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 58

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 58

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age of seventy-nine years. His wife, Nancy J. (Watterson), died in 1896, at the age of sixty-eight. Their six children were as fol- lows: Bruce, who died when about nineteen years old; Charles ; William, who died young ; Emma, Elizabeth and Rosabell, all of whom died young.

Charles Colwell began his education in the local common schools and subsequently went away to school until he was eighteen or nine- teen years old. Returning home, he stayed with his father until 1887, when he began contracting in the gas and oil fields, following that business in Armstrong county until two years ago. During that time he produced gas on the old homestead in Valley township. From 1896 to 1902 he was with the Eastern Oil Company, and he retired from business because of failing health. He is still inter- ested in the mercantile business in Kittanning as a stockholder in the McConnell & Watter- son Company, dealers in hardware, furniture, etc. He owns the old homestead as well as the place where he resides in Valley township, and is one of the prosperous citizens of that section. The American pumping station is on his ground. Though he has not aspired to public honors he has been chosen by his fellow citizens to fill the offices of justice of the peace and school director. His political connection has been with the Republican party. Fraternally he belongs to the Elks and the Masons, at Kittanning, and he attends the Presbyterian Church.

EDWIN D. IVORY, who established a flourishing real estate and insurance business at Ford City which he conducted within the last few years, was born in 1874 in East Brady township, Clarion Co., Pa., son of Alfred L. and Harriett E. (Morrison) Ivory. His father is a well-known lawyer of the Armstrong county bar.

he began work. Thus in a measure he may be said to be self-educated. Moving to Pitts- burgh, Pa., he found employment in the estab- lishment of George Van Kirk for a short time. Being endowed with natural talent and liking for the art of designing, he learned the trade of designer and draughtsman, and in time became designer of fine chandeliers for the S. Keighley Metal Ceiling and Manufac- turing Company, of Pittsburgh, holding that position for about eleven years. The confine- ment, however, affected his health so seriously that he was obliged to abandon the business, and he located at Ford City, where he en- gaged in the real estate and insurance line. In the spring of 1911 he was appointed jus- tice of the peace. He became further con- nected with the business interests of the place as stockholder, secretary and treasurer of the Ford City Brick Manufacturing Company, which was originally organized for the man- ufacture of the ordinary red brick. The com- pany has recently, however, discovered that in its property holdings is a large bed of first- class firebrick clay, and intends to manufac- ture that kind of brick extensively in the de- velopment of this find. During a compara- tively brief residence at Ford City Mr. Ivory has become well known there. He is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. lodge at Ford City, of the Independent Americans, and of the Royal Arcanum. In religious connection he is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

In 1905 Mr. Ivory was married to Goldie In 1888 Mr. Colwell was married to Re- A. Steele, daughter of Lincoln Steele, of

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Pittsburgh. They have two children: Georg- township. During the summer of 1857 he iana L. and Dixon L. engaged in boating on the Pennsylvania canal, following that work for a few years. Then JOHN A. KLINGENSMITH, of Mateer, Armstrong county, general merchant, belongs to a family of successful business men who have made the name well and favorably known throughout this section. He was born Nov. 22, 1868, in Parks township, this county, son of Josiah W. Klingensmith, grandson of Adam Klingensmith and great-grandson of George Klingensmith. for five years he was engaged as a farm hand. In 1862 he enlisted, becoming a mem- ber of Company C, 139th Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry (Colonel Parr), for three years. He helped to bury the dead who had lain for eleven days on the battle- field of Second Bull Run. After that his regiment moved on to Sharpsburg, Md., join- ing the 6th Corps of the main army, and The Klingensmiths are of German descent. George Klingensmith was born in 1779 in Westmoreland county, Pa., and in 1820 re- moved to what is now Parks township. He lived there until his death, in the year 1857. marched to Antietam. Mr. Klingensmith was in all the engagements in which his regiment took part, seeing active service in field at Antietam, Fredericksburg (both battles), Chancellorsville, the Wilderness and Gettys- burg-in fact all the principal actions of the Army of the Potomac. He participated in

Adam Klingensmith, only child of George Klingensmith, above, was born in 1812 in Westmoreland county, and came with his the battle of Gettysburg after a forced march parents to Armstrong county. He also fol- of thirty-six hours, during which time his lowed farming in Parks township, on the company had not been allowed to cook any food, and was under fire and in active service during the greater part of twenty-four hours. On May 5, 1864, he was wounded in the left hand by a musket ball, at one of the wilder- ness fights, and was sent to Lincoln hospital, at Washington, where he remained until Aug- ust. On Dec. 24, 1864, he was discharged on account of disability, and he has never fully recovered the use of his hand. He was in the hospital at the time of Lee's surrender. place where his father settled, and died there in 1874, in his sixty-third year. He was an active member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving as deacon of the congrega- tion at Bethel. In politics he was a stanch Democrat. He married Anna M. Kirkland, a native of Mckeesport, Allegheny county, who died in 1881, in her seventy-sixth year ; she was a member of the Lutheran Church. Her father, John Kirkland, was born in Scot- land, and came to Pennsylvania in an early day. He followed boating on the Mononga- hela river between Mckeesport and Pitts- burgh, and his death, which occurred in 1812, was caused by drowning when he fell over- board from a flatboat on which he was em- ployed as a poleman. Besides Josiah W., mentioned below, Adam Klingensmith and his wife had children as follows: William married Belle Kirtendol and moved to Kan- sas, where he was an extensive farmer (he is now deceased) ; Lucetta married John Grantz (who is now deceased), of near Kelly Sta- tion, this county; Nathaniel, who married Elizabeth Baker, owns half of the original homestead; Eden, who married Caroline Baker, was killed in a sawmill about 1900; Caroline married Andrew Lambing, and died about 1880.

After his return home from the army Mr. Klingensmith engaged in farming, which he followed until 1874. At that time he opened a store on his farm, and when the post office of Dime was established, in 1881, he was ap- pointed postmaster and had the office in his store. He served in that position until Feb- ruary, 1886, when a Democrat was appointed, but in 1889 hè again succeeded to the place and continued to serve until 1893, when Cleveland again became president. When Mr. Klingensmith commenced business in 1874 he had $240 in money, fifty-eight acres of land and a pair of horses. With that lim- ited capital he extended his interests until he became one of the most prominent business men in his section, owning various farms be- sides his home place of over fifty acres-1,300 acres in all, including the homesteads of his father and of his wife's family. Some of his holdings were in Parks township, some in Kiskiminetas township, and part of the land is underlaid with valuable coal deposits.

Josiah W. Klingensmith was born June 20, 1841, on the farm in Parks township, where he remained until his death, in October, 1912, being a member of the third generation of that family to occupy that place. He was Mr. Klingensmith was from early manhood reared on this farm, and obtained his educa- an active member of the Republican party, tion in the common schools of the home and became one of its leaders in Parks town-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ship. When that' township was formed he rying over one cent of tax from one year to was elected assessor. He was a member of the next. Like his father he is an uncom- promising Republican. He is now the owner of the old Knappenberger homestead, as well as other lands. the Boiling Springs Evangelical Lutheran Church, and for sixteen years served as a member of the church council.

In 1866 Mr. Klingensmith married Lucinda Knappenberger, daughter of John Knappen- berger. She is now (1912) seventy years old. Eight children, three sons and five daughters, were born to this union: (1) Mary A., de- ceased, was the wife of William Ayres, a farmer of Canada, and had two children; her son is deceased, and her daughter lives with an aunt in California. (2) John A. is men-

tioned below. (3) Francis William, a pros- perous merchant at Dime, Armstrong county, is married and has two children, Paul and Marion. (4) Nannie B. married C. F. Bartz, a ranchman, of Imperial county, Cal. They have no children. (5) Susan M. married H. E. Gilchrist, a farmer and teacher, of Burrell

OMAR C. CLARK, M. D., of Worthing- ton, Armstrong county, was born at that place in 1869, a son of William and Mary (Noble) Clark. Both the parents were natives of (now Bethel) township, Armstrong county, Armstrong county, the mother of Irish ances- and has five daughters. (6) Olive L. (Ollie) married Harry Lafferty, a farmer, of Kiski- minetas township, and has three children, two sons and one daughter. (7) Josiah Wylie was killed by a boiler explosion Nov. 22, 1910. He married Nellie Riggle and they had one child, a daughter. (8) S. Myrna married Frank Riddle, formerly a mill man at Leech- burg, now a farmer of Parks township.

The Knappenberger family, to which Mrs. Klingensmith belongs, is of German origin. The first of the family to come to America arrived here in 1748, in the ship "Christ- mena," landing at Philadelphia. The family gradually centered in Westmoreland county, Pa., at Manordale. Mrs. Klingensmith had four brothers, Daniel, Jacob, Augustus and Henry, all still living except Daniel.

On Oct. 16, 1890, Mr. Klingensmith was married to Levina Brown, of Parks township, daughter of Samuel Brown, a farmer. Seven children have been born to this union, three dying in infancy. The survivors are: Grace, born Oct. 26, 1891, married to H. S. Smelt- zer; Ruth, born April 30, 1894; Rosena, April 3, 1896; and Cevilla, March 14, 1898. The family attend the Lutheran Church. Mr. Klingensmith is a member of the I. O. O. F. and W. O. W.

try. William Noble, the Doctor's maternal grandfather, was for many years justice of the peace and held other local offices in this county. By occupation he was a farmer. To him and his wife were born the follow- ing children: Eliza, wife of Samuel Leard; Jane, wife of James Wiley; Rose Ann, wife of William Leard; Mary, mother of Dr. Clark, and her twin brother William.

Dr. Clark attended public school at Worth- ington and the Iron City Business College at Pittsburgh, being graduated from the latter institution in 1889. He then devoted him- self to the study of medicine, and with this end in view entered the Western University of Pittsburgh, graduating therefrom in 1896, following which he established himself in practice at Worthington. Later he took a special course at the Polyclinic in New York City, graduating in 1904. He belongs to the Armstrong County Medical Society and to the Pennsylvania State Medical Society. At present he is serving as trustee of the Pres- byterian Church in which he holds member- ship.

John A. Klingensmith, eldest son of Josiah W. Klingensmith, was reared on the farm in Parks township which has long been in the family. For fourteen years, from 1885 to 1899, he ran a peddler's wagon, which he found very profitable. From 1899 to 1902 he followed teaming in the gas fields, from 1902 to 1904 had a general store at Dime, In 1896 Dr. Clark was united in marriage with Floda M. Reed, daughter of Hamilton Reed, of Armstrong county. Dr. Clark has built up a large practice at Worthington and firmly established himself in the confidence of his patients. Pa., and from 1904 to 1910 worked at the carpenter's trade. For the last four years, since 1910, he has had a general mercantile establishment and acted as postmaster at Ma- teer, where he has built up a thriving trade. Mr. Klingensmith has been quite active in local public affairs, and has served his town- JAMES LESLIE HAZLETT, principal ship officially as tax collector, supervisor and of the graded school at Worthington, Arm- assessor. He was tax collector for six years, strong Co., Pa., was born in North Buffalo and made the remarkable record of never car- township, this county, Feb. 25, 1873, a son

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of Robert and Ellen (Rayburn) Hazlett, and generation of the family to follow it in Cow- a grandson of John Hazlett. anshannock township.

John Hazlett was a pioneer settler of But- ler county, Pa., where he followed farming. He and his wife, Jane, had the following children : Samuel; Robert; Reuben; Jane, Mrs. McClelland; Ellen, who married Wil- liam Leisure; Belle; and one daughter who became the wife of James Collar.

Robert Hazlett, son of John, and father of James Leslie Hazlett, was born in Butler county, Pa., and for many years was a resi- dent of North Buffalo township, Armstrong county, where he followed the trade of cabi- netmaker. Later in life he moved to Ohio, and died there. He married Ellen Rayburn, a daughter of James and Jane (Galbraith) Rayburn, of Slate Lick, Armstrong county, and they had seven children, six of whom grew to maturity: Jane; Belle, wife of C. Craig Long; Harry; John; Elmer Boyd, and James Leslie.

strong and Butler counties and obtained his early education in the public schools, later attending various educational institutions. He took a summer normal course at the Slate Lick Academy and also at Worthington, and was graduated from Westminster College in the class of 1905. Since then he has devoted himself to educational work and has accepta- bly filled several important positions. For one year he was principal of the Mount Jack- son high school, in Lawrence county, Pa .; for a part of one year was principal of the Hick- ory high school, and also was supervisor and principal of the township high school there for two years; served as principal of the South Buffalo township (Armstrong county) high school for two years, and since 1908 has filled his present position, where he has two assistants. He ranks high among the educa- tors of Armstrong county.

WILBERT EARL LAUSTER has fol- lowed milling ever since he commenced work, having learned the business with his father, Henry F. Lauster, who was well-known in that connection in his section of Armstrong county. In fact, he is a member of the third

Ernest Martin Lauster, great-grandfather of Wilbert Earl Lauster, was born in 1800 in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, where he followed milling until he came to America in 1848, accompanied by his family. They landed at Baltimore, Md., from there pro- ceeded to Pittsburgh, Pa., and shortly after- ward secured land at what is now East Lib- erty. Mr. Lauster followed gardening until 1855, when he moved to Armstrong county and bought a farm of 150 acres from Samuel Beers, in Kittanning township. Mr. Lauster remained on this farm until 1866, when he moved to the farm of a son in another part of the township, living there until 1881, when he removed to his son Henry's farm in Cow- anshannock township, where he died in 1888. His wife was also long-lived; born in 1799, she died in 1885. . They were buried in St. Paul's cemetery, in Plumcreek township,

James Leslie Hazlett was reared in Arm- Armstrong county. They had three sons : George, residing on the old homestead in Kit- tanning township; Peter, formerly a success- ful business man of Pittsburgh, member of the firm of Lang & Lauster; and Henry.

Henry Lauster, son of Ernest Martin Laus- ter, was born Feb. 7, 1837, in Hessen-Darm- stadt, Germany. When eleven years of age he accompanied his parents to America, and was about nineteen when his father bought the farm in Armstrong county. Henry learned the milling business and after a time became associated with J. A. Boyer, under the firm name of Boyer & Lauster, the firm later becoming Lauster, Sowers & Co. They erected the North Star Mill, three miles south- west of Yatesboro. The business of the mill became very heavy. In April, 1889, Henry Lauster, together with his brother Peter Laus- ter, then of Allegheny, bought out the interests of the other parties, conducting the mill under the name of Lauster Brothers. Henry Lauster was in charge of the mill business and under his management it prospered. His brother

Mr. Hazlett was married June 24, 19II, to Erma Graham, a daughter of Benjamin and Caroline (Palmer) Graham, of New Wil- mington, Lawrence Co., Pa. He is a member died Feb. II, 1893, after which he continued it of the United Presbyterian Church. Polit- alone until Sept. 24, 1903, when he retired, ically he is a Republican, and fraternally is associated with Lodge No. 836, Odd Fellows, at Craigsville. what was widely known as Lauster's mill being sold. After a year of rest on his farm in Cow- anshannock township, he built a comfortable residence at Rural Valley, and was about ready to move into it when he sustained an injury to his foot, which, after much suffering and a. surgical operation in the hospital of Kittan- ning, Pa., caused his death in November, 1906. He was buried in St. Paul's cemetery con- nected with St. Paul's Reformed Church, near

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Blanco. He was a member of the order of the Odd Fellows and both in that organization and among his fellow citizens generally, was held in very high regard. It was said of him that he was a kind-hearted, generous man, one of unimpeachable integrity, a good husband and a loving father.

In 1858 Henry Lauster was married to Christena Koch, of Kittanning township, Armstrong county, and four children were born to them, three sons and one daughter. In 1882 the family was stricken with typhoid fever and on Oct. 18th, two of the children succumbed, the only daughter, Catherine C., who was seventeen years old, and one son, John B., aged twenty-two years. Two other sons survived the epidemic, Henry F. and William P. The mother, Mrs. Henry Laus- ter, was born May II, 1839, and resides at Rural Valley, taking possession of the new residence while her husband was at the hos- pital, hopefully preparing the home to which he never returned alive. Her parents were John and Anna (Reichart) Koch, of Kit- tanning township.

Henry F. Lauster, son of Henry, was born Nov. 13, 1862, and was engaged in the mill- ing business most of his life, first at Lauster's mills, Blanco, and from 1904 in association an early settler in West Franklin township, with his brother, William P. Lauster. They built the Rural Roller Mills in Yatesboro im- mediately after their father sold his mills as above related in 1903, and operated same un- der the firm name of Lauster Brothers until the death of Henry F. Lauster, which oc- curred Feb. 7, 1908. He married Narcissa Wagner, daughter of Jacob Wagner, who was a pioneer farmer of Armstrong county. Mrs. Lauster survives her husband, as do also the three sons born to them, John B., Wilbert E. and Orin Elsworth.

Wilbert E. Lauster was born Feb. 9, 1890, in Cowanshannock township, where he was a Republican, and he has served seven years reared. He began his education in the as a school director.

country school there, later attending public school at Rural Valley. Under the able di- rection of his father he became familiar with the details of the milling business, at which he has been employed since 1907, and he has shown the aptitude for it which might have been expected of a member of the Lauster family. He is a progressive young man in every respect. In politics Mr. Lauster is a Democrat, and he holds membership in the Reformed Church.

Clara (Rish) Beestriz, of Parnassus, Penn- sylvania.

JACOB C. CAMPBELL, retired farmer, now a highly respected resident of Worth- ington, which borough he served as burgess for three years, was born in West Franklin township, Armstrong Co., Pa., April 24, 1848, son of Samuel and Margaret (Garver) Campbell, and a grandson of James Campbell.

James Campbell came to America from his native country, Ireland, and prior to 1800 settled in Armstrong county, Pa. He cleared and improved a tract of thirty acres on which he lived and died, and subsequently bought 200 acres of land in the same township, West Franklin, which he sold to his sons Samuel and James. The name of his wife was Han- nah Claypoole, and their only children were the sons mentioned.

Samuel Campbell, son of James and father of Jacob C. Campbell, was born in 1802, in Armstrong county. He owned 107 acres of land, all of which he cleared through his own industry, and here he died in 1870, at the age of sixty-eight years. He married Margaret Garver, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Kears) Garver, the former a native of Germany and Armstrong Co., Pa., where he cleared and improved a farm of over one hundred acres. To Samuel and Margaret Campbell the fol- lowing children were born : James and Nancy J., both of whom are deceased; Jacob C .; Mary, who married Harvey Henry ; Han- nah, Isaac and Samuel, all of whom are de- ceased ; and John.

Jacob C. Campbell attended the district schools in boyhood and then gave his atten- tion to the management of the old homestead farm, on which he remained until 1902, when , he retired to Worthington. In politics he is

On Oct. 21, 1874, Mr. Campbell was mar- ried to Eliza Reed, a daughter of David and Mary Ann (McKee) Reed, and a grand- daughter of David H. and Mary (Knight) Reed and of Thomas and Margaret ( Blaine) McKee, all old pioneer residents of Sugar Creek township, Armstrong county. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have three children : Flor- ence, who is the wife of Harry B. Husler ; Edgar W., and Stella Marie.

GEORGE AUGUSTUS PRUGH, late of

On April 18, 1910, Mr. Lauster married Elderton, Armstrong county, was a member Minnie Beestriz, daughter of Martin and of the borough council at the time of his

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

death and had held various other public po- sitions in that place, of which he was long a highly respected citizen.

Mr. Prugh was born Feb. 13, 1839, in Westmoreland county, Pa., near Saltsburg, son of Abner and Elizabeth (Bortz) Prugh. His father always followed farming, and owned a tract of 135 acres in Plum Creek township, Armstrong Co., Pa., whither he

removed when his son Augustus was three Prugh took a course at the Indiana (Pa.)

years old. He married Elizabeth Bortz, and they had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters: Caroline married Rob- ert Thompson, of Armstrong county, a teacher, and both are now deceased (they had 'eight children) ; Anna married Jacob Shew- fler, a blacksmith, of Westmoreland county, who is now deceased, and they had ten chil- dren; James, who died at Greensburg, Pa., in 1907, had taught for fifty-two years without losing a term (he left a widow and seven children) ; George Augustus is mentioned below; William, who died July 3, 19II, was a teacher for forty years (his widow lives with Mrs. George Augustus Prugh at Elder- ton; by his first wife he had four children) ; Melissa married William Wyatt, a farmer, of Atwood, Armstrong county, and had six chil- dren; Michael, who died March 6, 1911, mar- ried Malvina Fryer, of South Bend town- ship; Elizabeth married Robert McLanahan, a farmer, had two children, and died in August, 1895.

George Augustus Prugh (always known as Augustus Prugh) was just three years old when his father moved to Plum Creek town- ship, where he passed the remainder of his life. He became one of the best known citi-

who works the farm that was occupied in turn by his grandfather and father (he mar- ried' Agnes Rankin and has three children) ; and Pearl, who married Ed. Sheffler, a wagon builder, of Westmoreland county, Pa., and has five children. For his second wife Mr. Prugh married, on July 2, 1895, Eva Bam- well, daughter of Robert Bamwell, a farmer of Blacklick township, Indiana county. Mrs. State Normal School. No children were born to this union.

JEREMIAH WYANT has been a lifelong resident of Washington township, Armstrong county, where he is engaged in farming and stock raising. He has lived at his present home for almost half a century, and its creditable condition is the best evidence of his energetic and progressive methods. He is a grandson of Martin Wyant, the founder of the family here.

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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 58

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