Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 128

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 128

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Hamilton, and to them were born six children. Robert Walker, son of John, was born on the twenty-acre farm in Enniskillen, May 15, 1809, and was sixteen years old when he crossed the Atlantic with his mother and the rest of the family, in 1825, to join his father at Philadelphia. Coming west with the family to Westmoreland county, he was employed at farm labor and also on the construction of the Pennsylvania canal, and he gained a particu- larly good reputation as a thresher, working around among farmers during the winter threshing out wheat with a flail. Under John Hamilton, who owned a small mill on Puckety creek, he learned the miller's trade, spending During the Irish uprising in the early days of the nineteenth century Mr. Walker joined the political organization known as The United Irishmen, of which the patriot Robert Emmet was the head, and Emmet and the movement had no more loyal supporter. After Emmet gave up his life for the cause the English government did everything possible to stamp out the organization, but during the year 1817 a lodge of the order was discovered in County Donegal and ten of the members were ar- rested, the number including John Walker, while holding a meeting in a barn. They were convicted for plotting against the British gov- three years with him, after which he bought a ernment and sentenced to banishment, John mill of his own, located on Beaver creek, Walker's term of exile being seven years. He where he remained for seven years. While was placed on board a British privateer do- he was there one of his children was drowned ing duty as guard or convoy to merchant ves- in the mill pond. In 1848 he moved to Arm-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

strong county, Pa., and bought the David Ella M. Carson (he is a physician and prac- Findley farm in South Bend township, which tices at West Monterey, Pa.) ; William Reed. born Oet. 30, 1856, married March 6, 1879, Anna A. Almes; Daniel, born Jan. 5. 1859, died Feb. 8, 1859.

with the aid of his sons he cleared and put under cultivation, making many improvements on the property besides the house and barn he built. Through his industry and intelli- gent management it became one of the best producing farms in that section. He con- tinued to reside there until 1874, when he sold the farm and bought a home in the vil- lage of Maysville, in Kiskiminetas township, where he and his wife made their home until advancing age made it advisable for them to make a change, and they went to live with their daughter, Mrs. R. M. Barr, at Shady Plain. Armstrong county. They were there until Mr. Walker met with the accident which caused him to be lame the rest of his life, fall- ing on the ice and fracturing his hip joint. A few months before his death he and Mrs. Walker went to live with their son John, at Olivet, Pa., and there he died April 30, 1890, aged eighty years, eleven months, twenty days. He was buried in Boiling Springs ceme- tery. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and an upright man in every relation of life. In politics he was a stanch Demo- crat, adhering to the foundation principles of the party.

On March 6, 1834, Robert Walker married Jane Walker, who was born in 1815, daughter of James and Catharine (Porter) Walker, both natives of Ireland. The families were not related. Mrs. Walker died at the home of her son, W. Reed Walker, near Spring Church, Jan. 6, 1894. aged seventy-eight years, ten months, twenty-one days, and was buried be- side her husband in the Boiling Springs ceme- tery. Their married life covered a period of fifty-six years. She, too, was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The twelve children born of this marriage were as follows: Nancy, born March 14, 1835, married July 17, 1857, Daniel Knappenberger, and died July 30, 1889 ; James L., born March 31, 1837, married Sept. 15, 1864, Eliza R. Kirkpatrick, and died Jan. 8, 1904; John was born Sept. 30, 1839; Joseph, born Dec. 20, 1841, married Louisa Fulmer, and died April 18, 1902 (he was a soldier in the Civil war) ; Alexander, born March 27, 1844, was drowned in the mill pond May 25, 1846; Mary Catharine, born July 30, 1846, married Robert M. Barr June 25, 1868; Martha J., born March 15, 1849, died Aug. 30, 1849; Robert Hamilton, born Feb. 11. 1850, died Sept. 26, 1850; William Patterson, born Sept. 3, 1851, died Jan. 10, 1852 ; Robert A., born Jan. 8, 1853, married May 4, 1880, burg, and he is an active member of the

John Walker, son of Robert, born Sept. 30. 1839. in Westmoreland county, moved with his parents to Armstrong county and there grew to manhood. IIe learned the trade of shoemaker, and settling in South Bend town- ship, Armstrong county, there followed his trade and also engaged in farming, owning a small farm upon which he spent the remainder of his life. He died there while still in active life, Sept. 8, 1905, aged sixty-five years, eleven montlis, eight days. Like his father he was a Presbyterian and a Democrat.

On Nov. 4, 1862, John Walker married Christina Ann Fulmer, who survives him, making her home in Armstrong county. She was also a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. John Walker had eight children, three of whom died in infancy, the others be- ing: Robert Alvin ; Anrie Ellen, who married William E. Dixon and resides at Jacksonville, Pa .; Sallie, unmarried, who lives with her mother; Earl, a farmer of Armstrong county ; and Walter, a farmer, of Olivet, Pennsylvania.

Robert Alvin Walker, son of John, was born in South Bend township and there obtained his early education in the public schools. later going to Eldersridge Academy, at Elders- ridge, Pa. After leaving school he was en- gaged as school teacher for a time, following that profession three years, part of the time in South Bend township and principally in Armstrong county. He next worked at civil engineering and surveying with Wilson & Smith, civil engineers of Saltsburg, for three years, after which he spent two years clerking in a general store at Saltsburg. In 1896 he succeeded Brown & Love as editor and pro- prietor of the Saltsburg Press, which he has published weekly since. The paper was es- tablished in 1875. He is a thorough news- paper man, genial, enterprising and progres- sive, and he has been successful in conducting a live paper of independent principles, fol- lowing his personal ideas, for he is independ- ent in politics. He is fearless in advocating what he believes to be right and has been able to serve his community well. He has been burgess of Saltsburg, and in and out of office has worked for the progress and best interests of the borough. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Lodge No. 646, of Salts-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Presbyterian Church, at present serving as who came to America from Germany; he was treasurer of the Sunday school.

On July 31, 1895, Mr. Walker married the mother of four children : John K., a resi- Sarah J. Anderson, who was born in Alle- dent of Reynolds, Jefferson Co., Pa., who mar- gheny, Pa., daughter of Matthew and Sarah Anderson. They have no children.

DAVID T. NIEL, ex-county commissioner of Indiana county, Pa., and superintendent of the county poor farm, was born on a farm in Banks township, Indiana county, July 22. Bratton, and they live in Banks township; 1853, son of David and Susannah (Keel) Niel. Geneworth, who died young; Rhoda Belle, who died in childhood; and Jennie, who is the wife of John Fuller and lives in Polk county, Ore- gon. The father of the above children was a member of the Baptist Church. In political association he was a Republican.

John Niel, his grandfather, is supposed to have been born where he was reared, in West Mahoning township, Indiana county. He was a farmer and miller. Before his death he moved over the line into Jefferson county, and passed away there. He married Deborah Pierce, who also died in Jefferson county. They were excellent people, and held to the Baptist faith. They had the following chil- dren : Samuel, deceased, who married Ellen Lindsey; David, mentioned below; Thomas, deceased, who served in the Civil war as a pri- vate in a Pennsylvania regiment and several times was severely wounded (he married Mary Grauffis) ; George, who died in Banks town- ship, in 1911 (married Susanna Adamson) ; Margaret, of Banks township, who married Samuel Adamson (deceased) and (second) J. H. Rager; Mary, Mrs. Drummond, who died in Banks township; James, a soldier of the Civil war, who married Sarah Spencer, and they died in Banks township ; and Benja- min, who served over three years in the Civil war and was killed at the battle of Fair Oaks (he married Jane Findley while on a fur- lough, and met death after returning to his regiment).

David Niel, son of John Niel, was born in West Mahoning township, where he spent his tion school held in one of the old log structures made use of at that day for school purposes. After marriage he located on a farm of 100 acres, situated in Banks township, and after- ward bought his father-in-law's farm of 150 acres, later adding eighty acres adjoining and

a Baptist minister. Mrs. Niel died in 1856,

ried Elizabeth Pierce; Jacob, who died young ; James Henry, who is deceased; and David T. The second marriage of David Niel was to Mrs. Elizabeth Bowers, who survives, and the following children were born to them: Della, who married George Long and (second) North

David T. Niel grew to manhood on the home farm in Banks township and after leaving school, when about fourteen years of age, went to work at tasks requiring a man's strength and judgment. He ploughed his father's fields, helped harvest the crops, and in the winter time worked in the woods and hauled logs. Until he was nineteen years of age he continued to labor for his father, about this time deciding to establish a home of his own. He married Feb. 14, 1872, Sarah Catherine Sheesley, of Jefferson county, a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Williamson ) Sheesley, and after marriage located on a farm which he rented in Banks township. Later he bought fifty-six acres in the same township and he received a gift of fifty acres from his father. Mr. Niel remained on this farm for several years and then purchased 103 acres in the same township, which was formerly his grand- father Keel's old homestead. To this he added two tracts, one of thirteen acres and another of twenty-five acres, and all this land he put under a high state of cultivation, carrying on

early life, in boyhood attending a subscrip- extensive farming operations and raising stock,

in addition to which he was interested in a lumber business. Mr. Niel's business activities also led him into mercantile lines and he con- ducted a general store on his farm, and during this time was postmaster at Flora. As a suc- cessful business man and as a representative over the county, serving his township as con- stable, supervisor, tax collector and justice of the peace. In 1908 he was elected a county commissioner and served out his full term of three years, at the end of which he was ap- pointed superintendent of the county poor farm. He still retains his property in Banks township.

thus becoming one of the substantial farmers and reliable citizen Mr. Niel became known all of his section. In 1864, he enlisted in Com- pany B, 206th Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, and served until the war closed, after which he resumed farming, subsequently sell- ing his three tracts of land and buying a smaller tract adjoining, upon which he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring June 18, 1905. His first marriage was to Susannah Keel, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Keel, To Mr. and Mrs. Niel twelve children have

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

been born, the family record being as follows: he was originally a Whig, later a Republican. Ora Etta is Mrs. A. C. Smyers, of Dubois ; Miles Lester, who resides in the State of Ore- gon, married Rose Hanna ; David Henry, who lives at Big Run, Jefferson county, married Edith Mogel; Anna B. is the wife of Calvin Pierce, of Jefferson county; Charles E., who lives in Banks township, married Jennie Fil- ler; Lewis, who is a farmer in Banks town- ship, married Dolly Henry; Blanche is the wife of Carl Smith, of Canoe township; Car- rie Elizabeth is the wife of Luther Gaston, of Canoe township; Dora May is Mrs. H. B. Bowers, of Banks township; Bertha Jane is the wife of Calvin Spencer, who resides on Mr. Niel's farm; Lott R. lives at Glen Camp- bell; Flora D. lives at home. Mr. and Mrs. Niel have twenty grandchildren.

Mr. and Mrs. Niel are members of the on the farm, leaving one son, James W .; he Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been a class leader. For twenty-three years, he has been a member of Mahoning Lodge, No. 927, Odd Fellows, and belongs also to Big Run Lodge, No. 47, Knights of Pythias.

COULTER WIGGINS, of Blairsville, In- of law in the office of A. W. Taylor, of In-

diana county, a lawyer of almost fifty years' standing and during a great part of that time engaged in practice at Blairsville, is a native of Indiana county, born Jan. 24, 1840, in White township. His grandfather, Thomas Wiggins, was a large land owner and farmer of White township, where he was among the early settlers. He owned a tract of over four hundred acres, upon which he made some improvements, and died there while in the prime of life, leaving a wife and five young children. His widow, Elizabeth (Lytle), who was a native of Princeton, N. J., died in what is now Cherryhill township. The five children, all now deceased, were: Samuel, Robert, Andrew, John (who died young) and Margaret.

Robert Wiggins married Elizabeth Coulter, who was born in Rayne township, Indiana county, daughter of James Coulter, and died on the farm June 23, 1855, at the age of thirty-seven years. She is buried in Green- wood cemetery. She was the mother of the following children: Malinda C., who died in young womanhood; Coulter; Jane Elizabeth, who married Dr. W. B. Kroesen, and resided at Etna, Allegheny Co., Pa., where she died; Ellen, who married Henry Keller, of Indiana; Margaretta, who married Henry Bryan, of White township; and Jemima, who married Frank Detwiler and (second) Martin F. Jami- son, and resides in Indiana. For his second wife Robert Wiggins married Mrs. Lydia Flude, who died when about eighty years old, resides on the homestead in White township.

Coulter Wiggins, only son of Robert and Elizabeth (Coulter) Wiggins, began his edu- cation in the local schools of White township, and later attended the Indiana Academy. After leaving school he took up the study diana, and was admitted to practice at the Indiana county bar in 1864. He remained in the office of Mr. Taylor for another year after being admitted to practice. In 1865 he received appointment as clerk in the war de- partment at Washington, D. C., where he spent two years, but on account of his health he resigned and went to Minnesota, where he practiced his profession five years, principally at Redwood Falls. Meantime he became quite active in public life there, and served one term as district attorney and one term as Probate judge. Returning to his native county, Judge Wiggins carried on the prac- tice of law at Indiana, in the office of J. N. Banks, continuing there until 1890, at which time he located in Blairsville. Here he has since found his field of work, and has per- formed other important public service as at- torney for the borough. His office is on Mar- ket street. Judge Wiggins is noted for his modesty, but his efficiency and probity have brought him to the front, and he is popular as well as respected. In politics he is a stanch Republican. While in the borough of Indi- ana he was a member of the school board, and served as secretary of that body for nine

Robert Wiggins, son of Thomas and Eliza- beth (Lytle) Wiggins, was born on the farm in White township, Indiana county, and was but eight years old when his father died. His opportunities for an education were therefore limited. He lived on the homestead farm until he reached manhood, and became possessor of a part of that property, a tract of 160 acres on which he made extensive im- provements and where he continued to engage in general farming the remainder of his life. years. He is an active member of the Presby- He died on his farm in June, 1890, at the age terian Church, and while in Redwood Falls, of eighty, and is buried in Greenwood ceme- Minn., held the office of elder, to which he tery, at Indiana. His church connection was has also been chosen since returning to his with the United Presbyterians. In politics home county, serving in both Indiana and

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HISTORY OF INDIANA' COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Blairsville; he has also been a Sunday school teacher and superintendent of the Sunday school.

Mr. Wiggins was married Aug. 17, 1869, in Redwood Falls, Minn., to Adelaide Craigen, who was born in Hampshire county, W. Va., daughter of Jacob I. Craigen, and died at Blairsville, Oct. 8, 1908; she is buried in Greenwood cemetery, Indiana. Mrs. Wig- gins was a member of the Presbyterian Church. She was the mother of children as follows : Hubert Paxton, who resides at Homestead, Pa .; one that died in infancy; years he had a profitable feed business, and Robert Harrison, residing in Blairsville (he he built a grain elevator at Indiana at a cost married Blanch Keyes) ; and Elsa Beatrice, of several thousand dollars. It is still in use who married Frederick Pfaff and resides at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

JAMES L. ORR, of Indiana, who is en- gaged in lumbering and has other business interests, has been one of the successful men of Indiana county and has gained substance and standing entirely through his own efforts, being a self-made man in the best sense of that term. He was born in Indiana county July 20, 1864, and comes of a family of Irish origin. James Orr, his grandfather, was born in Ireland in 1798, and was only a child when he came to the United States. He fol- lowed farming in Indiana county all his life, having a large tract of land in Armstrong township, and died Dec. 17, 1876. He became a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. His family consisted of eight sons and six daughters.

Andrew Orr, son of James, was born in Indiana county, was a farmer by occupation, and also dealt in horses, cattle and hogs. He made his home in Armstrong township. His death occurred in 1894. He was a Democrat in politics, and for many years had been an active member of the Lutheran Church, to which his wife also belonged. Mr. Orr mar- ried Martha J. Lowman, whose father, Abra- ham Lowman, was a farmer in East Mahon- ing township, Indiana county, and died at the age of eighty-three years; he was a Pres- byterian in religious faith. Mr. and Mrs. Orr had a family of ten children, namely : Edwin G .; James L .; Mary Alice, wife of Samuel Zemor; Elizabeth C., widow of Wil- liam Bartlett; Agnes L., widow of Frank Lutz; Bertha A .; Carrie C,, wife of Arthur Hecker; Maggie Olive, wife of Charles Lock- ard; Grace Amber, and Paul Lafayette.

James L. Orr attended the country schools in White township. He worked on the farm until he became of age, after which he started

out for himself, without a dollar of capital, but with plenty of ambition and energy, and a determination to win in life's battle. Find- ing employment in a sawmill, he remained there until he had mastered the details of lumber manufacture, and he subsequently en- gaged in the lumber business on his own ac- count. Though he has been interested in other lines also from time to time, he has continued that business down to the present time, and much of his prosperity is due to his success in that line. For more than eleven

and a monument to his foresight and business enterprise. In 1912 he constructed the reser- voir at Creekside (of which he owns part), one of the most progressive towns in Indi- ana county, and he has been as successful in this undertaking as in other things he has handled. He is a stockholder and director of the Indiana Woolen Mills Company, as well as other local industries which in his opinion will advance the material well-being of the borough. His active and prosperous career entitles him to rank among the solid citizens of his community.

On Nov. 11, 1886, Mr. Orr married Zulie A. Cochrane, daughter of James and Nancy Cochrane, and they have two interesting chil- dren, James C. and Kathleen. The son has already shown some of his father's enter- prising spirit. He has been selling the "Sat- urday Evening Post" for the last eight years, and has accumulated enough to buy a share in the Indiana Savings & Trust Company, and has a nice bank account.

Fraternally Mr. Orr belongs to the Elks, I. O. O. F. and Masonic lodges at Indiana, in the latter connection holding membership in Blue Lodge, No. 313, F. & A. M. For many years he has been an active member of the Lutheran Church, having served in the church council for five years. He is an in- dependent voter, and served three years as councilman from the Third ward; he was elected on the Democratic ticket.

STEPHENS. The Stephens family resi- dent for several generations in southern In- diana county was founded there about the beginning of the last century by Samuel Stephens, grandfather of George M. Stephens, who is a resident of Dilltown, in Buffing- ton township, and of Judge Marlin B. Stephens, John II. Stephens, Esq., Mary J. Stephens and Mrs. Olive F. (Stephens)

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mayer, all of the city of Johnstown, Pa. The Mary J. Stephens, and Mrs. Olive F. (Steph- family has been established in America since ens) Mayer. Samuel and his young wife, before the Revolutionary war.

sixteen years of age, came over the mountains Benjamin Stephens, the pioneer of this fam- ily in America, was born about the year 1735, and embarked from Plymouth, England, at the age of twenty-one, to seek his fortune in the "land of the free." His ship was wrecked off the coast of Maryland. In his struggle for life he found the small boats filled to overflowing, and when he tried to hold on with one hand and swim with the other, there were cries of "Cut him off," but a voice said, "No, I'll balance him," and the owner of the voice got to the other side of the boat. The distance to the shore was about three miles, and by the time it was reached a sum of money in his belt, and with that he began life in the new world. In 1758 he married a Miss Caldwell, in Somerset county, Md., and the children of this union were born as follows: Thomas, 1759; Benjamin, Jr., 1761; William, 1763; Richard, 1765 ; Rebecca, 1767 (married Joseph Pitman) ; Samuel, Feb- ruary, 1769; and John, 1771. on horseback, accompanied by Samuel's two brothers, Thomas and John. In a recent his- torical publication of Cambria county, Pa., we find the following: "Samuel Stephens, shortly after the close of the Revolutionary war, was imbued, like many of that period, with the spirit of adventure, and having learned of the productive soil in the valleys of the western slope of the Alleghenies and the abundance of game on its vast moun- tain ranges, set out to seek a home for himself in the wilds of western Pennsylvania. He was familiar with the country, although but a boy in years, having accompanied his older Benjamin was very much exhausted. He had brothers, who traveled through the same on one of the military expeditions during the Revolutionary period to the headwaters of the Allegheny river and the Great Lakes. Samuel Stephens was accompanied to his new home by his brothers, John and Thomas, bringing with them their cattle and such household goods as were necessary and in common use at that time in the new country, Benjamin Stephens emigrated to America about the year 1756, and was a soldier in the French and Indian war, serving in the cam- paign against the French posts on the Canadi- an border, and was present at the capitula- tion of Montreal on the 8th day of September, A. D. 1760. He died in 1814 at his home in Bedford county, Pennsylvania. and finally located" (1798) "in what is now Brushvalley township, Indiana county, Pa., near the present site of Mechanicsburg. John and Thomas remained with their brother Sam- uel for some time, assisting him to clear some land and erect his cabin house, when they re- turned to their homes. Thomas had lost an arm as a result of a gunshot wound in the Revolutionary war."

"During the Revolutionary war Benjamin Stephens and two of his sons served loyally in the struggle for American independence; father and two sons, Thomas and Benjamin, Jr., being at one time members of the same company." Benjamin Stephens served as one of the Rangers on the frontier from 1778 to 1783 (Pa. Archives, Vol. XXIII, 3d Series, page 236).

Some of the original family located in Maryland and some in Missouri. William and Richard went to the State of Indiana, and Benjamin, Jr., pushed on to the State of Illi- nois. Thomas lost one arm in the Revolution- ary war; he was never married.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 128

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