History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 207

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 207

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Mr. Black has long been actively interested in the Democratic party and has served as treasurer of Monon- gahela City, and two terms as school treasurer. He is a director and treasurer of the Bellewood and West Monongahela Natural Gas Company, being a charter member of the same; is present treasurer of the Ceme- tery Company of Monongahela City, and is fraternally a charter member of the B. P. O. E., of which he has

been treasurer since its organization. He holds member- ship with the Presbyterian Church.

J. R. McPHERSON, one of Cecil Township's best known men, resides on a farm of 200 acres, which lies four miles north of Canonsburg, on the Pittsburg and Washington Pike, the ownership of which is equally di- vided between himself and his brother, William W. Mc- Pherson. He was born on the homestead in Cecil Town- ship, Washington County, Pa., June 17, 1870, and is a son of William B. and Sarah Ann (Park) McPherson, and a grandson of Samuel McPherson.

Samuel McPherson was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1800, and came to the vicinity of Pittsburg when twelve years of age. He later came to Washington Coun- ty and on August 21, 1821, married Rebecca Giffin, a daughter of Andrew Giffin. They had children: James, Andrew G., Martha, William B., Robert, and Nancy, who married Jonathan Bebout, of Cecil Township. After marriage Samuel MePherson settled first on a farm situated on the county line, and some years afterward bought and moved to the farm on which he died Novem- ber 13, 1877. He was buried at Speer Spring Cemetery, near Canonsburg, Pa. His widow survived until May 18, 1879, and her burial was at the same place. They were members of that church, now known as the Canons- burg United Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. McPherson was the last surviving female charter member of that organization. When Samuel McPherson first moved to the Cecil Township farm, it contained 145 acres, but he gradually added to the acreage and his sons each became possessed of farms of their own. Between 1835 and 1837 he built the mill that is still standing. This was once a busy place, but the old grinding machinery has not been in general use since 1876, although a little . corn was ground as late as 1880; all has been removed. Mr. MePherson manufactured flour which he sold in Pittsburg and Cumberland, and purchased corn with which he fed many hogs, using teams of from six to eight horses to transport these loads. He was a prominent man in his community in every way and he served as justice of the peace for many years.

William B. McPherson, father of J. R. MePherson, was born on the Boyce farm, located on the Allegheny and Washington County line, and here he received a limited education. He spent his entire life on the farm in Cecil Township, where he was extensively engaged in raising sheep, but did not devote his entire time to the farm as he was an extensive wool buyer for more than thirty years, in which business he was very successful. He erected all the present farm buildings with the ex- ception of the barn. His death occurred March 11, 1894, and that of his widow December 8, 1903; both were buried at the Speer Spring Cemetery. Mr. McPherson

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was a member and trustee of the Canonsburg United Pres- byterian Church. For fiften years he was a director in the First National Bank of Canonsburg, and he was well known and highly respected throughout Cecil Township. He was a Republican and served for some time as school director.

On June 1, 1854, Mr. McPherson was married to Sarah Ann Park, daughter of Gen. John and Martha (Connley) Park, of Cecil Township, and to this union there were born eight children: Sarah, who is single and resides on the homestead farm; Samuel H., who married Anna A. Sturgis; Ada Martha, who married John N. Bell; John P., who is deceased; Nannie Jane, who married J. A. McConnell, of North Strabane Township; Ella R., who married B. K. McConnell, of Cecil Township; William W., who is part owner of the homestead farm; and James R.

James R. McPherson received his educational training in the common schools of Cecil Township, and his life has been spent on the homestead farm. He has not de- voted all of his attention to agricultural interests, how- ever, being a stockholder in the National Bank of Can- onsburg and a director in the Farmers' Mutual Telephone Company. He is a Republican, but has never sought nor cared for public office. Mr. McPherson is a member of the Greenside Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church, of which he was formerly a trustee.

On December 20, 1900, Mr. McPherson was married to Laura B. Fulton, daughter of William Fulton, of North Strabane Township, and they have one child, Helen, who was born March 6, 1905.

WORKMAN HUGHES, JR., recorder of deeds for Washington County, Pa., from January 1, 1879, until January 1, 1885, was for a number of years engaged in the real estate and insurance business in the borough of Washington, where his death occurred May 30, 1900. He was born in Amwell Township, Washington County, and came of an old and prominent family of the county. His parents were Samuel L. and Susan (Workman) Hughes, his grandparents, John and Sarah (Wiley) Hughes, and his paternal great-grandfather was Barnabas Hughes, who was born in Ireland and came to America in 1756, settling in what is now the State of New Jersey. The last named had two sons, William and John.

John Hughes, in 1770, moved to Carlisle, Pa., and after a few years entered the Continental Army under Capt. Hendricks. The company was formed with eight other companies into a battalion in July, 1775, and placed in command of Col. William Thompson. They encamped at Cambridge, August 13, 1775, and in the month of September, his company with others left for Canada under command of Col. Benedict Arnold and took part in the attack upon Quebec. After this expedition John

Hughes was promoted to the rank of captain and re- mained in the army during the remainder of the war, being present at the battles of Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. At the conclusion of the struggle, in 1786, he married Sarah Wiley and came to Washington County with Timothy Ryan. They purchased large tracts of land on Fish Creek, now in Greene Coun- ty, patented to them in August, 1786; during the same year Mr. Hughes purchased Ryan's interest. In 1793 he bought land on the north branch of Ten-Mile Creek, where he kept a store for about nine years, and in 1802 he moved to the town of Washington, where he continued in the store business. After several years he returned to his farm in Amwell Township, where his death occurred September 18, 1815. He left six children: Mary Ann, James, Samuel L., Thomas, John and Isabelle.

In March, 1837, Samuel L. Hughes, father of the sub- ject of this record, was married to Susan Workman. He was a prosperous farmer and for seven terms served as justice of the peace in Amwell Township. He died in November, 1880, and was survived by his widow until May, 1885. They had nine children: Ann F. (Van- Kirk), Mary V., James M., Workman, Jr., John W., Elizabeth E., Samuel L., Susan R., and Thomas McK.

Workman Hughes, Jr., was reared on a farm in Amwell Township, near Lone Pine, and in early life taught school for a number of years. He was elected to the office' of recorder in November, 1878, and at the expiration of that term was re-elected, being the first honored with that dis- tinction since 1842. With the assistance of his brothers, James M., Samuel L. and Thomas McK. Hughes, he made a complete index to the records of the office. When his term of office expired he entered the real estate and in- surance bsuiness, and was the representative of the Union Central Life Insurance Company. October 31, 1889, he was married to Miss Hannah B. Wingett, who also is of an old Washington County family. She is a daughter of Silas and Harriet (Mattox) Wingett, who was born and reared on a farm in Morris Township and attended the public school at Prosperity.

Silas Wingett was born in Morris Township in 1840, on the farm which his father Reuben Wingett had pur- chased and which he, himself, later owned, it being also the birth-place of his children. Reuben Wingett was born in 1804 and was a son of John Wingett, one of the pioneers of the county, whose death occurred in 1849. Reuben married Hannah Saunders, who was born in 1803 and died in 1890. They reared three children: Jane, who died after reaching maturity; Amanda, who married Joseph Thompson and moved to Kansas where both died; and Silas. The last named and his wife lived in Morris Township until about the year of 1893, since which time they have resided in Charleroi. Harriet Mat- tox was born in 1841 and is a daughter of John and

WILLIAM G. WHITE

SAMUEL D. WHITE

SARAH ANN D. WHITE

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

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Clara Mattox, of near West Union, Greene County, Pa. John Mattox was born in 1815 and died on the home place in Greene County at the age of forty-five years, being survived many years by his widow, who died at the age of eighty-two. They had the folowing children : Emeline Alice (White) whose husband was a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Elias, who was shot at the battle of Shiloh and shortly afterward died from the effect of his wounds; George, a soldier in the Civil War, and a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Harriet E. (Wingett); Margaret, widow of Thomas Penn, residing at St. Clairsville; Dr. Oliver Mat- tox, who is engaged in practice at West Union; and Eliza, wife of T. J. Huffman, of Waynesburg.

Silas and Harriet Wingett were married October 30, 1860, and they became parents of the following: John Newell, a machinist, who married Flora Craft, of Morris Township; Stephen Elias, who married Miss Ella Young, of Greene County; Oliver L., who married Annia Latti- mer and after her death, Miss Sophia McPherson, of Sewickley; Hannah B .; Clara J., who married Joseph Ryan, who died in 1897, and later was married to J. C. Lowstuter, of Charleroi; Bertha, wife of William S. Sharpneck, of Charleroi; Harriet E., wife of M. S. Cor- bett, of Hagerstown, Md .; Isa N., wife of Dr. Muth, of Wilmerding; and Dessie V., wife of Charles Gear, of Charleroi.

Workman, Jr., and Hannah B. Hughes had two chil- dren born to them, namely: Susan W., who was born in 1890 and died in 1896; and Howard W. Hughes, who was born in 1891. The latter was graduated from the public and high schools of Charleroi, and in 1907 entered Washington and Jefferson College, being now in his junior year .. In 1909, Mrs. Hughes was married to Mr. Adelbert Kightlinger, of Washington, where they reside. Fraternally, Mr. Hughes was a member of the Masonic order and was a Knight Templar. He was a member of the Christian Church.

WILLIAM GRAHAM WHITE, a prosperous agricul- turist of Washington County, Pennsylvania, whose fine farm of 200 acres is situated in Cross Creek Township, was born April 22, 1862, in Hopewell Township, and is a son of Samuel D. and Sarah Ann (Dinsmore) White, and a grandson of James and Margaret (Lyle) Dins- more.

William White, paternal grandfather, was born May 10, 1793, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, his father having moved there from Ireland. He married Jane Reid, born June 3, 1792, and they had eight children : John, who became a dentist at Washington, Pa .; Will- iam R., deceased, of Ashland County, Ohio, at that time; Joseph, who lived in Lancaster County; Samuel D., father of William Graham; Mary J., widow of

James Andrews, of Lancaster County; James, who is deceased; Elizabeth (McMillan) ; and Margaret Isabel, who lives near Canonsburg, is the widow of John Camp- bell. William White and wife lived their lives in Lan- caster County, where she died September 21, 1859. He survived her many years.

Samuel D. White was married to Sarah Ann Dinsmore December 20, 1855, and for a time thereafter lived on the Dinsmore place in Cross Creek Township, Washing- ton County, but soon after went to Lancaster County, where for some two years they lived in Coleraine Town- ship. They then returned to the Dinsmore farm in Cross Creek Township and in the fall of 1861 they moved to Hopewell Township. In 1865, having sold the farm in Hopewell Township, Mr. and Mrs. White returned to the farm in Cross Creek Township and continued to live here until 1903, when Samuel D. White retired, mov- ing then to Cross Creek village, where he died Novem- ber 14, 1906, the death of his wife having occurred on March 3 previous. . They had six children, three of whom grew to maturity and still survive: James D., born April 26, 1860, was married April 23, 1885, to Edda Sauters, and they live in Pittsburg; William Graham, of Cross Creek Township; and John M., who was born December 20, 1868, was married October 22, 1890, to Anna E. Emery, and resides at Canonsburg.

To trace the Dinsmore and Lyle families the investi- gator has to go far back in the history of different sec- tions of Pennsylvania. James Dinsmore, maternal grandfather of William Graham White, was born in Hopewell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1803, grew to manhood there, but shortly after his marriage moved to Cross Creek Township and pur- chased about 395 acres, which is practically all owned by his grandsons, John M. and William G. White. On March 21, 1827, he was married to Margaret Lyle, who was born in Mt. Pleasant Township, April 8, 1805. They had the following children: Jane C., who died unmar- ried, February 20, 1899; Sarah A., who was the mother of William G. White; and Mary Lyle, who is the widow of Henry G. Graham, of Richland County, Ohio. James Dinsmore resided on this place until his death, April 3, 1870. His widow survived him until her death on May 17, 1898.

The Lyle family was established in Washington County by Robert Lyle, who was born in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in 1754, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. In 1787 he purchased a farm in Mt. Pleasant Township, Washington County, and there he and his brothers owned more than 1,000 acres. His father, Robert Lyle, was born in Ireland and left Bel- fast in the latter part of the year 1741 and landed at New York in the spring of 1742. He settled first near New Brunswick, N. J., and from there moved to Forks

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Township, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in 1847, just after his marriage to Mary Gilleland. He served on the first grand jury in that county. His death took place December 9, 1765.

Robert Lyle (second) married Sarah Rea, and among their children was Mrs. Dinsmore.

William Graham White received his early education in the district schools, after which he attended Cross Creek High School and Jefferson Academy, leaving the latter institution when eighteen years of age to engage in agricultural pursuits. For eighteen years he followed farming in Smith Township, but for the past six years he has carried on his farm and stock industries on the old home place in Cross Creek Township. He pays con- siderable attention to Poland China hogs and to Dorset horned and Ramboulette sheep. Mr. White has been very successful in his undertakings and is numbered with the substantial men of this section.

On May 1, 1889, Mr. White was married to Miss Liz- zie Alpheretta Lyle, a daughter of James Reed and Sarah (Hartford) Lyle, of Mt. Pleasant Township. James Reed Lyle was born on the farm on which he lives and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Reed) Lyle and a grandson of John and Elizabeth (Hays) Lyle, and a great-grandson of Robert Lyle (first), the ancestry of Mr. and Mrs. White being the same beyond that genera- tion. To Mr. and Mrs. White three children have been born: Mary G., born March 14, 1890; Alvin Dinsmore, born November 10, 1894; and Janet E., born February 9, 1901. Miss Mary G. is a graduate of the Cross Creek High School, where Alvin is yet a student. It Is Mr. White's intention to give all his children col- legiate advantages.

In political matters Mr. White is an independent Re- publican. He has served as auditor of Cross Creek Township, and in 1901 was elected assessor, from which office he resigned after serving one term. He is a mem- ber of the fraternal order of Odd Fellows. The family is connected with the Cross Creek Presbyterian Church.

HON. JOHN KINLEY TENER. One of the most interesting figures in public life in Pennsylvania at the present time is Hon. John Kinley Tener, member of Congress, representing the Twenty-fourth Congressional District, in the Sixty-first Congress of the United States, and a favorite candidate of the Republican party for nomination for governor of this great commonwealth. He is a man of education, public experience, financial stability and social standing. His home is at Charleroi, Pa., where his business interests are very numerous, but his name is known all over the land and its mention still arouses enthusiasm when whispered in connection with the great American game of baseball, for there are many who easily recall his triumphs on the diamond, and the

days when Pitcher Tener had royal honors accorded him.

John Kinley Tener was born in County Tyrone, Ire- land, July 25, 1863, and is a son of George Evans and Susan (Wallis) Tener. The father was a small farmer in Ireland and after his death, the mother and her ten children emigrated to America, reaching Pittsburg, Pa., in May, 1873. Her death occurred in that city three months later and thus, when a child of nine years, John K. Tener was left an orphan. His education was ob- tained in the public schools of Pittsburg and before ac- cepting a clerical position with a large business house of that city, he took a commercial course. It was while in the employ of the above firm that he first became in- terested in athletics as a means of recreation and soon identified himself with a baseball team, in which he soon developed the particular qualities which made him the chosen pitcher of that amateur team of players. Shortly afterward he was offered and accepted the position of pitcher for the Pittsburg baseball organization and dur- ing the season enjoyed considerable local reputation for his expertness and technical knowledge of the game. The exercise had proved very beneficial to him physically and he returned to office work in the best of health, accept- ing a clerkship with the Chartiers Valley Gas Company, of which he was later elected secretary. This concern was absorbed one year later by the Philadelphia Gas Company. In the meanwhile, Mr. Tener's enthusiasm for and interest in baseball had never weakened, nor had the confidence in his powers been forgotten by the mag- nates then more or less managing the game as a business proposition. He frequently was called to act as pitcher in important games in different parts of the country and in 1888 he was prevailed on and ultimately signed articles with the Chicago National League team and was pitcher until the close of the season of 1889. It was dur- ing this season that the Chicagos and a team of players from other league clubs, made baseball familiar to nearly every part of the civilized world. Under the management of A. G. Spaulding and the leadership of Captain An- son, the All-American baseball players left Chicago in the fall of 1888 and completed the circuit of the world before they returned. At Sydney, Australia, this or- ganization played the first game of baseball ever wit- nessed there; it played in front of the Pyramids of Egypt; in the island of Ceylon; then on through Italy, France, England, Ireland and Scotland, nobility as well as the common people growing enthusiastic over the game. To Pitcher Tener much of the attraction of these remarkable performances was due and he found himself a hero both abroad and at home. Whatever commercial, political and social triumphs have later come to him, his supremacy and recognition in the field of athletics can never be questioned or forgotten.

In 1890 Mr. Tener severed his professional relations

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with baseball and in 1891 he came to Charleroi, Pa., and first became cashier of the First National Bank of this place and in February, 1898, was elected president of this institution, at the head of which he has continued ever since. His financial interests have increased year by year and he is officially identified with other important business organizations of this section. He is secretary and treasurer of the Charleroi Savings and Trust Com- pany; vice-president of the Webster, Monessen, Belle Vernon and Fayette City Railway, and president of the Mercantile Bridge Company, controlling the connection between Charleroi and Monessen. Mr. Tener is a thor- ough master of every detail of his many business inter- ests, but he has also found time to make a study of public questions and in the performance of duties at- tached to the responsible offices to which he has been elected, has shown a wisdom and ripe judgment that has made his fellow citizens eager to advance him to still more exalted position.

In October, 1889, Mr. Tener was married to Miss Har- riet Jeanette Day, of Haverhill, Mass. They enjoy a beautiful home at Charleroi. Personally, Mr. Tener is a man to win friends. He has all the engaging qualities which mark the Irish race, together with the quick mind and the contemplative faculties with which that people are also endowed. Mr. Tener is a charter member of Charleroi Lodge, B. P. O. E., No. 494, and is a prominent member of this organization. In July, 1907, he was elected grand exalted ruler at the National Convention of Elks, held at Philadelphia, and served in that office until July, 1908. He has been a member of the United States Congress since the fall of 1908.

WILLIAM S. BEAZELL, a prosperous farmer and well known dairyman of Carroll Township, has been practically a lifelong resident of Washington County, Pa. He was born November 7, 1871, in Washington County, Ohio, a son of Leander and Rebecca (Colvin) Beazell.

William Beazell, grandfather of our subject, was born at Bellevernon, Pa., and on February 22, 1807, came to Washington County, Pa., with his parents, who settled on a tract of timberland in Fallowfield Township. There he was married in the year 1828 to Susan West. To this union were born the following children: Elmira, Lean- der, Luke, West, Margaret, Mary, John and Samuel.

Leander Beazell was born March 18, 1831, in Fallow- field Township, where he was reared, and with the ex- ception of a few years spent in Washington County, Ohio, was a lifelong resident of Washington County, Pa. He married Rebecca Colvin, a daughter of Stephen Colvin, and a granddaughter of Stephen Colvin, Sr., who at a very early period settled on land in Washington County, when it was thickly populated by the Indians.

Leander and Rebecca Beazell were the parents of three children: Iona; Lewis S., who operates the home farm; and William, our subject. Leander Beazell died in 1885 and was, survived by his widow until 1890.

William S. Beazell was but a child when his parents removed from Ohio to Washington County, Pa., and set- tled on a farm one mile west of Monongahela City, where he was reared and later engaged in farming. In 1904 he came to his present farm in Carroll Township, where he follows general farming in connection with his dairying. Mr. Beazell was married May 18, 1904, to May Dennick, who is a daughter of Thomas and Mar- garet (Temple) Denniek, and they have two children, Lewis and Margaret. Mr. Beazell is a Republican in politics.

BENJAMIN FEREDAY, a prominent resident of McDonald, is a thoroughly experienced man in the coal industry, with which he has been identified almost from boyhood. Mr. Fereday was born in September, 1845, in England, a son of Thomas and Mary Fereday, both of whom died in England. They had six children, name- ly : William, Mary Jane, Benjamin, Anna, Richard and Charles.

At the age of eight years Benjamin Fereday left the common schools of his native country and entered a coal mine, where he continued to work until 1869. He then came to the United States and settled at what is now known as Black Diamond, on the Monongahela River, remaining there one year and then going to Salineville, Ohio. Later he removed to Alliance, in the same State, but subsequently returned to Salineville, and in 1872 he again settled on the Monongahela River and worked as a coal miner till 1878, and then taking charge of the American Coal Works for F. H. Carson, of Mckeesport. After seven years in this capacity, he took charge of the Willow Grove mine at Sturgeon, Alle- gheny County, the mine which the McDonald Coal Com- pany now has under lease, but which at that time be- longed to the Pittsburg Coal Company, of which he was for one year general superintendent, having seven mines under his supervision. He was one of the founders of the McDonald Coal Company, in which he is a heavy stockholder, and in 1900 he was appointed mine in- spector for the Pittsburg Coal Company, a position which he still holds. Not only has he been prominent in his business operations in this section, but he has also proved himself a good citizen, and for six years served as a member of the McDonald Council, being elected on the Republican ticket. With his wife he attends the Metho- dist Church at McDonald.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 207

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