USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Genealogical and personal history of Fayette county, Pennsylvania > Part 9
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He married Sarah Haught, born in 1811, died in 1904. She was a remarkable woman. Her industry was exceptional and her am- bition corresponded. It is estimated that she wove enough carpet to reach from Union- town to Philadelphia. She was also excellent as a manager. With her other abundant la- bors she raised a family of sixteen children. To her encouragement her husband and chil- dren owe a great part of their achievements. With all, consecrating and elevating all, she was a woman of great piety. Children: I. Naomi, married Benjamin Schaefer, de- ceased; he was engaged in the glass business; his widow lives near Point Marion, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. 2. Mary, married John Steele; he was a farmer; his widow now lives at Uniontown. 3. James Madison, born Au- gust 17, 1840; married, November 10, 1861, Susannah Miller; he lives at Masontown, is an extensive manufacturer of wagons and vehicles and the wealthiest man in his town- ship; a Republican in politics. 4. Abigail, de- ceased, married Absalom Longanecker. 5. Sarah Jane, deceased, married A. J. Lowe. 6. Jacob Denune, married Mary Knight; he lives in Belleview, Pittsburgh, and is engaged in the cooperage business. 7. Absalom, of whom further. Nine others, deceased.
(IV) Absalom (3), son of Denune and Sarah (Haught) Howard, was born at M-son- town, December 29, 1850. He was brought up at Masontown and learned the trade of cooper from his father. For many years he worked for his older brother, James Madison Howard, in his wagon factory at Masontown.
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In 1881 he moved to Smithfield, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he carried on for himself the business of coopering and manufacturing wagons. Later he bought and for many years operated a general store at Smithfield, and he is now living a retired life at that place. He is a Republican and has served as tax collector. The Methodist church claims the allegiance both of himself and of his wife. He married Rebecca Jane, born in Georges township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, near High Horse, June 3, 1852, daughter of Alfred and Mary Core. She is now living at Smithfield. Alfred Core, her father, died in May, 1911, in the eighty-fourth year of his life; his widow is still living at Smithfield, having reached the age of eighty- one years. Both were of Fayette county birth and of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. Core was a prominent farmer in Georges township, from whence he removed to Smithfield, where ine served for twenty-five years as justice of the peace. All his life he was an auctioneer, and through his activity in that occupation knew everybody for forty miles about. Chil- dren of Alfred and Mary Core: Emma, mar- ired James W. Abraham; they live at Smithi- field, and he is a passenger conductor on the Pennsylvania railroad; Rebecca Jane, mar- ried Absalom Howard. Children of Absalom and Rebecca Jane (Core) Howard: 1. Alfred Core, of whom further. 2. Orville McCor- mick, born October 21, 1878, unmarried; about 1898 he came to Uniontown and worked for seven years in the shoe department of Maurice Lynch's store; he then attended the dental department of the University of Pitts- burgh, graduating in 1908, and he became partner of his older brother in dental work in Uniontown; he now has a large practice. He is a member of Fayette Lodge, No. 651, Free and Accepted Masons, Lodge of Per- fection at Uniontown, and of the Consistory in Pittsburgh. He is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. 3. Leroy Downey, born October 19, 1882; he is a physician, hav-
ing graduated in 1906 from Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia with the degree of doctor of medicine, and lives and practices at Fairmont. Marion county. West Virginia; married Pearl Sturgis; child: Martha Re- becca. 4. Lindsey Graham, born February 8, 1889; he is engaged in the insurance business
at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. 5. John Calvin, born August 24, 1891 ; he works at the Union Supply Company's office at Uniontown.
(V) Alfred Core, son of Absalom (3) and Rebecca Jane (Core) Howard, was born at Masontown, August 10, 1876. He grew up at Smithfield, attending the public school there. Coming as a growing boy to Union- town, he worked for seven years in the shoe department of Maurice Lynch's store; two of his brotliers afterward did the same thing, that department having been for twenty years managed by one of the Howard family. He then entered the dental department of the Western University of Pennsylvania, now re- named the University of Pittsburgh, from which he graduated in 1901 and received the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. For one year he practiced at Smithfield. He then opened his office at Uniontown, where he has had from that time a continuous, growing and successfui practice. In 1908 he took into partnership his brother Orville McCormick Howard, and they work under the name of Howard Brothers. Dr. Howard is a member of Fayette Lodge, No. 651, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of the Chapter, Commandery and Lodge of Perfection at Uniontown, and of the Consistory at Pittsburgh; also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Laurel Club of Uniontown. In politics he is a Republican. Dr. and Mrs. Howard are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
He married, November 29, 1910, Estella Frazee, born at Hopwood, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, daughter of James Ross and Martha (Frazee) Barnes. Her father is a lead- ing coal magnate of Uniontown and Hop- wood. Child: James Ross Barnes, born No- vember 25, 1911. The Howard home is at No. 95 East Main street, Uniontown.
BOYD The Boyds came to Fayette coun- ty from the Shenandoah valley of Virginia, the family seat being near Winchester. They were an influential family, and of frequent mention in Virginia records. The founder of the Fayette county family was William Boyd, who moved from the Shenandoah valley to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1784, settling in Bullskin township; there he founded the Boyd family,
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Albert Tarkington Boyd.
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made illustrious by his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons. His farm "Springhill," on "Mount's Creek," consisted of two hundred and forty acres, which was patented to him in June, 1786, by the government, is yet owned in the family. He bore a commission as jus- tice of the peace, dated 1792. He was a man of education, and held high positions in the township. He was a slave owner, and brought with him from Virginia several slaves, and six negro children were registered as having been born to these between 1795 and 1809. He died in 1812 and was buried on the homestead farm. He married and had issue: Thomas, John, Robert, James, William, Jeremiah and a daughter. The eldest son, Thomas, in- herited the homestead, and died in 1855. John died in 1857. Robert, of further men- tion. James died in Tyrone township. Wil- liam moved to Ohio. Jeremiah became a physician.
(II) Robert, son of William Boyd, was born in Bullskin township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he was educated and grew to manhood. After his marriage he set- tled in Menallen township, where he became a prosperous farmer and a leading citizen. He was one of the associate judges of Fayette county, appointed in 1841, serving until 1845. He married and had issue, including a son William.
(III) William (2), son of Judge Robert Boyd, was born in Menallen township, Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, and there received his education and followed the calling of a farmer. He was well-to-do and a man of in- fluence in his town. He was.a Democrat and a man oi correct Christian life. Ile married Jane C. Burgess, and left issue.
(IV) Albert Dariington, son of William (2) and Jane C. (Burgess) Boyd, was born in Me- nallen township, Fayette county, Pennsylva- nia, December 31, 1845. He was educated in the public schools, alternating his winter terms of study with summer work upon the farm. He obtained a good English educa- tion, and when a young man taught several terms in the township schools of Fayette county and one year in Connellsville. He supplemented his public school study with two terms at Morgantown Academy (West Virginia), and while still teaching began the study of law under the able preceptorship of Judge Alphens E. Wilson. He prosecuted his
legal study with all the energy of his nature, and in 1869 passed the required examinations and was admitted to the Fayette county bar. He made rapid progress in his profession after locating at Uniontown, was admitted to all federal and state courts of the district, and commanded the patronage of the best class of clients. His natural oratorical gifts brought him into prominence as a public speaker, which in turn so impressed the rank and file of his party that in 1871 he was chosen the Democratic candidate for district attorney. He was elected by a handsome majority, serv- ing with distinction until 1874. He then re- tired to private practice, and did not again appear prominently in public life, save as chairman of the Democratic county committee until 1898, when he was elected state senator by an overwhelming majority from the dis- trict comprising the counties of Fayette and Greene. Hc ably represented his district in the senate, served on important committees. and as a legislator added to the fame already gained as a lawyer. He continued in active practice until his death. Senator Boyd was learned in the law, and seemingly carried the contents of his valuable law library in his head so ready was he with quotation of precedent in cases of similar import, printed and used as judicial authority. He had a large prac- tice, and was so unselfish that his memory is lovingly cherished by men then young at the bar whom he helped with their first cases. Among the older strong men of the bar he stood without a superior, either in legal at- tainment or in political prominence. He be- gan practice at the age of twenty-four, and in his second year successfully prosecuted a murderer defended by the ablest Uniontown lawyers. For many years he was engaged in nearly every noted criminal case in Fayette county, either for the prosecution or for the defense. He gradually withdrew from crim- inal practice and devoted his talents to civil law, securing even higher position in that branch of his profession than as a criminal lawyer. He was essentially the lawyer, his political offices coming to him as a tribute from his fellow citizens, and not as the re- wards of a self-seeking politician. He was very popular and had a host of loyal friends, to whom he also was most devoted. He was a good citizen, always interested and help- ful in all public improvement and a willing
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worker for the public good. His estate, "Locust Hill," in the east end of Uniontown, was purchased shortly after his marriage, and there he spent his happiest hours.
He married, September 21, 1872, Annie Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Patterson, of Uniontown, who survives him, a well-known lady of Uniontown. ( See Patterson IV.) She was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, edu- cated in Uniontown schools, now a member of the Presbyterian church and allied societies. Children, all born in Uniontown: I. Edward Wilson, a well-known lawyer, associated with his father until the death of the latter. 2. Samuel Patterson. an attorney, associated with his father and brother in legal practice until the latter's death. 3. Albert Darlington, a civil engineer, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. 4. Wallace Burgess, a civil engineer, now of Oklahoma. 5. Mary Elizabeth, wife of Charles S. Bowman; one child, Charles S., Jr.
(The Patterson Line.)
There is atradition in the Patterson family that they have been in Ireland since the planting of Ulster, and ever since that time inhabitants of Manor Cunningham; that their crest was a boar's head; very likely there was more than that, but that is the only part handed down in their family.
It is a matter of history that a Patterson, Robert or James, was one of a company of gentlemen that came over from Scotland at the invitation of Charles the First, in the year of 1613. Each of these gentlemen was assigned lands, and Patterson was given land afterward called Manor Fort Cunningham. This historical fact agrees with the tradition in the family of Robert Patterson's ancestors. Another Patterson came over in 1614 and settled on another quarter called Mone- gragam, but not far from Robert, hence it is to be presumed that they were brothers.
(I) The first ancestor whose name we have was James Patterson, who married Matilda Bredin, or Breading, or more likely Braddon (the same as the novelist). Mr. Drummond Grant, an authority, writes that Braddon is more likely to be the proper spelling of the name and the others are corruptions. The children of James and Matilda (Braddon) Patterson that we know of were James, Sam- uel and William. There may have been others.
(II) Of these James, the eldest, inherited Drumonghil, the home. He married Mar- garet MacIvaine. Of her family nothing pos- itive is known except that she was the daugh- ter of John Maclvaine, for whom their eldest son was named. James Patterson, of Drum- onghil, was always called Esquire, or Squire. It was not a title, but was applied by the people to large wealthy farmers. My in- formant says that it was not only because of his wealth, but of his superior education, re- finement and manner of dress. He had three sons and one daughter, Matilda, or Matty, who married a farmer named McMonigal and later came to the United States, where they were last heard from in New Orleans.
John, the eldest son, inherited Drumonghil. He married a widow named Elizabeth (Betty) Rankin, who had one child, a daughter. He had no children of his own, and it is said was not happy, having married a woman consid- erably older than himself. He sold Drumon- ghil and went to Sydney, Australia, in com- pany with a friend named John Moore, who later returned to Manor Cunningham after making considerable money, and married. John Patterson's wife was to have gone to Sydney later on, but for some reason never went, and his family never knew what be- came of him eventually.
Henry (Harry), the second son, went into the navy, and by his ability won a lieutenancy which he later resigned. He married a widow named Sarah Wallace. After his marriage he lived and died at Doorable, having no chil- dren. His widow inherited all of his property.
(III) James, the third son, married Sophia Stewart, daughter of Alexander and Mary (Calhoun) Stewart, and had born to them nine children, five sons and four daughters, two of the latter, Sarah and Matilda Anne, dying quite young. The eldest daughter, Margaret, married Jeremiah Ralston, and Mary, the youngest living, married John Fritz, both of Philadelphia; neither had any children. Of the sons James, the eldest, with a cousin, Alexander Stewart, came to Phila- delphia the year following his father's death with Captain Foster, and through Captain Foster's influence secured a position to build a section of the Erie canal west of Harris- burg. James never married and died in Phil- adelphia. Alexander, the second son, was in the Mexican war; he never returned to Phil-
Robert Patterson
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adelphia, and the last heard from him was a letter written home after the war, but giving no information as to his intentions for the future. Samuel, the third, and William, the fourth, sons, owned and sailed a schooner between Philadelphia and the West Indies with which they brought fruit, etc., etc., to the Philadelphia markets. . Samuel was mar- ried, but had no family; William was married and left two sons, of whom nothing is known. Samuel and William both died in Philadel- phia. Robert, the fifth son, came to the then west, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later on to Uniontown. John, the sixth son, married and had three children, two daughters, Mar- garet and Mary, and one son, Henry. John died in Philadelphia of paralysis.
James Patterson, after his marriage to Sophia Stewart, rented a farm called Unity and resided there until after the birth of Rob- ert, the fifth son, when he was appointed pur- veyor, or buyer, for the line of vessels plying between Liverpool and Philadelphia owned by the firm of Foster & McCorkell, Henry Foster, of this firm, being a cousin of Sophia (Stewart) Patterson. The supplies for these vessels included all kinds of live stock, which were driven to Moville and there shipped by tender to the ships.
After his change of business he moved back to a farm at Drumonghil, on which was a corn mill and some tenant houses, where he employed a large number of people to care for his stock and to go with him to the week- ly fairs, as was the custom, to buy supplies to provision the vessels and to drive home such stock as he purchased. He usually car- ried a large amount of money on his person, but he was so well known and so universally liked that there was no danger in his so do- ing. It is related that the footpads, of which there were many in those days, would just say, "Sure 'tis only Shamus O'Pettherson, God bless him!" Then Patterson would give them some drink money and pass on. He did many things that called for presence of mind and bravery, one of which caused the peasantry to make verses about him, calling him the bravest man in the north of Ireland.
During his last buying excursion he was seized with a fever and was brought home by coach unconscious. He never rallied, and died in less than a week. The physician pro- nounced it spotted fever.
His wife, knowing very little about his business, was at a great disadvantage, and it is said was grossly imposed upon. After a hard struggle she concluded to come to Phil- adelphia with her children, bringing with her the children's nurse, Katy McDermott. After their arrival in Philadelphia she was assisted a great deal by her cousin, Henry Foster, in the management of her family. She died of yellow fever contracted in visiting the schooner of Samuel and William at the wharf in Philadelphia.
(IV) Robert Patterson, the fifthi son of James and Sophia (Stewart) Patterson, was born on the farm called Enity, March 4, 1808, at Manor Cunningham. When two and a half years old his father removed to Drumon- ghil, where they resided until his father's death, and later the family removed to Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania. He attended a day school in Manor Cunningham for a while, which was taught by a priest. He then went to school in Raphoe for six months and was later tutored by the Rev. Alexander Rentoul in company with Jack Rentoul (John, later a Presbyterian minister), the minister's son. On coming to Philadelphia work was secured for the older boys in a large white goods manufactory. Robert was put to attending a loom, at which he became very expert, and it has been his boast that he has woven many and many a yard of cloth. On coming west to Pittsburgh he met Lucinda, daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Ethalinde (Robert- son) Winchell, whom he married at her sis- ter's home in Steubenville, in March, 1837. His wife, having lost her parents, made her home with her sister and brother-in-law, Thomas and Maria (Winchell) Frey.
After his marriage Mr. Patterson rented a farm of Squire Boice at Burgettstown, Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania. He was very successful, the business coming to him nat- urally. Their eldest child, Margaret, was born on the farm June 11, 1839. In the autumn of that year there was much talk of the opportunities to make money out in the territory of Iowa. He concluded to see for himself, so he sold off his farming imple- ments, disposed of his crops and went to Dnbi:que, Iowa. Arriving there they were much disappointed to find the town consisted of but few houses set on a low mud flat, the country overrun with roving bands of In-
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dians, with the principal business of the coun- try lead mining. To make the best he could of the situation he opened up a general mer- chandising business in one side of his house, and this business he continued until the fall of 1841. In the meantime his wife and child had contracted malaria and were constantly ill with chills and fever; so tiring of this ven- ture they came back to Steubenville, travel- ing down the Mississippi and up the Ohio river, giving them a long, tiresome trip. They remained in Steubenville for a short time con- sidering an offer made to them by an uncle of his wife, William Robertson, of Stafford Court House, Virginia, who wanted them to come there and take charge of his large busi- ness, which had outgrown his own manage- ment. William Robertson, in addition to his large plantation and many slaves, was oper- ating seven freestone quarries; the product of these quarries was sent by way of Aquia to the Potomac and thence to Alexandria and Washington, where it was used in some of the finest buildings of the two cities. They concluded to go, and found the better way was to go by boat to Parkersburg and across the country by stage and wagon. Mr. Patter- son had gone to secure the tickets for the boat and his wife had left little Margaret in the care of the proprietor's daughter while she attended to some necessary things inci- dent to their journey. When she was hastily summoned she found the little child's clothes on fire. She was terribly burned and died at 6 o'clock that evening. The mother was also badly burned in extinguishing the flames. Their journey was delayed until after the burial of the child, who was laid to rest be- side her grandmother Winchell in the ceme- tery at Steubenville. Journeying to Stafford county, they found their uncle and aunt, who were delighted to have them, and everything went well for a short time. When Mr. Pat- terson suggested some improvement in the work as well as the management of the ne- groes his uncle did not agree with him, pre- ferring the old rather slipshod way. This, of course, led to some hard feeling, and later Mr. Patterson concluded that he could not content himself doing work in that way. In the meantime another daughter was born to them.
Leaving Stafford, they went to Baltimore and, not finding anything to suit him in a
business way, he went on to Philadelphia to visit relatives. After a visit in his old home he concluded that they would try their for- tunes in the far west again. Traveling over the National Road by way of Cumberland, they reached Uniontown and stopped at the hostelry of "Natty" Brownfield. By this time Mrs. Patterson was so tired that she insisted that he get into some business in that town and settle down. On looking about he found that he could buy out the meat market of Samuel Fisher, the agreement being that Fisher was to continue to take charge of it, and this he did until his death. At that time there were few houses that could be rented, so they had to be contented with one on the "Natty" Brownfield farm outside of the town limits, removing from there after six months to the Benjamin Brownfield house on Mor- gantown street, opposite the (old) Baptist church, where they resided for about six years. On March 1, 1849, they moved to the Isaac Wood farm, which they bought, and there lived until the death of Mr. Patterson, which occurred June 14, 1904, at the venera- ble age of ninety-six years and three months. his wife having preceded him eight years, passing away August 14, 1896, at the age of eighty-one years.
Mr. Patterson led a very busy life, and amidst his other pursuits carried on his farm- ing most successfully. He was a strong Re- publican in belief, only once being known to vote the Democratic ticket, and that during the Douglass campaign against the Know- nothings. He had been most carefully trained in his youth in the Presbyterian doc- trines, and although he did not unite with the church until his later years, his life was gov- erned by his early teachings and he brought up his family in the same rigid way and taught them to be strictly truthful and hon- orable. It was said of him that his word was as good as his bond, as many who had busi- ness dealings with him could attest. He was also very charitable, but always in a quiet, unostentatious way, so that only those that knew him well knew of the many kindnesses he performed. He was a great student of the Bible, had a remarkable memory and was also a great reader of current literature, be- ing well posted on all the topics of the day. During the last few years of his life he was very deaf, which was a great trial to him, for
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he dearly loved to discuss the news of the day and was not slow to form opinions, which were shrewd and sound. He was for many years a member of the Scotch-Irish Society.
Robert Patterson and Lucinda, his wife, had six children: I. Margaret, who was burned to death when about two years of age. 2. Sarah Virginia, who remained at home and ministered to her parents until their death. 3. John William, married Elmyra A. Franks; he is a farmer near Martinsburg, West Vir- ginia ; has eight children. 4. Annie Elizabeth, married Albert Darlington Boyd, a promi- nent attorney of Uniontown (see Boyd IV). 5. Robert Ira, married Margaretta Askew; he is a successful business man of Union- town; has four children. 6. Alexander Ham- ilton, married Annie J. McCray; he is also a farmer near Martinsburg, West Virginia; they have had ten children, one of whom has passed away.
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