Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 8

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 8

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Robert Imbrie, son of James Imbrie, and father of Rev. James M. Imbrie, was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pa., about the year 1790, and with his parents removed to Wash- ington county, Pa. He received a good edu- lah. Finally he came to Indiana, where he cation, attending the country schools and a has since been located. He is a member of

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

G. A. R. Post No. 28, and in his political views is a Prohibitionist. Ruth O. Fyock, who was born Aug. 26, 1891, in Penn Run, daughter of James M. and In 1867 Mr. Imbrie was married to Rachel Catherine Rankin, daughter of Thomas Ran- kin, a former elder of the Mt. Prospect con- gregation, and six children have been born to this union: Catherine Alberta, who married Jacob C. Starr, of Kittanning; Maud, who Christina (Holsopple) Fyock, natives of In- diana county, who live at Penn Run, where Mr. Fyock has a general merchandise and un- dertaking business. Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart have had one child, Eva V., born Jan. 3, 1908. Mr. Burkhart is a member of the Lutheran married John Doyle, deceased; G. Mildred, Church, his wife belonging to the Brethren (German Baptist) Church. He is a member of Lodge No. 1168, I. O. O. F., at Pine Flats.

who married R. R. Ryerson, of Nebraska; and Bessie, who is unmarried and resides with her parents; two other children, sons, died in infancy.

JESSE W. BURKHART has a well-estab- lished hardware and general merchandise business at Penn Run, where he has been settled ever since he began on his own ac- count. He was born Aug. 28, 1885, in Pine township, Indiana county, where his grand- father, Samuel Burkhart, settled at an early day, farming there until his death.

WILLIAM S. DAUGHERTY has con- ducted a planing mill business at Indiana for almost a quarter of a century, succeeding his father as proprietor of an establishment with which the latter first became connected in 1866. He has a large patronage in this local- ity and is recognized as one of its substantial business men. In his earlier years he was quite prominently identified with public life in the county.

Henry A. Burkhart, father of Jesse W. Mr. Daugherty was born Jan. 22, 1846, at Burkhart, was born in Blair county, Pa., and Saltsburg, Indiana county, son of James R. came with his father to Pine township, In- and Mary A. (Hart) Daugherty, and grand- son of Hugh Daugherty. The latter was a native of Ireland. He came to western Penn- sylvania in 1799, settling at what is now the site of Irwin, in Westmoreland county, in what is now North Huntingdon township.

diana county. He was a farmer in his earlier life, and later followed the trade of carpen- ter in connection with his agricultural pur- suits. During the Civil war he enlisted from Indiana county in Company E, 177tlı Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served till James R. Daugherty, father of William S. Daugherty, was born in Westmoreland county the close of the war. After the close of the war he returned to Pine township, where he and there spent his youth until he reached the lived until his removal to Cherryhill township, in 1901. He settled at Penn Run, where he made his home until his death, which oc- age of fourteen years. He then came to what is now Saltsburg to work upon the old Penn- sylvania canal. In 1863 he was elected sheriff curred March 11, 1907. He married Sarah A. of Indiana county and removed to Indiana, Rhodes, who was born in Indiana county, where he ever afterward made his home. whose parents, William and Margaret Rhodes, After serving one term in that office, in 1866, he became a member of the firm of Coleman, were early residents of Pine township and lived and died there. Mrs. Burkhart died Ewing & Co., in the planing mill business, Sept. 29, 1909.

withdrawing from that association in 1872, Jesse W. Burkhart, only child of Henry A. and Sarah A. (Rhodes) Burkhart, spent his early life in Pine township and attended school there and at Penn Run. His school days over he embarked in the mercantile business at Penn Run, in Cherryhill township, also selling when he entered upon his second term of service as sheriff. At the end of that term (three years) he purchased the planing mill of which he had formerly been part owner, carrying on the business until he sold it to his son William S. Daugherty, in 1889. Mr. hardware, and he has a very profitable trade, Daugherty was one of the foremost citizens which is growing steadily. Though one of the youngest business men at that place he has been highly successful, and his extensive busi- ness has been built up as a result of hard work and good management. He has been honored with election to the office of school director of Cherryhill township, in which posi- tion he is now serving. of Indiana county in his day, a member of the community in whom all his fellow citizens had the highest confidence. He held many im- portant borough offices, and was one of the original trustees of the Indiana State normal school, serving for many years, until his death. In politics he was a Republican, in religion a member of the Presbyterian Church.

On June 12, 1907, Mr. Burkhart married

In 1839 Mr. Daugherty married Mary A.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Hart, who was born in 1820, daughter of Wil- his interest in the general welfare and has liam Hart, who was of Scotch descent; Mr. been interested in the good government of his Hart settled in Indiana county, where he re- home community, which he has served for sided until his death. Like her husband Mrs. thirty-four years in the capacity of school director, still holding that office. He has been a trustee of the normal school for seven- teen years, having been first appointed to that position in 1894, and still continuing to fill it. He is an influential member of the Republican party, showing his progressive spirit in poli- tics as in business and all the other relations Daugherty was a member of the Presbyterian Church. They were the parents of eight chil- dren : Robert J., who joined the Union serv- ice during the Civil war, becoming a member of Company C, 9th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and died of exhaustion in the Seven Days' fight; William S .; Martha, wife of John P. St. Clair; James; Frank; Annie; of life. John, and Silas C.

William S. Daugherty has passed practically all his life in his native county-all but one year in Kansas, 1870, and one year in Brook- ville, 1872. He received his early education in the common schools and later attended Saltshurg Academy. After leaving school he

Mr. Daugherty has been well known in learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- local fraternal circles, as a member of Palla- lowed for three years, at the end of that time dium Lodge, No. 346, I. O. O. F., Indiana Lodge, No. 21, A. O. U. W., and the Masons, in the latter connection belonging to Indiana Lodge, No. 313, F. & A. M., Zerubbabel Chap- ter, No. 162, R. A. M., Pittsburg Command- ery, No. 1, K. T., and Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Pittsburg. In 1898 he was ap- pointed district deputy grand master of the Thirty-ninth district and is still serving. For five years he served as master of the blue lodge. In religious connection he is a member of the Presbyterian Church. becoming interested in the drug business, in which he continued to be engaged, off and on, until 1872. At that time he became deputy sheriff under his father, who was then serving as sheriff, and he served three successive terms in that office, continuing with Sheriffs Wil- liam C. Brown and Daniel Ansley after his father's term expired. Toward the close of his third term, in 1881, he was elected protho- notary of Indiana county, was reelected in 1884, and continued to hold that office until 1888, when he retired. In 1889 he was ap- pointed to superintend the erection of the West Indiana school building. Late in the farmer of West Wheatfield township, Indiana fall of that year he purchased the planing mill from his father, and he has continued to carry on the business ever since. This mill, erected in 1856, is a large two-story frame structure, fitted throughout with all the most approved conveniences for carrying on the

work in hand. The building has been en- a son of George Cribbs and grandson of

larged and improved from time to time to meet the growing demands of the business and to bring it up to date in equipment, and the facilities for turning out the work required by modern contractors are ample and com- plete. Mr. Daugherty manufactures and deals in rough and worked lumber of all kinds, flooring, weather boarding, ceiling and bill lumber, handles doors, sash, moldings and brackets, and is able to turn out anything for the custom trade. His patronage is not con- fined to the immediate locality, but extends all over the southern part of the county.

Since retiring from the office of prothono- tary Mr. Daugherty has not been as active in public life as formerly, but he has continued

On Sept. 19, 1876, Mr. Daugherty married Martha V. Sansom, daughter of John Sansom, and sister of James B. Sansom, at one time editor of the Indiana Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Daugherty have two children, Hart B. and Ross S.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CRIBBS, county, and formerly also engaged in black- smithing, is an enterprising and respected citi- zen of that section and has lived at his present home there for over thirty-five years. He was born April 28, 1840, on the present Joseph McCracken farm in the same township, and is Jacob Cribbs.

Jacob Cribbs settled at an early day in Blacklick township, Indiana Co., Pa., where he owned a large tract of land. He was a wheelwright hy trade and became a noted wagonmaker in his day, in addition following farming and stock raising. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812. In religion he was a Lutheran, belonging to the Evangelical Church, and he was laid to rest in the Lutheran cemetery in Blacklick township. His wife, whose maiden name was Stofenel, was a native of Germany. They had the fol- lowing children: Jacob was twice married; George is mentioned below; David married Catherine Cribbs; Betsey married John

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Repine and went West; Mary married Wil- being honorably discharged in October, 1864. liam Fair and lived for a time in Blacklick His officers were Capt. Charles Morgan and township, later moving to Altoona, Pa., where they died (their children were: Peter, Susan, who married Washington Bell; Mary Jane, who married Jackson Bell; Elizabeth, who married Samuel Doty; Henry, who married a Miss Gilger; Sarah, who married Abe Mikesell; Julia, who married Christopher Mikesell; and William).

George Cribbs, son of Jacob, was born in 1798 in Blacklick township, on his father's farm (now the George H. Cribbs farm), and there received his education in the subscrip- tion schools. After learning the trade of blacksmith he moved to West Wheatfield township, where he bought the Samuel Wad- dell farm of ninety acres and settled down to farming and stock raising, also following his trade. He was a Democrat up to 1852, sub- sequently joining the Republican party, and

From 1864 to 1866 Mr. Cribbs followed blacksmithing at Oil City, thence moving to Heshbon, in Brushvalley township, Indiana county, where he continued to work at his trade until 1875. That year he bought the Palmer farm of 106 acres in West Wheatfield township, and besides cultivating that prop- erty he worked at his trade, having a shop took some interest in local affairs, serving as opposite his home. He gave up blacksmith- school director. Originally a member of the ing in 1907. Mr. Cribbs has given particular Lutheran Church, he later joined the M. E. attention to the raising of small fruits, in Church, toward which he contributed liber- which he is quite extensively interested, though ally. He died in 1866, at the age of sixty- eight years.

Mr. Cribbs was married to Jane Barr, who was born in 1800 in Ireland, daughter of Sam- uel and Margaret (Patterson) Barr, and died in 1884. Six children were born to this union, viz .: Jacob married Nancy Boyle and (sec- ond) Margaret Repine, and had one child by the first wife, George I., and the following by the second marriage, Charles, Jesse, Albert and Ida; Andrew J. B. died while serving in the Civil war as a member of the 2d Iowa Regiment; Peter I., who also served in the 2d Iowa Regiment during the Civil war, mar- ried Adaline McBride, and has children, Mar- celles Mc., Mary A., Catherine and Joseph ; George W. is mentioned below; Christopher M., who served in the 112th Pennsylvania Provisional Regiment, Heavy Artillery, mar- ried Margaret Crusan and (second) Cather- ine Metz, and resides in Blacklick township (his children are Lina, Ralph and Nellie) ; Mary J. married Joseph D. McCracken, and they had six children, William, Marion, Barr, Edward, Mary Elizabeth and George I.

Capt. D. P. Jones, and Cols. John M. Mc- Clane, Strong Vincent and O. S. Woodward. Besides twenty small battles and skirmishes, he saw active service at Yorktown, Meadow Bridge, Hanover Court House, second Bull Run, Brandy Station, Bristoe Station, Rap- pahannock Station, Mine Run, Fredericks- burg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spottsyl- vania, Laurel Hill, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, four engagements at Petersburg and two at Yellow House.

he follows general farming very successfully. He has done well at his various undertakings, and has also taken part in the administration of public affairs in the township, having served twelve years as justice of the peace, and he also held the office of school director for ten years, and was secretary and treasurer of the board. In 1890 he was census enumerator. He has been a prominent worker in the M. E. Church at Heshbon, serving as trustee and class leader, and was superintendent of the Sunday school. Socially he holds membership in Findley Patch Post, No. 137, G. A. R., of Blairsville, Indiana county.

Mr. Cribbs was married April 20, 1865, to Sarah Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Henry and Sarah Ann (Oaks) Palmer, formerly of Burrell township, this county, and five chil- dren have been born to them, namely: (1) Harry Albert is a civil engineer by profession, but is now employed as chief clerk of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, at St. Paul, Minn. He married Gertrude Hoskinson, and their children are Ernest, Margaret, Vir- ginia, George and William. (2) William B. O. is engaged in farming in Shelby county, Ind. He married Eva Limpus, and has chil- dren, Edith and Irene. (3) Orrin L., station master for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany at Dunbar, Pa., married Clara Wake- field, and their children are Bertha, Grace,

George Washington Cribbs received a com- mon school education, and learned the trade of blacksmith with his father. Shortly after he attained his majority, on Aug. 5, 1861, he enlisted in the Union army, becoming a mem- ber of Company A, 83d Pennsylvania Volun- teers, with which he served over three years, George and Kenneth. (4) Charles Crocker is

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

deceased. (5) Clarence Alexander Scott, who works with his brother at Dunbar, Pa., mar- ried Dora Mack, and their children are Fran- cis, May, Merwin and Harry Mack.

CHARLES W. TUCK, of Homer City, In- diana county, senior member of the manu- facturing firm known as the L. C. Hassinger Company, has been connected with that busi- ness throughout his residence in Homer City and is one of the best-known of this section's lumbermen and mill men.

Mr. Tuck is a native of Maine, born at Houlton, Aroostook county, in February, 1849, son of Lafayette Tuck, who was a well- known lumber manufacturer of that section of the Pine Tree State and who was for years engaged in the lumber business in Pennsyl- vania, later removing to the Pacific coast and locating in Washington, where he died. Mr. Tuck's educational opportunities were limited to such as the local school of his native town afforded. He was but twelve years old when he first started to work, in a sawmill with his father at his native place, where he continued until 1869. Then he came west to Indiana county, about four months before his father, with whom he became engaged in the lumber business, also operating a sawmill at Diamond- ville for twelve years. It was then he came to Homer City and became manager in the planing mill of J. M. Guthrie, with whom he continued until 1895, a period of fourteen years, at the end of which he formed a partner- ship with the sons of Mr. Guthrie, with whom he was associated in business until 1908, their product being handles, insulator pins and brackets. When the Guthrie brothers sold out their interest to L. C. Hassinger, of In- diana, Mr. Tuck continued with the business as senior member of the firm, and it is now conducted under the name of the L. C. Has- singer Company. Many improvements have been made in the plant and equipment in the thirty years and more of Mr. Tuck's associa- tion with it, and the business has so increased that ten hands are now given steady employ- ment.

Mr. Tuck is a thorough lumberman, having been in the business over half a century, and he is a man of expert judgment in his line and thoroughly familiar with the demands of the trade.

In 1871 Mr. Tuck was married, in Cherry- hill township. Indiana county, to Nora L. Sickenbirger, daughter of Henry Sickenhirger, and they have had six children: Gertrude, a music teacher, who lives at home; Lafayette;

Laura, who was a public school teacher, now the wife of Edward Gonier; Mabel, at home; Clyde, a railroad man; and Eleanor, a school teacher. Mr. Tuck is a member of the Presby- terian Church and actively interested in its work, serving as trustee. He is inclined to- ward the principles of the Republican party, but independent on vital issues.

JOHN G. MCCRORY, president of the J. G. McCrory Company, now operating over one hundred 5 and 10 cent stores situated princi- pally in the eastern and southern part of the country, was the founder of this great con- cern and is its principal stockholder. Its de- velopment has been a great part of his life work, and his best thought and best ideas have gone into its upbuilding. From an unosten- tatious beginning at Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pa., in 1882, when he started what proved to be the first link of a long chain of stores, he has built up a business whose success has brought it national reputation, and this section is proud of its connection therewith as the starting point of a business which has as- sumed vast proportions. In many respects the MeCrory corporation is unique. There are other successful enterprises of the kind, but its evolution has been along lines sug- gested by experience or proved by trial, and the result is an organization of such amaz- ing efficiency that it is not only automatic in operation, but in self-perpetuation and cx- pansion as well. Mr. McCrory has gathered around him in this association a group of able men, whose cooperation makes possible the maximum of achievement with the mini- mum of labor. The record of his life is one of unceasing activity. He has always ex- erted himself to make the most of whatever opportunities have been at hand, and though willing to venture forward has built up his business conservatively, on such a sound basis that added responsibilities have entailed extra work but no worry. He comes of that substantial race from the North of Ireland whose representatives have become known in Pennsylvania for thrift, shrewdness and strength of intellect, coupled with a hardiness of physique which adapted them admirably for the struggle against adverse conditions which the early emigrants faced.

John McCrory, grandfather of John G. Me- Crory, was the founder of the family in In- diana county. He was a native of County Down, Ireland, born in 1788 near the town of Armagh, and his wife Jennie or Jane (Campbell), daughter of Christy and Jennie

A.s. Mtrong.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Campbell, was born in 1789. He came to this Pa., who is now associated in business with country about 1814, a young man of twenty- her brother John G. McCrory, being vice president of the J. G. McCrory Company and equally interested with Mr. McCrory in ex- tensive investments in Florida lands and other real estate. Mr. and Mrs. McCullough live in Orlando, Fla., and have two children, Mary and Ruth.

six, and that year settled on land in East Wheatfield township, Indiana Co., Pa. He was one of the founders of the United Pres- byterian Church, at Bethel, in West Wheat- field township, and was one of the officials of that church to the close of his life. He died Sept. 29, 1867, aged seventy-nine years, and John G. MeCrory was born Oct. 11, 1860, in Indiana county, Pa. His boyhood and youth were spent in and about Mechanicsburg, where he received a public school education, engaging in vacation time with farmers or as clerk of a country store, and when a youth of eighteen he returned with his mother to the farm. However, he did not remain there was buried with his wife in the Bethel Church cemetery ; she died Sept. 25, 1864, aged sev- enty-five years. Eight children were born to this couple, as follows: Elizabeth, Oct. 2, 1818 (married Joseph Mack) ; David, Jan. 14, 1820; Jennie, May 17, 1821 (died Oct. 28, 1857) ; James, Nov. 17, 1822 (died Jan. 20, 1826) ; Mary Ann, March 23, 1824 (married long. Finding employment in the mills of Hugh Mack) ; Nancy, May 9, 1827 (married James McGriffin, of Jefferson county, Pa.) ; James, Nov. 23, 1829; Isabelle, Oct. 11, 1831 (died Sept. 19, 1844).

the Cambria Steel Company, at Johnstown, Pa., he soon was given a position in their large general store, then conducted under the name of Wood, Morrell & Company (James Mc- Grandfather McCrory was a Mason and Millen then manager), where he remained when leaving Ireland for America a letter was given him by his lodge, No. 683, at Armahill, Ireland. Said letter is still in the possession of the grandchildren and shows he was well advanced in Masonry.

about two years, and thus began his career as a merchant. He had faith in the openings which the small towns in the vicinity afforded, and was anxious to have an independent ca- reer, so with what money he had saved and some borrowed -- but a few hundred dollars

James McCrory, youngest son of John and Jennie (Campbell) McCrory, was born Nov. in all-he opened in Scottdale, Westmoreland 23, 1829, in East Wheatfield township. He Co., Pa., what he called a 5 and 10 Cent grew up on a farm in the same township, ad- Store, using side counters for this line, but handling also some higher priced merchan- dise. This was in 1882. The idea appealed to the residents of the locality. And by hard work of the young man to please his customers and keep his expenses within limits, he by the next year had accumulated enough capital to take advantage of the second opening, which was in the town of DuBois, Clearfield Co., Pa. He started this store in 1883, almost clear of debt, and his subsequent operations no doubt owe much of their profitableness to this pol- icy, to which he has adhered. He disposed of his Scottdale store to good advantage soon after he established the DuBois store, but as a matter of sentiment and respect for the lo- cality of his first venture he marked the spot by reestablishing a store in Scottdale Dec. 15, 1910. The DuBois store was discontinued in the year 1892 but reopened Sept. 9, 1912.

joining the place where he was born. He was reared to farming, and followed agricultural pursuits until he entered the service of his country, Nov. 2, 1862, during the Civil war. He became a member of Company K, 177th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Cap- tain Killin and Lieut. Col. Hugh J. Brady. He was taken ill, and died March 5, 1863, near Suffolk, Va., leaving his young wife with two children, John G., then in his third year, and Jennie, less than a year old. The remains were brought to Indiana county and buried in the Bethel United Presbyterian Church ceme- tery. Mr. James McCrory had married Mary A. Murphy, who was born June 28, 1834, near Mechanicsburg, Brushvalley township, daughter of George and Margaret I. Murphy. She survived him many years, dying March 16, 1900, and is also buried in the Bethel Church cemetery. A few years after her hus- Many more stores were opened and closed during the first ten years of Mr. McCrory's business career. His game those days was to open two or three stores each year and close out that many, aiming to make money at both band's death Mrs. McCrory moved with her children to Mechanicsburg, to take advantage of the better school facilities offered and to be nearer church, remaining there until her son reached the age of eighteen years. Then she times, always having from eight to twelve returned to the farm. Later the daughter stores going. A slump from high to low prices married John H. Mccullough, then of DuBois, on some lines of goods was taken advantage 53

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 8

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