USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Genealogical and personal history of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 64
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Hardly yet in the prime of life, Judge Wilson holds an enviable posi- tion. Honored in his profession, successful in business and esteemed by all, he does honor to his ancestry and furnishes an example his sons may well emulate.
The origin of this name does not appear to be clear, but it has IRONS been preserved in its present form for many years, and has been identified with the settlement and development of the state of Pennsylvania. Three brothers of this name emigrated from their native land, Ireland, to the United States, and two of them became pioneer set-
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tlers in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and the third of Ohio, and the progenitor of the particular branch of which this sketch treats was one of the two brothers.
(II) John Irons, son of one of the brothers mentioned above, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and was a tanner by occupation. He was the proprietor of a tannery at Scottsville, Beaver county, Pennsyl- vania, and there he and his wife died. He married - Moore, and they had children: Joseph, deceased; James Adrian, of further mention; Eliza- beth, deceased, married George Laird; Jennie, widow of Gladden Peoples ; Rosanna, married Isaac Meaner, of Vanport, Pennsylvania; John D., de- ceased ; Amanda, married - Wallace.
(III) James Adrian, son of John and - (Moore) Irons, was born in Logstown, now Woodlawn, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1837, and died April 1, 1910. His preparatory education was obtained in the public schools of Beaver county, Moon township, and he subsequently became a student at Beaver College for a time, where he was a classmate of Senator Quay. He learned the trades of a blacksmith and a wagon builder, then followed river occupations for some time, holding the posi- tion of second engineer. During the Civil War he was in active service for a time, and after the war was a prominent figure in the community in which he resided. He was a justice of the peace at Monaca for a period of thirty-five years, was a constable at one time and in office as a burgess. He was the first man to formulate a bill to keep out foreign pauper emigra- tion, while affiliating with the "Knights of Labor," later taking this up before the legislature. Mr. Irons married, in Moon township, Margaret Quinn Srodes, born in Beaver county, in 1839. She was a daughter of John Srodes, who took part in the Mexican War, 1847; was captain of the ram "Lioness, No. 2," during the Civil War, and died at Monaca. Mr. and Mrs. Irons had children: Anna L., died at the age of eighteen years; John, died October 8, 1861; James Clyde, of further mention; Will Burt Clifton, of further mention.
(IV) James Clyde, son of James Adrian and Margaret Quinn (Srodes) Irons, was born December 4, 1863. Upon the completion of his education in the public schools, he obtained a position in the glass works, and was identi- fied with this calling for thirty years. He is now associated with his brother in the wholesale liquor business. He resides in Monaca, where he is the owner of considerable property, and also owns a farm in Moon township. A Republican in political opinion, he has filled the office of constable, and is now serving as burgess, of Monaca. He is a member of Fostoria Lodge, No. 281, Free and Accepted Masons, of Fostoria, Ohio; Monaca Eyrie, No. 1412, Fraternal Order of Eagles; Junction City Lodge, of Rochester, Order of the Moose; Knights of Pythias; and since 1881 a member of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union, and very active in this association. Mr. Irons married, December 28, 1888, Mary Hamilton, of Monaca, and they have children : 1. Albro Earl, born October 26, 1889;
James A. Irons
фото С. Proна
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educated in the public schools and a glass worker by trade; he married, and had two children: Erlin D., now deceased, and James C. (2). 2. Leonard D., born July 12, 1893 ; educated in public schools, and is now also a glass worker, and a student of music.
(IV) Will Burt Clifton, son of James Adrian and Margaret Quinn (Srodes) Irons, was born September 17, 1873. He is a mold maker by trade, and followed this occupation for some years. He is also affiliated with the American Flint Glass Workers' Association. He was also professionally interested in bicycle riding, and held the state championship in this field of athletic exercise, when his collarbone was broken by an unfortunate fall. He won the first championship at the Pennsylvania Athletic Club Park, in Pittsburgh, and at that time was the proprietor of a bicycle store in that city. In 1906 he opened a wholesale liquor business in Monaca, which he is carrying on successfully at the present time. His political affiliations are with the Republican party, and his fraternal as follows: Rochester Lodge, No. 229, Free and Accepted Masons; Eureka Chapter, No. 167, Royal Arch Masons; Pitts Commandery, Knights Templar; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburgh; Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, of Rochester; a charter member of the Monaca Tribe, Fraternal Order of Eagles; Rochester Lodge, Order of the Moose; and a member of the Glass Workers' Union. Mr. Irons married Margaret Wilison, of East Liverpool, Ohio; they have no children. Mr. Irons is also a student of Prof. Little's Conservatory of Beaver, Pennsylvania.
Solomon Irons, one of the three brothers who settled in Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, married Rachel Dickson, a daughter of George Dickson, and had by her the following seven children: I. James. 2. John, above mentioned, married a daughter of Joseph Moore, of Irish descent. (3) Rachel. 4. William. 5. Joseph, married Margaret Douds. 6. Andrew, married Agnes Reed, of near Independence, Pennsylvania. 7. George, died in Pike county, Ohio; he married Margaret Nevins. Rachel Dick- son was a descendant of Rev. David Dickson, who was a professor in Glas- gow (Scotland) University, 1642-57; he was born in 1791, died in 1663.
Solomon Irons, above referred to, was father of John Irons, and great-grandfather of James C. Irons. He was the pioneer of this branch of the Irons family in Beaver county. One of the three brothers settled back of Economy, Pennsylvania, and the third settled in Ohio, where some of his descendants still live. Solomon settled near where Woodlawn is, on the south side of the Ohio river in Beaver county, which was then known as Logstown. It was formerly a very noted part of the Indian reservation. It is thought that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary army.
William Campbell was born in 1761, if in this country,
CAMPBELL either in Cecil county, Maryland, or near there in Dela- ware or Pennsylvania. When a boy he was apprenticed to a weaver by the name of Henry Craig, who with his wife, apprentice and
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colored servant, came from a place known as "The Neck," the supposed birthplace of said William Campbell, and settled near the head of Service Creek, in what is now Beaver county, Pennsylvania, but which was then supposed to be in Virginia, about the year 1778, where Henry Craig took up 200 acres of land. When he was indentured, William Campbell's mother was most likely a widow. He had a brother named Arthur, and sisters, among whom was one who married - Todd, and among whose children was one named Levi, who visited in Pennsylvania when a young man. There were other Todd children named Edward, Eliza, Margaret, and two sons, names unknown.
William Campbell visited his relatives where he came from but once, in 1798. He presented himself unannounced to his mother, who did not at first recognize him. His mother gave him a present of some calico (then a rare article in western Pennsylvania) for a dress for her namesake Margaret, his little daughter, then six years old. He married, about 1786, Nancy Vance. In lieu of completing his apprenticeship Henry Craig of- fered him one-half of his land ( 100 acres) for taking care of himself and wife, which offer was accepted by Mr. Campbell and he took the southern half of the original Henry Craig tract and built a house in what is now the garden, just below the homestead house of his son James. Here his children were born and here he lived and died. After the death of Henry Craig and his wife he purchased the remaining 100 acres of the Craig tract.
Children of William and Nancy (Vance) Campbell: I. Henry, born in 1787, died August 14, 1861. He never married, but lived with his unmar- ried sister, Margaret, at the old Henry Craig house in the field below the road, near where the road turns in or forks to go to the Campbell home- stead. 2. William, born in April, 1789, died June 5, 1863. He lived for a time with his brother Arthur, in partnership with whom he purchased the farm of Joseph Mercer, afterwards known as the Witherow place, now owned by the Flemings (1892). This purchase was made about 1820-22. Afterward he and his brother Arthur purchased a mill in Hookstown, about 1830-31, but in 1832 they purchased 400 acres of the Rev. Henry A. Muhlen- berg heirs on Service Creek, near Old Service Church. William received the northwestern half of the tract. He married, about 1833, Phoebe, born February 14, 1800, died in 1892, daughter of Joseph Mercer. They lived for a short time in Jackson county, Ohio, but returned and built a house a few yards from where Marshall Campbell, his brother Arthur's son, lived in 1892. On this place William Campbell lived and died. Children: Henry Marshall and Comfort, twins; John Anderson, Margaret and James. Henry Marshall married Barbara Smith, daughter of James and Rachel Smith ; John Anderson married Barbara, daughter of Elisha Thornburg; Margaret mar- ried James Ray Todd; Comfort died when young; James was lost in battle. 3. Margaret, born in January, 1792, died June 5, 1874; was never married, lived with her brother Henry, and with her nephew William, son of James
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Campbell. 4. Agnes (Nancy), born about 1800, possibly earlier, died about 1825-28. 5. Arthur, born September 6, 1798, died April 9, 1844; married Sarah, born March 7, 1802, died August 15, 1850, daughter of Joseph Mercer. 6. James, born June 15, 1801, died March 3, 1883; took care of his father; his mother died when he was about two years old. He in- herited the old Campbell homestead where he lived and died. He married, in April, 1832, Margaret, born in 1809, daughter of John and Isabelle (Duncan) Craig; one son, William, married Jane, daughter of David Kennedy.
Arthur Campbell lived after his marriage on the "Witherow place," as above described, until about 1831, when operating the mill at Hookstown, he moved to the Andy McClure place, but moved to the Muhlenberg tract on Service Creek in 1832, where he lived in a house built by John Robert- son, which stood near the entrance of the garden, as it in 1892 was, belong- ing to his grandson, William Arthur Campbell. Here Arthur Campbell built a new house about 1838, on the spot where now is the older part of the resi- dence now lived in by William Arthur Campbell, most of the frame work of the present house being that of the one constructed in 1838. In his early manhood Arthur Campbell was a school teacher ; was county commissioner of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1844. The children of Arthur and Sarah (Mercer) Campbell were: 1. Agnes (Nancy), born December 27, 1822; united with Service Church, June 15, 1842; was mar- ried to William W. McCoy, November, 1850; children: Alex. Winfield, Arthur Campbell, James Haggerty, Jeanette, Joseph. 2. Joseph, born June 22, 1824; united with the Service Church, August 23, 1845; married Isa- belle Bryan, born about 1819, daughter of John and Marcy (Smith) Bryan, at Scottsville, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1849, by Rev. Alex. Murray. Joseph Campbell died August 16, 1891. 3. William, born March 25, 1827; united with the church, May 14, 1848, died September 27, 1853; married Martha Kennedy, daughter of Samuel Kennedy, March 1, 1850. Children : All died in infancy. 4. Comfort, born July 22, 1829; united with the church, June 12, 1852; died December 29, 1854; married Thomas Mc- Cauley, September, 1850. Children : All died young. 5. Mary, born March 22, 1832; united with the church August 23, 1851 ; died October 25, 1856; married, May, 1851, Timothy Shane; one child survived, Sarah Margaret, married Will F. Arter. 6. Marshall, born August 30, 1834; united with the church May 29, 1854; married Isabelle J. Smith, daughter of William and Elizabeth Smith, November 6, 1859. 7. Louisa, born February 22, 1837, died September 19, 1853. 8. James, born April 1, 1839, died January 13, 1845. Of these children, Nancy, Joseph, William and Comfort were born at the so-called "Witherow place;" Mary was born at the Andy Mc- Clure place; Marshall and Louisa were born in the old Robertson log cabin ; James was born in the house built in 1838.
Joseph Campbell, as above stated, married Isabelle Bryan, and lived at the old homestead near Service Church, in the house built by his father,
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Arthur Campbell in 1838. This was remodeled in 1869 and added to later. Here all their children were born, as follows: I. Sarah, born March II, 1851, died October 6, 1854. 2. John Bryan, born September 27, 1852; united with the church at Service; married Henrietta, born April 27, 1851, daughter of John and Mattie (McCallister) McClester, at the McClester homestead near Upper Service schoolhouse, February 1, 1877, by Rev. D. W. Carson. Children : Mattie Vinnie, Jennie, Charles, Ella Belle, Joseph Oscar; all born in the house built on the Nelson place. 3. William Arthur, born March 11, 1855; united with the church; married Agnes Craig, born March 12, 1858, daughter of John and Nancy Craig, at the Craig home- stead, December 28, 1876, by Rev. D. W. Carson. For a time they lived in the house built by William Campbell and occupied by Marshall Campbell, where Clarke was born; the other children were born at their present resi- dence. Children: Freeman Clarke, Cora, deceased, Oscar, Calvin Craig. 4. Mary Agnes, born September 6, 1856; united with the church; married James Henry Smith, born September 12, 1851, son of James and Rachel (Brinton) Smith, at the homestead of Joseph Campbell, November 18, 1886, by Rev. W. J. Golden. They live at the James Smith homestead. Chil- dren : Pearl, deceased; Bertha. 5. James Oscar, born March 21, 1858; united with the church; graduated at Mt. Union College in 1879; was licensed to preach in May, 1882, by the Xenia Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church, and was ordained September, 1883, by the United Presbyterian Presbytery of Arkansas Valley; was a member of the Kansas Legislature for the term of 1889-91; was married to Grace Emily, born October 13, 1863, daughter of James A. and Nellie ( Phelps) Medbery, at their home in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, May 6, 1885, by the Rev. George A. Phin- ney. They have one adopted child, Ida May, born April 5, 1882. 6. Lizzie Jane, born September 26, 1859, died February 20, 1874. 7. Ella Bell, born July 16, 1861, died October 26, 1863.
Marshall Campbell, mentioned above, was, like his forebears for several generations, an active worker in the interests of the United Presbyterian Church. His political activity was in the interests of the Republican party. He was a farmer and died on the land now in possession of his son, Joseph Arthur, in 1903. He and his wife, Isabelle J. (Smith) Campbell, had the following children: 1. William Smith, born August 30, 1860, died May 20, 1899. 2. Sarah Rosslyn, born August 27, 1862, married W. S. Willson. 3. Mary Elizabeth, born October 6, 1864, married J. B. Goshorn. 4. Minnie C., born November 17, 1866. 5. Joseph Arthur, mentioned below. 6. Everette Austin, born August 21, 1871, a minister of the United Presby- terian Church, with pastorate in West Pittsburgh. 7. James Wellington, born November 18, 1873. 8. John Alvin, born July 19, 1876, a minister of the United Presbyterian Church in Washington, D. C. 9. Lillian May, born April 21, 1879, married E. H. Mankedick.
Joseph Arthur Campbell, son of Marshall and Isabelle J. (Smith) Campbell, was born on the farm where he still resides, in Raccoon town-
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ship, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1869. He was educated in the public schools of his native township and at the academy at Mechanics- burg. At a suitable age he commenced the business activities of life, his first occupation taking him into the oil fields for about two years. He was formerly allied with the Republican party but is now a member of the Washington party. His religious membership is with the United Presby- terian Church. Mr. Campbell married, in 1898, Anna Close, and they have had children: Isabelle Smith, Edwin Glenn, James Marshall, Elizabeth Gertrude, Joseph Arthur Jr., and Harold Leroy.
Agriculture has been the principal pursuit of the representa
GLASS tives of the Glass family in America, but they have also made honorable records in several other lines of progress.
(I) Robert Glass, who had been living in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, came from that place with his family and settled in Hancock county, opposite East Liverpool, Ohio, in the early part of the nineteenth century. He acquired a tract of land which he cleared for farming pur- poses. Some time afterwards he sold this property and located thirty miles lower down on the Ohio river. Prior to his coming to Washington county, Pennsylvania, he had farmed for a number of years in West Vir- ginia. He married Jane Marshall.
(II) John Glass, son of Robert and Jane (Marshall) Glass, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and went west with his parents. However, he remained only one summer, then returned and settled in Han- cock county, West Virginia, where he followed farming. His entire life after his return was spent in West Virginia, with the exception of eleven years, when he was a resident of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. He died in Hancock county, West Virginia, at the age of seventy-one years. He married Rachel Kinney, also born in Washington county, died May 13, 1891, at the age of seventy-five years. He and his wife were both Pres- byterians.
(III) Dorsey K. Glass, son of John and Rachel (Kinney) Glass, was a general farmer and fruit grower. He died March 7, 1911, and his wife, Elizabeth A. Langfitt, died January 4, 1911. She was the daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (McMillan) Langfitt, and her ancestors were among the first families to settle west of the Alleghenies.
The immigrant ancestor of the Langfitts, Francis H. Langfitt, came from county Ulster, Ireland, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He arrived in America between the years 1750 and 1765, settling in Fairfax county, Virginia. His son John was a slave owner and had a large plantation. His son William he placed with a gunsmith, that he might learn that trade. He did not like this occupation, however, so he ran away and came north to Holliday's Cove, in West Virginia, opposite Steubenville. In this latter place lived Bartley Campbell, a wealthy land owner, holding some 4,000 acres of land. William Langfitt married a daughter of Mr. Campbell, and
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after their marriage they removed to what is now Beaver county, Pennsyl- vania, then a part of Westmoreland county, and claimed as a part of West Virginia. Here he secured land by patent from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He served in the Revolutionary War and the various Indian wars; in the latter he was severely wounded. A brother of William Lang- fitt married a sister of John Hancock, the signer of the Declaration of In- dependence.
Among the children of William Langfitt was a son William who in- herited a portion of the original landed estate of his father, which is now located in Hancock county, West Virginia. He had two sons, twins, Ebene- zer, the father of Elizabeth A. (Langfitt) Glass; and Obadiah, who became a prominent lawyer of Wellsburg, West Virginia, and a leader in his pro- fession. Ebenezer Langfitt confined himself to agriculture, and owing to the death of his father, he remained at home, took care of his mother and furnished the funds for his brother's education, making it possible for him to become one of the foremost lawyers in the state of West Virginia. Ebenezer Langfitt was one of the noblest of men by nature, and one of the most highly respected members of the community, beloved by all. He died June 26, 1902, aged eighty-five years; his wife, Mary (McMillan) Langfitt, died August 10, 1897.
(IV) Harry G. L. Glass, son of Dorsey K. and Elizabeth A. (Lang- fitt) Glass, was born in West Virginia, September 18, 1868. He was the only child of his parents, and was educated in the public school and at Piersoll's Academy. He at once entered the profession of teaching, in which he was successfully engaged for ten years, in the various schools of the county. He then became identified with oil interests, became well known as an oil well contractor, and is still connected actively with this field of industry. At the death of his father he took up fruit growing on the homestead farm, and since 1911 has been thus occupied. He now has under cultivation a tract of one hundred and fifteen acres. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian church. In political matters he keeps well abreast of the times, and takes a deep interest in the affairs of the Democratic party.
Mr. Glass married, October 23, 1901, Berta Ferguson, and they have had children : Dorsey Kenneth, Theodore Dwight, and Harry Lloyd.
Berta (Ferguson) Glass was born in Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, in 1878, and was the daughter of Theodore and Jane Fergu- son. Theodore Ferguson was a son of Hugh and Rebecca (Scott) Fergu- son, and a grandson of William Ferguson, who was a veteran of the War of 1812, and a direct descendant of Robert Vance, who was a captain in the Revolutionary War, serving under Washington. Hugh Ferguson was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He was of Scotch birth, and was a successful farmer in his day. He married Rebecca Scott, who was born in Ireland, and immigrated to this country early in the nineteenth century.
Berta Ferguson. Уваль
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Lincolnshire, England, was the foreign seat of the Don- DONCASTER casters of this chronicle, now, through the introduction of the name into the United States by Richard Don- caster in the early part of the nineteenth century, numerous in the state of Pennsylvania and contiguous territory. Richard Doncaster came first to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, upon his arrival in the United States, and after a short residence in that region, moved to Butler county, where he entered the hotel business and was proprietor of the Old Stone House Hotel. This he continued for nine years, coming in 1871 to Rochester, Pennsylvania, there establishing in the same business as proprietor of the Doncaster House, a hostelry famous throughout the locality for its cordial entertainment and excellent service. The hotel business was in the nature of a new departure for him, inasmuch as he was entirely inexperienced in the duties of an innkeeper, but he met with the greatest of popular favor, travelers making a point of reaching his house for a rest from wearisome journeying as much for the pleasure of his smile and cheery greeting as for the exceptionally good entertainment he provided. He had been taught in the trades of miller and millwright, having worked at both during his Westmoreland county residence, operating at one time a mill near Delmont, Pennsylvania. Both he and his wife died in Rochester, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, his death occurring in 1884. He married Rebecca North, born in England, and soon after their marriage came to the United States. Children : Samuel, deceased; John, deceased; Daniel, of whom further; Richard, deceased; James, deceased; Sarah; Elizabeth; Agnes, deceased; Anna, deceased; and Jeremiah.
(II) Daniel, son of Richard and Rebecca (North) Doncaster, was born in England in 1826, and died in Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 21, 1897. When but a child he was brought to the United States by his parents and as a boy attended the public schools of Westmoreland county. Upon attaining his majority, he indulged his liking for math- ematics by studying draughting and civil engineering and was at various times employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company on the construction of their different lines throughout the state and neighboring territory. He was also familiar with the trades of miller and millwright, and in the course of his extremely active life erected several mills, as well as performing the duties of operator. With his wife, he was a member of the Baptist church, and in political belief a staunch Republican. In 1856 he moved to Punx- sutawney, Jefferson county, and there died, his wife still residing in that place. He married Susan, born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1836, daughter of Thomas Trees, a native of England. He was a miller by trade and taught four of his sons that occupation in the grist and saw-mills that he owned. He married a widow, Mrs. Hill, likewise born in England. · Children of Thomas Trees, all deceased excepting Susan: Elijah, John, Thomas, Isaac, Levi, James, Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth, and Susan, married
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