Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 139

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 139

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In 1882 Dr. Hay married, at Leechburg, Marion Hill, daughter of Daniel Hill. They

Lewis; Emma, who is deceased; A. B., an at- torney. of Pittsburg, now serving as solicitor for Allegheny county ; Lucinda; J. Walter, have no children of their own, but an adopted

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

daughter, Sarah Meyers, has found a home while his widow survives and makes her home with them since she was two years old and with Dr. MeHenry. They had children as has proved a blessing in their household. follows: Robert, living at Reynoldsville, Pa .; E. QUAY MCHENRY, M. D., physician and surgeon located at Creekside, Pa., was born near that borough, in Rayne township, Indiana Co., Pa., March 4, 1846, and is a son of Robert and Isabelle (Jamison ) Me- Henry. Jane, the wife of Elmer Jock, of Vandergrift, Pa .; Maggie, the wife of J. (. Thompson, of New Kensington: John D., of llarrisburg; Hannah, wife of David Thompson, of Lud- ington, Mich. : Mrs. Mellenry : Christina, de- ceased, who was the wife of Finley Leech ; and Sandy, living in Pittsburg. Four chil- dren have been born to Dr. and Mrs. Me- Henry, namely: Pearl, wife of JJ. Piper, of Altoona, has one daughter: Ford is deceased ; Robert is married and has three children, Pearl, Eleanora and Quay; Jessie Isabelle, unmarried, lives at home. Dr. MeHeury was for a number of years a member of the Ameri- can Medical Association and still takes an active interest in its work.

Robert MeHenry was born in Indiana county, Pa., and spent his active life there in tilling the soil in White, Washington and Rayne townships, retiring during his latter years and moving to Marion Center, where his death occurred Oct. 23, 1875; his widow sur- vived until Jan. 23, 1882. Their family con- sisted of eleven children, namely : Elizabeth. the widow of Jesse Diven, a resident of Blairs- ville, and now eighty-eight years of age; Ta- l:itha, deceased, who was the wife of William Wolf; two who died in infancy; Levi, who enlisted in the 11th Pa. Vol. Inf., during the Civil war. was taken prisoner by the Coufed- erates and confined in a prison in North Caro- lina, and died in Taylorsville, Pa .; Jane, wife of Dr. William Anthony, both now deceased ;

Leander West was born at Sinking Spring, llighland Co., Ohio, and there learned the Dr. George J., formerly of Marion Center: machinist's trade, becoming an expert in his Belle, wife of Michael Walter, of Perry, line. Being a first-class mechanic, he found

Okla .; R. H., a resident of Hicksville, Ohio, who served during the Civil war with Com- pany A, 78th Regiment, Pa. Vol. Inf., re- eruited at Kittanning; Lovina, widow of Ir- win Culbertson, and now living in Linn county, Kansas; and E. Quay.

E. Quay MeHeury was educated in the old schoolhouse which now stands in Washington township, and his first employment as a youth was at farm labor. Subsequently he became a school teacher, teaching during the winter months for several years, and in 1868 he took up the study of medicine, finishing his prep- aration for his profession in the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, being graduated therefrom in 1873. He at once engaged in the active practice of his profession at West-

FRANK WHEELER WEST, member of the Marion Center Milling Company, of Mar- ion Center, Indiana county, was born at Eagle Furnace. Ohio, April 9. 1874. son of Leander West.

ready employment at blast furnaces in differ- ent parts of Ohio aud in the South. In 1888 he returned North and located at Bakersville, Somerset Co., Pa., where he followed his trade and also carried on a small machine shop. He died at his home in 1891 from the effect of a wound received in the Civil war, having had the misfortune to be shot through the right lung; he suffered for years. He was buried in the cemetery at Bakersville. A Baptist in religious belief, he died firm in that faith. Politically he was a Republican.

At Chillicothe, Ohio, Leander West was married to Mary A. Bowman, who survives him and makes her home at Latrohe, Pa. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. West : Emma married J. N. McBride and re- over and near Mahaffey, in Clearfield county, sides at Latrobe, Pa .; Charles B. also resides but later removed to Jefferson and Westmore- land counties, being located at Murrysville for fifteen years. In 1910 he returned to Creekside, and has since been engaged in prac- tice in the old locality where he started life. at Latrobe, Pa .; Clara married W. P. Nier. of Carney, Pa .: Frank Wheeler is mentioned below : Gertrude married Uriah Mail. of Rock- wood, Pa. : Garnett, living at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

On Sept. 1, 1881, Dr. MeHenry was mar- Frank Wheeler West attended school in Ohio until he was fourteen years old, at which time the family came to Pennsylvania, and he continued his studies at Bakersville. In his odd moments Mr. West worked in a mach- ried, at DuBois, Pa., to Libbie Cameron, who was born in Nova Scotia, daughter of Angus and Jessie (Dunbar) Cameron, early settlers near DuBois, Pa., where Mr. Cameron was engaged in mining. He died March 2, 1898, chine shop his father had at home, and thus

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IHISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

picked up a practical knowledge of the ma- site of his former plant erected a new mill, chinist's trade, so that when he was left fath- which is one of the finest in the State. Mr. erless, at the age of seventeen. years, he was Kinter owns a one-third interest. The mill able to secure employment in a flour-mill in is a four-story structure, well equipped with Bakersville. While maintaining this connec- thoroughly modern machinery and appliances for the production of high-grade flour. The total cost of the plant was $13,000, and it las a daily capacity of seventy-five barrels of flour, one hundred barrels of buckwheat flour. The plant is conducted in a business-like man- ner. The special brand is "Best Out," while the special brand of the buckwheat is "Red Seal," and both are deservedly popular over a wide territory. Mr. West is a past master of the milling business, having devoted his entire life to it, and learned it from the bot- tom up. Few men have been able to meet as bravely as he heavy reverses of fortune, but he has come out sueeessful after many years of hard work and thrifty saving, and has every reason to be proud of what he has ac- complished. He is essentially a self-made and self-educated man, having won his way in the world without any backing of family or money. tion he learned to be a miller, and then went to Jeuners Crossroads, in Somerset county, where he worked as such. Later, he worked along the same line at Mount Pleasant and then at the old Weaver stand in Westmoreland county. For some years he worked at other points as a miller, and then returning to Ba- kersville went into the mill where he had learned the trade. After a period of useful- ness there, he returned to Mount Pleasant for a short time and then went to Trauger, West- moreland Co., Pa., and continued his work as a miller. After several other changes he went to Latrobe, Pa., where he spent two years in the machine shops, in 1900 coming to Mar- ion Center, Indiana eounty. Although he had not received large wages during the pe- riod he had been working for others he had been economical and saved his money, so that he was able to establish himself in business, renting the old mill from Harrison Gammell, In 1892 Mr. West was married to Alice Jones, of Weaver's old stand in Westmore- land county. They have two children, Mil- dred and Margaret. Mrs. West has been a worthy helpmate to her husband, and he at- tributes much of his suecess in life to her as- sistance and encouragement. Mr. West has voted the Republican ticket and is now an enthusiastic admirer of Colonel Roosevelt and his principles. The Methodist Church holds his membership, and his wife also belongs. Fraternally Mr. West belongs to the Odd Fel- lows (at Marion Center) and the Woodmen of the World. and operating it for two years. The mill was then sold, and Mr. West formed a partnership with Edward Wynecoop and located in Glen Campbell, where he conducted a flour and feed store as a member of the firm of Wyne- coop & West. At the expiration of six months Mr. West sold his interest and went to Rich- mond, Indiana Co., Pa., where he rented and operated the mill there for two years. Once more he came to Marion Center, for he be- lieved this to be a good field of operation, and forming a partnership with John Rice bought the old Marion Center mill. The partners formed the Marion Center Milling Company and built up a fine business as manufacturers JOHN BELL TAYLOR, vice president of the Farmers' Bank of Indiana, is a member of the family of Taylors who have been con- nected with that institution continuously since its organization, in 1876, R. C. Taylor, his father, having served as cashier from the time it was opened. of flour. In 1911 they were unfortunate enough to lose heavily by fire, their plant and stock being destroyed with a loss of $16,000, to cover which they had only $5,000 insur- ance. Mr. West estimates his personal loss at $5,500. In the meanwhile he had been op- erating the Penn Run mill, with a Mr. Kinter

his other property, he went to Punxsutawney, Jefferson Co., Pa., and began operating the Mahoning Valley mill, thus continuing for six months. Still seeking better conditions he went to Arcanum, Ohio, where with William M. Whaley he purchased a mill and elevator and operated the mill at that point for two months. Having by this time matured plans, he re- turned to Marion Center, and right on the

This branch of the Taylor family is of as a partner, for two years. So after losing old Pennsylvania stock, but representatives

of other branches are numerous in other parts of the country also, and have been from Colonial times. The Taylors are of ancient origin, for it was William the Conqueror him- self who bestowed the motto as the hero was dying :

Drink to Taillifer, boys!

His heirs shall have a whole county, fee-simple deeded. And a motto-Consequitor quodeunque petit.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

In "A Corner in Ancestors" we find: willing, when necessary, to pledge their lives, "Taillefer was the original form of this name, but simplified spelling has cut out let- ters here and there, and changed others. Telfor was an early nondescript form, hardly worth mentioning. If you inquire its deriva- tion, or meaning, it is 'iron cutter.' There are those, however, who presume to suggest that the name should be Taylzer, or Teazeler -a form found in records of the sixteenth century, also Le Tasseler-derived from tasseles, or teasel, the kind of thistle used to raise the nap of cloth. The most inter- esting tradition is that one of William the Conqueror's knights was the bold Norman Baron Taillefer, who before the battle of "Gen. James Taylor, son of Zachary, was an officer of the war of 1812, also Elisha Taylor, temperance lecturer. Hastings, where he lost his life, seemed beside himself with joy, throwing up his sword and catching it again, and

"Chanting aloud th' lusty strain Of Roland and of Charlemagne.

"It is the lyric poem of Uhland which re- counts, in lively measure, the valiant deeds of this doughty warrior. To his family large estates in Kent and other counties were granted. The name all along the ages has had a variety of forms; for example, Tayle- fer, Le Tallyur, Le Talynr, Taillour, Tailyour (which is the old Scottish form), Tailleau, Tayleure, Taylurese, Taylour, Taylir, Tayller, Taillir and Taillor. Present day orthog- raphy is reduced to the forms Taylor, Tailor, Tailer, Tailler and, in rare instances, Tayloe.

"The first of the name in this country was James Taylor, 'gent,' who was living in Vir- ginia, 1635, and became a large land owner. His descendants may claim much coveted membership with the Society of Colonial Wars, through his son, James, justice of the peace and surveyor. An old record shows that his widow, Martha Thompson, received 16,000 pounds of tobacco from the burgesses for one of his surveys. Their children num- bered nine, and they were the great-grand- parents of Zachary Taylor, president.

"The founder of the New England branch of the family was John, of Hadley, Mass., who is mentioned as a 'single young man,' a 'land owner' and a 'citizen.' In 1666 he married Mary, daughter of Thomas Selden, of Hartford.

"Reunions of the Taylor family meet at the old homestead in Hadley-the place John the Pilgrim bought from Governor Webster. The present house is about 150 years old.

"Patriots the Taylors have always been,

their fortunes and their sacred honors, and they number soldiers in every war. William, the fourth from John the Pilgrim, was at the surrender of Burgoyne; Lient. Augustine, of Connecticut, Capt. Chase, of New Hamp- shire, Lieut. Daniel, of Massachusetts, were among representatives of the New England family in the Revolution, to say nothing of the noble army of the rank and file. Vir- ginia patriots include Surgeon Charles, Lieut. William, Capt. Francis and Lieut. Richard, the fourth from James, settler. Richard re- ceived a grant of land in Ohio for distin- guished services rendered in the war.

"Besides the soldiers and statesmen, the family has its authors, poets, dramatists, artists, actors, scholars and educators. Joseph Taylor, actor and friend of Shakespeare, was personally instructed by him how to play Hamlet, and he is said to have been the orig- inal Iago.

"The chief periodical literature in many New England homes was the Almanac-the predecessor of 'Poor Richard's Almanac'- published from 1702 to 1746 by Jacob Taylor.

"Characteristics of the Taylors are incor- ruptible integrity, persistente loyalty to duty, quickness of perception, fertility of resource, and unflagging energy. Of Zachary Taylor it was said, after he had adopted a resolution, or formed a friendship, no power could make him ahate the one, or desert the other. 'He was as incapable of surrendering a convic- tion as an army.'

" 'Strong in action, firm in purpose, mod- est in manner, dress and personal belongings.' is the verdict regarding one, with the addi- tion, 'none of the Taylors, from the first ancestor down, has ever lacked common sense.' "

The Taylors have been entitled to armorial bearings since the eleventh century, and the coat of arms shown in "A Corner in Ances- tors" is quartered as follows: First and fourth for Taylor, azure, the upper half sable, charged with two wild boars' heads: second, for the De Fairsted family, a chevron of ermine between three greyhounds courant ; third, for the Freeland family, a chevron of ermine between three rowels of a spur. Crest, a dexter arm, embossed in armor; the hand, gauntleted, grasps a javelin. The motto,

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Consequitor quodeunque petit, means, "He Pa., was the American, and its first editor accomplishes what he undertakes."

The various branches of the family in Indiana county have produced many citizens of notable worth, its members being prominent as trustworthy business men and able pro- fessional workers, and everywhere command- ing respect for high character and mental attainments.

John Taylor, founder in America of the line under consideration, came from ances- tors who emigrated from England to Scotland during the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. He came from Scotland to this country, set- tled near Philadelphia, and lived to see his one hundredth birthday. In religion he was a strict Presbyterian.

Alexander Taylor, son of John, above, was born in 1756. Removing to Bedford county, Pa., he lived there for some time, and then (before 1790) came west to what is now Indiana (then Westmoreland) county, pur- chasing a farm four miles south of what is now the borough of Indiana. There he died March 8, 1815. By profession he was a sur- veyor. He served in the Revolution, in which war one of his brothers was killed Sept. 20, 1777, at the massacre of Paoli, in Chester county, Pa. (he served d under General Wayne), and another, Lieut. Matthew Taylor, fell in the battle of Long Island; he was but eighteen years old. Alexander Taylor was twice married, to Mary Mckesson and (sec- ond) to Margaret McFadden, and he had six children: (1) Robert married Margaret Pat- ton. (2) John married Mary Wilson and had children, A. Wilson Taylor (member of the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1859 and 1860 and a member of the Forty-third Con- gress), Caroline (who married Joseph J. F. Young), Dr. James Madison (married Mar- garet Blair) and Washington, all now de- ceased. (3) William married Jane Wilson, part of his own farm, and the same farm

and founder was James McCahan, succeeded by James Moorhead. In 1829 its name was changed to the American and Whig. In 1832 IIon. John Taylor succeeded James Moorhead and changed the name of the paper to the Free Press. His descendants have also been prominent citizens of this section. His son, A. Wilson Taylor, was born in Indiana March 22, 1815, on the spot where his daugh- ters, Misses Fannie, Caroline and Isabel, now reside, and received his early education under a private tutor from Philadelphia, Pa., after- ward graduating from Jefferson College and Dickinson Law School, Carlisle, Pa. Later he studied law with Judge Thomas White and was admitted to the bar in 1841, entering upon a successful practice, and was always considered a safe and wise counselor. In 1845 he was elected prothonotary and reelected in 1848. Early in life he took an active part in politics and was a power as a political ora- tor. Being opposed to American slavery he was foremost in organizing the Republican party and was recognized as one of its prom- inent leaders in western Pennsylvania. He was elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1859, and in 1872 was elected as represen- tative of his district (Congressional), which was at that time composed of Indiana, West- moreland and Fayette counties, during his term serving on a number of important com- mittees. He took a deep interest in the agri- cultural development of his own county and State, serving for five years as president of the Indiana County Agricultural Society, and was also one of the trustees of the Agricul- tural College of Pennsylvania, and a trus- tee of the Indiana normal school. On May 8, 1849, he was married to Elizabeth Ralston. He died May 7, 1893, and was buried in Greenwood cemetery, which was originally on which the costly Indiana hospital is now being erected.

and had children, James Knox, John, Alex- ander, Mary J. (married A. M. Stewart), Elizabeth (married John G. Coleman) and Alexander Taylor, Jr., was like his father a surveyor and in the pursuit of that and other occupations became well known all over this region. The family have been leading Democrats, and he founded the first Demo- cratic newspaper in the county, the Indiana and Jefferson Whig, the publication of which he commenced in 1821, in association with C. B. Wheelock. At the time of his death, which occurred Sept. 6, 1828, when he was aged thirty years, he was serving as protho- notary of Indiana county, and was most Sarah. (4) Alexander, Jr., is mentioned below. (5) James served as sheriff of Indiana county and was also a member of the State Legislature. (6) Matthew was the only one who did not survive his father. Of this family John was one of the leading men of Indiana county in his day, holding many of the high- est offices, prothonotary, county treasurer, member of the Legislature, and associate judge; he was also deputy surveyor, and surveyor general of Pennsylvania, 1836 to 1840. The first paper published in Indiana, highly esteemed by all who knew him. He

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

married Sarah Cromwell, and they became the home, or surrender even temporarily the quiet parents of four children, all of whom sur- vived the father, namely: Robert Cromwell ; Matthew, deceased, an attorney, who married Sarah H. Sill: Mary, deceased; and Will- iam, deceased. Of these, Matthew had two children, Francis M. S. and Helen, the latter dying in infancy; the former, who became a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church, married Addie Seymour, daughter of John S. Seymour and niece of Bishop Sey- mour. The mother, Mrs. Sarah (Cromwell) Taylor, died in June, 1883.

Robert Cromwell Taylor, son of Alexander Taylor, Jr., was born June 23, 1822, and be- came one of the prominent business men of Indiana borough. He received a good com- mon school education, and taught school for some time in his young manhood. He gave up the profession to take a high position in the Shoanberger Iron Manufactory, at that time a well-known industrial establishment in this region. During the several years he remained there he formed those studious bus- iness habits and acquired those peculiar qual- ifications for which he became noted in his later years, and which had so much to do with his success in the various enterprises he undertook and his efficient service in every position in which he was placed. Leaving the Shoanberger manufactory to engage in mercantile pursuits on his own account, he established a reputation for fair and honest dealing and uprightness which he maintained to the end of his honorable career. Shortly after President Lincoln's first inauguration Mr. Taylor was appointed postmaster at Indiana, and held the office for eighteen suc- cessive years. His administration gave great satisfaction to the patrons of the office, and he was frequently highly commended by his official superiors at Washington, receiving highly complimentary letters from President Hayes and the Postmaster General, in which his efficient management of the important position was acknowledged and commended, and in one of which he was asked if he would accept the position of Second Assistant Post- master General. Feeling then that he had already seriously impaired his health by too close application to his work, and knowing how varied and difficult was the labor required to properly fill the office tendered, he respect- fully declined the proffered preferment. And to this was added a still weightier reason. His family and domestic attachments were remarkably strong, and he was loth to sever, even in the slightest degree, the loving ties of

enjoyment and peaceful recreation he found in the family and social circles where his youth and manhood had been spent. About the close of his last term as postmaster, upon the organization of the Farmers' Bank, he was tendered the position of cashier, which he accepted, and held until the time of his death. The bank was organized March 24, 1876. Mr. Taylor's youngest son, John B. Taylor, not long afterward became assistant cashier, in which position he was serving in 1879. The connection of the Taylors with this financial institution has been continuous to the present time, and to them should be given their share of the credit for its career of prosperity and its unquestioned standing. The original capital stock, $100,000, has been increased to $225,000, and its volume of bus- iness and importance in the business world have expanded proportionately. The bank was established in the Shryock building on Philadelphia street, when it was opened.

Robert C. Taylor died suddenly of par- alysis, at his home in Indiana, Oct. 3, 1884, at the age of sixty-two years. Over a year before he had suffered a stroke, but recovered sufficiently to resume his duties at the bank, though a few months before his death he gave up active participation in its affairs, turning over the more onerous duties to his son.

Mr. Taylor was always active in church and Sunday school work. He and Rev. David Blair organized the U. P. Sunday school in Indiana, the first Sunday school organized within the bounds of the Presbytery of that denomination. Mr. Taylor was chosen super- intendent, and continued to hold the position for over a quarter of a century, "honoring the office and maintaining for the school a foremost place in the ranks of those valuable institutions. His resignation was brought about by feeble health, and was accepted with deep regret by the membership of both the school and church. In 1858 he was elected and installed as a ruling elder of the church, and in that capacity served his Master faith- fully and lovingly, being solicitous that in all ways the cause of Christ should be advanced."

"His love for his family was measureless, and in his later years he found delight in mingling with his grandchildren, listening with grave attention to their griefs, joining in their plays, laughing in their glees. His devo- tion to public affairs never led him to forego the domestic and social enjoyments to which he contributed the full share of earnest dis-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

courses, pleasant reminiscences, and assisted justifying the confidence his fellow citizens in the merriment which is wise and the play- fulness which is discreet.

"In the community he was esteemed one of the best citizens. He was forward in every good work tending to the moral elevation of the community and to the development of the town. His advice on public measures and improvements was frequently sought, and it was tempered with reason and devoid of prejudice.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 139

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