USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Genealogical and personal history of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 25
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(III) Smith, fifth child and fourth son of John and Elsie (Jones) Curtis, was born in Sherburne, Chenango county, New York, December 21, 1833. Until he was sixteen years of age he attended the public schools of his birthplace, and after a short term of employment in his father's grist mill and tannery, went to New York City. For two years he filled a clerk- ship in that city, returning home at the end of that time to prepare for college. He attended an academy in Franklin for one term and then entered Hamilton College, remaining in that institution for three years, withdrawing therefrom to take up study at Union College, in Schenectady, New York, whence he was graduated with honor in the class of 1858. His literary courses were the ones from which he derived the most
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pleasure and in which he excelled, being several times the choice of his college to contend in inter-collegiate contests, and was frequently success- ful. In his junior year at Hamilton College he entered an essay contest and was awarded the first prize, the subject of his paper being "The Rela- tion of Thought and Style." He then began the study of theology to prepare himself for the ministry, attending the Princeton Theological Sem- inary one year, and that of Union College, in New York City, graduating from there in 1861. In that same year he was ordained into the ministry of the Congregational Church, at Columbus, Ohio, and received an ap- pointment as chaplain of the Sixty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry, but never joined the regiment because of the objections of the German colonel. He was then pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Fostoria, Ohio, for three years, at the expiration of that time opening an academy and conducting it for two years. While he was principal of this institution he once more was appointed chaplain of a regiment in active service in General Butler's command, but the close of the war made it unnecessary for him to accept the post. In 1865 he came to Pennsylvania, locating in Georgetown, and was there engaged in the oil business for three years, abandoning this to accept the principalship of the Beaver public schools. He served Beaver in this capacity for two years, in 1872 succeed- ing the late Senator Matthew S. Quay as editor of the Beaver Radical, directing the policy of that paper in an able manner until its consolidation with the Beaver Argus in 1873. He moved to Harrisburg after the con- summation of that deal and there resided until 1879, in which year he was appointed to a clerkship in the State Insurance Department. In the same year he returned to Beaver and purchased a half interest from the Hon. James S. Rutan, in the paper that had succeeded the one of which he had formerly been editor, and has since continued as editor and publisher, having for several years been sole owner and manager. The large circu- lation of his paper and its wide popularity are ample proofs of his ability as an editor, the many pleasing features and departments of the periodical attracting patronage from all classes. Mr. Curtis is a Congregationalist; his political beliefs are Progressive-Republican, and personally and through the agency of his newspaper he does his utmost to further the good of that party. As a representative of the Republican party he served one term as burgess of Beaver, and for the six years from 1866 to 1872 he was a mem- ber of the county committee. The many fields into which Mr. Curtis' wide experience has called him wakens unconscious admiration at the exceptional versatility of the man, and respect for the personality that could command leading positions in each. Finely educated and a gentleman of pleasing address, in his long and useful career he has gathered to him many friends in whose minds the memory of his refreshing friendship will long live.
He married, March 1, 1865, Isidore M. Calhoon, born in August, 1842, in Georgetown, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, died February 29, 1904,
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daughter of Captain Richard and Elizabeth (McCurdy) Calhoon. The Cal- hoon family was planted in Pennsylvania by the grandfather of Richard, who settled in Green township, Beaver county. Many of the family have commanded craft on the tributaries of the Mississippi, Captain Richard Calhoon, being master of several boats plying between Pittsburgh, Cincin- nati, and Louisville. . He was in command of the "Horizon," a vessel that ran the blockade at Vicksburg in the Civil War. The grandfather of Elizabeth McCurdy was a soldier in the Revolution, enlisting in the conti- nental service from Pennsylvania, and for his services received a patent covering the land on which the city of Easton, Pennsylvania, now stands. The family is of Scotch descent and by the marriage of an early member of the family with one of the family of Mary Stuart, became allied with the nobility of that land. The Rev. Elisha McCurdy, the famous Presby- terian divine of early days, was a member of the family, a second cousin of Elizabeth McCurdy. Children of Captain Richard and Elizabeth (Mc- Curdy) Calhoon: 1. Doctor J. N., of Lisbon, Ohio. 2. Elderado, mar- ried John A. Cogley, of Springfield, Missouri. 3. Susan, married John R. Peters, at one time a resident of New York City, later of Georgetown, Pennsylvania. 4. Isidore M., married Mr. Curtis. Children of Smith and Isidore M. (Calhoon) Curtis: I. Cossette, died in infancy. 2. John Rich- ard, a printer in the office of the paper edited by his father, died in 1905; married Josephine Kallon, of Beaver, Pennsylvania and had one child, Dora. 3. Dora E., died, aged eleven years. 4. Elizabeth, unmarried, lives with her father. 5. De Loss, died young.
BOVARD The history of the Irish family of Bovard in America car- ries the searcher to the last quarter of the eighteenth cen- tury, and the record of the birth of the American progenitor leads to county Donegal, Ireland. That the pioneer family of the name in the state of Pennsylvania was not without influence and prestige among those with whom its lot was cast is proved by the fact that a band of set- tlers in Butler county named the village which they founded in honor of one of the family, no light tribute when it is considered that the names of places are not easily changed when once established by usage. 1786 was the year in which the Bovards came to the United States, John Bo- vard, a native of Donegal, Ireland, settling in Westmoreland county. He had married in Ireland, and was the father of: John, Charles, James, of whom further; Fanny, married William Chambers; Mary, married Robert Foster.
(II) James Bovard, son of John Bovard, was born in Ireland, 1776, died in Cherry township, Butler county, Pennsylvania, 1853. In his youth his educational opportunities were limited and he never received broad scholastic training, but the passing years brought him a knowledge of men and affairs that was more valuable to him in his environment and
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in the positions to which he was called than a student's acquaintance with Latin and Greek. He was twenty years old when the family moved to the United States, and was the only one of his father's sons to make his home in Butler county, purchasing two hundred acres of land in what is now Fairview township, a part of the site of Karns City, and there lived until the spring of 1824. He had previously acquired title to two hundred and fifty acres in what is now Cherry township, and in 1825 moved thither, clearing the tract, erecting suitable buildings, and there living until his death. He was a Democrat in political belief, and as such filled all of the various township offices, was for one term county commissioner, and held position as associate judge of Butler county for thirty-six years. He was a man of prominence throughout the county, and was known by all who had professional relations with him, either as culprit or advocate, plaintiff or defendant, as an equitable judge, one who tempered his de- cisions with a fine shade of sympathy and practicality, and one who based his opinions with strict impartiality upon evidence submitted. In his early life he was associated with the Associate Reformed Church, known as the Unity Church, but upon the organization of the Centerville United Presbyterian Church he joined the same and contributed liberally to the fund necessary for the erection of a house of worship, holding in that body the office of elder until his death, He married, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Jane, daughter of James Chambers. Children : William, John, Jane, married Thomas Floyd; James C., Fanny, Johnston, Hutchison, Charles, George, of whom further; Washington.
(III) George Bovard, son of James and Jane (Chambers) Bovard, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, 1816, died in that state. In 1844 he was one of the founders of Maple Furnace, in Butler county, where in partnership with Henry Graff he was a proprietor of an iron and steel foundry, which was later abandoned, as was the town. In 1851 he moved to Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, living in Manorville until 1870, and until his retirement in 1880 was actively connected with the oil business, buying and selling oil producing land, operating wells, and or- ganizing companies to develop territory. From 1880 until his death he lived retired. Mr. Bovard was a Republican in all political action, and affiliated with the United Presbyterian Church. He married Mary Ann Robinson, of Parker, Pennsylvania. Children: Elizabeth, married Rev. J. N. Dick; James C., of whom further; Robert, Charles S., Frances, married Dr. C. F. McBride, of Youngstown, Ohio.
(IV) James C. Bovard, son of George and Mary Ann (Robinson) Bovard, was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, 1837, died January 12, 1913. As a young man he entered the mercantile business, first as clerk and subsequently as proprietor, owning establishments at different times in Manorville, Armstrong county, and in Pittsburgh, Allegheny county. His political party was the Republican, and he was a member of the Pres- byterian Church. He was a man of unerring business judgment, and in
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his mercantile dealings realized a comfortable competence. He married, in 1865, Mary W., born October 9, 1843, daughter of Chambers and Han- nah Orr. Children: 1. Orr B., married Katherine P. Pinkerton, and lives in Toledo, Ohio. 2. George Robinson, of whom further. 3. Grier C., married Alice Thomilson, and lives in Ithaca, New York. 4. Harry W., married Laird Leason, and lives in Kittanning, Armstrong county, Penn- sylvania. Mary W. (Orr) Bovard is a descendant of Captain Chambers Orr, one of the earliest pioneers of Armstrong county, who was captured by Indians at the burning of Hannastown and for two years was held prisoner by them, at the end of that time escaping and returning to his people.
(V) George Robinson Bovard, son of James C. and Mary W. (Orr) Bovard, was born in Manorville, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1870. His education was obtained through courses of study in the public schools of Kittanning and Pittsburgh, and his first business experi- ence was gained as proprietor of a grocery store in Beaver, Pennsylvania, where he was situated from 1893 until 1904. Although he found this a lucrative business, it was not one in which he cared to pass his lifetime and in the latter year the partnership of Bovard & Anderson was formed for dealing in real estate. In this line Mr. Bovard has found a field for which his capabilities are admirably modeled and has met with decided success. In contact with prospective customers and in interesting them in his propositions he is at his best, and the volume of business that has been transacted in and about Beaver is ample proof that both of the part- ners are aggressively alert, keen and active in their dealings, Mr. Bovard is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in political questions allies himself with the Republican party. He married, May 10, 1893, Car- rie A. Anderson, a sister of William S. Anderson, Mr. Bovard's partner.
William Charles Fisher, the first of the name to come to the FISHER United States, was born in Wuertemberg, Germany, and served in the cavalry under Napoleon. By trade he was a butcher, and upon his arrival in this country with his family he went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and there established himself in his calling. He was not yet past middle age when he was thrown from his horse and, falling into a canal, was drowned. He and his family were members of the Lutheran church. He married in his native land, and had children: Frederick, a shovel manufacturer, who lived in Pittsburgh; Catherine, mar- ried Henry Brown, a lumberman, and they lived in Punxsutawney, Jef- ferson county, Pennsylvania; William Charles, see forward; John, who died unmarried in Evansville, Indiana, where he was engaged in the to- bacco business.
(II) William Charles (2), so of William Charles (1) Fisher, was born in Wuertemberg, Germany, in 1825, and died March 30, 1896. He
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came to this country with his parents in 1833, and learned the butcher's trade under the supervision of his father, in Pittsburgh, remaining there until he was twenty-two years of age. He then removed to Beaver coun- ty, purchasing a farm in Moon township, which he cultivated, and con- ducted his butchering business at the same time, until 1866, when he re- moved to Vanport, Pennsylvania, in Borough township, and opened a butcher shop in Beaver. He conducted this very successfully until his death, He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church, in which he was a trustee. During the Civil War he was a member of the recruiting committee in his township, and he was an ardent Republican. He married Elizabeth W. Reed, born in either Beaver or Allegheny county, in 1822, died in 1907. She was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Littell) Reed, both born in Beaver county. The Reeds came originally from Scotland, while the Littells came from Ireland, the grandparents on both sides being born there. John Reed was a farmer and served during the War of 1812. He lost his health as a result of the Battle of Lake Erie, and remained an invalid for the remainder of his life. He lived on a farm near Hanover, Beaver county, and later removed to Pittsburgh, where his death occurred. He and his family belonged to the Seceders' church. He had children : Nancy, married J. B. Poor, and lived in Pittsburgh; Eliz- abeth W., mentioned above; Joseph, was a lumberman, and lived in Pitts- burgh. William Charles and Elizabeth W. (Reed) Fisher had children : Joseph, who died unmarried at the age of thirty-one years; Catherine, died in girlhood; William Charles, see forward; Alice and Amanda, twins, died at the age of six years; Mary, unmarried, lives with her brother, William Charles Fisher.
(III) William Charles (3), son of William Charles (2) and Eliza- beth W. (Reed) Fisher, was born in Moon township, Beaver county, Penn- sylvania, near the North Branch Church, December 16, 1854. He attended the public schools in Moon township and at Vanport, and learned the butcher's trade with his father. They were associated together in busi- ness until the death of the elder man. Mr. Fisher then continued the business alone until about 1898, when he sold his interest in it. He was the owner of a farm in Brighton township, and conducted this as a dairy farm until 1909, and now lives retired from business responsibilities. He approves of the principles of the Republican party, but casts his vote for the man he thinks best fitted for the office in question. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian church. He erected his present home between Beaver and Vanport, about 1882, a large and commodious brick structure surrounded by fine and well-kept grounds.
Mr. Fisher married, July 13, 1881, Eliza Jane McElhose, born near Wellsville, Ohio, January 1, 1858. She is a daughter of Benjamin and Jane (Harrah) McElhose. The former was born May 13, 1835, and died April 29, 1860; the latter was born April 11, 1831, died December 26. 1874; she married (second) Jefferson Saltsman. Benjamin McElhose was
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a native of Ireland, county Antrim, and came to America with his parents when he was about eleven years of age. He was the owner of a farm in Canton, Ohio, which he cultivated. Jane (Harrah) McElhose was the daughter of William and Eliza (Fleming) Harrah, both born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, who came to Vanport, Beaver county, where Wil- liam Harrah was a miller and had a store at Vanport. He and his wife reared Mrs. Fisher; he died at the age of ninety-six years. Mrs. Fisher had one brother, William C., born in 1854, who married, September 6, 1877, Anna Neal, and lives in Belleview, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Fish- er have had children: Charles R., born June 6, 1883, is in the fruit business at Lodi, California, married Gwendolyn Daugherty; William M., born November 7, 1886, is unmarried, lives with his parents, and is a crane director in the Treadwell Construction Company of Midland, Pennsyl- vania; Ralph Harrah, born April 12, 1890, at home.
METHENY The story of the Methenys herein written is an honorable one and one the reading of which should give pride and pleasure to any of the name who have not a family rec- ord. This chronicle covers but three of the American generations of the name, but all herein mentioned have played well their part in the game of life, and have contracted unions that bring them into relation with other families whose histories are no less worthy. Of Dutch descent, Moses Metheny was a pioneer settler near Rock Point, Lawrence county, Penn- sylvania, becoming the holder of titles to a vast acreage of land in that region. His wife, Hannah (Nye) Metheny, was likewise of Dutch de- scent. They were the parents of: Joseph, of whom further, Aaron, Elijah, George, Parker, John, Rachel, Hannah, Mahala.
(II) Joseph Metheny, son of Moses and Hannah (Nye) Metheny, was born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, died near Wurtem- berg, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, April 18, 1838. He lived on the paternal farm in his youth, attended the public schools, and soon after his marriage in 1835, bought a farm near Wurtemberg, Lawrence county, which he cultivated until his death. He married (first) Mary McGregor ; (second) Jane, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Wright) Sterrett, whose death occurred on April 30, 1838, fever cutting short both of their lives. She was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, where her parents settled after coming to the United States from Ireland, their birthplace. Among the children of Samuel and Elizabeth (Wright) Sterrett were: Samuel A., a physician; John; William, a physician; James, Jane, Mar- garet, married a Mr. Dodds. By his first marriage, Joseph Metheny had a son, Alpin, who fought in the Civil War and is now a resident of Mis- souri. By his second marriage he had two children: David, of whom further; Elizabeth, married (first) Theodore Sherrard, deceased, and
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(second) a Mr. Myers, now living in Iowa. Mr. Metheny was a member of the Covenanter Church, to which his family also belonged.
(III) David Metheny, only son of Joseph and Jane (Sterrett) Meth- eny, was born near Wurtemberg, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 16, 1836, died in Mersine, Asia Minor, June 4, 1897. His early educa- tion was obtained under the direction of Professor John Newell, principal of a preparatory academy in Pittsburgh, after which he entered Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, and immediately after his graduation therefrom volunteered for hospital service in the south, where physicians and surgeons were badly needed because of the many casualties of the Civil War, being stationed at Whitehouse Landing. The severe drain upon his strength and vitality, together with the unhealthful climate was more than he could endure, and he contracted a dangerous fever, which compelled him to return to the more bracing northern climate. From the age of fifteen years his training had been the responsibility of an uncle, Samuel A. Sterrett, a famous oculist and aurist of No. 907 Penn avenue, Pittsburgh, and to that city he returned at the close of his service in the south, establishing in practice there, being made physician to the Penn- sylvania Railroad. He was married in 1862 and soon after, in 1864, was appointed missionary physician to Latakia, Syria, and was there stationed for eighteen years, serving for that length of time as consular agent of the United States, receiving no remuneration for discharging the duties of that office. In 1873 he returned to the United States and was ordained a minister of the Covenanter Church, the first and only one to enter the ministry of that church without a theological education, his studies in Arabic being substituted for the Hebrew requirements. He moved to Adana, Asia Minor, in 1882, and was later stationed in Tarsus for two years, his last years as a missionary being spent at Mersine, where his death occurred. During his years spent in foreign lands, Dr. Metheny was the projector of a great and wonderful work among the natives of the countries in which he labored, and gave unsparingly of his time, strength and knowledge to their spiritual uplift and the curing of their physical ailments. In the organization of churches and Sunday schools he met with the most favorable success, and the converts he won to Chris- tianity were many, a large number of whom carry on the work he so nobly began and reach more of their people than he could ever have hoped to touch through his own efforts. His share of the great missionary task with which humanity has been charged by Divine command has been a glorious one, the effects of which will be felt for long years to come, for by him has come the message that has called his fellow beings out of the darkness "into His wonderful light."
He married (first), in 1862, Emma Gregg, who died in 1876. He married (second), Mary E. Dodds, born near New Alexandria, Pennsyl- vania, December 27, 1849, daughter of Rev. Robert James and Amanda (Cannon) Dodds (see Dodds line). She was educated in the public
David Metheny
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schools and in Dayton Academy, Armstrong county, in 1869, beginning to teach school in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where she remained for two years. In 1871 she went to Latakia, Syria, as a teacher in the missionary schools, and there married Dr. Metheny, after his death re- turning to the United States. For a time she lived in Baltimore, Mary- land, but in 1900 moved to Beaver Falls, where she has since resided. Children of David and Emma (Gregg) Metheny: I. Emma Matilda Mizpah, married Dr. A. J. Dodds; died in Latakia, Syria, in 1885. 2. Elma Gregg Sterrett, died aged six years. 3. Samuel Alexander Sterrett, a graduate of Geneva College, University of Michigan, Jefferson Medical College, Edinburgh (Scotland) University; was from 1896 to 1899 mis- sionary physician at Mersine, Asia Minor; now a practicing physician of Philadelphia; he married, while attending Jefferson Medical College, Mar- garet Slater. 4. David Gregg, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College; obtained his classical education in Geneva College, Wooster University, and at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is now professor of anatomy at Jeffer- son Medical College; he married Ida Patterson. Children of David and Mary E. (Dodds) Metheny: 5. Mary Evangeline, a graduate of the Girls' Latin School, of Baltimore, is now principal of the British mission school at Alexandretta, Syria; she is the fluent master of nine languages, in all of which she possesses both reading and conversational ability. 6. John Renwick, lives at home. 7. Janet Theodora, a graduate of Geneva College; married J. Vale Downie, an author of short stories, and lives in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. 8. Robert Livingstone, born at Tarsus, Asia Minor; educated at Geneva College and Drexel Institute, the latter of Philadelphia ; a printer of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. 9. Carey Wyckliffe, died in infancy. 10. Coligny Brainerd, a graduate of Geneva College, now physical director of that institution.
(The Dodds Line.)
(I) The route of arrival of the emigrant ancestors of the Dodds fam- ily is rather different from that taken by most immigrants coming to this country from European lands. Archibald and Margaret (Davison) Dodds, both natives of Ireland, there grew to maturity and there married, com- ing to America after the birth of six children, landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From that place they came to Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania, through Buffalo, New York, settling on a farm near Kiskiminetas Junction, their circuitous path having led them to the goal usually gained in a much more direct line. In that place they lived and died, Archibald Dodds being a man of more than ordinary accomplishments, for he was able to support his family by work at any one of four occupations, farm- ing, carpentering, stone masonry and shoe-making, being adept at all four arts. Children: 1. Joseph, died in Iowa. 2. Mary, married Isaac Cope- land, and died in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. 3. Jane, died aged thirteen years. 4. Ann, died young. 5. Eliza, died in girlhood. 6. George,
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