Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 62

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 62

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September 20, 1866, Mr. Neal was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca E. Steven- son, who was born in Pulaski Township, October 30, 1838, and is a daughter of Elisha M. and Nancy (Dawson) Stevenson. Her grandfather, James Stevenson, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and at an early date located in the woods of

Pulaski Township. He remained but a few years, then moved to Mahoning County, Ohio, where he died. Elisha M. Stevenson was born in Pulaski Township, but was reared in Poland Township, Ma- honing County, Ohio. When a young man he engaged in the mercantile business at Hookstown, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where he was married to Nancy Dawson, who was a native of that county. They later moved to Pulaski Township, Law- rence County, where they passed the re- mainder of their days.

James and Rebecca E. Neal became par- ents of six children, of whom five are liv- ing: Alice N .; Frank D., superintendent of the public schools at Leechburg, Penn- sylvania; Leonora N., wife of Alva J. Calderwood, professor of Latin in Grove City College; Nellie N .; and Florence. All are graduates of Grove City College, and all teachers except Mrs. Calderwood. Mr. Neal was an ardent Prohibitionist in poli- tics, and was at one time party nominee for county commissioner, and for the House of Representatives in Pennsylvania. Re- ligiously, he was a member of the United Presbyterian Church at New Bedford.

JOSEPH P. COWDEN, a representa- tive citizen of Mahoning Township, who has been a resident of this section since 1870, was born in Coitsville Township, Ma- honing County, Ohio, January 12, 1832, and is a son of James R. and Elizabeth (Davidson) Cowden.

The father of Mr. Cowden was born also in Mahoning County, but the grandfather was a native of Washington County, Penn- sylvania, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. From Washington County, the grand- father, Joseph Cowden, moved to Coits- ville Township among the earliest settlers, where he acquired property and lived out the remainder of his days. His son, James R. Cowden, continued to live in Mahoning County and survived into his eighty-ninth year. Of his large family four survive, namely: Joseph P .; Phebe M., who is the widow of William Geddes, resides in Pu-

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

laska Township; Mary W., who is the widow of John Walker, resides in Pulaska Township; and Jane, who is the wife of William McGhen, resides in Coitsville Township, Mahoning County.

Joseph P. Cowden went to school with his brothers and sisters near the old home . amount of traveling, and in that capacity in Coitsville Township. His training for a useful future was on the home farm and he has devoted the greater part of his ma- ture life to agricultural pursuits, and came to his present farm in 1870. On August 24, 1860, he was united in marriage with Amanda C. Robison, who died August 30, 1901. She was born in Mahoning Town- ship, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, De- cember 27, 1837, and was a daughter of John and Amanda Robison, who were of Scotch-Irish parentage. They were old settlers of this section. Mr. and Mrs. Cow- den had five children, namely: Ida E., who resides with her father; Lillie E., de- ceased, who married John Mayberry, is survived only by their two children, Ella In 1901, Mr. Shipler was married to Mrs. Mary Overbeck, of Johnstown, Pennsyl- vania, and they have one daughter, Blanche. Mrs. Overbeck had one son, John J. C. and Earl C .; Lulu A., who is the wife of Audley Taylor, resides in Mahoning Township, and has two children, Ethel May, born August 4, 1901, and Dora Amanda, born April 20, 1904; and Stella In the remote parts of the world to which Mr. Shipler has been called, he has been notable for his quiet efficiency, for the thorough and exact knowledge he pos- sesses, and in all these sections he made and still has friends, and his unusual expe- riences have but better qualified him for the important position he now holds. P., who married F. A. Montgomery, also resides in Mahoning Township. Mr. Cow- den and his daughter, Miss Ida E., are both members of the United Presbyterian Church, of which the late wife and mother was a beloved member. In politics, Mr. Cowden is a Republican, and at one time he served as assessor of Coitsville Town- ship.

W. H. SHIPLER, general superintend- ent of the Pennsylvania Engineering Works at New Castle, has been a resident of this city since 1900, and was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in 1865.

Mr. Shipler spent his school days in Mercer County, after which he went to Johnstown, where he entered the machine shops and remained there for four years, completing his knowledge of the trade. For one year he then worked with the firm

of Jones and Laughlin, at Pittsburg, and then came to New Castle, entering the em- ploy of the Witherow Company, remaining five years, and during that period was supervisor of the erection of works, a posi . tion which required him to do a large he visited many parts of the Eastern and Southern States. His next connection, also as supervisor of works, was with the Ster- ling Company, of Barberton, Ohio, and during the time he was with them, he spent one year in England, five years in Africa and one year in Mexico, this business asso- ciation covering nine years. With this vast amount of practical experience, Mr. Shipler returned to New Castle in 1900, where he first became shop foreman of the Pennsylvania Engineering Works and subsequently general superintendent of the plant. He is a stockholder in these works and also in other successful busi- ness concerns of the city.

JAMES COCHRAN, a retired farmer and a representative citizen of Shenango Township, residing on his farm of fifty acres, on which he and wife have lived since 1861, was born in New Castle, Law- rence County, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1832. His parents were Thomas and Rose Ann Meehan Cochran.

Samuel Cochran, the grandfather, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, and moved to Beaver County in early manhood. Thomas Cochran was born and reared in Beaver County. In his early

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married life he came to New Castle with his team and worked on the construction of the canal, but later returned to Beaver County and there engaged in farming dur- ing the rest of his active life. His death occurred when aged sixty-eight years. Of his eleven children, nine reached maturity : Patrick, James, Louisa, who is the widow of George White, resides at Brighton, in Beaver County; Margaret, deceased, was the wife of Timothy McCarthy; Marjorie; Mary, who is the widow of Frank McGuin- ness ; John, who lives at Beaver, Pa .; Eliza- beth, deceased, who was the wife of John M. Murray. Thomas died young and two babes died nameless. The mother of the above family was a consistent member of the Catholic Church.

James Cochran was reared in Beaver County. He obtained his first knowledge of books in an old log school-house, which had puncheon floor and seats and where much less attention was given to sanitary conditions than to perfection in the elemen- tal branches, the only ones taught. In 1852, Mr. Cochran was married to Mary Ann Kerr, who is a daughter of Robert Kerr, and was born December 3, 1832, in Shenango Township, Lawrence County. For a number of years following his mar- riage Mr. Cochran worked at building fur- naces and the character of the work made it necessary to live for a time in different places. In 1861, however, he settled on his wife's homestead and bought the farm in 1868. For many years thereafter he en- gaged in general farming and dairying, but in the last year has given up active labor and has his land under rental, contemplat- ing selling it in the near future and retir- ing to a pleasant village not far distant. In 1875 he built the comfortable residence and has done much improving in years past. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran have had six chil- dren, namely: Sarah Elizabeth, who is the wife of Sylvester Nicholson, of Beaver County; Robert Patrick, who is deceased; Franklin, Esther and John, all are de- ceased, and Rosa, who is the wife of Thom-

as Book, of New Castle. Mrs. Cochran is a member of the Christian Church.

Robert Kerr, the father of Mrs. Coch- ran, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, not far distant from the city of Dublin. There his parents died, and when he was nineteen years of age he came to America with his sister Esther, joining an older brother, John Kerr, who lived in the city of New York. From there Robert Kerr subsequently came to Pittsburg, where he engaged in contracting, finally settling on his farm in Shenango Township, Lawrence County. He married Electa Noggle, who was a daughter of John Noggle, who owned land on the present site of Wampum. Ten children were born to Robert Kerr and wife, as follows: Mary Ann, James, Eliza Jane, Mrs. Esther Wyse, Mrs. Elizabeth McConnell, John, Mrs. Margaret Yoho, William, Electa A. and Robert. James and Eliza Jane are deceased. Robert Kerr was a member of the Presbyterian Church and his wife belonged to the Disciples or Chris- tian Church.

Mr. Cochran is not much interested in politics, both of the leading parties having drifted, in his opinion, far from their orig- inal standards, but he casts his vote with the Democrats. At the opening of the Civil War he offered his services, but was rejected on account of physical disability. Nevertheless, Mr. Cochran is a well pre- served man and both he and wife bear the weight of years easily. They have many friends who recall their hospitality, kind- ness and sympathy and these regret their proposed departure from the community in which they have spent almost the whole of their fifty-six years of married life. Mrs. Cochran has lived on the present farm ever since she was seven years of age, with the exception of eight years after her mar- riage, which were spent in Beaver and other parts of Lawrence County.

JAMES S. WOOD, capitalist, residing at Pulaski, is a member of one of Lawrence County's old and representative pioneer

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

families. Mr. Wood was born at Pulaski, Pa., September 18, 1855, and is a son of Dr. William and Grace (Scott) Wood.

The late Dr. William Wood was a prom- inent physician at Pulaski for many years and was honored and respected above his fellows. His death occurred in 1863. His father, Rev. Samuel Wood, was a pioneer preacher of the Presbyterian faith, who came to this section and ministered to the scattered churches through years of self- denial and many hardships. Dr. William Wood married Grace Scott, who was born in County Down, Ireland, and they had two children, James S. and Margaret, the latter of whom is deceased.

James S. Wood went to school regularly until he was thirteen years of age and then became a clerk for his uncle, James F. Scott, who was then a merchant at Pulaski, and he remained with this relative until he was twenty-two years of age. When the country became agitated over the wonder- ful production of oil in many sections, Mr. Wood became interested and finally went to McKean County, where he found busi- ness opportunities of which he took ad- vantage and remained there for eight years. He was interested in oil operating

and in other industries during his stay in McKean County. About the time of his marriage, Mr. Wood located at Pulaski and he has been identified with the interests of this city ever since. He has been connected also with agricultural interests to some ex- tent and is secretary of the Pulaski Fair Association.

On April 16, 1885, Mr. Wood was mar- ried to Fannie J. Francis, a daughter of the late Thomas H. Francis, of Mckean County, Pennsylvania, and they have three children : Grace W., Kenneth G. and Ray- mond A. In politics, Mr. Wood is a Re- publican. Fraternally, he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and is connected with the latter organization at West Middlesex, Pa.

GEORGE D. PATTERSON, owner of 135 acres of land located about one and a half miles south of Mt. Jackson, on the

Galilee Road, comes of one of the oldest families of North Beaver Township. He was born on his present farm February 15, 1841, and is a son of James and Nancy (Douglas) Patterson.

John Patterson, grandfather of George D., was born in Maryland, and in 1800 came west to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, locating on the farm now owned by George D. Patterson. There he lived as they did in those pioneer days, converting the wild timberland into a tillable farm. He lived there until his death.

James Patterson was born on the home farm in North Beaver Township, in 1817, and attended the primitive log school-house of that period. He also resided on that farm and was one of the foremost citizens of the township. He married Nancy Doug- las, and they became parents of ten chil- dren, of whom eight grew to maturity, as follows: George D .; John J., who lives in Iowa; Mary, wife of Robert Henderson of New Castle; Grizzell M., who keeps house for her brother, George D .; Lizzie, widow of John Wallace; N. Olivia, who also lives on the home place; James C., who is in the meat business at West Pittsburg, Pa., and Maggie, wife of Hugh Kyle, of North Bea- ver Township. Erie Willa and Charles D. died young. Mr. Patterson died in 1890, . aged seventy-three years, and his wife died June 8, 1895, aged seventy-four years.

George D. Patterson was reared on the home place and received such education as the public schools afforded. He has always followed farming and takes rank among the progressive and public-spirited men of the community. He is unmarried. The family are members of the Bethel United Presbyterian Church.

JAMES S. FOREMAN, proprietor of the well-known Foreman stock farm of Pu- laski Township, is a well-known citizen of that community and one of its most suc- cessful business men. He was born in West Middlesex, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1843, and is a son of Rev. John D. and Mary (Calhoun) Foreman, the for-

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mer a native of Washington County, Penn- sylvania, and the latter of Jefferson Coun- ty, Pennsylvania.

George Foreman, grandfather of James S. Foreman, was born in Maryland, and at a very early date settled in the woods of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, lo- cating on the farm now owned by James S. Foreman.

Rev. John D. Foreman was a well-known minister of the Congregational faith in the middle of the nineteenth century, having charges in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, and in Mercer County, Pennsyl- vania. He later moved to Wood County, Ohio, where his ministerial work was con- tinued many years. For more than thirty- five years he was active in the ministry, and exerted a wholesome power for good in the various communities in which he was located. His death occurred in the early seventies. He married Mary Calhoun, and of the children born to them, three are now living, namely: Margaret C. of Fostoria, Ohio; John, of Findlay, Ohio, and James S., of this sketch.

James S. Foreman was reared until his ninth year in West Middlesex, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and thereafter at Fostoria, Ohio, whither his parents had moved. He was educated in the public schools of Wood County, Ohio, after which he turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits. He, in 1877, returned to Pennsyl- vania, and settled on his present farm, be- ing of the third generation of the family living thereon. It is located one mile from the village of Pulaski, and consists of 210 acres of valuable and well improved land, thoroughly equipped with good substantial buildings, including a commodious resi- dence. He raises horses and cattle exten- sively, and in years past gave considerable attention to sheep raising and wool grow- ing. In connection with the stock business, he follows general farming, and is also a practicing veterinary surgeon. He is a wide-awake business man, of unusual en- ergy and keen business perception, and the success which has come to him is solely the

result of his own work and good manage- ment.

Mr. Foreman and his wife became the parents of the following children: George E., John D., Jessie M., Mary J., Nellie, and James S., Jr. The two oldest sons are members of New Wilmington Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Knights of the Maccabees at Pulaski. Politically, James S. Foreman is a Republican, and takes an earnest interest in his party's success.

SYLVESTER SAGE, general farmer, residing on the home farm of fifty acres in Shenango Township, was born in Ne- shannock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1856, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Champion) Sage.

Joseph Sage was born in Somersetshire, England, April 3, 1817, and remained in his native land until after his marriage and the birth of one child, when he came to America and settled in Neshannock Town- ship, Lawrence County. He had previously worked in coal mines and during his years of residence in Neshannock Township con- tinued to follow mining. He also worked in the same industry in Indiana for about one year before he moved to Shenango Town- ship and bought his farm of fifty acres. This has proved a good investment. It was then covered with timber, but in clearing a fine vein of coal was discovered and Mr. Sage followed mining together with farm- ing his land for a considerable period. Al- though now in his ninety-first year he re- tains all his faculties and can boast of never missing a meal from sickness through his long life. He married Sarah Champion, who died in 1885. Five of their children grew to maturity, namely: Sam- uel, who served through the Civil War; Elizabeth, who married Robert Mayberry, of Shenango Township; Hannah, deceased; Sylvester, and Isaac, both of Shenango Township.

Sylvester Sage was reared and educated in Shenango Township. He has engaged in mining and farming all his mature life and owns fifty acres of valuable coal land.

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

He married Catherine Davis, who is a daughter of James Davis, of Shenango Township, and they have four children: Myrtle, who married Samuel Badger, of Shenango Township; Sarah, who married Herman Booher; Ivory and Precious. Mr. and Mrs. Sage are members of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, in which he has been a class leader for some eight years, and has also been superintendent of the Sunday school. Both he and father are stanch Republicans, but the only office he has ever accepted was that of school direc- tor, in which he served for seven years.

HON. WILLIAM ELLIS PORTER, president judge of the Fifty-third Judicial District of Pennsylvania, has for many years occupied a prominent position at the bar of Lawrence County and is a distin- guished citizen of New Castle.

Judge Porter was born in Wilmington Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, December 15, 1867, and is a son of Thomas B. and Margaret J. Porter, his parents be- ing of old and well known families of the community. After completing the pre- scribed course in the public schools, he matriculated at Westminster College, from which institution he was graduated in June, 1889. He then taught school in his native township one term, and a like period in the common schools of Neshannock Township, Lawrence County, after which he continued his preparation for the legal profession under the preceptorship of James A. Gardner and James M. Martin. After his admission to the bar of Lawrence County, January 23, 1893, he engaged in practice in New Castle with marked suc- cess. In 1900 he was called upon to serve the Third Ward of the City in the Select Council, filling the office from April 2 of that year until April, 1904, the last two years of which time he was president of that body. In 1894 he was elected secre- tary of the People's Mutual Building and Loan Association of New Castle, Pa., in

which capacity he served efficiently until December, 1904, when he resigned upon be- ing elevated to the bench. He was elected president judge of the Fifty-third Judicial District of Pennsylvania in November, 1904, and assumed the duties of office in January, 1905. A man of recognized abil- ity and an able lawyer, in the discharge of his judicial duties he has added largely to the prestige he previously enjoyed.

March 28, 1893, Judge Porter was joined in marriage with Miss Ina H. Shoaff. In religious attachment they are members of the First United Presbyterian Church of New Castle.

W. WESLEY CUBBISON, one of New Castle's older business citizens, who has. been interested for the past seven years in real estate and insurance, has been identi- fied with this city and its enterprises and activities, continuously since 1869. He was born in 1846, in what is now Lawrence County, in the section called Shenango Township, and is a son of Archibald and a grandson of James Cubbison.

James Cubbison was one of the pioneer settlers in Shenango Township, then Bea- ver County, where his son, Archibald, was born in 1812. The latter died at New Cas- tle, in 1879. In early life he learned the shoemaking, the stone mason and the brick laying trades, finding opportunity to follow them all. He was a pioneer brick- layer at New Castle and in his later years, before being incapacitated by a stroke of paralysis, he conducted a jewelry business. He was a man of sterling character and was the second incumbent of the office of treasurer of Lawrence County.

W. Wesley Cubbison was a student in the early schools at New Castle and stud- ied pharmacy, in early manhood, in Phila- delphia, and until 1869 he engaged in clerk- ing in drug stores at different points. He then returned to New Castle, where he bought a drug store, which he conducted for many years. When he was elected a

HON. WM. E. PORTER.

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city alderman, he gave his whole attention to the duties of that office for six years, re- tiring then to private life, after a conscien- tious period of service. For eleven years he served as chief of the New Castle Fire Department. Whether in or out of office, Mr. Cubbison has ever been a good citizen and a public-spirited man. He is a notary public and he carries on a pension, real es- tate and insurance business, with quarters at No. 13 East Washington street.

In 1873 Mr. Cubbison was married to Miss Emily C. Clifford, and they have three children living : C. M., who is engaged in business at South Bend, Indiana; and Alice and Margaret, both residing at home. One son, W. A., was a graduate of Pitts- burg College of Pharmacy and died March, 1908, in his twenty-ninth year. The fam- ily belong to Trinity Episcopal Church. Mr. Cubbison was made a Master Mason in 1872 and has ever since taken much in- terest in the fraternity. He belongs also to the Elks.

JOSEPH CLARK WILSON, who owns a valuable farm of seventy-eight acres in North Beaver Township, Lawrence Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, was born in that town- ship, March 8, 1847, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Hopper) Wilson, grandson of Joseph, and great-grandson of Joseph Wilson.

Joseph Wilson, the great-grandfather, was born near the boundary line between Scotland and Ireland, and in the colonial days emigrated to America, settling in Maryland. He was a general in the Amer- ican Army during the Revolution, and his son, Joseph, Jr., then a lad of twelve years, drove a wagon in the army. The latter was subsequently in the War of 1812, bear- ing the rank of Colonel. He married a Miss Booth, who was of English parent- age and came of a family of Tories. The marriage displeased the parents of Joseph, Jr., and he left with his bride for the West and made settlement in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania, about a quarter of a mile distant

from the present farm of Joseph Clark Wilson.

Joseph Wilson, father of Joseph Clark, was born on the farm now owned by Mrs. William McCullough in North Beaver Township, in 1808, and his death occurred February 23, 1890, at the age of eighty- two years. He was united in marriage with Mary Hopper, who was born on what is known as the old Hopper farm on Hick- ory Creek, in 1811, and was two years of age when her father, Samuel Hopper, moved upon the place now owned by James Wilson. Samuel Hopper was born in North Beaver Township, and was a son of Robert Hopper, who came from near Pitts- burg at a very early period. Mrs. Wilson died in 1893. She was the mother of nine children, of whom four are now living, namely : John D., of Slippery Rock Town- ship; Robert H., of North Beaver Town- ship; Joseph Clark; and James, who lives on the old Hopper farm of 100 acres.

James Wilson was born in North Beaver Township, January 15, 1849, and in 1870 moved with his parents to Slippery Rock Township. He was there married in 1875 to Melissa Frew, and continued to reside there until 1891, when he located upon his present place. He and his wife became parents of seven children: David Frew, deceased; Mary A., deceased; Albert, a carpenter of New Castle; Annie Dell and Nannie Belle, twins; Elsie E., deceased; and Jessie M.

Joseph Clark Wilson was reared on the home place and received his educational training in the public schools of that dis- trict. He turned his attention to agricul- tural pursuits at an early age, and has al- ways been successful in that occupation In 1879 he purchased his present farm of seventy-eight acres of Robert Miller, made many important and desirable improve- ments, and has resided here since. In ad- dition to general farming, he has been quite successful as a raiser of fruits.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 62

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