USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 58
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 58
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Andrew J. Colborn was elected a major of militia in the early fifties and was known by that title throughout his life, In his connection with the state militia he organized several com- panies for service in the civil war. He was one of the board of school directors in his native township, at its first organization under the public school law. He was a notary public and United States commissioner, school director and burgess at Somerset for many years. He was elected as a member of the legislature in 1878 and served therein continuously until 1886. There he took rank as one of the leaders of the house, was chairman of the committee on ways and means, and of the judiciary general committee. While in the legislature he was known as the "Watch Dog of the Treasury." and it was while he was in the legislature, on account of liis watchfulness over legislation, that he received the appellation of "The Bald Eagle of the Alleghe- nies," which name he carried through life.' In 1896 he was elected district attorney and served his entire term; the vigor, thoroughness and dispatch with which he discharged the duties of that office at his age showed the remarkable vitality that characterized his career throughout. Among other important
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BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
cases conducted by him during that term were the prosecutions resulting in the conviction and execution of the two Roddy brothers for the murder of David Berkey, and the conviction of Samuel Peter Meyers for the murder of Michael Kearney and John Lenhart. Mr. Colborn was a very fiery speaker. He had strong powers in scathing and stinging denunciation of what he considered wrong. The weak point or exhibition of improper action in his adversary's case was sure to meet with a non- sparing and withering attack.
Major Colborn, being a descendant of a hero of the Revolu- tionary war, has been actively interested in military tactics from early manhood, and during the Civil war he organized many companies and for a long time was major of the Somerset Vol- unteers. He was a Republican in politics. He instituted and was a member of Somerset Lodge, No. 358, Free and Accepted Masons. He passed all the chairs and served as first master of the lodge. He was also a member of Oriental Commandery, No. 61, Knights Templar, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Somerset.
His wife, Susan Hartzell, was a daughter of George Hart- zell, of Stoystown, Pennsylvania, and to that union were born eight children, as follows: Harriet Jane, widow of Dr. Jeremiah K. Miller, who died January 1, 1890. Charles B., who served in the war of the rebellion in the One Hundred and Thirty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Captain George F. Baer, and is now superintendent of the Wheeling Coal & Coke Company of West Virginia. He was married to Margaret Par- son, November 29, 1871. Louis C., an attorney, married Mary F. Knable, May 4, 1875. Frank K., bookkeeper for the Essex Tannery Company in West Virginia. Eleanor, wife of Frank C. Bell, a merchant at Frostburg, Maryland. Harry B., a whole- sale merchant of Cumberland, Maryland, married Dianna Thomas, of Echart. Andrew J., a lawyer, now deceased. Rob- ert G., formerly deputy sheriff of Scranton, but who, after his return from the Philippine Islands, where he served as a ser- geant-general in the commissary department in the Spanish war, Company M, Fifteenth United States Infantry, located at Windber and is at present holding the office of justice of the peace.
Mrs. Susan Colborn, the mother of these children, died September 18, 1895, her six sons acting as pall bearers at the time of her funeral. She was a member of the Christian church, in which church Major Colborn and his wife were devoted and constant members, and lived to see all his family adopt the same faith. Major Colborn the subject of this sketch, died August 6, 1901, in his eightieth year. Major Colborn was uniformly genial and urbane in his manner to all; he sought the company of
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BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
young people and kept himself young by association. In his nature he was purely democratic, and withal a mind of more than ordinarily brilliant endowment. His death, occurring as it did, was seriously mourned by the public in general and espe- cially by those friends who knew him well and loved him for many charming characteristics.
LOUIS C. COLBORN.
Louis C. Colborn, a son of Hon. A. J. Colborn, was born at Harnedsville, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1850, and came to Somerset with his father's family in 1854. He attended the public schools and high school at Somerset and afterward took a course in the Millersville and West Chester State Normal Schools. He taught in the public schools of Som- erset county, and during the years of 1870-73 was principal of the schools of Somerset borough. Mr. Colborn was ap- pointed United States commissioner in 1872 and served for ten years. He read law in the office of his father and was admitted to the bar on May 7, 1874. He was elected and served as burgess of Somerset borough for the years 1884 and 1885, and served as school director in 1887 and 1890, and was appointed school director in 1903 and elected in 1904. Through the energies of Mr. Colborn there is erected one of the handsomest school build- ings in western Pennsylvania, and through his efforts the schools of the borough are equal to any in the state. The high school established is equal to any. He was elected district at- torney in 1888 for three years. After his admission to the bar he and his father entered into a law partnership, which con- tinued until the death of his father, August 6, 1901. They en- joved a lucrative practice and have the full confidence of a large clientage. Notwithstanding his father's death, he still continues their practice under the name of Colborn & Colborn. During Mr. Colborn's term as district attorney the Nicely broth- ers were executed and the famous Moonshine murderers were tried and convicted. He also took a part in the Roddy and in the Meyers murder cases. Mr. Colborn followed in the foot- steps of his father as a surveyor and engineer in connection with his practice, and the special training in that business has proven helpful in the trial of many cases. For more than fifteen years Mr. Colborn had been solicitor for board of directors of the poor of the county, and connected with the associated chari- ties of the state and national associations; at present he is the secretary and treasurer of the Associated Charities of Pennsyl- vania, which office he has held for the past ten years. He is perfectly conversant with the charities of the state and has visited nearly every institution in the state, and he is particu- larly zealous and sympathetic in all charitable work. To him
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BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
is due the credit, to a large extent, of the present fine home for the poor and hospital for the insane of Somerset county. Mr. Colborn is a consistent member of the Christian church and has always taken an active part in church work. He is also a leading Mason, Odd Fellow and a member of the Royal Ar- canum.
Mr. Colborn married, May 4, 1875, Mary E. Knable, daugh- ter of Major John and Mary Knable, both of whom are deceased. To this union there were four children born: John A., now employed in the United States government in the war department, who married Eva. Bauman. September 28, 1899, to whom were born three children: Martha, Eleanor and John; Louise, born January 18, 1880, married Guy Milton Mason, of Norfolk, Virginia, October 2, 1901; Martha, died December 5, 1884; Eleanor, born January 23, 1887.
ANDREW JACKSON COLBORN, JR.
Andrew Jackson Colborn, Jr., was the son of the elder member of the bar of the same name. He was born August 30, 1862, at the town of Somerset, attended the public schools there and afterward graduated from Bethany College, West Vir- ginia. He read law with his father and was admitted to the bar here in 1885. In the year 1886 he removed to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he continued his practice to the present time. He married, January 22, 1902, Miss May Andrews, of Springfield, Ohio. He was United States commissioner and clerk of the United States district court since about the year 1891. He had been state president and national president of the Patriotic Sons of America, and is a member of the Masonic order of Knights Templar. "Young Jack," as he was fa- miliarly known among his people at home, was gifted with the power of speech to an extraordinary extent. As a political orator and ready talker he was remarkably talented. He was known as the silver-tongued orator of the northeast. Through his overwork as national president of the Patriotic Sons of America he was broken in health and was stricken with nervous prostration. He went abroad and traveled through Europe for one-half a year with the expectation of regaining his lost health. He returned again somewhat improved, but later was afflicted, from which he died March 23, 1903, leaving to survive him a daughter, Ruth. He was buried at Springfield, Ohio, July 4, 1906. The Patriotic Sons of America of Pennsylvania erected and unveiled a handsome granite monument to his memory.
SAMUEL THOMAS.
Samuel Thomas, a practical farmer of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, was there born in Elk Lick township, December 21, 1849, a son of Jacob and Rebecca (Lanesbury) Thomas.
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Jacob Thomas was also a native of Somerset county and was a day laborer. He and his wife had children as follows: Abra- ham, Samuel, see forward; Jacob, Amos, deceased; Elizabeth, Barbara, May.
Samuel Thomas obtained a common school education, and after completing his studies turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, which he has since very successfully followed. In 1891 he purchased the farm upon which he now lives. In politics Mr. Thomas affiliates with the Republican party. He married, Sep- tember 28, 1871, Clarissa Kretchman, born March 21, 1853, in Rockwood township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, daughter of William and Christina (Kine) Kretchman, and granddaugh- ter of Jacob Kine, who was born in Somerset, and was a farmer by occupation. The Kines originally came from Germany. Will- iam Kretchman, father of Mrs. Thomas, was born May 19, 1827, in Elk Lick township, and followed the quiet but useful occupa- tion of a farmer during his entire active working life. His wife, Christina Kine, was also a native of Elk Lick township, born December 25, 1828. Their children: Clarissa, Ellen, Albert, Harvey, Minnie, deceased; and Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are the parents of the followed named children: Elmira D., born February 19, 1872; Alice R., October 6, 1875, married Charles , a farmer, and lives in Lee county ; Lulu M., July 13, 1881 ; William H., February 20, 1883; Lloyd H., May 28, 1885; Millie M., June 30, 1888; Lucy E., November 22, 1889 .; Cristine F., April 30, 1893; and Albert S., May 5, 1895.
RUSH S. McMILLEN.
The family of which Rush S. McMillen, a prosperous agri- culturist of Rockwood, is a worthy representative was founded in this country by James McMillen, great-great-grandfather of Rush S. McMillen, who came from Scotland or northern Ire- land, settling in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, from whence he removed to Somerset county, same state, about the year 1790, locating on a farm near Fort Hill, which he cultivated and im- proved, realizing therefrom a comfortable livelihood for his family. James McMillen was born August 20, 1735, died March, 1821, aged eighty-six years and five months. His wife, Eleanor McMillen, born February 20, 1736, died November, 1810, aged seventy-five years.
John McMillen, son of James and Eleanor McMillen, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, July 19, 1764, died Feb- ruary 1, 1856, aged ninety-one years, six months, twelve days. It is stated in obituary of John McMillen that at an early age he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a consistent and useful member. He was justice of the peace for many years, discharging his duties with the
Vol. III 35
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utmost efficiency. He married, March 25, 1793, Nancy Kilpat- rick, born November 3, 1777, died March 25, 1854, aged seventy- six years, four months, twelve days, daughter of John and Jane Kilpatrick, the former of whom came from Scotland or north- ern part of Ireland and settled at Padytown, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he died December 1, 1834, aged ninety- nine years; he claimed to be one hundred years old. His wife, Jane, died September 7, 1821, aged seventy-four years. The chil- dren of John and Nancy (Kilpatrick) McMillen were: John K., born May 26, 1795; James, December 19, 1798; Jane, De- cember 30, 1800; Eleanor, July 23, 1802; William, December 24, 1804; Samuel E., November 12, 1807; Sarah, October 4, 1810; Margaret, November 25, 1813; Mary, April 15, 1820.
John K. McMillen, eldest son of John and Nancy (Kilpat- rick) McMillen, born at Padytown, Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania, May 26, 1795, resided there throughout his lifetime and died September 28, 1870. He was a manufacturer of leather, and in addition to this devoted considerable time to the cultiva- tion of the soil. In 1859 he was appointed postmaster, serving in that capacity up to the time of his decease. Mr. McMillen married (first), August 5, 1819, Mary Rush, born June 4, 1802, died June 28, 1838, daughter of Jacob Rush, whom tradition says sprang from the same branch of the Rush family to which old Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia, belonged, he being one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. McMil- len married (second), July 9, 1839, Sarah Critchfield, who died November 18, 1849. Mr. McMillen married (third), February 5, 1850, Clarissa Williams. His children were: Jacob R., born July 1, 1820; Jehu, May 7, 1822; Reuben, March 7, 1824; Nancy, March 26, 1826; Eli, November 28, 1827; John, May 22, 1835; William H., May 20, 1840: Silas, July 23, 1842.
Jacob R. McMillen, eldest son of John K. and Mary (Rush) McMillen, was born July 1, 1820, at Padytown, Somerset county, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the district schools, and throughout his active career devoted his attention to the manu- facture of leather and agricultural pursuits. He was honored by his townsmen by election to the offices of justice of the peace, in which he served several terms; associate judge of Somerset county : member of the house of representatives, in which he served two terms. His religious affiliations are with the Meth- odist. Episcopal church, and his political allegiance is given to the Republican party. He married, March 9, 1843, Susan Stan- ton, born in Holmes county, Ohio, January 31, 1825, died Feb- ruary 19, 1906, daughter of Urias Stanton, who was killed by a horse. April 8, 1825, aged thirty years. Children of Jacob R. and Susan (Stanton) McMillen: Rush S., born November 23. 1844; John T., July 24, 1849, married Melezine Pile, January
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21, 1879, daughter of Jeremialı and Susan (Stough) Pile, of Mill Creek township, and three children were born to them- William Judson, Nettie Florence, and Stephen Bayes, who died at the age of three years. Susan (Stanton) McMillen, mother of these children, faithfully performed the duties of daughter, wife and mother, and her demise was sincerely mourned by all who had the honor of her acquaintance.
Rush S. McMillen, eldest son of Jacob R. and Susan (Stanton) McMillen, was born in Upper Turkeyfoot township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1844. He at- tended the district schools, State Normal, Rainsburg Seminary (Bedford county, Pennsylvania), Morgantown Academy (West Virginia). He followed in the footsteps of his ancestors and for many years was a manufacturer of leather, but at present (1906) is engaged in farming and in collecting samples of fer- tilizer for the agricultural association of the state. He is con- nected with several enterprises, but with poor success finan- cially. In November, 1887, he was elected sheriff of Somerset county, which office he filled for three years, one term; was township clerk, officer in house of representatives and princi- pal of schools at Terra Alta, West Virginia, three terms. He is a Republican in politics. He is a member of the Lutheran church, order of Free and Accepted Masons and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
He married, February 19, 1867, at Terra Alta, Preston county, West Virginia, Rachel Melissa Graham, daughter of John and Sarah (Elliott) Graham, and their children are: Mary Martha, born at New Lexington, Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, October 27, 1868, attended district schools and Mount Union College. Ohio, married H. H. Baker, of Harrisburg, Penn- sylvania, chief clerk in the insurance department, and they have one daughter, Melissa Ruth Baker. Susan Lillian, born October 8, 1870, died March 10, 1876; Jacob Clinton, born at New Lexing- ton, April 20, 1878, attended district schools, now a farmer in Kingwood, Pennsylvania, married, June 27, 1897, Ida Weller, daughter of Uriah and Ada (Sullivan) Weller, and they have one son, Dwight Graham McMillen. Mrs. McMillen, the mother of these children, is a member of the Lutheran church.
HARMON HUSBAND.
Harmon Husband, the pioneer of the Somerset settlement, was of Quaker parentage, and was born about 1720. Some ac- counts make the place of his birth in Pennsylvania, near Phila- delphia. He may, however, have been born in Cecil county, Maryland. He is known to have attended school in Baltimore when about twenty years of age, after which he settled in Cecil county, and probably married there. His wife dying within
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a few years, he went to North Carolina, where he married a sec- ond time. His wife's maiden name was Emy Allen.
Being a man of means, he soon became a leading citizen of what was then Orange county. In the troubles that presently arose between the Royal Governor, Tryon, and the people, he sided with the latter, and soon became one of their recognized leaders. Becoming obnoxious to those in authority, he was ar- rested and thrown into prison, but was released on bail, but not until after his imprisonment had raised the country to arms. On trial he was acquitted of the charge of riot, after which he was elected to the assembly of Orange county, and was ex- pelled from that body at the instance of Governor Tryon. These troubles finally reached a crisis in 1771, in what is known in history as the battle of Alamance, in which the people, or Regulators, as they were styled, were defeated. Husband's Quaker training had made him averse to bloodshed, and so far as he was concerned it is said that he never contemplated such a collision as took place. But he was too prominently con- nected with the movement to be overlooked, and orders were given for his arrest, which was avoided by a prompt flight through Virginia to his former home in Maryland. Not feeling himself safe even there from the wrath of Governor Tryon, he determined to put a still greater distance between himself and his enemy.
It may be asked, what have the doings of Harmon Hus- band in North Carolina to do with the history of Somerset county? Nothing at all, further than to show the reasons and motives that impelled such a man as he was, living in what, for those times, was a well settled community, and who was well off in this world's goods, to abandon all and seek a home amid the perils of such a wilderness as Somerset county then was; becoming one of its earliest settlers, and, in time, the same man of affairs in that community as he had been in the one from which he had fled. That he was closely identified with the early growth and prosperity of what is now Somerset county, and was one of its foremost citizens, is evidenced by the fact that he was a member of the Assembly from Bedford county in 1778. In 1786 he was a member of the Board of County Commissioners. He was also a member of the assembly in 1790. He became involved in the whiskey insurrection of 1794. He attended the Parkinson Ferry meeting as a delegate from Bedford county, where he really labored to bring the trouble to a peaceable solution, and, in order to guide and hold the more turbulent element in check, it was necessary for him, as well as some others, to apparently range himself on their side. Harmon Husband was placed under arrest as an active leader of the insurrection, and taken to Philadelphia for
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trial. He was then an old man, seventy-four years old. While awaiting trial he contracted a fever and died. According to the best information we have, he was not confined in prison, but had his liberty within the city. There can be no doubt but what he could have cleared himself of the charges that had been made against him.
GENERAL ALEXANDER OGLE, SR.
General Alexander Ogle, Sr., was born in or near Balti- more, in 1767, and settled in Somerset county about 1790, his first place of residence being at Stovestown, where he kept a store and tavern. A few years later he removed to Somerset, and for a time at least kept a tavern.
A man of commanding presence and of great force of char- acter, he became the foremost and most influential citizen of the county. This was recognized both at home and abroad. Entering public life, he represented the county eight times in the Assembly, and the district one or more terms in the State Senate. He was also once a member of Congress. Twice un- der appointment of the Governor he held the offices of protho- notary, clerk of the courts, register and recorder. In the military organization of the state he held every rank from captain to major-general. He was the acknowledged great man of the world in which he lived. The region of country which gave him his theatre, and the people who formed the cast of the company for the drama of his life were in such keeping with him as if they had been made for him and he for them. He owed to the schools nothing but reading and writing in his mother tongue and a knowledge of the simple rules of arith- metic, but was none the less equal to any emergency in affairs, and was never nonplussed by any defect of education. In one of his speeches in the legislature he designated his constituency as being "The Frosty Sons of Thunder"-an appellation that was proudly adopted by them, and by it the people of Somer- set county are known, not only in their own state, but in every other state between it and the "Golden Gate." From among these "Frosty Sons of Thunder" have gone forth men whose fame is not circumscribed by the lines of their native state. General Ogle died in 1832. (For a more extended sketch of General Ogle the reader is referred to "The Enchanted Beauty," a volume of sketches by Dr. William Elder.)
INDEX.
Albright, Jacob 479
Altfather, John 304
Ankeny, Calvin M. 179
Brant, William J. 316
Buckman, Samuel 290
Ansell. Michael 362
Appel, William C. 521
Armbrust, John D. M. 148
Augustine, Robert 476
Baer Family 26
Baer, Herman
27
Barchus, John L. 133
Barclay, Arthur O 39
Barkman, Henry
342
Barnett, John J. 350
Barnhart, Charles G.
390
Cobaugh, George W. G. 261
Barnhart, John H.
362
Cober, Elias 243
Coffroth, Alexander H. 1
Barron, Henry F.
98
Barermaster, Edward
500
Cohen, Fred
235
Cohen, Morris 235
Beachly, John C.
389
Bepchy Family
267
Pecghley, Peter 401
Beeg's, Herbert O. 370
Begley, William C. 95
Compton, Demetrius 396
Compton Family 394
Beachy, Lloyd L.
268
Compton, Phineas 397
Beachy, Rufus M.
203
Bear, Peter D. 320
Bender, Frederick W. 223
Bender, John
348
Berkeley, Harvey M. 25
Berkey, Jeremiah 282
Berkey. William D. 493
Berkey, William H. 342
Berkey, John A. 29
Berkley, Lewis 312
Biesecker Family 76
Biesecker. Frederick W. 79
Birkey, James 486
Bishop, Gurdon E.
135
Bittner. Andrew E 359
Black, Frank B.
451
Black, James H.
449
Blauch, Nathaniel
439
336
Blough, Levi A.
Boose, Andrew J. 427
Though, Joseph 387
Endslow. James W 391
Engle, Donglos J. 501
Engle, John J ..
390
Enoch, Cornelius F 287
Brant, Aaron 307
Dahl, Daniel 220
Daub, Emil D. 298
Daugherty, Frank U. 412
Davies, Lemuel E. 440
Davis, John N 142
Deal, Edwin 128
Denl, Levi 131
Deeter, William H. 520
Dungen. Clerk J.
523
Duret, Edward 502
Blough, Christian
533
517
Border, Frederick 429
Bowman, Benjamin J 101
Boyer, Lloyd
477
Brant, Robert P 108
Brant, U. Madison 317
Ankeny, John C. 300
Buhl, Edwin 272
Burkholder Family 424
Burkholder, James W 425
Carrell, William H. 176
Carter, Walter G .. 219
Casebeer, Alexander 171
Chamberlain, Alonzo 166
Christner, Henry 259
Christner, Wilson 278
Cobangh, Charles P. 170
Barron, Charles J.
441
Cohen Brothers 233
Barman, Harry E 483
Colborn, Andrew J., Jr 544
Colborn, Andrew J. 539
Colborn, Lewis C. 543
Conway, William B. 236
Cook, Charles F. 489
Countryman Family 176
Countryman, Harry A. G. 178
Crist. Robert
232
Critchfield, John M 353
Croyle, Jacob P. 354
Custer. Edward F 473
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