Robert Montgomery Sterrett and Mary Ann Karns
Husband Robert Montgomery Sterrett 1 2
AKA: Robert M. Sterritt 3 Born: 22 Jun 1827 - Beaver Co, PA 4 Christened: Died: 14 Feb 1915 5 Buried: - Amity-Mt. Irwin Cemetery, Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 6
Father: Alexander Sterrett (1794-1844) 1 3 4 Mother: Margaret Montgomery (1799-1838) 1 3 4
Marriage: 5 May 1850 5 7
Wife Mary Ann Karns 3
AKA: Mary Ann Karnes 2 Born: 15 Feb 1834 Christened: Died: 2 Feb 1929 Buried: - Amity-Mt. Irwin Cemetery, Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 6
Father: Henry Karns ( - ) 3 Mother:
Children
1 F Mary Melissa Sterrett 7 8
Born: 1854 - Pennsylvania Christened: Died: 1937 Buried: - Amity-Mt. Irwin Cemetery, Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 9Spouse: John Alphonse Riddle (1851/1852-1922) 7 10
2 M Fulton B. Sterrett 5 7
Born: 1857 Christened: Died: 1942 Buried: - Amity-Mt. Irwin Cemetery, Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 11
3 M Ulysses Grant Sterrett 5 7
Born: 15 Mar 1865 - Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 12 Christened: Died: 17 Apr 1932 Buried: - Amity-Mt. Irwin Cemetery, Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 6Spouse: Stella Coleman (1867-1944) 12 13 Marr: 15 Oct 1890 12
4 F Zonie Elemine Sterrett 14 15
Born: 2 Jan 1867 Christened: Died: 27 May 1904 - Cranberry Twp, Venango Co, PA 16 Buried: - Amity-Mt. Irwin Cemetery, Irwin Twp, Venango Co, PA 17Spouse: Sherman R. Smith (1865-1935) 14 18 Marr: 1885 19
5 F Sarah "Sadie" Sterrett 5 7
Born: Christened: Died: Aft 1919 Buried:Spouse: Wilbur Montgomery Yard (Abt 1859/1860-Abt 1937) 7 20 21 Marr: Jul 1889 - ? Venango Co, PA
General Notes: Husband - Robert Montgomery Sterrett
The area where he was born was later made a part of Lawrence County, PA.
He was in his eighth year when the family came to Venango County, Pennsylvania, settling in Irwin Township. He was young when his parents died, and his early years were filled with struggle and toil, but he was not easily daunted, and the larger responsibilities of his later life were carried cheerfully after the trials of youthful experience were over. He learned the trade of tanner, serving his apprenticeship with Abner Gibson, of Wilmington Township, Mercer County, and after the completion of his time followed the business for two years longer. Then he leased land in Irwin Township, part of the tract where he ever afterward made his home, and as soon as possible purchased it, this forming the nucleus of his beautiful home place of 360 acres, acquired by subsequent additions as his means permitted. During the first part of his residence there, while he was striving to get enough acreage cleared to make farming profitable, he would get work winters in the lumber woods, and in the spring ran rafts on the Allegheny, usually he had to walk back from Pittsburgh, and after making a trip he often went on almost without any rest at home to the upper waters near Tionesta, Forest County, where another raft awaited him. On one occasion he walked from his home as far as Wheeling, Virginia, to overtake a former employer who was reported as leaving, in order to secure wages due him, and as he obtained the money he made the return trip, also on foot, with a very light heart. He was eminently progressive, and naturally when oil was discovered in the county he was anxious to prospect, commencing in 1860, though at the time he had little capital to invest in anything but his agricultural interests. In addition to his home property he became the owner of 106 acres of land in Cranberry Township, and he drilled quite a number of wells there, finding a number of productive spots. For several years he also had oil interests in Armstrong and Clarion counties, and it was in this business that he made most of his fortune, though he followed farming extensively and met with large prosperity in that line. He made a specialty of the breeding of Clydesdale horses, and of the better grades of sheep and cattle, and in connection purchased large quantities of wool.
Mr. Sterrett had sound ideas on public questions, and he served very ably as county commissioner for one term elected in 1881 on the Republican ticket. It was during his incumbency that the principal bridges across French creek were erected. In township affairs he was active chiefly in behalf of good schools, and it was due in great measure to his influence that many of the brick schoolhouses were provided for and built. In fact, he stood for betterment in all things, in the material development of his locality and in the higher matters affecting social conditions, regarding nothing as too trivial for his attention. When he saw a steam thresher in operation at the Mercer Fair he induced the owner to bring it to his place, and it was the first used in this vicinity. His encouragement and patronage made many improvements possible for his neighbors as well as himself. All his life he was active in the Amity Presbyterian Church, which he served as a member of the session for thirty-two years, until his death, and it was he who took the first steps to incorporate the Mount Irwin cemetery at that church, in 1887, becoming president and retaining an official relation to the organization up to the time of his decease. The proceeds from lot sales were diverted to the improvement of the burial grounds, and the beautiful cemetery developed from that modest beginning is a credit to the community as well as concrete evidence of his zeal in its promotion. Through his influence also, about forty-five years ago, an organ was installed in the church, though there was considerable opposition to be overcome in the taking of so radical a step, and his liberality of mind took many other opportunities of expression in the course of an unusually long life.
In 1878 Mr. Sterrett erected, on his home place in Irwin Township, the beautiful home which was then, as now [1919], one of the most notable in Venango County. The brick used in its construction was made on the place, three kilns having been burned, as the first lot intended for the house was called for and sold for building purposes at Bullion, then a booming oil town, six miles distant. Mr. Sterrett lived to enjoy his fine home for many years. He enjoyed extending its hospitality to his many friends, and kept up the agreeable associations of a large acquaintanceship to the end of his days. [CAB, 595]
General Notes: Wife - Mary Ann Karns
from Worth Twp, Mercer Co, PA
1 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1106.
2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 595, 678.
3 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 963.
4 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 595.
5 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 596.
6 Venango County Historical Society, Venango County Pennsylvania Cemetery Records and Early Church Histories, Vol. 1, Irwin, Mineral, & Victory Townships (Franklin, PA: Venango County Historical Society, 1992), Pg 37.
7 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 964.
8 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 596, 678.
9 Venango County Historical Society, Venango County Pennsylvania Cemetery Records and Early Church Histories, Vol. 1, Irwin, Mineral, & Victory Townships (Franklin, PA: Venango County Historical Society, 1992), Pg 33.
10 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 596, 677.
11 Venango County Historical Society, Venango County Pennsylvania Cemetery Records and Early Church Histories, Vol. 1, Irwin, Mineral, & Victory Townships (Franklin, PA: Venango County Historical Society, 1992), Pg 36.
12 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 597.
13 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1022.
14 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 964, 966.
15 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 596, 881.
16 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 881.
17 Venango County Historical Society, Venango County Pennsylvania Cemetery Records and Early Church Histories, Vol. 1, Irwin, Mineral, & Victory Townships (Franklin, PA: Venango County Historical Society, 1992), Pg 35.
18 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 880.
19 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 966.
20 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 596, 638.
21
Nancy Byers Romig, Descendants of Rev. Johan Theodor Hofius (Export, PA: Self-published, July, 1997), Pg 37.
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