USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > Biographical sketches of leading citizens of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania > Part 58
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
moved back from New Castle to Middleboro and had lived there about six years when he met with an accident, being killed by a runaway horse.
Nathaniel Wilder, the grandfather of Shubael was one of the early settlers of Middleboro, where he followed the vocation of a farmer. He was twice married, first to Priscilla Pratt, and second to Sarah Wood; by this second union there were several children born, of whom Thomas, our subject's father, and Darius were the only sons. Nathaniel Wilder and wife were Congregationalists.
Thomas Wilder, like his father, also had farm- ing as an occupation, and continued to cultivate the farm in Middleboro all his life. His wife, Lydia Thomas, a native of Plymouth, Mass., bore him four children, of whom the three fol- lowing lived to maturity: Evelyn H., Betsey B .; and Shubael T. They were also Congregational- ists in their religious beliefs and preferences.
Our subject's educational facilities were some- what limited, extending only till he was fifteen years old, when he set out to support himself, learning the nail-maker's trade and working at it in Middleboro, Mass., until 1836, when he went to Fairview, Pa., where he superintended a nail mill about two years. In the fall of 1838, he moved to New Castle, Pa., where he erected a nail mill about two years. In the fall of 1838, death soon after, Mr. Wilder formed a stock company, which leased the plant and manufac- tured nails until 1840, when our subject, in com- pany with Mr. A. L. Crawford and brother, bought the plant outright, and the business was carried on there until 1857, when Mr. Wilder went to Cleveland, Ohio, and superintended the
building of the Lake Erie Iron Works. He then returned to New Castle, and engaged in the manufacture of steel plates and sheet iron, but was eventually obliged to withdraw himself from active business because of his failing health. He was a man of rare business ability, and New Cas- tle is probably indebted as much to him as any one else for the present development of the iron industry within its limits, which keeps active so much capital and provides work for hundreds upon hundreds of operatives. He was an attend- ant of the Presbyterian Church, always giving liberally of his wealth for the support of the dif- ferent churches.
In 1832 he was joined in wedlock with Julia H. Woodward, daughter of Solomon Woodward of Taunton, Mass., and this union was blessed with six children, three of whom now survive. Julia M. married D. B. Kurtz of New Castle, and they have five children-Charles M., Emily, Lois T., Edward T, and Kate; one child died in infancy. Mary E. married James M. Clark, and their family consists of themselves and two chil- dren: George W., and Julia. Lydia A. deceased, married Henry Hazen, and they had three chil- dren, Harry W., Wilbur H. and Shubael M., de- ceased. Horace A. married Alice Woods of New Castle, and they had two children, Herbert Al- fred, and a child that died in infancy, also named Herbert. Charles Henry and a child unnamed died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Shubael T. Wilder are very ap- propriately selected as representatives of the highest class of citizens, whose portraits should appear in this volume, which are accordingly given on preceding pages, accompanying the above sketch.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
WILLIAM F. WINTER, proprietor of the Central Hotel of Harlansburg, Scott township, is "mine host" of one of the most popular pub- lic houses in the county outside of New Castle. He was born in Shenango township July 5, 1863, and was a son of Christian and Margaret (Hoff- man) Winter, who were both born in the Father- land and descended from lines of pure German ancestry, possessing excellent and remarkable traits of character, which they transmitted to their descendants. Our subject is a man of posi- tion and influence in the part of the county where he resides, for he is richly endowed with those characteristics which render our Ger- man population of so much value in this land of thrift and progress. Being born and raised in Lawrence County, he is thoroughly imbued with a love for American institutions and has es- pecially a large amount of affection for the coun- ty of his birth.
Christian Winter came to the United States to found a home in 1844, and settled in the State of Maryland, where he purchased a far₥ and identified himself with the agricultural interests of his section for a number of years until he con- ceived the idea of taking up his abode in the fer- tile country of Western Pennsylvania. He ac- cordingly disposed of his Maryland farm and removed to Shenango township in 1852, thence to Union township about 1869, and purchased a farm where he resided the remainder of his life, passing to his reward in 1876, aged fifty-seven years. The farm is still owned by his heirs. He accumulated considerable property, and both as a business man and in society was considered a valuable member of his community. He was a full-blooded Democrat, and earnestly supported
his party and its measures on all occasions, but never aspired to hold public office. In 1846, soon after he settled in this country, he married Mar- garet Hoffman, daughter of George Hoffman, a native of Germany, and to him and his good wife were born seven children, six of whom are living. George F., the eldest son, married Mar- tha Calderwood of Union township, who at her death at an early age left him one daughter, Martha. He then entered into a second union with Minnie O'Shea of Boston, Mass., and there' were born to them seven children-Mary E., de- ceased, Elizabeth T., George F., Mont C., Nor- man, Harry, and Charlie. John, the next son, married Mary Cameron of Union township, and had seven children-James C., Margaret, Mary E., John and Nancy, twins, Clara and Edward. Elizabeth A. became the wife of James Flinn of Union township, and bore him seven children- Francis, Edward, Charlie, Walter, Mary M., and Edna E. Henry took for his wife Mary Edger- ton of Union township, and became the father of four children-Anna B., Charlie H., Sarah, and Marie. Mary A. married John C. Trussell of New Castle, Pa., and bore him one son, John F. The family were faithful comunicants of the Catholic Church.
Our subject, who was the youngest child, was educated in the schools of Union township, and worked on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he began life for himself by accepting a position as driver for the American Express Co. in the city of New Castle, in which connection he was employed for seven years and a half. In 1890 he was appointed policeman in the same city, and was then employed as clerk in the Excelsior Hotel until 1896, when he
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
moved to Harlansburg, Scott township, this county, where he leased the hotel property he phia. The daughter, Kittie, married George now occupies. He is a very successful young Doubler of Gettysburg, Pa. business man, and what is commonly consid- ered a "hustler." He has been industrious and economical and has accumulated sufficient means to be considered one of the most substantial men of his village, and is held in high esteem as a man of enterprise and excellent habits. He is a conscientious Democrat, and takes a lively interest in local politics.
In 1888 he was joined in the bonds of matri- mony with Rose C. Quigley, daughter of John Quigley of East Palestine, Ohio, and this union has resulted to their joy in the births of three children, named as follows: John L., deceased; Francis W .; and Carl, deceased. In religious be- lief Mrs. Winter is an Irish Catholic. Mr. Win- ter belongs to Robert Blum Lodge, No. 466, Knights of Pythias, of New Castle.
JOHN P. KEMP, deceased, an aforetime resi- dent of Neshannock township, was a member of that large and intelligent body of citizens who have contributed so much to our wealth as a na- tion and to our welfare as individuals by their labors and endeavors in agricultural pursuits. He was born in Blair township, Huntington Co., Pa., May 14th, 1811, and was a son of Joseph and Molly (Piper) Kemp, who were of Dutch descent. The grandfather and grandmother of our subject commenced the sea voyage to America with their little son and daughter, Jos- eph and Kittie, but the mother was taken sick and died in mid-ocean, and the father only lived
a short time after reaching the city of Philadel-
Joseph Kemp, our subject's father, after re- ceiving an education in the schools of Blair township, learned the cooper's trade, and fol- lowed it all his life in Huntingdon County in con- nection with farming. His native Dutch thrift and saving habits stood him in good stead in . acquiring a comfortable home, and in providing liberally for his children. His wife, who was born in Petersburg, Huntingdon Co., Pa., bore him twelve children, namely: John P., our sub- ject; Phillip; Peggy; Lydia; William; Molly; Betsey; Christina; Andrew; Joseph; Annie; and Katie. In religious attendance they were Lu- therans.
John P. Kemp was educated in the schools of Blair township, and at an early age learned the cooper's trade under his father's instruction, and followed it a number of years in the latter's shop, subsequently turning his attention more in the direction of agricultural pursuits. About 1849, he left his native place for Neshannock town- ship, Lawrence County (but then in Mercer County), and settled on the farm, now the home. of his widow, which was then in its virgin, un- cultivated state. For a residence he built a frame house in which they lived seven years, when he erected the present brick structure; the brick - was made on his own farm from excel- lent clay beds, and all the wood-work was done by his own hand, for he was a first- class mechanic in all lines of wood-working and carpentry. At that time he cleared sixty-eight acres of the eighty acres of land owned by him, which are adapted to general farming and stock-
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
raising, and are situated about five miles north of New Castle on the Mercer and New Castle "pike," which thus brings the farm into easy communication with the markets. He was a very ambitious man, and always interested in the improvement of his property and in the de- velopment of all the resources of the farm. In his home life he was a model man, treating his wife with that respect and consideration as was her due, and extending toward his children a warm sympathy with their desires and ambitions that made his departure from their midst deeply felt. He interested himself in politics as a loyal, patriotic American citizen, never pushing him- self forward into public notice, but fully content to cast his vote for the man of his choice and rely on the will of the people as the supreme law; he was a Whig and cast his first ballot for William Henry Harrison, the hero of Tippecanoe. He became a Republican upon the dissolution of his own party, and the organization of the new power in politics.
On Dec. 25, 1832, he was joined in marriage with Esther Ann Lowery, daughter of George and Hettie (Hartman) Lowery of Washington County, Maryland. Of the seventeen children born of this union, the following ten are the only ones now living: Joseph; William; Lydia; Re- becca; Susan; Hannah; Florence; John and James, twins; and Samuel P. They were faith- ful attendants of the M. E. Church, in which Mr. Kemp was for many years a member in the best of standing. Mrs. Kemp, who was born Aug. 26, 1813, still survives her husband, and is remarkably active for one of her advanced years, and still does her own housework. Mr. Kemp died Feb. 14, 1897, aged eighty-five years and nine months.
HOWARD D. LESLIE, an engineer on the P. & W. R. R., whose residence is on Pine Street, in Mahoningtown borough, was born in North Beaver township, Lawrence County, Oct. 14, 1863, and is a son of George L. and Mary (McMillen) Leslie, who were married in Butler County Feb. 8, 1859. Our subject's mother was the younger of two children born to Will- iam McMillen, who married a Miss Boone. George L. Leslie was the youngest of three chil- dren born to George and Martha (Hopper) Les- lie of Westmoreland Co., Pa. The latter was a daughter of Robert Hopper, whose wife was a . Miss Watson; Robert Hopper was a son of Rob- ert Hopper, Sr., and both came from County Down, Ireland, about 1790, where they had fol- lowed agricultural pursuits. Robert Hopper, Jr., died near Mt. Jackson, this county, at the age of ninety-six. George Leslie, the grand- father of our subject, was born in Washington Co., Pa., and died in Lawrence County in 1859, at the age of sixty-seven. He learned the wheelwright's and carpenter's trades, and fol- lowed them in his early life, but in later years engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a sol- dier in the War of 1812. He and his wife were members of the United Presbyterian Church. George Leslie was a son of John and Jane (Neal) Leslie, the latter of whom was born in Scotland. John Leslie was born in County Down, Ireland, and was a farmer in Washington County, where he first settled; he came to Lawrence County in 1800, and in this county his death took place. To the parents of our subject three children were born: Elizabeth Florence, the wife of Alex- ander W. Hart of New Castle; Harriet May; and Howard D.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Howard D. Leslie lived in North Beaver (Rudisill); Jennie, the wife of our subject; Will- township until he was five years of age, when iam John; Charles; Rufus; Mary, deceased; George; and Ethel. To Mr. and Mrs. Leslie two children have come to brighten and cheer the home, George Allen and Mary Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie are members of the United Presbyterian Church of New Castle. Mr. Les- lie is a Republican in politics. Firm in his con- victions, and decided in his opinions, he never hesitates to take a bold stand against what he considers to be injustice, and fight to the best of his ability against the threatened evil. He is one of the best of good citizens, in the number of which Mahoningtown is especially fortunate, and has ever done what he could toward the bet- terment of the different phases of society found there. his parents moved to Jackson Co., Mo., near Lee's Summit, where the family resided seven years, returning to New Castle in March, 1876. Our subject attended the schools at Lee's Sum- mit and at New Castle until he was sixteen years of age. When seventeen years old he learned the trade of marble-cutting of Alexander W. Hart, his brother-in-law, in New Castle, and la- bored at that craft seven years, eighteen months of which time was spent at Lee's Summit. In February of 1889 he began firing on the P. & W. R. R., at which he was engaged until his promotion, in December, 1893, to the position of engineer, with a principal run from New Cas- tle Junction to Akron, Ohio. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
He was married in New Castle to Jennie Al- len, a native of Allegheny City, and daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Simpson) Allen, the latter of whom was born in Mahoningtown, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Sample) Simp- son. John Simpson was a native of Ireland, and died in Mahoningtown in 1875, aged sev- enty-nine years. His father, William Simpson, was one of those who took part in the Irish Re- bellion of 1798; he came to America in 1802, when his son was about six years old; they were both farmers by accupation. Thomas Allen, the father of Mrs. Leslie, was born in Allegheny Co., Pa., at McKee's Rocks, in 1830. He learned the trade of ship-carpenter, at which trade he worked many years in Pittsburg, until after the war. On his removal to New Castle, he be- came a contractor and builder. To him and his wife were born eight children, as follows: Eliza
ERNEST M. McCREARY, senior member of the firm of McCreary Bros., extensive manu- facturers of high-grade cigars at East Brook, Hickory township, Lawrence County, was born in the above-mentioned township Dec. 12, 1869, and is a son of John and Rachel (McCaslin) (Mc- Creary, grandson of Enoch and Margaret (Pier- son) McCreary, and great-grandson of Samuel McCreary, who was one of the early settlers of Lawrence County.
Samuel McCreary immigrated to what is now Lawrence County in 1802 with his wife, and at once entered upon a long and useful career as an enterprising agriculturist and large stock- raiser. He lived to be eighty years of age, his death taking place in 1858. He was industrious and saving, and even to-day he would be con-
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
sidered well-to-do and prosperous, for he owned upwards of six hundred acres. He was a Whig, and he and his wife were members of the Pres- byterian Church. They reared eight children, who were named as follows: Enoch; Eliza; Elizabeth; William; Thomas; Findlay; Jane; and Margaret.
Enoch McCreary, the eldest son of the forego- ing worthy couple, received a good, common- sense education in the schools of Neshannock township, and became a leading farmer when still a young man; he followed this occupation all the period of his life in Hickory township on the farm, now owned by George Young, and departed this life in the month of March, at the age of fifty-three years. He was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party, and had just allied himself with the latter party when death claimed him. He married Margaret Pier- son, daughter of Samuel Pierson, and to them were given eight children: Pierson; Belinda; Samuel; Sarah; William; James; John; and Enoch. Mrs. McCreary was spared to her chil- dren until July, 1885, when the invisible sum- mons also came to her and she left mortal scenes to rejoin those who had gone before to the blessed homeland. She was aged eighty-six years at her death.
John McCreary, the father of our subject, has followed agricultural pursuits for the most part throughout his life, which has been spent in Hickory township. In his early years he learned the broom-maker's trade, and during the winter months when no other work presented itself put in many hours to good advantage in making brooms. He has also been engaged very exten- sively in growing strawberries for the markets,
having on the average each year some two acres of producing plants. He owns about sixty acres of fertile land, which is well adapted to general farming and fruit-raising. He is a stanch Repub- lican, and has served the township in an efficient manner as poor director. His wife was a daugh- ter of Robert McCaslin of Hickory township, who was of Scotch descent, and for many years was an extensive stock grower in Australia, be- sides holding valuable interests in gold mining. When he came to the United States he settled in Hickory township, purchased a large farm, and has been chiefly engaged in dealing in stock. Mr. and Mrs. McCreary were the parents of five children, as follows: Robert L .; Ernest M., the subject of this sketch; Samuel P., the junior member of the firm of McCreary Bros .; Edith E .; and Ruth E. They are Methodists and be- long to the church of the M. E. denomination in East Brook.
Ernest M. McCreary was educated in the dis- trict schools of Brier Hill in Hickory township, and when his education was completed learned the cigar-maker's trade, and in company with Joseph Myers of East Brook carried on the manufacture of cigars until 1890 under the firm name of Myers & McCreary. In that year he went into partnership with his brother, Samuel P., and since then they have had the pleasure of seeing their business thrive and grow to meet their fondest expectations; the name of McCreary Bros. on a box of cigars insures to the lovers of the fragrant weed the best that may be obtained in aroma, flavor and burning quali- ties. Mr. McCreary is one of the most enterpris- ing citizens of Hickory township, and knows how to make his goods popular and his business
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
successful, if anyone does. In politics he is strongly attached to the Republican party. The East Brook Cornet Band was organized by our subject, and he still continues to direct it, and it has been in great part due to his persistent ef- forts that it ranks high with other musical or- ganizations of like character in Western Penn- sylvania. Mr. McCreary's talent for music comes naturally for the whole McCreary family is well- known for its ability in musical lines; our sub- ject's brother and partner in business, Samuel P., is also a member of the cornet band. Our subject was married Jan. 3, 1894, to Louisa R. Stimple, daughter of Henry Stimple of Pitts- burg, Pa., and their union has been blessed with the birth of a daughter, Alice L. They are mem- bers in good standing of the M. E. Church.
Samuel P. McCreary was also educated in the schools of Brier Hill in Hickory township, and at an early age, when just out of school, learned the cigar-maker's trade, and then became a part- ner of his brother in the manufacture of cigars.
JOSEPH SCHWEIKERT, who resides in Shenango township, but is employed at Law- rence Junction in the railroad yards of the Penn- sylvania Company, was born in Croton, now a part of New Castle, Aug. 8, 1852, and is a son of Lawrence and Christiana (Clouse) Schwei- kert, the latter a daughter of Philip and Chris- tiana (Ackerman) Clouse. Lawrence Schwei- kert was born Nov. 22, 1822, in Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany, and came to this country in 1845, going direct from the port of arrival to Portage Co., Ohio, where he remained but six
weeks. Thence he traveled to Cleveland, and next to Youngstown, where he lived one year. One winter he lived in New Orleans, and then came back to Pennsylvania by way of the Ohio River to Pittsburg, and thence to Brady's Bend in the fall of 1847, and worked in that locality for one year. His life was spent in various places from that time to 1853, when he came to New Castle to work in the ore banks at Croton; in 1858 he bought the farm in Shenango town- ship, and in 1861 took full possession. He was a son of Valentine and Cecelia (Schreiner) Schweikert, and grandson of Joseph Schweikert.
The subject of this brief biography was reared in Croton village until he was nine years of age, when his father moved to Shenango township, which has since been his home. He attended the district schools until he was sixteen years old. When the fam-
ily moved to the new farm in Shenan- go township it was all in timber, and the boys, together with their father, had a hard time clearing it and preparing it for the large crops of grain and corn that have since been har- vested from it. Mr. Schweikert lived under the parental roof until his marriage, when he took up his residence in a comfortable house on a part of his father's farm. He was interested in farming operations until 1893, when he secured work on the Pennsylvania Company's line, « be- ginning work at noon April 12, 1893, at Law- rence Junction.
His marriage took place Dec. 12, 1885, in New Castle, the bride being Mary Jane Kelly, who was born in Butler County, a daughter of Sam- uel and Sarah A. (Thompson) Kelly. Sarah A. Thompson was a daughter of Joseph and
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Mary (Patton) Thompson, the former a soldier in the War of 1812. Samuel Kelly was born in Erie, Pa., a son of Aaron and Ruth (Hale) Kelly. Mr. Schweikert is the first in a family of nine born to his parents, and his wife is sec- ond in a family of thirteen born to her parents. They are both members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church of New Castle. Our subject is a Demo- crat in politics. He is rapidly making himself a pillar of the community in which he lives, and is esteemed as a thoroughly honest, capable and industrious citizen.
DR. JOHN P. SPROULL, a medical prac- titioner of Pine Grove township, Pa., is a gen- tleman whose trained abilities and skilled re- sources have brought him into public notice and have won for him the regard, esteem, and re- spect that are justly due a man of his usefulness in the life of the community. The work of a physician, from its innate nature, is of the kind that brings him into the closest relationship with the people. The way in which he carries his heavy responsibilities is ever to the public a mat- ter of the most vital importance. That Dr. Sproull knows fully the ethics of his profession, as well as the teachings, and every day of his life · lives up to them, admits of no discussion. His high standing everywhere proves his fidelity to his patients' interests, and his success proves his talents.
Dr. Sproull is a native of Butler Co., Pa., be- ing born in Clay township Jan. 6, 1847. His father was Hugh and his mother was Elizabeth (Smith) Sproull, the former being a native of
Franklin township, and the latter of Cherry township. The paternal grandfather of the Doc- tor was John Sproull, a native of Ireland, who after his marriage emigrated to America and settled in Franklin township in the latter part of the 18th century. He pursued the vocation of farming, purchasing a tract of wild land, which he set about subduing to the wants of civilized man. He was in his day considered a very pios- perous and well-informed man, and had much influence throughout his district. To his first wife, whom he had married in Ireland, four chil- dren were born: Robert; William; Hugh, the father of our subject; and Joseph. After the de- mise of his first wife Mr. Sproull wedded a Mrs. Kincaid, but this union was barren of children. Mr. Sproull reared his family in the faith of the Presbyterian Church.
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