Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 89

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 89

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ing the last year of that struggle as a mem- ber of Company B. 74th Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry. He had been reared in the faith of the Episcopal Church, but attended Methodist services. At the time of his death the Punxsutawney Spirit paid the following high tribute to him :

"The name of Val Murray has long been regarded by those who knew his generous, self-sacrificing nature as a synonym for kind- ness and liberality. His services, his purse. and the products of his farm were always at the disposal of those in need. Genial and hospitable to the last degree, he was ever ready to sacrifice his own comfort to the comfort of others. He followed the dictates of his own heart, which was full of sympathy for his fellow men. He was always an ardent Republican, and was a candidate for county treasurer in 1884, but was not successful. He was elected county commissioner last fall by a large majority, and would have begun his official duties on Jan. Ist. Val Murray was in the fullest sense of the word a good man, and those who knew him best will. feel the keenest grief at his departure."

In June, 1859, Mr. Murray married Amelia A. Campbell, daughter of the late William F. Campbell, at one time a prominent merchant of Punxsutawney ; eighty years ago he erected the building now used as the Punxsutawney Club house. Mrs. Murray now resides at Reynoldsville, this county. Of the children born to this union, William C. is mentioned below. The second son, Arthur Henry ( Harry), formerly of Punxsutawney, is now a merchant at Big Run. Martha Julia is the wife of William D. Campbell, a plumber of Punxsutawney. John H., M. D., is head of the Punxsutawney Sanitarium, and is men- tioned elsewhere in this work. Ellen M. is the widow of Harry N. Widdowson, who was a banker at Mahaffey, Pa. Olevia Frances is superintendent of the Punxsutawney Sani- tarium conducted by her brother, Dr. Murray. Frank R. is employed with his brother, Wil- liam. Anna Pearl married W. B. Mott, and they reside at Mahaffey. Clyde C. is men- tioned below. Margaret died when three years old.

WILLIAM C. MURRAY was born March 3. 1860. at Punxsutawney, and spent his boy- hood at the family home in Gaskill township, where he gained his elementary education in the public schools. Later he was sent to the academy at New Washington, Clearfield county. and to the Indiana ( Pa.) State Nor- mal School, preparing for the teachers' pro-

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fession, which he followed for eight years in Jefferson and Clearfield counties. Subse- quently he was engaged as a lumber operator in Indiana and Jefferson counties, and was so occupied when chosen county commissioner, continuing the business throughout the six years of his service in that office. He still has some holdings in that line. In 1903, at the close of his second term as county com- missioner, he entered the furniture business at Reynoldsville, where he has since resided, and had such success in the trade there that he has opened a large store of the same kind at Oil City, now conducting both establish- ments. With two places he naturally has ad- vantages for buying which make it possible for him to offer his customers unusual values in household goods, and he has built up a large patronage at both places which appre- ciate the varied stock available and the oblig- ing service at their command to assist and advise them in selecting the commodities best suited to their wants. Besides his interests in the borough of Reynoldsville Mr. Murray owns a fine farm in Winslow township, the old Joseph Syphrit place of 236 acres formerly in the possession of his wife's people. He has the family traits generally associated with the name of Murray, and the personal esteem which he has enjoyed from early life was well shown at the time of his father's death, when he was chosen county commissioner in the latter's stead, though the father had not yet assumed the duties of the office. Further. he was elected for another full term at the end of the first, retaining this important office for six consecutive years, and discharging its responsibilities with intelligent comprehension of the right of his fellow citizens to be well served. He has not had any ambition for pub- lic power, but has used his influence as a private citizen to the best ends. Mr. Mur- rav is well known in the local Masonic bodies, affiliating with John W. Jenks Lodge. No. 534. F. & A. M .: with Jefferson Chanter, No. 225. R. A. M., of Brookville : and with No. 1 Com- manderv. K. T., of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Murray was married to Emma J. Strouse, daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Syphrit) Strouse, and granddaughter of Jonathan Strouse and Joseph Syphrit. both families being among the pioneer settlers in Winslow township Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Murray: Eugene is associated with his father. looking after the Oil City store: Carroll was teaching school at the time of his death, which occurred when

he was twenty years, ten days old; Walter is manager at the Sykesville brick plant; Julia is a trained nurse; Lawrence and Francis are at school. The family are Methodists in re- ligious connection.

C'LYDE C. MURRAY, youngest son of the late Valesius S. Murray, was born Nov. 22, 1884, in Gaskill township, and after attending the public schools near his home became a pupil at Punxsutawney and Reynoldsville, gradu- ating from the high school of the latter bor- ough in 1904. He also studied at Allegheny College, and taught school for eighteen months before making any regular business associa- tions. In 1907 he became connected with the brick and tile business, which has since been his principal interest, as a member of the Reynoldsville Brick & Tile Company, of which he is now president. This concern was or- ganized in 1902 and incorporated Sept. 2d of that year, with Arthur A. Donnel as first president. Mr. Murray became president in 1912, and is also manager of the large plant at Reynoldsville, which turns out large quan- tities of building and paving brick and tile. The establishment is one of the largest and best equipped in this part of the State, ten kilns being operated, with employment for sixty-five men. The company has also pur- chased the brick plant at Sykesville, this county, where there are six kilns and twenty- five men employed. The large production of both plants is marketed all over the East and also in the Middle West, the St. Paul and Detroit trade showing a regular increase. The present officers of the company are : Clyde C. Murray, president ; C. G. O'Donnell. vice president : Henry Herpel, treasurer ; Wal- ter I. Murray, secretary. The president de- votes practically all his time to the affairs of the company, which are in flourishing condi- tion, taking advantage of all new trade open- ings and following the progressive policy of keeping ahead of the demand in both quality and variety of products. Mr. Murray is a typical member of his family, a reliable citizen and qualified in every way for the exacting responsibilities of life in all its associations. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason, affiliated with Flobah Lodge, No. 276, F. & A. M., of Brookville (master in 1910), and with Cou- dersport Consistory, and also holds member- ship in the Knights of Pythias. In religious connection he is a Methodist.

By his marriage to Mary Tones, daughter of E. W. Jones, of Brookville, Mr. Murray had two sons, Clyde C., Jr., and Thomas V.

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JOHN R. BELL, of Punxsutawney, is a man whose honorable character and capability in business would gain him recognition for worth in any community where loyal citizen- ship and substantial qualities were properly valued. In the borough where he has his home and business interests, and indeed in all that part of Jefferson county, it is granted that he has contributed all of one man's share "to the general prosperity. In so doing, however. Mr. Bell himself feels that he has done no more than to live up to his lights, for in every gen- eration the Bells have been noted for unselfish aid extended to all things of moment in con- serving the general good. He is a member of the family in whose honor Bell township was so named, and the station of Bell's Mills also remains to mark the spot where his grand- father first settled upon coming to this county.

James H. Bell, the grandfather, was born Oct. 2. 1800, in Walton, New York State, and was of Irish parentage. He came with the family to western Pennsylvania a short time previous to the war of 1812, and made a settle- ment in Armstrong county at what was then Warren ( now Apollo). Spending his early life in that section, he was married there in 1826, and in 1831 removed to Jefferson county, purchasing a large tract of land in what was then Young township, at what is now known as Bell's Mills, Bell township, on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg railroad. His tract of land was in the forest, and though like the ma- jority of the early pioneers he had little or no means when he settled here, by untiring per- severance he soon succeeded in paying for his land and then built a grist- and sawmill on it, on Mahoning creek opposite his residence, which gave the place its name. This was the first gristmill in the vicinity ; it was erected in 1833. Mr. Bell was largely engaged in lum- bering for many years and in other lines, be- coming one of the prominent business men of his neighborhood. In 1840 he started the first store in Bell township, at Bell's Mills. He was trustworthy as well as capable, and when the post office was established at Bell's Mills he became the first postmaster, holding the position a number of years. Politically he was a Democrat, and one of the local leaders of the party, serving as delegate to its county, senatorial, legislative and congres- sional conventions. He never sought political rewards for himself, but in 1853 he was ap- pointed by Governor Bigler to the office of associate judge, to fill a vacancy, and at the en- suing election was regularly elected to that office. which he was filling at the time of the

establishment of Bell township, named in his honor.

Judge Bell died Sept. 15, 1877, and was buried in the old cemetery at Punxsutawney. His wife, Anna ( McConaghie), preceded him to the grave, passing away March 12, 1866, when sixty-one years old. She was a native of Mifflin county, Pa., and of Scotch parentage. He was a member of the Baptist Church. Of the thirteen children born to this couple four died young, two sons and seven daughters sur- viving. viz .: John T .; William E .; Margaret. who died in 1901 ; Nancy Jane, who married John M. Jordan and now lives at Punxsutaw ney ; Annie, who married Robert A. Gourley, and died in 1906 at Indiana, Pa .; Sarah, who died in February, 1913: Harriet, unmarried and still residing on part of the old Bell home- stead of 150 acres ( she remained there with two sisters) ; Evaline, who became the wife of. August G. Winslow, and died in 1881 in Gaskill township; and Elizabeth R., wife of Milton Carlisle, residing in Clearfield county.

Capt. John T. Bell, the eldest son, was born July 2, 1827, in Armstrong county, Pa .. and was a resident of Punxsutawney until his death. He was elected a school director at the first election held in Bell township, in 1857. In 186t he enlisted in Company 1, 62d Penn- sylvania Regiment, and was a three years' man, by the special act reenlisting June 23, 1863 (re- ceiving extra bounty ), and serving to the close of the war. He was wounded at Gaines's Mills, was captured and confined at Libby prison with six hundred sick and wounded, and was taken North to Bellevue with three hundred of the sufferers. He was promoted to a captaincy while in the Union service. Cap- . tain Bell married Mary E. Miller, and of the nine children born to them seven survived, namely: William O., Myrtle, Nettie A., Charles, Annie, Walter and Paul.

William E. Bell, son of Hon. James H. Bell. was born Jan. 27. 1820, at Apollo, Armstrong Co., Pa., and was in his third year when he came with his parents to Jefferson county, the family settling at the place where he always resided. He followed farming and humbering, also having a grist- and sawmill at Bell's Mills, succeeding his father in that business. The mill had a capacity of twenty thousand feet per day. Like his father, he was an influential figure in local affairs. For ten years he held the office of justice of the peace. He was post- master at Bell's Mills, school director and as- sessor, continuing his activity in the adminis- tration of the township government for a num- ber of years. Its agricultural development

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also interested him, and he was a loyal member of the Patrons of Husbandry for a consider- able period. Fraternally he was an Odd Fel- low, and helped to make a success of his home lodge, in which he held all the chairs. In poli- tics he supported the Democratic party. Mr. Bell witnessed the development of Bell town- ship for over sixty years. In his boyhood he attended school at Punxsutawney for a while, but the distance made regular attendance such a hardship that he had to forego this advantage until his father and two other intelligent resi- dents of the neighborhood erected a small building for school purposes, and private teachers were hired for short terms. In his younger manhood he assisted his father and spent most of his time in the woods and at the mills, but later made farming his principal oc- cupation. For several years before his death he lived in retirement, passing away May 22, 1897.

On Jan. 19, 1858, Mr. Bell was married to Hannah M. Barclay, who was born in Indiana county, Pa., April 20, 1839. daughter of James C. and Margaret (Thompson) Barclay, the former a native of Scotland. She still resides on a part of the original Bell homestead. Mrs. Bell is an esteemed member of the Baptist Church of Punxsutawney. Here follows the children of this marriage, of whom but four are now living: Kate taught school, married Dr. F. A. Hall of Kansas, who is now de- ceased, and she continues to make her home at Hoxie, Kans. ; Anna M., who died at the age of twenty-five years, was also a school teacher ; Nancy J. resides at home ( she was at one time postmistress at Bell's Mills) : John R. is next in the family ; James I. is operating the home- stead for his mother ; Frances C. married D. F. Brown, and died when thirty-three years old.

John R. Bell, was born Dec. 24, 1869, in Bell township, where he began his education in the public schools. Later he had the privilege of attending Edinboro State normal school and Duff's business college, at Pittsburgh, Pa., from which he was graduated in 1889. Ilis business career has been spent chiefly in the lumber trade. For a time he was employed by Hawk & Harl, in the planing mill business at Punxsutawney, was later connected with II. G. Bowers, wholesale lumber dealers, for a period of five years, and in 1905 formed his present association, with the Punxsutawney Planing Mill & Lumber Company, being a member of the company and superintendent of the plant. They have a large establishment at Punxsti- tawney, one of the valuable industrial assets of the place, and do an extensive business, built

up by years of conscientious service to an ap- preciative patronage. Mr. Bell's executive talents and keen judgment have played an im- portant part in the success of the concern since he joined it, to whose welfare he has applied his best energies. He has the cordial goodwill and esteem of his associates and with all others with whom his activities bring him in contact. His time is given mostly to business, but he is ever ready to use his word and means to fur- ther the public welfare, having advanced ideas on the desirability of promoting high community standards. He is a Baptist in re- ligious connection.

Mr. Bell married Ella Clawson, daughter of Jonathan Clawson, of Punxsutawney; she died Aug. 22, 1908. Mrs. Bell is buried in the Circle cemetery at Punxsutawney. Of the five children born to this marriage but one is living, Lillian, now a high school student.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER KEYS, of Brockwayville, has under way the develop- ment and exploitation of a number of coal properties, of such extent and value that he may be classed among the leading operators to-day in northern Jefferson county. The name of Keys has been known and honored in this part of the county through the good citi- zenship and high character of its representa- tives in several generations. John Keys, father of William A. Keys, was one of the most popular residents of the vicinity of Brockwayville in his day, universally beloved because of his kindly relations with all who knew him, respected for the substantial traits which made him one of the most reliable men- bers of the community, and esteemed for his upright life and integrity in every transaction. It was his father, Alexander Keys, who estab- lished the family in Jefferson county.

The family is of Irish origin, and Alexander Keys was born in the North of Ireland, in County Donegal, in 1800. He was reared and educated in that country, coming to the Amer- ican continent when a young man of twenty- one years, in 1822. His first location was in Montgomery county, Pa., near Philadelphia, where he was employed for some time on public works and later in a marble quarry. While there he married. In 1842 he came westward to Jefferson county and purchased wild land at what is now Coal Glen, bringing his family hither in 1843 and making a perma- nent settlement. He cleared and improved the farm in Washington township later occupied by his son William, following agricultural work very successfully and accumulating con-

John Keys

YORK CLI TAPY

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

siderable for his time, all by his own energies. Though he took an interest in public affairs, and was a Whig and Republican successively in national questions, he was not ambitious for office, but he filled some of the local positions, including that of tax collector. His father, Thomas Keys, a native of Ireland, joined him here in 1858 and farmed with him until his deatlı. He had been a farm overseer in Ire- land, where his wife died.

By his marriage to Susan Roberts, born in Ireland in 1805, Mr. Keys had six children : John ; William, late of Washington township; Susanna, Mrs. A. Hamilton Smith ; Henry H., who died in 1863; Alexander, of Payne, Iowa ; and Thomas, who died in Brockwayville. The mother died Aug. 9, 1873, at the home of her son in Warsaw township, and the father passed away Nov. 10, 1877, in the Beech- woods. They were earnest members of the United Presbyterian Church.

JONIN KEYS, son of Alexander and Susan ( Roberts) Keys, was born Sept. 19, 1831, in Montgomery county, Pa., at the village of Spring Mill, and received most of his school- ing before the removal of the family to Jeffer- son county, though he did attend the primitive schools then conducted in this section when he could be spared from home. At the time of his marriage he settled on the old home- .stead in Snyder township on the hill west of Brockwayville, and there spent almost half a century, his death occurring but a few weeks before the golden anniversary of his wedding. Farming was his chief occupation, but like most of the landowners in the earlier days he had to take out the timber before he could cul- tivate the soil, so he lumbered also, and oper- ated a coal mine on his place. His progressive nature is indicated by the fact that it was the first coal mine to be opened in that section. Mr. Keys's enterprise and public spirit were counted upon in the furtherance of every ad- vance movement started in his neighborhood. More than often he was one of the leaders in such projects, and his influence was always considered a determining factor in directing local affairs, his disinterested adherence to the welfare of the community attracting the confidence and support of the best element among his fellow citizens. His prosperity was of the substantial kind, benefiting his associ- ates as well as himself.

On July 16, 1857, Mr. Keys was married in Washington township to Matilda Patterson, a native of County Donegal, Ireland, born Jan. 12, 1836, who came to America with her par- ents about 1844, the family landing at New

York and spending eighteen months there be- fore coming to Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Keys were making plans for the celebration of their golden wedding when he died, June 17, 1907, and she survived until Aug. 8, 1912. They are buried in the Beechwoods cemetery. Mr. Keys belonged to the G. A. R., having served nine months during the Civil war as a member of Company C, 97th P. V. I. He was a firm Republican in his political convictions. Socially he belonged to the Knights of Pythias at Brookville and to the Odd Fellows at Brockwayville, having been a charter mem- ber of Cicerone Lodge, from whose member- ship his pall bearers were chosen. The men- bers of this lodge and the Knights of Pythias from Brockwayville as well as Brookville at- tended his funeral in a body, the Knights of Pythias taking charge of the services at the grave. The ceremony at the house was con- ducted by the pastor of the Brockwayville Presbyterian Church. It is not often that there is such an outpouring of sympathy and interest at the taking away of a private citi- zen as was shown when Mr. Keys passed away, several hundred persons attending the funeral, representing every class in the com- munity. It was the expression of a friendli- ness founded on consistent consideration of his fellow men, observed throughout life, and was richly merited.

Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Keys: Isabelle, who is a public school teacher at Wilkinsburg, Pa .; Annie, Mrs. James McCracken, of New Brunswick, N. J .; John P., of Rochester, Pa., superintendent of the Pittsburgh Tool Company ( he married Martha Williams) ; Margaret, of Pittsburgh, a stenographer in the employ of the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, of New Kensington ; Jennie, at home ; and William Alexander. Mr. Keys was also survived by his sister and two brothers, Alexander and Thomas.

William Alexander Keys was born Oct. 9, 1874, on the home farm in Snyder township, overlooking the borough of Brockwayville. There he passed his boyhood and youth, at- tending the Frost and Miller schools in the home neighborhood, and later the Brockway- ville school, where he continued his studies until sixteen years old. The terms usually consisted of three months in the winter season. Among his early teachers was Rose Butler, now principal of the Hazelhurst school in Mc- Kean county, and also Margie Thompson, now the wife of John Stewart, of Coal Glen; Miss Riggs was his last teacher in the borough school. Like most farmers' sons he was thor-

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oughly trained in home duties, and he remained at home until his marriage, at which time he located in Brockwayville, though he continued to help on the farm. It was about this time also that he first became constable of Snyder township, which office he has filled for almost twenty years consecutively. When his father died he returned to the home place, which had been left to him. In the spring of 1917 he purchased the Curry property on Main street in Brockwayville, which was earlier known as the Dr. Iloey homestead. Mr. Keys has al- ways been an enterprising business man, and during the construction of the Shawmut rail- road he operated twelve or fifteen teams in the making of the roadbed. For years he has operated coal mines, more or less, but of late has greatly extended his interests in this line, now having large investments. He has ten different holdings under operation at present, and besides looking after his own properties has taken the contract to put in the headings for the Northwest Mining & Exchange Com- pany, at Granville, the plant when finished to have the most up-to-date mining equipment in the world.

Mr. Keys has thirty-five teams engaged in hauling coal from his various operations to the railroad. From the ist of February, 1917. for several weeks, the hauling was made par- ticularly easy because of the fine sledding, and the various team owners have been contesting for the honor of making the largest total haul. One of Mr. Keys's teams won, hauling 24.585 pounds, a record which it is thought will never be excelled, at any rate in this part of the · State.

Though not especially active in public affairs directly, Mr. Keys has been a strong Republican all his life and always a zealous party worker, giving valuable services in his locality. Like his father, he holds member- ship in Cicerone Lodge, No. 897, I. O. O. F., and is a past grand of that organization. In church connection he is a Methodist, being a prominent worker in the Brockwayville con- gregation, which he joined in June. 1915. under the pastorate of his warm friend, the late Rev. J. G. Harshaw. His friendship with Mr. Harshaw was only broken by the latter's recent death, after devoted work in the M. E. Church of Brockwayville. Mr. Keys is super- intendent of the Sunday school at this writ- ing, and a valued coworker in all branches of service rendered by the church to the com- munity.

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 89

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