Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 74

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 74

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James MeChain and wife remained in Ireland for a number of years after marriage, seven children having been born to them before they emigrated to America. These were, John, (deceased) Maria, Sarah, Margaret, Elizabeth, John and James. In 1846, when James, who is now deceased, was eight months eld, James McChain and family took passage on the sailing vessel, Standard, which proved a seaworthy ship and after a voyage of four weeks' duration, they landed in the United States. They lived for a short time in Allegheny County and then moved to Nottingham Township, Washington Coun- ty, where Mr. MeChain fellewed shoemaking until 1855, when he removed to Finleyville. Two years later he moved from there to Twelve-Mile House, in Allegheny County, afterward buying a tract of eleven acres on Min- go Creek, in Carrell Township, which he seld in 1859 and then took his family back to Ireland. Mr. MeChain evidently discovered that the United States offered a man with a large family better opportunities than an

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

old-world country, and in a few months he was back in America, shortly afterward buying a farm of ten acres in Union Township, Washington County, to which he later added 100 acres. He died on that farm at the age of seventy-one years. After coming to America the first time, Mr. and Mrs. McChain had five more children born to them, namely: Hugh, Edward, William, Rachel and Robert Campbell.

William McChain lived with is parents until he was married and helped clear up the home farm in Union Township. He had three months of schooling each win- ter for several years, but had no other educational ad- vantages. On May 8, 1878, he was married to Miss Mary Finley, a daughter of John A. Finley, and they have six children: Edward, who resides with his father ; William J., who married Nora De Vore; and James C., Mary, Margaret and Edith.

After he was married, Mr. MeChain lived on the John Finley farm in Union Township for twelve years, then worked for two years in the coal mines at Twelve-Mile House. In 1893 he purchased his present farm from John Finley and ever since has made a specialty of deal- ing in cattle and horses and also butchering, operating a meat wagon that makes stated' trips through the sur- rounding country.

Mr. McChain is an influential Democrat and has fre- quently been the choice of his party in the township for public office. He has never been anxious for political favors, however, and when elected road commissioner, resigned the office after serving for two years, and when elected constable, declined to serve at all.

WILLIAM M. IRWIN, proprietor of the Clover Leaf Dairy, with business location at No. 237 Addison street, West Washington, Pa., was born in Canton Township, Washington County, Pa., September 21, 1863, and is a son of William C. and Mary (Dye) Irwin, and a great- grandson of David Irwin, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Washington County. Tracing this family from its beginning to the present, it is found that it has contributed largely to the county's best citizenship.

William M. Irwin was reared in Canton Township, and remained on the home farm until his marriage, in the meanwhile obtaining his education in the old log pile school house in Canton Township. After marriage he moved to Washington, where he was engaged in the lum- ber and sawmill business for some seven years and spent about the same length of time in the coal and the butcher- ing business, since when he has given his attention to the dairy business and the manufacturing of ice cream. He invested in realty in Washington and in association with his brother, Clifford T. Irwin, erected the substantial Irwin building on West Chestnut street. He has been

a very active citizen and has served three years as a member of the council of West Washington, being presi- dent of the body for two years, served also as tax collect- or for two years and as auditor for three years, this prominence fairly well indicating the esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens.

In 1884, Mr. Irwin was married (first) to Miss Della M. Braden, a daughter of John Braden and a member of one of the old county families. Mrs. Irwin's death was from the result of an accident which shocked the whole city. With her helpless little son, Thomas Jefferson, in her arms, she was struck by a B. & O. Railroad train at Elwood crossing, death being instantaneous. Two other children survived: Reba, who died of diphtheria, aged ten years; and Grover C., who resides on a farm at Oak Grove, Washington County. Mr. Irwin was married (second) to Miss Blanche L. McClure, daughter of Joseph and Martha McClure, of Thomas Station, Washington County, and they have had five children: Orla Rea, who is a student at Grove City; and Donald J., Palmer, Tre- vor and Florence. Mr. Irwin is a member of the Mu- sicians' Union and has a private orchestra which is made up of the members of his own family, all being very talented. He belongs also to the P. O. S. of A., the Jr. O. U. A. M., to the order of Ben Hur and the G. B. Union. For twenty years he has been affiliated with the Second Presbyterian Church at Washington.

DAVID HAMILTON FEE, president of The Notes Publishing and Printing Company, at Canonsburg, Pa., is widely known in this section of Western Pennsyl- vania, having been engaged in active newspaper work for a longer period than any other member of the pro- fession in Washington County. In addition to champion- ing various public interests for years, he has been a notable factor in temperance work, and takes justifiable pride in the fact that The Notes was the first news- paper in Washington County to advocate local option. He was born on the Fee homestead, in Chartiers Town- ship, Washington County, Pa., July 9, 1853, and is a son of the late John and Hannah (Quinn) Fee.

The great-grandfather of Mr. Fee, Abraham Fee, emi- grated to America from Ireland. He lived first in Maryland, but eame to Washington County. Pa., about the year 1800. He was a tailor by trade, and died in Canonsburg about 1809. Another of Mr. Fee's ancestors was David Hamilton, who came from Franklin County, Pa., to the Rich Hills of South Strabane Township in 1780, having been a soldier in the Revolutionary War He acquired a large tract of land on the Rich Hills, on which he continued to reside until his death in 1840. He was aged 90 years less ten days. His burial was in the burying ground near Cross Roads United Presby-

WILLIAM IL. FEE

DAVID HI. FEE

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

terian Church. He ofteu told proudly of having seen his old commander, Gen. George Washington, when the latter visited his lands on Miller's Run iu 1783.

William Fee, son of Abraham, was born in Maryland and came to Washington County with his father about the year 1800. Ile was a man of intelligence and eon- siderable educatiou, aud served several terms as a justice of the peace in Chartiers Township. He was also oue of the early and successful teachers in the schools of this section of Washington County. His wife was Eliz- abeth Hamilton, daughter of David Hamilton, the Rich Ilill pioneer referred to above. Six children were born to them, namely: David Hamilton, Samuel, John, Wil- mau Gilman, Elizabeth and Harriet, who married Will- iam IIarsha, of Chartiers Township. David and Samuel died in early manhood; William devoted himself to school teaching and served two terms as superintendent of the public schools of Washington County, 1869 to 1875. He spent the last 25 years of his life in Cherokee County, Iowa, where he died October 13, 1905.

John Fee, son of William Fce and father of David Hamilton Fee, was born in North Strabane Township, March 10, 1817, but lived the greater part of his life in Chartiers Township. Although the entire Fee family is identified with the United Presbyterian Church, John Fee, when an infant, was baptized by the noted John MeMillan, D. D., long pastor of the Chartiers Presbyterian Churel, locally known as the Hill Church, In early manhood Mr. Fee was united in marriage with Hannah Quinn, who was born in Washington, Pa., in 1827. Mrs. Fee's father was James Quinn. He was a native of Ireland, but came to America in his boybeed days, and died suddenly in Wheeling, while still a com- paratively young man. He was a stonemasen by trade. Ile was survived by his wife and four small children. Mrs. Fee, at the time of her father's death, was only 4 years of age. IIer mother's maiden name was Mary Camp- bell, and her mother, again, was Frances McBride. Mr. Fee was a carpenter and builder by occupation, being a master mechanic, and helped construet the county court house erected at Washington in 1845-6, which structure preceded the present county building. He also did work on many of the better class of buildings and dwellings erected in Washington and surrounding country. He was interested in the cause of popular education, and served a number of terms as school di- reetor. Retiring from the building business he engaged in farming, and for many years and at the time of his death was the owner of the Fee homestead in Chartiers Township. He was an earnest Christian, and for many years was active in the affairs of the Cross Roads United Presbyterian Church. He was a man who stood for the best things in the community's social and political life.

To Mr. and Mrs. Fee were born six sons and two

daughters: John Nesbit, Lyda A., who own and reside ou the Fee homestead, Chartiers Township; Rebecca .J. married Matthew A, C'ain, of Canonsburg, Pa., died Feb- ruary, 1906; she was the mother of two daughters, Blanche (died August, 1901,) and Hazel; Samuel G., a carpenter by trade and resides in Chartiers Township, married Anna, dangliter of Samuel McCoy; their ebil- dreu are Howard, Belle, Charles, Anna, Hilda, Hanuah and John; Ellis Gray, living in Chartiers Township, who married Catherine Stewart, has children, Arthur, Elizabeth, Clair aud Ellis Gray; Harry, a farmer in Chartiers Township, married Jennie McCarty, their ehil- dren being Alviu Arthur, John Stanley, Walter Leslie, Ilarry Glenn, and Lois Elizabeth; and William H., of Canonsburg, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.

John Fee died in Chartiers Township Dec. 13, 1895, and was followed June 30, 1901, by Mrs. Fee.

David Hamilton Fee was born in Chartiers Township July 9, 1853. He enjoyed educational advantages in the public schools, Jefferson Academy and local normal schools. At Jefferson Academy he was a student under the well-known Prof. William Ewing. Mr. Fee engaged in teaching school in 1881-2, and then purchased an interest in the Canonsburg Notes, and within a few months became sole proprietor and editor of the paper, then a weekly publication. He conducted the business on his own account for ten years, when he associated with him his brother, William H. Fee, who had come into the office in 1883. The publication of The Notes was carried on for the ensuing twelve years by this firm, under the name of D. H. and William H. Fee. On April 18, 1894, they took hazards in establishing a daily edition, at a time when Canonsburg was hardly mere than a village. The paper, however, by careful atten- tion, succeeded, and The Daily Notes soon became a permanent fixture. Today its circulation is more than 2,000 copies, being taken iu practically every home in the community where a newspaper enters. So firmly fixed became the daily edition that the weekly, which had enjoyed a large circulation, was discontinued at the elose of 1905, and all attention directed to the daily. When the present Notes Publishing and Printing Com- pany was formed, in the autumn of 1904, Mr. Fee was elected president of the company, and this position he still holds. He is also the senior editor of the paper and directs its general policy. The Notes is known far and wide as a paper that stands for what is right, and is not afraid to speak its opinions. Mr. Fee is an inde- pendent Republican in polities, but no politieal alliances interfere with his support of measures which he feels will benefit Canonsburg. Mr. Fee is one who bas always had a deep appreciation of the beautiful in Nature and in Art, and his time outside of his office hours is divided

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

between his flowers and fruits and his books. He also possesses some ability as a public speaker, and has de- livered addresses on a considerable number of public occasions. He is a charter member of the Monday Night Club-Canonsburg's oldest and most important literary society-and is active in promoting its welfare. May 15, 1884, he was married to Miss Eva Lee Patti- son, daughter of Thomas Pattison, of near West Alex- ander. They had one son, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Fee are members of the Chartiers United Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Pattison, whose father, the Rev. John Pat- tison, was a minister of the Reformed Dissenting Pres- bytery, was born on the Pattison homestead, near West Alexander, in 1802. In early manhood he was united in marriage with Jane Humphrey, daughter of John Hmmphrey, whose father, Robert Humphrey, was a sol- dier in the war of the Revolution, and founder of the town of West Alexander. Mr. Humphrey took part in the battle of Brandywine, and when Gen. LaFayette fell from his horse wounded, he was one of the men who carried him from the field. In 1825, when La- Fayette revisited this country, he passed through West Alexander and stopped at the Lawson House (now the LaFayette Inn) and there he and Robert Humphrey met and talked over the incidents which took place at Brandywine, nearly 50 years before. Robert Hum- phrey's remains rest in the old burying ground ad- joining the West Alexander Cemetery. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pattison were born the following children: Nancy Margaret, who died in Washington in 1905; Washington; Martha A., who is living in Canonsburg; Robert H., who died at Condon, Oregon, in 1909; Mary R., who married George W. Ramsey and is living in West Alexander; Rachel J., of Morganza, Pa .; Eva L., who married D. H. Fee, and resides in Canonsburg; and Samuel A., publisher and editor of the Central Point (Oregon) Herald.

WILLIAM HUSTON FEE, of Canonsburg, one of the editors of Canonsburg's only newspaper, The Daily Notes, has devoted nearly his entire life to that jour- nal, having entered the office when a boy of 14. Born October 16, 1868, near MeConnells Mills, Chartiers Town- ship, the son of John and Hannah (Quinn) Fee, he spent the first 14 years of his life at the Fee homestead, "an old farm house with meadows wide." The youngest of eight children-six brothers and two sisters-he es- caped lightly from farm tasks, the brunt of the work falling upon the older boys.

He went very irregularly to school, but early learned to read the weekly newspapers that were taken in the home, and learned more from these than from school

books. In February, 1883, when a little more than 14 years of age, he entered the office of the Canonsburg Notes, then a weekly paper, and passed through the "printer's devil" stage, learning to set type and do the other work of a country printing office of the early 80's, his brother, D. H. Fee, having a short time before this purchased an interest in the Notes. Ever since he has been actively engaged on the paper, and for some years has held the position of news editor. He obtained a half interest in the paper in 1892 from his brother, and is now one of the principal stockholders in The Notes Publishing and Printing Company, formed in 1904, and of which he is vice president. He does much of the writing on the paper, writing the heads and directing the general makeup of the news matter. About the office he is regarded as capable, but has always kept himself in the background, doing whatever he could to make the Notes, a daily paper since 1894, a newspaper better than the average small town journal. How well he and his associates have succeeded may be a matter of opinion, but this is true: they have seen all competition fall by the wayside, although Canons- burg has had as many as three newspapers at the same time.

Mr. Fee devotes his time entirely to the Notes and his home. He belongs to no society or lodge, believing that a newspaper editor should be as free as possible from alliances of any kind. Petty offices have never ap- pealed to his taste. He owns a library in which the works of nearly all the standard authors may be found.

On October 28, 1891, Mr. Fee was united in marriage John K., who is living at Port Orchard, in the State of - to Julia May Humphrey, of West Alexander, Pa., daugh- ter of Robert Humphrey, of Ohio County, W. Va., a descendant of Robert Humphrey, a soldier of the Revo- Intion and founder of the town of West Alexander. The maiden name of Mrs. Humphrey, Mrs. Fee's mother, was Harriet Tanner, and she was a native of Philadel- phia. She died in 1899. The following children are living, 1910: Rachel, wife' of M. M. Lewis, Gillespie, Ill .; Susan, wife of Henry Patterson, Kendall, Kan .; Robert F., living near West Alexander, Pa., and Martha, wife of M. H. Redwood, Wheeling, W. Va. Mr. and Mrs. Fee's only son, Dwight Humphrey Fee, was born in Canonsburg, September 4, 1892, and is now (1910) a member of the senior class of the high school at Canonsburg. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

W. E. MeCRACKEN, proprietor of the Courtney Phar- maey, at Courtney, Pa., and a representative citizen of that place, was born at Burnsville, West Finley Town- ship, Washington County, Pa., April 10, 1866, and is a son of Dr. Silas and Henrietta (Grimm) MeCracken.

Dr. Silas Clark MeCracken was born in Greene County,

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Pa., one of a family of four sons and three daughters and was the only one to remain on the home farm until he reached manhood. Hle then entered the office of an old medical practitioner, Dr. Grey, of Greene County, and there prepared for medical college, later graduating from the Western Reserve at Cleveland, Ohio. He entered upon practice at Burnsville, in Washington County, from there moved to Claysville, later to Wheeling, W. Va., then to Jacktown, in Greene County, later returned to Claysville, and in 1890 located in Washington, Pa., where his death occurred in May, 1907, at the age of sixty-seven years. Ilis widow survives and resides with a daughter, at Washington. To Dr. Silas Clark and Hen- rietta MeCracken the following children were born: William Emmett, James Linn, J. T., Robert C., George T., Etta, John, and two who died in infancy. Etta is the wife of F. B. Miller, of Washington, and the mother is a member of their household.

William Emmett MeCraeken attended the local schools until he was seventeen years of age and then entered the drug store of Dr. Minton at Claysville, with whom he remained for seven years. In 1888 he went to Washing- ton and was employed in a drug store there for two years, and from there, in 1890, came to Courtney and entered the employ of Dr. Belliek, at his own present lo- cation. In 1894 he purebased the store from Dr. Billick and has continued in the drug business here ever since. He has real estate holdings both here and at Mononga- hela, and is a director of the Courtney Fire Briek Com- pany, and is also a stockholder in the First National Bank at Monongahela and a direetor in the Monongahela Stone and Clay Manufacturing Company at Uniontown.

Mr. MeCracken was married to Miss Maud Phillis, a daughter of Jacob and Martha Phillis, of Beaver County, Pa., and they have two children: Maxine and Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. McCraeken are members of the Presby- terian Church, attending services at Monongahela. In polities, Mr. MeCraeken is a Demoerat.

JACOB DIMIT, one of the substantial citizens of Jefferson Township, Washington County, who is cultivat- ing an excellent 70-aere farm adjoining the town of Eldersville, Pa., was born March 15. 1846, in Brooke County, now West Virginia, and is a son of Benjamin and Sidney (Lee) Dimit, and a grandson of Jacob and Eliz- abeth Dimit.

Benjamin Dimit was a native of Virginia and his wife of Ohio. He was a lifelong agriculturist and they spent their last years on their farm in Washington County. They were members of the Methodist Protestant Church, and their burial was in Bethel Cemetery. To Benjamin and Sidney Dimit there were born the following ehil- dren : Elas, who was killed in the Civil War, when serv- ing as a soldier; Rebecca Ann, who married John Virtue,

of Danbury, lowa; Jacob; Mary Katherine, who married Frank Buxton, of Independence Township; Margaret Jane, who married James Martin, and they live near Fow- lertown, W. Va .; Robert, deceased; Ilugh Patterson, who lives at Danbury, Iowa; Benjamin, deceased; David, who lives in Independence Township; Addie, who married Andrew Farrer, of West Middletown ; Sarah, who married Ambrose Pry, lives near Danbury, lowa; Elizabeth, who married Abraham Pry, of Cross Creek Township; and Permelia, who married Edward Tangeman, of Danbury, lowa.

Jacob Dimit attended the schools of Jefferson Town- ship until seventeen years of age, when he went to Inde- pendence Township and for ten years rented a farm there, during which time he served as judge of election for one term, but refused re-election, preferring to give his whole time to his duties on the farm. Ilis first farm in Jeffer- son Township consisted of 96 acres, which he bought from Henry Cooper, known as the McConnell farm, which he sold in 1907 and moved to his present property, which he bought in the spring of that year and he has since continued to cultivate with much success.

On February 22, 1874, Mr. Dimit was married to Amy Ann Allen, daughter of Samuel and Annie (Cole) Allen, farming people of Cross Creek Township, who are now both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Allen were the parents of the following children : John, deceased; Susan, deceased, who was the wife of James Drake; Amy Ann; Martha Jane, who married Joseph Vance; and Sarah Agnes, who married Robert Dimit, a brother of Jacob. To Mr. and Mrs. Dimit have been born seven children, namely: John F., who married Anna Stevenson and has three sons,- Arthur, Ralph and Wilbur; Eliza and Samuel, both de- ceased; Jesse, who married Motlena Walker and bas two children,-Wilma and Donald; Benjamin and Catherine, both deceased; and Anna, who married Bert Irwin and has one son, Kenneth.

Mr. Dimit was formerly a Republican in politics, but he now casts his vote with the Prohibition party. Fra- ternally, he is connected with the Odd Fellows, Lodge No. $05. at Eldersville. The family is connected with the Methodist Protestant Chureb at Bethel.

JOHN ALEXANDER LETHERMAN, M. D., a promi- nent physician and surgeon of California, Pa., president of the borough eouneil, and a director of the First Na- tional Bank, has been identified with the medical pro- fession of California sinee 1874, and was born February 28. 1848, on a farm in West Bethlehem Township, Wash- ington County, Pa., a son of Demas McFarland and Jane (Munce) Letherman. The father of our subjeet was born and reared in Washington County, Pa., and was a son of John Letherman, who was of German ancestry, but a native of Maryland. The mother was also born

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and reared near Washington and was a daughter of Jo- seph Munce, a native of Ireland, who lived to be more than 100 years of age.

Dr. Letherman was reared on the farm in West Bethle- hem Towuship, and after a preliminary education in the district schools, attended Waynesburg College and the Normal School at California, after which he taught one term in Somerset Township, Washington County. He theu began the study of medicine with Dr. James Mc- Donoughi, of California, and in 1874 graduated from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York City, since which time he has been continuously and success- fully engaged in the practice of his profession at Cali- fornia. Dr. Letherman has been a member of the council for the greater part of thirty years, and is the present president of that body. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and also of the Century Club, which is the leading literary club of the Upper Monongahela Valley, and is often called upon to prepare papers pertaining to his profession to be read before this club.

Dr. Letherman owns the building now occupied by the Arlington Hotel, and was formerly used by him as a dwelling and office.

Dr. Letherman was united in marriage with Alberta Ward, who was born in Washington County, a daughter of James Ward, and died in 1895. They have one son, Ralph, who was killed in a coasting accident, February 8, 1905, when fourteen years of age.

JOHN H. SIMPSON, who has been a resident of Washington, Pa., for twenty-one years, resides at No. 234 West Wheeling street and carries on a large business as a contracting painter. He was born in Fulton County, Pa., in 1845, and is a son of Samuel Simpson.

The Simpson family is of Irish extraction. When young men, Robert and Jacob Simpson, brothers, the former of whom became the grandfather of John H. Simpson, left Londonderry, Ireland, to seek their for- tunes on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. They landed in Chester County, Pa., in 1790, when they sepa- rated and it is doubtful if they ever met again. In those early days transportation was difficult and mails were uncertain, hence communication between the brothers . died aged five months; Frank, who is a mill worker, mar-

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 74

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