Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 70

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 70

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Thomas has continued to fill the position dur- ing the last six years with ability and to the general satisfaction of the company, and the industry has grown here to such an extent that the community boasts of seventy-seven houses, a large general store and post office, known as Reed, and a large reservoir.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. Thomas is a man of enterprise and family, five sons and five daughters, he located progressive ideas, and takes a deep interest in the State of Ohio for a time, thence re- moving to Somerset county, Pa., and later to Indiana county, Pa. Here, about 1841, he first leased land in Green township, near Cookport, afterward buying a tract in Mont- gomery township, upon which he remained until his death, at the age of eighty-eight years. He was buried in the Fry cemetery in Banks township. in the town and its people. He is well liked and highly respected by the 450 hands now under his control, they recognizing that he has done much to build up the community and secure them many advantages not en- joyed by less favored localities. He was largely instrumental in having the church and schoolhouse erected here, collecting the money personally, and in numerous other ways has shown his public spirit. A thorough miner, conversant with every detail of his vocation, in 1911 he obtained a State mining foreman's certificate. Politically Mr. Thomas is a stalwart Republican. He belongs to Blue Lodge No. 431, F. & A. M., of Saltsburg, Indiana county, Pa., and is also a member of the Odd Fellows.

Jacob Wassam, father of Peter W. Wassam, was born in Germany, and was fourteen years old when he come with his parents to America. The voyage was made in a sailing vessel, and they were on the water seventy-two days. He remained with his parents and lived in Som- erset and Cambria counties before coming to Montgomery township, Indiana county, re- maining there for seven years. He also lived In 1906 Mr. Thomas was married to Anna Cranmer, daughter of Bernard A. Cranmer, of Monroeton, Bradford Co., Pa., and sister of Dr. C. B. Cranmer, of Iselin. Mrs. Thomas is a lady of culture and refined for seven years in Rayne township, and in 1864 removed to Ohio, settling in Darke county. In 1868 he left that county, going west to Kansas, where he resided for some time. Later he went to Missouri, and there tastes, is devoted to her home and family, and died at the home of his son, J. J. Wassam, has numerous friends in and about Iselin. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, Margaret Ruth, born July 5, 1910. in 1894. He married Barbara Burkey, who was born in Somerset county, Pa., of which county her father, Peter Burkey, was also a Evan J. Thomas, brother of Lewis Thomas, and son of Thomas D. Thomas, was born in 1876 at Morris Run, Tioga Co., Pa., and was there educated in the public schools. From early boyhood he has worked in and about mines, and in 1906 became inside foreman of Iselin mine No. 3, where he has continued ever since and where he is popular with his men and highly esteemed by his superiors. He makes his home near the mine, and, like his brother, is interested in Reed and its people. He married Carrie Emrick, a lady of Clearfield county. native; he was reared near Johnstown, Pa., and was a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Was- sam died in 1894-the same year as her hus- band-at the home of her daughter, Ella, in Kansas. They were the parents of fourteen children, namely: Mary, who is deceased; Peter W .; Rachel, wife of Levi Hershey, now living in the State of Indiana; Sarah, Mrs. Rairigh, deceased; Adam, a physician and surgeon, now living in Galveston, Texas ; Jacob J., whose home is in Colorado; Margaret, Mrs. Martin Ober, of Kansas; Abraham, who lives in the State of Indiana; Daniel, living in Mis- souri ; Ella, married and living in Independ- ence, Kans .; Louis, deceased; Samuel, a resi- dent of New York State; Angeline, deceased, and one that died in infancy.

PETER W. WASSAM is one of the leading citizens of Green township, where, as a highly successful farmer and stock raiser, one of the most progressive agriculturists of his section of Indiana county, and a public official who has been connected with the administration of local affairs for many years, he has become well and favorably known to most of the resi- dents of this district.

Peter W. Wassam came to Indiana county with his parents when seven years old, lived with them in Montgomery township and moved with the family to Rayne township. Meantime he attended the common schools near home. On Sept. 8, 1864, he enlisted for service in the Union army, joining Company E, 211th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, with which he took part in various battles; the James river, in Virginia. At the close of

Mr. Wassam is a native of Somerset county, Pa., born Jan. 1, 1843, son of Jacob and Bar- bara (Burkey) Wassam. The family is of German origin, his grandfather, Adam Was- he was wounded once in a night skirmish near sam, having been born in Germany. He was in the army under Napoleon Bonaparte for the war Mr. Wassam was mustered out at six years. Coming to America with his large Camp Reynolds, near Pittsburg, Pa., and re-

& Is Passam

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

turning to Indiana county, lived at Cherry- Edna, twins, the former living at home, the latter deceased, and J. Blaine, a plumber by trade, living in this county, who married Anna Tonkin, of Indiana county, and after her death (which occurred in June, 1908), mar- ried (second) Nona Nupp, of this county, by whom he has one child, Mildred Mine. Of this family, Ada, Mary, Blaine and William became school teachers. Mr. Wassam has every reason to feel proud of his family, for they have all become useful and respected citizens, filling their places in the community faithfully and intelligently. tree for two years, doing business as a mer- chant and keeping boarders. Then he settled down to farming in Montgomery township, where he continued to reside until 1904, in that year moving to Green township and buy- ing the farm of twenty-eight acres upon which he has since resided. He also owns the old homestead of 134 acres in Montgomery town- ship. He has become one of the most promi- nent residents of his locality. In addition to general farming, he raises, ships and buys stock, in which line he has been engaged for twenty-six years, his interests being quite ex- Mrs. Mollie I. (Armstrong) Wassam died cemetery in Montgomery township. She was a member of the Church of the Brethren, to tensive; he deals in fertilizers and has done Sept. 17, 1912, and is buried in the Hazelet considerable in the line of building soil and fertilizing, being a man of the enterprising type, one who keeps abreast of the times in which Mr. Wassam also belongs.

everything pertaining to his particular work. He has not only managed his own affairs suc-

HARRISON SPIERS, justice of the peace cessfully, but has found time to take part in and retired agriculturist of Brushvalley the general business of the community, and township, is a native of East Wheatfield township, Indiana county, born Aug. 31, 1841.

he has held nearly all the township offices. He was the first constable of Montgomery township after the war, was assessor, super- visor, auditor, school director and overseer of poor of that township, and in every capacity has given complete satisfaction, his discharge of the various responsibilities laid upon him being thorough and intelligent. He is not filling any public position at present. In political association he is a Republican.

On Sept. 9, 1864, Mr. Wassam married both Mr. and Mrs. Spiers died there. They

Sarah J. Armstrong, who was born Aug. 9, 1845, in Indiana county, daughter of William and Ann Eliza (Hazelet) Armstrong, both of lican. whom died in 1902. Their family consisted of eleven children. Mrs. Wassam died in 1875, and was buried in the Hazelet cemetery in Montgomery township. She was the mother of four children: Ada N., the eldest, now deceased, married J. A. Rank, and they had children, Maud Elaine, Edith Jane and Freda, the last named deceased; Ella B. is the wife of V. E. Cramer, a farmer, of Montgomery township; Mary A. is deceased; Francis M. is deceased. On Nov. 16, 1878, Mr. Wassam married (second) Mollie I. Armstrong, who was born Sept. 16, 1850, in Indiana county, sister of his first wife. To this union were born five children: Bertha, now the wife of William E. Cramer, of Cherrytree, Pa., who has two children, Paul W. and Beatrice W .; William F., now principal of the school at Beaverdale, Pa., who married Grace Buter- baugh. of Indiana, Pa., and has had four chil- dren, Eugene, Kenneth, Meredith and Victor William, the last named deceased; Edith and 73

Richard Spiers, grandfather of Harrison, was a native of Scotland, and came to Amer- ica when a young man, locating in Blacklick township. He married Susan Kunkle, and they became engaged in farming there, re- maining for some years, after which they removed to East Wheatfield township. There they settled down to farming also, following that work the remainder of their lives, and were members of the M. E. Church. Politi- cally Mr. Spiers was a Whig, then a Repub-

John Spiers, son of Richard and Susan (Kunkle) Spiers, was born on the farm in Blacklick township, and there grew up. He removed with his parents to East Wheatfield township and there made his home, following various occupations. For a time he was a contractor in mining ore in that section of the county, and also operated the Campbell mills. Later he became engaged in farming, which he continued the rest of his life. He died on the farm and was buried in East Wheatfield township. He was a Republican and a devout member of the M. E. Church.

Mr. Spiers married Eleanor Butler, of East Wheatfield township, daughter of James Butler. She was also a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. and Mrs. Spiers were the par- ents of the following children: Harrison, who is mentioned below; Wellington, who is deceased ; Malissa, who married Elias Steph- ens, of East Wheatfield township; Finnel, who married Jacob Finley, both being de-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ceased; Emory, who died young; Mariam, the Evangelical Church, is trustee and class who married F. M. Bolar, of East Wheatfield leader, and has been for years superintendent township; Wilmer, who went West; Sarah, of the Sunday school. He teaches the Bible who married William Wood, now deceased; class. and Hudson, who is deceased.

Harrison Spiers attended the district Wheatfield township, Emma J. Johns, who schools, and also went to summer school for three terms, and grew up on his father's farm. When of age, in August, 1863, he en- listed for service in the Civil war, entering Company I, 135th P. V. I., under Capt. John A. Kinter and Col. James Porter, and was with the Army of the Potomac, taking part in the battles of Munson's Hill and Chan- cellorsville; while on duty in front of Fred- ericksburg he received a small flesh wound. He was in hospital at Camp Curtin, Har- risburg, with typhoid fever, and was mustered out of the service in 1864. He again enlisted, at Greensburg, in a company just formed, and was detached to do secret service, being engaged in that work up to the close of the war. Returning home he stayed on the home- stead with his parents for one year, and then learned the trade of shookmaking with Thomas Hatch in Burrell township. Later he became engaged in that business with James Alexander Getty, under the firm name of Spiers & Getty, and the business was con- ducted thus for two years, when Mr. Spiers sold out and took to farming in East Wheat- field township. In the early seventies he came to Brushvalley township and bought a tract of eighty-three acres, on which he built a dwelling house, and rebuilt a barn which had been destroyed by a gale. He continued engaged in general farming and stock raising HARVEY W. SHANK, a general farmer and stock raiser of Cherryhill township, Indi- ana county, owning a handsome tract of land on the edge of the borough of Clymer, was born in that township May 10, 1862, and is a son of Levi and Martha (Lydick) Shank. until 1892, when he accepted a position at the Cambria Iron Works, at Johnstown, stok- ing in the steel works, and when he had spent four years there he decided to return to the farm, where he lived two more years. He then obtained a position as foreman in Joshua Shank, his paternal grandfather, was an early settler of Indiana county, com- ing here from Somerset county, Pa., and locating on a tract of land situated near Greenville, where he spent the rest of his life in agricultural pursuits. the Round department of the Cambria Iron Works, at Johnstown, whither he removed with his family, and continued to fill that position for four years. In 1902 he again re- turned with his family to the farm and con- tinued engaged in farming until 1909, when he retired and located in Mechanicsburg, where he has ever since resided. A stanch Republican in politics, he has served his township as school director, and in 1911 was elected justice of the peace, which office he

Mr. Spiers married Feb. 7, 1867, in East was born in Wheatfield township, daughter of Isaac Johns. She died March 15, 1911, and was buried in the Presbyterian Church cemetery at Armagh, Pa. She was a member of the Episcopal Church. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Spiers, as fol- lows: Clarissa, born Jan. 16, 1868, is de- ceased; Oliver Perry, born April 4, 1869, is deceased; Adaline, born Dec. 19, 1870, is de- ceased ; Eleanor, born March 1, 1872, married Albert Hill, and resides in Juniata, Blair Co., Pa .; Harry F., born March 4, 1874, resides in Johnstown, Pa .; Seguin Adolphus, born Nov. 20, 1876, is deceased; Lillian Theodosia, born Sept. 4, 1878, married Wesley Stahl, and resides in Vandergrift; Cora, born Oct. 8, 1880, married John Murphy, of Boswell, Somerset Co., Pa .; Tesse Izette, born Feb. 20, 1884, now deceased, married Harry Over- dorff; Nellie Blanch, born Feb. 21, 1886, mar- ried Clark Marsh, of Brushvalley township; Warden Gwinford, born March 17, 1888, re- sides in Center township; Flora E., born April 23, 1891, is deceased. Mr. Spiers was married (second) April 10, 1912, to Mrs. Mary P. (Windren) Crothers, born in Whitesburg, Armstrong county, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Windren, and widow of Samuel Crothers.

Levi Shank, son of Joshua, and father of Harvey W., was born in Cambria county, Pa., and accompanied his parents to Indiana county, the remainder of his life being spent on the old homestead, where his widow, a native of Cherryhill township, Indiana is now filling with excellent ability. He is a county, still resides. They had a family of member of the G. A. R., belonging to Emory three sons and three daughters, as follows: Fisher Post, of Johnstown. He is much in- Harvey W .; Nancy, the wife of Lemuel terested in church work, being a member of Myers, of Indiana, Pa .; Jane, the wife of

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Walter M. Myers, a farmer and minister of a Lytle, and they lived and died in Armstrong Cherryhill township; Ora, a resident of Penn township. Run, Indiana county ; Minnie, who makes her home with her mother at Greenville; and Sherman, a farmer living near Indiana.

Abraham Lydick, the maternal grandfather of Harvey W. Shank, was also an early set- tler of Indiana county, where the greater part of his life was spent in tilling the soil.

Alexander Calhoun was born in Armstrong township, and was a farmer all his life, dy- ing on his farm near Elderton. His wife also died there. They were members of the U. P. Church. Mr. Calhoun was a Republican and took considerable interest in the politics of his locality, serving in various local offices

Harvey W. Shank received his education in and proving a useful man in his community. the district schools of Cherryhill township, Six children were born to him and his wife: James, who died in Denver, Colo .; William L .; Mary, Mrs. Daniel Farrell, of Kansas; Samuel, of Plumcreek township, Armstrong county (he served in the 206th P. V. I., dur- ing the Civil war) ; Alexander, of Plumcreek township, Armstrong county; and Margaret, Mrs. James Harmon, of Plumcreek township. and was reared to the vocation of agricultur- ist. When he was twenty-five years of age he left the parental roof and embarked in busi- ness on his own account as the operator of a sawmill, a business in which he was engaged for eight years. During this time he also learned the trade of carpenter, which he fol- lowed for several years, building the first five houses in the borough of Clymer. During the last few years he has been living at a beauti- ful home situated on the edge of Clymer, and has been successfully engaged in farming.

William L. Calhoun was a boy when his father removed to Armstrong county, and there he received his education and grew to manhood. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union service, becoming a member of Company G, On Feb. 26, 1885, Mr. Shank was married to Lucinda Houck, who was born in Cherry- hill township, Indiana county, Sept. 20, 1864, daughter of Peter and Catherine (Wheeler) Houck, both of whom are now living in Cherryhill township, where they were early settlers. The Houck family consisted of four sons and three daughters, as follows: John, 63d P. V. I., under Captain McHenry and Col. Alexander Hayes. He served faithfully until the fall of 1862, when he was disabled by being sunstruck, and typhoid fever devel- oping he was sent home and discharged on ac- count of disability. He reenlisted Jan. 1, 1864, joining the signal corps, and served until August, 1865, when he was discharged at residing in Indiana, Pa .; Mary, widow of Georgetown. Among the actions in which he Joshua Shank; Fred, living on the homestead took part were the skirmishes around York- in Cherryhill township; Lucinda, wife of Harvey W. Shank; Aaron, of Marion Center, Indiana county ; Ida, wife of James Kirtland, of Cherryhill township; and Lowry, a livery- man and hotel-keeper of Penn Run. town, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, the seven days' battle and second Bull Run. Upon the close of his army service he resumed farming at his old home in Armstrong county, where he continued to follow agricultural pursuits Mr. and Mrs. Shank have had a family of twelve children, in order of birth as follows: Peter; Linus; Joshua, who married Edith Alders and resides in Cherryhill township; John, residing in Indiana county ; and Goldie, Claire, Mary, Ferman, Hazel, Vernie, Lula and Roy, all at home with their parents. until his removal to Armstrong township, In- diana county. He continued farming there until he retired and moved to the borough of Indiana, in 1900. He retains the ownership of 130 acres of farm land and 130 acres of coal land, all in Armstrong township. Mr. Calhoun was an intelligent and enterprising farmer, and his agricultural operations paid well under his thrifty management.

Mr. and Mrs. Shank and their children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM L. CALHOUN, formerly a farmer of Armstrong township, Indiana county, now living retired in the borough of Indiana, still owns considerable land, but be- yond looking after his property is not actively interested in any business. He was born in Armstrong township March 13, 1842, son of Alexander and Nancy (Wiggins) Calhoun. His grandfather, William Calhoun, married county; Marlie, who went West; and Edith,

In the spring of 1866 Mr. Calhoun married Christina Fry, of Rayne township, Indiana county, daughter of John and Margaret (Mahan) Fry. Seven children have been born to them: Bellezta, Mrs. Frank Fry, of Advance, Indiana county; Nancy W., who is at home; Porter, who is a farmer in Arm- strong township, Indiana county; Lottie, Mrs. Richard Spence, of Indiana county ; Mayme, Mrs. John Winger, of Indiana

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

who is unmarried. The family home is at land, and resides at Kiskiminetas Junction, No. 445 South Seventh street.

Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun are members of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Indi- ana. His political principles are those of the Republican party, but he is an independent voter.

ISAAC NORMAN KING, of Center town- ship, is one of the progressive farmers who are keeping that part of Indiana county up to the high standard set by modern agricul- turists. He is a citizen of worth, and belongs to an old family of German origin which has been settled in this section of Pennsylvania for almost one hundred and fifty years.

The name was originally spelled Koenig, and John Koenig, the founder of the family in America, came from Germany about 1769, making a home in Westmoreland county, Pa., where he had a farm.

Joseph Koenig, son of John, was the first of the family to write the name King. Ac- cording to tradition, while he was attending an English school in Westmoreland county the schoolmaster used the English version, which the family has since adopted. He lo- cated in Brady's Bend township, Armstrong county, followed farming, and became a land owner. He was twice married, and had sons: David, who married and had seven sons; John, who married Catherine Fife, and set- tled in Ohio; and Isaac.

Isaac King, son of Joseph by his second marriage, made his home near Kittanning, Armstrong Co., Pa., and died there. Farm- ing was his life occupation. His children were : Gideon, Elias, Robert, Isaac, and Sarah (married Joseph Stuyvesant of Kit- tanning, Pa.).

Pa .; Isaac Norman; Nannie, who married Levi Gilbert, of Johnstown, Pa .; Robert, liv- ing in Allegheny county, Pa .; Thomas, of Bellwood, Pa .; May, married to Samuel Cru- san, of Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pa .; Late- tia, who married Samuel Jenkins; and Mar- garet, who resides at Johnstown, Pennsyl- vania.

Isaac Norman King was born March 23, 1853, in Young township, Indiana county, and was reared there, attending the local schools. When a youth he became employed at farm work in South Bend township, Arm- strong county, and also in Young township, Indiana county, and at the age of twenty-one began farming on his own account, settling in Center township. At the time of his mar- riage he came to reside on the W. H. Kerr farm in that township, where he has since had his home and follows farming and stock raising. He has made numerous improve- ments on the place since it came into his hands, putting up buildings and making many changes which have enhanced its value, and he has shown intelligence and enterprise in his able management of the property. It oc- cupies the highest elevation in the township, being over seventeen hundred feet above sea level. Mr. King has served as member and secretary of the school board of his township, and takes a public-spirited interest in move- ments which he feels will benefit the commu- nity. He is a stanch advocate of temperance and supports the Prohibition party. In re- ligious connection he is a prominent member of the Crete United Presbyterian Church, which he served as elder for fifteen years, also filling all the other church offices. Frater- nally he belongs to the Jr. O. U. A. M.

. On Oct. 19, 1876, Mr. King married An- nie E. Hoffman, daughter of John D. and Deborah (Eckels) Hoffman, and they have had four children: Nettie Myrtle, who is the wife of Milton M. Bowman, of Armstrong township, Indiana county : Laura D., at home; Sadie C., who died Feb. 16, 1911; and Ruth, who died in infancy. Miss Sadie C. King, the third daughter, received her education in the public schools of Center township and fitted herself for the teacher's profession, be- coming one of the most successful public school instructors in Indiana county. She taught at the Risinger school in North Homer,

Isaac King, son of Isaac, was born on a farm near Kittanning and there grew to man- hood. He was early familiarized with farm work, which he always followed. Moving to . Indiana county in middle life, he settled in Armstrong township, where he continued to farm throughout his active years. He died when past seventy years of age, at Twolick, Pa., and is buried in Oakland cemetery, at Indiana. In politics he was a Democrat. Mr. King married Eva Dunmore, of South Bend, Armstrong county, who died in Armstrong township, Indiana county, and is buried in Oakland cemetery. Eleven children were born to this union: Jennie, who married Center township; Myers school in Center David Ortz, of Indiana; Philip; Lncy, who township; Bridenbaugh school, Center town- ship; Lytle's school, two terms; New Alex- married Thomas Ewing, and settled in Ne- braska ; Elizabeth, who married William Gar- andria (Westmoreland county) public school ;

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Vandergrift Heights public school; Smith's county, and in gaining the confidence and station public school in Burrell township; patronage of the people of his community. Iselin public school in Young township; and Mr. Greiner was married in August, 1875, to Anna King, a native of Pittsburg, and she died July 23, 1891. There were four children born to this union, namely: Charles, who is a resident of Homewood; Lucinda, the wife of Victor Bermont, of Lockville, Pa .; Edna, deceased; and George, who is engaged in the bakery business at Indiana. In 1892 Mr. Greiner was married (second) to Kate Page, of Indiana, Pennsylvania. Graceton public school in Center township. Miss King made hosts of friends while follow- ing her profession. While teaching at Grace- ton she contracted the fever which caused her death, at her home, in February, 1911, leav- ing many to mourn the loss of one who in her busy, useful career had left a gracious influence on the lives of those whose good fortune it was to be associated with her, either as pupils or fellow workers. She was buried in Oakland cemetery at Indiana.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 70

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