History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 109

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

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his daughter, Mrs. James Smith, a lady who enjoys with him the esteem and good will of the public.

Mr. Jackson married Miss Mary A. Litle, a daughter of William Litle, of Washington County, and formerly of Buffalo Township, and they have had nine children born to them, namely: May, who is the wife of E. E. Lindley, of Homestead, Pa .; Blanche E., who is the wife of Edward Clem, of Indianapolis, Ind .; Gertrude, who is the wife of Homer Griffith, of East Finley Town- ship; Cecelia, who is the wife of James Smith, of Clays- ville; William O., who resides at Pittsburg; James R., who lives in New Orleans, La .; and Eva and Winifred, both of whom reside at home; and Mrs. Melvin, of Claysville. Mr. Jackson and family are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is serving as a trustee. The handsome new church edifice of this denomination was dedicated July 4, 1909, and Mr. Jackson was chair- man of the building committee that so satisfactorily at- tended to the financial affairs during its construction.

ANDREW RUSSELL JEFFREY, a public spirited and substantial citizen of Cross Creek Township, where he owns a valuable farm of 172 acres, for many years carried on large argricultural operations there and then moved his family into Washington. He was born in Cross Creek Township, Washington Co., Pa., March 17, 1853, and is a son of Robert and Eliza (Russell) Jeffrey.

A. R. Jeffrey obtained a district school education. When twenty years of age he became a farmer and con- tinued in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, paying considerable attention to stock raising, making a specialty of hogs and sheep. He divides his time pleas- antly between his city and his country homes.

On September 30, 1880, Mr. Jeffrey was married to Miss Clarinda Hutchinson, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Jobs) Hutchinson, residing near Taylorstown. They have had four children, all of whom were afforded every educational advantage. Anna Louethel, the eldest, resides at home, and is the capable bookkeeper for the Washington Glass Manufacturing Company. Elsie M. is deceased. Bertha G. and Hazel also live at home. The former is one of the four qualified pharmacists from Washington County, who passed the examination held at Pittsburg, in the fall of 1908.

Mr. Jeffrey and family attend the Third Presbyterian Church at Washington, having formerly been members of the United Presbyterian Church at Hickory, in which Mr. Jeffrey was a trustee at different times. He has been a Republican ever since he cast his first vote. On many occasions he was nominated to different township offices, but his liberal views on public improvements and his known advocacy of good roads and superior schools, prevented him being supported by the majority

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

of the tax payers. He has the satisfaction, however, of knowing that his standards are those recognized by the most worthy type of good citizens.

JAMES FINDLEY BOYD, oil producer, with interests in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, has been iden- tified with the oil industry since 1889. He was born near Sandy Lake, Mercer Co., Pa., September 30, 1865, and is a son of Barber and Isabel (Burrows) Boyd, and a grandson of Thomas and Nancy Boyd and of George and Mary Burrows.

The father of Mr. Boyd was a farmer through all his active years and he and wife still live in Mercer County. In politics he is a Democrat and both he and his wife are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They reared the following children: Guy F .; Sylvester B .; James Findley; Nannie, who married George Eckles; Mary, who married M. D. Haggarty; Walter F .; Lina E., who married Frank Osborne; and Newton G.

James Findley Boyd went from the public schools of Mercer County to McElwaine Institute, a preparatory school at Lebanon, Pa., and after four years of close study was most creditably graduated there. Later he attended the State Normal School at Edinboro and sub- sequently taught school for five terms in Mercer County. He then turned his attention to the oil industry, a business which was assuming large proportions in Penn- sylvania, and after spending two years in Warren County he came to Washington County, in which he has ever since made his home. Formerly he was rig-builder and also forman for the South Penn. Oil Company, but is now individually interested.

On September 14, 1899, Mr. Boyd was married to Miss Marian Oldfield, a daughter of Joseph and Marian (Simpson) Oldfield, who are residents of McDonald. Mr. and Mrs. Oldfield have the following children: Thomas, Robert, Emma, Marian, Elizabeth and Joseph. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is an Independent. He served three years in the borough council, but otherwise he has not filled political office. He is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow, in the former fraternity being a member of Garfield Lodge at McDonald and of Chartiers Com- mandery, and has attained to the thirty-second degree. Mr. Boyd is one of the well-known and representative citizens of Washington County and through many years of experience, has become an authority concerning the oil industry.

WILLIAM WYLIE, who, for the past twenty years has followed his profession, that of a civil engineer, at Washington, maintaining an office at present at No. 131 Jefferson avenue, was born November 10, 1859, in Can- ton Township, Washington Co., Pa., where he spent his early life, and is a son of Robert, a grandson of William

and a great-grandson of Robert Wylie, all of whom have been identified with Washington County.

The first of the family to locate in Washing County, as a pioneer, was Robert Wylie, who came directly from Ireland in 1761, and became a strong civilizing person- ality. His son, William Wylie, was born in Canton Township, September 25, 1800, and engaged in farming and merchandising. His son, Robert Wylie, was also born in Canton Township, August 25, 1830, and still resides there, occupying a farm adjoining the old Wylie homestead and still interested in farming, wool buying, and oil production.

William Wylie, of Washington, went from the Canton Township schools to Washington and Jefferson College and later took a commercial and mathematical course in the Iron City Business College at Pittsburg. For a time he was then associated with his father in the wool busi- ness but since has given his entire attention to his pro- fession, now residing at No. 131 Jefferson avenue.

He is competent in every line, his work including mining engineering, bridge, railroad and water works construction, having served as chief engineer in planning and constructing many systems of electric railways, water works and coal works. He also designed and built thirty of the first solid concrete bridges in the county, and he has designed many successful structures for the companies which have employed him, that later became standard and were adopted and copied by other engineers at every chance. For the past three years Mr. Wylie has been in the employ of the county commissioners in bridge and highway work as county engineer. He is a director in the Real Estate Trust Company and a stockholder in the Pittsburg Coal Company and in several other finan- cial institutions.

On June 16, 1885, Mr. Wylie was married to Miss Mary W. Gist, who was born August 27, 1861, and is a daughter of J. C. Gist, of Brooke County, W. Va. Through the Revolutionary heroes, Christopher Gist, and Isaac Heaton, she is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. They have three children: Eliza- beth Beall, born October 6, 1887, a graduate of the Washington Seminary; Clara Virginia, born November 21, 1891, a student at the Washington Female Seminary ; and William Clark Gist, born January 24, 1898. Mr. Wylie and family are members of the First United Pres- byterian Church at Washington.

ROBERT A. GEARY, owner of a tract of 247 acres in Robeson Township, Washington Co., Pa., operates a dairy in connection with farming, which he has followed all of his life, and was born March 2, 1838, on the old Richard Donaldson farm in Washington County, and is a son of R. D. and Maria (Glass) Geary, and a grandson of Alexander and Elizabeth Geary, who came to this

HON. JAMES F. TAYLOR

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

county in 1806 and purchased land for six dollars an acre. R. D. Geary was a farmer and school teacher and his union with Maria Glass resulted in the birth of five children, all of whom are deceased but our subject. Mrs. Geary died about 1843 and he subsequently married Nancy Fulton, by whom he had three children: Samuel; Mary, who married Eli Wilkison; and Maria Jane.

Robert A. Geary was reared on the farm and received but a limited amount of schooling as he was obliged to assist with the farm work at an early age, and started to plow when ten years old. Mr. Geary has always fol- lowed farming and purchased his farm from his father and his heirs, his original purchase consisting of 119 acres, to which he added later and now has 247 acres. He has erected a fine modern home and rebuilt the barns and other buildings, and has two producing gas wells on the farm, but has never tried for oil.

Mr. Geary was married January 17, 1867, to Jane King, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cooper) King, who were farmers of Washington County, and the parents of the following children: Margaret; Jane, wife of our subject; Anna; Martha, deceased; and William J. No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Geary but they have reared three children, namely : Charles; Catherine, who is the wife of William Woods; and Bessie, who married R. R. Cummins. The family holds membership with the Midway United Presbyterian Church.

HON. JAMES F. TAYLOR, Additional Law Judge of the 27th Judicial District and one of the best known members of the legal profession in Washington County, was born in South Strabane Township, Jan. 15, 1854. His parents were William Henry Harrison and Jane E. (Jones) Taylor, and he is a descendant in the fourth generation of Henry Taylor, who came to Washington County from Cecil County, Md., some time prior to the year 1780. This pioneer of great prominence was the great-grandfather of Hon. James F. Taylor. He was the first president judge of the Washington County Courts, serving first from Oct. 2, 1781, to Oct. 1, 1783; he served a second term Sept. 30, 1788, to Sept. 22, 1791. He was one of the most trusted agents of the govern- ment during the Whiskey Insurrection, and at that time was general of the militia. His commission signed by Gov. Thomas Mifflin is now in possession of the subject of this record, as is also the commission of Henry Tay- lor as first president judge.

Matthew Taylor, one of the family of eleven children born to Henry Taylor and Jane White Taylor, his wife, was the oldest daughter of John White, and the grand- father of James F., came into possession of the old homestead in South Strabane Township, Washington County, and followed farming through life. He married

Nancy Hutchinson and to them were born eleven chil- dren, William Henry Harrison, father of Hon. James E., being the fifth in order of birth. He was born in South Strabane Township, Washington County, Pa., in 1830, and his education was obtained in the district schools and at Washington and Jefferson College, which latter institution he attended for several years. At home he was taught all the duties pertaining to the management of the farm and there he remained until 1866, when he moved to Washington in order to afford his children better educational opportunities. He there embarked in a general fresh and salt meat business, which included pork packing and stock buying. His successful business career was brought to a close by his untimely death when aged but 55 years. He was a man of sterling character and was respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He gave his children every advantage in his power and received from them the loving vener- ation of dutiful descendants. In politics he was an earnest supporter of Republican principles, not for any advantage that would accrue to him, but because he believed in their soundness. He was a liberal suporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church and its benevolent enterprises and was a consistent member for many years. In 1850, he married Miss Jane E. Jones, a daughter of Charles E. and Sarah (Judson) Jones, both of whom were born in England. They came to America in 1827, locating at Washington, where Mr. Jones followed car- pentering and contracting. Mrs. Sarah Jones died in 1871, and Charles E. Jones in 1883.

To William H. H. Taylor and wife six children were born, as follows: Edward M., James Franklin, Emma, Alice, William Nelson and Susan Jane. Edward M. was graduated in 1872 from Washington and Jefferson Col- lege and afterwards from the Boston School of Divinity. He is now pastor of the Tremont Methodist Episcopal Church at Boston, Mass. He married Mary Bradford, a descendant of Gov. Bradford of the Plymouth Colony. Emma, the oldest daughter, married the late John A. Hall, who was assistant postmaster at Washington for many years. Alice died when aged 11 years. William Nelson graduated from the Poughkeepsie Business Col- lege and now resides in East End, Pittsburg, and is a vice president and manager of the National Lead and Oil Company and a director of the Commonwealth Trust Company of that city. He married a daughter of Stephen Crump. Susan Jane is the wife of Dr. J. M. Maurer, of Washington. The mother of the above family, although now advanced in years, enjoys good health and continues to reside at the old town home of the family which is situated on West Wheeling street.

James Franklin Taylor received a good English edu- cation in the public schools of Washington, to which place he came with his parents when about 12 years old.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

He then became a student in the preparatory department of Washington and Jefferson College and remained until the end of the junior year at which time he left college, intending to return after a year's recuperation. How- ever, after he realized that his old classmates had grad- uated and gone from the institution in the meanwhile, when his vacation was over he decided to take up the study of law at Washington and for this purpose entered the office of Hon. Boyd Crumrine, in 1876. On Oct. 15, 1879, he was admitted to the bar and returned to Mr. Crumrine's office as an assistant and remained asso- ciated with him until 1883, in which year he was elected district attorney. His popularity and efficiency were proved by his re-election to the office for another three- year term. He was secretary of the Republican County Committee, and in 1882 was elected its chairman. He served also as assistant burgess of Washington for one term. On Jan. 1, 1891, he formed a law partnership with Winfield MeIlvaine, which connection lasted for a number of years, the firm being one of the strongest combinations of legal talent in the county.

On June 24, 1895, Mr. Taylor was appointed judge of Common Pleas, by Gov. Hastings. He was elected Ad- ditional Law Judge of the 27th Judicial District, in November, 1895, for a ten-year term, and was re-elected to the same position in November, 1905. His record on the bench has shown him to be possessed of all the req- uisite qualifications for the judgeship, these including quick intelligence, a broad and discriminating mind and an absolute sense of fairness and impartiality that en- ables him to give to each side of a case full and equal consideration. His uniform courtesy has rendered him popular with the members of the bar and there is little doubt that history will record his name as one of the ablest jurists of Washington County.

Judge Taylor was married in September, 1884, to Annie Walton, the eldest daughter of Rev. Richard L. Miller, D. D., pastor of a Methodist Episcopal Church in Pittsburg. They are parents of four children: Alice, Woodward, Virginia and Gladys. In December, 1907, Alice was married to Clifton F. Brittain, of Crofton, Pa. In Feburary, 1908, Virginia was married to Carl D. Schultz, of Pittsburg. Judge Taylor and family enjoy a comfortable home in the neat brick residence at No. 375 East Maiden street.

Judge Taylor is a Republican and was chosen a presi- dential elector at the Republican State Convention in 1908. He has been connected in various ways and at different times with the general progress and business interests of the county. He was one of the first directors of the Citizens' National Bank and one of its original stockholders, and was one of the three members of the building committee appointed on the erection of the said bank. For a number of years he has been a trustee of

Washington and Jefferson College, and he now is presi- dent of the General Alumni Association of said college. While a student there he was a prominent member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and has never lost interest in that society.

JAMES J. HOTT, who is superintendent of the Char- leroi Brewery, which is a branch of the Independent Brewing Company, of Pittsburg, Pa., was burgess of Charleroi from 1906 until March 4, 1909, and is identi- fied with various leading business enterprises of this city, and is well-known throughout the county. He was born April 10, 1861, on a farm in Hardy County, W. Va., and is a son of John H. and Eliza Jane (Saville) Hott. When a lad of six years his parents removed to Raw- lings Station, Md., and thence to Frostburg, Md., where the father died in 1894, and the mother in 1904.

James J. Hott was practically reared at Frostburg, where he attended the common schools. On June 1, 1888, he came to Pennsylvania and located at Connellsville, where he engaged in the piano, sewing machine and organ business until 1891, when he came to Charleroi, where he carried on the same business for two years. In May, 1893, Mr. Hott became proprietor of the Hotel Redd, which he conducted until May 1, 1896, at which time he purchased the Hotel Clement, of which he was proprietor for a period of six years. He disposed of his interest in the hotel in April, 1902, and embarked in the real estate and insurance business, and for the past three years has been superintendent of the Charleroi Brewery. Mr. Hott is also president of the Charleroi Real Estate Agency, is a director of the Bank of Charleroi, also of the Telephone Company, and is vice-president and a director of the Adena Mining Company, of Adena, Ohio.

Mr. Hott served five years on the Charleroi council, of which he was president two years. He is a charter member of the Elks at Charleroi. On March 31, 1909, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Hassinger.

ALBERT DAVIS SCOTT, one of the oldest merchants of Monongahela City, Pa., and a life-long resident of this locality, was born in April, 1844, and is a son of John and Hannah (Davis) Scott.

John Scott was born in 1798, in Maryland, and in 1800 was brought by his parents across the mountains in a pack saddle and located in Washington County, Pa., near Monongahela City. His father, James Scott, was a carpet weaver by trade and died at Millsboro. John was reared in Washington County, where he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed many years. In 1835 he drove a six-horse team across the mountains car- rying merchandise, our subject having in his possession an old invoice, showing one load of five tons. John Scott spent his entire life within ten miles of Monon-

WASHINGTON HOSPITAL, WASHINGTON

CITY HOSPITAL, WASHINGTON

YOUNG LADIES' SEMINARY, WASHINGTON

PENNSYLVANIA DEPOT, WASHINGTON

Y. M. C. A. BUILDING, WASHINGTON

UNION TRUST COMPANY, WASHINGTON

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

gahela City and died in 1890 in his ninety-second year. He was first united in marriage with Hannah Davis, who came here from Ohio, and of their union were born ten children, most of whom died young: Amanda, deceased; Cassie, married William Boyde, both deceased; Rebecca, deceased; Anna, deceased; Albert Davis, the subject of this sketch, was the only son, who grew to maturity.

Albert D. Scott was reared near Monongahela City, attended the district schools of that locality three months each year until seventeen years of age, when, owing to the poor circumstances of the family, he started out in life for himself, working at all kinds of odd jobs, spend- ing some time in the brick yards, and also worked on the river. He managed by much hard labor to lay aside a little money, and when the Civil War broke out, he and two neighbor boys, James and Kerr Cassner, started a meat wagon through this part of the country. The cattle were butchered at the Cassner farm, which was located on the present site of Donora, Pa., and the meat peddled along the river. In 1858 he entered the employ of David H. Williams, who was a farmer of Mononga- hela City, with whom he formed a partnership the fol- lowing year, and with whom he continued in business about ten years. They were among the unfortunates during the panic of 1873 and dropped the meat business. About 1878, they opened a grocery store in Mononga- hela City, in our subject's present store, but during the following winter lost money by giving credit, and finally dissolved partnership, dividing their stock, etc. Mr. Scott remained in the old location and opened his pres- ent store on a cash basis and as business has increased has enlarged his store room and added to his stock, now carrying a complete line of groceries, fine china, cut glass, lamps, etc.

In December, 1869, Mr. Scott was united in marriage with Rebecca Ammon, who was born and reared near Monongahela City, and they have had a family of five children: Anna Retta, wife of S. C. Markell; Mary, is the widow of John Oehrle and has one child, John Albert Scott Oehrle; Albert T., married Mable Collard, and has two children, Amanda R. and Robert K .; Judson K., who is manager of his father's store; and John, who died aged seven years. Mr. Scott's residence is located at No. 408 Cole street. He is a director of the Standard Real Estate Company of Donora, Pa .; is identified with the Democratic party in politics, and religiously, is a member of the Baptist church.

JAMES A. GALBRAITH, deceased, formerly was a representative citizen of Washington County, at one time filling the office of recorder of deeds, and at the time of his death was a resident of Canonsburg, where he was an extensive dealer in grain and farm machinery. He was born on the old Galbraith homestead, in Smith

Township, Washington Co., Pa., and was a son of Will- iam and Isabella (Welch) Galbraith.

William Galbraith was born in Scotland. He mar: ried Isabella Welch, a native of Ireland and they then came to America, soon after locating on a farm near Burgettstown, in Smith Township, Washington County. William Galbraith died in 1860. For several years he was a justice of the peace and was a man of much local prominence. For many years he was a ruling elder in the United Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown. His nine children bore these names: Matthew, James A., Robert, John, William R., Jane, Margaret, Elizabeth and Isa- bella.

The late James A. Galbraith was reared on the home farm and attended the district schools to such good pur- pose that by the time he was eighteen years of age he was prepared to teach and continued in that profession for several years. From teaching he turned his atten- tion to merchandising and served as a clerk in a store at Cross Creek village for twenty-one years. From there he moved to Burgettstown, where he opened a hardware store and conducted it until 1875, when he was elected recorder of Washington County and then moved to Washington, where he lived until his term of public office expired when he settled per- manently at Canonsburg, going into the grain and implement business there. He was a man of honesty and ability and left a name to his children of which they are proud.

James A. Galbraith was married to Miss Mary A. Be- bout, of Cross Creek, and to them were born the fol- lowing children: Aaron, who married Dora Chambers; Belle, now deceased, who was the wife of Charles Hard- ing; W. K., formerly postmaster at Canonsburg, who is now deceased; Elizabeth, who is the wife of S. A. Crosier ; Robert, who married Anna Coleman, is engaged in the drug business; and Nettie, who married Joseph Thomp- son. Mrs. Galbraith still survives and lives among her old friends, residing at No. 27 South Central avenue, Canonsburg.

ROBERT ALLISON MANSON, a well known citizen of Canonsburg, whose whole life, with the exception of several years, has been spent in Washington County, was born in Mt. Pleasant Township, February 18, 1857. His parents were John and Emeline (Allison) Manson.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Manson, lived and died in Beaver County, Pa. They had the following children : James, John, Robert, David, Buchanan, Jane and Agnes, all of whom are deceased except James, who resides near Hickory and has almost reached his nine- tieth year. The maternal grandparents, Samuel and Mary Allison, moved from Beaver County to Hickory, Washington County, where both died. They had the

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 109

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474