Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 51

Author: Gresham, John M. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia [Dunlap & Clarke]
Number of Pages: 1422

USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 51

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county, where he has rapidly and steadily built up a very good practice. He is a member of Irwin Council, No. 44, Jr. O. U. A. M .; J. B. Saam Camp, No. 148, Sons of Veterans, and Westmoreland Lodge, No. 415, K. of P.

On January 2, 1890, Dr. McClellan united in marriage with Mary F. Larimer, daughter of the late Hamilton Larimer, of Irwin, who was a prominent citizen of the county and a lineal descendant of the old and pioneer Larimer family.

Dr. R. P. MeClellan is a republican in poli- ties. Ile is a courteous and honorable gentleman. Ile was a leading teacher of his native county, is a close student and well-read in the standard medical literature of to-day, which constitutes the basis for excellent professional work, and has already established a reputation as a skilled, in- telligent and successful physician.

NDREW LEWIS McFARLANE, one of Westmoreland's leading citizens, was born near New Castle, Mercer county (now Lawrence), September 19, 1825. He is the youngest son of Francis and Mary (McWil- liams) McFarlane. Francis McFarlane and Mary Me Williams were born in county Tyrone, Ireland, immigrated to America in 1794, and settled in Westmoreland county, where they were married. They soon removed to Mercer county where they spent the remainder of their days. Nine sons and three daughters were born to them, of whom Andrew L. is yet living. Francis McFarlane had a brother Andrew who came from Ireland and settled in Washington county. In one of the British and Indian wars in which he was engaged he was captured and confined in a British fort for about a year. One day a British officer, by inquiry, learned that he had nursed MeFarlane when an infant in Ireland, whereupon he issued an order re leasing him. Andrew married a Virginia lady

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by the name of Lewis, a sister of the famous Lewis who, with Clarke, explored the Missis- sippi Valley and territory west.

James McFarlane, another brother, also came from Ireland, settled in Washington county and became a great trader. He built a steamboat and carried on business as far south as New Orleans, eventually becoming quite wealthy. Among other properties he owned several thou- sand acres on which the city of Lexington, Ky., now stands and ten acres on what is now Fed- eral street, Allegheny City. James McFarlane was a colonial soldier in the Revolutionary war, and for valiant service was soon promoted to the rank of major. When the whiskey insurrection broke out he was chosen commander-in-chief of the armed force, and at the head of a large force of the insurgents marched to the office of the excise collector, some ten miles from Elizabeth, Allegheny county, and demanded the surrender of Neville and his commissions. After some promisenous fighting Major McFarlane stepped to the front holding up a cane with a handker- chief attached to one end as a flag of truce. No attention was paid to the flag, however, and almost immediately he was shot by one Kirk- patrick, who was in the office. The ball severed an artery in the thigh and McFarlane bled to death, being held up until he died by the father of Daniel O. Barr, editor of the Pittsburg Post. Kirkpatrick escaped to Fort Pitt or he would have been torn to pieces by the infuriated insur- gents. Major James McFarlane lies buried in Mingo cemetery on Mingo creek, Allegheny county.

Andrew L. McFarlane was educated in the public and academic schools of what is now Lawrence county. He came to Westmoreland county in 1844 and began farming. The follow- ing year he married-in the house which is now his residence-Mary E .. daughter of William Larimer, Sr., of this county, and a sister of Gen. Larimer, of Pittsburg. They had five children, two of whom are living : George, a resi-

dent of East End, Pittsburg, where he is seere- tary of the Pittsburg Traction Company ; and Ella Fullerton, now the wife of Thomas Boggs. Mrs. McFarlane died in 1863 in the thirty- seventh year of her age. In May, 1865, Andrew L. McFarlane married Jennie A. Davis, of Fayette county. Two of the three children born to them are now living : Lyda W., wife of William Stanton, of Philadelphia, but now re- siding in Allegheny City ; and A. Lewis, who is yet at home.

Andrew L. McFarlane, owing to his industry, energy and good judgment has been a remark- ably successful business man. Ile owns two large farms, a considerable portion of a silver mine near Idaho Spring, Colorado, and a great deal of stock in banks, besides being a heavy stockholder in the Westmoreland Coal company and the Redstone Oil, Coal and Coke company, in Fayette county, the president of which is Jacob Ridgway, a millionaire of Philadelphia. Mr. McFarlane is familiarly called " Colonel," though he lays no claim to military honor. He is genial, outspoken and generous and deserves all the sucess his integrity and business capacity have earned for him. He lives most of the time with his family at Circleville, this county, where he has a fine residence.

ACOB L. MCKEEVER, one of North Huntingdon's enterprising citizens and a prosperous merchant of the village of Shafton, on the Pennsylvania railroad, is a son of John and Martha ( Ludwick) MeKeever and was born in Penn township, Westmoreland county, Pa., July 5, 1847. His grandfathers, Henry Mckeever and Jacob Ludwick, were farmers of Penn township. The former, who was of Irish descent, died in 1870, aged eighty- two years, and the latter, of German extraction, lived to be four score years of age. John Mc- Keever (father) was reared on a farm in Penn

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township and followed carpentering and farming as an occupation until his death, which took place July 2, 1888. He had gone on that day to Manor station, where he intended to take a train for East Liberty, Pa., and remain for a · day or so with his daughter, Mrs. A. C. Ellis, who resided at the latter place. Ile was stand- ing on the railway track and was struck and in- stantly killed by the fast line. He owned a good farm, was a republican in politics and a consistent member of the Presbyterian church. Hle was born February 21, 1816, and married Martha Ludwick, born February 21, 1821, who resides at East Liberty, P'a.

Jacob L. Mckeever lived on a farm and attended the common schools until he was of age. IIe then commenced farming which he followed with profitable results until 1886. On February 15, 1886, he engaged in the general mercantile business at Shafton, Westmoreland county, Pa. Hle commenced upon a small scale but now has a first-class store which is well stocked with every article that is usually called for in a mercantile establishment. By close attention to the wants of his customers he has secured an extensive and liberal patronage.

On December 23, 1869, he married Nancy Ellis, daughter of James Ellis, of Ludwick, this county. Their children are : Etta M., John S., Clark E., Isabella M., Mary L., Charles C., Nancy J., James E., Robert L., Paul R. and Margaret E.

Jacob L. Mckeever is a member of Irwin Council, No. 794, Royal Arcanum, Irwin Con- clave, No. 175, Improved Order of Heptasophs and Equitable, No. 53, Order of Solons. He is a republican from principle and a ruling elder of Irwin Presbyterian church Mr. Mckeever owns a small but desirable farm of fifty-five acres of well-improved land which lies along the railway just opposite Shafton. Ile is a plain, unassuming, industrious man, whose charac- teristics are judgment, energy and perseve- rance.

AMUEL B. MILLER, of Irwin, was born October 16, 1837, in Pittsburg, Pa., and is a son of Michael and Caroline (Carr) Miller. His father was a native of Allegheny county, born near Elizabethtown, and was a steamboat builder or ship carpenter, working most of the time at Pittsburg. He died in 1882 at the age of seventy-six years at Monon- gahela City, which was his home at that time ; his wife, who was a native of England, died in October, 1843.

Samuel B. Miller was reared in the city of his birth, attending the old west ward public school until fourteen years of age, when he went to Monongahela City to learn the tinsmith trade with his two stepbrothers, E. Downer & Bro. With them he remained three years, afterwards working at his trade in Pittsburg until 1861, when he enlisted in Co. A, thirteenth Pa. Infantry for three months' service His time having expired, he re-enlisted August 7 of the same year in Co. L, fifth Pa. Cavalry for three years, and after serving more than two years he again re-enlisted for three years in the same company, and served till the close of the war. He was in the ranks four years, three months and seventeen days, and was discharged at Philadelphia, after which he returned to Mo- nongahela City, whence he soon removed to Pittsburg, and there continued to work at his trade until 1871, with the exception of one year spent in Butler county. In 1871 he located at Irwin, then a small town, and there worked at his trade until January, 1888, when he formed a partnership with his son Henry A., the firm name being S. B Miller & Son. They are en- gaged in the tinning business and have suc- ceeded in securing a large patronage, which they justly deserve.

Samuel B. Miller, in 1867, was married to Rebecca, a daughter of IIenry Blount, of this county, and they have six children, three sons and three daughters : Carrie B., Henry A., Maggie C., John G., George V., and Annie R.

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OHIN II. OVER, the leading shoe mer- chant of Irwin, was born February 24, 1852, in Bedford, Bedford county, Pa. He is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Claar) Over. Jacob Over was born in Strawsburg, Franklin county, October 8, 1795. He married Elizabeth Claar, who was a native of Bedford county. They had eleven children, two of whom are dead. Of those living, Mary married David Elsrode, and resides in Pittsburg; Charlotte is the wife of Captain Joseph Schell Reed, and lives at Hulton, Allegheny county ; Emma mar- ried Alex. J. Henderson, who was formerly sheriff and treasurer of Bedford county ; Hester is the wife of Jacob Berkstresser of Wolfsburg, Bedford county ; Anna is married to Adam K. Pensel, and resides in Bedford county ; Sarah, now Mrs. Charles Bradley, resides with her husband in Huntingdon county ; William mar- ried Angeline Dias, of Irwin, where he now re- sides. Jacob Over, though he never aspired to political office himself, was nevertheless a prominent republican politician of Bedford county. His son-in-law, A. J. Henderson, was the first republican sheriff elected in that county for many years. Mr. Over, who died in June, 1874, was identified with the Reformed church, in whose interests he was a zealous and inde- fatigable laborer.

John II. Over, the youngest of the family, was educated in the public schools of Bedford county. At the age of sixteen he left his native county and came to Irwin, where he entered his brother's boot and shoe store. After nine years' experience in that line he embarked in the foundry business under the firm name of Cunningham & Over, in which he continued for five years with remarkable success. He next engaged in milling under the firm name of Cort, Over & Richey, and after several years he sold out and started a boot and shoe store in Irwin, determined to " paddle his own canoe." Mr. . Over, when he left Bedford county, had to bor- row money to bring him here, but owing to his

indomitable pluck, energy, and business ability has accumulated considerable wealth, although quite a young man, all of which has been earned by his own persistent efforts. Mr. Over is a member of the Reformed church, in which he is a deacon and a trustee.

In September, 1879, he married Sarah Jane Eisaman, a resident of Allegheny county, but who with her family were natives of Westmore- land county. They have two children, both girls : Lucy Reamer, born May 21, 1880, and Hester Minerva, born October 16, 1885.

HOMAS W. PAINTER, one of the lead- ing farmers of North Huntingdon town- ship and a descendant of two substantial old Scotch-Irish families of the county was born on the farm in which he now resides in North Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 15, 1827, and is a son of John and Harriet (Parks) Painter. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Painter, was of Scotch- Irish descent and came from York to Westmore- land county, Pa., in 1787. In 1796 he pur- chased the farm on which the subject of this sketch now resides. Ilis maternal grandfather, William Parks, was a native of York county, this State. He was Scotch-Irish by nationality and a farmer by occupation. He married Margaret Larimer of Oxford township, Chester county, the last of December, 1754, came to North Huntingdon township about 1787 and died in 1832 at 67 years of age. His father, John Painter, was born in 1781 and was a Quaker in religious be- lief as was his father before him. Ile was a prosperous farmer and died January 15, 1841, aged 60 years. He married Harriet Parks, who was a member of the United Presbyterian church and died in 1882 at the advanced age of cighty-seven years.

Thomas W. Painter was reared on a farm at a time when farmers' sons did not have the op- portunities which they now enjoy. His educa-

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tion he obtained in the old subscription schools, and while not as thorough and advanced as that imparted by the common schools of to-day, yet was practical and sufficient for all ordinary busi- ness pursuits. He was trained to farming which he has always followed as an occupation. Ile has always kept abreast of the times in agri- cultural matters, as his highly cultivated and well-improved farm . will attest to-day. His farm consists of one hundred and thirty aeres of choice land and is situated two miles from Robbins' station and three and one-half miles southwest of Irwin.

Thomas W. Painter was married on July 1, 1852, to Eveline Painter, who is a daughter of Isaac Painter, of Washington county, Ohio. They have six children, one son and five daught- ers : Margaret A., Eliza J., Mary, Thomas E., Eva M. and Rachel R. Margaret A. was mar- ried to William II. Goehring, who died in Sep- tember, 1883. Eva M. is the wife of Elmer E. Hileman, who is running a foundry at Irvona, Pa. Thomas E. married Sadie E., daughter of Henry McDonald, of Sewickley township, this county.

T. W. Painter is a republican in politics and attends the United Presbyterian church. Ile has served his township acceptably as school director, is one of its reliable citizens and en- joys the confidence and esteem of his neighbors.

HARLES L. PALMER, of Irwin, was born January 31, 1844, in Preston town- ship, New London county, Connecticut, and is a son of Charles and Lucy A. (Hyde) Palmer. His father was a native of the same place, where he engaged in the pursuits of agri- culture and became a prosperous farmer. Hle was a member of the Congregational church and departed this life in March, 1889, at the age of eighty-four years. Lucy A. Hyde is a native of the same county in Connecticut and is now living there on the old homestead.

Charles L. Palmer was reared on the farm, educated in the common and select schools and in the fall of 1862 enlisted in Co. B, twenty- sixth Conn. reg., serving one year and partic- ipating in all the battles of his regiment. Re- turning home from the battle-field he remained on the farm in the summer and taught school two winters. In 1866 he accepted a position as clerk in a grocery house at Norwich, Conn., re- maining there two years, and in the spring of 1870 came west to Irwin, this county, where he engaged in the general mercantile business, which he has continued ever since, being one of the oldest merchants of Irwin. He located there when Irwin was but a small place and grew up with it. He has been very successful in his business and is now one of the leading mer- chants of the town, having a large patronage and reliable customers. He belongs to the Solons, the Presbyterian church and the Repub- lican party.

In 1870 Charles L. Palmer was united in marriage with Lena, a daughter of Abel Booth, of New York city, and they have two living children : Charles E. and Lucy H.

ARGARET PARKINSON, an intelli- gent woman of unusual good business ability and postmistress at Larimer's station, is a daughter of David and Jane (Thompson) Warnock, and was born in Beaver county, Pa., June 4, 1832. Her father was born in 1798, in Beaver county, of which he was a life-long resident and in which he died May 12, 1868, soon after completing his three score and ten years. He was an influential member of the United Presbyterian church, in which his opinions and counsels were highly prized. Besides being a valued and prominent member of his church he was greatly esteemed in his community, in which he stood high as a man of honor, integrity and truthfulness. Mrs. Warnock was born in 1796 in the same county

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as her husband and passed away on November 12, 1862.

Margaret Parkinson was reared to womanhood in Beaver county and received her education in the common schools and Beaver Female seminary.

She was married in 1858 to Warren B. Park- inson, of Carlisle, Pa.

In the spring of the same year they removed to Larimer, where they opened a general mer- cantile establishment and soon secured a very good trade. Mr. Parkinson died in 1862, aged sixty-three years. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church and is remembered to-day by those who knew him as a strictly honest man who enjoyed the confidence of his community.

By the death of her husband Mrs. Parkinson was left with a store and a considerable amount of business on her hands. Instead of selling off the store and property and returning to her relatives in Beaver county, as most women would have done, she assumed charge of the store and gave her personal attention to the management and the settlement of her husband's estate. With the experience derived from as- sisting her husband in the store she was enabled to conduct the mercantile business with little or no trouble. Possessing natural business ability, she has increased her stock, held the custom which they had and has constantly increased the number of her patrons for the past twenty- eight years, until it is now the largest in Lari- mer. Mrs. Parkinson's store is the oldest mercantile establishment in Larimer. Her store is neatly and tastefully arranged and is well filled with an ample and complete stock, which embraces everything in the line of staple and fancy groceries, dry goods, hardware and all other articles generally found in a first-class mercantile establishment. Her unusual success in merchandising well attests her enterprise and business ability. Mrs. Parkinson has been postmistress at Larimer's station for nearly a

quarter of a century. She was appointed by President Lincoln in 1861, and served under the administrations of Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. After Harrison's inauguration she was again appointed postmis- tress and is now serving very acceptably as such. She is a member of Bethel United Presbyterian church, and in the history of Larimer and its business interests Mrs. Parkinson will always occupy a prominent place on account of her personal worth, remarkable enterprise and busi- ness success.

ACOB PARR, one of Westmoreland eoun- ty's substantial citizens and proprietor of a large wagon manufacturing establishment at Irwin, was born in Prussia September 21, 1850, and is a son of George and Mary A. (Shorn) Parr, who were both born on Prussian soil and were devout members of the Catholic church. George Parr was a wagonmaker who thoroughly understood his trade and was a suc- cessful workman. In 1867 he left his native country and came to the United States, where he located at Covode, Indiana county, Pa. Hle followed his trade sucessfully until a few years before his death, which occurred in 1885. IIe was born in 1821 and married Mary A. Shorn, who died in Prussia in 1851.

Jacob Parr came with his father to the United States in 1867. He received his education chiefly in the schools of Prussia, and after ar- riving at Covode, Pa., he continued to work with his father at the wagomaking business for three years. In 1870 he engaged in car- pentering which he followed for seven years, and worked during most of this time at Irwin. One of these years (1873) he spent in New York and Brooklyn, where he worked on several important buildings in those citics. In 1877 he founded at Irwin his present wagonmaking and blacksmithing establishment. Four years later he engaged in the sale of agricultural im-

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plements, has a large and well-stocked salesroom and supplies an extensive trade. He also deals in carriages and buggies.

Jacob Parr, on July 25, 1877, united in mar- riage with Tillie J. Howell, daughter of Aaron Howell, of Irwin. Their union has been blessed with two children : Karl N. and Mary A.

Jacob Parr is a member of the Catholic church and a democrat in politics. He takes an active part in local political matters and has served three years as borough committeeman of his party. Mr. Parr is one of Irwin's enterprising citizens and has built up a large custom in his various lines of business.

LEXANDER II. POOL, Irwin's lead- ing butcher, is the son of Alexander II. and Salome (Bierer) Pool. He was born October 13, 1858, in Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, Pa. His grandfather was Zachariah Pool, a farmer who came from east of the mountains to this county, where he remained until his death, which occurred about 1877. Alexander II. Pool (father) was a native of Hempfield township, where he was a prosper- ous farmer until his death in 1859 at the age of thirty-five years. Mrs. Salome (Bierer) Pool, also born in Hempfield township, is now the wife of John Waugaman, a resident of Delmont, and is connected with the Reformed church. Her father was John Bierer, a farmer and butcher of Greensburg, and his father was Everhart Bierer. (For the history and ancestry of the Bierer fam- ily sce sketch of Capt. Z. P. Bierer in this vol-

Alexander II. Pool was reared on the farm and attended the common schools until fifteen years of age, when he went to learn the trade of butchering. In 1878 he located at Irwin, and two years later engaged as butcher for the People's Co-operative Company of that place, with which he remained nearly five years. In 1885 he began business for himself' and has con-

tinued successfully ever since, having built up the largest trade in his section of the county. llis success is owing to his courteous treatment of all, strict attention to business, honorable methods and the excellent quality of the meat he handles. Mr. Pool is a social companion, a good citizen, a worthy man, and has by honest and industrious methods accumulated some valuable property. He is a member of the Foresters and is connected with the Re- formed church. Politically he is a stanch democrat.

Alexander H. Pool in 1879 was married to Mary M., a daughter of Jacob Kemerer, of Penn township, and they have four sons : Sam- uel W., born December 11, 1879; Charles O., born December 19, 1881; Algernon P., born May 3, 1883, and Clifford A., born May 6, 1885.

POSEPHI D. REED, of Scotch-Irish descent and a well-established merchant of Larimer, is a son of James and Mary Ann (Duff) Reed and was born in Penn township, West- moreland county, Pa., September 28, 1853. Ilis grandfather, Hon. Joseph Reed, emigrated from the north of Ireland to the United States in 1790. He first settled in Lancaster county, subsequently (1796) removed to Westmoreland and in 1803 went to Allegheny county, where he died. He was elected to the Legislature in 1813 and two years later was appointed sheriff of his county by Gov. Ritner. He followed farming, school teaching and surveying. Ilis father, James Reed, was born in this county in 1801, removed to Allegheny county when a boy and in 1817 learned the trade of carpenter with Joseph McCormick, who lived near the site of Larimer. He taught school, farmed and worked at his trade until 1852, when he came to Penn township and was engaged in farming till his death in 1875. He was a republican and a member of the United Presbyterian church. Hle married Mary A. Duff, a daughter of Rob-

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ert Duff, who was a native of Westmoreland county, a farmer of Scotch-Irish descent, of this county, who died in 1834, aged fifty-six years. She was born in 1815 and is a member of the United Presbyterian church.

Joseph D. Reed was educated in the common schools and Irwin academy. Leaving school he engaged in farming which he followed as a busi- ness until 1881. In that year he removed from his Penn township farm to Manor where he be- came a member of the mercantile firm of Warnock & Reed. At the expiration of two years the firm removed to Larimer and were successfully engaged in the mercantile business until the spring of 1887, when he sold his inter- est in the store to L. D. Warnock, his partner. In the fall of 1888 Mr. Warnock concluded to retire from the store. IIe sold it to Mr. Reed, who again entered into general merchandising and has continued successfully in that special line of business until the present time. Ilis mercantile establishment is 22 by 92 feet in dimensions and is conveniently arranged to dis- play his complete and assorted stock of dry- goods, groceries, notions and everything usually kept in a general mercantile establishment. He is well patronized by the public.

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 51

Author: Gresham, John M. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia [Dunlap & Clarke] Number of Pages: 1422

Author: Gresham, John M. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia [Dunlap & Clarke]
Number of Pages: 1422