Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 50

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 50

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Mr. Workley married Mary Kirker, who is a daughter of S. M. Kirker of Perry Township. They have three children: Florence, Howard and Hazel, all at home, well educated and prepared to take the po- sitions in society to which the future may call them. With his family, Mr. Workley belongs to the United Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias, and politically he is a stanch Re- publican.

HON. AARON LYLE HAZEN was born in Shenango Township, Beaver (now Law- rence) County, Pennsylvania, and is the second of five sons born to Henry and Sarah (Warnock) Hazen. He traces his lineage through seven generations back to Edward Hazen, a native of England, who emigrated to America and was a resident of Rowley, Mass., as early as 1649.

Edward Hazen (1), the emigrant an- cestor, was overseer or selectman in Row- ley in 1650, 1651, 1654, 1655, 1660, 1665, and 1668, and judge of delinquents in 1666. The inventory of his estate amounted to £414 7s and 8d. His first wife, Eliza- beth, died childless, and was buried Sep- tember 18, 1649. He was married a second

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

time, in March, 1650, to Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Grant. He was buried in Rowley, June 22, 1683; his widow died in February, 1715-1716.

Thomas Hazen (2), fourth child born to Edward and Hannah (Grant) Hazen, was born in Rowley, Mass., February 27, 1657-58. He owned a farm there at his father's death. He moved to Boxford be- fore March 22, 1689-90. He withdrew from the church in Topfield, to become one of the constituent members of the church in Boxford, in 1702, and in 1711 he removed to Norwich, Conn., where he died April 12, 1735, aged seventy-seven years. He lived in that part of Norwich formerly called West Farms, now Franklin, and, with three sons, was one of the petitioners for its incorporation as a parish in 1716. He married January 1, 1782-83, Mary, daugh- ter of Thomas Howlet, one of the first set- tlers in Agawam (Ipswich), 1632-33, dep- uty from Ipswich in 1635, and Topsfield in 1665, and often employed in running lines and locating towns and farms. She died October 24, 1727.

John Hazen (3), eldest child of Thomas and Mary (Howlet) Hazen, was born March 23, 1683; married Mercy, daughter of John and Sarah (Perkins) Bradstreet, and granddaughter of Governor Simon Bradstreet, and of Rev. William Perkins. She died November 22, 1725, in Norwich, Conn., and he married for his second wife, May 31, 1726, Elizabeth, daughter of Dan- iel and Elizabeth (Douglass) Dart.

John Hazen (4), Jr., the next in line of descent to Judge Hazen, was the oldest son of John and Mercy (Bradstreet) Haz- en, and was born February 21, 1711-12; he married, March 10, 1734, Deborah Peck, of Lyme, Conn.

Nathaniel Hazen (5), fifth child and sec- ond son of John and Deborah (Peck) Hazen, was born March 17, 1745, and died November 3, 1835, at North Sewickley, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He was a soldier in the Continental Army, in the war for the independence of the colonies, from

the Wyoming Valley ; he and his wife moved to the Wyoming Valley, then known as Westmoreland, Conn., and resided there until the massacre, July 3, 1778, when they were driven out and went to Sussex Coun- ty, New Jersey, where his family remained until the close of the War for Independ- ence; and then they moved to Fort Pitt, now Pittsburg, Allegheny County, Penn- sylvania, thence to Peter's Creek in Wash- ington County, Pennsylvania, where they resided until the disturbance known as the Whisky Insurrection, in western Pennsyl- vania, when they crossed the Ohio River and settled on the Conoquenessing Creek, then Allegheny County, now Beaver, on a tract of land where he and his wife died. He took title to this land in 1791. He mar- ried Miss Mary Bell, daughter of James and Deborah Bell, of Lyme, Conn., Novem- ber 27, 1767. She was born October 24, 1748, and died December 29, 1834, in Bea- ver County, Pennsylvania.

Nathan Hazen (6), tenth child of Na- thaniel and Mary (Bell) Hazen, was born on Peter's Creek, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1786, and died Feb- ruary 23, 1866, in Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania; was married, in 1804, to Levina Kirkendall, of Beaver County, Pennsyl- vania. They became parents of twelve children, as follows: Henry (7), father of the subject of this sketch; Nathaniel, born July 19, 1807, died young; Anna, born August 6, 1808, was the wife of Jacob Book; Oliver Jones, who was born March 5, 1810, and died September 21, 1877, mar- ried Rachel, a daughter of William Lut- ton, September 28, 1841. She was born December 17, 1811, and died March 4, 1884; Huldah, born June 20, 1812; Levina, born June 17, 1813, married John S. Foy ; Mary, born November 16, 1815, married William Houk; Levi, born December 11, 1817, died December 16, 1871. He married Polly Lutton, a daughter of William Lut- ton; Nathan, born July 25, 1820, died 1837; Aaron B., born December 30, 1821, and died June 14, 1859, married So-

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phia Bailey, of Cleveland, Ohio-she died in 1859; William, born February 8, 1824, married Jane, a daughter of Nathaniel Hazen of Mercer County, Pennsylvania; and Delilah, born December 25, 1826, and died December 1, 1890, married June 21, 1857, Samuel Travis of Indiana, who died in 1896. They had a son, Reuben Parker, born March 2, 1859, who was married in November, 1887, to Mary J., daughter of Henry McQuiston, of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.

Henry Hazen (7), eldest son of Nathan and Levina (Kirkendall) Hazen, born in Beaver (now Lawrence) County, March 4, 1806; died December 28, 1841; married Sarah, second daughter of James and Mary (Gaston) Warnock, she being con- nected on the maternal side with the well known Lyle family, who were among the 'earliest settlers of Washington County, Pennsylvania; she was born May 30, 1815, on the tract of land on which she always lived, and died April 25, 1885. To this union were born five children, all sons, as follows: Oliver Gaston, born May 18, 1834, and died November 1, 1866, at Cort- land, Ala., unmarried, was a private in Company A, Fifty-fifth Regiment, P. V. I., in the Civil War; Aaron Lyle, whose name appears at the head of this sketch; Eli Warnock, born April 29, 1838, died Janu- ary 1, 1908, married Maggie, daughter of Joseph Mitchell. He was a private in Com- pany E, First Regiment, California Vol. Infantry, in the Federal Army, during the Civil War; William, born May 30, 1840, died October 16, 1852; and Henry, born April 11, 1842, lost his life at the burning of the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, Mo., April 11, 1877. He married Kate, daugh- ter of Shuabal Wilder, of New Castle, Pa., and they had two sons, Harry W. and Wilbur H. During the Civil War he was hospital steward of the Second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.

Aaron Lyle Hazen (8), second of five sons born to Henry and Sarah (Warnock) Hazen, was born February 19, 1837. He

was educated in the district schools of his native county, and in Beaver Academy, Beaver, Pa., and Jefferson College, at Can- nonsburg, Pa., graduating in the class of 1861, with the degree of A. B. The degree of A. M. was later conferred upon him by the same institution. He pursued the study of law in college during his senior year, and was also registered as a law student with Johnston & Dana, attorneys-at-law, New Castle, Pa. He was admitted to the bar of Lawrence County on September 12, 1865. He practiced in the courts of Law- rence County until he was elected and com- missioned president judge of the Seven- teenth Judicial District, composed of the counties of Butler and Lawrence. He took his seat January 5, 1885, for a full term of ten years. Lawrence County was detached from the Seventeenth District and created a separate district, numbered 51, by an act of Assembly of April 28, 1893, which became effective on September 1, 1893. He was named in the act as president judge thereof, and was recommissioned president judge of the new district for his unexpired term. He resumed the practice of law at the bar of Lawrence County January 5, 1895, and is so employed at the present time. He was elected to the office of dis- triet attorney in October, 1870, for Law- rence County, and served during the years 1871, 1872, 1873, and was again elected in 1873 for a second term, and served during the years 1874, 1875 and 1876. He was repeatedly chosen solicitor for the city of New Castle, and served for seven years consecutively. He also was admitted to the bar of the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Mercer and Venango; and also to the bar, respectively, of the United States District and Circuit Courts for the Western District and Circuit of Pennsyl- vania. His practice has been that of a mixed character usual to a general practi- tioner in the smaller counties. He was con- cerned in an important case Bredin's Appeal, 109 Pa. S. 357-in which appellant sought, ineffectually, to deprive the quali-

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fied electors of Lawrence County of their constitutional right to vote for the judges who should preside in their courts, and to deprive the subject of this sketch of his commission as judge.

The life of Aaron Lyle Hazen was be- gun on a farm; he was left fatherless when very young, and has had the usual trying experiences of a boy similarly situated. He was in the last term of his senior year in Jefferson College when Fort Sumter was fired upon. He immediately returned home and enlisted as a private, April 19, 1861, in Company H, Twelfth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, served with his regiment in Maryland, and was mustered out August 16, 1861. Being un- fitted for further active service, he was re- fused re-enlistment. He served thereafter as paymaster's clerk until December, 1863, in the pay district of the Cumberland, Louisville, Ky., save when he served as captain of Company A, Fourteenth Regi- ment, State Militia, which was called into active service and served in Maryland dur- ing September, 1862. From January 1, 1864, he served as teller in the United States Depository in Louisville, Ky., until the close of the war.

January 19, 1865, Judge Hazen was united in marriage with Miss Amelia J. Watson, eldest daughter of William and Mary Watson, of New Castle. She was born on April 4, 1841, and died July 2, 1893. To this union three children were born: Mary, born October 21, 1865, died March 20, 1891, and was married January 30, 1890, to Porter Wilson Lowry, attor- ney-at-law of Butler, Pa .; Aaron Lyle, Jr., was born April 18, 1868, and died April 21. 1868; Henry William, born May 2, 1871, died May 27, 1890. He was a student in Washington and Jefferson College at Washington, Pa., at the time of his death. Judge Hazen formed a second marital union July 28, 1898, with Mary E., daugh- ter of Simon DeGraff, of Syracuse, N. Y. After several years of suffering she died on May 22, 1908.

Judge Hazen has a wide circle of profes- sional and personal friends, and few men excel him as an agreeable entertainer, which qualities have not only attracted friends but have also gained him the re- spect of strangers. The able and consci- entious manner in which he has performed all his professional work has secured for him the confidence of his clients and gained him an assured standing in the profession.

He is, in politics, a Republican; denomi- nationally, a Presbyterian. He has served as trustee in the First Presbyterian Church of New Castle many years. Fraternally, he is a Free Mason and a member of Lodge No. 243, Chapter No. 170, Council No. 2, and Commandry No. 62 of Pennsylvania. He also is a member and past commander of Post No. 100, G. A. R., of Pennsylvania, and Shenango Lodge No. 195, I. O. O. F., and Manetta Lodge, No. 297, K of P.

JOSEPH HELDMAN, a representative citizen of North Beaver Township, has a fine farm of ninety-one acres, located about three miles west of Mount Jackson, on the Springfield road. He was born in Pitts- burg, Pa., June 25, 1849, and is a son of John and Margaret (Schlemer) Heldman.

John Heldman, the father, was born in Darmstadt, Germany, and his wife in Al- sace-Lorraine, and both were single at the time of their emigration to America. He located at Pittsburg, Pa., where he con- ducted a shoe store some years at No. 573 Penn Street. About the year 1868, he moved to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and purchased a farm of 140 acres, com- prising a part of the present farm of Jo- seph Heldman and a part of the old Unger farm. He and his wife died in North Beaver Township. They were parents of four children, as follows: Margaret, wife of Henry Henk, of Pittsburg; John, de- ceased; Albertina, wife of Frederick Neu- bert, both now deceased, and Joseph.

Joseph Heldman was reared in Pittsburg until he was eighteen years of age and received good educational training in the public schools of that city. He also was

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a student at the Western University of Pittsburg for a year. It was his poor health more than anything else that in- duced the family to move to the coun- try, and the change proved beneficial. He now owns seventy-six acres of his fath- er's old farm, to which he has added twen- ty-five acres, making ninety-one in all. He follows general farming and dairying, and usually keeps about fourteen cows in his herd. He has been very successful in a business way, and is rated among the well- to-do and progressive men of the com- munity.

Mr. Heldman was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Best, a daughter of Conrad Best, she being a native of Al- legheny County and having been reared in Beaver County. Four children were the is- sue of this union: Albertina, wife of John M. Knesal, by whom she has two children -Raymond and Elizabeth; Laura, who lives at home; John C., of Petersburg, who married Sadie Bishop, and has a son, John, and Otis, who lives at home. Religiously, they are members of the Reformed Church of the United States, and Mr. Heldman for many years served as elder in the church of that denomination in Springfield Town- ship, Mahoning County, Ohio.

JAMES PADEN, whose death occurred June 25, 1907, was a well known and highly respected citizen of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, where he passed most of his life. He was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1834, and was a son of Robert and Mary (Robison) Paden, his parents being natives of Pennsylvania.

When James Paden was in his early youth, his parents moved to Pulaski Town- ship, Lawrence County, and there he grew to maturity, and received a common school education. He was a man of intellect and became well informed, being a great read- er, especially in his latter days. He was energetic and industrious, and was quite successful in his business undertakings. His death was deplored by the people of

Pulaski Township, who mourned the loss of a good neighbor and kind friend.

In January, 1858, Mr. Paden was joined in marriage with Mary A. McFarlane, who was born in Mahoning Township, Law- rence County, January 29, 1834, and came from one of the pioneer families of that township. She was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Davison) McFarlane, and granddaughter of Francis McFarlane, who was the first of the family to take up his residence in Mahoning Township. Mr. and Mrs. Paden became parents of four chil- dren, namely: Flora E., wife of J. A. Alli- son, of Pulaski Township; Isaac M., de- ceased; Harvey S., of Pulaski Township, and Viola, wife of Robert McClenahan, of Pulaski Township. Politically, James Paden was a Prohibitionist, and for a num- ber of years served the township as over- seer of the poor. Religiously, he was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, at West Middlesex.

Harvey S. Paden, son of James and Mary A. (McFarlane) Paden, resides on the old homestead in Pulaski Township. He farms the fifty acres in the farm, ac- cording to modern and approved methods, and has met with good results. He is an upright and progressive citizen, and has always given his support to worthy enter- prises and measures tending to benefit and improve the community. In religious faith and fellowship, he is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, at West Mid- dlesex. He is a Republican in politics.

JOHN SMITH TAGGART, once one of New Castle's most highly esteemed citizens, where he was honorably engaged in busi- ness enterprises for a number of years, was a native of Belmont County, Ohio, where he was born in 1830. In 1853 he came to New Castle, and in his beauti- ful new home in this city his useful life came to a close on December 30, 1896.

The parents of the late John Smith Tag- gart were Joseph and Jane (Smith) Tag- gart. Joseph Taggart was born in Ire- land, and in early manhood, in company

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with his three older brothers, James, Will- iam and Isaac, he emigrated to America and subsequently settled in Ohio. He died on the farm he acquired there, at the age of fifty-five years. He married Jane Smith and they had four children: Sarah, Dor- othy, Margaret and John Smith, the only son being so named in honor of the ma- ternal grandfather.

John Smith Taggart remained on the home farm in Belmont County until about 1850, when he removed to Darlington, Beaver County. Here he was married, and remained there engaged in general merchandising, under the firm name of Thompson & Taggart until 1853, when he came to New Castle, in search of employ- ment. He was a young man of engaging personality and soon secured recognition and, in a short time, gave evidence to his employers that he possessed the business qualifications which they desired and, con- sequently, for a number of years, he ren- dered acceptable service to several of the oldest and most prominent business firms of the city. With the passing years he married and reared a family and when his son, Samuel J., reached manhood the father and son became associated in a re- tail shoe business, under the firm name of J. S. Taggart & Son. For a time Mr. Taggart was prominently identified with oil interests, first in Tennessee, later in Ve- nango County, Pennsylvania, and still later in Beaver County, in the same state. In 1881 he retired from the oil field and em- barked in a real estate business, opening an office at New Castle, where he did a large business until failing health com- pelled his practical retirement.

On December 13, 1851, Mr. Taggart was married to Nancy J. Hamilton. The grandparents of Mrs. Taggart came to America from Ireland and settled in Beav- er County, Pennsylvania, where they lived into old age, finally passing away honored and esteemed by all who knew them. Of their children, Samuel Hamilton, father of Mrs. Taggart, was the sixth son. He be- came a man of mark not only in Beaver

County, but one of prominence all over the state, serving in the local offices of town- ship and county and later in the State Legislature. He married Arabella Scroggs and the three surviving members of their family of nine children are: Mrs. Tag- gart and her two sisters, Mary and Louise.

The children born to the late John Smith Taggart and wife were five in number. The four survivors are: Arabella Jane, who married A. C. Jones; Dorothy Eliza- beth, who married T. F. Morehead; John C., who is connected with the Carnegie Steel Company, and Charles P., of New York City. Samuel J. died in January, 1890.

Mr. Taggart was an upright, broad- minded, public-spirited citizen. In early life he found it necessary to practically take care of himself and assume burdens for others, and it is possible that his life was shortened by his strenuous efforts dur- ing that period. He overcame difficulties and achieved both material success and the other success which makes him recalled in loving remembrance by his family and fellow-citizens. He was an ardent Repub- lican and on many occasions was shown high favor by his party. He was a con- sistent member of the United Presybterian Church and a generous benefactor in many charities.

URIAH C. McLAREN, general farmer and dairyman, residing on his valuable farm of 136 acres, situated in Shenango Township, is a well known and representa- tive citizen of this section. He was born on this farm December 25, 1843, and is a son of William and Mary (Chambers) Mc- Laren.

William McLaren's father was born in Ireland and he was one of the first set- tlers at New Castle, his residence standing about where the Diamond now is situated. He died when his son, William, was six years old. The latter was born in Neshan- nock Township and resided in Lawrence County all his life, dying in the spring of 1875, when aged nearly seventy years. He

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was a natural-born mechanic and, although he never served an apprenticeship, he made brick that went into the construction of many houses in New Castle, contracted and built a number of the schoolhouses in She- nango Township and built the house his son, Uriah C., occupies. When he came to this farm it was heavily timbered, but he cleared it and put it under cultivation. He was a man who was just and honest and, while he required the men whom he constantly employed to serve him well, he paid accordingly. He served in many town- ship offices, being elected to these on the Republican ticket. He married Mary Chambers, who was a daughter of Alexan- der Chambers, and of their nine children five reached mature years, namely: Alex- ander, who lives in Slippery Rock Town- ship; Robert, who was a soldier in the Civil War, gave up his life at the second battle of Bull Run; Uriah C., and Mar- garet, who is the wife of Rev. Joseph Sharpe, who is a minister of the United Presbyterian faith, residing at Wilming- ton. The parents were members of the United Presbyterian Church.

Uriah C. McLaren has always resided on the home farm, containing 115 acres, which he owns, together with twenty-one acres of the old McIntyre place. His land is fertile and his crops of corn, oats, wheat hay and potatoes are abundant. He also has a fine apple orchard. He requires help on the farm, always employing at least two men. In 1896 Mr. McLaren started in a small way in a dairy business, estab- lishing a route through New Castle. This has grown until he has now about 160 retail customers and uses sixty gallons of milk a day, a part of which he produces on his own farm and the remainder he pur- chases from his neighbors. He supplies milk and cream to the larger number of the New Castle hotels.

Mr. McLaren married Lucy A. Baldwin, who was born at Center Church, Shenango Township, a daughter of Joseph Baldwin, and died in 1893, aged forty years. She was a most estimable woman and was a

member of the United Presbyterian Church, to which Mr. McLaren is also at- tached. She is survived by the following children : Nellie Frances, Joseph, of New Castle; Minnie, of Wilmington, and Edna and Roy L., at home. Nellie Frances was graduated from Westminster College, the youngest of the class of 1907, and bore off the honors.

JOHN H. SHAFFER, a prosperous ag- riculturist and dairyman, residing on his well cultivated farm of eighty acres, which is situated in Union Township, was born March 15, 1863, in North Beaver Town- ship, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Joseph A. and Maria (Lamb) Shaffer.

The grandfather, Peter Shaffer, came to America from Germany, and was an early settler in North Beaver Township, where he engaged in farming. His son, Joseph A. Shaffer, lived in this township all his life. He followed brick-laying and stone- mason work for thirty years, and also was interested in farming. He held some town- ship offices and at one time was road super- visor. He contributed to the support of schools and churches and was a pillar of the Methodist Episcopal Church in North Beaver Township. He died about 1895. Four of his children survive, namely : Hol- land S., residing in North Beaver Town- ship; Sarah E., wife of Alvin Welker, re- siding at Barberton, Ohio; John H., and Maria J., who was married first to Charles Kean Adec, and now is the wife of Charles Turner, residing at Mahoningtown.

John H. Shaffer attended school during his boyhood, when his services could be dispensed with on the farm. His life has been devoted to farming and dairying. In 1885 he came to Union Township and since then has resided on his present farm, which is favorably situated on the Mahoning Riv- er. It yields excellent pasturage, and Mr. Shaffer has conducted a dairying industry for a number of years, having a milk route through New Castle. On August 26, 1883, he was married to Mary J. Gilmore, who

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was born in North Beaver Township and is a daughter of the late John Gilmore. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer have had five chil- dren, one of whom died at birth. The four survivors are: William H., Hatten L., Hazel B., and Maria L. Mr. Shaffer is identified with the Republican party, but he is no seeker for political favors. He is a member of the order of Maccabees at New Castle.

REV. ROBERT G. FERGUSON, L. L. D., who has been identified with Westmin- ster College, at New Wilmington, for many years, serving as its honored president for a period of twenty-two consecutive years, now fills the chair of English Bible, in this noted institution. He was born at Dry Run, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1842, and is a son of Hon. James and Mary Ann (Doyle) Ferguson.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 50

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