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 85
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W. Fred Turner attended the public schools at Freeport until he was sixteen years of age and in 1884 was graduated from the Actual Business College, Pittsburgh, Pa. At that time his father offered him the means with which to equip himself for a profession, or a half inter- est in his own business, and the son chose the latter, becoming his father's partner in 1885. He now has full charge of the business and never has regretted the choice he made. For some years he has been very active in Repub- lican politics, having cast his first presidential vote for Hon. Benjamin Harrison, and for years was a member of the Armstrong County Republican committee and frequently a dele- gate to county and State conventions. He was elected burgess of Freeport when twenty-two years of age, and served in the Pennsylvania State Legislature in the sessions of 1907 and 1909, during this time being a member of the investigating committee concerning the destruc- tion by fire of the old State House and other- wise proving his efficiency as a public official.
On Jan. 20, 1887, Mr. Turner was married, at Freeport, Pa., to Lida Bricker, and they Mr. Turner has filled all the chairs in the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., of which he is a member at Freeport, belongs to the Consistory and American Mechanics, Elks, Eagles and the Loyal Order of Moose.
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
CAMDEN C. COCHRAN, justice of the chased, and followed farming as his main oc- peace and a prosperous farmer, residing in cupation, although he also did some carpenter Wayne township, Armstrong Co., Pa., was born on the farm on which he lives July 4, 1853, son of John Cochran, grandson of Wil- liam Cochran and a great-grandson of William Cochran. work, being skillful in the handling of tools. In the spring of 1878 he established a dairy, disposing of his milk in the town of Dayton, and continued this industry for some time. He was an honest and upright business man William Cochran, the great-grandfather, came to America from Ireland and was one of the pioneer settlers in what is now Cowan- shannock township, Armstrong county, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in old age. and was well known all over Wayne town- ship. He was a Democrat in his political views. On Dec. 21, 1848, he was united in marriage with Martha E. McComb, who was born Nov. 14, 1825, a daughter of George and Elizabeth ( Marshall) McComb. George McComb was born Oct. 1, 1783, and was a son of General McComb, of Revolutionary fame. He married Elizabeth Marshall, the sec- ond and youngest daughter of James and Elizabeth (Whitesides ) Marshall. They lived in Indiana county, Pa., until 1815, when they moved to near Glade Run, Armstrong county, where George McComb followed farming un- til 1823, when he built a tannery on his farm, having learned the tanning business in his youth. He conducted it for some years and it was operated later by his sons. Mr. McComb served as a soldier in the War of 1812. He was a useful and representative man, for many years a justice of the peace and an elder in the Glade Run Presbyterian Church.
William Cochran, son of William, may have accompanied his father from Ireland. He was married in Armstrong county, in 1814, to Mary Marshall, a daughter of John and Jane ( Scott) Marshall. Mr. Cochran died Nov. 1, 1876, and the death of his wife occurred Aug. 3, 1878. They had twelve children, as follows: Nancy, born Dec. 20, 1816, married James Robert Calhoun ; Jane, born July 3, 1818, married W. W. Marshall ; Eliza M., born Jan. 23, 1820, married Watson S. Marshall; John, born Jan. 16, 1822, married Martha E. McComb; Mary died unmarried; William M., born in 1826. married Martha J. McGaughey ; James L., born Aug. 12, 1828, married Mary C. Bricker ; Samuel never married; Robert, born Oct. 2, 1832, married Mary Adair; David S., born Feb. 19. 1835, married Lois C. Marshall, Oct. 29, 1867; Levi, born in 1837, died when eleven months old; Sarah Ellen, born June 19, 1839, married R. L. McGaughey. The father of the above family cleared a tract of land in Cowanshannock township and built his log cabin around stumps of trees in order to util- ize them as seats after the house was com- pleted. The family lived on that farm and did considerable improving as the years went by, until 1831, when they sold and bought a farm at Glade Run, which later came into possession of their son Samuel. William Cochran cleared the native forest growth from this land and developed a good farm, and it was here that both he and his wife passed away. They were quiet, worthy, virtuous people, respected and esteemed by all who knew them, ancestors to whom their descend- ants may refer with pride.
His death occurred Feb. 17, 1859, and that of his wife on May 26, 1857. They had the follow- ing children : Margaret T., James H., Nancy J .. John C., Joseph W., Eliza J., Maria E., Martha E., Sarah A., Robert N., Cynthia S. and Marshall.
To John and Martha E. Cochran two chil- dren were born: Camden C. and a daughter who did not survive infancy. John Cochran died Sept. 6, 1884. He was a Democrat in pol- itics, and for many years was a member of the Glade Run Presbyterian Church.
Camden C. Cochran was educated in the township schools and Glade Run Academy and remained at home, assisting his father on the homestead near Dayton, which is now his own property. He became associated in busi- ness with his uncle, Samuel Cochran, and to- gether they opened a coal mine on the home property and did a coal business for twenty or twenty-five years, when they sold out to the Dayton Coal Company. Since when Mr. Cochran has given his entire attention to his agricultural pursuits. For many years he has served as secretary of the Dayton Fair Asso- ciation and as one of its managers. From early manhood he has been more or less interested in public matters, especially in local affairs,
John Cochran, son of William and father of Camden C. Cochran, was born in Cowan- shannock township, Jan. 16, 1822, near the present borough of Atwood, and accompanied his parents to Wayne township in 1831, there spending the rest of his life, remaining at home until his marriage. In 1850 he settled on a farm near Dayton, Pa., which he had pur- and has frequently been elected to office on the
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Republican ticket, having served with the ut- cleared it up, making a homestead there. Here mots efficiency as township auditor, secretary his death occurred, resulting from wounds re- ceived during his service in the wars. His wife was Mary Ann Baker, and they had two sons and three daughters, among them a son Philip.
of the school board as roadmaster, and in the fall of 1911 he was elected to the office of jus- tice of the peace for Wayne township. With other representative men of this section, he is a stockholder in the Dayton Normal Institute. A natural as well as trained musician for twen- ty or thirty years Mr. Cochran was prominent in the borough's musical concerns, teaching singing and serving as leader of the Dayton Cornet Band. For seventeen years he has been an elder in the Glade Run Presbyterian Church and for the last nineteen years has led the church choir, and he still takes an active part in the Sunday school.
Mr. Cochran has been twice married. On June 15, 1882, he was united in marriage to Stella Wilson, who was born April 5, 1863, and died May 2, 1901, survived by four children, viz. : Charles W., who is a student in the West- ern Theological Seminary, preparing for the Presbyterian ministry, married Dessie Shields; N. Hetrick ; and Samuel.
Edna is the wife of John P. Stockdale, resid- ing in Wayne township; John L., who resides at home, married Alice Hawk, and they have a daughter, Arabelle Jane; Alfred M., who is a farmer in Illinois, married Nora Dooling. Mr. Cochran's second mariage took place Feb- ruary 28, 1907, to Mrs. Arabelle (Kirkpat- rick ) Marshall, widow of Robert M. Marshall, formerly a justice of the peace in Wayne township. She is a daughter of James C. and Mary ( McMillen) Kirkpatrick, and the ven- erable Mr. Kirkpatrick resides with Mr. and Mrs. Cochran.
PHILIP W. SHUMAKER, M. D., who is a practicing physician of New Bethlehem, Pa., is a descendant of an old and respected family of western Pennsylvania, members of which have taken part in the several wars of America, giving valuable service to their country, and being representative citizens in their various communities.
John Shumaker, his great-grandfather, a native of Germany, came to America prior to 1770 with six brothers, namely : Solomon, Ad- am, George, Simon, Samuel and Daniel. Of these George Shumaker was the founder of a well-known branch of the family in western Pennsylvania ; they settled first in Loudoun county. Va. John Shumaker was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, serving in the Amer- ican army, and also took part in the Indian wars of western Pennsylvania. He was an early settler of Westmoreland county, Pa., where he purchased a large tract of land and for the privilege. In 1872 he located at Oak-
Philip Shumaker was the grandfather of Dr. Philip W. He was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., Jan. 25, 1784, and died April 10, 1860. He settled in what is now Mahoning township, Armstrong Co., Pa., in 1814, taking up 400 acres of land. In 1824 he sold 200 acres of this tract to a favorite cousin, Peter Shu- maker. He cleared up his farm, which grad- ually became a fine homestead, and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there. He married Elizabeth Rose, who was born Nov. 18, 1790, and died June 12, 1863, and they reared a family of nine children, as follows : Mary, who married Adam Smith; John; Sa- rah; Joseph, a minister of the German Baptist Church; Isaac; Philip; Susan, who married Robert Ferguson; Elizabeth, who married M.
John Shumaker, son of Philip, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., Oct. 22, 1813, and spent practically all his life in Mahoning town- ship, where he was a prominent farmer in his day. He improved a farm of 320 acres, now owned by his sons Simon A. and Philip W. Retiring from active work in 1883, he made his home with his son Philip W. until his death, which occurred in November, 1901. He mar- ried Ruth Davis, daughter of Bernard and Sarah (McClain) Davis, natives of Ireland and pioneers of Armstrong county, and they were the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom grew to maturity, as follows : Eliza, who married Thomas W. Marshall; Joseph T .; Si- mon A .; Susan, who married George Bals- inger ; Philip W .; Emily C., who married Sam- uel Balsinger ; Davis G .; Amanda M., who married Jacob Johnson; William T., who is deceased ; Mary M., who married Dr. Harry Sadler ; and James K.
Philip W. Shumaker, a son of John and Ruth (Davis) Shumaker, was born in what is now Mahoning township, this county, Nov. 6, 1844. He attended the common schools of his locality, and later the Dayton Academy and Reid Institute. In 1866 he began the study of medicine with Dr. John Criswell, of New Beth- lehem, and in 1868 entered Cleveland Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1870. The same year he began the practice of his profession at Rochester, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he remained for two years, paying a government tax of ten dollars
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
land, Armstrong Co., Pa., engaging in the drug Christena (Koch) Lauster, and a grandson of business, as well as in the practice of his pro- Ernest Martin Lauster. fession, and he continued here until 1884. At this time he opened an office in New Bethle-
Ernest Martin Lauster was born in 1800, in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, where he fol- hem, where he has since resided, and he has lowed milling until he came to America in 1848. here established an extensive and lucrative He was accompanied by his family and they patronage. He was also engaged here in the landed at Baltimore, Md., from there proceed- drug business until 1901, but he now gives his entire time and attention to his patients.
Dr. Shumaker married Sept. 26, 1876, Susie, daughter of Tobias and Barbara (Bren- izer) Kimmel, natives of Westmoreland county, Pa., and early settlers of Plum Creek township, Armstrong county. By this union there was one son, Edgar Kimmel, who is asso- ciated with his father in the practice of medi- cine. Dr. Shumaker is a member of the Clar- ion County Medical Society, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and keeps well informed on all matters and up-to-date methods which re- late to his profession. He is a member of the Baptist Church, and in politics is a Republican.
EDGAR KIMMEL SHUMAKER, M. D., only son of Dr. Philip W. and Susie (Kimmel) Shu- maker, was born at Oakland, this county, March 14, 1879. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of New Bethlehem, at Bucknell Uni- versity, Lewisburg, Pa., in the Pharmaceutical department of the University of Pittsburgh, from which he was graduated with the class of 1899, and graduated from the medical de- partment of the same university in the class of 1902. After serving as interne at St. John's Hospital, in Pittsburgh, one year, since 1903 he has been associated with his father, prac- ticing medicine in New Bethlehem. Both father and son have been most successful in their work and have the confidence and esteem of the entire community.
Dr. Edgar K. Shumaker married Dec. 31, 1902, Emma, daughter of William M. and Mel- da (Truitt) Andrews, of New Bethlehem, and they have one son, Philip W., born Nov. 25, 1903. The Doctor is a member of the Baptist Church at New Bethlehem, fraternally is a member of Stuckreth Lodge, No. 430, F. & A. M., of Pittsburgh, and professionally is con- nected with the Clarion County Medical So- ciety, the Pennsylvania State Medical Associa- tion and the American Medical Association. He is surgeon for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at New Bethlehem. In political sen- timent he is Republican.
ing to Pittsburgh, Pa. Shortly afterward he secured land in what is now East Liberty and followed gardening until 1855, when he moved to Armstrong county and bought a farm of 150 acres from Samuel Beers, in Kittanning township. Mr. Lauster remained on this farm until 1866, when he moved to the farm of a son in another part of the township, living there until 1881, at which time he removed to his son Henry's home in Cowanshannock town- ship, where he died in 1888. His wife was also long-lived; born in 1799, she died in 1885. They were interred in St. Paul's cemetery, in Armstrong county. They had three sons : George, residing on the old homestead in Kit- tanning township ; Peter, formerly a successful business man of Pittsburgh; and Henry.
Henry Lauster, son of Ernest Martin Laus- ter, was born Feb. 7, 1837, in the town of Axel, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. When eleven years of age he accompanied his parents to America and was about nineteen when his father bought his farm in Armstrong county. Henry learned the milling business about this time and later was associated with J. A. Boyer, under the firm name of Boyer & Lauster, the firm later becoming Lauster, Sowers & Co., and the North Star mill was erected, three miles southwest of Yatesboro. In April, 1889, the business of the mill became very poor, and Henry Lauster together with his brother, Peter Lauster, then of Pittsburgh, bought out the interests of the other partners and remodeled the mill to the roller system. Henry Lauster was in charge of the mill business and it pros- pered under his management, which continued until 1903, when he retired, and what was widely known as Lauster's mill was sold. After a year of rest on his farm in Kittanning town- ship, he built a comfortable residence at Rural Valley, and was about ready to move into it when he sustained an injury to his foot, which, after much suffering and a surgical operation in the hospital at Kittanning, Pa., caused his death, Nov. 13, 1906. He was buried in the cemetery connected with St. Paul's Reformed Church, near Blanco. Among his fellow citi- zens generally, Mr. Lauster was held in very high regard. It was said of him that he was
WILLIAM P. LAUSTER, proprietor of the Yatesboro Roller Mills, at Yatesboro, Pa., was born March 21, 1874, in Cowanshannock town- ship, Armstrong county, son of Henry and a kind-hearted, generous man, of unimpeach-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
able integrity, a good husband and a loving clear to acquiesce and did not certify for the father.
In 1858 Henry Lauster was married to Christena Koch, of Kittanning township, Arm- strong county, and four children were born to them, three sons and one daughter. In 1882 the family was stricken with typhoid fever and on Oct. 18th two of the children succumbed, the only daughter, who was seventeen years old, and the son John, who had reached his twenty-second year. Two other sons survived the epidemic, Henry F. and William P.
Henry F. Lauster was born Nov. 13, 1862, and was associated in the milling business with his younger brother, William P., until he died, and three sons survive him : John B., Wilbert E. and O. Elsworth.
Mrs. Christena (Kochi) Lauster was born
May 11, 1839, and resides at Rural Valley. She Rena and Annie. The father of these chil- took possession of the new residence while dren followed farming all his active life. He her husband was at the hospital, hopefully is now eighty-seven years old.
preparing the home to which he never returned alive. Her parents were John and Anna (Reichert) Koch.
William P. Lauster attended the public schools and then took a summer business course at Kittanning, after which he learned the mill- ing business with his father. Immediately after his father's retirement and sale of the old mill, Mr. Lauster, in partnership with his brother, the late Henry F. Lauster, erected the Yatesboro Roller Mills at Yatesboro. Under the firm style of Lauster Brothers the mills con- tinued to be operated until the death of Henry F. Lauster, and in 1909 William P. Lauster bought the interest of his brother's heirs and since then has the business under his own name. The mills are modern in every way, being thor- oughly equipped with improved machinery. The product is a high grade of spring and win- ter wheat flour, and a specialty made of high- grade buckwheat flour. The mills are head- quarters for oats, corn, hay, straw, feed of all kinds and poultry supplies. The business is in a very flourishing condition.
primaries, but there was a surprise when the result of the primaries was announced show- ing that he had been voluntarily nominated. After a spirited and clean-cut campaign he was defeated by a very close margin, in a county which hitherto had been overwhelm- ingly Republican.
WILLIAM A. LOUDEN, who occupies a high position among the prosperous and rep- resentative business men of Kittanning, was born July 10, 1853, in Clarion county, Pa., son of David and Lydia ( Westner) Louden.
David Louden was born in Westmoreland Feb. 7, 1908. He married Narcissa Wagner, county, Pa., but settled in Clarion county in
1850, and there reared his family of ten chil- dren, viz .: Francis, William A., Henry A., Jennie, George W., Mary, John, Elizabeth,
William A. Louden attended public school at Cherry Run, Clairon Co., Pa., and worked on the homestead farm until sixteen years old, when he went to. Oil City, Pa. For twelve years thereafter he was engaged in drilling gas and oil wells in that vicinity. He then went to the Clarion oil fields to work at tool dressing for five years, when he resumed his drilling of wells, spending twelve years more in this line. By this time he was able to buy an outfit, and began drilling wells under con- tract. Owing to his good judgment and ex- perience Mr. Louden is able to select fruitful spots, having only twenty dry holes against him, a most remarkable record, for he has drilled over six hundred wells in Pennsylvania alone, besides many in West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. His record for Armstrong is about three hundred, and in nearly all of them he found gas as well as oil. For some years Mr. Louden has been working with a partner, W. H. Smith, under the name of Lou- den & Smith Company, this firm being one of the best known in this line in Pennsylvania. In 1906 the firm rented and subsequently bought out the Kittanning Tool Company, owners of a well equipped shop, furnished with all ma- chinery for manufacturing and repairing all kinds of oil well tools and other appliances. Mr. Louden has accumulated considerable valuable realty, and is building several houses in Kittanning, for he has great faith in the future of this city, from which he conducts his business operations.
Mr. Lauster married Ida McGregor, daugh- ter of James McGregor, of Kittanning town- ship, and they reside at Yatesboro. In politics Mr. Lauster is a Democrat, and in this con- nection is quite prominent, in 1910 serving as a delegate to the State convention, and at present is being a member of the council of Rural Valley. In the early spring of 1912 Mr. Lauster's many friends in the party through- out Armstrong county insisted on his becom- ing a candidate for the Legislature. For In 1884, Mr. Louden married Martha Dison, business reasons he could not see his way daughter of Robert Dison, of Monroe county,
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
N. Y. Six children were born of this mar- riage, three of whom died in infancy : William J., who is in business with his father, having charge of the repair shop at Kittanning ; Clar- ence E., also engaged with his father, drilling wells; and Clara May. Mr. Louden belongs to the Masonic lodge at Bellview, Pa. In re- ligious faith, he is a United Presbyterian, be- ing a member of the church of that denomina- tion at Kittanning, and serving it as trustee for several years.
JAMES B. SMAIL, chief burgess of the borough of Leechburg, to which office he was elected in 1909, is one of the leading business men of that place and a citizen whose influ- ence for progress and good government are felt in all its activities. Mr. Smail was born in Burrell township, Armstrong county, June 8, 1857, son of Daniel Smail and grandson of Jacob Smail.
Jacob Smail came to America with his fam- ily from Germany and settled in Armstrong county, Pa., about four miles northwest of Leechburg. He engaged in farming, pros- pered, and became one of the well-known resi- dents of the community, where he continued to live until his death. He is buried in the old Smail graveyard in Bethel township, this county. Though he had seventeen children he took up enough land to give each a tract of fifty acres. Mr. Smail was twice married, the second time to Nancy J. Elliott. His first wife was the mother of all his children, among whom were: George; Philip; Joseph; Peter ; Daniel ; Josiah ; Phoebe ; Priscilla ; Leah ; Het- tie-all now deceased but Priscilla, who re- sides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Maria, who married William Irminger, of Missouri.
James B. Smail attended public school in his native township, and he was practically reared by W. H. Carnahan, with whom he remained until he was fourteen years old. The next three years he was in the State of Missouri, where he was employed at farm work and in a rope walk. Returning home he drove team for Schwalm & Carnahan, merchants, at Cochran's Mill, Pa., for one year, and then was with Major Beale for one year. After that he began farming in Parks township for Abraham Heckman, and later locating in Parkville, this county, engaged in the mercan- tile business. Under President Cleveland he was appointed postmaster at that point, the post office being known as Dime, and remained there for eight years. He was next employed at the coal mines by Capt. Alfred Hicks, now of Pittsburgh, first as weighmaster. Resign- ing from this position he went to the Duff College in Pittsburgh, where he took a com- mercial course, after which he returned to Mr. Hicks' employ, working in his store at Leechburg. Subsequently he was made gen- cral superintendent of mines on the Monon- gahela river and at Monongahela City, and also had charge as 'such at Neffs, Ohio, for some time. He then entered business at Leechburg as a member of the firm of Smail & Fiscus, general merchants, and in time be- came the head of the firm of Smail, Stull & Hill, hardware dealers, Mr. Smail erecting what is now known as the Smail building, on Second street, 60 by 53 feet in dimensions, for the accommodation of their business. By strict integrity and honorable methods, com- bined with efficient management, Mr. Smail has been very successful. He believes a man need not be rich before he invests, but must invest before he can expect to get rich, and he has proved the worth of his opinion. He has become deeply interested in western mining concerns, is general manager of the Pennsyl- vania Mining & Milling Company, located in Missouri, where the company has purchased seven hundred acres of land valuable for its deposits of coal, lead, zinc, etc., and is general superintendent of the Belmont Coal Mining Company ; as a supporter of local enterprises he is president of the Leechburg Realty Com- pany and of the Leechburg Board of Trade, was one of the organizers of the First Na- tional Bank of Leechburg (of which he is a director), and is a member of the Leechburg
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