History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 137

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

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GEORGE H. MCINTIRE, superintendent of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, was born in Fairfield, Me., April 30, 1830. His parents were George and Elizabeth McIntire, natives of that State. In 1836 his par- ents moved to St. Clair County, Mich., where his father engaged in the mer- cantile business, and our subject attended the public schools. He also at- tended the academy at Erie, Penn., for a few terms. After finishing his schooling he assisted his father for a number of years, and in 1853 engaged with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, and acted as agent at Girard, Penn., where he remained for thirteen years. In 1867 he took charge of the Jamestown and Franklin division of their road. He took an active part in building the division from Franklin to Oil City, Jamestown to Ahstabula and Ashtabula to Youngstown, and is superintendent of these branches. His office was located at Stoneboro up to 1882. Since then his office has been lo- cated at Youngstown, Ohio. Soon after his removal to Stoneboro he became connected with the Mercer Iron & Coal Company, and has acted as burgess and a member of the borough council. His wife was Lucy A., daughter of Austin A. Seely, of Girard, Penn. Their children are: William H., station agent at Stoneboro; Jennie, Mrs. Theodore N. Houser, of Stoneboro; Fred, baggageman on the Youngstown branch, married Helen Wilder, of Ashtabula, Ohio; Blanch, at home. Mr. McIntire is a member of the Lake Erie Lodge and Lake Erie Chapter of the Masonic fraternity at Girard, Penn. He is a Republican in politics, and he and family attend the Episcopal Church.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

WILLIAM H. MCINTIRE, station agent, Stoneboro, Penn., for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, Washington, New York & Philadelphia and Jackson Coal Railroads, is a son of George H. McIntire, whose sketch appears else- where, and was born at what is now Girard Station, Erie Co., Penn., Septem- ber 24, 1856. He received his education at the public schools, Jamestown Academy and Thiel College at Greenville. In 1869 he came to Stoneboro, and soon after was employed by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail- road as clerk, later had his duties multiplied in that capacity by the addition of the Western, New York & Pennsylvania Railroad, and continued to serve those roads until 1877, when he was appointed agent for the same. Later still he was given the agency of the Jackson Coal Railroad, and con- tinues to act as agent for the above named roads. He married Mary R., daughter of Mrs. Angeline Daniels, of Stoneboro, by whom he has been blessed with two children: George H. and Lina A. He has been a member of the borough council, and votes the Republican ticket. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church of Stoneboro.

PROF. H. P. McMICHAEL, Stoneboro, Penn., was born in Cool Spring Town- ship May 19, 1855. His parents were Charles and Henrietta F. (Page) Michael. His father was born in Ireland in 1816, and in 1823 immigrated to America with his parents, and located at Poland, Ohio, where he was reared and educated at the common schools, and learned the cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed for a number of years. In 1840 he came to this county, and purchased a farm and grist-mill in Cool Spring Township, which he con- ducted until 1858, when they removed to Fairview Township, and in 1869 purchased a farm in New Vernon Township, where they still reside. Our subject received his education at the common schools, the Normal Academy of New Vernon and at home, and has taught the schools of New Vernon, Lake and Fairview Townships. He also had charge of the school at Fredonia for three years, and in 1881 and 1882 was connected with the Mercer union schools. In 1883 he came to Stoneboro, and has since been principal of the union schools of this borough. In 1876 he married Viola, daughter of Dr. J. R. and Margaret (Cole) Andrews, of New Vernon Township. By this union they have five children: Nettie P., Minnie E., Ruth A., Jessie C. and Charles Andrews. Prof. McMichael has always been a supporter of the Democratic party, is a member of Sandy Lake Lodge No. 573, I. O. O. F., and the Knights and Ladies of Honor. In 1884 he purchased a farm in Lake Township, which he has since conducted in connection with teaching, and has since resided there.

JOHN PARRY, farmer, Stoneboro, Penn., is a son of John and Mary (Mech- ling) Parry. The father was born in Hereford, England, January 7, 1793, immigrated to America in 1823, located on Bear Creek, and engaged in coal mining for three and one-half years, and took in payment for work a tract of 100 acres of land at the Five Points, in what is now Jackson Township. His wife was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., March 24, 1794, and was brought to Butler County, Penn., by her parents in 1795, being the first white child in Butler County. In 1825 they were married, and first located at the Five Points. After improving this tract they traded for the old Rice farm of 200 acres, in what is now Lake Township, where they resided until their decease. He was connected with the Whig and afterward the Republican party, also was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and afterward of the Cool Spring Presbyterian Church. His wife died in 1853, and he followed her in 1854. Their family consisted of four children: Margaret, Mrs. John Kemm, of Lake Township, who died in 1885; Mary, Mrs. Robert Pringle, of North

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Liberty; our subject; Sarah Jane, widow of Thomas Kemm, who resides in Lake Township. Our subject was born in Jackson Township August 7, 1831, and received his education at the log school-house of that period, situat- ed in Wildcat Hollow, and has always been engaged in farming. In connec- tion with farming he has been engaged in manufacturing lumber for thirty- four years, having a saw-mill on the head waters of the Little Shenango Creek. In 1856 he went to California and engaged in mining gold until 1860. In 1875 he moved into the borough of Stoneboro, and has done much toward building up the town, being one of the leaders in all the public enterprises, and has erected several dwelling houses. He is one of the stockholders in the Decem- Stoneboro Agricultural Society, also of the Stoneboro Glass Works.

ber 24, 1860, he married Isabella, daughter of John Pringle, of Springfield Township. She died in 1869, leaving no children. Our subject has reared, by adoption, two children: William B. Parry, engaged in the lumber business at Fisherman Bay, Cal., and Elizabeth Hortense, who married Hector Beys, and died May 10, 1878, leaving one child, William H., who has also been adopted by our subject. Mr. Parry is connected with the Republican party, and is an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Stoneboro.

F. S. PEARS, farmer, post-office Stoneboro, a son of John and Ann (Pears) Pears, was born in Leicestershire, England, February 1, 1819, attended the public schools of that country, and learned the butcher's trade. In the spring of 1841 he immigrated to America, and spent the summer of that year in driving a milk wagon in the city of Pittsburgh, and during the following fall he came to this county and hired to William North as a farm laborer, and remained with him seven years, at the end of which time he purchased a farm in Fairview Township, where he lived until he moved to his present farm in 1879. In 1848 he married Miss Caroline, daughter of John Clark, of Cool Spring Township. By this union they have seven children: John H., in Nebraska, married Annie, daughter of George Beals, of Perry Township, and has three children: Maud, Minta and an infant; Catharine, Mrs. Parker Wal- bridge, of Lake Township, 'whose children are Clara, Marsha, Linda and Ida; Sarah, Mrs. James Hicks, of Kansas; Ella, Mrs. George Owens, of Sandy Lake Township, whose children are Hazel and an infant; William, of Sharon; Amanda, Mrs. Joseph Rhodenbaugh, of Venango County, Penn .; Tracey, Mrs. Washington Jones, of Fairview Township. Mr. Pears was a member of Capt. Struble's company in the late war. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and votes the Democratic ticket.

MICHAEL SLATER, farmer, post-office Stoneboro, was born in England, October 31, 1818. His parents were Luke and Alice (Matkins) Slater, who im- migrated to America in 1829 and settled on a tract of land in Cool Spring Township (what is now Lake). He voted the Whig and afterward the Repub- lican ticket, and was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He died- in 1873, and his family consisted of seven children: John, Benjamin, Luke, Michael, Alice, George and Harriet, wife of John Buckley, of Sandy Lake Township. Our subject married, in 1843, Miss Agnes, daughter of Robert Curry, of Sandy Creek Township, who died February 2, 1886, leaving no children except one son by adoption, David H., who lives on the homestead with our subject, and married Fannie Magee, daughter of Robert Magee, of Norristown, Penn., and has by her two children: Robert M. and Willie C. Our subject purchased his present farm in 1843, and has since resided there. He votes the Republican ticket, and has been supervisor, etc., of the town- ship, and is a member of the Stoneboro Agricultural Society. His son, David H., is clerk of Lake Township, has been supervisor of the same, votes the

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Republican ticket, and he and wife are members of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, of which he is treasurer.

SETH H. SLATER, farmer, post-office Stoneboro, is a son of John and Rebecca (Dickson) Slater. His father was a son of Luke and Alice (Matkins) Slater, was born in England, immigrated to America with his parents in 1829, and settled on a tract of land in Cool Spring Township. After his mar- riage he located on a tract of land in Lake Township, which is now owned by our subject, where he lived until his death in 1881. His first wife was Mary Forbes, and by her he had Melissa, wife of William Woods, of Kansas; Sarah, deceased; Wilson; Lydia, widow of Alfred Fairlamb; Ellen, wife of W. P. McCartney. His second wife was Rebecca Dickson, who is still living, and by whom he had Sylvester, deceased; Ira, of New Vernon Township; Rebecca, deceased; Amanda C., wife of Cyrus Judy, of Fairview Township; our sub- ject; Alice, Mrs. James Perrine, deceased; Michael, deceased. He was con- nected with the Republican party. Our subject was born on the homestead which he now owns January 22, 1854, attended the township schools, and has been principally engaged in farming. In 1883 he established a general hard- ware store at Clark's Station, which he conducted three years, and since that time has been engaged in the butcher business one year. He is one of the stockholders in the Stoneboro Glass Works, also a member of the K. & L. of H. of New Vernon and of the A. O. U. W. of Clark's Mills. In 1879 he married Sarah M., daughter of John Hazen, of Sheakleyville, and by this union they have three children: Bessie, John and Hazel.

EDWARD W. THOMPSON, farmer, post-office Stoneboro, is a son of the Rev. William and Mary (Kemm) Thompson, of Sheakleyville, was the fifth child, the only son, and was born on the homestead which he now owns February 10, 1850. He received his education at the schools of the township, and learned the painter's trade at Erie, Penn., which he followed for several years. In 1878 he married Miss Georgie Ella, daughter of Charles W. and Amelia (Vath) Giebner, of Sandy Lake Township. By this union they have two children: Lawrence E. and William C. Our subject and wife are members of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church.

DAVID ZAHNISER, farmer, post-office North's Mills, is a son of Michael and Mary (Mourer) Zahniser, and was born on the homestead in Lake Township, August 1, 1815, received his education at the log school-house, and remained on the homestead until 1883, when he purchased his present farm, where he has since resided. In 1843 he married Elizabeth, daughter of William and Mary (Devile) North, of Cool Spring Township, and by this union they have eight children: William A., of Lake Township, was born December 17, 1844, educated at the common schools, and in 1863 enlisted in Company F, Fifty- fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served sixty days. In 1867 he mar- ried Jane M. Bromley, daughter of Michael and Margaret Bromley, of Fairview Township, and has by her four children: Laura, Charles, Mary G. and J. Byron. He has held the office of school director of the township, is a member of the Stoneboro Agricultural Society, and votes the Republican ticket, and is a member of the Bethany Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Michael L., banker of Sandy Lake; Mary, Mrs. F. M. Fleming, of Jackson Township; Catherine, Mrs. R. D. Porter, of Sandy Creek Township; Maria, at home; Caroline, Mrs. John C. Hamilton, of Lake Township; John I., on the homestead; S. Milissa, at home. Our subject has been school director, supervisor and assessor of the township. He is one of the directors in the Sandy Lake Bank and an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and votes the Republican ticket. John Ira Zahniser was born on the homestead

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where he now lives, August 3, 1858, attended the township schools, and has always been engaged in farming. In 1882 he married Della May, daughter of William Stroud, of Pittsburgh, and has one child, Howard Stroud. He has been auditor of Lake Township, votes the Republican ticket, and is one of the trustees of the Bethany Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

JOHN ZAHNISER, farmer, post-office North's Mills, is a son of Michael and Mary (Mourer) Zahniser. Mathias Zahniser, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was a native of Germany, and immigrated to America and settled in Lan- caster County. From 1789 until 1797 he lived near Pittsburgh, when he came to this county and located on a tract of land in what is now Lake Township. His children were Mathias, Michael, John, Valentine, William, Jacob, David and Mary, all of whom are dead. Michael, the father of our subject, was born in Lancaster County in 1777, and came to this county with his parents, and located on a tract of land in what is now Lake Township, where he lived until his death in 1852. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and a member of the Whig party, and afterward of the Republican party, and a member of the Presbyterian Church of Cool Spring Township. His widow lived to be ninety-three years old, and died in 1876. They reared six children: Mary, Mrs. John Condit, and William, are deceased; the four living are Jacob, of Jackson Township; our subject; David, of Lake Township, and Catherine, Mrs. William North, of Cool Spring Township. Our subject was born on the homestead in Lake Township, May 25, 1813, and received his education at the log school-house of that period, and has always been engaged in farming, locating on his present farm in 1850. In 1855 he married Susanna, daughter of John Runkle, of Fairview Township, Franklin County, and has one living child, Michael M., who lives on the homestead with our subject, and married Caroline, daughter of Albert Pool, of Lake Township, and has one child, Zella M. Our subject has held the offices of school director, supervisor, etc., of the township, and justice of the peace since 1851. He is one of the direct- ors in the Sandy Lake Bank, votes the Republican ticket, and is an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

LEMUEL BLACK, farmer, post-office Jackson Centre, was born May 12, 1839, on the farm where he now resides. The old house, now almost sixty years old, is still standing. His father, John Black, was born January 31, 1786, in England, and married Dorothy W. Winson, born October 9, 1799, in England. They immigrated to this country in 1829, and settled on the farm where Lemiel now lives. They were the parents of twelve children: John, the eldest, was born January 15, 1819; Hannah, born August 24, 1820; Stephen, born October 8, 1821; Jesse, born July 20, 1823; Jeremiah, born August 29, 1825; Sarah, born April 6, 1827; Mary, born February 16, 1829; Joseph, born October 24, 1830; Lydia, born July 9, 1833; Sarah, born August 15, 1835; Priscilla, born March 30, 1837, and Lemuel, born May 12, 1839. Stephen Black died in England; Sarah died in New York; John died in Illinois; Jere- miah was in Company I, Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and died in the service with the fever; Joseph was in Missouri at the breaking out of the war, and was never heard of by his family afterward; Mary died in Janu- ary, 1863, at the old home; Priscilla married John B. Maxwell, March 30, 1862, and died in August, 1863; Hannah married Rev. Richard Peat and is still living; Jesse resides in Iowa; Lydia and Sarah are still living on a part of the old homestead. John Black, the father of the above named children, was a

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sailor for fourteen years, and was under command of Lord Nelson in the battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805, and the scars which he received in this famous struggle were ever afterward visible. He was killed April 17, 1839, by a log falling on him at the raising of a barn for a Mr. Forker, in Cool Spring Town- ship. His widow subsequently married John Peat, and died in October, 1881. Lemuel Black was brought up at farming, and is the owner of a fine farm of eighty-eight acres, well watered by living springs. He was married May 30, 1862, to Jane McCurdy, daughter of James F. McCurdy, who was for many years a captain of a steamboat, which ran on the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. Mr. McCurdy and family are mentioned in a sketch of J. H. Mc- Curdy, on another page of this work. Our subject has four children: James M., John W., Olive L. and David L. Mr. and Mrs. Black are members of the Cottage Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. of Fredonia, and is a Prohibitionist in sentiment. He is one of the upright, intelligent and enterprising citizens of Mercer County, who lends his aid to everything that has a tendency to advance and improve the community in which he lives.

CHARLES BROMLEY, clerk, post-office Jackson Centre, was born July 17, 1851, in Mercer County, to John Bromley, who was born in England, immi- grated to America about 1826, subsequently married Sarah Montgomery, and by her had Francis, married Hiram Stufflebeam; James M., was a soldier from Mercer County, and was killed; Montgomery, was in the war from Venango County, and died on his way home on the train between Syracuse, N. Y., and Oil City; George, was a soldier from Mercer County, and starved to death in a rebel prison; Archibald, was in the war from Venango County, and was killed in battle; William C., was a soldier from Venango County; Leonard M., was also a soldier from Venango County; Adaline, died at the age of four years; Charles, David H., Elizabeth, married Stephen Vanderlin. The father died in 1858, and the mother in 1857, both in the Presbyterian faith. Charles, after the death of his father, was with the family of Henry Chaffee, of Ve- nango County, for two and one-half years. He then lived with Samuel Kee, of Lake Township, and attended school until 1862, when he selected a permanent home with William Jeffrey, of Jackson Township, with whom he remained until twenty-one years old. He then took a course in the Iron City Commer- cial College, and in the fall of 1872 engaged in the general merchandise busi- ness with Samuel North, Sr., at North's Mills, subsequently with G. W. Wor- rell. He suffered great loss by the panic, and finally retired from the business and worked for a while in mills and on farms. In 1879 he was employed by D. L. Nisbet, with whom he has continued. He married, in 1874, Elnora Zahniser, and by her has six children, viz. : Sarah J., Margaret C., William J., John Z., Charles M., James A. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. at Jackson Centre, and he and wife are members of the Cool Spring Presbyterian Church. He is a Republican.

S. S. DONALDSON, farmer, post-office Jackson Centre, was born August 25, 1818, in Westmoreland County, Penn., to Isaac and Rebecca (Shannon) Don- aldson, natives of the same county. The family came to Mercer County August 25, 1823, and settled about four miles north of New Castle. They subsequently moved to Wilmington Township. May 25, 1835, the father died, and the mother September 17, 1865. They had Elizabeth, deceased; Martha, deceased; S. S .; Jane W., married Charles Lees; James A .; Robert N., deceased; infant, died small; Ebenezer F .; Robert M .; Sarah, married Robert Johnson; Rebecca, married David Young; Harriet, married John Bo- gardus. Isaac Donaldson was born December 15, 1791, and was married June

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29, 1813, to Rebecca Shannon, born March 26, 1793. He taught school and worked at the carpenter's trade for a number of years. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. S. S. Donaldson attended the common schools, and for awhile Wilmington College. He was married October 29, 1845, to Minerva Dunn, born March 1, 1821, in Crawford County, Penn. When quite young she settled on Indian Run, in East Lackawannock Town- ship, with her parents, Joseph and Mary Dunn, where the parents died. Their childern were Minerva, Daniel, Nancy, John, Stewart, William, Mary J., Arthur, and an infant, deceased. The parents were United Presbyterians. Our subject's union gave him six children: Leander W., Sebina J., Ann, Ettie, James A., died at the age of four years; William L., a teacher in the Jackson Centre schools. Mr. Donaldson remained in East Lackawannock Township until 1855, when he moved to where he now resides. Here he bought 100 acres of land, and subsequently added to it, until he is the owner of a large property, as a result of strict economy and hard labor. He was for many years

president of the Western Agricultural Association held at Mercer, and was one of the three school directors elected by the Republicans of Jackson Township within the last twenty years. He and his wife are members of the Presby- terian Church, A mention of his ancestors is given in Cool Spring Township, in connection with a notice of Mrs. Charles Lees, his sister.

LEANDER W. DONALDSON, farmer, post-office Jackson Centre, was born August 15, 1846, in East Lackawannock Township, and is a son of S. S. Don- aldson, whose sketch appears previously. He was educated in the common schools. He made brick for a few years, and was married April 18, 1872, to Maggie E. Williams, a daughter of John and Ruth (Bradley) Williams, natives, the father of Ireland, born in 1818, and the mother of Mercer County, born August 17, 1815. Her father came to America, or Mercer County, about 1835. The mother of Mrs. Donaldson was a daughter of George and Mary (Blair) Bradley, natives, he of Ireland and she of Virginia, and the parents of Elizabeth, Samuel, Thomas H., Mary, Margaret, George, Nancy, John and Ruth. The parents of Mrs. Donaldson had four children that grew up: James H., Mary J., married Thompson Patterson; Maggie and Maria M. Mrs. Donaldson was born December 9, 1846, and has blessed her husband with three children: Ralph B., Laura E. and Carl S. He is a Republican, and settled on his present farm of fifty acres in 1873.

REV. J. M. GALLAGHER, Jackson Centre, was born April 28, 1821, in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Penn., to John Gallagher, a native of the same place. Our subject was one of seven children: Eveline W., Rev. J. M., Jane K., Elizabeth D., Mary, Jacob B., John A. The last named practiced law, and was a surveyor. The father was a farmer, and at one time owned part of the land now the present site of Uniontown. Rev. Gallagher was educated at Madi- son College, Uniontown, and Beverly, Ohio, studying at the last named theology under Rev. J. P. Wethee. He taught school six months. He was licensed to preach at State Lick, Armstrong County, by the Union Presbytery in 1845, and was sent out by that body to preach. He made his journey on horseback, and was supply at Harlensburg, Franklin, Cranbury, Rockland and Scrub- grass. He preached in school-houses at the last three named places, and his pastorate church buildings were erected at Cranbury and Rockland. At these two he continued for eleven years. He was then supply for the Scrubgrass and Sandy Creek congregations until 1861, when he moved to Jackson Centre, and preached for that congregation until recently. He is yet pastor of the Bethany congregation, a branch of the Jackson Centre organization. He was pastor for thirty-two years for the "Irvin congregation," which is composed

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of citizens of Mercer and Venango Counties; this he resigned in 1887. Dur- ing his pastorate at Jackson Centre some of his congregation moved to Sandy Lake, and he following them organized a church and preached in a hall until under his administration a church edifice was erected and he had helped in the dedicatory services. The Hickory Grove congregation, now attached to Jack- son Centre, was organized under his pastorate. He was married, September 19, 1848, to Miss Ellen Whann, a native of Venango County. This union resulted in two children: John F., died at the age of eighteen years, and Mary J., married H. T. Hess, deceased, by whom she has three children: Nellie M., Stella J. and James Raymond. Our subject owns two farms, has property in Jackson Centre, and is an earnest Prohibitionist.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 137

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