USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Armstrong County, Pennsylvania her people past and present, embracing a history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 71
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
Mrs. Henrietta ( Bowers) Doverspike was a member of the Lutheran Church at Eddyville. She died Oct. 7. 1913, at the age of sixty-two years, eight months, ten days, and was buried in the cemetery at Eddyville beside her hus- band.
LOUIS E. BIEHL, leading clothier of Kit- tanning, and a business man of high standing and unblemished character, was born in that borough Jan. 29, 1861, son of Louis and Emma ( Helmbold) Biehl.
Louis Biehl was born in Germany, and came to the United States in 1850, when still a young man. Coming to Kittanning, he interested himself along several lines, being a hotel- keeper and brewer. For years he was num- bered among the progressive business men of Kittanning, and bore his part in its develop- ment. His death occurred in 1881, his widow surviving until 1888. They were the par- ents of ten children, two of whom died in infancy, the others being: Louis E .; Charles ; Nicholas ; Emma, wife of J. E. Bush ; William ; Theodore; Elizabeth, who married J. G. Mai- kranz, and is deceased; and Chillie, who died unmarried, aged twenty years.
Louis E. Biehl was educated in public school at Kittanning, and after finishing his studies associated himself with his father in his tailoring establishment under the name of Louis Biehl & Son. Both ready-made and made-to-order clothing were handled, but com- pared to the present business of Mr. Biehl, the establishment was conducted upon a small scale. Growing up in this line, Mr. Biehl has devoted himself to its development, and now is most conveniently located on two floors of the building at No. 216 Market street, 24 by 100 feet, which he keeps well stocked with modern garments of every description. Owing to his connections and resources, he is able to offer a high grade of goods at moderate prices, and is recognized as the leader in his line in Kit- tanning. A man of pleasing manner and pro- gressive spirit, he has made many friends, while his honest methods have won for him universal esteem. Mr. Biehl is deeply inter- ested in educational matters, and is serving as school director. For two years he was secre- tary and treasurer of the school board. and he was influential in advocating the erection of the new high school building, which is a credit to the borough. Prominent in Masonic circles, Mr. Biehl has attained the Knight Templar de- gree, and he is also a member of the Elks, and having passed through all the chairs in that order is now past exalted ruler. He is a men- ber of St. John's Lutheran Church, and is on the church council board.
In 1884 Mr. Biehl was married to Anna J. Kennerdell, daughter of John and Caroline Kennerdell. Two children were born of this marriage, John and Margaret. Mrs. Biehl died in 1893. and in 1895 he was married (second) to Margaret Clements, daughter of Robert Clements, of Brookville, Jefferson Co., Pa. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Biehl : Harry, Clara. Robert, James and Fred- erick.
365
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
THOMAS LEE AYE, M. D., who has been engaged in the practice of medicine at Kelly Station, Armstrong county, since 1905, has not only established himself well profession- ally during his residence there but has taken an active part in township affairs and proved himself a useful citizen. He is a native of the county, born March 30, 1877, in Kittanning township, son of John George and Catherine A. ( Heilman) Aye. His grandfather settled near Freeport, Armstrong county, worked as a farmer. and later lived in Allegheny for a number of years. He then moved to Crooked Creek, onto what was known as the Ross farm near Rosston, Armstrong county, and there died. The family is of German origin.
John George Aye, the Doctor's father, was born in Allegheny, Pa., April 14, 1845, and in early life learned the trade of cooper. He moved with his family to a farm in Manor township, this county, purchased after the death of his father, and for a few years ran a huckster's wagon, during that time meeting his future wife, and he has since been en- gaged in farming, owning the farm on which he resides in Bethel township. In 1876 he married Catherine A. Heilman, a native of Pennsylvania, also of German descent, and to them were born two sons, Thomas Lee and William George. Mr. and Mrs. John George Aye are members of the Bethel Lutheran Church in Bethel township.
Thomas Lee Aye received his preparatory education at Kittanning Academy, later at- tending Gettysburg College, and took his med- ical course at the Western University of Penn- sylvania, at Pittsburgh, from which institution he was graduated in 1905. He at once began practice, settling at Kelly Station, in his na- tive county, where he has remained to the pres- ent. Dr. Aye's devotion to his patients and his conscientious care of all the cases in which he is consulted have made him well liked and thoroughly trusted in the community, and that he is highly respected is shown by his long service on the school board of Bethel town- ship. After serving two terms he was re- elected for a period of six years, and he has been secretary of the board for five years. By his efficient work in this capacity he has amply proved his ability and public spirit. In association with his cousin, H. J. Lindeman, Dr. Aye optioned and sold three thousand acres of coal lands in Bethel township, as well as land opposite Kelly Station, for a future town site. The transaction was highly suc- cessful, and a credit to the business acumen of both men.
In 1903 Dr. Aye married Mary Bell Hud- son, who died in 1908, leaving no children. She was a member of the Bethel Lutheran Church. The Hudsons are of German extrac- tion and have been settled in Armstrong county since pioneer days, and they are related to the Kunkles and Peebles, other pioneer fam- ilies. Capt. T. P. Hudson, Mrs. Aye's father, was an old Allegheny river captain and boat owner, at one time owning the "Florence Belle," the "Nellie Hudson" and "Nellie Hud- son No. 2" and other craft. He married Cordelia Coffman and they had children as follows besides Mary Bell, deceased wife of Dr. Aye: Capt. John S., of Kittanning, steam- boat owner; Edward, of Vandergrift, Pa .; Grace, wife of Earl Christie, of St. Clairs- ville, Ohio, superintendent of a coal company ; Annie, wife of Thomas Atkinson, of Vander- grift; and Elizabeth, unmarried, a graduate nurse, of Pittsburgh. On Oct. 5, 1910, Dr. Aye married (second) Genevieve L. Tassey, of Pittsburgh, Pa., a graduate nurse of the West Penn Hospital, 1904, and they have one child, Thomas Lee, Jr., born Aug. 22, 1911. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Bethel Lutheran Church at Kelly Station.
In both paternal and maternal lines Mrs. Aye is of fine old Irish stock, through her mother, Elizabeth (Cullen), being a great- granddaughter of George Cullen, of Lime- rick, Ireland, who was a celebrated barrister and a man of great influence, being a typical member of a family whose high intelligence and distinguished services to church and state had won them prominent positions and un- common distinction. He was a first cousin of Cardinal Cullen, an eminent dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church. The Cullens were of the landed gentry and had large estates in Ireland, George Cullen's holdings being in- herited by his eldest son, Thomas, as was the custom, the other children receiving portions. The family was a large one, and almost all left Ireland. Of the other sons John became a cattle and sheep rancher in Australia; Martie became a lieutenant in the British army ; Pat- rick was the grandfather of Mrs. Aye. There were also several daughters: Mary married John McNamara, of New York City, a con- tractor who had the charge of the blacksmith- ing and horseshoeing for the street railway companies in New York City ; Ann was mar- ried to Barney Mathews, in Albany, N. Y., and they went South. The mother of this family, Ann (McMahan), belonged to a Protestant family. She had a brother who was a gallant
366
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
soldier in the War of 1812, in which he was killed; he left no family. chose him for its victim never became known. The celebrated Rev. Dr. Gray, of New York, a Patrick Cullen, son of George, was born in County Clare, Ireland. He appears to have been a favorite of his father, nevertheless he went against his father's wishes in marrying the lovely daughter of his steward, Cecilia Fennell, a native of County Clare. They had been sweethearts from youth, and he could not be dissuaded. She was sent to America with her sister, Mrs. Lucius Cushing, and Pat- rick Cullen joined them in Tioga county, Pa., at Blossburg, that county. Presbyterian minister, for whom one of the company's boats was named, told Mrs. Cul- len after her husband's disappearance that by right she was the real owner of the best part of Corning, N. Y. She never recovered from her grief over the loss of her husband, and devoted her remaining years to her family, dy- ing at the age of seventy-three years, at Ar- nold, Pa. She was a woman of superior char- acter, universally beloved and respected. Mr. soon afterward marrying the girl of his choice, and Mrs. Patrick Cullen had five children Mr. Cullen in- (some of the family born at Oconto, Wis.), herited the strong intellectual qualities for viz .: Mary, who never married, resides at Arnold, Pa .; Margaret died when thirteen years old; Thomas married Emma Schuyler ; Elizabeth, born at Oconto, Wis., married John Tassey, and they were the parents of Mrs. Aye; Catherine is the widow of William Free- man, of Syracuse, N. Y., where she resides.
which his family were noted. He had marked business ability, and appears to have had a thorough knowledge of forestry, which he evi- dently found of practical value, for he engaged very extensively and successfully in lumbering. He was associated with the Balcom & White Lumber Company, of Corning, N. Y., and in that connection moved to Oconto, Wis. Hav- ing decided to go to California in 1860, he converted the major part of his holdings into cash, leaving property and boats at Corning, N. Y., and the home and boats at Oconto, Wis. He was persuaded by his partners, among whom were Balcom, White, Steve Haight and McGraw, to go to New Orleans instead, and taking the cash and all his papers proceeded to that city after bidding an affec- tionate adieu to his wife and family, by whom he was greatly beloved. They never saw him again. A letter to his wife, supposedly from a hotel clerk in New Orleans, stated that her husband had died of yellow fever, and had been buried in a vault (it was customary at New Orleans to place bodies in vaults or mau- soleums above ground, for the reason that graves were likely to be submerged). This was in October, 1860, and it was the last definite news of Patrick Cullen received by his family; but it is a strange fact that Mrs. Cullen received money anonymously from time to time, in sums of one hundred dollars and more on several occasions-apparently conscience money, for the cash and papers Mr. Cullen was known to have with him were never restored to his family. The situation at New Orleans, owing to the troublous times before the Civil war, prevented Mrs. Cullen from making a personal investigation. It has been stated that other men engaged in the lumber business, sending logs from Illinois, Indiana, etc., to New Orleans, were never heard from after going to that city with money, but what particular form of villainy
John Tassey, father of Mrs. Ave, was born at Plessis, N. Y., on the St. Lawrence river, son of Peter Tassey, formerly of Canada, and was of French descent. The latter removed to New York State, locating at Redwood, where he was engaged as a master boat-builder, and also owned boats and land along the St. Law- rence river. At one time he owned most of the land afterward included in the village of Redwood, and he was a very prominent man in his section in many ways. He served as jus- tice of the peace. He built the stone Catholic church at Redwood and gave it to the congre- gation, and he was particularly noted for his generosity to the widows and orphans of Civil war soldiers. Unfortunately he lost most of his property during the Civil war period. Mr. Tassey was a very fine musician and quite celebrated in his locality as a bass singer, and he purchased one of the first of the Chicker- ing pianos and became quite proficient as a player.
Mr. Tassey married Lucy Schieu, whose parents settled in Canada ; they were of French extraction. To this union was born a large family : Peter, who was a soldier in the Civil war, died while in the service at Washington, D. C., when only a young man; his father went on to see him, and President Lincoln was especially kind to Mr. Tassey: subse- quently, President Cleveland granted pension. back pay, etc .. to the son of Peter Tassey. Jr. Joseph. the next son, was also a soldier from New York, serving throughout the Civil war ; he was engaged as a general blacksmith until his retirement, and lives at Plessis, N. Y. Lewis, another son, residing at Alexandria
367
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Bay (on the St. Lawrence river), is a manu- facturer of and dealer in boat fittings, has a dry dock, makes gas engines, does blacksmith- ing, etc .; he employs several men. William, of Watertown, N. Y., formerly secretary to Governor Flower, is now superintendent of the Babcock manufacturing concern, which makes wagons, buggies, carriages, etc., and a stockholder in the company. Frank is en- gaged in blacksmithing, etc., having his grand- father's place at Redwood, N. Y. Elizabeth married Lewis Horning, a contractor. Among the deceased were Henry, Louise and Ade- laide Delia.
L., wife of Dr. Thomas Lee Aye; John R., of Arnold, Pa .; James, of New Bethlehem, Pa .: Elizabeth, Mrs. Charles Hugg; Joseph, of Arnold; and Mary and Mildred, at home with their father.
JOHN C. ELLENBERGER, prosperous merchant of Dayton, Pa., one of the leading business men of Armstrong county, was born at Belknap, Wayne township, June 26, 1877. son of Samuel Ellenberger.
John Ellenberger, great-grandfather of John this he went to Rhode Island, and spent four C. Ellenberger, lived along the Allegheny years, leaving there for New Bethlehem, river, and there developed a fine farm. His children were: John, Jacob, Mrs. Rumbaugh, Charles and George. This family came to western Pennsylvania from a section east of the mountains.
Charles Ellenberger, son of John, was born in Armstrong county, in Sugar Creek town- ship, and became a farmer there, but moved to Wayne township in young manhood. He bought 160 acres at Belknap, and died in the house now occupied by his son Samuel, in 1864, his remains being interred in the Lu- theran cemetery in Wayne township. By his first marriage he had the following children : David. Jacob and Francis, all of whom died in Jefferson county. He married (second) Anna E. Bargerstock, daughter of John Bar- gerstock, who brought his family to America from Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, when Mrs. Ellenberger was twelve years old. She died in February, 1890, and is also buried in the Lutheran cemetery in Wayne township. By this second marriage Charles Ellenberger be- came the father of these children: John ;
Eliza, who married Sims Marshall; Simon P .; Samuel; Kate, who married George Rum- baugh; Etta, who married N. A. Miller, de- ceased; Sadie, who married John Snyder ; Hannah, who married George L. Reed; and two children who died young.
Samuel Ellenberger, son of Charles, was born at Belknap, Feb. 2, 1846, and was edu- cated in the township and Dayton high schools, and at Union Academy. Taking his father's homestead, he made farming his occupation. He owns eighty acres of valuable land in Wayne township. He married Emma Butler, daughter of James and Nancy (Gibson) But- ler, well-known farming people of Wayne township, and three sons were born to them :
John Tassey, one of the surviving sons of Peter Tassey, Sr., now resides at Arnold, Pa. He is a maker of window glass. His wife, John C .; Harry M., of Venango county, Pa., Elizabeth (Cullen), died April 2, 1912, at connected with the Polk institution ; and Clin- New Bethlehem, Clarion county, Pa. They ton R., also at that institution. In politics had a family of nine children: Catherine and Samuel Ellenberger is a Democrat, and he William, both deceased in infancy ; Genevieve has served as school director and assessor of Wayne township, and as jury commissioner of Armstrong county. For years he has been an important factor in the Concord Presbyterian Church, and is in every respect a substantial, reliable man.
John C. Ellenberger, son of Samuel, at- tended local school and the Dayton Academy, remaining at home until he was eighteen years old. He then went to Warren county, where he was employed at the hospital for the in- sane, and spent two years there. Following
Clarion county, Pa., where he spent a year employed in a flour mill. The next year he clerked in a general store, in all these occu- pations gaining valuable experience which was of use to him when he embarked in busi- ness for himself in 1902, as a merchant at Belknap, in Wayne township, Armstrong county. For four years he conducted a flour- ishing business at that place, but in 1906 deciding to come into a broader field located at Dayton. He opened up with a good stock of clothing, men's furnishings and shoes, hand- ling the clothing of M. Wile, of Buffalo, and Allen & Allen, of Philadelphia, and the Walk- Over and Queen Quality shoes, and continues to do so, experience having proved that these are best suited for his trade, both as to qual- ity and price. His stock is thoroughly mod- ern, and his commercial connections are such that he can offer special inducements to his customers.
Mr. Ellenberger was first married to Laura Brice, who died four months afterward. His second marriage was to Edna Shotwell. They
368
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
have no children. Fraternally Mr. Ellenber- the practice of his profession, making his ger belongs to Dayton Lodge, No. 738, I. O. O. F. His religious home is in the Presby- terian Church.
HON. JAMES BROWN NEALE, de- ceased, late President Judge of the Thirty- third Judicial district of Pennsylvania, and for many years associated with the most im- portant legal proceedings in Armstrong county, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Feb. 27, 1837. He was closely connected, both by descent and by marriage, with the early pioneer fam- ilies of western Pennsylvania.
His father, Dr. Samuel S. Neale, was born in Burlington, N. J., Jan. 15, 1792, and studied medicine with the celebrated Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. Neale after receiving the usual education afforded by the excellent academy of his native town began the study of medicine in Philadelphia, Pa., studying under Dr. Physick as well as with Dr. Rush, and attended the course of lectures at the University of Pennsylvania. About the year 1814 he commenced the practice of medi- cine at Connellsville, Pa., removing about 1817 to locate in Kittanning.
home at Kittanning, Pa. From 1876 to 1881 he was editor of the 'Union Free Press,' the Republican organ of Armstrong county. Gov- ernor Hoyt appointed him president judge of Thirty-third Judicial district of Pennsylvania in 1879, and the same year he was elected to the office at the fall election as the candi- date of the Republican party. He held the office for the full term of ten years, until January, 1890. On retiring from judicial of- fice he resumed the practice of law. Judge Neale was married July 28, 1885, to Anna, daughter of Simon Truby, of Kittanning.'
After his admission to the Armstrong county bar, in 1862, Judge Neale entered into a partnership with the late Judge Joseph Buf- fington, a former judge of Armstrong county. He later became a partner of Edward S. Golden, a prominent attorney of Kittanning, the firm being known as Golden and Neale. When he was appointed president judge in 1879 it was to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Jackson Boggs. At the expira- tion of his appointive term, as has been stated, he was elected as the candidate of the Repub- lican party for the full term of ten years. During his term on the bench he proved him- self a jurist of keen judgment and unswerv- ing integrity of purpose. At the expiration of his elective term in 1890 he again came before the people for reelection as the Repub- lican nominee, but owing to the fact that he had become very prominent as an advocate of the temperance cause, refusing all licenses during the last few years of his term, he was
He was married July 4, 1826, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Robert Brown, whose father, James Brown, Sr., served in the Amer- ican army throughout the Revolutionary war. With the exception of a single interruption, a temporary residence in the city of Pittsburgh, where Judge Neale was born, he continued in active practice in Kittanning until his death in 1857-a period of thirty-eight years. He belonged to various medical societies and was bitterly opposed by the liquor interests and held in high esteem in the profession. His was defeated. Upon retiring from the bench, death occurred Aug. 22, 1857. His wife in 1890, he formed a partnership for the gen- died March 18, 1851. Both Dr. Neale and his eral practice of law with John H. Painter, wife are buried in the Kittanning cemetery. Esq., under the firm name of Neale and Pain- Dr. Neale was survived by three sons and two ter, which partnership continued until his daughters: Charles T., James B., Alonzo P., death, Dec. 31, 1903. Rebecca B. and Phebe I. Neale.
Judge Neale was a Son of the American A brief account of the early life of Judge Revolution, president of the Merchants' Na- Neale is contained in the National Encyclo- pedia of American Biography (James T. White & Co., New York), Volume VI, page 190 :
tional Bank of Kittanning, which institution he was instrumental in organizing, a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and a member of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church of Kittanning.
"James B. Neale was educated at the pub- lic schools of his native city and at Elder's One of Judge Neale's old-time associates at the bar says of him: "He had the tem- perament of the Irish race, being very strong in his feelings and decided in his views, and very genial. During his term on the bench he displayed a high sense of the duties of his Ridge Academy. He early entered business as a clerk, then studied law, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1862. He commenced the practice of law in Kittanning, as a partner of his preceptor, E. S. Golden. He spent the year 1871 at the University of Leipzig. Ger- position, and his influence was very great many, and on his return to America resumed in maintaining the honor and dignity of the
Jama A Saco
YILDE PLONL TONME
369
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
profession. In his earlier career he was a second term he engaged in the oil business business man, and his knowledge of business methods was broad and well defined. As a lawyer his practice was largely of a commer- cial nature, though after the responsibilities of the judgeship devolved upon him he be- came a close student of all branches of the law, and his decisions were in the main sus- tained by the higher court, a strong proof of his ability. One of the Judge's notable ac- complishments was the success of his influ- ence toward cementing the friendships among members of the bar, which led to the forming of the Bar Association, and the attendant ban- quets and outings which gave pleasure and enjoyment to all who participated."
SIMON TRUBY, father of Mrs. James Brown Neale, was a prominent citizen of Armstrong county in his day. He was born in Kittanning, Aug. 17, 1826, and was of Hol- land Dutch descent, his ancestors who founded the family in this country first settling in Bucks county, Pa. Col. Christopher Truby, great-grandfather of Simon Truby, came from Bucks county to Westmoreland county, set- tling at Greensburg. Colonel Truby gave to the commissioners of Westmoreland county the site for the courthouse and by the same conveyance agreed to put aside a number of acres of land to be divided into lots for the purpose of founding the county seat. These lots he agreed to sell at a few shillings each and they now mark the present site of Greens- burg. He also built a blockhouse at his own expense to protect the women and children in that vicinity from the Indians during the war. It is related that his eldest daughter, after- ward Mrs. Simeon Hovey, was taken captive by the Indians and carried to Clarion county, where she was followed by Colonel Truby and Andy Jack and rescued.
Michael Truby, son of Colonel Truby, served as drummer boy under his father in the Revolutionary war. John Truby, son of Michael, was the father of Simon Truby. He was born in 1786 in Greensburg, Westmore- land county, and early settled in Armstrong county, where he became quite prominent. He was one of the first sheriffs of the county. John Truby died in 1877, at the age of ninety- one years. His wife, Lavinia, also of Greens- burg, died when thirty-eight years old. They had a large family.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.