Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 76

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 76

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).

371

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

working far into the evening of his days, pre- ferring this to rusting out. As he goes on his daily activities we may hear the echo of Tennyson's :

How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use, As tho' to breathe were life.

JOIIN REED is one of those strong and resourceful men to whom success comes as almost a natural prerogative rather than as the result of accident or fortuitous circumstances. lle has been significantly the artificer of his own fortunes, rising to established and secure place as one of the substantial capitalists and men of affairs in Jefferson county. This ad- vancement has involved the full exercise of his inherent powers, thorough use of the oppor- tunities which have been presented, and un- faltering faith in his power to will and to do- and all this with an abiding sense of individual responsibility and an insistent determination to guide his course along the line of unswerving reetitude as a man among men. He stands to- day as one of the prominent and influential coal operators. real estate owners and leading business men of Jefferson county, maintains his home at Reynoldsville, and is unquestion- ably entitled to specific consideration in this history of the county in which he has worked his way forward to the goal of worthy pros- perity and independence.

Mr. Reed is a son of John and Mary Reed, who came with their six children to America in 1869. The father had been a miner in Eng- land, and after coming to the United States he settled at Renovo, Clinton Co., Pa., where he found employment in the same line of indus- trial enterprise, as he did later in Elk and Bradford counties. Finally he brought his family to Jefferson county, in 1884. and estab- lished his home at Beechtree. In this county he continued his sturdy activities as a miner, and both he and his wife passed their closing years in Winslow township, earnest and up- right folk, who led lives of unflagging industry and merited and received the confidence and goodwill of all who knew them. The father died in Winslow township, March 6, 1903. The mother died at Indiana, Indiana Co., Pa., July 2. 1916.

John Reed. Jr .. the immediate subject of this review, was born at Bedlington, England, in 1857. Like most successful men, he has come to his present position through downright hard work. At the age of twelve years he accom- panied his parents to the United States, and worked with his father successively at mining

near Renovo, Pa., and at Daguscahonda, St. Marys and Falls Creek. For one year he taught school at Carbon Run, Bradford Co., Pa .. and graduated from the Mansfield Busi- ness College in 1883. While in Bradford county, for four years, he worked at mining until noon of each day and then attended school in the afternoon, walking to and from his school, which was four miles distant. After school hours he completed his lessons in Euclid and higher mathematics at the home of his teacher. John McGuire, a graduate of Dublin University. In July. 1883, Mr. Reed became weighmaster and shipping clerk at Beechtree. Pa. In this position he billed the first coal mined and shipped by the Rochester & Pitts- burgh Coal & Iron Company over the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh railroad. He was pro- moted in turn to outside foreman, assistant superintendent and superintendent. In No- vember, 1889. he was called to DuBois, to take charge of the Rochester mines as superintend- ent. filling the place of Mr. L. W. Robinson. who had been placed at Punxsutawney as gen- eral superintendent of the Rochester & Pitts- burgh Coal & Iron Company. While residing in DuBois Mr. Reed served on council about six years, filling the chairmanship of many in- portant committees and working energetically for the best interests of the town. So efficient was his administration that he was paid the unusual compliment of being returned to coun- cil for his second term without opposition.

In 1900 Soldier Run mines, at that time the largest bituminous mines in the State of Penn- sylvania, were placed under Mr. Reed's super- vision. In 1902 all the mines of the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company and its sub- sidiary coal companies in Indiana county, Pa., were also placed under his supervision. In 1904 he was appointed assistant general man- ager, and in 1905 general manager, of the operating department. He had general super- vision of the opening of the well known mines at Ernest. Iselin. Lucerne and Jacksonville coal fields, in Indiana county, in the interest of the companies mentioned. and continued as one of its valued and able executive officers until 1912, when after a period of twenty-nine years of active operations in the coal fields of this sec- tion of the State he resigned his position as operating manager in order to devote his atten- tion to his own important industrial interests. He is now known as one of the foremost coal operators in western Pennsylvania. On Jan. 10, 1901, he established his home at Reynolds- ville, Pa., and here he erected the beautiful modern residence which he and his daughter

372

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

now occupy. He is the owner of valuable coal lands in Clarion county, and also has extensive real estate holdings in Jefferson and Clearfield counties, his investments having been made with discrimination and with clear apprehen- sion of future valuations.

On Sept. 30. 1885. Mr. Reed married Cath- arine Butler Cronk, the ceremony being per- formed by Rev. John Henry Burton, pastor of Grace Church, at Ridgway, Pa. She was born and reared in Pennsylvania, and her ancestors were among the early Dutch settlers who came to this country from Holland ; her great-grand- father, Rosencranse, a native of Sussex county. N. J., was killed while fighting for the freedom of the Colonies in the Revolutionary war. At the time of her marriage Mrs. Reed was a resident of Coal Glen, Pa. She proved a de- voted wife and helpmate, and her gracious per- sonality gained to her the high regard of those with whom she came in contact. Two children were born of this union, the first. Jennie Cronk. born in Beechtree. Pa., Dec. 17. 1887, dying at that place July 31, 1888. The other, Dora L .. remains with her father, and is the popular chatelaine of their beautiful home. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also the wife and mother. Mrs. Reed died Nov. 13. 1904.

Definite prosperity having crowned his ef- forts. Mr. Reed has not denied himself the broadening influences of travel. In 1912 he made a three months' visit to the old home in England, where he found great pleasure in re- newing the associations of boyhood, besides visiting also the various other sections of the British Isles. In 1915 he and his daughter made an interesting trip to the Pacific coast, traveling by way of the Panama canal and visiting the International Exposition at San Francisco, later proceeding up the Pacific coast to British Columbia.

Mr. Reed gives his support to the cause of the Republican party, and was a delegate from Clearfield county to the Republican State con- vention held at Harrisburg in September. 1889. He is prominently affiliated with the time-hon- ored Masonic fraternity, being a member of Garfield Lodge. No. 559. F. & A. M .. of Du- Bois, Pa .: of Jefferson Royal Arch Chapter, No. 225. of Brookville, Pa. : of Bethany Com- mandery. No. 83. Knights Templar, of DuBois. Pa. : a thirty-second-degree Mason. a member of the bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite sitting in the Valley of Coudersport. State of Pennsylvania : at Altoona. Blair Co., Pa., he is a member of Jaffa Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. lle

belongs to Reynoldsville Chapter, No. 220, Or- der of the Eastern Star. He also holds mem- bership in Mountain Cliff Lodge, No. 393. K. of P.

Mr. Reed is a charter member and president of the Reynoldsville Chamber of Commerce. He became its first president in November, 1916, and takes a very active part in its work.

A sturdy, vigorous man of fine mental poise, Mr. Reed has achieved success worthy of the namne, and above all he finds satisfaction in having the confidence and goodwill of his fel- low men, whose rights and privileges he has never infringed.

CYRUS H. BLOOD was born in Brookville May 26, 1860, and was the eldest son of Ken- nedy L. and Rebecca (Corbet) Blood. His home was at Brookville all his life. He was educated in the public schools of his native place and in Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va., and later took up the study of law with Jenks & Clark, being admitted to the practice of law in Jefferson county in 1884. After practicing law for a number of years he served as a clerk in the prothonotary's office, and in 1899 was a candidate for that office on the Republican ticket. Such was his personal popularity in the county, gained by years of courteous service of those having business at the prothonotary's office, that after he received the Republican nomination no can- didate was presented by the Democratic party for the office. Mr. Blood being given a hand- some vote. In 1902 and 1905 he was re- elected prothonotary. the Democratic party making no nomination against him in the last named year. As an official he was competent and painstaking to a marked degree, possessing the confidence and high regard of all with whom he came in contact, and in 1908 a host of friends again urged him to be a candidate for reelection. After mature consideration, however. Mr. Blood decided to retire and de- vote his time to the practice of his profession. and from the time of his retirement, in Jan- uary, 1909. he was associated with his brother- in-law. William T. Darr, Esq. In all his busi- ness affairs Mr. Blood enjoyed the esteem and respect of his townspeople. being recog- nized as an attorney who shed lustre upon the profession of the law.

On June 3. 1885. Mr. Blood was united in marriage with Miss Maude Darr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Darr. well known residents of Brookville, who, with one daugh- ter. Miss Marion. now survives him. His home life was ideal, and the wife and daughter

YORK

LILLERY

XC4 7

William J. Narr

373

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

were called upon to mourn the loss of one whose every act was tinged with love and kindness. One brother, James C. Blood, of Seattle, Wash., also survives him.

Mr. Blood was widely known in fraternal circles, being a member of Hobah Lodge, No. 276, F. & A. M., and Jefferson Chapter, No. 225, R. A. M., of Brookville; Bethany Com- mandery. No. 83, K. T., of DuBois, and Jaffa Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Altoona. His Masonic history is an interesting one. He served as secretary of the two local Masonic organizations, blue lodge and chapter, for ten years or more preceding his decease. He served as master in the blue lodge, high priest in the chapter, and eminent commander in the commandery, and was so thoroughly equipped for the degree work that he had conferred every degree from Entered Apprentice to Knight Templar, ten in all, with possibly one exception. He served four or five years as district deputy grand high priest for the dis- trict composed of the counties of Armstrong, Butler, Clarion and Jefferson. Along with being secretary of his lodge and chapter at the time of his death, he was their representative in the Grand Lodge and in the Grand Chapter. In addition to being a blue lodge, chapter and commandery Mason, he had taken the Scottish Rite degrees up to and including the four- teenth.

Mr. Blood died suddenly, Nov. 8, 1913, at Ontario, Cal., after an operation for appendi- citis. He had gone out to Seattle to visit his brother. James C. Blood, who had been in poor health for some time, and finding him much improved had gone to Ontario to visit his cousin, Mrs. Herbert Ross, before return- ing East. He was taken ill with appendicitis. of which he had had an attack a year pre- viously, and died unexpectedly a few days after an operation.

Brookville numbered among her citizens no finer types of Christian manhood than Cyrus H. Blood. Affable, kindly, courteous, he was everybody's friend. His death brought pro- found sorrow to a wide circle of acquaintances, upon whom the memory of his noble life rests as a benediction.

WILLIAM T. DARR, attorney, of Brook- ville, is representing worthily a name which has stood among the most honorable in Jef- ferson county and all this section of Penn- sylvania for several generations. His imme- diate forebears have engaged successfully in farming, milling and lumbering, and he started out as a business man, but for almost twenty

years has applied himself entirely to profes- sional work. His close devotion to the law has brought him to an authoritative position among his fellow practitioners, and the evi- dence of their esteem for his high personal character as well as legal attainments took con- crete form recently when he was made one of the candidates for judge of the courts of Jef- ferson county.

The Darrs have been established in this State from Colonial days, and George Darr, the great-grandfather of William T. Darr, moved from Dauphin county to Forest county, where he followed his trade, that of miller, a most important calling in those times espe- cially, when the settlers were dependent upon the facilities in their own locality. Later he lived with his son John Darr and died in Brookville, where he is buried in the old grave- yard. He and his wife Christana had the fol- lowing children: George, John, Henry, Kate (wife of John Smith), Betsy (wife of John Bucher) and Polly (who died unmarried).

John Darr, son of George and Christana Darr, lived for some time in Indiana county, Pa., where he ran the Diamond mill in associa- tion with his father, and he owned a farm in that county. Selling out his interests there, he moved to Rose township, Jefferson county, where he followed agricultural work, later purchasing land in that township, where he continued to make his home until his death, which occurred when he was sixty years old. He is interred at Brookville. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Jontz, came from Dauphin county, and lived to the age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of the following family: Jacob; Sabina, who married Sam Johnston: George; Henry; Jo- seph T .; Sarah, who married Joseph Vas- binder ; John ; Christiana, who married Joseph M. Pierce; Mary E., who married John Jamieson Thompson, son of Hon. John J. Y. Thompson ; and Robert. Mrs. Pierce is now ( 1916) the only survivor of this family.

Joseph T. Darr, son of John and Sarah (Jontz) Darr, was born Nov. 12, 1827, at Cherry Tree, Indiana Co., Pa., where his early years were spent. He first came to Brookville in 1843, making a short stay. returning in 1846 and establishing his home at this place, where he continued to live throughout his ac- tive days. For many years he was engaged in lumbering in partnership with his brother- in-law. John J. Thompson, and he prospered in business to such an extent that he was considered one of the conspicuously able men of his generation. In 1890 he was elected

374

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

county commissioner, along with M. F. Words and A. W. Mulhollan, and served very credit- ably for a term of three years. He died Oct. 17, 1901, at the home of his son-in-law, Dr. John K. Scribner, at Finleyville, Washington Co., Pa., and is buried at Brookville. Mr. Darr was a Mason, belonging to Hobah Lodge, No. 276, F. & A. M., of Brookville.

By his marriage to Margaret Burket Mr. Darr had the following children: Blanch is the widow of Heber Donaldson and has one son, Joseph R .; William T. is next in the family ; Maude, widow of Cyrus H. Blood, resides in Brookville with her only daughter. Miss Marion H. Blood ; Burket T., who is con- nected with Hall & Kaul, at St. Marys. Pa., married Carrie Ely. of Ridgway, and they have two children, Marjorie H. and Fred Ely ; Harry E., of Brookville, married Emma Tru- man (they have no children ) : Mary, widow of Dr. John K. Scribner, residing at Bayonne, N. J., has two children. Alexander and Mar- garet.

Jacob Burket, father of Mrs. Margaret (Burket) Darr. lived for many years at Punxsutawney, Jefferson county, where he was a pioneer innkeeper. Later he came to Brookville, where he died, and his wife. Cath- erine ( Miller), also passed away there. in 1884. They had children: George W. : Mar- garet, who married Joseph T. Darr; Susan, who married James Perdue; Harry; Cath- erine, wife of R. J. Nicholson: Jacob; Etta, wife of S. H. Swan; and Sarah, who married John Shuster.

William T. Darr was born Feb. 6, 1860. in Rose township, Jefferson county, and acquired his preliminary education at Brookville. grad- uating from the high school of the borough in 1878. He took his collegiate course in the University at Wooster, Ohio, from which insti- tution he was graduated in 1884, after which for some ten years he was with Dillworth Brothers, in New York City, in the Stock Ex- change. His tastes, however, were in the direction of law work, and in 1895 he returned to Brookville and entered the office of Hon. George A. Jenks, under whose skillful in- struction he had adequate training, being ad- mitted to the Jefferson county bar in the year 1897. He soon gained admission to the Superior and Supreme courts, and to the United States District courts, and has given all his time to private practice since. There was no mistake about his fitness for the pro- fession, and he has not spared himself in add- ing continuously to his legal knowledge, being

a keen student and thorough in following up the details of every matter intrusted to him. llis liberal education and general intellectual acquirements were a prime foundation for his special studies, and altogether he is looked upon as one of the most cultured members of the legal fraternity in Jefferson county. His large clientele includes representatives of the most responsible element in the community. In the fall of 1915 Mr. Darr was a non- partisan candidate for judge of the courts of Jefferson county.

Mr. Darr is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Brookville and also a Mason in fraternal connection, affiliating with Hobah Lodge, No. 276. F. & A. M., of Brookville, and Coudersport Consistory, thirty-second de- gree. He is a Presbyterian in religious asso- ciation.

Mr. Darr married Hope Hall, daughter of C. R. Hall, and five children have been born to them, namely: Keith, Helen. Mary, Joseph T. and William T., Jr.

BENJAMIN W. YOHE has a fine farm in the extreme northwestern part of Henderson township, five miles south of Reynoldsville and ten miles northeast of the borough of Punxsutawney. He is known as an able and progressive agriculturist, and the farm which he now owns and occupies was the place of his birth, which occurred July 14, 1859. He is a son of Benjamin and Barbara (Smith) Yohe, both of whom were children at the time of the removal of their respective families to Jefferson county, Benjamin Yohe having been born in Northumberland county and his wife in Fayette county, this State. Benjamin Yohe was born in the year 1827, and it was between 1837 and 1840 that his father. Adam Yohe, came with his family to Jefferson county and became a pioneer settler of Winslow township, his old homestead lying adjacent to the present farm of his grandson. Benjamin W. Yohe, as the two places lie along the line dividing the two townships. Adam Yohe reclaimed his land from the forest wilds and lived to be eighty-seven years of age, dying in the early seventies. His wife, whose maiden name was Christina Ann Sloppey, like- wise attained to venerable age. Of their chil- dren, Adam, Jr., removed to Illinois, where he passed the rest of his life. Benjamin was the second son. Samuel was long and success- fully identified with lumbering and continued to reside in Jefferson county until his death. Peter remained on his father's old homestead

375

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

farm and there died at the age of seventy- five years. Henry, who was a successful lum- berman, died at Reynoldsville, this county. Sarah became the wife of Isaac Cochran. Mrs. Heberling and Mrs. Rhodes were the next two daughters. Lucy did not marry, and was a comparatively young woman at the time of her death. Tina became the wife of George Ogden. All of these children are now deceased.

Benjamin Yohe was reared under the con- ditions of the pioneer days in Jefferson county. As a young man he settled in the midst of the forest and instituted the development of the fine farm now owned by his son Benjamin W. He brought ninety of its 130 acres under cul- tivation, burning much of the timber which he felled in the work of reclamation, as it had at the time but little market value. In the early days he added to his financial resources by giving considerable attention to the haul- ing or freighting of merchandise and other supplies. The old-time buildings which he erected on his farm have all been destroyed. He continued his activities as one of the sub- stantial farmers and valued citizens of Hen- derson township until his death, Dec. 15, 1894, at the age of sixty-seven years. His widow died in 1905, at the age of seventy- eight years. Mr. Yohe was a Democrat in politics and served a number of years as tax collector, and both he and his wife were zeal- ous members of the Reformed Church. Of their children the eldest is William V., a suc- cessful farmer near Big Soldier, this county ; Jacob H. was a farmer in Winslow township and was fifty-five years of age at the time of his death ; Nancy C., widow of George Peter- man, resides in the little village of Soldier, this county ; Mary A. became the wife of Har- rison Boone and was a resident of Clearfield county at the time of her death, when forty- two years of age; Benjamin W. was the next in order of birth; John owns and operates a part of the old home farm of his father ; Maria E. was a young woman at the time of her death.

Benjamin W. Yohe was afforded the advan- tages of the public schools. For eight years prior to the death of his father he virtually had the management of the latter's homestead farm, and besides was more or less concerned with lumbering operations, especially in the hanling of logs and square timber. By in- heritance he obtained a portion of the old homestead, and purchasing the interests of some of the other heirs became the owner also of their shares of the property. He has since

sold part of his land, but still retains that con- taining the old buildings, including the house in which he was born, and has himself erected on the place some excellent buildings of mod- ern type. As a bachelor he resides with his brother John and the latter's family. He has been decidedly a home man, and until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years had never spent three nights away from the home of his parents. A man of sterling character and strong mentality, he has always com- manded the high regard of the people of his home community, and while he has had no definite ambition for public office he has con- sented to serve as township clerk, auditor and assessor, of which last mentioned position he is the incumbent at the time of this writing, in the autumn of 1916. As township clerk he was ex officio road inspector. Mr. Yohe gives his political allegiance to the Democratic party, and he holds membership in the Re- formed Church at Paradise.

It is a fact of historical interest that the Yohe cemetery is established on grounds that were donated by Jacob Smith, maternal grandfather of Benjamin W. Yohe, at the time when the original Reformed Church of 'this locality was there established, and the first interment made in this pioneer "God's Acre" was that of the mortal remains of Henry Philippi. The present home of Benja- min W. and John Yohe is not far distant from the little cemetery, and near the site of the old-time log church building that was the place of worship of many of the honored pio- neers of this locality.

HARVEY RITTENHOUSE, a Brockway- ville merchant of excellent standing in both bttsiness and personal relations, has a well- kept establishment which is a credit to the town as well as to his own enterprise. As a citizen he ranks with the most reliable element in the borough. He is a native of Indiana county and of German descent, his grand- father, Josiah Rittenhouse, having come to the United States from Germany when a young man, and spent the rest of his life in Pennsylvania. He died at Rochester Mills, Indiana county. By trade he was a cooper, but he was skillful at all mechanical work and the use of tools.

John Bell Rittenhouse, son of Josiah Rit- tenhouse, was born Feb. 8, 1840, in Mifflin county, Pa., and grew up in Bell township, Jefferson county, where the family resided for a number of years. Although he never went to school he was well educated, for his father

376

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

was a, capable instructor and taught his chil- dren carefully at home. He learned the trade of blacksmith and carried it on in connection with farming, at the time of his marriage settling on a farm in Indiana county, where he remained until his death, about 1901. He was well known as an expert timber estimator, being able to make an accurate estimate by merely looking over a tract. He married Margaret Jane Bee, like himself a native of Mifflin county, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Bee, settled in Indiana county when she was two years old, among the pioneers of the eastern section, along the Mahoning creek. In the early days Mr. Bee made shingles and did other work to be had in order to eke out a living, the land requiring much hard labor before it was brought to a productive state. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John B. Rittenhouse: William Ressler, who is de- ceased ; Charles, a resident of Ohio: Luther, who died at Big Run, Jefferson county ; Eliza- beth, who was married Feb. 19, 1889. to George H. Jeffries, of Rochester Mills, Indi- ana county, recently sheriff of that county (they are the parents of thirteen children) ; David, of Indiana county : Harvey ; John, who went West ; Etta, Mrs. Ward Smith, of Punx- sutawney : Clara, at home; and Olive, Mrs. Aquilla Smiley.

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 76

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