USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 78
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In politics Mr. Read and son are strong ad- herents of the Prohibition party. He has served as school director and also as overseer of the poor, in Ferguson township. With his wife and son he belongs to the Grange at Kerrmoor, and there they also are connected with the United Presbyterian church. They are all people of high standing, representative of the community's best citizenship.
JOHN N. WORK, who is interested in general farming in Bell township for the past eighteen years has been identified with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and is one of the oldest and most trusted employes living in this section. He was born April 25, 1865. on the old Weaver farm in Bell township, and is a son of Joseph S. and Rolinda ( McMas- ters) Work.
Joseph S. Work was born in Indiana county, Pa., a son of John Newton Work, and died in Clearfield county, in September, 1900, at the age of sixty-two years. He came to this county when a youth of eighteen years, working at McGee's Mills until his marriage, when he bought the old Weaver farm in that neighborhood, and followed farming and lumbering during the remainder of his life. He was never very active in politics but was an intelligent and fair-minded citizen and cast his vote in support of good government. He married Rolinda McMasters, who was a daughter of Eben and Rebecca McMasters. She was born in Burnside township, Clearfield county, and died in 1872. They were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were parents of the following children: Beat- rice, who is the wife of William Croft, of Tyrone; Rebecca, who is the wife of E. Sun- derland, of McGee's Mills; John N .; Mary,
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who is the wife of Andrew Gaylor, of Ma- and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Wall) haffey, Pa .; Margaret, who is the wife of F. Young. Cuenley, of McGee's Mills; Eugene, who lives at home; Josephine, who is the wife of Fred Haigh, of Jefferson county ; and Robert A., who resides near Lock Haven, Pa.
John N. Work attended school until he was about fourteen years of age and then went to work in the woods where he continued until he was twenty-one, this hard labor serving to develop him into a strong and vigorous man. He then turned his attention to railroading and since May, 1893, has been connected with the great Pennsylvania system. He is well known to both employes and officials and stands very high in the estimation of all as to his reliability and efficiency. This has been his main business for many years but, with his brother, he also gives some attention to the home farm.
Mr. Work was married to Miss Ella Irwin, who was born May 16, 1865, at Muddy Run, Cambria county, Pa., a daughter of Alexander and Katherine Irwin, the former of whom is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Work have had six children: Frederick, who lives on the home farm; Max Orville, who died at the age of nineteen years; Mabel Rolinda and Cecil Mon- roe, both of whom are pursuing higher courses at school; and Joseph S. and Martha Cather- ine. Mr. Work casts his vote with the Demo- cratic party but has never desired any public office.
Samuel Young was born in 1821, when Greenwood was still known as Bell township, Clearfield county. He was a man of great en- ergy and followed farming in the summer time and lumbering in the winters and thus acquired a good property. He was a quiet, home-loving man and was respected and es- teemed by all who knew him. His death oc- curred when he was but thirty-two years of age and his burial was in the Bower cemetery. He married Sarah Wall, who was born in Penn township, Clearfield county, a daughter of David and Sarah Wall, and she survived her husband until 1892, having all the respon- sibility of rearing their only child, David S. She was a woman of fine character and a mem- ber of the Society of Friends. Her burial was at Grampian.
David S. Young obtained his education in the common schools and grew up on the home farm and remained there for some years fol- lowing his marriage and then bought his pres- ent place. Here he has made many improve- ments including the erection of all the sub- stantial buildings on the place, and carries on general farming and stock raising. He is one of the representative men of his township iu all that pertains to good citizenship.
Mr. Young was married January 14, 1875, to Miss Lucinda Brooks, who was born in Greenwood township, March 9, 1852, a daugh- ter of Edward and Margaret (Dale) Brooks, the latter of whom is deceased. Mr. Brooks resides with Mr. and Mrs. Young. Nine chil- dren were born to the above marriage as fol- lows: Sarah Gertrude, who was born March
DAVID S. YOUNG, whose valuable farm of 100 acres is situated in Greenwood town- ship, Clearfield county, Pa., was born in this township, on the south side of the west branch of the Susquehanna river, February 18, 1853. 25, 1876, married David Patterson; they live
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at Bell's Landing and have four children- the country, and about 1815 he located near Joseph, Seymour, Truman and Genevieve. Grampian. Later he moved into Brady town- ship, where he remained until his death. Anna Margaret, born August 23, 1877, mar- ried Frank Daughenbaugh; they live at Ma- James Walls was born in 1810 and was quite small when the family came to Clearfield county where his subsequent life was spent. He bought a farm in Brady township, fol- lowed farming there and died in 1890. He married Sarah Moore, who survived him three years. They had seven children, namely : Margaret, who died at the age of three years; Andrew, who is now deceased, was a soldier in the famous Bucktail regiment, the 149th Pa. Vol. Inf., during the Civil war; David, Jerry and Harvey, the first named being de- ceased; Mary Ann, who is the wife of J. F. Heberling: and George, who married Maggie De Larme, lives in Sandy township. haffey, l'a., and have children-Lillian, Es- ther, Etta, Jefferson, Malcolm, Ronald, Chris- sie and two deceased. Flora Jane, born De- cember 17, 1878, married Ezra Johnson and they live in Greenwood township and the chil- dren born to them were Elva, Melvin, Arlean, Nannie, Larue, Enlow, Woodrow and two now deceased. Elvira Mac, who was born September 1, 1880, and Truman W., who was born April 1, 1882, are both unmarried. Re- becca Lucretia, born December 27, 1883, re- sides at home. Clara Lovena, who was born October 2, 1885, is the wife of William R. l'otts, of Clearfield, and they have three chil- dren-Winnifred, William and Vaulna. El- Harvey Walls attended the country schools until he was twelve years of age, when he was deemed strong enough to go into the woods and work with the lumbermen and he contin- ued until he was twenty-one years old. At that time he gave up lumbering and bought his farm from C. H. Prescott, and has carried on bridge C., born April 28, 1887, and William Edward, born September 21, 1891, are both unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Young are mem- bers of the Zion Baptist church, of which he is a trustee. He is a Republican in his polit- ical affiliations but has independent tendencies.
HARVEY WALLS, who owns seventy- five acres of fine farm land in Sandy township, situated about one-half mile west of West Liberty, on the Clearfield and Jefferson county line, is known to his fellow citizens as a relia- ble man worthy in every way of their respect and esteem. He was born May 24, 1854, on his father's farm south of Luthersburg, Clear- field county, and is a son of James and Sarah (Moore) Walls, and a grandson of David Walls.
David Walls was a veteran of the War of 1812 and was one of the pioneers of Clearfield county, having come from the eastern part of
agricultural activities here ever since. He sold the timber from thirty acres of his farm, to his brother, George Walls. Buildings were standing on the place when Mr. Walls bought it but these he took down in 1908 and in place of the old house has built an elegant eight- room brick residence, which is one of the most substantial dwellings in this part of the county. He has made many improvements on the place and thereby has added considerably to its value. He is assisted by his brother, Jerry, and they both occupy the residence.
Mr. Walls has never taken any very active part in politics but has always been ready and willing to assist in the promotion of move-
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ments which his judgment convinces him are for the general welfare. He casts his vote with the Democratic party. He is a member of Red Fern Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
BLAIR STEVENS, who has business in- terests at different points in Clearfield county, Pa., is postmaster at Kerrmoor and proprie- tor of a general store here which is conducted under the style of Blair Stevens, merchant. He was born near Warrior's Mark, Hunting- don county, Pa., February 3, 1851, and is a son of Capt. Henry and Susanna (Beck) Ste- vens.
Capt. Henry Stevens, who was captain of Co. E, 45th Pa. Vol. Inf., in the Civil war, had been a veteran of the Mexican war and was widely known. Both he and wife died in Half Moon township, Center county, Pa. They were parents of eleven children.
Blair Stevens was educated in the public schools and at a select school in Center county, which was conducted under the supervision of the Society of Friends. Before he engaged to any extent in business in his native state, he traveled through the West and visited Kansas and Texas as well as other sections. He then followed farming in Center county for a time and then moved to Clearfield county and lo- cated at Bigler, where he became postmaster and conducted a store until lie came to Kerr- moor. Here he bought the Kerrmoor Supply Company and business was at first carried on under the name of F. P. Stevens & Bro., later as Watts & Company, when the present pro- prietor became sole owner and since then has operated under his own name. He is inter- ested also in the McCartney Supply Company, at McCartney, Pa. Mr. Stevens is a stock- holder in the Lumber City Telephone Com-
pany and the Ferguson Township and La Jose Telephone Company. In politics he is a Re- publican and has served as school director and for ten years was tax collector.
On August 24, 1882, Mr. Stevens was mar- ried to Miss Mary Waite, who was born in Center county, Pa., November 5, 1858, and is a daughter of Henry and Anna (Eyer) Waite. and they have two children, Lawrence and Anna. Lawrence Stevens is a resident of Wilkinsburg, Pa. He married Elsie Mc- Creery, a daughter of Robert McCreery, and they have one daughter, Mary Jane. Anna is a trained nurse and is connected with the Al- legheny General Hospital in North Pittsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are members of the Presbyterian church.
ASH BENNETT LEE, a general farmer and respected citizen of Bell township, was born September 24, 1866, on the old Lee homestead in Burnside township, and is a son of John and Elizabeth ( White) Lee, and a grandson of Isaac and Hannah (Fulton) Lee.
Isaac Lee was born in Center county, Pa .. and when young accompanied his parents, Ja- cob Lee and wife, to Clearfield county, where he grew to maturity and followed farming and lumbering. He was twice married: first to Hannah Fulton, a daughter of David and Mary Fulton, and of this marriage there were ten children, of which family there are but two now living: John and Jacob. The first wife died in 1845 and Mr. Lee was married second to Margaret (Young) Westover, widow of Abner Westover, and they had three sons: Isaac, James and Henry. Isaac Lee died in 1880, at the age of eighty-six years. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant church.
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John Lee, father of Ash B. Lee, was born on the Lee homestead above mentioned, No- vember 5, 1836. He assisted his father to clear off the timber and to cultivate the land when prepared for tillage and remained with his parents until his own marriage. His father gave him fifty acres of land on which he built his present residence and later he purchased all of the homestead which included a pro- ductive coal field. He commenced to mine coal at Lee Hollow, in 1870 and operated it until 1890, when he sold his interests to the company now operating it, and has since con- fined his activities to the lumber industry. He is one of the substantial citizens of Burnside township.
John Lee married Elizabeth White, who was born in Huntingdon county, Pa., Novem- ber 22, 1831, a daughter of William and Cath- erine ( Holman) White. The following chil- dren were born to them: Isaac Newton, who resides in Burnside township; John W., who resides at Bethlehem, Pa .; Ash Bennett; Wil- liam Walton, who lives at home; James Ham- ilton, who married Emma Lee; Edwin Hor- sey, who married Anna Stephens; Jesse Hall, who resides at home; Samuel White, who lives at Bethlehem, married Elsie Pennington; and Eva Jane, a twin sister of Samuel W., who is the wife of D. Johnson. The mother of the above family died in August, 1899.
Ash Bennett Lee was given the usual coun- try boy school advantages and made the most of his opportunities. Until his marriage he resided with his parents and did his share of work on the home farm, but in 1893 he moved to his present place called Old Bethlehem, near Mahaffey, and since then has been en- gaged in farming, teaming and coaling. . His many industrial interests have made him
widely known and he is respected both as a business man and as a citizen.
Mr. Lee was married in 1893 to Miss Ber- tha Hutton, a daughter of Edward and Sophia (Breth) Hutton, the former of whom was an carly settler in Burnside township. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have eight children: Ada, Clair, Ash, Nora, May, Pearl, Bessie and Wilbur. Mr. Lee was reared in the Methodist Protes- tant church. He is actively interested at all times in the success of the Democratic party.
HENRY OWENS, deceased, formerly one of the most highly respected residents of Fer- guson township, Clearfield county, Pa., for many years was a successful farmer and owned a well improved farm of 187 acres, situated one and one-half miles south of Lumber City. He was born in Ferguson township, March 15, 1847, and spent his long and useful life here, his death occurring April 26, 1910; his burial was at Lumber City.
Henry Owens attended what is known as the Friendship school, in Ferguson township, but in his boyhood few educational advan- tages were afforded in comparison with those which the children of the present day enjoy. He was naturally a man of excellent mind and good judgment and in middle life, when his fellow citizens at different times elected hin to township offices, he performed the duties of the same with uprightness and efficiency. He grew up on a farm and agriculture was his main occupation. He was a kind father and good neighbor and there are many who will remember him as a man of sterling worth to his community. In his earlier years he was a Democrat but later became identified with the Prohibition party.
Mr. Owens was married August 18, 1870,
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to Miss Elizabeth Moore, who was born in Ferguson township, February 18, 1846. Her parents were Joseph and Mary Moore. She died August 13, 1905, and her burial was at Lumber City. Both she and husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had six children born to them, as fol- lows : the first and second born, both sons, died in infancy ; Norman H., born July 7, 1875, re- sides at Clyde, in Westmoreland county, Pa .; Harry M .; Clarke E., born September 28, 1882; and Howard W., who was born De- cember 17, 1884, and died at the age of seven years.
Harry M. Owens, who has charge of the family estate, with power of attorney, was born on this farm October 14, 1877. He was married September 4, 1900, to Miss Stancia Caldwell, who was born in Ferguson town- ship, October 26, 1881, a daughter of James M. and Belle F. Caldwell, of Lumber City. They have two children, Mary Belle and Mar- garet Elizabeth.
SAMUEL A. EISENMAN, who is the pioneer merchant of the east side of DuBois, Pa., a busy section of one of the most pros- perous and rapidly developing towns of Clearfield county, has been located at his pres- ent place of business, on East DuBois avenue, since 1885. He was born on his father's farm in Clarion county, Pa., April 2, 1849, and is a son of Joseph H. and Catherine (Hopper) Eisenman.
Joseph H. Eisenman was born in Germany and was nine years old when his parents came to America. The father entered land in Clar- ion county, and became a farmer and also a distiller, living between Freyburg and Ship-
pensville, Clarion county. Joseph H. Eisen- man secured a farm near the one his father owned and spent his whole subsequent life in Clarion county. For twenty-two summers he burned charcoal for the Madison and Lucinda furnaces. His death occurred on February 8, 1877, when he was fifty-seven years of age and his burial was in Clarion county. He married Catherine Hopper, who was born in Center county, Pa., and died in 1886. Eight children were born to them, namely: John; Hiram; Mary Ann, who is the widow of Ben- jamin Hurley; and Samuel A., Ambrose, Amos, Josepli and James.
Samuel A. Eisenman spent his early years on the home farm and during this time at- tended a district school three miles distant for a part of each winter. He was only a boy when he began to earn money for himself by work- ing by the day for neighboring farmers, after that attending school again for a few months. He developed considerable business ability even then and secured his capital for entering into the mercantile line by shrewdly purchasing small tracts of timber, mainly in Elk county. In 1876 he embarked in the mercantile busi- ness at Elk City, Clarion county, which he con- tinued for one year and then sold out and be- came an oil and gas producer in Clarion county. Strangely enough he did not prosper in this line as he had in former undertakings and after five years of experience he gave up working in the oil fields and started all over again in the lumber and rafting business and continued until 1882, when he came to Du- Bois. For three years afterward he worked for John DuBois, in the latter's saw-mills, and then decided to re-enter the mercantile busi- ness, his long experience having taught him
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much of which he had been ignorant before. He bought the land on which his buiklings stand and cleared off the timber, erecting first a store building of 20 x 40 feet dimensions, in which he opened a general store and pros- pered from the first. As soon as his trade warranted it he put up his present three-story brick and stone block and occupies a store room 30 x 100 feet with his mercantile goods and resides in one of the comfortable apart- ments fitted up for family use, on the upper floor. Through careful attention and honest dealings he has developed a very large busi- ness and is now numbered with the substantial men of the place. In addition to his other en- terprise, Mr. Eisenman conducts a flour and feed business, is interested in real estate on the east side, has oil and gas interests in Clar- ion county and is a stockholder in the Deposit National Bank of DuBois, Pa.
On September 21. 1876, Mr. Eisenman was married to Miss Eliza Suffolk, a daugh- ter of the late James Suffolk, of Brookville, Pa., and they have two children: Edgar, who is a graduate of the DuBois High School and now a student in the University of Pennsyl- vania at Philadelphia ; and Samuel Alvin, his father's namesake. In politics, Mr. Eisenman is a Democrat and fraternally he is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge at DuBois. the Chapter at Brookville, the Consistory at Wil- liamsport and Jaffa Temple, Mystic Shrine, at Altoona. He is a member and liberal sup- porter of the Baptist church. During his long years of residence here he has given support to every movement designed to promote the general welfare and through example and pre- cept has materially aided in the advancement of the town along the best lines of develop- ment.
S. B. WELTY, who, for thirty years has filled the office of justice of the peace, in Un- ion township, Clearfield county, Pa., where he is a citizen of prominence and the owner of 580 acres of valuable land, was born in Brady township. Clearfield county, June 19. 1847. His parents were David and Hannah ( Best) Welty.
David Welty and wife were both born in Center county and both died in Union town- ship. Clearfield county, the former at the age of seventy-four years and nine months, and the latter when aged seventy-one years and seven months. They had the following chil- dren : William, David, John. Simon B .. James, Joseph, Mary Ann, Caroline, Harriet. Elizabeth, Sarah, and an infant daughter that died. David Welty was a farmer and hun- berman and acquired much property through industry and good management. He was one of the liberal supporters of the Lutheran church. His political convictions made him a Democrat.
With his brothers and sisters Simon B. Welty attended the Rockton school in his boy- hood and afterward gave his father assistance. the latter having moved into Union township when Simon B. was a youth. The father owned a saw-mill and for a number of years the sons of the family worked there. Mr. Welty's land extends to the borough line of Rockton and farming, stock raising and lun- bering are all important activities on the place.
Mr. Welty was married in 1877, to Miss Mary E. Brisbin, a practical school teacher. who was born at Troutville, Brady township. Clearfield county. December 17, 1845, and was educated at Luthersburg and Curwensville. She is a daughter of William H. and Sarah .1. (Peoples) Brisbin, who were natives of
HON. CYRUS GORDON
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Center county. Five children were born to ter county. Before leaving Ireland he was Mr. and Mrs. Welty, namely: Sadie E., Ev- married to Elizabeth Leslie. erett S., John B., Lillie I. J., and Frank D. Two of these, Sadie E. and Lillie I. J., are now deceased. Mr. Welty and family are members of the Lutheran church. Politically Mr. Welty is a Democrat and a very influen- tial member of his party. He has served in numerous public offices, has been jury commis- sioner and foreman of the grand jury in Clear- field county, has been school director and has been elected to almost every other township office, while for thirty years he has not only been a justice of the peace but also township clerk. He is a stockholder in the S. U. B. Telephone Company of Union township. His membership in Susquehanna Grange has been of long standing and he belongs also to the P. O. S. of A., and the Knights of Pythias.
HON. CYRUS GORDON, senior member of the prominent law firm of Gordon and Boulton, at Clearfield, Pa., has been an lion- ored resident of this city for forty years. He is a leading member of the bar and for a num- ber of years was president judge of Clearfield county. He is a representative of one of the old pioneer families of Pennsylvania, of Irish extraction, and was born on the old family homestead at Hecla Park, Center county. Pa., December 1, 1846. His parents were James and May (Steel) Gordon. and his grandfather was Robert Gordon.
Robert Gordon was born in county Ar- magh, Ireland. He came to America in 1788 and in the following year located in Center county, Pa., acquiring land in the rich Nit- tany Valley, where, as a farmer, he passed the remainder of his life. He had five children, two of them being born after he reached Cen-
James Gordon, father of Judge Gordon, was born in Center county December 17, 1799. Farming was his occupation. He is recalled as a man possessing many sterling traits of character and which tended to make him an influential citizen in his section. His death took place December 17, 1868. He married a daughter of Robert and Rebecca (Dunlop) Steel, the latter being a daughter of James Dunlop, a colonel in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Gordon was born in' 1825, at Bellefonte, Pa., and died July 20, 1895. To the above marriage ten children were born. One son, Robert, who was a soldier in the Civil war, died in 1863 at a hospital in Murfreesboro, Tenn. All others of the family are deceased, except I. N. Gordon, who is connected with the Standard Oil Company of New York as manager of the West India Oil Company, and Cyrus, subject of this sketch, who has re- mained a Pennsylvanian, not only by birth, but also by preference and since 1870 has lived at Clearfield.
Cyrus Gordon was afforded better educa- tional opportunities than were many young men of his time, and in 1866. after several years of study there was graduated from the Pennsylvania State College, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He was a trustee of the college. as a representative of the alumni for a great many years. After hi's graduation from the Pennsylvania State College he en- tered the University of Michigan and in 1869 was graduated from the law department of that institution with the degree of LL. B. He then came to Clearfield and this borough has been his home ever since. There has been lit- tle important litigation in the courts of the
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