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 17

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 17

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two sons and five daughters, viz .: Elizabeth married John A. Patterson and both are de- ceased. Fannie married Andrew Sobers and

Squire John Hill was twice married, first to Elizabeth Walt, a native of Westmoreland both are deceased. Susan is the widow of county, of German descent, who died Oct. 13, Albert M. Gosser. Mahala married Henry Isensee and is living at Vandergraft. Emily married Milton Anderson and is deceased. B. Franklin died at Vandergrift, Pa., March 15, 1913. Israel died in infancy. 1817, aged thirty-eight years. She was the mother of ten children : Mary (or Polly), who married Isaac Townsend; Elizabeth, who mar- ried Thomas Trees; John, who died unmar- ried; Jacob, who married Hannah Ulan, and died in Parks township, this county; Levi, ISRAEL SHAFER, successfully engaged in the wholesale produce business and a man of high standing in Kittanning, was born May 1, 1845, in Red Bank township, Arm- strong Co., Pa., son of Christian and Magda- lena (Faringer) Shafer. His grandfather, Samuel Shafer, was a farmer and early set- tler of western Pennsylvania. who married Sophia Minion; Eli, born in 1807, who died in October, 1843, in Leech- burg (he married Susan Ashbaugh, who died in March, 1878, aged about sixty-two years, and they had four children, John, Eveline, Mrs. Margaret Barr and Mrs. Priscilla Lytle) ; Daniel, who married Eliza Kuhns, and died in Leechburg; Hiram, born Dec. 17, 1812, who died in Gilpin township Jan. 16, 1891 (he married Margaret Shaffer and had, Eliza- beth, Jefferson, Elisha, Francis and D. Ma- rion) ; Israel, who died in Gilpin township;

Christian Shafer, son of Samuel, was born in Northampton county, Pa., and located in Armstrong county in young manhood, becom- ing one of the prosperous farmers of his re- gion. He and his wife had twelve children: and Deborah, who died young. For his second Lewis, George, who died in infancy; John C .; Israel; Samuel; Levi, who died young; Susanna; Elizabeth; Mary, who died young; Catherine; Sarah, and Caroline. The father died in 1881, the mother surviving until 1893. They were consistent members of the Evan- gelical Church.

wife the father married Susan Ammon, who lived to be over ninety-eight years old. The following children were born to this union: Esther, who married Rev. George Ehrenfeld, a Lutheran minister; Leah, who died unmar- ried ; Noe, widow of James Weaver, residing in Gilpin township; John; Ammon, who mar- Israel Shafer was educated in the public schools of Red Bank township and the Day- ton Academy. In 1864 he enlisted in Com- ried Catherine Shuster, and died in Freeport, Pa .; Shiloh, who was married twice, first to Helen Coulter and second to Emily Weaver, pany G, 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- and is the father of John A., James R., Charles try, and served capably until the close of the S., Fred E., Hattie and Laura; Philip, who war. His two brothers, Lewis and John, were

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

also Union soldiers, both being in the same weighed 180 pounds and was very strong regiment as he. Returning to Armstrong county at the close of the war, Mr. Shafer entered the wholesale produce business at Pittsburgh, which line of endeavor has en- gaged his time and energy ever since. He has been very successful in his undertaking, and ranks among the prosperous business men of the county. In 1899 he was the Republican candidate for county treasurer, and was elected by a good majority, serving one term of three years in that office. On Sept. 30, IgII, he was nominated by his party as can- didate for county commissioner, and was elected.

On Jan. 25, 1866, Mr. Shafer married Cath- erine Shick, daughter of John Shick, of Arm- strong county. Mr. and Mrs. Shafer became the parents of nine children : Harvey G., Amos C., William Reed, Lillian (deceased), Nellie R. (wife of Dr. J. D. Sedwick, a dentist), Wallace H., and three who died in infancy, two daughters and one son. Mrs. Shafer died in 1890. The entire family early became members of the Evangelical church, to which Mr. Shafer is a liberal contributor.

WINCHESTER HILL, a farmer of Parks township, Armstrong county, was born at Leechburg, Pa., June 20, 1833, son of Jacob and Hannah (Ulam) Hill. His paternal grandfather was John Hill.

physically as well as mentally. The Lutheran Church of Leechburg had in him a faithful member and liberal supporter. The death of this excellent man occurred July 25, 1876, when he was seventy-four years, one month, ten days old. His wife was born Nov. 4, 1804, and died Aug. 10, 1891, in her eighty-seventh year. These excellent people are buried in a private burial ground on the farm. Their chil- dren were: Lucinda C., born Nov. 19, 1824, married James Bratton Parks, and died Jan. 27, 1878, aged fifty-three years, two months, eight days; Elizabeth J., born Sept. 20, 1826, married Simon Truby ; John W., born May 7, 1828, married Jane Bratton Parks, and died at Greenville, Mercer Co., Pa., leaving a fam- ily ; Alvina, born Dec. 20, 1829, married Capt. Henry Truby, a brother of Simon Truby and died in Leechburg; Daniel U., born Nov. 25, 1831, married Kasiah Cochran and (second) Margaret Long, and died at Greensburg, being buried in the home cemetery on the farm; Winchester is mentioned below; Finley, born March 20, 1836, married Sarah Crosby, and died at the old homestead ; Eliza A., born Feb. 2, 1838, married William Crosby, and they live in Parks township; Caroline M., born June 5, 1842, married David Kuhns, and lives at Pittsburgh.

Daniel Ulam, the maternal grandfather of Winchester Hill, was the father of the follow- ing children: Elizabeth, born Oct. 17, 1792; Catherine, Sept. 28, 1794; Jacob, April 25, 1797; Martha, June 16, 1800; Hannah, Nov. 4, 1804 (Mr. Hill's mother) ; Daniel June 4. 1807; Peter, Dec. 31, 1809; John, Dec. 31, 1812; Joseph, in 1815.

Jacob Hill, son of John Hill, and father of Winchester Hill, was born Aug. 15, 1802. At one time he was numbered among the early merchants of Leechburg, where he was also engaged in contracting to a considerable ex- tent, building the old locks at that place, as well as other important construction work. Winchester Hill was reared upon the old Hill farm, now his home, and attended the public schools of his district. He gained a practical working knowledge of farming with his father, and after the death of the latter took the homestead, owning a tract of 197 acres of fine land, well improved, on which he carries on general farming. There are two gas wells on the farm, and gas is used for all practicable purposes in the home. He came to old Allegheny township, this . county, now Parks township, in 1837, buying 300 acres of land two and a half miles east of Leechburg, on which he built the present house, and two years later the barn. Mr. Hill cleared the greater part of this property, and developed it into a valuable farm. During his residence in the township he became one of the most prominent men of his locality, serv- ing as school director, supervisor and justice On Dec. 29, 1859, Mr. Hill was married to Elizabeth Fitzgerald, daughter of James F. and Jane Maria (Parks) Fitzgerald. They have five children: William F., married to Flora E. Kipple, is assistant cashier of the Citizens' National Bank at Vandergrift, but lives at the Hill homestead, which he aids in cultivating (he has two children, Mabel E. and William Winchester) ; Mary A. is the of the peace before he was sent to the State Assembly, upon two occasions, as the success- ful candidate on the Democratic ticket. Dur- ing these pioneer days he rode from his farm to Greensburg on horseback, carrying his bag- gage with him. From Greensburg he took a stagecoach to Harrisburg, to enter upon his duties as member of the Legislature. A man of commanding presence, Mr. Hill widow of Robert Parks, and resides at Leech-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

burg; Hannah Caroline married Harris B. ton, for another two years was bookkeeper for Shaffer, who died in California, and she sub- the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, of Ford sequently married (second) L. A. Pierce City, this county, and then went West, teach- (they reside at Long Beach, Cal.) ; Ella J. ing for two years in Kansas. Returning to married Dr. Janson Carson, lives in Indiana Armstrong county he again became a teacher county, Pa., and has two children, Thomas and Elizabeth H .; Agnes M., married Wil- liam F. Hill, a resident of Huntingdon, Pa., and they have two children, Wallace M. and Donald.

at Elderton, where he continued thus for three years, after which he followed farming for a time. Receiving the appointment of deputy prothonotary, he served in that position from 1900 to 1902, a period of three years, toward the close of which he was elected, on the Republican ticket, as register, recorder and

Mr. and Mrs. Hill have traveled from coast to coast. In 1904 they made a trip to Long Beach, Cal., on a visit to their daughter. Mr. clerk of the Orphans' court of Armstrong Hill is a Democrat, and for many years served county. Harry B. Henderson is now serving his fourth term as register and recorder and as an overseer of the poor, proving a con- scientious and efficient official. The First clerk of Orphans' court of Armstrong county. Lutheran Church of Leechburg holds his membership.

Mr. Henderson has been an active worker in the Republican party, and in 1905-06 was chairman of the county committee and mem- ber of the Republican State central com- mittee.

On Nov. 20, 1912, he was married to Sally Campbell Findley, daughter of Abel C. and Mary E. Findley, and member of a respected and pioneer family of the county.

Mr. Henderson owns the old Brice Hender- son farm in Plum Creek township, this county, which he has managed very successfully, tak- ing an intelligent interest in agricultural opera- tions, which he has found quite profitable. He belongs to the Red Men's lodge at Kit- tanning.

FRANK B. HENDERSON, brother of Harry B. Henderson, was educated in the public schools and the academy at Elderton, and for ten years clerked in the store of R. A. Heil- man, at Kittanning. He became deputy re- corder of the county under his brother, serv- ing in that position about seven years. A man of genial disposition, he had a large circle of friends, was widely acquainted throughout the county, and was exceedingly popular with his fellow citizens, his untimely death, which occurred Nov. 7, 1909, being mourned in many circles. His was the first death in the membership of the Kittanning Aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and he was the first president of that organization, continuing to hold the office until he died. Mr. Hender- son married Margaret Butler, and they had one son, Howard B., who is now a student at college.

Harry B. Henderson was born Aug. 17, 1869, at Elderton, Armstrong county, and SAMUEL CAMPBELL, a farmer of Ray- burn township, living one and a half miles from Cowanshannock, was born Nov. 8, 1823, received his education in the public schools and the academy at Elderton, which latter institution he attended for three years. He in Franklin township, this county, son of John then taught school for two years at Elder- and Catherine (Coldon) Campbell. The

HARRY B. HENDERSON, now serving his fourth term as register and recorder of Armstrong county, a prominent member of the Republican party and a successful agricultur- ist, is a son of Brice and Martha Jane (Wood- ward) Henderson, the former a well-known citizen of Armstrong county in his day, the latter a member of a highly respected pioneer family of this region.

Brice Henderson was born in Indiana county, but passed the greater part of his life in Armstrong county, and was a prosperous farmer of Elderton. He served two terms as commissioner of Armstrong county. He was twice married, and by his first wife, whose maiden name was Clark, had four children : William; Anna, who married Robert Walker ; Jane, who married Dr. M. R. George; and Melissa, who married Ira J. Ray. His second marriage was to Martha Jane Woodward Donley, a native of Armstrong county, whose father, Robert Woodward, was a prominent farmer of the county and served three terms as associate judge; he was an influential man in his time and enjoyed high standing among his fellow citizens. To Brice and Martha Jane (Woodward) Henderson were also born five children : Robert A., deceased; Luna I., de- ceased; Frank B., deceased; Howard B., de- ceased; and Harry B., the only surviving member of the family. Brice Henderson died June 3, 1892; Martha Jane Woodward Hen- derson died March 17, 1902.

Harry B. Henderson

Frank B. Henderson

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Campbell family is of Scotch descent, while gheny river, Mr. Campbell keeping boats for the Coldons came from Ireland.

that purpose.

John Campbell was born Dec. 2, 1782, and In 1850 Mr. Campbell was married to Nancy died Jan. 31, 1851; while his wife, born in Campbell, born July 27, 1827, daughter of 1779, lived until 1863. In 1825 John Camp- James Campbell, her birth occurring in Buffalo township, near Worthington. She died in 1902, firm in the faith of the Baptist Church. They had the following children: Guy B., born in 1850, died in 1857; James K., born in March, 1852, is unmarried, and lives on the farm place; Margaret Jane, born July 3, 1854, is at home; Hannah Bell, born April 22, 1857, died in 1913; Nannie C., born Nov. 14, 1859, married in 1904; Robert McClelland, of Pitts- burgh, who died in 1909, aged forty-six years, having been a carpenter and contractor, his widow now residing with her father at home; Mary B., born Jan. 28, 1863, married John P. Snyder, of Wampum, and died April 12, 1900, leaving six children, one having died; Anna B., born Aug. 17, 1867, died in October, 1900; Lemuel P., born May 19, 1872, was drowned while attending high school, July 8, 1889. bell and his wife, with their family, came to Rayburn township from their home in Frank- lin township, locating in the woods on the old Anderson Creek road, buying seventy-five acres. No improvements had been made on the property, but these brave pioneers went right to work and soon built a small log cabin, 14 by 20 feet in dimensions, with a log barn for their stock, from logs they felled to make place for these structures. They began farm- ing with one horse, and a little later bought another. In time the father added land to his original holdings, and his wife and children helped him in tilling it, so that he had time to work on the river, thus earning some money for current expenses. The wolves, bears and other wild animals were plentiful, and their larder was kept filled with various kinds of game. The family had a dog which being half wolf was an effective defense against the wild beasts which prowled about the place. There was a large family, namely: Abbie, Nancy, William, Jane, John, Margaret, James, Mary Ann, Josiah, David and Samuel. David died before the removal to Rayburn township, and John and Jane died afterward.

Mr. Campbell is a Democrat, and, like his father, a stanch Baptist. All his life he has been interested in advancing the educational standard of the district, and has held various school offices. During the eighty-nine years he has lived here he has never been off his farm a whole year. In spite of his age he is very active, and manages his property, directing all of the work and making arrangements for the planting of the various crops. In every re- spect he is a remarkable man, and all who know him revere him, for he has many char- acteristics which inspire respect.

John Campbell was a Democrat. His relig- ious convictions made him a Baptist, and he helped to build the old Baptist church on Pine creek, now replaced by a better building. Although he had been given but a meager education, Mr. Campbell was always interested in securing good schools, and advocated them

EDWARD HILL, of Leechburg, Pa., was county, April 19, 1861, and is a son of John Hill, who died Jan. 18, 1900, and is buried in the Evergreen cemetery, near that town.

upon all occasions. After locating upon his born in Allegheny township, Westmoreland property in Rayburn township he passed the rest of his life there, and he died in the rough log cabin his own hands had built. Its place is now taken by a more pretentious dwelling, put up by Samuel Campbell, who has improved the place in many other ways. An earnest, devout man, John Campbell had a good in- fluence on the community where he spent so many years, and lived long enough to see his family grow to useful, honorable maturity.

Among the daring frontiersmen who settled southwestern Pennsylvania was the Hill fam- ily, who located near the site of Salem, in Westmoreland county. Here the father of the family was captured by Indians and carried to Hickory Flats, above Oil City, where he was tortured to death. He left three children, John, Jacob and Hannah.

Samuel Campbell, who has lived upon his present farm for eighty-nine years, having John Hill, the eldest son, was born in 1772, and died Jan. 9, 1848. He erected a grist and saw mill on Beaver Run, the grist mill doing the grinding for the settlers within a radius of twenty miles, and during low water it was come here in 1825, in his second year, attended school in the neighborhood, and assisted his father while making the best of poor educa- tional opportunities. Farming was then car- ried on under many disadvantages, for there often run even on Sunday, to accommodate was no nearer market than Pittsburgh, and those who had camped with their grists to everything had to be transported via the Alle- await their turns. Afterward he built grist-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

mills on the Allegheny and Kiskiminetas riv- have had the following children: John M., ers, and in 1812 he settled in Gilpin township, Charles L., Mary Catherine, Mildred M., Esther and Edma G. Mr. Hill and his wife Armstrong county, where he planted a large apple orchard, one thousand trees. He was a are members of the Hebron Lutheran Church. successful farmer, and also manufactured He is a Republican and is a member of the wooden moldboard plows. He was appointed I. O. O. F., Royal Arcanum and Masonic a commissioner to clear out the Kiskiminetas fraternities.

river. In religion he was a Lutheran, and he was an honest and upright citizen. His first JOHN T. DEEMAR, M. D., for thirty-five wife, Elizabeth (Waltz), died Oct. 13, 1817, years a physician of Armstrong county, and leaving ten children: Mary, Elizabeth, John, one who has attained eminence in his profes- Jacob, Levi, Eli, Daniel, Hiram, Israel and sion, was born in the county April 13, 1854, son of Isaac and Margaret Deemar. He be- longs to old Westmoreland county stock dis- tinguished for patriotism and high Christian principles. Deborah. For his second wife he married Susan Ammon, who lived to the advanced age of ninety years, and to this union were born nine children: Hetty, Leah, John, Ammon, Charlotte, Philip, Sarah, Noah and Salem.

Eli Hill, son of John and Elizabeth (Waltz) Hill, became a prominent salt manufacturer, and was also engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at Leechburg for four years, with his brothers Levi, Daniel and Hiram. His wife, Susan (Ashbaugh), died in 1878, aged sixty- two years, and left four children: John, Eve- line, Margaret (Mrs. Barr) and Priscilla (Mrs. Lytle).

John Hill, son of Eli Hill, was born Dec. 6, 1832, in Allegheny township, Westmoreland county, and received the educational advant- ages afforded in the district schools of the day. He learned the trade of carpenter and in time built up an extensive business as a contractor and builder. In 1872 he embarked in the lumber business at Leechburg, and in 1879 admitted his son Charles as a partner, the firm being known as John Hill & Son. Mr. Hill was one of the originators of the Leechburg Banking Company and served as a director until 1878, when he became cashier. Though he commenced life with no fortune but his "own hands, energy and industry, he achieved honorable success and a competency. In poli- tics he was a Republican, and he served as school director. On Jan. 8, 1857, he married Mary Jane McCauley, who was born April 20, 1833, daughter of Charles and Anna (Mears) McCauley, and two children were born to them, Charles A. (Dec. 8, 1857) and Edward.

Edward Hill became owner of the Advance in 1887 and conducted it with success until 1898, when he disposed of same. He entered the Leechburg Banking Company as cashier in 1900 and held the position until it ceased to exist, in 1908.

The Doctor is descended from French Hu- guenots who fled from their early home in France after the Edict of Nantes, taking ref- uge in Alsace-Lorraine (now part of Ger- many), and John Deemar, great-grandfather of Dr. Deemar, was of Alsatian extraction. He first settled in Philadelphia, and later lived in Westmoreland county, Pa. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war, 1755-1763, going on the expedition to Quebec, Canada, and taking part in the battle of Quebec, and subsequently served as a soldier in the Revo- lution.

Philip Deemar, son of John, above, was a farmer and stock raiser in Armstrong county, especially well known in the latter connection, for he was one of the pioneers to engage in the raising of fine stock here. He introduced a fine grade of horses and cattle into the coun- ty. His wife, whose maiden name was Miller, was a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier who served from Westmoreland county. Three of Philip Deemar's sons were soldiers during the Civil war, among them being James K. Dee- mar, a sharpshooter, who was badly wounded in the battle of Cedar Creek in 1864.

Isaac Dermar, son of Philip, was born in Indiana county, and when a small child re- moved with his parents to Kiskiminetas town- ship, Armstrong county, where he followed farming all his days, dying here in 1901, aged seventy-five years.

John T. Deemar was the only child of his parents, and his mother dying when he was but seven months old he was reared in the fam- ily of his father's uncle, Alexander Y: Black, a Scotchman, a strict Covenanter, and a man of excellent judgment and sterling moral char- acter. He belonged to an old Pennsylvania family of fine standing. To his example and influence Dr. Deemar feels indebted for the

On March 13, 1894, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Emma J., daughter of Milton and Catherine (Mckinstry) Bash, and they development of his best qualities. He attended

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

public school and Elderton Academy, subse- a graduate of the Atlanta School of Medicine quently reading medicine with Dr. John M. St. and the Medical College of Philadelphia, now Clair, now of Indiana, Pa., under whose guid- in active practice at Tarentum, Pennsylvania. ance he learned the compounding of medicines,

Dr. John T. Deemar is a consistent member visited patients, and became familiar with the of the Methodist Church, in which he reared his children, and he has served on the official board for a number of years.

physician's routine. He attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in 1879, after preparation under such noted instructors as Samuel D. Gross, J. M. Da Costa, Joseph Pancoast, James A. Meigs, J. B. Biddle, Elers- lie, Wallace, R. E. Rogers, etc. He began his professional career associated with Dr. Thomas C. Lawson, now of Brookville, Pa., but within a short time settled in Manor township, Arm- strong county, where he has since resided. For thirty-five years he has been in active practice, and there are few physicians who have prac- ticed longer in Armstrong county. Few doc- tors in this region are better or more favorably known that he is, and he has a wide circle of warm personal friends among his patients. He is a member of the Armstrong county and

Among the prominent pioneer families of Westmoreland, York and other Pennsylvania counties with which the Deemars intermarried were the Rohrers, of Armstrong county, con- nected by marriage with the Deemars in the early days of this section. They are descended from Frederick Rohrer, at one time keeper of a celebrated inn at Hagerstown, Md. He was a Huguenot, a native of France, born July 28, 1742, and came to America during the war be- tween France and Great Britain (1754-1763). In 1766 he married Catherine Deemar, in York county, Pa., and shortly afterward moved to Hagerstown, Md. In that year he first visited Pennsylvania State Medical Societies, and of the "western country," as it was then called, the American Medical Association, and was a going as far as Pittsburgh, composed at that delegate to the fiftieth annual meeting of the time of a few Indian huts. With him he American Medical Association in Philadelphia brought a number of cattle which he exchanged in 1897. Dr. Deemar has often served as a to Gen. Arthur St. Clair for a tract of land delegate to the State Medical Society meetings, and has been president of the Armstrong Coun- ty Medical Society-honors which best show his reputation among members of the profes- sion. In politics he is a Republican, and has always taken an active interest in behalf of his party, serving several times as delegate to the State conventions. He was a delegate to the National presidential convention at Chi- cago, in 1908, he and Hon. Edward Carmalt representing the Thirty-seventh Congressional district of Pennsylvania. Fraternally he be- longs to Blue Lodge No. 244, F. & A. M., and in the Ligonier valley. However, his family remained at Hagerstown. In 1767 he carried the first wheat over the mountains ever brought into the "western country," planting it with other grain on his farm in the valley, and mak- ing other preparations for his family, which he removed hither in the fall. He took out a warrant for all that valuable tract of land on the Conemaugh river where it was found profitable to make salt, and was the discoverer of the valuable saline springs. He boiled the first salt made there in an earthen pot, and traded it to the Indians, who were then prac- Orient Chapter, No. 247, R. A. M., both of tically the only inhabitants of Westmoreland Kittanning, and Pittsburgh Commandery, No. I, K. T. Dr. Deemar was one of the fact wit- nesses in the celebrated Thaw trial which took place in New York City in 1907.

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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 17

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