Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 257] an honored resident of Shenango township, where he is engaged in carrying on farm operations four miles south of the city of New Castle, was born May 15, 1849, in Harmony, Butler Co. He is a son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Kepler) Weir. Our subject's mother was born in Germany about 1817, and passed to the green fields beyond the swelling flood to enjoy the welcome plaudit of "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," when about forty-five years old. Frederick Weir was born in Wales about 1804, and came to this country when a young man in search of a fortune; he served in the Mexican War, and died March 25, 1889. Of his first marriage with Elizabeth Kepler, five children were born as follows: Katherine, deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Herman of West New Castle—Katherine and Elizabeth were twins; Louise; Andrew F., the subject of this brief narration; and McMichael, who is living somewhere in the West. He was a second time married, his second wife being a Mrs. Holland, by whom he had one son, George, now a resident of Rochester, Pa.
Andrew F. Weir passed the years of childhood and of youth until he had attained his majority in Harmony and Middle Lancaster, attending the district schools, and one term of high school at Zelienople, Butler County. At the age of twenty-one he married, and shortly after entered the employ of R. W. Cunningham in New Castle, taking charge of that gentleman's home, attending to the gardening, and a care of the grounds and stables; he remained with his employer nineteen years, and by frugality and prudence, he saved during these years sufficient money to make him independent, and to enable him to purchase in April, 1891, the Boiles' farm some four miles south of New Castle, comprising about 100 acres of as fine farming land as can be found anywhere in the township or county. One fact that speaks strongly in Mr. Weir's favor, as a man who wishes to be beholden to no one, and as one who, is able to pay as he goes, is that he paid the purchase money, amounting to $7,400 in cash. He has expended half as much more in making necessary improvements, not counting in this his own labor and time. Much of the property was still encumbered with the original stumps that remained from clearing the land, and the different fields were in no fit condition for cultivation. Ravines have been filled, drains put in, stumps grubbed out, and stones removed, and many other minor improvements made until now the owner may well take pride in his fine estate. Not the least notable feature of the farm are the four springs, and especially the one near the house, which supplies the best of cold spring water for all domestic purposes. The buildings are large, commodious and well-appointed in every particular; about the dwelling is a grove, which furnishes in the summer a cool and comfortable retreat in the noon hour, so grateful to the farm-laborers. Mr. Wier [sic] is now giving his attention chiefly to dairy-farming, selling the product of about twenty cows.
Mr. Weir was married in Zelienople, Butler Co., Pa., May 7, 1872, to Julia A. Zigler, who was born in Harmony, a daughter of Andrew and Debora (Moyer) Zigler. Mrs. Weir's mother was a daughter of Samuel and Julia (Rice) Moyer, the former a farmer, who lived to attain the age of eighty-nine years. Andrew Zigler, a son of Andrew Zigler, Sr., was a carpenter by trade. The union of Mr. Weir and his wife was productive of two children: Sarah Tillie, and Mary Louise. Sarah Tillie married Robert Stafford of New Castle, and they are the parents of two children—Julia May, and Nellie Darling. Mary Louise became the wife of Alexander M. Houk of Shenango township, and they have two children—Lillie May, and Florence Edna. Mr. and Mrs. Weir are highly esteemed in their neighborhood and township, and are entitled to be classed among the best citizens. They are the friends of good order and system, and contributing their portion toward the building up of the community, morally, socially, and intellectually. Mr. Weir is greatly respected by his fellow-citizens for his straightforward business methods, and excellent personal traits of character.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 16 May 2001