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NORMAN G. VANCE
Pg 926
Norman G. Vance, sole proprietor
of the only feed and hay market in Wilmington
Township, owns a very fine farm
in Mercer County and is also interested
in raising thoroughbred horses. Mr.
Vance was born December 21, 1861, in Slippery
Rock Township, Lawrence County,
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William and
Martha (Leslie) Vance. William Vance is
a retired farmer residing at New Wilmington.
His parents, James and Anna Vance,
were the first settlers on the old Vance
homestead, in Slippery Rock Township,
where they located about 1790, when the
land was still wild and uncleared.
Norman Gr. Vance attended the country
schools near his home and subsequently entered
Grove City College, where he pursued
the regular course, completing it in
1887. He then turned his attention to farming
and has continued to be more or less
interested in the same ever since. He has
also been profitably interested in the stock
business for some years. He owns two
Percheron mares and a share in two famous
stallions, Partisan and Cleopaz. Partisan
was imported from France in 1905,
while Cleopaz and the mares were bred on
a noted stock farm in Michigan. His valuable
farm in Mercer County contains 123
acres and is situated three miles north of
New Wilmington, in Lackawannoc Township,
on the east side of the road leading
from New Wilmington to Sharon. His
business in hay and feed, at New Wilmington,
is conducted under his personal supervision.
Mr. Vance was married, first, to Cora
Wilkinson, who died March 11, 1902. She
was a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca
Wilkinson. Three children were born to
this union, namely: Gula, Margaret and
Claire. Mr. Vance was married secondly
to Elizabeth Neal, who is a daughter of
James and Margaret Neal, of Lawrence
County. Mr. Vance is a member of the
Second United Presbyterian Church of
New Wilmington. He is active in local
politics and is a progressive and
public-spirited citizen.
GEORGE W. VAN FLEET
Pg 821
George W. Van Fleet, one of New
Bedford's older citizens, who is secretary
of the Union Limestone Company and of
the Lake Erie Limestone Company, the
quarries of both corporations being located
at Hillsville, was born in Pulaski Township,
Lawrence County, Peunsvlvania,
March 1, 1836.
The Van Fleets came to America from
Holland and settled in New Jersey. From
there Richard Van Fleet, the grandfather
of George W., came to what is now Lawrence
County, in 1798, and settled in
Pulaski Township, among the earliest settlers,
carving out a home from the wilderness,
in the true sense of the expression.
He continued to reside in Pulaski Township
until his death, which took place in
1850. Of his family of twelve children,
Eliza Sheriff, the youngest, is now the only
survivor.
George W. Van Fleet grew to manhood
in Pulaski Township and obtained his education
in the local schools, teaching subsequently
through many winter terms.
Later he engaged in a mercantile business
at Pulaski, as a member of the firm of
James F. Scott & Company. For a half
century he has been engaged in clerical
work, being an accountant, and for five
years was located in the Pennsylvania oil
fields, being mainly connected with the
Bradford Oil Exchange as bookkeeper and
accountant. Since 1895 he has been associated
with the limestone industry at Hillsville,
having been identified with both of
the companies he represents since their organization.
Mr. Van Fleet married Sarah McCluskev,
who was born in Mercer County,
Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Robert
McCluskey. This family is one of age and
prominence in Mercer County. Mr. and
Mrs. Van Fleet have two children: Olive
and Montrose V. The former is the bookkeeper
of the two companies with which
her father is identified, her office being at
Youngstown but her home at New Bedford,
Montrose V. is assistant superintendent
of the Armstrong Cork Company,
at Beaver Falls, being a mechanical engineer
by training. Mr. Van Fleet takes a
more or less active interest in public affairs
but is no politician, satisfying himself
at all times with performing such
duties as are incumbent on all good citizens.
JACOB EVANS VAN GORDER
Pg 772
Jacob Evans Van Gorder, vice-president
and bookkeeper of the People's
Bank of Ellwood City, was born in Perry
Township, on the old Van Gorder mill
property, July 7, 1869, son of Israel and
Isabella (Evans) Van Gorder. On the paternal
side he is a descendant of one of
the early settlers of this section, Jacob
Van Gorder, who located at a very early
date on Slippery Rock Creek.
Jacob Van Gorder, the only son of this
pioneer, and grandfather of Jacob E. Van
Gorder, took an energetic part in the development
of the county, building the mill
above referred to, which was the first one
in that section. He owned, also, about 200
acres of land. He died while residing at
the home of his son, James. He and his
wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Elliott,
were the parents of seven children,
namely: Elliott, Israel and Alvi, who are
now deceased; James, who is residing in
Slippery Rock Township; Louisa, who was
wife of William Morrison, ex-county commissioner
of Lawrence County (both now deceased);
Elmira, who married Henry Aiken, and
is now deceased, her husband
being a resident of Perry Township; Bella,
who married Guy Morrison, of Wurtember,
and is now deceased, and Alvi.
Israel Van Gorder was born in Perry
Township in 1829, and when old enough
learned the miller's trade. For many years
he was the proprietor of the old Van Gorder
mill. At the age of fifty-five he removed
to New Castle, in which place he
died in 1901, for some years previously
having been retired from active business
pursuits. He was twice married, the mother
of Jacob E. being his first wife. Her parents
resided near Hazel Dell, where her
father, who was a millwright, owned the
old Matheney mill. Mrs. Isabella Van Gorder
died in 1874, when her son, Jacob Evans,
was but five years old; and Israel
Van Gorder married for his second wife,
Nancy Vance, a native of Slippery Rock
Township. She died in the spring of the
present year, 1908.
Jacob Evans Van Gorder acquired his
early education in the No. 4 School in
Perry Township, and was subsequently a
student for about two years at Grove City
College, which he left in 1891. After graduating
in a commercial course he entered
the employ of G. W. Miller & Son, of New
Castle. After remaining with them for
a while, he went on a farm and was engaged
for a short time in agricultural pursuits.
He then entered into the feed business
in Ellwood City, but subsequently sold
out his interest, and on May 9, 1907, assumed
the duties of his present position as
vice-president and bookkeeper of the People's
Bank. This concern is a flourishing
institution and, as one of its leading
officials, Mr. Van Gorder has proved himself
a business man of high capabilities
and has every assurance of a prosperous
and successful business career. His political
principles are those of the Republican
party, but he takes no active part in politics,
finding sufficient occupation in the
performance of his business duties.
In 1896 Mr. Van Gorder married Miss
Harriet Morrison, a daughter of David
and Elizabeth Morrison. Of this union
there have been five children, two sons and
three daughters, namely; Verna, Ella Belle,
David I., Raymond, and Adda. Mr. and
Mrs. Van Gorder are members of the
United Presbyterian Church at Ellwood
City, having formerly belonged to the Slippery
Rock Church. They are among the
best known and most highly respected residents
of Ellwood City.
JAMES A. VAN GORDER
Pg 444
James A. Van Gorder, one of the
progressive and substantial citizens of
Slippery Rock Township, is the owner of a
valuable farm of 140 acres located about
eight miles southeast of the city of New
Castle. He comes of an old and respected
family of Lawrence County, and is a son
of Jacob and Nancy (Elliott) Van Gorder,
and a grandson of Jacob Van Gorder, Sr.
Jacob Van Gorder, Sr., was born in New
Jersey, and early in life moved west to
Washington County, Pennsylvania, where
he lived for a time. About the year 1800
he moved to Perry Township, Lawrence
County, Pennsylvania, and settled on a
small farm which has since been known
as the Van Gorder homestead, being at the
present time owned by Alvi S. Van Gorder,
grandson of this pioneer. The latter died
on that place in the seventy-seventh year
of his age.
Jacob Van Gorder, Jr., was born on the
farm in Perry Township in 1805, having
resided there all his life. He assisted his
father in clearing the home place, and in
1839 bought an adjoining farm, which had
been originally settled by a Mr. Allen.
That same year he built a stone house of
material quarried by a Mr. Maulin, and
had one of the best residences in that vicinity
for many years. He finished clearing
the farm, set out a large orchard, and
made his place one of fine improvements.
He was a man of great energy and exceptional
business ability. In 1844 he built a
dam across Slippery Rock Creek and
erected a sawmill, which he operated with
unvarying success the remainder of his
days. It was a day of development and
improvements, and the demand for lumber
for some years was very great. In 1859
he built a grist mill, which also flourished
during the remainder of his career. He
died in 1887, at the age of eighty-two years.
He was united in marriage with Nancy
Elliott, a daughter of Andrew Elliott, of
Perry Township, and she lived to reach
the age of seventy-four years, dying in
1884. Nine children were the issue of this
union, namely: Andrew E., Israel, Margaret,
Louisa, Elmira, Alvi S., James, Nancy
Belle, and Robert S. Religiously, the parents
of this family were Presbyterians.
He was a Republican in politics subsequent
to the war of the Rebellion, but prior to
that time was a Whig.
James A. Van Gorder was born in Perry
Township, Lawrence County, April 20,
1844, and was reared on the home farm,
which is now owned by Joseph A. Van
Gorder, a nephew. He attended the old
schoolhouse in that district, it being
equipped with the benches and desks running
along three walls of the room, as
characterized the schools of pioneer days.
This schoolhouse was but twenty feet
square and was much crowded, the enrollment
of pupils reaching forty; his instructor
during most of his time in school was
Mr. J. R. Miller. After leaving school he
turned his attention to farming operations,
and upon the death of his father he inherited
an interest in the home farm. In
1886 he settled on his present place, which
he purchased in 1880. He erected a modern
dwelling house and a complete set of
buildings on the place, his barn being one
of the largest and best in this section of
the county. During his younger days he
operated a saw and grist mill one mile
above Wurtemburg with much success, but
has since given his attention to general
farming. He is now drilling an oil well on
the farm, it being the second drilled in the
neighborhood.
James A. Van Gorder was joined in marriage
with Narcissa N. Frew, a daughter
of James and Eliza Frew, of Slippery Rock
Township, they being old settlers and large
landowners here. Of six children born to
Mr. and Mrs. Frew, Narcissa N. is the only
one living. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Gorder
were born six children, as follows: William
I., who is unmarried; Louisa Agnes,
wife of Edwin F. Menser, by whom she has
two children—Louisa Elma and James Joseph;
Emma Elmira, wife of Charles Wilson,
by whom she has a son, Warren;
Thomas J., and George Sherman, who
died in infancy; and Theresa Jane, who
died at the age of five years. In politics,
Mr. Van Gorder is independent, casting
his ballot for the man he deems best fitted
for the office at issue. Religiously, he and
his wife are members of the Presbyterian
Church.
[Photo of James A. Van Gorder on page 445]
JOSEPH VAN GORDER
Pg 888
Joseph Van Gorder, one of Perry
Township's prominent citizens and successful
agriculturists, resides about three
miles northeast of Ellwood City, on his
valuable farm of eighty-six acres. Mr.
Van Gorder was born November 1, 1876, in
the farmhouse which stands south of his
present home, in Perry Township, Lawrence
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son
of Alvi S. and Rebecca (Marshall) Van
Gorder.
Alvi S. Van Gorder was born in Perry
Township, where he died January 14, 1908.
He inherited his farm from his father and
conducted it through his active years, and
was also interested in both a lumber and
grist mill, both of which were built on the
farm now owned by his son Joseph. The
saw mill is dismantled, but the grist mill
is still operated by Joseph Van Gorder.
He married Rebecca, a daughter of Joseph
Marshall, a well-known farmer of Perry
Township. To this union were born seven
children, namely: Nannie, deceased, was
the wife of Wesley McElwain, of Perry
Township, and they had the following children:
Roy, Earl, Clarence, Lillian, May,
Arthur and Maud; Lila, who married
William Hazen, has three children: Merrill,
James and Harry; Mary, who married
William Berrel, has one child; Joseph,
who resides in Perry Township; Irvin, who
is unmarried, is in the undertaking business
at Bedford, Ohio; and Jennie and
Birdello, both of whom reside at the homestead.
Joseph Van Gorder was educated in the
country schools, at Wurtemburg College
and the Slippery Rock State Normal
School, where he spent three terms. When
he returned home permanently he became
the operator of the grist mill, and two
years later embarked in a mercantile business
at Wurtemburg, where he continued
for five years. Before the death of his
father, he resumed farming, and came to
his present place on December 20, 1907,
and completed the building of his handsome
residence in January, 1908.
Mr. Van Gorder married Nellie Baldwin,
who is a daughter of Lafayette Baldwin,
a prominent citizen of Lawrence County
and its present treasurer. Mr. and Mrs.
Van Gorder have five children, as follows:
May, Ross, Hazel, Martha and Elizabeth.
Mr. Van Gorder is a member and liberal
supporter of the United Presbyterian
Church at Wurtemburg. He is a leader in
the Republican party in this section and
is a member of the Republican County
Committee. Fraternally, he is an Odd
Fellow.
GEORGE H. VANHORN
Pg 714
George H. Vanhorn, who is the
oldest flagstone contractor at New Castle,
in point of service, has his office and yards
at No. 172 South Jefferson Street, deals in
coal, and contracts for street paving and
cement work. Mr. Vanhorn was born in
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, May 6,
1859, and is a son of William Vanhorn, a
furnace man all his life and for many
years a foreman.
George H. Vanhorn came to New Castle
from Clarion County, when he was twenty-
two years of age, and went to work in
a blast furnace. Later he visited Tennessee,
where he remained for three years
and four months, and then returned to
New Castle, where he has been in business
ever since. In 1890, Mr. Vanhorn entered
into the coal trade, and later became
a flagstone sidewalk contractor and in the
latter capacity has done a very large
amount of business in this city, his excellent
work being in evidence in every section.
During his residence in Tennessee, Mr.
Vanhorn was married to Miss Anna B.
Groover, and they have five children: Walter
A., who married Florence Shaner;
Minnie R., who married Fred Stidmore;
and George H., Leroy and Marietta. The
family belongs to the First Park Christian
Church. He is a Knight of Pythias, a
Mason and an Elk.
REV. JOHN H. VEAZEY, A.M.
Pg 945
Rev. John H. Veazey, A. M., a
clergyman of the Presbyterian Church who
has been identified with mission work pertaining
to that body for many years, now
occupies the position of financial agent and
registrar of Westminster College, at New
Wilmington. Dr. Veazey was born in
Beaver County, Pennsylvania, February
17, 1843, and is a son of Elisha and Eliza
(Reed) Veazey.
Elisha Veazey, father of Dr. Veazey,
was a son of Elijah Veazey, who came from
Baltimore, Md., as early as 1775 and settled
in Western Pennsvlvania.
John H. Veazey secured his early education
in the schools of Beaver County, going
from there to Henryville, Ind., in early
manhood. From that point he enlisted for
service in the War of the Rebellion, entering
the Federal Army in Company D, Forty-ninth
Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
and served through three years of
the war, being attached to the Army of
the Cumberland. Although he escaped all
serious injury, at the battle of Champion
Hills he came near death, a bullet passing
through his garments. He saw much hard
service, participating in the Red River
campaign, the engagements in Kentucky,
the battle at Arkansas Post, the bombardment
of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and
Black River Bridge, two charges at Vicksburg,
the campaign in Texas, under General
Canby and the Red River expedition.
At the close of his term of enlistment he
was honorably discharged, having been a
faithful and efficient soldier, and was mustered
out at Indianapolis, Ind.
Dr. Veazey resided during the next year
at Waterloo, Ind., after which he returned
to Beaver County and engaged in teaching,
becoming principal of the Clinton High
School and the Frankfort Academy. He
pursued a higher course of study and received
his degree of A. M. from Muskingum
College, and spent four years at
the Allegheny Theological Seminary. After
this he was licensed by the Frankfort Presbytery
and served the charge at Emsworth,
Pa., for seven years. From there he went
to Chase City, Va., where he took charge
of the Thyne Institute and devoted ten
years to the upbuilding of that institution.
For one year he served as Home Missionary,
in Kansas, and for seven years was
a member of the Board of Home Missions
for America. Dr. Veazey then located at
New Wilmington in order to afford his children
superior educational advantages, accepting
his present responsible position
with Westminster College.
On June 16, 1876, Dr. Veazey was married,
at Murdockville, to Miss Martha A.
Armor, who is a daughter of John and
Maria (Culley) Armor, and they have four
sons, namely: John A., who is a teacher
in the department of physics, in Lehigh
University; William R., who is a teacher of
chemistry in the Case School of Science, at
Cleveland, and James M. and Ralph C,
both of whom are students at Westminster
College, the latter giving particular attention
to music.