Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 123

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 123

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tinue his labors, as he passed away Oct. 22, 1869. His widow survived thirty years and was nearly ninety years of age at the time of her death, on the 4th of May, 1900. Of their twelve children only three are living: Mrs. Syphrit ; Lucetta, who is the wife of Mores Ford, of New York ; and Daniel, the youngest son, who resides on a part of the old home- stead ; his brother John, now deceased, owned the remainder of the farm.

In this final paragraph is entered brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Syphrit : Alda became the wife of John Boyington, and died at the age of twenty- three years, ten months; Eva is the wife of Nelson Clark, and they reside on a farm adjoining that of her parents; Terressa is the wife of William Auck, of Bucyrus, Ohio ; Leroy, an adopted son, was taken into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Syphrit when an infant. and he has fully rewarded their loving care and devotion by true filial attachment ; he has the active charge of the old homestead farm; his wife was Laura Chamberlin, and they have two children, Glenn and Raymond.

MAURICE A. SCHULTZ, the efficient and popular superintendent of the Elk Tan- ning Company, at Reynoldsville, is a repre- sentative figure in the industrial and commer- cial activities of Jefferson county and is specially well entitled to recognition in this history. He was born at Wilcox, Elk Co .. Pa., on the 15th of January, 1877, and is a son of Judson and Anna (Eastagate) Schultz.

Judson Schultz was born at Ellenville. Ulster Co., N. Y., a son of Abraham I. Schultz, who was a pioneer in the tanning industry in the State of New York, where he was one of the first successful manufacturers of what is known as union leather and where he con- tinued to reside until his death. Judson Schultz was accorded good educational advan- tages in his youth and early became concerned with his father's tanning industry. He became an expert in this line of enterprise and even- tually became one of the interested principals in the Wilcox tannery, at Wilcox. Elk Co., Pa., as a member of the firm of Schultz Brothers. He passed the closing years of his life in his native town of Ellenville. N. Y .. where he died in 1883, after having continued in active business until virtually the close of his life. His widow died April 18, 1913, and concerning their children the following brief data are available: Jackson S. is vice presi- dent and general superintendent of the Elk Tanning Company and has direct charge of its

main tannery, at Ridgway, Elk county : Eula, lantha and Anna reside in Ellenyille, N. Y .; and Maurice A .. of this review, is the youngest of the number.

Maurice A. Schultz was a child at the time of the return of his parents from Wilcox, Elk Co., Pa., to Ellenville, N. Y., where he con- tinued his studies in the public schools until he had completed the curriculum of the high school. Thereafter he was for four years a student at Cornell University, in Ithaca, N. Y. When a young man he became actively identi- fied with the line of industrial enterprise in which the family name has so long been promi- nent and influential. He fortified himself thoroughly in all details of the scientific tan- ning business and the year 1901 found him with the Elk Tanning Company at Everett, Bedford Co., Pa. Later he was concerned with the operation of the company's tannery at Newport. Perry county, and still later he was for two and a half years similarly en- gaged at Instanter, Elk county. As a repre- sentative of the Win. F. Mosser Tanning Company he became connected with its tan- nery at Westover, Clearfield county, and in March, 1914. he assumed his present position, that of superintendent of the Reynoldsville tannery of the Elk Tanning Company. This is one of the principal plants of this corpora- tion, where employment is given to a force of one hundred and fifty men. Mr. Schultz is not only an able executive and progressive business man but is also a loyal and public- spirited citizen, his political allegiance being given to the Republican party.

In 1901 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Schultz to Anna Losey, daughter of Rutherford M. Losey, who is successfully en- gaged in the tanning business in the State of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz have six children: Cordelia. Ruth, Jackson S., Mar- garet. Catherine and Josephine.

WILLIAM E. STORMER is one of the progressive and successful business men of the younger generation in his native county and is a representative of one of the pioneer families of this section of the Keystone State. He owns and conducts a splendidly appointed grocery establishment in the thriving little borough of Reynoldsville.

Mr. Stormer was born in Ringgold town- ship, this county. on the 14th of May, 1888, and his father. John Stormer, died on the Ist of the following August. at the age of fifty- eight years. five months, thirteen days. He was born in Westmoreland county and was

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a son of John Stormer, Sr., who was born and reared in Germany and came to the United States when a young man. John Stormer, Sr., settled in Westmoreland county, Pa., where he cleared and improved a productive farm, and later in life passed a number of years in the home of his son Joseph, in Pine- creek township, Jefferson county, but passed the closing period of his life in Westmore- land county, where he died at a venerable age. In that county also died his eldest son, Noah, and also the second son, Levi; Joseph became a successful farmer in Pinecreek township, where he passed the remainder of his life; John, Jr., father of William E. Stormer, was the fourth son; Samuel, who was a veteran of the Civil war, died in Pinecreek township; Michael likewise was a valiant soldier in the same conflict and passed the closing years of his life in the Pennsylvania Soldiers' Home at Erie ; and the daughters were Sarah, Susan and Polly.

John Stormer, Jr., came to Jefferson county when a young man and became actively con- cerned in extensive lumbering operations, in association with a man named Neal. He later purchased a property in Ringgold township, known as the "Hogback" farm, and to its man- agement he continued to give his attention until his death. Ile wedded Chesta Bussard, who now lives at Worthville, this county. and they became the parents of nine children. John, Samuel, Charles, Ada, Jessie, William E., V. C., I. C., and Elizabeth. Samuel is a merchant at Worthville: Ada is the wife of Robert Stewart: Jessie is the wife of Clark Mauk; V. C. resides at Punxsutawney ; I. C. at Rey- noldsville; and Elizabeth remains with her venerable mother at Worthville. After the death of her first husband Mrs. Chesta ( Bus- sard) Stormer became the wife of William Eisenhart, who was born at Shamokin, North- umberland county, and came to Jefferson county when a young man. He was a black- smith by trade, but became identified with lumbering operations, besides having con- ducted a general store at Sprankle Mills. He died in 1905. at the age of seventy-nine years, no children having been born of his marriage to Mrs. Stormer. Samuel Bussard, the father of Mrs. Stormer-Eisenhart, was born in Schuylkill county, Pa., and shortly after his marriage to Catherine Hepler, likewise a native of Schuylkill county, came to Jefferson county, and became a pioneer farmer near Brookville, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Of their children the eldest was Samuel: Harriet became the wife of

James Kelly; Chesta, mother of William E. Stormer, was the next in order of birth; Amanda married William Keihl; John is a resident of Armstrong county; Elias is de- ceased.

William E. Stormer went to the public schools at Sprankle Mills and at the age of nineteen years established a meat market at Reynoldsville which he continued with suc- cess about ten years, and then engaged in the grocery business, with like results. It is con- ceded that his establishment is one of the best appointed and most metropolitan of its kind in Jefferson county, and his attractive display of staple and fancy groceries and other lines of food products is a model of sanitary arrange- ment and gastronomical attractiveness. His store building, with a frontage of fifty-eight feet, occupies the most eligible and valuable corner in the business district of Reynolds- ville. The property was purchased by him in 1914. though he has been here engaged in the grocery business since July, 1906.

Mr. Stormer is a charter member of the Reynoldsville Chamber of Commerce and a stanch supporter of its high civic and business policies, with a deep interest in all things per- tinent to the welfare and progress of his home city and county. He is a member of the local board of health, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and is a Republican in his political adherency.

In 1901 was recorded the marriage of Mr. Stormer to Mary E. Bussard, who was born and reared in this county, and they have three children. Marion, Lena and Delvin.

CHARLES ADDISON MORRIS, well known and influential in Oliver township, where he is living retired on his fine home- stead, has been a resident of Jefferson county from birth, and is a member of a sterling pioneer family of Jefferson county, one which was founded in Pennsylvania more than a century ago. Mr. Morris has been promi- nent in connection with public affairs ; besides having served in various township offices he held for one term the office of county auditor.

Mr. Morris was born in Perry township, April 7. 1851. His father, James Madison Morris, was born in Northampton county, Pa .. Feb. 14, 1815, and was in his sixth year at the time of the family removal in 1820 to Indiana county, where he was reared to ma- turity. Coming to Jefferson county in the early thirties, he first settled in Young town- ship, later removed to Perry township. and about 1853 made a permanent home in Oliver

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township. He was a vigorous pioneer farmer and held throughout his long and useful life the confidence and goodwill of all who knew him. His father, Obed Morris, was the fifteenth in a family of seventeen children and was born in Bucks county, Pa., in 1792. He married Mary Bowman, who was born in Northampton county in 1791, and they became the parents of seven children, of whom James M. was the eldest; Elizabeth married Hiram P. Williams; Theodore and Charles R. B. were the next; Mary B. died in childhood ; Joseph Bowman and Moses Aaron were soldiers in the Civil war. Obed Morris was a soldier in the war of 1812. In Young town- ship he became the owner of a farm of 106 acres, and died thereon in 1881; his wife passed away in 1859.

As a young man James M. Morris wedded Phoebe Jane Williams, who was born in New Jersey, near the New York line, Jan. 25, 1814, and whose death occurred Oct. 17, 1886. She was a daughter of Thomas and Maria (Quick) Williams, pioneer settlers of Perry township. who later removed to the farm owned and occupied by James M. Morris, who traded his old homestead for the property. Mrs. Morris was one of eight children, the brothers and sisters being: Deborah, born April II, 1798, died April 2. 1876; Catherine, born July 5, 1800, married Reuben Hickox, and died Jan. 29, 1892; Samuel, born May 27, 1809, died in June, 1867; Hiram P., born Nov. 27, ISII, died Aug. 24. 1885: Elmira, born in Septem- ber, 1816, died April 1, 1895; Stacey, born March 29, 1821, died Jan. 13, 1903; Joseph N., born June 11. 1819, died Jan. 21, 1899 .. James M. and Phoebe Jane (Williams) Morris were zealous members of the Presbyterian Church at Punxsutawney. They became the parents of six children, five reaching maturity: Mary Elizabeth, born Dec. 30, 1837, is the wife of Enos G. Nolph, of Punxsutawney ; Emily Jane, born March 20, 1841, became the wife of Robert J. Crissman, and is now deceased ; William Penn. born Nov. 5. 1843, died in 1895 (he was a veteran of the Civil war enlisting in the 206th Pennsylvania Infantry ) ; Caroline L., born Ang. 13, 1847. resides in Punxsutawney: Charles A. completes the family.

Charles A. Morris was reared on the farm and gained his early education in the district schools. He devoted three years to success- ful service as a teacher in the rural schools, and then resumed active agricultural pursuits, in which he has since been successful. On Oct. 9. 1872, he wedded Annie E. Kuntz, born

Dec. 16, 1853, a daughter of Heury Kuntz, of Bell township, and who died May 27, 1901. Their children are: Martha Mabel, born Aug. 24, 1873, is the widow of P. O. Freas, a teacher, and at the time of his death Dec. 9, 1913, burgess of Punxsutawney, his surviv- ing children being five in number; James H., born April 12, 1877, is a locomotive engineer for the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Rail- road Company, at Punxsutawney, and his wife is Evalyn Work; Orrin, born July 25, 1878, was assistant superintendent in the Cambria steel works at Johnstown, and died Dec. 2, 1915; Nellie died in childhood, while Carl V. died in infancy ; William Danks, who has practical charge of his father's farm, was born Dec. 14, 1886, married Ollie Jordan, a daughter of Charles B. Jordan, and has one son, Charles Stanley ; Nettie B., who was born April 17, 1894, is the wife of Lloyd Shafer; Harry Addison died when two years old.

For his second wife Mr. Morris wedded Jan. 1, 1902, Mrs. Mary A. (Laughlin) Mor- rison, who was born in Clarion county Nov. IO, 1858, daughter of the late Randall L. and Elizabeth F. Laughlin, her father having formerly been a lumberman and boatbttilder. Like his father, James Laughlin, who built and operated the first sawmill in Clarion county, Randall L. Laughlin was a success- ful business man. Both he and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. Of their children the first two died in infancy ; Mrs. Morris was the next; the other children are Lelia, Thomas Jefferson, Frank E., Claude and John. The first husband of Mrs. Morris was Harvey D. Morrison, and he is survived by their three sons: William Wade, who is superintendent of maintenance of the Shawmut Railroad, at Kittanning ; Charles T., a farmer in Knox township; and Harvey Quay is the manager of a general store at Gordontown, Clarion county.

Mr. and Mrs. Morris are prominent and zealous members of the Olive Presbyterian Church, of which he is clerk. a position in which he succeeded his father at the latter's death; the father had succeeded one of his brothers. Mr. Morris is a Democrat, has held various township offices, and served one three- year term as county auditor, a position to which he was elected in 1893. He is now serving his second term as justice of the peace and has given long and effective service as school director.

WILLIAM COPPING. Not every man orders his life to his liking or reaches the

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definite goal of his ambition, but that man is strongest and most worthy who makes the best of the opportunities which are presented and who continues to hold steadfast in his steward- ship amidst "all the changes and chances of this mortal life." Such a man is William Copping, a venerable and honored citizen, now living practically retired at Reynoldsville, and who first became a resident of Jefferson county in 1875.

Mr. Copping was born in Boston, Lincoln- shire, England, on the 11th of December, 1841, and in that same section of the "right little, tight little isle" his parents passed their entire lives. His father, William Copping, died when the son William was a child. In the schools of his native county the boy gained his early education, and as a youth entered upon a prac- tical apprenticeship as a sailor. He served the first two years on the ship "Constance of Whitby," and continued to follow a seafaring life for six years, in the Baltic trade, besides having made one voyage into the Black Sea and one to Quebec. Canada. In England, on the Ist of March, 1863, he wedded Mary Ann Whild, and thereafter was employed in rail- road shops until 1873. when he came with his family to the United States, landing at the port of Boston. Thence he came to Pitts- burgh, Pa., where for a few months he was employed in the shops of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad Company. He next found employment in the Allegheny shops, and remained in Pittsburgh until Jan. 18, 1875, when he came to Brookville, Pa .. and assumed charge of a wrecking crew on the low grade division of the Pennsylvania railroad. On the 2d of the following month he established the family home at Reynolds- ville, and continued with the wrecking crew until 1887, when he removed his family to the city of Boston, Mass. There he found em- ployment in the roundhouse of the New Eng- land railroad, but in August of the following year returned to Reynoldsville, and purchased the general merchandise business of Henry Carton. He successfully continued this enter- prise for the ensuing seventeen years, at the expiration of which he sold his stock and busi- ness. Since then he has served as tax col- lector and assessor of the borough about four years, and he also made an excellent record as a member of the borough council. In 1913 he removed to the city of Cleveland, Ohio, but a year later returned to Reynoldsville, where he has since lived retired.

In 1896 Mr. Copping made a trip to Eng- land, visiting the place of his birth and re-

newed the associations of his youth. He re- mained six weeks, and the memories of this pleasant incident in his career are most grati- fying to him.

For a time Mr. Copping was interested in the brick manufactory and silk mill at Rey- noldsville. He is a Republican in his political faith. Mr. Copping became a member of the Masonic fraternity in 1879, joining John M. Read Lodge, No. 536. F. & A. M., of Rey- noldsville, of which he served as master in 1886-87. He also holds membership in Jef- ferson Chapter, No. 225, Royal Arch Masons, at Brookville, and is a charter member of Bethany Commandery, No. 83, Knights Templars, at DuBois, Clearfield county, to which he transferred his membership at the time of its organization, his chivalric degrees having been received in Knapp Commandery, at Ridgway. In 1880 Mr. Copping became a member of the Reynoldsville lodge of the Knights of Pythias, in which he has passed various official chairs, besides having served as district deputy in this fraternal order.

After a devoted companionship extending over a period of more than half a century the gracious ties that had bound Mr. Copping and the wife of his youth were severed by her death, which occurred April 11, 1913; her remains were laid to rest in the family plot in the Reynoldsville cemetery. Of their children the first, Mary Jane, died in infancy." and Elizabeth died at the age of two years ; Mary Jane (second of the name) is the wife of Lewis D. Kleinhaus, of Cleveland, Ohio. and of their seven children five are living. Mary, William, Louise, Robert B. and George ; William Copping, Jr., the next child, died at the age of eleven months; Harry, who has achieved marked success as the purveyor of amusement enterprises, owns and conducts the well known Copping Carnival, the attrac- tions of which he presents through Pennsyl- vania, Ohio and West Virginia (he and his wife maintain their home at Reynoldsville, and their only child, Naomi, is now the wife of Herman Bantley) ; Bertha C., the youngest of the children, is the wife of Orra A. Bald- win, who is successfully established in the piano business at Reynoldsville.

FREEMAN M. ANDERSON is the efficient and popular station agent at Sykes- ville, Winslow township, for both the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad Company and the Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad Company. He has been identified with rail- road activities since his early youth and has

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won advancement through ability and effective service.

Mr. Anderson claims the Wolverine State as the place of his nativity, but the greater part of his adult life has been passed in the Eastern States. He was born in the village of Martin, in Allegan county, Mich., on the 27th of January. 1878, and in the public schools of the State acquired his early educa- tional discipline. He continued there to be identified with agricultural pursuits until he had attained to the age of eighteen years, when he established his residence at Silver Spring, N. Y., and entered the service of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad Company. Four years later he was transferred to the city of DuBois, Pa., and thereafter served the company in the capacity of relief agent for two years. On the 19th of June, 1905. he was appointed station agent at Sykesville for the railroad company just mentioned and also for the Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad Company.

Mr. Anderson takes a lively interest and active part in the community affairs of Sykes- ville, and has served not only as a member but also as treasurer of the board of educa- tion, besides which he has been a loyal and valued member of the borough council since 1912, and is president of this important muni- cipal body at the time of this writing, in the winter of 1916-17. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party, and he is affiliated with the local lodge of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows.

In 1906 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Anderson to Elizabeth Cubbison, who was born and reared in Emlenton, Pa. They have one son, John.

DAVID M. BROSIUS, who owns and re- sides tipon one of the fine farms of Perry township, is a venerable native son of the county and a member of one of the real pio- neer families. He was born in Rose town- ship May 27, 1847, son of Peter and Chris- tiana (Shoemaker) Brosius, both of the old Keystone State.

Peter Brosius was born in Northumberland county, and was seventy-six years of age at his death, in 1897. He was a boy at the time of the family removal to these wilds, where his father, Michael Brosius, became one of the earliest settlers in Beaver township, it having been his privilege to reclaim a productive farm from the forest. Peter Brosius was reared under such conditions as marked the early pioneer period and received a good common

school education in the . German pioneer schools, receiving but minor training in Eng- lish however. In the home of his parents Miss Christiana Shoemaker was reared from the age of nine years, their youthful companion- ship culminating in marriage. Mrs. Brosius survived her husband nearly a score of years and was one of the venerable and revered pioneer women when she died, in June, 1914. Both were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their thirteen children one died in infancy; Benjamin is a retired farmer and justice of the peace in Beaver township; Christopher is living retired at Summerville; Mary Ann is the wife of Har- rison Clyde, a farmer of Elk county ; David M. was the next; Samuel is a farmer in Rose township; Hiram H. is a representative law- yer of Brookville: Sarah Ellen married Am- brose Eiseman, a retired farmer at Brookville ; Eliza Jane is the wife of Joseph Jamison, a township official in Clarion county; Lucy Emeline is the widow of William Lehman, lately deceased in Clover township; Corson H. is deceased; James Brown is a resident of Clover township: John M. holds a position in a Brookville bank.

David M. Brosius was reared to the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm and in addition to attending the district school availed himself of the advantages of the academies at Belle- view, Summerville and Corsica. Thereafter he taught in the rural schools of Jefferson county for ten years. principally during winter terms, in the meanwhile remaining on the farm and in full fellowship with its varied activities, virtually his entire active career being marked by close association with agricultural life. On Jan. 19. 1875. Mr. Brosius married Juniata Lang, who was born on the Juniata river in Juniata county on the 12th of September. 1851. a daughter of John and Mary (Work) Lang, who came to Jefferson county in 1852 and set- tled in Beaver township. Mr. Lang erected and placed in operation a woolen mill, and about this pioneer manufactory grew up the village of Langville. He was a man of splendid ini- tiative and constructive ability and did much to advance civic and industrial prosperity. In addition to the woolen mill he also owned and operated a gristmill, becoming widely and fa- vorably known as a leading citizen. He traversed a wide area of surrounding country buying wool, for much of this raw material exchanging the products of the woolen mill. He also had a sawmill, in which he manu- factured a large amount of lumber. In the operation of these mills he was eventually suc-

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ceeded by his son John, who became one of the influential men of the county, and it is in- teresting to record that the woolen mill is still in successful operation and owned by Jasper Glover. Mrs. Brosius was the sixth in order of birth in a family of seven children born of her father's second marriage. Mr. Lang was thrice married and had ten children by the first union and none by the last wife Lucretia (Eaton) Lang.

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 123

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