Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 111

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 111

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Marsellen Cody Wilson was educated in the common schools of Mckeesport, Pa., and from boyhood displayed considerable mechanical genius. Leaving school when fourteen years old, he became an office boy in the Pittsburg

& Lake Erie Railroad Company's office, later holding the same position with the Standard Sewing Machine Company. Mr. Wilson also worked upon various farms at intervals, al- though his inclinations always pointed toward mechanical employment, and he eventually began working at his present trade at Glass- port, Pa., becoming an adept at it. Before he left Glassport he had been advanced to be head finisher, and held that position for seven years. In 1899 he came to Indiana, and associated himself with the Dugan Glass Company, with which he has since remained, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1908, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage with Mrs. Caroline Olive (Livingston) Fleming, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Jane (Bence) Living- ston, and widow of Harry Austin Fleming. The latter was a son of W. H. and H. Flem- ing, of Indiana. Mrs. Wilson is a woman of intelligence and worth and looks after her home with housewifely skill. By her first marriage she had two children: Dwight Austin, born in 1901; and Winnett Living- ston, born in 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the parents of a daughter, Olive Winona, who was born March 24, 1912.

SAMUEL L. FYOCK, who owns and lives upon the property known as Chestnut Ridge Farm, in Green township, Indiana county. was born at that place June 23, 1860. He is a member of the fourth generation of his family to live in this county, his great-grand- father, David Fyock, and grandfather, John Fyock, having moved into this region at an early day, from Somerset county, Pa. David Fyock, his son John, and the latter's son Jacob, father of Samuel L. Fyock, are all buried in the cemetery at Taylorsville, in Green township, Indiana county. They were blacksmiths as well as farmers, and followed that trade in connection with agricultural work.

Jacob Fyock was born in Somerset county and came to Indiana county with his father at the age of fifteen years. In 1859 he moved to the farm in Green township now occupied by his son Samuel L., and for a number of years lived in the old log house where the latter was born. He made a permanent home on this place, dying here in 1901. Jacob Fyock married Elizabeth Wise, who was born in Blair county, Pa., daughter of Solomon Wise, an early settler in this part of Indiana county, and died in October, 1899. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fyock,

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two dying in infancy; the following reached carpenter, and built the canal at Johnstown, maturity : Solomon, who lives in Cambria walking between that city and his home every county, Pa .; Catherine, widow of William G. two weeks. Walker, of Green township; Elizabeth, wife of D. H. Swartz and living on part of her father's old farm in Green township; Joseph A., deceased; Samuel L .; Amanda B., wife of Arthur Lydick, of Dubois, Pa .; Maggie, wife of A. C. Ober, of Cherryhill township; Sadie, wife of Samuel R. Mumau, of Green township; and George H., who lives in Cam- bria county.

Samuel L. Fyock attended school in Green township for several years during his boy- hood, and took a commercial course at Erie, Pa., in Clark's Business College, graduating Aug. 1, 1889. . For eleven years during his young manhood he was employed as clerk by the Glenwood Coal Company, in the office at Glen Campbell, this county, but he returned to the farm in March, 1903, and has since lived there, devoting himself to agricultural pursuits; he does some trucking and engages in the poultry business. He is an enterpris- ing worker, up-to-date in his methods, and keeps his farm and house in excellent con- dition.

On May 18, 1893, Mr. Fyock was united in marriage with Lydia A. Spicher, a native of Grant township, this county, daughter of John W. and Catherine (King) Spicher, both of whom are deceased. Mr. Spicher settled in Grant township many years ago and was en- gaged in farming there. Of the five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fyock the eldest died in infancy, unnamed; the others are: Jacob I .; Catherine E .; John S., and Ida P. The parents are members of the Brethren (Dunk- ard) Church, belonging to the Manor con- gregation near Purchase Line, and Mr. Fyock is serving as deacon and superintendent of the Sunday school. He is a Prohibitionist in politics.

NELSON WIDDOWSON, general farmer and stock raiser of Indiana county, residing on the old family homestead in Cherryhill township, was born in that township Sept. 21, 1851, son of Thomas and Jane (Lydick) Widdowson.

Thomas Widdowson, son of Joseph, and father of Nelson Widdowson, was born in New York City, and was brought up to agricul- tural pursuits. He first followed farming on the old home in Green township, where his father died, subsequently cleared the land in Cherryhill township on which his son Nel- son now lives, and finally moved to Rayne township, where his death occurred. He and his wife had five sons, of whom four are now living: Thomas, deceased; Nelson; Edward; Alexander, who resides in Idaho; and Frank, a resident of Maryland.

Jacob Lydick, the maternal grandfather of Nelson Widdowson, was one of the very early settlers of Indiana county, and was identified with farming interests in his section all of his life.

The early boyhood of Nelson Widdowson was spent on the farm on which he now lives, and his education was obtained in the dis- trict schools of this vicinity. When he was ten years of age, he was taken by his parents to a near-by farm, eventually moving back to this locality, however, and purchasing the land on which his boyhood was spent, and where he has engaged in farming to the pres- ent time.

In 1876 Mr. Widdowson was married to Lizzie Meekins, who was born in Indiana county, daughter of Thomas Meekins, a sold- ier in the Civil war who met his death in battle at Petersburg. The Meekins family settled in Indiana county at an early day, and its members are well and favorably known here. To Mr. and Mrs. Widdowson have been born five children: Vance; Royden, who married Hattie McDowell and has one child, Albertus; Otis, who is deceased; and Velma and Leora, who are at home with their parents.

SOLOMON EVANS PLOWMAN, farmer of East Wheatfield township, Indiana county, has lived at his present home there for thirty- five years and is one of the substantial citi- zens of his locality. He is a veteran of the Civil war. Mr. Plowman was born Jan. 30, 1849, at Pattonville, Bedford Co., Pa., son of Rev. John Andrew Plowman.

Joseph Widdowson, the grandfather of Nel- son Widdowson, was a native of England, and on first coming to the United States set- tled in New York City. Subsequently he re- Rev. John Andrew Plowman was born Aug. moved to Green township, Indiana Co., Pa., 30, 1819, in York county, Pa., son of William where he purchased 600 acres of land at Plowman, and grew to manhood at his native twenty-five cents per acre. In addition to place, receiving his education in the locality. cultivating this land he followed the trade of At the age of nineteen, on Dec. 20, 1838, he

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was married by Rev. William Miller to Su- the expedition under Maj. Gen. B. F. Butler sanna Evans, who was born April 15, 1820, up the James river, as a member of Company K, 188th Pennsylvania Regiment, under Capt. Henry Fox and Colonel Given. With this command he took part in the following bat- tles and actions: Swift Creek, May 11, 1864; Proctor's Creek, May 13, 1864 ; Drury's Bluff, May 16; Port Whitehead, May 22; Cold Harbor, June 1-12; in front of Petersburg, June 16-18; mine explosion, July 30; eighty- one days' siege of Petersburg; Chapin's Farm, Sept. 29-30; capture of Richmond, April 3, 1865; tobacco raid at Fredericksburg. After Lee's surrender he was engaged in guard and provost duty until the regiment was mustered out of the service, at City Point, Va., Dec. 14, 1865, under general orders. After the Fort Harrison fight and the battle of Chapin's Farm he was promoted to sergeant, being the youngest sergeant in the regiment. After returning home he helped with the farm work on his father's place in East Wheatfield township, a tract of sixty acres upon which he continued until 1877. Meantime, in 1871, he had commenced farm- ing on his own account, with the aid of his brother Joseph operating the home farm for six years. Then he bought the farm he now owns, which comprises eighty-six acres upon which he has built a house and barn and made other improvements. He carries on general farming and stock raising. Mr. Plowman has also been active in local public matters, having served as school director (three terms), assessor (one term) and over- seer of the poor. He was a Republican up to 1880, when he joined the ranks of the Pro- hibition party, being a strong advocate of temperance. daughter of Jacob Evans, who served in the war of 1812. On April 3, 1839, Mr. Plow- man was converted by Rev. Mr. Miller and united with the church, and he became an earnest preacher of the gospel of the Church of God as early as 1850, being thus engaged in Westmoreland county, this State, in Ohio, in Somerset and Indiana counties, Pa., and for several years was also located in Pitts- burg. He was in East Wheatfield, Green- ville, Cherryhill and other parts of Indiana county, and did effective work in the minis- try, making many converts to his doctrines. He died May 10, 1888, at Clearville, Bed- ford Co., Pa., aged sixty-eight years, eight months, ten days, and was buried at that place. His high Christian character and zealous labors along religious lines made him beloved and popular. His wife died March 7, 1906, aged eighty-five years, ten months, twenty days, at the home of her son Solomon, who cared for her in her old age. She, too, was a faithful member of the Church of God. They had a family of seven children, viz .: Zacharias, born Sept. 20, 1839, died May 13, 1859; Levina, born April 2, 1841, married April 11, 1859, William Albert, and resides in Champaign county, Ill .; Malinda, born Jan. 18, 1843, married Thomas Miller April 12, 1862, and resides in Champaign county, Ill .; Elizabeth, born May 14, 1845, married Nov. 14, 1865, Henry Lynn, and (second) Henry Strickland, and is now a widow, resid- ing in Danville, Ill .; Eliza Jane, born April 9, 1847, married April 17, 1866, Robert Wil- liam Mack, who is in the employ of the Cam- bria Iron & Steel Company at Johnstown, Pa .; Solomon Evans was horn Jan. 30, 1849; Joseph Francis, born May 10, 1851, died Sept. 6, 1887.

Solomon Evans Plowman was an infant when the family moved from York county to the Cumberland valley, where he attended school. He also went to school at Greensburg. Westmoreland county, and at Pittsburg, and in East Wheatfield township, Indiana county, where his father was engaged in preaching. On June 1, 1963, at the age of fourteen years, five months, he enlisted in Battery L, 3d Heavy Artillery, under Captain Bisbon and Colonel Roberts. He was then five feet, two and a half inches in height, and the youngest soldier from Indiana county. For eleven months he was stationed at Fortress Monroe, and in the spring of 1864 was transferred from the 3d Heavy Artillery to take part in

On Dec. 24, 1872, Mr. Plowman married Sarah Ellen Mack, who was born Oct. 12, 1848, daughter of George Mack, and sister of Robert G. Mack, a well-known citizen of East Wheatfield township, a full sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. She died June 15, 1892, and was buried in the cemetery of the Armagh Presbyterian Church. Children as follows were born to this mar- riage: Albert Wesley, born Oct. 14, 1873, is a railroad engineer and resides at Derry, Pa. (he married Fannie Ling) ; Harry Ev- ans, born Oct. 29, 1875, lives at home; Mar- tha Adele, born Nov. 5, 1877, is married to Edward Ling, of East Wheatfield township; Susanna E., born July 17, 1880, died Jan. 18, 1882; Malissa Patience, born May 21, 1882, married Jesse Mack, of Buffington township; Lucy Parker, born Oct. 11, 1884,

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married Harry Tinkham, of Armagh; George Emanuel, who died in infancy; James H., Mack, born July 25, 1887, is employed by an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, living at Altoona, Pa .; Laura, wife of Walter Loring, of Rayne township, Indi- ana county; and J. Edward, a resident of Green township. the Cambria Iron & Steel Company at Johns- town; Jesse Joseph, born April 18, 1890, is farming in East Wheatfield township; a son, born June 3, 1892, died Aug. 11, 1892. On April 27, 1906, Mr. Plowman was married (second) at Kittanning, Armstrong Co., Pa., to Mrs. Ella M. Spires, who was born in Pine township, Indiana county, near Strongstown, daughter of Wesley and Jennie (Grow) Stophel, and widow of Washington Spires, who died in 1888. No children have been born to this marriage. Mrs. Plowman had two children by her first union: Lulu, who married R. H. Faloon, of East Wheatfield township; and William H. B., a machinist in the employ of the Cambria Iron & Steel Com- pany at Johnstown, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Plow- man are members of the M. E. Church at Ar- magh, which he has served in the capacity of steward for a period of twenty-five years.

WILLIAM H. BUTERBAUGH, of Green township, has become well known in his part of Indiana county as farmer, business man and public official, and he has proved himself able and efficient in every position in which he has been placed. The family has been settled in Green township for about a cen- tury.

William Buterbaugh, great-grandfather of William H. Buterbaugh, came from the East and settled in Green township, Indiana county, buying land which came by inherit- ance to Jonathan Buterbaugh, father of Wil- liam H. Buterbaugh. Jonathan Buterbaugh was born July 5, 1840, in Green township, son of William, and remained on the home place, engaged in farming, until his death, which occurred Oct. 8, 1902. He enlisted for service in the Civil war in March, 1865, being a member of Company F, 74th Regiment, and was mustered out in September, 1865. He married Lucinda Shankle, who was born June 13, 1840, in Cherryhill township, daugh- ter of David Shankle, a farmer, who settled in Indiana county in pioneer days. Mrs. Buterbaugh died Oct. 21, 1906. She was the mother of thirteen children, namely: An- drew, who died Oct. 30, 1910; Mary, wife of John Rolley, of Hillsdale, Pa .; Maggie, wife of George Baker, of Cambria county, Pa .; William H .; David, a resident of Grant town- ship, Indiana county; Susan, who died when thirteen years old; George W., a resident of Green township; John H., who lives in Grant township; Samuel, who died in infancy ;

William H. Buterbaugh was born Sept. 23, 1866, in Green township, and there received his education in the public schools. He has been engaged in farming all his life, has car- ried on lumbering in connection therewith and also buys and sells stock. He has built up a good business in these various lines. He has owned the place where he lives, part of the old homestead, for the last fifteen years, and also owns the old homestead itself, cul- tivating both places. He is a general farmer, and has been very successful in his agricul- tural operations. Though busy with his own numerous affairs Mr. Buterbaugh has found time for public service, filling the offices of school director and supervisor in his town- ship. He is particularly interested in the cause of education, and is at present serving as trustee of the Purchase Line Academy. He is a wide-awake, intelligent man, alive to the needs of the community, and exercises considerable influence in his home township.

Mr. Buterbaugh was married May 7, 1891, to India Mae Hankinson, a native of Rayne township, this county, daughter of Solomon and Caroline (Wynkoop) Hankinson, both of whom are deceased. Mr. Hankinson was a blacksmith by occupation. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Buterbaugh, namely: Jonathan Theodore, Lewis Banks, and William Dean, all at home; and Viola and Elmer, deceased. The parents are Bap- tists in religious connection, holding mem- bership in the church at East Mahoning.

HIRAM ST. CLAIR, who passed his clos- ing years in retirement in the borough of In- diana, was a farmer during his active years in Indiana county, in White and Blacklick townships. He belonged to one of the most respected families of this part of the State, and was a worthy representative of the hon- ored name he bore. Mr. St. Clair was born April 19, 1827, in Indiana county, youngest of the family of James and Jennie (Slem- mons) St. Clair, farming people.

The St. Clair family is of Scotch-Irish origin, a branch of the St. Clair family of Scotland, which was founded in the middle ages by Sir Walderne de St. Clair, a Norman Knight, who married Margaret, daugliter of Richard, Duke of Normandy. Their second

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son, William, settled in Scotland, and one of his descendants, William St. Clair, became prince of the Orkney Islands under the king of Norway, and high chancellor of Scotland under the royal house of Bruce. In 1741 the St. Clairs exchanged their lofty title and island domains for the earldom of Caithness, which they still hold. The name has since become Anglicized to Sinclair. Two of the descendants of one of these earls, through a younger son, were Gen. Arthur St. Clair and his cousin James St. Clair, Sr., the former of whom was president of the Continental Congress in 1787 and commander in chief of the armies of the United States in 1791.

James St. Clair, Sr., was the grandfather of Hiram St. Clair. His parents were natives of the North of Ireland, and he was born in 1741 in eastern Pennsylvania. He lived nine miles from York, Pa., where he owned a valuable farm and mill, and he was not only a prosperous citizen of his time but an earnest sympathizer with the Colonial cause, serving throughout the Revo- lutionary war. His wife's maiden name was Miller. James St. Clair, Sr., died in York county in 1806, at the age of sixty-five years. James St. Clair, one of the sons of James St. Clair, Sr., was born in York (now Adams) county, Pa., in May, 1774, and passed the greater part of his mature life in Indiana county, Pa. In 1809 he came to Brushvalley township, in 1816 removing to what is now the northern part of White township, where he took up a quarter section of government land and followed farming for many years. He died in Center township, this county, April 8, 1855, at the advanced age of eighty- one. He was an old-time Whig in politics. He married Jennie Slemmons, who was born in Lancaster, Pa., of Irish descent, and was reared in Washington county, Pa., her father, William Slemmons, removing from Lancaster to Washington county in 1790 and there fol- lowing farming until his death, which oc- curred in 1820, in his sixtieth year. Mr. Slemmons was justice of the peace, by gov- ernor's appointment, for a period of thirty years, and he was a man of highest character and of honorable standing. His wife's maiden name was Boggs, and they had sev- eral children. Mrs. Jennie (Slemmons) St. Clair died Oct. 15, 1855, aged seventy-one years, a member of the Presbyterian Church. She and her husband had a family of ten children, namely : Margaret, William S., Mary W., James, Samuel, Isaac, John, Rob- ert, Thomas and Hiram.

Hiram St. Clair passed his early life in Indiana county, Pa., and there received his education in the public schools. Farming was his life work, and he lived for several years in White township, having a 107-acre farm there, near Indiana. After his last marriage, which occurred in 1882, he moved to the farm in Blacklick township where he lived and worked the remainder of his active years, in 1900 taking up his home in the bor- ough of Indiana. There he spent the rest of his days in retirement, dying June 30, 1909, in the home at No. 287 South Seventh street now owned and occupied by his widow. Mr. St. Clair was a Republican in his political views, and his religious connection was with the Presbyterian Church, in whose work he was active.

Mr. St. Clair married (first) Margaret Johnston, of Center township, this county, who died in Indiana county, May 22, 1868, aged 36 years, five months, fifteen days, and four children were born to them: Robert J., who is a resident of St. Joseph, Mo .; Thomas, a resident of Indiana, Pa .; Frank, who died in boyhood; and Nannie J., who married Robert Shearer and died Oct. 21, 1884, aged twenty-three years, eight months, four days. Mr. St. Clair's second marriage was to Amanda Loomis, who became the mother of three children: Amanda K., who is teaching in a boys' school in Egypt; Walter Hall, who is in the West; and Hiram C., now of Woodlawn, Pa. On May 11, 1882, Mr. St. Clair married (third) Mary Elizabeth Sweeney, of Markle, Westmoreland Co., Pa., daughter of William and Margaret (John- ston) Sweeney. She survives him, making her home on Seventh street, Indiana. Mrs. St. Clair is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

JOHN M. NUPP, a prosperous farmer of Green township, Indiana county, lives on the farm his father purchased and settled upon the year before his birth. Daniel Nupp, his grandfather, was a native of Somerset county, Pa., and coming thence to Indiana county. settled in Green township, buying land upon which he lived and farmed for many years. After selling the place he made his home with his son Alexander, until his death, which occurred in 1883. He was the father of nine children, three of whom are still living : Cyrus, of Green township ; Franklin, of Som- erset county, Pa .; and Maria, wife of Elias Ruffner, now in Oregon.

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Alexander Nupp, father of John M. Nupp, was born in Somerset county, Pa., and was the eldest son of Daniel Nupp. In 1853 he bought the land where his son John now lives and thereafter made his home on that place, dying in 1902. His wife, Catherine (Mu- man), a native of Westmoreland county, Pa., died in May, 1893. They had five children : George, who lives in Grant township, this county ; Johu M .; Mary, wife of H. H. Houck, of Green township; Anson, a resident of Du- bois, Pa .; and Frank, also of Dubois.

John M. Nupp was born Sept. 9, 1854, on the farm where he now lives in Green town- ship, and was educated in the public schools there. When a boy he began to help on the farm, and he has been engaged in agricul- tural work all his life. He is progressive and thrifty, and his property shows the effect of years of skillful and careful management. As a citizen he is a worthy representative of a family which has always been held in the greatest respect in the neighborhood. He is a member of the Baptist Church.

On Jan. 8, 1876, Mr. Nupp was married to Harriet Buterbaugh, a native of Grant township, this county, daughter of Frederick and Margaret (Langham) Buterbaugh, the former a pioneer settler in Indiana county, where he followed farming from early life. Mr. and Mrs. Buterbaugh are both deceased. Of their fifteen children twelve still survive. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nupp: (1) Ollie taught school in In- diana county for five terms before her mar- riage to Joseph F. Nichol; they have two chil- dren, Elkin and Gaynell. (2) Nona is the wife of James B. Wassam, of Green town- ship, and has one child, Mildred. She taught school for fourteen terms, in Indiana, Cam- bria aud Allegheny counties. (3) Maud is deceased. (4) Ralph, who formerly taught school in Green township, now lives at Cly- mer, Pa. He married Pearl Burkett, and they have one child, Elaine. (5) Clair taught in Grant township, Indiana county, and now lives at Arona, Westmoreland Co., Pa. He married Tweet Decker, daughter of Peter Decker, of Green township, and they have one child, Wahnita. (6) Emma, who has also taught school in Indiana county, now makes her home with her parents. (7) Walter married Nell Langham, of Indiana county. (8) Murray, who lives at home, is engaged in teaching in Green township. (9) Bessie is teaching in Green township and lives at home. (10) Hale and (11) Edna are at home. (12) Verona is deceased.

JOHN McKENDRICK, who died at Indi- ana in 1905, was a well-to-do farmer of Cher- ryhill township, Indiana county, in his active years. He was a native of Philadelphia, born Oct. 31, 1828, son of Samuel and Jane (Mac- beth) McKendrick, both of whom were born in Ireland.

Samuel McKendrick was very young when he came to the United States, and for a num- ber of years lived in the city of Philadelphia, where he married. In the early thirties he came out to western Pennsylvania with his wife and young family, then consisting of two sons, John and James. They settled in Cherryhill township, Indiana county, where Mr. McKendrick acquired the ownership of 300 acres of land, to the improvement of which he devoted the balance of his life. He died there when just past forty, and the mother subsequently returned to Philadel- phia with her little family. She remained there until her son John reached the age of seventeen, when he brought her back to the farm the father had settled, and there she spent the rest of her days, dying at his home. She and her husband were members of the Episcopal Church. They had the following children: John, mentioned below; James, now living retired at Indiana; Martha, who married Allison Gibson and died in Cherry- hill township; Mary, who married James Nichols and died in Rayne township; and Esther, deceased in childhood.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 111

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