Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 39

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 39

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William R. Williams, son of Richard W. and Jane (Davis) Williams, was born in 1814 in Wales, and was quite young when brought to this country. He came with his father to Indiana county, and continued to live here until his death, which occurred Jan. 16, 1905. In 1836 he married Elizabeth Morris, also a native of Wales, born in 1816, who was but a child when she came to America with her par- ents, Robert Morris and his wife. Robert Morris was a native of North Wales. Upon

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

his arrival in this country he first settled in J., who lives in this county, married Eliza- Madison county, N. Y., later, in 1840, settling beth Martin, daughter of John Martin, of In- in Indiana county, Pa., where he made his diana county, and they have four children, home in Green township, conducting a saw- John M., William Hay, Sarah J. and George M .; Mollie is the wife of G. M. Joiner, of Grisemore; Richard is mentioned below; Jane, William W. and Margaret are at home ; Emma died when seventeen years old ; Mariam died in infancy. Mr. Williams was a member of the Nebo Presbyterian Church at Grise- more, to which his wife also belongs, and helped to build the present edifice; he was serving as elder at the time of his death.

mill for some time and subsequently devoting himself to farming, which he carried on the rest of his life. His family consisted of seven children. Mrs. Elizabeth (Morris) Williams died March 19, 1903. She was the mother of nine children, the eldest dying in infancy ; William M. is mentioned below; Robert is de- ceased (he was in the Union service through- out the Civil war, serving in Company A, 67th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was

Richard Williams was born Sept. 25, 1868, captured, and was confined in Libby prison in Pine township, this county, and there and at Andersonville) ; Jane became the wife spent his boyhood on the farm, assisting his of Thomas Walter, of Venango county, Pa., father with the agricultural work and lumber- and both are deceased; Mary, deceased, was ing, as well as in the mill. In 1897 he moved the wife of Henry Kelly, of Pine Flats, this to Grisemore, and here he has carried on gen- county, who survives; Richard is deceased; eral farming, having 110 acres. He is one of Elizabeth married Hugh Williams and is de- ceased ; two died in infancy.

William M. Williams was a boy when the family came to Indiana county in 1845, and he received a public school education in Green township. From an early age he as- sisted with the farm work and lumbering, and during several years of his young man- hood conducted a water mill in this county which he bought from his grandfather. Later, with his father and brother Robert, he bought a steam mill with which he was con- nected for over forty years, and which was conducted by William R. Williams & Sons.

Meantime he had also become interested in Prohibitionist.

farming, which he continued until his decease John Bennett, Mrs. Williams's paternal great-grandfather, was a native of London, England. His son Michael Bennett, grand- father of Mrs. Williams, was born in Pennsyl- vania and was an early settler in Indiana county, making a location in Buffington town- on Jan. 28, 1913, on the old homestead near Grisemore. Though never a seeker after pub- lic honors or office Mr. Williams was willing to do his duty as a citizen, and he was some years a member of the school board of Pine township, serving several years as president ship, where he remained until his death. His of that body.

On Dec. 31, 1861, Mr. Williams was mar- ried in Pittsburg to Sarah Jones, who was horn in that city Aug. 3, 1841, daughter of John D. and Jane Jones. Her father was a native of South Wales, and after coming to only survivors.

America lived in Pittsburg until his removal to Indiana county, where he bought land and

Jacob S. Bennett, father of Mrs. Williams, was born Nov. 29, 1838, in Indiana county, engaged in farming until his death. He had a and was engaged in farming and lumbering here, also conducting a hotel in Vintondale

family of six children, of whom Sarah (Mrs. Williams) and Jane (wife of David Oldham for some time; at the time of his death he was of Beaver City, Pa.) are now the only sur- vivors.

Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Williams: Elizabeth, wife of Arthur Jones, of Barnesboro, Pa., has one child, Ethel ; John

the most highly respected citizens of the neighborhood.

On Dec. 24, 1896, Mr. Williams was mar- ried to Mary Florence Bennett, a native of Pine township, and they have had two daugh- ters, Emma Mae and Mary Wilda. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are prominent members of the Nebo Presbyterian Church at Grisemore, and he is serving at present as trustee of the church and superintendent of the Sunday school. He also takes considerable interest in public matters of local importance, and is a member of the present board of school direc- tors of Green township. In politics he is a

wife, whose maiden name was Strong, was of German ancestry. Of their sons, Abraham, Peter and William served in the Civil war; William, a resident of Clearfield county, Pa., and George, of Johnstown, Pa., are now the

operating a flourmill known as the White Mill. in Cambria county, having been thus engaged three years. Mr. Bennett was twice married, his first wife, Evannah (Adams), being the mother of five children: Franklin, Amanda,

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Emily, Daniel and William. His second wife, had children as follows: John, Thomas, Al- Rebecca (Downing), was born Feb. 14, 1840, vin, Joana, Abigail and Sarah, and two that died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were the parents of five children, namely : Elsworth B .; Minerva Catharine; Charles O .; John L., and Mamie, wife of Charles Clark. The par- ents were members of the M. E. Church, and Mr. Campbell belonged to the G. A. R. in Blair county, Pa., where the marriage took place, the couple coming at once to Indiana county, where they made their home in Pine township. Her father, James Downing, was born in Blair county, Pa., and was of Irish descent. His wife was a daughter of Chris- topher Rhodes, a native of Germany, who , came to America when twelve years old with ten other members of the family, was mar- ried in Northumberland county, Pa., and was the father of ten children. He was a farmer. In his later years he lived in Blair county, and at the time of his death was a resident of Mor- risons Cove, that county. He lived to an ad- vanced age.

By his second marriage Jacob S. Bennett had four children. He died Jan. 16, 1907, his wife Rebecca passing away Feb. 7, 1912. Of his nine children, Franklin lives in Cam- bria county, Pa .; Amanda is the wife of Hugh Marsh, of Cambria county ; Emily is the wife of Emanuel Stiles, of Cambria county; Wil- liam S. died Feb. 4, 1912; Mary Florence is the wife of Richard Williams; Martha is the wife of Frederick Roehm, a resident of Du- Bois, Pa .; Joseph Downing lives at Vinton- dale; Dora May is the wife of W. S. Griffith, a resident of Lucerne, in Center township.

ELSWORTH BROWN CAMPBELL, mer- chant of Indiana borough and also interested in other local enterprises, has been a resident of that place since 1903 and actively asso- ciated with its business life since that time. He was born Dec. 18, 1861, in Jefferson county, Pa., son of James T. and Joannie (Shields) Campbell, both natives of Pennsyl- vania, and of Scotch-Irish and German parent- age, respectively. Hugh Campbell, the grand- father, was born in Scotland, and came to the United States when a young man.

James T. Campbell was a painter by trade. In 1861 he enlisted at Brookville, Pa., for service in the Civil war, remaining in the army almost four years and taking part in many of the hard-fought battles of the war. He had the good fortune never to be wounded or captured. After the close of the war he returned home and resumed work at his trade. He married Joannie Shields, whose father, John B. Shields, was born in the North of Ireland and came to the United States in young manhood, locating in Jefferson county, Pa., where he followed farming. Mr. Shields was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He married Catherine Edmonds, and they

Elsworth B. Campbell attended public school in his native county and later went to business college at Bradford, Pa. But he had to rely on his own resources from an early age, and when a lad of fifteen went to Brookville to work. Whatever schooling he received afterward was obtained by economy and his own efforts. For six years he worked in the sawmill of E. B. Cartwright & Co., during the last three years of that period be- ing foreman. He then became filer of the gang saws, being thus employed for one year. The next two years he was engaged in cutting lumber on contract for Robert Hamilton. He then bought a piece of land and did contract- ing of various kinds, also engaging in the general mercantile business, and continued in this way for about ten years. In April, 1903, he moved to the borough of Indiana, where he has since carried on his business activities. For one year he was in the real estate and lumber business, in which he had an exten- sive patronage. Then he embarked in the re- tail coal business, also dealing in sand and brick, and he has built up a flourishing cus- tom in these lines. For eleven years he had a general store at Eleanor, Jefferson county, and for four years was in that business at Indiana, and he is recognized as one of the progressive merchants of the locality, one who can be depended upon to give satisfaction in the commodities he handles and his methods of transacting business. In 1907 Mr. Camp- bell bought the old Morehead farm adjacent to and west of Indiana borough, one of the oldest farm properties in the county. The house on this tract, an old stone fort, will be specially referred to in the general history, and is about one hundred and twenty years old : the pioneers at one time took shelter in it when fighting the Indians which molested the settlers at the early day when it was first occupied. Much of this farm, being low, was swampy when Mr. Campbell took possession, but by drainage and judicious improving he has brought it into a valuable state of culti- vation, and it is now one of the most desir- able farm holdings in the .county. Mr. Camp- bell has hecome financially interested in sev- eral important business concerns in Indiana.

E.B. Campbell

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

among other things being a stockholder in had commenced farming on his own account, the Citizens' National Bank, which he serves and he followed that calling for about thirty as director. He is regarded as one of the years. He then went into the mercantile busi- substantial men of the borough, one who can be depended upon to advance her prosperity by every commendable means. He is well known in local fraternal bodies, being a mem- ber of the B. P. O. Elks, I. O. O. F., Knights of Pythias and Sons of Veterans. In religious connection he belongs to the Presby- terian Church.

In 1893 Mr. Campbell married Anna Reed, daughter of Jacob Reed, and they have two children, J. Elsworth and L. DeLoss.

JAMES GABLE FLEMING, who is par- ticularly well known in Indiana as the pro- moter of the south extension of that borough, known as the Fleming extension, is develop- ing one of the prosperous residence sections of this place. Formerly he was for some years a merchant of Indiana, and in every business association he has made a name for honorable dealing and reliability which reflects credit upon his character and methods. He is a na- tive of Armstrong county, Pa., born in 1837 at Woodard's Mill, son of James and May Fleming.

Thomas Fleming, his grandfather, was born in Huntingdon county, this State, and his wife, Bettie (Marton), was a native of Ire- land, coming to the United States with her parents when a little girl. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fleming were both of Scotch-Irish parentage. In 1818 he settled in Indiana county. He was a farmer by occupation.

James Fleming, son of Thomas, was born in Huntingdon county and lived in Indiana county among the early settlers. He was a machinist by trade, engaged in farming to some extent, and was also in the flourmilling business, being a part owner of the first flour- mill in Armstrong county. During the for- ties he was a member of the Pennsylvania militia. His children were: Elizabeth A., wife of David Hill; John; Thomas; James Gable; William; May A., wife of Israel Thomas; and Charlotte, wife of George Cline. The father of this family died in 1891, the mother surviving until 1902; she was ninety- two years old. They were members of the Presbyterian Church.

ness, at Five Points, Indiana county, con- tinuing same about eleven years, when he sold out and took charge of the grocery and shoe departments of the Wilson & Sutton estab- lishment, in Indiana. Subsequently he opened a shoe store of his own in the borough, being associated in this enterprise with Israel Thomas under the firm name of Fleming & Thomas, retaining his interest in this business for about ten years. After that for some time he was occupied in looking after his farm, which is in Armstrong township, Indi- ana county, and is the old Fleming homestead owned by the family since the days of the early settlement in this county, in 1818. In company with H. M. Lowry, Mr. Fleming pur- chased the eighty acres of land now known as the south extension of Indiana borough, and they have opened streets and laid it out in lots, developing a residence section which promises to become one of the most popular in the borough.

Some years ago Mr. Fleming was appointed justice of the peace by Governor Stewart, to fill a vacancy, and in 1908 he was elected to that office, which he is now holding. Some idea of his personal standing may be gained from the fact that he is the only Democrat in Indiana borough holding the office or hav- ing held that of justice of the peace. During Morgan's raid he served as a member of the State militia. He is a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has been ruling elder for over twenty years.

On May 9, 1865, Mr. Fleming married Har- riet Bowman, of Westmoreland county, Pa., and they have had three children: Jannett Alice, Mary Bell, and J. D.

ROBERT F. FLEMING, carpenter and contractor, at present serving as auditor of Green township, has been a resident of Star- ford for several years past and is one of the best known citizens of his section of Indiana county. Born in Green township Oct. 15, 1853, he is a son of Francis J. and Christiana (Haley) Fleming, and grandson of Robert Fleming, a native of Scotland. Robert Flem- ing settled in Allegheny county, Pa., when he came to this country, and remained there un- til his death. His family consisted of five children : Bartholomew, William, Francis J., Elizabeth and Mary, all deceased.

James Gable Fleming obtained his early education in the public schools, later becoming a pupil at the Indiana academy and the Glade Run academy. For about six years he taught school, being engaged in Indiana, Armstrong Francis J. Fleming was born Aug. 22, 1811, and Westmoreland counties. Meantime he in Allegheny county, Pa., and came to Indi- 63

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ana county at an early day. He settled in ica in young manhood and located in West- Green township, near Cookport, about 1839, moreland county, Pennsylvania. bought land and carried on farming in that Samuel G. Miller, son of the immigrant Mil- ler, and father of Milton G. Miller, spent the greater part of his life in Conemaugh town- ship, this county, and died there in 1880; his wife died in 1879. He was prominent as a debater, and took a very active part in the Presbyterian Church both as a member and elder for forty years, and was sent as a dele- gate to the presbytery upon several occasions. The children born to Samuel G. Miller and wife were: Elizabeth C. Reed, of Indiana county ; Dr. S. G., of Livermore, Pa .; T. S., of Lewisville, Pa .; Dr. M. W., of Pittsburg; Robert N., of Indiana, Pa .; Dr. J. A., who died at Santa Fe, N. M., in June, 1912; Milton G .; John K., who died in Blairsville in 1910: Margaret D. McComb of Lewisville, who died in 1912; Mary Ann Shields, who died several years ago; and Sarah J. Marshall, who died some years ago. vicinity, living on what came to be known as the old Fleming farm near Cookport, where he remained until his death, Aug. 25, 1871. He married Christiana Haley, a native of Ire- land, born Aug. 22, 1814, who came to America when seven years old with her parents, Thomas H. and Christiana Haley, the family settling in Pittsburg, where Mr. Haley passed the remainder of his life. His family con- sisted 'of nine children, three sons and six daughters, all now deceased, namely: Wil- liam, Patience, George, Mary, Jane, Christi- ana (Mrs. Fleming), Emma, Elizabeth and Thomas. Mrs. Christiana (Haley) Fleming died March 27, 1889. She and her husband had a family of eleven children, viz .: One that died in infancy; George H., deceased, who was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting from Indiana county (he is mentioned else- where in this work) ; Bartholomew, deceased, who was also in the Union service during the Civil war; Margaret, deceased, who was the wife of William H. Munshower, of Lovejoy, justice of the peace; Thomas H., deceased ; Jane Zidana, wife of George Lutman, of Green township; James, deceased ; William I., a resi- dent of Indiana county; one that died in infancy ; Robert F .; and Mary Elizabeth.

Robert F. Fleming was educated in the public schools of Green township, passing his boyhood days on the old home farm, where he continued to live until after the death of his mother. He then sold his interest in the property and went to learn the trade of car- penter, which he has ever since followed, now doing general contract work. In 1905 he moved to Starford, building the home which he occupies there, owning that as well as other property. He has succeeded in his business undertakings, and has gained the confidence of his fellow citizens to such an extent that he has been chosen to various local offices of trust, having been school director three years, and at present serving as auditor. He was elected on the Republican ticket.

MILTON G. MILLER, wholesale and retail druggist of Blairsville, was born at Dayton, Armstrong Co .. Pa .. June 16. 1856. a son of Samuel G. and Mary Ann (Keener) Miller, natives of Westmoreland and Indiana coun- ties. respectively. His paternal grandfather, who was an Irishman by birth, came to Amer-

Milton G. Miller was educated in the public schools, of Indiana county, Eldersridge acad- emy, and the Indiana State normal school, and for ten years following the period of his study he taught school. Later he embarked in a general store business at Blairsville, op- erating it for a year, and then in 1881 pur- chased the drug business owned by J. C. Les- lie. At that time it was a small concern, but Mr. Miller began to enlarge it, and moved to his present more commodious quarters. In 1896 he branched out, becoming a wholesale as well as retail druggist, being the only wholesale dealer in his line in the country. Beginning with the small capital of $400. he has become one of the leading business men of Blairsville, and fully deserves his success.

Mr. Miller belongs to the Methodist Church. in whose work he is active, and also holds mem- bership in the Brotherhood. serving that body one year as president. Fraternally he is a member of the Royal Arcanum.

On Jan. 1. 1890, Mr. Miller was married to Ella George. a daughter of Isaac and Anna George. of Beatty station. Pa., who died March 2. 1900. She was the mother of these children : Mary Glenn, who was graduated from Wilson College in 1913: Mabel Ruth, who is a stu- dent in the same college; and Isaac George, deceased.

On June 14, 1911, Mr. Miller was married to Dawn Fray of Newark, New Jersey.

Mr. Miller is a public speaker and his ad- dress to the Old Boatmen. a few years since, was regarded as a masterly effort. He has held the office of school director and during

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

his term of office has filled the positions of chinist in the employ of the Pittsburg Steel president and secretary of the board. He has Company, married Carrie Kepple. Emma been a member of the Blairsville council and B. married Thomas Smith and resides in Salts- has been president of that body. burg. John Nelson is mentioned below. Flora Adeline married John A. Knepshiel and (second) H. S. Oakman, and resides in -Clar-

JOHN NELSON ARNOLD, of Conemaugh township, has farming interests there and in ion county, Pa. Jacob Samuel Telford, a Young township, is engaged in mining and farmer and machinist, now residing at Mount handling coal, and is of the best known resi- Sterling, Ky., married Mary Gowns.

dents of his section of Indiana county. He strong Co., Pa., son of Robert and grandson of William Arnold. The grandfather was born and raised in Plymouth, Devonshire, England, and passed all his life in his na- tive country. He was engaged in the hard- ware business. He married Maria Jeffery, and they had children as follows: William; Ed- ward H .; Robert; and Amy Rosina, who mar- ried William Henna Spry. John Nelson Arnold attended common was born Aug. 10, 1860, in Kiskiminetas, Arm- school in Young township, later went to the Eldersridge academy for a term, and then fol- lowed farming with his father, with whom he remained until 1894. In that year he moved to Conemaugh township and settled on his present place, which is a farm of forty-eight acres owned by his wife, her father having willed it to her. Besides looking after the agricultural work on this tract he owns and conducts a 156-acre farm in Young township, and he owns 200 acres of coal land in that township. He works the coal mine located near his home owned by Mrs. Arnold, this deposit being known as the Pittsburg vein, and supplied the rolling mill in the vicinity until it was closed. He now conducts what is known as the "farmers' coal band," disposing of over fifteen thousand bushels during the season ; the customers call for it.

Robert Arnold, father of John Nelson Ar- nold, was born Oct. 24, 1823, in Plymouth, Devonshire, England, where he grew to man- hood, coming to America in 1848 in company with his brothers William and Edward. By trade he was a tinner. His first location was in Pittsburg, Pa., where he remained one year, thence moving to Maysville, Armstrong county, where he lived for six years; to Oli- vet, Armstrong county, where he remained eight years; to Burrell township, Armstrong county, where he made his home four years; and in 1868 to Young township, Indiana coun- ty, where he followed his trade in connection with farming until his retirement, in 1900. That year he removed to Conemaugh town- ship, this county, where he died May 11, 1905, in his eighty-second year; he was buried in Edgewood cemetery, Saltsburg, Pa. He was a member of the Jacksonville United Presby- terian Church. One of Mr. Arnold's prized possessions was a box made by his great-great- grandfather, to hold guinea scales, in the con- struction of which wire was used instead of nails. A dog which he had trained to furnish the motive power for a churn attracted con- siderable interest in the neighborhood.

Mr. Arnold has been very active in local public affairs, being tax collector at present- an · office he has held, since 1909; he has also served as roadmaster and member of the elec- tion board. Politically he associates with the Democratic party. He is a member and rul- ing elder of the United Presbyterian Church at Saltsburg, his wife and son also belonging.

On Feb. 21, 1894, Mr. Arnold was mar- ried to Mrs. Martha B. (Nowry) Wiley, daughter of Samuel H. and Elizabeth (Craw- ford) Nowry and widow of John Luther Wiley. By her first marriage Mrs. Arnold had one daughter, Sadie May, who is now the wife of Charles Orvis Lamer and resides in Lorain, Ohio, where her husband is an electri- cian in the employ of the United States Steel Company. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have had one child, Carl L., born May 1, 1895, who is now & student at the Kiskiminetas Springs School, at Saltsburg, Indiana county, a well-known institution for boys, being a member of the class of 1914; after graduating there he in- tends to enter Princeton.

In 1850 Mr. Arnold married Mary Shirley, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Fulmer) Shirley, born Oct. 22, 1828, died Oct. 7, 1906. They became the parents of eight children, viz. : Maria C. married R. C. Millen, who died in 1908; he was a soldier in the Civil war, and afterward farmed in Conemaugh township. Joseph Ralston died when nine years old. SAMUEL H. NOWRY, deceased, eldest son of James and Mary (Marshall) Nowry, pioneer settlers on Blacklegs creek, Cone- George Wilson lives in Girard, Ohio, where he follows the business of machinist ; he mar- ried Rachel Richardson. James H., a ma- maugh township, was born May 3, 1812. He

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 39

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