Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 66

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 66

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active in the affairs of the Republican party, and in 1907 was a delegate to the Republican State Convention. April 11, 1908, he received the nomination of his party for representative in the State Legislature of Pennsylvania.

In 1903, Robert L. Wallace was united in marriage with Miss Edna C. Freese, who was born and reared in Plymouth, In- diana, and was educated at Hillsdale, Michigan. Two children are the issue of this union: William L. and Robert Eu- gene. Fraternally, Mr. Wallace is a prom- inent member of the Masonic Order, be- longing to Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Lodge of Perfection. Religiously, he was one of the charter members of the Highland United Presbyterian Church, and has been one of its active supporters. Socially, he is a member of the New Castle Club.

WILLIAM COX, a representative and substantial citizen of Mahoning Township, residing on his excellent farm of 160 acres, divided into two tracts, the home place containing fifty-two acres, is one of the old settlers of this section. He was born in Union Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, April 19, 1826, and is a son of William and Esther (Sankey) Cox.

The Cox family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction and the name of William is a fam- ily one, appearing in four successive gen- erations. William Cox, the grandfather, lived in Eastern Pennsylvania and from there, in 1800, came his brother Joseph, to what is now Lawrence County. They es- tablished themselves on the present site of Mahoningtown, but later William Cox located in Union Township, at Harbor Bridge. The country all round about was covered with forest at that time and he and family lived as typical pioneers. Of his children but two survive: William and Ross, the latter residing in Clarion County. The father lived to be ninety-one years of age.

Although born in Union Township, Wil- liam Cox may almost be called a native of

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Mahoning Township, as he was only three years old when his parents settled here and it was here he grew to manhood, ob- taining a district school education and his training that fitted him for his life work. Mr. Cox has devoted himself to agricul- tural pursuits and together with farming and stockraising, for fourteen years oper- ated a threshing machine, traveling through the season to all parts of Law- rence County. During many years his life was one of great industry, but one of am- ple recompense. His land is some of the best and most desirable in Mahoning Township.

Mr. Cox was married in early manhood to Matilda Lockhart, who was born in what is now called Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, a daughter of Hiram and Margaret Lockhart. Mrs. Cox died April 11, 1898. She was a most admirable woman in every relation of life and was a consistent member of Hopewell Presby- terian Church at New Bedford, Pennsyl- vania. A family of ten children was born to William Cox and wife, namely: Flora J., residing at home; John H., residing at New Castle; William S., residing in Beaver County, Pennsylvania; Frank, re- siding in Mahoning Township; Edwin G., residing in Columbiana County, Ohio; Margaret E. and Sadie B., both residing at home; Goldena M., deceased; Samuel D., residing in Mahoningtown, and Grover R., living at home.

In his political views, Mr. Cox is an In- dependent voter. For several years he has served on the Mahoning Township School Board and for several years was road supervisor. He has never been eager to hold public office but has ever been ready to do a good citizen's part in devel- oping and improving the neighborhood in which he has lived so long. He is a mem- ber of and liberal contributor to the Har- bor United Presbyterian Church.

ELMER ADAM MERSHIMER, farmer, dairyman and stockraiser, in Shenango Township, was born on his pres-

ent farm in Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania, March 5, 1863, and is a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Richey) Mershimer.

The father of Mr. Mershimer was also born on this farm, May 15, 1819, and he became a carpenter and followed that trade into middle life, having his own shop. He then turned his attention to general farming on the homestead. In 1873 he built the substantial barn and three years later the comfortable resi- dence. In politics he was a Democrat. He married Elizabeth Richey, who was left an orphan at an early age. They had the following children: Alcetha, who is the widow of Milton Frew, of New Castle; Zelma R., who lives at West Sunbury, in Butler County; Adelaide, who died aged twenty-two years; Katherine Adella, also deceased; Henry R., who lives at New Cas- tle; and George B. and Elmer Adam, twins, the former of whom lives at New Castle. The father of this family died June 9, 1899, but the mother still survives and bears well her eighty-four years. She is a valued member of the Neshannock United Presbyterian Church. The Mer- shimer family can be traced several gen- erations back. The grandfather was Adam Mershimer and he served in the War of 1812, being a part of the fleet under Commodore Perry. He married Katherine Stickle and Peter was their eldest child. The great-grandfather of Elmer A. Mershimer was Sebastian Mer- shimer, who was born in Germany but came to the American colonies and fought during the Revolutionary War under Gen. Anthony Wayne, and for his seven years of service, received a grant of 240 1-3 acres of land, which is now the home of his great-grandson, Elmer A. Sebastian Mershimer reached Shenango Township July 3, 1811, and spent the first night on the site of the present new cement works.

Elmer Adam Mershimer has always lived on the old home farm. In connec- tion with his growing of corn, oats, wheat and hay, he operates a small dairy and keeps seven head of cattle, and also raises

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some stock. In politics he is a Republi- can, but only to the extent of good citizen- ship might he be termed a politician.

Mr. Mershimer married Belle J. Thomas, a daughter of William Thomas of Perry Township. They are members of the Neshannock United Presbyterian Church.

CAPT. J. V. CUNNINGHAM, a well known resident of New Castle, is promi- nent among the younger members of the bar of Lawrence County. He was born where Ellwood City is now located, in Wayne Township, and comes of a family which has been closely identified with the affairs of the county since it became estab- lished within its boundaries about the year 1776. He is a son of James W. Cunning- ham, former treasurer of Lawrence County, and grandson of Hon. Joseph Cunningham, at one time an associate judge and a resident of New Castle.

Captain Cunningham was reared in Wayne Township until 1876, and attended the local schools. He then attended dif- ferent educational institutions, receiving a thorough classical education, after which he attended the law department of Ohio Northern University of Ada, Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1895. After reading law one year in the office of Dana and Long, of New Castle, in 1896 he was admitted to the bar. He has since en- gaged in active practice and with uninter- rupted success, except for such periods as his military duties called him from home. Having attended a military school at Ada, Ohio, for three years, he was thoroughly familiar with military tactics, and in 1898 was elected captain of Company B, Six- teenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was in command of his com- pany throughout the campaign in Porto Rico, during the Spanish-American War, and was mustered out of service in De- cember, 1898. In the summer of 1899, he was appointed by the president captain of Company L, Forty-second Regiment United States Volunteers, and served in

the Philippine Islands until 1901, being mustered out of service on June 27th of that year. Upon the organization of Troop F, N. G. P., on May 11, 1904, he was made captain and has efficiently served as such to the present time. In his profes- sion he has been very active, and from January 1, 1903, to January 1, 1906, dis- charged the duties of the office of district attorney of Lawrence County. He has shown great capability, and is held in high esteem by his many acquaintances throughout the county.

In October, 1906, Captain Cunningham was united in marriage with Miss Jessie F. Westlake, and they reside in a comfortable home in New Castle. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic Order, and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, of which he is the present Exalted Ruler.

LEWIS C. COX, one of the best known citizens of Pulaski Township, an agricul- turist and a successful dealer in fertilizers and agricultural implements, resides on his excellent farm of fifty-eight acres. He was born in Mahoning Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1857, and is a son of Samuel and Sophia (Reynolds) Cox.

William Cox, an early settler in Law- rence County, was the grandfather of Lewis C. and he came from eastern civili- zation right into the heart of a wilderness, assuming the duties of a pioneer. He mar- ried Esther Sankey. Samuel Cox, father of Lewis C., was born in Lawrence County, where he died December 16, 1899. In pol- ities he was a Democrat, and as he was a man of sterling character, he was fre- quently elected to local offices. He married Sophia Reynolds and they had six chil- dren, namely, Mary M., who married Henry Cooper, who is a member of the New Castle Lumber and Construction Com- pany and resides at No. 69 North Mercer Street, New Castle; Lewis C .; William H., senior member of the firm of W. H. Cox & Sons, dealers in hard lumber, who resides at New Castle; John D., who lives in She-

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nango Township; Charles C., who resides in Pulaski Township, and Joseph R., who is a prominent physician of New Castle and the present coroner of Lawrence County.

Lewis C. Cox was yet an infant when his parents moved to Pulaski Township. His education was not neglected in boyhood and as he has always enjoyed reading and has been actively associated with his fellow citizens and taken part in the leading af- fairs of public interest in his community, he is one of its best informed men. He has occupied his present farm since early in the eighties and for a number of years has handled fertilizers and farming machinery.

On January 1, 1883, Mr. Cox was mar- ried to Susan Cooper, who was born in Mahoning Township and is a daughter of the late John and Nancy Cooper, who were old and prominent settlers of that town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have four chil- dren: Ethel B., who is the wife of R. R. Potter, who is assistant secretary of the Y. M. C. A. at New Castle; Edna M., who is the wife of C. C. Paden, of New Castle; Bessie, who is the wife of Stephen Wise, of New Castle, and Marie, who resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are members of the Harbor United Presbyterian Church, in which he has served for a long period as an elder. In political sentiment he is a Prohibitionist and at all times is a lover and promoter of law and order.

ADAM MORRISON HOPE, a repre- sentative farmer of North Beaver Town- ship, residing on his fine farm of eighty- eight acres, located just east of the Hope school-house, which is located on a part of his farm, was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, on an adjoining farm, Aug- ust 13, 1825. He is a son of John and Betsey (Mckibben) Hope.

The first of the Hope family to settle in North Beaver Township was James Hope, who came in 1800, and two years later came Adam Hope, the grandfather of Adam Morrison. He came here from Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania, in 1802, and

settled on the farm which his grandson now owns. At that time little clearing had yet been done in this section and Adam Hope cut down trees, cleared out the brush, put the rich soil in excellent condition and made a large number of the improvements which make this old farm a comfortable one on which to live. The remainder of Adam Hope's life was spent on this place. He was of the sturdy old pioneer type and became a man of standing in his section.

John Hope, father of Adam M., was born on this old homestead farm and in early manhood he married a daughter of Hugh Mckibben, who was also an early settler who had come to Lawrence County from Center County to survey land. He was pleased with the conditions he found in North Beaver Township and took up 400 acres for himself. The wife of John Hope was born and reared on the farm now owned by G. A. Martin. The father of Mr. Hope died on the home farm and the mother passed away subsequently at Pe- tersburg, Ohio.

Adam Morrison Hope was mainly reared on the farm which lies just west of his own. He learned the carpenter trade when he was a young man, but later purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has a nice property and a well stocked farm.

In 1851 Mr. Hope was married to Mary Ann Rock, who was born and reared in Springfield Township, Mahoning County, Ohio. She is a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Young) Rock. They were farming people in Mahoning County, where their lives were spent. To Mr. and Mrs. Hope nine children were born, namely: Eliza Jane, who died when aged twenty-one years; Rachel, who died when aged four- teen years ; Martha Ellen, who married Eli Sipe, and they have one daughter, Eva, who is the wife of Floyd Johnson, and they have one daughter, Olive; Clara; Viola, who married James Reed, and they have two daughters, Mary Ilga and Hilda Vesta, and the latter is the wife of Louis Gailey, the former of whom is the wife of

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David Woods; Mary Adella, who married Robert Hope, and they have one daughter, Jane Marie, wife of James Edward Hamill, and they have a daughter, Florence Mu- riel; Florence Belle; John, who married Janet Woods, and they have four children, William Earol, John Harold, Rebecca Marie and Elizabeth Woods; and William Henry, who married May Musser. They have two children, Helen Gertrude and Grace Viola. Mr. and Mrs. Hope have two great-grandchildren, little Florence Muriel Hamill and Olive Johnson.

Mr. and Mrs. Hope have resided on this farm since May, 1862. They are members of the Westfield Presbyterian Church, of which he has been an elder for forty years, being the oldest man in that congregation both in years and in point of service.

BENJAMIN HEASLEY, one of Pu- laski Township's best known and most re- spected citizens, residing on his birthplace farm, a valuable tract of 111 acres, was born October 25, 1826, and is a son of Daniel and Mary (Uber) Heasley.

Daniel Heasley was born in Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania, where his father had settled when he came from Ger- many to America. Pulaski Township was still a great body of timber land, through which ran no highways and where few set- tlers had yet ventured, when Daniel Heas- ley first settled there, where his whole sub- sequent life was spent, his death taking place on the last day of December, 1849. He married Mary Uber, who was also of German extraction but born in Westmore- land County, and they had twelve children born to them. A number of these lived into old age, one son, Joseph, who died at Pu- laski, September 18, 1907, being in his nine- tieth year, but only two of the original family that once filled the pioneer cabin to overflowing survive, these being Benjamin and Mary. The latter is the widow of Ebenezer Thompson, late of Mercer County, and she has passed her eighty- ninth birthday.

Benjamin Heasley has been a lifelong

resident of Pulaski Township and has wit- nessed many wonderful changes. His edu- cation was obtained in the subscription schools, which laid the foundation on which Mr. Heasley has built up a great fund of general information. He has never cared to do anything else than farm and his well cultivated acres show that during his active years he was a very thorough tiller of his many acres.

On March 25, 1852, Mr. Heasley was married (first) to Eliza Paden, of Beaver County. Her father, Thomas Paden, moved to Pulaski Township in 1845. Three children were born to this marriage, namely : Thomas P., residing in Metropolis, Illinois; Mary M., wife of John Ray, resid- ing at New Castle, and Ella M., who is deceased. On December 8, 1896, Mr. Heas- ley was married (second) to Miss Rose Elder, of Slippery Rock, Butler County. Her parents, John and Susan (Roberts) Elder, were natives of Lawrence County, but they moved to Slippery Rock prior to her birth. Mrs. Heasley has two surviving sisters: Sarah, who is the wife of Henry Arblaster, of Slippery Rock, Butler County, and Elizabeth, who is the wife of William Rice, of Denver, Colorado.

Mr. Heasley has the following grand- children: Clair Buchanan, who is a son of Luther and the late Ella M. (Heasley) Bu- chanan, resides with his uncle, John Ray, at No. 168 Locust Street, New Castle; Ben- jamin L. and Harold M. are sons of John and Mary (Heasley) Ray and reside at New Castle; Effie, who is the daughter of Thomas P. Heasley, is the wife of William Wright, of Chicago, Illinois.

In his political views Mr. Heasley is a Republican with strong Prohibition tend- encies, having always been a man of tem- perance principles. He is a valued member of the Christian Church at Pulaski. Mrs. Heasley belongs to King's Chapel, Metho- dist Episcopal Church.

CALVIN SMITH, who has been a resi- dent of New Castle for the past thirty-five years and is identified with its business

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and other interests, was born in Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylva- nia, in 1851, and is a son of Jacob and Julia Smith.

Jacob Smith, father of Calvin, was of German ancestry and parentage, but he was born in Maryland and was brought to Beaver County, Pennsylvania, in 1808, where he lived until his father, in 1812, bought what is now known as the Phillips farm, in Shenango Township. Jacob Smith lived on that farm for some years, later moved to Butler County, but died at New Castle when aged eighty-five years.

Calvin Smith was four years old when his parents moved to Butler County, where he continued to reside until he was nine- teen years of age. He was a youth of per- severance and ambition and then left home, determined to succeed in some line of work and thereby advance his fortunes. For six months he worked in the oil fields in Arm- strong County, and although this was hard and unaccustomed labor, he enjoyed it, as he was able to save a little money for the first time in his life. Finally he went to New Castle and there became a mill worker, where he continued for the next eighteen years. He abandoned mill work on account of failing health, and, against the advice of many friends, on December 24, 1889, opened up a little grocery store on Long Avenue. It was an entirely new business for him and thus his friends thought he made a mistake to invest his savings in a venture which would likely prove a failure, but he was persistent and time proved that he was wiser than many of his would-be critics. He was practically the pioneer in the grocery business in this section of the city and within one year had a firmly established business. His success brought other business houses to this sec- tion and now on every hand may be ob- served well equipped stores in every line, and a fine bank building, all supplying the wants of (the South Side) a population of fully 10,000 people.

Among the business houses just men- tioned Mr. Smith's present store is one of

the best and most modern, both in construc- tion and equipment. He erected his building in 1906, a fine three-story brick structure, 32x110 feet, at No. 57 East Long Avenue, and occupies the entire lower floor. The building is equipped with steam heat, elec- tricity and elevator, while the stock is as complete as can be found in any metropoli- tan city. Mr. Smith is second vice-presi- dent of the Union National Bank and is also interested in real estate.

In 1873 Mr. Smith was married to Miss Nancy J. Elder, who is a daughter of Ed- ward Elder, formerly of Scott Township, Lawrence County, and they have three sur- viving children: Victor, who is employed in the store; Norman, who also assists his father in the business, and Daisy, who mar- ried Bert McKibben. Mr. Mckibben has charge of the green goods department, being the buyer of the fruits and vegeta- bles, a man of experience in this line.

For sixteen years Mr. Smith served as a member of the School Board from the Fifth Ward. He is one of the old and most liberal members of the First Baptist Church and for ten years has been a mem- ber of its board of trustees, seven of these being chairman. He belongs to the order of Ben Hur and to the Protected Home Circle.

GEORGE W. McGARY, a veteran of the Civil War and a well-known resident of Neshannock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was born on his present farm May 15, 1837, and is a son of John and Margaret (Wallace) McGary, and a grand- son of Robert McGary.

Robert McGary was born in Virginia, and at an early day located on a farm of 200 acres which he purchased in Neshan- nock Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania. He was one of the first settlers of the vicinity, erected a log house and set about clearing his land. He lived there until his death. He was a soldier in the army during the War of 1812. His wife's maiden name was Dix.

GEORGE W. McGARY.

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John McGary, father of George W., was born on the home place in Neshannock Township, July 8, 1803, attended such schools as the community afforded in those pioneer days and aided in clearing the farm. He followed farming on that place throughout his entire life. He was a Democrat in politics and served as con- stable some years. He was united in mar- riage with Margaret Wallace, who was born in Plain Grove, and was a daughter of Robert Wallace. They became parents of twelve children, eleven of whom grew up, namely: Elizabeth, widow of James Glenn, lives on the farm settled by her grandfather; Lowry, deceased; Samuel, who on April 20, 1908, celebrated his Golden Wedding anniversary, an event which was attended by more than 150 con- gratulating friends ; Mary, widow of Hugh Thompson, lives in Iowa; George W .; Nancy, who taught school many years and now resides in Chicago; Jule, wife of Thomas Chapin, of Neshannock Township; Rebecca; Maria, who lives with the subject of this sketch; James, of Nebraska, and Virginia, wife of Wylie Gibson, of Ne- braska, are twins; and Margaret, the youngest of the family, died at the age of eighteen months. Mr. MeGary died in 1875. He was an active member of the United Presbyterian Church, to which his wife also belonged.

George W. McGary was reared on the old home place and lived there until the Civil War. He enlisted in 1862 as a mem- ber of Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, and served nine months. He then re-enlisted for a term of three years as a member of Company H, One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was in many important engagements of the war, and was taken prisoner at Cold Har- bor. He was incarcerated in Libby Prison at Richmond for six months and ten days, and then in Andersonville. After receiv- ing an honorable discharge from the army he went out West for nine years, and then

returned home and resumed farming op- erations. He is a man of energy and abil- ity and has been more than ordinarily suc- cessful. He has ninety-seven acres, near- ly all of which are under a high state of cultivation, and in 1885 he erected a fine residence of eight rooms, modern in all its appointments and improvements. Politi- cally, he is a Democrat. He is a man of the highest type of citizenship, enterpris- ing and progressive, and stands high in the esteem of his fellow men.

JOHN B. WOODS, of North Beaver Township, is a prominent farmer and rep- resentative citizen and is the owner of 325 acres of valuable land adjoining the West- field Church. He was born in that town- ship, August 18, 1851, is a son of William and Margaret (Davidson) Woods, and grandson of William Woods, Sr., who was one of the earliest settlers of Lawrence County. This hardy pioneer was born in Ireland, came to America at an early age, and in 1795 took up his residence in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania.

John B. Woods was reared and educated in his native township and has followed agricultural pursuits throughout life. His land, consisting of 325 acres, is in two ad- joining farms, and he has occupied his present home since 1874. A man of energy and resource, his success has been above the average and he takes rank among the substantial and influential men of his sec- tion of the county.

Mr. Woods was united in marriage with Miss Ella C. Poak (by many spelled Polk), a daughter of John and Emiline Poak, her family also being one of the pioneer fam- ilies of North Beaver Township. Her father was born in this township, and was a son of Samuel Poak, who was born in Union County, Pennsylvania, and came to North Beaver Township in 1804, settling on the farm now owned by J. D. Brewster between Mahoningtown and Mt. Jackson. He lived there until his death, at the age

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 66

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