USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 86
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Abraham Thorp Schryver was born in Osage county, N. Y., where he both attended and taught school. Later he moved to Westmore- land county, Pa., and there studied medicine with Dr. John P. Hoyt and became a medi- cal practitioner. During the entire subse- quent period of life, while interested in many other directions, he kept up a desultory prac- tice and enjoyed public confidence. He was a man of inquiring and acquiring mind, not be- ing content with mastering one profession, he enthusiastically investigated and studied oth- ers. When the old Clearfield Academy was first built, he was one of the earliest teachers and it was Abraham Thorp Schryver who was responsible for the addition of geography and
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grammar to the public school curriculum in and kept on teaching, in Beccaria township, Clearfield county. He was also an advanced mathematician and published a complete arith- metic when he was seventy-eight years of age. After his second marriage he moved to Becca- ria Mill, Clearfield county, and in 1854 he was elected county superintendent of schools, with a salary of $300 per year. After this election he settled on the farm on which his son Wil- liam T. resides and lived here during the re- maining years of his life. After his first mar- riage he lived in East Freedom, Blair county, where he practiced medicine and remained there until the death of his first wife. In his earlier years he was a Whig but accepted the principles of the Republican party as his own when that organization came into being. With other leading men of his time, he was a Free Mason. In his religious views he was a Bap- tist.
Abraham Thorp Schryver was married first to Rebecca Wells and subsequently to her sis- ter, Clara Wells. They were daughters of John Wells, who was a justice of the peace in Beccaria township. It was said of Rebecca Wells that she was the sweetest singer in Clearfield county. Mrs. Schryver's two chil- dren, William and John, were born to his first union. John died at the age of sixty-four years and was buried by the side of his parents in the Clearfield cemetery. For years he had been bookeeper for a hardware firm at Clear- field.
Gordon township, Locust Ridge, in Pike town- ship, four terms in Lawrence township and a term at Lumber City, where he had seventy- eight pupils. He continued to teach, having a school at Penfield, in Huston township, one term in Union township and at the Williams School now in Beccaria township, aggregating eleven winters of teaching, while he had also conducted subscription schools for several terms. In early days the father of Mr. Schryver, with his other interests, owned some 400 acres of timber which it was his pur- pose to cut and raft down the river. He was unfortunate in his early ventures in this direc- tion and finally abandoned this enterprise. His sons learned rafting and in his early man- hood, William T. was very skillful and dex- terous in this line of work. The New York Central Railroad and Big Clearfield Creek both run through the center of the farm and in old days this was a famous stopping place for raftsmen. The farm is a very productive one and in the present season (1910). Mr. Schryver has prospects of a record crop of corn. The farm-house was erected by Mr. Schryver's father, a commodious carefully constructed dwelling. In its building double two-inch pine planks were used, for which Mr. Schryver paid $4 per thousand feet. With such excellent accommodations, William T. Schryver has found it profitable to open his residence for summer boarders, entertaining guests from June to September. They come year after year from long distances and he has made it possible to seat forty-eight guests at one dinner table, that number being on hand sometimes at the week end gatherings. It may be mentioned that Mr. Schryver has in
William T. Schryver attended school at East Freedom, in Blair county, taught by his father and later continued his studies in Clear- field county, but when fifteen years of age se- cured the position of teacher of the Plank school, for himself. He found himself well qualified as a teacher and enjoyed the work large measure inherited much of his late father's
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desire for knowledge and with his other field county. His parents were Peter and Su- acquirements, is master of the printer's trade. san (Klugh) Arnold.
In 1862 Mr. Schryver was married to Miss Margaret P. Tyler, a daughter of David Ty- ler, Esq. The father of Mrs. Schryver, with John Du Bois, was the first man to build slides for rafting on the river. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Schryver: Emma, who is highly accomplished and is a teacher of mu- sic; and John, who is a skilled hard wood worker. Both reside at home. A severe do- mestic affliction fell on the family in the death of the beloved wife and mother, which oc- curred at the age of sixty-one years, from paralysis. She was a lady of so many endear- ing qualities and lovable disposition that she was sincerely mourned in the community. For years she had been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Later, Mr. Schryver was married to the estimable lady now his wife, formerly Miss Arabella P. Ir- win, a daughter of Lewis Irwin, of Lawrence township. Mr. and Mrs. Schryver are men- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he united when fourteen years of age and to which he has regularly dedicated a part of his income. Mr. Schryver is a member of the Rural Telephone Company of Lawrence township, of which his son, John Schryver, is president.
The Arnold family in America can claim many distinguished members and successful men of affairs. Its history, as far as the pres- ent branch is concerned, begins with an Eng- lishi colonist who reached New England in 1594. His death is recorded at Hartford, Conn., in 1664. One of his descendants was George Arnold, who was the grandfather of the late Samuel Arnold, and whether he was born in York county, Pa., in 1768, may not have been altogether proved, but it is certain that he died there, in 1827.
Peter Arnold, son of George and father of the late Samuel Arnold, was one of many chil- dren born to his parents, who then lived in York county and there he remained until 1837, when he came to Clearfield county. Here he acquired lands, flocks and herds and in the in- creasing and managing of these, passed the re- mainder of his life. He married Susan Klugh, who was born in Lancaster county, Pa. Her father was a native of Germany and came to the American colonies in time to serve for seven years as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. To Peter Arnold and wife were born eight children, five sons and three daughters, namely: George, Samuel, Frederick, Ma- nassa, Joseph R., Anna, Maria and Clarissa. It is worthy of notice that all these five sons developed into men of integrity of character and of more than usual business capacity.
SAMUEL ARNOLD, deceased, who had filled a large place in the business life of Clearfield county for many years and had been Samuel Arnold was fifteen years of age when his parents moved to Clearfield county and he remained under the home roof and con- tintied to help his father until he was twenty- two years of age. He then left home for the first time, going to Illinois, which then was a identified closely with the development of her resources, was not a native of this county but spent the greater part of his life within its lines. Samuel Arnold was born in York county, Pa., February II, 1822, and died May 31, 1899, at his home in Curwensville, Clear- far western state. There he accepted farm
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work, learned different if not better methods, and met with many new experiences. At length, satisfied with his glimpse of life be- yond his native hills, he returned to Clearfield county. He had a district school education and then taught school and engaged in agri- cultural operations until 1846, when he em- barked in the mercantile business at Luthers- burg, Pa., where he remained until 1865. In that year he transferred his business to Cur- wensville, deeming it a better commercial point. Until the close of his long and honora- ble business life, Mr. Arnold continued to be identified with Curwensville and many of the enterprises of this town were founded and fos- · tered by his encouragement and financial as- sistance.
Mr. Arnold was one of the organizers of the First National Bank and served as its cashier for thirteen years. He continued his mercan- tile business, enlarging its scope until his be- came the leading general mercantile establish- ment in this section. He also had the foresight to invest in many acres of land covered with timber that was valuable then and in later years became doubly so, and in land containing coal and stone deposits which made mining and quarrying profitable industries, and to his other enterprises he added saw-milling and the handling of lumber on a large scale.
example to other capitalists by erecting com- modious business blocks and other structures and by so improving his residence and other properties that they added to the attractive- ness of the place in which he had chosen to make his home.
Mr. Arnold was married July 11. 1847, to Miss Mary A. Carlisle, who was born at Pal- inyra, Lebanon county, Pa., January 30, 1825, and died at Curwensville, Pa., January 9, 1911. Her father, John Carlisle, came to Clearfield county with his family in 1832. He was a man of sterling character and left an impress on his community was frequently elected to responsible offices, and served long as a justice of the peace and as a county commissioner. Subsequently he became a general merchant at Troutville, Pa., where he died in honored old age, in 1886. Mrs. Arnold was the first born in his family of ten children, four sons and six daughters.
To Samuel Arnold and wife the following children were born: N. E., William C., Frank L .. Samuel P., John, Fannie, Cora and Effie. N. E. Arnold is a resident of Lewisburg, Pa. William C., who is now deceased, was a prom- inent attorney at Du Bois, Pa., and a well known man in public life, having twice been elected to the United States Congress. Frank L. is a resident of Curwensville. Samuel P., who is serving in his second term as postmas- ter at Curwensville, is engaged in the lumber business here. John died when aged eight years. Fannie is the wife of William C. Hembold, who is the senior member of the well known insurance agency of Hembold & Stew- art. a representative business firm of Cur- wensville. Cora is the wife of Roland D. Swoope, who is a very prominent attorney at
The benefit accruing to a community through the enterprise and good judgment of man like the late Samuel Arnold, can a scarcely be adequately computed, including as it does, the opening up of new avenues of in- come to hundreds, and the distribution of their earnings into other channels. While Mr. Arn- old was thus interested in different parts of the county, he was particularly concerned in the development of Curwensville. He set an Curwensville. Effie is the wife of A. Z. Wolf.
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who is one of Curwensville's leading mer- chants.
The late Samuel Arnold was a Republican in his political views and he gave hearty sup- port in promulgating its principles. He never desired public office for himself, however, when called on, in any emergency he was ready to perform every duty that thoroughly honest citizenship demanded. In his church rela- tions he was a member and liberal but unos- tentatious supporter of the Methodist Episco- pal body having connected himself with that church during his residence at Luthersburg. · In large measure Samuel Arnold was a self- made man in the true sense of the word. His success in business was a just tribute to his faithfulness, industry, perseverance and integ- rity. He belonged to that old-time class of men to whom honesty in business was their stepping-stone and who enjoyed its substan- tial results because they had been legitimately earned. In his personal attitude to family, friends, and to his army of employes, he was noted for the kindness, charity and sympathy which made him beloved and respected by all.
JOSEPH J. BORST,* one of Lawrence township's respected and substantial citizens, township supervisor and a veteran of the Civil war, resides on his valuable farm of 117 acres, which lies seven miles south of Clearfield, Pa. He was born in Germany, March 19, 1838, and is a son of John and Mary Borst.
In 1846 John Borst brought his wife and seven children to America and settled near St. Mary's, in Clearfield county, Pa. He moved from there into Lawrence township and then to Pike township, where the father operated a saw-mill for several years. He died on the Holden farm and afterward the mother and
her six sons and one daughter, moved to the Robert Mitchell farm and lived there as ten- ants for nineteen years. The family then moved to the Hugh Dougherty farm, where the mother died.
Joseph J. Borst is one of the three survivors of his parents' family of children. He at- tended school in Pike and in Lawrence town- ships and thus learned the English language and also speaks the German language. He then went to work as a lumberman in the woods and became a brave and adept rafter and it is still told of him how he took a mighty raft down the river with the help of only two men where six were usually required. He left the woods in order to enlist for service in the Civil war, in May, 1861, entering the army in Captain Lorrain's company recruited at Clearfield, and after serving through his first enlistment, re-entered the service and thus has two honorable discharge papers, the last one bearing the date of August 25, 1865. He then returned to Lawrence township and resumed lumbering. After his marriage, in 1868, he bought his present farm from William W. and O. Kline, which was formerly known as the Rowles farm. He has cleared about forty acres and has twenty-five in valuable timber and devotes the rest to pasturage. He carries on general farming and stock raising, being assisted by his sons who remain at home and are industrious, capable young men.
Mr. Borst married Miss Fannie McLaugh- lin, a daughter of John and Margie (Dough- erty) Mclaughlin, and the following children have been born to them: William, who lives in Lawrence township, married Emma Mc- Kee; Charles, who lives at home; Albert, who lives on a farm in Lawrence township, mar- ried Lona McCaughey; John, who lives at
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home: and Paul, Peter, Mary and Carrie, all of whom live under the home roof. Mr. Borst and family are members of the Roman Catho- lic church at Clearfield. Mr. Borst classes himself as an Independent Republican. He is a man of standing in his neighborhood and has served acceptably in public office.
MRS. ELLA MOUNTZ, postmistress at Morann, Clearfield county, Pa., where for the past eighteen years she has also conducted a general store, is associated with her husband, L. J. Mountz, in coal operating, having six mines in Clearfield county and one in Butler county. Mrs. Mountz was born at Sharon, Pa., and is a daughter of H. B. and Elizabeth ( Keefe) Dore, and a granddaughter of Abel Dore. She was the third born in a family of five children, the others being: Joseph; Al- freda, now deceased, who was the wife of Chadwick Stanley; Henry; and Elizabeth, who is the wife of George W. Ballard.
Mrs. Mountz attended school at Sharon and also in Clearfield county, to which she came in 1879. In 1885 she was married to L. J. Mountz, who was one of a family of eleven children born to his parents, John and Isabel (Amey) Mountz, residents of Vail, Blair county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Mountz have one daughter, Viola, a very talented young lady, who is a graduate of the Emerson Col- lege of Oratory, at Boston, Mass.
Mrs. Mountz is widely known and is much admired for her business capacity. She en- joys the confidence of the public to a remark- able extent and has done a large amount of business in the line of merchandising and for eighteen years has also held her Government office. Mr. Mountz is identified with the Democratic party. He belongs to the Odd
Fellows at Houtzdale and to the Elks at Ty- rone.
C. H. HESS,* who is engaged in general farming on a tract of 225 acres, located about two and a half-miles northeast of Woodland, Pa., is one of the largest land owners in Brad- ford township. He was born in 1882 at Phil- ipsburg, Center county, Pa., a son of Charles and Catherine Hess, both of whom are still living. The father is a native of Center county, Pa., and a farmer by occupation.
C. H. Hess grew to maturity on the farm in Center county, Pa., and has always fol- lowed farming and stock raising in a general way. He bought and located on his present farm of 225 acres in 1906 and has greatly im- proved it during the four years of his owner- ship, having brought it to its present standing.
Mr. Hess was married in 1906 to Jessie Blowers of Center county, Pa., and they have one son, Loye. Mr. Hess is a member of Grange No. 358 of Bradford township, and is one of the representative and progressive agriculturists of the township.
JAMES E. SOULSBY,* a well known agriculturist of Knox township, Clearfield county, Pa., residing on his valuable farm of seventy-six acres, situated two miles cast of Olanta, was born on this farm, February 25. 1861, and is a son of James and Sarah (Bau- man) Soulsby.
James Soulsby was born at Altoona, Pa., was educated in the public schools and then went to work on the railroad and became a pas- senger conductor on the Pennsylvania line be- tween Altoona and Pittsburg. While in the performance of duty he was taken ill sud- denly and was placed in a hospital in Pittsburg
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MRS. ELLA MOUNTZ
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and died there when aged but twenty-eight years. His burial was in Fairmount ceme- tery, Pittsburg. He married Sarah Bauman, a daughter of Daniel Bauman, of Juniata county, and they had one son, James E. Some years later Mrs. Soulsby married E. P. Trout, of Schuylkill county, who was a veteran of the Civil war. Five children were born to this union, the one survivor being a son, Alonzo Trout, who married Edith Richards, a daugh- ter of H. Richards. Mr. and Mrs. Trout live at Juniata, Westmoreland county, the mother of Mr. Soulsby being a member of the family. She belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
James E. Soulsby obtained his education in the Pleasant Ridge and Turkey Hill schools and later he went to work as a farmer and as lumberman. Following his marriage he a
bought twenty-five acres of land in Knox town- ship and after selling that place purchased his present farin of seventy-six acres, a part of the old family homestead. About fifty acres of his land is under cultivation, four acres hav- ing been cleared by himself. Mr. Soulsby had the misfortune to lose all his buildings and their contents by fire and the substantial struc- tures now standing were all put up by himself at considerable expense. He carries on gen- eral farming and raises stock for his own use.
On June 7, 1879, Mr. Soulsby was married to Miss Flora Rowles, a daughter of Price A. and Sarah Ann ( Rowles) Rowles. The father of Mrs. Soulsby was born in Clearfield county and spent his life here, owning a farm of 100 acres, on which his death occurred in 1902, at the age of sixty-eight years. He married Sa- rah Ann Rowles, a daughter of Richard Rowles, of Woodward township, Clearfield county, and they had eleven children, Mrs.
Soulsby being the second in order of birth. The mother of Mrs. Soulsby resides in a handsome residence on the corner of Barklay and Han- nah streets, West Clearfield. In politics, the late Price A. Rowles was a Democrat and for fifteen years was a justice of the peace in Knox township. He was a leading member of the Lutheran church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Soulsby the following children were born: Matilda, who married Frank Soulsby, of Cambria county, resides at Bakertown, Pa .; Harry, who married Myrtle Coates, a daughter of John Coates, has three children-Albert, Della and Mary; Frank, who married Verna Bauman, a daughter of Stacy Bauman, resides at Clearfield; Julia, who is the wife of Stanley Taylor, of Akron, O .; Bert, who assists his father; McClelland, who lives at Akron; Cora, George and Maude, all of whom are attending school; and Elva May, who died when seven months old. Mr. and Mrs. Soulsby attend Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is nominally a Democrat but casts his vote independently. Both he and wife are interested members of the Grange and the P. O. S. of A., Mrs. Soulsby being ex-ruler of the latter lodge at Olanta. They are representative people of Knox township.
JOHN CLARK MAHAFFEY, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Cherry Tree, Pa., was born at Glen Hope, Clearfield county, September 18, 1877, a son of William T. and Julia J. (Patchin) Mahaffey. His grandparents on the paternal side were John and Ella (Byers) Mahaffey, who resided in the first half of the nineteenth century on the old family homestead near Cherry Tree.
Mr. Mahaffey's grandparents on the mater-
,
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nal side were Col. Clark and Hetty G. then engaged for five years as auditor for the Patchin. Col. Clark Patchin was noted in this Pennsylvania Railroad on the C. & C. Divis- section as a military officer in the Civil war, having been appointed two terms as brigadier- general under Gov. Curtin, of Pennsylvania. He was a fine specimen of military physique. He was organizer of almost all companies en- listing in the counties of Indiana, Clearfield and Cambria.
William Tuttle Mahaffey, father of the sub- ject of this sketch, is one of the best known men in this part of Clearfield county. Born in 1848, his first occupation was teaching school, but he subsequently became associated with his father in the lumber business, and also con- ducted a general store for a short time at Cherry Tree. About 1878 he bought out an old manufacturing business and engaged in the manufacture of farm, lumber and saw-mill machinery, continuing in this business for twenty-one years. He then sold out and for some six years following was largely interes- ted in the lumber business, being very success- ful. He finally retired and is now a resident of Cherry Tree. He was one of the founders of the First National Bank of this place, in which his son is now assistant cashier; was also a founder and president of the Cherry Tree Electric Light Company, and a founder and director of the Cherry Tree Water Com- pany. He was twice married : first to Julia Jane, daughter of Col. Clark and Hetty (Gra- ham) Patchin, of which union there were six children, including our subject ; and secondly, in 1902 (his first wife having died in 1894) to Sarah Edmonson, who is still living.
John Clark Mahaffey, after completing the usual school studies at the age of sixteen, en- tered upon a commercial course at the state normal school, graduating in 1900. He was
ion. On January 3, 1903, he entered upon his present position as assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Cherry Tree, of which, as already stated, his father was one of the founders, being still a director. Our subject is also interested in the coal and lumber busi- ness. He is a Republican in politics and is now serving as treasurer of the school board. He is also a director in the Cherry Tree Water Company. He is a member of the Methodist Protestant church of Cherry Tree, and has al- ways been connected with the Christian Ende- avor Society, having been president for a number of years. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. An en- ergetic, capable business man, he bids fair to prove a worthy successor to his father in ad- vancing the moral and material interests of the town and its vicinity.
Mr. Mahaffey was married June 17, 1908, to Mary Elinor Beyer, who was born at Punx- sutawney, Pa., June 14, 1883, a daughter of Dr. William F. and Margaret Ann Beyer. Dr. William F. Beyer is one of the oldest physi- cians in Punxsutawney. He is also interested in lumber and coal. He is president of the Punxsutawney Light Company, a stockholder in the First National Bank and a very influen- tial business man, outside his practice of med- icine. Mrs. Margaret Ann Beyer, mother of Mrs. J. C. Mahaffey and wife of Dr. William F. Beyer, was a woman of high character, and a very ardent church worker, being president and treasurer of several societies in the M. E. church of Punxsutawney. Her father, Ralston Mitchell, was a soldier in the Civil war and died in Libby prison.
Mrs. Mahaffey is a graduate of the Punxsu-
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tawney high school, and later of Shelton Hill School, Philadelphia, and was a student at Meadville College, in which latter institution she spent two years. She is an active member of the Presbyterian church, belonging to the Ladies' Aid Society and also to the Mission Society.
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