John Hays Culbertson

biography

Culbertson, John Hays, United States Deputy Collector, Meadville, was born in Richmond Township, this county, April 2, 1840, only son of David and Nancy M. (Mackelduff) Culbertson, natives of Chester County, Penn. Previous to marriage David Culbertson, our subject’s father, in about the year 1818, removed with his father, John Culbertson, to Woodcock Township, this county, where the latter engaged in agriculture for some time, having previously spent the greater portion of his early life in manufacturing woolen goods in Chester County, Penn. David Culbertson remained with his parents until after his majority, and in 1835 returned to Chester County. On March 4, that year, he married Nancy M. Mackelduff, and shortly after returned to this county, locating on a farm of 250 acres in Richmond Township. Mr. and Mrs. David Culbertson were parents of two children, viz.: Elizabeth Ann, born April 10, 1836, married August 9, 1857, to Jacob Cowan, of this county, and July 11, following year, died of hemorrhage of the lungs at the residence of her father, and John Hays, our subject. David Culbertson in 1848 sold his farm in Richmond Township, and purchased one of about 100 acres in and adjoining the borough of Blooming Valley. In connection with this farm there was a hotel property, both of which interests he operated until about the year 1855, at which time he leased his hotel and for some years thereafter gave his exclusive attention to farming. In about the year 1866, feeling that himself and wife, both of whom were getting pretty well advanced in years, should lead a less active and busy life, and as their only son and child living was then residing in Meadville, David Culbertson sold his Blooming Valley farm and hotel property to Alonzo Drake, and, in 1866, removed to Meadville and purchased a house and lot, No. 639 Washington Street. On June 14, 1871, Nancy M. Culbertson, our subject’s mother, died. On October 12, same year, J. H. Culbertson was married to Miss Emma A., daughter of R. C. Boileau, Esq., of Meadville; and after this date and until his death, which occurred October 19, 1877, David (his father) resided with him. To this union were born three children—Anna S., born August 5, 1872; Williard B., born May 31, 1875, and Blanche, born December 5, 1878. The early life of the subject of this sketch was spent at home with his parents, going to school, and in assisting about the farm until the winter of 1864, when he came to Meadville and entered the wholesale grocery house of McFarland Bros., as bookkeeper, where he remained for three years, but had to abandon office work on account of failing health, and a portion of the summer of 1867 was spent up Lake Superior in regaining his former health and strength, which was fully restored. The balance of the year, 1867, and up to August, 1868, Mr. Culbertson acted in the capacity of cashier of the McHenry House, Meadville, after which time he opened a general insurance agency on Chestnut Street, same city. In 1871 he associated with him in that business John Reitze, and the firm was known as Culbertson & Reitze, now representing some dozen or more of the best insurance companies in the United States. In 1874 our subject was appointed United States Deputy Collector under Hon. James C. Brown, and continued as such until August 1, 1S83. On August 1, 1883, he was a gain appointed Deputy Collector by Jacob F. Walther, successor to Hon. James C. Brown.

History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 724-725.