USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 25
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Nathaniel Hurst, who is supposed to have been one of the older children in the family of John and Ann Hirst, left his home in Bucks county and obtained a warrant of survey for three hundred acres of land in Westmoreland county, April 3, 1774, for three hundred acres additional, July 1, 1784. and for two hundred and eighty-five acres and twenty-three perches, February 10, 1796. He and his wife crossed the mountains on pack horses, and settled about five miles from what is now the borough of Mount Pleasant, where he took up nine hundred acres of wild land, above mentioned, which is now known as the Hurst Settlement. Here they erected a log cabin and began life under the most adverse circumstances, as the Indians were on all sides of them, and many nights when the husband and father was out watching for an attack by the In- dians, the mother with her little family would seek shelter in the underbrush, feeling safer there than in the cabin. By degrees they cleared and cultivated the land, which soon became productive and yielded them a goodly return for their labor. They lived to be well advanced in years, were respected by their 2-11
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neighbors, and the supposition is that they were members of the Presbyterian church. Their children were as follows: Nathaniel, a farmer, who spent his life in Mount Pleasant township ; Thomas, a farmer of Mount Pleasant town- ship ; James, mentioned hereafter ; and John, who located and reared a large family on a farm purchased for him by his father.
James Hurst, son of Nathaniel Hurst, the founder of the family in West- moreland county, was born, reared and spent his life in Mount Pleasant town- ship. He followed the occupation of farming, owning a portion of the original homestead, possibly upwards of two hundred acres, and was one of the pros- perous and thrifty men of the community. He married Sarah Blackston, daughter of James B. Blackston, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. Their fam- ily consisted of the following children : James B., mentioned hereafter ; Joseph, who was a farmer of Mount Pleasant township; John, who resided for some years in Fayette county, where his death occurred ; Nathaniel, who was a farmer of Fayette county ; Nancy, who became the wife of Ebenezer Moore, a farmer of Fayette county ; and Priscilla, who became the wife of Samuel Miller, a farmer who resided in the vicinity of Latrobe.
James B. Hurst, son of James and Sarah ( Blackston) Hurst, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1799. He was reared on the old home- stead in Mount Pleasant township, and prior to his marriage settled on a farm in Tyrone township, Fayette county, where he resided at the time of his death from apoplexy in 1845. About the year 1829 he married Mary Long, daughter of Alexander Long, and her birth occurred in Tyrone township, Fayette county, about 1812 or 1813. Their children were : Alexander, deceased ; Prissly, de- ceased : Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of a Mr. Shallenberger ; William, «leceased ; John, mentioned hereafter ; and Frances, deceased, who was the wife of J. W. Shawman. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Hurst was married to James Cunningham, by whom she had two children : Elias L., proprietor of a hotel at North East, Pennsylvania ; and Mary J., deceased.
John Hurst, son of Pames B. and Mary (Long) Hurst, was born July 6, 1839. in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on his father's farm, educated in the common schools, and followed farming until his removal to Scottdale, Westmoreland county, in 1882. Here he established a mercantile business, which was later taken charge of by his sons, William and Harry R., who conducted the same for a time and then disposed of it to outside parties. During this time, however, he was employed at the trade of carpenter, which he followed for several years. In 1903 he erected a fine pressed straw colored brick block, one of the finest in the borough of Scottdale, at the corner of Pittston and Hickory streets, in which his son Harry R. has established a dry goods store on the first floor and rear of the second floor, and the front part of the sec- ond floor is occupied by Mr. Hurst and family as a residence, and the third floor is divided into apartments for residential purposes. He is a man who has always had the best interests of the community at heart, and is ready to assist in any way toward the betterment and uplifting of man- kind. He was a member of the school board of the borough for six years, rendering valuable service during that period. He is a member of the Pres- byterian church. In April, 1860, he married Euphemia Parker, daughter of John Parker, who bore him the following children: Mary J., died in April, 1904, aged forty years ; she was the wife of William Owen, also deceased ; William, mentioned hereafter ; Harry R., mentioned hereafter; Candace, wife of G. F. Kelly, who is engaged in the real estate and insurance business at Scott- dale ; Gertrude, unmarried : James B., who is engaged in the clothing and fur-
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nishing business at Scottdale ; and Edward, who is a student in the Pennsyl- vania State College.
William P. Hurst, eldest son of John and Euphemia ( Parker) Hurst, was born January 26, 1863. He was educated in the public schools and remained on the farm until 1880, when he came to Scottdale and in company with his brother Harry R. conducted a mercantile establishment for several years. In 1889 he engaged in the coal business, prospecting and locating coal properties in Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio for other parties, and in 1891 began oper- ating on his own account at Smock, Fayette county, where he opened mines which he operated until 1894, when he disposed of the same. In 1895 he opened mines at Pine Hill, Somerset county, which he operated until 1898, and then dis- posed of them. He then entered West Virginia, locating in Barbour and Pres- ton counties, where they will operate on an extensive scale, and having in view the establishing of a large coking plant, operating under the firm name of the Midland Coal and Coke Company. He was also the promoter of the Clements Coal and Coke Company. Barbour county, West Virginia, the Candace Coal and Coke Company, Barbour county, West Virginia, and the Kingwood Coal and Coke Company, Preston county, West Virginia. Mr. Hurst is man- ager of the above named plants and virtually takes the same roll for the Mid- land Coal and Coke Company. The whole scheme covers a territory of about nine thousand acres, and all of the properties produce a good grade of coking coal. He is one of the live, energetic men of the county, and stands in the front rank of the best people in the community.
Harry R. Hurst, second son of John and Euphemia ( Parker) Hurst, was born August 9, 1865. He attended the common schools until sixteen years of age, and then engaged at clerking for Keister & Co., at Owensdale, Fayette county, a company store, where he remained two years. He then came to Scottdale with J. S. Parker & Co., whom he served for five or six years, and was then employed with E. Dunn at Connellsville, proprietor of a dry goods store, for five years. He had, however, during this time had charge of the dry goods establishment of Hurst & Co., which position he held until engaging in his present business, in 1899, succeeding W. J. Murphy, a dry goods mer- chant. He located on Pittston street and there remained until 1903, when he moved into his present handsome quarters in the block erected by his father. He has a space of forty by one hundred feet, and the first floor is devoted to dry goods, notions, and ladies suits, while the second floor is well stocked with a full line of carpets, oil cloths, linoleums, lace curtains, window shades, etc. His stock is clean and of the very finest quality, up-to-date in every respect, and is one of the best selected and most attractive in that section of the county. He is a thorough business man, prompt and reliable in all his transactions, and his name is a synonym for integrity. Mr. Hurst married, January 1, 1896, Harriet Anderson, daughter of George W. and Amanda ( Smith) Anderson, a native of Westmoreland county. Two children are the issue of this union : John R., and William W. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.
P. O. PETERSON, president of the Peterson Business College, one of the leading educational institutions of the borough of Scottdale, of which he was also the founder, is a young man of more than usual business capacity, full of energy, vigor and vim. He was born in the vicinity of Pleasant Unity, West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, May 24. 1876.
His great-grandfather on the paternal side came from Germany during the latter half of the eighteenth century, and settled in New York state. Elias
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Peterson (grandfather), son of the founder of the family, was born and reared in New York state, and when a young man came to Pennsyvania and settled near Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland county, where he purchased a farm which he cultivated and operated during the remainder of his lifetime. He was one of the successful and representative farmers of his day and community, and wielded an influence for good in his neighborhood. He was a devout Christian man, and an elder in the Presbyterian church. He was twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret McCall, bore him eight children, all now deceased, but who attained years of maturity, namely : Thomas, Elias, Henry, James, Abner, John, Hannah, and Margaret. The sons went west and became prosperous and prominent men, James having been a jurist in Kansas, Abner a jurist in Illinois, and Henry a state senator from Iowa. His second wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth McChesney, bore him five children : Jennie, who died at the age of twenty-one years ; Harriet, who died in young womanhood ; Sarah, wife of George Geiger, residing on the old Peterson home- stead near Pleasant Unity : Aaron, a shoe dealer of Mount Pleasant ; and Noah G., mentioned hereafter. Elias Peterson (grandfather) died in 1855, aged six- ty-seven years.
Noah G. Peterson (father), son of Elias and Elizabeth ( McChesney) Pe- terson, was born on the old homestead, reared to farm life, educated in the public schools and academies, and received a business training in the Vermilian Institute. During the time of securing his education he was also engaged in teaching, beginning the latter vocation when a lad of but sixteen. He taught and attended school for some ten years thereafter, since which time he has fol- lowed various callings, principally, however, that of farming and bookkeeping, and in 1903 he associated himself with his son in the conduct of the Peterson Business College at Scottdale, he taking charge of the commercial department, bookkeeping, etc. He is a member of the Reformed church. He was married November 27, 1873. to Rachel Smith, daughter of Henry and Lavina ( Fiscus) Smith, and three children were the issue: A child who died in infancy ; P. O., mentioned hereafter : and Elizabeth, who was educated at California State Nor- mal and Pennsylvania Business College, and is now ( 1905) principal of the shorthand department in the Peterson Business College of Scottdale.
P. O. Peterson was reared on a farm and received his primary education in the public schools of the neighborhood. This was supplemented by a course at the California State Normal school at California, Pennsylvania, graduating in the class of 1900; the Bliss Commercial College, from which he was gradu- ated : the Zanerian Art College, of Columbus, Ohio. He had, however, taught public school for five years in Westmoreland county prior, to attending the State Normal. In 1902 he began work as a teacher in a business college at Mckeesport, Pennsylvania, and in the fall of 1903 established the Peterson Business College at Scottdale, and although there are two old established insti- tutions within a radius of some fourteen miles, the school has prospered and the first class graduated in June, 1904, comprising forty-five finished pupils, which is an evidence of the vim with which the school was inaugurated and started on its way. The school gives a complete and thorough business train- ing in all its various branches, but they make a specialty of penmanship, book- keeping, shorthand and typewriting, but at the same time all the other branches relating to a business education receive careful consideration. The attendance the second year doubled the first, and this is ample proof of the popularity of the institution and its excellent corps of instructors.
Mr. Peterson married, October 10, 1901, Evalyn Johnson, daughter of
2. Имовайта.
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W. L. and Catherine (Hysong) Johnson, of Lycippus, Westmoreland county, and two children are the issue : Esther and William. The family are members of the Reformed church, in which body Mr. Peterson is deacon and superin- tendent of the Sabbath school connected therewith.
JAMES E. NEWINGHAM, proprietor of the Newingham livery and sales stables, at Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and one of the leading and substantial business men of that progressive town, was born in Allegheny county. Penn- sylvania, September 7, 1863, the son of Henry S. and Rose Ann (Byerly) New- ingham, both residents of Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. He is the grandson of David Newingham, ex-sheriff of Westmoreland county.
James E. Newingham was but a small child when his parents took up their abode in Pleasant Unity. There he was educated in the public schools, and when a lad of fifteen years learned the trade of saddle and harness making, in wluch he became very proficient. He worked at his trade for eight years, and then removed to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he was for two years in the employ of the firm of I. D. Pores & Company, in the hardware and grocery business. His next removal was to Scottdale, where he and his father estab- lished themselves in the livery business in the spring of 1887, succeeding Mr. William Herbert in the business. After three or four years Mr. Newingham succeeded to the entire business, which he has since conductd with the most gratifying success. This is one of the leading establishments of its kind in Scottdale, and Mr. Newingham carries a full line of driving and saddle horses, besides all kinds of hacks, carriages, etc. He is a live, energetic business man, and is to be congratulated on his well-deserved success. He also conducts an extensive business in buying, selling and shipping horses to the eastern mar- kets. He is a patriotic, public-spirited man, and is interested in all enterprises for the public good. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, No. 777.
February 14, 1895, he was united in marriage to Mary Emma Ogle, daugh- ter of William D. Ogle, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. The following named children were the issue of this union: Frank Ellsworth, Ralph H., Nellie B. Mr. Newingham and his family are members of the German Reformed church. Their residence is at 124 Market street, Scottdale.
LAWRENCE WINSHEIMER. Michael Winsheimer, founder of the family in America, after locating at Greensburg remained only a few years, when he removed to Indiana county, where he bought one hundred acres of woodland at two dollars per acre from the Holland Land Company, and on this tract he "settled," as one of the pioneers of that section. The tract was part of the primeval forest, abounding in immense timbers of various species, and inhabited by bears, deer and other wild animals of the larger type. He lived to be eighty-seven years old, while his wife died at the age of ninety years. Their remains are interred at the Five Point school house, north of the town of Indiana. He was the father of five children : Lawrence, George, Margaret, married John Smith; Mary, married Augustus Vogle; and Michael, Jr.
Lawrence Winsheimer was born June 1, 1817, near Nuremberg, Germany, and landed in America with his parents. Michael and Elizabeth (Karline) Winsheimer, December 30. 1837. The family located at Greensburg, West- moreland county. Pennsylvania, where Lawrence continued to reside for a priod of sixty-eight years, or until his death, which occurred October 28, 1905. his age being eighty-eight years, four months and twenty-seven days. He was
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always actively identified with the interests and progress of the town. He was a tailor by trade, and for over forty years was engaged in the clothing business. In politics he was a loyal Democrat, and never failed to attend the polls and cast his vote. He was honored by his party with election to the office of cor- oner of Westmoreland county for three successive terms, and on one of these occasions received the largest majority, over five thousand, ever given a Demo- crat in this county During his incumbency as coroner he officiated tempor- arily as sheriff, because of the technical disqualification of that official. He was mayor of Greensburg in 1872, and also served on the town council at other times. He was constable for several terms, and precinct register of the Second ward for the ten years preceding his demise, his successive elections being made almost unanimous because of his great popularity. He was an intelligent, ex- emplary, upright citizen ; a lifelong and consistent member of the First Li- theran Church, and for many years an officer in the congregation. lle enjoyed the fullest measure of esteem and confidence of all who knew him, and left an honorable and untarnished name as the richest eulogy to an exemplary and blameless life.
Lawrence Winsheimer married, February 15, 1845, Anna Margaret Zeise, which union continued for fifty-seven years, or until her death, which occurred January 18, 1903. She was a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Zeise, who came from Germany to America when she was an infant and also located in the vicinity of Greensburg. Their marriage was something out of the ordinary. The nuptials were performed by the Rev. M. J. Steck, and two other couples were married by the same ceremony, viz. : Augustus Vogle to Mary Wins- heimer and Augustus Graff to Louisa Smith. Of the seven persons connected with this triple wedding Mr. Winsheimer was the final survivor. Lawrence Winsheimer was the father of six children: 1. George Stineman, auctioneer, living in Greensburg, born July 21, 1847; married Priscilla Blose Murray; father of four children : Eva Gertrude, married George Mendell, of Wheeling, West Virgania : Etta Rebecca, George Huff, mining engineer, and Archie Stewart, died at the age of three and one-half years. 2. Dr. William Jack, den- tist, lives at Parker's Landing, Pennsylvania, born March 29, 1849; married Jennie C. Agnew. 3. Mary Elizabeth, born August 26, 1851 ; married James Filmore Steele : living in Greensburg. 4. Harriet Lucetta, born June 28, 1853; married John B. McQuade, living in Greensburg, and mother of two children- Catherine and Lawrence. 5. Thompson R., of whom later. 6. Dr. Edward Lawrence, born November 20, 1860, dentist, living at Parker's Landing, Penn- sylvania.
THOMPSON RICHARD WINSHEIMER, born November 30, 1856, educated in the common schools of Greensburg. He began active life by working on the construction of the Southwest railway from Greensburg to Connellsville. He learned the printing trade in the office of The Westmoreland Democrat, and November 23, 1882, with his cousin, Benjamin Franklin Vogle, bought that newspaper plant, in which business he has since been continuously engaged. He has been content to follow the pursuits of the editor of a weekly newspaper in a country town, doing his duty fearlessly in the discussion of public measures and political conditions from an absolutely conscientious standpoint. Knowing only the honest principles of Democracy, as established by the founders of the party, he has always been aggressive in striking at and exposing political crook- edness within the party, and to his persistent efforts, perhaps more than any other man, after a fierce and prolonged battle, in 1903-4, in which friendships of a lifetime were canceled, were the vampires which hung at the throat of the
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Westmoreland county Democracy shaken off. As a man of keen perception in the newspaper field and as to his capabilities in discovering and handling live subjects, he has full recognition with the profession and reading public. He is also the business man of The Democrat and has brought to that paper a line of patronage that keeps the plant in a healthy condition. The newspaper busi- ness is his life work, although as a side line or diversion he has contributed to the world something of poetry, music and history, not of the classical order, but in the lines of sweetness and simplicity that appeal to the heart as well as to the mind. Like the ordinary political journalist he has participated in the elevation of local great men to positions of honor, trust and profit, and has subsequently shared in the fate so common to newspaper men of forgetfulness and ingrati- tude. He has contributed of his energies to the development and progress of the community, while others, perhaps, reaped the ultimate benefits without a thought of his labors ; he has advocated morality in society, cleanness in politics and public affairs, advancement and expansion of the local business world, and felt gratified and satisfied when success resulted in any of those directions. Mr. Winsheimer married, April 7, 1881, Lydia Melissa Widaman, daughter of the late John Michael and Catherine Miller Widaman, of New Stanton, and later of Irwin.
WILLIAM FERGUSON, member of the firm of Owens & Fergu- son, furniture dealers and undertakers, of Scottdale, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, was born in Ayershire, Scotland, October 29, 1869, the son of John and Sarah (Bell) Ferguson.
John Ferguson and his family emigrated to this country from Scotland in 1882. He came here for the purpose of assuming charge of some furnaces in the vicinity of Pittsburg, but the methods employed in such business here were so vastly different to those he was accustomed to in his native land that he soon gave up the proposition and removed to East Huntingdon township, near Scott- dale, where he purchased a small place. Mr. Ferguson was a devoted member of the Presbyterian church until his removal to East Huntingdon, after which he affiliated with the United Brethren church. His wife was Sarah Bell, and their children were : Anna J., deceased ; Benjamin, a mechanic of Dayton, Ohio ; he was one of the first to introduce the Encaustic tile in America ; Thomas, a marine engineer of New York city : William, deceased ; Sarah H., wife of Sam- uel Campbell, of Greensburg; William, deceased ; John, deceased ; William, mentioned hereafter; Ruth, widow of Joseph Graham, of Latrobe, Pennsyl- vania ; Robert, deceased ; and Frances Ellen, deceased. The death of John Fer- guson occurred in February, 1899.
William Ferguson, eighth child of John and Sarah ( Bell) Ferguson, ob- tained his education in the public schools, first at Hurst and later at Eversam school house. At the age of thirteen he left school and removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he was for three years in the employ of his brother. He then re- turned to the old homestead near Scottdale, and found employment with the Mc- Clure Coke Company, being in the employ of this firm for three years. He then established himself with J. W. Ruth & Company in the planing mill business, and after several years thus occupied, in company with Mr. D. N. Carroll, es- tablished the Scottdale planing mill, conducting the business under the firm name of Carroll, Ferguson & Company, and achieved considerable success. This arrangement existed for three years, when Mr. Ferguson sold his interest in the planing mill. He then studied embalming in the Barns School of Em- balming, Chicago, Illinois, of which institution he is a graduate. In 1900 he
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formed a partnership with Mr. James Owens, and in August of that year they entered into their present furniture and undertaking business at 326 Pittsburg street, Scottdale. Both of these gentlemen are enterprising, progressive men, and they conduct a very successful business, carrying a full line of furniture, linoleum, carpet, wall-paper, etc., the embalming department being presided over by the proprietors, who are both capable embalmers. They occupy a building twenty by one hundred feet, two floors, with a wareroom sixty-four by one hundred feet. The business is constantly increasing, owing to the honest and exact business methods employed. Mr. Ferguson holds membership in the I. O. O. F., Scottdale Lodge, No. 885, and the White Star Encampment. He represented lis lodge at a meeting in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the O. of A., Scottdale Council, No. 24, of which he was president in 1903 ; and member and ex-treasurer of B. P. O. E., Scottdale Lodge, No. 777. Mr. Ferguson married, September 11, 1890, Sallie O. Mumaw, daughter of George and Lizzie Mumaw, of East Huntingdon township. Their children were Maud Ruth, George Mumaw, John Mumaw. Mr. Ferguson and his fam- ily are members of the United Brethren church, and have their residence at 302 Laucks avenue, Scottdale.
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