Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, Part 18

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Hadden, James, 1845-1923, joint ed. cn
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 510


USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 18


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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(VII) Moses, eldest son of Abraham and Dorcas (Downs) Hazen, was born in Frank- lin township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1825; died May 2, 1857. He was a stone cutter by trade, but for several years a farmer and stock dealer. He was elected in 1856 auditor of Fayette county, but only lived to serve a year. He married, August 24, 1854, Caroline, daughter of Robert and Rosetta (Shotwell) Smith, of Franklin town- ship. Children: I. Dorcas, wife of William Henshaw (see Henshaw). 2. James W., born February 18, 1857, died December 14, 1908; married Hannah Alice Crossland.


The emigrant ancestor of


GORLEY Thomas Skiles Gorley, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, was his great-grandfather, John Gorley, who came to Pennsylvania with the Scotch-Irish emigra-


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tion before the revolutionary period and set- tled in the Cumberland valley, Cumberland county. He was a farmer by occupation, and a soldier of the revolution, serving enlist- ments in Captain John Carothers' company, Cumberland county (Pennsylvania) militia, also a member of Captain Huling's company, with which for a time he was stationed with the troops at Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. After the war he removed to Frederick county, Virginia, settling at New Town, about eight miles southwest of Win- chester, where he died. He and his wife are buried in the Lutheran burying ground there. His children are as follows in order of birth: 1. John, married a Miss Ferguson; he fol- lowed in the footsteps of his father and be- came a farmer, finally settling near Beaver, Pennsylvania, where he lived and died; to this union were born six sons. 2. Jane, who mar- ried William Wickersham; they emigrated to Chillicothe, Ross county, Ohio. 3. James, married a lady whose maiden name was Stone, and in 1824 emigrated to Cambridge, Ohio; to this union were born two sons and two daughters. 4. Annie, married John Crider, a hatter by trade; they remained and spent their lives in their native town, raising a family of six children; the descendants of this couple at the present day number seventeen great- grandchildren that still reside at New Town (or as it is at present known under the name of Stephen City). 5. Captain Hugh Gorley, from whom the Gorleys of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, descend.


(II) Captain Hugh Gorley, youngest son of John Gorley, was born in Frederick county, Virginia, in 1790, and remained there until he had attained the age of twenty-one years. His sister Jane (of previous mention) was then living in Chillicothe, Ohio, and this no doubt caused him to emigrate to Ohio also. Shortly after his arrival there the second war with Great Britain began, and he enlisted. The story of his enlistment is unusual and well authenticated: An artillery company had been raised and was on its way to garrison Fort Meigs, at the mouth of the Maumee river; among the members of the company was a young man who had been drafted into the service very much against his will. He was giving so much trouble that the officer in command was compelled to strap him to the


gun carriage. When Hugh Gorley saw the young man in such distress and anguish, he pitied him and offered to take his place in the company if the officer would release his unwilling member. He was accepted, and went to Fort Meigs with the company, while the one befriended went to his home. Hugh Gorley remained in the army until Proctor's surrender to General Harrison in the fall of 1813. He then joined a party of men return- ing to their eastern homes. He continued with the party until they reached Uniontown, Pennsylvania, where he decided to remain. A short time after his arrival he married, and resided there until his death, September 10, 1861. He established a boot and shoe manu- facturing business and was very successful, employing a large force of men and finding a ready market for his output of goods. He was active, energetic and enterprising, aiding in every way to develop and advance the in- terests of his adopted town. He owned a good farm of over four hundred acres near Uniontown, and considerable real estate in the town. He took active part in public af- fairs; served in 1828-29 as tax collector of the borough, and was connected with the mili- tary, thereby obtaining his title of captain. He was an ardent Whig in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.


He married, December 25, 1813, at Union- town, Matilda (Thomas) Hook, widow of Peter Hook (2), who was killed on a Mis- sissippi river boat near New Orleans in the fall of 1810. They had one child, Peter Uriah Hook. She was born April 25, 1790. died June 19, 1874. She was a daughter of Sheriff William and Ann (Alexander) Thomas, who before coming to Fayette county lived near the Laurel Iron Works, near Hagerstown, Washington county, Maryland. Peter Uriah Hook was a merchant of Uniontown, elected burgess in 1842, and a member of the Penn- sylvania house of assembly in 1851 from Fay- ette county. He has many descendants in Fayette county, Illinois, and Colorado. Chil- dren of Captain Hugh Gorley, who died young: Eliza Jane, died October 16, 1815, aged nine months; John, died March 25, 1818, aged twenty months; Jane Eliza, died April 14, 1839, aged seventeen years seven months twenty-seven days; Louisa, died April 25, 1854, aged twenty-three years five months


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twenty-five days. Those reaching mature


years were:


I. Ann Mary, born February 14, 1819, died October 29, 1891 ; married Simon Sampsel, a native of Maryland; he was a carpenter, and for many years worked on the building and repairing of coaches running on the old Na- tional Pike; he died May 14, 1878, aged sev- enty-three years four months nine days. Thir- teen children were born to this union, nine ar- rived at maturity: George W., born June 23, 1835; Helen Jane, born November 3, 1840, married Crawford Stillwagon; Ann Elizabeth, born November 7, 1841, married George L. Rhodes, of Chicago, Illinois; Alice, born Jan- uary 23, 1844, married Alexander Montgom- ery; Teresa, born March 1, 1846, married William Artis; William, born April 1, 1847, married Amy Brooks; Louisa, born June 7, 1848, married Henry Stillwagon, and at the time of her death, April 8, 1888, was the mother of sixteen children, fourteen of whom were living; Henry Aukerman, born June II, 1849, married a Miss Shaw; John, born De- cember, 1851, married a Miss Robinson.


2. James Thomas, born March 29, 1824, died November 9, 1905; he began business iife as clerk on a steamboat operating between Pittsburgh and New Orleans, later becoming an owner and running the rivers until the outbreak of the civil war, when he sold his interests and returned to Uniontown, where he became a prosperous merchant. He was interested in all public affairs; was for ten years a member of the borough council, and for many years director of the National Bank of Fayette county. He married, in 1866, Mrs. Elizabeth (Miller) Gadd, who died July 25, 1912, in her eighty-third year, widow of Elijah Gadd, to whom she bore a daughter, Fannie. March 7, 1854. Children of James Thomas Gorley: i. Richard, born March 28, 1868. ii. Charles Holmes, born August 13, 1872, a tailor by trade; later hotel proprietor, coke manufacturer and coal land speculator, a very successful operator; married (first) November 15, 1897, Blanchie Gregg, who died August I, 1903; married (second) July 19, 1905, I. Ethiel Westfall, from whom he is divorced; no issue by either marriage. iii. Belle, born August 23, 1874, married October 17, 1907, Dr. William B. Hamaker, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: child, Helen.


3. John Randolph, born February 19, 1826; he learned the shoemaker's trade with his fa- ther, which he followed for many years; after his marriage lie moved to Muscatine, Iowa, where he was engaged in the grocery busi- ness; later removed to Louisville, Kentucky, where he died December 6, 1897; he married January 30, 1849, Eliza Murphy, who sur- vives him, a resident of Louisville, daughter of William and Eliza (Miller-Shriver) Mur- phy. Children: i. Lucien B., born February 2, 1850, died December 24, 1886, married Jo- sephine De Lany and had Lily and Joseph. ii. James Thomas, born January 2, 1852, a lawyer, of Louisville, Kentucky, unmarried, living with his aged mother.


4. Alfred Meason, of further mention.


5. Hugh Alexander, born November 25, 1833; he was educated at the old Madison Academy, and learned the trade of printer in the office of the old Pennsylvania Democrat, then owned and edited by Jacob Beeson Mil- ler ; he then worked for a time in Baltimore, Maryland, later going to Illinois, where he engaged in the dry goods business; after his marriage he caught the gold fever and went to California, going around Cape Horn; he engaged in the dry goods business in San Francisco; he was much in public life; was a member of the state legislature of California, representing the district of San Francisco; captain of Company D, First California In- fantry: fought in the civil war; was a writer of stories and poetry, achieving considerable fame in the literary world; he died in San Rafael, California, September 14, 1907: he was a member of the Loyal Legion and of the Grand Army of the Republic; he married Bell Hamilton, of Michigan, who survives him without issue.


(III) Alfred Meason, fourth child of Cap- tain Hugh Gorley, who arrived at mature years, was born April 25, 1828, at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, died July 13, 1912. He was educated in his native town, and learned the trade of a boot and shoemaker under the direction of his father. He followed his trade for many years. When the Mexican war was in progress he enlisted in a company forming in Uniontown, as did his brother, John Ran- dolph Gorley, but the company was never called out. When the civil war broke out he enlisted in the Eleventh Regiment, Pennsyl-


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vania Reserves, June 20, 1861, serving until discharged by surgeon's order, January 2, 1862. January 29, twenty-seven days later, he re-enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment, Pennsylvania Heavy Ar- tillery, and served until the close of the war. He was a Republican in politics and a men- ber of the Lutheran church.


He married, December 3, 1848, Lucinda Beatty, born October 5, 1830, died April 1I, 1903, aged seventy-two years six months, daughter of William and Mary (Farr) Beatty, and granddaughter of William Beatty, a na- tive of old Virginia. Mary Farr was a daugh- ter of John (2) Farr, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, a son of John (1) Farr, who, although a member of the Society of Friends, joined the continental army and fought for the cause of independence. John Farr (2) tarried Lucinda Hopwood, daughter of John (1) Hopwood, a native of Virginia and a rev- olutionary soldier. He was a son of Moses Hopwood, who came to this country from England early in the eighteenth century. Children of Alfred Meason Gorley, the first three mentioned dying in childhood: George W., died December 24, 1856; Louisa B., Jan- uary 10, 1857; Hattie Elizabeth, September 9, 1868. Those who grew to adult age were: I. Thomas Skiles, of whom further. 2. Alfred Ewing, born February 6. 1856; educated in the public schools: learned tailoring, a busi- ness in which he has been engaged for many years. 3. Mary Matilda, born February 25, 1861; married June 24, 1879, George B. Hutchinson, at one time a prominent attor- ney at the Fayette county bar; children: i. Howard, died aged twenty-one years. ii. Hearshell, an engineer on the Pennsylvania railroad. iii. Pearl, married J. Walter Break- iron, also an engineer on the Pennsylvania railroad. iv. Helen, married Edward Break- iron, assistant cashier of the First National Bank at Smithfield, Pennsylvania. v. Mary, married James Helnick, a plumber of Union- town. vi. Virginia, unmarried. 4. Rose Ella, born December 19, 1864, died July 3, 1896; married March 19, 1885, Harry L. Burnham, for many years connected with the Dunbar Furnace Company; children: i. Anna Marce- line, born March 20, 1886, died July 31, 1886. ii. Ewing Edward, born March 10, 1889, mar- ried Frances Ayer Hill, born February 5,


1891; one child, Ewing. iii. Frank, born Au- gust 1, 1891. iv. James Hustead, born Octo- ber 14, 1892. v. Charles Henry McCreary, born August 3. 124. vi. Haddie Lillian, died July 3. 1896, aged five months. 5. Hugh Alexander, born July 14. 1872; he was edu- cated in the public schools and learned the trade of printer in the office of the Evening Standard. He has always been active in poli- tics ; has held several local offices and is now member of the city council, elected February 16, 1909: time expires December, 1913; since January 1, 1912, has been president of coun- cil: in 1912 he was also appointed deputty warden of the Fayette county prison; he mar- ried. in 1892. Anneta May, daughter of Jacob and Katherine (Pence) Dutton ; children : Thomas Skiles, preparing for the profession of civil engineer : Ella Katherine; Netta May; Annabel, and Helen Pauline.


(IV) Thomas Skiles, eldest child of Alfred Meason Gorley, was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, September 14, 1849. He was educated in the public and private schools, and at the age of eighteen years began learn- ing the trade of printer in the office of the Genius of Liberty, under A. M. Gibson, the owner. He afterward went to Altoona, Penn- sylvania. where for about nine months he worked in the office of The V'indicator, then owned and edited by James F. Campbell. He then returned to Uniontown and finished his trade in the offices of the American Standard and the Genius of Liberty. He then went to Pittsburgh, where on his twenty-first birthday he was out of work and with little money. He. however, secured a position and for sev- eral years was employed as compositor on the Pittsburgh dailies. He then returned to Uniontown and became foreman of the Amer- ican Standard composing room. On March 1, 1889, he purchased from Thomas Hazen a one-third interest in the Genius of Liberty, forming a partnership under the firm name of Cook, Marshall & Gorley, an association that continued four years. In October, 1893, the Evening News and the Evening Standard were consolidated and Mr. Gorley was elected secretary, treasurer and business manager. Under his guidance this has been a very pros perous enterprise, of which he continues the business head. He is a Republican in poli- tics, and a member of the Methodist Episco-


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pal church. He was made an Odd Fellow March 3. 1871, and is a past noble grand and representative to the Grand Lodge of Penn- sylvania, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; he was -made a Knight of Pythias March 9. 1888, and is a past chancellor commander ; and he was also made a Mason February 10, 1890.


He was married, November 6, 1878, at Uniontown, by Rev. Robert T. Miller, to An- nabel Turney, who was born near Union- town, November 30, 1853, daughter of Joseph Turney, born in Somerset county, January 7, 1806, one of nine brothers, sons of John Turney. He learned the trade of cabinet- maker, but after coming to Fayette county engaged chiefly in farming. In 1856 he re- moved with his family to Clark county, Iowa. He was a Whig, later a Republican, and very influential in his community. His home farm, consisting of several hundred acres, was near Osceola, and there he died in 1883. He married Sarah Gibson, daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Phillips) Gibson. Children: Mary E .; Rachei C .; Sarah R .; Priscilla; Daniel P .; Annabel, of previous mention; Joseph M. and George W. Children of Thomas Skiles and Annabel (Turney) Gorley: 1. Daniel P. Gibson, born September 29, 1879, died July 26, 1883; 2. John Harry, born October 24, 1884, educated in public and private schools, and began business life in 1902 as a clerk in the drug store of Moser & Springer: after re- maining two years he entered the employ of the News Publishing Company as assistant to his father; he married, June 5, 1906, Sarah Cecilia, born November 25, 1885, daughter of Albert Gibson and Elizabeth (Steel) Miller.


BRANT The paternal grandparents of Samuel E. Brant, of Connells- ville, Pennsylvania, were both born in England, although they met and mar- ried in the United States.


(I) William Brant, born in England, came to the United States when a young man, set- tling at Buffalo Mills, Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, where he became a prosperous farmer, owning between four and five hun- dred acres of land. He served in the civil war with three of his sons, whose term of service covered the four years of the civil war: two were wounded, but none were killed. The father was active as well as influential in public affairs, holding several local offices.


He lived to a good old age, honored and re- spected. He married Katherine Miller, born in England; children: Joseph; Henry, a sol- dier of the civil war; Shannon, also a union soldier; John, of whom further; Amanda, Mary, Margaret and three others, who died in infancy.


(II) John, son of William and Katherine (Miller) Brant, was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1849. He has lived the life of a prosperous farmer, owns two hundred and twelve acres of fertile land with modern commodious buildings, and is yet en- gaged in general farming. He is a Repub- lican and has held several township and bor- ough offices; is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows. He married Ellen Gar- ber, born in Bedford county, died January 3, 1912, daughter of Joseph Garber, born in England, where he was a miller. On coming to the United States he settled first at Rox- ville, then at Accident, Maryland. After fol- lowing his trade for sixty-eight years, he now resides with his daughter in Bedford county, aged eighty-seven years. He married and has issue. Children of John Brant: Aaron of Newark, Ohio; Emma, married W. U. Sell- ers; Mina, married W. H. Fairlamb of St. Louis, Missouri; Samuel Elmer, of whom further; Dr. Morris U., of Buffalo Mills, Pennsylvania: Grace, married C. A. Ross of Washington, D. C .; Mae, resides with her pa- rents ; Ray.


(III) Samuel Elmer, son of John and Ellen (Garber) Brant, was born at Buffalo Mills, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1376. He was educated in the public school. He learned the carpenter's trade, working almost exclusively on railroad bridge con- struction. He was thus employed for eleven years by the Baltimore & Ohio, and two years by the Pennsylvania railroad. He took up his residence in Connellsville in 1892. About 1907 he started in the plumbing busi- ness as a member of the firm of Stahl & Brant; dissolved later and continued the same business with J. A. Workman, as Brant & Workman. In 1910 he started the business on Church street, that he recently sold to W. E. Sellers. He is a Republican and is now serving his second term as councilman. He belongs to the Masonic order, the Odd Fel- lows, Maccabees and Eagles.


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He married, September 17, 1908, Ada Shn- maker, born in Hyndman, Bedford county, daughter of John and Sarah Shumaker, old settlers of that county. She is a member of the German Reformed church. John Shu- maker is living; his wife Sarah died April 10, 1901. Their children: Norman R., now of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania; Charles I., de- ceased; Daisy D., married W. Zufall; Ada, married Samuel Elmer Brant, of previous mention; Blanche O., married Henry Pur- baugh; Grove C .; Virginia L., married John Cook; Justus C. Children of Samuel Elmer and Ada (Shumaker) Brant: Robert Eugene, born September 10, 1909; Sarah Ellen, March 27, 19II.


This family was found-


CRITCHFIELD ed in America by Amos Critchfield, who went from England to Wales, and shortly afterward, between the years 1735 and 1745, came to this country, settling first in New Jersey, later going to the state of Virginia. He married and had six sons, among them two who settled in Somerset county, Penn- sylvania: William served in the revolutionary army, settled in Milford township, and found- ed the family still found there; and Benjamin, of whom further.


(II) Benjamin, son of Amos Critchfield, resided in Virginia until the revolutionary period, when he came to Pennsylvania, set- tling in what is now Northampton township, Somerset county, at or near the village of Glencoe, and just east of the Alleghany mountains. This part of the county was rough and mountainous, the soil not of the most fertile character, but heavily timbered, this fact probably influencing the few settlers who came in at first. Chambersburg, Mary- land, was then the nearest point to obtain the necessities of life, flour and salt. The early settlers made lumbering their principal busi- ness, gradually clearing farms and becoming fairly prosperous. Many, however, became discouraged and abandoned their improve- ments, but Benjamin Critchfield stayed until his death. He married and left issue, includ- ing a son Absalom, of whom further.


(III) Absalom, son of Benjamin Critch- field, was born in Northampton township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood and married. Later he


came to Fayette county, settling in Henry Clay township, where he engaged in agricul- ture until his death. He married - Rob- erts, and left issue.


(IV) James, son of Absalom Critchfield, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, died in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He grew to manhood in that county, learned the carpenter's trade and later became a photog- rapher. Later he settled in Henry Clay town- ship, Fayette county. He served in the civil war in a company of the Pennsylvania troops, and died shortly after the close of the war. He and his wife were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. He married in Som- erset county, Tabitha Younkin, born in that county, daughter of Jacob and Tabitha Hart- zell Younkin, both born in Upper Turkey Foot township, Somerset county. Her father was a farmer; several of her brothers served in the civil war. The Younkins are of Ger- man ancestry and were early settlers of Som- erset county. Children of James Critchfield : 1. Cyrus Foster, of whom further. 2. George WV., now a resident of Pittsburgh. 3. Caro- line: married Harry G. Shepherd, whom she survives. 4. James (2), deceased; a resident of Confluence, Pennsylvania.


(V) Cyrus Foster, eldest son of James and Tabitha (Younkin) Critchfield, was born in Henry Clay township, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, July 9, 1863. He never attended any school, but has acquired his education by self-teaching and experience. He early learned the potter's trade, but followed it for only a short time. He then began learning the trade of brass molder, but ill health com- pelled him to abandon that trade. In 1879 he entered the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company at Connellsville as a wiper. He was efficient and soon was pro- moted to engine inspector, passing next to the position of traveling car inspector, then brakeman, freight conductor, finally pas- senger conductor, holding that position until 1903, when he retired from railroad life. For the next four years he was proprietor of a hotel at Dawson, Pennsylvania, then engaged in the real estate business, and is now associ- ated with the Ohio Fuel Supply Company. He is a Republican and a member of the Or- der of Railway Conductors, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias.


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He married, June 1, 1886, Lucinda, daugh- ter of George and Lucinda (Teal) McCor- mick, and granddaughter of Moses McCor- mick. Both the McCormicks and Teals are prominent Fayette and Westmoreland coun- ty families; the latter being the founders of the hospital at Mount Pleasant. Moses Mc- Cormick, a well-known chair-maker of the early day, married Elizabeth Buttermore, of another prominent family of the county. Of their ten children William is the last sur- vivor, now living on a farm at Anderson, In- diana .. George McCormick was in the butcher business in Connellsville until his death in 1874. Children of Cyrus F. and Lu- cinda Critchfield: Edward, born August 18, 1886, died September 17, 1892; Lucinda, born December 17, 1887, died December 19, 1887; Rockwell, born January 5, 1889; Hartzell, born September 18, 1891, died February 18, 1892; Foster, born April 7, 1895; Clara, No- vember 16, 1897; Damon, December 10, 1901.


DUGGAN Although of English birth, John Duggan is of Irish par- entage and ancestry. His father, Bartholomew Duggan, was born 1827 in Ireland, moved quite early in life to Minla- ton, England, where his son was born. In 1864 he came to the United States and in 1867 made arrangements by which he was joined by his family which he had left in England. They resided in Noblestown, Penn- sylvania, and in 1869 removed to Connells- ville. Bartholomew Duggan was a miner and always provided well for his family. He and his family were members of the Roman Cath- olic church. He died May 3, 1908. He mar- ried Mary Cummings, born in Ireland in 1824, and yet living.


(II) John, son of Bartholomew and Mary (Cummings) Duggan, was born in Minlaton, England, June 5, 1857. He was educated in the English parochial schools, and after com- ing to the United States attended public schools. He worked at various occupations during his early life, and prior to 1900 was proprietor of the Columbia Hotel in Con- nellsville. In the last named year he began contracting, continuing successfully in this line for ten years, and has but recently (1912) returned to the hotel business. In politics he is an Independent Democrat. He has served as councilman and as member of the




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