Crawford County PA Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Crawford County, Pennsylvania Census Records

1790 Crawford County, Pennsylvania Census Records Free 1790 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial Hosted at A Genealogical Tour of Crawford County, Pennsylvania 1790 Crawford County as part of Allegheny County Combined index 1790, 1800, 1818, 1820 Hosted at Census Guide 1800 U.S. Census Guide 1800 Crawford County, Pennsylvania Census Records Free 1800 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial Hosted at Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives Divisions 1800 Census Records Hosted at USGenWeb Census Project Divisions 1800 Federal Census Crawford County Hosted at A Genealogical Tour of Crawford County, Pennsylvania … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Francis Lyon

Lyon, William Francis; merchant; born, Meadville, Pa., Aug. 16, 1868; son of Thomas and Johanna Corbett Lyon; Meadville High School, graduated in class of 1885; married, Cleveland, Oct. 26, 1892, Lisette Baus; issue, Marie, Josephine, William Francis, Jr., started in Cleveland, Sept. 9, 1885; elected sec’y and treas., May 24, 1897, of The Cady-Ivison Shoe Co., and pres. and gen. mgr. of same Company, Jan. 20, 1913; charter member of the Cleveland Association of Credit Men, and pres. from 1902 to 1903; member Knights of Columbus, and Catholic Mutual Benefit Assn; member Athletic Club. Fond of Horseback Riding.

Biography of James Burton Turner

James Burton Turner has covered a wide field, including nearly all the states between the Allegheny and Rocky Mountains, as a worker, operator and producer in the oil fields. He was a pioneer operator in the Mid-Continental fields of Southern Kansas and Oklahoma. Mr. Turner is prominently known among the leading oil men of the country and since January, 1903, has been a resident of Chanuta. From that city he has extended his various operations as a producer and contractor, and has drilled hundreds of wells in the fields of Kansas and Oklahoma. At the present time Mr. Turner has … Read more

Biography of Harry Pray Study, A. B., A. M.

Harry Pray Study, A. B., A. M. Among the learned callings there is none, perhaps, that demands a greater degree of patience, tact, specialized knowledge, judgment and natural executive ability than that of the educator, and the individual who enters into this important field, selecting it as a calling, is called upon to make many personal sacrifices and to give many of the best years of his life unreservedly to its demands, often without the emoluments that would be attached to an equal amount of labor expended in another direction. However, there are many satisfying rewards which come to the … Read more

Biography of Ira C. Buzick

Ira C. Buzick was one of the pioneer lawyers of Lincoln County. He was the first man elected to represent that county in the State Legislature after the county was formally organized in 1870. He had a long and active career as a lawyer and in public affairs, and the name is still continued on the professional rolls of the Kansas bar through his son, Alonson Ruckman Buzick of Salina. Ira C. Buzick was born June 21, 1841, at Dayton, Ohio. His parents were also native Ohioans. At the age of twenty-two he took up the study of law, and … Read more

An Account of the Sufferings of Mercy Harbison – Indian Captivities

On the 4th of November, 1791, a force of Americans under General Arthur St. Clair was attacked, near the present Ohio-Indiana boundary line, by about the same number of Indians led by Blue Jacket, Little Turtle, and the white renegade Simon Girty. Their defeat was the most disastrous that ever has been suffered by our arms when engaged against a savage foe on anything like even terms. Out of 86 officers and about 1400 regular and militia soldiers, St. Clair lost 70 officers killed or wounded, and 845 men killed, wounded, or missing. The survivors fled in panic, throwing away their weapons and accoutrements. Such was “St. Clair’s defeat.”

The utter incompetency of the officers commanding this expedition may be judged from the single fact that a great number of women were allowed to accompany the troops into a wilderness known to be infested with the worst kind of savages. There were about 250 of these women with the “army” on the day of the battle. Of these, 56 were killed on the spot, many being pinned to the earth by stakes driven through their bodies. Few of the others escaped captivity.

After this unprecedented victory, the Indians became more troublesome than ever along the frontier. No settler’s home was safe, and many were destroyed in the year of terror that followed. The awful fate of one of those households is told in the following touching narrative of Mercy Harbison, wife of one of the survivors of St. Clair’s defeat. How two of her little children were slaughtered before her eyes, how she was dragged through the wilderness with a babe at her breast, how cruelly maltreated, and how she finally escaped, barefooted and carrying her infant through days and nights of almost superhuman exertion, she has left record in a deposition before the magistrates at Pittsburgh and in the statement here reprinted.

Biographical Sketch of James McCreary Gee

Gee, James McCreary; real estate broker; born, Kingsville, O., Dee. 24, 1875; son of Francis W. and Mary McCreary Gee; educated, common and high schools, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa.; Western Reserve University, Law Dept.; married, Marysville, N. Y., June 6, 1900, Helen Mills; issue, Francis, born March 30, 1901, Daniel, born Dec. 7, 1904, Nicholas, born Feb. 24, 1908, and Caroline, born May 9, 1911; member Corps of Cadets, Allegheny College; Republican; traveling salesman before settling in Cleveland; in 1902, engaged in the life insurance business as asst. supt. of The Prudential Life Ins. Co.; in 1904-1905, mgr. sales and … Read more

Biography of Fred C. Childs

Fred C. Childs, now superintendent of the Cudahy Refining Company at Coffeyville, is an oil refiner of almost world wide experience. He has been connected with that industry since youth, and has spent a number of years in the Kansas field. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1867, a son of Caleb O. and Sarah A. (Langdon) Childs. His Childs ancestors came from England to Rhode Island in colonial times. His great-grandfather John Cole Childs was a Revolutionary soldier and an extensive land owner in Rhode Island. His grandfather, Thomas Cole Childs, was born in Rhode Island in … Read more

Biography of Freeman R. Foster

Freeman R. Foster. One of the first men to set foot on the present site of the City of Topeka, and one of those who assisted in the platting of the town in 1854, was the late Freeman R. Foster. Although nearly twenty years have elapsed since the death of this early settler, he is still remembered as a man of sterling integrity, a helpful factor in the various movements which served to build up and advance the city of his adoption, and a citizen whose contributions to Topeka form a lasting monument to his memory. Mr. Foster was born … Read more

Biography of W. W. Kaney

W. W. Kaney. In the career of W. W. Kaney, of Chanute, there is found an excellent illustration of the rewards that may be attained through industry and perseverance, for his had been a life in which achievements have been self gained and in which outside assistance had played no part. With but an indifferent education he started out in the world to make his own way when he was but a lad, and had steadfastly worked his way to a position of prominence as one of the leading oil producers of this part of Kansas. Mr. Kaney was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frederick Augustine Sterling

Sterling, Frederick Augustine; merchant; born, Chapinville, Conn., May 26, 1831; son of Frederick Augustine and Caroline Mary (Dutcher) Sterling; educated, public and private schools, Geneva, N. Y.; married, Meadville, Pa., May 13, 1856, Emma Betts; issue, one son, living in Erie, Pa.; merchant in Cleveland since 1850; connected with T. S. Beckwith & Co., Beckwith, Sterling & Co., Sterling & Co., The Sterling & Welch Co., pres. the Sterling & Welch Co., director Union National Bank; director Citizens Savings & Trust Co.; vice pres. Cleveland Burial Case Co.; pres. Board of Trustees, Second Presbyterian Church; member Union and Country Clubs. … Read more

Biography of Charles Hiram Cook

Charles Hiram Cook. Prominent among the men who have long been identified with the oil industry in Kansas as producers and drillers is found Charles Hiram Cook, of Coffeyville. From the time he left school he has followed the oil and gas fields in various parts of the country, and with the great development of the Kansas fields became interested here and has since played a part in the growth and advancement of the industry. Mr. Cook was born at Springboro, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1863, and is a son of Francis Henry and Emily (Fisher) Cook. The Cook … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ellis Jones Chesbro

Chesbro, Ellis Jones; dentist; born, Cleveland, Dec. 25, 1868; son of George W. and Miss Boyce Chesbro; educated, Willoughby High School, Allegheny College, A. B.; University of Pennsylvania, D. D. S.; married, Washington, D. C., May 9, 1906, Eugenna C. Davis; one son; member Northern Ohio Dental Ass’n and Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

Biography of David C. Chase

David C. Chase, the secretary and treasurer of the great Payette Valley Mercantile Company, Limited, doing business in Payette, Idaho, is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Johnsonville, Trumbull County, on the 26th of April 1853. He traces his descent from English ancestors who were early settlers of Connecticut, and participated in many of the leading events which go to make up the history of that state. His father, David Chase, was a New England farmer, and died when his son and namesake was only a small boy. The latter was educated in the public schools of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Ernst

Jacob Ernst, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Humbolt; the subject of this sketch was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 30, 1839. He married Miss Julia Anna Joose Aug. 16, 1861 she was born in Baden, Germany, June 20, 1844; they had nine children, eight living, viz., George A., John M., Flora May, Mary A., Harry D., Willis E., Clarence and Jacob E.; Charlie died June 4, 1866. He lived in Germany about fifteen years, when he came to the United States and settled in Meadville, Penn., where he lived until 1855; he then moved to Owen Co., Ind.; thence to … Read more

Biography of Chancy Akin

If there is one person more than another to whom the race loves to do honor that person is the pioneer, and especially is this true in double measure when we find one of the character of the worthy subject of this sketch, who has endured all the deprivations incident to pioneer life in this country since the early days of the last century and has through it all maintained a good physique, held his powers intact while accomplishing Herculean achievements, built a character which is a light to any community, kept his reputation untarnished and steadily pursued his way … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sitler, H.L.

H. L. Sitler, came to Dodge City, Kans., in 1868, and engaged in freighting for the United States government, and contracting, until 1876. He then engaged in the stock business, and continued until 1882. He is one of the stockholders of the Dodge City Bank. He has since the spring of 1882, retired from business. He was born in Crawford County, Pa., August 24, 1827, and lived in that county until 1865. He enlisted in the fall of 1861, to Company I, Second Pennsylvania Cavalry, and participated in all the battles of his command, and was made a prisoner at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John William Perrin

Perrin, John William; librarian; born, Eugene, Ind.; son of William Jasper and Susan (Allen) Perrin; A. M., Wabash College. Ind., 1889; studied Johns Hopkins, 1890-1892; graduate student and honorary fellow, University of Chicago, 1892-1893, Ph. D., 1895; married Harriet Naylor Towle, of Evanston, Ill., April 16, 1890 (died, Jan. 25, 1910); prof. of history and politics, Allegheny College, Pa., 1894-1898; prof. of history, Adelbert College, (Western Reserve University), 1898-1904; Albert Shaw, lecturer, American diplomatic history, Johns Hopkins, 1904; lecturer on American history, Allegheny College, 1905; librarian, Case Library, Cleveland. since June 1, 1905; organized, 1899, and chairman until 1903, conference … Read more

Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa’s

Immediately after the peace of 1763 all the French forts in the west as far as Green Bay were garrisoned with English troops; and the Indians now began to realize, but too late, what they had long apprehended the selfish designs of both French and English threatening destruction, if not utter annihilation, to their entire race. These apprehensions brought upon the theatre of Indian warfare, at that period of time, the most remarkable Indian in the annals of history, Pontiac, the chief of the Ottawa’s and the principal sachem of the Algonquin Confederacy. He was not only distinguished for his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Abbot, Francis Ellingwood

Abbot, Francis Ellingwood, son of Joseph Hale and Fanny (Larcom) Abbot, was born in Boston, November 6, 1836. His early education was obtained at home, and in the Boston public Latin school. Fitting for college, he entered Harvard in 1855, and was graduated with the class of 1859. He spent three years in the Harvard divinity school and Meadville (Pa.) Theological Seminary. It is a fitting tribute to the mother of the subject of this sketch that he has filially attributed his best education to her early training and blessed influence. Mr. Abbot was principal of the Meadville (Pa.) Female … Read more