USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 91
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In 1895 Mr. Womer was married to Miss Janet Mason, a daughter of John and Jane Mason, of Morrisdale, where she was born and reared. They have one son, a bright, in- telligent school boy of fourteen years. Mr.
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Womer is identified fraternally with the Red Men, the Knights of Pythias, the Jr. O. A. M. and the Elks. In politics he is a Democrat. In addition to his hotel property he owns thirty-eight acres of richly cultivated land, where he raises all his own vegetables and poultry and also keeps cows in order to supply his hotel with fresh cream and butter. Mr. Womer is a self-made man in the sense that through his own industry and good judg- ment he has brought about his present pros- perity.
MATTHEW W. JOHNSON, a well known and highly respected citizen of Green- wood township, was born on his present farm September 19, 1849, a son of James and Sa- rah (Stugarts) Johnson. In addition to car- rying on agriculture Mr. Johnson is interested in the H. S. Thomas Milling Company, whose plant is located on his farm.
Mr. Johnson's paternal grandfather, Sam- uel Johnson, came to Clearfield county from Center county, Pa., settling on a farm near Grampian, in Penn township. After clearing and developing this land, he moved to Indiana, where he died in 1868. The farm was sold in 1850 and is now owned by James D. Wall. Samuel Johnson had seven children, namely: James, William, John, Garrison, Thirza, Eliz- abeth and Nancy.
James Johnson, father of Matthew W., was born in 1806 near Milesburg, Center county, Pa., and in 1812 accompanied his parents to Clearfield county. He assisted his father in the clearing and development of the pioneer farm, and later, with his brother, Elah John- son, bought a tract of land and built and op- erated a saw-inill. Subsequently, with the help of his sons, James Johnson established the
first woolen mill in this section, erecting it on his farm in Greenwood township. He contin- ued to operate it until the spring of 1884, when he sold it to his son, John Johnson. He ac- quired some 700 acres of land and, in associa- tion with William Irwin, was the owner of 600 additional acres. He was a life-long Democrat, but not a politician. A shrewd and careful business man, but honest and upright, he was universally esteemed. His death took place when he was in the eighty-first year of his age, on June 28, 1887, and he was buried on one of his own farms.
As above indicated, James Johnson mar- ried Sarah Stugarts, who was born in Penn township, Clearfield county, Pa., a daughter of John and Elsie Stugarts. She died in 1904, in her eighty-eighth year, and was buried in the Friends' cemetery at Grampian, both she and her husband belonging to the Society of Friends. To James and Sarah Johnson the following children were born: William P., who lives in Ferguson township, Clearfield county ; John and David, both of whom met accidental deaths, the former being killed by a kick from a horse, and the latter by a fall of lumber: Hannah, who is the wife of C. A. Thorp; Matthew W., the subject of this sketch; James A., who resides on a farm in Greenwood township; Frank, who was acci- dentally killed by a falling tree; and Elizabeth, who is the wife of William Rowles.
Matthew W. Johnson was educated in the district schools of Penn and Greenwood town- ships. For seventeen years he was financially interested in the woolen mill which his father had established on the home place, but finally finding himself unable to compete with the larger and more heavily capitalized concerns in his line of trade, he was obliged to close the
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mill and since then has devoted himself to ous farmer of Bell township, came to his pres- milling and farming. He owns fifty-four ent place in 1878 and owns one of the well improved properties of this section. He was born June 20, 1851, and is a son of Samuel and Harriet A. (Ellis) Sunderland. acres of valuable land-a part of the old homestead-and carries on general farming. He is one of the leading members of Green- wood Grange. He started his present mill en- terprise on Bell Run, his son-in-law, Sherman Thomas, being interested therein with him. The latter is also foreman for a concrete com- pany.
Mr. Johnson was first married in January, 1872, to Miss Susannah Bloom, a daughter of Thomas Bloom. She died in October, 1873, and was buried in the McNaul cemetery. One child was born to this marriage, Thomas Bruce Johnson. Mr. Johnson was married secondly, July 1, 1875, to Miss Martha E. Moore, a daughter of Jeremiah Moore, and they have four children: Ralph, Harry B., Hannah Lola and Alvin M. Ralph is bookkeeper for the Bickford Fire Brick Company. He is a graduate of the Williamsport Commercial College and a former school teacher. He mar- ried Jennie Rafferty, a daughter of Jolin W. Rafferty, and they have four children-Burt, Annie, Orvil and Nora. Harry B. Johnson is a resident of Price county, Wisconsin, where he holds the office of deputy county surveyor. He married Amanda Mungason and they have four children-Fred, Nellie, Alvin and Mae. Hannah Lola married Sherman Thomas and they have three children-Ansel, Ruby and Georgia. Alvin M. Johnson is a student of law in the University of Valparaiso, Ind. He formerly taught four terms of school in Clearfield county. Mr. Johnson and family belong to the Society of Friends.
THOMAS JEFFERSON SUNDER- LAND, a representative citizen and prosper-
Samuel Sunderland was born February 4, 1822, and died March 30, 1906. His father, David Sunderland, was born in 1792, and his mother, Sarah (McClellan) Sunderland, was born May 14, 1798 and died February 7, 1865. Samuel Sunderland followed farming all his life, in the vicinity of Burnside, Clear- field county, after moving to this section. He married Harriet A. Ellis, who was born March 5, 1826, and died October 13, 1899. Thomas J. Sunderland has three brothers : Samuel, a farmer in Indiana county ; Harry and Daniel, residing at Mahaffey, Pa.
Thomas J. Sunderland has devoted his life since his school days were over, to farming and working in the timber. In 1878 he pur- chased his present farm from his father, a part of the old homestead, and has continued to improve it and develop all its possibilities along the line of careful and practical farming.
Mr. Sunderland married Miss Mary Alice Baker, who was born March 28, 1851, near Mahaffey, Pa., a daughter of John and Su- sanna (Smith) Baker. Mrs. Sunderland has one brother, Henry, who is a farmer near Banner Ridge. To Mr. and Mrs. Sunderland the following children were born: Henry, now deceased, who married Catherine De. Haven (they had five children) ; John, who is deceased; James, who married Sarah Bendt, lives in Bell township, and has two children; Samuel, who married Charlotte Ling, lives in Bell township and has one child; George, who is deceased, married Minnie Barrett (they live at Mahaffey and have two children); Wil-
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liam, who lives at New Washington, married Eva Beam and has one child; Maud, who mar- ried F. Ruppert, a farmer in Bell township, and has two children; Harriet, who married Ward Smith, residing in Armstrong county, and has one child; Anna, who is now de- ceased; and Harry, who assists his father. In politics Mr. Sunderland is a Republican and he has served as roadmaster of the township.
JOHN F. EDLUND, general merchant, doing a large business at Winburne, Clearfield county, Pa., was born in the Province of Dalsland, near the city of Wennersburg, Swe- den, November 7, 1866, and is a son of Jonas and Sophia (Anderson) Edlund.
The parents of Mr. Edlund were natives of Sweden, where the father was born March 21, 1842, and the mother, in 1841. The pa- ternal grandfather of Mr. Edlund was a sol- dier in the Swedish army and died in 1892. His widow still survives and is now in her ninety-seventh year. Mr. Edlund has the fol- lowing brothers and sisters: Christina, who is the wife of August Levin, of Glen Richey, Clearfield county ; Mary, who is the wife of Gustav Carson, of Winburne; Anders Gustav, who lives at Patton, Pa .; Anna, who is the wife of Oscar Frid, a railroad man, in Swe- den; and Augusta, who is the wife of Otto Thorwaldson, who is a stone-cutter and farmer, living at Prestbacka, Norway.
John F. Edlund attended school in Sweden until he was fourteen years of age and then engaged in cutting timber and farming. On May 28, 1888, he came to Peale Station, Clearfield county, Pa., and worked in the mines at Winburne and Munson, and several months for Jones & Company, and later in a saw-mill at Ford's Run. After being in the to this fraternity. Mr. Edlund is a sensible,
United States for four years he returned to Sweden, in March, 1892, where he remained until the following October, when he re- turned, accompanied by his wife, and resided at Winburne working in the mines for Som- erville & Co., until 1901, when he embarked in the mercantile business. He was associated with E. L. Graham for two years but later sold his interest to the Central Trading Com- pany and was employed by the same until 1906, when he re-embarked in the mercantile business in partnership with A. G. Anderson. Subsequently Mr. Edlund bought Mr. Ander- son's interest, the latter returning to Rostock, Sweden. Since then Mr. Edlund has carried on his business alone and through honest methods and careful attention has prospered and now is numbered with the reliable and substantial business men of the place. He stands high in the estimation of every one and in the honorable way in which he has managed the small estate belonging to the three orphan children of a sister, exemplifies his trustworth- iness. He has reared these children together with his own large family, has cared for and improved their property and has never asked any remuneration.
Mr. Edlund married a daughter of Anders and Christiana (Hansdotter) Jansen, the lat- ter of whom still lives at Rostock, Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Edlund have had eight children : Ellen V., who is a student in the Winburne High School; John Albert, who is also in the High School; Arthur Wilhelm; Anna Eliza- beth, and four who are deceased. Mr. Ed- lund and family belong to the Swedish Luth- eran church. He is identified with Win- burne Lodge, No. 164, Odd Fellows, and with the Benefit Association of Boston, belonging
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far-seeing man and has provided for the fu- ture through a substantial life insurance pol- icy. His wife and three children are leaving, May 22, 1911, for a visit to Sweden and other parts of Europe.
W. S. GILLILAND, M. D., who was been engaged in the practice of medicine at Karthaus, Clearfield county, Pa., for the past twenty years and for a like period has con- ducted a hardware store, was born at Spruce- town, Center county, Pa., December 9, 1842, and is a son of John and Lydia ( Smith) Gilli- land, the former of whom was born in Center county in 1806, and died in Karthaus town- ship, Clearfield county, in 1888. He was a well known man. The mother of Dr. Gilli- land was born in Center county in 1808, and died in 1889. Dr. Gilliland was the third child and second son born in a family of six chil- dren.
W. S. Gilliland was about fifteen years old when his parents came to Karthaus township and he attended the local schools, and secured liis professional training in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He commenced to practice at Salt Lick, where his family lived, and went from there to Keewaydin, in Cov- ington township, where he practiced for fifteen years, removing then to Lecontes Mills, where he practiced for ten years and then came to Karthaus, where he has been established ever since. He is one of the leading citizens. Like his father he is a Democrat but has not been an aspirant for public honors, his professional duties and business affairs demanding his time and attention. He is a public spirited cit- izen, however, and accepted the position of township auditor when elected to the same.
Dr. Gilliland was married in May, 1870, to
Miss Martha A. Murray, who was born in Girard township, a daughter of Alexander Murray, and the following of their children survive : Blanche, who is the wife of George Spears and they have one son, William An- drew; Alda, who married James McKee Hip- ple, of Morristown, N. J., and they have one daughter, Martha; Harvey T., who resides at Karthaus, married Vida Wooldridge and they have two sons-Lynn and William; and Ma- bel, Julia, Jennie and Paul Warren.
ALEXANDER PATERSON, secretary and treasurer of the Paterson Clay Products Company, a very important business enter- prise of Clearfield, Pa., has been identified with the interests of this borough and near-by villages for about thirty-seven years. He was born at Airdrie, Scotland, December 19, 1857, and is a son of John and Marion (Dunlop) Paterson, both of whom are deceased. He came from Scotland to this country in 1874, and settled at Woodland, Clearfield county, as an employee of the Woodland Fire Brick Company; his duties being those of book- keeper and draughtsman. In 1882 he went to Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., graduating from there in June, 1886. Previous to leav- ing for Dickinson College and during his stay there he gave attention to the study of the law under the guidance of the Hon. J. B. Mc- Enally of Clearfield, with whom he became registered as a law student in 1884. In Jan- uary, 1887, he was admitted to the bar of Clearfield county. For four years he served as official stenographer in the courts of Clear- field county, and for one year was a member of the law firm of Kelley & Paterson.
In 1889 he became president of the Wal- laceton Fire Brick Company and in 1899 be-
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came the sole proprietor of the works, which he continued to operate until 1902 when they became the property of the Harbison-Walker Refractories Co .; he became a director of that company and secretary and treasurer of the Isaac Reese & Sons Co., a group of works also belonging to the Harbison-Walker Refracto- ries Co. In 1904 he concluded to return to the practice of the law, and the firm of Mc- Enally & Paterson was formed, which contin- ued until the organization of the Paterson Clay Products Co., when he withdrew in or- der to give his sole attention to the brick busi- ness. He is at present attending to the busi- ness of this company.
In 1887 he married Miss Mary Wynn, a daughter of William H. and Margaret ( Ross) Wynn, and eight children were born to them, three of whom passed away in childhood. The survivors are Richard, Robert Bruce, Alexan- der, John and Ruth.
Richard is in the junior class at Western University, Pittsburg; Bruce is in the sophio- more class at Dickinson college, the others are attending the Clearfield schools.
He is a trustee of Dickinson college; he and his wife and two of the children are members of the Presbyterian church of Clearfield, of which church he is an elder. In politics he is a Republican and has served as chairman and secretary of the Clearfield Republican County Committee. Almost since he became of age he has been a member of the Masonic frater- nity, belonging to Clearfield Lodge and Chap- ter, Moshannon Commandery, Williamsport Consistory, and Jaffa Temple. He is a mem- ber of the Clearfield lodge of I. O. O. F., which he joined as soon as he became of age. He is a member of the St. Andrew's society of Philadelphia, and is an associate member
of the Engineers' society of Pennsylvania. He is also treasurer of the Historical Society of Clearfield county.
ANTON PETERSON, one of the repre- sentative citizens and substantial business inen of Clearfield county, Pa., who has been en- gaged in the mercantile line since 1905 at Lanse, was born September 26, 1864, in Dals- land, near Wenersborg, Sweden, a son of Pe- ter and Anna Eliza (Olsdotter) Anderson.
Peter Anderson, or Peterson as it became in this country, was a well-to-do farmer in Sweden, where he died in 1892, aged eighty- three years. He was twice married, and by his first marriage had five children, of whom only one is now surviving, Mrs. Lars Olson, who lived for eight years in Arnett, Tioga county, Pa., but who now lives in Dalsland. Mr. Anderson's second wife, who died in 1910 at the age of seventy-one years, bore him six children, as follows: Alfred, who was an American citizen and died at Arnett, aged forty-two years; Anton; Charlotta, who is the wife of John Johnson of Ramey; Augusta, who is the wife of Adolph Segerlin, of Anita, Jefferson county ; Jennie, who married Theo- dore Fosberg, of Anita; and Catharina, twin of Jennie, who is single and living in Dalsland, Sweden.
Anton Peterson attended school in Gerstad, Sweden, and left school at the age of fifteen years to work on his father's farm. In 1883 he came to America, on April 12th of which year he located at Arnett, Pa., and secured employment in the mines and later in the woods. During 1886 he took a trip to Swe- den, but on April 24, 1887, he returned to Ar- nett, and one year later located in Peale, Clearfield county. On April 26, 1888, he en-
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tered the employ of the Clearfield County Bitu- A. M. and Catherine (Rowles) Aughen- baugh.
minous Coal Corporation, and during his resi- dence in Peale he was for thirteen and one- half years organist of the Swedish Lutheran church, he having been given a musical educa- tion when young. On January 11, 1905, Mr. Peterson came to Lanse, and on the 19th of the same month, in partnership with John Ja- cobson, he erected a store room and engaged in the mercantile business. Later he bought Mr. Jacobson's interest, and he has continued to conduct the enterprise to the present time. Mr. Peterson started with little capital, and whatever success he has acquired has been duc to his persistent efforts, his natural business ability and his policy of square dealing and honesty towards all. He resides in a nice home which he purchased from the Murray Lumber Company of Philipsburg.
Mr. Peterson was married in 1890, to Miss Mary Larson, the daughter of Andrew Lar- son, of Peale, and they have had three chil- dren, Victoria, Agnes and Herbert Seigfried, all at home and the latter in the eighth grade of the Winburne school. Mr. Peterson is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and for twenty-eight years has been a Republican. He has done much towards furthering the in- terests of his adopted country and is a public- spirited and reliable citizen, having been nat- uralized in Clearfield in 1898, before Judge Cyrus Gordon.
AUSTIN H. AUGHENBAUGH, car in- spector for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany, residing at McGee's Mills, Clearfield county, Pa., was born on the old Philipsburg turnpike road, in Lawrence township, Clear- field county, October 1, 1884, and is a son of
A. M. Aughenbaugh was born in 1849, in Pike township, Clearfield county, where he lived on his father's farm until his marriage. when he located on the Philipsburg turnpike road, where he still resides. He married Cath- erine Rowles, who is a daughter of Maxwell and Eliza (Litts) Rowles. The family ances- try on both sides is German and the paternal grandfather. Jacob Aughenbaugh, came from Germany. Austin H. Aughenbaugh is the sixth born in a family of eleven children and one of the eight survivors. The eldest sister, Anna, is the wife of J. F. Isenberg, who con- ducts a hotel at McGee's Mills: Birdie is the wife of J. Green, of Grampian, Pa .; Daisy lives at home : Esther is employed as a house- keeper, at McGee's Mills; Warren A. is a miner at Woodland, Pa., and married Della Wisor; Alfred lives at Clearfield and married Orressa Peoples; Harry is a miner in Law- rence township and married Etta Spackman. The sons are all practical business men and good citizens in every sense of the word.
After Austin H. Aughenbaugh completed his school attendance he assisted his father, following farming and lumbering and after- ward went into railroad work. He had been steadily advanced from one position to an- other and has resided at McGee's Mills as car inspector since 1908. Mr. Aughenbaugh mar- ried Miss Bessie Schicklang, who was born in Lawrence township in 1886, and is a daugh- ter of Constantine Schicklang and his wife, Rosa Schnars, both of whom were born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Aughenbaugh are members of the Presbyterian church. In poli- tics he is a Republican but he has never ac-
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cepted any office. He is a member of Tribe No. 361, Red Men, at Mahaffey, and of the order of the Moose, at Glen Campbell.
LEWIS MELVIN IMPSON, postmaster at Karthaus, Pa., has been a resident of this place since 1884, during a large part of the time being in the mercantile business and also many years postmaster, appointed first by President Harrison in 1891, and secondly in 1899. He was born January 30, 1859, at Geneva, N. Y., and is a son of Solomon C. and Elizabeth (Scott) Impson.
Solomon C. Impson was born in Ulster county, N. Y., and was a carpenter and builder by trade and after moving to Scranton, Pa., he followed contracting. After the panic of 1873 he gave up this business and moved to a farm some twenty-five miles distant from Scranton, on which he lived until after the death of his second wife, when he came to Karthaus and made his home with his son, Lewis M. Impson, where his death occurred. He was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was mar- ried first to Elizabeth Scott, who was proba- bly born and reared in Sullivan county, N. Y., a daughter of Lewis and Maria (Torrey) Scott. Her father and mother moved to New York from Massachusetts and settled in Bethel, Sullivan county, among the pioneers. They were people of sturdy character and real worth. When their daughter, Mrs. Impson, died and left a son of thirteen months, they took the child to their home and hearts and reluctantly gave him up to the father after his second marriage. One son, Murray R. Imp- son, survives of this marriage and resides at Elmira, N. Y.
Lewis Melvin Impson remained with his
maternal grandparents until he was ten years old and then joined his father at Scranton, where he attended the High School until 1875, when he accompanied the family to the farm above alluded to, at Boyd's Mills. He re- mained there for one year and then left home and began to look out for himself entirely. He worked at the carpenter's trade until 1884. when he came to Karthaus and here followed contracting largely until 1891, the last build- ing in which he was concerned being the schoolhouse at Cataract. He then went into a general store business at Karthaus, six years at one place and two years at another, and then built his present store building and devotes himself to the grocery trade in connection with his duties as postmaster. Formerly he was very active in Republican politics in the county and in 1908 was a candidate for county com- missioner on the Republican ticket, being de- feated by a small margin. He still is inter- ested and occasionally served in local offices but when importuned to accept the office of justice of the peace, declined.
Mr. Impson was married January 1, 1881, to Miss Hannah Phillips, who was born in New York but at the time of marriage was living in Wayne county, Pa. She is a daugh- ter of Dr. Thomas C. and Clarissa (Cross) Phillips, both now deceased, her father pass- ing away, January 29. 1906, and her mother prior to that date. Mr. and Mrs. Impson have one daughter, Harriet Adele, who served five years as stenographer in the register's and re- corder's office in Clearfield county, and is the wife of Robert Lee Bierly, residing at Renova ; they have one son, Robert Lewis Bierly. Mr. Impson is identified with the Masonic lodge at Renova.
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DAVID W. JOHNSTON, who is inter- ANDREW J. PETERSON, a leading citi- ested in lumber and farming in Jordan town- zen of Cooper township, Clearfield county, ship, and owns a beautiful residence at Mc- Cartney, was born in Clearfield county, Pa., in October, 1855, and is a son of Robert M. and Priscilla ( Wise) Johnston. Pa., of which he is supervisor, is engaged in contract work and custom coal mining. He was born January 22, 1869, near the city of Guttenberg, Sweden, a son of Lars and Sophia Peterson.
Robert M. Johnston was born in Schuylkill county, August 2, 1830, and still lives in Jor- dan township, one of the venerable citizens. For many years he carried on farming there. He married Priscilla Wise, who was born in Center county, a daughter of Davis and Mary Wise, and they had the following children : David W., Calvin, Emma, Albert and Wil- liam, all surviving except Calvin.
David W. Johnston attended school in what was called the Johnston schoolhouse, a log structure that stood on his grandfather's farm. Since then his time has been taken up with lumbering and farming, in later years more particularly in dealing in lumber. In 1870 he bought a farm of ninety-six acres, which he sold in 1905.
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