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Thomas J Rowley
THOMAS J. ROWLEY a merchant, doing business at North Vandergrift, Armstrong
Co., Pa., is a member of one of the old and prominent families of his section.
He was born NOV. 26, 1875, along Cherry run, in Plum Creek township, Armstrong
county, son of John Rowley and a grandson of Jacob Rowley.Jacob Rowley was one of the pioneers in what is now Plum Creek township,
securing 600 acres of valuable land in early days, a part of which remains in
the family. In old township records his name appears and he evidently was one
of the leading men of his time in this part of the county. He died at the age
of seventy-five years, while his wife, Polly Rowley, lived to be ninety years
old. They were buried in the Rowley burial tract on their own land. They had
five children: John, Jacob, Ellen, Nancy and Martha.John Rowley, son of Jacob and father of Thomas J. Rowley, was born on his
father’s farm in Plum Creek township and became owner of 100 acres of the
homestead. He devoted his life entirely, to agricultural pursuits. He was
twice married, first to a member of the Rupert family of Armstrong county, and
(second) to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel George. She died in 1889. The
children of the first union were: Aaron B., Mary and Josephine. Nine children
were born to the second marriage, as follows: Sadie, who died when aged
twenty-seven years; Samuel C., who owns the old family homestead in Plum Creek
township; Susan, who died when aged twenty-one years; Thomas J.; Jemima, who
married Joseph Dickey; Lottie, who married Harry Christy; Minnie, who married
Harvey Rearick; and Alice and Edmund.Thomas J. Rowley attended the public schools and remained at home assisting
his father until he was twenty-five years of age, when he was employed by the
Gosser Furniture Company at Apollo, Pa. In January, 1904, he removed from that
place to North Vandergrift, where he conducts a general store and also handles
flour, feed and grain, doing a large business and enjoying patronage from all
the surrounding country. He has always voted the Democratic ticket and in 19O7
was elected a justice of the peace for Parks township, in which office he
served until 1911, when he resigned, finding it necessary to give all his
attention to his rapidly growing business.Mr. Rowley married Annetta, daughter of Jacob Manges, of Indiana county,
and they have four children: Velma, Leila, Paul and Gladys. Mr. and Mrs.
Rowley are members of the Lutheran Church.Source: Pages 763 – 764, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed February 1999 by Doris Rizza 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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