Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 111

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 111

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kindled the spirit of the sixties in the breast of many a veteran. This has been in print in many papers. The Columbia State claims that the bloodiest battle in the Civil war, rela- tive to the number of combatants engaged, was the battle of Olustee, Florida. The percentage of casualties there on the Union side was a lit- tle over thirty-three per cent, says the Colum- bia paper. Gen. Truman Seymour took five thousand men into action, and his loss in killed and wounded was eighteen hundred and seven- ty-one. General Finnegan, the Confederate commander, took four thousand five hundred men into action, and his loss, killed and wounded, was about eight hundred. General Meade's loss in killed and wounded at Gettys- burg, Pa., was twenty per cent, and General Lee's the same.

"In the battle of Olustee Captain Montgom- ery was wounded by a minie ball that entered the cheek at the molar bone, passing back- ward and carrying with it that part of the inferior maxillary which forms the linge point. The bullet tore its way down to the angle of the jaw just below and behind the left ear. Captain Montgomery was placed on a hastily constructed train and taken to Jack- sonville. There he was removed to a boat and sent to Beaufort, S. C., where he arrived five days later and where his wounds received first attention. The battery of which Captain Montgomery was a member went into the bat- tle of Olustee with one hundred and ninety- two men and came out with nineteen, less than one tenth of their number."

After receiving his honorable discharge Captain Montgomery returned to Altoona, Pa., and after sufficiently recuperating from his injuries there obtained employment in the machine shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Later he removed to Oil City and became identified with the active operations of this great railway corporation for the long period of forty-nine years. He ran the con- struction train engine on the low grade rail- road, and in 1874 he ran the first train over the line from Redbank to Driftwood. He made an admirable record in the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, by which he was placed on the retired or veteran list on the Ist of November, 1913. During his nearly half a century of effective service in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany the Captain maintained his residence the major part of the time in Jefferson and Clar- ion counties, and after his retirement he erected, in 1914, a fine bungalow on a beauti- ful site near the Pennsylvania Railroad station

in Brookville, in which attractive home, with its pleasing view of the surrounding country, he has since maintained his residence, sur- rounded by the comforts and associations that should attend the evening of a useful and honorable life.

Captain Montgomery has naturally retained a deep and abiding interest in his old comrades of the Civil war, and he is affiliated with Camp No. 46, Union Veteran Legion, in which he has served as colonel, and with John C. Con- ser Post, No. 192, Grand Army of the Re- public, at Reynoldsville, Jefferson county, of which he is past commander. The Captain is also identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of the Maccabees, the Royal Arcanum and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

In the year 1871 Captain Montgomery wed- ded Anna Kelley, daughter of James and Susan ( McGuire) Kelley, of Hornsville, N. Y., and she passed to the life eternal Oct. 4. 1890. Of the four children of this union the eldest is Charles, who is now a resident of the State of Ohio. Margaret is a successful teacher of music and languages at Atlanta, Ga. Malchides T., the younger of the sons, passed six years in Mexico, as superintendent of an electric traction system, and in the earlier period of the revolutionary movements in that harrassed country was imprisoned by one of the factions and sentenced to be shot ; fifteen minutes before the hour set for his execution he was released, and he now maintains his residence in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa. Ellen, the youngest of the children, is the wife of Merle E. Schreckengost, and they reside at Brookville, Pennsylvania.

On the 25th of July, 1893, Captain Mont- gomery was married to Martha Lucinda Crum, who was born at Sinnamahoning and who is a daughter of Richard Crum, her father being now a prominent and influential citizen of Cameron county, Pa., where he is an inter- ested principal in a company engaged in the maufacturing of powder and has other exten- sive and important capitalistic interests. His father, who likewise bore the name of Rich- ard, was born at Haverstraw, N. Y., on the 4th of February. 1763, and died at Long Branch, N. J., on the 19th of September, 1847. He was a clergyman and continued his ministerial services for many years. He served with the command of General Washington in the war of the Revolution, in which he was a member of the 2d New York Regiment, commanded by Gen. John Lamb. Under the congressional act of May 15, 1828, he received from the

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government a pension in recognition of his services as a Revolutionary soldier. The re- mains of this honored veteran of the Revolu- tion rest in the old and historic churchyard at Long Branch, N. J., and, appreciative of his gallant record, his granddaughter. Mrs. Mont- gomery, maintains active affiliation with the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, in which connection she is, it is supposed, the only woman now living in Penn- sylvania whose grandfather was a soldier in the great struggle for national independence. The beautiful home of Captain and Mrs. Montgomery is known for its gracious hospi- tality, which is extended to the young folks as well as to those of more mature age.

ROBERT C. PATTERSON, the fortunate owner of a fine farm in the beautiful Beech- woods district of Jefferson county. is a scion of one of the sterling Scotch-Irish families that settled in Jefferson county in the pioneer period, and which in the early and later gen- erations has played a most influential and helpful part in connection with civic, social and industrial development and progress in this favored section of the State. He owns and occupies "Wrenwood Farm." one of the admirably improved rural estates of Washing- ton township, comprising 150 acres, well tilled and productive fields devoted to diversified agriculture, with excellent buildings, and with good orchards and other evidences of thrift and good management. It was on this old homestead that Robert Calvin Patterson was horn, Dec. 8, 1873, and here he has always maintained his home, the while the farm has been from his youth to the present time the principal stage of his productive activities. He is the youngest of the three children born to James and Martha M. (McCoach) Patter- son, whose marriage was solemnized May 27, 1866. His sister Jennie, born Jan. 15, 1867, is the wife of Harvey C. O'Hara, and they reside at Brockwayville, this county; Willena, born May 2, 1871. is the wife of Dr. James C. Boner, a successful dentist in practice at Falls Creek, Clearfield county.

James Patterson was born in County Don- egal, Ireland, on the 15th of February, 1831, the fourth in the family of eight children born to John and Isabella (Smith) Patterson, who came with their family to America when James was a boy and who became pioneer settlers in the Beechwoods section of Jefferson county, where they reclaimed a farm from the forest wilds. John Patterson and his wife passed the closing years of their lives on "Wrenwood

Farm." now owned by their grandson, Robert C. Patterson. They were devout members of the . Presbyterian Church, and this religious faith has been generally retained by the repre- sentatives of later generations of the family. In this connection it is pleasing to note that "Wrenwood Farm" has represented the home of the Patterson family for three generations, and that scions of the fourth generation also are now to be found on the ancestral farm- stead. James Patterson assisted his father and brothers in the reclaiming of the land and eventually became the owner of "Wrenwood Farm," which under his industrious and well ordered control was developed into one of the model places of Jefferson county. Here he continued to reside until his death, which oc- curred Feb. 26, 1906, and at which time he was one of the honored and influential pioneer citi- zens of the county. his course having been guided and governed by the highest integrity. He ever retained close and earnest association with the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a zealous member. He was one of the five children of his parents who attained to matur- ity, the others having been Mrs. John Ross, Mrs. John Keyes. Jane ( who remained unmar- ried until her death) and John J. (a druggist at Brookville ).

Mrs. Martha M. (MeCoach) Patterson, a devoted member of tite Presbyterian Church and a woman of most gentle and gracious per- sonality, was summoned to eternal rest on the 1 3th of March, 1885. and is survived by three children, as previously noted. For his second wife James Patterson married Mrs. Margaret Patton, who died in April. 1894. One son was born to this union, James Earl, who died in July. 1894.

On the farm which he now owns and occu- pies Robert C. Patterson grew to adult age, and his early educational discipline was ob- tained in the old Beechtree school, where Miss Elizabeth Armstrong was his first teacher. He continued to attend school until he was sixteen years of age, and prior to his marriage as- sumed the practical management of the home farm. His only definite lapse from active association with the affairs of his present farm was when, as a youth, he was employed for twenty months in a paper mill at Johnson- burg, Elk county. Soon after leaving school he was for a time engaged in hauling pipe for the construction of the Standard Oil Com- pany's pipe line from the Clarion river to DuBois.

On the 23d of August, 1899, Mr. Patterson married Annie Florence Smith, the ceremony

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having been performed at Brookville by Rev. S. M. Gearing, pastor of the Sugar Hill Pres- byterian Church. Mrs. Patterson was born in Warsaw township, this county, on the 26th of June, 1872. and on the old home farm passed the period of her girlhood. obtaining her early education in the McIntosh district school in Warsaw township. That she made good use of her educational advantages is assured by the success which she attained as a teacher, taking up that work when seventeen years of age, continuing her effective service in the schools of her home county for three terms. Mrs. Patterson is a daughter of Wil- liam E. and Ellen (Orr) Smith. Her father was born in County Donegal. Ireland. on the 24th of June, 1823, and immigrated to the United States about 1860. After remaining a short time in the city of Philadelphia he came to Jefferson county, and obtained a tract of land in Warsaw township. where he reclaimed and developed the excellent farm on which he passed the residue of his earnest and noble life, his death having occurred Dec. 16. 1906; and his remains were laid to rest in the Beech- woods cemetery. In his native land he early united with the Presbyterian Church. in the faith of which he had been reared, and his deep and earnest Christian convictions domi- nated his course in all of the relations of life until he had "come to his grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in its season." While in Philadelphia, where his marriage was solemnized, he and his wife united with the United Presbyterian Church, and after com- ing to Jefferson county they became zealous members of the Presbyterian Church of Becch- woods, from which, as a matter of conven- ience, they later transferred their membership to the church at Sugar Hill, Mrs. Smith still continuing her membership there. She is one of the loved pioneer women of Jefferson county. She was born in County Donegal. Ireland, on the 8th of November. 1831. and was a young woman when she came with her parents to the United States and became a resident of Philadelphia, where she remained until the time of her marriage. She is a daughter of Joseph and Martha Orr, both of whom passed the closing years of their lives in the Beechwoods district of Jefferson county. Of the children of William E. and Ellen (Orr) Smith the firstborn was Jennie, who died at the age of twenty-eight years: Eliza- beth Martha is the wife of John Melvin Co- vert. of Brockwayville, this county: Joseph died at the age of twenty-one vears : Ella re- mains with her widowed mother at the old

home: Annie Florence, Mrs. Patterson, was the next in order of birth; Mabel is the wife of Charles Shafstahl, who has the active man- agement of the old Smith homestead farm, in Warsaw township. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Covert: Anne Florence, born April 16, 1889, is the wife of Charles A. Chamberlain, of Ridgway, Elk county, and their one child is Florence Lucille., Nellie Ethel, born July 16, 1891, remains at the parental home. Mildred Mabel, born Oct. 17, 1893, is the wife of C. K. Evarts, and they reside at Peel. Douglas county, Ore- gon. Mary Frances, born Aug. 22. 1902. is now a high school student.

Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are zealous and valued members of the Beechwoods Presbyte- rian Church. He gives his political allegiance to the Republican party, of whose principles he has been a supporter from the time of attain- ing his legal majority, and he is actively affili- ated with the Westville Lodge of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed the various chairs. Of the four chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Patterson all are living except the third: William J. was born April 26, 1901 ; Claire Elizabeth, May 10, 1904: Robert Stanley. Jan. 10, 1909 (died Nov. 24, 1910) ; llarold Calvin, Jan. 2. 1912.

RICHARD G. WALKER became in 1906 station agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Fordham, Perry township, where executive ability has made his regime most efficient, while his consideration and genial personality have assured him a solid place in the confidence and goodwill of the community. Hle is the owner of a well improved farm lying adjacent to Fordham, where his surplus enthusiasm has abundant opportunity for dem- onstration.

Richard Grant Walker was born at Arnot, Tioga Co., Pa., Dec. 4, 1880, and is a son of Robert M. and Agnes ( Grant) Walker, the former of whom was born in Scotland about 1860, and the latter at Towanda. Bradford Co., Pa., in 1858, a daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Grant, he a miner by vocation. Robert M. Walker, who is now a mine superin- tendent at lindsey (or West Punxsutawney). came to Jefferson county about 1898. and for some time was mine foreman for the Berwind- White Coal Company at Horatio. He is a Republican in politics, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife are earnest members of the Presbyterian Church. Of their five children the eldest is James, a

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mine superintendent in Cambria county : Agnes is the wife of George McConaughey ; Richard G. was the third; Alice is a popular teacher in the schools of Cambria county ; Rebecca is a student in the high school at Punxsutawney.

Richard G. Walker attended the local public schools here and at Glen Richey, Clearfield county, and in carly youth he became actively identified with coal mining. In time he learned telegraphy, and since 1906 has been constantly in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. That year he was assigned to his present position at Fordham, where in ten years' service he has won many friends for himself and the railroad. He is a stanch ad- herent of the Republican party, is affiliated with Laurel Lodge, at Punxsutawney, I. O. O. F., and with his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He resides upon his well improved little farm of thirty- eight acres, adjacent to the town, taking much interest in its cultivation, in the conservation of soil and in its general betterment.

On Dec. 28, 1904. Mr. Walker married Ger- trude Means, who was born at Valier, in 1883. daughter of William and Geneva ( Sprankle) Means, both members of old and influential families. William Means was one of the specially successful farmers and influential citizens of Perry township. He was twice married, Mrs. Walker being the elder of two children by the second marriage, and the younger being Zae, who is the wife of B. A. Borts, a miner. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have three children: Dorothy, born Sept. 16, 1905; Robert M., born Feb. 20, 1910; and Eleanor, born Oct. 27, 1914.

HARVEY D. HAUGH is the owner of one of the fine farms of Jefferson county, his well improved homestead being eligibly situated in Union township, four miles west of Brookville. It was on this farm that he was born Aug. 23, 1848, the date giving evidence that he is a representative of one of the pioneer families of the county, his parents having come here a comparatively short time prior to his birth. Their former home was in Center county.

Harvey Daniel Haugh is a son of Michael and Alana ( Beisel) Haugh, both natives of this State, the latter of Northumberland county. Jacob Haugh, father of Michael, preceded him to Jefferson county and had become a pioneer settler near Roseville, Union township. Michael Haugh reclaimed a farm from the forest and there passed the remainder of his life, having also opened and operated a coal bank on his farm, one of the first in the county.

Jacob Haugh was past eighty years of age at the time of his death, and his wife, whose family name was Huffman, likewise attained to venerable age. Michael Haugh became the owner of two hundred acres of land in Union township, of which he reclaimed eighty acres to effective cultivation. Flis old homestead was in the locality known as Huckleberry Ridge, and on the place was a large amount of fine chestnut timber, besides excellent white and yellow pine. Like all other pioneer far- mers Michael Haugh became identified with lumbering operations incidental to the clearing of the lands of this county, and rafted his pine timber down to Pittsburgh, after the product had been hewed into squared form. In the early days he sold his timber at the rate of five cents a foot, running measure. He hauled a large amount of it to Red Bank creek and also assisted in such transportation for other pio- neers. He made good improvements on his farm, where his first domicile was a primitive log house, but all of the buildings he erected on the place are now obliterated. This sterling pioneer passed away in January, 1883, at the age of seventy-seven years, his wife having died Sept. 6, 1877, when about fifty-seven years of age; she was but fifteen years old at the time of her marriage. Mr. Haugh was originally a Whig and later a Republican in politics, and took much interest in the success of his party. Both he and his wife were earnest members of Pisgah Presbyterian Church at Corsica, but in earlier life he had been a member of the Reformed Church. He was a man of well ordered convictions and al- ways ready to defend his opinions, by word of mouth or even physical conflict when he felt that any person was attempting to impose upon him. Possessing robust physique, when nearly seventy years of age he showed great prowess in wrestling, as his son Harvey realized to his discomfiture when he attempted to grapple with his vigorous sire. Of his children the eldest, Eliza, became the wife of Abraham Snyder and died in middle life ; Harriet mar- ried James Atchison and they became pioneers of Sabetha, Kan .; Luchy married James Vas- binder. and was seventy-three years of age at the time of her death ; Beniwell resides in the village of Rathmel, this county ; Kate. who be- came the wife of Jacob Shaffer, died in middle life : Harvey D. was the next in order of birth ; Jane is the wife of John Kaston, of Minneapo- lis, Minn .; Mary became the wife of Jacob Hopkins, and her death occurred at Knox Dale, this county: Joseph holds a position in the city hall at Tarentum, Allegheny county.

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Harvey D. Haugh has resided continuously on the old homestead farm save for the period. when he was serving as a loyal soldier of the Union in the Civil war. He received his early education in the pioneer schools and was a youth of seventeen years when he tendered his services in defense of his country. On the 12th of July, 1864, he enlisted in the Ist Penn- sylvania Battalion, and served four months, principally at Harrisburg, Pa., and in Mary- land. On the 5th of March, 1865, he reen- listed, as a member of the 57th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Regiment of Infantry, and with this command he continued until the final surrender of Generals Lee and Johnston. He received his honorable discharge at the close of the war and was mustered out with the other members of his regiment. He joined his second regiment in the field on a Friday night, and the next night the command came into conflict with the Confederate forces. The enemy attempted to escape and Mr. Haugh and a corporal of his regiment started forth to capture the colors of the Confederate regi- ment, but the color-bearer contrived to get away.

After the close of the war Mr. Haugh con- tinued work on the home farm until 1867, when he went to Michigan. A short time later he went to the home of one of his sisters, re- siding in Jo Daviess county. Ill., and for nearly two years he engaged in farm work therc. He then returned to Jefferson county. where he farmed and lumbered until 1873, and on the Sth of May of that year wedded Margaret J. Cowan, daughter of James and Margaret

Cowan, both natives of the highlands of Scot- land. Mrs. Haugh was born in Luzerne coun- ty. Pa., her parents having removed to Jeffer- son county when she was a child. She was twenty years of age at the time of her mar- riage. After that event Mr. Haugh was identi- fied with coal mining in his native county until 1876, when he and his wife established their residence on his father's old farm, and soon afterwards he erected his present house. By purchasing the interests of the other heirs he came into sole ownership of the fine farm, and has made permanent improvements on the place, which he has maintained at the maxi- mum fertility through the use of lime and other fertilizing agents. He has exhibited his agricultural products and fine cattle at various county fairs, and has long been known as one of the progressive farmers of the county. One of the original stockholders and directors of the Jefferson County Fair Associ- ation, he is still active in its affairs. As a Re-

publican Mr. Haugh was elected supervisor of Union township in 1880, when his demo- cratic opponent was his uncle. Jonathan Haugh, whom he defeated by the narrow mar- gin of one vote. In 1890 he served as census enumerator for his township, and in 1903 had the distinction of being elected a member of the board of county commissioners, in which office he continued for a term of three years ; his associates on the board were Newton Web- ster, a Republican, and Albert Hawk. a Demo- crat. He was serving as commissioner when the present large barn on the county farm was erected and he also was influential in bringing about the construction of high-grade bridges in the county. Mr. Haugh and his wife are zealous members of the Presbyterian Church at Brookville, to which they transferred their membership from the Pisgah Church at Cor- sica, in which he served as ruling elder for eleven years, and also as a deacon. He is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Repub- lic. the local Grange, and formerly was an active member of the order of Odd Fellows.

In conclusion is given brief record concern- ing the children of Mr. and Mrs. Haugh : Mervin M. operates a portion of the old home- stead farm; Harry M. is a prosperous farmer in Rose township: James M. resides at Brook- ville : Elmer is a farmer near that borough : Frank B. died at the age of twelve years. as did also Lewis Gordon : Roy B. was thirty-two years of age at the time of his death. which occurred in Arizona; Blanche Alana is the wife of O. J. Cochran, of Westmoreland coun- tv: Walter H. is secretary and treasurer of the Buckeye Irrigation Company, at Buckeye. Ariz. : Ress M. graduated as a trained nurse at Greenville, Mercer county, and is now at the parental home; Arthur B. and Cad C. remain on the homestead and are associated in the work of the farm; Lucy E., who still remains a member of the home circle, is a student in a commercial college at the time of this writing, 1916.

THOMAS HAGGERTY, who resides upon his fine farm near Reynoldsville, in Winslow township. has been one of the world's noble army of productive workers, and his sincere. earnest and loval nature has found definite ex- pression in his supreme appreciation of the dignity and value of honest toil and endeavor, as well as in his able and influential efforts in advancing the rights and privileges of labor- ing men. He is a skilled miner and has been nationally prominent in the organic and gen- eral activities of the United Mine Workers of

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 111

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