Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 40

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 40

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

received his education in the public schools they might erect homes and raise their of said township, and under private tutors. families away from the degrading influences of the pit mouth. He was rewarded by having the settlement named Nowrytown to perpet- uate his memory. At the age of eighteen he taught his first school, in a primitive schoolhouse located near the election house at the junction of Scrub- grass run and Blacklegs creek, after which Samuel H. Nowry died June 6, 1887, and is interred in Edgewood cemetery at Saltsburg, 4, 1897, and is interred beside her husband. school term he remained at home with his father for a period of three years, Pennsylvania. His wife, Elizabeth, died April , helping to prepare the brick and erect the present brick homestead, now known as the old Nowry homestead, on the State road. All the while he was studying for his much loved vocation, that of a teacher in the public school. He began teaching again at the age of twenty-two, and taught twenty years with- out intermission. In the meantime he had saved enough money from his scanty wages as a teacher to purchase the farm in Cone- maugh township on which Nowrytown is now located. He then retired from his chosen pro- fession and took up farm life in addition to participating in local politics, being a stanch Democrat. He was a township officer almost continuously for ten years. Being a firm be- liever in the axiom that "the only sure invest- ment on earth is in earth," he purchased two. additional farms in Conemaugh township, the one known as the Walkinshaw farm and later part of the D. S. Gailey homestead, the other known as the Lyons farm, now owned by Wil- liam Schmidt. Having now arrived at the age of fifty, and believing he had the wherewithal to furnish a home and rear a family, he hied himself to an adjoining county and formed an alliance with a daughter of a pioneer set- tler of Armstrong county, William Crawford. of near Olivet. Samuel H. Nowry and Eliza- beth Crawford were married by Rev. Alex- ander Donnelson, March 26, 1862, and went to housekeeping on the farm on which Nowry- town is located. There were three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Nowry, one son and two daughters: Albert and Martha B., twins, born May 18. 1864, and Rebecca M., born June 8, 1866. Albert Nowry, son of Samuel, still resides on a part of the old homestead, and has a family of seven children. Martha B., married to John N. Arnold, is chronicled with the Arnold family ; Rebecca M. married John C. Lahl, of Lorain, Ohio, and has no children.

ROBERT HAZARD CUNNINGHAM, jus- tice of the peace, and a farmer and business man of Armstrong township, Indiana county, was born in that township Oct. 8, 1851. He is a son of John Cunningham and grandson of Robert Cunningham, who came to this coun- try from Scotland and settled in Young town- ship, Indiana Co., Pa. He became a large land owner and was extensively engaged in stock raising. He and his wife Jane (Hop- kins) are buried in the cemetery at Jackson- ville. Their children were: Hugh, a farmer, . who married Martha Hart; John; William. who was never married; Robert, a tanner and farmer, who married Eliza Hart; Ann, wife of John Gilmore; Margaret, wife of William Gamble; Jane, who married John Lucas, a carpenter, of Blacklick, this county ; and Re- becca, who married Milton Neal.

John Cunningham, son of Robert, was born in 1820 in Scotland, Indiana county, Pa., and passed his early life in Young township, at- tending the log schoolhouse in the neighbor- hood. He learned the trade of carpenter, and was especially in demand as a barn builder, in which line he became very skillful. He helped to build the locks on the old Pennsylvania canal. Moving to Armstrong township in 1850 he built a dwelling and tannery (on the farm where his son Robert now lives) and was an energetic business man up to his death. cultivating his farm of 200 acres and follow- ing tanning, shipping leather to Philadelphia. He also owned a coal bank which he operated. and was an all-round enterprising and pro- gressive man. He served his township in the offices of school director, supervisor and as- sessor, and was an elder and trustee of the United Presbyterian Church, of which he was long a devoted member. Politically he was a Republican. His death occurred in 1888. Mr. Cunningham married Rebecca Beatty, daugh- ter of Robert and Nancy (Boreland) Beatty. and (second) Sarah Lucas, who now makes her home with his son William. Mr. Cunningham was the father of children as follows, all born to the first marriage: Robert Hazard; Eliza-

In the year Foster coal mines first opened when people were coming over from England to engage in the mining industry, they being of the best class of Christian people and want- ing to buy land and erect new homes, Mr. Nowry as a public-spirited man volunteered to sell fifty acres of his farm in lots to them, that beth, born Sept. 26, 1855, wife of Albert Wig-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

gins; William, born Dec. 19, 1853, unmarried, to build the West End hotel barn at In- who is a farmer and owner of coal land in Armstrong township; and Harriet, who died when three years old.

Robert Hazard Cunningham grew to man- hood on the home farm and at an early age began to assist his father at tanning, and from 1868 carried on the tanning business himself. For a number of years the tanning he did was for himself, but he shipped leather to Phila- delphia. The hides tanned were mostly coun- try hides. He continued to engage in that line until 1907, since when he has cultivated the ninety-acre farm in Armstrong township where he now resides, carrying on general farming and stock raising. His home has all along been on this same farm, which is part of the old home place. Mr. Cunningham has been honored by his fellow citizens with elec- tion to local office, having been school director eight years, and at present serving as justice of the peace, which office he has held for the last twelve years. He is member of the United Presbyterian Church, and at present is clerk of the session of the United Presbyterian Church of Shelocta, Pennsylvania.

On June 30, 1875, Mr. Cunningham was united in marriage with Julia Henderson, who was born Dec. 4, 1850, near Eldersridge, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Anthony) Henderson, of Whiskey Run, Indiana county, Pa. About the age of nine years Mrs. Cun- ningham moved with her parents to a farm near Shelocta; she attended select school at Shelocta and Parkwood. She is the mother of four children : Margaret E., born May 2, 1876, now engaged in teaching in Armstrong township; Wilber, born Aug. 18, 1877, who graduated from the Indiana State normal school in 1902 and taught in the public schools of Indiana and Westmoreland counties, now a plumber of Leechburg, Pa. (he married June 18, 1907, Maud Pennman) ; Samuel Roy; and Sarah, born June 18. 1885, who lives at home.

S. ROY CUNNINGHAM was born May 8, 1881, on the farm where his father now re- sides. After going to the public schools of his own township he entered the Indiana State normal school in 1900, and attended for five terms, taking the college preparatory course, and completing the business course in 1904. While working on his father's farm he learned the tanning and harnessmaking trade. In 1904 he left the farm and for five months worked in the steel mills at Vandergrift, Pa. Before going to Vandergrift he learned the carpenter's trade at Ernest, Pa., when the coal town was first started. He helped

diana, Charles Mohan's store building, and the Elkin hotel at Clarksburg, Pa. In Feb- ruary, 1906, he was employed by Fred Her- linger to do carpenter work at Josephine, In- diana county. After working there three months he was with the Indiana Lumber & Supply Company until Aug. 16, 1910, when he entered the employ of J. G. MeCrory, to superintend the building on his land in Brush- valley township, Indiana county. At the present writing Mr. Cunningham is superin - tending the erection of two concrete store buildings which Mr. McCrory has under con- struction in Florida.

Mr. Cunningham married, Oct. 7, 1908, Katharyn Miller, daughter of M. B. and Rachel (Mangus) Miller, of Armstrong town- ship, Indiana county. They lived on South Tenth street, Indiana, where his wife died Dec. 1, 1909. He is a man of sterling qual- ities, and a member of the United Presby- terian Church. He is an expert in his line of work and has always merited the confidence of those who employed him.

REV. CHARLES L. TREFNY, pastor of St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church at Starford, and of three other churches in that section of Indiana county, came to his present charge from Pittsburg. He was born July 2, 1880, in St. Louis, Mo., son of Charles W. and Frances S. (Zika) Trefny, and his grandpar- ents on both sides came to the United States from Bohemia, of which country they were natives.

Charles W. Trefny was born in the State of Illinois, and when a boy moved to St. Louis, where he has since made his home. He is now engaged in business there. His wife is a native of Pittsburg, Pa. They have had two children, Charles L. and Louis, the latter deceased.

Charles L. Trefny began his education in the parochial schools of St. Louis, afterward attending the St. Louis University. He then became a student at St. Francis Seminary, at St. Francis, Wis., preparing for the priest- hood, and finished the philosophical course there, after which he went to Rome, in 1902. He completed his course in the American col- lege there in 1905, was ordained at Rome, and returning to America was appointed the same year to a charge in the southern part of Arkansas which he served for four years, look- ing after thirty-six missions, in which twenty- six nationalities were represented. He is well fitted to meet the difficulties of such a posi-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

tion, having the linguistic gifts often found children, as follows: Elmira, who married among those of his race. Besides English he Alexander Lyons; James, deceased ; Margaret J., who is deceased ; Marshall M .; Ida, who is deceased; Minta, deceased; and Albert M. speaks fluently German, French, Spanish, Polish, Italian and the Slavic languages. From Arkansas Father Trefny was trans- ferred to a parish in New York City, where he remained one year, after which he was at Pittsburg for a short time before coming to Starford, where he resides. Besides the

Albert M. Barron, son of Peter Barron, be- gan his education in the Burrell township schools and later attended summer school at Armagh and Homer City. He was principal of the schools at Graceton, Blairsville Inter- church at that place he administers to the section and Josephine, and also worked on the parish of the Sacred Heart at Dixonville, St. homestead farm (part, of which he now owns) John the Baptist parish at Heilwood and St. 'until after the death of his father. He has Anthony parish at Clymer, Pa. His labors taught fourteen terms of school (ten in his home township), besides several summer ses- sions. He is one of the substantial citizens of his community. are diversified and arduous, but he has at- tended faithfully to the many demands made upon him and has maintained the various churches under his care in creditable condi- tion. His devotion to his work and unselfish interest in all that concerns the welfare of his parishioners have won him the unlimited regard of all classes in this part of the county, regardless of creed.

In 1894 Mr. Barron was married to Char- lotte ("Lottie") Hildebrand, daughter of Frank Hildebrand, of Burrell township, and they have had eight children, as follows: Elsie, Albert Roy, Arthur H., Margaret V .. Charlotte May, Mary Frances, Eugene H. (deceased) and Virgil.

Mr. Barron has been school director of Bur-

ALBERT M. BARRON was born near Jacksonville, Indiana Co., Pa., in 1870, and is rell township for two years. He was a sup- a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Hendrickson) Barron. porter of the principles of the People's party a number of years, and is now a Socialist, The Barrons are descendants of a German family of which three brothers settled in this country-one near Philadelphia, one in North Carolina and the other in Somerset county, Pa. The posterity of the last are numerous in Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria, Fayette and Indiana counties. having been one of the first advocates of Socialism in the county, and was elected school director on the ticket of that party; he has since received the nomination for register and recorder. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Barron is liberal in his church views, progressive in his ideas, and a representative type of his community's most enterprising citizenship.

Nicholas Barron, paternal grandfather of Albert M., was a prominent farmer of Somer- set county, Pa., for some years, later came to Center township, Indiana county, and died at the home of his son, Peter Barron.

Peter Barron, son of Nicholas, and father of Albert M. Barron, was born in Somerset county, Pa., whence he removed to Indiana county with his parents. For a time he re- sided at Jacksonville, but later purchased a farm of 207 acres in Burrell township, and to this new home removed with his family in 1873. He erected buildings on this property. made numerous other improvements. and spent the remainder of his life in cultivating the soil, dying in 1897, at the age of seventy- two years. He was buried in the Lutheran cemetery at Coral. Originally he was a Demo- erat in polities and a firm believer in the principles of the party until 1859, when he espoused the eause of the Republican party.

WILLIAM BLAIR LYTLE, farmer and dairyman of Conemaugh township, a part of whose property was formerly included in the old Lytle homestead, was born in Conemaugh township, Indiana Co., Pa., July 15, 1870, son of Alexander and Louisa Caroline (Blair) Lytle.

Alexander Lytle was the great-grandfather of William Blair Lytle.

William Lytle, son of Alexander Lytle, was born in 1802 in Conemaugh township, and died June 26, 1869, at the age of sixty-six years, eight months, thirteen days. He at- tended the primitive subscription schools of his day and locality, and on attaining his ma- jority built a gristmill on Lytle's run, and was also a butcher for many years, being thus engaged at the time of his death. An active member of the United Presbyterian Church of Conemaugh, he was a trustee of the congrega-

In 1854 Mr. Barron married Elizabetlı Hendrickson, of Center township, a daughter of Philip Hendrickson, and they had seven tion for many years, and a member of the

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

building committee when the first church was ship. The barn that now stands there is in erected. Mr. Lytle was a Whig and later a first-class shape, although it was first erected Republican, and became a prominent man of in 1839 by Mr. Lytle's grandfather, but since his day, serving efficiently and faithfully as that time additions have been made to it. The original Lytle home, built by the grandfather, was of logs, but was destroyed by fire in 1845 and was replaced by a large brick residence, United States revenue collector, tax collector, assessor and school director, and to the end of his life as a member of the election board. He acquired large tracts of land and at the now occupied by Mr. Lytle, his mother and time of his death was the owner of several his sister, the bricks for this structure having been made on the homestead. In addition to taking care of his farming interests Mr. Lytle has been employed during the last six years by the West Penn Powder Company, in team- ing its product to the different mines in this section. valuable farms in Conemaugh township. By his first wife, Mattie (Sloan), he had five children : Elizabeth, who married Smith Templeton; Martha; Mary J., who married Samuel Ritchie ; Sarah F., and one other. Mr. Lytle's second marriage was to Sarah Collom, and they had a family of eight children, among them Alexander. Of the others Sarah, residing at Conemaugh, married Robert Mil- lard, deceased; Caroline Margaret, the widow of James Gilkerson, is conducting a large farm in Conemaugh township ; Maria, Mrs. Staples, now resides in South Bend, Ind .; William F. lives in Young township, Indiana county.

Alexander Lytle, son of William Lytle, and father of William Blair Lytle, was born in 1837, on the Lytle homestead in Conemaugh township, attended the common schools and followed farming with his parents. Dur- ing the Civil war he enlisted in Company G, 206th Regiment, P. V. I., with which organiza- tion he served one year, and received his hon- orable discharge at Richmond, Va. Return- ing to his home, he again took up the peaceful occupation of farming, and the rest of his life was spent in cultivating his 120-acre farm, where his death occurred June 16, 1892. He was a stalwart Republican, and a faithful member of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lytle married Louisa Caroline Blair, daughter of William and Annie (Patterson) Blair, of Westmoreland county, Pa., and to this union were born two children, Annie and William B. Mrs. Lytle and her children still reside on the old homestead place.

William Blair Lytle, son of Alexander Lytle, received his educational training in the public schools of Conemaugh township, and worked with his parents until he took charge of the farm of 120 acres, eighty-six acres of which belonged to the original homestead of the Lytles. Mr. Lytle is an enterprising and progressive farmer, carrying on farming, stock raising and dairying and shipping a large amount of milk to Pittsburg. In 1903 he erected a large silo for his cattle, and he has also made numerous other improvements which make this property one of the most valuable of its size to be found in the town-

Mr. Lytle is a member of the United Pres- byterian Church, which his mother and sister also attend. In political matters he is a Re- publican, and has served his township effi- ciently in the capacity of school director. Al- ways ready to support any movement of a progressive nature, he is known as one of his section's best citizens, and has the unqualified esteem and respect of his fellow men.

EPHRAIM WALLACE, farmer of West Wheatfield township, now residing on his father's old farm, is a descendant of an old and respected family of that part of Indiana county which has been settled there for sev- eral generations.

Robert Wallace, great-great-grandfather of Ephraim Wallace, was born in County An- trim, Ireland, early in the eighteenth century, and died at Ballymena, in that county, in De- cember, 1772. He was married twice and by his first wife he had an only son, named Ephraim, born in 1747, who married Janet Mccullough ; by his second wife he had four sons, viz .: John, born in 1750, married Mary Alexander; James, born in 1752, married Elizabeth McDonald; Samuel, born in 1755, married Mary Barton; Robert, born in 1759, married Sarah Barclay.

Ephraim Wallace, son of Robert, was born in County Antrim in 1747, and came to this country about 1768. He bought a large tract of land along the Conemaugh river, in what is now Indiana county, Pa. About 1774 he married Janet McCollough, or Mccullough, who was born in Ireland in 1744, and of this union six children were born, namely : Robert, born in December, 1775, married but left no children; John, born Feb. 9, 1778, married Anne Clark; Sarah, born April 15, 1782, mar- ried Joseph MeKelvey; Anne, twin of Sarah, married Samuel MeKelvey; Samuel, born Oct. 3, 1784, married Jane McKelvey ; Mar-

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IIISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

garet, born May 15, 1787, married William and died Sept. 3, 1903, his wife dying May 3. MeKelvey. 1903. He resided on a part of his father's farm,

Samuel Wallace (son of Ephraim and now owned by his brother Ephraim. He

grandson of Robert) was born Oct. 3, 1784, in West Wheatfield township, Indiana Co., Pa., and died Jan. 24, 1860. He conducted a large farm inherited from his father, the prop- erties now owned by Robert and John Liggett, and was one of the prominent and prosperous citizens of his day. Although influential in all local affairs he never sought or held office, but he was active in the interests of the Bethel U. P. Church, of which he was one of the founders and liberal supporters. He married Jane MeKelvey, who died Oct. 30, 1882, and they are buried in Bethel cemetery in West Wheatfield township. Mrs. Wallace, like her husband, was a member of the United Presby- terian Church. They had a family of five children, as follows: Mary, born Feb. 17, 1808, married William Liggett and had thir- teen children; Ephraim, born Sept. 3. 1809, married Anne Graham; James, born Jan. 29, 1811, married Ruth Graham, and resided in Iowa; Jane, born Aug. 15, 1818, married James Crawford; Margaret, born Sept. 1, 1817, died March 15, 1900.

Ephraim Wallace (eldest son of Samuel, Ephraim, Robert) was born Sept. 3, 1809, on the homestead in West Wheatfield township, in a log house built by his father. He attended the log schoolhouse in that district, and grew to manhood on the home place, working with his parents in its improvement and cultivation. On Aug. 22, 1833, he married Annie Graham, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Graham, of West Wheatfield township, where they were born. He bought a tract of land from Daniel Stannard containing over three hundred acres, which he cultivated all the rest of his life. He was particularly successful with stock, raising some very fine horses. He took an interest in the advancement of the locality, serving many years as a member of the board of school directors, and was a prominent mem- ber of the United Presbyterian Church, serv- ing as trustee and Sabbath school teacher. He was a man honored hy all who knew him. Mrs. Wallace died April 15, 1864, at the age of fifty years ; she was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and was buried in Bethel cemetery, West Wheatfield township. Mr. Wallace passed away March 16, 1889, at

served nine months during the Civil war in Company C, 6th Pennsylvania Heavy Artil- lery. (4) Ephraim, born June 28, 1841, mar- ried Ellen S. Graham. (5) Hannah Jane, born Dec. 30, 1843, died Sept. 30, 1856. (6) James, born Aug. 10, 1847, married Laura Clark, and they resided on a farm near Blacklick which was given him by his father, but sold their farm later and moved to Johnstown. Mr. Wallace died Oct. 3, 1907. Their children were: Anna (married Edward McCormick), Bertha (married Alvin Davis, and died Sept. 11, 1909), James (married Gertrude Briney ). Samuel (died Oct. 1, 1910), Leola (married Charles Myers), Clark (died in October, 1903), Ephraim, Joanna and John, the three last named and Mrs. Wallace now residing at Long Beach, California.

Ephraim Wallace (son of Ephraim, Sam- nel, Ephraim, Robert) was born June 28, 1841, on his father's farm in West Wheatfield township, and attended the Wallace school near his early home. He worked at home, help- ing his father, until he reached his majority, and after he commenced on his own account was employed at lumbering in the home town- ship, getting out railroad ties and doing other work of the same kind. On April 23, 1885, he married Ellen S. Graham, who was born March 18, 1854, daughter of George and Annie Graham, of West Wheatfield township. The same year he erected a house and barn on the southern part of the homestead farm, given to him by his father, about a half mile from his father's home, and there settled with his fam- ily. His children are as follows: Ephraim. born June 21, 1886, is now engaged in farm- ing at home; Joseph, born Nov. 20, 1887, died Aug. 17, 1888; Anna, born Nov. 22. 1889. who taught school for a time in West Wheat- field township, was married May 29, 1912. to Thomas Mabon, and resides on his farm, which joins her father's place; Paul, born May 31, 1892, is teaching school in West Wheatfield township; Samuel. born Nov. 19, 1894. is farming at home.

At the death of his brother Samuel. Mr. Wallace inherited the old homestead, giving him a tract of over 300 acres, which he now cultivates, carrying on general farming. and the age of seventy-nine. They had children besides raising cattle and sheep and doing a as follows : (1) Joseph G., born Feb. 15, 1835, large dairy business, shipping milk to Johns- died Sept. 30, 1871. (2) Jane, born Nov. 9. town, Pa. He is a man of progressive ideas 1836, died Feb. 12. 1838. (3) Samuel W., and energetic disposition, and his farm hears horn Dec. 11, 1838, married Eliza MeCune, every indication of thorough care and intelli-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

gent management. A rich coal vein runs was born in 1826 at Blairsville, Indiana under his land. Mr. Wallace has prospered county, daughter of Hon. William McClaran, in the various lines he has followed and is one a native of Indiana county, of Scotch-Irish of the substantial citizens of his township. He gives all his time to his own affairs, taking no part in public matters. In politics he as- sociates with the Republican party. He and his wife and children are all members of the United Presbyterian Church of New Florence, Mr. Wallace serving as trustee of same. Mr. Wallace now lives at the old homestead, rent- ing the house on the southern part of the prop- erty where he and his family formerly lived.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 40

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