A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II, Part 79

Author: Miller, John, 1849-
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 910

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 79

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WILLIAM WILEY. A venerable and highly respected citizen of Elk Creek township William Wiley has for many years been asso- ciated with the agricultural development and advancement of this part of Erie county, and has been an interested witness of the many changes that have here taken place. A man of sound sense, energetic and capable. he has placed his homestead property under a good state of cultivation, and is now living practically retired from active pursuits, enjoying the fruits of his earlier years of toil and labor. A native of Maine, he was born, October 25, 1825, in Fryeburg, which was likewise the birthplace of his parents, Hamilton and Melvina (Butterfield) Wiley, the birth of his father having occurred May 22, 1806, and that of his mother on July 25, 1806. His grandfather, Ben- jamin Wiley, was born in 1723, in Fryeburg, as was his wife, Mary Bryant. Mr. Wiley has one brother living. Calvin Wiley, a farmer in Elk Creek township. One brother and two sisters have passed to the life beyond.

William Wiley left his New England home in 1853, coming from there to Pennsylvania. He lived first in Summit. Cambria county, but subsequently settled in Crawford county, where he followed his trade of a cooper for three years. Returning then to Fryeburg, he remained in his old home town three years, working as a cooper. He then made another trip to this state. locating in Erie county this time. and very soon after his arrival bought his present farm in Elk Creek town- ship, paying for the land by making oil barrels during the great oil

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boom in this vicinty, while at the same time he was filling a contract for making oil barrels for use in Canada during the oil excitement in that region. After making the last payment on his property, Mr. Wiley began farming in earnest for many years carrying on an ex- tensive dairy and stock business, both of which he found very profit- able branches of industry. He met with success from the start, by industry, keen foresight, and wise management accumulating a com- petency.

Mr. Wiley married, October 14, 1854, Harriet A. Langdon, who was born in Cortland county, New York, March 1, 1833, a daughter of Augustus and Mary Ann (Segar) Langdon, pioneer settlers of Crawford county, where her father was a farmer and engineer. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Langdon, four are living, as fol- lows: Roland W., engaged in farming in Erie county ; Rosetta, wife of W. H. Donihi, of New York state; Charles V., a farmer in Elk Creek township ; and Mrs. Wiley. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley are the par- ents of three children, namely: A. Hamilton, Mary Melvina, and Harriett Olive. A. Hamilton Wiley, of Montrose, Missouri, married Eva McCammon, and they have five children, Ethel, William, Emma, Birdie, and Harriett. Melvina, wife of Frank Allwood, a farmer in Crawford county, has one daughter, Harriett Emeline, who married B. Freeman, and has two children, Lottie and Dorothy. Harriett Olive, born in 1859, was educated at the Edinboro School, and for eight years taught school in Elk Creek township, meeting with good success. Owing to ill health she was obliged to give up her position, and now lives at home with her parents. Fraternally Mr. Wiley is a member of Western Star Lodge. No. 304, F. & A. M., of Albion, and his daughter Harriett is a member of the Eastern Star.

GEORGE D. GATES. A man of good business qualifications and training, George D. Gates is actively identified with the mercantile prosperity of Erie county as a well-known and prosperous merchant of Pont. A son of the late Robert B. Gates. he was born, July 3, 1873, in Crawford county, Pennsylvania. His grandparents, George D. and Elmira (Ward) Gates, natives of New York, died at a com- paratively early age, his death occurring in 1862, and hers in 1864, in Pennsylvania.

Born in Crawford county, in 1838, Robert B. Gates was brought up on the home farm, and during his active life was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, living for many years in Elk Creek township. He was very patriotic and public-spirited, and during the Civil war en- listed, in 1862, in Company H, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, and during the three years in which he served took part in several engagements of importance, among others being that of the Battle of Fredericksburg. He was a Prohibitionist in politics, and served for some time as postmaster at Pont, and he established the postoffice. He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, being a prominent member of his post, and his death, which occurred in 1895, was a loss to the community. He married Mary Jane Pool, who was born April 4, 1847, a daughter of Ezra and Amelia (Loring) Pool, neither of whom are now living, her father having passed away in 1893, at the age of seventy-six years, and her mother in 1898, aged seventy-two years.

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After leaving school George D. Gates entered his father's store as a clerk, while thus employed obtaining such a knowledge of the business as to continue it for four years after his father's death. Changing his occupation then, Mr. Gates carried on farming in Craw- ford county for four years. Disposing then of his farm, he was for a year employed in the wholesale grocery of Jacob Haller, in Erie. Going back at the end of that time to Crawford county, he carried on farming for two years. Returning to Erie county about three years ago, Mr. Gates bought back the old store in Pont, and has here continued in business since, in connection with his store operating a cigar factory, which is located in the same building.

Mr. Gates married, in 1893, Emma Godfrey, who was born Jan- uary 28, 1875, a daughter of Norris Godfrey, a farmer in Crawford county. Mr. and Mrs. Gates have one child, Mary E., born in 1897. Nationally Mr. Gates is a Republican, but on local affairs he supports the man.

R. LYLE JOSLIN. An enterprising and well-to-do agriculturist of Elk Creek township, Erie county, R. L. Joslin is a worthy represen- tative of the native born citizens of this section of the state, his birth having occurred September 5, 1861, on the Joslin homestead. His father, Levi Joslin, born in New York state in 1804, was a pioneer of Elk Creek township. Taking up government land, he erected a log cabin for himself and family, building it near a lone pine tree, and for many years his estate was called the "Pine Tree farm." It was afterwards sold to Samuel Clark, and by the next generation of people was known as the "Clark farm." Levi Joslin married Margaret Palmer, who was born in 1804, in Watertown, New York, a daughter of Wyatt and Kaziah Palmer, the former of whom was born in 1265. and the latter in 1770. Of the four children born of their union, three, Lucy D., Lester, and Lestina, have passed to the higher life, R. L., the subject of this sketch, being the only one living.

Receiving excellent educational advantages, R. L. Joslin attended school until twenty years old, in the meantime assisting his father in the work of the farm during seed time and harvest. After the death of his father, he remained at home, caring for his mother during her remaining years, and afterwards continuing his residence on the family estate for many years. He subsequently moved to Lundy's Lane, where he engaged in the feed mill business, which he operated a year. Returning then to Elk Creek township, he purchased the homestead property, and has since been engaged in general farming with noteworthy success. He has also other interests of value, own- ing and operating a grist mill, and being connected with the Bessemer Railway.

Mr. Joslin has been twice married. He married first. November 13, 1881, May B. Godfrey, who was born in 1865. Her father, Norris Godfrey, for many years engaged in farming in Crawford county. Pennsylvania, died in 1897. and his widow, whose maiden name was Emeline Hartshorn, still lives on the Crawford county homestead. Mrs. May B. Joslin died July 23, 1897. Six children were born of their union, namely: Alfreda, of Conneaut, Ohio; Dacy E., wife of George Taylor, of Albion, Pennsylvania. has four children ; Gleed F., of Albion ; Emma, living in Conneaut, Ohio; Floy L., deceased ; and

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ANDREW P. MCARTHUR

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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY

Kenneth. Mr. Joslin married second, in 1902, Mrs. Rosetta (Van Camp) Clark, daughter of Thomas and Mathilda (Loper) Van Camp, the former of whom was born in 1812, and died in 1897, while the latter was born in 1826, and died in 1908. Mrs. Joslin has three sis- ters living, namely: Elizabeth, wife of L. Burr, of Pierpont, Ohio; Stella, wife of C. B. Scribner, of Monroe, Ohio; and Maggie, wife of Chester Sweet, of Monroe, Ohio. Mrs. Joslin is a woman of culture, and for several terms prior to her marriage taught school. being both successful and popular as a teacher. She married first Ransom Clark, a son of Samuel and Hannah (Stewart) Clark, pioneer settlers of Elk Creek Township. Mr. Clark was born in 1851, and died May 30, 1893, leaving four children, namely: Samuel Irvin. born in 1878, now a railway employe in Albion, is married, and has one child ; Josiah S. Clark, born in 1880, is a lineman in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Clar- ence J. Clark, born in 1884, is a farmer ; and Ina B., wife of Thomas E. Spires, has one child. Mr. and Mrs. Joslin have in their home many interesting and valuable heirlooms that once belonged to their immediate ancestors, among others being an old fashioned clock. one hundred and twenty-five years old ; home spun and woven linens, and samples of threads carded and spun by Mr. Clark's grandmother, who, in common with her neighbors, dresed her family in garments which she made from cloth that she had herself spun and woven. Mr. Joslin has advanced ideas on the subject of Socialism.

ANDREW PEARL MCARTHUR, of Albion, is a popular and able mer- chant and a live stock dealer of Erie county, as well as deputy sheriff and chief of police ; a citizen of substantial character and fine pioneer con- nections, and one of enterprise and honorable activities. He is a native of Westford, Crawford county. Pennsylvania, born on the 4th of Feb- ruary, 1818. John McArthur, his grandfather, emigrated from Ireland somewhat early in life and settled on the land at that place which in after years became known as the old McArthur homestead. At the age of thirty he married Miss Abigail Allen, daughter of Stephen Allen, who came to Crawford county from Scotland as one of the pioneers of that section of the state. There his daughter was born, and died in 1862 at the age of sixty-six, as a resident of Erie county and wife of John McArthur.

The McArthurs constitute one of the oldest Irish-American famil- ies whose genealogy has been traced through authentic records. As registered in Heralds College, London, it dates back to the year 560, and during the first four centuries thereafter the family name appears in Gaelic, the English spelling ( McArthur) having been used since 950. In the genealogical records of subsequent date appear many names famous in Irish history. Donal McArthur, earl of Clanmore, who was born in 1621 and died in 1680, was the owner of Blarney Castle and the lakes of Killarney, his estates being confiscated and the title broken by Oliver Cromwell. Eventually, however. his property was restored to him. In the list, also, is Curmac McArthur, Lord Mountchashal, whose estates were confiscated and title broken by William the Third. This scion of the family likewise was reinstated as head of the ancestral estates. About the year 1798 four brothers-John, William, Andrew and Robert Mc- Arthur-emigrated to the United States and located in Crawford county, the first named being the grandfather of Andrew P., already mentioned. William, who located at Meadville, was the first representative of this Vol. II-36

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district in the state senate and was for many years prothonotary of Crawford county. Of his three sons and three daughters, all died unmarried except William and Moses M. The former left three daugh- ters-now Mrs. Rebecca Lord, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Emma Wegefarth, of Chicago, and Mrs. Mary Wegefarth, of Baltimore. Moses M. left the following :- Martin McArthur, of Youngstown, Ohio; Mrs. Margaret Reaugh, Cleveland, and John and James McArthur of Robin- son, Illinois. Of the four brothers who were the original emigrants to the United States, John, Andrew and Robert settled in western Crawford county. Andrew left one son who died at Saegertown, Pennsylvania, in 1865, all of the children of the latter surviving, as follows: Andrew, of Thomasville, Georgia; Nancy, of Meadville, Pennsylvania; Julia, of Lafayette, Indiana, and Jenny, of Oil City, Pennsylvania. Robert McArthur was at one time commissioner of Crawford county, and three sons and three daughters survive him. John, the first-born, died in Storey county, Iowa, and left several children. William and Margar- et were never married. Alexander is survived by one son and one daughter, Mary and Cassius, both living in South Shenango township, Crawford county, and Euphamy Martin, who is survived by the following children : J. S. Martin, of Westford, Pennsylvaina ; Hon. Nelson Martin, of Jamestown, Pennsylvania, ex-member of the state legislature; and Margaret Frizzle, also of that place. John McArthur, the grandfather, left sons and daughters, as follows: Rev. Kosciuszko, John, William, Dr. Moses, Mrs. Margaret Collins, Rebecca Ellis, Mrs. Sarah Free, An- drew (father of Andrew P.) and Jeremiah P. McArthur, all being dead with the exception of the last named.

When the four brothers before mentioned emigrated to Crawford county, they left residing upon an estate near Londonderry, Ireland, their brother, James. Surviving the latter were his children, William and Margaret. William became the father of three sons and three daugh- ters, as follows : John P., a wholesale tea merchant of Belfast, with a small family; Joseph (also the father of a small family) and James, both of whom reside on the old homestead in county Donegal ; Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth. James, Margaret and Mary are unmarried and live to- gether, while Elizabeth resides in Liverpool, England. Margaret, the daughter of James McArthur, married James Scott of Bonnie Main Burt, Londonberry, and is survived by three daughters-Jane, Margaret and Mary-none of whom are married and all of whom reside in Lon- donderry.

Andrew McArthur, the father, was born on the old homestead near Westford, Crawford county, and was by trade a shoemaker, but spent most of his life as a farmer. In 1829 he located in Conneaut township. where, in connection with his agricultural pursuits, he followed veterin- ary surgery for some twelve years. The last period of his life he spent in total darkness, his blindness being the result of a severe fever. His death occurred in 1904, at the age of seventy-five years. He was postmaster of Westford for some time, and his politics were Democratic. By his marriage to Miss Sally Thompson, daughter of William Thomp- son, he became the father of the following, besides Arthur P. : Nannie R., wife of Dr. G. N. Lewis, of Pierpont, Ohio; Abigail, wife of John Myers, of Albion, this county; Mary Louise, who married William Campbell, of Conneaut township; Professor James F., of the Edinboro ( Pennsylvania) Normal School: Samuel R., a salesman of Conneaut township and Eliza Jane, wife of Willis O. Keep, a conductor of Albion.

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Andrew Pearl McArthur, of this biography, received an education in both the common and high schools, and at the age of sixteen com- menced work on a Lake Erie freighter, but after a year of this em- ployment decided that he preferred to be a landsman. He next became a lineman with the Bell Telephone Company at .Albion ; then was em- ployed as a conductor with the Bessemer Railway. resigning that posi- tion to engage in the interurban service between Conneaut. Ohio, and Jefferson, Pennsylvania. A year afterward Mr. McArthur identified himself with the Nickel Plate Railway, continuing in its employ until 1906, when he established his present meat business at Albion. He is also interested in a billiard and pool room at that place, and is the owner of a fine farm in Conneaut township, being quite a large buyer of live stock. Although thus active in business, he has also obtained strong in- fluence as a Democrat, and is now serving as chief of police of Albion, deputy sheriff of Erie county, tax collector of his borough, health officer. truant officer and street superintendent. In his fraternal connections he belongs to Albion Lodge, No. 435, I. O. O. F., and to Albion Lodge No. 103. Cherry Hill Encampment No. 66. Knights of Pythias. at Albion.

On December 1. 1899. Mr. McArthur married Miss Floy Griffey. born October 10, 1882, daughter of Herbert L. and Emma ( Joslin) Griffey. Their two children are Herbert, born in 1901, and M. Naomi, born in 1903. Mrs. McArthur herself has two brothers living-Ralph, a farmer residing in Conneaut township, and Vorice K., who lives in Springfield township.

The Griffey family is one of the oldest and most prominent of Conneaut township. and the whole of Erie county numbers no more honored pioneers than George Griffey, and his industrious, intelligent and hardy family, who, in the early portion of the past century, were developing a fertile tract along the Conneaut creek near Cherry Hill. The father and founder of the family in this section of the United States came from Wales in 1797 and settled on the land which is still held by his descendants and has long been known as the William Griffey farm. His estate embraced several hundred acres of land which, at his advent to the country, was mostly covered by dense forest. For nearly half a century he labored with his axe, his plow and his sturdy brain, and, with the assistance of his sons. eventually fashioned productive and valuable farms and homesteads from the original wilderness. George Griffey, who died January 19, 1849, at the age of seventy-nine, married Miss Catherine Hook, one of his county-women, who followed him to her rest December 30th, of the same year, at seventy-six. She was the daughter of Matthias Hook. who occupied eight hundred acres of land near Pittsburg and gave the name Hooksburg to the settlement which sprung up on and around his property. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George Griffey, the father being not only a good, thrifty farmer and an honorable father and husband, but one of the Erie county patriots who, as a soldier of the war of 1812, assisted in putting Perry's fleet where "it would do the most good." The eight children sired by that worthy pioneer were George, Benjamin, John, William, Matthias. Sarah, James and Susan. In the division of the paternal estate George located on the northwest and Benjamin on the northeast of what is known as Griffey's Corners; John settled a little north of these brothers. and William M. selected his homestead near the creek on the old home- stead. The last named was the grandfather of Mrs. McArthur, and when he retired to Cherry Hill in his old age was one of the wealthiest

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and most respected citizens in the township. He was one of the pioneer Masons of that section of Erie county, and was a charter member of Evergreen Lodge of Conneaut, Ohio. William Griffey was twice mar- ried. By his union with Maria Sartwell, to whom he was wedded Feb- ruary 13, 1843, he had two children-Sarah L., who married Moses J. Brown, a farmer and a stock man of Conneaut, and Elvira M., who became the wife of George Putney, of Wahoo, Nebraska. Mrs. Maria Griffey was a Vermont lady. daughter of Regil and Elvira Sartwell, and died March 2, 1845. On May 21, 1846. Mr. Griffey married Miss Ann M. Baird, who was born in 1825 and was a daughter of Steven G. and Betsey ( Baker) Baird, also of Green Mountain stock. Seven child- ren were born of this marriage, the mother dying in 1881 and the father. in 1883. Of the children, William H., the eldest, is deceased. Ida O. is a resident of Cleveland, Ohio. The third-born, Herbert L., is Mrs. McArthur's father. His birth occurred April 26, 1852, on the old homestead, and he remained with his parents engaged in farming until his marriage in 1876. He then moved to Cherry Hill and in 1893 ex- changed his property for the W. Harrington farm, now operated by his son Ralph. In 1908 Mr. McArthur moved to the fine farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres which he now occupies in Springfield township and which he devotes to general operations and stock raising. He is a scientific agriculturist and a progressive citizen-active in the work of the Cherry Hill Grange, of which he is treasurer; a member of the State Police. Camp No. 66; has served both as township commissioner and a member of the school board, and is a Democrat of high standing and strong influence.

In the death of Mrs. Herbert L. Griffey, February 5, 1905, those whose lives had been nearest to the departed keenly realized the loss of a fine womanly influence based upon a tender and loving nature. The community at large, which had been more distantly blessed with that influence. sincerely mourned her death as the taking from the home, social and religious circles of the place, of an active and strong factor in their elevation and purification. Mrs. Griffey was not only a devout and active member of the Methodist church, being especially . identified with the work of the Ladies' Aid Society, but, as a loving and faithful wife, also gave much of her time to Grange matters, in which her husband was so deeply concerned. Her marriage in 1876 had been a life consecration to his interests and their marriage had been ideal in illustrating the charms of mutual affection, mutual charity and mutual helpfulness. Mrs. Griffey was a native of Conneaut township, Erie county, and was born Nevember 29. 1854, daughter of John J. and Catherine (Doty) Joslin. Her father was a sailor on the great lakes for twenty-four years, but passed his last years as a farmer of Conneaut township, where he died in 1887. aged sixty-six years.

The fourth child of William M. McArthur, by his second marriage. was John J. ; the fifth, Elmer, and the sixth, Morton B .- the first named. a farmer of Conneaut township, Pennsylvania, and the last two agri- culturists of Conneaut, Ohio. Two children died in infancy. Joy and George.

Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Griffey. Ralph, who is an able and one of the rapidly rising citizens of Conneaut town- ship, was born November 22. 1822. He has been thoroughly educated in the schools of Albion and at Edinboro Normal College and has taught school for three years. After operating his father's farm for some

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time, in 1905 he bought an interest in it, and is now actively engaged in agricultural and dairying operations. For two years he has been treas- urer of the State Police of Conneaut township, and has served for one year as master of the Cherry Hill Grange, as well as captain of the State Police (Camp 66). On February 13, 1900, he was married to Miss Rachel M. Swap.

ISRAEL HEIDLER, deceased, honored and revered in Erie county as one whose name is ineffaceably traced on the pages of its history from the early days, was born on the old Heidler farm in the south- eastern part of Fairview township September 9, 1827, a son of Curtis Heidler. He studied in the old district schools and in the Erie Acad- emy, and remained at home with his parents until his marriage. He then bought the old Bird farm on the Ridge road, one mile southeast of the village of Fairview, and there he spent his life as a tiller of the soil, dying on the 25th of November, 1896, and he was laid to rest in Fairview cemetery with others of the brave and early pioneers of Erie county. In politics he was a Republican, and he was an earnest and valued member of the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Heidler married Miss Josephine Fernbaugh. Her parents, Benedict and Mary (Erhart) Fernbaugh, were married in Erie county. He was a cabinet maker and came to this community in the early '20's, and she was a maiden of eighteen when she came here in 1829. Both were originally from Germany. The early years of their resi- dence here were fraught with the dangers and privations incident to life on the frontier, and for many years their only means of travel was over the paths made by blazed trees. Here the wife and mother died in 1883, after passing the seventy-second milestone on life's journey.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Heidler was blessed by the birth of four children. The eldest, William Heidler, lives on the old home- stead with his mother, as does also the elder daughter, Mary E. Sophronia married William G. Kline, of Erie, and their children are Edna E., Ruth G., and Vera H. John F., of Fairview township, mar- ried Gertrude M. Greenlee, and their children are Ralph G., Edith E. and Florence G. Mrs. Heidler is spending the remaining years of her life in the old home which has sheltered her family for many years, loved and honored by all who know her.

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A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II, Part 79

Author: Miller, John, 1849- Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 910

Author: Miller, John, 1849-
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 910