Newton Rosborough
NEWTON ROSBOROUGH, farmer and dairyman of Elderton, in Plum Creek township, Armstrong county, is a descendant of an old established family in this part of Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather, who was born in the vicinity of Saltsburg, Indiana county, was a pack peddler, and disappeared while on a trip to secure a stock of goods. Nothing was ever afterward heard of him or his son who accompanied him. The Rosboroughs are of Irish extraction, and the representatives of the name have always been found among the most creditable citizens in their respective communities. The family sent a large number of volunteers to the Civil war.
Charles Rosborough, father of Newton, was born Dec. 16, 1819, one mile east of Elders Ridge in Indiana county, on a farm where Iselin now stands. He was the eldest of a family of fifteen children. He stayed with his father, James Rosborough, learning the stonemason's trade, till twenty-three years of age. On Oct. 4, 1842, he married Elizabeth Frailey, of Elderton, which union lasted fifty-eight years, five months. After being married they moved to Clarksburg, Indiana county, living there till March 16, 1848, when he moved to Elderton, Armstrong county, buying the tannery property of William Cunningham, built by James Clark, father of Judge Silas Clark, of Indiana. There he followed tanning and harnessmaking till shortly before his death, which occurred March 4, 1901, in his eighty-second year. His wife, Elizabeth (Frailey), died Oct. 4, 1904, in her eighty-first year. She was of German descent, and was reared at Elderton, Armstrong county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Rosborough were married by the famous Rev. Alexander Donaldson, founder of the Elders Ridge Academy, one of the first institutions of its kind west of the Alleghenies and of such high standing and enviable reputation that pupils came there from every State in the Union, even California. Mr. and Mrs.. Rosborough had a family of ten children, namely: James, born Aug. 9, 1843, a farmer, now living at Marchand, Indiana county, married Ester Allshouse and they have had a family of twelve children; Mary, died when two years old; Martin, died when five years old; William, born March 6, 1850, lives in Philadelphia; Newton is mentioned below; Anna, born Dec. 4, 1854, married J. N. Mahan and is deceased; Della, born July 10, 1857, is the widow of J. A. Altman (they had five children); John, born in November 1859, died when forty-one years old, leaving a wife, who died shortly afterward, and three children; Catherine, born Oct. 3, 1863, lives at home; Edward F., born July 10, 1866, married Laura C. Mulberger, of Elderton, and they h ad had children, Grace (wife of J.E. Clark), Martha (wife of J.C. Mulberger), Vernie (died Oct. 26, 1910 in nineteenth year), Frank (deceased), Bertha and Ruth (at home).
The brothers Newton and Edward F. Rosborough now live at Elderton, on the site of their father's old home, and own a farm of 320 acres adjoining. They bough this property a little at al time, adding to their holdings as prosperity enabled them, acquiring most of it since their father's death. They carry on general agriculture and dairying, being extensively interested in the latter line, which has proved exceptionally profitable, and they are regarded as leaders among the progressive farmers of the district, their methods and work typifying them most up-to-date ideas in their chosen field of work.
Newton Rosborough was born July 10, 1852, at Elderton, where he has passed all his life. He attends the Presbyterian Church, and is one of its most devoted workers, having been an elder for the unusually long period of thirty-seven years.
Source: Page 498-499, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J. H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1999 by Beth Caporali for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.Return to the Beers Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project