USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 65
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This is a German name, which
BYERS was found in Pennsylvania as early as 1740. The present fam- ily, however, is of later American origin.
(I) Charles Byers, the founder of this fam- ily, was born in Germany, died in Paint town- ship, Clarion county, Pennsylvania. Having come to Philadelphia while he was young, he married, and settled in Center county, Pennsylvania, from which he afterward re- moved to Clarion county. He married Mary Glayhop, born in Germany, died in Paint township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania. She also had come to America in her early life. Children : Bastian; Anthony, of whom fur- ther : John, deceased ; Margaret, deceased.
(II) Anthony, son of Charles and Mary (Glayhop) Byers, was born in Clarion county,
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Pennsylvania, in 1852, died in Paint township, December 31, 1876. His schooling was re- ceived in Clarion county. He was a pumper in the oil regions, and farmed on the home- stead, where he died. He was a Democrat. Both he and his wife were communicants of the Catholic church. He married Sarah Cath- arine, born March 28, 1856, daughter of James and Jane (McMaster) Coulter. Both her parents were born in Pennsylvania, and they were early settlers in Clarion county, where both died, her father at New Bethlehem, her mother near Corsica, in Clarion township. Children of James and Jane (McMaster) Coulter: John; Elizabeth, deceased; Sarah Catharine, married Anthony Byers ; Ella, de- ceased ; James. Child of Anthony and Sarah Catharine (Coulter) Byers, Charles Henry, of whom further.
(III) Charles Henry, son of Anthony and Sarah Catharine (Coulter) Byers, was born in Clarion, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1873. The place is now the corner of South and Fifth avenues, and was owned by Mr. Slick, but is now the property of Michael Henry. Charles Henry Byers was brought up on a farnı, re- ceived a common school education and also attended Clarion Academy. At first he was a woodsman and saw mill man. On June 6, 1908, he graduated from the Veterinary Sci- ence Association's College, at London, On- tario, Canada, with the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Surgery. On September 1, 1908, he bought a farm in Monroe township, Clar- ion county, of one hundred and six acres ; this he still owns and on it he built in 1909 a good house. Here he lives as a farmer, and he has a good local practice as a veterinary surgeon. He is a Republican, and a member of the Bap- tist church at Reidsburg, Clarion county. He married, June 15, 1897, Rev. Benjamin F. Delo officiating, Lyda E., born in Paint town- ship, February 27, 1877, daughter of Abraham and Eliza (Wyant) Bish. Her parents were early settlers in this township, and her father died in 1900, her mother in 1899. Children of Charles Henry and Lyda E. (Bish) Byers : Amanda, born August 10, 1898; Grace, Sep- tember 6, 1900; Kenneth, December 19, 1901 ; Emerson, September 4, 1903 ; Villard, October II, 1904: Harold, February 9, 1906; Twila, October 7, 1907, died September 29, 1908; Evelyn, April 20, 1910; Olive, September 28, I91I.
DIXON In surnames not infrequently a diminutive form is used, and this is a frequent cause of the exist- ence of two really equivalent family names. The present name seems to afford an illustra- tion of this, for it is probably equivalent to Richardson. From the thirteenth century there has existed a Scottish border clan of this name, among whose members it is usually spelled Dickson. The present family is per- haps descended from James Dixon, of Scotch descent, who came from the North of Ireland to America about 1735, and settled in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania (as then exist- ing). He had a son John, who was born in Ireland, about 1724, and died in Pennsylvania, in December, 1780. He again had a son John, who served in the revolution, and was appar- ently lost to his father's knowledge, as he made him a bequest, "if he ever returns." Yet he would probably have lived too early to be John Dixon, of whom further.
(I) John Dixon, the first member of this family about whom we have definite informa- tion, died in Clarion county, Pennsylvania. The farm on which he settled is now owned by his grandson, Harry E. Dixon. He married Eliza Layhlin, who died in Clarion county, Pennsylvania. Child, James A., of whom fur- ther.
(II) James A., son of John and Eliza (Layhlin) Dixon, was born on his father's farm, in Piney township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1839. He is a farmer, and was a carpenter by trade. He is a Democrat. His church is the Lutheran. He married Lavina Jane, born in Piney township, May 20, 1845, died October, 1911, daughter of Michael Over. Children : William, Elinor, Effie, Harry E., Anna, Reynolds, Jane, Sarah, Over, Grover, Pearl, deceased.
(III) Harry E., son of James A. and La- vina Jane (Over) Dixon, was born in Piney township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1869. He was brought up on the farm, and received a common school education. His farm is of one hundred acres extent. For a time he lived in Porter township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, but is now living on the ancestral farm. He is a Democrat. At the present time he is township auditor; when he lived in Porter township he held the offices of school director and auditor. He is a member of the Lutheran church. He married, in Feb-
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ruary, 1892, Sarah, born in Monroe township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Adam and Philistin (Delp) Smith. Her pa- ternal grandfather, John Smith, was one of the pioneers of Clarion county, Pennsylvania. Children : Raymond, born October 31, 1894; Mabel, December 28, 1895; Edwin, October 14, 1906; Iona, October 19, 1908.
BOWERSOX Paul Bowersox was born in Eastern Pennsylvania and in an early day came to Clarion county and settled in Porter town- ship on the estate now owned by John L. Hines, whose wife was Mr. Bowersox's daughter. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits there until death called him, in 1877, aged eighty years. His wife bore him nine children, among whom was John, mentioned below.
(II) John, son of Paul Bowersox, was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, and he was twenty-five years of age when he came with his parents to Clarion county, where he was reared and educated. After reaching his legal majority he turned his attention to farming operations and bought a farm of one hundred and twenty-seven acres in Red Bank township. In politics he supported the principles pro- mulgated by the Democratic party, and while he never aspired to public office of any description he was a loyal and public-spirited citizen and one who was ever on the alert to forward all matters projected for the good of the general welfare. Religiously he was a devout Luther- an. He married Mary Weckerly, born in Center county, Pennsylvania, daughter of John Weckerly, a pioneer settler in Red Bank township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Bowersox became the parents of seven children, among whom was Thomas Paul, mentioned below. John Bowersox's death occurred in 1906, and his wife passed away in 1909.
(III) Thomas Paul, son of John and Mary (Weckerly) Bowersox, was born in Red Bank township, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 9, 1857. He was educated in the dis- trict schools of his native place, and here has resided during the entire period of his life- time thus far. He is the owner of a finely improved estate of one hundred acres, eligibly located eight miles distant from New Bethle- hem. He has gained great repute as a breeder
of Black Percheron and Canadian horses and he likewise breeds Guernsey cattle and Berk- shire hogs. He manifests a deep and sincere interest in community affairs, and in politics is a stalwart Democrat. In 1886 Mr. Bower- sox married Susan, daughter of Daniel Stahl- man, and a native of Clarion county, Pennsyl- vania. Mr. and Mrs. Bowersox are the par- ents of six children : 1. Arthur W., associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm. 2. Gertie Belle, wife of George G. Weeter, a farmer in Monroe town- ship, Clarion county, Pennsylvania. 3. Henry C., at home. 4. Blaine McKinley, at home. 5. Margaret R., at home. 6. Walter Ray, at home. Mrs. Bowersox is a. devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church and in the faith of that denomination is rearing her chil- dren. The Bowersox home is one of great comfort and cheerfulness and it is widely re- nowned for most generous hospitality.
WALKER The Walker family in War- ren, Pennsylvania. is descend- ed from old England stock, there having been several immigrants of this name coming from Great Britain to the new world during the early colonial period. Their descendants are scattered throughout the New England states and the middle states, and the name has been conspicuous in the history of the country both in colonial and later times. The name of Captain Richard Walker, immi- grant ancestor of one of the most prominent branches of the family in America, is found on the records of Lynn, Massachusetts, as early as 1630, when he was ensign of the local military company. There is no doubt that he was of English descent. He was made a freeman in 1634, and his burial at Lynn is re- corded in 1687. His descendants are to be found throughout New England, principally in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. One of the most noted was the Rev. Timothy Walker, who became the first settled pastor of Pennacook, later known as Rumford, now Concord, New Hampshire. He was graduated from Harvard in 1725, and appointed to the pastorate of Concord some years later. His influence was a powerful one because of his ability and learning and his solicitude for the temporal and spiritual welfare of his flock. His son, Colonel Timothy Walker, was active during the revolutionary war and earned dis-
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tinction in that struggle. From that time until the present the members of this line have ever been patriotic and eminent citizens.
Another immigrant from Great Britain of this name was Andrew Walker who, with wife and two sons, came from Londonderry, Ire- land, in 1714, and settled at Billerica, Massa- chusetts. He was a descendant of the Rev. George Walker, rector of the parish of Don- oughmore, aud was one of the leaders of the besieged inhabitants of Londonderry in 1689. A man of great force of character, his de- scendants have been characterized by the same energy and strength of intellect. Another branch of the family was established in Provi- dence, Rhode Island, in 1700, by Archibald Walker, who came from Scotland. His de- scendants are also to be found throughout New England, mainly in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, though some have migrated as far west as California. Others of this name have come to America at various periods, have prospered and multi- plied, and filled posts of eminence and respon- sibility in the history of the country within the last two centuries.
(I) John Walker, the immediate progenitor of the Pennsylvania family, was probably a native of Vermont, removing to Delaware county, New York, where he died at Hamblet- ville, about 1866, being then eighty-one years of age. He located on a farm of eighty acres on Cold Spring creek, about one mile from the Delaware river, and was also engaged in the lumber business. A devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, he was an ardent worker in its behalf and was especially inter- ested in the work of the Sunday school be- cause of his love for children. He was a man of generous build and of most amiable disposition. In public life he was an old line Whig, and was an able and enthusiastic poli- tician. He married Betsey Styles, of Scotch descent and of an old Massachusetts family, and who died at the age of eighty-six years. Her father was in active service during the revolution. Children : Fayette, died at the age of eighty-one; Aaron Styles (see forward) ; Eunice, Betsey, Darius, Phoebe, Katherine, Esther, Leonard, a daughter, who died young.
(II) Aaron Styles, son of John and Betsey (Styles) Walker, was born on the old home- stead in Delaware county, New York, in 1820. Early in life he was a farmer, but later became a successful stone mason. He became em-
ployed by the Erie Railroad Company, doing contract work for them, and about 1853 re- moved to Jamestown, New York, where he made contracts in his line of business for the construction of the Atlantic & Great Western railroad, which today is one of the main Erie lines. At the end of five years he returned to his old home and engaged in the wood busi- ness. At this time all locomotives used wood as fuel, and Mr. Walker furnished a large amount of wood for the Erie railroad, in the doing of which he cleared a large tract of land. In 1867 he came to Sheffield, Warren county, Pennsylvania, worked at his former trade, and built the stone work for the erection of the Horton & Crary tannery. For some time he resided at Stoneham, then removed to War- ren, where he resumed his contract work. He took part in the Interstate or anti-rate war, and was a Democrat in politics, although never active in political affairs. He was reared in the Methodist Episcopal church, and died about 1895. Mr. Walker married (first) Elizabeth Hamblet, born in Delaware county, New York, daughter of Daniel and Phoebe (Underwood) Hamblet ; she died at the age of thirty-five years, and was buried in Hamblet- ville. Mr. Walker married (second) Betsey Lee, of Chautauqua, New York. Children of first marriage: Orrin Elliott, born 1847, inar- ried Loretta Whittaker, and resides in Topeka, Kansas; Stella Ophelia, deceased, married George W. Cogswell; Silas Ellsworth (see forward) ; Mary Ellen, married (first) Henry Palmer, and has a son, George C., (second) John A. Bell; Edward, a sketch of whom appears in this work. Child of second marriage : Elisha D., who is married and has two children : Wallace and Guy I.
(III) Silas Ellsworth, son of Aaron Styles and Elizabeth (Hamblet) Walker, was born May II, 1851. Until the age of sixteen years he lived on the home farm, then came to War- ren county and learned the trade of a plas- terer and stone mason at Stoneham. He was thus engaged until 1876, when the oil excite- ment arose and he entered into the oil busi- ness, in which he was engaged for one and a half years, then, after one year spent in Brad- ford, he left there and entered into the meat business in association with George W. Cogs- well. In 1880 he sold his interest in this enter- prise and engaged in a contracting oil business in Clarendon. He was elected constable in the borough of Warren in 1883, and served in
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1884-85-86. In the latter year he resigned from office and was appointed deputy revenue collector for Warren, Elk, Cameron and Mc- Kean counties, and served under the first ad- ministration of Grover Cleveland. He was recommended by Congressman W. L. Scott. and was appointed under three different col- lectors. He served three years and ten months as collector of internal revenue. He again engaged in the oil business, in Cherry Grove, and then returned to the contract plastering business.
Mr. Walker commenced the publication of The Democrat in 1893, published it until 1900, then sold it to the Sibley Democrats, and Au- gust 13, 1900, commenced the publication of The Times, which is today the leading publica- tion of its kind in the entire state, and occu- pies its own building, a fine brick structure. The paper was started by a stock company with $3,000, but has assumed dimensions of considerable magnitude, both as to value and influence. Mr. Walker has purchased and owns the entire stock of the plant, which is equipped with all modern and up-to-date facil- ities for the getting out of a daily paper. It is also published weekly. They produce a seven- column paper and use a Goss semi-rotary and linotype machine. It has a circulation of be- tween thirty-five and thirty-six hundred. Mr. Walker built up this paper against strong op- position and deserves much credit for the en- terprise and perseverance he has shown in this undertaking. The sheet is newsy and fearless, yet at the same time fair. He is a member of North Star Lodge No. 241, F. and A. M .; Occidental Chapter No. 235, R. A. M .; War- ren Commandery No. 63, K. T .; Zem Zem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; and the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks.
Mr. Walker married, August 29, 1878, Cin- derella Jane Dalrymple, born in Conewango township, Warren county, Pennsylvania, April 6, 1853 (see Dalrymple V). She was educated at the public schools and at Chamberlin In- stitute, Randolph, New York, and after grad- uation taught for several terms in Warren county. Since her marriage she has become one of the most prominent and influential women in this section of the state. She is active in every movement for the advancement of the interests of the county and the preser- vation of the old traditions. She is a member of Tidioute Chapter, Daughters of the Revo- lution, in which body she has served as vice-
regent, and was one of the prime movers in the organization of General Joseph Warren Chapter, being a charter member. She was elected regent in this chapter. an office she is still holding. She was also one of the prime movers in the erection of the monument to the memory of the revolutionary soldiers, and to General Joseph Warren, and was chairman of the monument committee, and carried to completion the beautiful memorial. The funds were liberally contributed by the citizens of Tidioute and Warren and the country in gen- eral. Mrs. Walker is now taking an active part in raising the necessary amount to erect a fountain and beautify the park on the river front. She is a member of the Presby- terian church and of the Blue Stocking Club. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have children : Richard Orrin, born November 1, 1879, is associated with his father as a member of the editorial staff of The Times; Ross Aaron, also a mem- ber of the editorial staff of The Times, was born July 24, 1882, and married Nellie Walsh ; William Allen, born August 29, 1885; Sarah Eleanor, born February 4. 1892, is a member of the Daughters of the Revolution.
(The Dalrymple Line).
This is one of the oldest and most famous of the historic families of Scotland, the name being prominent in the civil and military affairs of the country for many centuries. Among the most noted members of the fam- ily in the old country was James Dalrymple, first Viscount Stair, who was an eminent statesman and jurist. He was born in Ayr- shire, Scotland, 1619, son of James Dalrym- ple, of Stair, and became the ancestor of many distinguished men. He was appointed judge of the court of sessions under Cromwell, hav- ing previously held the chair of philosophy in the University of Glasgow. He published authoritative works on Scottish law and, being exiled in Holland on account of his refusal to take the test oath in 1681, returned with the Prince of Orange in 1688 and was raised to the peerage as Viscount Stair. His son John became the first Earl of Stair, and was made secretary of state, incurring great odium by his complicity in the massacre of Glencoe, of which he was considered the chief author. His son John was known as the great General Dalrymple. He served as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Marlborough in Flanders, succeeded to his father's title as Earl of Stair, and later
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became commander-in-chief of the forces of Great Britain. He died without issue in 1747.
John Dalrymple, F. R. S., was a celebrated London surgeon and oculist, an authority in natural history, and died in 1852. Sir John Dalrymple, of Cranston, of an earlier period, was a famous Scottish lawyer and author, who died at the commencement of the last century. Alexander Dalrymple, an eminent Scottish hydrographer, of the same period, served in the East India Company and pub- lished charts of the sea. David Dalrymple, a celebrated writer and historian, whose title was Lord Hailes, published, 1779, "The An nals of Scotland," a work which Dr. Johnson highly commended. Members of this family have been eminent in many walks and have left their influence upon every branch of public life in the country which gave them birth.
(I) Andrew Dalrymple, the first of the family to come to America, was born near Drummerchut, Scotland, 1684, emigrated to Ireland, then to America, settling in Worces- ter county, Massachusetts. Children : John, Andrew, David (see forward), Sarah, Bar- bara, Polly.
(II) David, son of Andrew Dalrymple, was born at Belfast, Ireland, 1709. He emi- grated with his parents to America in 1713, became a farmer in Worcester county, and died in 1807. He married Susannah Ellison, of Scotch descent, and his four eldest sons served in the revolutionary war. Children: William, born in Massachusetts, June 4, 1751 ; John Shepard, born in Massachusetts, Septem- ber 15, 1753; Susannah, born September 27, 1754; Andrew, born in Massachusetts, Sep- tember 10, 1756; Dorothy, born in Pennsyl- vania, May 25, 1759; David (see forward) ; Hannah, born January 10, 1764; Mark, born at Silver Creek, New York, December 29, 1769; Hercules, born at Silver Creek, October 3. 1771; Luke, born at Stockton, New York, June 6, 1773.
(III) David (2), son of David (I) and Su- sannah (Ellison) Dalrymple, was born in Pennsylvania, March 12, 1762. He was a sol- dier in the revolutionary war. He married Mary Corning : children : Hark, Mark, Luke, John, Barbara, Prudie, Annie. David Dalrym- ple married ( second ) Polly Richardson Fair- banks; children : William, Lydia, Ephraim, Corning (see forward).
(IV) Corning, son of David (2) Dalrym- ple, was born in Vermont. He came to Penn- sylvania and settled at Yankeebush, in War- ren county, purchasing a tract of land which he cleared and on which he resided until his death at the age of seventy-nine. He was married probably a little after 1820, to Polly Goodenough. Children: Truman, Alvina, Clorinda J., Richard William (see forward), Orrin, Lodema, Lavina, Austin (died young), and Austin.
(V) Richard William, son of Corning and Polly (Goodenough) Dalrymple, was born March 12, 1831, and died in 1876. He was reared on the farm, receiving such education as the schools of the day afforded. When thirty years of age he ventured into the oil business and built the first refinery in the War- ren oil fields. Previously he had been engaged in the merchant tailoring business at Pithole, Venango county, which he sold out. After some time devoted to oil refining and boating it down the river, he disposed of his interests and entered upon the tobacco trade, having a store, and commenced speculating in oil. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Methodist Episcopal church.
He married, June, 1852, Sarah Jane Kitchen, born in Scotland, January I, 1834, daughter of Alexander and Margaret (Mc- Lean) Kitchen, the name being a well known one in Scotland, where Alexander was a dis- tinguished civil engineer and a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. One of his brothers was the Rev. James Kitchen, rector of a parish in London, England, and another is John Kitchen, a skilled iron worker. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Kitchen emigrated to America, bringing with her several of her children, and uniting by letter with the Pres- byterian church in this country. Two of her sons became residents of Warren county, and the family is well represented in the present generation by several of the county's most esteemed citizens. Among the children of Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen were: Alexander, Margaret, James, John, Charles, William, Robert, and Sarah Jane, who married Mr. Dalrymple at the age of sixteen years, and died April 28, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Dalrymple had children : Cinderella Jane, mentioned above (see Walker III) ; Eurial E., born July 2, 1855; and Burt L., November 30, 1869.
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(III) Edward Walker, son of
WALKER Aaron Styles (q. v.) and Eliz- abeth (Hamblet) Walker, was born April 21, 1856, at Jamestown, Chautauqua county, New York. He was an infant eleven months old when his mother died; and three months later he was adopted by his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Greeley Hamblet. Mr. Hamblet and his wife, who was Betsey Mills, were second parents to the child, loving and caring for him as if he were their own off- spring, and he grew to maturity under their wise guardianship as if he were indeed their son ; they were father and mother to him in almost every sense of the word. In 1880 they came to Warren where they made their home : and where on April 5, 1891, Mr. Ham- blet died, having been born November 23, 1809, near Montpelier, Vermont. His wife, whom he married on November 21, 1841, was born August 29, 1817, and died November 11, 1912, at the home of her adopted son in Warren.
Mr. Walker's first home with his adopted parents was at Hambletville, in Delaware county, New York ; his primary education was received in the public schools of the village of Tompkins, after which he learned the trade of a shoemaker. He then adopted the vocation of farming, and also became employed in a lumber mill, thus beginning his business career. On April 17, 1874, he married and located on a farm, following agricultural pur- suits for the following three years. On May 24, 1877, he came to Warren, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the oil business, being em- ployed for four years in pumping on oil wells. In the year 1881 he became associated with his brother, S. E. Walker, in a patent medicine business, in connection with which they con- ducted a printing department. In this same printing office one of the daily papers of War- ren today was first issued. In October, 1882, the brothers established the Warren Sunday Mirror, a four-page paper of four columns each ; the venture was successful, and in 1886 the paper became a daily, and continued until April 5, 1895, when it was sold to W. J. Mc- Laren.
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