Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 77

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

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civil war; married (first) June 27, 1853, Martha Goodwin, (second) Susannah Dye, November 26, 1884, and had nine children. 4. Sarah McCay, born July 25, 1826, died August, 1905; married Washington P. Cum- mings, April 13, 1853, and had three children. 5. Lieutenant William Wallace, of whom fur- ther. 6. Caroline Howe, born January 4, 1832, at Busti, New York, died January 14, 1832. 7. Jeanette Langdon, born March 16, 1833, at Busti, New York, died October 5, 1833. 8. Mariette, born October 1, 1835, at Busti, died June II, 1836. 9. Mary Ann, born October I, 1835, at Busti, twin of Mariette, died in in- fancy. 10. Clarissa Emaline, born January 18, 1840, at Sugargrove, Pennsylvania, died September 3, 1883; married Enoch Dupree, September 2, 1868, and is said to have had three daughters.

(IX) Lieutenant William Wallace Weld, son of Robert Farrell Weld, was born Febru- ary 23, 1829, at Bath, New York, died July 16, 1903, at Sugargrove, Pennsylvania. He lived on the Weld farm at Sugargrove except for the period of two years, from 1859 to 1861, which he spent in California working at the trade of painter, and the period spent by him as a soldier in the army. He enlisted in Company B, Ninth New York Cavalry, at Sugargrove, September 23, 1861, and was mustered in as second lieutenant, October 3, 1861, and as first lieutenant, January 16, 1863. He was discharged for disability, March 18, 1863, but again re-enlisted in 1864, in the Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry, and was promoted to ordnance sergeant, and served until the close of the war. He was a courageous and progressive man, held in warm estimation by his fellow towns- men, and successful in his ordinary profession of farmer. He married, January 1, 1868, Christine Stewart Falconer, born June 24, 1836, at Elgin, Scotland. Children : 1. Robert James, of whom further. 2. Fred Falconer, born at Sugargrove, September 19, 1871 ; edu- cated at Pennsylvania State College, and is a civil engineer ; resides at Seattle. Washington ; married, June 27, 1901, Eliza R. Busick, and has children: Alice Christina, born January 29, 1903; Theodore Busick, born at Detroit. Michigan, June 18, 1905; Robert James, born in Seattle, Washington, August 27, 1909: Ed- win Stuart, born in Seattle, March 4, 1911. 3. Guy Theodore, born April 25, 1874, at Sugar- grove, died February 27, 1883.

(X) Robert James, son of Lieutenant Will- iam Wallace Weld, was born at Maple Shade farm, Sugargrove, Pennsylvania, October 27, 1868. He was educated in the public schools at Sugargrove, followed by a course in the Luce Business College at Sugargrove Semin- ary, and later completed his studies at the Pennsylvania State College. His business life began with a partnership with his father on the farm. January 1, 1893, he entered the employ of the Pennsylvania State College Experiment Station, as he was familiar with the difficult problems that confront the agriculturist, and remained there until March 1, 1894, when he resigned and returned home. He again re- turned to the Experiment Station during the winters of 1897 and 1898, and added greatly to his scientific knowledge of soils and farm products, and rendered valuable service to the government, especially in the department where feeding experiments were conducted. His knowledge of these subjects, which were of interest and importance to all the farmers of Warren county, was so great that he was induced to enter upon a course of lectures given at the Pennsylvania Farmers' Institute, in 1900. He also went into various parts of Pennsylvania during the next five years to give practical instruction to farmers generally. In 1911 he began a course of work in the Movable Agricultural School, a new method of meeting the most distant farmer on his own ground and teaching him the best way to util- ize his farm and its products. Mr. Weld is still engaged in this profitable line of work, and has won for himself the commendation of every hearer, and the admiration of the whole farming class for his success in practical farm- ing and the application of scientific princi- ples thereto. He helps to foster other busi- ness interests of the community, and is a stockholder and director in the Sugargrove Savings Bank. He is a member of Sugar- grove Grange since its organization, having been the first one to be initiated, and has held the office of master for three consecu- tive terms. He is also connected with Cold Brook Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows.

Mr. Weld married, June 5, 1902, Fanny Wright, born July 14, 1863, in Cincinnati, Ohio, daughter of Dr. Edward B. and Eliza Wright, whose other children are: Laura, Alice, Lucy, Annie. Child of Mr. and Mrs. Weld, Robert Arlo, born December 17, 1905.

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HAGGERTY The members of the Hag- gerty family residing in Sugargrove and vicinity, noted for thrift and enterprise, trace their de- scent to an Irish ancestry who came from their native land, locating first in Canada, from whence they removed to Pennsylvania, where their descendants have resided ever since, hon- ored and respected for their many excellent characteristics. .

(1) Daniel Haggerty, grandfather of Don- ald Hector Haggerty, was a successful farmer, conducting his operations on a farm located in the vicinity of Mercer, Pennsylvania, the probability being that he migrated there from Canada. His brother, George Haggerty, was a resident of Mercer. Daniel Haggerty mar-

ried who bore him at least three children: William Morrison, of whom further ; Sarah and another.

(II) William Morrison, son of Daniel Hag- gerty, was born March 17, 1830. He was reared on his father's farm near the village of Mercer, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and ob- tained a practical education in the common schools adjacent to his home. In young man- hood he removed to Warren county, Pennsyl- vania, locating at Wrightsville, where he was extensively engaged in the lumber business, sending rafts and lumber down the Allegheny river. At first he was associated in partner- ship with Robert Allen, and later for a num- ber of years with Edwin R. Wheelock. They built and operated a saw mill at Sugargrove, which proved a most successful enterprise. About the year 1897 he went west, locating in North Dakota, where he purchased about five thousand acres of land which he devoted to the growing of wheat, from which he derived a goodly profit. In 1899 he returned to Sugar- grove, Pennsylvania, and purchased a farm consisting of one hundred and twenty-five acres from the Clark heirs, on which he made many improvements and on which he resided for the remainder of his days. He was ex- tensively interested in the oil fields of Penn- sylvania, operating in the vicinity of Pleasant- ville and Tidioute, and he also owned and operated oil producing wells in Canada. He was one of the most extensive stockholders in the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank, James- town, owning one-twelfth of the entire stock. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, at Jamestown, and a Republican in politics.

Mr. Haggerty married ( first) Harriet Al- len, who bore him one child, Ina, born 1858, married Watson Dalrymple; children: Mand, Christy, William, Ralph. Mr. Haggerty mar- ried (second) Christy Ann McLean, born February 15, 1846, died November 14, 1902, interred in the cemetery at Sngargrove. Chil- dren : Isabel, born May 20, 1880, and Donald Hector, of whom further. The death of Mr. Haggerty occurred at Tibury, Ontario, Can- ada, thirty miles east of Detroit, September 22, 1906, from the effects of gas asphyxiation He was interested in some oil property at Ti bury and was there overseeing the work; one of his men was cleaning a tank and became overcome with the gas; Mr. Haggerty went to his assistance and met the same fate; both men were found lying on their backs in a few · inches of oil in the tank, the first mentioned being dead and Mr. Haggerty only lived a short time.

(III) Donald Hector, only son of William Morrison and Christy Ann (McLean) Hag- gerty, was born in Sugargrove, Warren county, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1885. He obtained his education in the district schools, the United Brethren Seminary at Sugargrove and Betts Academy, Stamford, Connecticut. For a short period of time after completing his studies he was engaged in the oil section of his native state, but then decided to follow agricultural pursuits. He purchased his father's farm, lo- cated near the village of Sugargrove, consist- ing of one hundred and eighty acres, the orig- inal farm of Green Clark, which he has brought to a high state of perfection, being practical and progressive in his methods, and his farm takes high rank in the community. Mr. Haggerty is actively interested in all that concerns the betterment and advancement of Sugargrove, contributes liberally to all worthy objects, and has won and retained a wide circle of friends. He is a stockholder in the Farm- ers' and Mechanics' Bank of Jamestown. He is a member and trustee in the Sugargrove Presbyterian church, and a member of Still- water Lodge, No. 547, Free and Accepted Ma- sons.

Mr. Haggerty married, June 15, 1905, Minnie Virginia, born June 10, 1884, daugh- ter of Nelson and Minnie Anderson; Mr. Anderson resides in Sugargrove, but was the American emigrant of this branch of the An- derson family, being a native of Denmark. Mr. and Mrs. Haggerty are the parents of two

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children : Helen Virginia, born at Sugargrove, March 14, 1906; Christy McLean, born at Sugargrove, January 16, 1910.

This name is of strictly REISINGER German origin. Charles Reisinger was born in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, December 31, 1798, died at Meadville, Pennsylvania, August 22, 1882. He was the son of Peter and Cath- arine (Heckert) Reisinger, who were natives of York, Pennsylvania. They were married September 3, 1786. Peter Reisinger was born July II, 1766, died April 24, 1852. His father, John Peter Reisinger, and paternal grand- father, Hans Nicklaus, came to America to- gether in the ship "Dragon," reaching Phila- delphia, September 26, 1749. Hans Nicklaus was a widower, and before 1753 he married Eva, widow of Lorentz Schmahl, of York, Pennsylvania, who was born June 10, 1708, in Essenheim, Hessen, Germany (where his ancestors had lived for many generations), and emigrated to America with his family in 1743; he died in 1749. Her maiden name was Eva Ubert. John Peter Reisinger married her daughter, Eva Schmahl. Catharine Heck- ert was born May 10, 1762, died at Beaver, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1831. Both her father, John Jacob, and her grandfather, Franz, were born at New Bamberg, Hessen, Germany, the latter in 1703, and the former April 13, 1730. They came to America in the ship "Harle," ar- riving at Philadelphia, September 1, 1736.

Charles Reisinger married Providence, daughter of Isaiah Roberts, October 7, 1829. She was born at Abingdon, Harford county, Maryland, December 3, 1806, died at Franklin, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1894. Her father was of Welsh and English extraction. Her mother, Elizabeth (Standiford) Roberts, was the daughter of Abraham Standiford, who be- longed to one of the early Maryland families, and Susan Chamberlain, whose father and grandfather were residents of Harford county, but were of the Virginia Chamberlains, whose ancestor, Thomas Chamberlaine, emigrated from Gloucestershire, England, about the year 1670, and located in Henrico, Virginia, where he married Mary, daughter of Major General Abraham Wood, of that county. He sold lands in Henrico county in 1686, and in 1695 was a member of the house of burgesses for Charles City county. In the early records of Virginia and also in the ancient English rec-

ords the name is variously spelled, Chamber- laine, Chamberlayne and Chamberlain. Thomas Chamberlaine, the emigrant, was a great-grandson of Sir Thomas Chamberlaine, of Presbury, Gloucestershire, who was am- bassador to Henry the Eighth, Edward the Sixth, and Queen Elizabeth. He died in the latter end of Elizabeth's reign. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Ludington.

Sir Thomas Chamberlaine, otherwise Tank- ervile, Knight, was a descendant in the tenth generation from John, Count de Tankervile, of Tankervile castle in Normandy, who came into England with King William the Con- queror, but returned again into Normandy. His son, grandson and great-grandson respect- ively, were Lord Chamberlain to Henry the First, Stephen and Henry the Second. The grandson, Richard de Tankervile, assumed the name of Chamberlaine, "and gave for arms, one and four gules, an inescutcheon, argent, in an orle of eight mullets, or; two and three gules, a chevron, between three escallops, or, which his descendants bear at this day." This is one of the very earliest historically authen- ticated instances of the bearing of coat armor in England, as it dates from the year 1174. (See below). William Chamberlain, lord of North Riston, was son of Richard; he had taken prisoner Robert de Bellemont, earl of Millain in Normandy, and earl of Leicester in England, commonly called Blanchmains, who had taken part with young Henry, son of King Henry the Second, against his father ; and for this service the king granted him to quarter the arms of the Earl of Leicester with the arms of Tankervile, in the year 1174.

(Wotton, 1741). The generations from John, Count de Tankervile to Thomas Cham- berlaine, the emigrant are as follows: John, Count de Tankervile; John de Tankervile; Richard Chamberlaine; William Chamber- laine, Lord of North Riston ; Robert Chamber- laine; Sir Richard Chamberlaine; Sir Robert Chamberlaine; Sir John Chamberlaine; Sir Richard Chamberlaine; John Chamberlaine; Thomas Chamberlaine; John Chamberlaine; John Chamberlain; William Chamberlaine; Sir Thomas Chamberlaine ; Edmund Chamber- laine; Edmund Chamberlaine; Thomas Cham- berlaine, the emigrant.

Authorities-Sir Robert Atkyns, "the an- cient and Present State of Gloucestershire," p. 365. Thomas Wotton's "The English Baron- etage," ed. 1741, vol. 2, pp. 374-378. "The

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Visitation of Oxfordshire in 1566 and 1574," publications of the Harleian Society, vol. 5, pp. 235-237.

(II) Roe,* fourth son and sixth child of Charles and Providence ( Roberts) Reisinger, was born October 28, 1842, in Fallstown, Bea- ver county, Pennsylvania. In 1844 his father purchased a large tract of land on Sandy Creek, Venango county, and removed there with his family. For the next six years he followed the business of farming and lumber- ing, and part of the time doing work as a blacksmith, which was his trade. As the op- portunities for educating a family were lim- ited at that time in Venango county, in 1850 he decided to locate in Meadville for the op- portunity it afforded to send his sons to Alle- gheny College. He resided in Meadville, en- gaged in blacksmithing, and later in farming until his death, in 1882. His determination to give his children the best obtainable education never relaxed, and his life was devoted to un- ceasing effort to that end. His oldest son, Napoleon B., graduated in 1855, and the sec- ond, James W. H., in 1856. Charles Standi- ford, the third son, began a college course, but not having a strong desire for a classical edu- cation, went into other pursuits. Roe Reisin- ger, the next in age, inherited the literary taste characteristic of his two oldest brothers, and from childhood had an intense passion for reading. He had no decided talent for math- ematics, his abilities and inclination being toward philosophy, history and poetry. His education up to his seventeenth year was ob- tained in the common schools of Meadville and suburbs, and the Meadville Academy. In 1858 he entered Allegheny College and fol- lowed an interrupted course until 1861. Owing to the breaking out of the rebellion he finally left college, and after spending a year in the oil regions he enlisted for the war, at the same time with his brothers, James W. H. and Charles S. His oldest brother, Napoleon B., had previously joined the Seventeenth Indiana Volunteers. He became broken in health from exposure in army life, and was discharged for disability, dying soon afterward. He had

*A namesake of Joshua Monroe, a noted Metho- dist clergyman of Western Pennsylvanla, distin- guished as a writer for the Christian Advocate. At school and college the name was written J. Monroe, or simply the initials J. M., and in the army, with a single exception, he was borne on the rolls as J. Monroe Reisinger. From childhood he was always familiarly called Roe, and more than forty years ago he adopted that as his formal name, using it ever since.

begun the practice of law in Evansville, In- diana. James W. H. became captain of Com- pany H, One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, and later lieutenant-colonel, Twenty-fifth United States Colored Troops. Charles S. fought with his regiment (the One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania ) in all the battles of the campaign from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor, rising to the rank of captain. He was wounded in the battle of Cold Harbor, causing the amputation of his left leg.

Roe Reisinger enlisted August 20, 1862, and was assigned to Company H, One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania ( Bucktail) Volun- teers. He served with his regiment until dis- abled by wounds received at Gettysburg, July I, 1863. He was a corporal and one of the regimental color-guard up to that time, was afterward promoted to sergeant, to date from that battle; was in hospital from his wounds until October 29, 1864, when he was trans- ferred to Company B, Fourteenth Veteran Re- serve Corps, and served until discharged by expiration of enlistment, June 26, 1865. He was commissioned as an officer of the One Hundred and Fourteenth United States Col- ored Troops, July 26, 1865, and served with that regiment in Texas until April 2, 1867, when he was discharged as a first lieutenant, his regiment being disbanded. The desperate defense which his regiment made in the battle of Gettysburg, at the McPherson stone barn, is recorded in history. Its loss was one-third greater than that at Balaklava. Every field officer fell with severe wounds. The color- bearer was killed and all of the color-guard were killed or wounded. As to Corporal Rei- singer's conduct in that battle, the best evi- dence should be the records of the war depart- ment and of congress, and these are full and explicit. In his official report of the engage- ment, Colonel (later General) Huidekoper, who commanded the regiment, said: "Among the many brave, I would especially commend for coolness and courage, Corporal Roe Rei- singer." In a subsequent letter to the secre- tary of war, General Huidekoper gave the fol- lowing statement of the facts which caused him to make honorable mention of Corporal Reisinger in his official report :

To explain the part taken by Corporal Reisinger in the contest at the McPherson barn, on the Cham- bersburg pike, I would say that the Corporal was one of the color-guard. He was wounded early in the afternoon by a minie ball penetrating his right

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foot, causing later the removal of two bones from his foot, with the result of permanent lameness because of that injury.

Notwithstanding this severe wound, which would have entitled Reisinger to go to the hospital at that time for treatment-as he was urged to do by his comrades-he continued to perform his duty as a soldier until wounded three times, when weakness from injuries and from loss of blood compelled his retirement.

Further details of the fight at the stone barn were given in an address delivered by Major Chamberlin at Gettysburg. He said :

The afternoon had worn on to 2.45 o'clock. The enemy drew nearer and nearer, firing rapidly as he came, but was met by a resistance which time and again staggered him, though it could not shake him off. Greatly superior in numbers and relying upon his supports, he kept urging the attack, only to find the defense as stubborn as his own advance.

If for a moment our line swayed backward a few steps under the enemy's heavier musketry, it promptly advanced again at the word of command, forcing the enemy to recoil in turn.

This state of things could not long continue. By sheer weight our thinned ranks were pushed some rods to the rear, but without panic. To encourage his command, Colonel Huidekoper instructed the color bearer Sergeant Peiffer, of Company I, a man of large stature and boundless courage, to move forward with the colors. This he did without hesi- tation, in the face of a galling fire, and the line moved automatically with him.

The enemy's advance was stayed, but his firing continued with telling effect. Then again for some moments the opposing ranks beat backward and for- ward, yielding ground alternately, but recovering it promptly, apparently resolved to lose the last man in defending or winning the position. A storm of lead constantly sought the flag, and such of the color guard as had hitherto been spared were all either killed or wounded, Corporal Reisinger, of Company H, receiving no less than three balls.

A few years ago the surviving field officers of the regiment called the attention of the war department to Corporal Reisinger's conduct at Gettysburg, and asked that the medal of honor should be awarded to him. The case was referred to the attorney general, who de-

cided that under the general law it could not be given to one not then in the military service. The matter was taken up in congress and a special act was passed by a unanimous vote of both the senate and house of representatives, which became a law on February 7, 1907, awarding to Corporal Reisinger the medal of honor. The following is the text of the act :

Resolved, By the senate and house of representa- tives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the secretary of war be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to award the con- gressional medal of honor to Roe Reisinger, alias J. Monroe K. isinger, late corporal, Company H, 150 Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for specially brave and meritorious conduct in the face of the enemy at the battle of Gettysburg July first, eighteen hundred and sixty-three.

This is the only instance where it has ever been awarded by a special act of congress to an individual officer or soldier. On his final muster out, after a service as an officer and soldier of four and a half years, he returned to his home at Meadville, and began the study of law. He was admitted to the bar of Craw- ford county and of the supreme court of Penn- sylvania in 1870, and opened a law office at Meadville. After being fifteen years at the bar he left it, and for some time was in the news- paper business. In 1888 he located in Frank- lin and since that time he has been connected with a business corporation.

He married (first) June 1, 1871, Mary Au- gusta, daughter of Dr. H. R. Barnes, of Rock Stream, New York. She died April 23, 1875, leaving one child, a daughter, who survives. In 1882 he married (second) Ellen, daughter of Jacob Lieberman, of Meadville. They have one child, a son. The daughter, Austa, is su- pervisor of drawing in the Franklin public schools. The son, James W. H., Jr., is a grad- uate of the United States Military Academy, and is a first lieutenant in the Thirtieth United States Infantry, now stationed at Fort St. Michael, Alaska.

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Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 77

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

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