History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 119

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century > Part 119

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On September 24, 1901, Mr. Linn was married to Miss Emma Scott, a daughter of Robert Scott, of Florence, Pa., and they have two sons: Charles S. and Robert P. Mr. and Mrs. Linn are members of the First Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat and is a very ac- tive, progressive citizen. He is identified with both the Masons and the Odd Fellows.

GEORGE L. BARR, an honored veteran of the Civil War and a well known retired citizen, resides in his com- fortable home at No. 116 Hall avenue, Washington, Pa., to which city he came in 1884. He was born November 14, 1843, in Clarion County, Pa., but was mainly reared in Butler County.

George L. Barr attended the country schools and as- sisted on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War and has a most creditable record, having bravely faced the enemy on many a field of carnage and endured the hor-

rors of prison life for many months. A detailed history of the years of his life from 1861, when he entered the service, young and enthusiastic, to his honorable discharge at the close of the war, in 1865, would make many pages of interesting reading. He was a member of Company E, 103rd Pa. Vol. Inf., which was at first attached to the division commanded by Gen. McClelland. Prior to being taken prisoner by the Confederate forces at Ply- mouth, N. C., Mr. Barr participated in the battles of Fair Oaks; the seven days of fighting before Richmond, Va .; Kingston, N. C .; White Hall, N. C .; Goldsboro and Plymouth, At the latter place, on April 20, 1864, Mr. Barr was unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of the enemy and was immediately dispatched to Anderson- ville Prison, Ga. He was confined there four months, escaping the sad fate which overtook thousands of his comrades, whose memory, at this late day, has been com- memorated by a memorial shaft. He was not much bet- ter off, however, when transferred to Charlotte, and three weeks later to the prison at Florence. From the latter place he made a daring escape, but to no purpose as he was soon recaptured and placed in the military jail at Georgetown, S. C. After one month there, he was sent back to Florence and was retained there until December 8, 1864, when he was sent to Camp Parole, at Annapolis, Md., and in March, 1865, was regularly exchanged. Once more within the Union lines, he was detailed on guard duty, first at Roanoke Island, N. C., and later at New- bern, and was there at the time of his discharge.

Mr. Barr returned to Pennsylvania as speedily as pos- sible and soon proceeded to Oil City, where he went into the oil business, later moved into the Butler and Arm- strong county fields, during a large part of this time being engaged as a driller. In 1884 he came to Washing- ton and helped drill the Hess gas well, which was the first well drilled for the Light, Heat & Power Company, of Washington. He continued to work as a driller until 1900, when he retired. Since taking up his residence in Washington, he has been an active and useful citizen and for four years has been a member of the city coun- cil, representing the Second Ward.

On July 7, 1867, Mr. Barr was married to Miss Cather- ine Benton, and they have five children, namely: Harry F., John E., Sarah Alice, Berton B., and George C. Harry F. Barr has charge of the South Penn Oil Com- pany 's drilling crews, of Lincoln County, W. Va. John E. Barr works in an oil well supply store at Pittsburg. Sarah Alice resides at home. Berton B. is a well known attorney at Washington. George C. Barr served in the Philippine Islands as captain of Co. H, 10th Pa. N. G. Mr. Barr is a member of the Jefferson Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church and is a trustee of the same, and he belongs to Templeton Post, G. A. R. of Washington.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

WILLIAM JAMES BROWN, a representative citizen of Cross Creek Township and a leader in its public af- fairs, at present serving as school director and road su- pervisor, is a member of one of the old and respected families of this section. He is one of the heirs of the old homestead farm of 126 acres, which property is ex- ceedingly valuable, being underlaid with Pittsburg vein coal. He was born in Cross Creek Township, Washing- ton Co., Pa., March 23, 1840, and is a son of James and Jane (Shoals) Brown.

The parents of Mr. Brown were born in Ireland and were married in the city of Philadelphia. They came to Cross Creek Township, Washington Co., Pa., in 1837, and there passed the remainder of their days. They had the following children: John, who is now deceased; William James, of Cross Creek Township; Sarah, who married Lewis Irwin, and had six children-James, Ida, Anna, Robert, Jessie and Bert; David, who is now de- ceased, at one time was sheriff of Brooke County, W. Va .; Thomas, who resides in Colorado Springs; and Jo- seph R., who lives in Independence Township.

William James Brown attended the district schools in Cross Creek Township until he was sixteen years old and then learned the carpenter trade, at which he worked for some thirty years. He was an expert and satisfactory workman but after this long period he became afflicted with rheumatism and decided to change his business for one that would give him more out-door work. He had accumulated a competency and was able to invest in a farm of forty acres which proved valuable to him in more ways than one. It gave him the needed change of em- ployment and as coal was discovered underlying it, the Wabash Railroad extended a line to tap this region and Mr. Brown was able to lay off his farm in lots and sell for excellent prices. A number of residences have been built on this land, which adjoins the town of Avella. The old Wells mill, a landmark, stood on the farm when Mr. Brown purchased, but it was razed in 1898. The former farm is now known as Browntown.

1884, both reside at home. Mr. Brown and family be- long to the Presbyterian Church at Independent. In pol- itics he has always been a Democrat. He has been chosen by his fellow citizens to fill numerous offices of responsi- bility, served one term on the grand jury and several times on the petit jury and has served the township care- fully and faithfully as road supervisor, school director and election judge, all this local prominence going to prove the high regard in which he is held by his follow citizens. For more than forty years he has been a Free Mason.

DAVID HART, a prominent citizen of Canonsburg, a member of the town council, is also an honored veteran of the Civil War. He was born in South Strabane Town- ship, Washington Co., Pa., January 10, 1826, and is a son of Andrew and Mary (Fergus) Hart.

Tracing the Hart family back to the great-grandfather, Andrew Hart, it is found that he was of Scotch-Irish ancestry and lived and died in Adams County, Pa., and was buried at Marsh Creek. David Hart, son of Andrew and grandfather of David Hart, came to Washington County as a volunteer in the service of General Wash- ington and was so impressed with the beauty of the land- scape, the excellence of the soil and the value of the forest trees, that he resolved to some time return and establish his home here. His birth had taken place in Adams County and he returned there, married, and in 1807 brought his family to Somerset Township, near Vanceville, where he subsequently died. He was buried in the grounds of the Pigeon Creek Presbyterian Church. His first wife was Sarah Paxton and his second wife was a Mrs. Butler. The children born to the first union were: Andrew, Maria, James G., David, Jane, John and William. Jane married Henry Newkirk and died in Wayne County. Maria married John Fergus, who died in Washington. William moved to Ashland County, Ohio, and died in Jonestown, Washington County. The chil- dren of the second marriage were as follows: Dunning, who resides at Washington; Margaret, who is now de- ceased, married a Mr. Kerr; and Eliza, who is the wife of Arde Hosack, resides at Scenery Hill, Washington County.

On January 31, 1867, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Margaret Phillips, a daughter of David and Margaret (Stevenson) Phillips, of Cross Creek Township, and they have had the following children born to them: Jane E., who was born December 5, 1867, married James Walker; Andrew Hart, father of David Hart, was born near Gettysburg, Adams Co., Pa., and in 1807 accompanied his parents to Washington County. In 1848 he settled in the village of Canonsburg and died in this place in 1861. He married Mary Fergus and to them were born two sons and four daughters, the only survivor of the family be- ing the subject of this biography. His one brother, Samuel F. Hart, died at Hickory, Washington County, in 1907. He had been twice married, first to a Miss Ayres, of Illinois, and second to a Miss Atcheson, of Maggie S., who was born July 24, 1870, married J. R. Crawford and they live at Wheeling, W. Va .; David C., born August 14, 1873, married Mattie Roney, a daughter of W. G. Roney, of Buffalo, and they live at Hubbard, Ohio; John C., who was born October 27, 1876, married Mary Latimer, daughter of George Latimer, of West Virginia, and they live in Cross Creek Township; Anna Mary, who was born October 11, 1879, married L. M. Irwin, and they live in Avella; George L., who was born January 18, 1882, and Alice B., who was born July 24, , Washington County. A son and a daughter were born

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

to the second union, the later of whom is deceased. The son is J. Ernest Hart, of Hickory. None of the sisters of Mr. Hart ever married. Two of them died before reaching maturity. Three are interred in the Canons- burg Cemetery and one, Isabella, was buried at West Middletown.

David Hart obtained his education in the schools of South Strabane Township and at West Middletown. He then went to West Alexander and there spent three years working in the carriage and wagonmaking shops, thor- oughly learning the trade. In 1851 he crossed the plains to California, making the long journey with ox-teams, and by the time he returned to Washington County had been away for three years. They were filled with many ad- ventures and it is with much interest that he recalls the home journey across the celebrated Isthmus of Pana- ma. He had done fairly well in the far West and had enough capital to enable him to buy a good farm, situ- ated in Chartiers Township, one mile north of Canons- burg, upon which he settled with the idea of spending his life in agricultural pursuits. The year 1854, however, was one of severe and prolonged drouth and the whole country suffered from the withholding of moisture. This discouraged Mr. Hart and caused him to turn his atten- tion again to the West and in May, 1855, he again started for California, where he worked as a carpenter and engaged in trading and mining, meeting with many adventures and enduring hardships which prepared the way for his later life in the army during the Civil War. While at Jacksonville, Ore., he was one of a band of volunteers who went out to subdue the Indians who had been capturing emigrant trains. He was also one of the band of brave men under Capt. John Ross that went out from Clear Lake and Lost River and distributed pro- visions to the suffering emigrants on the lava beds on the route to California. When the Civil War seemed immi- nent, he returned to Washington County, ready to enlist in defense of the Union. The first company accepted by the governor, Hon. Simon Cameron, was organized in June, 1861, and in August, 1862, Mr. Hart became a member of it, this being the famous Ringold Cavalry. He was sworn into the service under Capt. John Keys and left for the command at Beverly, W. Va. On July 10, 1863, at Cold Springs, Md., he received three gunshot wounds at the same time, two in his abdomen on the right and one through his lungs, and, remarkable as it may seem, these bullets still remain in his body. He was left unconscious on Fairview Mountain, in the care of sev- eral of his comrades, while the enemy was driven across the river. These comrades succeeded in transporting him to Cumberland, where his wife met him and brought him home. Under her skillful and tender ministrations he recuperated and on the second Tuesday in October fol- lowing, he voted and then rejoined his regiment.

In March, 1864, he was given a furlough of thirty days and enjoyed these at home and then went back to Cumberland. The seven companies from Washington County and five companies from the eastern part of Pennsylvania, were included in the 22nd Pa. Cav., form- ing the regiment under command of Col. Jacob Higgins, and it was allotted to the 8th Army Corps. It was under different commanders but mainly under Gen. B. F. Kelly, who commanded the Department of West Virginia. In the spring of 1865, Mr. Hart was promoted to be quarter- master-sergeant and was with the regiment in all its movements in the Shenandoah Valley until the close of the war. By general order he was mustered out at New Creek and was paid off at Pittsburg in the latter part of June, 1865.

Mr. Hart then went into the business of stock buying and selling and was in partnership with Matthew Wilson for seven years. Later he formed a partnership with his brothers-in-law, Paxton Bros., in the same line of business, including butchering, also, under the firm name of Hart, Harsha & Co. he built and operated the Char- tiers Woolen Factory at Canonsburg, which was destroyed by fire February 28, 1887. For some years after this destruction of his property, he continued to handle stock. Since 1872 he has occupied his present handsome residence which is situated on the corner of Pike street and Green- side avenue, Washington.

On October 4, 1860, Mr. Hart was married to Miss Annie Power, a daughter of Ezra Power, of Washington County. Mr. and Mrs. Hart are members of the First Presbyterian Church at Canonsburg. He is an active, useful citizen and serves acceptably as a member of the town council and has been burgess. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of Thomas Paxton Post, No. 126, G. A. R., being the present commander. This post was named in honor of his brother-in-law, Thomas Paxton, who fell at the battle of the Wilderness.

JOHN N. McDOWELL, justice of the peace and prom- inent citizen of Buffalo Township, Washington Co., Pa., was born in this township, January 23, 1856, and is a son of John and Sarah (Brownlee) McDowell, and a grand- son of Joseph McDowell, who may have been born in Scotland, but was a very early settler in Washington County.

The late John McDowell was one of Buffalo Township's distinguished men. He had been afforded excellent edu- cational advantages, attending Washington College in his earlier years and also teaching school for a time, but later he directed his attention along agricultural lines and became particularly interested in raising sheep. Wool growing in this section has long been a very important industry and to such intelligent men as the late John McDowell, may be attributed a large measure of its im-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

portance, for not only through investigation and experi- ment has the best kind of wool been discovered to make the growing of sheep profitable to the American farmer, but through knowledge of public affairs and legislative action, its scope and expediency has been proved. For years Mr. McDowell made this industry a subject of deep study and he became such an authority on the subject that when the tariff bill was under consideration during the administration of the late lamented President Mc- Kinley, he was an important witness called before the committee. His first acquaintance and association with William McKinley was when the latter was a member of Congress, acting with him in the classification of the wool in preparing the schedule for the tariff bill which was passed and known as the Mckinley bill.

He was a leader in agricultural movements in Washing- ton County, served as president of the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society for a number of years and at the time of his death was serving as commissioner of the Cumberland Road, an appointment made by the governor of Pennsylvania. In that office he served with efficiency for seven years. In politics he was a Republican and at various times he accepted public office in Buffalo Town- ship, serving long as a justice of the peace, but the larger portion of his life was devoted, as mentioned above, to the wool industry and to the various questions arising concerning so important a branch of agricultural work. On his own property he raised the Saxony-Merino sheep and from the soft and pliable wool obtained was fashioned the beautiful and admired suit of clothes worn by President Mckinley at the time of his second inau- guration. From the same web of cloth different members of the family had suits or cloaks made. A personal friendship existed between him and John McDowell, each admiring the other for their sterling qualities.

John McDowell was twice married and his second wife still survives and resides on the homestead in Buffalo Township. He was the father of the following children : F. Vina, who lives in Buffalo Township; Samuel B., who is a physician in practice at Philadelphia; Emma J., who lives in Buffalo Township; John N .; William J., who resides at Scottdale; and Kizzie, who lives in Buffalo Township. Mr. McDowell was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church at Washington. His death occurred August 26, 1899.

John N. McDowell was reared to manhood in Buffalo Township and attended Canonsburg Academy until his graduation in 1875, and subsequently graduated from the Iron City Business College at Pittsburg, in 1877. For several years after he returned from college he served as a clerk in a mercantile establishment at Washington and then became a school teacher, spending about fifteen winter terms as such. He also was extensively interested in farming and stock raising for a number of years but

latterly has given a large portion of his time to the duties of public office. He is serving in his third term as justice of the peace and it was Justice McDowell who organized the Association of Justices of the Peace and Aldermen of Washington County, of which he is serving as secretary. He has also served as auditor of Buffalo Township, as assessor and as road supervisor. His prominence has long since been established and his reliability and public spirit have never been questioned.

Mr. McDowell married Miss Viola Melvin, a daughter of Samuel Melvin, a former well known citizen who was proprietor of the old Fulton House which occupied the present site of the Washington Trust building. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McDowell: Harry M., who lives in Buffalo Township; Helena, who is the wife of Albert Weirich, of Canton Township; Stella, who is a teacher in the public schools: Margaret; John, who is a student in Washington and Jefferson College; Sarah, who is a successful teacher; Samuel B., who is a student at Washington and Jefferson; and Nellie, who is . deceased. The family attends the East Buffalo Presby terian Church, of which he is an elder. Formerly he was secretary of Lagonda Grange, Patrons of Husbandry.

BERTON B. BARR, a well known member of the Washington bar, who has been in the active practice of his profession in this city since the spring of 1903, was born December 26, 1874, in Butler County, Pa., and is a son of George L. and Catherine (Benton) Barr.

Mr. Barr was ten years old when his parents came to Washington. For many years and until he retired from business activity, his father had been interested in the oil industry. Berton B. Barr attended the public schools of Washington, graduating from the Washington high school in 1894, after which he entered Washington and Jefferson College and was graduated from that institu- tion in 1899. With this literary foundation, Mr. Barr then entered upon the study of law, and in 1901, he was graduated from the Dickinson School of Law, at Car- lisle, Pa. In March, 1903, he was admitted to the Wash- ington County bar and subsequently to the Supreme and Superior Courts of the State. He has been connected with a number of prominent cases of litigation and has demonstrated his legal ability on numerous occasions. He takes some part in politics and evinces a public- spirited interest in all that promises to be of advantage to Washington. He was reared in the Presbyterian Church.

REV. WILLIAM DICKSON IRONS, D. D., pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church at McDonald, Pa., was born in Beaver County, Pa., July 16, 1852, and is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Douds) Irons.

The father of Rev. Irons, who died in 1890, was born

FERNAND A. THOMASSY

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

in Beaver County, and was a son of Solomon and Rachel (Dickson) Irons. Joseph Irons engaged in farming throughout his active life. He married Margaret Douds, who is a daughter of John and Mary (Hutchison) Douds. Her grandfather was killed by the British while serving as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. To Joseph and Margaret Irons the following children were born: John, who is a distinguished minister in the United Presby- terian body, for many years was a member of the facul- ty of Xenia Theological Seminary; Rachel, who is the wife of Dr. O. R. Shannon, resides in Allegheny City, which is also the home of her mother; William D .; Jo- seph, who is engaged in the real estate business at Roch- ester, Pa .; Mary, who is the wife of Edgar Heffley, who is auditor for the America Aluminum Works, at Alle- gheny City; Elizabeth, who married J. McCready, an oil producer; and James, who is in the mercantile busi- ness.

William Dickson Irons obtained his primary educa- tion in the schools of Beaver County and from them en- tered Westminster College, at New Wilmington, Pa., sub- sequently attending the Allegheny Theological Seminary. Dr. Irons came to McDonald in 1880, finding the church but poorly supplied with accommodations. Through his energy, zeal and executive ability, the small frame build- ing soon gave way to the present commodious brick church edifice and this charge has become one of the important ones of the denomination. When Dr. Irons became the pastor of the present church he had other claims on his time, attention and strength, being also placed in charge of Engleside Academy and the French Mission. For about fifteen years Dr. Irons was at the head of that academic school, which is no longer in existence, but during that period the students included numbers of men who have become prominent in pro- fessional life-lawyers, ministers, physicians, teachers and missionaries. He also has built up at McDonald one of the most flourishing French missions in the State.

In June, 1874, Dr. Irons was married to Miss Edith Van Orsdell. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania, and she has two sisters and two brothers: Laura, who married Dr. J. G. Templeton; W. E., who is a dentist in practice at Philadelphia; Mary C .; and J. A., who is engaged in the practice of dentistry in Pittsburg. To Dr. and Mrs. Irons the following children were born: Har- rold Meredith, a lawyer in Pittsburg; Mabel, who mar- ried John S. Moore; Laura, who married W. H. Cramer; William, who is a teacher in the McDonald schools; and Joseph, who is a student in the Western University of Pennsylvania at Pittsburg.

During his long pastorate at McDonald, Dr. Irons has performed almost 1,000 marriages and in one year has conducted as many as 121 funeral services, his presence

being especially valued on such occasions on account of his sincere sympathy and ability to give comfort to those bereaved. He is beloved by his congregation and is es- teemed by his fellow citizens.

BERNARD S. SMALLWOOD, who is now serving his third term as civil engineer of Charleroi, was born December 10, 1882, near Coal Center, East Pike Run Township, Washington Co., Pa., and is a son of Edward A. and Salena Mary (Lutes) Smallwood, the former of whom is a carpenter and contractor of Charleroi.

Bernard S. Smallwood came with his parents to Char- leroi in the fall of 1890, obtained his education in the common schools, and the high school from which he grad- uated in 1899, then entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, Ohio, where he took a course in civil engineering and graduated in 1901. After completing his education, Mr. Smallwood returned to Charleroi, embarked in the practice of his profession, and is now not only serving his third term as engineer of the borough of Charleroi, but is also serving in that capacity for Fayette City, Pa., and Roscoe, Washington Co., Pa.

Mr. Smallwood was united in marriage with Lulu E. Kline, who is a daughter of George Kline, and they have two sons, B. Culver Smallwood, and George Edward Smallwood. Mr. Smallwood is a member of the order of Elks.

FERNAND A. THOMASSY, manager of the McDon- ald Opera House, of which he is part owner, and also in- terested in oil production in Beaver, Allegheny and Wash- ington counties, is one of the representative business men of this place. He was born in France, June 24, 1877, and is a son of Thomas and Julia (Wathier) Thomassy.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 119

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