USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume II > Part 16
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who lived to be ninety-one years of age. 4. Benjamin. 5. Jemima. 6. Sarahı.
(II) Alexander (2), son of Alexander ( 1) Gibboney, was educated in the subscription schools of his section, Mifflin county, and assisted his father in the woolen mill near Belleville, and later became a manufac- turer of woolen goods. He was an active, energetic man and con- tinued in prosperous business until his death. He was a Democrat and took an active interest in public affairs. Ile married Elizabeth Alexan- der, born in Kishacoquillas Valley, and with her husband belonged to the Presbyterian church. He reared a family including a son, Albert G., see forward.
(III) Albert G., son of Alexander (2) Gibboney, was born near Belleville, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, August 25, 1818, died April 2, 1887. He was educated in the public school and Lewistown Academy, but all his life was a student and pursued a course of wide reading. He worked with his father in the woolen mill until he was twenty-one, then followed farming until 1861, in Union township, then established the first drug store in Belleville, in partnership with his brother, Dr. Samuel Gibboney, continuing there in successful business all his re- maining years. He was a leading member of a debating society, deeply interested in nature study, and a regular correspondent for the news- papers of his section. In politics he was a Democrat, serving for twenty- five years as school director. He was deeply interested in all progres- sive movements in his town, and a faithful member of the Presbyterian church.
He married Penninah, daughter of John Morrison, a farmer. Chil- dren: 1. Howard Eugene, married Mary Steeley. 2. Elizabeth Alex- ander. 3. Granville M., born August 7. 1847. a merchant of Reeds- ville: married Marian Cordelia Bell: two children, Albert and Irene. 4. William Morrison, of whom further. 5. Charles Bowers, married Jen- nie Brindle. 6. Samuel Rush, a druggist of Salina. Kansas, unmarried. 7. Albert Victor, died aged five years. 8. Kate Morrison, died aged four years. 9. Thomas Sherman, married Margaret Fultz.
(IV) William Morrison, son of Albert G. and Penninah (Morri- son) Gibboney, was born on the Gibboney homestead, near Belleville. Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. August 17, 1852. He was educated in the public school of Belleville, and began business life as a clerk in his
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father's drug store, going from there to a similar position in a drug store at Roaring Springs, Blair county, Pennsylvania. He spent a year in the drug business in South Bend, then returned to Belleville, succeeding his father in business at the death of the latter, continuing until 1895, when he sold his interest. He took an active part in the organization of the Kishacoquillas Valley railroad, and served as treasurer during its construction. In the year 1900 he was chosen auditor of the railroad, a position he yet holds. He has prospered in business and is one of the substantial, respected men of his town. He is an elder of the Belle- ville Presbyterian Church, and in political faith is a Democrat, serving as postmaster from 1884 to 1892.
He married, in 1881, Letitia Strayer, born at Port Royal, Pennsyl- vania. died May 1, 1905, daughter of George and Susan Strayer. He married (second) in 1907, Mrs. Amelia Hassinger, of Milroy. Chil- dren by first marriage: 1. Leonore, born in 1883, deceased ; married A. C. Helfrick. 2. Hazel S., born August 4, 1888: now a student at Millersville State Normal. 3. Albert G. (2), born July 17, 1893 ; grad- uate of Belleville High School, class of 1909, and post-graduate 1910; he is a druggist in Belleville in the store his father repurchased in 1912.
WILLS Samuel Wills, the first recorded ancestor of this family in America, was one of the very earliest settlers in Kishaco- quillas valley, where he located in about the year 1780, two miles and a half south of Belleville, Pennsylvania. He was of Scotch- Irish descent, living a quiet and industrious life, and deporting himself in every respect as a worthy and most respectable citizen. He acquired a considerable amount of land and cultivated a farm which was a very large one for those days, and which at his death was divided among his several sons. A part of this original tract is still owned by a Wills, a great-grandson. He died on the homestead in 1799, and was buried in the old Kishacoquillas cemetery three miles west of Belleville. His wife was Miss Martha Brown, a sister of Judge William Brown, who was, like himself, a staunch member of the Presbyterian church and of Scotch-Irish descent.
(II) James Wills, son of Samuel and Martha (Brown) Wills, was born on his father's farm in Kishacoquillas valley near Belleville, where he grew to maturity. He was, like his father, a cultivator of the soil;
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and inherited the homestead where he resided until his death in 1845. His share of the paternal property after the division, was three hundred and sixty acres; and this was divided at his death among his three surviving sons, one hundred and twenty acres to each. He married Rachel Jackson, who was born at McAlevys Fort in Huntingdon county, and had eight children: Joseph Jackson, sold his share of the homestead and died in Iowa ; Samuel Brown, lived and died on his share; William John, died in childhood; James Thomas, of further mention : Margaret, deceased, wife of John W. Wilson; Mary, deceased, wife of William John Fleming : Martha, deceased, wife of John Fleming Wilson; Rachel, deceased, wife of Samuel Mckinney Fleming.
( II) James Thomas Wills, son of James and Rachel (Jackson) Wills, was born December 14, 1834, on the old Wills homestead, where he passed his entire life, dying there May 2, 1900. He was a prominent man in the community in which he lived, being a member of the Repub- lican party and serving in various township offices, supervisor, school director and as assessor for a period of nine years. He was also a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church which he served as trustee for many years. On February 1, 1866, he was married to Mary Jane Fleming, who was born on the old Fleming homestead midway between Belle- ville and Allensville, September 11, 1845, and died September 21, 1900. She was a member of the Presbyterian church; and was the daughter of James and Eliza B. (Wills) Fleming (see Fleming Family). Mr. and Mrs. Wills had one son, James Fleming, of further mention.
(IV) James Fleming Wills, son of James Thomas and Mary Jane ( Fleming) Wills, was born at Belleville, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, October 12, 1871. His education was acquired in the common schools and at Indiana State Normal School, where he graduated in 1894. Mr. Wills had, however, taught school two years prior to his graduation; and at the close of his school work at Indiana, resumed his occupation of teacher, devoting ten more years to this career in the common schools. He was principal of the Belleville High School for six years, and for one year was principal at Allensville. So satisfactory had been his career as teacher that in May, 1905, he was elected superintendent of the schools of Mifflin county, being reelected in 1908 to fill the same posi- tion. and again reelected in 1911. He was the first official in the county to be twice reelected to this position, and enjoyed the highest confidence
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and esteem of his fellow citizens for the fine educational work which lie achieved. Mr. Wills is a member of the Presbyterian church as all of his forefathers have been, and to which his wife also belongs. He is a member of the session in said church. Mrs. Wills, to whom he was married on October 10, 1895, was Miss Margaret May McClintic, a native of Belleville and daughter of Mr. Joseph H. McClintic, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Wills owns the old family homestead and has also a comfortable home in Belleville. He and his wife have four children: Margaret Rachel, born October 13, 1898; Mary Elizabeth Jane, November 25, 1900; Nellie Allegra, October I, 1903; James Henderson, August 29, 1904.
(The Fleming Family).
(I) The Fleming family in Pennsylvania is a very large one, having many collateral lines in descent from the original ancestor. The progeni- tor of the line under consideration was Robert Fleming, who located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in about the year 1700. He married the daughter of John Welch, whose wife was a daughter of John Knox, the Scotch apostle of Calvinism. They had a son, William, mentioned below.
(II) William Fleming, son of Robert Fleming, removed to Chester county while yet a young man, and resided near the place where Henry Wilson's house now stands. He married Mrs. Elizabeth (Wil- son ) Gettys, who lies buried in the old West Kishacoquillas Presbyterian cemetery. After the death of his wife he moved further west, and may have settled in Armstrong county ; but this is not certain. Among his sons was Joseph, of further mention.
(III) Joseph Fleming, son of William and Elizabeth Fleming, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and came early to Mifflin county, probably with his father. He did not go west with his father, but set- tled in Menno township where he followed farming all his life. His wife was Elizabeth Martin, daughter of John Martin, a soldier of the revolutionary war, who fought at Paoli under General Wayne in 1777. and was killed there. Among the children of Joseph Fleming were James, of further mention; John, Martin, Joseph, Margaret, Elizabeth. and Ann, who died at the age of eleven years.
(IV) James Fleming, son of Joseph and Elizabeth ( Martin) Flem-
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ing, was born probably in Menno township, where he grew to maturity and became a farmer and land owner. He was a Democrat and a prom- inent man in his party in the township and county, serving one term as county commissioner and leaving a record for good administration. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, as was also his wife, who was Miss Eliza B. Wills before her marriage. They had six children : Samuel M., died on the farm in Menno township; Elizabeth, deceased, married Henry S. Wilson; Joseph Henderson, a Presbyterian minister, died in Franklin county; John Martin, retired farmer, living in Belle- ville : Mary Jane, married to James Thomas Wills ( see Wills III) ; James R., a merchant of Belleville.
YEAGER This name was introduced in Pennsylvania by German emigrants from the Valley of the Rhine, who came be- tween the years 1710 and 1765. They settled in what was then Philadelphia county, but now included within the limits of Montgomery county. They had numerous descendants and in the revo- lutionary records of Pennsylvania, the names of Adam, Christian, Christopher, Andrew, Matthew, Casper, George, Frederick, Peter and John Yeager appear as brave soldiers in the war of independence. Of these Andrew is the progenitor of the line herein recorded.
(II) Andrew Yeager, who married Anna Barbara Schuster of Lachen, near Heidelberg, Germany, in 1755, was one of the carliest set- tlers in Lykens Valley and his name appears as one of the earliest set- tlers of the Lykens Valley. He served in the revolution under three enlistments. In 1776 he was a member of Captain Albright Deibler's company of Associators and was at the battles of Trenton and Prince- ton : in 1779, a private of Captain John Rutherford's company, and in 1781 served in Captain Martin Weaver's company. He married and left issue.
(III) John, son of Andrew Yeager, "the Patriot", was born in Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1767, died February 19, 1835, the sixty-eighth anniversary of his birth. He purchased three hundred acres in the Lykens Valley and is said to have built the first bank barn in the valley. He was baptized and confirmed in the Re- formed church and his funeral services were conducted by Rev. Isaac Gerhart, of that church, who chose for his text on that occasion a quota-
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tion from Isaiah 57-2: "He shall rest in peace". John Yeager married, July 1, 1788, Catherine Rau, also of German descent. Children: six sons and three daughters.
(IV) Jacob, son of John and Catherine (Rau) Yeager, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1793. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and later moved to Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, where the village of Yeagertown is named in his honor. He purchased an old flouring mill there in 1842 which stood until 1857, then was torn down, and after being rebuilt was operated by Jeremiah M., a son and later by Jesse Arin, a grandson of the founder of the family at Yeagertown. Jacob Yeager was also a farmer and a man of considerable inventive genius. He patented in 1830 a mold board for a plow that came into universal use in the United States. He married, in 1815, Mrs. Susanna Fisher, daughter of George and Barbara (Hoffman) Buffington, who bore him eight children. Susanna Buffington was a lineal descendant of Richard Buffington, born in Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, 1654, and came to the United States, where, according to a statement made in the Pennsylvania Gasette (published in Philadelphia, for week ending July 5. 1739), his eldest son was the first English child born in the province of Pennsylvania. Susanna was a daughter of George Buf- fington, a soldier of the revolution and the founder of the Buffington family in the Lykens Valley. He married, September 2, 1782, Barbara, born in Berks county, Pennsylvania. May 31, 1763, daughter of Peter Hoffman, born in Germany, 1709, and came to this country in 1739 on the ship "Robert and Alice".
(V) Jeremiah M., youngest of the eight children of Jacob and Susanna (Buffington) Yeager, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsyl- vania, March 26, 1832, died in Yeagertown, Mifflin county, Pennsyl- vania, December 30, 1906. He attended the public schools, but when a boy of ten years began working in his father's flour mill at Yeager- town. He continued in the milling business, and when the old mill, that had stood for over sixty years was torn down in 1859, and a new mill erected, Jeremiah M. Yeager was its proprietor and his own "head miller". He seems to have had a patriotic milling force, for during the war between the states five of his assistant millers left him to enlist in the Union army. Mr. Yeager continued in the milling business many years, prospered and built up a large business. He was quiet and unob-
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trusive in manner, yet forceful, and of such upright character that his name stood as a synonym for probity, sobriety, charity and honorable dealing. The business he inherited from his father he passed on to his son, greatly enlarged. but, better still, he left a name unsullied and ranking in the commercial world among the best. He married (first) Mary J., daughter of William Creighton of Scotch and Welsh ancestry. She was born in Derry township in that part now included in Yeager- town, died March 22. 1873. aged 38. He married (second ) December 22, 1874. Mrs. Anna Maria (Mann) Brisbin, daughter of William (2). founder of the Mann axe and tool works near Lewistown, Pennsylvania. The only living child of the second marriage is Bertha M., who married Charles A. Rice of Reedsville. Children of first marriage: 1. William J., now a member of Spanogle Yeager Milling Company of Reedsville and Lewistown, Pennsylvania ; married, May 20, 1880, Almira Spa- nogle : children : Andrew J., Mary Edith and William J. (2). 2. Rev. James Martin. D. D., graduate of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, president of Drew Ladies' Seminary, 1891 to 1899; member of Pennsylvania House of Assembly in 1907-8: a preacher, orator, educator and lecturer of national fame, now residing in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. In 1907 he was appointed by President Roosevelt United States marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, which office he still holds ( 1913). He married, October 13. 1886, Emma McElroy, of Rhinebeck, New York : children : James Creighton and Marion. 3. Jesse Orin, of whom further.
(VI) Jesse Orin, youngest son of Jeremiah M. Yeager and his first wife. Mary J. Creighton, was born in Yeagertown, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1864. He was educated in the public schools, Lewistown Academy and Dickinson Seminary (Williamsport, Pa.). whence he was graduated B. S., class of 1883. He supplemented his classical education by a course at Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, whence he was graduated in 1884, then returned to Yeagertown and entered the milling business with his father. He was made manager of the mills. his father's weight of years gladly yielding the burdens of business to the younger man. The history of the Yeager mills so long in the fam- ily is an interesting one. The original mill erected in 1776 was bought by Jacob Yeager in 1842. rebuilt by him in 1857 and operated by Jere- miah M. until succeeded by his son: rebuilt in 1892 and the roller
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process of flour manufacture installed, and since then remodelled and modern machinery erected as new inventions came into use. Originally a flour and grist mill, the output now is entirely whole wheat flour, which is shipped all over the United States, being the only mill in Pennsylvania entirely devoted to the manufacture of whole wheat flour. The capacity is seventy-five barrels daily, employing from ten to fifteen men. In 1886 Mr. Yeager added to his milling business a coal and lumber yard and later a complete line of building materials. In 1908 he installed an electric power plant in Yeagertown, with a capacity of from three hundred to four hundred kilowatts daily, which has been furnished to the Penn Central Light & Power Company under con- tract. The plant is one of the most modern in the state and so per- fectly appointed that for the past year (1913) not an hour has been lost. Mr. Yeager is a director of the Citizens' National Bank and secretary of the board; director of the Lewistown and Reedsville Water Company, and interested in several other corporate enterprises. He is a progressive, capable man of affairs, and possesses the entire confidence of his business associates. He is a Republican in politics and has served as supervisor of Derry township. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The family home is at Yeager- town. He is a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Patriotic Order Sons of America.
He married June 21, 1892, Josephine L. Case, of Denver, Colorado, datighter of Charles H. and Susannah (Madden) Case, of an old New England family.
This family is of German origin, John Keister and his KEISTER wife Lydia, natives of Germany, having come to this country somewhere about the beginning of the last cen- tury and settled in Lancaster or Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. They remained in the place of their first location for awhile, removing subsequently to Union county, where Mr. Keister followed the vocation of farming for many years.
(II) Levi Keister, son of John and Lydia Keister, was born in the year 1808, in Union county, where his parents made their permanent home after arriving in America, settling in Pennsylvania. He became a miller, locating at Doyles Mills, in Juniata county, removing afterward
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to Lewistown, where he continued this occupation. With the idea of improving his fortunes and bettering his trade he again moved, locating successively at Oakland Mills and Gaymans Mills, and finally took up his permanent residence in Mexico, Pennsylvania, where he entered the service of the Pennsylvania railway, in which he remained until his death, in May. 1857. In his political affiliations Mr. Keister was an old time Whig. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, as was also his wife, to whom he was married while in Juniata county. She was a Miss Susanna Cooper before her marriage, and was born in Tuscarora valley. in the year 1817, dying in 1877, twenty years after the death of her husband. She was a daughter of John and Abigail (Okeson) Cooper, and was of mingled English and Dutch descent, her father hav- ing been of English ancestry and her mother's people having come from Holland. After their marriage they made their home in Tuscarora valley. where Mr. Cooper became a farmer, owning his land, which he cultivated with much profit for a number of years, the former dying in Mexico, Pennsylvania, and the latter at Port Royal. They belonged to the Baptist and Presbyterian churches. Six children were born to them : Thomas, died a few years ago at Paw Paw, West Virginia ; John, died in boyhood: Samuel, died in Port Royal: William, died in Cumberland. Maryland ; Mary Jane, married William Hoopes, now deceased : Susanna, became Mrs. Keister.
Mr. and Mrs. Keister had seven children: John, killed on an engine in the service of the Pennsylvania railway, March 5. 1876; Catherine, a school teacher, died unmarried in the fall of 1909, aged sixty-seven years ; Albert, died young : William, died young ; Joseph and Samuel A .. twins, the former being engineer at the round house in Harrisburg, and the latter mentioned further.
(III) Samuel Albertson Keister, son of Levi and Susanna (Cooper) Keister, and twin brother of Joseph Keister, was born January 19, 1854. in Lost Creek Valley, near Mc.Alisterville, Juniata county. He attended the public schools of the county until the age of seventeen years, when he entered business life as a fireman on the Pennsylvania railroad, re- maining in this capacity for ten years. While a fireman he let the first dipper down on the Pennsylvania railway to take water while the train was running. Being injured in the performance of his duties as fire- man on the road, he was promoted to the rank of engineer, and left
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the railway service altogether in 1904 to go into business on his own ac- count at Port Royal. Here he built a store in which he carried on a general merchandise business, making a specialty of produce. He owns a fine brick property. He has been very successful in liis various indus- tries, and is esteemed one of the most prominent citizens in the com- munity. In politics Mr. Keister is a Republican, and so highly is he regarded among his fellow citizens that he has been called upon to serve as a member of the town council. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, as is also his wife, who was a Miss Mary McManigil; they were married October 24, 1893.
Mrs. Keister is a native of Huntingdon county, having been born May 14, 1854, daughter of John and Jennie ( Rudy ) McManigil, natives also of Huntingdon county. Mr. McManigil was a hotel keeper at various localities in the state-at Bellefonte, Center county, then at Petersburg, Huntingdon county, and finally at Port Royal, Juniata county. Here he retired from business, and died January 12, 1887, his wife surviving him and dying March 9, 1903. Mr. McManigil had also at one period of his life been a dealer in cattle and horses. His parents, William and Lydia (McClellan) McManigil, of Scotch descent, were also natives of Huntingdon county, their parents having been early set- tlers of the county and dying there. Mr. and Mrs. McManigil had four children: Mary, became Mrs. Keister; Lucretia, married J. Emery Fleisher and lives at Newport. Pennsylvania ; William and John, both died at Port Royal. Mrs. Keister's maternal grandparents, Henry and Martha Rudy, were also natives of Huntingdon county; Mr. Rudy was a farmer, having lived and died in that county. His father had been a soldier in the revolutionary war. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Keister have no children.
McNITT-REED The first McNitt settlement in Pennsylvania was in Cumberland county, near Carlisle, where five McNitt brothers, John, Alexander, Robert. Wil- liam and James McNitt, settled at comparatively an early day. They were Scotchmen and came direct from their native land to Pennsylvania. In 1755 they, with the exception of James, journeyed to what is now Mifflin county, where each brother selecting a tract. settled thereon. Their farms, averaging about two hundred acres each, were in Armagh
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township and warrants were issued to all, September 8, 1755. Each brother built, cleared and improved his land, and all remained thereon until death, except James, who went west and was never after heard from. All married and left descendants, who now occupy these original McNitt farms. From the branch herein described springs John McNitt, perhaps the eldest of the brothers, who married Mary Brown, of Cum- berland Valley, Pennsylvania, and left sons, including: 1. John, who served with Commodore Perry in the war of 1812 and was engaged in the memorable battle on Lake Erie. A medal awarded him by Congress is now in the possession of the family. IIe died in Illinois, without leav- ing any children. 2. Robert, married Sarah Glasgow. 3. Alexander Brown, of whom further. John ( I) MeNitt and his sons were men of strength and endurance and lived lives of toil and hardship, as is ever the pioneer's lot, but did their full share in establishing an orderly community. They helped erect schools, churches and other evidences of a civilized people and at death bequeathed an honored name to their posterity.
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