History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 85

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

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

ist, one of the first advocates of Republicanism in Clarion County, and was for many years an elder in the Lutheran Church. Our subject was educated in the common schools and academy at Callensburgh, Clarion County, also West- minster College, New Wilmington, Lawrence County. He began reading law with Griffith & Mason in 1875, was admitted to the bar in 1876, and soon afterward formed a partnership with H. H. Zeigler, and two years later the firm changed to Mason, Zeigler & Bowser, and in 1884 he formed his present partnership with James A. Stranahan. He was married in January, 1882, to Mary Mason, daughter of Hon. S. R. Mason, and has two children: Janet and Helen. Mr. Bowser was elected burgess of Mercer in 1886. He has been a member of the borough council, and chairman of the Republican county com- mittee, also the State committee.

AUTSIN S. BURWELL was born February 3, 1814, in Connecticut, and came to this county in 1848. He at once engaged in a general store. His place of business was in the block where C. H. Block is now located. He was one of the leading merchants of Mercer for over twenty-five years, and was succeeded by his sons, A. P. and A. S. He was engaged extensively in the wool busi- ness for many years. He removed to Seattle, Wash. Ter., in 1885, where he retired from active business. He married Susan M. Peck, of Connecticut, by whom he had the following children: Ellen S., A. P. and Anson S., who are engaged in the general hardware business in Seattle; Charles S., Harvey, who died small; Edward B., also with his brothers in Seattle; Ida M. and Minnie A. The mother of the above children died in 1888. The subject of this memoir was burgess of Mercer, and joined the Republican party at the time of its organization. While here he was one of the most active and enterprising citizens of the place, always lending his aid to everything that had a tend- ency to elevate society and build up the town or surrounding country. He was one of the organizers of the Mercer Woolen Mills, was for fourteen years a director of the First National Bank of Mercer, and obtained his start in the world by selling clocks over the country for four years. Charles S., another son, was born April 2, 1853, and was educated in the Mercer schools and at Oberlin College for three years, in which institution all of his brothers and sisters, except Minnie, graduated. After completing his collegiate course, Charles S. was employed as a clerk in the First National Bank of Mercer for seven years. He was teller for the following three years in the same bank, and in 1883 was promoted to the position of cashier. This important position he held until the spring of 1888, when he took a place in the City National Bank at Denver, Col. He was an elder of the Second Presbyterian Church at the time of leaving Mercer.

J. H. CHANDLER, recorder of Mercer County, was born April 28, 1848, in New Castle, Penn. He is a son of Henry B., born December 5, 1810, in Plympton, Mass., and Harriet Shurtleff, born in Middleboro, Mass., January 20, 1812. The parents were married in their native country, and after three of their children, Harriet M., Emma J., and Martha M., were born, they, in 1845, came to New Castle, where the father followed coopering, which avocation he pursued for fifty-two years. In 1857 the family moved to Youngstown, Ohio, in 1860 to Niles, the same State, and in 1862 to Sharon, where the father died November 11, 1878, and his wife July 6, 1868. To them were born three children while at New Castle, viz. : J. H., D. W., a minister of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, and Kate L. The latter died in 1868, and Harriet M. died in 1858. Of the older children, Martha married T. M. Sweeney, man- ager of Kimberley's mills at New Castle, and Emma J. is a teacher in the Soldiers' Orphan School of Mercer. Henry B. Chandler was a member of

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the Christian Church and his wife of the Presbyterian organization. Our subject attended school at New Castle and Sharon in Pennsylvania, and at Youngstown and Niles in Ohio. He learned the cooper's trade with his father, and they made all the kegs and barrels that were manufactured in Sharon for a period of twenty-five years. He was married in 1870 to Flora B. William- son, daughter of T. W. Williamson, late associate judge of Lawrence County. By her he has two children, Henry B. and Stanley W. Mr. Chandler was burgess of Sharon in 1882, 1883 and 1884, and was elected recorder of the county in 1887. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and his wife is a Pres- byterian. He is a Republican.

His brother, D. W., was educated at the Michigan Law University at Ann Arbor. He studied theology there, and began preaching at Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, and subsequently was in charge of a congregation at Windham, the same county. He was then sent to China as a missionary for eight years. He finally came home on account of declining health, and in about two years he began his ministerial labors at Kinsman, Ohio, where he continued for three years, and then located at Niles, where he is in charge of a church. He was married to Mary E. Stanley, of Ann Arbor.

CHARLES CLAWSON, butcher, was born December 24, 1844, in this county. His parents, W. H. and Melinda (Humason) Clawson, are mentioned in the notice of his brother, W. H. Clawson, of Sandy Lake. Charles was educated in the common schools of Mercer County, and when only sixteen years old he succeeded in getting into the army in the defense of his country. His enlistment was in Company G, One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers, with which he remained nearly four years, and was mustered out as an orderly sergeant. He participated in the battles of Port Royal, S. C., James' Island, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., Blue Springs, Tenn., Candle Station, Tenn., siege of Knox- ville, White Ford, Tenn., Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Be- thesda Church, Va., Cold Harbor, Poplar Grove Church and Fort Steadman. At Cold Harbor he was wounded in the foot by a minie-ball, which he has in his possession. He was also wounded by a minie-ball in the left shoulder at the battle of South Mountain, September 14, 1862. On his return from the war he engaged in farming for three years, and then for the next four years he was in the oil business. Following that he was engaged for four years in a gro- cery in Mercer, having for a partner his brother, A. M. Clawson. In 1879 he

started his present meat market, and has done the leading business in that line ever since. He was married November 22, 1871, to Melinda Truesdell, a daughter of Joel and Jerusha Truesdell, of Trumbull County, Ohio. By her he has three living children: Kate, Mary and Anna. He belongs to the G. A. R., is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Second Presbyte- rian Church.

T. A. COURTNEY, manager of the Mercer Woodenware Works, was born June 9, 1848. His father, Thomas Courtney, is noted in another part of this volume. T. A. Courtney was educated in the common schools, the Mercer graded schools, and went to the Edinboro Normal, Erie County, for three terms. He taught, in all, twenty-three months in this and Venango Counties, and in Fulton County, Ill. In 1873 he opened a mercantile store at Balm, Springfield Township, in company with J. A. Painter. Two years later he sold out to Mr. Painter, and in 1875 was elected county auditor, and served two terms. He then resided on his farm until 1887, when he was employed as manager of the Mercer Woodenware Works, which position he now occupies. He was married in 1876 to Miss Laura M. Ketler, sister of Rev. I. C. Ketler,

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

president of the Grove City College. By her he has two living children, Nellie and May. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, is a Republican, and owns a farm in Wilmington Township of 126 acres. His wife is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church, having been prior to their removal to Mer- cer a member of the Neshannock congregation.

HUGH DONALDSON CRAWFORD, one of the oldest sons in a family of four- teen children, was born of Scotch-Irish parentage, in Allegheny County, Penn., November 27, 1807. Grown to manhood before the free school system of Pennsylvania was adopted in 1834, he enjoyed but three months' schooling in his life. He married Matilda Reed, a most worthy helpmate, March 28, 1832, with whom he manfully met the trials of life more than forty-two years, until her death at Mercer May 4, 1874. Of their eight children one son, Rev. L. I. Crawford, of Sandy Lake; Miss M. M. Crawford, of Mercer; Mrs. S. J. Reed, of Springfield Township, and Mrs. E. A. Amberson still survive. Having purchased a 200-acre farm in Springfield Township, now owned and occupied by his son-in-law, Thomas Reed, the family removed from Allegheny County to this farm in March, 1835, where Mr. Crawford resided till the spring of 1866, when he located in Mercer, where he still lives. Nearly all his first neighbors in Springfield Township are dead. Shortly after coming to Mercer County he, with his wife, joined the Associated Reformed, now Second United Presbyterian Church, of Mercer, of which he was chosen a ruling elder in 1855. The duties of this office he faithfully fulfilled till the infirmities of age have retired him from active service. Distinguished for his life-long integrity, in- dustry and temperance, generosity to the poor and sympathy with the unfor- tunate, a cheerful, hopeful disposition has made him everybody's friend, and retained for him the confidence of a large circle of friends and neighbors. At the age of eighty-one years this pioneer hopefully waits the reunion of wife and children and Christian friends gone before to the better country.

S. S. DAVIDSON, physician and surgeon, was born November 23, 1858, in Lawrence County, Penn. His father, W. M. Davidson, was a native of Law- rence County, and married Matilda Mehard, a native of Ireland, who immigrated to Lawrence County at an early period of her life. Her union with W. M. Dav- idson gave her six children: Alice married Philo Cunningham, a son of Judge Cunningham, once of Lawrence County; Christie married W. H. Witherspoon, of Lawrence County; Robert, a resident of Canton, Ohio; James and Joseph, of Lawrence County, and S. S. Dr. Davidson received his literary education in the Mercer high schools and Western University of Pennsylvania at Pitts- burgh. He began the study of medicine in 1879 with Drs. J. W. and S. S. Mehard, father and brother of Judge S. S. Mehard. He attended Jefferson Medical College, where he was graduated in 1882. In August of that year he went to Europe and made a study of general medicine and surgery, includ- ing the eye and ear, with the leading physicians and surgeons of London, Berlin and Vienna, for a period of two years. He then returned to America, and soon after began practicing at Mercer, where he is rapidly establishing him- self as a first-class physician and surgeon.

JONATHAN DEAN, ex-recorder of Mercer County, was born July 24, 1844, in Fairview Township, this county. His father, Aaron Dean, was a native of Butler County, Penn., and came to Mercer County while single. He married Ellen Dean, a native of Butler County, and who died in 1845, leaving four children: Enoch, Leah J., married Peter Clemens; John, enlisted in a com- pany from Missouri, was confined in Andersonville and Libby prisons, and after having been exchanged and discharged, he re-enlisted and was killed at the battle of Franklin, Tenn., and Jonathan, the youngest, was reared

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

principally by his aunt, Leah (Dean) Wentz. He began for himself on a farm, At the age of seventeen he succeeded in enlisting in Company F, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, early in 1861, and served about three years. He was with the Army of the Potomac. At the time of the battle of Gettysburg he was confined in a hospital. On his return from the war he resumed farming, and in 1884 he was elected recorder of Mercer County by the Republicans. He was married in 1864 to Susie Rea, of Fair- view Township, and daughter of Robert Rea. She was a native of Clarion County, and came here when two years old. By her he has five children: H. G., Alice S., the wife of A. H. Chew; Mary E. L., Jennie R. and Christa- lena. He is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the Sabbath-school of which he is a teacher. His son, Hollis G., attended an academy at Sheakleyville for two years, and McElwain Institute at New Lebanon. He was his father's deputy recorder for two years. He, in partnership with S. K. Cochran, purchased, in 1887, a stock of furniture, and continued to conduct the business under the firm name of Cochran & Dean until December, 1887, when Mr. Dean became sole pro- prietor. This is one of the oldest institutions of the kind in Mercer County, having been established about the year 1827, by Samuel Giebner, who fol- lowed the business continually until 1883. Hollis G. Dean was married on January 11, 1888, to Miss Fannie McKean, a daughter of Archie J. McKean. He is an enterprising young business man.

CHARLES M. DERICKSON, merchant, was born in Meadville, Penn., a son of David V. and Mary (McDonald) Derickson, who were also born in Crawford County, where his father survives. Charles was educated in the public schools of Meadville. In August, 1882, at the age of eighteen, he en- listed in Company K, One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, which company was commanded by his father. He served till the end of the war, and on his return from the army in 1866, was appointed assistant inter- nal revenue assessor. In 1867 he was appointed mail route agent on the Atlantic & Great Western Railway, between Salamanca, N. Y., and Akron, Ohio. In 1870 he was appointed assistant postmaster at Meadville, in which capacity he served till 1873, when he removed to Pardoe, this county, to

engage in the mercantile business. He was appointed postmaster at Pardoe the same year, and in 1876 formed a partnership with W. D. Keck, of Mer- cer, in the general dry goods business, which is still continued. In the same year, 1876, he was married to Kate S. Carter, of Mercer, who, as well as him- self, is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mercer. He is a Republican in politics, and has served in the postal service continuously for twenty-one years.

J. N. DONALDSON, merchant, was born December 8, 1830, in Mercer County, to William and Jane (Linn) Donaldson, natives of this county. The father was born in 1804 to James and Elizabeth Donaldson, of Scotch-Irish extraction, and the parents of the following children: Smith, Perry, Samuel, Phoebe, Sarah, Elizabeth and Callie. Phoebe married William Woods and died in this county; Sarah married William Thompson and lives in Clarks- ville; Elizabeth married John Fidler and he is dead; Callie married a Mr. Bixby. James Donaldson held during his life advanced grounds on every subject of reform, especially on temperance, slavery, politics and tobacco. He and his wife were active members of the Presbyterian Church. The Linn family is mentioned in another part of this work. William Donaldson was educated in the log cabin schools, and began for himself on a farm with a yoke of oxen and a few farm implements. He and his wife died in 1852, she

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in the evening and he in the morning of the next day. Their children were J. N., Susan, married Andrew Thompson, who died in 1865; Wilson, died while confined in Andersonville prison, as a prisoner from the Union ranks; and Elizabeth, married Thomas Limber and she is dead. The parents of our subject were consistent members of the Presbyterian Church. J. N. Donaldson was educated in the common schools and the old Mercer Academy. He began teaching when eighteen years of age at $12 per month and the patrons to board him. He followed this for five terms. The death of his father changed materially his plans of going to college. He therefore engaged in farming, which he continued until 1859, when he was employed as a clerk in the store of G. W. Mustard for over one year, and was then engaged by Burwell & Thompson, general merchants at Mercer, later A. P. Burwell & Bro., with whom he remained until 1885, when he was retained by F. P. James & Co., the successors of A. P. Burwell & Bro., and when D. V. Stranahan bought this enterprise he remained with him until in 1887, when the stock of goods was burned. He soon after formed a partnership with R. J. Zah- niser in the general dry-goods business, which he continues, and enjoys a large patronage of the people whose confidence he obtained while laboring for the success of his various employers. The firm of Donaldson, Zahniser & Co. is located in the new Miller & Gordon Block with a large stock of goods. Mr. Donaldson was married in 1869 to Amanda Fleming, a daughter of Jos- eph and Elizabeth (Kerr) Fleming, natives of what is now Westmoreland County, Penn. Mrs. Donaldson was one of twelve children: Aaron, Alexan- der, Susan, Amanda, Joseph, Harvey, Elizabeth, Phoebe, Hampton, Frank and two who died young. Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson have no children and are active members of the Second Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he is a Re- publican.

JOHN M. DOUDS, physician and surgeon, was born in Beaver County, Penn., December 17, 1847, to E. H. and Catharine M. (Fronk) Douds, natives of the same county, where they still reside. They are the parents of seven chil- dren: Rebecca M. (deceased wife of Amos Keeler, of Salem, Ohio), John M., Mary (married William Holmes of Beaver County), Elizabeth (married James Irons, of Beaver County), George F. (married Nannie Werghant), Minnie M. (deceased), and Aggie (single, at home). Dr. John M. Douds was educated in the common schools of New Sheffield, Beaver County, Edinboro Normal, Erie County, and finished at Mount Union, Ohio. He taught school ten years in . Beaver County. He read medicine with J. S. Boyd, of New Sheffield, now of New Brighton, and attended the Homoeopathic Medical College of Cleveland, Ohio, for three years, graduating at the same in 1881. He began his practice at Mercer that year, and has built up a lucrative business. He was married June 26, 1879, to Sarah E. Jackson, daughter of Thomas Jackson, of Beaver County. By her he has two children: Thomas C. and Edward H. He is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church.

THE DOUDS FAMILY: John and Mary Douds had the following children: Agnes, Robert, James H., John, Benoni, Eliza, Mary, William W., Edward H., Margaret and Mahlon; Agnes married M. T. Stokes, by whom she had Elizabeth, John D., Mary A., William H., Joseph R., James H., Mahlon S. and Agnes A. ; Robert died when small; James H. was born in 1805, married Margaret Caldwell and had Samuel C., John, Eliza, James H., Mary and Edward H. J .; John married Mary McDonald and had Eliza, Mary H., Martha, Oliver C., John, William, Elvy H. and Margaret D .; Benoni D. mar- ried Mary Irons and had James J., Rachel, John, Mary H., John (2), Robert and Agnes; Eliza married James Moore and had John D., Eliza, Mary H.,

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Margaret, Jane, Joseph and Calvin; Mary married Reason Gamel; William married Rebecca Wyant and had Elizabeth, Mary H., Barbara, John, Henry William, Lehmer, Rebecca, Jane, Margaret and Maria; Edward married Maria C. Fronk and had Rebecca, John M., Mary H., Elizabeth, George, Minnie and Agnes; Margaret married Joseph Irons and had John D., Rachel, Dickson, Mary H., William D., Joseph and Mary A. ; Mahlon married Rebecca Brotherton and had Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary H., David, Brotherton, Margaret and Jane. Mahlon T. and Agnes H. Stokes had Eliza, born in 1814, married William Lehmer and had Alice, Mary H., George, Emma, Laura, Jane and Joseph S. ; John D. married Eliza B. Irvine and had James, Mahlon, Mary, Elizabeth, Emma T. and Harriet A .; Mary A. married Rev. W. Y. Brown and had William; William H., born in 1827, married Sarah J. Spear and had Lizzie and Alfred; Joseph was born in 1830; James H., born in 1831, married Anna McDowell; Mahlon T., born in 1834 and married Hattie A. Criswell; Agnes was born in 1837. Children of James H. and Margaret Douds: Samuel C , married Caroline A. Moore and had Edward H. ; James H., was married twice, the second wife being Rachel C. Bryan, by whom he had Clara B .; John M., married Elizabeth Lebring and had Margaret and Jane; Eliza, married S. Moore and had Margaret. Children of Benoni D. and Mary Douds: Mary, married James Orr and had no children.

J. G. ELLIOTT, attorney, was born March 11, 1838, to B. F. and Mary (George) Elliott of Worth Township, Butler Co., Penn. He was educated in the common schools and at Jefferson College, Cannonsburg. where he was graduated in 1859. He taught school from then until 1863, when he began the study of law with Hon. John McMichael at New Castle. He was ad- mitted to the bar of Lawrence County May 15, 1865, and began practice at Petroleum Center, Venango Co., Penn. He was in partnership with W. W. Marshall, and in one year the firm opened an office at Franklin, where Mr. Elliott prosecuted his profession until 1869, when he had an offer to form a partnership with Hon. David Craig at New Castle, Penn., with whom he practiced one year, and then located in Sharon, December 6, 1870. 'There he remained until 1878, when he came to Mercer and has continued in the work of his profession since. He was married July 7, 1870, to Eva Pearson, daughter of Johnson Pearson, by whom he has four children: George P., Charles T .. Agnes M. and Frank P. Mr. Elliott is a member of the F. & A. M., is a Republican, and with his wife belongs to the Second Presbyterian Church.

HON. JOHN FINDLEY. - One of the prominent early settlers of Mercer County, whose impress has been left upon its institutions, was he whose name stands at the head of this sketch. We take great pleasure in appending an editorial sketch of this pioneer published in the Mercer Whig of December 20, -

1855: "We mourn while we chronicle the decease of Hon. John Findley. He died at his residence in Findley Township in this county on Sunday, the 9th inst., at the advanced age of eighty-two years, leaving behind him a large circle of relatives and friends to lament their irreparable loss. Mr. Findley was a son of Hon. William Findley, of Westmoreland County, who had been so long a member of Congress from this State that in 1815 he was called the "Father of the House," and who was subsequently elected and served one term as governor of Pennsylvania. The subject of our notice was one of the first settlers of this county, having removed to the farm upon which he lived and is now buried in the year 1796, and during his long life felt and manifested a deep interest in the improvement and in the developing of the resources of the county. At that time our county was an almost unbroken

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wilderness, with only here and there, at the distance of several miles, small clearings commenced and rough log cabins erected by the daring and hardy pioneers, a wilderness through which the wild beasts and the remnants of those tribes of Indians who, a few years before, had made the country sur- rounding Pittsburgh their battle-ground, prowled and roamed, and satiated their brutal instincts and the revenge of their savage minds; and even the place where Mercer was located and now stands was covered with the forest. But he has lived to behold vast changes in our country; he has seen the wil- derness "to blossom as the rose," the dense forests have been felled and their places occupied by highly cultivated farms, the farm-houses and the mansions of our citizens have taken the place of the rough log huts of the first settlers, and the county, which then had only a few scattered inhabitants, is now among the most populous and wealthy in Northwestern Pennsylvania, and he has at length, in ripe old age, been "gathered to his fathers." Judge Findley was appointed in 1803 by Gov. McKean prothonotary and clerk of the several courts, and register and recorder of Mercer County, the first appointment made in the county, the duties of which offices he discharged until 1808. He again discharged the duties of the same offices, under appointment from Gov. Heister, from 1821 to 1824. He served for one term as one of the asso- ciate judges of this county, by appointment from Gov. Porter. He also, at different times, held the offices of deputy surveyor general and county sur- veyor for this county, of deputy United States marshal, appraiser of canal dam- ages, etc. The unflinching integrity with which he discharged his official du- ties were in accordance with the correct principles and virtues of his private life. His services as surveyor and his iron recollection have been of incalcula- ble value to our citizens in settling disputes in regard to land boundaries, which can never be replaced. Mr. Findley was during nearly his whole life a professor of Christianity, being a member of the Associate Reformed Church - the church of his fathers -- and in the faith of Christ he lived and in that faith he died." John Findley was married to Elizabeth Amberson, daughter of William Amberson. His children were: William, who became a minister and died at New Castle a few years ago; David, who lived and died in Taren- tum; John Junkin, died at Waynesboro, Franklin County, during the war. Besides, there were two daughters who died in infancy.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 85

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