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 2

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 2


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97


PAGE


Reese, Isaac 207, 480 Rumbaugh, William R. 447


Reese, Walter L .. 488


Reitler, Fritz 805


Reitler, John 805


Reynolds, Absalom


605


Patton, John M .. 430


Patton, William A. 430


Patton, Hon. Willis D. 72,


320


Peters, Charles B. 463


Peters Family 518


Peters, Howard O 518


Peters, James S. 464


Pettigrew, John M., M. D.


604


Pettigrew, Matthew


Pollock Family


Pollock, William


326


Reynolds, Withington


372


Pontius, Augustus T


594


Rickel Family


479


Pontius Family


594


Rickel, John W.


479


Pontius, Mrs. Laura G .. 595


Porter Families 566, 864


Porter, John S .. 75, 566


864


Riggle Family


687,


Procious, Edward G. 787


Procious, William 787


Prugh, Abner 794


Prugh, Mrs. George A. 794


Prugh, George A. 793


Putney, Boyd H.


423


Putney Families.


.. 252, 423,


799


Putney, Harry E. J. 799


Queen, Evan M. 373


Queen, John


373


Ritchey, James M.


843


Quigley, John P. 412


Quigley, Sharron M. 412


Rabbitt, John F .. 457


Palbiti, William 457


Rairigh, Archie F. 910 Robinson, Elisha


Rairigh, Olynsca C 543


Rairigh, William 910


Ralston Family 461


Ralston, James 414


Ralston, Robert L ..... 74, 460, 665


Ralston, Robert G., M. D .. . 414


Ramsey Families 735, 797


Ramsey, Peter M. 735


Ramsey, William B. 797


Ray, John. 904


Rayburn, Calvin. 75, 226, 532


Rayburn, Calvin, Jr. 533


Rayburn Families .374, 532


Rayburn, James (North Buf- falo Tp.) . 374


Ross, Judge George.


313


Ross, George 314


Ross, J. Alexander 494


Ross, John A.


494


Shaner, Daniel 357


Shaner,


Eddis E.


358


Redick Family 905


Redick, Samuel L. 905


Redinger Family 553


Redinger, Sylvester G. 553


Rees, Abraham 480


Rowley, Samuel C .. 770


Rowley, Thomas J. 763


Rudolph Family 470


Reese, Miss Elvira 488 Rudolph, Dr. Russell. 470


Reese Family 480


Rumbaugh Families .447, 651


Reynolds, David (deceased) .. 385, 630


Reynolds Families


369, 384, 605, 630


Reynolds, Harry 605


Reynolds, Mrs. Isabel. 319


Reynolds, Jackson B .. 369


Reynolds, Richard W. 372


Reynolds, Ross 72, 384


Riddle, Charles R.


941


Riddle Family


Riggle, Absalom B.


687


Porter, William J.


Prager, Charles 947


Riggle, Jacob


Riggle, Miles A.


697


Riggle, Oliver W. 682


700


Risher, Frank


700


Ritchart Family


510


Ritchart, George A.


510


Ritchey Families .748,


843


Roberts, David S.


773


Roberts Families 598, 773


Roberts, Laurence S. 75, 598


Roberts, Samuel 485


Robinson, Mrs. Caroline 983


Robinson, Miss Elizabeth 983


Robinson Family 981


Robinson, Samuel M. 982


Rogers, Charles A., M. D. 807


Rohrback, John H. 683


Rohrback, Peter 683


Rohrer Families 577, 585


Rohrer, John W. 74, 585


Roland Family 945


Roland, M. M .. 945


Rosborough Family 498


Rosborough, Newton


498


Ross, Miss Elisabeth M. 314


Ross Family 312


Ross, John F. 870


Ross, Mrs. Margaret 314


Ross, Washington 314 Shaner, Henry 441


Rowley Family 763


Rowley, John 770


Reese, Benjamin F. 487


Reese, Mrs. Elizabeth (Jones) 484


Ritchart, Samuel


510


748


Ritchey, Edward :


682


Riggle, Daniel


700


Riggle, Thomas F


941


604


326


Reynolds, David 630


PAGE


Patterson, William L. 836


Patton Family 731


Patton, John A. 731


Rupert, Ephraim 517


Rayburn, James 533


Shaner, Albert 358


Shaw Families


503, 634


ix


BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX


PAGE


Shaw, Milo D. 634


Shaw, Milton E. 503


Shearer, John 916


Shearer, Samuel 916


Shick Family 349


Shipman, Charles H. 896


Shipman Family 896


Shirley Family 956


Shirley, John T .. 956


Shoemaker (Shumaker) Fami-


lies 437


496, 729, 813, 826, 857, 915, 920


Shoemaker, Homer H. 728


Shoemaker, Joseph T. 826


Shoemaker, Mervin L. 496


Shoff Family 733 St. Clair (Sin Clair) Family. 417


Shoff, Samuel T. 733


539


Trout Families 421,


589


Shoop, Alfred 776


681


Truby, Mrs. Anna E.


667


Shoop, David


711


Shoop, Edward W.


711


Steel Family


499


Truby, Col. Christopher 975


Steel, Thomas R ..


500


Truby Families 369,


958


Truby, Simon


369


Shoop, John 865


894


Shoup, Jacob


894


Shultz, August 859


Shultz, Harmon 859


Shumaker, Adam C. 921


Shumaker, David


813


Shumaker, Edgar K., M. D .. 438


Shumaker, Ezra Z .. 921


Shumaker (Shoemaker) Fami-


lies 437


496, 729, 813, 826, 857, 915, 920 Shumaker, Isaac E .. 915


Shumaker, Murray E .. 921


Shumaker, Philip W., M. D .. 437


Shuster Family


724


Shuster, William A. 724


Sibbet Family 301


Simpson Family


923


Simpson, George W .. 923


417


Sipes Family 770


Sipes, Hiram H .. 770


Sirwell, Col. William. 66, 623


Slagle, Daniel 450


Slagle Family 450


Slonaker Family 588


Slonaker, Newton H. 588


Smail Family 440


Smail, James B .. 440


Smeltzer, Peter A. 806


Smeltzer, Peter G. 806


Smith, Absalom 842


Smith, Anthony W. 517


Smith, Daniel


842


Smith Families


.. . 349, 517, 522, 784, 908, 931


Smith, Jacob 580


Smith, James P. 909


Smith, Jerry T. 908


Smith, H. D. 743


Smith, Michael F. 931


Smith, Milo E .. 784


Thomas, Jackson 756


Smith, Robert W 349 Thompson, Andrew 654


Smith, Mrs. Susanna 842 Thompson Families 526, 686


Smith, William H. 580


Smullin Family


757


Thompson, Judge James.


71, 303


Wells Family


876


Smullin, R. Stearns


757


Thompson, Marlin E ..


526


Wells, Jacob


876


PAGE


Snyder Families


Thompson, Ott 686


Thompson, Thomas E. 585


Thompson, William 585 Thompson, William R. 740


Tittle Family 725


Tittle, Willian 725


Todd, Robert 625


Todd, Robert J. 626


Todd, William P. 626


Somerville Family 755


Somerville, Joseph 755


Spang Family 718


Speer, Robert 478


Spencer Family 697


St. Clair, Mrs. Elizabeth. 540


St. Clair, John


Starr, Andrew B.


Steel, A. J ..


499


Truby, Christian 667


Shoop


Family


776


865


Steim, Joseph M., M. D. 608


Steim, Richard A. 608


Steiner, Julius. . 774 818


Stenger, Christopher


Stenger Family


818


Stepp, Levi


772


772


Turner Families 435, 942


Turner, Fred F.


941


Turner, Thomas


924


Turner, W. Fred 435


Turney Family 684


Stitt, S. S.


944


Turney, Oscar C .. 6S4


Turney, Peter J. 684


Stivanson, Charles T 949


Stivanson Family


949


Umburn Family


SSO


Umburn, William


SSO


345


Upperman, John


906


Upperman, John M. 906


Vandyke Family 382


Vandyke, Hiram 382


Van Kirk Family


509


Van Kirk, Vite E., Jr., M. D. 509


Wadding, John H. 638


Walker, Alexander ( S19


Walker, Edward S. 682


Walker Families


736, 778, 818, 876


Walker, Gustavus A


75, 736


Walker, James 670


Walker, Robert 670


Walker, Samuel 682


Walker, Samuel J. 876


Walker, William B., M. D. 819


Walker, William M ..


778


Wally Families ..


.431, 908, 930


Wally, James C. 431


Wally, James M ..


Wally, Thomas 908


S01


Wareham Family 800


Wareham, John


800


Waugaman Family 832


956 Waugaman, Peter Waugaman, Samuel E. S32


930


Thaw, Mrs. Mary C. 210, 306


Thaw, William .306, 528


Thomas, David O., M. D. 447


Thomas Family 756


727


Stull, Frank 727


Stute, Dr. John E. 968


Swigart Family 850


Swigart, John B .. 850


Sybert, Jacob T. 649


Sybert, Sebastian 649


Szafran, George 849


Tarr Family 359


Tarr, Robert F., M. D. 359


Taylor, David HI. 822


Taylor, John R .. 822


Templeton Family 932


Templeton, Joseph 932


Thaw Family 528


Stockdill, John L. 613


Stone, James 684


Stone, James M. 684


Storey, Mrs. Elizabeth 424


Storey, William C. 424


Turk, Samuel M. 783


Stewart, James E. 635


Stewart, Robert 635


Stitt Family 459


Stitt, Hugh A. 460


Stitt, Levi


460


Stitt, Thomas A. 460


Stivenson Family 345


Stivenson, Joseph H


Stockdill Family 613


Truxell Family 579


Truxell, Frank 579


Turk Family 783


Stepp, Michael


Truitt Families


583, 91S


Truitt, Ner M ..


5S3


Shoup Family


Townsend, H. B. 725


Townsend, John F. 856


Townsend, Labanna S. 925


Trollinger Family 443


Trollinger, Robert M. 443


Trout, Dr. David P. 421


Snyder, Mark H.


927


Snyder, William 814


Snyder, William F. 604


PAGE


.603, 624, 863, 927, 947


Snyder, Harvey N .. .75, 624


Snyder, John 814


Snyder, John 927


Snyder, John G. 604


Thompson, James 740 Weisfield, Charles A. 597


Wareham, David


Sin Clair (St. Clair) Family. .


Stull Family


Shoop, Ira


Townsend Families .. 725, 856, 925


X


BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX


PAGE


PAGE


PAGE


Welsh Family 490


Wiser, Jacob 942


Wray, William A. 684


Welsh, Howard M., M. D. 490


Wiser, Jacob F. 942


Wright, Mrs. Charlotte H .. 549


West, Clayton D. 843


Wolf, David E .. 741


Wright Family 541


West Family


844


Wolf (Wolfe, Wolff) Families 672, 673, 677, 741, 820, 884, 912, 954.


Wright, James R ...


541


Wright, William J .. 548


Wherry, John N. 934


White Family


893


Wolfe, Andrew M .. 820


White, Judge Harry 952


Wolfe, Charles A. 865


White, John M ..


893


Wolfe, Prof. J. Oscar 673


White, Judge Thomas


952


Whitworth Family


427


Whitworth, John F .. .. 69, 75, 427


899, 912, 954.


Wyant, Jeremiah 794


Wick, Curtis W. 536


Wolfe, John E. 899


Wick Family


536


Wolfe, Thompson C. 677


Yingst Family 740


Wick, John, Jr. 128, 512


512


Wolff, David H 954


Yockey Family 838


Wightman, Algernon S. 533


Wolff Families .. 884, 912, 954


Wightman Family 533


Wolff, Findley P. 509, 888


Yockey, John


956


Willard, Bertram L. 929


Wolff, Dr. William W .. .100, 888


679


Williams, James L. 586


Woodside, George R.


679


Zimmerman, Amos L.


568


Willison, Amos W. 872


Woodward, Absalom, Sr ... 193, 392


Zimmerman, Daniel


568


Willison, William


872


Wray Families 592, 684


Zimmerman, David A 755


Wilson Family


591


Wray, Hiram H ..


592


Zimmerman Families 755, 772


Wilson, Ott N. 591


Wray, Richard D. 873


Zimmerman, Sloan A. 772


Wise Family 909 Wray, Robert 873 Zorn, Jacob


551


West, Samuel M.


928


Wherry Family 934


Wolf, Jacob 672


Wyant, Benjamin W


461


Wyant, Mrs. C. Y.


668


Wyant, Christian Y.


668


Wyant Families


Wolfe (Wolf, Wolff) Families 672, 673, 677, 741, 820, 884,


332, 461, 668, 794 Wyant, J. B. Finley, M. D ... 332


Wolff, David 912


Yingst, Samuel 740


Wick, John, Sr.


Yockey, Mrs. Isabell 956


Williams Family 586


Woodside Family


Zeis, George J. 779


Wright, Isaac


548


BIOGRAPHICAL


JOHN A. ARMSTRONG, A. M., M. D., so much so that he would not associate with late of Leechburg, a distinguished physician either of the great political parties of his day and surgeon in practice here continuously for nearly forty-six years, had not only become prominent in his profession but also made a name for himself as a good citizen in other activities, especially in his long and honored connection with the Leechburg school board. It is the privilege of few men to win such high esteem among their fellows as he enjoyed, and his death, which occurred July 12, 1912, was regarded as a public loss. because slavery was tolerated in this country and sanctioned in some measure by both. He was very well known in his section. A few years before his death he removed to Leech- burg, Armstrong county, where he died in 1872, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife died in 1877 in her seventy-fifth year. Both are buried in the Brookland cemetery in Alle- gheny township, Westmoreland county. They had the following children: Eleanor married Hugh McElroy; Adam C. served as a member of the House of Representatives from Ken- tucky, was principal of an academy in that State and also served as superintendent of schools in Bracken county, Ky. (he was acci- dentally killed in that State) ; Robert was a farmer in Westmoreland county, Pa., where he died ; David, an artist by profession, died in Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1909; Elizabeth (deceased) married Hiram Steele; John A. is mentioned below ; Sarah A. (deceased) was the wife of James D. Boale; Samuel S. lived on the old homestead ; Mary J. married Milton Free, who is deceased ; Margaret married Wil- liam J. Sproull, of Parnassus, Pa., who is de- ceased.


Dr. Armstrong was born Aug. 18, 1838, in Allegheny township, Westmoreland Co., Pa., son of John Armstrong and grandson of Rob- ert Armstrong, the latter a native of the north of Ireland who came to this country and settled in Westmoreland county, Pa., about 1820. He followed farming on land he purchased in Allegheny township, and was also engaged upon the construction of the Pennsylvania canal in his section. He died upon his farm and is buried at Brookland cemetery in Alle- gheny township. His wife, Eleanor (McKee), who was also from the North of Ireland, is buried in the same cemetery. They had the following children: John; Alexander; Thom- as; David; Jane, who married George Pat- terson; Margaret, who married John Bole; and Elizabeth, who married William Cope- land.


John Armstrong, son of Robert, was born in Ireland in 1796. There he married Sarah Ann Armstrong (not a member of the same family), who was of Scottish descent, and they emigrated to the New World before his father came, crossing the ocean in 1826 and two years later, in 1828, settling in West- moreland county. There he purchased a farm in Allegheny township which he paid for with his earnings as a contractor for excavations on the old Pennsylvania canal. He was a man of fair education for his day and appreciated the advantages of schools, and he gave all his chil- dren good opportunities. He was a strict member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, ing Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, and was bitterly opposed to human servitude, where he completed the course, graduating in 32


John A. Armstrong attended public school in his home district, and later was a student in academies at Leechburg and Pittsburgh, Pa. He then entered Washington and Jefferson College at Washington, Pa., from which in- stitution he was graduated in June. 1862, after which he began the study of medicine. In 1863, however, he joined the Union Army as a member of Company K. 54th Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia, and served about three months with that command. On Aug. 29. 1864, he enlisted in Company I, 205th Regi- ment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Heavy Artil- lery, with which he served to the close of the war, being honorably discharged June 13. 1865, at Vienna, Va. Returning home he resumed his medical studies, in September, 1865, enter-


497


498


HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


1867. In May of that year he opened an office Henry K. and Mary (Keely) McKallip, of at Leechburg, where he built up a large prac- Leechburg, and they had four children: May Blanche married H. W. Beale and re- sided at Leechburg after his death until her marriage on Jan. 28, 1914, to George A. Walker, insurance solicitor of Pittsburgh ; Ann Orr i's the wife of Lewis Hicks, a promi- nent business man of Pittsburgh, Pa .; Grace Irwin is the wife of Ned M. Austin, of Can- ton, Ohio; Eleannora Caldwell is the wife of John W. Marshall, of Leechburg. tice during his long career. He supplemented his early preparation by further study, having taken a full course at one of the leading Phila- delphia hospitals after his graduation from medical college. His literary education was unusually thorough, and he had the honor of receiving the A. M. degree from his alma mater. Dr. Armstrong showed his progressive disposition in his connection with various im- portant local enterprises. At one time he was Dr. Armstrong was a member of the Pres- interested in the steel mill at Leechburg, and byterian Church at Leechburg, served as elder he was one of the pioneers in the natural gas for several years, and was also a teacher in business, being one of the owners that sunk the the Sunday school. In politics he was a Re- first well in this section when gas was used in publican. the manufacture of steel at Leechburg. For Mrs. Armstrong's parents had the follow- ing children: Labannah S., a general mer- chant, of Pittsburgh, Pa .; Amanda C., Mrs. Armstrong; Rev. John K., a Presbyterian minister ; Johanna J., wife of Robert Pinker- ton, a farmer in Armstrong county, Pa .; James A., a merchant of Leechburg ; Mary H., wife of H. M. Caldwell, a merchant of New Kensington, Pa .; and Henry F., deceased, who twenty-five years he was a member of the bor- ough school board and throughout that period served as secretary of that body, his services being highly appreciated. In 1900 the Doctor took a vacation abroad, making a three months' trip, during which he visited the home of his ancestors in Ireland and attended the Paris exposition.


The Doctor's lovable personality was feel- left a wife and two children.


ingly delineated by his local colleague, Dr. Hunter (whose death has occurred since Dr. Armstrong's), who wrote of him: "He was a graduate of the Washington and Jefferson Lit- erary College, at Washington, Pa., then grad- uated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. We practiced here as physicians nearly forty-six years, and while never part- ners our relations were more like those of brothers. We would leave our patients to each other during an absence or when it was im- possible for one to visit patients. We never had a difference. He was an excellent physi- cian and surgeon, honorable and upright in every way, and greatly deserved the esteem in which he was held by all. He was a promi- nent and active worker in the Presbyterian Church and taught the men's Bible class in that church for years. Dr. Armstrong had the analytical mind and was careful in his judg- ment in all matters."


Of Doctors Armstrong and Hunter it was said : "The medical profession points to those noble men as the highest and best examples of medical men and brothers, for they were not only the most admirable type of the fam- ily physicians, friend and adviser, but Chris- tian gentlemen and brother physicians in all that implies. Both are now dead, but their lives and work will never be forgotten."


On April 2, 1868, Dr. Armstrong married Amanda Catherine McKallip, daughter of


NEWTON ROSBOROUGH, farmer and dairyman of Elderton, in Plum Creek town- ship, Armstrong county, is a descendant of an old established family in this part of Penn- sylvania. His great-grandfather, who was born in the vicinity of Saltsburg, Indiana county, was a pack peddler, and disappeared while on a trip to secure a stock of goods. Nothing was ever afterward heard of him or his son who accompanied him. The Ros- boroughs are of Irish extraction, and the rep- resentatives of the name have always been found among the most creditable citizens in their respective communities. The family sent a large number of volunteers to the Civil war.


Charles Rosborough, father of Newton, was born Dec. 16, 1819, one mile east of Elders Ridge in Indiana county, on a farm where Iselin now stands. He was the eldest of a family of fifteen children. He stayed with his father, James Rosborough, learning the stone- mason's trade, till twenty-three years of age. On Oct. 4, 1842, he married Elizabeth Frailey, of Elderton, which union lasted fifty-eight years, five months. After being married they moved to Clarksburg, Indiana county, living there till March 16, 1848, when he moved to Elderton, Armstrong county, buying the tan- nery property of William Cunningham, built by James Clark, father of Judge Silas Clark,


499


HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


of Indiana. There he followed tanning and number of years its numbers have borne their harnessmaking till shortly before his death, part in the progress of this important section which occurred March 4, 1901, in his eighty- of Pennsylvania. second year. His wife, Elizabeth (Frailey), died Oct. 4, 1904, in her eighty-first year. She was of German descent, and was reared at Elderton, Armstrong county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Rosborough were married by the famous Rev. Alexander Donaldson, founder of the Elders Ridge Academy, one of the first insti- tutions of its kind west of the Alleghenies and of such high standing and enviable reputation that pupils came there from every State in the Union, even California. Mr. and Mrs. Rosborough had a family of ten children, namely : James, born Aug. 9, 1843, a farmer, now living at Marchand, Indiana county, mar- ried Esther Allshouse and they have had a family of twelve children; Mary died when two years old; Martin died when five years old; William, born March 6, 1850, lives in Philadelphia; Newton is mentioned below ; Anna, born Dec. 4, 1854, married J. N. Mahan and is deceased; Della, born July 10, 1857, is the widow of J. A. Altman (they had five children) ; John, born in November, 1859, died when forty-one years old, leaving a wife, who died shortly afterward, and three children; Catherine, born Oct. 3, 1863, lives at home ; Edward F., born July 10, 1866, married Laura C. Mulberger, of Elderton, and they have had children, Grace (wife of J. E. Clark), Martha (wife of J. C. Mulberger), Vernie (died Oct. 26, 1910, in nineteenth year), Frank (de- ceased), Bertha and Ruth (at home).


The brothers Newton and Edward F. Ros- borough now live at Elderton, on the site of their father's old home, and own a farm of 320 acres adjoining. They bought this prop- erty a little at a time, adding to their hold- ings as prosperity enabled them, acquiring most of it since their father's death. They carry on general agriculture and dairying, being extensively interested in the latter line, which has proved exceptionally profitable, and they are regarded as leaders among the pro- gressive farmers of the district, their methods and work typifying the most up-to-date ideas in their chosen field of work.


Newton Rosborough was born July 10, 1852, at Elderton, where he has passed all his life. He attends the Presbyterian Church, and is one of its most devoted workers, hav- ing been an elder for the unusually long period of thirty-seven years.


Amos Steel was a soldier during the Civil war, enlisting Aug. 16, 1861, in Capt. Thomas McLaughlin's Company, H, 13th Regiment, P. V. I., for three years. The regiment num- ber was changed to 102d. It was organized at Pittsburgh, mustered into the United States service Aug. 6, 1861, and commanded by Col. Thomas A. Rowley, being first assigned to Peck's Brigade, Couch's Division, Keyes's Corps, Army of the Potomac, and then trans- ferred to the 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 6th Corps. In December, 1863, the regiment was detached from this corps and sent to Hall- town, W. Va., where it was engaged during the winter in guard and picket duty, in March, 1864, rejoining the corps at Brandy Station, Va. Then it was transferred from the 3d to the 2d Division. Mr. Steel took part in the following: 1862-Siege of Yorktown, April 5 to May 3; Williamsburg, Va., May 5; Fair Oaks, Va., May 31; Charles City Cross Roads, Va., June 30; Malvern Hill, Va., July 1; Bull Run, Va., Aug. 30; Antietam, Md., Sept. 17; Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13; 1863-Chancellorsville, Va., May 4; Gettys- burg, Pa., July 4; Rappahannock Station, Va., March 7; Mine Run, Va., March 26; 1864- Spottsylvania, Va., May 8; Cold Harbor, Va., June 12; siege of Petersburg, June 15. In the first day's fight in the Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864, he was wounded and lost his fore- finger.


Amos Steel married Elizabeth Myers, and they had children as follows: A. J., of Sugar Creek township; Sidney J., Mrs. Snow, of Fairview township, Butler county, Pa .; Mar- garet M., Mrs. Adams, of Sugar Creek town- ship; Ada M., Mrs. Shakley, of Perry town- ship; and Thomas R., of Sugar Creek town- ship, Armstrong county. The father died in 1907, aged seventy-two years, and the mother survives, making her home in Perry township, this county.


A. J. STEEL, son of Amos and Elizabeth (Myers) Steel, was born in Perry township, Armstrong county, Pa., Dec. 5. 1866, but was brought to Sugar Creek township by his parents when he was ten years old, having at that time already attended public school for two years in his native township. He com- pleted his educational training in Sugar Creek township and at the same time became ac- quainted with every feature of farming in a practical manner, remaining at home until


STEEL. The Steel family is a representa- tive one of Armstrong county, where for a he was twenty-five years old. At that time he


500


HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


married and settled southeast of the home- stead in Sugar Creek township, where he owns and operates 115 acres of land, about twenty acres of which are in woodland, and the re- mainder under cultivation. There he carries on general farming, and is also interested with his brother Thomas in conducting the saw- mill and cider mill located on the property of the latter, which was formerly the Steel home- stead.


Mr. Steel married Lillie Kamerer, a daugh- ter of D. W. Kamerer, of Brady's Bend town- ship, and two children have been born of this union, Willard Lloyd and Howard Floyd, twins, who are teaching school at Kaylor. Mr. Steel belongs to the Grange at Kaylor and to the Sons of Veterans at Chicora. In re- ligious connection he belongs to the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church, of which he has been an elder for the last two years, and also served as deacon for several years. Inter- ested in the Sunday school, Mr. Steel is its superintendent and exerts a strong influence for good in his community. Politically he is a Progressive Republican, and has served as a school director and township auditor upon several occasions, having held the latter office for the last two years. An energetic man, he has bent his entire forces towards honorable achievement, and deserves the success which has attended him.


THOMAS R. STEEL, son of Amos and Eliza- beth (Myers) Steel, and younger brother as well as partner of A. J. Steel, was born on his present farm in Sugar Creek township, Armstrong Co., Pa., Jan. 22, 1878. After completing his course in the schools of his district, Mr. Steel attended a business college at Butler, Pa., from which he was graduated. Returning to Sugar Creek township he re- sumed farming, better qualified for his work because of his commercial training. His life has been spent on his present valuable farm of 100 acres, eight acres of which is timber, and he is interested in the sawmill and cider mill on his property which he and his brother A. J. Steel conduct in partnership. Thomas R. Steel also owns some residences at Kay- lor and East Brady, and is a man of consid- erable means.




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