…bringing our past into the future
Nathan Zipfel 
Chapter 10 Kiskiminetas Part 2 BOROUGH OF APOLLO Apollo is a borough. It was formerly the town of Warren, so called after either an Indian chief or an English trader who bore that name. The town as originally laid out, it is said, was partly on the upper part of a tract containing 500 1/4 … Read more
Chapter 10 Kiskiminetas Part 1 KISKIMINETAS TOWNSHIP This township was named from the river which skirts its southern border. Kiskiminetas, says Heckewelder, is corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight. Its etymology is: Gisch-gu—day; gisch-que—today; gieschapen—it is daybreak; manitoon—to make. It was probably the word of command, given by a warrior to his comrades, at night, … Read more
Chapter 10 Kiskiminetas Indian Origin of the Name—Organization— Early Visits of the Whites—Christopher Gist—Persons to Whom the Lands were Originally Surveyed—Old Time Attempts to Divide the Township—Churches—Schools—Temperance Element—Improving Navigation in the Kiskiminetas—Mechanical Industries—Statistics of Employments and Population—Postoffices—An Ancient Landmark—Geological Description—“Dunmire’s Rock”—Borough of Apollo, Formerly Warren—Assessments at Various Dates—Ferries and Bridges—Religious Matters— Military—Soldiers Aid Society—Lodges— Trades … Read more
Chapter 1 Historical Sketch of Armstrong County Part 1 William Penn � His Influence as Proprietor of the Province � Outline of the Early History of Pennsylvania � The Original Counties � Formation of Armstrong � Contest between the English and French for Dominion in the West � The Aboriginal Inhabitants � The Indian Town … Read more
Robert Walter Smith ROBERT WALTER SMITH* Robert Walter Smith was born at Litchfield, New Hampshire, June 16, 1816, at the residence of his grandfather (on the maternal side), Judge Parker. His great-grandfather, Capt. Ebenezer Smith, was an officer throughout the whole of the revolutionary war, and was appointed captain of the guard over Maj. Andre … Read more
CAPTAIN SAMUEL MURPHY — CAPTAIN JAMES P. MURPHY — THE MURPHY FAMILY The progenitor of the Murphy family of this county was Capt. Samuel Murphy, a native of Frederick county Virginia, born in 1756. He led a remarkable career, one full of adventure, vicissitude and usefulness, and was famous both as soldier and pioneer. Left … Read more
Hiram H. Wray Hiram H. Wray, prominently identified with the mercantile interests of Leechburg, was born January 24, 1848, in Kiskiminetas township, Armstrong county, and was the son of John M. and Margaret (Townsend) Wray. His father followed farming, and the son was reared to that calling, sharing its healthful toils. After receiving his preliminary … Read more
Wray Family ROBERT WRAY The progenitor of the Wray family in this section of Pennsylvania was Daniel Wray, who emigrated with his family from County Antrim, Ireland, in the latter part of the eighteenth century, but little of their history is known further than that they were sturdy people who were held in high esteem … Read more
William Armstrong Wilson The parents of the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this biography were Armstrong and Jane (Hutchison) Wilson, the former born in 1806, and the latter in 1808. They were married in 1834, upon May 20, and settled in Fairview township, Butler county. Three children were born of this union … Read more
JAMES D. WILSON The Wilson family, to which the subject of this sketch belongs, was one of the earliest settled in Washington county, Pennsylvania. His grandparents on his mother’s side (the Hendersons) were from Lancaster and Chester counties, and settled at an early day in Washington county, and his grandparents on his father’s side were … Read more