USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 65
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OHN . RUMBAUGH (deceased). The Rum- baugh family is one of the many solid and substantial German Lutheran families who settled in Westmoreland county at an early period in its history. One of its descendants who held fast to its religious faith was the late John Rumbaugh of Mt. Pleasant township. He was a son of John and Hannah (Harold) Rumbaugh and was born on the farm on which his widow now lives, about three miles from Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 4, 1834. The Rumbaughs are of German ex- traction. Henry Rumbaugh (grandfather) was a farmer by occupation, a whig and afterwards a republican, and was a member of the Evan- gelical Lutheran church. He owned a farm of two hundred acres of land, ran a grist-mill and died in Mt. Pleasant township, of which he had been a resident for many years. He married Charlotte Smith by whom he had three sons and three daughters, and after her death mar- ried a widow, Mrs. Mary (Palmer) Moser, who
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bore him one child: Adam Rumbaugh. John Rumbaugh, Sr. (father) was born on the home- stead farm which he inherited from his father. Ile was a farmer, a republican and Lutheran. He married Hannah Harold, who bore him eight children, of whom three are dead. She was a daughter of Jacob Harold, who was a na- tive of Hempfield township, in which he resided until his death.
John Rumbaugh grew to manhood on his father's farm, obtained his education in the com- mon schools, and assiduously cultivated the farm which had originally belonged to his grand- father and afterwards inherited by his father. Ilis pride was in being industrious, his ambition was to be useful, and while he gratified the former he was successful in achieving the latter. He was a man of substantial worth who de- lighted but little in show and heartily detested sham and affectation. He was a stanch repub- lican, an ardent Lutheran and a generous friend.
In October, 1865, he united in marriage with Margaret Brinker. They were the parents of five children : Jacob, born October 12, 1866 ; Hannah G., born August 31, 1868 (deceased) ; Josie, born April 15, 1870; Robert, born Jan- uary 16, 1872, and Elsie, born September 19, 1875. Mrs. Margaret Rumbaugh was born November 18, 1832, and is a daughter of Jacob i Brinker who married Elizabeth, daughter of ; Jacob Welshons, whose wife was Mattie Gilmore, by whom he had four sons and three daughters. Jacob Brinker was the only son of John and Margaret ( Leatherman) Brinker, and had three sisters. Since the death of John Rumbaugh his widow has showed herself fully capable of successfully and judiciously managing the large and valuable farm which he owned when he died. This farm of two hundred acres is valu- able for its mineral wealth as well as its agri- cultural products.
John Rumbaugh ceased from his life-work long ere he reached man's allotted three-score and ten years. He died September 13, 1888,
at the age of fifty-four years and nine days, and his remains were deposited in St. John's Lutheran cemetery.
ICHAEL RUMBAUGHI, a substantial citizen of the county, was born June 11, 1824, in Mount Pleasant township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of Henry and Charlotte (Smith) Rumbaugh. His grandfather Rumbaugh, one of a family of twenty- five, twenty-two sons and three daughters, was a native of Germany, who immigrated to America, locating in Lancaster county and later coming to Westmoreland, where he died. He was an extensive farmer, a member of the Lutheran church and in politics a whig. Henry Rumbaugh (father) was born in Lancaster county, Pa., about 1781 and died in 1865. He was brought by his parents to Mount Pleasant township, this county, where he resided until his death. By occupation he was a farmer, owning six hundred acres of land; he also owned and operated a distillery and a grist-mill. A devout Christian and carnest member of the Lutheran church, he was a model man in all that pertained to uprightness, morality and piety. Ile was the friend of every man and every man was his friend. Charitable, liberal and entorprising, he was a most useful man in his community ; he served a number of years as Overseer of the Poor for Westmoreland county. His first wife was Charlotte Smith, to whom were born eight children : John (de- ceased), Peter (deceased), Polly (dead), Susan (dead), Mary, wife of John C. Lobingier, and Michael. His first wife having died in 1844. Mr. Rumbaugh remarried, his second wife being Mary Mosier (nee Palmer), who bore him one child : Adam Rumbaugh.
Michael Rumbaugh was married to Lavina Mosier, by whom he had eight children : Charlotte, wife of Marion Fox. Marcellus Smith, llenry Riley (dead), Sylvester (dead), Almira
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Lavina (dead), Ada, wife of Michael Myers, and Anna, wife of Parker Simpson (dead). He was married the second time to Malinda (Cooper) Shumar, a daughter of Alfred Cooper, of Fayette county, and to this union one child has been born : William Rumbaugh.
Michael Rumbaugh was educated in the com- mon schools and has always followed farming. Ile owns a fine large farm upon which he has erected the most substantial buildings and made all necessary and convenient improvements. He is a republican in politics and with his wife be- longs to the Lutheran church, in which he has served as deacon.
OHN T. RUSH, the present active and efficient superintendent of the " Whitney Coke Works" in Unity township, was born at Brownsville, Fayette county, Pa., June 8, 1863, and is a son of William and Mary (Welsh) Rush. William Rush is a native of county Monaghan, province of Ulster, Ireland. IIe married Mary Welsh, who was born in county Kildare, in the eastern part of that island and immigrated (1843) to the United States soon after his marriage. He came to western Penn- sylvania, where he located at Brownsville and worked for a number of years in the machine shops of Capt. Snowdon of that place. In 1870 he removed to Connellsville where he has resided ever since. He now has charge of the pipe lines and keeps up the machinery at the " Morrell Coke Works." He is a boiler maker by trade, a democrat in politics and a member of the Catholic church, of which his wife is also a member.
John T. Rush was principally reared at Con- nellsville and received his education in the pub- lic schools of that place. Leaving school he learned the trade of machinist in the " National Locomotive Works " at New Haven, and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company's machine shops. After serving the required five years
apprenticeship he was recommended as an ex- pert machinist and in 1884 took charge of the Wheeler and Morrell coke works on the S. W. P. railroad. He held that position until 1889 when he became superintendent of the Whitney coke works which are situated a short distance from Latrobe. Mr. Rush is a democrat in political opinion and a Catholic in religious belief. He is a skilled machinist and'a careful superintendent, who thoroughly understands the management of a coke plant and the latest and best methods of keeping coal or coke works in complete repair.
ZRA SARVER, a reliable citizen of Mt. Pleasant township and who has been a suc- cessful farmer in four different townships of this county, was born in Path Valley, Franklin County, Pa., August 22, 1832, and is a son of David and Rebecca (Johns) Sarver. His paternal grandfather (Sarver) was a native and lifelong resident of Allegheny county, Pa., where he married and had three sons : . Frederick, George and David. His maternal grandfather, Philip Johns, was born in Wales and immigrated to Pennsylvania, where he settled in Lancaster county. Of his children we have record of Samuel, who moved to Cumberland county, where he died ; a daughter, who married a man by the name of Derbert, of Blair county, and Rebecca.
David Sarver was born in Allegheny county in 1802, removed in early life to Franklin county and about the close of the late war came to near Georges station in Hempfield township, where he now resides. Ile is a republican and a Pres- byterian. He married Rebecca Johns and reared a family of eight children : Susan, dead; Nancy ; Elizabeth, wife of Solomon Kuhns, of Huntingdon county ; Catherine, married to John McElwee, of Coulterville Pa. ; Robert, who enlisted in the eleventh regiment, Pa. Vols., participated in several battles and died in the service; David,
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a mechanic and resides near Greensburg and Ezra.
Ezra Sarver was reared on a farm, received his education in the common schools and has always followed farming. In 1857 he removed to Penn township, but two years later went to Hempfield township, where he remained till 1870 when he removed to East Huntingdon township. In 1884 he came to Mt. Pleasant township, where he has been engaged in farming ever since. Mr Sarver is a member and deacon of the Evangelical Lutheran church, a democrat in polities and has held various offices.
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Hle united in marriage on February 24, 1857, with Catherine Stick, a daughter of John Stick, who like his ancestors was an ardent Lutheran. Mr. and Mrs. Sarver are the parents of seven children : John D., who married Lizzie Barnhart and is a druggist of Scottdale: Henry R., a sewing machine and organ agent ; Eadie, wife of W. J. Shuster, of Harrison City : Hettie, Samuel, Edgar, a traveling salesman, and Frank, who is engaged in farming.
OHIN H. SEEMANN, manager of the A. C. Cochran Coke Company store at Stauffer, Pa., was born November 1, 1863, in Mt. Pleasant township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of Frederick and Rebecca (Weimer) Seemann. John Frederick Seemann, his grandfather, was born in Germany, on the bank of the Rhine, immigrated to America, and settled in Mt. Pleasant township, where he suc- cessfully practiced medicine until his death in 1569. Frederick Scemann (father) was also a native of Germany and immigrated to the United States before his father came. He was born in 1837 and came across the Atlantic in 1852, locating first in New York City, where he ob- tained a situation in a mercantile house. After three years he left New York, came to Pittsburg, followed peddling from Westmoreland county to Pittsburg about four years, and then in 1860
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began dealing in tan-bark and lumber, which he continued nearly all his life. He was a democrat and always took an active part in political work. Besides various township offices he was elected poor house director in 1883, served one term, and then built a distillery at Laurelville, Fayette county, Pa., which he continued to run until his death in 1889. He was married in 1862 to Rebecca, a daughter of John Weimer, of Donegal township, this county, who was born in 1842, and who bore him thirteen children, of whom nine are living: John HI., the chest; Frederick W., married and living at Mt. Pleasant; Vic- toria, Josie, Edward, Jacob, James, Thomas and Maggie, all at home.
John II. Seemann was brought up at home, attended the public schools, assisted his father until sixteen years of age, worked as farm hand one year (1879), and then became a store clerk. In 1881 he was promoted to manager, which re- sponsible position he continues to occupy.
John II. Seemann was united in marriage in 1885, with Lucy P., a daughter of Daniel H. Pershing, of Fayette county, Pa. Mrs. Secmann was born December 18, 1863, is of German descent, and is the mother of two children : Roy B., born July 10, 1886, and Ethel F., born January 29, 1887. Mr. Seemann is naturally a democrat, but adheres to the principles of the Prohibition party, in whose interests he does considerable work. He is one of the county's best young men, energetic, reliable and consci- entious ; belongs to Moss Rose Lodge, No. 350, I. O. O. F .; Mt. Pleasant Council, No. 392, Royal Areammmm ; O. W. Howell Council, No. 210, Jr. O. U. A. M .; and with his wife is a member of the United Brethren church.
P ROF. GEORGE MCCLELLAN SHEARER, one of the young, progress- ive and successful teachers in the common and select schools of Pennsylvania, was born in Mt. Pleasant township, Westmoreland county,
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Pa., October 5, 1863, and is a son of David and Caroline ( Weaver) Shearer. The Shearers are of Irish descent and have been residents of this county for many years. David Shearer was born in 1822 in Mt. Pleasant township from which he removed in 1870 to Pleasant Unity, where he died in 1878. He was a farmer, a de- mocrat and a prominent member of the Re- formed church. He married Caroline Weaver, who is a member of the Reformed church and still resides at Pleasant Unity. They had seven children. Mrs Shearer's great-grandfather, Weaver, came into this county when most of it was but a wilderness. Among the many arti- cles of household use which he brought from the east was a pair of fire tongs of quaint design which are now in the possession of the subject of this sketch.
George MeClellan Shearer was reared princi- pally at Pleasant Unity. He received his ele- mentary education in the common schools of Mt. Pleasant and Unity townships and Pleasant Unity academy. Ile attended the Lock Haven State Normal school of Pennsylvania during the spring terms of 1885 and 1886. He then passed the junior examination ; was at home during 1887 and returned for the spring term (1888) of that institution of learning, from which he was grad- uated June 29, 1888. Ile commenced teaching in Cook township in 1882. He next taught four successive terms in Unity township and for the last three years has been teaching in the com- mon schools of Mt. Pleasant township. He opened a select summer school at Pleasant Unity in 1889, and was so successful that he was soli- cited to organize his present summer normal school at that place. A school of this character has been badly needed at Pleasant Unity in which normal methods of teaching can be successfully studied by many young teachers who are not yet prepared to attend a state normal school, and that place is fortunate in securing the services of Prof. Shearer as a teacher. He is a democrat and a member of the Reformed church, of whose
Sunday school he is assistant superintendent. In educational work, although young in years, Mr. Shearer has already made his mark and gives promise of attaining to future prominence in his profession.
OUIS B. SHUPE, one of Mt. Pleasant township's progressive farmers and relia- ble citizens, is a son of Isaac and Marga- ret (Barnhart) Shupe and was born in Mt. Pleasant township, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 23, 1845. Ilis grandfathers were both natives of this State. Ilis paternal grandfather, Jolin Shupe, was born in Bullskin township, Fayette county, Pa., where he lived and died. He was a farmer by occupation, a democrat in political opinion and a member of the United Brethren church in religious belief. He reared a family of four sons and five daughters. His maternal grandfather, Abraham Barnhart, was born and reared in Butler county, this State, but in early life removed to Mt. Pleasant township where he died on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch. He was a large land- holder, an extensive farmer, an old-time demo- crat and a strict member of the German Re- formed church. His wife was Hannah Hugus who bore him three children, all of whom were daughters. Isaac Shupe (father) was born on his father's Fayette county farm and was en- gaged in that county until 1844 when he removed into Mt. Pleasant township where he still resides. He is now in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Hle is a democrat, a member of the Reformed church and a man who has always been indus- trious. He married Margaret Barnhart, who was born in 1822 and is now sixty-eight years of age. They are the parents of two children : John W. and Louis B., who both reside on the home farm.
Louis B. Shupe received his education at the Western Pennsylvania Scientific and Classical In- stitute of Mt. Pleasant. Leaving school he made
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
choice of farming as a life-pursuit. For over twenty years he has given the larger part of his time to the successful cultivation and substantial improvement of his farm, which contains one hundred acres of good farming land and lies one and one-quarter miles east of Mt. Pleasant bor- ough.
Ile was married September 13, 1877, to Car- oline Barnhart, a daughter of William and Eliza (Rugh) Barnhart, of Hempfield township. To Mr. and Mrs. Shupe have been born three chil- dren, all of whom are sons : Cyrus G., Isaac P. and Carroll B.
Louis B. Shupe is a democrat of the Jeffer- sonian school, has served his township as school- director for seven years but devotes his time to agricultural pursuits and the care of his farm. Ile and his wife are members of the First Re- formed church, Mt. Pleasant.
D AVID W. SHUPE. One of the old, honor- able and honored families of Westmore- land county is the Shupe family. One of its members is David W. Shupe, a substantial and successful merchant and business man of Pleasant Unity. Ile is a son of Daniel and Sarah (Cease) Shupe and was born at Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland county Pa., July 23, 1857. His grandparents, Isaac and Elizabeth Shupe, were natives of Scotland and settled in Mt. Pleasant township at an early day. Isaac Shupe was one of the prominent business men of his day. He was actively and extensively en- gaged in farming, milling, tanning and general merchandising. Ile died in 1847. (See sketch of O. P. Shupe). Ilis eldest son was Daniel Shupe (father) who was born June 26, 1816, and died suddenly in Allegheny City, Pa., April 30, 1878, of a congestion of the brain. He was one of the most prominent, successful and popular business men that ever lived in West- moreland county. He owned and operated a
large flouring-mill at Mt. Pleasant and in con- nection with it was engaged in the commission business at Pittsburg. He was also a pioneer and a successful operator in the oil business near Oil City. While operating successfully upou a large scale in those different lines of business, he still had time to engage in other inviting fields and accordingly dealt largely in real estate, invested heavily in stock and built up a good trade in the lime business at Mt. Pleasant. IIe purchased one of the first three Clydesdale horses ever imported to this country. At the time of his death he owned several large farms and seventy-four houses at Mt. Pleasant and its immediate vicinity. He was largely instrumen- tal in securing and building the railway from Broad Ford to Mt. Pleasant and the township is chiefly indebted to him for its handsome and commodious school houses. He was an active democrat, an energetic member of the U. B. church and served during the last twenty-five years of his life as school director. Ile was liberal, kind and generous and was called " the poor man's friend." In 1840 he married Caro- line Hitchman who died in 1848 and left him three children : Oliver P. (see his sketch) ; Lucy A. and Buenavista T. IIe married for his second wife Sarah Cease, daughter of Jacob Cease of Mt. Pleasant township. By his second marriage he had seven children : Carrie E., David W., Jerusha J., Sherman R., Harry J., Emma K. and Minnie M. His widow, Mrs. Sarah Shupe, resides at Mt. Pleasant and is a member of the U. B. church.
David W. Shupe was reared at Mt. Pleasant. He received his education in Mt. Pleasant and Lebanon Valley colleges. Ile also took the full course of the Iron City Business college. Leaving school he was employed for three years by the B. & O. railroad and then spent five years in the oil country and in traveling through the west. In November, 1887, he removed to Pleasant Unity and engaged in the general į mercantile business which he has pursued suc-
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cessfully ever since. He has a very large store and a fine trade. Mr. Shupe is a democrat in politics. He is a member of Moss Rose Lodge, No. 350, I. O. O. F .; K. of L. Lodge, No. 8745; K. of P., No. 72, and a member of the Presbyterian church, of which he is a trustee.
Ile married on December 25, 1882, Jennie V. Kilgore, daughter of John Kilgore, who is now in the eightieth year of his age and is a descen- dant of one of the oldest families in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Shupe have two children : Jesse K. and Daniel K.
D AVID SIMPSON, one of the old and highly respected citizens of Derry town- ship, is the second son and eldest living child of Robert and Margaret ( Gilliland) Simp- son and was born three miles from Londonderry, in county Derry, Ireland, August, 1809. Rob- ert Simpson and family emigrated from Ire- land to America in 1834 and settled in Phila- delphia, where he died in 1847. His wife, Margaret Gilliland, died at Johnstown, Pa., in 1872, at ninety-six years of age. They had four sons : John, who died at Philadelphia and whose son Robert, who improved the Singer sew- ing machine, established a large manufactory and sales house in Glasgow, Scotland, became wealthy and died in Italy ; William died in Chi- cago and left several children ; James died at Chester, Pa., where most of his children reside ; and David. All four of these brothers were tailors.
David Simpson came to America in 1833, landed at St. Johns, N. B., and from there went to Philadelphia, from whence he walked to Blairsville, Pa., and returned the next Spring to Philadelphia. He then left that city and worked at tailoring in Baltimore and at Freder- ick and Hagerstown, Md., Wilmington, N. C., and in New York City. In 1841 he went to
Hollidaysburg, Pa., and from thence removed in 1842 to Johnstown where he worked for twelve years. In 1845 he built the " Mansion House " which was 50x80 feet in dimensions and was swept away by the great flood of 1889. In 1854 he sold the above named house and purchased a farm in Derry township on which he lived for nine years. He then sold that farm and bought and sold two other farms. In 1874 he pur- chased his present well-improved farm in Derry township on which he now lives. He also owns some valuable property in Latrobe.
David Simpson was married on July 3, 1841, to Lucinda Gamble, a native of Ireland, by whom he had six children, of whom two are liv- ing: Martha, wife of Benjamin Davidson of Chicago; and William G., a business man of Latrobe. Mrs. Simpson died June 24, 1852. On May 18, 1854, Mr. Simpson united in mar- riage with Mary Peoples. By his second wife he has six children : Elizabeth S., born March 24, 1855, wife of M. L. Middlekauf, a lawyer of Hagerstown, Md .; Mary J., born January 5, 1857, and married to George A. Lynn of Fair- field township, George P., born October 23, 1858, and now resides at Blairsville, Joseph seph W., born January 15, 1860, now a resident of Saltsburg, Pa. ; David Emmett, born Decem- ber 4, 1861, and is a skilled blacksmith of East End, Pittsburg ; and E. Agnes, who was born April 19, 1864. Mrs. Mary Simpson is a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Steel) Peoples and was born April 8, 1820. Joseph Peoples came from Ireland, and his wife Eliza- beth Steel, was born at Shippensburg, Pa. Her parents were Scotch-Irish and came to this country in Indian times.
David Simpson is a strong and unswering democrat. Ile is the oldest living charter men- ber of Conemaugh Lodge, No. 191, I. O. O. F. and during his half a century membership has never asked for or received a cent of benefits. lle is kind, generous and obliging and stands high among his neighbors.
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FACOB II. SMITHI, a prominent and pros- perous merchant of Bradenville and a lead- ing citizen of Derry township, was born in Derry township, Westmoreland county, l'a., December 21, 1831, and is a son of John and Frances (Berlin) Smith. The Smith and Ber- lin families are of German descent and are among the old pioneer and early settled families of Westmoreland county. Joseph Smith (pater- mal grandfather) was born before 1774 and be- came a resident of Derry township during the last century. He owned and tilled a farm near the site of Latrobe and married Christina Spiel- man of Unity township, by whom he had thir- teen children, of whom five are yet living : Jacob, who resides in Derry township ; Jonas of Bridgewater, Pa. ; Ephraim and Andrew, who live in Unity township ; and William of Mount Pleasant. Mr. Smith was a whig in politics. Ile died in 1830 and his widow afterwards mar- ried a Croushore of near Adamsburg. John Smith (father) was born in 1798 and died De- cember 15, 1878. He was a shoemaker by trade and in 1826 married Frances Berlin, who died November 5, 1879. They had four child- ren : Joseph, who married Julia Knox ; Jacob 11. : George W., of Bradenville, who married Mary Hollenbaugh, and Susanna E., wife of J. A. Johnson.
Jacob II. Smith was reared on a farm and at- tended the common school at " No. 1." the first school-house built under the present school sys- tem in Derry township. He learned the trade of blacksmith at Mt. Pleasant and followed that business for five years at Mt. Pleasant, St. Clair and Latrobe. In 1857 he and his brother Jo- seph opened a store at St. Clair. Two years later they sold their interest to Miskelly & Co., and was engaged as a clerk with them and J. R. McGonigal until 1871. In that year he formed a partnership with II. Braden and they conducted a store at St. Clair for six years. In 1877 Mr. Smith opened a general mercantile store at St. Clair. This store together with his
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