Anthony Doverspike
ANTHONY DOVERSPIKE, deceased, was a farmer and lumberman in Mahoning and Red Bank townships, this county, throughout his active years, and was one of the most enterprising business men of his section. He was much interested in the building of what is commonly called the Shawmut road through this section, and was very successful in handling coal rights in his locality. Mr. Doverspike was born Dec. 26, 1842 in Mahoning township, son of Daniel Doverspike and grandson of John Doverspike, a native of Germany, who lived in Berlin. In early life he came to this country and purchased a tract of land near Putneyville, Armstrong county, where he followed farming. He prospered and assisted all of his sons to obtain good farms. He married Catherine knight, of Clarion county, Pa., and they had four sons and one daughter. Mr. Doverspike was an earnest member of the Lutheran Church.Daniel Doverspike, eldest son of John, was born Jan. 9, 1818, within one mile of Putneyville, and he passed all his life in Mahoning township, dying there; he is buried in the Eddyville Union graveyard. He owned two hundred acres of valuable land, and engaged in general farming. Mr. Doverspike was a member of the Lutheran Church, in which he held office, and politically was a Democrat. His wife, Margaret Beck, from Crooked creek, this county, was a daughter of Daniel Beck, and is also deceased. They had a large family, viz.: Catherine married Jacob Long, of Red Bank township; Anthony is mentioned below; George married Margaret Hastings, and they lived at Kittanning, Pa. (both are deceased); one child died in infancy; Levina, deceased, married William Wolf; Christina married Hugh Kells, who is deceased; Mary is deceased; Leah married Chambers Rugh, of Kittanning; John M. married Emma Bittinger, of Mahoning township, this county.
Anthony Doverspike received his education in the schools of Mahoning township, and worked on the farm for his father until he attained his majority. He then went into the lumber business, which he continued until 1872, after which, for five years, he was in business at Eddyville, Red Bank township, carrying on a store. For some time he owned a farm in Mahoning township, which he sold, however, buying a tract of 175 acres in Red Bank township, which he cultivated until his retirement. After he retired from active work, a few years before his death, his sons conducted the farm for him. Mr. Doverspike was very much interested in the Pittsburgh, Shawmut & Northern railroad, commonly called the Shawmut road, and he was instrumental in having it constructed through Red Bank township. He took up many options on coal in his township, which he sold to the railroad company, profiting handsomely by his operation. Mr. Doverspike held the office of school director for several terms. He was a prominent member of the Lutheran Church at Eddyville, which he served in the capacity of elder for many years, and in politics was a Republican. He died Sept. 9, 1912, and is buried at Eddyville.
On Nov. 17, 1868, Mr. Doverspike married Henrietta Bowers, daughter of William A. Bowers, Rev. Daniel Cooper performing the ceremony. They had a family of seven children, namely: (1) Calvin Daniel, born Jan. 27, 1871, began his education in the public school of Red Bank township, later attending Dayton Academy and Select School at Hawthorn, and the normal school at Clarion. During his boyhood and youth he assisted his father on the farm, but from the age of twenty years he has followed the teacher's profession, having been engaged two terms at Bethlehem, and five terms at Little Mudlick, Armstrong county. For the most part, however, he has been teaching in Red Bank township, Armstrong county; he farms during the summer season. He is a member of the Eddyville Lutheran Church, and is now serving as a member of the council. (2) George Edwin, born Nov. 3, 1872, received his education in the Red Bank township public schools and at the Hawthorn select school. He worked on the farm during his boyhood, and later assisted his father in getting options on coal lands in Red Bank township. He is now employed by the P. S. and N. Railroad Company, in the office near Mosgrove, Pa., where he has been located for five years. He is a member of the Eddyville Lutheran Church, and fraternally is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Coudersport. (3) Albert Ira, born June 16, 1875, received his education in the schools of Red Bank township and has always resided on the old homestead. He is a member of the Eddyville Lutheran Church. (4) Orpha Irnella, born Oct. 15, 1877, was educated in Red Bank township, and is now the wife of Newton H. Silvis, of New Castle, Pa. (5) Byron Rolsteon, born Feb. 21, 1880, was educated in the schools of Red Bank township, learned the trade of blacksmith, and is now engaged as construction foreman for the Shawmut Coal Company, making his home at Mosgrove, Pa. He is a Republican in politics. He married Pearl Wolf, daughter of David and Jennie (Fink) Wolf, of Oak Ridge, this county, and they have four children, Dee, Mary, Orpha and Anthony David. (6) Edith Clara Margaret, born Feb. 18, 1883, was educated in Red Bank township, and is now the wife of Melvin C. Rumbaugh, of that township. They have had one child, Ila Henrietta, who died Feb. 23, 1913, when a little more than two years old. Mrs. Rumbaugh is a member of the Eddyville Lutheran Church. (7) William Stanley Clark, born Feb. 22, 1886, received his education in the Red Bank township schools, and the select school at Dayton, and has been engaged in farming on the old homestead all of his active life. He married Emma Dinger, daughter of Harvey and Susan (Doverspike) Dinger, and they have one child, William Ray. Mr. Doverspike is a Republican, and like the rest of the family a member of the Eddyville Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Henrietta (Bowers) Doverspike was born Jan. 27, 1851, daughter of William A. Bowers, and granddaughter of Philip Bowers. The latter came to this region from West Virginia and engaged in general farming in Gaskill township, Jefferson county, until a few years before is death, when he was obliged to retire on account of ill health. His sons then took the farm. He died at the age of seventy-three years. Mr. Bowers was a Democrat in politcal faith. He married Catherine Kipp, of West Virginia, and they had the following children: Andrew; William A., deceased; Susan, deceased; Mary, deceased; John, deceased; Abraham, living in Jefferson county; Isaac, deceased; and Anna, deceased. The parents were buried in the family graveyard at their old home in Jefferson county.
William A. Bowers, son of Philip, received a common school education in Jefferson county, and followed farming all his life, working for his father until his marriage. Later he bought his father's farm about two miles from Big Run, and in addition to agricultural pursuits he was engaged in lumbering, floating considerable timber down the creeks to the market at Pittsburgh. He was quite an active man in his community, serving as school director many years, and for several terms was a tax collector. In political connection he was a Democrat. He belonged to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Jefferson county. Mr. Bowers married Elizabeth Anthony, and to them were born the following children: Mary Elizabeth, deceased, married John Lantz; Henrietta married Anthony Doverspike; Minerva Jane is the widow of James Lantz; Matilda died in infancy; William R. married Mary Engle, of Armstrong county. The parents are buried at Mount Pleasant, Jefferson county.
Mrs. Henrietta (Bowers) Doverspike was a member of the Lutheran Church at Eddyville. She died Oct. 7, 1913, at the age of sixty-two years, eight months, ten days, and was buried in the cemetery at Eddyville beside her husband.
Source: Pages 362-364, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Linda M. Stitt for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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