Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 74

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 74

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).

John J. and Sarah J. (Myers) Miller became parents of ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity, as follows : Ellen, widow of Henry Shaner, has two children, Jeannette and Don; Emma, wife of Thom- as Stewart, has four children, John Q., Mary, Martha and Grace; Mary, widow of Robert Morton, lives in Washington, Pa., and has five children, Grace, Robert, Lucy, Helen and Carrol; Grace, who is at home; Charles W., William married Elizabeth Parshall and has two children, Ralph and Carl; Benjamin and Walter. Fraternally, Mr. Miller was a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, whilst in politi- cal affiliation he was a Republican. Mrs. Miller is a devout member of the Christian Church at Wampum.

EDMUND E. BIGLEY, plumber and dealer in plumbers' supplies, with business location at Nos. 48 to 54 South Croton Street, New Castle, is one of the city's enterprising and successful business men. He was born at New Castle December 3, 1854, and is a son of William B. and Martha A. Bigley.

The late William B. Bigley was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and died at New Castle in October, 1905, where he had been engaged in business as a mer- chant tailor for many years. His wife

was born in Mercer County and died at New Castle, in August, 1904.

Edmund E. Bigley was reared and edu- cated at New Castle, and in 1878 started to learn the plumbing business and com- pleted his knowledge of the trade at Cleve- land, in which city he lived for nine years. When he left Ohio he went to Pittsburg and followed a plumbing business there until . 1892, when he came to New Castle and went to work for the firm that put up the steel plant at New Castle. In 1894 he entered the employ of Stevenson Bros. and continued with that firm for seven years. In 1900 occurred a strike which threw him out of employment, but he secured a po- litical office-the taking of the census for the Third Ward-and when that duty was satisfactorily completed Mr. Bigley con- cluded to embark in a business of his own. His capital was limited, but he needed few equipments and found a workshop in a piano box, back of the Lawrence Savings and Trust Company, which sufficed from July to October. In the interim he had been busy and then rented a room in Apple Alley, for which he paid $1 a week, in which he remained during the winter, and in the spring he was able to secure a sat- isfactory room on Neshannock Avenue and his business pressed him so hard that for a time he was obliged to take in a partner. At present he conducts it alone. His per- severance, courage and industry have brought him the success he now enjoys. In April, 1907, he settled in his present com- modious quarters, where he carries a large stock and guarantees expert work.

While living at Cleveland Mr. Bigley was married to Miss Carrie M. Spieth, a daughter of Jacob Spieth. She was born and reared in Defiance County, Ohio, and died May 28, 1908, at New Castle. They . had five children born to them, namely : Martha K., Mary G., Hazel Belle, Helen M., now deceased, and William Jacob. Mr. Bigley is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.

579

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

ROBERT DAVIS, one of Mahoning Township's most respected citizens, resid- ing on his excellent farm of eighty-five acres, was born December 15, 1831, in Ma- honing Township, Lawrence County, Penn- sylvania, and is a son of Elijah and Mary Davis, and a grandson of David Davis.

The Davis family is of Welsh extraction, but has been American for several genera- tions. Elijah Davis came in early days to the vicinity of Hillsville, building a log house in the woods on a large tract of wild land he had acquired. Later, he erect- ed a comfortable frame dwelling, in which he continued to reside and there his death took place on March 9, 1846, when in his fifty-first year.

Robert Davis was reared to man's estate on the above pioneer farm and assisted his father to clear and cultivate it. He was trained to be a farmer and thoroughly understands every method of agriculture, in later years adopting many of the meth- ods and much of the machinery which were unknown in his early manhood. For some twenty-five years he followed threshing, being in partnership with his brother, the late William Davis. Mr. Davis was mar- ried (first) to Eliza J. Cramer, who was born in Lawrence County. He was mar- ried (second) to Laura Cadwallader, who was born in Mahoning Township, and is a daughter of Milton Cadwallader, of Welsh extraction, once a prominent man in this section. Septimus Cadwallader and Sarah Dallas, his wife, came from Redstone, Pa., in 1803, and settled a large tract of land at what is now called Quakertown, and ran a tannery and comb factory. They were Quakers. Septimus Cadwallader was the father of Joseph Cadwallader, and the lat- ter the father of Milton Cadwallader, the father of Laura Cadwallader, the wife of Robert Davis. Septimus Cadwallader built a stone house in Quakertown in 1805, which is in good preservation to this time, 1908. Mr. Davis is a representative mem- ber of the Baptist Church at Hillsville, hav-

ing been a deacon in that body for many years. He belongs to the Prohibition party.

ANDREW DIETTERLE, a member of the general contracting and lumber dealing firm doing business as the New Castle Lumber and Construction Company, at New Castle, was born in Germany, Janu- ary 6, 1863, and is a son of Jolin George Dietterle, who died in Germany.

Andrew Dietterle attended school and learned the cabinetmaking trade in his own land, which he left in November, 1879, be- ing then sixteen years of age. He located at Pittsburg, Pa., where he worked at his trade for nine years, and in July, 1887, came to New Castle. For the next two years he worked as a carpenter for con- tractors and in 1889 he started into busi- ness for himself, doing a general contract- ing business until March, 1905. At that time he went into partnership with Henry Cooper, T. E. Clark and C. W. Clark, the Clarks retiring after three years. Then J. Cam Liebendorfer came in and they organ- ized the New Castle Lumber and Construc- tion Company. The firm now consists of Messrs. Dietterle, Cooper and Lieben- dorfer. They have a large plant and their vards extend from No. 55 to 75 South Mercer Street, where they give employ- ment to from sixty to ninety men, whose wages are mostly spent in New Castle, this expenditure being a source of revenue to the city's trade. Of this large enterprise, Mr. Dietterle has been the capable man- ager from the beginning. Mr. Dietterle married Anna Maria Heitzman, of Ger- man ancestry, and they have four children : Andrew C., Annie M., Walter G., and Ger- trude H. Mr. Dietterle is a prudent, indus- trious, capable man and is a most worthy citizen. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Modern Woodmen.

WILLIAM W. YOHO, who comes of one of the pioneer families of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is engaged in black-

580

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

smithing at Wampum and has a large, well established business. He was born on the farm of his grandfather Wilson, in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, July 7, 1868, and is a son of Daniel and Sarah (Wilson) Yoho.

John Yoho, grandfather of William W., was the first of the family to locate in this county. He was born in Germany and came to America at an early date, locat- ing on a farm near the present site of Ell- wood City. He cleared a farm there, then moved to what is now the Sword farm near West Pittsburg, which he also cleared. He later lived in New Castle many years, and spent the latter years of his life in Chew- ton, Wayne Township, where both he and his widow died. He married Nancy Dougherty, and of the ten children born to them Daniel was among the oldest.

Daniel Yoho was born in Lawrence County, and assisted his father in clearing the farm. He gained the reputation of having killed more wild turkeys than any man in Slippery Rock Township, and Wil- liam W. now has in his possession the old turkey-bone call he used. He, as well as five brothers and his father, were stone- masons and did the mason work for most of the old barns in their section of the county. Later in life he turned to agri- cultural pursuits, at which he continued until his death at the age of seventy-five years. He was survived by his wife, who died at the age of eighty-one years. She was in maiden life Sarah Wilson, a daugh- ter of John I. Wilson, and was born in the same log cabin as her son, William W. The following children blessed their home: John W., of Chewton; Elizabeth, wife of Charles Coulter; Edward; George, who died at the age of six years; Elie; Ella, wife of Harry Garway ; Mary, wife of A. J. Freed; William Webber; and Harvey Daniel.

William W. Yoho was two years of age when his parents moved from the Wilson farm in Wayne Township to Chewton, and there he received a very limited training in

the public schools. At the early age of eleven years he began work, his first posi- tion being with the Kirkland & Allen saw- mill. He continued with them until he was twenty-one years old, then worked in the blacksmith shop of George Hennon for one year and eleven months. He next worked eight months for C. W. Cook in the lat- ter's blacksmith establishment at New Cas- tle, and eighteen months in that of John Parker at Hazeldell, after which he located at Wampum. He there formed a partner- ship with Frank Morrow, under the firm name of Morrow & Yoho, and after six years of successful association Mr. Yoho withdrew from the firm and built his pres- ent shop. He has done general blacksmith work, horseshoeing and repairing, and has met with gratifying success.

In July, 1894, Mr. Yoho was joined in marriage with Miss Catherine McConahy, a daughter of Nathaniel MeConahy, and they are parents of two children, namely : Helen and Nathaniel. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias; Order of Odd Fellows; Woodmen of the World; and Master Horseshoers' Association, No. 172. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of the School Board. Mr. Yoho, in addition to his shop and residence in Wampum, is the owner of property in Ell- wood City. He is one of the substantial citizens of Wampum, and is held in high esteem.

EDWARD F. CONNELLY, who is en- gaged in a real estate and insurance busi- ness at New Castle, with office at No. 501 L. S. & T. Building, has been a resident of this city for the past ten years. He was born in August, 1867, at Steubenville, Ohio.

When thirteen years of age he went to Dennison, Ohio, where he completed his education and then entered the service of of the Pennsylvania Railroad as a tele- graph messenger boy, and from that hum- ble position he worked up to the office of train dispatcher. In 1893 he left the rail-

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE MARTIN AND FAMILY.

583

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

road service and was in charge of the Postal Telegraph and Bell Telephone of- fices at Ellwood City, Pa., until 1898, when he came to New Castle as district manager for the Industrial Savings & Loan Com- pany, of New York, which led him to be- come interested in real estate with some capitalists of the East. He purchased ten acres on Pittsburg Street and thirty-seven acres in South New Castle, which is known as Hoover Heights, the former property being denominated Cascade Terrace. Un- der Mr. Connelly's direction these proper- ties were platted and built upon and subse- quently disposed of. Since then he has been interested in other tracts, with other parties, becoming a member of the North Highland Land Company, which purchased 100 acres of what was, a few years ago, farm land, but now is a fine city subdivis- ion, with over two miles of paved streets and with gas, water and sewerage improve- ments. In this beautiful section forty- three fine residences have been erected and sold and it is recognized as one of the most desirable residence sections of New Cas- tle. Mr. Connelly also does a large fire insurance business, representing the Pitts- burg Underwriters' Firemen's Fund, the Norwich Union Society and the United Firemen of Philadelphia. He is an active citizen.

In 1896 Mr. Connelly was married to Miss Florence M. Burke, who was born in Dennison, Ohio, and they have four chil- dren : Edmund Burke, Richard Francis, and Thomas Alfred and Marian Elizabeth, twins. Mr. Connelly and wife are mem- bers of the St. Mary's Catholic Church. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus.

GEORGE MARTIN, a leading citizen of Slippery Rock Township, whose well im- proved farm of 150 acres is situated seven miles southeast of New Castle, was born December 17, 1839, in what was then Mer- cer County, Pennsylvania. His parents were John and Margaret (Dodds) Martin. William Martin, the grandfather, lived

out his life in Ireland. He was the owner of a farm of some extent, which, in that country is known as "forever land." John Martin, father of George, was born also in Ireland and was reared to manhood on his father's farm. Six years after his mar- riage to Margaret Dodds he brought his family to America and settled near East- brook, in Washington Township, in what is now Lawrence County. He continued to live there until the death of his wife, in 1871, when he moved to the farm owned by George Martin, with whom he lived until his death, which took place March 20, 1877. Of their ten children, two were born in Ire- land and all lived to maturity except one. The following survived youth: Elizabeth, who married Henry Gillespie, both de- ceased, had two sons and two daughters; Anna, who married William MeConnahy, both deceased, had five sons and three daughters; Margaret, who is the widow of Robert Armstrong, has a son and daugh- ter and resides with the latter, Anna Cath- erine, who is the wife of Newton Nelson, of Lawrence County; Mary, who married Ezekiel Wilson, both deceased, had five sons ; James D., who married Amanda Gar- vin, resides at Lamar, Colo., and they have three sons and six daughters; William, who married (first) Sarah Stewart, of Lawrence County, and (second) Margaret Dodd, of Westmoreland County, has three sons and three daughters by his second union. He served three years of the Civil War as a member of the Eleventh Regi- ment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and now resides at Eskridge, Kansas; George, Daniel C., who is a clergyman, having a charge in Pittsburg, married Lucretia Mott McIntosh, who was named for the great Quakeress philanthropist, and they have three daughters and four living sons, one being deceased. Thomas J., the youngest member of this large family, resides on his farm in Waubunsee County, Kansas, twen- ty-five miles southwest of Topeka. In 1862 he enlisted in Company F, One Hundredth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan-

584

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

try, in which he served for three years, taking part in many battles. During the battle of the Wilderness he was wounded in the leg and was sent to a hospital, re- turning to his regiment as soon as suffi- ciently recovered. At the battle of Spott- sylvania Court House he was very seri- ously injured, was again sent to a hospital and again returned to his regiment, finally receiving his honorable discharge from the service. He married Jemima Davis, of Lawrence County, who died in 1904, while they were living at Crawfordsville, Iowa, after which he moved to his present farm. He has three sons and two daughters.

George Martin attended the schools near his home through boyhood and assisted in cultivating the home farm. When the first call was made for soldiers, in 1861, he en- listed under Col. Robert McComb, but the quota was filled before this regiment was made up and their services at that time were not needed. Mr. Martin then went to Oil City, where he worked for a year and then went back to the farm, taking the management of it for his father and oper- ating it until his first marriage, in 1866, when he moved to Washington County, Iowa, where he bought and operated a farm, remaining there until after the death of his wife, when he came back to Pennsyl- vania, and after his second marriage he bought his present farm. When Mr. Mar- tin first acquired the place scarcely any improving had been done and little clear- ing. Years of the utmost activity followed and he each year made improvements. In 1876 he replaced the old barn with the present substantial structure, and in 1877 the old log house gave way to the present handsome residence. The fine condition of his land gives testimony to the work that has been put upon it. Mr. Martin has car- ried on general farming and has dealt largely in live stock and has been a heavy shipper of cattle to Pittsburg and Phila- delphia, and of milch cows to the latter place.

Mr. Martin was married (first) to

Marietta Hope, who died in January, 1871, in Washington County, Iowa. She was a daughter of Hugh Hope, of North Beaver Township, Lawrence County. She left no children. Mr. Martin was married (sec- ond) to Rosa A. Douthett, who is a daugh- ter of William and Mary Douthett, of Brownsdale, Butler County, Pennsylvania, of which place her father was a native. Her mother was born in Mercer County. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have three sons and one daughter, namely: John W., who re- sides near Edenburg, in North Beaver Township, married Harriet A. Taylor and they have three sons, Merle K., Francis R. and Paul E. Wilson D., residing in Iowa, married Susan McCleary; George E., re- siding on Martin Street, New Castle, which was named in honor of his father, is a con- tractor, and married Amanda Patterson; and Mary W., who married William Mun- nell, a farmer, lives near Hermon Church, in Slippery Rock Township.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin are strong workers for the cause of temperance, Mrs. Martin being an active member of the W. C. T. U. and Mr. Martin deeply in sympathy with the Prohibition movement. Mr. Martin has accepted no public office except that of school director, but has ever shown his in- terest in the welfare of the community. He is a leading member of the Covenanter or Reformed Presbyterian Church, and was a delegate in June, 1908, to the General Assembly of this religious body, which was held at Philadelphia.

DANIEL W. FERREE, who owns a fine farm of 114 acres of land lying about nine miles southeast of New Castle, is a well known citizen and a prosperous farmer of Slippery Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. He was born about fifty rods from his present home on De- cember 31, 1869, and is a son of James and Sarah (Lutz) Ferree, and a grandson of Jacob Ferree.

Jacob Ferree, the grandfather, was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and there

585

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

resided until 1840, when he sold out and moved to what became the Ferree home- stead in Slippery Rock Township, Law- rence County. There he continued his farming operations until his death.

James Ferree was born in Mercer County and was about thirteen years of age when his parents moved to Slippery Rock. He received his educational train- ing in the district schools of Mercer and Lawrence Counties, and throughout his en- tire life engaged in farming. During the last fourteen years of his life he raised berries quite extensively, a business which proved very remunerative. He was united in marriage with Sarah Lutz, a daughter of Jonathan Lutz, who was a farmer of this county. The following children were the offspring of this union: Jacob, Daniel W., and Anna.

Daniel W. Ferree attended the public schools of his home district and engaged in farming on the home place until 1896, in which year he purchased his present farm from the Alexander heirs. He has met with unusual success as a general farmer and truck gardener, and is classed with the substantial and progressive men of the township.

Mr. Ferree was united in the bonds of matrimony with Eva J. Reno, a daughter of Lafayette Reno, of Shenango Township, Lawrence County, and they became parents of six children, namely: Carl Herbert, Bertha Gertrude, Earl Raymond, Gladys Elnora, Ralph Emerson, and Lawrence Ernest. Politically, he is an active Re- publican, but has never aspired to nor cared for public office. Religiously, he is a member of the Lutheran Church.

DAVID C. THOMSON, a prosperous farmer of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a farm of 105 acres. He comes of one of the earliest pioneer families of that town- ship, one which has long been identified with the development and progress of the community. Mr. Thomson was born in

Pulaski Township, August 4, 1860, and is a son of Robert and Mary (Carnahan) Thomson, and grandson of Alexander Thomson, who was of Scotch-Irish extrac- tion, and became a settler in Pulaski Town- ship when it was all heavily timbered.

Robert Thomson was born in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, July 14, 1803, and engaged in farming there all his ac- tive life, which was a long and useful one. His death occurred June 14, 1893, at the age of ninety years. The mother of our subject died in 1905 at an advanced age. Mr. Thomson was twice married and was the father of a large family of children, of whom the following are now living: Sarah, widow of David McKee, resides in Koko- mo, Ind .; Rebecca, widow of Ebenezer Byers, resides at Albia, Iowa; Ira B., a resident of Eureka, Cal .; Thomas M., who lives in Indianapolis, Ind .; Achsah E., wife of Thomas Wineman, of Allegheny City; and David C., whose name heads this sketch. Robert Thomson was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, which he served as elder for many years.

David C. Thomson received his educa- tional training in the public schools of his native township, but his broader education has come from contact with the world and association with those who had been more fortunate in the matter of schooling than he. He has always followed farming on the home place, and has met with much success. He is a man of progressive spirit and has ever been among the foremost to support such measures and enterprises as are calculated to benefit the community.

September 24, 1885, Mr. Thomson was joined in the bonds of matrimony with Miss Margaret A. Crooks, who was born in Pulaski Township and comes of a promi- nent old family of the township and county. She is a daughter of John M. and Sarah (Love) Crooks, and a granddaughter of James Crooks, who was an early resident of Mahoning County, Ohio. John M. Crooks attended the schools of Mahoning County, Ohio, where he was born, and at

586

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

an early date crossed the line into Law- rence County, where he taught school for some years. He then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits in Pulaski Town- ship, where he became the owner of a farm. His death occurred in 1872, and was mourned as a loss to the community. Religiously, he was a member of the Ne- shannock Presbyterian Church, as was also his wife, who died August 1, 1906, at the age of seventy-nine years. Mrs. Thomson is one of seven children born to her par- ents, the others being: Mary L., wife of David W. Semple, of Pulaski Township; Eva A., of Pulaski Township; James L., of Pulaski Township; William, of New Wilmington; Sarah E., wife of William J. Allison; Dr. John H., a well known phy- sician of New Wilmington.

David C. and Margaret A. Thomson are parents of three sons, namely : John R., Harry M. and Harold C., the two last named being twins. Religiously, they are members of the United Presbyterian Church at New Bedford. Politically, he is a Republican and served as township as- sessor three years.

JAMES CAM LIEBENDORFER, a member of the firm conducting the busi- ness of the New Castle Lumber and Con- struction Company and also its book- keeper, was born at New Castle, Pennsyl- vania, February 18, 1870, and is a son of J. J. and Rebecca (Campbell) Lieben- dorfer. J. J. Liebendorfer is a well known citizen of New Castle, where he now lives retired after many years of business prominence as a contracting carpenter.

James C. Liebendorfer was reared in his native city and completed his education in the New Castle High School. He gained his first business experience when he worked as a clerk in Stritmater's dry goods store, after which he engaged in business for himself and for eight years conducted a grocery store on Pittsburg Street. In April, 1898, he entered the employ of the

New Castle Lumber and Construction Company and in 1904 he became a member of the firm. He proved his business capac- ity in his earlier years with the company and since he has acquired an interest has not lessened his diligence. He is num- bered with the city's successful business men. Mr. Liebendorfer married Mabel, a daughter of Samuel J. Rhodes, a well known citizen. For a number of years he has been an active factor in politics and has served in various party organizations.

ELMER PATTERSON NORRIS, M.D., one of New Castle's successful young phy- sicians and surgeons, with convenient of- fices on the second floor of the M. H. Hen- derson Block, on the corner of Washington and Mercer Streets, was born in this city, October 28, 1871, and is a son of Charles P. and Elizabeth (Roberts) Norris.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 74

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