Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 46

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 46

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Magdalene settled in Vincent township, Chester county, previous to the Revolutionary war. Felix, when an old man, was found dead in shallow water, in Birch run, near his home. He was a blacksmith. Henry was a saddler and George a miller and millwright.

Henry Christman, the saddler, was born in Montgomery county, Penn., December 25, 1744, and settled in Vincent township, Chester county, as above stated, where he became the owner of a large tract of land, situated on French creek. Here he lived during the Revolutionary war, and it is handed down as a tradition that he did con- siderable hauling for the patriots at that time. It is also said that his fine, heavy draught horses were sometimes hidden in the thick bushes along the creek to prevent them from being seized by the British, who ranged through that neighbor- hood while Washington was at Valley Forge. On one occasion he traded a barrel of whisky, being a distiller, and a set of heavy wagon harness for forty acres of land, which afterward became valu- able. He died September 16, 1823, and is buried in the family burial plot at Zion's church, in East Pikeland, Chester county. He married Susanna Keeley, who was born February 25, 1750. She died September 19, 1823, only three days after the decease of her husband, and is buried by his side. This couple had three sons-Henry, Jacob and George; and six daughters who grew to woman- hood-Madeline, married to John Young; Cath- erine, married to John Miller; Margaret, married to Isaac Hause; Elizabeth, married to Peter Yea- ger; Mary, married to Jacob Finkbiner and Fred- erick Yost; and Susanna, married to Frederick Oyer.

George, the younger of the brothers, married Elizabeth Brownback, and lived on the old home- stead on French creek until his death. He was born May 9, 1793, and died January 17, 1866. His wife was born January 5, 1793, and died March 19, 1870, of gangrene after having a foot amputated. The old homestead with its many acres is still in possession of the family.

Jacob, the next older brother, was born May 5, 1788, and died March 2, 1871. He married Mar- garet Evans, who was born December 13, 1791, and died. April 1, 1862. They lived on a farm of about 300 acres adjoining the old homestead. They had four children: Elizabeth, married to Jesse Brownback; Susanna; Jacob, married to Miss Hannah Worman, and Henry E., married to Miss Martha Christman. The last named retain the farm owned by the father.

Henry Christman, the eldest of these brothers, was born March 14, 1779, and died August 12, 1864. On February 26, 1806, he married Elenor Root, daughter of Sebastian Root. She was born

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April 10, 1787, and died August 19, 1854, while on a visit to her daughter, Margaret Buckwalter, at Parker's Ford, in Chester county. They lived on a large farm adjoining the old Christman home- stead as well as that of the brother Jacob. These brothers were all stout, able-bodied men, of good height and build. They were successful farmers and distillers, and in their early days sold many a barrel and tierce of first-quality apple whisky in the Philadelphia market. Henry was also the owner of an oil mill, which, about the year 1835 he converted into a flour mill. This with the farm he retained until his death. He was commissioned lieutenant colonel in the First Brigade in the militia of Delaware and Chester counties. by Gov. Simon Snyder, and served a tour of duty in the war of 1812-14 with Great Britain. To this couple was born a large family: George, February 10, 1807; Sarah, February 14, 1809; Susanna, March 24, 1811; Henry, August 13, 1813; Cath- arine, September 22, 1816; Eliza, October 1, 1818; Elenor, April 10, 1821; Maria, February 10, 1823; and Margaret, November 10, 1824. Of these Sarah and Eliza died in childhood; Margaret mar- ried Isaac Buckwalter, and died January 16, 1885, leaving two daughters; Catharine married Isaac Shantz, and died July 28, 1866, leaving two chil- dren, a son and daughter; Susanna married Mi- chael March, and died April 19, 1891, leaving to sur- vive her two sons, Franklin and Jefferson, and two daughters, Mrs. Ellen Brownback and Mrs. Emma Miller; Maria married Abraham Penny- packer (she survives her husband and has four sons living); Elenor resides with this sister; Henry died suddenly July 24, 1865, and was un- married.

George, the first born of Henry and Elenor Christman, spent his childhood under his father's roof. At the age of twenty-one, December 23, 1827, he married Miss Sarah Beerbower, and con- tinued in the service of his father as farmer and teamster until 1835, when he moved to the Seven Stars tavern on the Ridge road, in East Vincent township, less than a mile from where he was born. The farm connected with the tavern was worn out and nearly fenceless. He worked hard, and soon had things greatly improved in appear- ance, building an addition to the house. In the fall of 1843, after a prolonged illness, he died of fever, in his thirty-seventh year. He was a tall, angular man with dark hair and eyes. His widow subsequently married Henry Huzzard, and died April 27, 1863, in the fifty-sixth year of her age.

All the earlier Christmans were Lutherans, and. their names are found in the church records of that denomination in Chester and Montgomery counties.

A NDREW SCOTT RITCHIE. The family of which this gentleman was a worthy rep- resentative claim their descent from Scot- tish ancestry; Andrew Ritchie, grandfather of Andrew S., was a Revolutionary soldier, and at the close of war came to Cross Creek town- ship, settling on a wild tract of land on Muller's run. In 1796 he purchased from Ephraim Hart the farm still owned by the Ritchie family, situ- ated about a mile from Cross Creek village. His wife died in 1834, aged seventy-nine years, and himself at the advanced age of eighty-five, four years later.

James Ritchie, his son, was born in 1789, and received his education at the subscription schools of the neighborhood. In 1826 or 1827 he married Matilda, daughter of Robert Bowland, a member of an old Washington county family. James Ritchie was a man six feet three inches in height and almost perfect in physique. In politics he was an Old-line Democrat, and a substantial sup- porter of the Presbyterian Church under the guid- ance of Dr. Jobn Stockton. They had two chil- dren: Andrew S., and a daughter who died in in- fancy. He died in 1834, aged forty-five, from cholera contracted at Pittsburgh, Penn. His widow married James Thompson, by which union she had one child-R. B. Thompson-a prominent citizen of West Middletown.

Andrew S. Ritchie was born, December 10, 1828, and reared at West Middletown. When he had completed his rudimentary education in the schools of his district, he entered the Florence Academy and then Washington College, where he graduated in 1849, dividing first honor with three others. He commenced the study of law under T. M. T. McKennan and after his death continued study with Hon. William McKennan, being admitted to the bar in 1852. He never practiced his profession, however, and spent the next few years in teaching. In 1865 he accepted the position of paying teller in the First National Bank of Washington, Penn., which position he filled until 1890, when he was compelled to resign on account of failing health. During the twenty-five years of his connection with the bank he performed his duties ably and faithfully, so that he enjoyed the entire confidence of the board of directors and the community in which he lived. For many years he was a very active member of the board of trustees in the Washington Female Seminary and also of Wash- ington and Jefferson College. On September 10, 1851, Mr. Ritchie married Jane, daughter of James McFadden, of West Middletown. and they had four children, viz. : James McFadden, resid- ing at Sewickley, Penn. (auditor for the H. C. Frick Coke Co., married to Nannie Doyle in 1884. They have one child, Charles Lothrope); Charles

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Stewart (assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Washington); Annie C. (the wife of Mr. Owen Murphy, a prominent operator in the Wash- ington and Sistersville oil fields), and William Bowland (paying teller of the First National Bank). Mr. Andrew S. Ritchie was a Whig, but later a Republican, and his sons are all Republicans. He died, December 10, 1892, of paralysis, from which disease he had been suffering for two years. He was a member of the First M. E. Church, was loved by a wide circle of friends and relatives, and was respected by all who knew him.

AMES JOHNSON VAN EMAN. Among the leading representative families of Wash- ington county none are more worthy of spe- cial mention in this volume than the one of which the gentlemen, whose name opens this sketch, is an honored member.

James J. Van Eman is a son of Samuel Logan and Martha (McConnell) Van Eman, both natives of Washington county, Penn. The paternal great- great-grandfather, Nicholas Van Eman, who was a Hollander, was married to Mary Wilson, and their children were George, Nicholas, Andrew, Garrett, Katie, Polly, Susan and Hannah. Of these, George was born September 12, 1753, in Holland, whence he emigrated to America, finally making a new home in Washington county, Penn., as one of the pioneers of North Strabane township, the place of his settlement being a farm near Clokeyville, now owned by Joseph Clokey. He married Rebecca Scott, and they had children as follows: Nicholas, George (a minister), Scott, Jane, Andrew, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Joseph, Garrett, William, Sarah, Abra- ham and Hannah. The father of this family re- moved to Stark county, Ohio, in 1810.

Joseph Van Eman, son of George and Rebecca (Scott) Van Eman, was born December 12, 1790, in North Strabane township, this county. When he reached maturity he left the paternal roof and located on a farm (now owned by Thomas Slater) in Cecil township, same county, which he after- ward sold, and then, in 1818, bought one near where is now Van Eman station on Chartiers Railroad, in the same township, and here passed the remainder of his days. On February 28, 1811, he married Miss Isabel Logan, and the chil- dren born to them were Rebecca (married to John Jolinson), James (deceased in infancy), Samuel L. (father of our subject), Joseph (married to Sarah Lee), Mary (married to Samuel Alexander), George (a minister, married to a Miss Bowers), Cyrus (who died when young), Margaret (married to Israel Be- bout), Logan (who married Jane Vance) and Sarah (wife of Samuel Bebout). The mother of this fam- ily was called from earth May 21, 1870, the father in 1875. They were members of the Centre Pres-

byterian Church in Peters township, in which for forty years he was a ruling elder. He was a man of superior mind, and of more than ordinary intel- ligence and executive ability. He was a director of the poor of Washington county, executor and trustee for many estates, and enjoyed the fullest confidence and highest respect of the community at large.

Samuel Logan Van Eman, son of Joseph and Isabel (Logan) Van Eman, was born July 20, 1816, on his father's farm in Cecil township, this county. On September 28, 1847, he married Martha McConnell, also a native of Cecil township, born in 1826 to James and Sarah (Phillips) Mc- Connell, both natives of Washington county, the former of whom was a son of Alexander McCon- nell, who emigrated with his father from Scotland or the North of Ireland to Cecil township, this county, where both patented land; and the farm which Alexander secured has never been out of the family, being now in the possession of his great- grandson, John P. McConnell. To Samuel L. and Martha (McConnell) Van Eman were born children as follows: James J. (our subject); Belle M., born in 1850, married to John N. Brown, son of Rev. A. B. Brown, D. D., at one time president of Jeffer- son College; Sadie E. (unmarried), and Joseph Scott (deceased in infancy). The father of this family died October 11, 1891, the mother is still living. They were members or the Centre Presby- terian Church, Peters township, in which he served as a ruling elder for thirty-five years; upright and honorable in all his dealings, and, like his father, executor and trustee for several estates, he was re- spected and esteemed far and wide.

James Johnson Van Eman was born August 31, 1848, on the old homestead in North Strabane township, this county (near Van Eman station), and received his education at the common schools of his district and at an academy at Elder's Ridge, Indiana Co., Penn., completing his literary train- ing with a course of study at Washington and Jef- ferson College. On leaving the latter institution he took up and continued work on his father's farm-chiefly buying and selling stock-till his marriage, February 9, 1871, with Miss Maggie Espy, when he opened a store in Thompsonville, Peters township. This he carried on six years, at the end of which time, finding his health becoming impaired, he returned to the farm. Five years later he went to Pittsburgh, where for two years he had a store for the sale of agricultural implements, on leaving which he came to Canonsburg and established his present hardware store, tin and steel roofing establishment, now one of the most extensive businesses in this part of the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Eman have been born six children, viz. : M. Etta, Samuel Logan, M. Maude, Nellie, John Espy and James Jay. Mrs. Van-

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Eman was born in Upper St. Clair township, Allegheny Co., Penn., a daughter of John (a farm- er) and Margaret (Smith) Espy, both descended of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Van Eman stands high among the leading business men of Washington county, and enjoys the esteem and respect of all who know him. He and his wife are members of the Central Presbyterian Church, of which he is a deacon. Mr. Van Eman is mayor of Canonsburg. In politics he is a Republican.

EORGE O. JONES is descended from a hardy and long-lived English family. His paternal ancestor, Charles E. Jones, the son of an English army officer, was born near Leeds, England, in 1799. He served an ap- prenticeship at the carpenter's trade, and by hard work and frugal living saved enough to bring him to America, where he came in 1827. Before leaving he married Susan Judson, who had a brother, Robert Judson, living near Washington, Penn. Here Mr. Jones came, and liking the new country immediately sent for his wife and children to fol-" low him. He purchased a lot and built his home on North Main street, where the Jones homestead, in a more modern form, is now located.

Charles E. and Susan Jones were the parents of ten children, two of whom died in infancy ; William died in 1853; Sarah died in 1862; Susan died in in 1864, just six weeks after her marriage with William McClain; Mary married William Work- man and resides at Washington; Jane, the widow of the late William H. Taylor, also lives at Wash- ington; James J. became a Methodist minister, but death cut short that which promised to be a brill- iant career (he died at Denver, Colo., in 1875, where he had gone in search of health); Sylvester F. also became a Methodist minister, and is at present pastor of Emmanuel Methodist Episcopal Church at Evanston, Ill. Mrs. Jones died in 1871, at the age of seventy-one; her husband survived her until 1883, when his long life of eighty-four years was brought to a close.

George O. Jones, the youngest of the family, was born November 19, 1845, attended the Wash- ington public schools, and entered Washington College as a student; but the Civil war called him away from his studies, and on February 26, 1864, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundredth P. V. I. On the second day of the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, while making his way to the front, he was struck in the head by a minie-ball and fell unconscious to the ground. He was carried off the field for dead, his knapsack emptied of rations by W. H. Underwood, who thought George would have no further use for such things; but as a grave was being prepared, signs of life were discovered in him by Dr. Wishart, a surgeon of the One Hundred

and Fortieth Regiment, and instead of being con- signed to the ground he was ordered to a hospital. As a memento of this incident, Mr. Jones still carries in his pocket a piece of skull bone, about the size of a dime, which was extracted from the wound. After recovery, he returned to his company and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out of service on July 24, 1865.

In January, 1866, he resumed his studies at Washington and Jefferson College and graduated from that institution in 1869. After graduating, he entered the law office of John L. Gow, Jr., as a law student, aud was admitted to the bar of this county in August, 1871. In March, 1873, he was com- missioned a notary public, which office he has held ever since. At present he has the honor of being the oldest notary public, in time of service, in the county. On May 1, 1872, he married Miss Emma Kidd, daughter of William and Eliza Kidd. As a result of this union, three children have been born, William K., Susan J. and Alice E., all of whom are living. He is a member and past commander of Post No. 120, G. A. R., Department of Pennsyl- vania. He and his family are members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Washington. He is also a trustee of this church.

YOEL TRUESDELL, of West Alexander, was born October 17, 1822, in Claysville, Wash- ington Co., Penn., where the most of his boyhood was passed. The Truesdells are of English origin, and in their native country were generally engaged in merchandising. They emigrated to Connecticut in the early part of the eighteenth century. James Truesdell, the great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a na- tive of Connecticut. He enlisted in the war of the Revolution, and died in the service. He had three sons, Samuel, James and Joel, of whom Joel was born in Connecticut in 1769, and was twice mar- ried, his first wife being Mehetable Bradley, by whom he had five children, viz .: Clarissa, who be- came the wife of Seth Gaylord, of New Haven, Conn .; Mabel, who became the wife of Ransom Brockett, of Bristol, Conn .; and Josiah, Calvin and Abel. At the age of seventy-five years Joel Truesdell married, for his second wife, a most es- timable lady, Mrs. Sarah Plumb, who lived to be nearly one hundred years of age. Politically, he was a Democrat, was for many years a justice of the peace, and for several years a leading member of the Connecticut Legislature. He was one of the original stockholders and directors in the bank of Waterbury, Conn. While agricultural pursuits were his chief life vocation, he also engaged in a number of other lines of business, and was always regarded as a valuable counselor, and altogether a very enterprising man, much respected for his

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excellence of character, gentleness and kindness of disposition. and politeness of manner. He died in the year 1856, having been a lifelong member of the Baptist Church.

Josiah Truesdell, the eldest son of the above, was born July 28, 1790, in Bristol, Conn .. where he had the advantages of a superior education. In 1820 he came to Washington county, Penn., and after a year's residence there he returned to his native State, and on August 21, 1821, was married to Mary, daughter of Daniel Tuttle, a member of one of the oldest of Connecticut families. The children of this union were: Joel, Luther C. (a resident of Claysville), and Sarah M., the wife of T. C. Noble.

Daniel Tuttle, the father of Mary Tuttle, was born near New Haven, Conn., and was a son of Samuel Tuttle, a direct descendant of William Tuttle, and Elizabeth, his wife, who sailed from Wales in the ship " Planter," and after a voyage of ten weeks landed in Boston, July 1, 1635. William Tuttle was one of the founders and original proprietors of the city of New Haven, and owned the present site of Yale College. His descendants were lead- ing factors in establishing and building up the college at New Haven, and include many of the best known names and families of New England, amongst them being the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Ed- wards, the theologian and president of Princeton College; Rev. Dr. Timothy Dwight, president of Yale College. Seth Thomas, who became so widely known by his extensive clock manufactories, was reared in Mrs. Truesdell's father's family, his wife being her full cousin. Mrs. Truesdell died January 30, 1876.

In the year 1821 Mr. Truesdell located in Clays- ville, and entered into partnership with his brother Calvin. At the end of eight years the partnership was dissolved, and Calvin removed to Wheeling, W. Va., where he engaged in the wholesale dry- goods business at the corner of Twelfth and Main streets, Josiah being a partner in the same busi- ness. About the year 1834, Calvin removed to Licking county, Ohio, where he engaged in agri cultural pursuits. He was a delegate to the con- vention which nominated William Henry Harrison for the Presidency in 1836. In 1838 he went to Lake county, Ill., where he resided until the time of his death, which occurred in the spring of 1887, when he was in his ninety-second year. His son, Morgan, was a leading citizen of Lake county, Ill., having held the offices of recorder of deeds and mortgages, and also clerk of the courts. His grandson, Gaylord Sankston Truesdell, is a well- known American artist abroad, having resided for the past five years in Paris. He recently contrib- uted a picture to the Corcoran Art Gallery at Washington, D. C., which has elicited a great deal of admiration. Josiah Truesdell and his wife were

ardent Presbyterians, and the present house of worship, which was erected in the year 1830, and which has been used by the Presbyterian congrega- tion at Claysville for the past sixty-two years, was erected mainly through the combined efforts of Mr. Truesdell and Rev. Thomas Hoge, the first pastor of that congregation, and who. during his ministry at Claysville, was a resident of Washington; Mr. Hoge agreeing to furnish one-third of the funds necessary to erect the building, on condition that Mr. Truesdell furnish the two-thirds-a proposi- tion which was fulfilled on the part of both, each giving liberally of his own means. While they lived there was the warmest friendship existing between Mr. Hoge and Mr. Truesdell.

Mr. Truesdell was an enthusiastic admirer of John Quincy Adams, and gave one of the only two votes that were cast for him in Donegal township on the occasion of his candidacy for the Presidency. He was an enterprising man, ever having the in- terests of his borough, township and county at heart. In school matters he was very aggressive as a champion for a better and more advanced system of education. He died November 3, 1830, from injuries sustained by jumping from a stage coach while descending the hill, just immediately west of West Alexander on the National pike, near the West Virginia line. He was thus early cut off in the prime and usefulness of his life, and no one, perhaps, who lias been a resident of that section, died more deeply lamented.

Joel Truesdell, the subject proper of this mem- oir, received his education partly in the schools of his native place. and partly in the select schools of Wheeling, taught at the time by Mr. Ezekiel Hildreth, father of the late Eugene Hildreth, M. D., and Prof. George B. Gow, a relative of the Hon. John L. Gow, late of Washington, Penn. In 1838 he entered the employ of Wilson & Humes, in Claysville, for whom he worked eight years, when he removed to West Alexander, and con- tinued in the employ of Mr. George Wilson, senior member of the above mentioned firm, until 1852, in which year he embarked in business on his own account in that place. This venture proved a decided success under his superior energy and management, and he not only conducted a general store with an endless variety of stock, but also dealt largely in wool. In 1870 he retired from active business and has since been engaged in various other enterprises. On June 30, 1852, Mr. Truesdell was married to Elizabeth M .. daughter of John Valentine, and two children, Mary E. and John V., were born to them, the latter dying in infancy. The mother died in 1862, and in 1864 our subject was wedded to Catherine, daughter of Isaac Mayes, of West Alexander, and one son, Charles L., who died at the age of five years, came to bless this union.

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In politics Mr. Truesdell was originally a Whig, and since the organization of the party he has been a Republican. He has represented his party in county and State conventions, has served his township in all its various offices, and has held nearly all the positions of trust in the borough of West Alexander. He was elected auditor of the county in 1876, the board of auditors being com- posed at that time of himself and Joseph Linton, who served with great satisfaction to their con- stituents. His party would have been glad at vari- ous times to have recognized his high qualities for some of the best offices in the gift of the county, but politics not being in harmony with his tastes, he always declined such proffered honors. For many years he has been prominently connected with the Presbyterian Church at West Alexander, in which he is an elder, and he has contributed large- ly to its growth and prosperity. He was for many years superintendent of the Sabbath-school, at all times taking a lively interest in its success. We may say that no one merits the esteem of the com- inunity where he has so long resided, or has the confidence of the people of the county, to whom he is generally known, more than the subject of this sketch .. Mr. Truesdell is a man of generous in- stincts, takes a deep interest in his relatives and friends, and during his life has taken a great deal of pleasure out of making frequent visits to the old New England homes of his father and mother.

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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 46

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