Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 82

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 82

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Jacob E. Robertson was raised on the home- stead farm of his grandfather, which he and his brother James William owns. They attended the common schools of their native township, received a good education and then engaged in farming and stock-raising, which they have pur- sued successfully ever since. Their farm is in the western part of the township, contains one hundred and fifty acres of land and is very pro- ductive. Hle is a republican in politics and a ruling elder of Sewickley Presbyterian church, of which his wife is a member. Ile is a member of Mendon Grange, No. 855, Patrons of Hus- bandry and always takes an active part in whatever is calculated for the promotion of agricultural interests.

On November 22, 1882, Jacob E. Robertson was married to Leila Nicholls, daughter of David and Margaret C. (Drennen) Nicholls. To Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have been born two chil- dren : Bertha May, born July 22, 1883, and Ethel Adela, born August 29, 1885.

Jacob Edmund Robertson has worthily won and is well deserving of the success which he has achieved in life.

IIARLES ROSSELL, one of the repre- sentative citizens of Rostraver town- ship, was born December 19, 1809, in Franklin township, Fayette county, Pa., and is a son of James and Annie (Harford) Rossell. Jobe Rossell, his grandfather, was a native of New Jersey but came westward to Fayette county, where he engaged in farming ; he died some years ago at Perryopolis, that county, Charles Harford, maternal grandfather, was of English extraction and lived in Fayette county. James Rossell (father) was born in New Jersey and brought to Fayette county by his parents, where he continued to reside until his death. He was by occupation a farmer and in polities an " old-line whig." His first wife was a Miss Fitts, who bore him three children. He was married the second time to Annie Harford, by whom he had ten children.

Charles Rossell was given the education af- forded by the very common schools of his day and learned the shoemaker trade, at which he worked but a short time, when he abandoned it to engage in agricultural pursuits in the county of Fayette, where he continued in that business for thirty years. In 1863 he removed to Ros- . traver township. this county, where he has ever since followed farming. Politically he was ori- ginally a whig, later a republican and latterly he has voted the democratic ticket. Mr. Rossell is an intelligent gentleman, of excellent views and decided convictions. Blessed with a good constitution of which he has taken proper care, the frosts of four-score years have failed to con- geal his blood, have left him in possession of health and strength quite remarkable for one of his years. For more than half a century he and his wife have been consistent members of the Baptist church.

Charles Rossell was united in marriage July 5, 1832, with Sarah Layton, and their union was blessed with six children, of whom but two are living : James and Mary. James Rossell is a carpenter, residing in Rostraver township,

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was married to Elizabeth Neff, and Mary Ros- sell became the wife of Elias MeClellan, a far- mer of the same township.

UINCEY A. RUFF, of German-French extraction, is the leading merchant of Ruffsdale and opened the first store in that pleasant little village. IIe is a son of William and Catharine (Null) Ruff and was born in East Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 17, 1836. The Ruff's were among the early German settlers who came from the eastern part of the State and purchased nearly all the land of the Scotish-Irish pioneers of what is now East Huntingdon township. These Germans were thrifty, prudent and highly religious. His grandfather, Anthony Ruff, owned a considerable body of land in Mt. Pleasant township, where he owned and operated a small distillery until his death. His father, William Ruff, is a native of Mt. Pleasant township and was born about three miles north of the town of Mt. Pleasant in 1809. He received only the scant education that was imparted in the early years of the present century. He remained with his father on the farm for some time, and then purchased a farm in East Huntingdon town- ship to which he soon removed. Hle engaged in tilling his farm but devoted a portion of his time for several years as a contractor on the construction of a plank road that was intended to be laid between Cumberland, Maryland and Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia). He was engaged in farming and improving his farm until old age disqualified him from labor and business. In June, 1888, when verging well on to his eightieth birthday he passed away. He was married to Catharine Null who was born in 1813 at MeKean's old stand, four miles west of Mt. Pleasant. They were both Lutherans and had two sons and four daughters, of whom five are living. Mrs. Ruff is of French parentage, resides upon the home farm with three of her

children and is a lineal descendant of Henry Null, a native of Eastern Pennsylvania, who settled in East Huntingdon township prior to 1800.

Quincey A. Ruff was reared on a farm where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age. His education was obtained in the common schools and Westmoreland college, which was in exist- ence from 1849 to 1871 at Mt. Pleasant. In 1858 he commenced teaching in the common schools of South Huntingdon township and taught for eleven years in this and other town-

ships of the county. In 1869 he removed to Ruffsdale, where he became its pioneer merchant and has continually increased its original stock of goods until his store is now the leading mer- cantile establishment of his section. Ile carries a large and complete stock of dry goods, gro- ceries, tobacco, notions, hardware, confection- aries and tinware and has an extensive trade.

In 1846 he was united in marriage to Jennie Hutchinson. They have had two sons and a daughter of whom one son and one daughter are living : Cla E. and Lloyd H. Mrs. Ruff was born in East Huntingdon township, this county, in 1842 and is a daughter of James L. Hutchin- soI.

In political matters Mr. Ruff holds to the tenets of the Republican party. He is a member of the Jr. O. U. A. M., I. O. of O. F. and the Presbyterian church, of which his wife is a mem- ber. As a merchant he stands well. As a citizen he is highly respected.

'HOMAS SAMPSON was born in Ros- traver township, Westmoreland county, l'a., January 24, 1812, and is a son of John and Mary (McGavitt) Sampson. His grandfather, James Sampson, was a native of Ireland and immigrated to America, settling in Westmoreland county, near what is now called Brush Creek, North Huntingdon township, whence in later years he removed to Rostraver

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township where he died on the farm now owned by his son Benjamin. Ile was a farmer by oc- cupation. Thomas MeGavitt (maternal grand- father), a weaver by trade, was also a native of Ireland, who crossed the Atlantic to the United States, locating in Rostraver township, this county, where he died on the same farm on which James Sampson died. John Sampson (father) was born on the Emerald Isle and was brought to this country by his parents when he was about twelve years of age. He followed farming nearly all his life in Rostraver town- ship having located there in 1809. He was a democrat and a member of the Presbyterian church. He first married Mary McGavitt, by whom he had five children. His second wife was Lavina Leydburn who bore him four child- ren.

Thomas Sampson received what education the subscription schools of his day afforded and has all his life been engaged in the pursuits of agri- culture. Like his father he is identified with the Presbyterian church and the Democratic party. He was first married to Maria Boyd, by whom he had two children : Mary J. and Simeon. His second wife was Mrs. (Finley) Carothers and to this union has been born one child, a daughter named Lavina Sampson.

B ENJAMIN L. SAMPSON, a prosperous energetic business man of Rostraver town- ship and one of its leading citizens, is a son of John and Lavina (Lightburn) Sampson and was born on the farm on which he now re- sides in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 16, 1832. His paternal grandfather, James Sampson, was a native of Ireland. Hle immigrated to America in 1796. In that year he settled near Irwin, this county, but subsequently removed to Rostraver town- ship where he died August 20, 1831. His ma- ternal grandfather, Benjamin Lightburn, was born on one of the Bermuda islands, came to ;

New Jersey in 1774 and entered Princeton col- lege. Ile attended that institution for two years, then enlisted in the Continental army, was wounded at the battle of Princeton and served during the remainder of the Revolution- ary war as a quartermaster. In 1783 he immi- grated to Pennsylvania and settled in Rostraver township at Budd's Ferry, where in 1790 he married a Miss Hayden. He died in 1802 and left a family of seven children. He was a farmer and a member of the established Church of Eng- land. Mrs. Lavina Lightburn Sampson was born February 12, 1792, and died March 6, 1879. Ifis father, John Sampson, was born in Ireland, February 1, 1778. He came in 1785 with his uncle William Sampson to what was then called the Black Horse tavern. It was a famous resort of Rostraver township at that time. John Sampson was a farmer and owned the farm upon which the subject of this sketch resides. He was a democrat and died March 21, 1858. He was twice married. His first wife was Mary Mc- Gavitt, by whom he had five children, and after her death he married a Lavina Lightburn, who bore him one son and three daughters.

Benjamin L. Sampson received a limited edu- cation in the early common schools of Pennsyl- vania, but by reading and study he has educated himself thoroughly for business pursuits and has acquired a good knowledge of academic and high school branches. Ile has followed farming and stock-raising as a life vocation and makes a specialty of fine hogs. He owns a choice farm of one hundred and thirteen acres of very pro- ductive and highly cultivated land. At this time Mr. Sampson is in partnership with J. J. & C. P. Ray. They are building a large flouring- mill in Rostraver township opposite West New- ton on the Youghiogheny river. They propose to make this mill inferior to none of its size in western Pennsylvania.

On October 26, 1871, Mr. Sampson married Harriet G. Reed of Rostraver township. To their union have been born seven children, of

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whom three are living : William R., Maggie L. and John B.

Benjamin L. Sampson is a member and trus- tee of West Newton Presbyterian church. He is a democrat in politics and has held all the local offices of his township. He is a very fine business man, though quick yet is careful in all of his commercial transactions and is fair and honorable in all of his dealings.

ILLIAM L. SCHOLL, one of the en- ergetic and comfortably situated farmers of South Huntingdon township, is a son of Christian and Ally Anna (Miller) Scholl and was born on the farm on which he now lives in South Huntingdon township, Westmoreland county, Pa., October 15, 1845. His great- grandfather Scholl was of German extraction. He was a farmer and miller of Northampton county, Pa., where he died. One of his sons was Charles J. Scholl (grandfather) who built the first flouring mill of Rochester, New York, in 1800. In 1801 he came to Westmoreland county and erected the Laurelville Mill near Mt. Pleasant. Sixteen years later he moved from his location near Mill Grove to the . Robb " farm near West Newton. In a few weeks he re- moved to the farm on which the subject of this sketch resides and built a large stone house which was burned January 8, 1865. Ile was in Gen. Markle's cavalary troop, which served in the War of 1812. Ile was a whig and a luth- eran. Christian Scholl (father) was born near Mill Grove, December 12, 1814, and has always followed farming. He is a republican in poli- tics and a member of the United Presbyterian church at West Newton. Ile married Ally Anna Miller and seven children were born to their union : David S. (dead) ; Hannah, who died young ; William L., Lucinda, wife of James Pinkerton, who is a farmer ; Millard F. (see his sketch) ; Mary E. (dead) and John F., who married Mary Greenawalt and is engaged

in farming. Mrs. Scholl died June 12, 1879. She was a daughter of Benjamin Miller who was born in Sewickley township. He was a democrat, a member of the Seceder church and a shoemaker by trade. 'He was a son of Isaac Miller a native of eastern Pennsylvania. He was captured by the Indians and carried to Ohio and after a captivity of several months escaped. On his road back to his home he passed through what is now Sewickley township and was so favorably impressed with the country that in a few years he moved to that township as a settler.

William L. Scholl received his education in the common schools of his native township and has always been engaged in farming and stock- raising. For sixteen years he ran a threshing machine and did a large amount of work in that line of business.

On March 10, 1870, he married Florence M. Bell, who is a daughter of David Bell, and was born in 1850. To their union have been born five sons and four daughters: Milo T., born December 31, 1870 ; Emma B., born August 26, 1872, and died October 12, 1887 ; Ally Anna, born March 28, 1874 ; Charles C., born Janu- ary 16, 1876; David, born November 24, 1878; John H., born May 21, 1880; Sarah J., born July 29, 1882; Adaline, born July 2, 1885, and William W., born November 7, 1887, died May 6, 1888.

In politics Mr. Scholl is a republican and ad- vocates the principles of that party.

B ENJAMIN F. SHAWL Y, a highly respected blacksmith of East Hunting- don township, is a son of Noah Shawly, who was born in Somerset county, Pa., in 1829, and Sarah Zimmerman, a native of Somerset county, Pa. Noah Shawly remained on his father's farm till at the age of twenty-one years, attended the common schools and received a fair education. In 1848 he left home and began

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farming in Jenner township, Somerset county. In 1854 he removed to Ligonier township and continued to farm there until 1860 when he purchased a farm in Cook township, where he now resides. In the fall of 1863 he enlisted in the Union army in Co. E, two hundred and eleventh Pa. Vols., and was out until the war successfully closed. He is a republican, a member of the Reformed church and for a number of years hold the office of township supervisor. In 1848 he was married, his wife being a daughter of Conrad Zimmer- man, of Somerset county. Both he and his wife are of German origin and had eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Adam Shawly (grandfather) was born at Cumberland. MId., where his father, Abraham Shawly, had come from Germany about 1755.

Benjamin F. Shawly (the subject of this sketch) was born in Somerset county, Pa., January 6, 1850, reared on his father's farm and attended the schools in the neighborhood. In 1870 he began to learn his trade at Ligonier. In 1871 he removed to Mt. Pleasant and worked in the machine shops there for one year when he engaged with W. II. and S. S. Smith, black- smiths, with whom he remained up to 1876. In the same year he located at Stonersville where he and S. S. Smith formed a partnership under the name of Smith & Shawly. This partnership continued until the death of Mr. Smith in 1879, when Mr. Shawly purchased his former partner's interest. For one year his brother Noah was with him in business ; after- wards T. J. Shirer was a partner for a short time and from 1882 to 1889 Mr. Shawly successfully carried on business alone and accumulated about $12,000 worth of property. In 1889 B. F. French became his partner which partnership how exists. In June, 1877, he married Eliza- beth, daughter of Jacob Groft, of Cook town- ship, and has one child, Jennie M., who is nine years of age. He is a prominent republican of his township, having held the office of election

judge and a member of the Republican county committee. He and his wife are both consistent members of the church of God.

D R. JOSEPH W. SHIELAR, a young phy- sician of splendid reputation in the south- ·

ern part of the county and a resident of Stoner's is a native of Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio, and was born June 2, 1859. IIe is a son of J. E. and Celestia (McElwee) Shelar ; the former was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1833 and the latter a daughter of Thomas McElwee, was a native of Columbiana county, Ohio. J. E. Shelar when a boy learned the trade of roller at which he worked up to 1870. In 1870 he was promoted to superintendent of the mills at Niles, Ohio. He is prominent in council- manic affairs of that place and was for a time chief of police. IIe enlisted in the Union army in the fall of 1863 in an Ohio reg. of Vols. He entered as a private and was mustered out as a corporal in April, 1864. He married in 1854. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church and have had ten children, five sons and five daughters. The Shelars in America originally came from Germany and were among Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. The grand- father (Shelar) of the subject of this sketch was among Ohio's pioneers who emigrated from Pennsylvania nearly a century ago.

Dr. Joseph W. Shelar attended the public schools of his native town. His first work was as errand boy in a general store at Niles; on leaving this position he attended two terms at high school when, in 1874, he became apprenticed for three years at the printer's case. At the end of his term he went to Warren, Ohio, remained but a short time when he returned home where he became an employé in a nail factory. In 1880 he came to Mt. Pleasant and entered the drug-store of E. J. McElwee as clerk ; he continued there for one year when Mr, MeEl- wee started a branch house at Stoner's which Dr.

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Shelar managed till 1884. He begin the study of medicine in 1882, entered Long Island Hos- pital college at Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1883, attended three courses of lectures and was graduated in the class of 1886. He began the practice of medicine in the same year at Stoner's where he has since successfully practiced. In 1888 he was married to Betta, a daughter of Solo- mon Stoner of East Huntingdon. Dr. Shelar is a republican in politics and a member of the M. E. church, while his wife is a member of the U. B. church.

P HILIP SHEPLER, one of Rostraver township's enterprising farmers and stock- raisers, is a son of Samuel and Mary (Davis) Shepler and was born March 23, 1836, on the farm in Rostraver township, Westmore- land county, Pa., on which he now lives. His great-grandfather, Matthias Shepler, was a native of Germany and immigrated to America, settling in this county, where he took "tomahawk pos- session" of a tract of land containing about four hundred acres, for which he afterward obtained a patent and which has remained in the family for four generations, being now owned and occu- pied by Philip Shepler, the subject of this sketch. Philip Shepler (grandfather) was born in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and died in the same place. He followed the occupation of farming and was a quiet, un- assuming man of strict integrity. Garret Davis (maternal grandfather), also a farmer, was born, lived and died in Jefferson county, Ohio. Samuel Shepler (father) was born in 1795, in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and died in the same place, on the farm now occupied by his son, Philip Shepler. He was a farmer, a democrat and a consistent member of the Meth- odist church. He died November 23, 1875, and his remains lie buried in Fell's cemetery, in Rostraver township. He married Mary, daughter of Garret Davis, who bore him three children : Davis (deceased), Mary and Philip.

Philip Shepler was educated in the common schools and has always followed farming and stock-raising on his farm of two hundred and fifteen acres, which was formerly owned by his father. Mr. Shepler is an earnest, active demo- crat and a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Belle Vernon. Ile is a conscientious man, a substantial and respected citizen of the county.

Philip Shepler's first wife was Sarah, daughter of William Huston, of Columbiana county, Ohio, who was the mother of eight children, six of whom are living: James Wesley, Samuel D., Marion Mcclellan, Frank, Irwin and Lizzie J., the wife of S. I. Cowan, of Beaver county, Pa., now a resident of Rostraver township, West- moreland county, Pa. The second wife of Philip Shepler was Edna A., daughter of James Watson, and this union has been blessed with five children : Adolph B., Ella M., Elma Inez, Lloyd HI. and Lucius W.

SAAC SHEPLER was born March 20, 1840, in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., near Belle Vernon, Fayette - county, and is a son of Capt. Joseph and Mary (Blackburn) Shepler. Matthias Shepler. his great-grandfather, was a native of Maryland and emigrated to Westmoreland county, settling in Rostraver township during the Revolutionary war. Hle was therefore one of the early settlers of the county. His son, Isaac Shepler (grand- father), was born in Rostraver township, West- moreland county, Pa., where he lived and died ; in the same township was born Joseph Shepler (father) on the 6th of March, 1807. He was a democrat and an ardent supporter of his party. For seven years he served as captain of the eighty-eighth reg., first bat., Pa. Militia, and was also first lient. of the Rostraver Cavalry, which he organized. He was for seven years captain of a company called the Monongahela Blues, and both he and his wife have been mem- bers of the M. E. church for over fifty years, in

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which he has been a class-leader, trustee and steward. Ile married Mary Blackburn and they have had four children, all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Shepler are yet living though both have passed the eighty-second mile- stone on the pathway of life. Joseph Blackburn (maternal grandfather) was a native of West- moreland county, Pa., but removed to Putnam county, Ohio, where he remained until his death.

Isaac Shepler was educated in the public schools and the Syracuse Business college, from which he graduated on June 4, 1866. He began life as a farmer and in 1879 and 1880 he was on the upper Missouri engaged in the mer- cantile business on a boat. In 1881 he returned to Westmoreland county, Pa., where after farm- ing for two years he purchased property in North Belle Vernon on which he now resides. He bought one-fourth interest in the Belle Vernon Saw and Planing Mill company, which he sold in 1889. Mr. Shepler is a Jack- son democrat and takes a great interest and a vigorous part in political affairs. During An- drew Johnson's administration he was for a time government storekeeper and under Cleveland's administration he served as gauger. He is a member of the school board, in which position he has served several terms and has also held other offices. He is a leading member of the M. E. church at Belle Vernon and is a Master Mason, a member of Gummert Lodge, No. 252, at Fayette City, Pa.

Isane Shepler married, December 28, 1870, Eveline S., a daughter of Samuel Shepler, and to them have been born four children : Mary B., born September 3, 1874; William Jones, born August 8, 1876; James Kerr, born December 2, 1872, and Elizabeth C., born August 19, 1883.

EWIS SHEPLER, one of Webster's busi- ness men, was born September 25, 1839, in the township of Rostraver, county of Westmoreland, Pa., and is a son of Davis and

Elizabeth Shepler, both of whom are dead. Lewis Shepler, whose ancestral history is given in the sketch of his uncle, Philip Shepler, was educated in the common schools of Rostraver township, after which he followed farming for a period of twenty years and then (1883) embarked in the business of butchering, which he is con- ducting at the present time. He owns valuable property in Webster where he lives and is a highly respected citizen who belongs to a good family, of which he is a worthy member. He is a political follower of Jefferson and active worker for his party.

Lewis Shepler was married to Louisa, daughter of Van Reeves, of Rostraver township, and to their union four children have been born : Van T., who is married to Florence, daughter of F. A. Fell, of Webster, and who resides in Coal Centre, Pa., where he is a clerk in a mercantile establishment ; Ilarry D., Maggie, an efficient teacher in the public schools of Webster, and Lewis B.

D AVIS SHEPLER (deceased), whose an- cestral history appears in the sketch of his brother Philip, was born in Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1818, and died in the same place April 3, 1883. IIe received such education as the common or sub- scription schools of the early part of the century afforded and devoted his whole life to agricul- tural pursuits except four or five years preceding his death, during which time he carried on in connection with farming a mercantile business at California. Washington county, Pa.

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 82

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