USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 73
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Mr. Humphreys was married first to Miss Mary Martha Wilkins, who was born in Jef- ferson county, Pa. Five children were born to this marriage, namely: Lida, who lives in Montana ; William R., who lives at Grampian, Pa .; John H., who died December 24, 1906; and Edward E. and Thomas Roy, both of whom reside at Chicago, Ill. Mr. Hum- phreys was married second on May 28, 1879, to Mrs. Evanna (Haney) Hile, widow of Warren Hile, who was a son of Henry Hile. Mr. Hile died December II, 1874, and was buried in the McClure cemetery. He was a member of the Baptist church. Two children survive him: Henry G., who is a rural mail carrier out of Curwensville; and Abby, who is the wife of Jolin A. Dale. Mrs. Humphreys was born March 19, 1852, a daughter of Frederick and Margaret (Jordan) Haney. Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys have had two chil- dren : Margaret Irene and James M. The former was a highly educated young lady, a graduate of Bucknell University, and a popular and successful teacher. Her death occurred Jan- uary 16, 1909, and her burial was in the Oak Hill cemetery. James M. is a student in the Patton graded school and will graduate from that branch with the class of 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys are members of the Meth-
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odist Episcopal church at Curwensville. In politics he is a Republican and once consented to serve as treasurer of Pike township. He is a stockholder in the Curwensville National Bank and is treasurer of the Oakland Tele- phone Company of Pike township and Cur- wensville.
T. S. LUZIER,* who carries on general farming on a tract of thirteen acres, located about four and a half miles west of Bigler in Bradford township, also does considerable carpentering during the off seasons. He was born May 15. 1873, in Shawsville, Bradford township, Clearfield county, Pa., and is a son of Thomas and Jane ( Hall) Luzier. Thomas Luzier was born and reared in Clearfield county, Pa., and has always resided here, en- gaged in agricultural pursuits.
T. S. Luzier was reared and has resided all his life in Clearfield county. After his mar- riage on August 16, 1906, to Florence Knepp, who is a daughter of Isaac Knepp, he began housekeeping on his present farm, which he had purchased the June previous to lis marriage. Mr. Luzier and his wife are both members of the Brethren church of Bradford township, and he has held the office of class leader, and also been superintendent of the Sabbath school. Mr. Luzier was judge of the election board and also inspector of the election board for a number of years, and is one of the progressive and public spirited citi- zens of Bradford township.
JOHN A. JOHNSON, who is a general farmer and stock raiser, in Pike township, owns seventy-five acres of valuable land two and one-half miles southwest of Curwensville. He was born February 24, 1869, in Green-
wood township, Clearfield county, Pa .. and is a son of Elali and Hannah (Troy) Johnson.
Elah Johnson was born in Penn township, Clearfield county. He became a millwright and later owned saw mills in different parts of the county, and also a farm of 160 acres. He was a lifelong Democrat and served out one term as county commissioner in Clearfield county and a number of terms as school di- rector in Penn township. He was a member of the Society of Friends. His death occurred June 21, 1888, at the age of seventy-seven years, and his burial was at Grampian. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth Horn, a daughter of Samuel Horn. She was survived by one daughter, Hannah E. McClure. His second marriage was to Hannah Troy, who was born December 26, 1832, in Brady town- ship, Clearfield county, a daughter of Samuel and Katherine ( Miles) Troy, and eleven chil- dren were born to this union, namely: Flor- ence; Elizabeth A., who is the wife of Wil- liam Hoover, of Bell's Landing, Pa .; Manas- sah, who lives in Michigan, married Lillie Thompson: S. Miles, who lives in Bell town- ship, married Henrietta Passmore; A. G., who is a resident of British Columbia, married Ida White, who is now deceased; Lewis K., who resides in Greenwood township, married Jen- nie Bartelbanglı: Ellis I., who moved to Brit- ish Columbia; Millard F. and Mary, both of whom are deceased ; John A .; and Lydia Alice, who is now deceased. .
Jolın A. Johnson attended school in Green- wood township and afterward went to lum- bering and still later engaged in mining. After he married he lived first at Grampian and then came to his present farm in Pike township, which was known as the Richard Freeman farm, originally belonging to the grandfather
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of Mrs. Johnson. At present there is no open coal bank on the place and all the land is un- der cultivation except about forty acres still in valuable timber.
Mr. Johnson was married on July 2, 1891, to Miss Alice Freeman, who was born in Pike township, Clearfield county, Pa., March I, 1876, a daughter of William and Ara Belle (Bloom) Freeman. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had three children: Hazel, who died at the age of nine years; and Everett and Mil- dred, both of whom attend the Summit Ridge school where they are bright and attentive pu- pils. The family attends church at Grampian. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Sons of America and of the Order of the Moose, at Curwensville. He is an independent Demo- crat in his political views and while living in Penn township served on the election board and has been a school director for two years in Pike township.
JOHN HEBERLING, whose valuable farm of 125 acres is situated in Sandy Town- ship, about three miles south of DuBois, Pa., is a prominent citizen of the township and has served in numerous public offices with the greatest efficiency. He was born on his father's farm in Schuylkill county, Pa., November 23, 1843, and is a son of Abraham and Magdalena (Hand) Heber- ling, and a grandson of Jacob and Elizabeth Heberling.
Jacob Heberling and family came from Schuylkill county to Clearfield county, in 1855, and after reaching here, he bought a large tract of land which is now a part of the First Ward of the borough of DuBois. Jacob Heberling sold his land to his son, David Heberling, who later sold it to the
Rumbargers, all of these transactions tak- ing place before DuBois was laid out. Ja- cob Heberling then bought a farm near West Liberty, which was then in Brady but is now in Sandy township, and spent the rest of his life there, living to be more than eighty years of age. When he bought his farm the future prospects for the growth of West Liberty were better than for DuBois. The name of his wife was Elizabeth, and they had five children: David, Abraham, Henry, Jolin and Eve, the last named being the wife of John Hand. All are now deceased.
Abraham Heberling was married before the family left Schuylkill county, to Mag- dalena Hand, and seven children were born to them, namely: Josepli, of Brady town- ship; John; Augustus, of West Liberty; George W. and Jefferson T., twins, both residents of West Liberty; Catherine, wife of Henry Utzenger, of Sandy township; and Peter S., also of 'Sandy township. Abraham Heberling accompanied his father to Clearfield county and bought a .farm near West Liberty now in Sandy township, and as he had fine water power, built a mill and engaged in the lumber industry. He operated the mill at first with water power but later installed machinery and it was one of the first steam mills in the township. His first purchase of land was not far from DuBois, the water power above alluded to being on that farm, and from there he moved to the place nearer West Liberty. His wife died at the age of sixty years but he lived to be eighty-four years of age.
John Heberling was about twelve years old when the family came to Clearfield county and he has spent his life ever since
3S
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in the same neighborhood. His school ad- vantages were rather meager and afterward he worked in his father's mill and helped clear up the farm and later was engaged as a sawyer by his brother, J. F. Heberling. In 1860 he secured seventy-six acres of land from his father and bought a tract of forty- nine acres which adjoined. He partly cleared this second tract and erected build- ings which are now used by his son, G. E. Heberling, who lives there and operates the whole farm. When Mr. Heberling took possession there was an old log barn on the place, which he subsequently replaced by a bank barn with dimensions of 40 by 40 feet, and made many other improvements.
Mr. Heberling married Miss Lemontine Kriner, a daughter of David Kriner, who was an old pioneer of Clearfield county, and they have two children : Maggie and George E. The latter married Venia Askey and they have four children: Lloyd E., Grace, Evelyn and Catherine. In politics Mr. Heberling is a Democrat and has served as overseer of the Poor, both by appointment and election, and for ten years was a school director, for three years supervisor and one year township treasurer. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Salem, Pa.
JAMES B. SMITH, a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Pike township, who resides on his well improved farm of seventy acres, situated one mile southwest of Curwensville, Pa., was born in Pike township. March 16, 1828, and is a son of John and Nancy (Jordan) Smith.
John Smith was born in Germany and re- mained in his native land until young man- hood, when he came to America, landing at
Philadelphia. From there he came to Clear- field county and settled on a tract of 1,000 acres. He cleared up about seventy-eight acres along the river. Later he came to the farm which is now owned by his son, James B. Smith, where, with the assistance of his children, he cleared forty acres, and he con- tinued to live on this farm until the close of his life, his death occurring at the age of eighty-two years. He was a man of sterl- ing character, honest and upright in all his dealings. In politics he was a Democrat and on several occasions was elected to township offices. He married Nancy Jor- dan, a daughter of Martin Jordan, and they had fifteen children born to them, all in Pike township: William, David, Sarah, John, Hannah, Susan, Katherine, James B., Mary Jane, Rachel, Nancy, Elizabeth, Emily, Lavina and Harvey. The mother of the above family died aged seventy-three years, and both she and husband were buried in the old McClure cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian church.
James B. Smith attended school in his boyhood at the Oakland school-house. His life has been devoted to agricultural pur- suits and he has remained on the home farm. Here he has, at various times, made many improvements, and all the buildings now standing were erected by him. For some years past he has lived retired from active farm work but he still enjoys overlooking the industries which he so successfully managed alone for so long a time. He has witnessed many changes in methods of farming and has seen the introduction of farm machinery that in his youth was not yet dreamed of.
On October 15, 1861, Mr. Smith was
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married to Miss Adaline Way, who was born at Curwensville, Pa., a daughter of Samuel and Hannah Way. Mrs. Smith died October 15, 1905. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith eight children were born, namely: John L., who died when fifteen months old; Samuel, who married Ella Way, a daughter of David Way, resides on the home farm and they have eight children-Verna, Maude, William, Louella, Gussie, Ruth, Lester and Harry; William, who lives at Grampian, married Mrs. Lucy (Bloom) Johnston, widow of Elmer Johnston and daughter of James Bloom, has one daugh- ter, Bertha; Frederick, who married Mary Davis for his first wife and Sarah McDor- ment for his second wife, resides in New York and has four children-Lizzie, How- ard, Lulu and Claire; James B., who mar- ried Cora Fritz, a daughter of Daniel Fritz, has had six children-Eva, Daniel, George, Irwin, Jay and Hazel; Charles, who resides at Curwensville, married Alice Norris, a daughter of Clark Norris, and they have had four children-Firman, Raymond, Sarah and Max; Dock, who lives at Curwensville, married Cora Moore, a daughter of Samuel Moore, and they have three children -- Samuel, Frances and Lenore; and Minnie, who married James Edmiston, who resides on and assists in operating the home farm, and they have three children-William, Dortha and Lodema. Mrs. Smith was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Smith has been a Republican since the formation of the party. He has served twice as road supervisor in Pike township. He is a member of Susquehannah Grange.
HARRY CHARLES CONNER, mer- chant and assistant postmaster at Burnside.
Clearfield county, Pa., was born at Mitchell Mill, Indiana county, Pa., July 7, 1863, and is a son of John C. and Emily V. (McClure) Conner.
John C. Conner was born June 30, 1831, in Indiana county, Pa., and died at Burn- side, February 13, 1909. For three years after leaving school he was a clerk in a gen- eral store in Indiana county, and then moved to Mitchell Mill, where he carried on a general mercantile business for four years. In 1868 he came to Burnside, first as a clerk and later in business for himself, as a member of the firm of Kime & Conner, general merchants, buying his partner's in- terest two years afterward and continuing under the name of J. C. Conner in a general mer- cantile and lumber business. In 1885 he ad- mitted his son, Harry Charles Conner, to partnership. He was interested also as a partner in the lumber fırın of Hopkins, Ir- vin & Conner, and as his investments were heavy in lumbering, he lost almost the whole of his fortune during the time of the great flood at Johnstown. It was lost through the Consolidated Lumber Company on the Susquehannah River. He retired then from active life. During his earlier years he had been one of the successful as well as most enterprising business men of this section. He was a leader also in politics and served first as a justice of the peace in Indiana City and later in the same office at Burnside. At the time of his death he was a successful candidate on the Republican ticket for re- election to the office of auditor and many of his friends cast their votes for him on the very day of his decease. He was a member of the Baptist church.
John C. Conner was married first to Emily Widowson, who was survived by
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IIISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
three children: Nettie, who is the wife of A. K. Long, of Burnside : Jennie, who is the wife of Elwood Henderson, of Burnside ; and John B., who is postmaster at Burn- side. John C. Conner was married second to Emily V. McClure, a daughter of Stans- bury McClure. Her death occurred April 12, 1891, at the age of forty-eight years. Three children were born to this marriage, namely: William M., Harry Charles, and Emma A., the last named being the wife of W. E. Patchin, of Burnside.
Harry Charles Conner attended school at Burnside and as soon as old enough became a clerk for his father and subsequently his partner. After the Johnstown flood caused his father to retire, he then entered his brother's employ and with him is interested in merchandising and serves also as assist- ant postmaster. While interested in the lumber business, before the flood alluded to, he operated the last raft of lumber that went down the river safely. He has been one of the active and progressive men of the borough and has served two terms as burgess. He served also three years as constable and for nine years as president of the school board and was register of statis- tics for township and borough. He is a stanch Republican and is chairman of the Vigilance Committee of the party for this district.
Mr. Conner married Miss Mollie M. Ma- haffey, who was born May 30, 1863. at New Washington, Pa., a daughter of Robert and Faith Mahaffey, and they have had three children: Emily Gertrude, aged fourteen years; Helen, aged ten years; and a babe that died. Mr. and Mrs. Conner are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, of
which he is a trustee. He belongs to Lodge No. 679, Odd Fellows, at Burnside, and to Lodge No. 540, Elks, at Clearfield. Mr. Conner is one of the representative men of this section, and bears a name that has been held in high esteem for many years here.
JOSEPH L. DALE, a prominent citizen and progressive agriculturist of Pike town- ship, who resides on his valuable farm of 104 acres, situated two miles southwest of Curwensville, belongs to one of the old county families and was born on this farm on May 8, 1840. He is a son of John P. and Martha (Henry) (Beli) Dale.
John P. Dale was born in 1799, near Wil- liamsport, Lycoming county, Pa., and died in Clearfield county in October, 1883. He had but few educational privileges in youth, having to walk a distance of three miles through the winter snows, to reach the schoolhouse, but he learned to read. spell and calculate and became a fine penman. When he came first to Clearfield county the present thriving borough of Clearfield was represented by one old cabin on the old Read farm. Mr. Dale was accompanied by his mother who built a large stone house on the State road and frequently traded bread she baked to Indians who brought her meat. When he was only ten years old he carried the mail between Bellefonte and Franklin, making the dangerous trip on horseback, and dangerous indeed it was as on one occasion he encountered twenty-one hungry wolves. Frequently he stopped at the Indian camps, in the winter time, and warmed himself by their fires. He treated them all justly and they were kind and friendly to him and his family, and in after
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years he often told of the real nobility of C., Joseph L. and Martha. Of these, character the supposed savages showed when they were dealt with justly. Jennie C. is now deceased. The mother of this family died in 1881 and both she and the father rest in the old McClure cemetery, which is situated near the Dale farm.
John P. Dale was thrice married and after his first union he came to the farm now owned by his son, Joseph L. After the deatlı of his wife he moved to Bridgeport and lived in a small house on a hillside above the place and while there operated a sawmill. From there he moved to Cur- wensville, where he entered into partner- ship with a Mr. McPherson in the tanning business and while living there his second wife died. He was married a third time at Curwensville, and afterward moved to a farm of 100 acres, three miles west of Cur- wensville, which is now owned by John Woods, afterward purchasing the present farm. He was living at Curwensville dur- ing the Civil War. For fifty years he was a consistent member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. A lifelong Democrat he was prominent in township politics and served acceptably in township offices. He was a man of whom nothing but good can be re- called, a typical pioneer, and his memory reflects honor on his descendants and on the section in which his industrious and use- ful life was spent .. Although thrice mar- ried he did not leave very many children. His first wife was Margaret McClure, who died with their infant child. His second marriage was to a Miss McCracken, and five children were born, only one of whom, the eldest, William Dale, survives. His third union was with Mrs. Martha (Henry) Bell, widow of William Bell and daughter of James Henry, of Center county, where she was born. Four children were born to John P. and Martha Dale: James, Jennie
Joseph L. Dale attended school at Locust Ridge schoolhouse, two miles from Cur- wensville. It was a subscription school, the free school system not yet having been in- troduced. He learned to read in the New Testament, no regular reading books hav- ing yet found their way into Pike township. Some years later he attended school for one year in New York State. When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Dale was an enthusias- tic supporter of the Union and gave proof of his loyalty by enlisting for service in the army, entering Co. B, 149th Pa. Vol. Inf., the famous Bucktail regiment, and re- mained until the close of the war. During this time he was exposed to all the dangers which war brings in its train and he was ever at the post of duty, but he fortunately escaped both wounds and capture. After he returned home he bought the farm from his father and has continued to reside here until the present. The pleasant title of Glendale Farm has been given the place and it is known all over this section for its pro- ductiveness both as to grain and excellent stock. Mr. Dale has sixty acres under cul- tivation.
In 1865 Mr. Dale was first married, the lady being Miss Christiana Esau, who was born in Germany. She died in March, 1895, the mother of ten children, namely: John A., who lives in Curwensville; William L., who married Anna Hagerty; Idella, who died young ; Harry and Mary, both of whom are deceased; Frank, who resides at Al-
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toona, married Alice Hagerty and they have four children-Malcolm, Joseph, William and Martha; Walter, who is in business at Altoona, married Mabel Doughman, and they have four children-Lorna, Dortha, Elizabeth and Frederick; Paul, who resides at Curwensville; Annie, who is the wife of John Hudson, of Curwensville, and they have two children-John and Margie. Mr. Dale was married second on April 25, 1896, to Mrs. Clarissa (Cole) Hoover, widow of Allen Hoover and a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Welch) Cole. Mrs. Dale was born at Center, Pa., April 22, 1845. She, with her husband, is interested actively in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which both are members. Mr. Dale is identified with Susquehannalı Grange, at Curwens- ville, an organization that claims the ma- jority of the enterprising and successful farmers of this section as members. In politics Mr. Dale has always been a Demo- crat and on the Democratic ticket has fre- quently been elected to township offices and has served as constable, school director, tax collector and overseer of the Poor. He is one of the leading members of Kratzer Post, G. A. R., at Curwensville, and for many years has been a member of the local lodge of Odd Fellows.
Q. E. BEAUSEIGNEUR,* postmaster at Lecontes Mills, in Girard township, where he is engaged in the lumber business, is also engaged in farming and operates a general store, and has spent his whole life in this township and is one of its foremost men. His parents, Peter and Elizabeth Beauseigneur, were both born in France, and the latter died in Girard township in
1908. The father was three years old when his father brought him to Clearfield county, settling on 600 acres of land, this being one of the rich old colonizing families of this section that originated in France.
Q. E. Beauseigneur was reared and edu- cated in Girard township. He located on his present farm, which lies thirteen miles northeast of Clearfield, shortly after his marriage. He is a man of unusual enter- prise and successfully manages numerous interests. He was appointed postmaster at Lecontes Mills in 1890, under the adminis- tration of President Mckinley, and has been retained in office ever since. In his general store he carries a well selected stock of goods, mainly groceries, and supplies a large surrounding territory. In 1904 he was married to Miss A. Daugherty, of Clear- field, and they have one daughter, Rebecca. Mr. and Mrs. Beauseigneur are members of the Roman Catholic church at Frenchville.
GEORGE C. PASSMORE, a successful farmer and representative citizen of Penn township, where he owns 305 acres of ex- cellent land, which lies two and one-fourth miles southeast of Grampian, Pa., was born in the Bailey settlement, in Pike township, Clearfield county, August 11, 1830, and is a son of Ganer and Mary Elizabeth (Mc- Cracken) Passmore.
Ganer Passmore was born on the same farm in Pike township which was the birth- place of his son, his father, Abraham Pass- more, having been a pioneer settler there. Ganer Passmore married Mary Elizabeth MeCracken and they continued to live on the old Passmore homestead. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal
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church. They had five children, namely : Joseph and Hiram, both of whom are de- ceased; Eli; Henrietta, who lives near Ma- dera, Pa .; and George C., of Penn town- ship.
George C. Passmore attended school in his youth in Penn, Pike and Ferguson townships, and went to work at lumbering for some years trying his strength in mak- ing lumber and his skill in rafting it down the river. For a short time following his marriage he lived in Bell township and then settled on his present farm in Penn town- ship, where he carries on farming and stock raising.
In 1850 Mr. Passmore was married to Miss Elizabeth Rice, who was born in Ly- coming county, Pa., July 28, 1834, a daugh- ter of William and Nancy Rice. She lost her parents in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Passmore five children have been born, namely: William; Allen, who is deceased ; Viola, who is the wife of George Bowman, of DuBois, and they have two children -- William and Lizzie; George McClelland, who married Matilda Happer, a daughter of Simon Happer, and they have four chil- dren-Sherman, Berna, Olive and Helen; and Irwin, who married Maude Sankey, lives in California and they have two chil- dren.
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