Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 10

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 972

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MCKNIGHT FAMILY. Alexander and Isabella ( McBride) Mcknight. ancestors of the McKnights of Jefferson county, Pa., were natives of County Down, Ireland. They mi- grated to Franklin county, Pa., about the year

MIX YORK LINDARY

'NE 9,1810 - DIEE :

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1790, and Alexander McKnight followed agri- cultural pursuits there. In 1795 he removed to and located on the farm now known as the McKnight farm, on Crooked creek, in Wash- ington township, Indiana Co., Pa. The family of this couple consisted of six children, two sons and four daughters, viz. : Alexander, Jr .. born Dec. 5. 1786 : James : Elizabeth, who mar- ried Alexander McNutt; Alice, who married John Ross; Isabella, who married Joseph Shields : and Margaret, who married David Cummins.

Alexander McKnight. Jr., the younger of the two sons. was married Dec. 5. 1816. to Susannah Cummins, and they continued to oc- cupy the old McKnight farm, his death occur- ring July 30, 1821, hers on April 26, 1836. They had two children : William C .. born Jan. 17. 1819. and James A., born March 20. 1821. The elder. Hon. William C. McKnight, was elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature from Indiana county for the years 1846-47, and in 1852 moved to Franklin county, this 'State, where he engaged extensively in real estate dealing and farming. becoming wealthy. He lived in retirement for fifteen or twenty years before his death, which occurred Sept. 5, 1892. Mr. MeKnight was a man of fine presence and rare intelligence. On Dec. 16. 1845, he married Louisa H. Davison, who died Ang. 25. 1854. His second marriage. which took place April 5. 1859, was to Mary Bell Patton, who survived him, but is now de- ceased. Hon. William C. McKnight had three children : (1) James A., born June 3, 1849. became a lawyer of some distinction and was a legal partner of Ilon. William S. Stenger. On Oct. 21. 1875. he married Louise B. Lind- sey, who at his death. April 9. 1888, survived him with two children. Mary Louisa and Eliza- beth. (2) William C., Jr., was married Oct. 25, 1881, to Gertrude I. Nead, and died May 28, 1883. ( 3) Maggie B. died unmarried April 9. 1885.

James A. McKnight, younger son of Alex- ander McKnight, Jr., died Oct. 18, 1880. He purchased the old homestead, and lived there until his death. Mr. McKnight was an in- tellectual man, particularly well versed in Latin, Greek and mathematics. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers' Bank of Indiana. Pa., and was its president until De- cember. 1888, when he resigned because of poor health and poor sight. On March 13. 1862, he married Eliza Jane Callen, who died Jan. 25, 1866, aged thirty-one years, the mother of two children: Mary Callen, born Feb. 4, 1863, and Hugh Alexander, who died in child- hood. On July 4. 1876, Mr. Mcknight mar-

ried ( second ) Emeline S. Callen, who survived him with his daughter Mary.

James McKnight, elder son of Alexander Mcknight, Sr., and his wife Isabella (Mc- Bride ), located in the town of Indiana, Pa .. where he filled a number of offices creditably. being an excellent scholar. He was the first burgess for the new borough of Indiana in 1816 and reelected to the office for the year 1817. He had been commissioners' clerk for the years 1807 and 1811, and county treasurer for the years 1811-12. He and Rev. John Jamieson were two of the thirteen trustees of the Indiana Academy, which was incor- porated March 28, 1814. and James McKnight was elected treasurer. He died at Indiana, Pa., May 14, 1819, aged about forty-one years.

On May 25. 1807, Mr. McKnight married Jane MeNutt, who died Aug. 15, 1811, and who was the mother of two children : William, born May 5, 1808, who died June 9, 1830, in Blairsville, Pa. ; and Alexander, born June 9. 1810. On Nov. 19, 1812, he married ( second) Jane McComb, by whom he had three chil- dren, James, Jr., John and Jane. John died in infancy. James McKnight, Jr., born Sept. 9, 1813, moved to Texas when a young man and became a prominent resident of Galves- ton, where he was elected mayor. Losing his health. he died in South America while on a visit, when forty years old. His sister Jane accompanied him to Texas. and first married Colonel Sandusky, who was secretary to Gen. Sam Houston, the first president of the Texas Republic. Her second husband's name was Walbridge, and during her later years she lived with her daughter, the wife of Dr. Jones.

Alexander McKnight, second son of James and Jane (McNutt ) McKnight, born June 9, 1810, married, May 10, 1831. Mary Thomp- son, daughter of William Thompson and granddaughter of Rcv. John Jamieson. They had three children : Amor Archer, born May 19, 1832 (see biography elsewhere in this publication ) ; Nancy Jane, born in Brookville, who died in childhood : and William James, born May 6, 1836 (see biography elsewhere ). Alexander McKnight died in June, 1837, aged twenty-seven years. His widow married John Templeton, Esq., on Dec. 28, 1842, and by that union had three children: 'Thomas L., late of Brookville, Pa .: Jesse J., who died in the war for the Union : and Oscar J., who died in childhood. Mrs. Mary Thompson ( McKnight) Templeton died Feb. 22, 1860.

Alexander McKnight located in Brookville in November, 1832. He was highly educated. taught school here, and lived in the old jail (built in 1831, see Volume I), acting as janitor

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of the building. This old building had wooden doors and big iron locks. For safety the prisoners were usually shackled and hand- cuffed, and they were fed on "bread and water." When recaptured, escaped slaves were lodged in county jails and shackled for safety. While in the army Colonel McKnight contracted ague and was discharged, but the disease shook him into lingering consumption. from which he died. At the time he was treasurer of Jefferson county. For other de- tails of his local services the reader is referred to Volume 1. Colonel Mcknight was a man of fine presence, strict integrity, and popular with the masses.

JUDGE CHARLES CORBET. A citizen of Jefferson county who is well upholding the prestige of a name which has been significantly honored in the history of this favored division of the Keystone State, and who has made, by distinctive personal accomplishment, a place of his own in the civic, economic and professional affairs of the county, is Judge Charles Corbet, a representative member of the bar of this sec- tion of the State, and now President Judge of the courts of the county, which composes the Fifty-fourth Judicial district of the State, a position which he entered upon for a period of ten years on the 3d of January. 1916, his election amply testifying to the estimate placed upon him by the people of his home county. As an influential and loyal citizen, lawyer and official, he merits specific consideration in this publication. On other pages is dedicated a memoir to his honored father, the late Col. William W. Corbet, to which reference may be made for more of the family record.

Judge Corbet was born in Wayne township, Armstrong Co., Pa., on June 6, 1851, at which time his parents were temporarily residing at a place then and since known as MeCrea's Fur- nace, a name given in honor of his maternal grandfather, the late John McCrea, who is the subject of an individual memoir appearing elsewhere in this work. Judge Corbet was still an infant at the time of his parents' return to their home in Brookville, and here he availed himself in due time of the advantages afforded in the public school, supplemented by some private instruction. Alert and ambitious, while serving a clerkship in their office he be- gan reading law under the effective preceptor- ship of Hon. Isaac G. and Alec 1 .. Gordon, partners as Gordon & Brother, the senior member later becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme court of Pennsylvania. With char- acteristic energy Judge Corbet devoted him- self to his technical studies, and, after thor-

oughly grounding himself in the principles of jurisprudence and practice of law, he proved himself eligible, upon examination, to mem- bership in the bar of Jefferson county, to which, on attaining to the age of twenty-one years, he was admitted in the year 1872. That his professional novitiate was of brief dura- tion is indicated by the fact that on the 14th of October of the following year he was elected District Attorney of Jefferson county. He assumed the duties of that office in December following, and continued therein until the first Monday of January, 1877. At the same elec- tion at which he was chosen District Attorney, Hon. Isaac G. Gordon was elected a member of the Supreme court of the State, and A. L. Gordon immediately tendered Judge Corbet a partnership with him in the law business, Gordon & Corbet succeeding Gordon & Brother. This mutually agreeable and effec- tive alliance continued until the death of Mr. A. L. Gordon, in 1885. Judge Corbet very soon made a fine record as a trial lawyer of much versatility and resourcefulness, and laid the foundation for the high reputation which he has since maintained in his chosen and exacting profession, which he has digni- fied by his character and achievements. From the death of A. L. Gordon until his elevation to the bench. Judge Corbet conducted a large and representative individual practice, except for a period of five years, during which the Hon. George A. Jenks and he were associated as partners. His connection with the Jeffer- son county bar has been long and honorable, covering a period of nearly half a century. His broad and exact knowledge of the law, combined with his sterling attributes of char- acter, marked him as the most eligible of the candidates for judicial honors, with the result that on November 2. 1915. he was, as already mentioned, elected President Judge of the county and district. His administration is fully attesting the wisdom of the popular vote, and sustains the high estimate placed upon him in the county which has been his home from childhood.

On the 20th of February, 1877, Judge Cor- bet was elected a member of the borough coun- cil of Brookville, and in that position served one term with characteristic fidelity and effi- ciency. With all loyalty he has entered fully into the communal life of the borough of Brookville, and is known for his civic liberal- ity and progressiveness. He has served con- secutively as a member of the directorate of the National Bank of Brookville since Jan- uary 12. 1886, and since January 14, 1913, he has held the office of president of this stanch

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

financial institution, a position in which he succeeded William Dickey. In the time- honored Masonic fraternity he has received the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Ac- cepted Scottish Rite, in the consistory at Wil- liamsport ; at Altoona he is affiliated with Jaffa Temple, of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; and his York Rite affiliations are as here noted : Hobah Lodge, No. 276. Free & Accepted Masons, and Jefferson Chapter, No. 225. Royal Arch Masons, at Brookville; and Bethany Com- mandery, No. 83, Knights Templar, at DuBois, Clearfield county. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church of Brook- ville, of which he has been a trustee for many years.

On Sept. 26, 1876, was recorded the mar- riage of Judge Corbet to Mary A. Darrah, and they have since maintained their residence at Brookville, where their attractive home is known for its generous hospitality, with Mrs. Corbet as its gracious and popular chatelaine. They have four children: William Wakefield and Darrah, sons, are in business and reside in the city of Seattle, Wash .; Jessie R. is the wife of Harry M. Curll, of Philadelphia, Pa. ; Mary, who graduated with the class of 1916 in Smith College, is at home.

Mrs. Mary A. ( Darrah) Corbet was born at Brookville, and is a daughter of Edward H. and Hannah J. ( Clark) Darrah.

COL. CHARLES McLAIN was a resident of Brookville for several years before he offered his services to the Union army during the Civil war, in which he gave up his life, and his name is justly honored in Jefferson county as one of her citizens who did their full share in proving her loyalty in that critical time. Two of his brothers were also in the Union army. Their father, Joseph Wiley Mclain, died Jan. 9, 1849, at Clarion, Pa., and their mother, Emily ( Alford), passed away Sept. 29, 1850; she is buried at Indiana, Pa. Of their seven children, John A. was born April 6, 1829: Charles, May 23, 1831 : Andrew B., Oct. 14, 1833: Sarah J., March 3, 1837 ; Joseph Wiley, July 14. 1840; Mary Emily, Sept. 17. 1843 : Albert Post died Sept. 29, 1850, the same day as his mother. John A. McLain took part in the Civil war as first lieutenant of Company B. 105th Pennsylvania Regiment ; he died at Milan, Ohio. Andrew B. McLain was adjutant of the 135th Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Charles McLain was born May 23, 1831, in Indiana county, and obtained his education in the district schools of the home neighborhood. He learned the trade of harnessmaker and saddler, at which he was occupied through-

out his active years, setting up in business on his own account at Brookville, and continuing successfully until he went into the army at the breaking out of the Civil war, in which he served under three enlistments. The first, in 1861, was for nine months, as a member of Company B. 135th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, of which he was made first lieuten- ant. Having completed that term he reenlisted for six months, on July 23, 1863, becoming captain of Company B, Independent Battalion. When he offered his services the third time he went to the front as captain of Company B, 211th Pennsylvania Infantry, in which capacity he was very popular with both his superior officers and the men of his command, by whom he was held in affectionate regard for his con- siderate solicitude for their welfare. His close attention to every duty, and his keen sense of responsibility, won him the unbounded esteem of all his comrades, and his untimely death was sincerely mourned. On April 1, 1865. he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and the next day, on Sunday morning, April 2d, he met his death while leading his men to victory at the siege of Petersburg. A committee of sol- diers was appointed to take charge of the re- mains, and to make arrangements for the funeral, which was held April 30th, the inter- ment being in the Brookville cemetery, where he was laid to rest with full military honors. When the news of his death reached Brook- ville, a meeting of the citizens was held and resolutions were passed which gave evidence of the high esteem of his townsmen, and con- tained expressions of heartfelt sympathy for his family.

Colonel MeLain had married, Sept. 27, 1853, Mary Harris, who was born Nov. 23, 1831, at Clitheroe. England, came to America with her parents, and died at Brookville March 19, 1915, surviving her husband almost fifty years. Three children were born to this marriage : Ellen Harris, born June 23, 1855, died Oct. 22. 1879: Anna Emily and Charles Grant sur- vive.

Anna Emily Mclain was born Feb. 23, 1857. and received her early education at the Sol- diers' Orphans' School at Dayton, Pa., later attending the Millersville State Normal School in Lancaster county, Pa., where she prepared for the teacher's profession. She taught for one term in Elk county and one term in Jeffer- son county. For a number of years she has been engaged in dressmaking and the millinery business in Brookville, where she resides at the old homestead. and is active in everything affecting the welfare of the borough, where she has made many friends.

Charles Grant MeLain was born May 15.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1865, at Brookville, a few weeks after his father's death, and when four years old went to live with his maternal grandfather, Thomas Harris, in Pinecreek township, Jefferson county. When a boy of eight he was sent to the Soldiers' Orphans' School at Dayton, Pa., where he remained six years, and during the next two years was at the Pennsylvania Mili- tary Academy. Chester. Pa., following with two years' study at the Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, where he took up civil and mining engineering. He followed his profession until about the time of his mar- riage, when feeling that his health would be benefited by farm life he settled on a farm in Ringgold township, a tract of 160 acres to whose cultivation he devoted himself for many years, developing his property into one of the finest in that section. He made a great success of agriculture, but for the last several years has combined the scientific study of that pur- suit with his profession, having taken a posi- tion with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Aug. 1, 1913, as drainage engineer. He makes his home in Brookville. but his duties take him alt over the State. His long practical experience fits him thoroughly for this work, which he finds highly interesting as well as useful. Mr. McLain is a member of the Prot- estant Episcopal Church of Brookville, and of Hobah Lodge, No. 276, F. & A. M., and Jeffer- son Chapter, No. 225, R. A. M. ; and William Clyde Camp, No. 31, S. of V.

On May 1. 1893. Mr. McLain was married at Punxsutawney to Laura E. Zeitler, who was born there May 25, 1868, and died July 19, 1913. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Punxsutawney, later being confirmed as a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Brookville.

Thomas and Ellen ( Whittaker) Harris, par- ents of Mrs. Mary ( Harris) McLain, were natives of England, the father born June 29, 1805, in Lancashire, the mother born Oct. 22, 1806, in Yorkshire, England. They came to America in 1842, landing March 14th at New York City, and first located in Philadelphia, where they lived for seven years. In April. 1849, they came to Brookville, where they re- mained until 1851, after which they lived on a farm in Pinecreek township. Mr. Harris spent his years here in agriculture. having given up his trade of plasterer, which he followed in his native country and in Philadelphia, be- cause of his health. He died June 1, 1888. his wife preceding him to the grave Jan. 17, 1878. They were Episcopalians.

SMITH M. McCREIGHT, of Reynolds- ville, has made the legal profession his prin-

cipal calling in life, but true to his birth and family precedents his activities have not been circumscribed either by the exactions of that profession or the ambitions appertaining to his private interests. Hence he has at various times assumed some of the responsibilities of public affairs. His busy, versatile mind has found many paths to usefulness entirely com- patible with his daily pursuits, an indication of the broad character which has won him the confidence of all classes in his community.

Mr. McCreight is a representative of one of the old families in his section of Jefferson county, his grandfather, Andrew McCreight. having come to Winslow township in 1832 and purchased a tract of land two miles south of what is now Reynoldsville. He made his living as the pioneers usually did, cutting the lumber from his land and putting the soil under culti- vation as the work of clearing advanced. im- proving the farm later owned by his son Thomas, and now (1916) by the latter's sons. James M. and Everett L. McCreight. He mar- ried Ann Sharp, a member of the family which founded Sharpsburg, Pa., and both died upon their homestead in Winslow township. Mr. McCreight in 1861, aged seventy-four years, eight days, and Mrs. McCreight, in 1858, aged sixty-three years, eight months, eight days. They were buried on their farm. Their family consisted of thirteen children, namely: James. Sharp (born Jan. 10, 1815). Sarah, Joseph. John (born July [1. 1821). Ann, Jane, Polly. Thomas S., Smith. Nancy, Jamison and Hannah.

Thomas S. McCreight. son of Andrew and Ann (Sharp) McCreight, was born April 25. 1830, in Armstrong county. Pa .. and being a young child when he accompanied his parents to Jefferson county spent practically all his life on their homestead in Winslow township. of which he eventually became owner. It com- prised 150 acres in his day. and was in a profit- able state of cultivation under his management. During his boyhood he had such advantages for education as the district schools afforded, attending them during the winter season, his services being required on the farm in the sum- mer time. For twenty-five years he followed lumbering as well as farming. but from the early nineties devoted all his time to agricul- ture, in which he was notably successful, so much so that he was considered an authority on such matters in his home county. Keen and farsighted. he had most intelligent ideas on many questions of extreme importance to farmers, and their high opinion of his ability was attested in his election as president of the Jefferson County Agricultural Society and of the Jefferson County Live Stock Insurance

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Company. In both capacities he accomplished good work for the benefit of the farmers of his locality. He died Aug. 25, 1907.

When occasion demanded Mr. McCreight was ready to make personal sacrifices to show his public spirit, and accordingly, in 1862, he enlisted in Company B, 135th P. V. I., for nine months' service, faithfully performed. He al- ways adhered to the doctrines of the Republi- can party. In 1869 he married Frances P. McKee, of Bell township, this county, who was born March 13, 1847, daughter of David and Matilda J. (Chambers) McKee, who had a family of six children. Mr. and Mrs. McKee were natives of Center and Clarion counties, Pa., respectively. Mrs. McCreight continues to live at the old homestead. Of her eight children, Smith M. is mentioned below ; Thomas E. is deceased ; James M. lives on the home place; Ida Ethel is assistant postmaster at Reynoldsville ; Mary A. is the wife of Frank Sadler, of Sykesville; Cora B. is at home ; Everett Lloyd lives on the old home place ; Al- berta G. is deceased. Mrs. McCreight holds membership in the United Presbyterian Church, with which her husband was also associated.

Smith M. McCreight was born at the old MeCreight homestead Sept. 28, 1869. After attending the local schools he went to the State Normal School at Indiana, Pa., and to Grove City College, graduating from the latter insti- tution in 1803. After teaching for two terms he entered the office of Carmalt and Strong, attorneys, with whom he read law, gaining ad- mission to the Jefferson county bar in 1898. since which year he has been in practice at Reynoldsville. Mr. MeCreight's professional experience has brought him into touch with the workings of a number of local enterprises, and he has interests in several, chief among these being the People's National Bank, of Reynolds- ville, of which he is a director, and the Rey- noldsville Electric Light & Power Company, of which he is secretary.

As a public official he has given valuable service to the town, as postmaster ( for five years, appointed by President Taft), borough solicitor ( for several years) and member of the school board, in every capacity doing his duty as he interpreted it. along the broadest lines. Politically he is aligned with the Re- publicans. He affiliates with the local organi- zations of the B. P. O. Elks and Knights of Pythias.

Mr. McCreight married Nettie G. Amend, of Westmoreland county, Pa .. and has three children: Mary Jane, Elizabeth A. and Fran- ces P.

PARKER PARSON BLOOD. The late Parker P. Blood was a pioneer business man of Brookville, where he long wielded large and benignant influence in civic development and where his name is held in enduring honor. Special interest attaches to his career by reason of his being a son of the late Col. Cyrus Blood, who was one of the foremost figures in the set- tlement and development of this section of the state and became a resident of Jefferson county when it was little more than a forest wilderness. Colonel Blood, who served as county surveyor of Jefferson county in pioneer days, was the virtual organizer of Forest county, which was segregated from Jefferson county, in 1848, and was the founder of what was known as the Blood settlement, in Jenks township, Jefferson county, a district now in- cluded in Forest county, of which latter he was the first associate judge. Colonel Blood, a man of strong mental and physical powers and of resolute purpose, was well fitted to become a leader in a pioneer community, and his name and works are a part of the history of this opulent section of Pennsylvania. By a pecu- liar and unusual mental functioning he was on many occasions enabled to direct his course with remarkable prescience and divination. In fact it was principally in consonance with the revelations of a vivid dream that he was in- duced to leave his old home in Maryland, his birth having occurred at Hagerstown, and es- tablish a home in the wilds of western Penn- sylvania. He made his way to Jefferson county and here he visualized in a material way many of the scenes and conditions that had been re- vealed in his dream, with the result that he heeded the voice of prophecy and, in 1833, founded a settlement twelve miles beyond any other community in this part of the state. He cut a road through the forest to afford access to his location, about twenty families having planned to join him in the new colony. The normal progress of events was stopped, low- ever, by an epidemic of cholera in the part of Maryland where the most of the colonists were then residing. His wonderful suscepti- bility to impressions again assumed prominence at this stage in his career, for while he was vigorously at work in the forest he became imbued with the inexorable idea that his pres- ence was greatly needed at his old home. Fol- lowing his intuition, he started on horseback to make the long and weary journey baek to Hag- erstown, and upon his arrival he found that many of his prospective colonists were suffer- ing from the dread cholera, one being his brother. Parker P. The plans of the colonists were abandoned, but Colonel Blood's determi-

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 10

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers Number of Pages: 972

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 972