History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 232

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 232

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1876 .- Burgess, James Jones; Council, W. H. Cleaver. HI. Richardson, Edward Sprowls, J. H. Leyda, David Mitchell, J. M. Grable.

1877 .- Burgess, James Jones; Council, E. Sprowls, Thomas Richardson,

L. Beadsworth, A. Finley, J. H. Leyda, R. L. Jones.

1878 .- Burgess, James Jones; Council, E. Sprowls, F. J. Richardson, L. Beadsworth, Jacob Grable, A. Finley, W. II. Clenver.

1879 .- Burgess, D. L. Howell ; Assistant Burgess, Daniel Kerr; Council, Richard Hoffman, Isaac Morris, Jacob Grable, D. Kerr, Mort. Rich- ardson, R. L. Jones.

1880 .- Burgess, A. J. McCormick; Council, Benjamin Crouch, David Mitchell, W. F. Richardson, John Salters.

1881 .- Burgess, James Jones; Council, M. Morton, J. T. Scott, E. Sprowls, D. Mitchell, R. L. Jones. E. Leyda.

1882 .- Burgess, A. J. McCormick ; Council, J. F. White, E. Sprowls, R. L. Jones, Hudson Crouch, Noah Norton, Henry Scott.

The justices of the peace have been as follows :

John W. Stephens, April 13, 1873. David Mitchell, March 17, 1876.

Juhu W. Stephens, Jan. 21, 1874. : J. F. White, March 28, 1879.

Wilson Kerr, March 24, 1874. Jeremiah Sprowls, April 9, 1881.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WILLIAM SMITH.

William Smith was born on Mingo Creek, Notting- ham township, Washington Co., Pa., June 28, 1804, the youngest in a family of six children of William and Mary (Caldwell) Smith. His father was born in

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

County Tyrone, Ireland, was married there, and emi- grated to America in 1798. He first settled on Mingo Creek, Nottingham township. In 1807 he purchased a farm of one hundred and six acres, situated on East Chartiers Creek, on the southern limit of North Stra- hane township. It was mostly woods. Both he and his wife were members of the Pigeon Creek Church. He was an honest, hard-working man, a devoted hus- band, a kind father, and a good citizen. He died July 20, 1840, aged eighty-two. His wife died Aug. 10, 1844, aged eighty-five. Both are buried at Pigeon Creek. Their children were Sarah, James, Margaret, Ann, Maria, and William. All were born on Mingo Creek, except Sarah, who was born in Ireland. The latter was the wife of Robert Hanna, moved to Har- rison County, Ohio, where her husband died. She then returned to Washington County, and lived with her brother William until her death.

James married Prudence Hanna, sister of Robert. He settled on a farm about three miles above Wash- ington, and died there in about six months.

Margaret lived and died at the residence of her brother William. Neither Sarah nor James had chil- dren. Sarah, James, and Margaret are buried at Pigeon Creek Church.

Ann was the wife of Dr. Joseph Caldwell, who died in Butler County. She had children as follows : Wil- liam, Mary, James, Bell, Margaret, Samuel, Sarah, and Joseph, all of whom except Margaret married and raised families. Samuel Caldwell has been for many years one of the officers of Dixmont Hospital. Mrs. Caldwell died in Allegheny City and is buried there.

. Maria was the wife of Robert McCaskey. She lived and died in Allegheny County. They had one son, Joseph. All deceased.

William Smith lived at the homestead until twenty- eight years of age. His schooling was limited to at- tendance at the old log school-house in the neighbor- hood. The management of the home farm devolved upon him after reaching his majority, his father with- drawing from its oversight. He married, Feb. 2, 1832, Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (Riddle) Van Eman. Mrs. Smith was born April 14, 1803, on the place now occupied by her son, Andrew Wylie Smith.

From savings during his stay on the home farm Mr. Smith purchased a farm of seventy acres in Somerset township, and after marriage moved to it, continuing, however, the management of the home farm, which came into his possession upon the death of his father.

In 1854 he purchased of James McDowell the grist- and saw-mills on the East Branch of Chartiers Creek, rebuilt and remodeled them, and has carried them on ever since. But farming has been the principal busi- ness of his life, and his success has been exceptional. He has dealt extensively in Spanish merino sheep and in Durham cattle. He has added from time to

time to his original purchase of seventy acres until he has, nearly in one body, six hundred acres of land.

In politics a lifelong Democrat, but no seeker of office. He united with the Pigeon Creek Church in 1832, and has been an elder, also a trustee, in the same for many years.

His first wife died April 18, 1874, and is buried at Pigeon Creek. By her he had children as follows :

James, born May 9, 1834, died Oct. 29, 1834.

Andrew Wylie, born Nov. 5, 1835, married Sarah Ann Doak. Residing and carrying on one of his father's farms in Somerset township. Children are Robert D., William A., Ollie F., and Elliott Wylie.

Mary C., born Jan. 1, 1839, widow of L. L. Whitely, living at Vanceville, Somerset township. Children are William S., Annie M., Frank, Sarah H., David, Margaret, and Laken L.

Elizabeth R., born Dec. 10, 1841, died April 2, 1859.

Margaret, born May 3, 1843, wife of John Davis, farmer, living in Somerset township. Children, Wil- liam D., Wylie W., Lizzie May, John Marcus, Van Eman D., and an infant daughter.

William James, born June 17, 1845. Married Jane, daughter of Thomas McNary. Living upon and car- rying on the homestead farm. Children, Thomas McNary, Lizzie, William, and Ella.

Sarah Jane, born June 20, 1847. Wife of Andrew N. Haggerty, a theological student at the Allegheny Seminary.

Mr. Smith married again Nov. 9, 1875, Eleanor, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Boyd, and widow of Isaac Wall.

Since his last marriage Mr. Smith has settled on a place in Somerset township, near his mill property, and has withdrawn from active business.

He was among the earliest advocates of the tem- perance cause, and has been a leading man in church affairs. Enjoying in the fullest measure the love and affection of a large family circle and the best esteem of his fellow-men, his declining years may be well made bright by the consciousness of a life well spent.

JOHN S. BARR.

William Barr, a gentleman of Scotch-Irish parent- age, a native of Londonderry, Ireland, emigrated to America, and settled in Somerset township, Washing- ton Co., in 1818. From the same county and parish came his future wife, Mary Boyd, in 1824, and set- tled in the adjoining township of Nottingham. They were married soon after her arrival, and the number of their children was eight. The oldest of them, John Scott Barr, was born Jan. 26, 1827. His father died when he was twelve years of age, and the man- agement of the farm, upon which there was a pay- ment soon due, devolved upon him. He devoted himself assiduously to the work of freeing their home from debt, and was so successful in his labor that he soon found himself " out of debt and out of danger."

& Po Harchines

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SOMERSET TOWNSHIP.

The careful and attentive business habits of his youth have attended his maturer years, and have se- cured for him an elegant home, in which he is sur- rounded by the comforts and even luxuries of life. His instinetive uprightness in his dealings with his fellow-men, charity for the' worthy poor, and gener- ous support of all measures tending to promote the interests of Church and State mark him as a man worthy of the esteem in which he is held by his neighbors.

Nov. 25, 1852, Mr. Barr married his first wife, Mary Gibson, who died March 12, 1855, leaving one daugh- ter, who bears her mother's maiden name, and resides with her father. After Mr. Barr's first marriage he lived upon the farm where he was born until his wife's death, when he removed to his mother's home upon an adjoining farm, where he remained about eight years, and then moved to his present residence.

Jan. 26, 1865, he married Mary S. Pattison, of In- diana County, Pa. By this marriage there were three children ; Mary J. is the only one living. William W., the oldest, and John A. S., the youngest, both died in infancy.

In politics Mr. Barr was in early life a Whig, and afterwards a Republican. He has held various town- ship offices, and in 1872 was elected commissioner of Washington County, which position he held for three years. He has discharged all public trusts with fidelity. He responded to Governor Curtin's call for men to repel Gen. Lee's invasion of Maryland, and served in a Canonsburg company until the Confeder- ate army retreated into Virginia. When sixteen years of age he united with the United Presbyterian Church, in which he has held all the offices imposed upon laymen by that denomination. He now holds the position of elder in the church, as did also his father and grandfather.

JACOB SWAGLER.

Jacob Swagler is of the third generation of his family in Washington County, and was born Feb. 11, 1830, upon the farm where he now resides. He is the son of Jonathan and Sarah (Horn) Swagler, who were married May 4, 1815. They had ten children, seven of whom are living. Of those living, Solomon, Eliz- abeth, Eliza J., and Susanna reside in Ohio. Deli- lah, John, and Jacob are residents of Washington County. Jonathan learned the business of farming, which he followed all his life. He was noted for his industry and sobriety. He died in 1876, in the eighty-third year of his age, and his grave is in the family burial-ground upon the farm, beside that of his wife, who died in 1872, aged seventy-five years. Jon- athan's father, Jacob Swagler, Sr., was a native of Germany, from which country he emigrated when a young man, and settled in Eastern Pennsylvania. He remained there but a short time, and then came to Washington County, Pa., where he purchased the

farm now owned by his grandson Jacob. The deed given him by the State for this farm bears the signa- ture of Governor Thomas Mifflin, the date Feb. 15, 1798, and is known as "Swagler's Delight." He married Christina Huffman, a woman of German de- scent, and raised a family of six children, but one of whom, Jonathan, made his home in Washington County. Jacob Swagler, the present owner of the farm, deeded to his grandfather in 1798, and upon which he was born and has spent his entire life, was married Nov. 25, 1858, to Levina Tombaugh, by. whom he has one child, who bears her mother's name, and is mar- ried to John S. McDonough, a farmer of Somerset township, Washington County. Levina (Tombaugh) Swagler died Feb. 25, 1860, and Sept. 12, 1863, Jacob married Julia A. Voorhes, who died Sept. 19, 1872. By this marriage there are three children, all of whom reside with their father. They are Annie M., A. J. C., and Lizzie. Jacob married his present wife, whose maiden name was Mary Morris, Sept. 26, 1874. They have one child, Bertha Cecelia. Mr. Swagler in- herited valuable possessions from his ancestors, a re- spected name, lands, etc. His aim has been to keep the name unsullied, and the testimony of those who know him best is that he has succeeded. His well- directed labor has also added largely to his landed inheritance. In politics he is a Republican, having been a member of that party since its organization, and in religion a communicant of the regular Baptist Church.

JOHN W. STEPHENS.

The first of the Stephens family of whom there is any special record was one John Stephens, who emigrated from Wales when seventeen years of age, and settled in Eastern Pennsylvania, probably in Bucks County. He had a son Levi, who came to Fayette County, Pa., when about eighteen years of age, as official surveyor. He took land as a remuneration for his services, and at one time owned all of the land now in possession of his numerous offspring, residing in Washington town- ship, Fayette County. He married Elizabeth Brown, of Chester County, Pa., and to them were born nine children, two of whom died in infancy. The children who grew to manhood and womanhood and married were Nathaniel, Sarah, John, Levi, Nancy, Elizabeth, and Thomas.

The eldest of the children, Nathaniel, married for his first wife Elizabeth Dodson, by whom he had nine children. 'His second wife was Mrs. - Houseman, née Shepler, and by this marriage there was one child. Nathaniel was a farmer, and spent his life upon the Stephens homestead in Fayette County. His oldest son, John D., married Mary Nutt, of Chester County, Pa. Their children, all of whom are living, are Lee P. and Hannah, John W., Nathaniel and Mary, and Ezra N. John D. Stephens spent the early part of his married life in Allegheny County, Pa. He then re- moved to Fayette County, where he engaged in farm-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ing and also established a nursery, being one of the pioneers of that business in his section of the country. His son, John W. Stephens, whose name appears at the beginning of this sketch, was born Dec. 14, 1823, upon the bank of the Monongahela River, in a house built by the men sent out to suppress the " Whiskey Insurrection," now the property of James G. Blaine. John W. Stephens spent his early years in work upon his father's farm. He received his education in the district schools and Allegheny College. After leaving college he remained with his father for a short time, and then went to Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pa., where he engaged in the foundry business with his uncle, Richard Miller.

Jan. 7, 1851, he was married to Margaret J. Bent- ley, daughter of Sheshbazzar and Hannah K. Bent- ley, of Bentleysville, Washington Co., Pa. By this marriage there were six children : Amanda Edmonia, died Aug. 23, 1856, aged four years, two months, and nineteen days; Franklin M., who was educated in the common schools, Mount Union College, Ohio, and Washington College, Pennsylvania, is now a student of medicine with Dr. J. Y. Scott; William P. mar- ried Elizabeth White, and is a merchant in Bentleys- ville; Charles Edgar is now in the employ of Neil, Blythe & Co., of Monongahela City, learning his trade; Henry B. resides at home, and is a farmer ; Sheshbazzar, the youngest, died Oct. 18, 1867, aged two years, one month, and twenty days. In 1851, soon after his marriage, Mr. Stephens removed to Bentleysville, and engaged in farming, in which busi- ness he has been interested ever since. Here his resi- dence has been since the date above named, with the exception of two years spent upon a farm which he purchased in Allegheny County, Pa. During his residence in Bentleysville he has also been engaged in the business of merchandising.' In politics he was in his early manhood a Whig. Upon the organiza- tion of the Republican party he united with it, and has since labored to promote its principles. He at- tended the first convention of the Republican party in Pittsburgh in 1856. During the civil war he was " draft commissioner" for Washington County. In 1878 he was elected a member of the State House of Representatives by a flattering vote, his colleagues from the county being Hon. Findley Patterson and Hon. John C. Messenger, both Democrats. While he has been earnest in his efforts to promote the inter- ests of the party of which he is an honored member, he has not been a place-seeker, his inclination being for the work of his early years, that of farming. In business he has been successful. While he has not amassed a large fortune, he has accumulated a com- petence, and enjoys it. For forty years he has been an active member of the Methodist Church. Modest, frank, and manly, a self-respecting gentleman, he has the confidence of a large acquaintance.

S. R. HAWKINS.

S. R. Hawkins, late commissioner of Washington County, was born and reared in Somerset township, upon the farm where he now resides. His grand- father, William Hawkins, one of the most prosperous of Washington County's early-day farmers, married Nancy Mozier. They had but one son who grew to manhood, John Hawkins, father of S. R. Hawkins. John was twice married, first to Sarah A. Young, by whom he had three children,-William, S. R., and Henry, all living. After the death of his first wife John Hawkins married Susan Farmer, by whom he had six children, four of whom are living. He died April 17, 1880. His second wife died a few years previous to that date. S. R. Hawkins, who is a thrifty farmer in the prime of life, obtained his edu- cation in the common schools, and learned the busi- ness of farming with his father. When he became of age he settled upon a farm not far from his present home, and which he still owns, and where he and his wife, whose maiden name was Josephine Richardson, lived until his father's death, when they moved to the old homestead. They have no children. Mr. Hawkins is a member of the Methodist Church of Beallsville. In politics he and the numerous Haw- kins family are distinctively Republican. He has been elected to important township offices by his party, and was one of the Republican county com- missioners for three years, his term expiring with the year 1881.

WILLIAM SMITH, JR.

William Smith, Sr., and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Caldwell, were natives of County Tyrone, Ireland. In the year 1798, after their mar- riage, they emigrated to America and settled in Mingo Creek, Nottingham township, Pa., where they remained about eight years, when they removed to a farm now owned by their son William. Here Wil- liam Smith, Sr., died July 20, 1840. His wife, Mary (Caldwell) Smith, died Aug. 10, 1844. Their chil- dren were Sarah, who was born before her parents left Ireland. She married Robert Hanna, and lived in Harrison County, Ohio, until her husband's death, when she returned to Pennsylvania and made her home with her brother William until her death in 1876. One child, an unnamed infant, died while they were crossing the ocean. James married Pru- dence Hanna, and resided in Washington County until his death in 1840. Margaret never married. She made her home with her brother William. She died about ten years ago. Ann married Dr. Joseph Caldwell. She died at her home in Pittsburgh several years ago, leaving a family of eight children, all mar- ried. Maria married Robert McCasky. She died soon after marriage, leaving one son, who is also dead.

William, the youngest, and only one living of the

Jacob Swagler

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SOMERSET TOWNSHIP.

children, was born June 28, 1804. His lifetime home has been near the place of his birth. His judgment is excellent, and he has always borne an unsullied character for integrity. He has led the life of a farmer mainly, has been prosperous in his busi- ness, and is a man of wealth. He has been a life- long Democrat, but not a politician. He is a gentle- man of genial temperament, possessed of good social qualities, and is popular. He is an elder in the church, a despiser of all vices, and is noted for the purity of his life.

William Smith, Jr., was married Feb. 2, 1832, to Elizabeth Van Eman, who was a granddaughter of Nicholas Van Eman, a native of the town of Eman, Holland, who married Mary Wilson, of Wales. It is not known at what period they came to this country. They first settled near Wilmington, Del. They came to Washington County prior to 1781, and settled upon "Little Chartiers Creek," taking up a large tract of land under a "tomahawk improvement." The name was changed to Van Eman after their settlement here. The children of Nicholas and Mary Van Eman were George, Nicholas, Andrew, Garrett, Katie, Polly, Betsy, Susan, and Polly. After the death of their father, which occurred in 1781, his land was divided among his three sons, George, Nicholas, and Andrew, his son Garrett having gone to Kentucky several years before that date. George settled on the farm now owned by Joseph Clokey. Nicholas settled on the farm now owned by William Berry. Andrew settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, An- drew W. Smith. They all obtained patents for their land in 1786. Andrew Van Eman married Elizabeth Riddle in the year 1788. Their children were Catha- rine, who married John McCully. They resided in Washington County for a time, and then removed to Jefferson County, Ohio, where she died. William married Sarah Logan, and moved to Ohio, where he remained but a short time when he returned to Wash- ington County, and settled upon a farm near Burgetts- town, where he was engaged in farming until quite old, when he sold out and went to his daughter's home in Guernsey County, Ohio, where he died Oct. 10, 1874. Mary married James Wilson. She lived for some time after her husband's death, in 1856, with

her son Thomas upon a farm now owned by Horner Donley, and afterwards lived with her daughter, Catharine Weirs, where she died March 25, 1872. Jane, who was born Oct. 28, 1794, married her cousin Andrew, son of George Van Eman. She died at the residence of her daughter, Harriet Walker, of Monroe County, Mo. John died Oct. 23, 1820, in the twenty- fourth year of his age. Margaret, born Feb. 10, 1799, married James McDowell, and resided for some years in Washington County, when she moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, when she died. David remained single, and lived for some years after the death of his parents upon the old homestead with his sister Han- nah. He then sold out and went West, where he spent some time, when he returned to his native county, and spent several years with A. W. Smith. He died in Guernsey County, Ohio, Aug. 30, 1878, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. Andrew was born May 29, 1805. He married Elizabeth Taylor. He resided for a while after marriage in Washington County, then went to Adams County, Ohio, thence to Kansas, and is now a resident of Colorado. Hannah was born Oct. 24, 1807. She resided with her brother David for a long time, and is now living near her old home. Elizabeth Van Eman, wife of William Smith, Jr., was born April 14, 1803, and died April 18, 1874. She was a worthy Christian woman, ready at all times to sacrifice her own comfort for the good of those around her. She was constant in her efforts to instill into the minds of her children the true principles of the Christian religion. Her husband's success in life was in a great measure due to her frugality, self-denial, and industry. To them were born seven children,- James, died in infancy ; Andrew W., married Sarah A. Doak, and resides upon a farm once owned by his maternal grandfather. His children are Robert D., William A., Ollie Florence, and Elliott W .; Mary C., married Laken Whitely; Elizabeth, died when in her seventeenth year; Margaret, married John Davis; William J., married Jane MeNary, their children are Thomas McNary, Elizabeth, William, and Ella ; Sarah J., married Andrew Hagerty, at present a stu- dent in the Theological Seminary of Allegheny City, Pa. William Smith, Jr., was married to his second wife, Eleanor Wall, Nov. 9, 1875.

SOUTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP.

THE old township of Strabane was one of the | Jonathan Martin, April 10, 1855. original townships of the county, and embraced the present territory of North and South Strabane, the township of Washington, and part of Canton town- ship. The township of Washington was taken from it between 1785 and 1790, but the exact date has not been ascertained. At the March term of the Court of Quarter Sessions of 1790, there was presented a petition of "inhabitants of the townships of Strabane and Washington," praying for the division of Strabane ' into two townships by a division line running "along the Road leading from Redstone to the Town of Wash- ington, and the Road from said Town to Wells' Mills, to cross Chartiers Creek at Pumphrey's Ford." The petition was granted, and this certificate sent to the Executive Council. From the boundary mentioned it cannot be determined where the new township was located, nor can any knowledge of its existence as a township be obtained from record or recollection.

In December, 1792, there was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions the following :

" The petition of sundery of the Inhabitants of the lower end of Stra- bane and upper end of Nottingham townships: Whereas a number of the Inhabitants of Nottingham township are within Washington election district and frequently attend at Washington at the annual election, and often without an Inspector, and we conceive some doubts may arise respecting the validity of their votes, we scarsly hint at things, not doubting, if your Honours think fit to make any arrangement by add- ing that part of Nottingham to Strabane township."

The addition was made by order of the court, in accordance with the prayer of the petition, and from that time the territory of the township remained practically unchanged.

At the October term of court in 1831 a petition was presented to the court of Washington County asking that the township be divided. Viewers were appointed, and returns made, and at the May term of court in 1831 the petition for division of the township was granted, and order issued erecting North and South Strabane as separate townships.

Following is a list of justices of the peace elected in South Strabane township from 18401 to the pres- ent time :.

Dickerson Roberts, April 14, 1840. Robert Colmery, April 14, 1840.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 232

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216