Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 543] a venerable and well-respected citizen of Hickory township, where he is engaged in blacksmithing and in performing all kinds of fine machine work, both setting up and repairing articles of husbandry, and tools and appliances made for use in the trades and arts, was born in New Castle, Pa., June 19, 1831. He is a son of Aaron and Anna (Horn) Hinkson, both of whom were natives of Philadelphia, Pa.
George Hinkson, our subject's grandfather, who with his wife was a member of the Society of Friends, was born in the Keystone State in the near vicinity of Philadelphia, and was educated and passed his boyhood days on the home farm. He learned the millwright's trade, and learned it and improved on his knowledge so well that his services were in constant demand over a large part of the country, for he was one of the most skilled of mechanics. He followed this trade more or less throughout nearly all the years of his singularly active and useful career. He settled in Hickory township, this county, in 1820, taking up a farm and giving it the best of attention and cultivation. George Hinkson's death took place in the 40's, and his decease was followed two years later by that of his wife. She was Kate Firlamb before her marriage; she bore her husband the following children: George; Preston; Aaron; William; Jonas: Henry; Cyrus; and Nicholas. He was a Democrat in his politics, but too unassuming to take a leading place in even local politics. They were honest, upright people, who commanded the full respect and sincere admiration of all who knew them.
Aaron Hinkson received his education in the schools of Belmont, and Canonsburg, Ohio, and at an early age learned the shoemaker's trade, and followed it several years after moving to the western part of Pennsylvania. He then settled in New Castle, where he plied his trade some four or five years until he moved to Hickory township, where he received at his father's death fifty acres of the original homestead. There he followed his trade, and gave much of his attention to rural occupations, being considered a very able, industrious citizen, with a requisite amount of good judgment and energy to make a comfortable home for his family, and to never have to feel the keen edge of want. Like his father, the Democratic party was his first and last choice in the field of politics, and loyally and well did he support it, but never required the slightest favors in return for his valiant services. He married a daughter of William Horn of Philadelphia, and to our subject's parents were born the following children: John, the subject of this sketch; Thomas, who married Kate Gormley of Hickory township by whom he had two children: Sadie, who married Torrence White of Hickory township, and Charlie Firlamb, who married Lizzie Fair of Mercer County, as his first wife—Willie and Bina, both living, were the fruit of this union; he married as his second wife, Mary Patterson of Mercer, Pa., and they have five children, Jennie, Jessie, Frank, John, and Firlamb; Sarah, who became the wife of James Revnolds of Neshannock township, and bore him Hannah, deceased, Luther, Aaron, deceased, James M., and Emma J.; Aaron, who married Maggie Young of Hickory township and has John, Hannah, Mary, James, Lewis and Kate. Our subject's father was also a member of the Friends Society. His death occurred Jan. 29, 1891, when aged eighty-two years; he was preceded in the journey to the farther shore by his wife, who departed this life March 18, 1855, aged fifty-two years.
John Hinkson, subject of this sketch, and oldest child in the parental family, was educated in the schools of New Castle, and also in those of Hickory township, then known as a part of Neshannock township. He learned as a trade blacksmithing, and later on when a resident of New Castle thoroughly mastered the trade of machinist, which he followed for a number of years, when he came to Hickory township, and located on the old Hinkson farm, later taking up a residence on the south branch of Hutenbaugh Run, where he put in operation a saw-mill, to which he afterwards added a machinist's lathe. He is now doing a large and prosperous business in the line of work of a machinist, and repairs all kinds of machinery in an unfailing satisfactory manner. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a strong advocate of political rights; for a period of four terms he has held the office of commiteeman from Hickory township on the Democratic County Committee.
On Dec. 25, 1854, he was joined before the altar with Caroline Weakly, daughter of Robert Weakly of Mercer Co., Pa., and to them were given as a blessed heritage four children: Henry C.; James S.; Clara, deceased; and Frank B., who married Ida Rhodes of Scott township, and has three children, Jesse, Benjamin, and Bertha. Our subject's first wife dying Oct. 23, 1893, he then formed a second union with Annie Love of New Castle, Pa. Their religious attachments identify them with the M. E. Church at East Brook, Pa.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 15 Jul 2001