Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 145

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 145

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

where he conducted a store and flour mill as was born in Cherryhill township, daughter of member of the firm of Mitchell & O'Neill. Robert A. and Agnes E. Lydick, early settlers of that township, and granddaughter of Abra- ham Lydick, one of Indiana county's pioneers who came to this section as early as 1760. Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill have had three children: Vernie, who resides at home; Clarence B., en-

Subsequently he located on the farm now owned by his son, and here he spent the bal- ance of his life in agricultural pursuits and in conducting a sawmill. His death occurred March 31, 1870, in the house in which his son now resides. Mr. O'Neill married Mrs. gaged in the jewelry business at Clymer; and Catherine (Kneedler) Lytle, who was born Ira B., who is engaged in farming in White Dec. 16, 1803, in Huntingdon county, Pa., township. and she died April 11, 1881, the mother of Mr. O'Neill is a member of the Presbyterian Church, of which he is elder, and has been active in church and charitable work. He holds membership in the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. A stanch Pro- hibitionist in his political views, he has been called upon to fill publie office, and for ten A, 67th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer In- years acted very acceptably as justice of the fantry ; Eliza Jane, born April 1, 1838, is the peace of Green township. the following children : James L. enlisted in Company B, 11th Regiment Pennsylvania Re- serves, and was killed at the battle of the Wilderness, May 4, 1864; John, born April 14, 1836, a resident of Indiana, Pa., served during the Civil war as a private in Company wife of George H. Fleming, of Indiana, Pa .; Nelson, born Aug. 1, 1840, who enlisted in WILLIAM A. SIMPSON, M. D., who is Company A, 135 Pennsylvania Volunteer In- engaged in the practice of medicine at Indi- ana borough, where he settled in the fall of 1895, is one of the foremost members of his profession in this section and has gained high personal standing as well. He was born in Virginia City, Mont., in May, 1871, son of Solomon L. and Mary C. (Means) Simpson. fantry, and reenlisted in Company A, 67th Pennsylvania Volunteers, died at Jackson- ville, Indiana Co., Pa., in 1903; Sarah Cath- erine, born Oct. 13, 1842, is deceased ; Edward is mentioned below. By her marriage to Mr. Lytle Mrs. O'Neill had one child, Letitia.

John Kneedler, the maternal grandfather of Edward O'Neill, spent most of his life in Huntingdon county, and was a farmer and stock raiser by occupation.

Edward O'Neill was educated in the district schools of Green township, and during his boyhood worked on the home farm. A bright, enterprising youth, when he was but fifteen years of age he engaged in school teaching, but the Civil war roused his youthful patriot- ism, and in October, 1864, he enlisted in Com- pany E, 88th Regiment, P. V. I., under Col. Louis Wagner, of Philadelphia. He saw con- siderable hard fighting with this regiment, participating in numerous skirmishes and the battles of Petersburg and Hatcher's Run, and in the latter engagement received severe wounds in the head and hands. On receiving his honorable discharge Mr. O'Neill returned to the old home, and worked on the farm until 1882, in which year he engaged in the general merchandise business at Mitchells Mills, in which he has since continued, in addition to cultivating his valuable property of 200 acres situated in Green township.

Mr. O'Neill was married in 1873 to Maggie Moorhead, daughter of William Moorhead, an early settler of Indiana county, and she died July 15, 1876. On April 11, 1878, Mr. O'Neill was married (second) to Nancy J. Lydick, who

James Simpson, the Doctor's great-grand- father, was the first of this family in Pennsyl- vania. Born about 1750, he was of Scottish extraction, but came to the United States from the North of Ireland, in 1775. He first lo- cated in the Path valley, in Huntingdon county, Pa., later moving to Westmoreland county, where he continued to make his home until 1785-86. Then he crossed the Cone- maugh river, locating in what is now Cherry- hill township, Indiana county, in which sec- tion he was among the first settlers. By occu- pation he was a farmer. He married Polly Pollock, and they became the parents of the following children: Charity, who married Thomas Craven; Robert, who married Mary Shearer; Margaret, who married Moses Gam- ble; Nathaniel, who married Catherine Leas- ure; James, who married Jane Shearer ; John, who married Sarah Kirkpatrick; David, who married Nancy Coulter : Isaac, who married Mary Lewis, and Samuel, who married Phebe Lewis.

Nathaniel Simpson, son of James, was born in Pennsylvania and passed all his life in this State. He married Kate Leasure, daughter of John Leasure, and they became the par- ents of the following named children: Betty, Margaret, Jane, James, John, Solomon L., Nathaniel, David, William, Catherine and

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Culbertson. The father of this family died at (second ) Anna St. Clair, of Homer City, this the age of fifty-six, and the mother subse- county, and they have had one child, Wil- quently married John Colkitt; she died when liam A. fifty-two years old.

Solomon L. Simpson, son of Nathaniel, was born in Indiana county, Pa., was reared on a farm near Georgeville, and followed farming in this county. He learned the tailoring trade in Indiana, and afterward went West. He was twice married, and his children by the first union, to Annice Warren, were Emma and Nora; the former married Thomas H. Vinter and has one child, Emma S., wife of Dr. G. C. Jenkins, of Germantown, Pa .; Nora married John C. Patton, of Indiana, Pa. Mr.

The Mabon family has been established in Simpson's second marriage was to Mary C. this section for considerably over a century. Means, a native of Jefferson county, Pennsyl- vania.

William A. Simpson attended the elemen- tary and high schools in Indiana borough, and later the State normal school there. He took a classical course at the University of Penn- sylvania, graduating from that institution in the year 1892, and made special preparation for his profession by reading medicine under Dr. N. F. Ehrenfeld, of Indiana, and attend- ing the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was gradu- ated in 1895. In the fall of that year he be- gan practice at Indiana, where he has since remained. He has become one of the leading medical men of this section. He belongs to the American Medical Association, the State Medical Society and the Indiana County Med- ical Society, and has served one term as presi- dent of the county organization. For many years he has been associated with the Penn- sylvania National Guard, and for several years was assistant surgeon of the 21st Regiment, later belonging to the 5th Regiment in the same capacity. He is also county medical in- spector. representing the State department of health in this capacity, has conducted the State Tuberculosis Dispensary No. 48 since its incipiency in 1908, and in these vari- ous trusts has done excellent work. Frater- nally the Doctor is a Mason, holding member- ship in Lodge No. 313, F. & A. M., of Indiana, and in Williamsport Consistory, thirty-second degree. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church. As physician and citizen he has been a useful member of the community ever since he settled in Indiana, and his fellow citizens respect him for his public spirit and intelli- gent interest in the general welfare.

In 1901 Dr. Simpson married Grace Tay- lor, daughter of Alexander Taylor, of Indiana. She died in 1903. In 1908 the Doctor married

ISAAC HAMILTON MABON is one of the foremost citizens of West Wheatfield town- ship, Indiana county, prominent in agricul- tural and business interests and influential in public affairs, though he has not held of- fice, being content to do his share in promot- ing the general good in his private capacity. He is a native of the township, born June 17, 1866, son of Thomas Jefferson and Nancy (Milliken) Mabon.

William and Margaret (Brown) Mabon came to this country from Scotland in the year 1794, bringing with them their family of six children, five sons and one daughter: George, John, James. William, Thomas and Jane. Their home in Scotland was on the river Tweed, and when they settled in what is now West Wheatfield township, Indiana Co .. Pa., they named a small stream running through their property Tweed run, by which name it is still known. William Mabon and his wife were laid to rest in a little cemetery near the Pennsylvania railroad, on the tract where they originally settled in West Wheatfield town- ship. Of their children: George had five children, two sons and three daughters, by his first wife, whose maiden name was Steele, and by his second wife, Margaret (McDonald), had a son, Capt. George C. Mabon. John mar- ried Margaret Liggett, and had seven sons and five daughters, William, Robert, John, James, Thomas, Frank, Alexander. Jane, Nancy, Margaret, Mary and Ann; they lived in Mahoning township. James married Jane Smith and had two sons and one daughter, Samuel S., William and Margaret; he settled at Mahoning, Pa. Jane married John Gra- ham, (second) Robert Sutton and (third) William Baird ; she had no children. William, the grandfather of Isaac H. Mabon, is men- tioned below. Thomas married Jane McLeary and had children: Margaret (married Wil- liam Reed), Mary Jane, Emily (married H. A. Welshonce), Harriet (married John Fer- guson). William, Thomas, Louisa (married Andrew Milliken), Mary A. (married George A. Jenks), and two more whose names are not given.

William Mahon, son of William and Mar- garet (Brown) Mabon, was a large land holder, owning at one time over six hundred acres, and became a well-known and prosper-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ous farmer. For many years he ran a saw-

in West Wheatfield township and followed mill on Tweed run (in West Wheatfield stock raising in addition to general farming, township) which he had built. He died April raising fine horses and cattle in considerable numbers. He was a prominent man in the locality in his time, serving as school director (fifteen years) and auditor of the township, the Bethel United Presbyterian Church, which he served officially as deacon ; he was a strong occurred May 11, 1886. 20, 1838, and was interred in Bethel ceme- tery in West Wheatfield township. On May 2, 1815, he married Esther Steele, and they had a family of nine children, born as fol- was a Democrat in politics and a member of lows : Margaret, April 18, 1816 (died young) ; George, Dec. 28, 1817; Jane, May 3, 1821 (married Thomas Reed) ; John, Dec. advocate of the temperance cause. IIis death 18, 1822 (died Oct. 19, 1829) ; Margaret B., Nov. 22, 1824 (married Mungo Campbell, and lived in Monmouth, Ill.) ; Thomas Jeffer- son, March 10, 1826; Hadassah, Feb. 4, 1828 (married Smith Dick) ; James, Feb. 9, 1830;

Mr. Mabon married Nancy Milliken, who was born March 5, 1835, daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Branyan) Milliken, the latter a member of the Juniata county branch of an and William, June 17, 1831 (married Eliza- old and honored family who have a printed beth Welshonce). Of this family, George Ma- history which traces their line back to the bon, born Dec. 28, 1817, died Aug. 13, 1889, on the farm near Centerville, Indiana Co., Pa., where he was born and reared. For many years previously he had been connected with the United Presbyterian Church, "and was always a consistent, faithful and earnest mem- ber; studying that which would promote the best interests of the congregation of which he was a member, and of the whole church, Bethel congregation will miss him in many ways. *

* * A large concourse of ac- quaintances assembled at the funeral, to tes- tify their respect for one who had for so long a time been a citizen in the community. In the exercises, held at his residence, Revs. Patterson and Graham took part, the former his present pastor, the latter having been his pastor for many years preceding. He mar- ried Jane Anderson, of Huntingdon county, Pa., who died in April, 1874. They had a family of seven children (four sons surviving the parents) : Nancy, who married William Gettamy ; John, who married Carolyn Clark ; Esther, who married James Martin; William Steel, who married Mary G. Hayes; Mungo, who married May Chase; Samuel K .; and Thomas James, who married Susan E., dangh- ter of Johnson and Jane (Palmer) Palmer, and had four children. Jennie Palmer, Ly- man DeEssa, Leetha May, George Johnson."

eighth century. They came from Normandy. Mrs. Mabon died May 11, 1888. They had a family of eight children: (1) John Milliken is mentioned below. (2) Esther Ellen, born May 15, 1859, married Robert Hood, and they live in Westmoreland county. (3) Liz- zie Bell, born May 18, 1861, married Charles Harman, a farmer in Brushvalley, and had children Mabel and George. (4) Anna M., born Aug. 9, 1862, married R. J. Hood, of West Wheatfield township. (5) William B., born Dec. 31, 1863, is employed by the Cam- bria Steel Company at Johnstown, Pa. He married Ella Shelley, and they have two chil- dren, Frank and May. (6) Isaac Hamilton is mentioned below. (7) Louise M., born June 9. 1869, married Elmer E. Dickie, of Indi- ana, Pa. (8) Nancy Jane, born in March, 1873, married James B. McCreery, a farmer of Westmoreland county, Pa., and has four children, Hugh, Everett, Lee and Mabon.

Isaac Hamilton Mabon attended the Wal- lace school in his native township. He be- came familiar with farm work as his father's assistant, working with the latter until his death, when he bought out the other heirs, taking the farm of 160 acres which he has since conducted on his own account. He is a progressive agriculturist in every line he undertakes, but dairying has been his spe- cialty and the branch in which he has been to Pittsburg. He is also engaged in stock raising and lumbering, and was one of the

Thomas Jefferson Mabon, son of William and Esther (Steele) Mabon, born March 10, particularly successful. He ships milk daily 1826, in West Wheatfield township, received his schooling there. In his younger days he did teaming, carrying iron ore. Upon the founders of the Gamble Telephone Company breaking out of the Civil war he joined the of West Wheatfield, in which he is a stock- holder. Mr. Mabon owned some coal land which he has sold. He. is an active man, and his thrifty, energetic spirit dominates all his 6th Pennsylvania Artillery, Battery C, un- der Capt. David Evans and First Lieut. Wil- liam Bowden, the second lieutenant being Jacob J. Grubbs, and served ten months. Re- interests. The fine appearance of his prop- turning home he bought a farm of 220 acres erty indicates that no pains are spared to

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

keep it in first-class condition, the house and ing about one hundred acres, where he is ex- barn being substantial and well appointed, tensively engaged in dairying and the raising of small fruits. In winter he also follows lumbering. Mr. Mabon has improved his farm greatly, having built a new house and barn and made numerous changes for the better in his home surroundings, all of which have materially increased the value of his tract. His progressive and energetic policy has brought him continued success. He was one of the organizers of the Gamble Mills Tele- phone Company, and is still a director of that company. and the farm being improved in every respect to make it up-to-date. Mr. Mabon has sev- eral fine horses. Though he cares nothing for public honors for himself he takes a deep interest in local affairs, seeing that good men get into office and that worthy movements are encouraged and given proper support. He votes independently. He has served as inspector and judge of the election board. Mr. Mabon is a member of the New Florence United Presbyterian Church, which he has served faithfully as elder and trustee.

On Sept. 5, 1890, Mr. Mabon married Er- mina L. Mack, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Mack, of West Wheatfield town- ship, and she died Sept. 8, 1891; she is bur- ied in Bethel cemetery. His second marriage, which took place Oct. 5. 1893, was to Mar- garet E. McCreery, of West Fairfield. West- moreland county, who was born Jan. 17, 1863, daughter of Hugh and Mary (McCurdy) Me- Creery, and member of a pioneer family of Westmoreland county. She died Feb. 3, 1903, and is buried at West Fairfield. She was the mother of four children: Hugh Mc- ('reery, born Sept. 6, 1894; Panl, Feb. 6, 1896; Anna Vista, Sept. 21, 1897; Margaret Eva, Jan. 28, 1903. On Dec. 29, 1904, Mr. Mabon married (third) Ella Jane McKelvy, Pa. (5) Marion Esther was born June 4, born Feb. 4, 1869, daughter of James P. and 1899. Isabel (Menoher) McKelvy, the former of Mr. and Mrs. Mabon are members of the United Presbyterian Bethel Church in West Wheatfield township, and he is a deacon of same. whom died Oct. 5, 1912, and the latter April 29, 1900. No children have been born to this union. Mrs. Mabon's parents were members of pioneer families of the Ligonier valley, Westmoreland county, who came from the northern part of Ireland, tracing their line to the time their ancestors crossed the water to America. The McKelvys were literary peo- ple, who studied the languages and taught them. Mrs. Mabon is a graduate of the South- western State normal school, located at Cali- fornia, Pa., and taught school for several years.

JOHN M. MABON, eldest in the family of Thomas Jefferson and Nancy ( Milliken) Ma- hon, was born April 21. 1856, and is a well- known farmer of West Wheatfield township. He obtained his education in the common schools there. In his younger manhood he worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany a number of years. In 1888 he bought the Samuel McKee farm of fifty acres, and commenced to devote himself to its cultiva- tion. Then he bought forty acres of the old Mabon farm, his property at present compris-

On March 5, 1885, Mr. Mabon married Elizabeth Armeta Cline, who was born in July, 1861, daughter of Samuel and Lydia ( Walbeck) Cline, of West Wheatfield town- ship. They have had five children: (1) Thomas Jefferson, born March 21, 1886, is farming with his father in West Wheatfield township. He married Anna Jane Wallace, daughter of Ephraim Wallace (2) Nora Maud, born in October, 1888, taught school for four years in West Wheatfield prior to her marriage to George McDowell, of New Florence, Pa. He is a plumber by trade. They have had one child, Helen, born Dec. 7, 1911. (3) Florence Edna was born April 12, 1890. (4) Samuel Cline, born April 22, 1892, has taught school in Cambria county,

ALEXANDER THOMPSON MOOR- HEAD was born Aug. 23, 1833, and died Oct. 18, 1912, after a long and useful life. He was a son of Alexander Thompson Moor- head, Sr., and was born on the old Moorhead homestead, now known as the M. H. Johnston farm, on the Saltsburg road in White town- ship, Indiana county. Receiving his early education in the district school in the vicinity of his home, while still a youth he came to Indiana and learned the printing trade in the office of the Clarion of Freedom, which was then published by his grandfather, James Moorhead. When a young man Mr. Moor- head located in Taylorsville, in Green town- ship, this county, where he was engaged in the mercantile and lumber business for sev- eral years. Later he conducted a similar busi- ness in Indiana. He was a lifelong Repub- lican, and served as postmaster at Indiana under Presidents Hayes and Arthur. He was

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

one of the founders of the Indiana State nor- surveyor of the western district of Pennsyl- mal school, and continued a member of the vania by Governor Snyder before he had at- board of trustees of the institution until his death. In 1887 he became editor and pro- prietor of The Indiana Progress, which has long been recognized as the leading newspaper of Indiana county, and was senior editor of the paper at the time of his death. He was suc- ceeded in the newspaper business by his two sons, Albert S. and A. Ralph Moorhead, with whom he had been associated for several years. Early in life he became associated with the United Presbyterian Church, and for more than half a century was actively engaged with Sabbath school work.

Mr. Moorhead was twice married and was the father of a large family. His widow, Mrs. Margaret Ann Moorhead, of Indiana, and these children are living: Howard H. Moor- head, of Everson, Pa .; Mrs. William L. San- som, of Clarion, Pa .; Mrs. David K. Hill, of Leechburg, Pa .; Mrs. C. R. Lininger, of Chi- cago, Ill .; Mrs. Howard M. Fair, of Union- town, Pa .; Mrs. John K. Brallier, of Latrobe, Pa .; Dr. Hugh M. Moorhead, of Erie, Pa .; Albert S. Moorhead, A. Ralph Moorhead and Frank E. Moorhead, of Indiana, Pennsyl- vania.

LEON NORMAN PARK, D. D. S., of Mar- ion Center, Pa., was born in what is now the borough of Marion Center Oct. 12, 1848, son of James L. Park and grandson of John Park.

The Park family is one of the oldest and best known in the northern part of Indiana county, and its representatives have been as- sociated with Marion Center for about a cen- tury.

Robert Park, the first of the family of whom there is definite record, was born in Ballywal- ter, County Down, Ireland, where he mar- ried Jane Bailey. He was an excellent navi- gator for his period, and making many trips was impressed with the advantages of the new world. so in 1794 brought his family to Phila- delphia, where he taught classes in navigation and also in surveying until his death, which occurred in that city in 1795. His widow married (second) James Johnston, a surveyor, who lived near Greencastle, Pa., and whose name is connected with the early surveys of Indiana county. Mrs. Johnston lived to be an old lady, dying at Johnstown, Pa., in 1828, when she was 108 years of age.

John Park, son of Robert Park, was born in Ballywalter, County Down, Ireland, in 1776, and studied surveying with his step- father. He was given a commission as deputy

tained his majority, and after receiving same came to Indiana county, and he was the founder of the family in this section. Arriv- ing here in 1795, under the direction of Mr. Johnston he began making surveys in what is now East Mahoning township, and in 1798 bought the "evergreen" tract of land, build- ing a 16x20 log cabin on it the following year. It was built in what is now the south- west end of Marion Center. Although he lived upon the land for some years he did not receive the deed for it until Dec. 2, 1803. His was the first house erected north of Penn's purchase line. His property comprised 408 acres, and from a portion of it he laid out the town of Marion in August, 1842, the sale of town lots taking place in September of that same year. In the meanwhile, in 1810, Mr. Park established a tanyard near his cabin and carried on an extensive business as a tanner. Replacing his original cabin by an- other somewhat larger in 1817, he lived in it for years. It was later used as a granary by the Mclaughlin Kinter Company. Mr. Parks also built the first gristmill in that part of the county, and operated it for some time, al- though it was a crude affair, the motive power being supplied by four horses. By working night and day, the mill ground out from thir- ty-five to forty bushels of wheat. As soon as he was able to get the machinery Mr. Park changed it to a water power mill, installing a water wheel with a side chute. A man of advanced ideas, he was very enterprising for his day and his name is connected with many of the earlier enterprises, among them being the opening of the first hotel in town, in 1844. Marion Center continued to be his home un- til his death, which took place Ang. 10, 1844, and his remains were laid to rest in Gilgal cemetery, he having been a member of the Presbyterian Church of that name, in East Mahoning township.

John Park was married, in Franklin county, in 1807, to Mary Lang, born in 1783, a daughter of Rev. James Lang, a Presby- terian minister of White Spring, Franklin Co., Pa. She died in 1864, aged eighty-one years, and was laid to rest by the side of her husband. The children born to this couple were as follows: Margaret H. married Sam- uel Craig, of Brookville, Pa. ; Robert, a teacher of Marion Center, married (first) Mary G. Cannon, (second) Margaretta Thompson, and (third) Martha Caruthers, a sister of Rev. John Caruthers; Jane R. married Alexander

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Sutor, of East Mahoning township; Mary B. fluence as a Christian was powerful and gen- married Joseph Beady, of Marion Center; erally recognized. James L. is mentioned below; Anna Eliza married James Martin, of East Mahoning township; John married Martha Curtis, and lived at Wheaton, Ill .; Amanda married Rob- ert Barbour, of Cherryhill township; Linton was for six years in the service of the United States, one year of that time being a member of the president's guard, 2d Regiment, at Washington, D. C., and had the honor of engraving the broad-axe presented to Presi- dent Lincoln in 1860.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 145

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