USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 116
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James Young, the father of Robert M. Young, came of Irish parentage. He re- mained on the home farm and assisted his father and subsequently inherited a part of the property. With the exception of twelve years, which he passed in Mer- cer County, he lived on that property dur-
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ing the whole of his life, mainly engaged in farming. He married Margaret Scott, who was a daughter of William and Jane Scott, pioneers, who had come to this sec- tion with the first settlers, in 1800. The children of James and Margaret Young were as follows: Elizabeth Jane, Robert M., Mary Ann, Isabella, Nancy M., W. S., Martha R. and J. G. Until October, 1907, there had been no break in the family eircle, but then occurred the death of Nan- cy M. Of those who survive, the eldest is aged seventy-seven, and the youngest fifty-two years.
Robert M. Young attended the local schools while he grew from childhood into youth, and from boyhood was familiar with the necessary details of practical and suc- cessful farming. He continued to follow agricultural pursuits until 1900, when he purchased his present' property and em- barked in merchandising. He carries a varied stock of goods and has a large country trade.
In August, 1862, Mr. Young enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Com- pany F, One Hundred Thirty-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- try, and was out for nine months. He sur- vived all the various hazards of war and after his honorable discharge returned safely to his home.
Mr. Young married Mary Ann Morrison, who is a daughter of Alexander and Ann Morrison, farming people of Perry Town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Young have had eight children, the survivors being: Ella, J. F., A. A., Clara, and Harry and Hattie, twins. Ida and William are deceased. Mr. Young and family belong to the United Presby- terian Church at Mountville. In his polit- ical preference, Mr. Young is a Republican and he has long been actively interested in the leading movements of a public nature in his section. He has efficiently filled a number of local offices; for two years was assessor and for fully twelve years has been a member of the School Board.
LAWRENCE BYERS, a prominent farmer and member of the School Board of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a fine farm of 155 acres, and is engaged in general farming. He was born in that township January 2, 1859, and is a son of Ambrose and Mary ( MeCracken) Byers, he a native of Lawrence County, and she of Mercer County.
William Byers, grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, it is thought, was born in Virginia, and became a settler in Pulaski Township at a time when it was sparsely settled and the land uncleared, it being at that time a part of Mercer County.
Ambrose Byers was born in 1824, and followed farming throughout his entire life, dying in 1887. He was rated among the substantial and leading men of the township, and was ever among the fore- most in matters of public improvements. He was a consistent Republican in politics until 1872, after which he gave his en- couragement and support to the cause of Prohibition. He and his wife were par- ents of the following children: John F., a successful attorney at law, of Minneapo- lis, Minn .; Charles S., of Kansas; Lizzie M., of Pulaski Township; Lawrence; Ovid A., a practicing attorney in Seattle, Wash .; Alpheus, of Seattle, Wash .; Horace G., professor of chemistry in the State Univer- sity of Washington, at Seattle; Lottie B., deceased, and Carrie H., a teacher in the public schools of Allegheny County, Penn- sylvania.
Lawrence Byers was reared to manhood in his native township, and there received a preliminary educational training in the public schools, supplemented by a three- years' course at Grove City College. He then engaged as an instructor in the schools, teaching in Pulaski Township for a period of twelve years. He then turned his attention to farming in Pulaski Town- ship, and has one of the best improved farms in the vicinity. He farms along the
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most modern and approved methods, and has met with more than ordinary success. He is a broad and liberal-minded man and evinces a deep interest in all matters per- taining to the general welfare of the com- munity, being especially active in further- ing the cause of education and bettering the school system. He is a Prohibitionist in politics, and is serving his second term as a member of the School Board.
EDWIN M. UNDERWOOD, attorney at law and referee in bankruptcy, at New Castle, is a prominent member of the Law- rence County bar and a popular citizen. He was born in Eastern North Carolina, in 1868, was reared in his native state, and was educated at Swarthmore College, the great educational institution of the Society of Friends, situated near Philadelphia, at which he was graduated. Mr. Underwood was admitted to the bar of North Carolina in 1893, and in 1894 to the bar of Pennsyl- vania. Since 1900 he has filled the office of referee in bankruptcy, at New Castle, a branch of law to which he has devoted spe- cial attention. He is a member of the Lawrence County Bar Association and en- joys the respect and esteem of this body. Fraternally, he is a Mason and he belongs to those exclusive social organizations, the Lawrence County Club and the Country Club. He is a member of the First Pres- byterian Church at New Castle.
REV. JOHN H. VEAZEY. A. M., a clergyman of the Presbyterian Church who has been identified with mission work per- taining to that body for many years, now occupies the position of financial agent and registrar of Westminster College, at New Wilmington. Dr. Veazey was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1843, and is a son of Elisha and Eliza (Reed) Veazey.
Elisha Veazey, father of Dr. Veazey, was a son of Elijah Veazey, who came from Baltimore, Md., as early as 1775 and set- tled in Western Pennsylvania.
John H. Veazey secured his early educa- tion in the schools of Beaver County, going from there to Henryville, Ind., in early manhood. From that point he enlisted for service in the War of the Rebellion, enter- ing the Federal Army in Company D, For- ty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, and served through three years of the war, being attached to the Army of the Cumberland. Although he escaped all serious injury, at the battle of Champion Hills he came near death, a bullet passing through his garments. He saw much hard service, participating in the Red River campaign, the engagements in Kentucky, the battle at Arkansas Post, the bombard- ment of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and Black River Bridge, two charges at Vicks- burg, the campaign in Texas, under Gen- eral Canby and the Red River expedition. At the close of his term of enlistment he was honorably discharged, having been a faithful and efficient soldier, and was mus- tered out at Indianapolis, Ind.
Dr. Veazey resided during the next year at Waterloo, Ind., after which he returned to Beaver County and engaged in teaching, becoming principal of the Clinton High School and the Frankfort Academy. He pursued a higher course of study and re- ceived his degree of A. M. from Mus- kingum College, and spent four years at the Allegheny Theological Seminary. After this he was licensed by the Frankfort Pres- bytery and served the charge at Emsworth, Pa., for seven years. From there he went to Chase City, Va., where he took charge of the Thyne Institute and devoted ten years to the upbuilding of that institution. For one year he served as Home Mission- ary, in Kansas, and for seven years was a member of the Board of Home Missions for America. Dr. Veazey then located at New Wilmington in order to afford his chil- dren superior educational advantages, ac- cepting his present responsible position with Westminster College.
On June 16, 1876, Dr. Veazey was mar- ried, at Murdockville, to Miss Martha A.
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Armor, who is a daughter of John and Maria (Culley) Armor, and they have four sons, namely : John A., who is a teacher in the department of physics, in Lehigh University ; William R., who is a teacher of chemistry in the Case School of Science, at Cleveland, and James M. and Ralph C., both of whom are students at Westminster College, the latter giving particular atten- tion to music.
ANDREW FAILOR, owner of 100 acres of fine farming land in North Beaver Township, which is situated on the New Castle-Petersburg Road, about ten miles southwest of New Castle, was born on a farm situated about one-fourth of a mile from his present one. The old farm is now the property of William Ehle. Mr. Failor was born November 9, 1853, and is a son of Jacob and Rosina (Griener) Failor.
Jacob Failor was about eight years old when he accompanied his father, Michael Failor, from Germany to America. The family settled near Unity, in Columbiana County, Ohio, and there Jacob was reared to manhood. He subsequently married the widow of John Ehle. She was born in Ger- many, and her people had also first settled in Ohio. Both parents died on the farm now owned by Andrew Failor.
Mr. Failor has spent his life in North Beaver Township. He married Anna Mar- garet Best, who is a daughter of Conrad and Margaret (Rosenberg) Best. Mrs. Failor was born and reared in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where her parents died. Mr. and Mrs. Failor have two chil- dren -- Lilly May, who is the wife of Lyman Johnston, of Hilltown, and Harry Monroe, who manages the entire work of the farm. It is very unusual to find a youth of but sixteen so successful and interested a farmer, but the truth is, the young man has had to shoulder all the responsibility of carrying on the place since he was thirteen years old, at which time his father was prostrated with a stroke of paralysis. Mr. Failor may well be congratulated that his
son not only has the sturdy strength for his hard work, but also that he has the good judgment and the good will that make his undertaking successful. He is very highly esteemed through the neighborhood.
When married Mr. and Mrs. Failor went to housekeeping in a log cabin, which is still standing, and which is probably the oldest of these picturesque dwellings in Lawrence County. The family lived in comfort in the old house for twenty-one years, but in 1902 built the present com- modious frame one. Mr. and Mrs. Failor are valued members of the Petersburg Lutheran Church, in which he served as a member of the board of trustees until his affliction came upon him.
W. H. GROVE, treasurer of the Home Trust Company, with office at No. 53 Pitts- burg Street, New Castle, has been identi- fied with the interests of this city for the past decade. He was born in 1864, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Absalom and Ann M. (Ramsey) Grove.
The father of Mr. Grove lost his life in defense of his country. He was a brave soldier during the Civil War and was fa- tally wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor. His widow still survives. The son was but an infant when deprived of his father's care and protection, but by the wise pro- vision of the Government he was afforded educational advantages at the Soldie.s' Orphans' School in Mercer County. From the age of sixteen years to twenty-one he followed farming and then engaged in a mercantile business, which he continued until 1889, when he went to Butler, Pa. There he resumed merchandising and also became interested in the oil business. He remained at Butler until 1898, when he came to Lawrence County and accepted the position of cashier of the First National Bank of Wampum, coming from there in 1906 to the Home Trust Company. He has numerous other interests in the county and is a director in the New Castle Notion Company, a director in the First National
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Bank of Wampum, a director in the Stand- ard Wire Company and is president of the Young Produce Company.
In 1889 Mr. Grove was married to Miss M. Alice McMullen, who resides at Sandy Lake, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Grove are mem- bers of the Central Presbyterian Church. Fraternally, he is a Mason. Mr. Grove has been an active citizen, taking an inter- est in public improvements and ever prov- ing a friend of law and order.
EVAN McNEILL, foreman in the an- nealing department of the Greer tin mill, at New Castle, has been a resident of this city since November, 1893, and was born in Wales, in 1866. After coming to Amer- ica, in 1889, and locating at Pittsburg he found employment in the steel mills in that city and remained at work there for three years. Subsequently he worked for five months in tin mills at Baltimore, Md., re- turning then to Pittsburg and later went to Blairsville, in Indiana County, where he served ten months as foreman in the an- nealing mill. He then came to New Castle, where he has been foreman of the same department in the Greer mill since 1893. His thorough knowledge and practical ex- perience in this line of work make Mr. McNeill one of the most valuable of the many employes of this large plant. He has other business interests and is a stock- holder in the United State Steel Corpora- tion.
Mr. McNeill was married first in Wales, to Rachel Morris, who died April 1, 1901, leaving five children-Martha, Thomas, John, Annie and Evan. On September 26, 1907, he was married, secondly, to Mrs. Sarah (Evans) Pugh, a daughter of Thomas Evans. Mrs. McNeill was born in Wales and came to America in young wo- manhood. In 1896 she married Evan Pugh, who was also born in Wales. He died De- cember 26, 1903, leaving two sons, David Thomas and Evan John.
Mr. McNeill carries a life policy in the Prudential Insurance Company and he is
a member of the order of Elks and of other fraternal organizations. Mrs. MeNeill is a member of the Emanuel Baptist Church at New Castle, and of the Y. W. C. A., of New Castle.
JOHN HOPE, township auditor of North Beaver Township, who resides on his well improved farm of fifty-five acres, which lies just west of the Hope school- house, was born on the farm which ad- joins it on the east May 14, 1868, and is a son of A. M. and Mary Ann ( Rock) Hope, early settlers in the southwestern part of North Beaver Township, Lawrence Coun- ty, Pennsylvania.
John Hope grew to manhood on the home farm and attended the Hope school, which stands on his father's land, begin- ning attendance in 1874, when exercises were first held there. He has given his attention to farming ever since leaving school. After his marriage he purchased his present farm from his father, who had bought it of his father, John Hope, who was the first settler on it. In 1896 the present owner built the residence, a com- modious and comfortable one, and in 1906 he put up the substantial barn. He car- ries on general farming and dairying and is one of the stockholders in the Peters- burg Creamery.
Mr. Hope married Jannette Woods, daughter of James Woods, a resident of Mahoningtown, and they have four chil- dren-Earl, Harold, Rebecca and Eliza- beth. Mr. and Mrs. Hope are members of the Petersburg Presbyterian Church. In polities he is a Republican and on the tick- et of that party he was elected a member of the board of township auditors, which is made up of three of the most representa- tive citizens. He has also served for nine Years as a school director.
CHARLES E. TRAINOR, M. D., who enjoys the distinction of being one of the youngest medical practitioners at New Wil-
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY
mington and in Lawrence County, is also generally recognized as one of the most successful in his practice. He was born June 18, 1876, at Vicksburg, Miss., and is a son of John and Mary (Cummings) Trainor.
John Trainor was born in County Down, Ireland, and was a son of James and Mary Trainor, who never left their native land. John Trainor crossed the Atlantic ocean to America when he was only nine years of age and began to build up his future for- tune as a railroad worker at Vicksburg, Miss. He entered a railroad shop first in a humble position and later learned rail- roading in its practical form, and step by step was promoted until he became gen- eral foreman of the O. & C. shops at Vicks- burg. He was accidentally killed while at his work in 1892. Of his six children, Charles E. was the youngest.
Prior to 1888, when he came to New Wilmington and entered the high school in this city Dr. Trainor had been mainly in- structed in private schools at Vicksburg. After completing the high school course and graduating with credit, he turned his attention to the study of medicine, later entering Jefferson Medical College, Phila- delphia, where he was graduated in 1902, and successfully passed the competitive ex- amination which entitled him to the cov- eted position of interne at the Methodist Hospital, in Philadelphia. He served in that institution for thirteen months and then established himself at New Wilming- ton, and during the past five years has built up a large and lucrative practice.
On October 25, 1904, Dr. Trainor was united in marriage with Anna W. New- myer, who is a daughter of John C. and Anna (McCague) Newmyer, the former of whom is a very prominent politician and is speaker pro tem of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Dr. and Mrs. Trainor are members of the United Pres- byterian Church. They take an active part in the pleasant social life of the city.
ERNEST F. PERSCHKE, who resides five miles east of New Castle, in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, is the owner of a farm of sev- enty acres, and in addition to general farm- ing he operates a cider mill, in season. He was born in Germany August 25, 1858, and is a son of Frederick and Christiana (Notter) Perschke.
Frederick Perschke was born in Berlin, Germany, and there lived throughout life, being at one time superintendent of a large forestry preserve. He married Christiana Notter, a native of Germany, and they were parents of six children: Charles Otto, who lives in Sharpesville; Agnes, wife of George Veit, living near New Castle; Julius, who lives at Sharpesville; Ernest F., and two who died on the ocean while en route to this country. After the death of Mr. Perschke his widow set sail for America with her family of chil- dren, and took up her residence in Har- mony, Butler County, Pa., later moving to Lawrence County. She subsequently formed a second marital union with Fred Wahman, a farmer of Shenango Town- ship, and they had a son, Adolph Wahman. Mrs. Wahman is at present living in Sharpesville, at the home of her son.
ยท Ernest F. Perschke attended the public schools of Germany and also those in this country. He was about fifteen years of age when his mother moved with her fam- ily to the United States, and soon after coming he learned the trade of harness
maker. He worked at this trade in va- rious places, and for two years was located at Princeton. At the time of his second marriage he located upon his present farm, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits. His cider mill has also been a source of considerable revenue to him.
Mr. Perschke's first marriage was with Miss Jennie Lynton, who died three years later, leaving a daughter, Miss Mary, who lives with her Grandmother Lynton. His second union was with Miss Jane Sharp,
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a daughter of James Sharp, who was at one time owner of the farm on which the fam- ily now lives. Two children were born to them: Edward, who died at the age of four months, and Norman, who is eleven years old. In political affiliation Mr. Perschke is a Republican. In religious at- tachment he and his family are members of the Herman Presbyterian Church, in Slippery Rock Township.
J. T. GLEASON, deputy registrar and recorder of Lawrence County, has been at- tached to this office since 1889, and is one of the best known educators in Western Pennsylvania and Southwestern Ohio. He was born in Knox County, Ohio, but was reared in Trumbull County.
Mr. Gleason was a student at the Rock Creek Academy, but a large part of his fund of knowledge was obtained from pri- vate tutors. He decided to become a teach- er and received his first certificate from James A. Garfield, and taught his first term in Ashtabula County, subsequently teaching school for seventeen years. In 1856-57-58 he was superintendent of the Front Street school at Youngstown. He organized the Kent schools and was the first superintendent, reorganizing them and causing the adoption of the graded system. Later he went to Akron and was superintendent of the old Middlebury. schools. During the Civil War he was en- gaged in business at Pittsburg and after its close he resumed teaching, going to Mis- souri, where he organized the public school system and he was elected the first super- intendent of Montgomery County.
In 1872 Mr. Gleason came to New Castle and served one year as principal of the Third Ward School and one year as prin- cipal of the Jefferson Street School, later accepting a position as shipping clerk at the Aetna Mills. Several years later he was elected city comptroller, being the sec- ond incumbent of that office. From 1881 to 1885 Mr. Gleason was identified with a lumber company and in 1889 he was
elected registrar and recorder of Lawrence County. He served through two terms and ever since their close he has served as deputy. Few citizens of this section are better known or held in higher esteem.
In December, 1859, Mr. Gleason was married, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to Miss L. Rebecca Hought. They have three sons: Charles D., who is in business as dry goods buyer for Smith Bros. & Co., of Elk County, Pennsylvania; J. Eugene, who is foreman on the Morning Tribune, of East Liverpool, Ohio, and Clark E., who is engaged in a grocery business on Croton Avenue, New Castle. Mr. Gleason is a member of the First Methodist Epis- copal Church of New Castle, and he has served as recording secretary of this body for the past thirty years. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and has been secretary of the New Castle lodge for twelve years.
EUGENIO KINCAID SWISHER, a well known citizen and successful farmer of North Beaver Township, residing on his valuable farm of 103 acres, was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, August 22, 1834, and is a son of Jacob and Jane (McGuire) Swisher.
Jacob Swisher brought his family to Lawrence County in 1852 and bought a farm in Little Beaver Township, but he lost all he put into this investment, as relatives of the man of whom he purchased claimed that he was insane, thus forcing Mr. Swisher to go to law to contest his claim. Later, he came to North Beaver Township and bought the farm which ad- joined that of his son, Eugenio K., on the south, and lived there until within a few days of his death. He had started to visit a daughter in Missouri, and while on the way fell off the railroad car in the night and was accidentally killed. His wife had died in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Eugenio K. Swisher developed business ability long before he had attained his majority. He raised and bought and sold stock, also did considerable butchering
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY
and marketed his meat in Petersburg. Later he entered into the lumber business in connection with Miller and Failor and they operated a saw and planing mill and bending works at Petersburg. Subsequent- ly he became interested in a grist mill busi- ness in Enon, which he continued for three years and then traded that for a farm in Portage County, on which he lived for one year. Mr. Swisher was always fond of a little speculating, and when oppor- tunity offered he traded his Portage Coun- ty farm for one in Milton Township, Ma- honing County, Ohio, and resided there for the next five years. He then traded it for a farm in Berlin Township, also in Mahon- ing County. After about eight years on that farm he traded it for the one he now owns in Lawrence County. Mr. Swisher is considered an excellent business man and his investments are very likely to turn out profitably.
Mr. Swisher married Betsey Jane Hope, who died in 1901. She was a daughter of John Hope and a granddaughter of Adam Hope, who was one of the earliest settlers in North Beaver Township. One son was born of this marriage, William H., who resides with and assists his father. Will- iam H. Swisher married Elizabeth Cline. Mr. Swisher takes very little interest in polities. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Petersburg.
JOHN MARKET, one of the repre- sentative citizens and former miners of Big Beaver Township, in which his two valuable farms aggregating sixty-three and one-half acres are situated, was born June 26, 1848, at Shade Furnace, east of Johnstown, in Somerset County, Pa. His parents were Valentine and Anna Mary Market.
Valentine Market was born in Bavaria, Germany, where he assisted his father, Mi- chael Market, who was a maker of wine. After his marriage to Mary Smith he sold his business, and in 1842, in company with Michael Baer, came to America. At
Pittsburg Mr. Baer left Valentine Mar- ket, settling in Butler County, Pennsyl- vania. Valentine Market landed in the city of New York June 29, 1842, and very soon found work but did not accept it, as Mr. Baer wished his company to Pittsburg, where, when they separated, Mr. Market found his capital entirely exhausted. He made his way to Bedford County and se- cured work as a blacksmith, where he re- mained three and one-half years, going from there to the Sarah furnace, later to the Shade furnace, working for two and one-half years at each place; then to Black Lake furnace, in Indiana, for one year; then three and one-half years in Cambria furnace, in Cambria County, three and one-half years more at Ben's Creek and then returning for one and one-half years to the Cambria furnace, and in the fall of 1858 he settled at Johnstown. Mr. Market lived there until the fall of 1880, when he came to Lawrence County, where he died three years later at the age of eighty- four years. His wife had died at Pitts- burg, aged seventy-five years. They had the following children: Joseph P., Valen- tine, Simon, John, Eva, Mary and an un- named infant.
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