Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 99

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 99

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Henry Houck, the maternal grandfather of John H. Buterbaugh, was born in Germany, and was seven years old when his parents brought him to the United States. They set- tled 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 end of his life. He died about 1898, near Purchase Line, in Green township. He married Elizabeth Myers, who was born in Pennsylvania, of German ancestry, and they had the following children: David R., William H., George F., Joseph, Sarah, Han- nah and Henry H.

John H. Buterbaugh was educated in the schools of Green township, and as a young man learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed for several years. Later he en- gaged in the bottling business at Starford, where he conducted an establishment for some time, and subsequently engaged in con- tracting with his brother, Harry R. In 1911 with him in any of his enterprises. Progress-

Dixon Run Lumber Company, of Lovejoy, an office which he has continued to hold to the present time.

On Dec. 25, 1901, Mr. Buterbaugh was mar- ried to Mary Kimmel, of Bedford county, Pa., daughter of John and Catherine (Corle) Kimmel, natives of Bedford county, where they now reside. Five children have been born to this union: Alta, L. Chalmer, Sarah M., Henry C. and Elmer E. Mr. and Mrs. Buterbaugh are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

CLARENCE B. RHEA, who is carrying on agricultural operations in Young town- ship, and is also the proprietor of a livery business near Jacksonville, Indiana Co., Pa., was born Sept. 12, 1879, in Center township, Indiana county, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Stutchel) Rhea.

William Rhea, the paternal grandfather of Clarence B. Rhea, was born May 10, 1805, in Center township, Indiana county, and there spent his entire life on a well-cultivated farm, on which he made numerous improvements, including a brick residence, barn and other buildings. During his declining years he was tenderly cared for by his daughter-in-law, the wife of his son Alexander Rhea, and to her he willed the farm in appreciation of her loving devotion. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, in the faith of which he died, and he was buried at Jacksonville ceme- tery. In political matters he was a Repub- lican, although he was never an office seeker, and took only a good citizen's interest in matters of a public nature. On Dec. 21, 1826, he was married to Ann McFarlin, who was born Sept. 3, 1803, and died Sept. 20, 1857, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church; she was buried in Jacksonville cemetery.

Alexander Rhea, son of William Rhea, and father of Clarence B. Rhea, was born Dec. 5, 1831, in Center township, Indiana county, and there received his education in the dis- trict schools and was reared to agricultural pursuits. He always remained on the home- stead place, where he became extensively en- gaged in raising cattle and dealing in cattle and horses, in this line being known all over the county. His reputation was that of an upright, honest citizen, with the highest busi- ness principles, and while he met with re- verses in his ventures he never never lost the confidence of those who were associated

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ive in his ideas, and possessed of great public finest tracts of its size in Indiana county. spirit, he was instrumental in advancing the interests of his community in a material man- ner, and throughout Indiana county he could boast of a host of friends and well-wishers. Politically he was a Republican. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and was laid to rest in Oakland cemetery, at Indiana.

Alexander Rhea was united in marriage with Elizabeth Stutchel, daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Kunkle) Stutchel, and she still survives, living at Jacksonville, where she is an active member of the United Pres- byterian Church. They had the following children : Anna, born Sept. 20, 1864, married Dudley C. Lyons, of Derry township, West- moreland county ; Laura J., born Jan. 10, 1866, married Stewart Graham Sept. 1, 1887; William B. T., born Aug. 1, 1867, married Mary Barkley, and is a resident of Young- wood, Westmoreland Co., Pa .; Henry H., born Jan. 13, 1870, is residing in Young township; Albert T., born Sept. 11, 1871, is deceased ; George W., born Sept. 21, 1873, was married March 13, 1902, to Mary Kunkle; Calvin A., born Jan. 23, 1877, was married Feb. 22, 1904, to Minnie Gillen, and resides in Illinois; Clarence B. is mentioned below ; Charles W., born Dec. 15, 1881, died Jan. 9, 1882; Lillis M., born May 9, 1884, died Sept. 18, 1884; Leslie H., born Sept. 20, 1886, married Mar- garet Cooper, and is engaged in farming in Illinois.

Clarence B. Rhea, son of Alexander Rhea, received his education in the public schools of Center township, and worked at home with his father until he was nineteen years of age, at which time he accepted a position in the lumber and saw mill of J. E. Frick, of Indi- ana, there becoming thoroughly conversant with all the details of the business. In 1900 he embarked in the manufacture of lumber, with a portable sawmill, and during the next ten years conducted a successful business, cutting and sawing lumber in Young, Cone- maugh, Blacklick and Center townships, prin- cipally under contract to railroad companies, furnishing ties and other building material to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the B. R. & P. Railroad Company. In the mean- time, in 1907, Mr. Rhea began agricultural operations, on the T. S. Ncal farm near Jack- sonville, a tract of 118 acres which he has been cultivating ever since. Here he erected a fine dwelling house and remodeled the barn and other buildings, made modern improve- ments of all kinds, and now has one of the

In connection with his farm he has estab- lished a livery stable, where he keeps horses and buggies for hire, and during the past three years has also operated a steam power threshing outfit during the season, in Young and adjoining townships. He has met with gratifying success in all of his ventures, and the position he has gained is all the more sat- isfactory in that it has been attained entirely through the medium of his own efforts. In political matters Mr. Rhea is a Republican, but he is no office seeker, although in 1911 he was appointed supervisor of roads, and in 1912 was elected to that office for a term of four years.

In 1900 Mr. Rhea was married to Martha Olive Lyons, daughter of Alexander Lyons, and they have had seven children: Oliver Boyd, Clarence P., Olive Lyons, Glenn, two who died in infancy, and William Howard.

On the maternal side, Mr. Rhea is descended from an old and honored family of Indiana county, which was founded here by John Stutchel, his great-great-grandfather, who came to White township in 1785, and whose children were: Abraham, who married Bar- bara Lydick; Christopher; Jacob, who mar- ried Margaret Fairman; Mary, who married John McHenry ; and a daughter who married a Mr. Caldwell.

Christopher Stutchel, son of John Stutchel, was a farmer of White township, and served as a soldier during the war of 1812. His wife's name was Elizabeth, and they had sev- eral children.

Thomas Stutchel, son of Christopher, and grandfather of Clarence B. Rhea, was born March 31, 1810, and spent his life in White township, Indiana county, where he was mar- ried May 20, 1841, to Margaret Kunkle, who was born March 1, 1826, and they had several children.

Elizabeth Stutchel, daughter of Thomas Stutchel, was born Oct. 15, 1843, married Alexander Rhea, a farmer of Center town- ship, and still survives, making her home in Jacksonville.

SAMUEL W. SHEARER, general farmer and stock raiser of White township, Indiana Co., Pa., was born on the farm which he now occupies April 10, 1866, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Hobaugh) Shearer.

Samuel Shearer, the father, was born in Ireland, and as a young man emigrated to the United States, first settling in the eastern part of Pennsylvania, where he was married,

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

his wife being a native of that section. In gaged in farming, passing the rest of his April, 1866, he came to Indiana county and life in that locality. settled on the farm now occupied by his son David McCullough, son of John and father Samuel W. Shearer, and there he was engaged of George W. Mccullough, was born in She- in farming until his death, which occurred March 8, 1883. His wife survived him a few years, and died in September, 1887. They were the parents of seven children, namely : Robert, a resident of Vintondale, Pa .; Sarah, who is the wife of A. C. Ferrier, of Indiana, Pa .; Anna, who married William Oberlin, of Mechanicsburg; George, who is deceased; Samuel W .; Ida, the wife of Harry Brincks, of Brushvalley township, Indiana county ; and Thomas, who resides in White township.

Samuel W. Shearer, son of Samuel, was educated in the schools of White township, and from boyhood has been engaged in agri- cultural pursuits on the old homestead, of which he has been the owner since the death of his father. In addition to general farming he carries on stock raising, and his intelligent and well-directed efforts have brought him deserved success. Possessed of modern ideas, he uses up-to-date methods in his work, and the result has been the development of one of the finest properties of its size in his part of the county. Mr. Shearer stands for ad- vancement along all lines, supports move- ments which promise beneficial results, and has acceptably served as supervisor and school director of his township.

Mr. Shearer was married to Laura Klingen- berger, of Indiana, Pa., who died leaving five children : Sherman, Arthur, Harry, Clyde and Mabel. On Dec. 21, 1909, Mr. Shearer married (second) Elizabeth Carnahan, who was born in Armstrong township, Indiana Co., Pa., daughter of Israel and Nancy (Anthony) Carnahan, farming people who still live in Armstrong township. One child has been born to this union, Mildred. With his wife and children Mr. Shearer attends the Luth- eran Church at Indiana, Pa. He is a mem- ber of the Woodmen of the World.

GEORGE W. MCCULLOUGH, who during the last thirty-five years has been cultivating a valuable farm in Green township, Indiana Co., Pa., was born in Montgomery township, that county, March 24, 1848, a son of David and Rachel (Lovelace) Mccullough.

John McCullough, the paternal grand- father of George W. Mccullough, spent his early life in Shelocta, Indiana county, but later moved to Burnside township, Clearfield Co., Pa., where he cleared a farm and en-

locta, Indiana Co., Pa., and was reared to agricultural pursuits, which he followed in Montgomery township for many years. In 1870 he moved to Cookport, and there his death occurred March 27, 1888. He married Rachel Lovelace, who was born in York county, Pa., and came to Indiana county with her sister when both were young women, the other members of her family following some time later. Her death occurred Dec. 25, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. McCullough had six children, of whom two died young, the others being : George W .; Bruce, who lives on the old homestead in Montgomery township; Dr. Harmon L., a physician and surgeon of Cook- port ; and Samuel I., a merchant of Cookport.

William Lovelace, the maternal grand- father of George W. Mccullough, was a na- tive of York county, Pa., and there his entire life was passed, his energies being devoted to agricultural pursuits.

George W. Mccullough attended the dis- trict schools of Montgomery township, but the greater part of his life has been spent in Green township, and since 1878 he has car- ried on farming on his present property, which is on the Lovejoy R. F. D. route.

On July 5, 1877, Mr. Mccullough was mar- ried to Lucy C. Baker, who was born in Green township, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Cook) Baker, early settlers of Green town- ship, where Mr. Baker followed farming throughout his life. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McCullough: David, now deceased; and Rachel, who married How- ard R. Spicher, of Green township, and has two children, Helen and George.

GEORGE W. KELLY, retired business man of Dixonville, Indiana county, has long been a resident of that place, and conducted a tannery there for a period of twenty-five years. He was born near Mechanicsburg, this county, in Brushvalley township, Jan. 26, 1847, son of James T. Kelly. John Kelly, his grandfather, was of Irish extraction and was born at Saltsburg, Indiana county.

James T. Kelly was born at Saltsburg and became a farmer in his early life, later en- gaging in tanning. He conducted a tannery in Brushvalley township before the war, re- maining there until his death, which occurred in 1865. He was in the Union army through part of the Civil war, serving from Indiana

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county in the 12th Pennsylvania Reserves, in which he held the rank of first lieutenant. He married Eliza Overdoff, a native of York county, Pa., daughter of John Overdoff, who came thence to Indiana county and settled in Brushvalley township, passing the remainder of his life in this county and dying in 1870. Mr. Overdoff was a farmer and carpenter. Mrs. Eliza (Overdoff) Kelly died in 1898, the mother of five children: Mary, who is the wife of W. W. Altemus, of Brushvalley township; John, deceased; George W .; Tay- lor, a resident of Homer City, this county ; and Robert, deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have had two daugh- ters: Bertha is the wife of J. H. Burkett, of Dixonville, and has four children, Julia C., Mabel L., George and Irene; Portia P. is the wife of Thomas A. Walker, of Verona, Alle- gheny county, Pa., and has two sons, Clair and George. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly are mem- bers of the United Presbyterian Church. He belongs to the G. A. R., is a Republican in politics, and has served as school director of Green township.

THOMAS LUCAS, one of the venerable citizens of White township, Indiana county, where for many years he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, was born in Armstrong township, this county, Sept. 16, 1827, and is a son of William and Nancy (Lowman) Lucas.

George W. Kelly grew up in Brushvalley township and received his education in the schools there. During the Civil war he en- listed, in 1863, in Company G, 2d Battalion, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for six Samuel Lucas, the paternal grandfather of Thomas Lucas, was born in Ireland, and came to the United States as a young man, taking up land west of the town of Indiana, in Indi- ana county, Pa., where he acquired 400 acres There he spent the remainder of his life. monthis, was discharged at Pittsburg, and re- enlisted in the 206th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He received his second discharge at Rich- mond, Va. Mr. Kelly saw considerable active service, taking part in many skirmishes. Re- William Lucas, son of Samuel Lucas, was born in Indiana county, and as a young man learned the trade of carpenter, which he fol- lowed all of his life in White township. He died at an advanced age, his widow surviving several years, and both are buried in White township. They had a family of children as follows: Eliza, Dean and John, all deceased ; William, a resident of Homer, Pa .; Thomas ; David and Mary, deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Simpson, of Homer; and Martha, deceased. turning to Brushvalley township at the end of his service he worked on the farm for a time and then learned tanning, going to Homer City, this county, where he was en- gaged at his trade. Afterward he embarked in business at Mechanicsburg, this county, where he was located for one year, and then engaged in business at Nolo, this county, where he remained three years. At the end of that time, in 1876, he came to Dixonville, where he has since lived and where he con- tinued to follow tanning until his retire- Abram Lowman, the maternal grandfather ment, doing business here for twenty-five of Thomas Lucas, was of Dutch descent, and years. He established an excellent reputa- one of Indiana county's earliest settlers. He was a farmer in this county all of his life, and attained advanced years. tion for high-class work and honorable deal- ing, and stood well among local business men and all with whom he came in contact.

In 1876 Mr. Kelly married Julia A. Ehart, a native of Indiana county, born Jan. 8, 1856, at Saltsburg, daughter of Philip and Jane (Longwell) Ehart, the former of whom was born near Saltsburg, the latter in Westmore- land county. Mr. and Mrs. Ehart are both deceased. They had a family of seven chil- dren, one son and six daughters: Sarah E., who is the wife of William B. Thompson, of Johnstown, Pa .; Julia A., Mrs. Kelly; Cor- delia A., wife of Robert Adams, of Pine town- ship, this county ; Parmela J., wife of W. W. Moorhead, of Green township, this county ; Mary E., deceased; Thomas, deceased; and has seen him adding to his acreage or the im- May, wife of Charles Lynn, of Cokeville, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania.

Thomas Lucas, son of William Lucas, re- ceived his early education in a primitive log schoolhouse in Armstrong township, where he was instructed in the "three R's" and given such training and discipline as the in- stitutions of his day afforded. During the summer months he worked untiringly as a farm hand, carefully saving his earnings and investing them. He continued to remain in Armstrong township until 1872, in which year he came to White township, of which he has been a resident for more than forty years. His success has been commensurate with his industrious and continued labor; each year provements on his broad lands, and he is justly considered one of the most substantial

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

men of his township. He has been overseer ship, upon which he was engaged the remain- of the poor for three years, and for thirty years served in the capacity of supervisor of White township, in which offices he demon- strated his general worth and executive ability.

In 1861 Mr. Lucas was married to Julia Ann McNeal, who was born in White town- ship, daughter of John and Jane McNeal, early settlers of Indiana county. Mrs. Lucas died in 1895, the mother of the following chil- dren: William, who is deceased; Clara, who married Harry Eiseman, of Indiana, and has one daughter, Martha; Margaret, who is de- ceased; John, a resident of Homer City, Pa., who has six children, Howard, Harry, Mur- ray, Thomas, Pearl and Anna; Elizabeth, who was the wife of Robert Young, and had two children, James (deceased) and Phyllis ; Thomas, living with his father, who married Olive Lydic and has had five children, Ed- win, Julia, Frank, Gladys and one who died Pa., and Nancy, deceased. Mr. Lucas has several great-grandchildren. He is a faith- ful member of the Presbyterian Church, and a stanch supporter of all movements intended to promote morality, education and good citizenship.

The Miller family has been settled in this in infancy; Addison, a resident of Butler, part of Pennsylvania for many years. Sam-

JOHN JACOB ANTHONY, of Armstrong township, Indiana county, has been success- fully engaged in agricultural pursuits in con- nection with threshing and sawmilling all his active life. He is an enterprising citizen of his neighborhood, and has made a substan- tial place for himself among its most valu- able residents. Mr. Anthony was born in Armstrong township April 28, 1864, son of David W. Anthony and grandson of William Anthony.

William Anthony owned a tract of 175 acres in Armstrong township, which was a wilderness when he settled upon it, coming hither from York county, Pa. He was one of the pioneer residents of that region, and Anthony's run, which passes in front of the farm of his grandson, John Jacob Anthony, was named for him. He built a log house, and was engaged the rest of his active life in clearing and cultivating his land.

David W. Anthony, son of William, was a farmer all his life. He lived for a time on his father's tract of 175 acres, but eventually sold it and went west to Kansas, settling at Olathe, where he farmed for a year. Return- ing to Indiana county, Pa., he bought the Allison farm of 112 acres in Armstrong town-

der of his life in farming. He was an active citizen of his community, serving his township as supervisor and school director. He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church at Curry Run, and served on the building committee. He is buried in the cemetery of that church. Politically Mr. Anthony was a Republican.

Mr. Anthony married Margaret Miller, who was born in Armstrong township, daugh- ter of Hugh and Sarah (McCurdy) Miller, of New Alexandria, Westmoreland Co., Pa., and they had children as follows: Nancy, married Israel Carnahan (mentioned else- where in this work) ; Elizabeth married James Campbell ; Minnie married R. W. Ful- ton and (second) Sansom Pershing; William married Edith Bothell, and both are de- ceased; Harry died in infancy; John Jacob is mentioned below.

uel Miller, Mrs. Anthony's grandfather, came to Indiana county from Westmoreland county, where he was a farmer. He settled near Jacksonville. He was married twice, his first wife, Margaret, the mother of his children, dying in Westmoreland county. His second marriage, which took place in Indiana county, was to Miss E. Bell. His children were: Ellen married John Taylor; James married Margaret Miller; Sarah; Hugh married Sarah McCurdy; Samuel G. married Mary Keener ; John married Mary Irwin and Mary McPhileney; Ann married Peter Keener; Martin married Hannah Simpson; Alexander married Mary Elder; William married Eliz- abeth Coleman; Richard married Sarah Dil- linger; Jane married James Blakely; Eliza married Samuel Davis; Margaret married Samuel McCurdy.

John Jacob Anthony had limited educa- tional advantages, but he had more than the average amount of practical experience in his younger days. He worked on the farm with his father until the latter's death, and he now owns a 138-acre farm in Armstrong township, where he lives and carries on gen- eral agricultural pursuits. At one time he ran a sawmill, and he now owns a half inter- est in one. He also owns a threshing outfit, and is engaged in threshing during the sea- son, combining these various lines very profit- ably with farming. Mr. Anthony has long been a chicken fancier and has made a specialty of poultry and eggs for his market products. He has over six hundred chickens at present, principally White Leghorns.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

On April 28, 1887, Mr. Anthony married suits near Lovejoy, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., Oct. 1, 1854, son of John and Susan (Boly) Siverd.

Mary Ann Swasy, of Center township, mem- ber of a family, which has long been settled in New York State, many of the name being Jacob Siverd, the paternal grandfather, was born in Germany, and on coming to the United States settled in Lancaster county, Pa., there spending the rest of his life in till- ing the soil. found on Long Island, in central and northern New York, as well as in New Jersey and elsewhere. It has been spelled in various ways. John Swasy, Mrs. Anthony's grand- father, the founder of the branch in Indiana John Siverd, son of Jacob Siverd, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in April, 1829, and at the age of twenty-nine years came to Indi- ana county, settling first at Blairsville, where county, Pa., was a native of New York State, and crossed the Allegheny mountains when a young man, looking for a location where he could make a home. He settled not far he remained two years. He then went to from what is now Homer City, in Center township, this county, where he engaged in farming and passed the remainder of his life, dying on his farm. He owned a tract of 112 acres. His wife, whose maiden name was Bonner, also died on the homestead. They were members of the M. E. Church. Three children were born to this pioneer couple .: Rebecca, who died unmarried; John; and Jane, who died unmarried. Brushvalley township and embarked in the woolen manufacturing business, later remov- ing to Mechanicsburg, and from the latter city went to Marion Center, but about four years later located in Huntingdon county and started a mill. Subsequently he went to Al- legheny county, where he remained for a short period, then returning to Marion Center, and again opening a mill. He later left the latter city and went to West Lebanon, then spent some time in Cherryhill township, Indiana county, and after a short stay in the town of New Florence, Westmoreland county, finally settled in Waco, Texas, where his death oc- curred in 1894. His wife died in Indiana county May 28, 1891, the mother of eleven children, as follows: John B .; Jacob, now a resident of Des Moines, Iowa; George, who lives in Montreal, Canada; Frank, a resident of Springdale, Allegheny Co., Pa .; Grant, who lives in Pittsburg; Melissa, wife of James Davis, of Mckeesport, Pa .; Ellsworth; Her- sey, who is deceased; Meduca, wife of Samuel Davis, of Pittsburg; Tillie, the widow of Lee Hurt, residing in Waco, Texas; and Robert, who lives in Wheeling, West Virginia.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania; her people, past and present, Volume II, Part 99

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