Armstrong County, Pennsylvania her people past and present, embracing a history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume II, Part 10

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 618

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 II > Part 10

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Camey sold his interest to Mr. Kerr. On Feb. 8, 1910, he reembarked in the mercan- tile business, with his sons, J. Bruce and Kenneth E., as partners, under the firm name of T. H. McCamey & Sons. This firm is a leading business enterprise of the city.

Mr. McCamey was married May 21, 1885, to Kate Kerr, daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Forsythe) Kerr, of Slippery Rock, Pa., and they have four children : Bernice E., J. Bruce, Kenneth E. and Marion K. The second son is a student in the Baltimore Medical Col- lege. Mr. McCamey and family are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. For several years he has served on the school Prohibition party.

CURTIS WATSON WICK, cashier of the State Bank, Parkers Landing, Pa., was born in Sugar Creek township, Armstrong Co., Pa., April 23, 1861, son of John R. and Han- nah (Watson) Wick, and grandson of Elisha Wick. His ancestors are of pioneer stock of Westmoreland and Armstrong counties.

Elisha Wick was born in New Jersey and when a young man located in Westmoreland county, Pa., and in the early part of the nine- teenth century came to Armstrong county. He located in what is now Sugar Creek township, where he purchased a large tract of land, receiving a patent for the same from the United States government. He continued to live here, having cleared and improved his land. He married Anna Moore, also a native of New Jersey, and their family consisted of the following children, all being now de- ceased : James P., Henry, Jeremiah, Chamb- ers, John R., Sarah Ann, Elvira and William A. Of the above three were physicians, Henry, Jeremiah and William A. Sarah Ann married Watson Mays.

John R. Wick, son of Elisha Wick, was born in Armstrong county. For many years he engaged in teaching school and was well and favorably known as an educator in Arm- strong and Clarion counties. In 1868 he lo- cated at Rimersburg, Pa., where he embarked in general merchandising and banking, having a prosperous business career for many years. His death occurred in 1907, at the age of eighty-two years. He married Hannah Wat- son, who was born in Clarion county, a daugh- ter of Abraham and Rachel (Black) Watson,

Thomas H. McCamey was reared on the old homestead, educated in the common schools and remained on the home farm un- til 1885, when he accepted a position as clerk in the general store of J. F. Cochran & Co., at EauClaire, where he remained three years. When the firm removed to Parkers Land- ing, in 1888, he accompanied them and continued as a clerk until 1892, when, in part- nership with Thomas A. Kerr and Oren Pat- ton, he purchased the business. For a short time it was conducted under the style of T. and a granddaughter of Thomas Watson, all

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of whom were pioneers near Black Fox fur- nace, in Clarion county.

To John R. and Hannah Wick ten children were born: Emily, who became the wife of Wilbur G. Warren, of Cleveland, Ohio; Cur- tis W .; Annie R., who married John Hep- burn, of Warren, Pa .; William A .; Jennie S., who married Charles G. Graham, of Butler, Pa .; John R .; Maggie M., who married Rev. W. Scott Bowman, of Uniontown, Pa .; Blanche P., who is deceased; Carrie A., who is deceased; and a son who died in infancy.

Curtis Watson Wick was reared at Rimers- burg from the age of seven years and re- ceived his educational training in the public schools there and at the Clarion Collegiate Institute. He began his business career in the mercantile line at Rimersburg, and in 1892 was appointed assistant cashier of the State Bank at that place, and served in that capacity until January, 1902, when he was appointed cashier of the First National Bank of Parker City, and this position he filled acceptably un- til July 1, 19II. In August of that year he helped to organize the State Bank of Park- ers Landing, which is capitalized at $25,000, with a surplus fund of $5,000, incorporated under the banking laws of Pennsylvania. The officers of this financial institution are: A. S. Wightman, president; T. A. Kerr and A. E. Butler, vice presidents, and C. W. Wick, cashier. This bank opened for business Jan. I, 1912, in the handsome new bank building especially erected for that purpose in IgII, at a cost of $12,000, one of the fine business structures of this city. The bank is in flour- ishing condition, one of the most promising financial institutions in the county.

On Nov. 22, 1894, Mr. Wick was married to Blanche Hosey, daughter of Samuel M. and Anna (Harnish) Hosey, of Madison town- ship, Clarion county, and member of an old and historic family of Pennsylvania. They have six children, namely: Hosey R. and James W., twins, C. Wayne, Lois and Mar- guerite, twins, and Ellen. Mr. Wick and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Republican, while fraternally he belongs to the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Masons, having attained the thirty-second degree in the last named fra- ternity. He holds membership in Blue Lodge No. 277, and Chapter No. 259, R. A. M., of Clarion, Pa .; Commandery No. 44. K. T., of Franklin, Pa .; and the Consistory at Pitts- burgh.

MARSHALL. For over a century the Marshall family has been conspicuously iden- tified with the development of the region in and around Dayton and Wayne township, Armstrong county. Its representatives have been creditable and highly useful members of society, active in business, official, educational and church circles, and have always been counted among the most progressive people. of their respective communities. For solid worth they have held the esteem and respect of their fellow citizens wherever known.

(I) William Marshall, the emigrant ances- tor of this family, was born in 1722 in Ireland .. When a young man he went to Scotland, where about 1748 he married Elizabeth Arm- strong, and they soon afterward came to America. They settled in the southern part of what was then the Province of Pennsyl- vania, about sixty miles northwest of Balti- more, Md., near where the Marsh creek crossed the Pennsylvania and Maryland line- in what was known as the Conococheague set- tlement. It is now included in Adams county, Pa. Their family of six children, John, James, Margaret, William, Archibald and Samuel, were all born at this place. About the year 1783 William and Elizabeth (Arm- strong) Marshall removed with part of their family to Westmoreland county, Pa., settling in that portion now included in Indiana county, to which section their sons John and James had emigrated several years previously. They had been driven back by the hostility of the Indians, however, John and his family returning to their first settlement in the East, and James, who was then unmarried, stopping at Sewickley settlement. William Marshall, the father, settled on a tract of land at Black- legs creek, now included in the township of Conemaugh, Indiana county, where he and his wife died. Mr. Marshall in 1796, Mrs. Marshall in 1806. A copy of his will is on record at Greensburg, Pa., in the Westmore- land county courthouse, in Will Book I, page 134. A record of his family appears else- where in this work.

(II) John Marshall, eldest son of Wil- liam and Elizabeth (Armstrong) Marshall, was born in 1750 near Marsh creek, in what is now Adams county, Pa., and lived in that district until his marriage to Jane Scott, a native of Ireland, on April 16, 1776. They soon afterward removed to what is now In- diana county, Pa., but were not allowed to remain there long on account of the Indians, who were very numerous at that time. Re-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

turning to their old home, they lived there born Oct. 28, 1792, is mentioned below. (9) until the danger was apparently over, and Mary, born Nov. 29, 1794, married William then again settled at the place they had se- Cochran, a native of Armstrong county, Pa., lected, after an absence of about seven years. and had a large family: Nancy, Jane, Eliza M., John, Mary, William M., James L., Sam- uel, Robert, David Sloan, Levi and Sarah Ellen. It was then included in Westmoreland county. Once more Mr. Marshall and his family had to leave their tract on account of the Indians, and they went to live on the Conemaugh (III) Samuel Marshall, son of William, was born Oct. 29, 1792, near Clarksburg, in Indiana county. In early life he learned the trade of tanner with his brother William and worked at same in his brother's tannery be- fore his marriage. After his marriage he river, in Westmoreland county. Mr. Mar- shall had most of the hard experiences that fell to the lot of the pioneers in that section, and his patient endeavors to found a home in the face of danger, amid privations that would now seem impossible, show him to have built a house and conducted a tannery about been a typical man of the times. He died Nov. 24, 1824, on the farm in Indiana coun-

a quarter of a mile from his brother Wil- liam's location. Here he lived for many ty where he had settled, and his wife died years, following farming as well as his trade, March 28, 1838. He was a ruling elder in and in time also became interested in the the Presbyterian Church at Ebenezer, and he mercantile business.

He was known as and his wife are buried in the churchyard "Tanner Sam," to distinguish him from oth- there. Mr. Marshall was a tall man, five ers of the name. In 1847 he sold this tract feet, ten inches in height. He and his wife and moved to near Bryan, in what is now were the parents of nine children : (I) Eliza- beth, born March 9, 1777, married John Mc- Kee and had two children, Jane and Eliza- beth, twins, born June 21, 1805. (2) Cowanshannock township, purchasing the farm of 170 acres on which he resided dur- ing the remainder of his life. His death oc- curred Jan. 4, 1881. In 1819 Mr. Marshall married Nancy Guthrie, daughter of James Guthrie, of Armstrong county, and she died May II, 1873. They are buried at the Glade Run Church. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall had a large family: (I) Jane S. never married. (2) James G., born Nov. 28, 1821, was a boatman on the Pennsylvania canal for some years, later engaged in farming, and died Sept. 6, 1881. He married Nancy Blair. (3) John M., born May 3, 1824, learned tanning in his youth, later taught school for several terms in Armstrong county, and after. his marriage to Matilda Catherine Findley re- moved to Bryan, Cowanshannock township, where he built a tannery and harness shop. He had two children, Rev. Albert B. and Edith (born in 1852, died in 1861). Rev. Albert B. Marshall, D. D., born July 10, 1849, received his preparatory education at the Glade Run Academy and later attended Washington and Jefferson College, for a few terms. He then entered the university at Princeton, N. J., where he was graduated, and subsequently took a course in the Prince- ton Theological Seminary, graduating in 1874. He taught at Glade Run Academy one session, and then entered the active ministry. He has had several charges, and is now presi- dent of the Presbyterian Theological Semi- nary at Omaha, Nebr. On Sept. 1, 1875, he

William, born Sept. 22, 1779, died April 8, 1836. He was a tanner by trade. He was survived by his wife, Mary (Kirkpatrick), who was born Oct. 10, 1784, and ten chil- dren, John, William K., James, Samuel P., Martha, Robert P., Jane S., Maria P., Benja- min K. and Elizabeth K. (3) Jane S., born Oct. 23, 1781, married Capt. John Robinson, and they had children : Jane S. (died young), John M., Rachael, Jane, William M., Samuel S., Thomas W., Eliza M. and Maria W. (4) Margaret, born Dec. 29, 1783, mar- ried Eliphalet Irwin, and had children: Hannah, Jane, Mary, John, James, Samuel, William, Marshall, Benjamin and Joseph. (5) John, born Dec. 25, 1785, first learned the hatter's trade, but he later took up farm- ing. He married Jane Stewart and they had two children, John S. and Sarah. (6) Scott, born May 10, 1788, served in the war of 1812. He married Jane McClure and they had chil- dren : William C., John M., Jane S., Sam- uel, Eliza, Maria and Thomas H. (7) James, born July 20, 1790, married Martha Kirk- patrick, who died Feb. 17, 1832, the mother of four children, John, William K., Martha H. and Margaret K. By his second mar- riage, to Mrs. Martha (McConnell) Stewart, he had nine children, David M., Jane S., James, Samuel P., Prudence, Thomas E., Elizabeth, Mary and Amanda. (8) Samuel, married Jennie B. Hervey. (4) Margaret

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

D., born Jan. 4, 1828, married Robert Lati- ents. In time he became the owner of his mer. (5) Andrew S. is mentioned below. father's place in Cowanshannock township, (6) Mary, born Feb. 16, 1833, married W. W. Caldwell, who served during the Civil

near Bryan, a tract of about two hundred acres divided into three parts. Here he lived war as second lieutenant of Company K, and worked until 1901, in which year he re- 155th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer In- moved to the borough of Dayton and bought fantry. (7) Anna Eliza, born Oct. 20, 1835, the home which he continued to occupy until married John C. Russel, who served three years during the Civil war in Company K, 155th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. (8) William is mentioned below. (9) Joseph died young.

(IV) ANDREW S. MARSHALL, son of Samuel, was at the time of his recent death a well-known retired farmer, making his home in the borough of Dayton. He was born July 30, 1830, in Indiana county, Pa., and there received his education in the pub- lic schools. When seventeen years old he removed with his parents to Armstrong coun- ty, and until he was twenty-one followed farming. He then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he was engaged for about eight years, at the end of that time purchas- ing a farm in Cowanshannock township, this county, upon which he settled down to agri- cultural pursuits. During the thirty-five years that he cultivated that property he made vast improvements in its condition, erecting new buildings, and adding to its value in many ways. In 1900 he moved to Dayton, where he passed the remainder of his days in re- tirement, having sold his farm. While a resident of Cowanshannock township Mr. Marshall took a good citizen's interest in its

assessor, and was in every respect a useful member of the community. In political mat- ters he was identified with the Republican party. He took an active part in the work of the Presbyterian Church, in which he held membership.

On Dec. 22, 1860, Mr. Marshall married Lavina Gourley, daughter of George and Rosanna (McNeal) Gourley. Mrs. Marshall died Feb. 1, 1895, at the age of sixty-eight years, and is buried at Rural Valley. Mr. Marshall's daughters, Martha A. and Ida F., are both at home.

(IV) WILLIAM MARSHALL, son of Sam- uel, was born April 2, 1838, on the old Mar- shall homestead near Clarksburg, in Indiana county, and received his education in the com- mon schools and at Glade Run Academy. He was the youngest of his father's large family, and he and his sister Jane, who was the eldest, remained at home with their par-

his death. He sold his farm. Mr. Marshall was one of the most esteemed citizens of his section. He served several years as super- visor of his township, and was an active mem- ber of the Glade Run Presbyterian Church, of which he was elected elder, but he declined the honor with characteristic modesty, de- claring himself unworthy of it. His neigh- bors and friends, however, did not agree with him. The Glade Run church is about five miles from the Marshall homestead, and Mr. Marshall walked the distance to attend serv- ices many a Sabbath day. He never mar- ried.

Mr. Marshall was a Republican in politics, and during the Civil war he was a stanch supporter of the Union, being mustered into the State volunteer service Sept. 16, 1862, as a member of Company G, 22d Regiment, called into service by the governor for the defense of the State.

JOHN ST. CLAIR (deceased) lived in Armstrong county from the time of the Civil war until his death, and he was a farmer in Kittanning township for about forty years, occupying during most of that time the place where his widow still makes government, served as school director and her home. He was born April 11, 1835, in Indiana county, Pa., son of William St. Clair, of that county.

William St. Clair, the father. married Jane Lewis, and they came to Armstrong county in 1836. They both died in this county, he in August, 1865. He was a school teacher and later a farmer. Of his family of children the following still sur- vive: William, Milton, Samuel, Margaret. Minerva, Phoebe and Martha.

John St. Clair obtained his education in the common schools of Armstrong county. He lived at home until his marriage, after which he settled in Plum Creek township. this county. In October, 1861, he enlisted. becoming a member of Company G, 63d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which was sent to Pittsburgh and on to Fortress Monroe, being assigned to the 3d Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. In March. 1864, he was transferred to the 2d Brigade,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

3d Division, 2d Corps. He took part in Clair, was born in 1803, son of Michael many engagements, being at the battles of Occoquan Creek, Va. (March 5, 1862), siege of Yorktown (April 5 to May 3, 1862), Williamsburg, Va. (May 5, 1862), Fair Oaks (May 31, 1862), White Oak Swamp (June 30, 1862), Malvern Hill

(July, 1862), Groveton, Va. (Aug. 29, 1862), Bull Run (Aug. 30, 1862), Chan- tilly (Sept. 1, 1862), Fredericksburg (Dec. 13, 1862) and Chancellorsville (March I, 1863). He was disabled by a gunshot wound in the body at Chancellorsville and was taken prisoner, being held for fourteen days. He was discharged from hospital at Harrisburg, Pa., Sept. 22, 1863, but he suffered from his injuries to the end of his life and carried the bullet in his body to his grave. He returned home in very poor physical condition. For some time after- ward he lived at Whitesburg, Armstrong county, and for one year acted as assessor. He then bought a farm in Kittanning town- ship, later trading it for the farm upon which he passed the remainder of his life, and where his widow still resides. It con- tains eighty acres, and it was improved very materially by him, his intelligent methods and management showing in all the details of the farm work. Mr. St. Clair took his share of public duties, serving many years as supervisor of his township, and also acting one term as justice of the peace. In politics he was a stanch Repub- lican. Well known and highly respected in his district, he was regarded as one of the representative citizens of his section. He belonged to the G. A. R., holding mem- bership in the post at Kittanning, and was buried with military honors. His death occurred July 30, 1909.

In October, 1860, Mr. St. Clair married Elizabeth Schall, who was born Jan. 29, 1836, in Armstrong county, Pa., and they became the parents of five children. Alonzo Newton has always been a farmer, and now conducts the old homestead; Ida is the wife of Bracken Fiscus, of Leechburg, Pa., and has one child, Bracken; Allie is deceased ; Thomas, who is engaged as mail carrier between Shay and Kittanning, lives in Plum Creek township and is mar- ried to Lola Moorhead, by whom he has five children, Freda, Ruth, Lawrence, Hazel and Rosamond; Wyoming is the wife of W. L. J. Prugh, of Vandergrift, Pa., and has two sons, John and Judson.

Israel Schall, father of Mrs. John St.

Schall, of eastern Pennsylvania, who served in the Revolutionary war; coming to Arm- strong county, Pa., he settled in Kittanning township, where he and his wife died. Their children were: John, Israel, Daniel, Michael, Simon, Susan, Sarah and Leah. Israel Schall was a Democrat in politics, and in religious connection he was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. He married Sarah Heilman, who survived him many years, dying in 1892, at the age of eighty- four. His death occurred in 1870. They had a family of twelve children, namely : Catherine, who is deceased; Lucy, de- ceased; John, deceased; Elizabeth, Mrs. St. Clair; Simon, deceased; Jacob, a farmer in Kittanning township, this . county ; Michael, a teacher, in Pittsburgh, Pa .; Adeline, living in Pittsburgh; Samuel, of Plum Creek township, this county; James, of Jeannette, Pa .; Nancy, who is deceased ; and Jackson, deceased.

JAMES T. ELGIN, a prominent farmer of Cowanshannock township, comes of pioneer stock of Armstrong county, being a son of Samuel and Isabella (Truby) Elgin. His paternal grandfather, James Elgin, born in County Derry, Ireland, in 1760, came to America in 1782. He was married in 1791. He became one of the first settlers in what is now Plum Creek township, Armstrong county, clearing and improving a homestead near what is now the site of Elderton. In 1830 he re- moved to what is now Cowanshannock (then Wayne) township, purchasing 300 acres of land still owned and occupied by his descend- ants, his grandson, James T. Elgin, residing there. He died at that place in December, 1837, and is buried in St. Thomas' cemetery, in Plum Creek township. His children were: Hugh, Daniel, Alexander, John, James, Wil- liam, Samuel, Martha, Jennie, Margaret, Nancy and Sarah (married William McIn- tosh).

Samuel Elgin, son of James Elgin, Sr., was born in Plum Creek township, this county, Dec. 1, 18II. Coming with his parents to what is now Cowanshannock township in 1830, he succeeded to the homestead at his father's death. Most of this place he cleared and im- proved, remaining there until his death, which occurred July 25, 1876. He led an honorable and useful life, and held various offices in Cowanshannock township, discharging the duties of same with credit to himself and sat- isfaction to his constituents. On Oct. 1, 1836,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

he married Isabella Truby, who was born by trade, lived in Oxford, Ohio; Mary mar- March 10, 1820, daughter of Michael Truby, a ried Thomas Johnson, of Franklin county, pioneer blacksmith of Kittanning, where he Pennsylvania. was one of the first settlers. They became the Isaac Wright, father of James R. Wright, was born in 1805 in the County of Kent, Eng- land, and there received his education in the common schools. He was a man of unusual intelligence, a deep thinker, and read more than the average. Like his brothers he learned the trade of wagonmaker, but after coming to America, in 1826, he was principally en- parents of fourteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity, viz .: Jeremiah, Rebecca (married Robert McFarland), Ellen (married George Reisinger), Samuel, Isabella E. (mar- ried Andrew Gallagher), Jane (married Ross Milliron), Margaret R., James T., George L., William S., Robert B., Amanda (died young),

Alexander and John A. (died young). Of gaged in farming, having a farm in Franklin

these, Jeremiah, Alexander and Samuel were soldiers in the Civil war, Alexander enlisting in 1862, and dying May 21, 1863, at Wash- ington, D. C., while serving as chaplain of Company B, 139th P. V. I .; Jeremiah and Samuel enlisted in Battery M, 204th P. V, I., and served to the close of the war.

county, Pa., eight miles from Loudon, which he improved greatly during the many years he resided there. He died at that place in 1879. Mr. Wright was a Democrat in politics. His first wife, Mary Ann ( Mackey), of Franklin county, daughter of William Mackey, of that county, died in 1874, at the age of thirty-five James T. Elgin was born on the homestead years. in Cowanshannock township May 27, 1852. There he was reared to manhood and he has always resided on that place, following farm- ing, in which he has been highly successful. He has served his fellow citizens faithfully for She was a member of the U. B. Church. For his second wife Mr. Wright married Jane Harris, of Franklin county. There were five children by the first union : Sarah, born in 1830, is the widow of William Bergstrener, of Fulton county, Pa .; William, several terms in the office of supervisor, and born in 1832, lives in Kittanning, Pa .; Jona- is an honored and respected citizen of his than, born in 1834, lived in Washington, D. township. In political association he is a Democrat.

JAMES R. WRIGHT (deceased) was a resident of Armstrong county for over half a century, and for many years he was one of the active men in public life, holding various offices in his home township and for seven years serving as county auditor. He was born May 17, 1836, in Franklin county, Pa., where his father, Isaac Wright, settled many years ago.

C., and died in May, 1910 (he was in Com- pany B, 19th Kentucky Regiment, during the Civil war, and was wounded at Shiloh) ; James R. is mentioned below; Joseph, born in 1840, was reared by his uncle, Dr. Joseph K. Wright, entered the service during the Civil war, as a member of the 23d Ohio Regi- ment, and was killed at the battle of South Mountain, where he is buried. By his second marriage Isaac Wright had children: Henry. Benjamin, Isaac, and several that died young.

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Armstrong County, Pennsylvania her people past and present, embracing a history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume II, Part 10

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 618

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 618