Posted By:	Ted Pack
	Email:
	Subject:	William Mapes, 1817 - ????, m. Albina Irvin: Biography
	Post Date:	January 29, 2008 at 11:17:18
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/pa/clearfield/messages/843.html
	Forum:	Clearfield County, PA Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/pa/clearfield/

Commemorative Biographical record of Central Pennsylvania: including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, etc. Chicago: J.H. Beers, 1898. Page 853 - 854 William Mapes, of Lawrence Township, Clearfield County, a leading agriculturist and real estate owner, had done much to open up that section for improvement and settlement. He was born in Lawrence Township May 26, 1817 and his life covers a period of change in this locality from almost unbroken forests to the clustering villages and wide-spread farming lands of this day. Richard and Rebecca (Page) Mapes, his parents, were natives of New Jersey. They were married there and, some years later, in 1810, moved to Clearfield County, making the journey over the mountains with a team. Their first home was made in the woods at Clearfield, then called "Old Town", where they lived about six years, burying there three children; but later he settled one mile and a half below town on a 440-acre tract in Lawrence Township, and improved and there spent his remaining years. His death occurred in 1840 and Mrs. Mapes survived him several years. [She was alive in 1860.] Our subject is one of a family of twelve children: Nancy, who was born in New Jersey, married Mr. Loney and moved to Ohio, where she died; Hannah, a native of New Jersey, married John Shirey and died in Bradford Township, Clearfield Co., Penn.; Elizabeth, married Michael Frank and died in Nebraska; Abbie, Mrs. Coleman, died in Elk County, Penn; The next three died in childhood and were buried on the Ogden farm, above Clearfield. Joseph married and moved to Ohio, where he died at the age of eighty-seven years, six months and twelve days; John was married in Green's Dam, Perry Co., Penn.; Richard married in Clearfield County and moved to Ohio, where he is probably living at the age of 82 years; Thomas was married in the West and resides near Hamburg, Iowa. William Maps was the fourth son of this family, and as a farmer's son in pioneer days he was reared to habits of industry. He attended the local schools for some time and later pursued his studies in the old academy at Clearfield. Hunting was a favorite occupation in his early days, and at seven years of age he was given a gun. So proficient did he become in its use that he began to hunt deer when he was ten years old. While still in his teens he began to work at clearing and lumbering. On reaching manhood he went to Philadelphia and purchased a tract of land above the town, and has ever since lived on it. His farm, which he calls the "Clover Hill" Farm, contains at present 160 acres, all under improvement, but he has owned 440 acres. The original survey was incorrect, and Mr. Mapes lost 100 acres thereby. The estate is valuable merely from an agricultural standpoint, and is also underlaid with coal. In addition to this farm, where he has now resided for nearly sixty years, Mr. Mapes has 160 acres on Reed Ridge, in Lawrence Township, and 30 acres in Goshen Twp., Clearfield County. In 1849 he was married in Lawrence Township to Miss Albina Irvin, a native of that locality. Hr father, Joseph Irvin, was born in Clearfield County, this state, and married Martha Ann Tate, a native of New Jersey, whose father was among the early settlers in Lawrence township. Mr. and Mrs. Irvin made their home in Lawrence Township, and both died there. Mrs Mapes was the eldest of eight children, the others being William, who died in Montour County, Penn. in 1896; Melinda (Mrs. Potter Reed) of the same township; Levi, of Williamsport, Penn., Martha Ann (Mrs. Walter Shirey) of west Clearfield; James, who resides in Minnesota; Mary Ellen (Mrs. Irvin Stage), who died in Warren County, Penn., and Jane (Mrs. Thomas Reed) of Brooklyn, Iowa. William and Mrs. Mapes have had seven children, namely 1) Virginia (Mrs. Charley Woods) of Coalport. Her husband died in 1895. Three children were born of this marriage - a) Minnie (Mrs. Beck) who has two children, Charlie and Russell; b) Wier and c) Cecil. 2) Jefferson, deceased, never married. 3) Martin, a resident of Lawrence Township, married Maud Shefler and has three children - Clare, Charley and Ruth. 4) Lorenzo, died at the age of four years. [Odds are he was named for Lorenzo Dow, a spell-binding minister of national fame.] 5) Jane Elizabeth (Mrs. William McClellan), who resides with her parents, has one daughter, Pearl. 6) Ida, died March 16, 1866. 7) George is not married and lives at home. Our subject has never been willing to enter the political arena as a candidate for office honors, but he takes much interest in public questions. He is an independent voter, but usually supports the principles of the Democratic Party. For forty years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is always ready to encourage any cause which will promote the welfare of the community.