which he took a course at the theological seminary, at Xenia, becoming a minister of the United Presby- terian Church. He was located at Uniontown, Ohio, for a time, and at Piper City, Illinois, prior to locating in Lisbon Center, New York, his present place of residence. He chose for his wife Sarah Armstrong of Logan County, but they have no children.

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Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 95

Author: McKelvey, A. T., 1844- ed Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: McKelvey, A. T., 1844- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490