Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 66

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 66

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

DI troves

321

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

being the youngest burgess ever elected in that borough. He is a member of the First Pres- byterian Church of Pottsville, of the Potts- ville Club, and of the Acorn Club of DuBois. He was formerly a member of Knapp Com- mandery, No. 40, Knights Templar, of Ridg- way, but transferred his membership from that Commandery to Bethany Commandery, No. 83, of DuBois, of which he was a charter member. He still belongs to Elk Chapter, No. 230, and Elk Lodge, No. 379, F. & A. M., both of Ridgway, Pa., and also holds membership in ZemZem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Erie.

DANIEL D. GROVES, of Brockwayville, is an old-time general merchant of that borough and throughout his career has been rated among its most progressive business inen. He has at times had other interests, and at present is also engaged as a coal operator. Moreover, he has done his duty in the administration of public affairs, being a man of active disposition and holding strong convictions regarding his responsibility toward his fellow citizens.

The Groves family has been established in Jefferson county for three-quarters of a cen- tury, and has a most creditable record, its members in every generation having been people of energy and spirit, self-reliant and ready to do all in their power to aid the general good. The several branches in Jef- ferson county are descended from four brothers, Hugh, James, John and Daniel, sons of John Groves, who lived in the North of Ireland, where he was employed as coachman for a wealthy family. He married the daugh- ter of his employer, Rosanna Welch, who was of Scotch Covenanter stock. After the death of his wife he came to the United States, and here he died, in Delaware county, Pa., where he is buried.

Of the four sons of John Groves who came to the United States in 1836 all were married except Hugh, the eldest. In company with Joseph Leper he preceded the rest, and first located in Philadelphia, where he married Jane Harvey. He soon started in business, building a factory on Ridley creek, near Media, in the village of Providence, for the manufacture of cotton goods. He prospered and was doing well when a change of admin- istration was disastrous, and he came out to western Pennsylvania, settling at the Beech- woods in Washington township, Jefferson county, where he bought a farm and engaged in mercantile pursuits at Rockdale. Like 21

many of his race he was a devout Presby- terian, and in 1841 he started a Sunday school in Washington township, at Beechwoods, the meetings being held in a hewed-log school- house standing on the farm of Andrew Smith. He also held strong opinions on the important questions of the day, being a firm abolitionist and in turn a member of the Whig party. His son Harvey went to serve in the Civil war as a member of Company H, 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded at the battle of Fair Oaks. After he came home he and his father joined the other three sons of Hugh Groves in Iowa, and the older man started another Sunday school there. How- ever, he did not live long, dying six months after moving out to Iowa. We have the fol- lowing record of his family: (I) John died at Portland, Oregon, whither he had moved after the Missouri river with its shifting cur- rent washed away part of his Iowa farm. He was quite active in politics for some years. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Davenport, survives him. (2) William finally located in the Grand Valley in Colorado, whither his brother Harvey preceded him. He married Jane Smith, of Beechwoods, Pa., who also died in Colorado. (3) Hugh finally settled on his father's farm in Iowa, and died there soon after his marriage, to Mrs. Har- rington, from Binghamton, N. Y. (4) Harvey first located in Iowa, later on a farm in Kan- sas, and then in the Grand Valley, Colo., where he had a farmn. He now makes his home at Montrose, that State. He came East in search of a wife, but returned to Iowa without accomplishing his object, and subse- quently was married there to a Miss Yowey. (5) Margaret married William Cooper, and died in 1912 at the age of eighty-five years. (6) Rosanna, Mrs. James Morrow, is living with her daughter in Westville, Pa. (7) Mary Jane is Mrs. John Nofsker, of Beechwoods, this county. (8) Sarah went to Iowa with her father and brother Harvey, married Frank Harrington, of Binghamton, N. Y., and died in Iowa.

James Groves, another of the four brothers, also engaged in the cotton manufacturing business, with his brother Hugh, upon his arrival from Londonderry, Ireland. Being affected by the catastrophe which hurt his brother's fortunes, he too came to Jefferson county in 1841, and settled near what is known as Groves Summit, on a farm of one hundred acres, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1865. In Ireland he had married Nancy Park Hill, who died at Groves Summit.

322

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Their children were: John, James, Margaret, Ann and Mary. Of these John Groves became a student at Alfred University, Alfred, N. Y., until his enlistment toward the close of the Civil war. After its close he returned to the college and taught there, and he was married there to Charlotte E. Dowse, Latin teacher at Alfred. Subsequently they located in Coudersport, l'a., where he became principal of the high school and afterwards county surveyor, and they still reside at that place. They had the following family: Jolin D., a civil engineer, now living in Allegany county, N. Y. (he married a Miss Borrey ) ; James MIc., who graduated from Harvard Univer- sity and was afterwards sent by the State of Massachusetts to Manila in the interest of the Y. M. C. A. (he is unmarried ) ; Lawrence, a graduate of Harvard and now in the employ of the International Harvester Company, sta- tioned at Omaha, Nebr. (he is married) ; Robert, a graduate of Harvard Law School, now practicing in Cleveland, Ohio (his wife is a graduate of Vassar College) ; Charlotte E., a graduate of Wilson College, Chambers- burg, Pa., formerly engaged in the Congres- sional Library at Washington, D. C., and now associated with the Northwestern University, at Evanston, Ill .; Mary Mann, married and living in northern California, on a fruit farm ; and William, who is farming the home place.

John Groves, another of the brothers, was the father of Daniel D. Groves. He was born in 1791 in Londonderry, Ireland. He had such schooling as his parents were able to pay for. While in the old country he served as a guardsman in the fishing reserve, along the coast, and there in 1827 he married Catherine Arnold, who was born in 1807 in County Donegal, Ireland, where her father, Anthony Arnold, was a large freeholder. When they came to America in 1836 they had two chil- dren. Mr. Groves was associated with his brothers in the operation of the cotton factory, and also came to Jefferson county when it was closed, settling here in 1842. He located on a farm at Beech Tree, in Washington township. where he cleared up land and fol- lowed farming, dying on his home place in February, 1872. He is buried in the Rockdale cemetery. Mr. Groves was an active worker in the Methodist Church, but aside from that was chiefly devoted to his home and family, being a man of retiring disposition and not inclined to mix in general affairs. His wife died in 1891. They were the parents of a large family, of whom we have the following

record: (1) Jane married Adam Faust, who was a sawyer. She died at Lane's Mills, Pa., leaving six children : Catherine, Mrs. Bennett Prindle, who died at Brockwayville, Pa .; Mary A., Mrs. Horatio Frederick, deceased ; John, of Punxsutawney ; Norman, deceased, who married Margaret Kraft; Charles, of Bradford, who married Annie Weincoop; and lda, wife of Rev. Frederick B. Williams, a Baptist minister, now located at Nebraska City, Nebr. (2) Mary M., born in the city of Londonderry, Ireland, June 1, 1834, was two years old when brought to the United States. She began her education in Phila- delphia, at graded school, and after the family removed to Jefferson county attended at Beechwoods. She had a vivid recollection of the trip from Philadelphia, whence they jour- neyed to Havre de Grace, Md., there taking a canal boat for Lewistown, Pa., where they hired a train to Jefferson county, crossing seven mountains in their journey, which was a great adventure for her. It was no less a novelty for her to attend the log school in the new country. Later she was a student in the college at Alfred, N. Y., and she subse- quently taught school for thirty years, in town and country, being engaged at Brockwayville for seven years. She was first engaged at the Horne school near Sandy Valley, and her last school was at Beechwoods. (3) Hugh re- mained on the home farm, where he died in November, 1909. He never married .. (4) John Letham, who was born in Philadelphia, received his education there and in Jefferson county. In 1861 he enlisted for service in the Civil war, serving under Col. A. A. McKnight in Company H of the famous 105th Pennsyl- vania Regiment. His captain was Artemas Tracy. The regiment was in Jamison's brigade of Gen. Phil. Kearny's division. He was killed by sharpshooters at the battle of Fair Oaks, at five o'clock in the evening, and was buried on the battlefield, which has since been converted into a national cemetery. He was unmarried. (5) Robert died in Phila- delphia when one year old. (6) Daniel D. is next in the family. (7) James H., a con- tractor of Kane, Pa., married Laura Sibley, and they have had four children, all now deceased except Warren. (8) Arnold, a farmer of Conewango, N. Y., married Rhoda Sibley and (second) Lena Swope, having three sons by the first union and four children by the second. His son Ormond (born to the first marriage) is assistant postmaster at War- ren, Pa. (9) Anthony began his education at

323

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Beechwoods and later attended the University at Alfred, N. Y., taught school for a time, and then studied theology at the University of the M. E. Church. He is now located at Spar- tansburg, Pa., in the active ministry. He married Angeline Pendleton, and they have five children: John, who is engaged in a bank at DuBois, Pa. (he married a Miss Tyson) ; Iva, Mrs. George Olmsted, of Ludlow, Pa .; and three unmarried daughters, Ida E., Marie and Helen.

Daniel D. Groves, son of John, was born Sept. 11, 1842, on the Henderson farm in Washington township, Jefferson county, and obtained his preliminary education in the common schools of that locality. Later he attended at Alfred, N. Y., and for six years during his young manhood he was engaged in teaching, which he began when twenty years old, at Rockdale, this county. He had prac- tical training in agricultural work on the home farm in his early years, and he resumed that vocation about the time of his marriage, con- tinuing it successfully for a period of six years. In 1873 he removed to Brockwayville, and within a few years (in 1881) opened a general store, following the mercantile busi- ness for some thirty years, though not con- tinuously. Mr. Groves acquired valuable property during the course of his business career, owning what is now known as the Taylor block, until he met with an accident one day on his way to dinner, being struck by a train, on Main street. This brought on other troubles, and he was taken to the hospi- tal, and having no hope of recovery started to settle his business affairs, selling his block to Taylor, closing out his mines, etc. But when able to leave the hospital he resumed his coal operations, and has taken up his various activities with his old vigorous spirit, carrying them on in his usual enterprising manner. Mr. Groves has not only taken a leading part in industrial circles, but has also been identified with the borough government, having served many years on the school board, as borough auditor, and in other positions. He cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln, and has been a Republican ever since, in prin- ciple, though when it comes to supporting candidates and measures he acts independ- ently.

Mr. Groves has been one of the foremost members of the M. E. Church at Brockway- ville, and has filled all the official positions, having been steward for forty years, trustee, and for years superintendent of the Sunday school.

On Feb. 27, 1867, Mr. Groves was married to Ellen E. McAlinn, of the Beechwoods set- tlement in Washington township, who was born in 1846, daughter of John and Margaret (McGee ) McMinu, and died in Brockway- ville in November, 1911. She was a devout member of the M. E. Church and active in its work. In October, 1913, Mr. Groves married (second) Annie Shick, of Brookville, Pa., daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth Shick. To the first marriage were born four children : Merrill L., born in Beechwoods in February, 1868, married Flora Stillman, of Alfred, N. Y., and they have three children, Milton M., Ella E., and Edwin Stillman. Homer M., born Aug. 17, 1870, at Beechwoods, now liv- ing in Utah, married Elizabeth Dick and has four children, Robert, Daniel, Christine and Paul. Eva M., born Sept. 21, 1873, is the wife of D. Jack Gourley, of Denver, Colo., and has two children, Ellen and Hortense. Chester D., M. D., now practicing in Olathe, Colo., married Goldie Belle Lyon. A nephew of Mrs. Ellen E. Groves, Wendell McMinn August, was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Groves from early childhood, educated by them, and is now a business partner of Mr. Groves and his son.

Mr. Groves is a man of strong public spirit and earnest convictions on questions affecting the general welfare. He belongs to the ultra- progressive element who feel that the best interests of the country are served by those citizens and office holders who have the cour- age to break away from blind partisanship and perform their duties honestly, as real representatives of . their constituents rather than of any political party.

Daniel Groves, the youngest of the four brothers who came to America in 1836, lived in Philadelphia for the first few years after his arrival and was associated with them in the cotton industry. He then settled at the Beechwoods, in Washington township, Jef- ferson Co., Pa., and followed farming the rest of his life, dying on his farm when eighty years old. He owned land in Delaware county, Pa. While in Ireland he married Jane Canning, and all of their seven children lived to maturity, viz .: John married Sarah Ann Ross and had thirteen children (they settled at Grove Summit, Pa.) ; Thomas died unmarried ; James, who married a Miss Stew- art. of Clarion county, Pa., became a preacher ; Elizabeth was the wife of James McMinn: Jane married William Kearney: Rosanna married John Armstrong; Letitia married

324

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Phineas Rudolph and died in Jefferson county.

GEORGE A. BUHITE is a prominent and popular representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of Jefferson county and has long been numbered among the successful farmers of Winslow township, his well im- proved homestead place being situated near the borough of Sykesville. His grandfather, Peter Buhite, a native of Germany, brought his family to America in 1824 and settled in what is now Henderson township, Jefferson county, where he died. George Buhite, father of George A., was born in Germany in 1812, and thus was a lad of twelve years when, in 1824, he accompanied his parents on their im- migration to America. The family home was established in Jefferson county, Pa., which was then little more than a forest wilderness, his father acquiring a tract of land in Henderson township, where he began the development of a farm, with necessarily incidental association with pioneer lumbering operations. The parents remained on the old homestead, about one mile west of Troutville, until they died. George Buhite was reared to the sturdy dis- cipline of the pioneer farm and finally bought his father's old homestead, in Henderson township, where he became a prosperous farmer. Later in life he removed to Minne- sota, where he gained further pioneer experi- ence and where his death occurred about the year 1888. His widow, whose maiden name was Catherine Long, and who was a member of another of the honored pioneer families of Jefferson county, returned to this county after his death, and passed the closing years of her life in the home of her son, George .1. Of her children the eldest son, Frederick, is now a resident of Indiana county, this State ; John A., who was a soldier in the Civil war, resides in Minnesota, as do also Henry and Jonas ; George A. was the next; David is de- ceased, further mention of him being made on other pages, in the sketch of his son, Harry M .; Mrs. Ann Cook and her husband reside in the city of Omaha, Nebr .; Caroline is the wife of George Reider, of Henderson town- ship; Sallie is the wife of Henry Reider, a brother of George, and they, live in Winslow township; Rachel is the wife of Luke Willis, of Johnsonburg, Elk county.

George A. Buhite was born in Henderson township Aug. 22, 1860. and remained on the old homestead farm until he was sixteen years of age. in the meanwhile having made proper use of the advantages afforded in the local

schools. At the age noted he became a worker in the lumber woods and sawmills, being em- ployed in this county, and lie continued his active association with lumbering operations in this section of the State until 1905, when he purchased the "Guncock Hill" farm of fifty acres near Sykesville, on which place he has since continued his activities as one of the progressive and successful agriculturists and stock growers of Winslow township. He is one of the virtual pioneers of the borough of Sykesville, his having been the second house erected in that borough. Mr. Buhite gives his political support to the Republican party, and though he has had no ambition for public office of any description he gave specially loyal and effective service as a member of the board of education of the borough of Sykes- ville, of which he was a director at the time when the fine high school building was erected and equipped. He and his family hold mem- bership in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1881 Mr. Buhite wedded Laura A. Lyle, who was reared and educated in this county and who is a daughter of the late Reuben Lyle. Of their children the eldest is Jennie, now the wife of George Lyle, of Coalport, Clearfield county ; Clyde L. resides at Sykesville ; Harry remains at the parental home; Ruth is the wife of John Faltz, of Indiana county; Grace is the wife of Harry Schwab, of Sykesville; Oscar and Webster likewise reside at Sykes- ville; and the children who remain members of the parental home circle are Mina, Grant A., Viola, Alice and James. In a fraternal way Mr. Buhite is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men.

Reuben Lyle, father of Mrs. Buhite, de- voted the greater part of his active life to lumbering operations in Jefferson county, and here remained, a well known and highly esteemed citizen, until his death. His wife, whose maiden name was Susanna Gaupp, is likewise deceased. Their children were : Calvin, Alvin, Curtis, Elmer, Eugene, How- ard, Minnie and Laura A.

IRVIN REED MOHNEY, M. D., of Brookville, has been established in that bor- ough practically all of his professional career, a busy and fruitful period marked by definite achievement in his chosen calling. Dr. Moh- ney has spared no effort to fit himself prop- erly for his life work, and he has had his reward in the confidence and patronage of the large number in and around Brookville who have selected him as their trusted medi-

325

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

cal adviser. As the representative of a fam- ily whose members bore their share in the development of this section during pioneer days, the Doctor is filling in his generation the same relation to the community that they held in theirs, his capability, strict sense of responsibility toward his fellow men and well defined ideas of duty making it quite evident that he has inherited the strength of char- acter for which his ancestors were known. His grandfather, Adam Mohney, was a very early settler in Armstrong county, where he followed farming and lumbering in Redbank township. dying there.

Jonathan Mohney, who founded this family in America, was born in Germany, and on coming to this country settled with his wife in Clarion county, Pa. He was a member of the Reformed Church, the family establishing the first Reformed Church in Clarion county, and his descendants adhere to the same faith. In politics the men of this family have all been Democrats.

Adam Mohney, son of Jonathan, owned a large tract of land in Redbank township, where New Bethlehem, Hawthorn, Fairmount, etc., are now located. His death occurred in 1832. His wife's maiden name was Bittenbender, and his children were as follows: John. who died in Clarion county in 1910, aged ninety- two years : Jonathan ; Adam ; Frederick ; Mrs. Susan Hartsell, and Lewis S.

Frederick Mohney, son of Adam, was born in Redbank township, Armstrong county, and spent his early life there. He came to Jeffer- son county some fifty years ago and made his home in Beaver township, settling at what was known as the old Bachman sawmill, where he purchased a farm property. He cleared his land, engaging in the lumber business as well as agriculture, and carried on lumbering oper- ations at Knox Dale as well as in his own township. Ten years before his death he gave up active work, enjoying his last years in leisure, and he passed away in 1913 at Sum- merville, this county, where his widow still resides. She is a member of the Lutheran

Church, to which he also belonged. He is buried at Shannondale, Clarion county. To his union with Susanna Miller were born the following children : Clara, wife of Philip Sowers, resides at Summerville; Silas E. is a merchant at Vandergrift Heights. Westmore- land county ; Irvin Reed is next in the order of birth : Sarah Bell is the wife of Samuel H. Shields, and resides in Denver, Colorado.

Irvin Reed Mohney was born Aug. 1, 1874. in Beaver township, Jefferson county, and

received his primary education in the public schools there. Later he was a student at the old Belleview Academy, and as soon as pos- sible began teaching, being engaged in educa- tional work for eight years, all in his home county-three in Beaver township, one in Winslow township, two in Rose township, and two at Anita, where he was principal. But his ambition lay in a different direction, and to further it he attended the Ohio Northern University, at Ada, Ohio, for some time, later matriculating at Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia, where he completed the course in June, 1905. After his graduation he began his experience in the Uniontown hospital. in 1906 forming an association with Dr. Brown at Brookville, which continued for two years. He spent the next three months in taking a special course in Philadelphia, after which he was in Denver, Colo., for about eight months. Upon his return from the West he once more located at Brookville, where he has since de- voted himself to general practice, his work covering a large territory around the borough also, for his popularity has grown steadily. Dr. Mohney holds membership in the Jeffer- son County Medical Society, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society and the American Med- ical Association. Fraternally he is a Mason, affiliated with Hobah Lodge, No. 276, F. & A. M .. and Jefferson Chapter, No. 225, R. A. M., both of Brookville. Though he has not ' engaged in any special activities outside the field of his professional work, he has found plenty of opportunity in connection with its «luties to demonstrate his high standards of good citizenship and to show his thorough sympathy with the most progressive thought of the day in the line of social improvement.

Dr. Mohney married Henrietta Heber, daughter of the late Jackson Heber, mention of whom will be found elsewhere.

QUINCY S. SNYDER is a business man of substance and high standing at Brookville, where he has been engaged in merchant tailor- ing for the last twenty-five years. He is also interested in the Brookville Title & Trust Company. which has a solid place among the financial institutions of Jefferson county, and his judgment has been a reliable guide in the direction of its affairs. Having borne a help- ful part in encouraging various local activi- ties, he is known deservedly as a man of pro- gressive makeup and willing to lend his ability to further public enterprises as well as his own ventures. Mr. Snyder was born Nov. 22. 1859, at Brookville, where his father was

326

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

a business man for many years, and where his grandfather passed the closing years of his life.

This Snyder family is an old and honored one in Pennsylvania. Henry Snyder was a pioneer citizen of Center county, this State. and when he removed with his family from there to Clarion county settled on a farm near Greenville, where he became a prosper- ous agriculturist and one of the influential residents of the region. He ended his days at Brookville, Jefferson county, where he died at the remarkable age of ninety-five years.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 66

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