Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 125

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 125

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SAMUEL B. HAYES,* one of North Beaver Township's enterprising citizens and successful agriculturists, resides on his valuable farm of eighty-five acres, which is situated on the Moravia-Peters- burg Road, about four miles west of Mora- via. Mr. Hayes was born July 13, 1857, on a farm in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Joseph H. and Mary (Clark) Hayes. The paternal grandfather was David Hayes, who at one time was a man of large estate and a prominent attorney in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He died two months before the birth of his son, Joseph H. When the child was old enough to travel the widow came to North Beaver Township, where one of her late husband's farms was located, and there Joseph H.

Hayes was reared. He followed an agri- cultural life and died in September, 1905. His widow survives and resides with her son, Willis Clark Hayes.

Samuel B. Hayes was educated in the country schools, and from boyhood was trained to be a farmer. After his mar- riage he came to his present excellent prop- erty and has erected all the buildings ex- cept the barn, which his father put up. In 1905 Mr. Hayes completed his com- modious, comfortable and attractive resi- dence. In addition to cultivating his land, Mr. Hayes does a large dairy business, and he also deals in stock, and in the win- ter seasons does considerable butchering. Mr. Hayes married Jane Patterson, daugh- ter of Thomas Patterson, of near East- brook, where she was reared. They are val- ued members of the Bethel United Pres- byterian Church. He is a good citizen, but does not concern himself to any undue degree over politics.

JOSEPH L. COOPER, M. D.,* who passed off the scene of life February 18, 1900, after years of eminent service in behalf of his fellow-men, was one of the most advanced physicians and surgeons of New Castle. His whole early life was passed in the vicinity of this city, his birth having taken place on the family estate, in Taylor Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, only two miles distant from New Castle, on February 13, 1861. His parents were Robert L. and Nancy A. (Jackson) Cooper.

The late Dr. Cooper was proud of the fact that he could claim Irish ancestry, and in his temperament and person he inherited traits of his sterling forefathers. His great-grandfather, Robert Cooper, was born in County Down, Ireland. In 1790 he emigrated to America and established his family in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- vania. In 1843 James Cooper, son of Rob- ert and grandfather of Dr. Cooper, re- moved to Lawrence County, bringing with him a family of seven children, one of

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these, Robert L. Cooper, subsequently be- coming the father of the late Dr. Cooper.

Robert L. Cooper was born in 1823, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and ac- companied his parents to Lawrence Coun- ty in 1843. He subsequently acquired a large amount of valuable limestone land, and for many years was engaged in op- erating quarries on the same. He died in 1892, leaving an ample estate. He married Nancy A. Jackson, and they had the fol- lowing children: James H., Mrs. Eliza- beth Campbell, Leander, Dr. Joseph L., Charles O., Mrs. Mary Caldwell, Mrs. Maud Davis, and Edwin S., a physician.

After taking advantage of all the local educational opportunities Joseph L. Coop- er pursued more advanced courses of study both at Grove City Academy and at the Edinboro State Normal School. He then seriously devoted himself to the study of medicine. During the remainder of his life he never lost enthusiasm for his beloved science, and by personal investigation, lec- ture and pen vastly assisted in hastening the remarkable triumphs of medicine and surgery. In the class of 1884 he was graduated from Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, and at once started into practice. With the exception of one year spent at New Springfield, Ohio, Dr. Cooper's professional efforts were mainly confined to New Castle. He was known as an able and trustworthy physician, but it was as a surgeon that he won greater reputation and in that capacity had calls from and consultations in many sections distant from his home. He was active in the work of the Lawrence County Medical Association and served as its president in 1896. His remains rest in the quiet of Greenwood cemetery.

Dr. Cooper was married in 1887 to Adella Hoover, who was born at New Cas- tle and is a daughter of Ephraim Hoover, who for many years was prominent in the iron industry in this city. Mr. Hoover re- sides with his daughter, Mrs. Cooper, at No. 462 South Mill Street, New Castle. Al-

though he has reached his eighty-fourth year, he retains all his faculties and is a very familiar figure in the city, participat- ing in and enjoying its pleasant social life.

JOHN McCREARY,* a substantial citi- zen of Hickory Township, residing on his well improved farm of seventy-five acres, which is situated on the south side of the East Brook Road, about one mile north- west of the village, was born January 1, 1841, and is a son of Enoch and Margaret (Pierson) McCreary, and a grandson of Samuel McCreary, a very early settler in Lawrence County.

John McCreary belongs to an agricul- tural family and farming has been his life- long occupation. He obtained a country school education and has always been an advocate of a liberal system of public schooling. He was married June 13, 1867, to Rachel MeCaslin, who is a daughter of Robert and Nellie (Alfred) McCaslin, and their children were: Robert L., Ernest M., Geneva E., Samuel P., Edith E., and Ruth Ellen.

Robert Leon married Minnie Blakeley. Ernest M. married Louise Stemple, and they have three children: Alice L., Geneva E., and Robert P. Sam- uel P., who was born March 4, 1874, learned the cigarmaking trade after com- pleting his education and now operates a cigar factory at Skidmore. He married Jennie Glass, a daughter of W. J. and Mary (MeMillin) Glass, and they have one child, Leon Everett. Edith Estrella mar- ried Rev. James Briceland, and they have one son, Donald Briceland. She is a grad- uate of Westminster College and a very ac- complished musician. Ruth Ellen is a graduate of the State Normal School and is a popular and successful teacher in Allegheny. The ladies of the family have been socially prominent in New Castle so- ciety, members of which are often hospi- tably entertained at the country home. The family residence is a commodious two- story frame one and in the background stand substantial farm buildings. Mr.

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McCreary and family belong to the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.

MATHIAS SHAFFER,* general farm- er and well known citizen of North Beaver Township, resides on his well cultivated farm of forty acres, which is favorably sit- uated for agricultural purposes and a pleasant residence, on the Moravia Road, on an eminence just out of Mahoningtown. Mr. Shaffer was born October 10, 1841, in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of An- drew and Nancy (Pitcher) Shaffer.

Andrew Shaffer was born in Martins- burg, Virginia, and in boyhood accom- panied his parents to North Beaver Town- ship, where he grew to manhood on a farm. He married Nancy Pitcher, who was born and reared on the farm on the hill just out of Mahoningtown, known as Pitcher Hill. Andrew Shaffer and wife had ten children, of whom six are still living. The parents were people of prominence in this section, standing high in public esteem as long as they lived, and are remembered with feel- ings of friendly recollection.

Mathias Shaffer was reared in his native township and obtained his education in the neighborhood schools. Both he and his brother, Asel Shaffer, served as soldiers in the Civil War, the latter giving three years to the service of his country. Mathias served through the closing year of the war, being a member of Company H, Seventy- seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. When he returned to North Beaver Town- ship he engaged in farming and after his marriage he settled on the farm on which he now lives, which was the old Bashore farm. For two years subsequently he lived on another farm, during which time his first wife died, and afterward he returned to his present property. For fourteen years he followed threshing, but in the fall of 1906 he sold his outfit and since then has devoted himself entirely to general farming. In 1888 he erected his substan- tial barn and in 1898 the handsome resi-

dence, which in its tastefulness and con- venience shows that his judgment was as- sisted by that of Mrs. Shaffer.

In 1866 Mr. Shaffer was married to Helen Bashore, who died in 1885. The four children born to this marriage were: Elmer; Grant, who is a conductor on the Pennsylvania Railroad; Ivy, who is the wife of William Taylor, and has two chil- dren-Bradford and Mabel-and Euwilda, who married Frank Fisher and has three children -- Howard, Mary and Baby. Mr. Shaffer was married (secondly) to Mahala Bashore, a sister of his first wife, both be- ing daughters of Andrew Bashore, an old and prominent farmer of this section.

NEWTON B. CARTER,* a general farmer and stock-raiser of Washington Township, was born December 19, 1846, on the farm on which he now resides, and is a son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Car- low) Carter. The grandfather was Bra- zilla Carter, a pioneer settler of Washing- ton Township. He was born and married in Vermont and when he came to Lawrence County he bought and entered 300 acres of land, then in the woods. He cleared a part of the land and built a comfortable log house, in which his eight children were born. He served in the War of 1812. After the death of Brazilla Carter, his son Na- thaniel, who was born on the present farm, March 22, 1803, bought out the other heirs and established his permanent home here. He cleared the remainder of the farm and made most of the improvements which have developed this into a valuable prop- erty. He married Elizabeth Carlow, who was born in February, 1803, in Westmore- land County, and who was brought to Lawrence County when young. Her father, Joseph Carlow, a farmer, and soldier of the War of 1812, died in Westmoreland County. All the eleven children of Na- thaniel and Elizabeth Carter were born in Washington Township. He was an excel- lent business man and invested to a con- siderable extent in farming lands, pur-

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chasing each of his sons a farm when they were ready to enter into a contract to pay for them as they prospered. He owned 200 acres. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, and religiously his attachment was strong for the church of his father and mother, the Presbyterian, of which he was a worthy member.

Newton B. Carter was the tenth child born to his parents. He obtained his edu- cation in the schools of Washington Town- ship. He added land to the portion he in- herited and has 230 acres, a large part of which he cleared. He was married Oc- tober 16, 1866, to Rebecca Rice, who was born and reared in Washington Township. Her father, the late Robert Rice, was a farmer all his life and was a member of a pioneer family of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have had nine children, all of whom were born on the present farm. Three of these are deceased, the survivors being: George, Harriet A., Elizabeth, Brazilla V., Nettie and Orange C.

Mr. Carter has passed the greater part of his life in farming on this place. In youth he learned the shoemaking trade and followed the same for two years, then re- turning to the farm. He is one of the township's leading Democrats and has served in a number of local offices. He is too good a citizen, however, to allow poli- tics to stand in the way of his lending his influence to those measures which promise to be of benefit to the community. He formerly was a member of the Order of United Workmen. He belongs to the Rich Hill Presbyterian Church.

JOHN Y. SHEEHY,* who is engaged in an insurance, loan and real estate business at Mahoningtown, with offices in the Sheehy Block, on Liberty Street, has been located in this town since December, 1889. He was born at Youngstown, Ohio, Jan- uary 23, 1861, and is a son of Robert and Mary Sheehy.

John Y. Sheehy was reared at Youngs- town, and after leaving school went right

to work. His father was engineer for the Youngstown Water Works and John Y. be- came fireman, and during his leisure mo- ments he learned stenography. For some twenty years he was in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, west of Pittsburg, a part of the time being a mem- ber of the office force and for fourteen years train dispatcher, with headquarters at Lawrence Junction and New Castle. Mr. Sheehy is a man who values his spare time and for twelve years while filling various positions with the railroad company, he carried on an insurance and real estate business as a side line. He made many friends and gained a large amount of pat- ronage, and when, on October 1, 1901, he gave up railroading, he did not start into an unfamiliar line, but merely enlarged his scope. He purchased his present building on Liberty Street, with a frontage of 150 feet, on October 1, 1906. It is a commodious building of brick construction, three stories in height and contains two large store- rooms and four comfortable modern flats. Mr. Sheehy is special agent for the Fire- man's Fund Insurance Company of San Francisco, and of the Home Fire and Ma- rine Insurance Company. In addition he represents many fire and life companies, handling all kinds of risks and covering six counties direct. All reports go through his office.

Mr. Sheehy married Sarah E. Yates, a daughter of Timothy Yates, and they have four children : Hazel A., who is the wife of R. C. Miller, also in the insurance busi- ness; Robert; Florence, and John Webb. Mr. Sheehy is a charter member of Ama- zon Lodge, No. 336, Knights of Pythias. He is one of the town's most enterprising and successful citizens.

DAVID HAMILTON,* a representative farmer and stock-raiser of Plaingrove Township, residing on his well-improved farm of eighty-four acres, was born No- vember 11, 1832, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and who is a son of

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George and Nancy (Donnelly) Hamilton.

George Hamilton was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, in 1792, and was reared on a farm which later became a part of the Gettysburg battlefield. In his native county he married Nancy Donnelly. He was of English and German extraction and served in the War of 1812. His wife came from Irish ancestors. In 1830 he moved with his family to Washington County and was engaged in milling and blacksmithing there until 1837, when he settled in Plaingrove Township, Lawrence county. For fourteen years he leased a farm there and then bought one of seventy acres, which he partly cleared and im- proved. He was the father of twelve chil- dren, seven sons and five daughters, the youngest being born after the family came to Lawrence County.

David Hamilton was the eighth child born to his parents, to whom he proved a dutiful son. They died when aged about seventy-six years, having been for years leading members of the United Presbyte- rian Church. David obtained his education in the old red school-house near the home- stead, and there formed the acquaintance of the lady to whom he was married on June 11, 1855, and whose maiden name was Susan Offutt. She was born in Plaingrove Township, and is a daughter of John and Margaret (Patterson) Offutt and a grand- daughter of John Offutt, who came to Lawrence County at a very early day from Westmoreland County. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton lived on the Hamilton homestead until 1856, when he went to New Castle and there learned the wagon-making trade. For five years he worked at it at New Cas- tle and then worked for nine months at Cincinnati. Later he worked at well-drill- ing, for two years, since which time he has given his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1897 he bought his present farm, which he has placed in fine condition.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have had nine children, six sons and three daughters, two

of whom, Richard and Thomas, are de- ceased. The survivors are: John W., George A., Alexander B., Agnes, David, Margaret, and Elizabeth. Mr. Hamilton and family belong to the United Presby- terian Church. In his political views he is a Republican. He belonged to the "Know- Nothing" party in the early fifties. He has been active in public affairs in the county and has filled a number of responsible of- fices. For one term he was census enu- merator, for ten years was a member of the Republican County Committee, and at present is the efficient health officer of Plaingrove, Scott and Washington Town- ships. As a citizen he stands very high in public esteem.

GEORGE KETTERER,* whose well cultivated farm of seventy-six acres is situ- ated in Perry Township, three miles east of Ellwood City, was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1856, and is a son of Henry and Caroline (Wolf) Ketterer.

Henry Ketterer, the father, was born in Germany and was a young man when he came to America and settled in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where he purchased a farm. Later he sold that property and came to Perry Township, Lawrence County, and bought the present farm of his son George, on which he died in advanced age. He married Caroline Wolf, who was a daughter of John Wolf, of Butler County. They had a family of nine children, of whom eight now survive.

George Ketterer was four years old when his parents came to Perry Township and he has spent his whole subsequent life here, engaging in farming after completing his school attendance. After his father died he bought out the other heirs and thus is sole owner of the old homestead. It is ex- cellent land, very favorably located and Mr. Ketterer is prosperous. In early man- hood he married Elizabeth Wehman, who is a daughter of Frederick Wehman, of

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Lawrence County, and they have nine chil- dren, namely : Minnie, Caroline, Effie, Ma- tilda, Margaret, Mary, John, William, and Hazel. Effie is the wife of Charles Hazen. Politically, Mr. Ketterer is identified with the Democratic party. He is a Christian Scientist.

W. S. MOORE,* president of the Penn Stone .Company, and recently proprietor of the New Leslie, one of New Castle's leading hotels, was born at New Castle, Pennsylvania, in 1867, and is a son of the late John G. Moore and a grandson of Wil- liam Moore.

William Moore came to Lawrence County from Armstrong County and set- tled in the vicinity of the present city of New Castle. He was a man of progressive ideas and he was quick to adopt newer methods than his neighbors, both in the conduct of his business and in his mode of living. When he purchased a steel spring buggy at Cincinnati and drove it to Law- rence County it was considered a remark- able vehicle, this being the first one ever brought into the county.

W. S. Moore spent his boyhood on his father's farm and attended the country schools. He learned the bakery business and worked at this for several years at New Castle and then went to Mercer County, where he engaged for five years in the stone business. After he returned to New Castle he opened a stone quarry at East Brook, and in the following year he associated himself with Hugh Wick, of Youngstown. They organized the Penn Stone Company, of which Mr. Moore is president, and he has other business inter- ests of importance. On April 1, 1908, Mr. Moore took charge of the New Leslie hotel, an elegantly equipped hostelry conducted according to thoroughly modern ideas. He has recently sold his interest in this prop- erty to Charles B. Deshon, Jr., of Pitts- burg.

In 1889 Mr. Moore was married to Miss

Edna Raney, of New Castle, and they have two children-Cowden and Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Moore attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.

THOMAS H. CHAMBERS,* a well known citizen and successful farmer of North Beaver Township, who resides on his valuable farm of 100 acres, which is situated just off the Mount Jackson-New Galilee Road, three miles west of Moravia, was born on the old John Chambers farm, October 29, 1868, and is a son of John and Mary A. (Rankin) Chambers.

John Chambers was born in County Down, Ireland, a son of James Chambers, who brought his wife and infant son to America and settled on the land in North Beaver Township which has descended as a legacy to his grandson, Thomas H. In 1819 this land was covered with forest and the Chambers family endured many hard- ships as pioneers, but from that time to the present this family has been one of the representative ones of this section. When John Chambers grew to manhood he con- tinued the improving and cultivating of this land and died on his farm in Febru- ary, 1894, aged eighty years. He married Mary A. Rankin, who was also born in County Down, Ireland, and was a daughter of Samuel Rankin, who died in Canada, after the family had crossed the ocean and was on its way to the United States. Mrs. Chambers was fifteen years of age when she accompanied her mother to Lawrence County, where she subsequently married John Chambers. She died June 16, 1908, aged seventy-eight years. There were three children born to John Chambers and wife, namely: Mary Frances, who married Lee Miller ; an unnamed infant ; and Thomas H.

Thomas H. Chambers lived continuously on the John Chambers farm, which adjoins his own on the west, until 1895, with the exception of eighteen months, when he worked on the railroad, and also with that exception has always been farmer. He

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married Etta May Calhoun, who was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and who is a daughter of Robert Calhoun. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers have had four chil- dren, but have been bereaved of them all. John Lee died when eighteen months old. William Thomas died aged six months. May lived but one month, and the babe that came last did not survive long enough to receive a name. None survived to suffer the numerous pains and troubles of ad- vanced life, and thus the memories of them are tender but not grievous. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers are valued members of Bethel United Presbyterian Church.

CHARLES A. PHILLIPS,* dealer in real estate, with office at No. 1381/2 Pitts -- burg Street, New Castle, has been identi- fied with the interests of this city all his life. He was born at New Castle August 17, 1863, and is a son of Isaac M. and Agnes J. (Morrison) Phillips. After completing the public school course at New Castle, Mr. Phillips entered Butler University at Irvington, Ind., where he remained as a student for three years. Upon his return to New Castle he became associated with W. M. Leslie in a book and wallpaper busi- ness, and some years later, after selling out, he became interested in the oil busi- ness in partnership with his brother, Sena- tor E. I. Phillips, and others, and operated in Butler and Allegheny Counties. Own- ing a large amount of property, he nat- urally became interested in the real estate business. Together with his brother, Sena- ator Phillips, he owns the Phillips Block on Mill Street and has other good invest- ments. In 1900 he was largely instru- mental in forming the Shenango China Company and for two years was treasurer and general manager of the same. Mr. Phillips married Miss Emily Arms Wilder, who is a daughter of Joseph P. Wilder, of Youngstown, Ohio, and they have one child, Jane Agnes. The beautiful family home is situated at No. 60 West Grant Avenue, New Castle.

THOMAS F. DICKEY,* an able mem- ber of the Lawrence County bar and a somewhat active citizen in county politics, was born November 6, 1877, at New Cas- tle, Pa., and is a son of David Dickey.

For about forty years the father of Mr. Dickey was engaged in a manufacturing business at New Castle. He was a native of Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1902 he located at San Antonio, Tex., where he is interested in an irrigation plant and in rice culture.

Thomas F. Dickey was reared and edu- cated at New Castle and was graduated from the city High School in the class of 1897, immediately afterward entering the law department of the University of Penn- sylvania, at Philadelphia, and remained there two years, subsequently finishing his studies with Attorney Gregory of New Cas- tle. He was admitted to the bar in Janu- ary, 1902, and entered into partnership with Harry K. Gregory, under the firm name of Gregory & Dickey. He is a mem- ber of the Lawrence County Bar Associa- tion. In politics he is identified with the Republican party, and in May, 1906, was its candidate for nomination for district attorney, his early successes at the bar making his party's action a natural choice. He was defeated by but ninety votes.

In July, 1904, Mr. Dickey was married to Miss Emily L. Byers, who is a daughter of H. W. and Jennie M. Byers. The late H. W. Byers was superintendent of the New Castle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Dickey have one daughter, Emily Louise. They attend Trinity Episcopal Church. He takes an active interest in several fraternal organi- zations, the Masons and the Elks, and he is a popular member of the Lawrence Club and the New Castle Country Club. His of- fices are in the Lawrence Savings and Trust Building, New Castle.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 125

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