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 21

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 21

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In 1867 Mr. Pontius married Laura S. Goodhart, daughter of Dr. George Goodhart, of Dayton, and she now makes her home at

Augustus T. Pontius was reared on the Dayton. Mr. and Mrs. Pontius had no chil- farm and received his early education in the dren. She owns a fine farm in Wayne town-

common schools, later attending Dayton ship. Mrs. Pontius is particularly interested in educational questions. Union Academy. He remained on the farm until he reached the age of nineteen years, DR. GEORGE GOODHART, father of Mrs. Pontius, was born in 1818 in Mifflin county, Pa. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and coming to Arm- strong county in 1840 first settled at Rural Valley, where he practiced for a short time. Then he practiced a while at Smicksburg, Indiana county, before settling at Dayton, where he made his permanent home. He fol- lowed his profession until his death, which occurred Oct. 5, 1852, when he was but thirty- five years, five months, four days old. He was the first physician to locate at Dayton, and was very well known and highly respected in that vicinity. He is buried in the M. E. grave- and taught school for several terms. He then entered the office of Dr. J. R. Crouch, of Day- ton, with whom he read medicine until his enlistment, in 1862, in the Union service, be- coming a private in Company B, 139th Regi- ment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was pro- moted from fifth sergeant to first duty ser- geant, and was in line of promotion for a commissioned rank when his right arm was shattered in front of Petersburg, necessitat- ing amputation at the shoulder. From Peters- burg he was taken to a hospital situated on an island in the Hudson river (Davis), re- maining there until all in his ward were dy- ing of gangrene except himself and one other, yard here. a man who had been shot through the tongue. Dr. Goodhart married Eliza Lias, daughter of John and Susanna (Pontius) Lias, and they had a family of four children: Augus- tus K .; Laura S., widow of Augustus T. Pon- tius; Florida, who died unmarried; and Missouri, who married D. O. Crouch. Clad only in shirt, drawers and shoddy slip- pers they found their way to Chester hos- pital, and after Mr. Pontius' arrival there his people were informed that he still lived. He was discharged from there June 14, 1865. Until injured he was in all the engagements AUGUSTUS K. GOODHART, son of Dr. George Goodhart, was born Jan. 27, 1847, in Cowan- shannock township, Armstrong county, and received a good education, attending the Day- ton Academy. During the Civil war, though in which his command took part. Returning to his home in Armstrong county, Mr. Pon- tius was elected county commissioner in 1865, on the Republican ticket, and served two suc- cessive terms, being reelected in 1869. From very young, he enlisted in Company K, 2d

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served eighteen boro, Pa. At the end of that time he went months, until the close of the war. He then to Beaver county, Pa., to enter the employ located in Wayne township, Armstrong of the Bridgewater Gas Company, remaining county, and followed plastering and farm- at Rochester, Beaver county, for three years. In 1888 and 1889 he was at Wellsville, Ohio, in the employ of the Ohio Valley Gas Com- ing throughout his active years. He now re- sides at Dayton. He is a member and past commander of J. W. Turk Post, No. 321, pany. His most important business interests, G. A. R., and also belongs to the I. O. O. F.

On Sept. 15, 1872, Mr. Goodhart married Sarah Rupp, daughter of John H. and Sus- anna (Schrecongost) Rupp, and they have had seven children: John, who is living in perous concern, with which he was connected Wayne township; Jane, wife of E. C. Snyder ; Dolly, who died young; George, who is en- gaged in teaching in Wayne township; Beulah, wife of Henry J. Postlethwaite; Laura, wife of Charles Snyder ; and Florence, who is teaching in Armstrong county.

HON. E. B. LATSHAW, of Kittanning, present representative of his district in the State Legislature of Pennsylvania, has passed all his life in this region, having been born in Clarion county, where the family has been settled for many years.

Peter Latshaw, his grandfather, was of German parentage. He came to this part of the State from eastern Pennsylvania, and set- tled in Clarion county, where he lived and died. He is buried there. Farming was his occupation, and he owned two or three hun- dred acres of land, all of which is still in the family name, being owned by Isaac Latshaw. Peter Latshaw's children were as follows: Silas, Peter, Isaac, John, Ellen, Margaret, Kate and Elizabeth. This family was reared in Clarion county.

Silas Latshaw, father of Hon. E. B. Lat- shaw, became a farmer like his father. His untimely death occurred in February, 1866, when he was only about thirty years old, be- ing caused by typhoid fever, and he is buried at West Freedom, in Clarion county. He had married Martha Yingling, a native of Clarion county, daughter of David Yingling, and three children were born to them: Elmer B .; George, who lives in Venango county, Pa .; and Ada, wife of Louis Gerdon, of Mead- ville, Pennsylvania.

Elmer B. Latshaw was born Feb. 17, 1861, M. E. Church.

however have been in the manufacturing of brick. He began that business at Vanport, in Beaver county, Pa., when he was a part- ner in the Vanport Brick Company, a pros-

until he came to Kittanning, in 1894. Here he started the plant now conducted by the Kittanning Brick & Fire Clay Company, plan- ning and overseeing the construction of the works and superintending the operation of the same for fifteen years. Selling his in- terests in this establishment in 1907, Mr. Lat- shaw took a position with the Hydraulic Pressed Brick Company, of St. Louis, whose plant is located at Brazil, Ind. Mr. Latshaw became well known all over the country in his connection with the brick manufacturing business, for he was one of the most progres- sive men in that line and thoroughly up-to- date in his ideas and management, a fact which was recognized by all who had deal- ings with him. At Kittanning he made the first vitrified gray brick turned out in Penn- sylvania, if not in the country, shipping the product to points all over the country, be- tween New York and California and between Canada and Mexico.

Mr. Latshaw has always taken an ardent in- terest in public affairs and an active part in politics, as a Republican until the formation of the Washington party, on whose ticket he was elected to the Legislature. His home is in that part of Kittanning known as Wick- boro, and he has served his fellow citizens, there faithfully as a member of the school board and councilman. In 1912 he was the candidate for State representative on the straight Washington ticket, and was elected to service until 1915. He has rendered the new party valuable service as committeeman, and is secretary of the Armstrong county organi- zation. His religious connection is with the

On Jan. 18, 1888, Mr. Latshaw was mar- ried to Sarah Richardson, of Washington, Pa.,

and was but five years old when his father died. He continued to live on the old home farm in Clarion county until fifteen years daughter of James and Ann Richardson, and old, meantime attending common school, and they started housekeeping at Wellsville, Ohio. They have had four children: Walter, who died when fifteen months old; Mary, who was a student in the seminary at Wash- then started out to make his own way in the world. When twenty years old he gave up work for a time in order to resume his studies, and for two years attended school at Edin- ington, Pa., at the time of her death, when

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

she was nineteen years old; Paul now (1913) aged nineteen, who graduated from the Kit- tanning high school, has attended the Univer- sity of Colorado for one year, and expects to enter Allegheny College in 1914; and Wen- dell, now aged fourteen, who is attending pub- lic school at Kittanning. The family home is at No. 555 Hawthorne avenue, Kittanning.

CHARLES AUGUST WEISFIELD, re- tired chemist, of Parker City, Pa., was born in Elberfeld, Germany, Aug. 23, 1838, son of Henry and Anna W. (Kronenberg) Weis- field.

Charles A. Weisfield was reared in his na- tive city, one of the large manufacturing cen-

ters of Germany, and was educated in the Aug. 22, 1856, in her ninety-first year. They Polytechnic at Achen and the Gymnasium at led the life typical of those days. They not Elberfeld. On Oct. 21, 1859, he was enrolled only had to clear their land before they could in the German army and served in the war of 1866 between Prussia and Austria, and also in the Franco-Prussian war. From 1859 until 1862 he was a member of the 2d Regiment, Guards Corps, stationed at Berlin.

In 1871 Mr. Weisfield came to the United States, and resided at Buffalo, N. Y., for al- most a year before coming to Pennsylvania. He spent the next five years at Petroleum Center, Oil City and Tarr Farms. In 1877 he located at Karns City, Butler county, where he resided until 1887, the year of his removal to Parker. During all this period he has man- ufactured and sold his own proprietary medi- cines and extracts, which have a national repu- tation. In 1910, on account of failing eye- sight, he sold his formulas to a stock com- pany operating at Parker City as the Weis- field Manufacturing & Chemical Company. An extensive business is done, there being a steady demand all over the United States for these standard products. Mr. Weisfield came to America with little capital except health, energy and a fine technical education. He has prospered through legitimate business chan- nels and now has valuable real estate holdings in Armstrong, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.

Mr. Weisfield was married in 1865, to Sophia Reims, who died in 1877. She was a daughter of Richard Reims, of Elberfeld-Bar- men, Germany. Mr. Weisfield has one son, Charles Adolphus Weisfield, who is engaged in a general insurance business at Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Weisfield is a Republican in poli- tics. Fraternally he is associated with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.

ANDREW HINDMAN, late of West Franklin township, Armstrong county, was

one of the most prominent farmers of that section, the owner of several hundred acres of land, and a citizen of substance and worth whose long life was a credit to the community.

Mr. Hindman's parents, James and Mary (McClellan) Hindman, were natives of Ire- land who came to the United States about 1790, first settling in Westmoreland county, Pa., and in 1792 purchasing a tract of 288 acres in what is now West Franklin township, Armstrong Co., Pa. Mr. Hindman made the first improvements on that property, and there he and his wife continued to live to the close of their long lives, James Hindman, who was born in 1763, dying . April 28, 1846, in his eighty-third year, and Mrs. Hindman dying

cultivate it, but had to depend upon their own exertions for many things now readily ob- tained. They grew flax, spun and wove the cloth needed for clothing for themselves and their family, and put up with many incon- veniences incidental to life in a new country. In addition to general agricultural pursuits, Mr. Hindman raised stock, which he drove to market at Lancaster, Pa., and with the pro- ceeds of his industry was able to purchase more land, buying the farm in West Franklin township now owned by A. M. Hindman and another in East Franklin owned by Burt and James Hindman. The old log house which he built was in time replaced by a more con- venient dwelling and the latter in turn gave way to the modern residence now on the farm, a substantial house erected in 1881. James Hindman and his wife had a family of nine children, namely: Margaret, who married David Hall; Mary, who married Joseph Arm- strong ; John; George; James; William; An- drew; Nancy, and Mattie. Nancy and Mattie were invalids, and never married.

Andrew Hindman was born Nov. 15, 1809, on the old homestead in West Franklin town- ship, and succeeded to the ownership of that place, where he spent all his life. One of the most progressive farmers of the vicinity in his day, and a man of unusual executive abil- ity, he added extensively to his original hold- ings, at the time of his death owning 695 acres (including the homestead) in one body, be- sides another farm of 150 acres, all in West Franklin township.

On Oct. 13, 1854, Mr. Hindman married Susannah, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Sipes) Van Dyke, pioneers of South Buf-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

falo township, this county, who were of Hol- after which he entered the University of land Dutch descent. Three children were Michigan, and was graduated from its law de- born to this union, James Mark, Margaret partment in the class of 1900. Mr. Roberts Emma and George Lee, all of whom reside returned to Pennsylvania and accepted the with their mother on the homestead. Mrs. position of timekeeper for the American Sheet Hindman is now (1912) eighty-six years of age. Mr. Hindman passed away Jan. 24, 1900. He was a Democrat in politics and a member of the Lutheran Church of Worth- ington, to which his family also belong.

GEORGE LEE HINDMAN, youngest son of the late Andrew Hindman, has shown con- siderable ability as an inventor, and is the patentee of the Eureka rail tie fastener, a safety device for preventing the spreading, creeping or sinking of rails, which for three years has been tested by the Pennsylvania Railway Company with highly satisfactory re- sults, requiring no attention during that period.

Roberts Roberts was born in Wales and was the pioneer of the family in America. He settled first near Pittsburgh, Pa., but later moved to Green township, Indiana county, where he engaged in farming for some years before his death.

John Roberts, son of Roberts Roberts and father of Laurence S., was born in Wales in December, 1834, and was five years old when his parents brought him to the United States. After a number of years during which he was successfully engaged in the lumber business in Green township he located at Homer, in Indiana county, where he engaged in the man- ufacturer of incubators. He was a man of mechanical genius and some of his inventions were extremely practical. His death occurred Jan. 21, 1906, and he was buried at Indiana, Pa. He married Jane Griffith, daughter of Evan and Sarah (Stevens) Griffith, and she is a resident of Leechburg at the present time. They had the following children: Robert, Grant, Sarah E., Emma E., Laurence S. and Albert P. Sarah E. is the wife of John Dun- can, postmaster of Leechburg.

and Tin Plate Company, at Leechburg, later becoming assistant day manager, and after- ward assistant night manager. On Nov. 20, 1903, he was admitted to practice in the Arm- strong county courts, and on May 22, 19II, to the Supreme court. He has been very suc- cessful in general practice, and was the attor- ney representing eight hundred petitioners for the adjudication of bankruptcy against the Leechburg Banking Company, in 1908.

In addition to his law practice Mr. Rob- erts has important agricultural and real estate interests, owns the Enterprise Lum- ber Company, at Leechburg, and is one of the stockholders of the Farmers' National Bank of Leechburg and its attorney. He belongs LAURENCE S. ROBERTS, attorney at Green township, Indiana Co., Pa., near Pine Flats, Nov. 9, 1875, a son of John Roberts and grandson of Roberts Roberts. to the Leechburg Board of Trade. His valu- law, located at Leechburg, Pa., was born in able farm of fifty-two acres is situated in Burrell township, Armstrong county, while his improved real estate lies at Leechburg, Homer and Blairsville. Politically he is a Republican.

On May 15, 1900, Mr. Roberts was married to Nellie O. Coup, daughter of Wallace W. and Marion Coup, and they have four chil- dren: Harold L., Cathryn E., Floyd S. and and Marion C. Mr. Roberts and family are members of the Presbyterian Church and he is a member of the Sunday-school class that is somewhat noted as being under the instruc- tion of Dr. J. A. Armstrong. He belongs to Leechburg Lodge, No. 577, F. & A. M.

VALENTINE NEUBERT has been in business in Kittanning for over half a cen- tury, and though he has withdrawn from ac- tive participation in affairs to some extent his holdings are so large in a number of the important manufacturing and financial con- cerns in the borough that he necessarily main- tains a lively interest in local industrial con- ditions. He is a native of Germany, and his father, also named Valentine, passed about half of his life in that country, where all his seven children were born. The father learned the trade of cabinetmaker, which he followed in his native land until he brought his family to America, in 1845. They crossed the ocean from Havre, landing at New York, and though the voyage was of necessity made in a sailing vessel, it was unusually short for that time.

Laurence S. Roberts completed the com- mon school course in Indiana county and the high school course at Ann Arbor, Mich., after- ward teaching school for one year in his na- tive county. Later he became a clerk in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- Coming westward to Pittsburgh, Pa., the fam- pany and subsequently traveled for one year, ily journeyed thence by wagon to St. Mary's,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Elk county, where they made a permanent

organizers, in 1890, of the Safe Deposit & settlement, though the mother died there Title Guaranty Company, which is the second not long afterward, of homesickness. She largest bank in Kittanning, and in the estab- was born in 1800. She was a' member of lishment of which he was associated with the Catholic Church and was buried in the George Fox, James McCullogh, M. F. Leason Catholic cemetery at St. Mary's, where her husband was interred many years later. He lived to the age of seventy-six years, and also died at St. Mary's, where he had a very suc- cessful business career as a contractor and builder. He was a member of the Catholic Church, and a Democrat in politics, in which, however, he took no active part.

and Alexander Reynolds. When Mr. Neubert and the gentlemen named erected the bank building, in 1900, it was considered far ahead of the times for a place like Kittanning, but time has proved the accuracy of their judg- ment as to what was required, and the bank it- self holds its own among the solid financial in- stitutions of this section. Mr. Neubert is Valentine Neubert, one of the sons of Val- entine, was born in Bavaria, Aug. 21, 1836, and received his education in Germany and at St. Mary's, Pa. Being only a boy when his mother died he left home and went to live in the family of John Wilson, at Clarion, Pa., although at the time he could not talk much English. After remaining one winter there still a heavy stockholder. He is a director of the Elk Brewing Company, of which he was president at the time the present building was constructed, and a director of, the Kittanning Plate Glass Company, in which he is the heav- iest stockholder; he helped to organize this concern. In company with Messrs. Leason, Buffington and Moesta, and his son Charles he came thence direct to Kittanning, on Jan. Neubert, Mr. Neubert organized the Manor-

13, 1849, and has resided here ever since. At ville Coffin Manufacturing Company, and established works; this enterprise has been abandoned. He was one of the company that bought from the Baileys the Mirror Factory known as the Ford City Mirror Works, which also has since been abandoned. He was presi- dent and manager of the Rayburn and Citizens' Water Companies (both of whose plants he erected), supplying water to the courthouse at Kittanning and to Wickboro, and sold both to the present concern which has the water- works, the Armstrong Water Company. Some years ago Mr. Neubert was interested in oil and gas wells, operating principally in Arm- strong and Butler counties, Pa., and at New- port, Ohio. that time there were no waterworks at Kittan- ning, and Mr. Neubert and his brother Nick, who had learned the trade of cabinetmaker with Nathaniel Henry, bought a water cart and horse and engaged in delivering water to homes and to contractors where building operations were going on. Valentine Neubert did the hauling, and was thus engaged for about two years. He was next employed to carry mail for Joseph Clark, who held the carrier con- tract, going horseback from Kittanning to Brookville, his route taking him through Ma- honing, Red Bank Furnace, Texas, New Beth- lehem, Mohneys, Greenville and Troy (now Summerville), and back from Brookville on the same road. The round trip took about For years Mr. Neubert has had valuable real estate holdings. Besides the "Citizens' Hotel" he has other extensive interests in busi- three days. After about a year of this work he began to drive stage for Nick Keller, from Kittanning to Kellersburg, Armstrong county, ness and residence property in Kittanning, and and later he also drove stage between Brook- ville and Clarion and between Philipsburg and Tyrone. Returning to Kittanning, he bought out John Vorhauer, who had a hotel business in a building owned by General Orr. Mr. Neu- bert carried on a hotel there for many years, in 1879 moving from that location to the site on which he built what is now the "Citizens Hotel." There he continued the hotel business for eighteen years, with the success which marked him as one of the most popular hotel- keepers of Kittanning in his day. He retired from this line June 29, 1893, though he con- tinues to own the "Citizens Hotel" property.

a considerable acreage of farm land in Arm- strong county. For some time he was associated with George Fox in real estate ope- rations in Kittanning. He moved to his pres- ent home, No. 327 North Mckean street, after giving up the hotel business, building the fine modern brick residence which he and his fam- ily have since occupied. Mr. Neubert has devoted himself to business, taking no active part in public affairs, though his influence and substantial encouragement of progressive movements have done much for the welfare of the town. He has never held any office but that of member of town councils, in which he served several terms. Politically he is a

Meantime Mr. Neubert had acquired other interests in the borough. He was one of the Democrat.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

On March 3, 1861, Mr. Neubert married tery. They had the following children : John; Mary Miller, like himself a native of Bavaria, Alexander; Thomas; David; Jane, who mar- V Germany. Her parents died in Germany, and ried George Patterson; Margaret, who mar- she came to America about 1858. Mr. and ried John Bole; and Elizabeth, who married William Copeland. Mrs. Neubert have had seven children, all born at Kittanning, namely: Charles married Virginia Hooks; Louis lives in Kittanning; Frank, unmarried, is at home; George was run over by a railroad train, dying two hours after the accident (he was twenty-four years old) ; Mary is the wife of H. J. Lindeman and lives at Kittanning; Annie is the widow of Harry Hague and resides with her parents ; John V. is engaged in purchasing supplies for the New York Central Railroad Com- pany (he married Frederica McConnell, and resides in New York City).

John Armstrong, son of Robert, was born in Ireland in 1799. 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 Westmore- land county. There he purchased a farm in Allegheny township which he paid for with his earnings as a contractor for excavation 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 JEFFERSON REYNOLDS CHRISTY, his children good opportunities. He was a of Manor township, Armstrong Co., Pa., was strict member of the Reformed Presbyterian born Dec. 2, 1843. His father was John Church, and was bitterly opposed to human Christy, born in Beaver county, Pa., in the

servitude, so much so that he would not iden- year 1800. He was married twice and was. tify himself with either of the great political the father of thirteen children. He came to parties of his day because slavery was tol- Armstrong county in the spring of 1833, and purchased the farm where he lived until his death in 1887, and where the subject of this in his section. A few years before his sketch now resides.

Mr. Christy's mother was Sarah Ross, strong county, where he died in 1872.

daughter of George and Mary Ross. She was born in 1805 and died in 1892.

In 1882 Mr. Christy married Miss Emily McCormick. They have two daughters.

Mr. Christy's parents were charter mem- bers of the Appleby Manor Presbyterian Church, his father holding the office of elder until his death. He himself has held the same office in the same church for many years.

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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 21

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