Hiram Horner, p. 1086

HIRAM HORNER. Among the intelligent citizens of East Bethlehem township none occupy a more prominent position than the gentleman whose name opens this sketch. He is a son of William Horner, whose father, also named William, was a native of Maryland, born of English ancestry. In early life grandfather William Horner moved to Fayette county, Penn., and there patented a large tract of land, part of which was bounded by the Monongahela river. Here he passed the remainder of his life, dying at an extreme old age, being yet remembered as a gentleman of unusual intelligence and keen sense of honor; who was a thorough Christian, ever giving liberally to the cause of the Master. His children were born and reared as follows: James; William; Thomas, an extensive landowner in Greene county, Penn.; Ephraim, who lived to be ninety years of age, and died in Adams county, Ohio; Benedict, who started West, and being suddenly taken ill, died in Pittsburgh, Penn.; Bennett, who resided in Wisconsin; Mrs. Sarah Moore, of Jefferson county, Ohio, and Mrs. Harriet Preston, who lived near the village of Chatham, near Newark, Licking Co., Ohio. None of this family are now living. It is said of Ephraim, who was a famous fisherman, that he once had an encounter with a monster tortoise, which possessed such great strength that it carried him on its back for nearly half a mile.

William Horner, son of William, the pioneer of this family, was born on the farm in Fayette county, Penn., and passed his boyhood in the usual pursuits of agricultural life. His school advantages were limited to a few winter months, which were spent with his brothers and sisters. After leaving school, he became a wagoner on the National pike, and for many years made trips over the mountains to Baltimore. He was married to a Miss Swively, of Fayette county, who bore him fourteen children, of whom Hiram is the only one mentioned. Mr. Horner was killed by a horse, which kicked him to death near Uniontown, Penn.

Hiram Horner, our subject, was born June 24, 1834, beside the Monongahela river, in Fayette county, Penn. He was left an orphan in early boyhood, and being obliged to earn his own living, learned the carpenter trade. For four years he resided with James Hill, of West Bethlehem township, Washington Co., Penn., then followed the drover business several years, making frequent trips across the mountains with large numbers of hogs and cattle. For these services he received the meager pittance of 30 cents per day. In 1850 he went to Licking county, Ohio, where a brother was living, and remained near Chatham two years, meanwhile working at his trade, and following the drover business. He then engaged with a party to take a drove of cattle from Licking county to Lancaster county, Penn., receiving $10 per month for his services. Upon arriving at Lancaster he visited the home of his boyhood, and his brothers and sisters; then hired out as a drover for the remainder of the season at $1 per day. After this work was finished he resumed the carpenter trade, and in the latter part of 1854 assisted in repairing a mill at Amity, Amwell township, Washington county. He then took a drove of cattle to Vermillion county, Ill., afterward resuming work on the mill, and in March, 1855, he again entered the employ of the same firm for whom he had worked the previous autumn. He started on the trip with 170 head of cattle, arriving at his destination in June, then returning to Washington county, spent the following winter in completing the mill, and other carpenter work. The spring of 1856 found him with tools packed, on his way to Ottawa, Ill., where he worked the following summer, and returning to Pennsylvania in the fall, passed the winter of 1856-57 in Millsboro, Washington county. During the spring of 1857 he assisted his brothers on a freight barge on the Monongahela river, purchasing grain and produce along the river, which he sold in Pittsburgh. In the midst of his success as a boatman, Mr. Horner was taken sick, and suffered with a long and tedious illness. After regaining his health, he accepted a position in the mercantile establishment of his brother, at Millsboro, Washington Co., Penn. He then attended a commercial college at Pittsburgh, afterward resuming his former position at Millsboro, and finally started on a western tour. He first located in Adams county, Ohio, where he assisted an uncle with his farm work, and the spring of 1859 found our traveler teaching writing in the schools of Licking county, Ohio, where he continued for several months, then returning to Millsboro, Penn., took charge of a general store. This establishment was soon afterward moved to Merrittstown, Fayette Co., Penn., and Hiram Horner became a partner, remaining in that business eighteen months, during which time he served as postmaster. In the spring of 1862 he sold his interest in the store, and with a brother opened a mercantile business at Clarksville, Greene Co., Penn., which they conducted successfully for nine months. In the autumn of 1862 he was united in marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of William and Charlotte (Rush) Litzenberg. After his marriage Mr. Horner bought the 132 acres of valuable land in East Bethlehem township, to which he has since added fifty acres, which are located in Greene county, Penn. In this home children have been born as follows: Joseph H., born November 2, 1863; Frank W., born June 15, 1865, and Julia, born March 30, 1870, all of whom are living with their parents. Mr. Horner conducts a general agricultural business, devoting special attention to the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and Black top sheep. In politics he is a Republican, and has served as auditor and school commissioner, in which offices he has given good satisfaction. His wife is an active member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Text taken from page 1086 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed February 1997 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project.
Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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