Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 96

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 96

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witnessed most of the development of his local- ity from its primitive state to modern condi- tions. When he first lived here it was no uncommon thing for him to find deer in his wheat fields, and other game was also plenti- ful, but he never took any pleasure in hunting. Ile was six feet high. of stout build, fearless physically as well as morally, and kept his nerve even to old age.

Mr. Syhprit was twice married, and is sur- vived by his second wife, Catherine ( Allison ) . All his children were born to his first wife, Mary Campbell, daughter of J. K. Campbell, of Ligonier Valley, to whom he was married in 1835. There were thirteen, ten of whom are still living, namely : Susan, widow of Levi Ru- dolph, of Reynoldsville; Daniel, born March 18, 1841, a farmer, of Shamokin (he married Mary _\. Henry) ; Mary, widow of Jacob Strouse, of Paradise : Noah, a retired farmer. of Paradise (he married Mary London) ; Christopher, of Polk township; Amanda, Mrs. Clarence I. Johns, of Knox township; Eliza- beth, wife of James Gray, of Big Run; Pris- cilla, widow of Rev. J. P. Hicks, a minister of the M. E. Church ; Martin ; and Margaret, wife of Oscar Shaffer, of Paradise. The others were Rebecca and Joseph, who died in child- hood : and Julia Ann, deceased at the age of eighteen.

Martin Syphrit was reared on the farm and lived with his parents or in the neighborhood until he was twenty-eight years old. It was difficult for him to attend school regularly, as the facilities were poor and he could hardly be spared from home after he was old enough to be of real assistance, his services being espe- cially valuable in the timber. He early acquired a timber lot of 163 acres at what is now Wishaw, which he sold eventually to a coal company, the Wishaw tipple being now located there. He lived there fifteen years, moving thence in May, 1900, to his present home, a tract of 118 acres formerly belonging to Miller Harding. Since he bought this it has been highly developed. He rebuilt the residence, has a large bank barn, and has one hundred acres under cultivation, following general farming, though he makes a specialty of hay. By judicious liming, seeding and fertilizing Mr. Syphrit has brought the soil into prime condition, the farm being now one of the best in the township and one of the most desirable as a home property. Two gas wells have been drilled, one of which Mr. Syphrit keeps for his own use. He owns some full-blooded stock, and in all the departments of his work has shown himself keenly alive to the advan-

: K

ILARRY LEWIS

STEPHEN LEWIS

KING B. LEWIS

J. II. LEWIS

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tages of maintaining high standards. From boyhood he has had to take a hand in all the work about a farm, and has done practically everything required to develop property in his locality except dig coal. He is also familiar with machinery. having operated threshing and hay baling outfits ever since he was a youth. and is able to handle them with efficiency.

Mr. Syphrit appreciates the benefits of good government. and served his township as super- visor and a school director, but resigned before his last term expired, feeling that he was tak- ing too much time from his work. He is a Re- publican on political questions. His religious connection is with the M. E. denomination, his membership being in Meade Chapel, which he serves as trustee, and is an active worker in church and Sunday school.

On Dec. 25, 1889. Mr. Syphrit was married to Hannah B. Shaffer, daughter of Jacob and Barbara ( Best) Shaffer, of near Eleanor, Jef- ferson county. Mrs. Syphrit was born Aug. 1. 1864, near Eleanor. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Syphrit are: Orie, whose wife is Marie Wiley ( he is an employe of the Glass Company at Brookville) ; Ethel May ; Herbert ; and Agnes Ruth.

HARRY LEWIS, who is one of the repre- sentative exponents of agricultural industry in Young township, has been a resident of Jefferson county from the time of his birth. belonging to one of the well known and hon- ored pioneer families of this favored section of the Keystone State. His is a sterling Welsh family that was founded in Pennsylvania in the latter part of the eighteenth century. His paternal great-grandsire was born and reared in Wales, and, in company with one of his brothers, came to America within a short time after the close of the war of the Revolution. The brothers first settled in Maryland, but within a short time thereafter they came to Pennsylvania and became pioneer settlers in the vicinity of the present village of Jackson- ville, Indiana county. Their wives were sis- ters, and these worthy pioneer couples were the founders of a family that has had numerous and influential representatives in succeeding generations in Pennsylvania as well as other States of the Union. The two brothers and their wives passed the remainder of their lives in Indiana county, and there Stephen Lewis, grandfather of Harry Lewis, was born in the year 1799.

Stephen Lewis was a mere boy at the time of his father's death and his mother later con- tracted a second marriage, the name of her

second husband having been Neal. On the farm of his stepfather Stephen Lewis was reared to years of maturity, and in addition to aiding in the work of the pioneer farm he was employed during the winter seasons in the operation of the oldtime distillery run by Mr. Neal. He early became dependent upon his own resources, and in character and ability proved himself well equipped for the responsi- bilities that devolved upon him as one of the world's productive workers. He was twenty- one years of age when he came to Jefferson county, in the second decade of the nineteenth century, and he became a pioneer settler in what is now Perry township. Soon after his arrival he purchased a tract of heavily tin- bered land, erected a primitive log cabin in the midst of the virgin forest, and set himself to the task of reclaiming a farm from the wil- derness. It may well be understood that ardu- ous toil fell to the lot of this vigorous and determined pioneer, and that considerable time passed ere he had cleared sufficient land to initiate farming in even a modest way, though still under conditions that would have dis- heartened a less valiant soul. He had pur- chased a tract of 160 acres from the Holland I.and Company, and he paid for the property at the rate of a dollar and a quarter per acre, through the company's agent, Mr. Gaskill. His was the only farm on which improvement had been started in the entire section between his homestead and Port Barnett, which place was practically the beginning of Brookville, the present county seat. When this sturdy pioneer arrived in Jefferson county his material equip- ment comprised little more than a gun, a grubbing hoe and an ax. He was but forty- nine years of age at the time of his death, and he was the first person in this section of the State to succumb to an attack of typhoid fever. His wife, Ann, was a daughter of John Hop- kins, who was of Irish lineage, and she long survived the husband of her youth, being eighty-four years of age at the time of her death. The remains of both are interred in the old churchyard lving adjacent to the Pres- byterian Church in Perry township. Stephen Lewis was one of the founders of this church. the original edifice of which was built about 1830, and he was an official of the church or- ganization at the time of his death. his widow also continuing a devout and revered member of this pioneer church until she was called to the life eternal. Of their children we give a brief record: Samuel was a resident of the city of Pittsburgh at the time of his death ; Rebecca became the wife of James Mabon,

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and they removed to Kansas, where they be- came pioneers and where they passed the residue of their lives ; John H. resides in Perry township; Jane and William died in childhood; Lydia J. became the wife of Sanford Neal; Margaret, now deceased, was the wife of the late Dr. Joseph Shields, of Punxsutawney, this county ; Scott is now a resident of the State of California.

John H. Lewis, who is familiarly known as Squire Lewis, is one of the honored and influential citizens of his native county. He was born on the fine old homestead farm upon which he now resides, in Perry township, March 16, 1829, and was reared under the con- ditions and influences that marked the early pioncer epoch in the history of Jefferson county. In his boyhood the splendid farm which is still his home was represented prin- cipally by a few stump-covered fields in the midst of the forest. In the old-time subscrip- tion schools he gained his early education, and in his venerable years he delights to recall to mind the okl log schoolhouse, with puncheon floor. slab benches and other rude equipment. After the death of his father he remained at the old homestead, gave himself earnestly to the development and cultivation of the farm and unselfishly worked to provide for his wid- owed mother and the younger children. He finally purchased the interests of the other heirs and came into sole ownership of the property, of which he now retains 126 acres. Success attended his efforts with the fleeting years, and at one time his landed estate com- prised fully six hundred acres. Though he has disposed of the major part of his land and is one of the most venerable pioneer citi- zens of the county, he is still hale and vigorous and takes pleasure in maintaining his claims to still continued activity in connection with agri- cultural industry. He is a stalwart in the camp of the Republican party, has been influential in public affairs in his native county, and served for a number of years in the office of justice of the peace, hesides having held for one term the office of township assessor and that of school director for a number of terms. He is now the oldest man in Perry township and is also one of the most venerable of the native sons of Jefferson county, where his cir- cle of friends is limited only by that of his ac- quaintances. He is a zealous and beloved member of the Perry Presbyterian Church, of which his father was a charter member, and he himself has given long and effective service as a trustee and also as an elder of this fine old church organization. His wife belonged

to that church from the time of its organiza- tion until her death.

As a young man john H. Lewis wedded Isabella Dilts, a daughter of Peter and Sarah ( Kinter ) Dilts, certain members of the fan- ily retaining the original orthography of the patronymic, Diltz. She died Oct. 1, 1916, aged eighty-seven years, nine months. The children of John H. and Isabella Lewis were fourteen in number, and we have the following inter- esting data concerning them :

Anna Amanda. deceased, was the wife of Spicer Titus. Sarah Emma, born Nov. 12, 1854. Laura Bell, born March 3, 1856, and Martha Jane, born Sept. 8, 1857, all died young. Harry was the next in order of birth. Dilla Ruth, who was born Sept. 24, 1860, is the widow of James Trezona, and she resides at Grove City. Mercer county. Alonzo, born Oct. 8. 1861, died when six months old. Linus Mead, born Jan. 26, 1863, is one of the repre- sentative farmers of Young township and is individually mentioned on other pages of this work. John Dilts, born Aug. 14, 1864, resides at Punxsutawney, this county. Dr. Charles 1.ewis, born Nov. 3. 1865, was graduated from Washington and Jefferson College, at Wash- ington, Pa., and from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Phila- delphia, and he is now a medical missionary in China, under the auspices of the Presby- terian Church. Nora M., who was born June 13. 1868. remains with her venerable father. Dr. Stephen Lewis, born Nov. 2, 1870, was graduated from Grove City College and the medical department of the University of Penn- sylvania, and is now an earnest worker as a medical missionary in China. Carrie Bell, born Oct. 17, 1872, was graduated as a trained nurse from the training school maintained in connec- tion with the Lackawanna Hospital at Scran- ton. Pa., and is now stationed in China in the work of her profession, effectively supplement- ing the labors of her two brothers. Elizabeth Fair, born Feb. 9. 1874, was graduated from Grove City College and then entered the Woman's Medical College in the city of Phila- delphia, in which she completed the prescribed curriculum and from which she received the degree of doctor of medicine; she now has charge of a leading hospital in China. This is truly a remarkable family, especially in that two of the sons and two of the daughters have unselfishly severed the ties that bound them to home and native land and are giving their able services in the humane missions in far distant China.

Harry Lewis was born March 30, 1859, on

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the okl homestead on which his venerable par- of Michael and Betsy Diebler, who first set- ents still reside, in Perry township, this county. He acquired his early education in the public schools and continued to be associated in the work and management of his father's farm until he had attained to the age of twenty- four years, when he married and with his young bride established his home on his pres- ent farm, in Young township. After two years he returned to Perry township, where he car- ried on farming operations until the death of his wife, in 1900. Thereafter he passed one year on the old homestead farm of his father, and at the expiration of this period he pur- chased the old Theophilus Pantall farm, of two hundred acres, in Young township, where he has since continued his successful activities in diversified agriculture and the raising of good types of live stock. His farm is one of the fine landed estates of the county, equipped with good buildings and other permanent improve- ments of the best order.

The loved and devoted wife of Mr. Lewis passed away in 1909, as previously noted. Her maiden name was Maggie Freas, and she was a daughter of Josiah B. Freas, a well known citizen of this county. Mrs. Lewis is sur- vived by four children, Bessie, King B., Olive and Isabella, all of whom remain at the pa- ternal home except Olive, who is the wife of Preston C. Campbell, of Punxsutawney.

Mr. Lewis accords unwavering allegiance to the Republican party, is deeply interested in all that touches the communal welfare, and is now serving as supervisor of Young town- ship. While still a resident of Perry town- ship he served ten years as its supervisor, and for eight years was a member of the school board of his district. He is an appreciative and valued member of the ancestral church, the Perry Presbyterian Church, and takes deep interest in its work.

WILLIAM DIVLER is a substantial busi- ness man of Brookville, where he conducts a prosperous enterprise in agricultural imple- ments and machinery. He is a native son of Jefferson county and representative of a fam- ily that was founded more than seventy years ago. His father retained the original spelling of the family name, Diebler, and the lineage is traced to sterling German origin, though the first of the family in America settled in Penn- sylvania in the Colonial days.

Benjamin Diebler. father of William, was born in Dauphin county, Pa., on the 7th of October, 1842, and was an infant upon the removal to Jefferson county. He was a son

tled near Roseville, Union township, many years later removing to Rose township. The mother died in Rose township and the father near Brockwayville, at the venerable age of eighty-three years.

Benjamin Diebler was reared to manhood under the conditions that marked the pioneer epoch. Hle responded to the first call for volunteers in the Civil war and at the expira- tion of three months re-enlisted in Company B, 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served about three years, re-enlisting as a veteran in the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war. He was made corporal, and was one of the many young men who lived up to the full ten- sion of the great conflict. He was captured, taken to ill-famed Andersonville prison, and held prisoner for nine months and eleven days, his liberation coming only when the war closed. There he endured untold hardships and priva- tions, and was of those who witnessed the seeming miracle, when, after the imprisoned men had suffered tortures from thirst, a spring of pure water suddenly broke forth from the dry soil and virtually brought salvation to them. While home on a furlough he was be- trothed to Sarah Catherine Green, and soon after his return their marriage was solemnized. on the 4th of July. 1865. Mrs. Diebler was born on her father's farm in Rose township. on the 14th of May, 1847. Since the death of her husband she has continued to occupy the pleasant home at Brookville, which has been her abode for more than thirty years and which is hallowed by many gracious memories and associations. They established a home on the old Corbet farm, in Rose township, later pur- chasing a portion of the old home farm of Mrs. Diebler's father. Here he erected a house, and when he decided to locate at the county seat sold the property back to the original owner. Mr. Diebler worked for some time on the construction of the low grade railroad. He died on the 14th of February, 1890. at the age of forty-seven years and nine months. Of the children four survive: William is the eldest : Mack is a resident of Brookville ; Edith is the wife of David Mathews, of Pittsburgh; Minnie married Frederick Riegelmeyer, a florist in Pittsburgh ; Louise, the wife of Clark W. Bush, died at the age of thirty years.

Mrs. Sarah Catherine Diebler is a daughter of William and Isabella ( Vasbinder) Green. Her father was born in Center county, and as a young man started for Clarion county, where he had made a contract to cut wood. En

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route he stopped one night at the home of Andrew Vasbinder, residing one mile west of Brookville, forming the acquaintance of the attractive young daughter. After their mar- riage William and Isabella ( Vasbinder) Green resided for a time at Bellefonte, Center county, and then returned and settled near the old home of Mrs. Green, on the Clarion road. Mr. Green here passed the remainder of his life as an industrious and prosperous farmer and lumberman. He was a representative of the lumber industry when it was in its zenith, he having piloted rafts of timber down Red Bank Creek and the Allegheny river. Mrs. Green (lied at the age of seventy-two years, while he attained to the venerable age of eighty-four. He was influential in public affairs, and both were zealous members of the Baptist Church at Brookville. Of his children the eldest was Nancy, who became the wife of Jacob Haugh and whose death occurred in 1915; Mrs. Sarah Catherine Diebler was the next in order ; Wil- liam owns the old homestead; Anna became the wife of Irving Underkoffer, and died young ; Huldah, the widow of Henry Mc- Cracken, resides in Pittsburgh; John is a farmer of Union township; Rosa, the widow of Irving Underkoffer, resides at Ilomestead, Pennsylvania.

William Divler was born on the 14th of June, 1866, at the old home of his maternal grandfather. He acquired his early education in the public schools of Brookville. At the age of seventeen he entered the employ of the late Parker P. Blood, with whom he continued in the implement and livery business until the death of Mr. Blood, on the 12th of March, 1912. To the late Parker P. Blood, under whose direction he gained a thorough business training, and with whom he was in most con- fidential relations, he attributes much of the success achieved in his business carcer. He was given responsible executive duty in con- nection with Mr. Blood's affairs and the man- agement of the latter's properties. After the deatlı of Mr. Blood he purchased the busi- ness, in which is represented an investment of more than twelve thousand dollars, and his long experience and progressive policies have made the enterprise a continued success. He is the owner of a well improved farm of 120 acres, near Howe, where for several years he resided, driving back and forth to Brookville each day.

Mr. Divler is a loyal, progressive citizen and an unswerving Republican. He has been a member of the Baptist Church since a youth of seventeen, being now a member of the board

of trustees of the church at Brookville, of which also his venerable mother has long been a devout adherent. Ile is interested in one hundred acres of oil and gas land adjoining his farm, and it is expected development work on this Eldred township property will be insti- luted in the near future.

On the 21st of September, 1886, Mr. Divler married Ada L. Bush, of Valier. Mr. and Mrs. Divler have three children : Twila is the wife of John C. Smith, an employe of Mr. Divler ; Benjamin is an employe at the glass plant; Nellie is the wife of Harry Law, of Butler.

AARON LINTZ. The general merchan- dise business conducted by Mr. Lintz at Ohl is one of broad importance, for not only is Ohl in the center of an exceptionally pros- perous farming section, but it is also in the vicinity of the Conifer field, in which are car- ried on extensive coal mining operations, Ohl being a market for a part of their supplies. Under these favorable conditions Mr. Lintz. a man of marked energy and progressive busi- ness policies, has developed a substantial and profitable trade, being one of the representa- tive merchants of Jefferson county. He estab- lished his business in September, Ico8, with a stock of general merchandise valued conserva- tively at twelve thousand dollars. He erected a building, and the increase in trade was such that in 1914 he found it necessary to make an addition by virtually doubling its dimensions, the building now having a frontage of 72 feet and a depth of 60 feet. The space is con- veniently arranged in groups, including those devoted to hardware, drugs, dry goods, grocer- ies, crockery and china, clothing, shoes, hats, caps, etc., the whole constituting a well stocked and attractively appointed department store, the necessary investment being now about forty-five thousand dollars, and the business being fully doubled.

Mr. Lintz was born in New York City. His father being a manufacturer of mercantile specialties, he gained an early business expe- rience in the father's establishment. In the meanwhile he made good use of the public schools, and at the age of twenty began his independent career by establishing a general store at Shawmut, Elk county, in 1902. Fol- lowing rapid development of the coal fields in Jefferson county he came to Beaver township in 1908, in September of which year he estab- lished the present business. He is an alert and progressive business man, is loyal in sup- port of measures that tend to advance com-

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munal welfare, and is essentially public- spirited. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party and in 1916 he gave effective service as an election judge.

In the year 1907 was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Lintz to Marguerite J. McCoy, of St. Marys. Elk county, she having been his assistant while he was postmaster at Shaw- mut, and her ability as a saleswoman combined with unqualified personai popularity has not- ably furthered the success of their mercantile venture. Mr. and Mrs. Lintz have one son, James, who was born Feb. 1, 1912.

SAMUEL L. CLAWGES, of Brockway- ville, has been closely associated with its affairs for a number of years, in long service as chief of police and at present court constable. Mr. Clawges is a native of Jefferson county, hav- ing been born on his father's farm at Richards- ville in May, 1855, and has lived in Brock- wayville over thirty years.

James P. Clawges, his father, was born in 1818 in Philadelphia, and grew up in and near that city, his father operating a dairy farm. Coming to Jefferson county in young man- hood, he went to work in the timber. soon married and bought a farm in Warsaw town- ship, continuing to follow lumbering as well as agriculture until his untimely death, about 1864, when he was killed at Clawges Landing. on the North Fork, by the falling of a tim- ber pile. He married Susanna Corbin, who still survives at the age of eighty-three, re- siding on the farm which has been her home for so many years. She was born in 1833 near Franklin, Pa., daughter of Robert and Nancy ( Brennerman ) Corbin, and was a small child when the family settled in the vicinity of Richardsville, where her parents died. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Clawges five are still living: Theodosia, Mrs. A. W. Irwin, of Kane. Pa. : Samuel L. : John M .. of Iladley. Pa., who married Lizzie Kyle, of Cor- sica; Mary M .. Mrs. Charles Goff, of Oil City : and William J .. of Nansen, Pa., who married Tina Barnett. Nancy E. died when eleven years old, and Robert Jackson, who married Harriet Metz, of West Virginia, died at the age of thirty-two years. The mother kept the family together and subsequently mar- ried Solomon Cyphert. now also deceased, by whom she had two children: Clarence Z., of Hazen. Pa .. who married Susie Keys; and Pearl E., who died in June. 1915.

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 96

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