Hiram K. St. Clair

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence: From Indiana County Pennsylvania, Her People, Past and Present, by Professor J. T. Stewart. The Hiram St. Clair farm, White township, was warranted to James Rannels in 1804, and patented to the same in 1806. It was called “Ardee,” and described as situated in “Centre” or “Oconomy” township.

Hiram St. Clair passed his early life in Indiana county, Pa., and there received his education in the public schools. Farming was his life work, and he lived for several years in White township, having a 107-acres farm there, near Indiana. After his last marriage, which occurred in 1882, he moved to the farm in Blacklick township, where he lived and worked the remainder of his active years, in 1900 taking up his home in the borough of Indiana. There he spent the rest of his days in retirement, dying June 30, 1909, in the home at No. 287 South seventh street, now owned and occupied by his widow. Mr. St. Clair was Republican in his political views, and his religious connection was with the Presbyterian Church, in whose work he was active.

Mr. St. Clair married (first) Margaret Johnston, of Center township, this county, who died in Indiana county, May 22, 1868, aged 36 years, five months, fifteen days, and four children were born to them: Robert J., who is a resident of St.. Joseph, Mo.; Thomas, a resident of Indiana, Pa.; Frank, who died in boyhood; and Nannie J., who married Robert Shearer and died Oct. 21, 1884, aged twenty-three years, eight months, four days. Mr. St. Clair’s second marriage was to Amanda Loomis, who became the mother of three children: Amanda K., who is teaching in a boys’ school in Egypt; Walter Hall, who is in the West; and Hiram C., now of Woodlawn, Pa. On May 11, 1882, Mr. St. Clair married (third) Mary Elizabeth Sweeney, of Markle, Westmoreland Co., pa., daughter of William and Margaret (Johnston) Sweeney. She survives him, making her home on Seventh street, Indiana. Mrs. St Clair is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

• Family History: 1745 - 1880 History of Indiana County Pennsylvania by J. A. Caldwell, 1880, Page 517. The children of Hiram (a son of our subject) were: Robert J.; Thomas S.; Nancy J.; Frank, d.; Amanda Kate, Walter Hall, and Hiram Chalmers. The Hiram St. Clair farm, White township, was warranted to James Rannels in 1804, and patented to the same in 1806. It was called “Ardee,” and described as situated in “Centre” or “Oconomy” township.

• Occupation: Farmer, 1850, White, Indiana, Pennsylvania. From 1850 Census. He is living with his parents.

• Occupation: Farmer, 1860, White, Indiana, Pennsylvania. From 1860 Census

• Occupation: Farmer, 1880, White, Indiana, Pennsylvania. His family at that time includes two daughters, Nancy J. and Amanda K, and two sons, Walter H. and Chalmers.

• Occupation: Retired, 1900, White, Indiana, Pennsylvania. From 1900 Census

• Cemetery: Oakland Cemetery, 1909, White Township, Indiana, Pennsylvania. From Treasures of the Past

StClair Hiram
(Indiana, go 3 Jul. 1909)

b. 1827
d. 1909
age: (82y)
Section D

• Family History: From Indiana County Pennsylvania, Her People, Past and Present, by Professor J. T. Stewart. HIRAM ST. CLAIR, who passed his closing years in retirement in the borough of Indiana, was a farmer during his active years in Indiana county, in White and Blacklick townships. He belonged to one of the most respected families of this part of the State, and was a worthy representative of the honored name he bore. Mr. St. Clair was born April 19, 1827, in Indiana county, youngest of the family of James and Jennie (Slemmons) St. Clair, farming people.

The St. Clair family is of Scotch-Irish origin, a branch of the St. Clair family of Scotland, which was founded in the middleages by Sir Waldeme de St. Clair, a Norman Knight, who married Margaret, daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy. Their second 13 son, William, settled in Scotland, and one of his descendants, William St. Clair, became prince of the Orkney Islands under the king of Norway, and high chancellor of Scotland under the royal house of Bruce. In 1741 the St. Clairs exchanged their lofty title and island domains for the earldom of Caithness, which they still hold. The name has since become Anglicized to Sinclair. Two of the descendants of one of these earls, through a younger son, were Gen. Arthur St. Clair and his cousin James St. Clair, Sr., the former of whom was president of the Continental Congress in 1787 and commander in chief of the armies of the United States in 1791. James St. Clair, Sr., was the grandfather of Hiram St. Clair. His parents were natives of the North of Ireland, and he was born in 1741 in eastern Pennsylvania. He lived nine miles from York, Pa., where he owned a valuable farm and mill, and he was not only a prosperous citizen of his time but an earnest sympathizer with the Colonial cause, serving throughout the Revolutionary war. His wife's maiden name was Miller. James St. Clair, Sr., died in York county in 1806, at the age of sixty-five years.

James St. Clair, one of the sons of James St Clair. Sr., was born in York (now Adams) county. Pa., in May, 1774, and passed the greater part of his mature life m Indiana county. Pa. In 1809 he came to Brushvalley township, in 1816 removing to what is now the northern part of White township, where he took up a quarter section of government land and followed farming for many years. He died in Center township, this county, April 8, 1855, at the advanced age of eighty-one He was an old-time Whig in politics. He married Jennie Slemmons, who was born in Lancaster, Pa., of Irish descent, and was reared in Washington county, Pa., her father, William Slemmons, removing from Lancaster to Washington county in 1790 and there following farming until his death, which occurred in 1820, in his sixtieth year. Air. Slemmons was justice of the peace, by governor's appointment, for a period of thirty years, and he was a man of highest character 'and of honorable standing. His wite s maiden name was Boggs, and they had several children. Mrs. Jennie (Slemmons) St. Clair died Oct. 15, 1855, aged seventy-one years, a member of the Presbyterian Church. She and her husband had a family of ten children, namely: Margaret, William S.. Mary W., James, Samuel, Isaac, John, Robert, Thomas and Hiram.

Hiram St. Clair passed his early life in Indiana county, Pa., and there received his education in the public schools. Farming was his life work, and he lived for several years in White township, having a 107-acre farm there, near Indiana. After his last marriage, which occurred in 1882, he moved to the farm in Blacklick township where he lived and worked the remainder of his active years, in 1900 taking up his home in the borough of Indiana. There he spent the rest of his days in retirement, dying June 30, 1909, in the home at No. 287 South Seventh street now owned and occupied by his widow. Mr. St. Clair was a Republican in his political views, and his religious connection was with the Presbyterian Church, in whose work he was active.

Mr. St. Clair married (first) Margaret Johnston, of Center township, this county, who died in Indiana county. May 22, 1868. aged 36 years, five months, fifteen days, and four children were born to them: Robert J., who is a resident of St. Joseph, Mo.; Thomas, a resident of Indiana, Pa.; Frank, who died in boyhood; and Nannie J., who married Robert Shearer and died Oct. 21, 1884, aged twenty-three years, eight mouths, four days. Mr. St. Clair's second marriage was to Amanda Loomis, who became the mother of three children : Amanda K., who is teaching in a boys' school in Egypt ; Walter Hall, who is in the West ; and Hiram C, now of Woodlawn. Pa. On May 11, 1882, Mr. St. Clair married (third) Mary Elizabeth Sweeney, of Markle, Westmoreland Co., Pa., daughter of William and Margaret (Johnston) Sweeney. She survives him. making her home on Seventh street, Indiana. Mrs. St. Clair is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Hiram married Margaret Johnston. (Margaret Johnston was born in 1832 and died on 22 May 1868 in Indiana, Pennsylvania.)

Hiram next married Amanda (Emily) Loomis about 1869. (Amanda (Emily) Loomis was born in 1837 in Pennsylvania and died in 1877 in White Township, Indiana, Pennsylvania.)

Hiram next married Mary Elizabeth Sweeney, daughter of William Sweeney and Margaret Johnston, on 11 May 1882. (Mary Elizabeth Sweeney was born in Apr 1835 in Pennsylvania and died in 1920 in White Township, Indiana, Pennsylvania.)