Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 100

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II > Part 100

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of his labors. All the present buildings have been built by him, and are substantial and at- tractive enough to increase the value of the place materially. The barn and house are supplied with running water, piped from a spring on higher ground. Most of Mr. Evans' time has been devoted to general agriculture. but he has done considerable carpenter work for himself and others.

Mr. Evans has always endeavored to do his duty as a citizen, and during the Civil war showed his patriotism by enlisting. in 1864, in Company E. Ist Battalion, Pennsylvania Vol- unteers. For twelve years he filled the posi- tion of school director, most of the time as secretary. During his service an important lawsuit was pending. arising from an order given by a previous board for school fur- niture. It was carried to a higher court three times, and was finally won by the town- ship in the Supreme court after years of liti- gation. Mr. Evans, as secretary, had most of the details of the suit on his shoulders. He has been a Republican all his life.

On July 29, 1866, he married Julia Ann Preston, daughter of William and Margaret Preston, of Richardsville, where her father was landlord of a hotel. She was eighteen years old at the time of her marriage, and died Tune 25. 1882, the mother of children as fol- lows: Charles Wallace, now a salesman for the Brookville Hardware Company; William Grant. M. D., who graduated from the Star- ling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, and is now practicing at Ellwood City, Pa. ; Elizabeth May, wife of Benjamin Snyder, of Warsaw township: Henry Lewis, of Braddock, a de- partment superintendent in the wire mill; and Luther Ellis, M. D., a graduate of Starling Medical College, now located at West Jeffer- son, Ohio. On July 30, 1884, Mr. Evans mar- ried Fannie H. Byers, of Beaver township, daughter of Thomas and Eliza ( Ferguson ) Byers. Four children have been born to this union : Parker, who is employed in the mill at Braddock; Lottie Ina, wife of Howard Car- rier, of Port Barnett ; Thomas Carl and Hulet Conley, at home. .

JONATHAN L. REITZ has resided on his present farin for more than sixty years and was a lad of five years when his parents here established their home, the farm at that time having been little more than virgin forest, awaiting the challenge of energy and construc- tive industry. Mr. Reitz was born in North- umberland county, on the 19th of March, 1849, and in the same county were born and reared

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his parents, William and Mary (Lees) Reitz, who came with their family to Jefferson county in 1854 and established a home on the farm now owned by their son Jonathan L. A small amount of development work had been done on the place, which comprised 126 acres, and under the vigorous control of William Reitz more land was cleared and brought under cul- tivation in the passing years. He was some- what active in lumbering operations, and ob- tained from his land timber of the best order. Ilis old house is still standing, not far distant from the residence of the subject of this sketch, and is one of the pioneer landmarks of this part of the county. William Reitz died at the age of seventy-four years, and his widow was about the same age at the time of her demise. Both were zealous communicants of the Berk- house Lutheran Church, their remains resting in the cemetery near that church. Mr. Reitz took deep interest in community affairs, served as township supervisor and held other offices. Of the ten children who attained to years of maturity are the following: Daniel, who was a prominent lumberman and the owner of a saw mill, passed the closing years of his life at Brookville; Sarah was the wife of Simon Burkhouse and died some years ago : Peter L. continued his residence in Beaver township until his death: Caroline became the wife of John Howe, of Union township, and was a resident of Brookville at the time of her death ; Lydia married Joseph Spare and is a resident of Clarion county ; Susanne, the wife of Adam Schwab, died in Clarion county ; Levi, who was a successful farmer and hotelkeeper, is living retired at Brookville : Morris resides on his farm near Shannondale, Clarion county ; Jonathan L .: Margaret, the wife of George Shaffer, died in Clarion county.

Jonathan L. Reitz profited by the advan- tages of pioneer schools and has continued to reside on the old homestead to the present time, the property having come into his possession upon the death of his father, he caring for his widowed mother with deep filial solicitude until she too was summoned to eternal rest. He erected his commodious residence nearly thirty years ago, and on the place has since built a good house for his only son, who has active supervision of the farm. The substantial stock and produce barn was built nearly half a cen- tury ago and, like all other buildings on the farm, is kept in good repair : the old homestead now shows eighty-five acres under effective cultivation. Mr. Reitz retained some of the na- tive timber until it became of appreciable value and gave good returns. For twenty years the

underlying vein of coal was mined for local consumption, this being the Upper Freeport vein, four and a half feet in thickness. There is still much coal on the place, the mining leases having been held by others for a number of years without development work. Back of the residence the land rises to an elevation of seventy feet above it, and is one of the highest points in Beaver township. The farm is given over to diversified agriculture and raising of good live stock. Mr. Reitz has been an ener- getic and successful exponent of agricultural industry in Jefferson county, where his circle of friends is limited only by that of his ac- quaintances. He has held no public office save that of school director, but has been liberal and public-spirited as a citizen and his political allegiance is given to the Democratic party.

At the age of twenty-two years Mr. Reitz wedded Miss Elizabeth Young, born and reared in Beaver township and a daughter of the late Michael Young. They have one son and four daughters : Della is the wife of Frank Shaffer ; Cora is Mrs. Emmanuel Reed, of Ringgold township; Ida, wife of Calvin Byerly, of Summerville ; Carrie married Frank Sowers, of Beaver township; Elmer, who re- mains with his father on the old home farm, married Nora Sowers, only child of David Sowers, their three children being Alton, Mabel and Frank.

WILLIAM M. CARTER, present post- master at Punxsutawney, is proving worthy of the confidence that his fellow citizens showed in supporting him for that office by his faith- ful and intelligent attention to the interests intrusted to him. Practically all of his mature life has been spent in the borough of his adoption, and his business experience prior to his appointment included four years of service as clerk in the post office, so that he was well prepared to assume his duties. He is well known to most of the townspeople, and favor- ably regarded by all with whom his activities in any of the relations of life have brought him into contact.

Mr. Carter was born Dec. 20, 1861, in Washington county, and his father, Isaac K. Carter, spent all his life in western Pennsyl- vania. The father was a native of Greene county, where he spent his early life. After living in Washington county a few years he removed to Allegheny county, where he re- mained for a time, then locating at Marion Center, Indiana county. In the fall of 1876 he came to Punxsutawney, and thence removed to Brookville, returning from that point to

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Marion Center and later going back to his native county. There he continued to reside until his death. He married Miss Mary Hedge, of Greene county, and the following children were born to them: Charles W., John B., Minerva, James B., Absalom H., George C., Jasper C., William M., Minnie, and two who died in infancy. The father learned the trade of fuller. and followed that calling throughout his active years.

William M. Carter attended public school while the family lived at Marion Center, and for three months in Punxsutawney. When he went to work it was as a printer's ap- prentice in the establishment of the Punxsu- tawney Spirit, and he continued to follow that occupation for about fifteen years, until he obtained a clerkship in the post office. There he was employed until 1891, when he became a clothing salesman in Punxsutawney, and he was so engaged until he entered upon his duties as postmaster in the summer of 1915. Aug. Ist, having been appointed by President Wilson. Mr. Carter has had to make his own way from boyhood, and that he has advanced steadily is due entirely to his own exertions. He has shown integrity of character and re- liable traits of industry and responsibility which have attracted confidence and respect wherever he has been placed, and which have ample opportunity for exercise in his present functions.

Mr. Carter married Miss Jennie Hetrick. daughter of Peter S. Hetrick, and they have had one daughter, Mary Susanna. The family are Methodists in religious association.

ALVERDI J. SIMPSON, M. D., of Sum- merville. Jefferson county, is a man of the progressive type, and he is counted upon in any movement designed to promote the general good. He established himself at that point when a young physician, at the outset almost of his career, and has proved his right to the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens by years of high principled work among them.

Dr. Simpson is a native of Jefferson county, born July 15, 1868, near Corsica. son of Samuel T. and Mary Elizabeth ( Flemming ) Simpson. He was the eldest of their seven children, four daughters and three sons, the others being: Myrta B., married Parker B. Corbett, and they reside at Freeport, Pa .. with their three children: Anna E. is the wife of John E. Guthrie, of Summerville, and they have had five children, of whom two survive : Jay T., a resident of Summerville, is married and has seven children, four sons and three

daughters: William Gilkey died at the age of twenty-six years ; one died in infancy ; Effa Pearl is the wife of Ed. A. Smith, of Heatlı- ville, and they have three daughters.

Alverdi J. Simpson had a liberal literary training, having attended the academy at Cor- sica in his boyhood, and later continued his studies at the Clarion State Normal School. He took his medical course at the University of Pittsburgh, from which institution he was graduated in the year 1897. He also attended the New York Polyclinic. For two years after completing his preparatory work Dr. Simpson was in practice at Alvy, W. Va., moving to Summerville, Jefferson county, in 1899. There he has been located ever since, and has been extremely successful in his profession. Dr. Simpson has kept up an unselfish interest in local affairs and has lost no opportunity of "boosting" for his adopted town and helping to make it attractive to all desirable citizens. His own up-to-date residence is at least one local investment which may be cited as sub- stantial evidence of his confidence in the future of the borough, which has been gaining steadily in size and importance of late years. He has given his time as a member of the council, and has served one term as burgess, in which responsible official capacity his work won high commendation. Politically he is a Republican in sentiment, but he is loyal to the best inter- ests of the community in home affairs. Socially he affiliates with the I. O. O. F. and Knights of the Maccabees, and he is an earnest mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church, which he is serving as elder at present.

On April 14. 1904, Dr. Simpson married Ella S. Guthrie, who died one year later, the mother of one child, James Samuel, born April 11, 1905. On March 8, 1911, he married ( sec- ond ) Mrs. Jessie (Slagle) Carrier, who by her first marriage had one daughter. Gerald- ine Elizabeth Carrier, born Nov. 21, 1900. now a musician and a student in the Clarion State Normal School. Mrs. Simpson was born in Worthville, Pa., Aug. 20, 1873, attended the State Normal School at Clarion, Pa., grad- mating in the elementary course in 1896, and taught eight years in the rural and graded schools. On Sept. 12, 1899, she was married to James Allen Carrier, who died of typhoid fever Jan. 20, 1905. She has been a member of the Presbyterian Church from the age of nine years and always active in its work. She is also a worker in the W. C. T. U., serving as recording secretary.

Peter Slagle, son of Benjamin Slagle, was born Aug. 20, 1835, died Jan. 20, 1917, was

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a shoemaker, lumberman, farmer and Civil war veteran. His widow, Gemima (Geist) Slagle, Mrs. Simpson's mother, still lives at Worthville, enjoying good health, though she is among the oldest citizens of that community. Their daughter Elizabeth married Thomas M. Simonds, a linotype operator, now in Brook- lyn. Their son, James F. Slagle, formerly a National League ball player for 17 years, is married and lives in Chicago, Ill. The other son, Arthur D. Slagle, is unmarried, and is engaged as a clerk in the employ of the Wabash Railroad Company at Cleveland, Ohio.

McCLOUD M. MCADOO, of Winslow township, one of the most respected residents of that part of Jefferson county, is a native of the adjoining county of Indiana, born July 24, 1854, at Shelocta. His father, Robert McAdoo, lived and died in that county, engaging in the milling business at West Lebanon and later removing to the borough of Indiana, where he ended his days.

Mr. McAdoo was educated in the public schools and Eldersridge Academy. He lived at home until his sixteenth year, when, having been appointed page in the llouse of Repre- sentatives at Harrisburg through Judge Harry White, in 1868, he went to the capital to take up the duties of the position. In his young manhood he spent four years in Iowa, and on his return East located at West Lebanon for four years. After his marriage he made his home at Marion Center, Indiana county, for about six years, meanwhile following the hardware business, selling machinery for Gier & Osterhout, for a few years. Thence he re- moved to the farm in Winslow township, which he has since occupied, the old McCreight place, where his wife's father resided for so many years. It is a tract of sixty-five acres, well cared for under Mr. McAdoo's capable management, and he has become a prominent citizen of the locality, his intelligence and high character winning the esteem of his associates in any of the relations of life.

In 1883 Mr. McAdoo married Susan Jane McCreight, and they are the parents of six children: Bertha Lucile is now at Akron. Ohio; Lillian married A. Newton Cole, son of A. L. Cole, attorney of Clearfield, and is living at Canton, Ohio; Virginia Marion is the wife of Howard Merris, of Punxsutawney. Pa. ; Gertrude is at home: Joseph S., a member of Company H. 16th Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, of Ridgway, Pa., is now serv- ing on the Mexican border; John Dare is a member of the class of 1917 at the Sykesville

high school. The family are Presbyterians in religious association.

The McCreight family, to which Mrs. Mc- Adoo belongs, came to this section in pioneer days, her grandfather, Andrew McCreight, a native of Armstrong county, Pa., having set- tled in Winslow township in 1832. He pur- chased a tract of one hundred acres at what is now Big Soldier, two miles south of the pres- ent borough of Reynoldsville, and made his living as the pioneers usually did, lumbering and rafting down to Pittsburgh. He cut the lumber from his land, which he put under cultivation as the work of clearing advanced. improving the farm later owned by his sons, Thomas and Smith, and now ( 1916) by the latter's sons, James M. and Everett L. Mc- Creight. He married Ann Sharp, a member of the family which founded Sharpsburg, Pa., and both died upon their homestead in Win- slow township, Mr. McCreight, May 23, 1861. aged seventy-four years, eight days, and Mrs. McCreight, March 7, 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, Ann, Jane, Polly, Thomas S., Smith, Nancy, Jamison and Hannah, all now deceased.

John McCreight, son of Andrew and Ann (Sharp) McCreight, was the father of Mrs. McAdoo. He was well known in his day as "Honest John." Born in Armstrong county. Pa., in July, 1821, he lived to his seventy- ninth year, passing away July 23, 1900, at DuBois, Pa., where he spent his closing years in retirement. Active, both mentally and physically, he was one of the most enter- prising men of his section, acquired large inter- ests and became influential among his fellow citizens. He followed lumbering and farny ing, owning one farm at Big Soldier, another which is now known as the Fye place, a large tract at Reynoldsville and the Peter Yeager farm of 116 acres in Winslow township, all valuable properties. He served many years as a justice of the peace in Winslow township. where he was also elected to the office of super- visor and other township positions, in all of which he showed remarkable ability and exec- utive qualities. In 1851 he married Eliza C. Uncapher, who survives him, and now ( 1916) at the age of eighty-six years is living with her son William at DuBois. Of the twelve chil- dren born to this marriage six are living : Susan Jane. Mrs. McCloud M. McAdoo, of Winslow township; Joseph S., a dentist, at Ridgway, Pa .; William, of DuBois: Major

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Israel, a banker of DuBois; Bruce, cashier of the Deposit National Bank of DuBois, and Lillie B., wife of Ambrose Quinlan, of Akron, Ohio.

Ann Sharp, Mrs. McAdoo's grandmother, was the daughter of Andrew Sharp, "a cap- tain of militia and served under General Wash- ington." In 1783 he married Ann Woods, and a few years later came to the vicinity of what is now Saltsburg, Indiana county, where he attempted to make a home. But he was soon compelled to abandon this site on account of the hostility of the Indians, and a large flat- boat was constructed on which to convey the household effects by water to a new home- stead along the Ohio river. After a day's navigation on the Kiskiminetas, in effecting a landing for the night they were suddenly at- tacked by a band of Indians in ambush, and Captain Sharp was fatally shot, bullets pass- ing through both his right and left sides. Although mortally wounded and tmnable to rise he asked for his gun, and on its being handed to him took deliberate aim at a savage whose body was partly exposed from behind a tree, and fired. His victim, "with one expiring yell. fell forward dead." The wife, who was smok- ing at the time of the attack, had the pipe shot from her mouth. She cared for her injured husband and piloted the boat during the night and next day, until a party of traders were met returning on horseback from Pittsburgh, when one of their number was dispatched back to get surgical aid. The Captain was tenderly cared for, and his recovery was hoped for, but during the firing of heavy cannon at the Fourth of July celebration, thirty-nine days after he had been injured, his wounds started bleeding. and he died July 8th ( 1794). He was buried at Pittsburgh with the honors of war.

George Ludwick, grandfather of Mrs. John McCreight, was a pioneer of Westmoreland county, a prosperous farmer and merchant, as is evidenced by many books of record, bills, contracts, and other documents. His daugh- ter became the wife of Adam Uncapher, at one time a merchant in Marion, Ohio, where he also held the office of county treasurer. Removing later to Jefferson City, Mo., he held important government and local city offices there also. Among his papers are found draw- ings of the state capitol, of which he was the architect. He was accidentally injured during its construction by the fall of a scaffold, his death being caused by the effects in 1844. His family consisted of five sons and four daugh- ters, the third daughter becoming the wife of John McCreight on Oct. 7. 1851. 1Fer brothers

were soldiers in the Mexican and Civil wars, two meeting death in the service of their coun- try. Her elder brother, Israel, earned the title of major in the Mexican war, and in his honor she named one of her sons Major Israel.

CLARENCE RUSSELL THOMPSON, fourth son of Hon. John J. Y. and Agnes S. ( Kennedy ) Thompson, was born at Corsica, April 23. 1844, and removed with his parents to Brookville in 1852. He was but a boy in his teens when the war cloud burst upon the land, and he promptly enlisted "for the war." July 24. 1861, in Company 1, 62d Regiment, Col. Samuel W. Black's Pennsylvania Volun- teers, and was soon promoted to sergeant. At his muster he was a little over seventeen years old.

The company left Jefferson county July 24, 1861, and proceeded to Camp Wright, near Pittsburgh, Pa., where Clarence was mustered in with his company July 29th, the command being designated Company I, 33d Independent Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. At this sanie camp Robert R. Means, of Brookville, was elected captain, Edwin H. Little, first lieu- tenant, and John T. Bell, second lieutenant. Both lieutenants were from Punxsutawney. While at Camp Wright the regiment was or- dered to report at Camp Cameron, Pa., where, after being organized, clothed, equipped and armed, they were ordered to Camp Ralph, near the city of Washington. On Sept. 11th they were ordered across the Potomac and assigned to the 2d brigade of Fitz John Porter's division. Here the regiment was renumbered as the 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers and re- ceived the new Zouave uniforms, the most complete. in all details, of any outfit furnished the volunteers. I visited Sergeant Thompson in October, 1861 : his regiment was at Fairfax Court House, the camp was called "Betty Black." I had a nice visit with him and all the Jefferson county boys.

Sergeant Thompson was never absent from his company, taking part in all the marches and skirmishes of his regiment until the terrible battle of Gaines Mill. Va., June 27, 1862, and in that brilliant charge of the 62d, and under an enfilading fire, in which gallant Colonel Black fell and Lieutenant Colonel Swearingen was taken prisoner, this brave young soldier was killed. His superior officers being all "hors de combat." Sergeant Thompson was in command of his company at the time, and was last seen in a hand-to-hand encounter with the Rebel foe. Thus died a valiant boy in blue. for no purer patriot ever wore the blue, no

HUR NEW YORK LIC LILFARY

ACTOR, LENOX

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nobler specimen of young manhood than Clar- ence Russell Thompson ever offered his life upon the altar of his country. He died for me, he died for you. lle was buried on the field by the Rebels. After the war the unknown from Gaines Mill were removed to Virginia and reburied in the Fair Oaks National ceme- tery, where Sergeant Thompson now lies un- known. His uncertain fate was a great grief to his family and friends.

In 1866 Mrs. Captain Steck related to me this story : While sitting in my tent one day at Camp Betty Black, in Virginia, in 1861, Clar- ence Thompson, a Brookville boy, and a mem- ber of Company 1, 62d Pennsylvania Volun- teers, came in with the outside leaves of a head of cabbage, saying to me, "Are these fit to eat ?" I said. "They don't look as if they were ; where is the rest of the cabbage?" He said: "Oh ! I have eaten it all. and feel that I must eat these also, for I never tasted anything so good in all my life." I said. "I'll see what I can do with the leaves." I had them cooked and sent to his tent, when he enjoyed a great feast.

Soldiers will remember that the only bounti- ful vegetable they got in camp was beans, and can well understand why Sergeant Thompson enjoyed the outside leaves of this Virginia cabbage. - ( Contributed by Dr. W. J. Mc- Knight.)

JOHN LANZENDORFER, jeweler. is the leading man in that line at Punxsutawney and has been prominent in other business enter- prises at that borough, where he has been estab- lished for over forty years. With all the im- portant interests acquired in a prosperous career he has never entirely given up work at the bench, which he began in 1857, having the skill characteristic of the artisan trained in the Old World, where no pains are spared in the acquisition of technic. He has the pride in fine work which only a master can know. Combin- ing thrift and industry with knowledge of his trade. and possessing the sturdy physique for which all his family have been noted, he had valuable assets with which to make a start in this country, even though his financial means were not ample. He has participated in every progressive local movement of his day, and his cooperation is a valued influence in the promotion of any project.

Mr. Lanzendorfer is an Austrian by birth, a native of Driehacker, Bohemia, born Oct. II. 1844. The Lanzendorfers were prominent there in mercantile and other business lines, and as professional men, the members of the family in every generation showing exceptional 32

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 100

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