Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 72

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 72

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In November, 1907, Mr. Coates was ap- pointed alderman for the remainder of the year by the Governor of Pennsylvania, to fill out the unexpired term of the late G. B. McClain, and in the spring election of 1908 he was regularly elected to the office for the full term, which will expire in May, 1913. He has been an active politician for many years and an ardent Republican.

In 1886, Mr. Coates was married to Miss Minnie A. Smith and they have five chil- dren, namely: James W., who is his fath- er's assistant in business; Clara Bessie, who is a stenographer, and Hiram H., Clarence H. and W. Grace. Mr. and Mrs. Coates and the four older children are all members of the Methodist Episcopal

H. G. COATES.

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Church. Mr. Coates belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Modern Woodmen.

WILBUR W. SPENCER, who is recog- nized as one of Pulaski Township's most prominent citizens, carries on extensive farming on his valuable estate of 400 acres situated here. Mr. Spencer was born at Hartford, Trumbull County, Ohio, April 7, 1843, and is a son of Bissell H. and Fan- nie (Chapman) Spencer. The Spencer family is of English extraction. The father of the subject of this sketch was born in Connecticut, and the mother in Ohio. She died when Wilbur W. was four years old. One other son survives her, Whitney Spencer, who also resides in Pu- laski Township.

Wilbur W. Spencer was reared in Trumbull County, Ohio, and there attended school. For many years he was engaged in the milling industry both in Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, Ohio, and later in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. In 1862 he enlisted for service in the Civil War and served for three years in an inde- pendent company and regiment, under command of Capt. Charles Smith, of Trumbull County. He saw hazardous serv- ice in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, but was never seriously injured, and received an honorable discharge. He belongs to the G. A. R. post at Youngs- town. He returned to Trumbull County, where he resided until 1880, when he set- tled on his present farm in Pulaski Town- ship. Mr. Spencer has served four years as a member of the Board of Education in Pulaski Township, being a great friend of the public schools. While not connected by membership with any religious body, his fellow citizens have found him liberal and generous in every call made upon him for religious or benevolent purposes.

Mr. Spencer was married, first, to Ella Cole, who was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, and they had two children: Frank E., residing at Pittsburg, and Mabel M.,

who is the wife of John Wallace, residing at New Castle. Mr. Spencer was married, secondly, to Hannah McClusky, who was born at Hubbard, Ohio.

R. L. McNABB, treasurer and manager of the New Castle Pulp Plaster Company, has been a resident of this city for the past twenty years, and is a substantial and rep- resentative citizen. He was born in 1850, at Pulaski, Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Robert L. McNabb.

The father of Mr. MeNabb was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, and established his home in Pulaski, Pennsylvania, in 1848. He engaged there in a blacksmith business for many years, and died in his home there, on August 1, 1880. In 1860 he enlisted in the One Hundredth Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry, the famous "Roundhead" Regiment, in which he served nearly two years. He was serious- ly wounded at the battle of Bull Run, and was not afterward physically able to re- join his regiment. He was honorably dis- charged, and the remainder of his life was spent in Pulaski. R. L. McNabb attended school through his boyhood, and then learned his father's trade in the latter's shop, afterward working at Pulaski for fifteen years. In 1881 he visited Illinois, where he bought 750 acres of land, which he cut and converted into lumber, during the two an one-half years he remained in that State. When he returned to Law- rence County he settled at New Wilming- ton, buying the leading hardware business in the place, which he conducted for two and one-half years, and then came to New Castle. Here, in association with his brother, John W. McNabb, he bought a two-thirds interest in the William Becker hardware business, and continued to be interested in the same for five years. After selling out his interest he established a hardware business, locating on the corner of the leading streets, and continued there for some time. Subsequently Mr. McNabb and his son, Percy P., became interested in

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the New Castle Elastic Pulp Plaster Com- pany, of which Mr. McNabb is treasurer and general manager, and also the owner of the largest amount of stock, and Percy P. McNabb is president. The business is incorporated with a capital stock of $100,- 000.

For a number of years Mr. MeNabb has been active in politics, and he served as county commissioner during 1900, 1901 and 1902. His administration met with popular approval. Mr. McNabb owns real estate in New Castle and is interested in improving it.

In 1877 Mr. McNabb was married to Jessie F. Porter, of Pulaski, Pa., and they have three children: Percy P., Ruby and Florence. Mr. McNabb takes a deep in- terest in the First Presbyterian Church, serving as a deacon and also as an official in the Sunday-school.

ROBERT H. ALEY, one of Wampum's representative business men and junior member of the firm of Miles & Aley, deal- ers in hardware, on Main Street, Wam- pum, was born in this town March 15, 1875. His parents were William and Mary (Stiner) Aley.

Michael Aley, the great-grandfather, was a German by birth and was one of the pioneer settlers in Beaver County, Penn- sylvania. He had five children: Cathe- rine, Ann, John, Michael and Jonathan. The last named was the grandfather of Robert Aley. His brothers were farmers, but he learned the blacksmith trade. He married Ann Edwards, whose parents came to Beaver County from Maryland, in early days. The children of Jonathan and Ann Aley were as follows: Alfred and Joseph, both deceased; Emeline married Edward Day, deceased ; Deborah, deceased, was the wife of Hon. James McAnlis; John died young; Isaiah, Charles, William and Robert Henry, the latter of whom is the oldest resident of Wampum, having been born July 28, 1836.

William Aley, father of Robert H. Aley, Jr., was born in Beaver County, near the Lawrence County line. In his youth he worked in the limestone quarries and dur- ing the most of his active years he was more or less engaged in quarrying. He married Mary Stiner, of Mercer County, and they had four children, namely : Rob- ert H., John, who died in boyhood; Lulu, who died in childhood, and Verna, who is the wife of Frank Miles. William Aley and wife are among the most highly es- teemed residents of Wampum.

Robert H. Aley attended the public schools of Wampum, remaining at his books until he was about twenty years of age, and then went to work in the coal banks, where he labored for six years. He then entered the employ of Davis & Har- ris and worked for three years in their sandstone quarries. Mr. Aley next became a clerk for the Wampum Supply Company and remained with that concern for three years. His next employer was Charles Stapf, and with him he remained for six years as a clerk. In May, 1906, Mr. Aley, in partnership with C. F. Miles, opened up a small slating and tinning business, locating it on Beaver Street, and they sub- sequently added a line of hardware. The enterprise prospered, and by March 20, 1907, had outgrown the old quarters, ne- cessitating a removal to more commodious ones. The firm then came to the present location on Main Street, where they carry a full line of hardware, tin and slate roof- ing, farm implements, hot water and hot air equipments, paints and everything usu- ally to be found in first-class business houses of their kind. The stock occupies both floors of their building. Mr. Aley and Mr. Miles employ two men, and both are ac- tive in the management, dividing their la- bors. Mr. Aley looks after the store and retail business, while Mr. Miles, who is a practical roofer of many years' standing, takes care of the work in that line.

On September 10, 1900, Mr. Aley was

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married to Mary Sprinker, who is a daugh- ter of Nicholas Sprinker. They have one child, Paul, who was born June 7, 1906. Mr. Aley owns a handsome residence on Clyde Street, in the Stapf addition to Wampum. In politics, Mr. Aley is a Demo- crat.

FRANK G. MORROW, a well known resident of Wampum, Lawrence County, Pa., where he has been engaged in black- smithing for more than eighteen years, has been a lifelong resident of the county. He was born on the old McConahy home- stead near Moravia, in North Beaver Township, September 19, 1854, and is a son of Charles and Matilda (McConahy) Morrow.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Mor- row was of German extraction and be- came one of the pioneers of Lawrence County. He settled on 130 acres of land in the woods, and this place still remains in the Morrow name. He married Cathe- it for a period of nearly thirty years. He and bore him the following children: Adam, Jesse, Charles and George V., who are the only ones of the family now liv- ing, and Nicholas and Catherine Jane.

Charles Morrow was born in the old log cabin on his father's farm in Wayne Town- ship, Lawrence County, February 7, 1825, and has a distinct remembrance of going up a ladder, on the outside, to the second story of this building, to sleep at nights during his boyhood days, often to find the snow drifting through and partially cov- ering the bed. He helped to clear the home farm, and as he was quite young when his father died it was necessary for him, as well as the other children, to shift for him- self at an early age. He learned the black- smith trade at an early age, and followed it for a period of nearly thirty years. He did the blacksmithing in the construction of the dam at Hardscrabble. He had his shop near West Moravia, in an old log building on the farm of William McCona- hy, the latter being his father-in-law. He

was joined in marriage with Matilda Mc- Conahy, who died in 1880, at the age of sixty-two years. Seven children were born to them, namely: Catherine, who died at the age of two years ; Frank G., Susan, wife of Walter Hopper; Lydia, whose death re- sulted from a stroke of lightning at the age of twenty-two years, had a twin sister who died in infancy; Rose is the wife of Robert Jackson, and Margaret is the wife of Samuel Crawford. Mr. Morrow spent the late years of his active career in farm- ing, owning two farms, consisting of 176 acres in all, but he has disposed of seventy- six acres.

Frank G. Morrow attended the district schools of his native township and worked on the farm during his youth. At the age of twenty-one years he went to Taylor Township and operated a stone quarry for David McAllister for ten years. In 1885 he came to Wampum and for three years was in the service of the Wampum Cement Company, at the end of which time he went to Chewton and worked at black- smithing for George Hennon for fifteen months. In October, 1890, he returned to Wampum and purchased the shop of A. W. Reed, on the corner of Beaver and Church Streets, and there he has since continued. He does all kinds of work in the line of blacksmithing and general repairing, and has an established patronage throughout this section of the county.

In 1875 Mr. Morrow was united in mar- riage with Emeline Ritchie, a daughter of David Ritchie, who came here from County Down, Ireland, in the early days. Three children were born to them: David J., who married Catherine Duggan and lives in Pittsburg: Matilda, and Charles. Mr. Morrow owns real estate in Wampum, and has his residence across the street from his shop. He is a Democrat in poli- tics. and is at the present time serving in the village council. He also served on the election board. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of the Order of Odd Fellows, at Wam- pum.

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ALFRED C. HYDE, registrar and re- corder of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is proprietor of one of the leading drug stores at New Castle, where he is a rep- resentative citizen. He was born Novem- ber 10, 1866, at Sharon Pa., and is a son of John W. and Sarah ( Marshall) Hyde, who reared a family of seven children. John W. Hyde was a mechanic by trade.

Alfred C. Hyde was educated at the Sharon and Middlesex schools and in 1889 attended the Pittsburg College of Phar- macy. Prior to 1890, when he came to New Castle, he had carried on a drug busi- ness, in Middlesex, which he continued after locating in this city, his present store being one of the most reliable, best equip- ped and most modern in New Castle. He is a zealous Republican and on the ticket of that party he was first elected registrar and recorder of Lawrence County in 1900. He was re-elected in 1903, serving until 1908, and being a valued and popular pub- lic official.

Mr. Hyde was married (first) to Min- nie Espy and (secondly) to Nellie F. Mur- phy. Mr. Hyde is a Presbyterian and Mrs. Hyde is a member of the Methodist Church. Their pleasant home is located at No. 408 North Cedar Street, New Castle. Frater- nally, Mr. Hyde is connected with the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.

W. M. BOCKIUS, a progressive farmer of Shenango Township, owns a fine farm of forty acres, on which he has passed his life since he was ten years old. He was born in Hickory Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1848, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Mar- tin) Bockius.

The grandfather was Daniel Bockius, who took part in the War of 1812. He was born in 1782, in Holland, where he learned the trade of bookbinding. This he fol- lowed in Philadelphia, and also after set- tling in Lawrence County, on the State line, about one-half mile above Eastbrook,

and in the libraries through this section may yet be found specimens of his skill. Little is known of the grandmother except that her name was Rachel and that she was of Scotch birth.

John Bockius was born in 1820 and was the oldest child of his parents. In 1858 he left the home farm and moved to She- nango Township, securing land on the Princeton road, which later became very valuable. He died on this farm in the fall of 1886, aged sixty-six years. In politics he was a Democrat and had frequently served his township as school director. He married Elizabeth Martin, who was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of William Martin. They had three children: W. M., the only survivor; Augustus, and Maude. The parents were members of the Presbyterian Church.

W. M. Bockius received his educational training in the schools of Shenango Town- ship. His life has been passed in agricul- tural activity. The home farm originally included a part of what is now Cascade Park, and also a number of acres now utilized by the Lake Erie Railroad. Mr. Bockius raises abundant crops of corn, oats, wheat and hay on his land, which he cultivates according to modern methods. He has one of the finest apple orchards in this section.

Before marriage, Mrs. Bockius was Miss Elizabeth Riley. She was born in Ireland and is a daughter of Thomas Riley. Mr. and Mrs. Bockius have the following chil- dren: W. S. Augustus, Mary, who is the wife of Frank Stalter, of Allegheny; Ann, Frances, John and Sarah, twins, and Maude. In politics Mr. Bockius is a Dem- ocrat, but takes no active interest in po- litical campaigns.

SAMUEL W. MITCHELL, general farmer and well and favorably known cit- izen of Wilmington Township, who resides on his excellent farm of eighty acres, which is situated on the east side of the Mercer and New Castle Road, about one-

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quarter of a mile from New Wilmington, was born April 25, 1842, and is a son of Samuel W. and Catherine (Raney) Mitch- ell. The earlier members of the Mitchell family lived in Neshannock Township, Lawrence County, and were prominent farmers. Samuel W. Mitchell the elder, moved to New Castle, where he carried on an undertaking business.

Samuel W. Mitchell resided at New Cas- tle until he was about twenty-five years of age, after the close of his second term of enlistment as a soldier in the Civil War. He was a member of the Twelfth Regi- ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, during his first enlistment, and of the Sec- ond Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, during his second term, serving under James A. Gar- field. His service was mainly with Gen- eral Sherman's forces, and he participated in twenty battles. Mr. Mitchell did not es- cape some of the dangers of war, as while his company was pursuing General Mor- gan he was wounded in the right leg.

On May 14, 1870, Mr. Mitchell was mar- ried to Lucinda Biddle, and has had five children, namely: Dr. Mitchell, a prac- titioner at Edenburg, who married Isa- bella Dinker; Fred, who works at the car- penter's trade; Charles Foster, who is de- ceased; Samuel, who teaches school, and John W., who is attending Ohio Univers- ity. Mr. Mitchell and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He came to his present farm in 1906, and has been engaged exclusively in agricultural pur- suits since. Before coming here he owned 190 acres in Pulaski Township.

REV. NICHOLAS DE MITA, pastor of the St. Vitus Catholic Church, at New Castle, was born in Italy, November 29, 1875, and is one of a family of four chil- dren born to his parents, who were Michael and Philomena De Mita.

Father De Mita secured a collegiate edu- cation in his native country and was grad- uated from an Italian college in 1893. For four years he studied for the priesthood

and was ordained to the same in 1898 by Bishop Michael Pirone and was first as- signed as assistant pastor of St. John the Evangelist's Church, in his native town. He performed the duties of his priestly office in this church for six years and in the meantime, on account of his proficiency in the classics, he was appointed teacher of Greek and Latin in a seminary, located in his native place. Prior to coming to America in May, 1904, he filled other re- sponsible positions connected with the Catholic Church. Father De Mita located at the Mount Washington Apostolate, Pittsburg, and found so many of his coun- trymen scattered throughout the diocese, and under no particular charge or mission, that he organized the Italian Mission, which he conducted for eighteen months, this 'being the most successful of its kind organized in the Pittsburg Diocese. In conducting this mission, Father De Mita had to contend with a class of people who, at first, were not willing to yield to his authority, and on numerous occasions even his life was threatened when he persisted in his attempts to suppress wrongs of many kinds. He accomplished wonderful results, however, and became a power for good among the Italian colonists. In Sep- tember, 1905, he was appointed pastor of the St. Vitus Catholic Church at New Castle, a church which he virtually organ- ized and built up. For seven years this congregation had been holding services in a little church which had been purchased from the Methodists. Within little more than a year Father De Mita has accom- plished the wonderful work of building a splendid new church, a school and a con- vent, and purchasing a large and commodi- ous playground for the children. He has 400 families under his spiritual direction.

St. Vitus Catholic Church was dedicated August 15, 1907, by Bishop Reges Canevin. It is a fine brick structure which was erect- ed at a cost of $70,000, for church, grounds and other buildings pertaining. The corner- stone was laid August 15, 1906. School

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accommodations are provided in the base- ment for 400 pupils, under Sisters of the third order of St. Francis, and the church has a seating capacity of 700. In architec- ture and finish this church is an ornament to the city and a credit to the congrega- tion.

Reverend De Mita is the originator of the Catholic Anti-Black Hand Society, which has a membership of 300, with the following leading Italian citizens of the United States as its officers: Nicholas Fa- ella. president ; Vito De Simone, vice-presi- dent, and Louis Tardelli, secretary. The object of this organization is to suppress the society known as the Black Hand, which has brought terror to many civilized sections of the United States. While the Catholic Anti-Black Hand Society is made up entirely of Catholics, it has the sym- pathy and moral support of every right- thinking and orderly member of every other religious body.

BERT J. ROSS, occupying the very re- sponsible position of manager of the New Castle works of the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, has been identified with this great industrial plant since March, 1894, coming to it while it still bore the old name of Greer Mills. Mr. Ross was born at New Castle, Pa., August 5, 1873. and is a son of J. Calvin and Viney (Eaton) Ross.

Mr. Ross was reared and educated in his native city, his first work after leaving school coming to him in the form of driv- ing a delivery wagon for Hayes & Mitchell, grocers. This position did not entail a great deal of responsibility, but it is prob- able that Mr. Ross performed his duties faithfully or, when the senior partner, Mr. Hayes, went into the wholesale tobacco business he would not have offered the position of shipping clerk to his humble employe. Again Mr. Ross, to use a par- donable slang expression of the day, "made good," and he remained with Mr. Hayes until he was offered a better place

in the tin-mills. He entered the works as weighmaster and was constantly advanced from one position to the other until he be- came foreman in the finishing works of the Shenango mills, where he continued for five years. Poor health then caused him to retire from the company and he then entered into the grocery business, in asso- ciation with Archie Gordon, but eight months later he accepted a position with the Sharon Works as assistant superinten- dent, and remained there until July 1, 1908, when he became manager of the New Castle plant. Faithful attention to duty, unfailing industry and fidelity to his em- ployers have marked the whole of Mr. Ross' business career and have brought him success.

Mr. Ross married Maud A. Phillips, who is a daughter of John T. Phillips, and they have five children, namely: Ruth, Sara, Martha, John and David.

Mr. Ross has advanced to the higher branches of Masonry. He is a member of the Lodge of the Craft, No. 433, F. & A. M .; Delta Royal Arch Chapter, Hiram Council, Lawrence Commandery and the still higher branches belonging to the Lake Erie Consistory. He is also identified with the order of Elks.

FRANK PIERCE MAJOR, who has been prominently identified with the busi- ness interests of Wampum for many years, is proprietor of a general store which en- joys a liberal patronage of the people throughout that section of the county. He was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, May 5, 1857, and is a son of William and Lena (Martin) Major, both of whom were also natives of that county.

William Major, father of Frank P., had a farm near New Middletown, Ohio, and there followed farming throughout his ac- tive life, but during his latter years lived at the home of his son, Frank P., at Wam- pum, where he died in 1903, aged eighty years. His wife died at the age of seventy years. They were parents of five chil-

BERT J. ROSS.

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dren, three of whom grew up, namely : George, Harvey and Frank Pierce, the latter being the only survivor.

Frank P. Major spent his early boyhood days on his father's farm and at the age of eleven years went to Boardman, Ohio, to live with and work for William Walter, on a farm. He continued there for two years and then moved with Mr. Walter to near Carbon, Pa. After three years spent at farming at that place he, in 1872, moved to Wampum, Lawrence County, Pa., and for three years engaged as a day laborer in the limestone quarry. He was then ad- vanced to foreman, in which capacity he continued for seventeen years, during the last two of which he and Philip Fisher had the contract for burning the lime. He next, in partnership with J. C. Cunningham, purchased the store of R. H. Aley, at Wam- pum, which they conducted about three years under the name and style of Cun- ningham & Major. He then disposed of his interest to his partner and purchased a half interest in the store of W. H. Braby. The firm of Braby & Major endured for five years, and during the following five years Mr. Major was in partnership with H. J. McCready. The McCready interest was then disposed of to C. E. Fitch and Edward Kay, the firm name being changed to F. P. Major & Co. In 1905 Mr. Major bought the outstanding interests and has since carried on the business alone. He carries a complete line of general merchan- dise, excepting boots and shoes, and has a well established trade. In 1903 he erect- ed his present commodious business block on the corner of Main and Railroad Streets, and he resides in a handsome brick home on Main Street, which he purchased of the Davidson estate, it being the old Davidson homestead.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 72

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