USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 55
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Mr. Wade has been twice married. He married first, May 21, 1871, Mary J. Reeder, a daughter of J. C. Reeder, of Edinboro. . She died in carly womanhood, a few years after her marriage. Mr. Wade married second, Mary E. Reeder, a daughter of Samuel and Lydia (Graham) Reeder, and grand-daughter of Job Reeder, one of the early pioneers of Erie county. Job Reeder, born in New Jersey, came in 1798 to Erie county, locating on the farm formerly occupied by Samuel Reeder, but now the home of Thomas Glitton. On March 1, 1800, he married Nancy Campbell, who was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, in 1783, and came to this part of the state in 1798. Six sons and six daughters were born of their union. Job Reeder cleared and improved a home- stead, and at one time had title to five hundred or more acres of land in this vicinity. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. He was a Whig in politics, and in religion was a stanch Presbyterian. He died November 2, 1852, at a ripe old age. His wife survived him, passing away in April, 1870.
Samuel G. Reeder, Mrs. Wade's father, was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in Washington township, making his home, with the exception of ten years spent in Michigan, in Erie county. He died in Edinboro, September 2, 1901.
Mr. and Mrs. Wade are the parents of one daughter, Nettie Victoria, who graduated from the Edinboro Normal school in the class of 1904. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.
CHARLES D. ALLEN is one of the worthy farmers of Venango town- ship, and this calling has been his life's occupation. He began for him- self as a renter, but it was not long until he was able to own a farm, and since 1885 has been the owner of one of the finest estates in this part of Erie county, a fertile and well improved farm of two hundred and fifty acres in Venango township. The land is well adapted for dairy purposes, and it is improved with substantial and commodious buildings. His life of energy, perseverance and well merited success is worthy of emulation, and his name is an honored one in the business circles of the community.
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Mr. Allen was born in Wattsburg, Erie county, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1854, a son of Stephen and Louisa (Smith) Allen, both of whom were from Albany, New York, and they came to Erie county before the birth of any of their children, probably in the year 1835. Their eight children were: Ellen J. Blaksley, Matilda (deceased), Loretta (deceased), Alice James, Louisa (deceased), Stephen (deceased), Charles D. and Polly Potter. The father died in the year of 1868 and the mother survived until 1908.
In May, 1879, Charles D. Allen was married to Miss Belle May, who was born in Harbor Creek township, Erie county, in 1857, a daugh- ter of Wallace May. The eight children of this union are: Lottie, the wife of Charles Morgan; Bertha, Mrs. E. Moore; Myrtle, the wife of Lynn Smith; Dennis, who married Miss Grace Doolittle January 6, 1909, and she taught school previous to her marriage; Inez, a teacher in the public schools ; Dora and Nora, twins; and Minnie, the wife of R. Buch- anan. Mr. Allen is a sound Republican.
HARRY G. NYE. Actively identified with one of the more impor- tant factors in aiding the progress, not only of town, county and state, but of the world in general, Harry G. Nye has made a study of electricity, which is destined in time to revolutionize nearly every industry, art, profession and science, but which is now but little known, comparatively speaking. He is a skilful electrician, and has worked in many parts of our country, but is now residing in Edinboro. A native of Erie county, he was born July 2, 1869, in Washington town- ship, a son of Prince and Harriet (Crumb) Nye, of New York state, who bought land in this part of the county in 1850. He comes of thrifty New England stock, his paternal grandfather having been born and bred in Massachusetts.
Receiving his early education in the Swift District School, Harry G. Nye subsequently fitted himself for electrical work by study and work. Having gained some knowledge and experience while living at home, he subsequently continued his work in various states, traveling through Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana. a large part of the time while thus engaged being foreman of either a telephone or telegraph gang of workmen, although for awhile he had supervision of the electrical department of the J. M. Guffy Petroleum Company. Returning to his home county in 1906, Mr. Nye has since been employed in his particular line of work in Edinboro and vicinity. In the spring of 1909, he bought fifteen acres of land near Edinboro, where, although he continues his electrical work, he resides. He intends to devote himself to the raising of fruit, and the growing of poultry. expecting in these industries to find some profit, and much pleasure.
Mr. Nye married Mrs. Jessie E. (Covey) Shadduck, a daughter of Charles and Jennie (Eggleston) Covey. Mr. Covey was born and bred in New York state. He married Jennie Eggleston, who was born in Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, and came with her parents, Artemas and Adaline Eggleston, to North East. Erie county, about 1850. Mrs. Nye's great-great-grandmother was a sister of Commodore Perry's father. Mrs. Nye was graduated from the North East Academy with the class of 1886, and then taught school for two years, after her studies at the Edinboro Normal school, which she attended a year and a half. Mr. Nye is a man of prominence and influence in fraternal circles, belonging
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to many of the leading organizations of the county, including the Pro- tected Home Circle ; Edinboro Lodge, No. 510, I. O. O. F., of which he is noble grand ; the Daughters of Rebekah; and I. B. E. W. Mrs. Meyers is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has been, these sixteen years.
EARL D. BATES can take a just pride in knowing that his 100-acre farm in Mckean township is one of the most thoroughly cultivated and valuable in this section of the county; for, with the exception of a few years, he has resided upon it for nearly half a century, or since his father sold his woolen inill at Sterrettania, and turned to his forest farm as the chief means of the family support. Earl D., who was then a young man of twenty-six years and just married, vigorously swung the axe, as well as actively cultivated the land, and finally had the satis- faction of letting in the sunshine to every acre of the fertile soil and of seeing the former wilderness blossom into a comfortable and attractive homestead. His proprietorship in the homestead which his own family has now occupied and loved for so many years therefore carries with it both pride and many pleasant recollections.
Mr. Bates is a native of Chautauqua county, New York, born Feb- ruary 21, 1834, and is a son of Alpheus and Welsie (Howard) Bates. In September of the following year the family settled at Sterrettania, Mckean township, where the father established a carding factory, which was transformed into a woolen mill in 1840. After he had operated it, with fair success, for twenty years, he disposed of plant and business, buying then the 200 acres in the forest which, in the transformed state of a modern country homestead, is now owned by the son, its virtual creator. Earl D. has lived and labored thereon since 1860, with the exception of six years which he spent at Mckean and Mill villages. For fourteen years his work was largely devoted to the raising of produce for the Erie market, but since then he has followed general farming and horse raising.
In 1860 Mr. Bates wedded Miss Mary J. Marsh, daughter of Wilson and Margaret (Miller) Marsh, who migrated from Nova Scotia in 1829 and settled in Otsego county, New York. In 1837 they came to Mc- Kean township, their original homestead of fifty acres being subse- quently increased to one hundred and fifty. The journey from Otsego county to Erie county was by no means "smooth sailing;" for when the family reached Buffalo they were detained at that port for a week by the ice, and when they finally arrived at Erie were obliged to use both wagon and sled before they were landed at their destination in Mckean township. Once there, they fixed their home in the midst of a forest, and diversified their standing meat diet of wild game by sending some mem- ber to Erie, each fall, for the purpose of making a haul of fish. The Marshes were a long-lived family, Wilson Marsh not dying on the farm in Mckean township until he had reached the age of eighty-two years ; and he was the son of a mother who did not pass away until she was well into her one hundred and fifth year. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Marsh, and of this number eight were school teachers in Erie county, two of the daughters beginning this phase of their life when only fifteen years of age. Mrs. Bates herself, who was educated in the county schools, commenced to teach when she was seventeen ; after three terms finished her mental training in the city of Erie, and then
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taught nine terms before her marriage. Both Mr. and . Mrs. Bates at- tended the old-fashioned log school house, of which one description ap- plies to all, and the former recalls the interesting fact that he has wit- nessed the rise of the third structure on the site of the crude building which he first attended about sixty-seven years ago. This venerable and honored couple have not been blessed with children. but have blessed the lives of others by rearing ten little ones who had been left without pro- tectors of flesh and blood. It should be one of the most soothing com- forts of their old age to realize that in this, as in all else, they have prac- tically followed the precepts of their Christian Master, who took little children in his arms and blessed them with such manly pathos.
ROBERT BROGDON. One of the well known business men of Mckean is Robert Brogdon, whose birth occurred in the mother country of England on the 14th of May, 1876, and he is a son of William and Jane Ann ( Hamilton) Brogdon. all of whom were born near the town of Hexham. In 1880 the family came to the United States, and locating first in Erie, Pennsylvania, they lived there for one year and then moved to Waterford township in Erie county. There Mr. Brogdon, the father, is yet living, and although by trade a stone mason, he has for some years past followed farming.
Robert Brogdon spent his boyhood days in Waterford township, receiving his educational training in its public schools, and in the city of Erie he learned the blacksmith's trade. In March of 1905 he came to McKean, and he has since been prominently associated with its business life and interests as a blacksmith. He married in October of 1904. Miss Susan A. Wade, a daughter of Frank and Charlotte Wade, who were numbered among the early settlers of Corry, Penn- sylvania, and they are now living in Erie. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brogdon have been born two children, William Wade and Frank Leroy. Mr. and Mrs. Brogdon are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is identified with the fraternal order of Odd Fellows in McKean and with the Brotherhood of St. Paul at Erie, and both he and his wife are members of the Rebekahs. Mr. Brogdon is a stanch Republican.
JOHN O. BAKER, formerly a prominent contractor and builder of Erie, established himself in business in 1847, and was actively con- nected with same until 1907. since which time he has retired from active life. He was born in Essex county, New York, September 23, 1826, and is the son of Charles and Almira (Hunt) Baker. Charles Baker was also carpenter and builder, and a successful business man ; he had eleven children, five of whom are living, namely: Georgia, Lydia, Charles J., Jane and John O.
John O. Baker received his education in his native state, and in 1833 removed to Erie, where he learned the trade of boat building, . and continued in this business until the substitution of iron and steel as materials for the larger boats made such a decline in his business that he began also to build houses, in connection with his other busi- ness. His son Fred W. has now succeeded to his business.
In 1863 Mr. Baker volunteered in the United States Navy, as ship's carpenter, being first assigned to the gunboat "Osage." Later he was transferred to the monitor "Neosho," which was commanded by
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Capt. Samuel Howard, who had served as volunteer pilot of the Monitor, which defeated the Merrimac, in their historic struggle. Mr. Baker served twenty months, being mustered out in 1864. Some years since, at a military encampment, he had the surprise and pleas- ure of meeting the only known living members of the expedition up the Mississippi in which he took part, namely : Bragg, Humphrey and Develing. In this meeting were recalled many conflicts and en- gagements in which these veterans had taken their honorable part. Mr. Baker is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic; he also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has a large circle of friends. Some years since Mr. Baker served as member of the city council, of Erie, and he also served as assessor for the Fourth ward.
Mr. Baker married, June ?, 1849, Mary A., daughter of John and Ellen May, and to this union have been born children as follows: Ellen A., now Mrs. Henry Leiter; Frank H., deceased; Frank, de- ceased ; Fred W .; Lois M., now Mrs. Charles M. Loesel, and John E., a pattern maker.
CASSIUS L. ALEXANDER. Among the representative citizens of Corry, is Mayor Cassius L. Alexander, who has for many years been engaged in business as an undertaker, and who was elected mayor of the city of Corry, in February, 1909, for a term of three years, being then only thirty-four years old. He was born in Wayne township, Erie county, the place in which the birth of his father, Robert Alex- ander, occurred. August 11, 1837. His grandfather, James Alexander, was born in Mercer county, where his parents located as pioneers.
Learning the carpenter's trade in Mercer county, James Alex- ander went to Erie county when young, and after working there a few years as a carpenter settled in Wayne township, where he was employed as a tiller of the soil until his death, while yet in manhood's vigor, in 1849. He married Clarissa Yeager, who was born in Wayne township, Erie county, a daughter of Daniel Yeager. A native of Chenango county, New York, Mr. Yeager removed from there to Erie county, Pennsylvania, going with teams through the forest, part of the way following the path by means of blazed trees. Buying a tract of land in the timber, he took possession of the cabin built by the former owner, and at once began the Herculean task of redeeming a farm from the forest. Industrious and enterprising, he succeeded well, and in the course of a few years built a commodious frame house on the turnpike leading from Waterford to Columbus, which, although but a small village, was the nearest market for farm produce. In ad- dition to farming, he made shaved shingles, which he sold at prices ranging from $1.121/2 to $2.00 per thousand. He lived on his home- stead, esteemed and respected by his neighbors and friends, until his death at the venerable age of ninety years. Mr. Yeager married Polly Cole, a native of Chenango county, New York, and she, too, lived to a good old age. Mrs. Clarissa (Yeager) Alexander died when but fifty- five years of age, leaving six children, as follows: Mary Jane, Rob- ert. Daniel, Nancy. Clara, and Alice.
Left fatherless when a boy, Robert Alexander began when young to assist his mother in supporting the family, and when twelve years old began working out as a farm hand, receiving at first three dollars
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a month wages, and continued thus employed until twenty-five years of age. Embarking then in business on his own account, he at first rented land for farming purposes. Meeting with all of the success that he had anticipated, he soon bought a tract of fifty acres of land. nearly one-half of which was under cultivation, and began its further improvement. Ile erected frame buildings, cleared the greater part of the land, and at the end of fifteen years sold at an advance. lle subsequently purchased another farm in Wayne township, not far from his first purchase, and there resided twenty-three years, until 1903, when he moved to Corry. During that time he made improve- ments of an excellent character, building a brick house and a frame barn, his estate ranking as one of the best and most valuable in the county, his land being unsurpassed for richness and fertility. Mr. Robert Alexander married, in 1862, Sarah M. Dutton, who was born in Otselic, Chenango county, New York, April 5. 1846, a daughter of John Dutton, a native of the same town. Richard Dutton, the great- grandfather of Mr. Alexander, was born, as far as known, in Otselic, and was there reared and married. Later in life he removed with his family to Chautauqua county, New York, travelling in true pioneer style with teams, taking all of his household effects with him. One of the original settlers of Clymer, he bought a tract of heavily timbered land. and on the farm that he wrested from the wilderness spent his remaining years. In 1847, John Dutton, who was reared and educated in Chenango county, and there took unto himself a wife, came to Erie county, bringing with him his wife and children, and settled in Wayne township. Buying land, on which a small patch had been cleared, and a log house erected, he commenced the arduous task of improving a farm. He began life there with a pair of oxen and one cow, and but little of anything else. Ambitious and courageous, he was prospered in his undertakings, clearing a good farm, and in the course of a few years replacing the humble log buildings with substantial frame ones. After occupying the farm a number of years, he removed to Corry, where he lived retired until his death, at the age of sixty-one years. The maiden name of the wife of John Dutton was Mary Ann Raymond. She was born in Otselic, New York, a daughter of Lewis and Annie (Whitford) Raymond. and died at the age of forty-four years. Four of her children grew to mature life, namely: Marcia, Lurancy, Dar- win, and Sarah M. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alexander reared seven children, namely : Mary A., John, Daniel J., Florence, Ward, Cassius L., and Harry.
Cassius L. Alexander received an excellent common school edu- cation, and soon after attaining his majority engaged in the under- taking business, in which he has met with good success. Mr. Alex- ander married Malinda Cody, and they have one child, Margaret. Public-spirited and progressive. he has always taken much interest in local affairs, and served two terms as a member of the city council.
JOSEPH R. POPE, M. D. A man of marked ability, practical and thorough in his manner of investigating and treating the various diseases to which his attention is called, Joseph R. Pope, M. D., of Corry, is eminently fitted for the general practice of medicine, and. it is needless to say, has met with well-deserved success in his pro- fessional career. He was born, May 9, 1849, in Halifax county, North
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Carolina, which was also the birthplace of his father, Jacob R. Pope, and of his grandfather, Jacob Pope, the former having first seen the liglit of this world on May 3, 1821, and the latter in the year 1118. He is of English descent, the emigrant ancestor having come from Eng- land to the United States in colonial days, locating in Virginia.
An extensive land owner, Jacob Pope was prosperously employed in agricultural pursuits during his life, carrying on his large planta- tions with the help of his slaves. He spent his entire life of three score years in his native county, passing away in 1838. Ilis wife, Rosa Bradley, also a life-long resident of North Carolina, attained the remarkable age of ninety-seven years. She reared eight children, as follows: Sarah, Priscilla, Mary, William, Elijah, Jacob R., James, and Joseph.
Inheriting a portion of the parental acres, Jacob R. Pope carried on general farming on a somewhat extensive scale for some years, having the assistance of slaves until they were freed. Ile spent his entire life in his native state, living in Halifax and Edgecombe coun- ties, his death occurring in 1881. The maiden name of his wife was Martha F. Parker. She was born in Edgecombe county, North Caro- lina, and died in 1898. Her father, Richard Parker, a contractor, builder and farmer in Edgecombe county, married Mary Turner, also of North Carolina. Nine children blessed the union of Jacob R. and Martha F. Pope, namely: Reboniam, Mary, Joseph R., Samuel, Charles A., Elijah J., Elizabeth, Rosa, and Martha.
Obtaining his early education in the school supported by his father and the neighbors, Joseph R. Pope remained beneath the par- ental roof until the early part of 1865. then, although not vet seven- teen years of age, voluntarily took the place of his father in the South- ern army, the Confederate government having called upon the re- serves. in which his father's name was enrolled. Going with his com- mand to Greensboro, North Carolina, Mr. Pope was stationed in that vicinity, doing guard duty, until after the surrender of Lee, being in that city when President Davis passed through. Shortly after that time, he, with three or four hundred of his comrades, started on foot for home, a distance of two hundred miles, and at the end of two weeks reached his destination. Continuing his studies, Mr. Pope at- tended the Horner Classical and Mathematical College, in Oxford. North Carolina. Graduating from that institution, he began the study of medicine with Dr. Charles O. Gregory, of Halifax county, after which he attended a course of lectures at the University of Virginia, and was subsequently graduated from the Bellevue Medical College. in New York City. Beginning the practice of his profession in his native county, Dr. Pope met with undisputed success from the first, remaining there until 1901, when failing health forced him to make a change. In seeking a more congenial climate, the doctor located in Corry, where he has since been in continuous practice, having by his skill met with great success, his patronage now being extensive and remunerative.
Dr. Pope married, in 1881, Adelaide Futrell, whose birthplace was not far from his, in Halifax county. Her father, Henry Futrell, was a native of North Carolina, while her mother, whose maiden name was Caroline Amanda Hancock, was born in Virginia. The doctor and Mrs. Pope are the parents of seven children, namely: Ruth Frances,
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wife of Randolph Turner, of Virginia ; Grace Amanda ; Eva H. ; Rich- ard Ilunter ; Annie Mary ; Joseph M. : and Jacob Carl. Dr. Pope and his wife were reared in the Missionary Baptist church, and have al- ways adhered to that faith. Fraternally the doctor is a member of Corry lodge, No. 365, F. & A. M .; of Scotlandneck Chapter No. 27, R. A. M .; of Clarence Commandery, No. 51, K. T., of Corry ; and of Jonathan Lodge, No. 685, I. O. O. F.
JEROME B. KITTS. one of Summit township's prominent agricultur- ists, was born in Denmark, Lewis county, New York, on the 3d of October, 1848, a son of Nelson and Angelica (Brower) Kitts, both of whom were also born in the Empire state, the father in Denmark and the mother in Herkimer county. In the year of 1860 they came to Northi East in Erie county, Pennsylvania, and there followed farming until moving to Wisconsin in 1865. But after nine months in that state they returned to North East, and from there in January of 1868 they came to Summit township and bought the Jay L. Way farm, where they spent the remainder of their lives, Mr. Kitts dying there on the 13th of April, 1891, and his wife on the 29th of March, 1883. Their union was blessed by the birth of three children : Delevan, Jacob and Jerome B., but Jacob, the second born, died on March 15, 1896.
Jerome B. Kitts completed his educational training in the North East Academy, and his life's work since that time has been farming, his estate at present comprising thirty-nine and a half acres in Summit township. He married in 1880 Miss Helen L. Bean, a daughter of William A. and Hulda (Norris) Bean, the father born at Nashville, Tennessee, June 3, 1814, while the mother was born on the 16th of March, 1824, and they were married on the 11th of September. 1848. Mr. Bean had come to Erie county about 1840, and he secured one hundred acres of timber land on the old French road between Erie and Waterford, and there in addition to his general agricultural pursuits he also followed butchering quite extensively. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Kitts were Co- lonel B. F. and Roxena (Lee) Norris, who were numbered among the earliest of the pioneers of Summit township. They secured land on the old Waterford pike just midway between Erie and Waterford, and as his house stood upon the natural watershed a part of the rain that fell upon it reached the Gulf of Mexico and a part, the Great Lakes. At that historic old place Colonel Norris conducted a tavern and fol- lowed farming. He as well as the grandfather of Mr. Kitts, Jacob F. Kitts, were soldiers in the war of 1812, and the latter was also niin- bered among the heroes of the Revolutionary struggle. On his mother's side Mr. Kitts' ancestors suffered from the early massacres of the Revolutionary period. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bean : Benjamin B., born December 1, 1849; Erie Anna, who was born May 8, 1851, and died June 17, 1894; William Pierce, who was born on August 21, 1853, and died on June 6, 1859 ; Helen Ellda, born March 21, 1855; Reginald F., born September 3, 1856; Roxa Dean, born January 11, 1858; Wilber R., who was born January 15. 1859, and died June 21, 1868 : Esquire C., who was born in May, 1860 : Martin Ellsworth, born August 25, 1862: Alfaretta F., born February 8, 1864 : and Leo London, born December 18, 1866.
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