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 68
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MARTIN MOORE, a farmer of Cowan- shannock township, Armstrong county, was born near Connellsville, Fayette Co., Pa., April 19, 1840, son of John and Lydia (Varnes) Moore.
John Moore was born in Germany, and when he was ten years of age started with his parents for the United States, but they died on the voyage, John Moore being the only survivor. Although his passage money had been paid, as the lad had no friends to pro- tect him unscrupulous people made him work to pay it a second time, and for years he had a hard time. Later he secured employment at the DuPont Powder Works in Delaware, and eventually came to Fayette county, Pa., where he married a young woman who was a native of the county. In 1851 he settled in Cow- anshannock township, Armstrong county, buy- ing a farm of 100 acres, and the following year bought one of 127 acres, now owned and operated by his sons Martin and Ross. With the assistance of his children he cleared these properties and died at his homestead in 1870. His children who grew to maturity were: Martin; Samuel, now deceased; John, de- ceased; Ross; Mary (deceased), who was the wife of Joseph Davis; and Sally (deceased) who married Erastus Jewart.
Martin Moore, son of John Moore, was a soldier in the Civil war, in 1861, in Company A, 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Col. William Sirwell, and participated in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and all the important engage- ments in the Atlanta campaign, being honor- ably discharged from the army at Kittanning after three years' service in defense of his country. Politically he is a Republican. He is a man of high principles, and is respected by all with whom he is brought into contact.
DANIEL SMITH, who was a prosperous farmer of Plum Creek township, Armstrong county, was a native of that township, born Feb. 26, 1852. He was a son of Absalom and Susanna (Mulberger) Smith, the former a native of Plum Creek township, Armstrong county, the latter born in Center county, Pa. Absalom Smith always followed farming. Of his three children, one son and one daughter survive.
Daniel Smith received his education in the public schools of his home locality, and he was reared to farming, which vocation he followed all his life in Plum Creek township. He was one of the trusted men of his town- ship, which he served in a public capacity as tax collector for nine years.
On July 2, 1873, Mr. Smith married Sus- anna Yount, of Plum Creek township, daugh- ter of David Yount, farming people, who had a family of ten children, six of whom are living. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, namely: Minnie resides at home; Clara Belle married Chalmer George, who is an employee of the People's Gas Com- pany, and they have five children, three sons and two daughters, Duke, Cecil, Harold, Hazel and Margaret S .; Mary married Prof. R. C. Gibson, of Leechburg, who teaches in the Allegheny high school, and they have one child, Kenneth, born in August, 1910; Mar- garet married Jesse Ritchey, a roller in the mill at Vandergrift, Pa .; Blair, who is em- ployed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Pittsburgh, married Iva Faith, of Kittan- ning township, Armstrong county, and they have one child, a son, born in May, 1912; Lloyd died when four years old.
Mr. Smith lived on his farm until his death, which occurred Jan. 10, 1903. His widow subsequently sold the place and moved to Elderton, where she has since had her home. The family are Lutherans in religious con- nection.
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
JAMES M. RITCHEY, mine foreman, who lives in Rayburn township, Armstrong county, is a descendant of one of the old fam- ilies of this region. He was born at Tem- pleton, Armstrong county, in 1864, son of Alexander and Anna (Bowser) Ritchey.
William Ritchey, his grandfather, died July 2, 1859. The date of his birth is not known. He married . Nancy Kennedy, who was born July 4, 1796, and died March 14, 1861, and to them was born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters.
Alexander Ritchey, son of William and Nancy (Kennedy) Ritchey, was born Oct. 6, 1829, and died Sept. 3, 1898. He married Adeline, wife of B. Linnett; Mathias; Lizzie, Mrs. Anna (Bowser) Price, who was born married to M. Linnett; John; Charles; Cora, and Ollie. March 4, 1830, and survives him, now mak- Joseph; Maggie, wife of John Sterner ; Annie ; ing her home with her daughter in Kittanning. By her first marriage, to James Price, she had four children: Charles, John Allen, Almira WILLIAM T. HEILMAN, a farmer of Manor township, was born April 5, 1859, in Kittanning township, Armstrong county, son of William and Margaret (Iseman) Heilman. The father was a farmer all his life. and one that died in infancy. By her union with Mr. Ritchey there were two children, James M. and Anna, the latter Mrs. H. Thompson, of the borough of Kittanning.
James M. Ritchey is engaged as mine fore- man. He has been a useful citizen of his com- munity, having served Rayburn township seven years in the office of school director. Fraternally he belongs to the Order of Moose, holding membership in Lodge No. 13, of Kit- tanning.
Mr. Ritchey has a family of four children, namely : Ray, Maud, Sarah and James.
PETER FOX, a much respected citizen of Mahoning township, Armstrong county, has lived on his present farm there for thirty years and has been a resident of the county for forty years. He is a native of Germany, born June 29, 1834, in Hessen-Darmstadt, son of John and Elizabeth (Kline) Fox, who came to the United States in 1839, settling in Elk town- ship, Clarion Co:, Pa. The father engaged in farming there, purchasing a tract of fifty-five acres which he cleared and improved, and upon which he passed the remainder of his Socially Mr. Heilman belongs to the Royal Arcanum and the Independent Americans. life, dying there. He reared a family of seven children : One son, who was a soldier in the His religious home is in the Presbyterian Civil war, and died on the old homestead in September, 1911 ; Peter; Elizabeth, who mar- ried F. Black; John, deceased; Jacob; Mary, who married John Weist ; and Balzer. Church, he having held membership for a number of years in the Appleby Manor Me- morial Church. The Heilman and Iseman families are very well known in Armstrong county, and there are many members of both numbered among the representative citizens here.
Peter Fox lived on the paternal farm in Elk township, Clarion county, during his early years. After reaching his majority he was employed about iron works at various places, at Madison Furnace, in Clarion county, at Pat- rick Carr Furnace, Stewarton, Fayette county,
and at Colwell Furnace, in Armstrong county ; for eleven years he was employed at the Brady's Bend Iron Works in this county. Thirty years ago he settled on the farm of sixty-nine and a half acres in Mahoning town- ship where he has ever since made his home and engaged in farming. He is an industrious, thrifty man, of upright character and steady habits, and in religious connection a Roman Catholic. In politics he has been associated with the Democratic party.
In 1859 Mr. Fox married Mary Fasenmyer, daughter of Balzer Fasenmyer, of Clarion county, and they have ten living children, viz. :
William T. Heilman attended public school in Bethel township, this county, following with a course in a commercial college at Kit- tanning, from which he was graduated in 1884. He then began farming, and has fol- lowed this line of work ever since, with con- siderable profit, on the farm he now occu- pies.
On Nov. 5, 1886, Mr. Heilman married Anna L. Montgomery, and the following chil- dren were born to them: Clara, born Nov. 23, 1887, died in infancy; Ray M., born in 1888, educated in the Ford City high school, is now clerk for the Park Bank, of St. Joseph, Mo. (he married Blanch Malone, and they had two children, Ira M. and Louisa L., twins, born Feb. II, 19II, the mother dying on April 5th of the same year) ; Glen was born in 1889; Russell, in 1893; Harold, in 1895; Thomas B., born in 1899, died in in- fancy ; Anna L. was born in 1909.
CLAYTON D. WEST, of Leechburg, Armstrong county, is a native of Westmore-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
land county, Pa., born June II, 1874, son of an opener, and by application and industry be- Samuel M. West. Adam West, his grand- came a skilled worker, advancing until he be- father, was a shoemaker, and followed that trade throughout his life, dying in Pennsylva- nia in 1843. His wife, Sarah, survived him for many years, dying in 1876. They had eight children, of whom Samuel M. West is now the only survivor.
Samuel M. West was born Jan. 23, 1841, in Westmoreland county. After his father's death he was reared by an aunt, with whom he lived until he entered the Union service during the Civil war. He had a public school education. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Company C, 4th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cav- alry, joined his regiment at Harrisburg, Pa., and from there was sent with his command to Washington, D. C., where it was placed under the leadership of General Mcclellan. Mr. West became first sergeant. He saw active service in sixty-seven engagements, taking part in the battles of Malvern Hill; White Oak Swamp; Gettysburg, where the activity of his regiment prevented General Stuart making his proposed connection with the other Confederate forces; Antietam, where the 4th Pennsylvania was part of the advance guard (in that engagement the brave Colonel Childs was killed; while the battle was in progress Mr. West was one of those detailed to give care to the wounded and dying) ; and the Wilderness. Mr. West reenlisted, in the same company and regiment in which he served out his first term, and after the surrender of Lee his regiment went into camp at Lynchburg, Va., where it lay until honorably discharged, July 13, 1865. Returning home, Mr. West was married, Oct. 26, 1865, in Westmore- land county, to Margaret Townsend. Four sons and one daughter were born to them: Carrie Isabel, Robert T., Harry H., Clayton D. and Elmore Murray.
After his marriage Mr. West followed farming in Pennsylvania and Virginia, until he moved to his present home, in Apollo, where he is now living retired. During the early part of his residence there he engaged in the teaming and draying business, con- tinuing same until 1907, when failing health induced him to relinquish active life. He is a member of Whitworth Post, No. 89, G. A. R. In politics he is a Republican, and for nine years served as constable at Apollo.
came a sheet roller. In 1903 he moved to the borough of Leechburg, where he has since been in the employ of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Company as sheet roller, proving himself a competent and thoroughly reliable worker. He owns a fine home on Main street in the borough, and is considered one of the substantial citizens of that place. He is a member of the local lodge of Elks and of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is identi- fied with the Republican party.
Mr. West married Elsie B. Heck, and they have two children, Audrey and Clarence D.
FRANK C. SCHRECENGOST, who has successfully conducted a livery at Rural Val- ley for the last ten years and more, belongs to a family which has been represented in Armstrong county for several generations. The family is of German origin, the first of his ancestors to come to America, Jacob (known as Yock) Schrecengost, having been a native of Germany. He settled in eastern Pennsylvania.
Conrad (or Coonrod) Schrecengost, Sr., son of Jacob, also born in Germany, was the great-grandfather of Frank C. Schrecengost. He came early to America, with his father, and lived for some time in Berks or Bucks county, Pa., removing west to what is now Armstrong county in the latter part of the eighteenth century. He purchased land in Kittanning (what is now Valley) township, and not only followed agricultural pursuits, but also mechanical work, being a gunsmith by trade. He could use a gun as well as make one, and was a noted hunter in his day. His death occurred at his homestead. He was a Federalist in politics and in religious belief a Lutheran, being a member of the church. His wife, formerly a Miss Zortman, was like himself a native of Germany. Of their nine children, six sons and three daughters, we have record of three sons: Coonrod, Jr., who married Susanna Oury; John; and Daniel.
Daniel Schrecengost, son of Coonrod, was born in what is now Valley township, where he passed most of his life. He cleared and improved a farm there, and for many years also kept a tavern at the old "Stone House" on the Kittanning pike. In his later life he removed to Rural Valley, remaining there until his death. He was a thrifty, industrious and prosperous man, followed his trade of
Clayton D. West attended public school during his youth, in the locality of the home farm, and was reared to agricultural pursuits, being thus. employed until seventeen years of age. He then entered the mill at Apollo, as gunsmith as well as farming and tavern-keep-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ing, and acquired the ownership of three hun- dred acres in his native township. He was a stanch Republican and active in the work of his party in this locality, at one time being its candidate for sheriff of Armstrong county. For several years he held the office of con- stable. He was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Mr. Schrecengost married Mary Crum, whose father was a German farmer of Plum Creek township, this county, and they had a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters: Emanuel Z., who was three times married, his wives being Sarah Hartman, An- nie McCurdy and Mary Richards, respect- ively ; Zephaniah C., of Plumville, who mar- ried Sarah Houser; Solomon S., who served during the Civil war (in 1864-65) in the army of the Potomac; Daniel W., of Indiana, Pa., who married Mary Ohlinger (he enlisted in Company M., 139th Pennsylvania Volunteers and served until the close of the Civil war; he was wounded in the battle of the Wilder- ness) ; Aaron C .; Margaret, who married Samuel Stoops; Mary, deceased; and Isa- bella.
Aaron C. Schrecengost was reared in his native township, and received his education in the public schools of the home locality. When he began life for himself he engaged as a huckster in Rural Valley and later he em- barked in the hotel business there, conduct- ing the "Travelers' Home" for several years. Then he commenced to do business as a ma- son contractor, in which line he continued until his death, July 12, 1904, when he was sixty-two years of age. He was a member of the M. E. Church, and a Republican in political opinion. On Dec. 20, 1877, Mr. Schrecengost married Catherine Hill, daugh- ter of John and Catherine (Hill) Hill, of Cowanshannock township. Eight children were born to them, namely: Alice, Walter G., Frank C., John A., Jeannette M., Mayme R., Harry T., and Edna Pearl.
Frank C. Schrecengost was born Dec. 16, 1881, in Rural Valley, where he grew up and obtained his education, attending public school. In 1902 he embarked in the livery business, in which he still continues, his estab- lishment commanding a steady patronage. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and socially belongs to the Fraternal Order of Eagles and to the Foresters. Politically he is a Republi- can. He is one of the substantial young busi- ness men of the town, and enjoys high stand- ing in all the relations of life.
HENRY L. C. SCHRECONGOST (de- ceased), who was a prosperous farmer in Wayne township, Armstrong county, for a number of years prior to his death, was born in 1858 and died in 1905.
Henry John Schrecongost, his father, was born in Cowanshannock township, Armstrong county, Pa., and eventually moved to Valley township, this county, where he bought a farm upon which he resided for some time. He then bought the farm in Wayne township, near Echo, upon which he spent the remainder of his life, dying there. To him and his wife Sarah (Kline), daughter of George Kline, were born these children: George, Henry L. C., Hannah, Mary, Susan, Della and Katie.
Henry L. C. Schrecongost lived and died upon his farm in Wayne township, where he owned a tract of 121 acres near Echo. He was a well and favorably known man in his community, where he commanded the highest respect of all who knew him. He married Minerva Jennie McIntire, daughter of George McIntire, and the following children were born to them: Charles K., Florence L. (wife of Harry Craig), Zora B., Henrietta (de- ceased), Burton J. F. and Bertha E. (twins), Ida F. and Sarah E. Mrs. Schrecongost con- tinues to make her residence at the homestead with her family.
William McIntire, grandfather of Mrs. Jen- nie Schrecongost, lived in Armstrong county. He married a Miss Steffey, and their children were : John, George, Joseph, William and Stephen. After Mr. McIntire's death his widow married a Mr. Spence, by whom she had Thomas, Augustus and Elmira.
George McIntire, son of William, was born in Armstrong county, and settled in Cowan- shannock township, near Echo, remaining there until his death, in 1892, at the age of sixty-two years. He was a blacksmith by oc- cupation. His wife, Mary A. (McIntire). died in August, 1872. They had. children as follows: Mary C., who married Jacob K. Milliron and (second) Wesley Neal; Ange- line, who married Benjamin T. Geiger ; John A .; Minerva Jennie, Mrs. Henry L. C. Schre- congost; Joseph H., a farmer of Cowanshan- nock township, who married Lela Travis ; and Hannah E., who married O. S. Marshall, an attorney at law, located at Rural Valley, Arm- strong county.
John A. McIntire, son of George, was born Sept. 3, 1858, and learned the blacksmith's trade, which he follows, his business being lo- cated at Echo. He married Sarah A. Beck, daughter of Simon Beck, of Echo, and they
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
have had the following children: Wilda I., now the wife of Curtis E. Bouser (they have a son, Laird E.) ; Minnie, now the wife of George C. Schrecongost (they have children, Sarah R. and Ruby E.) ; Laura M .; Mabel A., who died in infancy; Olive R .; Delvert J .; Hazel L., and Lavern S.
On her mother's side Mrs. Schrecongost is a granddaughter of John McIntire, who was of Scotch-Irish descent. He removed to Arm- strong county from Westmoreland county, and purchased a large farm near Echo, in Wayne township, passing the remainder of his life there, engaged in farming. His children were: John, who became a Methodist min- ister ; Daniel S., who married Martha Lias, and died in 1893; Alexander, who died in Kansas ; Altman, who died in Adams county, Ohio; Mary A., who married George McIn- tire, and died in Echo; and Catherine, who married John Wilson, and died in Westmore- land county, Pennsylvania.
A. L. COULTER, a farmer of Kiskimin- etas township, Armstrong county, was born Oct. 12, 1847, in that township, son of Alex- ander and Leah (Fowler) Coulter.
Alexander Coulter was a native of Ireland, and his wife of Pennsylvania. He came to the United States in 1820. By trade he was a stonemason and contractor, and he owned and operated a fine farm of 200 acres in South Bend township, this county, where his death occurred in 1893. The Lutheran Church held his membership, in which he was prominent as he was in outside life. He and his wife had fourteen children, six of whom survive, A. L. being the fifth in order of birth.
residence was built in 1897, while his barn was put up in 1903. He is a good general farmer, and has succeeded very well in his. efforts. Possessing a happy, genial nature, he makes friends easily, and enjoys meeting his old comrades at the meetings of the G. A. R. post. Both he and his wife belong to the Lutheran Church at Springchurch (post- office), and he is a deacon of this organiza- tion. Politically he is a Democrat.
On Jan. 7, 1873, Mr. Coulter was married, in Armstrong county, to Matilda A. Mc- Kinstry, daughter of William Mckinstry. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter became the parents of thirteen children: William A., James B., El- der E., Arthur F., Bertha I. (Mrs. C. E. Frederick), Clifton A., Alva B. (Mrs. W. R. Beatty) and Emily, all living, and Norman H., Myrtle Grace, Edward, Bessie and S. S.
WILLIAM H. MORROW, proprietor of the "Commercial Hotel" at Ford City, Arm- strong county, has been engaged in the hotel business for a number of years and has been a resident of his present town since 1907. He was born in 1872 at Apollo, this county, son of John and Mary J. (Brenner) Morrow.
John Morrow, the father, was born and reared in Westmoreland county, Pa., and lo- cated at Apollo about 1870, there engaging in the flour milling business. About 1874 he removed to Manor Station, Westmoreland county, where he carried on the general mer- cantile business for several years. He died in 1905. Of his family of five children, two died in infancy, the others being: Eva, wife of L. D. Warock; Elizabeth, wife of A. B. Perrine, and William H.
A. L. Coulter attended school until his sixteenth year, when he enlisted, in 1864, in William H. Morrow attended public school at Manor Station and later became a pupil at Company B, IIth Pennsylvania Volunteer In- the Greensburg Academy. When a young fantry, and served until the close of the strug- gle. Following this service he enlisted in the regular army, Company B, 25th United States Regular Troops, and was promoted to the rank of corporal. Mr. Coulter participated in many hard-fought battles during the Civil war, being in the engagements at Weldon man he engaged in the grocery business at Manor Station, continuing same for about four years, after which he became clerk of the "Chambers Hotel" at Apollo, remaining there two years. He then went to Kittanning, where he was clerk of the "Alexander Hotel" for one year. In 1898 he enlisted for service Railroad, Boydton, White Oak, Fire Lake, the in the Spanish-American war, becoming a member of Company G, 16th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until the close, being mustered out in 1899. His first position after- ward was with the Pittsburg Plate Glass Com- pany, at Ford City, and after a time in their employ he went to Kittanning and took the position of clerk in the "Citizens Hotel" for
. capture of Petersburg, and Appomattox Court House, when General Lee surrendered. After Mr. Coulter was discharged from the regular service he came back to his old home, where his father was still living, and a little later married. Following his marriage he began farming, buying 109 acres of land four miles southeast of Apollo, on which property he has a short time. He next became clerk of the resided ever since. His present comfortable
"Scheeren Hotel" at Ford City, being thus
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
engaged until 1907, when he bought the garet (Beck) Doverspike, of Mahoning town- "Commercial Hotel" at that place, which he ship, and granddaughter of John Doverspike, who settled in what is now Mahoning town- ship in 1816; he is known to have lived on what is now the Clarion county side of Red Bank creek as early as 1805. has since conducted. The building is a sub- stantial brick structure three stories in height, has thirty-four guest rooms, and Mr. Mor- row has furnished and equipped his establish- ment in most creditable style. It is con- To Mr. and Mrs. Kells were born eight children, five of whom grew to maturity : Clark, now deceased; John; George; Iva C., and Ira. sidered one of the model up-to-date hotels of Armstrong county, and he has made an excel- lent reputation for business ability by his suc- cess in its management. He is well known fraternally, belonging to the B. P. O. Elks at Kittanning, to the Royal Arcanum at Taren- tum, Pa., and to the Order of Eagles.
In 1899 Mr. Morrow was married to Pearl A. Utley, daughter of Nelson Utley.
HUGH C. KELLS, late of Mahoning town- ship, Armstrong county, one of the progres- sive farmers of that section, belonged to old pioneer stock of this part of Pennsylvania on both sides, his paternal grandfather, Ralph Kells, having been a pioneer farmer in West- moreland county, and his maternal grand- father, William Beatty, a pioneer in Indiana county. Both were natives of Ireland. Ralph Kells married Jane Humes.
Ralph Kells, son of Ralph and Jane (Humes) Kells, was born near Youngstown, Westmoreland county, Pa., and in 1855 set- tled in Wayne township, Armstrong county, where he cleared and improved a tract of 175 acres. He died on a farm adjoining his home- stead, at the age of seventy-five years. He married Margaret Beatty, and they had the following children : Jane, who married George Sloan; Clamenza, who married Solomon Long; Mary, who married Henry Rugh ; Rob- ert ; Andrew, and Hugh C.
reliable residents of his community, where he was honored with election to various public offices, having served acceptably as assessor and school director. In politics he was as- sociated with the Republican party. He was a member of the Lutheran Church at Eddy- ville. Mr. Kells' death occurred April 19, property, has three gas wells there in opera- 1913.
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