USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 105
USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 105
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 105
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 105
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Mrs. Elizabeth (Kroh) Schuckers was born July 2, 1844, in Pinecreek township, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Haupt) Kroh, natives of Northumberland county, Penn., and early set- tlers of Jefferson county, where they spent their last years, the former dying in 1876, at the age of seventy-five, and the latter in May, 1872, at the age of seventy-two. Both were consist- ent members of the Lutheran Church, and very ; tive of England, who located on the present site of Baltimore, but at the opening of the Revolu- tionary war returned to his native land. The grandfather, Zachariah Dean, was born in Mary- land, March 26, 1772, and died April IS, 1862, in Lawrence county, Penn. He was married in Huntingdon county, Penn., to Allie Thompson. a native of this State, who died in June. 1847. at the age of seventy-three years. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Jacob Emery, was of German descent, served in the war of 1812. and died in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania.
prominent in their community. Their remains were interred in the Brookville Cemetery. The father followed the occupations of farming and umbering, and also operated a gristmill. His political support was given the men and measures of the Republican party. Mrs. Schuckers is the youngest of seven children, namely: Beneval, a retired farmer of Pinecreek township: Sarah, wife of Peter Baum, an agriculturist of the same township: Jacob, who was engaged in farming in Armstrong county, Penn., but is now deceased: Angeline, who married John B. Snyder, but both have passed away: Henry, a farmer, now deceased: Catherine J., wife of George Jordan, who is engaged in the hotel business in Perry- ville, Penn .; and Elizabeth (Mrs. Schuckers).
R EV. JACOB E. DEAN, who is residing on what is known as the old Feely homestead in Winslow township, Jefferson county, devotes
his life to farming and to the work of the minis- try. He is a man of strong intellectual powers, and much force of character, and has left the iin- press of his individuality upon the community. Highly esteemed by all who know him, his in- fluence has been a power for good, and he may well be numbered among Jefferson county's best citizens.
Rev. Dean was born August 27, 1833, near Harlansburg, Lawrence Co., Penn. His parents, Noah and Elizabeth (Emery) Dean, were natives of Huntingdon and Mercer counties, Penn., re- spectively, and were married in the latter by Rev. John Munson, a Presbyterian minister. The fa- ther followed farming in Lawrence county. He was born July 24, 1804, died in 1870, and was buried at Harlansburg, Penn. His wife, who was born October 30, 1802, died in 1884. Their children were Sarah, widow of Zachariah Dean, of Newcastle, Penn .; William E., a farmer of Lawrence county; Mary, wife of Riley Bruce, and both now deceased; Enoch, deceased; Nancy. who was killed in a railroad disaster at Chats- worth, Ill .; Jacob E .; Noah, a farmer of Mis- souri; Martha, wife of Lemuel Andrews, of Mer- cer county, who served three years in the 100th P. V. I .; Caroline, wife of Jesse Locke, of Law- rence county; Alfred, a farmer of Newcastle, Penn .; John C., who served three years in the 100th P. V. I., and died in 1895; Isaac N., who served in the 100th P. V. I., and died at Vicks- burg, Miss., July 15, 1863, the result of a sprained ankle.
The Dean family was founded in America by the great-great-grandfather of our subject, a na-
Mr. Dean, of this review, resided with his parents until twenty-one years of age, during which time he assisted in the labors of the home farin and attended the public schools. He was also a student in a normal school in Lawrence county prior to leaving home. At the age of eighteen he began teaching, which he followed for ten terms. On attaining his majority he purchased a farm in Mercer county, whereon he made his home for ten years. In 1859 he went
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to Pikes Peak, Colo., in search of gold, but found little, and in the fall went to Iowa, where he taught school. In 1861 he returned to his farm and the same year entered the ministry. Later he attended Reeds Institute, in order to further fit himself for this calling. He began preaching at Brownsville, Penn., where he remained two years, and in 1863 took up his residence in Clar- ion, Penn., where he remained a year. During that time he preached at Strattonville and Cor- sica, and thence removed to Leatherwood, Penn., where he continued four years, having charge of the Leatherwood and Bethlehem Churches. In 1868 he went to Mackville, Penn., and from 1 868 to 1875 preached for the Union Church and a charge at Freeport. In 1875 he served as finan- cial secretary for Reeds Institute, and the follow- ing year came to his present farm of 121 acres, which he has since kept under a high state of. cultivation, and in addition he has carried on much Church work. From 1876 until 1879 he was pastor of the Soldiers Run Church at Rey- noldsville, and while there organized the Baptist Church, at West Liberty, of which he was pastor for eleven consecutive years. During that time he organized the Church in Du Bois, for which he preached every fourth Sunday for four years. He also organized the Church at Caledonia, and for nine years occupied the pulpit half of the time at Allens Mills. During that period he also preached for three and a half years at Union Church, Armstrong county, and then organized the Church at Johnsburg, Elk county, where he continued for four years. Later he had charge of the Baptist Churches in Sykesville and West Liberty, and for a year and a half was pastor of the Churches at Coalport, Mountdale and Medix Run. He is now preaching at Medix Run and Brockwayville, having organized the latter Church in 1891. He was its pastor for a time, and on the Ist of March, 1897, resumed his labors there. He is an able speaker, most earnest and thoughtful, and his labors have been productive of good that is immeasurable. He is a man of broad general information, and does all in his power to promote the best interests of the com- munities with which he is associated. Rev. Dean is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry Grange No. 44. of Armstrong county, and the Patriotic Order Sons of America, of Reynoldsville. His political support is given the Republican party.
Rev. Dean was married August 16, 1854, in Mercer county, Penn., to Miss Clara Furinan, who was born in Strattonville, Clarion county. May 1, 1830. They have a family of nine chil- dren: Noah married Rosa Tubbs, by whom he had two children, both now deceased. The mother
also died, and he married Belle London, by whom he has four children. They now reside in Rathmel, Penn., where he is agent for a nursery company. Sarah E. is at home. Onis V. is
deceased. Permilla A. married J. C. Williams, of Caledonia, Penn .. and they have four children. Ida E. is the wife of F. E. McKee, a sawyer of Michigan. Carrie A. died at the age of six years. Charles T., a farmer of Winslow township, mar- ried Priscilla Shields, and has two children. Clara A. is the wife of U. Grant Perry, a clerk in the war department at Washington, D. C., by whom she has one child. Myrtle M., a graduate of Lockhaven State Normal, completes the family and lives at home.
It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the family to which Mrs. Dean belongs. Her paternal grandfather was Daniel Furman. Her father, Jonathan Furman, was born in Northumberland county, Penn., and was there married to Sarah Howe, a native of Mary- land. He followed farming as a life work, and died in Strattonville, in 1858, at the age of sev- enty-two. His wife died in Mercer county, in 1850, at the age of sixty-four. He was a Whig in politics, and both were members of the Baptist Church. Their children were: William, who died at the age of twenty-one; Nathan, who died at the age of eighty; Hannah, deceased wife of George Kelley, also deceased; Samuel, a Baptist minister, who died at the age of seventy-three: Elizabeth, deceased wife of Jacob Dunkel; Jane. deceased wife of Henry Fulton; John, who has also passed away; Sarah, deceased widow of Henry Runkel, of Mercer county; Ambrose, who has also passed away; and Mrs. Clara Dean, the estimable wife of our subject, who has proved to him a most capable helpmeet, and who has won the warm friendship of many by her excellencies of character.
S AMUEL IRVIN (deceased). late a prominent merchant of Big Run, Jefferson county, was a man who was held in high esteem wherever he was known, and whose history, showing as it does his courageous struggle with adverse cir- cumstances, will afford a helpful lesson.
Benjamin and Prudence (Dunbar) Irvin, his parents, had a large family and limited means. and the value of thrift and industry early be- came apparent to our subject. The father was a collier for some years after his marriage, but in 1848 engaged in agriculture in Tioga county, Penn., where he purchased a farm, and, in addi- tion to this work, he found employment among the iron furnaces of that neighborhood, much
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of his time being spent in burning charcoal, and in similar labor.
Samuel Irvin was born in Schuykill county, Penn., in 1831, and had but limited schooling, his help being needed at home. On attaining his majority he embarked in business for himself, engaging in lumbering and milling, which he continued until 1861 in Pennsylvania, Wiscon- sin and Minnesota. The outbreak of the war and the call for defenders of our national unity. aroused his patriotic spirit, and he went to the front as a member of Company D, 106th P. V. I. He was in active service more than three years. At the battle of Cold Harbor, in 1864, he was wounded in the head by a shell and dis- abled for further duty. Returning to Pennsyl- vania he spent one year in lumbering, and then engaged in mercantile business at Liberty, Tioga county, but sold out after three years. He pur- chased a farm in the same county, which proved an unprofitable investment, and at the end of eight years there he was obliged to seek empioy- ment by the day in a tannery at Canton, Penn. In 1882 he moved to North Bend, where he con- tinued in similar work for five years, after which he moved to Williamsport, where he was employed by the hardware firm of J. H. Linck & Co. In 1888 he moved to Big Run, where he was again employed in a tannery for a year, but having secured the means for another start he engaged in the grocery business, which he conducted suc- cessfully. In 1885 he was married to Miss Mary M. Wright, of Tioga county, and one son survives, J. B. Irvin, who was for a time in busi- ness with his father.
Politically Mr. Irvin was a Republican, and his popularity among all classes made him a favorite candidate for local office when he con- sented to run. He was a member of the G. A. R., and he was identified with the Christian Church, in which he was serving as deacon and treasurer at the time of his death. His widow is a member of the same Church.
D ANIEL REITZ, one of the prominent and representative citizens of Beaver township, Jefferson county, has now laid aside the cares and responsibilities of active business life. He has been and is distinctively a man of affairs, and one who has wielded a wide influence. A strong mentality, an invincible courage, and a most determined individuality have so entered into his make-up asto render him a natural leader of men and a director of opinion. The county may well accord honor to him.
A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Reitz was
born in Northumberland county, in 1834. a son of William and Mary ( Lease) Reitz. The birth of the father also occurred in that county, where he made his home until coming to Beaver town- ship, Jefferson county, in 1852. In early life he engaged in merchandising, but later devoted his time and attention to agricultural pursuits. He died in 1892, at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife, who was born in Georgetown, North- umberland county, passed away when in her eighty-fourth year.
Daniel Reitz, of this review, is second in order of birth in a family of ten children-five sons and five daughters. He supplemented the knowl- edge acquired in the common schools of his na- tive county by extensive reading and study in later years, and is well informed on all topics of general interest, as well as the leading questions and issues of the day. At the age of twenty-four he left the parental roof, and obtained employ- ment in the lumber woods of Jefferson county, where he at first worked by the month, and later engaged in jobbing. During this time he was saving his means by which to provide a home for his parents, as his father had met with reverses in business. Our subject continued lumbering until 1865, when he went to the Pacific coast, and traveled extensively over the Western States and British Columbia, spending nearly seven : years in the Rocky Mountains in search of his fortune. Although he encountered many obsta- cles and difficulties, he was mainly successful. and on his return to Pennsylvania, in 1872, he purchased the fine farm in Beaver township. Jefferson county, where he still resides. While in the West he came across many hostile Indian tribes, and at times narrowly escaped with his life. For several years after his return, Mr. Reitz was actively engaged in general farming, and for fifteen years served as justice of the peace, during which time he administered and settled many estates, having at one time fifteen on hand for settlement, but he has now laid aside all business cares, and is enjoying a well- earned rest. In 1872 he was married to Mrs. Mary Spare, nee Lurch, of Jefferson county, a most estimable lady, who is a faithful member of the Evangelical Church. Fraternally, Mr. Reitz was for many years a member of the Ma- sonic order, but took his dimit owing to his age. However, he still belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed all the chairs, is a member of the Grand Lodge. the Knights of Pythias, the American Mechanics and the Farmers Alliance.
In politics, our subject has entertained Green- back proclivities since 1864, prior to which time
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