Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 123

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 123

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Jamies Walker obtained some book knowledge in the district schools, but his advantages were not very great. He helped his father clear the 225-acre farm and engaged extensively in raising cattle and sheep. He was a man of influence in his community, was a Republican in poli-

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WILLIAM J. SMITH

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

tics, and served usefully as one of the county commis- sioners when elected to that office. For many years he was a member and also an elder in the Cross Creek Pres- byterian Church. He married Elizabeth Graham, a daughter of John Graham, of Cross Creek Township, and they had six children: Olivia, John G., Alexander, Will- iam W., M. D., and J. C., whose name begins this article. William W. and M. D. are both deceased. After his marriage, James Walker lived on the farm which his son, J. C. Walker now owns. Here his wife died in June, 1882, and his death followed in April, 1883, and they were interred in the Cross Creek Cemetery. He was a man of ample fortune and had lived retired at Cross Creek village for fifteen years before his death.

J. C. Walker attended the country schools in Jefferson Township and then assisted his father on the home farm, which finally became his own property. He continued to reside on it until April, 1908, when he retired to El- dersville, leaving his son to manage the farm. The place is well improved, the farm house in particular being a fine building. Mr. Walker has never tested for either oil or coal and has never sold his rights.

Mr. Walker was first married in October, 1861, to Eliza Van Strand, who died October 12, 1862, leaving one daughter, Anna E., who is the wife of B. B. Stroud. On November 21, 1867, Mr. Walker married Hannah E. Caldwell, a daughter of Thomas Caldwell. She died Jan- uary 26, 1875, leaving two children: Norris, born No- vember 24, 1868; and James, born February 5, 1873. Her burial was in the Paris Cemetery. Mr. Walker was mar- ried for the third time March 22, 1878, to Bell Suther- land, of Smithfield, Ohio, who died August 23, 1907. She was buried in the Cross Creek Cemetery. Her three children all survive, namely : Mary M., born May 3, 1881, who married Jesse Dinnit ; John S., born January 9, 1883, who married Lena Machett ; and Bessie S., born April 19, 1884, who lives with her father. Mr. Walker is a mem- ber of the Cross Creek Presbyterian Church. He is not a politician, but deems it the duty of every citizen to cast his vote. He is a Republican.

WILLIAM J. SMITH, a member of the board of county commissioners of Washington County, Pa., has been a resident of Washington since 1904. He was born in 1845, in South Strabane Township, Washington Coun- ty, Pa., aud is a son of William and a grandson of Will- iam Smith.

Grandfather William Smith founded the family in Washington County prior to 1804, and in that year his son, William Smith, was born in Nottingham Township. The latter became a farmer and wool grower and also operated a mill at Smithville.

William J. Smith was reared on his father's farm in South Strabane Township and later acquired the property

and still retains it. He continued the industries started by his father and made them profitable. In 1902 he dis- continued sheep raising. lle now has a milk dairy mar- ket at Pittsburg. In 1885, in association with his brother, A. W. Smith, he built a roller flour mill in Somerset Township, which they operated one year, when William J. bought his brother's interest and continued alone until 1901, when he disposed of the property. Mr. Smith has been one of the township's most active citizens in publie matters, paying particular attention to the edu- cational interests and serving for fourteen years as a school director. He is a man of substance and high personal character and his election as county commis- sioner, in the fall of 1908, gave very general satisfaction.

In 1867, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Jennie Me- Nary, and they have had four children, namely: Thomas Wade, who is now deceased; Elizabeth Annetta, who is the wife of William Cameron, of South Strabane Town- ship; William Wiley, who is a civil engineer, is con- nected with the Pittsburg Railway people, at Home- stead, Pa .; and Ella Jane, who is the wife of Stephen W. Miller, of Amwell Township. Mr. Smith and family are member of the United Presbyterian Church at Wash- ington, and he is serving on its board of trustees. The family home is situated at No. 53 North MeKennan avenue, Washington.

JAMES McBURNEY MOORE, M. D.,* of Midway, Pa., was born March 6, 1861, in Mt. Pleasant Township, Washington County, Pa. He is a son of J. S. and Mar- garet (McBurney) Moore, the latter of whom was a daughter of James and Jane (Acheson) McBurney, and the former a son of John and Margaret (Mytee) Moore, natives of Ireland.

The father of Dr. Moore was born in Chartiers Town- ship, Washington County, in 1820, and was young when his parents brought him to Mt. Pleasant Township. He was educated in the subscription schools. In 1860 he was married to Margaret McBurney and they settled on a farm. Their children were: James McBurney; Jessie; John T .; Jennie C., who formerly was a teacher in the public schools and now is the wife of Thomas B. McNary; Joseph S .; and Mary E., who is the wife of John Mar- ple. The parents of Dr. MeBurney were members of the Chartiers Presbyterian Church. In politics the father was a Republican.

James McBurney Moore attended first the country schools near his father's farm, and afterwards became a student at the Canonsburg Academy, paying his own ex- penses for three years by working after school hours. He began his medieal reading in 1880, with Dr. J. H. Christy, of Paris, Hanover Township, this county, and in 1883 entered Cleveland Medical College, where he was gradu- ated February 25, 1885. He began practice at Florence,

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

in Hanover Township, where he remained for six years, and then came to Midway, where he has remained ever since.

Dr. Moore first married Miss Mary McCready, a daugh- ter of Robert and Mary (Anita) MeCready, formerly of Oakdale, Pa. Of that union three children were born: Ola Winnifred, who died March 21, 1894; James Moses, who is also deceased; and Margaret June. Dr. Moore subsequently married Miss Alice Moses, who was the youngest born to her parents, who were Rev. John and Nancy Moses. Rev. John Moses was the organizer of the Baptist Church at Midway and was pastor there for twenty-five years. Dr. and Mrs. Moore have one daughter, Carrie Angeline.

WILLIAM THOMAS WHITLEDGE,* a prominent real estate dealer, and respected citizen of Donora, Pa., was born January 1, 1852, on his father's farm in Hen- derson County, Ky., and is a son of John F. and Eliza- beth (Snypes) Whitledge. The parents of our subject were both born and reared in North Carolina, and short- ly after their marriage moved to Henderson County, Kentucky, where they became the owners of several farms. Mr. Whitledge served as sheriff of Webster County, Ky., previous to the war, after which he became a Republican and strong Union man. His death occurred in Kentucky at the age of seventy-two years; his widow died in 1906 at the home of her daughter in Kentucky. They reared seven children, the three eldest daughters marrying cous- ins, namely: Mary, who married Carrol Lysle (both de- ceased) ; Jane, the deceased wife of Robert Lysle; Nancy, who married Frank Lysle (both deceased) ; William Thomas, our subject; John; Libby, who married Thomas Wahl; and Maggie, the widow of Daniel Blunt.

William T. Whitledge was reared on the farm in Hen- derson County, Ky., attended the district schools of the township, and in early manhood entered the office of Dr. Samuel Campbell, who was located near Dickson, Ky. In 1871 he entered the medical department of the University of Louisville, Ky., and after his graduation embarked in the practice of medicine in Union County, that State, continuing for three years. He then gave up his prae- tice on account of ill health, and went to Florida, where he was engaged in the real estate business for about twenty years. Losing considerable money during the severe winter of 1894 and 1895, in 1898 he came to Wash- ington County, Pa., locating at Finleyville, where he was engaged in the real estate business until 1900. The town of Donora being laid out at that time he purchased land there during the opening week, and has since erected twenty-four buildings, including four business blocks.

Mr. Whitledge was married March 2, 1889, to Jessie Morrison, who was born in Pittsburg, Pa., and is a

daughter of Newton and Hester (Frye) Morrison, both of whom come of prominent families of Washington County. Mr. and Mrs. Whitledge have five children- Thomas, Jessie, Bentley, Jerome, and Marjorie. Mr. Whitledge is a Republican and has served as a member of the Donora Council.

HON. D. M. PRY,* a representative citizen of Bur- gettstown, where he performs the duty of a notary pub- lie and engages in the fire insurance business, was born in Cross Creek Township, Washington County, Pa., June 16, 1842, and is a son of Abraham Pry.

Mr. Pry was educated in the schools of Cross Creek Township and at Cross Creek Academy, and was twenty years of age when he enlisted, in 1862, in the 140th Pa. Vol. Inf. He served from July in that year until Au- gust, 1865. He took an active part in a large amount of the serious fighting of that period and on May 12, 1864, received a painful flesh wound, at the battle of Spottsyl- vania Court House. After his patriotic duty was done and his military life was closed, he returned to the farm in Cross Creek Township, on which he resided for two years and then moved to Burgettstown. On March I, 1868, he embarked in the general mercantile business at Burgettstown and continued until 1885, when he retired in order to accept the office of county recorder, in which he served for three years, residing during this time at Washington. He returned to Burgettstown in 1888 and resumed mercantile business and continued for ten years more, when his election to the State Legislature, in 1899, again interrupted his business career and he sold his store. He has been one of the county's most active and influential Republicans. For eight years he was a jus- tice of the peace and for thirty-five years has been in official life, serving two terms as chairman of the Re- publican County Convention.

In 1865, Mr. Pry was married to Miss Elizabeth J. Rea, who died in 1877. She was a daughter of John Rea, of Cross Creek Township. In 1885 Mr. Pry married sec- ondly Miss Mary G. Lee, a daughter of Robert Lee. His four children, all born to the first union, were: Nora L., who married George M. Blair; Jennie O., who married Rev. J. R. Baker, of Williamsport, Pa .; Mary G., who married S. A. Hammond, of Indiana; and Edwin B., who married Jennie Park, now deceased. Mr. Pry was an elder in the Presbyterian Church for a period of thirty- two years and in 1878 he was a member of the General Presbyterian Assembly of Pennsylvania.

ELLIS M. LILLEY,* who has been assistant cashier of the People's Bank, of California, Pa., since 1902, comes of one of the old established families of Pennsyl- vania, and was born September 26, 1871, in Fayette Conn-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

ty, just across the river from California, Pa., and is a son of Thomas W. and Mary Louisa ( Marchand) Lilley.

Ellis M. Lilley was reared on the farm in Fayette County and after a preliminary education attended the State Normal School at. California, and also spent one year at MIt. Union College, at Alliance, Ohio. He re- turned to his father's farm and remained until 1902, when he accepted his present position as assistant cashier of the People's Bank, of California. Mr. Lilley is a member of the Conneil of California, having been first appointed to fill a vacancy for one year, and in 1907 was elected for three years. Mr. Lilley owns part of the home farm, which consisted of 150 acres, but disposed of part of his interest to the Lake Erie Railroad.

Mr. Lilley was united in marriage with Eva Linton, who is a daughter of Oliver M. Linton, of Centerville, Pa., and they have one child, Oliver Linton Lilley. His fra- ternal associations are with the B. P. O. E. and the Masons of Charleroi.

S. D. MINTON,* who has been a resident of Wash- ington for the past seven years, occupying his handsome home which is situated at No. 328 Allison avenue, for some twenty years or more has been a large farmer and extensive live stock raiser and shipper. He was born in Morris Township, Washington County, Pa., in 1852, and is a son of G. W. and Eliza Jane (Day) Minton.

The father of Mr. Minton was born in Morris Town- ship, Washington County, in 1811, and died in the same place in 1894. He engaged in farming and stock rais- ing and was a man well and favorably known all over the county. He was active in politics and served in a number of township offices. He married Eliza Jane Day, a daughter of L. F. Day, an old pioneer of the county. They had eight children born to them, the survivors be- ing: Collins, residing at Akron, Ohio; John, a farmer, re- siding in Greene County, Pa .; S. D., of Washington; George L., also residing at Washington; Lee, condneting a hotel at Beaver Falls, Pa .; and Sarah and Edith, both residing in Morris Township. One son, Dr. Bradley, died from the effects of blood poisoning.

S. D. Minton was reared and educated in Morris Town- ship and spent many busy years on his own farm near Prosperity before coming to Washington in 1902. He was married November 14, 1879, to Miss Cora Belle Day, who was born at West Windsor, Ohio, a daughter of Arti- mus Day, a native of Washington County, and a grand- daughter of Luther Day, a pioneer settler. To Mr. and Mrs. Minton four children have been born: Helen, Brad- ley, Josie E. and Harold, all residing at home. The family attend the Central Presbyterian Church. In poli- ties, Mr. Minton is a Republican and while not very ac- tive in public matters, has always shown an interest in those things which concern good citizens.

GEORGE L. McKEE, M. D.,* who has a well estab- lished medical and surgical practice at Burgettstown, Pa., and is thoroughly identified with the best interests of the borongh, was born at Pittsburg, Pa., September 24, 1877.

Dr. MeKee was educated in Allegheny County, attend- ing the MeDonald School and Oakdale Academy. He then engaged in teaching and during the two years which he devoted to this profession he did his preliminary medi- cal reading. Iu 1898 he entered the Medical College at Pittsburg, from which he was graduated in the class of 1903. For two years he was engaged in practice at Bul- ger, in Washington County, and then came to Burgetts- town where his ability as a surgeon and physician have been abundantly recognized.

On September 6, 1905, Dr. McKee was married to Miss Nellie McFarlane, a daughter of D. N. and Elvira Mc- Farlane, and they have one daughter, Frances. Dr. Me- Kee and wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church. Politically he is a Democrat and is a useful member of the school board, of which he has been treas- urer since June, 1909. His fraternal relations are with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias.

GEORGE ALBERT WATKINS,* one of the leading grocers and enterprising business men of Donora, Pa., who has been a resident here since 1901, was born Janu- ary 9, 1879, in Columbiana County, Ohio, and is a son of James A. and Elizabeth (Sharp) Watkins.

James A. Watkins, who was born and reared near Pitts- burg, Pa., removed to Columbiana County, Ohio, when a young man and was there married to Elizabeth Sharp, a danghter of Sampson Sharp, who was engaged in the coal and coke business. In ISS5 he returned to Pennsyl- vania with his family and located at Port Royal, West- moreland County, where he entered the employ of the Ohio and Pennsylvania Coal Company as superintendent of the Euclid and Cradmore mines. He later became su- perintendent for H. K. Wick and since retiring from the mines has been located at Monessen, Pa., where he is now serving as justice of the peace. His marriage with Eliza- beth Sharp resulted in the following issue: George Albert, our subject ; Anna Bella, deceased; Bertha, who is the wife of Lawrence Gess; and James S.

George A. Watkins spent his early boyhood days in Columbiana County, Ohio. About 1886 he came with his parents to Pennsylvania and obtained his educational training at the Academy at West Newton. When a young man he and his father operated a grocery store at Port Royal for some time, after which he was manager for the Federal Supply Company at Andersonville, Pa., until 1901, when he came to Donora and bought out the Donora Supply Company. He then embarked in the grocery bnsi- ness at his present location on Mckean avenue, where he has established an extensive and successful business.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Mr. Watkins was married in 1903 to Elizabeth Coulson, a daughter of E. Coulson, and they are the parents of three children : Albert, George and Mary E. Mr. Wat- kins holds fraternal relations with the B. P. O. E. and the Masons, while he is politically identified with the Republican party.

JOHN B. MURPHY, oil producer, who has been a resident of Washington for the past twenty-three years, is identified with a number of the city's successful busi- ness enterprises. He was born at Rome, N. Y., in 1859, and in boyhood was taken to Bradford, Pa.

Mr. Murphy was seventeen years of age when he first entered the Bradford oil fields and has been a producer in the various oil districts, operating very extensively during the past two years in Illinois and operated ex- tensively also in Washington County during oil excite- ment here. He has had experience in the oil fields of Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In addi- tion to his large oil interests, Mr. Murphy is vice-president and a director of the Washington Ice Company and also of the Crescent Brewery Company.

In 1889, Mr. Murphy was married to Miss Anna G. Means, who was born and reared at Washington, and they have three children: Katherine, Olla and Williard. Mr. Murphy and family are members of the Catholic Church. He is identified with the faternal order of Elks. He is not an active politician but takes a good citizen's interest in the welfare of this section.

JOHN E. MeCARDLE,* postmaster and one of the pioneer grocers of Charleroi, Pa., was born January 21, 1855, at Triadelphia, Ohio County, W. Va., and is a son of Philip and Eliza (Garrison) McCardle, the former of whom is still living at Triadelphia, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. The mother died in 1896.

John E. McCardle was reared in Triadelphia, where he attended the common schools and spent some time working on a farm. He subsequently learned the manu- facturing of stogies, then in partnership with S. C. Mc- Coy, now a resident of Washington, he ran a stogie fac- tory for two years, at the end of which time they dis- posed of the business. Mr. McCardle opened a grocery store at Triadelphia, where he remained four years. In the spring of 1891 he came to Charleroi, shortly after the town was laid out, and embarked in the grocery busi- ness at the corner of Fourth street and Fallowfield ave- nue, where the same year, he erected a frame building, which he now leases to J. E. Masters, who purchased his grocery stock in 1907. Mr. McCardle's store is the oldest grocery in Charleroi; he employed eighteen clerks, and without doubt, commanded the most extensive patronage of any grocer on the Monongahela River. Mr. McCardle succeeded John B. Branegan as postmaster of Charleroi,

having assumed the responsibilities of that office July 1, 1909, and is assisted by Dennis A. Oates, who was ap- pointed by our subject.

Mr. McCardle served one term on the Charleroi Coun- cil, and is fraternally a member of the Elks, is president of the Elks Club of Charleroi, and is also affiliated with the Masons, the Knights Templar, and the Shriners. Mr. McCardle was married to Julia A. Miller, of Triadelphia, W. Va., and her death occurred June 5, 1907.

C. W. PHILLIPS,* an enterprising business man of Washington, Pa., who is engaged in tiu, slate and gal- vanized roofing, has been a resident of this city since 1893. He was born in Greene County, Pa., in 1875 and when about twelve years of age came to Washington County with his parents, who located at Beallsville, where he was reared and educated. He worked at his present business in Beallsville for about one and a half years, after which he came to Washington and was en- gaged in the same business with I. J. Dickson from 1893 until 1898. He then enlisted in Co. H, 10th Pa. Reg., and served in the Philippine Islands during the Spanish- American War, being mustered out in September, 1899. Upon his return to Washington after the war, he entered the employ of G. W. Hays & Co., with whom he remained until December, 1900, when in partnership with John C. Knox, he embarked in his present business. The follow- ing August Mr. Phillips bought Mr. Knox's interest in the business, since which time he has successfully con- ducted the business alone. Mr. Phillips was married in 1904 to Lyda B. Webb, of Homestead, Pa., and they have one son, John Floyd Phillips.

WILSON LEVI ARNOLD,* an enterprising young business man of Canonsburg, junior partner of the firm of Rickley & Arnold, dealers in wallpaper, paints, var- nishes, oils, glass, etc., was born in Canonsburg, Pa., August 18, 1876, and is a son of John Marshall and Triphena (Smith) Arnold.

Levi Arnold, his paternal grandfather, was a tailor by trade, and has beeu dead for many years, as has also his wife Jane. They had these children: John M .; Pershing, who died in Canonsburg; Levi, who was killed in the army during the Civil War; Nettie, the wife of Rev. Rennick, of Edenboro, Crawford County, Pa .; Sarah, residing in Canonsburg; and Mary, of Pittsburg, the widow of Dr. Clark. Samuel Smith, the maternal grandfather of Wilson L. Arnold, was a resident of Canonsburg for many years, and Vine and Smithfield streets included a part of his property, which was also located on the present site of the Pittsburg and Buffalo Coal Company. He was three times married, and died in 1903 in Canonsburg, aged ninety-six years. Mr. and Mrs. John M. Arnold are now living in Canonsburg,

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the former being sixty and the latter fifty-six years of age. Both are natives of this place, where Mr. Arnold was for many years engaged in harness making. They have had five children : Samnel, a resident of South Canonsburg, who married Vina Hurley; Wilson Levi; Eva, the wife of flerbert McDonald, residing in Canons- burg; William, who married Bertha Smith; and Howard, a resident of Cleveland, who married Mary Duncan.

Wilsou Levi Arnold received his education in the pub- lic schools of Canonsburg, after leaving which he learned the painter's trade with J. Mark Templeton, at which he worked until February, 1907, when the firm of Rick- ley & Arnold was established, H. G. Rickley being Mr. Arnold's partner. Both men are experienced in this line of work, and their business being the only one of its kind in Canonsburg, they have all the business they can handle. They make a specialty of contraet work, and this necessitates the hiring of several workmen.

In December, 1903, Mr. Arnold was united in mar- riage with Martha Fulton, daughter of William and Tama (Crawford) Fulton, of North Strabane Township, farming people, and to this union there has been born one daughter: Tama Triphena, November 5, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold are members of the Greenside United Presbyterian Church. He was reared a Democrat, but votes according to his opinion as to the fitness of the candidate for the office.

JOHN N. MONTGOMERY,* one of Claysville's rep- resentative and substantial citizens, who has been a director in the Claysville's National Bank since its or- ganization, owns two fine farms, one of 128 acres situ- ated in East Finley Township and one of the same acre- age in West Finley Township. He was born in East Finley Township, Washington County, Pa., March 18, 1845, and is a son of Jesse and Catherine (Sprowls) Montgomery.

Mr. Montgomery can claim Irish ancestors on both sides of his family. His father, Jesse Montgomery, was born in East Finley Township, but his grandfather, Hugh Montgomery, was a native of Ireland. The mother was also born in East Finley Township and was a daugh- ter of Arthur and Catherine Sprowls. These families were among the very early settlers in East Finley Town- ship. Of the children born to Jesse Montgomery by his two marriages, the following survive: John N., of Claysville; James and Hugh, both of Morris Township; Jesse M., of East Finley Township; Ruth, of Cowley County, Kas .; Andrew J., a Presbyterian minister at Oregon City, Ore .; and Alexander, residing at Wash- ington.

John N. Montgomery was reared and educated in East Finley Township and for a number of years followed farming and stoek raising there and in West Finley

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 123

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