Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 57

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 57

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Mrs. Almy continues to make her home at Brockwayville, where her estimable character has won her many friends. She is a devoted worker in the Presbyterian Church, especially active in the interest of the missionary and

ladies' aid societies. Coming of Revolutionary stock, she is a great-granddaughter of Capt. Ezekiel Hyatt, a native of Massachusetts who fought in the Revolution, during the progress of which conflict he lived in Dutchess county, N. Y., was made captain of a company of Colonial troops, and was killed at the battle of White Plains. He married Mrs. Phoebe (Sherwood) Huff, widow of John Huff, and the only child of this union, Nathaniel, was Mrs. Almy's grandfather.

Nathaniel Hyatt was born in 177-, it is presumed in Albany county, N. Y., in which county he married Rachel Bullock. Some time later they removed from Albany to Kersey, Pa., and Mr. Hyatt, being a miller, selected a millsite on the creek and applied himself to his trade, which he continued to follow there for a few years. He then moved to a farm on the Ridgway road, in the same vicinity, and was accidentally killed by a falling tree. His wife survived him many years, dying in Elk county at the age of eighty-six. They were old-time Baptists in religious faith. Their children were John, Eddy, Elizabeth and Dan- iel, the two last named dying unmarried. John married Lucretia Warner and had two chil- dren, Eugene and Julia ; they settled at Strat- ford, New York.

Daniel Bullock, father of Mrs. Rachel ( Bul- lock) Hyatt, was also a soldier of the Revolu- tionary war, beginning with the battle of Lex- ington and remaining in the Colonial service for eight years, nine months and one day. He ferried the wounded across the Charles river after the battle of Bunker Hill. At the close of the war he removed to Albany county, N. Y., where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Rachel Bliss. The Bullocks are of Welsh origin, and the first ancestors in America were settlers in the Plymouth Bay colony, some of the early members of the family here being also found in Rhode Island. Their descendants have now spread to all parts of the United States.

Eddy Hyatt, father of Mr. Almy, was born March 24. 1807, in Albany, N. Y., where he spent his early life. On Dec. 9, 1830, he mar- ried Katherine Copeland, who died Oct. 16, 1831, and is buried at Herkimer, N. Y. The only child of this union, Katherine, born in 1831, became the wife of William Wood, and died in 1867 in Elk county, Pa. On Oct. 6. 1833, Mr. Hyatt married ( second) Orpha Wil- son, who was born Nov. 21, 1813, at Clear- field, Pa., her father, Jacob Wilson, having been one of the early settlers in Elk county, whither he removed from York county, this

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State. In York county he had married Sarah Miller, who like himself was of Quaker stock. The Wilsons were one of the first six white families in Elk county, and Mrs. Orpha Hyatt could remember that during her childhood the Indians often became dangerous, keeping the settlers in terror lest the savages should come upon them unawares. In order therefore to attract as little attention as possible from the redskins, they would remove the bell from the cow and keep the dog in the house-precau- tions which impressed the risks of the early settlers very deeply upon her mind. Mrs. Hyatt passed away April 20, 1891. She was the mother of seven children, viz. : Martha M .. born June 1. 1834. married C. R. Kelts, and died Dec. 16. 1905: John N., born Nov. 27, 1835, died in Elk county; Laurette, born March 12, 1838. maried William McCauley : Ellis Wilson, born Sept. 4. 1840, died while serving as a soldier in the Civil war. in 1864. at City Point. Va .: Charles H., born Jan. 5. 1843, married Sarah Stevens Sept. 3. 1861, and moved from this vicinity : Eugene B., born Oct. 3. 1846. lives at Brockwayville with Mrs. Almy, who is the youngest of the family.

ANDREW B. MCLAIN was born in Mechanicsburg. Brushvalley township. Indiana Co., Pa .. Oct. 14. 1833. He was the son of Joseph and Emily ( Alford) MeLain. He re- ceived his education in the public schools of the township in which he was born, and later on in his life learned the tailor's trade with a Mr. Long, of Indiana. Pa. Coming to Brook- ville in 1852, he for years conducted a clothing store in connection with Mr. D. C. Gillespie. He owned and conducted a large wholesale and retail grocery in Brookville from 1876 to 1885, and was at the time of his death, as he had been for years, engaged in the manufac- ture of monuments and tombstones.

In July, 1857, Mr. McLain was a delegate to and member of the first convention or or- ganization of the Republican party in Jefferson county. He was always an active. ardent political worker, and served as a clerk in the Senate of Pennsylvania three years, 1864. 1865 and 1866. He was also connected with the United States government post office de- partment for two years, 1862 and 1863: and was justice of the peace of Brookville from March 4, 1870, until March 4. 1875. In 1893 he was a director in the agricultural depart- ment of the World's Fair held in Chicago.

On Nov. 29. 1855. Mr. Mclain married Eliza Watt, of Indiana. Pa., daughter of Isaac and Jane (McKennon) Watt, and two chil-

dren were born to this couple, viz .: Laura Belle, born Oct. 10, 1857. married Edmond L. Brown, of Youngstown, Ohio, a wealthy manufacturer of iron and steel, and they have one son and one daughter. Edmond S. and Eliza M., the latter the wife of George E. Dudley. of Winsted, Conn. Jennie, the sec- ond daughter, born Sept. 4, 1859, married Samuel E. Kennedy, of Chicago, Illinois.

Andrew B. McLain and Peter LaPoleon were the first persons to visit and decorate the graves of the soldiers in the Brookville cemetery. Mr. MeLain's grandfather car- ried to the American authorities the news of Hull's surrender during the war of 1812. When the 135th Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, was organized Aug. 19, 1862. An- drew B. McLain was elected adjutant, and served for nine months in the Army of the Potomac, being mustered out of the service with his regiment May 24, 1863. While in this service his brother, Col. Charles Mc- Lain, of the 135th Pennsylvania Volunteers, was killed. Charles McLain Camp. No. 16. Sons of Veterans, of Brockwayville. this county, was named in his honor. A. B. Mc- Lain was an active G. A. R. man until his death, having assisted in the formation of Brookville's first post. No. 134. instituted June 25. 1868, of which he was an officer. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. and fraternally an Odd Fellow, affiliating with Lodge No. 217. He died Oct. 1, 1904, while on a visit to Chicago.

MCKEAN HARL comes of one of the old and honored families of Jefferson county, and here the major part of his life thus far has been passed. After some experience as a teacher in his native county, he directed his energies along business lines, in which his ability and sterling character brought him sub- stantial success and prestige. as a manufac- turer of building material and also as a con- tractor and builder. His large and modern planing mill plant is situated in the Graffius Addition to the borough of Punxsutawney. and he is known and valued as one of the pro- gressive and public-spirited citizens of the community in which his productive activities are being carried on.

Mr. Hart was born in Oliver township. Jefferson county. Jan. 19, 1857. a son of David and Deborah ( Brown) Harl. both of whom were born in Westmoreland county. this State. The latter was a daughter of Andrew Brown. James Harl, paternal grand- father of Mckean Harl. was of stanch Scotch-

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Irish lineage. He passed the major part of his active life as a farmer in Westmoreland county, though he passed his declining years in the home of his son David, in Oliver town- ship, Jefferson county. His children were Jane. David and Watson. David Harl was reared and cducated in Westmoreland county. and was a young man at the time of his re- moval to Jefferson county. He settled in what is now Oliver township, where he developed a productive farm. and where he also was long and actively identified with lumbering operations. He was one of the honored and influential citizens of his community and was called upon to serve in various local offices of public trust, including that of county treas- urer. He continued his residence in Oliver township until his death, at the venerable age of eighty-eight years, and his devoted wife was eighty-four years of age when she passed away. Their remains rest in the cemetery of the Perry Church, in Perry township. Of their children the eldest is John, who resides in Oliver township, this county: Margaret is the. wife of James P. Kelly. of Pittsburgh; Mary is the wife of John Wise, of Ringgold, this county ; Eliza died young: Andrew Jack- son sacrificed his life while serving as a sol- dier of the Union in the Civil war; Sarah Helen first married John Shannon. after whose death she became the wife of Andrew Deibler, and she was a resident of Punxsu- tawney at the time of her death: Lydia is the wife of John B. Shaffer, of Vandergrift. Westmoreland county; Deborah is the wife of Henry Miller, of Pittsburgh ; Martha died in childhood; James R. resides at Punxsu- tawney: Cynthia died young: Mckean was the next in order of birth ; William resides at Punxsutawney, and his twin sister, Wilhel- nina, is the wife of Miles I. Kunselman, of Coolspring, Oliver township.

McKean Harl passed the period of his childhood and early youth on the old home- stead farm, and in the meanwhile he made good use of the opportunities afforded in the public schools of his native county. His ambi- tion thereafter led him to acquire a more com- plete academic education, and he eventually entered the profession of teaching. being en- gaged therein for thirteen years successfully. in the public schools of this section of the State. to a large extent in the schools of Jeffer- son county. In 1894 he purchased from E. Kinsel the planing mill established at Lindsey. his association with building enterprise hav- ing been instituted a few years prior to this time. His planing mill plant, which he has

maintained at the best modern standard of equipment and facilities, is now situated in the Graffius Addition to the borough of Punx- sutawney, and its products find a ready de- mand in the local field as well as in adjoining counties. The mill is equipped for the prompt turning out of flooring, siding, sash, doors, brackets and other building supplies. An ade- quate supply of lumber is kept constantly in stock, and the prosperous enterprise is con- ducted along progressive lines, so that it con- tributes materially to the furtherance of civic and industrial prosperity in Jefferson county. Mr. Harl has been identified with the erection of many of the modern buildings in his native county, and has been definitely vigorous and successful as a contractor as well as a manu- facturer.

Mr. Harl is well fortified in his opinions concerning governmental policies, and is con- sidered one of the liberal and public-spirited citizens of the borough of Punxsutawney, where he served twelve years as a member of the municipal council. He is now a valued member of the board of education. "In every possible way he has sought to build up the local field of industry and promote the well- being of the community. He identified him- self with every movement looking to this end, with the result that his judgment and advice have much weight."

On Jan. 6. 1881, Mr. Harl married Velma K. Graffius, who was born and reared in this county. daughter of the late John M. and Mary C. (Clawson) Graffius. Mr. and Mrs. Harl have seven children: John G., now a business man of .Punxsutawney; Mary, wife of Merl Curry; David M., who is with his father : Frank T., an enterprising shoe mer- chant at Punxsutawney ; Vera, wife of Lorain Elder: Wilda and Ben Hur, who remain at the parental home.

JAMES R. MCMINN owns and resides upon the "McMinn Summit Farm," in Wash- ington township, this being the north half of the old homestead on which he was born Sept. 25. 1855. He is not only a representa- tive agriculturist and worthy 'citizen of his native county, but also a descendant of one of the fine old Scotch-Irish families that set- tled in the Beechwoods district of this county in the early pioneer days and became resource- ful factors in its civic and material develop- ment and upbuilding.

John McMinn. his father, was born in the North of Ireland, and was a youth when he came to America, in company with his older

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brother William and the latter's family. After living for a time in the eastern part of Penn- sylvania John McMinn came to Jefferson county and became a pioneer settler in the Beechwoods, where he reclaimed from the wilderness the fine homestead of which the present farm of his son James R. is a part. He married Margaret McGhee, and both con- tinned their residence on the old homestead until they died, the father passing away when his son James was a lad of ten years. Both parents were earnest members of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, and their names merit enduring place on the roll of the sterling pio- neers of Jefferson county. Of their family of nine children, James R. was the sixth in order of birth : Nancy attained to years of maturity but never married, and is now deceased : Ellen became the wife of D. D. Groves; John re- sides at Reynoldsville, Jefferson county ; Char- lotte became the wife of Walter August, and is now deceased ; William Taylor McMinn, a bachelor, now resides in Montana; Robert died young; Belle was the wife of George W. Haverly of Washington township, and is now deceased; Henry L., who wedded Mrs. Nettie (Tyler) Basom, resides at Brockway- ville, this county.

Tames R. McMinn initiated his educational discipline by attending the Smith school at Grove Summit, and his first teacher was Miss Mary Groves. Being but ten years old at the time of his father's death, he was then taken into the home of his uncle. James McGhee. who was a farmer and sawmill operator in the vicinity of the present village of Sandy Valley, this county. For four or five years thereafter the boy varied his activities bv attending school at intervals, the rest of the time working on his uncle's farm, in the lat- ter's sawmill, and in the lumber woods. Later he found employment in similar lines at Lane's Mills, and he did strenuous service in the felling of timber and the rafting of logs and squared timbers down the creeks and rivers. In time he purchased a team of his own, and employed it profitably in the timber woods and otherwise.

On July 4. 1888, Mr. McMinn wedded Martha Laird, who was born sixteen miles from the city of Philadelphia, in Delaware county, Pa., Oct. 31, 1858, and was there reared and educated. She was twenty years of age at the time of her mother's death, and thereafter maintained her residence in Phila- delphia until the time of her marriage. George Laird, the father of Mrs. McMinn, was born in Ireland, and was a boy at the time of the

family immigration to America. The home was established in Delaware county, Pa., where he was reared to maturity and where he became a stationary engineer. He served as a gallant soldier of the Union during the course of the Civil war, was captured, and was held in Andersonville prison for one year. He continued his residence in Delaware county until his death, having been accident- ally killed while crossing a railroad. In that county he married Anne Summerville, who was born at Newtown-Stewart, County Ty- rone. Ireland, and who was a girl when she came to America in company with her older sister. She was a skilled seamstress, and in Philadelphia found profitable employment doing sewing for the Commodore of the United States navy yard. She continued to reside in Delaware county until her death. Of the children, the eldest was George H., who married Mary Riddle. of Glen Riddle, Delaware county: Jennie died in childhood; Mrs. McMinn was the next in order of birth; Georgiana died in childhood.

After his marriage James R. McMinn re- turned to the old homestead farm on which he was born, and here he has since continued his successful activities as a progressive agri- culturist and stockgrower. His farm com- prises 125 acres, equipped with good build- ings, a silo and other modern improvements. He has had no desire for political activity or public office, but has proved a loyal and liberal citizen, well worthy of the unqualified esteem in which he is held. His political allegiance is given to the Prohibition party. Mrs. Mc- Minn was raised in the Episcopal Church, but when her husband united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Lane's Mills she put her letter in too. Mr. and Mrs. McMinn have four children : Bessie H. remains at the parental home; Marion is the wife of Law- rence Brubaker, and they have four children, Martha Ella, James Osgood, William Mc- Minn and Bessie Hamilton ; the two sons of Mr. and Mrs. McMinn, George and Leroy, both died in infancy.

FRANK B. HETRICK, of Brookville, of the firm of Mehrten, Chitester & Co., was born April 6, 1873, in Pinecreek township, and be- longs to an old family of Revolutionary stock.

John Wilhelm Hetrick was a native of Hol- land or Germany, born about 1720, and settled probably in Connecticut in 1750 or .1751. He had eleven sons, of whom S. H. Whitehill says: "Jacob D. Hetrick, grandson of Jacob, one of the eleven, tells me that his father told

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him that all of the eleven sons of Wilhelm Hetrick fought in the Revolution, ten on the American side and one on the British side." 'The names of the eleven were: Adamı, Nich- olas, Michael, Francis, George, Thomas, Peter, William, Jacob, John and Henry.

(I) Adam Hetrick, born 1751, fought on the American side and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine. He had five sons and two daughters : Jacob; Nicholas (among whose descendants are Eleanora Stour of Limestone, Pa .. and Jennie Keley, of Transfer, Mercer Co., Pa.) ; Christofel: Adam (Charles Het- rick is a grandson of this Adam-Indiana Hetricks, Dick and Delos) ; Leonard (among his descendants are Martha Downs, Sara J. Cochran of Haines, Cal., Mary Craver of Ore- gon, and Isaiah Hetrick of Salem, Oregon) ; Mrs. Barbara Himes, and Eve. Of this family,

Christofel Hetrick, son of Adam, served on the first grand jury of Jefferson county in 1831. He married his cousin, Christena Het- rick, daughter of Jacob, and had children : Frederick, whose children were Emily, Israel, Mary, George, Gabriel, Mrs. Buck and Cath- erine ; Adam, who had children, Mrs. Milliron, Mrs. Payne, Mrs. Mary Shaffer, Francis P., McKee, John, Jefferson, Adam and Jackson; Philip, who had children, Samantha, Ella, Emma, Analee, James, Thomas, Frank and William: Peter, who had children, Watson, Mrs. Deborah Baum, William Thomas, Mrs. Emery and Mrs. Burkett; Jacob, who had children, Mrs. Margaret Wolf, Mrs. Chris- tena Hutchens, Mrs. Leah Fuller, Mrs. Sarah Harriger, Samuel, Thomas and John; Mrs. Sophia Brosious, who had a son John; Mrs. Susana Shaffer, who had a daughter Chris- tena ; and Mrs. Margaret Knapp.

(2) Peter Hetrick, born 1752, fought on the American side. He had three sons and four daughters: Peter had children, Adam (Fair- mount, Pa.), Isaac (of Abetson, Mo.), Daniel (of Kansas) and Christena (of Missouri) ; Michael had children, Peter (of Shannondale, whose children were Martin, David, Reuben, Amos, Lewis, Catherine, Elizabeth, Caroline and Mary), Nicholas (of Illinois), Michael ( living in 1914 at Pansy, Beaver township, Jef- ferson Co., Pa., whose children were Lydia, Hannah, Lavilla, Elizabeth, Lavina and Matilda ), Henry (whose children were Daniel. John, Peter, George, Edward, Reuben, Sarah, Elizabeth, Ella, the wife of Harry Sowers, and Catherine), Mrs. Elizabeth Himes, Mrs. Christena Young, Mrs. Harriet Berkhouse, Polly (Mrs. Jacob Brosious) and Lydia (Mrs. George Byerly) ; John had a son Jacob, whose

children were Frank (children, R. F. E. Het- rick, Rev. Ralph Hetrick, Elmer Hetrick, Gleason Hetrick, Mrs. Christopher and Mrs. Merts), William, Mrs. Isaac Lane and Elias Hetrick (who died in Kansas) ; Susana Peffer (daughter of Peter) lived in Crawford and Venango counties, and had children, Henry, Simon, Polly, Hannah, George, Peggy, Ed- ward, William, Asa, Betsy, Nicholas, John, Sophia and Delina; Eve Nulf (daughter of Peter) had children, Solomon, Isaac and Lydia ; Hannah (daughter of Peter) married a Mr. Grinder ; Elizabeth Stokes (daughter of Peter) was the mother of George W. Stokes, of Reynoldsville.

In 1841 the names of Michael and Peter Hetrick, sons of Peter, appear in the first list of taxables for Porter township.

(3) Michael Hetrick, born in 1753, was killed in battle at Brandywine.

(4) Francis Hetrick, born 1754, fought on the American side in the Revolutionary war, and was not heard of afterwards.

(5) George Hetrick, born 1755, is supposed to have been killed in the Revolutionary war, in which he fought with the British. However, according to another account he went to Eng- land after the war, or at any rate to the Old World. A clipping from the New York World of June 3, 1893, bearing the heading, "The Hetrick $70,000,000-No Myth, At least one of the heirs says the story is confirmed from Berlin," would seem to substantiate this : "(Special to the World) York, Pa., June 2 .- The report of a $70,000,000 estate in Germany waiting to be distributed among the Hetrick heirs in America is said to be confirmed by information one of the Dauphin county Het- ricks claims to have received from the United States Consul General in Berlin. The fortune is for the descendants of Col. George Hetrick of Revolutionary fame."

(6) Thomas Hetrick, born 1756, was killed at the battle of Cowpens.

(7) Nicholas Hetrick, born about 1758, had one son at least, whose name was also Nich- olas, and who was born in Huntingdon county, Pa., in 1776, and died in Blair county in 1843. He had five sons and three daughters, as fol- lows: (This information was given by William Hetrick, of Wahoo, Nebr., in 1901, and by Martin Hess, of James Creek, Huntingdon Co., Pa., Aug. 18, 1913) Michael, born 1803; Jacob, born 1807; Samuel. born 1809; George. born 1811 ; John, born 1814; Mary Magdelene, born 1800; Christena, born 1805: Elizabeth, born I816.

(8) William Hetrick was born in 1759.

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(9) Jacob Hetrick. born in 1761, is the ancestor of the line in which we are interested, and his record is given at length below.

(10) John Hetrick, born in 1762, was on the American side in the Revolution.

(11) Henry Hetrick, the youngest, was born in 1764.

The descendants of the eight sons who raised families here are very numerous, settled orig- inally in Pennsylvania, but now scattered all over the country, many of them in the Middle and Western States. The descendants of Adam, Peter, Nicholas and Jacob are mostly in West- ern Pennsylvania, many of them in Jefferson and adjoining counties. The writer of this ancestral material, a descendant of Jacob Het- rick, has received letters from very many per- sons claiming to be descendants of some one or other of the eleven sons of Wilhelm Hetrick. But not having a complete list, and not having sufficient time to obtain it, the article is limited to Jacob Hetrick, his children and grandehil- dren. Many good things could be said of the others. To record all the good deeds, virtues and traits of this Hetrick family since it came to this country would require much space and time. Suffice it to say that they were cour- ageous pioneers, settling here in the wikler- ness of America, and many of them became mighty hunters, clearers of forests and tillers of the soil. Coming from a strong, sturdy stock. they were hard workers, physically capable, and endured many hardships.

Jacob Hetrick, one of the younger sons of Wilhelm, was born in Connecticut in 1761, and while very young came into the wilds of Penn- sylvania. When less than sixteen he enlisted for the Revolution, serving in the Sth Com- pany, 7th Battalion, York County Militia ; on April 5. 1778, was commissioned first lieuten- ant (David Kennedy, colonel), and served to the end of the war, 1783 (Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series, Volume II, page 562). Soon after the Revolutionary struggle for lib- erty and independence he went to Erie county, where he obtained some land appropriated by the Pennsylvania Legislature to her soldiers. There he married a Miss Lydia Shaffer in 1784, and there their son Frederick was born in 1785. They were the parents of thirteen children in all, and we have record of nine, but do not know where the other eight were born. All were born before 1809. Seven or eight of them raised families and spent most of their lives in Jefferson county. Jacob Het- rick came to Jefferson county with his family in about 1818, but the exact date and place of his first location are not certain. But it

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 57

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