Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 102

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058

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daughter of James L. Welsh, a soldier of the War for Independence and one of the founders and one of the first elders in Mt. Nebo Presbyterian Church at Whitestown, Pa.

W. George Eckles attended the public schools and Grove City College and then entered Duquesne College at Pittsburg, where he took a course in architectural drawing. For three subsequent years he taught school and then worked at his pro- fession in Pittsburg for three years. In 1893 he embarked in business for himself, locating at New Castle. Specimens of his taste and skill may be seen in many of the important buildings there erected after his designs, among which may be mentioned the New Castle High School Building, and also three public schools at Johnstown, the High School Building at Butler, the resi- dence of Hon. T. W. Phillips, the Home National Bank of Union City, the gymna- sium and boys' dormitories in the State Normal School at Edinboro, the Almira Home for Aged Ladies, and the Reformed Presbyterian Church at Chicago. He is a director in the Union National Bank of New Castle and is a director in the North Highland Land Company.

In 1895 Mr. Eckles was married to Miss Nina H. Henderson, born at New Castle, whose mother, Mrs. Robert Henderson, was a daughter of the late Major James Patterson and a great-granddaughter of Captain John B. Clendenin, an honored soldier of the Revolutionary War. They have three children : Robert Arthur, Mary Louise, and Donald Henderson. With his family he belongs to the United Presbyte- rian Church in which he is an elder and a trustee. He takes considerable interest in polities and is a stanch adherent of the Re- publican party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias.

BENJAMIN W. CUNNINGHAM, a prosperous business man and well known

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citizen of Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, comes of one of the oldest families in the county. He was born in Chewton, which at that time was in North Sewickley Township, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1837, and is a son of John T. and Rachel (Dav- idson) Cunningham.

Benjamin Cunningham, the grandfather, came to Lawrence County at a time when there were but two white settlers here, one being Hugh Gaston, located near Moravia, and the other a man named Nye, who lived at now Ellwood City. He came from West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1796, being accompanied by eleven others, among them being his brother, William Cunningham, Joseph and Abel Hennon, William Carnes and his brother, and a Mr. Stambaugh. After locating their land and making a small clearing, they planted corn and potatoes. In the fall of 1796 they went back to Westmoreland County, to return in the spring of 1797, on horseback, follow- ing the Indian trail. The land was partly what was known as donation land, granted to the Revolutionary service soldiers, and the remainder was purchased by the Chews at a cent and a half per acre. The first settlers were given 425 acres of land, six acres for every hundred being given for road purposes, and after five years, the settler was given title to 212 acres for the improvements made on the whole of it. Benjamin Cunningham settled near what is the Houk farm near the big ore bank, and his brother located just below him. The latter married a Miss Mary Smith. Benjamin married Margaret Morton, and they had the following children: William, who lived in Venango County, Pennsyl- vania, was thrice married, the surnames of his wives being respectively, White, Wer- ner and Kline; John T .; Joseph married Isabella Wilson, daughter of William Wil- son, by whom he was survived, she after- ward becoming the wife of William Work; Anna married John Smiley; and Nancy was the wife of Jacob Houk. All except

William lived and died in Lawrence Coun- ty. Benjamin, the father of this family, died in 1843, aged sixty-eight years.

John T. Cunningham settled in Chew- ton, Wayne Township, and was a man of social and political prominence. For twen- ty years he was justice of the peace, and although his dockets show the trial of 640 cases the pages are immaculately clean and neat, not a single page revealing a blot. These records are now possessed by a grandchild, Mrs. A. D. Morns, wife of the court stenographer of Lawrence County, and are most highly prized. In the fall of 1844, he was elected a member of the Gen- eral Assembly, but did not live to complete his term in that office, dying on April 15, 1845. A brainy, high-minded man, with bright prospects before him, he was cut off while in the flower of manhood. His wife preceded him to the grave, dying January 8, 1830, lacking one day of being thirty years of age. She was in maiden life, Rachel Davidson, and was one of the following children born to her parents Robert and Margaret ( McCord) Davidson, pioneers of Lawrence County ; John; Will- iam ; Rachel, wife of John T. Cunningham ; Mary, wife of Thomas Wilson, resided two miles from Slippery Rock, Butler County ; Margaret, who lived and died in the old brick house which was built more than eighty years ago on the old homestead north of Wampum, and still stands; and Eliza, who became the wife of Associate Judge Joseph Cunningham. Robert Dav- idson died in 1846, aged sixty-eight years and was survived many years by his widow who died in 1882, aged eighty-six years. John T. and Rachel (Davidson) Cunning- ham reared four sons, namely : Robert D., who died near Foxburg; Benjamin W .; Oliver Perry, who first married Amanda Herman, and secondly Miss Susan Ken- nedy, resides in Chewton; and John Har- vey, who resided in Aetna, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, died in June, 1902.

Benjamin W. Cunningham was reared to manhood in the vicinity of Chewton and

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there received his early educational train- ing. The farm on which he has lived since his marriage, he inherited partly from his father, buying the remainder of his broth- er. It was a heavily timbered tract at the time and he had to make a clearing in order to erect a home. The part he pur- chased was paid for by the timber he sold off the tract. At the present time a lime- stone quarry is being operated.

In 1863, Mr. Cunningham was joined in marriage with Clara Allen, a daughter of John M. and Esther (Miller) Allen, who was born and reared in Shenango Town- ship, Lawrence County. Her death oc- curred in April, 1890, and besides her hus- band, two daughters were left to mourn her loss, namely : Amelia Jane, wife of A. D. Morns of New Castle, by whom she has a son, Arthur; and Olive Eliza, who died of typhoid fever in 1889, at the age of

twenty-four years. Mr. Cunningham formed a second union in February, 1900, with Mrs. Elizabeth (Morgan) Hoagland, a daughter of Philip Morgan of Beaver County. Fraternally, he was formerly a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a Republican in politics, but exercises the privilege of supporting the man he deems best fitted for the office. Having been left an orphan at nine years, the success achieved by Mr. Cunningham is greatly to his credit and reflects the en- ergy and ability which characterized his business transactions. A substantial man and enterprising citizen, he is respected by all who know him.

THOMAS LOVE, one of Mahoning Township's best known citizens, who has resided on his farm of ninety-four acres situated here, since 1858, was born in Po- land Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, January 24, 1834. His parents were Will- iam and Sarah (Stacy) Love.

The parents of Mr. Love were both na- tives of Pennsylvania. They moved to Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1801, and set- tled in Poland Township as early pioneers

there, their parents acquiring large tracts of land. William Love served as a soldier in the War of 1812. He spent his subse- quent life in Poland Township, where he became a representative citizen who filled many offices of a public character. He died October 28, 1884.

Thomas Love was reared in Poland Township and was educated in the local schools, at Westminster College, New Wil- mington, Pa., and later at Poland Semi- nary, leaving that somewhat noted insti- tution before the late President Mckinley became a student there. He had been af- forded better educational advantages than many youths of his day. Following the close of his schooldays, he taught school for a short time, and then became inter- ested in farming, which he has followed ever since. For the past quarter of a cen- tury he has also sold the William Deer- ing agricultural implements, continuing this connection after the old firm was ab- sorbed by the International Harvester Company. He has been the means of plac- ing many thousands of dollars' worth of modern machinery through Lawrence County.

Mr. Love married Effie Paterson, who died March 17, 1907. She was born in North Beaver Township, Lawrence Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of William Paterson. Mr. and Mrs. Love had one daughter, Ida Loretta, who re- sides with her father. She is the widow of Hugh S. Paden, formerly of Mahoning Township, and she has five children : Maud, who married William Taylor, of North Beaver Township; William W., of Hills- ville; Gordon Ross, of Edenburg; Milo D. and Thomas L., both of Mahoning Town- ship.

Although Mr. Love has led a very busy life, he has never neglected the duties of a good citizen, and the confidence reposed in him by his neighbors has been frequent- ly shown when they have elected him to township offices. For two years he served as school director, for three years was

THOMAS LOVE.

MRS. EFFIE P. LOVE.

HUGH S. PADEN.

MRS. IDA LORETTA L. PADEN.

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township assessor and, in 1880, he was cen- sus enumerator. He has been the witness of wonderful changes since he settled on his present farm in the year following his marriage, and he has done his full share in bringing about improved conditions.

WILLIAM SMILEY, a representative farmer of Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in that township, just south of his present residence, in 1835, and comes of one of the pioneer families of the county, on both sides of the house. He is a son of William and Ellen (Galla- gher) Smiley, both of whom were of Irish parentage.

Hugh Smiley, grandfather of William, was born in Ireland and emigrated to this country in his younger days, and pur- chased land in Wayne Township, Beaver (now Lawrence) County, Pennsylvania, where he was among the earliest settlers. He had five sons: William; Hugh, who lived in Illinois at the time of his death; Boyd, who also moved to Illinois and lived there at his death; John, who remained in Lawrence County ; and Andrew, who died in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

William Smiley, Sr., was born in Wayne Township, and was there reared on his father's farm, which he aided in clearing. He married Ellen Gallagher, who was born near Prospect, in Butler County, Pennsyl- vania, and they became parents of nine children, as follows: John, who married Lizzie Newton, was a member of Company A, Seventy-sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War, and died at Hilton Head, South Carolina ; William, Jr .; Margaret, wife of Frank Ford, lived and died in Wayne Township; Martha, wife of Amos Pyle, died near Prospect, Butler County ; James, who died in 1907, married Isabella Work; Catherine married Dewise Cunningham of Wurtem- burg, now deceased, who was a surgeon in the army during the Civil War; Clarina, wife of William Wallace, lives at Mahon-

ingtown; Thomas J., a resident of Hazel Dell, married Miss Christina Newton; and Albert, the youngest of the family, died at the age of three years.

William Smiley was reared on his fa- ther's farm and attended the public schools of that district. He learned the trade of a blacksmith in his youthful days and worked at it until he joined the army. He enlisted in August, 1861, in Company C, 100th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in at Pitts- burg. The regiment went to Washington, D. C., thence to near Beaufort, South Caro- lina, and from there to Charleston. Re- turning to Beaufort, it embarked for Fred- ericksburg, and from the latter place went to Bull Run, where it participated in the second battle of that name. The next bat- tles in which Mr. Smiley participated were South Mountain and Antietam, after which the regiment returned to Fredericksburg, and from that point was sent to Kentucky. This regiment continued westward to Vicksburg, where its members participated in the seige of that city, then returned to Lexington, Kentucky, thence to Knoxville, Tennessee. At the latter place Sergeant Smiley's term of enlistment expired, and he re-enlisted at Blaine Cross Roads for the remainder of the war. He went home on a thirty-days furlough, rejoining his regiment at Pittsburg. From there they went to Washington and joined the com- mand of General Grant, under whom they served during the remainder of the war, and Mr. Smiley took part in the battles of the Wilderness, Coal Harbor, and the en- gagements about Richmond and Peters- burg, until General Lee's surrender at Ap- pomattox Court House. The regiment then returned north and was mustered out at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. Smiley was for three years color bearer with the rank of sergeant, and was advanced to the rank of second lieutenant. During his service of three years and eleven months he was never off duty for sickness, and was injured but once, that being a slight

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wound on the back of the head which left him stunned; the captain seeing him mo- tionless upon the ground thought him killed.

Upon his return from the front, Mr. Smiley resumed work as a blacksmith, at Wurtemburg, where he continued five or six years, then went to Wampum where he was employed as blacksmith for the Wampum Furnace Company for a period of eleven years. At the end of that time he purchased his present valuable farm of sixty-seven acres of his uncle, John Smiley, and has lived here continuously since that time. An energetic and progressive man, he has made his way in the world solely through his own efforts and the aid of a faithful wife. He has made many im- provements upon the place, and in 1891 erected the comfortable home in which he now lives. Enterprising and public spir- ited he enjoys the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens to a marked degree.

In 1863, while home on a furlough, Mr. Smiley was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Morton, a daughter of James B. and Jane N. Morton of Lawrence County. They had six children, four of whom are living, as follows: William, who married and lives in Pittsburg; Robert, who mar- ried and lives in Ellwood City; Ona, wife of T. J. Bracken; Ellen, deceased wife of George B. Nye; Lizzie, who lives with her parents; and Albert, deceased. Religious- ly, Mr. and Mrs. Smiley are members of the Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church. He is a Republican in politics ; and a mem- her of Wampum Post, No. 381, G. A. R.

JOHN RIDDLE, formerly one of the most highly esteemed residents of New Bedford, a survivor of the great Civil War and a practical farmer through the larger part of his life, was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1822, and died at New Bedford, May 23, 1904.

The late John Riddle grew to manhood on a farm and he chose an agricultural life, following farming and stockraising

first for many years in Coitsville Town- ship, Mahoning County, and later near New Bedford, in Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania. In 1893 he established his per- manent home at New Bedford and there he became well known and esteemed. In looking over the record of his life, the pages show that he was a man of industry, of loyal devotion to the flag of his country, that he was kind and loving in his family, was charitable to those in poverty and trouble, was helpful to his neighbors and supported the school and church. The memory of a man of this character de- serves to be preserved.

Mr. Riddle was married (first) to Mary Dickson, of Coitsville Township, Mahon- ing County, Ohio, and in 1892 was married (second) to Mrs. Emma Davidson, who was then the widow of John M. Davidson, formerly of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County. Mrs. Riddle was born in Coits- ville Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, May 24, 1836. Her parents were Samuel and Mary (Gray) Davidson, who moved from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, to Mahoning County, in 1833, and spent the remainder of their lives in Coitsville Township. Mrs. Riddle has one surviving brother and one sister: James H. David- son, who resides at Poland, Ohio, and Mrs. Mary J. Shaw, who is the widow of George Shaw, late of Grove City, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Riddle is a much esteemed resident of New Bedford, a member of its quiet so- cial circles and very actively interested in the Hopewell Presbyterian Church of which her late husband was also a mem- ber. In his views on public questions, the late John Riddle was very careful and did not identify himself with any particular party outside of the Prohibition movement, with which he was in full sympathy.

CLYDE V. AILEY, an able member of the Lawrence County Bar, who has been actively engaged in the practice of his pro- fession, at New Castle, since December, 1901, was born April 19, 1874, in Big Bea-

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ver Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania.

Irwin Ailey, the father of Clyde V., was born in 1832, near Beaver Falls, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. His father having died when he was twelve years of age, he came to Lawrence County and lived with his uncle, the Hon. Henry Edwards, until his marriage to Elizabeth H. Leslie, a daughter of John Leslie, one of the pio- neers of Lawrence County. Irwin Ailey died in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, on June 19, 1900. His life occu- pation was farming; his politics identified with the Republican party, and in religion he was a worthy and consistent member of the Wampum United Presbyterian Church.

Clyde V. Ailey passed from the common schools of Lawrence County to Grove City College, where he prepared himself for teaching, which pursuit he followed for three years, teaching in the country schools of North Beaver Township, the home of his parents; after which he pur- sued the scientific course of study in Grove City College, where he was creditably grad- uated in the class of 1899, receiving the de- gree of B. S. Immediately following he entered the office of Col. Oscar L. Jackson for the study of law. He was admitted to the Lawrence County Bar in December, 1901, and in October, 1905, he received his certificate entitling him to practice in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Lawrence County Bar Asso- ciation and bears an enviable reputation for sustaining the ethics of practice.

On April 8, 1903, Mr. Ailey was married to Miss Hattie A. Noggle, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Seeley Noggle, one of the prominent families of Big Beaver Town- ship. They are members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of New Cas- tle. Fraternally he belongs to the order of the Knights of Golden Eagle.

EDWIN N. OHL, whose comprehensive business interests make him a dominating

force in the commercial life of Western Pennsylvania, for many years has been particularly identified with the iron, ore and affiliated industries. He was born at Ohltown, Trumbull County, Ohio, Febru- ary 3, 1850, and is a son of Michael, Jr., and Eliza Jane (Campbell) Ohl.

The Ohl family is of German extraction and it was established in Trumbull Coun- ty, Ohio, by Michael Ohl, the grandfather, who as the first settler in what subse quently became the village of Ohltown. He undoubtedly was a man of enterprise, for he engaged in farming, built the first saw- mill in that section and also erected and operated the first grist-mill. His activities were ended by his death in 1858, but he was survived by descendants who have dis- played like energy and enterprise.

Michael Ohl, Jr., father of Edwin N., was born June 21, 1819. He followed agri- cultural pursuits, presumably on the old homestead, and learned the trade of wheel- wright, which he put to use in building mills and machinery all through Trumbull County. These mills were equipped with the old tub water-wheel, which was the ac- cepted form at that time. He met an acci- dental death at Warren, Ohio, in 1865. He was a man of intelligence as well as capa- city, and was well informed concerning the leading questions of the day. In his politi- cal views he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He married Eliza Jane Camp- bell, who was a daughter of Thomas Camp- bell, also of Trumbull County, and they had six children born to them, namely : Edwin N .; Mary, who married Dr. R. C. Fisher, of Chicago, Ill .; Henry, who is a resident of Sharon, Mercer County ; Jessie, who married Clarence L. Darrow; Lissie, who married H. B. Budd, of Beltrami, Min- nesota, and Charles M., who resides at Sharon. The mother of the above family, born July 15, 1831, survived her husband many years, her death taking place April 21, 1908.

Edwin N. Ohl's life until he was seven- teen years, was spent at work on the farm

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

and in the mill, and in obtaining a common school education. Starting out then for himself, he entered an office at Mineral Ridge, Ohio, and was in the employ of the Mineral Ridge Iron and Coal Company for one and one-half years. From there he went to Youngstown, where he was in the employ of Jonathan Warner for eight months. In 1869 he came to Pennsylvania, and on March 1 of that year entered the employ of Samuel Kimberly, at Sharon, and with Mr. Kimberly and his son, P. M. Kimberly, Mr. Ohl remained for more than thirty years. The Kimberlys operated blast furnaces, rolling mills and coal mines. When they sold their interests on May 1, 1899, Mr. Ohl became general manager of the New Castle plant of the Republic Iron and Steel Company and continued as such until June 1, 1902, when he resigned in order to manage his own business interests.

Mr. Ohl assisted in organizing the Cher- ry Valley Iron Company, which purchased one blast furnace at Leetonia, Ohio, and another at West Middlesex, Pa., and con- tinued an independent organization until November 1, 1906, Mr. Ohl being during this time the vice-president and general manager. On the above date the Cherry Valley Iron Company sold its plants, and interests in iron ore and coal properties which it had acquired, to the United Iron and Steel Company, Mr. Ohl being elected president of this corporation and estab- lishing the main office at Pittsburg. Mr. Ohl is also president of the Pittsburg Iron Ore Company, with offices at Cleveland, and serves in the same capacity in three other affiliated ore companies. He is also president of the New Castle Portland Ce- ment Company; is a director in the First National Bank of New Castle; a director in the Keystone National Bank of Pittsburg, and is president of the Fruit, Ohl Com- pany, general hardware merchants, at Sharon. This enterprise was established February 1, 1879, and was incorporated in 1899, in the past thirty years expanding from a small beginning into one of Mercer

County's most important business con- cerns.

Mr. Ohl married Katherine F. Bower, who is a daughter of the late John Bower, of New Castle. They have one son, Edwin N., Jr., who was born February 19, 1901. Mrs. Ohl is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Ohl is a vestryman. He is identified with the order of Masons, is past master of Sharon Lodge, No. 250, F. & A. M .; is past high priest of Norman Chapter, No. 244, R. A. M .; is past emi- nent commander of Rebecca Commandery, Knights Templar, No. 50, and belongs to Syria Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburg, and to the Consistory at Pittsburg. In his political views he is a Republican, but he has never been active in public affairs.

JACOB H. ROBEL, a member of the firm of Campbell & Robel, plumbers and gas fitters, at Ellwood City and at Cora- opolis, was born in Chippewa Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1876, and is a son of Lewis F. and Sophia (Cleis) Robel.

The parents of Mr. Robel settled first in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, near Un- iontown, and later moved to Beaver County, where the father followed farm- ing. He died in 1889, having survived his wife since 1882. They had the following children: Charles F., a missionary, who has charge of the Union Gospel Mission in Omaha, Neb .; Mrs. J. A. Campbell, who resides at Beaver Falls; Lewis C., who re- sides at Washington, D. C., is an engineer, and Jacob H., of Ellwood City.

Jacob H. Robel attended school at Can- ton, in Stark County, Ohio, and the High School at Duluth, Minn., after which he engaged in contract work for one year and then became bookkeeper for the Commer- cial Sash and Door Company, at Pittsburg, and later for the Beaver Falls Gas Com- pany. In search of health, Mr. Robel then took a trip through the South, visiting Florida and Georgia for some two years,

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 102

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058