Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 118

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 898

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II > Part 118

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On April 25, 1900, Mr. Pickett was married to Miss Johanna Braden, a member of one of the old families of Washington County, and they have two sons: Thomas F., Jr., and Robert Braden. Mr. Pickett was reared in the Catholic faith. He is a member of the order of Elks and belongs also to the Improved Order of Hepta- sophs.

CHARLES N. YOHE,* senior member of the well known firm of Charles N. Yohe & Sons, builders and contractors, of Monongahela City,- has been a lifelong resident of this city, where he was born April 15, 1858, son of Michael and Phoebe (McConnel) Yohe. He was reared in Monongahela City, where he attended the common schools, and early in life learned the earpenter's trade with William Coulter, a contractor of this locality, who built the old wooden bridge here. After remaining in Mr. Coulter's employ for several years, he became superintendent of the Yohe Brothers Lumber Company of Monongahela City, which position he held for fifteen years. Then he was for five years superintendent of the River Combine.

In 1902 he formed a partnership with his two sons, Frank and Coulter, and established a general contracting and building business, Frank, having entire charge of the office and architectural work, and our subjeet and

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Coulter having charge of the construction work. The firm also deals extensively in real estate, building houses to sell.

Mr. Yohe was married about 1875 to Ella M. Robinson, a daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Stewart) Robinson, now deceased, both of whom were residents of Allegheny City, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Yohe became the parents of eleven children, three of whom died in infancy. Those reared to maturity are as follows: Frank, who served in the Spanish-American War with Co. A, 10th Pa. Reg., married Mary Gettings and has three children-Charles, Donald and Paul. Jennie married Howard Stonewook, of Youngstown, Ohio, and has one child, Helen. Charles died aged twenty years. Coulter married Pearl Carlson and has one son, Carlson G. Gerald married Nora Cramer, has one daughter, Emma. The others are George, Gertrude and Della. Mr. Yohe is a member and trustee of the Lutheran Church and is fraternally affil- iated with the Knights of Malta.

AARON VAN NESS,* who has been identified with the oil industry of Pennsylvania for many years, is lease foreman of the Manufacturers Light & Heat Company of Washington, having charge of the Washington, Belle- vue and Canonsburg districts. He was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1833, and when eight years of age came with his parents to Mercer County, Pa., where he was reared and educated, after which he began working in the oil fields of Clarion County, Pa. Since that time, with the exception of eight years spent in the mercantile business at Stoneboro, Pa., he has been prominently identified with the development of oil in Pennsylvania. About the year ISS9 he came to Washington, became associated with the Manufacturers Light and Heat Com- pany, and for the past nine years has been lease foreman in charge of the Washington, Bellevue and Canonsburg districts.

Mr. Van Ness was united in marriage with Olive Gib- son, of Armstrong County, Pa., and of their union have been born the following children: R. Esther, Fred, Tillie and Merle, all living at home. Mr. Van Ness is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is treasurer and a member of the Board of Stewards. In politios he is an adherent of the Prohibitionist party.

E. W. HASTINGS,* assistant secretary and treasurer of the Charleroi Savings and Trust Company, with which he has been identified since its organization July I, 1901, was born January 17, 1870, in Brookville, Jefferson County, Pa., and is a son of Barton Thomas and Mary A. (McCrea) Hastings. The father of our subject was a prominent business man of Brookville, where his death occurred January 17, 1900, at the age of seventy-eight

years, during the first year of his retirement from busi- ness activities. His wife died August 22, 1899, after fifty-four years of wedded life, and they reared a family of ten children, all of whom are still living.

E. W. Hastings was the youngest of the children born to his parents, and was reared in Brookville, where he attended the common schools, and graduated from the high school with the Class of 1888. On May 1, 1899, he entered the service of the Allegheny Railroad at Oil City, Pa., as clerk of the Maintenance of Way Depart- ment; after a period of three months, the works were removed to Verona, Pa., where he continued in the same capacity for some time, and was finally promoted to the office of chief clerk of the same department, a position he resigned July I, 1901, to accept his present one as assistant secretary and treasurer of the Charleroi Sav- ings and Trust Company.

Mr. Hastings is affiliated with the Elks of Charleroi and the Knights of Pythias of Verona. His religious connection is with the First Presbyterian Church of Charleroi.

BOYD B. THOMPSON,* one of Mt. Pleasant Town- ship's enterprising and successful young farmers, car- ries on a mixed line of agriculture on the homestead estate, consisting of eighty-two acres of valuable land, situated three miles southeast of Hickory. He was born on this farm October 21, 1887 and is a son of Will- iam S. and Arbella (Barnett) Thompson.

The father of Mr. Thompson died December 29, 1898. He was a highly respected resident of this section for many years and of Washington County, his entire life. On January 8, 1885, he married Arbella Barnett, who is a daughter of Ephraim and Sarah (Williard) Barnett. Two sons were born to them, Boyd B. and George Allen.

After completing the high school course in Mt. Pleas- ant Township, Boyd B. Thompson assumed the manage- ment of the farm, having been very helpful to his mother ever since the death of his father. The sub- stantial barn on the place the father had completed be- fore he was taken sick, but the repairing of the house and other improving was done by Mr. Thompson and his mother. The coal has all been sold to the Pittsburg Coal Company and tests have also been made for oil and gas. Mr. Thompson is thorough in his methods and be- lieves in constant improvement. He keeps about thirty sheep over the winter. In politics he is a Republican. With his mother he attends the Presbyterian Church at MeDonald.

MINOR H. DAY, M. D.,* who has been engaged in the practice of medicine at Donora, Pa., since December, 1902, was born on his father's farm in Morris Township,

;

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

this county, February 28, 1876. He is a son of LeRoy W. and Miranda B. Day and a grandson of Ford Day, who was a native of Washington County, Pa.

LeRoy W. Day, who was bron in Washington County, spent his entire aetive eareer engaged in agriculture on a farm in Morris Township, and is now living in retire- ment in the borough of Washington. His wife, Miranda B. Day, who died October 19, 1907, came of one of the old and highly esteemed families of this county. The following children were born to them: Charles, Ells- worth, Edward S., Lemuel C., Howard, Hilliard D., Minor Harold (our subjeet), and one that died in in- faney.

Minor H. Day spent his early boyhood days on his father 's farm in Morris Township, attending the distriet sehools until sixteen years of age. He then came with his parents to Washington, where he took a preparatory eourse at the Washington-Jefferson College, after which he spent two years at the University of Nebraska. He then farmed and taught school for two years. In 1898 be entered the medieal department of the Northwestern University at Chicago, from which he graduated with the Class of 1902. After spending one year in the hos- pital at MeKeesport, Pa., in December, 1902, he located in his present offices in the First National Bank building at Donora, where he has sinee been successfully engaged in the practice of medieine. Dr. Day is a member of the Washington County Medical Society, the Pennsyl- vania State Medieal Society, the American Medieal Asso- ciation and of the B. P. O. E. at Monessen, Pa.

On June 3, 1903, Dr. Day was united in marriage with Laura Gene Meebling, a daughter of Albert Meehling, of West Sunbury, Pa. Dr. and Mrs. Day reside in a commodious home on Thompson avenue.

AARON THEODORE LINN,* senior member of the firm of A. T. Linn & Sons, who operate on an extensive scale, a floral establishment and green houses at Allen- wood, a suburb of Charleroi, resides on a tract of six aeres, and also owns a farm of 150 aeres in Peters Township, Washington County, Pa. He was born Oeto- ber 12, 1850, on a farm in Peters Township, a son of Lewis and Margaret Jane (Sheets) Linn.

Lewis Linn was born on a, farm in Union Township, Washington County, where his father, Aaron Linn, a native of New Jersey, settled when a young man. The latter died at the age of seventy-five years on his farm near Mingo Church. Lewis Linn always followed farm- ing throughout his aetive eareer, and after his marriage moved to a farm in Peters Township, where he resided until late in life, when he located at Finleyville, where he died at the age of sixty-eight years. He is survived by his widow, who lives with her son, the subject of this sketch, and is now in her eighty-third year. She was

in maiden life Margaret Jane Sheets, a native of Wash- ington County, and a daughter of James Sheets.

Aaron T. Linn was practically reared on the farm in l'eters Township, although nine years of his boyhood were spent on the present site of the Fair Grounds at Canonsburg, Pa. After his marriage he rented and located on a farm in Union Township, where be followed farming three years, then bought and located on his farmi of 150 acres in Peters Township, which is now being farmed by his son, L. C. Linn, He spent one year with the Washington Floral Company at Washing- ton, Pa., and in June, 1906, went to Finleyville, where he built the green houses of the Finleyville Floral Com- pany, of which he was the organizer, and of which he is still secretary and treasurer. December 15, 1908, he eame to Allenwood and purchased from T. E. Allen his present traet of six aeres and built his green houses, which are all heated by steam, and contain 21,000 square feet of glass. Here in partnership with his two sons, Robert E. and John F., he carries on a wholesale and retail business, and eaters to funeral work extensively, carrying over $1,000 worth of stock for set floral pieces. Mr. Linn is a Demoerat in polities and was the Demo- eratie candidate for sheriff at the time Parker ran for President, and although defeated, polled more votes in Washington County than Parker did. He served six years as a member of the Peters Township school board, and was for three years president of that body, and three years secretary. He is fraternally a member of the Patrons of Husbandry and is Overseer of the Pomona Grange of Washington County.

Mr. Linn was united in marriage with Louisa Sophia Mollenhauer, a daughter of Ernest Mollenhauer, and they reared a family of eleven children: Minnie Jane (Mrs. Siekmann); Henrietta Belle (Mrs. Faweett) ; Maggie May (Mrs. Phamman) ; Mary Louise, and Lewis Ernest, twins; Henry Cleveland; Naneie, who teaches in the schools of Somerset Township; Robert M .; Pearl C .; John Frederick; and Helen Linn.

HON. JOHN F. BUDKE,* a leading manufacturer of Canonsburg and ex-State Senator of Washington County, Pa., was born in Ohio County, W. Va., Novem- ber 22, 1852, and is a son of William A. and Sophia Budke. The family is of German extraetion.

The history of a successful man is always more or less interesting and it is particularly so, when, as in the case of Mr. Budke, sueeess has come through his own efforts. He had but few early advantages. Leaving school when fourteen years of age, with but a rudi- mentary education, he was put to manufacturing powder kegs, and as he acquired a little capital, be continued in this line up to 1885, by which time he had become the manager of the Budke Stamping Company. This eom-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

pany sold out to the Canonsburg Iron and Steel Com- pany, of which he then became general manager. In 1900 this latter company sold its interests to the Amer- ican Tin Plate Company, and in 1902, with his asso- ciates, Mr. Budke organized the Parkersburg Iron and Steel Company, building a plant at Parkersburg, W. Va. He was vice president and general manager of this com- pany for one year. In 1904 he organized the Canons- burg Steel and Iron Company, with works at Canons- burg and has been president of this organization ever since and is vice president and a director of the Parkers- burg Steel and Iron Company, besides having other in- terests. He was a pioneer in the Washington County gas fields. The Canonsburg Steel and Iron Company put down the first gas well in August, 1905, on the mill property; the second well was drilled on the farm of W. S. White, one-quarter mile north of the mill and it had a very heavy pressure. Mr. Budke is manager of the Canonsburg Light and Fuel Company, which supplies Canonsburg and Morganza with gas. The other officers of this company are: Charles Myer, president; H. S. Duncan, vice president; and Lewis Myer, of Pittsburg, treasurer.

For a quarter of a century Mr. Budke has been active in both county and State politics. He is a stanch Re- publican and cast his first presidential vote for Hon. James A. Garfield. From 1900 to 1903 he was a mem- ber of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the district made up of Washington, Lawrence and Beaver Counties, proving a well qualified statesman and making a record at Harrisburg that reflects honor on both him- self and his constituents.

Senator Budke is one of Washington County's fore- most citizens. His business life has been mainly given to the manufacture of sheet iron. He has been a resi- dent of Canonsburg for some twenty-six years and in 1896 he erected his handsome residence, one of the most attractive in the city. He was reared in the Lutheran faith. He is identified with numerous organizations as every public man must be, but is particularly active in Masonry, belonging to Chartiers Lodge, F. & A. M., at Canonsburg and Chartiers Commandery and Washington Chapter.

In 1879 Senator Budke was married to Miss Mary H. Harrison, a daughter of Joseph Harrison, of Pittsburg, and they have had six children, namely: Frank W., who has charge of the Budke Stamping Works; Bernice B., who is the wife of Dr. John R. McCurdy, of Pittsburg, and has one son, John R .; Shirley, who is at school in Pittsburg; John F., Jr., a student at Canonsburg; and two who died in infancy.

GEORGE R. AITKEN, superintendent of factories Nos. 2 and 3, of the Highland Glass Company's plant, at

Washington, Pa., was born in England, January 17, 1857, and is not only a practical and experienced glass worker hut is also an expert, and thus very thoroughly qualified for the important position he fills.

Mr. Aitken was fourteen years and a half old when he came to America and in a surprisingly short period of time was at work as a water hoy in a glass factory at La Salle, Ill. He continued there until 1876, when he went to Ottawa, still connected with the glass busi- ness and worked in the glass factory there until 1882. In 1883 he accepted a position with the Land and Im provement Company of Wyoming, but in the following year returned to Ottawa and became superintendent of the United Glass Company, at Streeter, where he remained until he entered the employ of the Pennsyl- vania Plate Glass Company at Irwin, Pa. Three years later he went to Latrobe, Pa., where he was identified with the Davis Glass Company for two and a half years and then became expert for H. L. Dixon, for three years, after which he was engaged as developer of pressed prism plate glass at Morgantown, W. Va., under the Wadsworth patents, and remained there for two years. From that company he came to Washington as manager of the Highland factories.

On June 28, 1880, Mr. Aitken was married to Miss Margaret Farrell, of Ottawa, Ill., a member of an im- portant pioneer family of that section. They have four children, namely: Mabel Ann, who is the wife of John Schlicht, of Johnstown, Pa .; and Margaret, Loretta R. and George A., all residing at home. Mr. Aitken and family are members of the Catholic Church. He is identi- fied with the fraternal order of Elks.

HARRY W. DENNY,* assistant cashier of the Farm- ers National Bank of Hickory, Pa., was born in Cecil Township, Washington County, Pa., July 22, 1868, and is a son of Wilson T. and Margaret (Tidball) Denny.

Wilson T. Denny was born in Cecil Township, Wash- ington County, September 11, 1843, and was a son of Josiah and a grandson of William and Elizabeth Denny. The grandparents came in 1790 from Eastern Pennsyl- vania to Washington County, where both died. William Denny was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

Josiah Denny, grandfather of Harry W., was born June 16, 1798, in Washington County, and died in Cecil Township April 1, 1856. He married Jane Simcox, who was also a native of Washington County. She was born in 1798 and died in 1868. Their children were as fol- lows: William W., who was a physician at Pittsburg, and died in March, 1868; Joseph, who lives in Noble County, Ohio; Mary, who died in 1883 at Cumberland, Ohio, and was the wife of William H. McClay; Martha Jane, who is the wife of Hugh Liggitt, of Maskingum County, Ohio; John A., who resides at Canonsburg, Pa .; and

GEORGE R. AITKEN

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Wilson T. Josiah Denny and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church at Miller's Run.

Wilson T. Denny, father of Harry W., attended the district schools near his father's farm in boyhood, and then gave his attention to the cultivation of the home farm in Cecil Township until the fall of 1871. After his marriage he erected a substantial residence and a barn. On the latter being burned, he erected a new one. His farm contained seventy-five acres of well cultivated land. In 1871 he embarked in the mercantile busi- ness at Burgettstown, which he continued until 1876, when he returned to the farm, where his long and useful life closed October 21, 1908. Politically a Republican, he accepted ne public office except that of school director, in which he served two terms. He was a stockholder in the Citizens Trust Company of Canonsburg. He was married February 27, 1866, to Margaret Tidball, born December 24, 1845, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Nicholson) Tidball, of Robinson Township. William Tidball survived until May 12, 1884, but his wife passed away November 10, 1849. Mrs. Denny resides at Hickory. Both she and her husband were members of the United Presbyterian Church at Venice. They had four children -- Harry W., William W., Eva Jane and Laura M.

Harry W. Denny was educated in the public schools of Cecil Township, Jeffersen Academy at Canonsburg and the MeDonald Academy. Impaired health caused him te return to the out-door life on the farm, which proved the medicine he required and he remained in Cecil Township until his marriage, when he settled at Hickery and in April, 1906, became assistant cashier of the Farmers National Bank. He has other financial interests besides being a stockhelder in this bank, also owning stock in the Citizens' Trust Company ef Canons- burg. He is a stanch Republican and has been more or less active in publie matters and served ten years as auditor of Cecil Township.

On November 21, 1907, Mr. Denny was married to Miss Ida E. Dinsmore, a daughter of J. R. Dinsmore, and they have one son, Jay MeClay. Mr. and Mrs. Denny belong to the United Presbyterian Church at Hickory.

JOHN A. HUNTER,* a venerable citizen of Me- Donald, where for forty years he has been engaged in carpentering and contracting, was born January 19, 1836, in Cecil Township, Washington County, Pa., and is a son of John and Nancy (Grear) Hunter, and grand- son of Robert and Elizabeth Hunter.

John Hunter, the father, followed agricultural pur- suits all of his life in Cecil Township, where both he and his wife are buried. They were members of the Covenanter Church, and in political matters he was a Democrat. John and Nancy Hunter had these children: Elizabeth, Robert and George, who are deceased, (the

latter from discase contracted while serving in the Fed- eral army during the Civil War) ; John A .; Mary, de- ceased, who was the wife of W. L. Smith; Joseph, who also died from the effects of army life; and James, Nancy Jane and William.

John A. Hunter attended the common schools of Cecil Township until he reached the age of fourteen years and then engaged in farming with his father, an occu- pation which he followed until reaching his twenty-fifth year, when he learned the carpenter's trade. In 1870 he came to MeDonald, and since that time has been actively engaged in werking at his trade, but during the last year has been retired somewhat from business activity. 1Ie has erected some of the largest and mest substantial structures in McDonald, including the fine brick First United Presbyterian Church building, of which church he and his wife are members, and he is well known and highly esteemed throughout this part of the county. In his political views he is a Republican, but he has never sought nor cared fer publie office. He is the owner of considerable valuable McDonald real estate.

On July- 4, 1861, Mr. Hunter was married to Martha Ann Harper, the eldest daughter of William and Mary Ann (Lindsay) Harper, whese ether children were: David, who is deceased; Mary, widow ef Robert Hood; Tamer, deceased; Wilson; and Joseph and Malissa, de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have had two children: Ada C., deceased, who was the wife of E. B. MeNary; and W. J., who married Margaret Sturgeon, by whom he has had one son, William John Sturgeon, born No- vember 7, 1902.

BARTLEY MeMANUS,* proprietor ef Hotel Indiana at Donera, Pa., who has been a resident here since April 1, 1901, was born June 15, 1863, in Scotland and is a son of Bartley and Alice (Hollowood) McManus, both natives of Ireland.

Bartley McManus, Sr., was reared in Ireland and when a young man went te Scetland, where he engaged in min- ing. He there married Alice Hellowood, who alse left Ireland at an early age. They were the parents of eight children, all of whom were born in Scotland-John; James, deceased; Alice, deceased; Bartley, subject of this sketch; Patrick; Sarah, who is the wife of Thomas Woods; Peter and Thomas. Bartley McManus later in life came to America, locating at Webster, Pa., where he worked in the mines until the time of his death in February, 1885. His wife died in 1907.

Bartley MeManus, Jr., came to this country at the age of sixteen years, his parents and family coming over later. He first located along the Monongahela River, where he followed coal mining. In 1901 he came to Donora and opened the Hotel MeManus, located on the corner of Fourth and Thompson streets, which he con-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

dutced successfully for three years, when he sold to Daniel Shoemaker, who is the present proprietor. The following year he purchased from Cunningham and Reidenour, the Indiana . House, which contains forty bedrooms and is located on the corner of Sixth and Meldon streets.

March 10, 1885, Mr. McManus married Sally Ledbeater, of Coal Center, who is a daughter of Abe Ledbeater, who served in the Civil War. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McManus: Bartley, who married Nora Schocknem; Elizabeth, who married Clar- ence Foster ; Thomas; Alice, who married M. O'Heare; Abe; Patrick; Emmett; Joseph; Setta and Margaret. Mr. McManus is fraternally a B. P. O. E., F. O. E. and an A. O. H. He is a Republican, politically, and holds membership with the Catholic Church.

W. J. COULSON," one of the substantial citizens of Washington County and for the past two years of Wash- ington. residing at No. 247 North avenue, was born on his father's farm in Buffalo Township, Washington County, Pa., four miles west of Washington, in 1859, and is a son of Elijah E. and Charlotte (Warrick) Coulson.

Coulson is a good old English name and from England came the great-grandfather, with his two brothers, they being among the first permanent settlers in Washington County. Elijah E. Coulson was born in Buffalo Town- ship, in 1814, a son of John Coulson, and his entire life was passed on the same farm, where he died in 1889. His interests were all of an agricultural nature and for many years he cultivated his lands successfully and raised much stock, making a specialty of sheep. He married Charlotte Warrick, a member of another old county family, and they had two sons born to them: W. J. and E. G., the latter of whom continues to live on the old homestead.

The old Coulson homestead was the chosen home of W. J. Coulson until he was thirty years of age, when he moved to his farm in Amwell Township, where he engaged in farming and stock raising until 1907, when he came to Washington, where he is connected officially with the Washington County Fire Insurance Company. He retains the ownership of a valuable farm of 142 acres, in Amwell Township and is interested financially in other enterprises.

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 118

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 898

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 898