Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 121

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 121

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James P. Robison was reared on the old home farm, which is now owned by his brother, John C. Robison. He obtained his education in the district schools of North Beaver Township, and has followed farming through all his mature life. After his marriage, in 1892, he brought his wife to the present farm, and has continued to improve the place ever since. He erected all the comfortable and substantial build- ings now standing, and has thereby great- ly added to the value of the property. He carries on a general line of farming, keeps cows enough for the domestic dairy, has bountiful orchards and excellent farm equipment, and may justly be considered one of the township's substantial men.

Mr. Robison was married in 1892 to Laura L. Paden, who is a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Crawford) Paden. She was born in Big Beaver Township, but was reared in North Beaver Township. They have two children, Lulu C. and Bessie J. Mr. Robison and family belong to the Westfield Presbyterian Church.

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

WILLIAM M. ALLISON, who owns a farm of eighty acres about one mile east of Princeton, in Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, is a veteran of the Civil War and has followed farming as an occupation all his life, but is now living, practically, in re- tirement. He was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1838, is a son of George and Jane (Kennedy) Allison, and a grandson of William Allison.

William Allison, the grandfather, was born in Ireland and upon coming to this country located near Prospect, Pa., where he passed the remainder of his days in agricultural pursuits. His widow, whose maiden name was Gardner, died near Wurtemburg, Lawrence County.

George Allison was born near Prospect, Butler County, and received his educa- tional training in the primitive schools of that neighborhood. Late in the forties he moved to what has since been known as the old Allison homestead in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, acquir- ing 160 acres of wild and undeveloped land. He made a clearing, erected a cabin and there farmed until his death in 1853. He married Jane Kennedy, a daughter of Miller Kennedy, of Lawrence County, he having come originally from east of Pitts- burg. Five children were the issue of this union: William M .; James, who died upon his return from the war; Gilbert, of New Castle; Martha, widow of Bitner Allen, lives in Oklahoma, and Mary Jane, de- ceased, was the wife of David P. Crable and lived in Nebraska.

William M. Allison received his intellec- tual training in the public schools of Law- rence County, and lived on the old home farm throughout his active business ca- reer, except for the time spent in the Union army during the Civil War. He farmed with great success and in 1906 turned the home place over to his son, and moved to his present location. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the One Hundredth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan-

try, known as "Round Heads," and served one and a half years, being discharged at the end of that time on account of physical disability, caused by a spell of sickness. During that time he participated in num- erous important battles and skirmishes, among them James Island, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain and An- tietam.

Mr. Allison was united in marriage with Mary Jane Burnside, whose parents came to the Muddy Creek community of Law- rence County from their native land, Ire- land. Eight children were born to bless this home: James, of Colorado, who mar- ried Nora Book and has a son, William; John, who also is in the West; Albert, who lives on the home place; Samuel, who mar- ried Nina Annibal, of Rose Point, has three children, Earl, Paul and Bessie Marie; Bessie, wife of John L. Gillespie, lives in Colorado; Audley, living on the old home- stead, married Lillie Munnell; Edward, a dentist by profession, lives in Lowellville, Ohio, and Howard lives on the home place. Politically, Mr. Allison is a stanch Repub- lican and takes a deep interest in his par- ty's success. Religiously he is a member of the Oak Grove United Presbyterian Church.

HOWARD MUNNELL, a leading rep- resentative of the grocery trade at New Castle, has a well stocked store at No. 59 Pittsburg Street, where he has built up a prosperous business since its establishment in 1902. Mr. Munnell was born in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, and is a son of James S. Mun- nell.

The great-grandfather, James Munnell, settled first in Scott Township about 1790, and on the old homestead there the three successive generations were born. Jame. S. Munnell, father of Howard, was born in 1835 and he followed an agricultural life. During the Civil War he served his country as a soldier in the One Hundred

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and Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry, and was mustered out with his regiment.

Howard Munnell was reared in his na- tive neighborhood and attended the coun- try schools and later the Slippery Rock State Normal School, where he was credit- ably graduated in the class of 1891. For some years he taught school and later en- gaged in clerking in a grocery store where he gained the experience which has been beneficial to him in the management of his own grocery concern. This he organized at New Castle in May, 1902. He has a thoroughly up-to-date grocery store, han- dles both staple and fancy groceries and sells both flour and feed.

In 1898 Mr. Munnell was married to Miss Clara Patterson, who is a daughter of W. E. Patterson, a well-known business citizen of New Castle. Mr. and Mrs. Mun- nell have one child, Lolita Munnell. They are members of the Central Presbyterian Church. Mr. Munnell is a good citizen, very active in supporting public measures which promise to be beneficial to the city, but he takes no lively interest in politics. He belongs to the Maccabees, is a member of the Business Men's Exchange and also of the Retail Grocers' Association, being treasurer of this body.

J. M. ENGLISH, one of the organizers and a member and stockholder of the Acme Lumber Company, an important business enterprise of New Castle, has been a resi- dent of this city for thirty-eight years. He was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1850.

Mr. English came to New Castle in 1870, from Mercer County, where he had learned the carpenter's trade, and this he followed continuously from that time until 1898, when he engaged in a lumber business. In 1901, in association with Robert W. Hen- derson, he organized the Acme Lumber Company and Mr. Henderson remained a member of the firm for three years and a half. After his retirement the business

was reorganized and the present firm is made up of J. M. English, J. M. Smith and W. S. Taylor. A large retail business is carried on and also some wholesaling done, the company owning a planing mill and manufacturing sash, doors and builders' supplies.

In 1871 Mr. English was married to Miss Mary Hosaac, who was born and reared in Mercer County. They have two chil- dren: Elizabeth, who is the wife of Grant Dodds, of Superior, Neb., and Catherine, wife of Harry Kaven, of New Castle. Mr. English is a member of the United Pres- byterian Church and one of its trustees. He is liberal in his support of church chari- ties and stands high in the regard of his fellow citizens generally. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and he belongs also to the Hoo Hoos, the lumber dealers' organ- ization.

WILLIS L. FULLERTON, owner of the valuable sixty-two acre farm on which he resides, which is situated in North Beaver Township, on the Mt. Jackson-Mt. Air Road, about two and one-half miles south- west of Mt. Jackson, was born on an ad- joining farm April 19, 1866. His parents were Milton and Margaret (Hayes) Ful- lerton, and he is a representative of an old and prominent county family. Mr. Fuller- ton grew to manhood on his father's farm and obtained his education in the public schools. He is engaged in general farming and dairying, making a specialty of the latter industry. A portion of his farm was taken from the old homestead, and thirty- three acres originally belonged to the old John R. Hayes farm. The substantial barn, which is a feature of the place, he bought from Martha Wells, it formerly standing on her property at Mahoningtown. It was constructed of sound timber and after Mr. Fullerton had purchased it and moved it to his own place and set it on a new foun- dation, it gave him a substantial structure which scarcely has its equal on any farm in this vicinity. In 1889 he erected his

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commodious and comfortable frame resi- dence. Mr. Fullerton is a man of progres- sive ideas and this is shown by his general use of improved machinery and by the in- terest he takes in a silo he has in course of building.

Mr. Fullerton was united in marriage with Jennie McCreary, who was born and reared in North Beaver Township, north of Westfield Church. She is a daughter of William and Martha (Shook) McCreary. They have three children-Mabel, Nina and Sylvia. The family belong to the West- field Presbyterian Church.

FRANK B. CHAPIN, a progressive and representative farmer of Neshannock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania, comes of an old and respected fam- ily of the county. He was born in Wilming- ton Township, December 1, 1869, is a son of John W. and Margaret (West) Chapin, and a grandson of Andrus Chapin.

Andrus Chapin, the grandfather, was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in 1804, and was a son of John Chapin, who lived and died in that county. The family is of Scotch descent, two brothers coming to America during the seventeenth century and locating in the colonies of the East. Andrus Chapin received a common school- ing and early in life took to farming, which he followed all his days. In 1835 he moved to Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, and settled on the farm now owned by Charles Ferver. In 1841 he located on a farm in Neshannock Township, which was heavily timbered. He cleared nearly all the land and successfully engaged in farm- ing and stock raising. He was originally a Democrat in politics, later a "Know Nothing," and upon the organization of the Republican party became an enthusi- astic supporter of its principles. He mar- ried Rebecca Stackhouse, who was born in Luzerne County, and was a daughter of James Stackhouse. They had seven chil- dren, two of whom are now living.

John W. Chapin was born on the home-

stead in Neshannock Township, April 4, 1841, and was there reared to maturity. At the time of his marriage his father gave him fifty acres of land where Eugene W. Chapin now resides, and there he made his home and farmed seven or eight years, when he was obliged to give up farm work because of the ague from which he suf- fered. After his father's death he bought the old homestead and lived there the re- mainder of his life. He was a Republican in politics, and served as school director, but although he was well informed on pub- lic affairs never was active in politics. He was joined in marriage with Margaret West, whose father, William West, was at one time a resident of Neshannock Town- ship, but went to the gold fields of Cali- fornia in 1849, and, succeeding, remained there until his death. This union resulted in the birth of four children, two of whom grew up, namely: Eugene W., who was born February 21, 1863, and lives in Ne- shannock Township, and Frank B. Relig- iously they were members of the M. E. Church, of which he was steward and trustee.

Frank B. Chapin was educated in the schools of his native township, and then entered actively into business. He has for the past twelve years resided on the old homestead. Prior to that time he was for six years hay buyer for Charles Ferver, and in that capacity traveled as far west as Iowa and east to Massachusetts. He has a farm of 107 acres, fifty acres of which are in hay, ten acres being devoted to each of the following crops-corn, wheat and oats. He keeps about twenty head of cattle and horses, and for a period of five years followed dairying extensively, whole- saling the milk in New Castle. He is a suc- cessful farmer and an enterprising citizen. He is a Republican in politics, has served on the school board and election board, but is not a politician.

Mr. Chapin was united in marriage with Corinth Pomeroy, a daughter of Robert P. Pomeroy, of New Castle, and they have

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three children-Leonora Margaret, John Albert and Gertrude. Religiously he is a member and trustee of the M. E. Church, and serves as treasurer of the Sabbath school.

H. B. WILKINS, of the firm of Wilkins Bros. & Company, dealers in dry goods, shoes and general notions, at New Castle, is one of the progressive merchants and enterprising business men of this city. Mr. Wilkins was born in 1883 at West Eliza- beth, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John Wilkins, who is a super- intendent for the Metropolitan Life Insur- ance Company.

H. B. Wilkins was reared in Allegheny County and was educated in excellent schools at MeKeesport and Allegheny City and later took a business course at the Woonsocket Business University, Woon- socket, R. I. After completing his educa- tion Mr. Wilkins accepted a position as bookkeeper and cashier with the Metro- politan Life Insurance Company, which he filled for three years. He then turned his attention to the study of electricity, but met with an accident which changed his career, and in 1905 he came to New Castle. Here he established his present business and has the sole charge, displaying unusual business tact and executive ability for one of his years. He is a member of the Ep- worth Methodist Episcopal Church and takes an active interest in Sunday-school work, teaching one of the classes. Although his residence in this city is covered by a period of but a few years, he has displayed the qualities which have attracted warm personal friends to him on every side.

WILLIS CLARK HAYES, of North Beaver Township, is a general farmer who is fortunate enough to still reside on the farm of 110 acres, on which he was born, September 3, 1867-a fine property which he now owns and which is situated on the Enon-Mt. Jackson Road, near Bethel

Church. His parents were Joseph H. and Mary A. (Clark) Hayes.

The late Joseph H. Hayes was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of David Hayes, who was a prominent attorney there, but who owned a number of farms in different sections. The latter died two months before the birth of his son, Joseph H. With her infant the widow of David Hayes took up her residence on a farm adjoining the one now owned by Willis C. Hayes, and there Joseph H. grew to manhood and after his own marriage settled on the adjoining farm, where he died in September, 1901. He married Mary A. Clark, who survives and lives with her son, Willis Clark Hayes. She was born in the northwestern part of North Beaver Township and is a daughter of William and Nancy (Boyd) Clark. Of this mar- riage there were born seven children, namely: Nancy, now deceased, who was the wife of William Boyd; Samuel B .; Liz- zie, who is the wife of W. B. Hamill; Frank M., a physician, who is now deceased; Wil- lis Clark, and Herbert and Harry, the for- mer of whom resides at Denver, Colo., the latter being now deceased.

Willis C. Hayes since completing his education in the public schools has directed all his energies to developing and improv- ing his farm, where he is engaged in gen- eral agriculture. He married Lizzie Mer- cer, who was born at Sharon, Pa., and who is a daughter of William Mercer. They have one son, Harry. They are members of the Westfield Presbyterian Church. Mr. Clark belongs to the Knights of Pythias organization at Mt. Jackson. The Hayes and Clark families have been representa- tive ones in this section for very many years.

JOSIAH BRADEN, a veteran of the Civil War and a well-known farmer of Slippery Rock Township, has a farm of fifty-six acres lying one and a quarter miles east of Princeton. He was born near Har-

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lansburg, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, November 8, 1837, and is a son of James and Rachel (Cotton) Braden.

James Braden, grandfather of Josiah, was born in Ireland, and came to America shortly after the birth of his oldest child. They located near Coatesville, Pa., and later crossed the mountains to Mercer County, Pennsylvania. He died in that county and his widow in Lawrence County.

James Braden was born in Mercer Coun- ty, and attended the early schools of his home locality. After leaving school he worked on his father's farm and also learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he followed some years. He moved to a farm which he purchased in Butler Coun- ty, near Slippery Rock, and there passed several years. In 1837 he purchased a farm in Slippery Rock Township, Mercer County, but which is now Scott Township, Lawrence County, where he thereafter lived until his death in 1846. He married Elizabeth Maxwell, of Butler County, and they had two children, John and James, both now deceased. Mrs. Braden lived but a few years after her marriage, and he formed a second union with Rachel Cotton, a daughter of William Cotton, of near Pu- laski. Both are now deceased and lie buried in Plain Grove Cemetery. They had the following offspring: Elizabeth, deceased; Mary, who lives with her brother, Josiah; Violet Amelda, deceased; Joseph P .; Elea- nor S., deceased; Lorena, deceased; Jo- siah; William D .; Alexander C., and Ra- chel Elizabeth, deceased.

Josiah Braden received his early educa- tion in Lawrence County public schools, and worked on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age. He then learned carpentering, which he followed some fif- teen years, after which he worked in Phila- delphia and the oil country for twenty- seven years. In 1878 he purchased the farm on which he now lives, made many desirable and needed improvements, and engaged in general farming, which he has

since followed with uninterrupted success. In August, 1862, he enlisted for nine months in the One Hundred and Thirty- fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served until May, 1863, dur- ing which time he participated in the battle of Chancellorsville and numerous skir -. mishes.

Mr. Braden was united in marriage with Catherine Emery, a daughter of Isaac Emery, of Harlansburg, and they reared four children, as follows: William Harry, deceased; Frank E., who married Mary Linton, she being now deceased; John Wesley, deceased; James L., of New Cas- tle, who married Margaret Zonna Taylor and has two children, Harold Clayton and Maurice Russell. Mrs. Braden died in 1876. Mr. Braden was a member of the local G. A. R. post until it was discontinued. Re- ligiously he is a member of the Presbyte- rian Church.

O. H. P. GREEN, alderman of the Third Ward of New Castle, is one of the city's representative men. He is engaged in a real estate and insurance business at No. 26 North Croton Avenue and stands very high in commercial circles. He was born in 1868, at Edenburg, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of the late O. H. P. Green.

The late father of Mr. Green was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1825, and came to Lawrence County in early manhood. For a number of years he was in the transportation business on the old canal, owning a string of boats. Later he engaged in the lime-stone business. He was one of the best known men in this sec- tion of the county and assisted many of the early enterprises which are now pros- perous and important concerns.

O. H. P. Green, Jr., was reared mainly at New Castle, and was educated in her public schools, after which he was em- ployed for two years in a shoe house at New Castle and for about ten years was

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connected with the tailoring trade in Phil- adelphia, Reading and New York. After he returned to New Castle he had charge of the carpet department for the firm of Brown & Hamilton, for six years. He was then elected assistant street commissioner and for two years his time was given to the performance of the duties of that office. He has ever been active in politics and ready to do his part in advancing public interests. He is identified with the Repub- lican party and has served four years on the Republican County Committee. For the past three years he has been alderman from the Third Ward and looks carefully after the welfare of his part of the city. The family has always been a loyal and patriotic one and Mr. Green treasures a medal which was presented to his grand- father, Thomas Green, by the State of Pennsylvania, for the bravery he displayed at the battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.

In 1885 Mr. Green was married to Miss Mamie E. Nixon, a resident of New Castle, and they have one child, Olive. Mr. Green is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Elks, the Royal Arcanum and the National Legion.

W. LAWRENCE DOUGLAS, one of North Beaver Township's representative citizens, the owner of 110 acres of valuable farming land, was born on this farm, in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, April 16, 1848, and is a son of Benjamin and Mary (Reed) Douglas.

Mr. Douglas comes of Scotch-Irish an- cestry and his grandfathers on both sides were very early settlers in Lawrence Coun- ty. The paternal grandfather, George Douglas, and the maternal, John Reed, were born, relatively, in Scotland and Ire- land. Benjamin Douglas, father of W. Lawrence, was born in North Beaver Township and was left an orphan when sinall. He was bound out to Wilson Mitchell, of New Castle, with whom he

learned the cabinetmaking trade. He re- mained with this employer for five years and when he had completed his apprentice- ship received the sum of $30, a suit of clothes and a set of tools for work at his trade. Benjamin Douglas was one of three sons who inherited 300 acres of land which the grandfather left in trust for them. Un- til his marriage Benjamin Douglas worked as a cabinetmaker and also as a millwright, being a thoroughly skilled mechanic, and then settled on the farm which his son, W. Lawrence, owns and which our subject's son, Robert R. Douglas, occupies and cul- tivates. He was born in 1818 and his wife in about the same year and they both died in 1898, separated by but a few months.

W. Lawrence Douglas grew to manhood in the little log cabin in which he was born, obtained his education in the district schools, and his life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits. Until 1904 he con- tinued to reside on the old home place, which is situated on the Mt. Jackson and Enon Road, about one mile north of Mt. Air, and then moved to a neighboring farm of forty-eight acres, which belongs to his wife. Here he continues to engage in farm- ing, together with dairying.

Mr. Douglas was married (first) to Elizabeth Leslie, who was a daughter of Adam Leslie, and they had three children: Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Al- onzo Riddle, had one child, Guy Leslie; Robert R., who married Maud MeAnlis, has two children, Mary Elizabeth and Law- rence MeAnlis, and Charles, who married Edna Miller, has one child, William James. Mr. Douglas was married (second) to Martha Walker, who is a daughter of James Walker. They are members of the Westfield United Presbyterian Church. He has passed all the chairs in Marietta Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at Mt. Jackson.

L. M. BUCHANAN, one of New Castle's prominent and representative citizens, who carries on a large fire insurance business

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in this city and is interested to a consid- erable extent in real estate, was born at New Wilmington, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, in 1873, and is a son of the late A. J. Buchanan.

Andrew Buchanan, the grandfather of L. M., was one of the pioneer settlers at Eastbrook, Lawrence County, and the fam- ily has been one of substance and prom- inence for years and identified with many of the successful enterprises of Lawrence County.

L. M. Buchanan was reared on his fa- ther's farm and obtained his education in the country schools near New Wilmington and at Grove City. After he came to New Castle he engaged in clerking for one of the business houses for a time, then fol- lowed contract painting for a period. In 1898 he embarked in the real estate and in- surance business and for some years has been one of the most active dealers in realty in New Castle. In fire insurance he represents the Northwestern National and Milwaukee Mechanics, of Milwaukee, Wis., and the National of Pittsburg, with several others, and also the United States Fidelity and Guarantee Company. He was one of the men instrumental in promoting and organizing the Union National Bank, which has been in operation since January, 1907. This bank has a capital stock of $100,000, with surplus of over $10,000, and its offi- cers are the following capitalists: W. W. Eichbaum, president; L. M. Buchanan, first vice-president; Calvin Smith, second vice-president, and J. E. Aiken, cashier, who, together with the following well known men, constitute the board of direct- ors: James A. George, Jere Blucher, J. W. Neff, M. L. Cukerbraum, M. L. Wallace, Lyle G. Emery, W. S. Reynolds, L. M. Uber, W. G. Eckles, Samuel Hoffmeister and A. W. Reynolds.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 121

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