Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 88

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 88

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They have had six children : Birdie M., born August 6, 1877 ; Maggie F., August 19, 1878; Linnie P., November 29, 1879; Earle D., August 12, 1888; Susan A. and Lizzie M., who died in infancy.

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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

AJOR WILLIAM HUGUS, one of the prominent citizens of the county, was born June 29, 1823, near Salem (Del- mont), Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Swartz) Hugus. Ilis grandfather, John Hugus, was a Huguenot and immigrated from France to this country, locating in eastern Pennsylvania, where his son Henry was born, probably in Northumberland county, about the close of the Revolutionary war. Henry Hugus (father) removed to Pleasant Unity, this county, and finally to Salem town- ship, where he died in 1848. He formerly en- gaged in farming but at Salem carried on the hotel business in connection therewith. He was married to Elizabeth Swartz, a native of Dau- phin county, who was of German descent, and they had nine children, two of whom are living- Henry and William.

William Hugus after leaving the subscription schools of his day began life as a store clerk in Pittsburg, and in 1848 engaged with John Zim- merman as a partner in the mercantile business, remaining with him four years when he sold out and for the next eight years ran a woolen mill. He then embarked in photography but soon quit to serve his country on the field of battle. On the second of July, 1861, he enlisted in the eleventh Pa. Reserves as sergeant-major and served till September 29, 1862, participating in all the engagements of his regiment except Sec- ond Bull Run. Mr. Hugus has a unique army record. He went out as a regimental officer and never belonged to any company ; after serving for a time he was appointed band-master and when he got orders to muster out his bands he did so but refused to muster himself out and re- mained with the army, though he belonged to no particular part of it, and at the time of the muster out was Acting-Quartermaster of the regiment. After the battle of Antietam, how- ever, he was mustered out by Col. Magilten and returned home, where he ran a livery stable for a time and later carried on the drug business

for some years. November 1, 1859, he was commissioned by the Governor of Pennsylvania Aid-de-camp with the rank of captain in first brigade, 17th division, uniformed militia of Pennsylvania, and on the eighth of September, 1875, was commissioned by the Governor Aid- de-camp with the rank of Major in the 8th division of the National Guards of Pennsylvania (now the 10th reg., N. G. P.); this division was at the Pittsburg riots in 1877. On the fifth of November, 1870, Maj. Hugus was elected and commissioned justice of the peace for the borough of New Salem for the term of five years and served with ability and fidelity. In 1881 he was elected register and recorder on the democratic ticket, having a majority over his competitor of eight hundred and seventy-four and running about four hundred votes ahead of the ticket. During his three years of service in this office he resided at Greensburg but returned in 1885 to Delmont, where he now lives. For some years he was a member of the firm of Clements, Clawson & Hugus but in March, 1889, sold out and is now practically retired, though still engaged in repairing and improving his property. He is a member of Major John B. Keenan Post, No. 500, G. A. R., in which order he is now a past commander ; also a member of Carmel Lodge, No. 542, I. O. O. F. Hle is identified with the Reformed church and is a gentleman of agreeable manners, unquestioned character and wide-spread popularity. Like his ancestors for generations back he is a sonnd democrat though by no means a bigoted partisan.

Major William Hugus was twice married, his first wife being Eleanor M. Christie, of Pittsburg, to whom he was married in 1851 and who died December 29, 1853. Ile married a second time October 29, 1868, Sarah J. Walton, of Delmont, being the woman of his choice. They have four children living : Hattie Eleanor, born October 23, 1869; Joseph W., born April 7, 1871; Nancy E., born' March 27, 1873; and Helen Grace, born January 29, 1881.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF

ARION HIUGUS. The introduction of natural gas as a fuel marks an important epoch in the history of Westmoreland county, and one who is successfully engaged in developing gas wells and supplying gas for do- mestie use is Marion Hugus, an active and enter- prising business man of New Salem. He is a son of Hon. John and Ann C. (McGinley ) Hugus and was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., March 17, 1847.

A French Huguenot by the name of Hugus immigrated to this country about 1745, and settled in Northampton county, Pa. His son, John Hugus, removed to Unity township and reared a family of several children. One of the sons was Henry Hugus, the grandfather of Marion Hugus. Henry Hugus removed in 1818 to Salem township, where he purchased a farm one and one-half miles south of New Salem, on which he died in 1829. Ile married Eliza- beth Schwartz, who passed away in June, 1854. They were the parents of nine children : Cath- arine, wife of Isaac Bosler of Ohio ; Margaret, who married George Lose ; Sarah, wife of George Keck ; Hon. John, Simon, Isaac, Jacob, Henry, who married Sarah Waugaman and one of whose sons is Prof. George HI. Hugus, the present effi- cient and popular county superintendent of common schools, and William. Of these chil- dren, Hon. John Hugus was born at Pleasant Unity, December 21, 1810, and received his education in the schools of his neighborhood. At eighteen years he engaged at New Salem in the mercantile business which he followed for over twenty years. He also carried on milling and owned and operated for several years a large distillery near New Salem. He served as sheriff of Westmoreland county from 1849 to 1852 and in 1876 was elected to the Pennsyl- vania Legislature, in which he served for two years. He married for his first wife Ann C. MeGinley and for his second C. A. Ford.

Marion, Hughes received his education in the public and select schools of Salem borough and

Jefferson college which he attended one year. At twenty-one years of age he engaged in the distilling business at Bouquet, which he followed for three years. He then assisted his father until 1876 when he went to the oil fields in Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1882. In that year he engaged with the noted contractor, Daniel Dull, and was employed for two years in drilling artesian wells in New York city. In 1879 he returned to Westmoreland county and embarked in the natural gas business, which he has followed ever since. At the present time he is supplying New Salem with natural gas for domestic and manufacturing purposes.

Ile was married on June 15, 1870, to Susanna Odgen of Torrance, who died and left him one child, Ira. He united in marriage with Sarah Mellvain, daughter of John Mellvain of Wil- kinsburg. By his second marriage he has one child, a daughter, who is named Martha Helen.

Marion Hugus is a member of Westmoreland Lodge, No. 518, A. Y. M. and New Salem Presbyterian church.

OIIN A. JONES, an industrious trades- man of Weaver's Old Stand and a soldier of the Army of the Potomac, the Army of the South and the Army of the Cumberland, was born in Franklin county, Pa., December 18, 1833, and is a son of John and Mary (Kunkle) Jones. John Jones (the father) was born in Wales and was brought to the United States by his father. He was a blacksmith by trade and worked principally in Franklin county, Pa. Ile lived to be seventy-five years of age. His wife was Mary Kunkle, who bore him four chil- dren. She died in the seventy-second year of her age.

John A. Jones learned the trade of black- smith with his father in Franklin county and removed about 1857 to Mt. Pleasant where he ran a blacksmith shop for five years. In 1862

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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

when patriots were despondent of the cause of the Union he eulisted in Co. B, twenty-eighth reg. Pa. Vols. but was soon transferred to a Philadelphia company. He served with the Army of the Potomac, was next sent south and was then transferred to the western army. lle was with Sherman in his Georgia march to the sea and his Carolina march toward Lee and the army of Northern Virginia. He served as reg- imental blacksmith for a couple of years and then was made wagon-master. He received an injury of his back which still troubles him. In 1865 he was honorably discharged from the United States service after having been in the field for three years and three months. After the war closed he returned to Westmoreland county and resumed work at his trade. In 1876 he removed to Weaver's Old Stand where he has conducted a blacksmith shop ever since.

Mr. Jones united in marriage with Nancy Kuhn of Mt. Pleasant. They have had six children : Sarah, wife of Robert Wagoner of Tarr station ; Mollie; Minnie, who is married to Cyrus Stout of Ruff's Dale; Lydia, Clara and Alice. Mrs. Jones is of German extrac- tion and her father was a shoemaker who worked at his trade at Mt. Pleasant for many years.

John A. Jones is a good workman and has prospered at his trade. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church. Ile is a democrat, has always supported the candi- dates of the Democratic party and believes that its return to power is necessary for the prosperity of the nation.

ENRY KECK (deceased) was born in New Salem, Westmoreland county, Pa., July 22, 1831, and was a son of George and Sarah (Hugus) Keek. His grandfather, George Keck, a farmer by occupation, resided in Penn township, this county, where he died in 1858. Hle had a son, George Keck (father), who was born in the " Manor," in 1808, and

who followed farming until 1846 when he re- moved to New Salem (Dehnont) and kept the Walton House for three years. During the next ten years he ran a hotel in Murrysville but was burned out in 1856; then, after a year in Irwin, he returned to New Salem and engaged for several years in the general merchandise business. After running a tannery for a time he engaged in the drug business with Zach. Zimmerman, but in a few years engaged in the mercantile business in company with his son Henry. George Keck died March 2, 1872. He was a member of the Reformed church and married Sarah Hugus of New Salem about 1830, who bore him eleven children : Henry ; Margaret Ann, who married Jerry Wanamaker ; Sarah, wedded to Dr. Murray; Lucinda, mar- ried Samuel Mccutcheon; Maria, now in Ne- braska ; Simon P .; Emma, wife of George Harding of Nebraska ; Louisa, married to Dr. Bush of Nebraska; William H., a physician ; George M. and Clara, wife of Charles Coverly of Nebraska.

Henry Keck left the common schools at the age of twenty years and served four years as clerk in a Pleasant Unity store. During the next four years he was in company with his father at Murrysville running a general store, after which he spent three years at Rural Vil- lage, Armstrong county, and the same length of time at Lebanon, Indiana county. Return- ing to New Salem in 1860, he engaged with his father in the dry goods business, which he con- tinued till 1884. In 1884 he, in company with Joseph Harvey and Dr. L. R. Metzgar, built a large woolen factory in Salem, which is yet in successful operation. Mr. Keck was a member of the Presbyterian church for thirty-six years and was a most estimable Christian gentleman, whose death (1886) cast a lasting gloom over the entire community.

Henry Keck was married September 21, 1854, to Mary, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Miller of Murrysville, and to them were born

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BIOGRAPHIES OF

the following children : Clara Virginia and Ida May (died in childhood) ; George A., born October 17, 1858; Joseph M., born March 27, 1861; Milo T., born October 12, 1863; and Sadie A., born March 20, 1870.

Mr. Keck was succeeded in the dry goods store in 1887 by his two sons, George A. and Joseph M., who are also engaged in the manu- facture of woolen goods and are now doing a very extensive business in both. The mercan- tile establishment is a most excellent one and its proprietors are not only efficient young busi- ness men but popular and deserving citizens as well.

LIJAH NEWLON KEISTER, a substan- tial and leading citizen of Franklin town- ship, and a descendant of one of the oldest and most highly respected families of the same, is a son of Daniel and Jane (Aber) Keister, and was born August 23, 1822, near Murrysville, Westmoreland county, Pa. His grandfather was George Philip Keister, a native of Germany, who came to this country about the middle of the eighteenth century and settled in Franklin township where, in 1784, Daniel Keister (father) was born. The latter, who died in 1862, was a farmer and owned a tract of nearly two hundred and fifty acres. His wife was also a native of Franklin township and died on May 14, 1828. They had a family of five sons and two daugh- ters, of whom all are living except one daughter. Philip, one of the sons, served as a soldier in the late war and now resides in Iowa.

The earlier life of Elijah N. Keister was spent on his father's farm, and since leaving the com- mon schools in which his education was received, he has been continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits, now owning a valuable farm consisting of more than one-half of the old homestead.

His first wife, whom he married December 20, 1846, was Jane King, by whom he had five children, four of whom are living. The eldest

son, Milton Keister, was educated for the medi- cal profession, and after graduating located in Illinois where he practiced until his death in 1881. The other children are : Sarah, Anna, George W. and John C. Of these, Emma is the wife of E. E. McWilliams who resides in Mur- rysville. Mrs. Keister having died September 8, 1869, he, on the 18th of November, 1870, was married to Catharine Walp, a descendant of one of the old and respected families of the county. This marriage has been blessed with one child, a son named Newton Homer Keister, who was born December 7, 1873.

Elijah N. Keister is one of the sturdy and re- liable residents of his township, is at present tax collector and has served as school director and assessor several years. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Murrysville, of which he for a long time was treasurer and one of the trustees. In politics Mr. Keister is a sterling democrat and a willing worker in the interests of his party. Modest and unassuming, strictly honorable and conscientious.

ICHAEL B. KIFER is a great-grand- son of Andrew Byerly who was a pio- neer settler of this county and a trusted scout of Col. Bouquet in the French and Indian war. Michael B. Kifer is a son of Jacob and Mary (Byerly) Kifer, and was born in Hempfield (now Penn) township, Westmoreland county, Pa., August 22, 1843. His paternal grandfather, Henry Kifer, settled on the " Agnew " farm, near the site of Grapeville, which he afterwards traded for one on which the borough of Penn now stands. He was married to a Miss Myers of Hempfield township, and they reared a large family. Jacob Kifer (father) was born on the site of Penn. Ile learned the trade of mason which he followed until his death in 1845. He married Mary Byerly who was the youngest daughter of Michael Byerly, and died in 1819.

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WESTMORELAND COUNTI.

Mr. and Mrs. Kifer were the parents of four sons and four daughters : David. Susan, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Samuel, Jacob (dead) and Henry (deceased). Mrs. Kifer, who died in 1877, was a granddaughter of Andrew Byerly, whose name is inseparably connected with the pioneer history of what is now Westmoreland county. Andrew Byerly (maternal great-grandfather) it is said, came from Lancaster county, Pa., and was among the first pioneers who settled west of the Alle- ghenies. He was a brave and daring frontiers- man and was one of Col. Bouquet's scouts at the battle of " Bushy Run." He was a prominent man in the early history of this county, and his remains rest in the Brush Creek cemetery. For farther history of Andrew Byerly see sketch of Chris. Cribbs of Greensburg. Andrew Byerly married Beatrice Guldin who was a native of Switzerland. She was a woman of more than ordinary ability and great courage. (For an ex- tended account of her trials on the western bor- der, see sketch of C. A. Cope of Greensburg). One of Andrew and Beatrice Byerly's sons was Michael (maternal grandfather), who was born in Lancaster county, Pa. He married and had children, of whom subject's mother was the youngest. He died in 1829 and twenty years later his widow passed away.

Michael B. Kifer was reared in Hempfield township and attended the common schools until he was fourteen years of age. He then learned the trade of tailor and has followed that line of business almost continuously ever since.

On December 8, 1869, he united in marriage with Emma J. Clark, who is a daughter of David Clark, of Stoystown, Somerset county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Kifer have one child, Howard C., who was born April 29, 1871.

Ile is a descendant of an honest and substan- tial German family on both his paternal and maternal side, and many of his ancestors sleep . in the Brush Creek cemetery. He is an indus- trious citizen and has been successful in his busi- ness.

ESSE KILGORE, a grandson of the Rev. olutionary patriot, Capt. David Kilgore, and one of Hempfield township's most highly respected citizens, was born two miles from Pleasant Unity, in Mount Pleasant town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 8, 1808, and is the eldest son of John and Nancy (Hunter) Kilgore. His grandfather, Capt. David Kilgore, was a son of James Kilgore, who was of Scotch-Irish descent and came from his birthplace in Ireland to the Cumberland valley in Pennsylvania before 1740. Capt. Da- . vid Kilgore was born in Cumberland county, Pa., in 1745, removed to Westmoreland before the Revolutionary war and in 1776 was com- missionedl captain of a company in the eighth reg. Pa. Line. He sold a valuable mill prop- erty for money with which to elothe his com- pany and never asked or received any compen- sation from the government. Ile served through- out the war, returned home and was a justice of the peace for many years. He owned three large farms in Westmoreland and several more in Indiana county. He was brave and high- spirited and was a member of the Presbyterian church. His wife was Sarah Mickey of Cum- berland county, who bore him seven sons and three daughters. He died July 11, 1814, and his widow passed away December 14, 1830, aged eighty-six years. One of the sons was John Kilgore (father), who was born in 1777 and died November 22, 1847. He was a successful farmer, an earnest and devoted presbyterian and a strong democrat in political opinion. IIe was cheerful and kind in disposition and commanded the respect of all who knew him. He married Nancy Hunter, who was born in Ireland, Feb- ruary 2, 1772, and died December 22, 1852. She was a daughter of Alex. Hunter and was of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore had five children : Jesse, David, born April 15, 1510; John, born September 12, 1811; Alex., born August 13, 1813, and Nancy, born in 1816 and died in 1825.

BIOGRAPHIES OF

Jesse Kilgore received his education in the rural schools of Mount Pleasant township. Commencing in 1830 he taught three terms and " boarded round," as was the custom of that day. He next kept a store for two years and then engaged in his present occupation of farm- ing. Ile has always been a democrat, was elected justice of the peace in 1845, served from 1858 to 1860 as county treasurer and was re-elected justice of the peace in 1887. He moved to his present farm near Greensburg in 1563. He has been a member of the Presby- terian church for over sixty years, an elder of the same since 1862 and is a man who is popular with his neighbors.

On February 12, 1835, Jesse Kilgore united in marriage with Mary Poorman. They have four children : Nancy, widow of John S. Welty ; Louisa C., wife of J. J. Johnston (see his sketch) ; John P., and Mary E., wife of W. J. Perry, who is a merchant in Pittsburg.

John P. Kilgore, son of Jesse and Mary (Poorman) Kilgore, was born near New Alex- andria, this county, March 23, 1841. Hle re- ceived his education in the common schools and Sewickley academy. Leaving school he was clerk for Lobaugh & Kunkle of Greensburg for a short time. From 1860 to 1866 he was a member of the oil firm of Kilgore, Wanamaker & Co., of Venango county, l'a. From the oil region he returned to this county, purchased the Henry George farm at George's station, engaged in farming and breeding fine live stock ; in 1867 he became a member of the firm of A. & J. P. Kilgore and engaged successfully in buying and selling horses. In 1875 the firm purchased a stable in Brooklyn, N. Y., and became extensive shippers of horses to that market. Dishonest employees and the panic ruined their business. Since 1881 he has been engaged in the mercan- tile business at George's station.

On February 29, 1872, John P. Kilgore married Maggie, daughter of Samuel Long. To heir union have been born three children :

Louise (deceased) : Hallie L., who died from the effects of a fall, and Maggie. Mrs. Kilgore in a member of the Presbyterian church.

In politics Mr. Kilgore is a democrat and has served as postmaster at George's station since 1881. Ile is a successful merchant and a genial and obliging gentleman.

ACOB HI. KUIINS, a prominent contrac- tor and builder, is a son of John W. and Hannah M. (Hobaugh) Kuhns and was born March 11, 1850, in Franklin township, Westmoreland county, Pa., where he yet resides. His grandfather was William Kuhns, a native of Armstrong county, Pa., where he lived and died. George Hobaugh, maternal grandfather, was born at Adamsburg, this county, June 5, 1802. Hle was a son of Valentine Hobaugh of German descent who settled at Adamsburg when the Indians were yet plentiful in that locality (his wife and two daughters having been cap- tured by the redskins and carried to Canada, where they were held captives for several years before being rescued.) George Hobaugh married Elizabeth Cline and they had eight children, four of whom died young. From the founda- tion of the Democratic party down to the present day the Hobaughs have been stanch democrats. John W. Kuhns (father) was born in Allegheny county, Pa., March 23, 1825, but his father dying when he was young, he was reared by his aunt Barbara Kuhns, who brought him to Franklin township where he has lived ever since. Hle is a carpenter by trade, a member of the Reformed church, in which he has served as deacon and an elder for many years and an un- flinching democrat. He is the father of seven children : George (dead), Jacob II., Elizabeth, William (dead), Catharine C., John II. and Jennie M. Of these Elizabeth is the wife of Dr. W. J. Rugh of East End, Pittsburg.

Jacob II. Kuhns received his education in the common schools and Laird Institute at Marys-

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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

ville, after which he learned the carpenter trade, and has followed contracting and building. IIe is a democrat and served several terms as one of the auditors of his township. He belongs to Lodge No. 165, of the Brotherhood of Carpen- ters and Joiners of America, E. E., Pittsburg, Pa., and to the Reformed church at Manordale in which he has held almost every office con- nected therewith. He is an active, earnest supporter of the church, a citizen of the best kind and his fine library bears testimony to his literary taste and general intelligence. ITis father was a soldier in the civil war, enlisting in Com- pany C., one hundred and sixty-eighth reg. Pa. Vols. in 1862 and served until his time expired. He participated in quite a number of skirmishes in North Carolina. He is a member of Corporal Murray Post, No. 243, G. A. R. His brother, John II., is a member of Carmel Lodge, No. 218, I. O. O. F., at Delmont; of the Enter- prise Council, Jr. O. U. A. M., No. 105, Murrys- ville, Pa., and of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, E. E. Pittsburg, Pa., No. 165.

ILLIAM C. LUTES, one of those who faithfully served their country in the dark days of the Rebellion and who is now a farmer in his native township, is a son of John and Hannah (Glunt) Lutes and was born July 20, 1842, in Franklin township, Westmore- land county, Pa. His grandfather Lutes was a native of Germany and never emigrated from the " fatherland" but grandfather Glunt was born in this county and died in Franklin town- ship. The latter was married to Susan Cline, and had eight children : Joseph, Sarah, Josiah, Hannah, Esther, Eliza, Jacob and David. Of these, David Glunt, the youngest child, in the late war served nine months in the one hundred and sixty-eighth reg. Pa. militia.

John Lutes (father was born in Germany and immigrated to America in his young days, locat- ing in Pittsburg. He married Hannah Glunt

who bore him six children : Susan, William C., Josephine, John, Alexander and Christy (dead).

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 88

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