Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 12

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 12

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On March 14, 1881, Mr. Studa was married to Miss Nannie B. Moore, who is a daughter of William Moore, and they have one daughter, Ora M., who is a talented musician. Mr. Studa and family are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is identified with the Demo- cratie party. Mr. Stnda is something of a sportsman, having always taken delight in hunting and is considered a fine marksman. He is also fond of driving and keeps two speedy roadsters.

HENRY M. GAULT, general farmer and stock raiser, residing on the old homestead farm in Cross Creek Town- ship, Washington Co., Pa., on which he was born March 16, 1848, is a son of David and Matilda (Cooke) Gault.

The parents of Mr. Gault were well known residents of Cross Creek Township, where the father died in 1903. The mother died many years previously and David Gault was married (second) to Mrs. Mary Marquis, who was a daughter of William and Mary Patterson. To the first marriage four children were born: Georgetta, who married A. H. Kerr and lives at Burgettstown; and llenry M., James C. and Silas.

Henry M. Gault was educated in the local schools and the State Normal School at Edinboro, leaving at the age of eighteen years to assist his father on the farm. After his own marriage, in 1874, he moved to Norfolk, Va., where he engaged in gardening until 1882, when he went to Plattsmouth, Neb., where he carried on farming and stoek raising until 1903, when the death of his father caused his return to the homestead where he has been engaged ever since, having 188 aeres of fine land.

In 1874, Mr. Gault was married to Miss Rachel Dun- bar, a daughter of William and Isabella Dunbar, of

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Cross Creek Township, and they have had three children: Laura Belle, who resides with her parents; David Roy, who is now deceased; and Nellie Eberta, who is a pop- ular teacher in the Cross Creek high school. Mr. Gault and family are members of the Presbyterian Church at Cross Creek village, and he has been an elder in the church for the past twenty years. Mr. Gault has never been very active in politics, taking much more interest in developing his land, but he has served for two years as a school director and performs all the public duties of a good citizen. He is a stockholder in the Hickory Telephone Company. He is a stanch advocate of tem- perance in all things and casts his vote in favor of the Prohibition party.

WILSON L. ELLIOTT, a retired capitalist and for- mer successful farmer, has occupied his handsome brick residence at McDonald, Pa., since 1903, and is well known and very highly esteemed by his fellow citizens. He was born in Allegheny Co., Pa., January 18, 1856, and is a son of Morgan and Mary (Walker) Elliott.

The father of Mr. Elliott was engaged in farming all through his active life. Both he and wife are de- ceased and their burial was in the Robeson Run Ceme- tery. They had the following children: Joseph W., Elizabeth, Isabel, Huldah, Jennie, Wilson L. and James M. Of the above family, Elizabeth is deceased. Isabel is the wife of Dr. T. M. Fife. Huldah married A. E. Fife. Jennie married J. J. Patterson.

Wilson L. Elliott attended the district schools more or less regularly until he was eighteen years old and after that followed farming until he came to McDonald, in 1903. He is a stockholder in both banks at Mc- Donald and is a director in the Trust Company.

In 1891, Mr. Elliott was married to Miss Elizabeth Pease, a daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Pease. Mrs. Elliott bad two brothers and one sister: Everett, deceased; Wilson, and Anna, the latter of whom is the wife of Frank DeNormandie. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have two children: Mary and Morgan, both of whom attend school at McDonald. The family belongs to the United Presbyterian Church. In his political views, Mr. Elliott is a Democrat.

CYRUS MORROW, a prominent citizen of Washing- ton County and one of its most efficient and popular public officials, serving at present as register of wills, is a member of one of the pioneer families of this sec- tion. He was born in Donegal Township, Washington Co., Pa., and is a son of Abraham and Jane (De France) Morrow, and a grandson of William Morrow. The lat- ter was a native of the north of Ireland and was the founder of the family in Washington County.

Cyrus Morrow bad no exceptional advantages in his

youth, his education being mainly acquired throngh individual study and contact with the great world, with experience as his teacher. He turned his attention to farming at an early date, and after his marriage, lo- cated on property near Acheson, in Buffalo Township, where he remained until 1880, when he purchased the George W. Guy farm, situated on Dutch Fork of Buf- falo Creek, just above their point of juncture. He en- gaged in farming on a large scale and was one of the most extensive wool growers in the county. His ability as a business man and financier was recognized and he was accorded a position in the front rank among the affluent citizens of his township. Politically he has al- ways been a firm believer in the wisdom and justice of Republican principles, has consistently worked for the success of the party of his choice and has received hearty party recognition. He has filled numerous township offices and in 1906 began his first term as register of wills, and is now serving his second term in that capacity, his term to expire January 1, 1912. As a public official his duties have been discharged in the same capable manner as his private transactions and with such un- varying faithfulness as to place him high in the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens.

Mr. Morrow was married August 26, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Condit, who was born in Amwell Township, Washington County, July 1, 1853, and is a daughter of Cephas and Mary (Bane) Condit. To this marriage have been boru the following children: Minnie E., Franklin S., Garfield B., David C., Earle, Ethel, Eliza- beth J., Guy and Donald A. Minnie E. Morrow married Clyde S. Smith and they reside at Dunsport, Pa.

HON. JOSEPH R. McLAIN, president of the Na- tional Bank of Claysville, Pa., and formerly a member of both House and Senate in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, is a man of high standing in Washington County, his private character as well as his publie serv- ices securing him the confidence and regard of his fellow citizens. He was born in Cross Creek Township, Wash- ington Co., Pa., January 8, 1828, and is a son of William and Margaret (McLelland) McLain.

John McLain, the grandfather, was born near Gettys- burg, Pa., later lived at Pittsburg and came from Alle- gheny County to Washington County, locating permanent- ly on a farm between Washington and Canonsburg. William McLain was born on that farm, which was lo- cated one and one-half miles from Washington. After the death of his father he had to care for the family and for more than thirty years engaged in teaching. He was a justice of the peace for a number of years and was one of Cross Creek's best known citizens. He died in 1872, having lived a long and useful life. He mar- ried Margaret MeLelland, who was born in Huntington

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

County, Pa., and of their family of ten children, Joseph R. was next to the youngest, and is the only one living.

Joseph R. Mclain was well educated, attending the schools of Buffalo Township and having private teachers and later he became a teacher himself and while he de- voted his summers to farming and stock raising for twen- ty years, passed his winters in the school room, with book and ferule. For a short period he engaged also in the mercantile business at Claysville and Taylorstown, but, in 1890, when the National Bank of Claysville was organized, he accepted the presideney and has continued to shape its policy ever since. Not only has Mr. MeLain been prominent in business activities but he has also heen a power in politics in Washington County. With the greatest acceptability to his constituents he served one term of two years in the lower House of Representa- tives in the State Legislature and approval was conclu- sively shown when he was elected to the State Senate fer a term of four years. He is identified with the Re- publican party.

Mr. MeLain was married to Miss Susanna Ralston, who was born at Claysville, a daughter of James and Susanna Ralston, well known residents of this place, and nine children have been born to this union, namley: Lauretta Mary, who is deceased, was the wife of John M. Gamble; William J. E., who is cashier of the National Bank of Claysville; Margaret, who is the wife of Dr. J. N. Sprowls, of Claysville; John A., who resides at Wilkins- burg, Pa .; Joseph Milton, who died aged thirty years; David, who lives in California; Susanna S., who is the wife of W. L. Noble, of Martin's Ferry, Ohio; Rebecca, who is the wife of Rev. H. B. King, of Harrisburg; and George W., who had passed his twenty-second birthday at the time of his death. Mr. MeLain and family are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Clays- ville, with which religious body he has been connected since youth, and is a member of the Session.

HENRY F. CARL, a successful agriculturist of Wash- ington County, Pa., and the owner of several large prop- erties in Independence Township, was born in Schon- hagen, in Province of Hanover, Germany, August 21, 1848, a son of Henry and Hannah (Overman) Carl na- tives of that country.

The parents of Mr. Carl eame to the United States in 1856, located on a farm in Washington County, Pa., and there began the cultivation of the soil, and spent the remainder of their lives in Donegal Township. They were the parents of children as follows: Caroline, who is the widow of George Kindemond, residing at Hickory; Lucinda, who married Henry Gunther, residing in Done- gal Township; Hannah, who is the wife of Charles Schmitz, of Pittsburg; Eliza, who is the widow of Henry

Danenburg, of Wheeling; Minnie, who is the wife of Georgs Arns, of Jefferson Township; and Henry F.

Ilenry F. Carl was eight years of age when he ac- companied his parents to this country, and until he was sixteen years old ho attended the school situated near his father's farm. He remained on the home farm until his first marriage, in 1873, when he became a tenant farmer, and so continued until 1896, in this year locating on his own farm of 106 acres in Independence Town- ship, which he had previously purchased, and in 1902 bought the farm adjoining this property, a tract of 13] acres. His first purchase of land was when he bought out the other heirs to his father's old property in Done- gal Township, consisting of some fifty acres. This he sold and later purchased his present farm of 106 acres. lle carries on general farming and stoek raising, and makes a specialty of sheep breeding, while still operating the two farms. llis land has all been acquired by his own efforts, assisted by those of his children, and his career is a striking example of what may be accomplished by a man through perseverance and industry. In politics a Democrat, Mr. Carl has been too busy looking after his farming interests to give much attention to public affairs, although he has done his duty as a citizen by serving as school director. The family is connected with the Presbyterian Church.

In 1873, Mr. Carl was married (first) to Rachel Mc- Pherson, a daughter of Daniel and Naney McPherson, of Donegal Township, and to this union there were born the following children: Nannie, the wife of William Cunningham, who has four children, namely Ethel, Mary, Edna and Henry; Mollie, the wife of Ira Moore, of Independence Township; Ida, residing at home; Sadie, who lives with relatives at Claysville; Lucy, the wife of Robert Craig, of Hopewell Township, and they have a son, Robert Carl Craig; George C., of Independence Township, who is married and has a sou, Clarence; and James W., Annie and Grover, living at home, Annie be- ing a school teacher. The mother of these children died in 1887, and was buried in Donegal Cemetery. In 1893, Mr. Carl was married to Lou Adams, daughter of Alex- ander and Lucinda Adams, of Independence Township, and two children have been born to this union: Twila and Earl L., both students at school.

ABRAHAM MORROW, deceased, for many years was one of the leading agriculturists of Washington County, Pa. He was born in West Bethlehem Township, Washing- ton County, in 1816, and was a son of George and Hes- ter (Poole) Morrow and a grandson of William Morrow.

George Morrow was born in the north of Ireland and was a son of William Morrow, a native of that part of Ireland, who was of Scotch-Irish parentage. William

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Morrow was the first of the family to settle in Washing- ton County, establishing a home for himself and family near Hillsboro, in West Bethlehem Township. At the time of his death he was living with his son George, in Donegal Township. George Morrow remained on the home farm in West Bethlehem Township until some time subsequent to his marriage, when he moved to a farm on the Dutch Fork, about one mile from its confluence with Big Buffalo Creek, in Donegal Township, and resided there during the remainder of his life. He married Hes- ter Poole and they became the parents of the following children : David, Abraham, Noah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Matilda and Mary.

Abraham Morrow grew up on the home farm and the education he received was obtained in the subscription schools. His life was devoted to agricultural pursuits and he acquired an ample fortune. For some years fol- lowing his marriage he resided on a farm in Donegal Township and then moved for a few years to Licking County, Ohio, but subsequently returned to the old farm in Washington County. His death occurred February 12, 1888. He was a man to whom his fellow citizens ac- corded respect and esteem. He was a consistent member of the Christian Church and contributed liberally to the erection of the Dutch Fork church edifice and parsonage. When he removed to Licking County he found no church of his faith in the section in which he located and while he lived there was largely instrumental in the erection of a suitable church edifice and the establishment of a congregation which has prospered.

In 1841, the late Abraham Morrow was married to Miss Jane DeFrance, who was born on Raccoon Creek, in Washington County, June 19, 1821. Her father was Alli- son DeFrance. Seven children were born to this mar- riage, the eldest of whom, Cyrus Morrow, is one of the county's leading citizens and at present is register of wills. Four others survive: Salem, Permelia Ann, Perry and Albert. Ellen died when aged twelve years and a son passed away in infancy.

WALTER G. CRAMER, editor and sole owner of the Burgettstown Herald, which newspaper he founded in 1908, is one of the enterprising and progressive young business men of Washington County. He was born at Curwensville, Clearfield, Co., Pa., March 20, 1877, and is a son of Eli and Mary J. (Stansberry) Cramer. The father died February 1, 1899, and was buried at Cherry Tree, in Indiana County, Pa., in which county the mother still resides.

Mr. Cramer's great-grandfather was in the Revolution- ary War, his grandfather in the War of 1812, and his father in the Mexican and Civil Wars.

Walter G. Cramer was educated in the schools of In- diana County and then learned the printing trade with

his brother, at Burgettstown. He remained in Burgetts- town until about 1896, when he went to Pittsburg, where he worked a couple of years on the "Chronicle-Tele- graph." Returning to Burgettstown in 1898, he again took up work on his brother's paper, the "Enterprise," an independent weekly paper, published here. In 1906 the brother sold the "Enterprise" to a stock company. Mr. Cramer was editor and manager until 1908, when he founded the "Herald," and has ably edited it and man- aged its business affairs ever since. It is a paying prop- erty and its subscription list is constantly increasing. Mr. Cramer has other investments and is a stockholder in the Washington National Bank of Burgettstown.

On October 16, 1898, Mr. Cramer was married to Miss Hettie I. McCabe, a daughter of John D. and Charlotte McCabe, and they have two children: Herbert W. and John S. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer are members of the West- minster Presbyterian Church. He belongs to Lodge No. 1145, Odd Fellows, at Burgettstown, and also to Silver Cliff Lodge, Knights of Pythias.

GEORGE BLOOMINGSTOCK, a citizen of Blaine Township, Washington Co., Pa., is serving as president of the board of road supervisors and is also a member of the school board. He devotes his farm of 105 acres to gen- eral agriculture and stock raising. He was born in Buffa- lo Township, Washington County, January 18, 1855, and is a son of Martin and Margaret (Horne) Bloomingstock.

The father of Mr. Bloomingstock, who died several years since, was born in Germany, but the mother is a native of Pennsylvania and is one of the venerable resi- dents of Buffalo Township. Of their family of six chil- dren the following survive: George, of Blaine Town- ship; Robert, of Washington County; Samuel, of Canton Township; and John and Elton A., hoth residing at Wash- ington. In politics, Martin Bloomingstock was a Demo- crat. He was a faithful member of the Lutheran Church.

George Bloomingstock was reared in Buffalo Township, where he attended school and then learned the carpenter trade. For a number of years he engaged in carpenter and building work and put up many fine buildings in his day, but since 1893 he has given the larger part of his attention to farming. He continued to reside in Buf- falo Township until 1907, when he came to Blaine Town- ship and has lived here ever since. He owns very pro- ductive land and takes much interest in its cultivation.

In 1875, Mr. Bloomingstock was married to Miss Anna McQuay, a daughter of William McQuay, formerly a res- ident of Canton Township, and they have three children: Ina M., William aid Sarah W. Mr. Bloomingstock and family attend the United Presbyterian Church at Tay- lorstown. Wherever he has lived since reaching manhood, Mr. Bloomingstock has been an active citizen and has done his part in bringing about good government. He

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MR. AND MRS. CHARLES A. BINGHAM

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votes with the Democratic party but when it comes to matters of general benefit, he puts party feeling aside and lends his influence te what he believes to be right and this has brought him the confidence and friendship of his fellow citizens in general. He has served aecept- ably in township offices both in Buffalo and Blaine Town- ships.

CHARLES A. BINGHAM, a leading business citizen at Burgettstown, formerly a member of the board of health and borough auditor, was born at Frankfort, Beaver Co., Pa., February 6, 1863, and is a son of Dr. Agnew John and Margaret (Nicholson) Bingham.

The father of Mr. Bingham was a well known physi- cian and surgeon in Beaver County and was a practi- tioner at Murdockville and Frankfort. His death oc- curred in 1866, at Candor. He married Margaret Nichel- son, who was a daughter of Hon. Thomas and Rebecca Nicholson. Hon. Thomas Nicholson was a very promi- nent public figure in his day, serving in many high offices. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and at the time of death was State treasurer. He survived until 1872 and his death and burial were at Frankfort. The parents of Mr. Bingham were members of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Bingham was identified with the Democratic party but was not an active politician.

Charles A. Bingham was the only child of his parents. He was given many advantages and his education was acquired in Quishacoquillas school, in Mifflin County, in the Canonsburg Academy and in the Paris Academy. From the latter institution he went into business life, working for several years as a clerk iu the shoe store of Henry Hull, at Washington, and later in the same capa- eity was employed by W. N. Laird, at Pittsburg, be- coming then a salesman for the wholesale firm of Laird & Ray, and still later for Bingham & Co., and after- ward for Lyons & Butterfield. With his many years of practical experience, Mr. Bingham felt himself thorough- qualified and prepared for doing business for himself, and in 1902 he came to Burgettstown and has met with such gratifying suceess that he has remained ever since. His stoek ineludes shoes and men's and ladies' furnish- ings.

On November 21, 1894, Mr. Bingham was married to Miss Anna Weber, a daughter of John B. and Katherine Weber. He attends the First Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown. In politics, Mr. Bingham is a Republican and he has always been an active and earnest citizen. He is a member of Burgettstown Lodge, No. 454, F. and A. M., and of J. K. Moorehead Conelave, No. 82, of the Order of Heptasophs, at Pittsburg.

CHARLES LLOYD HARSHA, M. D., one of Canons-

burg's representative citizens, who has been successfully engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in this city since 1904, was born in Chartiers Township, Wash- ington Co., Pa., November 12, 1876. His parents were Thomas and Jane (Welch) Harsha.

Dr. Harsha's immediate ancestors have been of Wash- ington County for several generations and the families are well represented through this section of Pennsyl- vania. His father followed an agricultural life for many years and then retired with his wife, to Washington, where he died in 189I, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was survived by his widow until 1904. Of their fam- ily of nine children, Dr. Harsha is the youngest, the others being as follows: Mary, who is the wife of J. G. McPherson, resides at Philadelphia; Margaret, who is now deceased, was the wife of J. N. Grimes; J. W., who is a prominent minister of the United Presbyterian Church, in Pittsburg, Pa., a graduate of Franklin Col- lege, married Dela Cable; Ella, who resides at Phila- delphia; Curtis, who is the wife of Robert Evans Steele, resides in Hutchinson, Kas .; Thomas Clark, who is a farmer in Chartiers Township, married Harriet MeCaf- fery; Robert, a graduate of Franklin College, who is now paster of the United Presbyterian Church of Tay- lorstown, married Margaret Pollock; Nettie, who resides at Pittsburg; and J. V., who is a practicing physician at Mckeesport, Pa., is a graduate of the Pittsburg Uni- versity.

The boyhood of Dr. Harsha was passed on his father's farm, but he early discovered that his tastes and natural inclinations were all in the direction of a professional career and his studies were accordingly pursued with this end in view. After graduating with honors and re- ceiving the degrees of A. B. and A. M., from Washington and Jefferson College, in 1897 and after serving as in- structer of Latin in the Washington high school for one year, he entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadel- phia and from that grand old institution, to which hun- dreds of eminent medical men look back with affection, he was graduated in 1903. In the following year he entered upon practice at Canonsburg and here has found appreciation of his medical and surgical skill and is recognized as one of the ablest practitioners of the city. He is a member of a number of medical organizations, including the county, State and American Medical As- seciations.

On June 17, 1909, Dr. Harsha was married to Miss Lucile Greer, a daughter of C. M. and Margaret (Clark) Greer, of Canonsburg. Mrs. Harsha was educated at the Pennsylvania College for Women. Dr. Harsha re- tains his membership in the Nu Sigma Nu and the Alpha Omega Alpha fraternities of his college, in which he took an active part during his collegiate course. In politics he is a Republican. With his wife he is a member of

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the United Presbyterian Church. They enjoy an attrac- tive home at No. 222 West Pike street. They are more or less interested in the pleasant social life of the city and have a wide circle of personal friends, many of these having known them from childhood.

GEORGE W. BUXTON, a substantial business citizen of Independence, Washington Co., Pa., where he is car- rying on a prosperous general store enterprise, was born in 1865, in West Virginia, just across the river from Steubenville, Ohio, and is a son of James and Eleanore (Noah) Buxton.

The Buxton family, which is well known in Pennsyl- vania, was founded by Jacob Buxton, the great-grand- father of George W., who came as a young man to the United States from Germany. His son, Amos Buxton, was a stone mason by trade, and spent all of his life , within a few miles of Independence, becoming well and favorably known as a master of his trade. James Bux- ton, father of George W., was born in Brooke County, W. Va., and came to Independence Township when nine years of age, following farming here up to the time of his wife's death in 1905, and since that time making his home with his son George W. James Buxton married Eleanore Noah, and they had two sons: George W., and John C., the latter also residing in Independence.

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 12

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