John Rutherford Himes
JOHN RUTHERFORD HIMES, a prominent resident of South Bethlehem, Armstrong county, has been in the employ of the C. E. Andrews Lumber Company from boyhood, and is now yard foreman at their establishment in New Bethlehem. He is a member of the fourth generation of his family to live in this part of the county. His great-grandparents, Christian and Margaret (Nulf) Himes, natives of eastern Pennsylvania, were married there, and in 1808 came to what is now New Bethlehem, Clarion county, locating on a tract of fifty acres. They erected a log house, the first house to be built within what are now the limits of the borough, and there Christian Himes died in 1815, leaving a family of three children, John, Joseph and Susanna. In 1820 his widow married Henry Milliron, and settled in Jefferson county, Pa., where she died in the year 1824. After the death of Christian Himes his children were separated and put to live with strangers. John returned to this locality in 1838 and Joseph in 1848, the latter purchasing the old homestead and engaging in farming; he died there.
John Himes, son of Christian, was the grandfather of John R. Himes. When he came back to this section, in 1838, he bought a number of acre lots, and settled down to work as a cabinetmaker, following the trade until his death. He married Selvina Space, daughter of Zephaniah and Catherine (Armstrong) Space, and to them were born children as follows: George: Mattie, who married Robert Matson; Mary, who married Henry Fox; Christian; Joseph C.; Theophilus; Maria, who married Hugh Traister; and Alexander C.
Joseph C. Himes was born June 8, 1846, in New Bethlehem, where he was reared to manhood. He learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed for a time as a journeyman, later embarking in business for himself as a contractor and builder, in which line he continued to the end of his days. He died in October, 1908, in his sixty-third year. Mr. Himes was a prominent and highly esteemed resident of New Bethlehem, and was elected to the office of burgess for two terms, his service in that capacity being highly acceptable. He was a Democrat in politics. During the Civil war sympathized with the Union cause, and served as a soldier, enlisting May 7, 1862, in Company C, 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and being honorably discharged, as corporal, Sept. 11, 1865. He was a member of the M. E. Church and of the Masonic fraternity.
Mr. Himes married Margaret Rutherford, daughter of John and Nancy (Tosh) Rutherford, natives of Ireland who came to America and were early settlers in what is now Porter township, Clarion Co., Pa., where they cleared and improved a farm upon which they continued to live until their deaths. To Mr. and Mrs. Himes were born six children: John Rutherford; Mattie, deceased; Harry E.; William Edgar; Mable, wife of Henry S. Weckerley, and E. Roy.
John R. Himes was born July 28, 1868, in New Bethlehem, where he spent his early life and received a public school education. When a youth he entered the employ of the C. E. Andrews Lumber Company, of New Bethlehem, with which concern he has ever since remained, working his way up gradually but steadily until he attained his present position, that of yard foreman, which he has held since 1897. He has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and good character, and has the confidence of his employers and the respect of all his associates. Since 1889 he has made his home at South Bethlehem, where he has taken an active part in public matters, serving two terms as burgess. He is a prominent member of the Knights of the Maccabees, being one of the supreme representatives of the world in that order, and also belongs to the Sons of Veterans. In political matters he is a Democrat. He holds membership in the M. E. Church.
By his first marriage, to Mary Roberts, daughter of David S. And Kate (Null) Roberts, of South Bethlehem, Mr. Himes had a family of five children: Walter P., Eva C., Leslie R., Mary Helena and George N. The mother died Aug. 3, 1896. On Jan. 30, 1898, Mr. Himes married Jennie B. Woodward, of New Bethlehem, daughter of Absalom Woodward.
Source: Pages(s) 705-706, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by Neil G. Anderson for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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