History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 142

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

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children: Alexander Munn, Anna Isabella and Mary Elizabeth. Prof. Orr leads the choir of the United Presbyterian Church, of which he and his family are attendants.

FRANCIS RAMSEY, farmer, post-office Grove City, is a son of Francis and Martha (Boyd) Ramsey, natives of Ireland, who emigrated from County Antrim, in 1830, and located on the farm which is now owned by our subject. They engaged in farming, and brought with them seven children: Mary, married Joseph Nutt, of Venango County, and is dead; Robert, married Mary Cummins and is a resident of Springfield Township, this county; Thomas, died in 1854, was a soldier in the Mexican War under Gen. Price; Matilda, married Samuel McCutchen, of Pittsburgh, and died in 1883; Elizabeth, mar- ried James Buchanan and lives in Pine Township; Sarah, married Robert Barr, of Allegheny. The parents of our subject both died in 1859. Our sub- ject was the youngest of his father's family, was born in 1825 and has been extensively engaged in lumbering and farming. October 9, 1851, he was married to Jane D. Cochran, daughter of Charles and Ruth (Johnson) Coch- ran, of Butler County. By this union they have eight children: Charles C., married Lovina M. Wilson and has two children, Luther F. and Flora M .; R. T., a farmer of this township, who married Julia A. Richmond and has two children, Mabel L. and D. Alford; Martha, married William C. Work, of Crawford County, and has one child, Frances R .; Mary E., married L. F. McCoy, of Wolf Creek Township, and has one child, Jennie U .; Cole J., Sadie R., David J. and Luella M. Mr. Ramsey and family belong to the United Presbyterian Church of Scotch Hill.

G. W. STEVENSON, farmer, post-office Grove City, is a son of Charles and Ann (Miller) Stevenson. Richard Stevenson, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Ireland, immigrated to America some time previous to 1788 and settled in Franklin County, Penn., where the father of G. W. was born, and in 1800 they moved into this county and located in that part of Wolf Creek Township which is now Liberty. His family consisted of two sons and three daughters, all of whom are dead. The father of subject was born in 1790, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. He afterward moved to this township and settled on a tract of land on which our subject now lives. He died there in 1851 and his wife in 1882, Five of their children still live, and are William J., of New Castle, Lawrence County; Charles M., of North Liberty; Nancy R., Mrs. William Winchester, Grand Rapids, Mich .; Mary M., Mrs. Joseph Gregg, of this township, and our subject, who was born in Liberty Township in 1829, and moved into this township with his parents, where he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for several years. In 1880 he was mar- ried to Lucina, daughter of William George, of Liberty Township. She died in 1885, leaving no children. The present wife of subject was Maggie, a daughter of John Mechlin, of Butler County. Mr. Stevenson has held the office of school director, and he and wife are members of the Centre Presbyte- rian Church of this township.

JOHN N. WHITE, farmer, post-office Grove City, is a son of George W. and Susan (Wallace) White. Alexander White, the great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was a native of Ireland, immigrated from County Down in 1750, and finally settled on Turtle Creek, at Braddock's Fields. In 1774 he married Rachel Henderson, daughter of Rev. Matthew Henderson, of Revolutionary fame. John White, grandfather of our subject, was their oldest son, and in 1798 his father sent him to this county to locate land for him. He took up the claim of one McGuffin, which embodied the farms now owned by O. P. McCoy, W. A. Young and James Simpson, and agreed to clear the tract for one-half

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interest. He married, in 1799, Margaret Query, daughter of Charles Query, a Revolutionary soldier, and he and his father's family lived on that claim for several years. Owing to the necessity of more land for his growing family, John bought a separate claim, which contained 400 acres, in the same neigh- borhood. This place he made his home and reared his family, which consisted of Rachel, John B., James, Jane, Elizabeth, Samuel, George W., Hiram C. and Henderson. The father of our subject was born on this homestead in 1812, and learned the trade of a stone-mason, which he worked at for many years in connection with farming. He was killed by the cars at the crossing of the Shenango & Allegheny Railroad, near his home in 1882. His wife died in 1872. They had Mary A., Mrs. V. Z. Ball, of Sherwin, Kas. ; Maggie A. ; Ella J., Mrs. Rev. J. E. Roberts, of Kansas; Susan, Mrs. Ezra Koonce, of Venango County; Narcissa A., the famous temperance lecturer; Dr. Maria, a missionary in India. John N. was born on the homestead which he now owns in 1840, and received his principal education at the Grove City Academy, being one of the first students of that institution. He engaged in teaching for twelve years in Salem, Westmoreland County, Lawrence and Armstrong Counties. Finding this work too confining he returned to the farm, and has since been engaged in fruit raising and bee culture. In 1868 he married Mary J., daughter of Josiah S. Stevenson, of Lawrence County. They have five children: Annie A., John Wilber, George S., Sarah N., Arthur C. Mr. White was one of the original members of the Prohibition party in this county, and has always been prominently identified with it, having held the office of county committeeman for ten years. For five years he was one of the trustees of Grove City College. He and family are members of the Presby- terian Church of Grove City.

G. W. WHITE, farmer, post-office Grove City, is a son of James and Eliza- beth (McClintock) White. The first of the family to settle in this county was John White, a native of Ireland, who settled in this township some time pre- vious to 1800, and engaged in farming. His family consisted of nine children: John, James, Samuel, G. W., H.C., Henderson, Rachel, Jane, Elizabeth, all of whom are dead, except Hiram, who lives at Mercer. The father of our subject was born in this township in 1800, and learned the trade of a stone-mason, which he followed in connection with farming. He died in 1852 and his wife in 1864. They had six children, Margaret, Mrs. John Dougherty, of this township, being the only one living except our subject, who was born on the old homestead, which he now owns, in 1837, and was educated at the district schools, and has followed the occupation of a farmer. In 1861 he enlisted in Company H, Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three years. He was married in 1869 to Margaret Donaldson, daugh- ter of John and Mary (Reed) Donaldson, of this township. They have five children: Elizabeth, Mary, Minnie, Leroy and Harry. Our subject is school director at the present time. He is a member of Marion Craig Post No. 325, G. A. R., and he and family are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotch Hill.

WILLIAM A. YOUNG, proprietor of Grove City Tannery, and dealer in har- ness, etc., is a son of Robert and Mary (Adams) Young, natives of Beaver County, Penn., who came to this county in 1835 and located in what is now Findley Township, where the father died about two years afterward, and the mother died at Washington, Iowa, in 1878. They had six children, all of whom are dead except Margerie (Mrs. John Wilson), of Kansas, and our sub- ject, who was born in Beaver County in 1832, and was reared and received his education in this county. At the age of eighteen years he entered the tannery

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

of Robert Reynolds at New Castle and served an apprenticeship, and has since been engaged in that business. In 1853 he located in Pine Grove and purchased the tannery, which was established by James Tilball, which he has since operated, and in 1881 he and his son, Will V., established their present harness business. In 1853 he married Miss Clara A. Vescelius, of Seneca County, N. Y. They have six children: Alsameda, Mrs. Wilson Moon, one child, Clara; Ernest L., of Cowley County, Kas. ; Will V., Sey- mour R., Mathew A., of California, and Robert D., printer, of Mercer. Our subject has held the office of school director and is a member of the borough council. He was one of the organizers of the Grove City College, and has been a trustee of the same since its erection. He and family are members of the Presbyterian Church. Ernest L. Young married Eva Mason, of Iowa, and has two children, Clara and Alice; Will V. married Clara Bell, of this county, and has two children, Mabel and Eva; Seymour R. Young married Ella Struthers, of Grove City.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

D. F. COURTNEY, farmer, post-office North Liberty, is a son of Thomas and Catharine (McDowell) Courtney. The father was born in Chester County, Penn., and came to this county about 1810, purchasing a farm now occupied by our subject at the land office in Philadelphia. The mother was a native of this county. They were always engaged in farming, and he was in the War of 1812, and held the commission of captain of his company. His first wife was Ester Robinson, of Centre County, Penn. Two children by that union are still living: Thomas, of Findley Township, and Rebecca, Mrs. David Gilson, of London. His second wife was Catherine McDowell; they had five children: Sarah, died when young; Nancy, Mrs. Hugh Miller, of Findley Township; Catherine, Mrs. Alexander McCoy, of Erie County, Penn .; Amanda, widow of James Uber, of this township; and our subject, who was born on the homestead August 1, 1822, and has always been engaged in farming. His wife was Jane, daughter of Ephraim and Annie (Albin) Cole- man, of this county. They have seven children: Dewitt G., of Grove City; Nancy R., Mrs. Curtis Uber, of Butler County, and has one child, Dewitt; Mary C., Amanda L., Samuel P., Thomas E. and Bertie J., all at home. Our subject and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Grove City.

W. H. DIGHT, county commissioner, was born April 14, 1839, in Cool Spring Township; is the son of Richard Dight, who was born in Philadelphia and came to this county when twenty-five years of age, with his parents, John and Margaret Dight. Their children were John, Martha, William, Richard and Ann. They bought a part of the old Stokely farm, on which John Dight died, and was buried in the new grave-yard at Mercer. His wife and sons, John and William, were also buried in this cemetery. Richard married Ma- tilda Downs, a daughter of Isaac Downs, and an early settler of Mercer County. The children of Richard and Matilda were Sarah, married Hugh Wallace; Mary, married John Greenlee; Jane, W. H., Isaac L., John M., a minister of the United Presbyterian Church; Charlotte, married Charles Nunemaker; Anna, married E. W. Graham; Matilda and Margaret, died young. Richard

Dight followed farming and stone-masonry. He was a Methodist, while his wife was a United Presbyterian. Our subject attended the old Stokely School, and when nineteen years of age learned the trade of a brick-mason, which he has followed the greater portion of his life. He was married to Sarah A. Shearer March 1, 1859. She is a native of Crawford County, and has blessed him

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

with Melvin J., married Maggie Pizor; Dawson, married Lizzie Pizor, a daughter of William and Harriet (Rodgers) Pizor; Isaac L., Maggie L., Minnie J., Sa- die, Ella, Cloa, John and Ines. Mr. Dight enlisted in 1862 in Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three years, and was wounded at Cold Harbor. He has been justice of the peace fifteen years; was commander of Company F, Fifteenth Pennsylvania National Guard, and promoted to major. Has been school director; is a mem- ber of Centreville Post No. 305, G. A. R. He and wife are Presbyterians at North Liberty, and he is a Republican, and by that party was elected county commissioner in 1887.

J. D. KIRKPATRICK, farmer, post-office North Liberty, is a son of Dr. George and Sarah (DeWolf) Kirkpatrick. The father was born in Washington County, Penn., September 14, 1791. He received a common-school education, and his professional education at Darlington and Cannonsburg, Washington County, reading medicine under the celebrated Barney Dustan. In 1816 he located near Moor's Crossing in Butler County and began the practice of medicine. After- ward he moved to Harlansburg and remained two and one-half years, and about 1836 purchased the farm now occupied by our subject, where he resided the rest of his life. He was a member of one of the military companies of that period and served as assistant surgeon in the War of 1812. He died in 1847. His death was hastened by an injury which he received by his horse falling. His widow died in 1875. Our subject was their only child, and was born in Butler County November 18, 1828; received his education at the public schools, and read medicine with his father for a number of years. The death of his father caused him to turn his attention to farming, which he has since fol- lowed, and for the last twenty years has been engaged in handling heavy ma- chinery in connection with that occupation. He bought and used the first steam engine for farm use only in Mercer County. He was instrumental in procuring the right of way for the branch of the West Pennsylvania & She- nango Railroad from Butler to Branchton, and has been engaged with that company for the past five years. In 1850 he married Mary, daughter of George and Mary (Holmes) Wilson, of Jackson Township. She died January 10, 1853, leaving two children: George W., who is engaged in the manufacture of grain drills at Massendon, N. Y., and married Mrs. Hoffman, of that place, and have one child, Lyman Bickford; John Sheldon Kirkpatrick, living in Iowa, unmarried. Our subject married his present wife, Annie, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (McNight) Taylor, June 1, 1854. Her parents were na- tives of Ireland, who first settled in Philadelphia and afterward located in this township. By this union he has six living children: Sarah Jane, Mrs. Dr. Robert M. Hope, of Mercer; Mary W., Mrs. T. S. Uber, of this township, who has four children: Bertha, Clarence, Annie and Edna; Thomas T., station agent on the S. & A. Railroad, Grove City, married Hortense, daughter of Alex- ander and Lydia Hanna, of this township, one child, Fred; Edward H., living on a part of the homestead, married Laura, daughter of James Thorp, of this township, one child, infant; Charles S., of Greensburg, Penn., telegraph oper- ator on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Joseph R., stenographer, Rochester, N. Y. Mr. Kirkpatrick has been connected with the State Agricultural So- ciety for many years, and vice-president of that organization for the past fif- teen years. He is a prominent Mason, being one of the oldest members of that society in Mercer County, belonging to Hebron Lodge of Mercer No. 251. He and family are members of the Presbyterian Church of North Liberty.

JACOB SNYDER, deceased, was a son of Jacob, Sr., and Eva (George) Snyder, natives of Westmoreland County, who settled in what is now

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Liberty Township, this county, about 1806, patenting a tract of land. They reared a family of thirteen children, only three of whom are still living: David, lives near Hamburg; Soloman, of Sharon, and Michael, in But- ler County. The father of our subject was in the War of 1812. He died in 1837. Our subject was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., March 24, 1824, and was brought to this county when two years of age. Attended the school of that period, and learned the blacksmith's trade, which his health did not permit him to follow. He married Anna E. Myers, daughter of Peter and Mary (Grove) Myers, of French Creek Township, this county, settled at North Liberty, and engaged in the drover business, which he followed until within a few years of his death. About 1843 he established a general mercantile busi- ness, and continued it for fourteen years. In his younger days he was connected with the German Lutheran Church, but afterward joined the Presbyterian Church of North Liberty. He was always identified with the Republican party until a few years prior to his decease, when he voted the Prohibition ticket. Mr. Snyder had no children, and died March 27, 1887. The cause of his death was a general breaking down of the system, caused by injuries received by being thrown from his carriage by a runaway horse a few years prior to his death. His widow still lives on the old homestead, and is a strong advocate of temperance, and a member of the Presbyterian Church at North Liberty.

WILLIAM SMITH was the first of the Smith family to settle in this county. He was a native of York County, Penn., and moved into this county about 1800, and located on a tract of land in Liberty Township, which is now occu- pied by his grandson. His wife was Margaret Gilmer, and their family con- sisted of five children, only one of whom is living, James W., of French Creek Township. William W. Smith was their third son, and was born on the home- stead in 1802, and was always engaged in farming. His first wife was Catherine Black; she died in 1847, leaving eight children, five of whom are living and three dead: Robert G., was a member of the One Hundred and Fortieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, served until the close of the war, and died in 1886; Elizabeth, married John Craig, of Pine Township, and she and Joseph T. have since died. The five living are: Margaret, a maiden lady; Mary Ann, Mrs. Harrison McCoy, Grove City; Kezia, Mrs. John H. Lees, of Lackawannock Township; James M., and William A., farmer, Grove City post-office, is the eldest son, and was born on the homestead March 12, 1838; received his edu- cation at the schools of the township, and has always been engaged in farming. September 17, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Seventy-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until November 7, 1864, and was with Gen. Sherman in his march through Georgia. In 1881 he married Sarah Ella, daughter of James and Penelope (Long) McElwain, of Sandy Lake, and has two children: Harry and Nellie C. He has served the township as consta- ble for two terms, and has been assessor, etc. He and family are members of Harmony United Presbyterian Church. The second wife of William W. Smith was Mary McCoy, and by this union they had one son, John T., farmer, Grove City post-office, and was born on the homestead in 1851, received his educa- tion at the schools of that period, and has since been engaged in farming; was married in 1879 to Miss Lizzie Redmond, daughter of H. H. Redmond, of this township. No children. He and wife are members of Harmony United Pres- byterian Church of Butler County, he being trustee of the church.

MICHAEL R. UBER, farmer, post-office London, was born August 27, 1810, on the farm where he has since lived. His parents were Michael and Magdaline Uber, natives of Westmoreland County, Penn., and who settled on the farm now

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

occupied by our subject in 1798, and lived there until their death. His wife preceding him, he was re-married to Magdaline Hearly. By his first wife he had three children: Polly, Elizabeth, Michael R., all died young. By his sec- ond wife he had six children; two died when young, and the others were Mary, Sarah, Hannah and our subject, who was educated at home and in the log school-houses of his early days. Our subject was married in 1830 to Magdaline Kumer, who died April 3, 1883. Their children are George, of Springfield Township; Daniel, deceased; Elizabeth, Mrs. Wallace Breckenridge, of Spring- field Township; Magdaline, Mrs. Alex. McWilliams, of Liberty Township; Catherine, Mrs. C. C. Winder, of Liberty Township; Jacob, Peter, John, Cyrus, Andrew, all of Liberty Township; Michael, of Crawford County, and Sarah, of Grove City. Our subject owns 290 acres of the old homestead. He votes the Democratic ticket, and was school director of the township for many years. In his early days he went to church bare-footed, and has been a mem- ber of the German Reformed Church since he was twenty-one years of age, holding church offices all of his life until he became too old.

MRS. AMANDA M. UBER, farmer, post-office North Liberty, was a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (McDowell) Courtney, of this Township. In 1849 she married James Uber, a son of Daniel and Rebecca (Denniston) Uber, of this township, who was born in 1825, and was always engaged in farming, In 1850 they moved to the present farm now occupied by our subject, where he died in 1886, leaving six children. He held offices of school director, etc., and was a member of the Presbyterian Church of North Liberty. His children are: Curtis C., who lives in Butler County, married Nancy R., daughter of D. F. Courtney, of this township, and has one child, Dewitt; Cassius A., mar- ried Ida M., daughter of Nathaniel C. and Lucinda (Rogers) Cooper, of this township, and lives in Grove City; they have one child, Charles E .; Thomas

S., married Mary W. Kirkpatrick, daughter of J. D. Kirkpatrick, of this town- ship; he lives on part of the homestead and has four children: Mary A., Clarence S., Annie T. and Edna; Daniel W., married Sarah M., daughter of Jesse Smith, of Leesburgh; they live in this township, and have one child, James E .; Jennie A., Mrs. John Barber, of Lawrence County, one child, James H .; Clyde, living at home. The second daughter of our subject was Catherine R., who married Robert L. McMillan. She died in 1879, leaving one son, James U., who lives with our subject. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Uber has carried on the business of the farm. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church of North Liberty.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

BIOGRAPHIES OF SANDY LAKE, WORTH, MILL CREEK AND FRENCH CREEK.

SANDY LAKE TOWNSHIP.

H UGH BAIRD, farmer, post- office Sandy Lake, was born December 27 1815, in Venango County, Penn. His father, Thomas Baird, and Judge Thomas McKee were among the early settlers in Clinton Township, that county. Judge McKee owned the land where Clintonville now stands. John Baird, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Franklin County, Penn., and was the father of seven children: Thomas, John, Hugh and four daughters. Thomas Baird married Martha, a sister of Judge McKee, and died in Venango County. He and his wife were buried on the old homestead, and recently their bodies were removed to the Clintonville cemetery. They had eight children: Susan, married John Van Dyke; John; Mary; Elizabeth, married Dr. John Coul- ter; William, Thomas, Hugh and Matilda, married Gibson Vincent. Our subject was educated in the common schools and was brought up on a farm. He was employed by William Cross, who was the owner of three furnaces and a store. He collected, bought grain and clerked in the store for him. He was married November 22, 1847, to Margaret Jones, a native of Philadelphia, and who came to Jackson Township, this county, many years ago. Mr. Baird had by her three children: Martha, who married Hugh Mccullough, and died leaving four children, Ella, Margaret, Edward and Marshall; Mary, married E. P. Thorn, and Matilda, who is still at home. He is ex-past-master of the A. F. M., is an elder in the Presbyterian Church at Mt. Pleasant, of which his wife is also a member. He is a Democrat, the possessor of a good farm, which he rents, and lives in a little cottage just outside of the limits of Sandy Lake Borough.

T. S. BAILEY, farmer, post-office Sandy Lake, was born on the farm where" he now resides June 29, 1846. His parents, E. W. and Susan (Barber) Bai- ley, were natives, the father of Connecticut and the mother of Lawrence Coun- ty, Penn. The father came to this county about the year 1825 with his parents, Theodore and Lorain (Watson) Bailey, and the family settled on the farm spoken of above, where Theodore died in 1844, and his widow in 1854. They had nine children: Myron, Homer, Theodore, Moses, Desire, Lorain, Free- love, Lois and Harriet. They were members of the Presbyterian Church. The father of our subject was educated in the common schools, was brought up at farm labor, and died in 1866. His widow is living, and blessed him with three children: T. S., Mary (married to Charles Powers) and Angeline (who died at the age of fourteen years). The father took an active interest in the Republican party. T. S. Bailey received a common-school education, and was married in 1872 to Maggie, daughter of ex-Sheriff W. S. Eberman, by whom he has two children: Fred and Donald. His wife died in 1880, and he was again married, to Melissa Patterson, daughter of William Patterson, of Allegheny City, by whom he has one child, James. Mr. Bailey settled at his marriage on the old homestead, and is the owner of 130 acres of the same. He is a stanch Republican, and he and wife belong to the Presbyterian Church.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 142

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