USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 37
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Shepard B. Markle, Jr., was seriously crip- pled for life by a fall which happened when he was eighteen months old. This fall, together with his physician's orders to take continuous
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exercise, prevented his entering upon any ex- tended course of study at school. At an early age he became his father's business manager and has been engaged in active business ever since. He introduced into Sewickley township the first registered Jersey cattle ever brought into Westmoreland county. Ile is successfully op- erating the steam paper-mill which was erected in 1827 near the site of the frame paper-mill built in 1811 by Gen. Joseph Markle. The latter was the third paper-mill erected west of the Allegheny mountains.
On June 11, 1874, Mr. Markle united in marriage with Isabella, daughter of James P. and Jane K. (Moore) Carothers. Mrs. Markle was born in South Huntingdon township Octo- ber 18, 1852. She is the great-granddaughter of the Rev. James Power, a pioneer of Presby- terianism in western Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Markle have five children : Sarah A., Jane C., Maggie M., Mary E. and Cyrus Painter.
In politics Mr. Markle is a republican. He devotes his time at present to the management of his farm and paper-mill.
OHIN MILLIRON, an industrious citizen of West Newton and a lately established merchant of Rostraver township, was born at New Stanton, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 18, 1858, and is a son of Daniel and Catherine (Cole) Milliron. His paternal grand- father, John Milliron, was a resident of Stanton for many years. He was a blacksmith by occu- pation, a republican in politics and a lutheran in religious faith. His father, Daniel Milliron, who was born in 1834, lives in Sewickley town- ship, this county. IIe is a shoemaker by trade, a stanch republican and a member of the Ger- man Reformed church. In 1863 he enlisted in the sixty-second reg., Pa. Vols., served two and one-half years in the Army of the Potomac and was wounded in one of the battles of the Wilder- ness. In 1864 he married Catherine Cole, by
whom he had seven children. Her father, George Colo, resided until late in life near Mt. Pleasant. Ile moved to Irwin when well ad- vanced in years and in a short time thereafter migrated to Ohio where he died April, 1886, soon after his arrival. Ile was a republican and a member of the M. E. church.
John Milliron received a moderate education in the common schools of Mill Grove in Sewick- ley township, and learned the trade of shoemaker with his father. He worked at his trade and different kinds of labor until 1880, when he re- moved to West Newton and followed his trade for eight years. In the spring of 1888 he entered into the mercantile business and opened a store in Rostraver township, just across the Youghiogheny river from West Newton. He is now successfully operating both his store and shoe shop. He owns his store building besides his residence and a valuable lot in West Newton. Mr. Milliron is one who has never been idle and owes his prosperity to his own unaided but persistent efforts. He is a republican who gives his party a hearty support, and is a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
John Milliron was married on November 27, 1879, to Emma Burkhart, daughter of Albert Burkhart of Mill Grove. To their union has been born one child, a daughter, who is named Mamie Pearl Milliron.
LEXAMDER MORELAND, a brave soldier in the late great civil war and the proprietor of one of the leading livery establishments of West Newton, was born in county Down, Ireland, May 28, 1845, and is a son of John and Mary (Spratt) Moreland. His paternal grandfather, John Moreland, Sr., was a farmer in Ireland, where he lived and died. Ilis father, John Moreland, was born in 1800 and died in 1884. He was a strict pres- byterian, a farmer by occupation and never left his native island. Ile married Mary Spratt,
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whose father was a well-to-do farmer. Unto John and Mary Moreland were born ten chil- dren : William, John, Robert, Joseph, James (dead), Alexander, James A., Mary, Annie and Eliza. Of these children William, Joseph, John and Alexander came to America. Joseph served in the Fourth Pa. Cavalry in the late war, was captured at Waterloo in 1863 and was held prisoner at Andersonville until the war closed.
Alexander Moreland received his education in the schools of Ireland and immigrated to the United States in 1860. During that year he worked in Butler county, Pa., and in the suc- ceeding year (1861) he enlisted in Co. D, elev- enth Pa. Reserve Infantry. He participated in the battles of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Seven Days Fight and the Wilderness, and was honorably discharged at Pittsburg, Pa., June 13, 1864. He was shot through the leg at Fredericksburg and was unable for duty for thirteen weeks. At Gaines' Mill, September 27, 1862, he was captured by the Confederates and placed in " Libby Prison," where he re- mained for three months and twenty-seven days before he was exchanged. He was then sent to parole camp at Annapolis, Md., and rejoined his regiment in March, 1862. After the war closed Mr. Moreland engaged with Brice, Walker & Co., of Pittsburg, Pa., in the glass business and remained with them for nine years. He then visited the island home of his childhood. After one year spent in Ireland he returned to Penn- sylvania and served for eleven years as superin- tendent of C. Il. Armstrong's coal works. On April 1, 1889, Mr. Moreland removed to West Newton and embarked in the livery business. Ile has a large and conveniently arranged livery, sales and feed stable. He has a large and fine selected stock of horses, keeps excellent buggies and carriages and is rapidly building an exten- sive and paying trade.
IIe married Margaret Moore, a daughter of John Moore, who was a contractor of Pittsburg, l'a. She died, and on March 13, 1876, Mr.
Moreland united in marriage with Maggie Lattimore, daughter of John Lattimore, a Se- wickley township farmer, and sister to Robert Lattimore, a coal dealer of West Newton. By his second marriage he has one child : John L., born March 15, 1877.
Alexander Moreland is a republican. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Ile is an intelligent and useful citizen and is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
EONARD NAHAR, an industrious citi- zen, a skilled and successful tradesman and a prominent Odd Fellow of West Newton, is a son of John M. and Saloma (Zim- merman) Nahar, and was born in Germany, July 25, 1850. John M. Nahar was descended from a family which traced its ancestry away back into the early settlement of Germany. He was a blacksmith by occupation and served three years as a soldier in the " King's Guards." In 1851 he came to Philadelphia, this State, and worked in that city and various places throughout southeastern Pennsylvania for nearly two years. In 1853 he was joined by his wife and children, who came over from Germany in that year. He immediately removed with his family to Westmoreland county and located at West Newton, where he was employed on journey work during the remainder of his life. He died November 9, 1889, and was buried in West Newton cemetery. lle was a democrat and had served as councilman of his borough. He was an Odd Fellow and a member of the Lutheran church, in which he had held the offices of deacon and elder. IIe stood high in his community on account of his honesty and strict regard for truth and won the regard and good opinion of all who became acquainted with him. He was married to Zaloma Zimmerman, by whom he had twelve children, of whom five are dead. Mrs. Nahar is a worthy member of
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the Lutheran church and still resides at West Newton.
Leonard Nahar attended school in Sewickley township, this county, after his parents came to Westmoreland county. Leaving school he made choice of and learned the trade of blacksmith. In 1875 he removed to West Newton, where he engaged in blacksmithing and has continued ever since in that line of business.
On April 18, 1872, he was married to Mary Eudora Beeler, a daughter of William and Harriet Becler, of Webster, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Nahar have seven children : William M., born February 25, 1873; Leonard W., born July 4, 1875; Hattie G., born September 8, 1878; Charles C., born June 17, 1880; John M., born January 15, 1883; Alvey B., born September 15, 1885; and Saloma, born November 29, 1888.
Leonard Nahar is a democrat in politics and has been a member of the borough council for the last three years. He has acquired consider- able means by honest labor and good manage- ment and owns a nice property in the borough. Ile is a member of and has passed all the chairs in West Newton Lodge, No. 440, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Royal Purple Degree encampment member of the same order and belongs to West Newton Encampment, No. 275, of the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania.
J . OHIN NEWMAN, a substantial citizen and one of West Newton's successful business men, is a son of Henry and Maggie (Bepal) Newman and was born in Germany, June 27, 1842. Hlis grandparents on both sides of his house were natives and life-long residents of the " Fatherland." His father, Henry Newman, was born in 1807. He was reared to farming but soon turned his attention to the tailor trade which he learned and followed for several years. Hemarried Maggie Bepal, who was born in 1808; and they immigrated to this country in 1558.
They had five children, all of whom were born in Germany : Catharine, Gertrude, Elizabeth, John, and Casper. Catharine married John Strach, and they have two children ; Gertrude was mar- ried to Casper Deal and had six children; Elizabeth became the wife of Casper Decken- baugh and they had eight children ; John ; and Casper wedded Annie Bosswell who bore him five children. Henry Newman and his twin brother are both living and are now eighty-three years of age and enjoying remarkably good health.
John Newman received his education in the schools of Germany and learned the trade of butchering before leaving his native soil to ac- company his parents to the United States. Ile was for some time at Rochester, Pa., then re- moved to New Brighton and from there went to Pittsburg where he worked for several years. After his marriage he settled at Buena Vista, Westmoreland county, Pa., but shortly afterward removed to Shaner station. In 1868 he came to West Newton and has lived there ever since.
Hle was married November 16, 1864, to Eliza- beth Amsler whose parents live in Switzerland. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have ten children: Henry, who married Fannie Mallory, December 28, 1887, and resides at West Newton ; Mollie, Ida, Lizzie, Sadie, Alexander, John, Matilda, Cecelia and Elva.
John Newman has always been successful as a butcher and owns considerable property at West Newton. He has been a democrat ever since coming to this country. He is a devoted member of the Evangelical Lutheran church at West Newton, Pa., in which he has held the offices of deacon and elder. He is the worthy descendant of a sturdy, honorable and industrious race and has been successful in his various busi- ness ventures.
OHN OBLEY is a son of Timothy and Elizabeth (Eisle) Obley, and was born December 23, 1819, in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Empire of Germany. Adam Eisle,
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his maternal grandfather, a native of Germany, was a tailor by trade and came to an untimely end in his native land by drowning.
John Obley immigrated to America in the fall of 1810 and settled in West Newton, Westmore- land county, Pa., Both in the " Fatherland " and West Newton he was engaged in tailoring, which he continued until 1861 when the civil war began. Hle then volunteered his services for the suppression of the Rebellion and entered Co. F, 12th Pa. reserves and served until Feb- ruary, 1863, when he was mustered out of the service. He took part in the battle of Second Bull Run where he was taken prisoner and car- ried to Haymarket. Having been detained for some time as a prisoner of war he is consequently able to speak intelligently of the horrors of war both in the field and the dungeon. Mr. Obley is a republican and has served as member of the borough council. He has by diligence and fru- gality accumulated considerable property in West Newton.
John Obley married twice; his first wife was Adaline Price of Maryland. They had three children : Benjamin, Mary A. and Charles W. Benjamin is married to Susan Eisle and lives in West Newton, where he has a confection and notion store. Mary A. was married to Francis Roland who lived in West Newton, but was killed in the mines near there in 1887. Charles W., who is a painter, married Catherine Eisle and lives in the borough of West Newton. John Obley's second wife was Sadie Darr who has borne him two children : Edward and May.
ENRY A. OBLEY, one of the leading citizens and intelligent men of the county was born May 11, 1854, in West Newton, Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of Frederick and Susanna (Peters) Obley. His grandfather, Timothy Obley, was born January 19, 1793, in Wurtemburg, Germany, and immi- grated to the United States in 1840, locating at
West Newton, Pa., where he lived until his death. Before coming to America he married Elizabeth Eisle who bore him two daughters and three sons, of whom two (the daughters) are dead. Timothy Obley enlisted in the army of Wurtemberg on the 18th day of June, 1814, and was in actual military service until July 18, 1821, and was under obligation to serve an ad- ditional year if circumstances demanded it. II. A. Obley's grandfather (Peters) was of German descent though a native of Westmoreland county, Pa. Ile was a farmer and resided near Irwin, Pa., where he died. Frederick Obley (father) was born in Germany August 7, 1824, and came to America with his father. By trade he was a plasterer and mason and this business he continued to follow through life. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. F, eleventh reg. Pa. Vols., and served till the close of the war. At the battle of the Wilderness he was struck and wounded by a portion of a shell. He contracted diseases in the services that caused his death, which oc- curred at West Newton in March, 1882. Be- sides that of the Wilderness he was engaged in other fierce and bloody battles, among which was Bull Run. Mr. Obley was a democrat from his first to his last vote, and a member of the church of God at West Newton, in which he was at the time of his death an elder and repre- sentative elect to the general assembly. He was an earnest member of the I. O. O. F., which order conducted his furneral services. He mar- ried Susanna Peters and they had three sons and four daughters, all of whom are living except one daughter.
Henry A. Obley married Sadie C., a daugh- ter of Adam Kamerer, who now resides at Mckeesport, Allegheny county, Pa. The cere- mony was performed September 19, 1878, and the union has been blessed by the birth of four children : Silvia E., May Etta (dead), Madge Alta and Omer L.
H. A. Obley attended the public schools of West Newton and then learned the drug busi-
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ness with a Mr. Leighty of the same place. In 1882 he opened a drug store and launched into the wide business world as the pilot of his own barque. He is still in the same business and has succeeded in building up an excellent trade. In politics Mr. Obley is an uncompromising democrat and is one of the most active workers in his party. He is a member of the school board, a trustee of the West Newton cemetery and a consistent member of the church of God, in which he is a deacon. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. and Royal Arcanum. We need bestow no eulogy upon Mr. Obley ; his life and character speak in louder tones and more effectively than words.
W. ORR, a prominent dentist of West Newton, was born May 18, 1844, in Rostraver twp., Westmoreland county, Pa., and belongs to one of the oldest families in the county. His great-grandfather, William Orr, a native of Scotland, crossed the Irish sea, took unto himself a wife in Ireland and immi- grated to the United States and settled in Penn- sylvania east of the mountains. Prior to 1790 he crossed the Alleghenies and settled in Ros- traver township, this county, and purchased a large tract of land on which he resided until his death. He was a member of the Covenant church, in which he was an elder, and was the father of five children : John, Charles, Eubella, Jean and Eleanor. John Orr (grandfather) was born east of the mountains and came with his father to Rostraver township where he married Margaret Wilson who bore him twelve children. During the whole of his life he was a tiller of the soil and died on the oldl homestead in 1843. William Orr (father) was born at the old home- stead January 8, 1796, and died in 1875. Hle was a whig and republican. He also was a farmer and was a member of the First United Presbyterian church organized at West Newton. Ilis wife was Julia Ann Bowen, whose father
died during her childhood near Fredericksburg, Va., where he owned a small plantation. She bore him nine children, four of whom are living: Harriet, James P., Andrew W. and Mary 1. Hamiet was married February 18, 1864, to Robert S. Patterson ; they have three children : Thomas G., Hattie J. and Andrew J. They are living on the old homestead in Rostraver town- ship. James P. Orr was born March 1, 1839. Ile enlisted in the fifteenth Pa. Cav. August 22, 1862, and served until the close of the war of the Rebellion ; took part in a number of battles, chief among which were Stone River and Chat- anooga. After the close of the war he read medicine with Dr. Hasson, of West Newton, and graduated from the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. He located at West Bethany, Westmoreland county, Pa., and was married in 1878 to Christian Suter, daughter of John Suter. Ile removed in 1883 to New Cumberland, Cum- berland county, Pa., and located in Pittsburg in 1887, where he is now practicing. They have three children : Eunice, Urban and Merl.
A. W. Orr was educated in the public schools, took a course in the rudiments of dentistry with David P. Lutz of Rostraver township, and in 1866 began the practice of his profession at Mckeesport, Allegheny county, Pa. In 1879 he located at Jefferson, Green county, Pa., re- moved from there to West Newton in 1874, where he has practiced ever since. He is a Mason and Knight Templar, a member of Ked- ron Commandery, No. 18, located at Greens- burg, Pa., also a member of Royal Arcanum. Ile was twice the representative of his council at the Grand Council, once at Harrisburg and once at Lancaster, Pa.
On May 18, 1876, he was married to F. Josephine, daughter of Rev. Iliram Winnett (now deceased), a Methodist minister. They have four children : II. Winnett, Ira D., Ralph W. and Julia C.
Mary I. Orr at present is making her home with her sister at the old homestead.
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AMES J. PATTERSON, ex-postmaster of West Newton, and one of the most trusted citizens and highly respected business men of that place, was born in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., July 29, 1821, and is a son of John R. and Mary (Orr) Patterson. His great grand-father, Robert Patterson, was of Scotch-Irish descent, immigrated with his wife to America and settled before 1765 at "Chestnut Level," Lancaster county, Pa. One of his sons, Robert Patterson (grandfather), was born on the Atlantic ocean on board the vessel which brought his parents to this country. He immigrated when well up in years from Lancas- ter to Westmoreland county and settled in Ros- traver township on a large tract of land which he owned until his death. He was a democrat in political opinion. Of his sons one was John R. Patterson (father) who was born in Lancas- ter county, Pa., and accompanied his father to Rostraver when a young man. He was a promi- nent man in his community, an earnest member of the Bethesda and West Newton United Pres- byterian churches, in which he always led the singing, and died May 1, 1868, aged ninety- four years. He was a democrat until the late war when he became a republican and remained a member of that party until his death. Ile served as overseer of the poor for several years besides holding other township offices. He mar- ried Mary Orr, daughter of John Orr, of Ros- traver, by whom he had eight children, of whom five are living : Mrs. Margaret W. Campbell, Martha Patterson, Ann Jane Douglas, James J. and John O. Patterson, M. D.
James J. Patterson was reared on a farm and received his education in the rural schools of that day. He was engaged in tilling his farm in Rostraver township until 1867 when he re- moved to West Newton. On April 14, 1869, he was commissioned postmaster of that place, served for eight years and three months and then resigned to embark in the drug business, which he followed for several years. In 1887
he engaged in the grocery business which he still follows.
On June 23, 1847, he was married to Elma Elliott, a daughter of John Elliott, of Fayette county, Pa., who served in the war of 1812.
James J. Patterson is a pronounced republi- can, has formerly taken rather an active part in politics and yet takes a deep interest in the suc- cess of the political principles which he advo- cates. He served his native town by acting six years as councilman. He is a member of the West Newton United Presbyterian church, of whose board of trustees he has served as chair- man for many years. Mr. Patterson has ac- quired good property, stands well with all who know him and has made himself worthy of com- mendation.
AVID FRANKLIN ROSEN, a resident of West Newton and one of the success- ful jewelers of that place, is a son of Jon- athan and Catherine (Funk) Rosen and was born in East Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 3, 1855. His grand- father. Jacob Rosen, was a native of eastern Pennsylvania and emigrated to the above- named township, where he followed farming for many years before his death. His father, Jon- athan Rosen, was born in his father's eastern Pennsylvania home. At an early age he came west to East Huntingdon township where he still resides. He has made farming the business of his life, is a republican in politics and an in- fluential member of the church of God. He married Catherine Funk and they had seven children, of whom two are dead. Mrs. Rosen's father, Christian Funk, was born in 1798 in Berks county, Pa. Ile came to East Hunting- don, but soon removed to Mount Pleasant town- ship, where he died in 1884. Ile was a repub- lican, a member of the Mennonite church and married a Miss Sherrick, by whom he had four children.
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David F. Rosen received his education in the common schools and Mount Pleasant academy. At eighteen years of age he engaged in teach- ing. After teaching three terms of school he became bookkeeper for Fox, Keffer & Co., at " Jacob's Creek." He was with them eighteen months, then entered the employ of J. Shupe & Son of the same place, and remained as a clerk with the latter firm for five years. In 1883 he embarked in the mercantile business at Port Royal, but sold his store and engaged with R. L. Stufft, a jeweler of Scottdale, and remained with him for two years. He then came to West Newton and engaged in his present jewelry business.
September 9, 1875, D. F. Rosen united in marriage with Loraine McClaine, daughter of John J. and Britta (Armstrong) McClaine, of "Jacob's Creek," this county. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen have three children : Lulu, born Decem- ber, 1876; Charley, born April 28, 1878, and Maude, born August 16, 1884.
David F. Rosen devotes his time principally to the jewelry business. Ile keeps a large and well-chosen stock of gold and silver watches, solid and plated silverware and everything in the jewelry line. He has a good trade for the short time he has been in the jewelry business. Mr. Rosen is a republican and a member of the Jr. Order of United American Mechanics.
LARENCE W. SANDERS, of West Newton, is a son of John and Mary (Johnston) Sanders, and was born No- vember 18, 1858, in Hancock county, W. Va. Daniel Sanders, his grandfather, was of Irish extraction, but lived and died in Hancock county, W. Va., where he followed agricultural pursuits. Samuel Johnston, maternal grand- father, was a resident of Washington county, Pa., where he died. He, too, was a husband- man and like Daniel Sanders was a believer in
the principles of the Democratic party. John Sanders (father) was born in Hancock county, W. Va., about the year 1838 and died there in 1876. He was a stock dealer but confined his attention largely to buying and selling horses. He married Mary Johnston and they had one child, Clarence W.
Clarence W. Sanders was married June 30, 1880, to Mary, a daughtor of John A. Steele, of Wellsville, Columbiana county, Ohio, and they have one child, Della, born September 8, 1889.
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