History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 128

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

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THOMAS REED, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born June 15, 1835, in East Lackawannock Township, to John and Eleanor (Wilson) Reed, natives, the father of Washington County, and the mother of Westmoreland County, Penn. The father came to Mercer County when a single man and married here. He died April 23, 1870, and his wife November 26, 1855. Their children were: Mary, James, Nancy, Elizabeth, Wilson, John and Thomas. The father and mother were members of the Old School Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he was a Democrat. Our subject was educated in the country schools, and was brought up at farm labor, From 1859 to 1862 he was principally engaged in buying and driving stock. He was married in 1867 to Sarah J. Crawford, a sister of L. I. Crawford, and daughter of Hugh D. Crawford, whose sketch appears in . this work. Mr. Reed settled on the home place in East Lackawannock Town- ship at marriage, and remained there until 1872, when he came to the Craw- ford farm, which he bought in 1883. Their children were: Infant, dead; Lizzie C., Willie D., Matilda E .; infant, dead; and T. Herman, Mr. Reed is the possessor of 220 acres in Springfield, and eighty acres in Findley Town- ship. He has been assistant assessor of Springfield Township, and school director. He and wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he is a stanch Prohibitionist. He is an enterprising citizen, a progressive farmer, and an intelligent gentleman.

G. W. WILLIAMS, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born June 24, 1826, in Erie County, Penn., to Enoch and Mary (Graham) Williams, natives, the father of Centre and the mother of Beaver County, Pa. In about the year 1830 the family came to Hope Mills, where Enoch was engaged in milling. He fought under Gen. Harrison in the battle of Tippecanoe, and died on a farm in Springfield Township. His wife died while the family were at Hope Mills. Their children were: James and Hugh, who died in Erie County; Jane, married Socrates J. Johnston; Margaret, married Edward Irwin; G. W .; Nancy, mar- ried Jackson G. Baird; Mary M., married Frank Miles; Enoch, died when young. Our subject attended the common schools and was brought up on a farm. He was married, June 25, 1850, to Caroline G. Carpenter, daughter of James Carpenter. By her he has had four children: Mary F., married J. M. Smith; James C., married Elizabeth Moore; Loretta, married John Moore; Samuel A., married Frances Laura Smith, and has one child, Mary C. Sam- uel assists his father on his farm of 105 acres, upon which he has twelve acres of fine raspberry plants. He and wife are members of the United Presbyte- rian Church at Mercer. He is a Republican, and one of the worthy citizens of the township. Mrs. Mary Smith has an infant child, William G .; James C. has one son, George A., and Loretta J. Moore has one child, Bennett W. James Williams was born July 3, 1818; Enoch was born January 2, 1787; Mary, born February 10, 1797; James, born March 23, 1820; Hugh, April 17, 1822; Margaret, April 21, 1824; George W., June 24, 1826; Nancy, October 9, 1828; Mary M., March 29, 1832; Enoch, December 20, 1834;

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Mary F., born January 18, 1852; James C., May 10, 1856; Loretta J., March 27, 1858, and Samuel A., April 26, 1863.

FINDLEY TOWNSHIP.

DAVID ACHRE, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born August 10, 1823, to Daniel and Rebecca (Richard) Achre, natives of Lehigh County, Penn., who came to this county about the year 1836. They settled near Greenville, and six years later moved to the farm adjoining that of our subject. Here the parents died after having been blessed with the following children: William, Daniel, David, Elias, Elizabeth, married Joseph Humphrey; Margaret, married David Baxter; James, deceased; Henry, deceased. and Lucy A. The parents were Lutherans. David Achre was educated in the country schools, and was married in 1851 to Salome Miller, who died in 1857, leaving two children: Gilbert W., born May 16, 1852, married Eva S. Reed, and Newton, born February 2, 1858. He was subsequently married to Mary E., a sister of his first wife, and by her had: Eva, born May 21, 1868, died August 24, 1865: Victor D., born April 28, 1873, died December 28, 1874, and an infant, born July 6, 1877, died July 10, 1877. Mr. Achre settled on his present farm in 1861. He and wife are members of the Second Presbyterian Church of Mercer. He is a Republican. Peter J. Miller, the father of Mrs. Achre, was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., September 6, 1807, and grew to manhood in that county, where he learned the art of coverlet weaving. In October, 1829, he married Miss Sarah Cribbs, of the same place, and for several years followed the occupation of weaving as a trade. In 1836 he moved with his family to Mercer, Mercer County, and engaged in' weaving coverlets, carpets, table linen and all kinds of fabrics, some of which will be kept and handed down to future generations as mementoes of his workman- ship. He also held offices of trust, having been elected justice of the peace two terms in succession. In 1866 he moved to Minnesota, and there died August 14, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Miller reared a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, eight of whom are now living: Susannah was for many years an efficient teacher in the common-schools of Mercer County, married Jacob Beighley, of this county, and in 1857 settled with her husband in Minnesota, where he is a prominent and prosperous grain merchant. She has one daughter, named Ruth E., who married William Buchannan. Mr. and Mrs. Beighley are Methodists; Sarah married David Cook and lives in Mercer County; Louisa married S. P. Beighley, and with him lives in Minne- sota. She is the mother of ten children: Samuel M., Mary E., Harvey F., Joseph E., Ellen E., Maggie L., James A., Agnes B., Ruth E. and Grace E. ; Michael P., married Oleanna Alson and resides in Minnesota. Joseph H. married Rachel J. Burnes and lives in Minnesota. John L. married Mary Buchannan and resides in Minnesota, where also his single brother, Samuel, lives. Joseph H. was in the service of his country from Mercer County, and was taken prisoner and confined in Andersonville and Libby prisons for about six months. Peter Beighley, the father of Jacob and Simon P. Beighley, came to Mercer County with his family in 1846. They settled in Lake Township, but his sons soon became tired of clearing away the large timber and prevailed upon their father to allow them to take Greeley's advice "to go West and grow up with the country." Accordingly the family went to Minnesota in 1857, where he died in 1876. His widow died in 1878. Their son, Simon P., was engaged in fighting the Indians in Minnesota in the early part of the Rebellion, and later came to the support of his country in Company C, Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He was in the service about three years, and fought in the battle of Gettysburg.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

JAMES S. ALEXANDER, farmer, post-office Pardoe, was born April 8, 1823, to Benjamin and Rebecca (Simpson) Alexander, who are mentioned in the biography of M. W. Alexander. Our subject was educated in a log cabin which stood on the John Crill farm, and two of his schoolmates were Judge McDermitt and Clinton McCoy. His life has been that of a farmer, and he was married in 1850 to Sarah A. McChesney, whose parents are mentioned in the sketch of M. W. Alexander. She died in 1861, and was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and he was again married, to Mary Caroll, a native of Worth Town- ship, and a daughter of John and Margaret (Rhodes) Carroll, January 1, 1868. The children of James S. Alexander are Carrie M., Charles, Maggie S. and John B. He settled at his first marriage on the old homestead, and in 1884 moved to where he now lives. He is the possessor of excellent property, is a Republican, and he and his wife are consistent members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

M. W. ALEXANDER, ex-county commissioner and farmer, post-office Mer- cer, was born March 21, 1826, in Findley Township. His father, Benjamin Alexander, was born in Washington County, Penn., and came to this county in 1816, and worked for awhile for Benjamin Stokeley. He died April 18, 1869, in his eighty-eighth year. He was married to Mary Elizabeth Hosack, by whom he had six children. William H., of Mercer, is the only living child. He was married again, to Rebecca Simpson, a native of Washington County, who came to this county when young with her father, Robert, and settled one mile from Mercer, in Cool Spring Township. By his second wife, who died in 1868, he had four children: Elizabeth N., James S., Mathew W. and Prudence. The last named married Patterson Findley, and lives in Jackson Township. The father was one of the first surveyors of this county, and served one term as commissioner. He served two terms as county surveyor, and was a strong Republican, and an elder in the Second United Presbyterian Church at his death. Our subject attended the common schools, and has always lived on the old homestead. He began for himself on reaching his majority, and was mar- ried in 1848 to Celia McChesney, a native of Findley Township, and the daugh- ter of Samuel McChesney, a native of Washington County, Penn. She was one of six children, three of whom survive: Mary J., married Archibald Craw- ford; Sarah A., married James S. Alexander, and Thomas, who lives in Wheel- ing, W. Va. M. W. Alexander has seven children, all living: B. S., married Anna Eats; J. L., married Ella Cummings; Annie, married Benjamin E. Run- kle; T. E., married Myrtle Hosack; Janetta B., married F. S. Morrison; Mary G. and Jennie S., who are unmarried. He was elected county commissioner in 1884; was director and president of the Mercer Agricultural Association; is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Second United Presby- terian Church of Mercer.

JAMES BARNES, deceased, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and came to America with his parents, John and Mollie (Boyd) Barnes, in 1803. Mollie Barnes died in 1850, in her eighty-fourth year, and her husband, John Barnes, died January 9, 1809, on the farm where John L. Barnes now resides, in Jackson Township. Their children were John, George and James. George married Margaret Zeigler, and died December 4, 1866. He was a miller in the early times, and operated a mill on Mill Creek, in the eastern part of the township of Findley. George had by his union Susannah, who married Archie McBride; Sarah, married William Paxton; Martha, married John J Hosack; Margaret, married William Garvey, and John L. married Eliza J. Barnes. John Barnes was married to Betsey Miller, and had three children: John; Robert, died March 9, 1870, in Mercer; Mary J., married Hyram Orr. James

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Barnes married Margaret Vincent, a sister of the Rev. George C. Vincent, once a teacher in the Mercer Academy. John's children were: James, married Julia Rose, lives in Nebraska; Thomas, married Elizabeth Greenlee, lives on the old farm; John G., for many years a minister of the United Presbyterian Church, died in Monmouth, Ill., in 1880; Maria, married William Seidley; William V., died during service in the war with Company C, Second Ohio Vol- unteer Cavalry; Samuel, married Elizabeth Baker, a sister of J. R. W. Baker, whose family history appears in this work; Charity J., died in 1851; Rev. Robert H., married Belle Cook, who died six weeks after marriage, and he subse- uently married Mattie Kilgore; George E., died small. John Barnes, Sr., was in the War of 1812, and his two brothers, James and George, were, like he, Democrats. Samuel Barnes enlisted in Company C, Second Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, August 22, 1861, and served with this company two years. He was captured at Greenville, Tenn., October 2, 1863, and was confined on Belle Isle and in Libby Prison until April, 1864. He was paroled and commis- sioned as lieutenant of the Forty-seventh United States Cavalry Troops, and was mustered out in the summer of 1865. He fought in several battles. He was married January 21, 1869, and his children are: Morgan, a teacher; Kate, a student in the Grove City College; Bailey, Joseph and Letitia. Mrs. Barnes was born June 2, 1843, and her husband May 18, 1841. Mrs. B. taught seven terms of school, and Mr. B. was also a teacher. He was appointed postal clerk on the S. & A. R. R. in 1877, and resigned the posi . tion in 1888. He and wife are members of the First United Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he is a stanch Republican.

D. S. BASTRESS, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born December 16, 1818, in Lycoming County, Penn., to Solomon and Elizabeth (Slonaker) Bastress, natives of Montgomery County, Penn., and the parents of six children: Peter, Margaret, Harriet, Elizabeth, D. S. and Sarah. Our subject was educated in the schools at Jersey Shore, Penn. He began to learn the silversmith's trade at that place, and finished at Williamsport, where he followed the business until 1838, when he went to Columbus, Ohio, and prosecuted his trade. It was then the custom to put teeth in gold plates, and Mr. Bastress was em- ployed by dentists to make the plates, and in that way learned dentistry. In 1840 he came to Mercer, and soon after opened up a shop for himself. He practiced dentistry in Mercer for thirty years, and did work for citizens at Warren, New Castle, Franklin, Sharon, Butler and Greenville. He was mar- ried in 1846 to Mary A. Satterfield, daughter of Elijah and Sarah A. Satter- field, by whom he had eight children: Elizabeth, Fidderman, David, Emeline, Henry, Maggie and two deceased. Mrs. Bastress died December 7, 1883, and a Mercer paper said the following in giving a notice of her death: "We can- not chronicle the death of this lady without a word of tribute to her worth. She was born August 11, 1827, near Milford, in the State of Delaware, and when quite young her father removed with his family to Mercer County, where the deceased had resided ever since. She was a woman remarkable for her quiet, uniform Christian spirit, patient under all the cares and labors incident to a large family, thoughtful, prudent and kind in everything. She was greatly beloved in all of the relations of life. She had long been a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and her life was a continual tes- timony of the genuineness of her faith and the power of divine grace. Her experience during her illness was of profound peace with her Maker, and her death was like her life, in quiet trust. Her memory is very precious to her family and a large circle of friends." Mr. Bastress came to his present farm in 1870, and has resided here since. He owns the house in Mercer where Hon. John A. Bingham was born. In politics he is a Democrat.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

ADAM BOSTON, deceased June 16, 1886, was born in Butler County, Penn., February 18, 1818. He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Albert) Boston, who were of German descent. His father enlisted in the War of 1812 from Butler County. February 24, 1842, Adam Boston was married to Christeena Crill, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Coon) Crill, who are mentioned in the biography of James Hosack, Adam Boston and his wife lived for three years on his father's farm in this county, and then, in 1845, settled on the farm where he died, and where his widow still lives. Seven children blessed their home, all of whom areliving at present: Jane Elizabeth was born March 20, 1843, and was married to Cyrus J. Montgomery December 31, 1873; they are the parents of eight children. Sarah was born January 14, 1845, and was mar- ried to J. M. Albin December 30, 1869; they are the parents of seven children. Mary Adaline was born October 22, 1846, and lives with her mother, being an invalid. Melda Malissa was born October 30, 1848, and was married October 6, 1887, to Rev. H. H. Houston, pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at Struthers, Ohio. John A. Boston was born June 27, 1851, and was married January 10, 1884, to Maggie M. Buxton, who died June 28, 1887. William B. Boston was born May 17, 1854, and was married to Mary Fry January 27, 1881; they are the parents of three children. Samuel L. Boston was born November 8, 1859, and was married July 29, 1886, to Jen- nie P. Keifer; they are the parents of one child. Samuel L. has entered the profession of the ministry, and will have further notice in his own biography. Religiously the Bostons are Presbyterians, and Adam Boston served for many years as an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Mercer, which office he held at death. Politically they are all Democrats, except Samuel L., who is a zealous Prohibitionist.

GEORGE W. BRANDON, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born November 22, 1822, in Lawrence County, Penn., to James and Elizabeth (Stewart) Brandon, natives, the father of Kentucky and mother of Pennsylvania. They were married in Beaver County, and lived there about fifty-six years. The father died in 1875, and his widow in 1876, the parents of Thomas; Margaret, mar- ried William Patterson; James, G. W., William; Sarah, married John Alex- ander; Samuel, Franklin; Elizabeth J., married Joseph McBurney ; Benjamin F. and Mary. G. W. Brandon was educated in the log cabin schools of his day; was brought up at farm labor, and was married April 6, 1843, to Eleanor, daughter of Matthew Alexander, of Lawrence County. She died in 1863, and had two children: One died in infancy, and James S., was educated at New Wilmington College; taught school at Grove City; studied for the ministry at the Theological Seminary of Allegheny City, and preached five years in the Alle- gheny Presbytery; was married to Helen M. Moon, a daughter of Dr. Moon, and had one child, Ella S. He enlisted in Company I, Sixty-fourth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and served about one year. He died November 28, 1879. Mr. Brandon was again married March 31, 1864, to Isabella P. (Alexander) Morrison, widow of William S. Morrison. Mrs. Brandon's first marriage gave her one son, Francis S., who married Nettie B., daughter of M. W Alexander. and has two children: Eva B. and William C. Mr. Morrison died January 1, 1862, a member of the United Presbyterian Church. By his last marriage Mr. Brandon had three children: William I., died January 26, 1866; Burton R., died October 2, 1867; and Edwin E., died September 1, 1869. Mrs. Brandon is a daughter of James and Martha (Barnes) Alexander, natives, the father of County Tyrone, Ireland, and the mother of Armagh, Ireland. They came to America before they were married with their respective parents, James and Mary (Hamilton) Alexander, and Thomas and Mary Barnes. The chil-

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

dren of James and Martha Alexander were: Mary, Rebecca, Susan, Margaret, Elizabeth, Martha, James H., Sarah, Ellen, Isabella P., and one who died young. Her parents were members of the old Springfield Church at the time of their death, and he was an elder. Mr. and Mrs. Brandon are members of the same church of which he is an elder. ,He is a strong advocate of Prohibition.

EDWARD BUCKHAM, justice of the peace, Pardoe, was born August 29, 1834, in England. His parents were Edward and Mary (Scott) Buckham. Our subject was educated in his native country, and there early learned the art of coal mining. He came to America in 1870, and engaged for a while in min- ing coal in Washington County, Penn, He then, in 1871, came to Pardoe, where he engaged in mining coal until 1880, when he opened a store at Par- doe, This he conducted with good success for four years, and only withdrew because of affliction. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1883 and is the present incumbent. In 1886 he passed an examination for mine boss, and secured a situation at Leechburg, Armstrong Co., Penn., but gave it up because of lameness. He was married in 1856 to Jane Hall, a native of England, by whom he has had fifteen children: Mary A., married Augustus Freidhaber; Edward, married Elizabeth Peters; George, Matthew W., Charles B., Maggie, John W., Augustus H. and Thomas J. The others are dead. He and his wife are members of the Episcopal Church, which holds meetings in a small building near his residence. In politics he is a. Republican.

THOMAS COURTNEY, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born December 3, 1814, in what is now Liberty Township, to Thomas and Hadessah (Robinson) Court- ney, natives, the father of Chester County, Penn., of Scotch-Irish extraction, and the mother of Franklin County, Penn. They came to Mercer County in 1809 and settled in the woods, where they built a log cabin. The mother died in 1815, and had blessed her husband with two children: Rebecca, married David Gilson, and Thomas. The father was married a second time, to Catharine McDowell, and had by her: D. F., Nancy J., married Hugh Miller; Catha- rine, married Alexander McCoy, and Amanda, married James Uber. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812. He was a captain, and died in 1841, a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, to which his wives were also attached. Thomas, our subject, attended the schools of his time, his early teachers being Alexander Riddle and Joseph Sterrett. He was brought up at hard farm labor. He was married in April, 1843, to Catharine Christley, a daughter of William and Mary Christley, of Springfield Township, and had by her: William, killed in the battle of the Wilderness; T. A., Mary, dead, was the wife of Samuel McClelland; Sarah A., John A., professor in the Grove City College; George F. Mrs. Courtney died in 1864, a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was again married, to Mary E. Breckenridge, in 1870, and has by her, James P. Mr. Courtney came to his present farm of 200 acres in 1843. It was the gift of his father. He is a consistent Presbyterian, an up- right man, and a stanch Republican.

JAMES CRIBES, farmer, post-office Balm, was born September 18, 1832, in Findley Township, to Peter and Catharine (Millison) Cribbs, natives of West- moreland County, where they were married, and came to this county about 1825, settling on the farm where George Cribbs now resides. Here they began in a little shanty which was erected by some hunters. This farm of 200 acres in the green woods was given him by his father, who had obtained it from the government. Peter Cribbs died in this county in March, 1878, and his wife died in April, 1863. They were members of the German Re- formed Church, and the parents of Elizabeth, who married Dr. Daniel Acher;

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Mary M., married John Moon and afterward Henry Wagner; Susan, married Andrew Reher: John C. G., James; Clarissa, married Andrew Boyer and after- ward Elias Pauley; George W., and Hannah, married Benjamin Uber. James Cribbs attended the country schools. He followed carpentering for twenty- five years in connection with farming. He was married in 1853 to Christina Heasley, daughter of George and Mary (Beighley) Heasley, natives, the father of Westmoreland and the mother of Butler County. The father died in Findley Township in 1864, and his children were: John H., Rebecca, married Henry Walls; George, Daniel, Mary, married John Hamilton; Elias P., Christina, Elizabeth, married William Guist; William, and Amelia, married Alfred Hardy. Her father was a Presbyterian and her mother a Lutheran. Mr. and Mrs. Cribbs have the following children: Amanda R., married James C. Thompson, and has four children; Albert E., Austin G., married Agnes Shannon; Laura, married George Mccullough; Mary E., Elmer E., Ella, William R., and Sadie A. Mr. Cribbs and family attend the German Reformed Church. He has served in some of the offices of his township, and is a stanch Republican. He has an evaporator, and engages during the fruit season in dry- ing fruit for himself and the general public. He has in good cultivation about six acres of raspberries, and an almost endless quantity of fine fish are to be found in the ponds he has arranged for them around his residence.

JOHN T. CRILL, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born March 18, 1853, on the farm where he now lives, to Lewis and Susan (Todd) Crill, natives of this county, and the parents of seven children: Jane E., married William Houston; Mary A., died small; Catharine; John T .; Mary, married Hiram Worley, and an infant who died small. Mrs. Crill died August 1, 1856. Her husband has been an invalid since 1873, and has been afflicted with spinal disease for over thirty years. He is a Presbyterian, to which organization his wife was attached. John T. Crill was educated in this county and brought up at farm labor. He was married to Charlotte, a daughter of Henry and Susannah Wor- ley, and has by her four children, Lewis H., Samuel W., James E. and Ida M. A coal bank was opened up on his farm in 1847 by his father, and John is now operating it in connection with his farm. Mr. Crill is serving as school director, road commissioner and justice of the peace. He and wife are Presbyterians, and he is a Democrat. On his farm, which is the old home- stead of John Crill, are to be seen the remnants of an old distillery and saw- mill which were erected by the elder Crill during his early residence in this county. A more extended mention of John Crill, Sr., will be found in the historical chapters and in the sketch of the Hosack family.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 128

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