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 61

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 61

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Wilson Bowser had only limited educa- tional advantages, at the country schools in East Franklin township. He remained at home until he reached the age of twenty- four, and has continued to farm since he be- gan life for himself, having met with gratify- ing success in his undertaking, as a result of hard work and intelligent management. He also engages in stock raising. He has given considerable time to public service, having been supervisor of his township for three terms and school director fifteen years, his

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

work in both capacities being highly satis- Christian, John, Annie, Fritz, Jr., Flora, Wil- factory. In political connection he is a liam and Herman. Mr. Reitler, his parents,

Democrat. He holds membership in the brothers and sisters, and his own family, all Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Bowser was married to Sarah Milli- gan, of East Franklin township, a daughter of Andrew and Peggy Jane Milligan. Her father was a farmer in East Franklin town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Bowser have four chil- dren: Andrew Lee is a farmer in East Franklin township; William Park is a farmer in East Franklin township; Ida married C. McClay, of East Franklin township; E. W., Ellenberger. a farmer in East Franklin township, married

George Ellenberger, grandfather of Harry Jennie Helm, and has three children, Flor- L., was born in Butler county, Pa., and

ence, Hazel and Roy.

FRITZ REITLER, of Ford City, Arm- strong county, now engaged in the bakery business, was born in Germany in 1869, son of John Reitler.

John Reitler, who resides with his family at Ford City, was born and married in Ger- many and came to America with his wife and three sons, landing at New York, April 27, 1888. Mr. Reitler came to the United States as a skilled plate glass manufacturer, having learned and followed the trade in his native land. It was through inducements of- fered him by Captain Ford, the founder of Ford City, Pa., and the father of the glass business at this place, that Mr. Reitler left Germany and came to Ford City to engage in the glassmaking industry, beginning work in the Pittsburgh plate glass plant before the machinery was all in place. With his sons, who were also glassworkers, Mr. Reitler en- tered the works, and it was under his su- pervision that the first lot of plate glass was manufactured there. The business has so expanded that now the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Works at Ford City are reputed to be the largest in the world.

Fritz Reitler was employed in the glass works at Ford City for eleven years and then was engaged as a clerk by Mr. Scheeren, dealer in wholesale liquors. After three years he purchased Mr. Scheeren's interest and continued the business himself until re- cently, when he changed to his present line. Mr. Reitler is one of the city's heaviest tax- payers, owns a large amount of valuable property and is a stockholder in the Ford City National Bank. He is a man of much public spirit and notably benevolent.

belong to the Lutheran Church. Fraternally he is identified with the Elks at Kittanning, and with the Eagles at Ford City.

HARRY L. ELLENBERGER, junior member of the firm of Martin & Ellenberger, merchants of Dayton, Pa., was born at Bel- knap, Wayne township, Armstrong county, Aug. 17, 1856, being a son of Gabriel S.

moved to Wayne township, - Armstrong county, locating at the present site of Bel- knap about the year 1831. There he ob- tained a tract of 166 acres of land, built a house on it, and worked hard to clear it for cultivation. He also opened a general store there, being the first merchant in the place. He continued in business until his death, and both he and his wife are interred in the Con- cord cemetery. His wife, who bore the name of Elizabeth Pontius, was the daughter of Gabriel Pontius. The following children were born to them: Gabriel S .; Charles W., now president of the First National . Bank of Dayton, Pa .; William P .; J. Wesley; R. Clark; Maria; Sarepta; and Elizabeth.

Gabriel S. Ellenberger was born in Butler county, Pa. He taught school in Butler county, and always followed farming, own- ing a fine property of eighty-four acres in Wayne township, two miles north of Bel- knap. His death occurred in 1892, when he was sixty-two years old. He married Sarah Armstrong, daughter of John D. Armstrong, and they had four children: Harry L., Alice J., George M. and John D., who died young.

Harry L. Ellenberger attended the local schools and Dayton Academy, and taught school in Armstrong county from 1876 to 1890, becoming well known as an educator. In the latter year he located on the family homestead, and in 1896 embarked in the mer- cantile business at Belknap, continuing until 1908, when he formed his present partner- ship with Robert B. Martin, at Dayton. The firm is known as Martin & Ellenberger, and handles a full line of groceries, hardware, farm implements, wagons, buggies, and other goods. In addition to his other inter- ests Mr. Ellenberger holds stock in the First National Bank of Dayton.

In 1892 Mr. Reitler was married to Anna Snyder, daughter of Nicholas Snyder, and Mr. Ellenberger is a Republican, served as they have eight children, namely: Mary, township clerk and auditor from 1901 to

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1906, and is also a justice of the peace. He there for about ten years, at the end of that was one of the founders of the Dayton Nor- mal Institute, and is now serving as secretary of the board. For years he has been a con- sistent member of the United Presbyterian Church, of which he is trustee and elder. He is an excellent business man, a public-spirited citizen, and greatly interested in the develop- ment and advancement of the community. He has attained deserved prominence in his locality, and is justly held in the highest esteem.

PETER A. SMELTZER, proprietor of the "Valley House" at Yatesboro, Armstrong county, and a large landowner in that sec- tion, was born in this part of the county, in Plum Creek township, Feb. 8, 1863, and is a son of Peter George Smeltzer, an old settler of that township.

Peter George Smeltzer was born in West- moreland county, Pa., near Greensburg, and died July 5, 1883, aged seventy-two years. He was a lifelong farmer, and on coming to Armstrong county settled in Plum Creek tract of 200 acres.

clear. it before he could cultivate it, but by hard work he prospered, and he became one of the substantial and well-known citizens of his locality. He lived on his farm until his death. His wife, Mary M. (Cribbs), is buried in St. Thomas cemetery at Gastown, in Plum Creek township. They were the par- ents of a large family, namely: Elizabeth, Christopher C., Ellen, George W., Robert G., Levi G., Henry S., Catharine, Jane, Caroline, Leah and Peter A.

time turning to farming, settling on a place of ninety-seven acres which he owned, in Cowanshannock township. After a year and a half of farming he came to Yatesboro and took charge of the "Valley House" as pro- prietor. Mr. Smeltzer has an up-to-date hotel, with twenty-four guest rooms, all sup- plied with modern conveniences, and con- ducted in a business-like manner which has been well rewarded in the increasing patron- age this house enjoys. Though he has made a success of the hotel business it has not taken all his time, for he is very much interested in the real estate business in the development of a tract of 326 acres known as the George K. Ormond farm, which he purchased in the spring of 1911. It is situated about one mile above the borough of Rural Valley, and is known as New Scottdale. Mr. Smeltzer has laid part of this property out in building lots, which he is selling, and is planning a most desirable residential section.

Mr. Smeltzer's activity in local public af- fairs has been principally in connection with He was school director of

township, where he became the owner of a school matters. His land was in the Cowanshannock township for a period of nine woods when he settled on it, and he had to years, and served as president, secretary and

treasurer of the board, doing good work in every capacity. He is a Democrat in political sentiment.

Mr. Smeltzer married Sarah A. Rankin, daughter of Mathew Rankin, of Cowanshan- nock township, and they have had a family of four children: Bessie I., Pearl, Addison and Wanda. The family are Presbyterians in religious connection.

HARVEY E. MILLER, a farmer of and Susan (DeLancey) Miller, and was born Dec. 29, 1867.

Peter A. Smeltzer attended school in Cowanshannock township, is a son of John Plum Creek township and grew to manhood on the home farm. When he commenced on his own account he became interested in a David Miller was a pioneer of Plum Creek township, this county, where he cleared and improved a fine farm. Later on in life he moved to Strongstown, Cambria Co., Pa., where he died. He reared a family of two sons and one daughter: John, William and Sarah. store at Green Oak, in his native township, where he was located for three and a half years, after which he returned home and was in the store business there for one year. He next removed to the borough of Rural Valley, where he did business for about eight years, after which he was located at Apollo for The maternal grandfather, Stephen DeLan- cey, was a pioneer of Cowanshannock town- ship, where he purchased a tract of land, de- veloped it into a valuable property, and died there. about two years. From there he went to Vandergrift, where he engaged in the hotel business, carrying on what is now known as the "American House," but he remained only a short time, removing to the place John Miller, son of David Miller, and father of Harvey E. Miller, developed a which became known as Smeltzer, in Cowan- shannock township. He established the post farm which is now owned by his son, R. F. office at that point, and continued to reside

Miller, and died upon it. He was a soldier

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

during the Civil war, serving four years as engaged in agricultural pursuits in his native a member of Company D, 103d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and had the misfortune to be taken prisoner by the enemy and sent to Andersonville prison. For twelve terrible months he was confined there. At the expi- ration of his term of service he was honorably discharged. His family numbered six chil- dren who grew to maturity: Mary Ellen, who married Robert McClenathan; William A .; Harvey E .; Robert F .; Katie M., who married Joseph Blose; and Nettie, who mar- ried Peter Garmon.

Harvey E. Miller was brought up in his native township and attended the common schools of the neighborhood. He began his business career as a day laborer, working in coal mines, rolling mills and for carpenters and contractors, thus continuing until 1899, when he commenced farming, since which time he has confined his efforts to agricultural pursuits. Mr. Miller now owns two fine farms in Cowanshannock township, compris- ing 107 and 105 acres, respectively.

In 1898 Mr. Miller was married to Maud Miller, daughter of Jacob and Sadie (Kerr) Miller, of Indiana county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had seven children: Ozelma E., Dean L., Edna G., Dale V., Ora, Inez and Isa- bel. Politically Mr. Miller is a Republican, and has generally supported the candidates of his party.

LEVI G. COOK, a prosperous farmer and land owner of Bethel township, Armstrong county, has lived at his present place for the long period of forty-nine years. He was born in this township Oct. 26, 1842, son of Samuel and Margaret (Walker) Cook.

Smith, in his history of Armstrong county, quotes William Findlay as saying that Jere- miah Cook, Sr., moved up Crooked creek in 1769. He was the father of Conrad, George and Jeremiah Cook, whose names are on the assessment list of Allegheny township in 1805, and within whose limits "Manor Tract" was then.

Samuel Cook, the father of Levi G. Cook, was a native of Pennsylvania, and was en- gaged as a boatman on the Allegheny in the early days. He died in 1846, when in his prime. He married Margaret Walker, of Bethel township, who survived him many years, passing away Dec. 17, 1889. They had a family of four children who lived to ma- turity, two sons and two daughters. Harri- son died when a little child.

township. He has been very industrious and thrifty, and in addition to his home place of one hundred acres has acquired another tract of thirty-eight acres, just opposite the tract on which he resides, making 138 acres in his present farm. He is one of the substantial and respected citizens of his community, for his means and position in the world have been gained by his own well-directed energy, and he has lived an upright life which commands the esteem of all who know him. He and Mrs. Cook are members of the Lutheran Church.

On Dec. 25, 1862, Mr. Cook was married to Mary Hileman, one of the family of eight children, six sons and two daughters, born to Solomon and Elizabeth (Schreckengost) Hile- man, natives of Kittanning township, Arm- strong county. They were Lutherans in re- ligious connection. Mr. Hileman was a farmer. He and his wife were both mem- bers of old Armstrong county families, she being a daughter of Benjamin and Susan (Oury) Schreckengost, he a son of Daniel and Lydia (Yount) Hileman, and grandson of Peter Hileman. A long sketch of the Hile- man family appears elsewhere in this work. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Levi G. Cook: (1) William, born May 10, 1864, married Ida Gould, and they have four children, Marie, Essie, Virginia and William G. (2) Henry, born March 31, 1866, mar- ried Susan Hancock, and has had one daugh- ter, Rose M., who is now a school teacher. (3) Elizabeth, born Feb. 2, 1868, married Howard Mansfield, and they have three chil- dren, Gertrude, Jenette and Edison. (4) Luther, born March 4, 1870, married Ida Crook, and they have one son, Kenneth. (5) Elgie, born May 28, 1875, now deceased, was married to Lindsey .Patterson. They had no children. (6) Susan Jane, born Nov. 28, 1877, married Charles Riggle, and has three children, Dawson Lee, Odessa M. and Otho.

CHARLES A. ROGERS, M. D., physician and surgeon at Freeport, Pa., was born July 10, 1874, in Sharpsburg, Pa., son of John and Elizabeth (Reed) Rogers.

John Rogers was born in Ireland in 1804, and came to the United States in 1845, locat- ing at Sharpsburg, where he was connected with the iron interests for thirty years; he had also followed farming. His death oc- curred in 1890. He was a consistent member

Levi G. Cook has passed all his active years of the United Presbyterian Church, as was

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

his wife. She, too, was born in Ireland, and passed away in 1890.

Charles A. Rogers attended the common schools of his native city until he was fifteen years old, and later attended the Western University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1893, with the degree of Ph. D. Following this he studied medicine, graduating from the medical department of the same institution in 1897, with the degree of M. D. The same year he came to Free- port to engage in the practice of his profes- sion, and he has built up a large and lucrative clientele among the best people. He is a member of the Armstrong County Medical Society, the Pennsylvania State Medical So- ciety and the American Medical Association. Dr. Rogers has been surgeon for the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company for over ten · years, and is examining surgeon for several reputable life insurance companies.

On July 18, 1901, Dr. Rogers was mar- ried at Freeport to Sue Gillespie, daughter of the late Captain Gillespie, and one child, Charles G., was born to them March, I, 1905. Dr. Rogers is a Republican. For eight years he has been on the school board, and for five years a member of the council.

JOSEPH WARREN MINTEER, general merchant at Craigsville, Armstrong Co., Pa., at which place he is postmaster, was born in West Franklin township, Armstrong county, Nov. 15, 1881, son of James Nicholson and Matilda (Hindman) Minteer.

William Minteer, the great-grandfather, was born in Ireland, as was his wife, Mary Nicholson. They were of Scotch-Irish par- entage. Coming to America in the early part of the nineteenth century, they settled soon after in what is now West Franklin township, Armstrong Co., Pa., where they cleared land. They had the following children: James, William, Andrew, John, Joseph, Alexander, Mary (who married Matthew Rayburn), Jen- nie (who married William Smith), Nelly (who married John Smith), Nancy (who married John Milligan), Betsey (who married Robert Galbraith), and Peggy (who married Anthony Williams ) .

William Minteer, son of William, and grandfather of Joseph Warren Minteer, was a farmer in Armstrong county. He married Barbara Millen, and their children were: James Nicholson; Mary, who married Rich- ard Smith; and Eliza J., who married Downes Somerville.

James Nicholson Minteer, son of William,

was born on the old homestead in West Frank- lin township on which he spent his entire life, and died there Aug. 31, 1905, at the age of sixty-nine years. He was a representative citizen and successful farmer. He married Matilda Hindman, who survives with three children : Ella B., James Francis, a physician, and Joseph W.

James Hindman, maternal great-grand- father of Joseph` Warren Minteer, and his wife Mary (McClatchey) were born in Ire- land, and they were pioneers in what is now West Franklin township, Armstrong Co., Pa. James Hindman settled on wild land and be- gan to develop the farm on which George and Mark Hindman reside, and there he died April 28, 1846, when in his eighty-third year. His widow survived to be ninety-one years old, dying Aug. 22, 1856. Their children were : Margaret, who married David Hall; Mary, who married Joseph Armstrong; John; George; James; William, and Andrew.

William Hindman, son of James Hindman, was born in West Franklin township, Feb. 13, 1806. On May 10, 1832, he married Mary, daughter of George and Esther (Beard) Long, natives of Ireland and early settlers in West Franklin township. To William and Mary Hindman were born the following chil- dren who reached maturity: George, who served in the Civil war as a member of the 83d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Robert Kis- kadden; Matilda, who is the widow of James Nicholson Minteer; Miriam; James, who is deceased; William, and Andrew M. In the year 1832 William Hindman and his wife Mary (Long) settled on the farm of 136 acres where their youngest son, Andrew M. Hindman, now lives, and there his death oc- curred Feb. 5, 1881, at the age of seventy-five years, and that of his wife June 5, 1887, at the age of eighty-two years.

Joseph Warren Minteer remained on the homestead and obtained his education in the local public schools. For three years following his marriage he continued agricultural pur- suits, and then turned his attention to mer- chandising, in February, 1908, embarking in the general mercantile business at Craigsville. He has built up a profitable trade and has won respect and esteem in the community by his honorable methods. He has been postmaster at Craigsville since 1908 and has been a satis- factory official.

On October 4, 1905, Mr. Minteer was mar- ried to Ada Irene Dunkle, daughter of Henry C. and Marie (Russell) Dunkle, of Craigsville,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and they have three children : John N., Dorothy John N .; William, living in Higbee, Mis- M. and Ruth M. Mr. Minteer is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. He is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Craigsville Lodge No. 836, and in politics he is a Democrat.

The Minteer family held its second reunion at Alameda Park, Butler Co., Pa., July 28, 1910, when over three hundred members were present and five generations were represented. The Minteers are usually found associated with the United Presbyterian denomination and earnest and active church workers. Four United Presbyterian ministers of the present day are among this family's descendants, namely : Rev. W. E. Minteer, Rev. O. H. Mil- ligan, Rev. F. A. Dumm; and Rev. H. P. Smith.

It is said that the first William Minteer above mentioned, in association with Abram Smith, built the first Associate Presbyterian Church edifice, in 1815, at Slate Lick, Arm- strong county. It was a log structure, 33 feet square, and they and their families continued to worship there for many years, deeming it a privilege, although many of them were obliged to walk a distance of five or six miles in order to reach the place.

LEONARD EGLY carries on general farm- ing in Kittanning township, Armstrong county, and also has a coal bank on his farm. He has held local offices, and is very well known in his section, where he has resided for years.

Mr. Egly was born Oct. 7, 1839, in Alle- gheny county, Pa., son of John N. and Cath- erine Elizabeth (Horn) Egly. The parents were natives of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. They arrived in America in 1839, just before their marriage, the voyage taking sixty-two days. Landing in New York City, they married and came west to Allegheny county, Pa., where they lived for the next twenty years, in 1859 moving to Armstrong county, Pa. Here they settled in Kittanning township, near the old Red Mill, Mr. Egly acquiring the ownership of 100 acres of land, which at the time had only a small house upon it. He cleared much of the property and improved it greatly during the forty years and more of his resi- dence thereon, his death occurring in 1902, when he was eighty-four years of age. His wife had died in 1898, at the age of seventy- eight. They were members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and were substantial and well-known residents of the locality in which they settled. They had a family of ten chil- dren : Leonard, mentioned below; Elizabeth, deceased; Susan, living in Armstrong county ;

souri; Michael, a blacksmith in Kittanning township; Catherine, married to John Weise, of Pittsburgh, Pa .; Henry, living in Apollo, Pa .; Philip, deceased; and Benjamin, a blacksmith, living at Canton, Ohio.

Leonard Egly was given a common school education, and lived at home up to the time of his marriage. He was only a boy of eleven years when he began to work in the mines, and after his marriage he located at Mckeesport, Pa., where he was employed in the mines for six years. At the end of that time he came to his present location in Kittanning township, Armstrong county, buying the tract of forty- two acres which he has since cultivated. He has made all of the improvements on the place, which is now in excellent shape, and in addi- tion to carrying on general farming operates the coal bank on this property. He has been quite active in local affairs, holding the offices of assessor and supervisor of Kittanning township for several terms, and is identified with the Democratic party on political ques- tions. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

On June 13, 1863, Mr. Egly married Eliza- beth Grantz, who was born in April, 1844, in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, daughter of John and Barbara (Bohim) Grantz, natives of Germany who came to America in 1862 and settled at Mckeesport, Pa., where he worked at his trade, tailoring, the rest of his life. Mr. Grantz was born in 1816 and died at the age of seventy-five; his wife, born in 1813, died at the age of sixty-four. They were members of the Lutheran Church. Their children were: William, who is a miner, of Mckeesport, Pa .; Elizabeth, Mrs. Egly ; Peter, who is deceased; Margaret, living in McKeesport, Pa .; and Catherine, of Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania.

Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Egly: Catherine is deceased; William, who is a blacksmith in Valley township, this county, married May McClure, and they have four children, Esther, Ralph, Marie and Rus- sell; John, who is a stone and marble cutter, at Apollo, Pa., is married and has two chil- dren, Lottie and Barkley; Margaret is the wife of Benjamin Stivison, of Kittanning, and has a family of nine children, Harry, Annie, Mary, Bertha, Arthur, Herbert, Blanche, Benjamin and Martha; Annie Elizabeth mar- ried Joseph Hobough, of Manor township, this county, and has four children, Mamie, Edna, Aubry and Hazel; George, a farmer of Kittanning township, is unmarried.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

WILLIAM CALVIN DICKEY, a Wash- county, Dec. 1, 1848, son of Andrew and Re- ington township farmer, was born July 5, becca (Mahon) Johnston. 1845, on the farm where he now lives, in John Johnston, his grandfather, a native of the log cabin built by his father, William Ireland, became one of the pioneers of Plum Dickey. Archibald Dickey, his grandfather, Creek township, where he bought about 150 acres of land which he cleared and improved, living upon it until his death. His wife was Jane McCreight and their children were: Wil- liam; James; John; Andrew; Jane, who mar- ried Sharp McCreight; Sarah, who married James Mitchell; and Nancy, who married Hugh Sharp. came to this country from Ireland, settling at Gettysburg, Pa., and later came to Manor- ville, Armstrong county. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church. He mar- ried Isabella George and their children were: John, William, James, Robert, George, Archi- bald, Jane and Isabella.

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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 61

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