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 18

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 18

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county. In 1771 he returned to Hagerstown with his family, finding life among the In- dians intolerable, but they came back in 1793, settling, at Greensburg, where Mr. Rohrer continued to reside until his death, in 1834. Mr. Rohrer was a prominent man in this re- gion in his day. Some years after he returned to Westmoreland county he was appointed a justice of the peace by Governor Mckean, filling the office continuously until a short time before his decease. He was laid to rest in the German burying ground, on the Tuesday fol- lowing his death, and an unsually large number

In 1874 Dr. Deemar was maried to Julia A. Moore, daughter of James and Martha (Sloan) Moore, of Whitesburg, Armstrong Co., Pa., and a descendant of old Scotch-Irish pioneer and Revolutionary stock of West- moreland county. They have had four chil- dren : Janet M., wife of John R. Long ; Robert Sloan; Dr. Roscoe P., who read two years at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and later entered Maryland Medical College, from of citizens attended the funeral. Mr. Rohrer which institution he graduated in 1905 (he had nine children, forty-two grandchildren, began practice in 1907) ; and Dr. William R., and seventeen great-grandcltildren. 37

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

SAMUEL FULLERTON, in his day one 1865, the firm became known as M. B. & J. H. of the most progressive business men of Free- Fullerton, the widows carrying on the business port, Armstrong county, was a native of Ire- land, born in 1813 at Ballyclare, County An- trim, son of John Fullerton, of the same place. from 1865 to 1881. The sons then ran it for a while, eventually selling to Boggs & Buhl. Mr. Fullerton and his brothers were also in the oil business in Venango county in the early days. They were self-made by hard work and intelligent application of their efforts making their way to a substantial posi- tion among the men of their time in Freeport, and holding the respect and confidence of the as well as one of the first merchants, and he best element in the borough. They were Re- publicans in politics, but took no active part in such matters, never caring for office.

On March 16, 1854, Mr. Fullerton married Margaret B. Bright, who was born March 8, 1832, at Oakmont, Pa., daughter of Peter and Margaret V. (Parsell) Bright of Alle- gheny county, Pa., and granddaughter of Michael Bright, Sr.

John Fullerton married Mary Biggs, also of Ballyclare, and they came to America in 1818, locating first in Philadelphia, Pa., and later at Pittsburgh, Pa. In 1820 they came to Freeport, Armstrong county, Pa., where John Fullerton was one of the first doctors, became well known and esteemed there, though he did not live many years after com- ing to the place, dying in 1830. His widow died at Butler, Pa., with her son Hugh, Jan. 3, 1880. They were members of the Presby- terian Church. They were the parents of four sons and one daughter, namely : (1) Sam- uel is mentioned below. (2) William P. lived and died at Freeport, and his wife Jane (Grif- fith) is also deceased. They were married in December, 1854, and had two children: Mary E., who married E. P. Johnson, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Hans, who is in the government service at Allegheny, Pa. (3) Hugh, born in 1822 in Freeport, had a woolen mill in But- ler, Pa. He married Margaret Bonney about 1851-52, and his second wife was Jane Green. He had two children, James and Emma, both now deceased. (4) Mary married John W. Ridpath, a merchant at Freeport, Pa., and both are deceased. They had two children, Ida and Ellen. (5) James B., now deceased, was an attorney at Kittanning, Pa. About 1858 he married Samantha Ralston, and they had four children, three of whom are living: Hugh, who is living at Pittsburgh, Pa .; Katherine; and Dorwin P., who is in the electrical busi- ness in California.

Michael Bright, Sr., was born Sept. 10, 1762, in Lancaster county, Pa., and in the year 1814 located in the vicinity of Pitts- burgh, on what was then known as Coal Hill. There he lived two years, at the end of that time moving twelve miles up the Allegheny river, where he purchased a tract of land com- prising about three hundred acres, running back from the river three quarters of a mile. There were no improvements thereon at the time of his arrival except a log house. Mr. Bright at once built a new and comfortable log house, and afterward the small brick resi- dence in which he lived until his death. This little brick house is still standing and in good repair. He married Barbara Winters, of Lan- caster county, Pa., and the following children were born to them: John, Jacob, Catherine, Margaret, Michael, Jr., Henry, Sarah Eliza- beth, Barbara, George, David, Samuel, Wil- liam, Mary, Peter and Adam. Mrs. Bright died Aug. 28, 1823, and for his second wife Mr. Bright married Mrs. Margaret Beamer. He died in March, 1847. In religious profes- sion they were Lutherans. At the death of his father Peter took the farm.

Samuel Fullerton had little chance to go to school, as he was only twelve years old when his father died. He went to work to learn cabinetmaking with James Milligan, and later went to Pittsburgh and found employment on steamboats. Then for some time he was en- gaged at cabinetmaking and the carpenter's Peter Bright, born in Lancaster county, Pa., Jan. 6, 1805, died Nov. 19, 1858. By trade he was a potter, having served his ap- prenticeship in Greensburg, Pa., but he made farming his business after the death of his father. He always took an active part in trade at Freeport and Leechburg, during this period building the old "Leechburg House." He and his brother William P. Fullerton were the most progressive men in Freeport. They were carpenters and contractors, and in 1840 established the woolen mills at Freeport . township affairs, was a member of the school known as the Hope Woolen Mill, which they board, and held other offices in the township. He gave the lot on which the United Presby- terian church was built. He erected a fine residence on the bank of the river in which operated together until 1861, when William P. Fullerton died. The establishment was burned out in 1864, and rebuilt. After Sam- uel Fullerton's death, which occurred Dec. 21, his daughters now reside. By his marriage to

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Margaret V. Parsell, of Plum township, Alle- the end of that period he was appointed clerk gheny county, were born eleven children as to the county commissioners, and he has held follows: Harriet, Mrs. McNickle, deceased; that position continuously up to the present Margaret B., Mrs. Samuel Fullerton; Adam, -a service of eighteen years. In 1909 he who married Elizabeth Hilton, and died at was honored by his fellow citizens with elec- Andersonville, Ga., in 1863, at which time he tion to the office of burgess of Ford City, had been serving two years in the Union and has since served in that capacity. He is army; Charles R., who enlisted in the Union a stanch Republican in political connection. army in October, 1861, passed through the Needless to say he is one of the most highly battle of Gettysburg, and was killed July 10, esteemed citizens of his community, where he 1863, near Boonesboro, Md .; Sarah B., who has proved his usefulness in every position in married James Remaley, of Springdale, Pa., which he has been placed. He is a member of and has children, Charles, Stella, Roy, Mar- the G. A. R. and of the M. E. Church.

garet and Jay; Michael, who died in infancy ; Salinda, Mrs. William Anderson, deceased ; Peter Winters, who died in March, 1868; Rachel R., deceased; Eliza A. and Mary J., who are unmarried and live at the old home. The mother of this family died July 2, 1872; she was a member of the United Presby- terian Church.

To Mr. and Mrs. Fullerton were born five children, and four survive, all of whom were educated at the home schools: (I) John F., who is engaged in business as a merchant at Freeport, married Ann Gregg and has two children, Rachel and Samuel. (2) Peter B. is a painter and paper hanger at Freeport. He married and has one daughter, Margaret. (3) Joseph M., who is unmarried, is engaged as a carpenter and painter at Freeport. (4) William P., of Freeport, a painter and con- tractor, married Minnie Iseman.

BENJAMIN OSWALD, of Ford City, Armstrong county, clerk to the county com- missioners, and present burgess of his town, was born in 1842 in Kittanning.

Benjamin Oswald, son of Benjamin and Sarah A. (Brinham) Oswald, was educated in the public schools of Kittanning. At an early age he began work in his father's printing office there, his brothers Marshall B. and J. B. Oswald also engaging in the printing business at the same plant. Thus he was employed for several years. In 1861 he joined the Union army, enlisting in Company K, 78th Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry, and during his three years' service was fortunate enough to escape being injured or captured. At the time of his discharge, in 1864, he was holding the office of sergeant. Returning to Kittanning, he re- sumed the printing business. In 1888 he re- moved to Ford City, which at that time was a hamlet containing only a few houses, and Frank Truxell attended the township schools and later a normal school in the town here for a time was in the employ of the Pitts- burgh Plate Glass Company, with which con- of Madison, after which he accepted a posi- cern he remained for about five years. At tion as clerk in a general store. When six-

In 1870 Mr. Oswald married Delilah A .. Sheldrake, daughter of Joshua Sheldrake, of Beaver, Pennsylvania.

FRANK TRUXELL, shoe merchant, en- gaged in business at Leechburg, Pa., was born in Hemphill township, Westmoreland county, Pa., Feb. 1, 1856, son of Lewis Truxell and grandson of Henry Truxell.

(I) Henry Truxell was of German paren- tage but possibly was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., and spent his life on his farm near Greensburg, where he died at the age of eighty-seven years. He married a member of the Hones family, and they had the fol- lowing children : John, George, William, Lewis and Cyrus, sons ; Catherine, who married Sam- uel Trout ; Nancy, who married H. H. Byers; Susan, who married John Hough; Harriet, who moved to the West after marriage; and Margaret, who married Edward Stomer.

Lewis Truxell, father of Frank Truxell, was born in 1832, on his father's farm in Westmoreland county. He became a farmer and remained on the homestead until 1870, when he embarked in a general store business at Painterville, moving from there in 1872 to Scottdale, a village situated about eighteen miles southwest of Greensburg, where he con- tinues in business and is a representative citi- zen. He married Margaret Beesom, daughter of Albert Beesom, and she died April 13, 1909, aged eighty-one years, and was buried at Scottdale. Lewis Truxell and wife were among the early members and organizers of the U. B. Church at Scottdale. Their family consisted of five children, namely : William, who died in 1890; Frank; Isaac, who resides at Canton, Ohio; Israel, who died in August, 1905; and Marion, who resides in Scottdale, Pennsylvania.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

teen years old he went to work in a rolling lic schools until his eighteenth year and after- ward, for two years, was a student at Elders mill at Scottdale, where he remained for sev- eral years, and then found employment at Ridge Academy, going from there to Wooster Pittsburgh until 1882, after which he was in (Ohio) University. On account of failing health, after two years there, he returned to the home farm in the hope that the outdoor life of an agriculturist would restore him to a normal state of health, and he was not dis- appointed. On Dec. 31, 1885, he was mar- ried, at Worthington, Pa., to Maggie Clark, who died Sept. 13, 1886, in Nebraska, after which he returned to Armstrong county. In 1887 he entered Western Reserve College, at Cleveland, Ohio, and later became a student West Virginia until 1886, when he came to Leechburg. For several years he was in busi- ness at different points, including Canal Dover and Martin's Ferry, Ohio, and finally returned to Leechburg. He was one of the organizers and a director of the Hyde Park Rolling Mill, at Hyde Park, Pa., and was connected with that plant from 1893 until 1898, when he sold his stock. In 1900 this independent mill was absorbed by the trust. For many years Mr. Truxell was known as a skilled sheet roller. in the Western Pennsylvania Medical College, In 1900 he established his present business now known as the Medical University of on Market street, Leechburg, carrying the Pennsylvania. He was graduated in the class largest and most complete line of shoes in of 1889 with his degree of M. D., locating im- the place.

On Nov. 24, 1886, Mr. Truxell was mar- ried to Emma E. Cline, of Leechburg, and they have had five children, namely: Albert L., Lloyd H., Anna Mae, Alice Maria and Charles S., all of whom survive except Lloyd H. Mr. Truxell is a member of the Hebron Lutheran Church and is secretary of the Sun- day school. Politically he is a Republican. For thirty-five years he has been identified with the Knights of Pythias, and belongs also to Leechburg Lodge, No. 577, F. & A. M.

M. D., Freeport, Pa., was born July 22, 1859, in South Buffalo township, Armstrong Co., Pa., son of Charles and Nancy (Kiskaddon) McCafferty.

James McCafferty, his grandfather, was born in Ireland, and coming to America at an early day located in Pennsylvania, moving from his first home into Butler county, where he lived the remainder of his life.

Charles McCafferty was born in 1825 and died in 1888. He came from Butler to Arm- strong county in 1854 and purchased land in South Buffalo township, following agricul- tural work for a number of years. In local matters he was concerned at all times as be- came a good citizen and for a number of years served as a member of the township school board. He married Nancy Kiskaddon, and they had eight daughters and one son born to them, the son and two of the daughters still surviving. Charles McCafferty and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he was an elder, and he was a mem- ber of the General Assembly of that church in 1879, at Madison, Wisconsin.

mediately in Butler county, where he prac- ticed until 1892, the year of his removal to Freeport. Here Dr. McCafferty has built up a large and substantial practice and is a val- ued, interested and useful citizen in every respect. He is a member of the Armstrong County Medical Society and the Pennsylvania State Medical Society.

In 1895 Dr. McCafferty was married (second) to Mary McKay, a daughter of Alexander McKay, who was born in Ireland. To Dr. and Mrs. McCafferty eight children have been born, six of whom survive, namely :

WILLIAM HOWARD McCAFFERTY, Charles H., who was born Nov. 20, 1895; Wil- liam Howard, July 2, 1897; Sarah Lyle, July 6, 1899; Mary Belle, April 12, 1905; John Sidney, Jan. 29, 1909; and Robert K., Aug. 4, 1910. Dr. and Mrs. McCafferty are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has been an elder for eighteen years. He is identified with the Prohibition party.

WILLIAM H. SMITH, for many years closely identified with various branches of the oil industry in Armstrong county, is one of the representative business men of Kittanning. He was born Nov. 25, 1864, in Perry town- ship, this county, son of Jacob and Esther Jane (George) Smith, and grandson of Henry Smith. Henry Smith during his latter years was engaged in boatbuilding.

Jacob Smith was a carpenter and river pilot, serving in the latter capacity for many years, piloting lumber rafts down the Alle- gheny river. Eleven children were born to him and his wife: Ida May; Lewis; Samuel A .; Anna, wife of Curtin Mccullough; Charles E .; Emma, wife of Harry McMurtry ; Maud, wife of Thomas Reichart; George E .;

William H. McCafferty attended the pub- Harry; Alta, wife of Rev. Earl Thompson,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

a Methodist minister, and William H. The graduated in 1904. For a short time there- father of this family died in 1901. Several years prior to his death he joined the Meth- odist Church, and he served on its official board.

William H. Smith attended school in Cla- rion county, Pa., and when fourteen years old began working as a section hand on the railroad, thus continuing until seventeen years old. He then went to the oil fields of Warren, Pa., and worked as rig builder for two years, after which he became a tool dresser. Continuing as such for three years, he next began drilling wells, and gained so valuable an experience that in 1901 he began contracting and drilling, in partnership with other experts in this line of business. Mr. Smith has been unusually successful, and has accumulated a handsome competence. At present he is in partnership with W. A. Louden. In conjunction with their oil drilling business the firm handle all kinds of repair wares and the equipments and tools required in this work, operating a first-class machine shop. Since 1901, Mr. Smith has drilled about one hundred and fifty wells, and owns an interest in twenty-one producing wells. He is an expert, understanding thoroughly every branch of his business, and has well earned his success.

In August, 1890, Mr. Smith married Melissa Fair, daughter of John Fair, of Clarion county, Pa. Six children have been born of this mar- riage: Charles R., Ida L., Esther L., Gladys (deceased), Arnold F. and Wilda B. Mr. Smith is a member of the Order of American Mechanics, the Knights of the Maccabees and the Order of Unity.

OREN C. CAMPBELL, M. D., of Ford College, New Jersey. He was admitted to the City, Armstrong county, was born Jan. II, bar of Armstrong county in 1879, having been 1878, at Hooker, Butler county, Pa., son of admitted previously to that of Jefferson James I. and Sarah (Whitmire) Campbell, and grandson of John A. Campbell. The lat- ter was a farmer in Butler county, Pa. He married a Miss Fulton.

James I. Campbell, the father of Dr. Camp- bell, was also a farmer, and besides looking after his agricultural work was interested in the oil and real estate business.

Oren C. Campbell attended the public school in his home district, and also Washington Academy, subsequently entering the Slippery Rock State Normal School, whence he was graduated in 1898. For the following two firm in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, years he taught school, until he became a to which she and her husband belonged. Mr. student at the Medico-Chirurgical College, of Leason was a Knight Templar Mason, and a Philadelphia, from which institution he was member of the order of Elks. The father of

after Dr. Campbell remained as resident phy- sician at the Medico-Chirurgical hospital, in 1905 locating at Ford City, Pa., where he has since resided and built up a good practice. He is a member of the Armstrong County Medical Society, the local Kittanning Society and the Pennsylvania State Medical Society. Frater- nally he is a member of the B. P. O. Elks, Knights of Malta, F. O. E., I. O. H. and I. O. of P.

In 1904 Dr. Campbell was married to Mary Stewart, daughter of Rev. Thomas Dixon Stewart, of Mercer county, Pa., and they have one child, Elizabeth Lucile. Dr. Campbell belongs to the Presbyterian Church.

JEFFERSON REYNOLDS LEASON (deceased) was one of the younger members of the Armstrong county bar and a progres- sive citizen of Kittanning, in which borough he was born Aug. 11, 1883, son of Mirven F. and Hannah (Reynolds) Leason.

Robert Leason, his great-grandfather, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., of Scotch- Irish ancestry.

Rev. Thomas Leason, his son, grandfather of Jefferson R. Leason, was a Presbyterian minister, for many years stationed at Arm- strong county. At one time he was in charge of the Presbyterian Church at Leechburg, Pa. His death occurred in 1891, and his remains are interred at Brookville, Pa .; his wife passed away in 1889. They had the following chil- dren : Mirven F., Elisha, Eliza, and several who died in infancy.

MIRVEN F. LEASON, son of Rev. Thomas, and father of Jefferson R., was born in Jef- ferson county, Pa., and educated at Princeton

county. Until his death, which occurred May 29, 1909, he continued in active practice. Dur- ing 1881 and 1882 he was district attorney of Armstrong county, and was placed on the Republican ticket for judge. A man of un- swerving principles, he fearlessly did what he believed to be his duty, and being unusually intelligent and well read was a power in his community. Five children were born to him- self and wife: Mary L., wife of H. W. Bo- vard; Jefferson R .; Helen R .; Judith D., and Myrvinne. Mrs. Leason died May 2, 1901,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mrs. Leason, Jefferson Reynolds, was a mem- 1796. He grew to manhood at the place where ber of an old and prominent family of Arm- strong county, where he was born and reared, later becoming a lawyer of distinction, so that Jefferson R. Leason, his namesake, came very naturally by his legal ability, inheriting it from both sides of the house.

Jefferson R. Leason attended the public schools of Kittanning, and the Andover Pre- paratory School (Phillips Academy at And- over, Mass.), and entered Pennsylvania State College for a two-years course. Following this township, whose parents, James and Mary he read law with his father, and was admitted (McClelland) Hindman, natives of Ireland, settled in what is now West Franklin town- ship in 1792. Mr. and Mrs. David Hall had six children: Mary, who married William B. Morrison; Jane J., who married John Boyd; James; Margaret; Rev. David, D. D., and John A. to the Armstrong county bar in 1907. In 1909 Mr. Leason was elected district attorney for his county on the Republican ticket, and followed his father's footsteps in proving himself a fearless official. This office has also been filled by Mr. Reynolds, his maternal grandfather and Mr. Mirven F. Leason, his father. He was a member of the Order of Elks, belonging to Kittanning lodge. Mr. Leason died suddenly in Pittsburgh, Pa., of heart failure, April 13, 1913, and was buried at Kittanning.

In November, 1909, Mr. Leason married Margaret Buffington, daughter of Orr Buf- fington, an attorney of Kittanning, and one of the city's eminent men. She survives him with one son, born July 8, 1911, who bears his father's name, Jefferson Reynolds.

JOHN A. HALL, a lifelong resident of Armstrong county, was for many years a farmer in North Buffalo township, recently removing to West Franklin township, where he makes his home wth his daughter, Mrs. Harry W. Noble. Mr. Hall was born June 30, 1832, in what is now North Buffalo town- ship, son of David and Margaret (Hind- man) Hall, and grandson of David Hall.

David Hall, the grandfather, came to North Buffalo township, Armstrong county, Pa., in 1796, and purchased a large tract of land, en- gaging in farming, land jobbing and trading with the Indians. He became a man of promi- nence and high standing in the community in which he settled. His wife's maiden name was Jackson, and they had a family of nine children, namely: John, David, James, Jack- son, Robert, Jane (who married Barnard Stillwell), Peggy (who married Philo At- wood), Nancy ( who married John Hindman) and Sarah (who married James McCormick).

they settled in Armstrong county, west of the Allegheny river, and when he reached matur- ity engaged in farming on his own account, prospering to such an extent that he became the owner of 250 acres, which farm he cleared and improved himself. He was also engaged in milling for a few years. Late in life he removed to South Buffalo township, where he died May 18, 1884, in his ninety-third year. He married Margaret Hindman, of Franklin

John A. Hall was reared at the old home- stead, part of which afterward came into his ownership. He received the best advantages afforded by the public schools of the locality, and has always been a reading man, keeping himself well informed upon current events and progress in the lines in which he is interested. Until his retirement from active life he fol- lowed farming and threshing, and he became known as one of the most intelligent and progressive men engaged in such work in North Buffalo township, his farm of 135 acres showing the results of modern methods of farming and thorough management. He continued to reside upon the old homestead until 1910, in which year he removed to West Franklin township to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Harry W. Noble.

Mr. Hall has always been interested in the public welfare, and though a Democrat on purely political questions he has long been identified with the Prohibitionists, so much so that in 1890 he was the candidate on the Prohibition ticket for county treasurer, an honor which came to him entirely unsolicited. He is a man who has always commanded the respect of all who have had dealings with him in any of the relations of life.

On April 26, 1855, Mr. Hall was married to Agnes Manso, daughter of Dr. Edward and Margaret (Fleming) Manso, of North Buf- falo township. Her father was an early home- opathic physician, having studied under Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, in Germany. Mrs. Agnes Hall died in 1862, the mother of three children: Margaret, Ella who married Frank E. Hine, of Tallmadge, Summit county, Ohio, and after his death mar-

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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 18

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