Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 64

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 64

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David Fritchman, father of our subject, was born in 1797 in Pittsburg, where he was reared, but later located on a farm in Westmoreland County, Pa., which he in- herited from his uncles. Here he followed farming all his life and died here in 1869, and in 1872 the old farm was sold by his heirs to the Western Pennsylvania Coal Company at $535 an acre, the proceeds from same being used by the heirs in purchasing the old Campbell farm at Finleyville from E. Van Voorhis. David Fritehman mar- ried Rosanna Weaver, who was born in Cumberland Coun- ty, Pa., and died in Washington County, Pa., in 188S, and of their union were born nine children: Irvin W., who died and was buried at Andersonville Prison, Ga., where he was held a prisoner of war for thirteen months, first enlisted in 1861 in the 14th Pa. Vol. Inf., and served as quartermaster under Gen. Patterson in the first Battle of Bull Run, and re-enlisted in Co. H, 18th Pa. Cav., was made sergeant and taken prisoner July 5, after the bat- tle of Gettysburg; William P., who is a resident of

West Newton, Pa., is a veteran of the Civil War. IIe served with Co. E, 105th Pa. Vol. Inf., was taken prisoner at the battle of Fair Oaks, and confined at Libby Prison, Belle Isle and Salisbury, where he was paroled; Francis Marion, now a resident of Denver, Col., served a full term in the Civil War, a member of the 155th Pa. Vol. Inf .; Jane, who died at the age of sixteen years; Almira, who is a resident of Finleyville, Pa .; Oliver, who re- sides in Jefferson County, Pa .; Isabelle, who is the wife of John Boyd, of Finleyville; Christopher, and Lucetta, who is the wife of Nelson Boyd, postmaster of Finleyville.

Christopher Fritehman was reared on the farm in Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County, attended the township schools and Mt. Union College, Ohio, and at the age of sixteen went to Missouri, where he worked in a sawmill for his brother and cousin. The following year, after the death of his father, he returned to the farm for a time, then went to Virginia, where he followed bridge building for a time, after which he spent one year work- ing on the McConnelsville railroad. He then entered Mt. Union College, where he attended three years, when he was obliged to abandon his studies on account of ill health, and entered into active business for himself along several different lines, and in 1875 located on his present farm of 190 acres at Finleyville, but continued to carry on his business in Fayette County, until about 1885, after which he made Finleyville his permanent home and opened the Germania Coal Mines on his farm, operating same in partnership with Henry Florscheim and Jacob Lagler. In 1895 he sold the mines to Henry Florseheim and opened the Rowgalley Mine at Finleyville, which he op- erated until 1898, then disposed of it to the Pittsburg Coal Company and has since been identified with the Finleyville Planing Mill Company, of which he is presi- dent. Mr. Fritehman is a stockholder and was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Finleyville, and served as the first vice-president of that concern. In 1906 the Finleyville Floral Company was established with Christopher Fritehman, president; A. T. Lynn, see- retary and treasurer; E. W. Garland, manager. Mr. Fritchman is also extensively engaged in the production of coal, gas and oil, and owns considerable real estate at Finleyville, including a number of dwellings, and the traet of ninety acres on which he makes his home. He is one of the progressive and enterprising citizens of Washington County, and has traveled extensively over the United States and Canada. In politics he takes an active interest in the affairs of the Republican party, and is fraternally affiliated with the Masonic order of Greensburg, Pa.

WILLIAM H. SIPE, ex-coroner of Washington County, Pa., who served two terms in that office,

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for many years prior to its acceptance, was identified with newspaper work. He was born in Washington County, Ohio, Sept. 11, 1856, and is a son of Benjamin and Deborah (Miller) Sipe. Benjamin Sipe was a prominent lawyer in Ohio for many years and died there in 1868.

William H. Sipe was educated at Cambridge, Belmont County, Ohio, and then learned the printing trade and was more or less connected with journalism until he was elected to the office of coroner in 1902. He be- came a permanent resident of Washington County in 1883 and in 1886 he located at Canonsburg, where he still resides, and there founded the Local. As an edi- torial writer he is favorably known throughout the county.

Mr. Sipe was married to Miss Mollie Strong, who is a daughter of Samuel Strong, and they have a family of four children, namely: Virginia Dare, Earl Harrison, Alda May and Mary Martha. Mr. and Mrs. Sipe are members of the Baptist Church. He is identified fra- ternally with the order of Modern Woodmen and the Eagles.

DEMPSEY D. HAINES, M. D., a well known physi- cian and surgeon of Allenport, Pa., was born February 15, 1865, in Kirby, Greene County, Pa., and is a son of Cyrenius and Mary Ann (Pride) Haines, who were farm- ers of Greene County, Pa.

Dr. Dempsey D. Haines spent his youth on the home farm, attended the local schools of the township, and after spending one term at the Normal School at Waynes- burg, Pa., taught five years in the schools of Marion County, W. Va., after which he returned to Greene County, Pa., where he taught for three years more. In 1899 he entered the medical department of the Western University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in June, 1903. Dr. Ira D. Knotts, of Davistown, Greene Co., Pa., was his preceptor. That same year, during the small pox epidemie, he worked for the city of Pittsburg, and since January, 1904, has been located at Allenport, Pa., where he has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession.

Dr. Haines was united in marriage with Similda Head- ley, a daughter of David and Lucretia (Renner) Head- ley, and to them have been born two children: D. Clyde, who is a student at Waynesburg College; and Ethel B. Dr. Haines is a member of the County, State and Amer- ican Medical societies, and is a member of the Allen Township school board.

JAMES KENT, who, for thirty years has been iden- tified with electric railroads, has been a resident of Wash- ington, Pa., for thirteen years and holds the responsible position of division superintendent of the Washington

and Canonsburg Railroad. He was born in County Dur- ham, England, in 1860, and came to America in 1884.

For two years after reaching the United States, Mr. Kent resided at Pittsburg where he was in the street railway business, and went from there to New York for two more years and from that metropolis to Peoria, Ill., in which railroad center he remained about seven years, coming from there to Washington. He took the position of superintendent of the Washington electric street rail- way line and after the completion of the Washington and Canonsburg line became superintendent of the division of this road which includes the territory as far as Wash- ington Junction. He is thoroughly qualified, having de- voted almost his entire business life to the study and operation of electric roads.

Mr. Kent was married in England, to Miss Mary Cum- mins and they have two children, Ethel and Anna. Mr. Kent and family are members of the Episcopal Church.

JOHN T. SCOTT, general farmer and representative citizen of Mt. Pleasant Township, Washington County, Pa., where his valuable farm of sixty-one acres is lo- cated, was born in Ireland, May 12, 1846, and is a son of James and Jane (Elliott) Scott.

The parents of Mr. Scott were also born in Ireland and were married there. The father came to America in 1848 and located near Hickory, in Washington County, and in the following year was joined by his wife and children. In 1867 he bought the farm now owned by his son, John T. It was a part of what was known as the Guthrie tract and it had the present farm buildings standing at that time. The Scott family has owned this land ever since, John T. Scott purchasing it after the death of his father, which occurred January 23, 1891. The mother of Mr. Scott died October 28, 1895. They were members of the Mt. Prospect Presbyterian Church, and their burial was in the cemetery adjoining. They had five children : William E., Matilda J., James S., John T., and Robert H.

John T. Scott attended the public schools in Mt. Pleas- ant and Cross Creek Townships in his youth and lived at home until his marriage, in the meanwhile having learned the trade of house painting. Since purchasing the farm he has devoted himself to its cultivation and keeps eight cows for dairy purposes. Formerly he raised sheep but some years since discontinued that industry. He has never done any gas producing although tests have shown that it exists on his property and he has never sold any possible coal deposits. He has taken a hearty interest in politics in his township as becomes an intelli- gent citizen, votes with the Democratic party and has served acceptably as township auditor. In 1908 he was his party's candidate for register of wills. Iu 1904, Mr. Scott was chosen a delegate to the State convention at

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Harrisburg, receiving the highest vote cast for any dele- gate in the county. He is one of the best known citizens of this neighborhood, having lived here ever since his father purchased this farm, with the exception of seven years following his marriage, when he worked at his trade of house painting at McDonald.

Mr. Scott was married September 24, 1884, to Miss Nancy Ann Crummy, a daughter of H. B. and Mary Elizabeth (Hazelett) Crummy. They have six children, namely : John H., Charles E., Anna Mary, William S., Harold L. and an infant girl awaiting a name. Mr. Scott is a member of Mt. Prospect Presbyterian Church, while Mrs. Scott is a member of the First Presbyterian Church at MeDonald.

WILLIAM FRANCIS WILLIAMS, who is engaged in general farming and dairying on a farm of 100 acres, is one of the leading citizens of Carroll Township, Wash- ington County, Pa., and was born February 9, 1871, on his present farm, a son of John W. and Eliza D. (Nel- son) Williams.

John W. Williams was born and reared in Fallowfield Township, Washington County, Pa., and was a son of Francis II. and Rosanna (Jones) Williams, the former a native of Union Township, this county. He made farm- ing his life occupation and after his marriage with Eliza D. Nelson, whose father, Francis Nelson, was one of the early settlers of the county, he came to Carroll Town- ship and settled on the farm now owned by our subject, and here engaged in agricultural pursuits until the time of his death. John and Eliza Williams were the parents of the following children: William F., Rose, Adda, who died aged five years; Charles W., and J. Ellis.

William Francis Williams, familiarly known to his friends as Frank, grew to manhood on his present farm, is one of the substantial and enterprising young farmers of Carroll Township, and is also extensively engaged in dairying in connection with his farming. His farm, con- sisting of 100 acres, is located on the Carroll and Fallow- field township roads, lying partly in each township, and was given to him by his father, who gave to each of his three sons a tract of land.

Mr. Williams was married September 3, 1896, to Mary E. Jones, who is a daughter of David F. Jones, of Fal- lowfield Township, and of their union have been born three daughters: Clara, Bessie and Elsie. Mr. Williams is a man of public spirit and enterprise, one who takes an active interest in the affairs of the community in which he lives, and is identified with the Republican party in politics.

JOSEPH HUPP, deceased, was a worthy representa- tive of one of the oldest and leading families of Donegal

Township, Washington County, Pa. He was born in Donegal Township, November 19, 1817, and his parents were John and Ann (Cox) Ilupp, and his grandparents wero Jolin and Ann (Rowe) Hupp. John Hupp's family came from Holland, near Dortrecht, to Maryland, where they first settled, afterwards coming to Dutch Fork. He was born in 1747; died on Easter Sunday morning, 1782, killed by the Indians.

The first Jobn Hupp, grandfather of Joseph Hupp, was the founder of the family in Washington County, and he came from Maryland, on a pack-horse, penetrating into what was then a dangerous wilderness. He was a squatter on the land which his descendants now own, building a small cabin under an apple tree which still stands. While living there he shot enough deer to make twenty patterns of buckskins and with them went eight miles to West Liberty. There he traded the skins to Michael Cox for 1,500 acres of land on a part of which he had previously squatted and erected his cabin. This was a part of 2,200 acres acquired by Mr. Cox by "toma- hawk right." Mr. Hupp then penetrated the dense for- ests to Harrisburg, carrying his money in his saddle- bags, and at that point received the patent to his land. This instrument was of parchment, written with walnut ink and a goose quill pen, and states the amount of money paid for the patent, in the various coins of differ- ent nations. This is in possession of the widow of the late Joseph Hupp, at the present time. On this place Jobn Hupp lived with his wife and the three children then living, amid the hardships of pioneer conditions, successfully combating the dangers which lurked about until the spring of 1782. On the Saturday afternoon preceding Easter Sunday of that year, a white man, riding a foam-flecked and exhausted borse, came notify- ing settlers that Indians were coming from the Ohio River to kill all the whites on Duteb Fork. John Hupp took his wife, two daughters and son, the last named being the youngest and about two and a half years old, through the dense woods, which lay between his place and the block-house, known as Fort Miller, located on the Philip Miller farm adjoining his own. After their ar- rival they heard firing of guns and assuming Indians were attacking Rice's Fort, the next block-house below them, the men departed to help the lower fort, leaving none but the women and children, one very aged man and a lad in his teens. The firing by the Indians was but a decoy, for after the departure of the men, the Reds, num- bering about seventy, made an attack on Fort Miller. The aged man sat down and cried, "We are all going to be killed." It was then that the wonderful presence of mind and heroic qualities of Mrs. Hupp asserted them- selves. She said: "Quit your crying and go to loading guns." He loaded the guns while Mrs. Hupp would shoot first from one side of the block-house, then from the

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other, with the idea of deceiving the enemy as to the number of defenders. In the meantime she told the lad to run to the lower fort and notify the men to return. The door was unbarricaded and opened sufficiently to let the boy rush through. He vaulted the fence and headed toward the other fort. The Indians were secreted, but at sight of him made their appearnce and bombarded him with their missiles of war and shot. Seeing it was useless to go ahead, he turned toward the block-house again. One Indian pursued him closely and struck at him as he went over the fence, the tomahawk sinking into the rail as his hand left it. The boy's arm was broken by a bullet but otherwise he was unhurt. The men had heard the shooting and quickly returned, but not an Indian was seen again that day. The following morning, Easter Sunday, Mr. Hupp and Philip Miller went out to look for their stock, as no Indian was in sight. They went some 300 yards north, and not seeing their stock, stooped down at the spring to get a drink. While thus engaged, Mr. Miller having had his drink and Mr. Hupp being down with his body resting on his hands as he drank, they were fired upon. Mr. Miller fell in his tracks, and John Hupp as he raised up was shot downward in the breast. He ran about seventy yards toward the fort, before he fell dead. Thus these two pioneers, who had known, loved and respected each other as neighbors and friends, met an untimely end together. It is worthy of remark that their descendants, the pres- ent generation being their great-grandchildren, have lived neighbors ever since in the same amicable relationship. One of the treasured heirlooms of the family is a cane with a deer-horn head which was given to John Hupp by Philip Miller, and which bears the initials "J. H." and "P. M." The son of this martyr, also named John Hupp, who was in the block-house and but two and a helf years old at the time, as soon as he became old enough, carried on his shoulder a slab of stone from the creek to his father's grave. This unostentatious mon- ument, there being no better obtainable west of Phila- delphia in that day, bears an inscription hardly discern- able at the present, probably the letters "J. H." He is buried at the Miller fort, now owned by Clinton Miller.

John and Ann (Rowe) Hupp were parents of four chil- dren, the youngest of whom was born three months after her father's death. They were: Mary (Smith) ; Mar- garet (Titus) ; John, father of the subject of this record, and Elizabeth (Rodgers).

John Hupp, the only son of John and Ann (Rowe) Hupp, was born in Donegal Township, Washington Coun- ty, Pa., July 27, 1780. The untimely death of his father made a deep impression on his mind and he had the fixed determination to do all he could to exterminate the red race. The departure of the Indians from this region prevented his carrying out any part of his designs and he

turned his attention to hunting and trapping. He ac- quired the reputation of being the most skilled marks- man in this entire country, and the old flint lock which he carried is now owned by Dr. Frank Hupp, an eminent physician of Wheeling. His bear trap which he used, and with which he captured the last wolf in this county, remains in possession of the family and is at the old home place. In the division of property under the old English law which then prevailed here, he received more than 600 acres of his father's place, while each of the girls received 300 acres. He was married January 19, 1813, to Ann Cox, who was a daughter of Michael Cox, who, it was said, was a son of a German of noble birth, who lived on the River Rhine in Germany. Her father was the first owner of what is the Hupp farm, and after her marriage, Michael Cox came to the place and hewed the logs for the story and a half house which was built. His father was Isaac Cox, born 1724, died 1791. The room of this house forms the living room of the present Hupp home, and the basement under it remains as the dining room. John Hupp, Jr., died March 12, 1864, and was survived by his wife until November 26, 1875. They had four children: Isaac; Joseph, subject of this record; Louisa, wife of John Clemens, of Taylorstown; and Dr. John Cox Hupp, who attained distinction in the medical profession and resided at Wheeling.

Joseph Hupp attended the subscription schools in Done- gal Township, in his boyhood, but as the farm was very large, he began to assist his father take care of the land and live stock when quite young. He became one of the great sheep growers of the county, frequently having from 800 to 1,500 on the farm at one time. He took interest and pride in caring for his possessions and was one of the earliest farmers in this section to recognize the value of what became the grange movement, and identified himself with the Patrons of Husbandry. He was a man of practical ideas and reared his family in a sensible way, affording them, however, the educational advantages he never had in his own youth. In his political views he was a Republican, but he was too busy to hamper himself with the cares of public office. He was a consistent mem- ber and liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church. During life he was respected, esteemed and be- loved and when he passed away he left behind widow, children and friends who honor his memory.

On October 24, 1871, Joseph Hupp was married to Miss Martha L. Hanen, who was born in Harrison County, Ind., March 7, 1848. She is a granddaughter of James and Sarah (Matthews) Hanen. James and Sarah (Mat- thews) Hanen were two of the first seven baptized in the Christian Church of America. The mother of Mrs. James Hanen was Mary McCoy, whose mother's name was Annie Stuart, who was a sister of Charles Stuart, Charles the Second of England. The grandfather of Mrs. Hupp was

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born in County Donegal, Ireland, but he had settled in Ilickory, Washington County, Pa., before the birth of his son, Alexander Hanen, father of Mrs. Hupp. Alex- ander Hanen married Nancy I. Tabler, who was born in Indiana and they lived there until 1871, and then moved to Donegal Township, where Mrs. Ilupp has resided ever since.

To Mr. and Mrs. Ilupp six children were born, namely : John I1., who lives near West Alexander, Pa., who mar- ried Alice Campbell, of Bethany, and has a daughter, Sarah Josephine; Aunic 1., who is now deceased; Ar- minda L., who resides with her mother, who is an accom- plished and educated lady, being a graduato of the Wash- ington, Pa., Business College and also the Wheeling Business College at Wheeling, W. Va .; Josephine A., who is now deceased; Joseph C. R., residing on the home farm in Donegal Township, who is a graduate of the Washing- ton Business College; and Gilbert Garvin, who resides on a part of the home farm in Donegal Township. He mar- ried Bessie V. Munnell and they have one son, Garvin Munnell Hupp.

Mrs. HIupp and all her children are members of the Dutch Fork Christian Church in Donegal Township, this church being the third oldest in the Brotherhood. The bibles of John IIupp, Sr., John Hupp, Jr., and of Jo- seph Hupp are highly prized possessions of the family.

The great farm is well managed by Mrs. Hupp and her sons, a large part of it is cultivated and the remainder is devoted to fruit growing and to the raising of stock, sheep raising being still an important feature as in the husband's and father's time, about 600 head now being kept. The Hupp heirs, with the exception of John, all live on this place and enjoy to the fullest extent its many comforts and advantages. No family in Donegal Town- ship stands higher in public regard.

JAMES H. CORWIN, M. D., one of Washington's skilled physicians and esteemed citizens, who has been established in this city for the past six years, was born in September, 1878, in Greene County, Pa. He was reared and obtained a preliminary education in the schools of Greene County, which was supplemented by a course at Waynesburg College and Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, from which he graduated with the class of 1903. During the fall of 1903, Dr. Corwin came to Wash- ington, where he has since been established. He has con- tinually grown in the confidence and esteem of the public, and has gained an enviable reputation as a skilled and successful physician. He is a member of the County and State Medical societies, the Post Graduate Society of Washington, and is a member of the surgical staff of the City Hospital of Washington. Dr. Corwin takes an ac- tive interest in local politics, and is identified with the Democratic party, and was one of the delegates to the

last Democratic State Convention. Ile is a member of and physician to the board of health of Washington. In religious circles he is affiliated with the Jefferson Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, and is socially a member of the Bassett Club.

In 1904, Dr. Corwin was united in marriage with Anna Williamson, who was a teacher in the Washington schools, and of their union have been born two sons, John C., and J. Douglas.

JOHN R. SLEETH, a representative farmer and high- ly respected citizen of Mt. Pleasant Township, Washing- ton County, Pa., owns eighty acres of fine land, all but five of which is under cultivation. He was born in Craw- ford County, Ill., January 23, 1856, and is a son of John and Rachel (Sleeth) Sleeth.

John Sleeth, father of John R., was born in Ireland and was a son of Thomas and Margaret (Stevens) Sleeth, whom he accompanied to America when he was a young man. Thomas Sleeth lived in Illinois for several years before coming to Washington County, Pa., when he lo- cated in Robeson Township and later moved to a farm in Smith Township, near Bulger, and from there to Mt. Pleasant Township, where he died in his ninety-second year and was buried in the Hickory Cemetery of the United Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member. John Sleeth married Rachel Sleeth, and they had the fol- lewing children: Thomas A .; Robert, deceased; John R .; Margaret; Jennie M .; Annie E., deceased; Mary, and Rachel Agnes. After marriage, John Sleeth and wife set- tled at Bulger, in Smith Township, where he conducted a blacksmith shop for a number of years, after which he removed to Crawford County, Ill., and during the two years' stay there, his son, John R., was born. He then came back to Bulger and continued to work at his trade until 1873, when he bought the farm his son now owns, in Mt. Pleasant Township. He lived on the farm until the end of his life, working also at his trade as long as able to de se. His death occurred in February, 1893, and his burial was in the Hickory Cemetery. His widow survived until 1904, and she was laid to rest by his side. They were members of the United Presbyterian Church. In politics he was a Democrat. His children remember his cheery disposition and how his presence in the home always brightened it.

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 64

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