Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 70

Author: Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: New York, Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 538


USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 70


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Josephine Cecelia, born at Franklin, June 28, 1839; married there, July 19, 1862, Philander Raymond Gray, son of Alanson Gray and Jane R. Tarvin, born January 14, 1837, in Camp- bell county, Kentucky. Mr. Gray enlisted in Company A, 12Ist Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Capt. George E. Ridgeway, going to the front with the army in 1862. After serving as first sergeant of the company he was promoted to second lieutenant for bravery at the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, and complimented in a general regimental order for his conduct in that hard fought battle. In October, 1863, he was appointed to first lieu- tenant ; was detailed as acting quartermaster of the 12Ist Regiment and commissioned in November: in February, 1864, was detailed quartermaster of the brigade, serving as such until the close of the war, when he was hon- orably discharged. In 1865, a few months after his return from the seat of war, he was elected sheriff of Venango county. During his term the Pithole oil excitement had its rise, lawlessness was frightfully prevalent, and the position of sheriff was really the most ardu- ous in the gift of the people. How faithfully the difficult task was performed was familiar to every resident of Oildom. Mr. Gray was one of the pioneer oil refiners, selling his re- finery to accept the superintendency of the Eclipse Lubricating Oil Works, Ltd., and re- mained with this company until January, 1885, when he removed with his large family to Eliz- abeth, New Jersey, and became identified with the Tide Water Oil Company of Bayonne, New Jersey. Up to the time of his removal from Franklin he was very prominent in the politics of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Gray's family is somewhat celebrated for its size, there having been eleven children born to them, all of whom lived to celebrate with their parents their golden wedding on July 19, 1912, at Elizabeth, New Jersey. Children : (aa) Elisha Burritt, born June 25, 1865, in Lewis county, Kentucky; married September 3. 1891, Haidee Reed, born September 21, 1854, in Canada, near Buffalo, daughter of Louis Reed and Emma Maywald, of New Brighton, Staten Island. No children. (bb) Philander Raymond, born December 8, 1866, at Franklin : unmarried. (cc) William Ayres, born May 24, 1868, at Franklin ; married at Elizabeth, New Jersey, January 11, 1893, Mar- garet Byers Morrison, born at Elizabeth, Jan- uary 13, 1873, daughter of James Morrison


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and Caroline Thompson Farnham, of that city. Child: William Ayres, born September 17, 1894, at Elizabeth. (dd) Frederick Charles, born February 12, 1870, at Franklin ; married in New York City, July 6, 1903, Daisy Claire Wallace Huber, born at Harrisburg, Pennsyl- vania, January 5, 1877, daughter of Philip Allen Huber and Katherine Elizabeth Grover, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania. No children. (ee) Fanny Josephine, born at Franklin, Pennsyl- vania, December 17, 1871; unmarried. (ff) Alanson McDowell, born at Franklin, October 24, 1873; married at Elizabeth, New Jersey, June 5, 1907, Caroline Henderson Koues, born in New York City, November 9, 1883, daugh- ter of George Ellsworth Koues and Mary Parmly Toby, of Elizabeth. Children, born at Elizabeth: Alanson McDowell, March 15, 1908; Caroline Koues, August 21, 1909. (gg) John Lathrop, born at Franklin, February 6, 1875, married at Elizabeth, New Jersey, June 3, 1901, Harriet Hamilton Tyng, born May 26, 1879, at South Orange, New Jersey, daughter of Russell Degen Tyng and Harriet Matilda Cornell, of Elizabeth. Children, born at Eliza- beth, New Jersey: John Lathrop, March 20, 1905; Harriet Mathilde, October 21, 1906; Cecelia, September 16, 1909; Penelope Royal, November 28, 1912. (hh) Emily Jane, born at Franklin, February 11, 1877 ; married June 24, 1903, at Elizabeth, Charles Douglas Galloway, born January 15, 1881, at Washington, D. C., son of Lieutenant Charles Douglas Galloway, U. S. N., and Anna Louisa Smith, of Washing- ton. Children : Emily Gray, born July 13, 1905, at Camden, New Jersey, died May 15, 1908; Jane Gray, born May 26, 1909, at Elizabeth. (ii) McDowell, born July 17, 1879, at Frank- lin ; married July 20, 1903, Florence Robbins, born December 6, 1883, at Doylestown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, daughter of William Henry Robbins and Emma Lotte Yost, of Eas- ton, Pennsylvania. Children : Audrey Meda, born January 12, 1905, at Easton; Evelyn Ayres, born November 26, 1912, at Elizabeth. (jj) Thomas Tarvin, born August 29, 1881, at Franklin ; married December 6, 1905, at Phila- delphia, Ella Moray Watson, born March 21, 1880, at Washington, D. C., daughter of Major Malbone Francis Watson, U. S. A., and Mary Byvanc Codwise, of Dayton, Ohio. Child: Ruth Watson, born September 4, 1906, at Elizabeth. (kk) Josephine McDowell, born October 11, 1883, at Franklin ; married in New York City, February 12, 1906, Hamilton


Wainwright Weeks, born June 9, 1880, at Eliz- abeth, son of Edward Francis Weeks and Kate Pond, of Elizabeth. Children, born at Eliza- beth : Hamilton Wainwright, March 18, 1908; Philander Raymond Gray, March 21, 1910; William Tubbs, July 18, 1912, (g) Jane Houston, born August 6, 1841, at Franklin ; married January 27, 1871, at Franklin, James W. Sparks; died at Bayonne, New Jersey, February 23, 1900. Children : William Wylie, born December 6, 1871; Estelle McDowell, born September 22, 1873, died April 27, 1899; Joseph A., born January 12, 1876; Frank Owens, born June 3, 1878, died April 26, 1881; Thomas Ayres, born September II, 1881 ; Margaretta C., born May 28, 1885. (h) Helen Delia, born April 6, 1844; mar- ried R. Z. Newton; died July 30, 1879. (i) Fanny Galbraith, born August 26, 1846; died October 10, 1910, in Washington, D. C., where she held an important and trusted position in the Treasury Department for more than forty years. (j) Thomas Skelly, 2nd, born at Frank- lin, April 6, 1849; he has been chief engineer of Lafayette City Waterworks since 1883. At the age of fourteen years enlisted on June 29, 1863, as private in Captain Charles W. Whistle's Company H, Second Battalion of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving six months; was discharged January 21, 1864, at Pittsburg, at expiration of term of service, and is now a member of John A. Logan Post No. 3, G. A. R., at Lafayette, Indiana. He mar- ried at Dunkirk, New York, July 19, 1865, Jennie Day, born October 2, 1850. Children : (aa) Mary F., born May 24, 1867; married at Lafayette, April 30, 1894, Charles F. Per- rin. Children: Mary I., born June 28, 1895; Genevieve E., September 28, 1899; Paul J., December 22, 1902; John A., July 8, 1904; Charles F., July 15, 1908. (bb) William A., born December 20, 1868. (cc) Jennie E., born March 10, 1870. (dd) Emily E., born Sep- tember 10, 1871 ; married at Lafayette, July 16, 1895, George F. Long. Children: Helen M., born December 3, 1897 ; George, born Oc- tober 7, 1909. (ee) Sarah J., born April 13, 1874; married at Lafayette, July 27, 1898, James E. Duffy. Children : John E., born June 28, 1899; Raymond M., August 16, 1901; Helen E., October 6, 1903; Ruth J., January 31, 1905. (ff) Fanny E., born December 21, 1877; married at Lafayette, September 12, 1906, James Duffy Jr. (gg) Archibald T., born January 10, 1879; married at Lafayette,


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November 24, 1903, Mary Marcus. Children : Archibald, born April 17, 1905; Eugene A., born January 14, 1908. (hh) Frank E., born December 1, 1880; married at Lafayette, Octo- ber 18, 1904, Helen Marcus. Children: Ed- ward F., born January 9, 1906; Robert M., born October 13, 1907. (ii) Thomas Skelly, 3rd, born January 1, 1883; married at Lafay- ette, June 5, 1912, Florence Grady. (jj) Joseph A., born September 14, 1884. (kk) Irene H., born June 14, 1886. (11) Vincent P., born March 20, 1892. 5. Parker, born in 1805; mentioned further. 6. Major Alexan- der McDowell (2d), son of Colonel Alexan- der, served as a county auditor in 1832; was appointed by Governor Ritner, of Pennsyl- vania, in 1836, register, recorder and clerk of the courts of Venango county, and served until 1839, and also held a commission as major of state militia ; born November 23, 1807, died at Franklin, December 8, 1875; married No- vember 3, 1842, Anna Moffett, born in Phila- delphia, August 20, 1821, died at Franklin, June 29, 1889. Children : (a) William Parker, born August 27, 1843 ; married Lydia A. Fry. (b) Sarah Parker, born at Franklin, July 6, 1845, died August 12, 1911 ; married at Frank- lin, September 29, 1864, George B. Fry, born February 18, 1843. Children : (aa) Marcus A., born June 12, 1869; died March 9, 1894. (bb) Amy L., born at Franklin, February 15, 1872 ; married at Jamestown, New York, De- cember 14, 1899, Arthur T. Hjorth. Child : Sarah Josephine, born July 6, 1902. (cc) George B., born at Franklin, July 10, 1878; married at Jamestown, New York, October 7, 1903, Bertha Alice Wampler, born January 4, 1878. Children : Edith Geraldine, born June 17, 1906; Robert Alden, born February 26, 1910. (c) Eleanor Moffett, born at Franklin, March 31, 1847; married June 12, 1883, at Franklin, Thomas Matthews; she died May 7, 1910. Child: James, born April 14, 1884. (d) Thomas Moffett, born at Franklin, December 25, 1848; died August 30, 1907; married at Emlenton, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1882, Jen- nie Jones, born March 28, 1858. Children : (aa) Harry Y., born February 26, 1883. (bb) Alfred B., born January 4, 1885, at Franklin ; married November 18, 1908, Cora Osborn. Child : James Paul, born November 2, 1910. (cc) Roscoe Richard, born at Franklin, June 4, 1887; married August 3, 1909, Elizabeth Nottrott. Children: Robert R., born August 31, 1910; Grace E., born April 15, 1912. (dd)


Emma E., born June 14, 1890. (ee) Anna M., born June 21, 1892. (e) Eliza, born January 31, 1851 ; died August 3, 1898. (f) Hattie C., born May 1, 1853; died October 23, 1880. (g) Alexander H., born at Franklin, February 24, 1855; married (first) at Franklin, October 21, 1881, Ada T. Lane, born February 25, 1857, died May 25, 1892. Married (second) at Grove City, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1895, May C. Cunningham, born June 27, 1870. Children by first marriage: Hazel May, born November 23, 1882, married Albro C. Holmes, June 17, 1903; Grace L., born February 21, 1886, married Fred Martin, December 29, 1908, having one child, Marjory Martin, born August 16, 1912. Children by second mar- riage: Kenneth C., born October 16, 1897; Ralph A., born March 11, 1906; Richard Aigner, born February 4, 1908. (h) Mar- garet J., born April 24,- 1857 ; died December 3, 1909 ; married Joseph A. Weikal. (i) Rob- ert R., born at Franklin, February 28, 1858; married at Wooster, Ohio, December 20, 1892, Mamie Faber, born at Wooster, December 17, 1872. Children: Robert F., born September 23, 1893; Ruth B., May 16, 1896; Dudley A., December 9, 1902. (j) Charles T., born at Franklin, March 22, 1861 ; married at Cran- berry, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1883, Anna Miller. Children: Simon W., born January 25, 1884, married, August 14, 1912, Lydia Jane Harland, born December 5, 1889; Mary P., April 3, 1885, married April 4, 1906, Ar- thur Claton Walter, born February 5, 1877, children : Esther Mary, born August 10, 1907, Guy Lowell, October 8, 1910; Gertrude, June 6, 1888; Wilda S., February 21, 1890; Orrin C., January 11, 1892 ; Glenni S., April 6, 1894; Wilkin T., January 6, 1900; De Wayne, April, 1903. (k) Glenni S., born at Franklin, March 31, 1864, drowned in Conneaut Lake, August 20, 1902; married at Sunville, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1886, Cora C. Richey, who died June 20, 1906. Children: Harold R., born October 10, 1887; Laura S., born April 18, 1889, drowned in Conneaut Lake, August 20, 1902. 7. William, born -; married Elvira McNutt. 8. Mary, born 1813; died March 16, 1821. 9. Sarah, born ; married Alexander S. Hays, and died July 3, 1821.


(IV) Parker McDowell, son of Colonel Alexander and Sarah (Parker) McDowell, was born in 1805 at Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he died August 16, 1860. He was a merchant, and engaged in this and the lumber-


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ing business at or near Titusville, Pennsyl- vania, for a number of years, however, always making his home in the old homestead at Franklin. He married, May 15, 1839, at Titusville, Pennsylvania, Lavinia Titus, daugh- ter of Jonathan and Mary Martin Titus, her father having been the founder of Titus- ville. She was born February 22, 1817, at Titusville, dying May 9, 1893, at Cambridge Springs. Children: 1. Mary E., born May 2, 1840; died August 6, 1911. 2. Sarah Parker, born February 7, 1842 ; married at Titusville, February 20, 1868, James W. Rowland, born April 16, 1838, near Pulaski, Pennsylvania. Children : (a) Harry Willard, born December 25, 1868; married November 21, 1894, Louise C. Grimm, born January 19, 1872. Child : Darthea Louise, born November 27, 1897. (b) Fred James, born July 7, 1870 ; died February I, 1892. 3. Alexander, born March 4, 1845; mentioned further. 4. Jonathan Titus, born September 11, 1846, at Franklin ; married at Marietta, Ohio, June 1, 1870, Anna M. Jen- vey, born at Winchester, England, August 26, 1849, died at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 31, 1912. Child: Josephine, born October 10, 1871: married, October 15, 1895, Dory A. Smith, having one child, Harold McDowell Smith, born January 20, 1897. 5. Parker, born November 8, 1848, at Franklin; married at Sharon, Pennsylvania, June 4, 1879, Martha A. McClain, born November 7, 1857. Chil- dren: William C., born December 21, 1879, married Laura O'Brien, September 6, 1904; Alexander Walter, born August 7, 1883 ; Sarah Rowland, born June 5, 1898. 6. Lavinia, born January 8, 1856, at Franklin ; married there, September 15, 1875, John Patterson, born March 17, 1849, in Mercer county, Pennsyl- vania, died at Franklin, June 7, 1894. Child : Orrin James, born January 4, 1878, married December 20, 1905, Helen Marie Brannon, born in 1880, having one child, James Alex- ander, born December 19, 1906.


(V) Major Alexander (2) McDowell, third son of Parker and Lavinia (Titus) McDowell, was born at Franklin, Pennsylvania, on March 4, 1845, the date of President Polk's inaugura- tion. He received his schooling under William Burgwin, a capable teacher, and at the old acad- emy on Buffalo street ; at the same time learning the printer's trade in the small establishment of the American Citizen, a weekly newspaper of commendable repute in its day. His father's death in 1860 obliging him to quit school in


order to assist in the support of the family, he became a clerk in the general store of the late George W. Brigham, an enterprising mer- chant of early days. Working at his trade in leisure hours fully occupied his time until August 23, 1862, when he responded to the call of his country and enlisted in Company A, of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Serv- ing in this regiment as sergeant and severely wounded at the battle of the Wilderness, in December, 1864, he was brevetted major of the Twenty-first United States Veteran Re- serve Corps, in acknowledgment of his gallant conduct. He continued thus until the close of the civil war when he was honorably dis- charged. He wore his well-won military lionors modestly, sometimes facetiously declar- ing, "Me an' Grant put down the Rebellion."


Retiring from the army in 1865, Major Mc- Dowell became the partner of Nelson B. Smiley, a talented lawyer and journalist, in publishing the Venango Citizen, the Republi- can organ of the county. Mr. Smiley retired in 1867 to attend to his extensive practice, sell- ing his interest to the Major ; who also retired, on January 1, 1869, having decided to engage in other business. He wielded a ready pen, printed a vigorous paper, and would certainly have climbed high had he remained in the pro- fession. With the view of adopting a legal career, he read law for a while; but his change of residence to Mercer county prevented the completion of his studies and his admission to the bar. That he would have excelled in the learned profession, particularly as an effective pleader, all who know the Major's ability and temperament feel assured.


Removing to Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1870, to manage the James Bleakley banking interests, he acquired control in 1872 and built up a strong financial institution. For thirty-five years lie conducted the business under the title of A. McDowell, Banker, and in 1907 reorganized it as The McDowell National Bank, with a capital stock of $150,000, Alexander McDow- ell, president, and Harry B. McDowell, cash- ier. The history of the bank during its long career has been marked by steady progress, unvarying courtesy, and rigid fidelity. Today it ranks among the most substantial and pop- ular in Northwestern Pennsylvania.


Shortly after locating in Sharon, Major Mc- Dowell was elected school director, filling this responsible position acceptably ever since. At


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the organization in 1886, in his adopted city, of the Protected Home Circle, a mutual benevo- lent society, he was elected supreme treas- urer, holding the office uninterruptedly to the satisfaction of his associates and the great advantage of the order. Its marvelous growth to a foremost place in fraternal systems is largely owing to his competent oversight and sound judgment. From the beginning he took an active part in advancing the best interests of Sharon and of Mercer county, giving liberally of his means and personal ef- forts to promote the general welfare. Nor has he forgotten his native heath, where no visitor is more welcome, "especially those boy- hood friends now facing toward life's sunset, who are always delighted to meet and greet one whose genial presence brings a flood of pleasant memories and hearty cheer.


Politically Major McDowell is and has ever been by training, habit, and experience a stal- wart Republican, the kind who puts principle above expediency and despises trimmers and parasites. In 1892 he was elected congress- man-at-large, serving his term with charac- teristic sagacity and zeal. Deprived of the nomination two years before by machine jug- glery, public sentiment placed him on the ticket at the next opportunity and sent him to Wash- ington by an overwhelming majority. Elected clerk of the House of Representatives in 1895, he served continuously until the Democrats gained the ascendancy in 1911, a record per- haps unequalled in national annals. Men of all creeds, classes, and parties have esteemed him for his staunch integrity, his invincible good humor, his oratorical power, and his splendid courage. He has a most charming personality, is generous and broad-minded, and has an exhaustless fund of pat stories. These qualities have all combined to make him a drawing card on the rostrum in many cam- paigns, speaking with telling effect, quoting pertinent passages of scripture, clinching solid arguments with apt illustrations, and rivaling Adam Bede's best and brightest effusions.


Major McDowell is a Presbyterian and a Mason, a member of the G. A. R. Post of Sharon, Pennsylvania, and of the committee appointed by congress to take charge of the ar- rangements for celebrating the fiftieth anni- versary of the battle of Gettysburg, in July, 1913. Although his hair is silvered and he is nearing three score and ten, he stands erect, his eye is keen, his hand clasp has lost none


of its warmth, and the brave spirit retains its youthfulness and vim. He enjoys his comfort- able fortune, helps the poor and distressed, is the soul of the social sphere, and never happier than by his own hospitable fireside. He de- votes some time and thought to a big farm, where he raises fine fruits and bountiful crops. He keeps in touch with current events, is a typical American through and through, at peace with God and with his fellows every- where.


On September 17, 1867, Major McDowell was married at Franklin, Pennsylvania, to Miss Clara Bleakley, who was born at Frank- . lin on April 6, 1847. She is a daughter of Colonel James and Elizabeth (Dubbs) Bleak- ley, and has proved a worthy helpmeet to her distinguished husband. Major and Mrs. Mc- Dowell have had the following children: I. James Parker, born February 19, 1869. 2. Lizzie, born November 15, 1872 ; married Sep- tember 15, 1895, Edward Buchholz, born Sep- tember 25, 1870. Children : Edward McDow- ell, born January 22, 1904, died in infancy ; Clara Elizabeth, born July 22, 1905 ; Mary Mc- Dowell, born September 3, 1907; Harriet Mc- Dowell, born May 31, 1909; Katherine Mc- Dowell, born May 24, 1912. 3. Willis, born February 6, 1875. He is a lieutenant com- mander in the United States navy, stationed at the New Hampshire Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine. On June 14, 1899, he married Grace A. Delamater, born October 29, 1874, and has one child, Percival Eaton, born April 10, 1900. 4. Mary B., born August 22, 1876. 5. Clara, born January 3, 1880; married August 19, 1909, Glenn Carley, born October 23, 1876, having one child, Clara McDowell, born Sep- tember 6, 1912. 6. Harry Bleakley, born April 19, 1882 ; married November 22, 1911, Grace Osborne, born April 6, 1883, and has one child, Mary McDowell, born November 6, 1912.


McKELVEY


The McKelveys of Warren, Pennsylvania, are of Scotch- Irish descent. There is a


tradition that the grandfather of Alexander H. McKelvey came to the United States, but no record of him is known to exist.


(I) George McKelvey, the first of whom we have record, and the founder of this branch of the McKelveys in the United States, was born in county Antrim, Ireland, September 3, 1803, died in Vandalia, Tulare county, Cali- fornia, December 24, 1878, and is there buried.


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.


He was educated in the "boys school" at Bel- fast, Ireland, and after finishing his studies learned the weaver's trade. He followed his trade in both Ireland and Scotland until 1832, then came to the United States, locating at Haverstraw, New York. He was employed in the calico print factory there for a short time, then came to Pennsylvania, settling about 1834 in Freehold township, Warren county. He pur- chased fifty acres from the Holland Land Company, later adding another twenty-five acres. He was a pioneer in the district, his nearest neighbors being a mile distant, both east and west. He built a log cabin and began clearing his farm. He later went to West Greenville, Mercer county, where he worked in the soft coal mines for a time. He then re- turned to his farm which he cleared and culti- vated until 1852, when he succumbed to an attack of "gold fever" and sailed for Cali- fornia via Cape Horn, being one of the first gold-seekers to go from Freehold township. The vessel was five months in reaching San Francisco and unfortunately had touched at Rio Janeiro, Brazil, where yellow fever was epidemic. The disease was contracted by some on board, and Mr. McKelvey was stricken with this usually fatal disease ; careful nursing, however, brought him back to health and he was able to prosecute his search for gold most successfully until 1855, when he returned to Warren county. He again resumed farming, but the charm of the California climate, and the lure of gold, was upon him and he could not content himself with the, to him, monoton- ous life of the farm. In 1865 he bade friends and kinsmen in Warren county a final farewell and again departed for California, taking with him a son, Albert C. He located in Porter- ville, Tulare county, California, where he was engaged in business, retiring prior to his death in 1878. After settling in Porterville he was joined by his entire family except Alex- ander H.


He married, in Ireland, Mary Kernochan, born February II, 1811, died in California, January 19, 1876. Children : 1. John, born in Ireland, August 11, 1831, died February 15, 1896. 2. Isabella, born December 4, 1833, in New York state, died December 21, 1907. 3. Andrew, born July 13, 1835, died December 10, 1839. 4. James, born February 2, 1837, died January 31, 1872 ; was a farmer ; served for three years and eight months during the civil war as a private soldier, enlisting in the


Forty-ninth New York Volunteers, Company K, in 1861 ; he married Helen Margaret Ab- bott, and their daughter, Dell Alberta, married Clyde C. Cooper. 5. George, born November 9, 1838, died September 20, 1871. 6. Alex- ander H., of whom further. 7. Mary Jane, born June 4, 1842; married John Tyler and resides in Porterville, California. 8. Chris- topher William, born April 14, 1844; a veteran of the civil war, served in the navy, also in the One Hundred and Fifty-first Regiment Penn- sylvania Infantry. 9. Albert Crawford, born December 12, 1846, died in California, August 20, 1869. 10. Eliza Victoria, born October 12, 1850, died February 13, 1891 ; married Sweezy Mapes. The family religious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Mc- Kelvey Sr. was first a Whig, later a Repub- lican.


(II) Alexander Hugh, fifth son of George and Mary (Kernochan) McKelvey, was born November 4, 1840. He was educated in the public schools of Warren county, and grew to manhood at the home farm. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in the Union army, serving in Company K, Forty-ninth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, forming a part of the Sixth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, and saw hard service with that hard-fought army. He was wounded near Culpeper Court House in September, 1863, and there taken prisoner by Confederate pickets. He was kept in Libby prison for a short time, then exchanged and taken to the Naval Academy Hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, from there transferred to Annapolis Junction Hospital and later to Fort McHenry, Baltimore, finally in Septem- ber, 1864, was mustered out with an honor- able discharge, after three years spent in the service. After returning to Warren county he spent a short time in recuperating, then entered Syracuse Business College, whence he was graduated in 1866. He entered business life as clerk and bookkeeper in a Warren dry goods store, continuing until 1867. He was next employed as bookkeeper in the First Na- tional Bank of Warren, remaining until Janu- ary 14, 1870, when he was placed in charge of the books of Brown, Struthers & Company. This firm with which the young man was destined to have long and important associa- tion was founded in 1851 by W. F. Kingsbury as a foundry, later Henry W. Brown was ad- mitted a partner and a frame foundry and machine shop was built on the site of the pres-




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