USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 56
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435
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Caven's paternal grandfather came from Ger- many. His wife was a native of Ireland. Mrs. Caven's parents were born and married in Maryland.
Amos O. Caven was reared to manhood in the wonderfully beautiful and highly picturesque Ligonier Valley, whose many spots of historic interest and whose grandeur of encircling moun- tains and romantic beauty of vale and stream has attracted the tourists and sight-seers of two continents. Ile received his education in the common schools of his neighborhood and was engaged in farming until 1871. In that year he went to New Florence where he embarked in the general mercantile business. In 1873 he removed to Livermore and continued mer- chandising for three years. He then (1876) re- moved to Derry where he engaged in the mer- cantile business upon a large scale and with very gratifying results. In 1886 he erected his present fine three-story brick building. In one room (24 x 44) of this structure is situated the " Private Derry Deposit bank." This financial institution is in a flourishing condition. Mr. Caven is its able president and Joseph Kilgore is its efficient cashier. In 1888 he disposed of his large stock of goods and gave his entire attention to the banking business.
On the 21st day of September, 1861, Mr. Caven united in marriage with Hester Amanda Mathews, of this county. They have had one child, which is dead.
The Private Derry Deposit Bank was organ- ized solely through the efforts of Amos O. Caven, who was also altogether instrumental in founding it upon a safe and substantial basis. As proprietor of this bank he directs the affairs and his conservative views and judicious coun- sels have contributed largely to the bank's unusual success and high standing. Mr. Caven owns considerable property at Derry. He is a member and treasurer of Derry Council, No. 371, Royal Arcanum, and a member and a ruling elder and treasurer of Derry Presby-
terian church. As a citizen he is highly re- spected, as a business man he has been signally successful and as a financier he stands deservedly high in commercial business circles.
OHN R. CEASE is one of the young and successful business men of Pleasant Unity whose " inhabitants are favorably known for their morals, thrift and material prosperity." He is a son of William R. and Caroline (Get- temy) Cease and was born in Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., July 6, 1863. The Cease family was in Unity township at an early day. Rudolph Cease, grandfather, died in 1877. He was a democrat, a member of the Reformed church and an honorable man. He reared a very respectable family of children, one of whom was William R. Cease, father, who was born in 1835. He is a prosperous farmer of Unity township, owns his father's farm and firmly believes in the principles of the Demo- cratie party.
Ile married Caroline Gettemy and has reared a family of children. Mrs. Cease is a member of the Presbyterian church.
John R. Cease was reared on a farm and attended the common schools. At nineteen years of age he formed a partnership with J. K. Poorman under the firm name of Poorman & Cease, and they engaged in the furniture & undertaking business at Pleasant Unity. This firm was in business until January 1, 1886, when Mr. Cease and his father purchased the interest of Mr. Poorman and the firm name was changed to that of Cease & Son. The latter firm has continued successfully in business ever since. Their establishment is well adapted to the furniture and undertaking business. They have a full assortment of fine and medium fur- niture which they sell at popular prices. In connection with their furniture establishment they have a first-class undertaking and embalm-
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
ing department in which they keep constantly on hand an ample stock of caskets and coffins and all kinds of undertaking goods. John R. Cease is a practical embalmer and gives special attention to that line of their work.
Hle was married September 26, 1889, to Mary L. Kemp, daughter of Arthur C. Kemp of Pleasant Unity.
Politically Mr. Cease is a democrat. Ile works zealously in the interests of his party but is not an extremist. Ile is a member of Unity Council, No. 25, Chosen Friends and the Knights of Pythias.
P RESTON CHAMBERS. An enterpris- ing citizen, a model farmer and a success- ful business man of Unity township is Preston Chambers, who has been extensively en- gaged in agricultural pursuits and is one of the leading men of Pleasant Unity. He is a son of John and Mary (Hartzell) Chambers and was born at Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland county, Pa. The Chambers family has been prominent in Westmoreland county for nearly a century and is of Scotch-Irish descent. John Chambers (grandfather) was born in York, this State, where he married Leah Hartzell and in 1793 settled at Pleasant Unity. He was an active business man and erected a woolen mill which he operated successfully during his lifetime. He had seven children : William, John, Elizabeth, tivorge, Key. Joseph, a Presbyterian minister, who died at Wooster, Ohio ; Daniel and Mary. John Chambers (father) was born at Pleasant Unity in 1803. He learned the trade of tanner and owned and operated a large tannery success- fully for many years. In connection with his tannery he owned and managed two farms which were situated near Pleasant Unity. In all business matters he was straight-forward, ac- curate and honorable. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and a man much respected by all who knew him. He was punctual in all
of his business engagements, prompt in the dis- charge of every duty devolving upon him and re- liable in the performance of whatever he agreed to do. He was an old-line whig in politics until the formation of the Republican party when he . became a member of that organization. He died in 1872, aged sixty-nine years and was missed in a community where his life had been one of activity and usefulness. Hle married Mary Ilartzell, a daughter of George Hartzell. They were the parents of four children : William L., Matilda, Preston and Daniel.
Preston Chambers received his education in the common schools and Sewickley academy. Leaving school he engaged in farming which he has pursued ever since. In connection with his farming for the last fifteen years he has been successfully engaged in selling agricultural im- plements. He owns one of the best farms in the county. It contains over one hundred acres of land adjoining Pleasant Umty. Ile is a re- markably neat farmer, keeps everything in the best of order and raises large crops of grain and grass. Preston Chambers is a stanch republican in politics. He is a member and trustee and treasurer of Pleasant Unity Presbyterian church.
On May 30, 1865, he married Lizzie, daugh- ter of Thomas Carpenter of Allegheny county, Pa. To their union have been born four child- ren, two sons and two daughters : Hermie M., J. Clarence C., Orr C. and Maggie B.
Preston Chambers' attractive property adjoins the prosperous and stirring town of Pleasant Unity and in all respects is one of the most de- sirable residence properties in the county. Its surroundings are very fine, affording healthful- ness of location, accessibility to railroad and con- venience of schools, churches, stores and every comfort desirable. IIe has a beautiful home where he is ever glad and ready to warmly greet his many friends and where he and his estimable wife and accomplished daughters, by their cheer- fulness and kindness, make all who visit them full welcome and happy.
A.C. Cochraw
439
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
ILLIAM COAD. Prominent among the most active and enterprising mer.
red and fifty acres of land adjoining Liver- more. He keeps eighteen cows and ships his chants of the northern part of the ! milk to Allegheny city. He is a republican county is William Coad, an intelligent citizen : in politics, has served his township as assessor and successful business man of Livermore. HIe ' for one term and school director for several is a son of Henry and Deana (Blackler) Coad : terms and is always an active laborer in what- and was born in Derry township, Westmoreland ever advances the interests of his party. Mr. Coad is a member of the Presbyterian church. county, Pa., May 9, 1840. His parents were born and married in England where they resided Ile was married in February, 1871, to Mary Ewing, daughter of Robert Ewing of Conemaugh township, Indiana county, Pa. To this union have been born six children : Henry Ward, born November, 1871 ; Robert Ewing, born January, 1874; Alice S., born June, 1875 ; William E., born February, 1879 ; Deana M., born August, 1885, and one which died in infancy. until 1833, when they came to this country. "They located near Blairsville but on the West- moreland county side where they lived for several years and then removed to " Loop Farm," two miles from Livermore, where they purchased a good farm of two hundred and fifty acres on which they resided as long as they lived. The father, Henry Coad, was born in 1799 and died March 22, 1883, while his mother, Deana (Blackler) Coad, was born eight years later and passed away December 19, 1887. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom seven are living : Ellen, wife of Joseph Ponds of In- diana county, Pa. ; William, Clara C., widow of Graham Miller ; Hladessah, wife of Harvey Powers of Derry township ; Frank, residing on the home farm ; Sydney of Bethlehem, Clarion county, Pa. ; and George, who lives on the home farın.
William Coad attended the common schools of Derry township and on attaining his majority embarked in the dairy business which he pursued for five yours. He then came to Livermore (1881) and opened a general mercantile store which he conducted until January, 1889, when he sold an interest in his store to HI. B. Rut- ledge. Since then they have done a successful business under the firm name of Coad & Rut- ledge. They have a commodious store and ware- rooms which are well-filled with general mer- chandise of every description. They carry one of the largest stocks of dry goods, gro- ceries, etc., to be found in the township. In addition to his mercantile business Mr. Coad owns and manages a dairy farm of one hund-
a LVA C. COCHIRAN. The material de- velopment of "Western Pennsylvania" is without a parallel in the industrial history of the world ; its oil regions, natural gas districts, coal beds and coke fields have not their equal in either the western or the eastern hemis- phere. Coke manufacturing is young in years as an industry and is principally the work of young men. Many of the large owners and successful managers of the coke plants through- out the Connellsville region are in the carly prime of life. "They are approachable people and have not the hard-shell conservatism and secretiveness of older men in an industry of older growth." Among these young and suc- cessful coke operators is Alva C. Cochran, of Westmoreland county, who is descended from two of the old and substantial families of south- western Pennsylvania. He was born in Tyrone township, Fayette county, Pa., June 14, 1860, and is a son of John M. and Hannah M. (Strickler) Cochran. The Cochrans of Fayette and Westmoreland counties are descendants of old world emigrants who settled in eastern Penn- sylvania prior to the French and Indian war. John M. Cochran was born June 15, 1833, and
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
died June 20, 1880. At eighteen years of age he engaged in boating coke down the Youghio- gheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers to Cin- cinnati and followed that business regularly for fifteen years excepting what little time was necessary to be given to his farm. In 1867 he built the "Jackson Coke Works" near Broad Ford, Pa., and in connection with his brothers James, Isaac, Sample and J. H. Ewing, operated them till 1877, when he disposed of his interest. In 1870 he and Christian Sherrick and Judge John K. Ewing of Uniontown purchased land near Stauffer, in East Huntingdon township, on which a year later they erected sixty coke ovens and afterwards added one hundred more. In 1877 Mr. Cochran became sole owner of these coke works and successfully operated them until he died in 1880. In 1856 he married Hannah M. Strickler who is now living in Lexington, Kentucky, in the fiftieth year of her age. They had twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, of whom five are now living.
Alva C. Cochran was reared on a farm and before he was eighteen years of age became manager of his father's store at Stauffer. At the death of his father he assumed full control of the works and the remainder of the estate of the latter until it was divided among the heirs in 1888. Since the latter year he has successfully managed these works now known as the " Buck- eye and Starr Mines" owned by the A. C. Cochran Coke Company. They have one hun- dred and sixty ovens and their daily production of coke is three hundred tons. Mr. Cochran is a member of Moss Rose Lodge, No. 350, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and Mount Pleasant Council, No. 592, Royal Arcanum.
Ile was married September 29, 1885, to M. Etta Murray. They have three children, one son and two daughters, Earnest R., born March 14, 1887, and twin daughters, Iva and Pearl, born July 1, 1858. Mrs. Cochran was born Septem- ber 22, 1867 and is a daughter of William F. Murray, of Mt. Pleasant township, this county.
A. C. Cochran received his education chiefly in the great school of business life. He is a pleasant gentleman, a popular young business man and an honorable and well respected citizen.
ILLIAM S. COCIIRAN, an enterpris- ing and energetic merchant of Stauffer, is a son of John C. and Hannah (Fel- gar) Cochran and was born near Scottdale, in East Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., November 20, 1854. His grand- father, John Cochran, was born near Dawson, in what is now lower Tyrone township, Fayette county, and was a farmer and blacksmith. He married Esther Barr of this county and died near Scottdale about 1862. ITis father, John C. Cochran, was a native of East Huntingdon township. He was engaged in farming near Scottdale until 1860 when he migrated to Mis- souri where he settled in Clark county for a short time. He next removed to Hancock county, Illinois, where he resided for one year and then returned to Westmoreland county. He was a republican-prohibitionist, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and died in 1889. Ile was married in 1853 to Hannah, daughter of John Felgar, by whom he had seven children, all of whom are living. Mrs. Cochran is now in her fifty-fourth year.
William S. Cochran was reared on a farm where he was trained to farming and teaming. Ile received his education in the common schools of his native township and Waynesburg college, Greene county, Pa. Leaving college he was en- gaged in mining and teaming for a number of years. In 1888 he determined upon entering into the general mercantile business and selected Stauffer as a favorable place for establishing a store. From 1888 to the present time he has met with good success in the mercantile busi- ness at Stauffer. Ilis store-room is large and commodious and his stock consists of dry goods, notions, groceries, glassware and everything
-
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
kept in a first-class store. IIe has a good trade and many warm friends among his patrons.
On March 18, 1884, he was united in mar- riage with Annie Loar, daughter of Peter Loar, of Mount Pleasant township, this county. To this union have been born two children, one son and one daughter: Jesse C., born March 31, 1885, and Dorsey O., born June 10, 1888. Mrs. Annie (Loar) Cochran was born in the same year as her husband and is a member of the Baptist church.
William S. Cochran is a member of Hylas Lodge, No. 474 Knights of Pythias and O. W. Howell Council, No. 210, Junior Order of the United American Mechanics. He is a demo- crat and served as postmaster at Stauffer under President Cleveland's administration.
D AVID R. COOK, a prosperous and push_ ing farmer of Derry township, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, August 10, 1832, and is the son of John and Mary (Arter) Cook, both natives of county Tyrone. John Cook married in Ireland and after the birth of his son, David R., immigrated to America in the year 1833, and settled in Loyalhanna township, this county, where he resided until his death. Ile and his brother James, who came with him from Erin, bought a farm in partnership, later purchased another, and then dissolved, cach tak- ing a farm. John Cook died January 1, 1862, and is buried in the cemetery at New Alexan- dria. Mr. Cook was a Presbyterian and in poli- tics a whig. He had eight children : David R., Jane, intermarried with Robert Alcorn, residing in Bell township ; John, who still resides on the old homestead ; Samuel, who died in Kansas, April 18, 1872: Joseph, who died in Florida, August 12, 1889 ; Kate M., now residing on the homestead ; James M., a lawyer in Pittsburg, and Maggie who also died in Florida, April 11, 1886.
David R. Cook was brought to America by his parents when about a year old and brought
up on a farm. He began life for himself as a farmer and in 1861 enlisted for ninety days in " Fighting Dick " Coulter's company. At the expiration of his time he enlisted in Dr. Don- nelly's company and served nine months. When this term expired he again enlisted in the 110th reg. Pa. Vols., in which he served till the close of the war and was mustered out at Harrisburg in 1865. Ile participated in various battles, in- cluding Falling Water, Chancellorsville, etc., but was never wounded, captured nor in a hos- pital. Upon his return he again engaged in farming at which he has continued ever since and has been very successful, now owning a farm of more than three hundred aeres on the pike three miles east of New Alexandria, which is well im- proved and contains excellent buildings. Mr. Cook is a Presbyterian and in politics a stanch republican.
David R. Cook was married November 30, 1865, to Angeline E. Mckeown, daughter of James McKeown, of Allegheny county, who came from Ireland in his younger days. To their union nine children have been born : John Edward, Leonard M., Joseph Albert, who died March 23, 1876; Samuel Clifford, who died March 31, 1876; Charles Sherman, who died April 6, 1876; the above children died of ma- lignant scarlet fever ; Stella B., David Verner, Herbert Ray and one that died in infancy. All the children are at home and all were born in Derry township.
Mr. Cook is a gentleman of more than ordi- nary intelligence, a good conversationalist and a reliable and substantial citizen of the county.
IMOTIIY CONNOR, one of Derry town- ship's prominent and well-known citizens and an industrious and prosperous farmer, is a son of John and Sarah (Layton) Connor and was born in Derry township, Westmoreland county, Pa., April 1, 1826. ITis grandfather, Timothy Connor, was born in Ireland in 1755,
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
immigrated to America in youth, settled at Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, Pa. ; enlisted in the Continental army in 1776 and served throughout the Revolutionary war. Ho and a fellow soldier, Bernard Metinire, was captured at Gen. Montgomery's attack on Quebec and sub- sequently escaped by leaping from a high wall down into a large snow-drift. Some time after 1795 he came to Derry township where he pat- ented a large tract of land which is now included in the farins owned by the subject of this sketch and his brother. He married Ellen Mccullough of Elizabethtown, Pa., and reared a family of four sons and four daughters who are now all dead. Mr. Connor died in 1815 and his widow survived him until 1834.
The sons were: John, Timothy, Jr., who learned the trade of saddler with Col. F. Rohrer of Greensburg, and died in the south ; Corne- lius, who removed to Nashville, Tenn., and sub- sequently went to New Orleans where he. after- wards died; and Dennis, who died in Derry township about 1852.
John Connor (father) was born in Lancaster county in 1795, was brought to Westmoreland about 1800 and was reared to manhood in Derry township where he afterwards resided until his death. He was a successful farmer, a member of the Catholic church, a democrat in politics, a peaceful, well respected citizen and a well-in- formed man. He was married to Sarah Layton, daughter of James Layton, of Unity township, but who was formerly from Fayette county, Pa., where he first located when he emigrated from Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Connor had nine children : Nancy, Mary, Timothy, Elizabeth, Ella, dead ; Margaret, widow of James Barnett, dead; Ann, deceased ; John, and James, who is dead.
Timothy Connor was reared on the farm on which he resides and on which his grandfather Connor died. He attended the subscription schools and has always been engaged in farming, except four seasons spent on a section-boat which he owned and ran on the Pennsylvania canal
from Pittsburg to Philadelphia. While on the canal he became well acquainted with John Covode and other prominent men of the State. Mr. Connor was a democrat until some years ago, but is now independent in political opinion. lle has served as supervisor, school director and mercantile appraiser. He has always been in- dustrious and hard-working, is an intelligent and fluent talker and stands well among the people of his community.
R. COUGHENOUR & CO. One of the progressive and successful business firins of Stauffer is D. R. Coughenour & Co., popular druggists. David B. Coughenour senior member of the firm, was born in Bullskin township, Fayette county, Pa., December 11, 1857. He is a son of Isaiah and Susan (Blough) Coughenour, both of German descent and natives of Somerset county, Pa., where the former was born in 1828 and the latter in 1824. Isaiah Coughenour (father) was reared on a farm, at- tended the subscription schools and at twenty- one years of age removed to Bullskin township and engaged in farming until 1868. In that year he purchased a farm in Connellsville town- ship upon which he resided for four years and then sold it and bought a larger farm in Tyrone township, Fayette county, on which he died in 1872. Ile was a democrat, served as super- visor and constable and was a member of the Baptist church. In 1850 he was married to Susan, daughter of Benjamin Blough. She bore him eight children, of whom seven are living. She died at New Haven, Pa., on Janu- ary 15, 1889. John and Catherine (Moyer) Coughenour (paternal grandparents) were born and reared in Somerset county, l'a., where they lived and died. The former was born in 1800 und died in 1858 and the latter was born in 1803 and passed away in 1885. They reared a family of ten children, nearly all of whom are living.
David R. Coughenour received his education
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
in the common schools and " The Western Penn- sylvania Classical and Scientific Institute " at Mount Pleasant and is a member of the United Brethren church. He taught school for four years in Dunbar township, Fayette county, Pa., and in 1882 came to Stauffer and with Dr. O. W. Howell as partner established the present drug business. In 1884 Dr. Howell died and D. R. Coughenour bought his interest in the drug store from the heirs and in 1885 sold it to his brother, Ilarry S. In 1886 he left the drug store in charge of his junior partner and went to MeCraken, Rush county, Kansas, where he had charge of a hotel until 1887, when he went to Denver, Col., and was engaged as a clerk in a hotel for six months. In the fall of 1888 he returned to Stauffer and became an active part- ner in his firm and remained until December, 1889, when the firm started a new drug store at Stonerville, of which he has taken charge, H. S. Coughenour remaining at the old stand. They have large, well-furnished and fully stocked drug stores and enjoy an extensive and remunerative trade. The junior member of the firm, Harry S. Coughenour, was born in Dun- bar township, Fayette county, Pa., December 24, 1863. Ile was educated at Dunbar, Fayette county and Mount Pleasant, this county, taught school for a short time, became the part- ner in the drug business with his brother in 1885 and was married in 1888 to Belle Ilar- baugh, who was born in 1867 and is a daughter of Victor Harbaugh of Fayette county. II. S. Coughenour is a democrat, a member of the Royal Arcanum and a member of the " Chau- tauqua Literary, Scientific Circle," being a graduate of the class of 1888. He is an exten- sive reader and possessor of a fine library.
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ILLIAM R. DUNLAP, a successful business man and a representative far- mer of Derry township, is a son of An- drew and Mary (Robinson) Dunlap and was
born in Washington township, Westmoreland county, Pa., December 31, 1830. Among those who immigrated over a century ago from Derry county, Ireland, to Washington township was John Dunlap (grandfather), who married a Miss Sloan, a relative of the Sloans of Salem town- ship. He followed farming and his eight chil- dren were all born in Ireland. The youngest child Andrew Dunlap (father), was a babe when his father immigrated. He was reared in Wash- ington township where he lived till 1840 when he sold the home farm, removed to Butler county, Pa., and died in 1870 at the age of eighty-five years and five months. He was a farmer and a democrat and sent a substitute to the war of 1812 by the name of Stewart. He married Mary Robinson who died in 1840. To them were born seven children : John, of Butler county, Pa. ; Rebecca, wife of Andrew Dunlap; Nancy J., widow of James Davis, resides in Illinois ; Andrew, Jr., of California : Eliza M., widow of a Mr. Morris, who was killed in the late war; and Andrew, twin brother of Eliza M., resides with John in Butler county.
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