History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 131

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

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PHILIP MASSON, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born March 10, 1837, in what is now Findley Township, to Lewis and Christina (Martin) Masson, natives of France. They came to this county in 1835 and settled where our

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subject was born. Here the father farmed the greater part of his busy life, although he was by trade a carpenter. He died in 1851, and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Jefferson Township. His wife died in 1876, and had blessed him with four children: Joseph; Mary J., deceased, after becoming the wife of A. Besancon; Philip and Lewis, deceased. The father was in the militia until he was fifty years old. Philip Masson was educated in the com- mon schools, and was married in 1861 to Rebecca McDonald, a daughter of Alexander McDonald, who was born and reared in this county and married Rebecca Jennings, by whom he had four children: Mary A., Ellen, John and Rebecca. Her parents were Catholics. Her father died June 14, 1851, and her mother May 29, 1862. Mr. Masson has eight children: Christina R., Mary A., married Newton Robinson; Ellen A., Alphonsus, Cecelia, Ambrose, Anselem and John F. Mr. Masson and his family are members of the Catholic Church in Jefferson Township. He is the possessor of an excellent farm, and is an anti-monopolist. Lewis Masson was on the ocean for thirty-eight days while on a trip to his native country, about two years before his death. The ship was drifted on an island, but the only loss he sustained was his trunk and effects.

JOHN B. MAXWELL, farmer and carpenter, post-office Mercer, was born April 5, 1839, in what is now Lawrence County, the son of George B. and Christiana (Emery) Maxwell, natives of Lawrence County. The mother died in Fredonia in 1874, and had blessed her husband with eight children: Catharine, married Patterson Page; John B., Sarah, married Isaac Cornell; William F., living in Allegheny City; Nancy J., married James Mowry; Mary M., married James Hamilton; James A., dead; George E., dead. The mother of the above children had previously married John Bentley and had by him one son, Joseph. John B. Maxwell, our subject, was educated in the country schools, and began learning the carpenter trade at the age of twenty. He has followed his trade ever since. He lived in Sandy Lake for twelve years, and in 1878 came to his present farm of eighty-seven acres, in Findley Town- ship. He was married, in 1861, to Priscilla Black, daughter of John Black, of Jackson Township. She died in 1862, and he was married again, to Nancy B. Rodgers, daughter of William Rodgers, whose sketch appears in this work. His children are: Nancy C., William A., George E., Margaret E., John R., Robert R. and Joseph Leroy. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Mercer. He is a Republican, and a strong temperance man. He was a soldier in Company D, Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, and was in several hard battles.

ROBERT McCOY, deceased, was born in 1812, in Ireland, and was of Scotch- Irish extraction. He married Mary Armstrong, of the same country, and with her came to Cool Spring Township, Mercer Co., Penn., in 1841. They settled on the farm now owned by William Reed. He died August 2, 1873, and his widow lives in Findley Township, and is sixty-seven years of age. Their only children are William O. and Thomas A. Robert McCoy was a Democrat, and held some of the small township offices. William A. McCoy was born July 19, 1845, in East Lackawannock Township, and was educated in the common schools, and thoroughly learned the avocation of a farmer. He was mar- ried November 3, 1871, to Ellen, a daughter of William Burton, of Cool Spring Township, and has Robert E., Eva B., Mary E., William T., Emma N. and Bessie. Mr. McCoy settled on his present farm of 180 acres in 1880. He has given a great deal of his personal attention to the breeding of Chester- White hogs, Short-horn Durham cattle, Leicester and Southdown sheep. He and his wife are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

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He is a Democrat, and he and his brother take, in partnership, eight weekly newspapers. Mention of the Armstrong family is made in the sketch of John Armstrong, of Cool Spring Township.

JOHN MICHAELS, manager of the Mercer Coal Company at Pardoe, was born May 7, 1841, in Bavaria, Germany, to John and Elizabeth (Barber) Michaels, natives of the same country, and who came to Pittsburgh in 1844, where the father engaged in the cooper business and continued it until his death, in 1850. He was a Lutheran, and his wife, who died in 1849, was also a member of that organization. They had the following children: Anna M., married George Slyger, who died, and she was again married, to a Rev. Platte, of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church; John, deceased, and John. Our subject, at the death of his parents, made his home with his uncle, Jacob Schwartz, a cooper by trade, which business John learned and followed for two years. In 1863 he began mining for the Brady's Bend Iron Company, in Armstrong County, Penn., and continued for eight years. July 30, 1865, he was married to Catharine E., daughter of Andrew and Catharine (Warner) Meyers, natives of Germany, and who immigrated to Armstrong County, Penn., in 1860; they had two children: Ann M., married Joseph Meyers (no connection), and lives in Pardoe, and Catharine E. Mr. Meyers, the father of Mrs. Michaels, fol- lowed farming in the old country, and was killed in a mine in Armstrong County, by the fall of a stone. Mrs. Meyers died in 1880, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Michaels. John Michaels is a man of good education, having had the benefit of four years' training in the Pittsburgh schools, though young at the time. In 1871 he was employed by the Mercer County Coal Company at Pardoe, as track-layer, which position he held until 1883, when he was promoted to the management of the mine, and has given general satis- faction. His children are: Catharine E., Anna M., Sophia and John J. The family belong to the German Lutheran Church.

JAMES McKAY, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born May 10, 1823, in Antrim, Ireland. to Encas and Catharine McKay, natives of the same country. The father came to America in 1837 on a prospecting tour. In 1842 his family had arrived and settled on the farm where William McKay now lives. Here the father died in 1867 in his seventy-second year. His wife died in 1861. Their children were: Isabella, married Laughlin McCurdy, died in 1850; Mary, married John Greenlee; William, married Sarah Evans; James; John, was drowned while bathing in Lawrence County; Sarah, married James Reed, died in 1859; Laughlin, died in 1856; Catharine, married Albert McConahy, died in 1859; Enos, died February 27, 1865. The parents died in the faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our subject attended school in his native country in the cabins, and like the rest of his schoolmates carried each day to school two turfs or combustible bricks for fuel. He came to this country in 1842 in a sail vessel, and was six weeks on the ocean. He was married in December, 1849, to Rebecca Hosack, and had two children; one died small, and the other, Talitha, is the wife of William Calvin. Mrs. McKay died May 14, 1884. She, in 1851, connected herself with the Associate Reformed Church at Springfield. Removing to the vicinity of Mercer in 1873 she united with the First United Presbyterian Church, of which congregation she re- mained a consistent member until her death, being faithful in her attendance upon the ordinances of God's house. Although possessed of a weak constitu- tion she missed but one communion during the thirty-two years she was in connection with the church, and that was the one immediately preceding her death. In her last illness she manifested a cheerful, patient and submissive spirit. She set her house in order, and with lamp trimmed and burning

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

awaited the coming of the bridegroom. Peacefully she passed away. "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." Mr. Mckay was again married in March, 1886, to Miss Maggie Worrell, and with her lives near Mercer on his excellent farm. He and his last wife are members of the First United Presbyterian Church of Mercer. He is a Republican.

WILLIAM MCKAY, deceased, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1809. He immigrated to Philadelphia in 1834, and there married, in 1836, Eliza Lan- igan, daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Sharp) Lanigan, natives of Ireland. She was born in 1811, in County Antrim, and came to Philadelphia the year she was married. In 1837 she and her husband came to Mercer County, and finally located where she now lives, in Findley Township. Here Mr. McKay died September 18, 1871. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and was the father of the following children: Nancy (deceased), William J., Sarah A. (married James Patterson, of Mercer), Alexander B., James C., Daniel G., Mary J. (married Milton Montgomery) and Robert. The parents of Mrs. McKay died in Mercer County, and their children were: John, Alexan- der, Margaret, Ruth, Nancy and Jane. James C. Mckay was born July 12, 1847, was educated in the common schools, and married August 17, 1870, to Belle, a daughter of James and Margaret (Allen) Montgomery, the parents of William J. (deceased), Allen, Mary, Lizzie (married Robert Houston), Mar- garet (a maiden lady), Belle, James C. (on the old home place), Melissa (mar- ried Prof. J. B. Mcclellan), R. C. (a minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church at Philadelphia) Samuel R. and Renwick S. James C. Mckay has by his wife one daughter, Myrta L. - He and wife belong to the old Springfield Church. His brother, Robert, was born September 12, 1851, was educated in the country schools, and was married January 31, 1873, to Rebecca Moon, a daughter of Lewis Moon, by whom he has Lewis E., Lillie M., William R. and Mary E He is engaged in farming and selling farm implements, and, with his wife, belongs to the Springfield Church. Daniel G., another brother, was born on the old homestead, and was educated at Allegheny College, Westminster College and a theological seminary at Newberry, N. Y. He mar- ried Lizzie M. Leslie, and has three boys: William L., John G. and Robert J. He is now stationed at Shusham, N. Y. The other two brothers, William J. and Alexander B., are mentioned in separate sketches in Pine Township. The Mckays are all stanch Republicans, especially those from this branch, and are among the most respected and enterprising citizens of the county.

L. G. MEYER, physician and surgeon, post-office Pardoe, was born July 8, 1849, in Centre County, Penn., to John and Mary (Close) Meyer. The mother of Mary was a Reichard, a cousin of Peter Reichard, of Greenville. John and Mary are dead, and seven of their eight children are living: Sarah; Malinda, married Dr. J. H. Ziegler; Joseph; Henry, dead; David; Mary, married, resides in California, and Ellen, married C. M. Bower, Esq., Bellefonte, Penn. The parents were members of the German Reformed Church. Levi George, our subject, was educated in the common schools and a normal, and academy in Centre County. He taught school for five years, during which time he read medicine with Dr. P. T. Musser, of Aaronsburg, that county. He attended the Jefferson Medical College in 1871-72 and 1873-74, graduat- ing March 11, 1874. He began to practice at Pardoe the same year, and has built up a lucrative business. He was married June 15, 1876, to Jennie M., daughter of John Albin, of Mercer, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. By his marriage he has five children: John D., Ida L., George C., Anna M. and Charles C. Dr. Meyer joined the Mercer County Medical Society in 1874, the State Medical Society at Pottsville, Penn., in 1875, and has at-

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tended the latter five times. He joined the American Medical Association, at Cleveland, in 1882. He was secretary of the Mercer County Medical Society three years, was its vice-president one year, and was elected its president in 1888. He. is physician to the A. O. F. of Pardoe, and he and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pardoe. He is a Democrat.

HUGH MILLER, deceased, was born November 4, 1812, in Pittsburgh, to John and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Miller. The parents came to this county at an early day. Hugh Miller was a brother of the late William Miller, father of Hon. S. H. Miller, and William Miller of the First National Bank of Mercer. Hugh married Adaline Wilson, and had one son, Wilson, whose sketch appears in East Lackawannock Township. He was mar- ried a second time, to Nancy J. Courtney, a daughter of Thomas Courtney, who is mentioned in the sketch of Thomas Courtney. Hugh Miller lived in Pine Township until 1868, when he moved to the farm where his widow now lives. By his last marriage he had seven children: Catharine, born January 22, 1844, married William Sullivan March 26, 1866, and died January 13, 1874; Thomas C., born August 16, 1845, lives in East Lackawannock Town- ship; J. M., born in 1848, is the owner of the old home place, and one of the most respected citizens of the township; David A., born July 8, 1849, and died August 6, 1868; Mary E., born January 19, 1852, died September 5, 1871; Nancy R., born July 1, 1855, died June 11, 1876; and James, born August 23, 1869. Hugh Miller died February 11, 1875. He was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church, and had been an efficient township official at various times. He was a Republican, and was possessed of a remarkable memory, having been able to recall incidents profusely for years back without reference to a diary.

ROBERT MILLER, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born March 26, 1853, to James and Sarah Miller, the parents of William, John, Jane, Albert, Mary, Elizabeth, Samuel, Robert, James and George. James Miller married Sarah, a daughter of William and Mary (Davile) North, natives of England, who came to Cool Spring Township in 1819. Mention is made of them in Cool Spring Township. James died in 1872, and his widow survives with her son on the old farm in Findley Township. Our subject was educated in the country schools, and was married in 1880 to Mary J. Robinson, a daughter of Andrew Robinson, of this township. She died in 1881, the mother of one child, Jennie. He was again married, to Harriet M. Calvin, and by her had one child, Alice. His last wife is the daughter of Jonathan and Jane (McCullough) Calvin, the former of whom was born in Beaver County, in 1809, to Stephen and Mary (Grosscost) Calvin. Jonathan came to this county in 1837, and his children are: Alexander, Emeline, Martin L., Mary, the wife of Alexander Donaldson; James W., Lizzie, Harriet, William, Samuel, and Stephen and John N., who both died young. Robert Miller, our subject, settled where he now lives in 1880. He is an enterprising farmer, a stanch Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Second Presbyterian Church. He has served as school director for three years, is deeply interested in education, and is building up a good library for himself and family.

WILLIAM NELSON, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born April 5, 1822, in what is now Lawrence County, to Robert and Sarah (Dunavin) Nelson. The former was born in Ireland, and when thirteen years old settled in Lawrence County, where his wife was born, and where he was killed by a falling tree while clearing. His widow died in 1875, thirty nine years after his death. The children of Robert and Sarah were: William, James, Margaret, married William Foster; John, Thomas, who is thought to have starved to death in

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Andersonville prison; Robert, Rebecca, married Joseph Donley, and Mary A. The mother was married to Stephen McKinley, and had one child, Elizabeth, who married Joshua Snyder. Our subject attended school in Lawrence County, and well remembers the old slab seats and writing desks, greased paper window lights and the huge fire-place that were a part of the school- houses of that day. When his father died he began working for himself at farming and brick-making. He was married to Susannah (Merchant) Crill, widow of Philip Crill, and by her Mr. Nelson has two sons: James R., mar- ried Sephronia, a daughter of Samuel T. Zahniser, whose sketch appears in this book, and has by her one child, Elsie S. ; and Albert E., married Jane Hosack. Mrs. Nelson went to bed feeling well on the evening of May 25, 1885, and the next morning her husband arose, built a fire, and on going to the bed to call her up was shocked to find her dead. She had been a Methodist for many years. Mr. Nelson came to his present farm of 245 acres in 1859, and his son, James R., helps him to farm it. He is a good citizen, a Democrat and a strong temperance man.

JOSIAH NEWBURY, farmer, post office Mercer, was born November 6, 1821, in Northumberland County, Penn., son of James and Sarah (Paul) Newbury. The father was born in Pennsylvania, and was of Scotch extraction, and the mother was a native of Germany, and immigrated to America with her parents at an early day. James Newbury died when Josiah was quite small, and our sub- ject was therefore compelled to make his own living long before he reached his majority. He, however, remained with his mother until 1836, when he moved with Robert Pardoe to Trumbull County, Ohio, and for whom Mr. Newbury worked on a farm in Ohio for one year, and then came with the same gentle- man to Mercer County and remained in his employ for seven years more. He was married in 1844 to Jane Todd, born May 17, 1824, in Mercer County. Her father, Andrew Todd, was born in Ireland, and settled in Wolf Creek Township, this county, when five years of age, where he grew up and was married to Jane Patterson, who blessed him with the following children: Mary A., married William Long; Jane, Susan, married Lewis Crill; John, de- ceased; Elizabeth, died when small; Jane, deceased; Hugh, deceased; Mar- garet, married Gilmore Baker; William, died small; William (2) is living and Robert is also living. Mr. and Mrs. Todd are dead, and were members of the Springfield. United Presbyterian Church. Josiah Newbury and his wife lived with her mother for one year after their marriage, because of the sad death of Mr. Todd, he having been killed by his horses running away while re- turning from Mercer on a business trip. In 1845 they made their permanent settlement on the farm where they yet reside. It was at that time principally a dense forest, and consequently necessitated a vast amount of hard labor, which Mr. Newbury proved able to bear, to make it bring forth fruit. He is the artificer of sixty-two acres of arable land, and has always been a hard-work - ing, honest, upright citizen. His marriage gave him the following children : Andrew, married Mary Walsmith and resides in Luzerne County, Penn. ; Mary A., married A. L. Cooper; James, is single and lives in Minnesota; John, deceased; Celia J., married John Graham; Montrose, is a machinist of Sharon. Mr. Newbury has served his township as assessor, and is a stanch Democrat. He and his wife belong to the First Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

WILLIAM PAXTON, farmer, post- office Pardoe, was born August 1, 1824, in Mercer County, on the farm where he now lives. His father, Thomas, was born in Franklin County, Penn., in 1792, and died July 14, 1850. He came to Mercer County with his father, Thomas, who died at the home of his

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daughter, the wife of D. Hosack, and an aunt of Dr. J. P. Hosack, of Mercer. Thomas Paxton, the father of our subject, was married to Mary A. Kerr, a sister of Judge Joseph Kerr, once associate judge of this county. Their children were: James and Jane, who died small; John, died with cancer in 1880; Caroline, married Thomas Hosack and is deceased; Mary E., married George W. Moon, a brother of A. B. Moon; Nancy J., married Matthew Barnes, and is dead; Sarah, died in 1842; Margaret, died in 1842; Emily, died in 1842; James, lives in Kansas; Anna, married Alexander McKay. Mrs. Mary Paxton died April 7, 1880, and, like her husband, was a consistent member of the Springfield Church. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and was married to Sarah, a daughter of George Barnes, and had by her eight children: George B., Thomas K. (both engaged in the lumber business in this county), Kissie, William B. (a brakeman on the passenger train from Butler to Pittsburgh), Maggie J., John L., Mary A. and Harry E. Mr. Paxton came in possession of the old home by buying out the heirs. He and wife are members of the Springfield United Presbyterian Church, and he is a Democrat.

ELI RAHAUSER, farmer, post-office Balm, was born September 1, 1806, in Greencastle, Franklin Co., Penn. His father, Daniel, was a minister of the German Reformed organization, and came to Mercer County in 1830, and died later in Ohio. Daniel's first wife was Susannah Hum, by whom he had Eli, Leah, Mary, Daniel, Elizabeth, William and Jesse. Mrs. Rahauser died in 1815, and he was married again, to a Mrs. Ditterman, and had six children. Our subject farmed and followed the cooper trade during his activity. The latter business was a source of considerable means, he having been prepared to take advantage of the great demand for barrels and kegs during the war. He was married to Anna M. Sager, resulting in nine children: Susannah B., mar- ried Lewis Heasley, who was killed in the war; she died of cancer, in Michigan, . November 7, 1886; Lydia E., who remains at home to care for her feeble parents; Jesse, died in the war; Anna M., married William J. Snyder; Elias, Jr. ; Leah M., died small; Michael J .; William D., deceased; Esther C., deceased. Jacob and Elizabeth (Snyder) Sager, the parents of Mrs. Rahuaser, had John, Jacob, Anna M., Abraham, Daniel, Elizabeth, Andrew and Barbara. Sagertown, Crawford County, the seat of the famous medicinal springs, was named after relatives of Mrs. Rahauser. The father of the Mr. Rahauser was actively engaged in ministerial labors for about forty years, and married a couple the day before he was stricken from life's roll on earth and gathered into life eternal. Mr. Rahauser adheres to the German Reformed faith, while his wife is a Lutheran. He and his sons are Democrats.

J. W. RAINEY, farmer, post-office Pardoe, was born October 22, 1851, in Mercer County, Penn. His father, Hugh Rainey, is a native of Ireland, and came to this county about 1836. He followed stone masonry for many years, helped to build the Magoffin Block in Mercer, and laid the first brick in the present court-house. The first work he did in this county was to cultivate a potato patch for the late Judge Pearson, of Harrisburg. This potato patch was on the site of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer. Hugh Rainey married Eliza Boyd. He was born June 24, 1807, to James and Rachel (Wilson) Rainey. The mother died May 16, 1816, and the father came to Canada, where he died in 1836. Hugh had by his marriage seven children: David S., Eliza, married David White; Rachel, James W. The others are dead. Mrs. Rainey died May 5, 1886. Hugh Rainey was six years a director of the Pymatuning Fire Insurance Company. He is a member of the Reformed Church, and a Republican. J. W. Rainey was educated in the common

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schools, and was married October 1, 1874, to Maggie J., daughter of John and Eliza (Kelley) Gildersleeve, natives, the father of Mercer and the mother of Butler County. Daniel Gildersleeve, the father of John, married Margaret Albin, an aunt of John Albin, of Mercer, and died about 1876. Our subject settled on his present farm in 1887. He has six children: Willie J., David L., Mertie A., Elmer A., James C., Lizzie M. He is now a school director. He and wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Springfield, and he is a stanch Republican and a good citizen.

WILLIAM RAMSEY, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born October 11, 1816, in Springfield Township, to Andrew and Anna (Creighton) Ramsey, natives, the father of Ireland and the mother of Mifflin County, Penn. The father came to America when about thirteen years old with his father, Andrew, and settled in Springfield Township in 1806. There Andrew died in 1853, the father of ten children: Mary A., married William Kerr; Eliza, married Cun- ningham Glenn; Jane, married William Walters; William, Robert C., engaged in the patent fence business; Lucinda, married Robert Reed; Nancy, married William Gilmore; Narcissa, married Thomas Humphrey; Margaret, married David Swim and a Mr. Barrett; and Andrew. Andrew Ramsey was out in the War of 1812, and he and his wife were members of the Seceder Church. Our subject attended the common schools. He was married in 1845, to Jane Hind- man, who died in 1860, leaving no issue. He was again married in 1861, to Martha J. Campbell, daughter of John Campbell, of Butler County, and they have no children. They are members of the First United Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he is a Republican. In 1841 Mr. Ramsey entered a woolen factory at Craigville, Armstrong County; in 1872 he came to the old homestead, and in 1873 bought forty-six acres where he now lives, known as the "old smoky John Thompson farm."

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 131

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