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 65

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 65

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Mr. Moore was married to Ollie Olinger, and they have had two children: Charles Adam, born Jan. 16, 1908; and Ray Olinger, born Jan. 18, 1910.

JOSEPH T. SHOEMAKER, for thirty- five years justice of the peace of Mahoning township, Armstrong county, belongs to a family which has been settled in that town- ship for a century. His great-grandfather, John Shumaker, a native of Germany, came to America prior to 1770 with six brothers, Solomon, Adam, George, Simon, Samuel and Daniel. George was the founder of another well-known branch of the family in western Pennsylvania. They settled first in Loudoun county, Va. John Shumaker was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, serving in the American army, and also served during the Indian troubles in western Pennsylvania. He was an early settler in Westmoreland county, Pa., where he purchased and cleared a large tract of land in Franklin township, making a permanent home there. He died in that county, as the result of wounds received dur- ing his army service. His wife was Mary daughters, among them a son Philip.

. Philip Shumaker, son of John, was born Jan. 25, 1784, and died April 10, 1860. In 1814 he settled in what is now Mahoning township, Armstrong county, taking up 400 acres of land, 200 acres of which he sold in 1824 to a favorite cousin, Peter Shumaker. He cleared and improved the 200 acres he retained, making a fine homestead, upon which he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there. He married Elizabeth Rose, who was born Nov. 18, 1790, and sur- vived him, dying June 12, 1863. George Rose, her father, was born near Murrysville, Westmoreland Co., Pa., and was a farmer and hotelkeeper. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Shumaker, as follows: Mary, born April 14, 1812, married Adam Smith, and died in 1887; John was born Oct. 22, 1813; Sarah, born Jan. 5, 1815, died young ; Joseph, born April 9, 1819, was a minister of the German Baptist Church; Isaac was born July 27, 1821; Philip was born March 2, 1825; Susanna, born July 20, 1827, married Robert Ferguson; Elizabeth, born May 17, 1831, married M. N. Hetrick; Samuel was born March 12, 1834. The father was a Whig in politics until 1856, when he joined the Republican party. He was a member of the German Baptist Church.

John Shumaker, son of Philip, was born Oct. 22, 1813, in Westmoreland county, Pa., and was reared in Mahoning township, Arm- strong county, where he passed all his life. He was a prominent farmer of his day, own-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ing and improving 320 acres now the prop-

of the party. He is a member of the regular erty of his sons Simon A. and Philip W., and Baptist Church at New Bethlehem. after retiring from active work, in 1883, made During the Civil war Mr. Shoemaker en- listed, becoming a member of Company G, 57th Pennsylvania Regiment, Emergency Men, and was sent to Ohio, where he assisted in the capture of General Morgan, who was then raiding that State. He was honorably discharged after three months of service. his home with his son Philip until his death, which occurred in November, 1901. He mar- ried Ruth Davis, daughter of Bernard and Sarah (McClain) Davis, natives of Ireland, and pioneers of Kiskiminetas township, Arm- strong county. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker, eleven of whom grew to maturity, namely: Eliza, who mar- ried Thomas W. Marshall; Joseph T .; Simon A .; Susan, who married George Balsiger ; Philip W .; Emily C., who married Samuel Balsiger; Davis G .; Amanda M., who mar- ried Jacob Johnson; William T., deceased ; Mary M., who married Dr. Harry Sadler ; and James K.

On Oct. 3, 1865, Mr. Shoemaker married Martha A. Ritchey, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Calhoun) Ritchey, of Pine township, this county, and granddaughter of Judge John Calhoun, of Armstrong county. Of the chil- dren born to this union seven are living, namely: Harry C., Eddy O., Lucius I., Ger- tie (wife of Ellsworth W. Bowser), Ralph, Mary L. and Charles. -

Joseph T. Shoemaker was born May 26, 1837, in what is now Mahoning township and ROBERT MARTIN, justice of the peace, is still living on his farm in Boggs township. Armstrong county, though he has retired from active farm work. He has been a resi- dent of that place since 1852. Mr. Martin was born in Lancaster county, Pa., Aug. 31, 1832, son of Robert and Margaret (Wasson) Martin and grandson of Francis Martin. was reared there on the paternal homestead. Beginning his education in the common schools of the neighborhood, he later attended normal school at Putneyville, and when he was a young man of twenty taught school one winter. He then took a course in the Iron City Business College, at Pittsburgh, and when Hamilton, Shoemaker & Co. opened Francis Martin was a native of Ireland and was twice married, both his wives dying there. To his first union were born Robert, John and Stephen, and to the second another son, Thuey. In 1800 Francis Martin and his sons John and Stephen came to America, locating in Philadelphia. their store, in the late fifties, he entered their employ as clerk. After six months with that concern he again took up school teaching, at which he was engaged for several terms in Mahoning township. He then accepted a po- sition as clerk in the general store of James A. Truitt, at Oakland, this county, remaining Robert Martin, son of Francis, was born in Ireland and remained in that country until after his marriage. In 1828 he came to this country, settling in Lancaster county, Pa., and there his children were born, viz .: John; Robert; Francis, and Hannah. This family farmed in Lancaster county for twenty-five years, and after the children were all grown moved to Armstrong county, the father buy- ing the place in Boggs township now occu- pied by his son Robert in 1852. Game was still plentiful in the neighborhood at that time. There were few improvements on the prop- erty, and the house was an old log building. but under their industrious and energetic management it was transformed into a valua- ble farm, and it continues to this day to be one of the best places in the township. There Mr. Martin died in 1868, aged seventy years, the age of ninety-two. Mr. Martin was a Democrat in his political views. with them in that capacity for a period of two years, at the end of which he again en- tered the Iron City Business College, receiv- ing his diploma from that school in 1860. He then went to Oil City, purchased a lot and built himself a shanty, and remained there for six months. Returning to Mahoning, he was appointed assignee of the bankrupt firm of Hamilton, Shoemaker & Co., and in June, 1861, purchased the goods at their appraisal. He conducted the business on his own account very successfully until 1879, when he sold out. For five seasons after that he was en- gaged in peeling bark, in Elk county, and then again went to Oil City, clerking for two years in a hardware store. For fifteen years Mr. Shoemaker was assistant postmaster at Oak- land, Armstrong county, and he has been a justice of the peace continuously for the last his wife surviving until 1887; she reached thirty-five years; he was re-elected for his present term in the fall of 1911, for six years. In political connection he is a Republican, and he has been quite active in the interests

Robert Martin, son of Robert, received his education in Lancaster county. He always

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

remained at home, assisting his father, and eventually took over the home place in Boggs township, which he has continued to operate to the present time, though he does not at- tend to the arduous work now. The fine buildings now standing on this tract were built by him. He is one of the substantial and reliable citizens of his section, one who is looked to for assistance in local affairs, has been particularly interested in the welfare of the schools in his district, and has held many of the township offices, still serving as justice of the peace. He has been quite prominent as a worker in the Democratic party, and in religious matters is identified with the Pres- byterian Church, to which his parents also belonged.

CHESTER A. LOGAN, undertaker at Leechburg, was born at East Brady, Clarion Co., Pa., June 19, 1880, son of Samuel M. Logan.

James Logan, great-grandfather of Chester A. Logan, lived in Pine township, Allegheny Co., Pa., where he was engaged in farming. His wife bore the maiden name of Nancy Hood. They had children as follows: Mar- tha, who married Benjamin Breedon; Wil- liam; John; George; Louisa, who married John Wallace, and Emerson.

George Logan was born in 1826, and died in 1865. He married Martha' Nickeulson, daughter of Joseph and Mary Nickeulson, and she resides at Manorville, Armstrong Co., Pa., aged (1913) eighty-four years. She and her husband had one child who grew to maturity, Samuel M.

Samuel M. Logan was born Jan. 13, 1857, at Manorville, in Manor township, Armstrong county, and when thirteen years old began learning marble cutting, following that trade at East Brady, Braddock and Leechburg, to which place he came about 1891. He em- barked in business in the last named town, and is now doing a large amount of first-class work. He married Ida Sedwick, daughter of John Sedwick, of East Brady.

course at the Eckels College of Embalming and Sanitary Science, in Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in March, 1910. He located in Leechburg on April 21st of the same year, and has firmly established himself in the confidence of the people. In addition to having a fully equipped establishment, he is well fitted for his work not only by train- ing, but because of his tactful nature, which enables him to prove a friend indeed to those who require his professional services. Mr. Logan belongs to Leechburg Lodge, No. 577, F. & A. M., the Odd Fellows, and the local order of Elks. The Presbyterian Church holds his membership.

GEORGE H. CLEVER, a farmer resid- In 1888 Mr. Martin was married to Isa- bella Mckinley, a native of Armstrong county, daughter of James and Isabella ing in Wayne township, Armstrong Co., Pa., and a veteran of the great Civil war, was born Oct. 17, 1840, on the farm on which he (Dinsmore) Mckinley, both of whom were lives, which is situated near the town of Belk- natives of Ireland. Mrs. Martin died in nap. He is a son of Joseph and a grandson 1889, at the age of thirty-four years. She of Henry Clever, or Cleaver, the spelling used left no children.

by some branches of the family.

Henry Clever came from east of the Alle- gheny mountains and settled in Westmoreland county, Pa., where he remained for some time. Later in life he moved to Armstrong county, locating near Echo, where he resided until his death. His children bore the fol- lowing names : Henry, Michael, Daniel, Jacob, Joseph and Christian, the last named marry- ing a member of the Houser family.

Joseph Clever, son of Henry Clever and father of George H., was born in Westmore- land county, in 1800, and on coming to Arm- strong county settled in Wayne township, first living near Echo and soon after purchas- ing a farm of 300 acres near Belknap, which at that time was mainly timberland. The clearing of this land was a great undertaking, but he went at it bravely and spent the rest of his life here, his death occurring Sept. 22, 1865, when he was aged sixty-five years; he was buried in the Concord Church ceme- tery. He had donated two and a quarter acres to this church for cemetery purposes and had served on the building committee that erected the first church edifice, in 1842. He was a strict Presbyterian and was one of the founders of the church in his section, donating the use of his log barn for the first church exercises. Joseph Clever married Margaret Gould, who was born in 1811 and died Oct. 7, 1884, a daughter of John and Mary Gould, the former of whom died Feb. 27, 1862, when aged seventy-three years, nine

Chester A. Logan is the only son of his parents. He attended the local schools of Leechburg, Grove City College and Elders Ridge Academy, following which he took a months; the latter died in 1887, when aged

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ninety-eight years. To Joseph Clever and his wife the following children were born: John; Mary Jane, who married David Zimmerman ; Robert; Joseph; George H .; Margaret, who married Jacob Rupp; Catherine, who married John M. Fleming; Christiana, who married Michael Smith; David G .; and Elizabeth, who died young.

George H. Clever obtained his education in the district schools and remained assisting his PETER KERR, superintendent of the Kittanning district for the T. W. Phillips Gas & Oil Company, is the first to hold that posi- tion in this field, which includes Indiana, Jef- ferson and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania. father until 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering Company K, 155th Pa. Vol. Inf., which was attached to the Army of the Potomac. His period of service cov- ered the remaining years of the great struggle He is a native of Armstrong county, born at Worthington, March 26, 1860, son of Peter and Rachel (Henry) Kerr. The father was born in Scotland, in 1814, and came to America before his marriage, when twenty- two years old. Until 1849 he was engaged principally as a boatman on the Allegheny river, and he was afterward engaged at farm- ing in Worthington, this county, where he died at the age of ninety-two years; he is and during this time he participated in many of the most important land battles, including the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Fredericks- burg, Gettysburg, Appomattox Court House, and numerous others. On Oct. 1, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of corporal, for gallant conduct. When the war closed Mr. Clever returned home and continued to give his father assistance until the latter's death, since when he has operated a part of the buried in the Worthington cemetery. He was farm for himself and on his portion has erected all the substantial buildings now in evidence. In addition to its agricultural pos- sibilities his farm has valuable coal deposits and gas. On his property is the highest ele- vation in Armstrong county and during the Civil war it was made use of for flag signal work, as on a clear day it is possible to see into eight of the surrounding counties from this point.

Mr. Clever married Lavina Rupp, a daugh- ter of Adam and Rosanna (Hartzel) Rupp, and eleven children were born to them, as fol- lows: John, who lives in Clarion county, Pa .; Harvey and Jessie M., both of whom are de- ceased; Bertram, who lives at Apollo, Pa .; George, who is a resident of Wayne township; Rosie, who married Bert Cunningham; Mc- Cleod, who lives in Wayne township; Maude, who married Forest Stasey ; Matilda, who married Wilson Reesman; Pearl, who died young ; and Oscar, who lives at Templeton, Pa. Mr. Clever and his family are members of the Concord Presbyterian Church, which he has served both as treasurer and trustee. In his political views he is a Democrat and for twelve years he was a school director in the independent school district, and at pres- ent is overseer of the poor in Wayne town- ship. He is not only a well-known but an important citizen.

1862, and is a farmer in Wayne township. He married Julia A. Thomas, a daughter of Jacob R. and Lucy A. (Rumbaugh) Thomas, and they have had the following children: Joseph (deceased), Miles E., Iona M., Margaret L., Clyde (deceased), Florence Irene, Kosciusko (deceased), Vesta, Noama Ruth, Henry I. and Laura C.

a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and a Republican in politics, in which he took an active interest. It is worthy of note that the two brothers who settled with him at Worthington, William and Nevin, twins, out- lived him, William dying at the age of ninety- five years and the latter at the age of ninety- seven. At first they held their land in com- mon, but it was afterward equally divided. Their father came to America in 1860, and lived with them at Worthington until his death, which occurred when he was ninety- three years old. All are buried in the Worth- ington cemetery. They were progressive men, and about 1870, when the field at Oil City was opened, became engaged to some extent in oil operations. They were all members of the United Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Rachel (Henry) Kerr, wife of Peter Kerr, Sr., was born in Ireland, and was three years old when brought to America. She died at the age of seventy-four years. To Mr. and Mrs. Kerr were born four sons and one daugh- ter, of which family three still survive.

Peter Kerr, fourth child in the family of Peter and Rachel (Henry) Kerr, was brought up at Worthington, where he received a com- mon school education, attending until sixteen years old. In 1900 he entered the employ of the T. W. Phillips Gas & Oil Company, pre- vious to which time he had had a varied ex- perience in different oil fields of Pennsylvania.

DAVID G. CLEVER, son of Joseph and broth- er of George H. Clever, was born April 20, In his present capacity he opened the Kittan-

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ning office, and his services with this concern have been highly satisfactory. He sold his homestead in 1909.

In 1884 Mr. Kerr married Emma Herron, and they have four children : Thomas H., Nora G., Arthur J. and Mary Bell. Mr. and Mrs. Kerr lived at Worthington until 1906, when they removed to Kittanning, and in 1908 he erected the home at No. 613 Woodward ave- nue, Wickboro, which they have since occu- pied. He is a member of the United Presby- terian Church, and in politics has been asso- ciated with the Washington party, but he has never held office or taken an active part in such affairs.

ALBERT GIBSON, a veteran of the Civil war who has long been a resident of Bethel township, Armstrong county, made an hon- orable record during his army service and has made an equally creditable showing as a priv- ate citizen. ' He is a well-to-do farmer, and an esteemed member of the community where he resides.

and eventually reached the fort at Pittsburgh. He married again, and had children.

Israel Gibson, son of the above, was born in Crawford county, Pa., and came to But- ler county, this State, in its pioneer days. There he married a Miss Gerty, and they had three sons, Hugh, Thomas and Simon D.

Simon D. Gibson, born in Butler county, went to Pittsburgh to learn the trade of blacksmith, which he always followed, gaining the reputation of being the best machine black- smith in the country. He made the first bolt and irons for the first rolling mills at Kittan- ning (for Brown, Gates & Mosgrove), now the Kittanning Iron & Steel Works. He was. a large, powerful man, weighing 214 pounds, with a breast measure of fifty-six inches. His wife, Susan (McClelland), never weighed over IIO pounds. She was born in Ireland, daugh- ter of Robert McClelland, and died in Decem- ber, 1893, having survived her husband many years. His death occurred in 1859, when he was fifty-four years old. They had a family of seven children, three sons and four daugh- ters, three of whom survive at this writing: Margaret T., wife of Jacob Younkins, of North Buffalo township; Susan, who married Jefferson Jeffries, of New Kensington, Pa .; and Albert S.

Albert S. Gibson was about eight years old when he came with his parents to Kittanning, where he attended school until 1854. Then his father bought a farm in North Buffalo township, where the boy remained for some time, helping with the work and also finding employment on keelboats on the river, hauling ore to Pittsburgh, and rafting on the Clarion river, and on Toby creek, until he entered the army.

Mr. Gibson was born May 1, 1840, in Pitts- burgh, Pa., son of Simon D. Gibson, and is of English descent. His great-grandfather came to this country from England with his first wife, and settled near Meadville, Pa. The Indians attacked them, killing and scalping the wife, who was engaged in milking the cow at the time, and took him prisoner. Three times he was tied to the stake for torture, but something always prevented the savages from carrying out their intentions. The third time the fire had been started around him when he prayed to the Lord, promising to fast and pray one day every year, and read the Bible, if he were released. A thundershower coming up suddenly put out the fire, and the Indians On Sept. II, 1861, Mr. Gibson enlisted at Kittanning in Company K, 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Col. William Sirwell, was sworn in at that place, and saw an unusual amount of active service in the three years and more of his service in the Union army. He was in the Atlanta campaign, and at the battle of New Hope Church was shot in the body, the bullet lodging against his spine, where it still remains. He was again wounded, at the battle of Stone River, in the ankle. He fought at La Vergne, Tenn., was at the bat- tle of Chickamauga, and took part in numer- ous skirmishes, doing his duty faithfully on every occasion until he received his honor- able discharge at Kittanning Nov. 4, 1864. True to every obligation as a soldier, he did After the war Mr. Gibson rafted and piloted deciding that the "great spirit" did not want him burned released him. Then they adopted him into the tribe. Later they tested him to see if he would remain with them. The chief had lost a valuable horse and Gibson was given a day's rations and told to go find the animal. He knew he would be watched, so at evening he returned. The second day he was given two days' rations, and again re- turned. Then he got three days' rations, and walked to the river pretending to look for tracks of the lost horse, yet knowing that con- cealed in the underbrush stealthily following were the Indians. But when he had journeyed a considerable distance along the river bank he suddenly jumped in, and by diving and his full share in preservation of the Union. swimming under water eluded the Indians,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

on the streams before mentioned, never en- gaging in farming until he settled on his pres- ent property, a valuable place of 115 acres in Bethel township, which shows' the intelligent care of a thrifty, up-to-date farmer. His suc- cessful methods have entitled him to rank among the progressive agriculturists of his section.

On April 19, 1892, Mr. Gibson was married to Sarah E. Brown, of Armstrong county, and they have two children, one son and one daughter: Edith Viola, born Nov. 11, 1893, and Robert C., who was born Jan. 20, 1896. Mrs. Gibson is a daughter of Thomas F. and Mary C. (Claypoole) Brown, of North Buf- falo township.

Mr. Gibson was a charter member of North Buffalo Post, G. A. R., and is now a member of John Croll Post, of Kittanning. He also belongs to the P. O. S. of A., Washington Camp, No. 696.

LEVI F. CRISMAN, who farms the old Peter Fair place in Washington township, is a member of the fourth generation of his family to live in Armstrong county, where he was born Feb. 21, 1857, in Madison township. Frederick Crisman, his great-grandfather, came to this region from east of the moun- tains and located in what was then Sugar Creek (now Washington) township, on land still owned by the family, obtaining about two hundred acres. There he reared his family and continued to live until his death. He was of German extraction.

John Crisman, son of Frederick, remained all his life on part of his father's homestead, and became quite prominent in the locality, holding various local offices. In politics he was a Republican. He and his wife Cath- erine had a family of ten children: Philip, Esther, Lavina, Frederick, Eliza, Hamilton, John, Catherine, and Henry and Adam, twins.

Frederick Crisman, son of John, was born March 20, 1838, on the home farm, where he grew to manhood. He settled on a farm in Washington township and followed agricul- tural pursuits throughout his active years. He now lives among his children, his wife having died Aug. 23, 1901. Her maiden name was Catherine Crisman, and she was born in 1838. Mr. Crisman served in the Civil war, and he has been a Republican from the early days of the party. He has never taken any active part in public affairs. To Mr. and Mrs. Cris- man were born fourteen children, ten sons and four daughters, whose names and dates of birth are as follows : Levi F., Feb. 21, 1857 ;

Sarah Jane, July 10, 1858; Adson Somerville, Aug. 10, 1860; John Walter, Jan. 21, 1862; Malissa May, July 9, 1864; Henry McClure, July 14, 1866; Frederick Ross, May 6, 1868; Laura Luella, April 9, 1872; Charles Calvin and Edward Alvin, twins, Aug. 26, 1874; Wil- liam Harrison, Oct. 9, 1877; James Burt, Oct. 18, 1879; Jesse Merril, Jan. 12, 1882; May Priscilla, May 15, 1885 (died when eighteen months old).

Levi F. Crisman lived in his native township, Madison, until he was a youth of fifteen or sixteen, meantime attending the common schools and assisting with the work at home. Then he accompanied his parents to Clarion county, this State, where he remained until twenty-one years old, at which time he went to McKean county, Pa. He was there for five years, working in the oil fields, and from there came to Washington township, Armstrong county, locating on a farm. He worked for Mr. Wilkinson five years, and then bought a piece of ground in the township, near Mahon- ing. After a residence of seven years thereon he came to his present home in Washington township, the old Peter Fair homestead, hav- ing sixty-eight acres where he carries on gen- eral farming most successfully. He is a good business man and an excellent manager, and has found his work very profitable. Mr. Cris- man has served his township as overseer of the poor, giving the highest satisfaction to his fellow citizens in the discharge of his duties as such. In politics he is a Republican.

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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 65

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