USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 34
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(IV) Joseph G., son of Jacob and Rebecca (Snyder) Strickler, was born at the Strick- ler homestead in Franklin township, Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, May 29. 1863, died October 14, 1911. He attended the public school, and grew to manhood at the old farm first purchased by his father. When
Jacob Strickler purchased the Oglivee farm, Joseph G. became manager of the home- stead, continuing seventeen years. In Octo- ber, 1901, he bought a tract of eighty-four acres in Franklin township, part of the old Henry Snyder farm. In 1902 he moved to this farm on which he resided until his death. He also owned eight hundred acres of Texas land and one hundred and fifty acres of West Virginia coal land. He was a Democrat in politics, serving three terms as school director. He belonged with his wife to the Presbyterian church. He was a hard working, energetic man, very strong and hearty, but died very suddenly.
He married Margaret Edwards, born in Dunbar township, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, August, 1861, died August 15, 1909, daughter of Robert and Claussa Edwards- he born in Virginia, came to Fayette county when young, became a prosperous land own- er and farmer; also justice of the peace, being well known as "Squire" Edwards. His children : J. H., funeral director of Van- derbilt, Pennsylvania; Margaret, of pre- vious mention; George, deceased; Zella, married Alpheus W. Hair; Alvin, now liv- ing at Crossland Junction, Fayette county ; Ada, a school teacher of Connellsville, Penn- sylvania ; Albert, unmarried.
(V) George W., only child of Joseph G. and Margaret (Edwards) Strickler, was born on the old Strickler homestead in Franklin township, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, May 17, 1882. He was educated in the Jefferson school in his native town- ship and at Ada, Ohio. After finishing his studies he returned to the home farm and became his father's assistant. In 1905 he visited California, remaining a year or more, working on fruit farms and cattle ranches, increasing his store of practical knowledge as well as touring the state and visiting rela- tives. In 1907 he returned home and assist- ed in the farm labor until his father's death in 1911, when he became sole owner by in- heritance. He continued at the old farm, a prosperous, modern agriculturist. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian church. His fraternal society is the Loyal Order of Moose.
He married Lucy Clelland, born in Pres- ton county, West Virginia, .daughter of
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Frank Clelland, a veteran of the civil war, his marriage he continued to reside there, now living in Dunbar township. Children of George W. Strickler: Virginia, born Jan- uary 5, 1910; Olive, February 8. 191I.
The Stricklers of Fayette
STRICKLER county descend from
Conrad Strickler, born in Germany, who emigrated to Pennsylvania where he died. Early settlers in Fayette county were Abraham, Jacob and Henry Strickler, who were large landowners in Upper Tyrone township.
(I) This branch descends from Henry Strickler, a prosperous farmer of Upper Tyrone, where much of his property is yet held in the Strickler name. He married and had issue, including a son, Henry R.
(II) Henry R., son of Henry Strickler, was born in Upper Tyrone township, Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, where he lived and died in 1894. He inherited the Strickler homestead, and was a man of influence and means.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in 1821 auditor of the township. He married Susanna Slon- aker, also born in Upper Tyrone. Children : I. Fanny, married Henry Orbin, now a far- mer of Nebraska. 2. Elizabeth, married Wesley Stillwagon, and lives in Upper Ty- rone township. 3. Mary, deceased, married Thomas Orbin, who died in a southern mil- itary prison during the civil war. 4. Sus- anna, died aged sixteen years. 5. George W., of whom further. 6. Rist D., died un- married. 7. Nancy Jane, married Benja- min Rist, a farmer of Upper Tyrone, both deceased. 8. Catherine, married James Kaine, now owning and operating a horse ranch in Kansas. 9. Rebecca, married Michael Darrh, a locomotive engineer, liv- ing in Hazlewood, Pennsylvania. 10. Sarah Ann, married J. C. Moore and lives in Van- derbilt, Pennsylvania.
(III) George W., eldest son of Henry R. and Susanna (Slonaker) Strickler, was born at the old Strickler homestead, in Upper Tyrone township, Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, May 2, 1841, died April 10, 1912. He was educated in the "Ridge" school, under the tuition of John Rist. Being the eldest son he remained upon the home farm ; after
but in another dwelling. In 1879 he moved to Georges township, Fayette county, where he rented the Jacob Franks farm, contin- uing there for ten years. In 1889 he re- turned to the home farm, and managed it for his aged father, until the latter's death, when it was willed to George W. Strickler, with the provision that he pay the other heirs stated sums. He was a Democrat in politics, and with his wife had been a mem- ber of the Christian church for forty years. He was also a member of the Royal Ar- canum.
Mr. Strickler married, May 22, 1863, Mar- garet S. Cochran, born in Lower Tyrone township, Fayette county, March 15, 1845, daughter of Mordecai Cochran (see Coch- ran III).
Children of George W. and Margaret S. (Cochran) Strickler : I. James C., born March 22, 1864, died October 26, 1866. 2. Lenora, born November 19, 1865, died De- cember 20, 1868. 3. Alice, born September 17, 1867, married George Newman and re- sides at Continental Works No. 1, Fayette county. 4. An infant son, died at birth, April 8, 1869. 5. Lutellas C., born Febru- ary 25, 1870, now residing in California, un- married. 6. Edward, born November 20, 1872, now a railroad contractor, living in Tacoma, Washington; married Florence Rider. 7. George, born November 19, 1873, residing at home, unmarried. 8. Hugh, born July 24, 1875, now a coal miner of Lower Tyrone township; married Rose Gault. 9. Iva, born July 28, 1877; married Harry Laughrey, cashier of the Title & Trust Company, of Scottdale, Pennsylvania. 10. Walter, born June 3, 1879, now residing on a homestead claim in Montana, unmarried. II. Roy, born May 29, 1885, now a farmer of South Union township; married Bertha Sease. 12. Lloyd, born June 29, 1887, a stationary engineer in a lumber camp in Washington, unmarried, resides in Tacoma.
Mrs. Margaret S. Cochran Strickler, sur- vives her husband and continues her resi- dence on the farm in Upper Tyrone town- ship. She is a lady of rare charm of man- ner and a true exponent of the virtues of the Cochran race who have ever been men and women of distinction.
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9. M. Arichter
Mrs. M. S. C. Strickler
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(The Cochran Line.)
(I) John Cochran came to the American colonies about 1745, settling in Chester county, Pennsylvania.
(II) Samuel, son of John Cochran, born July 24, 1750, was a soldier of the revolution, serving with a company enlisted in Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania. He fought at Paoli, Brandywine and Germantown, and spent the winter with the hardy, tried pa- triots under Washington at Valley Forge. He married (first) a Quakeress, Esther, daughter of Daniel John. Her father was brought to Pennsylvania by William Penn to preach to the Indians and Quakers. One of his grandsons, Gideon John, was sheriff of Fayette county about 1850. Samuel Cochran came to Fayette county after the revolution and settled in Tyrone town- ship, where he purchased a three hundred acre tract from Joseph Huston, where he lived until his death. He willed the home- stead part of his landed possessions to his youngest son, Mordecai, and the remainder to his oldest son, James. The latter died a bachelor in 1875, aged ninety-two years, having always lived with his brother Mor- decai, to whose oldest son, James W., he willed his estate. Mrs. Esther (John) Cochran died October 8, 1802, leaving six children : James; Samuel; Isaac; Thomas; John; Mordecai, of whom further. Samuel Cochran married (second) Agnes -, who bore him one child Esther, who married John Strickler, of Tyrone township.
(III) Mordecai, youngest son of Samuel and Esther (John) Cochran, managed the Cochran farm, which was located at the western outcrop of the Connellsville coking coal deposit. In addition to his farming operations he embarked about 1845 in the manufacture of coke, an industry that has brought millions upon millions of dollars to the Connellsville region. He purchased a tract on the Youghiogheny river, and erect- ed four coke ovens that being the begin- ning of the plant which, in its later develop- ment, was known as the Sterling Mines, situated below Broad Ford, in Tyrone town- ship. These ovens were operated continu- ously until 1868, when he sold them to his sons James W., Alexander C. and Lutellas Cochran. He sent the coke down the
Youghiogheny to the Monongahela and Lower Ohio, until the 1860 decade, when shipments began by rail. Mordecai Coch- ran, after settling his coking interests in 1868, continued his farming operations until his death, December 29, 1880. His three sons added a large amount of coal land to the plant ; in association with W. H. Brown, of Pittsburgh, as Brown & Cochran, en- larged and expanded the business, and until 1873 did the largest coking business in Pennsylvania. The firm was dissolved by the death of W. H. Brown and Alexander C. Cochran. The business, however, remained in the family, and through James, a nephew of Mordecai Cochran, and his descendants, has brought fame and fortune to this justly celebrated Fayette county family. Mordecai Cochran married Susannah Welch, who died August 12, 1873. Children : Three died in infancy ; Esther, married R. Q. Fleming, and died in 1872; Alexander C., died May 30, 1873; James W., died April 20, 1888; Lutellas, died September 25, 1892; Mary Ann ; Margaret S., of previous mention, now widow of George W. Strickler; Melinda, married Hugh S. Darsie ; Catherine D., mar- ried Jacob Harris; Alice C., married Isaac N. Beighley ; and Mark M., a leading lawyer of the Fayette county bar and a prominent business man; married (first) Emma J. Whitsett, (second) Mary Schell.
STRICKLER
Jacob Strickler was born in Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, son of German
parentage. He grew to manhood in his na- tive county and was reared in the Menon- ite faith, to which he always adhered. He was the owner of Bucks county property which he sold, and about the year 1789 moved from Bucks county to Fayette coun- ty, Pennsylvania. On December 22, 1791, he purchased a tract of three hundred and ninety-four acres near Scottdale. On this there was a great deal of timber and a water power which he utilized to furnish power for a saw mill and a grist mill both located on Jacobs Creek. He converted his timber into lumber as rapidly as possible and ran the grist mill in grinding for the general public. He did not come empty handed to Fayette county, and added largely to his
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estate before his death. He was a Whig in politics and held a good position in the county. He married Elizabeth Stewart, a daughter of Jacob Stewart, of Scotch par- entage. Jacob (2), her brother, was a landowner, a surveyor, and in 1797 estab- lished the first newspaper in Fayette coun- ty, The Fayette Gazette and Union Adver- tiser, published at Uniontown. A sister of Elizabeth Stewart married John, a brother of Jacob Strickler. Children of Jacob and Elizabeth Strickler : Elizabeth, married Moses Vance; Mary, married Alexander Long; Jacob B .; David, a cabinetmaker.
(II) Jacob B., son of Jacob and Eliza- beth (Stewart) Strickler, was born in Up- per Tyrone township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1791, died Au- gust 31, 1874. He worked for his father on the farm and in the mill, inheriting at his death one hundred and sixty-five acres of the paternal estate which seems to have been equally divided by Jacob among his five children. Jacob B. was a Whig in pol- itics ; later a Republican, and a local preach- er of the Methodist church. He drove whis- key from his harvest fields by raising the wages of his men. He married Mary Fiscus born October 18, 1790, died September 12, 1868, daughter of Charles and Serviah Fis- cus, of Westmoreland county. Children : I. Joshua, of whom further. 2. Alexander, a merchant of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, his lifetime home. 3. Henry, deceased. 4. Maria, married Dr. Covert and lived in Pittsburgh, where both died. 5. Susan, married John Sherrick, moved to Illinois, where both died. 6. Anna, married a Mr. Gorby. Three children died young.
(III) Joshua, son of Jacob B. and Mary (Fiscus) Strickler, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1821, died August 24, 1910. He was a wagoner on the national pike until 1850, when he mar- ried and moved to a small farm in Luzerne township, where he lived happy, prosperous and contented for half a century. He made a specialty of raising fine merino sheep, with which he was very successful. In the year 1900, just fifty years from his taking the farm, he moved to a good home he had purchased at No. 28 Ben Lomond street, Uniontown, where he lived until his death,
ten years later, in his ninetieth year. He was a Republican and an official member of the Methodist Episcopal church, always ac- tive in church work, as was his wife. He was hospitable, generous and a man of high character, attaining a competence through his own energy. He married, January 31, 1850, Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin and Abigail (Randolph) Covert, who lived for many years in Fayette county, near the Monongahela river, owning and operating their own farm. Their children: I. Eliza- beth, now widow of Joshua Strickler, whose devoted wife she was for sixty years. 2. Richard, lived and died in Fayette county. 3. Mary, married David Wakefield. Chil- dren of Joshua and Elizabeth Strickler: I. An infant died unnamed. 2. Mary Abigail, born December 4, 1852, married Albert D. Conwell, whom she survives. 3. Benjamin C., born October 3, 1855, resides in Union- town, married Velma Nealon. 4. Jacob Arthur, born November 10, 1858, lives in Uniontown, married (first) Mary Bowlby, by whom one child was born, Bryan; he married (second) Mary Stevens. 5. Edward Everett, of whom further. 6. Randolph J., born April 20, 1869, a farmer of Greene county, Pennsylvania ; married Jessie Good- win ; one son. 7. Frank, born November 3, 1872, died in January, 1875.
(IV) Edward Everett, fifth child of Joshua and Elizabeth (Covert) Strickler, was born on the home farm in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, along the shores of the Monongahela river, December 4, 1860. He was educated in the public school, at- tended the State Normal at California two terms, the University of West Virginia, one term, and Duff's Business College, from whence he was graduated in 1882. After completing his studies he entered the em- ploy of Conwell & Strickler, shoe dealers of Uniontown, continuing with them as clerk for about eight years. He then became bookkeeper in the National Bank of Fay- ette County and in 1903 was promoted teller, which position he now holds (1912). He is also director and secretary of the Mount Hope Coal Company, and interested in Uniontown real estate. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church; and belongs to the Royal Arcanum.
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He married, September 3, 1886, Mary Dawson, born in Fayette county, daughter of Louis M. and Mary J. Dawson, an old Fayette county family. Children. Eugenia Marguerite, born June 3, 1887, married Albert F. Miller, of Riverside, California ; child, Dorothy Marguerite, born January I, 1912; Edgar E., October 4, 1902. The fam- ily home is a beautiful brick residence on South Mount Vernon avenue.
McCORMICK This branch of the Mc- Cormick family descends from Moses McCormick, a chair maker and prominent citizen in the early day. He married Buttermore, and left issue: Jacob; George, of whom further ; Andrew; John; William; Eliza, married Henry Shaw; Katherine, married Jacob Dull; Mary, married John Freeman ; Sarah, married Reuben Shaw, (second) John Stillwagon. The only living child is William, now residing near Anderson, In- diana.
(II) George, son of Moses McCormick, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, died in Connellsville, July 1, 1878. He was for many years engaged in the butcher busi- ness in Connellsville, was also a chair mak- er and a skillful glazier. He was a Demo- crat, and both he and his wife members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a quiet retiring man, of excellent reputation. He married Lucinda Teel, died June 30, 1886, whose father was a soldier of the war of 1812. After that war he retired to Westmoreland county, where he died. He was born in Ireland as was his wife Lucinda, but they met and married in Pennsylvania. Children of George McCormick; Mary, de- ceased; Moses, deceased; John T. Hurst ; Emma, married Rockwell Marietta; Eliza- beth, deceased; Noble, of whom further; Matilda, deceased ; Frank, deceased ; Lucin- da ; George.
(III) Noble, son of George and Lucinda (Teel) McCormick, was born in Connells- ville, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1853. He was educated in the public schools, and be- gan business life on the railroad. He served on the Connellsville police force and for several years has been engaged in the re- tailing of liquor. He is a Democrat in poli-
tics. He.married September 15, 1873, Pris- cilla Spriggs, born in Wales, daughter of Charles Spriggs, born in England, of Eng- lish parents, but moved to Wales, where he married and raised a family. Children of Noble McCormick: Edward, a boss boiler maker at the Baltimore & Ohio shops; Hen- ry, George Walter and Maude, all deceased ; Norah, widow of Guy Percy, has a son, Cooper.
LECKEMBY The Leckembys of Con- nellsville, Pennsylvania, descend from an English mill worker who married, lived and died in England. Children: Thomas, died in Eng- land; the others, John, William (of further mention), and Hannah, all came to the United States. John Leckemby now lives at Dunbar, Pennsylvania; Hannah married Robert Shelley, and lived in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, until her death.
(II) William Leckemby, born in England, November 18, 1842, was educated and mar- ried in his native land. In 1868 he came to the United States, locating in Philadel- phia, where he was employed in one of the stocking mills of that city. He soon afterward left the city and was next at Ursina, Pennsylvania, where he helped to build the Brooks tunnel. He then settled in Meyersdale, Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania, where for sixteen years he was em- ployed in the coal mines; then for eight years was at Blairsville, Pennsylvania, in the hotel business; then for eight years at New Brighton, in the same line, now living there retired. He is a Republican, and al- ways active in local affairs, serving as school director, supervisor and tax collector. He married Jane Thomas, born in England, one of a large family, she being the only one to come to the United States. Children : James Edward, of whom further; Joseph Herbert, deceased; Anna, married Austin Miller, of Meyersdale; William Henry, now living in Cumberland, Maryland: Carrie, died in infancy ; Molly, deceased ; Lucretia, married Walter Stitt, deceased, she lives in Blairsville, Pennsylvania ; John F., now liv- ing in Youngstown, Ohio; Alice K., mar- ried Edward Weller; Katherine (now de- ceased), married Dr. Norman Lewis, of
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Hooversville, Pennsylvania. Both William He was a stonemason by trade. He owned Leckemby and wife are members of the a fertile farm of one hundred acres, and later Episcopal church.
(III) James Edward, son of William Leckemby, was born in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, March 27, 1869. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Ursina and Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, but at twelve years of age left school and began working in the coal mines, continuing until 1896. He then entered the employ of the Balti- more & Ohio railroad as brakeman. In 1900 he was promoted conductor, a position he now holds. Since 1902 his home has been in Connellsville, now at No. 909 Sycamore street. He is a Republican, and a member, with his wife, of the Reformed church; he also belongs to the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. He married, June 11, 1891, Martha Witt, born Meyersdale, Pennsyl- vania, daughter of William (2) and Martha (Ankney) Witt, and granddaughter of Will- iam and Martha Witt, old settlers of Somer- set county, Pennsylvania. Their children : John, William (2), and Susan. Martha Ank- ney was a daughter of John and Elizabeth Ankney, also an old Somerset county fam- ily. William (2) Witt, born in Somerset county, was a coal prospector, died 1883. His wife Martha was born and married in Somerset county, and still survives. Chil- dren. I. Minerva, married Benton Younkin. 2. George R. was a sergeant in the regular United States army, serving in Montana, now living at Meyersdale. 3. William G., now living at Jenner, Pennsylvania. 4. Ed- ward, living in Waterloo, Iowa. 5. Silas, now living in Meyersdale. 6. Samuel, died in infancy. 7. Martha (of previous mention).
Children of James Edward and Martha Leckemby: Robert Ross, born January 16, 1892; Merle Ray, April 5, 1894; Eva Mae, March 27, 1896; Mary Alice, June II, 1898; James William, April 17, 1900; Harry Ed- ward, November 6, 1902; Leroy, July 26, 1906.
The Langleys of Fayette LANGLEY county descend from Ger- man forbears, who settled in Eastern Pennsylvania. Their first settle- ment was made in Redstone township, when John Langley came at quite an early day.
purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in German township. He followed his trade and also cultivated his farm all through life. He prospered and held honor- able positions in his community. He was a Whig in politics, but took little part in public affairs. He married Phoebe and had issue: I. John, a wealthy farmer of Illinois. 2. Aaron, of whom further. 3. Hiram, born February 13, 1821, married (first) Rachel Moore and had four children, (second) a widow, Elizabeth Johnson. 4. Betty, married Aaron McKnight and had three children. 5. Hannah, married Robert Blakeley.
(II) Aaron, son of John and Phoebe Lang- ley, was born in German township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1818, died July 25, 1906. He attended the public schools in German township, and in that township lived on and cultivated a farm all his life. In politics he was a Republican and at one time was supervisor of roads ; he was a member of the Presbyterian church. He married Margaret Moulten, born De- cember 15, 1818, died July 23, 1888, daughter of John Moulton. Children of Mr. Moulton : I. Rachel, married Robert Moss, of Red- stone township, and had four children. 2. Elizabeth, married Henry Martin and lives in Illinois. 3. Annie, married Louis Haney and lives in the west. 4. Margaret, of pre- vious mention. 5. Avarilla. 6. John M., mar- ried a Miss Campbell and had seven chil- dren. 7. Joseph. Children of Aaron and Margaret (Moulten) Langley: I. Mary, born January, 1848; married (first) Manasa Sedgwick and had two children; married (second) David Davidson and had one child. 2. Sallie Annie, married Christopher Wood- ward and had one son. 3. Avarilla, married Abraham Moore and had two children. 4. Alice, married Elijah Tracy and had eight children. 5. Eliza, married John Frost and had eleven children. 6. Charles, married Anna Frost and had one child. 7. Alex- ander, of whom further.
(III) Alexander, son of Aaron and Mar- garet (Moulten) Langley, was born in Ger- man township, Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, July 4, 1861. He was educated in
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the public schools of his native township, and after leaving school became a farmer, cultivating the one hundred and fifty-three acres inherited from his father with such success that he is considered one of the best and most uniformly successful farmers in the county. His farm is richly underlaid with coal, which is operated by the H. C. Frick Company, he having disposed of the rights in 1898. He is a Republican in pol- itics. He married, October 24, 1890, Ida Frost, born in Menallen township, August 28, 1866, died June 19, 1909, daughter of Wil- liam B. Frost, a merchant of Uniontown. Children: I. George Washington, born February 22, 1892. 2. Aaron, born March 15, 1893, 3. John, born March 6, 1895. 4. Margaret, born January 15, 1897. 5. Emily Ruth, born December II, 1899, died Febru- ary 3, 1912.
The Stouffer family is of
STOUFFER German origin, and on coming to the United States settled in. Lancaster county, where the grandparent of James W., and George F. Stouffer, lived prior to settlement in Fay- ette county in 1806.
(II) John D., son of John Stouffer, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1803, and when three years of age was brought to Fayette county by his parents. He grew up a farmer, and also was a miller, but devoted most of his time to agriculture. He was a Whig, later a Republican, and a member of the Presbyterian church. He died in 1879. He married (second) Betsey, daughter of Joseph H. Cunningham, a far- mer and devout Presbyterian of Tyrone township, Fayette county ; she died in 1856, aged fifty-three years. He married (third) Eleanor Fleming, and left issue.
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