[p. 391] farmer and stock raiser of Scott Township, was born on the farm he owns and occupies, December 1, 1846. His parents were George H. and Hannah (Daniels) Hettenbaugh.
The late George H. Hettenbaugh, father of John L., was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, on Big Meadows Creek, February 14, 1812. His father, George H. Hettenbaugh, was born in Germany and came to America with his parents when a child. They settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where the boy was reared to the age of seventeen years, when he accompanied a brother on a kind of pioneering expedition westward and landed in Washington Township in 1796. The boys camped in the strange woods the first night and in the morning met Indians who, fortunately, proved friendly to them. They prospected for a time, but finally decided to locate in Scott Township, as it is now, and secured land, entering 200 acres in the heart of the woods. For several years following they lived in Big Meadows, but in 1813, George H. Hettenbaugh, Sr., moved to the present farm. He went to work clearing and improving, and remained on the place until he sold it to his son, George H., after which he moved to Mercer County, where he bought farming land on which he continued to live until the close of his life, when aged eighty-seven years. He served in the War of 1812, and through all his political life voted with the Democratic party. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. He married Sarah Michaels, whose people came to Pennsylvania from Germany. There were eleven children born to this marriage, five sons and six daughters.
George H. Hettenbaugh, Jr., father of John L., was the second child and second son of his parents. He attended school in a log building six miles from his home, walking the distance to and fro whenever sessions were held. He married Hannah Daniels, who was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, near New Castle, her father owning at that time 200 acres there, a part of which is included in the present thriving city. She was a daughter of James Daniels, who was a pioneer in Lawrence County, settling here when dense forests covered all the land in this section and wild conditions everywhere prevailed. Twelve children were born to this marriage four sons and eight daughters, John L. being the only son to reach maturity. The father lived to the advanced age of ninety-four years. He was one of the best known men of all this section and was most highly esteemed. In his political views he was a Democrat.
John L. Hettenbaugh was educated in the district schools of Scott Township and grew to manhood skilled in all kinds of farmwork. On December 2l, 1873, he was married to Elizabeth Bruce, who was born at New Lebanon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, December 22, 1854, and was a daughter of Riley Bruce, formerly a farmer of Plain Grove Township, Mercer County. His father was an early pioneer of Lawrence County, where he cleared up a farm of 200 acres, on which he reared his family and lived until his death. Riley Bruce later moved to Mercer County, where he subsequently married and resided until the close of his life.
John L. Hettenbaugh and wife became the parents of two sons and five daughters, namely: Mary H., George E., Minnie E., Sarah and Norman L., living, and Clarence C. and a babe, deceased.
Mr. Hettenbaugh has an excellent farm, twenty-five acres of which he cleared himself, and he has made it a valuable, well improved property. Formerly he raised much fine stock and has sold and shipped stock to various sections, even as far as Germany. In politics he has always been identified with the Democratic party, but has never been a seeker for political honors. He is a representative citizen of Scott Township.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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