History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 99

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 99

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Elizabeth Lowrie, daughter of John Lowrie, was born in the city of Ed- inburgh, Scotland, and was twelve years old when the family immigrated to this country. She was married to John Stevens, of what is now Sandy Creek township, Venango county, who built the first mill on Big Sandy, at the crossing of the Franklin and Pittsburgh road. They made that locality their home during his lifetime. They had two children: Nancy and John L .; Nancy was married to John L. Porter, of Richland township, and John L. died at the residence of his mother when a young man. The widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Stevens, was married to Robert S. Whann, of whom an ac- count is given in connection with Mineral township.

THE MCQUISTON FAMILY were among the pioneers of Venango county. The progenitor of the Venango county McQuistons was a native of Ireland, whence he emigrated to Delaware. Three of his sons, David, John and Alex- ander, subsequently settled in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and in 1802 John and Alexander came to Venango county and located upon the land now occupied by C. E. McQuiston, in the northwest corner of the town- ship, upon the Allegheny river. The tract originally contained four hundred and forty-four acres. Alexander McQuiston was twice married; his first wife was a member of the Crawford family, and his second, Abbie Sloan. He had two sons: Clark, who died in the West, and Alexander, a resident of Butler county. He sold his interest in the farm in Scrubgrass township and removed to Butler county, where he spent the remaining years of his life.

JOHN MCQUISTON was born in 1776, in Delaware, and remained upon the land settled by himself and brother in Venango county. He married Nancy Harper of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, May 4, 1802, and died April 4, 1849. His widow survived him until June 27, 1865, and died in her eighty-first year. They reared a family of nine children: Peggy T., who married David Davison; Polly, deceased wife of John McMillin; David H., deceased; Rachel, wife of George Dickson; Jane M., deceased wife of Elijah Williams; Nancy, deceased; Betsey, wife of Hiram Gheer; Martha, wife of John Gordon, and Sarah B., wife of James Cranmer. Mr. McQuiston was a carpenter and cabinet-maker by trade, and carried on that business in con- nection with farming. He was an elder in the Scrubgrass Presbyterian church for many years.

DAVID H. McQUISTON, his only son, was born September 25, 1805, and

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received such education as the common schools afforded. His early life was spent on the farm, upon which he subsequently erected a tannery, and for many years carried on that business. In 1837, in connection with George Dixon, he built a grist mill on the lands of William Burns, which they oper- ated about eight years and then sold to William Brown. He was married January 13, 1826, to Mary, daughter of William Davidson, of Irwin town- ship, by which union eleven children were born to them: Reverend John, of Kansas; William, of Mercer county; James, deceased; David H., deceased; Alexander, of Kansas; Joseph, of Scrubgrass township; Davidson; Ira, of Kansas; Robert, a resident of the same state; Cyrus E., and Hiram G., de- ceased, who served in the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry during the late Rebellion. Mrs. McQuiston died in 1862, and he was again married June 13, 1863, to Martha Ramsey, who bore him no children. He died July 1, 1877, and his widow February 23, 1888.

CYRUS E. MOQUISTON, the tenth son of David H. McQuiston, was born upon the homestead where he now resides, received a common school edu- cation, and has always been engaged in farming. He was married May 19, 1870, to Miss Hannah A., daughter of William Parker of Scrubgrass town- ship. Politically he is a Republican, and both he and wife are members of the Church of God of this township.

JAMES ANDERSON, farmer, was born June 30, 1825, upon the old home- stead where he now resides. He is a son of James and Elizabeth (Pollock) Anderson, the latter a daughter of Charles Pollock (A), who came from Ire- land to Westmoreland county, and thence to Venango township, Butler county, about 1800, where he was killed by the fall of a tree about 1806, at a wood chopping on the farm of Robert Leason. They were married May 25, 1820, and were the parents of six children: Jane, wife of J. P. Riddle; Elizabeth, deceased; Mary; Sarah, deceased wife of Shadrach Simcox; Lu- cinda, who married D. C. McKee, and our subject. James Anderson, Sr., died November 21, 1872. The paternal grandfather, James Anderson, was a descendant of John Anderson, who married Margaret Cook, removed from Tuscarora valley, Pennsylvania, and settled in Butler county in 1801. James, grandfather of our subject, purchased from David Irvine a tract of four hundred acres of land in 1814, situated on Little Scrubgrass creek, in this" township, for which he paid two thousand one hundred dollars-three hun- dred dollars in cash, two hundred gallons of whiskey, and the balance in des- ignated installments. He was largely interested in grist, saw, carding, and woolen mills. He was born in 1761, married Janet Bailey, and died Janu- ary 19, 1842. Their children were: Sarah; Thomas; Mrs. Margaret Gibson; James; Mrs. Nancy Perry; Samuel; John, and Elizabeth. James Anderson, Jr., was reared a farmer, and educated in the schools of the township. He has followed farming all his life, and has been largely interested in the breeding and purchasing of stock. He married Uretta, daughter of Samuel

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

Phipps, who has borne him six children: J. S. P .; Edwin; Samuel P .; James L., deceased; Shadrach A., and Charles, deceased. Mr. Anderson is an ardent Democrat, and was once the Democratic candidate for the legis- lature. He has always taken an active interest in the schools of his town- ship, and is one of the most enterprising citizens of the community.

JAMES LESLIE, deceased, was born in County Derry, Ireland, immigrated to America, and married Hannah Reddick in this state. He lived for a time in Westmoreland county, and February 12, 1817, received a patent for a tract of four hundred and forty-two acres originally warranted by John White, December 31, 1794, and surveyed May 11, 1795. He was among the early settlers of Scrubgrass township, and reared the following family: John, who lives in this township; Jane, wife of William Sloan; James, who lived on a part of said farm until his death; Elizabeth, wife of James Morrison; Hannah, wife of David Morrison; Esther, wife of David Say; Ellen, wife of Joseph Sloan; Mary Ann, and George H. James Leslie was an elder in Scrubgrass Presbyterian church and is buried in the old graveyard at that point.

H. R. LESLIE, farmer and oil producer, was born in 1840, and is a son of James and Sarah (Say) Leslie, and grandson of James Leslie. His father was born in 1802 in Scrubgrass township, and followed farming throughout his life. His children were as follows: David; John; Alvina; James; Eliza- beth, who married George Gates; Hannah, deceased; Margaret, who mar- ried Montgomery Say; George; H. R .; Sarah, deceased wife of C. Say, and Emma, deceased. The mother died in 1857, and the father in 1881. H. R. Leslie was reared upon a farm; in 1868 he engaged in teaming through the oil country, and in the transportation of oil upon Oil creek. In 1876 he returned to the homestead, and has since been engaged in farming and oil producing. He was married in 1864 to Miss Jane Gibbs of Clarion, Penn- sylvania, who has borne him six children: Orris; Carrie, wife of Zenis Clay; Fred; Walter; Della, and Frank. Mr. Leslie is a supporter of the Re- publican party, and a member of the I. O. O. F.

WILLIAM B. SLOAN, deceased, was born February 26, 1796, and was a son of Samuel Sloan, who lived and died near Farmington, Butler county. . William B. married Jane, daughter of James Leslie, September 11, 1817. She was born June 20, 1799, and died December 20, 1866, her husband sur- viving her until April 4, 1871. They were the parents of eleven children, as follows: Hannah, born October 11, 1819; Samuel, December 18, 1821; Leslie, December 1, 1823; Harvey R., February 4, 1825; Hamilton, Decem- ber 5, 1826; Elizabeth, November 21, 1829; William B., August 24, 1832; Eli, July 28, 1834; Mary J., July 21, 1836; Clara, August 31, 1838, and John N., July 30, 1840.

LESLIE SLOAN, oil producer and farmer, son of William B. and Jane (Leslie) Sloan, was born December 1, 1823, on what is known as the Stub-

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BIOGRAPHIES OF SCRUBGRASS.

ble farm, Scrubgrass township, and here he was brought up, attending the common schools. In 1844 he went to live with his maternal grandparents, James and Hannah (Reddick) Leslie, for whom he cared until their death, nine years later, receiving as evidence of their appreciation a farm of eighty- six and a half acres. In 1858 he married Clara, daughter of Robert Por- terfield, of Richland township. They are the parents of two children: Ira, married to Estella Lawrence, and Myra, wife of A. R. Newton, of Em- lenton.

DAVID RUSSELL, who settled in Scrubgrass township upon the lands now owned by the Middleton family, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. He was a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and married Isabel Harper of the same county, who bore him seven children: James, Samuel, David, John, Caleb, Jane, and Catharine, all of whom are dead. Samuel was born in 1780 in Butler county, Pennsylvania, where his parents had lived previous to their settlement in Venango county. In 1824 he set- tled upon a farm where his son, David, now lives, on the Allegheny river, one mile northeast of Emlenton. He married Margaret Thompson who bore him five children: James, Christina Ann, Isabella, Mary, and David. His wife died in 1810 and he married Rachel Haggerty, by whom he had four children: James, John, Thomas, and Margaret. On the death of his sec- ond wife he married Betsey McAfee, to whom four children were born: Caleb, Samuel, Jane, and'Matthew B. Samuel Russell, Sr., was a lieuten- ant in a company from Butler county in the war of 1812. He died in that county in 1877.

DAVID RUSSELL, JR., was born August 31, 1810, and lived with his grandparents until reaching manhood. He has always lived upon the old homestead. He was married in 1835 to Sarah, daughter of Reuben Searls, of Butler county. They are the parents of seven children: Josiah; Mary E .; Annie, wife of Thomas Jolly; Samuel; Alonzo O .; Pearsley, and Lean- der, all dead excepting the last mentioned and Mrs. Jolly. Mr. Russell learned the gun and cabinet making trade, but followed carpentering for many years. In 1868 he leased his farm to William Baum, and there have been eleven producing wells drilled upon it. Mr. Russell is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church and a Democrat in politics.

MOSES PERRY came to Scrubgrass township, Venango county, near the close of the last century and settled upon a two hundred acre tract of land where his son David now resides. His wife, Sarah, was a daughter of William Russell, a native of Ireland and an early settler of this township. They were the parents of the following children: William; Polly, who mar- ried Eli Williams; Margaret, who became the wife of John Parker; James; Phobe, who married Samuel Marshall; John; Elizabeth, who married Ephraim Galbraith; Martha, who became the wife of Charles Stewart, and David. The last mentioned is the only survivor and was born in 1811 on

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

the old homestead upon which he has lived for seventy-nine years. Moses Perry died about 1840, his widow surviving him some two years.

WILLIAM PERRY, eldest son of Moses and Sarah Perry, was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in January, 1792; he came to Venango county with his parents before the dawn of the present century and spent the re- mainder of his life in Scrubgrass township. He was twice married, first to a daughter of James Anderson, who died without issue; as his second wife he married Elizabeth Craig, a daughter of James Craig. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom, four sons and three daughters, grew to maturity; only two of these are now living: Mrs. Norman Patter- son and Mrs. R. K. McBride. Mr. Perry was a man of recognized abil- ity, and a prominent figure in local public affairs fifty years ago. In 1838 he was elected on the Democratic ticket county commissioner, and several years afterward he represented Venango county in the legislature. He was a substantial, well informed man, and is still kindly remembered by a large circle of friends. He died upon his farm in Scrubgrass township April 29, 1877, in his eighty-sixth year. His son, William Perry, Jr., sur- vived him ten years and died on the old homestead, now the property of Miss Elizabeth Riddle, June 21, 1887.

FRANCIS A. MIDDLETON, farmer, is a son of John and Mary (Phipps) Middleton, the latter a daughter of Nathan Phipps, of Clarion county, Penn- sylvania. The grandfather of our subject was James Middleton, a native of Ireland, who immigrated to Centre county, Pennsylvania, in 1792, where he married Jane Anderson, by whom he had three children: John; James, and Mary, who married Thomas Arters. He subsequently removed to Tio- nesta, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1834. His widow afterward married Girard Hunter, of Warren county, Pennsylvania, after whose death she removed to Venango county, and died at the home of her son, John, in 1856. James, the second son, remained in Forest county, where he died in 1885.

John Middleton, father of Francis A., was born in 1799, removed to Scrubgrass township in 1836, where he purchased one hundred acres of land, which he subsequently increased to three hundred. In early life he was engaged in the lumber business, and, in connection with Isaac Ball, built a saw mill on Tionesta creek, in what is now Forest county, and named it Balltown. He was one of the enterprising men of his day, took an act- ive interest in public affairs, and built the Methodist Episcopal church located at Big Bend, Scrubgrass township. He was an ardent Democrat, and died on the 4th of January, 1881, while attending a funeral in St. Michael's Catholic church, at Emlenton. His widow survives him, and resides with our subject upon the old homestead. They were the parents of fourteen children: William S., deceased; Julia Ann, deceased; Jane; Emme- line, deceased; John A .; Isaac S., deceased; Martha A., wife of John Cub-

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bison, of Emlenton; Caroline, deceased; James H., deceased; Wilber; Chris- topher C .; Francis A., Henry B., and Mrs. J. H. Reed. Our subject was born in Scrubgrass township, was educated in the common schools, and reared a farmer, in connection with which he is now engaged in the oil business, having had twenty-nine wells upon his own farm. He was married in 1870 to Catharine, daughter of John and Jane Burns, natives of England. Po- litically Mr. Middleton is a Democrat. His mother is in her eighty-third year, and for the past sixty-nine years has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

W. B. LOVELL, farmer, is a son of Peter and Mary (Brisbane) Lovell. The former came from Centre county in 1819, and settled in Rockland township, where he died in 1835. He was the father of eight sons: Per- kins, John, Jackson, Jesse, Peter, James, David, and W. B. The last mentioned was born January 24, 1820, in Rockland township. His early life was spent at farming and the manufacture of charcoal. In 1858 he purchased his present farm upon which he has since resided. He was mar- ried March 29, 1849, to Miss Jannett B. Anderson, who died in 1887. She was the mother of the following children: Lizzie, deceased; Amanda, deceased, and Thomas A. Mr. Lovell is a Prohibitionist, and a member of the Presbyterian church.

SAMUEL A. W. PHIPPS, farmer, was born on the farm where he now lives July 13, 1837. He is a son of Eli and Rebecca Phipps, the parents of three children: Ann E., who married Lucian Brown; Merelda, wife of Dunham Stacy, and Samuel A. W. The father died in 1841, his widow surviving him until September 30, 1871. The paternal grandfather, Nathan Phipps, was a native of Westmoreland county, and settled in Scrubgrass township about 1796, upon a portion of the farm where his grandson now lives. He married Edith Updegrath, of Westmoreland county, who bore him eleven children: John, James, Elijah, Samuel, Mar- shall, Nathan, Eli, Jacob, Annie, Mary, and Betsey, all of whom are dead, excepting Mary, widow of John Middleton, who resides with her son in Scrubgrass township. Our subject was reared and educated in this town- ship, and has always followed farming. He was drafted in 1862 and served nine months. He was married December 5, 1868, to Miss Sarah C., daughter of Judge Jacob Hale, of Clarion county. Five children are the fruits of this union: Edwin L. P., Homer E. J., Edith E., Harry K., and L. R. Mr. Phipps is an ardent Prohibitionist, a member of the G. A. R. and A. O. U. W., and belongs to the Methodist church of Clintonville.

JAMES P. RIDDLE, farmer, is a son of Robert and Catharine (Phipps) Riddle, the latter a daughter of John Phipps. The paternal grandfather was Matthew Riddle, the progenitor of the Riddle family of Venango county, and one of the pioneers of what is now Clinton township. Our subject was born in that townsnip in 1819, spent his early life therein, and

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

received his education in the common schools. He was married in 1845 to Miss Eleanor, daughter of William Perry of Scrubgrass township. She died in 1851 leaving three children: Franklin, of Kansas; Elizabeth, who resides upon the farm which she inherited from her uncle in the northern part of Scrubgrass township, and Eleanor, wife of Hugh M. Hay, of Oak- land township. He married for his second wife Miss Mary, daughter of Joseph Parks of Scrubgrass township, who has borne him five children: Robert L., of Kansas; Joseph; Mrs. Sarah C. Anderson, of Butler county; Mrs. Emma Fleming, of Mercer county, and Ann. Mr. Riddle is one of the enterprising farmers of the community, and served as county commis- sioner one term,

WILLIAM B. MOORE, farmer, was born March 7, 1843, in Scrubgrass township. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Riddle) Moore, and grand- son of Robert Moore, a sketch of whom appears in connection with Clinton township. Samuel Moore was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, and in 1829 purchased a farm of two hundred acres in partnership with his brother William on the line of Scrubgrass and Clinton townships, where he died in June, 1883, and where his widow still resides. They were the parents of seven children, all of whom lived to man and womanhood: James N., of Clinton township; Robert A., of Scrubgrass; William B .; Mary A., wife of Marvin Mckinley; Jane, wife of Hugh McBride; Caroline, and Eliza L., wife of Montgomery Allison. Samuel Moore took a deep interest in public affairs and filled most of the township offices. William B. Moore was reared upon the homestead, received his primary education in the public schools, and afterward attended the academy at Clintonville. On reaching his majority he engaged in the oil business, working for different companies until 1872, when he purchased his present home in the northwest part of the township, and has since followed agriculture. He was married in 1869 to Miss Mary, a daughter of John Ghost of Clinton township, who has borne him two children: India A., wife of C. D. Carringer, and Kittie E. Mr. Moore and family are members of the United Presbyterian church, and politically he is a Republican.

ALONZO F. PERRINE, oil producer, is a son of Enoch and Catharine (Cal- pus) Perrine, and a descendant of William, who came to this valley from New Jersey in 1800, being a member of one of the oldest families of Mon- mouth county. He settled at what is now known as Perrine Corners in Worth township, Mercer county. The grandfather of A. F. Perrine was Enoch Perrine, a son of William. Our subject was born in 1848 in Mercer county, where he was reared and educated. His early manhood was spent in farming and school teaching. In 1875 he entered the employ of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company as telegraph operator and was located at Franklin for a time and subsequently at Oil City. In 1876-77 he engaged in the mercantile business at Albion, Erie county, Penn-

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sylvania, and in 1878 removed to Sandy Lake township, Mercer county, and engaged in the lumber business. In 1881 he located at Bullion, Ven- ango county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the oil business, and in 1885 settled upon his present place. He has six wells in operation, besides own- ing a farm near Raymilton, Venango county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Perrine was married in 1873 to Miss Prudence, daughter of Sampson Wright of Sandy Lake township, Mercer county, and is the father of six children: Jennie, Frank, Charles, May, Clyde, and Roy. Politically he has always been a stanch Republican. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., K. of L., and K. O. T. M. lodges and in religious views a Methodist.

CLINTON.

THE PHIPPS FAMILY .- Among the pioneers of Venango county, who de- serve prominent mention in its history is John Phipps, who came from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1797 and purchased a four hun- dred acre tract in what is now Clinton township, upon a part of which Robert Witherup now resides. His ancestors came from Bristol, England, with William Penn and settled in Chester, Pennsylvania. Joseph Phipps was one of the nine members elect, who represented Chester county in the first assembly convened at Philadelphia on the 10th of January, 1683. Samuel Phipps, Sr., born in Chester county, in 1735, was a man of remark- able vigor, and lived to the age of one hundred and three. He had eight children: John, a pioneer of Clinton township, Venango county; Sarah, who married William Wise; Samuel, who served under General Wayne and lost his life on the Maumee in the last campaign against the Indians; Rachel, who died unmarried; Joseph, who was accidentally killed; Mary, married to John Duncan; Robert, who married Miss Halferday, and Nathan, who mar- ried Edith Updegraff.

Prior to the time when Joseph Phipps embarked with the Quakers for the proprietaries in Pennsylvania, Solomon Phipps had cast his lot with the Puritans at Charlestown, Massachusetts, and James, the father of Sir Will- iam Phipps, had with others founded a colony near the mouth of the Ken- nebec in Maine, and as a gunsmith and shipbuilder was practically adapted to the necessities of the time and circumstance of his surroundings. As the father of twenty-one sons, of whom Sir William was the youngest, and five daughters, the blood of this remarkable man has been transmitted through many of the old New England families for more than two hundred and fifty years, and has contributed its vital force to the history and develop- ment of his adopted country.

When John Phipps first came to Venango county it was a wilderness, and he suffered the privations and hardships of early pioneer days. He mar- ried Catharine Haney of Westmoreland county, who bore him a family of thirteen children, ten of whom lived to maturity, five sons and five daugh-

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

ters: David; Samuel; John; Robert; Joseph; Mary, who married Levi Will- iams; Sarah, who married Allen McDowell, and after his death became the wife of a Mr. Sloan and removed to Ohio; Catharine, married to Robert Riddle; Elizabeth, who became the wife of Captain Abraham Witherup, and Nancy, married to' George Mckinley.

DAVID PHIPPS, the eldest son of John Phipps, was born in Westmore- land county in 1793, and married Margaret Stewart of Butler county. He was one of the progressive men of his day, and erected one of the very first furnaces in Venango county, in Clinton township. He also built the first woolen mills and saw mills at Kennerdell, and was engaged in the manu- facture of woolen goods and lumber for the surrounding country. He was a Democrat in politics and once the candidate of his party for congress. In 1854 he was elected associate judge, and was filling that position at the time of his death in 1857. Of the union of David Phipps and Margaret Stewart, eleven children were born: Catharine, wife of John Dilley, deceased; An- drew, John, and Jesse, all deceased; Mary, wife of Doctor J. B. McMillan, of Clintonville; William and Eli, both deceased; Sarah, wife of Doctor John Fulton, Beatrice, Nebraska; David, who died in childhood; Margaret, wife of the late Ephraim Parker, of Parker City, Pennsylvania, and David deceased. Of Mr. Phipps' union with Mrs. Rebecca Eakin, second wife, there was born one daughter, Etta, of Idaho Springs, Colorado.

SAMUEL PHIPPS, second son of John Phipps, was born in Westmoreland county November 25, 1795, and was but two years old when his father re- moved with his family to Venango county. He received only such educa- tional advantages in his youth as could be obtained in the primitive schools at that early day, walking several miles morning and evening to secure even that. In later life, when looking back through " three score years and ten" he recalled with delight the days spent in the rude log school house, when his teacher, Isabel Craig, was his favorite friend. With an excellent mem- ory, and a passion for reading rarely known in those days, he became well informed in history, both ancient and modern, and was especially at home in the political events of his own and other countries, becoming a promi- nent member of the debating societies that served the purpose of the higher literary schools of to-day. Books selected with taste and good judgment from the best authors in natural and moral philosophy, history, biography, and the sciences, constituted his library, from which he always derived great enjoyment. Farming in summer and shipping lime and lum- ber for buildings and bridges at Pittsburgh, Wheeling, and Cincinnati in the winter, employed his early years, but later in life he turned his chief attention to his farm, where he had subdued the forest, built the home to which he took his bride on their wedding day, contributed the best years of his life to his family and his friends, and August 9, 1879, in his eighty- fourth year, went to his last, long sleep, fully comforted in the faith of his fathers.

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 99

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co. Number of Pages: 1323

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323