USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 67
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December 30, 1881, Austin T. Tarr married Rhoda Lennon. Their union has been blessed with four children : Minnie, Oma, Bessie and Van Amberg.
n ICHOLAS THOMAS is a native of what is now the great German Empire but was reared in Unity township, where he now resides, and bears the reputation of being an honest man, an honorable citizen and an obliging neighbor. He was born near the river Rhine in Germany, April 17, 1827. He is a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Memmor) Thomas, who were both natives of the . Fatherland." They were members of the Catholic church and came in 1831 to this county, where they located on Sewickley run but afterwards removed to Unity township. They had six sons and three daughters : Nicholas, George, John, Michael, Joseph, Anthony, Elizabeth, Christena and Bar- bara. The father, Philip Thomas, was a day laborer when he arrived in the county but soon became a farmer. Ile was a strong democrat and reliable man and died in 1878, aged eighty-one years. The mother, Elizabeth
Thomas, was an amiable woman and passed away in 1887, at eighty-three years of age.
Nicholas Thomas was brought to the United States by his parents when he was only four years old. He was reared in Unity township where he received a fair education. He learned the trade of blacksmith with Peter Kuhn, of Blairsville, Pa., and has followed blacksmithing for about twenty years. Ile has worked in Johnstown and Pittsburg and at Greensburg and Latrobe. In 1855 he removed to his present farm where he ran a shop until 1859, since which time he has given his time princi- pally to the tillage of his farm which is only one mile from Beatty's station on the Pennsylvania railroad. His farm contains over one hundred acres of tillable land, is well adapted to dairy purposes and grain raising and is in a good neighborhood.
On the 29th of March, 1853, he married Ilannah Ruffner, daughter of Peter Ruffier of this county. They have four children : Annie, wife of Michael George, of Latrobe; William B., Mary and Edmund, who married Mary Cute and resides with his father. Mrs. Hannah Thomas was born in Hempfield township, Octo- ber 22, 1823, and is a consistent member of the Catholic church,
Nicholas Thomas is a member of the Catholic church. He is a democrat, has served as road supervisor four years in his township and always takes an interest in the success of his party.
EORGE M. THOMAS is a skillful and reliable pharmacist and has been the lead- ing druggist of Derry since opening in the drug business there in 1879. He was born at Latrobe, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 13, 1861, and is a son of George J. and Ellen J. (Massenna) Thomas. Ilis paternal grand- father, Phillip J. Thomas, came to this county in 1831 from Germany and located in Pitts- burg. He soon removed to a farm near Beatty
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station, in this county, where he followed farm- ing until his death in 1889. He was a member of the Catholic church and stood high in his community as a useful citizen. His maternal grandfather, Oswald A. Massenna, was a resi- dent of Somerset county, Pa., and his parents were natives of France. Ilis father, George J. Thomas, was born in Germany in 1830, came with his parents to Pittsburg and learned the trade of tailor in Greensburg, Pa., which he soon abandoned. IIe then removed to Johns- town, Pa., where he was engaged in the mer- cantile business until 1874, when he retired from business and engaged in other pursuits. He is now connected at Johnstown with the mer- cantile firm of George M. Thomas & Co.
George M. Thomas was taken when he was about a year old by his parents to Johnstown, where he attended the public schools of that place until he was fifteen years of age. He then entered the drug store of Dr. A. N. Wake- field, in which he remained as a salesman for three years. In that period of time, under the instruction of one of the most competent physi- cians and skilled pharmacists of Johnstown, he thoroughly studied and practically mastered every detail of pharmacy. Immediately after leaving Dr. Wakefield he came to Derry Station, where he purchased the drug store, and and since then (1879) has successfully conducted the leading and best equipped drug establishnnent of that place. It is well stocked and commo- diously arranged for the transaction of his large and growing business.
Hle united in marriage on the 31st of January, 1882, with Susie J. Sweeney, daughter of the late Manassas Sweeney, of Derry township. Their union has been blessed with three chil- dren : Marie J., George J. and Jennie E.
In political sentiment Mr, Thomas is a demo- crat and served from 1884 to 1888 as post- master at Derry. In his drug business he gives special attention to the filling of prescriptions and the compounding of recipes and receives
the patronage of those who value safety in deal- ing with drugs, which by even a slight mistake might prove fatal. For a young man he has achieved marked success and has built a trade of such proportions as is not generally secured by business men until they are well advanced in years.
R EV. DANIEL W. TOWNSEND, an earnest, active worker in all humane and Christian enterprises, is the honored and respected pastor of Unity Presbyterian church around which eling the memories of Revolution- ary days and early pioneer times. He was born in Washington township, Westmoreland county, Pa., April 29, 1834, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Shumaker) Townsend. John Town- send was born in Westmoreland county in 1786. His life-long occupation was farming which he followed in Washington township. He was a ruling elder in the Poke Run Presbyterian church, of which he was a pillar of strength. He was plain and unassuming in manner but was firm and determined in opposing what was wrong and led the movement in his community against the use of liquor as a beverage. He died in 1869 at the age of eighty-three years. Ilis wife was a member of the Presbyterian church and died in 1873, aged eighty-three years.
Rev. Daniel W. Townsend was prepared for college at Elders Ridge academy, which he en- tered at the age of fifteen years. He entered Washington college in 1851, remained one year and then went to Jefferson college, from which he was graduated in 1855. He then prepared himself for the ministry at the Western Theo- logical seminary from which he was graduated in 1858. He was licensed to preach in 1857 and in the succeeding year was ordained and in- stalled pastor of the Presbyterian church at Par- nassus, which he faithfully served for a period of nine years. From Parnassus he removed to Alliance, Ohio, where his pastorate lasted two years and which he resigned in order to accept
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
a call from Unity Presbyterian church, which he has served successfully ever since. Ile has served twenty-one years as pastor of Unity church, during which time a new church edifice was created and other improvements made to the credit of the congregation and many members added to the church. Unity church was organ- ized in 1774 and its pastors have been : 1774, Rev. James Powers : 1790, John McPherrin ; 1800, John Black ; 1803. William Speer ; 1830, Robert Henry ; 1839, P. Hassinger; 1846, George Morton ; 1849, N. H. Gillett, and 1869, Rev. D. W. Townsend.
On the first day of July, 1858, Rev. D. W. Townsend united in marriage with Elizabeth M. Kier, a teacher in Glade Run academy and a daughter of James and Hannah Kier, of Elders Ridge, Armstrong county. Rev. and Mrs. Townsend have three sons and one daughter : Charles II., a naturalist, and now serving in the United States fish commission (steamer Alba- tross) ; Lizzie G., wife of Dr. W. D. Haymaker, of Meadville, Pa. ; William B., student of den- tistry at Philadelphia, and Paul, who is attend- ing Allegheny college.
Charles HI. Townsend, the eldest son, is one of the young and rising naturalists of the United States and is destined to make his mark at no distant day in the future. He is a graduate at the Academy of Natural Sciences, did field work in California for two years, spent one sum- mer on Seal Islands in Behring Sea, was na- turalist on the revenue cutter Corwin in an Arctic exploring expedition and had charge of the natural history work of expeditions sent to the West Indies and Central America. He has made some important discoveries in his chosen field of work and is highly spoken of by the most eminent naturalists of to-day.
Rev. D. W. Townsend was stated clerk of the Saltsburg Presbytery for six years and has served the Blairsville Presbytery in that capacity for the last eighteen years. He is a man of fine personal appearance, a theologian of sound
doctrinal views and an earnest and convincing speaker.
EORGE TRAUGER, one of the old re- spected and substantial citizens of Mt. Pleasant township, was born at Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland county, Pa., May 28, 1811, and is a son of Christian and Elizabeth (Lewis) Trauger. His paternal grandfather was of German extraction and lived and died in Bucks county, Pa., where he followed the occu- pation of farming. In politics he was a whig and served his county as overseer of the poor. Ile was a tailor by trade, at which he worked some in connection with his farm duties. He married Elizabeth Lose, who bore him ten chil- dren. Abram Lewis' maternal grandfather was a native of Bucks county where he always re- sided. Christian Trauger (father) was born in Bucks county in 1787, and emigrated with his brother Henry to Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, settling in Mount Pleasant township, near Pleasant Unity, at which place he followed tailoring for some time, but soon sold out and purchased a farm which he cultivated during the remainder of his life. His death occurred in 1859. Hle was a democrat and served for a time as overseer of the poor; he was a faith- ful member of the Lutheran church. Five children were the fruits of his marriage : Jacob, who is a merchant at Columbus, Indiana ; Lewis, a merchant of Greensburg ; Solomon, residing at Greensburg ; Sarah, wife of William Smith of Unity township, and George.
George Trauger was first married to Hannah Rumbaugh, by whom he had eight children : Lucinda, Elizabeth (deceased), Lydia (deceased), Mary, Sarah, Martha J., Jacob L., and John L. Mary, who resides in Unity township; Sarah is married to William Leasure, a farmer now in Dakota ; Martha J. is the wife of Harry Brader, a merchant of Derry township; Jacob L. is a farmer of Unity township ; John L. was edu- cated for the ministry but his throat gave out
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and he is now manager of a publishing com- pany at Columbus, Ohio, where he is also presi- dent of the city council. George Weaver was married the second time to Mary Ann Weaver, daughter of John Weaver, of Mount Pleasant township. Mr. Trauger received his education in the subscription schools of his youthful days and began for himself as a farmer. His main business through life has been farming and milling but was engaged for two or three years in mercantile business, owning a store at Plea- sant Unity and one at Bradenville. He owns a fine farm underlaid with coal and a flourishing mill with all modern improvements, such as the roller process. He is a democrat, though rather independent in local matters, and with his wife belongs to the Lutheran church. Mr. Trauger is a well-preserved old gentleman, looking many years younger than he really is and is one of the best and most substantial citizens of the county.
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POHN CUMMINS WALKINSIIAW, one of the prosperous farmers and prominent citizens of Derry township, is a son of Hugh R. and Mary (Cummins) Walkinshaw and was born at Nes Derry, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 7, 1849. Among the many in- dustrious and thrifty citizens of Derry township who came from county Derry, Ireland, was Will- jam Walkinshaw (grandfather). He was a weaver by trade and after several years' residence on a farm removed to Blairsville where he afterwards died. He had five sons and five daughters, of whom three sons and as many daughters are living: John, of Missouri; llettie, widow of Isaac McClusker and who resides at Cone- maugh, l'a .; Mary, wife of John MeCurdy, of Blairsville ; Sarah, Hugh R. and Robert, who married Mary, daughter of J. R. Devinney, of Blairsville and lives in Missouri. Hugh R. Walkinshaw was born in New Jersey on the 5th of December, 1817. . He was a wagoner on the old pike from Pittsburg to Philadelphia for many
years, then became one of the pioneer settlers of Latrobe and a few years later engaged in farming. Ile has now retired from all active business and resides with his son, William II. Hle is a democrat, was an elder of the United Presbyterian church for several years but now is a member of the Presbyterian church. He married Mary Cummins and two children were born unto them: John C. and William II., who is a farmer and lives near Ligonier. Mrs. Walkinshaw is a daughter of John II. Cummins, who was of Irish descent and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Ile removed about 1859 from Derry township to West Newton, where he died June 4, 1880, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Miller, by whom he had ten children, of whom two sons and two daughters are yet living : Alexander, now in Kansas; Mary, subject's mother; James, a resident of Iowa, and Elizabeth, who married John Mc- Quaid and resides in Philadelphia.
John C. Walkinshaw was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools and a select school at New Derry. At twenty-one years of age he engaged in farming, which he has fol- lowed ever since, excepting four years (1873 to 1877), which he spent in the office of the Mill- wood Coal and Coke Company. He owns his father's farm near Millwood, is an intelligent and prosperous farmer and keeps abreast of the times in his methods of farming. He is a dem- ocrat and a member of the Presbyterian church at Derry station. Mr. Walkinshaw is unosten- tatious in manner, temperate in habits and kind in disposition. He stands high in his commun- ity as a neighbor and a man.
On October 25, 1882, he united in marriage with Mary Boyd, youngest daughter of Robert Boyd, of South Huntingdon township. They have three children : Robert Boyd, born March 24, 1884; Hugh Robinson, born March 4, 1886; and Mary Emma, born September 14, 1888.
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
D G. WEAVER. It might seem that the interests of general trade in Westmore- land county would be dwarfed by the great manufacturing industries that exist in this county, but such is not the case, as evinced by a rapid development and great increase of mer- cantile business. Of the many merchants con- spicuous for enterprise and ability is D. G. Wea- ver of Lycippus. IIe is a son of John and Annie M. (Lose) Weaver and was born on the Stockberger farm in Unity township, Westmore- land county, Pa., October 10, 1827. The Weaver family is noted for its longevity and many octogenarians. Gasper Weaver, Sr. (great-grandfather) came from east of the Alle- ghenies and took up a large tract of land in Mt. Pleasant township, at that point where the B. & O. R. R. now is surveyed. He was a member of the Reformed church, a successful manager and died in 1883, aged eighty-two years. Gasper Weaver (grandfather) came with his father to this county when but a boy and the first night after arrival they slept under the wide-spreading branches of a lofty white-oak tree. Ile had to flee from his cabin and farm several times on account of Indians. Ile was a thrifty farmer, a conscientious and consistent member of the German Reformed church and a man whose word was as good as his bond. Ile died in 1837 at the ripe old age of eighty-five years. One of his sons was John Weaver, who was born in the initial year of the present con- tury. Hle was a pump-borer by trade and when he purchased in Pittsburgh the necessary outfit of tools for following his trade there was no way of transporting them to Mt. Pleasant township, and he was compelled to walk and carry them to his home. After working for several years at his trade he purchased a part of his grand- father's farm and gave some of his time to farming. When a boy he often heard his father say that the Indians always went to Chestnut Ridge to get their lead for bullets, these Indians claiming to cut this lead out of rocks in
that mountain range. John Weaver was a Jacksonian democrat, a stirring and energetic man and a member of the Reformed church, in which he had served in all of its local offices. He died February, 1883, aged eighty-two years. IIe married Annie M. Lose, who died in 1885, at the age of eighty years. Their children were : Caroline, Mary Ann, John W., Eliza J., Sarah B., James K., William, Bell, Francis C., and D. G.
Mrs. Annie M. Weaver was a member of the Reformed church and was the daughter of George Lose, of Unity township, who was a member of the church and owned the present John Mclaughlin farm.
D. G. Weaver was reared on the old Weaver farm, received his education in the schools of his neighborhood and at eighteen years of age went to learn the trade of saddler and harness maker with Henry Eicher, of Mt. Pleasant. After serving the required three years as an apprentice he followed journey work until he secured means enough to engage in business for himself at Pleasant Unity in 1849. In 1855 he purchased a store at Lycippus, which he con- ducted for four years, then became a member of the firm of Eicher & Weaver of Mt. Pleasant, where he was engaged in the tanning business until 1861. During the war he was in Pittsburg in the service of the government as a harness maker. In 1862 he formed a general mercan- tile partnership with A. II. Strickler of Mt. Pleasant which lasted for twelve years. From 1873 to 1880 he acted as clerk for Jacob Bow- ers and Low & Husband and was general man- ager of the company store of the coke firm of Mullen & Boyle. In 1880 he purchased his present well-arranged and amply-stocked general mercantile store at Lycippus. He has a steady and lucrative trade and his patrons are dis- tributed over a wide area of territory.
In 1849 he married Elizabeth Eicher, a daughter of Henry Eicher, of Mt. Pleasant borough, whose grandfather Eicher was killed
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with a man named Waugh, on Four Mile run and is buried on the Daniel Kuntz farm. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have been the parents of six children : Nelson C., Mary C., Emma B., John 11., who was killed by a falling tree in 1878 at the age of eighteen years; Elizabeth C. and Frank W.
In politics Mr. Weaver has been a life-long and ever-active democrat, was postmaster at Lycippus for ten years and is a firm believer in " Free Trade " principles. He is a member and steward of the M. E. church. His re- markable success in life, his high standing in society and his well-deserved popularity in his community, has been secured by his business ability, his excellent character and his honest business methods.
R OGER S. WELTY, an enterprising busi- hess man, a prominent justice and a leading democrat of Mt. Pleasant town- ship, is a son of George and Eliza (Baughman) Welty, and was born in Mt. Pleasant township, Westmoreland county, Pa., January 2, 1854. His great-grandfather was a native of Germany and settled at an early day near Greensburg, where he worked some at his trade of glove- making. His son, John Welty (grandfather), was engaged in the mercantile business at Pleasant Unity for many years. Ile was a democrat, served for several years as justice of the peace in Unity township and was a member and elder of the Reformed church. He married a Miss Lose, by whom he had six children and of whom one was George Welty (father), who was born at Pleasant Unity in 1823. He was a tanner by trade, built the old Welty tannery in Mt. Pleasant township and operated it until his death, which occurred February 3, 1884. He owned a good farm, was a democrat, served as school director of Mt. Pleasant township and was a member of the Reformed church. Hle married Eliza Baughman, a daughter of Jacob
Baughman, who was a farmer and speculator and was a member of the old pioneer Baughman family of this county. Their children are : Rev. Jacob, who received an academic education, took a full theological course, married Mary Slater, of Mt. Pleasant, was ordained as a min- ister of the Reformed church but afterward became a Presbyterian and now is pastor of the Presbyterian church of Moberly, Mo .; Louisa, wife of W. H. McBeth, merchant and postmaster at McBeth, this county ; Roger S., Rose, mar- ried to Rev. A. M. Keifer, a minister of the Reformed church at Greenville, Pa .; Lucien C., married Belle Schaeffer and is engaged in the lumber business ; Samuel, who married Caroline Pearce and is in the lumber business ; and Clara, M., wife of Samuel G. Shaeffer, a grocer of East End, Pittsburg, Pa.
Roger S. Welty attended the common schools of his native township. Ile learned the trade of tanner, which he followed until 1884 when he engaged in his present business of farming and lumbering. He owns forty acres of good farming land besides a timbered track of one hundred acres. He also owns and operates a portable saw-mill and furnishes several coke- works with lumber supplies. He is an unswerv- ing democrat and was nominated by his party in 1884 for the Legislature but was defeated with the rest of the democratic county ticket at the fall election. In the same year he was ap- pointed justice of the peace and elected in 1885 for a term of five years. He is a member of the Order of Chosen Friends and Reformed church.
December 3, 1874, Roger S. Welty married Mary Fausold, a daughter of Hon. John Fausold (see sketch of II. F. Fausold). Their children are : Ellen, born September 25, 1875; Lucy, born August 9, 1877; Ruth, born December 7, 1878; Benton, born October 6, 1880; Martha, born July 4, 1882; George, born May 4, 1884; Morris, born March 4, 1886; and Pauline, born April 8, 1888.
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
In 1886 Roger S. Welty wrote a work en- titled " Rent, Wages and Capital," which was published by the Laporte Printing Company. In it he shows that all the elements that con- stitute the State are inter-dependent and may and must advance.
. EORGE W. WILLIAMS. Prominent among the most active and enterprising merchants of Derry township is George W. Williams of New Alexandria, who is one of the most reliable and responsible business men in his section of the county. He is a son of William and Mary M. (Rhodes) Williams, and was born at New Alexandria, Derry township, Westmoreland county, Pa., February 22, 1850. Ilis grandfather, Rev. William Williams, was a Baptist minister who emigrated from Wales to eastern Pennsylvania, afterwards preached in Pittsburg, and finally located near Ebensburg, Pa., where he died. His children were : Thomas, living in Oregon: Benjamin, of Iowa; William and Elias, Margaret and Elizabeth, who are dead. William Williams was born in eastern Pennsylvania in 1804, came in 1840 to Hannas- town, this county, and later removed to New Alexandria where he continued to work at his trade of wagon-making until he purchased a farm in Salem township. He lived on this farm till 1888 when he removed to Derry township where he now resides. He is in the eighty- sixth year of his age and is a republican in poli- ties. llis wife, Mary M. (Rhodes) Williams, was born east of the Allegheny mountains in 1816, and is the mother of six children : Anna, Elias, George W., Harriet, Frances and Joseph T.
George W. Williams was reared at New Alexandria and on a Salem township farm. He received his education in the common schools and attended Duff's Commercial college of Pittsburg, from which institution he was grad- uated in 1867. Leaving Pittsburg he went to
Iowa where he purchased lots at Iowa Center with a view of building, but sold them at a good profit and returned to New Alexandria and served as clerk for five years with the mercan- tile firm of T. & J. Gallagher of that place. Hle then (1884) purchased a lot at New Alexandria and erected his present dwelling house and ample store-room. Ile carries a complete line of general merchandise and is situated in a wealthy section of the county from which he re- ceives a large and remunerative patronage. He is a republican in politics, has served as council- man of his borough and is well-informed upon the political issues of the day. Mr. Williams is a man of good business qualifications. He is a member of Philanthropy Lodge, No. 225, A. Y. M., at Greensburg.
He was married in July, 1883, to Gertrude L. Snodgrass, daughter of John Snodgrass of Salem township. To their union have been born three children : Mary Maude, John S. and George W., Jr.
R T. REV. BONIFACE WIMMER, O. S. B., an arch abbot and the founder of St.
Vincent's abbey and college, was a very saintly man who revived in America the grand institutions of the Benedictine abbeys of the middle ages, from which many nations of Eu- rope first received the glad tidings of Christian- ity, and we have but few records in human his- tory more instructive than the missionary labors of this most instructive prelate, who was earn- estly and successfully engaged for over half a century in the cause of religion, charity and education. His self-sacrificing efforts were crowned with abundant success and thousands in the various walks of life throughout the United States, who have enjoyed the salutary influence of his institutions upon their spiritual and secular training, revere his memory and ap- preciate his real worth as a noble and large- hearted man. Boniface Wimmer was born at Thalmassing, near the city of Ratishon, in Ba-
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