Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 69

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 69

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IIon. John Covode was reared on a farm, receiving but a limited education in the sub- scription schools. For forty years he conducted the business of woolen manufacturing, though during this time he gave considerable attention to other matters. In early life he was a con- tractor, became connected with the public works of the State and strongly advocated the building of the State canal, after the completion of which he embarked in the transportation busi- ness and had charge of the first boat that went over the canal from Philadelphia to Ohio. In 1845 he entered the political arena as the whig candidate for the State senate. He was defeated, as his district was strongly democratic,

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but was again nominated in the next campaign and pushed his opponent so closely that the democrats who then were in State power thought it advisable to change his district. In 1854 he was the whig nominee for Congress from the twentieth district ; he was successful and was re-elected in 1856, 1858 and 1860. A new apportionment having been made, he was in 1806 and 1868 returned to Congress from the twenty-first district. In 1860 and 1863 he was a very strong candidate for the gubernatorial nomination and in 1869 was chairman of the Republican State committee, which position he held at the time of his death, January 11, 1870. "As chairman of the Lecompton Investi- gating Committee in 1858 he won a national reputation which was made more secure by his service as a member of the committee of Con- gress to inquire into the conduct of the war, and by his conspicuous and valuable services in support of the government."

Few men labored more zealously than he in the interests of the Federal government during the dark days of the Rebellion and but few had better knowledge of the inside workings of the immense machinery employed for its suppres- sion. Mr. Covode was a man who had the confidence of all classes-the high, the low, the rich, the poor; he possessed strong sense, great energy, quick perception, fine executive ability, keen insight into human nature and an unusual degree of the faculty of combination. He was fruitful in resources, untiring in excen- tion, a true friend and an honest man.

J OJIN HARGNETT FRANK, a substantial banker of Ligonier, Westmoreland county, Pa .. was born there April 1, 1850, and is a son of Jacob and Nancy ( Underwood) Frank. His great-grandfather, Conrad Frank, was a native of Germany and when a young man immi- grated to America where he served as a soldier in the Continental army during the Revolu-

tionary war, after which he located in Somerset county, where he died. His wife was Sallie Bowers, of Chester county, who bore him six children : Henry, John, Conrad, Sallie, Betsy and Kate. Sallie Bowers when a school girl received a dollar from the hand of Gen. Wash- ington and this piece of money is preserved by the Frank family as a precious souvenir. Another antiquated relic preserved by this family is the discharge of Conrad Frank from service in the Continental army, which was issued after the signing of the treaty guaranteeing our national independence. John Frank (grandfather) was born in 1787 in Somerset county, Pa., where he followed the occupation of farming until 1839, when he removed to Westmoreland county, locating in Ligonier township. After ten more years of farming he took charge of the turnpike toll-gate at Laughlinstown, where he remained until his death in 1851. His wife was Anna (Hicks) Frank, who bore him eleven children, of whom but three are living : Aaron, a resident of Ligonier ; Joseph, living at Jenner X Roads, Somerset county ; and Jacob. Jacob Frank (father) was born near Somerset, Pa., September 11, 1825, where he was reared on the farm and came to this county with his father in 1839. He continued to farm until 1849 when he engaged in mercantile business at Ligonier, which he carried on twelve years, then removed to Shelby county, Ill., and purchased a farm, but after six months returned to his store business at Ligonier, which he continued until 1885. From 1868 to 1872 he ran the " Glassner House" and in the latter year built his present house, which he conducts as a summer hotel. He married in 1847 Nancy A., a daughter of James and Susan Underwood, of Ligonier, who was born in 1827 and who is the mother of six children, of whom four are living : John II., Alice L., born Sep- tember 1, 1852, married to Albert Brenizer, of Ligonier, Harry E., born 1859, and Wilbert W., born in 1864.

John Hargnett Frank was reared in the his-

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torie Ligonier Valley where he attended the public schools until 1804, when he went to Michigan. In 1866 he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he finished learning the trade of engraver and die-sinker with Lamphear & Co., remaining with them till 1869 and then went to Chicago, Ill., and entered into a partnership with one Charles Myer, under the firm name of Charles Myer & Co. This firm opened a steel die-sinking and engraving establishment on Dearborn street, Chicago, but in the fall of 1870 sold out and dissolved partnership. Mr. Frank then returned to Cincinnati where he remained until 1874 when his eyes failing he was obliged to quit his trade. Returning to his native vil- lage he engaged in the hotel business for seven years. In the spring of 1882 he opened his banking house at Lingonier with which he con- tinues in connection with his real estate business. J. H. Frank, together with Messrs. Mellon and Brenizer, built the first telegraph line connecting Ligonier with Latrobe and is at present mana- ger of the lines for the Western Union Company in the former place.

John H. Frank was married November 26, 1872, to Anna K., daughter of George Kibel, of Ligonier, who was born September 18, 1852, of German ancestors, and who has borne him three children : Josephine Alice and William Kibel (twins), born July 22, 1874, in Cincin- nati, Ohio, and George Clifford, born May 1, 1876, in Ligonier, Pa.

Mr. Frank is an enterprising citizen, a very intelligent and agreeable companion and one of the best men in the valley. He is an unswer- ving democrat and takes a lively interest in the men and measures of his party.

R OBERT M. GRAHAM, justice of the peace and notary public of the borough of Ligonier and who resides upon the site of " Old Fort Ligonier," was born in Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., January

6, 1824, and is a son of Richard and Annie (Mellon) Graham who were natives of Ireland. Richard Graham was born in county Donegal in 1796 and came with his father to this country in 1810. Ile first settled near Youngstown, in Unity township, where he was engaged in farming from 1817 to 1831. He then embarked in the mercantile business at Youngstown, which he followed at that place for seven years. In 1838 he came to Ligonier and conducted a store until 1845. From 1845 to 1850 he operated a tannery and in the latter year became a resident of Oak Grove, where he was in the store busi- ness for nine years. He spent the next eight years in Atchison county, Kansas, and then re- sided at Ligonier until his death in 1883. In 1821 he married Annie Mellon who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland in 1798, and came with her parents to Pennsylvania in 1816, where she died in 1873. She was a daughter of Archi- bald Mellon and an aunt to Judge Mellon. They had eleven children, of whom four are living : Robert M., Eliza J., wife of Hon. N. M. Marks (see his sketch); Rebecca, wife of Thomas Fra- ble, of Atchison, Kansas, and William M., also of Kansas.

Robert M. Graham was reared in Ligonier Valley, attended the old subscription schools of his day and received a good business training in his father's store. From 1846 to 1849 he and Jacob Reed conducted a store at Ligonier. In 1849 Mr. Graham established a store at Oak Grove which he ran successfully until 1877. Ile also had a branch store at Lockport on the Pennsylvania railroad for several years. In 1878 he moved on his farm near Oak Grove and de- voted his attention for the next three years to farming. Since 1881 he has been a resident of Ligonier borough.

August 24, 1852, Mr. Graham united in marriage with Susan, eldest daughter of IIon. John Covode, by whom he had three children : Charles M., of Allegheny City ; James R., in Denver city, Colorado ; and Sadie C., who mar-

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ried J. E. Lose, of Indiana county, Pa. Mrs. Graham died October 22, 1859, and on January 12, 1871, Mr. Graham was married to Lizzie, daughter of Thomas Hague, of Minerva, Stark county, Ohio. By his second marriage he had two sons: Thomas II., who lives in New York city, and Richard J., at home.

Robert M. Graham is an active republican, has served as justice of the peace in Ligonier township since 1863, was postmaster at Oak Grove for several years and also at Ligonier from 1883 to 1885. Ile served as United States cen- sus enumerator for Ligonier township in 1880, was elected justice of the peace for Ligonier borough in 1886, and was commissioned notary public in 1887. In 1869 he was commissioned as assistant revenue collector of the fifth district and discharged the duties of his position in a very creditable manner. Mr. Graham and his wife are members of the Ligonier Methodist Episcopal church. His residence stands near the site of Fort Ligonier and he has in his pos- session many relies of that old fort. Ile is a prominent and highly respected citizen of his borough and township.

CON. JOHN HARGNETT. The char- acter and success of a community depend largely upon the mental, moral and busi- ness qualities of the founders and earlier in- habitants. One of the oldest and best villages and surrounding communities in the county, considering the location and natural advantages, is that of Ligonier. Hemmed in between the Laurel Hill on the cast of Chestnut Ridge on the west, with no outlet by water and no rail- way communication, Ligonier township by sheer force of her people's virtue and enterprise has risen to a high place among her sister townships. One of the families that has contributed very materially to this result, from the earliest days down to the present is the Hargnett family, a worthy member of which is Hon. John Harg-

nett, who was born April 13, 1811, about two miles south of Ligonier, Westmoreland county, Pa., and whose parents were Frederick and Catharine (Tash) Hargnett. Jacob Hargnett, his grandfather, was born December 23, 1736, in Germany, immigrated to America early in life and settled near Hagerstown, Md. After living a few years in that State he removed his family to Westmoreland county. Pa., and lo- cated near what is now Ligonier about the year 1760. Owing to the hostility of the Indians, however, he remained but a short time and then went back to Maryland. Eight years later he returned to Ligonier and settled on the same tract of land he had first occupied. On this land he lived until his death and is still in pos- session of the family. Jacob Hargnett died in 1826 and his widow survived him but one year. Frederick Hargnett (father) was born in the year 1774 in Hagerstown, Md., and in his youth was brought to Ligonier Valley by his parents. In this forest-clad, mountain-bound valley he was reared in the midst of the wild and savage Red Men whose tomahawks were a constant menace to the early settlers. He was a farmer by occupation and followed the pursuits of agri- culture until his death, May 3, 1845. Hle was married in 1803 to Catharine Tash, who died February 15, 1871, and they had eight chil- dren, four of whom are living : Henry, now liv- ing at Ligonier; John, Aun, wife of Samuel King, of St. Joe county, Michigan, and Sarah, married to Jacob Brenizer, of Ligonier. Fred- erick Hargnett was a democrat faithful to his party and belonged to the German Reformed church.

John Hargnett received what education the very common schools of his day afforded and re- mained on the old homestead farm with his par- ents until 1830, 'when he removed to Ligonier and worked for two years in a store. Having gained experience in mercantile pursuits he em- barked in that business, which in connection with J. T. McGowan he continued until 1861

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when he was elected justice of the peace, which office he held for a quarter of a century. In 1834 he was commissioned postmaster and has held that position at various times, in all about twenty-seven years. Although nearly four- score years of age he has not entirely given up business, but devotes part of his time looking after the interests of his property, of which he owns a goodly amount. In 1861 Mr. Harg- nett was elected a member of the Legislature of Pennsylvania 'in a close and exciting contest. Hle served with credit to himself and perfect sat- isfaction to his constituents and the Democratic party, to which he was always loyal. His first Presidential vote was cast for Andrew Jackson and his last for Grover Cleveland. Faithful in his adherence to principle, loyal to his country, enterprising and progressive in spirit, John Hargnett is one of the very best men of whom Ligonier Valley can boast, a man whose family has been a pillar of strength to the community and whose name is an honored one in the history of the county.

Hon. John Hargnett was first married in 1836 to Susan, a daughter of David Armor, of near Ligonier, who bore him two children : Armor, who was born in 1843 and died in 1844, and Parmelia, born in 1837, and married to Dr. L. T. Beam, formerly of Ligonier, who perished in the Johnstown flood. Mr. Hargnett's wife died in 1848. His present wife, whom he mar- ried in 1854, was Euphemia B., a daughter of Capt. James MeDonald, of Indiana county, l'a., and to this union were born two daughters : Minnie P., who is the wife of Dr. J. S. Garman, of Berlin, Pa., and May I., who is yet at home.

OVERNOR WILLIAM HENDRICKS, L. L. D., was born in Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland county, Pa., November 12, 1782, and was a son of Abraham and Ann (Jamison) Hendricks. On the farm he grew to man's estate and educated himself laboring at

different occupations to make the money for his support during his school and college life. Among other labors he was a hand in a powder mill for one year. He afterwards taught school and by great economy while engaged in that calling was enabled to enter college at Cannons- burg, Pa., and was graduated from there in the class of 1810. After his graduation he went west to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he read law in the office of Mr. Corry, and was admitted to the bar. In 1812 he went to Madison, Indiana, where he afterwards became one of the most prominent men of the state and where he spent the remainder of his life.

In 1814 he was elected a member of the Ter- ritorial legislature. In June, 1816, he was appointed secretary of the convention to form a State Constitution which convened at Corydon, the seat of government and the first capital of the state. In August, 1816, he was elected as the first and sole representative to Congress from the state and served three successive terms until 1822, when he was elected the second Governor of Indiana. During the last year of his term as Governor he was elected to the U. S. Senate and resigned the office of Governor in order to take his seat in the Senate on March 4, 1825. IIe was re-elected to that body in 1850 and was a conspicuous leader in the Senate for twelve years. He made the journey from Indiana to the Capital usually on horseback as far as Ligonier Valley thence to Washington hy stage. On one of these journeys his wife accompanied him riding the entire distance from Indiana to Washington on horseback. Governor Hendricks' political opinions were truly democratic. When he was a candidate for Governor of Indiana he had no opponent and no other men in the history of the state was ever so honored. On the 16th of May, 1850, he died on his Indiana farm. The literary degrees of A. B. in 1810, A. M. and L. L. D. were conferred upon him by the Washington college of Pennsylvania. From 1816 to 1837

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he served without intermission the people of Indiana in the three highest offices within their gift and was by far for over a decade of years the most popular man in the state. Men who found empires should not be forgotten ; they plant the tree of civil liberty and water its roots while those who come after them but trim its brauches to preserve its symmetry. If they plant carelessly and in poor soil the tree will have a sickly growth. Of the men who planted Indiana in the wilderness seventy-five years ago among the highest honors should be accorded to Governor William Hendricks. In the contest for fame there is sharp competition and those only win who have endurance and mettle. A number of talented young men went to Indiana in quest of fortune, and had William Hendricks been a dolt or a laggard he would have been distanced in the race. The Hendricks family occupies a front place in the history of Indiana, and probably there is none other in the state that has exerted so wide an influence upon its politics and legislation. Governor Hendricks' eldest son, John Abraham, was captain in the Mexican war and a colonel in the war of the Rebellion. A brother and a nephew sat in the State Senate, and another nephew, the IIon. Thomas A. Hen- dricks, received the highest honors his State could confer upon him. He was elected United States Senator, Governor of the State, Vice- president of the United States in 1884, and has gone to his grave.

OSES HORNER, an active and promi- nent farmer of Donegal township, was born near the borough of Mt. Pleasant in Mt. Pleasant township, Westmoreland county, Pa., July 31, 1823, and is a son of Jacob and Catharine (Beachly) Horner. Jacob Horner was a native and resident of one of the eastern counties of Pennsylvania till he had attained his majority. He then migrated to Somerset coun- ty, this State, and subsequently removed to Mt.

Pleasant township where he was employed in farming till 1844, when he died in the sixty- sixth year of his age. He owned a traet of land which was afterwards divided into three good- sized farms. Ile was a member of the German Baptist church, an old-line whig and a well res- pected citizen of his adopted township. He married Catharine Beachly, by whom he had six sons and four daughters. Ilis father, Abra- ham Horner (grandfather), was from Bloody Run, Pa., and spent the last four years of his life in this county.

Moses Horner was reared to farm work. He received only the advantages of about six months schooling, but so improved his time as to acquire sufficient education for all ordinary business pur- suits. He followed farming in Mt. Pleasant township till 1846 when he removed to Donegal township, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and thirty acres of land which he has successfully cultivated to the present time. On this farm Mr. Horner has built his present fine brick residence and made many other valuable improvements.

Ile married Susanna Beistel, daughter of John Beistel. To their union have been born four children, one son and three daughters : Lu- cinda, wife of Jacob Grove, who was a soldier in the late civil war and is now a farmer of Donegal township; Noah J., Mary Emma (dead) ; and Annie C., who married Charles Bruner and died in 1887. Noah J. Horner is an active and pro- gressive merchant of Stalilstown, has a fine store room and first-class stock of goods. He is a member of the M. E. church and a republican in politics. He married Cora Leacock and is well respected by all who know him. At pres- ent he is postmaster in Stahlstown.

Moses Horner in polities is a republican. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of which he is a trustee. Mr. Horner has eight grandchildren living, three boys and five girls. His son Noah's children are : Burt, Flora, Ira, Mamie and Edna. His

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daughters (Lucinda Grove's) children are : Net- tie, Noah and Elmer. As a citizen, a neighbor and a business man Moses Horner stands well with the community in which he resides.

OHIN HUBBS, an old and well established merchant of Donegal, a substantial business man and a prominent member of the Bap- tist church, was born at Mt. Pleasant, West- moreland county, Pa., May 24, 1825, and is a son of HIon. Clement and Elizabeth (Ferrell) Hubbs. The Hubbs family of this county was founded by Dr. Charles Hubbs (grandfather), who was a native of Germantown, Pa., where he owned a farm. He migrated to Carroll county, Md., from there came to Mt. Pleasant where he practiced medicine for many years and then re- moved to Fayette county, l'a., in which he died in 1845, aged eighty years. He was a minister in the German Baptist church and was twice married. Ilis first wife died in 1793 of yellow fever. George Ferrell (maternal grandfather) was a native of eastern Maryland. He was a tailor by trade, served in the Revolutionary war and afterwards migrated to Mt. Pleasant town- ship where he died and his remains were interred in Mt. Pleasant Baptist graveyard. Hon. Clement ITubbs (father) was born at German- town, Pa., about 1793 and died in Donegal township April 14, 1865. He came with his father to Mt. Pleasant where he kept the Gibbs House until 1832, when he removed to Donegal and was engaged in hotel keeping and mercan- tile business till his death. He was a baptist, a republican and a prominent man in his section of the county. He served in the Pennsylvania Legislature about 1859. He married Elizabeth Ferrell, by whom he had five children : Sarah, wife of R. L. Jones; John, George (dlead) ; Henry, resident of Scottdale and a merchant of Connellsville, Pa. ; and Louisa, wife of John L. Anawalt of Scottdale.

John Hubbs was reared at Mt. Pleasant and

Donegal and received his education in the schools of those two boroughs.

In 1855 he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at Donegal, which he has continued to pur- sue until the present time. In connection with his general mercantile business he handles agri- cultural implements and does business under the firm name of J. Hubbs & Son. He is a repub- lican and has served as school director. Mr. Hubbs has no aspirations for political life and re- fused to serve when elected as justice of the peace. His decided preference is for business life instead of politics. He owns his large store building, comfortable dwelling house and con- siderable other property at Donegal. He has a well assorted stock of goods, commands a large trade and is a reliable business man. He is a member of the order of Chosen Friends and the Baptist church, of which he is a deacon.

Ile was united in marriage to Nancy Hays, a daughter of Lewis Ilays. They are the parents of one child, a son, Elmer C., who is in business with his father, married Lulu Campbell Decem- ber 28, 1885, and has one child, named Searl Ilubbs.

IXON HUSTON, a farmer, stock-raiser and dairyman of Ligonier, was born August 18, 1831, in Fairfield township, in Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of Wil- liam and Mary (Bennett) Huston. Archibald Huston, his grandfather, was a native of Ireland, born in 1763 and immigrated to the United States about the beginning of the war of 1812. Ile followed the occupation of farming in several counties of Pennsylvania, finally locating in Westmoreland county where he died. William Huston (father) was born in 1808 and was a native of Erin, which he left at about five years of age with his parents who came to America. After a brief sojourn in Chester and Indiana counties the family settled in Fairfield township, this county, where William grew to manhood. Ile remained at home on his father's farm until

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thirty years of age when he engaged in agricul- tural pursuits for himself, at the same time car- rying on a general store at Fairfield, which he continued until 1842. After a period of turn- pike contracting in West Virginia he purchased a farm in St. Clair township, this county, where he lived when elected sheriff of Westmoreland county, in which office he served from 1859 to 1862. After his term expired he engaged in the hotel business at Latrobe, Johnstown and Pittsburg and then removed to Ligonier, where he remained until his death in 1881. Ilis wife, who died in 1885, was Mary, daughter of John Bennett, of Fairfield township, who bore him six children, of whom five are living : Dixon, Elizabeth, born in 1833; Archie, born in 1835; John M. (deceased), born in 1837 ; William and Mary Agnes (twins).

Dixon Huston was reared on his father's farm until he attained the age of manhood, after which he was employed on the Pennsyl- vania railroad which was in course of construc- tion. Upon its completion he was road foreman for a number of years and remained in the ser- vice of that company twenty-three years in all. In 1881 he moved to his farm close to Ligonier, where he now resides. Mr. Huston is an ardent democrat as was his father, and takes quite an interest in the welfare of his party_ Ile is an estimiable, a well-to-do gentleman, one of the grand citizens of Ligonier Valley.

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 69

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

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