Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 167

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1540

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 167

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Thomas McDonough received his education at the old log school. house of the period. His "A-B- C" was learned off what was called a " paddle," having the large letters of the alphabet pasted on one side of it, and the small letters on the other side, and the readers and other books used were the Greenleaf and Adams Arithmetic, and Town's and Cobb's spellers. His first teacher was Thomas Hall, a prominent dominie in his time, the father of Gen. John Hall, of Washington. Later Mr. Mc- Donough was under the preceptorship of a teacher

under the public-school law-a Mr. Leet, a Wash- ington attorney about that time-and his last win- ter attendance at any school was for but eleven days in a four-months' term. On December 31, 1858, Thomas McDonough was united in marriage with Jane McGregor, of Nottingham township, daughter of William McGregor, a pioneer of the county. To this union were born two children,. who died young, and their mother followed them to the grave December 30, 1872. On August 25, 1874, our subject married Miss C. V. Burgan, of Terre Haute, Ind., to which State her parents had moved from Washington county, Penn. By this marriage there is one child, Alice Gertrude, born January 16, 1879. In April, 1891, the family moved from the farm into Washington, partly on account of Mr. McDonough's health, which had become somewhat impaired, and partly in order to give his daughter the benefit of the best city edu- cation to be had in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Donough are members of the Christian Church of Washington, and in his political preferences he is a stanch Republican.

H ENRY SCHOENTHAL, who, by a life of plodding industry and judicious economy, coupled with keen foresight and character- istic prudence, has risen to no small degree of prominence as one of the well-to-do and progressive citizens of Washington borough, is a native of Germany. He was born May 20, 1843, in the village of Sielen, then in the Electorate Hessen-Cassel, now in the Prussian Province of Hessen-Nassau.

Levi and Henriette (Hamberg) Schoenthal, his parents, were also natives of Germany, the former, a shoemaker by trade, born in 1813. They had a family of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, two sons dying in infancy. The rest are living, two still in Germany, viz .: Jacob, living in Cologne, and Rosalie, married to Willie Heymann, residing in Geldern.on the-Rhine. Those who came to America are Mrs. Hannah Stern (widow), and Amalie, married to Elias Wolf, both living in Allegheny, Penn .; Felix is in Pittsburgh; Julius, in Washington, D. C .; Nathan, in Philadel- phia; Simon,in Atlantic City; and Isidore and Henry, in Washington, Penn. The father died in Germany in 1875, aged sixty-two years, the mother in Wash- ington, Penn., in 1882, aged sixty-five years.

Henry Schoenthal attended the school of his na- tive village up to his fourteenth year, at the same time learning his father's trade, beginning when only ten and one-half years old, and working at the same until he was fifteen years old. For two years after this he took private literary instruction, and in the year 1859 was admitted into the Jewish Seminary in Cassel, Germany, an institution where

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young men were educated to become' teachers in Jewish schools, and leaders of the service in the synagogue. At the end of the third year he passed an examination, and then (taught school for three years in one place. In 1866 he came to the United States; the rest came later, at intervals of several years. The two youngest, Isidore and Rosalie, . together with the mother, came with Henry in 1881, when he returned from a visit to Germany, accompanied by wife and (two children. Rosalie, after a sojourn of a few years, returned to Germany and was married there. Henry returned to Wash- ington after his marriage, as he was in busi- ness at that time. He is an Independent in politics, with a very warm feeling for the party that was good enough for Lincoln, Grant, Garfield, Blaine and Harrison. Selecting as his abiding place in the land of his adoption the thriving town of Washington, this county, he clerked for three years in the clothing store of Jacob Goldsmith, at the sign of the " Golden Eagle," in the room now occupied by C. A. House as a music store. Then in 1869, Mr. Schoenthal bought out the stationery business of Rev. James McFarland, at the " Green Tree Corner," and has ever since conducted a pros- perous and lucrative trade in books, stationery, notions, etc., at the same stand. In 1872 our sub- ject revisited his native land, and on May 8 of that year was there married to Helen, daughter of Meyer Lilienfeld, of Gudensberg, in Hessen-Nassau. Four children blessed this union, viz .: Madaline, born March 16, 1873, died in infancy; Hilda, born June 25, 1874; Lionel, born April 14, 1877; and Meyer, born August 12, 1883. He is a member of the following secret societies: A. F. & A. M., Heptasophs, Royal Arcanum, and Protected Home Circle.

J OHN METCALF is one of the oldest and most highly respected farmers of his neigh- borhood. He is of Irish descent, his grand- father, Edward Metcalf, being a native of Ireland, who emigrated to America in early days, and settled on a farm of 1,000 acres in Jefferson township, Washington Co., Penn. Edward Metcalf reared a family of seven children, of whom his son Edward was the fourth in order of birth.

Edward Metcalf was born about the year 1800, and trained to agricultural pursuits, which he fol- lowed throughout life. He was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Meneely, of Washington county, and to their union were born the following chil- dren: Jane, John, William, Nancy, Mary, James, Margaret, Edward, Sarah, Alexander, Judy and an unnamed infant.

John Metcalf (subject of sketch) was born Octo- ber 17, 1821, in a log cabin, and reared in Wash- ington county, remaining on the home farm during

his boyhood. On February 8, 1840, he was married to Judy Cole. The young people first settled on the farm where they now reside. He then moved to his father-in-law's farm, lying between Jewett and Scio, in Harrison county, Ohio, where they re- mained until the death of Mr. Cole. They finally returned to the present home in Jefferson town- ship, this county, where they have since remained. Five children have been born to this couple, namely : Moses, Nancy Jane, Edward, John and Margaret Ann. Mrs. Metcalf's father was a son of Moses Cole, who came from the State of New Jersey and settled in Washington county, Penn. Indians were numerous in those days. Mrs. Moses Cole (the grandmother of Mrs. Metcalf) says that she has seen twenty-four Indians pass the house at one time, and that she often gave them food and shel- ter. Mrs. John Cole is now ninety-three years of age, and makes her home with her daughter and son-in-law.

OWNSEND VAN VOORHIS. This gen- tleman traces his lineage back through the mist of many years to the days of 1670, when three Van Voorhis brothers sailed from Amsterdam, Holland, and first landed in the strange " New World." They settled on Long Island, where one brother was killed by a poisoned arrow, the other remaining on the island.

On December 17, 1701, Daniel Van Voorhis was born, and to him the present generation in Wash- ington county trace their origin. On November 27, 1724, he contracted a matrimonial alliance with Femmyte Bennett, who was born April 4, 1706, and they became the parents of the following chil- dren: Abraham, Jerome, Ange, John, Cornelius, Elizabeth, Femmyte and Daniel. Daniel Van- Voorhis was born July 7, 1728, at Oyster Bay, Long Island. He received a thorough education, soon evincing an unususl taste for any study per- taining to navigation, and many of his books treating on that science are yet in possession of the family. He was captain of a merchant vessel for many years, twice lost his vessel and cargo, and was taken prisoner by the British many times. On one occasion he was pursued by a British man-of- war, and had just raised the flag of surrender, but before the enemy saw the signal, a cannon-ball tore away the post close by where he was standing. The captain was three times married: first to a widow lady, Mrs. Britt, who bore him two children: Samuel, a successful merchant of New York City, who came to this county about 1800, residing for some time in a cabin near the present site of the Black Diamond Coal Works (he afterward moved to Bucyrus, Ohio, and died there a few years ago); and Sarah, who married John Van Voorhis, and died November 17, 1857, near Goshen, N. Y., aged

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eighty-two years. After the mother of these chil- dren died Capt. Van Voorhis was united in marriage with Mary Newton. In 1785 he came to Wash- ington county, Penn., and bought sixty acres of land of one Decker, in what is now Carroll town- ship. Some time afterward he moved his family to the new home, where his second wife died, December 31, 1789, leaving three children: John (deceased June 28, 1874, in Muskingum county, Ohio, at the age of ninety-three years), Daniel (who died in 1852, at the age of sixty nine) and Abraham (of whom further mention will be presently made). The mother of this family was the first person interred in the Van Voorhis cemetery at Pigeon Creek, where four generations of the name are now lying. For his third wife Capt. Van Voorhis selected Nancy Myers, a native of Hagerstown, Md., who bore him one son and one daughter: Elizabeth (Mrs. Frye), and Isaac, who was born March 15, 1794. Capt. Daniel Van Voorhis was called from earth February 21, 1819.

Abraham Van Voorhis, son of Capt. Daniel and Mary (Newton) Van Voorhis, was born December 28, 1785, near Rancocas creek, on the Delaware river, in New Jersey. In early manhood he was united in marriage with Ann Watkins, a native of Washington county, Penn., and their children were born as follows. Garret T., born February 18, 1819, married Hester Frye, died March 20, 1864; had two children (Abraham and Melinda); for his second wife, he married Mary J. Baxter, had one son (Luther T.). Joseph was born August 27, 1820, died November 17, 1822. Robert, born July 21, 1822, married Caroline Frye, had one child ( Narcissa). Mary born May 5, 1826, died January 31, 1863, married Vincent Colvin, had two children (Jay and Abraham). Abraham Van- Voorhis married, for his second wife, Jane Phillips, and had seven children: Eliza, Lucinda, John, Emeline, Caroline, Serena and Cynthia. Eliza was born September 1, 1830, died February 28, 1850; married Thorton Watkins, had one child (James). Lucinda, born August 7, 1832, died June 24, 1840. John, born September 6, 1835, married Isa H. Teeple, had six children (Charles, Lulu, Carrie, Serena, Will and Eva). Emeline, born February 28, 1838, married Joseph Brown, had five children ( Van, Samuel, Curtis, Cora and Joseph). Caroline, born November 1, 1840, married James Jones, had seven children (Endsley, Jennie, Allie, Etta, Rena, Emma and Ira). Serena, born July 2, 1843, died March 23, 1861, and Cynthia, born January 16, 1848, who married Cooper Bentley, October 15, 1868. Of these children Robert is one of the best authorities in the United States on all questions pertaining to sheep culture, and has contributed to the Congressional stock paper an article entitled "Diseases of Domestic Animals." John is a system- atic farmer and sheep-raiser, having been president

of the Monongahela Valley Agricultural and Horticultural Society. Mrs. Jane Van Voorhis is still active and enjoying good health. She has for many years been a devoted member of the M. E. Church, and resides on the 600 acres of land which her husband owned near Monongahela City.

Townsend Van Voorhis, son of Abraham and Ann (Watkins) Van Voorhis, was born February 18, 1819, as stated hitherto, in Carroll township. He received his early education at the old Calhoun school, and in 1840 selected a life companion in the person of Hester, daughter of Noah and Lucy (Colvin) Frye. To this union were born two sons: Abraham, living in Kansas, and Butler T., residing with his parents. Mr. Van Voorhis owns 193 acres of land situated four miles from Monon- gahela City, and devotes his principal attention to stock raising. He has been school director for several years.

M ATTHEW WILSON is a prosperous stockman and substantial citizen of Can- onsburg. He was born November 28, 1833, in County Antrim, Ireland, where he grew to manhood. His early education was very limited, as he was obliged to leave school at the age of eight years. From early youth he was interested in stock, and finally decided to ac- company his uncle, George Wilson, on a voyage to America. They had a tempestous passage, ar- riving in New York harbor after a voyage of six weeks and three days. They then came by steamer to Philadelphia, thence by canal to Pittsburgh, from which place they walked to Canonsburg, where they arrived at day-break on November 14, 1851, the journey having been made in fourteen days. Matthew hired out to a farmer for one year at $8,00 per month, and at the expiration of that time engaged for the next nine months. He then began working for a butcher, and purchasing a copy-book, slate, pencil and candle, devoted his evenings to energetic study. He remained with his employer four years, taking charge of the busi- ness after the first twelve months. Having saved about $600, he then invested in stock, and driving them to Allegheny, sold them in three months at a profit of $600.

On April 3, 1856, he was married to Jane, daugh- ter of George Wilson, and they have had three daughters, namely: Jennie, Mary (wife of S. C. Smith), and Martha B. (Mrs. Wilson, died Novem- ber 11, 1862). After his marriage he took a con- tract for furnishing meat to the hands of a new railroad then in progress of construction along Chartiers Valley, and lost in that transaction $3,000. He had good credit and perseverance, so he rallied, and in 1863 went into the oil business in Oil City, buying and shipping oil from that city to Pitts-

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burgh. Losing all the money he had accumulated, he came back from Oil City and again started in the butchering and stock business, driving sheep and cattle over the mountains, and making about five trips during the summer, selling the stock in Lan- caster and the States of Delaware and New Jersey. In 1892 a book was sent to him that had been edited and published by a friend of his in regard to his life and travels while in the stock business. This friend sold the copyright of it for $1,000 to a firm at St. Louis, Mo. Of this publication Mr. Wilson was entirely ignorant until he received a copy of the book. In the year 1886 he took a trip to Europe, taking a nephew aged ten years with him. They sailed from Philadelphia on the Ameri- can Line May 14, making the voyage going in four- teen days, and in returning they were on the water twelve days. Of late years Mr. Wilson has de- voted his principal attention to the butchery, con- ducting a very extensive and profitable business. He has shipped a large amount of stock to Phila- delphia and New York, alway realizing a good profit from the sales. In politics, he is an active and zealous worker in the Democratic party, of which he is a valued member.

R OBERT C. McNARY. This prominent and highly-esteemed agriculturist of Cecil township, a worthy scion of one of the old- est families in the county, deserves more than a passing notice in this Biographical Record.

He is descended from Thomas McNary, who in an early day came to North Strabane township and bought land. He was a son of James McNary, by trade a shoemaker, who was born in Scotland about the year 1711, and, according to tradition, moved with his family to the North of Ireland. After so- journing there for a time, he and his wife emigrated to America, bringing with them their four sons and one daughter, some of whom had married in Ire- land. In 1760 (so records show) James McNary bought a tract of land in York county, Penn., where he remained a number of years. He was an elder in the Seceder congregation of Guinston, one of the oldest congregations of that denomination in America. His sons were John, James, Thomas and David, all of whom came to Washington county; his daughter, Jane, married William Rob- ison, and passed the rest of her life in York county. The father of this family also came to this county, and lived, up to the time of his death, with his son David in Hanover township, dying in 1796 at the age of eighty-five years; he was buried in the Seceder churchyard near Paris, this county.

James McNary, father of subject, was born in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn., and received his education at the subscription

schools of the period. On March 7, 1811, he was married to Ann Caldwell, of Washington county, and after a few years married life in North Stra- bane they moved to Nottingham township, where they passed the remainder of their days. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: Mary E., Jane ( Mrs. David Templeton), James, Eliza ( Mrs. James Thome), Robert C., Thomas, Samuel, Ann ( Mrs. John Fife ) and David. The father died May 19, 1841, the mother September 24, 1868. They were for a time members of the Seceder Church at Pigeon creek, later uniting with the U. P. Church, in which Mr. McNary was an elder for years. In his political preferences he was a Whig, but voted for the most part independ- ent of party. Well-known in his day, he com- manded the highest respect in the community both in his private life and in his occupation as a pro- gressive farmer and stock raiser.

Robert C. McNary was born in Nottingham township, this county, June 17, 1823, his education being received at the common schools of his dis- trict, where he proved a diligent and apt scholar. In early boyhood he commenced working on his father's farm, and the lessons then inculcated in him proved invaluable to him in after life, and have been an important factor in making him what he is-a successful practical agriculturist, second to none in the county. On May 8, 1845, Mr. Mc- Nary was married to Sarah, daughter of Robert and Mary McCorkle, of Somerset township, this county. The children of this marriage were the following named: Mary E. (deceased), Ann (wife of W. B. L. Crawford ), James, Robert C., Samuel W., Sarah J. ( wife of Richard Weaver), John, Houston F. and Thomas. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Nary made their home in Peters township until ' 1876, when he purchased his present residence in Cecil township. Mrs. McNary departed this life October 31, 1878, and was laid to rest in the Char- tiers U. P. cemetery. Mr. McNary (as was his wife) is a member of the Chartiers U. P. Church, but was formerly a member of the Seceder Church.

D AVID GAULT, a representative citizen, and a member of one of the most prosperous pioneer families of Cross Creek township, is a grandson of James Gault, who was of Irish ancestry, and followed farming for many years near Canonsburg, this county. Grandfather Gault reared a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters. The sons were: David, who lived and died in Washington county, and had a family who survived him (he was one of the first purchasers of lots in Canonsburg); James, who served in the war of 1812, and died a bachelor; and William, the father of the subject of this sketch.

Robert 6 dell'Navy

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William Gault was born on the home farm near Canonsburg, Washington county, and was reared to agricultural life. He was married to Miss Mar- garet Brown, a native of Lancaster county, Penn., and seven children were born to their union, viz .: James ( who died before reaching maturity), Mary, Jane, John, William, Samuel and David, all save the latter being now deceased. The father died in 1816, the mother passing away about 1854.

David Gault was born February 8, 1815, near Florence, Washington county, Penn., and his father dying the following year, the family moved to Cross Creek township, settling on a farm. David passed his boyhood days in gaining an insight into agricultural pursuits, and attending for a few months in winter time the primitive subscription school of the vicinity. But he was chiefly self- taught, being a close reader and apt student. At the age of twelve years he found himself of some assistance to his mother, and about this time he "worked out" as a hired hand until he was sixteen years old, when he and his mother, and his brother William, moved to a rented farm near Cross Creek village. The following year William went to Ashland county, Ohio, and David was thus left in sole charge of the farm, which he conducted fifteen years, his mother making her home with him until her remo- val to Ashland county, Ohio, where she died. She was a remarkable woman, a typical pioneer wife and mother, who spun, wove and made all the clothing for the family; and to her early teachings her son David attributes much of his success.

On May 22, 1845, David Gault was united in marriage with Matilda, daughter of James Cook, a native of Washington county, Penn., and they had four children, as follows: Georgette, born March 23, 1846, married to A. H. Kerr, and living in Cross Creek village; Henry M., born March 16, 1848, residing in Plattsmouth, Neb .; James C., born December 7, 1850, living in Cross Creek township; and Silas, born April 13, 1853, a business man of Chicago, Ill. The mother of this family died April 18, 1853, in her thirty- fifth year, and on August 15, 1859, Mr. Gault was wedded to Mrs. Mary (Patterson ) Marquis, who has borne him two daughters, Alice and Laura (both deceased in in- fancy ). She was born August 24, 1821, in Cross Creek, this county, a daughter of William and Mar- garet Patterson, and was married to Newton Mar- quis, by whom she had one child, Alvin, who died at the age of two years. Mr. Marquis was called from earth in 1855. Mrs. Gault is a granddaughter of Gen. Thomas Patterson, and her maternal grand- father was Aaron Lyle, who represented his Dis- trict in Congress. The Pattersons and Lyles are very old families in this part of the Keystone State.

Mr. Gault's farm comprises 300 acres of highly improved land, where he carries on general agri- culture, including stock raising, making a specialty

of sheep. In politics he was formally a Republican, but since the formation of the party has been an active worker in the ranks of the Prohibitionists, and he takes an active interest in all public enter- prises. In religious connection he and his wife have long been members of the Cross Creek Presbyterian Church, in which he has been an elder for fifteen years, while Mrs. Gault takes an active and sub- stantial interest in foreign missions.

AMES H. McMURRAY. Among the most prominent residents of Peters township, this name is an honored one. James McMurray was a native of County Donegal, Ireland, and when a young man sailed to America. He first located near Irisbtown, Allegheny Co., Penn., and there followed agricultural pursuits. Soon after arriving in this country he married Isabelle Balen- tine, a native of the Emerald Isle, who had crossed the ocean in early youth. The young people settled on a farm in Allegheny county, Penn., where the following children were born to them: James, Jane, John, William, Nancy (wife of Paul Black, of Aledo, Ill.), Margaret (living on the lome farm with her brother Hervey), Esther, Mary A., Archie (a farmer in Allegheny county ), Andrew, Hervey, Edward, an infant son, and an infant daughter. Of this family James, Jane, William, Esther, Mary A., Andrew, and the two youngest are deceased.

William McMurray, son of James and Isabelle McMurray, was born in 1817, on the old home- stead in Allegheny county, Penn. In early man- hood he was married to Jane, daughter of John Mouck, of Washington county, Penn. They lived on a farm near Noblestown, Allegheny Co., Penn., fourteen years after their marriage, then came to the home place in Washington county, Penn., where the family are now living. William McMur- ray was an active member of the Democratic party, and held various township offices. He was connected with the United Presbyterian Church, and gave to that Society a most liberal support. He died February 23, 1889, leaving three children, viz .: Mary I. (wife of J. C. Crouch), James H., and Eliza Jane (deceased at the age of fourteen years).

James H. McMurray, whose name opens this sketch, was born September 3, 1847, on the farm near Noblestown, Allegheny Co., Penn. He came to the farm in Washington county when but a lad, and there grew to manhood. He was married December 24, 1874, to Sarah M. Matthews, who was born March 8, 1855, daughter of James Mat- thews, a resident of Peters township, this county. The young people began wedded life on the farm in Peters township where they are yet living. Six children have blessed their union as follows: James M. G., William W. (who died in infancy ), Levi A.,

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Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 167

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1540

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1540