USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > Biographical sketches of leading citizens of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania > Part 44
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horse was shot dead under him at Rocky Gap, Va., and he escaped from the enemy in the shad- ows of a friendly thicket that grew near by. Such a record is not in the possession of every citizen, and those whose lives were endangered are re- ceiving day by day, a little tardy it may be, the recognition due to them for their hard service. Mr. Hazen came to Ellwood City in 1881, and bought the McGregor farm of seventy-five acres, and in 1890 was the first to see the wisdom of selling land to the Pittsburg Company for the founding of a city. He exhibited sterling good sense by selling at a reasonably fair price, and urged others to pursue the same course. Hav- ing played a prominent part in the city's affairs since the idea was suggested to him, Mr. Hazen has seen the plan for a city unfold from a paper origin and blossom out in reality, itself. On the land he once owned are located manufactories, a· bank, a church, and numerous dwelling houses. Having disposed of his property on the site of Ellwood City, Mr. Hazen looked around for an- other farm, and found a tract of 100 acres in Hazel Dell quite to his taste, and to that he added ten acres of the J. C. Johnson farm; in 1891, he built his present home. A piece of land, twenty-five acres in extent, was purchased of Samuel Parker, and a coal mine opened, which is now leased to other parties who work it. A limestone quarry was another interest that he developed and then leased. From his farm he has laid out 130 lots. Another farm of 135 acres in Butler County is his property, and Mrs. Hazen owns tenements in East Vale, Pa.
The following children came to the home: Alice J., deceased at the age of thirty-three, mar- ried John Dempsey, and bore him Arvilla and a
REV. WILLIAM M. TAYLOR.
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son that died in infancy; Francis J. died at the age of thirty-nine; Elmer wedded Orpha Boyer, and they have Lafayette, Ella M., Maggie and Olive; Mary became the wife of Allison Newton, and they have two sons, John H., and Homer H .; James B. married Sadie Boyer; Judith B. became the helpmeet of L. L. Wilson and had Laura B., Gene C., Nellie L. and John B .; Nora O. lives at home; Nathan and Homer are the youngest of the family now living; and Jes- sie A., the baby of the household, who died in childhood. Mr. Hazen is a good Democrat, and is a member of the G. A. R. Post No. 164 of Beaver Falls, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Hazen com- mand the highest respect and esteem of their friends not only in the Baptist Church, but wherever they choose to go they are cordially assured a place of honor, and many warm greet- ings.
REV. WILLIAM M. TAYLOR, D. D., of Mt. Jackson, North Beaver township, has been engaged in the blessed work of the Master for the past thirty-seven years, preaching and min- istering to the spiritual needs of his flock in the Westfield Presbyterian Church, near Mt. Jack- son, ever since his ordination and installation there on June 12, 1861. Such long and faithful service in one community is worthy of special notice, and we therefore take pleasure in pre- senting the salient points of his life, adding to such an account whatever other facts of interest present themselves to us, which will enlist the attention and consideration of those who chance to read this volume.
Rev. Mr. Taylor was born in Little Beaver township, Lawrence County, March 4, 1834, and was a son of Samuel and Charity (Mercer) Tay- lor, and grandson of William and Ann (Wilson) Taylor. His grandfather was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and about the year 1799, when approximately twenty years of age, came to Am- erica, and settled in the eastern part of Pennsyl- vania. Later in life, with horse and wagon to carry the household effects, he crossed the mountains with his family, and became a resi- dent of Beaver County, near the present site of New Galilee, Pa. As a means of securing a live- lihood, he worked out for the farmers there- abouts, and being blessed with a strong consti- tution and economically disposed, it was not long before he bought a farm near Enon Valley, Pa., and later became possessor of the property known as the Reagan farm, located on Beaver Dam, where he spent his last days in peace and comfort; he was born in 1777, and died at the age of seventy-nine. His wife lived to be eighty- four years old. The children that came to them in the course of their wedded life were: John; Joseph W .; Mary; Samuel; Martha; Ann; Will- iam; Nancy; Sarah; Thomas; and Eleanor.
Samuel Taylor was born in the eastern part of Pennsylvania in Northumberland County, and in his younger years learned the potter's trade, but left this vocation to engage in agricultural pursuits. He bought a farm in Little Beaver township, and was interested in general farming the remainder of his life, dying when over eighty years of age, in 1888, his birth having occurred April 9, 1806. He was a Whig, and later went with the greater part of that political organiza- tion into the Republican party, of which he was
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a loyal member and active partisan; he served Lawrence County two terms as associate judge. He remained faithful to the teachings and doc- trines of the Disciple Church. Fifteen children in all were born to him, and the most of them grew up to maturity, and lived to be an honor of the communities where they lived as upright, pro- gressive citizens. The record reads thus: Will- iam M., the subject of this notice; Ann, who died soon after her marriage; John P .; Thomas C .; Harriet J .; Samuel S .; Daniel W .; Martha E .; Joseph I .; Enos M .; Lee; Lucretia; Matilda; Addie; and an infant, deceased.
William M. Taylor from the district schools and academies went to Jefferson College, from which institution he graduated with honor in 1858; he then pursued a theological course, preparatory to entering the ministry in the West- ern Theological Seminary of Allegheny, Pa., graduating in 1861. Before this, however, April 19, 1860, he was licensed to preach, and so it " was with some measure of preparation and ex- perience that he was ordained a minister and in- stalled as the pastor of the Westfield Presbyter- ian Church near Mt. Jackson, June 12, 1861. His pastorate has been continuous and uninter- rupted from that time to this, and he has been the chosen instrument for bringing many into the fold and membership of the church. The church is very old, the date of its organization being 1803; to-day it has a membership of 326, a very large number for a country church, and an index of the good work that Mr. Taylor has conducted. In 1862, he was instrumental in having a new church edifice built; this was de- stroyed by fire Jan. 8, 1872, and was replaced by a new and elegant structure, which was dedica-
ted to the Master's use Jan. 8, 1873. Mr. Taylor is a very fluent and convincing speaker, and brings home to the hearts of his hearers the blessed truths to be found in the life of Christ, outlining their duty to God forcibly and distinct- ly; not alone in the pulpit does his ability show forth in the best light, but also in bringing be- fore each repentant sinner the plan of a personal salvation, free to all who will accept of it.
He is interested in home and foreign mission- ary work, and goes to great pains to keep him- self and his people well-informed as to the needs and the progress in the various fields. In 1878, he spent six months and a half abroad, and vis- ited Europe, Egypt, and Palestine. During 1894 and 1895, he went around the world in nine months, visiting many places of interest and note, and becoming acquainted with the habits and customs of many a foreign land. In the course of his travels he was in Japan, China, Siam, Isle of Ceylon, India, Egypt, Turkey, Germany, Holland, France, the British Isles, and was an interested spectator of the sights in Jeru- salem, about the Dead Sea, at Smyrna, Constan- tinople, Berlin, Paris, Glasgow, and many an- other noted place. In addition to his foreign trips, he has visited the Pacific Coast three times, and has been in all the States of the Union with the exception of two. His travels were far from being barren in their results, as viewed from a practical standpoint, for he has collected and arranged into superb collections the largest cabinet of relics, curios, and specimens that can be found in any private home in Western Penn- sylvania. His collection of precious stones in- clude rare and beautiful specimens of agate, amethyst, malachite, topaz, onyx, moonstone,
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and many others, odd and rich in their effects. His geological specimens, including nearly all kinds of the leading commercial ores, are among the most instructive of the treasures, and claim the attention of those who understand their sig- nificance. Then there may be seen a Siamese palm-leaf book, a Chinese girl's copybook, an old German commentary of Galatians by Lu- ther, dated 1534, and an old Flemish missal, the characters in which were beautifully illuminated by hand before the day of the printing press. There are gods of all kinds and descriptions, worshipped by Chinese, Japanese, Siamese, and Hindoo devotees; also a Hindoo praying ma- chine. To the student of Egyptian history, a mummied hand, a quantity of mummy cloth, and some scarabs prove of vast interest. Many rare horns are on exhibition, some of them com- ing from Aden, Arabia. Mr. Taylor has also a fine collection of Indian relics, to which he is adding from time to time. A large library of choice and valuable books, both secular and re- ligious, are not the least of his possessions, for he is a deep thinker, and enjoys the reading of a good book almost as much as anything else that he does. The home is surrounded by beautiful lawns and shrubbery arranged in an artistic manner, the whole a result that is due to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor's own efforts.
Mr. Taylor was united to his first wife on May 24, 1861; she was Lorinda Packer, daughter of Sylvester R. Packer of Hiram, Ohio; her birth occurred in 1836, and her death took place in 1883. Mr. Taylor married again Sept. 24, 1885, Sophy B. Loring, daughter of Dr. Loring of Springfield, Mass. She volunteered when a young woman as a missionary, and was sta-
tioned for three years, until her eyes failed her, in Beirout, Syria. She is still very active in mis- sionary work, and is a decided help to her hus- band in his pastoral labors.
Interest in a biographical work of this nature is at all times heightened by a liberal use of illus- trations; the portraits, occurring at frequent in- tervals in this book, include the likenesses of many of the representative and leading citizens of the county, but few will be viewed with the same degree of interest as that of Mr. Taylor which appears on a preceding page in proximity.
HUGH J. McCREADY, junior member of the mercantile firm of Major & McCready of Wampum, Big Beaver township, dealers in standard lines of dry goods, clothing, groceries, etc., was born April 14, 1861, near New Galilee, Beaver Co., Pa. His coming to Wampum has proved quite a valuable acquisition to the bor- ough, for he has infused his energy in all public affairs, and is highly regarded as an enterprising, excellent young man.
Our subject's father, Hugh McCready, was born near Galilee, Lawrence County, and met a tragic death in an accident which occurred in Big Beaver township, when he was seventy-six years old. He followed the pursuits of agricul- ture for the means to satisfy his daily wants. He was a member of the U. P. Church, a strong Republican in politics, and acted as supervisor for some time. He was a son of Stewart Mc- Cready of Irish lineage. Mrs. McCready, mother of Hugh J., was born in North Beaver township,
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and was a daughter of Samuel Hopper, her traced her ancestry to Thomas and Martha mother being a Kennedy.
Hugh J. McCready, the subject of this sketch, was brought up near New Galilee, and was a pupil in the district school until he was eighteen. He remained under his father's roof until March, 1887, when he was wedded to Ida Jenkins in Slippery Rock Church in Wayne township. The young couple settled on a farm, where they lived in contentment until 1893, when Mr. McCready bought an interest in the mill at Wampum. For three years he was employed in operating it un- til the plant was destroyed by fire, when for a year he was at liberty, looking for good business chances of various sorts. The right opportunity came in 1896, when there occurred a change in the general store of Braby & Major at Wampum; Mr. Braby retired and Mr. McCready was taken into partnership with Frank P. Major. The busi- ness is large and flourishing, and well rewards the enterprise and efforts put forth to draw desir- able custom. Mr. McCready has ever strictly observed that most important factor in the suc- cessful public or business life of anyone-hon- esty. He is a careful, painstaking and square business man of undoubted integrity and sub- stantial ability.
Mrs. McCready was a daughter of John H. and Sophia (Hennon) Jenkins, and was one of a fam- ily of seven children. Her father, John Henry Jenkins, was a son of Andrew and Jane (Henry) Jenkins, the latter a daughter of Robert Hunter, a Pennsylvanian of Washington County. Mrs. McCready's grandfather, Andrew Jenkins, was one of the children of Eleazer and Rebecca Jen- kins, who came from Ireland to America about the year 1770. Her mother, Sophia Hennon,
(Work) Hennon; Thomas was a son of Joseph and Margaret (Morrill) Hennon, one of the old- est families of Wayne township; his wife was a daughter of Joseph and Martha (Phillips) Hen- non. Our subject and wife are the proud par- ents of five children: Emma Pearl; Maggie So- phia; John; Florence; and Arthur J. The heads of the family are members of the United Presby- terian Church, and are bringing up their chil- dren in that faith. Politically, Mr. McCready sides with the Republican party, and has been a member of the borough council.
JOHN N. ROGERS, the widely known pro- prietor of the Rural House at New Bedford, Pa., has passed the three-score and ten years mark, his birth dating back to March 25, 1823. A dis- trict school education was the first step in pre- paring him for active manhood's work. He learned the trade of saddler from his father, and kept at work at that vocation for twenty years. He next engaged in the buying and selling of stock of various kinds-horses, cattle, etc., and during the late war was employed by the gov- ernment to buy horses, such was his superior knowledge of horses and their fitness for good work. He has always held firmly to Democratic principles. In 1851, Mr. Rogers took for a part- ner in the conjugal state Maria Louisa Swisher, daughter of Dr. Phillip Swisher of Petersburg, Ohio. The only son of this union, Norman, . married Salome V. Shaffner of Harrisburg, Pa., and became the fond parent of seven children:
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Roxie R., deceased; Jesse H .; Philip S .; Howard E .; M. Ruby; Mark M .; and Norman N.
Viola V. and Cora C. were the daughters of our subject. Mr. Rogers and his family favor the Presbyterian Church, and may be found among the regular worshippers in the church of their choice.
Samuel Rogers, the father of John N., ob- tained the rudiments of an education in Colum- biana Co., Ohio, and then learned the saddler's trade. He had been employed at that vocation but a short time, when the War of 1812 broke out, and he left home to help guard American interests and to vindicate the right of American sailors to traverse the seas and carry on con1- merce with other nations. He enlisted as a pri- vate, and by brave service earned an officer's commission at the close of hostilities. After his return to civil life, he again took up his trade and worked at it the rest of his life in New Bed- ford. He was somewhat of a politician, and fol- lowed the leadership of the Jeffersonian school; was a postmaster for some years, and held in addition to that federal position a number of township offices. He allied himself with Sarah Waugh, daughter of John Waugh of Uniontown, Pa., and seven children gathered about their board in course of time; they were named as fol- lows: Thomas; James M .; John N., the subject . of this personal notice; Sarah, wife of James Wright of Illinois; Alexander; Warren; and Samuel; all of whom, save Mrs. Wright and John N., are deceased. The family were Presbyterians in religous faith. Samuel Rogers passed over the dark river in 1872, aged eighty-two; his wife survived until 1880, when at the age of eighty- nine she was laid to rest by her husband's side.
Thomas Rogers, the grandfather of John N., was of Irish nationality, and came to America about 1770, landing in Philadelphia. His broth- er, William, who had emigrated with him, settled in Maryland on the Brandywine, and Thomas went west to the State of Ohio, where he bought and cleared a farm. Time proved the wisdom of his choice, and rendered him satisfied to re- main on that farm, which had blessed him by its productiveness with many bountiful things. He was a man of good parts, and possessed ability as a manager, accordingly rising to a position of some local prominence. His descendants were: John; Alexander; Thomas; Samuel; Andrew, a daughter who became Mrs. Simpson; another who became Mrs. Woods, and a third, Susan, who became Mrs. Hatcher.
As is seen by the foregoing account, our sub- ject comes of a race of hardy farmers, worthy men who by the nature of their vocations lived near to nature's heart. They were of a religious turn of mind and an ancestry of whom to be proud.
ISAAC R. HOUK of Wilmington township has labored successfully in many fields. Though only a few years past fifty, his experience covers several trades, a faithful service for his country during the dark days of civil strife, and a pros- perous mercantile career which he is at this writ- ing pursuing at Fayetteville, Wilmington town- ship, this county.
Mr. Houk came into the world June 22, 1842, at a place in Slippery Rock township, and on his
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father's farm in that township and in the district schools spent his boyhood days. When his edu- cation was completed, he was apprenticed to the trade of wagon-making, because of his natural bent for mechanical work. Later on he became very skilled in the carpenter's trade, and was known and in demand on all sides as a worker in wood. At the first call to arms, directly after Fort Sumter was fired on, Mr. Houk was a mere lad and young as he was he was fired with ambi- tion to fight in the cause of his country, but his few years were against him. In 1864, however, he attained his heart's desire, and on Feb. 22, en- listed for three years. He saw active service un- der Col. Schoonmaker, and Capt. Jackson of Pittsburg, and continued to honorably and faith- fully wear the uniform of blue till the last gun was fired and the fratricidal conflict brought to a close. He was captured at Mt. Jackson, Va., in 1865, and only paroled half a day in the hands of the rebels. Upon his return from the war, Mr. Houk turned his attention to farming, and rented a place where he lived for several years. In 1869, he moved to New Castle, and entered the employ of George Crawford & Co., lumber- men. He remained with them until he came to Fayetteville, and entered upon his commercial life. He succeeded to the business of Emma Baxter, and for several years past has conduct- ed the enterprise with consummate skill and steady prosperity.
Mr. Houk was a son of William Houk, a native of Perry township, Lawrence County. The father received a liberal education in the common schools, and afterwards learned the tanner's trade, at which he worked for years, at the same time giving some little attention to
farming. Later on he was able to purchase a piece of land, comprising about one hundred acres, of which only some twelve acres had ever been cleared of the timber that naturally covered it. On this farm in Slippery Rock township, Mr. Houk spent the rest of his life, clearing the land, and building two log houses, and necessary out- buildings. He died in the fall of 1869, aged eighty-five years. The wife of William Houk, and the mother of our subject was Eliza White, a daughter of James White, a well-known and leading farmer of Slippery Rock township. Ten children made up the Houk family, and they were named: James; Harriet; Phillip; David; Eli; William; Samuel; Reuben; Eliza; Anna; and Isaac R. They were reared in the Presby- terian Church. Politically Mr. Houk and his sons were old-line Republicans.
When still a young man our subject married Hattie Black, a native of Scott township, Law- rence Co., Pa., and one child has come to bless their home, Minnie B. Mrs. Houk died in 1876 and he married Mary L. Rhodes, and by this union Delmont R. was born. Mr. Houk and his family are regular attendants of the M. E. Church. In political views, Mr. Houk follows the teachings of his beloved father, and early cast his fortunes with the Republican party, of which he is a stanch and prominent supporter.
In all respects, Mr. Houk is a strong, a useful, . and an influential member of society. Rich in experience and ripe in judgment, he has a store of knowledge that covers a multitude of subjects. Of an observant nature, through life he has been a student and a learner, not altogether in vain either, if we are to judge from his present at- tainments. He is a busy man, but withal a well-
JESSE S. CORNELIUS.
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informed one on all topics of general and living interest. He has the welfare of his own country at heart, as his service in the army proves. As a friend he is highly valued in a large circle of ac- quaintances, for he is ever ready with counsel, help and encouragement, even to the extent of extending substantial aid from his own resources. His success has come from steady purpose and constant industry, and no one begrudges him the position of true worth and esteem which he has attained.
JESSE S. CORNELIUS, constable and col- lector of the Sixth Ward of New Castle, Pa., was born in Neville township, Allegheny Co., Pa., Feb. 26, 1836, and is a son of Maxwell and Mary Ann (Anderson) Cornelius, and grandson of Maxwell Cornelius, who came from the eastern part of the State, supposedly Lancaster County, and settled in Allegheny County, near the city of Pittsburg, where he followed the pursuits of agriculture. Of the family of children, that he gathered about his fireside, the following grew up to maturity: Josiah; John; Dizart; Absalom; James; Betsey; Polly; and Maxwell.
Our subject's father made his start in life as a gardener, cultivating his small farm on Nine Mile Island at first, and later gardening at Mc- Kee's Rocks. In 1845 he bought a farm at Mt. Jackson, this county, and cleared and improved it with so liberal and knowing a hand, that it easily took rank with the best in the county, with a set of farm buildings that for convenience and ampleness of room was perhaps without a rival. His last years were spent in Poland, Ohio, (nee) Bennage, and he both lived to be up-
where he bought a small piece of land and house, and engaged in fruit and berry raising the re- mainder of his years, also paying considerable attention to the education of his children. He was taken to a better world at the age of seven- ty-six; his wife, eighty-eight years of age, is liv- ing at Poland, Ohio. Their children were: Margaret, deceased; Eliza, the wife of William Lemon; Jesse S., our subject; James, of Minier, Ill .; William of Youngstown, Ohio; Maxwell, deceased, who was a Presbyterian minister of Washington, D. C., pastor of the East End Pres- byterian Church; Margaret (2nd), whose first husband was Alfred Swisher, her present hus- band is Henry Austin of Poland, Ohio; Jane, whose first husband was S. Glenn, deceased, and her second, B. Whistler; Mary Ann, the wife of D. Thompson; Martha, the wife of S. Fox; and Samuel, a Presbyterian minister of Oil City. Our subject's father was a Republican, politically, and a member of the Presbyterian Church.
Jesse S. Cornelius finished his education at Westfield, and when he was eighteen years old followed gardening for two years as a means for securing a livelihood. Then for several years he boated coal down the Ohio River and be- yond on the Father of Waters, making five trips to New Orleans, besides several shorter trips. In 1859 he came to Lawrence County, and on May Ist of that year married Miss Elizabeth Jane Martin, daughter of Samuel Martin, and granddaughter of Hugh Martin, who was a school teacher, surveyor, and farmer. Hugh Martin was a very well-educated man of his day, and many successful men were among his pupils in the old log school house. His wife Susan
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wards of eighty years of age, and were the par- ents of the following children: Thomas, Samuel, Hugh, Seth, John, George, David, and Cather- ine. The last three are single and make their home together on the old homestead. Samuel Martin was born in Huntingdon Co., Pa., in 18II, and settled in Lawrence County, where he bought a 125-acre farm, and followed agriculture all his days, also doing a little carpentering, dy- ing at the age of seventy-three. Their children were: Elizabeth; Jane; Hugh, deceased; Seth, deceased; John, deceased; James, deceased; Mary, deceased; Clark, a resident of Mil- ler Co., Missouri; Albert R., a resident of Beaver Falls; Emma, the wife of Will- iam Welker of Mahoning Co., Ohio; Per- ry S. of New Castle; Samuel, deceased; and Wesley, who lives in Lawrence County. The following are our subject's children: Mary Liz- zie, who married John Atkinson of New Castle; Emma J., who married Robert Atkinson, a farm- er of this county, and has four children-Pearl, Jesse C., Elizabeth J., and Maud M .; Maud, the wife of John Marks, a railroader of Lawrence County; Maxwell, who married Eva Groves of New Castle, and has two children-Jessie C., and Earl Maxwell; Sadie W., who married George Dufford of New Castle, and has three children-Jessie C., John, deceased, and Ruth May; Samuel H., who married Lizzie Hamley of Youngstown, Ohio, and has one son, Harold Martin; and Daisy O., who lives at home, and teaches music.
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