History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 160

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


USA > Pennsylvania > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present > Part 160


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


Sarah, Mollie and Maggie. The parents were members of the Lutheran Church. Our subject was educated in the common schools and taught three terms. He was a clerk for a period in Halifax, Dauphin County, and Green- ville, Penn., and St. Louis, Mo. In 1854 he went to California via steamer and the Isthmus. He mined for nine years with poor success. He kept hotel for a period with J. N. Hudson at Marysville, Cal., and at Los Angeles, same State, with Henry Brubaker. He spent about sixteen years in the West, and soon after his return he made a trip to Kentucky, Kansas and Texas, and in the latter he, in partnership with his brother, Henry, and brother-in-law, Giles Walker, bought a herd of cattle, which they drove to Kansas and win- tered them with a loss of 274 of the herd of 369. He came home and was married, in 1882, to Susan Moyer, and has three children: James C., Julia and Chauncey. He resides near Greenville, is a stanch Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church.


WILLIAM SAUL, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born July 9, 1831, in Lehigh County, Penn., to Daniel and Polly (Reichard) Saul, natives of the same county. The parents came to this county in 1833. The father was a tailor, and followed that business after locating here. Greenville com- prised only two houses when Mr. Saul began his labors. He made clothing for laborers on the canal, and in that way obtained the means to buy land, which afterward brought him a fortune. He died May 1, 1887, and his wife died August 10, 1887. Their children were: Henrietta, married Simon Kamerer; Aaron, Daniel, William M., Mary, married George Kremm; Nancy J., married Levi Kamerer; James A. and an infant. The father was once overseer of the poor, was a strong Abolitionist, a Whig and Republican, and with his wife belonged to the Reformed Church, in which he was an elder. Our subject was educated in the common schools, mostly in the log cabins, with its slab seats, puncheon floor and big fire-place. He began for himself by learning the tanner's trade, with Simon Kamerer, for whom he worked for fifteen years. He finally located near his residence, and continues the busi- ness. He began with no means, and by frugality, hard labor and economy he has become the possessor of a snug little fortune. He was married Novem- ber 3, 1852. to Sarah Lane, born September 29, 1832, in the State of New Jersey, to Mathias and Susan (Linebarger) Lane, natives, the father of New Jersey and the mother of Lehigh County, Penn. Her parents came to this county in 1839, and settled in Hickory Township, where they died, he July 6, 1861, and she in 1855. They had the following children: William C., Frank J., both deceased; Mary M., married Samuel Fry; Sarah, Charles L., Peter and Fred H. Mr. and Mrs. Saul have two children: Simon A., married Emma Mowry, and has one son, George W .; Mary, married George Benning- hoff. Our subject and wife belong to the Reformed Church of Greenville, and he is a Republican.


JAMES A. SAUL, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born March 28, 1841, in what is now Hempfield Township, son of Daniel and Polly (Reichard) Saul, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German extraction. They came to Mercer County about 1833, and settled on a farm in Hempfield Township. Daniel was a tailor by trade, and made clothing for laborers on the canal. He was worth about $30,000 at his death, which occurred in May, 1887, and his widow died August 10, 1887. They had eight children: Henrietta, Aaron, Daniel, William, Mary (married G. W. Kremm), Nancy J. (married Levi Kamerer), infant, dead, and James A. The parents were members of the Zion Reformed Church. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and brought up at farm labor. On reaching his majority he set out for himself. He was married September


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


10, 1863, to Susannah Beil, who died in 1870, leaving two children, Harry and Lottie. He was again married, in 1873, to Mrs. Melinda Hamlin, the widow of James E. Hamlin, died November 21, 1870. Mrs. Saul was born November 20, 1845, and had by her union with Mr. Hamlin two children: William H. and Lillie E. Her parents, Jonathan and Elizabeth (Groover) Mowry, had three children, of whom Mrs. Saul and Jonathan survive. Mr. Saul has by his last wife Fred. W., James E. and Edna G. He and his wife possess 154 acres of fine land, are members of the Zion Reformed Church of Greenville, in the construction of which edifice he was one of the building committee. In politics he is a Republican.


HENRY SNYDER, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born December 25, 1835, in Lehigh County, Penn., son of George and Mary (Smith) Snyder, natives of Germany. The father came to this country by himself, worked for the money to bring his family, sent it to his wife, who brought their only son, Peter, and joined him in this country. She was forty-one weeks on the ocean. It was not until she arrived he learned that two of his three children, born to them in the old country, had died. They had seven children born to them in this country: Henry, George, Jacob, Mary, Joseph, Samuel and Catharine. After a short residence in Lehigh County they came to this county by team and on foot, bringing a small amount of household goods. They arrived among strangers with only 25 cents, and settled in a house owned by Alex. Dumars, of whom he rented five acres, for two years, at $25 and $30. He then moved into a house of Daniel Saul, and rented of him for one year. In partnership with his brother, Jacob, he bought twelve acres where Henry Snyder lives, where he settled until his death, in 1887. His widow survives, and makes her home with our subject, as per the request of him on his death-bed. He was a German scholar, wrote in German; was a member of the German Reformed Church, and was a Democrat. Henry Snyder was educated in the common English schools. He began for himself by hiring to Samuel Goodwin to labor for six and a half years in a combined saw and grist-mill. He saved $100 of the $120 he received the first year, $110 of the $140 the second, $130 of the $150 the third, and in the fourth, fifth and sixth years he saved $132, $165 and a colt, and $175, respectively. He then went to working on the Eastern Pennsylvania Railroad, helping to lay track. Later he hired to William Gibson, then of Jamestown, but now deceased, and drove a team, doing labor on the railroad for nearly one year. He worked in the foundry for Heath & Hamblin, at Greenville, for two years. The following two seasons he was a hod-carrier, and after three years more in the foundry he retired for two years on account of ill health. He then came to his farm and lived until 1883, when he moved to the old homestead. He was married July 5, 1863, to Louisa Blank, by whom he has two children, Charles and Hattie. He and family are members of the German Reformed Church of Greenville, to which he has belonged since fourteen years of age, and is a Democrat in politics.


EDWARD H. STENGER, farmer, post-office Greenville, was born March 19, 1829, in Lehigh County, Penn. His parents, Philip and Mary M. (Greenermoyer) Sten- ger, were natives of Northampton County, and of German extraction. The fam- ily came to Mercer County in 1831, and settled on the farm now owned by George Beaver and W. E. Davidson. The father bought thirty acres where our subject lives, and here he died September 11, 1855. His widow died fourteen years later. They had eleven children, all of whom survived them: Susan, married Joseph Hecker, and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Baker; Mary, mar- ried Benjamin Bush, and remained in Lehigh County until her death; John;


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


Rebecca, the widow of Aaron Blank; Catherine, died at her son-in-law's, J. E. Millhouse, in Greenville, in 1875; Lydia, married Adam Seiple; Julia, the widow of Peter Beaver; William, dead; Samuel H. and Edward H. The father was a Lutheran, and his wife was a Presbyterian. Our subject was edu- cated in the common schools, and was married January 25, 1856, to Mary J. Ford, born June 30, 1834, in Clinton County, Penn. Her father, Hiram, died in Centre County in 1838, leaving two children: Mary J. and D. H. Her mother, Barbara E. (Ream) Ford, came to Mercer County in 1853 with her second husband, John Durst, by whom she had six children: Frances, Peter A., Luther, Charles, Robert and Claude. Mrs. Durst died June 25, 1886, and Mr. Durst January 24, 1887. They were Methodists. The children of Mr. Stenger are Philip, Mollie E., married Charles Adamson; Joseph, George E., William H., now attending Allegheny College, where he expects to graduate; Vinnie G., Lottie M. and Allie. He has followed farming, buying and selling stock. He at one time sold beef in Greenville. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Salem, of which he has been trustee for fifteen years, and has collected and made all payments, to the ministers. He has also been superintendent of the Sabbath-schools. He was secretary of the school board for twenty years, and has served the township as judge, inspector and auditor. In politics he is a liberal Democrat.


JAMES C. STEWART, deceased, was born September 12, 1834, in Hickory Township. His father, James Stewart, was a son of Vance and Mary (Sample) Stewart, who were married in Huntingdon County, Penn,, and settled in Hickory Township, this county, and their children were James, Josiah, Vance, Robert, Samuel, Nancy, Mary, Elizabeth, Sallie and Julia. James Stewart was married in 1832 to Jane Thompson, born in 1812 in County Derry, Ire- land, daughter of James and Jane (Courtney) Thompson. The parents of Jane came to America in 1813, and after a short residence in New Jersey they settled in Hickory Township, Mercer County, and were blessed with six children: John, Robert, Mary, Betsy, Jane and Sarah. James Stewart, Sr., died April 22, 1838, was a member of the United Presbyterian Church and the father of three children: James C., born September 13, 1834; Vance, born February 21, 1836, and John, born November 3, 1837. His widow, Mrs. Jane (Courtney) Stewart, survives. Our subject was married to Elizabeth H. Watt, a native of Mifflin County, Penn., born June 10, 1828. Her parents, Andrew and Eliza (Clark) Watt, had two children: Anna and Elizabeth. Her father's second wife was Sarah Rudy, by whom he had five children: Andrew C., Maggie, Hugh, Bessie and John. In 1865 the old Stewart homestead in Hickory Township was sold by the heirs, and James C. (our subject) located on a farm near New Hamburg, which his widow yet owns. Six years later they purchased a farm of thirty- eight acres in Hempfield Township, where he died April 14, 1888. His four children, Jennie T., Clara A., Warren W. and James C., are all at home. Mr. Stewart was a Republican, and served in all the township offices. Early in life he united with the United Presbyterian Church, and was always a consistent member. His widow is a member of the same church, and by his death she and the children sustained a great loss. The community feels heavily his tak- ing away, and all with one accord sympathize with the family in the irrepar- able calamity.


THE STINSON FAMILY. - The ancestor of the Stinson family in this county was James Stinson, a native of Ireland, who immigrated to Westmoreland County, Penn., when about eighteen years of age. There he married Hannah Donaldson. In 1797-98 he visited the Shenango Valley as one of a party of twelve land prospectors. He selected a tract of land at " the Rocks," some two


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


miles east of Greenville, in what is now Hempfield Township, and spent the first night under the shelter of a tree, near where he subsequently built his cabin. Eight children were reared by James and Hannah Stinson: Betsey, married King Caldwell; Polly, married John Bean; Jane, married Robert Martin; William, James, Samuel, Hannah, married Joseph Gibson, and Julia Ann. The parents died upon the old homestead, and none of their chil- dren are now living. James was born August 12, 1803, and on reaching man- hood located on a part of the homestead. He was married January 19, 1826, to Amelda Bean, also a native of Mercer County, and a daughter of James and Mary Bean, who came here from Westmoreland County at an early day. She bore him the following children: John W., Mary A., wife of W. R. Baird, of Crawford County, Penn .; James, Alexander, Hannah, Harriet, married Alex- ander McCullough, of this county; Wilson B., Amelda, Alonzo, Eliza J., mar- ried Samuel C. Dickey, of Greenville; Melissa, Emma J., married W. A. Keck, of Greenville; I. D. and J. M. In 1867 Mr. Stinson removed to Green- ville, and purchased an interest in the Keystone Mills. He was also interested in the Mathers Mill. Some four years prior to his death he retired from active business. His wife died March 9, 1871, and he survived her till November 13, 1879. Both had been Presbyterians for over half a century. Politically he was ever a stanch Republican, and an ardent supporter of the Government throughout the dark days of civil strife. Mr. Stinson was an active, enter- prising man, possessed of a kind and honest heart, and was always recognized as a worthy citizen.


H. W. TROY, deceased, was born January 8, 1803, and his wife, Elizabeth Hendrickson, was born October 26, 1800. Their children were Mary A., born November 5, 1822, married William Burns; John, born March 4, 1824, died in Wisconsin; Gideon, born March 3, 1826, died in California: Martha, born February 11, 1828, married Fantly Muse, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Cyrus, born June 27, 1830, lives in Wisconsin; Sarah J., born June 24, 1832, died when young; Samuel S., born June 24, 1832, lives in Nashua, Iowa, is a doctor, and was a doctor in the army; Albert, born October 17, 1834, dead; Catharine, born August 27, 1836, married Samuel Ross, lives near Sheakleyville; Phoebe, born December 23, 1839, married Rev. William Clark, of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Hiram, born April 19, 1842, dead; Sarah C., born February 6, 1845, died when young; McVay, born November 12, 1846, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Troy died November 3, 1877, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Troy traveled for awhile after the death of his wife. He was married again in October, 1878, to Susie Wolford, born in Butler County, Penn. She is the daughter of Henry and Susie (Rol- son) Wolford, natives of Butler County, and the parents of ten children, nine of whom are living: Mary E., married William Wadsworth; John; Maude, married Warren Lindsay; Henry T., an attorney at Davenport, Iowa, a graduate of the Edinboro Normal, Ithica, N. Y., and the law school at Ann Arbor; Sadie, single; Susie; Amy, married A. E. Pearson; G. W., owns and operates two mines in New Mexico; and Jennie, married G. S. Rodgers. Mr. Troy settled near Salem Church about the year 1838, and later in Deer Creek, where he followed farming. He finally settled where his widow resides, where he died November 15, 1887. He was buried in the Deer Creek Cem- etery. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over sixty years, and held all of the offices of the same. He was a man highly respected for his goodness of heart and uprightness in intercourse with his fellow men. He began in the world with only a willing heart and strong hands, but by


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


economy, frugality and careful management accumulated a good share of this world's goods, and left his widow, who cared for him in his declining years, in moderately fair circumstances. In politics he was a Republican.


WILLIAM S. WASSER, farmer and stock dealer, post-office Greenville, was born September 1, 1846, on a part of the farm where he now lives, to Thomas and Eliza (Christman) Wasser, natives of Lehigh County, Penn. Tobias Was-


ser was the first to come to this county. His children were Eli, Thomas, Edward, Charles, Ellemina, Eliza and Catharine. He was an active member of the German Reformed Church, an officer in the same, and was a strong Re-


publican. Thomas was married in this county, and his children were Catha- rine, William S., James O., Maria, Emma J., Eliza N., Charles, Ellen, Frank, Alice, Sadie and George. Thomas died in 1874, and his widow resides in Greenville. They were members of the German Reformed Church at Good Hope. Our subject was educated in the common schools, was brought up at farm labor until thirteen years of age, when he began clerking in the drug store of Allen Campbell, of Greenville, and later clerked for Charles McMich- ael and G. W. Achre, at Clarksville; Winternitz, at Greenville, Penn., and Rouseville, Venango County. He then clerked in a restaurant at Oil City, and subsequently bought one-half of the same and continued to operate it for two years. He was married December 31, 1868, to Harriet J. Dieffenderfer, by whom he had one child, Frank S. His wife died in 1871, and he was again married to Henrietta Goubeaud, and has by her one child, Willie W. He re- mained on his father's farm for some time after marriage, then engaged in the butcher business for two years, and settled permanently on his farm in 1871. In 1874 he began buying horses for his brother-in-law, Charles Goubeaud, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and so continues. He has been school director, is a Democrat, an officer of the Good Hope German Reformed Church, to which he and wife belong, and is also superintendent of the Sabbath-school of that organization.


DAVID YOUNG, farmer, was born April 26, 1816, in Huntingdon County, Penn. His parents, John and Sophia (Burns) Young, were natives of this State. They came to Mercer County in 1833, and settled in East Lackawan- nock Township. Here the mother died in 1845, and the father in 1850. Their children were Catharine, Elizabeth, Mary, Margaret, Susan, John, Jacob and David. Our subject was educated in the schools of his boyhood days, and learned carpentering, beginning the trade at the age of eighteen years. He followed this vocation for thirty-five years. He was married in 1836 to Mary


Duncan, of Stark County, Ohio. Three children were born of this union: James, Nancy, and Elizabeth, who was married to William Stanton in 1871. His wife died, and he was again married, to Margaret Anderson, of Ohio, who has borne him three children: John, William and David C. Our subject came to this county in 1836, and for several years was engaged at his profession in Wilmington Township. He bought and settled on his present farm of 100 acres in 1866. His son, James D., served three years in Company D, One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was wounded at the battle of Cold Har- bor, and married Miss Fannie Durst, of Pittsburgh, April 3, 1888. William A. is engaged in the feed business in Leadville, Colo .; married Miss Cathe- rine Thompson April 22,1885, who died June, 1887. David C., born 1864, married April 12, 1887, to Mary Anderson, of Lawrence County, is a horse- shoer by profession, having learned his trade under Isaac Peters, who had over forty years' experience. Nancy married William Shaw and resides in Mercer County. John A. is in the grocery business with James D., at 28 Ful- ton Street, Pittsburgh, having located there in the spring of 1888. Mr. Young was a strong Abolitionist and a Republican.


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


OTTER CREEK TOWNSHIP.


HENRY W. BEATTY, farmer, was born October 7, 1816, on the old homestead, and is a son of Francis Beatty, whose sketch appears elsewhere. He was educated in the common schools. He went to the Southern States in 1843, where he spent five years. He was married, November 22, 1849, to Nancy L., daughter of James and Mary (Philips) Limber, of Sandy Creek Township. They settled on a part of the old homestead, which he bought from his father, and where he now lives. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and his wife of the Baptist. His only child, Frank, was born September 15, 1850, and was reared and educated at home. He also attended the Normal schools at Edinboro and at Steubenville, Ohio. He spent three months in Akron, Ohio, learning telegrahpy, afterward going to California, wherehe spent two years in the mines. He was married October 20, 1887, to DeEtte, daughter of James and Mary A. (Jackson) Campbell, of Jamestown, Penn.


WILLIAM C. EICH, farmer, was born February 2, 1823 in Oberstedten, near Frankfort on the Main, Germany. His parents, Frederick and Elizabeth (Steckel) Eich, were natives of Germany, where the father died in 1844, and the mother in 1849. They had fourteen children: Mary, married Peter Mat- ley, and settled in West Salem Township; William C., Eva, married Alexan- der Wood, of Greenville; Stephen, lives in West Salem Township; Fred, is dead; Margaret, married John Ramb; Catharine, is a widow in New York State; Lot- tie, married Fred Brown, of Albany, N. Y .; Lewis, lives in Hartford, Ohio; Louesa, married Philip Knice; Elizabeth, married to Henry Fischer, New York City; Jane, married George Deitz. Our subject was educated in Ger- many, and learned to read English. He early learned the trade of a miller, and followed it both in his native country and this. He came to America in 1847, leaving his family behind, and engaged in the mill of Henry Miller, of Greenville, for a few months. After working awhile in the mill of Hildebrand, of the same city, he was employed in a coal bank. He was a miller for Robert Fruit for eleven years. In 1848 his wife, Justina Bender, joined him, and is the mother of thirteen children: William, is a miller at Conneaut Lake, Crawford County; Fred, deceased; Kate, Stephen, Lewis, Elizabeth, Mary, Theodore, Simon, Augustus, Lydia, Austin and Martin. In 1862 Mr. Eich settled in Otter Creek Township, and now owns a farm of 125 acres, the result of his own labor. He is distinctively a self-made man, and to illustrate his beginning we note that, when on his way to this country, he bought a ticket at Buffalo, for a passage on the canal to Cincinnati, and at Erie he sold a jacket to pay for his lodging, and at Greenville he sold his ticket for 25 cents, which was all the money he had when he arrived at Greenville. He is now worth about $7,000. He has been assistant assessor of Otter Creek Township and school director. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and he is a Democrat.


J. C. HAGGERTY, farmer and school-teacher, post-office Greenville, was born October 9,1856, in County Hastings, Ontario, Canada. His grandfather, James Haggerty, emigrated from Ireland to Canada in 1829, where he resided until his death. His wife, Nancy Morley, and seven children, accompanied him from his native country to where he settled. John, the father of our subject, was the fifth child, and was born June 22, 1822. He married his cousin, Elizabeth Haggerty, November 3, 1854, and came to this county in 1864. They resided in New Vernon Township one, Mill Creek five, Jackson five, and East Lackawannock Township four years, and finally purchased a farm of 105 acres, a portion of land once given to Mad Anthony Wayne for services ren- dered in war. Their children were George W., Mary, Adam, Marmaduke, Thomas M. and Anna M. James C., our subject, attended the common


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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.


schools, and one term at the Edinboro Normal, also at the Sheakleyville Academy. He was married June 1, 1882, to Miss S. E. Corll, daughter of Jeremiah and Mary E. (Cramer) Corll, of Perry Township. James and his wife settled on the farm of M. E. Pauley, in Otter Creek Township, which they rented from him in the opening of 1883, and where they still live. Dur- ing the winter months he is engaged in teaching school. They have one child, Lewis L. Our subject is a Democrat, and has been auditor and assessor three years each, and assistant assessor one year. His wife is a member of the Baptist Church.


JONAS KASNER, farmer, post-office Greenville, Penn., was born in August, 1813, in Columbia County, Penn. ; is a son of Peter Kasner, who died when Jonas was but an infant. Jonas was reared by his widowed mother until he was twelve years of age, when he went out into the world to earn his own living and seek his own fortunes. In 1834. he went to Ohio and purchased a farm, and was soon afterward married to Abigail Smith, of Trumbull County, Ohio. There were eight children born to them: Henry, Reuben, Daniel, James M., Hattie, wife of Levi Moyer; Catherine, wife of William Beatle; Mary, wife of Samuel Royal, and Susan, wife of Charles Wiles. At their marriage they settled on their farm in Ohio, and remained six years, when they sold and purchased a farm in Delaware Township, Mercer County, where they lived until 1855, when they purchased a farm of 100 acres of Joseph Kitch, in Otter Creek Township, where they now reside. His wife died in 1882, at the age of sixty-one. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and politically a Republican.


SETH KOON, farmer, post-office Hadley, was born December 26, 1834, in Py- matuning Township, to Israel and Joannah (Johnson) Koon, natives, the father of Westmoreland County, Penn., and the mother of the same State. The family records were burned a few years ago, and it is not in the power of the subject of this sketch to learn where she was born. Israel Koon was brought up in Westmoreland County by William and Betsey Koon, his parents, and settled in Pymatuning Township about the year 1838, where he engaged in blacksmith- ing and farming. He bought 200 acres, put up a shop on said farm, made augers and did other smithing. He died about 1865. He was married in Mercer County to Joannah Johnson, daughter of John and Jane (Hayes) John- son, who were early settlers of Hickory Township, and natives of New Jersey. David Hayes, the father of Jane, was a Revolutionary soldier. Israel had by his marriage seven children, five of whom grew to manhood: William J. (was a minister of the Wesleyan Church, and died in 1848), Johnson (died in in- fancy), Absalom (resides on the old home place), John (resides in Nebraska), Alva (deceased), Seth and Joseph S. (deceased). The widow of Mr. Koon died in 1863, and she and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having united at or before the time of their marriage. He was a Whig and Republican, was strictly opposed to slavery, and was highly respected by his neighbors and acquaintances. His father, William, was taken prisoner in the War of 1812, and held as such for some time; and his father, Benja- min, was a soldier in the Revolutionary struggle, and made augers, scythes, and even swords for the American soldiers. At a time the British army came along, found him in bed sick, and made demonstrations to murder him, when his brave wife sprang forward with the remark "that while they were killing him she would slay a few of them." They finally destroyed his tools and left him unharmed. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Mercer County, and received some instructions by Prof. Scott at an academy at Clarks- ville. He taught one term of school, and has devoted the remainder of his




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