Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 35

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 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 35

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Sophia, all of whom died in infancy; and Sarah E., wife of our subject. Her maternal grand- parents were John and Catherine (Maurer) Hep- ler, natives of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania.

Five children grace the union of Dr. Hensyl and his excellent wife, namely: (1) Blanche E., who acquired her education in the Union Seminary of New Berlin, Penn., is now the wife of William Weber, a merchant of Howard. (2) L. Louise is a most accomplished young lady, and an artist of considerable merit, several of her elegant paintings adorning the walls of their home; for a time she attended the Central Pennsylvania College, and was also a student in Miss Wilson's Female Seminary, at Williamsport, and of Buck- hell Institute, Lewisburg, Penn. .(3) Annie I., also at home, is a fine musician. (4) William C. and (5) George S. are still under the parental roof. Fraternally, Dr. Hensyl holds member- ship in the I. O. O. F., and the G. A. R. and Veteran Legion. belonging to the local orders at Howard. His political support is ever given the Republican party. A talented, cultured gentle- man, he holds an honorable position among his professional brethren, and in social circles also stands high.

J AMES A. LUKENS, a retired contractor and builder, of Philipsburg, is well worthy of rep- resentation in any history of Centre county, for his life record has long been interwoven with its history and he has done much for the ad- vancement and general progress of the commun- ity in which he resides.

Mr. Lukens was born in Mifflin county, Penn., October 31, 1829, and comes of a family that has long been prominently connected with the interests of the State. His great-great-grand- father, Gabriel Lukens, came to America from Germany, one of two brothers' sons, Charles and John, both surveyors appointed by the governor under King George. The former did much of the early surveying in Centre county; John was killed by the Indians near Standing Stone, Hunt- ingdon Co., Pennsylvania.

David Lnkens, the father of our subject, was a native of Pennsylvania, a son of Abraham and (Brown) Lukens, of Juniata county, Penn., where the father engaged in farming and lum- bering. He was twice married, his second wife being, in her maidenhood, Maggie Sanderson. David Lukens wedded Elizabeth Sunderland, a daughter of David and --- (Hamilton) Sunder- land, of Mifflin county. Penn., who were of Scotch descent. Fonr children graced their union: James A., of this sketch; William B.,

who died in Mifflin county, in 1889; Sarah A., wife of E. B. Jones, a railroad official living in Selins Grove, Snyder Co., Penn., and David, a wealthy miller of Atchison, Kans. The parents both died upon the old home farm in Wayne township, Mifflin county, the father on January 28, 1834, aged thirty-two years, and the mother on January 8, 1834, aged twenty-six. They were consistent members of the Presbyterian Church, and were widely and favorably known.

Left an orphan at an early age, James A. Lukens made his home with his paternal grand- father until ten years old, when he began work- ing upon the farm of William A. Moore, with whom he remained for two years, and has since been dependent upon his own resources. For the following seven years he was with William Ward, working upon his farm until Mr. Ward's death, and then served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade. His literary education had of necessity been very limited, but in the winter of 1847-48 he attended school, so that he might better be prepared for active business life. In 1850 he fulfilled his first contract, preparing the timber for the first six bridges erected between Tyrone and Spruce creek on the Pennslyvania railroad.

On November 20, of the same year, Mr. Lukens came to Philipsburg, and for the first two years worked in a fanning-mill factory, and also engaged in peddling for same in summers to some extent. For some time he was employed in the lumber woods during the winter season, while through the summer months he worked at his trade of carpentering. In 1864 he began contracting and building on his own account, and he successfully followed the same until 1894, when he turned over the business to his son, and has since lived retired. He erected most of the fine residences in Philipsburg, on an average com- pleting sixteen buildings a year, and his business amounting to from $10,000 to $12,000. He was numbered among the most reliable and enterpris- ing business men of the city, promptly and faith- fully fulfilling his part of every contract. He is now, however, enjoying a well-earned rest, and can look back over a long and well-spent life.

On November 6, 1851. Mr. Lukens was mar- ried to Miss Nancy Maguigan, and they became the parents of eight children: Cynthia E., wife of A. C. Shaff, a lumberman and farmer of Ma- dera, Clearfield Co., Penn .: William A., fore- man of a planing-mill in Allegheny, Penn. : Clara B., a teacher in the public schools, who is resid- ing at home; Blanche A., who died at the age of twenty-three years; Jesse W., a carpenter and builder of Philipsburg, who married Agnes Cou-

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perwait; Bertha, wife of W. C. Smith, steel in- spector and shipper for the Johnstown Iron Co., of Johnstown, Penn .; Emma, wife of G. C. Ro- land, a teacher and carpenter of Wall Station, Penn .; and Lucy Olga, who died in infancy.

Mrs. Lukens was also a native of Mifflin county, born in 1830, and is a daughter of John and Nancy (Cross) Maguigan. Her father was born in Ireland, whence when four years of age he was brought to America, and was reared in Lan- caster, county, Penn., where his wife was born. Throughout life he followed farming. His death occurred in Mifflin county, after which his wife with her family removed to La Salle county, Ill., in 1851, where she spent her remaining days. Their children were as follows: John, a veteran of the Mexican war, now residing in Oregon; Jonathan, who died at New Orleans while return- ing from the same war; Martha, deceased wife of John T. Errinfelt, a farmer of Armstrong county, Penn .; Nancy, wife of our subject; Mary A., de- ceased wife of Isaac Signor, who died in Cali- fornia; and Sarah, wife of Jesse Vanamie, a farmer of Wisconsin, who died in December, 1897.

A man of firm convictions, Mr. Lukens is fearless in the defense of what he believes to be right. None question his integrity or honorable business, and his record as a business man and as a private citizen alike commands respect and admiration.

JOHN THOMAS FOWLER needs no special introduction to the readers of this volume.

He is a worthy representative of the lumber in- terests of this section of Pennsylvania, and be- longs to that class of enterprising citizens who are the glory of the American Republic, for their well-spent lives, their energetic efforts and re- liable business methods bring to them the pros- perity which should ever reward honest toil. He is now residing at Hannah Furnace, and is ex- tensively engaged in the lumber business, owning about 2, 500 acres of timber land in Centre and Blair counties. He was born in Hartford county, Md., October 8, 1839, but much of his life has been passed in Pennsylvania.

David P. Fowler, father of our subject, was . a native of Pike county, Penn., where his par- ents were also born, the father of German, and the mother of Swedish, origin. By trade he was a blacksmith, and while shoeing a mule was se- verely kicked, from the effects of which he died in August, 1849, in Maryland, about five miles from Baltimore. In 1833. in Northampton county, Penn., he had married Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkendall (formerly Miss Elizabeth Stockham),

the ceremony being performed by Joseph Ink, justice of the peace. To them were born seven children, namely: (1) Harriet M. married Joseph Williams, in Philadelphia, and after his death wedded George Jones. but is again a widow; she is now residing in Philadelphia, the mother of seven children. (2) Emily M. is the wife of Adam Grissom, a politician, of Philadelphia, Penn. (3) John T., of this review, is next in order of birth. (4) Charles D. and his twin brother, who died in infancy, are the next of the family; the former became a member of the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry during the Civil war, and died of brain fever. (6) William T. is a machinist and sawyer, of Centre county, who also served his country during the whole war, in' the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry. (7) Mary Anna died unmarried.

The mother of our subject was born in Penn's Manor, Bucks Co., Penn., October 5, 1803, and died at the age of eighty-six years. She was a daughter of John and Alice (Smith) Stockham. John Stockham, our subject's grandfather, was born in Bucks county, Penn., and our subject's great-grandfather, also named John Stockham, came from Bristol. England, and his two brothers, George and Thomas, came to America soon after and joined him. They all settled in Bucks county, Penn. Our subject's grandfather (John Stock- ham) and his granduncle married sisters-John wedding Alice Smith and Thomas wedding Eliza- beth Smith. Thus it will be seen that our sub- ject's great-grandfather and great-granduncles were named John, Thomas and George, respect- ively, as were also his grandfather and grand- uncles. They were all Quakers or Friends. The Smiths came into this country with William Penn, as did also the Marshalls. Our subject's great-grandfather and his brothers followed the building of dykes or ditches-reclaiming land. All that country north of Philadelphia, along the Neshamoney creek, they reclaimed from swamps. From them are descended all of the Stockhams in America. The grandfather became a large land owner in Maryland, where he engaged in merchandising, milling and farming, and there died.

By her first husband, Aaron Kirkendall, Mrs. Elizabeth Fowler had the following children: (1) Isaac was lost from the family for about thirty-six years, but was found in Ohio by our subject, who brought him back to his mother's home, where he died three years later. (2) Alice is the deceased wife of John Peterson, now of Baltimore county, Md. (3) Amos is also a farmer of that county. (4) Rebecca, (5) Hulda and (6) Mary S., all died unmarried. (7) George

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was killed by jumping over a fence, a picket passing through his stomach. Mrs. Elizabeth Fowler's third husband was Charles Buckley, an English miner, who died in California during the great "gold fever." He was killed by a cave-in of dirt and rock. By this marriage she had no children. It is a remarkable coincidence that all three of her husbands met with accidental deaths, Aaron Kirkendall (her first husband) having been killed by his wagon, laden with grain, passing over and crushing in his breast, he having fallen in front of the wheels, from the effect of which he died shortly after. Her people (Smiths and Marshalls, of Bristol, England) originally came to this country with William Penn, and during the first winter they spent in America they lived in "dug-outs", in the sand hills on the bank of the river Delaware, where Burlington, N. J., now stands. Just across the river in Pennsyl- vania they named and started the large town of Bristol, in Bucks county, Penn. It was our subject's ancestor "Marshall ", who traveled with the Indians and laid off the land that Penn was to get by trade. He afterward was the delegate of Penn to settle the disputed line, with Lord Baltimore of the Colony of Mary- land.

John T. Fowler, the subject proper of this re- view, was only eight years of age when his father died, and soon after his mother's third marriage he left home, as he disliked his step-father, walk- ing eleven miles to an ore mine, where he secured work at driving two teams. Six months later he was taken home by his parents, but soon after- .ward again returned to the mine, giving up his wages to his mother. Latershe secured homes for her six children, after first trying to get them work in the mines at Pottsville, Penn. Their step-father had gone to California, and our sub- ject went to live with a farmer in Bucks county, where he remained fifteen months, and then went to Burlington, N. J., with the intention of going to school through the assistance of his uncle, John Stockham, a lumberman of Philadelphia. On his arrival, however, he was placed in a family who misused him, making him work and not al- lowing him to attend school, although his board was paid by his uncle. A year later, after the marriage of Mr. Stockham, he joined him and at once entered school, attending the Morris Gram- mar School, at Philadelphia, later graduated, and then went to the Philadelphia High School, and there took up both French and German. It was his ambition to secure a good education, and he made the most of his opportunities.

For one year after laying aside his text books, Mr. Fowler served an apprenticeship to the car-

penter's trade, and was then persuaded to return to his uncle, for whom he worked in a sawmill for three years at one dollar per week and board. For the following two years he was employed in a sawmill at one dollar per day, and from the money thus received he paid the carpenter, with whom he began learning that trade, for the clothes given him while in his employ. Subse- quently he was connected with another sawmill, manufacturing bridge and ship timber, and there remained eleven years, receiving $900 per year. With the money thus accumulated, Mr. Fowler purchased a sawmill in Chester, Delaware Co., Penn., which he sold out to advantage after operating the same for two years. Going to Clearfield county, he afterward located in Bald Eagle Valley, at Fowler, a place named in his honor, and erected two sawmills which he suc- cessfully conducted some fifteen years. On Marsh creek, in Centre county, he next purchased a tract of timber land from the Curtins, and erected two sawmills, but four years later he sold out and returned to Fowler where he built two mills, which he operated for three years. There in 1877, he erected an elegant home, one of the handsomest in the county, and began farm- ing operations which he continued until 1893, when he removed to Dix, Blair Co., Penn. At "one time he was one of the largest property owners in Centre county, meeting with success in his ventures until 1880; but through mis- placed confidence in supposed friends he has lost heavily, now having on his hands $40,000 worth of notes which have no value.

Oh May 26, 1857, Mr. Fowler was married to Miss Harriet Matilda Atkinson, who was born in Cecil county, Md., October 3, 1833, and was closely related to the noted Cameron family of Scotland. She departed this life October 23. 1889, and was laid to rest in the Tyrone ceme- tery. Her last words to her husband were, " Darling. I have shared your joys and sorrows to the end." Her death was widely and deeply mourned, as by her gentle ways and genial man- ner she made hosts of warm personal friends, and won the regard of all with whom she came in contact. For his second wife, Mr. Fowler wedded Miss Elizabeth J. Beck, and by her he has two children: Harriet M. A., born in Fowler, Centre county, September 29, 1891; and Mary E., born September 3, 1893. He also has an adopted son, James D. Dobson, born December 3, 1883.

Mrs. - Fowler is a native of Huntingdon county, Penn., a daughter of Reuben and Mary (Holland) Beck, natives of Huntingdon and Cambria counties, Penn., respectively. The

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father died December 23, 1892, upon the old homestead farm where he was born. He was a son of John and Elizabeth (Grazier) Beck, the former a native of Maryland, the latter of Hunt- ingdon county, Penn. John Beck's father was one of the earliest settlers in Warrior's Mark Valley, Penn. Mrs. Fowler's mother, who is still living on the old homestead in Huntingdon county, was born in 1834, and is a daughter of Thomas and Bellcina (Wilson) Holland, natives of Cambria county, Penn. Mrs. Fowler is one of a family of nine children, namely: Cerinus M., deceased; Blooming M., a railroad employe living at Altoona, Penn .; Catherine C., at home; Emma F., wife of Lawrence Howe, a carpenter of Blair county, Penn .; Elizabeth, wife of our subject; Simon E. and Lillian M., deceased; and John W. and David H., with their mother. The ancestors of Mrs. Fowler (on her mother's' side), the Hollens, came to this country from London, England, during the reign of George III, and settled on a large estate near Reading, Penn. Her great-great-grandfather died on the estate near Reading, after which the family. consisting of three brothers and their aged mother, leaving the eldest daughter on the estate, migrated to Mill Hall, Centre Co., Penn., being among the earliest settlers in that county. These three brothers Hollen were millwrights by trade, and the place (Mill Hall) takes its name from them.

While living at Dix, Blair county, Mr. Fow- ler met with a severe loss July 3, 1895, most of his fine library being destroyed by fire. It was very large and contained many valuable books which he can never replace, including a complete set of "Harpers Magazine " and "Weekly," bound, since the war. He succeeded in saving a few numbers. He is a life member of the Ma- sonic Order, belonging to Lodge No. 494, F. & A. M., of Tyrone, Penn., and was a member of the Union League of Camden, N. J. He holds membership in the Presbyterian Church of Ty- rone, to which he liberally contributed when erecting its house of worship. His political sup- port is always given the Republican party, and for many years he served as auditor and tax col- lector in his township. The success that he has achieved in life is the inerited reward of his own labors. He has earned the proud title of a self- made man, and his life is an exemplitication of what can be accomplished through determined effort and diligence when guided by sound judg- ment and characterized by thorough reliability. His life has been manly, his actions sincere, his manner unaffected, and his example is well wor- thy of emulation.

AMES CALVIN WEAVER, one of Belle- fonte's progressive and " up-to-date " business men, is a leading worker in the important field of insurance, wherein his characteristic tact and practical sagacity find ample scope for use.

His father, David Weaver, was born January 27, 1811, and lived most of his lifetime on the Weaver Homestead, about three and one-half miles east of Bellefonte, where he followed most successfully his chosen occupation, that of a til- ler of the soil, up to the year 1873, when he removed with his family to Bellefonte, where he lived up to his death, which occurred on the 22d of March, 1879. He was always regarded as one of the most influential men of the commu- nity in which he lived, and was always ready to take the initiative in every movement that tended to elevate and improve society. He never as- pired to public life, but he was almost continu- ally kept at the head of township affairs, either filling the office of school director, or that of road supervisor; and was for many years the active superintendent of the Sunday-school work in the community.

His mother, Susannah (Bridge) Weaver, was born July 15, 1823, near Farmers Mills, in Penn's Valley, and survived her husband nearly thir- teen years, her death occurring on the 7th of December, 1891. In their immediate family there are five children, the subject of our sketch being the eldest; the second, Henry C., resides in Harrisburg, Penn .; the third, Miss Ida M .; the fourth, Miss Belle E .; and the fifth, Miss Carrie A .- the three latter living in Bellefonte.

J. C. Weaver was born July 7, 1851. He . remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, his early educational advantages being those of the district school, but these were sup- plemented by a course of study in the Bellefonte Academy, and two terms at the County Normal School at Centre Hall. He then engaged in teach- ing, his work being confined to district schools. and he continued in this work for about seven years, during which time he secured the highest credentials possible in that profession, that of a Permanent Certificate from the State Depart- ment at Harrisburg. Early in the fall of 1878 he began the study of law with Stitzer & Magee. but not finding this congenial to his tastes, he laid it aside, and entered the business of Life In- surance, which he followed very successfully up to November, 1887, when he undertook a gen- eral-insurance business, in which he has engaged ever since, although having added to it the Real- Estate and Loan Agency' business.

Mr. Weaver was united in matrimony to Miss Laura G. Barnhart, a daughter of Philip W.

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Barnhart, of Roland, Centre Co., Penn. They have the following children: Elsie, Maude, Harry C., Philip B., Fred D. and Robert.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Weaver are actively in- terested in religious and philanthropical move- ments, and, inheriting many of the sterling quali- ties of their honored ancestry, they are held in the highest esteem, this being notably so in the Church to which they belong, which is evidenced by the fact that Mr. Weaver enjoys the honor of being one of the ruling elders of the large and influential Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, to which office he was elected in the year 1887.

P ETER KEICHLINE, whose death occurred at his home in Pine Grove Mills, Centre county, on June 20, 1895, belonged to one of the early German families to settle in Pennsylvania, and a family that was conspicuous in the Revo- lutionary war.

The Keichlines in America descended from John Peter Keichline, who emigrated from Heidel- berg, Germany, as early as 1742, and settled in Bedminster township, then Bucks county, Penn. He had three sons-Peter, Andrew and Charles .. -all of whom entered the Colonial army during the dark days of the Revolution. Peter lived at Easton as early as 1749, and was one of the four representatives of the county of Northampton at a meeting of Provincial deputies held at Phila- delphia on July 15, 1774, to take measures for public safety, and when the Revolutionary war began raised a company of riflemen in North- ampton and Bucks counties for Col. Miles' regi- ment, was in command at the battle of Long Island in 1776, and was taken prisoner. Lord Stirling wrote to Gen. Washington that the Eng- lish Gen. Grant was killed by Keichline's rifle- men. He was a patriot and warrior. Andrew Keichline was promoted to major on the battle- field of Monmouth, N. J. Charles, who entered the army later than his brother, took the oath of allegiance in June, 1788. Jacob Keichline, son of Andrew, was the landlord of what was known as "Keichline's Tavern" for thirty-six years. This tavern, which stood at the intersection of the Dunham and Easton roads, has been a noted tavern for 125 years past. The Centre building was erected about 1759. Col. George Pifer was the landlord from 1778 till his death in 1823, when he was succeeded by Jacob Keichline. This hotel sheltered many of the most distin- guished men of the country-Gen. Anthony Wayne, Benjamin Franklin, Gov. Mifflin, Tim- othy Pickering. Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Judge Tilghinan Bish, Stephen Girard, Joseph

Bonaparte (ex-Emperor or King of Spain), and many others.

Peter Keichline (1), the grandfather of our subject, built the first flouring-mill on Bashkill creek in Northampton county. He had a son Peter (2), and he a son Peter (3), of whom we especially write.

Peter Keichline (3) was born in Forks town- ship, Northampton county, Penn., on September II, 1814. He left home in boyhood and walked from Easton to Aaronsburg, Centre county, and there served an apprenticeship of three years at the blacksmith's trade. From Aaronsburg he moved to Pine Grove, and from Pine Grove to Rock Springs, where he engaged in farming. and where he reared his family of seven children. He had married, on August 15, 1838, Sarah Long, then of Aaronsburg, but who was a native of Buffalo Valley in Union county. Penn., a daugh- ·ter of Peter and Sarah Long, who lived and died there. The children referred to were: Mary, Margaret, George, Sarah, John M., Susan and Peter. Later. Mr. Keichline moved back to Pine Grove Mills, where, with the assistance of other members of the Reformed Church, he built a neat Church. He was a highly-esteemed citi- zen. In 1877 he wrote a letter to a friend in which he stated he had been a resident of Centre county forty-five years, first locating at Aarons- burg; that his ancestors were all Democrats and believers in the Lutheran and Reformed Church.

JOHN M. KEICHLINE, whose life thus far has been passed in Centre county, his birth occurring at Boalsburg October 12, 1846, received his edu- cation in part at the schools of the locality in which his father lived, attending for a time the Normal School at Rebersburg, and then the Boals- burg Academy. Later he was engaged in teach- ing school, and then read law in the office of Bush & Yocum at Bellefonte. He was admitted to the Bar in 1876, and located in the practice at Bellefonte, where he has since followed his profession with that success his industry, studious habits and ability merited. For some fifteen years he most acceptably filled the office of tax collector for Bellefonte, and for three terins-the years 1884-'85-'86 -- served as overseer of the poor. He has been a most trusted and careful public servant. In 1889 the press, in referring to his candidacy and official relations, remarked: "At the request of the citizens of the town, irre- spective of party, Mr. John M. Keichline has con- sented to be a candidate for re-election to the position he has so acceptably filled for the past twelve years. No community has ever been fa- vored with a more gentlemanly. careful and suc- cessful collector of taxes than Mr. Keichline has

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 35

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