John Patton St. Clair

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence: From 1880 Census, 1880, Homer City, Indiana, Pennsylvania. Name: John St. Clair
Residence: Homer City, Indiana, Pennsylvania
Birthdate: 1849
Birthplace: Pennsylvania, United States
Relationship to Head: Self
Spouse's Name: Martha J. St. Clair
Spouse's Birthplace: Pennsylvania, United States
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania, United States
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania, United States
Race or Color (Expanded): White
Ethnicity (Standardized): American
Gender: Male
Martial Status: Married
Age (Expanded): 31 years
Occupation: Clerking
NARA Film Number: T9-1135
Page: 69
Page Character: D
Entry Number: 1622
Film number: 1255135
Household Gender Age Birthplace
SELF John St. Clair M 31 Pennsylvania, United States
WIFE Martha J. St. Clair F 31 Pennsylvania, United States
DAU Mary C. St. Clair F 7 Pennsylvania, United States
SON Thomas P. St. Clair M 4 Pennsylvania, United States
SON Frank D. St. Clair M 1 Pennsylvania, United States
BRO James H. St. Clair M 29 Pennsylvania, United States

• Family History: From Indiana County Pennsylvania, Her People, Past and Present, by Professor J. T. Stewart. JOHN P. St. CLAIR, a resident of Homer City who has been prominent in the life of that place as business man, public official and church worker for many years, was born Dec. 31, 1848, at Indiana, the county seat of Indiana county, Pennsylvania, son of the late Dr. Thomas St. Clair.

The St. Clair family is of Scotch-Irish origin, a branch of the St. Clair family of Scotland, which was founded in the middle ages by Sir Walderne de St. Clair, a Norman knight, who married Margaret, daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy. Their second 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 great-grandfather of John P. 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 in 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-line 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. Mr. Slemmons was justice of the peace, by governor's appointment, for a period of thirty years, and he was a man of the highest character and of honorable standing. His wife'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 Miriam.

Thomas St. Clair, M. D., son of James and Jennie (Slemmons) St. Clair, was one of the foremost citizens of western Pennsylvania in his day. Born May 5, 1824, in what is now White township, Indiana Co., Pa., he lived on his father's farm there until he reached the age of fifteen years. His early education was received in the common schools and at the academy in Indiana. In 1843 he took up the study of medicine with Dr. John W. Jenks, of Punxsutawney, and after a year's study with him removed to Indiana, where he completed his preparatory course under the tuition of Dr. James M. Stewart. Entering Jefferson Medical College in 1845, he was graduated and received his degree of M. D. in 1847. Returning to Indiana, he formed a partnership with his former preceptor, he and Dr. Stewart practicing together for two years, Dr. St. Clair commencing independent practice in 1849. Dr. St. Clair was not only a skilled general practitioner, but, what was more rare in the early days of his professional career, a reliable surgeon. He was the first surgeon in this State west of the Alleghenies who successfully removed an ovarian tumor, his first experience of the kind being the removal of a tumor which weighed forty pounds; his many subsequent operations of that nature were successful, and the confidence which a wide circle of patients placed in his skill and judgment was justified by a long life of the most conscientious devotion to the alleviation of their ills. During the Civil war he was in the Union service in his official capacity, and he was in attendance on the wounded after the Seven Days' fight and the battle of Gettysburg.

Though his professional duties were sufficient to fill the life of an ordinary man. Dr. St. Clair found time for useful activity in the public affairs of his community, which he served faithfully and intelligently in many offices of trust. He was a member of the borough council, and for several years represented his district-the Thirty-seventh-in the State Senate, to which he was first elected in 1864. At that time the district was composed of Indiana and Armstrong counties, but when he was reelected, in 1876, it comprised HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 621 Indiana and Jefferson ; he served continuously until 1880. His services in the Senate were marked by unswerving fidelity to the interests of his constituents. He was identified with the Republican party, and with the reform element of that party in the days when it was found necessary to break up ' ' ring rule ' and "bossism. " He always had the courage of his convictions when it came to supporting candidates, helping good men whether they belonged to his own party or not. In 1882 he was identified with an independent movement, and again in 1890 took the stump in favor of Pattison and reform, doing good work in both campaigns. As an honest, sincere advocate of the best interests, he found many friends and supporters and had particularly strong influence with the agricultural and industrial classes, among which he was well known, having served three years as president of the Indiana County Agricultural Society. He belonged to the M. E. Church, and served as steward. Dr. St. Clair passed away in ]March, 1893.

On Feb. 24, 1848, Dr. St. Clair married Charlotte D. Patton, daughter of John Patton, and she died in June, 1868, the mother of seven children : John P. is mentioned below James H., a veterinary surgeon, is a resident of Blairsville, this county; Charles M. graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1878, practiced with his father for ten years, and is now located in practice at Latrobe, "Westmoreland Co., Pa. (he married Sarah D. Taylor, daughter of Dr. James M. Taylor) ; Charlotte D. is the widow of J. Lesslie Hazlett; Jennie S. died young, in 1862 ; Mary L. married Griffith Ellis; Sarah Josephine resides with her mother in Indiana. Dr. St. Clair married for his second wife, March 30, 1869, Sarah Walker, daughter of Moses Walker, of Washington county, and she survives him, .she and her daughter Sarah Josephine residing in Indiana.

John P. St. Clair began his education in the public schools of Indiana and later attended the academy there. He began his business career at an early age with the firm of Sutton, Lloyd & Co.. in which he had an interest, but was with that concern only a short time when he left it to become a member of the firm of Loughry & St. Clair, his partner being W. R. Loughry. After a time Peter Sutton bought an interest in their business, which was subsequently conducted under the firm name of Sutton, Loughry & Co. In 1871 Mr. St. Clair severed his connection with this business to join his father in the milking business, he having a one-third interest and his father a two-thirds interest in the old Two Lick gristmill, which they bought and operated under the firm name of Thomas St. Clair & Son. In February, 1876, they sold the mill, and thereupon became engaged in the lumber business at Two Licks station, operating as the Two Licks Lumber Company, Limited. Continuing thus until 1879, they sold their property at the station that year and dissolved partnership, John P. St. Clair on Jan. 1, 1879, entering upon his duties as clerk to the county commissioners, to which position he had just been elected. He served three years in that incumbency. In 1882 he became a third owner of the flour mills at Homer City, having inherited the interest in this establishment, one of the oldest of its kind in Indiana county. Devoting his time to the management of these mills, and the extension of the business, he continued to operate them for a period of fifteen years, during which time he improved and refitted them throughout, increasing the capacity to seventy-five barrels daily. The mill property was valued at $25,000. Fire destroyed the buildings after Mr. St. Clair had conducted the business for fifteen years, and he has since given his time and attention to other business matters, principally insurance, he being agent for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, which he represents in Indiana, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. He has also been engaged in farming and stock dealing, and is at present interested in coal mining, having a coal bed on his farm which he operates.

Mr. St. Clair is independent in politics and his support of candidates. He has served seven years as member of the school board, of which he has been president and treasurer and was a member of the borough council of Homer City for several years. He has been a most active member of the Presbyterian Church, which he has served as trustee and elder, and he was superintendent of the Sunday school for a number of years; he also taught the Bible class. Few citizens of the community have been more thoroughly identified with its best interests.

On Jan. 4, 1872, Mr. St. Clair married Martha J. Daugherty, daughter of James R. and Anna M. (Hart) Daugherty, and sister of W. S. Daugherty, of Indiana ; an account of the Daugherty family appears elsewhere. Mrs. St. Clair is, like her husband, a member of the Presbyterian Church. Seven children have been born to them: (1) Mary C, born March 3, 1873, in Indiana, received her education in the public schools of Homer City and at the Indiana normal school. She married Paul Moorhead, a lawyer, son of Rev. W. W. Moorhead, and they live at Minneapolis, Minn. They are the parents of six children. Donaldson St. Clair, Martha, Wallace, Mary Jo, Pauline and John. (2) Thomas, born Jan. 2, 1876, in Indiana, was educated at the public schools of Homer City and at the Indiana normal school, and taught school at Latrobe, Pa., for several years. Taking up the study of medicine he graduated from the Western University, at Pittsburgh, and is now engaged in practice at Latrobe. He married Emma Howard, a native of Hagerstown, Md. (3) Frank D., born June 10, 1879, at Indiana, received public school advantages at Homer City and later graduated from the normal school at Indiana, class of 1897, after which he taught school at Manor station, in Westmoreland county, for four years. Later he taught at Kiskiminetas, Westmoreland county, where he is now manager of the Kiskiminetas Springs School. He married Bertha Gilroy Sellery, a native of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada, daughter of Robert and Martha (Gilroy) Sellery, and they have one child, John Denniston. (4) John Denniston. born July 4, 1881, at Homer City, received his education in public school there, graduated at the Indiana normal school, class of 1900, and became a teacher. He died Jan. 19, 1903. (5) Jennie S., born May 11, 1884, attended public school at Homer City and later the Indiana normal school. She married Dr. Charles Paul Reed, who was born Sept. 30, 1877, son of the late Dr. William L. Reed, of Homer City. (6) James Roy, born Aug. 26, 1886, in Homer City, received his literary education in the public schools there, the Indiana normal school, and the Kiskiminetas Springs School, from which he was graduated with the class of 1906. After this he became a student at Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia, graduating in 1912. (7) Anna Jo, born Dec. 2, 1888, at Homer City, completed her education at the Indiana normal school, and is now the wife of Dr. W. A. Simpson, of Indiana, Pennsylvania.

• Cemetery: From Treasures of the Past, 1920, White Township, Indiana, Pennsylvania. Greenwood Cemetery
StClair John P
19E
d. 1920

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From Find a Grave

John Patton St Clair

Birth: Dec. 31, 1848 Death: 1920

Family links:
Parents:
Thomas St. Clair (1824 - 1893)
Charlotte Denniston Patton St. Clair (1828 - 1868)
Spouse:
Martha Jane Daugherty St. Clair (1849 - 1931)

Children:
John Denniston St. Clair (1881 - 1903)
Jennie St. Clair Reed (1884 - 1944)
Burial:
Greenwood Cemetery
White (Indiana County)
Indiana County
Pennsylvania, USA
Created by: Rob and Debi McHaffie Felten
Record added: Dec 01, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 81400155

John married Martha Jane Daugherty. (Martha Jane Daugherty was born in 1849 in Pennsylvania and died on 14 Oct 1931 in White Township, Indiana, Pennsylvania.)