USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 48
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years to pay for his passage, the term of ser- vice in such cases being determined by the length of time consumed on the voyage, the cost of living and the value of the passenger's services to his employer. On account of the faithful performance of his contract and his valuable service the merchant considered he had been sufficiently compensated for the money advanced Captain De Grove, and re- leased Frederick Pershing at the end of twenty-one months, when he could have ex- acted the full three years' service. He then began working at his trade, and prospered so abundantly that in a few years he pur- chased a small farm in Frederick county, Maryland. About this time he married a German lady of Baltimore, Elizabeth Wyant (German, Weyand). They lived on the Fred- erick county farm until 1773, during which period their five sons and three daughters were born. In 1773, being ambitious for greater possessions to supply the needs of his large family, and in advance of the first Gos- pei messenger that crossed the Alleghanies and only four years after Penn's treaty with the Indians and purchase of land from the Iroquois, he started westward. He traveled on foot, carrying a knapsack over the Alle- ghany mountains and through the dense forests filled with wild beasts that lurked everywhere to do him harm. In fourteen days he reached the headwaters of Nine Mile Run, so called because the mouth of the run is nine miles from Fort Ligonier, in what is now Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. There, amid the finest of oak timber, he took "tomahawk" possession of two hundred and sixty-nine acres of land. There was no county court, no court officers, no assessors or tax collectors, until Hannas- town, ten miles away, was established. It
was not until after the revolution and Penn- sylvania became a commonwealth that he received a patent for his land, as recorded in patent book 17, p. 107: "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Frederick Pershing, Septem- ber 21, 1789, for tomahawk possession, a tract of land called Coventry, on the Nine Mile Run, containing two hundred and sixty- nine acres, more or less." This tract of land was for several generations conveyed from father to son. The county records show that for one hundred and twenty years it was the only farm in the county that was never in
orphans' court or sheriff's hands, nor were any of the owners of said land in any litiga- tion or lawsuit. Here he built a round log cabin of one large room, with "stick" chim- ney, clapboard roof poled on with hickory withes, a "puncheon" floor, hewed door with wooden hinges, not a nail used in the con- struction, and without glass windows. The cabin being finished, he began clearing out the undergrowth and "ringing" the trees over five acres of his tract. He then sowed it in rye and returned to Maryland. In the spring of 1774 he came again to the home in the wilderness, bringing his family. During the winter the deer had eaten every stalk of the rye, but the forest abounded in game, furnishing meat for the family, while the pelts were exchanged for corn and rye meal, so that hunting and trapping the wild an- imals was not only sport for the father and sons, but also profitable. On one ocasion Mr. Pershing came near losing his life in an encounter with a bear. His rifle, yet pre- served in the family, plainly shows the marks of the bear's teeth. Fort Ligonier was four- teen miles away, and the nearest cabin was three miles distant. Indians were plentiful, although the Pershings were never molested, as their home was somewhat secluded and at the greatest distance from the usual camping places of the Indians along the Conemaugh river on the east and the Youghiogheny on the west. The work of clearing the farm rap- idly progressed, crops were grown, herds of cattle appeared, among which deer were of- ten found and easily killed, furnishing, with other game, an abundant table. The work was laborious, the hardships many, and in 1778 the father, who was never known to have had a day's sickness in his life, broke beneath the strain, was stricken with fever and in a few days died. There was no physi- cian to be had, as at that period they were found only in the more thickly settled com- munities. He was in his fifty-fourth year, and is described as of large, stout build, broad shoulders, ruddy complexion, face of large French type, large nose and a heavy head of hair inclined to be curly. His four sons and a neighbor made his coffin from a split white oak log, the larger half hollowed out, the smaller half forming the lid. He was buried in the Smith graveyard, one mile west of the old Pershing home. There, forty-six
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years later, in 1824, his wife, Elizabeth, who ever remained his widow, was laid by his side, aged ninety-six years, having been born in Germany in 1728. Both were baptized members of the Lutheran church, and lived consistent Christian lives. Elizabeth came to America the same year as her husband, but by another ship. Their youngest son, Abra- ham, died in Maryland, aged two years. Christian, the eldest son, remained on the farm, which he inherited and which passed to his son, Henry J. Pershing. Two others of the sons of the emigrant, Revs. Conrad and Daniel Pershing, entered the ministry.
Rev. Conrad, the third son, was a minister of the United Brethren church, but before his death changed to the Methodist faith. He was in Captain Campbell's company in 1792 at the time of his last expedition against the Indians. They found an Indian camp and formed a plan to attack it at 3 o'clock in the morning, and slay them before they could awake and defend themselves. Rev. Conrad did not like this plan, as it seemed too much like murder. He asked Captain Campbell to allow him to lead in prayer for Divine direc- tion. After some parleying they all knelt upon the ground, and Rev. Pershing began his prayer slowly and quietly, but soon be- came so earnest that his voice was raised to so loud a pitch that Captain Campbell inter- fered, fearing the Indians might be aroused. He quieted somewhat, but soon became louder than ever in his supplications, when he was peremptorily ordered to cease praying. When the attack was made later, to his glad surprise, the camp was deserted. Whether a spy from the Indian camp or the loud pray- ing had given the alarm is not known; how- ever, they had flown, leaving their camp equipage, and never again molested that neighborhood. Of the second son nor the daughters of Frederick Pershing have we any record.
(II) Rev. Daniel Pershing, fourth son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Wyant) Pershing, was born in Frederick county, Maryland, June 4, 1764, died in Derry township, West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1838. He was ten years of age when brought by his parents to the forest home in (now) Unity township, Westmoreland coun- ty, and fourteen years of age when his father died, consequently his early life was one of
toil, privation and adventure. He never at- tended other than nature's school, but re- ceived his only education in his own home with his brothers and sisters, taught by a pious, educated mother in the German lan- guage. After their father's death the sons nobly remained with their mother. The farm not yet being sufficiently clear to support the family of eight, the sons erected a saw mill, run by water power, flaxseed oil mill and later a home-made "burr" flouring mill. When Daniel was twenty-one years of age Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a hamlet of ten to twelve houses. In 1796, at the age of twenty-two years, he married, and in 1801, with his family of three children, moved to Derry, the adjoining township. All his be- longings, wife and youngest child, Isaac, were taken in a one-horse wagon, the road being through deep woods all the way. He was a carpenter, stonemason, plasterer and weaver, having been taught the latter art in early life by his father and brother. In their Derry home economy was the watchword. The simplest food, pork, with an occasional saddle of venison, being the only meat. Their farm supplied the corn and rye used in the bread and pone. The girls wore homespun and linsey woolseys, the boys buckskin breeches, linen shirts, home-made wamuses and hunting jackets; for the summer, home- made straw hats; for the winter, coonskin caps. Frequently the father and sons would arise in the night and with their guns drive wolves from the sheep fold.
Daniel Pershing was always deeply relig- ious, and had a deep desire to preach the Gospel. He made such preparations as he could, and on August 13, 1816, at Mount Pleasant Quarterly Conference of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, was licensed to preach. His authority is signed "Christopher Foye, presiding elder." This license was re- newed January 24, 1818, by Asa Shinn, pre- siding elder. On March 27. 1818, he was elected and ordained to deacon's orders by the Baltimore Annual Conference, his papers being signed by Bishop Benjamin Waugh. On September 6, 1819, he was ordained to elder's orders at Baltimore, signed by Bishop R. R. Roberts. His family record, ministerial record, book of sermons, licenses, library, arm chair and writing desk are preserved in
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the family of Professor A. N. Pershing, at Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
He was a good penman, and his writings show that he acquired a fair degree of schol- arship. The following words copied from the first page of his "Ministerial Record" were written by him January 26, 1836, not long be- fore his death: "In the year of our Lord 1799, in the month of February, I attached myself to the Methodist Episcopal church, and on December 29, 1799, as an humble pen- itent, I sought the Lord with my whole heart; God spake peace to my soul and put me in evidence of pardon through the merits of Jesus Christ." He wrote both in German and English, and preached in both languages; better in German than in English. He trav- eled and preached as far south as Union- town, as far north as there were people to listen, east to the Alleghanies and west to the Ohio line. His salary was as low as thirty- six dollars yearly, and never exceeded two hundred, paid in pounds, shillings and pence. He always traveled on horseback, with sad- dle bags in which he carried religious books for sale, and always carried a rifle, that being as much a part of these itinerant circuit rid- ing ministerial heroes as their Bibles. He was absent from home for months at a time, where he is remembered as being very methodical in his ways, strictly pious in his family, exacting in little things, even forbid- ding whistling on the Sabbath Day. After more than a score of years in the ministry of the Gospel, traveling thousands of miles through sunshine and storm, he pillowed his weary head in death, surrounded by his fam- ily, leaving sweet benediction upon all in his
last moments. Tired and weary with the march of life, he sleeps, but not forever, "on the hill" that overlooks the surrounding country for many miles. Three acres of ground now constitute a beautiful burying ground, one acre of which was given by him in his will. In 1880 it was chartered by the legislature of Pennsylvania as the Pershing Cemetery. He was somewhat averse to hav- ing a monument placed over his remains, his spirit being of the humblest kind. A few moments before he died he said: "The Lord buried Moses, and did not dig his grave; yet the Lord knows where his grave is; and in like manner he will know where my grave is." Nevertheless a suitable monument, beautiful-
ly inscribed, marks the resting place of one of the heralders of the coming "Resurrection Morning," when every generation of Adam's race will meet in reunion of thanksgiving and overarch the Great White Throne in anthems of praise. A description of Rev. Daniel Pershing says: "Mostly a 'shadbelly' coat and broad-brimmed hat of the Quaker style and a stuffed 'stock' for a necktie. He always went clean shaven, and neither parted his hair in the middle or elsewhere. His face was more lengthy than round, very high forehead, with a large mole on the side of his nose."
He married, January 26, 1796, Christena Milliron, born in Indiana county, Pennsyl- vania, February 2, 1777, died January 21, 1863, surviving her husband twenty-five years.
(III) Abraham, eldest son of Rev. Daniel and Christena (Milliron) Pershing, was born ·near Lycippus, Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania, November 2, 1796. His birthplace was the original "tomahawk" claim taken up by his grandfather, Frederick Pershing, in 1773. He was five years of age when his pa- rents moved to Derry township, where he grew to manhood. In 1820 he received from his wife's father eighty acres of land near the iron bridge on Jacob's creek, and in 1828 he purchased the farm nearby, on which he after- ward lived and died. His first home was a log house in which he lived until 1845, then replaced it with a commodious brick resi- dence. He served as justice of the peace four terms of five years each, and so just and legal- ly correct were his decisions that he was never reversed. He was more of a peacemaker than a justice, and many were the reconciliations he effected between would-be litigants. He was an authority on land titles, and was fre- quently summoned to attend at the county seat as a witness in the proceedings necessary to settle estates. His testimony was rendered very valuable by his knowledge of dates, and agreements of boundaries of days long past. In 1823 he was a member of the Mount Pleas- ant Rifles, the first uniform militia company in Westmoreland or Fayette counties, his brother, Isaac Pershing, being captain. He was a member of the United Brethren church for sixty years. and for fifty years superin- tendent of the Sunday school. In politics he was a Democrat, but never held other office than justice of the peace.
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He married, in 1820, Barbara, daughter of John Troxell, at Iron Bridge, on Jacob's creek. Isaac Pershing, brother of Abraham, married Frances, a sister of Barbara Troxell. In 1823, Abraham and wife were housekeep- ing above the Iron Bridge across Greenlick creek, which flows into Jacob's creek just a few rods above the Iron Bridge in Bullskin township, Fayette county, where they resided until 1828, then moved to their farm at Ham- mondville. Children: 1. Ann Crider, mar- ried Jacob Myers; at her marriage her father gave her forty acres of land on which the vil- lage of Bradenville now stands in part; this forty acres was part of the division of land made by Isaac Pershing, brother of Abraham, after the death of their father, Rev. Daniel Pershing. 2. John, married Elizabeth Ham- mond; their son, James H. Pershing, resides in Denver, Colorado. John Pershing was third sergeant and served five years with the Mount Pleasant cavalry company, the first and only uniformed cavalry company of West- moreland or Fayette counties. It had its ex- istence fron 1855 to 1860, and was recruited in bothı Fayette and Westmoreland counties. His father and Uncle Isaac Pershing were members of the Mount Pleasant Rifles, a foot company, Isaac being the captain. 3. Daniel H., of whom further. 4. Isaac, went west to the "gold country" in 1859, died unmarried in 1895, having only once returned to visit his family and the scenes of his childhood. Abraham Pershing, the father of these chil- dren, died in 1879, his wife, Barbara, in 1856 stricken by apoplexy while passing from the spring house to the dining room with the but- ter and cream for the dinner table.
(IV) Daniel H., second son of Abraham and Barbara (Troxell) Pershing, was born in a log house (still standing) at Hammondville, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in May, 1832, died April 5, 1905. He grew to man- hood on the home farm, received a good edu- cation, and for several years taught school. He also was a surveyor and engineer, having taken these branches up and acquired pro- ficiency through a regular course of study. He prospered in business, and lived upon his farm of one hundred and fifty acres, also own- ing two hundred acres elsewhere.
He was a Democrat in politics, later in life becoming a Republican. He held many local
offices, and was a man of much influence in inis locality. He married, in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, Amanda Miller, born in Leb- anon county, March 8, 1838, died March 5, 1912. She met her husband in Westmoreland county, but was married at her home in Leb- anon. Her mother, Leah Stewart, was daugh- ter of an English emigrant; she married --- Miller, of German descent, who died in Leb- anon county. Children: 1. Isaac, died aged twenty-two years. 2. Nevada, married Jacob Atkinson, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. 3. Louisiana, married John H. Seaman, and lives at Sheridan, Pennsylvania. 4. Minnesota, married David M. Steyer, and lives at Dos Polos, California. 5. Idaho, married Burton Jackson. 6. Missouri, married John H. Bra- der, lives in Hugo, Indiana. 7. Abraham, married Laura Weber, lives in Mount Pleas- ant, Pennsylvania. 8. Stuart (or Stewart), resides in Chicago, Illinois; he married Etta Steyer, deccascd. 9. Ira S., of whom further. 10. Emerson, born May 1, 1879; now an engi- neer at Stauffer, Pennsylvania; married Irma McCloy. Also Alva E. and Noble, both de- ceased.
(V) Ira Sankey, son of Daniel H. and Amanda (Miller) Pershing, was born in Bull- skin township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1877. He was educated in the public schools of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and spent his early life upon the farm. He was his father's assistant for several years working the home farm, but later entered the employ of the H. C. Frick Company and is now fore- man at the Buckeye works near Hammond- ville. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the United Brethren church, as is his wife.
He married, December 31, 1896, Edna V. Carson, born at Perryopolis, Fayette county, June 28, 1879, daughter of A. C. and Elmira J. Carson. Children: Erda Pearl, born No- vember 14, 1897; Beatrice Naomi, October 29, 1899: Olaf Carson, September 18, 1901 ; Delmar Homer, born September 16, 1905; Samuel Allen, November 7, 1907; Frederick Ellsworth, September 7. 1909. The family home is at Hammondville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania.
LYONS
Jonathan Lyons was an carly settler of Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, where he grew to man-
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nood, but in early married life moved to Sait Lick township, Fayette county, where he was the owner of three hundred acres of land on which he lived until his death. He was a staunch Republican and a man of influence in his township. He married, early in life, Sarah Boucher, who bore him five children: 1. Han- nah, married Irving Brooks, a farmer of Salt Liek township. Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where both died. 2. John B., of whom further. 3. Eliza, married William Miller, a farmer of Salt Lick township, where both now reside. 4. Margaret, married James Miller, a miller, who died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where his widow now resides. 5. Rebecca, residing in Fayette county, unmarried.
Sarah Boucher was a daughter of Henry (2) Boucher, youngest son of Henry (1) Boucher, the founder of the family in Amer- ica. He was no doubt a Frenchman from one of the provinces bordering Germany, as lie spoke the German language. He came in the ship "President," it is said, and in the old Boucher family Bible it is written in his own hand that he landed in Philadelphia, June 20, 1755, with wife and children. He settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he pur- chased land in Albany township and followed farming. He was a member of the German Reformed church, and chiefly instrumental in erecting the church edifice known as "Bethel" near his home. It has been rebuilt three times, but still retains the name given it by its pioneer founder. It is further known of him that he lost heavily by the revolution, that he died early in the nineteenth century, and is buried in the churchyard near the church which he built. He had sons: Peter, William, Philip, Jacob and Henry. Peter died without issue: William settled in Ross county, Ohio, in 1801; Philip remained with his father and inherited the estate, much of which is yet owned by descendants; Jacob settled in Schuylkill county; Henry, the youngest son, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1759. He married Mary Shoemaker, and moved to Hamburg, Pennsylvania, where he farmed and followed his trade of shoemaker. In 1801 he started west on horseback with a neighbor, Jacob Will, intending to purchase lands there and settle. He proceeded as far as the Miami valley, in Ohio, where the prevalence of fever and ague so alarmed him that they returned
east. On reaching Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, they bought lands to which they moved their families in the spring of 1802. The lands bought by Henry Boucher lay about three miles from Glade, and consisted of four hundred and fifty acres. He spent the re- mainder of his days there as a farmer, and died January 22, 1834. His wife, Mary Shoe- inaker, born January 22, 1762, died May 12, 1840. They are both buried at Glade, Somer- set county. Children: Jacob, Henry, Chris- tian, David, Solomon, John, Elizabeth, Mag- daline, Mary, Rebecca, Catherine, Sarah (of previous mention), married Jonathan Lyons, and Hannah.
A great-grandson of Henry Boucher is John Newton Boucher, the well-known attor- ney of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and author of a standard history of Westmoreland county, published by the Lewis Publishing Company of New York in 1906.
(11) John B., eldest son of Jonathan and Sarah (Boucher) Lyons, was born in Salt Lick township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1838. He attended the public school and grew to manhood on the home farm of three hundred acres, which he afterward bought and on which he still resides, although he has reduced the acreage by sale. He is an ardent Democrat, and has held several township of- fices, including school director and register. He was drafted for army service during the civil war, but furnished a substitute, and was released from military duty.
He married Ann Resler, born in Springfield township, Fayette county, only child of Dan- iel and Esther (Brooks) Resler, both born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, but early in their married life settled in Springfield town- ship, where their only child Ann was born and early left an orphan. Daniel Resler mar- ried (second) Tina Dull. Their children: Peter, now living in North Dakota, and Mary, who married Martin Kirg, both deceased. Mrs. Ann Lyons has been a member of the United Brethren church since girlhood. Chil- dren of John B. and Ann Lyons: 1. Norman Resler, of whom further, 2. Sarah, married Warren Christner, who survives her. 3. Eliza, married William Snyder, who survives her. 4. James, a farmer; married Lizzie Rite- nour. 5. Mary, married Robinson Berg; re- sides in Hammondville, Fayette county. 6.
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Laura, deceased; married John Ritenour. 7. Samuel, a farmer of Fayette county; married Rosa Newman. 8. Emma, died aged eleven years. 9. Gertrude, died aged twenty years. IO. Infant died unnamed.
(III) Norman Resler, eldest child of John B. and Ann (Resler) Lyons, was born in Salt Lick township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1862. He was educated in public and normal schools and remained on the home farm, his father's assistant, until he was of legal age.
At the age of twenty-one years he began teaching, and for twenty-seven years was a most successful instructor of youth, continu- ing until 1911. He passed all required teach- ers' examinations, and in 1896 was granted a permanent teacher's certificate. During most of these years he owned a farm of sev- enty acres in Bullskin township, which he cul- tivated during the vacation periods, gaining considerable fame as a breeder of fine Berk- shire and O. I. C. hogs.
In politics he is a Prohibitionist, and has heid several town offices. He is a member of the local grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and with his wife belongs to the Evangelical as- sociation. He married, July 29, 1886, Kate Bailey, born in Springfield township, Fayette county, daughter of James and Sarah Bailey.
James Bailey was a soldier of the civil war, was taken prisoner and died in Libby prison. He was a son of William Bailey and a grand- son of John Bailey, who died in Springfield township, leaving William, Riley, Fanny, Michael, Rebecca and Margaret. William Bailey was a farmer of Stewart township, Fay- ette county, where he owned several hundred acres of land. He and wife, Mahala, were the parents of fifteen children: James (of previous mention), father of Kate Bailey Lyons; John, died in infancy, as did George and Catherine, David, now living at West Newton; Rebecca, married (first) Thomas Mitchell, (second) William Dull, and is now living at Conflu- ence, Pennsylvania; Ann, married James Rush and lives in Iowa; Ellen, died aged twenty years: Hiram, married Rena Mitchell, and lives at Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania; Thomas. married Alice Immel, and lives on the old Bailey homestead; Clara, married E. S. Jack- son, and lives at Ohiopyle; Amanda, married George Moon, and lives at Mckeesport, Pennsylvania; William, a farmer of Nebraska,
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