Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 118

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 118

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JOHN WESLEY ROBINSON is secretary and treasurer of the Garfield Fire Clay Com- pany, manufacturers of clay products, whose plant is at Garfield, Robinson P. O., Indiana county, the leading industrial establishment in that vicinity. The Robinsons have been con- nected with the fire brick manufacturing in- dustry in this region for a long period, and their thorough qualifications as business men and high personal character have been appre- ciable influences in the development of this section.

This Robinson family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction. Irvin Robinson, the first ancestor in America, was a native of Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, to which country his ancestors emigrated from Scotland. He was one of five children, having two brothers and two sisters, his brother William living in England, his brother John and two sisters coming to Baltimore and settling there; this

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

In his youth Mr. Robinson was impressed into the British army and was sent to serve in the American Colonies, where the Revolu- tionary war was going on. He was a soldier in Lord Cornwallis' army. He carried a Bible in his breast pocket, and in one of the battles he was shot, the bullet striking the Bible and penetrating almost through it, the good book thus saving his life. At another time he was struck by a bullet in the arm, causing a pain- ful wound. He was made a prisoner at York- town, Va., when Cornwallis surrendered his army to Washington. At the conclusion of peace he returned to England with his regi- ment and was discharged from the service. During his service in America Mr. Robinson's sympathies were with the colonists and though as a soldier he had to do his duty, he formed a liking for the country and determined that as soon as he could he would return to it. When about twenty-five years of age he was married to Catherine Elliott, of their native city, Enniskillen. He was granted a pension by the British government for service in the army, but did not lift it after he became a citi- zen of the United States. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson in Ireland, George and John. These four, with Mrs. Robinson's parents, the Elliotts, and their family emigrated to America, landing in Que- bec in September, 1793, after a stormy three months' voyage ; they did not stop in Canada, but came to the United States, finally landing at what is now the city of Hollidaysburg, Blair Co., Pa. Here he bought the land that Hollidaysburg is now built on and settled down, but not for long. Mrs. Robinson's par- ents had settled in Ligonier valley, between Fairfield and Ross Furnace, and her longing to be near her parents caused them to sell their property, which they did to General Holliday, and remove to what is now known as the "Campbell Farm" in Fairfield town- ship, about four miles southwest of Bolivar, Pa. Here Mr. Robinson lived until he finally moved to what is now West Wheatfield town- ship, Indiana Co., Pa., across the Conemangh river from Bolivar, to the farm now owned by

brother visited him once in Indiana county, the heirs of Elliott Robinson, or the property but owing to the newness of the country and of the Garfield Fire Clay Company, and on part of which there is now built the village of Garfield (Robinson P. O.). Here he bought a tract of 425 acres in what was then called Poplar Bottom, on account of the large num- "ber of poplar trees growing on it. Here he lived until his death, in 1829, aged sixty-seven years, his widow surviving until 1859, dying at the age of eighty-six years. difficulty in getting to the post office, the near- est one being at Armagh, eight miles away, over a trail through a wilderness infested with wild beasts, wolves, panthers, wildcats, etc., so that Mrs. Robinson was afraid to let her sons go to the post office very often, all inter- course and writing stopped and the connec- tion was lost.

Mr. Robinson studied medicine three years and practiced his profession among the then limited population of that region. He was a Methodist of Quaker ancestry and used the Quaker habits and language. Mrs. Robinson's mother's maiden name was Woods, and her family also came to the United States; they were members of the Church of England. . Episcopalians, in the United States, and one or more of the sons were ministers in that de- nomination.

Irvin Robinson and wife had twelve chil- dren born to them, all of whom lived to raise families; they were George, John, Jane, Hance, Irvin, Thomas, Mary, James, William, Elliott (of whom later), Christopher and Elizabeth Woods.

Elliott Robinson, son of Irvin and Cather- ine (Elliott) Robinson, was born Oct. 8, 1808, in Fairfield township, Westmoreland Co., Pa., and was very young when his parents went to the farm now owned by the Garfield Fire Clay Company, in West Wheatfield township, Indiana Co., Pa. After his father's death in 1829 he bought the interests of the other heirs in the property left by his father, and he became the sole support of his widowed mother, who made her home with him until her death. While yet a young man he en- gaged in canal boating, running a section boat between Pittsburg and Philadelphia. He built and operated both saw and flour mills in Wheatfield township, Indiana county, and in Bolivar, Westmoreland Co., Pa. He was largely interested in the lumber business dur- ing the greater portion of his life, as well as in farming and merchandising. When the Pennsylvania railroad was building he had the contract and built the section of the road from Bolivar west about two miles. He was a pioneer in the fire brick business, being the second man to engage in that industry in Westmoreland county. In about 1856 he and C. A. R. Benny, of Pittsburg, built what is now known as Reese, Hammond & Co. No. 2 Works. In connection with Breniser & Com- pany he rebuilt what is now known as Reese. Hammond No. 1 Works. In the spring of

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1869 he moved to Blacklick, Indiana county, is the secretary and treasurer of The Robin- where in company with F. M. Kinter and son Company (Store). (2) William I., born Charles A. Hadley he built the Blacklick in 1851, married Margaret McHail, of Boli- Manufacturing Company's fire brick works. Here he lived and operated the works for about three years, when he returned to his home in West Wheatfield township, and soon after he with three others erected the Enter- prise or Lincoln Fire Brick Works. He was interested in the Garfield Fire Clay Company to the extent of backing his sons William I. and Thomas J., who started that industry in 1887.

Mr. Robinson very early in life joined the Methodist Episcopal Church and was an ac- tive member of it all his life, filling every of- fice in the church, from trustee to local preacher. He was instrumental in building more churches, and in organizing more new congregations, than any other man in the com- munity, giving largely of his time and means to these objects.

In about 1833 Mr. Robinson was united in marriage to Margaret, daughter of Robert Nixon, of Fairfield township, Westmoreland county. Mrs. Margaret (Nixon) Robinson's mother was Rebecca Lawrence, daughter of Fitz Randolph Drake, of Piscataqua, N. J., a lineal descendant of Capt. John Drake, the brother and heir of Sir Francis Drake. Mr. Drake was a royalist, and when the Revolu- tionary war broke out he went back to Eng- land. His son-in-law, Lawrence, was a patriot and being in good circumstances financially furnished Washington's army with cattle and provisions, seriously crippling himself, how- ever, as Congress never paid him for these supplies for the army. Later Mr. Lawrence removed his family to Pennsylvania, and set- tled near Hollidaysburg, and he and his wife are buried in the old Frankstown cemetery near Hollidaysburg.

Elliott and Margaret (Nixon) Robinson had five children : (1) Irvin, born in 1834, died in infancy. (2) Eliza Catherine, born in 1839, married William L. Winkle, and died in 1880. (3) Mary Jane, born in 1841, married A. B. Rugh, and resides in Pitcairn, Pa. (4) John Wesley, of whom later. (5) Ann Elizabeth, born in 1846, was a deaconess in the M. E. Church in Pittsburg, and is now deceased. After the death of the mother of these chil- dren, which occurred in October, 1847, Mr. Robinson in 1848 married (second) Sarah A. Lynn, daughter of Robert Lynn, of Wheat- field township, Indiana county. Their chil- dren were: (1) Caroline Margaret, born in 1849, at present resides in Garfield, Pa., and

var, Pa., and resides in Bolivar. He is presi- dent of the Garfield Fire Clay Company, also of The Robinson Company. (3) Thomas J., born in 1853, was vice president and sales manager of the Garfield Fire Clay Company and president of The Robinson Company (Store) until his death, in 1907. He was an active member of the M. E. Church and a member of Acacia Lodge, No. 355, F. & A. M., of Blairsville, Pa. He married Sarah Alice Kennedy, of Bolivar, and resided in Garfield, where his widow still makes her home. There were three other children born to these par- ents, Simpson N., Emma R. and James, all dying in childhood. Mrs. Robinson died in 1859. Mr. Robinson married (third) in 1866 Mrs. Sarah Jane (Doty) Sutton, daughter of Robert and Fannie (Campbell) Doty, and widow of James Sutton, of Hopewell, Black- lick township, Indiana county. There were no children born to this union. Mr. Robinson died June 10, 1891, lacking four months of being eighty-three years old. Mrs. Robinson died in 1894.

Charles W. Sutton, a son of Mrs. Robinson by her first marriage, lives in Garfield, Pa., and is a member of the Garfield Fire Clay Company and manager of The Robinson Com- pany (Store).

John Wesley Robinson, son of Elliott and Margaret (Nixon) Robinson, was born May 12, 1844. He was educated in the public and select schools and at Jacksonville Academy, at Jacksonville, Indiana county. He taught one term of public school, after which he helped his father, clerking in the store and keeping his books. In 1869 he went with his father to Blacklick, where he had charge of the store of the Blacklick Manufacturing Com- pany and was with them until 1872. In that year the Isabella Furnace Company built their coke oven plant at Cokeville, across the river from Blairsville, Pa., and he accepted a posi- tion with Graff, Bailey & Geib, who operated these works, to take charge of the company store, being with them until 1876. In 1880 he with W. L. Winkle, his brother-in-law, went to Altoona, Pa., where in company with Max Kinkaid, a banker, John Reiley, superintend- ent of transportation Pacific Railroad Com- pany, and S. C. Baker, land owner and capi- talist. he erected the Altoona Fire Brick Works, of which Mr. Robinson was the secre- tary and for about three years acting super- intendent as well. In the spring of 1885 he

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

left Altoona to accept a position with A. G. vice and dying in Altoona, Pa., soon after the Morris, of Tyrone, Pa., as chief clerk, having close of the war. charge of and directing all the office business

Mr. Robinson is an active member of the for his large lime and limestone business in Methodist Episcopal Church, having served Blair, Huntingdon and Centre counties. Here as trustee and steward, and is interested in he staid for thirteen years.

In 1898 he removed to Garfield, Pa., Rob- inson P. O., to the old homestead where he was born, and took the position of secretary and treasurer of the Garfield Fire Clay Com- pany, of which he had been a member for some time. In 1905 the business was incor- porated, the brick works and real estate be- coming the Garfield Fire Clay Company, Inc., and the store The Robinson Company, Inc., Mr. Robinson being a director in both com- panies and secretary and treasurer of the Garfield Fire Clay Company, to which he gives the principal part of his time and at- tention. He is a man of good business in- stinets and his long connection with this par- ticular business makes him an authority on conditions in the industry.

On Oct. 14, 1880, Mr. Robinson was united in marriage to Cora E. Agnew, daughter of Samuel K. and Harriet (Hicks) Agnew, and now resides in Bolivar, Pa. To this union eleven children were born, eight of whom are living: (1) Francis Elliott, born in 1881, a graduate of Bolivar high and Bloomsburg nor- mal schools, is at present the vice president and superintendent of the Garfield Fire Clay Company, also a director of The Robinson Company and vice president. He married Rebecca M. Hammond, daughter of W. McC. Hammond, and resides in Bolivar, Pa. They have one child, Richard E. (2) John Everett, born in 1883, died in Tyrone, Pa., in his eighth year. (3) Mary Margaret, born in 1886, is a graduate nurse of Jefferson Medical Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., and is now in the United States naval hospital service, located at Cana- cao hospital, on Manila Bay, Philippine Is- lands. (4) Thomas Nixon, born in 1889, is at present assistant cashier of the Blairsville National Bank, of Blairsville, Pa. (5) Paul Agnew, born in 1891, is a student at Alle- gheny College, Meadville, Pa., in his junior year. (6) Eleanor N., born in 1893, is at home. (7) Florence, born in 1895, died in infancy. (8) Richard Vincent, born in 1897, is at home. (9) A son born in 1899 died the same day. (10) Katherine, born in 1901, is at home. (11) Kyle Irvin, born in 1903, is at home.

Mrs. Cora E. (Agnew) Robinson's father was a veteran soldier during the war of the Rebellion, having spent four years in the ser-

the Sunday school, in which he is teacher of the Bible class. He was a charter member of Altoona Council, of the Royal Arcanum, and is also a charter member of Tyrone Coun- cil, No. 943, Royal Arcanum, where he now holds his membership. In politics he is in- dependent, but having a strong leaning to the Prohibition party.

H. WALLACE THOMAS is prominently associated with so many of the most import- ant enterprises of the borough of Indiana and with public affairs of Indiana county that a mere enumeration of his interests would be sufficient to show his position among his fel- low citizens. He has recently completed a three years' term as sheriff of Indiana county. Mr. Thomas was born May 10, 1877, at Jack- sonville, this county, son of Israel and Mary (Fleming) Thomas and grandson of John Thomas. The latter was born in Wales, and coming to the United States when a young man located in Armstrong township, Indiana Co., Pa., where he engaged in farming. He died about 1874.

Israel Thomas, father of H. Wallace Thomas, was born July 1, 1832, in Armstrong township, Indiana Co., Pa. He was a school teacher in Indiana county for several years, and subsequently was employed as clerk in a general merchandise store at Plumville, this county, continuing there for several years. He then became a clerk in the store of J. M. Guthrie, at Jacksonville, Indiana county, and later entered into partnership with Joseph Laughlin, in the general merchandise busi- ness at that place. He was afterward as- sociated in the same line with Hugh Neal, under the firm name of Thomas & Neal, at Jacksonville. Moving to the borough of In- diana in 1887, he engaged in the business of importing fine horses, and also carried on a shoe business there up to the time of his death. He was one of the original stockholders and directors of the Farmers' Bank of Indiana, and stood well among his associates in every line. He died April 18, 1895. In religion he was a Presbyterian, and served for several years as an elder of the church at Indiana. Mr. Thomas and his wife Mary (Fleming) had a family of four children : Louisa, Edith,

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Heber and H. Wallace. The daughters both elose of the Revolutionary war came westward died young.

H. Wallace Thomas received his education at Indiana, attending the common schools and later the State normal school. He then found employment with the Northwood Glass Com- pany, with which concern he was connected for a period of thirteen years. He is a stock- holder and director of the Dugan Glass Com- pany of Indiana borough, of which company he is secretary, and is also engaged in the livery business at that place. Mr. Thomas is one of the leading business men of Indiana, is serving as secretary of the Board of Trade, and has done his full share in promoting local commercial interests. But he has not con- fined his energies to business. He served three years, 1906-07-08, as member of the bor- ough council, and in 1908 was elected sheriff of the county, serving a term of three years in that important office. In politics he has been prominent as one of the most effective local workers in the Republican party, is pres- ent treasurer of the Republican county com- mittee, and is a member of the Americus Re- publican Club of Pittsburg. He is also well known in fraternal circles, being a member of the I. O. O. F. and past grand of Lodge No. 346, of Indiana; member of the Royal Arca- num; Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie No. 1468; B. P. O. Elks, being past exalted ruler of Lodge No. 931, of Indiana; also a member of the Cosmopolitan Club of Indiana.

On Nov. 12, 1902, Mr. Thomas married Charlotte A. Barnhart, of Indiana.

ROBERT HENDERSON WILSON, of Saltsburg, Indiana county, Civil and Mining Engineer, is descended from several families conspicuous for strength and character among the early settlers of this region. He belongs in both paternal and maternal lines to that sturdy Scotch-Irish stock, industrious, rugged, leaders of thought and action in every line of progress, which has been such a strong ele- ment in establishing the best influence in Pennsylvania. The names Henderson, Wray and Wilson are well known and respected in this part of the State, where representatives of these families have lived and worked for several generations.

Mr. Wilson was born July 9, 1851, in South Bend township, Armstrong Co., Pa., son of James D. Wilson, grandson of Hugh Mitchell Wilson and great-grandson of Capt. James Wilson, whose parents came to this country from Scotland. Capt. James Wilson was born in Chester county, Pa., and shortly after the

with a colony to the section now included in Washington and Allegheny counties, settling in Allegheny county on the "Forks of the Yough" (Youghiogheny). He was captain of a company of "minute men" and was en- gaged in one or two expeditions against the hostile Indians which to some extent still roamed over the region. About 1783 he mar- ried Isabella Mitchell, a native of Adams county, Pa., and they reared a family of six sons: John (who was a member of the State Legislature for Allegheny county), James, Samuel, Thomas, David and Hugh Mitchell.

Hugh Mitchell Wilson, son of James, was born April 1, 1793, near Elizabeth, Allegheny Co., Pa., and died July 31, 1872. For a time he was a merchant at Elizabeth, then farmed, and later owned and operated a grist and saw mill until 1834, when he sold out. In March, 1835, he removed from his native county to Armstrong county, where he pur- chased land, finally acquiring ownership of over six hundred acres. On Dec. 21, 1815, he married Mary Henderson, who died June 30, 1867, and is buried beside him in the ceme- tery at Olivet. They had a family of eight children, namely: Rebecca, born in 1816, married Thomas Watson, of Saltsburg; James D. is mentioned below ; Rev. Matthew H., born in 1820, married Mary Blasdell (he was a noted educator, the founder of Jacksonville Academy, and for a time president of Madi- son College, in Ohio) ; Mitchell, born in 1822, married Elizabeth Moore; Martha, born in 1824, died in 1845; John H., born May 27, 1827, married Nancy J. Warner; Thomas J., born in 1829, died in 1890; William T., born Nov. 4, 1830, married Eliza Scott. The father was first a member of the Associate Reformed Church and was practically the founder of the Olivet United Presbyterian Church and served as one of its ruling elders for fifty years. He was a Whig and Republican in political sentiment.

Rev. Matthew Henderson, the grandfather of Mrs. Hugh M. Wilson, was the founder of the prominent family of that name in Wash- ington county, Pa. He came from Fifeshire, Scotland, where he was born in 1735, and was a graduate of the University of Glasgow. In 1758 he was ordained a minister of the Associate Church of Scotland, better known as "Seceders," and immediately afterward came to America, settling first at Oxford, Chester Co., Pa., and about 1779 coming to Washington county, where he became pastor of the churches of Buffalo and Chartiers in

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1782. He took a high place among the lead- born July 9, 1851; Mary L., born Jan. 5, 1854, ing men of his denomination and became a who still lives on the old homestead; Abigail, noted worker along the lines of higher edu- born Sept. 18, 1856, living on the old place; Sarah, born in 1860, who died in infancy; and Hattie S., born April 27, 1864, married to Charles Stewart. cation. He was one of the charter members of the board of trustees of Washington Acad- emy, at Washington, Pa., and the first presi- dent of the board. He was one of three men who virtually founded Jefferson Academy, at Canonsburg, Pa., the two above named schools both afterward growing into collegiate dig- nity, and being later merged into Washington and Jefferson College. Mr. Henderson was also one of the original incorporators of the academy from which has grown the splendid University of Pittsburg. His son, Rev. Mat- thew Henderson 2d, was born Jan. 10, 1762, at Octoraro Creek, Chester county, and. came to Washington county with his family. Like his father he became a noted religious worker. He was the first minister of any of the Scot- tish churches to be educated in America, and was the first licensed minister of the Asso- ciate Reformed denomination in America. In politics he was a Whig. On Oct. 3, 1786, he married Rebecca Patterson, of Lancaster county, and they had a family of nine chil- dren : Martha, Mary (wife of Hugh M. Wil- son), Matthew (a member of the Pennsylvania Constitutional convention of 1838), Samuel, John, Arthur, Ebenezer, James and Rebecca.

James D. Wilson, son of Hugh M. and Mary (Henderson) Wilson, was born Nov. 5, 1818, in Allegheny county. He remained at home until his marriage, and the next month, in April, 1847, moved to South Bend township, Armstrong county, settling on a tract of 120 acres near the village of Olivet, which his father had purchased in 1838. This land his father deeded to him some time later. Mr. Wilson followed farming practically all his life, and became owner of more than 200 acres. He was one of the original stockhold- ers and directors of the Apollo Savings Bank, now the Apollo Trust Company, and served as director until his death. He was the last sur- vivor of the original members of the United Presbyterian Church at Olivet, and died Sept. 16, 1895.

Robert Henderson Wilson received his early education in the common schools and Elders- ridge academy. He took his college course at the Western University of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pittsburg), studying civil engineering, and has since been engaged in general engineering work. This professional work has comprehended the design and super- intendence of construction of important mu- nicipal water systems, town and city sewerage and paving, and plans for, and installation of, extensive colliery plants through the Penn- sylvania bituminous region, and he served a term as county surveyor of Armstrong county. Mr. Wilson has a large practice as a consult- ing engineer and geologist, and his work in this line has been quite extensive, reaching from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, in eastern Canada, through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and into Kentucky. He is at present chief engineer for the Armstrong County Coal Company and Valley Coal Com- pany, of Leechburg, Pa., the Aladdin Coal and Coke Company, with mines at Aladdin, Pa., the Dents Run Mining Company, Elk county, Pa., Armerford Coal Mining Com- pany, Dilltown, Pa., the Kier Fire Brick Com- pany, Pittsburg, Pa., with mines and plant at Salina, Pa., and mines at Kittanning, Pa., and for the Clymer Water Company, of In- diana, Pa. He was for sixteen years borough engineer for Leechburg, Pa., and is engineer for the boroughs of Hyde Park and Avon- more. He is a member of the town council, and secretary of the Board of Trade in his home town of Saltsburg. He is the last re- maining of the original board of trustees of Eldersridge academy, having served in that capacity for thirty-seven years.

In addition to his professional activities Mr. Wilson finds some time to devote to the gentler and more thoughtful side of life as a musical and literary writer, some of his productions having received not only national but international recognition and approval. He is a Progressive Republican in politics, and is a member of the United Presbyterian Church.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 118

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930