USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 104
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
JOHN FAIRBAIRN, of the firm of Davenport, Fairbairn & Co., manufacturers of car wheels and railroad castings, Erie, was born in England January 21, 1826, son of Stephen Fairbairn, a druggist in England, who reared six children. Our subject, who is the eldest, received a common school education, and early in life learned the iron molder's trade. He came to America in 1846, settling in this city, where he worked at his trade for some time. He has been successful financially; politically, is a Republican. Our subject was married, in 1847, to Elizabeth Hubbard, of English descent, by whom he has six chil- dren-Ann, wife of William B. Vance, of Mich .; Frank, superintendent of car wheel shop and foundries; John C., foreman in the foundry; Blanche, wife of Merrick Guunison, also foreman in foundry; Florence and Oscar at school. Mr. and Mrs. Fairbairn are members of the Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church, in which he is an Elder.
W. T. FARRAR, of The F. F. Adams Co., manufacturers, Erie, was born near Water- ford, this county, July 29, 1853, son of F. F. and Maria S. (Warner) Farrar, former born in Vermont in 1891, the latter also a native of that State, of English descent. F. F. Farrar was in the wholesale grocery business in Erie City, in partnership with A. H. Gray for a period of twenty years. In 1869, he entered manufacturing business in Pittsburgh, Penn., and moved to Waterford in 1875 ; has now retired. He had a family of four children- Ida, born in 1861 (deceased) ; Charles W. a manufacturer in Dubuque, Iowa; W. T. (our subject); and Minnie, wife of Wm. Arbuckle, of this city. Our subject acquired his educa- tion at Erie Academy, and the Academy at Chambersburg, Penn. He superintended his father's acid factory business in Titusville for five years. In 1878, he entered into his pres- ent partnership with The F. F. Adams Co. Mr. Farrar was married in Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1876, to Eleanor, daughter of H. Blackstone, and of English descent. Their family num- bers three children-Louis, Harry and Marion. Mrs. Farrar is a member of the Christian Church. In politics, our subject is a Republican.
WILLIAM FAULKNER, physician and surgeon, Erie, was born July 4, 1819, son of Dr. Peter, and Rebecca (Merrick) Faulkner, of German descent, the former a native of N. Y., the latter of Md. Our subject's paternal grandfather was a physician and surgeon in the war of 1813, and died while in the service. Dr. Peter Faulkner came to Erie from N. Y., in 1824, resided for a time in Crawford Co., Penn., but returned to Erie Co. in 1844, and died in this city. He was twice married, and had two children by each wife. Morgan L., the eldest, is a physician in Crawford Co., Penn .; subject is the second; Robert, first child by the second wife, is a physician in Erie City; and Sarah, the youngest (deceased), was wife of Col. Grant, an attorney of Erie City. Dr. William Faulkner received the rudiments of his education in Wellsburg Academy. In 1842, he graduated from Geneva Medical College and commenced practice in 1842. After practicing some years, he managed to take, as a rec- reation from his professional duties, two full courses of lectures in Philadelphia, and when his father moved to Erie from Crawford Co., he went to the latter county, bought his fa- ther's property. and there practiced till 1858, when he moved to Waterford, Erie Co., remain- ing there till 1872, in which year he came to Erie City. When the rebellion broke out, the Doctor joined the 83d P. V. I., as Surgeon, serving one year. He was compelled to resign on account of illness, brought on by exposure. He was twice married, on first occasion, in 1843, to Sarah Kaerns, who bore him five children, all living, viz. : Elizabeth, wife of J. Sax- ton; Emma, wife of P. D. Smiley; Rebecca, wife of James H. Bosard; William and Peter. Mrs. Faulkner dying in 1865, the Doctor married in 1866 Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Vincent, of Waterford, Penn., and to this union was born one child -Clay Vincent. They are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics, the Doctor is a Republican, formerly a Whig.
J. R. FERGUSON, Chief of Police, Erie, was born in the Keystone State Aug. 24, 1817, son of Israel and Hannah (West) Ferguson, natives of New York, of Scotch descent. Our subject was reared on the farm, and early developing a love for the horse, made that animal his study, so that when a mere lad, he was recognized as a good authority on the diseases of horses, and being skilled as a veterinary surgeon he pursued that profession for several years. He was a secret detective also for fifteen years and made so many cap- tures of criminals and others in that time that he became established as a regular detect- ive and is favorably known in that capacity far and wide, both in the Union and in Canada. During the war our subject was engaged on salary by several United States Marshals to arrest deserters, and thereby he sent more men into the army than any one else in the States. In 1884, he was appointed Chief of Police of Erie City by Mayor Becker. Mr. Ferguson was married in 1840 to Elizabeth Walker, a native of Pennsylvania. She died in 1873. leaving five children-William, Frank, Henrietta, Mattie and George.
JOHN FERRIER, Alderman Second Ward, Erie, was born on the Atlantic Ocean, near the banks of Newfoundland, June 24, 1819, son of Robert and Martha (Armstrong) Ferrier, natives of County Derry, Ireland, and who came to Canada in 1819, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Robert Ferrier was a farmer. Of a family of eight chil- dren, our subject is the only survivor; he was taught the trade of tailor in Canada. In 1849, came to Erie Co. and taught school for twenty years in both Erie City and the county, occasionally clerking in stores. In 1876, lie was elected Alderman of the Second Ward, this city, which position he still occupies. Mr. Ferrier was married in Canada, in 1848,
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to Catherine O'Brien, of Irish descent. Our subject and wife are members of the Catholic Church.
H. G. FINK, proprietor of the Steam Bending Works, Erie, born in Erie Co., Penn., Sept. 14, 1848, son of John Jacob and Caroline (Leopold) Fink, natives of Germany, who came to America in 1847, settling in Erie County. Our subject was brought up on the farm, and attended school in Mckean Township and the State Normal School at Edin- boro, after which he underwent a thorough commercial education at Bryant & Stratton's Business College at Albany, N. Y., from which he graduated in 1866. He then bought and sold cattle for eight years (in Eastern and Western States); going to Texas in 1872. Mr. Fink dealt largely in stock there; at one time lie drove 8,400 head for 600 miles, requiring a force of 28 cowboys. In 1874, be returned to Erie City, and bought the Erie Steam Bending Works, which he is successfully operating at present date, being now the largest felloe mnfg. works in the world; capacity 350 sets of hent felloes per day. Our subject was married in 1876 to Ellen M., daughter of Joseph Statton and a native of England. One child, Alice C., was born to this union. Mrs. Fink is a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Fink is a Republican.
ADDIS FINNEY, firm of O. C. Thayer & Co., manufacturers of stoneware, sewer pipes, fire brick, etc., Erie, was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1857, only surviving child of W. C. Finney, a native of Me., of Irish descent. Our subject was reared in Ohio, edu- cated in the high school of his native county, and was employed as clerk for five years while a resident of Ohio; he afterward went to Wis., and was employed as P. O. clerk till 1883, when he came to this city. Soon after he formed a copartnership with O. C. Thayer & Co., Erie City Pottery. This firm uses nothing but the finest clay from South Amboy, N. J. Mr. Finney was married in Ohio to Sarah D., daughter of H. B. White. By this union is one child. Our subject's grandfather, Caleb Finney, lived to the patriarchal age of ninety-three, and his grandmother, Susannah Finney, died at the age of eighty-nine. His father, W. C. Finney, who is foreman of the pottery, is fifteenth in a family of sixteen.
CONRAD FLICKINGER, hardware dealer, No. 408, 18th street, Erie, was born in Germany, Feb. 20, 1845 ; his father, George Flickinger, came to Erie City in 1851 from Germany, brought over his family in 1853, and here worked at his trade (brick-making) for many years. Our subject, who was the eldest of five children, attended the Erie schools, and early in life learned the tinner's trade ; he was prudent, and in 1866 started in business for himself on a small scale. At the end of three years, he built a store on Peach street, between 22d and 23d streets, where he remained till 1873, when he moved to his present place of business ; he is attached to his business, and well deserves success. Mr. Flickin- ger was married, in 1867, to Anna Shafers, born in Germany, and a daughter of John Shafers. They are parents of six children-Emma, Hattie, Elizabeth, George, Freddie and Laura. Mr. and Mrs. Flickinger are members of St. John's Protestant Church in Erie City. Our subject is a Republican in politics ; has been a member of the Board of Elec- tions a number of years ; is a prominent member of the I. O. O. F .; G. A. R., A. O. U. W. and Select Knight of A. O. U. W., the latter a society just organized in this city, which bids fair to be a success ; he has been the principal mover in its organization.
JEREMIAH FOGARTY, blacksmith, Erie, was born on the sea, during the voyage of his parents, Patrick and Mary Fogarty, to this country. They settled in Toronto, Canada, and there our subject learned his trade ; he subsequently came to this county, eventually settling here in 1870. Mr. Fogarty has been twice married; on the first occasion to Eliza- beth Bolster, of Cork County, Ireland, who bore him two children-Thomas and Eliza- beth ; she is now deceased. Mr. Fogarty was again married in 1870 to Mary Kelly, a na- tive of County Tyrone, Ireland. No children have been born to this union. They are all members of the Roman Catholic Church. During the late war, our subject did active service in the United States Navy in the South Atlantic Squadron, for nearly four years, and received an honorable discharge.
COL. THOMAS FORSTER, son of John Forster; born near Harrisburg, Penn., May 16, 1762; brought up as a surveyor; served during the Revolution in defense of the frontier; was a Colonel of volunteers during the whisky insurrection; appointed Associate Judge of Dauphin Co. in 1793; member of the Assembly one term; came to Erie Co. as agent of the Harrisburg & Presque Isle Land Company in 1796 or 1797: moved his family to the county in the spring of 1799, settling in Erie; commissioned Collector of the port of Erie March, 1799, a position he filled until his death in 1836; meanwhile acting as Government Agent for the construction of the breakwater in Erie Harbor; serving as Captain and Brigade In- spector in the war of 1812, and holding numerous town and county offices. He married, Oct. 5, 1786, Sarah Pettit, daughter of Rev. Joseph Montgomery, who was a Chaplain in the Revolutionary army, and the first member of Congress from Lancaster Co. under the Constitution of the U. S. She died in Erie July 27, 1808. Among her children were the wives of Gen. E. V. Sumuer, Gen. Geo. W. Wright, Col. John Harris, Maj. Herron and Capt. Bailey, U. S. Army. Col. Forster and Rev. Mr. Montgomery were both educated at Princeton College, New Jersey.
THOMAS FORSTER, JR., son of Col. Thos. Forster and Sarah, his wife; born near Harrisburg, Penn., in 1796, came to Erie with his father; carried on a forwarding and
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commission business at Erie Harbor several years; Captain of a military company, and ves- tryman of St. Paul's Church; moved to Dunkirk, N. Y., about 1828, from which date he was Government Agent for the construction of breakwaters at the various harbors on Lake Erie, between Erie and Buffalo, until his death; moved to Westfield, N. Y., about 1862, where he died in 1864. He married, in 1821, Juliet M., daughter of Hon. William Bell, of Erie, a settler of 1800, officer in the Revolutionary war, State Senator, Associate Judge, and uncle of Hon. John Bell, candidate for President in 1860. Mrs. Forster died in West- field in 1866. Their children were as follows: John H. and Sarah P., residents of Michi- gan; William T .; Theodore M .; Annie M. and E. S., residents of Erie City.
EDWIN SUMNER FORSTER, son of Thomas Forster, Jr .; born in Dunkirk, N. Y., in 1833; educated at Fredonia Academy; learned the printing business in Dunkirk; lived at various times in Dubuque, Iowa. ; Janesville, Wis., and the copper regions of Lake Supe- rior. Married, May 14, 1867, Miss Mary E., daughter of Wm. B. and Carrie A. Hays, of Erie; settled in Erie in 1871, engaging in mercantile business. Mr. and Mrs. Forster have had but one child-William Hays Forster, born Jan. 28, 1872.
FREDERICK FRANZ, foreman of the Chicago & Erie Stove Works, Erie, was born Feb. 23, 1839, in Germany, son of Casper and Barbara Franz, who came to America with their family in 1852, settling in Erie City. Our subject was first employed in a foundry in Erie for a few months, and then engaged with the Chicago & Erie Stove Works Company, in whose employment he has been continuously since 1854. Through untiring energy and close application to business, he has gradually grown into such favor and confidence of the firm, that for past ten years he has had charge of the molding department. In 1860, Mr. Franz married Emma, daughter of Philip Schwap. By this union were born eight chil- dren-Jacob C., Frederick R., Francis J., Henry J., Kiddon C., Catharine, Theresa and Jen- nie C.
A. A. FREEMAN, M. D., physician and surgeon, Erie, was born in Crawford Co., Penn., July 4, 1850, son of Arold Freeman, who came to Crawford Co. in 1816, following farming. His family numbered eight children, seven living. Our subject was raised on the farm, and attended the common schools till he was nineteen years old. In 1872, he grad- uated from the State Normal School, located at Edinboro, then taught school, and while so employed studied medicine. He afterward read medicine with Dr. Heard, now of North East. Dr. Freeman regularly graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Buffalo, N. Y., in 1876, and same year he commenced the practice of his profession in Erie City. This he continued till 1881, when with the view of entering the legal profes- sion he abandoned it. He was elected Alderman of the city in 1881, which office he still holds. The Doctor was married, in this county, in 1876, to Josephine L., daughter of N. L. Finn, now of Saginaw Co., Mich. To this union were born two children-Arold Ray and Robert Todd.
JACOB FRITZ, grocer, Erie, was born in Heimersheim, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, Sept. 9, 1841, and came to America when ten years of age with his people, who settled here. He is a son of George John Fritz, who has the following family: Elizabeth, wife of Lawrence Koster, a merchant of this city; John and George, farmers of West Union, Iowa, and Jacob, the subject of this sketch. Jacob, at fourteen, began cabinet-making, which he followed for four years, when he began merchandising, and has since been successfully connected in the grocery trade here. He was united in marriage, in 1865, with Elizabeth Althoff, born in Eringshausen Kreis, Koblenz, Prussia. They have three sons and five daughters-Helen, Martha, Kate, Elizabeth, George, Florence, Jacob, Jr., and Frank Fenner. The family are members of the German Lutheran Church. Mr Fritz has always taken an active part in developing the social and industrial life of Erie City.
GEORGE E. FRY, plumber and gas-fitter, Erie, was born and reared in N. Y. City. At seventeen, took up his present business there, and followed it successfully for seventeen years. In 1866, he came to Erie City and established himself in business. He has been prominently identified with that industry in this city and Erie Co., evidences of which re- main in many of the public works of the city. He married Miss Elizabeth Mapes, of Springfield, Ohio.
RICHARD GAGGIN, deceased, was born at Bandon, Ireland, in 1803. He was reared to the woolen manufacturing in his native country, and at Leeds, England, whither he went with his father. He came to America in 1836, and for a year carried on business in N. Y. City, and is believed to be the first manufacturer of sealette goods in this country. He subsequently came to Erie, and in 1843 took an active part in establishing the Erie Woolen Mills, and was engaged in same as long as they existed. He was a practical chem- ist, and turned his attention to different industries, establishing the starch manufacturing here in 1850. When petroleum was discovered, be built the first complete refinery, which he carried on during several years. He was employed in the U. S. Internal Revenue serv- ice, and was surveyor of distilleries throughout the country for a long period, visiting all parts of the U. S .; he served as County Coroner one term, and filled several minor offices. Mr. Gaggin was the first member of the I. O. O. F. in Northwestern Penn., and was in- strumental in establishing the Order in Erie and adjacent counties, and at the time of his death was its oldest member in Penn. He was a man of fine education, and had scientific
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attainments of a high order. Mr. Gaggin died in 1882 at the home of his daughter, in Conneaut, Ohio, and is buried in the Erie Cemetery.
R. F. GAGGIN, civil engineer, Erie, the eldest son of Richard Gaggin, was born in Leeds, England, in 1832, and came to this country with his parents in 1836. He was edu- cated at Erie Academy and studied his profession under John H. Millar, County Surveyor and Engineer. For a few years he was engaged on the Ohio & Miss. Ry., and in 1856 became chief engineer of the road between St. Louis and Vincennes, Ind., remaining as such until its completion; he subsequently built railways in Mo. and Ill. in connection with Col. Thos. M. Walker, of Erie. Mr. Gaggin returned to Erie in 1860 and was ap- pointed City Engineer, which position he resigned to enter the U. S. Customs service, in which he was Deputy Collector and Collector of Customs for seventeen years. From 1874 to 1877, he was employed in gold and silver mining in Colo. He was married, in 1866, to Ger- trude P., daughter of Dr. Jas. L. Hall, of North East, and has a family of three sons and two daughters.
JOHN GALBRAITH. The Penn. Galbraiths came of the Scotch-Irish stock so prominent in the early history of the commonwealth. James Galbraith, the founder of the family in this State, emigrated from the North of Ireland, and settled at Donegal, in what is now Lancaster Co., in 1712; he bought large tracts of land from Wm. Penn, ;pro- prietary; his son, James Galbraith, Jr., married, in 1735, Elizabeth Bertram, who, with her father, Rev. William Bertram, came from Edinburgh, Scotland. These people were all Presbyterians in their religious faith, and the old stone church at Donegal, where they worshiped, has in its churchyard the bones of many of the family. Jas. Galbraith, Jr., was elected Sheriff of Lancaster Co. in 1742; he was made Judge of the Common Pleas in 1745, and was for many years a Justice of the Peace; he removed to Cumberland Co, in 1760, and in 1763 was appointed Judge in that county. He took an active part in the French and Indian war in 1755-56, and during the Revolution in 1777, was appointed Colonel for Cumberland Co., being then seventy-three years of age; he was obliged, how- ever, to resign after a twelve-months' service, on account of his advanced years and bodily infirmities. In Egle's history of Penn., the writer says: "The Galbraiths of Cumberland Co. all came from James Galbraith, Jr .; every one of his sons became prominent in the Revolutionary war on the side of the patriots. Bertram Galbraith, First Lieutenant in Lancaster Co., was his son, and did noble service in the cause of his country. Andrew Galbraith, another son, served with distinction as an officer in the Revolution. Chief Jus- tice John Bannister Gibson married one of his daughters. John Galbraith, the youngest son, was a soldier of the Revolution; he was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island, and, with many others, suffered great hardships in the British prisons in New York City. After the war he removed to Huntingdon Co., and from there to Butler Co., where he re- sided until his death. In the southwest corner of the old Derry Churchyard, on the line of the Lebanon Valley Railroad, at Derry Station, is a stone slab, bearing the following in- scription: 'Here lieth the remains of the Rev. Wm. Bertram, first pastor of this congrega- tion, who departed this life ye 2d Feb., A. D. 1799, aged eighty-five years.' Immediately beside it is another slab with this inscription: 'Here lieth the remains of James Gal- braith, who departed this life ye 23d August, 1744, aged seventy-eight years, also James Galbraith, Esq., the younger, on ye 11th June, 1787, aged eighty-three years, who dwelt beloved by all, in rational piety, modest hope and cheerful resignation."" Andrew Gal- braith, brother of James Galbraith, Jr., was the first Coroner of Lancaster Co. In 1730, he was appointed one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, a position he held until 1746. He was created a member of Assembly in 1730, and for eight consecutive sessions thereafter. In 1732, when a candidale for Assembly, he had a most extraordinary canvass; his wife, mounting her mare Nelly, with spurs strapped to her heels, rode out among the Scotch-Irish in Donegal and collected more than 100 voters, at whose head she rode into Lancaster Borough, where the elections were held, and in Penn Square harangued them with such effect that her husband was returned elected by two or three votes. This incident is thus referred to in a biographical sketch of Madame Patterson Bonaparte in Lippincott's Magazine for Sept., 1877. Mrs. Patterson, Madame Bonaparte's mother, being the grand daughter of the successful feminine electioncerer. "Mrs. Patterson came of that sturdy, independent Scotch-Irish race that has peopled Penn.'s prosperous valleys. Her grand- mother, Mrs. Galbraith, was of considerable force of character, taking a prominent part in Revolutionary stir, and on one occasion traversing on horseback the then almost wil- derness, to canvass votes for her husband's election to the Assembly, which she won, whether by robust arguments or in the felicitous way of the beautiful duchess of Devon- shire, is not recorded." Robert Galbraith, one of the sous of James Galbraith, Jr., was appointed Prothouotary for Bedford Co. March 21, 1777; he was also Justice for the same county. In 1778, he removed to York, and there practiced law; he was a member of the Assembly from that county, and was appointed agent to sell the confiscated estates of the Tories; he returned to Bedford Co. in 1784, and was in 1788 appointed President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Huntingdon Co .; he was an officer in the Revolution, and served with honor to himself and country. John Galbraith, the immediate subject of this sketch, son of the John Galbraith above referred to, was born at Huntingdon, Penn.,
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in 1794. His father moved to Butler Co., this State, about the beginning of the 19th cen- tury, where the son grew up on a farm. Long before he was of age he was in charge of a school. and in due time served an apprenticeship to the printing business in the same office in Butler, where James Thompson, afterward Chief Justice, was employed. Tiring of printing he studied law with Gen. Wm. Ayres, of Butler, and was admitted to the bar at the age of twenty-three or twenty-four. Soon after he married Miss Amy Ayres, daughter of Rev, Robert Ayres, an Episcopal minister, long resident at Brownsville, Penn., brother of Gen. Ayres. About the same time he moved to Franklin, Penn., where he rose rapidly, both in his profession and in popular esteem. His first official position was as a member of the Assembly, to which he was elected three times; was elected to Congress as a Democrat in 1832, 1834 and 1838, where he served on important committees and made several striking speeches. In 1837, he moved to Erie, and was ever after a resident of that city. On retir- ing from Congress he practiced law until the fall of 1851, when he was elected President Judge for Erie, Crawford and Warren Cos., running as Democratic candidate in a district which usually gave about 1,100 Whig majority. His death occurred on the 15th of June, 1860, before the expiration of his term. Judge Galbraith was one of the foremost men in promoting the various public enterprises that gave the first strong impulse to Erie Co .; he was the pioneer in building the railroad from Erie to the Ohio line, was the largest stock- holder in the Erie & Edinboro Plank Road. and aided greatly in reviving the long projected railroad from Erie to Sunbury. One of his favorite ideas, the establishment of a reform school for youthful offenders, has been adopted by the State in the institution at Hunt- ingdon and elsewhere. Mrs. Galbraith died in Philadelphia, March 2, 1868. Their chil- dren were William A., now President Judge of Erie Co., and Elizabeth Ann, intermar- ried with William S. Lane, for some time a practicing lawyer in Erie, and now in Pliila- delphia.
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