Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 4

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 4

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James Simpson Flickinger, son of Abraham, born Dec. 24, 1844, attended public school iu Center township and was reared on his father's farm. In March, 1865, he enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming a mem- ber of Company G, 103d Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry, under Capt. Joseph Daugh- erty and Col. R. Lyman. He served four months, being on duty at Roanoke Island and Camp Palmer, N. C., where he continued un- til after the close of the war. Upon his re- turn home he went to work driving team, and

contracting. In 1872 he embarked in busi- ness as an undertaker, and he continued to follow that line for a period of thirty-three years, until his retirement in 1906, when he sold out to his son Harry. Meantime he was also employed in the mercantile and livery business for fifteen years. Mr. Flickinger ac- quired various interests during his active career, erected his own fine dwelling and store room, and put up a number of houses which he rents. Thus he has done his share toward the material upbuilding of the bor- ough, while he has also been interested in its government and general welfare, having served as member of the borough council and

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

as member of the school board. He is a Re- sic and of artistic temperament, and though publican in politics. Mr. Flickinger has long devoted to her home and family enjoys social been a member of the Presbyterian Church, in life. She is a faithful member of the Fort- night Club of Homer City, of which she was one of the organizers. which he is a leading worker, having served as elder and Sunday school teacher. He was married Feb. 20, 1866, to Amanda J. Ped- dicord, a native of Blairsville, Indiana county, daughter of Richard and Hannah G. ( Allison) Peddicord, and they have had a family of four children: Maud, deceased, wife of Charles Wagel; Harry; Edith, married to Joseph Clark, of Homer City ; and James Al- bert, who married Nell Roberts.

Harry Flickinger, son of James S. Flick- inger, obtained his education in the public schools of Homer City. For fifteen years he worked along with his father, learning the mercantile business, and then for some time he was in the employ of the Joseph Wharton Coal & Coke Company of Coral, Pa., of which he became assistant superintendent. He was

JACOB OLIVER DELANCEY, who is now living retired at his home in Plumville, In- diana Co., Pa., after a long and active career as a contractor and builder, was born in South Mahoning township, this county, March 14, 1834, son of Jacob F. and Susan (Knepper) DeLancey. The name is of French origin, and the family in America was established in Bedford county.

John DeLancey, the paternal grandfather of Jacob Oliver DeLancey, was a farmer of Bedford county, Pa., and there spent his en- tire life.

Jacob F. DeLancey, son of John DeLan- cey, and father of Jacob Oliver DeLancey, was with that concern until he bought out his born in Bedford county in 1801, and about father in 1906, and during his service with them, and under his supervision, the company expended nearly one million dollars in im- provements and building up the property. He resigned when his father retired and pur- chased the general mercantile business the latter had established, as well as the under- taking business. Mr. Flickinger has thor- oughly qualified himself to conduct the lat- ter branch, having taken a special course in embalming, and he has been notably success- ful, being the leading undertaker in Indi- ana county outside of the borough of Indi- ana. He is a man of enterprise and wide- awake ideas, is noted for his genial disposi- tion and friendly manners, as well as his busi- ness-like methods, and he has done well in the mercantile line, increasing his trade steadily. He is a director in the Homer City National Bank, and has served one term as burgess of the borough. Mr. Flickinger is independent in political matters, though a Republican in principle and a stanch admirer of Roosevelt and his policies. He is well and favorably Enown in local fraternal circles, belonging to the Masons, the Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World and Knights of the Golden Eagle. He is a member of the Homer City M. E. Church and has served as one of its trustees for twenty years. In 1891 Mr. Flickinger mar- ried Lottie Sickenberger, daughter of Henry Sickenberger, of Homer City, and they have 1832 migrated to Indiana county, settling on a tract of 110 acres in South Mahoning township, which at that time was a wilder- ness. s. Here he erected a pioneer cabin, con- structed of hewed logs, later built primitive barns, and set to work to clear and develop his land. A man of industry, enterprise and per- severance, as the years went by he succeeded in making his land productive, gradually adding improvements from time to time, until at the time of his death, in 1865, when he was sixty-four years of age, he was counted one of the substantial agriculturists of his community. He was laid to rest in the Bap- tist Church cemetery at Mahoning. In poli- tics he was originally a Whig and later a Re- publican, but never sought or cared for pub- lic office. Mr. DeLancey was married to Su- san Knepper, who was born in 1802, in Cam- bria county, Pa., daughter of Godfrey Knep- per, and she died on the farm of her son Jacob O., in 1882, and was buried beside her hus- band. They had the following children : Sarah Ann, who died young; Mary Ann, who married Anthony Gallagher, both now de- ceased; Lavina, who married Phineas Run- yon, of Plumville; Jacob Oliver; John, of At- wood, Armstrong county; William S., who died in young manhood; Daniel J., who en- listed in Company F, 63d Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry, during the Civil war, was captured by the Confederates, after one year three children, Lisle Stanley, Harry Carlton and two months' service, and died at Salisbury and Virginia. Mrs. Flickinger is a member prison, of starvation; and George, who re- of the M. E. Church, and for a number of sides at Blairsville, Pennsylvania. years served as organist. She is fond of mu- Jacob Oliver DeLancey was educated in the

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

public schools of South Mahoning township, is engaged at the carpenter's trade at Pitts- also spending one term in Glade Run acad- burg; John C., a farmer in Armstrong emy, and continued to reside on the home county; Carrie B., secretary and manager of farm until he was twenty years of age. At the school furniture firm known as the Pea- that time he learned the trade of carpenter body Supply Company; Luella, who married John N. Lewis, a contractor of Smicksburg, Pa .; Minnie Ella, who married Clover Pierce, with the B. & S. Coal Company ; William F., ·a butcher, of Pittsburg; and Daniel C., man- ager of the Electrical Supply Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio. with John Moore, of Indiana, following which he worked for two years as a journeyman and then took up contract work, with his home in Plumcreek township, county. During the eight years that followed he erected numerous structures in that county, including dwellings and schoolhouses, and the German Reformed and United Presbyterian eburch edifices, and also operated with gratify- ing success a farm of 106 acres. In 1874 he returned to South Mahoning township and continued contracting and building until 1910, in which year he retired from business activity. He has made his home in Plumville since 1905, and has a nice residence there.

In 1864 Mr. DeLancey enlisted in Company M, 5th Heavy Artillery, under Colonel Gallup, of Pittsburg, and Capt. John E. Alword, of Kittanning, and served with that organiza- tion until the close of the war, seeing active service in Virginia and Maryland, and par- ticipating in the defense of Washington, D. C. His record as a soldier shows him to have been faithful, brave and gallant, at all times ready to discharge fully the duties intrusted to him. He has ever been a stanch Republican, and while a resident of Armstrong county served in 1870, 1871 and 1872 as county audi- tor, being the only county officer elected on the Republican ticket. He has served as a member of the board of school directors, and was a prominent factor in the organization of the borough of Plumville, and in all of his public service has demonstrated his fitness for office by the conscientious regard he has had

JAMES DIXON, the "grand old man" of Blacklick township, is the oldest living citizen of that township, where his entire life of over ninety years has been spent. He has lived at his present home for sixty-eight years. He is a native of the township, born June 25, 1822, and is a notable representative of one of the oldest and most prominent families of south- ern Indiana county. The Dixons are of Scotch-Irish extraction.

The first of the family to settle in Indiana county were Joseph and Samuel Dixon, sup- posedly brothers, who came from the Cumber- land valley in Pennsylvania, and located in Blacklick township, then a part of Westmore- land county. Their tract of land adjoined General Campbell's. Both participated in the Indian wars. Joseph Dixon was obliged to retreat from his land to Wallace's fort, and purchased or took up land adjoining the fort, where the rest of his life was spent, and where most of his children were born. They were: John, said to be the first white child born north of Blacklick, Pa., who married Elizabeth McQuiston, and died in 1843; Re- becca, who married Israel Grey; Nancy, who married Joseph Colbertson ; and Joseph.

Joseph Dixon, son of Joseph, is supposed to for his duties. For many years he has been have been born at or near Wallace's fort, in superintendent of the Baptist Sunday school, is a member of the building committee of the church, and has held all the offices in the In- diana Baptist Association, of which he is a prominent member.

October, 1781. In 1804 he came to Blacklick township, and settled on the land which his father owned. He had a tract of 300 acres, which he improved and cultivated, and later added 200 acres to the homestead, becoming one of the largest land owners of his day, and was a well-known and respected citizen of that section. The remainder of his life was spent on his farm, where he died Feb. 24, 1853, aged seventy-one years, four months, ten days, and he was laid to rest in Hopewell cemetery. He was a Whig in politics. His first mar- riage was to Margaret Caldwell, his second to Mary Dixon, daughter of Samuel and Nancy

On March 19, 1863, Mr. DeLancey was mar- ried to Sarah M. Morehead, who was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., daughter of Wil- liam Morehead, and to this union there have been born nine children, as follows: Preston F., educated in the public schools, Glade Run Academy, Reidsburg Academy and Lewisburg Theological Seminary, and now a minister of the Baptist Church, stationed at Meadville, Pa .; Clara B., who married James Franklin (Dixon) Dixon. Nancy, wife of Samuel Marshall, and resides on the old homestead in Dixon, was the second white woman to land South Mahoning township; Addison R., who on the west bank of Blacklick creek. The

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

children born to Joseph Dixon were: Jane changes in that region, most of them for the married George Dickie, of White and Center betterment of social conditions, and during his long life has witnessed remarkable prog- ress in every line of human endeavor as well as in agricultural work, where his chief in- terest lay. townships; Nancy married Daniel Smith, of Center township; Samuel married Ellen Shields and (second) Mary McGuire; Joseph married Margaret Campbell and died in Bur- rell township; John died on the homestead; James (born to the second marriage) is men- tioned below. Mrs. Mary Dixon died June 24, 1860, aged seventy-two years, and was laid to rest in Hopewell cemetery. She was a member of Hopewell M. E. Church.

James Dixon spent his boyhood days on the homestead. He attended the little log school- house located in Dixon district, and contin- ued to make his home on the homestead with his parents until he came of age. Then he started to make his own way. He worked on a near-by farm for one year, and in 1844 lo- cated at his present place, a tract of 212 acres, where he has made his home for the last sixty-eight years. During the greater part of that period he has given most of his time to agricultural pursuits, cultivating and improving his homestead, to which he has added other land. For the last twenty years he has lived retired from active labor. Now in his declining days he is tenderly cared for by his daughters. Although past fourscore and ten years he is still active in mind and body, retaining all his faculties except his hearing, and takes a deep interest in all the doings of the day as well as his own business affairs. He is a man of strong convictions, and possesses an indomitable will, and when he considers himself in the right will fight to the end against any obstacles. He is imbued with the spirit of the strong Scotch-Irish race which has been such a potent factor for good in the development of this country and her institutions. In politics he was originally a throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Democrat, casting his first Presidential vote for James K. Polk, and he has never missed a Presidential election since. Since the days of Lincoln he has supported the Republi- can candidates down to and including Wil- liam H. Taft. The only public office he ever held was that of township assessor. Mr. Dixon has been a lifelong member of Blackliek M. E. Church, and was one of the organizers of the first church of that denomination, in the town of Blacklick, being now the last survivor of that zealous company. He served the church as member of the building committee, Sunday school teacher, and later superintend- ent of the Sunday school. No resident of Blackliek township is more highly respected than Mr. Dixon. He has lived to sce many

In 1843 Mr. Dixon married Mary Earhart, who was born Oct. 27, 1823, in Blacklick township, daughter of William and Mary C. (Keener) Earhart, and died Nov. 1, 1899, after a married life of about fifty-five years. She was interred in Blairsville cemetery. Mrs. Dixon was a member of Hopewell M. E. Church and a true Christian in all the rela- tions of life, noted for her goodness and charity. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dixon: Mary Catherine married John Lewis, of Jacksonville, Pa .; Nancy died in infancy; Elizabeth died in infancy; Clara died in infancy; Annie E. resides at home with her father; William E. is engaged in the meat business at Cokeville, Pa .; Isaac Newton resides at Latrobe, Pa., where he holds the office of county poor director; Joseph Harry died after reaching maturity; Samuel Ed- ward died after reaching manhood; Charles resides with his father; Hettie L., now at home, was married and had two children, Hazel, who died when four years old, and Charles, who is now studying at the State normal school at Indiana, Pa .; Emma died when young. .

REV. GEORGE HILL, D. D., deceased. In the death of Rev. Dr. Hill Blairsville lost a most beloved citizen. There for sixty years or more he had made his home, during that period being minister of the Presbyterian Church, and he was the founder of the Blairsville Female Seminary, an institution well known

Dr. Hill was a native of Pennsylvania, born in the Ligonier valley, in Westmoreland county, Sept. 18, 1815. His grandfather, Rev. George Hill, was a native of York county, Pa., born March 13, 1764, and at the close of the Revolutionary war the family moved from their home in York county to locate in Fayette county, Pa., where Rev. George Hill entered upon the duties of his first pastorate. He was educated at Princeton, and was licensed to preach Dec. 22, 1791. The following year he was installed as pastor of Fairfield, Done- gal and Wheatfield Congregations, which he continued to serve for a period of six years. On April 11, 1798, he resigned the charge at Wheatfield and accepted the call to Ligonier, where he administered to the spiritual wants

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of his people for upward of a quarter of a Synod of Pittsburg. In 1851 Dr. Hill century .. He died there June 9, 1822, and was buried in Fairfield cemetery. He was a man well known, and respected for his many virtues. His wife, Elizabeth McClelland, was a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. founded Blairsville Female Seminary, which for the last sixty years has done excellent serv- ice in the cause of Christian education. Dr. Hill was a man of broad intellect, progres- sive, a forceful preacher of the gospel, a true Christian in every sense of the word. He

John Hill, son of Rev. George and Eliza- beth (McClelland) Hill, was born March 20, died at his home in Blairsville Aug. 2, 1895. 1790, in Fayette county. He made his home Dr. Hill was twice married. On Sept. 21, 1841, he married Harriet Lewis, daughter of Rev. David Lewis, pastor of Ebenezer Presby- terian Church, and she died Nov. 3, 1852, the mother of four children, namely: Harriet; Sarah, who married I. W. Mitchell; and two in Westmoreland, where he became a leading citizen, serving the county well as representa- tive in both branches of the State Legisla- ture, having served as member of the State Senate for several terms as well as in the lower honse. During the war of 1812 he commanded who died young. Dr. Hill married for his a company of troops under Gen. William H. second wife, on March 23, 1854, Abigail Hawes, of Boston, Mass., and to this union three children were born: Abigail Grace, who is a minister of the Presbyterian Church at Beechwood; and Helen, wife of Frank B. Andre. Harrison. He was a stanch Democrat, and a firm believer in the doctrines of his party. He died at Fairfield, in Westmoreland county, who married Rev. A. C. Brown; George H., Aug. 22, 1856, and is buried in Fairfield ceme- tery. Mr. Hill was a member of the Presby- terian Church. He married in Derry town- ship, Westmoreland county, Jane Moorhead, a native of Derry township, born June 30, 1795, who died Dec. 18, 1854, and was buried in Fairfield cemetery. She was an intelligent woman and a devoted mother.

Dr. IIill was a stanch advocate of temper- ance and voted the Prohibition ticket for many years, and was a strong supporter of the cause. Mrs. Hill, who is still living, is noted for her many acts of charity and Chris- tian virtues.

Rev. Dr. George Hill, son of Hon. John and Jane (Moorhead) Hill, began his education in the schools of his native county, and later grad- PETER FRECH, ex-county commissioner of Indiana county, and a retired farmer of Georgeville, was born on the Rhine, in Prus- sia, Germany, Nov. 24, 1842, son of Peter Frech. uated from Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pa., in the class of 1837. He then took up the study of theology in the Western Theological Seminary, Allegheny, graduating in 1840. He was invited to preach at Blairsville and Peter Frech, the father, was born on the Salem, and accepting in 1841 was ordained Rhine, in Prussia, Dec. 25, 1810, and there and installed by the Presbytery of Blairs- married Anna Mary Jacoby. A wheelwright by trade, he followed that calling, but as his family increased he felt that there were not enough opportunities in his native land, so left Germany in 1847 and came to America, making the voyage in a sailing vessel. Owing to the fact that this was an old ship, an acci- dent the first day compelled the captain to return to land for repairs, so that the journey consumed five weeks. Eventnally the little ville as co-pastor with Rev. Thomas Davis, who died May 28, 1848. In October of the latter year Dr. Hill was released from Salem to give all his time and attention to the church at Blairsville, to which he devoted himself for a period of fifty-four years. Then, in 1882, Rev. J. W. Criswell was called as co-pastor. On June 8-11, 1890, the church celebrated the semi-centennial of the pastorate of Rev. Dr. Hill, the celebration continuing for three days. party landed at Philadelphia, Pa., in July, During the time that Dr. Hill was pastor of 1847, and proceeded to Indiana county, Pa., where the Frechs had a relative. She lived in Rayne township, not far from Dixonville. They located on 126 acres of land, which they bought for $300, and built a log cabin. The property was in the midst of heavy timber, and it was hard work to clear off the land, so in 1855 this farm was sold, and another 135 acres. On this place the father built a the church npward of twelve hundred mem- bers were received. In recognition of his faithful services in the ministry Washington and Jefferson College in 1869 conferred apon him the degree of D. D. In 1883 he was elected president of the board of directors of the Western Theological Seminary, which he had served as director from 1847, and he was was purchased near Kelleysburg, containing elected first vice president in 1870. In 1861 he was elected moderator of the Presbyterian frame house and substantial barn and made

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

other improvements, so as to bring his prop- record of having acquitted himself bravely erty into a good state. He died upon the farm and gallantly. of his daughter, Mrs. Stormer, Oct. 1, 1882, aged nearly seventy-two years, and is buried in Grove Chapel cemetery. He was a con- sistent member of the Lutheran Church, of which he was deacon and elder. His wife died in April, 1882, and is buried by his side ; she also was a Lutheran. Mr. Frech was a Lincoln Republican, but later became a Demo- crat. He was a man who always commanded universal respect. The children horn to him and his wife were: Catherine, widow of Charles Stormer, now residing in Indiana, Pa .; Peter ; George, who lives on the old home- stead in Rayne township; Mary Elizabeth, widow of John Lemp; and John, who is a farmer of Rayne township.

Peter Frech was only four and a half years old at the time of the family immigration, and could not speak English when they settled in Rayne township. He had to walk three miles to get to school, but in spite of his disadvan- In addition to his farming interests, Mr. Frech has been quite prominent as a breeder tages learned English and at the same time mnade himself useful on the farm, remaining of fine horses, having owned the trotting mare at home until he was twenty-four years old. Bell Onward, and now owns Onward Higgi- son, which he raised. At that time he settled on ninety-two acres in Rayne township, fifteen acres of which were improved. After four years of hard work upon this property he sold it at a profit, and then went to North Mahoning township, one mile east of Georgeville, and bought 200 acres known as the John Knight farm. With the possession of this farm came his opportunity to develop into a successful agriculturist, and

he made good use of it, improving his prop- erty in every way, until he had one of the best farms in his township. He continued to oper- ate this land until 1899, when he sold sixty acres, now owning 140 acres, and moved to Georgeville; he oversees the farming of his land, his son being in charge.

During the Civil war Mr. Frech gave prac- tical demonstration of his feeling for his adopted country by enlisting in August, 1862, in Company I, 135th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. J. A. Kinter and Col. James R. Porter. He served nine months, and was honorably discharged at the close of his enlistment, in June, 1863. Still feeling that he ought to give further service, he re- enlisted in March, 1865, in Company F, 74th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. John Kinter and Colonel Holorger. Promoted to second sergeant, he continued to serve as such, and was discharged Aug. 27, 1865, at Clarksburg, W. Va., where he had been sta- tioned, once more returning home with the

In 1899 Mr. Frech was elected county com- missioner, the other members of the board be- ing James K. Dick and Thomas P. Stevens, and served for one term of three years, dur- ing which period several bridges were built and extensive improvements made on the courthouse. He is a Democrat, and was school director for ten years in North Mahoning, and for two and a half years held the same office in the independent district of Georgeville. He has also been on the election board as in- spector, and has been collector of taxes, in every way proving himself efficient and public- spirited, a man of force of character and strength of purpose. The Lutheran Church of Trade City holds his membership, and he has served it as elder for many years, being very active in the good work of his denomina- tion. The G. A. R. post of Punxsutawney has in him an enthusiastic member.

On May 2, 1867, Mr. Frech was married to Rebecca Kimple, of Rayne township, a daugh- ter of John and Mary (Sigler) Kimple, old settlers of Indiana county, and people of prominence in their day. She died Jan. 11, 1913, and is buried at Gilgal Church. Mrs. Frech was also a member of the Lutheran Church, seconding her husband's efforts in the advancement of its interests. Mr. and Mrs. Frech had children as follows: Mary Lavina, who married C. M. Wortman, pro- prietor of the "Clawson House," of Indiana, Pa .; twins, a son and a daughter, who died in infancy; George, who is at home; and Annie A., who married Fred Jamison, of Washing- ton, Pa., and has a daughter, Mary Jane.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 4

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