Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2, Part 10

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1266

USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 10

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Mr. Zartman has always been identified with the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are connected with the Presbyterian Church of DuBois. Although his early life was full of hard- ships and privations, he is still an active and energetic inan, possessing the vitality of one much younger, and his straightforward, honor- able course has gained for him the warm regard of many friends.

R DEV. BERNARD McGIVNEY, pastor of St. Catharine's Catholic Church, Du Bois, is a native of Ireland, his birth having occurred in County Cavan, in 1848. His parents, Bernard and Rose (Riley) McGivney, spent their entire lives in Ireland. Father McGivney remained a resident of his native land until eighteen years of age, when he crossed the Atlantic to New York, and soon afterward entered St. Bonaventure's College, in Allegany, N. Y. From 1867 until 1871 he was a student in that institution, having graduated there, then taking a three-years' course in theology at the same institution, and on the 23d of June of that latter year he was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church.

In August, 1871, Father McGivney was given charge of St. Charles Church in New Bethlehem, Clarion Co., Penn., where he remained until De- cember, 1888, and during that period erected both the house of worship and the parsonage. He administered to the members of that Church at the time of the building of the low-grade Alle- gheny Valley railroad, and in the discharge of his pastoral duties rode for many miles through- out the adjoining country.

On leaving New Bethlehem, Father McGiv- ney came to Du Bois to accept the pastorate of St. Catharine's Church, which was established in 1871 by Rev. James Brennan, who first held services in a house occupied by Patrick Burns. It was first a mission, the pastor residing at Driftwood, and the congregation constituted only about ten families. For some years services continued to be held in residences, and later in Neiman's Hall, which has since been destroyed by fire. In 1877 the first house of worship was dedicated. It cost about $8,000, and is now used as a school building. The first parsonage, now the convent, was erected in 1875, but has since been enlarged.

There have only been two resident priests at Du Bois, Father McGivney succeeding Rev. Brennan. Since locating here he has been very active in promoting botli the spiritual and ma- terial welfare of the Church. In 1889 he erected the commodious brick parsonage, which cost $5,000, and in October of the same year estab- lished the parochial school, which now has a membership of about three hundred children. The new church, which is the finest between Williamsport and Pittsburg, Penn., has also been constructed under his supervision. The corner stone was laid May 8, 1892, by Bishop Mullen, of Erie, assisted by several other priests, and the building was dedicated by that reverend gentle- man on the 8th of September, 1893, the sermon . being preached by Rev. Thomas Casey, of Erie.

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It is a handsome structure, elegantly furnished. the approximate cost of which was $40,000, and it stands as a monument to the untiring efforts of Father McGivney. Although the Polish Catho- lic Church of Du Bois has been taken from St. Catharine's Church, the congregation still num- bers some three hundred families, and under the. able guidance of our subject is in good working order. His remarkable energy and executive ability have been forcibly illustrated by his labors in Du Bois, where he has succeeded in raising over $60,000 for the improvement of the church property. In the pulpit he is especially gifted, his force of character and talents are phenome- nal, and he possesses great power for good among his people.

G EORGE E. GEARHART, who is success- fully engaged in agricultural pursuits in De- catur township, Clearfied county, was born there in 1835, a son of David and Sarah (Kephart) Gearhart. The father was a native of Centre county, Penn., born in 1812, in Half Moon Val- ley, whence in 1824 he was brought to Decatur township, Clearfield county, by his parents, John and Lydia (Shivery) Gearhart, whose births oc- curred in this State. In the midst of the forest the grandfather developed a good farm, where he and his wife spent their remaining days.

David Gearhart early became familiar with clearing and transforming the wild land into richly cultivated fields, and experienced all the trials and hardships incident to pioneer life. In Decatur township, he was married, and upon a farm which he had improved he began his domes- tic life. His loving wife passed away in April, 1896, but he is still living, and now making his home in Chester Hill. Our subject is the eldest in their family of eight children, the others being as follows: J. Blake, a resident of Newton Hamilton, Penn .; Lydia, who died unmarried; Mrs. Mary Jane Hartman, living in Virginia; Mrs. Hannah Millard and Edward, who are resi- dents of Chester Hill, Decatur township; Charles, who makes his home in Newton Hamilton; Mrs. Nettie Rook, of Clearfield; and Mrs. Heimach, of Newton Hamilton.

The common schools of Decatur township furnished George E. Gearhart his educational privileges, and upon the home farm he received his training as an agriculturist. At an early age he began the battle of life for himself as a lum- berman, and has now served in that capacity for many years. He is also the owner of a good farnı of seventy-six acres in Decatur township, near Gearhartville, and under his able manage-

ment it yields a ready return for the care and labor bestowed upon it.

In Decatur township, Mr. Gearhart was mar- ried, in 1856, to Miss Christina Smeal, who was born in that township, a daughter of John Smeal, one of the early pioneers of the township. Four- teen children were born of this union, three of whom are now deceased: Allen, Nettie and David; those living are: Mrs. Sarah Ammer- man, of Decatur township; Mrs. Clara Gunter, a widow living in the same township; John, who is married, and is living in Decatur township; Mrs. Ida Gunter, of Decatur township; Mrs. Ella Simmons, of Cambria county, Penn .; Mrs. Oc- tavie Brown, Mrs. Lydia Lloyd, Mrs. Beulah Millard and Mrs. Gertie Craine, all of whom make their home in Decatur township; and Frank and Campbell, who are still with their parents.

In his political views, Mr. Gearhart is a stal- wart Democrat, and earnestly advocates the prin- ciples of his party. In religious faith he is an active and prominent member of the Free Meth- odist Church, and in all the various relations of life he has faithfully performed every duty that has devolved upon him. He therefore merits and receives the respect and- confidence of all with whom he comes in contact.

RAMPTON BELL, born on the farm where he still resides, is a representative of one of the most prominent families of Clearfield county, whose identification therewith is indicated by the fact that two of the townships, Bell and Green- wood, were named in honor of the father of our subject. In the work of development and im- provement he bore a conspicuous part, and was numbered among the most distinguished citizens of the community.

Arthur Bell, grandfather of our subject, mar- ried a Miss Greenwood, and was the third pio- neer to make a permanent settlement in Ciear- field county. In 1790 he made his way up the river in a canoe, and spent the winter as a hunter and trapper. In the following spring he brought his family to Clearfield county, and made a per- manent settlement on the river bank. a short dis- tance below the present site of Lumber City, where he improved what is known as the Far- weather farm. Game was very plentiful, and was the principal source of food supply for the family. They had to go to Williamsport by canoe and across the mountains to Bellefonte for bread- stuffs, and all the experiences of frontier life be- came familiar to them. In the family were chil- dren as follows: Letitia, Rebecca, Rachel, Mary,

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Greenwood, William, Greer and Arthur, all now deceased.

Grandfather Arthur Bell aided in organizing the county, was its first justice of the peace, and performed all marriage ceremonies for many years. When Bell township was later divided, the portion that was set off was called Green- wood. From the days of its earliest develop- ment representatives of the Bell family liave been prominent in its promotion.

Greenwood Bell came with his parents to this locality, and was reared on the old family homestead in Lumber City. He began business as an operator in the coal mines, and building "arks" thus shipped his coal down the river to market. Later he purchased about one thousand acres of land and improved the farm on which our subject now resides, placing an extensive portion of the tract under a high state of cultiva - tion. He erected a commodious residence and large barn, and made other substantial improve- ments, including the planting of a fine orchard. He also built the first gristmill, soon after erected a sawmill, and was among the first in this locality to ship products down the river. His gristmill received the patronage of an extended territory, the settlers coming for miles around with their grain sacks upon their backs, following the trails, for there were as yet no roads." When Greenwood Bell was only eighteen years of age he hewed the logs for the first cabin erected in the township which bears his name. In com- pany with John Bloom he started up the river with some barrels of flour in a canoe, but on reaching Chest Falls the water was so low that they could not get over the falls with the flour, and were forced to unload it and carry it around. The old mill stood in the woods where the town of Bellville was afterward established, but at that time the entire country was wild and unim- proved, and many were the difficulties and hard- ships which the pioneers experienced.

Mr. Bell was a Democrat in early life, later a Whig. He was prominent in the organization of Clearfield county, at one time served as its sheriff and in 1828 was elected .to represent his district in the legislature. His death occurred in September, 1860, that of his wife in 1850. They had ten children-Arthur, Mary, Delilah, John, William, Julia A., David, Greer, Harvey and Frampton. With the exception of the last two all are now deceased.

Frampton Bell was born on the old family homestead, July 31, 1832, and the sixty-four years of his useful and honorable life have there been passed. His education was acquired in a log school house two miles from his home.

Farming and lumbering interests have claimed his attention front an early age. For forty years he was engaged in the operation of a sawmill, 'and he still follows that pursuit to a limited ex- tent. He received from his father's estate 350 acres of land, and about one hundred acres of this is devoted to farm purposes, being cleared and placed under a high state of cultivation. Good buildings have been erected, an orchard has been planted, and the sawmill also stands on that portion of. the place.

Mr. Bell has been twice married. He wed- ded Matilda Bloom, a native of Clearfield coun- ty, as was also her father, John Bloom. He was a descendant of William Bloom, who came from Germany to America in Colonial days and took up his residence in New Jersey. During the Rev- olutionary war he joined the Colonial army, and served for six years under Gen. Washington. In 1798 he came to Pennsylvania living in Centre county until 1802, when he came to Clearfield county, and founded the Bloom family, now so numerous. Mrs. Bell died February 9, 1868. She was the mother of six children, namely: Sarah E., who died at the age of seven years; John, who died at the age of sixteen years; Greenwood, a merchant; Jared; Arthur; and Martha, wife of T. Deal. In February, 1869, Mr. Bell was again married, his second union be- ing with Jane Bloom, a sister of his first wife. Four children graced this union: William, Lola, Mary (who died at the age of fourteen) and Julia. Of these, William is a teacher in Clearfield county, conducting a normal school in Green- wood township; he married Maude B. Hoover, of Centre county, and they reside on a part of his father's farm: he is a member of the Baptist Church, while his wife is a Methodist; she is a graduate of Clearfield High School, and was a teacher prior to her marriage. Lola is a teacher in Clearfield county; she is a Methodist in relig- ious faith. Julia is at present attending school in Greenwood township; she is a member of the Baptist Church.

Mr. Bell affiliates with the Democratic party, and has filled several township offices, discharg- ing his duties with promptness and fidelity. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church, and both are highly esteemed people, whose sterling worth and many excellencies of character com- mend them to the confidence and respect of all.

W ILLIAM JOHNSTON, an old-time agri- culturist of large experience, is numbered among the prominent and representative citizens of Morris township, Clearfield county, by whose

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

· people he is held in that reverence and respect tacitly accorded those whose lives have been dis- tinguished by integrity and usefulness.

Mr. Johnston was born in the city of Phila- delphia, August 15, 1829, a son of George and Agnes (Goodwin) Johnston. The family was founded in the New World by the great-grand- father of our subject, who came from Ireland prior to the Revolutionary war, in which he served under Gen. Washington, and then located in New Jersey, where his death occurred. The grandfather, William Johnston, a native of the Emerald Isle, came to America when a young man. In New Jersey he worked at the carpen- ter trade, and there married Mary Marshall, by whom he had four children: Katie, Elizabeth, George and Mary Catherine. He died in Tren- ton, that State; his wife passed away in Phila- delphia.

In Philadelphia George Johnston was reared and married, but in 1842 he brought his family to Clearfield county, and purchased eighty-five acres of partially-improved land in Morris town- ship, where he continued to make his home until called from this life. His wife had preceded him to the world beyond, also dying in Morris township. In their family were five children: Mrs. Mary Ann Thompson, of Port Matilda, Cen- tre Co., Penn .; William, of this sketch; Eliza- beth, wife of A. C. Dale, of Graham township, Clearfield county; Mrs. Agnes Shipley, of Bald Eagle, Centre county; and Catharine, who was accidentally burned to death at the age of ten years.

The first thirteen years of his life William Johnston spent in his native city, where he be- gan his education, which was completed in the schools of Morris township after the removal of the family to Clearfield county. He was trained to habits of industry, and under the guidance of his father became a thorough and skillful farmer. In 1854 he purchased a farm of 116 acres in Graham township, Clearfield county, which he converted into a highly-cultivated tract, and also improved a valuable place of eighty-five acres in Morris township that is now owned by his sons.

In 1859, in Morris township, he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Kyler, who was born in that township, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Cooper) Kyler, natives of Clear- field county, Penn., and Virginia, respectively. Both died in Morris township, where Mrs. John- ston also passed away in 1890, leaving many friends as well as her immediate family to inourn their loss. She was the mother of four children: Mrs. Agnes Shields, of Morris township; George, who is married and lives on the home farin; Will-

iam, who also resides upon the same place; and Mary, wife of Greighton Hoover, of Cooper town- ship, Clearfield county.

Politically, Mr. Johnston is an ardent Demo- crat, but has never cared for the honors or emolu- ments of public office. A sincere and conscien- tious Christian, he is a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church of Kylertown, and is a lib- eral supporter of all measures calculated to im- prove the moral or material welfare of the com- munity. He holds a high place in the esteem of his fellow townsmen, whose confidence he enjoys to a marked degree, and throughout the county he is both widely and favorably known.

A B. SHAW, one of the most highly re- spected citizens of the borough of Clear- field, and vice-president of the County National Bank, is a native of Clearfield county, born No- vember 12, 1831.

Richard Shaw, father of our subject, was born February 2, 1792, in County Derry, Ire- land, second in the family of children born to Archibald and Mary Shaw, the former of whom first saw light in County Donegal, Ireland, in which country he married Mary Campbell, also a native of Ireland. Soon afterward he and his wife emigrated to America, locating first in Ches- ter county, Penn., thence removing to Mifflin county, and in 1810 to Clearfield county, settling on a farm about two miles north of Clearfield, where they followed agricultural pursuits the rest of their lives. Here Archibald Shaw died at the age of seventy-three; his wife also died there, and the remains of both were interred in the Shaw burying ground. In religious faith they were strict Presbyterians. To them were born

children as follows: John, Richard, Robert, Archibald, Margaret, Mary and Jane.

Of these, Richard, as will be seen, was eight- een years old when the family came to Clearfield county. On May 14, 1816, he married Mary Irwin, who was born in Philadelphia, a daughter of Henry Irwin, an honored pioneer of Clearfield county, and after marriage they moved to Brad- ford township, making their home on a one-hun- dred-acre tract known as Bird Lands, whereon they lived four years, at the end of which tiine they moved to the mouth of Montgomery creek, in Lawrence township, from whence, however, they soon moved farther up the river, to the site of the present Leander Denning farm, having purchased extensive tracts of land known as the Shaw lands, on the west side of the river , where he spent the rest of his active life, dying in 1876 at the age of eighty-four years, his wife passing away some

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A.B. Sheaus

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

eighteen months before him. In religious faith they were Presbyterians. Mr. Shaw was a farmer, merchant and lumberman, energetic and prosperous, occupying prominent positions in the county, and taking an active part in its early history. In Lawrence township he was a justice of the peace, and was associate judge, his col- league being Dr. John P. Hoyt. To Richard and Mary Shaw were born eight children who reached maturity, as follows: Joseph, who resides in Clearfield; Jane, deceased wife of Dr. Hills, of Clearfield; Mary E., deceased wife of John Pat- terson; A. Henry, deceased; Richard, deceased; Margaret, wife of William A. Wallace, of Clear- field; William, also a resident of Clearfield; and A. B., our subject.

A. B. Shaw was reared in Clearfield county, · and received a liberal education in the common schools and the academy in Clearfield. He then entered his father's store as. clerk, later engaging in lumbering. In 1853 he removed to Shaw- ville, where he opened a lumber and general mer- chandise business, which he conducted till 1875, in that year returning to Clearfield. In 1882, our subject was elected vice-president of the County National Bank of Clearfield, organized in Febru- ary, 1865, which incumbency he is still filling with characteristic ability and fidelity. In Clear- field and Cambria counties he owns about one thousand acres of coal lands, and in all respects he is recognized as a thoroughly representative business inan.

In 1859, A. B. Shaw married Miss Agnes Au- rand, who was born in Snyder county, Penn., and children as follows blessed their union: Clara. wife of I. N. Troxell; Bertha, wife of J. Boyn- ton Nebling, of Clearfield (they have two chil- dren-Rhoda and Margaret); Jennie, wife of Dr. S. D. Bailey, of Clearfield; Fannie, married to H. B. Fulford, of Clearfield. their children being -Vera, Laura and Agnes; Calvin B., a mer- chant of Clearfield, married Elva Veil, of Big Run, Jefferson county; Edgar, a merchant in Clearfield county, married and living in Shaw- ville; Agnes, Anna, Charles and Mattie, all four at home: and an infant, deceased. In politics Mr. Shaw is a Democrat; in religious faith he is a member of the M. E. Church.

H ENRY HETRICK, one of the most enter- prising and energetic farmers and lumber- men of Sandy township, Clearfield county, be- gan his business career at an early age with no capital or influential friends to aid him, and by the exercise of his resolute will and persevering industry has accumulated considerable property.

His straightforward methods of doing business, and his value as a member of the community, have gained for him a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, who have watched his career with interest, and are not slow to acknowledge that he is deserving of all the good that has come to him.

Mr. Hetrick is descended from good old Rev- olutionary stock, his paternal grandfather having fought for American independence. He became one of the pioneers of Jefferson county, Penn., where he purchased a tract of wild land and transformed the same into a good farm, on which he spent his remaining days. Of his nine chil- dren, Frederick, the father of our subject, was the eldest, the others being Philip, Jacob, John, Samuel, Christianna, Abigail, Elizabeth and Katharine, all of whom became early settlers of Jefferson county, and are now deceased.

Frederick Hetrick was born in Erie, Penn., and located in Jefferson county when a young man, securing a farm on Little Sandy. In 1862 he sold his property there-and went to Nebraska, buying a farm in Washington county, that State, where he had two sons living. There his death occurred. In early manhood he married Eliza- beth Doverspike, who was called to her final rest in 1856. In their family were fourteen children, as follows: (1) Christian died in childhood. (2) Eliza married Darius Carrier, of Jefferson coun- ty, where they resided until her death in 1852; her husband died a few years ago, leaving a large family. (3) Eva became the wife of Mi- chael Long, and they also made their home in Jefferson county until their deaths; of their fam- ily of six children the three sons reside in the West, and the daughters are married and live in Jefferson county. (4) Magdaline married An- drew Vastbinder, and they spent their marriage life upon a farm in Warsaw township, Jefferson county; they left a family of sixteen children. (5) Margaret wedded Paul Vandervort, a stone- mason, and both died in Erie county, where they resided; they had several children. (6) Esther married John Carrier, of Jefferson coun- ty, where he followed lumbering during his life; at their deaths they left six children-Hannah. Eliza A., John, Hiram, Lucy and Melvina. (7) Mary Magdalene became the wife of George Mc- Aninch, a farmer and lumberman of Jefferson county, where she died in 1897, leaving a hus- band and eight children-Matilda. Drusilla, Stewart. George, Alvira, Jennett, Catharine and James. (8) Annie is the wife of Othneil Davis, formerly of New York State, and they live on a farmi in Warsaw township, Jefferson county; they had eight children-Sylvester, Darius, Thomas J.,

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! COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Erastus, Herbert, David S., Esick and Ida Ersula. (9) Susan, born in Jefferson county, married Joseph Conger, of Clarion county, Penn., and they live in Bethlehem, that county; their five children are-Lucetta, Selvina, Susan, Clara A., and Charles. (10) Adam married Miss Maria Hetrick, and resides near Omaha, Neb. ; they have six children. (11) Rachel lives in Nebraska with her brother William. (12) Catharine married Morgan Lucas, of Armstrong county, Penn., who was killed in a sawmill, and his widow and five children now live in Wyom- ing. (13) William, a resident of Washington county, Neb., married Leah Second Gost, and has six children. (14) Hannah married John Custard, of Luzerne county, Penn., who was a Union soldier during the Civil war, and died in defense of his country; his widow, who now re- sides in Chautauqua, N. Y., has three children- Mrs. Adelma Bracken, Miss Florence L. Shafer and Miss Catharine Van Buren Shafer.

Henry Hetrick, who completes this family, was born April 10, 1832, in Jefferson county, where he spent his boyhood and youth, and con- tinued to follow lumbering until his marriage, in 1855, to Miss Mary A. Darrah. She was born in Huntingdon county, Penn., in 1834, and removed to Jefferson county with her parents, Williamn and Margaret Darrah, who afterward went to Illinois, where they died some forty-one years ago. Upon his marriage, Mr. Hetrick located in Brookville, Penn., where he served as general manager in the woods for T. K. Litch, for about five years, but in 1859 removed to Troy, Jeffer- son county, and engaged in teaming for one year. The following two years he spent at Mill creek where he operated a sawmill for Bomb & Carrier, and he was then in the employ of James Humphrey, at Port Barnet, on the same creek, for three years. In the spring of 1863 he enlisted at Brookville in Company B, 62nd P. V. I., under Col. Black, and from Pittsburg the regi- ment went to Ohio to drive Morgan out of that State. On receiving his discharge at Pittsburg, Mr. Hetrick returned to Port Barnet, and subse- quently removed to Falls Creek, where for five years he served as foreman for the lumber firm of Bomb, Carrier & Osburn. From that com- pany he purchased 106 acres of woodland in 1863, and at once began clearing and improving his place, which he has converted into one of the most desirable farms of Sandy township. He has eighty acres cleared, and the stumps removed from a large portion of it, while the land has been placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with good and substantial buildings. There he has made his home 'since 1868, and has

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2, Part 10

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1266

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1266