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biography
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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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