Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 13

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 13

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George W. Buxton was educated in the common schools which he left at the age of seventeen years to engage in farming with his father, and so continued until 1901, in which year he commenced operating a coal bank, fur- nishing coal to the Wabash Railroad for two years. He then came to Independence, buying the store of T. J. Adamson, and he has continued in this business to the present time, keeping a full line of groceries, dry goods, hardware and shoes, and having a large trade in his community. The building which he occupies was erected by his grandfather in 1848, and testifies to the latter 's skill as a workman.

On December 27, 1898, Mr. Buxton was married to Mary C. Adams, daughter of Joseph P. and Florence Adams, of Independence, and there have been three chil- dren born to this union: Glen W., in March, 1901; Flor- ence, in July, 1905; and James, in July, 1907.

Mr. Buxton is a trustee of the Independence Methodist Church, and his wife has been greatly interested in the work of this denomination. Although a Democrat in national matters, Mr. Buxton has been independent in local affairs, voting rather for the man than the party. He is the present township auditor, it being his third term in this office, and he has also served two terms as township elerk. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Mutual Telephone Company of Independence, and is to be found in the front rank when any movement calculated

to be of benefit to his community is being agitated by his fellow citizens.

JOSEPH CARSON, deceased. The Carsons of Ohio County, W. Va., have always enjoyed high standing in that section and one of the representative and worthy members was the late Joseph Carson, who was born on the old family home place there, August 21, 1801, and was a son of Richard and Elizabeth (Irwin) Carson.

The family originally moved from Scotland to County Tyrone, Ireland, and from there emigrated to America, where the family has been established for more than 200 years. Richard Carson, the father of Joseph Carson, was a native of Pennsylvania. In the latter part of the eighteenth century he removed from Dauphin County, Pa., from the vicinity of Harrisburg, to Ohio County, Va., where he purchased the farm which later became the possession of his son Joseph. Richard Carson was a soldier in the War of 1812 and his death occurred at Delaware, Ohio, while on his way home from that war. He married Elizabeth Irwin and they had the following named children born to them: Abner, John, Nancy, Joseph, David, Elizabeth and Irwin. His widow subse- quently became the wife of William Faris.

Joseph Carson, the third son, was young when he was left fatherless. He was reared on the home farm and gained sufficient education in the subscription schools and through his own efforts, to enable him to teach school and for several years before settling down to an entirely agricultural life, he engaged in teaching in his native county. He was a man of marked ability and his public spirit was shown in his efforts to better his community and to develop a spirit of progress, at all times exerting an influence in the direction of education and religion. He lived a long and useful life and died on the farm on which he was born, July 20, 1887.

In 1828, Joseph Carson was united in marriage with · Miss Anna Brown, a daughter of William Brown, of Ohio County, and they had the following children born to them: Elizabeth, who married Robert Criswell; Hannah J., who married Harvey J. Milligan; Richard; Mary A., who married David M. Boggs; Sarah; William; Almira S. and Harriet, both of whom are now deceased; Vincent B. and John I., the last named being a very prominent citizen of Washington, Pa., and a leading member of its able bar. Joseph Carson was an old-time Democrat and was a man of party influence in his day and for some years he served as a justice of the peace. For more than a quarter of a century he was an elder in the West Alex- ander Presbyterian Church.

MRS. SARAH J. NOBLE, whose valuable farm of forty-two acres is situated in Donegal Township and is

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devoted to general agriculture, has resided in the village of Vienna, Pa., sinee 1907. She was born near Utica, N. Y., January 14, 1836, and is a daughter of Matthew and Julia (Kennedy) Lavey.

The parents of Mrs. Noble were both bern in Ireland. After coming to America they resided successively in various parts of New York State, and finally settled at Utiea, where the father died when his daughter Sarah (Mrs. Noble) was but three years old. Mrs. Lavey re- mained a widow for a time and then married Robert Dougan and the family then came to Washington County, settling first at West Alexander. Later they moved to Cłaysville and there beth Mr. and Mrs. Dougan died, the latter in her sixty-fifth year. Robert Dougan served as a soldier in the Civil War.

Mrs. Noble was sixteen years old when the family came to West Alexander, and on February 6, 1855, she was married to James Noble. He was a native of Ireland and was a son of James and Rosa Neble, whe spent their lives iu that country. In early manhood James Noble erossed the Atlantic Ocean te Canada, and from there came to West Alexander, where he was engaged for a time in the boet and shoe manufacturing business. In Angnst, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering the 1st W. Va. Cav., and serving in Gen. Roseerans' eemmand. On March 14, 1862, he was killed by bushwhackers while on a seouting expedition. He was a favorite with his comrades and they all were united in their deep grief over his sad fate. The G. A. R. Post of West Alexander is named in his henor. Besides his widow, Mr. Noble left three fatherless children, all of whom have been carefully reared by their mother. The eldest, Eva K., is a successful teacher in the public schools at Frederickstown, Pa .; William E. and Mary E. beth reside at Vienna with their mother. Mrs. Noble and her children are members of the Presbyterian Church at West Alexander, but Mr. Noble belonged to the M. E. Church. There are few better known or more highly respected ladies in the community than is Mrs. Noble, who, for al- mest 40 years was the toll-gate keeper on the National Road about two miles east of West Alexander. During this leng period she was faithful to her duties and main- tained the dignity and self respeet which the importance of the position demanded.

MISS MARY M. SMITH. There are few family names in Independence Township, Washington Co., Pa., that are recalled with mere respect than that of Smith, the first bearer of the name here being Nathaniel Smith, who was the grandfather of Miss Mary M. Smith, who owns and resides en the fine eld homestead farm of eighty-seven aeres. Miss Smith was bern en this farm, in 1847, and her parents were William and Mary (Cres- well) Smith.

Nathaniel Smith was born in Ireland and he came to this section of Washington County when there were comparatively few settlers here. Ile was a man possess- ing more education than his neighbors and also had the qualities which commanded the respeet and confidence of the community aud he was frequently called on to write wills and deeds, to preserve records, act as admin- istrator and perform other duties which usually fall to the leading citizen. Ile was a practical surveyor and followed this profession in addition to cultivating his farm. This farm originally was a part of the old Philip Doddridge tract, for which he obtained patent from the commonwealth. This farm subsequently came inte the possession of Miss Mary M. Smith, his only grandehild. She has sold that property, with the ex- eeption of the old home and two acres of land, to a coal company.

William Smith, father of Miss Mary M., was a well known school teacher and there are many of the elder residents of Independence Township who can recall him as such, Ile at that early day had to furnish the school- house in which he taught. His death occurred in 1855 aud his burial was at Mt. Hope. He married Mary Creswell and they had two children: Mary M. and Will- iam Sidney, the latter of whom died in 1874. In 1857, Mrs. Smith was married (second) to John H. White, and they had one daughter, Esther J., who resides with her sister, Miss Mary M. The mother survived until 1891, and her burial was at Wellsville, Ohie.

John H. White was born in West Middletown, where his father, Thomas White was a blacksmith. The latter moved with his family to what now is the Stewart farm in Independence Township, on which he burned the briek out of which the house which new stands was built. When John H. White was first married he went to house keeping in a house which stood where the Wabash road now runs. He later moved to West Virginia, and was a farmer there. After the death of his first wife there. he was married to Mrs. Smith.

Miss Mary M. Smith attended seheol at Fallen Tin- ber and then entered Muskingum College, Ohio, where she was subsequently graduated. For two years after- ward sbe taught school, in Delaware County, N. Y., and then returned to Wellsville, Ohie, where her mother joined ber after the death of Mr. White. In 1896, Miss Smith returned to take personal charge of the old home- stead, which she has eapably managed ever sinee, raising cattle and hogs together with grain, hay and fruit. Miss Smith and her sister are both members of the United Presbyterian Church of West Middletown and both are active werkers in the Missionary Society. Miss Smith is very highly esteemed and is noted for her kindness of heart and charitable impulses as well as for her excel- lent judgment in the management of her estate.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

HON. JOHN W. WILES, burgess of McDonald, Pa., and a prominent citizen of this borough, was born at Parkersburg, W. Va., November 27, 1866, and is a son of Samuel J. and Mary J. (Summers) Wiles.

The parents of Mr. Wiles were also natives of West Virginia and the father died there March 4, 1909, and his burial was at Petroleum. He was engaged in oil development. In politics he was a Republican, and he and wife were worthy members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Of their four children, John W., is the eldest, the other being: Dora, who married W. S. Day- huff; Lafayette; and Lina, who married F. M. Powell.

John W. Wiles spent but a short time in school, en- tering the oil fields when young and he has continued in the oil business ever since, at the present time having an interest in over 100 wells in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. He has been a very active, progres- sive and useful citizen of McDonald and his fellow citi- zens testified to their confidence and esteem by electing him burgess on February 16, 1909.

In 1906, Mr. Wiles was married to Miss Elizabeth Copeland, who is a daughter of Jacob and Nancy Cope- land, who were farming people in Harrison County, Ohio. Mrs. Wiles has four brothers: William, John, Jacob and George. The one son of the family bears the name of Robert.

Burgess Wiles is identified with Garfield Lodge, No. 604, F. & A. M .; No. 605, Odd Fellows, both at McDon- ald; and Lodge No. 831, Elks, at Carnegie. Mr. Wiles is manager of the McDonald baseball club, having a love for athletic sports and especially for the great American game.

W. R. MCILVAINE, vice-president of the Washington Trust Company, of Washington, Pa., and for the past twenty years identified with many of the important busi- ness interests of city and county, was born in 1845, in Somerset Township, Washington Co., Pa., and is a son of the late William McIlvaine.

The MeIlvaine family came to Washington County as early as 1780 and has increased and prospered here ever since. The father of Mr. MeIlvaine was born in Somer- set Township in 1805, and his whole life was passed in Washington County, where, for many years, he engaged in farming and stock raising.

W. R. Mellvaine obtained his education in the schools of his native county and resided on the farm on which he was born until he was forty-five years old, following farming and wool growing. After taking up his resi- dence at Washington, he became interested in the natural gas industry and was one of a number who formed a company under the name of the Relief Gas Company, which was subsequently bought by the Manufacturers' Gas, Heat and Light Company, Mr. MeIlvaine continu-

ing an interest in the same. He is second officer in the Washington Trust Company and was chairman of the building committee that erected the fine six-story bank building, a handsome structure with dimensions of 80 by 135 feet. In addition to being a thoroughly experi- enced and practical business man, Mr. Mellvaine is an active citizen and many of the movements which have contributed to the greatest welfare of the city, have had his approval in their inception and completion.

In 1868, Mr. MeIlvaine was married to Miss Sarah E. Hamilton, who was born in Nottingham Township, of a prominent old Washington County family. They have three children: Nora Irene, who resides at home; Will- iam Alexander Hamilton, who is an attorney at Wash- ington; and John Addison, who is a member of the faculty at Mt. Airy Institute for the Deaf. Mr. Mc- llvaine and family are members of the Second Presby- terian Church of Washington.

DUNNING HART, residing at No. 654 Maiden street, Washington, Pa., is a member of an old settled family of Pennsylvania. He was born in Washington County, Pa., November 30, 1836, and is a son of David and Margery Dunning Butler Hart, she being the second wife of David Hart. They had three children, namely : Mar- garet, who married Willison Kerr, is deceased as is also her husband; Dunning; and Eliza Harper, the latter of whom married Ard M. Hosack, and lives at Scenery Hill, Washington County.

The Hart family in America sprung from Nathan Hart (1), of Scotland. He came across the waters and settled on Muddy Run, Adams County, Pa., about 1730, which is about all that is known of his family except that he had two sons: Nathan Hart (2) and Micah Hart, the last named afterward settling near Norwich, Ohio.

Nathan Hart (2) in 1769, married Margaret Monteith and they lived in Muddy Run, Adams Co., Pa., and to them were born four children: David, in 1775; Jane, in 1777; Margaret, in 1782; and Mary, in 1785. Of these, Jane married John Kerr and lived and died near Gettysburg and had four children. Margaret married Nathaniel Paxton, in 1804, and removed to Somerset Township, Washington Co., Pa., in 1812. The numerous Paxton families throughout the norther part of Wash- ington County, Pa., and parts of Ohio, are descendants of Nathaniel and Margaret (Hart) Paxton. Mary mar- ried Smith Mccullough, of Pigeon Creek, Washington Co., Pa. Nathaniel Hart (2) died in 1787, on Muddy Run, Adams County. His wife, Margaret (Monteith) Hart, died in 1785, leaving the four children orphans.

David Hart assumed the entire management of the homestead, and cared, as a father, for his three sisters. On April 12, 1798, he married Sarah Paxton and re-

DAVID P. HART DAVID HART DUNNING HART WILLIAM B. HART DAVID D. HART

NEW YOR --

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

mained on Muddy Ruu until the spring of 1807, when he and wife, feeling that the advantages and future wel- fare of their family demanded removal farther west, severed the strong ties that bound them to their childhood home. They started on their journey to Washington County, coming through on horseback and arriving in Somerset Township about the first of April, 1807. Ilere, in this house they had hewed out of the forest, they lived and dicd. There were born to them nine children, three born in Adams County and six in Washington County, as follows: Andrew Hart, born July 19, 1799, died August 10, 1861; Jane Ilart, born January 28, 1801, and died February 21, 1864; Paxton Hart, bern February 19, 1803, died October 30, 1828; John Hart, born December 15, 1805, died March 1, 1820; James Gibson Hart, bern January 2, 1807; David Hart, bern December 18, 1808, died March 30, 1872; Maria Hart; Sally Hart, bern April 10, 1813, died May 17, 1830; and William Hart, bern September 19, 1817. Sarah (Paxton) Hart died in 1830. In 1832, David Hart married for a second wife, Mrs. Margaret Dunning Butler, te whom were born three children, namely : Margaret Hart Kerr, deecased; Eliza Hart Hosack, of Scenery Hill, and Dunning Hart, of Washington, Pa.

David Hart died October 1, 1862, and as to the life he led and to the highi esteem in which he was held by these who knew him, it can be told ne better than te add here the words written by one who knew him well, Rev. Bank- head Boyd, of Pigeon Creek.

"David Hart died at his residence in Somerset Tewn- ship, Washington County, on the first day of October, 1852, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. He was born in Adams County, Pa., November 28, 1775. The time of his removal to this county was 1807. He was a ruling elder in the Associate Presbyterian Church of Pigeon Creek. In noticing the death of this good man, it is not our design to pronounce any eulogy upon him. He was too well known in the community in which he long resided, to render this necessary. It is hut justice, however, to say that but few men stood higher in the community than the deceased. He possessed a strong, discriminating judgment, a character fair and unblem- ished, strongly marked by decision, and at the same time distinguished for uprightness and sterling integrity, which secured for him the esteem and confidence ef all who knew him. This was evident from the large amount of business with which he was from time to time entrusted, and indeed, during the greater part of his leng life, he was acting for others, in one way or another, and the vast concourse of people which accompanied his mortal remains to their final resting place, showed the high esteem in which he was held by the community at large. Benevolence was a paramount feature in his character. The goed of others was an object which he kept steadily

in view, and any measures which he believed calculated for the promotion of the public good, received his cor- dial support. At the time of his death be was an active and influential member of the Bible Society of Somerset Township. The interests of true religion, also the ad- vancement of the Redeemer's Kingdom, in this world, were always with him matters of the first importance. Having early made a profession of his faith in Christ, he ever manifested a deep solicitude for the cause he had espoused, and his counsel and contributions were never wanting but always rendered with the greatest cheerful- ness, when the interests of the church required them. llis whole life was an ornament of the profession he had made. His heuse was the house of prayer, the morn- ing and evening sacrifice was never neglected. His seat was never vacant in the House of God but for the weightiest reasons, and in all the relations of life he seemed to aim at maintaining a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man.

"In a word, he was a just man who feared God and wrought righteousness and was eminently useful in his day and generation, both in the church and in the world, being always ready for every good work. From the nature of the disease from which he died, he was in a great measure deprived of the powers of speech during his last illness, and consequently little could be obtained from him respecting his feelings or state of mind, but, judging from the general tener of his life, we can have no deubt but that his latter end was peace. 'Mark the perfeet man and beheld the upright for the end of that man is peace.' He left a wife and numerous relatives to mourn his loss, but trust their loss was his gain, and that he is now in the Upper Sanctuary, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb with the angels and the spirits of just men made perfect."

Dunning Hart was reared en the home farm in Somer- set Township. He enlisted in Ce. G, 140th Pa. Vel. Inf., and served three years of the Civil War, in the Army of the Potomac. He was wounded at the battle of Gettys- burg, receiving three gunshot wounds, ene slight and two serious, and was in the Philadelphia Hospital for about eight months befere again fit for duty. He was then transferred from Co. G, to the 3rd Vet. Res., of which he was an officer, and was discharged at Augusta, Maine, in September, 1865. He is a member of W. F. Temple- ten Pest, G. A. R.

After his military service was over, Mr. Hart returned home and resumed farming and stock raising in Somerset Township, continuing until 1868, when he purchased the Lowland Stock Farm, in Amwell Township, to which he meved and carried on farming and stock raising there until 1908, when he sold out and retired to Washington. He was an extensive raiser ef all kinds of stock and in later years he made a specialty of registered Sherthorn

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

cattle, in which he met with much success. He has al- ways heen an active citizen.

Mr. Hart was married in the fall of 1865, to Miss Mary J. Davis, born in Allegheny County, Pa., July 24, 1839, a daughter of George and Martha (Crawford) Davis. When Mrs. Hart was sixteen years of age, her parents moved to the Brownlee farm in Washington County, and she has resided in the county ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Hart reared a family of seven children, namely : George Davis, who lives on the Lowland farm; David Paxton, who also resides in Amwell Township; Margaret M., who is the wife of J. Preston Horn, lives near Baker's Station; Dunning Albert, who died when just past his seventeenth year; James G., who is engaged in business at Duquesne, Pa .; John Fergus, who is deceased; and William E. William E. Hart is a practicing physi- cian in the Roosevelt Hospital, New York City. He grad- uated from Washington and Jefferson College, in the class of 1905, and from Johns Hopkins Medical College, Baltimore, Md., in the class of 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Hart are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Wash- ington.

JULES J. CHARLIER, treasurer of the MeDonald Savings and Trust Company, at MeDonald, Pa., has been identified with this financial institution since 1905, and has spent thirty years of his life in America, but another land claims his birth. He is a native of Belgium, born in that country in September, 1868, and is a son of Jules and a grandson of Alexis Charlier.

Both grandfather and father were coal miners in Bel- gium and it was with the hope of finding hetter indus- trial conditions in the coal districts of Pennsylvania, that the father of Jules J. Charlier brought his family to America in 1879. He had married Josephine Mander- lier, in Belgium, and they became the parents of the fol- lowing children: Emma; Octavius; Fred; Emil; Mary, who married Morris Evans; Alice, who married Roy L. Smith; and Jules J., who was the second in order of birth.

Jules J. Charlier had only the rather meager educa- tional opportunities that are afforded children in the mining districts, where very often their school days are shortened in order that they may join the other male members of the family and by their work add to the general income, and his was no exceptional case. His teaching in Belgium had been in the French language and only four months was afforded him in the common schools in the United States in which to master an en- tirely new tongue, and then he went into the mines and' did his daily task under ground with the others. How- ever, he was different in that he had ambition and when his hard labor was over for the day, he applied himself to study in the evenings and in a surprisingly short time

had acquired knowledge that made him a valuable em- ploye in another direction and provided a stepping stone to the promotion which later awaited him. After leav- ing the mines he entered the employ of a merchant, T. B. Rollins, and later, of J. D. Sauters, a coal operator, and still later he embarked in a grocery business for himself, at McDonald. He continued in the latter en- terprise for some time and then sold out, and in 1905 accepted the position of bookkeeper for the MeDonald Savings and Trust Company, of which he is now treas- urer.

The MeDonald Savings and Trust Company was organ- ized in 1903, with a capital stock of $125,000, John P. Scott being its first president, and W. L. Scott, its first treasurer. The capitalists who formed the first board of directors were the following: John P. Scott, W. L. Elliott, Dr. G. H. Miller, C. G. Haden, J. M. Stilley, D. G. Bamford, James Baell, K. N. MeDonald and Richard Lamb. It is a sound, safe concern that has more than met every expectation and is one of the most solidly financed institutions of this section.

In November, 1890, Mr. Charlier was married to Miss Emma Egbert, whose parents are Nicholas and Flomey (Leroy) Egbert, residents of McDonald, whose other children are: Lena, wife of Augustus Bailey Isadore; Flomey, wife of Eli Conlier; and Helen, wife of Frank Scouvart; and Jules.

Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Char- lier: Raymond, Earl and Evaline. They are members of the First United Presbyterian Church at McDonald. He is identified with both the Masons and the Odd Fel- lows, a member of Garfield Lodge, No. 604, F. & A. M., and MacDonald Lodge, No. 605, Odd Fellows, both at MeDonald. In politics he is a Republican.

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 13

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