History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 129

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present > Part 129

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

REV. J. P. DAVIS, post-office Pardoe, pastor of the old Springfield Church, was born October 31, 1842, near Hartstown, Crawford Co., Penn. His father, Andrew Davis, came from his native country, Ireland, to Philadelphia when he was twenty-one years of age. He was a weaver by trade, and while thus engaged married Hannah Porter, a native of Ireland, who immigrated to Philadelphia two years after her parents. The marriage ceremony, which occurred December 11, 1825, was performed by the Rev. Dr. Potts, he being twenty seven and she eighteen years of age. In 1829 he came to Pittsburgh to look up a home, and later his wife and three children followed by means of a six-horse team. They were eighteen days making the journey, which was multiplied in the hardships by the driver, who was a colored man, being drunk the greater part of the way. In a few weeks they removed to Warren County, Penn., and there operated a farm for three years. They then moved to Mercer County, and subsequently bought a farm in South Shenango Town- ship, Crawford County, where he died September 21, 1884, leaving a widow

951

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

and seven children: John S., Ann, Walter L., Margaret I., James P., Thomas D. and Mary E. The following are dead: William, William (2), Andrew, Andrew (2), Hugh C. and Emma J. He was at a time a Seceder in church relations, but died a member of the United Presbyterian Church. His wife was one time a member of the New Light Covenanter Church, but united with her husband in his religious beliefs. Our subject attended the common schools, and was graduated at Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill., in 1871. He taught district schools before entering college. He entered the theological seminary at Allegheny City in 1870, and graduated from that institution in 1872. He was licensed May 3, 1871, by the Lake Presbytery, was ordained and installed by the Frankfort Presbytery September 3, 1872, as pastor at Hookstown and Tumlinson's Run, and served there until 1874. He was installed pastor of Mt. Prospect, in Chartier's Presbytery, June 29, 1875. He was released from this in 1886, and on December 1, 1886, he was given charge of the old Springfield congregation. He is well worthy to follow the much- beloved Rev. Edward Small, who has gone to his reward. He was married, June 26, 1872, to Maggie McMichael, by the Rev. Dr. H. H. Hervey. She is a sister of Judge McMichael, of Lawrence County. By this union he has five children: Walter H., Eva M., Sarah E., J. Paul and Howard M. His wife is a consistent member of his church. Rev. Davis has by a vast amount of labor prepared a very interesting history of the Davis and Porter families, which is, of course, too long for a general work of this kind.

WASHINGTON DAVIS, farmer, post-office Balm, was born April 16, 1837, in Butler County, to Joseph and Mary Jane (Morrison) Davis, natives, the father of Bedford, and the mother of Butler County, Penn. The parents came to Mercer County in 1856, and settled on the farm in Findley Township now owned by Davis Shilling. Here the father died in February, 1880, and the mother is still living. They had the following children: Harriet, married William Crothers; Morrison; Washington; Clarissa, married John Snyder; and three are dead. The father was previously married to Isabella Oliver, by whom he had Anna, married Thomas Clark, and John. The pres- ent Mrs. Davis was the widow of a Mr. Stewart when she married Jos- eph Davis. The parents were members of the Presbyterian Church. Wash- ington Davis was educated in the common schools, and was brought up on a farm. He was married in 1860 to Mary Johnson, born November 25, 1842, daughter of James and Agnes (Gray) Johnson, natives of Ireland and Scotland, respectively. Her parents immigrated to Pittsburgh about the year 1831, and to Mercer County in 1852. Here the father died in 1884, and his widow survives. Their children were as follows: Margaret, John (deceased), Lizzie, Mary, Jane (wife of George Shannon). Mr. and Mrs. Washington Davis have four children: James J. is clerk at the transfer depot, Pittsburgh; Pearson, Ella and Agnes. James J., the eldest, is married to Hat- tie Holmes, of Rochester, Penn. He is a part owner of the old Findley farm, near Mercer; his brother, Pearson, is interested with him in the same. Mr. Davis settled on his present farm of fifty-three acres in 1861, and has been successful. He is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

JACOB EBERLE, retired farmer, post-office Mercer, was born December 7, 1810, in Wittenburg, Germany. His parents, George Leonard and Doratha (Munce) Eberle, immigrated to this country in 1829 and settled in Columbiana County, Ohio, where the father engaged in farming and making baskets. They subsequently settled near Sandy Lake, where they died, he in 1860 and she in 1841. Their two children were Jacob and Doratha, who married Stephen

952

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Yourdan and lives in Noble County, Ind. The parents were Lutherans. Jacob Eberle was educated at a seminary in his native country, and learned the trade of shoemaker. August 28, 1828, he engaged at his trade in Philadel- phia, where he continued with earnest efforts till 1830, when he was married to Mary A. Aberle, and at once the happy couple set out on an extended wed- ding trip to Petersburg, Ohio, a distance of over 500 miles, every foot of which they walked. Mr. Eberle carried his shoemaker's tools with him, and when a job could be secured on the way availed himself of the opportunity to make a few pennies. When they landed in Petersburg they had about $5. He at once secured work at his trade, and in three years they went to Milltown, in what is now Mahoning County, Ohio, where he worked at his trade. Six years later they came to Mercer County, and settled near Sandy Lake. In 1847 they moved to the farm where he now resides. Mrs. Eberle died in March, 1887, and was the mother of the following children: Elizabeth, born July 2, 1834; William, born March 15, 1836, was in Company F, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was killed at the battle of the Wilderness; Louesa, born December 20, 1837; Charles, born September 29, 1839, was in the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers; Mary, born May 24, 1841; Emily, born December 23, 1842; Henry, born February 8, 1845; Amanda, born December 17, 1847; David, born November 18, 1849; James A., born December 25, 1852, and Joseph, born October 28, 1854. John Eberle married Kate Rice, a daughter of Daniel Rice, of West Salem Town- ship, and has four children: Lizzie, Charles, Carrie and Fred. He has worked some at the shoemaker's trade and at carpentering. The latter trade be fol- lowed awhile at Greenville where he was working on wagons. He now conducts a farm of sixty-three acres, and he and his wife are members of the Second Presbyterian Church of Mercer. Jacob Eberle has served as town- ship treasurer, collector and school director. He was for twenty years an agent for the Pymatuning Insurance Company, and resigned said position in 1887. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Mercer.

HENRY GILES, farmer and manager of a coal bank, post-office Mercer, was born August 4, 1836, in Franklin County, Penn., to James and Elizabeth (Parsons) Giles, natives of America, and of English and German extraction, re- spectively. The father died in Clarion County, Penn., and the mother in this county. His death occurred in 1844 and hers in 1876. They had seven chil- dren: Samuel, deceased; George, Sarah A., widow of David Carbaugh; Jack- son, who went West in 1861 and died there; Elizabeth, married Joseph Platt; Catharine, married Joseph Call, and Henry. The last named was educated in the common schools and was brought up on a farm. He was for awhile employed by the Erie & West Middlesex Blast Furnace Company. He came to Mercer County in 1854, and was married in 1857 to Leah Rupert, daughter of Philip and sister of Reuben Rupert, whose sketches are to be found elsewhere. By his marriage he has had: Sarah M., married Albert Cribbs; Anna, married John Platt; James, deceased; William, married Mattie Hart; Ella, Emma, Edwin, Nettie and Laura. Mr. Giles settled on his farm of sixty-two acres in 1877, and farms it in connection with his management of the John T. Crill coal mine, which employment he took under William Houston in 1873. He believes in the doctrines of the Methodist Church and is a Republican.

JAMES G. GILFILLAN, farmer, post-office Balm, was born December 21, 1816, in Mercer County, to John and Mary (Glenn) Gilfillan. The father was a native of County Derry, Ireland, born October 14, 1783, and immigrated to America when eleven years old, with his parents, James and Martha (Wiley) Gilfillan. The family settled in Lawrence County, where James and Martha

953

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

died after having been blessed with the following children: John, Alexander, a physician, drowned near New Castle while fishing; Ebbie, married Joseph Law; Sarah, married James Gill; Thomas; Nancy, married John Green; Mar- tha, married Abraham Green, and James, a blacksmith, who learned his trade with Robert Stewart, the father of the distinguished William Stewart, and married Jane, a daughter of William Adams, once the owner of the "Ranals Mills." These became the property of James Gilfillan, and were afterward known as the "Gilfillan Mills." John Gilfillan and his father, James, were among the prominent members and founders of the "Slippery Rock" Church. The former was in the War of 1812, was educated in the country schools, and brought up on a farm. When he was about sixteen years of age, and at home by himself in a log cabin, an Indian came and took dinner with him. John was married in 1814 to Mary Glenn, and settled on the farm, where he died May 20, 1857. His first wife died in 1828, and her children were: Martha, married Thomas McClemen; James G., Robert, Isabella, married Samuel Adams; John, Mariah, married George Mathers; Robert (2). His sec- ond wife was Jane Lowry, and she, as well as his first wife, was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, to which he also was attached. James G. Gilfillan was educated in Mercer and Lawrence Counties, and studied survey - ing with Samuel McDowell, now deceased, but once a well-known character of Lawrence County. He began surveying in 1840, and has surveyed the greater part of the roads in the southern portion of Mercer County and many in Lawrence. He bought a farm of 100 acres in the woods in Liberty Town- ship in 1839, the greater part of which he cleared. In 1878 he sold it for $10,000, and bought the place where he now resides in Findley Township. He was married December 15, 1842, to Mary A. Brewster, a daughter of Robert and Mary (Tonnihill) Brewster, the parents of eight children: John T., James, Rebecca, married Robert Tigert; Tonnihill, died young; Robert, Mary, Eme- line, who died small, and the parents named their next Emeline. The children of our subject are: R. A., graduated at Westminster College and at the The- ological Seminary of Allegheny City, is now in charge of a United Presbyterian congregation at Turtle Creek; Emma, married William Wilson; and John N., died young; R. Brewster, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, dropped dead with heart disease at Stonebore; J. Calvin, a farmer and an agent for evaporators; A. J., engaged in the millinery and dress-making busi- ness in Fairview, Butler County; Flora P., teaching at Turtle Creek; Lulu M., Ella M., married A. K. Miller, and Charles, who died at the age of nineteen years. He and wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church, and he is a Prohibitionist.

ARCHIBALD GLENN, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born August 15, 1835, in Pine Township, to Valentine and Eliza (McCune) Glenn. The father was born in Pine Township, near Center Church, March 17, 1804, and his father's name was Robert. Eliza was born in what is now Lawrence County, and her children were: Mary, married James Breckenridge; Catharine, married Har- ris Armstrong; Archibald, Maggie, Robert, Thomas C., William D. The parents are members of the Presbyterian Church. Archibald Glenn attended the common schools, and for years was engaged in lumbering in Pine, Cool Spring and Lake Townships. He enlisted in Company F, Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served two years. He was in the seven days' fight, was wounded in the shoulder at Charles City Cross Roads, and was

in the battle of Fredericksburg. He was married December 30, 1869, to Anna M. Albin, and had four children: Charles C., died small; Nannie E., John A. and George V. In 1875 they came from his saw-mill to their present

954

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

farm, a part of which is the old homestead of her father. They are members of the Center Presbyterian Church. He is a Republican. John Albin, the father of Mrs. Glenn, was born October 3, 1819, in Pine Township, to William and Martha (Walker) Albin. His father was born in Ireland, and came to Mercer County with his father, John Albin, in 1803. The children of John Albin, Sr., were: William, Amy, John, Sallie, Margaret, Reuben and Isa- bella. The children of William and Martha Albin were: John, Mary A., Margaret J., Sarah, Elizabeth, Caroline, Rebecca, Maria and James. John Albin was educated in the common schools and one term at the academy at Greenville. He taught school several terms in this and Butler Counties. He was married in 1843 to Nancy Lightner, and their children are: John G., read law with Hon. Samuel Griffith, and practiced law till his death, June 28, 1875, was married to Lillie Day and left two children; Anna M., James M., married Sarah Boston and has a son, Samuel M., who clerks for A. J. Mckean, and Laura. Gertie, Emma, Mary and John A .; Maria J., married Dr. L. G. Meyers. John Albin has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over forty-nine years, and his wife is a member also. He is a Democrat.

WILLIAM GLENDENING, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born November 13, 1818, in County Derry, Ireland. His parents, Andrew and Elizabeth (McMillan) Glendening, came to Mercer County in 1828 with their children, Mary A., Will- iam, Elizabeth, Andrew, Jane and Sarah. They settled in Springfield Town- ship in the portion that is now in Findley. After fifteen years they moved to Delaware Township. Ten years later they moved to Cool Spring, where the father died August 28, 1873, and his wife November 24, 1871. They were members of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Our subject was edu- cated in the country schools in Ireland and Mercer County. He was married in 1844 to Eliza A. Linn, daughter of James and Jane (Williamson) Linn, early settlers of this county. By this union he had four children. Eliza, the wife of James Keck, is the only one living. His wife died in 1858, and he married Sarah Walker, daughter of William and Jane (Hazlett) Walker, also early settlers in the county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Walker were: Ebenezer; Robert, killed in front of Petersburg in the seven days' fight; William and Sarah. By his second wife Mr. Glendening has Jennie, mar- ried A. C. Slater; Lewis, married Julia Bolton; Lizzie, Emma, Maggie and Leroy. Mr. Glendening settled, when first married, in Delaware Township, and in 1883 located where he now resides, in Findley Township. He is the owner of a good farm and other property. He and wife are members of the First United Presbyterian Church, and he has been a Republican since 1862.

WILLIAM J. GRAHAM, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born July 11, 1827, in Mercer, to James and Jane (Patterson) Graham. The father was born in Ireland, and came to the eastern part of Pennsylvania when two years old with his parents, William and Mary (Ewart) Graham. There William died, and Mary married .John Patterson. She and her second husband subsequently came to Mercer County. Her two sons, James and John, were bound over to a 'Squire Irwin, of Buffalo Valley, east of the mountains, with whom they lived until they were young men. Two brothers of William Graham, Thomas and Dr. Graham, came to Mercer before Mr. and Mrs. Patterson. The doctor practiced only a few years, and returned to Philadelphia. Thomas kept what was known as the Graham Hotel in Mercer for many years. Thompson Gra- ham, the son of Thomas, was the proprietor of a drug store in this city for many years. Mrs. Forker and the mother of C. W. Whistler were also chil- dren of Thomas Graham. John and Mary Patterson had four children: Jane, married Andrew Todd; William P., married Catharine McClure; Robert, mar-

955

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

ried Milche Turner; Mary A., married Thomas McElree. John and James Graham came to this county when sixteen and eighteen years old, respectively, and John took up his home with his mother and step-father, Patterson. In 1823 he was married to Mary Barnes, a daughter of John Barnes, and subsequently died. His widow died at the home of our subject. James Graham went to Philadelphia, and there learned carpentering. He returned to this county, and married Jane Patterson, daughter of Hugh Patterson, of Ireland. She came to America at the age of twenty with her brother, James Patterson, and his wife. James Graham settled with his wife in Mercer, and helped to build the old Dr. Magoffin property, where the Magoffin sisters now reside. He died in Mercer in 1828, and his widow married Samuel Cleland, of Butler County, Penn. Both are deceased. By her first husband she had three children: Martha, married Samuel Moore; John, died small, and William J., married Lavina J. Kelty, daughter of David and Catherine (Fisher) Kelty. By her second husband she had three children: Eleanor, married Joseph McKee; Patterson, married Mary J. Patterson, and Mary A., married Joseph Moore. Mrs. Graham and her two husbands were members of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Graham have six children: John C., married Celia Newbury; Emma K., married James Hughes; Mary J., Clara N., Lewis K., Violet N. The parents of Mrs. Graham are dead, Their children were Arthur, Mary E., Thomas I., Nancy J. and Lizzie Ann. Mr. Graham farmed in Butler County from 1862 to 1873, when he settled on the farm where he now resides. He has served as school director, assessor, collector and town- ship auditor; is a Prohibitionist, and he and his wife are members of the First United Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

JAMES M. GRAHAM, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born November 21, 1842, in Mercer County, on the farm where he now lives. His father, Mark Gra- ham, was born in a house which stood exactly on the line between Washington County, Penn., and Virginia. Arthur Graham, the father of Mark, bought the farm where James Graham now lives of John Hinelight, who got it for services in the Revolutionary War. Arthur came to the county when his son Mark was about sixteen years old. Arthur Graham had three children: Mark, Samuel, and Isabella, who married William Cummins. Mark Graham was born August 30, 1813. He was married May 11, 1837, to Nancy Reed, daughter of William Reed, who settled in East Lackawannock Township, but died in Jackson Township. The children of Mark and Nancy were: Samuel, born March 20, 1838, and died May 14, 1880; Alexander E., born October 31, 1839; Martha E., born October 5, 1841; William R., born August 20, 1843, died October 19, 1861; James A. and Arthur W. The father died April 9, 1870, and his widow March 1, 1885. They were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their deaths occurred in the house where Arthur W. now resides, Mark was a strong Abolitionist, a Republican, and Our subject was educated in the common schools, and

was once poor director. brought up at farm labor. He was married in 1872 to Ella Douglass, and has three boys: Francis, Joseph L. and Herman D. Mr. Graham has been school director and township auditor, and is a stanch Republican. Archibald Doug- lass, the father of Mrs. Graham, was of Scotch extraction, a native of Pennsyl- vania, and married for his first wife Maria Parks, by whom he had seven children: Joseph, deceased; Dr. Thomas J., lives in Ottumwa, Iowa; Mary, the wife of Dr. Joseph Lusk, of Butler; Milton, deceased; Sarah, deceased; Nettie, married Col. George Noble, lives in Dallas, Tex., and Lizzie, who lives in Ottumwa, Iowa. Mr. Douglass was married again, to Mary Weaver, a native of Maryland, and had three children: One died when six weeks old;

956

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Maria, married Joseph Cochran, and Ella. Her father died in 1869. He was for many years connected with the official business of Mercer County, and is mentioned in the historical chapters of this volume. His last wife died in 1861. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church.

ARTHUR W. GRAHAM, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born February 1, 1848. He is a son of Mark Graham, whose sketch appears in connection with that of James M. Graham in this work. Arthur was educated in the common schools and at a graded school at Mercer. He was brought up on a farm; was married April 16, 1885, to Melinda E., daughter of Robert and Mary (Dunlap) Taylor, natives, the father of Trumbull County, Ohio, and the mother of Mercer County. Her parents live in Lackawannock Township, and have had seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Graham have one son, Fred W. They live in the house where his parents lived for many years and died. Arthur Graham is an en- terprising farmer and is a Republican.

W. H. HARRISON, carpenter and farmer, post-office Pardoe, was born Sep- tember 15, 1837, in Jackson Township, this county, and his parents, William and Sarah Harrison, were natives, the father of England and the mother of either Scotland or England. The father came to America about the year 1808, and bought 200 acres of land, now on the site of Buffalo, N. Y. He was a cabinet-maker, and was induced by John North, an acquaintance, to locate in Mercer County, Penn., and to give up his claim in New York. He finally set- tled on land in what is now Cool Spring Township, and died in Jackson Town- ship, on the farm where his son, Jesse, resides, in 1880. His wife died in 1869, having blessed him with eleven children: Joseph H., Anna J., George W., Isaac J., W. H., John J., Lizzie E., Sarah J., Jesse, Thomas L. and Mary L. The parents were members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. W. H. Har- rison was educated in the common schools, and learned the trade of a carpen- ter with George Moon, and has followed that the greater part of his time since. He bought thirty acres where he now lives, and has farmed it in connection with the manufacture of doors and sash. He was married in 1863 to Nancy E. Evans, daughter of James and Barbara (Truxell) Evans. Her father came from Ireland to America in 1806, and settled in Findley Township, where Hugh Evans now resides, where he and his wife died, the parents of six chil- dren: Sarah, married William McKay; David, Hugh, James was in the war; Mary J. and Nancy E. Our subject and wife have had six children: Hugh E., farming; Sarah A., Nettie D. and Anna M. are dead; John L. and James B. Mr. Harrison enlisted in Company I, Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three months. His brothers, George W., John J., Jesse and Isaac J., were in the service of their country; John J. died during the battle of the Wilderness, and Isaac J. was in a New York cavalry regiment. Mr. Harrison and wife are members of the Methodist Church at Pardoe, and he is a Repub- lican.

ANDREW HIGHBARGER, blacksmith for the Mercer County Coal Company at Pardoe, was born November 27, 1837, in Clarion County, Penn. He was educated in the common schools, and began learning his trade at the age of nineteen years in Clarion, where he continued for four years. He then went to Oil City, where he combined his trade with drilling until 1862, when he came to Mercer County and enlisted in Company H, One Hundredth Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and served for three years. He was wounded in the left hip at Spottsylvania, and was laid up for several months. Excepting this loss he was with his regiment in every battle they fought. On his return from the war he engaged in smithing at Pardoe, where he has since continued. He does the smithing work for the Mercer County Coal Company. He was

957

HISTORY . OF MERCER COUNTY.

married to Margaret Wilson, a sister of David Wilson, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Mrs. H. died, leaving two children: John and Albert. He was married again, to Mary Parks, and has three children: Ada, Irene, James Arthur and Floyd Morris. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pardoe, and he is a Republican. John and Betsey Highbarger had six children: Jacob, Eliphas, Henry, Amos, Jonas and Andrew. The parents are both dead, and were consistent members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Highbarger is one of the representative citizens of this county, and one of the most efficient blacksmiths in the State.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 129

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