Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 147

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 147

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HARRY L. WEAMER, dealer in clothing and shoes at Saltsburg, Indiana county, is one of the foremost of the progressive merchants of that borough, where he has been doing business for twenty-five years.

Harry L. Weamer was born Dec. 8, 1864, early years, meantime receiving a good com- mon school education in the home neighbor- hood. Mr. Weamer taught school in Indiana county, Pa., for three terms before he en- gaged in business, coming to Saltsburg Feb. 6, 1889, and there he has been engaged in business for a period of twenty-five years, and he is not only a leading business man but has a family of eleven children, six sons and five also become influential in the public life of the town, having been a member of the coun- cil for twelve years, and burgess. He has es- tablished a successful trade by considerate treatment of his customers and the most con- sistent attention to their wants, his store hav- ing a reputation for satisfactory service which wins and holds patrons.

On Dec. 25, 1888, Mr. Weamer married Ada Smail, of Indiana, Pa., daughter of Rob- ert and Kesiah (Berringer) Smail, of Plum- ville, and they have had two children: Clair, horn March 16, 1891, who was educated at Washington and Jefferson College, at Wash- ington, Pa .; and Grace, born Nov. 25, 1896. Mr. Weamer attends the Presbyterian Church. In polities he is associated with the Republi- can party. Socially he is a member of Wil- liamson Lodge, No. 431, F. & A. M., of Salts- burg, of which he is a past master.

ship, Indiana county, in 1805. He had five eration as a man who led an upright Chris-

JEREMIAH SEXTON, deceased, who will be well remembered by those of the older gen- tian life, was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1815, a son of Cornelius and Julia (Dono- van) Sexton.

Mr. Sexton's parents never left the Emer-

topher, Jacob, Abraham, James, William, ald Isle, but spent their entire lives there en- Thomas, Joseph and Samuel. The father of gaged in agricultural pursuits. They had the this family was a soldier in the war of 1812. following children: Cornelius, who went to

The Weamer family is of German origin. at Plnmville, this county, and there spent his Andrew Weamer, father of Harry L. Weamer, was born March 22, 1833, at Plumville, Pa., and was one of eight children, six sons and two daughters, born to his parents. He mar- ried Rebecca Stuchell, who like himself was of German descent, and they still survive, Mr. Weamer now (1912) eighty years of age, Mrs. Weamer aged seventy-two. They had daughters, of whom Lois died in infancy ; Margaret married Charles Shield, an em- ployee of the Pennsylvania R. R. Company at Pittsburg, Pa., where they reside (they have one child) ; Ellen married Albert Bowser, a grain dealer, of Rural Valley, Pa .; Mary is the wife of David Smiley, a wagon builder, of Plumville, Indiana county; Harry L. is mentioned below; Frank died at the age of thirty-four years; Charles, who became a phy- sician, died at the age of thirty years: John, a coal operator, is living in Somerset county, Pa .; Wilbur, a coal operator, at Plumville, married Irma Neff and has three children; Cora, wife of Ellis Good, of Plumville, has two children.

Mrs. Rebecca (Stuchell) Weamer is a daughter of Christopher Stuchell, a farmer of Plumville, Indiana county, granddaughter of Christopher Stuchell and great-grand- daughter of John Stuchell, a native of Ger- many, who settled in what is now White town- children : Abraham, Christopher, Jacob, Mary (Mrs. McHenry) and Mrs. Caldwell. The son Christopher married Elizabeth Ly- dick, and they had nine sons: John, Chris-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the diamond mines in South Africa; Timothy, ing farmers. IIe was a pioneer of Washing- who came to the United States, worked in the ton township, coming here at a time when the Indiana paper mills four years, and about farm produce was packed on horses and taken 1861 returned to Ireland and married Miss to Hollidaysburg, the nearest market. Donahue, both dying in the old country, al- though some of their children came to this country and are living in New York; Jere- miah; and Kate and Margaret, who died in Ireland.

Jeremiah Sexton received the education usually granted the youths of his native coun- try during his boyhood days, following which he worked for a time on his father's small farm and then enlisted in the British army, in which he served for some years. On leav- ing the army he came to the United States and followed canal and railroad building for many years, with old Judge White and Gov- ernor Ritner, and drifted through Virginia to Pennsylvania, eventually locating in Indiana borough. He built ditches by contract and followed various kinds of labor until his deatlı, which occurred Jan. 12, 1901. He was buried in St. Bernard's cemetery, having been a faithful member of St Bernard's Roman Catholic Church.

Mr. Sexton was married in Indiana, Pa., July 5, 1855, to Mary Jane MeSwinney, daughter of Bryan and Mary (Burkholder) McSwinney. She was born at Muncie, Ly- coming Co., Pa., June 28, 1833, and was one year old when her parents removed to Wash- ington township, Indiana county. Her father, who was a farmer all of his life, was born in County Cork, Ireland, Dec. 25, 1797, and came to the United States before his marriage, following canal construction work under Gov- ernor Ritner, and coming to Indiana through the influence of old Judge White. He was married in Lycoming county, and both he and his wife died in Indiana county. They had these children : Mary Jane, who married Mr. Sexton; Nancy, who married John Kelley, and died in Kansas; Peter, who served in the Union army in a Pennsylvania Volunteer regi- ment during the Civil war, was wounded sev- eral times and sent home, where he died ; Kate, who married Alexander Speedy, of Plumville, Pa .; Bryan, who is deceased ; Sally, who married John Stewart, of Effingham, Kans .; Eugene, living at McEwen, Tenn. ; and Abbie, who married Henry Miller, living at Armstrong, Pa. Mrs. Sexton's father was a well-educated man for his day and a rapid mental calculator, and followed the occupa- tion of examiner of teachers, in the absence of the examining board of the present day, besides keeping the accounts of the neighbor-

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sexton were as follows: Daniel; Jerry, residing in White township, who married Tillie Lewis; Dennis, who married Mary J. Hall, and is now deceased; Timothy, residing in New York; Julia, who married Bert Cummings of Wellsville, Ohio; Peter, living on the home- stead, who married Minnie Ernie; and Mary, twin of Peter, who died at the age of four- teen years.

DANIEL SEXTON, son of Jeremiah Sexton, was born in Washington township, Indiana county, Aug. 1, 1857, and attended the public schools of his native vicinity, following which he went to the normal school for one year. He then commenced operating the Carter farm, on the outskirts of Indiana borough, but subse- quently turned his attention to railroad con- struction work for a firm of Philadelphia con- tractors. He completed the old Thaddeus Stevens railroad, known as the Western Mary- land road, running from Gettysburg to Blue Ridge Summit, and was also connected with street railways in southern New Jersey, Con- necticut, and various points in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia. While in charge of construction work on the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad, in this State, Jan. 2, 1900, Mr. Sexton met with an awful accident in an explosion of powder, losing both eyes.

Mr. Sexton was married (first) Sept. 1, 1880, to Mary Isabelle Magee, of Indiana, daughter of Mrs. Susan Magee, and she died in February, 1895, leaving six children : Mary, Kate, Celia, Daniel, Louis and Ella. Mr. Sexton was married (second) Jan. 10, 1898, to Alice D. Magee, of Spangler, Cam- bria county, daughter of Bernard and Mary E. (Rankin) Magee, and they have had two children, Bernardine Frances and Cornelius Alfonso.

JOHN H. PIERCE, of the borough of In- diana, has been engaged in the practice of law there for over a quarter of a century and has a large and highly creditable patronage, the class of people who have shown their con- fidence in him being a reliable indication of his ability and worth. He has justified that confidence in all the relations of life and is one of the most respected citizens of his com- munity.

Mr. Pierce belongs to a family of Scottish origin which has been established in this coun-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

try since Colonial days. His grandfather, William Pierce, settled in Armstrong county, Pa., at an early day. James Pierce, son of William, was born in Armstrong county, re- ceived a good education, and became a suc- cessful teacher of his native county. His death occurred in 1864 at Rimersburg, in Clarion county, whither he had gone on a business trip. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On April 22, 1852, Mr. Pierce married Sarah A. Har- rold, who was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, her parents removing from that lo- cality when she was small and settling near Elderton, in Armstrong county, Pa. A few years later they located in Jefferson county, near Punxsutawney, where they passed the remainder of their lives. After her husband's death Mrs. Pierce moved to near Elderton, Armstrong county, and later to Indiana, Pa., where she died July 13, 1901. She was a member of the M. E. Church for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce had a family of five chil- dren, of whom John H. is the eldest.

WILLIAM FRANCIS ELKIN, of Indi- ana, district attorney and referee in bank- ruptcy for his district, was first elected to the former office in November, 1907, and has held the latter by appointment since early in John H. Pierce was born March 8, 1855, in Clearfield county, Pa., and during his early life lived principally near Elderton, Arm- strong county, where he attended the com- 1905. He is engaged in the practice of law in partnership with Jonathan N. Langham and E. E. Creps, under the firm name of Langham, Elkin & Creps. Mr. Elkin was mon schools, and the Elderton academy. born April 21, 1869, at Smicksburg, Indi- Later he entered the State normal school in ana Co., Pa., son of Francis and Elizabeth (Pratt) Elkin. The family is of Irish origin, and long resident in the North of Ireland. the borough of Indiana, from which institu- tion he was graduated in 1881. Meantime, in 1875, he had commenced teaching, and he con- Francis Elkin, great-grandfather of Wil- liam Francis Elkin, lived to be eighty years of age, and his wife was Nancy Park. tinued to follow that profession until the win- ter of 1883. His law studies were commenced under Hon. Silas M. Clark, who was shortly afterward elected to the Supreme bench of the State. He then continued his prepara- tion for the legal profession under Col. Dan- iel S. Porter, and after his death completed the course of reading with the law firm of Jack & Taylor, of Indiana. He was admitted to the bar in Indiana county in 1885, and has devoted himself to practice ever since. Mr. Pierce has attained success by the most hon- orable methods, and his personal and pro- fessional reputation are alike above reproach.

On Sept. 5, 1883, Mr. Pierce married Josie Moore, daughter of John and Eliza Moore, of Whitesburg, Armstrong Co., Pa., and they have had three children, John M., William E. and Mary L. All three are graduates of the Indiana common schools and of the Indiana State normal school. The eldest son, John M., is also a graduate (in the architectural course) of Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, taught one year in the Indiana State normal school, one year in San Antonio, Texas, and is now teaching ar-

chitectural drawing and manual training in the schools of Reno, Nev. William E. is in his last year in Washington and Jefferson Col- lege, and expects to enter the practice of law with his father. The daughter Mary L. is with her parents, and is a student of music in the Conservatory of Music of the Indiana normal school. Mr. Pierce is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Indiana. In politics he is a Republican. He has been an interested member of the Indiana County Agricultural Society, which he served as sec- retary for several years. He has been closely identified with temperance work and has for many years represented the remonstrances against the granting of liquor licenses by the court of Indiana county.

William Elkin, son of Francis and Eliza- beth (Hill) Elkin, was born in County Ty- rone, Ireland, in 1804, and was married in his native country to Martha Beattie, who died in Ireland in 1849. She was a grand- daughter of Joseph Hill, who died in Ire- land in 1844, at the remarkable age of one hundred and seven years. William Elkin came to this country in 1850 and returned to Ireland after a stay of nine months, in 1852 coming back to the United States with his family. He settled first at Pittsburg, coming to West Mahoning township, Indiana county, in 1854, and settling at Loop, in that township, engaged in farming throughout his active years. He had a long life, dying in 1896, at the age of ninety-two. He was a member of the Episcopal Church. By his first marriage, to Martha Beattie, he had the following children, all born in County Ty- rone, Ireland: Francis, William, James, Henry, Eliza (wife of John Bond), Sarah (wife of James Chapman) and Anne (wife

I . Elkem.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of Spencer Barrett). By his second mar- McHenry; William Francis, and Margaret riage, to Jane Rippey, he was the father of A., wife of Robert Mckibben. three children, namely: David, John and William Francis Elkin obtained his pre- liminary education in the public schools, Martha (wife of Thomas Ralston).

Francis Elkin, eldest son of William and and began to teach at the early age of fifteen. Martha Elkin, was born May 4, 1830, at He continued to follow the profession for

Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, and grew about ten years, during which time he also continued his studies, taking the course at the State normal school at Indiana borough, from which he was graduated with the class of 1890. He taught another two years after leaving the normal school, and then took up the study of law with his brother John P. to manhood in his native country. Coming to the United States in 1851, he located first at Pittsburg, Pa., where he learned the rolling mill business, and became superintendent of the iron mills of Lindsey & Zug, the senior partner, Mr. Lindsey, being his uncle. Mr. Lindsey died suddenly during a visit to Ire- Elkin. He was admitted to the bar in 1896, land, and this left the business in the con- and has been actively engaged in legal prac- trol of the junior partner, Christopher Zug, tice ever since. In 1905 he formed the as- who, for reasons best known to himself, found sociation with Mr. Langham which they have since maintained. In November, 1907, Mr. Elkin was elected district attorney, in which office he is now serving his second term, hav- ing been reelected in November, 1911. On Jan. 16, 1905, he was appointed referee in bankruptcy, and has held that office con- tinuously since. Mr. Elkin has attained a high position at the bar for both ability and reliability, and his success and prominence it convenient to dispense with the services of Francis Elkin. This changed the plans of Mr. and Mrs. Elkin, and during a visit to William Elkin, his father, who then lived in West Mahoning township, Francis Elkin concluded to buy a farm and engage in agri- cultural pursuits, which he did. He engaged in farming for some years, later embarking in the mercantile business at Smicksburg,

this county, where he also built a foundry, are the result of well-directed energies and

being in business there until 1873, when he the best use of his natural endowments. went to Wellsville, Ohio, in company with In 1893 Mr. Elkin became a member of Company F, 5th Regiment, Pennsylvania Na- tional Guard, entering as a private and hold- ing every office up to and including that of captain. In 1898, during the Spanish- American war, he was second lieutenant of his company. His regiment was called out and stationed at Camp George H. Thomas, at Chickamauga, Tenn., and while in camp there he had a severe case of ivy poisoning. Later he was stricken with typhoid fever. When the company was mustered out, Nov. 9, 1898, he was on sick leave. He is a mem- her of the B. P. O. Elks, and a junior warden and vestryman of the Episcopal Church. others founding the American Tin Plate Company and erecting the first mill in this country which turned out tin plate. In 1875 he returned to Smicksburg and resumed the mercantile business, which he carried on un- til his death, Dec. 12, 1882. Mr. Elkin was deservedly looked upon as one of the most substantial and influential men of his com- munity. He was a member of the Protes- tant Episcopal Church, and built the church now used by that denomination at Smicks- burg. He was ever one of its most active workers and liberal supporters, and served officially as vestryman. He was a Republi- can in politics, and though no seeker after W. F. Elkin was married, Dec. 28, 1911, to Ersie C. Maugans. They have one child, Frances Elizabeth, born Dec. 24, 1912. public honors consented to act as school di- rector of his township. His wife, Elizabeth (Pratt), a native of Queen's County, Ire- land, born in 1833, came to the United States WILLIAM J. SHORT, owner of the Ideal Farm, situated in Cherryhill township, In- diana county, is one of the best-known men in his district, a leader in advanced agricul- tural operations, and one whose success in his work has brought about higher standards in his section. He was born in Rayne township, Indiana Co., Pa., March 7, 1858, son of David A. and Mary Ann (Long) Short. in her eighteenth year. Like her husband she was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. She died Jan. 2, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Elkin had the following children : Eliza- beth C., wife of William Elkin; James H., who is deceased; Hon. John Pratt, now jus- tice of the Supreme court of Pennsylvania; Martha C., who first married Jacob Meister, James Short, grandfather of William J. and after his death became the wife of W. D. Short, came to Indiana county from Hunting-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

don connty, Pa., where his parents, emigrants Long, was born at sea while the family was from Holland, had settled at an early day. making the journey to America. On coming to this county he located on land

William J. Short was educated in Rayne in Rayne township, on which he carried on township. In 1876, though only eighteen general farming during the daylight hours, years of age, he moved to his father's tract while his evenings were spent in working at his trade of blacksmith. A sober, industrious man, he succeeded in accumulating a compe- tency, and at the time of his death, in Febru- ary, 1875, his community had no more highly esteemed citizen. Among his children was John Short, who enlisted in the Union army during the Civil war and was killed at An- tietam fifteen minutes after the start of the battle. Another son, Dr. James Short, was born in Rayne township, graduated from Jef- ferson College, and spent three years as a surgeon in the Civil war. Subsequently he lo- cated in Indiana, and was there successfully engaged in the practice of medicine and sur- gery until his death, which was caused by blood poisoning from infection while per- forming an operation. His wife bore the maiden name of Mary J. McCunn. of 193 acres in Cherryhill township and took charge of that place, operating it for his father the next three years. In the spring of 1879 he bought the farm for himself, and there he has since resided, making many im- provements and adding to the original tract until he now has 205 acres. Ideal Farm is located six miles east of Indiana, and the trol- ley road to Clymer has 196 rods of track run- ning through his land; he gave the company free right of way. His property is one of the best cultivated in the vicinity. Mr. Short has kept thoroughly abreast of the times, as his improvements on his farm and home tes- tify. He was the first anywhere in his lo- cality to adopt fertilizer as a land dressing, and he disposed of the first carload of fer- tilizer sold at Cherrytree, Indiana county. For three years he was engaged in the stock business, shipping to the eastern markets. principally Philadelphia. He has always taken an active interest in the Indiana Ag- ricultural Society, and for seventeen years has acted in the capacity of manager for that organization.

David A. Short, son of James, and father of William J. Short, was born in Hunting- don county, Pa., and as a lad accompanied his parents to Rayne township, Indiana county, where he spent the remainder of his active life in agricultural pursuits. When he retired, in 1891, he had acquired five hun- dred acres of land in one body in Rayne township. In the fall of 1873 he bought from Judge Irvin a tract of 193 acres (the greater part of the farm now owned by his son Wil- liam) which he rented for two years, his son William J. Short locating upon it in 1876. In 1891, feeling that he had earned a rest from his labors, Mr. Short moved to Indiana, and there his death occurred Aug. 6, 1906. He married Mary Ann Long, who was born in Rayne township, and died April 30, 1912, the mother of the following children: Wil- liam J .; Jane, the wife of H. N. Dyaren, a farmer of Rayne township; Minerva, wife of James Bence, also of Rayne township; Harry L., a resident of Rayne township, who mar- ried Mary Widdowson, who is now deceased ; Lavina, wife of James Wiggins, of White township; and Mary and John, who are de- ceased. David A. Short served valiantly through the Civil war as a Union soldier.

Mr. Short was married March 7, 1878, to Miss Maggie M. Bence, a native of Rayne township, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Renn) Bence, early settlers of Rayne town- ship, the latter of whom came from Germany, while the former was of German descent. Mrs. Short died Feb. 3, 1901, at Longmont, Colo., whither she had gone in an attempt to regain her health. She and Mr. Short had a family of six children, as follows: Elmer E., of Washington township, who married Laura Fyock, of Cherryhill township, and has five children ; Anna, who married Delbert Means, a resident of Indiana, Pa .; Blaine, residing at Dixonville, Pa., who married Florence Houck, of Rayne; Grace, wife of Homer Dick, of Cherryhill, now residing in Indiana bor- ough; and Mary and Clarence, who live at home. On Dec. 16, 1902, Mr. Short was mar- ried (second) to Miss Clara Helman, a native of Cherryhill township, born May 8, 1863, daughter of David A. and Elizabeth (Lydick) Helman, natives of Indiana county. Mrs. Short's father died in September, 1905; her mother still survives and is residing in Cher- ryhill township at an advanced age. Mrs.

Crawford Long, the maternal grandfather of William J. Short, was a native of Ireland, from which country he emigrated to the United States, settling in Rayne township, In- diana Co., Pa., where he spent the rest of his Short is a granddaughter of Abraham Ly- life in farming. One of his sons, William

dick, an early settler of Indiana county.

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HISTORY OF. INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. and Mrs. Short are members of the dren still occupying the farm there. Mr. Presbyterian Church of Penn Run, which he Crawford followed farming and also dealt in served as steward for six years. He has served sixteen years as school director of Cherryhill township.

WILLIAM H. CRAWFORD was for a number of years before his death a prosper- ous farmer and well-known resident of West Mahoning township, Indiana county. Born July 22, 1826, in East Mahoning township, this county, he was a son of Moses and Mary (Jamieson) Crawford, the former of whom came from representative pioneer stock and lived in Indiana county from an early day.

Moses Crawford was born in 1772. His family was early settled in Kentucky, helping to begin the development of that State from primitive conditions, but he was very young when he came thence to Indiana county, lo- cating near Centerville. He afterward re- moved to East Mahoning township, where he died March 22, 1831. He was a cooper and carpenter but gave most of his time to farm- ing. In politics he was a Whig. During the war of 1812 he served as a scout. He was a ruling elder in the Gilgal Presbyterian Church. Mr. Crawford was twice married, and by his first wife, whose maiden name was Scroggs, had nine children: Jane, Samuel, Mary, John, Allen, David, Ann, Elizabeth and James. His second marriage was to Mary Jamieson, daughter of Archie Jamieson, a Scotch Covenanter, who settled near Armagh, Indiana county, and followed farming. Her ancestors claimed kin with William Wallace,

horses and stock, and he also took an intelli- gent interest in public affairs, serving his township in the offices of school director and auditor. In politics he was a strong Republi- can, in religious connection a member of the Presbyterian Church. He died Dec. 5, 1909.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 147

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