Nathan Divvens

 


biography

 

 

Divvens, Nathan, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1841, and died at Uniontown on December 23, 1898. He was a son of the late Jacob and Rebecca (Miller) Divvens, natives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, who removed to Westmoreland county, where Jacob Divvens was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1848, when removed with his family to Pittsburgh, where he was engaged as a rolling mill hand until his death in 1886. Of his children, two sons, Nathan and Erasmus, located in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, the former in April 1867, and the latter some years later.

Nathan Divvens attended the public schools at Pittsburgh until he had attained his tenth year, when he began to earn his own living. At sixteen he was apprenticed to learn tobacco manufacturing with Martin Heyl, Pittsburg. Upon completing his time, he accepted service as a journeyman with William and David Reinhart, Pittsburgh, by whom he was employed until August 7, 1862, the date of his enlistment as a private in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Collier, commanding. At the battle of Spotsylvania Court House he was wounded in the right hand by a shot or fragment of shell which nearly severed that member from the arm, and necessitated its amputation. He was discharged from the service at the hospital in Pittsburgh, March 16, 1864.

In the fall of the same year he established a cigar store at Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, removing thence in 1867, to Uniontown when he embarked in the same business, establishing in connection therewith a cigar factory and adding thereto the general tobacco dealing business in which he continued to be engaged up to the time of his decease. He was succeeded by his son and namesake at the old location, No. 59 West Main Street.

Mr. Nathan Divvens, Sr., was married in 1867 to Susan E., daughter of the late John G. Emerick, of Sharpsburg, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Emerick was a school teacher at Sharpsburg, enlisted as a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, and was killed in the engagement at Fair Oaks. Mrs. Divvens died July 30, 1896, leaving five children: Lily, wife of Frank Lewellen, of Uniontown; Nathan, who succeeded his father in business; Pearl, wife of Robert E. Saul, New York City; Herbert, who is in the employ of his brother; and Miss Edna Divvens. Mr. Divvens was a member of the Lutheran church and of the Order of the Knights of Pythias.

Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Fayette County,Author:Shepherd, Henry E., Published by S. B. Nelson, Herald Press, 1922; pages 606-607
Contributed by Deanna Divvens.

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