Col. J. B. R. Streator, p. 119

COL. J. B. R. STREATOR is a native of Washington county, born March 12, 1856, at Lone Pine, where his father, Rev. Lyman Pierce Streator, was conducting an academy at the time. The latter was born in Portage county, Ohio, and was educated for the ministry of the Christian Church.

In 1842, being then twenty-two years of age, he came to Washington county, Penn., where he preached for a time at Pancake, and then moved into Washington borough in 1870. In the meantime, in 1859, the family had proceeded to May's Lick, Ky., where they remained until the breaking out of the Civil war, when they returned to this county. At Lone Pine Mr. Streator founded an academy, which he kept for some time. In Washington county he married Miss Eliza, daughter of Jonathan Martin, to which union were born five children: Martin Lyman, pastor at Helena, Mont. (he is working for the Woman's Board Home Missions); Jonathan M., who formerly was a minister in Florida, but has now charge of the Ocala public schools, same State; Alexander Campbell, a physician in Washington, a sketch of whom follows this; Frank W., in the employ of A. B. Caldwell, Washington, Penn.; and Charlotte, deceased wife of Robert McDonough. The mother of these children dying, Mr. Streator married April 3, 1855, Rebecca Ruple, who was born in Washington, Penn., in 1827, a daughter of James Ruple who performed efficient service in the war of 1812-15. By this marriage there was one child, James B. R., the subject of this memoir. In 1866 Mr. Streator removed to Philadelphia, where he preached for six months; thence went to Braddocks Field, Penn., where, in the capacity of State Evangelist, he worked for the State Missionary Society. In May, 1867, he returned to Washington county, and is now a resident of South Strabane township. Politically Mr. Streator was for many years a consistent Democrat, but of late he has been standing in the van of the Prohibition party; socially, he is a Knight Templar.

Col. James B. R. Streator attended the public schools of the vicinity of his birth, and afterward Washington and Jefferson College, one year. He then read law in the office of I. Y. Hamilton, and in October, 1877, was admitted to the bar of Washington county. He practiced his profession in Washington until the formation of the Peoples Light & Heat Company, when he was chosen Secretary and general superintendent of same, and he has since taken an active interest in the oil and gas development in the county. In July, 1877, Col. Streator married Emma, daughter of John McCoy, late of South Strabane township, where her widowed mother is yet living. Of this union seven children have been born, as follows: John McC., Rebecca, Jane, Emma, Bessie, James B. R. and L. P., all at home except John, Bessie and L. P., who are deceased. Col. Streator has been a straight Democrat from early youth. Socially, he is a member of the F. & A. M. On January 25, 1881, the Colonel enlisted in Company H, Tenth Regiment N. G. P.; June 19, 1882, was promoted to adjutant, and August 8, 1887, was further promoted to lieutenant-colonel, which rank he still holds. During the time of the riots in the coke regions he went with his regiment there, remaining on the spot and at the Morewood Works sixteen days.

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL STREATOR, M. D., was born February 20, 1848, in South Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn. When he was nine years of age his parents moved to Bethany, W. Va., and thence to Indiana, where they remained until 1851, when they returned to Washington county, at which time their son, Alexander C., was thirteen years old. He attended the high school, and afterward Washington and Jefferson College, from which he was graduated in 1866. Having decided on making the medical profession his life work, he at once, after graduation, commenced the study of medicine under the preceptorship of his uncle, Dr. David G. Streator, of Bedford, Ohio; but on account of declining health he was obliged to abandon reading for a time. Regaining his health, he renewed his medical studies, this time with Dr. Thomas McKennan, and then, in 1882, took his degree of M. D. at Cleveland Medical College. For a short time afterward he practiced his profession at Belle Vernon, Penn., and then came to the borough of Washington, where he has since remained in general practice, meeting with eminent success. In 1877 Dr. Streator was united in marriage with Miss Ann Eliza, daughter of William Birmingham, of Pancake, this county, and four children blessed this union, viz.: Sarah Eliza, Virginia Birmingham, Helen Mechenor and Hugh Henry. On April 2, 1891, at the age of forty-two years, the wife and mother was gathered by the Grim Reaper from the bosom of her loving family. Politically the Doctor is a stanch Republican, but not a partisan; socially he is a member of the Royal Arcanum and National Union.

Text taken from page 119 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed April 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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