USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pennsylvania > Part 61
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FREDERICK ILLIG, farmer and general dealer, Waynesburg, Penn., was born in Germany November 7, 1835. His father, Charles Illig, was a brewer, and of his five children Fred is the oldest. He was the first member of the family to come to America. In 1854 he crossed the ocean and settled in Pittsburgh, Penn., where he obtained a position as clerk in a store. IIe has since made four trips across the water. Some years later he settled in Washington, Washington County, Penn., where he soon became an active dealer in grain and cattle. In 1879 he located at Waynesburg, where he has since carried on a large business, a principal feature of which is his creamery. Mr. Illig succeeded in accumulating a handsome competence for himself and family. He owns valuable town prop- erty in Waynesburg and a good farm adjoining the boronghi. He also has two farms in Washington County, containing 260 acres. Mr. Illig received a liberal education in Germany. His success in this country has been due mainly to his own industry and untiring energy. He is a Republican in politics. He was united in mar- riage in Germany, in 1854, with Miss Caroline Claser, also a native of Germany. Their children are-Charles, Lucy, George, Carrie and William.
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WILLIAM INGHRAM, a retired farmer and stock-grower, was born in Franklin Township, Greene County, Penn., July 31, 1822. Hle is a son of William and Elizabeth (Rinehart) Inghram, natives of this county, and of Irish and Dutch extraction. His father, who was a farmer, had a family of seven children, four daughters and three sons, of whom William is the youngest. He was reared in his native township, received his education in the old log school-house, and has been a successful farmer all his life. Ile owns a fine farm of 400 acres. In 1851 Mr. Inghram married Martha, daughter of Solomon Hoge, and they were the parents of the following children- Frank, Alice, James, a farmer; Elizabeth, wife of John Murdock: Emma, Maggie, Jessie and Olive. Their mother died in 1885, a faith- ful member of the Methodist Church. Frank, the oldest of the family, was born June 14, 1853. Ile was reared in Franklin Township, and received his education in Waynesburg College. He started in life as a school teacher, but subsequently began farming and dealing in cattle, and has been successful in that business. In 1876 he mar- ried Rebecca, daughter of Uriah Inghram, and they have two in- teresting children-Mark and Alice.
JAMES INGHIRAM, President Judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District, was born in Waynesburg, Greene County, Penn., Septem- ber 12, 1842. He is a son of Arthur and Elizabeth (Cather) Ingh- ram, who were natives of this State and of English ancestry. His father read medicine and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, after which he practiced in Greene County for many years. Dr. Arthur Inghram and wife were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fourth, and was reared in Waynes- burg. He acquired his education in the common schools and Waynesburg College, graduating in the classical course in 1859. He then commenced the study of law in the office of Lindsey & Buchanan, was admitted to the bar in 1863, and continued in active practice until 1883, when he was elected president judge. Judge Inghram was united in marriage in 1871 with Miss Mary, daughter of the Hon. C. A. Black, a prominent attorney of Waynesburg. The Judge is a member of the Masonic fraternity and I. O. O. F. Mrs. Inghram is a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church.
COL. JAMES S. JENNINGS was born in Waynesburg, Greene County, Penn., August 22, 1829. His father, Benjamin Jennings, was a native of New Jersey, born in 1779; in his youth removed and located near Carmichaels, Greene County, Penn .; in the year 1800 removed to and settled in Waynesburg, where he remained until his death, which occurred in the year 1861. Benjamin Jennings was a carpenter by trade, and many of the early erected buildings in Waynesburg and near by were the results of his in- dustry and skill. He was for many years a justice of the peace in 36
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Waynesburg, and served one term as county commissioner. He was twice married, his last wife being Elizabeth Stockdale, mother to the subject of this notice. Col. Jennings received his education in his native place at the public schools and Waynesburg College. IIe learned the printing business in the Waynesburg Messenger office, and was subsequently for many years co-editor and proprietor of that paper. In 1858 he was married to Laura E. Weethee, of Athens County, Ohio, a native of that State and a graduate of Waynesburg College. They have three children-William C., now a citizen of Kansas; Charles B., a printer by trade, but at present deputy post- master at Waynesburg; and Mary L., who is also an assistant in Waynesburg postoffice. In 1863, while connected with the Mes- senger office, Colonel J. was elected to, and served one term as treas- urer of Greene County. During the Gubernatorial term of Governor Pollock, of Pennsylvania, Colonel J. was honored by appointment of aid on the Governor's staff as Colonel, and the same honor conferred on him by Governor Packer. In 1867 Colonel Jennings removed to a farm in Athens County, Ohio, where he remained for about twelve years. He was there for a time engaged in the land and mineral business, with a view to develop the mineral resources of his neighborhood, and was, with this view, connected with the con- struction of the Ohio Central Railroad. But the panic of 1873 coming on, the enterprise that had been so promising failed to materialize in time, and his pecuniary interests, as well as those of all concerned, severely suffered. While in Ohio his Democratic friends nominated him as their candidate for the State Legislature, but being in a district hopelessly Republican, without success. Ile was nrged by his Democratie friends in his Congressional District, and by the Democratie newspapers therein, to allow his name to be used as the Democratic candidate for Congress, but the Colonel persistently declined the nomination. His name was also prominent before the State Convention in Ohio as candidate for Governor at the time Bishop was nominated and elected. In the year 1879 Colonel J. removed from Ohio to the State of Kansas to take a fresh start and recover from the money losses sustained in his Ohio mineral enterprises. But his love for his native county had sneh hold on him that he concluded to return to Waynesburg, and in January, 1883, he again took charge of the Messenger on a lease. On the election of Cleveland to the Presidency, in 1886, he was by him ap- pointed postmaster of Waynesburg, which position he holds at the present time, with his family around him as assistants, except the son, who is " growing up with the West."
WILLIAM R. JOHNSON, contractor and builder, was born in Cumberland Township, this county, November 30, 1834, and is a son of Richard and Mary (Smith) Johnson. His parents were natives
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of this State. Jonathan Johnson, his grandfather, was born in Ches- ter County, Penn., in 1796, and came with his parents to Greene County when Richard Johnson was but a small boy. Richard was a brick-layer, and worked at his trade until his death in 1885. Ilis family consisted of nine children, of whom six are living. William R. is the fifth, and was reared in Cumberland Township, on the farm with his parents. At the age of fifteen he learned the brick-layer's trade with his father, and has done considerable business as a con- tractor and builder, having erected most of the fine buildings in Waynesburg. Mr. Johnson was united in marriage, in 1855, with Miss Minerva, daughter of Reuben and Susan (Hlayes) Fleming. Iler parents were natives of Virginia, and of Irish descent. Their children are-Ida, widow of E. P. Lantz (deceased), and Emma, wife of J. A. F. Randolph, Esq. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity.
REV. C. P. JORDAN, retired minister of the Methodist Pro- testant Church, was born in Greene County, Penn., January 22, 1827, and is a son of John and Rebecca (West) Jordan. Ilis parents were natives of eastern Pennsylvania, and of English and German lineage. His father was a mill-wright by ocenpation. He was among the early settlers of this county, and died in 1834. IIis family consisted of nine children, of whom five grew to be men and women. Rev. C. P. Jordan is the only surviving member of the family. IIe was reared in Jefferson Township, and in Waynesburg, where he attended school. Early in life he learned the boot and shoemakers trade, which he followed as a business for five years. IIe then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked until he was licensed to preach and admitted to the Pittsburgh Conference. In 1856 he accepted his first charge, and for years has devoted his time to the ministry in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. The greater part of his ministerial work has been in Pennsylvania, and largely in his own county. He has been an active member of the order of Odd Fellows, and was a charter member of the Sons of Temperance society in this county. He has been actively engaged in the mission work of the church, and has organized fifteen Meth- odist Protestant churches during his ministry. He was a revivalist in the true sense of the word. In 1861 Rev. Jordan married Mrs. Maria Cunningham. His first wife, whom he married in 1850, was Mary, daughter of Nicholas Johnson. She and her two children died in 1854, all within four days.
HIRAM KENT, of the firm of Kent & Driscoll, carriage manu- facturers, Waynesburg, Penn., was born in Center Township, this county, July 27, 1847, and is a son of John and Keziah (Shields) Kent. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Greene County. His father, a farmer, had a family of thirteen children, of
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whom Hiram is the eighth, and was reared in his native township. He attended the common schools, and in early life learned the wagon- maker's trade, at which he worked until 1880, when he began his present business. In 1871 Mr. Kent married Miss Lucy A., daugh - ter of Dawson McClelland, and they have three children-Minnie R., Nancy Maria and Z. Wilber. Mr. Kent is a Democrat, and a prominent member of the I. O. O. F. Ile is now Noble Grand of the Lodge, No. 469, in Waynesburg.
COL. JOIIN M. KENT, born in Waynesburg, Penn., February 29, 1836, is a son of Peter M. and Mary (Hook) Kent, who were of English and Irish origin. His father, who was a native of Ohio, came to Greene County, Penn., when he was a young man, taught school for a number of years, and later in life worked at the stone- mason's trade. He died in 1852. Col. Kent, the third in a family of eight children, was reared in Greene County, and received his early education in the common schools. IIe was a plasterer by trade, also engaged in contracting and building until the war broke out. IIe enlisted in Company I, Eighth Pennsylvania Reserves, was elected First Lieutenant and served in that capacity one year. IIe was then elected Captain for the remainder of his term of service. He returned home and raised a company, and was elected Captain of the Fifth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, in Company K, in which position he served until the close of the war. Col. Kent was twice wounded, first at the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., in December, 1862, when he was reported as among the killed, having been pro- nonnced by the physician mortally wounded. The second time he was wounded at Spottsylvania. He participated in many skirmishes and ten regular battles, among which were the Seven Days' battle in front of Richmond, Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam, in 1862, and the Wilderness and Spottsylvania battles in 1864. At the close of the war Col. Kent returned to Waynesburg, where for five years he engaged in his former business of contracting and building. In 1869 he was appointed United States Store-keeper and Ganger, which position he held for sixteen years. In 1874 he enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guards, in Company K of the Tenth Regi- ment; was elected Captain, and soon after elected Major. Ile was subsequently elected to the position of Lieutenant-Colonel, in which capacity he served until he resigned in 1887. In 1886 he took charge of the Hotel Walton, of which he was proprietor for nearly two years, when he removed with his family to Pittsburgh, Penn. The Colonel was married September 21, 1871, to Nanna A. Wallace, a native of Pittsburgh, Penn., and of Scotch-Irish descent. They are the parents of two children-William IT. and James W. Mrs. Kent is a member of the Presbyterian Church. The Colonel is a Republican in politics. He has served as a member of the town
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council, and as Quartermaster of the G. A. R. Post at Waynesburg. Ile was always noted for his energy and zeal in organizing and con- dueting military and eivie parades and demonstrations in his native town.
CAPT. W. C. KIMBER, fire insurance agent, was born in Fay- ette County, Penn., April 11. 1821. He is a son of Benediet and Mary S. (Vernon) Kimber, natives of Pennsylvania, and of English descent. Ilis father was a glass-blower in early life, but later was engaged in boat-making. He owned and operated a number of boats, and was for many years Captain of a steamboat. The subject of our sketeh was the oldest of a family of six children, and was reared in Brownsville, Penn., where he attended school. When quite a young man he went on the river with his father. He subsequently became Captain of the steamboat "Empire," one of his father's boats running on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Capt. Kimber was on the river from 1838 to 1885, with the exception of fifteen years. A part of that time he was engaged in transporting freight across the plains, and part of the time in the milling business. In 1859 he was elected to the Legislature of Kansas from Doniphan County, serving the first term after the organization of the State. He was married at Brownsville, Penn., in 1846, to Miss Dorotha Ann, daughter of Dr. Henry W. Stoy. They were the parents of three children, viz: Lewis E., book-keeper for the National Transit Company at Oil City, Penn .; Charles E., a miner in Colorado, and Laura D., who died in Waynes- burg in 1878. Mrs. Kimber died at Oil City in 1883.
I. II. KNOX, editor of the Waynesburg Republican. was born at East Finley, Washington County, Penn., April 23, 1862. He is a son of John S. Knox, who has been a merchant and postmaster at East Finley for thirty-five years. His parents were of English and Seoteh descent. Mr. Knox is one of a family of eight children, four of whom are now living. He was reared in Washington County, and attended Waynesburg College. When he left Waynesburg Col- lege he was a member of the senior class. During a period of three years he was a elerk in his father's store at East Finley, and was also for some time a salesman in a dry goods store at Pittsburgh; but on leaving college turned his attention to journalistie work. In 1884 he bought one-half interest in the Waynesburg Republican, in com- pany with W. G. W. Day. Mr. Day retired in 1885, sinee which time Mr. Knox has edited and had charge of the paper. He is a Republican, and edits the only Republican newspaper in the county. On September 15, 1886, he was married to Miss Theodosia B., daugh- ter of G. W. G. and Carrie (Throckmorton) Waddell. Mrs. Knox is a graduate of Waynesburg College, in the class of 1884. She is of English descent, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian
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Church. Mr. Knox is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is secretary of the board of trustees.
P. A. KNOX, attorney, Waynesburg, Penn., was born in Bent- leysville, Washington County, November 17, 1842. He is a son of William and Rosannah (Clark) Knox. His parents, who were natives of Washington County, Penn., were of Scotch and Irish origin. His father was a carpenter and mill-wright by occupation, and spent most of his life in Washington, Allegheny and Greene counties. In 1848 he went to Allegheny County, and in 1849 removed to Greene County and settled in Carmichaels, where he resided until his death, June 4, 1884. He was the father of three children, of whom P. A. Knox is the second. Mr. Knox received his earliest education at the public schools and at Greene Academy, and subsequently attended Waynesburg College, where he graduated in 1864 in the regular classical course. Ile began tcaching school in 1858, when not quite sixteen years of age, and taught almost every winter until 1868. In 1866 he began the study of law with Messrs. Wyly and Buchanan. He was admitted to the bar in 1868, and commenced the practice of law in Waynesburg the following year. In March, 1869, he was appointed to succeed Hon. J. B. Donley as register in bankruptcy for the twenty-fourth district, which was then composed of Greene, Washington, Beaver and Lawrence counties. Mr. Knox, who is a Republican, holds the office of United States Commissioner by ap pointment. He was married in 1868 to Miss Martha II., daughter of James P. Parker. Their children are Lnella, William Parker, James Albert and John Clark Knox.
W. T. LANTZ, cashier of the Farmers and Drovers National Bank of Waynesburg, is one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of Greene County. Ile was born in Blacksville, West Virginia, Octo- ber 25, 1842. Ilis parents, William and Sarah (Thomas) Lantz, were also natives of West Virginia. Their family consisted of nine children, of whom four are living. Mr. W. T. Lantz is the sixth and was reared in Blacksville where he obtained his early education, and afterward attended the college in Waynesburg. In 1872 he opened a store in Waynesburg, and began taking an active interest in the enterprises of the county-among which was the building of the Waynesburg & Washington Railroad. Mr. Lantz was a member of the building committee with S. W. Scott, Jacob Swart and others, and was also a director of the road. These gentlemen are deserving of credit for the active interest they manifested in that enterprise. Again we find Mr. Lantz and others taking an active interest in building the Waynesburg Roller Mills. In 1876 he was elected president of the Waynesburg Agricultural Association, and in 1878 he was elected to his present position in the Farmers and Drovers Pank. He is one of the trustees of the college, and a member of
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the I. O. O. F. Mr. Lantz was united in marriage in Waynesburg with Miss Harriet, danghter of James A. Buchanan, a prominent attorney of the Greene County bar. They have one son, an intelli- gent and promising young man, named James for his grandfather. Mrs. Lantz is a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church.
J. S. LEMLEY, sheriff of Greene County, Penn., was born in
L Springhill Township, this county, March 22, 1845. He is a son of Israel and Mazy (White) Lemley, natives of this county, who were of German origin. His father was a farmer, and died at the early age of thirty-three. Mr. Lemley was the youngest in a family of four children-two boys and two girls. His ancestors were among the early farmers of Springhill Township. He was reared on the farm, attended the common school, and was a farmer by occupation. Mr. Lemley is a Democrat, and was elected sheriff of the county in 1885. Ile was justice of the peace .while a resident of Whitely Township. In 1867 Mr. Lemley married Jane, daughter of David Lapping. Mrs. Lemley is of Irish descent. They have one child. a daughter. Lizzie. Mr. and Mrs. Lemley and their daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
MORRIS LEVINO, merchant. of the firm of Levino Brothers, was born in Germany, June 20, 1863. His parents, Alexander and Fannie (Helburn) Levino, were also natives of Germany. Mr. Levino's father was a teacher in Germany, spending his life in that profession in which he was very successful. Mr. Morris Levino, the youngest in the family of four children, came to America in 1877, and clerked for three months in New York City. He then went to Lewisburg, Penn., where he was employed as a salesman for a period of two years. In 1850 he became the junior member of the firm of A. Levino & Brother. of Waynesburg. In 1882 they established a branch store at Mercer, Penn., and have been very successful in the business. The subject of our sketch has charge of the Waynesburg store, where may be found everything usually found in a first-class clothing house. Mr. Levino was united in marriage, January 18, 18SS, with Miss Sophie Stern. She was born in New York City, February 17, 1868, and is the daughter of Herman Stern, of Alle- gheny, Penn.
IION. JAMES LINDSEY, deceased, was an attorney and counselor at law. Ile was born near Jefferson Borough, November 21, 1827, and was a son of John and Anne (Collins) Lindsey, who were natives of Greene County, and of Scotch-Irish extraction. His father was a farmer and subsequently sheriff and prothonotary and spent his life in this county. Judge Lindsey was the oldest in a family of eleven children, and was reared on a farm in Jefferson Township. He was educated at the Greene Academy in Cumber- land Township, and studied law in Waynesburg, where he practiced
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his chosen profession until 1863, when he was elected President Judge of the fourteenth judicial distriet, then composed of Washing- ton, Fayette and Greene Counties. Ile was a Democrat and a sue- cessful business man and was noted for his honesty and integrity as well as for his scholarly attainments. In 1855 Judge Lindsey was united in marriage with Miss Sarah, daughter of Dr. Arthur Inghram, and a sister to the President Judge of the fourteenth judicial district, Hon. James Inghram. He died at the early age of
thirty-seven years. To Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey were born four ehil- dren. Arthur I., the oldest, was born at Waynesburg, July 10, 1856. ITe was educated in Waynesburg College, and in 1874 began clerking in the F. & D. National Bank of Waynesburg, in which he is now assistant cashier. Ile is a Democrat, and is among the most prominent young men of the county. The three remaining children are William W. and John H., who are in the West, and Annie L. Judge Lindsey was a Presbyterian, and his widow is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
II. II. LINDSEY, merchant, who was born in Jefferson Borough, this county, October 27, 1823, is a son of James and Catharine (Shroyer) Lindsey. Ilis parents were also natives of Greene County, and of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. Lindsey's grandfather, James Lindsey, built the first brick hotel in Jefferson Borough, where he spent the remainder of his life. Mr. Iliram Lindsey was the second in a family of three children and was reared in Jefferson where he attended school. At the age of sixteen he began to clerk in a store and was engaged as a salesman till 1850, when he opened a general store and continued in that business for twenty-five years. In 1869 Mr. Lindsey was elected prothonotary of the county, served one term and was re-elected in 1872. In 1876 he removed to Chicago, Illinois. Returning to Waynesburg in 1881, he has since been en- gaged in the mercantile business. In 1847 Mr. Lindsey married Miss Sarah, daughter of Philip Minor. Mrs. Lindsey is a native of Greene County, and of Welsh origin. Their children are-William L., for the last twenty-one years with J. V. Farwell & Co., Chicago, Ill. James M. who is a clerk in the United States revenue office at Pittsburgh, Penn .; Laura, wife of Robert D. Myers, of Chicago; Margaret, wife of L. L. Minor, Esq., of Uniontown, Penn .; Anna, and George B., who is with Farwell & Co., of Chicago. The de- ceased are IIelen, wite of W. A. Bane, and Jessie. Mr. Lindsey is a member of the I. O. O. F. and A. Y. M., and his wife is a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church. They are among the repre- sentative citizens of Waynesburg, Penn.
WILLIAM LIPPENCOTT, SR., farmer, Waynesburg, Penn., was born in Franklin Township, this county, October 14, 1812. He is a son of Uriah and Nancy Lippencott, natives of New Jersey, and
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
of English descent. Mr. William Lippencott's grandfather was among the earliest settlers of Greene County, and engaged in farm- ing and stock growing. He gave his son Uriah instructions in the art of husbandry-a business he followed all his life, except the time he spent in teaching school. His death occurred in 1855. William Lippencott is the fifth in a family of eight children, and was reared on the farm where he and his family reside. Like his ancestors, he chose farming and stock growing as a business and has been very successful. Ilis home farm contains 400 acres of valuable land. Mr. Lippencott was united in marriage, in 1832, with Rachel, daughter of George and Margaret (Bowen) Ullom, and they are the parents of tive children, viz., Uriah, Margaret, Melissa, Martha and Maria. Mrs. Lippencott died in 1848. In 1849 Mr. Lippencott married Rebecca, danghter of Sylvanns and Rachel (Pew) Smith, natives of New Jersey, and of English lineage. Their children are-Smith, A. J., Elisha, Rachel A., B. F. and Sylvanus I. Mr. Lippencott has filled the offices of assessor, director of the poor and school director. Mrs. Lippencott is a consistent member of the Methodist Protestant Church.
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