Bios: A 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
Abraham, I M, Maj Georges 487
Abraham, James, Capt Nicholson 488
Acklin, Charles P Brnv & Bdgpt 245
Acklin, G W Luzerne 534
Addis, Robinson Dunbar 408
Allen, James Dunbar 408
Allen, R J Georges 490
Allison, James Menallen 579
Anderson, D R Dunbar 411
Anderson, J N Dunbar 412
Anderson, M S Nicholson 490
Antram, J D Menallen 311
Arison, Jonah German 491
Arison, Matthew Franklin 311
Armel, John Washington 312
Armstrong, William C Brnv & Bdgpt 245
p487
Major ISAAC M ABRAHAM was born in Georges (now Nicholson) township
November 13, 1817, and is a son of James Abraham, a soldier in the War of
1812, and served in a company from Fayette county under General Harrison.
In the siege of Fort Meigs his horse was shot from under him.
His grandfather, Enoch Abraham, came from Chester county, Penna, and
settled on York's Run, a branch of Georges Creek, in about 1780. Isaac
Morgan Abraham, brother of James Abraham, was murdered by the Indians at
the mouth of the Cumberland river in 1790.
Enoch Abraham, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, married
Jane Hamilton, a sister of Judge Hamilton of Washington county, Penna,
who figured so conspicuously in the whiskey insurrection, and was elected
to congress while imprisoned in Philadelphia in 1794. He was afterwards
pardoned by the President of the United States.
Major I M Abraham was married to Sarah Ann Showalter on March 16, 1843.
Mrs Abraham was a daughter of John Showalter, who came from Rockingham
county, Virginia, and settled on York's Run in 1806. She died April 6,
1887, in her sixty seventh year. She, an amiable Christian woman, held to
the Presbyterian faith, and was the mother of eight children, five of
whom survived her.
Major Abraham was born and raised on a farm, and followed the occupation
of farming until the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, when he
joined the Union army as Captain of Company G, Eighty fifth Regiment
Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers, the history of which is his history,
and want of space will not admit of our giving more than a glance at the
record of one who served at the front for over three years. We take the
following from an article by Captain McHenry, formerly Captain of Company
K and adjutant of Eighty fifth Regiment, in Philadelphia Weekly Press of
July 3, 1886:
"Major I M Abraham was a native of Fayette county. He had recruited
Company G, which he brought into the regiment, and had served
continuously with it since its organization. A man of quiet, modest
demeanor, but who did possess a large stock of good common sense, which,
with his unquestioned courage and determination, enabled him to act with
good judgment."
The Eighty fifth left Uniontown in November, 1861, with ten full
companies of over one thousand men, encamped around Washington City, D C,
through the winter of 1861 and 1862 and landed at Fort Monroe April 1,
1862, and at once joined the Army of the Potomac, under McClellan in
front of Yorktown, participating in all the principle battles of the
Peninsula, losing eighty four men, killed and wounded.
At the close of that campaign in August, 1862, Captain Abraham was the
only original captain with the regiment, all the others having resigned
and gone home, except Captain Purviance who had been promoted to
lieutenant colonel. When the Army of the Potomac came North from
Harrison's Landing the Eighty fifth Regiment was sent to Suffolk,
Virginia, from where it made frequent raids to the Black Water, making
skirmishes with, and annoying the enemy in that quarter.
On December 6, with Wessel's brigade, the Eighty fifth went to New
Berne, North Carolina, and joined General Foster, who commanded the
Eighteenth Army Corps, and immediately started to destroy a Rebel gunboat
at Whitehall on the Nuce river, and burn a bridge at Goldsboro. They
defeated the Rebel army under Pettigrew at West Creek, Kingston,
Whitehall and Goldsboro; succeeded in destroying the gunboat and burning
the bridge.
In January, 1863, the Eighty fifth left its old brigade and sailed for
South Carolina, arriving at Port Royal February 1st following. the Eighty
fifth took a conspicuous part in the siege of Morris Island and Fort
Wagner. At the latter place, Lieutenant Colonel Purviance was killed
August 30th. No other field officer being with the regiment, Captain
Abraham being the senior line officer assumed command of the same until
the following May, with the exception of three weeks commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel Edward Campbell of Uniontown.
After the close of the siege of Morris Island, the enlisted men of the
regiment gave evidence of their appreciation by presenting Captain
Abraham with a sword, sash and belt costing $350 dollars. He knew nothing
of the matter until its presentation, while the regiment was on dress
parade. "Captain I M Abraham from the enlisted men of the Eighty fifth
Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers," is the inscription on the sword.
About this time Governor Curtin surprised Captain Abraham by sending him
(unsolicited) a major's commission, dated September 8, 1863. Although in
command of the regiment, Captain Abraham declined being mustered, as he
was the senior Captain of the Tenth Corps with which his regiment was
then serving.
In April, 1864, after bringing his regiment back to Virginia, he was at
the request of General Terry, commanding the division, mustered as a
major, April 28, 1864, and with one single exception the Eighty fifth was
never under fire without Major Abraham with them, that was on August 16,
1864, when he was unable for duty because of a wound received near Deep
Bottom the day before.
On expiration of term of service on November 22, 1864, his regiment was
mustered out at Pittsburgh, Penna, Major Abraham at the time being
detailed to assist Colonel Mulford in the exchange of prisoners at
Savannah, Georgia. When they arrived off that city, they found Sherman
thundering at its gates, and they sailed for Charleston, South Carolina,
where they received 15,000 exchanged and starving prisoners among whom
was Colonel Andy Stewart of this county, returning with the exchanged men
in a fleet of thirty two vessels to Annapolis, Maryland, and from there
Major Abraham returned home December 25, 1864. Major Abraham is a member
of the "Jerry Jones" Post No 541, G A R at Smithfield, Penna.
p488
Capt JAMES ABRAHAM of Scotch Irish Lineage and a brave soldier in the
war of the great Rebellion is a son of James Abraham and Mary Jones
Abraham, and was born in Georges, now Nicholson, township, November 14, 1830.
James Abraham was a soldier in the War of 1812, was a captain in James
McClelland's company of cavalry and fought at Tippecanoe and Fort Meigs,
where he had a horse shot from under him. He was a whig and afterwards a
republican, a member of no church and yet a liberal contributor to all.
His wife was a member of the Mt Moriah Baptist church. He owned a fine
farm of 280 acres and was a moral and upright man. He was born in Fayette
county, December 19, 1786, and died January, 1862. He married Miss Mary
Jones and unto them were born eleven children: Sarah Abraham, dead; Isaac
Abraham; Aaron Jones Abraham (dead); Jane Abraham; Elizabeth Abraham
(dead); Mary Abraham; Enoch H Abraham and A Jones Abraham (twins); James
Abraham; Caroline Abraham (dead); and William Abraham.
Enoch Abraham was one of the fifteen hundred passengers lost on the
steamer Independence that went down off the coast of California, February
16, 1853. William Abraham was a sergeant in the Fourteenth Pennsylvania
Cavalry and died in Jarvis hospital at Baltimore of disease contracted in
the Shenandoah Valley under Sheridan in 1864, and sleeps in the Baptist
cemetery at Smithfield.
Captain Abraham was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools.
He wen to Virginia in 1854, was engaged in business there until spring
of 1861 when he returned home, and in connection with Captain George W
Gilmore recruited a company of cavalry under a special order from General
McClellan; was elected and commissioned first lieutenant of the same and
with the company was mustered into the service at Clarksburg, Virginia,
July 24, 1861, as "Pennsylvania Dragoons," and immediately sent to the front.
His company scouted over most of the counties of West Virginia from
Pennsylvania to the Kentucky line, and encountered in their line of duty
every conceivable hardship of military life. Captain Abraham was in the
battles of Carnifex Ferry and Cotton Mountain, and in six months thirty
five percent of the company were killed or wounded.
In 1862 he served under General Pope and took part in the second Bull
Run battle. After Pope's retreat, his company led McClellan's advance
into Maryland and fought gallantly at South Mountain and on the bloody
field of Antietam. After the last battle the company helped drive J E B
Stuart across the Potomac, when Captain Abraham was ordered back to
Clarksburg.
In 1863 he was with Colonel Tolland in an ill-starred raid to
Wytheville, where twenty two out of thirty men of the company engaged
were killed and wounded. In 1864 he was with General Averill in his
celebrated cavalry raids. He was next with General Hunter in his
disastrous Lynchburg expedition, later served in the Shenandoah Valley
under Generals Crook and Averill, and participated in the fights at
Stephenson's Depot and Winchester.
Afterwards his company was engaged in the pursuit of the Confederate
force that burned Chambersburg, July 30, 1864, and helped to drive it
into the mountains of West Virginia. At Wheeling, West Virginia, August
24, 1864, he was mustered out of the federal service after thirty seven
months of continuous hard fighting and marching.
Captain Abraham wrote a very accurate and interesting account of his
company and its campaigns, which has been published in the Republican
Standard. Returning home from the army, he engaged in farming for two
years when he removed to Springhill Furnace and engaged in stock raising
until 1873. From 1873 to 1876 he was a resident of Smithfield, removed
thence to his present comfortable residence in Nicholson township.
On May 16, 1868, he was married to Miss Jennie O'Donovan, daughter of
Captain James O'Donovan. Of this union nine children have been born:
William R Abraham, Mary Abraham, Roy Abraham, Hayes Abraham, Lucy
Gertrude Abraham, Donald Abraham, Perie Abraham, Jones Rudolph Abraham,
and Birdie Abraham.
He owns 50 acres of the home farm, and his sister Mary Abraham resides
with him and owns an additional 25 acres of the same farm. He was engaged
in carrying the mail and operated a hack line from Morgantown, West
Virginia, to Uniontown for several years. He is an Odd Fellow and is a
prominent and influential republican of Fayette county. He is a member
and was the first commander of Jerry Jones Post, No 541, the Grand Army
of the Republic.
p245
CHARLES P ACKLIN of Brownsville, is a son of John Acklin and Rebecca
Cook Acklin, and was born February 4, 1849, in Pittsburgh, Penna.
John Acklin, father, was born in Brownsville, Penna, is a glassblower by
trade, and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has served
several terms as a member of the city council, elected on the democratic
ticket. He was married to Miss Rebecca Cook of Fayette City. Mr Acklin is
now seventy three years of age, and his faithful wife is now in her sixty
seventh year.
When Charles P Acklin was only about two years old, his parents removed
from Pittsburgh to Brownsville. At Brownsville he attended the common
schools till he was fourteen years old, when he engaged in the glass
factory at Brownsville and learned the trade of gathering. In four years
he became a proficient glass blower, working at Brownsville in the
business till 1882, excepting a short time at Pittsburgh, and three years
at Belle Vernon.
In the spring of 1882 he embarked in the mercantile business and opened
his present store in which he carries a full line of dry goods, groceries
and queensware. He has been very successful in his mercantile calling,
and has built up a large and lucrative business.
He is a democrat from instinct but in county or township elections votes
for the man, and does not always vote the regular ticket.
In 1878 he married Miss Sarah Graham, a daughter of William Graham, the
latter a carpenter of Brownsville, who is now in the seventy sixth year
of his age. Two children were born to their union-twins: William G Acklin
and Lizzie E Acklin. By economy and good management Mr Acklin has
achieved considerable success in business.
p534
GEORGE W ACKLIN, a resident of Luzerne township, was born near
Heistersburgh, Fayette county, Penna, November 17, 1850, of mingled
German and British ancestry.
His great grandfather, Joseph Acklin, of English descent, was a
Revolutionary soldier and one of the two white men who first attempted to
make a permanent settlement in southwestern Pennsylvania. He was born at
Winchester, Virginia, in 1732, and died near Brownsville, Penna, in 1836.
His grandfather, George K Acklin, was born in 1803 and died in 1887.
His father, Thomas J Acklin, born near Heistersburgh, Penna, in 1827,
served in the War of the Rebellion as a private in Company H, Seventh
Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was killed while a prisoner of war at Savannah,
Georgia, September 10, 1864.
On his maternal side, a great grandfather, Peter Snyder, was among the
first settlers of Steubenville, Ohio, was killed at that place by
accident in about 1805, leaving a large family of children, of whom Sarah
Snyder, the grandmother of the subject of this sketch, was the eldest,
who was born in 1791. This was a woman of rarest virtues, first married
to Jeptha Baker, afterwards to James Pratt, and died in 1874. Among the
children of her latter marriages was: Mary J Acklin, born 1831, mother of
George W Acklin-Margaret J Acklin, now married to J H Ridge, and Annie
Acklin: George W and Annie are now living with their mother at her home
near Davidson's Lower Ferry, Penna.
The early years of Mr Acklin were spent in the country, where he worked
as a farm hand, coal miner and country school teacher. In September,
1880, he went to Chicago, where he was enrolled as a student of law at
Union College, and was graduated June 15, 1882. He remained in Chicago as
a student and clerk in the offices of Sheldon & Sheldon and Daniel H Hale
& Co until March, 1883, when he returned to his native state and was
admitted to membership in the bar of Allegheny county, July 5, 1884.
Since that time he has pursued the practice of his profession at 402
Grant Street, Pittsburgh, where he is now enjoying a comfortable
practice, especially preferring Orphans' and United States Admiralty
court business.
A democrat of the old school, a zealous member of the M E church, a
steadfast friend, a self-reliant, persevering worker, always preferring
success to notoriety, Mr Acklin stands among his fellows a fair example
of the self-made man.
p408
ROBINSON ADDIS, one of Vanderbilt's reliable citizens, is a son of Eber
Addis and Betsey Crosier Addis, and was born in Franklin township,
Fayette county, Penna, June 20, 1817.
His grandfather, Jonathan Addis, was of French and English extraction,
came from Lancaster county, Penna, and purchased a farm in Franklin
township near Redstone Creek on which he resided until his death. He
married a Miss Laughead and reared a family of six sons and three
daughters.
Eben Addis, father, was born and raised in Franklin township, where he
married Miss Betsey Crosier. They had three sons and two daughters. Mrs
Addis' father, Matthew Crosier, came from Ireland and settled in Franklin
township prior to the War of 1812 in which he served as a soldier. Mr
Addis was a prosperous farmer of his native township where he died.
Robinson Addis was raised on a farm, received his education in the
limited subscription schools and engaged in farming and huckstering. He
ran a huckster team from Franklin township to Pittsburgh, and continued
successfully in that business until 1870.
He was married to Miss Sarah Gore, daughter of Thomas Gore. To their
union were born eight children, of whom four sons and two daughters are
living: Thomas Addis, Joseph Addis, Walter Addis, Elizabeth Addis,
Caroline Addis and Samuel Addis. Mrs Addis died August 7, 1881.
After her death Mr Addis sold his property in Franklin township, and
came to Vanderbilt and purchased the desirable property upon which he
lives. He was school director of Franklin township for several terms and
served three terms as constable of Dunbar township. After many years of
constant activity, Mr Addis has retired from his business and is enjoying
life in his comfortable home.
p408
JAMES ALLEN of New Haven, comes of a family founded in the United
States
in about 1740 by David Allen of Ireland and Susan White of Scotland. They
were the great grandparents of James Allen, the subject of this sketch,
who came to this country on the same vessel and were married after their
arrival here.
After marriage they settled in Chester county, Penna, where they lived
for some years, and removed thence to Franklin township, Fayette county,
Penna. They had eleven children: Agnes Allen, Nancy Allen, Jane Allen,
Margaret Allen, Susanna Allen, David Allen, Anne Allen, James Allen (from
whom sprang the immediate family of James Allen), Josiah Allen and George
Allen.
James Allen (grandfather) was born August 22, 1758, died February 16,
1840, and was married to Nancy Peairs. She died February 4, 1859, and
they both sleep in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Franklin township. They had
two children: Elisha Allen and David Allen.
David Allen, the father of James Allen, was born in 1787 in Franklin
township, Fayette county, Penna, died May 7, 1828, and was by occupation
a farmer. He served for a time as a watchman down the Ohio river against
the Indians in the early settlement of the country. He married Rebecca
Smith, a daughter of William Smith, native of Scotland. They had the
following children: Martha S Allen, born 1817; James Allen, born 1818;
William Allen, 1819; Mary Peirce Allen, 1820; John White Allen, 1821;
David Hunter Allen, 1822; Susan Allen, 1823; Josiah Allen, 1824; and
Robert Rush Allen, 1825.
The maternal grandfather was William Smith, born in Scotland, and came
from Edinburgh to Philadelphia. He afterwards started to join Daniel
Boone in Kentucky, going as far as Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland county,
Penna, where he spent the winter in a pen that had been built to protect
the sheep from the wolves. Failing to receive any word from Boone, he
settled in what is now the "loop" of Jacob's Creek in Westmoreland
county.
James Allen was born in Franklin township, Fayette county, Penna,
October 18, 1818, and was the second of nine children born to his
parents. Born and reared on a farm, his business through life has been
farming in his native township. He continued to farm successfully to 1882
when he retired, and at present resides at New Haven.
James Allen has been three times married. His first wife was Sarah J
Gutherie, a daughter of Rev James Guthrie, who for forty five years was
pastor of Laurel Hill church. They had the following children: James
Allen, Rebecca Ann Allen, Walter L Allen, and William S Allen, all of
whom are dead except Walter L Allen, a farmer living in Harrison county,
Ohio. His second wife was Sarah Louisa Allen, daughter of Jonathan G
Allen of Uniontown, to whom he was married March 26, 1856. They have one
child: Sarah E Allen. His third wife was Mary Miller of Connellsville, to
whom he was married September 8, 1864.
Mr Allen has served as a director of the county home for three years;
was one of the directors of the Youghiogheny Bank at Connellsville at the
time of its organization and has held the directorship continuously from
that time to the present. He has been a director in the Youghiogheny
Bridge Company, and is at present school director of New Haven.
He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Connellsville. Prior to
1882 he was a member at Laurel Hill, having joined the church there in
1841; was elected an elder in 1851, and has held the office ever since.
He is one of the present trustees of the church at Connellsville. James
Allen has always been an earnest worker in the church in all matters of a
moral and religious character, and has always supported them with his
means as well as with his might. He has represented the Redstone
presbytery at different sessions of synod at Pittsburgh; Indiana, Indiana
county, Penna; Parkersburg, W Va; McKeesport, Kittaning and Belle Vernon,
Penna; and was a delegate from the Redstone presbytery to the general
assembly of the Presbyterian church at its session in 1862 at Columbus, Ohio.
p490
ROBERT JUNK ALLEN, a very pleasant gentleman and an industrious farmer
of Georges township, is a son of Captain Matthew Allen and Elizabeth Junk
Allen, and was born in North Union township, Fayette county, Penna,
January 29, 1835.
His paternal great grandfather, David Allen, married Susan White and
came from Scotland to America in 1740, settled at Fagg's Manor, Chester
county, and subsequently removed to 1772 to the Robert Smith farm, near
Laurel Hill church in Fayette county. One of his sons, George Allen,
married Miss Jane Paull, a sister of Col James Paull. Their children
were: Susan Hibben, Martha Miller, Mary Junk, Josiah Allen (died
unmarried in Ohio), and Matthew Allen.
Matthew Allen married Elizabeth Catlin on June 2, 1822. Their children
were: Matthew Allen Jr, a soldier in the Mexican War, died at Perote,
November 15, 1847; Susan Allen, wife of William R McCormick; and Mary Ann
Allen, wife of John R Crawford. Mrs Allen died December 6, 1826; Mr Allen
remarried December 15, 1831, to Miss Elizabeth Junk. To this union were
born four children: George Allen, born November 27, 1832, died March 18,
1860; Robert J Allen; Josiah Allen, born March 4, 1837, married Sarah M
Clark-children are Mary Ann Allen, Matthew Allen, Nancy Allen and George
Allen (deceased). Matthew Allen was a militia captain about 1830. He was
elected sheriff of Fayette county, November 11, 1835, and was elected for
a second term, October 8, 1850. He was very popular as a sheriff and well
liked as a citizen, and died at Uniontown, August 17, 1875, and Mrs
Elizabeth Junk Allen died in Dunbar township, March 29, 1872.
Robert Junk Allen was reared on a farm and received his education in
the common schools and taught successfully for a number of years, after which
he engaged in his present business of farming. On December 29, 1870, he
was married to Miss Bertha Bunker, daughter of Col Jesse Bunker. They
have three children: Lizzie Allen, born October 19, 1871; Cora M G Allen,
born August 3, 1875; and Rachel L Allen, born February 26, 1880.
Robert Junk Allen owns a small but well-improved and very valuable farm
in Georges township, and is a member of the Presbyterian church, a good
neighbor and a respected citizen.
p579
JAMES ALLISON without whose biography the history of Menallen township,
and particularly of the village of Searight's, would be incomplete, was
born near Laurel Hill, Fayette county, Penna, December 22, 1801. His
parents lived and died in that neighborhood, and their remains were
buried in the Laurel Hill graveyard.
In early life James Allison moved from the locality of Laurel Hill and
settled on Redstone Creek, Fayette county, Penna, and learned to be a
fuller of cloth under William Searight, in whose family he ever
afterwards made his home. When William Searight bought the homestead on
which is the village of Searight's, James Allison moved with him to it,
where he lived and died. He was born to no other inheritance than that of
a noble character and a good name, and was in early life thrown upon
these his only resources.
He held the responsible office of commissioner of the county from 1837
to 1840, and as was the case in all his business transactions, acquitted
himself creditably and honorably. He also held the office of justice of
the peace for may years, and was postmaster at the village of Searight's
from the time of the establishment of the office in 1845 until within a
very short time of his death, having filled the longest continuous term
of office of any postmaster in the State, and perhaps in the United
States. So long and so very attentively did he occupy this position that
he became a part of the town thought to be entirely indispensable.
He was a conscientious and consistent member of the Episcopal church,
and was for many years senior warden of Grace church, Menallen. He was
married early in life, and his wife died shortly after their marriage. He
had no family.
The life of James Allison is well worthy of imitation. It was
straightforward, unfaltering, unchequered, and uneventful. His habits
were extremely plain, simple, sensible, sober, temperate, and
industrious. His manner was free, open, friendly, frank and courteous.
His character was a perfect lighthouse of honesty, truthfulness, and
uprightness. So highly was he esteemed for these qualities, it became a
common saying in the surrounding community of which he was a part that
"If Jimmy Allison says it is so, it must be so;" or "If Jimmy Allison did
so, it must be right." These saying still reverently linger in the
memories of his old neighbors.
He died suddenly on July 4, 1881, of a conjestive spasm to which he was
subject. His remains were interred in Grace church burial ground on July
5, 1881. The Rev R S Smith, rector of St. Peter's church, Uniontown, and
Grace church, Menallen, officiated at his funeral, and in the course of his
remarks said that the had known James Allison intimately for twenty
years, and for that period had been his personal friend, and he knew of
nothing in his life and character that he would have blotted from the
book of remembrance. Notwithstanding it was mid-harvest, and the weather
was extremely hot, Grace church was crowded by neighbors and friends to
witness the funeral rites of James Allison, an honest man, "God's noblest
work."
p411
DAVID ROSS ANDERSON, a member of an old family in the county, was born
in Georges township, November 16, 1856.
His grandfather, Samuel Anderson, was born in Georges township in 1805,
whose death occurred in 1887 at Smithfield, and many years he was engaged
in the manufacture of scythes at Haydentown. He was married to Elizabeth
Ross. To their union were born eight children: Margaret Anderson, Jehu
Anderson, Ross Anderson, Hannah Anderson, Sarah Anderson, Miranda
Anderson, Miles Anderson and Lovina Anderson, all living: Elizabeth and
Mary J are dead.
Jehu Anderson, father, was born in Georges township in 1832, was a farmer
and resident of Nicholson township, and was married to Miss Lydia M
Smith, daughter of Daniel Smith of Georges township. They had four
children: David R Anderson, Samuel Anderson, Alvin Anderson and Ira
Anderson.
David R Anderson was educated in the schools of his native township,
Georges Creek Academy, and at Monongahela College, Greene county, Penna.
In 1878 he was married to Sadie J Dunn, daughter of Justus Dunn, an old
resident of Georges township, but born in Erie, Penna. Ray Anderson,
Edgar Anderson and Mabel Anderson are the children born to them.
In 1878 Mr Anderson engaged in the mercantile business in Nicholson
township, as partner of his uncle, Miles Anderson. This partnership was
dissolved; in 1881 he removed to Dunbar and took a position with J M
Heustead, as clerk in the store at Dunbar Furnace where he won the
confidence and respect of his employer in a service of five years. He was
appointed postmaster at Dunbar by President Cleveland on August 14, 1886,
and is the present incumbent of that office. He is also extensively
engaged in mercantile pursuits at Dunbar, and in 1887 I N Blosser became
his partner. Mr Anderson is a charter member of Dunbar Council, No 754,
Royal Arcanun, the council was instituted April 4, 1883, is also member
of the Junior Order of American Mechanics, and holds the office of deacon
of the Baptist church.
p412
JOHN N ANDERSON is one of Fayette county's successful teachers, earnest
institute worker, and is a veteran of twenty nine years experience in the
school room.
His grandfather Anderson was a native of Wales and married a lady of
German descent. They had a son, George S Anderson, born September 15,
1810, in Frederick county, Maryland, who married Miss Mary Ann Nelson,
born near Rainesburg, Bedford county, Penna, October 19, 1808. To this
union were born six children: the eldest, Sarah Jane Anderson, died
before her third birthday. Two sons and one daughter are living in
Fayette county, and one daughter, Nancy Ellen Anderson, resides in West
Virginia.
John N Anderson, the second child, and eldest of these children living,
was born in Menallen township, Fayette county, Penna, October 18, 1835.
In childhood John N Anderson was delicate in health, and his
opportunities for schooling were limited. His school attendance was under
the crude system of public schools when the branch in which the master
was most proficient was the birch branch.
January 1, 1854, he entered the printing office of the Pennsylvania
Democrat, now Republican Standard, and remained two years. During this
time he applied himself so assiduously to his studies during his spare
moments that he passed an examination in 1856 under County Superintendent
Joshua V Gibbons and entered the profession of teaching. Since 1856 Mr
Anderson has been thus engaged except four years devoted to other
pursuits, and is now engaged in his twenty ninth year of teaching.
He served one year in the Civil War as sergeant in Battery K, Sixth
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and was honorably discharged at Fort Ethan
Allen, Virginia, June 13, 1865. His regiment successfully watched John S
Mosby, and helped guard the National capital.
March 25, 1862, he was married to Miss Maggie Turner, daughter of John
and Eliza Turner; the former was born in Virginia, and the latter a
native of Baltimore. Mr Anderson has one child: Ella Lorena Anderson,
wife of Charles R Trew, a mining engineer who is now in charge of
Uniondale mines.
In politics Mr Anderson is a republican, but not radical in his views. A
Protestant in religion, he favors the Methodist church, and is a
prominent member of several orders: P W C T of the G T, a Scarlet Degree
member of the Fort Necessity Lodge, I O O F, a P P Commander of Dunbar
Post, Grand Army of the Republic, a Past Chancellor of Dunbar Lodge, K of
P, and a Past District Deputy Grand Chancellor of the First K of P,
District of Fayette County. He is a frequent contributor to Pythian
literature, and several very able and eloquent articles of his have
appeared in the most prominent Pythian periodicals.
The following is from one of his articles: "Sentiment is one thing,
opinion is another. Sentiment is a link that joins man to man. Opinions
are the separating wedges that divide man from man in an intellectual
point of view. Sentiments in their primitive state area elementary,
synthetic and concrete, and serve to bind together in harmony the human
family. Opinions, rationally viewed, may be said to be composite, serve
to divide, to separate, and to scatter."
p490
MILES S ANDERSON, a steady-going and reliable merchant of Nicholson
township, was born in Georges township, Fayette county, Penna, September
6, 1846, and is a son of Samuel Anderson and Nancy Ross Anderson.
His father, Samuel Anderson, was born in Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland
county, Penna, in January, 1804. He came to Fayette county when a mere
child. Learning the trade of a scythe-maker, he engaged in that business
from 1820 to 1854 when he purchased a farm of 110 acres and passed the
remainder of his days as a farmer.
He was married to Nancy Ross, and they were the parents of eleven
children: Margaret Anderson, Jehu K Anderson, W R Anderson, Sallie
Anderson, Hannah Anderson, Miranda Anderson, Miles S Anderson and Lon
Anderson (twins), Elizabeth Anderson (dead), Mary Jane Anderson (dead),
Ann Anderson (dead). Mrs Anderson died March 10, 1866.
Samuel Anderson was a whig, afterwards became a republican, and was an
honored deacon in the Mt Moriah Baptist church. After a long, useful and
honorable life, he passed from time to eternity September 19, 1886.
M S Anderson was educated in the common schools, and in Georges Creek
Academy. He was engaged in farming in Georges township until 1870 when he
purchased his present farm of seventy nine acres in Nicholson township,
where he has erected two fine residences, one of them containing a
commodious store-room. His location was named Anderson's Cross Roads.
In 1876 he engaged in the mercantile business and has continued
successfully up to the present time. He was appointed postmaster in 1876
and is at present holding that office. He was married in 1871 to Mary
Brown, daughter of Rev B F Brown, and has two children: Laura Anderson
and Lloyd Anderson.
Mr Anderson with his wife and daughter are members of the Baptist
church. He is doing a good mercantile business, and is an upright and
respected citizen.
p311
JOSEPH D ANTRAM, one of the most substantial farmers of Menallen, was
born on the farm he now resides on, in the same house he is now living
in, one eight of a mile east of New Salem, Menallen township, Fayette
county, Penna, October 16, 1840, and is a son of Caleb Antram and Nancy
Boyd Antram, the former born 1805 on the same farm of his son, the
latter was born near New Salem in 1808.
Caleb Antram was a prosperous farmer in his day, a quiet, unassuming
citizen, is now an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian church at New
Salem. He is the father of five children, of whom three are living:
Robert Antram, Rebecca Antram and Joseph D Antram.
Caleb Antram (grandfather) was born in New Jersey, and was married in
Virginia to Martha Morgan, and came to Fayette county soon after their
marriage; secured the same farm Washington formerly owned near the
present site of Perryopolis, and which he afterwards gave to his daughter
Mary Antram, wife of William Campbell.
On March 2, 1869, Joseph D Antram was married to Mary F Hibbs, a daughter
of David Hibbs of Redstone. She was born in 1843. David Hibbs married
Hannah Walters, a daughter of Ephraim Walters of Nicholson township. Mr
Antram has two children: William G Antram, born September 9, 1870, and
Jessie Antram, born March 25, 1878.
He was educated in the common schools of New Salem, has always been
a farmer, and is now holding the office of justice of the peace; he has
also served at different times as school director. As to politics he is a
strong democrat and never wavers in the faith. His beautiful and
well-improved farm of 170 acres is richly underlaid with coal.
p491
JONAH ARISON, a well-informed gentleman and well-situated farmer of
German township, is a son of John Arison and Catherine Day Arison, and
was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, August 4, 1818.
His grandfather, Andrew Arison, was born and reared in New Jersey, but
emigrated in early life to Virginia, where he was engaged in farming.
His father, John Arison, was a native of Virginia, a soldier of the War
of 1812, emigrated in about 1820 to Uniontown, and in a short time
removed to Georges township, and afterwards to Franklin township, where
he died. He was a democrat and a member of the Baptist church. He married
Miss Catherine Day, daughter of George Day of Virginia, and reared a
family of twelve children.
Jonah Arison was reared on a farm in Fayette county, and received his
education in the subscription schools of his day. He chose farming as his
life pursuit, was in Indiana for a time but returned to Fayette county,
her farmed for some time when he purchased his present highly productive
farm in German township, and has been successfully engaged ever since in
farming and stock-raising.
In 1840 he married Miss Lydia A Franks, daughter of Micheal Franks of
German township. To their union were born six children: Elizabeth A
Arison married Aaron Hostetler, killed in one of the Wilderness battles,
and after his death she became the wife of W A Cofman; Simon F Arison
married Susannah Franks, daughter of Micheal Franks of German township;
Emanuel Arison (dead); William Arison; Amande E Arison, wife of George N
Crable; and Mary C Arison, wife of William Honsaker.
Jonah Arison is an extensive reader, and is conversant with the history
of his country and the current events of the day. In political opinions
he is a democrat, and has served his township as inspector, assessor and
school director. He is a member of the Lutheran church at High House, and
is widely known as a meritorious citizen and successful farmer.
p311
MATTHEW ARISON, one of Fayette county's self-made men and highly
respected citizens, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, March 4, 1816,
and is a son of John Arison and Catherine Day Arison.
His grandfather, Andrew Arison, was born in New Jersey in 1750; He
married in 1782, Ann Davis of Loudoun county, Virginia, and had six
children: Lucinda Arison, John Arison, Mathew Arison, Ann Arison,
Elizabeth Arison and Ananias Arison, none of whom are now living.
His father, John Arison, was born June 7, 1780, in Loudoun county,
Virginia, and died in Franklin township, March 1, 1870, and was a cooper
by trade, but always followed farming. He was a soldier in a cavalry
company during the War of 1812, and was a well-respected citizen in both
Virginia and Pennsylvania. On September 12, 1812, he married Catherine
Day; their union was blessed with twelve children: Samuel Arison (dead),
Matthew Arison, Jonah Arison, William Arison (dead), John D Arison
(dead), Benjamin S Arison (dead), Elizabeth J Arison, Ann Arison, Mariah
Arison, Levi H Arison (dead), Celina Arison (dead) and Lydia C Arison.
His mother, Catherine Day, was born April 22, 1796, died June 6, 1887,
and was a member of the "Old Side Baptist." Her father, George Day, was
born in 1756 at Alexandria, Virginia, and in 1780 was married to Mary
Weaver of Baltimore, Maryland. They had five children: Mary Day, Susan
Day, Sarah Day, Catherine Day, and George W Day, all of whom are dead.
Matthew Arison married Eliza Gettys, December 29, 1842. They had six
children: Sarah Ellen Arison (dead), John D Arison, Samuel G Arison
(dead), Ann Mariah Arison (dead), William H Arison, and Matthew Hickman
Arison. Samuel G was thrown from a horse and instantly killed August 28,
1878. Mrs Arison died May 4, 1864. Mr Arison married again December 29,
1864. His second wife was Miss Margaret Ann Foster, daughter of Henry
Foster (deceased). They have six children: Charles T Arison, Enoch A
Arison, Eliza Jane Arison, James E Arison, Roxalina M Arison, and Minnie
L Arison.
Mathew Arison came with his father to Georges township in 1819, and from
thence to Menallen township in 1823, where he received a limited school
education.
Being a poor boy, he started in the world without friends or influence,
but, industrious and ambitious, he taught school, summer and winter, for
about twenty two years. In 1848 he bought a farm of eighty seven acres in
Franklin township. He now owns 150 acres of good land in the same
township.
In 1867-68 he with Henry Galley embarked in the oil business in Fayette
county, but every well drilled for oil was a failure. In 1889 he assisted
in leasing over six thousand acres of land in Franklin and Tyrone
townships for the Virgin Run Gas Company.
He is a republican and served as justice of the peace in Franklin
township from 1855 to 1860 and from 1869 to the present time. From 1859
to 1862 he resided in Menallen township, and was justice of the peace in
that township.
He became a member of the Baptist church in 1854 and ordained a deacon
in the same church shortly afterwards.
He is one whose profession of Christianity has been nobly illustrated by
an honorable and useful life. For thirty five years he has been known
throughout Fayette county as an earnest and zealous Baptist, an honest
and consistent Christian gentleman, respected and honored by all who know him.
p312
JOHN ARMEL. Some years before the Revolutionary War, a Mr Armel came
from Hamburg, Germany, and settled in Pennsylvania, Franklin county,
somewhere east of the mountains. He was a miller and was supposed to have
operated a mill at the place of his first location. Later he removed to
what is now Westmoreland county.
A colony of four families came over the mountains together: two Armel
families, a family named Smith, and one of the name of Stockbarger. They
were all Lutheran and settled near the present location of Pleasant
Unity, and took tomahawk claims on large tracts of land.
John Armel and Daniel Armel were soldiers in the Revolution, and were
also in the Indian wars that followed.
Jacob Armel was born May 11, 1784, and was married to Susan Bonbright,
daughter of Daniel Bonbright who was a native of Franklin county. Jacob
Armel's family consisted of ten children.
John Armel, the subject, the second son, was born in Westmoreland county,
October 8, 1816. He worked at carpentry during his younger days. He had a
poor education. In 1848 he built a mill at New Haven for Joseph Strickler
and Daniel Kain, and in 1850 bought the mill in Perry township known at
the Washington Run steam mill, and operated it till 1857 when he bought
one half interest in the mill on Little Redstone creek where he now
resides. He built this mill in 1872 and purchased the other half of it in
1889.
He was married in 1852 to Margaret Essington of Fayette county, They have
two children: John Armel and Mary C Armel. Mary C Armel married Humphrey
F Blythe, and John Armel is living at home.
Mr Armel is a member of the I O of O F. He has held several township
offices at different times.
p245
WILLIAM C ARMSTRONG of Bridgeport is a son of Joshua Armstrong and Lydia
Drum Armstrong.
His father, Joshua Armstrong, was a native of New Jersey and came to
Washington county, Penna, when about eighteen years of age. He remained
there a short time, when he removed to Brownsville in 1818. He was a
carpenter by trade, and built over one hundred houses in Brownsville and
Bridgeport and vicinity. He was a prominent citizen of Bridgeport and
died in 1881 at eighty three years of age.
The mother of W C Armstrong was a native of Maryland, and came to
Fayette county with her parents when twelve years of age, and died
September 1875 at the age of seventy two years. Her father came to the
county in 1815 where he died in 1845.
William C Armstrong was born at Bridgeport, October 14, 1835, and where
he grew to manhood. He attended the common schools. On leaving school he
apprenticed himself to Alexander Moffit to learn carriage blacksmithing
and remained there for four years. In 1856 he went to the river to learn
steamboat engineering on the steam J M Converse. This boat was sunk by
the ice in 1857 at Ferry Island, Mississippi river. Mr Armstrong was on
the boat from the time of starting until she sank.
He remained upon packet boats as engineer until 1861 when he was made
First Assistant Engineer on the government boat Marmond, and took part in
all of the principal naval battles along the Mississippi and its
tributaries. He was at the fight at Vicksburg when the canal was cut
across the strip of land in front of that city. He served in the navy all
through the war, and was honorably discharged at Mound City, Illinois, in 1866.
He next became engineer on a Missouri river boat plying from Sioux City
to Fort Benton, and remained till 1873 when he received a position on a
tow boat at Pittsburgh which he held until 1875. At this time he and
other built a tow boat called the Dauntless. He took charge of this boat
as captain and pilot and ran the boat until 1883. He then left the river
and settled at Bridgeport as manager of the large grocery and
agricultural implement house, which he has successfully managed ever
since and is still engaged in.
Mr Armstrong was married in 1872 to Miss Ella Bugher, daughter of
Captain Doyle Bugher of Brownsville who is an old steamboat captain. He
is now a member of the council, having been elected on the democratic
ticket against a republican majority of above one hundred votes in the
borough.