Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 4

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 > Part 4

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and office, in which his daughters now live. This organization of the associated battalions of Lan-

property is at the corner of Market and Front streets, and faces Market Square park. He prac- ticed at Northumberland until his demise, March 10, 1883. He was a member of the national, State and county medical associations, and served as president of the county association. He was an unswerving supporter of the Republican party from the time of its organization.

On March 4, 1842, Dr. Priestley was joined in marriage with Hannah H. Taggart, who was born Sept. 10, 1825, and died Sept. 28, 1894. This union was blessed by the following children : Han- nah T., who married Hasket. Derby Catlin, of Gouverneur, N. Y., by whom she had two chil- dren, Joseph and Lucy H., deceased; Joseph Ray- nor, who died in childhood: Frances D., wife of William Forsyth, of St. Paul, Minn. ; and Annie S. and Jean B., who settled at the old homestead in Northumberland.

caster county, which did much efficient service in that struggle. He was a contemporary of John Harris, mentioned above, and was one of the five commissioners who laid out Harrisburg in 1:85, and Mr. Harris appointed him one of the trustees of the land reserved for public uses. Upon the formation of Dauphin county he was one of the commissioners by whom its boundaries were lo- cated. Mr. Aul was a tanner by occupation. In 1759 he married Sarah Sturgeon, daughter of Jer- emiah Sturgeon, and to them were born twelve children. Mr. Aul died Sept. 26, 1793, in Paxton township, Dauphin county.

Samuel Awl, fourth son and seventh child of Jacob, was born March 5, 1773, at Paxton, Dauphin county, and was married April 22, 1795, at Harrisburg, to Mary Maclay, who was born March 19, 1776, at Harris' Ferry, second daugh- ter of Senator William Maclay. In early man- hood he was engaged in mercantile pursuits at

ROBERT HARRIS AWL, M. D., was for Harrisburg, and in 1800 removed from Dauphin many years a leading medical practitioner of Sun- to Northumberland county, where Mr. Awl was bury, and his influence in the profession was far- to take charge of the extensive landed property of

reaching. But his usefulness went beyond its limits, though they are wide, for he was called up- on to fill several public positions, and displayed such remarkable judgment in municipal affairs that he was consulted in various important move- ments. He lived to be over eighty-five and was active until a short time before his death. his brother-in-law, which ineluded numerous tracts, located near Sunbury and in other parts of the county. They settled on the farm along the Reading turnpike, near Sunbury, already men- tioned as Dr. Awl's birthplace, and Mr. Awl was engaged in farming there for many years. But he did not devote all his attention to agriculture, Dr. Awl was born Dec. 25, 1819, on his father's. for he took part in public affairs, officiating in ser- farm along the old Reading turnpike, in Augusta eral important positions. In 1805 he was elected township, about a mile cast of Sunbury, Northum- county commissioner, serving until 1808: he also berland county, now owned by W. L. Dewart. He served as county auditor. 1834-37; as justice of came of notable stock, his paternal grandfather the peace of old Augusta township, and in other having been of the Scotch-Irish race whose vir- offices. He was one of the first Masons in the tues have liad so strong an influence on the de- county, was a prominent officer of Lodge No. 22. velopment of Pennsylvania; his maternal grand- at Sunbury, and was one of the few who remained father, William Maclay, one of the most im- steadfast to the fraternity when it was the object portant figures in public life in the State in his of public obloquy during the Antimasonic move-

day, and one of the first two representatives of Pennsylvania in the United States Senate; while his great-grandfather, John Harris ( father of Mrs. William Maclay), was the founder of the city of Harrisburg.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ment. He died on his farm Jan. 1, 1842. His the winter sessions and the cracks in the sides wife died in Augusta township, Aug. 13, 1823. made the ventilation too thorough for solid con- Samuel and Mary ( Maclay) Awl had ten children, fort. The furnishings and equipment were as the first, William Maclay, born before they came primitive as the building itself. The younger pu- to Northumberland county. The others were born pils occupied rough board seats without backs, placed in the center of the room, the older pu- pils sitting with their backs to the teacher at a long desk-like arrangement along one side. A bundle of whips within easy reach of the teacher was then as much a part of the school equipment as books themselves. Books, indeed, were expen- sive and therefore scarce. The beginners often studied their alphabet from letters pasted on wooden paddles. The teacher set the writing cop- ies and mended the quill pens. When the number of pupils increased this school was provided with more cominodious quarters, in the stillhouse of Adam Shissler, which stood along the creek road leading to Snydertown, on the farm recently owned by Lloyd T. Rohrbach. Dr. Awl's first teacher, Aaron Robbins, of Sunbury, was a good arithmetician and an expert penman. A regular schoolhouse was eventually erected in the neighbor- upon the farm in Augusta township namely : Mary Harris, born in 1802, married William C. Gear- hart, of Rush township, and their surviving- chil- dren are Maclay Gearhart and Mrs. Mary Ann Lenker (the latter is the widow of John B. Lenk- er and mother of the Lenker brothers of Sun- bury) ; Charles Maclay died in childhood ; Eleanor Maclay married Ezra Grossman, printer and pub- lisher of New York City (their only child, John Ira, died of wounds received at the first battle of Bull Run) ; Charles Samuel went out to Illinois in early life, engaged in farming, and became a prominent resident of the section in which he set- tled, serving as a justice of the peace and taking considerable part in public affairs ; George Wash- ington died when nineteen years old : Sarah Irwin married Hon. George C. Welker, of Sunbury ; Hes- ter Hall married William Brindle, nephew of Governor Ritner; Elizabeth Jane married Daniel hood, along the turnpike (on Mr. Gideon Leisen- Rohrbach, whom she survived (she was living in ring's land), the residents of the vicinity sharing Selinsgrove in 1903 at the age of eighty-six) ; Rob- ert Harris was the youngest of the family. The oldest and youngest became physicians.

the expense, as there were no public school funds at the time, and young Awl attended there for some time, later going to a school in Sunbury, and to LeBrun's Academy. The idea of free school- ing was highly unpopular in the locality in those days, being, in fact, but little understood. When the question of free schools was first submitted to a vote of the people in the neighborhood Samuel

Dr. William M. Awl, the first-born in the fam- ily of Samuel Awl, studied under Dr. Agnew at Harrisburg, attended one course of lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College. He settled in Ohio, where he gained eminent standing in his profes- Awl, the Doctor's father, was one of the few -- sion, especially in connection with medical and benevolent . institutions, he having been prime mover in the establishment of the Ohio Lunatic Asylum and the founder of the Ohio Institute for the Blind ; he served as superintendent of the asy- lum from the time it was opened until he retired on account of age, and for many years was pres- ident of the Association of Medical Superintend- ents of American Institutions for the Insane. In

eight-who voted in its favor. Dr. Awl was very active as a youth, noted for his lively disposition and physical agility. His more ambitious efforts in the latter line were summarily stopped by his father when a neighbor boy, trying to inti- tate him, fell off a horse he was attempting to ride bareback, in a standing position, and broke his leg. But his mind was alert, too. When quite young he becaine interested in phrenology, and in fact, he was a national leader in his special line, the modest little schoolhouse on the Leisenring being the first person in the United States to pro- place," before mentioned, where the spelling bees and debating exercises were held, even attempted a lecture on that subject. When about nineteen he chose the inedical profession for his life work pose the training of the mentally deficient, at a convention held in Philadelphia in 1844. He was a skillful surgeon, and in 1827, when yet a very young man, he performed an operation then rare- and entered the office of Dr. John W. Peal, of ly attempted in America, taking up and tying the carotid artery. He died in 1876, at the age of sev- enty-seven.

Sunbury, who had quite a large class of students at the time. Later he became a student at the Medical College of Philadelphia, of which the celebrated Dr. George Mcclellan (father of Gen. George B. MeClellan) was then president, and in . connection with his work there had a year's study

Robert Harris Awl began going to school when about ten years old, at a schoolhouse located along the turnpike about a mile from his home, a small one-story log building on the Christian Shissler at the Pennsylvania Hospital. He graduated in farm originally built for butchering, soap and ap- the spring of 1842, in the class with Dr. MeClel- ple hutter boiling, and similar purposes. It had lan's son (a brother of the General) and Dr. one door and two windows, and a large open fire- Landis Price, of Sunbury, and soon commenced place, none too large, as school was held only in practice at Gratztown. in Dauphin county, where

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

he remained for about two years, during which was eighty attending to office practice, for he en- he made a fair start. Removing then to Halifax, joyed good health up to within a few weeks of same county, a more promising location, he grad- the close of his life, and his mental faculties ually acquired a practice which entitled him to the remained unimpaired. first rank in the neighborhood in his profession, Dr. Awl was a Democrat and an influential member of the party for years, working zealously in its interests, and he was honored with election as county treasurer, which office he held in 1864 and 1865, at the time the new courthouse was built, so that he had the handling of an unusu- ally large amount of public funds. He was one of the three commissioners to whom was given the task of dividing the borough of Sunbury into wards, in 1885. He was also well known in other connections, having been president of the North- umberland County Agricultural Society, a mem- ber of Lodge No. 22, F. & A. M., of Sunbury (he was probably the oldest Mason in the State at the time of his death), and a member of St. John's M. E. Church at Sunbury for over thirty years. his practice extending for many miles over the ad- joining territory. Meantime he also became iden- tified with the public affairs of the locality, serv- ing in 1843 as surgeon of the 16th Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia, and receiving the nomina- tion for the State Legislature in 1845; he was de- feated by about two hundred votes. Politics al- ways interested him and he assisted in establislı- ing the Halifax Herald, a Democratic paper. After the death of his wife he sold his practice and property to Dr. Brown, from Philadelphia, and moved West, settling at Columbus, Ohio. He en- gaged in general practice until he liad established a residence in that State, which was necessary for his admission as assistant to his brother, then superintendent and head physician, at the Ohio As an authority and writer on local historical matters Dr. Awl had considerable reputation and made a number of valuable contributions to that class of literature. He was instrumental, with other Democrats, in the establishment, in 1861, of the Northumberland County Democrat. In 1859 Lunatic Asylum. After three years at that insti- tution as second assistant he. resigned, his health having become impaired by the close application to work and the trying nature of his duties. This was at the height of the gold fever excitement, and he intended to go to California, starting several party leaders, including Dr. Awl, raised via the overland route. But he was taken sick, a fund to enlarge the plant of the Milton Demo- . and turned back, returning to Pennsylvania in crat and remove it to Sunbury: and though this 1849. Settling in Sunbury, near his birthplace, plan did not materialize Dr. Awl later purchased the equipment of the Democrat at sheriff's sale, removed it to Sunbury, and allowed its use in the publishing of the German paper. and it subse- quently proved the nucleus of the equipment of the Northumberland County Democrat outtit. . His intimate knowledge regarding penal institu- tions. combined with his familiarity with the his- tory of his section of the county, makes his his- tory of "Northumberland County Prisons" (be- ginning with the lock-up built for Shikellimy by Conrad Weiser and concluding with an account of the present model penitentiary), published in Me- ginness's Historical Journal, an authentic and re- liable production ; he made interesting contribu- he resumed practice, entering upon a career of professional and civic usefulness destined to make his memory cherished in this vicinity for years to come. The extensive acquaintance of his earlier life, his old friendships, the reputation he had gained in his Dauphin county home, his experi- ence in the West, all combined to attract patrons, whose confidence and good will were held by his faithful and skillful treatment, his manly char- acter and kindly, sympathetic disposition. It would have been difficult for any of his friends or patients to decide which held them most, the ad- miration for his. conscientiousness and proficiency as a physician or the genial good nature which made him so welcome everywhere. Eight young, tions to other publications of Meginness on sub- men pursued their medical studies under his in- jects of local interest, "The Old Cannon." "The First Duel in Northumberland County," "The Brady Family," etc., and assisted in preparing other material for similar use: and he prepared some "reminiscences" concerning social life in the early days for the county history published in 1891. In this connection it might be mentioned that he himself was one of the adventurous youths of Sunbury who planned a midnight expedition to Selinsgrove to recapture the old Fort Augusta cannon which the Selinsgrove boys had stolen. The raid was successful, the cannon being restored to its rightful place on the river bank at Sunbury, and was fired the next Fourth of July with proper struction. He had various professional associa- tions primarily a recognition of his eminent worth and skill. For fourteen years-between 1855 and 1888 inclusive-he acted as physician at the coun- ty prison, in the old and new jails, by appoint- ment of different boards of commissioners. He was an expert surgeon, performing numerous op- erations, principally those necessitated by railroad accidents, and was highly successful in this branch of his work. For several years he was connected with the surgical department of the Packer hos- pital in Sunbury as general consultant, having been elected and re-elected yearly. He practiced until a few years before his death, even after he observances.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

On March 9, 1849, Dr. Awl was first married, sided in Chillisquaque township, where he died at while at Gratztown, Dauphin county, to Eliza the age of eighty years; and James was born Jan. Bower, of that county, and they had one child, 1, 178-2. which died in infancy. Mrs. Awl died July 28, turn to Sunbury, Dr. Awl married (second) Re- becca A. Pursell of that place, daughter of Peter

David Taggart, son of Thomas, born in Phila- 1846, and on Nov. 21, 1849, shortly after his re- delphia Feb. 21, 1769, died May 17, 1812. He was educated in Northumberland, followed nier- chandising, and was a prominent Democrat in his and Rachel ( Miller) Pursell. She died Dec. 11, time. He married Mary McCalla, whose father, 1897, several years before the Doctor, who passed away at his home on Market square. Sunbury, March 13, 1905, after a week's illness. He is buried in Pomfret Manor cemetery. Three chil- dren survived him : William Maclay and Ellen Emily, both of Sunbury; and Mary P., who mar- ried Edward G. Young and lives in Renovo, Pa. (her children are John B. Packer and Robert Har- ris). John. McCalla, was born April 22, 1739, son of Andrew and Mary McCalla, and died Sept. 19, 1810; his wife, Tamar ( Rich), daughter of John Rich, was born in 1742 and died Sept. 22, 1797. Mr. and Mrs. McCalla lived for some years in Bucks county, Pa., where some of their older chil- dren were born. They had the following family : Sarah, born Dec. 1, 1762; Mary, Sept. 13, 1764 COL. DAVID TAGGART, in his day one of the foremost citizens of Northumberland and, in- deed, of this section of the State, a public man of high standing and influence, came of a family which has been identified with what is now the borough of Northumberland since 1775. (she was born in Bucks county and died in North- umberland county) ; William, April 20, 1767: Elizabeth, April 7, 1769; Ruth, Sept. 12, 1721 (Mrs. Welker) ; Margaret, March 6, 1774 (died March 17, 1798) ; Tamar, Feb. 7, 1776; Martha, Feb. 28, 1778; Ann, May 7, 1780; Susanna, June 27, 1782; John, Nov. 21, 1785. To David and Mary ( McCalla) Taggart were born the following named children : John is mentioned below ; James, who died in Northumberland about 1855, was a

Thomas Taggart, the founder of this family in America and in Northumberland county, was born May 10, 1728, in Ireland, of Scotch-Irish descent, merchant and was engaged for some time running and emigrated with his brother Robert prior to packets on the canal, and was collector of tolls 1750, the young men settling in Philadelphia, on the canal at Huntingdon for many years (his where Robert became a merchant. About 1775 son, Grantham I., became a coal dealer at Savan- Thomas Taggart arrived at the town of Northum- nah, Ga., and another son, John, was a physician, and died at Salt Lake City ; his two daughters were Mary, who married Marks B. Priestley, and Ger- trude, who married 'Solomon Kreegar) ; Sarah married Samuel C. McCormick ; Mary A. married Alexander Colt. berland, where he became a leading merchant. Settling at Queen and Front streets, near what was later the site of Morgan's shoe store, he was a well known resident of the place until his death, which occurred April 13. 1788. He married Mary Vanderbilt, a native of Philadelphia, who died in John Taggart, son of David, born April 12, 1796, in Northumberland, was reared and edu- cated in his native county and began his business career as a brewer in the town of Northumber- land, where he lived and died. His brewery was located near the present steamboat landing. When the canal was constructed his brewery was removed to give place to it, and he quit the business. He was appointed canal commissioner by Governor Ritner, but- after holding the position about one year resigned, being succeeded by Thaddeus Ste- vens. He was a charter member, stockholder and director of the Northumberland Bank, of which he was president for a number of years, and he was regarded as an enterprising man in all his undertakings. At the time of his death he was a Republican in politics. His death occurred at Northumberland Ang. 23, 1877, and there he and Northumberland in 1805. Their descendants have been prominent in public life, in business matters, and in the wars of the country. Their family was a large one, viz .: Elizabeth, born June 15, 1753, married William Bonham, and died about 1780 (her son, Thomas, was for many years a tanner at Northumberland, but finally removed to Wabash county, Ill., where he died) : Christi- ana, born May 12, 1755, married a Mr. Sample, and settled in Allegheny county, this State; Rob- ert was born Feb. 18. 1757: John, born June 30. 1759, died July 21. 1759 : Catharine, born Sept. 6, 1760, married Capt. John Painter, and died in 1840: Thomas, born Oct. 22, 1762, died Jan. 16, '1780 (he was killed by Indians) ; Mary, born Jan. 19, 1765, married a Mr. Patterson, a noted fron- tiersman of Pennsylvania, and died Feb. 8, 1791; John, born July 11, 1767, died Feb. 8, 1773; his wife are buried. They were members of the David, born Feb. 21, 1769, died May 17, 1812; Unitarian Church. Mr. Taggart married Hannah William, born Oct. 3, 1771, died Jan. 24, 1773; Collin Huston. a native of Philadelphia, born Feb. 22, 1796, on Queen street, that city. died Nov. 28, 1870, and they had children as follows: David is William (?), known as "old Major" Taggart, born Ang. 6, 1773. kept store at an early day in North- umberland and in the latter part of his life re- mentioned below: Matthew Inston, born Feb. 18.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1824, married Rebecca MeCurley, (second) Eliza granddaughter of Jolin Cowden, who was born in McCurley and (third) Ella G. Royer (in 1888 he Ireland, and coming to this country settled in Northumberland county, Pa., in which section he was one of the earliest inerchants. He was post- master from 1795 until Jan. 12, 1837. He sold his store and residence in 1836, upon his retire- ment from business. He married Sarah Hope- well, and both lived to old age. They were the parents of children as follows: One son died in infancy, unnamed; Elizabetlı married Dr. Wal- lace: Deboralı married William McQuhae, a Scotch artist, who painted a miniature portrait of Robert Burns, the poet, from life; Sarah mar- ried Judge Merrill, of New Berlin, Pa .; Mary married Judge Bradford; Rebecca married James Hepburn : John H. is mentioned below ; Anna M. married Judge Donaldson. purchased the plant of C. A. Godcharles & Co., at Northumberland, and on Oct. 1, 1889, the estab- lishment became the property of the firm of Tag- garts & Howell, manufacturers of iron and of iron and steel nails, his interest in this business covering a long period) : Hannah, born Sept. 10, 1825, married Dr. Jos. Priestley and reared four children, Hannalı (wife of Rev. H. D. Catlin), Fannie D. (wife of William Forsyth, Jr.), Anna and Jennie; Capt. James, born at Northum- berland Feb. 4, 1827, married Sarah Cowden, daughter of John H. Cowden (he entered the ar- my in 1861, organizing the Taggart Guards, of which he was elected captain, and he was killed at the battle of Charles City Cross Roads, June 30, 1862) ; John K., born Nov. 12, 1829, was secre- tary and clerk to his brother David in the pay- master's department in the army, and died Sept.

John H. Cowden was born in Northumberland county, became a very successful business man, and amassed a large competence. He was a iner- 8, 1868, in St. Louis; Mary was born June 13, chant, was president of the West Branch Bank 1831 ; Francis A., born Feb. 26, 1833, entered the at Williamsport, Pa., and for some years was own- employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at er of the beautiful Packer Island. He died at the Philadelphia (he liad children: John, William, Joseph and Mrs. Anna Christy).

Col. David. Taggart, born at Northumberland, May 28, 1822, received a good education, attend- ing the common schools and Dickinson and Mil- ton Academies. He read law with the famous Eb- enezer Greenougli, was admitted to the bar of Northumberland county Nov. 7, 1843, and was · prominent in public life for many years. In 1854 he was elected a member of the State Senate, in which body he served two years, during the last year of his term being speaker. In 1852 he was chairman of the Whig State central committee, and subsequently became a Republican. For some years he was president of the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the Union service, remaining to, the close of the struggle. He was in the pay- master's department, and after the war entered the United States regular army as paymaster in the quartermaster's department, with the rank of colonel. He was stationed in this capacity at dif- ferent points throughout the country for several years. Possessing rare gifts as a public speaker, he was frequently called upon to deliver addresses at patriotic and other celebrations, and he was popular and influential wherever known. He was prominently mentioned for governor, but he was as willing to give his time and efforts to local affairs as to those which would bring him more fame, and he took an active part in the affairs of the

age of sixty-four years. Mr. Cowden married Hannah Pleasants, who died at the early age of twenty-seven, the mother of four children: John, who died at the age of forty-six; Anna Pleasants, Mrs. Taggart; Sarah H., who married Capt. James Taggart : and Hannah P., wife of William Potter Withington, living in West Virginia.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 4

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1090

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090