Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 116

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 116

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born in 1818, passed away in 1895, at the age of seventy-seven years. They became the parents of six sons and one daughter: Haz- ard Perry, who was a lumberman and a skilled raftsman on the Clarion river, met a tragic death just as he had started the machinery in a new sawmill owned by the Cameron Tron Company, the saw literally cutting him to pieces. Lloyd Wesley developed a farm in Cameron county and there his death occurred near Emporium. Arnold P., like his brothers, was active in lumber operations in his youth and continued therein until about 1913. when he went to Portland, Oregon, and died in September, 1915. Melissa Jane, who became the wife of Ellet Stoughton, died in middle life. Win S. was the next in order. Burnell L. is in the employ of the Aetna Powder Com- pany, at Emporium, Cameron county. Marlin B. resides at South Brownsville, Fayette county, where he is a contractor.

Win S. Spence acquired his early education in the public schools and as a mere boy began lumbering on the Clarion river. Finally he became associated with his eldest brother, Hazard P., in the ownership and operation of the Queen Charlotte sawmill, at Troutman, Forest county ; they also built the boats by which the lumber was transported. They also rafted lumber for Ray & Sons, and finally removed to Gravel Lick, three miles below Cooksburg, at which point on the Clarion river they continued boatbuilding until 1800. There- after their operations continued for a time on Coon creek, Forest county, and Gravel Lick and Scotch Hill later figured as headquarters of their productive activities. At Scotch Hill Win S. Spence conducted a hotel for three years, then returned to Jefferson county and engaged in boatbuilding at Lathrop. For twelve years he engaged in building boats for Truman Buzard, and then located at Brook- ville, in 1911. For the ensuing two years he gave his attention principally to oil and natural gas development work in this field, with which he is still identified, though he has main- tained his residence on his farm since 1913. He finds ample demands upon his progressive industry in connection with the management of his fårm, which comprises one hundred acres.

In the year 1877 was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Spence to Mary E. Agnew. a daughter of John and Margaret ( McNaugh- ton ) Agnew.

JOHN AGNEW was born Jan. 20, 1832, and his wife, six years his junior, was born near Fisher, Clarion county. Their long compan-

ionship was broken only when the devoted wife and mother passed to eternal rest, on the 13th of September, 1913, aged seventy- nine years. John Agnew, now one of the most venerable and highly esteemed pioneers of Barnett township, had a full share of arduous toil and varied experiences in the development and progress of this section of Pennsylvania, where he was successful in re- claiming a farm, worked in the lumber woods for himself as well as for others, and acted as pilot of the great lumber rafts that passed down the Clarion river and other streams. At the time of the Civil war he was a valiant soldier of the Union, having twice enlisted. l Je became the father of nine children, and the first death in the family circle was that of the loved wife and mother. Since that time one son. Bartley Allen, died, on the 24th of May, 1916. Ellen Jane is the wife of James Buzard, of Strattonville, Clarion county ; Mary Elizabeth, Mrs. Spence, is her twin sis- ter; Burrell Lincoln is an oil and gas con- tractor in West Virginia ; Henry Leonard, who was formerly a successful farmer in the Hominy Ridge district of Jefferson county, now maintains his home in Los Angeles, Cal .; Barbara Ida is the wife of Absalom Mathers, of Bridgeport, Ill .; Catherine Letitia is the wife of Curtis Rankin, of Los Angeles, Cal. ; John Wade is a successful oil operator in the field about Clarksburg. W. Va .; Wesley Mar- tin likewise is an enterprising oil and gas operator in that State, with residence and busi- ness headquarters at Wallace.

John Agnew has been an influential figure in connection with the general interests of the community and is earnest and zealous as a de- voted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which his loved wife was his faith- ful coadjutor. He has attended conference and served as classleader and Sunday-school superintendent ; and is a close and apprecia- tive student of the Bible. Now a veritable patriarch, he still keeps in touch with affairs of the day and is an unfaltering Republican. lle has filled various local positions of public trust, including those of township supervisor and school director.

Mr. and Mrs. Spence have five children : Sarah is the wife of Harry Campbell, of Day, Clarion county : James Barlett resides at Whiting, Ind., where he is superintendent in an oil refinery of the Standard Oil Company ; Benjamin Harrison is in the employ of the Jefferson Gas Company, in the field about Sigel; Don Corbett holds a responsible posi- tion with the Scott Oil Company near Tulsa,

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Oklahoma : Harriet Agnew remains at home. Mr. and Mrs. Spence are active and valued members of the Pine Grove Methodist Epis- copal Church. He is a Republican, and is serving (1916) as president of the school board. He has had no ambition for public office of any kind, but his fellow citizens usually find something for him to do in this line and he loyally performs the duties of whatever position of trust he is called upon to fill.

HIENRY H. McANINCH is one of the venerable native sons of Jefferson county. He resides on his homestead four and a quar- ter miles south of Brookville, and is an hon- ored and influential citizen of Knox township.

Ilenry Hamilton McAninch was born in Beaver township, this county, on the ist of February, 1848, and is a representative of a sterling pioneer family. The lineage is traced to stanch Scotch-Irish origin, and the first representatives of the family in America were three brothers, William, John and Henry Me- Aninch, who established their homes along the Allegheny river. Of the three William. grandfather of Henry H., came from the vicinity of Brady's Bend. Armstrong county. and numbered himself among the sturdy pio- neers of Jefferson county ; he settled in Beaver township, where he opened a farm in the wilderness and remained until after the death of his wife. Thereafter he resided with his children and was of venerable age at the time of his death, which occurred in Knox town- ship. His wife, whose maiden name was Isabel Hopkins, was of Scotch ancestry, and their marriage took place in Armstrong county : both were earnest members of the Presbyterian Church. They were parents of Elisha. Elijah, John. William, George, Lewis, Henry. Sylvester, Samuel, Mrs. Isabel Smith, and one son that died in infancy, unnamed.

Squire Sylvester MeAninch was born and reared in Beaver township, as' was also his wife, whose maiden name was Rosena Himes and whose parents were early settlers. In 1861 Sylvester MeAninch removed to Knox township and purchased of John Kirker the farm now known as the Hawthorne place. From Mr. Kirker he later bought a tract ad- jacent to one corner of his original farm of 160 acres, which he had sold after making various improvements. On the second farm he erected a house and barn and there he and his wife passed the residue of their kindly and worthy lives. He brought the major part of his land under cultivation and this old

homestead is situated about one mile north- west of the present home of Henry H., who contributed his share to its reclamation. Syl- vester McAninch. honored and influential pio- neer citizen of Knox township, passed to the life eternal on the 3d of December. 1912, at the venerable age of eighty-four years, his devoted wife having died in 1900. at the age of seventy-three. He served many years as justice of the peace and was familiarly known as Squire Mc. Aninch. He gave his support to the cause of the Republican party and both he and his wife were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church and active and valued adherents of the congregation that held serv- ices in the Rice schoolhouse. The remains of both rest in the cemetery at Knox Dale. Of their children, Henry H. is the firstborn : Miles T. is a resident of Fresno, Cal .. as is also Samuel O .: William E. was a resident of Knox township, where he died at the age of sixty years; Thompson M. survived his mother by only two weeks, dying when forty- four years old ; Mary .A. is the wife of David Matthews, of Knox township: Sarah M. mar- ried J. M. Schaller, of Anita ; Edgar C. is a representative farmer of Oliver township : Addie is the wife of George W. Stewart. of Limestone. Clarion county.

Henry Hamilton MeAninch was reared un- der the conditions that marked the pioneer era of the county, and his early educational advantages were secured in primitive but well conducted schools. The days of his youth were filled with arduous toil in the reclaiming of land and lumbering, which caused him to wax strong in physical powers, so that he he- came fortified for individual enterprise.

At the age of nineteen, on the 24th of January, 1867, Mr. MeAninch wedded Melissa Jane Armagost, who was seven years old at the time of her mother's death, and was reared in the home of her paternal grand- parents, in Clarion county, whence she came to Jefferson county when twelve years old ; she was not yet eighteen at the time of her marriage. In 1880 Mr. Mc.Aninch purchased his present well improved farm, and though the timber had been cut off the land was still "infested" with stumps, so that he had no sinecure in bringing it under cultivation. The farm comprises forty acres, about twenty-five under cultivation. When but fourteen years of age Mr. MeAninch began work in the woods, and became an adept hewer of timber. so that his services were in almost constant demand during the major part of his active career. He is a stalwart Republican. has

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served efficiently as township supervisor, con- stable and school director, and has been loya! and public-spirited as a citizen, with an abid- ing interest in all things touching the welfare of the community. On his farm. an excellent producing gas well has been developed by the United Natural Gas Company.

Though their golden-wedding anniversary came on January 24, 1917, Mr. McAninch and his wife, realizing that the day was likely to be marked by inclement weather, held the ob- servance of the event on the 24th of October. 1916, when over two hundred guests assem- bled at their pleasant home to do honor to the occasion. Of those who were at their wed- ding only two besides the bride and groom are now living, and neither of these was able to be present on the fiftieth anniversary, which was a notable social event in Knox township. All the children of Mr. and Mrs. McAninch. except their son Sylvester, were at the anni- versary, and of their twenty-eight grandchil- dren all but five were present.

Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. McAninch the eldest is Miles Turbit, who is a resident of Knox Dale; William James resides in that village ; Rosena is the wife of E. E. Swine- ford, of Knox township: Sylvester, familiarly known as "Mack," is in the employ of the natural gas company at Sigel: Mary Ann is the wife of E. A. Mclaughlin, of Summer- ville : Effie Melissa is the wife of Jay M. Gal- braith, of Oliver township; Dessie Violet is the wife of Frank Swineford, a representative farmer of Knox township.

DANIEL ALEXANDER MCMINN owns and operates the fine property known as Maple Grove farm, in Snyder township, located on the road between Brockwayville and Lane's Mills, and as a successful agriculturist is dis- playing the enterprise and progressive policies characteristic of the McMlinn family. Sev- eral well improved farms testify to the thrift and energy for which the MeMinns have be- come noted. They are of North of Ireland stock, and the present representatives show many of the sturdy traits for which the pre- ceding generation was famous. The grand- father of Daniel Alexander McMinn lived to be one hundred and ten years old. He had several sons and daughters, all of whom came to America. living for a time in or about Phila- delphia, then settling in Jefferson county, be- coming an important element in the citizen- ship of Snyder township. Extensive mention of the earlier generations will be found else- where.

Mr. MeMinn was born Feb. 17, 1854, on the old McMinn homestead. Ile was first a pupil in the old schoolhouse which stood on the farm, and which was the first school build- ing in the neighborhood, and later went to the school at Lane's Mills taught by Miss Mary Groves. When seventeen years old he put in all his time at home at carpentry and black- smith work as well as the ordinary agricul- tural duties. He also worked in the woods and on the river. After his marriage he located at Lane's Mills and ran the "edger" in Lane's sawmill for two years, until he bought his present property of sixty-three and a half acres, which was then in its primitive state. For twenty-two years he operated a coal bank besides attending to his farm. He has sub- stantial buildings, having erected the residence in 1893 and the fine barn in 1900. Formerly he was a Democrat but is now recognized as a strong Prohibitionist. He and wife hold mem- bership in the M. E. Church at Lane's Mills, of which he is a trustee.

On Nov. 8, 1878, Mr. MeMinn was married to Emma A. Lensinbigler, who was born Oct. 25. 1860, in Snyder township, and received her education in the public school at Lane's Mills, her first teacher being Ida Lane. Chil- dren as follows have been born to this mar- riage : Alva, Feb. 12, 1880, died in infancy ; U. Oreston, born Sept. 26, 1881, now living at Chester, Pa., married Mattie llarper, and they have had two children, Irving ( deceased) and Earl : Clyde Alexander, born Sept. 3, 1883, went to California in May, 1909; Edna Leola, born June 26, 1885, now of Falls Creek, is the wife of Harry Van Ilorn and has two children, Mary Emma and Walter Edward; Vida An- netta, born Sept. 4, 1887, married Edwin Koh- ler, and they have two children, John Chester and Emma Harriet ; lola Amanda, born Aug. 22, 1889, died Jan. 5, 1892; laona Robert, born Dec. 14, 1891, a resident of Lane's Mills, married Anna Snyder and has one child, Grace Alvida; Raymond Taylor, born Jan. 1, 1897, and Gladys May, born June 19, 1901. are at home.

Jacob Lensinbigler, the grandfather of Mrs. Daniel A. McMinn, married Caroline Totten, and they died at their old home in Armstrong county. They had a large family, viz. : Wil- liam, who married; Jacob S., father of Mrs. McMinn: Lydia Elizabeth, wife of Alonzo Matson: Joseph, who married Rebecca Mc- Murray and lives in Brookville ; Matilda, wife of Albert Hay, both now deceased ; Margaret, twin of Matilda, who married William Wilson, both now deceased : Daniel, who married Min-

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nie Borlen, both being deceased; Logan Lee, who married in the West. and now lives at Shreveport, La. ; Caroline, widow of Dr. James Fullerton, living in Ridgway; and John, of Johnstown.

Jacob S. Lensinbigler, son of Jacob, was born Ang. 2, 1832, in Westmoreland county, and lived with his parents until he reached his majority. He then came to Jefferson county and found employment as a lumberman, but after marriage located on the farin at Lane's Mills, where he remained throughout life, (lying there Jan. 27, 1888. He married Betsey Maria Felt, who was born Sept. 27, 1837, in Hebron township, Potter county, daughter of Comfort Day Felt, and died in 1904. In 1889 she married (second ) M. B. Heath. Eight children came to Mr. and Mrs. Lensinbigler : Amanda C., born June 29, 1856, married Scott Alden, and died in Tennessee; John O., born Feb. 25. 1858, died in childhood; Emma A. is the wife of Daniel A. MeMinn ; Elmer J., born Jan. 9, 1863, married Frank Rudolph, and they live in Brockwayville ; Matilda M., born Jan. 10, 1866, married Eugene Griggs, and is living at DuBois ; Clara A., born July 14, 1869, mar- ried James Cochran, and they are residents of Lane's Mills ; Mertie G., born Sept. 16, 1874, married William Groves, and died at Grove Summit May 17, 1897; Elsię M., born Feb. 23, 1878, is the wife of Joel Berkey and re- sides at Cartwright, Pennsylvania.

JOSEPH S. JONES, of Punxsutawney, dealer in jewelry, watches, diamonds and sim- ilar merchandise, is a business man of solid standing and a citizen whose personal worth has won him the unqualified esteem of his fel- low men, in whatever capacity he has mingled with them. He has resided in the borough for over twenty years, and during most of that time has been engaged in his present busi- ness, previously working for others in the same line. He is a native of Jefferson county, born Nov. 9, 1878, and as his name would indicate is of Welsh descent. Lewis Jones, the grand- father of Joseph S. Jones, came to America during the latter part of his life and died at the Winslow settlement in Jefferson county, where he is buried.

Evan L. Jones, father of Joseph S. Jones, was born in Wales .Aug. 6, 1825, and was but eight years old when he came to this country. He first lived in the neighborhood of Bowers- ville, Jefferson county, among its early settlers, and in his younger life followed mine work. Later he purchased a farm of 160 acres at what is now Walston, Jefferson county, his

property joining the farm of the late Dr. Kurtz, and in connection with the cultivation of this place mined coal in a small way, open- ing one of the first coal mines in that section. The coal deposits on his land proved to be among the best in that locality, and have been sold to the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Company. Mr. Jones died March y, 1880, and is buried in the old cemetery at Punxsutawney. lle was married twice, and by his first wife had five children, namely: John L. (of Falls Creek, Pa.), George W., David, Amanda ( Mrs. Brewer) and Emma. His second mar- riage, July 3, 1862, was to Anna Long, daugh- ter of the late William Long, of Young town- ship, whose homestead is now owned by Dr. W. S. Blaisdell. To this union also were born

five children : Susanna, now the wife of W. D. Wachob, of Anita, Jefferson county ; Molly ( Mary), wife of E. E. Trusell, of Pittsburgh ; Lewis R., of Kansas City, Mo .; James O., Punxsutawney, and Joseph S. After the death of Evan L. Jones his widow married John Carey, who died in 1890, and her third hus- band was Samuel Sims, whom she married Sept. 4, 1901. She died suddenly, July 21, 1907, aged sixty-four years, six months, thir- teen days, and is buried in the Circle Hill cemetery. She was a member of the Baptist Church forty-two years and a devout Christian in her life and thoughts. Her mother, Mrs. Susan Long, was for many years a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church at Punx- sutawney. She died at the age of seventy- seven years, after a married life of fifty-four years, beloved and esteemed by her many friends in this part of Jefferson county.

Joseph S. Jones was a child when his father died, and was reared at the home of his grand- father. William Long. He attended the Ilughes school. the public school at Sports- burg, and was seventeen years old when he came to Punxsutawney, where he continued his studies in the public schools for a time. Then he learned the trade of jeweler with T. C. Donahue, with whom he remained until ready to venture in business on his own ac- count, which he did in 1901. He purchased the establishment which he has conducted and developed to profitable proportions, changing the stock and conveniences to meet the re- quirements of a growing trade. Mr. Jones has the confidence of an extensive patronage and of the merchants of Punxsutawney, and ranks with the best element in business and personal associations. He belongs to the B. P. O. E. and Masons, in the latter connection affiliating

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with John W. Jenks Lodge, No. 534, F. & A. M.

Mr. Jones married Elizabeth Davis, daugh- ter of Morgan Davis, formerly of Tioga county, Pa. Mr. Davis was long engaged at the Walston mines in Jefferson county, holding the position of foreman there for fifteen years, and eventually settled at Punxsutawney. In 1914 he built the fine home in the West End of Punxsutawney which he and his wife now occupy.

HHIRAM F. GUTHRIE is one of the influ- ential residents of Summerville, Jefferson county, where his active and long-continued participation in public affairs has kept him prominently before his fellow citizens. The mere statement that he has held every borough office within their gift, that he is serving his sixth term as justice of the peace, and that he was selected as their choice for the first burgess when the present government was established, indicates sufficiently the place he holds.

Mr. Guthrie's grandparents were among the early settlers in Jefferson county. His father, William Guthrie, was a farmer and lumber- man in this section. He married Harriet Ful- ler, and of the five children born to them, four sons and one daughter, three are yet living. Hiram F. Guthrie was born at Summerville April 25, 1851. He had better educational op- portunities than the average, and during his young manhood engaged in teaching for two years-1874-76. Until he was twenty-five he spent his time working on the home farm during the summer season and lumbering in the winter. acquiring experience which he found very valuable when he started out to make his own way. In the fall of 1884 hc turned to merchandising, in which he has since been engaged, having one of the leading trad- ing centers at Summerville. Mr. Guthrie has endeavored to give conscientious service to his patrons, studying the needs of the trade and meeting them promptly, and as a result his store is popular with a large circle of cus- tomers drawn from the territory in and around Summerville. Twenty-eight years ago Mr. Guthrie was elected justice of the peace, and he has filled the position without interruption since, giving eminent satisfaction. When the borough was organized he was the first to hold the office of burgess, and he has also acted as a member of the school board and in every other capacity, his executive ability and keen sense of responsibility making him a desirable coworker in all the departments of govern- ment. Politically he sides with the Republi- 37

cans. In religion he is associated with the Methodist denomination, and fraternally he belongs to the Odd Fellows.

On Jan. 16, 1878, Mr. Guthrie was married to Ida M. Carrier, who died in March, 1892, of pneumonia. She had spent two winters in Florida in the hope of regaining health, but without avail. Of the three children of this marriage all are now deceased, and only one survived the mother, Allie Josephine, who also died of pneumonia, when thirteen years old. The eldest, Hila, died when eleven years old, of scarlet fever, and Hiram, the youngest and only son, died in infancy. On April 5, 1897, Mr. Guthrie married (second ) Mrs. Mabel ( Simpson) Kennerson, of Indiana county, Pennsylvania.

ANDREW J. HARRIGER. Virtually half a century has elapsed since Andrew Jackson Harriger and his devoted wife established their home on a pioneer farm in Heath town- ship, and the young couple earnestly and reso- lutely bent their energies to the development of their land and the making of a home worthy of the name. With the passing years the for- est gave place to cultivated and productive fields, prosperity smiled upon well directed ef- fort and the result is shown in the attractive and valuable little homestead of fifty acres, the present residence of Mr. and Mrs. Harri- ger. The Harriger farm is situated on a ridge formerly marked by a heavy growth of chest- nut timber, and the land was reclaimed from the forest through the direct energies of the present owner. about half being devoted to diversified agriculture. The buildings were erected by Mr. Harriger and the pleasant home is but two miles from the Clarion river.

Andrew Jackson Harriger bears a name that indicates the political proclivities of his father, and he is a representative of two of the pioneer families of Clarion county, where both his paternal and maternal grandparents settled in the early part of the nineteenth century. Mr. Harriger was born in that county on the 24th of July, 1843, and in the same county were born his parents, George B. and Margaret ( Bigley) Harriger, he having been a lad of ten years at the time of his mother's death. George B. Harriger passed the greater part of his life in Clarion county, where he died at the venerable age of eighty-four. He lived for a time in the home of his son Andrew J.

Andrew J. Harriger gained his early edu- cation in schools of the pioneer days and after the death of his mother passed four years in Forest county. He returned to Clarion county,

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 116

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