Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 126

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 126

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JOSEPH S. WHITE,* one of New Cas- tle's older and most respected citizens, now residing in his comfortable home at No.

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312 Wilmington Avenue, has been a wit- ness of the wonderful changes which have made the village in which he was born one of the industrial centers of Western Penn- sylvania. Mr. White was born December 29, 1820, on Jefferson Street, New Castle, Pa., and is a son of Crawford and Eliza- beth (Dunlap) White.

The parents of Mr. White were both born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Crawford White first came to what is now Lawrence County in 1803, and after select- ing a location for his home returned to Cumberland County and there was mar- ried to Elizabeth Dunlap, an earnest, help- ful woman, and then returned with his bride to what is now New Castle. He be- came one of the leading men of the place, the first postmaster, the pioneer woolen manufacturer, built the first sawmill, the first grist mill and established the first brickyard. His energy was all pervading and to his ability, his enterprise and pub- lic spirit New Castle owes much. In fact, he was the father of her earliest industries. He found time, however, to go to the de- fense of his country, serving with gallantry in the War of 1812-14 and participating in the battle of Lake Erie. In this same war his brother was taken prisoner and de- tained in Canada, his many experiences be- ing later told in an interesting pamphlet that had a wide circulation. Crawford White had been liberally educated and was well qualified to give the advice his fellow citizens so frequently asked of him and to settle estates and adjust differences that were sure to arise before and even after local laws had been established. He died in 1832 and his loss was one that his com- munity could ill afford. Joseph S. White was twelve years old at this time and was the youngest of a family of five children, all of whom became more or less prominent in the circles to which their circumstances called them. There were two brothers- James D. and John Crawford-and two sisters-Amanda, who became the wife of

Dr. Miller Blatchley; and Elizabeth Ann, who married R. W. Stewart.

James D. White, the eldest brother of Joseph S., was one of the prominent men of New Castle, and after the death of his father possessed the largest business inter- ests of any other citizen. He started the first rolling mill at New Castle and had in- terests at New York, Philadelphia, Cincin- nati and in other large centers. He sur- vived only into middle age, dying when about forty-five years old in the West In- dia Islands. He was a man of education and culture and a graduate of Jefferson College.

John Crawford White, the fourth child of Crawford White, was possessed of the family characteristics, and had he survived into mature life would probably also have left his mark on his generation. He was a brilliant student of Jefferson College at the time of his death, which occurred in Cumberland County.

In many ways Joseph S. White enjoyed superior advantages in his youth. The White home in those days was one of great hospitality and the youth was accustomed to the presence of leading citizens and of strangers of importance who naturally consulted his father before investing or starting new enterprises. Their presence was something of an education even before Joseph was old enough to enter Jefferson College, which he did at a later date. Mr. White's talents have been in the line of literature, although he has never permitted his choice of occupation to interfere with the practical duties which have demanded his close attention through many years, es- pecially when it became necessary for him to manage the large interests left by his father and older brother. He has always had his home at New Castle, but has man- aged both farming and lumbering enter- prises with much success, in the latter be- ing associated with Dr. Joseph Pollock, his father-in-law.

On December 1, 1841, Mr. White was

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married to Adaline Pollock, who, after a happy married life of sixty-six years, passed away July 7, 1907, after seeing her eighty-third birthday. To this union were born nine children, namely: Alice, who is the wife of George Grier; Eva, who is the wife of Eli C. MeClintock; John Crawford, who resides at New Castle; Carrie, who married Eugene S. Willard, of Chicago, Ill .; Joseph Pollock, who resides at Knox- ville, Tenn .; Arthur B. M., who died in young manhood; Frederick Ferris, who lives at Bangor, Me .; Ada, who died in early womanhood; and May Belle.

Mr. and Mrs. White were early inter- ested in the founding of the Central Pres- byterian Church, of which he is one of the three surviving charter members. As long as she lived she was active in its work, as she was also helpful in every field of use- fulness that came within the circle of her life. Mr. White has always taken part in the celebrations of the Old Times Pioneers at New Castle, and on August 20, 1908, as a member of the reception commit- tee, he heartily welcomed the visitors, him- self being one of the most esteemed mem- bers present. Many are familiar with Mr. White's poetry and other contributions, which for a half century have added inter- est to the magazine literature of the coun- try.

WILLIAM HENDERSON HOUK* is the owner of a farm of fifty acres located about eight miles east of New Castle, in Slippery Rock Township, and is of the third generation of the family to own and occupy the place. He was born on this farm on November 4, 1852, and is a son of Philip and Margaret ( Kleinfelter) Houk, and a grandson of William Houk.

William Houk (the grandfather) was born in New Jersey and upon crossing the mountains of Pennsylvania to Lawrence County took up his residence first in Shenango Township. Later he moved to what has since been known as the Houk

homestead in Slippery Rock Township and resided there the remainder of his days.

Philip Houk was also born on the old Houk farm in Slippery Rock, and lived there throughout life. He always followed farming and was one of the substantial men of the community. He married Mar- garet Kleinfelter and they were parents of the following children: Eliza Jane, now deceased; Mary Emiline, deceased; Wil- liam Henderson; David C., deceased; Har- riet Agnes, wife of L. L. Book; Jannette Ellen, wife of E. Wilt; and Susan, who married Emery Book.

William H. Houk received a good school- ing in the district school of his home com- munity, and began the occupation of a farmer at an early age. He worked for his father until the latter's death, and then for himself on the home place, which he inherited. He met with much success in his farming operations, and is at the pres- ent time practically retired from that kind of work, devoting his time to the barber shop which he owns and conducts in Princeton. He is a man of enterprise and spirit and enjoys a wide acquaintanceship through this part of the county. He is a strong Republican in politics, whilst re- ligiously he is a member of the Presbyte- rian Church of Princeton. Mr. Houk is unmarried.

JOHN PARKER," who died March 13, 1907, was one of the prosperous and rep- resentative citizens of Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pa. He was born in Ireland, August 25, 1844, and was a son of John and Agnes (Jackson) Parker. His parents on coming to America located first in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and some years later moved to Wayne Town- ship, Lawrence County. They located on a farm of eighty acres, the present home of the relict of our subject, and there lived during the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of six children, as fol- lows: John, whose name heads this sketch;

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William, who married Amanda Ballou, daughter of Chester Ballou; Sarah, who first married Samuel Jackson of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and after his death James Wallace, of Oakdale; Samuel, who lives near Hazeldell, and who married a Miss MeGowin; Agnes, who is the wife of Lindsey Cunningham, and resides at Ell- wood ; and Rev. James, a United Brethren minister of Jersey City, N. J., who mar- ried Miss Julia Barr, of Philadelphia.

John Parker was sixteen years of age when he was brought to this country by his parents. He learned the trade of a wagon-maker at an early age and followed it for many years, conducting a shop in Wayne Township. He was married in 1866 and set up housekeeping in Ogles- town, Allegheny County, and was then suc- cessively located at Steubenville, Ohio; Mckeesport. Pa .; Cannonsburg, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and on the home farm in Wayne Township. He was a very successful farmer and made most of the improvements upon the farm. In 1886 he built the comfortable residence in which his family now live, and in 1890 a large barn was erected. He was a substantial citizen and enjoyed the respect and highest esteem of his fellow citizens, who keenly felt his loss to the community.

Mr. Parker was married December 27, 1866, to Miss Sarah Robberman, a daugh- ter of Henry and Caroline (Rodenberg) Robberman. Her father came from Ger- many in the early thirties and settled at Old Brighton, in Beaver County, Pa. He later moved to Morgan County, Ohio, and there he farmed and lived until his death at the age of eighty-six years. Mrs. Roh- berman died at the age of eighty years. Both were Quakers in religion. They were parents of the following children ; Helena. widow of William Lewis, resides at Chew- ton; Mary, wife of Eli Morris, resides in Morgan County, Ohio: Lewis, who married Miss Martha Carr and resided in Morgan County, Ohio, at the time of his death; Jonathan, who married Sarah MeNatt, and

at the time of his death resided in Meiggs County, Ohio ; Sarah (Parker) ; Lydia, wife of J. W. Yoho, living in Chewton; John, who married Mary Dewees and resides in Morgan County, Ohio; and Amos, who married Sarah Peebles, resides in Morgan County, Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Parker became parents of the following children: Caroline Agnes, wife of John Hossler, resides at Ellwood and has four children-John, Sarah, Her- bert, and Harriett; John Henry Parker died at the age of two years and six months; Estella married Edwin Cole, and died April 24, 1903, leaving three children -Andrew, Carl, and Wayne; James How- ard, a druggist by profession and is un- married; Harry, who died May 23, 1901, married Laura Vanemon, and had two children-Willard and Elizabeth; Mary Blanche is unmarried and lives at home; Grace married James Cope and lives in Wayne Township; Etha Mabel died Sep- tember 22, 1900, at the age of ten years; and Nellie, the youngest, is at home. Mr. Parker was a member and elder of Slip- pery Rock Presbyterian Church. In poli- ties he was a Republican.

JOHN ANDERSON,* a substantial and progressive citizen of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a farm of sixty-five acres and is engaged in general farming. He comes of a prominent old family of Pulaski Town- ship, where he was born November 23, 1852. He is a son of Thomas and Susan (Robinson) Anderson, and a grandson of John Anderson, who was a soldier of the American Revolution and became one of the earliest residents of Pulaski Township. The family is of Scotch-Irish extraction.

Thomas Anderson was born in Pulaski Township, and lived there throughout a long and useful life, engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. In his later years he was a Republican in politics, and was frequently called upon to serve his township in offices of public trust. Religiously, he was a

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member of the United Presbyterian Church of New Bedford. He was united in marriage with Susan Robinson, who was born in Union Township, Lawrence County, in March, 1904. His death oc- curred June 22, 1900. Of the issue of their union the following are now living: Sadie M., of New Bedford, Pa .; Martha J., wife of H. J. Montgomery, of New Castle; and John, whose name heads this sketch.

John Anderson was reared on the home farm and received his preliminary educa- tion in the common schools, supplemented by a course in Poland Seminary, at Poland, Ohio. He has always engaged in farming, except for four years, when he owned an interest in a drug and stationery store at New Bedford, at the same time serving as postmaster of that village under appoint- ment of President Harrison. He main- tained his residence on his farm during that time, and has been a resident there for more than a quarter of a century. He is a man of great energy, thoroughly modern in the methods he employs, and has at- tained a high degree of success in his work. He takes an earnest interest in all ques- tions of importance to the community, giv- ing active support to such measures as tend to improve and add to its material welfare.

Mr. Anderson was joined in marriage with Letitia Irvine, who is a native of Pulaski Township, and is a daughter of Thomas and Crissy (Ewing) Irvine. Her father died and is survived by Mrs. Irvine, who lives in Mahoning County, Ohio. Mr. Anderson is an ardent Republican in poli- ties and served his township as road super- visor one year.

SAMUEL B. HILL,* one of Shenango Township's substantial citizens, carrying on general farming and dairying on his valuable farm of seventy acres, was born near Sharpsville, Mercer County, Pennsyl- vania, November 13, 1837. He is a son of Nathaniel and Huldah (Baldwin) Hill, and a grandson of Isaac Hill, a native of

Beaver County, who lived there during the youth of his children and then moved to Mercer County, and from there to Illinois, where he subsequently died.

Nathaniel Hill was born in Beaver County and resided there up to early man- hood. About the time of his marriage he moved to Mercer County, where he re- mained until the fall of 1859, when he bought a farm in the southern part of Shenango Township, Lawrence County, on which he lived thereafter for many years. Prior to his death he settled near Hadley, in Mercer County. His business was farm- ing and stock-raising. Early in mature life he voted with the Whig party, but later was a Republican. He married a daugh- ter of Samuel Baldwin, of Shenango Town- ship, and they had seven children born to them, namely: Socrates M., residing at Hadley, Mercer County; Samuel B., of Shenango Township; Isaac Newell, resid- ing in Mercer County ; Mary Jane, residing near Hadley; Sarah Elizabeth, who mar- ried Eli Houk, residing in Shenango Township; Harvey N., residing in Mercer County; and Huldah Ann, who married Abraham Pearson, residing at Elizabeth, Worth County, West Virginia. The par- ents were members of the Baptist Church.

Samuel B. Hill was twenty-two years old when his parents moved to Lawrence County, and he had obtained a common school education in Mercer County. Six years later he went back to Mercer County, going from there three years afterwards to Crawford County, where he remained for several years, following farming all the time. In the spring of 1879 he bought his present farm, of which he has sixty acres under cultivation, growing corn, oats, wheat and hay. He keeps about eight head of cattle and has two thoroughbred Jersey cows, making a fine quality of butter for the market. For two years Mr. Hill op- erated a milk route. He has a very valu- able property here and the completion of the electric railway nearby has still fur- ther enhanced its value. Mr. Hill's or-

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chards of cherry, plum, peach and apple trees yield abundantly, as also do his grape vines.

Mr. Hill was married (first) to Mary A. Feathers, who died in 1876, aged thirty- four years. She was a daughter of George Feathers, of Mercer County. Of their three children two survive-George H., re- siding in Slippery Rock Township; and Elsie N., who is the wife of Joseph Gray, residing in Worth County, West Virginia. Mr. Hill was married (secondly) to Ce- celia Emeline Wilson, a daughter of John J. Wilson, of Wayne Township. Of this union six children have been born, namely : Hiram Owen, who resides in Pulaski Town- ship; Ira Jerome, a resident of Slippery Rock Township; Evetta, residing at home; Lillie I., who is the wife of Wilson Stewart, of New Castle; and Charles and Ella A., both at home. There is one more member of the family, Carrie E., who was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Hill when she was nine days old. The family belong to the Bap- tist Church, in which Mr. Hill has served on the board of deacons. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are types of the industrious, prudent, intelligent farming people, who are worthy in every relation of life, benevolent to the poor, consistent Christians and good neigh- bors.

THOMAS M. SWISHER,* a veteran of the Civil War and for many years a promi- nent citizen of North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, has been a resident of Petersburg, Ohio, since Janu- ary 16, 1908. He still carries on farming on his farm of 13334 acres in North Beaver, located three and a half miles east of Petersburg, on the Moravia Road.

Mr. Swisher was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1836, and is a son of Jacob and Jane (McGuire) Swisher. The Swishers, originally from Switzerland, spelled the name Switzer, but for generations the orthography has been as it now is. The family has been estab-

lished on American soil many years, com- ing from Maryland to Pennsylvania. Jacob Swisher, the father, was born on the same farm as our subject, in Lycoming County, and was a son of Philip. In 1853 he moved to North Beaver Township, Law- rence County, where he followed farming until his death.

Thomas M. Swisher was seventeen years old when he accompanied his parents to Lawrence County, and there he remained until the war. He enlisted June 8, 1861, in Battery B., First Regiment of Pennsyl- vania, at Mount Jackson, and was in the service three years with but one interrup- tion, coming home on a ten days' furlough. He participated in some seventeen impor- tant engagements and many skirmishes of minor importance, and was honorably dis- charged June 11, 1864. He then returned to his old home to engage. in peaceable pursuits. He and his wife moved to his present farm in the spring of 1866, it be- ing the original Gilmore farm, settled by Joseph Gilmore, grandfather of Mrs. Swisher. He has followed general farming in a highly successful manner, and all of the present day improvements on the place are of his working.

Mr. Swisher was married in April, 1863, while home from the army on a furlough, to Miss Eliza Gilmore, who was born one and a half miles north of their farm, and is a daughter of John A. and Rachel (Dob- bins) Gilmore. Six children were born to bless this union, as follows: Ocia; James A., who married Elsia McCauthtry; Francis K., who married Flora Lusk; Ralph, who married Mattie Gaston and has three children, namely-William, Margaret and Sarah; Cora J., who married Alvin Ferrell, and has two children-Clifford and Donald; and Burt, who lives on the home farm, married Ethel Jones, and has three children-Irene, Gertrude, and Thomas. Religiously, our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Petersburg.

HENNEBEDDY PRESS

· CHICAGO .

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 126

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