USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > Biographical sketches of leading citizens of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania > Part 8
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JAMES A. GARDNER, the city attorney of New Castle, and a prominent citizen and lawyer of the county, was born Jan. 12, 1843, in Butler Co., Pa., just across the Lawrence County line, on the old homestead of which the larger por- tion lay in Lawrence County. His great-grand- father, John Gardner, was born near Belfast, Ireland, and immigrated to this country soon after his marriage with Jane Anderson. He bought a tract of land just at the edge of the county, which was at that time Beaver County, and followed the pursuits of agriculture the rest of his life, his death occurring at the advanced age of ninety-three years. He became a very well-to-do farmer, and by hard work and excel- lent judgment and foresightedness he accumu- lated considerable property, and at his death left the homestead intact to his son James Gard- ner, who lived on it all his life, filling his place in the community as a farmer, and dying at the age of ninety. His wife, Catherine McComb. reared him the following children: John: George W .; William; Robert A .; Jane (Stew- art): Martha (Frazier): Isabella (Burnside); and Eliza A. (Frew).
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John Gardner, the eldest son, and the father of our subject, inherited that portion of the homestead that lay in Butler County, where he was engaged in farming and in following the occupation of a drover until his death at the age of thirty-three. He married Jane Vance, daugh- ter of James Vance of Lawrence County; she was born in 1820, and died in 1864. Five chil- dren were born of this union, as follows: James A., our subject; John V .; Mima (Gardner), de- ceased; Theodore L .; and George R.
James A. Gardner attended the district school, select schools and the academy, and put the edu- cation thus obtained to good service in teaching two terms of school. On July 21, 1861, he en- listed for the war in Battery B., First Reg. Art. of the Pennsylvania Reserves Volunteer Corps, which battery was commonly known as Cooper's Battery, and was attached to the Army of the Potomac, and belonged first to the First Corps, and then to the Fifth. He was engaged in the following of the principal battles of the Army of the Potomac, viz .: Drainsville, Mechanicsville, Gaines Mills, Glendale, or Charles City Cross- Roads, Malvern Hill Gainesville, Grove- ton, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Moun- tain, Antietam, Fredericksburgh, Fitzhugh's Crossing , Chancellorsville, Gettysburgh, Mine Run, Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Po River, Spott- sylvania C. H., North Anna River, Bethesda Church, Tolopotomy; Cold Harbor, Peters- burgh, Weldon Railroad, siege and capture of Petersburgh, Appomattox C. H., his battery having been in nine out of twelve of the great- est battles of the war, and has the record of having lost more men in the service than any other volunteer battery. Our subject entered
the army as a private, and served until the close of the war, being mustered out" June 9, 1865, as a first lieutenant. Returning from the scene of fratricidal strife, Mr. Gardner became interested in the mercantile business at Princeton, Pa., and kept a store for six years. He served as a jus- tice of the peace, and his introduction to legal forms and legal procedure in that position created a desire on his part to study law. In 1874, he gave up his mercantile business, and became a student of law under Judge John Mc- Michael, and J. M. Martin of New Castle, and was admitted to the bar of the State of Penn- sylvania in 1876. He immediately began his practice, opening an office at 136} East Wash-
ington Street, which has continued to be his headquarters ever since for the reception of his many clients and for the transaction of such business as usually come before a leading law- yer. He has been very successful in his profes- sion, and the court records of Lawrence Coun- ty, and of other neighboring counties of the State, bear eloquent testimony to his skill, and to his intimate acquaintance with legal proce- dure. He is a thorough Republican, and has served eight years on the school board and seven years in the city council, four of which years mark the period when he officiated as president of the latter municipal organization. He has also served as city attorney several years, and is serving in that capacity at this writing.
Mr. Gardner married Mary E. Frew, daugh- ter of David Frew of Slippery Rock township. There have been born to them the following children: David A .; Flora M. (Vance); Nancy; and John M.
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HENRY C. ALBORN is a representative farmer of Shenango township, and resides on his farm on lot No. 65, Donation Land, Shenango township, about four miles south of the city of New Castle. Mr. Alborn comes from the Ger- man Fatherland, that proud old empire which has contributed to the United States so many of the best and most substantial citizens of the country. He was born in the village of Fuers- tenhaagen, Nov. 7, 1839, and is a son of Augus- tus and Christiana (Elias) Alborn.
Our subject's mother was born near Fuersten- haagen, where her parents lived and died. Augustus Alborn was a miller when a resident of Germany. He set sail from Bremen for Amer- ica in August, 1846, and after a long sea voyage of fifty-one days in a sailing vessel, he landed at Baltimore, Md. From that city he came direct to Pittsburg, and thence to Beaver County to the home of kinsfolks, who had preceded him to the New World which was so rich in promise to the Old World emigrant. After living two months with relatives, Mr. Alborn purchased a farm of fifty-five acres in Franklin township, Beaver County, and with true German thrift soon began adding to it, first by a purchase of ten acres, and then by a subsequent purchase of forty acres adjoining, making altogether a farm of 105 acres. Later on, he bought another farm of fifty acres near by, and took up his residence on the latter farm, renting his former home, but still cultivating the land. His death occurred in December, 1885, when he was aged seventy- eight years. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran Church.
Henry C. Alborn, the eldest of five children, three of whom were born in Germany, was
seven years old, when his parents came to Amer- ica. He was sent to school in Beaver County, and continued to be a quite regular pupil until he was seventeen years of age, from which age until he was twenty-two years old he remained under the parental roof, and worked for his father. He then began life for himself, renting at first a farm from his father in Perry township, Lawrence County, which he operated for three years. He then bought seventy-five acres in Franklin township near his father, where he lived and labored for ten years. In 1874 he bought his present farm of ninety-six acres in Shenango township, on which are standing a fine brick house and substantial out-buildings. Mr. Alborn devotes his time and attention to general mixed farming, and to the manufacture of cider, having a large steam-power press in a convenient location on the homestead. He has planted choice trees, kept fences and buildings in excellent repair, and everything in and about the premises betokens the existence of thrift and prosperity. He is favored with a good, physical constitution, and combines strictness of moral principles with energy and decision of character, winning honorable success in business, and securing a competence as a product of personal industry and good judgment put forth in a field wisely selected.
On March 14, 1861, Mr. Alborn was joined in marriage with Miss Caroline Young, who was born in the village of Deutchweiler, Rheinfalls, Baiern, one of the provinces of Germany, and was a daughter of John and Mary (Mueller) Young, the latter a daughter of George Jacob Mueller, a tailor by trade, who lived and died in Germany. John Young came to the United
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States in 1852, sailing from Havre, April 3, and reaching New York City in twenty-six days. He came direct to Beaver County, where an uncle had preceded him, and for the first year after his arrival rented a house, and worked at what his hands could find to do, becoming acquainted with the American language and American customs in the meantime. In 1853, he bought a fifty-six acre tract of land and began improving it; this continued to be his home until his death in 1858, when aged fifty-two years. Of a family of four born to her parents, Mrs. Alborn was the third in seniority. Our subject's union with his estimable wife, has resulted in six children-Mary Amelia, deceased; Caroline, the wife of Rev. Ivan Dietrich of Allegheny City, to whom she has presented four children-Theo- dore, Hilda, Luther, and Herman; Charles F., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this Book of Biographies; Henry; Tillie; and Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Alborn with their family are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Alborn is a Democrat in politics.
FRANK N. TRUESDALE, an engineer on the Pennsylvania Co.'s lines, living at Mahon- ingtown, was born in Jamestown, Pa., Oct. 26, 1860, and is a son of C. L. and Maria (Housel) Truesdale; the former was born in Brookfield, Ohio, March 5, 1833, and the latter in Edin- borough, Erie Co., Pa., May 27, 1839. During his residence in Jamestown, the father of our subject ran a planing-mill seven years as an operative, and five years as the owner. He now
resides in Sharpsville, following the pattern- maker's trade. Religiously he is a member of the Baptist Church. He is a Prohibitionist in his political affiliations, and his opinions on various phases of the liquor question are clear- cut and decided; he has served eight years as school director, and has likewise filled accept- ably the office of tax collector. He is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance.
Our subject's parents lived in Jamestown un- til he was four years of age, when they moved to Conneautville, where they made their home seven years, returning then to Jamestown. Frank N. attended the schools of the two towns at odd intervals until his eighteenth year, for from an early age he supported himself, and was unable to devote what time he might have wished to the acquiring of an education. As early as fourteen years of age, he worked out for his board and schooling for a farmer, who lived near Jamestown, with whom he remained two years. For a like period he worked in a hotel, attending school during the sessions. Be- tween the ages of eighteen and twenty he was in the employ of his father in the planing-mill at Jamestown, and in 1881 he went to Ashta- bula Harbor, where for a year he was employed in the planing mill. He then acepted a position on the Pennsylvania R. R., and has been in the employ of that railroad ever since. Even before this he had seen something of railroad life, for during his twelfth and thirteenth years he was a newsboy on the trains. In 1882, he secured a position as fireman on the P. Y. & A. R. R., a branch of the Pennsylvania Co.'s lines, and on Oct. 28, 1887, he was promoted to the post of engineer, making his first run two days later.
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EZEKIEL R. SANKEY.
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
This elevation in rank came quite unexpectedly, for on the day previous to his promotion the en- gine which Mr. Truesdale was firing was in a head-end collision, and was completely wrecked; his cool-headed conduct through this occurrence was highly commended by his engineer to the superior officers of the road, that on the follow- ing morning he was called up, not having the slightest idea of what was coming, and was in- formed that he should consider himself as one of the company's trusted engineers thereafter. By his long years of faithful service he has shown himself worthy of the confidence reposed in him, and is now considered one of the best engineers on the road. His record, which in its way is quite unequalled, shows that he has not failed to draw his wages on pay-day since he became an en- gineer, or in fact since 1882, and has suffered but one suspension. He is a prominent mem- ber of Brotherhood circles, and most loyal in his devotion to the cause of united labor; he is a member of the B. of L. E., W. L. Scott Divi- sion, No. 298 of Erie, of which division he is the local collector; he organized the Mahoning Lodge of the B. of L. F. in 1890, and is one of the charter members.
Mr. Truesdale has twice been joined in mat- rimony. His first wife, Mary Leonard, a native of Turner's, Pa., whom he married in James- town, died Nov. 30, 1884. Of the two children, who were the fruit of this union, Bessie, the elder, died in infancy, and Harry William makes his home with his grandparents in Sharpsville. Mr. Truesdale's second marriage took place at Jefferson, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, Sept. 16, 1886, the bride being Miss Jennie Fox, who was born in Sheffield, Ohio, a daughter of Henry and
Fanny (Meisner) Fox. Mr. Fox is a successful merchant of Ashtabula, though formerly of Sheffield. To Mr. Truesdale and his wife two children have been given: Clyde, and Edna. Mrs. Truesdale is a member of the Methodist Church, and regular in her attendance upon divine worship. Mr. Truesdale, although he has not the time to take a very active interest in politics, whether local or national, is a loyal Republican, and at every legitimate opportunity does what he can to advance Republican prin- ciples.
EZEKIEL R. SANKEY, a well-known, re- tired citizen of New Castle, who has contributed largely to the growth and development of the flourishing city, of which he is now an honored resident, has dealt more extensively in real estate than any other man in the city, and owns at the present time a large amount of property in building lots and dwelling-houses. He was born in the township, Dec. 9, 1817, and is a son of William and Hannah (Ricketts) Sankey, grandson of Ezekiel and Jane (Culbertson) Sankey, and great-grandson of William Sankey. The latter, of whom little positive is known, as he died early in life, was a farmer by occupation, and lived and died in the eastern part of the State. His children were: William; John; Jen- nie; Annie; Rachel; Esther; and Ezekiel.
Our subject's grandfather, Ezekiel Sankey, settled in Mercer County, and became its second sheriff; he was a popular man with all classes, and progressive in his ideas. He served as major in the War of 1812, and died Nov. 27. 1813. His
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wife fell into that last sleep, the balm for all sor- row and pain on earth, at the age of ninety-four. They reared the following family of children: William; Sarah; Ann; Jane; Joseph; John Rid- dle; James; David; Ezekiel; and Theodocia.
William, the eldest son, was born Nov. 27, 1794, and, receiving a portion of his father's estate, he followed farming on the homestead all his life, dying Nov. 27, 1860. His wife was about sixty years old when she died July 12, 1849. Five children were born to them, as fol- lows: Ezekiel R .; Joseph; Thomas F .; Eliza- beth; and Jane A.
In his boyhood, our subject improved what- ever chances were offered him in the way of an education in the district schools, and assisted his father in the cultivation of the farm; in early manhood, he learned the carpenter's trade, and then that of cabinet-maker, and, desiring to be more than a farmer, to extend his life in other directions, he started on a Western tour, work- ing at his trade at various places. Many of the Western States were visited by him, but to his mind none were so progressive as his own native State, and he accordingly returned home, bought the homestead, built a new house and barns. After he had accumulated sufficient capital, he entered into the business of contract- ing and building; he then moved to New Castle and bought five acres at the lower end of South Mill Street, which he laid out in lots, erected buildings on them, and sold at an advance value, having become one of the best mechanics and builders of his section of the county. He was engaged to go to Lowell, Ohio, where he helped to construct the first blast furnace ever built in this part of the country; later he built the Green-
ville furnace, and gained such an excellent repu- tation at that business, that for several years he profitably followed the business of building and repairing furnaces. He then purchased the Thomas Rice estate, which was located at No. 370 West Washington Street, and built an ele- gant and commodious brick house, where he has since lived. Having several acres, he laid it out into lots, with the streets and walks complete, erected houses, and has sold a great part of it. He has bought and sold many other lots in New Castle, being interested in twenty-three houses at one time. He also ran a grocery store for seven years.
Mr. Sankey has been married twice. His first wife was Eliza McDonald, daughter of Randall McDonald of Edenburg; she died Aug. 12, 1849, leaving two children: Hezekiah R., born Feb. 13, 1843; Salathiel McDonald, born Feb. 21, 1845, a farmer of Atwood, Kansas, who has seven children-Catherine B., Eggleston C. William W., Georgie V., Ezekiel R., Ervin Mc., Hezekiah A., and Ira D .; Viana, born Aug. 29, 1847, preceded her mother to the grave. Our subject married as his second wife Ann D. Cox, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Law) Cox, who were members of the farming community of New Castle township. Mrs. Sankey was born Sept. 20, 1818. Our subject and his wife are blessed with the best of health, and enjoy as happy and contented life together as one would care to see. They have three children: Olive Jane, born March 3, 1852, is the widow of William Davis, deceased, and has two children- Edna and J. Emerson; Bessie R., born Sept. 6, 1855, married Dr. George W. Greene, a dentist of New Castle, and has two children-Mabel and
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Frances; Edice F., wife of J. C. Norris, a mer- chant of Mahoningtown, they have one son, Joseph. Mr. and Mrs. Sankey are members of the M. E. Church. Our subject is a Republican in his politics, and has served as supervisor, as overseer of the poor, and as school director.
Charles G. Sankey, agent of the Pennsylvania R. R. at New Castle, was born in that city, Sept. 7, 1865, and is a son of Charles C. and Margaret E. (McConahy) Sankey, grandson of Ezekiel and Sarah S. (Jones), and great-grandson of Ezekiel and Jane (Culbertson) Sankey, whose life is recorded above. Charles C. Sankey, the father of Charles G., was born in New Castle township, August 10, 1835, attended its schools, and learned civil engineering, which profession he followed from 1850 until 1865, more or less. In 1861, he enlisted at the first call for troops, and served three months in Co. H. He was then appointed agent of the New Castle station for the Pennsylvania R. R., when but one engine did all the work on the road; he has remained in the employ of the company until the present date, has kept its records, carefully looked after its business, and watched its progress, which is so great that now four engines are required to do the switching in the yards. During this time, he has made many acquaint- ances, and won to himself many friends, and is held in the highest esteem in the town, and throughout the county, and everywhere he is known. He has been twice married, his first wife being Margaret E. McConahy, daughter of David and Jane McConahy; she died at the age of forty, after presenting her husband, who deeply felt the loss inflicted on him, with five children, as follows: Clyde J., a jeweler of Pitts-
burg; Charles G., our subject; Fred B., of Pittsburg, traveling passenger agent of the Pennsylvania R. R .; Laura E .; and Margaret. By his second wife, Vienna Montgomery, he has three children: Howard M .; Sarah; and Marion. He owns the fine residence on Wallace Avenue, which he makes his home.
Charles G. Sankey left school March 12, 1884, to accept the position of ticket agent of the Pennsylvania R. R. at New Castle, and on March 14, 1894, he was appointed agent, al- though yet a young man. He is a very popular and well-liked young man, and is thoroughly conversant with all the details of the business which he manages.
In connection with this biographical memoir, we present the portrait of Ezekiel R. Sankey; this likeness will prove an important addition to the galaxy of portraits of the leading citizens of Lawrence County that apppears scattered throughout this Book of Biographies.
SCOTT D. LONG, a prominent member of the Lawrence County bar, and a member of the firm of Dana & Long, was born in New Castle, Feb. 27, 1847. He is a son of David and Susan (McCandless) Long, grandson of Joseph Long. and great-grandson of Alexander Long, who came from Westmoreland Co., Pa., in 1806, and located on a farm just a little south of New Cas- tle. His farm of 200 acres was divided after his death between his two sons, Joseph and Arthur, each taking 100 acres and living there all their lives. Joseph Long, grandfather of Scott D.,
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
was drowned while fording the river at Rock Point on horseback, when forty years of age. He was survived by his wife Ellen and seven children, all of whom lived to enjoy many years of mature manhood and womanhood. The chil- dren bore the following names: Alexander; John; Sarah; Margaret; Joseph, Jr .; David; and Arthur S.
David Long was born in 1814 in New Castle, and learned the trade of a stone-mason; on the old canal he was engaged for long periods, and also constructed many cellars in New Castle, furnishing the stone for his work from a quarry which he owned and operated. In 1864 he bought a farm in Mercer County, and farmed there in connection with his stone-mason work until 1880, when he retired to New Castle, and died in 1885. His first wife, Jane, daughter of James Mc Williams, died at the age of twenty-five, leav- ing three children: James M .; Ellen; and Lydia, deceased. His second wife, Susan McCandless, daughter of James McCandless, was the mother of our subject, and was born in 1815, and died in 1893; she bore Mr. Long the following chil- dren: Scott D., the subject of this notice; Robert C., deceased; Laura; William H .; and Joseph.
Scott D. Long was educated in the New Cas- tle schools, and finished in the State Normal School. He undertook his preparation for the practice of law under the direction of Messrs. D. B. and E. T. Kutrz of New Castle, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1869. Soon after he formed a partnership with Mr. S. W. Dana, un- der the firm name of Dana & Long, and they have since practiced very extensively through- out the county and State, taking care of a large
general business in New Castle. They are well known in Western Pennsylvania as a firm that has been successfully engaged in many noted cases.
Mr. Long married Eva F. Morehead, daugh- ter of H. H. Morehead of New Castle, and four children constitute the family, as follows: Ella M .; Clara L .; David H .; and George S. They are Presbyterians in their religious sympathies. Mr. Long uniformly casts his vote and personal influence in favor of the Republican party and its principles.
JAMES C. NORRIS, one of Lawrence Coun- ty's promising young lawyers, and a resident of New Castle, was born near the city in 1870. His father, Nathaniel Norris, was born in 1832 in County Cork, Ireland, and came to America about the time he attained his majority, locating in New Castle. He was a tanner by trade, but did not follow his trade after coming to this country, but obtained employment in the mills of New Castle, where he worked twenty-five years in the capacity of a puddler. He is now retired from active work and owns and lives on a lot covering about one and one-half acres, which is situated within the present city limits. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of James Boyd of Mercer County, was born in 1842. They reared the following seven children: Samuel H., born 1863; John B., 1867; James C., 1870; Minnie M., 1874; Cassius, 1876; Charles, 1877; and Frank, 1884.
Our subject was educated in the schools of New Castle and in Grove City College, and
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, LAWRENCE COUNTY.
studied law with Dana & Long of New Castle, being admitted to the bar for the practice of the legal profession in the March term of court, 1895. He immediately opened an office at No. 6, East Street, where he now conducts a general law practice. With his superabundant energy and undaunted perseverance, he is attracting to himself a large and lucrative business. He is making rapid progress in his profession, and we venture to predict that in the near future we shall hear of his merited success as one of the leading attorneys and counselors-at-law of his county; by his close application to the business of his profession, supplemented by his genial and hearty manners, he is surrounding himself with a host of admiring friends.
May 26, 1897, Mr. Norris was united in mar- riage with Miss Effie J. Norris, an accomplished young lady of Claflin, Kansas, who finished her education in Boston, Mass. Mrs. Norris' father, N. E. Norris, is a prominent agriculturist of Claflin, Kansas.
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