CENTRE LINES

The WAY Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on WAY. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Two books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deal with the Way family. They are: Clifford Stere's Families: Spotts-Way-Swartz-Davidson, and Daniel Way's Descendants of Robert and Hannah Way of Chester County, Pennsylvania.

There are 27 different first-name entries for Way in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' WAY neighbors in 1890:

In BENNER Township:

Benner, 37, farmer--Fillmore Anna C. Earl C. 8 Ida M. Isaac G. 4 Agnes S. 2

In HALF-MOON Township:

Jerry, 61, farmer--Stormstown Mary A. Emma M. Alvin J. 20 John A., 34, farmer and Justice of the Peace--Stormstown Emma Sarah Victor 7 Lera M. Olive E. Alice S. Margaret C.--Stormstown Orlando R., 36, farmer--Loveville Mary William 16 George 14 Lillie Robert A., 45, farmer--Stormstown Lucretia M. Mariah Darlington 14 Esther C. William F. 10 Anna Thomas, 51--Stormstown Thomas W., 40, farmer--Stormstown Annie A. Harry William B., 46, farmer--Stormstown Mary E. William R., farmer--Stormstown Margaret M. Howard M. 23 Lula B. Ella C.

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Joseph M., 61, R.R. fireman--Pine St. Martha Ella A. Grant 26 William 24 May Edward P. 10 Myrtle

In PATTON Township:

Jacob E., 43, carpenter--Buffalo Run Joanna E. Harry P. 22 David E. 21 Arthur Z. 4

In RUSH Township:

Harry P., laborer--Philipsburg

In UNION Township:

Caleb, 51, farmer--Fleming Sarah J. Irvin 22 Hannah--Fleming Laura Joseph A. Gertrude William F., 48, farmer--Fleming Hannah Celia M. Melissa I.

In UNIONVILLE Borough:

William M., 35, carpenter Rebecca P. Terotha H. John H. 4 Harold E. 3 Edith 8 mos.