Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 71

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 71

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Abner W. Gibson has always engaged in agricultural pursuits, at which he has been successful, is a man of modern ideas and progressive spirit. He has aided largely in the development of the commun- ity, and is one who enjoys the confidence and good will of his fellow men to a re- markable degree. He has eighty-five acres of land. He was married March 4, 1852, in Beaver County, to Rebecca Stoops, who was born and reared in that county and was a daughter of William Stoops. He had not long to enjoy the companionship of his wife and their little child, both dying in 1854, and in the same month. Mr. Gibson had a sister, Elizabeth, who died in 1864, married John Johnson, who died in 1865, and five children were left orphans: Mary Lois (White), who lives in Montana; Will- iam, who died in California, unmarried; James, of Washington, D. C .; John, who lives in Scioto County, Ohio, and Charles G. Charles G. Johnson makes his home with his uncle, Mr. Gibson, by whom he was reared, and he owns a farm of eighty- one acres in Taylor Township. He was united in marriage with Miss Laura Book, and they have a son, Frank, on account of whose ill health they are now sojourning in Wyoming.

In religious attachment, Mr. Gibson is a devout member of the Wampum Presby- terian church. Politically, he is a Repub- lican in national politics and a Prohibition- ist in principle. He has efficiently filled most of the township offices.

EDWIN STANTON STEVENSON, of the firm of Stevenson Bros., the leading contracting plumbers at New Castle, was born in this city in 1865, and is a son of Silas Stevenson, who was one of the pio- neers in this section of Lawrence County. Edwin S. Stevenson attended school and was variously occupied up to the age of

twenty years, when he learned the plumb- ing business. He had a large amount of experience before going into business for himself, which he did some twenty years ago, in association with his brother. Both are practical plumbers and attend to their work personally, and this fact has made their contracts so satisfactory that they have an established reputation above all other firms. Mr. Stevenson has other New Castle interests, one of these being part ownership in the New Leslie Hotel. The Stevensons are members of the Central Presbyterian Church. They are good citi- zens, and always have been, and they stand very high in the community.

HON. JAMES McANLIS, former mem- ber of the General Assembly of Pennsyl- vania, is a prominent citizen of Wampum, Lawrence County, Pa., where he has been engaged in business for many years. He was born in Big Beaver Township, Law- rence County, April 1, 1841, is a son of Robert and Jane (Patterson) McAnlis, and grandson of James McAnlis, after whom he was named.

James McAnlis, the grandfather, was a native of County Armagh, Ireland, and at one time the family name was spelled Mc- Andlis. He came to America in 1822 with his wife, Susan, and seven children, and immediately made his way to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, coming from Pitts- burg on horseback. He purchased 500 acres of land, a heavily timbered tract, in what is now Big Beaver Township, on which he soon erected a log house. This he later replaced with a stone house, a part of which now serves the purposes of a kitchen in the home of the late John G. McAnlis. He cleared a portion of his farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, at the age of seventy-seven years. He left to each of his sons 100 acres of land, and to each daughter 25 acres. The family consisted of eight chil- dren, as follows, all of whom were born in Ireland but the youngest: John, William,

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Robert, James, Jane, wife of Robert Young; Eliza Jane, wife of Isaac Kirk- patrick; Susan, wife of James Patterson, and Margaret, who was born in Lawrence County, and was the wife of James Luke. All are now deceased.

Robert MeAnlis was born in Ireland in 1813. and, being a young boy at the time his parents came to America, was prac- tically reared in the woods of Lawrence County. He inherited 100 acres of the home place of his father, and purchased twenty-five acres of a sister. His brother also purchased twenty-five acres each of the sisters, and, as the other three had first choice, that which fell to Robert was the poorest, apparently, and considered of little value. This estimate, however, was a false one, as two 3-foot veins of coal were struck, from which many tons were mined. The laborious work of clearing his land, rolling logs, and the hardships of pioneer existence were too much for his constitution and resulted in his death in middle life. He died in 1856. He mar- ried Jane Patterson, who also was born in Ireland, and was three years of age when her parents came to America, about one year later than the MeAnlis family. These families had been neighbors and friends in the old country and the same relation- ship existed in this country. James Pat- terson, father of Mrs. McAnlis, bought 200 acres adjoining the farm of James Mc- Anlis. The mother of Mr. McAnlis died in 1896, aged seventy-six years. She and her husband were parents of eight chil- dren, as follows: James, Susan, who died in 1863, was the wife of Scott Daniels; Jane, who married Renwick Cook; Thom- as, William, of New Castle; Margaret Sa- rah, widow of Samuel Work; Robert, of New Castle, and Kirk, who died in Febru- ary, 1880.

James McAnlis was reared on the home farm, and, as he was the eldest of the family, much of the work fell upon his shoulders when his father died. At the age of twenty-five years he left home and en-

gaged in teaming and boating oil, in the oil fields surrounding Oil City. He con- tinued for two years, then returned to his home for one year, and in the fall of 1867 opened a boarding house at Wampum, which he conducted for five years. In the meantime, he embarked in the butchering business, which, in connection with buying and shipping stock extensively to Pitts- burg, he has since continued, his sons, Rob- ert and Frank, having charge of the busi- ness at the present time. Energy, perspi- cacity and honesty characterized his pri- vate business affairs to such an extent, it was not surprising when he was called into public service. In 1898 he was elected to the House of Representatives of Penn- sylvania, and in 1902 he was again made the representative of the people in that body. The capable, efficient and conscien- tious discharge of his duties, and the in- telligent manner in which he voted on pub- lie questions of importance, attracted much favorable comment. In 1902 he fostered and secured the enactment of the law for- bidding first cousins to marry, but it was only after the hardest kind of a fight that this was accomplished. For two weeks his bill lay in the waste-basket and seemed doomed to an ignominious death, but he fought it to a vote and final passage. At his request, Senator Phillips introduced the measure in the State Senate, and after another hard fight was voted to passage in that body.

Mr. McAnlis was united in marriage with Miss Deborah Aley, who died in 1873, leav- ing four children, as follows: Laura, wife of Edward Agnew, a druggist at New Castle, has a son, Benjamin A .; Robert married Elizabeth Shearlock and has a son, Ira, who is attending Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio; Eva is wife of C. J. Clark, by whom she has three chil- dren, Edwin, Sarah and Collon James, and Edward, who died May 27, 1898, at the age of twenty-seven years. Mr. Mc- Anlis formed a second marital union with Miss Margaret Lowery, a daughter of John

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

and Margaret Lowery, and four children have been the issue-Clara, Nettie, who married A. L. Vogan, of New Castle, and has four children, James, Walter, Robert and Margaret; Frank, who assists his father in the meat market at Wampum, and James. Religiously, Mr. McAnlis is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. He is a Republican in politics, and has served in numerous township of- fices and is a member of the village council. He is a director of the First National Bank of Wampum, and in connection with his oldest son is owner of sixty acres of land in Big Beaver Township.

HUGH H. MOREHEAD, who for many years was engaged in business at New Castle, was born on the old family home- stead in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, July 8, 1814. His parents were James and Catherine (Henderson) Morehead.

Of English ancestry originally, the More- head family has been loyal American for a number of generations. It was estab- lished in Lawrence County by the grand- father of the late Hugh H. Morehead, who left Westmoreland County and settled on land not far distant from the present city of New Castle. His son, James More- head, inherited the family estate and lived on it until his death. He married Cathe- rine Henderson, who also was of Pennsyl- vania birth, and they had the following children : William, Joseph, Samuel, John, Hugh H., Salinda, James, Elizabeth and Harvey.

The family had been mainly an agricul- tural one until the late Hugh H. More- head attained manhood, when he turned to other lines, becoming a bricklayer and plasterer. Later, in partnership with his brother, Samuel Morehead, he engaged in merchandising, and the leather store of the Morehead brothers was well known and largely patronized by the older residents.

In 1864, on account of some changes com- ing about in the general leather trade, the old, conservative merchants closed out

their business. From that time on until his death Mr. Morehead was not actively concerned in business affairs, but he con- tinued to take part in all public movements which agitated his community, and he ex- tended liberal assistance in support of nu- merous benevolent subjects.

In 1841 Mr. Morehead married Rachel Falls, of New Castle, and they had the following children: Mrs. Maria M. Har- bison, Mrs. Sarah C. Cunningham, Mrs. Ellen B. Bard, Mrs. Eva F. Long, Mrs. Mary White, Fannie S., Lizzie D. and Thomas F.

Thomas F. Morehead, the only son of the late Hugh H. Morehead, is a promi- nent citizen of New Castle and is a mem- ber of the firm of Knox & Morehead, lead- ing insurance men and also sales agents for the Rochester and Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company. In 1903 the New Castle Portland Cement Company was organized. They built the first cement works in New Castle and this company is now building their third large mill. Mr. Morehead was one of the organizers of this enterprise, is one of the directors and has been one of the enterprising spirits in carrying it for- ward to success.

Since completing his education in the New Castle High School, Mr. Morehead has been identified with the insurance and real estate business almost exclusively. Po litically, like his late father, he is an active factor in Republican politics, but he has al- ways refused to accept the offices he has shown himself ready to help his friends secure. His family includes his wife and two children.

WILLIAM GILMORE, a prosperous farmer of North Beaver Township, Law- rence County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a valuable farm of 100 acres, lying on the Springfield-Mount Jackson Road, about three and a half miles west of the latter village. He was born on this place August 3, 1868, and is a son of John and Isa- bella (Chambers) Gilmore.

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John Gilmore was born a short distance south of Mount Jackson in North Beaver Township, and was a son of William, an early settler of the township and a native of Ireland. John Gilmore followed agri- cultural pursuits throughout life, and for some years was the owner of the farm near Covert's Station, now owned by his broth- er, Joseph Gilmore, to whom he sold it. Shortly before the birth of their youngest child, he and his wife moved to the farm on which William Gilmore now lives, and there spent the remainder of their days. He died in May, 1897, having survived his wife some two years. They were the par- ents of three children, namely: Annetta, wife of Wilmirth Wilson, of near Neshan- nock Falls; Mary Jane, wife of John Hat- ton Shaffer, and William.

William Gilmore was born and has al- ways lived on his present farm. The house in which he resides was erected by his father, as was also a large barn which stood on the place until July, 1902, when it was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire. Mr. Gilmore then built his pres- ent large, roomy barn, 40x60 feet. He follows general farming, has his land all under a high state of cultivation, and has met with exceptional success.

Mr. Gilmore was united in marriage in 1900, with Miss Nettie Rock, a daughter of George and Kate (Beight) Rock. He is one who represents the highest type of manhood and citizenship, and enjoys the respect and confidence of his fellow citi- zens.

J. G. FULKERSON, one of New Cas- tle's prominent citizens, who has been iden- tified with its business interests and who also, for the last twenty years has taken a very active part in politics and has served as justice of the peace, burgess and alderman, was born in March, 1837, at New Castle, and is a son of John C. Fulkerson.

The Fulkerson family was established here by the grandfather, James Fulker- son, who came to New Castle, with his

three brothers, in 1800. John C. Fulker- son was born at New Castle. He learned the cabinetmaking trade and in the early days had almost entire control of this busi- ness, as he was considered an expert all through this section of country. He was a Whig in his earlier political life, and later became a Republican.

J. C. Fulkerson was left motherless when he was two years old, and he was reared by his paternal grandparents. He attend- ed the early schools and readily recalls those who sat on the same benches with him, many of these having passed away. Early in his business life he was employed in a dry goods store at Youngstown, Ohio, for one year, when he entered the nail fac- tory and worked in factories of this kind for ten years, in Youngstown, New Castle and Pittsburg. From that he went to the oil fields and spent five years mainly in the oil contracting business. In 1861, Mr. Fulkerson enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry. He remained in active service for nine months, and al- though on many occasions he had a close call, he escaped all the serious ills that pertain to a soldier's dangerous life. That he was an active soldier was shown by his promotion from the ranks to be second sergeant, and during much of his period of service he performed the duties of an or- derly, taking the place of a sick officer.

When Mr. Fulkerson returned to peace- ful pursuits, he re-entered the nail mill, and for two years worked in the rolling de- partment, after which he operated an en- gine at Beaver Falls for over a year, and then went back to New Castle. He oper- ated an engine for the Etna Furnace Com- pany for a year, and then bought a to- bacco business, which he conducted for twelve years. On September 1, 1884, Mr. Fulkerson embarked in a coal business, and continued in the same until 1903, when the Lawrence Ice Company bought him out. He remained with this company after

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

disposing of his interests and has charge of their coal and ice trade, his long ex- perience making him particularly valuable to this corporation.

On December 17, 1857, Mr. Fulkerson was married to Miss Marion A. Spence, and they had four children born to them, the two survivors being: Susanna M., who is the wife of S. P. Emery, a prominent attorney at New Castle; and Mary R., who resides at home. The family belong to the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Ful- kerson has been an ardent Republican ever since the candidacy of John C. Fremont, for whom he cast his first vote, although a little under age, and has voted for every Republican candidate since. He is a mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic and he belongs also to the Knights of Pythias and to the Protected Home Circle.

WILLIAM BARNES was born at Grey Abbey, County Down, Ireland, March 6, 1830. At eighteen years of age he became an American citizen, and since then has been a most loyal subject of his adopted country. His long life of genuine integrity and his sincere devotion to our American institutions entitle him to a place in this biographical history of Lawrence County.

The parents of Mr. Barnes were of good old Irish stock. The early ancestors had come to Ireland from England at the time of Cromwell's invasion. Thomas Barnes, father of William, was a man of a high standard of life, and of exalted character. Nor did his honesty and uprightness of purpose detract in any way from his popu- larity; for there were few men who were so popular and well liked in his neighbor- hood. To the poor and needy and to all who were in distress he was an ever-pres- ent friend-comforting, solacing and re- lieving. His untimely death was mourned by all who knew him. He died in the year 1839, at the age of forty-one. Mr. Barnes was trying to act as peacemaker between two parties to a feud. The knife that was

intended by one combatant for his oppon- ent, entered a vital spot in Mr. Barnes, killing him instantly. He was married to Jane Boyd, daughter of James Boyd, of County Down, Ireland. To this marriage were born six children: James, who mar- ried Annie Annesley of County Down; William, the subject of this sketch; John; Annie; Isabel, and Margaret, who married Henry Wolfe, of Sewickley, Pa.

William Barnes came to America in the year 1848, and settling near Pittsburg, Pa., where he worked at the construction of telegraph lines-an industry then in its in- fancy. When the Civil War began he en- tered the employ of the United States Government, building telegraph under Generals Schenck and Fremont in Mary- land and West Virginia. But this sort of life was not congenial to one in whom all the home instincts were so strong. So in 1861 Mr. Barnes purchased the farm, which he still owns, situated one mile north of New Castle, in Hickory Township. On August 2, 1857, he was married to Martha (Stuart) Macklin, daughter of John Stuart, of County Antrim, Ireland, and widow of Thomas Macklin, by whom she had two children-Margaret J., who mar- ried Robert Patton, and Thomas J., who died in infancy. On this above-mentioned farm, in a log house in the midst of partly cleared fields, Mr. and Mrs. Barnes estab- lished their home. To them have come seven children: John, deceased; Jane, de- ceased; Anna, who married Thomas Matthews; Mary Orr, who married G. P. Bell, of Lone Oak, Tex .; Martha, widow of Hosea Porter, of Brownwood, Tex .; William T., who married Maude Fenton, of Lowellville, Ohio; and Isabel, deceased. Because of the severe climate of this sec- tion, and looking for a location where the winters would be milder, the family moved to Lone Oak, Tex., in the year 1883. But they soon found that place unhealthy to them and after a few years returned. Mr. Barnes was educated in the Belfast Col-

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lege, Ireland, receiving a classical training that would fit him to enter any of the pro- fessions. He has chosen the farm as the sphere in which his life should be used; bringing to the pursuit of agriculture a trained and cultured mind. In the com- munity he has always taken an humble place. Not ambitious for positions of hon- or, or petty places in politics, but ambi- tious for those things which make true greatness-purity of heart and life, hon- esty and integrity. The family are mem- bers of the Park Christian Church, New Castle.

JAMES W. SHAFFER, a prosperous farmer residing on a farm of 133 acres lying one and a half miles south of Prince- ton, in Slippery Rock Township, was born on the farm adjoining his on the south, at a time when it formed a part of Beaver County. The date of his birth was March 27, 1843, and he is a son of Abraham and Martha (Kildoo) Shaffer.

Jacob Shaffer, grandfather of James W., was the first of the family to locate in what is now Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and was a native of Holland. His father also came to this country and died on the farm which Jacob Shaffer purchased in Slippery Rock Township, which has been known as the old Shaffer homestead for so many years. The latter was a carpenter by trade, as well as a farmer.

Abraham Shaffer was born on the old homestead in Slippery Rock Township, and there engaged in argicultural pursuits all his life, although he, too, followed cabinet- making in addition, for some years. He died in the ninety-second year of his age. He married Martha Kildoo, a daughter of James Kildoo, of Lawrence County, and they became parents of the following chil- dren : W. H. H., James W., Franklin, John W., Sylvester, Milo, who died young, Je- mimah, and Mary Jane, Catherine and Su- san, all three deceased.

James W. Shaffer was educated in the

district schools of his home community, and remained on the home place until his marriage, when he purchased his present place of 133 acres of Athen Thomas. He made many improvements of importance on the place and has one of the best ap- pointed farms in the township. He carries on general farming, operating along mod- ern and approved lines, and ranks with the successful men of the community.

Mr. Shaffer is a veteran of the Civil War, first enlisting for nine months in 1862, as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He re-enlisted as a member of the Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and of the officers of that regi- ment, under whom he served, but one is now living, Col. James M. Schoonmaker, now vice-president of the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad Company. Mr. Shaffer par- ticipated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and the many skirmishes and fights in the Shenandoah Valley, be- ing at the last under the command of Gen- eral Sheridan. He was in the engagement in which that famous general made his memorable twenty-mile ride, and was in the saddle for thirteen days of continuous fighting. Notwithstanding the many hot engagements in which he took part and the length of his service, he was fortunate enough to escape without injury.

Mr. Shaffer was united in marriage with Margaret Myers, a daughter of Samuel Myers, a farmer of Lawrence County, and they are parents of four children: John Ross, who married May Frew and resides in Lawrence County; Samuel W., who is unmarried; Myrtle E., wife of Robert Black, by whom she has two children, Law- rence and Raymond, and Grant A., who is unmarried. Politically, Mr. Shaffer is an ardent Republican and frequently has been called upon to serve his township in offi- cial positions of trust. He was constable and tax collector three years, school di- rector eight years, and road supervisor

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two years. In religious faith and fellow- ship, he is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

BROOKS BROADBENT, whose well improved farm of 200 acres is situated in Wilmington Township, on the east side of the Mercer and New Castle Road, about two miles east of New Wilmington, was born April 23, 1852, at Fayetteville, Law- rence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Henry and Lydia ( Wostenholm) Broad- bent. The father of Mr. Broadbent was born in England and was a son of William Broadbent, who was a merchant in Shef- field and never came to America. Henry Broadbent engaged in a grocery business at Fayetteville, Pa.

Brooks Broadbent was married October 12, 1876, to Lizzie Reed, who is a daughter of James and Margaret (English) Reed, prominent farming people of Mercer County. They have three children, name- ly: Nellie, who married John M. Reed, of Youngstown, Ohio; Henry, who mar- ried Alice Black, of Indian Run; and James, who died when nine years old. Mr. Broadbent is a member of the Presby- terian Church, at Volant.

Mr. Broadbent has also dealt extensive- ly in stock and real estate, having the en- viable record of buying and selling more farms than any one farmer in Lawrence County.

The larger part of Mr. Broadbent's life has been given to agricultural pursuits. His residence is a handsome one of block stone, and he has a large and substantial barn, and all his buildings have slate roofs. He is a Republican in politics.

H. G. COATES, a leading citizen of New Castle, a prominent merchant, and the al- derman representing the Seventh Ward, was born in Mahoning Township, Law- rence County, Pennsylvania, in 1861, and is a son of Jerome B. Coates.

Jerome B. Coates, father of H. G., was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania,

and came to Lawrence County when a young man and settled in Edenburg. By trade he was a cooper, but he later went into the limestone business and opened up the first limestone quarry in the Mahon- ing Valley. He took an active part in the public affairs of his community, but sought no political office. He voted with the Re- publican party.

H. G. Coates was educated in the schools of Edenburg and was little more than a school boy when he became attached to the engineer corps that was engaged in surveying for the old P. & C. Railroad through this section, and he was foreman of the construction crew that worked be- tween New Castle and Hazelton. Later he went to work in the freight department of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and still later was expressman and baggage master, and continued with the road in some capacity for seventeen years. When the new tin- mill was built at New Castle he became an employe, and remained there for three years, after which he embarked in a news, tobacco and cigar business. In 1905 he discontinued his news line and enlarged his cigar and tobacco trade, adding also confectionery, and in addition started a coal and draying business. His enterprise as a business man has long been recognized and he stands very high commercially.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 71

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