Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 113

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 113

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When his military life ended he came to Pittsburg, but shortly afterward went into business at Sharon, Pa., with Frank Davis, in a general mercantile business. The firm name was Davis & Wright, and business

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

was continued for about five years before any change was made, Mr. Wright subse- quently continuing in the same line for twenty-three years more. From Sharon, in February, 1894, Mr. Wright came to New Wilmington and bought the property lying across the street from his present store and continued in business there until 1907, when he went into partnership with his son, who had started the hardware busi- ness in 1903. Mr. Wright sold his former property for $10,000, and his stock for $3,000, his investment having been judi- ciously made.

Mr. Wright was married (first) at Shar- on, to Alfretta Watson, who died in that place. He was married, secondly, to Eliza Maikle, of Trumbull County, Ohio. There were six children born to his first union and seven to his second, as follows : Samuel Watson, deceased; Fannie, widow of John Mealy; George, deceased; Alfretta, wife of William Porter, of Pullman, Wash .; John, his father's partner; Frank, principal of the Uniontown High School; Florence, a teacher at Zelienople, Pa .; Alfred E., a student at Westminster College; Leland and Mary, at home; Thomas, a student at the State College, Pullman, Wash .; Jennie and Edward. Mr. Wright takes a moder- ate interest in politics and is serving as a member of the New Wilmington school board. He belongs to the organization known as the Protected Home Circle.

JOHN W. HAYES, a prominent farmer of North Beaver Township, in which he has spent his whole life, belongs to one of the early settled families of this section. He was born on his present farm, August 25, 1843, and is a son of David and Mar- garet (Crawford) Hayes and a grandson of David Hayes.

The Hayes family for generations back have belonged to Pennsylvania and the father of John W. Hayes and possibly the grandfather, was born in Beaver County. It was the grandfather who secured a tract of 200 acres of land in North Beaver Town-

ship, on which his son, David, and his daughter, Peggy, settled in 1837. The grandfather, David, had been engaged pre- viously in the practice of law in Beaver County. David Hayes the second was mar- ried in Lawrence County, in 1840, to Mar- garet Crawford and they had one son, John W.

John W. Hayes, as mentioned above, has been identified with the interests of North Beaver Township throughout his entire life. As a large landowner and successful business man, he has naturally been as- signed to a leading place in all movements affecting his neighborhood and in every case has justified the confidence of his fel- low citizens.

In 1862, John W. Hayes was married to Jane Huston and they have had four children, namely: Charles, David Clark, Mrs. Elsie Livingstone and Samuel Bert. Both sons are prosperous farmers and val- ued citizens of North Beaver Township. Mr. Hayes is a most worthy member of the Presbyterian Church at Petersburg.

NORMAN N. ROGERS, who owns and operates the noted Highland Sales Stables, which he built at New Castle, is a man with progressive ideas and many business interests in Lawrence County. Mr. Rog- ers was born at New Bedford, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, April 3, 1852, and is a son of John Newton Rogers.

John Newton Rogers was born at New Bedford, March 25, 1823, and is a son of Samuel Rogers, who settled in Lawrence County, on the site of New Bedford, in 1818. He engaged in a saddlery and har nessmaking business. John Newton Rog- ers, who resides retired at New Bedford, was one of the early stockmen of the county, and was interested in livestock dur- ing the whole of his active life.

Norman N. Rogers attended school through boyhood and youth at New Bed- ford, Pa., and at Poland and Salem, Ohio, after which he became interested in the stock business. For the past twenty-five

MR. AND MRS. NORMAN N. ROGERS.

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years he has dealt almost exclusively in horses and mules, making a specialty of high grade stock, which he ships to east- ern markets. In 1900, he built his com- modious stables at New Castle, and car- ries on an immense business there. He owns farming and coal lands and has large investments in other enterprises.

In 1874 Mr. Rogers was married to Miss Salome V. Shaffner, who died April 14, 1904, leaving four sons and one daughter, namely : Philip S., who is interested in the Highland stables; Howard E., who is also interested in the same business; Martha R., who is the wife of William Shipe, of New Castle; Mark M., who is in the em- ploy of the Pennsylvania and Lake Erie Railroad; and Norman N., Jr., who is a student at Culver Military Academy, in Indiana. Mr. Rogers is one of the most respected and widely known men of Law- rence County.

JAMES HAYES, general farmer and highly respected citizen of North Beaver Township, resides on a valuable farm of 150 acres, which is situated on the Mt. Jackson-Mount Air Road, about two miles south of the former place. He was born in North Beaver Township, December 16, 1843, and is a son of John R. and Jane (Love) Hayes.

John R. Hayes, father of James, was born at Beaver, Pennsylvania, and was a son of David Hayes, who was a lawyer in that place. When John R. was five years old his father bought a farm which adjoins the one on which James Hayes now lives, owning both farms, but David Hayes never moved on the place, dying before he had completed his arrangments to do so. His widow and children settled on the farm and she passed the remainder of her life here. John R. Hayes followed farming all his life and both he and wife died in North Beaver Township. The mother of James Hayes was born and reared in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. She was a daugh- ter of James Love, who was a native of

Westmoreland County. Three children were born to John R. Hayes and wife, namely: Margaret, who married Milton Fullerton, resides in North Beaver Town- ship; James; and David William, who died in the fall of 1879. He was unmarried and lived at home.

James Hayes attended the district schools in his boyhood and assisted on the home farm until August, 1864, when he en- listed for service in the Civil War. He entered Company B, Fifth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, as a private, and re- mained in the service until the close of the war. He was a member of the Fifth Army Corps and was connected with the Army of the Potomac. He is a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic, New Castle, Post 100.

After the close of his army service, Mr. Hayes resumed farming. In 1866 he was married (first) to Mary Woods, a daugh- ter of William Woods. She died soon after her marriage. Mr. Hayes was married (second) to Maggie Nesbit, who was a daughter of James Nesbit. She died in 1883, leaving two daughters: Theresa and Jennie Myrtle. The former is the wife of Alexander Harry Fullerton, and the lat- ter is the wife of J. Wylie Brewster. Mr. Hayes then married Sarah J. Poak, who is a daughter of John and Sarah (Duff) Poak. John Poak was born in North Beaver Township and was a son of Sam- uel Poak, who was a native of Union Coun- ty, Pennsylvania. He came to North Beaver Township in 1804 and settled on the farm which is now owned by J. V. Brewster, between Mahoningtown and Mt. Jackson. There Samuel Poak died aged seventy-five years. The mother of Mrs. Hayes died on the same farm, after which John Poak moved to Mt. Jackson, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. Mrs. Hayes was born and reared on the same farm. One of her brothers, David W. Poak, distinguished himself in the Civil War. He joined the Thirtieth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, of which he was lieuten-

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ant and later adjutant. His regiment ac- companied General Sherman's force on the march to the sea, and at Atlanta, when its colonel was captured, Lieutenant Poak was put in command although he was not yet twenty-one years of age. In a special or- der issued by the War Department, he was awarded a silver medal for gallant conduct on July 22, 1864.

A copy from General Orders 13:

"First Lieutenant David W. Poak, Com- pany A, 30th Ills. Vet. Vol. Inf. A silver medal of Honor for gallant conduct on the 22nd of July, 1864.

"When his regiment was forced from its position, he was conspicuous in rallying the men, advancing to the front, encourag- ing his men, firing muskets rapidly at the enemy, and by his service and gallant ex- ample materially assisting in bringing his regiment again into action. Each medal awarded by this order will bear the in- scription 'Atlanta, July 22nd,' and will be presented to the officers and men in front of their command by their Division Com- mander.

By command of Major General F. P. Blair, Rowland Cox, A. A. General."

This medal is highly prized by Mrs. Hayes. Lieut. Poak returned from the army and located first in Missouri and later in Texas, where he engaged for a time in a banking business, but he subse- quently came back to his old home and died at Mt. Jackson. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are members of the Westfield Presbyterian Church in which he has been a deacon for over twenty years.

DAVID CLARK HAYES, a general farmer and representative citizen of North Beaver Township, resides upon his well improved farm of fifty acres, which is sit- uated about a half mile west of Bessemer. He was born on this farm in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, March 21, 1869, and is a son of John W. and Jane (Huston) Hayes.

The great-grandfather, David Hayes, was the original purchaser of the land in North Beaver Township, on which succes- sive generations of the family have since been reared. In 1837, the second David Hayes, grandfather of David Clark Hayes, of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in the practice of law, pur- chased the tract of 200 acres which his father had secured in North Beaver Town- ship, Lawrence County. In 1840 he mar- ried Margaret Crawford and they had one child, John W. The latter was born in 1843 and was reared and educated in North Beaver Township, where he still resides with his wife and family, being one of the prominent agriculturists of this section. He married Jane Huston and they had four children : Charles, David Clark, Mrs. Elsie Livingstone and Samuel Bert.

David Clark Hayes resides on the farm which has always been his home, growing to manhood amid familiar surroundings and attending the same school in which his father had obtained his education. He married Ostie Myers, who was born and reared in Springfield Township, Mahon- ing County, Ohio. Mr. Hayes has made all the improvements on his part of the old farm, erecting his large frame house in 1889 and still further adding to its com- fort and appearance by building an addi- tion, in 1905. Mr. Hayes is one of the solid, reliable men of his township. In politics he is a Republican but takes no very active part in public matters, but he is always alive to the best interests of his neighborhood and gives hearty assistance to all movements which will add to the gen- eral welfare. He is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.

CAPTAIN THOMAS McCONNELL, who passed into the unknown beyond Au- gust 11, 1905, was one of Lawrence Coun- ty's well known and venerated citizens, nearly all of his long and useful life being spent within its borders. His life record is one of honor and achievement, whether as

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soldier, public servant, or in the realms of private business. He was a veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars, served as sheriff of Lawrence County from 1864 un- til 1867, and during the most of his active career was engaged in the milling busi- ness, a part of the time in partnership with his son, James. The firm of T. MeConnell & Son has long been a prominent one, and the Forest Mills, located on Slippery Creek and conducted by this firm, enjoy a wide prestige.

Captain McConnell was born in Craw- ford County, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1822, and was a son of James and Rachel (Lytell) McConnell. His grandfather, Hugh McConnell, was a native of Ireland, and upon coming to America served as a soldier in the Colonial Army during the Revolutionary War. He engaged in mill- ing in Center County, Pennsylvania, and later with his son, James, moved to Craw- ford County. They erected a mill on the Shenango Creek, at West Middlesex, being the founders of that town.

Thomas McConnell received very little schooling, as his services were required in the mill, but by dint of hard study after his day's work was done he managed to ac- quire a very good education. Shortly af- ter his marriage the Mexican War broke out, and, imbued with a spirit of patriot- ism, he enlisted in a volunteer cavalry com- pany, which was under arms but was not called into the regular service. At the time of the outbreak of the Civil War, he was engaged in the oil business in the vi- cinity of Titusville, but with Lincoln's first call for troops he left his business to enter the army. He enlisted April 23, 1861, as a member of Company B, Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Corps,

and was mustered in as captain of his com- pany the following June. In July of that year, his division was transferred into the United States regular army, and his regi- ment designated the 39th regular volun- teers. He saw much hard fighting and participated in the battles at Drainesville,

Second Bull Run and Mechanicsville. In the latter engagement, June 26, 1862, he had the misfortune of being wounded by the explosion of a shell ; he was struck upon the back of the neck and injured to such an extent he never fully recovered. After some months in the hospital he attempted to continue in the service, but was finally discharged in December, 1862, on account of disability. During his service he served on detached duty a part of the time, and was a member of the General Court Mar- tial Board. He then returned to his home in Lawrence county and resumed the mill- ing business, at which he continued during the remainder of his business life except for the time he spent in the sheriff's office and in the oil fields in Butler County.

Thomas McConnell was married April 16, 1846, to Miss Jane Sarah McComb, and after a half century of wedded happiness he was called upon to mourn her loss through death, in July, 1896. Captain Me- Connell's death resulted from the infirmi- ties of age, although his old wound had been bothering him considerably ; then too, he had not been the same after the death of his son, Hon. Malcolm McConnell, which oc- curred August 16, 1904. Captain and Mrs. McConnell became parents of seven chil- dren, of whom but three survived his death : Mary A., wife of George W. Hart- man; Arethusa, who has since died, her demise occurring in January, 1908; and James McConnell of McConnell's Mills. Thomas McConnell was a Republican in politics, and although he was interested in the success of the party was not a poli- tician. He held the office of sheriff and that was the only office he ever sought. From early manhood he was a consistent member of the First United Presbyterian Church of New Castle.

James McConnell, son of Capt. Thomas and Jane S. (McComb) McConnell, was born in the old Holstein Mills, at Neshan- nock Falls, the house in which his parents had lived having been destroyed by fire a short time previously. He was born in

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1855, and from early life has been engaged in the milling business, except for three or four years spent in the oil fields. He is one of the proprietors of the Forest Mills, op- erated under the name and style of T. Mc- Connell & Son, and is one of the substantial business men of Slippery Rock Township. The mill is of modern equipment, and is run by never failing water power. Mr. McConnell was married in 1879, to Miss Jennie W. Stewart, a daughter of John W. Stewart of Portersville; her maternal grandfather was the founder of the Forest Mills, which have been in almost continu- ous operation for nearly a century. Re- ligiously, they are members of the Porters- ville Church, of which he has been an elder for some years.

NORMAN G. VANCE, sole proprietor of the only feed and hay market in Wil- mington Township, owns a very fine farm in Mercer County and is also interested in raising thoroughbred horses. Mr. Vance was born December 21, 1861, in Slip- pery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of William and Martha (Leslie) Vance. William Vance is a retired farmer residing at New Wilming- ton. His parents, James and Anna Vance, were the first settlers on the old Vance homestead, in Slippery Rock Township, where they located about 1790, when the land was still wild and uncleared.

Norman G. Vance attended the country schools near his home and subsequently en- tered Grove City College, where he pur- sued the regular course, completing it in 1887. He then turned his attention to farm- ing and has continued to be more or less interested in the same ever since. He has also been profitably interested in the stock business for some years. He owns two Percheron mares and a share in two fa- mous stallions, Partisan and Cleopaz. Par- tisan was imported from France in 1905, while Cleopaz and the mares were bred on a noted stock farm in Michigan. His val-

uable farm in Mercer County contains 123 acres and is situated three miles north of New Wilmington, in Lackawannoc Town- ship, on the east side of the road leading from New Wilmington to Sharon. His business in hay and feed, at New Wilming- ton, is conducted under his personal super- vision.

Mr. Vance was married, first, to Cora Wilkinson, who died March 14, 1902. She was a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Wilkinson. Three children were born to this union, namely : Gula, Margaret and Claire. Mr. Vance was married secondly to Elizabeth Neal, who is a daughter of James and Margaret Neal, of Lawrence County. Mr. Vance is a member of the Second United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington. He is active in local polities and is a progressive and public- spirited citizen.

A. P. HENNON, general farmer, resid- ing on his well-cultivated farm of forty acres, which is situated eight miles south of New Castle, in Big Beaver Township, was born on his father's farm in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Thomas and Martha P. (Work) Hennon.

On both sides of the family, Mr. Hen- non's grandfathers were of Irish descent. Joseph Hennon came to Wayne Township at a very early day, acquiring farming land and lived on it until his death in old age. Thomas Hennon was born in Wayne Township, in 1807, and spent the greater part of his life in that section of Law- rence County. He helped to clear off the home property and also worked for a time at the tanner's trade, but after his mar- riage he bought a farm of his own. His first purchase was thirty acres in Wayne Township, to which he later added fifty acres, all of that being situated in She- nango Township. His barn was located on the first tract and his fine residence he built on the second tract, his immediate

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home buildings thus being situated in dif- ferent townships. There his wife died, in 1864, aged fifty-four years and his death followed two years later. He married Martha P. Work and they had nine chil- dren, as follows: Sophia, who is the widow of John H. Jenkins; Joseph, who was killed in the army during the Civil War; Ama- ziah P .; Josiah, who was a member of Company E, Roundhead Regiment, one of note from Pennsylvania in the Civil War; Thomas J. and William, both of whom were soldiers, the latter losing his life; Nancy, deceased, was the wife of Joseph Calla- han; James P., who resides in Iowa; and Martha, who married Samuel Mack.

A. P. Hennon remained at home and helped his father when the other sons went into the army, and when the father died he took entire charge of the home farm. As the management of the property did not require all of his time, he learned the car- penter trade and worked at that for sev- eral years and when particularly busy he rented out the farm. After purchasing the home place he retained it for a time and then sold and bought fifty acres in Taylor Township and subsequently sold that to his brother Josiah. His next investment was in the Mcconahay farm, adjoining on the north, and this he also sold and then bought a farm from Milton Gaston, near Beaver. This farm he sold to advantage and in 1904 he purchased his present farm from Robert Miller. It is known as the old Pa- den farm, an excellent property.

On May 4, 1887, Mr. Hennon was mar- ried to Martha Hasely, who is a daughter of John and Mary (Peplow) Hasely. Mr. and Mrs. Hasely settled at New Castle, Pennsylvania, after they came from Eng- land, and in that little town which then had no railroads, Mrs. Hennon was born, the other children of that family being : Elizabeth, John Henry, Alice, Lewis, James and Alfred. Mr. and Mrs. Hennon have three children: Alice, Eddie and Olive. In politics, Mr. Hennon is a Demo- crat.

B. J. THOMAS, who is prominently identified with the business interests of New Castle and is one of the city's pro- gressive and successful men, was born in Wales, in 1860, and was twenty-one years of age when he came to America.

Mr. Thomas settled at Youngstown, Ohio, entering the rolling mills there, where he continued for fourteen years and then came to New Castle. For three years longer he worked in the tin mills. In 1897 he first embarked in a mercantile business, including dry goods and shoes, and in that year built a fine brick building at No. 126 East Long Street. Today he occupies a store room 29 by 50 feet at No. 124 East Long Street, which he devotes to dry goods, and a second store room, 20 by 50 feet, at No. 126 East Long Street, is devoted to the shoe department. In the handling of boots and shoes he has a partner in his cousin, Morgan Llewellyn, under the firm name of Thomas & Llewellyn. In 1907, Mr. Thomas built an additon to his building, 50 by fifty-two feet, two stories in height, with pressed briek side and front, making a very handsome structure.

In 1888 Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Elizabeth Hughes, then of Youngs- town, who was born in Wales and was two years old when she was brought to Amer- ica, her father, David Hughes, settling at Hubbard, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have one child, Olive M. The family be- long to the Welsh Church. He is a mem- ber of the fraternal order of Odd Fellows. In polities he is a Republican and has taken quite an active interest in local poli- ties and has served as a member of the City Council.

DAWSON A. BROWN, residing on a fine farm of eighty acres in Pulaski Town- ship, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was born in Pulaski Town- ship, April 1, 1863, and comes of an old family of that community. He is a son of James P. and Lorena W. (Corning)

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Brown, the former a native of Pulaski Township, and the latter of Trumbull County, Ohio. James Brown, the paternal grandfather, was born in this country but was of Scotch-Irish parentage; he saw service in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

James P. Brown was reared in Pulaski Township, where his father had located in the early pioneer days, and he there en- gaged in farming throughout life. His death occurred October 23, 1902, and that of his wife on September 30, 1907, at an advanced age. Religiously, she was a mem- ber of the Christian Church of Pulaski. He was a Republican in polities. James P. and Lorena W. Brown became parents of the following children, of whom four are now living: Carson (., of Pulaski Town- ship; Frank N., deceased, who was a suc- cessful lawyer of New Castle; Wells A., of New Bedford; Dawson A., subject of this record; and James A., of Pulaski Township.

Dawson A. Brown was reared to man- hood in Pulaski Township, and received his intellectual training in the public schools of his home district. He has al- ways followed farming in his native town- ship, employing the most approved meth- ods in his work, which combined with ex- ceptional managerial ability has resulted in more than average success.

December 12, 1892, Mr. Brown was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Miss Daisy D. Shields, a daughter of Thomas H. Shields of New Bedford, the family being an old and respected one in that locality. Politically, he is a stanch Republican, believing that in the suprem- acy of the principles of that party depends the success and prosperity of the country. Fraternally, he affiliates with Union Tent, No. 86, K. O. T. M., of Pulaski, and has filled various offices in that lodge. In re- ligious attachment, he is a member of the Christian Church.

JACOB FISHER, one of the old and

respected residents of Slippery Rock Township is a worthy representative of a fine old pioneer family of this section. He resides on his valuable farm of 180 acres, which is favorably located within one- quarter of a mile of the pleasant village of Rose Point. Mr. Fisher was born on this farm, April 24, 1831, and is a son of Henry and Isabella (Vance) Fisher.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 113

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