History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 126

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790

USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania > Part 126

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).

a wide circle of friends, who appreciated his ability and sterling, manly qualities.

By his second marriage John Calhoun had one child, a daughter, Elizabeth - Anthony - born October 30, 1830.

The grandchildren of John Calhoun number fifty-seven. Of this number three have studied divinity, three law, four medicine, and six were in the war for the Union. The names of the latter were : Ephraim, son of James R. Calhoun, killed in the battle of the Wilderness ; James Robert, son of William J. Calhoun, who died in the hos- pital at Wheeling, West Virginia ; William D. Porter, John A. Ritchey, John A: and John C. Calhoun,

REV. THOMAS McCONNELL ELDER.

The grandfather of the well-known citizen of Dayton whose name heads this sketch, Robert Elder, was a soldier through all of those seven long years of the revolutionary war, and, soon after the close of that great struggle for liberty, moved with his family from the vicinity of Harrisburg to Westmoreland county, where he was one of the earliest settlers. He took up an exceedingly fine tract of land near New Alexandria, known as "the Richlands," which is still owned by his descend- ants. His son Thomas, father of the subject of this biography, who was two years old when the family settled in Westmoreland county, was born in or near Harrisburg. He was reared upon "the Richlands," and on arriving at manhood's estate married Mary McConnell, a native of Lancaster county. Their son, Thomas McConnell Elder, was born March 24, 1826, near New Alexandria, Westmoreland county. After a good common school education he commenced a more advanced literary course under the tuition of the Rev. Dr. James Milligan, an old Scotchman of fine scholar- ship, who resided in the neighborhood. He was for some time engaged in school teaching at this period of his life. He was the first teacher of the female seminary at Northwood, Ohio, and principal of the Loyal Hanna Institute in West- moreland county for two years. He then took a collegiate course at Geneva College, Logan county, Ohio, and finished in 1855. During the period he was in attendance at that college he exhibited something of the energy and influence which characterized him in after-life. He spent one summer in traveling in the western, eastern and middle states, and succeeded in raising for the college an endowment of $18,000. After his course at the Ohio college, he spent four years at the theological seminary of the Reformed Pres-

601

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

byterian church at Allegheny City, graduating and being licensed to preach in 1858. He was ordained to the ministry May 11, 1859, previous to which time he had been regularly called to churches at Baltimore and Boston. He was then called to Rehoboth congregation in Armstrong county, a charge which also embraced territory in the coun- ties of Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson, and in which two or three pastors now preach. Subse- quently he received another call from Boston, one from Kossuth, Iowa, and a number from other con- gregations in various localities. Mr. Elder settled in Dayton about 1860. In 1862 he became principal of Dayton Union Male and Female Academy, a position which he held until 1866. In 1863 he was appointed by his church to take charge .of mission shcools among the freedmen at Fernandina, Florida, where he spent the summer of that year, serving also as chaplain of the 11th regt. Me. Vols., then stationed there. In 1864 he was appointed to take charge of missionary operations in Washington, District of Columbia, where he remained until the spring of 1865. During these absences from home his place in the academy was supplied by subordinates. Returning in the spring of 1865, he resigned his position as principal of the academy in 1866, to take charge as principal of the Dayton Soldiers' Orphans' School, which he opened in the building now known as the Exchange Hotel. He had labored zealously for the establish- ment of this institution, and now labors with equal ardor and effectiveness to insure its useful- ness. During the time he was principal, build- ings were erected where those now in use stand, and the school was put upon a firm and sure basis, very largely owing to his efforts. He may be called in fact the successful originator of this valuable institution. During the second year of his connection with the school, in the fall of 1867, Mr. Elder met with a very serious accident. While watching a game of baseball among the children, he was struck with great force by a heavy bat which flew from the grasp of one of the larger boys who was striking at the ball. He was knocked senseless, and for a time it was thought could not recover from the effects of the terrific blow. Pro- videntially his life was spared, but he had received permanent injury from the concussion. The shock was very severe upon his nervous system, and he found to his sorrow that it incapacitated him in a great measure for hard and protracted study. He was thus compelled reluctantly to give up active duty as a preacher, which he had always enjoyed, and to abstain from long-continued and hard study. Shortly after this accident, in the fall of 1868, Mr.

Elder met with another great misfortune-the loss of his second wife. In consequence of the com- bined effects of this bereavement and of thic injury which he had received, he resigned the principalship of the Orphans' School, although strongly urged to remain, in 1871. Since that time he has resided in Dayton, leading a some- what retired · life, but giving his attention to business, and still taking a deep interest in all that pertains to the welfare of his fellow men. He is still a stockholder in and a member of the board of managers of the Soldiers' Orphans' School. In 1880 he was the principal organizer of the Dayton Agricultural and Mechanical Association, and was elected its first president, which office he held for two years. Subsequently he became vice- president, and now holds that office. He is also editor of the Dayton News, a recently established but prosperous local journal, which he ably con- ducts.

In his chosen high calling, the ministry, Rev. Elder was very successful, his labors being attended with the best results. He combined the advan- tages of broad and thorough scholarship with great native ability, and his discourses were interesting, instructive and full of force, logical and lucid. He is said to have possessed marked eloquence. The genial qualities of nature and the earnestness which were valuable in the varied labors of the minister outside of the pulpit have been preserved, and with his other characteristics command for him the respect and esteem of the people among whom he has dwelt, as well as render him useful to all with whom he comes in contact. He is a man looked up to in the community where he is best known, and has an influence for good which is exerted in many ways, among others in allaying local strife and obviating litigation be- tween neighbors. As a teacher Mr. Elder has been almost or quite as successful as a preacher, and he is held in most respectful remembrance by many who have made the beginnings of their in- tellectual life under his guidance. He excels most men in executive ability.

Mr. Elder was united in marriage with Miss Tirzah Mason, of Westmoreland county, September 14, 1848. One son by this marriage, M. M. Elder, is a successful business man of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and has a most estimable wife in Miss Hannah Knox, granddaughter of Sheriff Chambers Orr. Mr. Elder's first wife died in 1851, and upon October 10, 1854, he was joined in wed- lock with his second wife, Miss Mary P. Lindsay, of Philadelphia, whose death, hitherto referred to, occurred upon September 12, 1868. She left two

602

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

children : Tirzah (wife of C. S. Marshall, of the firm of C. S. Marshall & Co., Dayton), a graduate of Union Academy, and a most esteemed lady in the community, and A. W. Elder, who is pursuing a medical education, and has already spent two ycars at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia.

Mr. Elder is still living in Dayton, and it is to be hoped may be spared for many years. And when the time comes that he must pass away, this at least will be said of him, he was a worker of more than ordinary ability in his day and gener- ation.

GLENN FAMILY -HON. A. D. GLENN.

John Glenn, the progenitor of the Glenn family in Armstrong county and the great-grandfather of A. D. Glenn, came from Ireland when eighteen years of age and settled in Center county, Penn- sylvania. He married Mary Borland by whom he had two daughters, Ann and Mary, and four sons, Robert, John, James and Joseph. The latter, of whose family we shall here give a brief history, was born February 10, 1787, and was married, date unknown, to Mary Thompson who was born the same day as himself. The fruits of this union were three children, Archy, William Turner and Mary Ann. In 1818 he moved to Indiana county where he remained for three years, after which he located near Mahoning creek in Wayne township, Armstrong county, about two miles from Dayton. On this farm to which he came while the region was almost a wilderness, he lived until his death in April, 1852, seeing the country cleared up, the game destroyed and villages spring up all around him. He was a strongly religious man, a member of the Methodist church, and particularly zealous in Sunday-school work, superintending at different times many schools at quite a distance from home, one of them being on Pine creek, twelve miles away. His family were all of the same religious faith as himself. After his death his wife lived with her children until her own demise in 1866.

Of the three children, Archy, the father of A. D. Glenn, was married January 28, 1828, to Miss Susannah B., daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Coursin, who lived near Curlsville, Clarion county. William Turner was married to his cousin, Mary Jane Thompson, in 1849, and died in the army in eastern Virginia in 1864. His widow and family still reside in Milton, this county. Mary Ann was married in 1856 to Isaac Hopkins, who died in De- cember, 1882. She and her family now live at West Decatur, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania.

Archy Glenn first settled at Rockport in Clarion county, but subsequently lived at various places in

Armstrong county, among them Milton, Eddyville, and Putneyville, where he now resides. He was elected to the office of county commissioner in 1849, and served efficiently and acceptably to the people for three years. This is the only public office of consequence he ever held except that of jury commissioner to which he was elected in 1873, and from which he resigned before the expiration of the term because his private business conflicted with its duties. He has held various township offices and has been justice of the peace for about fifteen years.

While Mr. and Mrs. Glenn were living at Camp Run about three miles from Dayton, their son A. D. was born, January 30, 1842. He attended the pub- lic school at Milton, the Dayton Union Academy and the Iron City College. He engaged in teaching when between fifteen and sixteen years of age, tak- ing a place in Milton which the directors had left vacant. Subsequently he taught in Red Bank and Brady's Bend townships in this county, West Mahoning in Indiana county and Robinson town- ship in Allegheny county. In the latter he taught four consecutive terms of seven months each. When he ceased teaching he was principal of the Woods Run school in Allegheny City. In 1861 he and all of his brothers living, namely, Abraham R., Elijah, C. T., James A. and William T., went into the Union army. The first two named and our sub- ject went into Co. B, 78th regt. Pa. Vol. Inf .; James A. into Co. I, 62d regt., and William T. into the 48th regt. By the spring of 1862, the vicissitudes of war had so separated the family that no two of them were within a hundred miles of each other. On account of continued sickness, A. D. Glenn was discharged from duty, February 16, 1863. William T. was also discharged the same spring for the same cause, but re-enlisted in the spring of 1864 in Co. M, 2d Pa. Cav., and on account of inflammatory rheumatism was unable to get home until six months after the close of the war. Subsequently he enlisted in Co. L, 2d U. S. Cav., and spent sev- eral years in the Rocky Mountain region. He re- turned much broken down, and died at Eddyville in April, 1875. The other brothers passed through three years' service, James A. being badly wounded in the battle of the Wilderness. A brother-in-law and two uncles were also in the service.

Returning to Mr. A. D. Glenn's civil life we find that when he ceased teaching he traveled as the representative of Wilson, Hinkle & Co. (now Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co.), of Cincinnati, one of the largest schoolbook publishing houses in the United States. He remained with this house from April, 1868, to July 1, 1870, having his headquarters suc-

602

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

cessively at Pittsburgh, Crestline (Ohio), Cleve- land and Meadville. After quitting the agency he was engaged with his father in the mercantile business at Eddyville. In 1872 he was elected over six competitors to the office of county superintend- ent of public schools, to which he was re-elected with comparatively little opposition in 1875 and in 1878, serving nine years-the longest continuous term served by any incumbent since the establish- ment of the office. At his first re-election the salary was increased from $1,000 to $1,200 per annum. Mr. Glenn's services were very valuable in the way of elevating the standard of public instruction, and were generally so recognized, a fact which was attested by the offer of a fourth election, which, however, he declined. He was editor of the Kittan- ning Union Free Press from June, 1879, to April, 1881, and ably conducted that well known journal. He served as D.D.G.M. of the I.O.O.F. in Arm- strong county for two terms and was urged by several lodges to longer continue in that capacity. He was nominated without opposition by the re- publicans of Armstrong county for the assembly in 1882, and was elected to the legislature by a majority of 180 votes, while his colleague on the ticket for the same office had a much smaller majority. The career of Mr. Glenn which has carried him to the halls of legislation now, when he has but scarcely reached the prime of his manhood, will doubtless be fruitful of greater successes in the future. At least the beginning augurs well for his filling a broad field of usefulness and attaining the eminence that his intellectual and moral merits entitle him to. Whatever he has thus far attained is traceable to his good character and to his own exertions. Enjoying only limited advantages in his boyhood he obtained, however, a thorough education, and has made his way in the world by close application and energetic, manly endeavor.

The family of Archy and Susannah (Coursin) Glenn consisted of six sons and one daughter, A. D. being next to the youngest. Their names in order of birth are as follows: John Coursin, Abra- ham R., Elijah C. T., James Alexander, Mary Jane, Archy D. and William Turner. John C. died unmarried in Illinois in 1855. Abraham R. married Sarah E. McCurdy in 1853, and now lives in Smicksburg, Indiana county, Elijah married Louisa Allen in 1858. He died in February, 1871, and his widow and family now live in Dayton. James A. was married to Mary Broombaugh in 1875, and now lives in Eddyville. Mary J. was married in 1857 to John S. Oyler, and now lives near Murrys- ville, Westmoreland county.

THOMAS IL. MARSHALL.

The subject of this sketel, second son of Robert and Mary (Ilindman) Marshall, was born July 29, 1824, about one and one-half miles from Dayton. When he was about twenty years of age, his father purchased the land on which a part of the village of Dayton now stands, and six years later took into partnership his sons, William and Thomas H., the subject of this biography. The stock owned by this firm consisted of the personal property on a farm of about 400 acres and a store which was es- tablished by them. It was the especial duty of Thomas H. Marshall to attend to this store, his father and brother carrying on the farm, and this he did until 1861, a period of about eleven years, when a half interest was sold to J. Campbell, who has since conducted the business under the firm name of J. Campbell & Co., the Marshall brothers still retaining a half interest. The partnership of father and sons in the farming interest was con- tinued until April 9, 1868, when Robert Marshall sold his real estate to his sons. The west end of the farm adjoining and around Dayton, and amounting to about 136 acres, was purchased by Thomas H. Marshall. It included the land on which his grandfather, William Marshall, the pioneer of Glade run, had settled in 1803. Since he has been in business for himself Mr. Marshall has gradually increased the amount of his real estate possessions, until at present he owns about 520 acres of fine farming land in the immediate vicinity of Dayton. He has been remarkably suc- cessful and is recognized as a model farmer. His land has been carefully improved and has thus in- creased in value from year to year. Building im- provements have kept pace with his increase in real estate ownership, his barn at Dayton, for instance, being one of the largest and best in the county, and sheltering as fine stock as one could wish to see. He carries on farming in what might be called a wholesale way, giving employment to many men and raising upon the average about 4,000 bushels of corn, 1,000 of wheat and 100 tons of hay per year. Besides his extensive farming he carries on in Dayton one of the best tanneries in the county, butchers about 100 head of cattle per year, is a partner in the store of J. Campbell & Co., owns considerable timber land, is interested in the Enterprise Lumber Company, the Dayton Agricultural and Mechanical Association, and is a stockholder in the Dayton Union Academy and the Dayton Soldiers' Orphans' School. He has been treasurer of the last-named institution from its organization, and took the first contract looking toward the erection of the buildings-that of get-

604

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

ting out the stone for foundations. Mr. Marshall has served as justice of the peace for two terms - ten years-from 1864 to 1874, and has held other offices of honor and trust, although he has never been in any sense a place-seeker, and has taken only the interest of a good citizen in politics. He is a republican. His church connection is with the United Presbyterians, and he has been one of the chief supporters of the Dayton church of this de- nomination.

Thomas H. Marshall was united in marriage, March 14, 1850, with Miss Rosetta P., daughter of Robert Neal, of Cowanshannock township, who was born September 26, 1827. The offspring of this union are five children, living: Silas W. and David Duff, both married, and following farming; Robert Neal, who is engaged in the study of medi- cine; Clark Hindman, who has graduated after a four years' course at Princeton, and has been one year at the U. P. Theological Seminary at Alle- gheny City, and Mary Samantha.

WILLIAM McBRYAR, M. D.

The subject of this sketch was born of a gen- erous strain of sturdy Scoteh-Irish blood, both of his parents being descended from those races, though both natives of Pennsylvania. His father was born July 18, 1784, in Westmoreland county, and his mother, Elizabeth Dickey, near Carlisle, Franklin county. They were married June 28, 1811. In their old age, in 1868, they removed to this county. The offspring of their auspicious union were eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom five are living-Nancy L. (widow of Charles Mclaughlin), resides in West- moreland county, and Samuel, William, Mary and Sarah P. McQuilkin), in Apollo. Those deceased are Margaret, Watson and David D.

William, the subject of this sketch, was born November 29, 1822. He remained at home upon his father's farm until 1842, and obtained the rudiments of an education in such schools as the neighborhood possessed. He was, however, de- termined to obtain a greater store of knowledge, and with that end in view, upon May 1, 1844, entered the Richmond Classical Institute, of Jef- ferson county, Ohio, where he remained until he graduated in September, 1847. On the 1st of the following November he commenced reading med- icine under Dr. John Dixon, of Allegheny City (now of Pittsburgh), with whom he remained until October, 1848, and rejoined in the summer of 1849. During the winter of 1848-9 he taught school, an employment in which, by the way, he had gained some valuable experience in 1842 and

1843. Upon October 18, 1849, he left the office of Dr. Dixon to attend the medical department of the university, city of New York, from which he returned home in February, 1850. In July of the same year he engaged in the practice of medicine at New Salem, Westmoreland county, in partner- ship with Dr. John McNeal, with whom he re- mained associated until April 1, 1852. He then went to Congruity Church, Westmoreland county, where, however, he sojourned but two or three montbs, going in June to Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, and forming a partnership with Dr. Allison, of that place. The death of this physician took place August 3, 1852, and in September Dr. McBryar went to New York, where he completed his medical education in the spring of the ensuing year, gradu- ating under the allopathic system. On April 19, 1853, he located in Apollo, where he has ever since been engaged in an active and lucrative practice, enjoying the respect hoth as man and physician of the people of the town and surrounding country.

Extensive and onerous as his professional duties have been, his energy has not been wholly confined to them, and he has found time to assist in the ad- vancement of several enterprises, as well as to give attention to important educational and other inter- ests, such as it is the duty of the good citizen to foster. He was one of the principal promoters of the Apollo Savings Bank, which was organized May 27, 1871, and has ever since been one of its directors, being elected successively each year. In 1878 he was elected a director of the academy at Kittanning, and president of the academy board the same year. In 1874 he was very favorably con- sidered as a candidate for the assembly by the re- publicans. In October, 1880, he was one of the organizers of the Du Bois Savings Bank, of Clear- field county, this state, was chosen president of the institution, and has held that office ever since by repeated re-election. He was prominently identi- fied with the construction of the new iron bridge at Apollo, purchasing the old abutments of several owners for the sum of $5,000, and receiving $4,000 from the county commissioners of Westmoreland and Armstrong, and $1,000 from citizens of Apollo. The doctor is president of the Westmoreland and Armstrong County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which has its offices at Apollo, and is medical ex- aminer for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany, of Philadelphia. He owns about 300 acres of valuable land.

Dr. McBryar was united in marriage October 4, 1855, with Miss Sarah Jane Callen, daughter of Matthew and Jane (Paul) Callen. Her mother's parents were 'Squire Samuel and Jane (Porterfield)

605

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Paul; the father was born in Ireland, and the mother in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, both being of Scotch-Irish descent. To Mrs. Dr. Mc- Bryar's parents were born six children, besides her- self, she being the oldest. Their names are : Eliza M., Harriet C., Emeline S., Samuel P., Anna Maria (deceased) and Johanna (deceased).

To Dr. McBryar and wife were born five chil- dren-Lizzie J. (deceased), James C. (deceased), Ada M., William Lyle and Hattie Dickey.

ROBERT P. HUNTER, M. D.

Robert Hunter, grandfather of our subject, was born in Westmoreland county, in 1782, and was one of the first settlers of Indiana county. He married Miss Mary Lawrence, a native of New Jersey, born in the year 1781. There were born to this pair fourteen children, nearly all of whom grew to maturity. The father died in Jacksonville, Indiana county, in 1861, surviving his wife three years.

John M. Hunter, father of the subject of this sketch, was born June 12, 1807, and lived all of his life in his native county, dying in Blairsville March 28, 1868. He was married May 80, 1830, to Miss Annie Reese Banks, who was born in this state Oc- tober 10, 1810. She died August 16, 1875, in Leechburgh, where she had come to reside with her son. Nine children were born of this union, whose names, together with dates of their births, are as follows : Joshua Banks, born November 5, 1832; Mary A., born October 23, 1835 ; Robert P., Janu- ary 23, 1837 ; William I., September 29, 1839 ; Ella M. (wife of Dr. W. H. Kern, of Mckeesport), August. 16, 1842 ; Morgan R., April 4, 1844 ; John A., August 20, 1846 (the last-named became a physician; was elected to the legislature, and died upon the day he became a member of that body) ; Milton C. was born August 7, 1850, and J. Irwin, June 19, 1852.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 126

Author: Smith, Robert Walter Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins Number of Pages: 790

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790