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 41
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On Nov. 27, 1827, Mr. Gosser was married to Susanna Kistler, who was born July 4, 1808, and died Nov. 29, 1838, at Adamsburg. She was a member of the Lutheran Church. Five children were born to this union: Louisa, June 28, 1830; Daniel, Feb. 18, 1832; Albert M., Jan. 14, 1834; Adam, May 18, 1836; Wil- liam, Oct. 10, 1838. By his second marriage, to Lucy Punt, Mr. Gosser had the following children: Jacob, born Nov. 22, 1842; Com- modore Perry, Feb. 2, 1845; David, Sept. 4, 1847; Darius, Dec. 29, 1849; Franklin P., July 7, 1852; Anna M., April 18, 1855; Sarah E., April 5, 1858; Harry, May 1, 1861 ; Amanda, Nov. 16, 1864.
Daniel Gosser, son of William, attended Mr. and Mrs. Kelly are members of the Crooked Creek Presbyterian Church. He public school at Adamsburg and Leechburg. belongs to the G. A. R., holding membership. He was with his father in the blacksmith shop in John A. Hunter Post, No. 123, at Leech- burg. until of age, and then for four years fol- lowed boating upon the Pennsylvania canal. He then removed to the Allegheny river and for eleven years engaged in manufacturing salt, after which he settled on a farm in what
oil wells. Removing from his farm to Leech- burg, he built a store there in 1892 and has since been engaged in the grocery and feed business. He is in partnership with his sons Frank and John. Mr. Gosser is a member of
On Feb. 15, 1855. Mr. Gosser married Eliza-
removing thence to Pittsburgh and eventually returning to Adamsburg, Westmoreland beth Hill, daughter of Hiram and Margaret (Sheaffer) Hill. She died Sept. 18, 1911, county. He followed farming and did con- struction work on the Greensburg and Stoys- the mother of the following children: Hiram
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
H., now of Pittsburgh; Catherine, deceased, left the farm and went to Apollo, this county, who was the wife of George Riggle; Margaret, who married George Ehrenfield; William, who was killed by lightning when young ; Jefferson, now of Pittsburgh; Frank S., a member of the firm of D. Gosser & Sons, who married Laura Kepple, Aug. 14, 1894, and has five children, Paul H., Clarence E., Kathryn M., Roy P. and Margaret F .; Cora, who lives at home ; Robert E .; and John L., a member of the firm of D. Gosser & Sons, who married Alfreda Pfeffer, daughter of Augustus Pfeffer, of Armstrong county, and has one child, John Lewis ..
Robert E. Gosser attended public school in Gilpin township and assisted upon the home On Sept. 7, 1893, Mr. Riggle was married farm during his youth. Coming to Leech- to Anna J. Risher, daughter of Frank Risher, burg, he began work at the sheet mill, and by of Clarion county, and they have had two chil- industry and efficiency advanced himself to his. dren: Floyd M., born April 2, 1895, and Glen present position, which he has held since 1897. William, born April 19, 1898. The family He is a skilled workman and trusted by his attend the Lutheran Church.
employers. Like his family generally, he is an active member of the community in which he lives, and is at present serving as council- man of Leechburg, to which office he was elected in 1909. In politics he is a Democrat, in religion a member of the Lutheran Church. Socially 'he belongs to Leechburg Lodge, No. 577, F. & A. M.
In 1897 Mr. Gosser was married to Margaret Irene Perviance, daughter of Lemuel Pervi- ance, of Armstrong county. They have the following children: Velma, Lucile, Alberta, Lillian I. and Robert G.
THOMAS F. RIGGLE is a farmer of Parks township, Armstrong county, and one of the substantial and respected residents of C. Mr. Risher's father was also named Frank,
his locality. He is a son of Jacob and Su- sanna (Schall) Riggle, and his grandparents on both sides were of German descent.
Jacob Riggle, the father, was born in West- moreland county, and was twice married, hav- ing six children by his first union. His second marriage was to Susanna Schall, a native of Armstrong county, Pa., and they had four children, namely : Gilmer, who died at the age of eight years; Thomas F .; James M., who lives on the old homestead in Parks township (he married Lula Speers, of Bethel township, Armstrong county, and they have four chil- dren, one son and three daughters, Hazel, Ethel, Audley and Elsie) ; and Catherine, who resides with her brother James M.
living there for five years, during which time he learned the trade of painter and paper hanger. From there he moved to Muncie, Ind., where he remained for a period of eight years, working in the sheet mill there. For the next ten years he was at Indiana Harbor, Ind., after which he was located at Gary, that State, for a short time. Returning to Penn- sylvania, he bought the Samuel Brown farm in Parks township, Armstrong county, upon which he has since resided. It contains sixty- three acres, and under his care is a good pay- ing piece of agricultural property. He has fine fruit on the place.
Frank Risher, Mrs. Riggle's father is now living retired at Muncie, Ind., where he was formerly superintendent of the cold rolling department of the sheet mills. Later he was engaged in business there as a general mer- chant. He married Jane McClure, a native of Philadelphia, daughter of James and Martha (Peebles) McClure, Irish Presbyterians. Mr. and Mrs. Risher reside at No. 1220 South Elm street, Muncie. They have had a large family, seven sons and four daughters : Joseph J., Martha S., (wife of E. S. Secrist), Anna J. (Mrs. Riggle), Amanda Maude (wife of Rev. John Jones), Francis V., Thomas F., John C., Henry W., Daniel L., Margaret L., (who died when six months old) and Warren and his mother's maiden name Schaeffer.
HARRY E. GILCHRIST has been living at his present farm in Burrell township, Arm- strong county for eleven years. He is a well- known school teacher in Armstrong county, his work in this line having gained him the highest standing.
Mr. Gilchrist was born Aug. 14, 1867, in Harrison City, Westmoreland county, Pa., son of John and Susanna (Jack) Gilchrist, the former of whom was born in Westmoreland county, of Scottish ancestry, the latter in Arm- strong county, daughter of James and Eliza- beth Jack. John Gilchrist served to the close of the Civil war in the 105th Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry. His brother David Gilchrist served in the 139th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Mr. and
Thomas F. Riggle was born Aug. 17, 1867, in Parks township, and there grew to man- hood, receiving his education at the Higfield school there. At the age of nineteen years he Mrs. John Gilchrist are now living at Coch-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
rans Mills, Armstrong county. They have had Peter, who is deceased ; James, who died while a family of eleven children of whom three serving in the army during the Civil war; Daniel, deceased ; John, who is a railroad man ; Sarah, who married Isaac Miller and died leaving four children, three of her sons still surviving ; and Susanna, who married L. Chris- well, and died leaving one child. The father died March 25, 1871, the mother April 2, 1887, and they are buried at Bethel Lutheran Church. They were Lutherans in religious connection. sons and two daughters reached maturity. Harry E. is mentioned below ; Joseph W., chief clerk in the post office at Jeannette, Westmore- land county, married Retta Ruppert (they have no children) ; Sarah Elizabeth is the wife of O. W. Knepshield, a farmer of Burrell town- ship, and they have seven children; Anna Laura married David Gibson and died in 1904, leaving three children; James B., a farmer in Westmoreland county, married Rosa Shaw, of Burrell township, Armstrong county, and has six children.
Harry E. Gilchrist was reared in Burrell - township and obtained his education in the survive: Effie, born April 3, 1881, married common schools and at Apollo. He has lived in Armstrong county from childhood, and has two children, Rosa and Guy ; Dora, born March had twenty-two years' experience as a school teacher in the county, in which connection he is very favorably known. He has also been a successful farmer, and has lived on the pres- ent farm since 1902. His political support was formerly given to the Republican party, and he is now a Progressive. He has taken some part in the local government, having served as jus- tice of the peace since Dec. 4, 19II, when appointed by the Governor. In religion he have two children, Walter and Alberta ; Lebe- and his wife are members of St. Michael's Lutheran Church, in Burrell township.
On April 11, 1894, Mr. Gilchrist married Ella Davis, daughter of James and Nancy (Miller) Davis, of Burrell township, Arm- strong county. She died Dec. 5, 1895, leaving one child, Ruth Cleo, born Sept. 19, 1895. On Aug. 30, 1900, Mr. Gilchrist married (second) Susie Klingensmith, daughter of Josiah W. and Lucinda (Knappenberger ), Klingensmith, and they have had five children, born as fol- lows: Lucy M., July 2, 1901 ; Louisa Blanch, May 7, 1904; Frances Elmo, Feb. 2, 1908; Myrna Isabelle, April 20, 1910; Nellie May, May 20, 1913. Mrs. Gilchrist is a grand- daughter of Adam and Anna Mary (Kirk- land) Klingensmith.
WILLIAM D. KLINGENSMITH has been a lifelong resident of Bethel township, Arm- strong county, where he is a successful farmer. He was born there May 21, 1852, son of Henry Klingensmith, who also passed his entire life in Bethel township. The Klingensmiths are making his home with his daughter Mary, in of German extraction.
Henry Klingensmith, born Feb. 12, 1811, years old (1914). Mr. Klose married Rose married Martha Davis, who was of Scotch descent, born Jan. 31, 1815, and to them was born a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters, those besides William D. being :
Pittsburgh, South Side. He is ninety-two Jägerzehn, a native of Switzerland, who died May 27, 1889. She was a member of the Cath- olic Church, to which her husband also belongs. They had the following children: John, who
.
On April 9, 1880, William D. Klingensmith married Mary Keeler, of Armstrong county, . who was born March 12, 1850, in Kittanning township, daughter of Anthony Keeler, and six of the seven children born to this union Eli Boyd, of Bethel township, and has had 20, 1883, married James A. Heggley, and lives in Pittsburgh, Pa .; Guy, born March 16, 1885, who lives in Steubenville, Ohio, married Anna Blaum, and they have one child, Dora ; Clifford was born dead, May 22, 1887; Roy, born Oct. 4, 1888, who lives in Steubenville, Ohio, mar- ried Malissa Reufner, and they have one child, Wilson ; Beatrice, born Oct. 21, 1890, married Charles Grender, at Toledo, Ohio, and they ous was born April 25, 1892. Mr. Klingen- smith is a member of the Homewood Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged. She died Jan. 21, 1913, and is buried at Bethel. He is one of the substantial and respected residents of his township, his industrious and useful life commanding the esteem of all who know him. Politically he is a Democrat.
AUGUST KLOSE, of Ford City, Arm- strong county, justice of the peace and real estate dealer, formerly proprietor of the "Mon- roe House," has not been a resident of that section for long, but he is nevertheless well and favorably known there. He is a native of Schlesien, Germany, born March 31, 1855, son of August Klose, Sr.
August Klose, the father, was also born in Schlesien, was a shoemaker by trade, and also followed farming. Coming to America in 1870, he settled at Pittsburgh, Pa., where he was employed in the American Iron Works for twenty years. He is now living retired,
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
is deceased ; Annie, of Pittsburgh, Pa .; Julius, this State, until he was twenty-four years old, a butcher, of Pittsburgh; August; Mary, liv- then moving to Armstrong county, where he ing in Pittsburgh; and Louise, Sister Amelia of the St. Francis Sisters of Pittsburgh, who died in 1906. bought a farm of 125 acres. This farm con- tinued to be his home until his death, in 1857. His widow survived until 1885. Politically the father was a Democrat. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom J. W. is the fifth in order of birth.
August Klose received a public school edu- cation. He lived at home until his marriage, and learned the trade of barber, having a shop in South Pittsburgh after his marriage which he conducted for three years. He was then with George Pastur one year in Pittsburgh, and in 1880, on account of his health, moved to Armstrong county, Pa., settling at Free. port, where he ran a barber shop for a while. He was then in the milling business at West Tarentum, continuing there for over a year, after which he resumed the barber business at. Freeport. In 1900 he sold out his establish- ment there and bought a store of Harry Mont- gomery, at Kittanning borough. Three and a half years later he sold this place and set- tled at Ford City, buying the "Wilson House," which he renamed the "Monroe House." He was proprietor of this hotel for three years, operating it very successfully, and upon giving up this line of business was engaged in various enterprises, at present giving his attention to his duties as justice of the peace.
Mr. Klose has taken considerable interest in politics and the local government, and in the fall of 1910 he was elected justice of the peace for Ford City. He is a Democrat in his party allegiance. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and In 1866, the same year that he arrived in this township, Mr. Schull was united in mar- riage with Lavina Heckman, daughter of Mich- the Knights of St. George, and in religious connection is a Catholic, belonging to St. Mary's Catholic Church at Ford City. He ael Heckman, an old farmer of Armstrong has become very well known in these various connections, and has made many warm friends.
On Sept. 15, 1875, Mr. Klose married Wil- helmina Keck, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., born Oct. 16, 1856, daughter of Christopher E. Shomacker; Mary M., now Mrs. James
Keck, who was a master teazer in the glass works there. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Klose: Edward, the eldest, died when five and a half years old; Clara, the second, wife of A. B. Ritchey, manager
has two children, Leonard and Charles ; Anna, the third, born Sept. 3, 1880, died when one and a half years old ; Eleanor, the fourth, born Feb. 1, 1883, died in October, 1886.
J. W. SCHULL, an undertaker of Kiski- minetas township, was born in May, 1845, in Armstrong county, a son of David and Mariah (Shutt) Schull, natives of Pennsylvania.
David Schull lived in Westmoreland county,
J. W. Schull attended common school until he was seventeen years old, but from the time of his father's death he had to help with the farm work. After leaving school he con- tinued to work on the homestead until his enlistment, which took place Feb. 25, 1863, in Thompson's Battery, C, at Pittsburgh. It was attached to the 2d Corps of the Army of the Potomac, was engaged at Gettysburg July 2 and 3, and then used in the defense of forts thought to be in danger. Mr. Schull joined his battery at Brandy Station, Va., and was at Forts Smailer and Ellsworth, whence they went to Fort Ethan Allen, and then to Fort Williams. Following this the battery was sent to Washington for equipment, and was finally discharged at Camp Berry, in June, 1865.
Mr. Schull returned to Armstrong county, joining the family at home, but after a short stay went to Kittanning, where he learned the shoemaking trade, following this calling far twenty-three years. He then came to Kiski- minetas township, where he embarked in the undertaking business, which 1 he is still following.
county. The Heckman family are of Pennsyl- vania Dutch stock. Three sons and three daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schull: John M .; Cynthia A., now Mrs. H. Townsend ; Herbert R .; Robert B., and Wilda B., now Mrs. J. E. Bush. Mr. Schull belongs to the Lutheran Church, as does his wife. He was formerly a Democrat, but is now inde- pendent in politics, preferring to vote for the
of an orange plantation at Rich Grove, Cal., men whom he deems best fitted for office.
H. C. LEWIS, a farmer of Brady's Bend township, Armstrong county, was born in Fairview township, Butler county, Pa., June 2, 1879, son of Richard Lewis and grandson of David R. Lewis.
David R. Lewis, who is the first of this family of whom anything definite is known, was born in Wales, and died in East Brady, Clarion county, Pennsylvania.
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Richard Lewis, son of David R. Lewis, mar- five years of age. They became the parents of ried Susan Guyer, and they now reside in Perry township, , Armstrong county, Pennsyl- vania.
H. C. Lewis was brought up in Perry town- ship, this county, and after his school days were over began farming. Later he went into the oil fields, and he now operates a farm of eighty-eight acres located one fourth of a mile southeast of Kaylor, in Brady's Bend town- ship. Mr. Lewis is a stockholder in the Sugar Uriah S. Klingensmith received his educa- tion in the public schools of the county and Creek Telephone Company, and in addition to his other duties serves as school director, at Leechburg Academy. For some time he having held the office for five years; he was elected on the Republican ticket, and reelected for two years. He has always supported the candidates of that ticket.
In 1903, Mr. Lewis was married to Agnes Thomas, who was born in Armstrong county, daughter of Evan Thomas, of Perry township, and located on the present property, where his three children, Harry Russell, Ruth and Bes- sie, have been born.
Mr. Lewis belongs to the Knights of Pythias at Brady's Bend and the Odd Fellows of the same place, and has served both in several offices; he is also a member of the Kaylor Grange. While Mr. Lewis's interests are not confined to one line, he has sufficient energy and business acumen to prosecute them all suc- cessfully and acceptably, and is one of the leading men of his township.
URIAH S. KLINGENSMITH, a resident of Logansport, in Bethel township, Armstrong county, justice of the peace, a man of high standing in all circles and of unquestioned business ability, was born Sept. 21, 1854, in Gilpin township, this county, son of Abraham Klingensmith. The Klingensmith family is of German extraction.
Peter Klingensmith, grandfather of Uriah S., was a pioneer in Allegheny (now Gilpin) township, Armstrong county. He married Catherine Wanamaker, a cousin of the father of John Wanamaker, the famous merchant of Philadelphia and New York.
twelve children, namely: John Peter; Peter John, who is deceased; Jonas N., a school teacher, deceased; Isaac T .; Uriah S .; Herb- ert, deceased; Lydia, deceased; Maggie, mar- ried to J. W. Jack, of Gilpin township; Floda, the wife of Robert H. Riggle; Homer, de- ceased; Jonathan J., who still lives on the old homestead, a tract of 200 acres; and Sarah Volga, deceased.
was prominently identified with the iron busi- ness in this region, having been president of the Hyde Park Iron & Steel Company, of Hyde Park, Westmoreland county, up to the time it was merged into the American Steel & Sheet Company, later known as the Ameri- can Sheet & Tin Plate Company. At present he is engaged in farming and attending to his duties as justice of the peace. He is well and favorably known throughout this part of Penn- sylvania, in various connections, and is highly esteemed in the fraternal bodies, being a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., of the Royan Arcanum, and a thirty-second-degree Mason. In politics he has been identified with the Republican party. In 1912 Mr. Klingensmith was ap- pointed by Governor Tener justice of the peace, which office he is now filling to the thorough satisfaction of all concerned.
On Dec. 2, 1903, Mr. Klingensmith was married to Anna Margaret Logan, of Bethel township, who is of Irish extraction, being a daughter of Thomas J. Logan, of Logansport. To Mr. and Mrs. Klingensmith has been born one child, Ruth Lucille. Mr. Klingensmith is a member of the Lutheran Church, his wife of the Presbyterian.
Thomas Logan, Mrs. Klingensmith's grand- father, was born in Allegheny county, Pa., and came to this section of Armstrong county in 1836, in its pioneer days, being one of the prominent citizens of the locality throughout his lifetime, and the leading farmer in his district. He owned five hundred acres of land
Abraham Klingensmith, father of Uriah S., at what is now Logansport. He was one of died Oct. 22, 1907, aged eighty-five years, two the early fruit growers of the region, and besides the brick residence which he erected (and which is still standing) he put up a brick building for fruit which is now occupied as a dwelling house. His death occurred July 16, 1882, when he was about eighty-four years old, and his wife, Esther (Hood), died Aug. 20, 1869, aged about sixty-four years. She was a native of Ireland, she and her sister months, eighteen days. During the Civil war he was an ardent supporter of the Union cause, and served as enrolling officer in Armstrong county. He was a farmer in Gilpin township, where he was born, and was residing at his birthplace at the time of his death. He mar- ried Margaret Turney, of Westmoreland county, Pa., daughter of John Turney, and she survives him, being now (1913) eighty- coming to Allegheny county, Pa., when young.
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Logan were Presby- enteen years old, locating in Kittanning. Later terians in religious faith. They were the his business interests took him to various parents of nine children, viz .: Frances, born places in Armstrong county, but eventually he in 1824, died in 1825; Elizabeth, born Sept. came back to Kittanning, and spent the re- mainder of his life here, dying in the borough in 1896; his wife passed away in 1892. 4, 1826, died March 14, 1837, of scarlet fever ; John, born March 18, 1828, died March 23, 1837, of scarlet fever; William F., born Jan. 6, 1830, married Eliza J. Boney and died Dec. 28, 1900; Ann J., born March 13, 1832, died March 17, 1837; Thomas Jefferson, born Feb. or March 1, 1834, died Nov. 23, 1911 ; Martha A., born March 8, 1836, died March 22, 1885; James D., born Oct. 1, 1838, married Adeline Boney ; John A., born Dec. 19, 1840, died Sept. I, 1902, was twice married, first to Nettie Gib- son, later to Sarah Bailey.
Thomas Jefferson Logan, father of Mrs. Klingensmith, was born in Allegheny county and was brought by his parents to Armstrong county in 1836. He received the last of his schooling at the Elders Ridge Academy in Indiana county, and in his early manhood was engaged in the oil and lumber business in the northern counties of Pennsylvania. He was also a farmer, and for thirty years served as a justice of the peace. On Dec. 15, 1859, he married Mary Olive Lobaugh, of Callens- burg, Clarion county, Pa., daughter of David Lobaugh, and they had a family of four children, one son and three daughters : Thomas H., an insurance agent, of Pitts- burgh, who married Mattie Owen and (sec- ond) Mary Hassell; Anna M. is the wife of Uriah S. Klingensmith; Martha L., unmar- ried, lives at Logansport, Pa .; Mary L. (twin of Martha) is the wife of John W. Schreiber, of Pittsburgh. The mother of this family died Aug. 7, 1898, the father Nov. 23, 1911, and they are buried at the Appleby Manor Mem- orial Presbyterian Church in Manor township.
Mrs. Anna Margaret (Logan) Klingen- smith received her education in the public schools of her home township and of Kittan- ning, later attended the State normal schools at Edinboro and Clarion, Pa., and then took up teaching, which she followed for eight terms in Gilpin and Bethel townships, with more than average success.
FRANCIS M. FRIES, proprietor of the Kittanning daily and weekly Times, and a man of remarkable attainments, whose life work is being accomplished under the unusual disabil- ity of blindness, was born Oct. 8, 1867, at Mahoning Furnace, Armstrong Co., Pa., son of Matthias and Anna M. (Marshall) Fries.
Matthias Fries was born in Nassau, Ger- many, and came to the United States when sev-
Francis M. Fries was educated at the public schools at Kittanning, but when only twelve years old was apprenticed to learn the printer's trade, in the office of the Kittanning Times, re- maining with this newspaper until 1888. For the following two years he worked as a jour- neyman printer in various places, in 1890 returning to Kittanning and buying a half in- terest in the Times, becoming its business man- ager. On March 15, 1909, he bought out his partner, and since then has been sole proprie- tor of the paper and job printing establishment connected with it.
Some years ago Mr. Fries suffered from a severe attack of typhoid fever. This disease left his eyes weak, and in time the sight of both were destroyed. For years Mr. Fries consulted with specialists, hoping to restore his sight, but finding that his case was one that could not be helped he resigned himself to his blindness, and has now become so expert that it is no longer a serious matter. Possessing a remarkable memory, he distinctly recalls what- ever he has heard, and comprehending as he does every detail of his work can give personal supervision to it, although seeing none of it. Mr. Fries also does all the figuring upon his printing contracts, and never makes a mistake. What might have been a source of constant sorrow to another of less cheerful disposition is steadily put aside by Mr. Fries as something quite in the ordinary course of affairs, which he will not permit to worry him or interfere with his work. Since his affliction came upon him Mr. Fries has laid out systematic plans, and carries on his work according to these methods. Early and late he is to be found in his establishment, and it is safe to say that nothing appears in either his daily or weekly that has not been personally supervised by him. His cheerfulness, energy and remarkable success set an example for all who know him, and his many other excellent traits of char- acter combine with these in making him the warm friend of all who have the privilege of his acquaintance.
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