Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 373] is a retired and worthy citizen of Pulaski, Pa., who has closed a long career of arduous toil, and is now enjoying that calm that comes after the struggle, untroubled by many anxious thoughts of what the future may bring. Youngstown, Ohio, was the scene of his birth on Jan. 10, 1818. His ancestors for many generations back where [sic] farmers, and this fact probably accounts for his inherited constitution and virility. His parents were Robert Kyle of Youngstown, Ohio, and Mary (Ballard) Kyle, whose home had been in Virginia.
The paternal grandsire of Mr. Kyle settled on a farm bordering on the Monongahela River in the vicinity of Pittsburg, Pa. The family were Presbyterians. Mrs. Kyle gave birth to: Samuel; Joshua; Robert; John; Jane (Davis); Hannah; Mary; and Betsey.
Robert Kyle as a school-boy in the forks of Youghiogheny received his training in the schools of that place, and learned the coppersmith's trade. He worked at that trade until he was advanced in years, and then his savings were invested in a farm, where he spent his later days in tilling the soil. The western portion of the city of Youngstown is built on what was Robert Kyle's farm. He laid aside a reasonable competency, and was a good citizen and a Democrat in politics, holding township offices bestowed on him in recognition of his worth. His partner in the conjugal estate was Mary Ballard, a daughter of John Ballard, Sr., and to them were given this large family of children: Sarah (Hogue); John; James; Henry, whose name stands at the head of this sketch; Mary Ann (Van Fleet); Alexander; Thomas; Oliver; Laura; and three that died in infancy. They were loyal members of the Disciples Church.
Henry Kyle went to school in Youngstown, where the school was supported by private subscriptions in default of public institutions. When his school days were over, he worked on his father's farm until he was twenty-two, when he became a stone-mason and labored at that vocation for several years. In 1864 he came to Pulaski, and established a store and tin shop, and dealt in merchandise until 1875. In the interim, he had purchased a farm which is still carried on under his active supervision; he has been living in retirement since 1887. Politically, Mr. Kyle has been drawn by the tenets of the Prohibition party, and he votes under that standard.
On Feb. 6, 1840, occurred the auspicious event that united the lives of Henry Kyle and Rebecca Van Fleet in marital felicity. She was born in Mercer Co., Pa. The Kyle household did not depart from the precedent of previous generations, and these young people gathered around the family board: Sarah; Almira; Heston; Alice; Samantha; Herman; John, who died aged seventeen months; Maria; Olive; Jesse; Wallace W.
Mr. Kyle's family attend the Disciples Church. Mr. Kyle and his good wife have consented to open their spacious home to a few summer boarders, as they are conveniently located about three minutes walk from the noted Pulaski Spring and the postoffice, and also very near to the churches: Mr. Kyle has a long span of years to look back upon and he sees them well-filled with unremitting toil that has not been without its redeeming features. Now that he and his wife are comfortably settled for their declining years, many friends wish for them and theirs continued peace and contentment.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 30 May 2001