Bios: REV. JOHN A. BAILEY,: Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
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Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
Coordinated by Ed McClelland
Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
An html version with search engine may be found at
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
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REV. JOHN A. BAILEY,
[p. 483] the revered pastor of the United Presbyterian Church of Mt.
Jackson, Pa., was born near Candor, Washington Co., Pa., May 22, 1835. His
great-grandfather, Alexander Bailey, was a Highlander, living near old Billie
Castle, Scotland; on account of his pronounced religious views, he was driven
from his native country, and settled in the north of Ireland, where he lived
with his family a few months, and then emigrated to America, taking up his
residence in Carlisle Barracks, Cumberland County. There he lived until about
1773, when he moved farther west to Washington Co., Pa., where he died at the
age of ninety-seven. It is a rather curious fact that his wife lived to be
one hundred and seven years old, thus exceeding his own very advanced age by
ten years. The names and years of the births of their children as found in
the old family register are as follows: Matthew, born 1749; William, 1752;
Ann, 1753; Mary, 1755; Jeanette, 1758; Alexander, 1761; James, 1763; and
John, our subject's grandfather, who was born Sept. 24, 1765.
John Bailey took up the occupation of farming, and lived on his farm in
Washington County all his life, dying at the age of eighty-seven. His wife,
whose maiden name was Margaret Gailey, married him June 18, 1799, and lived
to enjoy sixty-seven happy years of life. Their children were: Jane; Matthew;
Nancy; James; Marguerite; Alexander; Mary; John; Ann; and William.
Matthew Bailey, the father of Rev. John A., was born in Washington Co.,
Pa., and married Ann Smiley, daughter of William and Sarah (Brownlee) Smiley.
He inherited a farm adjoining his father's estate, and became a very
progressive and well-to-do man, following general farming all of his days,
his death taking place when he was aged seventy-five years. For many years he
occupied the responsible position of elder in the Associate and United
Presbyterian Church. His wife was taken to the world beyond in her
seventy-seventh year. Their children included these members: Rev. John A.;
William S.; Sarah; Alexander; James P.: Margaret; Samuel M.; and Matthew C.
Rev. John A. Bailey passed his early years on the farm, and perfected by
hard work that rugged manhood that has descended to him from his Highland
great-grandfather. When nineteen years of age, having already completed the
course of studies required in the district schools, he entered the
Westminster College, from which he graduated July 7, 1859. Immediately
thereafter, he became a student in the Allegheny Seminary of the United
Presbyterian Church of Allegheny City, Pa., where he took a full theological
course of four years, and was licensed to preach the Gospel Sept. 3, 1862, by
the Lake Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church, and was ordained and
installed June 23, 1863, as pastor of the churches at Sheakleyville and New
Vernon, Mercer Co., Pa., and continued over that charge for six years, giving
entire satisfaction as a teacher of the Gospel, and proving his ability as a
winner of souls to the Standard of Christ by increasing the membership of the
churches in large measure. He was then called to Sidney, Shelby Co., and to
Wellsville, Columbiana Co., Ohio, and on Jan. 1, 1883, assumed the duties of
pastor of the U. P. Church at Sharon, Pa., where he officiated until Nov. 8,
1892, when he came to Mt. Jackson, and began his work in the U. P. Church
with one hundred and twenty-five members, and by his earnest efforts has
increased the membership to one hundred and sixty-six. The church was
organized about 1820 or 1822, and the first church home was erected in 1825;
this structure was replaced with a frame edifice in 1857, in dimensions
40x50, which is still occupied, and is located a half a mile south of the
village. Mr. Bailey has also been instrumental; in beautifying and remodeling
the parsonage. He is a man of great power, of exceptional organizing ability,
and merits well the esteem in which he is held; he is popular among all
classes, the rich and the poor and the old and the young, for he has always a
friendly greeting ready for everyone, and ever looks on the very brightest
side of life.
His life-partner, with whom he was united in marriage bonds Oct. 19, 1860,
was before her marriage Belle Porter, a daughter of John M. and Isabella
(Guy) Porter. She was born in Mahoning township, this county, but passed the
most of her years of young womanhood at Clarksville, Mercer County.
It affords us great pleasure in being able to present the portrait of Mr.
Bailey which appears in connection with this sketch on a preceding page.
HENRY C. ALBORN
[p. 81] is a representative farmer of Shenango township, and resides on
his
farm on lot No. 65, Donation Land, Shenango township, about four miles
south
of the city of New Castle. Mr. Alborn comes from the German Fatherland,
that
proud old empire which has contributed to the United States so many of the
best and most substantial citizens of the country. He was born in the
village
of Fuerstenhaagen, Nov. 7, 1839, and is a son of Augustus and Christiana
(Elias) Alborn.
Our subject's mother was born near Fuerstenhaagen, where her parents
lived
and died. Augustus Alborn was a miller when a resident of Germany. He set
sail from Bremen for America in August, 1846, and after a long sea voyage
of
fifty-one days in a sailing vessel, he landed at Baltimore, Md. From that
city he came direct to Pittsburg, and thence to Beaver County to the home
of
kinsfolks, who had preceded him to the New World which was so rich in
promise
to the Old World emigrant. After living two months with relatives, Mr.
Alborn
purchased a farm of fifty-five acres in Franklin township, Beaver County,
and
with true German thrift soon began adding to it, first by a purchase of
ten
acres, and then by a subsequent purchase of forty acres adjoining, making
altogether a farm of 105 acres. Later on, he bought another farm of fifty
acres near by, and took up his residence on the latter farm, renting his
former home, but still cultivating the land. His death occurred in
December,
1885, when he was aged seventy-eight years. He and his wife were members
of
the Lutheran Church.
Henry C. Alborn, the eldest of five children, three of whom were born in
Germany, was seven years old, when his parents came to America. He was
sent
to school in Beaver County, and continued to be a quite regular pupil
until
he was seventeen years of age, from which age until he was twenty-two
years
old he remained under the parental roof, and worked for his father. He
then
began life for himself, renting at first a farm from his father in Perry
township, Lawrence County, which he operated for three years. He then
bought
seventy-five acres in Franklin township near his father, where he lived
and
labored for ten years. In 1874 he bought his present farm of ninety-six
acres
in Shenango township, on which are standing a fine brick house and
substantial
outbuildings. Mr. Alborn devotes his time and attention to general mixed
farming, and to the manufacture of cider, having a large steam-power
press in
a convenient location on the homestead. He has planted choice trees, kept
fences and buildings in excellent repair, and everything in and about the
premises betokens the existence of thrift and prosperity. He is favored
with
a good, physical constitution, and combines strictness of moral principles
with energy and decision of character, winning honorable success in
business,
and securing a competence as a product of personal industry and good
judgment
put forth in a field wisely selected.
On March 14, 1861, Mr. Alborn was joined in marriage with Miss Caroline
Young, who was born in the village of Deutchweiler, Rheinfahls, Baiern,
one
of the provinces of Germany, and was a daughter of John and Mary (Mueller)
Young, the latter a daughter of George Jacob Mueller, a tailor by trade,
who
lived and died in Germany. John Young came to the United States in 1852,
sailing from Havre, April 3, and reaching New York City in twenty-six
days.
He came direct to Beaver County, where an uncle had preceded him, and for
the
first year after his arrival rented a house, and worked at what his hands
could find to do, becoming acquainted with the American language and
American
customs in the meantime. In 1853, he bought a fifty-six acre tract of
land and
began improving it; this continued to be his home until his death in 1858,
when aged fifty-two years. Of a family of four born to her parents, Mrs.
Alborn was the third in seniority. Our subject's union with his estimable
wife, has resulted in six childrenMary Amelia, deceased; Caroline, the
wife
of Rev. Ivan Dietrich of Allegheny City, to whom she has presented four
childrenTheodore, Hilda, Luther, and Herman; Charles F., whose sketch
appears elsewhere in this Book of Biographies; Henry; Tillie; and Frank.
Mr.
and Mrs. Alborn with their family are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr.
Alborn is a Democrat in politics.