Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 149

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 149

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After spending some time in the Western Re- serve in Ohio he came to Pennsylvania, and in 1837 located near New Alexandria, later mov- ing into that town, where he embarked in the manufacture of shoes, employing fifteen men in his establishment. For some time he oper- ated his plant successfully, and then sold to go into merchandising with T. G. Stewart. They conducted a general store until 1856, when Mr. Rochester came to Indiana county John H. Rochester attended school in the home neighborhood until he was ten years old, when he was brought to Indiana county by luis parents, and here he received the rest of his schooling. From boyhood he assisted his father in the store, thus learning the business from the inside, and in 1864 formed a partner- ship with his uncle, B. H. Duffie, under the and settled at Marion Center, and it was he who succeeded in getting a postoffice estab- lished here; he became the first postmaster. Here he established a store which he carried on with very satisfactory results until 1868, when he sold his entire business to his son John H. Rochester. In the meanwhile he had gone to Richmond, Canoe township, and there name of Duffie & Rochester, which association started another store, being the first merchant continued one year. In 1865 Mr. Rochester became his father's partner, the firm name being John C. Rochester & Son, and in 1868 the latter bought the interest of the former and continued the business alone until 1872, when he took his brother-in-law, B. F. Laugh- lin, into partnership with him, under the name of Rochester & Laughlin. This firm built the present store, which is one of the most commodious in the northern part of the county, and the partners remained together until 1894, when the junior partner retired and Dr. W. S. Shields, another brother-in-law, in that locality. In 1867 the postoffice was established at that point, also through his efforts, and Mr. Rochester became the first postmaster. The office was named Rochester Mills in honor of him. At the same time he operated the gristmill at that place, remodel- ing the mill, and made improvements upon it, and also engaged quite extensively in the lum- her business, being a man of affairs. Mr. Rochester also opened stores at Taylorsville, Smithport and Gettysburg, and was very suc- cessful in all his operations, for he had execu-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

entered the firm, the name becoming Rochester fancy; Nora, wife of J. M. Aul; Edna, wife & Shields. After five years' association Mr. of Leland Valentine; Waldo, and George E. Rochester bought out the interest of his part- ner and continued alone until 1904, when H. S. Jones was taken into the business, and on Jan. 1, 1913, Mr. Rochester sold out to him,

George E. Simpson was born Oct. 31, 1869, at Georgeville, Indiana county, and obtained his early education in the common schools and Purchase Line Academy. He also studied the business being now conducted under the to some extent under private tutors, after style of S. H. Jones & Co. In addition to his which he taught school in this county for about mercantile interests Mr. Rochester was a mem- ber of the firm of Duffie & Rochester for ten years, and owns farming land in the vicinity of Marion Center and at other points in In- diana county. However, he concentrated his efforts on merchandising, and during the nearly half a century that he was a merchant handled an immense amount of business, and witnessed and participated in many impor- tant changes.

Practically all of his life has been spent at Marion Center, and he naturally is deeply in- terested in the progress of that place, having contributed largely toward bringing about present results. Like his father a firm be- liever in the public school system, he has given it valuable service as a school director and secretary of the board for many years. While he has been a Republican for years, he is inde- pendent in his views. A Mason, he belongs to Indiana Lodge, No. 313, Zerubbabel Chap- ter, No. 162, R. A. M., of Pittsburg, and Pitts- burg Commandery, No. 1, K. T., as well as the Mystic Shrine at Pittsburg. He was one of the organizers of the original Odd Fellows lodge at Marion Center.

Mr. Rochester has not married, but Mr. S. H. Jones, who married Alice Frampton, a niece of Mr. Rochester, and his wife live with him and make a pleasant home for one who has earned it in every way.

GEORGE E. SIMPSON, M. D., of Indiana, Indiana county, belongs to a family which has been settled here for several generations. His grandfather, James Simpson, was born in Georgeville, Indiana county, and followed farming in this county all his life. He mar- ried Jane Martin, and they had five children, namely : John M., Milton, Elizabeth (wife of James Dilts), Catherine (wife of J. M. Hazelett ) and William.

four years. He began reading medicine with Dr. D. R. Crawford, of this county, and then entered the medical department of the West- ern University of Pennsylvania, at Pittsburg, graduating from that institution March 22, 1894. He began independent practice the same year at Home, Indiana county, where he remained about three and a half years, re- moving thence to the borough of Indiana in the fall of 1897. Here he has since engaged in general practice, also extending his medical work along various lines which have proved congenial to himself and acceptable to the community. In association with Dr. Neal he has established a private hospital in the borough which has been considered a valu- able acquisition to the community and been a success from the start. He has been active in the professional organizations, being a promi- nent member of the county medical society, which he has served as secretary for more than three years, and also belonging to the State Medical Society and the American Med- ical Association. He is physician to the county home, surgeon to the Indiana hospital (the private hospital mentioned above) and chief examiner in Indiana county for the Equitable of New York. the Northwestern, New Eng- land, and other life insurance companies. He has many activities, as may be seen, and takes care of them all with the conscientiousness and ability which have made him so thoroughly trusted wherever he is known.

On June 22, 1893, Dr. Simpson married Nioma C. Neal, daughter of Thomas S. Neal, of Trade City, Indiana Co., Pa., and they have two children, Anna C. and Harold. Dr. and Mrs. Simpson are members of the Luth- eran Church.

WILLIAM HARVEY FINDLEY, a farm- er of East Wheatfield township, Indiana Co., Pa .. is a descendant of the first white settler of Indiana county.

John M. Simpson, the Doctor's father, was also a farmer in Indiana county. IIe belonged George Findley, the first of the name in Indiana county, is supposed to have been of Scotch origin. He crossed the mountains and to the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was an active worker, for many years serving as a member of its official board. He located at the Pumroy and Wilson settlement, married Catherine McGregor, and they had a in what is now Derry township, Westmore- family of five children : . One that died in in- land county, in 1764. The following year he

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

crossed the Conemaugh river to what is now he died May 30, 1837, being buried in the East Wheatfield township, settling on a tract family lot on the farm, where a headstone still of land now owned by George H. Mathews, marks his last resting place. which comprised 200 acres of land. The se- lection was "tomahawked," and his rights were as valid in those days as under the more cumbersome surveys of later years. His visits to his land were as frequent and his stay on it each time as long as the troublesome times would permit. When the Revolutionary war

On Jan. 1, 1812, James Findley married Parmelia Dill, born in 1792 near the present site of Dilltown, Buffington township, daugh- ter of Matthew Dill and granddaughter of Matthew Dill, who was a colonel of a regiment in the Revolutionary war. The children of James Findley and his wife were: George, broke out he had a clearing of about ten born Nov. 16, 1812; Ann, born Sept. 19, 1814, who married William R. Duke; Mary Jane, born March 30, 1816, who married Robert Me- Cormack; Permelia, born July 11, 1818, who married William Wolf; James, born May 19, 1820; Rebecca, born July 4, 1822, who mar- ried John Goddard; A. Mathews, born April 14, 1825; Eliza, born June 16, 1827, who mar- ried Samuel McCune; and Harriet A. Newell, born Sept. 28, 1829.

acres, on which he had erected a log cabin. There is a tradition in the family that when he visited his future home with a bound boy, by name George Farmer, to look after some cattle, the Indians surprised them, and Mr. Findley was wounded through the left arm, but escaped, while the boy was captured by the savages and scalped ; the Indians came the next day and buried the body near the run which adjoins the homestead. In 1784, as soon as conditions made it safe to do so, Mr. Findley settled permanently on this farm with his family, and continued to make his home there, although frequently forced to seek shelter at Fort Ligonier or Palmer's Fort. Here this brave pioneer rounded out his use- ful life, becoming interested along various lines, for in 1784-85, he built a gristmill which is supposed to have been the second in the county, and in 1788 he added a sawmill to his plant. He cleared off much of the land, and was noted for his energy and industrious habits, and his thrift made possible the ac- cumulation of a comfortable fortune. His death occurred on the farm he had redeemed from the wilderness Sept. 7, 1814, when he was fifty-eight years old, his remains being in- terred on his homestead.

George Findley was married, near Hagers- town, Md., and his wife, Elizabeth, also died on the farm, and is buried there. The chil- dren of this worthy couple were: James, who was born in Franklin county, Pa., Dec. 16, 1777; Isabelle, born in Hagerstown, Md., Jan. 28, 1784, who married Andrew Reynolds; and Elizabeth, who in 1806 married Archibald Mathews and settled on a portion of her father's farm.

George Findley, eldest son of James Find- ley, was born on the homestead in East Wheat- field township, and there he was reared and sent to the subscription schools of his neigh- borhood, attending a few months during sev- eral winter seasons. As soon as he was old enough he commenced working on the Penn- sylvania canal as bowsman and steerer, and later became captain of his own freight boats, which ran from Pittsburg to Johnstown, one of these boats being the "Drucilla." For some years George Findley was thus engaged, subsequently operating the grist and sawmill, and still later settling down to farming on a tract of 226 acres known as the Clark farm, which lay at the foot of Laurel Hill, along the Pittsburg and Philadelphia pike in East Wheatfield township. Here the remainder of his life was spent, he dying on this property May 18, 1891, when he was seventy-nine years of age. His remains were buried in the Armagh Presbyterian Church cemetery, he having been a member of this denomination and a generous contributor toward its support. On March 7, 1850, George Findley was married to Esther Brown Steele, who was born March 27, 1820, daughter of William and Experience (Hill) Steele, who were married July 6, 1815, the former born March 17, 1793, died Oct. 17, 1857. Mrs. Findley died Dec. 17, 1894, aged seventy-four years, and was buried in the same cemetery as her husband. She, also, was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. The children of George

James Findley, son of George Findley, came to what is now East Wheatfield township, with his parents when a child, and was there reared to manhood. During the war of 1812 he gave his country brave service and assisted in the Findley and wife were: Eliza Jane, born Jan. construction of Fort Meigs. Like his father he was a farmer and miller, and spent his useful life in East Wheatfield township, where

2, 1851, died July 14, 1878; William Harvey was born Dec. 12, 1852; George Steele, born March 27, 1854, is an engineer with the Cam-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

bria Iron & Steel Company, residing at Johns- childreu as follows: William Howard, born town, Pa .; Samuel, born Sept. 7, 1855, mar- at Seward, Pa., June 1, 1874, was educated ried Hattie Stephens and (second) Belle Hart- in the public schools and the summer school man; James Albert, born July 31, 1857, died in 1900; Harriet Newel, born May 9, 1859, married John Neal and lives at Fairfield, Westmoreland Co., Pa .; John Philip, born July 2, 1861, married Mira Bennett and lives at Johnstown, Pa .; Experience May, born July 18, 1863, married Charles Griffith and re- sides at Cramer, Pennsylvania.

William Harvey Findley, son of George Findley, and great-grandson of George Find- ley, the founder of the family in Indiana county, grew up on the homestead at the foot of Laurel Hill, and attended the public schools of East Wheatfield township, and also those of Buffington township. Until he was twenty years old he remained at home with his par- ents, and then went to Johnstown, where he embarked in a teaming business, driving his own team, and thus continuing for five years. At the expiration of that period he returned to the homestead and did teaming for his Cunningham, daughter of Alphonse Cunning- father-in-law, Joseph Cramer, hauling wood ham, of East Wheatfield township, and has for use in making charcoal. This line of work engaged him for five years, and he was then children, Mildred Lillian, Mary Cunningham, Margaret and Bessie. Joseph Cramer, born engaged in farming for six years. In 1888 Dec. 6, 1886, was educated at the public schools he bought his present property in East Wheat- field township, comprising 175 acres which was known as the Daniel Stutzman farm. On it he has since carried on general farming and

of Cramer and learned telegraphy at Wehrum, being now superintendent for the Wellman & Seaver Construction Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, for which he is now traveling. Sarah stock raising. After buying the farm he be- Esther, born March 31, 1892, died Sept. 21, 1899. Harvey Steele, born Feb. 20, 1895, liv-

gan improving it, and has rebuilt the house and erected a commodious, modern barn. For ing at home, was educated in the public schools six years he was engaged in a dairy business, marketing his product at Johnstown, but found it more profitable to confine his efforts to farming and the raising of high-grade stock.

A Republican, Mr. Findley has given the people of his neighborhood valuable services as judge of election for one term, and for eigh- teen years was a school director, during eight in religious work.

of these years being president of the board, and for five years was supervisor of the town-' ship, being the first supervisor under the new road law. The Methodist Church of Cramer has in him a consistent member and faithful trustee. While living at Johnstown he con- nected himself with the Knights of the Mystic Chain.

On Sept. 24, 1873, Mr. Findley was mar- ried in East Wheatfield township to Mary E. Cramer, born at Bens Creek, Somerset Co., Pa., Dec. 12, 1854, daughter of Joseph and

at Armagh, finishing his training with a course at the Iron City business college of Pittsburg, and resides at Johnstown, Pa., where he is a carpenter; he married Mabel Nicholson, and they have three children, Al- berta, Luella and Harvey. Minnie Ora, born Sept. 15, 1876, was educated in the public schools and a summer normal school conducted by Prof. C. A. Campbell at Armagh, Pa .; she married Frank H. Brentlinger, of Johnstown, and their children are: Donald Findley, Ben- jamin Marshall, Herbert, William Walker, and Mary Jane. Thomes L., born Feb. 13, 1878, died in April, 1879. Elda May, born Jan. 31, 1882, married Charles L. Dick of Clymer, Pa., and has five children, Joseph Ellis, Charles Ford, Lynn Coe, Mary Loraine and Theodore Carlyle. Clarence H., born July 4, 1884, was educated in the public schools and resides on the farm with his father ; he married Viola C.

of Cramer and the summer school at Green- ville conducted by Prof. Joseph Weaver, re- ceiving a teacher's certificate, although not yet old enough to make practical use of it. Carl, born Nov. 2, 1898, is at home. Mrs. Findley is a member of the Methodist Church at Cra- mer, and she and her husband are interested

EDMUND WIDDOWSON, president of the Clymer National Bank, of Clymer, Indiana county, and one of the leading farmers of Cherryhill township, was born in that town- ship Dec. 15, 1855. His grandfather, Joseph Widdowson, was a native of England, and was an early settler in Cherryhill township, Indiana Co., Pa., where he followed farming until his death. He is buried in Green town- ship, at Twolick Church.

Thomas Widdowson, son of Joseph, was

Sarah A. (Barclay) Cramer, a full history of born in 1818 in New York, just after his par- whom is to be found elsewhere in this work. ents arrived from England. They settled in Mr. and Mrs. Findley became the parents of Cherryhill township in the early part of that

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

year, and here he grew to manhood, took up born in Green township, this county, daughter farming and passed all his life, dying in of Robert and Amanda (Park) Barber, both 1904. He married Jane Lydick, who was born of whom are deceased; Mr. and Mrs. Barber in Indiana county, daughter of Jacob Lydick, were early settlers in Green township. also an early settler in this region. Mrs. Wid- dowson died several years before her husband. ROBERT H. MACK, of East Wheatfield township, Indiana county, located near the Conemaugh river, was born Sept. 3, 1852, in what is now East Wheatfield township, on the Mack homestead near the Philadelphia and Pittsburg pike. They were the parents of fourteen children, namely : Matilda, deceased, who was the wife of William Buchanan; John, who died in in- fancy ; Eliza, who lives with her brother Ed- mund; Mattie, wife of Jacob Everwine and living in Rayne township, this county; Thomas, deceased; Clara, who died at the age of twenty-three years; Nelson, of Cherryhill township; Nancy, wife of Ross Myers; Ed- mund; Sadie, deceased; Jane, wife of Craw- ford C. Long, of Indiana, Pa .; Alexander, who lives in Oregon; Frank, living in Maryland; and Fannie, wife of Gus. Laney, of Indiana.

Edmund Widdowson attended school in Cherryhill township. He passed his boyhood on the farm, becoming accustomed to agri- cultural work from the time he was old enough to help, but for twenty years he has been in- terested in the lumber business, which he still follows. He was in Nebraska in 1881 and 1882. Mr. Widdowson now carries on farm- ing in Cherryhill township, where he has a tract of 185 acres. In 1906 he sold coal rights on 150 acres at $100 an acre, reserving the ing placed in a sack, weighted at the feet with top seam, which he expects to work himself. He has been connected with the Clymer Na- tional Bank from the time of its inception, and served as a director for one year before he was elected to the presidency, on Jan. 1, 1912, to succeed William E. Oakes, the first presi- dent. He is an able business man, his pre- vious experience and record winning him the confidence of his associates, who have shown their high opinion of his reliability and worth by choosing him as the head of a financial in- stitution which bears an important relation to the prosperity of the community.

In July, 1876, Mr. Widdowson was married at Marion Center, Indiana county, to Ara- minta Ruffner, who was born in Green town- ship, near Cookport, daughter of Daniel and Susan Ruffner, the former of whom is de- ceased ; Mrs. Ruffner survives. Mrs. Widdow- son died May 18, 1910, the mother of nine children, one of whom is deceased. The others are: Charles, a farmer, who lives in Cherry- hill township; Eva, wife of Hays Williams; Orrin, of Cherryhill township ; Lynn, at home ; Mabel, wife of Harry Wissenger, a miner of Clymer; Theda, at home; Gainel; and Blair, at home. On Feb. 6, 1912, Mr. Widdowson married (second) Orretta Barber, who was

The early members of this Mack family in Indiana county were among the most respected of the pioneer settlers in what is now East and West Wheatfield townships, and its foun- der here was Robert Mack, great-grandfather of Robert H. Mack. Robert Mack was a native of County Down, Ireland, born about 1763. There he grew to manhood and married Mar- garet Campbell, who was born about 1769, and four children were born to them in their native home: John, born about 1797 ; Robert, born about 1799; James, born March 3, 1800; and Jean, born about 1803. In the early part of 1803 Robert Mack with his wife and four children left their native home for America. While they were crossing the Atlantic, on a slow-going sailing vessel, their little daughter Jean died and was buried at sea, the body be-

sand. The burial service was read by the captain. After landing in the New World the family made their way west of the Alleghenies, locating first near Pittsburg, Pa., and later in Wheatfield township, Indiana Co., Pa., where Mr. Mack settled down to farming on a 400- acre tract. He had to erect the log cabin for his family, and began a hard fight for exist- ence in the wilderness which lasted many years. By steady industry and thrifty habits he managed to develop his farm and make many improvements, and he spent the remain- der of his life on that place, dying there Aug. 2, 1850. He was buried in Bethel Church cemetery, in what is now West Wheatfield township, and a headstone marks the last rest- ing place of himself and wife. Mr. Mack in religious principle was what was known as a Seceder, later joining the Bethel United Presbyterian Church. He was an old-line Democrat on political questions. His wife preceded him to the grave, dying on the farm Nov. 17, 1839, at the age of seventy years, and was laid to rest in Bethel cemetery. She, too, was a member of Bethel United Presbyterian Church. Their children born in Wheatfield township were: David; William; Samuel; Armstrong; George; Jean (2), who married

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

William MeClain, and died in West Wheat- West Wheatfield township, near the village of field township; Margaret, who married Hugh St. Clair, and removed to Iowa ; and Elizabeth (Betsey), who married William Campbell, be- ing his second wife.

Robert Maek, son of Robert, born about 1799, came to America with his parents and grew to manhood in Wheatfield township. He made his home in what is now West Wheat- field, where he became engaged in general farming and stock raising, owning a traet of 100 acres which he himself cleared up and im- proved, building a log house and barn and doing all the other work necessary to convert the property into a habitable place. By hard work he succeeded in making a comfortable home for his large family, and he was one of the most respected citizens of the vicinity. He Crory, and aunt of John G. MeCrory, men- tioned elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Maek died on the farm when about sixty-four years old. and was buried in the Bethel Church cemetery. Like her husband she belonged to the United Presbyterian Church. They were the parents of the following children: Jane Ann, born Nov. 15, 1850, who died Aug. 23, 1863; Robert H., born Sept. 3, 1852; John MeCrory, born Feb. 22, 1854, who was killed on the Pennsylvania railroad Dee. 19, 1876; Margaret, born Sept. 26, 1855, who died in in- fancy: Joseph, born Nov. 22. 1857; Mary Elizabeth, born Aug. 30, 1860, who died April 7. 1864: Martha Emma, born Dec. 8, 1862, who became the wife of Prof. J. T. Stewart, of Indiana, and died Nov. 15, 1910; and David Harry, born June 15, 1866, who resides on the old homestead.

died on his farm in 1854, at the age of fifty- eight years, and was buried in the cemetery of Bethel U. P. Chureb, in which he held membership. In political conviction he was a stanch Democrat. Mr. Maek's first wife, Margaret (MeDonald), daughter of Joseph McDonald, of Wheatfield township, died in Indiana county, and was buried in Bethel Church cemetery. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church. Nine children were born to this union, namely: Joseph, Robert, Hugh, John, Margaret (married Rob- ert Campbell). Catherine (married James Campbell), Mary (married James Smith and went West ), Elizabeth (married Thomas Vertz and went to fowa), and Martha (married John Campbell, who died in Andersonville prison, and she subsequently married David Brand- gler, of Johnstown). Mr. Mack's second mar- riage was to Mrs. Nancy (Barr) Mitchell, widow of John Mitchell. and she died at the age of eighty years, at Titusville, Pa., where she is buried. The children of this union were: David ; Samuel ; Stewart and William, twins: Nancy, who married William Kerr; and Belle, who married William Henderson and resides at Titusville.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 149

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