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John H Lasher
JOHN H. LASHER, of Kittanning, painter and decorator, has been successfully
engaged in that business in the borough for several years. He is a native of
Washington township, this county, where the family has been established for
several generations.Benjamin Lasher, great-grandfather of John H. Lasher, came from east of the
mountains and settled in what is now Washington township, Armstrong county,
among the pioneers in that region. He owned about four hundred acres of land
and there he passed the remainder of his life. He was married before his
removal to the county.Abram Lasher, second child of Benjamin, was born east of the mountains, and
passed practically all of his life in Washington township. He received a
common school education and followed farming all his life, becoming the owner
of over two hundred acres in Washington township, where he settled after his
marriage, and where he and his family made many improvements. He built a shop
on the farm for blacksmithing and wagon repair work, in which he engaged until
obliged to retire because of old age. He married Margaret Gould, a native of
Madison township, this county, and to them were born a family of eight
children, namely: Benjamin, Daniel, Abe, George, Nick, Johnston, William and
Wyland, the last named now being the only survivor. The father died aged
seventy-seven years, six months, fourteen days, the mother aged seventy-five
years. both passing away on the farm and they are interred in the Limestone
cemetery on that property. Mr. Lasher was a member of the Church of God. In
politics he was a Republican, and actively interested in the success of the
party, though he never held any offices. Upon his death his son William
inherited that part of the old homestead upon which the residence and
buildings were located.Wyland Lasher, son of Abram, was born March 4, 1850, in Washington
township, Armstrong county, where he passed all of his active years. He
received his education in the public schools there. He assisted his father
greatly in the improvement of the old homestead, and he received fifty-nine
acres of the northern part of that property, situated one mile north of
Montgomeryville, in Washington township, upon which he erected buildings and
engaged in general farming on his own account. Agricultural work was always
his principal occupation, and he lived on the home property for almost
sixty-three years, in October, 1912, retiring and moving to Wickboro,
Kittanning, where he and his wife now have a comfortable home at No. 1033 Orr
avenue. Since that time he has visited the homestead weekly. He has always
devoted all of his time to his own affairs, never taking any active part in
public life or holding office. Politically he is an independent Republican,
and his religious connection is with the Church of God.Mr. Lasher married Catherine Frick, daughter of Abraham and Delilah
(Bowser) Frick, and granddaughter of Michael Frick, the Fricks being of German
descent. Michael Frick came to Armstrong county from Westmoreland county about
1840, and bought a large tract of land, which he farmed, at the same time
following his trade of blacksmithing. In 1854 he moved to Butler county, Pa.,
where he died in 1863. He was a prominent member of the M. E. Church, often
allowing the use of his home for services, and as class leader led the
meetings himself many times. Abraham Frick, Mrs. Lasher�s father, was born
in Butler county, Pa., and received his schooling there and in Armstrong
county, becoming a well-known blacksmith of East Franklin township, this
county, though he died at the early age of thirty-two years. He is buried at
the Montgomeryville Baptist Church. His wife Delilah (Bowser), a native of
Armstrong county, daughter of Abraham and Polly Bowser, died at the age of
forty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Frick had a family of six children, four sons
and two daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Wyland Lasher became the parents of nine
children, all born in Washington township, namely: A.J., who lives in that
township, married Minnie Croyl, and their children are Alma, Raymond, Gladys,
Bertha, Alfred, Emmet and ——————; James, who lives at Oakmont,
married Martha Robinson; Cora is the wife of Ernst Holsour, and they reside on
North avenue in Wickboro; Minerva is the wife of Ed. Shaffer; William married
Anna Pugh, and they live at Kittanning; John H. resides at Wickboro; Maud is
the wife of Ambrose Bowser; Lemuel is unmarried; Loran married Mary England,
and they reside at Kittanning.John H. Lasher, son of Wyland, was born June 29, 1886, near Adrian, in
Washington township, where he was reared, obtaining his education in the
common schools. He then went to Pittsburgh, where he learned the trade of
painter, remaining in that city for four years. Then, in August, 1907, he came
to Kittanning, where he has since been engaged as a contractor, his business
headquarters being in the Heilman building. He employs from three to seven
men, as the work requires, and has done some of the best work in the borough,
including the decorating in the Steim hotel, all the street car work, the work
in the new M. E. Church, and other important local contracts. He also had the
painting and decorating of the Haskell building in East Brady, Pa. Mr. Lasher
is a member of the union, and has the only union shop in Kittanning.On Nov. 2, 1911 Mr. Lasher married Margaret Truitt, and they live at No.
618 Woodward avenue, Wickboro, where Mr. Lasher has erected a fine brick
residence. They have one child, Humes, who was born in 1912. Mr. and Mrs.
Lasher attend the Reformed Church. He is a Republican in political questions,
but not active in public affairs, and fraternally he belongs to the B. P. O.
Elks and the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., at Kittanning.Osceola T. Truitt, father of Mrs. Lasher, was born March 5, 1866, in
Madison township, son of George W. Truitt. The latter�s father was the
pioneer family of this region, settling in Madison township, where George W.
Truitt was born, one of a family of four children, namely: William, George W.,
David, and James. George W. Truitt followed farming in Madison township until
his death. He was a Baptist in religion, and a Republican in politics. He
married Nancy Courson, and they became the parents of three children: Seth C.,
Alcinus G., and N. M.Seth C. Truitt was an active business man, following iron mining and
lumbering for some time, and later became a merchant at Truittsburg, Clarion,
Co., Pa., where he also was postmaster for years. He is still engaged in the
business there. While a resident of Madison township, Armstrong county, he was
engaged at ore digging and farming, moving thence to his present location. He
married Mary Spangler, and they have had a family of seven children: Osceola
T., Emery, Edward, Hoyt, Bruce, Elizabeth C., and Electa. The mother was a
native of Center, Armstrong county, a daughter of Michael Spangler.Osceola T. Truitt was but two years old when the family moved from Madison
township, and he received his schooling in Clarion county. In his young
manhood he taught school there for six terms, after which he became
weighmaster for the coal mine at Fairmount, that county, for some time. He was
next engaged as a street car conductor, after which he became employed at the
Elk Brewery, where he is now assistant brewmaster. He is a member of the Order
of Moose, at Kittanning, and on political questions is a Republican, but takes
no part in party affairs. Mr. Truitt married Cora M. Humes, daughter of
William and Margaret (Pemberton) Humes, the former of England and the latter
of Scotland. They have had four children: Margaret, wife of John H. Lasher;
Clyde Edw., who married Sarah Davis, and resides at Kittanning; Scott A., at
home, and Jeannette D., at home. The family resides at No. 206 Queen street,
Kittanning.Source: Pages 917-918, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by Jeffrey Bish 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:
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