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 52
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Jacob R. Myers was a native of eastern Pennsylvania, and came to Clarion county prior to the Civil war. They settled in 1854 at Buffalo Furnace, Armstrong county, where he engaged in the manufacture of charcoal, and later of coke, continuing in that business in this and Clarion counties for several years. From that industry he went to work at mining Mr. Smullin married Mary Ellen Putney, daughter of David Putney (a native of Con- necticut, and the founder of Putneyville, where he settled in 1833) and his wife Lavina Ste- venson. Mrs. Smullin and three of their chil- dren died of typhoid fever in 1885, and Mr. Smullin broke up housekeeping soon after and and later in 1879 located permanently in Wayne township, where he followed farming and died. He married Martha Blake, daughter of James Blake, of eastern Pennsylvania, and their children who grew to maturity were: Henry : John ; Joshua : William ; Emeline, who married S. J. Keener; Sadie, who married went to Marionville, Forest Co., Pa., where he
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
worked as clerk in the store of his son-in-law railroad, being assigned to freight service. In for a short time. Then he removed to Tennes- see, where he died at the age of eighty-four years. Children as follows were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smullin: Adolphus M .; S. Florella ; Annetta, deceased wife of William W. Wann; Emory B., deceased ; Kitty Belle, who married Charles Leech; Mary Olive, deceased; Lillie May, who married Burley Ladell; William Putney ; Novella, deceased, and Raphael S.
.
Raphael S. Smullin was brought up in Ma- honing township, this county, and received his higher education in Dayton Academy and Al- legheny College. He commenced his business career in the oil field of Venango county, Pa., and in the Parker oil district, where he spent three years, and he spent the next few years engaged in the fire insurance business at Put- neyville. This he followed until 1880, when he removed to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and en- gaged in the same business for three years. He was then appointed captain of the police there and held that position for four years. At this time he went to Lincoln, Neb., where he remained fifteen years, six of which were spent in the insurance business, and the re- maining nine years he engaged in the grocery business. His health failing, he sold out his grocery and came East, locating at Ravenna, Ohio, where he had charge of a gang of men in the handle department of the sadiron works one year. His wife's death occurred there and in 1903 he returned to Putneyville, where he has since been the representative of the Hart- ford Fire Insurance Company.
In 1877 Mr. Smullin married Jennie A. Warren, daughter of Benajah Warren, of Georgeville, Indiana Co., Pa. They had one son, Claude C., a painter of Joliet, Ill. Mr. Smullin is a member of the Woodman of the World, Camp No. 625, of Lincoln, Neb. In politics he is a stanch Republican.
JAMES HEIGLEY, one of the old and trusted engineers on the Pennsylvania railroad, was born in Armstrong county in 1850, son of Emanuel and Mary (Kelly) Heigley.
Emanuel Heigley was born in Germany, but came to the United States when a boy, later marrying and locating in Armstrong county. just terminated.
He and his wife became the parents of six chil- dren: John, James, Ephraim, Ross, William and Sallie, all deceased except James and Sal- lie; the latter married Benjamin Riter, pas- senger conductor on the Pennsylvania railroad.
James Heigley attended the public schools of Armstrong county, and when twenty years old became a brakeman on the Pennsylvania
1880 he became an engineer, having passed through the position of freight conductor, which he held three years. At first Mr. Heig- ley was given charge of a freight engine, but was subsequently made passenger engineer, and has held that position for the last twenty- two years, being now one of the oldest and most reliable men in the service. He belongs to the Brotherhood of Engineers, No. 472, of Pittsburgh. He is also a member of Blue Lodge, No. 244, F. & A. M .; Orient Chapter, No. 247, R. A. M .; and Oil City Commandery, No. 43, K. T. The Presbyterian Church has in him a faithful member.
In 1874 Mr. Heigley was married to Levina Schaffer, daughter of Fred Schaffer, of Arm- strong county, and three children were born of that marriage : Robert, Calvin (deceased), and James. Robert was educated in the pub- lic schools of Kittanning, and is now engineer of a passenger train on the Pennsylvania line. James, also educated in the Kittanning schools, is an engineer in the employ of the same com- pany as his father and brother. Mrs. Heigley died in 1880. In 1882 Mr. Heigley was mar- ried (second) to Jane Stroup, daughter of Daniel and Harriet Stroup, of Venango county, Pa., and six children have been born to them : Omar, also a graduate of the Kittanning schools, now an engineer on the Pennsylvania line; as is Hugh, who is on a freight engine ; Manual, an electrical engineer at Ford City ; Ruth, who died at the age of three years ; Fred, a student at the Kittanning schools; and Alonzo.
The history of the Heigley family is a re- markable one, as all the sons old enough have followed in their father's footsteps. These faithful men have all escaped serious accidents because of their sober habits and cool judg- ment. Few travelers appreciate how much depends upon the engineer, but one who did was the late Benjamin Harrison, ex-president of the United States. One of the practices of his life was to seek out the engineer at the end of each journey, shake hands with him, and present him the flowers in his buttonhole as a mark of appreciation of the faithful service
GEORGE McCREADY, late of Temple- ton, Armstrong county, was an old resident of that part of the county, having lived there for about sixty years. He was born near Pitts- burgh, Pa., and was left an orphan at an early age, his family knowing nothing of his an- cestors. In his younger days he lived with a
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Mr. McKee at McKee's Rocks, Pa., and when twelve years old came to Armstrong county with Peter Paul, settling in Pine township, where he grew up on a farm.' He had but limited opportunities for schooling. For about a year after his marriage he continued to farm, with John Paul, in 1856 going to Ore Hill and later to Templeton, where he built a home. He was employed mainly at the ore mines, also doing considerable work on the river, and was an industrious and respected man, all who knew him having the highest regard for his character and appreciating his sterling qualities. He continued to live at Templeton until his death, which occurred James Benjamin. Sept. 30, 1903, when he was seventy-five years old.
On Sept. 18, 1856, Mr. McCready married Susan E. DeVore, of Indiana county, Pa., daughter of Moses K. and Martha (Arm- strong) DeVore, of that county, who died when Mrs. McCready was a little girl ; he was a cooper by trade. Mr. and Mrs. DeVore had two children, Jane and Susan E. (Mrs. Mc- Cready). Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McCready, all of whom were edu- cated in public school, viz .: John (deceased) married Margaret Dignon, and lived in Pitts- burgh; they had three children, Kirk (who is employed in the post office in Pittsburgh), Mary (a stenographer in Pittsburgh), and Emma (a dressmaker in Pittsburgh). Willing- ton died unmarried. Emma is the widow of Washington Brice, of Ford City, Pa., and has one child, Claire. Temperance married Joseph Tyler, of Grand Rapids, Mich., and had one child who is deceased. Mary Estella is living in Pittsburgh. Willow married H. G. Barrett, of Ford City, Pa. Nettie married Robert Mer- rells, of Ford City, W. McCready, of Pitts- burgh, has been a member of the police force for twelve years, belonging to No. I squad, the company which has for three years in suc- cession won the drill prize-a large silver cup on which their names are engraved.
Mrs. McCready is a member of the M. E. Church. She has made her home at the old place in Templeton since her husband's death, and is one of the most highly respected resi- dents of that village.
WILLIAM JAMES BENJAMIN SCHRECENGOST, general merchant of Cowanshannock township, Armstrong county, was born in that township Jan. 28, 1855, son of Benjamin O. and Sarah A. (Nevill) Schrecengost.
Martin Schrecengost, a pioneer of Cowan-
shannock township, cleared and improved a farm of 140 acres on which he resided until his death. His children who grew to maturity were: Elias, Christopher O., Benjamin O., Jacob Lias, William Kirkpatrick and Martin Lenhart.
Benjamin O. Schrecengost, son of Martin and father of William James Benjamin, was born in Cowanshannock township, and became a farmer. He lost his life while still in his prime by an accident, a falling tree striking him. Six children were born to him and his wife, two of whom grew to maturity : Hannah, who married John Umbaugh, and William
William James Benjamin Schrecengost was reared in his native township, where he attended the public schools, and worked at dif- ferent jobs until 1898, when he embarked in the general mercantile business in North Buf- falo township, this county. There he continued in business until September, 1904, when he sold out and established himself in the same line as before in Cowanshannock township, where he has continued to operate with grat- ifying results.
On Oct. 17, 1894, he was married to Eliza- beth Sloan, daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Cooper) Sloan, who were among the first settlers in North Buffalo township. Mr. and Mrs. Schrecengost have three children : Stella, Grace and Helen. All but the youngest daugh- ter belong to the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rural Valley. Politically he is a Democrat.
Mrs. Schrecengost's maternal grandfather, Hugh L. Cooper, a pioneer of Allegheny county, Pa., held the rank of major in the war of 1812. Her paternal grandfather, James Sloan, was a pioneer of North Buffalo town- ship, Armstrong county.
WILLIAM C. BEATTY of Bethel town- ship, Armstrong county, is one of the old resi- dents of that section, where he has passed practically all his life. He was born in Bethel township April 7, 1838, son of James Beatty, of that township, who married Catherine Richards, of Armstrong county. Mr. and Mrs. James Beatty had a family of ten chil- dren, seven sons and three daughters, five of whom still survive, viz .: Mary (deceased), Michael (deceased), William C., Miles, Ruth (deceased), James, Samuel (deceased), John, Daniel and Catherine. The grandfather, Wil- liam Beatty, was born east of the mountains in Pennsylvania, and settled in what is now Bethel township, he and his wife, Isabelle
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
(Colwell), being pioneers in Armstrong county.
William C. Beatty grew to manhood in Bethel township, and is now engaged in farm- ing there, having a tract of twenty-eight acres near Kelly Station. He is an industrious man, has prospered in his work, and has always been ranked among the reliable citizens of his district. On June 23, 1859, he married Mary M. Bruner, of Bethel township, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Stitt) Bruner, of that township, and of the seven children born to this union five survive, two sons and three daughters, of whom we have the following record: James H. died when two and a half years old; Emma Jane, born March 19, 1862, married Edward Drury, of New Kensington, Pa., by whom she had one child, a son, Ivan D .; Stephen Smith, born Sept. 13, 1865, has been at Natrona, Allegheny county, for twen- ty-five years, engaged in the soda works; Samuel Edward, born Jan. 5, 1870, is a driller by occupation; he is unmarried; Jonathan, born April 5, 1874, died in February, 1883; Ruth, born Oct. 13, 1875, married Charles Teerkes, and they reside at Beaver Falls, Pa. (they have one son) ; Zoe V., born Aug. 13, 1885, is the wife of Harry Schall, of Arm- strong county, a mail carrier, by whom she has had three children, two sons and one daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Beatty are members of the Bethel Lutheran Church.
(Rearick) Boyer, and is a grandson of Peter Boyer, an early pioneer and hunter of this section. Peter Boyer's wife was named Sarah.
John J. Boyer was born in Armstrong county, and died in 1883, at the age of twenty- eight years. He was a farmer and merchant of Cowanshannock, this county. In politics he was a Republican, and in religious connection he and his wife were members of the Re- formed Church. She died in 1882, aged twenty-six years. They were the parents of three children, namely: Lottie, who died when fifteen years old; Anderson Frank; and Thomas Jackson, of West Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
Anderson Frank Boyer was only three years old when his parents died, and until he reached the age of thirteen he was brought up in the family of his uncle, Jackson Rearick. He was engaged at teaming and farm work until his marriage, after which he located in Indiana county, Pa., following the meat business there for two years. Returning to Armstrong county he settled in Kittanning and was vari- ously employed until he opened a grocery store in association with Mr. Ritchie, to whom he sold out his interest after two or three years. He then, in May, 1911, engaged in the meat business for himself, at Wickboro, where he had a neat and well equipped establishment. He did well from the start, acquiring a good patronage by honorable methods and satisfac- On Aug. 20, 1862, Mr. Beatty enlisted for service in the Union army, joining the 139th Pennsylvania Infantry, and he made an hon- orable record during his army experience of nearly three years, receiving his discharge July tory service and holding his customers by his reliability and sincere desire to cater to their tastes. He was a respected as well as pros- perous member of the community until his removal to New Kensington, where he is em- 5, 1865. He was a member of Company B, ployed by the Prudential Insurance Company. under Capt. James L. McCain, and Col. F. H. On Aug. 10, 1904, Mr. Boyer married Verna Blose, of Rockville, Armstrong county, daughter of Edward F. and Salina Blose. They have two children, namely : Edward Carl and Juanita Fay. Mr. Boyer is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, belonging to Lodge No. 487. Collier, and served as sergeant. Among the important engagements at which he saw active service may be mentioned Antietam, Freder- icksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rap- pahannock Station, Mine Run, and the battle of the Wilderness, where he was wounded, a shot through the left arm crippling him. Sub- sequently he was transferred to Company G R. P. BISH, who owns and operates a farm near Kellersburg, in Madison township, of the 6th Veteran Reserve Corps. He is an honored member of John A. Hunter Post, No. Armstrong county, was born in that township 123, G. A. R., Leechburg, Pa. In politics he Oct. 9, 1868, son of Joseph and Susanna (Por- ter) Bish. is a Democrat.
ANDERSON FRANK BOYER, formerly of Wickboro, Armstrong county, where he was established in business as a dealer in meats, is now a resident of New Kensington, Pa. He was born July 25, 1879, near Blanco, Arm- strong county, son of John J. and Margaret county, where he engaged in farming and min-
Joseph Bish was born in Clarion county, Pa., Aug. 26, 1843, and there grew to man- hood. During the Civil war he served in the Union army as a member of Company A, 46th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Eventually he set- tled on land in Madison township, Armstrong
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ing, and for four years he also carried mail tired, was born in Bavaria, Germany, Dec. 18, on the Star route, betwen Rimer and Dean- 1829, son of John and Elizabeth (Sliecher) ville. He has been a lifelong Republican, and Miller. is a member of the G. A. R. He resided on his twenty-acre farm in Madison township, one mile east of Kellersburg, until his death, Oct. 22, 1913. Mrs. Bish is now aged sixty- seven years. They were married in 1865. She is a daughter of James Porter, of Brady's Bend, who was a puddler in the iron mill there. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bish, namely: R. P .; Elmira, wife of Robert Campbell, of Natrona, Allegheny Co., Pa .; Silas, who married Carrie Kissinger (he lives in Madison township and is employed in a brickyard) ; Elizabeth, married to John Pence, living at Kellersburg; Mary, wife of Thomas Gething, living at Tarentum, Alle- gheny county ; Maggie, deceased, who was the wife of A. O. McGee, of Kellersburg ; E. E., who married Viola Anthony, and resides in Madison township; Boyd, of Climax, Mahon- ing township, who married Margaret Rhoads ; Estella, who died when eighteen years old; and two who died in infancy.
R. P. Bish received his education at Dean- ville. After leaving school he was engaged in railroad work for eight years, and then worked in a brickyard for five years before taking up farming on his own account, at that time set- tling on his present place. This is a tract of 106 acres, one mile south of Kellersburg, in Madison township, and Mr. Bish purchased it from Joseph Myers. During his ownership he has made many improvements on the prop- erty, including the remodeling of the present dwelling there and the erection of the barn. About twenty acres of this place is woodland and the balance is devoted to general crops. Mr. Bish has opened a coal bank for his own use, and he has shown himself to bè a progres- sive man in all his work, which he carries on in a systematic and business-like manner. He is one of the substantial citizens of his town- ship, a member of the Madison township Grange, and in politics a Progressive Republi- can. He has taken no part in public affairs.
Mr. Bish married Arvilla Henry, who was born in East Franklin township, this county, daughter of Sylvester and Elizabeth Henry, and they have had six children, viz .: Edward, who was born in Clarion county ; and Lloyd, Edith, Flora, Owen and Robert, in Madison township.
CHARLES MILLER, who was for many years engaged in the gardening business at Parkers Landing, Armstrong county, now re-
Mr. Miller remained on his father's farm until he was eighteen years of age, in the mean- while attending the public schools of his native place. In 1848 he came to the United States and located at Boston, Mass., where he at- tended school in order to learn the English lan- guage, and for two years was employed in a sugar refinery there. Mr. Miller then went to Baltimore, Md., where he secured employment in a sugar refinery and remained four years. After spending six months at Bristol, in Bucks. county, Pa., he located at Trenton, N. J., and. entered the employ of the Philadelphia & Am- boy Railroad Company as a brakeman. Later he was employed as a blacksmith, at which work he continued until 1862. In that year he enlisted for service in the Civil war, for nine. months, as a member of Company K, 28th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, and at the end of his term was honorably discharged at Free- hold, N. J. He did not escape all injury, re- ceiving a flesh wound in his right leg at the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, which sent him to hospital. Later participated in the battle of Chancellorsville and was in other engagements.
After his honorable discharge from the: army Mr. Miller resumed work as a black- smith with the railroad company at Trenton,. where he remained for one year, and then went to Brooklyn, N. Y., and for three years follow- ing was in the hotel business. He then spent two years in Pittsburgh, as foreman in a fac- tory, and in 1869 located at Parkers Landing, Pa., where until his retirement he engaged in gardening.
On July 16, 1856, Mr. Miller was married to Elizabeth Rosa Hafley, a daughter of Law- rence and Anna Hafley, of Württemberg, Ger- many, and six children were born to them, namely : Charles, who is now deceased ; Wil- liam ; Gustave, deceased; Matilda, who is the wife of Henry Lutz, of McDonald, Pa .; and two who died in infancy. In 1906 Mr. and Mrs. Miller celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. She died Feb. 24, 1913, and Mr. Miller has since resided with his daughter, Mrs. Lutz, at McDonald. Pa. Mrs. Miller was a member of the Presbyterian Church, to which Mr. Miller also belongs. He is a mem -. ber of Craig Post, No. 75. G. A. R., of Park- ers Landing. Politically he is a Republican. The high esteem in which he was held by his fellow citizens at Parker was frequently shown by his election to responsible offices, in which:
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
he served faithfully and efficiently. For many Armstrong county, settling in what is now East years he was supervisor and school director, Franklin township, where they cleared and im- for fourteen years was constable, and for thirteen years tax collector, making a better record in the latter office than shown in any previous returns. proved a farm. In his later life William Blair moved to Clarion county, Pa., where he died. He married Nancy Campbell, and they had the following children who grew to maturity : Alexander, John C., Esther (wife of John Motherel), Elizabeth, Jane, James, Samuel Q., and Margaret.
WILLIAM FAULL, an oil and gas pro- ducer, of Sugar Creek township, Armstrong county, was born in England March 5, 1853, son of Henry Faull.
Henry Faull with his wife Elizabeth came to the United States when their son William was only a year old. Attracted by the copper mines of Michigan, they settled in that State, and there the father worked as a copper miner until his death, at the age of thirty-eight years ; he is buried in Michigan. His widow later married J. G. Richards, who died in 1909 at Oakdale, Pa., where she now lives.
William Faull attended school in Michigan and Brady's Bend township, Armstrong Co., Pa., having come to the latter place in 1868, since which date he has been a resident of the county. Upon completing his school days he entered the oil fields as a pumper, and has also had some experience as a coal miner. On Nov. 23, 1885, Mr. Faull located in Sugar Creek township, and he now has four producing wells, with an average capacity of about four barrels daily, which he handles himself. He also owns thirty acres of land in the same township, well improved.
In 1878 Mr. Faull was united in marriage with Ella Milliron at Brady's Bend, Pa. She is a daughter of John Milliron, an early settler of Brady's Bend, where he was a merchant and hotel man. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Faull located in Brady's Bend township, where three of their children were born: Henry, Beatrice and Clara. They then moved to the McCree farm in Sugar Creek township, where the other three children were born, C. P., J. P. and W. A. L. Fraternally Mr. Faull belongs to the K. O. T. M. lodge of Chicora, Pa., and politically he is an independent Republican ; he has never held office.
WILLIAM SCOTT BLAIR, of South Bethlehem, Armstrong county, justice of the peace, is a respected resident of that section, where he has been in the employ of the C. E. Andrews Lumber Company for a number of years. He was born Nov. 10, 1859, in Ma- He is a member of the Knights of the honing township, this county, son of John C. Maccabees, and in political connection is a and Sarah Ellen (Halderman) Blair, and Republican.
grandson of William Blair. William Blair and his father, Alexander Blair, were pioneers of
John C. Blair, son of William and Nancy (Campbell) Blair, was born in Pennsylvania. He was reared in Clarion county, and worked as a collier for many years, also clearing and improving a farm of 140 acres in Porter town- ship, Clarion county. He died there when seventy-two years old. His wife Sarah Ellen (Halderman), daughter of John and Mary ( Williams) Halderman, was born in Pennsyl- vania, and she also is deceased. Her parents were pioneer settlers in Mahoning and Wayne townships, this county. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Blair four grew to maturity : William Scott; Anna B., who married J. L. Van Dyke; and Charles Edgar and Carrie Edna, twins, the latter the wife of Winfield M. Lerch. The father served one year during the Civil war as a member of Company A, 98th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
William Scott Blair grew up in Porter town- ship, Clarion county, and received his edu- cation in the public schools. He remained on the homestead, assisting his father until he reached the age of twenty-three years. From 1883 to 1890 he worked the place on his own account, in the latter year going to Elk county, where he was employed by the W. H. Hyde Lumber Company, of Ridgway, until 1898. For the next two years he acted as superin- tendent of the Ridgway Water Works, and then for two years was employed in the elec- trical and dynamo department of the Ridg- way Dynamo & Engine Company. Since 1902 he has resided at South Bethlehem, in Arm- strong county, and has been in the employ of the C. E. Andrews Company, of New Bethle- hem, as assistant foreman of the planing mill. He has become very well known in this con- nection and in various other activities. In 1908 he was elected justice of the peace for South Bethlehem, in which office he is still serving, and he is a prominent member of the First Presbyterian Church of New Bethlehem, of which he has been an elder for seven years.
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