Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2, Part 4

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 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2 > Part 4

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Mr. Schofield continued to reside in Philadel- phia until 1847, when he removed to Jefferson county, Penn., where he made his home for five years, and then came to Union township, Clear- field county. After working in the woolen fac- tory at Rockton some five years, he located upon his present fine farm. The family is one of prominence in the community. In politics Mr. Schofield is a Republican, intelligently support- ing his party by voice and vote, and has ever taken an active and commendable interest in public affairs. He has been called to serve his fellow-citizens in the capacity of treasurer, super- visor and collector of his township, and in the discharge of every public, as well as private duty, he is true and faithful.

A NDREW J. KING needs no special intro- duction to the readers of this volume. For many years he was prominently identified with the lumber interests of Clearfield county, and con- tinued connection with that line of industry until disabled in 1895. In that year he had both legs broken on a running slide, and was compelled to have one amputated. He has a pleasant home in Sandy township, where he is now living re- tired, and no man in the community is held in higher esteem.

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Mr. King was born in Armstrong county, Penn., in 1836, and on starting out in life for himself was employed in the iron works in that county unti! 1856, when he reinoved to Brookville, Jef- ferson Co., Penn. In the following year lie was married in that county to Miss Nancy Jane Grove, who was born in Centre county, Penn., in 1838, and also went to Jefferson county in 1856. For one year after their marriage they made their home upon a farm in that county, and then re- moved to the village of Brookville, where Mr. King followed teaming for three years. The year 1862 witnessed his arrival in Clearfield county, where for two years he engaged in lum- bering.

In 1864 Mr. King enlisted, at Luthersburg, in Company F, 58th P. V. I., and from that place went to Waterford, later to Carlisle and thence to Fortress Monroe. The regiment was next stationed at Aikens Landing, on the James river, in front of Richmond, their .camp being on the Chapins farm, and at that place the troops re- ceived their army equipments. From Septem- ber until February, 1865, they remained at that point, and then went on a raid to Fredericks- burg, where they captured the teams and tobacco of the Rebel forces. Later, for ten days, they guarded Sheridan's supplies at White House Landing, while he was in the Shenandoah Val- ley, and then moved back to Jones Landing on the James river, where they were subsequently relieved and sent to Signal Hill. On the 3d of April they advanced to Richmond. where the regiment did provost duty until July 8. and was then stationed at Staunton, Va., until October 15, 1865, when it was disbanded and its mem- bers discharged. Returning to his home, Mr. King resumed lumbering, which he successfully followed until compelled to lay aside active busi- ness.

Fifteen children were born to our subject and his estimable wife, of whom twelve are still liv- ing, namely: ( 1) Charles E., a farmer by occu- pation, married Miss Wright, of Cameron county, Penn., where he resides; (2) Joseph married Elizabethi Cummings, of Clarion county, this State, and has six children; (3) Mary C. is the wife of R. S. Winger, of Clarion county; (4) Fanny J. is the wife of L. H. Lyons, of Jeffer- son county, by whom she has four children; (5) Martha A. is the wife of Eli Dixon, of Clearfield county, by whom she has two children; (6) Annie E. is the wife of Finley Kirkpatrick, of Clearfield county, by whom she has two children; (7) Andrew J., a farmer residing near Du Bois, Clear- field county, married a Miss Nangle, and has one child; (8) Jaines G. married Annie Nangle, of

Du Bois, and they also live near that place; (9) Jacob M. inarried Miss Arnold, of Du Bois, and they make their home in Cameron county, where he is engaged in lumbering; and (10) Ida M., (II) Margaret L. and (12) George R. are with their parents. The eldest son, J. W. King, died in September, 1897.

In his political views, Mr. King coincides with the Republican party, but has had no as- pirations for the onerous duties and vexations of political preferment. He is held in the highest regard by the entire population of the township, and looked up to as a man truly honorable and upright in all things, and one whom they can depend upon as a friend. For over forty-eight years, Mrs. King has been a faithful member of the Methodist Church, and like her husband has the respect of all who know her.

M TAJOR I. McCREIGHT was born near Reynoldsville, Jefferson county, April 22, 1865, the fourth son of John McCreight and Eliza Uncapher.

The record of his paternal ancestors is traced to their emigration from Ireland early in the eighteenth century, his father being the son of Andrew McCreight and Ann Sharp, who were the first settlers in what is known as " Paradise Settlement," having removed from Armstrong county in 1832. Ann Sharp was the daughter of Andrew Sharp, of whom we have interesting historical data, related in a letter written by Mrs. Hannah Leason, wherein we find that An- drew Sharp was "a captain of militia and served under General Washington;" was married in 1783 to Ann Woods, and came a few years later to the vicinity of where is now Saltsburg. Indi- ana county, and located a home. They were soon compelled to abandon this site on account of the hostility of the Indians, and a large flat- boat was constructed on which to convey their effects by water to a new homestead on the Ohio river. After a day's navigating on the Kiskem- initis river, in effecting a landing for the night, they were suddenly attacked by a band of In- dians in ambush, and Capt. Sharp was fatally shot, bullets passing through both his right and left sides. Although mortally wounded and unable to rise, he asked for his gun, and on its being handed to him, he took deliberate aim at a savage whose body was partly exposed behind a tree, and fired; his victim, " with one expiring yell. fell forward dead."

The wife, who was smoking at the time of the attack, had the pipe shot from her mouth.

M. S. Wlight

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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She cared for the injured husband and piloted the boat during the night and next day, until a party of traders were met returning on horse- back fromn Pittsburg, when one of their number was dispatched back to secure surgical treat- ment. He was tenderly cared for, and hopes for his recovery entertained, but during the fir- ing of heavy cannon in the celebration of Inde- pendence Day, his wounds started bleeding, and he died on the following 8th of July, 1794, and was buried in Pittsburg with the honors of war.

Tracing back the early family record of the mother's side, we find George Ludwick, one of the pioneers of Westmoreland county, a prosper- ous farmer-merchant, as is evidenced by many books of record, bills, contracts and other curi- ous documents. Susannah, daughter of George Ludwick, became the wife of Adam Uncapher, a merchant in Marion, Ohio, in 18-, where he also held the office of county treasurer. Later they removed to Jefferson City, Mo., where he held important government and local city offices. Among his papers are found drawings of the State Capitol building, of which he was the archi- tect, at the construction of which he was acci- dentally injured by a falling scaffold, the effects of which caused his death in 1844. The family consisted of five sons and four daughters, the third daughter becoming the wife of John Mc- Creight on October 7, 1851. Her brothers be- came soldiers in the war with Mexico, also in the war of the Rebellion, and two of them were killed. The elder brother, Israel, passed through the entire Mexican campaign, participating in the capture of Mexico, and earned for himself, by distinguished service. the title of "Major"; it was by this incident that our subject, who was named in honor of his uncle, Israel, came to be called " Major " McCreight.

Mr. McCreight received his limited education in the country schools, beginning at the age of five. At the age of sixteen he was, after con- tinued persuasion of his parents, permitted to go to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he entered East- man Business College for a course in practical business training, graduating in 'four months, the youngest in a class of twenty, and one of the youngest of about three hundred in the school. In the following year he entered the employ of G. W. Fuller & Bro., in a large general store at Reynoldsville, helping at times in their bank, which was adjoining, and in which he became regularly engaged thereafter. It was here he re- ceived his first lesson in handling matters of great responsibility, one that has served him well in later years; he was left during an emergency for several days with the entire management of the

bank, without assistance. Having served in the bank about a year, a change in the ownership took place, and in May, 1885, he joined a party of friends in Reynoldsville, who were going to Da- kota territory to seek fortunes in the new West, landing at Devil's Lake. Here he soon found congenial employment with Moore & Dodd, large cattle dealers and contractors. His duties were constantly weighted with great responsibility, he having charge of the accounts, collections and finances. The business of the house was of va- ried branches, such as the supplying of fresh beef to the Indian Mission Schools, to the post traders, and to the officers and garrison at Fort Totten; the furnishing also of the contractors then build- ing the Great Northern railway; the shipping of horses from Oregon; the shipping of large quan- tities of gaine and fish to Eastern markets, as well as wheat; and no small part of his duty was the purchasing of buffalo bones, which were brought in by the Indians and half-breeds in great quantities, a single caravan sometimes consist- ing of forty or fifty loads, each of which were driven on the scales and weighed, and a num- bered ticket given to the driver, after which the bones were unloaded, at the shipping station, the empty train of carts re-weighed, and the net sum determined and paid to each in order. This led him to an acquaintance with the Indian customs, and their language to a degree that proved useful later on. A band of Indians in war trappings came into the village determined on satisfaction of a grievance against the horde of hungry set- tlers who were fast filling up the new country, and encroaching somewhat on their freedom and their heretofore undisputed title to the virgin prairie, when he promptly engaged the chief for a round of entertainment and sight-seeing about town, visiting among other places, the photo- grapher's, where a sitting was had for a picture. a copy of which he 'presented to the chief. So delighted was he with the treatment, that no difficulty was had in inducing him to lead his band back to his reservation.

Mr. McCreight has among his collection of souvenirs one especially prized, consisting of the peace-pipe and beaded pouch of ex-Chief Wah- Neh-Tah, of the Sionx, who, upon taking final leave on his return east, unbuckled his belt and handed them to him with assurance of faithful friendship and good wishes.

On his return home in the fall of 1886 for a short visit, Mr. McCreight was induced to become interested in the First National Bank of Du Bois, with F. K. Arnold, who was then its president, and after arranging his plans entered the bank in the beginning of 1887 as assistant cashier, Mr.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHIICAL RECORD. .

Arnold retiring shortly after, and succeeded by Hon. J. E. Long. During the month of June following a number of the shareholders of the bank purchased the Du Bois Deposit Bank, and Mr. McCreight was put in charge of its manage- ment, receiving deposits of nearly fifty thousand dollars and its established patronage, etc .; but on the 18th, within two weeks thereafter, came the great fire that swept away the building, leaving the vault as the only visible landmark where stood a flourishing town. It was several days of anx- iety before access could be had to discover that no valuables were destroyed. Next came a search for somewhere to do business, and after a canvass of the remaining few houses, the opera house ticket office was secured, with a carpenter's work bench for a counter. Here the new outfit was set up and continued for about six months until a suitable building was erected and occu- pied in November, the funds and books beinig carried to and from the improvised and somewhat novel quarters to the vault in a large clothing basket each day, accompanied by armed guards, who watched the vault at night.

The business of the bank rapidly increased, and in 1892 the capital was increased to $75,000, and the institution converted into a State bank, under a new provision of State law, and the cor- ner at Long avenue and Brady street purchased and the present magnificent block erected. In 1895, following the failure of the private " Bank of Du Bois," a further increase of the capital was made, a national charter obtained, and the bank to-day stands as the Deposit National Bank, with a capital of $100,000, and credit second to none. By his conservative management, and the vigor- ous policy of progress and improvement which has always characterized his every business trans- action, he has watched the growth of the finan- cial record of his bank from an annual business, in 1888, of a million dollars to an amount more than ten times as great.

Mr. McCreight has always taken a leading part in all of the matters concerning the growth and improvement of his town, and has handled successfully probably more transactions involving large sums than any man of his age in the county, and is at present directly identified with and in charge of a great amount.

Mr. McCreight was married in July, 1887, to Miss Alice B. Humphrey, daughter of Richard Humphrey and Mary Slack, of Jefferson county, and has an interesting family of four children: Donald aged nine, Catherine aged five, and twin boys aged nine months, which at this writing have not been named. He resides in his own home at No. 42 East Long avenue.

J M. ROSS, M. D .. who is now residing in DuBois, is one of the oldest physicians in years of continuous practice in Clearfield. county, his identification with the profession cov- ering a period of forty consecutive years. It is a record of self-sacrificing devotion to duty, of con- tinued effort in the line of progress, and of earn- est and faithful application in relief of human suffering. Such a life record is worthy of per- petuation.

Dr. Ross is a native of West Virginia, his. birth having occurred in Monongalia county, in 1829. His parents were Enoch and Elizabeth (Miller) Ross, natives of Pennsylvania, where they were reared and married. The father was a farmer by occupation, and at an early day re- moved to Virginia, where he engaged in stock dealing. For some years he resided in Monon- galia county, and there died; his wife passed away in the same county, in 1893, at the ad- vanced age of ninety years. They were the par- ents of children, as follows: Susan, who died in Virginia; Mrs. Harriet Reed, of Monongalia county; Catherine, who died in West Virginia; J. M .; Mrs. Rebecca Hoard, of Monongalia county; Mrs. Mary Ann Reed, of West Virginia; Margaret and Clarissa, who died in childhood; Emma Eliza, now Mrs. Beyer, of Smoke Run, Clearfield county; Justus Fordyce, county sur- veyor of Taylor county, W. Va .; and Robert, who resides in Monongalia county.

In the place of his birth Dr. Ross spent his childhood days, and in the hot summer sun he worked in the fields, while through the winter season he pursued his education in the schools of Morgantown, W. Va. He took up the study of medicine in Smithfield, Fayette Co., Penn., after- ward entered a medical college in Cincinnati, Ohio, and subsequently continued his studies in the Philadelphia Medical College, where he was graduated in 1857. Dr. Ross at once located in Lumber City, Penn., where he continued in act- ive practice for thirty-six consecutive years, re- sponding to the call of the sick and suffering without regard to whether he should receive his regular fee for his services or no compensation at all. He is a man of broad sympathy, and many have reason to bless him for his kindly as- sistance. In 1893 he came to DuBois, where he has since made his home. He is a member of the National Eclectic Medical Association, and is deeply interested in all that foretells continued progress in the line of his profession.

Dr. Ross was married in Lumber City, in 1860, to Miss Mary H. Ferguson, a native of Ferguson township, Clearfield county, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Wiley) Fergu-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

son. Her father was born in Lock Haven, and was a son of Jolin Ferguson, Senr., a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and one of the pioneers of Clearfield county, who, pushing his canoe with a pole, brought his family up the Susquehanna river to Clearfield county about 1805. Here he opened up a farm, which for many years he suc- cessfully cultivated. John Ferguson, Jr., died in Lock Haven, in 1875, and his wife passed away in Lumber City some years later. The Doctor and his wife have two children: John Mead, and Tacy Elizabeth, wife of W. C. Pentz, city attorney of DuBois.

The Doctor gives his political support to the men and measures of the Republican party. He is a valued member of Noble Lodge, No. 480, F. & A. M., of Curwensville, and also belongs to Lumber City Lodge, No. 877, I. O. O. F. He is widely known as one of the pioneer physicians of Clearfield county, and is a worthy citizen, one who has witnessed the full development of this section of the State. He is the inventor and manufacturer of " Ross' Cough Mixture," which is extensively sold in the surrounding counties as well as in Clearfield.

J AMES H. WEAVER, now living retired in Burnside, is properly ranked among the self- made men of Clearfield county, beginning his career at the foot of the ladder in life, with no other resources than his own indomitable will and steady plodding industry. From a humble position he has arisen to that of one of the rep- resentative men of a more than ordinarily intelli- gent community. The greater part of his life has been spent in agricultural pursuits, and when but a boy he became thoroughly familiar with the various employments of the farm. For his fut- ure calling he wisely chose that to which he was best adapted by both nature and experience, and as a fariner and lumberman he occupied an envi- able position among the progressive men of his community.

In Union county, Penn., Mr. Weaver was born December 23, 1816, a son of John and Rutlı (Zimmerman) Weaver, both of German de- scent, and natives of Pennsylvania, the foriner born in Easton, and the latter in Chester county. They were married in Buffalo Valley, and after one or two removals they located in Union county, where the father bought a small tract of land, and in connection with its cultivation also worked at the tailor's trade. In 1827 he came to Clearfield county, locating on the river near McGee's Mills, where he improved a farm in the midst of the forest, and gave his exclusive atten- 1

tion to agriculture until becoming blind, when he and his wife left the farm and spent their re- maining days with our subject. Some of the timber upon his land lie rafted down the river to market. He died May 13, 1870. at the age of ninety years and three days; his wife passed away in November, 1874, aged eighty-seven years. They were highly respected people, and devout members of the Methodist Protestant Church.

To this worthy couple were born ten children. namely: Sarah, who became the wife of John Byers, and reared a large family, but is now de- ceased; Esther, who married T. Logan, and also reared a family, but is now deceased; Samuel, a resident of Burnside; James H., of this sketch: Ruth, wife of J. Hutton, of New Washington, Clearfield county; Eliza, wife of E. Horton; John, who was a prominent and enterprising man, now deceased; Peter S., a resident of Ore- gon; Amanda, who married A. Wheland, a resi- dent of Illinois; and Mary, wife of H. Wetzel. Six of the family are still living.

Our subject was abont ten years of age when he accompanied the family to Clearfield county, and his early life was spent in assisting his father in clearing and cultivating the home farm, and in attending the district schools. He also, from twenty-one to twenty-three years of age en- gaged in teaching for two terms. In conection with farming he followed lumbering more or less for sixty years piloting rafts down the river for himself and others. After his marriage he pur- chased a tract of one hundred acres of but slightly improved land in Burnside township, and there made his home until coming to the village of Burnside in 1888, when he sold the farm, which he had cleared and improved with excellent buildings. Besides his own comfort- able residence in Burnside, he has two other residences which he rents.

In 1843, Mr. Weaver was married to Miss Sarah A. Campbell, who was born in Union county, Penn., in March 23, 1822, a daughter of Thomas and Mary ( Wheland) Campbell. natives of Chester and Northumberland counties, Penn., respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were married in Milton, where they resided many years. In early life he followed the shoemaker's trade, but after his removal to Union county he located on a farm, which he operated, and also freighted by team to and from Philadelphia and Washington. In 1830 he came to Clearfield county, locating on the river above McGee's Mills, where he bought land and improved a farm. His first home here was a rude log cabin with no floor or ceiling; but as time passed this

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

was replaced by a comfortable dwelling, and the land was brought under a high state of culti- vation. The mother of Mrs. Weaver died in 1846, after which Mr. Camphell married a Mrs. Reed, who departed this life in 1868; he died in January, 1864. In politics he was a Demo- crat. His first wife was a eousistent inember of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the second of the Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Weaver is the fifth in order of birth in the family of ten children born of the first mar- riage, the others being as follows: James A., a farmer; Jacob W., deceased; Mary E., who died in infancy; Jane E., who became the wife of G. Ramsey, and both died in Iowa; Mrs. Harriet D. Wetzel; Thomas, a resident of Illinois; Mfi- chael W., deceased; Mary E., the second of that name, who is the deceased wife of Lewis Arm- strong; and Mahala R., also deceased. ‘ Six children graeed the union of our subjeet and his wife: Henrietta, wife of David Mitchell, a prom- inent farmer of Clearfield county; Franees E., wife of Thomas Mitchell, a farmer; Mary K., wife of A. Shafer; Harriet R., wife of J. Breth; John T., who died at the age of fifteen; and James L., a prominent merchant of Burnside.

Sinee his boyhood, Mr. Weaver has been a conscientious and earnest Christian, a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, to which his wife also belongs as well as his children, and he has filled a number of Church offices. Until within the last four years he was always a Re- publiean in polities, but now supports the men and measures of the Prohibition party. Publie- spirited and progressive, his support is given to all worthy enterprises for the good of the eom- munity, and he is justly classed among the valued and representative citizens of Clearfield county.

A R. VAN TASSEL. The visitor to Du- Bois, one of the most important business eenters of Clearfield county, looks with interest upon the extensive tannery conducted by the well-known firm of DuBois and Van Vassel Bros. It was established in 1884 in a building 40 x65 feet with a force of about twenty men, and the product was limited to rough leather. The excellent quality of their work speedily brought an extensive trade, and in 1889 they widened their operations, adding finishing de- partments. The growth of the business may be judged by a comparison of their plant, one of the largest in the country, with the humble begin- ning, one building alone, used for currying, being 40x 320 feet, and five stories in height, and an "L" 112 x64, also five stories, with the other

buildings in proportion, covering seven aeres of land. They have a capacity of 2,000 sides per day, and at present employ about 350 men. Their bark is obtained from their own lands in Elk and Jefferson counties.

A. R. Van Tassel, who has been a leading factor in the enterprise, has been connected with it from its foundation in 1884, when he first lo- cated in DuBois, having been attracted to the place by the superior advantages it afforded for the business. Sinee making his home there Mr. Van Tassel has identified himself with the best interests of the growing eity, his influence being at all times thrown upon the side of prog- ress. The following brief history will serve to outline his life and indicate the varied activities, publie and private, to which he has turned his at- tention.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 2, Part 4

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