USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Book of biographies : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania > Part 19
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which he was slowly but surely approaching, he would allow no obstacle to stop him. He was re-elected principal of the Glenfield schools and also of the Bellevue schools, and chose the latter connection as being the more desirable of the two. For three years he was the incumbent of that position, also teaching night school in New Brighton. During the latter part of this period, he desired to sat- isfy his ambition to become a physician. and read medicine under the tutelage of Dr. James McCann. He then entered the medical de- partment of the Western University of Penn- sylvania, and after his graduation in 1890, be- gan practice at Phillipsburg, now Monaca. His choice of fields was a wise one as there is no borough in the state in a more flourishing condition or one which gives more promise of future growth. He has since been located there an ! his practice has grown apace with the town, his patients including many of the best citizens of the community. As he was eminently successful as an educator, so has he been as a doctor. He at once won the confidence of the citizens in a professional way, and they have since become his friends. Dr. Allen was joined in hymeneal bonds with Jeannette N. Armstrong, a native of Beaver county, and a daughter of John Arm- strong, of Brighton township. She is an ac- complished musician and art student, having pursued a course at the Pittsburg School of Design. They have two children: Harold A., born December 24. 1895: and Jeannette Juay, born December 26, 1898. The residence in which the Doctor lives is the finest on the
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south side, and is a feature of the town. It is a handsome three-story building of fourteen rooms, being constructed of buff brick. Its interior is beautiful,-finished in hardwood and equipped with all modern arrangements for comfort and fine appearance. The Doc- tor's office is on the Eighth street side of the building. He is a public-spirited man and is anxious to see the town progress, -- taking an active interest in all its affairs. He was one of the hardest workers in obtaining the bridge across the Ohio, and he is now a stock- holder in the bridge company. In politics, he is an ardent Republican, and has been a member of the school board for seven years. He is borough physician, holds a position on the poor board, and is a member of the staff of the Beaver Valley Hospital. Religiously, he is a Presbyterian and has been an elder ever since he has been in the borough. Fraternally, he belongs to the following orders: Royal Arcanum; Woodmen of the World; Knights of Pythias ; and Rochester Lodge, F. & A. M. His portrait, in connection with this sketch, is shown on a foregoing page.
G EORGE WILSON. Conspicuous among the successful attorneys who devote their whole attention to the active practice of their profession, stands George Wilson, the subject of this brief biog- raphy. Mr. Wilson attended the Beaver High School, and after completing its course, he began the study of law with his father. After
diligently pursuing his studies for some time, he was admitted to the bar, March 4, 1889, soon after the death of his father. He began the practice of his chosen profession by enter- ing into partnership with R. S. Holt, under the firm name of Wilson & Holt, of which he is still a partner. Mr. Wilson's undivided attention is given to his chosen profession, and like his father, he has built up a splendid reputation.
Sarah Cummings, an attractive daughter of David and Sarah Cummings, of Freedom, Pa., became the wife of Mr. Wilson. Their home is brightened by the presence of four children namely: Marion, Caroline, Sam- uel B., and Richard. In his poli- tical attachments, Mr. Wilson is a stanch Democrat, and, although he labors zeal- ously for the success of his party, he has never sought office nor cared for political dis- tinction, being very much like his honored father in that respect. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity of Beaver.
Our subject is a direct descendant of Samuel Wilson, who was of Scotch origin, and his wife was a descendant of the early Knickerbockers. Early in the eighteenth century, he married Mary Van Wier, who was born in Holland. This worthy couple owned and occupied a farm along Marsh Creek, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. There he engaged in tilling the soil, and spent a peaceful and happy domestic life, and there they both died, leaving two sons: Samuel, and Marmaduke, who was the great-grandfather of our sub- ject.
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Marmaduke Wilson was born upon his father's homestead, and in 1744 was united in marriage with Susan Beatty. The young folks started out in life at the homestead, car- ing for the old parents very lovingly until the death of the latter. They then removed to Westmoreland county, Pa., and continued to follow agricultural pursuits for many years. The names of their children were: Patrick; Samuel; Rachel (McFarlan) : Jane (Dunlap) ; Susan (Marshall); Easter (Rambo); Martha (Gibson); Sarah (Mitchell); and Elizabeth (Byers).
About 1801, Patrick Wilson located in Bea- ver county, the part now called Lawrence county. There he followed mercantile pur- suits, and in 1804 his marriage with Rebecca Morehead, a daughter of William Morehead, occurred. They had the following children : William; Marmaduke; John; Susan (Phil- lips); Nancy (Chriss); Sarah (Harper); and Samuel.
In 1811, Mr. Wilson purchased a farm near New Castle, where he spent many happy years, and finally died in 1866. This farm is still owned by his descendants. Samuel B. Wilson, father of George, was born February 20, 1824, and from early childhood his aspira- tions were beyond those of his playmates. He was a faithful student in the district schools, from which he entered Jefferson College at Cannonsburg, Pa., graduating therefrom in June, 1848, with about the highest honors of his class. He enjoyed the distinction of be- ing a noted linguist, and his mas- tery of the English, Latin, and Greek
languages was never questioned by either his fellow students, or the professors. More- over, he not only kept up with his studies when the college course was ended, but greatly increased his knowledge of the ancient classics by daily reading and timely reviews. Soon after leaving college, he was chosen principal of Darlington Academy, a position which he held until the fall of 1849, when he went to Somerset county, and became a law student in the office of the Hon. Jere- miah S. Black, who was then president judge of the Sixteenth Judicial District of Pennsyl- vania. Mr. Wilson was admitted to the bar, November 12, 1850, and immediately there- after went to Beaver, where he practiced in the several courts of the county, and in due time acquired a lucrative practice, which oc- cupied his time for more than a quarter of a century. He was engaged in the interests of the most important legal business that has been transacted in Beaver county. His re- ceipts for professional services have perhaps been greater in amount than that of any other resident lawyer who has at any time practiced at the Beaver county bar.
Samuel B. Wilson, although an active poli- tician in the interest of the Democratic party, never sought office. The height of his ambi- tion was to become a thorough scholar, and an honest and successful lawyer ; he loved jus- tice, law, and peace. In the practice of his profession, he outlived the ambition of display before courts and juries, he learned to bear criticism without irritation, censure without anger, and calumny without retaliation. He
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SAMUEL HENRY MOULDS.
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learned how surely all schemes of evil bring disaster to them that support them, and that the granite shaft of a noble reputation can not be destroyed by the poisoned breath of slander.
In 1856, he purchased of Judge Agnew, the Susan Cochran estate, one of Beaver's oldest homes, and a substantial building for its day, located on the north side of the Park, on Turnpike alley. Here Samuel Beatty Wilson had his office and reared his family around the old-time fireplace. This handsome old estate is today owned by the subject of this sketch, as his father left it later in life, and purchased a handsome brick residence on the adjoining lot, which was built by Senator Quay. There Mr. Wilson spent the re- mainder of his days, passing to the life beyond the grave in January, 1889. His widow is still living, and occupies the same home in which he left her. Mr. Wilson was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and passed all the degrees from the F. & A. M., to the Knights Templar. April 11, 1854, he led to the hyme- neal altar, Elizabeth Robinson, a daughter of George Robinson, who was then sheriff of Beaver county. As a scholar, a student, and an assistant, Mrs. Wilson had been of great assistance to her husband, besides being a kind and loving mother, who reared a family, and is loved and esteemed by all. Their children were: Sarah, now deceased; Anna, wife of A. R. Whitehill, a professor of physics in the University of West Virginia; Mary, wife of George Davidson; and George, the subject of this sketch.
George Wilson is held in high repute in his community, and is a man whom all respect and honor. He has a pleasing address and is liberal in his sentiments. His genial disposi- tion and reputation for honesty have made him a favorite not only with his brother prac- titioners, but among all classes.
AMUEL HENRY MOULDS, un- der whose personal supervision and direction as foreman and assistant manager, the Rochester Tumbler Company has been operated since its organization, is a man who understands the business of manu- facturing glass from beginning to end. Since he was ten years old he has been connected with such work, and the high state of effi- ciency in his office has rendered it possible for the company to lead all others in the world at that particular industry. He is also a stock- holder and director of many of the most suc- cessful enterprises in the borough,-being a man of great shrewdness and foresight. He was born near Milltown, County Antrim, Ire- land, December 9, 1845, and is a son of John and Nancy (Henry) Moulds.
John Moulds, the father of Samuel Henry, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and after his marriage removed to America with his family,-landing in the city of New York. He located at Steubenville, Ohio, where his wife had a brother and a number of friends, and there became a glass worker, which con-
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tinued to be his employment until within a short time of his death. He then was engaged in packing, working until the last. He was a man of remarkable dexterity for his age, and shaved himself, as was his custom, up to within three days of his death, which occurred in 1890, at the age of seventy-five years. He married Nancy Henry, whose father was Will- iam Henry, and the following offspring re- sulted : Jane, who married Joseph S. Mellor, employed in the Rochester Tumbler Works, and a stockholder in the company; William, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work; Samuel Henry, the subject of this rec- ord; Annie, the widow of Albert Albin, of Columbus, Ohio; Sarah, the wife of Eli Cap- ers, of Steubenville, Ohio; Robert, who lives at Rochester; John, also a resident of Rochester; and Elizabeth, who makes her home at Steubenville, Ohio.
At the age of ten years, Samuel Henry Moulds entered the glass manufacturing es- tablishment at Steubenville, being employed in the press department until 1868, when he went to Pittsburg and continued in the same line of business until 1872, when he became an organizer, and one of the original stock- holders, of the Rochester Tumbler Company. He has also been one of the directors from the first. Owing to his well-known skill and thorough knowledge of every detail of the work, he was chosen as foreman and assistant manager, and has since remained in that posi- tion. They manufactured both blown and pressed tumblers, and the demand for their product increased with amazing rapidity, com-
pelling them to increase their facilities and enlarge the business, until now it is the largest of its kind in existence, and the most im- portant industry in the borough of Rochester. They ship to all parts of the globe, sending out from three to ten carloads per day. Their capacity is 150,000 dozen blown tumblers, and 150,000 dozen pressed. per month, twelve hundred skilled workmen being employed the year around. They make their own boxes, barrels and crates for shipping, grind the clay and make pots, and also make their own molds. They have a large water tank contain- ing 3,100 gallons, and have private water works and a private electric light plant. They also have an ice house for drinking purposes. The place is kept in the best of order, and reflects great credit upon the work of the gen- tlemen in charge. Our subject exacts the best work from each man under him, yet treats him with the greatest consideration and kindness, thereby retaining his good will to the high- est extent. Mr. Moulds is a stockholder and director of the Rochester & Monaca Sus- pension Bridge Company, of the Rochester Electric Plant, and of the Rochester Daily Star. In 1885, he built a fine residence at No. 103 West Washington street, on the cor- ner of New York street, which was burned down and rebuilt in 1886.
The subject of this writing was united in marriage with Belle Krewson, a daughter of Horace Krewson, and they have two children : Horace Fuller, who is engaged in the insur- ance business at Rochester; and Agnes K. Mr. Moulds has served as school director and
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held various other borough offices. His por- trait accompanies this sketch, being presented on a foregoing page.
EV. R. MORRIS SMITH. a gentle- man of high educational attainments, is pastor of the Baden Lutheran church, the Rehoboth church, the House of Mercy, and the Trinity church, of Freedom, Pa., and resides in the borough of Baden, where he is held in the highest esteem by his parishioners and fellow citizens. The exten- sive duties of his charges are very confining, but being a man of unusual energy and ability, and deeply absorbed in the work of Christ, he has performed them faithfully, as the increased membership will indicate.
Mr. Smith was born in Easton, Northamp- ton county, Pa., January 25, 1862, and is descended from a long line of distinguished ancestors. The first of the family of whom there is any record extant is his great-great- grandfather, who was a professor of dogmatic theology at Copenhagen University. His son, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a minister of the Gospel in the Lutheran church, of Denmark and was the first mem- ber of the family to come to America, prior to which he was united in marriage with a woman of German birth. He was the first Lutheran minister to preach in the old town of Easton, Pa. His son, P. F. B. Smith, grandfather of the subject of this record, was born seventeen days after the arrival of his
parents in this country; he also studied for the ministry. He preached in Easton until his health failed him, when he resigned. His popularity is shown by the fact that he was immediately elected to the office of register and recorder of the county,-a position he held for a period of nine years,-when he retired and was then elected justice of the peace. Being a very fine penman, he had plenty to do in the way of writing wills and deeds. He and his wife had seventeen chil- dren, three of whom are still living.
George Q. F. Smith, the father of the sub- ject hereof, was the oldest son, and was born January 1, 1825, at Easton, Pa., and was in- tellectually trained in the Easton public schools. He became a merchant tailor and very successfully followed that vocation all of his active life, becoming quite prominent, but is now living a retired life in Stockertown, Pennsylvania. He is a Republican in politics, and, although he has been a hard worker for the party's success, he has never accepted of- fice other than that of school director. Re- ligiously, he is an active member of the Lutheran church, and has held all of the church offices. He is a member of the Ma- sonic order, Knights Templar, and the Jr. O. U. A. M. Mr. Smith was united in mar- riage with Mary A. Millar, who was born at Mt. Bethel, Northampton county, Pa., and they have five children: Emma C. (Uhler) ; Millard Fillmore; Mary E. (Sandt) ; Amanda A. (Kiefer); and R. Morris, the subject of this biographical record.
R. Morris Smith received his primary edu-
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cation in the public schools of Easton, after which he took a classical course at Trach's Academy and entered Muhlenberg College. He graduated from that institution in 1883, with the degree of A. B., and three years later with the degree of A. M., taking third honors in his class. He then went to Texas, where he was given charge of the Mission Valley Academy, but in 1884 he entered the Luth- eran Theological Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1887, being ordained in June of that year. He was then called to Baden to accept his present charges, as suc- cessor of the Rev. Dr. Passarant, who, assisted by his son, had been established there for twenty-one years. It is the oldest church in Baden and he is its second pastor. Faith- fully and well is he discharging the multifar- ious duties of these charges, and that his ef- forts have not been without their reward, we need but mention that the congregation of the Baden church has increased to double its size when he went there. He also erected a handsome new church edifice at Freedom, and is deeply interested in its future. Besides his pastoral duties, Rev. Mr. Smith has com- pleted a post graduate course in the Chicago Theological Seminary, in the study of liturgics. He is at present engaged in literary work, and has several pamphlets on this subject, in the press. He is a member of the college fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega.
On October 13, 1887, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Minnie Balliet Trum- bower, a daughter of Harrison and Josephine (Balliet) Trumbower, who was born in
Hokendauqua, Pa., and obtained her educa- tion in the public schools of Allentown, grad- uating from the high school in 1886. Two children were born to bless their liome, namely: Phillip M., deceased; and Mary J. Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics, and, although he does not desire office, believing they should be filled by the laity, he con- sented to accept the place of school director.
EORGE GOULD, superintendent of the Butts Cannel Coal Company, and a resident of East Palestine, Ohio, was born near Bath, England. He accom- panied his parents to this country, when but seven years old. He received his educational training at East Palestine. After leaving school he determined to learn the business of coal operating, and started in at the bottom of the ladder as a digger in the coal fields of Pennsylvania. He gradually worked his way up, and his first appointment to a position of responsibility was as superintendent under Captain Hicks in his mine at Bagdad, West- moreland county. About fifty men found em- ployment in this mine, and most of the mine's product was sold to the railroads.
After retaining that position for three years, Mr. Gould resigned. In 1888, he bought an interest in the Sterling Mining Co., producers of coal and clay, at Cannelton, Beaver county, Pennsylvania. He was super- intendent of the company's mines for five years, having under him one hundred men.
DR. CONSTANTINE T. GALE.
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Later he sold his interest to Mr. Heilman. Mr. Gould had also been manager for the Butts Cannel Coal Co., but finding the duties of both positions too arduous, he decided to give his entire attention to the Butts Com- pany, and consequently resigned the superin- tendency of the Sterling Company. He opened and developed the Butts Company's mines. They are producers of very fine can- nel coal.
They employ fifty-two men and have a nine- foot vein of cannel coal. This coal is very fine for making gas and is found in few places in this country. Two other places where it is found in paying quantities are at Falling Rock, West Virginia, and Bear Creek, Ken- tucky. The products of the Butts Co.'s mines are shipped to all parts of the United States and Canada.
Mr. Gould married Belle Atchison, of East Palestine, Ohio, and resides in a handsome residence a short distance from the mines, to which he drives daily. Mrs. Gould is a native of East Palestine, where she also received her scholastic training. Four children bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gould, namely: Wil- liam, aged eleven ; Charles, aged seven ; Ellen, three years old; and George, Jr., a baby of eight months.
Mr. Gould is a stockholder of the Elk Run Mining Co., miners of soft coal, and is presi- dent of the same. Other members of the company are Messrs. Lanor, Flynn and By- croft,-the first named being also secretary and treasurer. The offices of the company are at Lisbon, Ohio. The subject of these
lines is a Republican. He is a member of the town council, a school director, and is serving on the board of education. He belongs to the M. E. church, of which he is a trustee. He is a member of the Palestine Lodge, F. & A. M., also of the I. O. O. F.
16 R. CONSTANTINE T. GALE. The well known physician and surgeon whose name heads this sketch, and whose portrait we present on the opposite page, has one of the largest practices in Bea- ver county, and his ability as a physician is undoubtedly of the highest. His patronage extends over New Brighton, his present home, and through Beaver county, and the counties adjoining, and he is held in high es- teem by all who know him. Dr. Gale is a son of the late well known physician, Dr. George W. Gale, and was born at Newport, Washington county, Ohio, January 18, 1850.
The paternal grandfather, George Gale, was born in Ireland and came to America prior to the year 1800. On the way over, he met on the ship a Miss McKernan, whom he af- terward married. They located in Hamp- shire county, in what is now West Virginia, and followed farming, until they were well along in life, when they sold their property, and went to what is now Pleasant county, West Virginia, and, a few years later, moved to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where they both died at the advanced age of eighty years. Their children were, as follows: Thomas;
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James ; McKernan ; George ; W., M. D. ; Rob- ert ; John; Constantine; William; Bridget; Catherine; Ellen; Maria; and Theresa; all of whom grew to be men and women, and at- tained an old age. Three of the oldest sons served in the War of 1812.
George W. Gale, the father of Constantine T., was born in Hampshire county, West Vir- ginia, and was educated in Cumberland, Maryland. He chose medicine as a profes- sion, and was one of the most successful prac- titioners of the time. He was a self-made man in every respect, and won for himself a name which time cannot efface. He began his pro- fessional life in Tyler county, West Virginia, in 1831, and then located at Newport, Washing- ton county, Ohio, and obtained a large prac- tice on both sides of the Ohio River. His career as a physician started in the saddle-bag days, when there were but few roads to reach the pioneers' homes with wagons. Dr. Gale rode many miles on horseback, and in those days a physician had to take grain, provisions, and even timber, for services, as money was very scarce. Good physicians were not to be found within many miles of each other, therefore the Doctor was kept very busy. Be- ing a lover of nature, he purchased a large farm, and spent many happy hours in having it improved, for he was a man of fine tastes and a progressive disposition, and in a short time, he had in his possession a very fine farm- ing property.
He died in September, 1871, aged eighty- one, but although he had given up his long rides several years previous to his death, he
was called on at his home and office, to the very last days of his sickness. His name is known in every house- hold in the vicinity of his former home, and his memory will ever be warmly cherished. He assisted four of his sons to become doctors. Dr. Gale married Catherine Wells, a daughter of Nicholas Wells, of Tyler county, West Va., and she died at the age of seventy. They were both faithful mem- bers of the Catholic church. Their children were: John W., M. D .; Mary; Alcinda B .; Rachel; Ellen; Nicholas W., a farmer; Ver- onica; Constantine T., the subject hereof ; George T., M. D .; Samuel Hammett, D. D. S .; Adah L. : and C. Bernard, M. D.
Dr. Constantine T. Gale, whose name heads this personal biography, attended the public schools of his native town, and also the St. Thomas Seminary, and began reading medi- cine with his father at the age of twenty. He then entered the Jefferson Medical School at Philadelphia in 1876, and graduated in 1878. He began practice at Parkersburg, West Va., and in 1880 went to New Brighton, where he has since lived. He was an entire stranger there, but it was not long until he had a most promising beginning, and his services were soon sought by many residents of New Brighton. He rapidly rose in the profession, and has proven himself to be a complete mas- ter of the science of medicine. His practice is a large and lucrative one, and he is greatly loved by all in the vicinity. The Doctor has a fine home at Eleventh street and Fifth avenue, where is, also, his office. This place was
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