Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 118

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 118

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children, as follows: W. S. Gibson, of New Castle, who married Charlotte Johnston; Amanda (Hannah), of New Castle; S. W. Gibson, of New Castle, who married Ida Weingartner; Anderson P., who lives north of Princeton, married Florence Houk; Ella (Thompson), of Shenango Township; J. B. Gibson, of Slippery Rock Township, who married Belle Aiken; John L., of Shenan- go Township, who married Agnes Shoe- maker; George Vincent, and Anna (Aiken) of Shenango Township.

George V. Gibson received his intellec- tual training in the public schools of his native township, and has always lived on the old home place. He began farming at an early age and has continued it ever since, and has been particularly success- ful as a grower of small fruits. He has purchased the interests of all the heirs of his father's estate, with the exception of his brother, John L., in connection with whom he now owns the farm. He is a man of great energy and industry, and of frugal habits, taking rank among the most suc- cessful of the younger generation of agri- culturists of the township.

Mr. Gibson was united in marriage June 3, 1908, with Miss Eva Houk, a daughter of J. C. Houk, of Shenango Township. In polities he is a consistent supporter of Re- publican principles, while in religious at- tachment he and his wife are consistent members of the United Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church re- spectively.

JAMES M. SMITH, of the well-known Smith-Hutton-Kirk Company, leading hardware dealers of New Castle, Pa., was born in this city March 23, 1862. He was there reared and educated, and in early life engaged in his present business. His connection with the hardware firm of Kirk & Dickson began about twenty-six years ago, and he has continued with the same establishment through its various changes in ownership to the present time. This enterprise was established at an early date

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by Mr. Dickson, who later formed a part- nership with Mr. Kirk, the firm of Kirk & Dickson existing from 1885 until 1889, when the firm of Kirk & Smith came into being and existed until 1898. At that time the Kirk & Smith Company was organized, and in 1902 the Smith-Hutton-Kirk Com- pany, under which title the business is now carried on. It is recognized as one of the foremost business houses of the city and enjoys an extensive patronage throughout the county. Mr. Smith was united in mar- riage October 23, 1900, with Miss Frances Agnew, of Sewickley, Pa., and they have two children -- James M., Jr., and Alice Agnew. Mr. Smith holds fraternal rela- tions with the Masonic order and is a mem- ber of the Lawrence Club of New Castle.

JAMES E. REED, whose valuable farm of 109 acres, generally known as the old James Reed home place, is situated in the southwestern part of North Beaver Town- ship, is one of the well-known residents of this section. He was born on this farm January 11, 1858, and is a son of James and Mary (Kennedy ) Reed.

The Reed family is one of the oldest in North Beaver Township and the present farm has been in its possession for over 100 years. William Reed, the grandfather, settled here at a very early day and his son, James Reed, was born here. In early manhood James Reed married Mary Ken- nedy, who was born and reared in North Beaver Township, and was a member of another old pioneer family. She died in 1876 and was survived five years by her husband. Of their six children three sur- vive, namely: Matthew Kennedy, residing at New Castle; Elizabeth, wife of Andrew Robertson, and James E.

James Evlin Reed was reared on the farm he now owns and obtained his educa- tion in the country schools. He married Viola Hope, who is a daughter of A. M. Hope, a substantial farmer of North Bea- ver Township, and they have two daugh- ters, Mary Ilga and Hilda Vesta. Both

daughters were given excellent educational advantages and Mary Ilga has been a suc- cessful teacher for the past seven years. She was married to David Woods, of North Beaver Township, and now resides near the Westfield Church. The younger daugh- ter is the wife of John Lewis Gailey, a con- tractor of New Castle. Mr. Reed carries on general agriculture, including dairying and stock raising. He is one of the town- ship's representative citizens.

HERBERT E. BARR, M. D., who en- joys a large and lucrative medical practice at New Wilmington, is a worthy represent- ative of a profession which numbers many eminent men in its ranks in Lawrence County. Dr. Barr was born December 4, 1871, in Gujoanwalla, India, and is a son of Rev. James S. and Mary (Black) Barr.

Rev. James Barr was born in Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Smith) Barr, and a grandson of John and Rebecca (Lawrence) Barr. The grandparents of Rev. James S. Barr were natives of County Down, Ire- land, and their coming to America was the result of an elopement and marriage against the wishes of unsympathetic par- ents. They founded the Barr family in Washington County.

Dr. Barr was born while his father was fulfilling his duties as a missionary in In- dia. He is one of a family of ten chil- dren-John Lawrence, William M., James D., Elizabeth Emma, Frances E., Theo- dora, Herbert E., Margaret Ethel, Howard Adelfred and Mary Edith. Four members of this family are deceased. Dr. Barr lived in India until he was twelve years of age, and he owes his early education to the patient care of a beloved mother, who so carefully trained him that when the family had returned to Pennsylvania he was pre- pared to enter the preparatory depart- ment of Westminster College, although then but fourteen years old. He remained at this institution until he graduated and later took a special medical course at the .

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Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and was finally graduated at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He imme- diately established his residence at New Wilmington and here has made both pro- fessional and personal friends. With his family he belongs to the United Presbyte- rian Church. His handsome home is a two- story structure standing oposite the post- office on Main Street.

A. MARTIN GRAHAM, a member of the Lawrence County bar, and a promi- nent factor in Democratie political circles at New Castle, was born in 1873 in Wash- ington Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, and is a son of John and Agnes (Martin) Graham.

John Graham was born at Harlansburg, Lawrence County, in 1844 and has been identified with the agricultural interests of this section ever since. His father, Arch- ibald Graham, was born in Ireland and came to Lawrence County among the early settlers, where he attained prominence and acquired substance. John Graham mar- ried Agnes Martin, who was a daughter of Hugh Martin, a native of Ireland, who was a pioneer in Western Pennsylvania and the founder of a family which has many distinguished members in Lawrence County.

A. Martin Graham was educated at Vo- lant Academy, Scio College, and Mt. Union University, and later taught school for sev- eral years. In 1896 he entered the law of- fice of Hon. J. Norman Martin, where he completed his law studies and in 1897 was admitted to the bar. Ever since he has been associated with Judge Martin in his office, with the exception of the period spent as a soldier in the Spanish-American War. For this service he enlisted in 1898, in Company B, Sixteenth Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and was discharged December 28, 1898, having participated in the Porto Rico campaign. On April 12, 1900, Mr. Graham was married to Miss Emma M. Guy, who was born and reared

in Lawrence County, and is a daughter of Wallace H. Guy. They are members of the Baptist Church.

Ever since attaining manhood Mr. Gra- ham has taken a lively interest in public affairs and in politics, and has been seere- tary of the Democratic County Committee since becoming a resident of New Castle. He has been loyal to his friends and has at present a very fair prospect of being elect- ed to the State Senate. He is a Knight Templar Mason and a "Shriner," belongs to the Spanish-American War Veterans, to the Sons of Veterans and to the Lawrence Club. Professionally he has been success- ful and is a member of the Lawrence Coun- ty Bar Association, and is entitled to prac- tice in the Supreme, Circuit and District Courts of the State.

JOHN W. GAILEY, who is now living in retirement at his country home one- quarter of a mile east of Mt. Jackson, was for many years extensively engaged in con- tracting and building throughout this part of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and the eastern part of Mahoning County, Ohio. He was born in Mt. Jackson June 10, 1849, is a son of James and Hannah Jane (Me- Bride) Gailey, and a grandson of William Gailey.

William Gailey was a native of Ireland, and upon coming to the United States be- came one of the early residents of Roches- ter, Pa. He later moved to North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, where his last days were spent. His son, James Gailey, father of our subject, was born in North Beaver Township, and at an early age learned the trade of a marble cutter. He followed this line of work throughout life, and there are many tombstones stand- ing in the cemeteries, hereabouts, which bear silent evidence of his skill at that trade.

John W. Gailey spent his boyhood days in the village of Mt. Jackson, where he at- tended the public schools. At the age of nineteen years he went to Pittsburg and

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served two years of apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade in the establishment of Brown & Company. He then went to Salem, Ohio, and after finishing his trade returned to Mt. Jackson, where he thereafter made his headquarters throughout his active business career. He embarked in contract- ing and building and erected many of the houses, churches, schoolbuildings and barns throughout this section of Lawrence Coun- ty, as well as across the line in Mahoning County, Ohio. Among the structures built by him may be mentioned the Hillsville M. E. Church, the Hillsville Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church at New Middletown, Ohio, the Springfield Reformed Church, the Mt. Jackson U. P. Church, the Seventh Ward M. E. Church of New Castle, and the Seventh Ward School.

Mr. Gailey was first joined in marriage at Hillsville, with Miss Mary Martin, daughter of Thomas Martin, and they be- came parents of nine children, as follows: Ada, who died at the age of three years; Anna, wife of Norman A. Craig; Martin Lee, who is engaged in the lumber business at New Castle, and married Frances Gib- son, of New Castle; J. Lewis, who married Hilda Reed and is a builder and contractor in New Castle; Sarah, wife of James Mc- Cord, of Hillsville; Mary Permilla, who is single and lives at home; James Dale, who also is at home; an infant who died un- named, and Olive J. Mrs. Mary Gailey died in 1894.

John W. Gailey formed a second mari- tal union with Mrs. Cecelia (Gailey) Ald- rich, widow of James Aldrich, by whom she had a son, J. Delbert Aldrich, who married Ella Nosker and has three chil- dren. Mrs. Gailey is a daughter of An- drew Gailey and a first cousin to her hus- band. Andrew Gailey was a pioneer of North Beaver Township, but moved from Lawrence County at the time of the Civil War, when the wife of our subject was a child, she being raised in Eastern Ohio. He was a soldier in the Civil War and partici- pated in many important engagements, in

one of which he was shot through the head. Notwithstanding this injury he lived to reach an advanced age, dying in February, 1907, in his eighty-ninth year.

Mr. Gailey is a Republican in politics, and has held some office or other in the township ever since reaching his majority. He was overseer of the poor for twenty years, and also served as constable, among other offices. He has been a member of the M. E. Church of Mt. Jackson since November, 1866, and has helped it over some very rough spots in the road. At one time the congregation dwindled down until he was the only member left, but largely through his instrumentality it was placed on its feet, and is today in a thriv- ing condition.

WYATT R. CAMPBELL, conducting a furniture and undertaking business at New Wilmington, was born near West Middle- sex, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Thomas and Lizzie (Dawson) Campbell. Thomas Campbell was a son of James Campbell, who was a prominent farmer and horseman of Mercer County.

Wyatt R. Campbell received his literary training in the schools of Mercer County, and in 1896 was graduated from the Rens- ward School of Embalming, in New York City. For five years thereafter he worked at New Castle and traveled for two years handling undertakers' supplies. After that he purchased his present establishment and began business in a small way. Through honorable methods and close attention to details he has enlarged the original scope of the business until he now owns a first- class furniture store, with fine quarters on Main Street, so arranged that his goods are well displayed, together with the larg- est livery stable in the place. His under- taking business is the only one in Wil- mington Township, and he has modern and sanitary provisions for the same, several fine teams of horses and different hearses with every proper accompaniment in the line of undertaking goods.

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Mr. Campbell was married in 1892 to Christian Osmun, a daughter of Alonzo Os- mun, who was a prominent merchant at Sunbury, Pa. Mr. Campbell has taken an active part in public life at New Wilming- ton, serving three years as a member of the borough council and as town treasurer. He is a deacon in the Neshannock Presby- terian Church, served for three years as superintendent of the Sunday-school and for three years was president of the Young People's Society. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, and has passed all the chairs in Neshannock Lodge, No. 521, of New Wilmington.

WILLIAM T. JENKINS, a leading citi- zen of Big Beaver Township, residing on his valuable farm of fifty-five acres, which is situated about ten miles south of New Castle, was born March 11, 1863, on his father's farm in Big Beaver Township, near Wampum, Pa. His parents were John H. and Sophia (Hennon) Jenkins.

The paternal grandfather, Andrew Jenkins, probably came to Washington County, Pennsylvania, from Ireland. In 1800 he removed from there to Lawrence County, being one of the earliest pioneers in his section. Andrew Jenkins and wife traveled by means of a small boat, carry- ing with them a handful of domestic uten- sils and when they landed near what is now called Jenkins' Bridge, they found it neces- sary to put up a shelter. The pioneers were people of resourceful quality, and very soon a temporary home was made with bushes and sapling poles, which served un- til a clearing could be completed and a log cabin built. Andrew Jenkins remained on that farm until he completed clearing it and acquired more and more land until he owned 1,000 acres, including the old Hatchet Tract, of eighty-four acres, which is still in the family. He was a man of great energy and enterprise. Besides be- ing a surveyor he operated a saw and grist-mill and ran a distillery. During the War of 1812 he was a major in one of the

regiments, his son Thomas holding the same rank during his service in the Civil War.

Andrew Jenkins was married twice and the children of his first union were: Elia- zor, deceased; Anna, wife of Thomas Mc- Chesney, both deceased; Rebecca, wife of William McCullough, both deceased; Rob- ert; Aseneth, wife of John White; Lucin- da, wife of Milton Leonard; Andrew and John Henry, all of whom are deceased. The children of Andrew Jenkins by his second marriage were: Thomas K., of Missouri; Mary, wife of Aaron Reed, both deceased; David, deceased, and Ellen, wife of Will- iam Stafford.

John Henry Jenkins was born in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, be- fore it was separated from Beaver Coun- ty, and until he was twenty-one years of age he assisted on the home farm. After that he engaged in teaming, hauling logs with his three-ox team, to his father's wa- ter power saw-mill, in the meanwhile learn- ing the plasterer's trade, which he followed for forty years. He lived a long and re- spected life, dying March 4, 1904, aged sev- enty-eight years. His widow survives. Her maiden name was Sophia Hennon and she is a daughter of Thomas Hennon. They had six children, namely: William Thomas; Anna M., who married Robert Buchanan, of Lawrence County; Ida, who married Hugh McCready; Joseph R., who married Maud Crawford, and two who died in in- fancy.

William T. Jenkins obtained his educa- tion in the district schools and has fol- lowed farming and threshing for many years. In September, 1879, he moved to his present farm and here carries on a general line of agriculture. For some seven years he devoted a large part of his time to threshing and selling farm machin- ery. On March 30, 1895, he was married to Lillian M. Beatty, who is a daughter of Almatrim and Jane (Patterson) Beatty, and they have two children, Frank W. and Edna May. The family belong to the Unit-

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ed Presbyterian Church at New Galilee, of which Mr. Jenkins is treasurer. He has been elected to a number of important township offices on the Democratic ticket and at present is township assessor.

A. W. WOODS, president of the New Castle Contracting Company, which makes a specialty of street paving, sewer and ce- ment work and is an important business enterprise of this city, is one of New Cas- tle's thoroughly self made men. He was born in 1868, within three miles of New Castle. William Woods, the father of A. W. Woods, was born in 1846, in England, and came to America and to Lawrence County in 1859. He was engaged in a gro- cery business at New Castle at the time of his death, in 1885.

A. W. Woods had few advantages of any kind in his youth, but he possessed ambi- tion, and through persistent effort in the face of many drawbacks advanced himself and bettered his fortunes. In boyhood he went to work in a stove factory and later in the rolling-mills, taking advantage of every opportunity to husband his capital and to improve his efficiency along lines which enabled him, by 1893, to enter into a general contracting business. This he has developed into one of the largest concerns of its kind in the city. He did business un- der the style of A. W. Woods, contractor, until 1907, when a change was made and the name of the New Castle Contracting Company was assumed. A large propor- tion of the paving, sewer and cement work which so adds to the beauty and stability of New Castle, stands to the credit of this company. Mr. Woods has in the mean- while acquired property which includes a farm in Lawrence County and valuable realty in the city.

On December 12, 1888, Mr. Woods was married to Miss Ida Hammond, who was born and reared at New Castle. They are members of Trinity Episcopal Church. Mr. Woods is a Mason, a member of the Shrine and the Lodge of Perfection, and he be-

longs also to the I. O. O. F., Woodmen, the Elks and other orders. He is identified with the New Castle Club. Mr. Woods' career has been remarkable in one respect at least. He had no educational advan- tages in his youth; yet despite this draw- back he has succeeded beyond most men of his age in New Castle. His clear cut com- mon sense and keen intelligence has been his safeguard and guide. He manages and directs entirely the affairs of the company, of which he is the head, and the success they have achieved speaks volumes for the sound judgment he has displayed.

D. W. HOUK, postmaster and general merchant of Mt. Jackson, Lawrence Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, is a man of extensive and varied business experience, having been identified with various branches of trade not only in this county but in distant States.

Mr. Houk was born in New Castle, Pa., April 3, 1881, and is a son of Isaac R. and Mary L. (Rhodes) Houk. His father fol- lowed the trade of a carpenter many years and for a time conducted a general store in McCaslin, where he now lives in retire- ment, his home being located on Florence Avenue. Our subject was reared in New Castle and attended its public schools, and at the early age of fifteen years he started out on his business career, engaged in huckstering. He later attended college at Volant one year, then returned to New Castle and went to work in the civil en- gineering department of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He later became shipping clerk in the McNab & Rhodes furniture store, and continued in that capacity one year, after which he went to McCaslin Corners and purchased the general store which his father had conducted for some years at an earlier period. He continued there and prospered for three years, and after sell- ing out to good advantage went to Ten- nessee, thence to Indiana and afterwards to Oklahoma. He has always dealt more or less in real estate, and has bought, sold

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and traded property in many States of the Union. During the time he was away from Lawrence County he was owner of the Lawrence Transfer and Storage Company at New Castle, which business he subse- quently sold. He was engaged for some years as traveling representative of the H. Childs Shoe Company, leaving their em- ploy in the spring of 1907, when he located at Mt. Jackson. He purchased his present store of Mr. W. S. Caldwell, enlarged his stock and has greatly increased its patron- age. He carries a comprehensive line of groceries, dry goods, boots and shoes, hardware, farm implements and musical instruments, in fact almost every article for which there is a demand ; he also deals in automobiles, at this time having 110 see- ond-hand automobiles for sale. He is a man of recognized business ability, and has taken high rank among the progressive people in this community.

Mr. Houk was united in marriage with Miss Annie P. Anderson, and they are par- ents of four children-Orville, Russell, Thelma and Cecil. He is a self-made man in every sense the term implies, the suc- cess he has attained being due to his own energy, enterprise and good business judg- ment.

JOHN W. CUMMINGS, general farmer and dairyman, residing on an excellent es- tate containing 104 acres of fine farming land, which is situated one-half mile west of New Wilmington, on the south side of the Pulaski Road, was born September 8, 1860, in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James B. and Mary (Reid) Cummings.

John W. Cummings received his primary education in the schools near his home and later entered Westminster College, in which his father was an instructor for a period of forty years. He was also a man of local prominence in other lines and was widely known. John W. remained in col- lege until in his junior year and then set- tled on his present farm and turned his

attention to agricultural pursuits, taking particular interest in raising fine Guern- sey cattle and developing a dairy business. He finds his market at New Castle.

On October 14, 1882, Mr. Cummings was married to Margaret R. Moore, and he has five children, namely: Helen, residing at New Castle, who married James G. Pat- terson; and Thomas F., Mary Agnes, Howard Patterson and David H. Mr. Cum- mings is a member of the United Presby- terian Church.

WILLIAM H. CRAWFORD, a progres- sive farmer and well known and respected citizen of Big Beaver Township, was born in North Beaver Township, this county, October 28, 1854, son of James and Nancy (Lindsey) Crawford.

James Crawford, the father, was born near Liverpool, Ohio, in 1822, and was a son of William Crawford, of Scotch-Irish descent, who died in this State. On com- ing to this section the latter had settled near Liverpool, where in early days he fol- lowed farming. He died on his farm when in middle life. His widow, Eliza (Hender- son) Crawford, died later at Sharon, Pa., at the age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: James; Robert, who is deceased; William, who resides in the State of Florida ; Jane, now deceased, who was the wife of Charles Everetts; Mary, who became the wife of John Hoover; Isabella, wife of Thomas Bagnell, and Richard, who died in boy- hood.

James Crawford, who was his parents' eldest child, remained in Ohio until he was about sixteen years of age, at which time the family came to Lawrence County. Here James was married to Nancy Lindsey, a daughter of John and Ann (Carlisle) Lind- sey. Her father was a native of County Down, Ireland, and a weaver by trade. He and his wife Ann were married in Ireland and there five of their children were born, they becoming the parents of five more af- ter coming to this country. They were as

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follows: Jane, who married Samuel Stew- art, both being now deceased; Sarah Ann, who married John Patterson, they also be- ing now deceased; John and Robert, de- ceased; Maria, born in Ireland, who mar- ried M. Right and is now deceased, as is also her husband; Susannah, now de- ceased; Nancy, widow of James Crawford ; Charlotta, widow of Robert Jenkins, now deceased; Margaret, who was the wife of Joseph Wilson, both being now deceased, and Elizabeth, who married William Mich- aels and is also deceased with her husband. On coming from Ireland the family first lo- cated at Baltimore for a short time, where Mr. Lindsey had an uncle residing with whom they obtained shelter. They then moved to Camp Run and thence came to Lawrence County, settling in the woods. Both parents died here at a ripe old age, the mother passing away first. Their daughter Nancy (Mrs. James Crawford) was born at Camp Run, October 15, 1831, and was a child when the family came to Lawrence County. She was educated in the old log schoolhouse, and when a girl of eighteen joined the United Presbyterian Church at Bethel. At the age of twenty- two she became the wife of James Craw- ford.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 118

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