History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 157

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

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JOHN M. DUMARS, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born July 12, 1816, in what is now Sugar Grove Township, and was a son of Noble Dumars. Timo- thy Dumars, the grandfather of our subject, was born in County Tyrone, Ire- land, in 1745, and came to America in 1800, with his family, consisting of his

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wife and seven children: Adam, Joseph, Claudius, Margaret, Sally, Noble and Nancy. In 1812 the family located in Mercer County, but of their exact lo- cation we are unable to learn. Noble Dumars, father of our subject, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1794, and came to America at the age of seven years. He was married October 27, 1814, to Margaret, daughter of John and Sarah (Hart) Kline, of Crawford County, Penn. They located on a farm near Leech's Corners, in what is now Sugar Grove Township, it being a portion of the Riley lands. They lived there until 1822, when they pur- chased a farm of 130 acres near Kennard, in the same township, where they lived until their decease. To them were born eight children: John M. ; Sarah, wife of B. F. Unger; Joseph H., deceased; Timothy R .; Nancy M., wife of W. F. McAdoo; George H .; Fannie, wife of Jesse Stephenson; Mary G., wife of John Parks. Politically Noble was a Whig and Republican. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. He and his wife were connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church in their earlier days, and lived a long life of devo- tion to the cause of Christ. Their children all espoused the cause of Christ in their youthful days, and have not departed therefrom. Noble died December 19, 1880, in his eighty-seventh year. His wife died February 20, 1864, aged seventy years. John M., our subject, was reared at home, and on the 9th of December, 1841, was married to Nancy, daughter of John and Nancy (Roberts) McGranahan, after which he settled on a farm of forty acres, left him by the will of his father, to which he has added thirty-five acres by purchase, and on which they still reside. To their marriage have been born six children: John C .; Marilla, wife of George Ball; Noble W., Joseph M., Lewis K. and Emma. Our subject is a Democrat. He has been justice of the peace for fifteen years, and has held the offices of school director and assessor of his township. He and wife are members of the United Brethren Church.

BALSER GRIM, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born September 24, 1824, in Beaver County, Penn. At the age of three years he came to Mercer County with his parents, Adam and Mary Grim, who settled in Wilmington Township, where they lived until their decease, excepting a year or two in Lackawannock Township. Adam was a miller, which occupation he followed through life. To their union were born nine children: Abraham, Polly, Adam, Andrew, John, Jacob, Catherine, Balser and Elizabeth, of whom only Jacob and Balser are living. Adam died in 1844; his widow died in 1871 in her ninety fourth

year. Balser was married, in 1871, to Margaret A., daughter of Thomas and Sarah Donaldson, of Sugar Grove Township. They settled on a farm in Sugar Grove, which he had previously purchased, and on which they still live. To them have been born three children: Mary, deceased; John H. and Clara A. In politics Mr. Grim is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.

JOHN LEECH (deceased). Few pioneer families of Northwestern Pennsyl- vania are more widely representative than the Leechs. Their immediate ancestor, John Leech, was born in York County, Penn., November 29, 1767, and was a son of Thomas and Phoebe Leech, of that county, and grandson of William Leech, who came to America with William Penn. He there grew up, and married Miss Jane Morrison November 25, 1788. She was born in that county January 16, 1769. In October, 1792, they moved to Somerset County, Penn., and ere their removal to Mercer County she was the mother of six sons: David, Thomas, William, Joseph, John and Samuel. Mr. Leech was a prac- tical surveyor, and in the spring of 1802 he removed with his family to this county and settled at the place since known as "Leech's Corners," on the Little Shenango, in what is now Sugar Grove Township, where he arrived

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on the 4th day of May. The whole country was then a vast forest, with a cabin here and there at long intervals, while game of every sort was far more abundant than the necessities of the pioneers demanded. Four sons and two daughters were born to John and Jane Leech after coming to Mercer County: Phoebe, James, Morris, Joshua, Jane and Asbury, who, with the four born in York County, constituted one of those old-fashioned families of ten sons and two daughters. Every one of these grew to maturity, and a remarkable fact is that all lived to be over sixty years of age, the last survivor, Morris, dying in September, 1884. John Leech was first a Whig, then a Democrat, and afterward a Republican. He and his three eldest sons went to Ohio in the War of 1812. In 1821 he ran for the Assembly and was defeated, but in 1825 he was elected to the State Senate and served four years. In 1828 he was the Adams and Rush elector for this district, then composed of Mercer, Crawford and Erie Counties, James Duncan, of Mercer, being the opposing elector on the Jackson and Calhoun ticket. Mr. Leech was a good scholar and a fine conver- sationalist, and after serving in the Senate he represented the county in the Legislature. He was justice of the peace over thirty years, and throughout the pioneer days was one of the most influential citizens of his adopted county. He lived to see his ten sons and one of his daughters, Jane, who married Jesse Smith, settled on farms in the vicinity of the old home, while the other daughter, Phoebe, married Rev. Charles Elliott, a Methodist preacher, and shared his itinerant life. Mrs. Jane Leech died October 16, 1841, her hus- band surviving her till May 1, 1864, passing away at the ripe old age of nearly ninety-seven years. The ancestors of the Leech family were Quakers, and came to Philadelphia with its great founder, Penn, but soon after Mr. Leech's marriage he and wife united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and all of their children were life-long members of that denomination. Three of their sons, John, Samuel and Joshua, were Methodist preachers. The memory of this pioneer couple will be revered among the hills and valleys of Mercer County as long as the history of pioneer life finds a sympathetic chord in the hearts of their numerous descendants.

JOSEPH LEECH, deceased, was the fourth son of John and Jane (Mor- rison) Leech. He was born in Somerset County, Penn., December, 7, 1797, and grew to manhood on the old homstead at Leech's Corners. He mar- ried Miss Bethana Hazen, November 7, 1818, and settled on an adjoining farm to the old Leech homestead. Mrs. Leech was born in Crawford County, Penn., November 7, 1799, and reared a family of nine children: Isaac, Mary, William B., Jane, Thomas, Jerome, Joseph, Harrison and Sarah. Of these, William P., Mary, wife of David Linn, and Jerome are the only survivors, and all are residents of Mercer County. Joseph Leech spent nearly his whole life in the vicinity of Leech's Corners, and died June 2, 1863. His widow survived him until October 3, 1872, and both died in the Methodist Episcopal faith. Mr. Leech maintained through life an un- blemished character, was an industrious, enterprising citizen, and liberal in the support of every worthy cause.

WILLIAM F. McADOO, farmer, post office Kennard, was born January 27, 1829, in County Donegal, Ireland. His parents, George and Sarah (Fletcher) McAdoo, came to America in 1846, with their family of five children: William F., Mary J., Sarah, Catherine and Esther. They located on a farm near James- town, Penn., where they resided for three years, and then went to Crawford County, where they lived five years, after which they purchased a portion of the Donaldson farm in Sugar Grove Township, where they lived until his decease. Politically George was a Democrat. He and his wife were mem-

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

bers of the United Presbyterian Church. He died September 9, 1872, in his seventy-first year. His widow still lives with her son, William F., in her eighty-fifth year. William F. was reared at home and educated in the com- mon schools. He was married January 29, 1861, to Mrs. Maria Minnis (nee Dumars), and lived for two years on a portion of the Donaldson farm, when they bought a farm of 100 acres near Kennard, on which they still live. There have been two children born to them: Fannie E., wife of I. J. Lackey, and George K. Politically our subject is a Democrat. He has filled the offices of school director and road commissioner, and is a member of the United Presby- terian Church. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

SAMUEL McCLIMANS, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born February 5, 1814. His father, Hugh R., was born in Virginia, September 22, 1777, and was of Scotch descent. He came to Pennsylvania in his earlier years, and was married about 1793 to Elizabeth Ferguson, of Indiana County, Penn. They first located in Butler County near North Washington. About 1828 they came to Mercer County and located on a farm of 100 acres, in West Salem Town- . ship, which was known as the Sheriff Scott farm. To them were born fourteen children: William, James, Margaret, John, Elizabeth, Hugh, Mary, Robert, Samuel, Jane (wife of William J. McClimans, of West Salem Township), Elliott, Isabella, David and Haynes, of whom only Samuel, Jane and Haynes are living. Hugh P. was a Democrat. He and his wife were members of the United Presbyterian Church. He died about 1854. Samuel was reared at home, and was married April 26, 1838, to Jane, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Canon, of Salem Township. They settled on a farm in Salem Town- ship, where they remained about twelve years, and then lived in various places in the county until 1869, when they made a final settlement in Sugar Grove Township. There were ten children born to them: Margaret L., deceased; Martha, wife of Lewis Roberts, of Sugar Grove; David A .; James B .; Eliza- beth, wife of David M. Stevenson; Matthew E .; Sarah M., wife of W. H. Hill; William E., Samuel A. and Thomas M. Two of the sons, David A. and James B., were in the service in the late war. Samuel is a Republican, and a member of the United Presbyterian Church. His wife died November 23, 1883.

JACOB C. McGRANAHAN, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born January 10, 1811, in Sugar Grove Township. His father, William, located here about 1800, on a farm of 106 acres. He was married to Mrs. Margaret Covodor, to which union there were born five children: Jared, Jacob, John, John (2nd) and Susanna, of whom Jacob is the only surviving one. William was a soldier in the War of 1812, where he served three months. Politically he was a Demo- crat, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in 1863 in his eighty-second year, and his wife died in 1851 in her eighty-second year. Jacob, our subject, was married, in 1835, to Nancy A., daughter of Samuel Walker, of Sugar Grove Township. They located in Salem Township, where they lived two years, when they moved to Adamsville, Crawford County, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. He was elected justice of the peace, which office he filled for ten years. In 1852 he located on a farm that was left to him by his father in Sugar Grove Township, where he still resides. There were two children born to them: Eliza J., wife of P. Boltner, and William. Jacob's wife died November 18, 1842, and he was married the second time, July 6, 1843, to Miss Ellen, daughter of John Irvine, of Crawford County. To them were born six children: John, Alonzo, Lewis C .; Emeline, wife of David Callahan; Amanda, wife of K. M. Wright, and Andrew. Lewis C. was killed instantly, on the second day' of May, 1888, by

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

a plank falling from a derrick and striking him on top of the head. Politi- cally our subject is a Democrat, and he and wife were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church for thirty years. His wife died November 18, 1885, at the age of sixty-two.

JOSEPH McGRANAHAN, farmer, post- office Kennard, was born August 7, 1831, in Sugar Grove Township, on the premises where he now lives. His father, Smith McGranahan, was a native of Westmoreland County, was married in Crawford County, and came to Mercer County about 1800. He located on a farm of seventy acres, in what is now Sugar Grove Township. To Smith McGranahan and wife were born the following children: Ellen, wife of D. Luce; Robert, William, Mary, wife of T. Canon; Margaret, wife of William Bates; George, Nancy, wife of J. Andrews; Martha, widow of R. Martin; Sarah, deceased; John, deceased; Rebecca, wife of John Riley; Susanna, wife of William Lackey; Betsey, deceased. Mr. McGranahan was a Demo- crat, and served at Erie in the War of 1812. He was a man of irreproach- able character, whose word was as good as his bond. He was always bearing the burden of some local township office. He died October 1, 1869, and his widow March 6, 1870. Joseph was married July 3, 1860, to Margaret, daughter of John and Betsey (Patterson) Callahan, of West Salem Township, and settled on the paternal homestead, where his aged parents spent their declining years: They have no children, but two have been reared by them: Edward B. McGranahan and Emma Beighle. In politics Mr. McGranahan is a Democrat, and one of the respected citizens of the township.

JOHN MCGRANAHAN, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born January 15, 1849, in Sugar Grove Township. His grandfather, John McGranahan, was one of the pioneers of Salem Township, and located there about 1800. He was married to Nancy, a sister of Bishop Roberts. They settled on a farm near Kennard, in what is now Sugar Grove Township, on which they lived until their decease. There were eleven children born to them, of whom George, the father of our subject, was the eighth, and who was born on the 4th of March, 1811. He was reared at home, and was married to Sarah A., daugh- ter of William Leech, and settled on a farm, part of which descended to him from his father. To this union were born ten children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are: Jane, wife of Robert Courtney; Amanda T., wife of R. C. Faulk; Amelia, John, William L., Beriah, Thomas E. and George R. Politically George G. was a Democrat. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. George G. died January 15, 1876, in his sixty-fifth year. His widow is living on the old homestead. John, our subject, was married June 16, 1873, to Louisa J., daughter of Jeremiah and Eveline (Arthur) Ralston, of Sugar Grove Township. They settled on a farm in Sugar Grove Township, a portion of which was deeded to him by his father. There have been four children born to them: Sarah E., Jeremiah V., Blanch and Richard A. He is a Democrat, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

LEVI W. McGRANAHAN, oil producer, post-office Summit City, Mckean Co., Penn, was born in Sugar Grove Township, Mercer Co., Penn, November 5, 1841, and is a son of David and Abby (Riley) McGranahan, pioneers of that portion of the county. Levi W. grew to manhood in Sugar Grove Township, and Venango County, Penn., and was married April 22, 1873, to Flora J., daughter of Samuel W. and Mary A. (Hunter) McDowell, of West Salem Township. Two sons have been born of this union: Harry L. and Ralph B. Mr. McGranahan has followed the oil business in the Pennsylvania oil country since the early excitement, and has been fairly successful. Politically he is a

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stanch Democrat, and belongs to the K. T. M., K. of L. and the Columbia League.

HUGH RAY, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born October 3, 1853. His father, James Ray, was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1804. In his young- er days he immigrated to America and located in Greenville, Penn .. where he engaged in contracting on the Erie Canal, which was being built at that time. He was married to Christena Snyder, a native of Union County, in 1837. After the completion of his contracts he purchased a farm in Greene Township, where he settled and remained until his death. There were seven children born to them: William, Oscar, Margaret, wife of J. Donaldson; Rebecca, deceased; James M., Hugh and Emma, deceased. James was a Democrat. He died February 4, 1860, and his widow died April 21, 1867. Hugh, our subject, was married October 30, 1879, to Rachel, daughter of Godfrey and Catherine Stroup, of Otter Creek Township, natives of Germany. They located on a farm in Sugar Grove Township, purchased from George Donaldson. They have three children: Henry O., Harriet and James B. Hugh is a Democrat, and his wife is a member of the Lutheran Church.

JOHN W. RILEY, farmer, post-office, Kennard, was born September 16, 1814, in Sugar Grove Township, this county. His father, John Riley, was born in Maryland in 1.780, came to Mercer County in 1798, and purchased the farm now owned by David McGranahan, in Sugar Grove, formerly Salem, Township. John Riley was married about 1802 to Miss Barbara Simons, of Westmoreland County, Penn. They settled on the farm that he had previously purchased, and where they spent the remainder of their lives. There were ten children born to them: Cornelius, Catherine, Margaret and James, all deceased; John W., Abigail, wife of David McGranahan; Jane, wife of J. Elwood; Elizabeth, deceased; Hannah, wife of E. Callahan, and George, deceased. John and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a local preacher for many years. Politically he was a Whig up to the time of the late war, and afterward voted with the Democrats. John died March 16, 1864, aged eighty-four, and his wife died in February, 1864, aged seventy- seven. Our subject, John W., was married November 6, 1851, to Christina, daughter of Thomas and Lena (Watters) Roberts, of Sugar Grove Township. They located on a portion of the family homestead given to him by his father, and on which they still live. They have four children born to them: Amanda L., born August 1, 1852, was scalded to death April 22, 1858; Thomas. Jefferson, born September 28, 1859; Westley McKendre, born August 1, 1859, drowned June 10, 1880, and George B. Politically our subject is a Demo- crat, and his wife belongs to the United Brethren Church. George B. was born March 9. 1864, and reared and educated at home. He was married Sep- tember 29, 1885, to Susanna, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Battiger, of Sandy Creek Township. They are living with his parents on the family home- stead.

ALEXANDER D. ROBERTS, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born September 29, 1836, in Sugar Grove Township, this county. Thomas Roberts, the grand- father of our subject, was born in 1764. He was married to Miss Margaret. Covode. They settled in Salem Township, now Sugar Grove, in company with his brother, Bishop Roberts, at a very early date, on a tract of 400 acres, near- Kennard, which Thomas purchased. There were four children born to Thomas and Margaret Roberts: Mary, Betsey, Robert and Thomas. The daughter, Mary, is believed to be the first white female child born in this part of Shenango. Valley, her birth dating in 1798. Her life was one of single blessedness. She spent the latter part of it with the family of John McGranahan, dying Octo-

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ber 15, 1882, at the age of eighty-four years. Thomas was stricken down in the prime of life, dying May 3, 1804, and his widow June 27, 1851, at the age of seventy-nine. Robert, the father of our subject, was born February 12, 1802, in Salem Township, now Sugar Grove. He was reared at home and re- ceived a limited education at the common schools. He spent two years in In- diana with his uncle, Bishop Roberts. He was married July 12, 1827, to Re- becca L., daughter of Alexander and Jane (Griffin) Dumars, of Salem Town- ship. They located on a portion of the paternal homestead and engaged in farming. There were five children born to them: Jane, deceased; Susan, de- ceased; Thomas B., living in Kansas; Alexander D. and Robert M., deceased. Robert and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for

many years and lived very exemplary lives. He died March 20, 1868, at the age of sixty-seven, and his widow June 18, 1871, in the sixty-seventh year of her age. Alexander, our subject, was married April 2, 1871, to Nancy, daughter of John M. and Betty (Patterson) Callahan, of West Salem Township. They settled on the paternal homestead, a portion of which was willed to him by his father, and the rest of which he purchased of the heirs. There have been two children born to them; Betty and Rebecca L. Our subject wase ducated in the common schools. He has been extensively engaged in buying and selling stock in connection with farming. .

He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the United Workinen.

CHRISTIAN STOLL, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born March 6, 1840, in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, and is a son of Jacob and Christina (Beard) Stoll. Our subject was reared and educated in Germany. He was married May 10, 1863, to Christina Roof. They immigrated to America in 1865, and located in Delaware Township, where he worked as a laborer for eight years. He then purchased a farm of Eli George, in Hempfield Town- ship, where they lived five years, when he purchased the Joseph Mckean farm, in Sugar Grove, where they still live. There have been five children born to them: Lewis, Elizabeth, wife of George Riley; Philip, Anna and Margaret. Politically our subject is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church.

JAMES WALKER, deceased, was one of the very earliest settlers of Mercer County. He was a native of Ireland, and about 1793 immigrated to Ligonier, Penn. In the fall of 1797 he settled in the forest half a mile west of Leech's Corners, in what is now Sugar Grove Township, purchasing the improvement of William Lindsey. He was accompanied by his wife and three sons, and April 27, 1798, a daughter, Martha, was born, who is said to have been the first white child born in that part of the county. His wife died in 1811, and soon afterward he married Catharine McFetridge, also a native of Ireland, of which union one daughter, Mary Ann, was born March 13, 1812. This daughter married Marvin Loomis in 1829, and he took charge of the Walker homestead, the parents making their home with Mr. Loomis until they died. Mr. Walker died February 20, 1834, and his widow January 10, 1849. All of their children are dead, the two daughters and two of the sons dying in this county, and one son in Minnesota. The Walker family were Whig and Republican in politics, and Methodists in religious belief. They were up- right, industrious, respected citizens, and did their full share in developing the interests of Mercer County. When James Walker built his cabin in Sugar Grove Township the whole country was one vast, unbroken forest, and during his life-time he often illustrated the density of the forest by relating how he once got lost in the woods within twenty rods of his own cabin door.

SAMUEL YOUNG, farmer, post-office Kennard, was born August 23, 1824, near

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Greenville, Penn. His father, William Young, was born in Cumberland County in 1780, and came to Mercer County in 1801, soon afterward purchasing a farm near Greenville. On March 21, 1805, he was married to Ann, daughter of John and Jane (Irving) Williamson, and settled on his farm. He was drafted in the War of 1812, and supplied his place with a substitute. They had twelve children: Elizabeth, John, Ellen, Eliza, Sarah, James W., Lacy, Samuel, . Nancy, Maria and two others who died in infancy. The survivors are Sam- uel, and Maria, wife of William Baker, of Otter Creek Township. William ob- tained his education in the common schools of Cumberland County, and polit- ically he was a Democrat. He and his wife were members of the Presbyte- rian Church. He died October 12, 1860, aged eighty years, and his widow died April 18, 1864. Samuel, our subject, was married June 5, 1851, to Emily, daughter of Thomas and Prudence (Gibbons) Leech, and settled on a farm of fifty acres in Hempfield Township, where they resided about four years, when they removed to the Thomas Leech homestead, in Sugar Grove Township, where he now resides and where Mr. and Mrs. Leech spent their declining years. Four children were born to Samuel and Emily Young: Lydia, who married Reuben Beil; Prudence, wife of J. C. Hare; Phoebe, wife of J. C. McMichael, and Endora. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and politically is a Democrat. His wife, who died January 5, 1874, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP.

HENRY ALDENDERFER, farmer and carpenter, post-office Greenville, was born May 20, 1844, on the farm where he now resides. His parents, Benjamin and Sarah (Heckman) Aldenderfer, were natives of Lehigh County, Penn., and came to this county with their respective parents about the year 1830, George Aldenderfer being the father of the former and Conrad Heckman the father of the latter. Benjamin and Sarah had the following children: James, deceased; Henry, Samuel, George, Reuben and Mary. The eldest of these children was in the service of his country, in the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and died in a hospital with typhoid fever. The father died in 1854, and the mother married James Hecker, whose sketch appears elsewhere. The parents were Lutherans. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and at the age of twenty learned the carpenter's trade with his uncle, Jacob Aldenderfer, who resided where the late James Hecker lived. Our subject has continued the carpenter business, and also follows slate roof- ing. He was married, in 1868, to Lucinda Kosier, by whom he has one son, Anson, who attends to the farm. He is a member of the Carpenter and Joiners' Lodge No. 398, of Greenville, is a Republican, and he and wife belong to the Old Salem Presbyterian Church, of which he is a trustee.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 157

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