USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 75
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Electral conference of the Methodist Episcopal church at Beaver Pa. He has lately received an invitation from the World's Fair Committee to attend at Chicago in 1892.
OIIN G. FELGER, one of Sewickley town- ship's active and prosperous farmers and a Pennsylvania veteran who was twice wounded in the late war, is a son of John Casper and Elizabeth (Mertz) Felger and was born at Waiblingen, kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, May 2, 1840. John Casper Felger, who was a farmer in Germany immigrated to the United States in 1847. IIe located at West Newton where he engaged in the mercantile business and died after a residence of six months. He married Elizabeth Mertz, by whom he had seven children, of whom three lived to be men and women. Mrs. Felger died in 1888. She was a daughter of Casper Mertz who came on the same ship to America with Mr. and Mrs. Felger in the fall of 1847. He was well advanced in years and died a few days after landing at New York City. He was pressed with his team when living in Europe to haul provisions for Bonaparte's army.
John G. Felger left Germany before he was old enough to receive the educational advantages of that country. Ile received his education in the common schools of Sewickley township and when Lincoln made his first call for three hund- red thousand men he enlisted in the United States service September 4, 1861, in company E, one hundred and fifth reg., Pa., Vols., and served in the Army of the Potomac until Sep- tember 14, 1864, when he was honorably dis- charged from the service of the United States. Ile was at the siege of Yorktown and in the bat- tles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks and Charles City X Roads where he was wounded in the thigh. He then was sent to the hospital at Annapolis, Md., where he remained two months. At the end of that time he rejoined his regiment
south of Washington City and participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Mine Run campaign and the terrible Wilderness fights, in the last of which he was seriously wounded in the knee. He then was removed to the hospital at Saterlee United States hospital, West Philadelphia, where he remained until he was discharged.
After the close of the war Mr. Felger engaged in his present business of farming and stock- raising. He owns a farm of two hundred acres of good farming and grazing land which is sit- uated in the south central part of the township and within easy distance of Cowansburg railroad station, Youghiogheny. In politics he has always been a republican. He is a member and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church of Wineland Grove and belongs to Youghiogheny Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, at West New- ton. He has always believed that the promo- tion of the best interests of agricultural pur- suits would be secured by an honorable and reliable farmers' organization, and he advo- cates the Grange as representative of the best organized effort ever made for the protection and promotion of agricultural interests.
EHEMIAH FINLEY, one of South Huntingdon's reliable and substantial farmers, is a son of Capt. John and Polly (Stokely) Finley and was born in South Hunt- ingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., January 6, 1821.
Andrew Finley (grandfather) was born in Virginia from which he migrated in an early day to Westmoreland county where he settled in South Huntingdon township. He owned a farm of four hundred acres and was a prominent man in the early history of that township. Ile was a presbyterian and a demo- crat and served as justice of the peace for many years.
Capt. John Finley (father) was born in 1790
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and always followed farming. Ile commanded a militia company for many years and served as justice of the peace for several terms. lle was a democrat and a presbyterian and died on the homestead farm. He married Polly Stokely by whom he had nine children, of whom seven are dead. Mrs. Finley was a daughter of Nehemiah Stokely, who was a native of Vir- ginia and first came to western Pennsylvania as a soldier in a company which was sent out against the Indians. He served as justice of the peace in 1782 and was for many years a very prominent military man in South Hunting- don township.
Nehemiah Finley was reared to manhood on his father's farm. He attended the subscription schools of his native township and upon attain- ing his majority engaged in farming and stock- raising. Ile owns a well cultivated farm of one hundred and thirty acres and raises some very fine stock.
He was married to Josephine Kerr. Their union was blessed with two children : Polly, who married Jacob Mason, of Mckeesport, Pa., and Lucetta, wife of William McMichael, who is a blacksmith of South Huntingdon township.
Nehemiah Finley has ever been a stanch republican from principle and is always deeply interested in whatever benefits farming. llis farin is well improved, productive and is con- veniently located to church, school and mar- ket.
JOHN G. FISHER, a son of George and Margaret (Colure) Fisher, was born Octo- ber 7, 1812, in Rostraver township, West- moreland county, Pa. John Fisher (grand- father) a native of Germany, immigrated to America and settled in Lancaster county, Pa., where he followed weaving and farming. His maternal grandfather Colure was a resident of East Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, l'a., in which place he died. George Fisher (father) was born in Lancaster county,
Pa., and came with his parents to Westmoreland county, Pa., settling in Rostraver township, where he purchased land, about two hundred and eighty acres, and went to farming. He was a democrat, an active worker for the interests and success of his party and devoted member of the Lutheran church.
John G. Fisher's wife was Charlotte, a daugh- ter of Solomon Suter and they had two chil- dren : Mary and Ida Belle. In 1869 his wife died and Mr. Fisher married again, his second wife being Charlotte, a daughter of William Ilough, of South Huntingdon township, West- moreland county, Pa., and to their union have been born three children : William (dead), Cla- rissa (dead), and Margaret.
John G. Fisher was educated in the common schools of Rostraver township, this county, since which he has devoted his attention to agricul- tural pursuits in his native township. He is a political disciple of Jefferson and has been a member of the Presbyterian church for more than a quarter of a century. Mr. Fisher is an estimable gentleman upon whose head the snows of nearly eighty winters have fallen. Seneca says, " Life is a voyage, in the progress of which we are perpetually changing our scenes ; we first leave childhood behind us, then youth, then the years of ripened manhood, then the better and more pleasing parts of old age." In these " pleasing parts," therefore, we find Mr. Fisher and wish him many years' enjoy- ment of them ere he is called to the land of his fathers.
OHIN C. FLANAGAN, a prominent and well respected citizen in his neighborhood and a prosperous farmer of Rostraver town- ship, is a son of Patrick and Nancy (Hastings) Flanagan and was born on the old homestead farm in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 80, 1826. Ilis paternal grandfather, James Flanagan, was a native of Ireland, where he lived and died when well ad-
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
vanced in years. His maternal grandfather, William Hastings, emigrated from Ireland and settled near Brownsville, Pa., where he and his wife died some years after their arrival. He was a farmer, a democrat and a presbyterian. Ilis father, Patrick Flanagan, was born in Ire- land in 1776, where he lived until he was eighteen years of age, when he crossed the Atlantic ocean and came to western Pennsyl- vania. He became a contractor on the National road or " Old Pike" between Uniontown and Brownsville. IIe married and removed to Ros- traver township, where he purchased and tilled the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch. He was a successful farmer and an ardent democrat. His first wife was Nancy Hastings, by whom he had six children : Mary J., Eliza, wife of Thomas J. Ray ; Margaret A. (deceased) ; William (deceased); John C. and Rev. James II., a Presbyterian minister of thirty-five years standing and who has been the popular pastor of the Presbyterian church at Grafton, W. Va., for the last twenty-one years. After his first wife's death Mr. Flanagan mar- ried Margaret Bailey, who bore him one child, Belle F.
John C. Flanagan received his education in the schools of his neighborhood and has always been engaged iu farming and stock-raising. Ile owns one hundred and fifty-seven acres of the old homestead farm, which originally con- tained one hundred and sixty-nine acres of land, besides controlling his late brother William's estate of one hundred and sixty-nine acres. John C. Flanagan's farm is well improved and very productive. He has engaged to some ex- tent of late years in raising improved stock and at present owns several flocks of very fine sheep.
On August 29, 1860, he united in marriage with Sarah Ann, daughter of A. R. Smith, of Rostraver township. They had two children : Mary E and Maggie B. Mrs. Flanagan was a member of the Presbyterian church and passed , to her eternal home on February 2, 1888.
John C. Flanagan is a democrat in politics and has filled all the offices of his township. Ile is a member of Rehoboth Presbyterian church and enjoys the respect of his neighbors.
D AVID F. FOX, a retired farmer of East Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., was born there in 1815 and is a son of Christian and Elizabeth (Funk) Fox. Henry Fox, his grandfather, was a native of Chester county, Pa., removed to this county about the close of the eighteenth century and began farming in East Huntingdon township, where he remained until his death in 1824. Christian Fox (father) was born in Chester county in 1785 and came to this county with his father in 1796. He attended the very com- mon schools of that day and by industry and effort obtained a fair education. He remained at home until his father's death, then took charge of the old homestead farm on which he continued until 1873, when he was gathered to his fathers. He was married in 1811 to Elizabeth a daugh- ter of Rev. David Funk, of this county, and to their union were born eight children, four of whom are living : David F., Mary, widow of Jacob Overholt ; John F., now of Findlay, Ohio, and Abraham, who lives in California. Mrs. Fox, the mother of these children, died in 1871.
David F. Fox was reared on his father's farm, attended the public schools and in 1840 rented a farm in East Huntingdon township and began life for himself as a farmer. Three years later he purchased a farm in Sewickley town- ship, sold it four years afterwards and bought one in his native township. In 1858 he pur- chased the old homestead farm and lived on it until 1876, when he bought property at Tarr's station and moved there. While a farmer he made a specialty of stock dealing, in which he was very successful. In politics he adheres to the principles of the Republican party ; he be-
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
longs with his wife to the church of God at Stonerville.
David F. Fox was married in 1840 to Mary, a daughter of John Sillaman, of East Hunting- don township, a lady of Irish descent, who was born in 1817 and who has borne him five chil- dren, of whom two are living : Phebe A., wife of William Stoner, and Mary C., married to P. R. Tarr, all residents of East Huntingdon town- ship.
The Fox family is among the old and early settled families of the county and its members have always been highly respected, substantial citizens.
OHN C. FOX, an influential citizen and useful business man of Sewickley town- ship, was born in East Huntingdon town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 8, 1829, and is a son of Henry R. and Magdalena (Christman) Fox. The Fox family of this county have been chiefly farmers for over one hundred years and none of its members have ever been politicians. Henry Fox (great- grandfather) was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1745 and settled in Mount Pleasant township in the spring of 1797. He located two and and one-half miles west of Mount Pleasant, where he owned three hundred acres of the smoothest and finest farming land in the town- ship. He had two sons and several daughters and sleeps in the Stonersville cemetery beside his son John and grandson Heury R. Henry Fox died July 25, 1824, and his wife, Mary, survived him until August 30, 1834, when she passed away in the eightieth year of her age. John Fox (grandfather) was born in Chester county, Pa., October 29, 1777, and died March 17, 1866. He was a member of the Mennonite church, an old-line whig and industrious farmer and owned six hundred acres of the finest farm- ing land. Ile was twice married. Ilis first wife was Elizabeth Rosenberger, to whom was born one son and three daughters, and his see-
ond wife was Caroline Fredrika Sharber, was a native of Germany, to whom were born six sons and one daughter. Ilis son by the first mar- riage was Henry R. Fox (father), who was born April 24, 1804, in East Huntingdon township, where he died September 12, 1888. He was reared in Mount Pleasant township, where he learned the trade of tanner, but soon moved back to his native township and followed the tanning business for several years. He then engaged in farming and pursued it during the remainder of his life. He was a member of the Mennonite church, an old-line whig and after- wards a republican. On April 28, 1852, he married Magdalena Christman, who bore him eight children : Catherine, who married H. S. Stoner, now of Nebraska; John C., Jacob C., who maried Sarah Dillinger; Mary A., mar- ried D. W. Shupe, a member of Co. K, two hundred and eleventh reg., Pa. Vols., who fell before Petersburg, and Henry C., who married Harriet Lucetta Fisher, who lives near Greens- burg. Mrs. Magdalena Fox was a daughter of Jacob Christman, who was a farmer of Mount Pleasant township, a member of the German Reformed church and married first a Miss Lauffer, by whom he had two sons and seven daughters, and afterwards a widow Albright, by whom he had two daughters. Mrs. Fox was also a sister of Hon. Jacob Christman, who served in the Legislature of Pennsylvania and whose descendants are now in the west.
John C. Fox attended the rural schools of his day. He followed farming for several years in East Huntingdon, Mount Pleasant and North Huntingdon townships. In 1864 he removed to Sewickley township, where he owns a farm of one hundred and twenty-two acres.
On March 4, 1851, he was married to Han- nah Kintigh, who was born July 1, 1830, and is a daughter of Adam Kintigh, whose young- est son, Anthony, was killed at the battle of Murfreesboro. To Mr. and Mrs. Fox have been born eight children : Elmina, born April 7,
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
1854, died in 1864; Sarah E., born July 9, 1856, and wife of W. II. Highberger ; Isadora, born June 23, 1858, and married to Albert C. Highberger ; Lutillas C., born February 12, 1861; Lizzie, born October 21, 1863, died in infancy ; William II., born October 7, 1865 ; Emma, born July 26, 1868; Magdalena, born April 11, 1871, and Mary A., born Au- gust 4, 1873. Mrs. Hannah Fox is a grand- daughter of Anthony Ruff, who was a son of one of the early pioneers of Mt. Pleasant town- ship and had ten sons and two daughters. The Ruffs were an important family and for further account of them see sketch of G. A. Ruff.
John C. Fox was an old-line whig, then a re- publican and now is a prohibitionist, but no politician. He and his entire family are mem- bers of the United Brethren church, in which he is serving as Sunday-school superintendent and has been class leader and steward. Mr. Fox is a good business man, has settled up several estates and was school director of Mars Hill Independent School district for fifteen years.
HOMAS D. FREEBLE, the efficient postmaster at Stauffer's, Pa., was born June 25, 1843, in Derry township, West- moreland county, Pa., and is a son of Thomas and Ellen (Alexander) Freeble. His father, Thomas Freeble, a carpenter and contractor, was born in 1813 in Unity township, same county, but worked at his trade in Derry town- ship until bis death in 1848. He married in 1835, Ellen, daughter of William Alexander of Salem (a descendant of the family of whom the town of New Alexandria was named), of Salem township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and they had six children, of whom but two are living. He was a republican and with his wife belonged to the Lutheran church. He died in 1848.
Thomas D. Freeble was reared in Derry town- ship, in New Alexandria, Pa., where he attended the public schools ; he also went one year to
Duff's Commercial college, Pittsburg, Pa. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. K, 11th Pa. Vols., un- der Col. Coulter of Greensburg, and served till 1863. In 1864 he again enlisted for one year in Co. A, 110th reg. Pa. Vols., and served till the close of the war. Mr. Freeble took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Bull Run and Antietam, and other smaller engagements. Af- ter the war he went to Sharpsburg. Allegheny county, Pa., engaged in the grocery business for a year, removed to West Newton, Pa., where he was engineer at the old coal shaft for two years and and fireman for a time on the B. & O. R. R. ; in 1868 went to Monongahela City and ran an en- gine in planing mills for three years, and for two years was engineer on the P. V. & C. R. R., and from there (in 1874) went to his present location at Stauffer, Pa., where he was engineer for the coke works about thirteen years. In con- nection with that he served two terms as postmas- ter, receiving the first appointment under Gar- field's administration and the second under Har- rison's. He is quite active in behalf of the Re- publican party and is a prominent member of Robert Warden Post, No. 163, G. A. R., at Mt. Pleasant, Pa.
Thomas D. Freeble, in 1865, married Mary B., a daughter of James M. McKean (great- grandson of Thomas McKean, signer of the De- claration of Independence), of Salem township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and to their union have been born nine children, six of whom are living : Thomas M., Augustus G., James L., Emma M., Ivy May and Pearl Roche.
D AVID C. FRICK. One of the foremost business men of the pleasant little village of Ruff's Dale, is David C. Frick. He is a son of Daniel W. and Mary (Coughenour) Frick, and was born in South Huntingdon town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pa., November 17, 1846. Daniel W. Frick was born in 1817, re- ceived his education in the subscription schools,
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began farming for himself in 1838 and removed to Davis county, lowa, in 1852, where he pur- chased a farm but sold it during that same year. Ile then returned to this county where he bought his present farm in South Huntingdon township, of John Forsythe. He is a democrat and has been a very successful farmer. In 1845 he married Mary, daughter of John Coughenour, of Rostraver township, this county. They had three children, of whom David C. and Priscilla are living. Mrs. Frick died in 1864 and Mr. Frick was married the ensuing year to Mrs. Auna Tinsman. Daniel W. Frick is a son of George Frick (grandfather) who was born in Westmoreland county in 1792 and died in 1855. George Frick was a farmer, distiller and mer- chant. Ile married Susan Corder who died in 1856. He was an active business man, a life- long democrat and served very creditably in the war of 1812.
David C. Frick passed his early years on his father's farm and attended the common schools. He assisted his father in farming until 1866 when he migrated to the State of Iowa where he labored on a farm in Scott county for nearly a year. In 1867 he re-crossed the Mississippi river into Illinois and worked for two years in a lumber mill at Rapid city. In 1869 Mr. Frick returned to his native county and in 1870 re- moved to Mt. Pleasant where he worked for three years at carpentering. In 1873 he came to Ruff's Dale, engaged in his present contract- ing and building business, and eleven years later established his planing-mill and lumber yard. Ile has a very neat and well-equipped shop and is amply prepared to do any kind of work in his line of business.
On April 26, 1874, he married Mattie Reece, daughter of John Reece, of East Huntingdon township. To their union have been born six children, two sons and four daughters, of whom four are living. Mrs. Frick was born in 1855 and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
D. C. Frick is active and enterprising and has been very successful in his present business of contracting and building. He is a democrat, has served as township assessor and collector and is a member of Unice Lodge, No. 869, Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows.
AMES P. FRYE, M. D., of Webster, was born December 25, 1849, in Washington county, Pa., and is a son of Solomon and Charlotte (Scott) Frye. His grandfather, Sam- uel Frye, was a farmer by occupation and died in Washington county. Solomon Frye was born in 1811 in Washington county where he followed farming for many years, after which he removed to California, Pa., and kept a drug store. Politically heis a republican and in religious faith adheres to the teachings of the Disciple church with which he is identified. He mar- ried Charlotte Scott, whose immediate ances- tors were residents of Washington county and they had nine children, of whom seven are living, all being in the employ of railroad companies except Dr. James P. Frye.
Dr. James P. Frye was educated at the California State Normal school, after which he entered the college of Physicians and Sur- geons at Baltimore, from which institution he was graduated in 1881. Immediately after graduation he located at Webster, this county, where he has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession and has met with excellent success. IIe is a republican in poli- tics and like his father is a member of the Disciple church, while his wife belongs to the Methodist.
Dr. James P. Frye on the 23d of Decem- ber, 1884, was united in marriage with Ada L. Sansom, a daughter of Irving Sansom, and their union has been blessed with one child, a daughter, whom they have named Frances Folsom Frye.
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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
OHIN FULLERTON, one of the active and intelligent citizens of South Huntingdon township, as well as one of the township's most substantial farmers, was born in Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, Pa., January 25, 1830, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Kilgore) Fullerton. His grandfather, William Fullerton, was born and reared in county Antrim, Ireland, where he lived and died. He was an industrious and well-to-do farmer. One of his sons was Samuel Fullerton (father) who immigrated to America about 1818. IIe settled near Greensburg. He died near West Newton in 1877, aged eighty -three years. Before leav- ing Ireland he learned the trade of weaver which he followed for several years after coming to Westmoreland county. When he quit weaving he engaged in farming which he followed until his death. He was a democrat of the old school and a useful member of the Presbyterian church. Ilis wife was Mary Kilgore, by whom he had two, sons : John and William, who was a farmer of South Huntingdon township, in which he died January 1, 1890. Mrs. Fullerton was a grand- daughter of Capt. David Kilgore (maternal grandfather) who was of Scotch-Irish descent. Hle was born in Cumberland county, Pa., in 1745, removed to this county, commanded a company in the eighth reg., of the Pennsylvania line during the Revolutionary war and died July 11, 1814. (See sketch of his grandson, Jesse Kilgore.)
John Fullerton received his education in the common schools of Westmoreland and Fayette counties and Mt. Pleasant high school. Leaving school he followed teaching in Tyrone township, Fayette county and various other townships in Westmoreland county for seven years. He then in 1862 engaged in farming in Mt. Pleasant township, which he pursued till 1864 when he removed to where he now lives in South Hunt- ingdon township.
On December 20, 1860, he married Margaret J Gaut, who was a daughter of John Gaut, and
died July 9, 1876. To this union were born eight children : Mary (dead) ; Margaret II., wife of G. W. Painter, who is a farmer of Cass county, Mo. ; John, a farmer of Nehemaha coun- ty, Nebraska ; William (deceased) ; Albert, who married Lizzie Blackburn and is a farmer ; Martha, Samuel and Clara A.
In political opinion Mr. Fullerton is a demo- crat. His home farm consists of one hundred and fifty-six acres and another farm in the town- ship which he owns contains one hundred and fifty acres of good farming land.
ATHAN N. FULLERTON, a well known citizen of Sewickley township, and who made an enviable war record in the cause of the Union during the late war, is a son of Alexander and Louisa (Newlon) Fullerton and was born in Allegheny county, Pa., January 4, 1844. ITis grandfathers, William Fullerton and Nathan Newlon, were farmers and natives re- spectively of Ohio and Allegheny county, Pa. His father, Alexander Fullerton, was born in Ohio, but came to Westmoreland county and worked in Markle's paper mill, where he re- ceived injuries that resulted in his death. He married Louisa Newlon and left eight children : Nathan N., A. Byram, married to Martha Greenawalt, resides at Mckeesport, Pa., was a soldier during the last war, enlisted in Co. K, fifteenth Pa. Cavalry and was with Sherman in his march to the sea ; William M., who enlisted, in August, 1862, in Co. F, one hundred and fifty-fifth reg. Pa. Vols., participated in several battles and received injuries at the battle of Fredericksburg which resulted in his death ; Margaret J., wife of I. M. Thomas, an old soldier of the one hundred and fifty-fifth reg., who was badly wounded at Hatcher's Run ; Henry, who married Henrietta Wright and resides in Dearbon county, Indiana ; Eliza- beth (dead); Theodore C., a highly respected
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