Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 116

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 116
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 116
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 116
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 116

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On October 24, 1893, Mrs. McDonald be- came the wife of John Pentz, and they now oc-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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cupy a pleasant home in Grampian. He is a representative of one of the worthy pioneer fan- ilies of Clearfield county, a son of John and Elizabeth (Knox) Pentz, and throughout his en- tire business career has engaged in lumbering and farming. Mrs. Pentz is a conscientious Chris- tian lady, a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Grampian, and with her husband enjoys the respect and esteem of the en- tire community.

A ARON W. PATCHIN (deceased), whose name is prominent on the most important pages of the history of Clearfield county, was the promoter of the agricultural, industrial and com- mercial interests of Burnside township for many years. The ancestral history of his family is one of close connection with the establishment and growth of the Republic.

There came to America in early Colonial days one Samuel Patchin, who left his native home in . England and became a resident of Massachu- setts. When the oppression of the mother coun- try became no longer endurable, he raised a company of troops for service in the Patriot army, and as its captain remained at its head un- til captured and taken to England. Sometime afterward he was exchanged, and returned at once to his company, continuing as a loyal advo- cate of the cause of independence until the British rule was overthrown. He then returned to Mas- sachusetts, and subsequently took up his resi- dence at Lake George, Warren Co., N. Y., where he purchased large tracts of land. He followed farming there, and was also active in opening up the region to civilization. He died at the ad- vanced age of eighty-five years, and left to his family a large estate. He had nine children, namely: Jabez, Grandes, John, Manly. Polly, Cynthia, Harriet, Caroline and Lyman.

John Patchin, father of our subject, was born in Massachusetts and reared on his father's farm at Lake George, N. Y., where he became con- nected with the lumber business in early life. He was married at Crown Point, N. Y., to Eliza- beth Wright. As the lumber fields in that local- ity were largely exhausted, he came to Pennsyl- vania in 1835. and located on Clearfield creek, where he purchased land and began the work of transforming the forests into timber ready for use. The county was then a vast wilderness, and its present prosperity is largely due to the pioneers who developed its lumber interests. John Patch'n located in Burnside township, and from time to time purchased large tracts of land in Clearfield and adjoining counties. In 1845 he

removed his family to Burnside township, and in connection with lumbering opened a general merchandise store. He freighted his goods from Hollidaysburg, which was the nearest point on the canal, and was one of the first to advocate the improvement of the river by the State, so as to afford better navigation. He took little interest in politics, but zealously supported all measures for the substantial development of the county, and was a man of high moral worth, who gave freely to the needy and furnished employment to a large force of men, thus placing in their hands the means of making their own livelihood. His wife was a representative of a leading family of Crown Point, N. Y., and was a consistent member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Patchin died Decem- ber 21, 1863, his wife a few years previously, leaving a large property to his children, who have carried on the work of development which he inaugurated. His children were: Samuel Clark, of Osceola; Horace, deceased; John Henry, of Iowa; Aaron W .: Mrs. Mary E. Walters; Emeline, wife of Rev. Mellick; Jackson G., of Burnside; and George E., who resides near Cherry Tree.

Aaron W. Patchin was born at Lake George, N. Y., August 15, 1822, and obtained his educa- tion in the common schools. His business train- ing was ample, and was received under the direc- tion of his father. When about twelve years of age he began driving a team, and aided in the work of the farm and the lumber mills. He came with the family to Clearfield county in 1845, and for ten years was his father's assistant in business, after which he became a part owner in the lumber and mercantile enterprises. His career was a successful one. and he owned sev- eral thousand acres of land accessible to the river in Clearfield and adjoining counties. He carried on the lumber trade in all departments, from the time the trees were cut in the forest. He rafted the logs down the river and to New York, also operated sawmills and manufactured Inmber in this locality. He was thoroughly familiar with the business in every branch, and his capable management resulted in large returns. In 1873 he formed a connection with an extensive manu- facturing company at Camden, N. J., which took contracts for ship timbers and all ship supplies, masts, spars, etc. At the time of his death he owned the entire plant.

With the local interests, which have advanced the general welfare, Mr. Patchin was also con- nected. The post office at Patchinsville was es- tablished by his family, and has been carried on by a representative of the name for forty years I through all the changes of Presidential adminis-

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trations, and for twenty-one years has been con- ducted by Mrs. Patchin, wife of our subject. With the Whig and Republican parties the Patchin family has ever been identified, but Aaron W. Patchin never aspired to office, his attention being fully occupied by his business interests. During the Civil war he was drafted for the army, but paid a substitute $900 to go in his place. His late home in Patchinsville is a commodious residence, supplied with all modern improve- ments. It stands near the river bank in the midst of beautiful grounds, and a fine barn and outbuildings are among the conveniences of the place. Mr. Patchin also owned many other houses which he rented.

In June, 1862, our subject married Elizabeth Barrett, who was born in Nottinghamshire, Eng- land, December 7, 1839, a daughter of George and Frances (Bexson) Barrett, who emigrated to America in 1850, and for many years resided on a farm in Indiana county, Penn. The father is now living retired at the age of eighty-one, mak- ing his home with his children; and his wife died at that age November 4, 1892. They were faith- ful members of the Baptist Church. Of their four children, all born in England, Mrs. Patchin is the eldest; the others are: Thomas. a farmer; Jennie, who conducts a store at Cherry Tree, and George, who operates the mill owned by Mr. Patchin in Camden, N. J. He is a leading and influential citizen of that place, and has served as high sheriff.

Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Patchin, as follows: Frances F., wife of W. J Dufton, a hardware merchant of Ebensburg; Olive O., wife of John N. Ake, a merchant of Burnside; John H., a prominent lumberman, who served in the Ninety-fifth General Assembly of Pennsylvania; Emeline E .; Winifred J., wife of J. O. Clark, of Glen Campbell; Raymond C., who is a student in a university; and Carl E., at home. The father of this family died very sud- denly June 11, 1897. from a stroke of paralysis or apoplexy, thus closing a busy and useful life. characterized by integrity in all dealings, and faithfulness to every duty that has devolved upon him. His sunshiny disposition and wide-extend- ing generosity endeared him to all who knew him. Mrs. Patchin is a member of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Patchin contributed liberally to its support.

J TAMES CATHCART (deceased) was one of the representative citizens of Knox township. Clearfield county, and his death, at the com- paratively early age of fifty-five years, was deeply

mourned throughout the community. A veteran of the Civil war, his later years were marked by sufferings due, in part at least, to the exposure and hardships of that service. With him a duty once acknowledged became his law, and in every relation in life fidelity was seen as a controlling force, and this was notably the case in his care for his aged grandmother and his parents in their declining years.

Mr. Cathcart was born April 23, 1829, and his life was mainly spent at the old home of his family in Knox township, Clearfield county, his death occurring July 27, 1884. In January, 1865, he enlisted in the Union army, and took part in several important engagements, including the siege of Petersburg. At the close of hostili- ties he returned home with health much im- paired, and resumed his business of farming and lumbering, in which he was very successful. The care of his aged relatives occupied his atten- tion for many years. . His mother died October 15. 1865, his father on February 11, 1877. while his grandmother lived to the advanced age of ninety-eight, breathing her- last December 17, 1867. Mr. Cathcart was not only well known in business circles as an industrious and successful man, but he was active in local affairs and in the Republican party, his influence being exerted. however, in a quiet way.

On November 23, 1856, he married Miss Rachel Flegal, of Morris township, Clearfield county, by whom he had children as follows: (1) Tillie M., born June 7, 1857, married John C. Bloom, of Pike township, Clearfield county. They resided for some years in Knox township, later moved to Belsena, and then to Glen Hope, where Mrs. Bloom died May 23, 1896, at the age of thirty-nine, leaving two daughters-R. Dove, who married Homer Bratton, a farmer living near Glen Hope: and Verdena, who resides with her sister. (2) David W., born November 17, 1858, is not married, and resides at New Millport, Clearfield county. At present he is constable of Knox township. (3) Wesley W .. born July 31, 1861, is one of the enterprising young agriculturists of Knox township, owning a valuable farm with a fine house and barn. He married Miss Nora Dunlap, of the same town- ship, and has seven children-Jessie, Merna. May, Elva, Lewis, Ralph and Cora, all at home. (4) Euphemia, born April 16, 1862, died May 31. 1866. (5) Alice A .. born March 28, 1864, died October 1, 1867. (6) James Alfred, born June 15. 1866, died in the same year. (7) Grant, born February 8, 1868, resides at the old home- stead. He married Miss Katie Noel, of Belsena, and has three children --- Jamie W., Vindetta and.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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Hazel. (8) Cora B., born June 5, 1872, attended the common schools of the home district until 1889, when she entered the Lock Haven Normal School. She was graduated in 1892 with honors and taught school for two terms at New Millport and Berwinsdale, Penn. In 1894 she married Grant Shelow, of Philipsburg, an engineer on the Pennsylvania railroad, and now resides at Bel- sena Mills.

Mrs. Cathcart is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which her daugh- ters also belong, and the family has always been active in the philanthropic enterprises of that so- ciety. Mrs. Cathcart's family is well known in Clearfield county; her father, David Flegal, owned a fine farin in Morris township, where he was one of the leading citizens in his day. He died September 17, 1863, and his wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Funk, passed away in 1872. They had fourteen children: Hetty, now Mrs. Peter Gearhart; Nancy, Mrs. Jeremiah Smeal, of Morris township; the twins, Martin, who died at the age of seventy-two years, and Valentine, who resides near Stoneville, Penn .; John, who died in childhood; David, who mar- ried Eliza Gearhart, and lives in Philipsburg; Samuel, who was killed by accident near his home in Morris township, Clearfield county; Lydia, Mrs. Pelton, now deceased; Vincent, who married Mary Robertson, and settled in Ohio; Jacob, who married Jane Robertson, and also moved to Ohio; Mary, Mrs. Rothrock, of Phil- ipsburg; Rachel (Mrs. Cathcart); Ellen, Mrs. Smeal, of Centre Hill; and Tillie, now Mrs. Kephart, of New Castle, Pennsylvania.

The Cathcart family is of Irish origin, and our subject's father, David Cathcart, came as a boy of six years to this country, with his parents, who located in New York. In early manhood he went to Philadelphia, where he purchased prop- erty, but later moved to Cambria county, and finally to Clearfield county. About 1830 he bought 200 acres of woodland in the vicinity of Olanta, and settled there, building a log cabin for a residence while clearing his farm. His wife, Keziah Wilson, was a faithful helpmeet in his ef- forts to found a home and leave an inheritance to their large family.

Of ten children, nine lived to maturity: (1) Eliza A., born August 15, 1825, married John Banghman, a fariner in the Chase settlement in Clearfield county, and had four children-Amelia, who married Calvin Reed, of Knox township, Clearfield county, and resides near Olanta; Fred- erick, who is not married, and resides at the homestead; Cornelia, widow of Robert Kline, of Knox township, has two children-Melva and

Pearl-and resides at Oshanter; Blanche resides at the homestead with her brother. (2) William, born February 24, 1827, resides in Olanta. He married Miss Jane Reed, of Lawrence township, Clearfield county, and has five children-(a) Ed- ward married Miss Alice Ferguson, of Ferguson township, Clearfield county, and died some years ago, leaving three children-William, Eary and Ollie. His widow has since married Mr. Went, and resides in the West. (b) Edith died at the age of five years, (c) Mary at eleven and (d) Ol- lie, at nineteen. (e) Harry, the only living child of his parents, still resides at home. (3) James, our subject's father, is mentioned more fully elsewhere. (4) Martha J., born July 3, 1831, married Frederick Gulich, of Lawrence town- ship, Clearfield county, and has three children- Burton, a resident of Clearfield; G. Latimer, who is married and lives at the old Gulich homestead; and James Ralph, who is married, and resides near Clearfield. (5) Mary C., born June 16, 1834, married William McDonald, a farmer near Oshanter, Clearfield county, and has five chil- dren-Wesley, who is married, has two children, and resides in Du Bois; and William, Alfred, Bessie and Reuben, who are still at home. (6) Keziah Amelia, -born October 1, 1836, mar- ried Samuel Hoover, of Knox township, and was burned to death when their home there was destroyed by fire. Mr. Hoover now re- sides in Clearfield, and their four children are all married-(a) Emery lives in Da Bois. He married Miss Brooks, and has a family. (b) Ezekiel, a resident of Clearfield, married Miss Katie Chase, and has several children. (c) Allen, now residing in Curwensville, married Miss Annie Nor- ris, and has two children. (d) Sheridan married Miss Shimel, and has one child. (7) Mar- garet Eleanor, born July 15, 1839, married Abram Walker, a farmer of Knox township, Clearfield county, and has seven children-(a) Emma married David Snyder. of Belsena, and has several children. (b) Esther married (first) Philip Reanard, now deceased, and (second) Geartz Black, of Houtzdale, and at present re- sides in Philadelphia. She has two children by her first marriage. (c) Harriet married Charles Reanard, and died leaving one child. (d) Will- iam is not married, and resides at home. (e) Mary married Mcclellan Bloom, of Punxsutaw ney, and has one child. (f) Harvey is single and lives at home. (g) Allen is single, and is now at home. (8) Sarah R., born April 9, 1842, mar- ried Peter Owens, of Knox township, and has seven children -- Burton, who resides in Knox township, married Julia Bowman, and has several children; Matthew is also married, and has one child;

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David is single and resides at home; Dove married Amos Brown, of Oshanter, has two chil- dren, and resides in Oshanter; and John, Daisy and Grace are at home. (9) Julia L., born May 28, 1845, married Jonathan Walker, of Knox township, Clearfield county, and has three chil- dren-Oshen, who is single, is employed in the lumber business; Ernest, who resides in Belsena, married Miss Mary Wilks, and has one child, Orval; and Charlie, at home. (10) David W., born September 13, 1848, died October 16, 1857.

T HOMAS H. FORCEY, of Clearfield, presi- dent of the Clearfield County National Bank, has been for many years a leading busi- ness man of his county, his operations covering varied fields of effort, and demonstrating by their uniform success the practical sagacity of the mind which directs them. A happy blend- ing of the common sense and steady, patient in- dustry of the German race, inherited from his fa- ther's ancestry, together with the shrewd insight of the Scotch, which came through his mother's North-of-Ireland stock, produced a character which would have made its mark in any line of effort.

The first ancestor on the paternal side, of whom we have record, is Thomas Forcey, our subject's grandfather, who was born in Delaware in 1766, and as a young man of twenty-four came to what is now Clearfield county to locate as a pioneer farmer. Despite the privations and hardships incident to frontier life he attained the advanced age of about ninety-nine years and six months. He and his wife, Elizabeth Forcey, reared a family of four children: Lydia, who married Samuel Tate; Catherine (Mrs. George Conway); Jane (wife of Moses Owens); and Mat- thew, our subject's father, who was born in the latter part of the year 1806. He passed his life in Clearfield county, following teaching as an oc- cupation in early life, but later engaging in busi- ness as a farmer and lumber dealer. He was a successful financier, and at the time of his death in 1865 owne I several tracts of land in this sec- tion. He married Miss Margaret Murry, a native of Clearfield county, born in 1812, and had twelve children, six of whom are now living: Mary is the deceased wife of William Askey; Thomas H. is mentioned more fully farther on; Martha and Elizabeth died in childhood; Alexander (de- ceased) married; William resides npon the old homestead in Bradford township, Clearfield coun- ty: John lives near Harrisburg, Penn. ; Moses died at about the age of thirty; Jane is the widow of H. H. Morrow; Henrietta is the wife of J. L.

Ward, of Graham township, Clearfield county; James resides in the same county; and Gideon is a farmer in Bradford township.

Thomas H. Forcey, our subject, had the ad- vantage of wholesome country life in his youth, being reared at the old home farm. In 1859 he engaged in the lumber business at Grahamton, Clearfield county, dealing in square timber at first. He conducted a sawmill, and built up an extensive trade in both lumber and timber, send- ing from forty to fifty rafts down the Susque- hanna each year. He also became interested in mercantile business, and still has one store, while he owns about five thousand acres of valuable land, including timber, agricultural, and coal prop- erties. In financial circles his judgment is held in high esteem. Shortly after the organization of the Clearfield County National Bank, in Feb- ruary, 1865, he was its elected vice-president, which position he held until 1882, when he was elected on the death of President J. T. Leonard. Since ISSI he has made his home at Clearfield in order to give closer attention to the manage- ment of this institution. He is a Democrat politically, but his influence is exerted in a quiet way. In religious views he is a Presbyterian, and for many years he has held the office of trus- tee in the Church.

On July 10, 1849, Mr. Forcey married Miss Anna Leonard, who was born in Clearfield county, March 2, 1829. Six children blessed their union, as follows: (1) Alfred, a farmer in Graham township, Clearfield county, married Dora Wise, and has two children-Merton and Olive. (2) Mary (deceased) married Zachariah Fulton, and had seven living children-Cora, Effie, Harry, Mamie, Lola, Raymond and Estella. (3) Margaret (deceased) married Reuben Holt, and had thirteen children-Gray, Percy, Edna, Mabel, Clyde, Matthew, Minnie, Ora, Carrie, George, Nina, Jeffrey (deceased) and Mary. (4) Clarence married Miss Mary Hoover, and has two children-Maude and Thomas. (5) Harry mar- ried Miss Carrie Spanogle, and has five children -Anna, Budd, Verda, Grace and Genevieve. (6) Edwin Blake married Miss Georgia Ann Clark, and has three children-Edith, Thomas and Gordon.

D AN FULKERSON (deceased) was for many years a leading citizen of Gulich township, Clearfield county, his character and conduct calling forth the esteem and confidence of all who came within the range of his influence. He possessed unnsnally sound judgment concerning men and affairs, and his advice was valned by

Phos, He, Forcey

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

his associates, while his public spirit made him a warm advocate of every movement tending to local progress. This was especially true of edu- cational matters, and it is a notable fact that while he never cared for the political honors, to which his effective work in support of the Re- publican party might have been supposed to en- title him, the only position that he ever held was that of school director. This he made a vant- age ground for earnest work, and the results have been and will be of untold benefit to the locality.

Mr. Fulkerson's family became identified with Northumberland county, Penn., in early times, and his father, Jeremiah Fulkerson, was born and reared there and spent the early years of his married life upon the farm near Sunbury. Later he moved to Tioga county, Penn., where he fol- lowed lumbering until his death in 1856. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary E. Miller, died about fifteen years before him. Our sub- ject was one of twelve children: (1) John died at the age of eight years. (2) William, who was born in Northumberland county, January 30, 1817, married Miss Sarah Moore, and settled in Tioga county, near his father's homestead; they had six children, of whom two, Etta and Ezra, are now living. (3) Charles, who was born February 24, 1820, in Northumberland county, married Miss Sarah Kagle, and located on a farm near the old home in Tioga county; they had three children-Albert, who served in the Union army during the Civil war, and after the dis- charge at the end of the conflict returned home and died; Laura, now Mrs. Corcoran; and Paul- ina, who married a Mr. Bonell, and died a few. years later. (4) Catherine, born July 21, 1821, married Nathan Ridge, of Liberty, Tioga Co., Penn., and had eight children-William, a resi- dent of Tioga county, being one of them. (5) Dan, our subject, is more fully mentioned below. (6) Samuel O., born June 19, 1825, in North- umberland county, accompanied his parents to Tioga county, and in 1848 went to Clearfield county to work at the millwright's trade. In 1856 he married Miss Oreanna Stevens, a daugh- ter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Stevens, of Gu- lich township, and subsequently bought in the same township a tract of timber land, which he cleared and improved for a homestead. He now resides there at the age of seventy-two. His only son, John Oaks Fulkerson, who has charge of the estate, married Miss Ginter, and has a family of eight children. (7) Edmund, born in Northumberland county, March 30, 1828, grew to manhood in Tioga county, learning the mill- wright's trade, and in 1848 moved to Clearfield

and followed that occupation for a few years. He married Miss Maggie Stanley, of Gulich township, and made his home upon a farm at Mount Pleasant, but continued to work at his trade at intervals. In 1862 he enlisted in the Union army, and at the battle of Fair Oaks was wounded and taken to a hospital. There his limb was amputated, and he died from the shock. He had-four children -Susan, now Mrs. Williams; William and Adra Ellen, who are not married, and reside at home with their widowed mother; and Thomas, who died at four years of age. (8) Enoch, born in Tioga county, April 6, 1828, married Miss Kagle, of the same county, and settled in Blossburg, Penn., where he has been successfully engaged in contracting and building. He served three years in the army during the Civil war. His wife died about four years ago. They had the following children- Jeremiah, Josephine, Adda, deceased; Nora, who is married, and has several children; William and Charles, twins, both of whom are married and have families; and Levi, whose wife died a few years ago. (9) Sarah, born January 10, 1830, in Tioga county, married Jacob Mammal, who resides near Jersey Shore, Penn .; she died about twenty years ago leaving five children. (10) Alexander, born June 7, 1832, in Tioga county, is a carpenter by trade, and also owns and operates a fine farm at Liberty, in the same county; he married Miss Harriet Sink, and has six children. (11) Mary E., born in Tioga county, November 16, 1834, married Charles Ault, of the same county, and died leaving four children. (12) Nelson, a native of Tioga coun- ty, born June 26, 1836, was one of the first to respond to the call for soldiers to defend the Union, and remained in the service until peace was restored-four years in all. He was mar- ried in early manhood to Miss Maria Burns, of Tioga county, and settled upon his farm in that county, where he still resides. They have three children - Wilbur, Artie and Lucy.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 116

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1358

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358