Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 39

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 39

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Judge Smith was married in Clearfield, on October 17, 1888, to Margaret Helen, young- est daughter of the late Senator William A. Wallace. They have one son, William Wal- lace, and three daughters, Charlotte, Margaret and Rebecca.

WILLIAM M. SHAW, deceased, for many years was one of Clearfield's promi- nent and substantial citizens, and from 1891 until the date of his death, was cashier of the County National Bank. He was a

member of an old settled family of Clear- field County and was born on the paternal homestead on November 28, 1832. His parents were Richard and Mary Shaw.

William M. Shaw's boyhood and youth were spent on the home farm and in attend- ance at the district schools and he continued the home farm for six years following his marriage. He then established himself as a merchant in Cedar County, Iowa, but on account of the financial stringency occa- sioned by the Civil War, he soon closed out his business venture there and returned to Pennsylvania and enlisted as a volunteer in the Federal Army. Shortly afterward he was appointed hospital steward, and during his term of service was stationed at Helena, Ark. He later engaged tentatively in business at other points prior to entering the office of Dr. A. M. Hills, at Clearfield, where he studied dental surgery and later became skilled in that profession, in which he continued until 1886, when he became identified with the County National Bank, first as teller and later as cashier.

Mr. Shaw was married in 1853 to Miss Martha Jane Irwin, a daughter of Jacob Irwin, of Clearfield County. Mr. Shaw's death was preceded by that of his wife.

G. R. McMURRAY, owner and propri- etor of a meat market at Beulah, Clearfield County, Pa., was born in Bigler Township, Clearfield County, April 5, 1880, and is a son of J. A. and Sophia (Young) McMur- ray, and a grandson of John McMurray.

The parents of Mr. McMurray are well known residents of Beulah and Bigler Township, where the father formerly was a farmer and lumberman. He is still quite

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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

active and is janitor of the public school building at this place. He married Sophia Young and the following children were born to them: Mary, who is the wife of S. B. Echard; John; William; Emma, who is the wife of John Mclaughlin ; Margaret, who is the wife of Paul Lindenburg ; Bertha, who is the wife of John Forsythe ; Sadie, who is the wife of Cloyd Moss ; Pearl, Ruth, Orvis, and Sylvester, deceased.

G. R. McMurray attended the common schools and then followed farming until in September, 1910, when he went into the butchering business at Beulah, having pur- chased his stand in the previous month. He is an excellent business man and is prospering.

In 1907 Mr. McMurray was married to Miss Hannah Beyer, who is a daughter of John and Emma E. (Ross) Beyer, and a sister of Lewis W. Beyer, who is a merchant and postmaster at Smoke Run. Mr. and Mrs. McMurray live at Smoke Run, where Mrs. McMurray owns a fine residence. They have had one son, George, who was born May 5, 1910, and died in the following August. They attend the Methodist Epis- copal church. He is a Democrat in his political views but takes no very active part. being much more interested in developing his business.

ISAAC KNEPP, owner of a farm of 226 ,acres in Bradford township, Clearfield County, Pa., has resided on this farm for 35 years, and comes of one of the early fam- ilies of the county. He was born in 1851 in Bradford township, and is a son of Ben- jamin and Sarah Knepp. His father was

born in Juniata County, Pa., and at an early age came with his parents to Clearfield county and settled on the David Dale farm in Bradford township. He spent the re- mainder of his life in this township and died on the John Murray farm.

Isaac Knepp was reared in Bradford township and obtained his education in the local schools of the county. After his mar- riage he located on his present farm of 226 acres, which is located about five miles east of Bigler, and has since carried on general farming. He has made many improve- ments on the place during the past 35 years, and has erected a large frame house and a fine barn. A prominent citizen of his town- ship, he has served as school director for two terms, as steward of the U. B. church, and as supervisor of the township.

In 1875 Mr. Knepp married Jane Hubler, born in 1857, a daughter of Levey Hubler, who during his life was one of the promni- nent farmers of Graham township, and the following children have been born of their union : Otis married Miss Zella Wilson, and they have two children, Esther and Mary Ellen : he resides in Clearfield, and is em- ployed in a furniture store. Ashley Knepp, married to Miss Minnie Eshelman, resides at Bigler, employed as a farmer. Florence, married to Mr. Thomas Luzier, resides at Shiloh. Etta died in 1882. aged 2 years. Hector is employed as a miner. Seymour married to Miss Ruth Lansberry, resides at Caro, Michigan, employed as s scientist. Ray resides at Pittsburg, employed as a stenographer. Merlin is attending college. Pearl is employed as teacher in public schools. Verva is attending Normal school.

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SAMUEL BLAIR ECHARD, owner and proprietor of a blacksmith shop and a dealer also in agricultural machinery and farm implements, at Ramey, Pa., is one of the representative men of the borough which he has served officially on numerous occa- sions. He was born November 2, 1866, in Freedom Township, Blair County, Pa., and is a son of Jolin and Salome (Stiffler) Echard.

John Echard was born in Blair County and was a son of George Echard. He was a farmer in Blair County and spent his life there. He married Salome Stiffler, who is also deceased, and they had the following children born to them : James F. : Catherine, who is the wife of Samuel Stiffler; Henry M .; Samuel B .; Joseph C .; Mary A., who is the wife of David L. Semple; Peter W .; and Anna B., who is the wife of Calvin Fleming.

Samuel Blair Echard obtained his educa- tion in the public schools of Blair County and then worked on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age, after which he spent one year in the woods. He came to Clearfield County when he was twenty- one and worked for eight years at the car- penter trade and then turned his attention to blacksmithing and dealing in farm im- plements. Mr. Echard is considered an expert mechanic and has proved the justice of this reputation by his successful efforts in both trades. He is an intelligent and active citizen and one who commands the confidence of his fellow citizens. He served in the borough council for two and one-half terms, was borough treasurer for one term and for seven years has been a member of the school board. He is also a member of

the board of trustees and treasurer of the Methodist Episcopal church at Ramey.

On November 2, 1894, Mr. Echard was married to Miss Mary J. McMurray, a daughter of Alexander and Sophia McMur- ray, and they have three children : John A., Vida May, and William McKinley, all of whom are very satisfactory pupils in the Ramey schools. In politics Mr. Echard is a Republican.

CHRISTIAN B. HAAG, a lifelong resi- dent of Clearfield County, Pa., who is a representative citizen of Troutville, where he has been in the undertaking business since 1878, also devotes some attention to farming in Brady Township. He was born on the family homestead in Brady Town- ship, September 17, 1853, and is a son of Christian and Catherine (Weise) Haag.

Christian Haag was the eldest of five chil- dren born to his parents, the other four being : Elizabeth, who was the wife of Jacob Dunmeyer (both deceased) : Mary, who is the widow of Moses Ireily ; Philip, who lives at Punxatawney, Pa., whose twin brother, Henry, is deceased. His family live in Akron, O. Christian Haag, father of Christian B., was born in Germany, in 1823, and was nine years old when the family set sail for America, a country he almost failed to reach, as one one occasion, he fell from the deck of the vessel and but for the quick action of a sailor, would speedily have been drowned in the Atlantic Ocean. He lived to become a man of large estate and one of Brady Township's most respected citizens. He grew to manhood in Jefferson County, Pa., but later bought fifty acres of land one mile south of Troutville, in Clearfield

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County, subsequently adding two more purtenances required for either an elaborate tracts of fifty acres each. He devoted him- funeral, or for the quieter service that many families prefer. self exclusively to agriculture and remained interested in his crops and stock during all the rest of his active life. His death oc- curred in 1890, in Brady Township. He was twice married, first to Charlotte Knarr and they had three children: Mary, who is deceased, who was the wife of Henry W. Weber; and Henry and Adamı. The mother of these children died in 1847. Mr. Haag was married second to Catherine Weise, who died in 1889, having been the mother of nine chil- dren, namely : Christian B., John, Catherine, Philip, Frederick, August, William, Jacob and Joseph. Catherine is the wife of William Mc- Connell, and Frederick is deceased. Christian Haag, the father of Christian B. Haag, died in 1890.

Christian B. Haag spent his boyhood on the home farm but later learned the carpenter's trade and followed the same for many years. In 1876 he moved into Troutville, where he lived ten years, afterwards residing ten years on the farm and then returning to Troutville, where he now lives and where he has a fine residence and office adjoining, having resided here for the last fifteen years. He went into the undertaking business in 1878, having re- ceived his diploma in embalming at the Pitts- burg College of Embalming, where he was under the instruction of Prof. Sullivan, and where he has returned several times in order to take post graduate work. He has since been continuously engaged in this work, a pe- riod of 33 years. He is well equipped for funeral directing, having a handsome black funeral car and a team of horses that are very generally admired, being well matched blacks, with white star foreheads. He has all the ap-

In September. 1876, Mr. Haag was married to Miss Sarah MI. Bonsall, who died April 8, 1911. She was a daughter of Amos Bonsall, a prominent citizen of this section. A family of five children has been born to them, namely : Amos, who is manager of the railroad com- pany's farms at Helvetia, Clearfield county, married Florence London and they have one child, Arthur; Orpha, married M. A. Zimmer- man, of Troutville, Pa., and they now live in Warren, O. (they have two children-Mar- garet and Donald) ; Morris, who is a grad- uate of the dental department of the Balti- more Medical College, is practicing dentistry at Meriden, Conn., and married Belle Han- ney; Vina, is the wife of Allen R. McHenry, of Sagamore, Pa., who is general manager for the B. & O. people of that place. Miss Hul- dah resides at home. Mr. Haag and family belong to the Lutheran church. In his polit- ical views he is a Democrat but he has never accepted any public office other than school di- rector, and only that from a sense of duty. He has been a very active member of Mingle Lodge, No. 753, at Troutville, for many years and belongs also to the auxiliary society. the Rebeccas, and in 1910 he was sent as a rep- resentative to the Grand Lodge at Williams- port, which is considered a signal honor.

C. B. ELLIOTT, M. D., physician and surgeon, who has been located at Coalport, Clearfield county, Pa., since 1892, was born near Cumberland, Md., April 23, 1854, and is a son of John and Catherine ( Miller) Elliott. John Elliott was born near Ligonier, Pa., a son of John Elliott, who came to America

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from Ireland, in 1792. The history of the let of roses gules, and in the senister a palm Elliotts, or, as originally written-Eliot or branch slipped vert ( Middlesex). Ellis-dates back to the IIth century. Wil- liam H. Eliot was a leader under, and princi- pal adviser of William, Duke of Normandy during the Conquest, 1066. It was a John Eliot who held the fort at Gibraltar, against Spain, at that time being a commander in the British Navy. The family is traced to the north of Britain and the name Eliot perhaps was thus written when the family had estates near Eliot, Dundee, Scotland. The old Eliot stronghold is at Port Eliot, St. Germans, Cornwall, England. It was purchased by John Eliot, son of Edward Eliot, of Cutland, Devonshire. The arms of the Eliot family are thus mentioned in heraldy : Argent; a fesse gules, between double coutises wavy az- ure ; Crest : an elephant's head, argent, plain collared gules; Supporters: two eagles, re- guardent wings displayed and inverted proper, each charged on the breast with an ermine spot sable. The motto: "Proedentibus insta" is freely translated as "Press close upon those who take the lead."

Sir Jolin Whitaker Ellis, or Eliot, descended from two chiefs: Charles Ellis, of Abbots Bromley, and George Ellis, who was at the conquest of Jamaica in 1656. The latter's grandson, Charles Rose Ellis, of Claremont, Surrey, was, on July 15, 1826, created Baron Seaford. It was from this branch of the fam- ily came Charles Augustus Ellis, the sixth Baron Howard De Walden; while from the Abbot Bromley branch, one of its members, Sir John Whitaker Ellis, represented the City of London as Lord Mayor. The crest of this family is thus described : A female figure ppr. vested or, holding in the dexter hand a chap-

The progenitors of the American Ellis fam- ily can be traced to Wales. Richard Ellis was born in Dublin, Ireland, August 10, 1704. His father, a native of Wales, died when Richard was about thirteen years of age and the next authenticated record is of his appearing at Plymouth, Mass. His descendants are almost without exception people who have achieved importance in some way. Included in these are: O. W. Ellis, of Chicago, Ill .; Rev. Charles H. Ellis, of Kingston, N. Y .; Stewart H. Elliott, of New York City: C. B. Elliott, M. D., of Coalport, Pa .; W. Dixon Ellis, of New York City; Marshall Elliott, of Balti- more, Md., born at Wilmington, N. C., Jan- uary 24, 1846, a son of Aaron E. Elliott- Harvard, 1868. Ph. D., Princeton, 1877, LL. D., Wake Forest, N. C., 1891 Modern Lan- guages, Associate of the American Philogical Society and the Maryland Historical Society ; and John Whittaker Elliott, M. D., of Boston. Mass., born at Keene, N. H., in October, 1852, son of John Henry Elliott, a member of the Maryland University Alumni, the Johns Hop- kins and the Rolland Park Country Club.

John Elliott, father of Dr. Elliott, of Coal- port, resided at different places during life, for many years being engaged in lumbering and having his home alternately or succes- sively at Mt. Savage, Southampton, Tipton and Tyrone, in 1880 moving from the latter place to Coalport, where he opened the first store in the place, the old building where he conducted it still being in evidence. He died here in 1890 at the age of seventy-four years. He married Catherine Miller, who was born at Addison, Somerset county, Pa., and died in

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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

1910, aged about eighty years. They had the fire that destroyed his effects while in prac- three children: C. B .; Jack M. and Laura B. tice at Altoona. Jack M. Elliott was active in Republican pol- itics and at one time was the nominee of his GEORGE MINNS, JR., a representative citizen and prominent business man of DuBois, Pa., a successful coal operator and interested additionally in other enterprises, was born August 4, 1873. at Renovo, Pa., and is a son of George T. and Alice (Hunter ) Minns. party for sheriff, and while the county had a large normal Democratic majority, he came within 200 votes of winning the election. He resides at Coalport. Laura B. Elliott became the wife of J. C. Weller, county superintendent of schools of Somerset county. They reside at Gebhart.

C. B. Elliott was educated at Tipton .Acad- emy, where he was a student for five years. In 1871 he entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, where he was graduated in the class of 1874. He located at Osceola Mills and practiced there for one year, when the place was practically destroyed by fire and he then settled at Altoona and four years later moved to Indianapolis, Ind., but one year later came back to Pennsylvania and was established for five years at Utahville, in Clearfield county. He suffered a second loss by fire and in 1884 located again at Altoona, where he was in practice until 1892, when there appeared to be a particularly good professional opening at Coalport, and he has been in active practice here ever since. He is one of the county phy- sicians. Dr. Elliott makes a specialty of dis- eases of the eye and in treating these delicate organs he has been more than usually success- ful.

Dr. Elliott was married in 1880 to Miss Laura M. Cherry, a daughter of John W. Cherry, who formerly was an undertaker at .Altoona. Mrs. Elliott died in 1891. Dr. El- liott takes a great deal of pride in his ances- tral history, although some of the later rec- ords are not complete, family annals having been lost with other important documents, in

George T. Minns was born in England in 1845 and became a miner at an early age, his experience in this direction covering many years. He was married in England to Alice Hunter and they remained there until after the birth of two children and then came to America. Mr. Minns was led to settle at Renovo, Clinton county, Pa., because it was a fine mining district and after working for coal companies there for a time he leased and operated a mine of his own. He removed then with his family, to Butler county, Pa .. contin- ning in the coal business and during his pe- riod of residence there sold coal to the oil fields at a profit. In 1880 he came to DuBois and here entered the employ of John DuBois, for whom he opened up mines and from whom he later bought a farm in the Clear Run neigh- borhood. This land Mr. Minns cleared and it is the present place of residence of the fam- ily. Mr. and Mrs. Minns had twelve children born to them, namely: Bessie, who is now de- ceased, was the wife of Oscar Long; Sarah, who was the wife of Wm. Guntrum; Cather- ine, who is the wife of Edward Trude ; George; John: William; Robert; Alice, who is the wife of George Whipple: Abbie, who is the wife of W. B. Johnson; Martha, who is the wife of Everett Case: Henry, youngest. at home.

George Minns attended school as circum-

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stances permitted, during boyhood, but by the time he was fifteen years of age he had become very useful to his father on the newly pur- chased farm. Four years later he went to lumbering and continued to farm and to work in the woods until 1896, when, with his father, he leased a tract of coal land from A. C. Hop- kins, of Loch Haven, Pa. There was one mine already on the place and they started their drift on the left of it and began produc- ing coal. In a short time the younger part- ner bought out the entire interest and ever since has operated this mine alone. It has ful- filled every expectation and has proved a val- uable investment. Mr. Minns runs three wagons and sells coal to the local trade and supplies the larger number of the factories at DuBois. He has other business interests and owns a large amount of valuable real estate, including a farm in Sandy township and the Hotel Logan, at DuBois, which he leases, hav- ing previously remodeled the building. In 1900, Mr. Minns erected his handsome brick residence at No. 601 First Street.

Mr. Minns was married to Miss Ella Bair, a daughter of William Bair, of Falls Creek, Pa., and they have four children : Earl, Mary, Alice and Ruth. Mr. Minns and family are members of the Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican and is an active, interested and public-spirited citizen. Since 1905 he has been a member of the borough council of Du- Bois and has been sincere in his efforts to se- cure and regulate beneficial measures for the people. He belongs fraternally to the Elks and the Knights of Pythias and socially to the Acorn Club. Mr. Minns is a stockholder in the Union Banking and Trust Company of DuBois.

E. B. MAHAFFEY, cashier of the Madera National Bank of Madera, Pa., is one of the younger business men of this place and his whole business experience has been with bank- ing institutions. He was born in Indiana county, Pa., March 14, 1881, and is a son of John and Mary Jane (Ake) Mahaffey.

John Mahaffey was born in Clearfield county but died in Indiana county, having been engaged for a number of years in the livery business at Hillsdale. He married Mary Jane Ake, who was born in Blair county. She sur- vives and resides at Burnside, Clearfield county. They had three children: J. L., E. B., and Nellie. In politics John Mahaffey was a Republican. His father was Thomas Ma- haffey and was born in Snyder county, Pa., and farther back the ancestry can be traced to Ireland. John Mahaffey and wife were men- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church at Hillsdale.

E. B. Mahaffey was educated in the public schools of his native county and at Purchase- line Academy, after which he entered the First National Bank at Glen Campbell and came from there to the First National at Madera, in 1907. He is interested in property here and is a representative citizen along all lines.

In 1905, in Indiana county, Mr. Mahaffey was married to Miss Beulah Long, who is a daughter of Charles and Sarah (Jamison) Long. Mrs. Mahaffey has one older sister, Zonie, who is the wife of C. C. Williams, and a younger sister and brother, Goldie and New- ell. Mr. and Mrs. Mahaffey have one daugh- ter, Sarah Jane. They attend the Presbyte- rian church. In politics Mr. Mahaffey is not very active but casts his vote with the Repub- lican party.

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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

MICHAEL CRAIG, senior member of the and is a son of Stephen L. and Sally (Ames) firm of M. & FF. Craig, coal operators, at pres- Oaks. ent particularly interested in the Industry mine, at New Castle, Clearfield county, Pa .. has been a resident of Brisbin for many years and is one of the prominent men of this bor- ough. Ile was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, October 11, 1860, and is a son of James and Bridget (Rooney) Craig.

Michael Craig accompanied his parents to America and to Brisbin in 1881 and has al- ways since been connected with the coal in- ciustry. He began operating Sterling mine No. 2, October 11, 1888, and leased the prop- erty until 1897, when he bought it, and also has a lease on Sterling No. 3: and the firm owns extensive coal lands which they lease to Berwind White Co., Kelly Bro. Co., and also Blythe Coal Company, and are in the gas and oil business also in West Virginia. Mr. Craig is a stockholder in the Osceola Bank. He has been a very active and public spirited citizen and has frequently served in the borough coun- cil and has twice been borough treasurer.

Mr. Craig was married on June 4, 1907, to Miss Susan McPhilomy, who was born at Snow Shoe, Center county, and was one month old when she was brought to Brisbin by her parents, John McPhilomy and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Craig have one daughter, Catherine. They are members of the Roman Catholic church. He is identified with the Knights of Columbus at Clearfield. He casts his vote with the Democratic party.

GEORGE W. OAKS, a retired farmer and well known citizen of Burnside township. Clearfield county, Pa., is a native of New Eng- land, born October 31, 1831, at Dover, Maine,

Stephen L. Oaks was born in Maine, in 1796, a son of Abel and Mehitabel (Jewett) Oaks, and died in Cambria county, Pa., in 1875. He married Sally Ames, who was born in 1799, and died in 1877. In 1838 they moved from New England to Blairsville, Pa., where Mr. Oaks followed his trade of mill- wright, at a later date moving into Cambria county, where he lived until his decease.

George W. Oaks was seven years old when his parents came to Pennsylvania. He had but meagre school opportunities and as soon as old enough worked at farming and provided for himself. He continued to follow agricul- tural pursuits in Pennsylvania until he was twenty-nine years old and then went to Sioux county, Ia., where he entered land and devel- oped a farm. He has been retired from active farm work since 1903.

Mr. Oaks married Miss Elizabeth Mock, who was born in Bedford county, Pa., June 12, 1833, and died January 26, 1897. They had the following children born to them: Phineas, who lives in Iowa, married Alice J. Stanton ; Amanda, who is deceased; Mary C., who is the wife of Irwin Jones, lives in Iowa ; Joseph E., who lives at Hawarden, Ia. ; John, whose home is also at Hawarden; Charles, who resides at Chatsworth, Ia .; and William, who lives at Hawarden. Mr. Oaks has grand- children as follows: Walter, Ray and Ar- thur, sons of Phineas, and of these, Walter has three children and Arthur has two; eight children of his daughter Mary (two sons of this family are married, Orald has two chil- dren and Norton has one child) ; one son of his son Joseph E., one of his son John, one of

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Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 39

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