USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Genealogical and personal history of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 55
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(The Grim Line.)
(I) Philip L. Grim, who was of German descent, was born in York county, Pennsylvania. He married, and among his children were sons: John, George, Philip, Michael.
(II) Michael Grim, son of Philip L. Grim, served as a soldier during the War of 1812. He married (first) a daughter of John and Mary Shearrer, pioneer settlers of Butler county, Pennsylvania. He married (sec- ond) Susan Nye, and had one child: Benjamin. The children by his first marriage were: Philip L., of further mention; John, George, Conrad, David, William H., Joseph, Esther, married George Hartje.
(III) Philip L. Grim, son of Michael and - (Shearrer) Grim, was reared in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. He was prominent as a teacher in his day, teaching in the public schools of Beaver and in the Beaver Academy. When the first teachers' organization of Beaver county was
Louis 6, Gum
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effected, April 6, 1850, at Rochester, Pennsylvania, Mr. Grim was made president of the permanent organization. Subsequently he entered into business life, and had important interests in the coal mining industry at Cannelton, Pennsylvania, and was identified with this enterprise until the time of his death. Besides having personal interests in the Cannelton mines, he held the position of superintendent of the Economites' interests at Cannelton from 1860 until his death, in 1873. He was also in office as superintendent of the Darlington Railroad Company. Mr. Grim mar- ried Matilda, daughter of Colonel Henry and Martha (McIlhaney) Small, and they had children : Louis Edwin, of further mention; Martha; Romulus H.
(IV) Louis Edwin Grim, son of Philip L. and Matilda (Small) Grim, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. His education was a most liberal one, and was acquired in the common schools of Beaver county, the Darling- ton Academy, and at the Washington and Jefferson College, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1879. He studied law under the preceptorship of Frank Wilson, Esq., and was admitted to the Beaver county bar, January 2, 1882. Immediately after this event, he established himself in the practice of his chosen profession in Beaver, and subsequently formed a law partnership with David S. Naugle, Esq., the firm name being Grim & Naugle. This association was continued uninterruptedly until the death of Mr. Naugle in 1897, the firm having practiced in Beaver and Beaver Falls. After the death of Mr. Naugle, Mr. Grim abandoned the office in Beaver Falls, and devoted his entire time and attention to his extensive practice in Beaver, with which he was occupied until his death, May 30, 1901, In political affairs Mr. Grim was a Republican, and his honest and well-voiced expression of opinion was of great benefit to that party. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and for a number of years held official position in it.
Mr. Grim married, November 9, 1893, Hallie B. Edie (see Edie II). Their only child, Mary Louise, and Mrs. Grim now live in Chautauqua, New York. Mr. Grim was a man of fine physical presence, and splendid mental endowments. His advancement in his profession was unusually rapid, and he was acknowledged to be one of the leading representatives of the legal profession in the state. His legal ability was not alone responsible for the esteem in which he was held. The purity and honesty of his life were an object lesson not often found, and had their due effect in raising the standard of morality in the community in which he resided, His name was mentioned as a candidate for a judgeship, and he would undoubtedly have been honored with election to this office had he lived.
The Ripper family, of New Brighton, Beaver county, Penn- RIPPER sylvania, is of German origin, and has brought to this country the conservative business habits of the Germans and combined
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them very successfully with the more progressive and energetic methods in vogue in the United States.
(I) John Ripper, a native of Germany, spent his entire life in his native land. He married Elizabeth Ripper, who also lived and died in Germany. They had children: Philip, John, George, Ludwig Leonard, of further mention; and two sons and one daughter, who also never left their native land, the other children coming here.
(II) Ludwig Leonard Ripper, son of John and Elizabeth (Ripper) Ripper, was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, August 13, 1833, and emigrated to America in early manhood. For a time he lived in Butler county, Pennsylvania, then removed to Pittsburgh, where he learned the trade of cigar making. He then lived in Zelienople for a time and in 1860 removed to New Brighton, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where he died, February 12, 1898. His political opinions were those of the Democratic party, and his religious affiliations were with the Lutheran Church. Mr. Ripper married at Zelienople, December 25, 1858, Elizabeth Geottman, born in New Sewickley township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, September II, 1840. They had children: Mary, married A. S. Dunn, of Vancouver, British Columbia; Elizabeth, married W. G. Hall, of Beaver Falls, Penn- sylvania; William G. H., of further mention; Emma M., employed at the Lake Erie Station in Pittsburgh; Bertha, died in 1891 at the age of nineteen years; Sophia E., employed as a bookkeeper in the city of New York; Lewis J., resides on Eighth avenue, New Brighton, Pennsylvania.
John and Elizabeth Geottman were the grandparents of Elizabeth (Geottman) Ripper, and both died in Germany. John, son of John and Elizabeth Geottman, and father of Mrs. Ripper, was born in Germany and came to the United States in early manhood. He was a shoemaker by trade, and also the owner of a farm near Bury's Church, which he cultivated with success. He was a Republican in his political views, and a member of the Reformed Church. His death occurred on his homestead in 1884, at the age of eighty-six years. He married Margarete Peffer, who died in 1897 at the age of eighty-one years. They had children: Philip, deceased; Chris- tian, deceased; Elizabeth, married Mr. Ripper, as above mentioned; Sarah, deceased; Leonard; Margarete. Margarete (Peffer) Geottman was a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Peffer, both born in Germany, and both died in New Sewickley township, and are buried there. They had two children: Margarete, mentioned above, and Sarah, now the widow of Sebastian Lutz, of New Sewickley township, Beaver county, where she is living at the age of ninety-seven years.
(III) William G. H. Ripper, third child and eldest son of Ludwig Leonard and Elizabeth (Geottman) Ripper, was born in New Brighton, Beaver township, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1863. He was the recipient of an excellent education, which was acquired in the public schools of New Brighton, at Pearsall's Academy, at the college in Beaver Falls, and at the School of Oratory and Auctioneering, in Chicago, Illinois. He was grad-
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uated from this last named institution in 1896. While pursuing these studies he had also learned the auctioneering business. When Mr. Ripper was a young man he worked with the crew of engineers and surveyors that sur- veyed for the Ashtabula & Pittsburgh Railroad, and about 1894 worked on preliminary lines known as the low grade, and also had charge of a crew of men in railroad construction work. Upon his return to New Brighton from Chicago, he engaged in business as an auctioneer, has devoted himself to this line of business, and has amply demonstrated his fitness for it by the successes he has achieved. He now owns two stores built by his father at the corner of Seventh street and Third avenue, and also owns another store which is devoted to his auctioneering enterprises exclusively. He has shown his ability as a statesman by the active part he has taken in the public affairs of New Brighton, while working in the interests of the Democratic party. For the past five years he has held an office in the internal revenue service, and he has also been a candidate for the office of postmaster of New Brighton. He is possessed of executive ability of a high order, and has capably discharged the responsible duties in his charge.
This family name, originally Marques, was brought to America MARKS in 1720 by Thomas Marques, who emigrated from Ireland and settled in Virginia. The family was originally composed of French Huguenots, who fled from their native land to escape persecution, settling in Ireland. From Virginia two sons of Thomas and Mary (Col- ville) Marques settled in Washington county, Pennsylvania, John and Rev. Thomas, the former named being the first of the family to cross the moun- tains and settle in Washington county. He was born June 10, 1750, and on February 23, 1786, four hundred and twenty-one acres were warranted him in Washington county, this tract lying on Cross creek was called "Mar- quesata." He was noted among the scouts and backwoodsmen as a fleet runner, an accomplishment that more than once enabled him to escape from the Indians. He was a man of strong decided character, serving Cross Creek Presbyterian Church many years as elder. He married Sarah Griffith, who bore him nine children, all of whom grew to mature years, married and had issue. He died in February, 1822.
Rev. Thomas Marques, son of Thomas and Mary (Colville) Marques, of previous mention, was born in Opequan Valley, Virginia, 1753, died September 27, 1827. He married Jane Park, March 5, 1776, and soon after- ward joined his brother in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He had a tract of four hundred and seventeen acres warranted to him, February 23, 1786, which he called "Marrigate." Later he pursued a course of theological study and was licensed to preach, April 19, 1793. His first call was from Cross Creek Presbyterian Church, which he accepted April 23, 1794. He was known as the "Silver Tongued Marques" and for thirty-two years continued pastor of the Cross Creek Church. . He left eight children. The descendants of these two brothers settled in Mercer county, Pennsylvania,
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in Ohio and in other states, some retaining the original spelling, others using the simpler form Marks.
Andrew Jackson Marks was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, son of General and Mary (Free) Marks. His parents were natives of Washington county, Pennsylvania, but later in life moved to West Virginia, where General Marks bought a farm of six hundred acres and conducted large farming operations. He erected a fine stone mansion on his estate where he and his wife resided until their deaths, both aged over eighty years. On his farm the town of Chester now partly is built. General Marks was a soldier and his father is credited with having been the first manufacturer of powder west of the Allegheny Mountains. Children: Lafayette, a prominent minister of the Presbyterian Church; John, a lumber- man, lived and died in Rochester, Pennsylvania; Alfred, died at the home- stead; Andrew Jackson, of whom further; Hiram, died in youthful man- hood; Eliza, married Hugh Newell, both deceased; Amanda, married John Bucher, and died near Georgetown, Pennsylvania; Alice, married John Moore, and died at Liverpool, Ohio.
Andrew Jackson Marks was an educated and well-read man, partic- ularly gifted with mathematical ability, although from boyhood until death he engaged in business as an agriculturist. After his marriage he engaged with his father-in-law, Robert Hall, in the manufacture of plows in Pitts- burgh for a time, then purchased a small farm in Beaver county, Pennsyl- vania, on which he resided until death. This farm located on Tuscarora Road consisted of one hundred and thirty-four acres, which was largely devoted to fruit culture of all kinds. While residing on the farm he also, for a time, conducted a pottery at East Liverpool, Ohio. He cared more, however, for his fruit trees and farm than for the pottery business, selling out the latter and devoting himself entirely to the former. He was an ardent Republican, and both he and his wife were members of the United Pres- byterian Church.
Mr. Marks married Sarah A. Hall, born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, but at the time of her marriage living in Pittsburgh. She was a daughter of Robert and Rachel (Kinney) Hall, her husband and father be- ing for some time associated in business; she died November 30, 1890, aged sixty-eight. Children: 1. Virginia, married Charles Somers, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania; six children : Fred, a farmer, managing the home farm; James Jackson, residing at home; Charles, a real estate dealer of Seattle, Washington; Frank Stevens, also a resident of Seattle; Margaret, residing at home; Sarah Louise, residing in Seattle. 2. Robert Howard, now living retired at Smith's Ferry, Pennsylvania, formerly of Beaver; he mar- ried three times; (first) Ella V. Mckenzie and had one child, Edna; mar- ried (second) Ida Ackley, deceased, who had one child, William Ackley, de- ceased; married (third) Lula Smit, no issue. 3. Mary, died in infancy. 4. John Ellsworth, died in infancy.
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SMALL The records of the Small family once more take us to Ger- many, that greatest of the Continental empires, not in size, but greatest by many other standards of measure, educationally, industrially and certainly martially. From her shores have come emigrants bearing names now among the proudest of our land, and to her sons the United States of America owes an everlasting debt for the part they have played in our fight for freedom and in the formation of our government, and its subsequent wise administration has been one of responsibility man- fully borne and duty conscientiously performed.
(I) John Small was born in Germany, and there learned the trade that he followed in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, after his immigration to the United States, that of blacksmith. He opened a shop in that county and spent the remainder of his life at his forge. His shop being one of the first established of its kind in the county he did a large business among the farmers of the region, the merry ring of his hammer on the anvil sound- ing from early morning until late at night, and by industrious application to his trade he accumulated a tidy competence, although never attaining a state of affluence. It is doubtful if such a condition were possible in that day, the manner of life of the inhabitants of the county being very simple and many transactions completed through trading, without resort to money as a medium of exchange. John Small and his wife Mary were the parents of several children, among whom was Peter.
(II) Peter Small, son of John and Mary Small, was born in Beaver, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, died in Brighton township, same county. His early life was spent in Beaver and he there followed various callings until his marriage, when he purchased a farm of one hundred and six acres in Brighton township. At the time when he became owner of this tract there were but four acres of it sufficiently cleared to cultivate. He immediately started on the task of putting the remaining one hundred and two acres in an arable condition, first, however, erecting a log house. When the land was finally cleared he replaced the log structure with a frame building which is still standing and is in constant use. He was a Republican in politics, but confined his interest therein to the casting of his ballot for the man of his choice, never accepting public office.
He married Mary English. Her father, Thomas English, was a native of England, immigrated to the United States and settled in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of his wife. He there became a prominent farmer and large land owner, leasing many farms in the vicinity. Mary (English) Small survived her husband several years, and until her death was a member of the Bridgewater Presbyterian Church, to which her hus- band also belonged. Children of Peter and Mary (English) Small: I. Mary Ann, married Milton Bradshaw, and died in September, 1913, aged ninety-three years, a remarkable old age. 2. John, a soldier in the Union army, died from wounds received in action at the battle of Gettysburg. 3. Cynthia, married John Hays, and died in Pennsylvania. 4. Sarah, de-
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ceased, married Jacob Baker. 5. Joanna, deceased, married Andrew Baker. 6. Socrates, a farmer of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. 7. Henry, a car- penter, died on the old homestead. 8. Nancy, deceased, married Ezekiel Moore. 9. Thomas E., of whom further.
(III) Thomas E. Small, youngest child of Peter and Mary (English) Small, was born on the farm where he now lives in Brighton township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, August 13, 1837. He obtained his education in the public schools of his native township, and spent his early life on the home farm. He then purchased a portion of the old tract from the heirs and began farming operations thereon, and has there lived all his life. At the present time he is the owner of twenty-eight acres and sixty-five perches and is the proprietor of a dairy, collecting milk from the neigh- boring producers and retailing it in Beaver and Bridgewater. In this busi- ness he has prospered and supplies a large section of both towns with their daily supply of milk. He is a Republican in political belief. Mr. Small is the possessor of an honorable war record, his body marked with the scars of a Confederate bullet. He enlisted on August 11. 1862, in Company F, One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served for three years. Among the battles in which he took active part were Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House and Gettysburg, besides many others of lesser fame, and numerous skir- mishes. It was at Spottsylvania Court House that he was wounded, the ball passing through both thighs. He was then transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps and was given an honorable discharge in June, 1865.
He married, the year following his return from the war, Sarah J., daughter of Aaron Moore, a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. Chil- dren of Thomas E. and Sarah J. Small: 1. Anna Eliza, married Syl- vester Small, and lives in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. 2. William Harri- son, died in infancy. 3. James Albert, deceased. 4. Barclay H., deceased. 5. Willis Everetts, a blacksmith of New Brighton. 6. George, manager of his father's dairy business.
KANE The Kane family, now of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, is only of the third generation in this country, but it has been promi- nently in the foreground in various directions.
(I) James Kane was born in Ireland, and came to the United States in early manhood. He located at Marietta, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade of carpenter, or "nailer," as it was called in Ireland. His death occurred in 1821. He married Jane Getty, also a native of Ireland, and also young when she came to this country, at Marietta, and they had children : 1. John, see forward. 2. Sarah, married Thomas Morgan, and after the death of her husband returned to Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and made her home with her mother. 3. James, employed on the Ohio, was considered one of the strongest men on the river; he was very tall of stature, and it is said of him that he picked up a refractory mule and car-
John Kane
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ried it on the boat. After the death of Mr. Kane his widow married (sec- ond) James McCartney, also of the Presbyterian denomination. He died in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and his widow removed with her family to Darlington township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where she died at the age of seventy-five years. By her second marriage she had a son, Washing- ton McCartney, a farmer in New Brighton. Mrs. McCartney was very strict in conforming to religious observances, and her children were obliged to follow her example.
(II) John Kane, son of James and Jane (Getty) Kane, was born in Marietta, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1814, died March 24, 1901. He was but seven years of age at the time of the death of his father, and the following year the family removed to Allegheny county, Pennsyl- vania. From his tenth to his fourteenth year he was bound out to a Mr. Hood to learn the tanner's trade. He then became manager of the farm of John White, while his mother assisted in the management of the house at the same place, which was near Clinton, Pennsylvania, and there she met Mr. McCartney whom she later married. In February, 1841, they re- moved to Darlington township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in order to take charge of a tract of land owned there by Squire White, and they were very successful in this undertaking. During one period they kept, raised and fed one thousand head of sheep for several years. All the male mem- bers of the Kane family were more than ordinarily large and strong men. Mr. Kane was a very uncompromising Democrat in politics, and served as a school director. Being frugal and industrious, Mr. Kane succeeded in amassing a sufficient capital to enable him to buy two hundred acres of land, this being a part of the White farm, and on this he lived until his death.
He married Sarah Brown Mahon, born near the town of Clinton, Al- legheny county, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1817, died April 1, 1870. She was a daughter of John and Mary (Brown) Mahon, the former born in Alle- gheny county, Pennsylvania, where he was a farmer near Clinton, the latter a native of Virginia. They were strict Presbyterians. They had children : Josiah, a teacher; John, a farmer in Beaver county, Pennsylvania; Sarah Brown, mentioned above; Nancy, married T. B. Stewart, and lived in Pitts- burgh ; William, a farmer in Beaver county, Pennsylvania; Elizabeth, died unmarried. There is still in the possession of his descendants a brush which was used by Isaac Mahon, a great-uncle of Mrs. Kane, during the American Revolution to brush his clothes while in service in the Continental army. Mr. and Mrs. Kane had children: Mary, now deceased, married Henry Douthitt; Margaret, now deceased, married John C. Dilworth ; James, deceased, lived in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania; Eliza, unmarried, lives on the homestead ; John M., see forward; Frank, employed in the Penn Bridge Works, and lives in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; William B., a miller, lives in Chester, Illinois; Ella, married (first) Dr. James Sawyer, (second) a Mr. Fowler; Harry, a farmer, lives in Darlington township; Ida, unmar-
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ried, lives on the homestead; Homer, lives on the homestead; Dwight, lives on the homestead, takes an active part in local politics and has served as school director and as secretary of the board of township supervisors. Eliza acquired a fine education, mainly by her unaided efforts, taught school for a number of years and is recognized as one of the best informed women of that section of the country.
(III) John M. Kane, son of John and Sarah Brown (Mahon) Kane, was born on the homestead in Darlington township, Beaver county, Penn- sylvania, August 10, 1847, and is still residing on it. He is considered the leading spirit in the management of this piece of property, which is used in common by the five unmarried sisters and brothers. They still live in the log house which was erected on this land more than a hundred years ago, and which is roomy and comfortable, and in an excellent state of preservation. They erected a large, modern barn in 1910, and have made many other improvements on the place. There is an interesting tradition concerning the log dwelling house and the log barn adjoining it. In 1791 Thomas White, then of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, grandfather of J. Burns White, now residing in Darlington township, purchased eight hun- dred acres of land from the United States government, this including the present Kane homestead, and received a patent therefor. One year later he went to this tract of land and found that a squatter by the name of Wallace had taken possession of the land and erected thereon the log house and barn. Mr. White compromised with the squatter, paying him a small sum to leave, and so the present house must have been erected some years prior to 1792. The Kanes now living there are of a modest and retiring nature, and are considered excellent neighbors. They have in their pos- session many interesting relics of the olden times, among these being a cedar chest which was brought from Ireland by the parents of Jane (Getty) Kane, and contained her linen, etc.
McCONNELL The McConnells first appeared in Independence town- ship in 1780, coming from eastern Pennsylvania, and contributing by their industry and hardy courageous lives to the creation of a prosperous community where they found naught but an unfriendly wilderness. While the present owners of the homestead till its fertile fields and draw from the earth its seemingly inexhaustible supply of oil, they bear in lively and grateful remembrance those brave souls who preceded them and blazed a trail their descendants might fol- low in peaceful and prosperous security.
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