Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 43

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 43

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Joseph Shields, second son of John, born Nov. 22, 1783, served in the war of 1812 on that memorable march of General Ferree from Pittsburg through Ohio to Fort Meigs, dur- ing the winter of 1812-13, when nearly half of the company perished from sickness caused On March 22, 1892, Mr. Shields married Sarah E. Cabeen, of Mercer county, Ill., who died May 10, 1893, leaving him a son, John Benton. On May 5, 1898, he married (sec- by malaria and exposure. He married Isa- bella Mcknight of the Indiana McKnight family, and died Aug. 2, 1823. Mrs. Shields died March 31, 1847. Their children were: ond) Ella V. Cabeen, his present wife, who Mary, wife of William Hanna; Eliza and Isa- is the mother of his only daughter, Sadie bell, twins, who died unmarried; Alexander, Marie.

who married Caroline Graff; John, father of Franklin O. Shields; Ellen, wife of Samuel Dixon; and Margaret, wife of Joseph Cum- mins.

DINSMORE DICK, one of Indiana coun- ty's progressive farmers, is a member of one of the oldest families of Wheatfield township. The founder of the family in Indiana county was James Dick, who was a native of County Antrim, Ireland. With his wife, who before children, Mr. Dick left his home in Ireland

John Shields, father of F. O. Shields, was born Aug. 20, 1819, and lived his whole life within Indiana county. After the death of his mother he owned and resided upon Spring her marriage was Mary Dinsmore, and several Farm, the present home of his son. He was an elder in the Bethel Presbyterian Church in the spring of 1811 and crossed the Atlantic for thirty-five years. He died March 22, 1896, in a sailing vessel. When in sight of New

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

York their vessel was captured by the Eng- City; Thompson is deceased ; John, an under- lish and taken to Halifax, N. S., three of the taker, resides in Huntingdon, Pa .; Albert sons, John, Robert and William, being pressed is a resident of Indiana; Dinsmore is men- tioned below; Robert Nelson is deceased ; Harriet married Joseph Alexander, of Black Lick; Sarah Jane married Robert Phillips, of Blairsville; Margaret resides at Homer City ; and Annie married William Kissinger and resides in Indiana.

into the naval service by the British. They were for six weeks on the "Guerriere" be- fore they were released, and in the spring of 1812 the family made their way to Indiana county, Pa., locating in what is now Center- ville, West Wheatfield township. Mr. Dick became interested in agricultural pursuits and the remainder of his life was spent in work on the farm. Here he and his wife passed away. Their children were: John. born in 1787, who married Sarah Griffith; Robert, born in 1789, who married Jane Laps- lay; William, who married Isabell Nelson; Thomas, who married Margaret Hice; Jane, who married William Moffatt and (second) John Southwell; James, who married Anna Graham and (second) Mary Stewart; Jeanett, who married Thomas Love; and Alexander B.

Alexander B. Diek, son of James and Mary (Dinsmore) Diek, was born in February, 1810, and was but an infant when his parents brought him to America. He grew to man- hood on the farm of his father, attending the schools which in those days were sup- ported by subscription and were open only a few months each year. In spite of these limited chances for an education, he became a well-read man and well informed on many subjects by elose reading, being of a studious On March 9, 1877, Mr. Dick married Mil- lisia Mack, daughter of George Mack, and to this union have been born the following chil- dren: George W., living at Latrobe, Pa .; Alexander, a school teacher for nine years, residing with his parents: and Myrtle, wife of Leo Fiola, a train dispatcher, of Duluth. Minnesota. mind and applying himself to his studies. He made farming his occupation, in 1850 mov- ing to Brushvalley township and locating south of Mechanicshurg. Here he farmed for several years, in 1876 buying what is now the Charles Hileman farm, where he spent the remainder of his life. His death occurred July 4, 1897, at the age of eighty-seven years. five months, and he was buried in the Me- chaniesburg cemetery. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, was elder Center, and ex-sheriff of Indiana county, was for twenty-seven years, superintendent of the, born in the county, in Rayne township, April Sunday school for some years, and served in 30. 1842, son of Samuel Lewis.

township offiees. He filled the position of

deputy sheriff under Sheriff Truby. In poli- has been associated with Indiana county his- tics he supported the Republican party.

Mr. Dick married Mary Kelly, daughter of John and Mary (Griffith) Kelly, and she died in 1899 and was buried in the United Presby- terian Church cemetery at Mechanicsburg. She was a member of that church. Children as follows were born to them: Agnes married Andrew Simpson (she is now deceased) ; Elizabeth is the widow of John Hood and re- sides in Homer City ; James K., retired farmer and ex-county commissioner, resides in IIomer

Dinsmore Dick, son of Alexander B. and Mary (Kelly) Dick, was born Sept. 16, 1851, in Brushvalley township, where his boyhood days were spent, and where he attended the public schools. He continued to live under the parental roof until he reached manhood. He spent some time as an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, until 1877, when he took up farming in Brushvalley, and his place is known as the Cherry Valley farm. Here he has been engaged in farming since, devoting his time principally to stock raising. He has made extensive improvements on the property, the present barn being built in 1904. Mr. Dick is a progressive and enter- prising farmer as well as a successful one, and he has spent the best part of his life in de- veloping and improving his place. A stanch Republican in political principle, he has filled the public offices of school director and over- seer of the poor in his township. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church.

HUGH P. LEWIS, agriculturist, of East Mahoning township, postmaster at Marion The Lewis family is of Welsh origin, and tory since the close of the Revolutionary war. The founder of the family in this part of the State was Samuel Lewis, born in Franklin county. Pa .. in 1770, and there reared to man- hood. He crossed the Allegheny mountains and became a pioneer of Indiana county. lo- cating in Young township in 1790. This part of the State was then in the wilderness, and when Mr. Lewis settled on what is now the Lowry farm he was surrounded by extreme pioneer conditions. In endeavoring to de-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

velop a home he overtaxed his strength, and fourteen years old; Lydia, who died at the after ten years of hard and unremitting labor died, still in the prime of life, a sacrifice to the spirit of early settlement, in 1800, aged thirty years.

Samuel Lewis married Lydia Kelley, born in 1779, who after his death married John Niel, and lived to be eighty-eight years old. She was a member of Bethel Church. By her first marriage she had three children : Nathan- iel, who married Rachel Gossage; Stephen, who married Ann Hopkins; and Samuel. By her second marriage she had these children : Rachel, who married Thomas Lowman ; John, who married Nancy Coleman; Hugh, who married Sarah Ann Wilkinson (he was the progenitor of the Niel family of Young town- ship) ; and Keziah, who died unmarried.

Samuel Lewis, son of Samuel Lewis, and father of Hugh Parr Lewis, was born in faction of having risked his life and lost his Young township Jan. 18, 1801, after the health in the defense of his country.

death of his father, on what is known as the Returning home Mr. Lewis took a com- Lowry farm. After attaining to manhood's mercial course in the Iron City Business Col-

estate he worked in the Clarksburg gristmill, and later went to Jefferson county, locating near Frostburg. After some years there he went to Rayne township, and bought 300 acres of land in the woods. On this property he erected a log house and barn, but later put up a house of frame and barns to correspond, and made extensive improvements, devoting his land to general farming and stock raising. His life was spent on this farm, where he died at the age of eighty-three years, and his remains were interred in the Washington Church cemetery of Rayne township. Both a member and elder of the Presbyterian Church, he was one of its generous supporters. First a Whig and later a Republican, his sympathies were with the abolition movement, and he operated one of the stations of the underground railroad.

In 1826 Samuel Lewis married Mary Gra- ham, who was born in 1808 in what is now Wheatfield township, a daughter of William Graham, a native of Scotland and an early settler of Wheatfield township. Mrs. Lewis died on the home farm and was also laid to rest in Washington Church cemetery. Like her husband, she was a member of the Pres- byterian Church. The children born to Sam- uel and Mary (Graham) Lewis were: Will- iam G., who married Margaret Davis; John K., who married Ruth Thompson; Alexander Brown, a lawyer, who was a lieutenant of an Iowa company during the Civil war and died from the effects of wounds received at the battle of Iuka; Rachel, who died when knows what he is talking about, for he taught

age of eleven years; Hugh P .; Nathaniel, who died at the age of seven years; Rachel Ann, who married Moses Lemon; and Stephen Clark, who married a Miss Rankin and lives in Indiana.

Hugh P. Lewis attended the schools of his neighborhood and remained at home with his father until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he began to be interested in military matters. In the spring of 1862 he enlisted in Company K, 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Capt. D. K. Duff and Colonel Schol- maker, for three years. After his promotion to the rank of corporal, he was discharged for disability while in the line of duty. To his loyal spirit it was a sore cross to be obliged to return home, but his physical condition made this imperative, and he had the satis-

lege at Pittsburg, and then became a clerk in a store at Marion Center. Soon afterward though he began' farming, settling on a 170- acre farm in 1869. This property is known as the "Rolling Farm," and is north of Marion Center. As his property was emi- nently suited for stock raising, Mr. Lewis be- gan experimenting along that line in 1874, and found it so profitable that he developed into a heavy breeder of thoroughbred horses, specially noted ones being Fleetwood (a Ham- bletonian) and Lewis Dolphin. Mr. Lewis also raises Jersey cattle, and his dairy prod- ucts command the highest prices because of su- perior quality. He has become an authority as well upon Berkshire hogs and sheep. His farm is one of the finest in the county, the buildings thoroughly modern and constructed with the view of handling the stock effectively and scientifically. His profits demonstrate conclusively that his methods are wise and sound, and many are following the example he has set for so long. Like his father an ar- dent supporter of the principles of the Re- publican party, he has filled the offices of tax collector, overseer of the poor, auditor of the township and supervisor. For three years he was county auditor, and in 1890 he was elected sheriff of Indiana county, serving as such for three years. In 1910 he was ap- pointed postmaster at Marion Center, after he had taken the civil service examination. He has always demonstrated his warm inter- est in school matters in a practical way, and

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

school several terms in East Mahoning town- James St. Clair, cousins, were engaged in the ship in his younger days. Since the organiza- Continental service during the Revolutionary tion of the John Pollock Post, No. 219, G. war, the former being president of the Conti- A. R., at Marion Center, he has been an en- nental Congress in 1787 and commander in thusiastic member, and has held all the of- fices up to and including that of commander. He also belongs to the Jr. O. U. A. M. The Presbyterian Church holds his membership and he was one of the teachers of the Sun- day school and also served as superintendent. For a period of twenty years, he led the choir in this church.

In 1866 Mr. Lewis was married to Ella Bingham Ansley, daughter of the late Dan- iel Ansley, who served Indiana county as sheriff. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, two of whom died in infancy : William died young; Naomi Viola was formerly a teacher and is now married to H. R. Martin, a lawyer; Estell Bubb was graduated from Jefferson Medical College and is now a practicing physician at Glen Camp- bell, Indiana Co., Pa .; Blanch Hope was graduated from the Indiana normal school, following which she was a teacher for eight years, and she is now the wife of W. C. Har- rison, of Painesville, Ohio; John K., who was graduated from the Pittsburg School of Phar- macy, is engaged in the drug business at Greensburg, Pa .; Mary Mabel was graduated from the Indiana normal school and was a stenographer and typewriter until she mar- ried William H. McIntire, of Decatur, Ill., who died Jan. 19, 1913; Ruby Pearl was graduated from the Liberty Heights School for Nurses and for several years followed her profession, until her marriage to John C. Sher- iden, of Johnstown, Pa .; Marion Gale died at the age of eleven years; Noble N., who attended the Indiana State normal school, married R. R. Kirne, and resides at home; Hugh Ansley is assistant postmaster at Mar- ion Center. Mrs. Lewis is a charming woman, whose aim has been to bring up her children properly and aid her husband in every way.

WILLIAM A. ST. CLAIR, who has been a resident of Indiana borough since 1885 and is now living retired, was during his active ca- reer engaged in farming, merchandising, lum- bering and sawmilling, and is widely known in these varions connections. He was born Nov. 13. 1842, in a round log house in White township, Indiana county, son of John and Nancy (Miller) St. Clair.

chief of the armies of the United States in 1791. The latter was great-grandfather of William A. St. Clair. His parents were na- tives of the North of Ireland, and he himself was born in 1741, in eastern Pennsylvania. He owned a valuable farm not more than nine miles from York and died in York county in 1806, at the age of sixty-five. His wife's maiden name was Miller.

James St. Clair, son of James St. Clair, was born in May, 1774, in York (now Adams) county, Pa., and in 1809 came thence to In- diana county, for several years living in Brushvalley. In 1816 he came thence to tlie region of Indiana, bringing a horse and a cow. He lived at Indiana for a while but soon re- moved about five miles out into the northern part of White township, where he had bought 500 acres. There being no road to the new home at that time, he had to follow the bridle path, and the horse and cow were tied to sap- lings until better arrangements could be made. He had to cut logs to build a cabin. He followed farming on that place for many years. His death occurred in Center town- ship, this county, April 8, 1855. He was an old-line Whig in politics.

Mr. St. Clair married Jennie Slemmons, born in Lancaster county, of Irish descent, daughter of William Slemmons, who removed from Lancaster to Washington county in 1790, and there followed farming until his death, in 1820, in his sixtieth year. Mr. Slemmons served thirty years as justice of the peace under appointments by the governor. H and his wife, whose maiden name was Boggs, had several children. Of these Mrs. St. Clair was reared in Washington county. She died Oct. 15, 1855, aged seventy-one years, the mother of ten ehildren, among whom were Thomas, Isaac and John. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

John St. Clair, the son of James and Jennie (Slemmons) St. Clair, was born Aug. 18, 1818, in a log house in White township. His edu- cational advantages were meager, being lim- ited to those afforded by the old subscription sehools. He followed farming all his active life in the place where he was born, but died while visiting with his daughters in Chicago, Nov. 21. 1900. His wife, Nancy (Miller). died in Indiana Dec. 20. 1904, at the age of eighty-four. They were Presbyterians in re-

Mr. St. Clair is of Scotch-Irish extraction, The St. Clair family is an old one in Scotland. Two of its members, Gen. Arthur S. and ligious faith. In politics he was first a Whig

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and afterward a Republican. Four children a son of John and Elizabeth (Learn) Buter- were born to this couple: William A .; Jane, baugh. public school teacher of Chicago, who died William Buterbaugh, his grandfather, was born in Maryland, from which State he moved to Pennsylvania, settling first in Huntingdon county and later in Indiana county. He was the father of eight children. there Dec. 17, 1908; Harry, of Los Angeles, Cal., a chiropractic, who married Clara Lowry; and Mary Agars, who has been a teacher in the Chicago public schools for twenty-two years.

William A. St. Clair grew to manhood in White township, where he received his edu- cation in the public schools. On Aug. 25, 1864, he became a member of Company F (Capt. John A. Kinter), 206th P. V. I., Col. Hugh Brady, enlisting for one year or during the war. He served with the Army of the James, was discharged June 26, 1865, at Rich- mond, and returned home, remaining with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age. For some time Mr. St. Clair conducted a store at, Newville, Indiana county, now known as Creekside, where his first wife died. He continued residing in Indiana county un- til after his second marriage, in 1879, going' ceased. Henry L. and Levi are deceased. West to Atchison, Kans., where he rented land and farmed for two years. Returning to Pennsylvania on account of his wife's health, he moved back to his farm in White town- ship, and in addition to his farm work ran a sawmill. In 1885 he removed to the bor- ough of Indiana, where he built his present home, but he continued to operate his farm and sawmill until his retirement. His home is at No. 337 North Ninth street. He has had various interests and has made a success of his different undertakings.

On Nov. 5, 1868, Mr. St. Clair was married to Mary C. Foreman, of Armstrong township, daughter of Moses Foreman, whose wife's maiden name was Anderson. Mrs. St. Clair died in 1874, the mother of one child, Minnie, now the wife of S. Craig King, of Vander- grift, Pa. On July 29, 1875, Mr. St. Clair married (second) Harriet Wherry, daughter of James and Sarah (Nesbit) Wherry, and they had two children: Oscar A., an elec- trical engineer, of Chicago, married Merriam Cameron, of Indiana; Hazel M. graduated from the Indiana normal school and is now a teacher in Belleville, New Jersey.

Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Indiana, in which he served as elder. He is a Republican in politics, and socially he has united with G. A. R. Post No. 28.

AMARIAH N. BUTERBAUGH, postmas- ter at Lovejoy, Indiana Co., Pa., was born in Green township, this county, March 20, 1850,

John Buterbaugh, son of William and father of Amariah N., was born in Maryland in 1799, and lived to the age of ninety-six years. He accompanied his father to Penn- sylvania and after living in Huntingdon coun- ty for several years settled in what is now known as Pleasant Valley, in Green town- ship, Indiana county, the family acquiring 300 acres of land. In October, 1831, John Buterbaugh married Elizabeth Learn, a daughter of John Learn, and to them thir- teen children were born, seven daughters and six sons: The eldest born, Mary, was the wife of John Cook, and both are deceased. Eliza- beth married A. H. Reed, and both are de-

Simon is a resident of Indiana. Sarah A. is the widow of D. P. Reed. Susan married Franklin Nupp, who served in the Civil war, and they live at Windber, Pa. Isaac lives in Cherryhill township, Indiana county. Catherine, who is deceased, was the wife of H. W. Baker. Ella is deceased. Amariah N. was the third youngest in order of birth. An- drew is a resident of Indiana, and the young- est died in infancy. After coming to Indiana county the father of the above family engaged in the milling business, erecting a saw and grist mill. He was a shrewd and successful business man, but was a strict observer of the Sabbath, and no inducement could be brought to bear that would lead him to operate his mills on Sunday. He was fond of hunting and was a fine shot.

Amariah N. Buterbaugh attended the dis- trict schools in Green township and lived on the farm settled by his father until he was fifty years of age. In 1900 he moved to Wind- ber and there embarked in the mercantile business and conducted a store for four years. In the fall of 1904 he came to the present site of Lovejoy, although at that time there was no town organization, only the promise of rapid settlement which has been fulfilled. Mr. Buterbaugh conducted a store here for several years and was appointed the first post- master, an office he has since filled.

On Nov. 2, 1872, Mr. Buterbaugh was mar- ried to Sarah Houck, who was born in Green township Oct. 13, 1851, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Myers) Houck. Mr. and Mrs.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Buterbaugh have had the following children: the wife of Amos Adams, of Barneshoro; Harry R., who lives at Starford, married Min- Amanda married J. S. Killins, a furniture dealer and undertaker at Barnesboro; Anna is deceased; Thomas G. was the next in order of hirth; Robert lives in Pennsylvania; Wil- liam is a resident of Pine township, and Frank of Wehrum, Pa. Two children died in iu- fancy. erva Fleming, of Green township, and they have two daughters, Mary and Leona; Eliza- beth Ollie is the wife of T. H. Fleming, and they live at Windber and have two children, James Amariah and Beatrice; Agnes is the wife of S. A. Fridler, of Starford; John Henry, who is manager of the Dixon Run Lumber Co., of Lovejoy, married Mary Kim-

Thomas G. Shultz attended school in Barr township, Cambria county, and later took a Johnstown, after which he was a student in the State normal school at Lock Haven. When he was sixteen years of age he left home and started to learn the carpenter's trade at Por- tage, Pa., and after completing his appren- ticeship traveled over the country working as a journeyman. In 1907 he came to Starford and here embarked in the undertaking and furniture business.

mell, of Bedford county, and they have the business course in a commercial college at following children, Alta Marie, Louis Chalmer, Sarah Margaret, Henry Carl and Elmer Ern- est ; Louie Bertha is the wife of MI. L. Mc- Keown, of Josephine, Pa., and they have three children, Robert Wallace, Louise Ulrica and Sarah Pauline. Mr. Buterhaugh and his fam- ily are members of the M. E. Church.

Henry Houck, father of Mrs. Buterbaugh, was born in Germany, and was seven years old when his parents brought him to the In 1905 Mr. Shultz was married, at Barnes- boro, Pa., to Dessie Westover, who was born in Cambria county, a daughter of Gideon Westover, and they have three children : Cal- vin, Shelton and Elaine Gertrude. Mr. Shultz has property interests at Barnesboro. He is associated with Lodge No. 680, I. O. O. F., at Cleveland, Ohio; with the Knights of Pythias, at Starford, and belongs also to the Loyal Order of Moose. United States. They settled in Pennsylvania, securing land first in Rayne township, Indiana county, and moving later to Green township, and there Henry Houck continued to follow farming and stock raising until the close of his life. He died about 1898, near Purchase Line, in Green township. He married Eliza- heth Myers, who was born in Pennsylvania, of German ancestry, and they had the fol- lowing children: David R., who is deceased ; William H., who lives at Purchase Line; DAVIS A. PALMER, of Blacklick, Indi- George F., who also lives at Purchase Line; ana county, is senior member of the firm of Joseph, a resident of Green township; Sarah, who became Mrs. Buterbaugh; Hannah, who is the wife of Andrew Buterbaugh, a resident of White township; and Henry H., who lives at Purchase Line, Green township.

THOMAS G. SHULTZ, furniture dealer and undertaker, in business at Starford, Indi- ana Co., Pa., was born in Cambria county, Pa., in March, 1874, a son of Henry and Emma (Hill) Shultz.

D. A. Palmer & Son, furniture dealers and undertakers, who are the leading merchants in their line in that section. He is a business man of the highest standing and a citizen who commands the respect of the entire commu- nity, in whose welfare he has shown a com- mendable interest. Mr. Palmer is a native of West Wheatfield township, this county. born March 15. 1859. ITis father, Johnston Palmer, was a son of David Palmer and grandson of Henry Palmer, mention of whom is found elsewhere in this work.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 43

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