USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume III > Part 19
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Joseph Carter, maternal grandfather of Mrs. Stevens, while of straight English descent, was born and reared in Center county, Penn- sylvania. He was a man of wealth and influence, and was an iron- master in Center county, where he lived and died at a ripe old age. He married Elizabeth Bathurst, born in Center county, and who died at Pine Grove Mills, where she was interred. Her father was Sir Law-
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rence Bathurst, who came from England to America in the early part of last century, located in Pennsylvania, and became a gentleman farmer. It is related of him that he grew disgusted with the manner in which the laws were administered in England and decided to try the new country across the Atlantic. He became so imbued with the idea of democracy as he saw it in the United States that he returned to England, disposed of his property, except that which was entailed, and sailed soon thereafter with his family and servants to America. He was an educated, cultured gentleman, and soon after he established him- self in Pennsylvania his neighbors recognized him as their leader. In taking out his naturalization papers he gave up his title and thereafter was known as Mr. Bathurst. He reared his children in a democratic manner, although furnishing them with means for exceptionally fine educations, which distinguished them from their neighbors. His de- scendants are among the prominent citizens in many portions of the state today.
The name of Kenaga is one which occurs in the annals
KENAGA of the state of Pennsylvania for many years, although some of the members wandered into Ohio and made their homes in that state for a time.
(I) John Kenaga was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and from thence went to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he was engaged in the occupation of farming until his death. He married Eva Seese, of German descent.
(II) William O., son of John and Eva (Seese) Kenaga, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, June 22, 1837. He was the owner of con- siderable landed property, and cultivated a large tract of it. He gave his political support to the Republican party, and filled very acceptably a number of local offices. He married in Ohio, Sarah Ann, born Au- gust 6, 1842, daughter of William and Harriet (Shekels) Burris, both born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and who had removed to a farm in Tuscarawas county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Kenaga had one child :
(III) William Grant Kenaga was born in Odon, Indiana, Oc- tober 2, 1868. He was educated in the public schools, and at Mount Union College, Ohio, from which he was graduated. Having served
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an apprenticeship at brickmaking at Canal Dover, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1890, and became connected with a firm in the manufacture of brick. He remained in Cleveland until 1901, and the next three years were spent in looking after the branch plants of the same concerns in various parts of the Union. In 1904 he came to Alexandria, Pennsyl- vania, and the result was the establishment of the Federal Refractories Company, which has been in existence since that time under his man- agement. That this is an exceedingly responsible position is attested by the following figures: The daily capacity of the plant is forty-five thousand bricks; they employ two hundred and forty men; and they have a monthly payroll of $13,000. They manufacture three kinds of brick-magnesite, chrome and silica. The raw material for the first of these products is received from Austria, and for the second from Japan, Turkey and South Africa. The finished output is sent to all parts of the United States and Canada. Mr. Kenaga is secretary of this corpo- ration, and in addition to this has connections with a number of other enterprises. He is a director and holds other office in the National Fire Brick Company, the Minor Fire Brick Company, the Lockhaven Fire Brick Company, and several others. He is a strong supporter of Re- publican principles, and is a member of the following named organiza- tions: Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 300, Free and Accepted Masons ; Standing Stone Chapter, No. 201, Royal Arch Masons; Huntingdon Commandery, No. 65, Knights Templar ; Jaffa Temple, Ancient Ara- bic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Harrisburg Consistory ; also the Royal Arcanum, Modern Woodmen of the World, and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the latter of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Kenaga married, December 20, 1891, Clara E., born in Ohio, a daughter of Judius Gleitsman. They have no children.
The Harencane family of Huntingdon county,
HARENCANE Pennsylvania, has long been established in Amer- ica. It is not definitely known when the immi- grant ancestor landed in the New World, but it is thought to be about 1752-1753. He probably settled in the British Crown Colony of New York, as Henry Harencane enlisted in the Continental army from Westchester county in 1777, served for five years unremittingly, and
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was finally retired because of a dangerous wound received in a sharp skirmish with a company of Hessian soldiers near New York City. He eventually recovered and devoted the rest of his life to farming. Among his descendants was Jacob, of whom further.
(I) Jacob Harencane, a direct descendant of the revolutionary war hero, was born in the state of New York, at that time the province of New York. He was a farmer by vocation, pursuing it until his death in Pennsylvania, to which state he moved in early manhood. He was the parent of several sons and daughters, among whom was Jacob S., of whom further.
(II) Jacob S., son of Jacob Harencane, was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and died in the county of his birth, at the home of his son, William S. Harencane, in April, 1909. After his mar- riage he settled at Hill Valley, Huntingdon county, and continued farm- ing on his father's land, with great success. Later, tempted by more fertile land, he moved to near Huntingdon, and from there to the farm of an uncle, where he remained for several years. He later retired from active business life and made his home with his son. He and his wife were members of the German Reformed church, actively partici- pating in all of its work; and he was a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle. He married Catherine Idinger, born in Huntingdon county, who still survives him, making her home with her son, William S. Harencane. Jacob S. and Catherine (Idinger) Harencane were the parents of fourteen children: Ann Elizabeth, died aged six years ; Rufina Brisbin, married Scott Prough; Samuel Reed, deceased; Henry ; Clara Jane, married John Feaster; George, deceased; Euna Mary, de- ceased; Nora Susan, married John E. Snyder ; William; Marjorie Ellen, deceased; Ida May, married Emanuel Parks, who is now deceased; Florrance, deceased; Julia Catherine, deceased; Nellie Irene, deceased.
(III) William S., son of Jacob S. and Catherine (Idinger) Haren- cane, was born April 6, 1871, at Warriors Ridge, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools. He chose the family occupation of farming as his vocation and while yet a youth entered upon it. For several years he worked rented land, in which he was very successful. Giving this up he was engaged in various capacities on public works for seven or eight years, where he gave the greatest satisfaction to his employers. As his
,
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father advanced in years it was his most cherished desire to see his son established on a farm of his own. To meet this wish of his parent, and also to insure his future independence, he purchased ninety acres of land in Porter township, Huntingdon county, which he improved in every way, remodeling the buildings and bringing the land to a high state of productiveness, and where he does general farming along ap- proved scientific lines. He is considered one of the substantial and progressive men of Porter township. He is a Democrat, but has never held, nor asked for office. Mr. Harencane is unmarried, his mother looking after his household.
GROVE The Grove family of Pennsylvania may justly be said to be American, in that the ancestor of it was in America in 1730, and since which time the members of it have espoused every cause dear to the hearts of true Americans. Many of the nanie fought the Indians, the French, the English, in both the revo- lutionary war and that of 1812, and in the civil war. Behind them is a long line of unstained patriotic record.
(I) Jacob Grove, a direct descendant of the emigrant Grove, was born in Penn township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on his father's farm and educated in the common and private schools of the day. He early turned his attention to farming, lived and died a cultivator of the soil. He spent the greater part of his life in Penn township, where he owned two hundred acres of land, forty of which were under cultivation, the other hundred and sixty being fine timbered land. Because of his known honesty he was selected by dying parents and the courts to act as guardian to many orphan children. He married Margaret Summers, like himself of colonial stock. Their chil- dren were Andrew F., of whom further; Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret, Jacob Jr., Samuel S. and Benjamin.
(II) Andrew F. Grove, son of Jacob and Margaret (Summers) Grove, was born on his father's farm in Penn township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. He received his education in the public schools of the township and in the Tuscarora Academy at Academia, which was one of the best at that time in the state. He prepared himself for teach- ing, and on leaving school he became an instructor of the young, which occupation he followed with great success. Ile was not only a thorough
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scholar, and knew how to impart his knowledge to his pupils, but he was also a strict disciplinarian. He next engaged in surveying, and was in great demand, as at that time the land lines were not well defined. In 1865 he established a general merchandise store in Grafton, Pennsyl- vania, which he conducted until the time of his death, in 1890. In this last venture he was very prosperous, and accumulated a handsome for- tune. He married (first) Ann Corbin, born in Penn township, Hunt- ingdon county, Pennsylvania, daughter of David and Nancy (Engle- hart) Corbin. David Corbin accompanied his father, two brothers and a sister from England to Virginia, where they located, and later came to Pennsylvania, settling in Huntingdon county. Children of Andrew F. and Ann (Corbin) Grove: Gaird Corbin, of whom further; Maude T. and Ford J. He married (second) Annie Sprankle ; by her had two children, Frank and Harry.
(III) G. C. Grove, son of Andrew F. and Ann (Corbin) Grove, was born October 16, 1868, in Penn township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. He received an excellent education in the township public schools, and on leaving entered the store of his father. He eventually became manager of the mercantile business, and in 1890 he became proprietor. Besides dealing in general merchandise he handles wood, ties, bark, etc. He is one of the most up-to-date men in his vicinity, and is regarded as a leading citizen. He is a Prohibitionist in his political affiliations, sustaining the tenets of that party on all occa- sions by argument and influence, and belongs to the Missionary Alliance church.
He married, in January, 1898, Unity May Rickeard, born in Dudley township. Children: I. Grace Naomi. 2. G. C. Jr. 3. Sarah Esther. 4. Maude Theresa. 5. Elijah Rickeard.
George Russell was the first member of this branch of
RUSSELL the Russell family to settle in Huntingdon county, whither he came in 1795 from Berks county, the immi- grant ancestor of the name having there made his home. He became the owner of six hundred acres of land in Hopewell township, where the family home remains. He married and had issue.
(II) Jacob, son of George Russell, was born in Hopewell township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, where he died September 22, 1869,
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in his seventy-seventh year. He conducted extensive farming opera- tions on his farm of five hundred acres, also raising horses for the mar- ket. He was a Democrat in politics and filled the office of tax collector of Hopewell township. Ile was a member of the Reformed church. He married Catherine, daughter of Christian Weaver, of Hopewell township, born 1808, died November 17, 1873. Children of Christian Weaver, all deceased: Jacob, John A., James Christian, Catherine (of previous mention) married Jacob Russell. Children of Jacob and Cath- erine (Weaver) Russell: 1. Susannah, born in 1830, died December 22, 1876; married William Fisher, and lived in Bedford county. 2. David Russell, a veteran of the civil war; deceased. 3. Mary, married Thomas Keith, and lived in Martinsburg. 4. Isaac Russell, a veteran of the civil war, lived in Hopewell township; deceased. 5. John W. Russell, born April 30, 1844, died April 10, 1898; lived in the resi- dence now occupied by James W. Russell. 6. Abram, deceased, a vet- eran of the civil war, lived in Hopewell township. 7. Samuel, a resi- dent of Hopewell township. 8. Daniel, deceased. 9. James W. Rus- sell, of further mention. 10. Rosanah, died May 15, 1879, married Philip Brumbaugh.
(III) James W., ninth child and seventh son of Jacob and Cather- ine (Weaver) Russell, was born in Hopewell township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in 1847. He obtained his education in the public schools of his native township, and recalls with pleasant memory the roughly hewn desks and the long, backless benches of slab pine. For a time, until his father's death, he worked on the home farm, then ac- cepting a position with the Huntingdon and Broad Top railroad, which he held for six years. He then engaged as his brother's assistant on the old homestead, assuming entire charge of the farm of one hundred and ten acres, upon his brother's death. This he successfully cultivates at the present time and is noted throughout the locality for the high grade of Holstein cattle he has upon his farm. He is a Democrat in politics, and, while he takes no active part in public affairs, as executive or office- holder, nevertheless he is prominently connected with all the township movements and improvements, his advice and counsel being constantly sought and gratefully received.
He married, January 7, 1892, Margaret Dreece, born in Hopewell township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, daughter of William, a
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veteran of the civil war, and Mary Dreece. Child, Walter Scott, born November 24, 1892, died aged ten years.
Harry Cresswell Miller, of Huntingdon county, Penn-
MILLER sylvania, a leading citizen and man of prominence in his county, descends from Irish and German stock long set- tled in Pennsylvania. The emigrant, Matthew Miller, most probably came to America in 1790, located in Pennsylvania, there farmed, lived and died. Among his descendants was Jacob Corell, of whom further.
(I) Jacob Corell Miller was born on the Miller homestead, in Hunt- ingdon county, and there farmed until his death, June 9, 1898. He received his education in the schools of the township, at that time Barree township. He purchased one hundred and thirty acres of land which he improved, erected houses, and converted into a fine farm. He was active in the social, political and religious affairs of the township. He was a lifelong Democrat, voting with the party, and under it held vari- ous local offices. He married Caroline Greene, born on the Greene homestead in Huntingdon county. . Children: I. John S., deceased. 2. Mary. 3. Charlotte. 4. Robert G. 5. Nancy P. 6. Ella, deceased. 7. Harry Cresswell, of whom further. 8. James Guinn.
(II) Harry Cresswell Miller, son of Jacob Corell and Caroline (Greene) Miller, was born February 2, 1866, in Miller township, Hunt- ingdon county, Pennsylvania. After receiving his education in the public school he purchased in 1895 the Miller homestead place of two hundred and thirty-eight acres, in Huntingdon county, where he does general farming on a large scale. Mr. Miller is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and of the Grange; and supports the Demo- cratic party with his vote. He was school director sixteen years, and was supervisor and treasurer for supervisors several years. He is ac- tively interested in the affairs of the township and always stands for the public good on all questions. He is one of the substantial farmers of Pennsylvania, and has contributed his share toward maintaining the high standard of citizenship for which the state is justly famous.
On November 28, 1894, he married Anna Thomas Bell, daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann (Stewart) Bell, both of whom were reared in Barree township. Through this marriage Mr. Miller is connected with a large number of families in the Juniata Valley, besides being
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related to many families through both his mother and father. Thomas Bell was the son of Alexander and Elizabeth ( Moore) Bell. The Bells are long residents of Pennsylvania, while the Moores are pioneers of New Jersey. The father of Alexander Bell, Captain Jack Bell, was the pioneer of Barree township, Huntingdon county, and to this day his feats with gun and rod are related. Children of Harry C. and Anna Thomas (Bell) Miller : 1. Jacob Clarence, born October 15, 1895. 2. Thomas Bell, born October 6, 1897. 3. Robert Stewart, born June I. 1900. 4. Richard James, born December 23, 1906. 5. Donald Franklin, twin of Richard James, born December 23, 1906.
James Murray Africa, civil engineer, of Huntingdon,
AFRICA Pennsylvania, was born in the borough of Huntingdon, April 11, 1863, and is a son of J. Simpson and Dorothea C. (Greenland) Africa. J. Simpson Africa was born in the town of Huntingdon, September 15, 1832; his wife was a daughter of the late Joshua and Elizabeth (Wright) Greenland, and was born in Cassville, Huntingdon county, September 29, 1834. Mrs. Africa died in Novem- ber, 1886. J. Simpson Africa died in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, in 1900.
During the childhood of James Murray Africa his parents removed to Philadelphia and afterwards to Atsion, Burlington county, New Jer- sey, where he attended a private school for a short time. In 1870 the family removed to Huntingdon, where James Murray pursued his studies in private and public schools, and at Juniata College. His education was finished at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, where he took a thorough course in civil engineering, was graduated June 13, 1888, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession, making the town of Huntingdon his headquarters. In 1875 he entered an engineer's office as student ; in 1881 was appointed member of the commission to determine the lines of Jackson, Miller and Barree town- ships, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania ; in 1882-83 was in charge of the topographical and boundary surveys of coal and ore lands of R. H. Powell & Company in Huntingdon and Clearfield counties, Pennsyl- vania ; also lands of Huntingdon & Broad Top railroad; in 1884 and 189- was elected city engineer of Huntingdon, and designed and con- structed the sewerage system of the borough of Huntingdon; in June,
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1888, graduated at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York; the same year he designed the water works for Palmyra and Riverton, New Jersey, and was consulting engineer for the Union Trust Company, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, furnishing funds for the Westmoreland county water works; October 20, 1888, was elected a member of the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia; in December, 1888, became assistant engineer of the Chautauqua Lake railroad, Jamestown, New York, of which he was made chief engineer in January, 1889; in July of that year the office of general manager of the Chautauqua Lake railroad was added to that of chief engineer, and he also became general manager of the Chautauqua Steamboat Company; in 1890 was chief engineer and general manager of the Etowah Iron Company, Carters- ville, Georgia, and constructed twelve miles of railroad; also designed and erected a mill for the concentration of manganese ore; this office, in February, 1891, he was obliged to resign on account of ill health, and was until June of that year at the University Hospital in Philadelphia. From July to December of that year he was in charge of the survey of the lands pertaining to the Rockhill Iron and Coal Company of Hunting- don county ; 1892-93 was engaged in designing and superintending the street improvements of the borough of Huntingdon; and in 1894 he was elected chief engineer of the Pennsylvania Midland railroad, at the general office, at Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. During the past twelve years Mr. Africa has designed and erected six Howe truss wooden bridges and a number of steel highway bridges not included in the above enumeration of his engagements, and has been employed on important surveys by Eckley B. Coxe, Drifton, Pennsylvania; William Thaw, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, Pennsylvania ; the Pennsylvania Railroad Company; the Pennsylvania Canal Company ; Cresson Springs Company, of Cresson, Pennsylvania ; Cambria Steel Company, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and the Tyrone Mining and Manufacturing Company, Tyrone, Pennsylvania. He holds at present the position of city engineer of Huntingdon. On September 2, 1896, he was elected a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He designed the sewerage system for Lewistown, Penn- sylvania, also that of Danville and Mt. Union, Pennsylvania, and was engineer in charge of construction of the additions of the Standard Steel Plant at Burnham, Pennsylvania, for the Baldwin Locomotive
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Works of Philadelphia. This increased the plant from seven hundred to four thousand five hundred men. He designed and superintended construction of roads, waterworks, sewers, etc., of the Masonic Home at Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and has just completed ( 1913) a reser- voir and filter system for the Pennsylvania Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon; is also constructing (1913) a filter plant for the water system of Huntingdon. He has erected many of the bridges on the Huntingdon & Broad Top railroad, supplanting the old wooden trestles with the more modern stone and concrete bridges, and has made surveys on over two thousand properties in thirty-seven counties of Pennsyl- vania, also surveys in twelve different states, varying in size from one hundred to twenty-one thousand acre tracts.
Mr. Africa is past master of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 300, F. and A. M., of which he has always been an active member ; past high priest of Standing Stone Chapter, No. 201, R. A. M ; past eminent commander of Huntingdon Commandery, No. 65, K. T., and a member of the Im- proved Order of Heptasophs. Mr. Africa's political opinions are Demo- cratic.
J. Murray Africa was married at Reading, Pennsylvania, June I, 1893. to Eleanor, daughter of Charles B. and Elizabeth Mcknight, of that city, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Africa have children: J. Murray, Jr., born May 21, 1895; Charles Mcknight, September 3, 1896, and Hunter, June 23, 1900. The family attend the Presbyterian church.
STARR In Cromwell township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, near Orbisonia, is located the splendidly improved farm of H. A. Starr, the same comprising three hundred acres. On this beautiful rural estate Mr. Starr was born and reared, the year of his nativity being 1860. He is a son of Michael and Clara (Krugh) Starr, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. The mother was a daughter of Michael and Mary Krugh, both natives of Germany, whence they immigrated to America in their youth, settling in Dublin township, Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, where they gained prestige as farmers.
Michael Starr passed his boyhood and youth in Franklin county, where he was given the advantages of a public school education. As a
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young man he came to Huntingdon county and began farming on a tract of land in Cromwell township. He devoted all his time and attention to diversified agriculture, and at the time of his demise, he was the owner of two hundred and fifty acres of well cultivated soil. He served his community as poor director and for many years was likewise school director. He was twice married ; first, to Mary Hoagland, and (second) to Mary Krugh. The first union was blessed with five children: Simon, Elizabeth, Jacob, Ann and John. Of the second marriage were born: James, Francis, H. A., of whom further; Amanda, John and Samuel.
After completing the curriculum of the public schools of his home place, H. A. Starr turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He has always resided on the old homestead, and his present holdings amount to three hundred acres, all of which is under cultivation. In 1897 he erected a fine, modern barn, and he has since remodeled the residence. He is a staunch Democrat in politics, and while he has never run for public office of any description he is ever alive to the issues of the day and does all in his power to advance the progress and prosperity of his community. He is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens, and is known as a man of his word and as one who is strictly reliable and honorable in all his business dealings. In religious faith he and his family are devout communicants of the Catholic church.
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