USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 47
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Express in Uniontown, when sixteen years old, and rose rapidly through all the routine oi grades in the business to his present re- munerative but responsible position. In 1905 he married Sara Ullery, of Brownsville, Penn- sylvania. They have one child, Peter Hess Franks Trader, born July 6, 1906.
Amy, the eleventh child of Michael (3) and Amy (Furst) Franks, became the second wife of Jonathan Higgins, who married for his first wife her older sister, Elizabeth.
Charlotte, twelfth child of Michael (3) and Amy (Furst) Franks, was born October 16, 1816, died January 1, 1898. In March, 1840, she married William H. Trader, born January 15, 1816, died June 1, 1889. Both were buried in St. Jacob's Lutheran church cemetery. They were members of Mt. Moriah Baptist church, Smithfield, Pennsylvania. She united with the church in 1832. In disposition she was naturally quiet and retiring, ever true to her religious convictions. She was a modest but faithful follower of her Lord and Master, and when the end canie it was serenely sweet and peaceful. After her husband's death she moved in 1890 to her new home on Fayette street, Uniontown, Pennsylvania, near the Great Bethel Baptist church, with which she then united.
Her husband was a nfan of uncommon busi- ness energy, and though starting life at the bottom of the ladder, with the assistance of his wife, became a rich man for his time. He owned and lived on a large and valuable farm in Georges township, near Walnut Hill. He was also the owner of other tracts. He was a fine judge of stock. especially horses, and made much of his wealth in that way. He was a director of the People's Bank of Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and as such was a safe counsellor and his advice in busi- ness was much sought by the community.
He left an estate that gave to each of his ten children about $10,000 or its equivalent. His widow was left amply provided for. The names of his children in order of age are: Sarah Ann, Ainy, Mary, John, Eliza, Amedee M., Mahala, William H. Jr., Charlotte and Minnie. Sarah Ann the oldest married Nich- olas Poundstone, for years a renter, but by hard work and good management by him and his wife, continually added to their savings. They then moved to a farm in Marion county, West Virginia, near Farmington. This was
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a farmi of about two hundred and thirty acres and was equally divided between her and her brother, Amedee M. Trader, a lift from their father, William H. Trader, Sr. They after- ward sold these farms. Poundstone and his wife moved to Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, and purchased a good farm six or seven miles north of Claysvine. The wife (Sarah Ann) died January 3. 1903, aged about sixty- one years. She was buried at Claysville, serv- ices conducted by Rev. J. Fuller Franks, now of Alice, Texas. Her husband survives with severai children. Both husband and wife were Baptists. Amy married Samuel Deffenbaugh and lives on a farm in the Walnut Hill neigh- borhood. Mary married A. S. Richey and lives in Uniontown. Has a good home with a liberal supply of means. They have a large, well-to-do family. John lives in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and is a farmer. Eliza mar- ried Nicholas Honsaker and is dead. Amedee M. moved west and bought a farm in Vernon county, Missouri. Sold this and moved to Mountain Park, Oklahoma, where he still lives. He is worth over $100,000, mostly made out of coal lands sold in West Virginia. He married Virginia Freemen, of Walnut Hill, Georges township. Mahala married
James Sesler, now dead. His widow resides in Uniontown. William H., Jr., is now owner of and lives on the old homestead farm for- merly owned by his father. He married Nancy Newcomer. He is a good business man, prosperous and a highly respected and a useful citizen. A member of the Great Bethel Baptist church. His wife is a splendid woman and is well known as an active leader and organizer in Sunday school work. Char- lotte, twice married, her first husband being dead. Her present husband is J. C. Parker, who owns and conducts a very successful gen- eral store business at Scottdale, Pennsylvania. Minnie, the youngest, married Dr. J. W. Hig- gins, said to be a very skillful doctor and sur- geon. They live in Denver City, Colorado.
Christina, thirteenth child of Michael (3) and Amy (Furst) Franks, was born about the year 1816, died July, 20, 1894. She was mar- ried to James Hess when about thirty-three years of age. He preceded her in death by some years. He was a thrifty farmer, living near New Geneva. They amassed consider- able wealth during life. Both were members of the Mt. Moriah Baptist church, Smithfield,
Pennsylvania, at which place they were buried. In politics he was a Republican. They had five children. Margaret married Newton Griffin, son of the late W. P. Griffin, of Nich- olson township. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Fayette county, Ohio, where they purchased a farm near Washington, where they now live. They have two sons who are Baptist preachers. John J., the only son, is a retired and wealthy farmer, now liv- ing in a fine home near Uniontown. Is now in poor health. He is father of Dr. Frank Hess (dentist), of Uniontown. Also of several other children. Frances, married Ezekiel Zimmerman and is living in Wayne county, Ohio. Harriet married Jacob Galley, now lives at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Alsa C., wife of Ira W. Ross, living at Masontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania.
Henry, fourteenth child of Michael (3) and Amy (Furst) Franks, was born November 12, 1818. He married Sarah, daughter of Henry and Louisa (Showalter) Hughn, January 30, 1844, ceremony performed by Rev. Dr. Fair- child, the bride's pastor. Henry, like most of his family, was a successful farmer and kept liis farm in first class order. His wife was a good manager. They spent most of their life on the farm near New Geneva, once owned and occupied by Andrew Kramer, his brother- in-law (noted elsewhere). The farm, with its substantial buildings, fine orchard and luscious fruits, general trimness and neatness of the whole, were the attractive features which at once stamped it as a first class home in the best sense of the word, and the owner and his family as thrifty and contented. He died De- cember 5, 1892. His wife died October II, 1905. They were both Presbyterians and their bodies now rest in the Old Frame cem- etery in Nicholson township. To this union were born these children, all living: Amy, married Joseph Burwell, a farmer. They have two sons and two daughters. Harry, an ex- pert accountant and bookkeeper; married and lives in Uniontown. Frank, single, in the em- ploy of the Bell Telephone Company at Charleroi, Pennsylvania; Louis, at home, and Gertrude, married. Abraham H., born May 6, 1847 ; married Sadie, daughter of Jacob and Matilda (Hall) Cover. At this time, 1912, he owns four hundred and twenty acres of well improved land and is now a man of consider-
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able wealth. He has a large and respected family of children.
Charles Newell, not married, formerly a successful farmer, but now retired, having plenty of means, he can well afford to enjoy the fruits of his labor and good business judg- ment. When not traveling he makes his home with his sister, Mrs. Lucetta A., wife of Frank P. Goodwin, of Fairchance. She is the young- est living grandchild of Michael and Amy (Furst) Franks. Her husband is a successful business man, conducting a slaughter house, meat store and grocery. Both Mrs. Goodwin and her brother, Charles Newell, are Pres- byterians. He is from principle a strong ad- vocate of temperance and always casts his vote accordingly.
Isaac, fifteenth child of Michael (3) and Amy (Furst) Franks, was born in Nicholson township, August 15, 1820, on his father's iarm, where he was reared. A large part of his earlier life was devoted to farming. In 1844 he married Nancy, daughter of Philemon and Lydia Morgan. He had a vigorous con- stitution and possessed uncommon energy and determination of purpose. And the motto, "Labor Conquers All Things," was practically demonstrated by him throughout his long life. As said, he was first a farmer, then a mer- chant from 1857 to 1859 at Smithfield.
He then engaged in the foundry business and continued it from 1859 to about 1868. At this time he owned and lived in a house on Main street, Smithfield, the home of the late Alfred Core, J. P., and oposite the inter- section of Water street; the foundry was on the adjacent ground eastward. Here his prod- ucts were stoves, grates and plow points. Later he moved his business into his new building on East Main street, opposite Henry Kyle's. This consisted of a large molding room, engine house, etc. He manufactured cane crushers and fixtures. He took into partnership John E. Patton and John Mc- Curdy. In 1868 the partnership was dissolved and he quit the business.
He then went into the mail service. He carried the mail between Smithfield and Mor- gantown, West Virginia. In 1874 he moved to Morgantown and continued in the mail service, in all about fifteen years. He made a good and faithful servant for "Uncle Sam." There were but very few days in all that time when he failed to deliver the mail. Often the
treacherous Cheat river was in so dangerous a condition from its winter gorges breaking up with heavy floods that to attempt crossing it would seem like almost certain destruction and would have filled with fear and deterred a less courageous spirit; he would sometimes make a detour up or down the river for miles seeking a possible point of passage, and would only desist when the risk would be almost cer- tain destruction. While in Morgantown he suffered a severe loss in the death of his be- loved wife, which occurred February 21, 1886. She was buried at Smithfield in the Baptist cemetery, where her husband was later buried.
On April 3, 1890, he married (second) Annie H., daughter of Thomas and Sarah Kefover, of Nicholson township. He had pur- chased a part of the old Colonel Henry Core farm, with the old stone mansion and beauti- ful in itself and surroundings in former years. Its location is near Old Frame, in Nicholson township. And now for the first time in sev- eral generations it passed out of the Core nianie, a marked historic family in the early and later history of Fayette county.
Here he again established himself as a farmer, and although well past "three-score and ten," he personally took up the hard labor of plowing, planting and gathering the ordi- nary crops, as well as stock raising, improv- ing his farm and tearing away the old frame part of the house and rebuilding it, etc. He was a living dynamo of energy. From youth he had been a member of the Baptist church. In politics a Democrat. He was a good cit- izen and his influence and personality were felt wherever he went. He died October 12, 1902. His second wife still survives; no chil- dren were born to this union.
Children of Isaac and Nancy Franks: Lydia Ann and Michael Skiles Franks. Lydia Ann married John, a son of Rev. Benjamin F. and Mariah (Lyons) Brown, of Woodbridgetown, Springhill township. By this union five chil- dren were born: Ewing, Charles, Mattie, Frank and Lolo. All are dead except Mattie, who married Humphrey Humphreys, a mer- chant of Fairchance, and Charles, single. Mrs. Brown has been proprietor of the well-known Fairchance House for many years. Her cui- sine and table enjoy an enviable reputation from Pittsburgh south to Fairmont, West Vir- ginia. For some years Mrs. Brown was pro-
Peter A. Franks.
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prietor of the noted Glenmoor, a summer re- sort on Cheat river, a short distance above Ice's Ferry.
Michael Skiles was born March 22, 1849, in Nicholson township, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, as was also his sister just noted, Mrs. Lydia A. Brown. He attended the public schools and Georges Creek academy at Smith- field. For fifteen years he taught schools in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. In May, 1883, he married Ella J., daughter of William and Mariah (West) Conn, of Smithfield. In 1884 he engaged successfully in the drug busi- ness at Fairchance. He was a regular regis- tered pliarmacist, and his drug store was first class in every respect. He was elected justice of the peace in February, 1889, and held the office for several terms.
He has been a suffering cripple from a boy, the result of bone erysipelas, necessitating the use of crutches, but his great perseverance and will power broke down all opposing ob- stacles and won the commendation and re- spect of all. He has three children, all grown into man and womanhood. Their names are: William C., Annie and Edgar C. Michael S., with his family, is now a resident of Warren, Ohio, and has a good position in business there.
Phineas, sixteenth and youngest child of Michael (3) and Amy (Furst) Franks, was born about 1824 in Nicholson township. He grew up and worked on the farm. He had a thirst for knowledge and used the advantages of the books he had and of the inadequate schools in the neighborhood at the time. He attended Denison University. Ohio, a few terms, and at this time thought of preparing himself for the ministry, but for some reason he never carried out this laudable ambition.
At the age of twenty-eight or thirty he mar- ricd Nancy Buttermore, of near Connellsville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, a sister of the late Dr. Smith Buttermore. She was an in- telligent Christian lady, having a most amia- ble disposition. After his marriage he first moved in with his parents and engaged in farming. A few years after this he moved to a good farm near Brimfield, Noble county, Indiana. He was there for a number of years. He then sold out and moved to Vernon coun- ty, Missouri, where he purchased a farm and continued the business of farming until 1874, when the light of his home went out in the
death of his beloved wife. From this time on we find him a disconsolate wanderer. He was in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming: back to Missouri and finally back to Kendallville, Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his days with his son, Charles Spurgeon Franks. The manner of his death was sad and pathetic, and though he was sev- enty-nine years old at the time of his death, yet he was still strong in body and mind. He went out one morning to clear off some land of its timber and brush. Not returning at the noon hour for his dinner, the family became uneasy and went to the clearing in search for him. They found his body crushed by the body of a large tree which he had chopped down and evidently had fallen in an unex- pected direction. He was a good man, with a very generous disposition and most highly re- spected by all who knew him. He was very religious and maintained his Christian integ- rity to the last. He was a lifelong Democrat.
The children of Phineas and Nancy Franks were: George, living at White Hall, near Butie, Montana, where he owns a large stock ranchi and aiso a dairy business. He raises large numbers of horses, cattle and hogs. He is said to be very rich.
One daughter, Mollie, married Henry Mc- Cullough, a well-to-do farmer. They live in Vernon county, Missouri, and have a small family. Spurgeon, the youngest, was a very successful business man, married and lived in Kendallville, Indiana. He conducted a very successful loan and real estate business. He died a few years after his father.
Peter Hess Franks, son of John Franks, was born in Fayette county, Ohio, Decem- ber 18, 1839. During his infantile years he was a very delicate child, and it was not thought possible for him to live to manhood. This sickly condition continued until he was about five years old, at which time his par- ents, with him and a younger brother, were returning homeward from a visit to the Hesses in Ohio. They stopped over night at Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia). There the two children contracted what was called the black smallpox. After recovery the sickly child grew healthy. As a child he seemed to have a lively imagination, a good memory, and can now relate a number of lit- tle incidents which happened to his experi-
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ence when but little past two years old. When his parents moved to Geneva in 1847, as be- fore stated, he had as yet never attended school, but his mother had taught him the alphabet, the spell-easy words, and he could read a few simple sentences. In the summer of 1858 Rev. Elias Green taught a subscrip- tion school at New Geneva and boarded with the child's parents. He was a very kind man, with a great love for children. He soon over- came the boy's timidity and induced him to go to school. McGuffey's Second Reader and Cobb's Spelling Book and later a simple child's geography and writing were added. Before the term of five months had closed he could read and spell quite glibly, and knew much of the reader by heart.
A few years after this his parents moved from the suburbs of the town to another house on the hill, on the road leading to Crow's Mill and Morris X. Roads. When he was about fourteen or fifteen years old John G. Hertig bought and moved on to a small farm in Nicholson township, about a mile distant. Hertig was a Frenchman, who graduated in Switzerland at the age of fif- teen, and came to Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, when about nineteen years old. He was well known in Fayette county as a teacher and as a man of vigorous intellect, with a most tenacious memory. He was a fine scholar and perhaps the greatest math- ematician who has ever lived in Fayette coun- ty. Mr. Hertig taught the Pleasant Hill win- ter school for a number of years, and Peter H. was fortunate to become one of his pu- pils. Under the instruction of this master mind he laid a thorough foundation in the branches then required in the public schools, especially in grammar and arithmetic. He afterward attended Georges Creek Academy at Smithfield, under the class instruction of Professors Gilbert and Ross. It should be said that he was one of the victims of that most malignant typhoid fever in the fall of 1858, causing the death of his father and two brothers. His recovery was in doubt for many weeks and his memory was somewhat impaired thereby.
He married, March 31, 1861, Eliza, daugh- ter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Case) Pound- stone. Her grandparents. Nicholas and Elizabeth (Everly) Poundstone, were among the early settlers in Nicholson township.
After marriage they first moved in with his mother (then a widow) and managed the homestead for one year; then moved to an- other farm, a part of his father's estate, which he purchased. In the winter of 1860- 61 he taught the Pleasant Hill school, where he had been a pupil under John G. Hertig. He was examined by Joshua V. Gibbons, the first county superintendent of Fayette coun- ty, but at this time he had no idea of follow- ing teaching.
Being raised on a farm and always loving the free, outdoor life with nature, he expected to confine his life work to that sphere. But a mere and common incident changed some- what the after current of his life. In a few years after his marriage he sold his farm in Nicholson township and bought a farm in German township, near Middle Run, to which he moved. When the time for the em- ployment of teachers came the teacher for the Middle Run school had not been sup- plied. Some of the directors and citizens per- suaded him to teach the school. From this time forward his services as a teacher were in demand, and thus it was he became a con- firmed pedagogue; but except for a short time, when he lived at McClellandtown, he taught subscription school as well as the regular winter term.
In the spring of 1868, having sold his Mid- dle Run farm, he purchased a farm in Nichol- son township on Jacob's creek, to which he moved, and he continued teaching with farm- ing. For a number of years he was principal of the Geneva schools. In 1891 he taught his last school and retired from the profession, somewhat broken in health. His teaching covered thirty years. His most excellent Christian wife died November 6, 1892. She was a faithful and devout member of the Greensboro Baptist church. She was buried in Cedar Grove cemetery, near New Geneva. In the following spring, most of his children having grown and gone, he sold his farm, stock and implements and moved to Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania, where he lived one year, going thence to Uniontown, where he has since resided.
In February, 1896, he took up a valuable field of coal lands in Redstone township, on Dunlap's creek, and held by renewals until it was sold. Since February, 1902, he has been secretary and treasurer of the Short Line
Chr. A. Franco
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Fuel Company, a West Virginia corporation, and chartered (it is simply a large holding; not an operating company). In the spring of 1911 he moved into his new home, a fine brick house, on Woodlawn avenue. In 1855 Mr. Franks united with the Mount Moriah Baptist church at Smithfield, under the pas- torate of Jesse M. Purinton, D. D., the father of Dr. D. B. Purinton, a former president of West Virginia University, and remains stead- fast in the faith of his fathers. For many years a Democrat, but later independent, voting for McKinley and Roosevelt, but ut- terly opposed to the saloon business and a strong advocate of temperance.
On January 3, 1900, he married (second) Elizabeth S., daughter of Alexander and Harriet (Campbell) Conn, of Steubenville, Ohio. Her father was a most highly respect- ed and influential citizen of that city. He was a personal friend of Edwin M. Stanton, the great war secretary under Lincoln, and was appointed to a position in the commissary department. The Campbells have been prom- inent in the early and later history of Union- town.
Charles Boyle Franks, only son of Michael W. Franks, was born near New Geneva, Nicholson township, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, July 29, 1867. He obtained his primary education at the Pleasant Hill school in Nicholson township, then entered the In- stitute at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated, class of 1887. He returned to the home farm one year, then having attained his majority began business iife working for the Union Supply Company at Valley Works, as clerk in the retail store, remaining until July 1, 1890, when he entered the employ of the H. C. Frick Coke Company, at Mammoth, Westmoreland county, as ship- ping clerk. On February 1, 1891, he was pro- moted to assistant superintendent at Mammoth, under Superintendent Fred. C. Keithly. On October 1, 1891, his chief resigned, and Mr. Franks was appointed superintendent of the Mammoth plant. He continued there until February, 1900, as superintendent, then was transferred to Leisenring No. I as superin- tendent of the coke works and coal mines there belonging to the H. C. Frick Coke Company, and still continues in that position. He is, as all the Franks have always been, a strong Democrat, and has for the past ten
years served continuously as school director. In 1909 he represented Fayette county at the State School Directors Convention held in Harrisburg. It was through his influence and effort that the first township high school in Fayette county was established at Leisenring No. I in 1907. Outside his business, there is nothing in which Mr. Franks is more deeply interested than in providing adequate fa- cilities for the education of the youth of his county. He is a member of the Baptist church, as is his wife.
In May, 1912, he represented his party at the Democratic State Convention at Harris- burg. His private business interests are in undeveloped coal lands, and he is a director of the Union National Bank of Connellsville.
He married, October 11, 1895, Sarah Elizabeth Pollins, born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1871, daugh- ter of Jesse Pollins, a farmer and native of Westmoreland county. Child: Jesse Pollins Franks, born April 29, 1897.
The Pershings of Mount PERSHING Pleasant, Pennsylvania, de- scend from Frederick Pioersching, born in 1724 in Alsace, France (now Germany), three-fourths of a mile from the river Rhine. The name in French means milk; in Germany, peach, which is also the Anglo-Saxon word. After the arrival in America the name was anglicized to Pershin, and in 1838 Isaac Pershin added the final g, as now used-Pershing.
(I) Frederick Pershing learned the weav- er's art, making coverlets of all grades, from the lightest to the heaviest weaves. He also understood the making of saltpetre and gun- powder. He was ambitious, and, foreseeing the greater possibilities of the new world, also being subject to persecution for his re- ligion, he came to America. He took passage at Amsterdam in May, 1749, coming via Liv- erpool, England, in the sailship "Jacob," commanded by Captain Adolph De Grove, and after a stormy voyage of five months ar- rived at Baltimore, Maryland. (Penn. Ar- chives, 2d series, vol. xvii., p. 300). He had taken passage as a "redemptioner." as did a large majority of the emigrants of that period. After landing at Baltimore he entered into a contract with Captain De Grove and a Balti- more merchant whereby he was to work three
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