USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > Biographical sketches of leading citizens of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania > Part 49
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George Clark, who first saw the bright light of day at a point near Edinburgh, Scotland, was the grandfather of the subject of this personal history. Like all true Scots he was given some schooling, and taught a useful trade, which trade happened to be that of tailoring. Hearing of the opportunities in that fair and free land across the seas, he took his wife and started on the long journey to the West. He eventually found a lo- cation at New Berlin, Adams Co., Pa., where he settled, won and lived out a useful life, working mainly at his trade, and rearing a family of well- trained children whom he left to honor and per- petuate his good name. The children were, in order: George H., the father of our subject; William& D .; Edward A .; Mary (Popp); Sarah (Arlabaugh); and Anna (Baker).
George H. Clark, born in New Berlin, natur- ally learned his father's trade, a trade that was especially useful and remunerative at that time. He continued in that line, and in 1832, with a desire to the more rapidly better his financial condition, moved to New Wilmington, Pa., where he opened a hotel, at the same time work- ing at his trade and employing several journey- men tailors. Mr. Clark, while a finished work- man in all the branches of his craft, was a most expert cutter. It took very little time for his neighbors to become cognizant of that fact, so it got to be quite the custom in the neighborhood to buy suitings of him, which he would cut for the different individuals of the family. These fab- rics, cut to measure, were then taken home and made up into handsome suits by means of the housewife's busy needle.
About 1860, Mr. Clark determined to embark in the mercantile business, and so gave up his
work in the tailoring line. He then opened up a large store, which he conducted with marked success up to the date of his death in 1866, at the age of fifty-four years. Mr. Clark was a man who made his mark in the community. Pos- sessed of unusually sound judgment, keen in perception, firm in opinion and strong in char- acter, he was a man to whom many went with their perplexities. Seldom, indeed, did he fail to untangle the bewildering conditions, or help the applicant in his difficulty. During the period of inflated and uncertain money, he was relied upon by people for many miles around to pass judg- ment as to the real value of the currency that found its way into their hands, and it was a rare occurrence for him to blunder. He was a strong Whig, but later on joined his fortunes to the party of Lincoln and Sumner. Many times would his admiring fellow-citizens have be- stowed public office upon him, but he had no ambition in that line.
Early in life, Mr. Clark married a lady who be- longed to one of the first families of Pennsyl- vania. She was Miss Elizabeth Scott, a daugh- ter of Major Francis Scott, who was an own cousin of the veteran hero of two wars, General Winfield Scott. Mrs. Clark was the oldest of a family of twelve children, and it is worthy of note, that her youngest sister is the wife of David McKinley, brother of William McKinley, President of the United States. Mrs. Clark lived out a long and useful life, passing away in 1893. at the age of seventy-six. Both she and her husband during their respective lives were con- sistent Christian people, and members of the Methodist Episcopal denomination. Their chil- dren were: William A., subject of our article;
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Mary L. (Moore); Frank S., who lives in Butler, Pa .; and George P., deceased, who was a medi- cal practitioner at Prairie City, Iowa, the town of his demise.
General William A. Clark was ushered into this life at New Wilmington, Pa., March 25, 1843. He attended the public schools of his na- tive town, then took a preparatory course and entered Westminster College. Here he soon at- tained a high standing, both as a good student and as a young man of more than ordinary promise. When the war, which was to tear the shackles from the enslaved African, broke out, the young student immediately enlisted in Co. B, of the 100th Regiment of Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry, an independent regiment which won great renown, and which in army circles was termed the "Round Head Regiment." Our young soldier spent over three hard years in the service of his country, and made a war record that he may well be proud of. He took part in fourteen pitched battles, and was in an innumer- able amount of lesser engagements. He enlisted at the beginning of hostilities as a private, but his services so advanced him that he received his discharge as a sergeant. Returning from the field, he became associated with his father in the mercantile business, and soon familiarized him- self with all the many details. At his father's death, the son took charge of affairs, but shortly disposed of his mercantile interests, and entered the then fast-developing oil fields. Since that time up to 1896 the oil business in one or another of its many branches has claimed all of his time, and he has become one of the leading factors of this immense industry. General Clark was in- terested in laying the trunk pipe lines which
traverse the oil fields, and convey their precious burden to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. He still retains holdings in various oil properties, but has retired from the cares of an active business life.
General Clark was twice married. First in 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Aults, daughter of Isaac Aults, a leading citizen of Lawrence County; she died in 1874, leaving one son, C. Paul. The second union took place in 1877, and was with Miss Martha F. Jones. C. Paul Clark, the son of the first wife, married Miss Mary O. Heasley of Wil- mington township; he was engaged in the torpe- do business, and was doing finely, when death claimed him at the early age of twenty-seven. His wife and one daughter, Pauline, survived him. Martha F. Jones, the General's second wife, was a grandchild of Phillip James of Alle- gheny, and her mother is the widow of James Parker. To the General and his wife, two chil- dren have been given: Anna G. and William A., Jr. The daughter has made music her life study. She has had the most finished course that the best American conservatories could give, and has a studio in the Clark Block, where she gives instruction in the beautiful art. She is also a soprano of rare accomplishments, a violinist, a banjo and mandolin player, and may be regular- ly heard in the choir of the First United Presby- terian Church of New Castle. William A. Clark, Jr., the son, is a medical student, an electrician, and is pursuing a meritorious career at this writ- ing.
That there is no sluggishness in the coursing of his blood, that he is energetic and wide-awake, General Clark's life-work has proved. Actively interested in the -welfare of his native town, he
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follows his thoughts and plans by noteworthy ac- tions. In 1893 he originated and forced through to organization the borough water-works; a stock company was formed, and nearly the en- tire burden of financiering and carrying the en- terprise to its completion has fallen upon the subject of this history. He built the electric plant in 1896, which his son, William A., Jr., managed until he began his medical studies. His interest in education, as well as his love for his alma mater, is shown by the gift of a well- equipped chemical laboratory to Westminster College. This building was completed in 1896, and bears the name of the . William A. Clark Chemical and Art Hall. The massive brick block on Main Street, which bears his name, was completed in 1895; in this structure are located the New Wilmington Bank, the postoffice, the Clark Business College, which the General es- tablished in 1896, and a large number of office rooms, store-rooms, etc. General Clark has con- cluded to beautify the property formerly known as the Neshannock Falls property into a handsome summer resort, which he will open to the public about June, 1898. This place will be one of the finest in the United States. He is also erecting a new hotel, four stories high, and equipped with all the modern improvements.
General Clark is a member of all the Masonic bodies from the Blue Lodge up to and including the thirty-second degree. He is also a member in high standing of the I. O. O. F .; B. P. O. E .; A. O. U. W .; G. A. R .; and the U. V. L. In the latter order, he is very prominent, having passed in turn through all the official positions up to that of National Commander, a distinction he bore in 1893-94. In General Clark's possession
are two badges which he prizes highly, and which speak for the high merit and esteem in which he is held by his comrades. One is a badge given him as National Commander by the members of the Union Veteran Legion; the other has also been awarded him to keep, but it was one which had been handed down from the first National Commander from successor to successor until it reached General Clark. Another very hand- some piece of work, which shows how the serv- ices of our subject were appreciated, is a life-size water-color painting of himself, presented him by the U. V. L.
General Clark is a Republican in politics, with his convictions as deeply settled and fixed as his father's ideas of freedom. He believes in true Republicanism, not the party spirit which actu- ates men to do the bidding of some self-consti- tued leader who has no claim on their support except it be his own unblushing audacity or will- ingness to perform actions that a true man would be ashamed of. The kind of Republicanism that General Clark loves is the kind whose banner John C. Fremont dared to carry; that Honest "Abe" Lincoln proclaimed; that to-day William McKinley represents. To the General's mind a free-born American's right of suffrage is his dearest possession. A citizen should vote with a good, clear idea behind his ballot of what he wants that ballot to do. Men, who are leaders, should have won the right to lead by having per- formed actions entitling them to leadership. Ring politics, log-rolling conventions and packed primaries win General Clark's deep dis- dain. He is in a position to know the correct- ness of the stand he takes, for his experience in politics has been life-long. At the present writ-
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ing he is president of the borough council, and is ever a prime factor in all civil affairs. In 1897, he was a candidate for the Congressional nom- ination from his district. Owing to his well- known independent attitude toward the crowd which makes up what is fittingly called the "ring" power, he was deprived of the opportun- ity at this time of making what would have been a brilliant and certain campaign. By a shrewd but, at the same time, square and honorable ma- neuver, in which he used his trained skill to ad- vantage, he overturned the plans of the parties from his own county who tricked him out of the nomination, and gained by their defeat what was a fair and just revenge. General Clark will never cease to be a potent member of society in his chosen part of the State. The parties that seem to win at the present will in the long run find out that fair dealing, backed by open, 'honest ways and true patriotism, will ever come out the winner in the race.
MRS. REBECCA FRENCH of Union town- ship is the widow of the late James French. He was born in Ireland, but was of Scotch descent, .as his father and mother were born in Scotland, and settled in Ireland, where their deaths oc- curred. James French when thirteen years of age came to Philadelphia, and his first business was in the manufacture of ice cream. In 1866, he came to Union township and bought the farm where he resided until his death; the property was known as the R. Sankey farm. He succeed- ed in a very large degree, and made many valu- able improvements to the land, which in the
hands of his widow has proved productive. In 1864 he enlisted from Philadelphia in the 29th Reg. Pa. Vol. Inf., and served under Col. Mur- phy; he contracted cholera in the army, and this caused his discharge from the army for disabili- ties from the Joe Holt Hospital of Indianapolis. He was never very well afterwards, and died in 1891, aged sixty-three years. In politics he was a Democrat, and in his religious views he was attached to the Episcopal Church. While a resi- dent of Philadelphia he was a member of the I. O. O. F., and in Union township was connect- ed with the G. A. R. organization.
The excellent lady, with whom he united him- self for life was Rebecca Boston, daughter of John and Maria (Morrison) Boston. John Bos- ton was born in Butler County, near Porters- ville, and was engaged in farming all of his life; he settled in Neshannock township on a farm, now owned by George Green, and rounded out his career there, his death taking place at the age of sixty-three, and his wife's at the age of eighty-six. His children that grew up to matur- ity were: Enoch; Rebecca; Elijah; Julia; and Samuel. John Boston, himself, was a son of John Boston, Sr., to whom the following chil- dren were born: George; John; Rebecca; Eliza- beth; Catherine; Samuel; Adam; William; Shef- feler; and Tinna. John Boston, Sr., came from Winchester, Va., and was among the pioneers of Butler County. He settled on 225 acres of forest land, and built his log-cabin and cleared the land in the style so customary then. He cut a cradle from the body of a large tree, dug it out, and in it rocked all of his children, besides many of his grandchildren. He was a very prosperous and progressive citizen of his community, and did
JOSEPH C. FERVER.
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much in bringing about the development and growth of the township. He lived to be over eighty years old. His wife, who was Elizabeth Albert, was eighty-seven or eighty-eight when she was called to her long home. The union of Mr. and Mrs. French was productive of these children: Enoch, a railroad conductor of Gal- latin, Tenn., married Amanda Watts, and has two children, Vivian and Elzena; Augustus, who died in his nineteenth year; McClellan, who lived to be eighteen years of age; Julia, who married Charles Coon of Pittsburg; Johnnie, who died at nine years of age; Mamie, who lives at home; and James, who is in the railroad busi- ness.
JOSEPH C. FERVER, deceased, whose por- trait accompanies this sketch on the opposite page, was one of the early residents of Neshan- nock township, and was born, reared, and died on the paternal homestead, which is now the residence of his widow. He was born Dec. 4, 1817, and died Jan. 13, 1889. Our subject's father came to Neshannock township in 1806, from his native State, Maryland, and settled on the farm, now occupied by his son's widow; everything was a perfect wilderness, and the set- tlers were few and far between. He cleared a spot large enough to furnish a site for a log- house and afford a little room for a small gar- den patch, and lived in this homely, frontier fashion until he had largely cleared his farm, when he erected a frame dwelling to replace the one of logs. As one of the first settlers he took advantage of his intimate knowledge of the
country and its needs, and gathered together a very comfortable property. He was an honest, upright man, prompt in the discharge of every obligation, and while he was exacting as to get- ting his own dues, he was as equally sure to pay the last penny justly due from him to others. He was a Democrat from principle, but never had time to accept office. He married Rebecca Carle of Westmoreland Co., Pa., and their fam- ily grew to include seven children: John, who married Margaret Strita of Mercer, Pa., and has three children-Sarilla, Emma, and Orin; Fish- er, who married Sophia Fobes and had three children-Samuel, Joseph C., and Sabra, de- ceased; Taylor, who married Margaret Randall, and was the father of one child, Clark; Joseph C., the subject of this pensonal history; William, who married Eliza Greer, and has a family of eight children-Nancy, Carl, Elizabeth, John, William, Wilbur, Emma, and Charles; Mary, who married John Gibson of Neshannock town- ship, and has four children: Ira N., Plimpton, Armetta, and Capitola; and Samuel, deceased. They were members of the Methodist Church, and attended divine services in King's Chapel, Neshannock township. The father died March 15, 1861, and the mother rejoined him and other near and loved ones in the regions across the river, July 1, 1870, aged eighty-five years, hav- ing attained a greater age by eight years than her husband.
Joseph C. Ferver was educated in his native township schools, and as a young man worked on the farm, which afterward became his, on which he lived all his life; he became well-off by making diligent use of his opportunities, sup- plementing them with an uncommon shrewd-
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ness and genius for careful and conserving man- agement. He was a Democrat, and was elected at one time supervisor.
May 18, 1847, he was joined in marriage with Nancy Carle, daughter of Joshua Carle, and to Mr. and Mrs. Ferver were given five children, namely: Samuel, deceased; Joshua, deceased; Adaline, who married Perry Maitland of New Castle; Emma; and one that died in infancy. The family are constant attendants of the M. E. Church. Our subject's father was a soldier in the War of 1812.
WILLLIAM GEARING, the leading miller of Neshannock township, and one of the county's best citizens, was born in Franklin township, in the neighboring county of Beaver, Nov. 25, 1846, and is a son of John and Margaret (Bur- ton) Gearing.
John Gearing was of German descent and birth, and came to the United States with his parents when he was about five years of age; the family made their home in Beaver County, where John, after obtaining a good American district school education, engaged in farming which occupation he assiduously followed all of his life in Franklin township, Beaver County, and was known as a wide-awake, industrious agriculturist who by unremitting efforts has secured to him- self a nice farm and many home comforts, which go so far toward making the rough paths of life smooth. In his political belief, he ever adhered to the Jeffersonian principles of the old-line Democratic party. He gathered about his fire- side six children, who were: Sophia, who mar-
ried Jacob Young of Beaver County, and has these children-Katie, Elizabeth, Emma, Molly, Charles, Frank, John, and Amanda; Elizabeth, who married Jacob Brenner, and has this family -Jacob, Henry, Daniel, John, Frank, Matilda, Agnes, deceased, and Annie; Mary, who mar- ried Nicholas Workley, a native of Germany, but now a resident of the State of Pennsylvania, to whom she bore Phoebe, Charles, Louise, John, Edward, and Lizzie-after Mr. Workley's death, she married as her second husband Henry Noggle of Lancaster, Pa .; Katie, the fourth child of our subject's parents, married Peter Brua, who was born in Germany, and now lives in Perry township, Lawrence County, and they have two children, Charles and John; William, our subject; Charles, who married Caroline Bentrum of Butler Co., Pa., and has five chil- dren-Edward, Matilda, Harry, Fred, and John. The family are Presbyterian in religious belief. Mrs. Gearing died Nov. 5, 1894, but she is still survived by her husband, who was born in 1810.
Our subject adopted the calling of a farmer when a young man, and ever since he finished his schooling in his native town, he has been en- gaged in farming in Lawrence County, Wash- ington township, until 1894, when he bought a one-half interest in the grist-mill, formerly owned by the Jordan heirs, the other half-interest being in the hands of the trustees of Wilmington Col- lege. Mr. Gearing has found this new enterprise very successful, and a good payer of profits. He also owns a silica rock quarry, which he leases to Winfield S. Moore; this rock is used in the lining of the furnaces that are employed in the . manufacture of steel. His political views and tendencies are those of the Democratic party,
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with whom he enthusiastically sides. He has held the office of school director six years in Washington township.
His first wife, whom he married in 1868, was Amelia Albarn of Franklin township, Beaver Co., Pa., daughter of Justus Albarn of the same township, and by this union he was made the father of three children, as follows: Margaret C., who married A. E. Dicks of Washington township and has Ida and Effie; John C., who married Lilie Anderson of Wilmington town- ship, Lawrence Co., Pa., and has one son, Will- iam A .; and Justus, deceased. Mrs. Gearing died on May 24, 1891, and after the customary period had elapsed he married Maggie Richael, daughter of Henry Richael of Scott township, Lawrence County, and by this second union he had one child, Mary Hazel, who died Sept. 21, 1897. The family are faithful attendants and willing workers of the Presbyterian Church.
PROF. JAMES A. LOSTETTER, deceased, late superintendent of the public schools of Ma- honingtown borough and a respected citizen of that place, was a son of James A. Lostetter, Sr., a prominent and well-to-do merchant of Pulaski, Lawrence Co., Pa.
The Lostetter family in America came origin- ally from Holland in the persons of five brothers and two sisters, who crossed the ocean in 1742 to become citizens of the English Colonies. The male portion of the family took part in the French and Indian War, and were serving among the colonial troops at the Battle of Que- bec. A few years later, when the colonists as-
serted their inalienable rights, the Lostetter fam- ily again showed that they were descended from fighting blood by doing valiant service in the cause of Liberty. The War of the Revolution separated the family of seven children, and they never were gathered together around one fire- side afterwards; their descendants may be found throughout the Southern and Western States, and a perusal of war records will show that they remained true to the fighting trait of the family, and were well represented in the War of the Re- bellion.
John Lostetter, the grandfather of Mahoning- town's efficient superintendent of schools, was a millwright by trade, following that throughout the prime of his life in Huntington Co., Va., and spending the latter portion of his life in Western Pennsylvania, dying in New Castle about 1832, aged sixty-four years. He was a loyal, and pa- triotic citizen, and managed his business affairs with more than usual discretion and good judg- ment, accumulating a competence that comfort- ably supported him the last years of his life. He was a Jacksonian Democrat, and in the days of slave trouble warmly espoused the principles of the Abolition party. He married Catherine Noel, who was a daughter of Jacob Noel, a na- tive of Pennsylvania, and to them were given the following children, ten in number: William, who died in infancy; Charlotte; Andrew; Eliza; Theresa; Mary; John; Thomas; James A .; and Catherine. Their religion was that of the Catho- lic Church.
James A. Lostetter, the father of Prof. Los- tetter, was born in Martinsburg, Va., March 20, 1825, and was educated in the schools of Alle- gheny City, Pittsburg, and New Castle; after
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completing his schooling he learned the tailor's trade, serving a four years' apprenticeship with William Stitt of Pulaski. When he became a journeyman he set out to support himself and at the same time see something of the country, and for four years was in the West, working at his trade in several of the larger cities. In 1847, he located at Middlesex, Pa., and remained there until 1850, moving in that year to New Bedford, Pa., where he made his home for about four years. In 1854 he located in Pulaski, Pa., where he has remained ever since in the work of his trade, with the exception of three years which were spent in the late war, and a short time after when he lived in West Middlesex. He enlisted Aug. 27, 1861, at Pulaski, Pa., in Co. B, 100th Reg. Pa. Vol. Inf., which was attached to the Third Brigade of the First Division of the Ninth Army Corps, and he was engaged in all the bat- tles in which his company took a hand, and was discharged at the expiration of his term of enlist- ment at Pittsburg, Pa., Aug. 27, 1864. In the Peninsular campaign, May 12, at Spottsylvania Court House, he was severely wounded. He is a thorough believer in and an advocate of the ad- . vantages of a paper currency and fiat money, as fully elaborated in the writings of distinguished members of the Greenback party. On Jan. I, 1850, he was joined in the holy bonds of matri- mony with Melissa King, daughter of Henry and Rachel (Gordon) King of Mercer Co., Pa., the latter of Scotch descent. Our subject's mother bore her husband seven children, name- ly: Elmer C., who married Sarah A. Rankin, daughter of Robert Rankin of Mercer, Pa., and has two children, George R. and Lucetta; Will- iam H., who married Emma Buchanan, daugh-
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