Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 76

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 76

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MATTHEW BERRY

JOIIN A. BERRY

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

this county, where his death occurred in 1895. Ilis wifo survived him about two years. They were the parouts of three children: Anna M. ( Mrs. Richardson) ; William R., who is now deeeased; and Matilda, who is the wife of H. B. Baker, of Mt. Washington, Allegheny County.

E. IRVING BROWN, assistant superintendent of Plant No. 6, of the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company, Io- cated at Charleroi, Pa., was born June 25, 1877, in South Shields, a small seaport and glass manufacturing town in England, and is a son of Edmund and Laura Eliza- beth (Davis) Brown. Edmund Brown is employed in the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company as assistant to the second vice-president.

E. Irving Brown was about fourteen years of age when his parents came to America, and his educational training was received chiefly at Smith Academy of Wash- ington University, St. Louis, Mo. His parents located at Crystal City, Mo., where his father served as superin- tendent of the glass works, with E. Irving as assisant, until 1899. They then came to Charleroi, where they ac- cepted positions respectively as superintendent and assist- ant superintendent of Plant No. 6 of the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company. In 1907 Edmund Brown was appointed general inspector of all of the plants of the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company, and the subject of this sketch transferred to the Allegheny River Plant at Tarentum, Pa., where he remained six years. Since 1896 he has beeu identified in an official capacity with the glass works of this county but has also served his time as a machinist.

Mr. Brown married Alice Fay Brant, a native of Mis- souri, and a daughter of John Brant, and they have two daughters, Marion Elizabeth and Mary Alice. Mr. Brown is a Mason and also belongs to the Elks.

N. C. HUNTER, general contractor, mainly in road building and railroad work, with offices in the Brown building, Washington, Pa., is one of the leading citizens of this place and has many important busines interests. He was born in Brooke County, W. Va., in 1863.

Mr. Hunter attended school in his native section and later Knox College, at Galesburg, Ill., and for a few years engaged in farming. He then began contracting, in a small way at first, but increasing the importance of his contracts gradually and at the same time doing such excellent work as to establish a reputation for reliability and punctuality that has contributed to his reaching his present plane, being now one of the largest contractors in this section of the country. He has done much mason work and built innumerable roads all through Pennsyl- vania and West Virginia, and his highway-and railroad road building has extended through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland. He does business on a large scale. He

relies on his own judgment alone, never having admitted a partner. Mr. Hunter was the first contractor to start the building of the first Flynn road in Washington County, that being near Beallsville. Other large eon- tracts may be mentioned and among these: the Franklin and Clearfield Railroad, where he put in 25,000 enbie yards of masonry; the masonry work on the Wabash Railroad, near Middletown, Pa., and Hopedale, Ohio; about twenty miles of roads in Washington County, and the building of the first F'linn road in Washington Road in Washington and Fayette Countics. Mr. Hunter is willing that his reputation should stand on the fine work he has done. He is president of the Smith-Hunter Oil and Gas Company and is a stockholder in several other prospering concerns.

In 1892, Mr. Hunter was married to Miss Olive Hat- field, a daughter of Rev. T. C. Hatfield, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have five children, namely: John T., William E., Laura C., Harry B. and Virginia. Mr. Hunter and wife are mem- bers of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Wash- ington.

JOHN A. BERRY, vice president of the First Na- tional Bank of Houston, Pa., and president of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, was born in 1852, in Strabane Township, Washington County, Pa., and is a son of Matthew and a grandson of William Berry.

William Berry was one of the early pioneers in Stra- bane Township. There his son Matthew was born in 1822 and there be still resides, hale and hearty despite his weight of 87 years. Matthew Berry has been the largest breeder of the black top sheep in Washington County and was the. piqueer in the introducing of this breed. He has always been a stanch Republican and never fails to cast his vote. He still continues to be interested in his business affairs and in all that con- cerns the younger generations of his family.

John A. Berry remained on the home farm until his marriage, when aged about 26 years, and then moved to Houston, which has been his continuous home for 31 years and during 20 of this period he was engaged in a general mercantile business. When the village was sur- veyed, he helped to carry the chain, and was one of those directly instrumental in having the place made a borough. For 16 years he served as postmaster and for nine years was a member of the borough Council. For the past 25 years Mr. Berry has taken an active part in politics. In principle, being a Republican, he has fought hard in the primaries for his friends, but when, occasionally they have failed to get nominations, he has heartily supported the other candidates, being a thoroughly loyal party man. He has considerable

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

capital iuvested here and was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Houston, has been a director since it hegan business and is now vice presi- dent. In 1889 he was elected mercantile appraiser of Washington County, and in the fall of 1908, was elected county commissioner. He is one of the representative citizens of the county.

In 1877, Mr. Berry was married to Miss Rachel Me- Nutt, who was a daughter of William McNutt, neigh- bors in Strabane Township. Mrs. Berry died Feb. 18, 1909. Two daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Berry : Grace H., who died aged 8 years; and Ida May, who resides with her father. She is the widow of Smith McConnell, who died in less than a year of their mar- riage. The Berry home is one of the finest residences of Washington County. In religious faith, Mr. Berry is a United Presbyterian.

A. O. BEAUMARIAGE, postmaster at Bishop, Wash- ington County, Pa., is one of the younger class of busi- ness men in Cecil Township, having been entrusted with the important position of general manager of the Federal Supply Company at this point, together with a responsible government office, at a time when many young men are still hesitating to embark in any enterprise. Mr. Beau- mariage was born September 22, 1886. His parents are A. G. and Priscilla Beaumariage and they reside at Cecil. Ou September 23, 1908, Mr. Beaumariage was married to Miss Sylvia Charles, and they have one son, Alexander S. Mr. Beaumariage is a Republican in his political affiliation.

NERI NEWCOMB, chief accountant of the Pittsburg Plate Glass Works of Charleroi, Pa., first came to Char- leroi in June, 1890, when the Charleroi Plate Glass Com- pany was established in this city. He was born June 20, 1848, on a farm in Geauga County, Ohio, and is a son of Otis B. and Mary A. (Wright) Newcomb. His boyhood days were spent on the farm, and his educational training was obtained in the district schools and later a select school. He was a clerk for some time in his uncle's store at Austinburg, Ashtabula County, Ohio, then went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent two years as cashier of the West Side Street Railway, after which he spent sixteen years at Akron, Ohio, where he was asso- ciated with Mr. Crouse in the Buckeye Mower and Reaper Machine Company. When the Charleroi Plate Glass Com- pany was established, Mr. Newcomb came here as treas- urer of that concern and served as same until the com- pany sold out to the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company, who gave Mr. Newcomb charge of the Charleroi office, of which he is still chief accountant. The first officers of the Charleroi Plate Glass Company were: George W. ('rouse, of Akron, Ohio, president; M. J. Alexander, of

Pittsburg, vice-president ; the late William D. Hartupee, superintendent and secretary, and Neri Newcomb, treas- urer.

Mr. Newcomb was married to Anna Clark, of Haddam, Conn., and they have one daughter, Edith, who is the wife of William E. Barnes, of Creighton, Pa. They have two children : Hilda and Edith Barnes.

Mr. Newcomb affiliates with the Elks and belongs to the Royal Arcanum. He is a member of the Episcopal Church.

WAYNE J. PHILLIPS, who saw long and hard serv- ice in the Civil War, is one of Cecil Township's best known citizens and he resides on his well improved farm of twelve acres, which lies four miles north of Canons- burg. He was born in Cecil Township, Washington County, Pa., November 30, 1842, and is a son of Aaron and a grandson of John Phillips.

The great-grandfather of Mr. Phillips was the pioneer of the family in Cecil Township, where his son, Jobn Phillips was subsequently born, married Mary Waits, and setled at a point known as Phillips' Rocks, where he had a summer resort of 380 acres of land. He was an elder in the Hill Church at Canonsburg and his dust rests in the old cemetery there. He was the father of fifteen chil- dren : James, Sarah (McConnell), John, Aaron, Moses, Elizabeth, Enoch, William, Amos, Sophia, Patty (Steven- son), Samuel, Joseph; Thomas, who died in infancy; and David.

Aaron Phillips, father of Wayne J., was born in Cecil Township and spent his life here, formerly owning the farm on which Campbell Wallace and J. W. Howe now reside. He married Agnes MeKowen, a daughter of John McKowen, who owned over 500 acres of land in Allegheny County, and six children were born to them: David, who died in Oakland, Cal; Sarah, who married Rev. H. H. Fairall, of Iowa City, Iowa; Mary, who died at the age of fifty-six years; Wayne J .; Winfield Scott, who died aged thirty-two years; and DeKalb, who died in 1906. The parents of this family were valued mem- bers of the Miller Run Presbyterian Church, good and worthy people in every relation of life. The father died in October, 1880, and the mother survived until May 9, 1886.

Wayne J. Phillips attended the district schools and helped his father on the home farm until August 16, 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, en- tering Co. G, 140th Pa. Vol. Inf. At the battle of Get- tysburg he suffered an injury to his right thumb which caused his being sent to the general hospital at Phila- delphia, and resulted in the loss of this useful part of his hand. After that, on account of his disablement, he was detailed as a prison guard and was honorably dis- charged and mustered out, July 7, 1865. Mr. Phillips

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

then returned to Cecil Township and resumed farming. After his marriage he bought a farm of twenty-two acres and when he sold it returned to the homestead for seven years, after which he settled on his present place, on which he erected all the buildings now stand- ing. In his political views he is a Republican and he has served in the office of township assessor.

On May 16, 1869, Mr. Phillips was married to Miss Anna Mary Cummins, a daughter of Joseph and La- venia (Able) Cummins. The mother of Mrs. Phillips died when she was seven years old. Her father sur- vived until January, 1879. He was born in Mt. Pleasant Township, where he lived for fourteen years. His family contained six children: John cummins, who resides in Hickory; James, who lives at Library, Allegheny Coun- ty; Anna Mary (Phillips) ; Sarah Jane, wife of James Speer, lives in Columbus, Ohio; William, who died at ten years; and Melissa, who is the widow of Henry Friend and resides in Washington, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Phillips the following children were born: Eliz- abeth, who married John Patterson, of Houstonville; Susan R., who married William B. Cowuen, of Hickory; Laura, who died in infancy; Nancy, who married Dar- lington Johnson, Jr., of Mt. Pleasant Township; Ger- trude, who married R. B. MeCleary, of Clarion County ; Scott, who married Blanche Fair, of MeDonald; Alice, who married Thomas Smith, of MeDonald; Emma, who married James Kerr, of Chartiers Township; and Joanna, who married Andrew Engle, of Mt. Pleasant Township. Mr. Phillips and family attend the United Presbyterian Church at Venice.

JOHN J. FOLEY, superintendent of the Manufac- turers Light and Heat Company of Canonsburg, was born in Steuben County, N. Y., November 6, 1864, and is a son of Patrick and Margaret (Collins) Feley.

The parents of Mr. Foley were natives of County Carey, Ireland, came to America in 1846 and were mar- ried soou afterward. The father died at the age of seventy-two years and the mother when aged sixty-nine years. They were buried in a cemetery at Corning, N. Y. The family is one somewhat noted for longevity. The paternal grandfather, Patrick Foley, died in Ire- land at the age of ninety-two years and the grand- mother at the age of seventy-four years. One uncle of John J. Foley still survives, in County Carey, at the age of ninety-two years. To Patrick and Margaret Foley were born the following children: Kate, unmar- ried, resides in California; Michael, a supervisor on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, lives at Myersdale; William, lives at Prescott, Ariz .; Thomas, a driller engaged in the oil business, makes his home at Canonsburg; Jose- phine, residing with her brother, John J. Foley, is a

stenographer; and Mary, who still lives in the old home in New York.

John J. Foley attended school until he was about six teen years of age and then entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company as an assistant in laying pipe lines from Olean, N. Y., to New York City, and worked in that capacity for four years. In 1884 he went to Pittsburg and began work there for the Carpenter Nat- ural Gas Company, laying a gas tine from Murraysville to Pittsburg, the promoters of this being later known as the Philadelphia Natural Gas Company, absorbing the ('arpenter Company. Mr. Foley was with each company for one year. On October 7, 1886, he entered the em- ploy of the Manufacturers Light aud Heat Company as field foremau and he has been continuously in the em- ploy of this company, advaneing from one position to another until now he occupies one of great responsibility, being district fiendt superintendent, his territory cover- ing Washington, Beaver, Butler and Greene Counties, Pa., and a part of Ohio and of West Virginia. He has been a resident of Canonsburg since 1856.

In 1892, Mr. Foley was married to Miss Nora Houli- gan, who was born at Brady's Bend, on the Allegheny River, and is a daughter of Patrick and Nora Houligan. Mr. and Mrs. Foley have a family of interesting chil- dren, eight surviving and two dying in infancy. The former bear the following names: Margaret, William, Marie, John J., Jr., eorge Dewey, Catherine, Regis Canevin and Elizabeth. Mr. Foley and family are mem- bers of St. Patrick's Catholic Church at Canonsburg. Mr. Foley is interested in the Murray Hill Land Com- pany and in other tracts and has devoted thirty years of his life to the oil industry. He is a man of fine ad- dress, bearing easily his weight of 200 pounds. In manner he is frank and friendly, but still impresses one with his executive ability. Ile has built up his own fortunes and takes justifiable pride in having done so.

LEVI WATT GIBSON, superintendent of the Frank- lin-Washington Gas Company, at Washington, Pa .. is one of the representative business men of this city in which he has spent about a quarter of a century. He was born in 1854, in Armstrong County, Pa .. where he was reared on a farm.

The opening of the Butler County oil fields attracted many young men from agricultural pursuits and among these was Mr. Gibson, who became a pumper first in the Butler fields and later became interested in the Me- Kean County, the Cherry Grove and the Washington County fields and still later, in the same industry, visited the Oklahoma and Indian Territory fields. When he re- turned to Washington he was active in oil development and had charge of the drilling of the first successful

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

well, the Gordon well No. 1. He has valuable invest- ments here and is one of the stockholders in the Manu- facturers Light and Heat Company.

In 1879 Mr. Gibson was married to Miss Sarah M. Smith, who was born in Clarion County, Pa., and they have six children, namely: Roxy E., who is a teacher in the Washington public schools; Bertha May, who is the wife of Edward Anderson, of Sheriden, a suburb of Pittsburg; Etna G., who is also a teacher; Harry A., who resides at Washington; and Arthur Levi and Alford R. The family home is a handsome residence which Mr. Gibson erected on the corner of Jefferson and Wylie ave- nues. He has always been an active and public-spirited citizen, but has never accepted office except membership on the school board. With his family he belongs to the Jefferson Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a trustee.

THOMAS C. RICHARDS, a prominent farmer and highly respected citizen of East rike Run Township, who owns a farm of 200 acres, located in East Pike Run and West Pike Run Townships, has been a lifelong resi- dent of Washington County, Pa., and was born July 28, 1833, in East Pike Run Township on a farm adjoin- ing his present one, and is a son of John and Phoebe (Woodward) Richards.

John Richards, a native of Maryland, came to Wash- ington County, Pa., during early manhood and settled in East Pike Run Township, where for many years he rented the Black Horse Tavern, which he subsequently purchased and continued to manage until the time of his death about 1856. He married Phoebe Woodward, who was a sister of Capt. Isaac W. Woodward, a well-known river captain, and nine children were born of their union, but two of whom are living, Thomas C., our sub- ject, and John, of Coal Center.

Thomas C. Richards was reared in the old Black Horse Lavern, which was located on the farm now owned by the widow of Isaac Richards, who was a brother of our subject. Mr. Richards has always followed farming and with the exception of three years spent on a farm in Allen County, Pa., during his early manhood, has al- ways been a resident of East Pike Run Township. In 1864 he purchased his farm of 200 acres, which is lo- cated in both East and West Pike Run Townships with the township line running near the house, and has one of the best improved farms in the township. The house, which is a large frame building, and the barns and all outbuildings were built by Mr. Richards, and while he continues to manage the farm, he has it culti- vated on shares by Henry Hannen. Mr. Richards has always made a specialty of sheep raising. He is a director and one of the organizers of the Peoples Bank of California.

Mr. Richards was married February 19, 1874, to Ruth Hannen, a native of East Pike Run Township, and a daughter of Henry and Emily (Duvall) Hannen, and of their union were born two children, one who died in infancy, and John Henry, who died in January, 1907, aged thirty-one years. Mrs. Richards passed out of this life April 23, 1909. Mr. Richards is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

J. REED LYLE-Scattered all over Washington County are fine old estates which have descended from father to son, many of these having been originally se- cured by heroes of the Revolutionary War, after the termination of that great struggle. One of these, a beautiful farm of 184 acres, lying in Mt. Pleasant Town- ship, is the property of J. Reed Lyle, now a retired farmer aud stockman. Mr. Lyle was born on this farm, November 20, 1833, and is a son of Joseph, a grandson of John and a great-grandson of Robert Lyle.

The Lyle family is of Norman extraction, the original ancestor, Robert De Insula, from which the name Lyle has evolved, coming to England in the train of William the Conqueror. For bravery he was rewarded with large possessions in Wales. The family branched into Scot- land and later, in the days of James Stuart, were es- - tablished in Ireland and their enterprise eventually led them across the Atlantic Ocean. Not only did men of this name and family participate in the American Revo- lution, but it furnished the ancestry of six of the presi- dents of the United States, and "Stonewall" Jackson and Robert E. Lee were also of this family.

The founder of the Lyle family in America was Rob- ert Lyle. He was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and was a son of Robert J. and Esther (Drummond) Lyle, and a grandson of John and Mary (Lyle) Lyle. His grandmother, Mary Lyle, was a daughter of James and Martha (Campbell) Lyle, and her father was born in Toreagh, County Antrim, Ireland, in 1645. Robert Lyle settled near New Brunswick, N. J., in 1742. After re- siding there for six years, he went to Northampton County, Pa., buying a farm in that rich agricultural region, and dying there in 1765. He was married in New Brunswick to Mary Gilleland and they reared a family of five sons and five daughters. All of the sons served in the Revolutionary War. The records show that he was a man of consequence, a justice of the peace, and an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

John Lyle, the grandfather, was born in Northampton County, Pa., in 1752, and was there married to Eliza- beth Hays and they had seven children. In 1784, John Lyle came to Washington County and bought 400 acres of land, of which the farm of his grandson, J. Reed Lyle is a part. The name of the place, in the original land grant, is given as Hollywood Farm, and the grand-

J. REED LYLE

S. OR, L HILSEN FT

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

son has the old sheepskin deed recording the purchase and binding the bargain. John Lyle found that some squatter had started a few improvements, but the larger part of the clearing was dene by himself and sons. Like his father he was a man of public importance, at one time serving as a county commissioner of Washington County. He was one of the leading members and sup- porters of the old Presbyterian Church at Cross Creek, deeming it a privilege to listen to the expounding of doctrine and religious exhortation although he had to ride many miles to attend the services. Undoubtedly be was a good and worthy man, one who set an example of righteous living to his family and community. IIis death occurred in April, 1826, and his burial was at Cross Creek. IIis widow survived until 1849, and her burial was in the Mt. Prospeet Cemetery.

Joseph Lyle, father of J. Reed Lyle, was born on his father's farm in Mt. Pleasant Township, in January, 1798. His life was an agricultural one, he having in- herited a part of the paternal estate. In his early years of maturity he was a Whig, but later identified himself with the Republican party. He served his township in public offices, being supervisor and school director, and he was alse a worthy member and liberal supporter of the Presbyterian Church. His death occurred in 1881, and he was laid to rest by the side of his mother, in the Mt. Prospect Cemetery. He was married (first) to Janet MeNary, a daughter of James MeNary. She died in 1828 and was buried in the Hickory Cemetery. The four children born to that union were: John, Margaret, Elizabeth and Janet. In 1832 Joseph Lyle was married (second) to Mary Reed, a daughter of James Reed. She survived her husband for fourteen years, dying in 1895, and ber burial was in the Mt. Prospect Cemetery. The children of the second marriage were: James Reed, Eleanor, Joseph, Eliza Jane, Pressly, and Mary Clemen- tine.

J. Reed Lyle attended the district schools in Mt. Pleas- ant Township. He continued to live on the farm until 1866, when be moved to West Middletown, wbere be em- barked in business as a merchant and continued until 1868, when he returned to the farm and has resided here ever since. During his active years he engaged ex- tensively in farming and stock raising and these indus- tries are continued, more or less under his supervision. About fifty head of sheep are kept on the farm through the winter, and cattle are raised mainly for dairy pur- poses, a large amount of butter being produced. At different times, Mr. Lyle has made substantial improve- ments on his farm and in 1908 completed the ereetion of what is probably the best barn in the township, it being a structure with dimensions of 36 by 56 feet. This new barn was ntilized as a meeting place when the sec- ond family reunion occurred, June 16, 1909, the first

one having been held on this farm in 1884. Kindred to the number of 400 came from many sections, Penn- sylvania, West Virginia, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and Illi- nois being represented. Hollywood Farm entertained them all and a delightful season was experienced by those in attendance.

Mr. Lyle was married June 12, 1862, to Miss Sarah Hartford, a daughter of John Hartford, and they have had eight children, namely: Mary, who died when aged one year; Elizabeth, who married William G. White, of ('ross Creek Township; Lena C., who married II. S. Bnehanan, of Mt. Pleasant Township; Maggie G. and Narcissa C., both of whom reside at home; James Ed- win, who married Mary Neel, and lives on the home farm; Jennie R., who died in April, 1904; and a babe that died unnamed. Mr. Lyle and family are members of the Mt. Prospect Presbyterian Church in which he is an elder. In politics he is practically independent. He has served as a school director, but otherwise has not ac- cepted any public office. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' National Bank at Hickory.

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. II, Part 76

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