Bios: Sm-St Surnames: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA
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Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia
of Fayette County, Pennsylvania
editorially managed by John M. Gresham
assisted in the compilation by Samuel T. Wiley, A Citizen of the County
Compiled and Published by John M. Gresham & Co. Chicago: 1889
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/fayette/gresham.htm Table of Contents.
______________________________________________________________________
NOTE: "Brnv & Bdgpt" stands for "Brownsville and Bridgeport"
NAME LOCATION PAGE
Smith, Daniel Georges 528
Smith, N P Tyrone 388
Smith, Peter F, Dr Uniontown 226
Smith, P G Franklin 389
Smith, R L Connellsville 474
Smock, Samuel Franklin 390
Snider, John, Sr Uniontown 227
Snowdon, C L Brnv & Bdgpt 297
Snowdon, Edward Brnv & Bdgpt 298
Snowdon, John, Capt Brnv & Bdgpt 294
Snowdon, J L Brnv & Bdgpt 298
Snowdon, J N Brnv & Bdgpt 296
Snyder, H B Dunbar 475
Snyder, Peter Tyrone 391
Snyder, Stockdale Menallen 390
Sparks, Horatio L Salt Lick 571
Springer, C A Washington 392
Springer, J M Washington 392
Springer, J T Nicholson 530
Springer, Levi B Uniontown 228
Stacy, J C, Capt Menallen 393
Steele, Samuel Miscellaneous 588
Steele, W C Brnv & Bdgpt 299
Stentz, J E Springhill 300
Stephens, J B Redstone 529
Stephens, J R Washington 393
Stewart, Andrew Uniontown 230
Stewart, A P, Dr Springhill 300
p528
DANIEL SMITH, one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of
Georges township, was born in the house he now lives in, in Georges
township, Fayette county, Penna, April 1, 1806, and is a son of Henry
Smith and Margaret Sheeter Smith.
His paternal grandfather, Philip Smith, was captain of a military
organization in Germany, emigrated to Maryland prior to 1752, and removed
to what is now Georges township where he secured a patent in 1769 for
what is now the Kyle, Mosier and Deffenbaugh farms. He afterwards moved
to Wayne county, Ohio, where he died.
His maternal grandfather, Sheeter, was born in Germany and emigrated to
Maryland where he afterwards died.
His father, Henry Smith, was born in Maryland in 1752 and came with his
father, Philip Smith, to Georges township in 1769. Henry Smith served in
the Revolutionary War, was a democrat, and a member of the Lutheran
church. His first wife was Elizabeth Grantstaff by whom he had eight
children. His second wife was Margaret, widow of George Stow. To the
second union were born five children.
Daniel Smith received his education in the old subscription schools and
never engaged in any business but farming. He cast his first vote for
Andrew Jackson and from that day has been a democrat of the Jacksonian
persuasion. He has held nearly all his township offices.
Daniel Smith married Miss Elizabeth Roderick, daughter of David Roderick
and Magdalena Landis Roderick. To Mr and Mrs Smith were born eight
children: Henry Smith of Shell Rock, Iowa, married Ann Deyarman; Louisa
Smith, dead; Lydia M Smith, dead, married J K Anderson; David R Smith
married Annie Kennison and died in Kansas; Samuel M Smith married to
Phebe A Patton and a gardener at Great Bend, Kansas; Orlando Smith, dead;
Andrew J Smith married Eliza J Deyarman, dead, and lives in Iowa,
enlisted in First Virginia Cavalry, federal, was at Fredericksburg,
Antietam and many other battles; and Daniel Porter Smith married to
Margaret Malaby, daughter of Henry Malaby of Iowa.
Daniel Porter Smith was educated at Georges Creek Academy and is a man
of good general information. He is a leading and substantial farmer, a
democrat and has served for years as school director.
Daniel Smith and his wife have been commendable members of Mt Moriah
Baptist church for over forty years. Mr Smith has retired from active
life and in the ease and comfort of his beautiful home can calmly
meditate over his long and well spent life.
p388
NORVAL P SMITH, a youthful soldier of the Civil War and a leading
merchant of Dawson, was born near Bruceton, Preston county, Virginia (now
West Virginia), May 10, 1846, and is a son of Squire Henry Smith and
Martha King Smith.
His grandfather, Jacob Smith, was a son of a Revolutionary soldier and
was born in Somerset county, Penna, in 1764. He was a farmer and removed
to Preston county, where he died March 230, 1860, at ninety six years of
age.
His father, Squire Henry Smith, was born December 7, 1805, in Preston,
then Monongolia county; he was a farmer and served as justice of the
peace in Grant district for over twenty years. He owned the present
well-known "Smith farm" near Bruceton. On this tract is the celebrated
"sulphur spring," whose waters are said to possess remarkable curative
properties.
Norval P Smith's maternal grandfather, James King, was raised in Old
Town, Virginia, and was a color bearer in the War of 1812. He died in
Preston county, West Virginia, at the age of eighty seven years; Emma
Short King, his wife, died at the age of sixty four years.
Mr Smith owned over one thousand acres of land, engaged largely in
stock-dealing, and was ruling elder in the Presbyterian church. His death
occurred July 29, 1862, occasioned by the running away of his team. His
wife was born April 30, 1807, was a member of the Presbyterian church,
and died September 20, 1882. Four of his sons served in the late war:
Lucian Smith, Asabel G Smith, N P Smith and Henry C Smith, the latter
dying in the service.
Norval P Smith was raised on a farm until fifteen years of age, when the
war began. He was too young to enlist, so he became a wagoner in the
Federal army in February, 1862, but was soon promoted to wagon master,
and was engaged in hauling between Harper's Ferry and Winchester. Having
attained to the proper age for enlistment, he joined Company K, Third
Regiment Maryland Infantry Volunteers, served until the close of the war,
and was honorably discharged at Camp Carroll, Baltimore, in May, 1865.
After the close of the war, he completed his education at the Upper Iowa
University, Fayette county, Iowa, and subsequently turned his attention
to mercantile pursuits. Mr Smith was engaged for several years as a clerk
with Rush & Smith of Uniontown, dealers in dry goods and notions;
afterward held a position with Brown & Hancock of Osceola, Mo; next was
in the employ of Morehouse & Carson of Pittsburgh for a short time, when
he became a successful traveling salesman for John A Horner & Co of
Baltimore. He left their service to accept a clerkship with P G Cochran &
Co at Spring Grove, Penna. From 1876 to 1881 he engaged in the general
mercantile business as a partner of the firm of Chidester & Smith at
Bruceton, West Virginia. In May, 1881, he engaged with John T Cochran at
Dawson in the general mercantile business under the firm name of Smith &
Cochran, and have successfully continued since in that line of business.
On August 4, 1880, he was married to Miss Annie H Cochran, only daughter
of James Cochran. To this union have been born three children: James H
Smith, Lucian P Smith, and Martha C Smith.
Mr Smith is a staunch republican, and is a good business man. Special
adaptability and many years of valuable experience well qualifies him for
most any business pursuit.
p226
PETER F SMITH MD. The Smith family for the last three generations is one
of pure American birth and rearing; and the ancestors were, with one
exception, born and reared in Fayette county, Penna.
John T Smith, paternal grandfather of Dr Smith, was born in New Jersey
in 1811, and came to Fayette county in 1849. He was a shoemaker by
trade, but later in life he became a farmer and gardener. He was married
to Miss Williams and they were the parents of two children: Robert H
Smith and Francis Smith. He married a second time to Miss Hadden of South
Union township, Fayette county, Penna, and they had three children:
Thomas H Smith, Annie Smith, and James B Smith. James B Smith is a member
of the faculty of the "California State Normal School of Pennsylvania."
Peter Humbert, Dr Smith's grandfather on his mother's side, was born in
1808 in Fayette Co, Pa and was a farmer. He married Abby Hadden. They
have six children: Joseph Humbert, Julian Humbert, Thomas Humbert, Smith
Humbert, Jane Humbert, Eliza F Humbert (the mother of Dr Smith), and Mary
Humbert.
Robert H Smith, father of Dr Smith, was born in 1833 in New Jersey, came
to Fayette county with his father in 1849, and is now a farmer in Dunbar
township. He married Eliza F Humbert, the daughter of Peter Humbert, a
farmer of North Union township. They are the parents of Peter F Smith, S
Jennie Smith, William W Smith, and Charles H Smith. S Jennie graduated at
the California State Normal School of Pennsylvania in 1888, and taught
one term before and one term after her graduation. She married Clyde
Kimball of Dunbar township, and now lives on a farm near Dunbar borough.
Charles H Smith graduated at the Central State Normal School of Lock
Haven, Penna, in the class of 1886, taught school for two years and then
entered upon the study of Pharmacy.
Dr Peter F Smith was born April 16, 1857, in North Union township,
Fayette county, Penna. He was educated in the common schools of Dunbar,
and for two years in the California State Normal school, entering this
school in 1882. In the interval between the common school and the Normal
school, he worked upon a farm.
Leaving the Normal school he commenced the study of medicine in the
office of R W Clark of Dunbar. He entered the medical department of the
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1884 and graduated in 1887. He is
located in the practice of his profession at Percy, in Fayette county,
where he has been in practice for two years.
Dr Smith is a member of the Presbyterian church, of the Fayette County
Medical Society, of the Jr O U A Mechanics, and the Royal Arcanum. Dr
Smith is a young physician of great promise and has a glowing future
before him, both as a professional man and as a citizen. It is to be
hoped that his success will be equal to his abilities and merit.
p389
PHILLIP G SMITH was born March 26, 1838, in Connellsville township,
Fayette county, Penna, and is of German descent. He was educated in the
common schools of his native township, and arriving at the age of
maturity, he entered Waynesburg College. Here he remained for two terms.
He then entered Pleasant Valley Academy of Washington county, as an
assistant teacher and as a pupil, and remained as such for seven months.
After this he taught in the common schools of Washington and Fayette
counties for twelve terms, farming in the summer time. In 1862 he
attended the Normal School of Millsboro, Penna.
January 1, 1863, he was married to Miss Hannah L Snyder, daughter of
Jacob Snyder of near Perryopolis. Six children were the result of this
union: Willie E Smith, Laurilla Smith, May Smith, Hattie Smith, Deborah
Anna Smith, Hannah Catherine Smith, and Emma Dora Smith. Willie E Smith
died in 1878 at the age of fourteen years.
Mr Smith is a member of the Harmony Church, Cumberland Presbyterian. He
is a democrat, and has held the position of school director for one term
and tax collector of Perry township for two terms. He engaged in
merchandising in 1866 at California, Penna, and at Dawson's Station-now
Dawson borough-in 1867-69. Afterwards for four or five years, he was
engaged in farming. In January, 1888, he began the manufacture of red
brick, near Dickenson, Penna, and still continues in this business, and
has been quite successful. His works have a capacity of 700,000 bricks
per annum.
The father of the subject of this sketch, Mr Jacob Smith, was born in
the same township where his son was born-Connellsville-in 1799, and was a
successful farmer up until his death in 1868. In 1820 he married Miss
Catherine Galley. They had twelve children: Abraham Smith, Henry Smith,
Martha Smith, Eliza Smith, Joseph Smith, Samuel Smith, John Smith,
Jonathan Smith, Jesse Smith, Philip G Smith, Mary Smith and an infant.
Samuel, John, Jonathan, Martha, Abraham and the infant are dead.
Mr Smith's mother was born in this county in 1801. For her ancestry, see
the sketch of Hon H B Galley at another place in this volume.
Henry Smith, the grandfather of Peter G Smith, was born within the
present limits of Fayette county in 1760; he was a farmer and one of the
best in western Pennsylvania. He married a Miss Stauffer of Westmoreland
county.
The great great grandfather of Philip G Smith came from German to
America in 1700.
p474
ROBERT L SMITH of Connellsville is a son of James Smith and Sarah Young
Smith, both natives of Carlisle, Cumberland county, Penna, who crossed the
mountains and settled in Pittsburgh in 1826. Remaining at Pittsburgh but a
short time they came to Fayette county and located in Redstone township.
James Smith was a paper maker and in 1832 he located at Connellsville and
worked at his trade. In 1833 he removed to Brownsville and continued to
reside there till his death in 1856 at the age of fifty nine years. His wife
died at Brownsville in 1844 at the age of forty eighty years.
Robert L Smith was born at Carlisle, Cumberland county, Penna, March 28,
1819. At the age of fourteen years he went as a second cook on the "Lady
Washington" which ran from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. In a short time he was
promoted to steward in which capacity he continued to serve till the
breaking out of the War of the Rebellion. During this time, however, he
worked on different boats and for several years he was with Captain Cox of
Brownsville.
Subsequently, he was engaged in the Pittsburgh and St Louis trade;
relinquished that, he went South where he was at the breaking out of the war
engaged on one of the finest boats that plied the Mississippi River. He left
New Orleans the day Colonel Ellsworth fell, on May 24, 1861. Returned to
Connellsville, engaged in the hotel business at which he was employed up to
1882. He first ran the Yough House. In 1869 he bought and opened as a hotel
the house which is now known as the Smith House. In 1882 he rented this
hotel and retired from active life. In 1832 the fine stone residence in
which he now resides was the leading hotel of Connellsville and was known as
the Page House.
He was married in 1855 to Miss Bettanna R Hoebdinger, a daughter of John
Hoebdinger, the latter a farmer of Westmoreland county. Mr Smith and wife
are both highly respected members of the Lutheran church. He is one of the
oldest, if not the oldest, steam boat men now living in the county. He is a
remarkably well preserved man for his age and is now spending the declining
years of his life in peace and plenty.
p390
SAMUEL SMOCK is of German descent and was born in Rostraver township,
Westmoreland county, Penna, June 19, 1820, and is a son of Henry Smock.
Barnet Smock, paternal grandfather, was a Revolutionary soldier. In 1793
he and his wife came on foot from New Jersey to Westmoreland county. He
was a common laborer and his children were: Elizabeth Smock; Abraham
Smock, Henry Smock and Mary Smock.
Henry Smock, father, was a son of Barnet and Elizabeth Smock and was
born in New Jersey in 1790. He was three years old when his parents came
to Westmoreland county. He was a common laborer and married a Miss
Shepler. They had eleven children: Ruhama Smock; Mary Smock; Philip
Smock; Jane Smock; Lucinda Smock; Samuel Smock; Barney Smock; Isabella
Smock, dead; Sarah Smock; Margaret Smock and Caroline Smock.
Mrs Smock was a daughter of Philip Shepler who married Mary Baxter and
whose father was Mott Shepler.
Samuel Smock was a very poor boy and on April 14, 1839, he went to learn
the blacksmith trade with James Beazel of Belle Vernon; he was possessed
of scant clothing and worked barefooted in the shop until he earned
enough money to buy a pair of shoes. In three years he acquired his
trade, owned a good suit of clothes worth $31 and had $79.42 in money. He
now helped his parents to secure a home and then sought a home for
himself.
In 1844 he went to Perry township and worked until 1846, saving $500. He
next worked in Westmoreland county when he went to Ohio and after a short
stay removed to Belle Vernon where he first worked at $25 per month, but
soon bought a lot and built him a house and shop. He pursued his trade
for twenty one years at that place.
At the end of that time, he had accumulated $14,000. Selling his
property he bought in 1868 the farm he now owns at Smock Station, named
for him. His farm contains 190 acres of excellent land costing $12,000
and for which he lately refused to take $28,000. A town is growing up on
his land around the railroad station which is situated between Uniontown
and Brownsville on the Monongahela division of the S W P R W.
Mr Smock in the spring of 1847 married Miss Mary Ann Fields, daughter of
Margaret Fields of Perry township. Unto this union were born the
following children: William Smock, dead; Celia Smock; Elzanna Smock,
dead; Roley Smock, dead; Odessa Smock; Noah Smock and Alva Smock.
Mrs Smock died in the spring of 1847 and on March 15, 1869, he married
his second wife, Miss Elizabeth Hess of Redstone township. She was born
April 1, 1832. In politics he is a democrat and is emphatically a self
made man who in middle age by hard work and good management attained to a
position of ease and affluence.
He started early in life in absolute want, but by industry and a strict
application to business overcame every difficulty in carving out for
himself a successful business career, and now in advancing years is
worthily enjoying the well earned fruits of his labor.
p227
JOHN SNIDER Sr was born January 14, 1819, in Washington county,
Maryland, and is a son of Andrew Snider and Rachel McCoy Snider. John
Snider (subject's paternal grandfather) was born near Berlin, Prussia,
and came to American in 1770. He was a wagonmaker. Enlisting in the
Continental army, he served under Washington from Long Island to
Yorktown. After the Revolutionary war he removed from Pennsylvania to
Maryland, was in the War of 1812, when Washington City was threatened,
and volunteered to haul supplies to the nation's endangered capitol, and
did so until the city was captured. He died at his Maryland home. His
wife was Miss Elizabeth Armstrong, born in York County, Penna, in 1766,
and died in 1837.
Andrew Snider (subject's father) was born January 6, 1792, in York
county, Penna, and removed to Maryland in 1806, where he died July 5,
1865. He married Rachel McCoy. She was born in Washington county,
Maryland, and died April 12, 1832. Her father was Andrew McCoy, a
Catholic, who came from Cork, Ireland, to Maryland in 1775, where he died
in 1827. His wife was a Scotch lady by the name of Mary Mountz, born in 1767.
John Snider Sr was raised on a farm and on December 29, 1841, he married
Miss Margaret Pence. They have nine children: Andrew Snider, born April
6, 1844, died March 15, 1846; Mary Snider, born September 18, 1846,
living at home; William Snider, born November 22, 1848, died February 16,
1889, married Olive Morris, December 22, 1868: two of his children,
Margaret Snider and Ellen Snider are schoolteachers. Henry, born March
10, 1851, died September 4, 1856; Elizabeth Snider, born September 16,
1863, married Luke Patterson, October 5, 1887, and has one child; John
Snider Jr, born February 2, 1854, married Belle Sampey, December 21,
1880, and has three children; Josephine Snider, born December 2, 1855;
Lydia Snider, born April 8, 1860, married John Dixon, September 17, 1882,
and has three children; Edward Snider, born February 17, 1865, married
Josephine Hustead, daughter of J M Hustead, March 13, 1886, and has two
children.
John Snider Sr moved to Monroe and followed teaming until 1852. He had
control of two lines of transporting wagons from Wheeling to Cumberland.
He received all moneys and paid all bills.
In 1852 he bought the Peter Skiles farm in North Union township, and one
year later purchased Redstone Furnace, which he ran for twelve years. In
1864 he purchased the Jeffries farm where he now resides.
Mr Snider's most important line of work is in railroad construction.
As a railroad contractor he built in 1871 the bed of the railroad from
Uniontown to Fairchance, and in 1872 and in 1873 he built one fourth of
the road from Greensburg to Connellsville. From 1874 to 1876 he built
the S W P R W from Connellsville to Uniontown, and in 1878 he built an
extension of the same road for H C Frick & Co.
He says the cares of a stage or wagon line on the "Pike" were as onerous
as the management of a railroad is at the present time. He never had a
manager and scarcely ever needed a clerk. His memory is remarkably good,
remembering past events and dates as if they were but of yesterday, and
often did the clerical work of four men. He is a Free Mason and a
Calvinist in belief, though not a member of any church. His wife is a
Protestant Methodist. She was born in Somerset county, Penna, November
15, 1821, and was the daughter of William Pence, native of Eastern
Pennsylvania, and who died at Cook's Mills (Tippecanoe) in 1858. His wife
was Mary Shirer, a native of Somerset county.
John Snider is one of those men who believe in "wearing out" not
"rusting out" as his long life of activity and toil well attest.
p297
CHARLES L SNOWDON is the son of John N Snowdon and Eliza J McSherry
Snowdon and the grandson of Captain John Snowdon. Charles L Snowdon was
born June 25, 1854, in Brownsville, Penna, and was reared and educated
there. He was afterwards employed as a clerk for several years and from
1873 to 1877 acted as teller in the Dollar Savings Bank of Brownsville.
In 1887 he went as first clerk of the steamer Geneva that ran between
Pittsburgh and Brownsville, and belonged to the Pittsburgh, Brownsville &
Geneva Packet Co. He remained in this capacity for three years.
In January, 1880, he became interested in the Umpire Coal Works of
Cunningham & Co. The firm consisted of J S Cunningham, L H Abrams, and C
L Snowdon. They continued in business together till 1881 when J S
Cunningham and L H Abrams drew out, and S S Graham and W B McCormick
became interested and the firm then became Graham, Snowdon & co. In 1882
S S Graham sold his interest to N B Hogg Jr, and the name was changed to
C L Snowdon & Co.
The mine is located just above the mouth of Redstone Creek between the
railroad bridge and Brownsville. The coal is of superior quality and is
shipped by river to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville and New Orleans.
They shipped from this mine annually from one and one half to two
millions of bushels of coal and employ on the average one hundred and
twenty five men. The firm of C L Snowdon & Co operate coke ovens in
connection with their coal mining interests, and their coke is pronounced
by the Edgar Thompson Steel Works to be equal to the Connellsville or any
other coke they have ever used. The slack and dust from this mine has
preference in the Pittsburgh market.
In 1882 Mr Snowdon opened the Oro Coal Works on Water street opposite
the glass works in Brownsville; he operates them to supply the home
trade. In 1885 Mr Snowdon formed a partnership with Frank T Hogg and
opened the Albany mine, located one mile down the river from Brownsville
near the mouth of Redstone creek on the site of the old Albany Glass
Works. The coal is of an excellent quality and they ship from two million
to two and a half million bushes yearly.
As it will be seen from the above recital of Mr Snowdon's business
ventures, he is a stirring, energetic, go ahead businessman.
On June 26, 1879, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Hogg, daughter of
George E Hogg of Brownsville. They have four children: Eliza Snowdon;
George Hogg Snowdon; Caroline McClurg Snowdon; and Felix Brunot Snowdon.
Mr Snowdon is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church at Brownsville
and is a member of the vestry. He is a member of the borough council,
having been twice elected, first in 1883, re-elected in 1887, and in 1889
he was elected as a member of the school board.
p298
EDWARD SNOWDON of Brownsville, Fayette county, Penna, is the son of
William Snowdon and Mary Lickas Snowdon. Edward Snowdon was born June 2,
1824, in Yorkshire, England, and came to Brownsville in 1833 with his
parents. He learned the trade of blacksmith with his father and continued
to work for him until the subject of this sketch was of age.
In 1845 Edward Snowdon went on the river to learn steamboat engineering.
He has since followed the river as engineer and pilot and has boated on
all the southern and western rivers. He is probably the oldest engineer
and pilot now living in Brownsville. At the Pittsburgh custom house he is
registered as having taken out one issue of license as steamboat
engineer, more than any other man whose name is found on the books. Mr
Snowdon has displayed great ingenuity in the building of two miniature
steamboats. These boats, which show great skill in their construction,
can be seen at his residence.
John Snowdon was the father of Captain John Snowdon and was the first of
the Snowdon family that came to this country.
Edward Snowdon was married to Miss Sarah Ellis of Fayette county. She
died leaving nine children: Maggie Snowdon; Jennie Snowdon; Alvin
Snowdon; Belle Snowdon; Edward Snowdon; Ellie Snowdon; John Snowdon and
Dora Snowdon.
He married again Miss Eliza Warner, daughter of Philip Warner of
Allegheny City. By this wife he has five living children: Ross Snowdon;
Francis Snowdon; Nettie Snowdon; Hester Snowdon; and Bertha Snowdon.
Mr Snowdon is a regular attendant at the Methodist Episcopal church and
is a democrat.
Gresham and Wiley, however, made an error themselves in this bio.
The daughter to Edward Snowdon's second marriage listed as "Hester" was
actually Esther.
Donna Edwards-Jordan
p294
Captain JOHN SNOWDON, deceased. John Snowdon came to Brownsville,
Fayette county, Penna, in 1818 from Yorkshire, England. He was a
blacksmith by trade and about all he possessed was a wife and two
children. His household furniture was scanty as we find in a sketch
published of him in the Brownsville CLIPPER of July 24, 1867, his bed was
the bare floor, his chair a block of wood and his table a store box.
He commenced work as a journeyman in the shop of John Weaver at one
dollar a day and was the first man who received so large an amount for
wages as a blacksmith at Brownsville. His first work outside of the
regular line in the shop was to make an English oven or stove for Mr
George Hogg. After that he made several more, which were probably the
actual introduction of the use of the stove into this section of the
country.
Mr Hogg asked him why he did not start a shop of his own, the reply was
that he had not the means. Mr Hogg furnished him with all of the
necessaries of the trade for starting a small shop on Market street. He
showed superiority in his work and added to his "shop" different
departments of work, until he became proprietor of the foundry, machine
and other works.
The "shop" was the nucleus around which was built a machine shop, then a
foundry and pattern shop. At these works the engines were built for the
steamer Monongahela in 1827. In 1831 he built larger shops and in them
were built the engines of the iron clads Manayunk and Umpqua.
This plant stood where the rolling mill now stands and was destroyed by
fire September, 1853. In 1853 - 1854 he built the present "shops." In
1853 he built the rolling mill and operated it individually for some time
and later in connection with his sons under the firm name of John Snowdon
& Sons.
The following from a sketch of the life of Captain John Snowden,
published in the Brownsville CLIPPER of July 24, 1867, gives a epitome of
the works of the man:
He established as we at present see them, a foundry, machine and pattern
shops of an aggregate length of 685 feet and in which have been employed
on an average for the last five years nearly 200 hands; he has built
steamboats or the iron portion of them for the States of Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Texas, Michigan, California and other States to the
number of almost 300. Having himself established the business in this
place, and he built one of the first two boats that ever navigated the
Monongahela river, also boats for government to run on the Rio Grande
during the Mexican War as well as gunboats for the government during the
late War of the Rebellion at a contract price of $1,500,000 besides
building an iron steamboat for a private party during the same time that
the two government boats were in progress.
He built the first boat that ever ran on the Sacramento river and the
iron bridge across the creek between Brownsville and Bridgeport, more
than forty years ago built by him which is still standing as firm and
substantial as ever and as a specimen of bridge architecture is embraced
in the list of studies on engineering at West Point Military Academy.
This is supposed to have been the first iron bridge built in America. He
made the iron mileposts for the National Pike."
From the same paper we also clip the following with reference to his
losses in business: "He lost by the bankrupt law of 1841 more than
$40,000. In 1853 his whole establishment including machinery, patterns,
etc, amounting to upwards of $80,000 was destroyed by fire upon which
there were only $5,000 insurance. He lost by the failure of the Southern
contractors in consequence of the rebellion some $25,000 and these
several sums no means cover all the losses he has sustained since the day
he sat upon a wooden block and took his meals from the cover of a store box.
In 1852 he took a trip to England, visiting the World's Fair, was
presented to Queen Victoria by the Hon James Buchanan, then minister
plenipotentiary to the Court of St James and afterward president of the
United States.
In 1860 he took another trip to England, visiting his old home, his
relatives and friends. He went as a passenger on the steamship Great
Eastern on her first trip across the ocean. Upon his return home to
Brownsville he was received by the citizens with the ringing of bells and
the firing of guns. This in passing will give the esteem in which he
was held by his fellow citizens of his adopted country and especially so
by his friends and employees.
Captain John Snowdon was born at Martin, near Scarborough, Yorkshire,
England, March 22, 1796. His early education was of a limited character;
his trade was learned in England and he was married there. In 1818 he
migrated to the United States and the remainder of his life and history
belong to this country. His life and character was that of an upright
man, full of kindness to his fellow men and bestowed much money in
assisting the poor, helping the laboring man, and often carrying men on
his payroll who were not needed in his works. He bestowed aid upon widows
and orphans of his former employees.
As a citizen he stood high in the estimation of all of the community in
which he lived. As an employer he was generous and just, gentle and
careful of the feelings and condition of his men. Having gone through the
path of the laboring man himself, he could sympathize with him. He
appreciated the duty he owed to his men as fully as that which they owed
to him.
The result of this was that he had the full affection and respect of his
men. As an instance of this we cite the presentation of a very fine cane
to him by the employees of Snowdon's foundry and machine shops, which
took place on Saturday, July 13, 1867. The whole affair was gotten up by
the men, and Captain Snowdon was not aware of the cause for which he had
been called to the foundry till John L Snowdon presented him a beautiful
ebony stick heavily mounted with gold and bearing the inscription:
"Presented to John Snowdon by his employees, July, 1867."
Captain Snowdon was an F and A M for many years before he died. He was
married in 1816 to Miss Mary Smith. They had the following children: Ann
Snowdon, wife of Adam Jacobs of Brownsville; Elizabeth Snowdon, wife of
Walter Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio; Samuel S Snowdon, of St Louis,
Missouri; I W [sic] Snowdon of Brownsville; and Sarah M Snowdon, wife of
I H [sic] Roberts of Allegheny, Penna.
Captain Snowdon did more than to build up the business and wealth and to
advance the interests of Brownsville during the fifty seven years of his
residence there than any other man who ever lived in the town. Captain
Snowdon died at Brownsville on the 25th of January, 1875, universally
mourned by all. His wife also died at Brownsville.
[Archivist's NOTE: I W Snowden may be J N Snowdon, see bio below; and I H Roberts
may be J H Roberts. I's and J's often misread in the script of the day.]
Also, when we read this collection of bios, we are getting what
the submitter chose to tell, which is not necessarily the whole story. I'm
referring, for example, to the bio of "Captain" John Snowdon. His second
wife, Rachel, is omitted entirely. They married following the death of his
first wife, Mary Smith Snowdon, and Rachel survived him, dying in 1881.
from Donna Edwards-Jordan, researching (in Fayette Co.)
p298
JOHN L SNOWDON is the son of William Snowdon and Mary Lickas Snowdon,
both natives of Yorkshire, England.
His father was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1782, and learned the
trade of blacksmithing. He was married in England to Miss Mary Lickas of
Nunington, Yorkshire. In 1833 he and his family took ship at Liverpool
and sailed for the United States. After a voyage of eleven weeks, the
officers of the ship having lost their reckoning and after a circuitous
route, they landed at New York City. From New York they traveled to
Philadelphia by canal, thence to Baltimore; from there by stage to
Brownsville or rather a part of the way in covered wagon. On account of
the snow they were compelled to abandon the wagon for a sled in which
they finally reached Brownsville after many days of travel.
Having arrived at Brownsville, Mr Snowdon engaged at work in the rolling
mill of Rev Arthur Palmer, where he worked for four years. He then opened
a shop for himself and continued to work at his trade, shoeing the stage
horses for the company so long as the line continued to exist. He died at
Brownsville in 1855 at the age of seventy three years. He was a useful
and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife died in
Brownsville when eighty four years old.
John L Snowdon was born May 10, 1820, in Yorkshire, England, and came to
Brownsville with his parents when thirteen years old. Soon after he
arrived at Brownsville he went to Captain Snowdon's "shops" to learn the
trade of machinist blacksmith where he served six years apprenticeship.
At the expiration of his term he commenced work in Captain Snowdon's
employ and remained with him the greater part of the time till the death
of Captain Snowdon. In 1861 he went to Pittsburgh, South Side, and worked
in the rolling mill of Zug & Painter for about one year; thence he
removed to Pittsburgh where he lived and worked for about three years
when he returned to Brownsville to [be] engaged with Captain Snowdon.
In 1870 he went to New Haven and took the position of foreman in the
blacksmithing department of Messrs Dawson & Bailey's locomotive shops
where he continued for three years when he quit the business. He then
returned to Brownsville and commenced business for himself in the old
"Snowdon Shops."
John L Snowdon, on account of his long connection with and intimate
relations with Captain Snowdon, was selected by his fellow workmen as the
person best fitted to present the cane they gave him as testimony of
their esteem to the captain.
John L Snowdon was married in Brownsville, 1845, to Miss Elizabeth
Downs, a daughter of John Downs who was a blacksmith in Brownsville. His
wife died leaving seven children: William N Snowdon; Mary Ann Snowdon;
John T Snowdon; Arabella Snowdon; Walter Snowdon; Samuel A Snowdon; and C
Loy Snowdon.
He was married a second time to Miss Rebecca Downs, a sister of his
first wife.
He is one of the old residents of Brownsville and is a true democrat.
For twenty five years he was a member of the I O O F but withdrew from
the order during the war. Mr Snowdon is a good man, esteemed by the people
of the borough generally, and beloved of those who are classed as his friends.
p296
JOHN N SNOWDON was born in Brownsville, October 15, 1827, and was
brought up there; he attended the common schools of the borough. He was
the son of Captain John Snowdon and Mary Smith Snowdon.
In 1845 he took a position as a clerk in the forwarding and grocery
house of George Cass but remained there but a short time. In 1846 he went
as second clerk on one of the packet boats and remained on the river
until 1854. During this time he had command of and owned several boats
that were running on the Ohio river. In 1854 he went into partnership
with his father and brother, Samuel Snowdon, in the foundry and machine
shops and boat building business; the firm name being J Snowdon & Sons.
This firm continued until 1860 when Samuel Snowdon withdrew; the firm
name then was changed to J Snowdon & Son.
This firm built two gunboats for the government during the war, the
Umpqua and the Manayunk, at a contract price of over one million dollars.
The latter was so great a favorite in the navy that when the gunboats
were sold off at the close of the war, she was retained in the service
and her name was changed to Ajax.
The firm of J Snowdon & Son besides their works at Brownsville was
running a foundry, machine shops and boat yards at Pittsburgh, employing
as many as two thousand men in the two towns; the two gunboats were built
at Pittsburgh. In 1856 they turned out twenty six steamboat engines. They
took contracts to build and complete in all its parts and to furnish an
entire steamboat in sixty days; and finished and delivered it in forty
five days, fifteen days in advance of time. This firm continued until
1872.
In February, 1878, Mr J N Snowdon was appointed postmaster of
Brownsville by President Hayes and was re-appointed in 1882 by President
Arthur. He held the office from February, 1878, to June, 1886, this being
for a longer time than any other man except Jacob Bowman who was the
first postmaster and held the place for seventeen years; he is the only
man besides him who has been appointed to succeed himself in the office
of the borough.
At the time that the erection of the public school building was in
question, Mr Snowdon was a candidate for director and was elected against
strong opposition as in favor of the building, and was made chairman of
the board and held that position for eight years. At present Mr Snowdon
is in the office of his son, C L Snowdon, whose sketch is in another
place in this work.
Mr John N Snowdon was married January 17, 1853, to Miss Eliza J
McSherry, daughter of James McSherry, who was a tailor of Brownsville.
They have three children: Charles L Snowdon; John Howard Snowdon; and
Mary Snowdon. John Howard Snowdon is at home and clerks for his brother,
Charles L Snowdon. Mary Snowdon is married to Walter Bare, who resides in
Lancaster, where he is engaged in the tobacco business with J Wolf & Co.
p475
HENRY B SNYDER, the well known proprietor of East Liberty foundry and
repair shops, is a son of Peter Snyder and Catherine Bothers Snyder of
German extraction, and was born in Rostraver township, Westmoreland
county, Penna, November 3, 1831.
His grandfather was a native of Germany. He came to America first
settling in New Jersey, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, but
subsequently removed to Westmoreland county, Penna, where he owned a
grist mill that stood on the site of the present Scottdale Furnace. His
children were: John Snyder, Nicholas Snyder, Peter Snyder, Gasper Snyder
and Elizabeth Snyder.
Peter Snyder was born in 1792, and removed in 1842 to Franklin township,
where he purchased a small farm and resided until his death, December 25,
1857. He married Miss Catherine Bothers, and unto them were born ten
children: John Snyder; Jacob Snyder; Peter Snyder; William Snyder; Daniel
Snyder, father of Professor Z X Snyder; Francis Snyder, soldier in the
late war, was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness; Margaret Snyder;
Mary Snyder; Eli Snyder and Henry B Snyder. Mrs Snyder died in 1863, in
the sixty ninths year of her age.
Henry B Snyder was reared on a farm in Westmoreland county, attending
the common schools; leaving school he learned the trade of carpenter
which he pursued for fourteen years in Fayette county and in Pittsburgh.
He afterwards learned the trade of molder, and erected a foundry at East
Liberty, and has successfully prosecuted the molding and foundry business
up to the present time.
In 1857 he married Miss Mary Ann Knight, daughter of John Knight. They
have eleven children: George Snyder, an engineer, married Miss Etta
Eneix; Emma Snyder and Belle Snyder are successful teachers; Maggie
Snyder, an experienced teacher of the graded schools of Greensburg;
Minnie Snyder; Frank Snyder; Florence Snyder; Frances Snyder; Alva
Snyder; Myrtle Snyder; and Maude Snyder. The sons are all fine mechanics
and the daughters excel in drawing and painting.
Henry B Snyder has added successive additions to his foundry and has
established in connection with it a wagon-making and machine shop. He has
machinery for doing almost any kind of work in wood, iron, steel, brass
or copper, and is fully prepared to repair anything from a pin to a
locomotive. He is the inventor and manufacturer of a valuable plow. In
politics he is a democrat.
He started in life with nothing, and every obstacle he met only nerved
him to make more determined efforts to succeed. After many years of hard
but honest battling with adverse fortune, he achieved success and won
respect by his manly determined course. To a limited education he has
added large stores of information by reading, observation and reflection.
Plain and unassuming, he is true to his friends and abhors dishonesty. He
is perhaps one of the most remarkable men in the community in which he
lives in winning honorable success from discouraging adversity. He has
been pre-eminently the architect of his own fortune.
p391
PETER SNYDER, one of Lower Tyrone's leading farmers, is a son of Peter
Snyder and Catherine Bauthers Snyder, and was born in Washington
township, Westmoreland county, Penna, March 10, 1821.
Peter Snyder's grandfather, John Snyder and Jacob Bauthers, were
companion emigrants from New Jersey to Westmoreland county. John Snyder
purchased a large tract of land where the town of Scottdale now stands
and erected thereon a grist mill.
His son, Peter Snyder Jr, was born in New Jersey 1796, and after thirty
years residence in Westmoreland county, removed with his family to
Franklin township, and was there engaged in farming until his death in
1861. His wife was born in 1800 and died in 1865.
Peter Snyder was raised on a farm and attended the subscription schools
until eighteen years of age. He learned the trade of carpenter with
Thomas Tiggart of Belle Vernon. After completing his trade, he worked
for Thomas Tiggart two years as journeyman and eight years as foreman of
the shop. In 1851 he engaged in the carpentering and contracting
business, and successfully continued in this until 1862. In 1862 he
purchased his present farm containing 130 acres of well-improved land,
and situated two miles north of Dawson on the Vanmeter and Broad Ford
road.
On June 12, 1848, he was married to Miss Nancy Kitchel, daughter of
Joseph Kitchel, a Westmoreland county farmer. They have six living
children: Rebecca Snyder; Mary Snyder, in Kansas with her uncle Levi
Norcross; Joan Snyder; Charles Snyder; Carrie Snyder; and Oliver Snyder,
clerking for Cochran & Co at Vanderbilt.
Peter Snyder is an active democrat but is not an extremist in political
matters. He has served as road supervisor and school director, and
deservedly stands well with the public as a good mechanic and an honest
man.
p390
STOCKDALE SNYDER, a prudent and industrious farmer of Rostraver
township, Westmoreland county, is a son of Jacob Snyder and Hannah
Stockdale Snyder, and was born in Westmoreland county, Penna, May 10,
1829.
Jacob Snyder was a son of Nicholas Snyder, who came from Germany and
settled at an early day in Westmoreland county. Jacob Snyder married
Hannah Stockdale, a Quakeress of Washington county, and soon removed to
Fayette county where he lived and died.
Stockdale Snyder, like all boys of his time received his education in
the subscription schools. His paternal ancestors were members of the
Reformed German church, and he is a consistent member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian church and a highly respected citizen. On June 6, 1849, he
married Miss Sarah Browneller, daughter of William Browneller and Mary
Conkle Browneller.
The Browneller family is from Messersburg, Lancaster county, to western
Pennsylvania in 1816, and the Conkle family came with them.
Stockdale Snyder has ten children: Allen Snyder, April 30, 1850; Francis
Snyder, September 6, 1851; Robert Snyder, November 26, 1852; Joseph W
Snyder, August 1, 1854; Benton Snyder, August 7, 1857, died September 8,
1863; Laura B Snyder, October 18, 1855; Andrew Snyder, March 5, 1859;
Mary C Snyder, February 7, 1862; Jesse O Snyder, January 7, 1864; and Lee
S Snyder, February 14, 1867, of whom all living and married except Lee S.
Jesse O Snyder, son, was brought up on a farm and attended the common
schools. At fourteen years of age he became an apprentice to learn the
trade of stonemason and bricklayer. In two years he completed his trade,
worked one year at journey work, then became a contractor on brick and
stone work, and is still profitably engaged in that line of business.
About his marriage clusters considerable romance. In the great Belle
Vernon flood of July 11, 1888, he was compelled to row a skiff through
the streets of the borough after his bride and encountered sundry
mishaps. He was married July 11, 1888, to Miss Jennie B Noble, daughter
of William H Noble and Cadara Springer Noble, the former a native of Oil
City, the latter of Belle Vernon.
Mr Noble was a carpenter by trade, an earnest Presbyterian, and served
three years as a soldier in the late war. Mrs Snyder's maternal
grandmother, Rachel Jordan, is a native of Maine. Her father, Thomas
Jordan, was a captain in the War of 1812.
Mr and Mrs Snyder began housekeeping in Homestead, September 10, 1888,
where they have a comfortable home. Jesse O Snyder is a young man of
ability, energy and enterprise. He is a member of the Junior Order of
American Mechanics, and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
p571
HORATIO L SPARKS, one of the most influential citizens of Salt Lick
township, was born in Perry township, Fayette county, Penna, January 21,
1823. His parents, Isaac Sparks and Elizabeth Shreaves Sparks, were both
born in Perry township, Fayette county, Penna; the latter was a daughter
of William Shreaves of the same township, who was born about 1790.
His grandfather, Isaac Sparks, was probably born in Fayette county. He
was married to Helena Hammond, a daughter of Samuel Hammond of
Westmoreland county, Penna. To their union have been born nine children,
eight of whom are living: Samuel H Sparks, born in 1854 in Westmoreland
county; James H Sparks, 1856, in the same county; Isaac L Sparks, in the
same county; Ida Sparks in the same county, and is the wife of George W
Campbell of Springfield; Lizzie Sparks, wife of C B Sipe; John Sparks,
born in Bullskin township, Fayette county; Agnes Sparks, born in the same
township; and Horation L Sparks Jr, born in Salt Lick township, and is at
present residing in Pittsburgh, Penna.
Mr Sparks removed to Salt Lick township in about 1863, and engaged in
mercantile farming and the tanning business. He has been very successful
in his business ventures and has by careful management accumulated
considerable property. He owns about 1,000 acres in Fayette county, and
is a sterling democrat and an exemplary citizen of Salt Lick township.
p392
CHARLES A SPRINGER of Fayette City is a son of Marshall Springer and
Susanna Shroyer Springer and was born at Greensboro, Greene county,
Penna, November 20, 1839.
Marshall Springer, father, was born near Uniontown, was a shoemaker, and
a son of David Springer, a native of this county who traced his ancestry
back to the Springers who came from Wilmington, Delaware. Marshall
Springer married Susan Shroyer, daughter of John Shroyer of German
descent.
Charles A Springer received his education in the common schools. From
eleven to thirteen years of age he attended to the ferry between
Greensboro and New Geneva. He learned the trade of glass blower at
Greensboro and Pittsburgh which he followed for twenty seven years at
different places.
He was married June 23, 1863, to Miss Elizabeth Kirkenbower, daughter of
Martin Kirkenbower, a millwright who came from Germany in 1828 and
located in Waterford, New Jersey. Mr and Mrs Springer have five children:
Katie Springer; Susanna Springer; Mary Springer; John Springer and Sadie
Springer. Katie Springer married E G Hall and lives at Connellsville.
In December, 1888, Mr Springer became superintendent of Fayette City
Glass Works, a position he continues to hold. These works employ sixty
men and turn out some of the best window glass made in the county. He is
a skilled workman of many years experience and thoroughly understands the
duties of the position which he occupies. He belongs to no secret order,
but is an active member of the Baptist church.
p392
JAMES M SPRINGER is one of the old families of the county. His great
grandfather, Micheal Springer, was a native of Switzerland but came to
the county during its earliest settlement. He took a tomahawk claim upon
four hundred acres of land in the western part of what is now known as
Washington township.
His son, Daniel Springer, the father of James M Springer, inherited a
part of this land where he lived all of his life as a farmer. He was a
soldier in the war with England in 1812-1815. After he came out of the
war, he settled down to the quiet life of a farmer and continued that
occupation till his death in March, 1845.
Joseph Springer, his son and the father of the subject of this sketch,
was born in Fayette county in 1795 where he died in 1872. He was a farmer
and reared a large family of children.
He married Margaret Driver who was born and reared in York county near
the town of York, Penna. She was born in 1794 and died in 1865, and was
the mother of twelve children, ten of whom reached manhood and womanhood.
James M Springer was born May 22, 1826, in Washington township, Fayette
county, near the borough of Belle Vernon. He was reared on a farm till
nineteen years of age, when he learned the cabinetmaker's business with
John B Springer, a cousin of his, and served two years apprenticeship.
He married Miss Sarah A Reeves, daughter of Samuel Reeves and Nancy
Palmer Reeves, both natives of Westmoreland county, Penna. To this union
were born nine children: Laura A Springer, Orville R Springer, Amanda C
Springer, Nancy M Springer, Robert D Springer and Joseph O Springer,
twins, Anna Springer, Lizzie M Springer and Frank A Springer, all of whom
are still living. The eldest lives in this county, the second in
Pittsburgh, Nancy M in Westmoreland and the others in Belle Vernon.
James M Springer has been successfully engaged in the cabinet and
undertaker business at Belle Vernon for twenty five years. In 1855 he was
elected justice of the peace and has served as such ever since. He was
appointed a notary public in 1875, still holds a commission for that
office and has also been burgess of the borough for three years. In 1860
he was ordained as minister in the Free Will Baptist church. In 1863 he
attached himself to the Church of the Disciples and has been a member and
an elder of that denomination ever since.
p530
JAMES T SPRINGER, an expert glassblower and a comfortably situated
farmer of Nicholson township, is a son of Marshall Springer and Susannah
Shroyer Springer. He was born in New Geneva, Fayette county, Penna,
December 25, 1833.
In an early day his grandfather, David Springer, moved from Pennsylvania
to Iowa, where he secured a tract of land under the Homestead Act. He
died in Iowa.
His father, Marshall Springer, was a native of Fayette county. He learned
the trade of shoemaker which he was engaged in during his life. His wife
was Miss Susanna Shroyer, daughter of John Shroyer, and was born in
Greensboro, July 12, 1814. They had twelve children, of whom eight are
still living: J T Springer, J C Springer, C A Springer, D M Springer, W F
Springer, Rachel Springer, Hannah F Springer and Emma G Springer.
Since 1830 Mrs Springer has been a member of the Baptist church at
Greensboro. Mr Springer was an earnest democrat and a good citizen. He
died at New Geneva, February 27, 1861, aged forty eight years.
James T Springer was raised in New Geneva; attended school until fourteen
years of age when he entered the glassworks to learn the trade of
glassblower. He served three years as an apprentice, removed to
Pittsburgh in 1853 and was there engaged at his trade until 1873, when he
returned to Nicholson township and bought his present farm.
On July 8, 1857, he married Miss Sarah Louisa Nutt, daughter of William
Nutt, residing near Fayette City. They reared an adopted daughter, Ella
Springer. She is now married and resides on part of their farm. Mr
Springer has made extensive improvements on his farm, and built a good
tenant house, and put up a large barn.
Mr Springer is a democrat, has served as road supervisor and assessor of
Nicholson township. He is a man of considerable business ability, and is
very pleasantly situated on his farm in Nicholson township.
p228
LEVI B SPRINGER, one of the modest and retiring citizens of North Union
township, as well as one of the township's most substantial farmers, was
born in the old Springer homestead in North Union township, Fayette
county, Penna, in 1832.
His father, Denis Springer, was born in February, 1787, on the farm on
which Levi B Springer now resides. In 1821 he married Sarah Brownfield, a
daughter of Thomas Brownfield. (owner of the White Swan Inn) She was born
at Pughtown near Winchester, Virginia, September 26, 1797; she is still
living and is in good health. Denis Springer was a prosperous farmer in
the early history of Fayette county, and had two brothers in the War of
1812. From 1812 to 1818 he followed flatboating flour from Brownsville to
New Orleans, and afterwards bought the home farm containing 386 acres.
His death occurred in 1866. He was the father of five daughters and one
son: Mary A Springer, Elizabeth B Springer and Sarah Springer are still
living with their mother on the old homestead. Lydia S Springer married A
A Rizer of Cumberland, Maryland; Catherine M Springer married R P Craig
of South Union township.
Levi B Springer's grandfather, Levi Springer, was born in 1744, probably
near Winchester, Virginia. His second wife, grandmother of Levi B
Springer, was Mrs Sarah Duke, nee Shepherd, whose father was Colonel
Moses Shepherd, commander of the fort during the Colonial War at
Wheeling, West Virginia, where he died.
His great grandfather, Denis Springer, descended from the Wilmington,
Delaware branch of the Springer family. The founder of this family came
from Sweden.
p393
Captain JOSEPH CLEMENS STACY of Menallen comes of an English family on
the paternal, and a Scotch family on the maternal side.
John Stacy, his paternal grandfather, was born in England and fled for
his life to America upon the restoration of King Charles II to the throne
after the rebellion under Cromwell. He had been one of the soldiers under
Cromwell, and was proscribed by the "Royalist Party," and was subject to
the death penalty. A brother of John Stacy, who was a preacher, was
burned at the stake, suffering for his religious belief at the hands of
the Papists about the same time that John made his escape to this
country.
George Washington Stacy, the father of the subject of this sketch, was
born in Philadelphia in 1790 and died in Springfield township in 1862. He
served in the war with England 1812-1815.
He married Miss Julia Macaulay, who was born in Scotland in 1800, and is
still living and in good health.
Joseph Clemens Stacy was born June 26, 1832, educated at Princeton
College, New Jersey, and began teaching in Fayette county thirty years
ago, and is now teaching at McClellandtown. From 1870 to 1876 he was the
county steward.
On September 27, 1853, he was married to Miss Mary Ann Jeffries, a
daughter of William Jeffries of German township. They have the following
children: Sarah Stacy, born August 25, 1854; Julia Stacy, born October
21, 1856; George William Stacy, born May 21, 1860; Hattie Jeffries Stacy,
born May 4, 1872; and Joseph Jeffries Stacy, born March 21, 1876.
Captain Stacy was in the war, first as captain of a company of
volunteers in West Virginia. Afterwards he was made Captain of Company E,
One Hundred and Sixty eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
under Col Joseph Jack. He was mustered out with his regiment at
Harrisburg, July 27, 1863. He is a good citizen and is highly respected.
p588
SAMUEL STEELE. Mr Samuel Steel of Brownsville is of Scotch-Irish
extraction. His great grandparents came to America from the north of
Ireland about 1740 and settled, it is believed, in eastern Pennsylvania.
On the passage over the Atlantic, Mrs Steele presented her husband with a
son, who was given the name William, and who was the grandfather of Mr
Samuel Steele. William grew up to manhood and found his way to Maryland,
where he married and resided for a period of time, the precise record of
which is lost, but there several children were born to him, one of whom
and the oldest son was John Steele, the father of Samuel Steele.
About 1783 or 1784 William Steele removed from Maryland with his family
to Fayette county, to a point on the "Old Packhorse road" about six miles
east of Brownsville, where he purchased a tract of land which is now
divided into several excellent farms, occupied by Thomas Murphy, who
resides upon the old Steele homestead site, and others. William Steele
eventually removed to Rostraver township, Westmoreland county, where he
died in 1806.
Some years prior to his death William Steele purchased for his sons John
Steele and William Steele, a tract of land in what is now Jefferson
township, and embraced the farms now owned and occupied by John Steele
and Joseph S Elliott. John Steele (the father of Samuel S) eventually
married Miss Agnes (often called "Nancy") Happer, by whom he had eight
children, of whom Samuel was the fourth in number, and was born June 15,
1814. Mr John Steele died June 6, 1856, at about the age of eighty three.
Mr Samuel Steele was brought up on the far, and in his childhood
attended the subscription schools. In his eighteenth year, he left home
and entered as an apprentice to the tanning and currying trade the
establishment of Jesse Cunningham, his brother-in-law, a noted tanner of
Brownsville, where he served three years in learning the business. After
the expiration of his apprenticeship, he entered upon the pursuit of
various businesses, among which was flatboating agricultural products,
etc, cided (?cider) and provisions of various kinds, down the Monongahela
to the Ohio and on to Cincinnati and Louisville, where he usually sold
his merchandise, but sometimes made trips to New Orleans. He followed the
business in springtime for some seven years, ending about February, 1843,
when occurred the death of Mr Jesse Cunningham.
Mr Steele then entered into partnership with his sister, Mrs Cunningham,
under the firm name of Samuel Steele & Co, and carried on the business at
the old place till 1860, when the partnership was amicably dissolved and
Mrs Steele sank a new heard (?), a few blocks higher up the hill, wherein
he has since that time conducted business. In 1880 he took into
partnership with himself his son, William Steele, under the firm name
Samuel Steele & Son.
February 11, 1852, Mr Steele married Miss Elizabeth Conwell of
Brownsville by whom he had four sons and four daughters, all of whom are
living.
In politics he was formerly an old line whig, and is now an ardent
republican. In religion he preserves the faith of his fathers, being a
Presbyterian. His wife and daughters are members of the Episcopal church.
p299
WILLIAM C STEELE, one of Brownsville's young businessmen and a leading
merchant is a son of Samuel Steele and Elizabeth A Conwell Steele. He was
born in Brownsville May 23, 1857.
William C Steele's great great grandparents came from Ireland to eastern
Pennsylvania about 1740. One of their sons, William Steele, the great
grandfather of William C Steele, settled in Maryland where he married and
resided for a time. He removed in 1784 from Maryland and purchased a
large tract of land on the old "Pack Horse Road" six miles east of
Brownsville. At the beginning of the nineteenth century William Steele
removed to Westmoreland county where he died in 1806.
John Steele, the grandfather of William C Steele, was born in Maryland
in 1773 and died June 6, 1856. He married Agnes Happer and they were the
parents of eight children.
Samuel Steele, father of William C Steele, was born in Jefferson
township, this county, June 15, 1814, and died August 3, 1886. He was a
republican and a member of the Presbyterian church. He spent three years
in learning the trade of a tanner and currier with Jesse Cunningham of
Brownsville. At the close of his apprenticeship he engaged with Mr
Cunningham, and remained until the latter's death in 1843 when he went
into partnership with Mr Cunningham's widow (his sister).
In 1860 he withdrew from the firm and erected a large tannery, which he
operated alone until 1878, when he took in his son, William C Steele. The
firm being Samuel Steele & Son. This firm continued until the death of
the senior partner in 1886. Samuel Steele married February 11, 1852, to
Miss Elizabeth A Conwell of Brownsville. To them were born eight
children, four of whom are living. Mrs Steele is living and in her sixty
first year.
William C Steele was educated in the public schools of Brownsville, with
the exception of one year at Southwest Normal School. In 1878 he became
junior partner with his father in the firm of Samuel Steele & Son. They
used 150 cords of bark and tanned 1,000 hides per year. They shipped
their leather largely to Iowa and Minnesota. William C Steele continued
in the tanning business until 1888, when he closed up the affairs of the
firm and retired from the business.
In 1887 he engaged in mercantile business in Brownsville. He is located
on the Hogg corner in a commodious room, where he carries a large stock
of boots, shoes, leather, hats and caps. He is accommodating and is doing
a fine business.
December 14, 1881, he married Miss Alice Abrams, daughter of Captain E D
Abrams, a steamboat commander of thirty five years experience on the
Western rivers. Mr and Mrs Steele have had three children: Bessie Abrams
Steele, who died in infancy; Helen J Steele, and William C Steele Jr.
Mr Steele is a prominent republican. He was elected a member of the town
council in 1885, and was re-elected in 1888 for a term of three years. He
is one of the young, progressive, accommodating merchants of Brownsville.
With his educational qualifications and business experience, he bids fair
to achieve mercantile distinction in the future.
p300
JESSE E STENTZ, one of the remarkably successful businesmen of
Springhill township, is a son of Daniel Stentz and Elizabeth Bowman
Stentz and was born in Springhill township, Fayette county, Penna,
November 16, 1820.
Philip Stentz, grandfather, was a merchant in Little York, Penna. During
the Revolution he became nearly bankrupted by the depreciation of the old
Continental paper money. In order to better his fortunes he removed west
and located in Springhill township where he purchased land. He was a
blacksmith by trade but abandoned his trade after coming here and gave
his whole attention to farming.
Daniel Stentz, father, was born in Little York, Penna, May 19, 1779, and
was a mere child when his parents emigrated to Springhill. He left the
farm at nineteen years of age to learn the trade of sickle maker. After
working a short time, his employer died when he engaged with his brother
to learn the trade of blacksmith. On learning this trade he began farming
and blacksmithing and was thus engaged during his life. He manufactured
the old Brashear plow. He owned a farm of 190 acres of good land, was a
justice of the peace for many years, writing all the deeds, wills, and
legal documents of his community. He was an excellent citizen, a devoted
member of the Lutheran church, and died January 11, 1853.
Jesse E Stentz at school became a fair scholar and an excellent
mathematician. He was engaged in farming until 1845 when he formed a
partnership with Alex Patton with whom he operated a tannery until 1863.
Since then his attention and time have been given mainly to farming and
stockraising. At the death of his mother, he bought the home farm. He now
owns three farms in Pennsylvania and two in West Virginia besides being
the owner of the Old Valley Furnace in the latter State. Mr Stentz has a
fine residence on the old home farm where he resides.
October 3, 1844, he married Miss Lydia Conn, daughter of John Conn. To
this union were born seven children: Sarah E Stentz; John D Stentz, dead;
Catherine A Stentz; William J Stentz; Mary Jane Stentz, dead; Alvin J
Stentz; and Maggie O Stentz. Alvin J Stentz is a partner with his father
in operating a saw mill.
Mr Stentz is a republican prohibitionist, has served as school director,
and has been an elder in the Presbyterian church at Springhill Furnace
since 1848 and a member since 1836. His family are members of the same
church. He began business with a capital of five hundred dollars; by
perseverance and industry he has accumulated considerable wealth.
p529
JOHN B STEPHENS of Redstone, the fifth of a family of eight children,
was born at Lock No 3, Allegheny county, Penna, June 7, 1843, and is a
son of Nathaniel Stephens and Eliza Parsall Stephens.
The Stephens family is one of the oldest families in Fayette county.
Nathaniel Stephens Sr, grandfather, was a native of Washington township,
drafted in the War of 1812, but was never called into service and died in
1868. His son, Nathaniel Stephens (father), was born June 5, 1807,
married Miss Eliza Parsall, and died at California, Penna, August 1,
1886, He and his wife were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Her father, William Parsall, was one of the pioneer settlers of
Ohio and died in Cincinnati.
John B Stephens was raised on a farm, and received a fair education in
the common schools of Fayette county. He has made farming the business of
his life, and has resided on his present farm for twenty three years,
although he works some at his trade, that of carpenter.
On January 3, 1865, he was married to Miss Roxanna Kelley. They have
seven children, living, born and named as follows: Elmer N Stephens, June
25, 1866, at Lock No 3; Charles A Stephens, May 12, 1868, a painter at
Scottdale; Florence R Stephens, January 22, 1870; Emma E Stephens,
October 2, 1871; Mary E Stephens, June 27, 1873; Joseph P Stephens,
September 22, 1877; and Olive B Stephens, September 24, 1878. Mrs
Stephens' father, John Kelley, came from Westmoreland county, was a
millwright, a consistent Christian, and passed away April, 1877.
John B Stephens was one of fifteen boys of Elizabeth, Penna, who
enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty third Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers. Mr Stephens participated in the great battles of Antietam,
Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. In the dreadful carnage of
Fredericksburg, he received a severe wound in the shoulder, and was
honorably discharged May 1, 1863.
In politics Mr Stephens is a steadfast republican. He and his wife are
members of the Fairview Methodist Episcopal church in Jefferson township.
His farm is two miles from Brownsville, and contains one hundred acres of
good land, underlaid with coal and limestone. He is one of the successful
businessmen of Redstone.
p393
JOHNSON R STEPHENS, a farmer of Washington township and descendant of an
old Fayette county family, is a son of Levi Stephens and Mary Farquhar
Stephens and was born in Washington township, Fayette county, Penna, May
8, 1824.
John Stephens, great grandfather of Johnson R Stephens, emigrated from
Wales to eastern Pennsylvania prior to 1762 and finally removed to
Washington township where he died.
His son, Levi Stephens, was born in Bucks county. At eighteen years of
age he came as a land surveyor to what is now Fayette county, taking land
in pay for his services and became the owner of a large estate. He
married Elizabeth Brown of Westmoreland county. They had nine children,
of whom the following seven lived beyond infancy: Nathaniel Stephens;
Levi Stephens Jr; John Stephens; Thomas Stephens; Sarah Stephens; Nancy
Stephens; and Elizabeth Stephens. Six of these children married and
reared large families.
Levi Stephens Jr was born September 10, 1790, and died January 13, 1878.
He married Mary Farquhar, daughter of Robert Farquhar. They were the
parents of nine children: Robert Stephens, dead; Esther Stephens, dead;
Johnson R Stephens; James Stephens; Mary Stephens; Jehu Stephens; Rachel
Stephens; Aarond Stephens, died 1870; James R Stephens; Robert Stephens,
who was a steamboat engineer and died at New Orleans in 1837 of yellow
fever. James Stephens resides in West Virginia. Mrs Stephens was born in
1796. Levi Stephens Jr was an industrious farmer and highly esteemed in
the community where he lived.
Johnson R Stephens grew up on his father's farm and attended the winter
sessions of the old subscription schools. In 1848 he married Miss Sarah
Stephens, daughter of Nathaniel Stephens. To their union were born seven
children: Cassius Stephens; Curtis Stephens; Mary Stephens; Horace
Stephens; James Stephens; William Stephens and an infant unnamed, all of
whom are dead except Cassius and James of Dunbar township.
Mr Stephens owns eighty five acres of well improved land and makes a
very desirable home. This land is part of the original two thousand acres
belonging to Levi Stephens. He is honest in his business relations,
enjoys life in his comfortable home and is an honorable citizen.
The Stephens family have been and are largely of the Methodist
persuasion. The old stone house standing on Mr Stephens farm was built in
1801. This home was a favorite stopping place of Bishops Asbury, George
and McKendrick of the Methodist Episcopal church.
p300
Dr ALPHEUS P STEWART was born near Stewartstown, West Virginia,
January 16, 1820, and is the son of John Stewart and Susanna Stewart, both
natives of Maryland. His father lost his eyesight by cataract soon after
his marriage and the sad fact is a matter of record that he was never
permitted to look into the face of one of his children. His mother was an
invalid for many years and upon the doctor devolved the care of his
afflicted parents.
Dr Stewart's advantages for schooling were limited. His first lessons
were studied by the light of the old fashioned fireplace. He worked at
home on the farm until 1854, when he went to Stewartstown and began the
study of medicine. After a year's reading he attended the Eclectic School
of Medicine at Cincinnati, Ohio. He returned to Stewartstown and followed
the mercantile business until 1858 when he went to the mineral springs of
West Virginia for his health.
His health having partially improved, he located at Taylortown, Greene
county, Penna, and engaged in the mercantile business which he followed
up to 1874. He practiced medicine in Illinois from 1874 to 1883. He
opened an office in 1884 at Point Marion where he has built up a large
and lucrative practice.
Dr Stewart was married in 1847 to Miss Eliza John, daughter of Owen
and Elizabeth John. Of this union four children have been born: Virginia
Helen Stewart; Josephine Stewart; Laura Stewart and Lebbeus P Stewart.
All living except Virginia who died at the age of thirty six years.
Dr Stewart is a self made man and sets a worthy example of filial
affection to the young and rising generation by the kind care he took of
his parents.
p230
ANDREW STEWART was one of the most distinguished public men Fayette
county ever produced, a man of national reputation whose name is
indelibly stamped for all time to come on the political pages of American
history. He was the oldest son of Abraham Stewart and Mary Oliphant
Stewart and was born in German township, Fayette county, Penna, June 11, 1791.
Abraham Stewart was a native of York county, Penna, and emigrated to
German township in an early day. He served as justice of the peace and
married Mary Oliphant, born in Chester county, Penna.
Andrew Stewart at an early age was thrown upon his own resources and
worked upon a farm until he was eighteen years of age. By teaching school
and working at a furnace, he secured sufficient means to take him through
college and read law. After his graduation from Washington College, he
came to Uniontown, read law and was admitted to the Fayette county bar
January 9, 1815, and in the same year was elected to the Pennsylvania
legislature and re-elected for a term of three years.
He next offered himself as a candidate for the State senate but before
the election withdrew from the canvass to accept an appointment of
district attorney tendered him by President Polk. This office he
subsequently resigned to take his seat in Congress to which he had been
previously elected.
For eighteen years he served as Congressman from this district and
was a member of the Seventeenth, Twentieth, Twenty second, Twenty eighth,
Twenty ninth and Thirtieth Congresses of the United States. He became a
member of Congress in 1820 and his retirement from that body was in 1850
when he peremptorily declined to serve his constituents longer. In
Congress he was a contemporary with John Q Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin
Van Buren, John Tyler, James Buchanan, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce,
Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
In 1848 he was a candidate for the vice presidency before the Whig
National Convention at Philadelphia and failed of the nomination through
the blunder of the chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation. On the first
ballot Mr Stewart received fourteen of the twenty six votes cast and
would have gotten the unanimous vote on the second ballot, but the
chairman hastened to report that the members of the Pennsylvania
Delegation has failed to agree upon a man and which proved to be the
cause of the nomination of Mr Fillmore who afterwards succeeded to the
presidency on the death of Taylor. Thus by a mere blunder, Mr Stewart
failed to reach the presidential chair of the United States.
He declined the Treasury portfolio offered him by President Taylor.
From 1850 up to his death he gave most of his attention to his large and
varied business interests, yet by his voice and pen took more or less
active part in all the important political issues up to 1872.
Andrew Stewart was a lifelong advocate and able expounder of the tariff,
internal improvements and other living questions of the day. He was known
throughout the whole country as "Tariff Andy." That the industries and
manufacturing interests of the country might be developed and fostered,
he claimed the tariff was a necessity. He was a member of the democratic
party till 1828 when he left that organization because of the stand it
took on the tariff and became a whig, and afterwards one of the founders
of the republican party.
During his political career, he was idolized at home and even after
the change in political faith was elected to Congress by a majority of 235
votes while Jackson's majority for president in the district was 2,800.
In 1825 he married a daughter of David Shriver of Cumberland, Maryland.
Of his six children, one was the brave Lieutenant Commodore W F Stewart,
United States Navy, lost on the Oneida that sank January 24, 1870, and
whose last words were: "No, let others take the boat, my duty is on board
my ship."
In the eighty second year of his age, Andrew Stewart died at Uniontown,
July 16, 1872. He did as much as any one of his time for the material
prosperity and development of Fayette county.