USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Genealogical and personal history of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 5
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(I) David Nickle, the head of the line herein traced, was born in Scot- land in 1781, died in Hanover township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, March 6, 1847. After his marriage in Scotland in 1807, he came to Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where the remainder of his days were spent. He married Mary Murray, born in Scotland in 1790, died in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, May 18, 1861, and was the father of: James, born in Scot- land, January 7, 1808; George, William, David, Matthew, of whom further ; Alexander, Eliza, Margaret, all born in Pennsylvania.
(II) Matthew Nickle, son of David and Mary (Murray) Nickle, was born in Hanover township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1822, died in that county, September 3, 1904. He was educated in the public schools, and early in life began farming, becoming the owner of a tract of four hundred and fifty acres, much of which he and his sons cleared. On this large farm he at some times grazed several hundred sheep, being one of the most extensive dealers in the vicinity, also conducting general farming. His church was the United Presbyterian, and there were few more earnest workers among the members of that organization than he, the amount of his beneficences reaching far beyond the contribution of even a generous man of his means. Nor were his church works entirely material, for he held the position of elder in that church, taking active part in its varied activities and by the splendid example of his Christian life daily preaching the gospel of right living and love for God and man. In public life he was also active, taking a keen interest in politics, his sympathies being with the Democratic party, and holding the offices of road supervisor and school
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director. The devotion of his life to religious works is at once plain when it is learned that for forty-seven years he was a member of the session of the United Presbyterian Church, and for many years superintendent of the Sunday school.
He married (first) August 26, 1847, Margaret, daughter of John Pat- terson, of Carroll county, Ohio, born January 8, 1828, died May 6, 1868. After her death he married (second) October 8, 1868, a widow, Jane (Big- ger) Hall, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, died December 5, 1895. Chil- dren of Matthew and Margaret (Patterson) Nickle: John Bryan, born July 28, 1848; Thomas M., of whom further; David Franklin, born Sep- tember 3, 1852; Alexander Murray, of whom further; James, born May 20, 1856; Mary, born July 3, 1857; Jeanette, born July 1, 1861; Margaret Robena, born March 18, 1865; William P. Scott, born July 13, 1867.
(III) Thomas M. Nickle, son of Matthew and Margaret (Patterson) Nickle, was born in Greene township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 30, 1849. His early life was spent on the farm where he was born, and he attended the public schools of the vicinity, living on the homestead until his marriage, when he moved to his present farm, about one mile from the place of his birth. His land is two hundred acres in extent, and at the present time, in addition to conducting operations general in character, maintains a large flock of sheep and considerable cattle. His church is that of his father, and he is a Democrat in politics, steadfastly refusing political preference of any kind. In his business life, agriculture and stock raising, he has been successful with unusual consistency, escaping the hard- est blows that occasionally fall upon an agricultural community, and has realized a moderate competence. Mr. Nickle married, in 1891, Jennie M. Stewart, of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. Children: Maggie Berdella, Lolo Ethel, Alena Gertrude, Mabel Patterson, Maude Stewart.
(III) Alexander Murray Nickle, son of Matthew and Margaret (Pat- terson ) Nickle, was born near Hookstown, Greene township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, November 24, 1854. His excellent education was obtained in the public schools of the locality, Frankfort Academy, Edinboro, Penn- sylvania, State Normal School, and Grove City College. After leaving the latter institution he was for a time a teacher in the public schools of Beaver county, then in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and finally in Hancock county, West Virginia, his entire pedagogical career covering a period of twelve years. In April, 1887, he went to East Liverpool, Ohio, and entered the office of Robert Hall, a lumber dealer, and served for fifteen years, the business being incorporated at the end of that time as the Robert Hall Lumber Company, when he was made general manager. This position he held for three years, being compelled to resign at that time be- cause of an increasing nervousness which threatened a nervous break- down, and for two years he took almost complete rest. In 1906 he ac- cepted a position in the service of the Limoges China Company as corres- pondence agent, in April, 1908, moving to Grove City, Pennsylvania, where
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he has since followed the trade that he learned earlier in life, that of car- penter. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Churchı, and his political convictions are strongly in favor of the Prohibition party. While a resident of East Liverpool, Ohio, he served for one year as a member of the board of education of that place, and for eight years on the board of examiners for teachers' certificates.
Mr. Nickle married, February 15, 1888, Jennie Wills Bigger, born near Bavington, Robinson township, Washington county, Pennsylvania, daughter of James and Sarah (Donaldson) Bigger. James Bigger was a life-long farmer; his children: Jennie Wills, of previous mention, mar- ried Alexander Murray Nickle; Isaac Donaldson; James Walker; Ida Mar- garet, twin of James Walker; Esther, married a Mr. McBride; Richard; William; John McBride.
CHAPMAN William Chapman, a prominent citizen and prosperous farmer and dairyman of Hookstown, Pennsylvania, is a member of a Pennsylvania family, and was born at Kell- dall, Beaver county, in that state, August 16, 1867. His paternal grand- father, one of three brothers, was Samuel Chapman, who in early years settled near Raccoon Station, Beaver county. William Chapman, son of Samuel Chapman, was born near Washington, Pennsylvania, and came to Beaver county about 1840, where he engaged in farming in Hanover town- ship. He married (first) Joanna Hoag, and by her had four children. He married (second) Margaret Nickle, daughter of David Nickle, and a sister of Matthew Nickle. Of this union there was but one child, William, of whom further. Mr. Chapman Sr. was an active man in the community during his life, and held the position of road commissioner. He had a farm of about forty acres near Kendall, Beaver county, and there lived and died.
William Chapman was educated in the local schools of Kendall, and took up farming upon completing his studies in the same. In the year 1905 he bought the old Nickle farm, which had been in his mother's family, and which contained two hundred and fifty-two acres, and upon this he now lives and conducts a large dairy. The farm lies in Greene township and might serve as a model for dairymen. Mr. Chapman has made exten- sive improvements upon, and highly developed his property. His herd consists entirely of fine specimens of the Short Horn and Red Poll cattle. Mr. Chap- man married, in 1892, Ella Andrews, a resident of the environs of Ken- dall, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Joseph Andrews. To them have been born two children, George and Harry Chapman, both re- siding at home. Mr. Chapman is a Republican in politics. He and his family are members of the Mill Creek Church.
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The date of the arrival of the Cooley family in this country
COOLEY cannot be established with any degree of certainty, owing to the destruction in various manners of early records. They have, however, been resident in America for a number of generations.
(I) Frank Cooley, who was a farmer in Allegheny county, Pennsyl- vania, died in that county, and had been a highly respected member of the community in which he lived.
(II) Robert S. Cooley, son of Frank Cooley, was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Beaver county, in the same state, at a very early day. He located on a farm a little below the one on which Joseph Cooley Jr. now resides, and all the active years of his life were spent in farming. He owned two hundred and fifty acres of land, which he cleared and provided with log buildings for all necessary purposes. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Cooley married Jennie Smith, also a native of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. Among their chil- dren were: Joseph, see forward; Frank, who served in a cavalry regi- ment during the Civil War, and who died in the state of Kansas.
(III) Joseph Cooley, son of Robert S. and Jennie (Smith) Cooley, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where he was educated in the district schools. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed all his life, and was also engaged extensively in farming. He owned two hun- dred and fifty acres of land, a large portion of which was devoted to the raising of sheep, in which he was very successful. Like his father, he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Cooley married Matilda Ander- son, born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Charles and Matilda (Blackamore) Anderson, who were early settlers in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Cooley had children: Joseph, see forward; Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Robert S., Letitia, Matilda.
(IV) Joseph (2) Cooley, son of Joseph (1) and Matilda (Anderson ) Cooley, was born in Hanover township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in May, 1849. Mr. Cooley received the usual education of a farmer's lad, in the public schools, a goodly portion of his time, even as a young lad, being spent in assisting in the farm labors. When he was but three weeks of age he had been taken by his grandparents to the farm on which he is living at the present time. He is now the owner of three hundred and forty- five acres of land, which he has under general cultivation, and he utilizes a large portion of it for the purpose of raising sheep, in which he has been successful. He has made many improvements on this farm since it has come into his possession, installing the most modern farm implements, and made many innovations which simplify the ordinary work. As a sup- porter of the Republican party, he has been honored by election to member- ship in the election board. Like his forefathers, he is a staunch supporter of the church, his membership being in the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Cooley married, in 1873, Elizabeth Chambers, and has had chil- dren: I. Laura, married Charles B. McMillan, of Frankfort Springs; have
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five children: Helen M., Elizabeth J., Margaret A. L., Viola J., Charles C. 2. Chambers, killed by horse running away and throwing him from the cart; was in his twentieth year. 3. Edna. 4. Dwyte, married Laura B. Stevenson, and they reside on the farm. 5. Leola, died while at play about an oil derrick; was six years of age.
JACKSON
The present generation of the Jackson family, of Rochester, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, has been distinguished in public life as well as in religious and social circles.
(I) James Jackson, a native of Ireland, emigrated to the United States and settled at North Sewickley, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in the early part of the eighteenth century. He followed his calling as a farmer, and died there, after having married.
(II) Hugh Jackson, son of James Jackson, was born in North Sewick- ley, Beaver county, Pennsylvania. His education was as good a one as the public schools of that early day afforded. He learned the carpenter's trade and followed that calling for some time, later became identified with the building of boats in Bollesville, where he died in May, 1862. He was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Democrat in political matters. Mr. Jackson married Ann Ferguson, born in North Sewickley township, daughter of John and Elizabeth Ferguson, the former a native of Ireland; he emigrated to America and was a farmer in North Sewickley township. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson had children: Albert; George, deceased; Even, deceased ; Andrew, deceased; Samuel F., deceased; Leander Whistler, of further mention ; William, deceased; Sarah E.
(III) Leander Whistler Jackson, son of Hugh and Ann (Ferguson) Jackson, was born in Bollesville, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, November I, 1853. He received his education in the public schools of Rochester township, and from an early age commenced a self-supporting career. Ambi- tious and energetic he made every effort to acquire the necessary knowledge for the responsible work of a stationary engineer, and followed this calling for a period of twenty-five years. He then became superintendent for the S. Barnes Company Brick Works, at Bollesville, retaining this position ten years. In 1910 he was one of the organizers of the firm of Jackson & Gibson, wholesale dealers in paper and paper products, in Rochester, and this has proved a very profitable enterprise, and is successfully conducted up to the present time. Mr. Jackson is connected with a number of other important business enterprises, among them being the Central Building & Loan Association, of which he is president. He has always given his con- sistent support to the Republican party, and has served as a member of the common council of Rochester. His religious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been a trustee since 1888, and secretary of the Sunday school for the past twenty-one years. Fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World. Mr. Jackson married, in 1881, Lauraucha Roberts, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, who came to Roch- ester with her parents. Children: George R., William M., Mildred.
do th Jackson
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The Shane family in this country probably originally came SHANE here from Ireland, but early records having been lost, it is a matter of some difficulty to establish the connection. It is certain that they have now been here for a number of generations.
(I) Neil Shane and two brothers were among the pioneer settlers of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. They had lost their way, and located in Raccoon township, a portion of the land on which they settled still being in the possession of their descendants. Like all the settlers of that time their principal occupation was farming, and they bravely endured the hardships of the early settlement days. Neil Shane, personally, was the owner of between five and six hundred acres of land. He married - Bryan, and had children.
(II) Richard Shane, son of Neil and - (Bryan) Shane, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, on the homestead farm, on a part of which he is now residing, and has been engaged in farming all his life. His farm consists of one hundred acres. During the Civil War he served in the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He married Belle Craig, born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, daughter of John Craig, who was the owner of an adjoining farm. They have had children: James C., of Beaver; Thomas C., of Rochester; Gertrude; Leon Bradford, of further mention; Charlotte; Harry Dallas, of further mention; Maggie Pearl; Olive, de- ceased ; Jennie, deceased ; Grace.
(III) Leon Bradford Shane, son of Richard and Belle (Craig) Shane, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1874. He received his education in the public schools of Raccoon township, and was employed on the home farm until he was twenty years of age. He then entered the employ of the Bell Telephone Company, with whom he remained for six years, after which he went to Rochester, and there learned the carpenter's trade, with which he has been identified, directly and indirectly, since that time. In March, 1912, he and his brother, Harry Dallas Shane, established themselves in the lumber business on New York Avenue Extension, Roch- ester, and also as building contractors, the name of the firm being Shane Brothers. They have been very successful up to the present time, and are rapidly building up a business of large proportions. He gives his political support to the Republican party, and he and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. Shane married, September 5, 1901, Lida M. Hood, born in Greene township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Alvin and Elizabeth (Brunton) Hood, early settlers of Greene township.
(III) Harry Dallas Shane, son of Richard and Belle (Craig) Shane, was born on the homestead farm, August 17, 1877. He also was educated in the public schools, and worked on his father's farm until 1899, when he learned the carpenter's trade and has followed it. He is now associated in business with his brother as above mentioned. He married (first) Sarah Gallagher, deceased, of Greene township, and has one son by this marriage,
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John Franklin. He married (second) Nora Hood, a sister of his brother's wife, and they have had children: Frederick Herman and Harold Richard. He is a Republican politically, and he and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church, of Rochester, Beaver county, Pennsylvania.
CAROTHERS Colonel James Carothers was born in Carlisle, Cumber- land county, Pennsylvania, in 1765, and was of Scotch- Irish descent. In 1787 he came to Beaver county, Penn- sylvania, where he purchased two hundred and twelve acres of government land in Hanover township. This lay close to the Washington county line, and the borough of Frankfort Springs now stands in part of it. He was a surveyor, and served in this capacity for the county. His death occurred in 1817. In 1789 he returned to Carlisle for the purpose of marrying Alice Carothers, of another family of the same name, who died at the age of eighty-four years. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church. They had children: Mary, married John Glasgow, and died in Canton, Ohio; John, see forward; William, died at Frankfort Springs, Pennsyl- vania; James, also died at Frankfort Springs, and both were farmers; Jesse, also deceased, was cashier of the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Bank at Pittsburgh; Matilda, married Alexander Duncan, died at Florence, Pennsylvania ; Thomas, a Presbyterian minister, died young.
(II) John Carothers, son of Colonel James and Alice (Carothers) Carothers, was born on the old homestead in Hanover township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in 1793, died December 18, 1860. His entire life was spent in Beaver county. He removed to Patterson township, where he conducted a hotel on the old Darlington Road near Alum Rocks. He was prominently identified with public affairs, and was a staunch supporter of the Democratic party. For a period of eighteen years he served as as- sociate judge of Beaver county, and at various times filled all the offices in the gift of the township. He and his wife were members of the Pres- byterian Church at Bridgewater, in which he served as elder many years. He married Nancy McGlester White, who died June 23, 1881. They had children : James, a merchant, was married and died young; John J., see forward; Andrew, a farmer, and once county commissioner of Beaver county, died in Pittsburgh; Mary, widow of William Anderson; Jesse, a farmer, died in Brighton township; Jane, widow of Wilson Cunningham, a prominent farmer and politician; William Allen, see forward; Nettie, widow of Robert Ferguson. The three widows, Mary, Jane and Nettie, live in one house in Beaver.
(III) John J. Carothers, son of John and Nancy McGlester (White) Carothers, was born in Patterson township, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1822, died March 17, 1896. He was the recipient of a good education for those days and was a student at the Frankfort Academy, at which time he took a great liking to that section of the country, and in later life removed to Hanover township, where he purchased a portion of the old homestead and
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made that his permanent home. His farm consisted of one hundred and fifty acres of land. In political matters he was a Democrat, was once a candidate for the office of associate judge, and once for that of member of the state assembly. At the time of his death he was in office as a justice of the peace, having held that position for forty years, and being the oldest in the county. He acted many times as administrator of estates; was vice-president and director of the Burgettstown National Bank; and was a trustee of the Frankfort Academy. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Carothers married Ellen Ewing, born August 30, 1823, died November 27, 1898. She was the daughter of John and Sarah (Ferguson) Ewing, and a granddaughter of John Ferguson. John Ewing was of Scotch descent, and his ancestors had been living in Chester county, Pennsylvania, for some generations. He was a tanner at Frankfort, a justice of the peace for many years, and died in 1863. He had children: A daughter, who died in infancy; Jane, now deceased, mar- ried John Stevenson; Ellen, mentioned above; Sarah A., now deceased, married John McCullough; Eliza, deceased, married Robert Withrow ; James, deceased, married Clara McGinnis; William, a farmer, married Mar- garet Kiefer, and died in Pittsburgh; John, who married Martha Finnegan, died at Uhrichsville, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Carothers had children; Emeline, born July 8, 1848, died December 31, 1866; Sarah Agnes, born February 16, 1852, died January 5, 1867; James White, see forward; Jeannette, born March 8, 1857, died January 12, 1867; Ella, born June 3, 1864, married A. D. Matchett, a carpenter, and lives in Hollidays Cove, West Virginia.
(IV) James White Carothers, son of John J. and Ellen (Ewing) Car- others, was born in the borough of Frankfort Springs, Hanover township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, February 15, 1855, and was educated in the public schools and at the Frankfort Academy. With the exception of five years spent in the employ of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad, when he lived at Pittsburgh, his entire life has been spent on the homestead farm. He obtained this by inheritance, and sold twelve acres. Until 1912 he was a breeder of registered short horn cattle, and is still engaged in breeding Delaine sheep, and always has about one hundred and fifty in his flock. He also has a coal bank and has supplied the town for about thirty years. He and his father erected a number of new and improved buildings on the place, which are kept in the best condition. He is a staunch supporter of the Democratic party, but has consistently and persistently refused to hold public office. His fraternal membership is with Glasgow Lodge, No. 485, Free and Accepted Masons.
Mr. Carothers married, December 30, 1880, Margaret Forner, born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, September 18, 1860, and they have one child, Mary Janet, born January 29, 188z; she married Charles B. Scott, and lives in Florence, Pennsylvania. They have two daughters: Margaret Kathryn, born in October, 1903, and Mary Janet, born May 13, 1914. Mrs. Car- others is the daughter of Barnett and Mary (Figley) Forner, the latter
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born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1830, died December 5, 1898. Barnett Forner was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in February, 1818, died February 8, 1880. He came here in young manhood, and was at first a miller at Florence, Washington county, Pennsylvania, then re- moved to Independence township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania. There he bought a mill on Raccoon creek, which he operated until his death.
(III) William Allen Carothers, son of John and Nancy McGlester (White) Carothers, was born in Patterson township, Beaver county, Penn- sylvania, April 30, 1833, died in Chippewa township, same county, Decem- ber 31, 1894. The school at Patterson Heights was the scene of his youth- ful hours of study, and when a young man he began cultivating the home- stead farm, now owned by the McHattie Brothers. After his father's death he left the homestead, purchasing his father-in-law's farm in Chippewa township, a tract of one hundred and eighty-three acres. Before endeavor- ing to make his newly acquired property a paying proposition he made numerous improvements, such as the erection of new buildings for both man and beast and the general renovation of the entire place. Farming was the only business to which he devoted his attention, and to this occu- pation he gave the methodical, thorough care that a business man uses in scrutinizing his books, quick to adopt innovations of value and never the last to abandon habits and practices that had outlived their day and use- fulness or had been proven fallacies. The practicality of his method was best shown by his uniformly good crops, in which he ranked second to none of his neighbors, among whom were some of the best farmers of that locality. On his farm he kept stock of good blood, doing no dealing therein but merely maintaining sufficient for his farm and household needs, raising a large part of their feed on his land. As a Democrat he was elected to numerous township offices, the duties of which he faithfully discharged, and was with his wife an adherent of the Presbyterian faith. His only fraternal relation was with the Masonic order.
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