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 29
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William Heilman was born 'near Heilman Church, Armstrong Co,. Pa., and followed farming all his life, dying March 12, 1900. His first wife, who died in 1881, was the mother of thirteen children: Mary Jane, wife of Jacob Klingensmith; Sarah A., deceased, who was the wife of William Miller ; Henry, deceased; Zachariah T .; John J., deceased ; Margaret, wife of J. S. Artman ; one who died in infancy ; William T .; Andrew E., deceased ; Rosa E., wife of J. W. Wingard; Elizabeth M., wife of T. A. King; Manuel E., and Har- vey H. The second wife of Mr. Heilman was Mattie Schreckengost, and three children were born of this marriage, Alvira, Ralph and Paul.
Harvey Howard Heilman was educated in the public schools of Armstrong county, and until he was twenty years old worked on his father's farm. At this time he secured em- ployment with the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, of Ford City, continuing this con- nection for six years. In the year 1900 he and his brother-in-law, J. S. Artman, estab- lished their present shoe store in Ford City, under the firm name of Artman & Heilman. in the two-story brick building, 22 by 75 feet in dimensions, which they now occupy. Here they carry a full line of desirable shoes and other footwear. Theirs was the first high-class shoe store to be opened in Ford City, and in appointments and stock it com-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
pares favorably with any store of its kind even until 1891, when he and his brother David L. in the large cities.
Eckman formed a partnership under the name Mr. Heilman was married in 1900 to Sadie of Eckman Bros., at Dayton, where they carry Montgomery, daughter of ex-County Commis- on a general contracting business. They have sioner Thomas Montgomery. Mrs. Heilman died in 1901. In the year 1903 Mr. Heilman was married (second) to Ida Bailey, daughter of William C. Bailey, at one time county com- missioner, and who has also served as county treasurer and sheriff. Two children have been born to this marriage, Catherine J. and Wil- liam B. Mr. Heilman is a member of the Presbyterian Church. put up all of the best residences of the borough, built since the formation of their firm, and in 1905 completed the fine school building that is a credit to the town and their work. They also deal in rough and dressed lumber, sash, shingles, doors, lath, slate and plaster. The office and yards of Eckman Bros. are conveniently located opposite the railroad station. Their lumber business was established in 1907, the demand for the class of material they handle having grown suf- ficiently large to justify them in branching out, and the volume of their business testifies to their good judgment in so doing. A. A. Eck- man attends to the inside business of the firm,
ECKMAN. The Eckmans are justly num- bered among those substantial residents of Armstrong county thoroughly representative of the best class. This family was founded in Pennsylvania early in the history of the colony, and its various members assisted in the devel- the senior member being the outside man.
opment of the mighty Commonwealth. The earlier way of spelling the name was "Eak- man," but for several generations the present spelling has been used.
John Eckman, grandfather of D. L. and A. A. Eckman, was a farmer of Burrell town- ship, this county, for many years. Later he removed to near Rural Valley, where he died when only forty-five years old. He mar- ried Mary Wagner, who passed away aged thirty-five years. Their children were: An- thony, who is living in Burrell township; Joseph, living in the same township; Cathe- rine, deceased, who married Isaac Shall; Jane, who married Hiram Shall; Mary Ann, who died young ; Samuel, deceased ; and John.
John Eckman, son of John Eckman, and tical use his knowledge of this line of work. father of David L. and A. A. Eckman, was The personal supervision which Mr. Eckman has over all the contracts of his firm insures conscientious carrying out of agreement, and excellent quality of work and material. Both he and his brother are estimable young men, thoroughly interested in their business and the welfare of their community. born near Rural Valley May 28, 1845. He worked on farms by the day and until his marriage, after which he located in Indiana county, where he worked by the day in North Mahoning township. In 1867 he married Angelina Carley, daughter of David and Nancy (Travis) Carley. Their children were: Jane, who died young ; David L .; Albert A .; John, who is deceased ; Nannie, deceased, who was the wife of Byram Bush; Mary, who married Samuel Lunger, living at North Point; and Ford, who died young.
ALBERT A. ECKMAN, member of the firm of Eckman Bros., contractors and builders of Dayton, Pa., was born in Indiana county, Dec. 21, 1875. Growing up in his native county, he attended public school, and when still a boy went into the lumber districts, where he was employed for some time. Following this he years, but died in Indiana county, at the was engaged at the coal mines thus continuing
Albert A. Eckman was united in marriage with Margaret M. Champion, and they have children as follows: Alverta, Mary, Elva, Lillie, Violet and Frances. While Mr. Eckman is a Republican, he has never taken any part in public life, his attention being centered upon his business.
DAVID L. ECKMAN, of the firm of Eckman Bros., Dayton, Pa., was born in Indiana county, Pa., Sept. 6, 1870. He attended public school in his native county, and worked on the farm, learning there habits of thrift and industry. Like his brother he worked in the lumber districts, remaining there for five years. He then learned the carpenter's trade in Indiana county, and has since been putting into prac-
David L. Eckman married Nana N. Wad- ding, daughter of John H. Wadding. Mr. and Mrs. Eckman have had the following children : Zelda P .; Virginia R., who died in infancy ; Edna Margaret; Walter L .; Trela Irene, and Orphy V. Mr. Eckman is a Republican. Fraternally he is a Maccabee, but like his brother he has few interests outside his busi- ness and family life.
John H. Wadding, father of Mrs. D. L. Eckman, is a son of John Wadding, who was a resident of Armstrong county for many extreme old age of ninety-eight years. John
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
H. Wadding was born in 1840, and grew up chased the J. C. Gibson farm of 109 acres in a farmer. He served his country during the Perry township, this county. He moved to Civil war, as a volunteer in Company A, 78th Parker City, but after several years' residence Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was in there went to his farm, where he passed away service for three years and two months. He Oct. 26, 1906, aged sixty-two years. His wife participated in several of the important battles died Nov. 22, 19II. of the war, and was a brave and valiant John Erwin, father of the paternal grand- soldier. Residing at Dayton at present, he is mother of Samuel W. Harrison, was a pioneer numbered among the substantial men of his of Butler county, Pa., where his wife was locality, and is an enthusiastic member of J. born. He first settled near Petrolia, that Ed. Turk Post, No. 321, G. A. R., of which he is a past commander.
Mr. Wadding married Jennie R. Long, a daughter of Tobias Long, and they had the following family : Curtis A., Minnie C., Joseph F., Erastus P., Anna P., Emma B., Nana N., Charles B.
Both the Eckman and Wadding families are well known in Armstrong and Indiana coun- ties. It is interesting to go back in the records of these families which extend so far back into the past, and see in the rising generations the same excellent traits of character which have marked the early generations and given them a definite place in the several commun- ities to which business interests or personal considerations have taken them.
SAMUEL W. HARRISON, a farmer and oil producer of Perry township, was born in Oil City, Pa., Feb. 9, 1866, son of William H. and Susan M. (Coe) Harrison.
William Harrison was born in Maryland in 1815, and came to Armstrong county at an early day. He was a brickmaker by trade, becoming a pioneer in the manufacture of brick in this locality, doing business at Brady's Bend, Parker City and Bear Creek, this county, and at Bruin, Butler county. In later life he
died in 1898, in his eighty-fourth year. His wife, Ann (Erwin), was a daughter of John and Esther ( Fletcher) Erwin. William Har- rison and wife had children as follows: Wil- liam H., James M., John C. and Henry H.
William H. Harrison, son of William Harri- son, was born in 1844, and learned the brick- maker's trade from his father. In time he embarked in business for himself as a brick manufacturer in Oil City, Pa., in the early sixties. In a short time, however, his interest was awakened in the oil business, and he be- came a driller and producer in Venango county, Pa., thus continuing until 1878. In that year he located at St. Petersburg, Clarion county, Pa., where he continued in the same line of business until 1891. He then pur-
county, where he cleared and improved a farm, on which he resided for many years. In later life he sold this property, and bought a smaller one in Perry township, Armstrong county, where he died.
The maternal ancestor of Mr. Harrison in
Myrtle J. (who died when young), and this country was Peter Coe, his great-great-
grandfather, who was born in Scotland, Feb. 20, 1753. He came to the United States, and was one of the pioneers of Washington county, Pa. His wife was Mary Allen.
Benjamin Coe, great-grandfather of Mr. Harrison, and son of Peter Coe, was born in Washington county, Pa., June 8, 1783, and was a pioneer in Perry township, Clarion county, Pa., where he engaged in farming. He served as justice of the peace for several years, and was a man of considerable promi- nence. In later life he moved to Butler county, where he died. His wife was Susan Mckib- ben, and they had eight children, among them being two sons, Thomas and Peter.
Peter Coe, grandfather of Mr. Harrison, was born in Armstrong county, Pa., Dec. 4, 18II. After attaining his majority he en- gaged in business as a mining and building contractor in Butler county, Pa., thus continu- ing until 1860, when he embarked in the oil business, in which he remained for many years, dying in 1890, when in his eightieth daughter of Daniel and Rosanna (Say) Le- vier, pioneers of Butler county, Pennsylvania.
followed farming in Perry township, where he year. His wife, Christine Levier, was a
Samuel W. Harrison was reared to man- hood in Venango and Clarion counties this State. His education was secured in the com- mon schools. From 1888 to 1906 he was in the employ of the Standard Oil Company. in various capacities, in their pipe line depart- ment, holding responsible positions and prov- ing his worth in every way. He was with the United Pipe Line until 1902, and from then to 1906 with the National Transportation Line. Since the latter year he has been residing on the old homestead, looking after his farming interests and oil properties. He has twelve producing wells on his own property and one adjoining.
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Mr. Harrison is a member of Fox Lodge, a falcon being accordingly let off flew over an extent of ground six miles in length, after called Errol, and lighted on a stone, still called "falcon stone."-This is taken from the "Origin and Signification of Scottish Sur- names" by Clifford Stanley Sims.
No. 825, I. O. O. F., of Foxburg; Central Encampment, No. 206, Foxburg; K. of M., Parker's Landing, and is very much interested in fraternal matters. Politically he is a Re- publican, but has not had the time or incli- nation to enter public life. His various expe- riences in the business world have been a lib- eral education. His comprehensive knowledge regarding the oil business and its problems fit him for conducting his present enterprises.
HON. THOMAS HAYS, of Butler, Pa., recent representative in the Pennsylvania Leg- islature of the Forty-first Senatorial district, comprising Butler and Armstrong counties, is one of the foremost citizens in public life and business in his section of the State. Though he has been a resident of Butler county since shortly after the close of the Civil war, he is a . native of Armstrong county, where the Hays family settled nearly a century ago. The name Hays in that and its various other forms, de la Haye, Hay, Hayes, is found all over the United Kingdom, and meant originally dwel- ler at the hedge or hedged inclosure. The branch of the family here under consideration came to this country from Ireland, and had a coat of arms and crest, a representation of which the founder brought with him.
Hayes of County Donegal, Baronet of Dru- more Castle. Arms: Argent, a chevron, be- tween three griffins' heads, erased, sable. Crest : A griffin's head, erased between two dragon's wings, sable. Motto: Dieu me con- duise.
The first of the family to settle in America was George Hays, who came from County Donegal, Ireland, town of Raymelton, where he was born. By occupation he was a farmer. He was accompanied by his wife Elizabeth (Bettie), also of Raymelton, County Donegal, where they were married; her maiden name was also Hays, but they were not related. About 1821-22, with their family (then con- sisting of six children-David, the youngest, was born in Washington township, Armstrong county, Pa.), they started for America, em- barking on a sailing vessel at Londonderry, Ireland, and they landed at St. John, N. B., after a six weeks' sail. After remaining there a couple of months, during which time Mr. Hays worked in a tobacco factory, they pro- ceeded to Quebec, Canada, and there reshipped to Norfolk, Va., thence continuing their jour- ney to Baltimore, Md., where David Hays, his wife's brother, had a wholesale grocery busi- ness. A short time afterward they came over- land by way of the Baltimore and Pittsburgh pike, through Gettysburg, Chambersburg, Greensburg, and from there by way of Free- port to Kittanning. The old Miller farm was the first place Mr. Hays looked at, but he re- fused to buy it because the timber was too small. He continued north on the Kittanning and Wattersonville road to the home of his sister's husband, John Foster, where the fam- ily stopped a few days. One and a half miles from there George Hays found land to suit him, 125 acres, heavily timbered with chestnut, oak, etc., about one mile northwest of Sher- rett, in Washington ( formerly Sugar Creek) township. He soon built his log cabin, began to clear out a farm, and made a permanent home, living there with his family until his death, which occurred in 1828, when he was aged about fifty years. His wife survived him, dying in 1841, and they are buried in the Union Presbyterian cemetery at Cowansville, in East Franklin township, Armstrong county. We have the following record of their fam- ily: (1) Hannah, the eldest daughter, mar- ried David Johnston, a painter by trade, of Pittsburgh, and they passed the rest of their lives in Allegheny-now the North Side of Pittsburgh. They left three daughters, all married and well-to-do. David Johnston
The family of Hay (or Hays as they gen- erally spelled their name after making their new home in the North of Ireland) have prominent place in the history of Scotland. It is said that about the year 980, in the reign of Kenneth III., the Danes having invaded Scot- land, they were encountered by the king near Lancarty, in Perthshire. The Scots at first gave way and filed through a narrow pass, where they were stopped by a countryman of great strength and courage and his two sons, with no other weapons than the yokes of their plows. Upbraiding the fugitives for their cow- ardice, he succeeded in rallying them, and the battle being resumed the Danes were defeated. After the victory was obtained, the old peas- ant, while lying on the ground, wounded and fatigued, cried, "Hay, Hay," which word be- came the surname of his posterity, and the king, as a reward for his signal service, gave him as much land in the carse of Gowrie as a falcon should fly over before it settled; and bought land in Sugar Creek township from
MRS. DEBORAH J. HAYS
Robert Hays
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Philip Templeton Aug. 25, 1812, and sold same to Patrick Graham. Johnston obtained, on Feb. 4, 1815, a patent for 153 acres, sixty perches of the large tract surveyed to one John Johnston March 6, 1805, and in December of the same year sold it to Rev. John Dickey and John P. Quigley, receiving altogether $435. (2) Samuel, the eldest son of George Hays, went South to New Orleans and died there soon after. He married a Miss McDonald, but left no children. (3) Fanny married Alexander Foster, of Washington township, a son of John Foster, a distant relative of her mother, and they settled in that township, where Mr. Foster engaged in farming. They brought up a family of children, their eldest son, John, who served during the Civil war in the 103d Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, dying in Andersonville prison in 1864. Mrs. Fanny (Hays) Foster, who died at a good old age, left her eldest daughter, Mary Foster, who is now (1913) living in the East End, Pittsburgh, at the age of seventy- six years; her second daughter, Mrs. Nancy (Foster) Cloak, is living in Butler county, Pa .; her son George Hays Foster, who served three years as a soldier in the 139th Pa. Vols., is now living in West Kittanning, and has served a term of three years as treasurer of Armstrong county ; her son Alexander Foster (who was a private in the 139th Pennsylvania Volunteers during the Civil war) lived on the old farm of his father until a few years ago, and is now a resident of West Kittanning ; her daughter Betty and her son Robert died when they were children. (4) Robert is mentioned below. (5) Margaret married William Boden, of Pittsburgh. (6) Bridget became the wife of John Foster, who died in 1854. She then married James McClatchey, and had one son, Robert McClatchey, who is living now on his father's farm, in Washington township. (7) David, the youngest, was married to Elizabeth Plat about the year 1850. He died in the year 1864 at Annapolis, Md., after being in Ander- sonville, a prisoner of war, for eleven months. His widow is still living at Corry, Pa., with her granddaughter, in good health.
strong county, daughter of Thomas and Mar- garet (Blaine) McKee, of Sugar Creek town- ship, and he purchased a farm from his brother David near by, and moved onto it. There he resided for many years, and there he reared his family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, viz .: Eliza Ann, born Dec. 3, 1838, lived all her life after her marriage to William Storey (which occurred Feb. 14, 1867) in and near Fairview, Butler Co., Pa., and is now deceased; Thomas, of Butler county, Pa., is mentioned below; John Milton, born July 22, 184I, of near Parker City, married Lizzie Campbell Sept. 24, 1868; Margaret, born April 2, 1844, became Mrs: R. O. Shira, of North Washington, Butler Co., Pa., and is now de- ceased; James Harvey, born Nov. 2, 1845, of North Washington, now deceased, married Flora Harold Dec. 8, 1870; W. G., of Los Angeles, Cal., married Jennie Hart Dec. 25, 1872; Robert, who married Catharine Helm (now deceased), is a resident of North Wash- ington ; S. W., of Butler, Pa., married Mattie Leard Dec. 30, 1875; David R. lives at Mc- Farland, W. Va., and is married to Catherine Spies.
The father of this family, Robert Hays, born Aug. 16, 1812, died in 1877 ; the mother's death occurred March 10, 1883. They were Presbyterians in religious connection. In poli- tics he was first a Whig, later becoming a Republican, and he took an active part in the administration of public affairs in his neigh- borhood, serving fifteen years as school director, and holding other local offices.
THOMAS HAYS, eldest son of Robert Hays, was born Jan. 19, 1840, in a log house on his father's farm, in what is now Washington township. Passing his early life on that place, he assisted with the farm work in summer, and carried on his studies during the winter, attending public and select schools in the county until he reached the age of eighteen. In 1861 he was elected by the school directors of his own township to teach the Watterson- ville school, but it was not long before he got the war fever, and felt that he must enter the service of his country. Resigning his position, he enlisted, Sept. 16, 1861, in Company B, 103d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served for fourteen months. Two days after his enlistment he reported at Camp Orr, Kittanning, with his brother John M. and twenty-five or thirty of his schoolmates and neighbors, all in the same company, carrying their own blankets and
ROBERT HAYS, fourth in the family of George and Elizabeth Hays, was born Aug. 16, 1812, in Ireland, and came to this country with .his parents, with whom he lived on the farm in Washington township, eventually buying the old place. He followed farming all his life. On Feb. 9, 1836, he was married by Rev. J. Reddic to his neighbor, Deborah Jane McKee, who was born July 27, 1815, in Arm- traps. Leaving Camp Orr Feb. 28, 1862, with
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the regiment, they arrived that evening at tural pursuits and later in the horse and cattle Harrisburg, and pitched their tents on about a business, raising and breeding. In time he foot of snow and ice, where Mr. Hays slept became interested in the production of oil and gas from the property, as well as on some of the adjoining farms. He owns and operates many wells in Butler and Armstrong counties, some of which have been producing oil for forty years. During the period of twenty- eight years that he resided on the "Haysville farm" at Fairview Mr. Hays became, through his enterprise and versatile ability, one of the prosperous and reliable business men of the district, and since his removal to the town of tion steadily. He has become closely asso- ciated with real estate, manufacturing and banking interests in Butler, being a stockholder in many of the manufacturing plants there, a director of the Farmers' National Bank, and on his blankets in the Sibley tent overnight. The next morning the "boys" kindled their first hard coal fire-hard coal being new to them. They received their uniforms and guns, etc., and their flag was presented to them in front of the old capitol by "War Governor" Andrew G. Curtin. The story of the Com- pany B flag is given in a later paragraph. In one week they were sent to Washington City, where they camped the first night on what is now the site of the Congressional Library, and Butler, in 1895, he has augmented that reputa- the next morning the imprints of their bodies were left in the mud. Thence they changed to Meridian Hill, Washington, D. C., and a few days later marched to Alexandria, Va., thence to Fortress Monroe, on Old Point Com- fort. Mr. Hays was in all the battles of the a stockholder in the Merchants' National Bank. Army of the Potomac and the Peninsular campaign, going with McClellan through Yorktown to Williamsburg, where they met the Rebels in the first battle, May 6, 1862. The enemy evacuated that night. Next they fought in the engagements of Fair Oaks and Seven Pines, and then in the Seven Days' battle, winding up with the battle of Malvern Hill. This ended the battles of the Peninsular cam- paign. On Nov. 13, 1862, he and his brother John M. Hays were transferred to Battery L, of the 4th United States Light Artillery (with which they engaged in the siege of Suffolk, Va.), and served in the Army of the James under General Butler, took part in the battle of Drury's Bluff, and in June, 1864, were transferred with the battery to join Grant's army at Cold Harbor, engaging in battle there. In this engagement Mr. Hays's battery lost thirteen horses and fifteen men in about thirty minutes. General Grant, in describing the battle, states that for the time the battle lasted it was the bloodiest in the war. Mr. Hays and his brother escaped, as did the four neighbor boys, subsequently serving in front of Rich- mond and Petersburg, Va., and he was mus- tered out in front of Petersburg Nov. 13, 1864, at the expiration of their term of service.
Coming home at the close of his service, Mr. Hays was soon managing the farm of his uncle, David Hays, in Maryland, near Balti- more, being thus employed for two years, dur- ing which time he came back to Armstrong county and married. Then he removed to near Fairview in Butler county, Pa., in 1867, pur- chasing a farm which he still owns and oper- ates, and where he engaged in general agricul-
His competent management of his private affairs attracted the attention and confidence of his fellow citizens to such an extent that they called upon him for public service, and he has not disappointed his supporters in the quality of his work or his stand on questions affecting the welfare of his constituents. He was elected to the lower house of the State Legislature for the terms commencing in 1903 and 1905, and for the extra sessions of 1906, and was elected to the State Senate to repre- sent Armstrong and Butler counties, in the Forty-first Senatorial district, for the terms commencing in 1909 and 1911, completing eight years of acceptable service in the State Legislature, four in each branch. His influ- ence and support were always found on the side of the common people, and opposed to special class privileges or anything that con- tained the elements of graft and perquisites not enjoyed by all. In political connection Mr. Hays has always been a Republican. He and his wife are leading members of the Presby- terian Church at Butler, in which he is a ruling elder, and socially he holds membership in the Masonic fraternity (Argyle Lodge, at Chi- cora) and Grand Army of the Republic, being one of the most prominent members of Post No. 107, in which he has filled various offices, including that of commander.
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