USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 53
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(II) Yates Stokely, son of Jehu and Eliza- beth (Stokely) Conwell, was born in Luzerne township; he died December 25, 1865. He was a farmer, and the founder of the settle- inent known as Heistersburg, in Fayette county. August 1, 1814, he was commissioned ensign in the Eighth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania militia. The most of his life he was a Whig, but the latter years a Republican. He married Anna, daughter of David and Anna (Vankirk) Craft; her father lived in Redstone township; she survived her husband by sev- eral years. Children: John Stokely, of whom further; David C., born September 8, 1824, marricd, 1880, Elizabeth (Kelly) Christopher; Jehu B., born June 25, 1820, married Eliza- beth Fulton; George; Eliza A., married Wil- liam Elliott; Margaret, married James E. Da- vidson; one other son.
(III) John Stokely, son of Yates Stokely and Anna (Craft) Conwell, was born in Lu- zerne township, June 30, 1815. and died about 1896. He attended the local school. For a wilile he farmed with his father. He was for several years engaged in mercantile business at Heistersburg, and in 1850 was appointed the first postmaster at that place. In 1861 he left Heistersburg and removed to his farm of two hundred and fifty acres. On this farm he lived for the rest of his life, doing general farming and raising cattle; he gave special attention to sheep raising. He was a Re- publican, and held several township offices. Among these was the office of township clerk, which he held for many years. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church. He married Anna, daughter of John and Orpha (Davidson) McDougal, who was born at Merrittstown, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, about 1816, and died December 15, 1888. Children: James William, of whom further; Albert D., deceased; Mary Eliza, married John W. Foster, they live at Union- town, Fayette county, Pennsylvania; John, deceased; Walter B., lives in the west; Maria Louisa, died young.
(IV) James William, son of John Stokely and Anna (McDougal) Conwell, was born in Luzerne township, July 1, 1839. He attended the district school near his home, and worked with his father on the farm. He afterward took this farm over on his own account. Un- til 1899 he lived on this farm, near Heisters- burg, and did general farming, also raising
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live stock. In the spring of 1899 he sold this farm and removed to Merrittstown, where he nas one of the finest stone buildings in the township. At the present time he has a few acres of land under cultivation, but is leading a retired iife. He is a genial man and enjoys the confidence of his fellow citizens. He is a Republican. Several times he has served on the school board and he has acted in the ca- pacities of president and of treasurer of this board. For a term of three years he was town assessor. His church is the Presbyterian.
He married, November 14, 1867, Mary Maria, daughter of John and Emily (Johnson) Wood, who was born in Luzerne township. July 4. 1847; her father was a prominent farmer. Children: 1. George Jay, born Octo- ber 25, 1868; lives at Merrittstown. 2. Anna Alberta, born November 13, 1874; married Richard Swan; reside in Bucks county, Penn- sylvania; children: William, Richard and Susan. 3. Emma Matilda, born December 18, 1876, died November 10, 1897; married Rich- ard Swan. 4. William Stokely, born Decem- ber 10, 1879; resides at Brownsville. 5. Mary Idella, born December 16, 1882; married Mar- tin Hess; live at Brownsville. 6. Susan Re- becca, born December 3, 1887; married Edwin Mover; live at Merrittstown. 7. John Walter, born July 18, 1891, unmarried, living at home.
DAVIDSON This family came to Fay- ette county from West- moreland county, Pennsyl- vania, the founder in the latter county being Jacob Davidson, born in England. He came to the United States when young with his father, who was a minister of the gospel. They settled in Philadelphia, where Jacob was edu- cated. He married Mary Young, of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and settled in West- moreland county. In 1837 he moved to Fay- ette county, settling on the Basil Brown tract near Brownsville. He was a miller by trade and became quite wealthy, owning a large amount of lond. He was also connected with the Monongahela Bank of Brownsville for many years as a director. He died April 15, 1856, aged seventy-four years.
(II) Jacob (2), son of Jacob (I) and Mary (foung) Davidson, was born in Westmore- land county, Pennsylvania, in 1806, died in 1858 in Fayette county. He came with the family to Fayette county in 1837 and also set-
tled near Brownsville. He was a miller by trade and also a farmer. He was a leading member of the United Brethren church and a local preacher, noted for his deep piety and the purity of his life. He was a Whig in politics, but took little part in public affairs, his fan- ily and the church being the greatest concerns of his life. He owned a good farm and was in comfortable circumstances. He married Han- nah Kelley, who died in 1880, daughter of Jacob Kelley, who was born in England, came to the United States when a young man and settled in Westmoreland county, where Han- nah was born. Children: 1. Mary, married, November 2, 1855, John Rice. 2. Elizabeth, deceased, married, March 12, 1862, Otto Brashear. 3. Dr. John H., born November 15, 1845, a practicing physician of Perry- opolis, Fayette county, and a leading business man; he married (first) December 26, 1871, Cillnissae Torrance Chalfant. (second) Mary E. Chalfant, a sister of his first wife, daughter of Dr. S. B. and Elizabeth Chalfant. 4. Kate, married, January 23. 1867, Benton Bennett. 5. Lou, married, January 3, 1871, James F. Grable. 6. Haddie, married, July 24, 1873, Jesse Coldren. 7. Anna, married, November 12, 1874. Luther Noble. 8. Amos W., of whom further. 9. Ada, married A. J. Nixon. IO. Child, died in infancy.
(III) Amos W., son of Jacob (2) and Han- non (Kelley) Davidson, was born near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in 1855. He was educated in the public schools of Redstone, and learned the carpenter's trade. He also was a farmer of Redstone township, and for several years was engaged in mercantile busi- ness in Brownsville. He is now living in Red- stone township. In politics he is a Repub- licen and has served as both school director and road supervisor. Both he and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. He married, May 29. 1878, Huldah Vernon, born in Luzerne township, February 22, 1858. daughter of Reese Vernon, a farmer of Lu- zerne township, who died at his farm (now the Allison Works) at the age of eighty years. His wife, Clara (Porter) Vernon, was also born in Luzerne township. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon: I. Margaret, married Benton Covert, now deceased. 2. William D., mar- ried Florence Stevens. 3. John. died aged twenty-one years. 4. Frazier. died aged sixty- five years. 5. Mifflin, died aged fifty-one years.
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6. Armstrong, died aged twenty years. 7. Nancy, died aged fourteen years. 8. Huldah, married Amos W. Davidson. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Davidson: I. Carlton H., of whom further. 2. Grace C., born December 28, 1880; married Jesse Wonsettler, a contractor and builder of Scenery Hill, Washington county, Pennsylvania. 3. Charles L., of whom further. 4. Chester A., born February 8, 1887; married Carrie Randolph; he is now postmaster at New Salem, Pennsylvania. 5. Margaret, born 1893; resides at home. 6. John H., a student. 7. Vernon, a student.
(IV) Carlton H., eldest son of Amos W. and Huldah (Vernon) Davidson, was born near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1879. He attended the public schools and Dunlap Creek Academy, and spent his minor- ity at the home farm. He decided upon the profession of medicine, and in 1903 entered the medical department of Western Univer- sity of Pennsylvania (now University of Pitts- burgh), whence he was graduated M. D., class of 1907. After graduation he was interne at the South Side Hospital, Pittsburgh, then was appointed superintendent of Uniontown Hos- pital, resiginng in March, 1908, and locating in New Salem, where he is now firmly estab- lished in the practice of his profession. He is a Republican in politics and is a school direc- tor of New Salein, elected in 1910. He is a member of Fayette County Medical and Penn- sylvania State Medical societies; Laurel Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Modern Woodmen: Knights of Maccabees, and with his wife belongs to the Presbyterian church. Dr. Davidson is a veteran of the Spanish- American war; enlisted in 1898 in the Elev- cnth Regiment, United States Army, and served in Porto Rico for two and a half years. From 1903 he served in the National Guard of Pennsylvania on hospital service.
He married, December 23, 1905, Lucretia G. Gallatin, born near Dawson, Pennsylvania, January 7, 1884, daughter of John Gallatin, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and his wife, Jane (Gault) Gallatin, of Dawson. Other chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Gallatin: Bruce; Lois, married Charles Snyder; Imogene, married Charles B. Rhodes; Hallie, married John K. Gallatin.
Child of Dr. and Mrs. Davidson: Albert Gallatin, born December 24, 1910. This child bears the name of an illustrious ma-
ternal ancestor, Albert Gallatin, the famous statesman and early citizen of Fayette county.
Albert Gallatin was born in Geneva, Swit- zerland, came to the American colonies in 1780, purchased property in Springhill town- ship, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, which he called "Friendship Hill," and resided there from 1786 to 1827, when he removed to New York City, dying at Astoria, Long Island, Au- gust 12, 1849. He was the father of the glass industry in Fayette county, but it was as a public man that he is best known. He was a inember of the Pennsylvania legislature, elect- ed to the United States senate, but unseated on account of foreign birth. He was elected to congress in 1794-96-98 and 1800, resign- ing in 1801 to become secretary of the treas- ury under Presidents Jefferson and Madison; was commissioner in 1814 with Adams and Bayard to make and sign the treaty of peace with Great Britain; minister to France from 1815 to 1824, refused a seat in the United States senate and a nomination for vice-pres- ident; minister to England one year, then withdrew from public life. He married (first) in 1789, Sophia Allegre, of Richmond, Vir- ginia, (second) in 1793, Hannah, daughter of Commodore Janes Nicholson, United States navy. In 1825 he entertained the Marquis de Lafayette at "Friendship Hill," an occasion that yet lives in the traditions of the neigh- borhood. He died in the eighty-ninth year of his age, leaving issue.
(IV) Charles Luther, son of Amos Wood and Huldah (Vernon) Davidson, was born at the home farm in Redstone township, Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, near Brownsville, March 20, 1883. He was educated in the pub- lic school and spent his early years in Red- stone township, later attending high school at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. He began busi- ness life as an insurance agent, and is now a law student, also an officer of the Fayette county court. He is a Republican in politics, and with his wife belongs to the Baptist church.
He married, January 5, 1905, Leora E. Armstrong, born in Franklin township, near Perryopolis, Fayette county, July 6, 1880, daughter of James R. Armstrong, born in Jefferson township, Greene county, Pennsyl- vania, a farmer, now living near Perryopolis; married Mary E. Craft, born in Jefferson township, Greene county, died at the age of
Davidson Family, New Salem, Pa.
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sixty-five years; their children: I. George L., imarried Ermina Bnte, and lives in Connells- ville, Pennsylvania. 2. Mary F., married Martin E. Townsend, of Perry township. 3. Harriet, married C. L. V. Bute, and lives in Uniontown; child: Gladys P. 4. Leora E. (of previous mention). The only child of Charles L. and Leora E. Davidson, Charles L. (2), died in infancy.
DAVIDSON This branch of the David- son family is of compara- tively recent settlement in Fayette county. The founder of the family, Thomas Davidson, came from England in 1884. He is a grandson of William and Ellen (Bracket) Davidson, lifelong residents of county Durham, England, although William was born in White. Haven, Cumberland. He was a glassworker engaged in bottle making, later a fisherman, following the sea until quite old. He had a brother. George David- son, who came to the United States. The five sons of William and Ellen Davidson all lived and died in Sunderland, England : Esabel, Thomas, William (2), John, Henry (of further mention), George and James Edward.
(II) Henry, son of William and Ellen (Bracket) Davidson, was born at Sunderland county, Durham, England, March 21. 1837. He began at an early age following the sea as a fisherman, continuing in that occupation all his early life. He died in 1879. He mar- ried Mary Downey, born in South Shields, England, in 1836, died in 1902, daughter of William and Ellen Downey, born in Sunder- land. Four of their ten children are living in England: James, Hannah, Eleanor and Thomas: another, Tamah, resides near Aber- deen, Scotland, while Jane, Mary, Sarah, Isa- bel and Eliza are deceased. Children of Hen- ry and Mary Davidson: 1. Henry, born 1857, died 1864. 2. Isabel, married James Snaith, and resides in Scottdale, Pennsylvania. 3. Thomas W., of whom further. 4. George, lives in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, a water tender. 5. John Henry, living in Sunderland, Engiund. 6. James Edward, living in Sunder- land. England. Two died in infancy.
(III) Thomas W., second son of Henry and Mary (Downey) Davidson, was born at Sunderland county, Durham, England, March 24, 1861. He was educated in Wes- leyan public school, and in early life began
working in the mines at Shotton, near Sun- derland. In 1884, after his marriage, he came to the United States alone. The following year his wife joined him at Rock Springs, Wyoming, where he first worked at coal min- ing, later was employed in silver and copper mining, remaining in Wyoming about two years. His wife died at Denver, Colorado. He then worked in New Mexico and Wash- ington mines for two years, finally, in 1889, returning east to Tarr Station, Westmore- land county, Pennsylvania, where he was coal mining for three years, rising by promotion to the position of "fire boss." He then en- tered the employ of the W. J. Rainey Coal and Coke Company as fire boss at their Paul mine; then for six months was mine foreman at the Mutual mine; later held the same posi- tion at the Paul mine at Vanderbilt. He next was in the employ of the Cochran Company at Juniata, continuing until September 1, 1905, when he was appointed mine foreman at Moyer, a position he now most capably fills.
Mr. Davidson fitted himself for the posi- tion of mine foreman through a course of study with the International Correspondence School, a technical knowledge that combined with his practical mining experiences thor- onghly equips him for so important a posi- tion. He has a farm of nearly one hundred acres located in Virginia, which he rents, and has accumulated other property. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Connellsville, of which his wife is also a member. He holds advanced progressive po- litical views, classing as a Social Democrat.
He married, in 1881, in England, Dorothy Stoker, who died in Denver, Colorado. He married (second) July 23, 1892, Fre- donia Flescher, born in West Virginia. Children of first marriage: 1. Henrietta, married John Hipson, and lives in South Shields, England. 2. Fred, a chauffeur, mar- ried Rose Herbert and resides at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Children of second marriage. 3. Curtis, born April 6, 1893, died aged five years. 4. Pearl, born December 25, 1894. 5. Beatrice, December 13. 1897, died December 25. 1897. 6. Lily, born April 16, 1900, died February, 1904. 7. Adrian, born March 2, 1903. 8. Paul, December 15, 1905. 9. Louis, August 12, 1909. 10. Eleanor Frances, April 17, 1912.
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The family home is on East End avenue, Connellsville, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Da- vidson erected a residence in 191I.
NORTON This family migrated to Con- nellsville as early, probably, as the year 1799-certainly prior to 1812-when Lester Leroy Norton, his brother, Daniel S. Norton, and their mother, together with an uncle, came here from Newtown, Connecticut, and began the manufacture of cotton, erecting and operating a four-story stone cotton mill on Baldwin's, or Connell run. This location was the prop- erty of Abram Baldwin, another of the an- cestors of the present family, who was a na- tive of New England, and came to Connells- ville in or about 1806; he was a prominent man in church, politics and business; manufac- tured the first carding machines ever made in this section of the country. His shop was on Baldwin's run, immediately south of the old burial ground, and his millpond was a famous fishing and skating place for the boys of Connellsville. In 1816 Daniel S. Norton left the rest of his family and removed to Ohio.
Lester L. Norton remained in Connells- ville, becoming a prominent manufacturer and the leading man in the town, adjusting matters of importance to the community and arbitrating the affairs of his friends and neighbors. Several years after the erection of the first mill Mr. Norton erected and oper- ated a little further down the stream a fac- tory for the carding, spinning and fulling of wool only, the motive power being water.
With keen business foresight he soon per- ceived that the making of iron was destined to become one of the leading industries of Western Pennsylvania, so he converted his mill into a foundry, having a cupola large enough to melt three tons of iron ore a day. The blast was produced by connecting the crank from the water wheel to an overhead beam, which in turn worked a piston in an air-tight box or bellows. This system, which Mr. Norton worked out for himself, is identi- cally the same as that employed on a vastly more extensive scale by the million dollar blowing engines of the Homestead furnaces. Mr. Norton also became one of the original coke producers of this place, making, in fact, the first coke ever taken out of Connellsville.
He engaged a Mr. Nichols, from Durham, England, where coke for gas had been made in beehive ovens and pits in the ground, to come over and take charge of the foundry. An oven twelve feet square was designed by Mr. Nichols and built by John Taylor, a mason; and here at Norton's foundry, in the year 1833, the first coke ever made in the Connellsville region was produced, and, in fact, the first successful coke in America. Others soon began to buy from Mr. Norton, who had associated his son Philo with him in the business, and a flourishing industry was established; ricks were made in the ground to produce the coke, which was shipped in boats down the Youghiogheny river. This business has later passed into the ownership of the Davidson interest, having gained for its founder eminence as a citizen and manufacturer.
Mr. Norton was one of the best educated men of his time. Born at Newtown, Con- necticut, in 1791 or 1797, his education was completed at Washington and Jefferson Col- lege, where he became an excellent scholar in Latin and Greek. At the age of seventy- five years his faculties were so well preserved that he was still able to read from the Bible in the original Greek. He was one of the pillars of the Christian church at Connells- ville, which he assisted Alexander Campbell in founding, and his house was considered Mr. Campbell's headquarters in that vicinity. The old house, which was built in 1829, is still occupied by Mr. Norton's descendants. A leading man in every walk in life, upright, progressive and intellectual, he lived to a ripe old age, dying at the age of eighty years. His wife was a Miss Harriet Gibbs, born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1798, and dying February 1, 1869, at the age of seventy years and seven months; she was the daughter of Thomas and Harriet (Baldwin) Gibbs, Harriet (Baldwin) Gibbs having been the daughter of Abram and Sarah Baldwin. This is the Abram Baldwin referred to previously as the owner of Bald- win's run, upon which place Mr. Philo Nor- ton, father of Lester L. Norton, erected the first carding machine west of the Alleghany mountains, being associated with Mr. Baldwin. He was a New Englander, coming to Con- nelisville in about the year 1806, and acquiring prominence in the community as a churchman,
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politician and business man; he died October 7, 1832, in his seventy-third year. His wife Sarah died September 24, 1836, in her seventy- fith year. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Le- roy Norton: 1. Philo, born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1823 (see further mention). 2. Abraham B., died April 16, 1854, aged nineteen years three months. 3. Lester L. Jr., died June 6, 1855, aged seven- teen years seven months. 4. Harriet G., died October 1, 1855, aged fifteen years five months. 5. Margaret C., died October 28, 1850, aged twenty-five years eight months. 6. Dorcas C., died March 20, 1850, aged one year two months. 7. David C., died January. 8, 1834, aged one year eight months. 8. D. Baldwin, died July 27, 1822, aged one year. 9. Anna B., died January 7, 1834, aged two years nine months. 10. Olivia, died Decem- ber 29, 1833, aged two months. 11. Le Roi, born March 25. 1827, died October 31, 1892.
(II) Philo Norton, son of Lester Leroy and Harriet (Gibbs) Norton, was born in Connellsville, March 26, 1823. His father, not being content with the methods of teaching which prevailed in the place at that time, con- ducted his education personally and made of the sori as fine a scholar as the father himself had been. Philo became well versed in math- ematics, science and foreign languages, and was especially skilled in the classics, being able even when at the advanced age of eighty years to translate Horace and Virgil with ease. Upon attaining his majority he turned his attention to surveying, and became a civil engineer. «As in his carlier studies, he had made a specialty of the geology of his native country, he became convinced of the great value of the coal and iron deposits of West- ern Pennsylvania, and interested himself in coal, steel and mining industries in connec- tion with Daniel Davidson, J. M. Faber and Jamies Maskimans, at Connellsville. Later he sold out his interests here and removed to Brownsville, in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, also opening a coal mine at Bridge- port. His thorough knowledge of geology stood him in good stead, assuring him of the vast fields of coal deposit then unknown to the general public, whose use of this com- modity was then very much less extensive than it is at present. With keen, business in- tuition he secured an option on all the coal lands of the Monongahela valley, now worth
billions of dollars, and proposed to float a company for their development; in his pros- pectus he prophesied the subsequent wealth of this coal region, stating how iron ore could be brought here cheaply and smelted. All of this has since proved true. He was associated in his business enterprises with a number of other persons, one of whom, Jay Cook, failed in his dealings and brought disaster upon all of the others, causing them to lose all of their possessions. This has indeed often been the misfortune of the pioneer developers of any great product, who clear the field and do the hard work, meeting with many setbacks, only that their successors reap the harvest. The hard luck and disappointment, however, seemed to break Mr. Norton's spirit; he re- moved to North Carolina, where he remained until his death. He was far from being in- active here, however; recognized by all of the principal geological societies as being one of the highest authorities in mineralogy, he busied himself in making a collection for the New Orleans Exposition of all the different minerals of the state of North Carolina, mak- ing a personal tour of the country for that purpose; he was highly successful in this, showing that North Carolina possessed a greater variety of mineral products than any other state in the Union, and received un- stinted praise for his excellent work. He was urged to make a similar collection for the Boston Museum, but owing to his advanced age was compelled to decline. Throughout his entire life he manifested a strong interest in education and public matters, serving as a director on the school board and being in his political convictions a member of the Demo- cratic party. He lived to the age of eighty- six years, dying in the year 1908. His wife was a Miss Martha Herbert, who was born in Connellsville, then called New Haven, on June 2, 1824. She was the daughter of Jo- seph and Barbara (Shallenberger) Herbert, and the granddaughter of John Herbert, all of whom came to Connellsville in the year 1799, being some of the earliest settlers; they were of English descent, coming from Eliza- bethtown, New Jersey. Joseph Herbert was a shoemaker by trade, becoming postmaster of Connellsville, in which capacity he served for over thirty years. His dwelling house stood on the present site of the First Na- tional Bank Building. Mr. and Mrs. Philo
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