Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 111

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 111

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).

Mr. Harder married Miss Frank L. Show- ers, a daughter of the late David Showers, for- merly of Williamsport, Pa., and of this mar- riage was born a son, J. Emmott Harder, who is now the manager of Harder's Gun Works, the business being owned by Mrs. J. E. Har- der, the widow of our subject. The son. J. Emmot Harder, married Miss May Gear- hart, of Clearfield. Mrs. J. E. Harder, the elder, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was also her husband. The family residence stands at No. 319 Locust street, which has been their home for twenty-two years-a place well known to the best society of Clearfield for its cheerful and unostenta- tious hospitality.

HENRY ROUSEY,* who has been a resi- dent of Girard township for thirty years, has spent twenty of them on his valuable farm of 106 acres, which is situated eighteen miles west of the borough of Clearfield. He was born in Clearfield county and is a son of Ste- phen and Amelia Rousey. The parents of Mr. Rousey were born in France and when they came to Clearfield county settled near French- ville, where many of their fellow countrymen had located. They engaged in farming and passed the remaining years of their lives near or in Frenchville. ,

Henry Rousey attended the schools of Cov- ington township and afterward assisted his father on his farm, later going into farming and stockraising for himself. When he reached manhood he married Miss Amelia Deminer, who was born in France, a daughter of Peter Deminer, well known in this section. Two children were born to them, namely: Bertha, who is the wife of Augustus Hugh- ney, of Covington township, and has two chil- dren-Dorothy and Gertrude; and Lillie, who married D. Bellotte, of Girard township, also of French extraction, and has two children, Boyd and Florence A. Mr. Rousey and fam- ily are members of St. Francis' Catholic church, of Frenchville. Mr. Rousey has al- ways been an active citizen and has been par- ticularly interested in the public schools, serv- ing for some nine years as a school director. He has been elected to other offices and has performed the duties in a satisfactory man- ner. He is one of Girard township's most re- spected citizens.

JACOB H. MILLER, who has been su- perintendent for the Clark Brothers Coal Min- ing Company, having charge of three mines,

970

HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

for the past seven years, is a representative sey City, N. J. Formerly Mr. Gillette was a citizen of Bigler township, and resides at Smoke Run. He was born in 1869, in Le- high county, Pa., and is a son of Phillip and Lydia ( Meyer ) Miller.

Phillip Miller was a millwright and fol- lowed his trade in several sections of Pennsyl- vania. Both he and his wife died at Philadel- phia and are buried in Upper Milford town- ship, Lehigh County, Pa. They were mem- bers of the Evangelical church. The follow- ign children were born to them: Emma, widow of William Bower; Obediah; Cather- ine, widow of Joseph Kline: Sarah, widow of Manoa Trump: Thomas: Ellen. ( Mrs. Wil- liam F. Jacoby) : Jacob H., and James. Both grandfathers of the above family bore the name of Jacob.

Jacob H. Miller attended the public schools in Lehigh county and at Philadelphia, after which he learned the art of telegraphy and worked as a telegrapher for fourteen years, during the most of this time for the Western Union Telegraph Company. He then became connected with the electrical repair department of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, of New York city, and from there went to the Brush Electric Light Company of Philadel- phia, having charge of the street lighting there for two years. In 1901 Mr. Miller engaged with the Penn Colliery Company, coming then to Smoke Run as their electrician, and in 1904 he accepted his present position, one of large responsibility. Mr. Miller has had a large amount of practical experience and has been considered a reliable and efficient man in every company with which he has been connected.

In 1897 Mr. Miller was married to Miss Minnie G. Gillette, a daughter of Thomas and Elmira (Shindler ) Gillette, residents of Jer- George Lambing.

telegrapher. Mrs. Miller has had two sisters and three brothers: Mary, who is the wife of 1. W. Freeman; Grace, who is the wife of H. W. Heinbach ; Robert W., Thomas, and George, who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have one daughter, Edna Hilda, who was born in April. 1904. They attend the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Repub- lican in politics but has never sought any pub- lie office. He is identified with the Masons at Osceola; the Knights of Pythias at Phila- delphia, and the P. O. S. of A. at Madera, he being president of this organization of Dis- trict No. 3, Clearfield county.

ANDREW J. MONTGOMERY, A re- tired farmer and very highly respected citizen of Bell township, Clearfield county, Pa., was born August 25, 1849, in Indiana county, Pa., and is a son of Jehu and Nancy (Spencer) Montgomery.

Jehu Montgomery was born in 1803, in Clarion county, Pa., and died in Indiana county when aged sixty-seven years. His busi- ness was farming and he was a patriotic and reliable citizen, serving his country all through the Mexican war. He married Nancy Spen- cer, who was born in Indiana county and died there in 1908, aged eighty-two years. She was a daughter of Andrew and Margaret ( Pierce) Spencer, old Indiana county families. To Jehu Montgomery and wife the following children were born: Andrew J .; Thomas ; Robert A., residing in Nebraska: Jennie, wife of R. B. Copp, of Augusta. Me .: Samuel G .. residing in Bell township: William, living in Indiana county; and Lee, Calvin J., Peter C. and Cynthia E., all of whom reside in Indiana county, the last named being the wife of

971

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Andrew J. Montgomery obtained his edu- cation in his native county and afterward fol- lowed the carpenter trade for seven years and then went into the woods and was engaged in timber cutting and contracting until 1885, when he became a farmer and continued agri- cultural pursuits until 1903, when he retired. During the Civil war he served as a soldier from April, 1865, until September in the same year, being a member of Co. B, 74th Pa. Vol. Inf., his commanding officers being Col. Ho- bart, of Pittsburg, and Captain P. C. Spencer, the latter of whom was his uncle. His regi- ment was detailed as guards for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

Mr. Montgomery was married to Miss Sa- rah Jane Neal, who was born in Jefferson county, Pa., January 10, 1854, and is a daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary (Graffins) Neal, both of whom were born in Eastern Pennsyl- vania. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery have had ten children, as follows: Mary, who married R. S. Miller, of McGee's Mills, and they have ten children and two grandchildren. Myrtle B., who married H. M. Bowers, of Boliver, Pa., and they have six children; Nancy E., who is the wife of M. P. Dodson, and they have three children; Theresa, who is the wife of P. E. Bowers, and they have five children ; Irwin, who resides at Fort Woodworth, N. Y .; May, who is the wife of W. F. Masters, of Johnstown, Pa .; William G. who married Cora Johnston, and they have two children; Thomas N., who married Lod Leasur, resides in In- diana county ; and Fannie and Pearl, both of whom reside at home. Mr. and Mrs. Mont- gomery are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. In politics he is identified with the Republican party but has never wanted to hold office and when his appreciative fellow citizens elected him a justice of the peace in

Bell township, declined to serve. He is a mem- ber of the fraternal order of Knights of the Golden Eagles at McGee's Mills, Clearfield county.

HOWARD A. COLLINS, M. D.,* of Winburne, Cooper township, Clearfield county, Pa., and a practicing physician in this county for the past sixteen years, was born in Lyco- ming county, Pa., February 6, 1871, and is a son of William and Mary (Winner) Collins.

The Collins family is an old one in Penn- sylvania. William and Margaret (Brewster) Collins, great-grandparents of Dr. Collins, were born in Berks county, Pa., and moved from there as pioneers into Lycoming county, and at the same time several of the Collins brothers settled in New York. The first house erected by William Collins was so strongly built that it still stands not far from the pres- ent city of Williamsport. At that time Phila- delphia was the nearest supply station and each fall the long distance had to be covered by wagon in order to provide necessities for the family for the winter.

Isaac Collins, son of William and Mar- garet Collins, was the paternal grandfather of Dr. Collins, and he was born in Lycoming county, as was his wife, Margaret Dommy. The maternal grandparents of Dr. Collins were Jacob and Elizabeth (Tohlman) Winner. The Winners and Tohlmans, who were Quak- ers, settled in Hebron and Eldred townships, in Lycoming county. The maternal great- grandfather was Abraham Winner, who moved to Lycoming county from Philadel- phia. The parents of Dr. Collins were both born and reared in Lycoming county and the father was a farmer in Alsop township, where his death occurred in 1909, when he was aged eighty-three years. He had survived his wife

972

HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

for eight years, her death occurring in Sep- tember, 1901, at the age of seventy-six years. Of their twelve children, ten grew to maturity and six still survive, namely: Howard A .: Jennie, who is the wife of George Castleberry. of Williamsport; Irene, who is the wife of Oliver P. Stahl, of Williamsport: Cyrus M. and Annie M., both of whom live at Williams- port ; and William S., who is a resident of Buffalo, N. Y. Those deceased were: Al- bert, who died in 1877-was a graduate of Dickinson Seminary : Herman M .. whose death in 1881 was the result of typhoid fever ; Jef- frey A., who died in 1896, from an attack of appendicitis : Sadie L., who was the wife of Ambrose Hyman, of Williamsport; and two who died in infancy.

Howard A. Collins attended the public schools of Williamsport and the Williamsport Commercial College, leaving his studies at the age of nineteen years in order to take up work as a bookkeeper and stenographer. In the meanwhile he had done his preparatory medical reading and in the fall of 1892 entered Jeffer- son Medical College and was graduated in the class of 1896. His first field of practice was at Wallaceton, where he remained one year and then came to Winburne. He is known profes- sionally in many parts of the county, his suc- cess as a practitioner having gained for him a large measure of public confidence.

In 1892 Dr. Collins was married to Miss Delia M. Wise, a daughter of James T. Wise, of Lycoming County, and they have four chil- dren: Roy F., Charles, Chalmers Da Costa, and Vivian M. Dr. and Mrs Collins are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he has been united for thirty years. He is an independent in politics but is an interested citizen and has served on the school board of

Morris Township. He has been president of the Clearfield County Medical Society and fra- ternally is identified with the U. A. M., the Knights of Pythias, the Elks, the Eagles and the P. O. S. of A.

WILLIAM A. HAGERTY, attorney at law, with offices in the old Masonic Building, at Clearfield, Pa., is a representative citizen and an able member of the Clearfield bar. He was born at Glen Hope, Pa., January 22, 1857, and is a son of Joseph and Jane ( Alexander ) Hagerty.

Joseph Hagerty was born and reared in Cen- ter County, Pa. He was a successful business man and at different times was interested in farming, milling and merchandising, owning a store at Lumber City, Pa., at the time of liis death, which occurred in March, 1864. He married Jane Alexander, who was a daughter of William Alexander, the latter of whom died in 1867, at the age of ninety-one years. His life had covered a wonderful period of his country's history, extending from the admin- istration of President Washington to that of General Grant. He had filled many public po- sitions, was county commissioner, county treas- urer and sheriff of Center County. Of the large family born to Joseph Hagerty and wife. but three survive: Mary, who is the widow of F. C. Cromm; Andrew J., who is a promi- nent merchant of Clearfield ; and William Alex- ander, who preserves his mother's maiden name.

William A. Hagerty was eight years old when the family came to Clearfield and here he was reared and obtained his education in the public schools and was one of the first three graduates of the Clearfield High School, in 1876. Later he attended a college at Gettys-

ISRAEL TEST

WILLIAM WILSON BETTS

973

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

burg for a time, after which he accepted a cler- ical position in the old Clearfield County Bank. When prepared financially to enter upon the study of law, he became a student in the office of J. B. McEnally, later Judge McEnally, and after four years of training there was admitted to the Clearfield County bar in September, 1879. With the exception of one year spent in the office of Judge McEnally, he has practiced alone and both personally and professionally stands high in Clearfield County.

On October 24, 1893, Mr. Hagerty was mar- ried to Miss Carrie Test, a daughter of Israel Test, who is remembered as one of the most brilliant members of the Clearfield bar, and who died in 1886. His great grandfather, George Test, came to America with William Penn, was the first sheriff of Philadelphia under him and also governor of what was called the Up- lands. Mr. and Mrs. Hagerty have had three children. Julia, William Test and Jane. The eldest born died in childhood. The attrac- tive family residence is situated at No. 213 Pine Street. Mr. and Mrs. Hagerty are members of the Presbyterian church. Politically he is a Democrat and for some time has been a member of the State Board of Health. In his fraternal relations he is a Knight of Pythias and an Elk, being exalted ruler in the latter or- ganization at Clearfield.

HARRY EDMUND DIEHL,* engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad pumping station in Chest Township, Clearfield County, Pa., be- longs to one of the old settled families of the county. He was born in Greenfield Township, Clearfield County, Pa .. January 24, 1878, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Mock) Diehl, and a grandson of John Diehl who was in the fourth generation of descent from Samuel

Diehl, who came to Pennsylvania from Lou- doun County, Va. When Grandfather Diehl died he left ninety direct descendants. The Diells have an annual reunion in Clearfield County.

Harry Edmund Diehl attended school until he was thirteen years of age and then learned the saw mill business and worked with his fa- ther in a saw mill for six years and afterward worked at mining and lumbering until 1906. when he became tank keeper in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, as men- tioned above.

Mr. Diehl married Miss Ella Brink, who was born May 3, 1886, near Smoke Run, and is a daughter of George W. and Anna ( Shaffer) Brink, who were born in Indiana County and after coming to Clearfield County settled at Ir- vona. Mr. Brink, who is now eighty-three years of age, followed lumbering all through his active life. Mr. and Mrs. Diehl have two children : Florence, a school girl of nine years ; and Gilbert Emmons, who is three years old. In politics he is a Republican and he served one term as high constable at Irvona. He belongs to the order of the Mystic Chain, also at Irvona.

HON. WILLIAM WILSON BETTS, de- ceased, during a long and useful life, was cred- itably identified with public affairs and busi- ness enterprises in the state which became his home when three years old. For many years he was one of the leading citizens of Clear- field County, Pa. He was born at Newark, N. J., May 1. 1838, and was a son of Rev. Fred- erick G. and Cornelia (Finley ) Betts.

Rev. Frederick G. Betts was born in the city of Philadelphia in 1812. In 1840 he was licensed as a minister by the Huntingdon Pres- bytery, and in November of the same year he

974

HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

was installed as pastor of the Presbyterian church at Clearfield. He served congregations at Clearfield, Curwensville and Forest Hill. His death occurred in 1845. He married Cor- nelia Finley, who survived him, dying in 1853.

William Wilson Betts attended school un- til thirteen years of age and then entered the printing, office of the Crawford Journal, at Meadville, with the intention of learning the trade, but impaired eyesight caused him to change his plans. At the age of twenty-one years, he was taken into partnership with the firm of Reed, Weaver & Powell, at Clearfield. In 1869 G. L. Reed and William Powell re- tired from the firm and the business was then conducted under the firm name of Weaver & Betts until he died. This firm, during this period, was the most extensive dealer in lumber in this section, and also Mr. Betts was largely engaged in other interests, such as coal, fire clay and the industries of Clearfield and the county, and the development of the same, to which he devoted much of his time and influ- ence, always being one of the foremost citizens to labor devotedly for the interests of his town and county.

In his business relations, Mr. Betts was held in the very highest esteem by those who had dealings with him, and the number was large on account of his extensive operations. He was much more, however, than a successful busi- ness man, being one who realized at all times. and often accepted, the responsibilities of citizenship. While public affairs in his state engaged his attention in a large degree for some years, he never forgot or neglected the claims of his own community, and in the mat- ter of securing public utilities for Clearfield, no citizen was more active or influential. In his views on public questions he was a Jacksonian

Democrat and frequently was tendered political office and in 1886 he was unanimously offered by the Democratic Party, the nomination for the State Senate, for the district composed of Clearfield, Centre and Clinton Counties, and having accepted the same, although not having been a candidate, the Republican Party de- clined to place any candidate in the field in opposition to him; thereby making his nomina- tion and election practically the unani- mous selection by the people of his district. He served with characteristic faithfulness in this high office, which he held for four years. The Democratic Party again desired him to accept the nomination and return to the Senate, but, not caring for public life, he declined to be a candidate. The death of Senator Betts occurred September 24, 1896.

On October 28, 1862. Mr. Betts was married to Miss Margaret J. Irvin, of Curwensville, Pa., who survived him until her death on June 12, 1910. Six children were born to this mar- riage. Two children, John Weaver and Cor- nelia, died at an early age, the surviving chil- dren being Mrs. Jennie Betts Hartswick, Mrs. Alice Betts Walter, Frederick Gregory Betts and William Irvin Betts.

JOHN JOSEPH SCOLLINS, Justice of the Peace, at Houtzdale, Pa., is one of the best known of the younger generation of business men in this Borough. He was born at Houtz- dale, May 12, 1885, and is a son of Michael and Alicia (Ronan) Scollins.

Michael Scollins, his father, was born in England but was reared in Ireland and came from there to America at an early age. He lived at Tioga County, prior to coming to Houtzdale in the early So's. He followed min- ing as an occupation, and for a time conducted

975

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

a licensed restaurant and the Woodward Hotel the office of Justice of the Peace by appoint- at Houtzdale, retiring from this business in ment of Governor Stuart ; and is now serving a full term having been elected to this office on the Democratic ticket. He is deeply interested in educational affairs; was one of the organ- izers of the Alumni Association of the Houtz- dale High School, and its secretary since or- ganization; is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and is identified with the Knights of Columbus. 1899. He then went to Pittsburgh and worked for some years in the employ of the Carnegie Steel Company. He returned to Houtzdale, where he died in 1905. He married Alicia Ronan, who was born in Huntingdon County. Her father, John Ronan, was a miner and a man of considerable prominence at Dudley, where he served on the School Board, and as its secretary, for thirty years. Mrs. Scollins still survives. Seven children were born to Michael Scollins and his wife, namely: Nora, who is the wife of Charles W. Pie, of Somer- set, Pa .; Margaret, who died in infancy ; John; Agnes: Mary, who died at the age of twelve years ; Paul and Catherine.

John Scollins received his primary education in the parochial school at Houtzdale and in 1903 graduated from the Houtzdale High School. While a student at the High School he was appointed to the office of Town Clerk, which position he held continuously until 1909, when he resigned to assume the duties of his present office. Upon graduation, he became connected with the law offices of W. H. Pat- terson and J. A. Gleason, took the necessary examination and secured a teacher's certificate, following which he taught one term at the Beaverton School in Decatur Township, and was then elected to teach the Moshannon School at Osceola. He was crippled in infancy and about this time, owing to his active life, his in- jury developed to an extent that caused the loss of a leg, in 1904. In the meantime he opened a fire insurance agency, which he still conducts in conjunction with his other work. He is rec- ognized as a young man of more than the usual amount of ability, while his personality is such that he has hosts of friends. He succeeded to 56

dale, May 12, 1885, and is a son of Michael and Alicia ( Ronan) Scollins.

Michael Scollins was born in England but was reared in Ireland and came from there to America in early manhood. He lived in Ti- oga County prior to coming to Houtzdale, and in this place conducted a licensed restaurant for some years. In 1897 he took charge of the Woodward Hotel, which he conducted for some years, moved then to Pittsburg for a res- idence of some years and then returned to Houzdale, where he died in 1906. He married Alicia Ronan, who was born in Huntingdon County. Her father, John Ronan, was a miner and a man of considerable prominence at Dudley, where he served on the school board for thirty years. Mrs. Scollins still survives. Seven children were born to Michael Scollins and his wife, namely: Nora, who is the wife of Charles Pie, of Somerset, Pa .; Margaret, who died in infancy ; John; Agnes; Mary, who died at the age of twelve years; and Paul and Catherine.

John Scollins received his primary education in the parochial school at Houtzdale and in 1903 graduated from the Houtzdale High School. Later he took the necessary examin- ation and secured a teacher's certificate, fol- lowing which he taught one term at the Beaver- ton school in Decatur Township and was then

976

HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

elected to teach the Moshannon school at Osce- ola. His health failed however and he grew worse and an injury developed that caused the loss of a leg, in 1904. He is recognized as a young man of more than the usual amount of ability, while his personality is such that he has hosts of friends. He is serving in his sec- ond term as justice of the peace, elected to this office on the Democratic ticket. He is a mem- ber of the Roman Catholic church, and he is identified with the Knights of Columbus.

JAMES E. KIRK,* president of the Made- ra National Bank and also owner and propri- etor of a large hardware business, at Madera, Pa., is one of the leading men of the borough and one of the most substantial citizens of the place. He was born at Utahville, Clearfield County, Pa., September 27, 1863, and is a son of Samuel and Rebecca S. (Beyer) Kirk, and a grandson of James E. Kirk, who was also born in Clearfield County. Samuel Kirk sur- vives and resides with his son at Madera. He was born in Cumberland County and his wife in Clearfield County, Pa.

James E. Kirk enjoyed excellent educational advantages, after completing the public school course entering Dickinson Seminary at Wil- liamsport, later taking a course in Birming- ham Seminary and finally a course in business at the Bryant and Stratton Commercial Col- lege, Philadelphia. Afterward, for about eighteen years, Mr. Kirk was in the employ of Beyer & Kirk, lumber men at Madera, and then became identified with the interests which are his own. His hardware and house furnishing establishment is a leading business enterprise of the town, while the Madera National Bank enjoys a large amount of patronage. He is also a stockholder in the Madera Water Com-

pany and is a one-half owner of fifty houses and 100 building lots at this place.

Mr. Kirk was married to Miss Della M. Heck, who was born in Huntingdon County, Pa., and they have the following children : Samuel R. S., who is attending school at Clear- field ; and James E., David John and Ninevah Viana. Mr. Kirk and family attend the Meth- odist Episcopal church. In politics both he and his father are Republicans and he has served two terms as treasurer of Bigler Town- ship. He is identified with the Masonic lodge at Tyrone.

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.

Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 111

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1040