Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 13

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

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

volved in serving an apprenticeship to the printer's trade. At the age of sixteen years he assumed the dignified prerogatives of "printer's devil" in the office of the Perry County Times, at New Bloomfield, where he gained practical experience and became not only a skilled compositor but also adept in connection with other details of the printing and newspaper business. Later he was em- ployed as a compositor in the offices of The Grit and other papers at Williamsport, Lycom- ing county, and his determination to obtain a broader education was marked by resolute action. Through his own resources he de- frayed the expenses incidental to attending school at Lock Haven, Clinton county, and later at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind., where he was graduated in artistic pen- work and completed a partial scientific course. He put his attainments to practical test and utilization by teaching school, and in 1897-8 he was principal of the public schools at Sax- ton, Bedford county His next manifestation of versatility and resourcefulness was given when he bought an old established weekly newspaper at Millheim, Center county, and was its editor and publisher until June, 1901. The enterprise proved profitable and at the time noted he sold his interest in the business to his partners and followed the course of an ambitious purpose by entering the College of Physicians and Surgeons in the city of Baltimore, Md., in which institution he ap- plied himself with characteristic diligence and ability until he had completed the prescribed curriculum. He was graduated in May, 1905. It was entirely through his own energy that he met the expenses incidental to preparing himself for the exacting profession in which he has since achieved success.

On the first of August, 1905, only a few months after having received his degree of doctor of medicine, Dr. Raine established his residence at Sykesville, where he assumed the position of local physician and surgeon at the coal mines of the Jefferson & Clearfield Coal & Iron Co. and the Erie Coal Company. At the expiration of one year he resigned his position with the company last mentioned, but has continued his active association with the former company, besides having developed a substantial and lucrative general practice. The Doctor is a close student and keeps fully in touch with the advances made in his pro- fession, besides which he maintains active affiliation with the Jefferson County Medical Society, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society and the American Medical Associa-

tion. He has made judicious investments in local real estate and has been concerned in the erection of a number of good houses, for which ready demand has been made. His enterprise has further been shown in the buy- ing of tracts of timber, which has been turned into lumber and sold in carload lots. The Doctor became a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Sykesville in 1913, and in October, 1915, he succeeded J. B. Sykes in the presidency of this vigorous and thriv- ing institution. The vitality and progressive- ness of Dr. Raine have been potent factors in furtherance of the civic and material ad- vancement of Sykesville and he has gained high place in the confidence and good will of the community. He gives his allegiance to the Republican party, is well fortified in his opin- ions concerning governmental and economic policies and while he has had no desire for public office he is giving characteristically effective service as a member of the Sykes- ville board of education. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SYKESVILLE may be consistently designated as one of the substantial, important and ably managed finan- cial institutions of Jefferson county. Its organization was effected Oct. 1, 1904, and after incorporation its active business opera- tions were instituted on the ist of January, 1905, and soon housed in an attractive and well appointed building erected for the purpose in 1904, but not occupied for a short time after the bank was started. The original directorate comprised J. B. Sykes, John S. Weakland, C. 11. Boyles, J. H. Murray, S. B. Long, A. W. Sykes, and Levi Schuckers. J. B. Sykes was chosen the first president, John S. Weakland vice president, and Fred S. Maize cashier, serv- ing until Jan. 19, 1907, when O. L. Howard succeeded him. He in turn was followed by Miss Ruth M. Sykes, now the wife of Edwin Arthur Wells, and whose service contintied from March 11, 1908, to May 1. 1916, when she was succeeded by W. D. McHenry. Dr. J. Frank Raine has served as president since October, 1915, and was elected to that office Jan. 18, 1016, Mr. Sykes resigning Jan. 3. 1916. C. H. Boyles is now vice president, and in addition to these executive officers and the cashier the board of directors includes D. A. Schwab, Jacob Buchheit, Hiram Reese and Mrs. Ruth M. (Sykes) Wells.

The First National Bank of Sykesville bases its operations on a capital of twenty-five thou-

SY PK LIBRARY

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

sand dollars, and, as shown by its official state- ment of Sept. 12, 1916, its surplus and un- divided profits aggregate nearly ten thousand dollars, and its deposits are in excess of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The bank maintains safe deposit boxes for renting pur- poses, its entire equipment being of the best modern type. It is a United States deposi- tory for postal savings funds.

SAMUEL STEWART HENDERSON, of Brookville, Pa., has a record of business achievement which reflects very honorably on his judgment and ability as well as on the commercial activities of the town. In his de- velopment he has realized its best possibilities and more. Further, he has shown the typical traits of his sturdy Scotch-Irish ancestry in his energetic and ambitious career, which has carried him to a leading place among the most successful men of Jefferson county.

Samuel Stewart Henderson, son of Joseph Washington and Nancy ( Wilson) Henderson, was born March 8, 1855, in Brookville, Jeffer- son Co., Pa., and acquired his education there in the public schools. In December, 1872, he commenced work as an employe in the drug store of Hunt & Blood, where he continued for a period of six years. On Jan. 1, 1878, he started in the same line on his own account, having organized the firm of Henderson Brothers, and for several years this was his principal interest. But other possibilities pre- sented themselves to him, and he soon branched out, taking advantage of every opportunity in the direction of his tastes. For a number of years he had large investments in stock, hav- ing in 1884 bought a farm of 120 acres in Rose township, Jefferson county, which he stocked with registered Shorthorn cattle and registered Percherons, as well as highly bred trotting horses. 'He operated this place until 1893, when he sold the land and disposed of his stock. For a number of years past he has been particularly well known in his connection with extensive lumbering operations. His first operations along this line were carried on in 1899, in which year he entered into an agreement with H. F. Manges, of Philadelphia, for the purpose of purchasing the white pine humber and shingles manufactured by H. Tru- man & Co., at Brookville. It was about this time also that he organized the firm of Henderson, Schofield & Co., wholesale lumber dealers, whose main office was maintained at Brookville, and this firm, in association with Mr. Manges, sold the Truman white pine lumber and shingles during the years 1900,

1901 and 1902, also purchasing the pine and hemlock output of Verstine, Kline & Co., of Brookville. Meantime, in June, 1900, Mr. Henderson organized the Mill Creek Lumber Company and bought what was known as the Howe timber, one of the last original white pine tracts in Jefferson county, Pa., located about two miles north of Corsica, where the company put up a band sawmill. The output of this mill also was handled by Henderson, Schofield & Co., until all the timber had been sawed, in the latter part of 1902, when the lumber company was dissolved, and Hender- son, Schofield & Co. dissolved in the spring of 1903.

In 1902 Mr. Henderson acquired lumber in- terests in West Virginia, where he has been operating since. That year he bought fifteen hundred acres of timber in Pocahontas county, and in the spring of 1903 organized the Poca- hontas Lumber Company of Brookville, his partners in the enterprise being J. B. Hender- son, also of Brookville, and Dr. T. R. Williams, of Punxsutawney, who formed a copartnership. In the interest of this concern Mr. Henderson bought a tract of 9,071 acres, which with his first purchase gave the company over ten thousand acres, and to this have since been added 2,500 acres. The company erected a mill at Burner, Pocahontas Co., W. Va., Mr. Henderson superintending the building, and as he is the only one of the partners familiar with the practical end of the lunibering busi- ness all the executive responsibility has been intrusted to him from the beginning. As manager he has looked after the construction of the mills and railroad and all the details of the operation, so that the success of the com- pany may be attributed entirely to his efficient oversight and tireless attention to everything pertaining to the equipment and output. The manufacture of band sawed lumber of all kinds is carried on extensively, a specialty being made of West Virginia spruce. The plant at Burner has a modernly equipped planing mill as well as the sawmill, which latter has a daily capacity of seventy-five thousand feet. The logs used are handled over the company's own railroad, which connects at Burner with the Coal & Iron railroad, a branch of the Western Maryland. Mr. Henderson, besides owning a one-third interest in the Pocahontas Lumber Company, is a stock- holder in the firm of Currie & Campbell, one of the most prosperous wholesale lumber firms in Philadelphia, with headquarters in the Commonwealth building. It was sponsored by the Pocahontas Lumber Company, who find

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

this connection most desirable for disposing of that portion of its products which goes to the Eastern markets. Mr. Henderson is a member of the board of governors of the Spruce Manu- facturers' Association.

Mr. Henderson of late years has become heavily interested in the coal business. In 1913 he and Dr. T. R. Williams purchased twelve hundred acres of valuable coal lands at Dill- town, Indiana Co., Pa., and established the Dilltown Smokeless Coal Company, of which Mr. Ilenderson is vice president and treasurer. They mine and ship the Miller Vein coal, the workings being at Dilltown, and about two hundred men are employed, the present ton- nage being about eight hundred daily, the capacity of the picking tables fifteen hundred tons daily. The hauling and cutting are done by electricity, the shortwall coal cutting ma- chine being used, and everything about the mines is modern in construction and arrange- ment. The company has built a town of sixty- eight houses, equipped with running water and electric light, and many other conveniences for the employees have been installed, the settlement being a model one in every respect. The investment amounts to $265,000, wisely expended.

Mr. Henderson was one of the organizers ot the Pocahontas Company of Dilltown, Pa., dealing in general merchandise, groceries, flour, provisions, dry goods, clothing and shoes. Mr. Henderson is also a stockholder in two Brookville banks, the National Bank of Brookville and the Jefferson County National Bank, and formerly served as director in both of these institutions, but resigned owing to the pressure of his other affairs. It is somewhat remarkable, considering how his interests have widened, that he has kept them all under his personal supervision, remarkable enough to attract attention outside of his own section of the State. Under the heading of "Care Well Directed" the American Lumberman of Oct. 12, 1912, had a full-page article concerning Mr. Henderson and his work, as one of the "lumbermen who have set high standards in Eastern business." From it we quote the fol- lowing :

"The manager content to develop, and intent upon developing, the natural possibilities of a compact enterprise has a big advantage, with corresponding outcome, over him who weakens his efforts by giving to scattered interests attention inevitably too attenuated to serve adequately any one detail of them. An ex- emplification of the converse of such un- wisdom, a man who has concentrated all his

attention and his activities upon comparatively modest interests with compact environment, and who always has controlled them, is a well known lumberman of Pennsylvania, S. S. Henderson, of Brookville. S. S. Henderson has so managed his affairs as always to have direct personal control of all their details. These interests, gratifyingly prosperous and of sound character, he has developed to their highest possibilities. While their number has been larger than usually falls to the managerial care of one man, each has been so fostered that its intricacies and its relations to the others are as familiar to Mr. Henderson as presumably is his single enterprise to the average keeper of a small store. His personal success as a business man has outstripped his environ- ment, a result largely of his concentration of effort, his determination to 'make good' in comparatively few directions and his purpose to avoid a multiplicity and consequent probable conflict of interests."

But however devoted to business, Mr. Hen- derson has never lost public-spirited concern for the general well-being of his home com- munity, in which he has shown as hearty inter- est as he has in its financial prosperity. In social and civic connections he has proved his right to the respect of his fellow men as much as he has compelled their admiration for his tangible achievements. He is a member and trustee of the Presbyterian Church, and zeal- ous in securing trustworthy officials for the administration of town affairs. Politically he is a Republican, and is proud to be able to say that his father was one of the delegates who helped to nominate Abraham Lincoln. He enjoys baseball and motoring, and other out- door sports as opportunity allows.

On Dec. 2, 1880, Mr. Henderson was mar- ried to Annie Litch, daughter of T. K. and Rebecca E. Litch, the ceremony being per- formed by Rev. Thomas. J. Sherrard, then pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Brook- ville. She died Jan. 15, 1893, the mother of two daughters: Cora Litch, born Oct. 10, 1881, was married at Brookville April 15, 1909, to Lawrence V. Deemer, by Rev. James B. Hill, pastor of the Presbyterian Church ; Nellie Litch, born Feb. 24. 1884, was married Oct. 12, 1909, by Rev. James B. Hill, to Fredrick W. Edmondson, and they have three children, Martha (born June 1, 1911), Fred- rick W. (born June 13, 1914) and Annie Litch ( born Dec. 7, 1915). On Oct. 23, 1895, Mr. Henderson married Anna Hjelm Craig, daughter of Hon. Samuel A. and Nancy (Rodgers) Craig, the ceremony being per-

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

formed at Brookville by Rev. James Conway, D. D., pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Five daughters have been born of this mar- riage: Nancy Hjelm, March 29, 1897; Virginia, Dec. 26, 1900; Rebecca, April 28, 1910 (died June 30, 1910) ; Helen Jack, Jan. 10. 1912, and Anna, June 26, 1916.

V. K. BAXTER, a farmer and business man whose operations have been one of the principal forces in the development of Clover township, is carrying on in his successful ca- reer the best traditions of the name he bears, both in regard to his personal character and his occupation. It is over sixty years since his father came to what is now known as Bax- ter station, where V. K. Baxter founded the town named in his honor, and during all that time father and son have done more than the average in promoting the interests of the neighborhood while working out the problems of their own lives.

The Baxter family has been in this country from Colonial days, the early members on this side of the Atlantic having come from Shrop- shire, England, and settled near Salem, in Massachusetts, as early as 1631. In 1639 they removed to Rhode Island, and thence to New York State, Allegany county, N. Y .. having been the home of the branch here under con- sideration for several generations. John W. Baxter and his wife Mary settled at Friend- ship, in that county, in the year 1820, and there Richard J., father of V. K. Baxter, was born Feb. 22, 1822. From time immemorial the Baxters have been builders and operators of sawmills, and Richard J. Baxter quite naturally adopted that vocation. He was a boy when he first came to Pennsylvania, having helped his father build a mill on the Clarion river in 1834, and there he remained until 1845, working at his trade. He then moved to Troy, Jefferson county, where he was located about ten years, in 1855 settling at what is now the site of Baxter station, on the Low Grade divis- ion of the Allegheny Valley railroad, one hun- (red miles from Pittsburgh. Strength of char- acter and the ability to cope with adverse cir- cumstances have been leading traits of the Bax- ter family as far back as the records show, and V. K. Baxter and his immediate prede- cessors have been typical representatives of the name in this respect. Richard J. Baxter pros- pered in the face of the heavy odds always to be encountered in a new country, but he was master of a business of the greatest import- ance in the opening of primitive territory, and lived to see great achievements along this line.

He died at the age of seventy-three years, March 15, 1895, while on a train en route from Pittsburgh.

V. K. Baxter was born in Troy, Pa., Aug. 30. 1853, and has followed in the footsteps of his ancestors, having been engaged in saw- mill work practically all his life. He remained at home until twenty-two years old, but mean- time had worked for a few months as a brake- man on the railroad. Then he went to assist his brother. the late J. W. Baxter ( who died Dec. 23, 1915 ). on the Clarion river at Cooks- burg, running his lumber mill for four years, during which time he met his wife. He was next at Laceytown for six months, and worked in the mills up to the time of his marriage. For a time he was in the mills at Portland, Pa., handling the log carriage, changing from there to the Blue Rock mills in Jefferson county, where he was first employed in the shingle department. Subsequently he was made sawyer and a month later became filer, holding that position until the following spring, when he removed to Carrier. Later he was engaged as sawyer at Forestville, whence he went to Shorts Mills in the same capacity, for Fred Sigers. The next year he entered the employ of J. S. Hyde at Sawmill run, where he ran a shingle mill under John McMann, superintendent, who also had him do the filing. In the fall he went to Brockwayville, where he ran Duff Hutton's mill, and his next move was to Spring Creek, as filer, in which ca- pacity he also spent two years in Truman's mill, at Truman, Pa. The next two years he was at Otto Glen, as filer. being foreman of that plant the second year of his stay there. For the two years' following he was at Sizer- ville, Pa .. as filer and sawyer, being so engaged up to the time of his father's death, in the spring of 1895, when he took charge of the interests of the estate, of which he has since been manager. He has prospered steadily ever since he entered business on his own ac- count, is still operating a well equipped mill at Baxter, and also has valuable lumber and agricultural interests, owning an interest in the very fine farm upon which he resides. He has been a foremost advocate of up-to-date farming methods in his vicinity and has done much practical work to aid their introduction, now serving his fourth term ( four years) as treasurer of Baxter Grange, No. 1172, Patrons of Husbandry. He is also a member of Pomona Grange, and has been active in other movements. For vears he has been school director, besides filling the other local offices, and he has never given his constituents any

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

reason to regret the confidence placed in him. He is a Democrat on national questions, but independent in his choice of local candidates. He was reared in the Catholic faith, and is a member of Immaculate Conception Church at Brookville, also belonging to the Knights of St. George.

On Aug. 10. 1879. Mr. Baxter married Sarah M. Henry, of Cooksburg, Forest Co., who was then but sixteen years old. The fol- lowing children have been born to them : Mary Margaret, born at Baxter, was married there to James 11. McBride, of Wilkinsburg, and has four children, Vincent James, Sarah E., Margaret B. and Richard B .; Alice L., the second child, died in infancy; Karl V., the youngest, born at Sizerville, Cameron county, is engaged in the Pennsylvania railroad yards at Erie.

Mrs. Baxter's parents were William and Mary J. ( Cook) Henry. She was a daughter of John and Catherine Cook, so that Mrs. Bax- ter is a niece of Judge Cook and Jeremiah Cook, Mrs. Henry's half-brothers. The chil- dren born to William Henry and wife were: David I., who died at the age of fifty-three years ; Ira C., residing in Seattle, Wash. ; Re- becca J., wife of James Hart, of Export ; Sarah M., Mrs. Baxter; Lydia A., wife of Charles Smith, of Strattonville; William S., who married Ella Dobson, of Dravosburg ; and Hattie, who died in childhood. The father died March 11, 1915, at the age of ninety-two years, long surviving the mother, who passed away June 12, 1901, at the age of sixty-eight years.

ROBERT A. HAMILTON, of Big Run. now engaged as a hardware dealer in that borough, has turned to merchandising after a vigorous career as a lumberman, whose opera- tions were among the most extensive conducted in this part of Pennsylvania for a long period. Alone or with partners he has cut millions of feet of valuable timber in Jefferson and neigh- boring counties, entering upon big undertak- ings courageously and carrying them through skillfully, with the proficiency gained only by wide experience and mastery of details. Mr. Hamilton's activities have played a big part in the transformation of western Pennsylvania from a forest country to an agricultural region. He belongs to pioneer stock of this region, where his great-grandfather, Robert Hamil- ton, settled upon his arrival from Ireland after the close of the Revolutionary war. His grandfather, who also bore the name of Rob- ert Hamilton, was probably a native of West-

moreland county, Pa., and it is likely that the grandmother, Rachel ( Work), was born there, too. She was of Scotch parentage, her father, William Work, having been a native of Scot- land. Robert and Rachel Hamilton were mar- ried in Indiana county, Pa., where he made a good farm, and they remained there until they died. They had a family of eight children, James A. being the third in order of birth.

James A. Hamilton, son of Robert and Rachel Hamilton, was the father of Robert A. Hamilton, of Big Run. He was born Dec. 4. 1823, in Mahoning township, Indiana Co., Pa., was reared upon the home farm, and had only the limited educational advantages which the neighborhood afforded. The first school he at- tended was held in an old log cabin which did not contain a nail or a piece of glass. When fourteen years old he was apprenticed to learn the tanner's trade, and after completing his term worked as a journeyman for a time at Indiana, Pa., receiving four dollars a month the first year and twelve dollars the second. For a change of occupation he made a trip down the Susquehanna on a raft. He was en- gaged at tanning and harnessmaking in Indi- ana county from 1842 to 1865, starting business on his own account in 1845, on a capital of $51.75. The venture was typical. He was not afraid to make it because of financial shortage, and the industry necessary to supplement this lack did not terrify him. He got along, and made both branches of his business pay, hiring skilled harnessmakers to do the work in that department, for he was conscientious about giving high-class service to all his patrons. After a time he purchased a farm, which he conducted along with his other enterprises, and although all was not smooth sailing he did well. For three years he was in the mercantile busi- ness in Indiana county, 1864 to 1867, in the latter year moving to Jefferson county. At that time, although he was but forty-four years old, he was spoken of as "Old Squire Hamil- ton," having served ten years as a justice of the peace in Indiana county. At Big Run he opened a new general store which he carried on for twenty-five years. This was during the most important period of the lumber industry in this region, and he himself had heavy in- terests in the latter line for ten years, jobbing. manufacturing and floating square timber down the Allegheny, making shooks, etc. He retired from active business some years before his death, which occurred in the spring of 1897, when he was in his seventy-fourth year, but he was still serving as a vice president of the Big Run Building & Loan Association.

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 13

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