History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 87

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

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R. M. HOPE, physician and surgeon, was born March 27, 1849, son of Hugh and Sarah (McGeehan) Hope, natives of Lawrence County, where the Doctor was also born. James Hope, the grandfather of our subject, was one of the pioneers of Lawrence County, having located there in 1800. R. M. Hope was educated in the common schools, Jackson Academy and Westminster College, began reading medicine in 1871 with Dr. Brough, of New Wilmington, and attended Cleveland Medical College one term, and graduated at the Cincinnati Medical College in 1874. He began practice at North Liberty, this county, and in 1879 left there for Mercer, where he has since remained. He was married to Sarah J. Kirkpatrick, and has two children, Paul and Eveline.

J. P. HOSACK, physician and surgeon, was born February 10, 1822, in the borough of Mercer, and in the house where he now resides. His father, Henry Hosack, was a native of Adams County, Penn., whence he came to what is now Findley Township, this county, in 1799. He subsequently came to Mercer, and learned the shoemaker's trade with Henry Anderson, and followed that business until his death, which occurred April 23, 1861. He married

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Elizabeth Paxton, by whom he had the following children: John D., born April 12, 1813, fell from a hickory tree when eight years of age, and died three days later; Martha, born March 14, 1815, married George Lindsey, and died March 20, 1853; James, born January 8, 1818, and died August 16, 1824; Sarah, born June 3, 1820, married John R. Lindley, now resides in Springfield, Mo., a widow; John P. and William C. (twins), the latter of whom died August 12, 1824; Jane E., born July 9, 1824, married John L. Sheriff, and died July 9, 1848; Gwinthlain, born February 8, 1827, and died March 7, 1827; and Eliz- ebeth, the mother of Dr. Hosack, died December 3, 1858. The parents were members of what is now the United Presbyterian Church. Our subject attended a pay-school until he was twelve years of age, when he entered the store of Judge D. T. Porter, of Mercer, as a clerk, where he continued for some time. He was very attentive to his books at nights, and studied Latin under instruction of William H. Scott, then an attorney at Mercer. He subse- quently studied under D. H. A. McLean, and Greek, Latin and French under Hon. Samuel Griffith. After a period at Cannonsburg, prosecuting his studies in Jefferson College, he began the study of medicine in 1843 with Dr. James Magoffin, of Mercer, and attended the Cleveland Medical College, making the trip to that city by stage in 1845, and returning home in March, 1846, by means of a sled. He at once entered upon the practice of his profession in Harrisville, Butler County, and in 1848 attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He then came to Mercer, where he has since remained, and has done much to help build up the town and surrounding country, having been instrumental in helping to establish the public schools of Mercer and to get the railroads to the county seat. After passing a satisfactory examination at Harrisburg, under Prof. H. H. Smith, surgeon general of Pennsylvania, he responded to the call of his country, and went out as a surgeon in the One Hundred and First Pennsylvania Volunteers. In November, 1861, he went with Hartranft in the Fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, with the promise that he would be sent back to the One Hundred and First Regiment, but stayed with the Fifty-first until after the surrender of Vicksburg, when he resigned, thinking that the war was virtually ended, and came home. He was married to Margaret G. Forker, daughter of Gen. John Forker, and by her had the following children: John F., born September 7, 1847, superin- tendent of Scott's Coal Mines, of Scott Haven, Westmoreland County; Henry, born February 28, 1850, died February 22, 1851; Jane, born January 22, 1852, now principal of the preparatory department of the female college at Bellevue, Neb., near Omaha; Mary, born August 16, 1856; George, born July 8, 1858; Isabella, born July 4, 1864, was graduated at Mount Holyoke Sem- inary in 1887, and is teaching at Thyne Institute, in Virginia. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer. He was a Democrat at the breaking out of the war, when he became a strong Republican, to which party he still lends his influence. He was one of the early members of the Mercer County Medical Society.

A. I. HoON, physician and surgeon, was born May 17, 1856, in But- ler County, Penn., to Anthony and Mary A. (Beatty) Hoon. His father was born in Lewistown, on the Susquehanna River, in August, 1817, and his parents moved with him to Butler County when he was thirteen months old. On that same farm he has lived for more than seventy years, and has filled various civil offices. His marriages gave him twelve children, seven of whom, with his second wife, are living. The Doctor's grandfather, Henry Hoon, was of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Our subject remained at home until the age of seventeen, after which he attended

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

school successively in Butler, Pittsburgh and Allegheny City. He then taught school two years in Chartiers, when he decided to study a profession. He pur- sued his classical training at Westminster College. He then read medicine in the office of Drs. Dickson, the noted surgeons of Pittsburgh; attended his first course of lectures in the medical department of Michigan University, and his second course in the medical department of the University of the City of New York, where he was graduated with honorable mention as to rank. He was also for one year resident physician in the Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, Penn. He began private practice in Wilmington, Vt., where he remained over two years, and removed to Mercer in 1883, where he has already secured a large patronage. He was married November 30, 1882, to Miss Nettie M. Wilson, of Allegheny City. He and his wife are members of the Second United Pres- byterian Church of Mercer.

SAMUEL HOSACK, livery, was born November 14, 1849, in this county, and his parents, James and Mary (Crill) Hosack, are mentioned in another part of this work. Samuel was educated in the common schools, and was brought up on a farm. He engaged in the livery business, in Mercer in 1881, and is doing a good business.

JOHN HUTCHINSON, retired farmer, was born in this county. His father, John Hutchinson, emigrated from Ireland, his native country, and settled in East Lackawannock Township, Mercer County, in 1824. He was married in his native country to Margaret McKelvy, who blessed him with three children before coming to America: Jane, the wife of James Forsythe, of Jefferson Township, whose sketch appears elsewhere; Alexander and Andrew. Alexan- der went to California from this county in 1849, and subsequently to the Sandwich Islands, where he established a large sugar plantation, and there died. Andrew settled for awhile in California and is now a resident of Ore- gon. After settling in this county there were born to John and Margaret Hutchinson the following children: Richard lives in Oregon, and deals in cat- tle; John, born May 1, 1827; William lives in East Lackawannock Township, and James, who died small. John Hutchinson was an enterprising farmer in good circumstances at the time of his death, which occurred in September, 1880. His wife died many years before him. They were members of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. John whose name heads this sketch, was educated in the com- mon schools, and was brought up on a farm. He was married in 1877 to Susan, daughter of Samuel Shannon, one of the early settlers of what is now East Lackawannock Township. He remained on the old homestead until 1884, when he bought his present elegant residence and removed to Mercer, where he lives a somewhat retired life. He has always been an ardent Democrat, and is a strict temperance man. He and his wife are members of the Second United Presby- terian Church of Mercer. Further mention of the family will be found in con- nection with a sketch of William Hutchinson, of East Lackawannock Township.

W. B. ISENBERG, dentist, was born in Huntingdon County, Penn. He was educated in Alexandria, that county, and began the study of dentistry with Dr. E. P. Stewart, of Sharon, with whom he remained for nine years. In 1878 he located in Mercer, and at once took the lead in his profession. By strict attention to his business he has built up a large patronage. He was married in 1875 to Miss Ella McGoun, a native of Sharon, and a daughter of Nicholas McGoun, deceased. The Doctor is a member of the A. O. U. W. and the R. T. of T. He is a Democrat in politics, and is one of the progress- ive young men of Mercer County. He and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Mercer.

WILLIAM JACK, merchant tailor and ex-county clerk, was born in Washing-

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ton County, Penn., February 8, 1833. His father, Robert Jack, was a native of the same county, and was of Irish extraction. Mary Arthur, the mother of William Jack, came to this county with her parents in 1838. They settled in Worth Township. Here his mother died in 1865, her husband having died in Youngstown in 1873. Their children were: Hannah (married F. A. Filson), Francis (died small), Jane (deceased), Robert (deceased), Mary A. (widow of Thomas Black), Nancy (married William M. Gibson), Eliza (married James Such, of Youngstown, Ohio), and William. The mother was a member of the Second United Presbyterian Church. Our subject was educated in the com- mon schools and the Mercer Academy. His teachers in the academy were: Anna Babcock, Catharine Hunter, Nellie Devitt, a Miss Howard and George W. Zahniser. He began to learn the tailor's trade when thirteen years of age, with his brother-in-law, James Such, and finally finished his trade with A. J. Greer. He then bought the business of A. J. Greer, and continued to conduct it until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served in the Sixth Corps for about three years. He participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam, Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania and the Wilderness. On his return from the war he resumed his trade, having his shop at his residence. He was afterward employed by John Braden and Thomas Conley as a cutter. He continued to hold this position with the change of the business from these men to George Gillett. He finally bought out the last named gentleman, and in two years purchased the interest of Byers & Miller, with whom he had been engaged in partnership. He was elected county clerk in 1885. He has been a member of the town council and school director. He had always taken a deep interest in the Republican party, having cast his first presidential vote for Fremont. He was married October 13, 1859, to Margaret I. Moore, daughter of Ex-Sheriff John Moore, and has by her the following children: Belle A., Helen M. and one deceased. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and with his wife and children belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

W. D. KECK, merchant, was born January 7, 1850, in Greenville, son of John Keck, mentioned in the biographical chapter of Greenville. Our subject was educated in the Greenville schools and brought up in his father's store. He attended a commercial college at Mount Union, Ohio, beginning at the age of fifteen years, from which institution he was graduated. After clerking a while for his father, he was employed by Lawton, Burnett & Co., coal operators, and subsequently was employed in the office of Gen. Mckibben, then superintendent of the Shenango & Allegheny Railroad, where he remained . two years. He was then engaged as agent for a railroad at Mercer, and three years later he severed this connection, entered his present partnership, and has built up an extensive business. He was married to Miss Eva Stewart, daughter of James Stewart, by whom he has two children: James M. and Louese. He has been a member of the borough council of Mercer, is chief of the fire department, is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Greenville, is a stanch Republican, and one of the enterprising business men of Mercer.

WILLIAM KILE, hardware dealer, was born September 29, 1837, in what is now Lawrence County. His father, Robert Kile, was born in Ireland, and immigrated to Lawrence County in 1817 with his parents, William and Nancy Kile. Here the family settled, and the old homestead is in the possession of John Kile, the youngest son of William Kile, who, together with his wife, died thereon. He married Ann Reed, a native of Ireland, who came to America with her parents, John and Jane Reed, and settled in North Beaver

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Township, Lawrence Co., Penn., about the year 1810. Her parents located about two miles from the Kiles, and in 1843 the parents of our subject re- moved to what is now Jefferson Township, this county. Here Robert estab- lished himself among his neighbors, as one of the most enterprising and worthy citizens of the community in which he dwelt. He served as a justice of the peace for twenty years, was deeply interested in the schools of his day, and was school director. He was identified with the Whig party, and later united with the Democrats. He died in 1884, a member of the United Pres- byterian Church. His widow survives on the old farm, and is a member of the same church. William Kile was educated in the common schools and West- minster College, at New Wilmington, Lawrence Co., Penn. His early life was spent on a farm. He was married in 1861 to Harriet, a daughter of Robert Fruit, whose sketch appears in this volume. The result of this union has been one son, R. M., who is engaged in the store with his father. When starting out for himself Mr. Kile engaged in farming. In 1862 he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served in the defense of his country for nine months. On his return from the war he resumed farming. In 1879 he formed a partnership with J. C. Logan in the general hardware business in Mercer. In this he has been

very successful. In 1885 they erected a large building, in which they are now located. In 1881 he was called on by the Republicans to serve as sheriff of Mercer County, to which he responded, and filled the position with credit. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, held at Chicago in 1888, which nominated Gen. Benjamin Harrison for President of the United States. He and his wife are members of the Second United Presby- terian Church of Mercer.

GEORGE KING, furniture dealer and undertaker, was born in 1845 in Mercer County, to Robert and Hannah (Forker) King, natives, the father of England and the mother of Mercer County. The father immigrated to this county at the age of eighteen years. He died in 1877, and his wife died in 1876. They had nine children: Mary married Thomas Masford; John is dead; George, Newark, Hannah, Henry, Robert, Kate married John Runkle; Samuel and one deceased. Our subject attended the common schools, and was brought up at farm labor. In 1869 he and his brother, Newark, engaged in his present business, and six years later Newark withdrew, and George has conducted the business ever since. He gives his entire attention to his enterprise, and con- sequently is successful. He was married August 10, 1880, to Lidia Motheral, by whom he has three children: Lula, Walter and Paul. Mr. King is a Democrat, and he and his wife belong to the First Presbyterian Church. He is one of the enterprising citizens of Mercer, and merits the large patronage accorded him.

COL. WILLIAM A. KREPS, sheriff of Mercer County, was born in Franklin County, Penn., March 27, 1846, and is a son of Jacob F. and Eliza (Turney) Kreps, the former a native of Greencastle, Franklin Co., Penn., and the lat- ter of Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., the same State. Jacob F. grew to manhood in his native county, thence moved to Westmoreland County, where he met and married Miss Eliza Turney, daughter of Adam and Hannah (Weber) Turney, pioneers of Westmoreland County. The father of Elizabeth Weber was the founder of the Reformed Church in Westmoreland County, Penn., when that county comprised a large portion of the western part of the State. Among the many churches which he assisted is a prominent one on Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh. Col. Kreps' father, Jacob F. Kreps, soon after marriage returned to Greencastle, where he was in the mercantile business for

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many years, and was also postmaster of the town. He reared eight children:

Catharine, wife of Dr. J. Q. Robinson, of West Newton, Penn. ; George R.,

of Greenville; Hannah, wife of A. E. Dravo, of Allegheny County, Penn. ; John W., of Allegheny City; Francis A. M., a deceased business man of Allegheny City; Adam T., of the firm of Hamblin Sons & Co., Greenville; David D., of Greenville; William A .; two others were deceased in early life. In 1849 the

family removed to West Newton, where Mr. Kreps went into the foundry busi- ness, and subsequently the mercantile trade. During the war Mr. Kreps retired from active business. His wife died in West Newton, Penn., March 3, 1887, where he died in May, 1888, aged eighty-two years. He represented the Repub-

County, and in September, 1864, when in his eighteenth year, he enlisted in county throughout his active life. Col. Kreps grew up in Westmoreland lican party in the Legislature one term, and was one of the leading men of his

the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, being mustered out July, 1865. In 1869 he located in Greenville, where he

had become interested in the lumber business with his brother two years

prior to his coming. The firm of Kreps Bros. carried on the leading planing- mills and lumber yard in Greenville, up to its destruction by fire, April 1, 1887. Col. Kreps was married to Lucetta Taylor September 22, 1875. She is a daughter of William G. Taylor, one of the deceased business men of the town. Of this union five children have been born: George R., Corrinne S.,

Ida B., William Gregg and Thomas A. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Politically Col. Kreps is a stanch Republican, and November 8, 1887, was elected sheriff of Mercer County. May 29, 1875, Col. Kreps organized Company K, Fifteenth Regiment Pennsylvania National Guards, of which he was elected captain, re-elected in 1880, elected major in 1883, and colonel in July, 1884, which position he is now filling. He belongs to the I. O. O. F., and is one of the enterprising citizens of Mercer County.

JOHN LOGAN, deceased: A Mercer paper said the following: " After a few days of illness a life of usefulness suddenly terminated. We regret deeply that we are called upon to chronicle the death of the subject of this memoir, which occurred at his residence on West Market Street, February 10, 1883, at 5:30 P. M. As previous mention has been made, his sufferings were from pneumonia, he having been sick about two weeks. During last week his condition seemed a little more hopeful, but he had become very weak and his system proved unable to rally. Hope faded on Friday and Saturday until the end came as stated, while surrounded by many who watched with sorrow as the sufferer slowly yielded his life, and the spirit passed to the great unknown. Mr. Logan was born in 1825 in Pittsburgh, and was therefore in his fifty- eighth year. He was reared in Allegheny County, where he lived until 1858, when he came to this county and joined his brother William, who survives, and who had preceded him to this locality, in the improvement of a tract of land about two miles north of Mercer, in Cool Spring Township, owned by James McCully, of Pittsburgh, an uncle of the deceased. In 1858 he was married to Miss Anna Howard of this place, who with her two children sur- vives him, In company with his good wife they industriously conducted the farm until 1873, when, by the death of Mr. McCully, Mr. Logan inherited a competency, consisting of the farm upon which he lived and a large quantity of property in the city of Pittsburgh. Soon following this he purchased his late residence and moved to Mercer, giving himself up to retirement. In early life he connected himself with the United Presbyterian Church, and for many years was an active member and officer of the same. At the time of his death he was superintendent of the Sabbath-schools connected therewith. He was

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also a member of our borough school board, and proved a very valuable and efficient officer. His early demise is greatly mourned, and his substantial worth will be missed in every arena in which he moved. The genuineness of his character was shown by the manner in which he received his sudden rise to affluence, the same kind, genial spirit being found regardless of his circum- stances. The funeral was largely attended, the schools dismissing in his honor, and the Sabbath-schools, of which he had been a leader, attended in a body to perform the last sad rites of friends." His widow's parents, William and Mary (Glasgow) Howard, emigrated from Ireland to this county about 1829. They had eleven children: Adam, William, Rosannah, James A., David, Samuel, Eliza J., John A., Silas S., Anna M. and Robert W. The father was born February 27, 1781, in County Antrim, Ireland. He died at Mercer in his ninety-third year. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and on his arrival in this country united with the United Presbyterian Church, of which he was an upright and consistent member. Mary, his wife, died in her eighty-sixth year, and was also an earnest worshiper at the United Presbyterian Church.

WILLIAM LOGAN, retired farmer, was born April 1, 1819, in Pittsburgh, to John and Jane (McCully) Logan, natives of County Antrim, Ireland, who immigrated to America in 1818. They settled at Pittsburgh, and in 1823 or 1824 settled on a farm in Allegheny County, where they died. They had five children, two. of whom are living: William and Samuel. The parents were connected with the Reformed Presbyterian Church. William Logan was edu- cated in the country schools, walking a long distance through the woods. He began for himself at the age of twenty-four years. In 1845 he came to Mer- cer County, and located on a farm in Cool Spring Township, where he remained for nearly twenty-eight years. In 1877 he moved to Mercer, where he has lived a somewhat retired life ever since. He was elected president of the First National Bank of Mercer in 1877, and has held the position since. He was married in 1843 to Eliza J. Wilbe, daughter of Andrew Wilbe, of Alle- gheny County, Penn. By her he had nine children, eight of whom are living: John C., married Sarah Roberts; William H., married Mary Cornell; Andrew; Mary J .; Samuel, a jeweler of Mercer; Sarah, married P. C. Emery; Martha, and Arminta. Mr. and Mrs. Logan are consistent members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mercer. Mr. Logan is a Democrat with pro- hibition proclivities.

R. G. MADGE, burgess of Mercer, was born September 3, 1843, in Lacka- wannock Township, Mercer County, to Robert and Sarah (Gilky) Madge, the former of whom was a native of England, who came, when twelve years old, with his father to Northumberland County, where they stayed four years and then moved to Mercer County. Robert's history will be found in Lackawan- nock Township. Our subject spent his early boyhood on the farm, attend- ing the country schools of that time. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C, Fifty-Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until the close of the war, doing most gallant and effective service. He was in the Army of the Potomac in the battles of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and Second Bull Run, and carried the regimental colors at the battle of the Wilderness. Twice in that fierce and bloody fight were the colors shot from him, but each time only to be raised again by the brave and dauntless hand that carried them. He was taken prisoner at Richmond and confined for seventy-six days in the fol- lowing prisons: Castle Thunder, Libby and Belle Isle. Capt. Houser, of, Chambersburg, was his captain for over one year. Returning home, he settled on his father's farm, where he remained until 1876. One year was spent in

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selling fruit trees through the county. In 1870 he took the census of East and West Lackawannock, Wilmington, Jefferson and Shenango Townships and West Middlesex Borough, and the remainder of the time he was engaged in farming. January 1, 1876, he began his duties as clerk for the county. commissioners, which position he filled very acceptably for six years, when he resigned to accept the office of county clerk, to which he had been elected in 1881. Having served his term of three years he was retained by his successor as deputy, which position he has continued to hold until the present time, indisputable evidence of his ability and popularity. In 1866 he was married to Rebecca L. Gault, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Banks) Gault. Her parents having died when she was quite young, she was brought up by her aunt, Mrs. A. J. Burgess. By this union there were six children: A. W., Laura M., Rebecca A., Sarah E., Fannie M. and R. F. He and his wife are members of the First United Presbyterian Church of Mercer, and he is super- intendent of the Sabbath-school. He is a member of the K. of H., and a strong Republican, by which party he was elected burgess of Mercer in 1888. His brother, J. G., is pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at Dalton, Ohio.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 87

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