History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 192

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 192

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J. Newton Horn attended the district schools and spent one term at Pleasant Valley Academy, after which he engaged in teaching school for four years and then entered the Federal Army. He enlisted in Co. D, 22nd Pa. Vol. Cav., and although he was never absent from the post of duty during three long years, he escaped all serious injury and was able to return safely to his family. He resumed farming on the homestead and continued to live in Amwell Township until 1880, when he moved to his farm near Zollarsville, in West Bethlehem Township, where he was actively engaged until he retired from busi- ness and since then has lived on his present place. He has two capable cenant farmers who occupy his land.

In 1861 Mr. Horn was married to Miss Nancy M. Baker, a daughter of Enoch Baker, of Amwell Town- ship, and they had four children born to them: Clarence H., who married Eda Barr, a daughter of John G. Barr, of West Bethlehem Township, and they have one son, Guy; James B., who resides at Washington, married Louella Acklin, of Greene County, Pa., and they have three children-Madge, Edna and Dortha; Flora, who married R. W. Johnson, of (Ingram) Pittsburg, and they have four children-Carl, Roy, Mary and June; and Charles E., who is professor of mathematics, in West- minster University of Denver, Col. He is a graduate of Waynesburg College and the Chicago University. He married Mary Syers, of Waynesburg, and they have one son, John S. Mrs. Horn, the mother of the above family of four children, died in August, 1900, and her burial was at Pleasant Hill. She was a member of the Presby- terian Church.

Mr. Horn was married (second) in April, 1902, to Mattie E. Doak, a daughter of Joseph Doak, of Wash- ington, Pa. For forty years Mr. Horn has been an elder in the Presbyterian Church, first at Amity, then at Bealls- ville and Pleasant Hill, and now at Mt. Pleasant. In his views on public questions he is a Democrat and at times he has consented to serve in township offices. He is a stockholder in the Washington Trust Company.

WILLIAM EDGAR SHEPLER, a representative busi- ness citizen of Finleyville, Pa., has been a resident of this borough for the past nineteen years, and since 1899 has been in the undertaking business, being a graduated embalmer. He was born on the home farm, on the Washington County line, in Allegheny County, Pa., March 11, 1870, and is a son of George M. and Catherine (Crites) Shepler.

George M. Shepler was born on the old family farm in Allegheny County, and was a son of Henry Shepler, who was born on this farm in 1797 and died in 1891, having rounded out almost a century of existence. The mother of George M. Shepler was born in Ohio in 1817 and died in 1872. Henry Shepler and wife had the fol- lowing children: Nancy Jane, who married Jackson Stilby ; Hannah Frances, who became the wife of Thomas Chamberlin; John P., who married Elsie Kessler; George M., father of the subject of this sketch; Will- iam Henry, unmarried; Helen Adaline, who became the wife of John Chambers; Sarah Katherine, deceased; James T. Shepler, unmarried; and Margaret Bell, un- married. The Sheplers, as already indicated, belong to an old Allegheny County family:

George M. Shepler, after his marriage, bought the old Montgomery farm in Washington County, and the family lived there until 1890, at which time they re- moved to Pittsburg, where George M. Shepler was en- gaged for a time in the teaming business. Subse- quently returning to Washington County, they located at Finleyville, Mr. Shepler engaging there in the hotel and livery business. After conducting the hotel busi- ness for ten years he sold out his interest in the same and retired to private life, renting out the livery busi- ness, which he had controlled for the past nineteen years. He married Catherine Crites, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Hartman) Crites, both of Washing- ton County. Joseph Crites, born in 1811, died in 1881, and his wife, Sarah (Hartman) Crites, born in 1821, died in 1866. The children of Joseph and Sarah Crites were: Sarah Jane, deceased; William B., who married Ealine MeCombs, deceased; Sarah Catherine, who be- came the wife of George M. Shepler; Mary Josephine, who married Henry Sumerly; Joseph A., who died un- married; Nancy Emaline, who became the wife of Siberton Caseber; Samuel R., who married Phebe Mes- senger; and Elizabeth, who married George Lewis Foulke.

Mr. and Mrs. George M. Shepler have been the par- ents of seven children, namely: Ella, who is the wife of H. E. Laughlin, of Jewett, Ohio, and the mother of three children-Hazel, Kenneth and Katherine-resides at McKeesport, Pa .; William Edgar, who is the direct subject of this sketch; Joseph H., deceased, (his widow, Mrs. Annie Milligan Shepler, resides at Gastonville, Pa.,

WILLIAM E. SHEPLER

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

and has a daughter, Jean) ; Nettie, who married George Boyles, of St. Petersburg, and now resides at Butler, Pa., has a daughter, Bernice Marie; Della, who is de- ceased; Florence, of Finleyville, who married Ella Cooper, now deceased, and has children, Millard Fil- more and Fred; and Emma, wife of Charles Stephen- son, of Butler, whose children are George, Calvin, Ruth and Ruby.

William E. Shepler obtained a good common school education and remained at home assisting his father, with whom, after coming to Finleyville, he was con- nected in the livery business. He later sold his interest to his brother Florence. In 1899, in partnership with this brother, he went into the undertaking business and in 1904 purchased his brother's interest. In the sum- mer of that year he erected his substantial three-story brick business block on Washington avenue. He utilizes one commodious room for his mortuary business, while in another part of the building he has a grocery store and also a restaurant. Mr. Shepler is esteemed by his fellow citizens for his business integrity. He is.a Democrat in politics, but has not held any public office.

On Christmas Day, 1901, Mr. Shepler was married to Miss Jessie K. Woodward, a daughter of Richard Woodward, of Finleyville, Pa., and they have one child, a daughter, Bernice.

JOHN W. LYLE, M. D., son of Moses and Dorcas (Cooke) Lyle, was born in Smith Township, Washington County, Pa. He attended the schools of the neighbor- hood, and was graduated from Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1882. He practiced for six months in Eldersville, Pa., after which he took a post graduate course at the University and Jefferson Medical Colleges (1883 and '84), then practiced two years at Belleville, Mifflin County, after which he removed to Houston, Wash- ington County, where he has since remained.

married to Miss Ada E. Alexander, a daughter of Silas and Rachel Longwell Alexander, of Belleville, Mifflin County. They have one son, Wallace A. L. Lyle, who is a student at State College, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lyle and wife are of the Presbyterian faith, Re- publican in politics and Scotch-Irish in descent. Robert and a younger brother emigrated to America from Coun- ty Antrim, Ireland, in the year 1742.

W. J. MeNARY, a retired farmer of Smith Township, who since 1903 has occupied a fine residence that he built just outside the southwestern limits of Burgetts- town, is a highly esteemed citizen, and belongs to old Washington County families on both the paternal and maternal sides. He was born in Smith Township, this county, December 1, 1850, and is a son of Joseph and Jane (Rea) MeNary.

His earliest paternal ancestor, of whom we have any record, was James McNary, a native of the Scottish Highlands, who was born about the year 1711. This James, it is believed, went to Ireland, whence, prior to 1760 he emigrated to America with his family, which consisted of a wife, four sons and a daughter. In 1760 he purchased a tract of land in York County, Pa. He died at the home of his son David, in Hanover Township, this county, in 1796.

John McNary, the next in the present line of descent, and great-grandfather of our subject, was born and reared in Scotland. He married Esther Boyle, a native of Ireland, and their children were: Elizabeth, who mar- ried William Douglass; Mary, who was the wife of James McCoy; James, grandfather of the subject of this article; Margaret, who married James Martin; Malcom, of whom we have no special record; Esther, wife of Thomas Irving; Agnes, who married James Pollock; John; Thomas; Alexander and Margaret, of whom we have no special record; Janet, who became the wife of Robert Mckibben. The parents of this family came to time prior to the Revolutionary War. In 1801, John McNary visited North Strabane Township, Washington County, and purchased a farm that afterwards became the property of his grandson, James S. Soon after, in 1802, he died at his home in York County, and his family later removed to the farm he had purchased.

His father, the late Moses Lyle, was a native of Wash- ington County and was a farmer during all his active . York County with the children as they then had, some life. He died at the age of eighty-two. His parents were James and Mary (Campbell) Lyle, and his grand- father, Aaron Lyle, who with two brothers, John and Robert, came from Northampton County, Pa., in 1784, and settled in what is now Mt. Pleasant Township, near Hickory. Moses Lyle married Dorcas Cooke, who died at the age of eighty-four years. Her father was James James McNary, son of John and Esther (Boyle) Mc- Nary, married Margaret Reed, daughter of Col. Joseph Reed, of Revolutionary fame, and reared a family of children, of whom Joseph McNary was one. Cooke, one of the pioneer settlers of Washington County. To Moses Lyle and wife were born three sons and two daughters, namely: James Cooke, who married Miss Clementine Lyle, is a veteran of the Civil War, having Joseph McNary was born June 18, 1802, in Cross Creek Township, this county. His educational opportunities were limited, but he attended the country schools for a while. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- lowed subsequently until 1828, and then, about a year served three years in the 140th Pa. Vol. Inf. (He is a farmer residing in Columbiana County, Ohio); Lysander Perry, who with Martha and Mary, the sisters, reside in California; and John W., of Houston, who in 1884 was

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

after his marriage, purchased a farm of 200 acres in Smith Township. This land was later found to be rich in coal, but was not tested during his life. Though start- ing out as a poor boy, he became prosperous and owned at his death, besides 200 acres of land, personal property valued at $20,000. In politics he was a Democrat and served as school director and township assessor. He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown and belonged to the session. He died in May, 1874, and his remains, with those of his wife, after being interred for a time in the old cemetery at Burgetts- town, were removed to Fairview Cemetery. He married Jane Rea, a daughter of William Rea, of Cross Creek Township, and they had children as follows: Margaret and Esther, both unmarried; Jane R., who married first, James MeNary, and afterward Samuel Cowan; Rhoda, who became the wife of Robert Withrow; Nancy A., who married Eli Marquis; Sarah A., who never married; Mary E., who married James W. Bailey; Harriet, who married John Withrow; Julia, who was accidentally strangled by a grain of corn when three years old; Joseph R., who married Catherine Ghrist; W. J., whose name heads this article; and an infant daughter that died unnamed.

W. J. McNary obtained his education in the public . schools of Smith Township. He remained at home and after his marriage engaged in farming, managing and operating 100 acres of his father's large estate. This he continued until 1903, when he sold his 100 acres to the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal Company, who have found it rich in valuable coal deposits. He is a stockholder in the Burgettstown National Bank and has other investments.

Mr. McNary was married December 25, 1879, to Miss Margaret Proudfit, a daughter of Robert and Sarah E. (Porter) Proudfit, of Smith Township. Mrs. McNary was born August 15, 1855. Of this marriage there are two daughters-Sarah J., who married Charles H. Rus- sell; and Esther Roberta, who resides at home with her parents. Mr. McNary and his family are members of the First United Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown. In politics he is a Democrat and formerly served as town auditor. He has been successful as an agriculturist and is widely known as a useful and enterprising citizen.

EDWARD T. McNULTY, general manager of the Washington Tin Plate Company, has been a resident- of Washington for ten years and is identified with other interests of the city. He was born at Pittsburg, Pa., in the old Fifth Ward, December, 1873, was reared in his native place and attended the Second Ward School and finished his education at the Pittsburg College.

After leaving college, Mr. McNulty took up a position with the old Consolidated Gas Company and upon it

merging into the Philadelphia Company, he still retained his position as general bookkeeper, leaving this company in 1899, he took up the position of bookkeeper with the same mill as he is now at, then known as the Washington Charcoal-Iron Tin Mills. This company after a few years, sold their interests to The MeClure Company of Pittsburg, Pa., at which time Mr. McNulty was placed in the responsible position of office manager. The com- pany now is known as the Washington Tin Plate Com- pany, and since October, 1909, Mr. McNulty has been general manager, having entire charge, in this connection there are some 300 employees.

In 1899 Mr. MeNulty was married to Miss Catherine McKenna, a daughter of Hon. Bernard McKenna, for- merly mayor of Pittsburg. To this marriage seven children have been born. . Mr. and Mrs. McNulty are members of the Catholic Church. He is identified with the Knights of Columbus and the Elks, and also belongs to the Columbus Club of Pittsburg.

ROBERT WILSON, one of the old business men of Chartiers Township, Washington County, who established the first store at Meadowlands thirty-eight years ago, is one of the best known men in this section. He has lived in America for fifty-nine years, but his birth took place in Ireland. His parents were John and Ann Wilson, the former of whom died when he was quite young.

In 1850 the mother of Mr. Wilson, accompanied by her three children, John, Catherine and Robert, and her two sisters, Sarah and Jane Gregg, emigrated to America, settling in Monongalia County, W. Va., within three miles of Wetzel Creek, and the family home was con- tinued in that locality for twenty-two years. John Wil- son was four years older than his brother, Robert Wil- son; he died in February, 1895. The one sister sur- vived until May, 1907, but the mother passed away in 1873.

While living in West Virginia, Robert Wilson engaged in farming. In 1872 he came to Washington County and located at what was known as the old toll gate, in Char- tiers Township. That Mr. Wilson should make a choice of this place for a business location, displayed consider- able foresight and good judgment, for at the time that he started his store, one country coal bank was being worked in the vicinity, by Jonathan Allison, with several other small banks and Ewing's mill was grinding for the farmers from over a wide territory. These enterprises comprised the entire business activities of the place. . However, in a short time things changed, Mr. Allison beginning the shipping of coal, which was continued by his successor, John H. Cook, and these operations brought in more workmen; other lines of business were estab- lished and all prospered together, Mr. Wilson to a re-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

markable degree. About 1889 he bought his present property at the sale of the Ewing farm. Mr. Wilson is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

D. D. PORTER, general farmer and dairyman, resid- ing on his excellent farm of 144 acres, situated in South Strabane Township, five miles east of Washington, Pa., was born at Washington, September 27, 1854. His parents were J. N. and Mary (Dye) Porter.

The Porter family came to America from Scotland. The grandfather of D. D. Porter was Joseph Porter, who settled in Washington County when his son, J. N., was four years old. The latter was born at Monongahela City. He grew up on his father's farm and assisted there until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to Washington, where he became a building contractor and assisted in the erection of a number of the older structures there, including the old town hall. He spent the greater part of his subsequent life at Washington, where he died on February 26, 1908, in his eighty-second year. In politics he was a Democrat. For a long period he was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church at Washington. He married Mary Dye, who died Feb. 18, 1872. Her father was Daniel Dye, the former owner of the Zelt flour mills. The following children were born to this marriage: I. D., who is assistant superintendent of the Reform School at Washington, D. C .; D. D., subject of this sketch; Benjamin M., a farmer and carpenter connected with the Morganza Reform School; Ella, who married Harry H. Donaldson, of Pittsburg; Bella, who died when three years old; Hattie, who married William T. Doak, of the Hallam Construction Company; Joseph N., who is a carpenter and lives at Washington, Pa .; Harry E., who is a dispatcher on the P. V. & C. Rail- road; John, who died in 1905 and Mattie, who married Wylie Denormandie, of Washington.

D. D. Porter obtained a district school education, after which he learned the carpenter's trade and then went to farming. He rented a farm of 120 acres in South Stra- bane Township and conducted the B. & O. dairy, having thoroughbred Jerseys cows. He remained on that farm for ten years and then went to Pittsburg for five years and leased and sold coal lands over the country, disposing of several thousand acres. He then bought the Zediker homestead in South Strabane Township, where he has repaired all the buildings and for four years has been in the dairy business, although he is also yet interested in coal lands, having 600 acres of coal lands which he con- trols in South Strabane Township and owning 144 acres. He is a shrewd and able business man and is well known all over Washington County.

On Nov. 25, 1892, Mr. Porter was married to Miss Mar- garet Ann Charters, a daughter of John H. Charters. They have three children, Frank G., who married Bertha

Donson; and Roy V. and Daisy M., both of whom live at home. For two years following their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Porter resided at Washington. In politics he is a Democrat but he has never been willing to accept public office.

JOHN MOSES BAER, proprietor of the J. M. Baer Department Store at Finleyville, Pa., has been a resident here for the past 14 years. He was born June 17, 1871, in Poland, Russia, a son of Thomas and Rachel Baer, both of whom were natives of that country. The family came to the United States in 1890 and located at Pitts- burg where the father died in 1899. He is survived by his widow and six children, namely: John Moses; Sarah, who is the wife of S. S. Sidle; Celia, who married Will- iam Rakusin; Ella, who married Morris Friedman; Ida; and Harry.

John M. Baer was reared and educated in his native country and after coming here in 1890 with his parents he engaged in the occupation of a peddler, starting out with about ten dollars worth of merchandise, which he obtained on credit from William Simon of Pittsburg. His father started him in the direction of Finleyville, Pa., and he spent six years working in the country districts of Washington County. Then acting upon the advice of Abe McClellend, a farmer, he opened a store at Finley- ville, where he first rented a small 20 by 40-foot room from W. Gaston, who enlarged his store room as his busi- ness continued to increase. Mr. Baer has met with unin- terrupted success and is now the owner of a large depart- ment store, carrying a full line of ladies' and gentle- men's furnishings, suits, shoes, carpets, house furnish- ings, dry goods etc. He built his fine large residence in 1903 and his business property was purchased in 1908. He is a stockholder of the First National Bank of Fin- leyville, and is fraternally identified with the Masonic order of Monongahela City and the Moose of Finleyville.

June 26, 1902, Mr. Baer was united in marriage with Emma Wilkoff, who was born in Pittsburg, and is a daughter of Max Wilkoff of Beaver Falls, Pa. Two chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Baer-Townsend and Howard. Mr. Baer is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the school board of Finleyville.

J. WILLIAM KLEIN, general farmer, owning 56 acres of land in Jefferson Township, Washington County, Pa., which is about equally divided between tillable fields and timbered tracts, is an honored veteran of the Civil War, in which he served for three long years. He was born at Wellsburg, W. Va., March 11, 1836, and is a son of John F. and Margaret Ann (Metz) Klein.

The parents of Mr. Klein came to Jefferson Township during the boyhood of their son, J. William, who was one of a family of 12 children. The father purchased

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

the present farm, which is situated about three miles north of Avella, and resided here until his death, which occurred May 30, 1870. His widow survived him until July 23, 1884, dying when aged 83 years. Their burial was in the Bethel Cemetery, they having been worthy members of the Bethel Church.

J. William Klein attended the Miller school in Jeffer- son Township when he was a boy but enjoyed few of the advantages which belong to the youth of the present day. He grew to manhood sturdy and strong and when he enlisted as a member of Company D, First Va. Cav., he presented a very soldierly appearance. He served three years and during this time was once wounded slight- ly. After the close of his term of enlistment, he returned home to Jefferson Township and resumed farming and has continued to live on the old homestead ever since. He has no coal bank open, although the land is undoubt- edly underlaid with this valuable commodity, and neither has he made any tests for oil or gas. He has contented himself with cultivating a part of his land and preserving the valuable timber on the other portion. He has done much building and repairing and has comfortable sur- roundings.

On February 8, 1870, Mr. Klein was married to Miss Harriet Stewart, a daughter of Robert and Margaret Wilson Stewart. They have no children. Mr. and Mrs. Klein are members of the M. P. Bethel Church. He is a Republican in politics and he served one year as road supervisor.

CHARLES O. FRYE, who is engaged in the real estate and insurance business, Charleroi, Pa., and who now holds the office of supervisor of the census for the 21st district of Pennsylvania, consisting of Washington, Beaver, Law- rence and Butler Counties, was born January 8th, 1876, on a farm near Gallatin, Tennessee, a son of Henry and Annarena (Frye) Frye.

He is descended from sturdy old German stock of Penn- sylvania and Virginia, his earliest known ancestors on both the paternal and maternal side being Benjamin and Christen Frye who had seven sons and two daughters. In the year 1744 they erected a large stone residence in Frederick County, Virginia, which was also frequently used by themselves and neighbors as a refuge from the Indians, being known as the Frye fort. This old resi- dence-fort is still in good state of preservation and is used as a dwelling house. Benjamin died in the year 1753.

Two of their sons, Samuel and Abraham, settled in Washington County about 1768 or 1769 on a large tract of land bordering on the Monongahela River and lying between Maple and Pigeon Creeks, the same being about ten miles in extent and from a quarter to a mile in width.

The Smith Frye farm adjoining Charleroi, being a 140- acre portion of this tract of land, has never been out of the Frye name. Their sons Samuel and Abraham served in the revolutionary war, Abraham being captain and Samuel lieutenant.

The subject of this sketch is descended from Samuel on the paternal side and from Abraham on the maternal side. The line of descent on maternal side being as fol- lows: Abraham, son of Benjamin and Christen Frye, mar- ried Agnes Ann , whose maiden name we have been unable so far to secure. Their son Abraham mar- ried Hester Johnston, daughter of Joseph and Mary Johnston, who were in Washington County as early as 1781. Their son, Thomas Frye, married Anna West, and. their daughter Annarena married Henry Frye, the par- ents of Charles O. Frye. And the line of descent on the paternal side is as follows: Samuel, son of Benjamin and Christen Frye, married Christen Speers, a daughter of Henry and Regina Froman Speers, who came from Vir- ginia to Westmoreland County in 1771 and settled on the present site of Gibsonton. Abraham, son of Samuel and Christen (Speers) Frye, married Isabelle Ringland, daugh- ter of John Ringland. As Abraham was a very common name among the Fryes, they called him "Ringland's Abe."' His son Abraham (known as Colonel) married Sarah Gregg. Abraham was born on the Smith Frye farm above mentioned. Henry Frye, son of Abraham and Sarah (Gregg) Frye, married Annarena Frye, who like her husband was a descendant in the 5th generation from Benjamin and Christen Frye, first known ancestors of the family.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 192

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