Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 92

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 92

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Mr. Johnston was married in December, 1878, to Miss Lizzie Bright, a daughter of David and Mary (Moore) Bright, who were natives of Canada. Mrs. Johnston was reared on her father's farm and she had three broth- ers and one sister : William, Jennie, David and Richard, Jennie being deceased. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, namely: Bruce; Lois, who is the wife of James Jones; and Charles, Pearl and Alice. The family belongs to the Presbyterian church. In politics Mr. Johnston is a Democrat. He has never been willing to accept any public of- fice except that of school director and has served in that capacity for seven years. He is one of Jordan township's representative men.

The parents of Mr. Peterson are natives of Sweden, where the father was born in 1833 and the mother in 1837. The former came to America in 1881 and the latter in 1883. He engaged first in coal mining but for twenty- three years owned a farm in Tioga county, Pa., which he sold several years ago. He still resides in Tioga county. Thirteen children were born to Lars and Sophia Peterson, two of whom died in infancy and one at a later age. The survivors are: Charlotta, who is the wife of Andrew Allen, of Antrim, Tioga county; Matilda, who is the wife of Frank Anderson, a farmer of Stony Fork, Tioga county ; Charles, who is a farmer in Delmont town- ship. Tioga county, and married Matilda Frisk: Lars, who resides in Oregon; Andrew J .; Peter, who lives at Stony Fork, Tioga county : Otto, who is a contractor, living in the West; Jennie, who married Andrew Klang, a miner residing at Antrim. Tioga county : and John and Edward, who live in Colorado, where they own 600 acres of farm land. Gustav, who died at the age of thirty- four years, was a resident of Antrim, Tioga county. He married Augusta Neilson and his surviving family live in Clearfield county.

Andrew J. Peterson attended the public schools in his native land and after he was occupied in a self-supporting way in the day time, continued his studies in the night schools. When he was eight years old he began to be

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useful as a cattle herder. In 1882 he came to America and was thirteen years of age when he went to work in the mines at Antrim, where he continued until he was eighteen and after- ward at odd times, again worked at mining. For some years he was engaged in lumbering and during two years of this period followed contract work in the woods. After coming to Clearfield county he was with the Sommerville Coal Company, for thirteen months as weigh- man. For some years he has been mainly en- gaged in contract work and custom coal min- ing, is a general contractor of bituminous coal, a dealer in fertilizers, and makes a specialty of contracting for water line, concrete work, reservoirs, and other similar constructive work. He completed a $5,000 contract for the Winburne water line. He is a careful, expe- rienced man in this line of work and the pub- lic has confidence both in his ability and busi- ness integrity. Mr. Peterson owns twenty- two and one-half acres of land at Lanse, on which he has lived for thirteen years. When he purchased it it was wild and entirely un- improved. At that time he was engaged in mine work and frequently after the labor of a hard day was completed, he worked until ten o'clock at night clearing the land. He had to clear a space on which to build his house, which he erected in 1899 and later put up his substantial barn. Mr. Peterson has here a valuable property and a comfortable home and there is every reason for him being proud of it as it is practically all the work of his own hands.

On September 22, 1893, Mr. Peterson was married to Miss Christiana Erickson, a daugh- ter of Erick Larson. According to old Swed- ish law and custom, the given name and sur- name are reversed in succeeding generations,

thus Erick Larson, in the following genera- tions becomes Lars Erickson. The same c11s- tom prevails in Wales. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, namely : Annie Cecelia, Eric Adolph, Charlotta, Carl Herbert. Hedwig Sophia, Henry Theodore, Agnes and Evaline Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church at Lanse. He belongs to the fraternal order known as the Scandanavian Brotherhood. In politics he is a Republican and has served two years as school director, one year as auditor of Cooper township, and at present is serving in his second year of a four-year term as township supervisor.

BLAIR W. DIEHL, who is a trusted em- ploye of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, being tank keeper for this road at Irvona, Pa., and also a farmer to some extent, was born near Tyrone, Pa., April 25, 1882, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Mock) Diehl. and a grandson of John Diehl, who was in the fourth generation in descent from Samuel Diehl, who was the founder of the family in Penn- sylvania. There are many representatives of this old family in the state and they have an annual reunion in Clearfield county.

When his school days were over, Blair W. Diehl went into the woods and worked in the timber for about two years, afterward follow- ing saw milling and mining until 1903, when he came to Irvona and was appointed to his present responsible position. On December I. 1903, Mr. Diehl was married to Miss Alice McCully who was born December 1, 1885, a daughter of George and Cornelia (Withe- right) McCully, old settlers of Chest town- ship. Mrs. Diehl has one brother and three sisters, namely: Dorsey, residing at Bell-

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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

wood; Bertha, wife of Charles Houser, resid- ing in Chest township; Lena, wife of Harry Dereamer, living at Bellwood; and Lulu, wife of W. Straw, residing at Vintondale, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Diehl have three children : Guy, Berthia and Gilbert, their ages ranging from seven to one year. Mr. Diehl is a member of the order of the Mystic Chain, at Irvona.

JOHN WHARTON REITER, a well known and influential citizen of Karthaus township, who has resided on his present val- uable property for more than forty years, and is now serving as president of the school board, was born in Covington township, Clearfield county, Pa., September 29, 1844. son of John and Amelia ( Buck) Reiter.

John Reiter, the grandfather of John W. Reiter, was a native of Germany, who came to the United States at an early day and set- tled in Montgomery county, Pa. Later he purchased the old Reiter homestead place in Covington township, and there he resided un- til his death, his life being spent in agricul- tural pursuits. He was buried at Keewaydin cemetery. Mr. Reiter and his wife had the following children: Michael, deceased, who at the time of his death was living at the Reidges, near Milesburg, Pa .; Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of F. W. Schnars of Keeway- din; Betsy, deceased, who was the wife of Jo- seph Vothers, of Oak Hill, Karthaus town- ship; and John. The family have always been members of the Lutheran church.

John Reiter, son of John and father of John W. Reiter, was born in Montgomery county. Pa., and was fourteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Clearfield county, the journey being made up-stream from Har- risburg in a flat-bottomed boat. The family

first located at Karthaus, where young John drove a team for old Peter Karthaus for a time, and later bought the twenty acres of land from his father in Covington township. He next purchased 124 acres of land on the opposite side of the road, and in addition to farming and lumbering to some extent, kept a public inn, which, although not a licensed place, often entertained as high as 100 guests and fed from fifteen to twenty head of horses a night, the inn being located on a road that was extensively used by raftsmen and teams going through to St. Mary's, Elk county. Mr. Reiter was a Republican, and held various township offices. He died at the age of sev- enty-five years, and was buried at Keewaydin, where his widow, who survived him for some time, was also laid to rest. Mr. Reiter was. married to Amelia Buck, who was born in Bradford township, Clearfield county, daugh- ter of Henry Buck, a native of Germany and an early settler of Bradford township, and to this union there were born the following chil- dren: Henry, deceased, who lived on the property adjoining the home farm: Lavina, deceased, who was the wife of George Emer- ick of Karthans township; Sarah, deceased, who married William Hoffer ; Reuben L., de- ceased, who was a resident of Keewaydin ; Rosaline, who lives at Punxsutawney, Jeffer- son county ; John Wharton; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of Christian M. Hertlein of Karthaus township: Mary, who was the wife of Elisha Evans of Oak Hill; and Ella, de- ceased, who was the wife of Edward Schars of Covington township.

John Wharton Reiter attended the school near the old home place and as a young man engaged in farming and lumbering. In June, 1871, he came to Karthaus township and set-

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tled in the woods, on a tract of five acres which he had purchased. He made a clearing, erected a dwelling and started in to improve his prop- erty, adding to it from time to time until he now has one of the excellent farms of Kar- thaus township. He also owns some of his father's farm, in addition to some property in Karthaus, and he engages in the coal busi- ness to some extent, producing the commodity on his own property.

On May 14, 1871, Mr. Reiter was married to Miss Mary C. Maurer, who was born in Covington township, daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Rigley) Maurer, who came to Clear- field county from Mifflin county. To Mr. and Mrs. Reiter there have been born nine chil- dren: Harry, living in Karthaus township, who married Clara Heichel and has three chil- dren, Clare, Clifford and DeLee; Fred, also living in Karthaus township, who married Emma Brown and has two children, Ruth and Helen; Cameron, living in Tyrone, who mar- ried Iva Conaway and has three children, Lauriel, Vida and Burton Taft; Paul, who is living at home; Alna, who is a graduate of Punxsutawney Hospital and is now located at Cleveland, Ohio; Boyd, Frank and Muriel, who are all living at home; and Augusta, who died when three years of age. Mr. Reiter has served for a number of years as a member of the school board and he is now acting as presi- dent of that body.

JAMES I. POLLUM, M. D., coroner of Clearfield county and a skillful and trusted physician and surgeon of DuBois, was born at Foxburg, Clarion county, Pa., December 16, 1876, and is a son of A. P. and Anna E. (Mot- ter) Pollum.

A. P. Pollum resides at Falls Creek, Jef- 47

ferson county, Pa. His wife, who was a member of one of the old families of Clarion county, died January 31, 1907. Eight chil- dren were born to them, as follows: Benja- min; James I .; Elizabeth, who is the wife of C. E. Millieor, of California; Warren, who is a resident of Clearfield; Bert, who is a stu- dent in the dental department of the Univer- sity of Pittsburg, in the class of 1912; Elva, who is the wife of Albert Groves, of Rey- noldsville, Pa .; Edgar, who lives in Jefferson county, Pa .; and Homer, who is also a resi- dent of Jefferson county.

James I. Pollum was ten years old when his parents moved to Elk county, Pa .. from there going to Jefferson county. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Jefferson, and the Clarion State Normal School, where he was graduated in 1896, after which he was engaged in teaching school for ten years, in Washington township, Jefferson county. Dur- ing a part of this time he devoted himself to preparing for medical college and he subse- quently entered the University of Pittsburg, where he was graduated in the class of 1906. After a few months of practice in Cambria county, he came to DuBois, where he soon built up a substantial practice and won the con- fidence and esteem of the public. When the county coroner, Dr. Ross, was removed by death, Dr. Pollum was appointed to serve out the former's unexpired term and in 1909 he was elected to the office of coroner, the duties of which he is still performing.

On May 5, 1897, Dr. Pollum was married to Miss Mae Hildebrand, a daughter of the late David and Amelia Hildebrand, of Du- Bois. Dr. and Mrs. Pollum have one son, Aldridge, who was born in 1900. They re- side at No. 28 W. Scribner avenue, adjoining

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the DuBois Hospital, Dr. Pollum being a R. and Clarence E. A. B. Lansberry, who member of the staff of this institution. He belongs to the DuBois branch of the Red Bank. Protective Association and is identified fraternally with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Eagles and the P. H. C. Polit- ically he is a Republican.

ARCHIE B. LANSBERRY was a well known and highly respected resident of Brad- ford township. Clearfield county, l'a., where his death occurred July 13, 1878. He was a native of Bradford township and a son of James and Elizabeth Lansberry. He attended the public schools in boyhood and youth, after which he went to work on his father's farm and continued until his marriage, when he and wife went to housekeeping on a rented farmi in Graham township. They lived there until 1869, when he bought ninety acres of wild land in Bradford township, all of which he cleared himself and placed under cultivation. He continued to improve his property, being a man of great energy and industry, until near the close of his life, when illness made him retire from active work. He carried on gen- eral farming during the summers and devoted a part of the winter seasons to hauling timber and lumber. After his death his eldest son, A. B. Lansberry, took charge of the farm and his widow in 1890 moved to Clearfield and occupies a residence owned by this son. Mr. Lansberry was a man of quiet life and do- inestic virtues. He was well known and had a wide circle of personal friends.

In 1866 Archie B. Lansberry was married to Miss Lavinia Pearce,, who was born and reared in Bradford township, a daughter of Absolom and Mary Ann Pearce, and they had three children born to them: A. B., Walter

now manages the home farm, married Miss Gussie Glaze, of Clearfield county. Walter R. died at the age of eighteen months. Clarence E. has been twice married. His first union was with Miss Lillie Sheiry, of Bradford town- ship, who died at the age of thirty years, sur- vived by two children: Cora and Guy. His second marriage was to Miss Agnes Couder, of Bradford township, and they had five chil- dren : Daniel, Doyle, Raymond, Nana and Kenneth, all of whom survive except the eld- est.

Clarence and A. B. Lansberry started in the coal business about the year 1895, with one miner and one team, hauling to Woodland and have increased their business from time to time, and finally built tram roads and bought a locomotive, and now are working about fourteen miners and ship about seventy tons per day the greater part of the year.

AUGUSTUS JOHNSON YOUNG, one of the representative business men of Cooper township, Clearfield county, Pa., a member of the general mercantile firm of Young and Lingren, who control the best trade at Grass Flat and in the surrounding territory, was born in Hokantarp, Skaaborgs Lan, Wester- gotland, Sweden, September 1. 1859. His pa- rents were Jonas and Maja (Stina) An- derson, both natives of Sweden.

Jonas Anderson, father of Augustus J., was born in 1828 and died at the age of forty- two years, having been a farmer during all his active life. He married Maja Stina, who was born December 13, 1829, and now lives in great comfort in the place where her sons have prospered and made honorable names for themselves. She was married a second time.

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and with her husband, Andrew Mangoson, conduct, it formerly belonging to Gust Ry- came to America in 1892. To her first mar- berg. They are good business men and stand high in the estcem of the public. riage four sons were born and all came to the United States. Augustus, Jolin and Charles all reside at Grass Flat, but Frans, the young- est, went to Iowa and is a fireman on the C. B. & Q. Railroad. John is a miner and also conducts a small farm. Charles was obliged to give up mining on account of failing health and now conducts a bakery.

Augustus J. Young was the first born of his parents' family. He attended school in his na- tive land for a short time but his father was not possessed of large means and the sons were obliged to go to work when yet young. It fell to Mr. Young's lot to work on a farm and in that way earned enough to pay the rent and if his earnings were more than the rent amounted to, they went to purchase some gift that he could give his mother or to some other laudable purpose. He came to America in 1888 and reached Peale, Clearfield county, on the 18th of May. Before long he discovered that .in order to compete with native-born Americans, he must learn their language and he began to study at night and to take ad- vantage of every moment when he was not at work. He improved rapidly and with his im- provement his ambition grew and three years after he had entered the employ of the Clear- field County Bituminous Coal Company, he had enough of his earnings saved to enter col- lege at Rock Island, Ill. He continued his studies for five years more. During the holi- days of 1895, he returned to Grass Flat and while here bought his brother's store, the lat- ter desiring to return to Sweden. This store, situated on the Hill, Mr. Young continued un- til, 1900, when he purchased the store, in asso- ciation with his present partner, which they

Mr. Young was married to Miss Ida Bloomquist, who was born in Sweden, a daughter of Fritz Bloomquist, on May 16, 1905. She is an educated lady and was a teacher in the parochial schools. Mr. and Mrs. Young have no children of their own but a brother of Mrs. Young left two children at death, one of whom, Fritz Egnar, a beautiful fair-haired boy, has been adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Young. They are members of the Luth- eran church. Mr. Young votes with the Re- publican party but otherwise takes little inter- est in politics.

JAMES DAVISON, one of the leading citizens of Chest township, Clearfield county, Pa., where he owns 200 acres of improved land, was born September 27, 1831, in Albany county, N. Y., and is a son of C. and Eliza- beth (Warner) Davison, and a grandson of a patriot who served through the Revolutionary war. The father of Mr. Davison died on our subject's farm, in 1891, aged eighty-two years, having survived his wife since 1863. They had seven children, the two survivors being James, of Chest township, and William S., of Indiana county.

James Davison obtained his education in the early schools near his parents' home and afterward worked as a blacksmith and in the lumbering industry until 1850, when he came to Clearfield county. This land had to be cleared and in the course of years the work was accomplished through Mr. Davison's in- dustry and for many years it has been consid- ered one of the best farms of the township. Never taking any particular interest in poli-

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. tics, Mr. Davison has devoted his attention mainly to the development of his land and in later years has been able to enjoy the comforts his early industry provided for.

Mr. Davison was married to Miss Ellen Hunter, who was born in Scotland and died in Chest township, at the age of sixty-eight years. Four children were born to them: Sophia, who lives in California; and Emeline, who is the wife of A. Pierce and has had two chil- dren, Ellen and Winfield ; Elizabeth, who lives at home: and Walter, who is deceased. Mr. Davison is a member of the Presbyterian church. He has been identified with the Grange at Ansonville, for a number of years, and is one of Chest township's most esteemed citizens.

SAMUEL T. HEPBURN, a representative citizen of Karthaus, Pa., and for the past sev- eral years proprietor of the popular Potter House, was born in Penn township, Clearfield county, Pa., September 20. 1853, and is a son of Samuel Coleman and Cynthia ( Hoover ) Hepburn.

When Mr. Hepburn was a mere lad his par- ents moved to Grampian, Pa., and in the schools of that place he secured his education. While still a youth he was employed at lum- bering, on job work, and he then entered a grist mill, later engaging in that business on his own account with William F. Johnson, and, after that gentleman's death, with Dr. J. Currier, at Grampian. He also engaged in rafting to some extent, sometimes going as far as Marietta. After disposing of his grist mill interests, he engaged in a meat market busi- ness, in conjunction with which he conducted a hotel at New Holland, Lancaster county, but in 1904 became proprietor of the Hyde City

Hotel, at Hyde City, Pa., from whence he came to Karthaus in December, 1908, to be- come owner of the Potter House. He has continued to conduct this hostelry to the pres- ent time, and it is one much favored by trav- eling men as well as the general public.

On February 7, 1884, Mr. Hepburn was united, in marriage with Miss Gertrude Dress- ler, who was born and reared in Union town- ship, Clearfield county, a daughter of Levi R. and Julia ( Hall) Dressler. Two children were born to this union, Floyd and Grace. Floyd Hepburn, who was born July 30, 1885, is a graduate of Lakemont (N. Y.) Starkey Sem- inary, attended Rochester University for two years and then completed a business course in Strayer's Business College, of Philadelphia. He is now assistant superintendent of Stetcher's Lithograph Company, at Rochester. Grace Hepburn was born December 24, 1887. and was married on Thanksgiving Day, No- vember 25, 1910, to Grover C. Zimmermann. They now reside in Shamokin, Pa.

Mr. Hepburn is a Democrat in his political belief, and was one of the first councilmen of the borough of Grampian, where he also served on the school board at the time the school was built. He is a member of Royal Arcanum, of the Odd Fellows, and the Elks. Mrs. Hepburn is a member of the Baptist church.

REUBEN CALDWELL, a highly re- spected retired farmer of Knox township. Clearfield county, Pa., residing on his valua- ble farm of 300 acres, which is situated eight miles south of Curwensville, was born June I, 1828, in Pike township, Clearfield county, Pa. His parents were Matthew and Mary (Bloom) Caldwell.

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Matthew Caldwell was born and reared in Lancaster county, Pa., where he remained un- til early manhood, when he came to Clearfield county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Mary Bloom who was born in New Jersey, and twenty children were born to them, Reuben being the seventh in order of birth. Matthew Caldwell was the oldest of the sons of Hugh Caldwell and before his marriage resided for a time with his father. who then lived near Curwensville. After mar- riage he settled on a wild tract of ninety acres, in Pike township, to which he subsequently added 100 acres and through hard work cleared one-half of his property. When he died, at the age of eighty-two years, he ex- pressed the wish to be buried on his own land, and his wife was laid by his side. They were members of the Presbyterian church and lived consistent, Christian lives. Matthew Caldwell was an old-time Democrat as were all his sons. The family is one well known in Pennsylvania.

Reuben Caldwell learned his first lessons in an old round log schoolhouse but afterward attended what was known as the Arnold school about one mile from his home. Tlie sessions were held but three months in the year but after he was old enough to go into the woods and to help materially on the farm, he had few opportunities for study. It was the object of young men in his early years to work hard and thus acquire land and to find pleasure and profit in developing it. Before he married, Mr. Caldwell had become the owner of a part of his present farm and after- ward kept adding to it until he now owns 300 acres, land which is valuable both for farm- ing, pasturing and also as coal land, a fine coal bank being on the home place. For some years Mr. Caldwell has lived retired from act-

ive labor but he keeps in close touch with all that goes on on the farm and gives advice of which he knows the value by experience. For- merly he also followed lumbering.

In June, 1857, Mr. Caldwell was married to Miss Mary F. Johnston, a daughter of Rob- ert and Mary (Cameron) Johnston, both of whom were born in Scotland. To them were born the following children: Mark A., who married Lydia Goon, a daughter of Joseph Goon; Elizabeth Alice, who is the wife of Samuel Wise, of Bloomington: Mary Ellen, who is the widow of Joseph Bechdel; Robert. M., who married Amanda Campbell, who lives in Oregon; Priscilla Jane, who is the wife of William McNeal, of Altoona; and An- nie Isabella, who is the wife of Frank Moore, residing near Lumber City, Pa.

Mr. Caldwell and wife are members of the Presbyterian church in Jordan township. Dur- ing his more active years he served his fellow citizens in many township offices, being a school director, tax collector and road super- visor. Both he and wife are widely known and they are held in much esteem.

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Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 92

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1040