Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3, Part 40

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 40
USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 40
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 40
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3 > Part 40

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In 1876 Mr. Ferman was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Mckay, and they now have three children: Ethel, who is at home, is study- ing painting; Carroll, who is soon to graduate at the Brockwayville High School, expects to take a thorough business course; and Edna, who is now going to the sanie school, expects to graduate. then take a course in music, which is her chosen profession. Mrs. Ferman's father, who was born and reared in Ireland, improved a good farm in Mercer county, Penn., where he died when she was only four years old. He left two

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children who are still living, the other being Neill. The mother has since become the wife of Joseph Cross, a farmer, by whoin she has had five chil- dren. She is residing at Sandy Lake, Mer- cer county, and is a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Ferman are Methodists in religious belief, and, in politics, Mr. Ferman is identified with the Republican party. They have a host of warm friends through- out the community, and deserve the warm regard in which they are universally held.

Alonzo Ferman, the father of our subject, was a native of the State of New York, born in Franklin county, November 27, 1818, and, as he was left an orphan in infancy, was adopted by Samuel Beaman and his wife, who proved to be kind and indulgent parents. In later years he showed his appreciation of their goodness by bringing them to his home and caring for them in their old age. He came to Jefferson county in 1839, and entered the employ of a lumber company, whose plant and lands in Snyder town- ship he subsequently purchased, making his home there until called to his final rest, November 7, 1895. Although he started out in life for him- self empty-handed, he accumulated a handsome property, leaving at his death 700 acres of farm- ing and timber land, in the homestead tract. In connection with his lumber interests, he pur- chased many acres of timber land, which he would clear and convert into marketable lumber, and at one time he owned 1,000 acres in Elk county. Penn., which he later sold. For three years he was also interested in merchandising in Crenshaw, and gave strict attention to every de- tail of his extensive business. Self-reliance, con- scientiousness, energy, honesty-these are the traits of character that insure the highest emolu- ments and greatest success, and to these may be attributed the success that crowned the efforts of Mr. Ferman.

He was married August 9, 1848, to Miss Su- sanna Bundy, a daughter of John I. Bundy, who was for many years a prominent agriculturist of Clearfield county, to which hehad removed from Jefferson county, Penn., but subsequently emi- grated to Minnesota, where liis death occurred. In his family were five children, namely: Louisa, Susanna, Lucius, Hannah and Rebecca. Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Ferman became the parents of eight children: Albert J., of this review; Eliza M., at home; Samuel B., who is connected with our subject in business; Mrs. Clara S. Horton (deceased); Mrs. Josephine Dailey, a resident of Fredonia, N. Y .; Mrs. Nellie Iddings, a merchant of Crenshaw; Allie, who died August 6, 1880, at the age of sixteen years; and Mrs. Zada V. Mc-

Neill. The mother did not long survive her hus- band, passing away on April 19, 1896. They were active and prominent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, to which their children also belong.

J AMES A. HAMILTON (deceased), late a prominent resident of Big Run, Jefferson county, in whose death, on April 20, 1897, the community in which he resided and the peo- ple of the county in general, lost one of its best citizens, one who ever took an active interest in the business, social and political affairs of Jeffer- son county.

In his veins there was the mixture of Scotch and Irish blood which has produced so many able and forceful characters. Robert and Rachel (Work) Hamilton, his parents, were probably natives of Westmoreland county, Penn., but the father was of Irish and the mother of Scotch parentage. Mr. Hamilton was born in 1823, in Mahoning township, Indiana Co., Penn., and was reared upon a farm, his education being limited to the country schools of that day. He vividly recalled his first school which was held in the old log cabin that did not contain a nail or a single piece of window glass. At fourteen he began to learn the tanner's trade, and at the completion of his term of apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman for a time in Indiana, Penn., receiving four dollars per month, during his first year, and twelve during the second. By way of change he made a trip down the Susque- hanna on a raft, and soon after, in 1845, he em- barked in the tanning business on his own re- sponsibility, in his native county, on the some- what limited capital of $51.75. Industry and careful management won the day for him, and he established a good business as a tanner and harness-maker, hiring experienced workmen for the latter department. After a time he pur- chased a farm, which he conducted in addition to his other lines of work, and later he engaged in a profitable mercantile enterprise. He suffered reverses at times, but in the main was successful, acquiring enough to keep the wolf some distance from the door for the remainder of his life. From 1867 until the time of his death he made his home in Big Run, and although he " retired " from business some years ago was a vice-presi- dent of the Big Run Building and Loan Associa- tion.

In 1845 Squire Hamilton married his first wife, Miss Isabelle Maria Sutton, of Indiana county, by whom he had five children: Martha Ruth, wife of George Gourley, of Big Run;

I. a. Hamitton Ars #8 2 Hamilton

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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Robert A., of Elmont, Penn. : Sylvester, a prom- inent physician of Punxsutawney; Frank J., a resident of Jefferson county; and Mary Laura (deceased). The mother of this family passed away in 1884, and in 1885 Squire. Hamilton was married to Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Weber, née Sunderland. Three children were born to this union: Emma and Ella (twins), of whom the latter is deceased, and James A., Jr. Squire Hamilton always tried to live up to the Golden Rule, and his kindly nature attracted a host of friends. He had always been active in local affairs, wherever he had resided. He served twenty years as justice of the peace in Indiana county, and about the same length of time at Big Run. In politics he was a Republican on national issues, but where local questions only were involved he voted independently., His re- mains now rest in the Big Run cemetery.

C HARLES B. JORDAN. That well-known author, Samuel Smiles, in his work on "Character," has said that every person may learn something from the recorded life of an- other, and this volume will prove a rich treasure to the reader in its faithful pictures of those who are most prominent at this day in the life of this section. The subject of this sketch, a leading agriculturist and lumberman of Oliver township, Jefferson county, is a member of a family which became identified with that locality at an early day, and in his own character reveals the same traits that marked his progressive, self-reliant ancestry.

Mr. Jordan was born August 30, 1848, on the old Jordan homestead, a portion of which he now occupies. He remained at home working for his father, the late Isaac C. Jordan, until the age of twenty-four, when he established a home of his own. On May 5, 1873, he was married at Punxsutawney, by Rev. Daniel Cooper. a Cum- berland Presbyterian minister, to Miss Martha J. Morris, a daughter of Theodore Morris, a lead- ing citizen of Young township, Jefferson county. After his marriage Mr. Jordan resided for four years in the vicinity of Punxsutawney, where he operated a sawmill in partnership with his father. He then located on the farm he now lives on, which is now considered one of the best farms in the township. His residence is a handsome build- ing, standing upon an elevation on the main road between Punxsutawney and Brookville. Agri- cultural work occupies much of his time and at- tention, but he is also extensively engaged in lumbering, being a partner of W. J. Morrison in a sawmill in Oliver township. For about eight- 82

een years he operated a sawmill in McCalmont township in association with his father and brother, Albert, and he is widely known as an energetic and shrewd man of business. Politic- ally he is a Republican, but while he takes great interest in the issues of the day, he has never aspired to office. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, John W. Jenks Lodge No. 534, F. & A. M., of Punxsutawney, and to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a deacon for the past five years.

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan have an interesting fam- ily of children, who would be a credit to any parents: Laura is the wife of Wallace Curray, a farmer and sawmill operator at Brockwayville, Penn .; Harland is a student in a college at Waynesburg, Penn .; Morris T., Elsa Maud, an attractive young lady, Martha Della, Frank O'D. and Ollie are at home.

The Jordan family is one of the most promi- nent in Jefferson county, and traces its descent from Robert Jordan, a native of Ireland, who came to Pennsylvania during the Colonial period and settled upon a farm in Indiana county, on the ridge between Smicksburg and Perrysville. During the struggle for independence he was a teamster in the patriot army. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-three, leaving a numerous family. By his first wife, Hannah Hill, there were five children -- Alexander, Samuel (our sub- ject's grandfather), Joseph, James, and Margaret (who married Isaac Matson). His second wife, Catherine Pounds, bore him seven children -- Robert, Hannah (Mrs. James W. Bell), Nancy (Mrs. Enoch Crissman), Mary (Mrs. George Mo- gle), Mattie (Mrs. John McHenry), John (who married Martha Sharrard), Margaret (Mrs. Griffin Rowland), and William (who married Eliza Rid- dle.) William Jordan and his wife are residents of Frostburg, Jefferson county; all the others mentioned are deceased.

Samuel Jordan, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in Indiana county in 1792, and died in 1872 at the homestead in Oliver town- ship, Jefferson county. He was married in Indi- ana county to Miss Lida Cochran, a native of Mifflin county, Penn., who died in 1864, aged sixty-four years. Her parents, Isaac and Sarah Cochran, removed from their first home in Juni- ata county at an early day, and after making their home for a few years in Indiana county. located permanently in Jefferson county, where they were prominent among the pioneers. In 1815 Samuel Jordan and his wife left Indiana county and made their home in Jefferson county upon a tract of land which they supposed was open to settlement; but finding afterward that it

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had been taken up, they moved to Oliver town- ship (then Perry), where they purchased 160 acres of land at $1.25 per acre. In early life they had both united with the Presbyterian Church, but after his wife's death Samuel Jor- dan identified himself with the Cumberland Pres- byterian Church. Their remains were interred in Olive cemetery, near the home where they spent so many years of their useful and honored lives. They had the following children: Isaac C., our subject's father; Hannah H., now the widow of John McBrier, of Rose township, Jef- ferson county; Robert, a farmer in Indiana coun- ty, married Elizabeth Fetterhoff, and is now de- ceased; Sarah, who married (first) James Cary, deceased, and (second) John McPherson, of Clearfield; John, who married Nancy Bell and resides at Perry, Jefferson county; Joseph, a resi- dent of McCalmont township, Jefferson county, who married Elizabeth Law (now deceased); William A., a farmer in Oliver township, who married Mary J. Reed; James B., who married Anna M. Smith, and resides in Punxsutawney. He is a veteran of the Civil war and a leading politician of the section, having served six years as county commissioner and three as county auditor.

The late Isaac C. Jordan, our subject's fa- ther, was born July 14, 1816, in Indiana county, but his life was mainly spent in Oliver township, Jefferson county, where he owned a large farm. Beginning life in very poor circumstances, he made his own way successfully and acquired a handsome competence. He was a well-known lumberman, and had several mills there and in neighboring townships. He died November 12, 1884, in McCalmont township, after a brief but severe illness, while he was visiting one of his sawmills in which his sons, Charles B. and Al- bert, were his partners. His remains were taken home for burial and were interred in Olive cem- etery. He was a man of prominence, and for many years was a ruling elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Oliveburg, while he also held numerous township offices, and was an influ- ential worker in the Republican party. At one time he was the nominee for the State Assem- bly, but there was a Democratic landslide that vear, and, although he was ahead of his ticket, he was defeated. On October 30, 1839, he was married in Jefferson county, by Rev. Charles R. Barkley, a minister of the C. P. Church, to Miss Leanna Steffy, a native of Rockingham county, Va., born November 21, 1818, and they had ten children: Miss Mary E. resides at the homestead with her mother; Samuel S., a resi- dent of Oliver township; Charles B., our subject;

Lida A., who died at the age of four years; Win- ~ifred S., who lived only one year and ten months; Albert, a farmer and lumberman at the old homestead; Minerva J., wife of William Morrison, a merchant, lumberman and farmer at Oliveburg; Leah, who married Frederick Parr, a farmer in Oliver township; Lina J., wife of J. W. Martin, an attorney at Punxsutawney; J. Si- mon, a farmer in Oliver township, who married Miss Maggie Anthony. All of the surviving children reside near the old home, their parents having encouraged them to do so.

The Steffy family are of German origin, but has long been identified with Virginia. Philip Steffy, our subject's great-grandfather, was a farmer and shoemaker in that State, and his son, Samuel Steffy, the grandfather of our subject, was born and reared there. Samuel Steffy mar- ried Mary Bowers, daughter of John Bowers, a farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth -, who were natives respectively of Germany and Virginia. In 1820 Mr. Steffy removed to Jefferson county, and located upon a farm in Bell township. He was engaged in lumbering as well as in agricult- ure, and piloted the first raft sent from the upper end of Mahoning creek. He was a Democrat in politics, and a devout member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He died in 1876 at the age of eighty-four, and his first wife, our subject's grandmother, died in 1823, aged thirty, the re- mains of both being interred at Mt. Pleasant cemetery, Jefferson county. By his first marriage he had four children-Elizabeth, widow of John Corey, of Punxsutawney; Leanna, our subject's mother; John, who died in Kansas; and Simon. who entered the Union army, and died in Libby prison. By a second marriage, with Ann Cook, of Shippenburg, Penn., there were four children: Mary, widow of William Yost, of Millville, Penn. : William, a resident of Punxsutawney; Maria, wife of A. Miller, a farmer in Virginia; and Joseph. deceased.

R OBERT B. LONDON, a prominent agri- culturist and lumberman of Henderson township, Jefferson county, is a worthy repre- sentative of a family which has had an influen- tial part in the work of developing that locality. Having located there at an early day, when the country was practically a wilderness, the various members of the family cleared farms, established homes, and entered heartily upon the duties of citizenship in the newly organized community. giving liberally of their means for the support of churches and schools, and all other helpful en- terprises.

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Edward London, our subject's father, was one of seven brothers, all of whom were born in Luzerne county, Penn., and settled in this section in early inanhood: (1) Truman located at Soldier Run, Jefferson county, where he fol- lowed lumbering until his death, which occurred in 1894. He was married there, and his wife died about 1884 leaving three children-Isaac, who is married and is a merchant of Reynolds- ville, Jefferson county; and Eliza is the wife of Andrew Johnson. (2) Nathan located first near Punxsutawney where he followed cabinet making for some time, but his last years were spent at Big Run, his death occurring in 1887. He mar- ried Miss Catherine Vail, of Luzerne county. who survived him with three children-Gilbert, William and Emeline. (3) Isaac made his home upon a farm in Bell township, where he died in 1893. He married after coming to Jefferson county, and had four children-John; Nathan; Hulda (Mrs. William Steer), of Ringgold town- ship, Jefferson county; and Lizzie, who married Ward Wood, of Punxsutawney. (4) Hiram, who married Miss Margaret Stewart, of Perry town- ship, Jefferson county. She died some years ago leaving two children-William, and Emeline (now Mrs. Daniel Moser), of Jefferson county. (5) Samuel, a fariner in Bell township, married and has six children-Joseph: James; Emma (now Mrs. Baptist); Ida (Mrs. Saltskwer), of Falls Creek; Mary, who married George Beamer, of Big Soldier; and Annie (Mrs. Philip Shlianer), of the same place. (6) Stephen (deceased) was a farmer in Porter township, Jefferson coun- ty. He was married in that county to Miss Martha Miller, who survived him with one son, Samuel (now deceased).

Edward London, the father of our subject, was born in 1818, and was educated in Luzerne county, preparing for the profession of teaching, which he followed for some time. Coming to Jefferson county as a young man, he was married in Perry township, in 1844, to Miss Susan Shill- ing, a daughter of Jacob and Mary Shilling, who removed at an early day from Lewistown, Penn- sylvania, to a farm in Perry township, where their last days were spent. After his marriage our subject's father settled near Punxsutawney on Mahoning creek, and for some years was en- gaged in operating a sawmill. He then bought from William Bell seventy acres of wood land in Henderson township, located along Stump creek, two miles east of Big Run. There was a small loghouse on the place, to which the family removed, and he continued to reside there until his death, which occurred in December, 1870. Some years before he cut his knee by accident

and crippled himself permanently, so that he could do comparatively little work during his last years. His faithful wife, who had shared all the hardships of pioneer life, survived him, and re- sides at the old farin with our subject. They had fourteen children, all of whom were born in Jefferson county:

(1) Sarah, born in 1843, married Ezra Stew- art, of Jefferson county, a farmer by occupation, and after spending some years in Perry town- ship, they moved to Wisconsin, and later to Richland county, North Dakota, where they now reside. They have had twelve children. (2) Wallace, born in 1845, in Bell township, grew to manhood in Henderson township, where he now resides upon a farm. He married Miss Sarah Smith, of the same township, and has eight children-Irene (now Mrs. Sam Shipley); Minnie. who married Alfred Choler, of Clear- field county; William; G. M .; Edith; Clara; Cora; and Lillie. (3) Mary, born in 1847, mar- ried Noah Syphert, a farmer of Winslow town- ship, Jefferson county, and has nine children, all at home; Ida, Joseph, Scott, Edward, Thomas, Mead, Theresa, Ella and Laura. (4) Robert B., our subject, is mentioned more fully below. (5) Arthur, born in March, 1850, owns a fine farm near Troutville, with excellent buildings. He married Miss Polly Miller, of Henderson township, and has seven children-Harry, Stella, Flora, Josie, Lulu. Johnnie and Bessie. (6) James K., born in 1851, resides upon a farm ad- joining the old homestead in Henderson town- ship, and is extensively engaged in agriculture and in the manufacture of sawed lumber, rank- ing among the substantial business men of the locality. He married Miss Phoebe Owens, and has eight children-Maud (now Mrs. Sam Pifer), of Big Run, Jennie, Edward, Sadie, James, May, Roy and Bessie. (7) Francis R., born in Au- gust, 1853, is a farmer near Kramer Station. Jefferson county. He married first Miss Cather- ine Deemer, of the same county, who died in 1886, and later he married Miss Susan Fox, of Henderson township. By his first marriage he had five children-Webster, who is not married and resides in Minnesota; Bertha, Laura, Clyde and Cleveland are all at home. By the second union there are also five children-Blair, Floyd, Earl, Raymond and Ambrose. (S) T. J., born February 15, 1856, resides in Bell township, Clearfield county, where he is engaged in lum- bering. He married Miss Mintie Anthony, and has four children-Della, Mary, Orwin and Ollie. (9) Alison W., born in December. 1860, resides upon his farin at Sykesville, where he follows the carpenter's trade in addition to his agricult-

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ural work. He married Miss H. Moore, and they have three children-Karl, Tuila and Alison. (10) Henry, born in September, 1862, inarried Miss Sallie Wrin, of Jefferson county, and purchased a homestead near Punxsutawney, where he died in 1890. His wife survived him with two chil- dren-Edna and Henry C. (11) Hester, born in July, 1864, is not married and resides with his brother, Robert. (12) John C., born in 1866, was drowned in a spring when he was a year and a half old. (13) George W. M., born 1868, died of typhoid fever at the age of twenty-four. (14) John H., born in July, 1870, resides at Big Run, where he is employed in the Irwin tannery. He married Miss Minnie Read, and has two living children-Harl S. and Fay. A younger child, Olin, died in infancy.

Robert B. London, the subject proper of this sketch, was born October 28, 1849, at the-old home in Bell township, Jefferson county, and re- ceived a public-school education. After his father's death he continued to reside at the homestead, taking care of his mother and the younger children, and managing the farm. In 1886 he married Miss Mary Shilling, of Jefferson county, and six children have blessed their union- Homer, Nora, Lizzie, Mabel, Irwin and Olin. Mr. London has built a fine residence on the homestead, and also a large bank barn. He owns seventy acres adjoining the old home, and during the winter season he is engaged in lum- bering there, while in summer he brings the cleared land under cultivation. Politically he is a Democrat of the good old stamp, and he has held office as township treasurer and overseer of the poor, and for two terms was supervisor. His parents were both reared in the Baptist faith, to which they always adhered, but he and his wife are members of the Reformed Church.

BE ENONI B. WILLIAMS, the well-known and popular postmaster at Horatio, has the rep- utation of a strictly first-class agriculturist, re- liable and energetic, and is now the owner of a valuable and well-improved farm of over 100 acres in Young township, Jefferson county, which he is successfully operating. The buildings upon the place are neat and substantial, and the whole farm betokens the thrift and enterprise of the owner.

Mr. Williams was born in 1849, in Young township, a son of James and Mary Ellen (Hop- kins) Williams, both natives of Pennsylvania, the birth of the fornier occurring in Jefferson county. During his younger years the father took quite a prominent part in local affairs, and throughout

his active business life engaged in farming and lumbering. but is now living retired, though he still enjoys fair health at the age of sixty-seven years. The mother departed this life in July. 1886. Our subject had only the advantages of a common-school education in his youth, and was reared upon the home farm, early becoming fa- miliar with every department of its work. When only twelve years of age he had charge of a crew and ran a raft of logs, and since that time he has spent a great portion of his life in lumbering, but for the past few years has devoted his atten- tion chiefly to the cultivation and improvement of his fine farm in Young township.

On the 4th of July, 1871, Mr. Williams was married to Miss Anna Elizabeth Simpson, a daughter of John Simpson, a native of Loudoun county, Va., but Mrs. Williams was born in Jef- ferson county, Penn. Of their eleven children nine are yet living, as follows: Bessie Myrtilla. James Lloyd, Lyle Simpson, Charles Harry, Vada Ellen, Leonard Roy. William Max, Clara Naomi and Ivan Rex.

The father of these is a recognized leader in the local Democracy, does all in his power to advance the interests of his party, and has been elected to various township offices, which he filled in a most creditable manner. In May. 1896, he was appointed postmaster at Horatio, and has ever since satisfactorily served in that position, discharging his duties in a prompt and efficient manner. Mrs. Williams is an earnest and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a most estimable lady.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 3, Part 40

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