Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 51

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 51

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good citizen's part in the work of improve- ment. He was known to all as an honest man, and was respected for his useful life and consistent integrity. He was a prominent member of the Democratic party, which he supported all his life, and was elected to rep- resent his district (comprising Jefferson and Clarion counties ) in the State legislature, serving one term, 1870-71. After his brother Daniel removed from the borough, in 1886, he was the last remaining member of the family at Brookville.

In 1859 Mr. English married Sarah Ann Bishop, of Brookville, daughter of Rev. Dr. Gara Bishop, one of the pioneer Presbyterian ministers in Jefferson county, and among the early settlers of Brookville, whither he came in 1835. Mrs. English died in August, 1896, Mr. English surviving her until Jan. 26, 1901, dying at his home on Water street. They left no children. Both are buried in the Brookville cemetery. Mr. English was a mem- ber of the Catholic Church.

DANIEL ENGLISH took up building and car- penter work, going to Williamsburg, Blair county, to learn the trade in 1844. while the family was still living in Center county. He gained high standing as an architect and builder. He came to Brookville in 1847, but went on to Clarion, where he secured employ- ment, returning here later. In September. 1869, he completed the present courthouse at Brookville, the previous contractor having failed. He built the present courthouse at Cla- rion, Pa., and several other prominent build- ings in Clarion, as well as the beautiful school building at Brookville, and enjoyed an enviable reputation as a contractor. surveyor and engi- neer. In the fall of 1886 Daniel English removed to Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pa., though he retained the ownership of his resi- dence on Main street, Brookville, for several years. He was a native of County Limerick, Ireland, came to America in 1830-31, and died at Pittsburgh June 24. 1900. In 1856 he mar- ried Mary Jane Aaron, of Crates, Clarion Co .. Pa .. who died Sept. 12, 1905. They had nine children, six of whom are living, Luke, Rob- ert, Nora and Mrs. J. Schaub all residing in Pittsburgh ; Mrs. E. H. Martin and Mrs. Kill- burn are in the West. Luke is engaged in the manufacture of floor tiling, and Robert an architect and contractor.

WILLIAM ENGLISHI, another of the broth- ers. was born July 5, 1836, near Bellefonte. Center Co., Pa .. and came to Brookville with his parents in 1849. In 1853 he went to St. Louis, Mo., and served three years as an

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apprentice in the foundry business. For a time he assisted his brothers in their foundry, until Aug. 27, 1861, when he enlisted for three years in Company B, 105th Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving until wounded at the battle of Fair Oaks, Va., and receiving his discharge on account of a gun- shot wound in the hip Jan. 29, 1863. On re- covering he reenlisted, the next year, and was discharged at the close of the war as orderly sergeant of Company B, 105th Pennsylvania Regiment, while in a hospital at Philadelphia, Pa. Returning to Brookville, he assisted Edmund English in his foundry, later, in com- pany with Daniel English, starting a foundry (the second) there, manufacturing what was then known as the English improved native stoves. He produced nearly all the sled soles, plows and stoves used in the county for years. He died Sept. 12. 1886.

On Oct. 24, 1867, Mr. English married Mary L. Hilbert, who survives him. Five children were born to this union, two daughters dying in infancy. The survivors, Hilbert William, George Alfred and Mary, were all born and reared at Brookville, the daughter still living with her mother there, the only member of the English family now in the borough. The younger son died June 2. 1916, at Brookville. Both are mentioned more fully below.

Mrs. Mary L. ( Hilbert) English moved with her parents from Center county. Pa .. in 1852, staying a short time in Brookville and thence removing to Clarion county, where both parents died, leaving the three young children alone. In the early summer of 1863, learning that her elder brother, who was serving in a Union cavalry regiment, had been missing, and having been unable to get word for weeks from her younger brother, who was in the infantry service, she at length received word that the latter was seriously wounded and in the field hospital near Baltimore. She imme- diately started alone from Clarion county, with just enough funds to carry her to Balti- more-no small undertaking for a young girl in those strenuous times. Reaching her des- tination, after considerable time she succeeded in locating her younger brother in Patterson Park hospital, and after determined efforts was allowed to stay with him during the day- time. working nights near by to enable her to live and be near him. On the advance of the Rebel army all invalid soldiers well enough to go were rushed forward to fill gaps, and all citizens who could do so fled from Balti- more. With streams of wounded soldiers pouring into hospital daily, filling wards and

grounds to overflowing, Mrs. English was im- pressed into the service by the surgeons in charge as nurse, and assisted for eighteen months in nearly every capacity from sur- geon's assistant on the operating table to cook, both day and night. In those trying times she was called on often to console the delirious dying soldiers, day and night, by surgeons in charge, to assist many who came to see their sick and dying loved ones-strangers from the North who were bewildered and lost in that awful whirlpool of war. Her brother recovering partially and wanting to come North. she finally brought him as far as Pitts- burgh, where he suddenly died, and the sis- ter took the remains, in the dead of winter, with the weather below zero, back to Clarion county for burial. The nearest railroad point was then Kittanning. Returning to Pitts- burgh she remained there for a year or more, in 1866 coming again to Brookville, where she married Mr. English in October, 1867.

LAWRENCE ENGLISH left Brookville in the early sixties for the West, locating at St. Louis, Mo., and died Feb. 14, 1907. He mar- ried shortly after going to St. Louis, and his wife's death occurred some years prior to his. They had one child, Mary, who resides in St. Louis.

JOUN A. ENGLISH was of a roving and ad- venturous nature. He went to St. Louis in 1853, and resided there for a time, but his daring spirit carried him down the Santa Fe trail, and he was an Indian fighter and stage driver until the Civil war broke out. Then he helped to organize and drill the Ist Kansas Cavalry, and as its first lieutenant participated in the campaign of the West for three years. Shortly after the war. in about 1865, with a number of other adventurous Americans, he enlisted to help the cause of Maximilian in his conquest of Mexico, joining his forces in front of the city of Mexico along with several hundred more ex-soldiers. In New Orleans he had received a captain's commis- sion in Maximilian's army. After months of strife, disaster overtook the forces, and he fled together with forty or more Americans, finally getting out of Mexico, after two years of wandering, only through the expert knowl- edge of Spanish he acquired during his stay on the plains. So far as he ever knew, he was the only one among his companions who succeeded in escaping. Taking passage to Cuba, upon his arrival there he immediately offered his services on the Cuban side, fight- ing in the islands for two years, until disabled

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by tropical fevers. Returning, to the United States after a year spent at Buenos Ayres, South America, he settled on a cotton plan- tation in Texas, also following a tour as a minstrel performer which covered the greater part of the South and West. He died at Rox- ton, Texas, Nov. 10, 1893, leaving a wife but no children.

MORGAN ENGLISH took up building and carpenter work, and was employed at Brook- ville for several years, leaving that place in the fall of 1876. He followed that business for several years. He died at New Kensing- ton, Pa., in February, 1893. He was mar- ried not long after leaving Brookville to Mary Young, and to them were born three chil- dren: Grace, Elizabeth and Margaret.

MARGARET ENGLISHI, sister to the English brothers, resided in Brookville with her broth- ers Edmund and Daniel until 1859-60, going to Oil City and later becoming the wife of J. R. Miller, of Oil City. Subsequently they took up their residence in Derrick City, Mc- Kean Co., Pa., and she died Sept. 6, 1912, leaving three daughters, namely: Mrs. J. R. McCrea, of Mannington, W. Va .; Mrs. E. J. Elder, of Sheridan, Wyoming ; and Mrs. Kate Tarbeau, of Derrick City, Pennsylvania.

MARY ENGLISH, another sister, lived in Brookville for several years after her parents died. She taught for several terms in the public schools there, later going to Missouri for two years, and returning to the East made her home with her sister Mrs. J. R. Miller, at Derrick City, Pa. She died April 27, 1905.

Hon. William Hayden English, late of Indianapolis, Ind., a man of nation-wide re- pute, belonged to this branch of the English family.

HILBERT WILLIAM ENGLISHI was born in Brookville, Pa., Sept. 11, 1876, and there re- ceived his education in the public schools, grad- utating from the high school in May, 1892. In 1893 he entered the mercantile store of J. S. Braden, and for several years was prominent in business circles and social and amusement enterprises at Brookville, until he left there in 1909 for larger fields for his amusement enter- prises. In 1897, with a partner, he established the firm of Darr & English, grocers, later oper- ating the business under his own name. Retir- ing from the mercantile field in 1904, he has since been engaged as an amusement promoter, and has been very successful. In 1905 he

revived bowling in Brookville, at the Casino on Main street; was manager and promoter of Brookville's famous baseball teams for sev- eral years ; in 1907 promoted the Casino Rink, for skating, operating it until 1909, when he took up a traveling commission as salesman and promoter of amusement enterprises and devices. In 1910 he was actively engaged in the amusement business in Buffalo, N. Y., managing Carnival Court, a pleasure resort of that city, for four years. He has promoted similar resorts in many other cities, having operated in Akron, Canton and Newark, Ohio; Binghamton, Dunkirk, Hornell and New York City, New York; and for a year has been general manager of Oakwood Park, Kal- amazoo, Mich., besides being connected with some of the largest amusement promoters and operators in the country as manager and promoter. He is a recognized authority on skating and skating interests in the United States, and has also managed many large dancing casinos in different cities for large corporations. Mr. English is now residing at Buffalo, N. Y., but he still claims Brookville as his homeplace, continuing to maintain his interest in its social and business welfare, which he always aided to the best of his pow- ers while established there.

GEORGE ALFRED ENGLISH was born at Brookville Feb. 4. 1878, and graduated from the borough high school in 1894, as salutato- rian of his class. Shortly afterwards he com- menced the study of law in the office of \V. L. McCracken, Esq., and was admitted to the bar Aug. 17, 1899, with the exception of Judge Charles Corbet being the youngest person ever admitted to practice in the courts of Jefferson county. Later he was admitted to practice in the Supreme and Superior courts of the State, as well as the United States District court. Mr. English began practice at Brookville and remained there until 1902, when he removed to Uniontown, Pa., and became associated with James R. Barnes and Josiah V. Thompson, bankers and coal brokers. He was private secretary and legal adviser of Mr. Barnes until 1913, when the financial disaster which struck down so many business men of Fay- ette county affected his employer. It was about this time that Mr. English's health began to fail, and he returned to Brookville in 1915, thereafter spending his time with his mother in that borough or with his brother, until he died at Brookville June 2, 1916. He is buried in the Brookville cemetery.

George A. English was a young man of un- usual ability and endowments, and his brief

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career gave promise of larger usefulness had he been spared. He made conscientious prep- aration for his profession, and continued his legal studies diligently after entering upon practice, doing also considerable general read- ing which gained him the reputation of being remarkably well informed. "In office work he was especially proficient and exact. He left records showing in detail every act of business he ever performed, either for him- self or others. For nine years, beginning with his entering upon the study of law, he kept a daily diary, in which he accounted for his whereabouts every day. from the hour he arose in the morning until he retired at night."

Mr. English was a musician of more than ordinary talent and attainments. He was the leader and manager of the "English Orches- tra," an organization composed of young Brookville musicians, which for a number of years entertained many Brookville audiences. While yet able he assisted his brother in man- aging some of his amusement enterprises. at Reading, Pa., and Bay View, N. Y .. also spending a year in northern Canada. in the mining fields.

SAMUEL J. HUGHES, D. D. S., is one of the foremost representatives of the dental pro- fession in Jefferson county, where he has been in practice for over forty years. Since July, 1873, he has been established at Punxsutawney, and that he has maintained steady popularity with a wide circle of patrons in that section for over twoscore years speaks well for his conscientious services and no less for a pro- gressive disposition which has kept him abreast of the advancement made during that period. The vast strides in operating methods and me- chanical appliances now in general use among dentists, the broadening of their field of useful- ness and the more complete recognition of the function of the profession as one of the most potent factors in the preservation of health and bodily comfort, are subjects which have had his close attention, and which he has aided in promoting by his own enlightened position. Socially and professionally he occupies an en- viable standing in the community where his life work has been accomplished.

Dr. Hughes belongs to an old family of western Pennsylvania, his grandfather having lived and died in Westmoreland county. He was twice married, and was the father of six- teen children, viz. : Nine by the first marriage- Joseph. born 1801, died 1859: John. born 1803. died 1836; Rachel, born 1805. died 1883; Mary, born 1807, died 1851; William, born

1800, died 1887 ; Samuel, born 1811, died 1874; Israel, born 1813, died 1830; Eliza, born 1815, died 1885 ; Isaac D., born 1818, died 1903; and seven by the second-Nancy, born 1820; Mona, born 1821; Priscilla, born 1824: Thomas, born 1825 : Alexander G., born 1828; Elizabeth, born 1830; Maria, born 1833.

Isaac D. Hughes, father of Dr. Hughes, was born March 3, 1818, in Westmoreland county, at what is now the St. Clair station on the Pennsylvania railroad. He was reared to agri- cultural life, and continued to follow farming for a number of years. Three years before his marriage he located in Jefferson county, buy- ing a farm near his brother Joseph in Rose township and later purchasing another in the Caldwell settlement in Eldred township, this county, about half a mile from Big Mill Creek, where he remained until February, 1864. At that time he located in Corsica, where he con- ducted a temperance hotel, also serving two years as constable during his residence at that point. In the spring of 1873 his establish- ment was completely burned out and he went to Sigel, this county, where he conducted a tem- perance hotel for a time. When Mr. Crissman was elected sheriff of Jefferson county Mr. Hughes moved to Brookville and kept the jail for him, his experience in the hotel busi- ness being most valuable in its management. In 1884 he moved to Kansas with his son, Isaac L., and daughter Lavina, locating at Lansing, where he engaged in light farming, fruit cul- ture and dairying. Here he remained until the year 1892, when he returned to Punxsutawney, then engaging in the grocery business, which he carried on up to the time of his death, in the year 1903. He is buried in Circle Hill cemetery at Punxsutawney. Mr. Hughes was also a well known singing master in his time. and conducted classes in churches and school- houses, and he is well remembered in this con- nection by his contemporaries. He married Sarah Hindman, and the following children were born to their union : Lavina, born in 1845. is deceased : William Barnette, born in 1847, served as sheriff of Cattaraugus county, N. Y., where he yet resides ; Scott, born in 1850, died the same year : Samuel J. is next in the family ; Leroy is living in Los Angeles, Cal. : Isaac L., born in 1858, is living in Crawford county, Pa. : James H .. born in 1861. is living in Colo- rado. The mother died aged seventy-three years.

Samuel J. Hughes was born in the year 1852 in Eldred township, Jefferson county, where he attended public school in his boyhood, en- joying the ordinary advantages of the country

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youth of that day. He also went to the Cor- sica Academy, which was then taught by Prof. James Richie, and when yet a lad took employ- ment with Daniel Fogle at Brookville, where he worked as an apprentice at the trade of harnessmaker. But he was not satisfied with the prospects this offered, and he entered the office of Dr. John Thompson at Corsica as a medical student. After a time he went into the office of Dr. C. W. Stebbens, dentist, at Brookville, where he remained two years, ac- quiring a practical familiarity with the profes- sion which he supplemented with study at the Philadelphia Dental College, under Professor McQuillan. When he became a full-fledged dentist he established an office of his own at Brookville, and in addition to attending to his office practice traveled over Clarion county for several years, as was then the custom in coun- try districts, in July, 1873, locating at Punx- sutawney. His office is in the Weber building on Mahoning street, and is well equipped, Dr. Hughes taking pride in giving his patrons the benefit of the most approved modern appli- ances. Personally he is one of the most es- teemed citizens of the borough, where he has formed many pleasant associations during a long residence. He belongs to the Punxsu- tawney Country Club, and fraternally to the B. P. O. Elks and the Royal Arcanum. His religious association is with the Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Hughes married Laura Brady, daughter of Joseph Brady, and a descendant of the well known Brady family whose members became' famous as Indian fighters during the pioneer period. She died June 22, 1908, the mother of three children, namely : Edna is the widow of J. B. Chaney, and resides at Los Angeles, Cal .; Clifton G. is a graduate of the Philadel- phia Dental College and now practicing in Pittsburgh, Pa .; Ethyle D. is the wife of Thomas Boss and resides in Pittsburgh. For his second wife Dr. Hughes wedded Ollie Rob- inson, daughter of Samuel Taylor and Laura Jane ( Condron ) Robinson.

ROBERT R. MCKINLEY has not only been one of the progressive and representative exponents of agricultural industry in his na- tive county, where he still has active associa- tion with this basic line of enterprise, but he has also gained prestige in the hotel business, as proprietor of the "Union Hotel," one of the popular and well ordered hotels of Brook- ville, the county seat.

On the old homestead farm of his father in Union township, Jefferson county, Robert

Russell Mckinley was born Feb. 7. 1845, the place of his nativity being four miles west of Brookville. The date of his birth gives patent assurance of the fact that the name which he bears has been long and worthily identified with the annals of this favored county of the Keystone State, and his grand- father, William McKinley, was the founder of the family in the United States. William Mc- Kinley and his wife were born and reared in Ireland, whence, in the early thirties, they immigrated to the United States and estab- lished their home in Clarion county, Pa., where Mr. McKinley reclaimed a productive farm, did well his part in furthering civic and mate- rial development and progress, and where both he and his wife continued to reside until they died.

Joshua Mckinley, father of him whose name initiates this article, was born in Ire- land and was a child of four years at the time of the family immigration to America. He passed the period of his childhood and youth under the influences of the pioneer farm in Clarion county, where he was reared to man- hood and where he attended the common schools of the period when opportunity af- forded. Upon coming to Jefferson county he purchased land in Union township, where he instituted vigorously the work of reclaiming a farm, with incidental operations in connec- tion in the lumber industry. He was numbered among the pioneers of that township, where eventually he became the owner of three ex- cellent farms, and, pursuing his course with ability and energy, he achieved independence and definite prosperity, the while he always commanded assured place in the confidence and goodwill of the community. Upon his homestead farm he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in his ninety-fourth year, his cherished and devoted wife, whose maiden name was Isabella Davis, having been eighty-eight years of age at the time of her death and having been revered by all who came within the sphere of her gentle and kindly influence. They were earnest and consistent members of the Presbyterian Church and their remains rest in the old Presbyterian cem- etery at Corsica, this county. Of their chil- dren the eldest is Hannah, who is the widow of Samuel Cassatt and who, at the venerable age of eighty-four years ( 1916), maintains her home at Strongtown, Indiana Co., Pa .; Joshua went to the West many years ago and all trace of him has in later years been lost by kinsfolk in Pennsylvania; Joseph was a resi- dent of Summerville, Jefferson county, at the

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time of his death, and David still resides at that place ; Lavinia became the wife of David Heckenthorn and was a resident of Fairmount, Clarion Co., Pa., at the time of her death ; George Washington died in Union township, this county : Robert R. was the next in order of birth; Harrison Scott is one of the repre- sentative farmers of Union township.

To the common schools of Union township Robert R. Mckinley is indebted for his early educational discipline, and as a boy he began to give effective assistance to his father in connection with the work of the farm and lum- bering operations. As a youth he helped with the erection of the old company mill, one mile distant from Brookville. For many years he continued his active and successful association with the lumber industry and stood forth as one of the vigorous and resourceful exponents of the agricultural and live stock interests of his native county. As a young man he pur- chased of his father-in-law a farm in Eldred township, and he also became associated with his brother Joseph and John Mills in purchas- ing a fine one-hundred-acre tract of pine, tim- ber. besides becoming the owner of a half in- terest in another tract of valuable timber land, the products from these properties contribut- ing materially to his financial success and ad- vancement. Mr. Mckinley continued to de- vote his attention to farming and lumbering operations in this county until the 23d of Feb- ruary, 1893, when, having purchased the well known "Union Hotel" at Brookville, he as- sumed the practical management of the estab- lishment, which he has conducted effectively to the present time, gaining unqualified popu- larity for the hotel and a substantial support- ing patronage. The "Union Hotel" was erected in the year 1851, by John R. McCall, by whom the title of "Railroad House" was adopted. The hotel was first conducted by Benjamin Bennett, who. after a regime of about two years, was succeeded by William H. Schram, the latter being followed by D. B. Rouse, who continued in charge until May, 1856. The property was then sold to R. R. Means, who figured thereafter as its pro- prietor until 1864, in May of which year John McCracken bought the property and gave to the hotel its present name. Mr. MeCracken continued to run the hotel until his death, and then (in 1801) it was purchased by Mr. Mc- Kinley, the present popular proprietor and owner of the property.

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 51

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