Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 34

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 34

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noted for his industry and enterprise and Mr. Smith married April 11, 1877, in Blacklick township, Jennie Elder, a na- tive of Livermore, Westmoreland Co., Pa., daughter of John Elder, a descendant of one of the oldest families of western Pennsylvania. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith : Gracie married Frank Keebler and lives in Westmoreland county; Maud resides at home; George is engaged at farming and lives' at home; Robert Elder, a farmer in Blacklick township, married Myrtle Louella progressive methods. He lived to the ripe age of eighty-three years, dying in 1908, and was buried in Hopewell cemetery. In poli- tics Mr. Smith was a Whig, later a Republi- can. He married Priscilla Chrow, a woman of strong Christian principles, who was noted for her devotion to home and family. She died in 1910, and was buried beside her hus- band. Their married life covered a period of almost sixty years. Children as follows were born to them: William J., March 8, Swasy, daughter of John Swasy; Hazel, who 1850; John Theodore, Nov. 3, 1851; Sarah lives at home, was educated in the district

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

schools and State normal school, graduating Jettrude M. (Stewart) McCrea, of Brushval- from the latter, and taught school in Black- lick township.

SAMUEL TRUBY RUGH, a well-known farmer of Brushvalley township, Indiana county, was born at Greenville, in Cherry- hill township, this county, April 1, 1876.

diana county, north of Blacklick, and re- mained there until 1853, when he removed with his family to Cass county, Ind., spend- ing one year in that location. He then went to Macon county, Ill., where he became a large land owner and a prosperous farmer, and lived the remainder of his life, his death occurring there.

Samuel Rugh, father of Samuel T. Rugh, and second son of Michael Rugh, went to In- diana and Illinois with his father, but later returned to Greenville (Penn Run postoffice), where he engaged in the milling and mercan- tile business, being the owner of the Penn Run Flouring Mill. In 1880 he again went to Illinois, where he remained to the time of his death, which occurred when he was sixty- two years of age. Mr. Rugh married Mar- garet Truby, daughter of Simeon and Nancy Truby, of Mechanicsburg, and by her had three children: William, of Illinois; Edgar ; and Samuel Truby.

Samuel Truby Rugh, son of Samuel and Margaret (Truby) Rugh, received his educa- tion in the public schools of his district, and

ley township, and they have had eight chil- dren, viz .: Margaret Blanche, John Truby, Jettrude McCrea, Cora Agnes, Gilbert Samuel (who died in infancy), Alma Elizabeth, Ethel Virginia and Samuel Clyde.

JOSEPH A. HENDERSON, of Center

Michael Rugh, grandfather of Samuel T. township, Indiana county, comes of a family Rugh, was the son of Christian R. Rugh. He of Scotch-Irish extraction which was founded was horn and raised in Burrell township, In- in America and Indiana county by Robert Henderson, his great-grandfather. The latter married Mary Ann Ralston.

Robert Henderson, son of Robert and Mary Ann (Ralston) Henderson, was born Aug. 14, 1782, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and was a youth of fifteen when he crossed the At- lantic with the rest of the family to make a home in the wilderness. He continued to live in Conemaugh township, Indiana Co., Pa., throughout his active years, in his declining days making his home in the borough of Salts- burg, where he died in 1871, in his ninetieth year. He and his brother Joseph served as soldiers in the war of 1812. He married Fran- ces Graham, who was born in 1789, daughter of William and Frances Graham, and died in 1864. Their children were: Mary Ann, who married Robert McMeans; Eliza, who married James Carothers; Jane, who married D. K. Daugherty; Isabelle; Joseph A .; Margaret G., who married Rev. Andrew Getty ; Lucinda F .; and Sarah R., who married John Long- will.

Joseph A. Henderson, son of Robert and Frances (Graham) Henderson, was born in

helped his grandfather, Simeon Truby, in 1823 in Conemaugh township, where he grew the store until 1898, when he started out for to manhood. He followed teaming in his early life, later engaging in farming and lum- bering. During the winter months he hauled pine timber from the eastern part of the county to Saltsburg. At this time he was living on the old Rose farm, a tract of 200 acres. He was an energetic, thrifty man, and was on the road to prosperity at the time of his death, which occurred Feb. 25, 1863, when he was in his prime, but forty years old. He was thrown from a horse and received fatal injuries. A few months before, on June 10, 1862, he had married Julia A. Wilson, a daughter of Daniel and Letitia Wilson, and their son Joseph A. was born after the father's death. Mrs. Henderson returned to her father's home in Conemaugh township, and some time later married (second) Joseph Pounds. himself. Buying a farm of 117 acres near by, he became engaged in general farming and stock raising, which he has ever since followed. He is now the owner of 300 acres of land, and his success as a farmer is due entirely to his own unceasing efforts and in- defatigable labor. He has shown excellent judgment in the conduct of his affairs and has become a valued citizen in his community. In politics long a Republican, he is a great ad- mirer of Colonel Roosevelt. He is quite active in educational work in his community, having been a school director in his district for ten years. He has served four years as member of the council of Mechanicsburg borough. He is liberal in his church views, and is a broad- minded, energetic citizen, whose every effort is for the good of his community.

Joseph A. Henderson was born April 21,

On Jan. 19, 1898, Mr. Rugh was married to Annie McCrea, daughter of Gilbert T. and 1863, in Conemaugh township, Indiana county,

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and was reared by his maternal grandfather, Republican. Ile married Letitia Henderson, Daniel Wilson, who then lived in Conemangh daughter of Jolın Henderson, and they be- came the parents of eight children: Robert A .; Lucy A .; John A .; Julia A .; who married Joseph A. Henderson and (second) Joseph Pounds; Nancy Jane, who married Samuel Henry ; Letitia E. and William D., twins, the latter marrying Nancy E. Campbell ; and Me- township, at what was called Wilson's Mills, on Big run, later moving to Center township, to the Kee farm. The boy attended the pub- lic school in the neighborhood, at what is called the Lytle school. At the present writ- ing (1913) he still lives on his grandfather's old homestead, having 147 acres of land, where linda C., who married Robert O. Allison. he is engaged in general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Henderson cast his first vote for James G. Blaine, but some years ago changed his allegiance to the Prohibition party, being a strong advocate of temperance; he has been the Prohibitionist nominee for register and recorder of Indiana county. He has served two terms as school director of Center town- ship and four years as assessor. In religious faith he is a Presbyterian, he and his family belonging to Bethel Church.

On June 10, 1886, Mr. Henderson mar- ried Margaret A. Harbison, daughter of Ed- ward and Rosanna Harbison, of Center town- ship, and they have had born to them three children, one dying in infancy; the two sur- vivors are Edward B. and Sarabel.

WILSON. The Wilson family to which Mr. Henderson belongs in the maternal line is one of the oldest in Indiana county. Robert Wilson, its founder in this region, came from South Carolina in 1775, and settled in what is now called the "Loop," one mile below Livermore. He died in 1817.

Robert Wilson, one of the ten children of or 1775. After he had done some clearing the Robert Wilson mentioned above, was born in 1768 in South Carolina and came with his parents to Indiana county. He married Anne MeClellan, who was a native of Scotland, born in 1771. and eight children were born to them: James, who married Jane Barkley; Robert, who married Anne Graham; John, who married Margaret Campbell ; Daniel, who is mentioned below: Joseph, who married Anne Douthet ; and three daughters.

CHARLES BUTLER CAMPBELL COLE- MAN, a well-known agriculturist of Burrell township, for many years also had extensive interests as a dealer in hay, in which line he had business connections all over Indiana county.

The Colemans ,were in Indiana county among the earliest pioneer settlers, their asso- ciations with this region beginning before the period of the Revolution. In the early part of the year 1770 Nicholas Coleman, the founder of the family here, settled in Cone- maugh township, which was then a part of Westmoreland county. He was a native of Scotland, born in 1731, and emigrated to America when a young man. His first loca- tion was in the Conococheague valley, in Pennsylvania, where he married Jane MeClel- land, a native of that valley. In 1773 they moved west of the Allegheny mountains, set- tling in what is now Conemaugh township, Indiana (then Westmoreland) county. Tak- ing up land, he built a log cabin in what was then a wilderness and located there in 1774

and sowed his second crop of wheat he was driven off by the Indians, and returned to the Conococheague valley, where he remained seven years before venturing to return to his land. He found that his cabin had been burned, the land that he had cleared was covered with a new growth of brush, and the various effects he had buried for safe keeping were missing-at any rate he never found them. But he set to work again to develop a farm from the primitive surround-

Daniel Wilson, son of Robert and Anne (MeClellan) Wilson, was born in 1809 in ings, and spent the remainder of his life there, Conemangh township, Indiana county, and dying at his home. His children were as fol- lows : William, born in 1774, died in 1851. married Mary Lytle, who was born in 1776 and died in 1863; John, born April 9, 1776, died in 1865, married Martha Katon (he was a soldier in the war of 1812) ; Elizabeth mar- ried James Matthews ; Margaret married John there grew to manhood. In 1867 he moved to Center township, settling on the Kneer farm, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died Ang. 9, 1885, and was buried in the graveyard of Bethel Presbyterian Church in Center township. Mr. Wilson was a leading worker in that church, which he Matthews and (second) James Oliver; Mary served as elder, and was also a teacher and married Samuel Craven; Nancy married Moses superintendent of the Sunday school. In Thompson; Jane married Alexander Mc- politics he was originally a Whig, later a Gaughey; Archibald is mentioned helow ; Rob-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ert married Elizabeth McLain (he served in Church of Blairsville and quite active in the war of 1812) ; Sarah was next in the fam- all its work, serving as ruling elder. In poli- ily ; James, born in 1795, died in 1857, mar- tics he was a stanch Republican. ried Mary Campbell.

Archibald Coleman, son of Nicholas, was born in Conemaugh township, Indiana (then Westmoreland) county, and there grew to manhood. He served as a soldier in the war and Elizabeth (Ramsey) Campbell and grand- of 1812. He became an extensive land owner and farmer in his native township, owning a tract of over five hundred acres there, upon which he made improvements and spent all his life. He died on his farm in 1870, and was buried in the cemetery of the Conemaugh Church. In politics he was a Whig and a Republican in turn, and in religious connec- tion he belonged to the United Presbyterian Church, of which he was a leading member, serving as one of the ruling elders. He mar- ried Margaret Jamieson, whose father was a minister of the Associate Presbyterian Church, and she lived to the ripe age of ninety-four years, dying in 1884. Six children were born to their marriage: John G., who married Elizabeth Taylor; Archibald; Jane, who married William Bruce; Nancy, who in infancy.

married Hon. William Irwin; James M., who married a Miss Moore; and William J., who married a Margaret Nesbitt.

Archibald Coleman, son of Archibald and Margaret (Jamieson) Coleman, was born on the Coleman farm and there passed his early life. He was given a good practical educa- tion and became a well-read man for his day. At the age of twenty-five he left his became interested in the hay and grain trade native township and went to Blacklick town- with his father, their business being conducted under the firm name of A. Coleman & Son. He followed that line for over fifteen years in partnership with his father, and after the latter's decease continued in it alone until 1898, when he gave it up to devote all his ship, settling on the Michael Campbell farm, a part of the tract once owned by Gen. Charles Campbell. This farm comprised 360 acres, upon which Mr. Coleman put up a fine resi- dence in 1869, also erecting barns and other buildings. He had extensive farming inter- time to the insurance business. He lived on ests, in connection with which he established a the homestead and cultivated a tract of 210 acres. In 1889 the fine barn which his father built was destroyed by lightning and Mr. Coleman has replaced it with a fine modern structure, besides making other improvements about the house and the farm. His sur- roundings show his artistic taste and neat- ness, the whole property being kept in model condition and giving evidence of his pro- gressive ideas and enterprise in putting them into execution. In addition to his farm work Mr. Coleman engages in the insurance busi- ness, having for over twenty years been the representative in Indiana and Westmore- land counties of the Equitable Life Insurance large business as a dealer in hay and grain, he and his son Charles being associated in that line, shipping to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and New York and as far south as Florida. Their shipments often ran as high as three hundred carloads a year, and they were among the best-known men in the trade. Some twelve or fifteen years before his death he removed from his farm to Blairs- ville, where he built a home and spent the re- mainder of his life, dying there April 17, 1885. He is buried in Blairsville cemetery. A man well known for his high character and many sterling qualities, he was greatly re- spected. He was a member of the U. P. Company of New York. He has also been

Mr. Coleman was married in what was then Blacklick (now Burrell) township to Mary Alice Campbell, who was born in what is now Burrell township, daughter of Michael

daughter of Gen. Charles Campbell. She died shortly before her husband, on Feb. 14, 1885, and is buried by his side in Blairsville cemetery. Mrs. Coleman was a sincere Chris- tian woman, a devout member of the U. P. Church, and interested in all good works. She and her husband were the parents of five children : Michael, who died young; Archibald McClelland, who resided in Los Angeles, Cal., for some time, and recently re- turned to his old home, on Nov. 25, 1912,. purchasing 115 acres of the old homestead in Burrell township, where he expects to remain ; Alice, who married Dr. Arthur DeVoe, and lived in Seattle, Wash., dying Jan. 8, 1887 (she is buried at Blairsville, Pa.) ; Charles Butler Campbell; and Margaret, who died

Charles Butler Campbell Coleman was born Aug. 14, 1854, on his father's farm in Bur- rell township, formerly the Campbell farm. He obtained his education in the local public schools and at Blairsville academy and the Millersville State normal school, in Lancaster county. After leaving school he remained on the home place engaged in farming, and also

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

active in the local public government, having bara, wife of James McLain; Michael; Re- served as member of the council and board becca, wife of Samuel Denniston; Sarah, wife of health for several years while a resident of Fullerton Woods; Mary, wife of John Den- of the borough of Blairsville. In politics he niston; Jane, wife of Dr. Jonathan French; is a Republican of the Progressive type. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Blairsville.

James, who married Amy Howard; Margaret, who married Abram Spears; Tennwell, wife of Robert Doty; Eliza, wife of Alexander Spears; Charles, who married Matilda Hen- derson and (second) Mary Cummins; and Thomas, who married Elizabeth Fair. After the death of his wife Margaret, Mr. Camp-

On March 10, 1885, Mr. Coleman married Isabelle F. Cummins, who wås born at Elder- ton, Armstrong Co., Pa., daughter of Wil- liam Cummins and sister of Dr. R. B. Cum- mins, a well-known dentist of Blairsville. bell married Mrs. Elizabeth Ramsey, widow They have had two children: Alice, who of Maj. William Ramsey. She died in 1821. received her education in the public schools We quote the following from an old ac- count: "Mrs. Mary (Cummins) Campbell Blairsville College; and Archie Byron, who had several teaspoons over one hundred years old, that were used by General Campbell. Ma- tilda, daughter of late Charles Campbell, has General Campbell's gold watch; this is a unique specimen of old mechanism. It is marked 'M. and A. No. 5106.' " of Burrell township and Pittsburg, and at was educated in the public schools of Pitts- burg and high school at Blairsville. Mr. Cole- man and his family reside in Pittsburg dur- ing the winter season. Mrs. Coleman is, like her husband, a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Michael Campbell, son of Gen. Charles Campbell, was born in what is now Burrell township and there grew to manhood. He

CAMPBELL. The Campbell family, from which Mr. Coleman is descended in the ma- ternal line, is of Scotch extraction, and his became engaged in farming and stock raising, branch was founded in Indiana county, Pa., owning a large acreage in Burrell township, and died there in 1833. . To him and his wife Elizabeth Ramsey, daughter of Maj. William and Mary (Potter) Ramsey, were born ten children : Charles Butler, born Aug. 25, 1807, died Aug. 30, 1863; James Ramsey, born Jan. 17, 1809, died Oct. 7, 1880; Elizabeth Ramsey, born Jan. 26, 1811, died June 5, 1872, mar- ried Absalom Woodward; Michael, born Feb. 20, 1813, died in Ohio, in 1836; Margaret Clark, born April 18, 1815, married Porter Turner; Thomas, born March 8, 1819, died June 6, 1886, in Villisca, Iowa, married Eliza- beth J. Wilson; Sarah Jane, born June 17, 1821, married Thomas Wilson, and died in June, 1853; Mary Alice, born June 17, 1823, married June 17, 1846, Archibald Coleman ; John Ramsey,,born Oct. 26, 1826, died Jan. 2, 1884, married Agnes Jane Hill April 11, 1853; George Washington, born Sept. 1, 1828, by Gen. Charles Campbell, who was born in 1742 in the Conococheague valley in Penn- sylvania. His parents were of Scotch descent, but came to this country from Ireland. Gen- eral Campbell came to what is now Burrell township, Indiana Co., Pa., about 1772, locat- ing on Blacklick creek, where he erected what are still known as Campbell's mills, now owned by Andrew P. Baker. "A scant record exists of his captivity among the Indians and Brit- ish." He and "five others of the early set- tlers were captured by the Indians and held as prisoners for five years." He became a large land owner, having possessions on both sides of Blacklick creek, and was one of the best-known men of his day in the county, tak- ing a leading and active part in its develop- ment. The positions of trust and responsi- bility which he held in the county and on the frontier line indicate in some degree the married Sarah Giberson, and died at Peabody, estimation in which he was held by the citi- Kansas. zens and State authorities. He was noted for his military prowess, having had honorable JAMES A. McQUOWN, justice of the peace, ex-county commissioner of Indiana county, and farmer of Grant township, was born in Rayne township, Indiana Co., Pa .. Sept. 24, 1847, son of William and Margaret (Shields) McQuown. and useful connection with the militia of the county and district ; it is not positively known whether he did or did not take part in the Revolution. He died in 1828, when over eighty years old, respected by all who knew him. He was a leading member of the Bethel David McQuown, the great-grandfather of James A. McQuown, was born in Ireland, and came to the United States in young man- Presbyterian Church and for some years one of the ruling elders. By his first wife, Mar- garet Clark, he had twelve children: Bar- hood, locating in Westmoreland county, Pa ..

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

where he was one of the pioneer settlers. He ical matters Mr. McQuown was a Whig and married a daughter of John Harris, the later a Republican, and while a resident of founder of Harrisburg, and spent the rest Grant township served in the capacity of of his life in Westmoreland county, where his death occurred. overseer. During the Civil war he enlisted in Company E, 67th Regiment, P. V. I., Lawrence McQuown, son of David Mc- Quown, and grandfather of James A. Mc- Quown, was born in 1777 in Westmoreland under Col. Harry White, and in the battle of Winchester was captured by the Confed- erates. He was subsequently confined in county, and there grew to manhood on the old Libby prison, and before he was finally dis- homestead place. He enlisted from West- moreland county in the American army dur- ing the war of 1812. In 1827 he came to Indiana county and settled in Rayne town- ship, where he engaged in farming and stock raising, continuing to work faithfully and in- dustriously making a home for his family un- charged had become greatly emaciated from his sufferings. On his release he was trans- ferred to Company G, Veteran Reserve Corps, and while in the line of duty some time later was hurt in a railroad accident, receiving a severe injury to his arm. He left the serv- ice with a record for bravery and faithful til he passed away there, when fifty-three devotion to duty, and with the respect alike of his comrades and officers.

years of age, in 1830. He was a Whig in his political views and a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church, and was buried in the old Washington cemetery in Rayne town- ship. Mr. McQuown married Mary Cham- bers, and they had a family of thirteen chil- dren, as follows: Nancy, who married Wil- liam Fox; David, who married Isabella Bor- land; Jane, who married Robert Daugherty ; John, who married Hannah Walls; James, who married Jane McQuown; Ellen, who mar- ried Alexander Downey; Lawrence, who mar- ried Susannah J. Robinson ; Thomas, who mar- ried Ann M. Robinson; Margaret, who mar- ried John Elder; William, the father of James A. McQuown; Mary, who married William Black; Eliza, who married James Bash; and Samuel, who married Keziah Snyder.

William McQuown, son of Lawrence Mc- Quown, and father of James A. McQuown, was born in 1825, in Rayne township, Indiana Co., Pa., and there attended the district schools and grew to manhood. Reared to agricultural pursuits, he early engaged in farming in his native township, but later moved to East Mahoning township, where he continued to carry on operations on rented property. In 1862 he came to Grant town- ship and settled down to farming on a forty- five-acre tract which he purchased from Cal- vin Young, and there erected a frame house and continued to farm for some years. In his later life he moved to Franklin, Venango county, where he was an officer of the court under Judge Creswell until 1903, resigning at that time because of advancing age. He died in Franklin, May 16, 1905, aged eighty years, and was buried in the Franklin ceme- tery. He was first a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, but later transferred his membership to the Presbyterian. In polit-

Mr. McQuown was married to Margaret Shields, daughter of Col. William Shields, of the State militia, and she passed away at the home of her son in Clearfield county. Mr. and Mrs. McQuown became the parents of the following children: James A .; Annie M., who married John Potts, and resides at Punxsutawney; William W., who married Susan Shaffer, and lives at Mahaffey, Clear- field county; Hon. Martin Luther, ex-State senator, former superintendent of schools of Clearfield county, and now editor of the Rafts- men's Journal, at Clearfield, who married Vir- ginia Flegel; Emma, who married Robert Mc- Garvey, and resides at Gazzam, Pa .; and Nina, who married George Edmondson and resides at Indiana, Pennsylvania.

James A. McQuown, son of William Mc- Quown, attended the public schools of Rayne and East Mahoning townships, and worked on his father's farm until he was sixteen years of age, at which time he enlisted in Company C, 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, un- der Colonel Richard Coulter and Captain Schall, Feb. 29, 1864, and served until the close of the war. At the battle of the Wilder- ness, May 6, 1864, he was wounded in the right side by a minie ball, and sent to the hospital. In September, 1864, he was discharged there- from and rejoined his regiment, succeeding which he participated in the battles of Hatch- er's Run, Boydton Plank Road, Gravelly Run and Five Forks, and was present at the surrender of General Lee, at Appomattox. Following this he was stricken with intermit- tent fever and was confined in the hospital at Washington, D. C., but managed to be dis- charged therefrom in time to witness the grand review. On being mustered out of the service, May 31, 1865, he returned to his

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 34

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