USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 35
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(III) James W., eldest son of John D. and Betsey (Cunningham) Stouffer, was born in Dunbar township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1845. He was reared on the home farm, educated in the public schools, and followed the vocation of a farmer until 1871, when he came to Con- nellsville, Pennsylvania, and for one year was a clerk in the employ of John Coulson, then with Spears & Company at Dunbar one year. In 1875 he moved again to Connells-
ville, where he established a livery business which he conducted most successfully until 1904. He kept a first-class livery and was rewarded with a generous patronage. In 1904 he was elected street commissioner of Connellsville, a position he now holds. He is a Republican in politics, and previous to his election as street commissioner, served two terms in the city council. He is a mem- ber of King Solomon's Lodge, No. 346, Free and Accepted Masons; Connellsville Chap- ter, Royal Arch Masons; Uniontown Com- mandery, No. 49, Knights Templar; Con- nellsville Lodge, No. 386, Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, and of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married, March 25, 1875, Elizabeth Pritchard, born in Connells- ville, in 1850, daughter of Benjamin and Harriet (Freeman) Pritchard, early settlers of Connellsville, where both died. Of their six children, George F. and Clara are living, both residents of Connellsville; children : both born in Connellsville: 1. Charles H., born December 4, 1875; educated in the public schools, now a letter carrier in the United States post office at Connellsville ; married Emma Keck, of Connellsville, and has James Keck, born December 7, 1906. 2. Harriet Freeman, born May 13, 1877; mar- ried A. H. Murrie, of Martins Ferry, Ohio, now chief clerk at the Laughlin Works of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Company. The family home is at No. 412 South Pitts- burgh street, Connellsville, where he built a residence in 1889.
(III) George Fleming Stouffer, son of John D. and Eleanor (Fleming) Stouffer was born in Dunbar township, Pennsyl- vania, July 9, 1862. He was educated in the public schools of Dunbar township and New Haven (Connellsville, West Side), con- tinuing his studies and helping on the farm until he was fifteen years of age. He then began learning the carpenter's trade, which he followed eighteen years. He also was a painter, a trade he followed three years. For ten years he was engaged in pattern making, and for two years he was with the Boyts-Porter Company. He is now with the Boyts-Porter Company as pattern mak- er, and has been with that house in all about four years. He has resided in Connells- ville since boyhood, and since 1886 at No.
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225 East Fairview street. He is a Repub- lican in politics and both he and wife are members of the United Presbyterian church.
He married, August 5, 1884, Maria B. Harris, born in Butler county, Pennsyl- vania, September 14, 1859, daughter of Perry Oliver and Eliza Jane (Miller) Harris, he born in Butler, his wife in Clarion county, Pennsylvania. He was a soldier of the civil war, was taken prisoner, and died in Ander- sonville prison. His wife died in 1903. Their children : Mary E., Ella Jane, Anna B., and Maria B. Children of George Fleming and Maria B. (Harris) Stouffer : I. Arthur Harris, born June 27, 1885 ; educated in Con- nellsville; now a civil engineer; married Margaret Lewis, of Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, where they now reside. 2. Homer, born November 15, 1888, died August 8, 1893.
SMITH This family early appears in the records of Georges township, Fayette county. The town of Smithfield was laid out by Barnabas Smith June 13, 1799, on a tract of land called "Beautiful Meadows" that he had received with his wife, Elizabeth Reese. They are believed to have been the parents of Henry Smith, a property holder in Georges town- ship, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He was later a farmer of North Union town- ship, where he died. He married (first) Keziah Davis, (second) Leah Fields, who was the mother of his children; (third) Eliza Melkey. He was a deacon of the Baptist church, which he also served as trustee. Children : Henry P .; Isaac F .; Elias Melton, of whom further; Maria Es- tep, and Melvina, the latter the last sur- viving child. She is now living at North Union township.
(III) Elias Melton, son of Henry Smith and his second wife, Leah Fields, was born in North Union township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in April, 1839; died May 19, 1879. He was educated in the public school and went directly from the schoolroom to the army during the civil war. He enlisted in the First Virginia Cavalry. During an action his company was ordered to dismount and fight as foot soldiers. In obeying the command his horse reared and fell on him
inflicting injuries from which he never fully recovered. He, however, served out his pe- riod of enlistment, three years, then re- turned and thereafter was a farmer of North Union township. He was a Republican in politics and a member of the Baptist church. He married Antridge, born in North Union township, daughter of Peter Pegg, a farmer and stock raiser of that township, who died at the age of seventy years; married Agnes Bosley, and had children: William; Ed- ward, deceased; Antridge (of previous men- tion) ; Jane, deceased; Mary Ann; George; Peter (2); Jacob, deceased; Franklin ; James; Louisa; Fuller; Samuel, and one who died in infancy. Children of Elias Mel- ton and Antridge Smith: I. Clara, married Arthur Carstead, a farmer ; lives at Atwater, Ohio. 2. Child who died in infancy. 3. Han- nah, married William H. Graham, a gauger in the United States internal revenue serv- ice, resides in Uniontown. 4. James B., of whom further. 5. Louisa, married Charles Keys, a market gardener of Connellsville, Pennsylvania. 6. Elias Melton (2), a house painter, married Myrtle Robbins, lives at Point Marion, Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania. 7. Fanny Leah, married Andrew O. Bryson, a farmer of North Union township. 8. Charles Henry, a market gardener of North Union township; married Lulu Bry- son. 9. William A., a farmer on the old Smith homestead in North Union township, with his mother who is aged seventy years (1912). She is a Presbyterian.
(IV) James Benton, son of Elias Melton and Antridge (Pegg) Smith, was born in North Union township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, September 26, 1867. He was educated in the public school, and grew to manhood on the home farm. He began his business life as a market gardener and a dairyman, and now owns a farm of eighty- three acres, which he conducts as a dairy farm, marketing his entire product among the hotels of Uniontown. He is a success- ful, progressive farmer and conducts his bus- iness on approved modern lines of feeding and sanitation. His farm is underlaid with coal, partly by the Pittsburgh vein, but largely by the Freeport vein. He is a Re- publican in politics and a member of the Presbyterian church.
-
L
1862.
Enlisted for three years or during the war.
1912
Dreaming of the days when he was a Soldier Boy.
J. Robinson Balsley, Company H. 142nd Regt. Pa. Vols.
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Mr. Smith married, October 10, 1895, Sa- rah, born in Menallen township, Fayette county, April 18, 1869, daughter of William H. Gaddis, a farmer of Menallen township, now aged seventy-four years. He married Grace Louisa Preisol, a great-granddaugh- ter of Jonathan and Edith (Nichols) Sharp- less, and their children were: I. Howard, now living in Colorado, a carpenter, gold miner and real estate dealer. 2. Ida May, died in infancy. 3. Anna Florence, died aged seven years. 4. Sarah (of previous men- tion). 5. Grace Lulla, married Amzi Vail, a farmer of Menallen township. 6. Jona- than, now a farmer near Carthage, Mis- souri. 7. Mabel Ray, married Melvin H. Bryson, a farmer of Menallen township. Children of James Benton and Sarah (Gad- dis) Smith, all born in North Union town- ship : I. Harold A., born August 5, 1896. 2. Hazel Grace, twin of Harold A. 3. Mabel Louise, born July 18, 1898. 4. James Ben- ton (2), born April 1, 1901. 5. Edith Sharp- less, born October 6, 1902.
BALSLEY Nothing can be told of the paternal ancestry of this family except that tradition says the emigrant ancestor came from Ba- varia, in Europe. The name has been angli- cized and so changed that the identity of the original bearer cannot be discovered. This record begins with Samuel Balsley, who came to Fayette county and had four sons who are believed to have been born in this country. There is no record of his wife. Sons: George H., of whom further. 2. John (q. v.). 3. William, an auctioneer of the county. 4. Hiram, who lived in New Phila- delphia.
(II) George H. Balsley, eldest son of Samuel Balsley, was born February 14, 1800, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania ; died October 10, 1871. He was a carpenter and contractor of Connellsville where most of his life was spent. He built a residence at the forks of the Mount Pleasant road about 1830, where all but three of his fifteen chil- dren were born. This old homestead of the Balsleys is still standing. He married Sarah Shallenberger, born in Fayette county, Feb- ruary 12, 1804, died August 8, 1880. Chil- dren : 1. John, born May 29, 1822, died in
Dayton, Ohio, in 1882. 2. David, born No- vember 22, 1824, died in infancy. 3. Eliza- beth, born January 14, 1826, died 1900; mar- ried George Buttermore, of Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania. 4. William Yantz, born May 24, 1828, died in infancy. 5. Daniel, born January 20, 1830. 6. Kell, April 20, 1832. 7. Sarah, June 29, 1833, died in April, 1877 ; married Brookly Buckingham, of Connells- ville. 8. Captain Joseph, born November 9, 1835, died May 2, 1912; an architect and builder of Chicago, Illinois; married Adelia Hadley, of Ohio. 9. Christain, born August 21, 1837, a carpenter and builder of Connells- ville. 10. George H. (2), born March 31, 1839, died aged two years. II. Catherine, born May 8, 1841, died June 23, 1881 ; mar- ried Rev. Wesley C. Harvey, a minister of the Baptist church. 12. J. Robinson, of whom further. 13. Weimer, born May 24, 1845. 14. Samuel, December 21, 1846, died young. 15. Benjamin, born January 22, 1848, died on the same day as his brother Samuel.
(III) J. Robinson, twelfth child of George H. and Sarah (Shallenberger) Balsley, was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 13, 1843. He was educated in the pub- lic schools, attending the old Pireical. Qua- ker Grave Yard Rock Ridge schools the few years allotted him for study and school work.
He worked with his father until the outbreak of the civil war, when, not yet nineteen years of age, he enlisted in Com- pany H, One Hundred Forty-second Regi- ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, as a private. He was mustered out, with an honorable discharge, January 25, 1865, with the rank of first sergeant. He saw hard service with the army of the Potomac, shar- ing the fortunes of that army until the battle of Gettysburg, where in the first day's battle, July 1, 1863, he was desperately wounded in both thighs and fell about two hundred yards from where General Rey- nolds was killed. It will be remembered that the first day of fighting was in favor of the Confederates, and as they drove the Fed- erals back, three of their lines of battle passed over the prostrate body of J. Robinson Bals- ley. After the enemy had been driven back, he was found still alive by the Union search-
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ers and taken to the hospital improvised at the Catholic Church in Gettysburg, where he lay until the 17th of July, hovering be- tween life and death, when he was taken to the Cotton Factory Hospital at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but youth and a hardy consti- tution triumphed, and in the latter part of December, 1863, he was sent to the Cliffburn barracks at Washington, D. C., although ut- terly unfit for the hardships of camp. At first he had no blankets furnished him, but later this was remedied. He was attached to Company A, Seventh Regiment Veteran Reserves, and was called to the front when Stuart's Cavalry made its daring raid in the vicinity of Washington. He continued in the service until January 25, 1865. His brother, Captain Joseph Balsley, served in the Twenty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Vol- unteers.
Sergeant Balsley returned to Connells- ville, after being mustered out of the service, and for a time was in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. Later he entered the employ of James Calhoun & Company, becoming superintendent of their planing mill. He continued with them until 1882, when he purchased the old plant of David Walker & Company, in Grape Valley, and began business for himself as principal owner and manager of the Youghiogheny Lumber Yard, using the old buildings for planing mill and shops and the old Fuller Tannery grounds as his lumber yard. On the northwest corner of his property he erected a new building, using the first floor for offices and the second for a finishing shop for fine work. Later he erected a two- story building on Pittsburgh street, on part of the plot now covered by the McClenathan Block, which he used as office and supply house.
About the same time he admitted Dr. S. S. Stahl to a partnership, continuing as J. R. Balsley & Company until 1892, when the business was sold to J. C. Munson and others and Mr. Balsley retired from business for a few years. In 1898 he again established in business under his old firm name, "The Youghiogheny Lumber Yard," locating in Connellsville, West Side, where he is yet in successful operation, specializing in every form of builders' supplies and "no order too
small or too large" for his careful consid- eration.
He was a good soldier and as a good citizen has given much time and atten- tion to the welfare of his city. He has served as councilman and school director, giving to each office the same careful attention as to his own private business. He has not allowed his successes of the past to lure him into inaction, but each day finds him at his place of business and bearing his full share of present day responsibilities. While mem- ories of the past are dear to him, he plans as hopefully for the future as though his al- lotted "three score and ten" had not nearly expired.
He lacks little more than a year of having completed a half century of mem- bership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and for years has been a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Politically he has always been a Republican.
He married November 24, 1867, Catherine A. Francis, born in Connellsville, April 29, 1847, died November 25, 1908, daughter of Robert W. and Elizabeth (Radcliffe) Fran- cis. Robert W. Francis was born May 5, 1797; Elizabeth Radcliffe, August 10, 1806. Their children.
I. Walker E., who was born Decem- ber 23, 1828. 2. William, born March 29, 1832. 3. Mary Jane, July 25, 1836. 4. Isaac, December 10, 1838, died in the hospital at City Point during the civil war; was first lieutenant Company H, One Hundred Forty- second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. 5. Victoria, born August 16, 1844. 6. Catherine A. (of previous mention). Chil- dren of J. Robinson and Catherine A. (Fran- cis) Balsley : I. Isaac F., born September 12, 1868, now a resident of Wilkinsburg, Penn- sylvania, married Ammaretta Wymer, of Connellsville, and has J. Robinson (2), a student at Cornell University, and Anna Maude. 2. Charles H., born June 30, 1870, now associated with his father in the lumber business; married Viola Keenan, of Con- nellsville, and has Catherine A. and Ray- mond. 3. Beatrice V., born March 4, 1876; married Charles H. May, . of Connells- ville, who died July 26, 1911. 4. Benjamin, born June 17, 1872, died in infancy.
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(II) John Balsley, son of
BALSLEY Samuel Balsley (q. v.) was born in Somerset, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, came to Fayette coun- ty, and settled in Connellsville, where he died. He was a carpenter, and later estab- lished a wheelwright shop, there building and repairing wagons. He married Eliza Bolley, and left issue.
(III) Thomas, son of John Balsley, was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 6, 1833, where he died June 16, 1894. He attended the public school, and learned the carpenter and wagon making trades with his father, an occupation he followed all his active life. He was a natural mechani- cal genius, and besides his building and con- tracting was a good gunsmith and cabinet maker. He was a Democrat, and a man of high character. He married Louisa Cra- mer, born in Dunbar township, Fayette county, April 26, 1839, who survives him, a resident of Connellsville (see Cramer). Children of Thomas and Louisa (Cramer) Balsley : 1. Amanda, born January 19, 1860, deceased ; married J. D. Wilson. 2. Jennie, born June 22, 1862, died in infancy. 3. Eliza, born November 1, 1861 ; married Da- vid Percy, of Connellsville. 4. Louise, born November 11, 1867 ; married Edward Frock, of Uniontown. 5. Samuel L., of whom fur- ther. 6. Worth K., of whom further. 7. Charles M., of further mention. 8. John, born April 31, 1881, deceased ; a teacher, and at the time of his death, principal of the Third Ward public school of Connellsville.
(IV) Samuel Long, eldest son of Thomas and Louisa (Cramer) Balsley, was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, October 14, 1870. He was educated in the public school, finishing his studies at Connellsville high school. He learned the carpenter's trade with his father, continuing until 1888, when he entered the employ of the Connellsville Planing Mill Company, and nearly com- pleted a quarter of a century's service with that company. He was promoted shop fore- man in 1904. In June, 1912, he and his brother, W. K. Balsley, entered into part- nership under the name of Balsley Bros., general contractors and builders. He is a member (as is his wife) of the English Lu- theran church ; he belongs to the Knights of
Pythias, and is a Democrat in politics. He married, November 5, 1898, Anna Wiant, born in Connellsville, died August 1I, 19II, daughter of Paul and Ella Wiant. Children : Thomas, born March 1I, 1900; Louisa, Feb- ruary 14, 1909.
(IV) Worth K., sixth child and second son of Thomas and Louisa (Cramer) Bals- ley, was born in Connellsville, Pennsylva- nia, April 24, 1875. He was educated in the public schools of Connellsville, and at the age of eighteen years began learning the carpenter's trade under the instruction of his father, continuing one year. He then entered the employ of Calhoun & Company in their planing mill, and for thirteen years worked in about every capacity that me- chanical ability was required. During the last three years with the company he was outside foreman. In 1904 he started in bus- iness for himself as a builder and contrac- tor, and still continues in successful busi- ness operation. He has become well known as a reliable, capable contractor, and keeps a force of men continually employed. He is interested in undeveloped coal lands in Greene county, Pennsylvania, and is a stock- holder in the Dunlap Coal Company. In 1906 he erected his present, but has in course of construction another residence on Snyder street, which he will soon occupy. He is a Democrat, but extremely independ- ent in political action, voting in local and county affairs for those whom he considers best qualified to fill the offices. He married, Thanksgiving Day, 1906, Mary Ray, born in White Haven, England, February 13, 1879, daughter of John and Sarah (Crosier) Ray, both born in England. John Ray was a coal miner in England, holding the posi- tions of pit boss and fire boss. In 1881 he came to the United States and settled in Fayette county, where he has worked in the Dunbar Wheeler and Morrell mines. He is now living in Greenwood, a suburb of Connellsville. His wife Sarah is deceased. Children, all living in Greenwood with their father, except William: John, an engineer in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio rail- road; William, now of Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania ; James, deceased ; Clarence, deceased ; Sarah ; Jane; Stella and Mary. Children of Worth K. and Mary (Ray) Balsley: Mar-
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garet Louise, born October, 1907, died April, 1908; Ray Herbert, born February 4, 1909; Helen Elizabeth, April 11, 1910.
(IV) Charles M., seventh child of Thomas Balsley, was born in Connellsville, Penn- sylvania, October 3, 1877. He received his education in the public schools, and on ar- riving at suitable age began learning the blacksmith's trade under the instruction of J. W. Buttermore, of Connellsville. After completing his years of apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman smith until March, 1905, when he established his own shop and business on Apple street, in Connellsville. He remained in that location in prosperous trade until the autumn of 1911, when he moved to a larger and better equipped shop that he had built on his own land at Sny- dertown, in the suburbs of Connellsville. He is well established in public favor and has a steady, reliable patronage. He is in- dependent in politics, voting for the man best fitted to faithfully perform the duties of the office aspired to. In religious faith he is a Lutheran. He married, September 17, 1902, Ada S. Kinney, born in Salt Lick township, Fayette county, daughter of John and Rachel Kinney. Her father died when she was six months of age. Mr. Balsley has no children, but has an adopted son, Rob- ert, born August 3, 1906, who bears his name.
(Kramer-Cramer Line).
Louisa Cramer Balsley descends from a paternal German ancestor and maternally from Ireland, her grandfather Brown being born there and the emigrant to Pennsylva- nia. The German ancestor was Joseph Kra- mer, born in Germany, came to the United States and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His wife Sophia was also born in Germany. They both died in Lan- caster county.
(II) Henry Cramer, son of Joseph Kram- er, was born in Lancaster county, February 24, 1786, died in Fayette county, September 7, 1845. His parents died when he was quite young, and he was reared by an uncle who deprived the lad of the estate left him by his father. He was apprenticed to a tailor and worked at that trade until the war of 1812, when he enlisted and served until the unusual hardships of army life in Canada Richard D. Haines, born in Lincolnshire,
caused him to take quiet leave and return to the United States. He settled in Fayette county, where he married in 1821, and later established a fulling mill in Dunbar town- ship, where he died in 1845. He married, November 21, 1821, Jane Brown, born in Fayette county, December, 1802, died Sep- tember 5, 1880, daughter of William and Jane Brown, who came from Ireland about the year 1800, settling in Fayette county. Mr. Brown was a weaver of linen and woolen goods. He died May 11, 1829; his wife March 16, 1837. Children of Henry and Jane (Brown) Cramer: I. Mary Ann, born March 16, 1823, married Harvey White, of Connellsville. 2. William, born April 1, 1825, now deceased, lived at Van- derbilt, Pennsylvania. 3. Joseph, born De- cember 28, 1829, was a teacher in the Con- nellsville public school. 4. Eliza Jane, born March 10, 1832, died February 15, 1842. 5. Henry, born April 2, 1834, died February 3, 1842. 6. Clarissa, born September 18, 1836, died 1842. 7. Lonisa (of previous and fur- ther mention). 8. Sarah, born September 15, 1841, married Joseph M. Graw.
(III) Louisa, daughter of Henry and Jane Cramer, was born in Dunbar town- ship, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1839. She was six years of age when her father died, and until eleven years of age the family continued in the Dunbar township home. In 1850 her mother moved with children to Connellsville, where Lou- isa Cramer was married to Thomas Balsley, March 6, 1858. They resided at No. 440 East Fairview avenue for thirty years, until the husband's death, and Mrs: Louisa Bals- ley continues her residence there. She and all her children are members of the Luther- an church. Thomas Balsley was baptized in the Presbyterian church but never form- ally joined the denomination.
This family is of English HAINES ancestry and traces in Eng- land to an early date. It is spelled both Haynes and Haines in early records, seemingly as the person writing it was inclined, as the same family names are written both ways.
(II) The progenitor of this branch is
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England, son of Peter Haines. He emi- grated when a young man to the United States, settling in Virginia, owning a plan- tation in Spottsylvania county. He learned the millwright's trade in England and after coming to Virginia built several mills in his county. He prospered in business, and died on his own plantation at a good old age. His wife Lucy was born in Spottsylvania county, daughter of Peter Wren, a Virgin- ian of English descent. Children: I. John Franklin, living in Madison county, Vir- ginia. 2. Sarah Martha, married Christian S. Brown, of Pennsylvania. 3. James Wal- ter, of whom further. 4. Angeline, de- ceased. 5. Lucy Mary, deceased. 6. Joseph Van Buren, a farmer of Spottsylvania coun- ty, Virginia.
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