USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of genealogy and biography of the state of Pennsylvania with a compendium of history. A record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume II > Part 8
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While residing at Uniontown Mr. Smith met Miss Wrenshall, of Pittsburg, to whom he was married in 1828 at Steubenville, Ohio. The two children born of this union were William Wrenshall and Fanny Fielding, the latter becoming the wife of Ferdinand Varro. Mrs. Smith died in the fall of 1861. after a long and painful illness, and her hus-
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band was subsequently married in Philadelphia to Mrs. Newell. a widow of that city and daughter of John Simes, one of the early citizens of Washington. After his retirement from business a few years later Mr. Smith purchased a pleasant home in Philadelphia. and while resident there his second wife died, in the winter of 1886. He continued to make his home in Philadelphia until the spring of the following year. when he returned to Washington, where he peacefully and painlessly passed away on the 12th of July. 1887. in the eighty-seventh year of his age. In his earlier years he had been an adherent of the Covenanter church, but while resident at Washington became an active member of the Cumberland Presbyterian congregation. After his removal to Phila- delphia he connected himself with the United Presbyterian church, and was one of its communicants at the time of his death.
William Wrenshall Smith, only son of his father, was born at Washington, Pennsylvania. August 15, 1830. During his youth he . enjoyed the benefits of the preparatory department at Washington Col- lege. under the preceptorship of Professor Robert Milligan, and en- tered the freshman class of the same institution in 1848. After com- pleting his studies by graduation in 1852 he immediately entered his father's dry-goods store and banking office, and a year later became a full partner in both branches of business. Although he had taken a course of law in the office of Robert Kuntz, he did not engage in the practice on account of the decision to join his father in his mercantile and financial enterprises, which fully absorbed his time. During the Civil war he served as a voluntary aide-de-camp on the staff of General Grant both in the southwest and in Virginia, and this connection led to a life-long friendship between himself and the great commander. When, on June 13. 1867. Mr. Smith was married to Miss Emma Willard McKennan, daughter of Judge William MeKennan, of the United States
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circuit court. the hero of Appomattox, with his wife and sons, appeared among the guests, and often afterward was a visitor at their pleasant home. Other distinguished men who graced this auspicious occasion were Generals Hilver and Colonel William Dunn, f General Grant's staff. Mrs. Smith survived her marriage some twelve years, and died in 1879. leaving two sons. William McKennan, who is associated with his father in business. and Ulysses S. Grant, headmaster of Trinity Hall.
This establishment. Trinity Hall. is worthy of special mention, as it is one of the finest educational establishments of its kind to be found anywhere. Mr. Smith became owner of the property by purchase in 1866, and made it his residence until the death of his wife, about which time he converted it into a select boarding school for boys, of which he assumed the position of proprietor and _rector. Though his main ob- ject was to furnish first-class instruction for his own sons at their home. the establishment of the Trinity Hall school was not only a happy event for Washington but a distinct benefit to the cause of general education. The original building was erected in 1857 as a private residence and was long occupied for this purpose by Mr. Smith. Since it was con- verted to school purposes the structure has been greatly enlarged from time to time as the increase of patronage demanded. The natural beauties of Trinity Hall and its surroundings, together with its un- surpassed advantages as a homelike educational institution, are thus glowingly set forth by Rev. Fred C. Cowper, of Amesbury, Massachu- setts: "The school grounds contain forty acres situated in a rich and beautiful hill country, twelve hundred feet above tide water, and sur- rounded by wide-spreading maples, elms, lindens and evergreens, with orchards, gardens and vineyards, through which wind broad drives bordered by well kept lawn :. There has never been sickness in the
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school. Delicate boys become strong and manly in its pure health- giving atmosphere. The morals of the place are pure : the tone elevating and refining. Under the present management the household in all de partments is suitable for the sons of gentlemen and has all the comforts of a refined home. It is a lovely spot indeed. favored by nature. de- veloped by the best skill of the landscape gardener, kept up by those who take pride in it : and fortunate is the boy who is permitted to spend his school days at Trinity Hall."
In addition to this fine domain Mr. Smith owns much valuable real estate in Washington borough, including the well known Iron Hall Mlock, besides numerous farms in the county, lands in Florida and West Virginia and residence property of great value in Philadelphia. Aside from his contributions to the public welfare through the medium of his noble school and many business investments, Mr. Smith has long been a potential factor for such reforms as are best accomplished by religious agencies. He was elected treasurer of the Episcopal church in 1853. and held that office for thirty-nine consecutive years. He was three times representative of the diocese of Pittsburg in the general con- ventions of the church. held at Boston in 1877. New York in 1880 and at Philadelphia in 1883. After the foregoing bi graphical outlines it will seem like a superfluity to repeat, but this may safely be done with emphasis, that Washington county possesses no citizen who has to his credit a more honorable life record than that of William Wrenshall Smith.
HENRY FRANCIS JAMES.
Previous to the Civil war western Pennsylvania occupied a very uninfluential part in the history of the great United States, and. in fact. was only a rather poor agricultural section of the commonwealth of 39
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Pennsylvania. But during the fifties the discovery of processes by which petroleum might be refined and made a valuable article of com- merce made this part of the state as much an Eldorado as California had been to the seekers after gokl about a decade before, and the country about the Allegheny river suddenly became one of the liveliest industrial regions in the world. The oil industry had hardly reached the plethora of "boom" activity when Henry Francis James arrived in Venango county, so that during the forty years which have elapsed since his arrival he has become thoroughly familiar with the history of oil pro- ducing. both in times of depression and in times of prosperity, and at the present time is one of the large private producers of that valuable fluid, having thirty active well on his farm in Sugar Creek township.
The ancestry of Mr. James on the paternal side is traced to Eng- land, and the maternal line is of Scotch-Irish extraction. It is a matter of historical record that three brothers of the James family emigrated from England to America in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Grandfather Francis James, after whom Henry Francis was named, was a native of Massachusetts. His son Edwin passed his life in Massa- chusetts, following the occupations of farmer and rope-maker, and always enjoyed the respect and good will of his fellow citizens. He was a strong anti-slavery man, a member of the Whig party, and after- ward of the Republican party. Edwin James' wife was Sarah G. Sands- bury, whose father, James Sandsbury, also lived in Massachusetts at the time of his death.
Henry Francis James was the son of Edwin and Sarah G. (Sands- bury ) James, and was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, December 3. 1841. The first work to which he devoted himself was the trade of coopering, and he had completed his first cask when in his sixteenth year. But after mastering the trade he became imbued with the spirit
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of the sea, and when he was seventeen years old we find him on a large whaling vessel, in the midst of the Indian Ocean. He continued his life on a "whaler" until he had made three voyages around the world. and in the end he realized his ambition by becoming master of a whaling vessel .- all of this happening before he had reached legal age. In 1861 he came to V'enango county, Pennsylvania. In February. 1865. he located at Pit Hole as secretary of A. R. Williams, all the time becom- ing more familiar with the oil industry. In 1871 he removed to Sugar Creek township and accepted the position of superintendent of the Franklin Pipe Line Company. He soon afterward leased one hundred and fifty acres of the MeCalm nt farm and engaged in producing oil on his own account. Since that time he has developed sixty wells upon his place, and, as remarked above, has at present thirty producing wells
From his career in the workl of industry and commerce, we non consider his political record. for which he is perhaps best known to the people of western Pennsylvania and to the United States. He pos- sesses those genial. kind-hearted and attractive characteristics which have gained for him lasting and many friendships, so that he has always been a leader in social, and therefore political. life. As a member of the Republican party be has held many important offices, and his official career has been one of honor to himself and of benefit to his constituents. A brief summary of his political record is given in Smull's Legislative Hand-Book. from which we quote: "He was a senatorial delegate to the state convention in 1886: representative to the American Forestry Congress in 1888 and 1880: representative to National Farmers' Con- gress in 1889 and 1890: president of the board of school directors of Sugar Creek township for seven years; was director and secretary of V'enango Agricultural Society, which position he held for several years." He was a member of the state legislature for several terms and served
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on the following committees: on appropriations, corporations, chair- man of counties and townships, public health and sanitation, ways and means, etc.
Mr. James is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Ancient Order of United Workmen. In 1866 he married Miss Susan Hunter, of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and they now have two children, Bertha and Frank.
WILLIAM STEWART.
From a humble clerkship William Stewart has worked himself up slowly and gradually to be the possessor of more than an ordinary com- petence, not by scheming or embarking in hazardous enterprises and with- out strategy or any attempt to take advantage of his fellow citizens. He has rather sought to travel over the old road that has brought suc- cess to thousands, by improving the present opportunity, and to aggres- sively move forward at the cost of labor. industry and economy and the unbending energies of a determined will to succeed without a sacri- fice of honorable principles. In the life of William Stewart we see many things that commend to us his strong force of character in achieving his promotion from the lower walk of life to one of useful- ness and independence. Scarcely past the middle age of life and with a vigorous constitution, he recalls the long, difficult journey ascending and approaching the summit, and he was very often compelled to re- trace lost ground, which is a common experience of every living man. For many years Mr. Stewart has been a trusted, faithful and efficient official of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and he has withstood the criticism which is often heaped unjustly upon those following that call- ing in life, and to those that have been weighed and found not wanting
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in the estimation of the public it would be just to point to William Stewart, to his honorable carcer as a prominent railroad official for many years in this noted corporation.
William Stewart was born and reared in Letterkenny, county Don- egal. Ireland, the date of his birth being 1833. In August, 1847. he arrived in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, and soon afterward secured em- ployment in a wholesale grocery house, remaining there for nearly three years. Shortly after the expiration of this period he entered the canal service as a clerk, running to Lake Erie, thus continuing until about May 1, 1852, about which time the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad was completed to the Ohio river, and he then entered the service of that company as clerk. In 1858 the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad Company secured property in Pittsburg for a terminus and made a con- tract with the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad Company, now a part of the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, for joint use of tracks between Rochester and Pittsburg, and Mr. Stewart was appointed agent of the company. In 1863 he was made general traffic agent, and two years later, in 1865, superintendent and general freight agent, thus continuing until the road was leased to the Pennsylvania Company in 1871. when he was appointed general freight agent of all the Pennsylvania Company lines west of Pittsburg. In 1892 he was made freight traffic manager of these lines, in which position he continued until his resig- nation from railroad work. Since 1897 he has served as a director of the Pennsylvania Company. For several years Mr. Stewart was also a director and later vice-president of the Allegheny National Bank of Pittsburg, and in 1902 was elected its president, which position he is still filling. He is also president of the Mansfield Coal & Coke Com- pany and a director in the Equitable Trust Company. In his social relations he is a member of the Duquesne Club of Pittsburg, while politi-
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cally he has always affiliated with the Republican party, but is in no sense a politician and has never sought public office.
Concerning Mr. Stewart we take pleasure in quoting the words of a prominent executive railroad official: "I have known him for over forty years as a congenial, kind and upright man, regarding him a faithful. efficient railroad man, and through his many years in that business have mapped out by his conduct a course that is not subject to any just criticism. So far as I know no one has any hard words to say of Billy Stewart. While not a society man, he has a host of friends that would never desert him, but would stand by him through thick and thin. He has been successful in railroading and out of it by honorable and square dealings." Another friend that has known him since 1866 says of him : "A sociable and companionable man, upright in all things and always recognizing his friends, the high and low the same. A faithful and efficient railroad official, and has merited the success he has had up to date."
WEST FAMILY.
The West family, of Pennsylvania, which has contributed notable names to the history of the commonwealth and whose members are now dispersed throughout the United States, had for its founder John West. a native of England, born in 1690. He was a son of Thomas and Ann ( Gilpin) West, and was of the family of Lord Delaware.
Many valuable relics are carefully preserved by members of the family now living, among them being an ancient clock brought from England by an early ancestor ; the West family seal: an engraving of Benjamin West and his family. John West, the emigrant, being one of the group: and a gold medallion portrait of Benjamin West, presented
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by the painter himself to his nephew. Samuel West. with the injunction that it be transmitted to sons only. in order to be always associated with the family name. It is also to Le said that the old family homestead at Shepherd's Plain, built in 1696. is yet standing and is in a good state of preservation.
John West ( 1). named above, emigrated to America in 1715, and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania. He married, about 1720, Sarah. born 2 mo., 8, 1697, a daughter of Thomis and Margery Pearson. Thomas Pearson was the confidential friend of William Penn, with whom he came in the "Welcome." and it is said it was at his suggestion that the name of Upland was changed to Chester.
To John and Sarah ( Pearson) West were born four children : William, Samuel. Mary and Benjamin. John West returned to England in 1765. and he died at Marlborough. Oxfordshire, in 1776. The romantic story of his journeying to his native land as an escort to Elizabeth Shewell, who was to become the wife of his son, Benjamin. has been repeatedly told, but by none so interestingly as by Mr. H. W. O. Margery, in the following narrative :
Benjamin West was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. in 1738. His grandfather had been an intimate friend of the celebrated John Hampton, but subsequently became a Friend and threw his lot with the early set- tlers of Pennsylvania. All his ancestors between his grandfather and little Benjamin were sturdy, consistent Quakers.
How the gift of drawing came to him our knowledge of the laws of heredity leaves unexplained, but rare ability showed itself at a very early age, one of the attempts being the sketch of an infant niece, whom. as a boy, he had been set to watch in its cradle. The child smiled in its sleep, and the uncle, then but seven years of age, seized by an impulse to produce the charming picture, succeeded with pen and ink in making
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a likeness that astonished the family and determined his future. . As the lowy's genius became more and more evident, it was the desire of his father and mother to fit him worthily for an artist's profession, but this involved the question whether that would be consistent with the prin- ciples of the Society of Friends, and, before deciding, the counsel of weighty Friends was requested. It is related that John Williamson, a respected minister. gave his judgment as follows: He referred to the blameless reputation of the parents, and how their children had been brought up religiously by them. In this, their youngest son, was a manifest inspiration for art. and though by the Society its utility might be questioned. it was so evidently in this case a divine gift as to render it sure there must have been some wise purpose in its bestowal. "so let us not ( he said) in our ignorance attempt to cross divine counsels, but see in this evident propensity of the young man a pointing of the divine finger toward some high and beneficent end." And the Friends besought the Lord "to verify in his life the value of the gift which, despite of their prepossessions, they had acknowledged." Thus his future was settled, and the young artist rose step by step, until he became the suc- cessor of Sir Joshua Reynolds as president of the British Royal Acad- emy. and intimate friend of the king of England. The king maintained that Benjamin West's adhesion to the principles of the Quakers was a recommendation in his favor. The king once remarked in his pres- ence. as a reproof to a bishop who spoke slightingly of the Friends. "The Quakers are a hody of Christians for whom I have a high re- spect. I love their peaceful tenets and their benevolence one to an- other, and but for the obligations of birth I would be a Quaker."
Benjamin West's romantic marriage is an interesting episode in his eventful life. It can hest be given by copying a letter to the secretary of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
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"Elizabeth Shewell became acquainted with Benjamin West. after- ward the celebrated artist. and they fell in love with each other. West. at that time, although descended from a good family, was poor and little known. Stephen Shewell wished his sister to marry another suitor, which she refused to do, in consequence of her attachment to West. The brother objected to West on account of his poverty and obscurity, and he was forbidden to come to the house. Elizabeth Shewell. however, continued to see him elsewhere, and they became engaged to be married. West then determined to go to Europe and prosecute his studies and profession there, and Elizabeth Shewell promised him that when he notified her of his ability to maintain her, and of his wish for her to come to him, she would proceed to join him in any part of Europe and marry him. Her brother was informed of her meetings with West and of their engagement. So to prevent any further inter- course between them, he confined her to her chamber and kept her under lock and key until after West's departure for Europe.
"He pursued his studies and profession for some time in various places on the continent, and finally settled at London, where he soon met with sufficient patronage to justify him in calling on Elizabeth Shewell to fulfill her promise. He then made arrangements for her to come in the same vessel that conveyed his request to her, and also. that his father should accompany her on the voyage. Upon the receipt of his message Elizabeth Shewell prepared for her departure, but her brother was apprised of her intention and again confined her to her chamber.
"Her engagement to West was well known in Philadelphia, and her brother's tyrannical treatment of her excited great indignation against him and strong sympathy for his sister. In this state of things the late Bishop White, who was my guest on his last patriarchal visit to Easton,
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told us that he ( then about eighteen years of age) and Dr. Franklin (about fifty-nine years of age ) and Francis Hopkins ( twenty-nine years of age), when the vessel was ready to sail, procured a rope ladder, went to the captain, engaged him to set sail as soon as they brought a lady on board, took John West to the ship, and went at midnight to Stephen Shewell's house. attached the rope ladder to a window in Elizabeth Shewell's chamber, and got her safely out and to the vessel, which sailed a few minutes after she entered it. 1 observed to the Bishop that few persons who knew him now wouldl believe that he had once been knight- errant, and liberated an imprisoned damsel. He replied that her case was a hard one, and all her friends were indignant at the treatment she had received, that he had done right. and. he added with warmth, if it were needed. he would do it again, for it was evident that God intended that they should come together and man had no right to keep them asunder. They were married 9 mo .. 2. 1765. and for fifty years their lives were joined in kind and tender companionship, neither of them ever returning to this country."
There is one more scene, the closing one, of interest to us. The Quaker artist was borne to his final resting place in St. Paul's Cathedral. Born in circumstances of extremest privacy and insignificance, he is honored with a public funeral, accompanied with all the pomp and circumstance the greatest country in the world could supply. The pall is equally borne by English nobles, foreign ambassadors and Royal Academicians. His sons and grandsons are among the great mourners. More than sixty carriages, containing the great and noble of this world. closed the splendid procession, and the mortal remains of Benjamin West lie by those of Wren, Opie, Barry and Reynolds, in St. Paul's. There are many direct descendants of the great painter still living. though none of them bear the name of West.
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William West ( 2). eldest son of John and Sarah ( Pearson ) West. was born in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, in 1724, and died 12 mo .. 6. 1868. in his eighty-fourth year. He learned the trade of oak cooper in Philadelphia, and continued this business until his fortieth year ( in 1765). when he purchased a tract of land of more than one hundred acres in Upper Darby township. Delaware county. Farming was an entirely new occupation to him, but he proved successful and even noted as an agriculturist. many of his methods being original with himself. The Board of Agriculture of England, having learned of his superior farm management, elected him to an honorary membership. He was an exemplary member of the Society of Friends, a good and helpful neighbor, of a cheerful disposition, and he displayed considerable ability in writing verse. Without solicitation upon his part, he was elected to the state legislature, and by repeated re-elections his service in that body was extended to the period of five years. These and other facts in his life are narrated in a printed copy of a "Eulogium of William West," by James Mease. M. D., February 13. 1810.
William West was married in 1767 to Hannah Shaw, his second wife, a daughter of John and Hannah ( Passmore) Shaw. Her father died on the voyage to America with his wife and their three daughters. Hannah. An and Mary, and his body was committed to the sea. The children of William and Hannah West were Passmore. Samuel, Hannah and Sally.
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