History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 201

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 201

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John Snyder grew to man's estate on his father's farm in Fayette County, and has always followed farming and dairying as occupations. In 1899 he came to Wash- ington County and purchased from the Lemont estate his present farm of eighty-five acres. He has since lived con- tinuously in Carroll Township, where he stands high in the esteem of his fellow men, and is recognized as one of the substantial farmers of the township. He is po- litically identified with the Democratic party, and holds membership with the Presbyterian Church.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Mr. Snyder was united in marriage with Mary Mont- gomery, who was a daughter of John Montgomery of East Finley Township, Washington County, Pa., and their five children are: Clark; Frank, who married Pearl Redd; Diana, who is the wife of John Cruise; Ada; and Jesse.

THOMAS SCOTT had much to do with making the history of western Pennsylvania, perhaps more than any of our pioneers. He was born in Chester County, but lived in Lancaster County until 1770, when he removed with his family and settled on Dunlap's Creek, in what was then Bedford, now Fayette, County. In 1773, when Westmoreland County was created, he was made a jus- tice of the peace, and was an influential Pennsylvanian in the boundary controversy with Virginia. He was a member of the staate convention which formed the first Pennsylvania constitution of 1776, and the next year he became a member of the Supreme Executive Council. Upon the organization of Washington County in 1781, he was appointed prothonotary and clerk of that county, and he then removed to Washington. In 1787 he was a member of the State convention ratifying the first con- stitution of the United States, and in 1788 he was a member of the first Congress under that constitution. In 1792, the next year after his admission to the bar, he was elected a member of the third Congress of the United States. He died on March 2, 1796, in the fifty- eighth year of his age, leaving a widow "(maiden name unknown), three sons and eight daughters. One son, Alexander, succeeded him in Congress. One daughter, Agnes, married Samuel McKinley, and became the grand- mother of Alexander Mckinley, the father of F. B. Mc- Kinley, the jeweler, of Washington; another, Elizabeth, married Alexander Cunningham, and became the mother of Samuel Cunningham, the cashier of the old Franklin Bank, afterwards the First National Bank, of Washing- ton; Jean, another, married David Hoge, a son of David Hoge, the proprietor of Washington; and Mary, another, married Joseph Pentecost, admitted to the Washington bar in 1792. The will of Thomas Scott, in his own hand- writing, is filed in our register's office, and is recorded in will book No. 1, page 283. A volume could be made of the recorded incidents of the life of Thomas Scott. His remains were removed from the old graveyard, West Walnut street, Washington, Pa., April 26, 1909, by F. P. MeKinley to his lot in the Washington Cemetery.

ROBERT W. DAVIS, a retired farmer of Washing- ton, residing at No. 20 Donnan avenue, was born in 1863, in Washington, Pa., and is a son of Dr. R. W. Davis. Dr. Davis was born on the homestead farm on Middle- ton Road October 9, 1832, and died December 9, 1895. He first embarked in the practice of his profession with

Dr. Wilson for a time, after which he engaged in busi- ness for himself. He married Mary Ann Spriggs, a daughter of James Spriggs, the latter of whom was born February 14, 1801, and was one of the prominent early settlers of Washington County, having served as sheriff of the county. Samuel Davis, grandfather of our subject, was one of the pioneer settlers of Washing- ton County.

Robert W. Davis was reared in Washington and at- tended the Union School, after which he worked for some time in a grocery store. He later located on a farm, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits for ten years. He then removed to Washington, in order to educate his children, but still looks after his farming interests.

In 1887, Mr. Davis was joined in the bonds of wed- lock with Margaret Boon, a native of Washington, and a daughter of James Boon, the family being one long established in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are the parents of the following children: Mary Spriggs Davis, Walter Weirich, Susanna, Margaret and Robert Wiley Davis,

Mr. Davis and family are members of the Third Pres- byterian Church, of which he is a member of the board of trustees. He is an Odd Fellow and belongs to Lodge No. 81.

THOMAS ROSS, whose well cultivated farm of twenty-three acres is situated one mile north of Canons- burg, in Cecil Township, Washington County, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, January 1, 1868, a son of John Ross, who is now deceased.

Thomas Ross was eighteen years of age when he came to America. He had attended school in his native land and had had some agricultural experience, hence he went to work as a farmer after locating near Canonsburg, and following his marriage, in March, 1901, purchased the present farm. The coal had already been sold and the property tested for oil. Mr. Ross follows general farming, each year succeeding in making his property more valuable.

In 1901, Mr. Ross was married to Miss Artie Viola Hamilton, a daughter of D. Hamilton, and they have one son, John Hamilton. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are mem- bers of Chartiers United Presbyterian Church at Canons- burg. He is a stockholder in the Citizens' Trust Com- pany's bank of that place.

WILLIAM HOUGH, one of Canton Township's rep- resentative citizens, large farmers and successful dairy- men, has resided on his valuable farm of 285 acres since the fall of 1879. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., November 16, 1838, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Warner) Hough.

ROBERT W. DAVIS

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

In Westmoreland County the Hough family was hon- ored as among the pioneer settlers. William Hough, father of the present William, was born in that county and died there about 1879. His father was Paul Hough. Of the children of William and Elizabeth (Warner) Hough six still survive: Mary A., who is the widow of Samuel Strickler, of Fayette County; Michael and David, both of whom live in Westmoreland County; Charlotte, who is the widow of John Fisher, and resides in West- moreland County; Elizabeth, who married Henry Metz- ger, and lives in Westmoreland County; and Maria, who is the widow of Salathiel Aspey, who died in Missouri, she now residing in Chicago.

William Hough, our direct subject, grew to manhood on his father's farm in South Huntington Township, Westmoreland County. He has devoted his whole life to agriculture, living in Fayette County for some years prior to coming to Washington. In politics he is a stanch Democrat. He has served a number of times in town- ship offices in Canton Township, being road supervisor and road commissioner, and is much interested in the good roads problem, during his official terms giving this important matter his closest attention.

Mr. Hough was married to Miss Catherine Shupe, a daughter of Jacob L. Shupe, of Westmoreland County, and the following children were born to them: Sarah A., who lives in Canton Township; Jacob L. who lives in Westmoreland County; Almeda, who is the wife of James Campbell, of Westmoreland County; Lyman, who lives at Wheeling, W. Va .; Margaret, who is the wife of Joseph Williams, of Westmoreland County; Elsie, who lives at home; Samuel J. T., who is engaged in the hard- ware business at Washington; and Huston, who is also a resident of Washington. Mr. Hough and family are affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

HENRY BOURNS, manager of the Ellsworth Col- leries Company's supply stores at Ellsworth, Pa., assist- ant postmaster and identified with other leading inter- ests of the place, was born in County Down, Ireland, July 14, 1868, and is a son of Henry and Anna Handley (McDonald) Bourns.

The father of the subject of this sketch died when the latter was twelve years old. He had been head con- stable of the county police force, a position of impor- tance. When left a widow, the mother of Mr. Bourns came to America accompanied by two sons and one daugh- ter, leaving Henry in Ireland. She was a very capable woman, a native of Scotland and for many years a teacher in Ireland prior to her marriage.

For several years after being left alone in Ireland, Mr. Bourns was employed in a, store, but when eighteen years of age he, too, came to the United States and joined his mother at Scranton, Pa. In. that city a dis-

tant relative, Judge Handley, was president of a bank, and it was in the hope of securing a position there that the youth crossed the ocean. Another friend, however, ap- peared and through his good offices the bright and comely Irish boy was placed with the Lackawanna Company within a week after reaching Scranton, and with this company he has been identified for twenty-three years, advancing from clerk to bookkeeper, to store manager at Scranton and South Scranton, and coming to Ellsworth from the latter place when the Ellsworth Colleries Com- pany was taken over by the Lackawanna Company. His faithfulness and ability have been amply rewarded. He is serving in his third year as manager of the stores mentioned and is a member of the borough council and of the school board, also vice-president of the Ellsworth National Bank, and is numbered as one of the repre- sentative citizens of this model mining town.

Mr. Bourns married Miss Helen Virtue Jones and they have one bright little son of five years, Henry Cummings Bourns. Mr. Bourns is a member of the Presbyterian Church and belongs to the building committee which has under consideration the erection of a handsome new church edifice here in the near future.

JOHN R. GAMBLE, one of North Strabane Town- ship's representative citizens and extensive farmers and stock raisers, resides on his exceedingly valuable farm of 190 acres, the fine improvements on which have been put here by himself. Mr. Gamble was born in the town of Washington, Washington County, Pa., April 23, 1854, and is a son of John and Mary A. (Tinkey) Gamble.

John Gamble was born and reared in Nottingham Township, Washington County, and in his early life was a school teacher. Subsequently he became a factor in politics, served as county clerk, for three years was county commissioner and for thirteen years was super- intendent of the Washington County Home. The later years of his life were spent on his farm in North Stra- bane Township, which he purchased from the Sheriff McClelland estate and which was known in the early history of the county as the Dorsey Penticost farm, it being one of the first tracts of cultivated land in the county. There John Gamble died in 1884, his widow sur- viving him four years. They had four sons and two daughters, namely: James S., born in Somerset Town- ship, February 8, 1852; John R .; Mary Elizabeth, born December 18, 1856, married Levi Winnett, who died in 1905; William W., born June 16, 1859, resides at Thomas Station; David E., born February 15, 1865, is engaged in a feed and machinery business at Monongahela City; and Annie, born November 20, 1867, who is the wife of J. T. Allen, of Thomas Station.

John R. Gamble has been engaged in agricultural pur- suits ever since leaving school. In addition to his farm-

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ing he is largely interested in stock and makes a specialty of growing Black Top Merino sheep. In politics he is a Republican and is an active party worker, but he has never consented to accept any political honors for him- self. The family attend the Mt. Prospect United Pres- byterian Church at Thomas Station. Mr. Gamble is a member of the Masonic fraternity. .

On June 30, 1885, Mr. Gamble was married to Miss Sudie E. Pease, a daughter of William Pease, Esq., of North Strabane Township, and they have one son, John Harold, who was born May 1, 1899.

JAMES A. McCALMONT, a well-known citizen of Buffalo Township, a useful and energetic member of the school board, resides on his farm of 165 acres, where he successfully carries on general agriculture and raises good stock, including many head of sheep every year. He was born in Mt. Pleasant Township, Washington County, Pa., in June, 1857, and is a son of Alexander and Mary (Allison) McCalmont.

His paternal grandfather, John McCalmont, was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and was among the early settlers who came to found a home in that part of the then western wilderness that is now Mt. Pleasant Township. `Here Alexander McCalmont was born, and his death took place in the same neighborhood, in 1896. He was one of the township's most substantial citizens, operating. a farm of 275 acres for many years, and being one of the largest sheep growers in the county, keeping from 400 to 500 head of thoroughbred Spanish Merinos at a time. He frequently served in township office and his opinion was consulted whenever any matters of public importance were under consideration.

He married Mary Allison, who was born in Virginia, and they were both active members of the United Pres- byterian Church in Mt. Pleasant Township. Mrs. Mc- Calmont died in 1903. Of their eleven children all, ex- cept the eldest, Mary E., are surviving, namely: John P., who resides in Washington, D. C .; Agnes, who is the wife of A. V. Lindsay, of Washington, Pa .; Samuel A., who lives in Mt. Pleasant Township; James A., who re- sides in Buffalo Township; Cora B., who is the wife of William Connor, of Washington; Emma J., who is the wife of J. B. Manson, of Cross Creek Township; Ida, who is the wife of William McBurney, of Crafton, Pa .; Abraham L., who resides in Pittsburg; Lillian, who is the wife of William E. Lane, formerly treasurer of Washington County; and Maud, who is the widow of the late Edward MeCabe, of Burgettstown, and resides at West Middletown, Washington County.

The only death in this family of eleven children, was, as already mentioned, that of the eldest, Mary E., which occurred in the fifty-ninth year of her age. That this should have been the only death in such a large family

and in so many years, is a remarkable circumstance- one of a kind seldom met with. It would certainly seem to be due to good blood and correct and healthful living.

James A. McCalmont, the direct subject of this sketch, had early practical training in farm work on the parental homestead, and can scarcely remember the time when the tilling of the soil and the increase in the flocks and herds were not subjects of his concern and interest. He received a public school education and since com- pleting his youthful studies has been engaged in agri- culture and stock raising, besides dairying. After re- siding in Mt. Pleasant Township for a number of years, he moved to Chartiers Township, and from there, in 1904, he came to his present farm in Buffalo Township.

Mr. McCalmont married Miss Anna Farrar, who was .

born in Mt. Pleasant Township, this county, and is a. daughter of the late Robert Farrar. They have six chil- dren, Mary E., Robert S., Jennie Gladys, Hilda Lyle, James Clair and Anna. Mr. McCalmont and wife are members of the North Buffalo United Presbyterian Church. The former votes the Republican ticket. He takes a useful interest in township affairs, and to men like him the excellence of the public schools is largely due.

OTTO P. GLASSER, proprietor of the Glasser Hotel, a leading hostelry at Monongahela City, Pa., is an enter- prising and representative business man here. He was born at Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, Pa., March 9, 1874, and is a son of John and Mary (Henry) Glasser, and a grandson of George Glasser, the latter of whom was a native of Germany. He was a tailor by trade and was in business at Wilkesbarre, Pa., at the time of his death.

· The father of Mr. Glasser, who is now deceased, learned the tailor trade with his father, but for the last twenty-four years of his life was proprietor of a hotel, Carrolltown, Cambria County, Pa. He was twice mar- ried and two children were born to his union with Mary Henry: Otto P. and Rose, who is now deceased. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Glasser married Mary Gilberg and the following children were born to them: Joseph, who is deceased; Matilda, who is the wife of Ernest Burly; John, who is deceased; Andrew, who is clerk at the Hotel Glasser; and Charles, Mary, August, Aloysius (deceased), Catherine, Philip, Alphonse, Leo, Herman and Emile.

Otto P. Glasser attended the public schools of Cam- bria County until fifteen years of age and then learned the barber trade and followed it for nine years. He then went into business for himself and opened a res- taurant at McDonald, which he conducted for four years and then took advantage of a good opportunity and sold. After this he opened a pool room and bowling alley

OTTO P. GLASSER

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which he operated for five years and after selling out those interests, on May 1, 1909, took possession of the Hotel Glasser. This is a three-story structure of attract- ive appearance, built of buff brick, containing forty rooms and favorably located on East Main street. Mr. Glasser understands how to make his guests comfortable, and enjoys a liberal patronage.

On June 4, 1895, Mr. Glasser was married to Miss Hessie Brown, a daughter of James and Etta Brown. Her father has followed the blacksmith business at Mc- Donald for the past twenty-six years. She is the young- est of his family, the others being: William, Calvin and Blanche, the last named being the wife of Joseph Hole. Mr. and Mrs. Glasser have four children: Imogene, Mary, Mildred and Maude. Mr. Glasser is a Republican in his political views. Fraternally he is identified with Lodge No. 145, Knights of Pythias, at McDonald; Lodge No. 275, Improved Order of Heptasophs at McDonald; and Lodge No. 30, Royal Order of Moose, at McDonald.

FRANK B. HAMBRY, who is engaged in the real estate and insurance business at Donora, Pa., is also justice of the peace, and a director of the Bank of Donora, having been a resident here since 1902. He was born January 21, 1846, on a farm in Macomb Coun- ty, Mich., a son of Thomas B. and Ellen Burt Hambry, both of whom were born in Dorsetshire, England. His mother died when he was six years old and his father died when he was twenty.

Frank B. Hambry remained on his father's farm until about 1864, when he began his career in the business world. In 1865 he was attending a business college at Detroit City when the news of Lincoln's assassination was proclaimed and this practically broke up the school. In 1866 he came to Pennsylvania and located at Wil- liamsport, where he entered the service of the Phila- delphia & Erie Railroad as a passenger brakeman and later a conductor, continuing in that capacity for four years under Frank Thompson, who was then division superintendent of that road and later president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He spent the following two years as a telegraph operator and agent at Walnut Port, Pa., on the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad, then for ten years had charge of the Mt. Pleasant & Broad Ford Railroad as assistant superintendent of that and other branches in the Connellsville Coke region; the year 1876 he was one of the organizers and directors of the First National Bank of Connellsville, Pa .; he was also for one year assistant to President Donnelly of the Somer- set & Cambria Railroad during its construction period between Somerset and Johnstown. He was then made general yardmaster of the B. & O. yards at Pittsburg, which position he held one year. Later he purchased limestone quarries and lime kilns at Martinsburg, W.

Va., where he resided three years and promoted the lime company, known as the Standard Lime Company. He then located at Uniontown, Fayette County, Pa., which was the former home of his wife, and entered into the coal and coke business, in which he continued for many years, both for himself and others, serving as paymaster and superintendent and in various other positions. Since 1902 he has been a resident of Donora, where he is en- gaged in the insurance and real estate business. He was first appointed justice of the peace by the governor of Pennsylvania in 1905, and later elected for that office on the Republican ticket for five years. In 1903 he was elected borough clerk of Donora and re-elected for five consecutive years, and in March, 1909, located in his present office at Seventh street, which was formerly occupied by Squire Castner. He has been a director of the Bank of Donora for the past four years.

In June, 1875, Squire Hambry was united in marriage with Alice Virginia Kremer, of Uniontown, Pa., a daughter of Peter Kremer, a native of Winchester, Va., and Elizabeth Grant, of Uniontown, Fayette County, Pa. Mrs. Kremer was a granddaughter of Eastern Pennsylvania Revolutionary stock. Her grandfather, Culbertson, a native of Chambersburg, Pa., was killed at the Battle of Brandywine. Of their union were born nine children, as follows: Ellen Virginia, the wife of W. B. Curry, of Fayette County, Pa .; Elizabeth, who married Dr. Claude Farquhar, of Monongahela City; Mary B .; Florence H .; Thomas B .; Frank B., who died in infancy; Frances K .; Edith L .; Fred B., all at home. Mr. Hambry and family reside in a commodious home fronting the Monongahela River on Meldon avenue, Donora, Pa.

WILLIAM F. RUSSELL, an honored veteran of the Civil War, now living retired at McDonald, Pa., was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, October 20, 1839, and is a son of Hosea and Catherine (Meyers) Russell.

The parents of Mr. Russell have both passed away and their burial was at Clintonville, Venango County, Pa. The father was a bricklayer and plasterer by trade. His death occurred in 1875. The mother lived to be ninety- three years old, dying in June, 1909. They had the following children: William F., Lydia, who is now de- ceased (was the wife of James Armitage, of Coitsville Township, Mahoning County, Ohio) ; Soloman; Mary, who married L. C. Cameron; and Lucy, who married A. L. Sweetapple.

After his boyhood school days were over, William F. Russell worked three years drilling for coal, but when the oil discoveries in the Bradford and other fields in Pennsylvania gave promise of employment and possible wealth, Mr. Russell became interested in the great in- dustry and has devoted many years of his life to oil

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

development. He owns eleven producing wells in the Bradford field and has an interest in ten wells in Ve- nango County on the farm land of which he is one of the heirs. On March 1, 1862, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Co. B, 12th Pa. Vol. Cav., in which he served two years and then re-enlisted in the same company and same regiment. He took part in some of the great battles of the war and at the Second Battle of Bull Run was captured by the enemy and kept a prisoner for three months before he was paroled and sent to Annapolis, Md. Mr. Russell remained in the army until receiving an honorable discharge in July, 1865. During the last year he served as commissary ser- geant and also acted as quartermaster while that officer was held a prisoner. He has taken much interest in matters pertaining to the G. A. R. and at present is ad- jutant of Lieut. S. M. Adams Post No. 330 at MeDonald. He is a member also of the Union Veteran Legion No. 1 at Pittsburg. He is a Republican.

In 1866 Mr. Russell married Miss Minerva M. Craw- ford, who died in 1888. They also had three children, Frances, who married Stewart Brown; Edward and Lucius, the last named being now deceased. Mr. Russell married for his second wife Miss Anna M. Mckinney.

W. A. H. McILVAINE, son of William R. and Sarah E. McIlvaine, was born in Somerset Township, Wash- ington County, Pa., on March 1, 1871, on the old home- stead farm now owned by Julius W. Nicholl.

His grandfather was William McIlvaine, son of Greer MeIlvaine. The latter settled in Washington County in 1782. Greer McIlvaine, son of John, was born near New- berg, Cumberland County, Pa., in 1757. John was the son of James, who was the son of Andrew McIlvaine. The last named came to Lewes, Del., from Ayr, Scotland, in 1719.

W. A. H. McIlvaine attended the public schools of Somerset Township, and after some preparatory work, entered Washington and Jefferson College, where he graduated in the Class of 1894. After attending the Pittsburg Law School, he was admitted to the bar of Washington County, on October 26, 1898, and immediate- ly entered into the practice of his profession at Wash- ington. He continued alone until May, 1903, when he entered into partnership with Harry L. Williams, under the firm name of McIlvaine & Williams. Subsequently, Mr. McIlvaine was admitted to practice in all the courts of the State. He has taken a large amount of interest in politics, and has been actively interested in good gov- ernment movements.

For twelve years, he has been on the board of directors of the Y. M. C. A., showing much zeal in advancing the strength and opportunities of that organization. For two years he was the president of the County Christian

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 201

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