Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 41

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 41

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Joseph S. Hunter was born in West Finley township, and remained on the home place until he was twenty eight years of age, obtaining his edu- cation at the common-schools. On February 11, 1875, he was united in marriage with Mary P., daughter of J. W. Patterson, and to their union were born four children: William W., James H., Jennie A. and Clark P. After their marriage the young couple settled in West Finley township, re- maining there four years, when they removed to their present farm, which consists of 200 acres of well-improved land. He is a member and liberal supporter of the United Presbyterian Church at Dog Wood Grove. In political life he is a stanch Republican, and is one of the most energetic work- ers of his party in the township, although he has never accepted political preferment.

(OHN G. POGUE is one of the few men who can look back upon their past and see no fail- ures to regret, but find that step by step, and year by year, they have risen higher on the ladder of success, until the prime of life has found them on the topmost round, with leisure to pause and take a retrospective view. John G. Pogue is a son of William Pogue, of whose father we only know that he was of Scotch ancestry, and (at the time of the birth of his only son, William, ) a resident of Baltimore, Md.

William Pogue was born in 1797, in Baltimore, Md., and in early life learned the trade of a tobac- conist. He was well educated and fond of read- ing. The father dying when William was a small boy, the latter was cared for by his mother, who afterward moved to Buffalo township, Washington county, and purchased a small piece of land about three miles north of Taylorstown. The son fol- lowed farming, and also worked a small coal bank located on the place. He was afterward married to Sarah Allison, who was born in 1786, and they had five children: James (who died at the age of forty-seven years, in Cadiz, Ohio), Susan (deceased

in infancy), John G. (subject of this sketch), Will- iam (who died in Canton, Ill., at the age of forty years) and Sarah Ann (who died in Buffalo town- ship, this county). Mr. Pogue followed farming until the death of his wife, which occurred in 1836. He then worked at his trade with George Black, of Washington, Penn., and passed his later years with his children. Politically he was a lifelong Democrat. He died in 1859.

John G. Pogue was born March 28, 1824, in Buffalo township, this county, and when but eight years of age went to live with one Joseph Alexander. With him he remained two years, " doing chores " and attending the common school. In the fall of 1834 he made his home with John C. Hanna, a farmer of Hopewell township, this county, and in 1840 again entered the employ of Mr. Alexander, with whom he remained until 1849. Meanwhile, this industrious youth embraced every opportunity to secure an education. He attended Franklin High School, which was conducted at the home of Major Waterings by W. A. McKee; he also taught school five winters in West Virginia and Pennsyl- vania. On October 25, 1848, Mr. Pogue was united in marriage with Elizabeth Burt, who was born in August, 1824, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Dryden) Burt, who were both members of old pioneer families. Mrs. Pogue and a sister, Mrs. Nancy McKee, of Hopewell township, Washington county, are now the only living representatives of the family of ten children in Washington county, the others having settled in different places. Mr. and Mrs. Pogue have had the following children: Sarah Elizabeth (Mrs. John McCammon, of West Finley township), Fannie A. (Mrs. John Atkinson, of Brooke county, W. Va.), Joseph (residing in Wheel- ing, W. Va.), Mary Jane (who died at the age of twelve years), William (living at home), Martha (Mrs. Hiram Montgomery, of Donegal township). John J. (living with his parents), J. Burt and Anna May (both living at home). For three years after his marriage Mr. Pogue lived as a tenant on the farm of J. C. Hanna, in Hopewell township, this county. He then came to Donegal township, and rented a farm, locating about two and a half miles north of West Alexander, where he remained nineteen consecutive years. Several years before leaving this farm he had purchased an adjoining tract of 114 acres upon which he moved in 1863. By energetic toil and close economy, he soon saved enough money to again invest in land, and in 1868 he bought the "Old Mckeown" farm, lying just north of his previous purchase. In 1872 be took possession of the latter farm, and has entirely re- modeled the residence and all the other buildings. He has few equals as an agriculturist, and his success has been enhanced by the invaluable aid of a care- ful and economical wife. When he was first mar- ried, Mr. Pogue owed $150, since which time he

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has become one of the most successful and prom- inent farmers of Donegal township. Politically he was an ardent Abolitionist, and took a great inter- est in the freedom of the negroes. He is now a Republican, and has often held township offices, but has declined to enter in the more active war- fare of political life. In religious connection he and his wife are members of the U. P. Church of West Alexander.

OHN S. BARR is a leading representative of a well-known family of Somerset township, Washington county, and an enterprising, successful and popular citizen of Canons-

burg, serving his township and county in many ways, in addition to his usual duties as pri- vate citizen.

His grandfather, John Barr, was a native of County Derry, Ireland, born in 1757, and died in 1838. He was married to a Miss Dickey, to whom were born the following children: William, John, Robert, Archie (who died at the age of twelve years), Margaret (wife of Robert Pattison) and Mary (wife of Andrew Jackson). In 1816 Mr. Barr and family emigrated to America, and after a six weeks' voyage landed at Philadelphia, finally coming to Somerset township, Washington Co., Penn., where he purchased a farm, making there- on a permanent home, where he died in 1838. He was a member of the Seceder Church of Peters Creek, and on the organization of a new congrega- tion of the same denomination called Pigeon Creek, nearer his home, united with . it, serving many years as elder.

William Barr was born, in 1797, in County Derry, Ireland, and his youth was passed in his native land, where he was educated, becoming specially expert as a mathematician. In 1816 he came with his parents to America, and in 1826 was united in marriage with Mary, daughter of Hugh Boyd. Mr. Boyd and family, consisting of five children, came to America in 1824: Robert, Wil- son (whopreceded the rest of the family five years), Mary, Margaret and Bankhead. Both grand- parents were elders in the same church in Ireland, and both elders in the same congregations-Peters Creek and Pigeon Creek-in America. After his marriage William settled on a farm where his life was passed, and children born to him as follows: John S. (of whom a sketch is given below); Hugh and Eliza (Mrs. A. D. Williamson), living near Xenia, Ohio; Margaret (wife of James H. Dickey); William W .; Bankhead Boyd; Mary (married to W. G. Garrett), and Martha Jane (deceased wife of William Berry). William Wilson Barr gradu- ated at Canonsburg in 1856, studied theology at Xenia, Ohio; was called, accepted, and took charge in 1859 of the Eighth United Presbyterian Church

of Philadelphia, of which he is still pastor; Bank- head enlisted as a soldier, in 1862, in Company G, One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteers; was wounded at the Wilderness, and died at Alexandria, Va., his remains being brought home and interred in Home cemetery. The father of this family was known as one who always acted from principle, and did what he con- scientiously thought was right. He was for many years identified with the Seceder Church of Pigeon Creek (now United Presbyterian), in which he was a ruling elder, and for many years led its praise service. He died in 1838, being followed by his life companion in 1876.

John Scott Barr was born January 26, 1827, in Somerset township, this county, passing his early life at home. Receiving but a limited education (such as the winter schools at that time afforded), he has supplemented it by an extensive course of reading. On November 25, 1851 (Thanksgiving day), he embarked on the matrimonial sea in com- pany with Mary, daughter of James Gibson, a well- known citizen of Washington county. Two chil- dren were born to this union, the first dying in infancy. The mother died March 12, 1855, leav- ing an infant daughter of three weeks, who was given her mother's name, and is the wife of Rev. J. M. Duncan of the United Presbyterian Church at Richmond, Ohio. On January 26, 1865, John S. Barr was married to Mary S. Pattison, of Indi- ana, Penn., to whom three children were born, viz .: William Wilson (deceased), Archie John S. (deceased) and Martha Jane (wife of Rev. W. F. Weir, a Presbyterian minister of Toronto, Ohio). After the death of his father, which took place when he was less than twelve years of age, Mr. Barr took the principal management of his father's farm, consisting of 110 acres, one payment to pay on that; but by hard work and economy, and with the aid of a good mother and the gracious favor of Almighty God, was added to the home place over 200 acres more. The careful and attentive habits of his youth have attended his maturer years, and have secured for him a comfortable home. His in- stinctive uprightness in his dealings with his fel- low-men, charity for the worthy poor, and gener- ous support of all measures tending to promote the interests of Church and State, mark him as a man worthy of the esteem and confidence in which he is held by his friends and neighbors.

In politics the subject of this sketch was first a Whig, then a Republican, and has held various township offices, serving six terms as school director, and in 1872 was elected commissioner of Washing- ton county, which office he filled very acceptably. In response to Gov. Curtin's call for men to repel Lee's invasion of Maryland, he enlisted in a com- pany at Canonsburg, which became part of the Sixteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and

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equipped at Harrisburg, carried by rail to Hagers- town and then marched toward Antietam expect- ing to get to the battle field that evening; but night came on, and they encamped in a nice piece of woods by the roadside, struck their tents and put out pickets. About dusk word came that they would be attacked by Imboden's Rebel cavalry that night; a vote was taken whether they would retreat or stand their ground, and the result was that they should stay. Every gun was loaded, and about 9 o'clock the commissary wagon drove up and a number of shots were fired into it; the mistake was soon discovered, no one was hurt, and no "rebs" came. After Lee's retreat into Virginia, they were disbanded and sent home. In May, 1889, he was appointed a manager of the State Re- form School at Morganza, for four years, by Gov- ernor Beaver. Here from 300 to 400 boys and about 100 girls are educated and taught some useful trades. In June, 1891, when the Citizens' Bank of Canonsburg was organized, he was elected one of its directors. When sixteen years of age he united with the then Seceder Church of Pigeon Creek (now United Presbyterian) and was always an earnest worker, seeking her peace and prosperity. He was chosen an elder when thirty-five years of age, thus holding the place of father and grand- father. In April, 1888, he and his wife and family removed to their residence in Canonsburg, and united with the U. P. Chartiers Church of that town.

W ILLIAM B. FLICK ranks among the most progressive citizens of Beallsville, and is a successful agriculturist. His father, Daniel Flick, was of German de- scent, and his ancestors settled in the Ligonier Valley many years ago.

Daniel Flick was born in 1802, in Fayette county, Penn., and there learned the weaver's trade, be- coming one of the first weavers in that locality. He was five times married: In 1822 he married Susanna Brown, who was born September 9, 1803, and settled in Waynesburg, Greene Co, Penn., where he followed hotel business, farming and mercantile pursuits; here Mrs. Flick died, leaving four children, of whom William B. is the only one now living. Daniel Flick next married Nancy Stew- art. His third wife was Mrs. Nancy Haldeman, a widow; his fourth was Jane E. Cleaver, and for his fifth wife he married Mrs. Eleanor Freeman, widow of Louis Freeman. He died March 18, 1871, at the age of sixty-eight, on the farm in West Pike Run township, Washington Co., Penn., where he. had moved in the spring of 1856. For a number of years he operated a keel boat in the transporta- tion of freight between Rice's Landing and Pitts- burgh, and was also a wagoner, carrying goods

across the mountains from Baltimore to Greene county.

William B. Flick, son of Daniel and Susanna (Brown) Flick, was born June 15, 1830, in Waynes- burgh, Greene Co., Penn., and began his education at a tender age, being carried by his sister to school when but three years old, in order to save time for the busy mother. On October 10, 1850, he was united in marriage with May Berryhill, a native of Greene county, Penn. She died leaving one son, William, who became an engineer, and during a collision, November 5, 1890, at Claysville, Washington county, was killed, having clung to his engine to the last. Mr. Flick was married in 1853 to Miss Maria Rhinehart, who died leaving two children: Oscar (a resident of Greene county) and an infant. In 1855 Mr. Flick came to West Pike Run township, Washington county, and on May 17, 1866, married his third wife in the person of Zobitha, daughter of James Irwin. Her only brother, James F. Irwin, is living in Virginia. Since coming to West Pike Run township, Mr. Flick has resided on his present farm, which is lo- cated on the northern boundary of Beallsville. He is a successful agriculturist, and has for the past ten years made a specialty of breeding Shorthorn cat- tle. Politically, he was formerly a Whig and Know-Nothing, but is now a Republican, and he is at present serving in the council of Beallsville borough. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for twenty years, and of the Encampment, and with all public enterprises he is prominently identified.

The following reminiscences are from the pen of Mr. Flick:

The old log school-house that I attended for the first time, now sixty years ago, was constructed of unhewn logs, and put together as you would build a pen. Small stones were set on edge between the logs, and then dnbbed with clay mortar. One log was sawed out to make room for a sash in the west side, and on this sash was pasted greased paper. This old log school-house was abandoned and a new one put up eight or ten years after. I was carried by my sister to this old school-house. I would go to see it, and hunt squirrels with my father, for it was a good place for game. Now, as to the floor in this old school-house: it was laid with what was called puncheons in those days, which were split-out logs, dressed off as best could be done. This floor was not all over the room, for there was a space six feet square at the east end, for fire, and on the ground immediately above this place, over head, were joists to serve as bearings whereon to build a chimney. This chimney was, at the base, six feet square and tapered to the height desired, built out of split lath and plastered with clay mortar. Clapboards were split out of oak timber, three and a half feet long, and laid down on poles; while the joists were covered with another clapboard. And then there was what was called a big pole to hold them down; there were no boards over head. As to seats, they were made of split puncheon, roughly made with legs. Three of these were placed around this square where the fire was, and as the pupils would get warm, they would retire to other benches, and others would then take their places at the fire. Daniel Flick, my father, was one of the first teamsters who made a business of going to Baltimore for

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goods before there was any railroad; and I may here state that while he was at Baltimore on one occasion, lie learned that the B. & O. R. R. had twelve miles of road made, and would run three coaches, engine and tender to Elliot's Mills. The coaches were furnished with side seats running lengthwise. So my father concluded to take a free ride. The B. & O. company had mules sta- tioned at the heavy grades to assist the engine in making grade. This was in spring of 1831. This engine and the coaches were placed on exhibition in the city of Pitts- burgh among other old relics, and were destroyed by fire.

W ILLIAM SWAN, son of Col. William Swan (who was a son of Timothy Swan, a Revolutionary soldier, and a native of. County Down, Ireland, and Jane ( Watson) Swan, of Westmoreland county, Penn.) and Mar- tha (French) Swan, daughter of Enoch and Mary (McElroy) French, of Chambersburg, Penn., was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, May 11, 1826. His father, a soldier in the war of 1812, died dur- ing the infancy of his son William, who was the youngest of a family of six children. In 1832 his mother removed from Ohio to the vicinity of Canonsburg, in order that her children might have better educational advantages.

When a very young man Mr. Swan came to Washington to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Examiner, and during his apprentice- ship he was an inmate of the family of the later venerable Judge Grayson, who was the founder of that paper. In 1851 Mr. Swan, in partnership with William Ritezel, Esq., founded the Review. It was during this partnership that Mr. Swan, leav- ing the paper in the hands of Mr. Ritezel, made a trip across the plains to California, which trip was made on account of bad health. His diary, kept during the journey, is one of intense interest, telling of many escapades happening to the trav- elers, and descriptions of some of our now great western cities at that time. He was gone six months, returning via the Isthmus of Panama to New York. Upon his return to Washington, he bought Mr. Ritezel's share in the Review, and con- ducted the paper with ability and success until its consolidation with the Examiner in 1865; and published as Review and Examiner by Swan & Ecker, Mr. Swan continuing editor and proprietor until his death, which occurred October 10, 1876. In 1863 Mr. Swan was the nominee, on the Demo- cratic ticket, for the office of county treasurer, and although his party was then in the minority in the county, yet he polled a vote which indicated the high esteem in which he was held by his fellow- citizens as a man of financial integrity and ability, as well as of personal popularity. His was, in every sense, a manly character, and as such always commanded the respect of his opponents, and at- tracted to him troops of personal friends. Warm-

hearted, gentle in manner, kind, charitable, be- nevolent and generous, he was ever ready to assist the poor and unfortunate, and every project, which appealed to his sympathy, never failed to receive substantial aid at his hands.

In 1858 Mr. Swan was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. McClane, daughter of Ebenezer and Jane (McMurray) McClane, of Chartiers township, Washington Co., Penn., and by her had five chil- dren, all now deceased except one daughter, Jean McClane Swan, who resides with her widowed mother in the borough of Washington.

P ROF. G. G. HERTZOG, a well-known teacher, and talented professor in the South- western State Normal School, at California, is a son of Andrew Hertzog, whose father, John, was born near Hagerstown, Md ..

John Hertzog was educated in his native State; he was of German descent, and spoke and read the German and English languages with equal ease. Coming to Fayette county, Penn., he re- mained a bachelor until middle age, when he se- lected a wife in the person of Mrs. Sarah Burch- inal, a widow lady, who had four children by her former marriage, namely: Jeremiah, Luther, Thomas and Rebecca. One son, Andrew, was born to the union of John and Sarah (Burchinal) Hertzog. The father followed agricultural pur- suits, and died at an advanced age. In his polit- ical sympathies he was a Jeffersonian Democrat.

Andrew Hertzog was born November 11, 1811, in Springhill township, Fayette Co , Penn., and there attended the subscription schools. He fol- lowed the business of building and contracting for many years, and after his marriage settled on the homestead farm in Fayette county. He mar- ried Susanna, daughter of George and Hannah Gans, natives of Pennsylvania, who were the par- ents of the following children: Asenath, Susanna, Hannah, Mary, William, Paul and Philip. Mr. Gans was a Democrat in politics, and in religion a member of the Baptist Church. After his death Mrs. Gans was married to Joseph Baker, and by him had four children, viz. : Michael, George, Jo- siah and Caroline. To the union of Andrew and Susannah (Gans) Hertzog were born the following children: John J., Hannah (deceased), G. G., Sarah (wife of William Mallory), Andrew, Amanda (married to George Lyons), O. G. (a minister of the Disciple Church, now acting as financial agent for Hiram College, Ohio), Susanna (wife of Cyrus Pyle), Caroline (married to George D. Bowers), Mary (wife of Elza Warman) and Lizzie (wife of J. D. West). Politically Mr. Hertzog was a Whig and Republican, serving for years as justice of the peace, and in religion was a member of the Baptist Church at Mt. Zion.

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Prof. G. G. Hertzog was born September 22, 1837, in Fayette county, Penn., and from earliest boyhood developed strong intellectual capacity. After attending the common schools, he remained some time at the academy at George's Creek; then took a thorough course of instruction at the South- western State Normal School, at California. On December 25, 1862, he was married to Emily C., daughter of John G. Hertig, and she has borne him four children, viz. : Lucy S. and Walter S. (who both graduated at the Southwestern State Normal School, the latter in 1891, and is now a teacher), Russell T., deceased, and Carl S. Lucy S. after graduation took a medical course at the Homo- opathic College, of Cleveland, Ohio, and since re- ceiving her diploma has been employed as princi- pal of the Women's and Children's Dispensary at Cleveland, Ohio.

Prof. Hertzog was first connected with the South- western State Normal School in 1866, since when he has been an instructor in the higher branches, and is now professor of mathematics and book- keeping. His energetic personality is felt and appreciated in every department of the school, to which he has devoted many years of his life with eminent success, as is fully evinced by the phe- nomenal progress the institution has made. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and in religion an earnest worker in the Christian Church, in which he has been an elder for over twenty years, and in the Sunday-school, of which he has been superintendent for many years.

ODOWICK McCARRELL is prominent among the leading attorneys of the borough of Washington, and a lineal descendant of Lodowick McCarrell, a native of Ireland, who came to America and to Washington county in 1780. At Ten Mile and Hickory, in Mt. Pleasant township, he took up a large quantity of land, a great part of which he cleared and im- proved, and here for years he followed agricultural pursuits. He died in 1851, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, bearing to the last the im- press of the stalwart race from which he sprung.

Here he married Martha, daughter of John Lemon, who, together with Andrew Eagleson, was the first settler in Canton township, where he died. He had several daughters, all now deceased, our subject's grandmother being the first to pass away, dying before her husband. The grandpar- ents of Lodowick, Jr., had a family of seven children, of whom the following is a fragmentary record: John died in Lawrence county, Penn .; Thomas is spoken of more fully further on; James died in Beaver county, same State; Andrew died in Mount Pleasant township, on the old homestead;

Leman died in Buffalo township, this county, when middle aged; Isabelle (deceased) was the wife of Isaac Hodgens, of Buffalo township; Eliza- beth (deceased) was the wife of John Cockins, of Mt. Pleasant township. The father of this family was an elder in the Seceder Church.

Thomas McCarrell, father of Lodowick, Jr., was born in Virginia in 1801. He was thrice mar- ried-first, to Miss Esther McNary, of Washington county, who died in 1831, leaving four children, as follows: Martha, who died in January, 1893, at Hickory, this county: Margaret, wife of Joseph Cowden, in Cecil township, near Venice; Dr. John McCarrell, who died in January, 1891, in Wells- ville, Ohio, and Dr. James McCarrell, a resident of Allegheny, Penn. For his second wife Thomas McCarrell married Elizabeth McConnaughy, of Washington county, a daughter of David McCon- naughy, a farmer, who had come from the North of Ireland to this county prior to the beginning of this century; he and his wife and children are now all dead. Mr. and Mrs. McCarrell, after mar- riage, settled on the old farm in Mt. Pleasant township, where were born to them the following named children: David M., a physician in Hick- ory, this county; Leman, farming on the home- stead in Mt. Pleasant township; Alexander D., a United Presbyterian minister at Stewart's Sta- tion, Westmoreland Co., Penn., and Lodowick, the subject of these lines. The mother died in 1859, at the age of fifty-nine years, and the father, in 1863, married Margaret Martin, who died in 1890. The father died in 1872, a member of the Seceder Church. Politically, he was a Democrat, and filled various county and township offices of trust. He was elected county commissioner in 1853, was associate judge for a term of five years, and was justice of the peace in Mt. Pleasant town- ship seven terms.

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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 41

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