USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > Biographical sketches of leading citizens of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania > Part 9
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FRANK S. HILL, a prominent light of the legal fraternity, and a resident of the city of New Castle, is a son of William Hill, and grandson of John Hill, who was born in Washington Co., Pa. John Hill was a cabinet-maker by trade and was engaged in fine furniture-making until middle life, when he bought a farm about one- half a mile south of New Bedford, Lawrence County, where he remained a number of years. From there he went to New Middlesex, Mercer County, and from there to Pulaski, Lawrence County, where he died aged forty-eight years.
He married as his first wife a Miss Morris, who died leaving six children: John; Abe; William; Annie (Guthrie); Maria (Cameron); and Mar- garet (Slack). His second wife, Elizabeth Den- nison, left him five more children: James; Mary (Elliott); Jane (Longworth); David; and Alex- ander. His third wife was a Miss Edwards.
Our subject's father, William Hill, was born near New Bedford, Lawrence Co., Pa., Jan. 16, 1821, and passed his boyhood days and early manhood in farming at Pulaski and at New Middlesex. He was married at the latter place to Lavina J. Shoemaker, daughter of John and Nancy (Himilight) Shoemaker. Mr. Shoe- maker, who was a native of Armstrong Co., Pa., was a lumberman and later kept a hotel in the Old Stone Hotel in Butler County, of which he was the host, when the exciting depredations in Western Pennsylvania were committed. He had a family of seven children, who were as fol- lows: Lucinda (Welchance); Hannah (Bun- nell); Simon, deceased; Lavina J. (Hill); Lizzie (Sanderson); John; and Nancy, deceased. Mr. Shoemaker died at the age of sixty, and his wife at the age of eighty-three. William Hill moved to New Castle in 1851, where he began the manufacture of pottery, which business con- tinued to monopolize his attention for twenty- one years. In 1881, he became a traveling sales- man for the Pittsburg Clay Manufacturing Co. of New Brighton, and is still in the employ of said concern. His wife has borne liim three chil- dren, as follows: Mary E., deceased; John H .; and Frank S.
Frank S. Hill was born in the city of New Castle, Feb. 10, 1858, and received his schooling in the New Castle schools, in Power's Commer-
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cial College, and in New Castle University. He studied law with Col. McComb, and was admit- ted to the bar July 6, 1881, and has confined his practice to New Castle and its environs, his office being located at No. 29} East Washing- ton Street.
In 1885; our subject married Margaret Har- bison, daughter of Andrew Harbison of Shen- ango township, and they have four children: Thomas E .; Mary H .; Frank S. Jr .; and Ger- trude. In politics, Mr. Hill is sure to be found in the ranks of the Republican party, throwing his influence toward that party which he consid- ers the best. He is a member of the Order of Royal Templars, Order of the Woodmen of the World, and Council No. 180, Junior Order.
WALLACE H. FALLS, a leading and prom- inent attorney-at-law of New Castle City, is a descendant of one of the earliest settlers of that city.
In 1804 Henry Falls came from Center Co., Pa., to New Castle, a settlement which at that time could boast of but four residences, and set- tled on a spot on Highland Avenue, which locality was then wild and uncultivated. Henry Falls was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1760, and immigrated to this country in com- pany with his brother, Joseph, in 1779. His wife before her marriage was a Miss Susan Ken- nedy; their children were named: John; Thomas; Sarah and Rachel, twins; Henry; and Joseph C. He died in 1847, and his wife sur- vived his death seven years.
Thomas, the second son of Henry Falls, was born in Ligonier Valley, Center Co., Pa., Oct. 29, 1793, and at the age of fourteen years was brought by his parents to what is now the city of New Castle, where he passed his boyhood days on the farm, helping his father during the spring, summer and fall, and attending the rude schools of that time in the winter. As soon as he became a man, he went to Mercer and learned the tanning trade; after serving an ap- prenticeship of three years, he went to Pitts- burg, Pa., where he labored at his trade one summer. He then returned home to New Cas- tle, and established a tannery, which he con- ducted with the most flattering success until 1841, when he resigned the management of it to his eldest son. In 1831 he built thereon the house which remained his home until his death Oct. 8, 1865; this house was the third brick house to be built in New Castle. He accumu- lated a large amount of real estate in the borough and owned several farms near by; as the country grew up, his large landed posses- sions gave him a prestige among his less for- tunate neighbors as a man of wealth and means. The settlement, which could scarcely be termed a hamlet during his boyhood days, he lived to . see become a flourishing young city, with the brightest prospect of a future before it. In the bringing about of this good result, nothing is more certain than that Mr. Falls did his full share; he built twelve house in the city, and always aided in public enterprises. He was a model citizen, and highly esteemed as a Chris- tian gentleman. Dec. 25, 1818, he was joined in wedlock with Sarah Wilson, daughter of Adam Wilson of New Wilmington, this county ;
DR. MARIA WHITE.
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she died June 26, 1870, aged seventy-six years. an able lawyer under the direction of Judge Eight children were born to them: Wilson; Henry C .; Rachel; Maria J .; J. Smith; Susan; Sarah; and Thomas H.
Henry C. Falls, father of Wallace H. Falls, was born in New Castle, July 8, 1822. He was reared as a farmer, and with the exception of a brief period spent in the grocery business in Pittsburg, he pursued agricultural pursuits for a livelihood. In 1854 he was married to Mary A. Wallace, daughter of David Wallace, Esq., of Lancaster, Pa., and to them two sons were born: Wallace H., our subject, and Thomas, who died when aged ten years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Falls were members of the First Presbyterian Church, in which communion Mr. Falls held the office of elder. His farm consisted of a very nicely improved tract of 140 acres, which lay within the city limits of New Castle. He was a gentleman of plain manners, sterling good sense, and moved by generous and kindly im- pulses. He was a strong Republican, and was elected a member to the State Legislature in 1884; his health failed rapidly, and he was called home to receive the welcome plaudit of "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." He died before his term had expired, Feb. 23, 1885. His wife lived to the age of sixty-seven years, departing this life . in May, 1896. Mrs. Falls was a lady of refine- .
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ment and of a substantial worth.
Wallace H. Falls was born in New Castle, Nov. 9, 1855, and received his education in the schools of New Castle, Bellefonte, and Cham- bersburg, and in Lafayette College, graduating from the latter institution in the class of 1878. He pursued the studies which were to make him
John McMichael, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. Since then he has practiced his pro- fession with eminent success, and is able to en- roll his name among the lists of the best lawyers of the State; his office is located in the Clen- denin block.
Mr. Falls was married in 1883 to Miss Mary E. Pardoe, daughter of William N. Pardoe of Mercer Co., Pa., and to them has been given one child: Helen W. Mr. Falls is a member of the Mahoning Lodge, No. 343, F. & A. M .; and of Fidelis Lodge, K. of P., and is now past chan- cellor and chief tribune of the grand tribune of the State of Pennsylvania.
DR. MARIA WHITE, a prominent physi- cian and surgeon of New Castle, now engaged in the active practice of her profession, after many years spent as a medical missionary for the United Presbyterian Board of Missions in the Panjab, India, was born in Grove City, Mercer Co., Pa., April II, 1858, and is a daughter of George W. and Susanna Kerr (Wallace) White. Our subject's grandfather, John White, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and came to America the latter part of the last century, set- ling at first in Washington County, Pa., and later removing to Mercer County, near Grove City, where it is said his family was the second of white parentage to make their home. He was a farmer by occupation, and cleared and tilled the soil, where Grove City is now located; he was a large land-owner and considered to be a very prominent man of his day. He married
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Margaret McQuery, granddaughter of the Rev. Matthew Henderson, a pioneer minister in this part of the State, and a native of Scotland. The following children were born to them: John P .; Rachel; James; Jane; Samuel G .; George W .; Hiram C .; Elizabeth S .; and Henderson C. In their religious belief they were originally Seceders, but eventually united with the United Presbyterian Church. John White departed this life in 1854, and his wife preceded him about ten years.
George W. White was born Jan. 3, 1812, and was educated in the schools of Grove City, and upon the completion of his education learned the stone-cutter's trade, also the stone-mason's trade, and his services were in great demand from far and near, for he could be depended upon to do reliable and substantial work. In later life he also operated a farm in connection with his work as a stone-cutter and mason. In his early years he was a Whig in the expression of his political preferences; later on when that party gave way to the Republican party, he be- came a Republican, and lastly enlisted in the ranks of the Prohibition party. In 1839, he was joined in marriage with Susannah Wallace, daughter of Hugh and Ann (Kerr) Wallace, and eight children resulted from this happy union as follows: John Newton; Mary A .; Margaret A .; Susanna K., deceased; Eleanor J .; Sue; Nar- cissa; and Maria, the subject of this narration. John Newton married Mary J. Stevenson of Harlansburg, Pa., and has five children-Anna A .; J. Wilbur, deceased; George S .; Sarah N .; and Arthur C. Mary A., our subject's oldest sister, married Valentine Z. Ball of Henderson- ville, Pa., and they reared the following family:
Eleanor J .; George D .; Narcissa; Frank; Nora A .; Mary M .; J. Norman; Nettie; and Maria J. Eleanor J. married the Rev. James E. Roberts of Harlansburg, Pa., and bore him six children, namely: Anna Mary; Cordelia J .; Susanna B .; M. Edith; Maggie M .; and Mabel B. Sue mar- ried Ezra Koonce, and their union was blessed with the birth of three children: Viola; Ivan C .; and Burt E. Narcissa, next youngest sister to our subject, married Marshall J. Kinney of Astoria, Oregon. Our subject's mother passed away Jan. 26, 1872, and her father July 24, 1882. They were United Presbyterians in their relig- ious belief.
Dr. Maria White obtained her elementary education in the schools of Grove City, later attending the State Normal School at Edinboro, Pa., after which she taught school for a time, and then took a two years' course in the Grove City College. In 1881 she went to New York City as a missionary under the auspices of the United Presbyterian Board of Home Missions, and spent one year laboring among the poor of the tenement districts, being called home to Grove City in 1882, on the death of her father. Remaining at home one year, she read medicine during that time under the direction and tute -. lage of Dr. Van Emon, and in 1883 entered the Women's Medical College of Baltimore, Md., where she was connected as a student until her graduation in 1886, her vacations being spent in the hospitals of Baltimore. She also took a course in bacteriology at Johns Hopkins Col- lege. Dr. White then went to New York City to take post-graduate work, spending three months in a special course in the treatment of disorders of the eye and ear, diseases of children,
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of the nervous system, and in orthopedic sur- gery. After returning to Grove City, and taking leave of her friends, she sailed, under the United Presbyterian Board of Missions, from Philadel- phia the fifteenth day of September, 1886, for India, being located at Sialkot in the Panjab, being the first lady surgeon sent out by that board. About one year after reaching that place she opened a hospital and dispensary in the city on a small scale. Later on she purchased land and erected a large hospital, where she re- mained as chief surgeon and physician eight years, also devoting a considerable portion of her time and strength to teaching many of the native girls the art of nursing. In connection with the hospital, she also established a dispen- sary twenty miles from Sialkot in the city of Pasrure. In 1894, Dr. White returned to America, recuperating a few months in Astoria, Oregon. Later on she came to New Castle, where she has been very successfully engaged in the labors peculiar to her profession, and has a very large office practice. She is a devoted and enthusiastic worker in the interests of the W. C. T. U., and an ardent advocate of the aims and principles of the Prohibition party.
Dr. White contemplates returning to India soon to again enter into missionary work. The publishers of this Book of Biographies of Law- rence County are indeed proud of the oppor- tunity of presenting with this short review of Dr. White's useful Christian life, her portrait, which appears on a preceding page. The great num- bers of workers in the home missionary field, and her near and dear friends, will now have a suitable memento of her, when she is far distant in Eastern lands, allaying suffering and combat- ing disease in the cause of The Great Healer.
JOHN C. ROBISON of. Mahoningtown is an engineer of the Pennsylvania R. R., running on the E. & A. Division. He was born in Shar- on, Pa., Sept. 12, 1861, and is a son of John A. and Elizabeth (Coner) Robison. The latter, now deceased, was a daughter of Abraham Coner, who came to Mahoning Co., Ohio, from West- moreland Co., Pa .; he was of German descent; his wife was a Miss Carpenter, who lived near Ellenburg, Lawrence Co., Pa. John A. Robison, the father of our subject, was born Nov. 2, 1833, and served in the Civil War; he is at present engaged in the furniture business in Sharon, Pa. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, a Republican in politics, and a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance. He was a son of Samuel Robison, who was born two miles south of Pulaski in 1802; he married Miss Wal- lace, a native of Scotland, who was born in 1809, and came with her parents to America in 1816; her mother's name was Greene before her mar- riage. Samuel Robison was a son of James Robison, a native of Ireland, who settled on a farm two miles south of Pulaski, and died at an advanced age.
Our subject was brought up in Sharon, and attended its common schools; at the age of sev- enteen he began railroading, and on Sept. 20, 1887, he was appointed fireman, and on Aug. 6. 1889, was promoted to the post of engineer. since which date he has been in the constant em- ploy of the Pennsylvania R. R., running on the E. & A. Division, and proving himself worthy of the high regard and confidence in which he is held.
He was married June 6, 1892, in Mahoning- town, to Sallie M. Frisbee, daughter of H. B.
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Frisbee, and to them have been given three chil- dren: Samuel, deceased; Hugh; and Charles. Both Mr. and Mrs. Robison are members in good and regular standing of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Robison's political views coincide with those advanced by the Republican party, and consequently we find him among the stanch- est supporters of that party. He is a member of the following organizations: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, W. L. Scott Division, No. 298, of Erie, Pa .; Mahoning Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 243, of New Castle; and Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
JOHN L. THOMPSON, the proprietor of a thriving grocery business, recently established at 198 East Long Avenue, New Castle, was born in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, December 23, 1845. His native township con- tinued to be his home through his younger years and its district schools were diligently at- tended until he enlisted in the army February 27, 1865, in Company G, 78th Regiment Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served through the remainder of the war, saw service in Ken- tucky, Tennessee and Alabama, and was honor- ably discharged at Nashville, September II, 1865. On his return from the front he lived at home a short time, and then served three months as an apprentice to a carpenter, but discontinued that trade to learn cabinet-making, at which he worked some seven years, both in Sharon and in New Castle He again took up the carpen- ter's trade, and followed it in Sharon until 1873,
when he came to New Castle, and was engaged in building in that city until 1890, also working at various times in this period in the planing mills. Then for a number of years he was not actively engaged in any occupation, but in the fall of 1895 he built a store-room at No. 198 East Long Avenue, and on the first day of January, 1896, he opened it to the patronage of the pub- lic with a fine stock of groceries, dealing in bak- ery products as well. He is enjoying an excel- lent trade, and with improving times will widely extend his business.
Mr. Thompson is a son of David and Eliza- beth A. (Love) Thompson, the latter a daughter of Hugh Love. David Thompson was born in Pulaski township on the same farm as was his son, our subject, and lived and died there at the age of seventy-four years. With the exception of a few years in early life when he followed the trade of a carpenter, he made farming his sole vocation. He was a stanch Republican in his political views. His parents, George and Eliza- beth (Scott) Thompson, were among the early pioneers of the county, and lived on the farm all their lives. George Thompson was an expert at the shoemaker's trade, and supplied all his fam- ily with foot wear.
The subject of this notice was joined in mar- riage, Oct. 10, 1868, to Josephine Reynolds, a daughter of John F. and Margaret J. (Hick- man) Reynolds, and a granddaughter of Robert Reynolds, who married a Miss Spessard. Rob- ert Reynolds, was one of the earliest settlers of the county, coming here when there were but three log-houses in New Castle, and buying a farm in the wilderness, where wild game was quite plentiful; it was a common sight to see
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deer, and wolves and bear were still too frequent to be pleasant. The present comfortable resi- dence of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson at No. 203 East Long Avenue stands on a part of her grandfather's farm. Our subject's family con- sists of six children, who are as follows: Mary Olive, wife of Frank A. Crowe of West Newton; James Howard; Charles Reynolds; Almeda Pearl, the wife of Alvin C. Patterson of Mc- Keesport, Pa .; Florence Emily; and Margaret Elizabeth. All of Mr. Thompson's family are members of the Epworth M. E. Church. Mr. Thompson is a stalwart Republican, and was a member of the city council for five years. As a veteran of the late war, he is a member of G. A. R. Post, No. 100, of New Castle, Pa.
WILLIAM T. GILMORE, of the well-known firm of Burk & Gilmore, general merchants of Hillsville, Mahoning township, Lawrence Co., Pa., needs no introduction at our hands to the people of Western Pennsylvania. He has spent his busy life among the residents of that part of the State, and the talents and abilities, which he possesses, are known to all.
Mr. Gilmore was brought into this world Jan. . 23, 1857, at the place where Joseph Gilmore now lives in North Beaver township. He was a son of David and Rachel (Dobbins) Gilmore, and his grandparents were William and Ann (Ken- nedy) Gilmore. The great-grandfather by name was Joseph Gilmore, a native of County Down, Ireland, and the husband of Nancy (Bois) Gil- more. Joseph Gilmore with his young wife im-
migrated to America in the last years of the eighteenth century, and found a home in Phila- delphia. He spent a few years there, and then came to North Beaver township, and located about four miles south of Mt. Jackson on the place where T. Swisher now makes his home. His experience was that of his fellow-pioneers- a hard but winning struggle to subdue the wild forests, and reclaim the good brown acres. He built a log-cabin and before much time had elapsed had one hundred acres under cultiva- tion. His remaining years were spent on this homestead, where he died at the age of seventy- five; his wife also lived to about the same age. Their children were: William; John; Joseph; James, who died in youth; an infant, who also died young; Betsy; Polly; Peggy; and Nancy.
William Gilmore, the eldest son, was born in Philadelphia, and during his boyhood and early manhood followed his father's fortunes, and re- mained under the parental roof. When the fam- ily came into Mercer County, he also took up a tract of about one hundred acres of new land, which he proposed to transform in a few years into a well-cultivated, productive farm, such as might have been seen in the more settled portion of Eastern Pennsylvania. He cleared a portion of the property, but not liking the way it devel- oped, he after some eight years traded it for a place in the same township, which is now known as the William Petrie farm. This tract consisted of one hundred acres, to which he not long after added one hundred more. Mr. Gilmore was al- ways an energetic man, and alive to every chance that offered. When the canal was being built, he began butchering cattle and stock that
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he raised on his farm, and delivered the meat to points along the route of the canal, thereby building up a large and exceedingly profitable business. Later on, he dealt heavily in cattle, horses, and other stock, finding a ready market in Pittsburg. He continued his active life until he was called to rejoin those who had preceded him; he lived to the age of eighty-five, and his wife filled out eighty-three years. Seven chil- dren made up their family: Joseph; James, de- ceased; John; Mary; David; Nancy; and Sarah, deceased. During his early life, Mr. Gilmore was a pronounced Whig, but later in life joined the Republican party. He was in religious affairs a liberal supporter and consistent mem- ber of the United Presbyterian Church.
David Gilmore, son of William and father of William T., our subject, entered upon life March 12, 1833. He was born on the home farm, and followed agricultural pursuits all his days. He purchased the fifty-acre farm that adjoined the homestead, and which is now owned by Joseph Dickinson, and on it built the necessary farm- buildings, and making many other marked im- provements. This he sold in 1864, and bought the William Woods farm of one hundred acres, a place which he now owns. Here he erected a house and suitable barns and out-buildings, and proved himself by his exceptional success to be a model and progressive farmer. He wedded Rachel Dobbins, daughter of Easter Dobbins of Mahoning township, and reared a family of nine children, by name: Nancy, now the wife of S. Maybury; William T., our subject; Edwin, husband of Jessie (Cox) Gilmore; Elizabeth, who married J. C. Allen; Joseph, who took as his wife Mary Grandy; Davidson, who married C.
Hoffmaster; Harry, now at home; and Lee, a teacher, who also lives at home. In politics, Mr. Gilmore is true to the family traditions, and is prominently connected in the Republican or- ganization of his section. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church.
William T. Gilmore was first a pupil in the dis- trict schools, and then took a finishing course in the New Castle Business College. He became familiar with the limestone and plaster business, and for fifteen years followed general contract- ing. He came to Hillsville in 1880, being brought there by a large amount of work in his line, and liking the village assocated himself in 1890 with the Carbon Limestone Co. Three years later, Mr. Gilmore bought a half interest in the already established company, and the firm of Burk & Gilmore came into being, the senior member of the firm being Mr. E. M. Burk. They are now conducting the largest and at the same time the most flourishing general store in the township, or immediate vicinity. Since 1895, they have maintained a branch store of consid- erable importance at Bessemer.
Mr. Gilmore is a thorough business man in every sense of the word. A close and careful buyer, he sells on small margins, depending . upon a great volume of trade for his profits. He has been steadily prospering in all his under- takings, and is the owner of a very fine residence and much other valuable property. Mr. Gilmore was united in marriage with Annie Martin, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Robinson) Martin. Thomas Martin was a native of Cum- berland Co., Pa., but passed twenty-two years in agricultural pursuits in Mercer County. In 1861, he purchased the Johnson farm near Hillsville,
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