USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 114
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 114
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 114
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 114
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John Litzenberg, father of Mrs. Snyder, was a merchant by occupation, and was very success- ful in his business affairs. He died about 1853. his widow on January 11, 1873. at the age of seventy-nine. They had three children: Hora-
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tio G. (now deceased); Elizabeth, wife of James D. McClellan, a member of the Order of the Cin- cinnati, and a prominent hotel man of Philadel- phia, now eighty years of age; and Mrs. Snyder. The parents were members of the Baptist Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Snyder had ten children, five of whom died in childhood, and a brief record of the others is as follows: (1) Hor- atio L. is a prominent citizen of Houtzdale. He bore an honorable part in the Civil war, enlist- ing as a lad of eighteen in his father's company. He left the academy for the battle-field, and so conducted himself that his country honored him with two commissions -- that of second and first lieutenants. For twenty-five years Mr. Snyder has been in the employ of the Berwin-White Coal Mining Co., the largest bituminous coal company in this country. Mr. Snyder's wife was formerly Miss Annie E. Knox. (2) Mary A. is the wife of E. C. Brenner, a Pullman pal- ace car conductor. (3) Lucy S. is the wife of John C. Hicklen, of Philipsburg. (4) Annie E. is the wife of Lewis M. Garrett, a hardware merchant. (5) T. Lansing, a sketch of whom follows:
T. Lansing Snyder was born December 10, 1860, and consequently was two years old at the time of his father's death, and has always resided with his widowed mother. He acquired his edu- cation in part at the common schools, and in part at the State Soldiers' Orphan School in Philadelphia. He was married June 28, 1893, to Cora May Ealy, of Shellsburg, Bedford Co., Penn., born December 25, 1867. Her parents were John C., Jr., and Mary E. (Walker) Ealy, the latter of whom was a daughter of Hon. George G. Walker, of Somerset county. John C. Ealy, Jr., who was a son of John C. Ealy, Sr., a prominent physician of Bedford county, Penn., served through the Civil war as orderly sergeant, and at one time was a sharpshooter in the 55th P. V. I. He engaged in the hardware business, and was a progressive merchant. Mr. and Mrs. T. Lansing Snyder have one son, Stanley Glascoe, born January 26, 1895. Mrs. Snyder is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Snyder is a stanch Republican in politics, but has steadily refused office, giving his atten- tion to his mother's business, having charge of the interests of the Snyder estate, which occu- pies his entire attention. During the session of the Pennsylvania Legislature of 1897, he served as sergeant-at-arms, having received the ap- pointment through Hon. Frank G. Harris, of Clearfield.
Mrs. Martha E. Snyder owns two large
tracts of land underlaid with coal, and has leased the same to the Bloomington Coal Co., receiving a royalty on the output. The company first came in 1884, afterward brought with them a colony of Swedes to operate the mines. Since that time many of the employees have purchased small tracts of land of Mrs. Snyder, and have secured good homes of their own. They have named their town Lansing in honor of Mrs. Sny- der's son, and to another small village they have given the name of Horatioson. Mrs. Snyder do- nated the ground for public uses, and they now have a Swedish Free Church and a Lutheran Church. She is a lady whose many excellencies of character have endeared her to all, possessing as she does excellent business and good execu- tive ability, as well as those womanly qualities which make her home so noted for its hospitality.
P HILIP McGEE was called to the world be- yond April 29, 1888, after a life of industry, and rich in those rare possessions which only a high character can give. For many years he la- bored with all the strength of a great nature, and all the earnestness of a true heart, for the better- ing of the world about him; and when he was called to the rest and reward of the higher world his best monument was found in the love and re- spect of the community in which he lived for so inany years.
The McGee family has been long identified with the history of Centre and Clearfield coun- ties. John McGee, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was a native of Ireland and of Scotch de- scent. After the inauguration of the American Revolution, he and a brother started for the New World with the intention of joining the Colonial forces, but with the other young men on board the vessel they were captured by the British. On landing at one of the New England ports, the brother managed to escape, but John was taken into the British army, and they were thus sep- arated for some. Subsequently, in battle. the Americans were victorious, and among the Brit- ish that were captured was John McGee The brothers then remained together during the en- tire seven years of their service in the Continental army, and for meritorious conduct and bravery John was promoted to the rank of colonel. After the close of the war they located in Pennsylva- nia, aidig in its development and progress until the war of 1812, when they again entered the service, but hostihties ceased while they were on their way to the front. After several removals, John McGee finally located near Curtin's Fur- nace, in Centre county, where he reared his faum
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ily of six children: John, Thomas, James, Mary, Elizabeth and Margaret. The brothers finally became separated, and nothing further is known of the other.
James McGee, Sr., the father of our subject, was born in Centre county, about 1790, and in early life served an apprenticeship to the black- smith's trade. He married Miss Mary, daughter of Jacob Barnhart, an honored pioneer of Bald Eagle Valley, Centre county, who also served for seven years in the Revolutionary war, and was one of the most distinguished and influential cit- izens of his community, filling many important public positions. In the Barnhart family were the following children: Henry; Jacob; John; Mary, the mother of our subject; Mrs. Sophia Johnson; Mrs. Catherine Neff; Mrs. Ann Ross; Mrs. Julia Curtin, who married a brother of Gov. Curtin; and Mrs. Clarissa Dopp.
To James McGee, Sr., and wife were born eight children, namely: John; Thomas; Philip, of this sketch; Mrs. Elizabeth A. Mitchell; Mary, wife of R. Mahaffey; Margaret G., wife of J. Weaver; James and Henry. All are now de- ceased with the exception of John, a resident of Kansas; and Mrs. Weaver, who still lives on her farm in Burnside township, Clearfield county. All were married and reared families, and took a prominent and active part in the growth and development of this region.
exhort and, later, to preach. By his blameless, upright life, he set a splendid example for his children, and gained the confidence and respect of all who knew him. His faithful wife died in 1872, at the ripe old age of eighty years.
Mr. McGee, whose name introduces this re- view, was born in Centre county, June 18, 1818. at Bellefonte, and in 1826 was brought by his parents to Clearfield county. where he early be- came familiar with lumbering. farming and mer- chandising under the able direction of his father. On going to a home of his own, he located at the mills, and after his father's death he and two brothers, John and Thomas, assumed the man- agement of the business inaugurated by the father, conducting the grist and sawmills and also the general store. Some years later John sold out to his brothers and moved to Kansas, and later Philip sold his interest to Thomas, who continued the business up to the time of his death, and the property still belongs to his estate. In 1870, after disposing of his interest in the busi- ness, our subject purchased a farm, on which he spent his remaining days, engaged in lumbering and agricultural pursuits. Reared by Christian parents, he became one of the most upright and honorable of men, loved and respected by all with whom he came in contact. Truly such a life is worth the living, and such lives deserve permanent record on the pages of their country's history, that others, seeing their good works. may follow in their footsteps.
In 1826 James McGee brought his family to Clearfield county, locating at what is now known as McGee's Mills, in Bell township, which at On attaining to man's estate, Mr. McGee was united in marriage with Miss Ennis, and to them were born three children: Rebecca. now the wife of T. Lee: Mary C., wife of M. Tate; and James, a prominent business man of Idaho. Be- ing provided with an excellent education, the son is well fitted for the responsible positions which he now fills as land agent in the State of Washing- ton, and as a member of an irrigating company He is also interested in other important business concerns. He is a recognized leader in the Democratic party, has served as chairman of the State Central Committee, and is a very effective speaker in his party's interests. that time was an unbroken wilderness. He se- cured a large tract of land on and near the west branch of the Susquehanna river, where he' at once commenced to improve a farm, and also erected the first gristmill in this section of the county. Later he built and operated a sawmill, engaging extensively in the manufacture of lum- ber, and he took the first raft of lumber down the river to market. Both mills are still in ope- ration, but have been equipped with modern im- proved machinery. In company with Gov. Big- ler, Mr. McGee engaged in general merchandis- ing, and was instrumental in securing the post office, known as Chest post office, serving as After the death of his first wife, Mr. McGee was again married. November 12. 1857. his sec- ond union being with Miss Martha Mckague, a lady of intelligence and worth, who was born m New Jersey, April 15, 1829. and is a daughter of Cornelius and Jane (Ferguson) MeKague, natives of Ireland, where their marriage was celebrated On emigrating to America they first located in New Jersey, but about isto removed to Lock Haven, Penn., where the father engaged in hun- its postmaster from its establishment in 1830 until his death in 1854. He was a Democrat in politics, but was allowed to retain the position through all administrations. His friends often solicited him to become a candidate for office, but he usually refused. Finally he was nomi- nated for assemblyman, but was defeated by a sinall majority. He was an active and influen- tial member of the Methodist Protestant Church. to which his wife also belonged, was licensed to | bering, and to some extent in farming, and also
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built canal boats. He spent his last years with his children, both he and his wife dying at the home of Mrs. McGee. They affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. In their family were nine children, of whom two were born in Ireland. They are as follows: Mrs. Mary J. Dice; Thomas; William, deceased; Robert; John; Mrs. Eliza A. Poorman; Martha; Joseph; and Rebecca, wife of J. E. Shafer. To Mr. and Mrs. McGee were born four children: Jennie E., now the wife of T. Campbell; Philip; Robert, agent for the Penn- sylvania railroad at Lajose; and William, who is on the old homestead farm with his mother. She is a most estimable lady, a consistent mem- ber of the Methodist Protestant Church, to which her husband also belonged, but her daughter Jennie holds membership in the Methodist Epis- copal Church. William McGee, the last named. was married April 15, 1897, to Bertha Long, of Howard, Centre Co., Penn .. daughter of J. Z. Long and Catherine (Mahaffey) Long. The fol- lowing tribute to the late Philip McGee is taken from a local paper:
During his last sickness his neighbors for miles around called to see him, and many of them, as they stood by his bedside, told him that to his kind, Christian admonition spoken in the daily walks of life were they indebted for the grace God had shown through repentance. In worldly goods he was poor, but who can say aught but that he was rich in spiritual, and that his reward is a thousand fold greater than he who counts his worldly gold by the million. " Uncle" Philip McGee died triumphant in a Saviour's grace and mercy, and the memory of his good deeds will linger long in the hearts of his neighbors and friends. The funeral took place from Mt. Zion Church, in Bell township, on Mon lay afternoon, and was one of the largest ever held in Clearfield county, over five hundred people being in attendance, and as the concourse of people passed by the remains to take a last look on him whom they loved strong men wept tears of sorrow. The pastor in charge, Rev. DeVoe, Revs. Still- wagon, Fish and Wharton conducted the obsequies.
J TOHN R. KEEL. America will never forget the brave men who maintained the unity of the Republic through the dark days of the Re- bellion, and every true patriot does involuntary homage to those whose devoted service brought upon them lasting pain and disability.
The subject of this sketch, now a well-known and highly respected resident of Jefferson Line, Clearfield county, enlisted on August 21, 1862. in Company A, Oist P. V. I., and took part in many of the most important engagements of the war, including the battles of Fredericksburg. Gettysburg, North Anna, the Wilderness, Spott- sylvania, Cold Harbor, in front of Richmond, Petersburg, Weldon R. R., and the final decisive conflict at Richmond. In these fierce struggles he served gallantly, as did he in many minor en- gagements, but unfortunately in the last he re-
ceived a wound in the leg which made him a cripple for life. His subsequent career shows that success is not conditioned upon physical strength alone, as despite his handicap in the race he has won an enviable place in local affairs and in business circles.
Mr. Keel is of German descent, Jonathan Keel, his grandfather, having crossed the Atlantic to settle at Hanna's town in Westmoreland coun- ty, Penn., and there was occupied as a shoe- maker. Jacob Keel, our subject's father, was born and reared in that county. Early in life. in 1836, he moved to Indiana county, Penn., where he was married to Elizabeth Dewalt, and located upon a tract of timbered land which he cleared for a homestead. Nine children were born to this marriage, four of whom are now liv- ing; the children are as follows: (1) Anna Maria died at the age of four years. (2) Susanna mar- ried David - -, of Indiana, Penn. (3) Neal (deceased) left four children. (4 Elizabeth mar- ried David Pearce, resides in Indiana county. Penn., and has two children. (5) Henry, a res- ident of the State of Illinois, has two children (6) Catharine, who married Evan Lewis, formerly of Indiana county, is deceased, leaving a family. (7) Margaret married Isaac Bowers, late of Jei- ferson county, now deceased. left a family. (8) Peter married a Miss Lukehart, and they have a family of children, residing in Indiana county (9) Rebecca married John Lukehart, of Indiana county. She died leaving children.
John R. Keel was born February 20, 1839. in Indiana county, and grew to manhood there. engaging in lumbering and farming for some time previous to his military service. At the close of the war he returned to his early home and continued the same business until iste. when he moved to Jefferson county to engage in contracting and building. His able discharge of all undertakings speedily won him a large bus- ness, and he has ever since followed that hne of work successfully. In 1876 he settled at Jeffer son Line, Clearfield county, where he has a pleas- ant home.
Mr. Keel and his wife, who was formerly Miss Sarah J. Chambers, born April 17, 1843. have had twelve children, of whom ten are living. The children are as follows: (1) Jacob C. married Annie Delarm, has four children. The fanals reside at Jefferson Line. (2) Clara married Will. iam H. Lyons, and they are resulents of Jeffer- son Line, owning a farm there. (3) Angerett. married F. M. Shaffer, and has two children They reside near DuBois, in Sandy township, GIF Elizabeth Jane married Edwin Liddle, and resides in Sandy township. They have four children.
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(5) Verda May married James Zartman; they have two children, and reside on his father's farm in Clearfield county. (6) Harry C., (7) J. Clar- ence, (8) Garfield, (9) Irvin, (10) Gertrude. The children deceased are: Charles P. and Ina Belle. Those living all reside within five miles of the old homestead.
Wherever Mr. Keel has resided his influence has been felt in local affairs on the side of prog- ress, and for some years (back in the eighties) he held the office of justice of the peace in his township. In his political affiliations he is a stanch Republican. He is at this time the effi- cient postmaster at Jefferson Line, having re- cently received the appointment under the pres- ent administration.
M ENRY WHITEHEAD (deceased) was for some forty-seven years a resident of Clear- field county, and his close identification with its interests have been of material benefit to the community.
A native of Yorkshire, England, he was born in 1818, a son of John and Sarah (Scofield) Whitehead, Yorkshire people, in which county they spent their entire lives. They had a family of children, as follows: James, who came to this country, but afterward returned to England. where he died at the age of forty years; Robert, who came to. America in 1854, and located in Macon county, Ill., where he spent his remain- ing days; Abram, who spent some time in Aus- tralia, and then came to this country, his death occurring in Camden, N. J .; Henry, of this re- view; John, who came to the United States, but died in England; and Mrs. Eliza Lawton, who died in Philadelphia. The maternal grandfather of this family, Jaines Scofield, was a native of England, whence he came to Philadelphia at an early day, spending the remainder of his life in that city.
Henry Whitehead was reared and educated in the county of his nativity. Crossing the At- lantic to the New World, he took up his resi- dence in Clearfield county, and established a woolen factory near Rockton. For six years he operated his factory, and in the meantime began the operation of a sawmill and the manufacture of lumber. In the spring of 1850 he took up his
residence upon a farm, having previously pur- chased fifty acres of land, fifteen of which had been cleared. To this property he added from time to time until at the time of his death he was the owner of 200 acres of valuable land, the greater part of which he has himself cleared and placed under a high state of cultivation. He
was a progressive farmer, following systematic methods, and keeping constantly abreast of the advancement and improvement of the times.
Mr. Whitehead was married in Brady town- ship. Clearfield county, in 1851, to Miss Rachel Lines, who was born in that township, where her parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Lines, had located at an early day. The fathier opened up a farm there. Both parents died in Brady township. Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead had three children : Mary Ellen became the wife of George Williams, who was drowned, and she afterward married Richard Wilson, of Penfield, Penn. : Sarah be- came the wife of Ferdinand Snyder. of Brady township, and is now deceased; and Joseph is married and resides in Du Bois, Penn. Mr. Whitehead died April 26, 1897, and was buried at Luthersburg. He served as justice of the peace of his township: was also collector for one year, and in the discharge of his public duties was most prompt and faithful. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religious faith was a member of the Church of England. He took a very active interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community in which he resided. and was a public-spirited and progressive citizen.
S AMUEL KIRK, who passed away at his home in Penn township December 16, 1883. was widely known and honored, and in his death Clearfield county, whose interests he so much advanced by his enterprise, has lost a valued cit - izen. He was born on the 28th of April. 1822. a son of Jason and Mary (Spencer) Kirk, who owned a valuable farin of 400 acres at Lumber City, in Penn township, which the family cleared and greatly improved. Jason Kirk died April 22. 1868, and his wife Mary on April 11. 1827.
Our subject was tenth in the order of birth of ; twelve children, as follows. (1) Susan, born June 16, 1806, died December 11, 1800 (2) David, born September 7. 1Sos, died March 4. 1873. (3) John, born July 18, 1810, no record of death 14) Thomas, born October 15, 1812. died March 16, 1886. (5) Asaph, born February 10, 1814. resides on a farm in Penn township (6) Jason, Jr., born February 1, 1816, died No- vember 27. 1880. (7) Isaac, born April 20. 1817, died March 18, 1875. (5) Hannah, born October 4. 1818, ched June 11, 1850 (9) Mary. born January 31. 1820, martied James Spencer: and resuled on the Jason Spencer farm in Penn township, until within the Inst few years, since when she has made her home with her daughter Alice in Lumber City. (10) Samuel, our auth- Ject, comes nest But Then, bern January 21.
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1824, married John Russell, and lived in Gramp- ian, Penn township, for many years; Mr. Rus- sell died in February, 1892, and his widow now resides in Cleveland, Ohio. (12) Joseph, born July 13, 1826, lived on a farm in Lumber City until six years ago, when he and his wife removed to Du Bois, Clearfield county, but now reside with their children in Buffalo, N. Y., . having three sons in the printing business at that place. Eight or nine of their children are yet living.
Upon his father's farm in Penn township Samuel Kirk grew to manhood, and remained until his marriage to Miss Alice, daughter of Andrew Moore, of Penn township, 2d Month, 5th, 1846. They began their domestic life upon one of the Kirk farms, and there reared a fam- ily of children, as follows: Adriana (Mrs. J. B. Ferguson), of Penn; Mary Elizabeth, who mar- ried (first) William Crowley, and (second) Lewis Fullerton, of LaCrosse, Wis .; Milton, a jeweler of Curwensville, married Miss Rebecca Porte (they have six children); and Phoebe Ann (Mrs. Walter Wilson), of St. Louis, Mo. The wife and mother died May 11, 1857. A few years later Mr. Kirk broke up housekeeping, and followed lumbering in Cameron county, Penn., on the Sinnamahoning for sixteen years. In 1867, while thus employed, he married Miss Nora Wither- right, formerly of Centre county, Penn., and moved to a house adjoining his camp. On sell- ing out his lumber interests he bought the old homestead farm of 150 acres in Penn township, and resided thereon until his death.
By the second marriage there were also six children, as follows: (1) Adella is the wife of Howard Blackburn, a resident of Bedford, Penn., who is now serving as clerk of the court in Bed- ford county, and they have two children-Abi- gail, at this writing aged six years; and Nora Olive, aged five. (2) Edwin married Maud Hile, a daughter of David and Ollie Hile, of Lumber City, and they have three children- Samuel C., at this writing aged six; Arthur D., aged four; and Charles Victor. (3) Arthur died at the age of one year. (4) Charlie was killed at the age of nineteen while serving as fireman on the Beech Creek railroad near Mill Hall, being struck on the head while entering a bridge, and dying instantly. (5) Samuel C., born October 26, 1877, in Cameron county, now resides on the home farm with his mother. He is an intelligent, reliable young man, who was educated in the schools of Lumber City, and also took a course in the business college at Grove City, Mercer Co., Penn., graduating in April. 1896. (6) Lola May, born May 1, 1882, is with her mother, and is still attending school.
After her husband's death, Mrs. Kirk re- mained on the home farm, and kept her children with her until two of them were married and went to homes of their own. Her father was a native of Centre county, Penn., and on coming to Clearfield county located near Utahville, where he engaged in blacksmithing for a time, and then removed to the Chase settlement. He next went to Morgansland, Clearfield county, where he resided for twenty years, again follow- ing his trade. His wife died in 1883, and he aft- erward removed to Madera, where his death occurred in 1892, when he had reached the age of eighty-two years.
In his political adherency, Mr. Kirk was a pronounced Republican, and was quite an active and prominent worker in his party. His integ- rity of character, unbounded benevolence and never-failing courtesy made him beloved by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. Re- ligiously he belonged to the Friends Church, of which his wife and daughter are also consistent members.
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W ILLIAM PUSEY {deceased), who passed from earth May 22, 1895, at his home near Glen Hope, Clearfield county, was a man of marked ability and influence. His life cov- ered more than the average limit, the shifting scenes of seventy-three years passing before his eyes before he finally closed them to enter upon the rest eternal. A member of the Society of Friends, his religious convictions permeated his conduct, and in an unassuming, yet effective way, he worked for the advancement of the right wherever a worthy cause appeared. He took a prominent part in local affairs as a member of the Republican party, and while not an office- seeker, served as tax collector for a number of years, and as school director he helped to secure better educational facilities for the children of the community.
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