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 64
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On July 23, 1902, Mr. Wolfe married Car- rie Orr, at New Castle, Lawrence Co., Pa., and they have a family of four children, James E., Charles R., Henry Paul and Maxine. Mr. Wolfe owns the home at No. 1415 Johnson avenue, Kittanning, which he occupies with his family. He is a member of the Kittanning Lodge, No. 321, K. P., and his religious con- nection is with St. John's Lutheran Church. to which his wife also belongs.
Mrs. Wolfe was born in Wayne township. Armstrong county, daughter of James R. Orr, a painter by trade, now in the employ of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. He and his wife Harriet (Bargerstock) had a family of children as follows : Mary, widow of Frank Cunningham, a Spanish-American war vet- eran; Henry; Carrie, Mrs. Wolfe; James E. ; Fannie, widow of George Willard Bruner ; Gertrude, wife of George Brunt, of Ford City; Hazel, wife of Harvey Martin, of Kit- tanning, and George.
Capt. Richard Orr, from whom Mrs. Wolfe is descended, founded one of the oldest fam- ilies of Armstrong county, which down to the Mrs. Fennell was one of a family of six children born to Jacob and Catherine (Zell) Nunamaker, of Loyalhanna creek, Westmore- land county. present has furnished some of the most sub- stantial, intelligent and respected citizens of the county. He was a faithful defender of the Colonial cause during the Revolution. raised a company for Lochry's disastrous ex- WILLIAM K. KUHNS, a veteran of the Civil war, long a farmer of Gilpin township, Armstrong county, was born in Allegheny (now Gilpin) township, Sept. 19, 1839, son pedition, was taken prisoner at that time, and was one of the four of Lochry's men who re- turned. An extensive account of his services in the war and his subsequent life may be of David and Hettie Esther (Steck) Kuhns. found in his sketch elsewhere in this work.
GEORGE A. FENNELL, farmer of Bethel township, Armstrong county, has lived at his present home there for the last twenty years. He is a native of Butler county, Pa., born Oct. 1, 1858, son of George Fennell, of Westmoreland county. His grandfather and grandmother were born in Westmoreland county, this State. George Fennell married Mary Jane Keeler, of Arm- strong county, and they became the parents of nine children, five sons and four daugh- ters, namely: William, who is deceased ; An- thony; George A .; Melissa; Mary C .; Nan- nie Bell, deceased; John T .; Bertha; and Ar- thur G.
George A. Fennell was reared in Arm- strong county, being but three years old when his parents brought him here. Until he was eighteen years old he assisted with the work on his father's farm as well as mining, after which he followed mining and other occupations until his marriage. Then he set- - tled down to farming, to which he gave all his time until 1907, in which year he opened his general store, which he conducts in con- nection with his agricultural work.
In 1881 Mr. Fennell was married to Jennie Nunamaker, of Armstrong county, Pa., and they have had a family of eleven children, eight son's and three daughters : Perry Edgar, who is an electrician; Roy Victor, also an electrician ; Arthur ' Earl, a miner; William H., a miner ; Elsie Bertha; Charles Calvin, a miner; Clyde Grover, a miner; Bessie May ; Ralph F., at home; Harry Walter, at home ; and Mildred, deceased. The sons are asso- ciated with various local fraternal organiza- tions, Perty Edgar belonging to several lodges, William H. to the Odd Fellows and P. O. S. of A., and Arthur E., Charles C. and Clyde G. also holding membership in the P. O. S. of A. Mr. and Mrs. Fennell are mem- bers of the Homewood Baptist Church, and he was formerly a member of White Rock Lodge, No. 979, I. O. O. F., having joined that order when a young man of twenty- three.
Bernard Kuhns, great-grandfather of Wil-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
liam K., was one of the early settlers of township, where he attended the local school, Northampton county, Pa. Prior to 1780 two of his sons, John and Philip, settled on a 600- acre tract of land which their father had patented years before, two miles from what is now Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania.
John Kuhns, son of Bernard Kuhns, was born in one of the eastern counties of Penn- sylvania, and came to Westmoreland county in young manhood. A business man of abil- ity, he became a large landowner. His death occurred at Greensburg, Pa. His wife, whose maiden name was Marchand, also died at Greensburg. Their children were: Jacob, who died at Saltsburg, Pa .; David, father of William K .; Samuel, who died in Greens- burg; Daniel, who died in Harrison City ; John, who died in Ohio; Reuben, who died in Harrison City; Eliza, who married Wil- liam King; and Hon. Joseph, who served as Congressman of his district in Westmoreland county, and was a very prominent man (he died at Greensburg).
David Kuhns, son of John Kuhns, was born in Greensburg, Pa., in 1791. He was a tanner by trade, but later became a farmer, Coming to Allegheny township, this county, he took up a tract of 400 acres of land, a portion of his father's estate, which is now included in Gilpin township. On this prop- erty he built a log cabin, and began clearing off his land. Later he replaced the primitive home with one more pretentious, and built a substantial barn. The remainder of his use- ful life was spent on this property, which he operated until his death. Until the forma- tion of the Republican party, he was an old- line Whig, but following 1856 was a strong advocate of the principles of the new party. Although active in politics he would never accept public office. He and David Leech, the founder of Leechburg, were warm personal friends. A Lutheran in religious matters, Mr. Kuhns was a charter member of the Hebron Lutheran Church of Leechburg. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. David Kuhns were: John died at Oil City; Eliza married JOHN R. TAYLOR, a member of the firm of Findley & Taylor, general insurance, Free- port, Pa., was born July 1, 1862, in Armstrong county, son of David H. and Jane (Ritchie) Taylor. Daniel Hill; Lewis, who died in Washington, D. C., was a Lutheran minister ; Esther (Het- tie) is the widow of Salem Hill ; Rebecca mar- ried Benson Shrader and lives in South Buf- falo township, near Freeport; William K. is David H. Taylor was born in Scotland and mentioned below; David is deceased. John came to America in 1854, locating at Pitts- Michael Steck, the maternal grandfather of burgh, Pa., where he remained for a short this family, was a minister in Westmoreland time. He then went to Iowa, where he lived and Armstrong counties.
and later engaged in farming, having been taught the rudiments of that calling in boy- hood. In 1862 he bought the homestead farm, where he now resides, which now comprises ninety acres of fine land for agricultural pur- poses. This property is located in the forks of the two rivers, the Allegheny and Kiski- minetas. His entire life has been spent in Gilpin township, and he is now the oldest liv- ing citizen who was born there.
In August, 1864, Mr. Kuhns responded to the call of his country, enlisting in Company K, 6th Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the conflict, when he was honorably discharged at Fort Ethan Allen.
In 1861 Mr. Kuhns was married to Susan Townsend, a daughter of Isaac Townsend. The Townsends are a substantial family of Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kuhns: Mary E., who married Joseph Millen ; Hettie H., who married John Smail; Emma R., who married H. J. Wagaman; Lewis M., who is at home; and a son that died in infancy.
Politically Mr. Kuhns is a Republican. He belongs to Hebron Lutheran Church at Leech- burg, which he has served as deacon and elder. The Lutheran Church has received valuable support from the Kuhns family, a brother of Mr. Kuhns having been a minister of the faith, while the maternal grandfather, Rev. Mr. Steck, was long connected with the denomination in Westmoreland and Arm- strong counties during the early days of the religious history of this section. Mr. Kuhns is a member of Capt. J. A. Hunter Post, No. 123, G. A. R., of Leechburg. He is one of the best known men in his locality, and is held in high esteem by all. He numbers his friends by legions, for he is always willing to do a kindly deed. His life has been worthy, and governed by the principles of practical Christianity.
one year, returning to Pittsburgh, where he
William K. Kuhns was reared in his native continued to work at his trade, that of stone-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
mason, for two years. His next employment was in the oil fields, and later went back to Pittsburgh. For some time he was interested in the production of salt in Armstrong county, after which he moved to Freeport and bought a stone quarry, which proved a profitable in- vestment, this quarry being one of the best in the State. He was a hard working man all his life and accumulated a competency. At Pittsburgh he married Jane Ritchie, who
died in 1883, the mother of five children. Mr. March, 1904, at the age of seventy-three years. Taylor died in 1907.
John R. Taylor was the third of his par- ents' children. He attended school until he was fourteen years old and continued to live at home until his thirty-fifth year. Like his father, Mr. Taylor has been a very industri- born to Mr. and Mrs. Longwell: Elizabeth, ous man. He served as an apprentice to the mason's trade for three years after working David; Cargill, who lives on the old home- on the railroad and on the pipe line in the stead; Anna, deceased; William J., who oc- cupies part of the family homestead; and Benjamin J. All of this family were reared on the old farm in Jefferson county. Butler county oil fields, dressing tools and drilling wells. For fifteen years he served as night yardmaster at Kiskiminetas Junction, and previously had been a railroad station agent's clerk. In 1900 he came to Freeport and became a clerk in a real estate and in- surance office, entering upon his duties on March Ioth of that year, and continuing until July 1, 1900, when he embarked in business for himself with Mr. Findley as a partner. The firm represents the old line companies, and writes fire, accident, plate glass and burg- lary insurance. In politics Mr. Taylor is a Republican and fraternally is a Mason, being a past master of the blue lodge.
David and Cunningham, both of whom are now deceased.
David Longwell, son of David and Eliza (Cunningham) Longwell, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to this country with his father. He became a farmer, fol- lowing that occupation at Beechwoods, Jef- ferson county, where he owned and cultivated a tract of two hundred acres which he had cleared and improved. He died there in
He married Catherine Shaw, who was born in Jefferson county, Pa., daughter of William and Elizabeth (Wolf) Shaw, natives of Ire- land who were pioneer settlers at Beech- woods, Jefferson Co., Pa. Six children were who married W. B. Holt; Susan, at home;
Benjamin J. Longwell was born Dec. 12, 1879, at Beechwoods, Jefferson Co., Pa. He began his education in the common schools near his home, later attending high school at Brockwayville, Jefferson county, and the Ohio Northern University (normal) at Ada, Ohio, from which institution he was gradu- ated in 1899. He entered the medical de- partment of the Ohio State University, at Columbus, Ohio, the same year, completing his medical course in 1903. He began prac- tice at once in Elk county, Pa., locating at Dagus Mines, where he remained for two years, removing thence to Shawmut, same county, where he was engaged until he came to Seminole, Armstrong county, in February, 1910. Here he has since been actively and successfully following general practice, and in his various connections has become widely known over this territory. He is a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society and of the American Medical Association, and fraternally is an Odd Fellow and a Ma- son ; he has attained the thirty-second degree in Masonry.
BENJAMIN J. LONGWELL, M. D., of Seminole, Armstrong county, has been in prac- tice only a few years at that point, but he has already attained high standing in this section and commands a wide patronage. Besides attending to his private practice he acts as surgeon for the Pittsburgh, Shawmut & Northern Railway Company, and for the Al- legheny River Mining Company of Seminole. Dr. Longwell is of Irish extraction. His grandfather, David Longwell, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, came to the United States with his family in the year 1847, and On June 8, 1910, Dr. Longwell married Cecelia Shutz, a native of Germany. settled at Beechwoods, Jefferson Co., Pa. He was a school teacher by profession, and is JOHN THOMAS OVERHEIM, propri- etor of the Parker Feed Mills, of Parker's Landing, was born Sept. 15, 1888, at that place, now known as Parker City, son of John C. and Jennie (Ralston) Overheim, na- said to have taught the first school in the section where he located, continuing to follow that vocation until his death, which occurred at Beechwoods, when he was seventy-three years old. His wife, Eliza (Cunningham), tives of Venango county, Pa., and Ireland, who died in Ireland, bore him two sons, respectively.
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Daniel Overheim, his grandfather, was a Henry Booker; Jonathan; Abraham, and native of Germany, a blacksmith by trade, John. and one of the early settlers in Venango
county, Pa. In his later years he moved to trade a shoemaker, although he was engaged Parker City, Pa., where his death occurred.
John C. Overheim was a blacksmith in young manhood, and still follows his trade aged forty-five years. His children were: at Parker City, whither he came, early in Daniel; Christina, who married Charles Hom- the seventies. His five children were: Eliza- burger; Polly, who married William Taylor ; Adam, and Albert. beth, John T., Ethel, Eugene (deceased) and Ralph.
The maternal grandfather of Daniel Bow- ser, Charles Edwards, was also a pioneer of
John Ralston, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Overheim, was a native of Scotland, and Washington township. He married Mary settled at Monterey, Clarion Co., Pa., where Curry. he engaged in farming and mining.
John Thomas Overheim secured his educa- tion in the public schools of his native place. When only eight years old he began his busi-
Daniel Bowser was brought up in Washing- ton township, receiving a good common school education. When he was needed in the Civil war he enlisted, Aug. 20, 1862, in Company ness career as a newsboy, and later he worked D, 103d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, on a farm for twenty-five cents per day. Then and participated in the battles of Kinston, Goldsboro and Plymouth, being taken a pris- oner at the latter engagement and sent to he obtained employment at the Wightman Glass Works, and for two years was a fire- man on the Pennsylvania railroad. In De- cember, 1908, he embarked in the feed busi- ness at Parker City and has carried it on very successfully, earning at the same time the un- limited confidence of those with whom he is associated.
On Aug. 29, 1911, Mr. Overheim was mar- ried to Ora A., daughter of John Buzzard of. Monterey, Pa. Mr. Overheim is a mem- ber of the M. E. Church. Fraternally he is a member of Lawrenceburg Lodge, No. 782, I. O. O. F., and Central Encampment, No. on which he has two good producing wells, with every indication of more.
206, of Foxburg. In politics he is a Republi- can. All in all, Mr. Overheim is one of the leading young business men and public-spir- ited citizens of Parker City, one who would be a valued asset to any community.
DANIEL BOWSER, oil producer, of Parkers Landing, was born Aug. 9, 1840, in Washington township, Armstrong Co., Pa., son of Jonathan and Matilda (Edwards) Bowser. Philip Bowser was his paternal great-grandfather.
Abraham Bowser, son of Philip, married Mary Edwards, and lived for a period in Bed- ford County, Pa., but became one of the pion- eers of Washington township, this county, where he bought a small farm. This property
Andersonville. There he was kept eleven months, and then paroled. Mr. Bowser re- ceived his honorable discharge Aug. 20, 1865, at Alexandria, Va. Coming back home he engaged in farming, and continued thus until 1872, when he settled at Parkers Landing, which has since been his home. During this period he has been engaged in a livery and butchering business, at different times, but now looks after the valuable oil lease of eighty-five acres he owns in Perry township,
On Aug. 18, 1862, Mr. Bowser was married to Mary Ann, daughter of John P. and Eliza- beth (Campbell) Davis, of Franklin town- ship. The following children have been born of this marriage: Ola, who married Frank Claypool; Charles; Dalla May, who married George B. Downing; William; Frederick ; Emma J., who married Percy Perrine, and Matthew. Mr. Bowser is a member of the Baptist Church. Socially, he belongs to the Ex-prisoners of the Civil War. Politically a Republican, he has served as a councilman of Parker City, and is one of the representa- tive men of his locality.
WILLIAM NORRIS GRAY owns a. fine continued to be his home until his death. He farm of 133 acres in Kittanning township, and his wife had children as follows: Val- Armstrong county, which includes the old Gray homestead upon which he was born May
entine; Catherine, who married Leonard Stantz; Elizabeth, who married Stacy King; 26, 1860. Jane, who married John Booker; Hapsey, The family is of New England stock. who married John Booker; Hettie, who mar- Aaron Gray, his father, was born in Kittan- ried Henry Booker; Susannah, who married ning township, Armstrong Co., Pa., and with
Jonathan Bowser, son of Abraham, was by
along other lines as well, spending his entire life in Washington township, where he died
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the exception of the time he was in the army Clarion Co., Pa., and grew to manhood in there passed all his life, engaged in farming. that county, receiving his education there. His wife, also a native of Clarion county, was a daughter of David Weeter. Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Sedwick have lived in Clarion, Butler and Armstrong counties, their home at present being in Kittanning, where he is engaged as a carpenter and con- tractor. He is a member of the Free Meth- odist Church, and politically active in the Re- publican party but not an office seeker.
Though he had few opportunities for school- ing, he became a well-educated man, self- taught, and he was an intelligent and useful citizen. In 1862 he enlisted for service in the Union army, and had served about a year at the time of his death. He contracted small- pox, which proved fatal, and he died at Wash- ington, D. C., where he is buried. He married Margaret Wagner, of Armstrong county, Pa., who after his death became the wife of Wil- liam Collum, a native of Ireland, who is a farmer and still living in Kittanning township. Mrs. Collum died in 1892. She was a member of the M. E. Church. By her marriage to Mr. Gray she was the mother of four chil- dren, George, Catherine, Jeremiah and Wil- liam Norris, the last named being the only survivor. The only child born to her union with Mr. Collum is also deceased.
William N. Gray has always lived in Kit- tanning township. He received his education in the common schools near his early home. When a young man he acquired a thorough knowledge of the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a period of fourteen years, work- ing at Pittsburgh, Ford City and elsewhere. Since then he has been engaged in general farming at his present place in Kittanning township, owning 133 acres, of which the old home place forms a part. He has made many improvements on this property since it came into his possession, being a thrifty and in- dustrious worker, whose well-directed labors are apparent in every part of the farm. He Kittanning. raises wheat, oats, rye and corn, cattle, horses and hogs, and has been very successful. He has taken considerable interest in the wel- fare of the locality, and for the last four years has held the office of supervisor. In politics he is a Democrat. His religious connection is with the M. E. Church.
W. G. Sedwick was born at Callensburg,
As previously stated, Jesse David Sedwick came to Kittanning with his parents when eight years old, and here he attended public school. His higher education was acquired at the University of Pittsburgh, where he took his dental course, graduating in the class of 1909. Returning home he bought out Dr. F. L. Gould, at that time located in the Brown building, but established himself in the Post Office building, where he remained for a year before coming to his present location at No. 2II Market street. His work has proved to be of the highest class and has brought him a steady patronage, and he is also well thought of among his professional brethren, being a well-known member of the Armstrong County Dental Association, of which organization he was secretary for two years. Like his father he is a Republican in politics, but he has not taken any active part in such matters.
On Dec. 25, 1911, Doctor Sedwick married Nettie R. Shafer, daughter of Israel Shafer, and they have one child, J. Dwight. They re- side at the corner of Queen and High streets,
CHARLES MOORE, a retired farmer of Valley township, Armstrong county, has lived on his farm there for many years and is one of the old and respected residents of his locality. He was born in August, 1839, in County Donegal, Ireland, son of Charles. Mr. Gray married Elizabeth Collum, who was born in Ireland, and they have a family of four children, namely: Margaret, now the wife of John Barker, a farmer of Valley town- ship, this county; and William John, David L. and Mamie, all at home. and Jane (Hayes) Moore, and was about nine years old when they came to America with most of their family. They were the parents of the following children: Matthew. Elizabeth, John, Rebecca, Ann Jane, Gracie (who married Moses Park and remained in Ireland), William, Sarah, Charles, and one JESSE DAVID SEDWICK, D. D. S., a that died in infancy in Ireland. The voyage dentist of high standing in Kittanning, has practiced there since his graduation, and has been a resident of the borough since he was eight years old. He was born in Bruin, But- to this country was made in a sailing vessel and took five weeks, all arriving safely. Set- tling in Lancaster county, Pa., the father fol- lowed farming there until his removal to. ler Co., Pa., Dec. 22, 1888, son of W. G. and Boggs township, Armstrong Co., Pa., where Lavina Jane (Weeter) Sedwick.
he passed the remainder of his life, dying in his one hundredth year. The children re-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
mained on this farm until they moved to their own homes, and the mother died there.
Charles Moore when he began farming on his own account settled on a tract of 240 acres in Valley township, but he has sold off some of the land, now having 135 acres. The first buildings were a large log barn and a log house, which served their purpose until the modern buildings which now adorn the place could be erected. The place has been care- fully cultivated and well kept up during the ownership of the Moore family, and it is now a valuable piece of property, a credit to the owners and to the locality. Mr. Moore has always been a Republican in his political sympathies, but he has not been active either in party affairs or in the public life of the community. In religious matters he has been associated with the United Presbyterians.
Mr. Moore married Bell Dilley, who was born in Cowanshannock township, this county, near Rural Valley, daughter of William Dil- Ann Baker, and they had two sons and three
ley. Mrs. Moore died in April, 1905, at the age of fifty-seven years. Four children were born to this union: Martha, who is now the wife of Lawrence Stutsell, of Cowanshannock township; Albert, who is deceased; Lizzie, wife of William Stepp, living near Blanco, Armstrong county ; and John D.
JOHN D. MOORE, who now owns and oper- ates the home farm, was born Nov. 29, 1882, on the home place in Valley township, where he has resided most all his life. At the age of seventeen he began to work independently, and for some time was in the employ of the People's Gas Company, being married during that period. For eighteen months he made his home at Leechburg, there work- ing in the American Sheet Steel Mill, and five years ago he returned to the old home- stead, where he has since been engaged in farming. He gives all his attention to his agricultural interests, which are prospering under his intelligent care, and he is regarded as one of the industrious and reliable young citizens of his neighborhood, worthy of the good opinions of his neighbors and friends. He has served as school director, and in poli- tics is usually on the side of the Republican party, favoring good government and pro- gressive measures, however, regardless of party.
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