History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 159

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

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JOSEPH KAMERER, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born January 30, 1826, on the farm where Benjamin Kamerer died. He was educated in the common schools, and learned the shoemaker's trade with Reuben Bortz, at Leech's Corners. He followed that business about ten years, and got his start that way. The first land that he owned was a gift from his father. He was married. in 1853, to Miss Levina Dieffenderfer, daughter of Solomon and Nancy Dieffenderfer, and settled on his farm of 125 acres in Pymatuning Township, which he now rents, having moved to where he now lives in 1874. He has here thirteen acres and building, worth $3,000, which are the fruits of his own industry. He has three children: Mary A., at home; Benjamin F. and Charles M., twins, the former dead, and the latter, married to Anna Vigrass, lives at Hilliard, Butler Co., Penn., and is a conductor on the S. & A. R. R. Our subject has been supervisor of roads, and is a Republican. He is an elder in the Green- ville Lutheran Church.

WILLIAM LAIRD, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born January 1, 1825, near the site of the old Greenville fair grounds. His father, Alexander, was a native of Ireland, and immigrated to America when seven years old, with his parents, and settled in Chester County, Penn. When twenty-one Alexander came to the forests of Mercer County. His wife, Jane Donnell, came from Ireland to America in 1812, in company with her sister, Isabella, and brother, John. Her parents came here about the year 1817, and are bur- ied in the old Salem grave-yard. The parents of our subject were married in this county, and settled in what is now Hempfield Township, and died on the farm where our subject resides; he, December 1, 1880, and she, October 11, 1875. They had the following children: William, Susan, married Henry Mel- vin; John, Rebecca J., married John Stewart. The mother was married prior

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

to her union with Mr. Laird to John Youngblood, and has one son, Isaac. William Laird was educated in the common schools, and was brought up on a farm. He was married, in 1851, to Jane Whittick, who died in October, 1853, and he was again married, in 1860, to Lizzie Oakes. She was born December 15, 1833, in Staffordshire, England, to Samuel and Hannah (Bolton) Oakes. Her parents settled in Greenville in 1850. The father soon after went to farming, and died August 2, 1884, and was a member of the Wesleyan Meth- odist Church. Her parents had the following children: Robert, Lizzie, Isaac (deceased), Rachel, Leah, Emma, Rhoda, Eliza, Sarah and Samuel. Mr. Laird owns seventy-five acres where he now lives, well improved. He and wife reared Isaac A. Youngblood from the age of five years. Mr. and Mrs. Laird are members of the Salem Presbyterian Church, of which he is a trustee. He is a Democrat, and one of the substantial farmers of Hempfield Township.

JOHN LOVE, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born November 11, 1816, in Mercer County, Penn., to James and Anna (Gault) Love, natives of Fayette County, Penn., where they were married. They came to this county about 1800, and located in a log cabin in what is now Lackawannock Township. In part- nership with his brother-in-law, James Gault, he bought a tract of 300 acres. Mr. Gault died here, his wife, Margaret Chain, having blessed him with the fol- lowing children: Polly, William C., Matthew, Margaret, John, Sarah, Nancy, Benjamin, Elizabeth and Rufina. James Love, who was born November 19, 1777, died in 1856, and his wife died the same month. Their children were: Mary, born September 14, 1806, married William Hutchison; Hugh, born October 26, 1807; Matthew, born June 28, 1809; Margaret, born March 11, 1811; James, born February 3, 1813; Agnes, born September 15, 1814; John, born November 11, 1816; Jane, born October 4, 1818; Robert, born September 7, 1820; Betsey, born September 13, 1822; Benjamin, born February 13, 1825; Sarah, born March 16, 1828; Lovina, born April 1, 1830. The parents were Presbyterians. Our subject was educated in the schools of his native township. He learned and followed the tannery business for many years. He was married in 1840 to Margaret J. Carmichael, born December 17, 1817, in Hickory Township, to Thomas and Mary (Pollock) Carmichael, natives, the former of America and the latter of Ireland. They settled in Mercer County about 1798. Their children were John, Anna, Thomas, James, William, Mary, Daniel and Margaret. The mother died in 1814, and the father was afterward married to Margaret Bean, this union resulting in one son, Alexander. Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael were Presbyterians, in which church he was an elder. He died in 1835. John Love farmed in Lackawannock Town- ship until 1869, when he bought seventy-five acres where he now lives. His union has given liim six children: Myra, Mary; Hugh C., deceased; Lizzie, died November 18, 1863; Benjamin, died July 13, 1884; Zettie, died November 21, 1863. In 1869 Emma, infant daughter of John Carmichael, of Hartford, Ohio, was taken into the family, and still resides with them. Mr. Love enlisted in Company B, One Hundredth Regiment, served nearly one year and was injured while hauling timbers. He was elected a justice of the peace, but did not take out a commission. He is a Republican, a member of the G. A. R., and with his wife belongs to the Presbyterian Church, in which he has been elder for several years.

WILLIAM MCCAFFERTY, deceased, was born March 22, 1811, in Butler County, Penn. His father, Charles McCafferty, immigrated to America in 1794, from the parish of Raphoe, County Donegal, Ireland, and settled in Fairview, Butler Co., Penn. The deceased was married April 22, 1838, to Maria Johnston, born December 6, 1812, in Butler County, Penn. Her

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

parents, James and Nancy (Best) Johnston, had the following children: Mary, Eliza, Jane, Maria, James, John and Robert. Mr. and Mrs. McCafferty set- tled for a short time in Pittsburgh after their marriage, where he engaged in the cabinet-making business. They remained there but a short time, and re- moved to Fairview, Butler County, where he continued his trade. They sub- sequently engaged in the hotel business in the latter named place for nineteen years. After a period of farming in Butler County, and a residence in West- moreland County, he sold and bought 240 acres of land in Hempfield Township, on which he put up a residence costing about $15,000. He was the father of fifteen children, five of whom are living. A friend says the fol- lowing in the Advance-Argus, June 17, 1880: "More or less accustomed to hard work from his youth, he was no idler, and the handsome fortune he amassed was ample proof of his industry, enterprise and business tact. In his dealings with his fellow-man he was scrupulously honest, conscientiously ful- filling his promises, and thus might one at any time place the most implicit confidence in his word. Of an even temper, genial and sociable, he won golden opinions from all with whom he became acquainted, and great will certainly be the regret of his host of friends when they learn that he is no longer in the flesh. With an ear ever willing to listen to the appeal of the needy and desti- tute, and a hand ever ready to assist them, his generosity was unbounded, and of that laudable kind about which there was no loud talk or boasting. As an

instance of his beneficence, attention need not be called to his recent donation of $1,000 to the Catholic Church in Murrinsville, and also to a donation lately given to St. Michael's in this place. But, lest the reader grow weary of further eulogy of the deceased, let us close this poor tribute to his memory by adding that the many good qualities which William McCafferty possessed, and which shed such a beautiful luster on his life, will long be remembered by the many to whom he had endeared himself. To mourn his departure out of this world, he leaves a wife and five children, for whom he always entertained the greatest love and affection. To them, in this the dark hour of their affliction, is tendered the sympathy of the entire community, with the assurance that their loss, immeasurably great though it be, is his eternal gain. The obsequies were performed on Sunday, June 13, in St. Alphonsus Church, Murrinsville, Butler Co., Penn. His remains were conveyed thither by special train; and there, in the cemetery attached to the aforesaid church, buried beside all that is mortal of several loved children, lies the body of William McCafferty, await- ing the resurrection. May he rest in peace." His death occurred June 11, 1880, at 7 o'clock in the morning, surrounded by his faithful and be- loved wife and children, and fortified with the last sacred rites of the Catholic Church, which were administered to him by Rev. Bernard Don- ahue. His surviving consort is a consistent member of the United Presby- terian Church of Greenville.

JEREMIAH H. MORFORD, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born November 28, 1814, in Pymatuning Township, to Thomas and Susan (Hazen) Morford, natives, the father of New Jersey and of Scotch-Irish extraction, and the mother of Mercer County. Thomas Morford was a son of John and Mary (Cox) Morford, who immigrated to New Jersey from England prior to the Revolutionary War, and to Mercer County about 1803 or 1804, and were the parents of Richard, Rebecca, Thomas, Betsey, James, John, William and Joseph, all of whom are deceased. They were Baptists. Thomas Morford was thirteen years old when he came to this county, and received his education in a log cabin school house. He married Susan Hazen, daughter of Jeremiah and Dorothy (Sears) Hazen, and settled with her in

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Pymatuning Township, where she died in 1866. He died in 1873, at the home of our subject, in West Salem Township. Their children were Jer- emiah, Mary (married Josiah Brown) and Sears. Thomas was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, while Susan belonged to the Baptist organization. Our subject received a limited education in the log cabin schools, early learned the trade of a stone-mason, and was married June 20, 1839, to Lovina Brown, born March 6, 1818, in this county. Her parents, Andrew and Mary (Mclaughlin) Brown, settled in West Salem Township about 1800, where he died in 1828 and she in 1873. Five children were born to them: Sarah, Nancy, Josiah, Lovina and Maria. Mrs. Brown was married after the death of her first husband to Richard Morford, and had by him four children: Emeline, Eliza, Andrew and Richard. Our subject settled with his wife in a log cabin in Salem Township, where they remained for twelve years. They then sold and bought land in West Salem, where they lived until 1881, when they moved to Greenville. They have had seven chil- dren: Thomas, Susan, Mary, Sarah, Vina, Reuben and Lina. Mr. Morford served as a justice of the peace in both West Salem and Hempfield Townships. He went out, at the time of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, in Company C, and is a member of the G. A. R. He is a Republican in politics. His wife is a Baptist.

JACOB MOWRY, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born November 10, 1820, in Lehigh County, Penn., to John G. and Elizabeth Mowry, natives of the same county. The parents came to Mercer County in 1830, and settled in Greene Township, but later moved to Hempfield Township, where the father died in April, 1875, the mother having died about 1858. They had twelve children: George, John, Caroline, married Michael Grover, and died; Jesse, Polly, married Benjamin Fornick; Jonas, Lucy, wife of Benjamin Grimm; Elizabeth, married William Grimm; Jacob, Sarah, married Mandis Bortz; Mary, married Samuel Beil, and Benjamin S. The parents belonged to the Lutheran Church, and he was a Republican. Our subject was edu- cated in the common schools, brought up on a farm, and was married in 1855 to Lucy A. Bigler, born July 16, 1835, in Mercer County, Penn., a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Houpt) Bigler, natives of Lehigh County, Penn., who came to Mercer County at an early day, and had eight children: Eli, Polly, Reuben, Jonas, Sarah, John, Lucy A. and Sullivan. The parents belonged to the Reformed Church, and he was a Democrat. Our subject, when married, settled on his present farm of 107 acres, well improved, which he bought from his father. They have had twelve children, eleven of whom are still living: Levi G., Benjamin, Edwin H., Milton, deceased; Jane, married George Hecker; Helen, married Elmer Dingman; Louesa, Elizabeth, Martin, Fred, Ida and Lillie. Levi married Jennie Trenon, and lives in Buffalo, where he is engaged in the carriage making business. He got up and had patented a pole for steamers, for the patent of which he has been offered $20,000. Benjamin married Aggie Reinhart, and lives in this county; Martin lives in Buffalo with his brother. Our subject and wife are members of St. John's Lutheran Church, and he is a Republican.

BENJAMIN S. MOWRY, post-office Greenville, was born August 30, 1855; was educated in the common schools, brought up on a farm, and was mar- ried May 27, 1880, to Aggie Reinhart, daughter of David and Sarah (Balic) Reinhart, residents of Delaware Township. He has been school director, constable, collector of taxes and inspector on election board. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, of which he was trustee one term. He is a strong Republican, and a member of the county committee.

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He is farming for his father, and has very fine horses. His children are Della and Anna.

LEVI A. MOYER, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born July 22, 1855, son of Adam and Mary A. (Snyder) Moyer. He was married, March 14, 1878, to Eliza J. Hittle, daughter of Peter and Mary A. (Haas) Hittle, whose sketch appears in Hempfield Township. They settled on a farm of seventy-six acres in Pymatuning Township. They have four children: George F., Mary A., Laura L. and Alvin R. His education was obtained at the common schools in Hempfield Township. He sold his farm in the spring of 1888 and moved on a farm in Hempfield Township. It comprises 135 acres, which was purchased by his grandfather, Casper Moyer, and it has ever since remained in possession of sons of the family. He is a Democrat, and he and wife are members of the Reformed Church.

STEPHEN M. PAINE, deceased, was born January 11, 1814, in Rhode Island, to Tyler and Alice (Bassett) Paine, natives of the same State. The father was a tanner, and died in that State in 1830-31, and his widow died four years later. Their children were: Albert, Mary, Stephen, David, was a school teacher in Massachusetts, having charge of a department in the Worcester schools for sixteen years, and followed the foundry business awhile prior to his death; Aseneth, died young; William, Tyler, Addison; Lydia, a teacher a. number of years, and is now a missionary in Salt Lake City. Tyler was a lieutenant of a Massachusetts company in the late Rebellion. The father of our subject was of Quaker stock. Stephen M. Paine was edu- cated in the common schools and received instructions one term at an academy. Because of the early death of his father he was compelled to do for himself when quite young. He therefore applied himself at any kind of labor he could get to do. He worked awhile in Michigan, Ohio and Covington, Ky. He boated on the Johnstown and Pennsylvania Canal, and then came to Mercer County, taught a few terms of school and afterward took charge of a company of Irishmen, who were working on the canal. He and James Young built a small-sized canal boat and followed boating one season. He was married June 10, 1849, to Elvira McKean, born March 30, 1832, in what is now Otter Creek Township, to James and Eliza (Hazen) Mckean, the parents of Elvira, Robert, Mary, Jane, Bethena and Isaac. Mr. Paine settled at marriage in what is now Otter Creek, and after a time he sold and resided for awhile in Salem Town- ship, and in 1868 he bought his late homestead, in Hempfield Township, where he died in December, 1888. The following are the names of his children: Jane, born December 10, 1850, married November 6, 1883, Jacob Waggoner; she died February 13, 1887; Alice, born July 18, 1853, married October 8, 1870, to Charles Ludwig; Tyler, born February 28, 1856, is a teacher and farmer in Adair County, Mo .; Charlotte H., born June 26, 1859, and was married July 23, 1880, to A. G. Mckean; Sarah B., born February 20, 1858; Addie B., born May 28, 1862, married Thomas Foley May 26, 1880; James U., born July 28, 1865, married April 5, 1885, to Alice Tanner, of Adair County, Mo .; he is engaged with his brother Tyler, and is carpentering a part of his time; Nora G., born May 9, 1868; Maude M., born February 14, 1872, and Stephen M., born May 24, 1874. Mr. Paine served as path-master, school director, constable and collector; was a Republican, and believed in the doctrines of the Quaker Church.

SIMON REIGELMAN, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born February 8, 1844, in Berks County, Penn. His father, John Reigelman, was born Febru- ary 19, 1819, in the same county, and was a son of Conrad and Magdalena Reigelman, the parents of six children: Polly, Solomon, Betsey, Benjamin,

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

John and Jonas. John Reigelman attended the German schools, and has al- ways been a farmer. He was married March 6, 1847, to Teressa Hines, a native of Berks County, and by her he has had four children: Maria, married Samuel Moyer; Simon, Kasiah, Sarah A., married Daniel Mowry. John Reigelman settled in Mercer County in 1851, and has followed farming. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and a Democrat. Our subject was edu- cated in the English schools and brought up at farm labor. He came to Mer- cer County in 1851 and settled in Hempfield Township. He was married in 1869 to Kate Bower, of Delaware Township. By her he has one child, Ida Jane, who received a good education at the Fredonia and Greenville schools. Mr. Reigelman picked up the trade of a blacksmith, which he follows in con- nection with the cultivation of his farm of 100 acres. He has held some of the small township offices, and he and wife are members of the Lutheran Church. In politics he is a Democrat.

GEORGE J. REIMOLD, a retired farmer, post-office Greenville, was born June 4, 1814, in Germany; son of J. G. and Eva B. Reimold. The parents were mem- bers of the Reformed Church, and died in their native country. Our subject was educated in the German schools, baptized in his infancy, and joined the Re- formed Church in 1829. He was married May 8, 1838, to Eva B. Derr, born May 12, 1818. They came to America in 1846, and settled in Mahoning County, Ohio. They brought with them $2,000, bought 100 acres of land at $16 per acre, and sold out in 1850, when they moved to Pymatuning Township, Mercer Co., Penn., and bought 170 acres. He was a prosperous farmer, and kept adding to his farm until he had 400 acres. His wife died January 23, 1877, and in 1883 he sold all his land. Since then he has made his home with his eldest son, John G. P., a farmer and stock dealer. About this time he divided $29,000 among his eight children, who were Dorothea B., born April 14, 1839, married August 13, 1867, to Rev. J. H. Stepler; John G. P., born June 19, 1841, married March 26, 1867, to Eva E. Rummel; Christena E., born October 19, 1843, married May 28, 1863, to George Horning; Jacob, born May 29, 1847, married in 1874, to Sarah M. Tininger; George H., born October 12, 1849, married in 1881 to Ella J. Miles; Philip, born May 14, 1852, married June 9, 1881, to Mary M. Templeton, died April 25, 1888; Rosana T., born June 20, 1855, married September 23, 1875, to D. L. Nisbet, and August, born April 13, 1859, married Septembr 20, 1888, to Jennie T. Hum. Our subject has had twenty seven grandchildren, five of whom have died. He was an elder in the church of his choice for many years, and has been ex- ecutor of several estates. He is one of the most respected citizens of the county, and is a Democrat in politics.

SAMUEL RIDGEWAY, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born August 26, 1812, in Franklin, Venango Co., Penn., to John and Susannah (Titus) Ridge- way, natives, the father of New Jersey and of Quaker and German parentage, and the mother a native of Pennsylvania and of Irish extraction. John Ridge- way located in Venango County, in the year 1800, with his father, Nore. They built the first saw-mill in Venango County, along the "Broken Straw " stream. They subsequently went to Brownsville, Penn., and later Nore built a combined grist and saw-mill about two miles northeast of Franklin. John Ridgeway was married, near Titusville, to Susannah Titus, daughter of Peter Titus, whose son, Jonathan, was the founder of Titusville. Susannah came to Crawford County in 1799. John Ridgeway followed building flat and keel boats for many years. These boats were used on the Allegheny River. He and his wife had the following children: Samuel, Titus, Harriet, Susannah, Thomas S. and John. The father was a Whig and Republican. Samuel Ridge-

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

way was educated in the Franklin schools, and learned the trade of a tanner, beginning at the age of eighteen years, at Franklin, with William Brown, with whom he continued two years, when his employer failed, and Mr. Ridgeway went into the rolling mills at Franklin, where he labored for ten years, and lost $1,500 through the dishonesty of his employers. He was then appointed street commissioner of Franklin for one year, after which he went to hauling goods from Franklin to Oil City, at which he made money. In one year he sold out, and in 1865 came to Greenville and bought sixty acres, which after- ward became valuable property and is mostly owned by Thiel College. In 1876 he bought the J. W. Christy farm of 185 acres, in Hempfield Township, where he now resides and enjoys the fruits of his hard labors. He was mar- ried, in 1848, to Isabella Wilson, of Venango County, by whom he had nine children: John W .; Jane, married Robert Moats; Wilson; Susannah, deceased; Staunton S .; the others are dead. Mr. Ridgeway is a Republican, and one of the respected citizens of the community in which he lives.

JOSEPH ROBINSON, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born August 10, 1824, in Cheshire, England, to William and Mary (Frith) Robinson, both of whom are dead. The father was a wealthy farmer, and, with his wife, a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Neither of them ever came to America. Their children were: Thomas, Matthew, William, John; Mary, married George McGorgle, and is dead. Joseph was educated in the common schools of his native coun- try, and learned the blacksmith trade, beginning at the age of twelve years. He was bound out for seven years, but after working four years left and went to Scotland, where he worked at his trade two years, and then, in 1844, came to Philadelphia and worked in a machine-shop one year, making spindles. In 1845 he came to Mercer County, traveling by rail, stage and canal. He started his first blacksmith shop at Greenville, and after running it for several years, in 1844 went to Wisconsin, where he worked in a carriage shop. In 1854 he went to California, mined a short time, and then resumed his trade. He returned to Mercer County in the fall of 1852, went back to California and worked at his trade about one year, returned to Mercer County again in 1864, went once more to California, and after a few months returned to Mercer County to stay. He was married in 1846 to Nancy Law, daughter of James Law, born November 19, 1829, in Mercer County, and they have ten children: James, grocer in Greenville; John, a farmer in Washington Territory; George, William, a farmer at home; Andrew, attending school at Edinboro, and has taught school; Emma, married A. D. Gillespie, Jr. ; Mary, wife of George Allen, of Washington Territory; Josephine, married J. Melvin; Cora and Eva, at home. He is a Democrat, and has been supervisor. He owns 160 acres of land, and de- votes much time to breeding improved draft horses, having brought the first heavy draft horse to Mercer County. His wife is a member of the United Pres- byterian Church, and has one brother, Addison, who lives in the West. Her father and mother were Presbyterians, and he was a Democrat. Her father, James Law, and his four brothers, Thomas, Andrew, Wilson and William, came to Mercer County from County Tyrone, Ireland, with their parents, Richard and Ann (Hunter) Law, and settled on a farm in Jefferson Township, where the parents died. The children are also probably all dead. William went West, and has not been heard from for years.

ISAAC RUTTER, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born June 3, 1828, in Dauphin County, Penn., to George and Susannah (Leopold) Rutter, natives of the same county. They came to this county in 1856, and the father died December 18, 1884, and the mother died June 9, 1886. They had the following children: Jacob, Daniel, Isaac, Henry, George, William, Elizabeth, Rachel,

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 159

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