Husband Maj. Ezekiel Sankey, Jr. 1 2 3
Born: 3 Oct 1807 - Union Twp, Lawrence Co, PA 1 4
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Father: Maj. Ezekiel Sankey, Sr. (1772-1813/1813) 1 5 6 7
Mother: Jane Cubbison (1767- ) 1 4
Marriage: 9 Feb 1832 1 8 9
Other Spouse: Rhoda Ann Powers (1824- ) 8 10 - 15 Oct 1862 8 10
Wife Sarah Skinner Jones 1 9 11
Born: 31 May 1811 9
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Died: 11 Sep 1861 10
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Father: Isaac O. Jones ( - ) 8
Mother: Elizabeth Lamb ( - ) 9
Children
1 F Minerva Seely Sankey 1 8 9
Born: 31 May 1833 1
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Died: 22 Jun 1873 1
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2 M Charles Carroll Sankey 1 9 12
Born: 10 Aug 1835 - New Castle Twp, Lawrence Co, PA 1 9 12
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Spouse: Margaret Ellen McConahy (1840-1880) 10 12 13
Marr: 2 Jan 1862 10 13
Spouse: Lavinna Montgomery ( - ) 13
3 M Eben Blackley Sankey 1 8 9
Born: 1 Jul 1837 1
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Spouse: Julia Woodward ( - ) 10
4 F Elena Laura Sankey 1 8 9
Born: 14 Feb 1840 1
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Died:
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Spouse: William McDonald ( - ) 1 8
5 F Rebecca Elizabeth Sankey 8 9 14
Born: 29 Dec 1841 10
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Spouse: Thomas H. Falls (1839- ) 15 16 17
Marr: 5 May 1864 14
6 M Henry Clay Sankey 8 9 10
Born: 3 Dec 1843 10
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7 M James Power Sankey 8 9 10
Born: 3 Dec 1846 10
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Died:
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Spouse: Eliza C. Reis ( - ) 10
Marr: 16 Sep 1869 10
8 M William Johnson Sankey 8 9 10
Born: 29 Jun 1848 10
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9 M Lawrence Sankey 8 9 10
Born: 1 Mar 1852 10
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Status: Twin
10 F Kate Sankey 8 9 10
Born: 1 Mar 1852 10
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Status: Twin
General Notes: Husband - Maj. Ezekiel Sankey, Jr.
He was born on his father's farm at Western Reserve Harbor, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The death of his father, when young Sankey was not quite six years of age, left his mother in the care of a family of nine children, most of them quite young. This event, together with the fact that the county was new and thinly settled, rendered it impossible for her to give her family any advantages of education, save those of a very limited scope. With the exception of a short time in the pottery business, he passed his boyhood and youth in farm labor. At the age of about sixteen he engaged to work on the farm of Samuel McCleary, near New Castle, at six dollars a month, and took his pay in such store trade as he needed. Here he remained about three years. At nineteen, he was apprenticed to Nathaniel McElevey, in the shoemaker's trade, which business he followed for some five years. He then was employed for about three years in driving stock for John B. Pearson, a large stock dealer of New Castle; and subsequently carried on this business for himself for a period of years. Within this time he was also for awhile engaged in boating between New Castle and Beaver, and in 1834 ran the first canal boat, the "Alpha," that plied between these places. On many occasions he made a round trip of fifty miles in the then remarkable brief space of twelve hours. In 1835, he erected the first warehouse built in New Castle; it stood on the site of Henderson's store building, in the rear of Ewer's store.
In 1835, Mr. Sankey was elected Major of a volunteer battalion of Mercer County, and served seven years.
The United States Bank in Philadelphia, upon its failure in 1841 or '42, made an assignment to James Dundass and others, and Mr. Sankey was appointed agent, with full power to adjust the claims of the bank against numerous citizens of Mercer County. This work of compromise he accomplished to the entire satisfaction of both parties, while at the same time he effected a far more favorable settlement for the citizens interested, than could have possibly been secured by any other means.
Mr. Sankey also engaged as contractor on the public works of several states, among which were the New York and Erie railroad, the Pennsylvania railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and the Sandy and Beaver canal, in Ohio. He subsequently figured prominently in projecting the Pittsburgh and Erie railroad, and with others was largely instrumental in the construction of this great thoroughfare.
In 1852 Mr. Sankey became one of the incorporators of the "Greenwood Cemetery." He was, indeed, the father of this enterprise, and previous to the above named date, owned the ground later occupied by the cemetery.
About the year 1853, there existed an organization known as the "Nicholson Run and Pine Swamp Coal Company," whose charter gave them the power to build a railroad from Darlington to New Castle, but which involved the objectionable feature of individual liabilities. In order to secure the building of this road, Major Sankey drew up and secured the granting of a charter changing its name to the "New Castle and Darlington Road," and became instrumental in having the subscription of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, made in July, 1852, to the P. and E. railroad, transferred to the N. C. and D. railroad. He also, by his own personal efforts, secured handsome subscriptions from other sources, among which was $5,000 from the Economy Society.
Under Mr. Sankey as Superintendent, the work was commenced and brought almost to completion, when, owing to a repudiation of the bonds on the part of some disaffected parties, the enterprise was abandoned. In changing the name of the charter, moreover, it was inadvertently omitted to extend the time for the completion of the road, and this fact was taken advantage of by parties in New Castle, who were opposed to the enterprise, and who brought influences to bear upon the Legislature to prevent an extension of time. The success of this road, however, would have resulted in great benefit to Lawrence County, inasmuch as it would have brought the rich kennel and bituminous coal fields of the Darlington district into direct communication with New Castle, and would have saved Lawrence County her subscription of $150,000, made to the P. and E. railroad.
In 1861, Mr. Sankey entered the employ of the United States Government in repairing the railroads that were destroyed by the rebels, and was also sutler to the 9th Pa., V. I.
For a number of years also, he was engaged in merchandising in New Castle, and at one time was proprietor of the old "Mansion House," which stood on the site later occupied by the Leslie House; and in 1863 and 1864, he also conducted the last named hotel. [HLC 1877, 165]
He was born on the family farm at Western Reserve Basin in Union township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and was but six years of age at his father's death, with a brother and sister still younger. With a family of small children dependent upon her efforts, Mrs. Sankey could give them but meager educational advantages. Most of his life was spent on the farm until he was nineteen years of age, when he learned the shoemaker's trade, and followed it five years. He then drove stock a few years for a leading drover of New Castle, at last carrying on the business on his own responsibility, driving his stock across the mountains to the terminus of the nearest railroad, and shipping them from there by rail to Philadelphia. He was also engaged for a time in boating between New Castle and Beaver, commanding the Alpha, which was the first boat to make the trip between the two cities. In 1835, he built the first warehouse in New Castle, and in the same year was elected major of a volunteer battalion of Mercer County militia, and held his commission for seven years. For a long period, he was engaged in railroad building, executing important contracts with the N. Y. & E. R. R., Pennsylvania R. R., the B. & O. R. R., and the Sandusky and Beaver Canal in Ohio. He was a prominent promoter of the Pittsburg & Erie R. R., and for the rest of his life was employed in some capacity on the railroads of western Pennsylvania. He was at times engaged in mercantile pursuits in New Castle, and for a time was the proprietor of the old Mansion House, that once stood on the southwest corner of Mercer and Washington Streets, later the location of the Leslie House. In the early records of New Castle, during the prime of his life, there is no name that stands out so prominent as an interested party in every enterprise that was for the progress, upbuilding and future development of his favorite city. Financial and political plans, as well as social and charitable, all claimed a part of his time and attention, and to every worthy project he gave liberally of his means. In 1838, he was instrumental in establishing the New Castle Female Seminary. It was through his influence to a large degree that Lawrence County was organized in 1849. His efforts and labors with members of the Legislature in securing the passage of the bill which would set off part of Beaver and Mercer Counties and form territory to be organized as a new county, were in the face of the strongest opposition, and proved that in the Legislative lobby he was no mean advocate; this convincing, winning power that he possessed was brought into use many times during the rest of his long and singularly active career. Among the many measures secured mainly by his efforts were the bills to incorporate the New Castle Gas Light Co., the New Castle Opera House Co., and the Bank of New Castle, in all of which companies he was a heavy stockholder. During the war he was active in the engineering department, gladly giving his services wherever he could. Being past the age limit for enlistment, he employed his energies in repairing railroads destroyed by the Confederates, and in destroying railroads over which the rebels received supplies. His talents and energies in this line won for him merited distinction. He was a man of remarkably fine and commanding appearance-one of nature's noblemen. [BOBLC, 195]