USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > Biographical sketches of leading citizens of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania > Part 55
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in their religious faith. Our subject's grand- father died in 1877, aged seventy-five years, and was followed ten years later by his wife at the age of eighty-two years.
John Clark was born in Washington town- ship, and attended the schools there until he reached manhood's estate, when he became a farmer, and very successfully followed the pur- suits of agriculture all the years of his active peri- od, his death taking place in 1877, when he was aged fifty-five years. He married Lucinda Palm- er, a daughter of John Palmer, and to them were given four children: James W., who mar- ried a Miss Rodgers of Plain Grove township, and has six children-Lewis, Cassius, Nettie, Mary, and Clara; Charles S., of whom this biog- raphy is written; Sylvester, who married a Miss Maxwell of Erie Co., Pa .; Melissa, who married W. H. Caswell of New Castle, Pa., and has two children, Anna and Charles. They were Metho- dists in their religious views and affiliations. Our subject's mother, at the age of seventy-sev- en years, still survives her husband.
when he came to his present place of residence in Hickory township, which was then a part of Mercer County. At the first, to provide himself a home, he bought twenty acres of unimproved land at $10 per acre, to which he added from time to time as his finances allowed him, until he is now the owner of 100 acres of the best land to be found in the county; much of the land was pur- chased in its virgin state, and Mr. McConaghy has been put to much pains and no little labor to evolve the present well-ordered farm, which shows in every particular the taste, good judg- ment and the enterprise of its owner. He is pro- gressive in his ideas, is always well-acquainted with the most recent and best methods that have been introduced into the realm of agriculture and he is never slow in the adoption of a really serviceable article or method. Our subject has been a valued member of society, and he is held in the highest esteem by his contemporaries.
William McConaghy, our subject's grand- father, was a farmer and followed that occupa- tion throughout a long and useful career till the
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failing health, which is incident to old age, forced him to retire from active service in the field. He married Mary Moore, and to them were born three children: John, the father of Alexander; Alexander, who married Elizabeth Smith, and died in Ireland; and Mary, who married Hugh Kearney, and also died in Ireland. They were Unitarians and Covenanters in their religious at- tachments.
John McConaghy, in addition to farming, to which the most of his years was given, was also an adept in the preparation of the flax for the manufacture of Irish linens, and found profitable employment in the manufactories of linens for many years. He married a daughter of William Stunkard, and their union was blessed with the birth of five children: Conley; Alexander, the subject of this memoir; William; John; and Sarah (Paterson). All of the children came to America, and made homes for themselves. Our subject's father died in 1820, owing to an acci- dent in a flax-mill, aged thirty-nine years. The family were regular and devout attendants of the Unitarian Church.
In 1839, the marriage ceremony was performed which united Alexander McConaghy and Jane Murphy, also a native of County Derry, Ireland. Mrs. McConaghy was born Jan. 23, 1817. Their union has happily resulted in the following chil- dren: John, who married Margaret Carr, and lives in Hickory township, surrounded by the following children-Alexander, Nannie, Jennie, Lewis, William, Florence, Roy, Norman, and Nellie; Conley, who married Josephine Young of East Brook, Hickory township, this county, and has the children named below-Charley, Effie, Lester, Jennie, Joseph, Ernest and Alfred;
William, who married Martha Young, who has borne him children as follows-Frank, Mabel, Ethel and Oscar; Mary; James; and Lizzie. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Hickory township. In matters polit- ical, Mr. McConaghy is liberal and independent in his actions, voting for whatever candidates seem best suited to fill satisfactorily the offices for which they are nominated.
SAMUEL McCREARY, whom we feel it our duty to place among the most successful and representative agriculturists of Hickory town- ship, was born in the above township, which was then a part of Neshannock, in the month of June, 1833.
Our subject's grandfather, also named Samuel McCreary, came to this country from his native place in Lancaster Co., Pa., with his wife in 1802, and settled in that part of Mercer County which is now a part of Lawrence County. He followed farming, and also raised cattle for market and indulged in other allied occupations until his failing powers demanded that he seek rest from his arduous work; his death took place in 1858, when he was aged eighty years. He worked hard and late with an industry that is seldom seen or even equalled, and he would be consid- ered well-to-do to-day, for he owned upwards of six hundred acres of valuable land. He was a Whig in politics, and he and his wife were mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church. She bore him ten children, as follows: Enoch; Betsey; Thomas; Sarah; Findlay; William; Jane; Mar- garet; Nancy; and Martha.
ROBERT MCKNIGHT.
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY. 575
Enoch McCreary received his education in the customary manner, chiefly in the winter months, in Neshannock township, and became a farmer at an early age; this occupation he steadfastly followed all the period of his life in Hickory township on the farm now owned by George Young. Politically, he was first a Whig and then a Republican. . He married Margaret Pier- son, daughter of Samuel Pierson, and to Mr. and Mrs. McCreary were given eight children: Pierson; Belinda; Samuel; Sarah; William; James; John; and Enoch. They were Metho- dists in their views on matters of a religious na- ture. The father passed away in March, 1856, aged fifty-three years, and the mother remained at the head of the family until July, 1885, when she was also called home to join those gone be- fore at the age of eighty-six years.
Samuel McCreary, our subject, was educated in the schools of Hickory township, and his en- tire life, which has been devoted to general farm- ing, has been passed in the township of his birth. Ever since the organization of the Citizens' Na- tional Bank of New Castle, he has been one of its directors. He has always voted the Republi- can ticket, and was elevated to the position of school director, where he so far distinguished himself as a man of excellent judgment, that he was rewarded with thirteen and a half years of office in that capacity. The family are regular attendants of the M. E. Church.
In 1857, Mr. McCreary married Elizabeth Mc- Dowell, daughter of Abel McDowell of Hickory township, and the union was blessed with six children: Emma J., who married Dr. W. L. Smith of New Wilmington, Pa., and has three children, Genevieve, Sam, and Gula; Mary A.,
who married J. E. Duff, a druggist of New Cas- tle, and has one child, Dorothy; Margaret, who married Thomas W. Houston of Hickory town- ship, and has borne him two children, Victor A. and Edwin; Edwin, who married Mary Riber of Hickory township, by whom he had two chil- dren, Norman and Kenneth King; and two that died in infancy.
ROBERT McKNIGHT, a prosperous agri- culturist of Hickory township, was born in the above township April 17, 1832. His father, John McKnight, caine to this country from County Derry, Ireland, in 1811, and worked at first in New York City; later he settled on a farm, in 1825, where his son now resides, taking the land in its virgin state, and by many improve- ments bringing it into an excellent state of culti- vation, thus acquiring an excellent reputation as an enterprising and successful farmer of his day. He was well-read and well-informed and profited by his large experience in life to advance his own private interests and to contribute intelligently to the growth and prosperity of Lawrence County. He was a Democrat in his political tendencies. He married Mary E. Smith, daugh- ter of John Smith of old Virginia stock; she was born in Beaver Co., Pennsylvania. Ten children blessed their union, namely: Mary; Elizabeth, who married William Chaffer of East Brook, who had five children-Hannah, Mary, Jennie, Martha, and John; David S., who married Eliza- beth J. Brown, of Harlansburg, Pa., and their children were-William J., Joseph, David S., Mary, Sarah, Thomas J., and Lizzie; John, de-
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
ceased; Hugh, who married Margaret Robin- son, who bore him-Alice M., John, William R., Joseph, Jesse D .; James P., deceased; Joseph and Robert, twins, the latter is the subject of this sketch, the former married Sarah McConaghy of East Brook and has two children-Jane H. and Eva L .; Hannah; and William S., deceased. They were esteemed members and active work- ers of the United Presbyterian Church.
Robert McKnight was educated in the district schools of Neshannock township (now called Hickory), and when his days as a pupil were over, he himself wielded the birch and imparted instruction in the good, old-fashioned way for a number of terms in the schools in the vicinity of his home. He then learned carpentering as a trade, which he followed until 1861, since which time he has given his whole attention to agricul- tural pursuits, the homestead which was his father's yielding him a handsome profit each year for his labors. He is a public-spirited citi- zen, and has always kept alive an intelligent in- terest in whatever pertained to the good of the educational interests of the township or county. He is outspoken in his endorsement of the aims and principles as advocated in the platform of the Democratic party, and consistently votes for that party's nominees. He has officiated as school director, and has also held several other offices. In regard to his religious preferences and likewise those of his family, it may be said that they are consistent members of the United Pres- byterian Church.
In 1857 occurred the marriage ceremony which united Mr. McKnight and Nancy J. Campbell for life; she was a daughter of Robert and Drusilla Campbell, who were residents of
Hickory township: Eleven children have blessed their household: James M .; Mary; Emily E .; Drusilla; Lizzie, who married J. W. Hamilton of Plain Grove township, and has three children -Grace, George, and Jay; John; Flora; Martha; Robert; Charley, deceased; and Belle. Mr. Mc- Knight is an upright citizen, highly esteemed in the community, and exerts his wide influence in the promotion of its best interests. In connec- tion with the foregoing outline of Mr. Mc- Knight's life, we present his portrait on a pre- ceding page.
WILLIAM BARNES, a leading farmer and prominent citizen, occupying a fine homestead in Hickory township, Lawrence County, has been a resident of the county for the greater part of the period from 1861 to the present date. He comes of good old Irish stock, and was born in County Down, Ireland, March 6, 1830. Thomas Barnes, his father, followed farming as an occu- pation throughout his younger years and until he was well advanced in years, when he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and there- after to the end of his days was identified with legitimate trade. His standard of life was high and exalted in character, and nobly did he obey the command of his Heavenly Father to be"an example to all men; his honestness and upright- ness of purpose which distinguished his dealings detracted in no way from his popularity, for there were few men who were so popular and well-liked in his neighborhood; to the poor and needy and to all who were in distress and
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
trouble, he was an ever-present friend, comfort- ing the broken-hearted, and solacing those who refused to be comforted, and never witholding of his abundance to relieve a case of want and distress. His death was mourned by everyone who had had a chance to know him and to ap- preciate his gentlemanly qualities; it was caused by his readiness to act as peace-maker between two parties to a feud, the knife that was intended by one combatant to put his opponent hors du combat penetrated a vital spot in Mr. Barnes, and he died instantly. When a man lays down his life for a friend, the world justly calls it one of the most generous of acts; but on the other hand how much greater is the magnanimity that prompts one to risk his life in an affair not his own in an endeavor to prevent quarreling and probable bloodshed. His wife was Jane Boyd, daughter of James Boyd of County Down, Ire- land, and to them were born six children: James, who married Annie Annesley of County Downs, and died in Ireland; William, our subject; Annie; Margaret, who married Henry Wolfe of Pitts- burg, Pa., and has six children: Thomas, Jane, Charles, William, Sherman, and Madison; and Isabelle, deceased. They were connected with the Unitarian Church. Our subject's father came to his death in the manner already stated in 1839, at the age of forty-one years; his wife survived him until 1847, when she went to join the invisible throng of spirits that inhabit the border-land, being aged at her decease forty- eight years.
William Barnes came to America in 1848, and settled in the vicinity of Pittsburg, Pa., where he worked in the construction and repair of tele- graph lines, an industry then in its earliest in-
fancy. He remained in that connection until 1861, when he came to Hickory township, and settled on the farm he now owns and occupies, which he purchased from William Alexander, who was a pioneer settler of the country. Since that time, Mr. Barnes has successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits, which have proved very profitable to him; from 1883 to 1893 he was a resident of Brownwood, Brown Co., Texas, where he was engaged in farming. He is a man who stands well in his community, has been school director two terms, but, while willing to aid by every means in his power in furthering what are considered the best interests of the township, he has steadily refused to become an office-seeker. In politics, he inclines toward Re- publican principles, and has supported that party ever since the candidacy of Gen. John C. Fre- mont, the "Pathfinder of the Rockies," for whom he cast his first vote as an American citizen. He is a man of great force of character, has decided views and opinions, and is not afraid to maintain what he believes to be right in all places and un- der all circumstances.
He was joined in matrimony, in 1857, with Martha (Stuart) Macklin, daughter of John Stu- art of County Antrim, Ireland, and widow of Thomas Macklin, by whom she had two chil- dren: Margaret J., who married Robert Patten of Mahoning township, this county and has five children, John, Wiliam, Robert, James, and Stu- art; and Thomas J., who died in infancy. Mr. Barnes and his estimable wife are the parents of seven children, five of whom survive, namely: Anna, who married Thomas Matthew of County Antrim, Ireland, and now lives in Union town- ship with a family of four children-Lillie, Sadie,
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Martha, and William; Mary, who married Pres- ley Bell, a native of the State of Georgia, and now a resident of Mahoning township-they have four children, Martha, William, Walter, and Mabel; Martha, who married Hosea Porter, a native of Texas, and had one child, Hosea, now deceased; William T., a minister of the Disciples faith in Wellington, Ohio; Isabel, deceased; John, deceased; and Jane, deceased. Religious- ly, the family are members in excellent standing in the Disciples Church.
GEORGE W. HARTMAN, treasurer of the Neshannock Sheet & Tin Plate Co., and also of the Norway Iron & Steel Co. of New Castle, Pa., was born in Pittsburgh April 20, 1839, and is a son of Henry Hartman and a grandson of Jacob Hartman. His grandfather, Jacob Hartman, came to the United States in 1802, and settled in Pittsburgh, where he and his wife Anna Maria (Martin) died at about the age of seventy-five years.
Henry Hartman was born in France Decem- ber 14, 1799, in the village of Quigney, which is most delightfully situated on the River Doubs, twelve miles from Besancon. At about the age of three he came to this country with his pa- rents, and upon becoming of age embarked in the foundry business in Pittsburgh. He
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was associated with Mr. Stackhouse un- der the firm name of Stackhouse & Hartman, and was engaged in that business at the time of his decease. Their works turned out the machin- ery for one of the large mills in New Castle. His death took place in 1850. He married Magda-
lene Friesel in 1825. She was the daughter of Matthias and Ann Maria Friesal of Dauphin Co., Pa., who came to Pittsburgh in 1809. She died in Pittsburgh in 1885 at the ripe old age of 85 years. Their children were named as follows: Jacob, deceased; Henry, now in Philadelphia; John, a resident of Allegheny; Samuel, also a resident of that city; George W., our subject; Margaret; Mary M .; and Sarah E.
Our subject was educated in the public schools of Pittsburgh and in Duff's Commercial College of that city. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Co. B, 77th Reg. Pa. Vol. Inf., which was attached to the Army of the Cum- berland; he was mustered out in No- vember, 1864. After returning home he
engaged with Reis, Brown & Berger as bookkeeper of the Shenango Iron Works of New Castle, and remained with that company for thirteen years. In 1885 he entered the em- ploy of Geo. W. Johnson of the Arethusa Iron Works, which concern has now been succeeded by the Neshannock Sheet & Tin Plate Co. He is a stockholder in and treasurer of this company, and of the Norway Iron & Steel Co. For thirty- three years he has been connected with the iron business.
Mr. Hartman was married in 1870 to Asenath McConnell, daughter of Capt. Thomas McCon- nell of Lawrence County, and they have had four children, whose names in order of birth are: Malcolm M .; Magdalene J .; Arethusa; and Thomas H. Malcolm died August 23, 1896, aged . 25. Mr. Hartman is a Republican in politics. He is an elder in the First United Presbyterian Church of New Castle, and his family are all members of that congregation.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
REV. JOSEPH FRANCIS GALLAGHER, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, New Cas- tle, Pa., was born Jan. 3, 1844, in the North of Ireland. In the early part of 1849, he came to America with his parents, who selected the city of Philadelphia, Pa., as the place of their future home in the New World. The subject of this sketch pursued his early education at St. Jos- eph's College, then a renowned institution of learning in that city. Aspiring to the priesthood, his parents, in 1861, sent him to St. John's Uni- versity, Frederick City, Md., to begin his ecclesi- astical studies, under the guidance of the Jesuit Fathers.
In 1864 the late Civil War assumed gigantic proportions. Frederick City and vicinity became the scene of active strife between the two armies. Three different times did the Confederate flag float over the city and three times was the city reclaimed by the Union troops. In one of these engagements at Frederick Junction, over seven hundred wounded were left on the battle-field, uncared for and without nurses, as all communi- cation had been cut off with Baltimore and Washington. In this emergency, Mr. Gallagher and the other advanced students volunteered their services to care for the sick and wounded, until aid should come from the East or North. For weeks, day and night, these young men labored with heroic zeal, administering to the wants of the wounded, nor would they accept of any remuneration for their services. In their efforts to alleviate the sufferings of others, they overlooked their powers of endurance, impaired their health and many a one contracted a linger- ing illness which necessitated an interruption of their studies.
Our subject was one of the number. By the advice of his physician he returned to his home in Philadelphia for rest and medical treatment. After a brief interval, his health having improved, the president of St. Joseph's College offered him a position as teacher of the Classics, which he accepted and filled with success to the entire sat- isfaction of the faculty of that institution for two years. He then resumed his theological studies at St. Michael's Seminary in Pittsburgh and was ordained priest by Rt. Rev. M. Domenec, D.D., Bishop of Pittsburg diocese, Jan. 11, 1873. His first mission was to Altoona as assistant to the Very Rev. John Tuigg, then the beloved pastor of St. John's congregation, afterwards Bishop of the Pittsburgh diocese. His next appoint- ment was to the pastorate of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Dudley, Huntingdon Co., Pa. Here he labored with success for over two years.
On the 6th day of February, 1879, he was ap- pointed pastor of St. Mary's Congregation, New Castle, Pa., a position he has acceptably filled up to the present time.
HISTORY OF ST. MARY'S CONGREGATION.
As early as 1831, Catholic priests from Pitts- burgh began visiting New Castle, to administer to the spiritual wants of the few scattered Catho- lic families residing in this vicinity. A Mr. Doran appears to have been the pioneer member of that faith in the county. He died and was buried near New Bedford in the year 1810. Nicholas Brian, who came to America with Gen. Lafayette, a Catholic, and fought under his com- mand during the Revolutionary War, selected the neighborhood of Mt. Jackson as his home,
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
after the cessation of hostilities, and was wont, later, to attend mass at the house of James Mooney, who lived about a mile north of Mt. Jackson, whenever a Catholic priest favored them with a visit. The construction of the Bea- ver Canal brought a few Catholic families to New Castle and thus formed the nucleus of the pres- ent congregation. The following are the names of the Catholic priests who administered to the spiritual wants of the Catholics of New Castle and vicinity :
Rev. Father Rafferty in 1831; Father Garland in 1836; Father Gibbs in 1840; Father ยท McCul- lough, 1843; Father Reid, 1845; Father Garvey, 1854; Father O'Farrell, 1856; Father Farran, 1860; Father Walsh, 1862; Father Canevin, 1863; Father Hayes, 1871; Father Gallagher, 1879. In 1852 Rev. Father Reid erected a frame church, 20x40 feet, in what is now known as West New Castle. Here the Catholics wor- shipped until their increased membership called for a more spacious edifice. In 1865 Father Canevin secured the lot on the corner of Beaver and North Streets, from the Crawford estate for $4,000, and began the erection of a $15,000 brick church, 110 by 45 feet. Father Canevin was succeeded by Father Hayes, who comple- ted the building.
About this time New Castle was enjoying a season of prosperity and Father Hayes felt justi- fied in making extensive improvements. He erected a handsome school building, which com- pares favorably with any of the public schools in the city, at an expense of $8,000; purchased a pastoral residence for $5,500; secured sixty acres of land in Union township for $6,000 for a ceme- tery. Had the prosperous times continued,
doubtless St. Mary's Congregation would have liquidated all these claims, but the panic of 1873 bore heavily on New Castle; the iron works closed down; and Father Hayes saw his parish decimated by the departure of his people seek- ing employment elsewhere, leaving him and the few who remained on the verge of bankruptcy. When Father Gallagher assumed charge, he found the financial condition of the congregation in a most deplorable state. The cemetery prop- erty had been disposed of by the sheriff. The household goods of the pastoral residence had been offered at public sale. The church proper- ty was mortgaged almost to its full value. Some of the improvements were paid for by loans, bearing a high rate of interest. Undismayed by these surroundings the new pastor began the task of rescuing the parish from its financial em- barrassment. Aided by the generous co-opera- tion of his people and the kind encouragement given him by his non-Catholic friends, after years of toil, he has succeeded in placing the credit of the parish on a higher basis than it had pre- viously occupied.
St. Mary's congregation consisted of one thou- sand souls when Father Gallagher was appointed pastor. To-day it numbers over three thousand souls, and both pastor and people look forward with pleasing anticipations to the time when a magnificent church edifice shall ornament the beautiful church lot on Beaver and North Streets.
Father Gallagher and a party of 430 tourists visited the Holy Land in 1895, and had a trip extending over three months, and fraught with many pleasant and instructive experiences. Our subject is a genial, whole-souled gentleman, who
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