History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 202

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 202

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Endeavor Union and at the present time is president of the borough Council of East Washington.

On September 10, 1902, Mr. MeIlvaine was married to Miss Annie G. Wilson, a daughter of John Wilson, who, for many years, was the superintendent of the Washington County Home. Mr. and Mrs. McIlvaine have three children, namely: Alexander Wilson, born May 29, 1904; John Wilson, born June 22, 1907, and Elizabeth Hamilton, born May 19, 1909. Mr. McIlvaine is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church of Wash- ington and has served it as treasurer and trustee, and at the present time is president of the Men's Brother- hood.

BENJAMIN HOLLIDAY, general superintendent of the Ellsworth Colliers Company's mines at Ellsworth, Pa., was born in England, February 19, 1867, and is a son of Joseph and Mary . (Madison) Holliday.

Mr. Holliday is a practical miner and the son of a miner. He was fifteen years of age when he accom- panied his parents to America, but prior to this had already worked in the mines of England. The family lived at Jackson, Mich., for two years and then Benjamin went to Illinois and from there to Iowa, and in 1889 came to Washington County, Pa., and subsequently worked in the different mines down the Monongahela Valley. He became mine boss at the Ferguson mine in Fayette County, and in 1892 became pit boss of the mines at Smock, in that county, coming from there to Ellsworth in 1901, where he served one year as mine superintendent. In 1902 he returned to Smock as su- perintendent for the Pittsburg Coal Company and re- mained there until his return to Ellsworth in 1907. He has become one of the leading citizens of this model mining town, is serving as burgess and is a member of the board of directors of the National Bank of Ells- worth.

Mr. Holliday married Miss Jane Lowther and they have six children : Olive, Bertha, Benjamin, Mary, Joseph and Robert, the eldest daughter being a student in the California Pennsylvania State Normal School. Mr. Holliday is prominently identified with the Masons, be- longing to the Blue Lodge at Fayette City, the Chapter at Brownsville and Mckean Commandery at Charleroi.

JAMES HOLLERAN, a well-known citizen of Cecil Township, Washington County, Pa., residing on his farm of forty-one acres, situated three miles northeast of Canonsburg, was born in Cecil Township, November 18, 1854. His parents were Michael and Katherine (Mc- Mahon) Holleran.

The parents of Mr. Holleran came to America after their marriage, both having been born in Ireland, and they settled on a farm in Cecil Township, Washington County. Michael Holleran followed farming there until

CAPT. R. M. COOK

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

his death, which occurred about 1863, his widow surviv- ing him for a number of years. They were devout Cath- olies and in their house religious services were often held before there was any Catholic Church in the vicinity. Michael Holleran and wife had seven children: Bridget, who is deceased; John, who lives in Peters Township; Frank, who is deceased; Margaret, who married Patrick Reagan, and lives at Canonsburg; Michael, who is de- ceased; James; and Anna Mary, who married Timothy O'Herron and resides at Canonsburg.

James Holleran attended school at Canonsburg or vicinity when he was young, but he early started to take care of himself, engaging in the home neighborhood in teaming. He has continued his teaming business, to- gether with his farm industries, now being a contractor and also operating a saw-mill. Through energy and in- dustry combined with good business management, Mr. Holleran has done well. He had many responsibilities resting on him in his youth and had fewer opportunities than many others, but he overcame obstacles and is now what is termed a successful self-made man. After his marriage he settled on his present farm, all of which is tillable, and he has improved his property by repairing the buildings.

On August 3, 1887, Mr. Holleran was married to Miss Anna M. Ayers, a daughter of John and Anna (Hunt) Ayers. John Ayers was born in Mt. Pleasant Township and his wife at Canonsburg, Washington County. They live retired at the latter place and are members of the United Presbyterian Church there. The father of Mrs. Ayers, Joseph Hunt, was a prominent resident of Canons- burg at one time and was a faithful supporter of the Democratic party, as are both Mr. Ayers and Mr. Hol- leran. Mr. and Mrs. Holleran have eight children: Will- iam Martin, Wylie Clarence, Lloyd James, Martha, Ella Mabel, Marie, Anna and Ethel Jeanette.

Mr. Holleran's wife and family are members of the Greenside Avenue United Presbyterian Church at Canons- burg, Pa. By birth he was a Catholic, but is not now a member of any church. 1

CAPT. R. M. COOK, who has been a resident of Washington for twenty-two years, has been identified with the coal industry and with large real estate invest- ments during the greater part of his business life and for a long period has been prominent in State military affairs. He was born at Canonsburg, Washington Coun- ty, Pa., in 1860, and is a son of J. V. H. Cook and a grandson of Samuel R. Cook.

J. V. H. Cook, who is one of the leading coal men of Washington County, was born at Canonsburg, in 1837, where he still resides. He is a son of Samuel R. Cook, who was born at Canonsburg, Pa., then went to Knox County, Ohio, and from there came to attend col-

lege in Washington County, when Canonsburg was known far and wide as an educational center. Later he taught school there and finally became identified with the coal interests and spent the remainder of his life in the county.

Capt. Cook was reared at Canonsburg and attended the public schools. He entered business as a retail coal merchant and, in association with his father and his brother, S. C. Cook, formed a partnership in 1887, for the development of coal and they are operators of sev- eral mines in Washington County. Mr. Cook also has large real estate interests. In 1884 he first identified himself with the National Guards, joining Co. H, 10th Pa. N. G., of which he was a member for seven years. In 1905 he was appointed inspector of rifle practice for his regiment and is a member of the regimental staff of Col. Coulters, with the rank of captain.

In 1887, Capt. Cook was married to Miss Clara V. McNary, a daughter of J. D. McNary, of Washington, and they have one son. They are members of the Jeffer- son Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN T. BURNSIDE, general farmer, stock raiser and dairyman, who resides on the old Burnside home- stead, in Chartiers Township, Washington County, Pa., on which his paternal grandfather settled in 1827, was born on this farm June 22, 1868. His parents were George D. and Nancy (Oram) Burnside.

Joseph Burnside, the grandfather of John T., was born in Ireland. On coming to America he settled first in Allegheny County, Pa., and from there came to Wash- ington County. Both he and wife died on the farm now owned by their grandson, John T. Burnside. They had three daughters and one son: Rachel, who was the wife of John Foley, and died at Gibson City, Ill., in Novem- ber, 1909; Mary Ann, who married a Mr. Hesup, and died also in Illinois; Jane, who married a Mr. Thomp- son, of Monmouth, Ill .; and George D.

George D. Burnside spent his life on the farm above mentioned and was numbered with the successful farmers and stock raisers of the county. His death occurred in 1889, when he was aged sixty-five years. He married Nancy Oram, a daughter of James and Prudence Mc- Connell Oram. She now resides at Washington, being in her eighty-fourth year. Five children were born to George D. Burnside and wife: Mary, who married John R. Slater, of Cecil. Township; Elizabeth (who married W. A. McBurney, now a resident of Canonsburg), de- ceased; Martha, who married James Patton, and resides at Sparta, Ill .; James, an attorney at Washington, who married Prudence Eckles, and has one son, Robert James.

John T. Burnside obtained a common school education in Chartiers Township. He has continued to live on the

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old homestead and has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. In addition to general farming and dairying, for the past twelve years he has been engaged in breed- ing registered Holstein cattle and his herds of from thirty to forty head show that he has met with success. He does quite a large business in putting stock on the market. The farm is well improved, the buildings now standing having been erected by his father.

In 1893 Mr. Burnside was married to Miss Mary. F. Mckown. She was reared in Allegheny County and is a daughter of Samuel and Martha (Alexander) Mc- Kown, of Bridgeville, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Burnside have four children: Martha A., George D., Lloyd C. and Alice M., all of whom are students, the elder daughter being a member of the Class of 1913 of the Canonsburg High School. Mr. Burnside and family are members of the Chartiers United Presbyterian Church of Canonsburg. In politics he is a Republican.

ALBERT M. ALGEO, superintendent of the Hazel Atlas Glass Factory No. 1, is one of the most enterpris- ing young business men of Washington. He was born in 1878 near Canonsburg, Pa., his parents moving to Washington shortly afterward, where he attended the common school of what is now the Eighth Ward. It was not possible for him to continue regularly at school and at the age of ten he started to work at the glass factory now operated by the Phoenix Glass Company, at that time known to the boys as the "Union," and in a short time secured a place at 60 cents per day as carrying-in boy at the Hazel-the same factory that he now has charge of. At the age of about twelve he went to the Tyler Tube & Pipe Mills, working there for nearly three years and then went to the Duncan Glass Factory, which had just recently located in town and naturally attracted many boys. At this plant he served four years, which took him clear through the ranks of apprenticeship. The only schooling he had gotten since ten years of age had been parts of two or three winter terms and he had never studied anything but reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. At the age of nineteen he left the Duncan Glass Factory and entered the Washington Business College, sweeping, scrubbing, dusting and taking care of the rooms in pay for his tuition, and he gives to Prof. Louis Van Orden and Miss Lois White credit for most of his education, which covered a period of from January 1 to June 1 of one year and from September 1 to about February 1 of the next year. At this time he secured a place in the office of Mr. W. C. Baldwin as stenog- rapher. Mr. Baldwin was then with the New York Life

it necessary to go to Pittsburg every morning. After continuing this for several months Algeo was transferred

to Washington, Pa., (due, he sincerely believes, to the fact that he could not do the work satisfactorily) to keep the books and do the office work for the Murdoch, Bald- win Oil Company. This gave him a chance to attend night school at the Washington Business College. On his twenty-first birthday he secured a position as stenog- rapher in the office of the Hazel Glass Company. After working at various positions in the office, he was finally made purchasing agent, and at different times was sent out to sell goods. Shortly after the organization of the Hazel Atlas Glass Company he was made superintendent of Hazel Factory No. 1. He is also a stockholder of the Hazel Atlas Glass Company.

Mr. Algeo is a member of the Second United Presby- terian Church and has attended it since its organization about fifteen years ago in the W. & J. college building, having served an extended period as usher and has served as secretary of the Sabbath-school. He is one of the charter members of the Bassett Club, which is composed of Washington's brightest young men, and of which he has served as secretary.

P. A. CURRAN, justice of the peace and a representa- tive citizen of Cecil Township, Washington County, Pa., resides on his farm of fifty acres, which is yearly grow- ing more valuable. Mr. Curran was born in Perry Coun- ty, Ohio, October 15, 1863, and is a son of Morgan and Mary (Haughran) Curran. The father of Mr. Curran still resides in Perry County, but the mother died De- cember 15, 1908. Of their twelve children, P. A. is the only one residing in Washington County.

P. A. Curran obtained a common school education in his native county and for some years afterward was variously engaged, a part of the time being manager of a store at Corning, Ohio. He then went to the West and for three years worked as a millwright at Deadwood, S. Dak., and also was weighmaster there. After he returned to Washington County, he resided for a short time at McDonald and then became the manager of a store at Reissing, for W. P. Renn, a mine owner. About this time he married and then located in Cecil Township and engaged in a general store and oil well supply busi- ness. He is one of the best known men in this section. In 1897 he was first elected to the office of justice of the peace and has served continuously ever since, with the exception of one year.

On October 29, 1895, Mr. Curran was married to Miss Julia B. Chambers, a daughter of Robert and Margaret Ellen (Sweeny) Chambers. Her father, who was born in Ireland and came to America when fifteen years of Insurance Company with offices in Pittsburg, making . age, resided first at Steubenville, Ohio, and then came to Cecil Township as foreman of a gang of men building the railroad. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Chambers, seven survive. Mr .and Mrs. Curran have one daughter, Margaret Sweeny, who was born March 22, 1898, and attends school at Cecil. Mr. Curran and family are members of the Roman Catholic Church. He is a Republican.

JARRETT COVENTRY, for many years a well known and highly respected citizen of Hanover Township, was born January 16, 1825, on the farm on which his widow now resides, and died on the same farm, August 6, 1902. He was a son of James and Letitia Coventry, and a grandson of John Coventry, who was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1750. John Coventry learned the trade of a weaver in his native land, and when a young man was married to Martha Brown, who was born in 1754. Some years after their marriage they emigrated to America, settling first in Eastern Pennsylvania. John Coventry joined the Continental army and took an active part in the struggle for independence, sharing the suffer- ings and privation of the American soldiers, some idea of which can be gained by reading the account of the terrible winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge. After the war times were hard and, owing to the depreciation of the Continental currency, a little dress which was pur- chased for a son, cost $60.00.

Accounts having reached them of the cheap lands opened to settlers in the western part of the State, they decided to improve this opportunity to better their con- dition, and with their few earthly possessions, started on foot to make the long and tedious journey across the mountains. They carried with them their little son Robert, then about two years old. Arriving at last in Hanover Township, Washington County, Pa., John Coventry purchased a small piece of land and erected thereon a rude log cabin after the manner of the pioneer settlers. Here, besides farming, he carried on his trade of weaver. In due time their primitive abode was sup- planted by a more comfortable dwelling and prosperity crowned the efforts of this hardy pioneer. He lived to enjoy the many marked improvements in his surroundings and in the modes of life, passing away February 5, 1845, when in his ninety-fifth year. He was laid to rest by the side of his wife, who had preceded him to the grave on April 8, 1832. Both are buried in the U. P. Ceme- tery at Burgettstown, Pa. Their children were Robert (died in Hanover Township), William, James (father of the subject of this sketch), John (a school teacher who resided for a time in Steubenville, Ohio, and afterwards in New Philadelphia, Ohio, where some of his descendants are now living), Jane (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased wife of William Smiley), and Martha (deceased). John Coventry and his wife were members of the Seceder Church, and were accustomed to walk the whole distance

of ten miles to attend the services. They later trans- ferred their membership to the church of that denomi- nation at Burgettstown. In politics John Coventry was a Democrat.

James Coventry, son of John and Martha (Brown) Coventry, was born in Hanover Township on the early parental homestead and there passed his boyhood days attending the country schools. In 1824 he married Le- titia Coventry, whose parents were born in Ireland. For some time after his marriage James Coventry resided on the farm that was later the home of his son Jarrett, but subsequently located near Murdocksville, in Alle- gheny County, where he died in 1851, at the age of fifty-seven years. His wife did not long survive him. He was a successful farmer and a man of conscientious life. He was a member of the Seceder Church, and was one of the founders of the Robinson U. P. Church. In politics he was a Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. James Coven- try were the parents of children as follows: Nancy, de- ceased; Jarrett, whose name appears at the head of this sketch; Matilda, who died January 12, 1908, was the wife of Joseph Searight, of Allegheny County, Pa .; Mary Jane, unmarried, who died January 20, 1908; and John S., of Allegheny County, who died January 1, 1908. It will be noted that the three last mentioned died within three weeks of one another.

Jarrett Coventry attended the district schools in his boyhood and subsequently engaged in farming for some years before his marriage in Allegheny County, but afterwards on the old home place. He had a sound practical knowledge of agriculture and was very success- ful in raising stock.

In November, 1875, Mr. Coventry was married to Miss Catherine Malone, a daughter of William and Ruth (Wilson) Malone. Her parents were both natives of Washington County, Pa., and belonged to old pioneer families. Their children were as follows: John, who is deceased; Sarah Jane, was the wife of Samuel Moore; Susan, now deceased, who was the wife of Alexander Bowser; Carson; Margaret, who married Dorsey Pedi- cord; Robert, who is an attorney in Pittsburg; William, who is a physician at Bergholz, Ohio; and Catherine, who became the wife of Jarrett Coventry. William Ma- lone was a carpenter by trade.

Mr. and Mrs. Coventry had three children-Annie, who married Charles B. Anderson; James Rankin, who man- ages the farm for his mother; and John S., who died in infancy. Mr. Coventry was a Democrat in politics, but never consented to serve in any office save that of school director. The family belong to the United Pres- byterian Church at Robinson. Mr. Coventry was a kind husband and father and was a man highly esteemed for his many neighborly qualities.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

WILLIAM H. ALEXANDER. The Alexander family has been an active factor in the business and social life of Monongahela for several generations and are repre- sented in the local affairs of the community at the pres- ent day by the bank bearing their name.

William Herron Alexander, subject of this sketch, who is a member of the firm of Alexander & Co., bankers and secretary of the Monongahela City Trust Company, has been identified with the banking interests of Monon- gahela since 1883, when he entered the bank as a boy of eighteen, under the supervision of his father, the late James S. Alexander, and was born May 26, 1864, and educated in Dayton, Ohio, after finishing at the public schools of Monongahela.

James S. Alexander, father of William H. Alexander, was born in Monongahela, August 28, 1828, and was one of the younger sons of Joseph Alexander, who in 1843 established the partnership of Joseph Alexander & Son by taking in with him his son, the late William J. Alex- ander.

Joseph Alexander, grandfather of subject of this sketch, was born April 1, 1795, and commenced his busi- ness career in Monongahela in 1828 as a general trader, carrying on his business in a log house located on Main street. Joseph Alexander continued this business until 1843, when he took his son William J. Alexander into partnership with him, and from this business, as a re- sult of the practical business ability and sagacity dis- played by his son the present banking business was evolved. In 1850 the name was changed to Alexander & Company and James S. Alexander was taken in and devoted the whole of his life to the upbuilding of the bank in which he took an active and neverfailing in- terest. A few years previous to his death, as his years increased, desirous of having his sons, Frederick K. and William H. Alexander succeed him during his life- time, Mr. Alexander gradually shifted the burden of business cares to younger shoulders and relieved him- self largely of responsibility by dividing all but a small portion of his interest in the bank between his sons and giving them the advantage of his advice and experience, made them members of the firm, who now, with Joseph Alexander Herron, constitute the present organization.

William H. Alexander, on the organization of the Mo- nongahela City Trust Company in 1901, was elected sec- retary and director, and has won many friends in the business world by his fairmindedness and pleasant man- ners and has a grasp of details, which is largely respon- sible for his business success.

In 1888 Mr. Alexander was united in marriage to Jennie Stuart Wilson, daughter of William H. Wilson of Monongahela, and they have one daughter, Jean. Mrs.

Alexandre's family has been intimately associated with the social and business life of the community since 1816. She is a descendant of the old Wilson family of Car- lisle. Her great-grandfather, Hugh Wilson, of Carlisle, came to Monongahela in 1816 and operated a general trading store. He was one of the first ruling elders in the Presbyterian Church here, a strong Presbyterian of the Scotch-Irish school, of great piety and much force of character. Hugh Wilson's wife was Sibby Holmes; she attended the ball given in Philadelphia in 1776 in honor of the Declaration of Independence and the gray satin gown she wore on that occasion is a valued treasure of the family.

Mr. Alexander and family reside in a pleasant home at No. 707 West Main street and are active in the social life of the city. Mr. Alexander is devoted to the interests of his home town in which he takes pride and is always interested in anything that makes for the advancement of Monongahela. In addition to his banking interests, Mr. Alexander is a corporator of the Monongahela Ceme- tery, the most beautiful "God's Acre" in the Monon- gahela Valley and was elected a deacon of the First Presbyterian Church in 1905 to succeed his father.

BOYD E. WARNE, a representative citizen of Wash- ington, Pa., an attorney at law and a member of the prominent firm of Duncan, Chalfant & Warne, was born in 1867, in Nottingham Township, Washington County, Pa., and is a son of Hiram and a grandson of Maj. James Warhe, who was a veteran of the Mexican War.

The late Hiram Warne was born February 16, 1822, in Monongahela City, Washington County, Pa., a son of Maj. James Warne. The latter was born in 1779, in Allegheny County, just across the river from Monon- gahela City, and he was captain of a company re- cruited at Monongahela City for the Mexican service. Hiram Warne followed farming and sheep raising in Nottingham Township until 1871, when he bought eighty- four acres of land adjacent to Washington and resided on that property until his death, which occurred in 1896. He was a leading citizen of Washington County.

Boyd E. Warne was reared in his native county. After his primary school training he spent six months in the old Jefferson Academy, and for six years was a student in Washington and Jefferson College, graduating in the class of 1890. In 1893 he was graduated from the law department of the University of West Virginia, after. which he returned to Washington County and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1895, having done his law reading with Mr. Duncan, of his present firm. The present part- nership was entered into in April, 1905. Mr. Warne is a practitioner in all the State courts and in the United States District Court. He stands high in his profession

WILLIAM H. ALEXANDER

BOYD E. WARNE

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and equally high in the various business enterprises aside from it in which he is more or less interested. Mr. Warne was married September 28, 1909, to Miss Geneva W. Harris, a daughter of Thomas T. Harris, a resident of Washington. He is a member of the Third Presby- terian Church at Washington, and is identified with the Elks and Heptasophs.

SYLVESTER MARTIN, manager and principal stock- holder of the California Tool Works Company, with plant at California, Pa., has been a resident of this borough since 1891. He was born in Hartford County, Maryland, in March, 1856, and is a son of Philip and Margaret (Jones) Martin.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 202

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