History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 125

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1288

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Methodist Episcopal organization in New Castle and surrounding neighborhood for over forty years. He married Rebecca (McChesney), who bore him Sarah, Jane, Susannah, William, Moses, Enoch, David, Mary, James, Rebecca, Har- riet, Robert and Watson. Mr. and Mrs. Brest had Mary J., born July 23, 1846, who married William A. Noble, who died in the war; infant, born Au- gust 11, 1848, died soon; John Z., born January 21, 1850, entered the war at the age of fourteen years and died with the measles; Sarah R., born January 14, 1852, died August 10, 1854; Jasper N., born May 15, 1854; Will- iam W., born July 6, 1856, died November 14, 1859; Jasper N., married Sarah Gilson, of Hickory Township, and has two children, Isabella and Milroy E. Mr. Brest united with the Methodist Church when young, and has been class- leader and steward in the same, and his wife has been a member of said church since the age of fifteen. Andrew Brest enlisted in Company E, Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, as did also his brothers, Washington and James. His brother John was confined in Libby Prison for nearly three years. Nathaniel was also in the war, as were also David W. and Frank, the sons of David Brest. Mr. and Mrs. Brest have reared John L. Young from the age of five years, and Della Layman, taking the latter from the industrial schools of Cleveland. He is a Republican.

H. A. BROADBENT, county treasurer, post-office Mercer, was born January 1, 1844, in Worcester County, Mass., to Ammon and Elmira (Wadsworth) Broadbent. Ammon was a native of England, and came with his parents, Ammon and Martha (Briley) Broadbent, to America when he was ten years old. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Oneida County. N. Y., and at Utica, N. Y. He was engaged with his father in a woolen factory in Jefferson Township, when he was elected county treasurer, in 1887. The family came to Mercer County in 1857. He enlisted in Company B, Fifty- fifth Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, re-enlisted in the Two Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served with the Fifth Heavy Artillery. He was married in October, 1865, to Miss Maggie Anderson, daughter of William Anderson, of Jefferson Township. This marriage resulted in five children: William W. and Joseph (both type-setters in the Dispatch Repub- lican office, Mercer), Jesse F., Harry A., Anna J. Our subject has served as justice of the peace and school director. He is a member of Mercer Post, G. A. R., and is a stanch Republican. He and wife are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

JOHN CLARK (deceased) was born in 1817 in County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to Pittsburgh about 1850, and in 1854 he brought his family to Mercer County. They lived for a number of years in Lackawannock Township. In 1864 they moved to the farm where the family reside, in Jefferson Township. Here John Clark died, on June 25, 1876. He married Mary Mc Williams, a native of Ireland, who blessed him with nine children: John, died in Pitts- burgh; Jane, married Isaac W. Bagnall; Margaret, taught school a number of years, and became the first wife of R. M. Smith; Mary, deceased; Eliza- beth A., married William H. Womer; Thomas A., deceased; Rachel, John W. and Charles C. Mr. Clark's family belongs to the First Presbyterian Church at Mercer (Charles excepted). John Clark taught school in Ireland and in Mercer County. His estimable widow resides with her sons, John W. Charles C., and daughter Rachel, on the home place, known as the "Old Law" farm, consisting of 125 acres. The father was assessor and school director. John W. Clark was elected constable of Jefferson Township in 1887, by a majority of thirty, and collector by twenty-four. In 1888 he received forty- eight majority for the same offices. In June, 1887, he was appointed school

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

treasurer, and still serves. The Clark brothers are Democrats, and enterpris- ing young men, and the family is one of the most respected in the community where they live.

HENRY DAVIS, farmer, post-office Clark, was born June 17, 1824, in what is now Lawrence County, to Adam and Elizabeth (Steiner) Davis, natives of West- moreland County. They came to Lawrence County about 1818. The father died at Big Bend in 1866, and his widow still lives, and blessed her husband with Kate, John, Henry, Susannah, Joseph, Nancy and Hannah. The parents were Free Will Baptists. Henry Davis was educated in the country log cabin, and learned carpentering. He was married February 5, 1846, to Lucy, daugh- ter of Francis and Mary C. (Davis) Brazee (no connection). Her parents were natives of Connecticut, and settled in Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1838. She was born November 10, 1827. Mr. Davis settled on his present farm March 8, 1864, and now owns eighty acres, through a portion of which the old canal passes. He bought the canal-boat "Compromise," and operated it for a number of years transporting lumber, coal, pig iron, tan-bark, etc., to Pitts burgh and Erie. He and wife are Free Methodists of Jefferson Hall. He is a Republican. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Davis are: Lewis A., married Mary Young, and has had Clyde, Birt (deceased), Lillian (deceased), May, Vic- tor, Glenn, Clifford, Olive; Francis A., married Sarah DeGarmo, children, John W., Jennie, James (deceased), Washington, Harriet and Lizzie; Theodore P., married Jane McIntyre, children, Thomas and an infant; Mary E., married T. P. Seidle; Alfred, married Ida Fisher, children, Eddie, Charles, Mack, Pearl and Walter; Robert, married Susannah Uber, children, Mont, Blanche, Gladdis, Jesse; Hannah, married Mathias Adams, children, William, Callie, Birt, Fred, Oren (deceased) and Harry; Charles, married Hannah Uber, one child, Harry; Lucinda J., married William Hinckston, children, Myrtle Maud, Hiram; Levi B., deceased; John M. and Isophenia.

JAMES FORSYTHE, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born April 21, 1811, in County Antrim, Ireland, to John and Rose (Hamilton) Forsythe, the parents of John, James, Jane, Sarah, Andrew and Ann. Only Ann, Andrew and James came to America. Ann married Samuel Fyffe, and Andrew is dead. James received his education in his native county. Here he began very poor, by working out by the day at as low as 50 cents. He finally became able to buy twenty acres, on which he erected a log cabin and lived two years before he married Jane Hutchison, a sister of William Hutchison, of East Lackawannock. He brought his wife to his log cabin, where they lived for five years. He now owns 200 acres, of which he is the artificer. His only son, John, married Lizzie Treffinger, of Pittsburgh, and has two children, James H. and Margaret. He farms the place for his father. Mr. and Mrs. Forsythe are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church at Mercer. He is a Democrat, and contents himself in his old age by reading the Western Press, Pittsburgh Post and the Ohio Farmer.

THOMAS FRUIT, deceased, was born in 1800, in Northumberland County, Penn., and came to this county with his parents, Richard and Sarah (Wilson) Fruit, when quite small, and the family settled on land now owned by the Fruit heirs. Here Richard and Sarah died, he in 1822, she in 1844, and were the parents of Robert, Elizabeth, Catharine, Thomas, William and John. They were Presbyterians. Thomas Fruit was married in 1826 to Anna Campbell, the daughter of Edward and Margaret (Satterfield) Campbell, the parents of William, Margaret, Eliza, James, Anna, Mary and Jane. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were Presbyterians, and he was a justice of the peace for many years. Thomas Fruit was blessed by his union with six children: Wilson,

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

died small; Mary, Lizzie, Wort; Edward, died small, and James S. William Fruit, a brother of Thomas, shipped the first boat-load of coal over the canal to Erie. Thomas Fruit died March 26, 1852, and his wife January 27, 1888.

WORT FRUIT was born January 15, 1837, on the farm where he now lives. He was brought up on the farm, and married Anna B. Jamison, daughter of William and Matilda Jamison, and by her he has had two children: Anna, died when quite small, and Seth T. Mr. Fruit and his sisters own the old homestead of 400 acres. He has been school director a number of years, and is a Republican. His estimable wife is a consistent member of the United Presbyterian Church at Clarksville.

EDWARD C. FRUIT, farmer, post-office Hill, was born October 9, 1822, on the farm where Frank Fruit now lives. He is a son of Robert Fruit and a grandson of Richard and Sarah (Wilson) Fruit. Robert was born in Union County, and Sarah Wilson in Eastern Pennsylvania. The children of Richard and Sarah were Robert, Elizabeth, Thomas, Catharine, William, John. Robert Fruit was educated in one of the pioneer log cabins described in this book. He married Margaret Campbell, born in 1801 and died March 1, 1866. Robert was born in 1795 and died November 25, 1879. Their children were: Edward C., Sarah, Richard, Enoch, Jane, Frank A., Margaret, Harriet, Mar- tha, John, Caroline and Maria. Robert Fruit was once poor director. He began for himself poor, and owned at his death over 600 acres in Jefferson and Delaware Townships, also a grist mill. He was a Whig and Republican. Our subject attended the country schools of his boyhood. From 1865 to 1872 he clerked for Gundy & Peters, Gundy & Persh, Charleston, and Enoch, his brother, at Clarksville, He was married November 28, 1856, to Kate Garuer, . daughter of Jacob Garner, born in 1799, and Elizabeth (Louck) Garner, born February 19, 1802, and the parents of Henry, Anna M., Elizabeth, Kate, Jacob, J. L., George, William, John, Sarah E. He has by her Jessie, married John Magargee, and Robert E. He was once elected a justice of the peace, but did not qualify. He was school director for seven years, assessor, and for two years a director of schools at Clarksville, He was a member of I. O. O. F. at Mercer, a charter member of same at Charleston, Clarksville and Hamburg, and was once an A. F. & A. M. He is a Republican, a representative citizen, and owns 117 acres of well-improved land.

STEPHEN HORNE, farmer and blacksmith, post-office Mercer, was born January 8, 1821, in Delaware County, Penn., to William D., born in the same county December 22. 1777, and Sarah (Pyle) Horne, born in same place July 5, 1785. The family came to Neshannock Township, now Lawrence County, in 1824, and there the father died April 2, 1862, and the mother August 12, 1872: They were Friends in religious belief, and had Edward, Hannah, Hiram, Eliza, Ann and Stephen. Stephen was educated in Lawrence County. At the age of sixteen he began learning the blacksmith trade with his brother-in-law, James McConahay, at New Castle, where he remained three years. He then worked at various places until 1845, when he formed a partnership with Jacob Shaffer, of Mercer, which continued until 1847. He then conducted the busi- ness by himself until 1851, when he farmed and followed smithing in Lawrence County. In 1862 he located at Big Bend, where he followed his trade and farmed. In 1873 he came to his present farm, and the following year removed to Mercer. In 1875 he bought forty-one acres where he now lives, and has since farmed and conducted his blacksmith shop. He was married in 1843 to Elizabeth Boyd, who died February 5, 1858, leaving three children: Henrietta, married William Forbes and lives in Pueblo, Colo .; William H., married Clara Wade, and resides on a farm near Morning Sun, Iowa; Helen, married

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

N. W. McKay, and lives in Wapello, Iowa. He was married again, to Mary A. Gross, daughter of Henry and Catharine Fair, and the widow of John Gross. By her he has Hannah, a teacher; Stella, married William McCullough; Ida, married Newman Cozad; Crissie, Edith and Charles. The present Mrs. Horne was born December 15, 1833, in York County, Penn., and mar- ried John Gross, by whom she had one child, Matilda. Her father, Henry Fair, was born in Berks County, came to Lawrence County in 1850, and died in Mercer County October 25, 1873, in the Lutheran faith. His widow lives with her daughter, Mrs. Horne, and was the mother of Philip, Mary, Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth, Christiana, William and John. Mr. and Mrs. Horne are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Big Bend, and he is a Republican.

JAMES H. McDOWELL (deceased). By the decree of the immutable laws of nature, Death wielded his sceptre and took from the midst of a dutiful wife and obedient children one of the most venerated and esteemed citizens of Jef- ferson Township, James McDowell, who departed this life on September 15, 1888, with the honors of a well-spent life around him, and the tender. minis- trations of friends and relatives to comfort his last moments. The deceased had been in failing health for a few years prior to his death, the principal af- fection being the failure of the eyesight, which necessitated his close con- finement to the house, which, because of his indomitable will to be doing some- thing, was very trying to him. He had, however, a wonderful degree of vital- ity and strength even to the last, and the active business and farm life he led since he attained manhood brought him in contact with many people, and a certain frankness and unaffected courtesy of manner made friends of all with whom he transacted business or exchanged civilities. In this volume will be found a portrait of the worthy deceased, which speaks more for his personal traits than any amount of language that might be framed together. He was born September 10, 1810, in Pymatuning Township. His parents, Robert and Jane (Lodge) McDowell, were natives of Westmoreland County, Penn., and who settled at an early period where their son, James, was born. During James' boyhood days he had the advantage of only two weeks at the old log cabin school-house, for which he paid a small tuition. By securing good books and studying at spare moments, he acquired a fair business education, such as warranted his neighbors to solicit his service in public office, which he, however, refused, because of a pressure of farm duties. He early learned the arduous trade of a stone-cutter, and followed that for many years. He finally bought a farm in the woods, and went through the various hardships that go to make up the life of the pioneers. By careful attention to his duties, strict economy and frugal dealings, he accumulated a large amount of personal property, together with a farm of 230 acres, which he brought into a high state of cultivation, before receiving his last summons. The family can pride them- selves that he and his estimable consort were the artificers of all they possessed. for they began their matrimonial career with but little else than willing hearts and strong hands. Early in life he identified himself with the Presbyterian Church, and the living of a life of an earnest Christian, added to his natural inclinations, made him one of the best of citizens, the kindest of husbands and a cherished father. He was married in 1834 to Miss Fannie, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Smith) Byerly, natives of Westmoreland County, Penn., and early residents of Pymatuning Township. The result of this union was the following children: George, married Rebecca Columbus; Joseph, married Alice Carr; Mary A. married Daniel Hay ; Jane, married James Branaugh; Julia, married Ferdinand Vansicklin, a merchant of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; James C., mar-

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

ried Sallie Holstein, and Emma, married Hiram W. Hoagland. In politics the deceased was an earnest Democrat.

SAMUEL T. MCCULLOUGH, farmer, post-office Hill, was born March 3, 1827, in East Lackawannock Township, and is a brother of F. S. Mccullough. He was educated in the country schools and the Mercer Academy; his teachers in the latter being Samuel Griffith, George W. Zahniser and others. He was married, in 1859, to Martha Carpenter, daughter of Thomas Carpenter and Jane (Hunter) Carpenter, the parents of James, Joseph, John P., Martha and Sarah. Mrs. McCullough died July 27, 1871, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and the mother of Mary A., Flora J., Robert F. and Alonzo S. He was mar- ried again, to Elizabeth Bean, of Delaware Township. When a boy Mr. McCullough came to the farm where he now lives, the gift of his father, and has experienced the hardships that go to make up the life of the pioneer. He is serving his third term as school director, and he and family are Presbyte- rians.

F. S. MCCULLOUGH, farmer, post-office Hill, was born September 19, 1820, in Lackawannock Township, on the farm where Alexander McCullough now lives. He is a son of Alexander and Eleanor (Smith) Mccullough. Our sub- ject was educated in the common schools, and by Rev .. Geo. W. Zahniser in Mercer. In 1844 he began in the wild woods on the farm where he now lives, erecting a cabin 16x16 feet out of round logs. He and his brother, Samuel T., "batched " until 1847, when on August 27 of that year our subject was mar- ried to Louisa Bean, of Hempfield Township. He brought his bride to this cabin, and subsequently built a commodious house, which he has recently repaired, making a beautiful residence. He has owned 400 acres, a portion of which he has divided between his sons. His children are: Mary E., Susan E., married Thomas H. Miles; James A., married Clara Miles; Samuel F .; Jennie M .; William I., married Emily Dickson. Mr. Mccullough owns a saw- mill now located in Delaware Township, and his sons have run a threshing machine for sixteen years. He and wife and children are members of the Presbyterian Church of Clarksville, in which he has been an elder for twenty years. He is a Republican.

THOMAS . RAY, farmer, post-office Hill, was born November 23, 1823, in County Down, Ireland, to John and Eliza (Hurley) Ray, the parents of John, George, Thomas, James, William and Jane. George Ray came to Hope Valley, Rhode Island, in 1848, and was for four years manager of a weaving establishment owned by a man by the name of Darling. In 1852 he hired to Gen. James, of Providence, to superintend a weaving shop in Reading, Penn. Eight years later he went into a machine shop at the same place. Our subject came from his native country in 1850 to where his brother was in Rhode Island, and was employed in a cotton machine shop for three years. He then came to the home of his uncle, Thomas Ray, of Butler County, and worked one year on his farm. In 1854 he settled in Mercer County, and rented a farm of Will- iam Gordon, of Lackawannock Township, for three years. The next two years he was on the farm of Robert Gallagher, of Shenango Township. He spent the six subsequent years on the farm of a Mr. Thompson, which was composed of 300 acres. At the close of this period he bought a house and lot in West Middlesex, and was there engaged in dealing in cattle for six years. In 1870 he bought a farm in Lackawannock Township, which he traded in 1883 to Kimmell for his present farm. He was married in 1845 to Margaret Boal, of Ireland, and has Eliza, married John Boals; John, married Emma C. Trout- man, and is the present postmaster of Hill; Thomas, deceased; Sarah, de- ceased; George; William G., deceased; Sadie, married W. P. Morrow; Susan

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M., married Z. S. Dunlap; James, attending Grove City College; Maggie, married William Lesher, a carpenter of Sharon. Mr. Ray is now an elder in the United Presbyterian Church of Sharon, and is a Democrat.

ABNER L. RENO, farmer, post-office Hill, was born September 13, 1832, in Beaver County, to Jesse and Elizabeth (Bebont) Reno, natives, the former of Beaver and the latter of Washington County. The parents came to Mercer County in the fall of 1836, and settled on a farm in Jefferson Township, yet owned by the heirs. They moved to Lawrence County in 1879, where the father died. December 31, 1880. His widow resides with her daughter, Mrs. Addie E. McNish. They had Abner L., Henry B., Frank A., Kate J., Anna L., John L., Perry A., principal of a university at Mitchell, Dakota; Luella, Addie and Rebecca M. The father established a tannery in Jefferson Township in 1843, and operated it for twelve years. He and wife were Methodists. Abner L. Reno attended the common schools, and spent two terms at Beaver College, Beaver, Penn. He was engineer at the Clay Furnace for eight years, and at Youngstown, Ohio, some time. He went to California in 1853, in company W. W. Williamson, Moses Blank, William and Harry Ash, making the trip from Saint Joe, Mo., by ox team. Hereturned in 1855, and March 11, 1856, was married to Margaret C. Davis, born October 28, 1836, near Painesville, Ohio, a daughter of Carson Davis, born March 28, 1809, in Armstrong County, Penn., to Ebenezer and Mary (Moore) Davis, natives of New Jersey. Mr. Davis' parents had James, Nancy, Carson, Rachel and Ebenezer. Carson Davis was married to Harriet Carman, of Meadville, December 1, 1831. This marriage resulted in five children: Emeline, Margaret C., William, George H. and Albert. Mr. Davis engaged, after his marriage, in moulding at a furnace in Ohio, and seven years later he was employed at the same in Meadville. In 1841 he went to Erie, and moulded until 1845, when he was transferred to the Clay Furnace, in Jefferson Township, which was erected that year by David Himrod and B. B. Vincent. He acted as their foreman until 1858. In 1859 he was employed by the above firm in Youngstown, Ohio. He retired principally in 1870, having lost the sight of one eye that year, and in 1877 he lost the sight of the other. His wife died March 25, 1861, a member of the Presbyterian Church. He now resides with his daughter, Mrs. Reno, the mother of three boys: Charles C., George L. and Wilbur H.

RALPH M. SMITH, farmer and stock raiser, post-office Mercer, was born July 18, 1848, in Cool Spring Township. His father, Richard W. Smith, was born in England February 20, 1816, to Richard and Phoebe (Wooduff) Smith, natives of England. The family, consisting of father, mother and eleven children, John, Mary, Elizabeth, Phoebe, Richard W., Samuel, William, Ellen, George, Ann and Jane, came to America in 1831, and settled in Mer- cer, where the father engaged in butchering for twelve years, and also bought and sold wool. He bought eight acres where William Fry lives, and there he died about 1839, and is buried in the old Mercer graveyard; his wife died at the home of her daughter, Elizabeth Livingston, in Illinois, in 1865; she was a Baptist. Richard attended the common schools, and some time at Mercer . Academy, his teachers being Levi Arnold and others. His class-mates were such men as J. H. Wright and George W. Zahniser. Mr. Smith has, however, taken a deep interest in buying and reading books, theology, history, etc. He learned chair making, wheel wrighting, spinning wheels and painting with James McKean. He was married, 1835, to Elizabeth Johnston, a sister of the "twin Johnston girls," who died in Cool Spring Township suddenly, and within an hour. In 1836 he moved to Franklin, and engaged in chair making, house and carriage painting; he remained nearly four years. In 1840 he moved to

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Mercer County, and bought and cleared forty acres of land in Cool Spring Township. In 1859 he sold this, and bought where William Nickol lives, and there he lived about sixteen years, and followed butchering, in connection with his farming, for thirteen years. He then sold that, and bought twenty-five acres where he now lives, where he has remained since. He has had ten chil- dren, five of whom grew up: Samuel, Richard, George H., Ralph M .; Lucy, married Albert Merchant. Mr. Smith has held township offices, and seven years as school director, and in 1865 was elected county commissioner, and two months from the time he entered upon official duty the court-house was burned, and he took an active interest in building the present court-house; he was also commissioner when the jail was constructed. He was once an Odd Fellow. He has been a member of the agricultural society. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; joined that organization when seventeen years old. He was an early advocate of free soilism, and when the Republi- can party came into existence he was among its earliest supporters. He started poor, and has owned considerable property.

HENRY STEINGREBE, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born August 8, 1826, in Hanover, Germany, to Henry and Christina (Brummer) Steingrebe, the parents of Earnest, Charles, Henry, and two who died small. Henry was educated in his native country, and, because of the death of his father when he was but twelve years old, he was compelled to work with Frederick Stein- grebe until he was eighteen years old, when he was employed as a laborer on an 800-acre farm for ten years. He received for the first two years $18 per year, and for the next five years he got $36 per year, and the remaining three years he was driving the government hack for the proprietor of the farm, who had the contract to carry the mail and was allowed to carry pas- sengers. For these years he got $45 yearly. In 1854 he, with his wife, whose name was Cena Heisterman, came to West Virginia. In the fall of 1854 they came to Jefferson Township, and lived with Henry Wagner. In 1868 he and Mr. Wagner bought a tract of land, which they subsequently divided, and of which Mr. Steingrebe got seventy-four acres. By economy and hard labor he has earned considerable property. He was numbered in the last draft, but owing to the close of the war did not respond. His chil- dren are Charles, Lewis, William, Henry, Hannah, married David Anderson. His son Lewis lost one leg while working in a saw-mill, and is an agent for various farm implements and reapers, and is the present assessor of Jefferson Township, having been elected to that important office in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Steingrebe are Lutherans and he is a Democrat.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 125

Author: Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1288

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1288