Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3, Part 21

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1332

USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 21
USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 21
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 21
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 21

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

Mr. Wanner has never joined the army of

Benedicts. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and in his political affiliations is a steadfast Democrat. Owing to the pressure of business cares, he does not take an active part in politics, although he is a ready sympathizer in all movements for the public welfare.

W ILDER MACK BOYLE. During the war of the Rebellion there were families that contributed nobly to the cause of the Union by sending their sons to the front, and that paid dearly the sacrifice of life and blood. Of the six sons of George Boyle, an expert cabinet maker and a man prominent in religious work, four en- listed and two died for their country. One of the two survivors, who was wounded and shat- tered in health, was Wilder Mack Boyle, the subject of this sketch, a well-known and highly respected farmer of Winslow township, Jefferson county.

The family are of Irish extraction. The grandfather, Daniel Boyle, emigrated from Ire- land to America with his family in 1807. He was a tailor by trade, and settled in Clarion county, Penn. His son, George Boyle, who was born in 1798, learned the cabinet maker's trade, and at Philipsburg. Penn., married Miss Eliza- beth McCloskey, a native of that town. Their early married life was spent near Curllsville, Clarion county, but later they removed to Illi- nois. Returning to Clarion county. Penn., they settled near Rimersburg, where they remained until his death in 1860 at the age of sixty-two years. His wife, the mother of our subject, died September 7, 1873, aged seventy years, one month and two days. George Boyle was a man devoted to Church and humanity. He was a member of the M. E. Church, and for many years a class-leader and earnest worker in that denomi- nation. Kind in disposition, charitable to all, earnest in advancing the best interests of his fellow-men, he was universally esteemed. He and his wife are buried in Rose Church Cemetery at Reinersburg. Their children were as follows: John T., who became a M. E. minister, and died at Savannah, Mo., in June, 1893, being at the time a retired minister; Sarah, wife of Israel Culberson, a farmer of Clarion county; James R., a member of Company F, 103d P. V. I., who died at Georgetown, Va., from wounds received in battle; Wilder M., subject of this sketch; Har- riet (deceased), who married John Foster, now living in Ohio; William H., a member of Com- pany F, 103d P. V. I., who died from sickness during service; George E., of Clearfield, Penn., who was a member of Company L, 11th Penn-

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sylvania Cavalry; and Charles W., who died in 1873.

Wilder Mack Boyle was born May 5, 1831, in Madison township, Clarion county. He re- mained at the home of his parents, working on the farm in suminer and cutting wood in winter until twenty years of age, when he began a four- years' apprenticeship in Clarion county with John Shandler, a carpenter, receiving the first year $60; the second, $120; the third, $140, and the fourth, $160. On October 18, 1856, at New Bethle- hem, Penn., he was married, by Rev. John Thompson. a M. E. minister, to Miss Susan Mohny. She was born, March 2, 1834, at Smith- land, Clarion county, a daughter of John and Sarah Pollyard Mohny, both natives of Clarion county. John Mohny was the son of John Mohny, a native of Dauphin county, and a farmer by occupation. Sarah Pollyard was the daugh- ter of Nicholas and Sarah Pollyard, farmers of Clarion county. John Mohny, Jr., was a prom- inent citizen of Clarion county. He was an act- ive member of the Lutheran Church and for many years a deacon. By occupation a farmer, he served as constable for nineteen years. His wife died in 1853, aged forty-five years, and, in 1854, he moved to Kellersburg. Armstrong Co., Penn., where he died in 1875, aged seventy years. Both are buried in Kellersburg cemetery. The children of John and Sarah Mohny were: Eliza, widow of Charles Sandford, Oakland, Penn .; Lucinda, who married L. W. Corbett, of Arm- strong county, both now deceased; Margaret, widow of William Packer, of Philadelphia, Penn. ; John, who died aged nineteen years; Sophia (de- ceased), who married John Hudson. of Oil City, Penn .: Susan, wife of W. M. Boyle; Chambers O .. living on half of the old homestead at Kel- lersburg; Peter, a tinner of Pittsburg, Penn .; Frank, also on the old homestead; Jane (de- ceased , who married Charles Mapes, of Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania.

To Wilder M. and Susan Boyle have been born the following children: John E., a ininer of near Rimersburg. Penn., who married Eliza- beth .Snyder, and has one child --- Edith; Eliza- beth A., who married Leonard Reynolds, a farmer of Winslow township, and has one child-Sadie; Sadie, deceased wife of Jerome Bowers, a rail- road man of Du Bois, Penn. ; Charles C., Ferman D., and Loren H., at home.

After concluding his apprenticeship in 1855 our subject for three years engaged in carpen- tering in partnership with John Shandler. Then for years he followed lumbering during the win- ters, and in summer until his enlistment, August 13, 1862, in Company F, 103rd P. V. I., under

Capt. Josiah Zink. Mr. Boyle was in service three years. He was wounded in the left arm and taken prisoner at Plymouth, N. C., but eight months later he was paroled, until exchanged and sent home. He secured a thirty-days' fur- lough, afterward extended to sixty days, and re- mained with his family in Armstrong county, where his wife had gone to live with her sister during Mr. Boyle's service in the army. Rejoin- ing his regiment, he served to the close of the war, and was honorably discharged in June, 1865. During his service Mr. Boyle participated in inany active engagements. After he was mus- tered out he remained in Armstrong county a year, recuperating his health. He then removed to Brookville, where he engaged in lumbering, farming, etc., until 1872. In that year he moved to his present farm. For two years he rented and then purchased four acres, and kept adding thereto from year to year until he now owns the entire 45 acres. In politics he is a Republican. For two years he served as supervisor, then de- clined renomination. He is a member of Rey- noldsville Post No. 192, G. A. R., and is an active member of the M. E. Church, of which he has been class-leader during the past three years.

A BRAM FYE, a general farmer and proprietor of a portable sawmill in Winslow township, has for many years been one of the most impor- tant factors in the business life of Jefferson coun- ty. His name is inseparably interwoven with its history, and the part which he has taken in its substantial development classes him among those to whom the county will ever be indebted for the broad foundation upon which will be raised the superstructure of its future prosperity.

Mr. Fye was born in Sandy township, Clear- field Co., Penn., May 14, 1840, a son of Samuel and Mary (Dickson) Fye, and is a worthy repre- sentative of old and honored pioneer families of Jefferson county. His paternal great-grandfa- ther, a native of Germany, came to America at an early day, and spent his last years in Clear- field county, while his grandfather. Henry Fye. who was also born in the Fatherland, made his home in Clarion county, Penn. The maternal grandfather, Samuel Dickson, was a native of Ireland, and died near Brookville. in Jefferson Co., Penn., where he had reared his family. Near Brookville the birth of both the parents of our subject occurred, and in Jefferson county their marriage was celebrated, but they after- ward removed to Clearfield county, locating at the present site of West Liberty when only two families were living there. The father, who was

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a farmer by occupation, died at that place in 1855, at the age of fifty-six years, and was buried upon his farm. The mother passed away in Jef- ferson county, May 13, 1872, aged seventy-five, and was laid to rest in the West Liberty cem- etery. In the family of this worthy couple were the following children: Eli, who died at the age of fifty; Miss Jennetta, who removed to Kansas in 1864; Mary, who wedded John Heberling. but both are now deceased; Hiram, who died in Feb- ruary, 1895; Ellen, the wife of Henry Lyons, a resident farmer of Prescottville, Penn .; Eliza, wife of George Dakin, who removed to the State of New York in 1857; Harriet, wife of William Kneal, of Kansas; Rebecca, wife of Isaac Neff, of Oil City, Penn. ; and Abram, of this sketch.

After he attended school for three terms of three months each the school house was destroyed by fire, and owing to a scarcity of funds in the community it was not rebuilt. Therefore Abram Fye's educational advantages were limited. At the age of fifteen he began the battle of life by working by the day at any employment which he could find, for the first three years being mainly engaged in the manufacture of shingles and at work in the lumber woods of Clearfield county, for which he received $7 per month. Returning home at the age of eighteen, he operated the farm on shares for two years, and then re- moved to Jefferson county with his brother, Hiram, renting the F: Henry farm in Winslow township. Later he rented a house in the same township for one year, and then leased the Micks farm near Big Soldier for the same length of time. Throughout this period they engaged in lumbering in connection with agriculture, and having succeeded in accumulating some capital, they purchased 100 acres of land in Winslow township, which they divided in 1888. Our sub- ject has added to his portion a tract of forty- three acres, bought in 1890, and to-day has a : good farm of ninety-three acres of well-improved and valuable land. He also owns a third interest in a planing and shingle mill at Sykesville, and is still successfully engaged in lumbering and farming.

At the home of the bride's parents in Wins- low township, Jefferson county, September 12, 1865. Rev. James Johnson performed a wedding ceremony, which united the destinies of Mr. Fve and Miss Sophia J. Rea, who was born in that township, January 7. 18445. Her parents, Joshua and Frances (Wilkens Rea, were natives of Clarion county, Penn., and came to Jefferson county at an early day, locating near Prescott- ville, where the father died in ISso. at the age of fifty years. His remains were interred in

Prospect Hill cemetery, Jefferson county. The mother long survived him, dying April 8, 1894, aged eighty-four, and was buried in the Prescott- ville cemetery. Their children were John, who died at the age of twenty-two; Thomas, a carpen- ter residing in Kansas; Sophia J., the wife of our subject; and George M., who occupies the old homestead near Prescottville. Mrs Fye's pater- nal grandparents were Joshua and Sarah (Mere- dieth) Rea. the former of Welsh and the latter of Irish descent. They died and were buried in Clarion county. Her maternal grandparents, John and Jane (Brown) Wilkens, natives of Ire- land, located in Venango county, Penn., on com- ing to the United States, but their remains were interred at Brookville, Jefferson county. To our subject and his wife have been born children as follows: William Thomas, December 7. 1866; Rosetta Jane, February 22. 1869; David El- more, April 13, 1872; George M., January 15. 1879. died February 25, 1879; Ida Cora Belle and Ada Ora Della, January 17, 1876; Samuel Joseph Joshua, May 27, 1880; and John Edgar, April 7, 1883. The father of these, in his political affilia- tions, is a Republican, and in 1882 he served as supervisor of his township, and has been school di- rector for the past two years. As a progressive, enterprising man, his business interests have ever been prosecuted with vigor and energy, and he has carried forward to successful completion whatever he has undertaken. He is honored and respected by all, and is recognized as one of the representative citizens of Winslow township.

M ENRY K. NORTH is one of the substan- tial citizens of McCalmont township, Jeffer- son county. His farm of 170 acres near Punxsu- tawney compares well with any in the locality. and for some years past he has also been exten- sively engaged in lumbering. one contract which he now has on hand calling for the clearing. manufacturing and delivery of the lumber on 2,000 acres of land in Jefferson connty, for the R. & P. Coal and Iron Company.

Mr. North is a representative of a prominent family, the numerous descendants of John and Elizabeth (Pogue) North, who came from Ire- land to Pennsylvania in 1810. having inherited the sturdy qualities of that worthy couple. The first years of their residence in America were spent in Philadelphia, but in 1818 they moved to Indiana county to enter upon a typical pio - neer life. John North followed farming through- ont his remaining years, and at times would re- sume his earlier business of weaving as his

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services might be required by his neighbors. He died in 1845 and his wife in 1848.

The late Joseph P. North, the father of our . subject, was born in Delaware, June 14, 1816, and, coming to Jefferson county in the early days, experienced the hardships of pioneer life in a roughly-built " shanty." He became wealthy as the locality was developed, and his later years were spent in careful comfort. In 1860 he erected a fine modern residence on his home- stead in McCalmont township, where he died March 14, 1891. He was buried in the North cemetery, in the same township, which was named for him. While he was prominent in all local affairs, he was especially so in religious work, being one of the founders of Zion Cum- berland Church, and a ruling elder from the time of its organization until his death. He married Miss Marjorie Kinsel, a native of Young township, Jefferson county, who survives him and resides with their daughter, Mrs. Limerick, in Indiana county. Her parents, William and - Kinsel, were both born in Pennsylvania, of German ancestry, and died near Punxsutawney, their burial taking place at Whitesville. To Joseph P. and Marjorie North nine children were born, as follows: John G., who died March 6, 1897; Virginia, wife of A. J. Limerick, a farmer in Indiana county; James K., superintendent of a glass factory in Westmoreland county, Penn. ; Henry K., our subject; Mary C., wife of Dr. J. W. Arthurs, of Findlay, Ohio; Harvey, who died in September, 1871; Phoebe J., wife of Daniel J. Stiner, a merchant of Knoxdale, Penn .; Lot, a farnier on the old homestead, and Joseph L., a merchant in Punxsutawney.

Henry K. North was born July 5, 1851, in McCalmont township, and was reared to farm work on his father's farm, where he remained un- til the age of twenty-five. He then engaged in farming at his present homestead, and also be- came interested in the lumber business. In 1884 he erected a sawmill on his place, and after clearing the land entirely, he transferred the business, in 1893, to Big Run, Jefferson county, where he now has a forty-horse-power mill with a capacity of 30,000 feet per day. Being both in- dustrious and thrifty, he has succeeded to a gratifying degree, and at the same time has made many friends for himself by his excellent qualities and jovial manners. He belongs to various social orders in Punxsutawney, including the K. of P., the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the United Workmen, and the Junior Mechanics. In the political issues of the day he has always supported the Republican policy. In 1890 he was elected constable of the township,

and served most creditably in that position for seven years, retiring in 1897. In the fall of the same year he was chosen by election one of the jury commissioners of the county.

On March 19, 1874, at Battle Hollow, Jef- ferson county, Mr. North was married to Miss Emma Evans, and ten children make their home merry, their names being: William L., Harry C., Maud, Bert, Charles, Zella, Nora, Lula, Mary and Clair. Mrs. North was born Febru- ary 22, 1858, at Battle Hollow, where her grand- parents, Ellis' and Rebecca Evans, of Centre county, were pioneer settlers. Her father, the late Josiah Evans, a native of Centre county, followed farming at the homestead in Battle Hol- low, throughout his later years, and was a lead- ing citizen, working actively in the Republican organization and holding various local offices. He and his first wife, Lida Gibson, a native of Indiana county, were devout members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She departed this life in 1865, her husband surviving until 1889, aged seventy-four years. The remains of both were interred in the Olive cemetery, in Oliver township, Jefferson county. They had ten children: William, a carpenter at Punxsu- tawney; John, a machinist at Cleveland, Ohio; Gibson, a carpenter in Oliver township; Eliza- beth, wife of Rev. J. R. McCowan, a Presby- terian minister in Iowa; Mary, the wife of J. R. Brown, of Battle Hollow; Emma, Mrs. North; and James, Reed, Silas, and Ellis, who are de- ceased. By a second marriage, with Mrs. Lida (Tison) Horner, widow of William Horner, Mr. Evans had three children: Minta, wife of Will- iam Kriner, who operates an incubator at Battle Hollow; George, a lumberman residing at Glen Campbell, Penn .; and Josiah, who occupies the old homestead.

S AMUEL BUTLER, a leading representative of the agricultural interests of Union town- ship, has spent his entire life in Jefferson county, his birth occurring September 27, 1832.

His parents were Nathaniel and Rebecca (Barnett) Butler, the latter a daughter of Joseph Barnett, in whose honor Port Barnett was named. It was built in pioneer days for the protection of settlers from the hostile Indians, and there most of Mr. Barnett's children were born. They were six in number-Andrew, John, Scott, Rebecca, Sarah and Juliet. The father was one of the earliest settlers of Jefferson county, where he improved a farm and built and operated a saw- mill for many years. Nathaniel Butler, the fa- ther of our subject, was a native of Vermont,

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where he was reared upon a farm, but in 1820, when about nineteen years of age, he caine to Jefferson county, Penn., where for the following decade he engaged in luinbering. In the mean- . tiine he was married, and bought a tract of wild land, which he transformed into a good farm, making it his home until called to the unseen world in 1878. His wife, who was a member of the Presbyterian Church, had preceded him, dying in 1873. She was born at Port Barnett in 1802, and he was born at Rutland, Vt., the same year. Their five children were as follows: James, a farmer; Samuel, of this sketch; An- drew; Winfield; and Charles, who served his country during the Civil war, and is now a farmer and lumberman.

In the common schools of Jefferson county Samuel Butler obtained his education, here grew to manhood and has since made his home with the exception of four years spent in New York. For some time during early life he worked in a sawmill, but in 1864 entered the Union army as a member of the 29th P. V. I., which was as- signed to Sherman's department, joining the command at Savannah, Ga., and serving until the close of the war, at which time they were stationed at Goldsboro, N. C. In the meantime Mr. Butler was for fifty-four consecutive days on the inarch. After the surrender of Lee he was sent to New York, where, during the last of April, 1865, he was paid off and honorably dis- charged, but, being ill from exposure and hard- ships during his long march, he was forced to remain in the hospital at David's Island until June. The following spring, after his return home, Mr. Butler resumed work in the sawmill, with which he was connected for twenty years, and in 1885 removed to his present farm, which at that time was all wild timber land. He now has twenty acres under cultivation, and has erected a commodious house and good barns and other outbuildings, which stand as monuments to his thrift and industry. From the government he now receives a pension in return for his faith- ful service during the dark days of the Rebellion. Politically he is identified with the Republican party, but has never aspired to office.

In 1860, Mr. Butler wedded Miss Mary Bul- lock, a daughter of William and Mary A. (Sikes) Bullock, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of New York, where they were mar- ried and continued to reside until Mrs. Butler was eight years of age, when they removed to Mckean county, Penn. After farming there un- til 1862 they returned to the Empire State, where Mrs. Bullock died, but the father spent his last days in Michigan, dying there in 1888.

They were devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which Mrs. Butler also be- longs. Their children were Simeon, now a resi- dent of South Bend, Ind .; Mary, wife of our subject; Adelia, wife of J. Ellis; Mrs. Jennie Oakes; Seymour, deceased; Martha, who died at the age of fourteen years; and Frank, deceased. Seven children have graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Butler, namely; William, a lumberman; Franklin, a farmer; Carrie, wife of J. Carnihan; Mrs. Martha Berkhouse; Jennie, who died at the age of seven years; and James and Mary, both at home.

J TACOB B. SYKES. Prominent among the business men of Jefferson county is our subject, founder of the village of Sykesville, whose name is inseparably connected with its growth and prosperity. By his energy, perse- verance and fine business ability he has been enabled to secure an ample fortune. System- atic and methodical, his sagacity, keen discrim- ination and sound judgment have made him one of the prosperous citizens of the community, and to-day he enjoys the reward of his pains- taking and conscientious work.

Mr. Sykes was born June 10, 1852, in Cur- wensville, Clearfield county, Penn., a son of Henry and Rebecca (Bilger) Sykes, in whose family were the following children: George W., now proprietor of a woolen-mill in Reynolds- ville, Penn .; Mary, wife of Frederick Buchheit. a farmer of Indiana county, Penn .; Emaline, wife of John Best, an agriculturist of Salem, Ore .; Jacob B., of this sketch; Ellen, who is engaged in teaching; Benjamin, a resident of Troutville, Penn., who is a partner of our sub- ject in business; and John and James, both farmers of Salem, Ore. The birth of the father occurred in Huddersfield, England, in which country his parents, George Sykes and wife, spent their entire lives, the former being engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods. Henry Sykes, prior to his journey to America in 1836. took a very active part in establishing the first co-operative store in Huddersfield, Eng., of which he became the president. On coming to the United States he first located in Philadel- phia, Penn. For two years he was employed as a traveling salesman, and then engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods in Union county, this State. During the construction of the Blair county tunnel, he contracted to board the men employed on the same. In 1850 he went to Clearfield county, where he followed farming for three years, and was later similarly employed in Huntingdon county, Penn., for two years.

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after which he returned to Clearfield county. Until 1861 he there engaged in agricultural pur- suits, but in that year he took up his residence in Henderson township, Jefferson county, a mile and a half from the present site of Sykesville, where he made his home until 1888. Going to Salem, Ore., he purchased two farms now within the corporation limits of that city, which are still owned by his wife. Industrious, persevering and energetic, he met with excellent success in his undertakings, and became one of the pros- perous, as well as one of the most influential, men of his community. Originally he was a Democrat in politics, but later supported the men and measures of the Republican party. With the United Brethren Church, both he and his wife held membership. His death occurred on the Pacific coast in 1894, at the age of seventy- five years, but she is still living in Salem, Ore. She was born in 1829, a daughter of Jacob Bil- ger and wife, natives of Union county, Penn., who died in Clearfield county.

Until he had attained his majonty, Jacob B. Sykes continued to assist his father in his farming and lumber operations, and then went to Minne- sota, where for a year he engaged in lumbering. Returning to Jefferson county, he embarked in the same line of business, and is now one of the most extensive lumber merchants of this region, being the senior member of the well-known firm of Sykes Brothers, of Clearfield county. His brother, Benjamin J., ishis partner in business. They own and operate a sawmill and planing- mill at Newtonburg, where they have 1, 400 acres of timber land; J. B. Sykes also owns 280 acres of land in Jefferson county, on a part of which he has laid out the thriving little village of Sykes- ville. On locating here the place contained but one house, then occupied by Henry Philippi, whose nearest neighbor was Henry Shaffer. The tract was an unbroken wilderness, covered with a heavy growth of timber, principally pine, and was then owned by Charles Brown, George E. Williams and J. B. Walker, from whom Mr. Sykes purchased it. He first contracted to take the timber off the land, and then bought the 280 acres at $12 per acre. Since then he has sold the coal from under his land for $50 per acre. Sykesville now contains a population of 400, has three good schools, three general stores, a res- taurant, confectionery store and planing-mill. From 1878 until 1893 our subject was engaged in general merchandising in connection with his lumber business at that place, and in the latter year erected the " Sykes Hotel," but now gives his attention principally to his extensive lumber interests.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3, Part 21

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1332

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1332