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John Waid
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biography
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JOHN WAID proprietor of saw-mill and farmer, P. O. Tryonville, is a native of this county, born in Randolph Township, November 15, 1820, son of Williams and Abi (Skinner) Waid. Our subject had common school advantages, and at twenty-one years of age began work for Clapp, Matthews & Stykes, who were then building a saw-mill on March Run, in this township, with which firm he remained for a few years. He then purchased a partial interest in the saw-mill, and still later a greater interest in the same, at which time the firm name was changed to Matthews & Waid. This continued until 1856, when Mr. Waid became sole owner, and he has since carried on an extensive lumbering business very successfully. Before the Oil Creek Railroad was built all the lumber had to be rafted to Pittsburgh, Penn., and other points along the Allegheny River, but now it is conveyed by wagons to the railroad, a distance of one mile and a quarter. Mr. Waid has become owner of about 1,200 acres of land in Steuben and Athens Townships, this county, ranging in valuation from $10 to $100 per acre. He has expended considerably on the improvement of his land, on which he has built a residence at a cost of $5,000. He also, in 1872, erected a large hotel near his mill, which was burned to the ground in 1880. Through the burning besides of two large barns and other good buildings, our subject has suffered losses amounting to not less than $5,000. Mr. Waid has been connected with general merchandising in a store located on his land near his mills, which place is now known as Clappville. He carries on farming very extensively, employing a large force of hands, some fifty men or more, and he has cleared and improved many broad acres of wild and rough land. This year (1884) nearly 1,000 cords of hemlock bark have been obtained from two timber tracts. Mr. Waid was married February 17, 1843, to Miss Vesta A. Bloodgood, of Steuben Township, born in Oneida County, N. Y., October 1, 1820, daughter of James and Mary (Weal) Bloodgood, natives of New Jersey and Connecticut respectively, and of English descent. They were the parents of a large family which they reared in New York State, where Mr. Bloodgood followed the profession of music teacher, etc. Mrs. Waid came to this county at the age of sixteen, and here lived with her uncle and aunt, John and Harriet Matthews, until her marriage. To our subject and wife have been born four sons and three daughters, viz.: Amelia M., Dewit C., Ralph C., William F., John M., Harriet M. and Ann, the two latter deceased in infancy. Mr. Waid has served in some of the township offices. In politics he is a straight Democrat. A
Genealogical Tour of Crawford County, Pennsylvania Page 1078 |
