Henry Newkirk    

HENRY NEWKIRK, hardware merchant, and burgess of West Middlesex, Penn., is a son of John F. and Elizabeth (McBride) Newkirk, the mother being a daughter of James McBride, a native of Ireland, who settled in Mercer County. The grandfather of our subject, John F. Newkirk, was a native of Washington County, Penn., who removed to Brookfield, Ohio, subsequently came to Mercer County, and afterward removed to Beaver County, Penn., where he died. John F., the father of our subject, was born in Washington County, Penn., in 1793, and was reared in Mercer County. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. After the close of the war he returned to Mercer County, and established the Newkirk House at West Middlesex, and kept it for many years. His family consisted of eight children: Mary Ann (deceased), who married John McCall; Christina, Rebecca, Mrs. Samuel Parshall of West Middlesex; Matilda, Mrs. James Clark; Elizabeth, Mrs. J. P. Arbaugh; Minerva J., Mrs. J. W. Russell, of West Middlesex; John, who resides in Colorado. He died May 5, 1850, and his widow in 1868. Our subject was born in 1836 in Shenango Township, was reared and educated in West Middlesex, and here learned the shoemaker’s trade. He subsequently engaged with the Sennett & Warren Iron Company, of West Middlesex, remaining with them for twelve years as manager of the store. He then connected himself with J. P. Risher & Co., remaining with them one year. He afterward engaged with David Theobold in the clothing business as manager of the branch store in West Middlesex. In connection with J. W. Russell & Co., he engaged in the mercantile business and the manufacture of iron in 1867, and the same year was appointed postmaster of West Middlesex. He subsequently engaged in the hardware business, which he has continued up to the present. Mr. Newkirk was married in the fall of 1860 to Miss Victoria, daughter of James and Margaret Eakin, of Beaver County, Penn., and they have one son, Charles E. Mr. Newkirk was elected burgess of West Middlesex in 1874-75, and was again elected to the same office in February, 1888. He has been further identified with the public affairs of the borough as a member of the council, and school board. He belongs to the A. 0. U. W. and the R. T. of T. Mr. Newkirk is a member of the Methodist Church, holding the office of steward, and is superintendent of the Sunday-school. In politics he is a Democrat, and one of the well-known citizens of this portion of Mercer County.

History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present : including its aboriginal history, its early settlement and development, a description of its historic and interesting localities, sketches of its boroughs, townships and villages, neighborhood and family histories, portraits and biographies of pioneers and representative citizens, statistics, etc. : also, a condensed history of Pennsylvania. Chicago, Ill.: Brown, Runk & Co., 1888, page 856.  Read this book on line - Free Trial  Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

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