USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 52
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97
Joseph D. Reed is ummarried. Ile is a republican, a member of the United Presbyterian church and a courteous, unassuming gentleman.
S STEPHEN C. REMSBERG, who has been a popular justice of the peace for twenty- five years at Irwin and is one of the first graduates from Marshall college, Lancaster, Pa., is a son of John and Catherine (Coblentz) Remsberg and was born in Frederick county, Md., August 1, 1830. The Reisbergs are of German descent. His paternal grandfather, John Remsberg, was born in Berks county, Pa., in 1760, and in early life removed to Frederick county, Md., when it was almost all woods and had but few settlers. IIe bought a tract of land
and engaged in farming. He died in 1845. Ilis maternal grandfather, John Phillip Coblentz, was a son of Harman Coblentz, who came from Germany to" Frederick county, Md., about the middle of the eighteenth century. John P. Coblentz was born in 1773 and died in 1851. IIe was a farmer, a life-long resident of that county and a strict member of the German Re- formed church. John Remsberg was a pros- perous farmer of " Middletown Valley " in Frederick county, Md. He was born in 1800 and died February 19, 1865. He was an ener- getic man, a useful member of the Reformed church and enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbors. His wife was a native of the same county, a member of the Reformed church and died in 1850 in the forty-second year of her age.
Stephen C. Remsberg received his elemen- tary education in the district schools of Mary- land and at twenty years of age entered Marshall college at Mercersburg, Franklin county, Pa. This college was moved three years later to Lan- caster, Pa., and Prof. Remsberg was a member of the first class that graduated from it at Lan- caster. After graduating in 1853 he taught for three years in the Mercersburg High school. In 1856 he made an extensive tour through the west. Returning home he became principal of Middletown academy which position he held for four years. In April, 1860, he came to Irwin, was principal of the Irwin High school for three years and when that school changed into a pub- lie school be conducted it for three years. Ile next served three years as bookkeeper for Jacob Gochring. In 1865 he was elected justice of the peace, is now serving out his fifth consecutive terin of five years each in that office and since 1869 has given his entire attention to his office duties and conveyancing and collecting. Mr. Remsberg is a member of the Chosen Friends and the Reformed church. He is a republican and has served as burgess, councilman and school director of Irwin.
408
BIOGRAPHIES OF
On December 23, 1862, he married Sallie R., daughter of Robert Hanna of Irwin. They have one child living, a daughter, who is named Jane. On December 23, 1887, Mr. and Mrs. Remsberg celebrated their " Silver Wedding."
J HIRAM RINGER, M. D,, of Larimer, one of the talented and popular young physicians of the county, was born at Salem (Delmont), Westmoreland county, Pa., October 7, 1855, and is a son of Isaac and Catharine Ann (Ber- lin) Ringer. His grandfather, Christopher Ringer, was a native of Germany but immigrated to the United States, locating in Franklin town- ship, this county, when the settlers were so scarce that his nearest neighbor lived four miles away. He married and became the father of eight children : William, Michael, Jacob, Isaac, George (deceased), Mary, Elizabeth and Ann (deceased). Mary, now the widow of George Russell lives in Iowa, and Elizabeth is also the relict of Daniel Metzgar. Jacob Ringer resides at Marion, Ohio , William Ringer makes his home with his brother Isaac and Michael lives on the old homestead in Franklin township. Elias Berlin, maternal grandfather, was born in what is now Penn township in 1802. For some time he was colonel of the " Cornstalk militia," which frequently paraded at Clover Ilill, Washington township, where the parades were attended by all the people in the surrounding country and were memorable occasions indeed. Col. Berlin married Catharine Ament, who bore him nine children, six of whom are living : Mahala, wife of Nicholas King of Salem township ; Catharine Ann (mother) ; Esther, married to Joseph Lauf- fer, of Franklin township, (mother of I. E. Lauffer, district attorney) ; Henry, married to Martha Blose and now living in Franklin town- ship : Seruah, wife of James Chambers, of that township, and Cornelius E. Berlin, a well-known and popular resident of Franklin township, who is married to Nancy Duff. Isaac Ringer (father)
was born in Franklin township, April 7, 1821. In 1854 he married Catharine Ann Berlin and they had five children, two of whom are living : Mag- gie Ann and J. Hiram. He was a carpenter by trade and during the oil excitement went to the oil country where he remained eight or ten years as a contractor and builder. When he married he removed to Salem township where he still re- sides and where he continued his occupation of contracting. In 1873 while erecting Moore's distillery near Mckeesport he fell from the build- ing and sustained injuries so severe that he has since been unable to do heavy work ; for a year thereafter he was unable to leave the house. His constitution however was strong and he is still quite well preserved and has not retired alto- gether from the active duties of life. He is a man of quiet and reserved disposition and says nothing but what hemeans. Ile is an officer in the Lutheran church, a man of strict integrity and of few words, but his word is as good as his bond.
Dr, J. Hiram Ringer was educated in the pub- lic and select schools of Salem and at Edinboro State Normal school, of Erie county, after which he engaged successfully for six terms in the ped- agogical ranks. In 1881 he was elected auditor of Westmoreland county on the democratic ticket and served for three years. In 1882 he went into the Pullman service and got leave of absence for three months to attend the audit. The next year the company would not excuse him and he resigned, but after the audit was com- pleted was re-instated. Having commenced to read medicine with Dr. U. M. Snyder of Del- mont while yet teaching school, he in 1885 quit the Pullman service and continued his medical studies. In 1886 he entered West Penn medi- cal college at Pittsburg and between sessions read with Dr. L. R. Metzgar, then at Delmont. Graduating March 22, 1888, Dr. Ringer located at Delmont where he practiced his profession with excellent success and much encouragement until January, 1890, when he left Delmont and
409
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
went into the employ of the Westmoreland Coal Company as physician and surgeon. Dr. Ringer stood high in medical college, was elected vice- president of the class of '88, and the same year was chosen vice-president of the Alumni Asso- ciation. He is an unassuming gentleman, but for intelligence, courtesy, integrity and honor stands high in the estimation of all who know him. Hle is a member of Carmel Lodge, No. 542, I. O. O. F .; Delmont Council, No. 58, Jr. O. U. A. M., and Delmont Grange, No. 859, Patrons of Husbandry.
DWARD EVERETT ROBBINS. One of the young and popular republicans of Pennsylvania and a prominent and well- known lawyer of Westmoreland county, is a son of Joseph and Rachel G. Robbins, and was born in North Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 27, 1859. The Rob- bins family of Westmoreland county is a branch of one of the numerous Robbins familes of New England, who are all descended from a Robbins, who (it is stated) with his wife and children came over from England in the next ship after the Mayflower, that anchored along the then wild and bleak New England shore. Half a cen- tury later his descendants nearly all perished in King Philip's war in 1675. Savage makes re- cord in Connecticut of a John Robbins of Weathersfield in 1638, a Richard Robbins of Cambridge in 1639 and a Benjamin Robbins of Wallingford in 1687. From these Connecticut Robbins families came many distinguished men of New England, eminent divines, classical scholars, judges of the courts, members of the Legislature, governors and United States sena- tors. Of the latter was lIon. Ashur Robbins, an eminent lawyer, and who between 1825 and 1829 was one of the U. S. Senators from Rhode Island. Ile was an impressive speaker, a classi- cal scholar and an able statesman. Among sev- eral of the Robbins who were officers in the
Revolutionary war was Lieut. Brintnel Robbins (great-grandfather), who was a brave and distin- guished officer and fought under Washington's immediate command. After peace was declared he engaged in running a trading vessel between Connecticut and the West Indies, but suffered a severe loss and migrated west in 1789 to retrieve his broken fortunes. He stopped for a time at Connellsville, Pa., worked at old Alliance Fur- nace on Jacob's creek and on its owners' failure received his pay in castings which he traded on a farm at Port Royal.
After owning two or more farms and running a grist mill, he purchased in 1793 the " Craw- ford sleeping place " of two hundred and nine- ty acres and four hundred and ten acres of addi- tional land. On this farm he erected a house, saw and grist mill and a distillery. In 1803 or 1804 he moved to Pittsburg, soon bought a farm of 700 acres at the mouth of Phim creek and built two vessels in 1812 for the lower trade, one of which was lost and the other he sold. By request of the government he built the boats which conveyed Scott's troops across the Nia- gara river into Canada. He moved to Greens- burg about 1824, kept hotel and afterwards re- moved to the Wegley farm near the county home. He died July 25, 1836, aged eighty years and four months and was buried in Harold grave yard near Greensburg. Lieut. Brintnel Rob- bins was widely known and highly respected as one of the prominent business men of his day. He married Mary Boardman of Danish descent and his children were : Archibald, Hezekiah, Moses, Joseph, David, William, Mary, Keziah, Rachel and Elizabeth. Moses Robbins was born in February, 1790, and died March 10, 1870. He was one of the first shippers of coal by flat boat to Cincinnati and St. Louis. Ilis children were : Mary J., Loren, Rachel G. and James W. William N. Robbins married Agnes Sloan, who was of Irish descent. He died young in 1834 of cholera. His children were : Joseph, Mary, Morrison, Hezekiah, Elizabeth, Gilmore,
410
BIOGRAPHIES OF
William and Kezin. Joseph, eldest son (father) was born April 4, 1824, and married Rachel G. Robbins, who was a daughter of Moses Robbins, and died in 1864, leaving two children : Hon. Edward E. and Gertrude. In 1868 Mr. Robbins married Margaret Chistry and by this second marriage has five children living : Elizabeth, Rachel, Agnes M., Morrison and Joseph, Jr. Joseph Robbins was engaged for many years in mining and shipping coal to Cincinnati and New Orleans. Of late years he has resided on the farm at Robbins station and is engaged in farm- ing, besides being still largely interested in the coal trade and other business enterprises.
Edward Everett Robbins attended the common schools, pursued his academic studies and fitted for college at Elder's Ridge academy and the Normal school of Indiana, Pa. On September 7, 1877, he entered the freshman class of Wash- ington and Jefferson college and was one of the first ten of his class of forty-five members which was graduated from that noted institution of learning on June 26, 1881. He was president of the class in college to which he belonged and delivered an oration at commencement on the " Irish Land Question." In January, 1882, he entered the office of John F. Wentling of Greens- burg as a student of law and after taking the full course of Columbia Law school, New York City, was admitted to the Westmoreland county bar April 8, 1884. In 1884 he became assistant secretary of the republican county committee and the next year as chairman be conducted the campaign with such political sagacity and so successfully that Westmoreland county, for the first time, gave a majority for the republican State ticket and recorded 461 votes more for Col. Quay than for his opponent for State treas- urer. In 1886 Mr. Robbins was nominated by 1365 majority for district attorney but was de- feated. In 1888 he was given the republican nomination for the State senate and after a long and closely contested campaign was elected to represent the Thirty-ninth Senatorial district of
Pennsylvania, composed of the county of West- moreland, for a term of four years. At the time of his election and induction into the senate he was the youngest but one of the members of that honorable body. As a legislator Senator Robbins has never been remiss in any duty and has served his constituents so faithfully as to win the respect of his political opponents and in- crease his popularity with the members of his own party.
DAM SCHADE. Among the young and successful business men of the county is Adam Schade, who is a member of the mercantile firm of Tresher and Schade, of Irwin. He was born in Germany in 1862 and is a son of John and Annie Schade. His parents are natives of Bremen, formerly a republic but now a part of the German Empire. They came in 1868 to Westmoreland county, Pa., and located at Larimer, in North Huntingdon township, where they have continued to reside ever since. John Schade, after his arrival at Larimer, en- gaged in mining, which he pursued until 1882, when he retired from active life and since that time has enjoyed the peace and quiet of his comfortable home.
Adam Schade left Germany before he was old enough to be much benefited by the excellent schools of that country. He was brought by his parents to Larimer where he received his education in the common schools. When he left school he engaged in mining and followed that business until 1887. In that year he formed a partnership with John HI. Trescher (see his sketch) and they embarked in the general mer- cantile business at Irwin, under the firm name of Trescher & Schade. Their establishment is in the opera-house building and they are dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, oil-cloths, wall-paper, glass and queensware and country produce. They commenced the mercantile busi- ness with a small store but have gradually in-
411
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
creased their amount of goods until they now have a large and well-assorted stock of every- thing useful or ornamental in their line of busi- ness. They have received their full share of patronage and are amply prepared to accommo- date their large custom.
Adam Schade was united in marriage in 1878, with Mary Trescher, daughter of John Trescher, of Cumberland county, Md. To their union has been born one child, a son, John E.
Adam Schade is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Reformed church. He is one who gives close attention to his busi- ness affairs and has been successful in whatever he has undertaken.
ILLARD F. SOWASH, a leading phy- sician and one of the brightest men of Irwin, was born January 15, 1849, in Browntown, North Huntingdon township, this county, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Bankert) Sowash, who named him in honor of Millard Fillmore, Vice-President-elect of the United States. George Sowash was also born in North Huntingdon township, February 14, 1806. In his earlier days he was a fuller, but most of his life was spent in agricultural pursuits, by means of which he accumulated considerable money. On the 14th of April, 1835, he married Elizabeth Bankert, who was born near Cumber- land, Md., and whose parents came to Westmore- land county while Elizabeth was yet a child and settled in the vicinity of Irwin. Seven children were born to this union, of whom five are living. George Sowash died in September, 1882, and his wife, January, 1883. The follow- ing are their descendants : John Sowash, born June 6, 1836, married a daughter of John Rose, and after her death in 1884 he espoused a daughter of Joshua Cooper, a retired business man of Claridge, this county. John Sowash lives on the old homestead in Penn township
and has seven children living, the eldest being twenty-one years of age and a student at col- lege. William Henry Sowash, born September 16, 1838, lives on Sixth street, Irwin, and was married to Annie Lauffer, of Penn township. Of their four children but two are living. Mat- thias Sowash, born September 16, 1840, married Eliza Jane Byerly, of North Huntingdon town- ship and now resides with his wife and three children near Donohoe, a few miles east of Greensburg. George Sowash, born October 15, 1851, wedded Sarah, daughter of William A. Stewart, and resides on Main street, Irwin. They have two children, a boy and a girl.
Dr. M. F. Sowash attended the public schools and Harrison City academy and studied the classics and other branches privately. Hle at- tended medical lectures at Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, graduating March 4, 1874, after which he located in Latrobe and practiced there till August 3, 1875, when he removed to Irwin to succeed Dr. Blackwood. From that time on he has been continuously engaged in the duties of his profession and enjoys a large and lucrative practice. We say "enjoys" and say so advisedly, for Dr. Sowash, instead of considering his work a drudgery takes a special delight in it. IIe is one of the borough school directors and a member of the board of trade besides being interested in the gas and water companies. In politics he is an ardent republican though not a bigoted partisan. His home on Main street is one of the finest and best appointed in the county.
On April 3, 1879, he married Margaret Jane Skelly, of Circleville, a sister of William B. and Dr. Charles Skelly and to them four children have been born, one of whom, Millard, born November 6, 1886, died on the 10th of July, 1887. George, born November 2, 1879; Charles, born October 17, 1881; and Jane Boyd, born July 30, 1883, are yet spared to brighten the daily lives and lighten the multifarious toils and labors of their beloved parents.
412
BIOGRAPHIES OF
USTAVE A. SPEIS, one of the progres- sive young business men of Irwin and one of the finest jewelers in the county, was born at Berleburg, Germany, and is a son of George and Johana (Mellsoff) Speis, both natives of Westphalia (German Westphalen), Germany. George Speis is one of the finest jewelers and watchmakers in Germany, and learned the trade with his father, who was never excelled in his day as a fine workman. George Speis and his father constructed two very com- plicated and remarkable timepieces ; one is an astronomical clock made for the Grand Duke of Westphalia, and the other is a large clock at Steubenville, Ohio. It runs twelve months with- out winding, strikes the half and quarter hours and beats the seconds. George Speis married Johana Mellsoff, who died in 1881, at forty- eight years of age. He was born about 1820, does nearly all his fine work by hand and is a member of the German Lutheran church.
Gustave A. Speis was reared in his native town and attended school at Wetzler, Hessen, Germany. Leaving school he learned the trade of jeweler with his father. In 1882 he came to this country and located at Steubenville, Ohio, with his brother, William G., who had immigrated to America some years previous to that time. In 1883 he went to Allegheny City, where he accepted a position with Otto E. Heineman, a leading jeweler of that city. He worked for Mr. Heineman for three years and then came to Irwin where he engaged, on April 1, 1886, in his present successful jewelry business.
In 1888 Mr. Speis married Amanda Kline, daughter of Louis Kline, of Boquet, this county. Their union has been blessed with one child, a daughter, whose name is Olive.
Gustave A. Speis has built up a good trade and keeps in his jewelry establishment one of the finest safes to be found in the county. He carries a full line of jewelry, has all the watch movements which are manufactured and does all kinds of repairing. IIe attends the German
Reformed church and is a member of Improved Heptasophs and Knights and Ladies of Honor.
TOSEPH F. SPRINGER, the fourth in lineal descent from immigrant Michae Springer, of Stockholm, Sweden, is one of North Huntingdon's prosperous farmers. IIe was born in Washington township, Fayette county, Pa., September 19, 1830, and is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Driver) Springer. llis father, Joseph Springer, was born in Fayette county in 1797 and died in 1871. He was a member of the Disciple church, a demo- crat in political opinion and a man who was well liked by all who knew him. Ile married Margaret Driver, a daughter of Gideon Driver, who was a native of Virginia and emigrated to Greene county, Pa., where he followed farming as long as he lived. Mrs. Springer was a devout member of the Disciple church and died in 1867 at the age of sixty-five years. The founder of the Springer family in Fayette and Westmoreland counties, this State, was Michael Springer (great-grandfather), who came from Sweden in 1760. A most interesting account of Michael Springer and his descendants will be found in the sketch of Harry J. Springer of Scottdale.
Joseph F. Springer attended the common schools for several years, after which he en- gaged in farming in Fayette county until 1872. In that year he removed to Westmoreland county where he bought a farm in Burrell township and resided upon it for six years. In 1878 he disposed of his farm and went to Har- rison City where he remained one year. Pre- ferring a rural to a town life he came to North Huntingdon township, where he rented a farm and resumed his temporarily interrupted occu- pation of farming, which he followed until the present time with his usual success.
Joseph F. Springer, on the 21st of December, 1854, united in marriage with Hannah J.
413
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Davidson, who is a daughter of James David- son, of Belle Vernon, Fayette county, Pa. They have nine children living, seven sons and two daughters: Thomas N., James C., Emma, Harry J., of Scottdale (see his sketch), Lewis W., Charles A., Howard, Hallie M. and Elmer R.
In religious faith Mr. Springer is a methodist and in political opinion he is a republican. Farming has been the principal business of his life; to it he gives the most of his attention and has been rewarded with good success. Mr. Springer while noted as a successful farmer also bears the reputation of a useful citizen.
ORENZO II. TAYLOR. Among the commercial establishments of Irwin whose steady career and extensive transactions make them landmarks in the past history of the town and important factors in its present pros- perity is that of Lorenzo Il. Taylor, a gentle- man whose energy and enterprise have made him conspicuous as a furniture dealer and un- dertaker. It is only within the last twenty-five years that any visible progress has been made in the custom for the burial of the dead, and it is entirely due to the refinement and exacting requirements of to-day that undertaking has been taken from the hands of those who count it a trade and given into the care of such men as the subject of this sketch, who study it as a profession. Lorenzo II. Taylor, one of the finest funeral directors of the county and pro- prietor of the leading furniture and undertaking establishment of Irwin, was born in Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland county, Pa., August 8, 1849, and is a son of William and Susanna (Roop) Taylor. William Taylor was a native of Massachusetts and migrated from New Eng- land to Pennsylvania, where he was successfully engaged in the flouring-mill business and died in 1862 (for his history in full, see sketch of Jacob P. Taylor, of Irwin).
Lorenzo HI. Taylor was reared on a farm in
Ligonier Valley where he received his education in Liberty and Morris Hill school houses. At eighteen years of age he pushed westward, located in Indiana and followed teaming for two years. He then bid adieu to the " Hoosier State" and returned to this county where he was engaged for the next three years in butch- ering with his brother, J. P. Taylor, at Irwin. In 1872 he accepted a sewing-machine and organ agency for Greene and Westmoreland counties, in which he did a successful business for nearly nine years. In 1881 he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. His first establishment was at New Derry where he continued for about six months until he could secure a favorable location at Irwin. During 1881 he opened his present business house at No. 407 Main street. He occupies a large two- story brick building, 18 x 90 feet in dimensions, of fine appearance and amply equipped with every facility for the successful prosecution of his business. He carries a large and well- assorted stock of parlor and kitchen furniture of all kinds and descriptions, pursues undertak- ing in all of its branches and makes a specialty of embalming. He has built up a liberal and influential patronage. He attends funerals re- gardless of distance when his services are re- quired and as a funeral director Mr. Taylor has always given entire satisfaction to bereaved friends and relations.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.