USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 37
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William L. Moore, a native of Centre county, located in Clearfield about the year 1830, and became a leader of one of the political factions of the Dem- ocratic party, and for a time edited the Pioneer and Banner. He also engaged in mercantile business, in company with Mr. Leonard, under the firm style of Leonard & Moore. He married Hannah Leonard, daughter of Abraham Leonard, by whom he had seven children, viz .: Burnside, Agnes, who married Thomas J. Mccullough ; Abraham L., James A., merchant at Clearfield, and county coroner; Martha C., who married J. S. Showers, of West Clearfield ; 44
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
Catharine F., and Mary W., who became the wife of Thaddeus H. Shaw. William L. Moore was elected to the office of associate judge of the county. He was the second postmaster of the town.
John Mclaughlin was born in the county Donegal, Ireland, and came to this country in 1825, and to the county in 1832, where he settled on the ridges south of the town. In his family were ten children. James Mc- Laughlin, son of the pioneer, became proprietor of the Smith House in 1872, but made extensive alterations and changed the name to the St. Charles. John Mclaughlin came to reside in the borough in 1881. His age is eighty- seven, his wife eighty-five years.
Thomas Mills first came to Clearfield in the year 1847. He had a wagon shop on the lot now occupied by Senator Wallace's residence, but in the next year moved to his present location on Third street. Mr. Mills married Lydia Shank, by whom he had four children. His wife died in 1856. William H. Mulhollan, son-in-law of Thomas Mills, has an interest in the firm of Bigler, Reed & Co.
William Powell has been prominently before the people of the county for many years. He is of Welsh descent, and a son of David Powell, of Lawrence township. For many years he was the partner of Governor Bigler in the lum- ber business. In 1852 he was a candidate for election to the office of sheriff against Isaac L. Barrett, and was elected, owing to a bolt from the Democratic ranks. Mr. Powell has engaged in mercantile trade extensively, but is now retired from active business life.
John Radebaugh, a Dutchman from Lebanon county, came here at an early day. He was a laborer. After leaving the town he went to Penfield to reside.
William Radebaugh lived at the corner of Third and Market streets. He was a tailor by occupation, and had a shop in Shaw's Row. His partner was Robert F. Ward. Radebaugh was postmaster of the town during Taylor's administration.
Alexander B. Reed settled on the ridges in 1811. He moved into town in 1825, and occupied lands purchased from Abraham Witmer, on the river east of Pine street. Mr. Reed married Rachel, daughter of Alexander Read, by whom he had six children, viz .: Maria Jane, who married William Bigler ; Henrietta Ann, Read A., George Latimer, of Clearfield; William Milton, and Rebecca, who became the wife of John F. Weaver. Alexander B. Reed was a land agent, and by honesty, industry, and economy accumulated considerable property. He died in 1853.
Andrew Shugart was a wagon-maker by trade, but devoted most of his time to general labor. He lived on Locust street, east of Third street.
Henry Stone will be remembered as the " Yankee from Massachusetts," who drove stage on the Erie " pike," and possessed every one of the charac-
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teristics of " Down-easters." He came to town about the year 1832, and was afterward "jailor." Prior to coming to Clearfield, Stone had driven stage on the pike between Philadelphia and Reading.
Josiah W. Smith, the pioneer lawyer of Clearfield county, was a native of Philadelphia, and came to this county about 1822 with his brother. He be- came, in 1825, a member of the Clearfield county bar, and practiced for many years, making a specialty of land cases. In December, 1825, he was appointed deputy attorney-general for Clearfield county, which office he filled some years. In 1856 he retired from practice and moved to his native city, only to return again to this place after a few years. He died in March, 1882.
Lewis W. Smith, brother of Josiah, has a history much like that of his brother. He, too, entered the legal profession, but not until after Josiah, in whose office he read law. Lewis W. Smith died in the year 1847. Concern - ing Josiah and Lewis W. Smith, information will be found in the chapter on the bench and bar of Clearfield county.
Isaac Southard, like Samuel Collins, came to the town to build the first court-house. Southard must have come here about 1813. He was formerly a resident of Lycoming county. He married here to one of the Shirely family, and made Clearfield his home.
David Sacketts came from Centre county about 1840. He was a cabinet- maker by trade, and built a shop near where George B. Goodlander now resides on Front street. He afterward lived on the old "jail lot " on Locust street, which is now occupied by his family.
Isaac Schofield, son of Elisha Schofield, the pioneer, moved into town and occupied a house below and near Weaver's store, on Second street. Isaac was a general laborer.
Mordecai Shirk came from Milesburg about the year 1835. He owned the tannery that was built on the academy lots by Orris Hoyt, and operated it until a few years ago. The business proved unsuccessful, and Mr. Shirk lost his property. Business misfortunes produced insanity, and he was placed in an asylum for insane persons, where he died about two years ago.
John Shugart came from Centre county. He was a wagon-maker by oc- cupation, and lived at the corner of Third and Locust streets, now the resi- dence of Mr. Snyder, the jeweler. James Thompson lived on Market street west of Fourth. He was a former resident of Philipsburg and came here about 1824. He left a large family, among whom was Dr. H. P. Thompson. The elder Thompson and Dr. Loraine married sisters.
James Wrigley was a son of Robert Wrigley, one of the early settlers of the county. James came to reside in the town many years ago and made his home on the place now occupied by him at the corner of Second and Cherry streets. He was a carpenter by trade. Mr. Wrigley is considered a standard authority on all events occurring within the last sixty years.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
William C. Welch was another descendant from pioneer stock, a son of George Welch, of the " upper country " of the county. William C. was pro- thonotary in 1846, and died during the term of his office. He lived on Mar- ket street.
Robert Wallace emigrated to this country from Ireland in 1819, and came to Clearfield from Huntingdon county, in 1825. The next year he returned to Huntingdon, but frequently visited this town as a lawyer, until 1836, when he returned here with his family and became a permanent resident during his life, except a few years in Holidaysburg. He retired from active practice in 1847.
The Wallace family from the pioneer descended have taken a prominent part in the affairs of the county, and each generation has produced lawyers. William A. and ¿Robert A. Wallace, sons of Robert, the senior, were lawyers. Harry F. and William E. sons of William A., and grandsons of Robert senior, are also lawyers. Robert Wallace died at Wallaceton, Clearfield county, Jan- uary 2, 1875.
James B. Graham was a descendant of one of the pioneer families of the county, but did not locate in Clearfield until 1852. Here he acquired an en- viable position and reputation among his fellow townsmen and became identi- fied with the most substantial business interests of the place. He was chosen cashier of the Clearfield County Bank, and after five years' service in that posi- tion, was elected vice-president of the institution, which office he filled up to the time of his death. Mr. Graham married Elizabeth A., daughter of William Alexander, by whom he had five children. The Graham residence was located on the corner of Market and Second streets.
Charles D. Watson came to the town from Northumberland county about the year 1840. He kept a drug store in what is now the Masonic building on Second street. Watson was appointed postmaster to succeed John H. Hill- burn, and was in turn succeeded by Michael A. Frank. He moved to Utah- ville, in the upper end of the county, where he died.
Robert F. Ward was a tailor, in partnership with Radebaugh. He lived on Locust street, east of Second. Robert F. Ward, jr., son of Robert F. sen., was at one time connected with the Clearfield Republican, being associated with Maj. J. Harvey Larrimer.
Richard Mossop came from Philadelphia about 1840. He was by trade a shoemaker. About the year 1850 he engaged in mercantile business and has been in trade ever since. His place of business was formerly on Second street, but now occupies more convenient quarters on Market street west of Second.
William F. Irwin, son of John Irwin, who came from Milesburg. He was interested in business with his brother, Ellis Irwin, on Market street. William F. married Susan Antes, daughter of John Antes.
Isaac G. Gordon, now justice of the Supreme Court of the State, came here
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. LITTLE.
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as a young man and became associated with Judge Barrett in a law partner- ship. He afterward went to Brookville, Jefferson county, where he now re- sides.
Isaac Johnson was a plasterer by trade, and located in Clearfield about 1840. He married Sarah Woolridge. He now lives at the corner of Cherry and Second streets and is engaged in the boot and shoe business.
John F. Weaver, at the time of his coming to the county, about 1845, was assessed for one gold watch. He was admitted to the bar of the county and soon after appointed deputy attorney-general for the county. He left the pro- fession, however, to engage in lumbering, which he has ever since followed, having been associated with some of the leading lumbering firms of the county. At the present time he is a member of the firm of Weaver & Betts. Mr. Weaver married Rebecca, daughter of Alexander B. Reed.
Dr. William P. Hill located here soon after 1840, and was for about ten years a practicing physician. He left for Illinois about 1850, and subsequently went to Montana, where he died a year or two ago.
Ashley M. Hill, brother of Dr. Hill, came to town a short time after his brother, and carried on business as a dentist. He will be remembered as a teacher of geography by singing, which greatly amused as well as instructed the young people. Dr. Ashley Hill still resides in Clearfield at the corner of Market and Front streets. He married Jane Shaw, daughter of Richard Shaw.
Eli Bloom was born in Pike township, May 7, 1828, and came to Clearfield in 1874, to assume the duties of the office of prothonotary of the county, to which he was elected in the fall of that year. He purchased from Judge Foley the residence on Market street west of Third street, where he has since re- sided.
William Porter was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, April 3, 1807, and emigrated to America in 1829, and to Clearfield county in 1833, locating at Clearfield bridge, where he worked in a saw-mill. In 1844 he came to town and taught in the old academy, but did not make this his permanent residence until 1850.
Richard Shaw, son of Archibald Shaw, a pioneer of the Mt. Joy ridges, moved to Bradford township in the year 1815. He married Mary Irvin, daughter of Henry Irvin. Their children were, Joseph, of Clearfield ; Jane, who married Ashley P. Hill; Mary E., who married Andrew Leonard, and after his death, John I. Patterson ; Moses and Aaron (twins who died during childhood) ; Archibald H., Margaret Ann, who became the wife of William A. Wallace; Arnold Bishop, William Milton and Elizabeth. In 1822 Richard Shaw moved to and occupied a tract of land lying on the west side of the river, opposite Clearfield town. He had considerable property in the town that with increasing population, became very valuable. The Mansion House was built by him,"and Shaw's row of frame buildings, west of the Mansion House,
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were also built by him, not at one time however, but as occasion required. Mr. Shaw died in the year 1876, aged eighty-five years.
Peter A. Gaulin, one of four children, sons and daughters of Francis Au- gustin Gaulin, was born in France, and came to this country in 1832, locating in Centre county. About the year 1848 the family moved to Karthaus town- ship, this county. Peter A. Gaulin enlisted in Co. G, 5Ist Pennsylvania Vol. Inf. as a private, but by several promotions for meritorious service, was raised to the rank of captain. He came to Clearfield borough in 1865. The succeeding year he was appointed postmaster and held the office sixteen years. In 1871 he built the business block he now occupies.
Richard H. Shaw, son of John Shaw, was born on a farm about two and one-half miles from town, in the year 1833. In 1861 he enlisted in the 84th Pennsylvania Vol. Inf. and served three years with that regiment. Since re- turning from the service he engaged in mercantile business at Houtzdale and this place, and retired in 1886. Since the year 1867, he has made his resi- dence in Clearfield borough. Richard H. Shaw married Sarah J. Milligan, by whom he has one child.
Matthew S. Ogden, son of Matthew Ogden, and grandson of Daniel Og- den, the pioneer, was born in Lawrence township. Of the children of Matthew he was the twelfth, there being five younger than Matthew S. He married Mary Jane, daughter of Isaac Graham, a pioneer of Bradford township. In 1846, Mr. Ogden moved to the Ogden homestead farm which has been taken into the borough by an extension of its limits.
John Mitchell, a native of Ireland, came to America in 1819. He spent some years in various localities and located at Philipsburg in 1824. In the year 1830 he moved to this county and settled about two and one- half miles south of Clearfield town on the ridges. His children were William, John, James, Robert, Samuel, Allen and Jane. Of these only Robert and Allen are now living. The Mitchell families of Clearfield are descendants from John Mitchell, the pioneer.
George W. Gearhart was born in Centre county and was the second of eight children born to Adam and Susanna Gearhart. Adam lived in Clear- field county from 1831 to 1878. He was located during that time in Brad- ford township. George W. came to Clearfield borough in 1862, and started in the livery business three years later. In the year 1859, he married Ellen M., daughter of William Merrell. Mr. Gearheart has recently established a stage line between Clearfield and Du Bois.
Clark Brown was born in Lancaster county, January 6, 1822. He came to Lawrence township with the family of his father, Andrew Brown, in 1839, and settled on the ridges, south of the county seat. Clark Brown was elected county auditor in 1868, and in the fall of 1873, he was elected county commis- sioner. He is now serving his third term of office, having been twice re-elected. He came to the borough in 1885.
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BOROUGH OF CLEARFIELD.
George Thorn was born at Clearfield Bridge in the year 1822, and was the second of five children of James I. Thorn. In 1840 George came to Clearfield town and engaged as a carpenter and subsequently as a contracting builder. In 1860-I he built the court-house, and in 1870-1-2 the county jail. He married, in 1845, Elizabeth Lawhead, daughter of Nathan Lawhead, who bore him ten children, seven boys and three girls. At present Mr. Thorn is super- intendent of the Clearfield Cemetery Company.
Henry Boardman Smith was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., in 1810. He married Laura M. Gibbs, of Springfield, Mass., by whom he had five chil- dren, viz .: Henrietta B., who married Richard Shaw, jr .; Nannie, who married John H. Fulford, a lawyer of Clearfield ; Carrie J., who married Dr. W. W. Shaw ; Laura, who married W. A. Christ, and Julia A., who became the wife of James Kerr. Mr. Smith moved to Clearfield in 1846. He was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, holding the office of elder and superin- tendent of the Sunday-school. He was a lumberman on Clearfield Creek.
Henry Snyder, a native of Union, now Snyder county, came to Clearfield in 1850, and worked on Reed's mill. In 1855 he started in trade, carrying on carriage blacksmithing. He married Louisa, daughter of John McPherson, by whom he had five children-John F., an attorney of the borough being the eldest child.
Of the other old residents of the town a mention may be made of the fol- lowing: Samuel Fleming was a carpenter by trade. David Johnson was landlord of the Mansion House for a time. William Morgan, a laborer, lived on the site now of A. B. Shaw's residence. James McIntosh was a plasterer, and afterward went to Iowa. George Newson, the painter, lived where Pow- ell's hardware store now stands. Christian Pottarf, a cabinet-maker, lived where James Leavy's residence stands. He went West. Thomas Robbins was a cooper. He still lives in town on Read street. Robert Shirk was a shoemaker. He stayed here but a short time. Nicholas Shoenig, a shoe- maker, lived on Front street, near where A. B. Shaw's residence now stands. Augustus Schnell was a tailor and lived in the town but a short time. Mont- gomery Williams was a journeyman carpenter. He went to the army and was killed. David Allison was a millwright and stage driver. James Hollenbeck was a local blacksmith, but remained here only a short time. George Rich- ards was a tailor. James C. Williams kept a store a short time on what is now Dr. Hill's lot. He returned to Centre county. Emery C. Read, the present county surveyor, was born in Lawrence township. He is a son of Amos Read, and a grandson of Alexander Read, the pioneer, commonly known as " Red Alex." Emery C. Read moved to town in 1870. He was first elected sur- veyor for the county in 1883, and re-elected in 1886.
Incorporation of the Borough and Subsequent Additions .- Clearfield bor- ough was incorporated under and by virtue of an act of the State Legislature,
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
passed and approved on the 21st day of April, in the year 1840, under the name and title, " The Borough of Clearfield," the extent and boundaries of which were declared by the act as follows : Beginning at a point on the Sus- quehanna River about sixty feet south of Walnut street, thence by a line east until it strikes the west line of Hugh Leavy's out lot, so as to include the houses and lots now (1840) occupied by Dr. H. Loraine and Joan Powell ; thence north along said lot of Hugh Leavy until it again strikes Walnut street ; thence east along the southern edge of Walnut street to Fourth street ; thence north along the eastern edge of Fourth street to Pine street; thence west along the northern edge of Pine street to the Susquehanna River, and along said river by its several courses to the place of beginning, to include the town of Clearfield as at first laid out, according to the plan thereof, and the two lots south of said town occupied by Dr. H. Loraine and Joan Powell, as above described. The same act made a further proposition that the qualified electors are authorized to elect one justice of the peace for the said borough, at the time and place of holding the general election for said borough.
It appears that the Legislature made no provision for the first election of officers for the borough other than mentioned last above, whereupon a petition was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions at the November term of that year, asking the court to fix a day for such election. Upon this petition the first Monday of January, 1841, was designated by the court for the election of borough officers.
The first extension of the limits of the borough was made by an act of the Legislature, passed and approved the 13th day of February, 1844, by which the original limits were greatly enlarged. The description of the boundary lines by the act, are as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of the borough on the Susquehanna River, thence along said river to line of land of Matthew Ogden; thence along the line of Ogden's land to the southeast corner, at lot number seven ; thence northwardly along the eastern line of out-lots numbers nine, ten, eleven, twelve, and thirteen, to the northeast corner of lot number fourteen ; thence along the line of land surveyed in the name of Charles Smith, to the river ; thence along the river to the southwest corner of the borough, be and the same is hereby erected into a separate election district ; and the qualified voters of said district shall hereafter hold their general and borough elections at the court-house in said borough.
A further act passed and approved May 8, 1844, provides that the quali- fied electors shall elect a burgess and town council, and other borough officers, at the same time that township elections are held ; and further, that the quali- fied electors shall meet at the usual place on the last Friday of May, between the hours of two and six o'clock P. M., and elect one assessor and election officers for the year 1844. There seems to be in the act of February 13, 1844, an ambiguous [ statement." The act itself describes the boundaries of the
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borough, as extended, but does not, in any manner, declare it to be a part of the borough, or declare the borough limits to be extended to the limits de- scribed, but declares the same to be a separate election district, although the evident intent of the act was to enlarge the borough limits, and this intent has always been acted upon, and the borough limits always considered as extended as by the act described.
The next extension of the borough limits was made in the year 1868, by an ordinance of the council upon the petition of twenty-seven freeholders of that part of Lawrence township lying south of the borough. The petition was presented at a meeting held on the 9th of March, 1868, and an ordinance ordered to be prepared. The subject was made a special order of business after one postponement, and adopted at a meeting held April 7, 1868, the vote standing three for, and one against its adoption. The boundaries of this extension, which has always been known as " Reed's addition," were as fol- lows : Beginning at the southwest corner of the borough on the bank of the Susquehanna River, thence along the southern line of the old borough south forty-six degrees east, eighty-two perches along the line of land of Sarah Jane Ogden to corner of land of A. K. Wright ; thence along line between land of Sarah Jane Ogden and A. K. Wright, south fifty-one degrees west, one hun- dred and six perches to the line of land of G. L. Reed ; thence along line of land between G. L. Reed and A. K. Wright south thirty degrees east, one hundred and eighteen perches; thence south eighty-nine degrees west, two hundred and twenty-one perches; thence north seven degrees west, two hun- dred and fifteen perches to the eastern bank of the Susquehanna River ; thence down the eastern bank of the said river the several courses thereof, to line of old borough and place of beginning ; which said land is taken as a part of said borough of Clearfield.
No further change or extension of the borough was made until the year 1885, when a petition was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions at a term thereof held in the month of February, that year, asking for the annexa- tion of certain lots adjoining the borough on the north. The matter was referred to the grand jury for examination and report, which was by them favorably considered and determined. On the 13th of February their report was confirmed and the addition duly made. This extension included the tannery property of about twenty acres, besides all lands intervening lying north of Bridge street.
These several additions to the original town, as laid out and plotted by Abraham Witmer in the year 1804, embrace that which constitutes the borough of Clearfield at the present time. Its territory has by such several extensions, been increased several fold, and from a regularly formed, compact body of land it has assumed an almost indescribable form, reaching out irregularly to suit the convenience of the localities sought to be included by its limits, and as much
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as possible to acquire a greater population without regard to symmetry to any noticeable extent.
Up to 1860 the affairs of the borough were administered by a burgess and five councilmen, but by an act of the Legislature, passed February 14, of that year, provision was made for the election of six menbers of the borough council, two to serve three years, two to serve two years, and two to serve one year, and annually thereafter it was provided that two should be elected to serve for a term of three years.
The first election of borough officers was held at the prothonotary's office on Monday, January 4, 1841, at which the following officers were elected : Burgess, Dr. Henry Loraine; town council, William Bigler, James Alexander, William Merrill, George R. Barrett, and Robert Wallace; town constable, Joseph Schnell; overseers of the poor, Thomas Hemphill and Alexander Irvin.
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