Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 69

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 69

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William Gibson Robinson, son of John Rob- inson, attended the public schools of his dis- trict, and grew up on the farm, earning the reputation of being the best eradler in his township. In time he became the owner of a large farm in Armstrong township, and oper- ated it until 1911, when he sold his farm and bought a residence in Shelocta, which has since continued to be his home. He is now serving his second term as a justice of the peace. For many years he has been a member and trustee of the Curry Run Presbyterian Church, and gave the property on which the present church edifice stands. For fifteen years Mr. Robinson was a school director, and also served as overseer of the poor. Since com- ing to Shelocta. he has joined the United Pres- byterian Church of that borough, but retains his interest in the Curry Run Church.

On Dec. 6, 1858, Mr. Robinson married Mary E. Fleming, who died without issue,

John Robinson, Sr., was born Feb. 1, 1760, and is buried in the cemetery at Curry Run.

and died March 13, 1839. He was of Scotch- During the Civil war, Mr. Robinson served Irish stock. Founding his family in Indiana in Company H, 206th Pennsylvania Volun- county, Pa., in 1787, he took up land and in teer Infantry, which was the first company 1789 built a house upon it to which he brought to enter Richmond. A man of sturdy hon-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

esty, upright in all his dealings, he is now enjoying a well-earned retirement at She- locta.

ALBERT FRANCE UNCAPHER, one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of Blacklick township, Indiana county, has lived there all his life. His family is of Holland Dutch extraction, and its early representa- tives in this country settled in Virginia.

George Uncapher, the grandfather of Al- bert F. Uncapher, was from Culpeper, Va., John is mentioned below. Isaac died on the and was young when he came to Pennsyl- vania, settling in Loyalhanna township (which was then a part of Derry township), Westmoreland county, where he followed farming. He was a pioneer in the section. Besides farming, he owned and operated a tannery and a distillery (for years engaging in distilling), and also manufactured salt. Cabinetmaking was another line of work he learned and followed. In addition to his property in Westmoreland county he owned 600 acres in Ohio, near what is now Marion. He was a successful man, and active to the end of his life, dying at the age of sixty-three years on his farm in Westmoreland county. He married, and he and his wife became the parents of ten children: John settled in Ravenna, Ohio, where he died; Solomon set- tled in Marion, Ohio, where he died; Eliz- abeth married Michael Myers, and resided in Loyalhanna township; Daniel is mentioned below ; Israel settled in the State of Indiana ; Joseph settled near Marion, Ohio; Philip set- tled in Marseilles, Ohio; Andrew settled in Marseilles, Ohio; Isaac settled in Marion, Ohio; Margaret married Robert Henderson and settled in Marion, Ohio.

Daniel Uncapher, son of George, was born in 1805 in Loyalhanna township, Westmore- land Co., Pa. What schooling he received was obtained in the subscription schools of that period, and he began work at an early age with his father on the homestead, under his able direction learning farming, distilling and tanning. He was engaged in those lines until 1837, when he came to Indiana county, locating in Blacklick township, on the Cone- maugh river, on a tract of 132 acres on which was a tannery and which he received in ex- change for the home in Loyalhanna township. Here he settled with his family, and he gave most of his attention to tanning, selling the products of the tannery to the country trade. The remainder of his life was spent on the farm, and his son Albert cared for him in his declining years. He died Dec. 17, 1889, and 1875 to Annie M. Ewing, of St. Petersburg,

is buried in the Livermore cemetery. Mr. Uncapher was a ruling elder of the church. In politics he was originally a Democrat, but during the Civil war supported Lincoln and the principles of the Republican party. In later years he voted the Prohibition ticket. He married Elizabeth Keener, a native of Conemaugh township, who died on the home- stead and was buried in the Livermore ceme- tery, in Westmoreland county, Children as follows were born to Mr. and Mrs. Uncapher : farm. George is a farmer in Valley Falls, Kans. William, who was a carpenter and contractor and builder, died in St. Louis, Mo. Margaret died on the homestead. Thomas Benton, who spent some years in Kansas, farming, now resides on the farm with his brother Albert. Albert France is mentioned below. Elizabeth was educated in Blacklick township, at the Indiana State normal school, and at Ann Arbor, Mich., University, where she graduated in medicine; after practicing for a time in Allegheny City, Pa., she gave up her practice there on account of her health and went to Houston, Texas, where she prac- ticed medicine up to the time of her death, in 1909; she was buried in Livermore cemetery.

Capt. John Uncapher, son of Daniel and Elizabetlı (Keener) Uncapher, was born in Loyalhanna township, Westmoreland county, and was only one year old when he came to Blacklick township. Here he grew to man- hood. Going West, he was a pioneer settler in Kansas, and he lived in Topeka when the strife between slavery and antislavery was on. While there he cast his first vote, to make Kansas a free State. He was a soldier with Gen. Jim Lane in Kansas during the border troubles previous to the Civil war. At the breaking out of the Civil war Mr. Uncapher enlisted in Company E, 11th Penn- sylvania Reserves, and participated in all the battles in which that regiment was engaged. He was wounded and taken prisoner at Gaines's Mill, and again wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg and taken prisoner. He was confined in Libby prison and at Belle Isle, and during his captivity was promoted to sergeant of his company. Returning from the war at the expiration of his term of enlist- ment he became engaged in the mercantile business which he carried on until his death, in Blacklick township. He was captain of Company D, 10th Pennsylvania National Guard, for three years. He was married in

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Pa., and to them the following children were ana county, and died May 3, 1874. On July born : Lonie May, who married F. M. Smith; 5, 1876, Mr. McQuilkin married (third) Elizabeth J. Porter, of Armstrong county, Pa., who survives her husband and lives at Dayton, Pa. By his second wife Robert Mc- Quilkin had children as follows: Sarah, born Jan. 11, 1859, who is living at Dayton, Pa .; and Archie S. Mary Elizabeth, who died when seventeen years old; Agnes, who died when six years old; George, who died when between twelve and sixteen years old; and William Ewing, who now makes his home with his uncle Al- bert in Blacklick township.

local schools. He grew to manhood on the home place, working with his father, and in time became interested in farming and stock raising with his brother Isaac, the brothers operating a tract of 300 acres. Since the death of his brother Mr. Uncapher has con- tinued to operate the home farm, and he has done well, his progressive disposition and high standards showing in his work. He is a director of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is a well-read man, interested in the leading events of the day, and though a stanch believer in the principles of the Republican party is independent in action, voting for the men and measures he approves most. He has served his town as treasurer for six years, and also as school director for six years. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Livermore.

Archie S. MeQuilkin was educated in the Albert F. Uncapher was born in Blacklick township and received his education in the home schools, and lived with his father until his marriage. Although he is now one of the most prosperous agriculturists of West Mahoning township, Mr. McQuilkin has not confined his activities to farming, for from 1904 to 1908 he was profitably engaged in a mercantile business at Indiana, this county. At present he carries on general farming and stock raising, specializing on Berkshire hogs, sheep and chickens. He is one of the heaviest potato growers of Indiana county, and be- lieves in experimenting in order to discover the best methods. So successful has he been along different lines that he is a recognized authority upon agricultural matters, and his neighbors often follow his example. Since the organization of the Dayton Agricultural and Mechanical Fair Association of Dayton Mr. MeQuilkin has been its president, and is one of the men who have made its success possible. Not only does he take a deep in- terest in the fair each year, but leads others to join him in pushing its affairs, and ad- vancing it in every way. A strong Republi- can, Mr. McQuilkin has often been called upon to hold office in the township, and dis- charges all such responsibilities conscien- tiously and ably. In 1907 he was mercantile appraiser. For several years he has been a member of the Glade Run Presbyterian Church, and is now superintendent of the large Sunday school of that organization.

ARCHIE S. McQUILKIN, a farmer of West Mahoning township, was born in Wash- ington township, this county, May 30, 1862, son n of Robert and Eliza R. (Stewart) McQuilkin.

John McQuilkin was a resident of Wash- ington township, this county, and there mar- ried and rounded out a useful life as a farmer. His children were: John, Samuel, Robert, Joseph, Rebecca and Anna, all of whom are deceased.

Robert McQuilkin grew up in Washington township, where he was born Sept. 13, 1818, and attended the local schools, remaining with his father until eighteen years old. In 1877, coming to West Mahoning township, he located on the old Stauffer farm, owning 160 acres of land. In 1889 he moved to Dayton, Pa., and lived there retired until his death, on Oct. 19, 1901, when he was in his eighty- third year. A Republican in later life, he never sought office. For years he was an elder in the United Presbyterian Church.

On Oct. 23, 1890, Mr. McQuilkin was mar- ried to Eliza Jane Stuchul, who was born in South Mahoning township, Indiana county, daughter of Robert H. and Hannah D. (Thompson) Stuchul, natives of South Ma- honing township. Mr. Stuchul was a son of John and Rebecca Stuchul, of South Mahon- ing township, where Robert H. Stuchul also owned and operated a farm. He was a con- sistent member of the United Presbyterian Church, and died firm in its faith in 1897. The children in the Stuchul family were: John T., who is deceased, was an attorney of Indiana, Pa .; Eliza Jane is Mrs. McQuilkin ; Rebecca Ann, widow of Sloan Marrow, lives

Robert McQuilkin was three times married. On Dec. 16, 1852, he. married (first) Cathe- rine Weaver, who died Dec. 11, 1855. On Nov. 5, 1857, he married (second) Eliza R. in Plumville, Pa .; Hannah Charlotte married Stewart, who was born May 8, 1821, in Indi- Calvin Wyncoop, of Plumville, Pa .; Robert

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

James is a farmer on the homestead, in South R. Timblin, of Armstrong county, Pa .; Ma- Mahoning township; Clara Josephine is the linda, born June 9, 1848, died at the age of widow of Homer Dodson, of Plumville, Pa .; Effie Inez married Andrew Marrow, of Du Bois, Pennsylvania.

Mr. and Mrs. McQuilkin became the par- ents of children as follows : Robert, born Feb. 18, 1892; Hazel Marie, born April 14, 1895, and Grace Mardie, born Sept. 25, 1897.

JOHN A. BEE, for years prominent in business circles in Canoe township, Indiana county, was born April 11, 1851, in Arm- strong county, Pa., and is a son of Jacob and Nancy (Dillon) Bee.

twelve years; Maria, born Feb. 18, 1851, is deceased; Amanda was born Nov. 17, 1853; Martha Ann, born Jan. 18, 1856, married Adam Tyger, of North Mahoning township; Isaac Clark, born April 16. 1858, married Callie Snyder, and now resides at DuBois, Pa .; Charles Harvey, born March 14, 1861, married Jane Dunmire, and-is now living on the old place in Canoe township; Emma Ada, born July 14, 1863, married Sloan Kipple, of Armstrong county.

Mr. and Mrs. Bee have had the following children : Harvey Benton, born June 17, 1872, a farmer and carpenter of Canoe township, is married to Bertha Elbel, and they have four children, Lawrence, Dorothea, Martha and Rebecca ; Isaac L., born July 17, 1874, super- intendent of mines at Lovejoy, Pa., married

Jacob Bee was born in Huntingdon county, Pa., and came to Indiana county in 1846, here engaging in farming, lumbering and rafting. He met an accidental death by drowning, in 1856, at Good's Riffle, on Ma- honing creek. He and his wife were the Minna Smith; Thara Mabel, born April 7, parents of seven children: Mary Ann, de- 1879, married John Domb, of Canoe town- ship, and has two children, Harold and Virgil; Harlin Ray, born Oct. 23, 1882, is carpenter for the Greenwich Coal Company, at Lovejoy, Pa .; Sanford Clyde, born Feb. 3, 1888, is also a carpenter for the same com- pany; Doyle Clark, born Sept. 25, 1898, is living with his parents. ceased, who married Cooper Brady, and lived for some time in Indiana county, subsequently removing to Brookville, Pa .; William Henry, a veteran of two enlistments during the Civil war, who married Catherine Allen, and died in Richmond, Pa .; Jacob L., who served three years as a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war, married A. Kuntzman and died in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1908; Benjamin F., who also donned the uniform of his coun- try during the war of the Rebellion and died in it, at Camp Copeland ; Oliver P., a farmer, who married Emma Kernes, and died in Clearfield county, Pa., in 1911; Margaret Jane, who married John Varner, of Vander- grift, Pa .; and John A.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bee settled on the old White homestead in Canoe township, and in 1882 Mr. Bee purchased his present farm, formerly known as the David Mitchell place. In addition to this he has owned and operated various other farms in Canoe township, and his contracting and building operations have made him known throughout this section of the county. Struc- tures in Rossiter and Smyerstown testify to his able workmanship, and among business men he is known as one in whom the utmost confidence may be placed. A Democrat in politics, for a long period he served as con- stable, and for the last thirty years has acted in the capacity of justice of the peace. With his family he attends the Presbyterian Church.

John A. Bee received but a limited educa- tion in the district schools, and when he was still a lad went to live with David Young, of North Mahoning township, with whom he continued to reside until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1871 Mr. Bee was married to Amanda White, of Canoe township, dangh- ter of Isaac and Rebecca (Gaston) White, the former of whom was born Aug. 26, 1818, and the latter May 20, 1822, in North Ma- WHITE. MIrs. Bee belongs to a family that for years has been associated with the history of Indiana county. We are allowed to quote from a local newspaper, which in its review said in part as follows : honing township and Brookville, Pa., re- spectively. Mr. White died Nov. 30, 1896, and his wife March 21, 1888, both in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. White was an elder. They were the par- "The history of the White family in this section goes back almost one hundred years. John White (the progenitor) was born in ents of the following children : John A., born Feb. 20, 1842, now deceased, formerly a farmer in Banks township, married Eva A. Lorraine, France, Aug. 31, 1783. He fought Tyger, and had seven children ; Sarah J., born under the command of Napoleon from 1797 July 4, 1846, now deceased, married George to 1801. Later he left his native land to come

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

to America. His ship was wrecked about four years. Mr. Dorn's second enlistment took miles from the American shore. He reached place in 1864 and he served until the war shore by good swimming, but lost all the closed. Shortly after this enlistment he was earthly goods he had possessed. He finally settled in Delaware and married Kezia Van- derver, and they had the following children: Jane, Charles S., Isaac (the father of Mrs. Bee), John, Jr., James M., and Isaiah."

JOHN DORN, farmer and fruit grower in North Mahoning township, was born in Hesse, Germany, July 28, 1834, a son of Franz and Margaret (Miller) Dorn, and a grandson of Adam Dorn. The grandfather was born in Hesse, Germany, and died there. By trade he was a shoemaker.

Franz Dorn, son of Adam and father of John Dorn, was born in Hesse, Germany, in 1804, and died there in 1864, aged sixty years. He was a farmer, and was a soldier in the German army. He was married to Margaret Miller, a daughter of Valentine Miller, and the following children were born to them: John is mentioned below; William, who came to America in 1859, now living at Pittsburg, Pa., married Eva Roeder, of North Mahoning township; George, who came to America in 1865, located in North Mahoning township, but later removed to Pittsburg, where he still resides.

John Dorn came to the United States in 1850 and spent his first winter in New Jer- sey. In the spring of the following year he came to North Mahoning township, Indiana Co., Pa., and for four years afterward worked for farmers in this section. From here he then went to Blair county, and continued farm work, and for one year before the open- ing of the Civil war worked for Mutters Bauch, in Virginia, where he found sectional feeling running high. When the first call was issued for three months' men he tried to enter a Pennsylvania regiment, rightly re- garding this State as his home, but the ranks were so quickly filled that the quota was made up before he secured a place. As soon, however, as the call came for three years' men he enlisted as a member of the 1st Cameron Dragoons (this being afterward made the 5th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cav- alry), becoming a private in Company K, and two days after being mustered in was en- gaged in a skirmish between his regiment and a band of Confederates. Before his term of three years was out he was given the privilege of reenlisting, to take effect at that time, with certain advantages, and those of the regiment who did not do so served out their full three

captured by the enemy, at Stony Creek Sta- tion, in the Wilson raid, and spent six months in Confederate prisons. First he was taken to Andersonville, Ga., and when General Sherman's forces tried to release the Union soldiers who were being so brutally treated, these prisoners were removed to Florence, where conditions were a little better. For- tunately he was exchanged before his healthf was entirely shattered. Prior to being taken prisoner he had participated with his com- pany in twenty-seven engagements, includ- ing the Seven Days' fight before Richmond and all the raids in connection with it.

When the war was over and he. was hon- orably released, Mr. Dorn returned to Indi- ana county and settled on his present farm in North Mahoning township, not far from the village of Marchand. He has 200 acres, 100 acres being under careful cultivation and the rest being in valnable timber. He has one of the finest peach orchards in this part of the country, containing three thousand trees, about half of which are in bearing con- dition. He also has four acres devoted to the growing of strawberries. All his enter- prises are prospering and he looks after his many interests himself. In politics he is a Democrat, and has served six terms as judge of elections. For many years he has been a trustee of the Evangelical Church of Mar- chand, to which he and his family belong. Mr. Dorn is interested in the G. A. R., being a member of Post No. 206, of Covode.

In 1866 Mr. Dorn was married to Eva Beam, a daughter of John and Kitty (Glaser) Beam. To Mr. and Mrs. Dorn the following children were born: Emma Eliz- abeth, who is the wife of Thomas Lowman, of Grant township; Samuel, who lives on the homestead, married to Lulu Kohlhepp ; Ellen, who died at the age of four years; John, who died at the age of two years; a child that died unnamed; Albert, who resides at home; and Irvin, who died when aged seven years.

John Beam, father of Mrs. Dorn, was born in Germany and there obtained his education. HIe was a farmer, and when he came to the United States secured land in North Mahon- ing township. Indiana Co., Pa., where he died many years later; he is buried at Marchand. He was twice married, first to Kitty Glaser, who was buried in the North Mahoning Evangelical Church cemetery. The second marriage of John Beam was to Elizabeth

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Bishop, who survives and resides at Marchand. tawney. They were the parents of fifteen His children were born to his first marriage, children: Margaret, who married Edward namely: George, who is deceased, married Beechey; Daniel J., who was assistant prin- Margaret Glaser; John died in Andersonville cipal of public schools at Punxsutawney, and prison during the Civil war; Margaret, who is now a tea and coffee merchant of West is deceased, was the wife of Jacob Barthol-

Punxsutawney ; Ellen, who died unmarried omew; Eva is the wife of John Dorn and was in 1908; William G., who is a meat dealer at born seventy years ago. In politics John Beam was a Democrat, but never held any public office. He belonged to the Evangelical Church, in which he was a class leader for many years.

LEWIS THOMAS, assistant superintend- ent of Iselin No. 3 mine, at Reed, in Young township, Indiana county, is a native of Pennsylvania, born at Morris Run, Tioga county, Feb. 25, 1880, son of Thomas D. and Esther (Jenkins) Thomas. His grandfather was a native of Wales, but was not spared to live to advanced years, dying when Thomas D. Thomas was but five years old.

Thomas D. Thomas, father of Lewis Thomas, was born at Aberdare, Glamorgan- shire, Wales, in 1832, there grew to manhood, and became a fire boss. He was married at Aberdare to Esther Jenkins, and in 1866, with his wife and several children, came to the United States and located at Morris Run, Tioga Co., Pa. He continued to work as a coal miner, being thus employed at that place for more than twenty-one years, at the end of which time he removed to Jefferson county and located at Lindsey, now the west end of Punxsutawney. Mr. Thomas continued to follow the occupation of coal miner in the employ of the Berwind & White Coal Com- pany, at that point, as well as at Anita, in the same county, and on retiring from active life made his home at the west end of Punxsu- tawney, where his death occurred Feb. 29, 1908, and where he was buried. Mr. Thomas was well known among the miners of that section of Pennsylvania and bore an excel- lent reputation for integrity and upright liv- ing. Possessed of a fine, rich baritone voice, Mr. Thomas was trained by Caradog, the famous musician and vocalist, who was one of the judges of music and singing at the World's Columbian Exposition held at Chi- cago in 1893, and subsequently won prizes in the Welsh Eisteddfod, which corresponds to the German Saengerfest. For many years Mr. Thomas conducted choruses in Jefferson and Tioga counties, and at all times took a deep interest in movements tending to ad- vance musical culture. His widow survives and makes her home in the West End, Punxsu-

the West End of Punxsutawney ; Esther, who married J. R. Davis, of Punxsutawney : Thomas D., Jr., who is assistant superintend- ent at the Lucerne mine, in Center township, Indiana county ; Evan J .; Lewis; Mary, who died of scarlet fever in 1892, at the age of eleven years; Ann, who died at the same time, when eight years of age, both children being buried in the same grave; and five children who died in infancy.

Lewis Thomas, son of Thomas D. Thomas, was educated at Lindsey, or the west end of Punxsutawney, and had his first experience as a miner when he was a lad of eleven years. However, after a short period he returned to school, continuing his studies until he was fourteen years of age, when he again found employment, this time in the glass works at his native place. He spent but one year there, however, and a like period in the brickyards, and when sixteen years of age began to work in the mines of the Berwind & White Coal Company, at Anita, Jefferson county. He had been an employee of these mines for nine years when he met with a serious accident, in which both of his legs were broken, his injuries confining him to his bed for forty- nine days, and after recovering therefrom he entered the service of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad Company, with which he was connected for a short period. Subse- quently he became connected with the Mahon- ing Supply Company in the store at Adrian, Jefferson county, but a short time later was made clerk for the Walston Scales Company, being connected with that firm until October, 1905. At that time Mr. Thomas came to the new mining town of Iselin, in Young town- ship, Indiana county, to become weighmaster for the Pittsburg Gas Coal Company, a posi- tion which he filled until 1906, when he was made assistant superintendent at Iselin No. 3 mine, then in its infancy, with but a few houses and only 125 hands at work. Mr.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 69

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