Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 113

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 113

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

HARRY J. LATTIMER, of Punxsutaw ney, proprietor of the Cool Spring Bottling Works, has built up a thriving industry from modest beginnings in the period of fifteen years during which he has been established in the borough, and his high reputation rests on a basis of conscientious dealing as well as upon efficient business methods. He has ac- quired a large patronage in and around Punx- sutawney, the dependable quality of his goods and prompt service to all points giving great satisfaction to the trade and winning him a place among the popular merchants of the district. Mr. Lattimer is a native of the ad- joining county of Armstrong, born Oct. 27, 1805, at Dayton, son of Robert Lattimer, who moved to Dayton in the year 1864.

Robert Lattimer was born at Clarksburg, Indiana Co., Pa., and followed farming there as well as at Dayton. His death occurred at the latter place when he was eighty years old. and he and his wife are buried there, in the cemetery of the Glade Run Church. He mar- ried Margaret Marshall, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Guthrie ) Marshall, and she died at the age of sixty-eight years. They were the parents of the following children : Marshall. William, Edward. Bertha, Jennie. Harry J. and Chambers.

Harry J. Lattimer was given public school privileges, and meantime helped his father with the farm work, being so employed until seven- teen years old. He then went to Anita, where he found employment at a sawmill, following that occupation for seven years or so. For two years thereafter he was engaged in the grocery business at Anita, continuing there for three years longer as a clerk in the company store. It was in March, 1901, that he em- barked in his present business, the bottling of soft drinks, and thirteen years ago he moved to the location he has since occupied, No. 526 Graffius avenue. His plant has been improved from time to time, to meet immediate or pros- pective needs, until it is now in up-to-date condition from every standpoint. . \ fine spring of never-failing pure water on the property is one of the particularly valuable adjuncts to the business, and has been piped to all parts of the plant necessary, as well as to his resi- (lence, affording an abundant supply for com- mercial and domestic use. Mr. Lattimer has adopted modern facilities wherever pos- sible, and one of the most important is his automobile truck for making deliveries. His progress has been steady and is due to good judgment in the expansion of his operations. combined with diligent attention to every

detail of production and service necessary to give customers the best in the market. Aside from business his chief interest is in church work. He is an earnest member of St. Peter's Reformed Church, and is an elder, trustee and Sunday school treasurer; he has always been one of the zealous workers of the congregation ever since he joined it.

Mr. 1.attimer married Minnie Trusel. daughter of William Trusel, of Sprankle Mills. and they have had two children: Harvey, married Ethyle Gourley and has two children. Wilbur and Susan Elizabeth : Mamie, a gradu- a'e of the Indiana ( Pa. ) State Normal School. class of 1914, lives at home. The Lattimers occupy a handsome residence, built in 1908 on the site which he purchased from Mrs. Mary C. Graffius. He is sincerely interested in the pro- motion of all things conducive to the general welfare, being as strong in public spirit as he is scrupulous in the associations of his private life.

JOHN NEWTON HALL is a highly re- spected citizen now making his home at Baxter, in enjoyable retirement after an industrious career. Thrifty and progressive in the man- agement of personal concerns, he did a full share towards maintaining prosperous general conditions, assisted in the administration of public affairs, did his duty in domestic and social relations, and fairly earned the estimable standing in which he is held.

Mr. Hall is a native of the county, born Oct. 3. 1846, in Rose township, son of Hiram and Mary ( Gehoring ) Hall, who were the par- ents of twelve children, eight of whom reached maturity. The father, born May 28. 1804, died Aug. 6. 1852, leaving the mother to keep her family together as best she could, and it is to her credit that she succeeded in making a .com- fortable home on the farm until they were old enough to care for themselves. She and the children were diligent in continuing the work he had begun in making a farm. Mrs. Hall, who was born May 22, 1813. died at the home- stead at the age of sixty-six years. Of her sons, Hiram G. Hall became a minister of the Methodist Church and while pastor of the church in Brookville died, about five years ago. Ilis service was mainly in Pennsylvania, but also in New York, he having been presiding elder at Jamestown, N. Y. The other sons were Milton H .. now of Washington, D. C .. and William, who died in Brookville, a retired farmer. The daughters were Sarah, who mar- ried Samuel Anderson, and died at Zanesville. Ohio; Melzena, who died unmarried when

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past seventy ; Rebecca, who married George Boner, and also died at Brookville; and Mary Jane, wife of Maj. John McMurray, editor of the Democrat at Brookville.

John N. Hall had only indifferent advan- tages during his early life. When a boy lie began to assist with the cultivation of the home farm, and in his seventeenth year enlisted as a member of Capt. J. K. Weaver's company of the ist Battalion, Pennsylvania Infantry. He was in the army for several months, receiving an honorable discharge at Pittsburgh Nov. 14, 1864. After returning home Mr. Hall learned the trade of carpenter, at which calling he was occupied for a number of years, but when thirty years old returned to farming. His knowledge of mechanical work was of great value, enabling him to keep his buildings and property in excellent repair, and his early train- ing in agriculture was sufficient when supple- mented by the experience acquired in inde- pendent undertakings. He continued to carry on farming near the homestead throughout his active years, and after retirement moved to Baxter, where he has a fine residence prop- erty. Mr. Hall is public-spirited and no lag- gard about assuming a share of responsibility for the general welfare ; he has filled the offices of school director and assessor, giving highly satisfactory service. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and his religious connection is with the Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church, in which he has served as steward and trustee.

On Aug. 28, 1870, Mr. Hall was married to Harriet Carrier, daughter of A. A. Carrier, who died Nov. 18, 1913. Six children have been born to this marriage: Albert C., born July 13. 1871, owns and operates the old home farm of one hundred acres; Frank B., born Jan. 12, 1874, now living in Butler county, is employed in an iron plant ; Clara Alice, born March 10, 1877, is the wife of N. M. Smullin and resides at Baxter : Louise M., born Feb. 3. 1880, now living in Oregon, is the wife of James Pifer ; Warren Elmer, born Nov. 3, 1884, died April 25, 1912, in Oregon, where he had a homestead ; Beulah, born July 25, 1892, is at home with her father (she has taken a course in business college ).

HARRY TRUMAN has not found it nec- essary to wander afield from his native county and village in establishing himself as a busi- ness man and he is to be recorded as being a representative merchant of the thriving vil- lage of Sigel, where he has a well equipped general store with a large and appreciative

patronage. In this village Mr. Truman was born on the 2d of July, 1877, and is a son of Henry and Catherine ( Kirkman ) Truman, whose marriage was solemnized in this county, the parents now living at Brookville. Henry Truman was born and reared in Notting- ham, England, and was a young man when he came to the United States. He settled at Sigel about half a century ago and for many years was identified with lumbering opera- tions besides which he was a leading merchant at Sigel. Under the former laws which made provision for such office, he served for some time as associate judge of the county, and since his retirement from business he has lived in Brookville. His sons Frank and William succeeded him in the mercantile business and also continued to a certain extent in lumber- ing. The two brothers sold the store to their younger brother, Harry, in 1904, and Frank is now a merchant at Portland, while William is living retired at Brookville. It is thus re- vealed that the general merchandise business at Sigel has been continued by members of the Truman family for somewhat more than half a century.

Harry Truman was a lad of eight years at the time of his parents' removal to Brook- ville, where he profited by advantages of the public schools, after which he attended Dick- inson College two years. . As a youth he be- came a clerk in the store established by his father at Sigel, and under its control by two older brothers he continued in this capacity for ten years, at the expiration of which he purchased the business, in which he has since fully maintained the high reputation of the family name ; he displays a large and varied stock of goods, and the annual business aggre- gates about forty thousand dollars. Mr. Tru- man gives close attention to the management of this important mercantile enterprise and is recognized as one of the representative busi- ness men of the younger generation. llis political allegiance is given to the Republican party and after having served five years as justice of the peace he was re-elected for a term of six years, and is the efficient in- cumbent at the present time. He is alert, pro- gressive and public-spirited, and his circle of friends is limited only by that of his acquaint- ances.

On the 20th of August, 1902, was solemn- ized the marriage of Mr. Truman to Esther Reinard, daughter of John Reinard, of Knox township, and the children of this union are Paul, John, Frank, Harry, Jr., and Catherine. Mr. and Mrs. Truman are members of the

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Presbyterian church, and he is affiliated with Flobah Lodge, No. 276, F. & A. M., Brookville.

CLARENCE S. CLARK, of Brookville, has been identified with that borough all his life, for though he has spent some time at other locations he has always called that his home and has never allowed himself to get out of touch with its interests. During the more active stage of his career he was a suc- cessful lumberman and farmer, and his father John Clark was also an agriculturist, but the younger generation has turned to other lines, Mr. 'Clark's two sons constituting the firm of Clark Brothers, considered among the most enterprising business men of the borough.

John and Sarah (Jones) Clark, parents of C. S. Clark, had a family of ten children, nine sons and one daughter. Of these C. S. Clark was born March 21, 1852, in Pinecreek town- ship. Though he has continued to reside prin- cipally in Jefferson county, he was a merchant in Crawford county and connected with him- bering at Mayburg, Forest county. In 1881 he was married to Ella Call, of Clarion county, daughter of John Call, a farmer, and of the six children born to this marriage but two sur- vive, Claude R. and C. Wayne Clark. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are comfortably situated in Brookville, respected as members of its most desirable class of citizens, and taking part in various activities of the community. Polit- ically he sides with the Republican party.

It was in the year 1of that Clark Brothers started a factory in Brookville for the manu- facture of ice cream. They were conservative at the outset, beginning on a modest scale, as they had to "feel" their way among the local trade. There was a demand, to be sure, but it was uncertain .. and besides contending with the usual disadvantages of a new plant they had to learn all about the market ready for their product, and build up a volume of busi- ness which would make the operation of the factory profitable. Progress was slow at first. but it was progress, and by keeping at it they established their affairs on a solid foundation. bringing the business to a place among the recognized commercial factors of the town. As increase of patronage justified the move. they bought the property on Mabon street and erected a commodious plant for the manfac- ture of ice and ice cream. The most approved machinery has been installed, and the ice cream capacity is five hundred gallons daily. It is amazing to think that in five years this busi- ness has attained such proportions. The ex- cellence of the product has won it popularity

all over this section, shipments being made to every point in Jefferson county. In fact, the prospects for the coming season are so good that the facilities are being improved just now by the addition of some thoroughly up-to-date appliances and machinery which will provide extra conveniences and assist in economical operation. By intense application to the ex- pansion of their trade and painstaking care to afford satisfactory service to every customer the Clark Brothers have gained and held an extraordinary patronage, and they deserve all their success, for they have spared neither time nor effort to achiev: it.

Clande R. Clark, born April 7, 1883, mar- ried Lillian Sallade, of Marionville, Pa., and they have a family of five children, namely : Ruth, Paul, Walter, John and Claude.

C. Wayne Clark, born Sept. . 4, 1893, was married in May, 1916, to Mary White, of Reynoldsville.

ALONZO M. WILSON owns and operates the fine old homestead upon which his paternal grandfather, John Wilson, settled in 1839, upon coming from Steuben county, N. Y., and as an agriculturist and public-spirited citizen it has devolved upon him to uphold and fur- ther the prestige of a family name that has been closely concerned with industrial and civic development and progress here since pioneer days. John Wilson purchased from Moses Vasbinder the tract of wild land in what is now Warsaw township from which he even- tually reclaimed a productive farm, became known as one of the vigorous and resourceful citizens of the pioneer period. and here reared a large family of children. His venerable mother accompanied him from New York, passing the closing years of her life in his home. Mr. Wilson's death occurred about fifteen years after coming to Jefferson county, and his wife, whose maiden name was Peggy Sloan, survived him a few years. The re- mains of both are interred in the old Temple cemetery one mile distant from their home. Of their sons the eldest was Hiram, who be- came one of the substantial farmers of the county and whose death occurred at his farm near Brockwayville; Jeremiah was a farmer near Rockdale, this county, at the time of his demise ; George passed the closing years of his life as a pioneer farmer in the State of Kansas ; John G., father of Alonzo M., is men- tioned below; Alonzo was a valiant soldier of the Union in the Civil war and after its close went West, where he died ; the daughters

Al Wilson

NEW YORK AC LIDIARY

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of the family married and removed with their husbands to the West.

John G. Wilson was born in Steuben county, N. Y., April 25, 1823, and thus was a youth of about sixteen upon the removal to western Pennsylvania in 1839. At Brookville, he served a thorough apprenticeship to the shoe- maker's trade, under the direction of a man named Fogle, and became a specially skillful and rapid workman, as demonstrated by the fact that he made a record of turning out three pairs of boots a day. Following his trade he moved about from place to place, as fancy and expediency prompted, and thus the family for a number of years lived in a semi- peripatetic way. In this connection it may be noted that on not less than sixteen different occasions did John G. Wilson remove to his farm, and here he was living in generous pros- perity when his death occurred, March 20, 1885. A considerable part of the farm devel- opment had been carried forward under his personal direction, and his uprightness, genial nature and civic loyalty made him a secure place in the confidence and esteem of all. He took consistent interest in local affairs, but never manifested ambition for political office. He and his wife were zealous church members. During virtually the entire period of the Civil war he served as a Union soldier, a portion of the time as a member of the 105th Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry and at another pe- riod as a member of the 72d Pennsylvania, with which latter he was on active duty till the close of the war.

John G. Wilson first wedded a young lady at Smethport. McKean Co., Pa., who did not long survive her marriage, and the two chil- dren of this union died while infants. For his second wife he married Mrs. Amanda (Win- slow) Porter, widow of George Porter, of Brookville. Mrs. Wilson was born and reared at Punxsutawney, this county, and in that thriving borough resides the only child of her first marriage, George W. Porter. Mrs. Wil- son was a daughter of the late Judge James Winslow, who was an honored and.influential citizen of Jefferson county, an associate judge of the County court. Mrs. Wilson passed the greater part of her life at Punxsutawney, and she was one of the venerable and beloved na- tive daughters of Jefferson county at the time of her death, which occurred July 21. 1913. Of the six children born to John G. and Amanda Wilson the eldest is Frank W., a shoemaker by trade, and now a prosperous business man at Lincoln, Nebr. : Lydia F., the only daughter, is the wife of Rev. William 36

Taylor, a clergyman of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, located at Blue Springs, Nebr .; Charles O. is a successful railroad contractor residing in St. Louis, Mo .; Alonzo M. was the next in order of birth; J. William, the young- est of the sons, has been a successful operator in the gas and oil fields, formerly thus en- gaged in Mckean county, Pa., although the stage of his activities at present is in West Virginia.

Alonzo MI. Wilson was born at Punxsutaw ney March 10, 1862, and he is indebted to the public schools of Jefferson county for his early education. At the age of twenty-two he assumed charge of the home farm, a part of the old pioneer farm of his grandfather and previously largely operated under his direction. He now owns this valuable property, which comprises 135 acres, all but fifteen acres being available for cultivation. Mr. Wilson has made excellent improvements, including the erection of a commodious and attractive house and two substantial barns. An excellent gas well has recently been sunk on the farm. In addition to this old home he is the owner of other valuable farm property, his landed hold- ings now comprising nearly five hundred acres. In connection with development of his own farm property, and as an adjunct to his agri- cultural operations, he has been successfully concerned with lumbering activities, has shipped an appreciable amount of squared timber to Pittsburgh, and more recently has operated a sawmill in Warsaw township. Mr. Wilson is known as a progressive farmer and substantial business man, and he takes a lively and helpful interest in community affairs also. Though he has had no ambition for pub- lic office he has served as school director. He is a supporter of the cause of the Republican party, as was also his father, and it is worthy of mention that his paternal grandfather was an old-line Whig.

On March 5. 1885, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Wilson to Anna I .. Snyder, who was born in Warsaw township, Jan. 14, 1863, a daughter of Benjamin and Lucy Snyder. Mrs. Wilson passed to the life eternal on the 26th of April, 1908, and her memory is re- vered by all who came within the sphere of her gracious influence. She was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson became the parents of four sons and four daughters: Dewalt is manager of the general merchandise store conducted by a lumber company at Evenwood, W. Va. ; Lucy is the wife of Dr. William H. Rockey, a prac- titioner at DuBois; J. Garner holds a position

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in an extensive rubber manufactory at Akron, Ohio: Benjamin F. is employed as a book- keeper at Punxsutawney ; Amanda W., who was graduated from the Clarion Normal School, remains at the parental home and is a successful and popular teacher in the public schools ; and the three younger members of the home circle are Lydia G., William M. and Anna Lucretia.

ANDREW W. SMITH is a scion of an in- fluential pioneer family of Jefferson county and from the time of his birth has resided on the farm which he now owns, in the beautiful Beechwoods section of Washington township. He has not only proved himself a progressive farmer and loyal citizen but has also shown the high ideals which he holds and has exem- plified in his personal stewardship. Mr. Smith is a leader in the councils of the Prohibition party in this part of the State and has three times appeared as the party candidate for rep- resentative in the State legislature. Mr. Smith has been an earnest student of economic and governmental policies and has been implacable in his opposition to the liquor traffic. He has given effective service as chairman of the Pro- hibition county committee, of which he was the incumbent in the campaign of 1916, and in his candidacy for the legislature made a most vigorous and earnest canvass of the county. He was president of the Jefferson County No-License League, an organization which finally compassed the elimination of saloons in the county. He and his wife are zealous and influential members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church at Grove Summit, and he has served as steward, trustee and class- leader. Holding that the use of tobacco is. like that of liquor, inimical to the general good of the community as well as to the individual. Mr. Smith has not hesitated to oppose the sale of the all too popular "weed." and significant evidence of his status in this connection was given when he leased a piece of ground for a general store. Ile endeavored to persuade the proprietor of the store not to sell tobacco in any form, and when his overtures met with unfavorable response he purchased the mer- chant's entire stock of tobacco and, taking it into a field, destroyed it by fire, this in his opinion being the only way tobacco should be used.

On his present farm .Andrew W. Smith was born Oct. 31, 1861. a son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Hunter) Smith, who at the time of their death were numbered among the most venerable and honored pioneer citizens of Jef-

ferson county. A memorial tribute to Mat- thew Smith is given on another page of this work. In the old Smith school, named in honor of the family, Andrew W. Smith ac- quired the rudiments of an education and, in a general sense, he was reared after the man- ner of the average farmer boy, though he was signally favored by the beneficent environment and influence of a home of refinement. He early began the work of the home farm, and in all the later years has not faltered in his allegiance to the basic industry of agriculture, through the medium of which he achieved suc- cess, his farm being an integral part of the valuable landed estate accumulated by his hon- ored father.

At Ridgway, Elk county, in the year 1889, Mr. Smith wedded Elizabeth Rankin, who was born in Armstrong county, and died in 1902, leaving no children. Her life was character- ized by kindly thoughts and kindly deeds. as well as by earnest service as a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1904 Mr. Smith married Mary Elizabeth Mccullough, a daughter of Archibald Mccullough, of the Beechwoods, of whom mention is made on another page of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two adopted children, Donald T. and Margaret Elizabeth. The attractive home. with Mrs. Smith as its popular chatelaine, is known as a center of gracious hospitality.

RYSOME WAYNE. of Desire ( formerly Sugar Hill), has been a resident of Jefferson county for thirty years and until recently con- ducted a hotel in the town, where he estab- lished himself in business at the time the local coal mines were opened. Born Dec. 13, 1860, in what is now Sandy ( then Brady ) township. Clearfield Co., Pa., he is a son of Thomas Wayne and grandson of William and Ann ( Barrs) Wayne, who came to America in 1842 from Leicestershire, England, and settled in Sandy Township, Clearfield County, where they cleared a farm and made a permanent home. They had two children. Thomas and Emily, the latter marrying Elihu Dixon. of Sandy township.

Thomas Wayne, father of Rysome Wayne, was born March 12. 1821, in Leicestershire, England, and was reared there. accompanying his parents to America in 1842. He was a miller, having served a seven years' apprentice- ship to the trade in England. and after coming to this country followed that calling at Moore's mill on Anderson creek, and in the Osborne and Prescottville mills. But he was soon en- gaged in farming in Sandy township. Clear-

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 113

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