History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 126

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 126

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in 1900, he came to Washington, where he has since been engaged in the real estate business, making a specialty of buying and selling coal lands. He formed a partner- ship with William E. Davis, and they are extensive operators in the territory above named.

Mr. Hawkins is a member of the First Baptist Church, of which he has been a member of the official board. Fraternally he is a Mason.

In 1881, Mr. Hawkins was married to Addie Farquahr, who died in 1893, and they had the following children : Leona; Louis F., who taught for three years in the East Washington high school, is now principal of the Hickory high school; Mary Estella, a teacher in the schools of Monongahela City; James C., a student at the Wash- ington and Jefferson College; and Hannah Anna, a stu- dent in Washington Seminary. In 1894, Mr. Hawkins married Ida M. Miller, a daughter of Rev. James Miller, of Cumberland, and to them have been born four chil- dren: Ruth Elizabeth, Glenn D., Margaret, and Helen.

HUGH WILSON, general farmer of Hanover Town- ship, where his fine farm of 130 acres is situated, was born at Paris, Washington Co., Pa., where his father was then in business, August 15, 1839, and is a son of William and Jane (Smith) Wilson.

Allegheny County contributed many excellent citizens to Washington County and one of these was William Wilson, father of Hugh, who came from Allegheny and settled at Paris, in Washington County, where he car- ried on a wagonmaking shop all his life. He was an industrious and thoroughly respected man, one who set a good example to his children, to whom he gave every advantage he could provide in the way of education. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Paris. He married Jane Smith, who was born in Jeffer- son Township, Washington County, and they had the following children: Alexander, Hugh, John and Will- iam; Rowenna, deceased, who was the wife of Russell Parks; Rachel, who married William Dunbar; and James.

Hugh Wilson attended the schools at Paris until he was eighteen years of age. He desired to be a farmer rather than to learn his father's trade, and found work by the month with farmers in the neighborhood of Paris and continued to work in that way for about nine years. For some fourteen years following he rented farm land, but in the spring of 1880, invested in his farm in Hanover Township, purchasing from the Han- lin heirs. It is an excellent property and Mr. Wilson has made many improvements.

On March 26, 1868, Mr. Wilson married Miss Ophelia Russell, a daughter of John and Jane (Simpson) Rus- sell, and the following children were born: Elenora; Synthia, deceased; Margaret, who married James Dun- bar; Simpson; James; and Agnes and David, both de-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

ceased. Mr. Wilson was married (second) to Mary Ann Vincent and they have had three children: Jane, now deceased, who was the wife of Dr. Smith, of Bulger; a son that died in infancy; and John R., who was born February 4, 1882. This fine young man has inherited his father's love of agricultural pursuits and intends to devote his entire life to farming and stock raising. He resides at home and married Miss Minnie Stevenson, a member of an excellent family of Hanover Township. Mr. Wilson had a great respect for his father's opinions and early identified himself with the Democratic party, and his son is the third generation of the family to also believe in its superiority and work for its supremacy. The Wilson family is connected with the Florence Presby- terian Church.

HARVEY T. BILLICK, M. D., a well known and suc- cessful medical practitioner of Monongahela City, Pa., was born on a farm in Allegheny County, Pa., July 2, 1851, and is a son of Alexander D. and Mary (Hall) Billiek.

Alexander Billick was born in Elizabeth, Allegheny Co., Pa., where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until the time of his death, which occurred when in his seventy-eighth year. He married Mary Hall, a native of New Jersey, and they reared a family of twelve chil- dren: Sarah C., deceased; Louisa, deceased; George M .; John H .; Alexander C .; Harvey T., the subject of this sketch; Mary J .; James B .; David W .; Lewis ; Laura M .; and Dora C.

The boyhood days of Dr. H. T. Billick were spent on the home farm in Allegheny County, and his educational training was received in the public schools and the acad- emy at Elizabeth, Pa. After teaching school for a period of eight years in Allegheny County, he entered the P. and S. Medical College at Baltimore, from which he graduated in March, 1885, and in August of the same year went to Courtney, this county, and was there until November, 1896, then to his present location in Monon- gahela City, and opened an office at his present location, where he has since been successfully engaged in the prac- tice of his profession. He is a director of the First Na- tional Bank, and is fraternally a member of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is identified with the Demo- cratic party, has served two terms on the school board, one term on the select council, and was also elected mayor of Monongahela City.

Dr. Billick was married December 24, 1885, to Yeurith M. Wycoff, a daughter of John W. Wycoff, of Elizabeth Township, Allegheny Co., Pa., and they have two chil- dren: Lydia M .; and Eugene W.

JAMES A. JORDAN, residing on his valuable farm of ninety acres which is situated in Canton Township, is

successfully engaged in farming and stock raising and is held in high esteem as a neighbor and as a citizen. He was born in Washington County, Pa., December 20, 1864, and is a son of Edward and Martha (McClure) Jordan.

The Jordan as well as the McClure families have been .in Washington County for at least three generations. Edward Jordan, who died in 1876, was a son of Peter Jordan. James McClure, the maternal grandfather was an early settler and was of Irish parentage. The mother of James A. Jordan was born also in Washington Coun- ty and now resides in Chartiers Township, being in her sixty-fifth year. She is a member of the United Presby- terian Church and is active in all good works in the neighborhood in which she lives. Four children of Ed- ward and Martha Jordan still survive: Hannah B., who is the wife of Slate Gomp, resides at Washington; Annie M., who is the wife of James Amos, resides also at Wash- ington; James A., of Canton Township; and William C., who is a resident of Pittsburg. Ellen and Nancy are deceased.

James A. Jordan has been engaged in farming ever since he was a boy and has made his own way in the world to a large extent. He came to his present farm early in the 90's and has made it one of the best in the township. Although he never enjoyed many educational advantages he is a great friend of the public schools and has served as school director a number of times, and in other township offices, and in every position he has shown wisdom and a desire to further the best public interest. In addition to general farming and stock raising, Mr. Jordan gives special attention to the growing of fruit and also raises very choice vegetables, finding a ready market at Washington.

Mr. Jordan was married (first) to Miss Catherine Kelley, a daughter of James Kelley, late of Canton Township, and they had the following children born to them : Maud M., Clara B., Guy R., of Washington; and Edward M., Otha O., Annie M., James P., Emmett, Helen M. and Emerson, Emmett being deceased. Mr. Jordan was married (second) to Eva G. Mackey, a na- tive of Pennsylvania, and they have one son, Carl. Mr. Jordan is a member of the North Buffalo United Pres- byterian Church. He is a Republican.

CLARK M. HACKNEY, a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Washington, who owns 340 acres of fine farming land in Amwell Township, has been a resi- dent of this city for the past three years. He was born January 23, 1860, in Amwell Township, and is the only living child of Clark and Sophia (Nelan) Hackney. Clark Hackney was a native of Fayette County, Pa., who came to Washington County at an early period and set-

ASBURY B. CALDWELL

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

tled in Amwell Township where he engaged in farming and stock raising until the time of his death in 1905. The mother of our subject died in 1864.

Clark M. Hackney grew to manhood in Amwell Town- ship, attending the common schools of the township, also the Union school, and the Washington and Jefferson College, where he was a student for two terms. He then engaged in farming and stock raising in Amwell Town- ship, where he was very successful and acquired con- siderable wealth. He still oversees his valuable farming land, although a resident of Washington the past three years.

In 1880, Mr. Hackney was married to Minerva Shape, who was born in Greene County, Pa., and they have reared three children: Lillie M .; Charles, who is en- gaged in the real estate and insurance business in Wash- ington, married Hazel Gaus, and has two children, Don- ald Charles and James Bernard; and Lida M., who mar- ried John R. Ullom. They have one child, Lillie May. Mr. Hackney is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church of Amity.

ASBURY B. CALDWELL-It is with a feeling akin to reverence that the people of Washington County re- call the life and deeds of the late Asbury B. Caldwell. Standing foremost in the business world, a leader among men, he added materially to the prosperity of the com- munity and aided in the development of resources lying dormant and undiscovered within the confines of the county. As founder and owner of the great store now conducted by the A. B. Caldwell Company, as president and principal stockholder of the Peoples' Light and Heat Company, as owner of the Leader Refining Com- pany and in the multitudinous interests he possessed in other enterprises, he achieved a success through his in- dividual efforts, foresight, sagacity and good manage- ment, unparalleled in the history of Washington. Great man of affairs that he was, his life was a model of sim- plicity and domesticity, his greatest enjoyment came from association with his family at his beautiful home in the borough, where his leisure hours were spent in relaxation from business cares in the study of Nature and the culture of flowers, his conservatory being the finest in Western Pennsylvania.

Mr. Caldwell was born in 1829 and was a son of James and Esther (McCracken) Caldwell, and a grandson of Samuel Caldwell, who was the first of the family to become established in Washington County. The Cald- wells are of Scotch-Irish descent and they were among the earliest pioneers of Western Pennsylvania. Samuel Caldwell erected a cabin in the sparsely settled region now known as Buffalo Township, Washington County, and there lived in the woods, enduring and rearing his

family with privations known only to those very early settlers.

James Caldwell, father of the late Asbury 3. Cald well, was born in Buffalo Township, Washington County, Pa., in 1787, and there followed farming all his days. In connection with the tilling of his lands, he conducted a public house known as the Caldwell Inn, which was lo- cated on the "old West Pike." This place of refresh- ment was well known to the early travelers along that highway. In 1883, his son, Asbury B., erected a hotel on the same site and built on the same plan. In early manhood, James Caldwell was joined in marriage with Esther McCracken, who was of a neighboring pioneer family, and they became parents of the following chil- dren: Samuel, who died in Missouri; John, who died in Illinois; and Joseph, William, Asbury B. and Esther. James Caldwell died in 1839, at the age of 42 years, leaving his widow with the responsibility of rearing their six children. She proved equal to the task and to her motherly influence and teachings may be at- tributed the characters that were moulded. Her death occurred in 1875, when she was aged 75 years.

Asbury B. Caldwell was reared on the home farm and received but a modicum of schooling, developing, how- ever, through his own efforts into a clear minded, in- tellectual man. He was but 11 years of age when his father died and it became necessary for him, as well as his brothers, to contribute to their own support at a very early age. When 16 years old he went to Clays- ville, Washington County, where he engaged as a clerk for a time, then formed a partnership with a Mr. Still- wagon. Under the firm name of Caldwell & Stillwagon, they operated a general store for three years, when Mr. Caldwell sold his interest to his partner, and in January, 1852, moved to Washington. He there became manager of William Smith's dry goods store and continued with that employer for 12 years. In 1865 he resumed busi- ness on his own responsibility, opening up a store in the room now occupied by the A. M. Brown firm. A close application to business and a judicious management of the same brought wonderful success and it was soon apparent that more commodious quarters must be se- cured and this led to his erection, in 1873, of one of the finest business blocks in the borough of Washington, on Main street, opposite the Court House. Upon its com- pletion he filled his store rooms with a complete stock of dry goods, carpets, clothing and gentlemen's fur- nishings. It soon outstripped all competitors in point of size and quality and its immense patronage soon pushed the amount of sales to the six figure mark, an- nually. At the time of his death, Mar. 27, 1892, Mr. Caldwell was the only citizen in Washington paying a license of more than $100 per year, for general busi-

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ness, which is indicative of the magnitude which his es- tablishment reached.

Aside from his store, Mr. Caldwell turned his attention to various business enterprises. He was the pioneer in the development of the oil fields adjacent to Washington, and had ten producing wells in Buffalo Township. In 1891 he organized the Leader Refining Company, of which he was owner, and erected a refinery on the Balti- more and Ohio Railroad, seven miles west of Washington, which had a capacity of 400 barrels a day. He was one of the organizers and the principal stockholder of the People's Light and Heat Company, and served as presi- dent of the company from its inception until his death. He was also a director in the Washington County Fire Insurance Company.

Although Mr. Caldwell through his own inherent quali- ties became one of the wealthiest men of Washington County, his gain did not remain a purely personal one, for no man did more to make Washington the flourish- ing and prosperous borough of the present than Asbury B. Caldwell. The residence, now occupied by his widow, at No. 140 East Wheeling street, was built by George Black ,and he purchased from Mrs. Martha Montgomery, and is unsurpassed in this city in its appointments and beauty. The broad, well-kept lawn and the magnificent conservatory were features in which he took keen de- light and to add to their attractions was his constant am- bition. He was a Democrat in politics, and although well informed on all matters pertaining to State and Nation, and believing it the duty of every man to go to the polls and cast his vote according to his principles, he never actively participated in political affairs. Honest and conscientious in all his transactions, vast as they were, his friends were numbered almost by his acquaint- ances, and in sincere mourning his fellow citizens fol- lowed him to his last resting place in the beautiful Wash- ington Cemetery. As a neighbor and friend he had ever been cordial and sympathetic, and a kind heart prompted many charities, which were performed in a quiet and unostentatious manner, unknown to the public. He held the affection and confidence of the people to a remarkable degree, and had he aspired to a public career, would have had the loyal support of his constituents.

In 1858, Mr. Caldwell married Miss Mary Lonkert, a lady of the highest type of womanhood, who also is of a prominent and respected pioneer family of the county. The following children were born to this union: Minnie C., who is the wife of Dr. George Warne, of Chicago, Ill .; George C., who died leaving a widow, Mrs. Addie Caldwell, who resides at No. 78 South Wade avenue, Washington; Mrs. Essie Humphrey, who resides at Mt. Vernon, N. Y .; Charles S., who resides at No. 54 West Maiden street, Washington, married Eleanor Baird; and Mrs. Katherine C. McVey, who resides at No. 140 East

Wheeling street. The surviving children of Mr. Cala- well now compose the firm of the A. B. Caldwell Com- pany, which under the management of Mr. Charles S. Caldwell has maintained the prestige it enjoyed under his father's control.

JOHN RALPH MAXWELL, M. D., a physician and surgeon at Washington, a member of the staff of the City Hospital and a leading member of his profession here, is a representative of one of the oldest and most substantial families in Washington County. He was born in Mt. Pleasant Township, Washintgon County, in 1878, and is a son of the late Robert Graham Maxwell. The Maxwell family is of Scotch-Irish extraction, and James Maxwell, the great-grandfather of Dr. Maxwell, came to Washington County as a pioneer. His son, John Max- well, was born in Hopewell Township in 1810. He was a cabinetmaker by trade but later turned his attention to farming. The late Robert Graham Maxwell, son of John Maxwell, was born in Hopewell Township, in 1840, and engaged in farming and stock raising near Buffalo village. He died in 1881.

John R. Maxwell attended the public schools through boyhood and then entered Washington and Jefferson Col- lege, where he was graduated in the class of 1898, im- - mediately afterward entering the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. On his completion of the course he was graduated from that institution in 1901. For a year subsequent thereto he was resident physician in Mercy Hospital at Pittsburg and from there, in 1902, he came to Washington. He devotes himself to general practice and keeps in close touch with the prog- ress made in his profession through his affiliation with leading medical organizations, including the Washington County and the Pennsylvania State Medical societies and the American Medical Association. He is an active citi- zen, taking much interest in good government and for some time has been a member of the school board.

Dr. Maxwell was married in June, 1906, to Miss Eliza- beth B. Patterson, a daughter of Josiah Patterson, who is one of Washington's esteemed retired citizens. Dr. and Mrs. Maxwell have two daughters, Florence Jane and Susan Mary. Dr. and Mrs. Maxwell are members of the Third Presbyterian Church at Washington.

ROBERT W. CRISWELL, justice of the peace, in Hanover Township, Washington Co., Pa., and the owner of two valuable farms, one containing ninety-seven acres and the other 132 acres, was born in this township, De- cember 7, 1838. His parents were William and Sarah (Wallace) Criswell.

The Criswell ancestors came to Washington County from the western shore of Maryland. The father, Will- iam Criswell, was born near Canonsburg, in Washington

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

County, and the mother belonged to the old Wallace family of Hanover Township. To William and Sarah Criswell the following children were born: Marie, who is now deceased, was the wife of Jackson McCleland; Harriet, who is deceased, was the wife of Mahland H. Stokes; Robert W .; and Sarah A., who married R. S. Work. William Criswell was a hatter by trade but the latter part of his life was spent in a farm in Hanover Township, where he died, and his burial was at Florence.

Robert W. Criswell was mainly educated in select schools at Florence and after he put aside his books he assisted his father on the farm until he entered the Federal army as a soldier for the suppression of the rebellion. He enlisted on September 13, 1861, in Co. A, 85th Pa. Vol. Tnf., and served until November 22, 1864, serving all that time without a single furlough. He participated in the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks and at the latter was wounded in the right side by a musket ball. He was placed in a hospital at White House, Va., from which he managed to escape in ten days and made his way back to his regiment. He also participated in the siege of Charleston on Morris Island in 1863. From that time on he saw very hard service and took part in some of the fiercest fighting that dis- tinguished his regiment as one of the most courageous bodies of men in the whole army. His immediate com- mander was Gen. Quincy A. Gilmore. He escaped with- out further injury a: d at the end of his term of enlist- ment was honorably discharged and returned to the home farm.

On May 4, 1865, Mr. Criswell was married to Miss Harriet L. Tucker, a daughter of David and Sarah (Watt) Tucker, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Criswell was the third born in a family of eight children, the others being: Angelina, who is deceased; Mary E .; John W., who was killed during the Civil War, in the battle of the Wilderness; R. C., David S., Lemuel J., and Sarah J., who married Dr. Graham.

To Mr. and Mrs. Criswell two children were born: John T. and Sallie B. John T. was born February 18, 1866, and died November 6, 1902. Sallie B. was born August 2, 1869, and died January 7, 1908. She married Charles S. Ewing and they had two children: Robert Harley and Charles Wayne. Mr. and Mrs. Criswell are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Hanover Township. Like his late father, Mr. Criswell is a Repub- lican. In 1900 he served acceptably as township census enumerator. He is a valued member of W. S. Bradley Post, No. 286, G. A. R., at Burgettstown.

ROBERT M. EAGLI SON, M. D., physician and surgeon at California, I ., has built up a substantial practice here and has bec me identified with the leading interests of this college town. He was born in Mercer

County, Pa., January 25, 1870, and is a son of John and Margaret (Clark) Eagleson.

Dr. Eagleson was reared in Mercer County and ob- tained his primary education in the local schools and afterward attended the Edenburg State Normal School, and Grove City College. He spent the following three years in teaching school, remaining in Mercer County during two years of this time and spending the third year in Lawrence County. During this period he had completed his preliminary medical studies and then entered the medical department of the Western University of Pennsylvania, at Pittsburg, and from that institution he was graduated in the class of 1897. He immediately entered into practice at Cross Creek, Washington County, remaining there until August, 1899, when he established himself at California, where his professional ability has been recognized and appreciated.

Dr. Eagleson was married to Miss Ella Lytle, who is a daughter of Joseph - Lytle. He is identified with the fraternal order of Elks and he belongs also to various medical organizations.

LIEUT. A. S. EAGLESON, a leading citizen of Can- ton Township, Washington Co., Pa., and a surviving veteran of the great Civil War, to which he devoted three years of his early manhood, was born in Hopewell Town- ship, Washington Co., Pa., in March, 1836, and is a son of Rev. John and Mary (Stewart) Eagleson.

Rev. John Eagleson, D. D., who was a very prominent clergyman of the Presbyterian body in Pennsylvania, for many years, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, on the same day that witnessed the birth of Abraham Lincoln, and in many respects their characters were similar. In 1829 he graduated from Jefferson College at Canonsburg, later from the Western Theological Seminary and before coming to Washington County, in 1833, he had been licensed to preach. He was a man of religious zeal and of scholarly attainments and for forty years was pastor of the Upper Buffalo Presbyterian Church. His death occurred January 23, 1873. He was married (first) to Mary Stewart, and three children were born to that union, namely: A. S .; David S., who became a physician and is now deceased; and William S., who is a Presby- terian minister, residing at Columbus, Ohio. The second marriage of Dr. Eagleson was to Mary Gordon, and five children were born to them: Alexander G., who is a Presbyterian minister residing in Guernsey County, Ohio; Henry G., who is a farmer residing at Midway, Washing- ton County, Pa., Jane G., now deceased, who was the wife of Samuel D. Blaney, of Taylorstown; and Hannah and George, both of whom reside near West Liberty, Ohio County, W. Va.,

A. S. Eagleson attended the Hopewell Township schools and Buffalo Academy, and afterward taught school for

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

several years. The outbreak of the Civil War determined his career for the three succeeding years, for he enlisted in 1861, in Company K, 8th Pa. Reserve Vol. Corps, which was identified with the Army of the Potomac. He par- ticipated in many of the most important battles of that period, including: Mechanicsville, the seven days fight- ing in the Peninsula, the Second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Battle of the Wilderness, and Spottsylvania Court House, and he participated in the skirmishing and long and weary marching that fell to the soldier's lot. He gained promotion for bravery and at one time received a painful wound. He is identified with W. F. Templeton Post, No. 120, G. A. R., at Washington, of which he is past commander. Lieut. Eagleson, with tender emotion, recalls many of his brave comrades who shared hardships with him and remembers with especial affection the gallant tent-mate who carved for him the keystone watch charm he wears with pride, while the 8th Regiment was camping on the battlefield of Antietam.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 126

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