The Eckels Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This family is of north of Ireland stock, and its first American home was at Baltimore, Maryland. Like many other families found in the north of Ireland, Scotland was the country of its origin, and the family had gone to Ireland at the time of the political and religious troubles.

(I) James Eckels

James Eckels, the first member of this family about whom we have definite information, was born probably in the Cumberland Valley, died at Clarksville, Greene county, Pennsylvania, about 1858, having attained an advanced age. A large part of his life was passed at Sawmill Run, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. He was a farmer. He married ——, who died at Clarksville. Both were members of the Presbyterian church.

1. James Eckels, died at Clarksburg; cabinet maker; married; children:
   1. Edwin Eckels,
   2. Fannie Eckels,
   3. John Eckels,
   4. Frank Eckels,
   5. Mabel Eckels.
2. John Eckels, of whom further.
3. Robert Eckels, died at New Wilmington, Pennsylvania; a farmer; married and had children.
4. Esther Eckels, deceased.
5. Ann Eckels, died near Conneautville, Pennsylvania; married Donaldson, deceased; he was a farmer.

(II) John Eckels

John, son of James Eckels, was born at Sawmill Run, in 1821, died at Reno, Pennsylvania, September, 1888, being killed by the cars. In early boyhood he attended the district school near the place of his birth, but he was still young when he went to Greenville, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and there learned the blacksmith’s trade, at which he worked until 1866. He then became a Methodist minister; he preached in Venango, Mercer, Crawford, Erie and Lawrence counties. In politics he was a Republican, and he served as a burgess at Greenville. Mr. Eckels married (first) Martha Walker, (second) Caroline, born in New York state, in 1835, died at Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, in 1907, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Alexander) Leech. She also was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and prominent in Women’s Christian Temperance Union work. Her father was a preacher in New York state; he settled on a farm at Leech’s Corners, near Greenville, where he died about 1869.

Children of Samuel and Jane (Alexander) Leech:

1. Alexander Leech, died at Greenville; stonemason and quarryman; married Phoebe Freeman, deceased; children:
   1. Addie Leech, married Henry Homer, children:
      1. Ralph Homer,
      2. Harriet Homer,
      3. Nelson Homer;
   2. Harry Leech;
   3. Frederick Leech;
   4. Jennie Leech.
2. Caroline Leech, married John Eckels.
3. Mary Leech, died near Bethel Church, Mercer county, Pennsylvania; married David Baxter, from Fairview, Pennsylvania, deceased; had children.
4. Plimpton Leech, died at Greenville; stonemason; married Charlotte Bond, of Greenville, deceased; children:
   1. May Leech, married Charles Granel;
   2. Jessie Leech;
   3. One unnamed son.

By his first marriage John Eckels had no child that lived. Children of John and Caroline (Leech) Eckels, all born at Greenville:

1. Ellen Eckels, died young.
2. Two unnamed daughters, died in infancy.
3. Emma Jane Eckels, died at Greenville, young.
4. William Plimpton Eckels, of whom further.
5. Sadie Eckels, born in 1857; married A. R. Bullock; they live at Cambridge Springs, and he is a retired meat merchant; children:
   1. Ruth Bullock, married Victor R. Shanberger;
   2. Arza Bullock;
   3. Esther Bullock;
   4. Hazel Bullock;
   5. Perry Bullock.
6. Clark Eckels, born in 1859; resides at Cambridge Springs, where he is postmaster; by trade he is a printer; married Mary Perry, of Warren, Pennsylvania; child,
   1. Perry Eckels.
7. Charles Eckels, born in 1861; resides at Erie, Pennsylvania; formerly a printer, now promoter of a land company in Texas; married Eva Morris; children:
   1. Mildred Eckels;
   2. Morris Eckels.
8. Arthur Eckels, born in 1863; resides at Wellsville, Ohio; road foreman of engineers on the Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad; married Ella Kincaid, from New Castle, Pennsylvania; child,
   1. Bessie Eckels.

(III) William Plimpton Eckels

William Plimpton, son of John and Caroline (Leech) Eckels, was born at Greenville, May 22, 1853. There he began his public school education, but this was completed in Venango and Crawford counties. In 1876 he graduated from Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts. For the next two years he taught at North East, Pennsylvania, and for two years after this at Spartansburg, Crawford county, Pennsylvania. In the winter of 1881 he taught at Guy’s Mills, also in Crawford county. Then he came to Kane, and for six years was principal of the graded school, which he brought up to the rank of a high school. In 1887 he was elected county superintendent of schools, and he held this office for nine years, but in 1896 he returned to teaching, and for four years was principal of the school at Smethport, McKean county, Pennsylvania. From 1900 to 1909 he was treasurer of the Kane Window Glass Company. He then entered mercantile business as a member of the firm of Leonardson Company, of which he is now secretary and treasurer. He is a stockholder in the Kane Bank and Trust Company, the Kane Window Glass Company, the Kane Supply Company, and the A. W. Leonardson Company, of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He is a member of Kane Lodge, No. 566, Free and Accepted Masons; Kane Chapter, No. 279, Royal Arch Masons; Bradford Council, Royal and Select Masters; Trinity Commandery, No. 58, Knights Templar, at Bradford. In these lodges he has been through all the chairs, and he is a member of Williamsport Consistory, Thirty-second Degree Masons. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum also, at Warren. While he is a Republican, he is independent in political action. In the Congregational church at Kane, of which his wife also is a member, he has for some time been trustee, and for the past three years one of the deacons. Mr. Eckels married, at Kane, December 30, 1885, Mary, born at Ebensburg, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, December 8, 1859, daughter of Thomas M. and Ann (Williams) Jones. She received a public school education at Ebensburg.

1. Martha Eckels, born at Kane, May 19, 1887; graduate of Kane high school; for two years she studied music at the conservatory, Oberlin, Ohio, and then went to the Warren Conservatory of Music, from which she graduated; she is now teacher of vocal music at Broaddus Institute, Philippi, Barbour county, West Virginia; unmarried.
2. Claude Alan Eckels, born at Smethport, Pennsylvania, September 10, 1891; member of the class of 1913 at Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania.

See: Genealogy of the Allegheny Valley Pennsylvania

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.