Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 96

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 96

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the early settlers of this section, Jacob Van Gorder, who located at a very early date on Slippery Rock Creek.

Jacob Van Gorder, the only son of this pioneer, and grandfather of Jacob E. Van Gorder, took an energetic part in the de- velopment of the county, building the mill above referred to, which was the first one in that section. He owned, also, about 200 acres of land. He died while residing at the home of his son, James. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Nancy El- liott, were the parents of seven children, namely : Elliott, Israel and Alvi, who are now deceased; James, who is residing in Slippery Rock Township; Louisa, who was wife of William Morrison, ex-county com- missioner of Lawrence County (both now deceased) ; Elmira, who married Henry Aiken, and is now deceased, her husband being a resident of Perry Township; Bella, who married Guy Morrison, of Wurtem- ber, and is now deceased, and Alvi.

Israel Van Gorder was born in Perry Township in 1829, and when old enough learned the miller's trade. For many years he was the proprietor of the old Van Gor- der mill. At the age of fifty-five he re- moved to New Castle, in which place he died in 1901, for some years previously having been retired from active business pursuits. He was twice married, the mother of Jacob E. being his first wife. Her par- ents resided near Hazel Dell, where her father, who was a millwright, owned the old Matheney mill. Mrs. Isabella Van Gor- der died in 1874, when her son, Jacob Ev- ans, was but five years old; and Israel Van Gorder married for his second wife, Nancy Vance, a native of Slippery Rock Township. She died in the spring of the present year, 1908.

Jacob Evans Van Gorder acquired his early education in the No. 4 School in Perry Township, and was subsequently a student for about two years at Grove City College, which he left in 1891. After grad- uating in a commercial course he entered the employ of G. W. Miller & Son, of New

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Castle. After remaining with them for a while, he went on a farm and was en- gaged for a short time in agricultural pur- suits. He then entered into the feed busi- ness in Ellwood City, but subsequently sold out his interest, and on May 9, 1907, as- sumed the duties of his present position as vice-president and bookkeeper of the Peo- ple's Bank. This concern is a flourish- ing institution and, as one of its leading officials, Mr. Van Gorder has proved him- self a business man of high capabilities and has every assurance of a prosperous and successful business career. His polit- ical principles are those of the Republican party, but he takes no active part in poli- tics, finding sufficient occupation in the performance of his business duties.

In 1896 Mr. Van Gorder married Miss Harriet Morrison, a daughter of David and Elizabeth Morrison. Of this union there have been five children, two sons and three daughters, namely ; Verna, Ella Belle, David I., Raymond, and Adda. Mr. and Mrs. Van Gorder are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Ellwood City, having formerly belonged to the Slip- pery Rock Church. They are among the best known and most highly respected resi- dents of Ellwood City.

ALBERT E. YOHO, general contractor in stone work, at New Castle, has been identified with the business interests of this city for the past thirty years. He was born in 1869, at Beaver Falls, Beaver County, Pa, and was very small when his father, James Yoho, came to Lawrence County.

Albert E. Yoho attended school through boyhood, at New Castle, and then learned the stone mason trade with his father. This has been his main business, and for the past nineteen years he has been en- gaged in stone contracting. A number of the handsome residences and other build- ings at New Castle can be shown as speci- mens of his cut-stone work, notably, the beautiful homes of Hon. T. W. Phillips,

George Greer and G. W. Lawrence, the stone work on the new Episcopal Church on Long Avenue, the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, the foundation work of the Fourth Presbyterian Church and in- numerable other builings which are orna- ments to their respective neighborhoods.

In 1891 Mr. Yoho was married to Miss Ida MeCay, a daughter of John McCay, and they have had three children : Alberta, Bertha and Helen, the two latter being de- ceased. The family belong to the Fourth Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Yoho is a charter member and belongs to its board of elders. His fraternal connections are with the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen. He takes that active part in politics that marks the good and public- spirited citizen.

W. R. STEWART, general merchant at Rose Point, Pa., is a well known citizen and progressive business man of that vil- lage. He was born near Portersville, But- ler County, Pa., September 17, 1861, and is a son of John W. and Sarah (Knight) Stewart.

John W. Stewart was born in Butler County, and there attended the local schools. He learned the trade of a tailor, which he followed some years, then turned his attention to farming. He purchased a farm there and continued there until in the latter years of his life, when he lived at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James McConnell. He died at the age of seventy- three years. He was united in marriage with Sarah Knight, her people being own- ers of the mill now operated by James Mc- Connell. They had eight children, of whom the following are now living : Orran, Eliza- beth, Frank, Jennie and W. R.

W. R. Stewart was reared on the home farm and attended the public schools of that locality. He assisted his father on the farm until his twentieth year, when he was married and rented a farm. He continued on that place two years, at the end of which time he purchased a 100-acre

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

tract near the border of Lawrence and Butler Counties. He farmed there in a most successful manner until 1904, when he sold out to the New Castle Portland Cement Company, and moved to Rose Point. He purchased the general store of J. N. Wagner, and has continued in busi- ness there with uninterrupted success since that time. He has a large and complete stock, and enjoys a good paying patronage throughout the community.

Mr. Stewart was joined in marriage with Jennie Stoughton, a daughter of Ja- cob Stoughton, of Butler County, the fam- ily being an old and prominent one in that county. Politically, he is a Republican, and has been a consistent supporter of the principles of that party.

ALBERT A. HOYLAND, who is en- gaged in a general contracting business at New Castle and a leader in that line of business in this city, was born at New Castle, Pa., in 1873, and is a son of Will- iam Hoyland.

William Hoyland was born in England and came to America when young, and to New Castle when aged about twenty years. Here he followed bricklaying and general contracting for a long period, but has been retired from business for some years.

After completing his education with a business course at Clark's University, Al- bert A. Hoyland engaged in business on Long Street, New Castle, where he con- ducted a confectionery store for three years. He then learned the bricklaying trade with his father and followed the same until 1905, since when he has been engaged in general contracting. In this period of three years he has done a large amount of important work, some of the most no- table buildings being the Union Bank and the B. J. Thomas Block, both on Long Street ; the Withers Block on Mills Street, the Kline Block on Pearson Street; also the Weaver and Dean Blocks, Evangelical Lutheran Church on Pittsburg Street, to- gether with a number of fine private resi-

dences. He also built for himself a fine block of flats with a frontage of eighty- five feet and a depth of forty-five feet, which he rents. He also erected a number of the fine residences on Highland Avenue.

In 1894 Mr. Hoyland was married to Miss Edna Shaw, a resident of New Castle at that time, but who was born in Eng- land. They have four children, namely : Helen Marion, Wilfred, Herbert Chester, and Albert Edward. Mr. Hoyland takes no more active interest in politics than be- hooves a good citizen, who has the welfare of his native place at heart.

WILLIAMJ.GEBHART, general farmer in North Beaver Township, resides on his valuable estate of 102 acres, which is situ- ated on the old Cleland mill road, four miles southwest of Mahoningtown. Mr. Gebhart was born October 12, 1878, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Joseph and Matilda (Bark) Geb- hart.

The parents of Mr. Gebhart were farm- ing people in Allegheny County until 1897, when they came to North Beaver Town- ship, where the mother died September 7, 1903, and the father November 7, 1904. They had eleven children, namely: Valen- tine, who died in infancy; Peter, who died young ; Mary, who married Peter Lahr, of Allegheny ; Matilda, who married J. P. Hver, of Pittsburg; Peter (2), who resides with his brother, William J .; Carrie, who married Peter Baldorff, of New Castle; Margaret, who married Frank Riddle, of Pittsburg; Theresa, who married T. J. Mc- Fall ; William J., Susan, who married E. H. Dinsmore, and Catherine, who married Lewis F. Preisel, of New Castle.

William J. Gebhart was useful on the home farm from childhood and when but 16 years of age was considered well enough trained in farm work, by his father, to take charge of the 102 acres, which the latter had purchased in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County. In 1895, two years be- fore the parents came, William J., with two

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of his sisters, settled on this farm, which he has continued to manage with excellent results ever since. In partnership with John McCullough and T. J. MeFall, Mr. Gebhart carried on a large threshing busi- ness and is making preparations to con- tinue in this industry. He is well known through the township and is considered one of its substantial and reliable citizens.

CHARLES M. ISEMAN, M. D., a phy- sician and surgeon in active practice at Ellwood City, where he has been estab- lished since the fall of 1895, was born De- cember 4, 1868, near Freeport, Armstrong County, Pa., and is a son of James and Sarah Elizabeth (MeClellan) Iseman.

The Iseman family is an old one in Arm- strong County and was founded there by Jonathan Iseman, who was a native of Ger- many, and he was the great-grandfather of Charles M. Iseman, of Ellwood City. His son, John Iseman, the grandfather of Dr. Iseman, was born in Armstrong Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, where he married Mary Elizabeth Grinder.

James Iseman, son of John and Mary Iseman, was born in Armstrong County, in 1842, and died there in February, 1903, in his sixty-first year. He married Sarah Elizabeth MeClellan, who was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Her grandfather was Isaiah Charles Thomas MeClellan, who was a minister in the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church. He mar- ried a member of the Byers family, both being of Scotch-Irish extraction. The lat- ter family has been known in Western Pennsylvania since 1740, and took an ac- tive part on many occasions in suppress- ing Indian outbreaks. The mother of Dr. Iseman continued to reside in Armstrong County until recently, when she joined some of her children at Seattle, Wash .. where she still resides. The children born to James Iseman and his wife were: Viola Maud, who is the wife of D. F. Hill, of Armstrong County; Charles M., of Ell- wood City; Martha Elizabeth, of the State

of Washington; Ida May, who is the wife of E. H. Wallace, of Freeport, Pa .; Flor- ence Julia, who resides at Seattle, Wash .; Josephine, who is also a resident of Seat- tle; James, who died when twenty-one years of age, and Paul and Grace, both of whom reside at Seattle.

Charles MeClellan Iseman attended the schools of Armstrong County with regular- ity until he was sixteen years of age, when he entered the Freeport Academy, going from there to Thiel College, at Greenville, Mercer County, where he was graduated in 1891, with the degree of A. B. In the fall of the same year he entered the Western Reserve Medical College at Cleveland, where he studied for two years and in the fall of 1893 became a student of the West- ern Pennsylvania Medical College, at Pitts- burg, where he was graduated in the class of 1894. Dr. Iseman engaged in the prac- tice of his profession in Armstrong County for fifteen months preceding his locating at Ellwood City, in September, 1895, where he has continued to the present. He has built up a large and lucrative practice and has become a leading citizen of the place. He is a member of the Beaver County Med- ical Society, of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society and the American Na- tional Medical Association. He belongs also to Glen Park Lodge, Odd Fellows, and to Alma Lodge, No. 420, Knights of Pythias, at Ellwood City.

On April 11, 1894, Dr. Iseman was mar- ried to Mildred Elizabeth Eichholtz, who is a daughter of John and Caroline Eliza- beth ( Westerfield) Eichholtz. They have one daughter, Geraldine Audrey, who was born July 22, 1895. Dr. and Mrs. Iseman are members of the Lutheran Church at Ellwood City.

SAMUEL DOBBINS WITHERSPOON, who resides on a farm of 106 acres of land in Little Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, is a venerable and respected citizen who experienced the hard- ships and privations of pioneer life in that

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community and witnessed the wonderful transformations time has wrought since that early day. He was born on his pres- ent farm March 21, 1828, and is a son of John and Margaret (Witherspoon) With- erspoon.

Samuel Witherspoon, grandfather of Samuel D., lived near the city of Phila- delphia at the time of his death. His widow subsequently moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania, where she died. They were parents of a large family of children, among them, John, father of Sam- uel D., Margaret, who became the wife of N. Lusk; Mary, who was the wife of Hugh MeKelvey; Jane was the wife of L. MeVey; Nancy, wife of William Hogg, and Sarah.

John Witherspoon was born at Canons- burg, Washington County, Pa., in 1795, and when quite young moved to the woods of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He lo- cated on the present Gilkey farm, in what is now North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, and later moved to the farm now occupied by his son, Samuel D., in Little Beaver, which they purchased from the Government. He made a clearing and erected a round log cabin for his mother, and later a hewn log house for himself. He was united in marriage with his cousin, Margaret Witherspoon, who was born in Beaver County, near Frankfort, in 1800, and died in 1867. His death occurred in 1859. They were parents of the follow- ing children : Mary, who died at the age of thirteen years; Agnes, who was the wife of Wiliam H. Leslie, both now deceased; Eliza Jane, widow of James Leslie; Sam- uel Dobbins: William, who died young; John, deceased; David, who lives in Mis- souri ; Mary Almira, who died young ; John Hamilton, who married Catherine Johnson, both now deceased, and Thomas D., of North Beaver Township.

Samuel D. Witherspoon has spent most of his days on his present place. Being the oldest son, the task of clearing the land devolved largely upon him and his

father. The woods abounded in game, and the condition and character of the houses, the manner of living and of harvesting crops were so vastly different from the present day as to be almost beyond the comprehension of the younger generation. Mr. Witherspoon attended the old school- house in his home district, which was built of logs, and with ceiling so low the pupils could strike it with their fists. With the exception of a three-months' trip in the West, during 1858, he has been almost continuously located on his present farm, which he purchased of the heirs, upon the death of his mother in 1867. He erected a comfortable home in that year, and in 1885 built a large and substantial barn. He was a hard worker during his active career, thrifty and economical, and he laid by a competency which enables him to spend his declining years in the peace and comfort of retired life.

October 2, 1860, Mr. Witherspoon was united in marriage with Mary Douglass, daughter of William Douglass, and they became parents of five children: John, who died at four years; William D., who runs the home farm; John, who lives on an adjoining farm, married Maude E. Fox, and has two children-Mary Alice and Nancy Edith; Nancy Olive, and Margaret Elizabeth. Politically, he is a Prohibition- ist, and served as a member of the School Board, as well as four years as supervisor. Religiously, he is a member of the United Presbyterian Church.

ROBERT A. THOMPSON, general farmer, residing on his valuable estate of 100 acres, which is situated in Hickory Township, about four and one-half miles from New Castle and lies on the east side of the State road, is a representative citi- zen of this section. He was born January 25, 1858, and is a son of Archie and Anna (White) Thompson, and a grandson of Archie Thompson, who came to Lawrence County from County Down, Ireland.

Robert A. Thompson enjoyed the edu-

MARS SARAH A. RANKIN.

WHY A. COWAN.

ELIZABETH H. GREER.

THOMAS GREER.

F. GREER SIMONTON.

DAVID K. GREER.

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cational advantages which were offered in his boyhood, in the district schools of Hick- ory Township. From youth he has been familiar with the duties pertaining to farming, and for many years has been a successful tiller of the soil and raiser of fine stock. General farming is his main business, but each year he also raises draft horses and stock for sale. He is a man of progressive ideas and uses modern meth- ods in carrying on his business. His farm is one of the best improved ones in the township and his commodious two-story residence and his barns and outbuildings are all of substantial construction.

Mr. Thompson was married in 1889 to Mary R. Rhodes, who is a daughter of Wesley and Louisa Rhodes, prominent residents of Lawrence County, and they have four children: Chauncy Rhodes, Charles Wesley, Louisa Ann and Mary Ethel. Mr. Thompson and family belong to the Mt. Hermon Presbyterian Church.

DAVID R. GREER, a successful farmer and highly esteemed citizen of Neshannock Township, comes of old and respected pio- neer families of the county. He was born near his present home, November 26, 1840, is a son of Thomas and Annie (Riley) Greer, and a grandson of Hance Greer.

Hance Greer, the grandfather, came from Ireland and located near Noblestown, Allegheny County, Pa., about the year 1808. In his native land he had been a weaver and dealer in linen goods, and upon coming to America brought with him con- siderable wealth. He loaned a man named Noble most of his money, the latter pur- chasing stock which he loaded on trading boats, to be carried down the Ohio River. The boats were wrecked near Cincinnati, and both Mr. Greer and Mr. Noble lost all their investment. After some years Mr. Greer began farming and moved on what is now known as Sewickley Hills, later removing to Zelienople, Butler County, Pa., where he died in 1846, at the advanced age

of eighty-five years. He was buried there, but was later re-interred in King's Chapel, where a stone marks his grave. Beside him lie the remains of his wife, who in maiden- hood was Elizabeth Hall.

Thomas Greer was born at Noblestown, September 14, 1808, and received a com- mon school education. He served an ap- prenticeship of six years at blacksmithing, learning all branches of the trade, includ- ing wagon making and the manufacture and dressing of tools. David R. Greer has in his possession hammers and chisels made by his father. The latter was a natural me- chanie, and could skillfully turn his hand to anything along that line. After his marriage he took to farming, in 1835, lo- cating on the farm now owned by David Greer in Neshannock Township. His origi- nal purchase was 100 acres, to which he added, and at one time was the possessor of 500 acres. It was his ambition to give each of his children a farm as a start in life, and this he did long before his death, each receiving some 100 acres. He built a forge on his farm and did blacksmithing during his long and active career, and there are few men in the township who pros- pered through their individual efforts, as did he. A hard worker, ambitious, and a capable manager, he took rank among the most substantial citizens, and was ever among the foremost to give his aid and support to measures calculated to benefit his home community. In politics, he was a Democrat until the time of the election of James Buchanan, and in later life was a Republican. He served as school direc- tor, and in other minor offices.

Thomas Greer was united in marriage with Annie Riley, who was born on the farm now owned by her son, David, in 1811, and died April 21, 1852. She was a daughter of David and Sarah (Richards) Riley, and a granddaughter of William and Annie (Roberts) Richards. Her maternal grandparents came from Center County, Pennsylvania, in 1804, and were among the

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

earliest to settle in the woods of Neshan- nock Township. Thomas and Annie Greer became parents of the following children : Sarah Ann, deceased, wife of Alexander Rankin; Elizabeth Hall, deceased; Mary Ann, widow of Samuel Cowan, who died in Andersonville Prison, and David. Religi- ously, they were strict members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he served many years as local preacher and elder.

David Greer is a man of high educational attainments, receiving his preliminary training in the public schools, supplement- ed by a course in Allegheny College, at Meadville, from which he was graduated in 1862. He then engaged in teaching school for a time, but as he was the only son at home, he almost necessarily attended to the farming of the home place. His father gave much attention to the raising of sheep, cattle and horses, and Mr. Greer himself has made a specialty of thorough- bred Southdown sheep and Durham cattle. His farm is one of the best improved in the township, and he conducts it along modern lines with progressive ideas. A man of energy and ability, success has crowned his efforts on every hand, and he is a man of popularity among his fellow- citizens. He is a Republican in politics, and has served seventeen years as town- ship auditor, although he has never sought office. Fraternally, he is a member of the college Greek letter society, Phi Kappa Psi.

Mr. Greer was united in marriage with Sarah Jane Simonton, now deceased, a daughter of William and Catherine Simon- ton, of Rich Hill, near Neshannock Falls. Their union was not blessed with children, but they reared and gave parental care and love to a grandnephew of Mrs. Greer, Francis Greer Simonton, who was five days old at his mother's death. He is a member of the class of 1911 in Allegheny College. Religiously, the Greer family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Greer is a trustee, class leader and steward and has been local preacher and elder of the congregation since 1871. Both

he and wife have been potent factors in the good work carried on by the church.

Mr. Greer's wife, his parents and pater- nal grandparents and his maternal grand- parents and great-grandparents are buried in the beautiful cemetery in connection with King's Chapel M. E. Church, an old place of worship which observed its cen- tennial with appropriate ceremonies on July 1 and 2, 1904.

E. E. CLEVELAND is proprietor of the Lawrence Hotel, of Ellwood City, Pa., one of the best establishments in Western Pennsylvania, and one which enjoys great popularity among the traveling public. The hotel was established in 1891, at a cost of $75,000, the building being erected at a cost of $60,000; it is owned by a Pitts- burg company, of which S. A. Roelofs is vice-president, secretary and treasurer. The building consists of eighty-five rooms, has a dining room, with seating capacity of 100 persons, and is adorned with a veranda extending 170 feet along the front and 100 feet along the side. The build- ing was built mainly of brick and stone, 224x190 feet in dimensions, and is an at- tractive structure. The hotel lobby, 72x30 feet, large and well furnished, is another feature which has met with the approval of its patrons, and the cuisine is everything that could be desired. Mr. Cleveland has presided over the destiny of this institu- tion two years, and has established a pres- tige second to none other in this section of the state.

E. E. Cleveland was born in Washington, D. C., September 15, 1862, and is a son of Erastus L. and Louisa J. (Owen) Cleve- land. His grandfather, George Wilbur Cleveland, was a native of New York State, but lived at Baltimore, Md., at the time of his death. Erastus L. Cleveland was born in Canandagua County, New York, March 13, 1824, and died in Pittsburg, Pa., in 1895, at the age of seventy-two years. He was a locomotive engineer for a period of more than thirty-five years, and ran a

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 96

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