History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 133

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

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GEORGE H. CALDWELL, steward of County Poor Farm, was born December 9, 1845, in Deer Creek Township. His father, Perry, was born in Crawford County, Penn., where his father, Charles Caldwell, settled when he came from Ireland. Perry Caldwell first saw the light of day in 1818, and came to Mer- cer County about the year 1838. He died in 1883, and his wife, Marilla, whose maiden name was Stright, died June 3, 1886, the mother of the follow- ing children: Oliver, Norman, deceased; Hudson D., deceased; George H., Jennie, married Robert J. McClure, and is dead; Eva, married John Vaughn; Ella became the second wife of Robert J. McClure; Lewis, and Lillie, married Frank Moyer. The parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father was once a director of the poor, and was a stanch Republican. Amzy Stright came from Washington County at an early day, and settled on the farm where M. D. Scurry lives, in Cool Spring Township. He afterward became a resident of Deer Creek Township, and his home was a station of the Underground Railroad. He died three days before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation took effect, thus being deprived of the realization of the ambi- tion of his earnest life. He had six children who grew up: Sarah, married Nathan Axtell, and is now a widow in Athens, Ohio; Ithiel, Marilla, deceased; Joseph, Levina, deceased, and Terrissa is dead. Amzy Stright married Mary Dodd, daughter of Ithiel Dodd, who gave the ground on which the old Pres- byterian Church was built at Fairfield. Lawrence Stright, a brother of Amzy, preached at the New School Presbyterian Church, which was built about one and a half miles north of New Vernon; he helped to build up the organization, and the old church was afterward moved away by James Stright, and is used for a barn. In this church a Rev. Burchard preached who was a cousin of the famous " R. R. R. " Burchard. Lawrence Stright organized a church in Sun- ville, Venango County, where he preached until his death. George H. Cald- well was educated in the common schools, and was brought up at hard farm labor. He enlisted in Company H, Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three months. He owns a part of the old Stright homestead, and was married October 18, 1877, to Miss Mina Cubbison, daughter of Josiah and Mary (Gamble) Cubbison, who live in Fairview Township. He was engaged for a number of years in building bridges in Mercer County by contract. He was elected steward of the poor-farm in 1886, and so satisfactorily did he attend to the duties that he was re-elected in 1888. He is a stanch Republican, and lends his influence to the best interests of the party.

W. A. Cook, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born October 30, 1839, in Eng- land, to John and Sarah (West) Cook, natives of the same country. The mother was a cousin of Mr. West, late British minister to America. . The parents of Mr. Cook came to Canada in 1846, bringing their seven children, Jonathan, John, Henry, W. A., James, Hannah and Emma. The father died in 1872 and the mother in 1877; they were members of the Methodist Church. W. A. Cook

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was educated in the common schools and at an academy taught by Peter Mc- Tavish, by whom he was taught book-keeping with the view of following it for a profession. He was employed by John A. McDonald & Co., wholesale dry goods men at Toronto, Canada, as book-keeper from 1855 to 1858, when he withdrew on account of declining health. He subsequently resumed his profession, but found each time that the confinement would not agree with him. He came to Mercer County in 1871, and was employed by Benjamin Henlein, of Greenville, in the lumber business for six years. He then engaged in the saw-mill business on his own resources, in Cool Spring Township, for a successful period of four years. In 1884 he sold some land in Canada, and bought ten acres where he now lives in Cool Spring Township. He was mar- ried in 1874 to Nancy E., daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Shaffer) Liver- more, and has four children: John W., Arthur W., Elizabeth J. and Edith M. He and wife are members of the Jackson Centre Methodist Episcopal Church.

ISAAC HOMER, farmer, post-office Otter Creek, was born December 25, 1837, in Delaware Township, Mercer County. His parents were Peter and Margaret (Rose) Homer, natives of the same township. The subject's father died in 1856 and his mother in 1883; both were members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. Their children were: Isaac, Catharine, both living; Jacob, a member of Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Volun- teers, died in service; Henry, Harriet and Elmira, the last deceased. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and worked on a farm. He began for himself when twenty years old. He was married October 28, 1858, to Sophia L. Keen, daughter of Reuben and Paulina (Mitchell) Keen, natives of Maine, who were the parents of eleven children: Hannah L., Lorana A., Sophia L., Nancy J., William R., Irena, Cyrena C., Cordelia P., Oliver O., Hezekiah O. and Polly A. The father is dead, and the mother lives near Fredonia. In 1860 our subject, with his wife, went to Illinois and worked in a stone quarry for one year. He then enlisted in Company F, Eighty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. On his return from the war he joined his wife in Pennsylvania, and engaged in farm- ing. They have had six children: Mary M., Oris W., both dead; Paulina M .; Arthur W., teacher; Elsie J. and Ellis H. Mr. and Mrs. Homer are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Fredonia, and he is a Republican.

JOHN JOHNSTON, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born May 20, 1816, in Mercer County, to Zachariah and Jane Grace (Todd) Johnston. The father was born in County Derry, Ireland, came to America in 1798, and settled on the farm where our subject now lives. His union with Miss Todd gave him eight children: Robert, Jane, Mary, Zachariah, John, Grace, Margaret and James. He died in 1828 and his widow in 1867, both members of the United Presbyterian Church. John Johnston was educated in a log cabin at the time when the Indians were yet to be seen. He learned carpentering, and during a winter or two he worked in the construction of locks on the Erie Canal. He has 130 acres, 100 of which he cleared. He was married in 1838 to Mary A. Jennings, who bore him one child, who with the mother died in 1839. He was again married in 1841 to Sarah J. Todd, daughter of John Todd, Jr., and had by her five children: Margaret; Frances, married Samuel Landis; Zacha- riah; John, married Caroline Parkes; Rebecca A., married George Crouser; Nel- lie, married Marvin Gildersleeve. Mr. Johnston was captain of a militia com- pany for nine years, and at the time of the Mexican War. He and wife are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he is a

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Democrat. He erected a steam saw-mill in 1872 on his farm, which is still in operation. Mrs. Johnston is a daughter of John and Margaret (Smith) Todd, the parents of James, Smith C., Margaret, Sarah J., Andrew, Elizabeth, Mary A., Rebecca, Rachel and Frances. Margaret Smith was born in 1795 in Montgomery County, Penn., to Valentine and Mary M. (Spies) Smith, who came to this county about 1803. They had two children: Jacob and Mar- garet. Valentine was in the War of 1812. Mrs. Johnston says that she, her sister, Margaret, and two brothers, James and Smith C., went to the cran- berry region near where William Paxton now lives, just east of Pardoe, and one day they killed fifty rattlesnakes. She also says that in the year 1845 she was attending to the cows, and looking for the calf she found it lying near the house in terrible agony, and when she came close to it the dog warned her of danger by biting her heels several times. She went to the calf, stooped over it to raise its head, and there, to her astonishment, found a large hoop snake with its stinger fastened in the little animal. She says she had an old shoe on, with a hole in the toe, and the reptile bit at it and left teeth marks on her toe nail. She killed the snake, and a short time afterward her husband killed its mate in the wheat field.

GEORGE KELSO, farmer, post-office Otter Creek, was born November 4, 1838, in Lawrence County, Penn., to John and Ann (Mc Williams) Kelso, natives of Lawrence County, and of Scotch and Irish extraction, respectively. The par- ents resided ten years near Hadley, this county, and then removed to Lawrence County, where the father died in 1879 and the mother in 1877. Their chil- dren were: Mary, married Haslet Miller; George, Letitia, Joseph, Rebecca, married William H. Pasco, of Nebraska ; Jane, married David Hadley ; John, Olive, married James Cooper, who is dead, and she resides in Nebraska ; three others died when young. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and brought up on a farm. He enlisted in Company G, One Hundred Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three years; was in the battles of his regiment and wounded in the right temple in front of Petersburg. His

brother Joseph enlisted in the same company and served nearly four years ; he was also wounded in the head. On his return from the war our subject worked on his father's farm until married, February 8, 1865, to Sarah M. Walker, born April 4, 1844, daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Nelson) Walker, who are mentioned elsewhere. He and wife settled on a farm in Lawrence County until they came to their present one, known as the "Matthew Thomp- son farm." Here they have a beautiful home. They have had eleven chil- dren, nine of whom are living: Robert O., Samuel, Joannah, Elizabeth, Joseph H., Mary, George, Nelson O. and William D. He and wife are members of the First United Presbyterian Church, and he is a stanch Republican.

JOSEPH KENT, deceased, was born in Staffordshire, England, August 7, 1807, and immigrated to America in 1833. The same year he, in company with a number of others, went down the rivers on a canal boat to New Orleans. During this trip he had the pleasure of shaking hands with Mohawk, the great Indian chief. Mr. Kent was overseer of a company of laborers while at New Orleans for a short period. He returned to Cincinnati, remained some time, and in 1835 he came to what is now Wilmington Township, Mercer County, where he was employed as a farm laborer. He subsequently purchased land in territory now included in Perry Township. This he soon sold and bought the land in Cool Spring Township where his family reside. Mr. Kent was one of eight children, of whom two survive: John, a local Methodist minister, and Henry is a manufacturer of needles and other articles, both residents of England. Joseph Kent was married to Jane, daughter of James and Mary

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

(Richard) Colleyer, and with her settled first in Pittsburgh, where he was en- gaged in business for some time. From there he removed to the farm spoken of in this sketch in Perry Township. Mrs. Jane Kent, the granddaughter of Charles and Mary Richard, died May 20, 1888. She emigrated from England, her native country, to America with her parents when about ten years old. She was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, and was highly esteemed by all of her acquaintances. Mr. Kent died April 22, 1884; was an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal Church, an upright citizen, a good hus- band and father. His children were seven: Ellen, married Andrew B. Hos- ack; Hannah, Henry J., Mary, Cassie, Thomas J. and one (deceased) young.

CHARLES LEES, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born October 16, 1822, to James and Charlotte Lees, natives of England. The family came to Mercer County about 1828, and settled where John H. Lees now lives, in East Lack- awannock Township. James Lees was engaged for many years in his native country in weaving silk, and his wife was overseer of 500 girls in the same factory. Their children were William, James, Mary, Charles, Anna, John H., Samuel and Robert. The parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, and are buried in the old grave-yard at Mercer. Our subject was married to Jane Donaldson, born February 23, 1821. She is a daughter of Isaac and Rebecca (Shannon) Donaldson, who became acquainted while reap- ing wheat together. They subsequently became engaged, and published their intention of marriage two weeks prior to the wedding day, in the pulpit, with the "text," "And here Isaac sent for Rebecca." Other mention is made of them in the sketch of S. S. Donaldson, of Jackson Township. Charles Lees and wife have had five children: Charles R., deceased; William D., mar- ried Melda Ray, daughter of Robert and Lydia (Carnes) Ray, and has by her four children, Charles C., Fred W., Hazel R. and Capt. Howe; Mary E., mar- ried Charles Clark; Sarah E., married A. H. Clark; infant is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Lees settled at marriage in Venango County, where they remained until April 21, 1853, when they left, and in 1854 came to this county and rented for two years in Wilmington Township. April 2, 1856, they moved to the farm where they now reside. He has improved about eighty-two acres; has been township treasurer two terms and supervisor. He and wife are members of

the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Jackson Centre, and he is a Republi- can. The following is from Everts' History of Mercer County, which we give space for that it may be preserved by the family: "A story is told of the grandmother of Mrs. Charles Lees and S. S. Donaldson, which is worth pre- serving. The lady's name was Martha Reed (generally known as Rebecca), and her father was one of Gen. Forbes' soldiers, who, in company with a number of others, left the army in its western expedition, in 1758, and settled in the Ligonier Valley, in Westmoreland County. Mr. Reed had a family of four children, of whom Martha was the eldest, a son named George being second in age. Miss Reed, like other women at the time, living at the fort they occupied, frequently indulged in out-door sports with the male members of the settlement, and became noted for her extraordinary fleetness of foot. A young man named Samuel Shannon was the only one who could successfully compete with her in a race, and the two were afterward married. On a cer- tain day, just after harvest was over, in 1778, Miss Reed and a lady friend, accompanied by George Reed and another male companion, started for a blackberry patch two miles away. On the way they met a Mr. McDowell on horseback, carrying a gun, and they had hardly recognized him before they were fired on by a party of Indians from an ambush near by. At the fire young Reed fell mortally wounded; the other young man was made a prisoner,

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and Miss Reed's lady companion killed. McDowell escaped in one direction, and Miss Reed started for the fort on a run, with the fleetest Indian of the band at her heels, determined to make her a prisoner. She led him a race of three-quarters of a mile, and was met by young Shannon, who observed her plight, and started to her rescue, reaching her just outside the fort. The In- dian, seeing his prey escape him, turned and ran back, and was ever afterward looked upon with contempt by his brother warriors. Even the chieftain's daughter, to whom he was shortly to have been married, gave him the cold shoulder, and would have no more to do with the brave who had let a 'pale- face squaw ' outrun him."

CHARLES MADDEN, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born August 15, 1825, in Beaver County, Penn., near Darlington, to William, born in Northumber- lan'd County, and Elizabeth (Flickinger) Madden. They came to Darlington after the War of 1812, and began making a home in the woods. The father died in Lancaster County, Penn., in 1871, at the age of ninety years, and his wife died some time prior, at the ripe age of eighty-five years. William Madden was in the War of 1812, and was at Buffalo and Erie. His father, Joseph Madden, was seven years in service under Washington; was with him at the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, N. J .; during some battle was shot in the ankle, and died near Danville, Penn. He was of Scotch-Irish extract- ion, while his wife came from the Highlands of Scotland. William Madden married Elizabeth Flickinger, and had William, Mary, Daniel, Martha, James, Charles, Montgomery, Elizabeth and George. The father had by a former marriage Joseph and Sevilla. He and his last wife belonged to the

Church of England. Our subject was educated in Enon Valley, and was brought up on a farm. In 1853 he married Mary J. Shively, of Lewisville, Ohio, and by her had six children: Margaret, married Almon Young; Martha, married Hiram Cozad; Eva L., Alice S. and two who died young. In 1862 Mr. Madden came to his present farm of forty acres, in Cool Spring Township. He has also sixteen acres in Jefferson Township. He has always taken a deep interest in education, and gave his children the best advantages of learning his means would afford. He and his family are members of the First Presby- terian Church of Mercer. He is a Republican.

CHARLES MCDOUGALL, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born May 5, 1830, to Charles and Mary (Dever) McDougall, natives, the father of Edinburgh, Scot- land, and the mother of Mercer County. The father came to America when twenty-six years of age, and settled in Franklin County, Penn., where he was for a few years engaged in weaving woolen goods. After the death of the father of Mrs. Mary (Dever) McDougall, her mother went to Franklin County, where Mary and Charles were married, and it is believed that they walked soon afterward to Pittsburgh, and thence to Pine Township, to land owned by her father. Charles died February 4, 1875, and Mary in December, 1879. Their children were: Infant, William, George, Charles, John, James, was shot at the battle of Fredericksburg; Thomas, served three years in the late war; Joseph, died at the age of eighteen months; Joseph (2); Jane, married William White, and Mary deceased. The parents were United Presbyterians. Our subject was educated in a log cabin of the most ancient style, and was brought up at farm labor. He began for himself when twenty years old, with 25 cents of his own and $2 which he borrowed from his brother. He was employed by Abraham Fisher on a farm, at $11 per month during the sum- mer, and $8 during the winter months. His vocation, after one year with Fisher, was various, such as hauling coal, working on the railroad, etc. He was married to Eveline Magee November 22, 1855. She was born February

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6, 1838, in this county, and was the daughter of Patrick and Sables (Gill) Magee. Her father was a native of Path Valley, Franklin Co., Penn., and there married Nancy Fagan, who came with him to Mercer County, and later died, being the mother of four children: John, Mary, James and George. Her father subsequently married Sables Gill, a native of Butler County, and had five children: William, Eveline, Nancy, Adam and one who died young. Mr. and Mrs. Magee died in Wolf Creek Township, and the latter was a member of the Seceder Church. Our subject enlisted in the Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three months. His children are: Mary J., married George B. Paxton; William V., married Lizzie Bentley; Nancy, is single and at home; Ida married Henry Barber September 1, 1886; Cath- arine E., married Charles Pew; Lizzie, married Henry Steingrabe March 29, 1888; Emma, James A., George M., Charles and Adda, deceased. Mr. McDougall is interested in the Grove City College, and was one of the first projectors of the same. By strict economy, hard labor and frugality he increased his $2 and 25 cents to the value of a farm which he sold for $8, 000, and bought his present one in Cool Spring Township. When young he naturally imbibed the Democracy of his father; but one day, when listening to a conversation between two men on the subject, "Of how little darkies are bought and sold," he renounced his early political proclivities, and, when the Republican party came into existence, he was found among its most earnest advocates. His family are members of the United Presbyterian Church, and he used to go bare-footed to church to listen to Rev. Edward Small preach.

GEORGE MCEWEN, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born November 16, 1818, in Mercer County, Penn., to John and Jane (Moore) McEwen. John McEwen, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Scotland, was sent to Ireland on missionary business, and was attacked by twelve persons, who cut his wife's breasts off, which inhuman act so enraged the reverend gentleman that he sailed into them and succeeded in killing ten of the twelve, and escaped with his wife to Maryland, and soon after to Adams County, Penn., where his wife recovered and bore him ten children, one of whom, named Samuel, came to Mercer County about 1805 and settled on the farm where John McEwen now lives, in a log house, in which it has been claimed that the first court was held in Mercer County. Here Samuel died December 4, 1819, and his wife July 24, 1825, the parents of the following children: Thomas, Samuel B., John, Sarah, married Henry A. Anderson; Betsey, married Samuel Scott; Margaret, married John Moore. Samuel McEwen was a Revolutionary soldier from Adams County. John McEwen, the father of our subject, was married in 1815 to Jane Moore, resulting in eight children: Samuel, Thomas, George, William, Mary, Elizabeth, John and Thomas (2). John McEwen was famous for his skill in bleeding people in this county, and his son John has the instruments used by him for that purpose. George, whose name heads this memoir, was educated in the common schools and brought up at rural pursuits. He was married to Jane, a daughter of John and Mary (Legg) King, natives of Eng- land, and who came to America in 1829 and settled in the State of Delaware. They came to Mercer County in 1836 and settled in Cool Spring Township. Her mother was thrown from a wagon against a large stone by the side of the road on what is known as Ball Hill, on the Franklin and Mercer road, her head striking the stone and injuring her so badly that she expired thirty min- utes afterward. The children of her parents were: Robert, James, Hannah, Jane, Edward, John, William, Nancy, John Joseph, Mary A. and Newark. The children of George McEwen are: Mary, married Thomas Bestwick; John, married Mary J. Kennedy; Nancy, Amanda, Hannah, William, married Fan-

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nie Grace; George and Thomas are dead. He is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Cool Spring Church. John McEwen, the brother of our subject, was born March 14, 1827, and was married in 1848 to Jane Hart- ley, resulting in nine children: Frances, Mary, George, Joseph, Ida and four deceased in infancy. His second marriage was to Christina Kirker. Mr. John McEwen enlisted in Company D, Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was slightly wounded by a piece of shell striking him over the right eye.

SAMUEL McMILLAN, deceased, was born June 13, 1814, in Mercer County, to John and Isabella McMillan, the parents of Samuel and Mary, the latter of whom married Israel Forker. His grandfather was John McMillan, deceased, of Cool Spring Township. Samuel McMillan was educated in the country schools, learned stone-cutting, and worked at it and on canals together with farming. He was married to Mary Hosack October 22, 1844. She is a daughter of Col. Thomas and Margaret (Johnston) Hosack, of Adams County, Penn. Her parents had: Elizabeth, married Isaac Patterson; Martha, married John Armstrong; Henry H., Mary, Jane, married Isaac Downs; Thomas, lives in Logan County, Ohio; Margaret, married Adam Forker; James J., Nancy, deceased wife of A. J. Zahniser; William, deceased. The parents were United Presbyterians. Samuel McMillan was blessed with five children by his marriage: Thomas H., Margaret, died at the age of three years; Elizabeth, married Alexander Hunter and lives in Virginia; Isabella, a school-teacher of fine reputation, and Nancy, who died young. Mr. McMillan died May 17, 1876, and was a Democrat. His widow resides on the home place, was born July 16, 1815, and is a member of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer. Further mention of the Hosack and McMillan families appears in the historical chapters of this work.

WILLIAM MILLER, deceased, was born in Wolf Creek Township (now Pine Township), Mercer County, March 15, 1801. His father, John Miller, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, immigrated to the United States in 1789 or 1790, and set locks on the Union Canal in the eastern part of Penn- sylvania. In 1792 he removed to Pittsburgh, and cut stone for the first court- house built in Allegheny County, and for many years afterward furnished cut stone for building purposes. The deceased removed with his parents to Pitts- burgh in 1806, and in 1817 the family again settled in Wolf Creek Town- ship, and in 1824 he located on the Magee farm, in Fairview Township (then Cool Spring). Here he remained until 1834, when he settled on the farm in Cool Spring Township now owned by Mrs. Mary Miller and A. S. Reed, and carried on farming in connection with merchandising and the manufacture of potash until 1865, from which year until 1874 he lived in Venango County, and then resided in Allegheny County until 1884, when he came to Cool Spring Township, there lived until December, 1887, when he established his home in Jonestown, N. Y., where he died November 17, 1888. He was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years. He served a term as county commissioner, one as county auditor, and was postmaster at Petroleum Centre, Penn.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 133

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