Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 25

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 25

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).

On May 3, 1893, Mr. Nelson was married to Carrie May McNutt, of Homer City, this county, daughter of William and Lucinda J. (McKissen) McNutt, and they have had four children : Ethel Claire, born April 19, 1894, formerly a student in the summer normal school at Mechanicsburg, now a school teacher in Center township; Viola Pearl, born June 26, 1896; Alvin Blair, born July 20, 1897; and Mary " Marjorie, born March 22, 1899. The family are members of the M. E. Church.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. Nelson is a Republican in politics and ond marriage of John Reed Elder took place a stanch supporter of the principles of his on March 17, 1857, to Mary Ann Work, who party.

AARON W. ELDER, farmer and justice of the peace in East Mahoning township, was born Feb. 1, 1851, in North Mahoning town- ship, Indiana Co., Pa., a son of John Reed and Lettice E. (Work) Elder, and a grand- son of Robert Elder.

Great-grandfather Elder was born in Ire- land about 1725, and emigrated to America in 1750. Although he claimed the United States as his home after settling in Pennsyl- vania, he made several visits to his native land. He had been a sailor and was able to work as such on the vessels across the ocean, and thus did not entirely break away from his native place. His first settlement was in the Path valley, in Franklin county, Pa., ing four of these in the State of Colorado. and he later moved to Center county and still later to Spruce Creek, in Huntingdon county.

Robert Elder, grandfather of Aaron W. Elder, was born Feb. 9, 1790, and died Jan. 29, 1859. He married Elizabeth Reed, who was born April 9, 1791, and died Aug. 25, 1873, and they had the following children: Jane, born Jan. 28, 1817, died Dec. 4, 1866; David Watt, born Aug. 12, 1818, died July 29, 1820; Margaret, born Jan. 24, 1821, died Aug. 18, 1823; John Reed, born April 1, 1823, died May 19, 1904; David Watt (2), born Aug. 22, 1825, died Nov. 24, 1894; Mary Ann, born Dec. 18, 1827, died Feb. 5, 1911; Elizabeth, born March 14, 1830, died May 19, 1913; Robert Boggs, born April 15, 1832, died June 7, 1861; Margaret, born Sept. 18, 1834, died Feb. 10, 1842. Robert Elder fol- lowed farming as his occupation in life, own- ing a farm of 100 acres in East Mahoning township.

was a cousin of his first wife. She was born March 13, 1826, and died March 2, 1907, leaving no issue. John Reed Elder and his second wife were interred in the Richmond cemetery. In his early political life he was a Republican, but later voted, according to his convictions of right, with the Prohibition party. Occasionally he accepted local offices, serving his township as supervisor and school director.

Aaron W. Elder acquired his education in the schools of East Mahoning township and in the meanwhile gave his father assistance on the home farm, continuing thus until he was twenty-one years old. Then he engaged in lumbering, and finding it profitable car- ried on the same line for twenty years, spend- In June, 1892, he returned to East Mahon- ing township and took charge of the old home- stead farm, and has continued there ever since, devoting himself to the carrying on of the usual farm industries.

On Jan. 25, 1872, Mr. Elder was married to Cyrena C. Williamson, a daughter of Hi- ram and Lydia (Pierce) Williamson, formerly of Jefferson county, Pa. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Elder, namely : Lettice, who was born Feb. 5, 1874, mar- ried William Collins, of Baltimore, Md., and (lied Feb. 6, 1893; Lydia Mabel, born July 14, 1877, married C. W. Varner, and they live at Big Run, Jefferson Co., Pa .; Lulu Myrtle, born Nov. 7, 1880, married Ira Drum- mond, and they reside at Johnstown, Pa .; Lysle Reed, born April 8, 1884, lives in the State of Washington, making a name for him- self in that wonderful part of the country; Eugene Everett, born May 10, 1886, who re- mains at home, assisting his father, married Ione Frederick, of South Mahoning township ; David Watt, born Nov. 25, 1896, resides at home.

John Reed Elder, son of Robert Elder, was born in Spruce Creek, Huntingdon Co., Pa., April 1, 1823. He was a farmer and owned land in North Mahoning township, which he sold in the spring of 1860, when he Mr. Elder is a broad-minded, thinking man, temperate in all things, and gives his polit- ical support to the Prohibition party. He stands high in the esteem of his fellow citi- zens, as has been shown by their frequent selection of him for responsible public offices, and he has served his township nine years as a school director, one year as supervisor and came to East Mahoning township and took charge of his father's farm on which he re- mained until the close of his life, his death occurring May 19, 1904. He was twice mar- ried. On April 4, 1850, he was united to Lettice Ewing Work, who was born April 1, 1833, and died June 10, 1854; she was buried in the Mahoning cemetery. They had two sons born to them, Aaron W. and David fifteen years as a justice of the peace. In Harris. The latter, born June 17, 1852, is all movements that give certain promise of a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah, and mar- substantial benefit to his section Mr. Elder's ried Amy Gray, of Rome, N. Y. The sec- cooperation may be counted on. He is a mem-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ber of the United Presbyterian Church of and took up the peaceful occupation of tilling Richmond, of which he has been an elder for the soil in Kiskiminetas township, Armstrong thirty years. county, on the homestead, subsequently buy- ing a farm of fifty-one acres, which he oper- on his present farm at Eldersridge, in South

TODD R. BODEN, M. D., physician and ated until 1893. At that time he located surgeon at the Jacksonville mines, McIntyre, Young township, Indiana county, was born in Bend township, near the Indiana county line, Kiskiminetas township, Armstrong Co., Pa., son of James B. and Emily (Caldwell) Boden. He is a member of a family of Scotch-Irish extraction.

John Boden, the great-grandfather of Dr. Boden, and founder of the family in America, came from Bothwell Castle, Scotland, and settled in what is now White township, Indi- ana Co., Pa., where he became a land owner and spent the rest of his life in agricultural pursuits. He married a Miss Marks, and they

On April 6, 1869, James B. Boden was mar- ried at Saltsburg, Pa., to Emily Caldwell, who was born March 7, 1843, daughter of James and Margaret (Crawford) Caldwell, had the following children: James; John; and they have had the following children : Samuel; William; Margaret; Sally; Jane, who married Jacob Peeler, and Polly, who married Thomas Lucas.

Samuel Boden, son of John, was born in White township in 1800, and there grew to manhood, subsequently removing to Arm- strong county, where he rented a farm. Later he purchased land there, in South Bend town- ship, on which he made numerous improve- ments, and there spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1854, at the age of fifty-four years; he was buried at Curry Run cemetery. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Samuel Boden married Elizabeth Cowan, daughter of John Cowan, and she died in Kiskiminetas township, and was laid to rest in Ridge View cemetery, at Eldersridge. her parents. Their children were: John, deceased, who was a Union soldier during the Civil war; Mary, who died in young womanhood; Mar- garet, who died unmarried; Esther, who mar- ried David Wray, of Armstrong county; James B .; George Washington, who resides in Kiskiminetas township, Armstrong county, and John, who died young.

where he has 115 acres of land in a high state of cultivation. He is still an active farmer, and one of the best citizens of his community. Formerly a Republican, he now gives his support to the Prohibition party. He is an elder of the Presbyterian Church at Eldersridge.

Alfred W., born Dec. 13, 1869, formerly a teacher in the public schools and now a farmer of South Bend township, Armstrong county, was married Sept. 10, 1896, to Mary E. Hindman; Sigourney Blanche, born Feb. 4, 1871, died Oct. 26, 1878; Charles C., born Aug. 5, 1872, died Nov. 16, 1878; Prof. Samuel F., born Dec. 23, 1874, has been an instructor in schools in Armstrong and Indi- ana counties and is now principal of the Iselin schools; James C., his twin, an undertaker and real estate man of Saltsburg, Pa., was married May 1, 1907, to Nannie M. McBride; Todd R. and Wallace C. were born April 23, 1884, the latter dying June 10, 1884; Cordie Emily, born May 10, 1887, is residing with

Todd R. Boden received his early educa- tion in the public schools of Kiskiminetas township, following which he attended El- dersridge academy under Thomas T. Gealey. There he was graduated, and at the age of eighteen years began teaching school. He continued as an educator for six years in Armstrong and Indiana counties, and then entered the Western Pennsylvania Univer- sity at Pittsburg, where he spent two years. Subsequently he became a student in Jeffer- son Medical College, Philadelphia, from

James B. Boden, son of Samuel, and father of Dr. Boden, was born Dec. 10, 1837, and received his education in the public schools and Eldersridge academy, under Dr. Donald- son. He worked with his father until the which he graduated with the degree of M. latter's death, and then continued to reside D., in May, 1910, and became assistant to with his mother until Feb. 23, 1864, when he Dr. Clark, at Ernest, Pa. In April, 1911, he enlisted at Greensburg, Pa., in Company D, entered practice on his own account in what 14th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Capt. is now the mining town of McIntyre, in William W. Murphy, Colonel Schoonmaker, Young township, and in addition to caring of Pittsburg. Contracting illness, he was con- for the medical needs of one hundred and fined to the hospital at Leavenworth, Kans., fifty families in the immediate vicinity, he and received his honorable discharge Aug. 24, has a large country practice. Dr. Boden is 1865. Mr. Boden then returned to his home devoted to his profession, is interested in the

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

town and its people, and is constantly striving Johns, who died in Punxsutawney ; John J .; to better local conditions in every possible Abigail, Mrs. Joseph Higgins, who died in Clearfield, Pa., and Mary Jane, Mrs. William Hill, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. way. He is a Republican in his political views, but reserves the right to vote for the candidate whom his judgment tells him is best fitted for the office. His religious views are those of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Boden is popular throughout this section, where he has a wide circle of warm personal friends.

John J. Richards passed the greater part of his early life at Johnstown and Broad Top, Pa., attending school in both places. At the outbreak of the Civil war he ran away twice and tried to enter the army, but his father brought him back. The third time he made JOHN J. RICHARDS, now living retired the attempt he was successful, and he enlisted at Hollidaysburg, Blair Co., Pa., Feb. 24, in Indiana, was born Dec. 4, 1845, at Brady's 1864, for three years or during the war, be- Bend, Armstrong Co., Pa., son of John and coming a private in Company K (Capt. John Mary (Jenkins) Richards, natives of Wales, H. Boring), 22d Pennsylvania Cavalry (Col. the father born in Cardiganshire.

George Higgins), with which he served twenty

John Richards, the father, was a miner in months, being discharged at Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 26, 1865. He was under Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley, and took part in the bat- tles of Newmarket, Port Republic, Lynchburg, Fisher's Hill, Port Republic (again), Aspa Gap, Opequan Creek, Winchester and Cedar Creek. He was wounded while on scout duty.

his native land, working in lead and other ore mines. Having decided to try his for- tune in the United States, he came over with his sister, Jemima, leaving his family until he could prepare a home for them. He was three months and fourteen days on the ocean, had the misfortune to be shipwrecked, and Coming home from the army, Mr. Richards went to work in the mines, being thus em- ployed in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland. On May 21, 1871, he married Anna Matilda Drennen, of Huntingdon, Pa., daughter of Robert Drennen, who was born and reared in Huntingdon county; he worked on the con- struction of the Juniata canal. Locating at Powelton, Center Co., Pa., Mr. Richards lived there two years, moving thence to Hunting- don county, and from there to Clearfield county and later to Jefferson county. On his retirement, in 1903, he moved from the latter county to the borough of Indiana, where he has since had his home. He bought his present residence, at No. 115 North Fifth street, and is very comfortably established there. was alone when he landed at New York, his sister having died at sea. Proceeding at once to Carbondale, Pa., he did not find work as he expected, so he walked thence to Pitts- burg, where he arrived with but twelve cents in his pocket. From there he went on to Brady's Bend, in Armstrong county, where he commenced to work in the mines, but the company which employed him went under soon afterward, and in company with another miner, Richard Ulley, he made a raft and went down the Allegheny river to Pittsburg. He dug coal at Sawmill run for a cent a bushel, but soon went west to St. Louis, Mo., in which section he dug coal for one winter. Coming back to Brady's Bend, he found the mines had started again and he was employed there for several years. Meantime he had Mr. and Mrs. Richards have had one son, John R. Mr. Richards is a member of the I. O. O. F., belonging to Lodge' No. 261, of Coalmont, Huntingdon Co., Pa. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church. sent for his wife and family, then consisting of four children, and in 1843 they moved to Johnstown, Pa., where he worked in the coal mines. The family made their home at that place until 1858. Mrs. Richards died there in 1856, and Mr. Richards subsequently (1858) moved to Broad Top, Huntingdon Co., Pa., where he spent the remainder of his days, dying Jan. 12, 1873, at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Richards were members of the Baptist Church. They had the following children: Jemima, Mrs. Jeremiah Griffiths, who died in Punxsutaw ney, Pa .; Margaret, Mrs. David Shorthill, John R. Richards attended public school in who died in Livingston, Mont .; Thomas, of his native county, and later went to the

JOHN R. RICHARDS, one of the most successful coal drillers in the fields of west- ern Pennsylvania and West Virginia, resides at Indiana, Indiana county, and is thor- oughly interested in the progress of that re- gion. He was born at Powelton, Center Co., Pa., Oct. 1, 1872, and is of Welsh descent, be- ing the only son of John J. Richards.

Punxsutawney ; Angeline, Mrs. William Palms business college at Philadelphia. He

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

then went to work for the Berwind Coal Min- family estate in Westmoreland county in 1818. ing Company, being employed in the mines He married Mary Bovard, who was born near until he was seventeen years old, when he Saltsburg, in Westmoreland county, Pa., and started drilling. This has since been his prin- the young couple moved to Indiana county, where for thirty-five years Mr. Bovard was engaged in a mercantile business in East Ma- honing township. In 1866 he settled at Mar- ion Center, where he continued in business as a merchant until 1879, when he retired. He died in Armstrong county September 26, 1905, firm in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member. A Re- publican, he served as the first burgess of Marion Center. His wife died Dec. 12, 1900, the mother of children as follows: William C., who was graduated from Jefferson Medi- cal College, now practicing his profession at Mamont, Pa. (he married Marie Courtney Merchant) ; Alice, who married William Sim- ons, of Chicago; Melissa, who died in child- hood; and James C. cipal occupation. Following it continuously until 1893, he worked in the mines again for a few years, until 1897, when he returned to the drilling business. In the spring of 1898 he bought a one-fourth interest in a drilling business, his partners being William Pifer, H. Olson and T. G. Alabran, with whom he was associated until the spring of 1900, when he sold out to his partners and entered the business alone. He contracts to bore for coal, and has acquired an extensive patronage in the fields of this locality and West Virginia, being one of the best and most favorably known men in his line in those sections. As he has prospered, Mr. Richards has invested in other lines, being a stockholder in the Du- gan Glass Company of Indiana and in the In- diana Lumber Supply Company. ' He has shown decided ability in the management of his affairs, and has built up a flourishing busi- ness by close application to his work and a thorough study of the most approved meth- ods.

James C. Bovard attended the school at Marion Center presided over by Mrs. L. N. Park, and later had Miss Ada Brady, William Coulter, William G. Stewart, John S. Helm, Butler Simpson and Samuel Wolf as instruc- tors. When he was sixteen years old he left school, and took the management of a plan- ing mill off the hands of his father, who had more than he could attend to at that time. Later on he enlarged the scope of his opera- tions to include the handling of lumber, con- tinuing alone until 1898, when he formed a of Bovard & Ellis. The present plant was erected in 1907, and is a thoroughly modern affair. The firm carry on a general planing

In 1904 Mr. Richards married Belle Swarts, of Indiana county, and they have four chil- dren, namely: Esther, John D., Robert M. and Thomas J. Mr. Richards is well known in fraternal circles, holding membership in Lodge No. 313, F. & A. M., of Indiana, in the Modern Woodmen and in the B. P. O. Elks, partnership with I. C. Ellis, under the name

being a past exalted ruler of the last named organization.

JAMES C. BOVARD, senior member of the mill and lumber business and have a large firm of Bovard & Ellis, of Marion Center, In- trade. diana county, was born May 9, 1865, on the On Oct. 18, 1888, Mr. Bovard was married Bovard farm in East Mahoning township, this in Marion Center to Eva L. McCormick, of county, son of James Bovard.

The Bovard family is of French extraction, the name being spelled Bouvard in France, where representatives bearing it are very prominent. This family was founded in West- moreland county, Pa., in an early day, and the original homestead of the immigrant Bo- vard is a half mile from what is now Delmont, being owned at present by the widow of Sam- uel Bovard, an aunt of James C. Bovard. This property was devoted to general farm- ing and on it a saw-mill was erected.

that place, a daughter of Joseph C. and Re- becca (Shorthill) McCormick. Mr. Bovard is a member of the Presbyterian Church, which he supports liberally. He takes a pride in being a regular Republican, but aside from giving his influence as a private citizen, he is not active in politics.

WILLIAM SEWARD CARNAHAN is one of the leading business men in Armstrong township, Indiana county, the firm of W. S. Carnahan & Brother, of which he is senior eral stores, one at Parkwood and one at She- locta. His home is at Shelocta.

John Bovard, the grandfather of James C. member, conducting two well-appointed gen- Bovard, died on this Westmoreland county homestead.

James Bovard. a son of John Bovard and The Carnahan family is numbered among father of James C. Bovard, was born on the the carly settlers of this section of Pennsyl-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

vania, the Carnahans having come to America riage: Albert, Carrie, Harvey, Lottie, Levi, at the same time as the well-known Tomb Levina, David M. and Dick.

family of East Wheatfield township, this county. Thomas Carnahan, great-grand- father of William S. Carnahan, resided in Perrysville, Westmoreland county; five miles from Saltsburg. He married a Miss McKin- ley, and they had the following children: Israel, Thomas, Elizabeth (married Matthias Jockey), Wilson (who went to California in 1849, returned to Pittsburg and engaged in the shoe business), Samuel and David R.

Thomas M. Carnahan, father of William Seward Carnahan, was born Aug. 27, 1837, at Mckeesport, Pa., and obtained a common school education. He assisted his parents with the farm work, and in 1848 moved with his father to Indiana county, continuing to farm with him until 1888. He also owned a farm of his own, in Armstrong county, upon which he lived about fourteen years. In 1890 he sold his farm and engaged in the general store business at Shelocta as senior member of the firm of Thomas M. Carnahan & Sons, retaining his interest in this business until his sons bought it. On June 15, 1896, he entered upon his duties as postmaster at She- locta, and has served as such ever since; the office is located in his sons' store. Mr. Car- nahan has been associated with public af- fairs in his township practically throughout his mature life, has held the offices of super- visor and school director, and in political con- nection is a Republican. In his younger days he belonged to the Jr. O. U. A. M., and in his early manhood he was a member of the State militia, at Chambersburg. He is an earnest member of the Shelocta United Presbyterian Church in Armstrong township, and is at pres- ent serving as elder in the church.

David R. Carnahan, son of Thomas, was born at Perrysville, in Bell township, West- moreland county, and lived to the age of ninety-one years, dying in Armstrong town- ship, Indiana county. His schooling was lim- ited, and at an early age he became head of a family. Farming was his principal voca- tion, and he was enterprising and progressive, being the first man in Westmoreland. county to own a grain cradle. Later he went to Mc- Keesport, Pa., where he followed mining for a time, and then returning home bought a farm of 150 acres, which he subsequently laid out into building lots and sold, this being what is now Perrysville. In 1846 he became inter- ested in salt works on the Kiskiminetas river, near Saltsburg, and for a time was engaged On Dec. 25, 1855, Mr. Carnahan married Mary Ellen Hamilton, who was born in White township, near Indiana, daughter of James and Margaret (Rhea) Hamilton, and died June 15, 1911, at the age of seventy-five years. She is buried in Oakland cemetery at Indi- ana. Children as follows were born to this union : James Otis, now a retired farmer liv- ing at Indiana, married Eva Portifield; Jane married James Hill, who is in the livery busi- ness at Indiana, where they reside; David Ed- ward, a farmer, now.living in Ligonier, Pa., married Belle Ralston; Ella M. married John S. Anderson, a farmer of Center township; William Seward is mentioned below; Mary Cynthia (deceased) was the wife of E. G. Orr; Thomas Wilson, who conducts the store of W. S. Carnahan & Bro. at Parkwood and also serves as postmaster at that place, mar- ried Mary Luella McGaughey, daughter of Joseph W. McGaughey, and after her death married Zella M. McAdoo, by whom he has three children, Sarah M., Thomas Archibald and Mary Ellen; Maud died when three and a half years old. in making salt, and at the same time he con- ducted a steam gristmill located on the Kis- kiminetas. He then moved to what is now Salina station and followed milling, then moved to the old farm at Perrysville, and in 1848 came to Indiana county, where he pur- chased the James Clark farm of 150 acres in White township. A number of years after- ward he made a trade with John Cunning- ham, giving that place for a tract of 180 acres in Armstrong township, upon which he passed the rest of his days, carrying on gen- eral farming. He was much respected in his neighborhood, served at one time as sup- ervisor of roads, held other offices of trust, and was a valued member of the United Pres- byterian Church. His first wife, Martha (Morrison), died at the age of thirty-seven years, and he subsequently married (second) Lavina Berkeypile. There were five children by the first union: Thomas M. is mentioned below; Mary Agnes married Thomas Hearn; Israel married Nancy Anthony, and they are mentioned elsewhere; Martha (deceased) mar- ried Sansom Person; John Morrison (de- William Seward Carnahan was born March ceased) married Margaret Cunningham. 24, 1865, in White township, Indiana county, Eight children were born to the second mar- one and a half miles from the town of In-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

diana, and there grew to manhood, receiving father of Delmont E. Notley, came to In- his education in the public schools. In his diana county early in life, living for a time at Cookport, but later went to Pittsburg. He became the owner of a farm, but lived in Pitts- burg until his death. Mrs. Amanda E. (Jones) Notley, daughter of Delmont Jones and mother of Delmont E. Notley, was born in Pittsburg. She survives her husband and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. C. M. Shaffer, of Barnesboro. early manhood he was engaged in the sawmill business in association with his two brothers, and they also operated threshing machines and hay binders. On Jan. 1, 1892, he and his brother Thomas bought their father's inter- est in the general store at Shelocta, in the conduct of which they had previously been associated with him under the firm name of Thomas M. Carnahan & Sons, and a few years

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 25

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