Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 104

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 884

USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II > Part 104

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1872. In 1878 he went to Rayne township and bought the William Carl farm. of 103 acres, but later sold it at a profit, and lived retired for some years at Kelleysburg, now Home. In addition to his farming activities he was a carpenter, and his services as such were in demand during the working period of his life. Mr. Condron was prominent in township matters, serving as school director and supervisor of Rayne township. His fra- ternal associations were with the Odd Fel- lows, while his religious connection was with the Lutheran Church, which he served as a deacon and elder. His remains were laid to rest in the cemetery surrounding Grove Chapel Church; his wife was buried in the Baptist Church cemetery in West Mahoning township.

David Condron was twice married, and by his first wife, Lydia Ann, had children as follows: James A .; Albert Alvin, who was killed in the silver mines in Colorado; and Ira E., who is an oil merchant of Los Ange- les, Cal. After the death of his first wife Mr. Condron married Caroline Wells, and they had these children: Harry D., who is an educator engaged in the public schools of Blairsville, Pa .; Mary, who married S. Stear, a farmer of Rayne township; Nettie, who married a Mr. Neff and resides at Knox, Pa .; Blanch, who married Clair Snyder and (sec- ond) Benjamin Stephens; Edward, who re- sides in Iowa; Mabel, who married a Mr. Mikesell; William, of Iowa; Laura, who mar- ried William Fleming, and resides at Vander- grift; and Effie, of California.

James Austin Condron, son of David Con- dron, was brought up on his father's farm, and educated in the schools of the neighbor- hood, remaining at home until he was twenty years old. At the same time that he was acquiring a knowledge of farming he was learning the carpenter's trade, and has found both useful in his life work. While attending school he had Curtis Lowe as a teacher in West Mahoning township, and re- members him with affectionate gratitude. Mr. Condron also learned the millwright's trade, working with David Blendenger, of West Wheatfield township. For the three years

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following, he found employment as a car- penter and millwright in Indiana and sur- rounding counties, and the in the spring of 1881 he went to Leadville, Colo., working in the gold and silver mines until 1884, as timber and millwright man, under John Barney as foreman. In 1884 he returned to Rayne township and worked as a carpenter and mill- wright in Indiana county, after which he spent a year at Indiana, in 1886 moving back to Rayne township and following his trade until 1900. Having bought the Lightcap farm of 126 acres, he has since carried on general farming there, specializing in the raising of fine horses and cattle. In 1896 Mr. Condron built a handsome residence op- posite the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg railroad station, on two acres of land, but later added ten and a half acres to the site, on which he built a commodious barn, the latter in 1909. This property is about three quarters of a mile from his farm, at what is known as Home station. Both this and the farm are kept in fine condition, for Mr. Condron is not only an agriculturist but a' carpenter as well, and takes a pride in keep- ing his premises as they ought to be.

On July 3, 1884, Mr. Condron was united in marriage with Melissa C. Rhodes, a dangh- ter of Lewis and Matilda (Brenizer) Rhodes, of Rayne township. Mr. Rhodes was reared in Westmoreland county, while his wife was brought up at Elderton, Armstrong Co., Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Condron have become the par- ents of five children : Ernest Alvin, who mar- ried Gertrude Fillhart, is an engineer at Ernest, Pa .; IIazel Jennie is a graduate of the Indiana normal school and now a book- keeper for the Indiana Hardware Company ; . Mora Bell, Clarence Merle and John Homer are at home.

Mr. Condron has taken an intelligent man's interest in publie matters, working with the Republican party, and has been honored by that organization with nomination as assessor of Rayne township upon numerous occasions ; he was elected by a large majority. He is the incumbent of the office at present, and · has held it for seven consecutive years. For ten years he was a justice of the peace, and for two years has been constable, carrying out in all these offices the same principles which actuated him in private life. In 1875, he became a member of the Lutheran Church, in which he is now an elder, and his family all belong to the same organization.

JESSE L. WAY, general merchant at Home, Pa., was born in Rayne township, Indiana county, March 31, 1873, son of Allen and Mary (Harmon) Way.

Caleb Way, grandfather of Jesse L. Way, was born Feb. 17, 1805, in Clearfield county, Pa. He married in Pennsylvania Lydia Allen, on June 17, 1830.

Allen Way was born in Clearfield county, Pa., June 3, 1832, on the old Way homestead, where he was reared. In early manhood he came to Indiana county, being one of the pioneers of his district, buying a farm in Rayne township comprising 125 acres, where he continued agricultural life until his re- moval to Home in 1903. Mr. Way was living retired at the residence of his son, Jesse L. Way, at the time of his death, Ang. 8, 1910. He was the only son of his parents, their only child, and naturally inherited their property. His wife was born in Rayne township, a daughter of Jacob Harmon, a native of Indiana county, and one of the early settlers of Rayne township, where he spent his life as a farmer. Mr. Harmon had six children, of whom the following are living : Jane, who is the wife of William Buchanan, of Indiana; Andrew, who lives in Missouri ; Weamer, of Indiana; and Bailey, who re- sides in Rayne township. Mrs. Way died Feb. 17, 1902. She and her husband had three children, of whom Jesse L. is the young- est, the others being: Caleb, who resides at Pittsburg; and Harmon, who is a poultry raiser in Rayne township.

Jesse L. Way spent his boyhood on his father's farm, alternating agricultural work with attendance at the district schools. He remained upon the farm until 1903, when in conjunction with his brothers he purchased the general mercantile business of Sloan & Company, conducting it under the name of Way Brothers, until June, 1912, when Jesse L. Way bought out his associates' interests, and is now alone, operating the business as the J. L. Way General Store. He has also directed his energies toward chicken raising, his poultry yielding him a good profit.

On. Dec. 16, 1896, Mr. Way was married to Effie M. Boucher, who was born in Rayne township, a daughter of James and Mary M. (Shields) Boucher, both natives of that town- ship. Mr. Boucher was a son of Andrew Boncher, one of the pioneers of Indiana county, who engaged in farming upon a large scale, as did the father of Mrs. Way. The mother of Mrs. Way was a daughter of Wil- liam Shields. also an early settler of Rayne

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

township. Mr. and Mrs. Boucher survive needs. He is much beloved by his people, and live on their homestead. They had seven and is also held in universal esteem by those children, of whom Mrs. Way is the eldest, outside his own congregation. the others being: John I., who is the man- ager of the Greenwich Supply Company of JESSE THOMAS, who is now living re- tired on his farm in Armstrong township, was born June 27, 1836, in Washington town- ship, Indiana Co., Pa., and is a son of Dubre and Mary (Heffelfinger) Thomas. Lovejoy; Myrtle, who is the wife of Thomas E. Williams, of Punxsutawney ; Della, who is the wife of Louis Hoer, of Rayne township; Beulah, who is the wife of Luther Hughes, of Spangler, Pa .; Charles, living on the old homestead ; and William C., deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Way became the parents of the following children: Howard D., J. Ber- nard and Charles L. Both Mr. and Mrs. Way are consistent members of the Lutheran Church, to which their two older sons also belong.

Not only is Mr. Way a good business man, for his undertakings have prospered, but he is one who does not neglect the spiritual side for the more material one, devoting consid- erable time to his church duties, serving his denomination as deacon. He is fully alive to the responsibilities of that office. Such men as he exert a strong influence for good in their communities, and deserve the confidence they inspire.

REV. EMILIO FARRI, pastor of the Church of the Assumption, at Ernest, a man of scholarship, executive ability and Christian zeal, has been a resident of the United States since 1906, and has had full charge of his present church since 1911. Father Farri is yet on the sunny side of life, born Aug. 15, 1881, in Italy, one of the two sons of Louis and Theresa Farri. The parents died when their sons, Emilio and Angelo, were young, and both now live in Pennsylvania, the older son being a resident of Punxsutawney.

In his native land Father Farri was dedi- cated to the priesthood when young, and his education was carried on with that end in view. In early manhood he entered a sem- inary at Naples, and was ordained to the priesthood after completing his theological course. In 1906 he came to America, and for one year engaged in inissionary work, with headquarters at Pittsburg, Pa. In 1907 he came to Indiana, and for four years was as- sistant to Rev. Father McNelis, his duties including ministerial work at both Indiana and Ernest. The Church of the Assumption at Ernest was built in 1905, under the direc- tion of Rev. Father McNelis, who felt a deep interest in its welfare, one that Father Farri also developed as he came to know the people of this parish and to realize their spiritual

Jesse Thomas, grandfather of Jesse Thomas, was born in Wales. He married a Miss Knights, and they became the parents of the following children: Hiram, who married Ann Kinter; Lewis; Amos, who married a Hunter; Dubre; Ann, who married a Hen- derson and (second)· a Jamison; Letitia, who married a McKee; and Naomi, who married a Campbell, and (second) a McElfresh.

Dubre Thomas, son of Jesse Thomas, above, was born in Luzerne county, Pa., and when ten years old removed to Washington town- ship, Indiana county, where for more than twenty-two years he was engaged in general farming and in driving cattle to eastern markets. During the latter part of his life he lived retired in Indiana. He had a farm of 100 acres in Washington township, but in 1853 moved to Armstrong township and bought the Shoemaker tract of 110 acres, to which he added from time to time until he had 340 acres, this being divided between. Jesse and a brother. He also worked on the construction of the Pennsylvania canal in the Allegheny valley. He was a Republican in politics, was constable for years and over- seer of the poor, while his religious connec- tion was with the Presbyterian Church, of which he was deacon and trustee for a long period. He died at the age of seventy-two years and his wife when ninety-two, and both were buried in Oakland cemetery, Indiana. Their children were as follows: Peter, an orchardist, who died in Kansas; Margaret, who married R. M. Fleming, a carpenter ; Jesse ; and Lewis M.

Jesse Thomas, son of Dubre Thomas, grew to manhood in Washington township, secur- ing his education in the district schools. He followed farming with his father until 1860, after which he was engaged in buying and selling stock, in this capacity traveling all over the country from 1864 to 1910. In 1880, at the time of his father's death, the home farm was divided, and Jesse received as his share 170 acres, to which he subsequently added forty-eight acres. He now lives re- tired on the homestead place, on which he

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

has erected a beautiful home with all modern his busy lifetime, and became one of the lead- improvements and conveniences, a substantial barn, and suitable outbuildings. For years he was engaged in farming and stock raising, and is still interested in the latter line, dis- posing of his stock in Philadelphia and Jer- sey City. In politics a Republican, during his active years he was known as one of the party leaders in the township. With his fam- ily he attends the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a trustee for years.

Mr. Thomas married Julia Robinson, daughter of Robert T. Robinson, and they have had five children. namely: John L., manager of the Sloan Investment Company, of Bellingham, Wash., married Cynthia Bren- izer, and they have five children, Muriel, Ar- thur H., Jesse B., Eleanora B. and Theodore W .; Mary married Calvin Walker, an un- dertaker, of Armstrong township: William, who conducts the home farm and is a large dealer in live stock, married Blanche Wis- singer, and has one child, Mildred Louise. born July 1, 1912; Ida A. married W. A. Wig- gins, paymaster for the United States Steel Company at Vandergrift, Pa .; Dubre died when one and a half years old.

SAMUEL MILTON WAINWRIGHT is a representative member of a family which has been associated with various interests in Blacklick township, Indiana county, for about a century. He is a farmer. like his immediate ancestors, occupying the farm bought by his grandfather in the early part of the last cen- tury, has served his township faithfully in several official capacities, and is a member of the Hopewell M. E. Church, which has numbered members of the Wainwright fam- ily among its supporters for several genera- tions.

Samuel Wainwright. his grandfather, was born Jan. 25, 1780, in West Derby, Lan- cashire. England, where he was married May 20, 1801, to Sarah Cardin McCartney, born March 10. 1782. Her mother, Mrs. Mardecia (Cardin) McCartney, was born Nov. 17. 1753, in West Derby, England. Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright came to America shortly after their marriage, and proceeding west of the Allegheny mountains located first in Salts- burg. Indiana Co., Pa., where he found em- ployment at the salt works and also at min- ing. By hard work and economy he saved enough to buy a farm of 175 acres in Black- lick township, to which he moved. and there he brought up his large family. He suc- ceeded in clearing most of this land during

ing farmers in that part of Indiana county, making a remarkable success of his agricul- tural operations. He was a great lover of good horses, and raised many prize winners. He took great pride and interest in the de- velopment and welfare of his home town- ship, but never sought office or took an active part in public affairs. Among the first to start the movement which resulted in the es- tablishing of Hopewell M. E. Church, he always contributed liberally to its support, and he and his wife were among its most zealous members and ardently interested in everything affecting its prosperity. They are buried in the cemetery of the place of worship they loved so well. Mr. Wainwright died Aug. 6. 1853. They had children as follows: Tirzah, born April 20, 1802, re- sided in Blacklick township; she married James Smith and had children, William, George, Lizzie, Sarah and Loretta. Mary, born March 11, 1804, is deceased. Isaac, born July 9, 1805. married Rachel Devinie, and lived near Davenport, in Rock Island county, Ill .: they had children, Isaac, George, Al- fred and John. Elizabeth, born Dec. 30, 1809, is deceased. Ede, born Nov. 8, 1810, married Andy Devianey and had Samnel and John. Hannah, born March 12, 1813. is de- ceased. Samuel, born June 6, 1815, married Aun Baker and had children. Charles, John, Samuel and Rachel ; they lived in the State of Illinois. Eleanor, born Nov. 6, 1818. made her home with her nephew Samuel Milton Wainwright, and died at the age of eighty- three years; she is buried in the Hopewell Church cemetery, in Blacklick township. George is fully mentioned below. Mary, born Sept. 30, 1822. died April 1, 1853; she was the wife of John Nesbitt Anderson, of Indi- ana. Pa. John was born Sept. 18. 1824. Betsy married John Archibald and had chil- dren, John. Samuel and Isaac.

George Wainwright, son of Samuel and Sarah Cardin (McCartney) Wainwright .. was born Nov. 17, 1820, at Saltsburg. Indi- ana Co., Pa. He was quite young when the family moved to Blackliek township, and at- tended the log schoolhouse near his home there. As long as his father lived he worked with him, farming and stock raising, and after the death of his father continued to run the farm, upon which he made many im- provements, building a barn and house, and otherwise adding materially to the value of the property. He had the whole 175 acres owned by his father. Like him he was very

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

successful in breeding horses, raising a num- he built the substantial, commodious barn, ber of blue ribbon animals, and also had other stock. He died in 1876.

Mr. Wainwright married Jane McGee, who was born Dec. 1, 1828, daughter of James and Polly (Lyons) McGee, of Blacklick town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright were mem- bers of the Hopewell M. E. Church and among the generous supporters of that organ- ization, and they are interred in the Hopewell cemetery. He was originally a Whig in poli- tics, later becoming a Republican. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wain- wright: (1) Mary, born Aug. 30, 1855, died in 1884. She married Harvey Ferguson, and had two children, Clark and Mabel. (2) Samuel Milton is mentioned below. (3)

Sarah Elizabeth, born Feb. 21, 1860, died March 28, 1864. (4) Emma, born March 8, 1862, became the second wife of Harvey Fer- guson (who first married her sister Mary), and they had a family of eight children, born as follows: Daisy C., July 31, 1887 (mar- ried Frank J. Bernbrok and had Emma B., Gertrude Ellen, Frank Harvey, Daisy F. and Helen J.) ; Ida Jane, deceased; George Wil- liam, Feb. 10, 1893 (living in South Caro- lina); Charlotta Amanda, Oct. 30, 1896; Maggie M., Oct. 16, 1898; Charles W., Dec. 18, 1901; Frank H. and Reuben, Dec. 29, 1905. (5) George Smith, born Feb. 15, 1865, is a farmer and lives in Blacklick township. He married Nettie White. (6) Charles Stiffy, born Oct. 12, 1869, married Alice Re- pine, and resides in Blairsville, Pa. (7) Maggie C., born Feb. 8, 1873, married Harry Brown and resides in Blacklick township, where he is engaged in farming.

Samuel Milton Wainwright was born Dec. 28, 1857, in Blacklick township, where he first attended the Ehart school, later the Archibald school. He always remained at home assist- ing his father, and though only in his nine- teenth year when the latter died took charge of the farm, being the eldest son. He did his duty faithfully, keeping up the property and helping to rear his younger brothers and sisters, and by hard work he has become one of the most substantial citizens of his vicinity, esteemed by all who know him for his strength of character and high moral standards. Be- sides looking after his own place, which now consists of 123 acres, nearly all under cul- tivation, he has done threshing in his own neighborhood and the surrounding country, and by thrifty management has accumulated a competency. His home is one of the best kept places in Blacklick township. In 1889

and all the improvements he has made are of the same character. Mr. Wainwright is a self-made man and deserves all the success which has come to him, and he is thoroughly trusted by his fellow citizens, who have chosen him to several public positions, he having served as treasurer, supervisor of roads, and in other township offices. He is interested in the Farmers' Telephone Com- pany of Blacklick township, of which he is treasurer. Mr. Wainwright is a Republican in political sentiment. In religious connec- tion he is a member of the Hopewell M. E. Church, with which his parents and grand- parents also united. He has never married.

WILLIAM BRINKMAN, drayman, of the city of Indiana, Pa., was born May 14, 1851, in Indiana county, near Homer City, a son of Henry Brinkman.

Henry Brinkman was born in Germany, and coming to the United States with his wife and four children landed at Baltimore, Md. With the little party were a brother- in-law of Mr. Brinkman, William Brodimyre, and his family. From Baltimore they made what was then a tiresome journey to Johns- town, Pa., traveling principally by the Erie canal. Mr. Brinkman and his family moved still further, settling at what is now Homer City, Indiana Co., Pa., where he bought fif- teen acres of land, on which he put up a log house and began to develop his property. As evidence of the thoroughness with which these pioneers did everything, that primitive log house still stands, although since then it has been weatherboarded. It originally stood on the road between Luzerne and Homer City. With an eye to the future, Mr. Brinkman divided his fifteen acres into town lots. As- sociated with him in the early development of this section were Henry Kettler, George Mock, John Coy, a Mr. Wilson (father of Edward Wilson, who was cashier of the De- posit Bank of Indiana), Joseph Dickie and William Johnston, who all bore a hand in the erection of that historic log cabin. Mr. Brinkman remained in that locality for nine or ten years, at the end of which period he went to Johnstown and became connected with the Wood-Morrell Company, now the Cambria Steel Company, and built the stone foundations of the buildings in which they were located. This association continued un- til his death, which occurred in 1864, when he was about sixty-five years old. In religious faith he was a Lutheran, and he was a most

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

excellent, conscientious man. In political Aug. 31, 1909; Frank, who is unmarried, affiliations he was a Democrat, but showed and living at Pittsburg; and Maggie, who no disposition to accept public office.

Henry Brinkman married Henrietta Bra- vis, who was born in Bremen, Germany, and died in Indiana county, surviving her hus- band for some years. After his demise she returned with her son William to Indiana county. The children born to this couple were: Charlotte, who married Joseph West- inghouse, located near Grass Lake, Mich., but after the death of her husband went to Sa- lem, Oregon, where she died; Rosie married Simon Kagelmyer and located in Indiana, after his death she and her six children mov- ing to Salem, Oregon, where they now reside ; Mary, who married Charles Seyfried, located in Blairsville, Indiana Co., Pa .; Dora, who married John Rouch, located at Red Bank, Pa., where both she and her husband died; Henry enlisted at Johnstown, Pa., during the Civil war, in 1861, served until 1865, and was wounded in battle, and after the war re- turned to Johnstown, where he engaged with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a bookkeeper, and then went to Wolf Island, Mo., near Cairo, Ill., where he died; William is mentioned below.

William Brinkman attended the excellent public schools of Johnstown, Pa., and a Ger- man and English school taught by Rev. Dr. Tobler. After leaving school his first em- ployment was as water boy for the Wood- Morrell Company. This was when he was sixteen years old. Later he worked in the mill and was a metal driver, then a carter at the rolls, and probably would have been fur- ther advanced, but his father dying he went back to Indiana county with his mother, who did not like Johnstown. As soon as he re- turned to Indiana Mr. Brinkman secured employment in the paper mill of Sutton & McCartney, driving a team, thus continuing for several years. He also drove a team for William Heffelfinger until his death, when he bought Mrs. Heffelfinger's interest in the draying business, and is still conducting it, having enlarged the equipment and still fur- ther bettered the service.

married Thomas Gilkey, of Indiana. Mr. Brinkman was brought up in the Lutheran faith, his mother, as well as his father, being a consistent member of that denomination, and early connected himself with it. Politi- cally he is an independent Democrat.

JOHN M. McFEATERS, of Creekside, Pa., now serving as justice of the peace, was born in the southern part of Indiana county, Pa., Jan. 3, 1851, son of Andrew McFeaters.

Andrew McFeaters was an early settler of Indiana county, living in the southern por- tion, where he spent the rest of his life in farming, his death occurring in 1882. His wife, Rebecca (Mahan), passed away in 1851, the same year that John M. McFeaters was born. She was a native of the Irish coast. Her other children were: W. L., who is living in Armagh, Indiana county; Rachel and Nancy, who are deceased; and Hannah, the widow of Rev. Mr. Sweeney.

John M. McFeaters was reared in the home of his maternal grandparents, working on the farm in the summer months and attend- ing the old St. Clair school in White town- ship during the winter season. His school days over, he learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed for several years, and came to Creekside before the town was incor- porated as a borough. In 1911 he was elected justice of the peace, a position which he still ably fills, in addition to which he has served as mayor of the borough (one term) and as a member of the council. He assisted in the organization of the borough, and is looked upon as one of his community's most repre- sentative men.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 104

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 884

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 884