USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 89
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The Spackman family originated in Hank- ertown, England, and after locating in this country settled in Chester county, Pa., from whence it moved to Center County and event- ually to Clearfield County. Benjamin and Hannah Spackman, the paternal grandparents of Dr. James P. Spackman, were for a time residents of Bellfonte, and from that place they removed to Clearfield County where both spent the remainder of their lives. Dr. R. V. Spackman, the father of Dr. James P., was
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born in Bellefonte, Pa., March 30, 1838, and was a mere youth when the family removed to Clearfield County. In company with Dr. Read of Osceola Mills, he read medicine under Dr. R. V. Wilson of Clearfield, and entered Jefferson Medical College in 1864. AAfter a short course there he began the practice of his profession, but deeming a little more study necessary he re-entered the college and was graduated with the class of 1868. Locating in Luthersburg, he was in active practice there for twenty-five years. He then changed his field of endeavor to Reynoldsville for about three years, then went to DnBois, where he contin- ued in his profession until his death, which occurred March 20, 1906. Dr. Spackman was married to Frances Alexander, who was a daughter of James and Phoebe Alexander, the former a sadler by trade and an early settler of Clearfield County, where he died. Mrs. Spack- man died June 2, 1895, having been the mother of three children : James Paul; Olive, who died at the age of eight years, and a child who died in infancy.
James Paul Spackman attended the public schools of Luthersburg and the Clarion State Normal school of Clarion, Pa., later becoming a student of Allegheney College at Meadville, Crawford County. He entered Jefferson Med- ical College and was graduated with the class of 1896, after which he practiced for two years at DuBois with his father. He located in Peale in November, 1898 as contract physician for the Clearfield Bituminous Coal Company, and here he has remained to the present time. A close student, kind-hearted advisor and steady-handed surgeon, Dr. Spackman has built up a large and lucrative practice which extends to Grass Flat and Winburne and the surround- ing country, and his friends are legion.
Dr. Spackman was first married in January, 1896, to Miss Helen Wheeler, of Union City, Pa., daughter of James Wheeler, and to this union there was born one son. Francis Wheeler. Mrs. Spackman died September 2, 1902, and on June 8, 1904, Dr. Spackman was married sec- ondly to Mrs. Edith ( Miller) Sherrard, daugh- ter of W. H. and Margaret ( Stewart) Miller. To this union there has been born one son, James Miller. Like his father, Dr. Spackman is a Republican in politics and a Presbeterian in his religions views. He is a member of Du- Bois Lodge, F. & A. M., Williamsport Con- sistory and Jaffa Temple of the Mystic Shrine of Altoona. He is professionally connected with the county and State medical societies and is one of the surgeons on the Pennsylvania Division of the New York Central Railroad. In addition to a horse and buggy, Dr. Spack- man makes use of a large forty horse-power, seven-seated touring car, which he finds valt- able when making urgent calls.
HON. HENRY RIBLING, formerly bur- gess of Houtzdale, Pa., where he has resided for forty-one years and for thirty-five of these has been in the undertaking business, is one of the leading and substantial men of this bor- ough. He was born in Germany, January 24, 1840, and is a son of Harvey Ribling, who was born and died in Germany and was a sol- dier under the great Napoleon.
In 1854, when but fourteen years of age, Henry Ribling came to America and found his way to Pittsburg, where he learned fresco painting. In 1859 when the old Clearfield County Court House was erected, he was brought to this section to decorate it and he subsequently decorated the new court house and at one time had eighteen men at work un-
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der his supervision. While he maintained his home at Clearfield he filled contracts at Houtz- dale, Harrisburg, and even as far as Gettys- burg, churches, opera houses and all kinds of important buildings being beautified by his skill. He has long since given up work of that kind, his last contract being the redecorat- ing of the court house at Clearfield, but his reputation was so wide spread that even yet he frequently receives letters asking for his bid on particular decorative work. Mr. Ribling later embarked in the undertaking business to- gether with dealing in furniture and still con- tinues the latter line. He has had much to do with the substantial development of Houtz- dale, owns property in the borough and so en- joys the respect and esteem of his fellow citi- zens that almost any office is within his reach but he has accepted none since he served out his term as burgess.
Mr. Ribling was married December 1, 1861, to Miss Susanna Harmick, then of Luthers- burg, Pa., a native of Germany, a daughter of Daniel Harmick, who had settled in the above borough. To Mr. and Mrs. Ribling, a family of thirteen children was born, namely: Eliza- beth, Louise, George H., Daniel, Flora, Ma- tilda, Alice, Mary Susie, Harvey Eckert, Nora, Carrie and Harry Victor. Elizabeth married R. A. Strayer and they live at Wilkinsburg, Pa. They have four children: Mary, who married J. H. Hoffman and they have a daughter, Elizabeth; Madeline, who married Frank McPherson, and they have a daughter. Madeline Elizabeth; Margaret, who married Paul Jones, and they have two children : Madeline and Margaret Elizabeth ; and Frank. Louise, the second daughter, married Chauncy Saupp, of Houtzdale, and they have the following children: James, who has three
sons, Charles, Kenneth and an infant; Frank, who has one son, Frank, Jr .; and Blanche, Charles, Catherine, Chauncy and Susan, the two last named dying young. George H. Rib- ling, the eldest son, resides at Winber, in Somerset county. He married Annie Thomas, and they have eight children: Charles, John. Ray, Gladys, Rachel, Susie, George and Harry. Daniel, who now resides at home, married Emma Freeman, who is now de- ceased. Flora was married first to John Gil- len and they have had three children : Mamie, Agatha and Jolin. Her second marriage was with Warren E. Passmore and they live in Bradford county. The next five children all died young, Matilda reaching three years ; Alice being eleven years; Mary, being seven years, and Susie dying when three years old, while Harvey Eckert lived but one year. Nora became the wife of Joseph Cassidy, of Jer- sey City, N. J., and they have three children : Joseph, Marie and Margaret. Carrie married Fred Clark, of Freedom, Pa., and they have two children: Donald and Frederick Bentley. Harry Victor, the youngest of the family still lives with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Ribling have eight living children, twenty-six grand- children and eight great-grandchildren. When family reunions take place it is a happy occa- sion for these descendants are, indeed, people to be proud of. Family affection is very strong between them and they all unite in showing re- spect and regard for the heads of the family who, in every way, are worthy of it. Mr. Ribling is one of the oldest Odd Fellows at Houtzdale and is a charter member of this lodge.
C. CYRENIUS HOWE, a well known and respected citizen of Cooper township, where
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he holds the office of justice of the peace, was born in Philipsburg, Pa., June 1, 1860, a son of Robert and Julia ( Phillips ) Howe. His great-grandfather was William Phillips, one of the family for whom Philipsburg was named. The latter was born in Herfordshire, England, and was there married to Eleanor Jones. They came to Philipsburg in 1820. Jesse Howe removed to Philipsburg in 1844, and died at that place.
Robert Howe was twenty-one years of age when he accompanied his parents to Philips- burg. He was a millwright by occupation and followed that trade in Philipsburg and vicin- ity until his death, which took place in 1876. He was a Democrat in politics and both he and his wife were members of the Episcopal church. His wife also died in Philipsburg in 1910, at the age of eighty-three years. Their children were six in number, as follows : Electa, now deceased, as the wife of Charles Leavy of Allport, Clearfield county. Law- rence M., who died in February, 1911, was a carpenter. Ile married Emma Beck, of War- rior's Mark, Pa. His wife and two sons are also now deceased. Eleanor is the wife of Dr. G. W. Emigh, of Philipsburg. Linda W. is the wife of George R. Harris of Parksburg, Chester county, Pa. C. Cyrenius is the direct subject of this sketch. Ira B., who resides in Claiburne county, married Miss Carrie Potter, formerly of Altoona, Pa., but who now re- sides in Alabama, being engaged in railroad work.
the drug business in Kylertown, in which oc- cupation he continued for seven years. In 1902 he was elected county clerk, in which capacity he served one term. He then asso- ciated himself with George E. Owens in the purchase of the Clearfield Republican, but after conducting it together for a short time Mr. Howe disposed of his interest to John F. Short. Returning then to Kylertown, he ac- cepted a position with the Pennsylvania Coal and Coke Company, as electrical machinist, and this position he has held for the past seven years. During the last two years of this time he has resided at Winburne. He is a charter member of Forest City Lodge, No. 176. Ky- lertown, I. O. O. F. In politics a Democrat, he was elected in November, 1908, justice of the peace for Cooper township, assuming the duties of the office in May, 1909. Mr. Howe was also the first steward of the County Home, which he furnished and equipped, receiving the first inmates. He has been prominent in local politics and received the largest vote that was ever cast for a Democratic candidate for representative.
Mr. Howe married Miss Alice Stewart, a daughter of James L. Stewart, on July 1, 1885. The maiden name of her mother was Elizabeth Kyler. Of this union there have been born four children, of whom three are now living, namely: Elva E., wife of Hughey Green of Philipsburg, who is the mother of one son, Roland Stewart Green. (Mr. Green is mine foreman for the Madera Hill Co.); Grover S., who died in infancy ; Orvis V., unmarried and residing with his parents, who is an employee of Peale, Peacock & Kerr, coal operators; and Ruth Rea, resid-
C. Cyrenius Howe attended the common and high schools of Philipsburg, Pa., until the age of twenty-one years, and after graduating from the high school took a special course. He learned the trade of plasterer, but engaged in ing at home. Mrs. Howe died June 2, 1905.
MILES WALL
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MILES WALL, one of the representative July 16, 1885, and her burial was in the men of Curwensville, Pa., who has long been Friends' cemetery, where her husband was later laid by her side. They were members of the Friends' church at Grampian Hills. identified with large business interests here and is prominent in the public affairs of the borough, perhaps is still more widely known as a Faith healer, a name that justly typifies the useful activity in which he has been inter- ested for sonie time. Mr. Wall was born at Grampian Hill, Clearfield county, Pa., Jan- uary 10, 1848, and is a son of Reuben and Sidney (Wall) Wall.
Reuben Wall was born October 17, 1811, in Center county, Pa., a son of David and Elizabeth Wall. David Wall secured 160 acres of wild land near Grampian Hills which he cleared with the help of his sons. Reuben Wall attended one of the primitive school houses of the time, which was made of poles. with rough seats inside and with greased pa- per in place of glass at the windows. It was situated near Moore's Run. He often told of the pranks he assisted his school mates to play on the Irish teacher, none of them being in- spired by any ill will but merely the result of overflowing boyish spirits. There were few relaxations in those days for the youths, compared to the present time, for the hardest kind of work awaited almost all as soon as their years and strength permitted. His life was spent as a farmer and his death occurred in February, 1892. He married Sidney Wall. in 1842, who was born in York county, Pa., July 19, 1813. Her parents were Jonathan and Jane Wall, natives also of York county. Three children were born to Reuben and Sid- ney Wall, namely: an infant that died at birth: Alice, who married S. L. Kester, and resides on the old homestead on which Grand- father Wall first settled; and Miles, of Cur- wensville. The mother of these children died
Miles Wall obtained his education in the district schools of Penn township, Clearfield county, in boyhood walking two miles to at- tend. Later he assisted his father in carrying on the farm until 1882, when he moved to Curwensville and embarked in the agricultural implement and fertilizer sale business and still later became interested in a planing-mill and general job works and so continued until the spring of 1910, when he retired, after a suc- cessful business career. This by no means in- dicates, however, that Mr. Wall is not one of the busiest men in Clearfield county. He was reared in the Society of Friends and has al- ways been a member of this quiet, peaceful re- ligious body, one that has produced men of mighty power in spiritual matters. In 1900 Mr. Wall began to realize that he possessed a spiritual gift that enabled him to lead many of his fellow beings out of what seemed to them the darkest depths of disease and pain. The realization of this gift must have been as a wonderful revelation. Mr. Wall has not hidden his light under a bushel but has de- voted himself to helping those who come to him for healing and it is estimated that he now is called on to treat an average of 500 eases monthly. People come from points 100 miles distant and it is not recorded that any patient has ever gone away unhelped both physically and mentally. Mr. Wall modestly denominates himself a Faith Healer. He charges very moderately those who can afford to pay but treats the poor without money and without price and more than that, never per- mits inclement weather to prevent his attend-
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ing a patient who solicits his help. He has not placed himself at the head of any cult al- though his remarkable success indicates that some ·mighty force is at work that might de- velop into a vigorous religious movement.
Mr. Wall was married on October 20, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth Cleaver, a daughter of Charles and Mary Cleaver, and they have had seven children, namely: Dillwyn P., who is deputy postmaster at Curwensville, married Bessie Wright, of Pike township; Mary, who is the wife of W. A. Thompson, of Curwens- ville: Charles M., who lives at Curwensville, married Grace, a daughter of Vincent and Alice Spencer; Vernon S., who is superin- tendent of the electric light plant at Curwens- ville, married Mae Sharp, of Pittsburg; Wil- bur L., who resides at home; and two infants, who died early. Mr. Wall is a member of the Royal Arcanum, a beneficiary society. In pol- itics he is a Republican and for five years has been a member of the borough council, of which he has been president for two years.
PATRICK GALLAGHER, who, for thirty consecutive years has served in the office of justice of the peace at Osceola Mills, Clear- field county, Pa., came to this borough in 1873 and has been one of the public spirited and successful business men. He was born in North Ireland, March 17, 1834, and is a son of Edward and Mary (O'Donnell) Gallagher.
Patrick Gallagher was about fifteen years old when he came to America and in 1849 joined his older brother, Bernard Gallagher, and Christina ( Anderson) Johnson.
who was already established as a lumberman near Clearfield Bridge, in Boggs township, Clearfield county, Pa. He remained in Boggs township until 1870, when he moved to Wal- laceton, and from there, in 1871, to Houtz-
cale, and to Osceola Mills in 1873. He had previously been engaged in both lumbering and merchandising and after settling at Os- ceola Mills, established a general store which he conducted until 1909, when he retired. He was one of the original stockholders in the Osceola Silica and Fire Brick Company, of which he is vice-president.
Mr. Gallagher was married first to Miss Mary Ann Stone, a daughter of Alexander Stone, of Stoneville, Clearfield county. Two children were born to them: Edward, who died when aged one year; and John Alexan- der, who is a resident of Osceola Mills. The latter married Martha Taber. Mrs. Galla- gher died in 1863. In 1870 Mr. Gallagher married Mary W. Cross, who died in August, 1909. Judge Gallagher is nominally a Demo- crat, but he has independent tendencies. In the capacity of justice of the peace, he has been of incalculable aid to his fellow citizens and business men as the borough has no regu- larly elected attorney. He has a wide ac- quaintance and is universally esteemed. He has been a witness to the remarkable advance made by this borough and has been identified to a considerable extent with much that has added to its material progress.
ANDREW LEAFGREN, a well known business man of Winburne, Pa., who is a dealer in grain, hay and all kinds of feed, was born on a farm near the city of Wenners, Sweden, May 13, 1864, and is a son of Erland
Erland Johnson was born in Sweden in 1831, and there he devoted his life to agricul- tural pursuits, his death occurring in January, 1892. His widow, who was born in that coun- try in 1843, survives him and is still a resi-
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dent of the mother country. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, of whom three died in Sweden and five came to Amer- ica, as follows: John Ellison, who resides in Chicago; Mary, who is the wife of a Mr. Thorson of Tacoma, Wash .; Edward Ellison, who was formerly a resident of Chicago, but is now engaged in farming in Michigan; Os- car Ellison, who lives in Tacoma, Wash .; and Andrew.
Andrew Leafgren received his educational training in the schools of his native country, and was reared on the home farm. He came to America in 1883 and in the following year located in Peale, Clearfield county, where the operations of the Bituminous Coal Corpora- tion had just been started. After a short time he went to Arnett, Tioga county, but in 1888 he came to Winburne, being one of the early settlers of this now thriving city, and entered the employ of the Somerville mines, which had been opened but a short time before. In 1898 or 1899 he started to work for his brother-in- law, Gust A. Johnson, and in 1906 decided to go into business on his own account, and erected a mill opposite his residence. Since that time, through perseverance, well spent efforts and natural ability, Mr. Leafgren has become one of the leading business men of Winburne, and he stands high in the estima- tion of his fellow citizens. In addition to his mill, Mr. Leafgren is the owner of considera- ble real estate in Winburne.
In 1891 Mr. Leafgren was married to Miss Emma Johnson, a sister of Gust A. Johnson of Winburne and a native of Sweden. Of the four children born to this union, three survive, namely, Ruth, Esther and Reuben. Mr. Leaf- gren is a member of the Swedish Free church
of Lanse, and his politics are those of the Re- publican party.
NEWTON BORT YOUNG, a well to do citizen of Burnside township, where he is en- gaged in agriculture, was born on the old Young homestead in this township, December 22, 1862, a 'son of Thomas and Mary Ann (Thompson) Young. His paternal grand- father was John Young, of Center county.
John Young was born in Center county in the year 1797. Hester (Moore) Young, his wife, was born in the same county, July 9, 1803; moved to Clearfield county in the year 1833. To that union were born seven children, namely: Archie, Thomas, Hester, John R., Elizabeth, Mary and Robert. John Young died in 1860 and Hester, his wife, in 1862. Elizabeth Young and Mary Young are the only surviving members of the family at this date. Jolin R. Young and Robert were both soldiers in the Civil war.
Thomas Young, who was born in Center county, came to Burnside township, Clearfield county, accompanied by his parents. He cleared a tract of land here and during the rest of his life was mainly occupied in lumbering. In politics a Democrat, he served in local of- fice. His death took place in 1887 when he was fifty-six years of age. His wife, Mary Ann, was a daughter of Ebenezer and Jane (Chrispin) Thompson, both natives of In- diana county. She died in 1890 at the age of fifty-six. Of their children, there are now living in addition to our subject, two sons, namely: Matt C., who is engaged in the newspaper business in Chicago; and George M., a farmer residing in Burnside township. John died in infancy. Joseph Lane was
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drowned at MeGce's on the Susquehanna river in the year 1889, when in his twenty- ninth year, while engaged in rafting.
Newton Bort Young, who was the third born of his parents' children, attended school for a while in his boyhood. He then began industrial life, working in the woods at lum- bering for his father. and afterwards worked out for others until 1889. He then bought the old Young homestead, where he has since resided, engaged in agriculture. Owing chiefly to the excellent springs in the vicinity, this place was formerly much used for camp meet- ings. Like his father, Mr. Young is a Demo- crat, and is now serving as township treas- urer, which office he has held for five years.
Mr. Young was married in 1890 to Mar- garet Weaver Byers, who was born on the old Byers homestead June 16, 1867. Her parents were Samuel and Elizabeth ( Davis) Byers, the latter of whom died in 1902 at the age of seventy-six years, and the former in 1873 at the age of seventy-one. Mrs. Young's grand- father on the paternal side was John Byers. His father, also named John, came to Clear- field county from Huntingdon county in 1821, and bought over 400 acres of land near New Washington, this county (Clearfield). He was born at Valley Forge, near Philadelphia, in 1762, a place rendered historic by Wash- ington's winter encampment fifteen years later. He died in 1862 having rounded out a full century of existence. and having lived to see the four principal wars in which this coun- try has been engaged, the War of the Revo- lution, that of 1812, the Mexican war, and the commencement at least of the great Civil war. A son of this John Byers, Lemuel Byers, born February 12, 1809, married in 1838, Mrs. Stephenson at the home of her uncle George
Atchison. In 1841 Lemuel Byers took his first raft of lumber down the river to Harris- burg. Pa., from which place he walked home in four days.
John Byers, a brother of Lemuel, married in 1830, Sarah Weaver, a daughter of John and Ruth (Zimmerman) Weaver. He was one of the organizers of the Methodist Prot- estant church in 1829. His death took place in 1881. Sam, another son of John, settled near the old homestead. Another member of this family was George, of whom we have no special record. Ellen. a sister, married John Mahaffey and resided first at Burnside and later at Cherry Tree. During Washington's encampment at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78. the Byers homestead was occupied for a time by him. John Byers, Mrs. Young's grandfather, then a boy of fifteen years, was pressed into the service of the army to haul supplies across the Schuylkill river for the troops.
Mr. and Mrs. Newton B. Young are the parents of four children, namely: Clifton A .. now twenty years of age, who is engaged in teaching school: Lela Elizabeth, aged eight- een. residing at home: Joseph Cloyd. aged nine, and Margaret Byers, aged four years. The Young and Byers families have furnished some of the best citizenship to Clearfield county. Industrious, law abiding, neighborly, and generally prosperous. they are favorably regarded wherever known.
JAMES ADAMSON, who holds the im- portant position of foreman of the Grass Flat mines for the Clearfield County Bituminous Coal Corporation, is a representative citizen of Peale, Pa., and a miner of extended expe- rience, having been identified with coal mining
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in Pennsylvania for forty-four years in addi- tion to shorter periods in other places. Mr. Adamson was born March 26, 1846, in Fife- shire, Scotland, and is a son of Campbell and Elizabeth (Hunter) Adamson.
Campbell Adamson was a miner in the coal regions of Scotland from boyhood until the end of/his active life. Both he and wife were born there, married, reared children and finally passed away in the land of their birth. They had four children: Andrew, John, Thomas and James.
James Anderson was only nine years old when he began work in the coal mines, this industry being the main one in the vicinity of his home, and he continued in the mines in Scotland until 1864, when he came to Amer- ica. Mining was his business and he learned facts concerning the main mining sections be- fore he located in Bradford county, Pa .. where he was employed by the Bartlett Coal Com- pany. He remained with that company for one year and then went to the Fallbrook Company, of Tioga county, for a year, later went to Arnett and worked in the mines there for two years. In 1870 he went to California and tried gold mining for three years, but in 1873 came back to Pennsylvania. Before re- suming business relations with any of the mining companies after his return, he made a visit to Scotland, where he renewed old friend- ships and enjoyed companionship with his kindred.
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