Husband Hon. Joseph Gates Dale 1
Born: 15 May 1815 - near Bellefonte, Centre Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died: 1898 1
Buried:
Father: Rev. Joseph Dale (1786-Abt 1814/1816) 2
Mother: Mary Gates (1789-1872) 2
Marriage: 24 Dec 1840 3 4 5
Wife Nancy Agnes Holeman 3 6
Born: 14 Sep 1822 - Holeman's Flats, near Tionesta, Forest Co, PA 4
Christened:
Died: Aft Nov 1912
Buried:
Father: Alexander Holeman (1790-1874) 7 8 9
Mother: Clarissa Sexton (1800-1860/1868) 8 9
Children
1 F Belle M. Dale 3 4
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Col. Jacob H. Dewees ( - ) 3 4
2 F Jennie C. Dale 3 4
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: M. A. Patridge ( - ) 4
3 M John Taylor Dale 3 4
Born: 25 Feb 1849 4
Christened:
Died: Aft 1913
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
4 F Ada V. Dale 3
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1860 3
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
5 M Alexander Holeman Dale 3 4
Born: 11 May 1861 4
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
General Notes: Husband - Hon. Joseph Gates Dale
He was but one year of age when his widowed mother made the journey from Centre County, Pennsylvania, to the home of her father, Thomas Gates, in Venango (now Forest) County. She remained there a few years, then moved to a small improved tract near the mouth of the creek, now known as the Kiser farm. Here the lad spent his boyhood days, becoming familiar with the hardest work and learning all the secrets of the forest and stream. The country at that time was densely covered with timber; even the site of the borough of Tionesta was covered with a thick growth of hickory, walnut and butternut timber. There were no roads, and the only method of travel was by canoe in summer and over the frozen river in winter. Those possessing horses could travel on horseback after trails were broken, and in this way the old doctors traveled to minister to their widely scattered patients. Amid the rudest possible surroundings he grew to manhood, absorbing all knowledge that it was possible to obtain from the early schools. At the age of fifteen he began working in the lumber works, logging, and later rafting the logs to market. He continued lumbering eight years, and at the age of twenty-one years was appointed lieutenant of militia by Governor Ritner. Two years later, in 1838, he used the little capital he had accumulated and opened a small general store, continuing in successful operation as a merchant for seven years. He then sold out, investing his capital in the lumber business, a line of activity he continued during the greater part of his long and active business life. He was one of the prominent lumber men of the region, and later, after the discovery of oil, he became a large producer, opening his first well on the Blood farm, on Oil creek. Later he purchased the Ball farm, near Pithole, paying therefor $105,000. In the balmy days of Pithole he was a director of the Pithole Valley Railroad Company, the only railroad that ever entered that bubble city. From 1865 to 1873 he was the principal owner of a savings bank in Tionesta, and was the leading business man of the village. He was largely instrumental, in connection with his brother John A., in securing the removal of the county seat from Marionville to Tionesta, and gave much time to the public service. He was postmaster of Tionesta for several years under President Lincoln, resigning in 1867. Under President Johnson he held the position of internal revenue collector, and for five years was associate judge of Forest county. In his conduct of public business he used the same cautious energy as in his private affairs, and was a model public official. He was originally a Whig in politics, later a Republican, but at one time united with the Greenback party as a protest against some of the wrongs he felt were being inflicted upon the people. For three years he owned and published the Forest Republican, for many years the only Republican newspaper published in Forest county. He joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1853. He was a most capable man of affairs, of clear judgment, quick insight, and always had the courage of his convictions. His ruling trait was kindliness of heart and many were his benefactions.
During the eighty-two years spent in Forest County he saw the great changes that time wrought, and could feel a just pride in the fact that he bore a man's part in the great development, settlement and upbuilding of a prosperous community. In the winter of 1897 he wrote and published in the Vindicator a history of Tionesta, from which we learn that “Indians were very numerous here at that time along the creek and river, in the summer time, fishing and killing deer. Game of all kinds was plentiful, especially deer, and wolves could be heard howling every night.” These conditions he helped to change, replacing the forest with well cultivated farms and prosperous villages, railroads, churches, schools, banks, and all the comforts of modern life. The many positions of honor and trust he filled were well filled, as on a good public school education he built a world of knowledge gained by a lifetime of study and close observation. His library, comprising hundreds of volumes, was not ornamental, but each volume bore evidence of the devotion of its owner to reading and study. As associate judge he was dignified and just to all. He was held in high esteem by his brethren of the fraternities to which he belonged, and as the last mark of respect they could show, buried him with fraternal ceremonies. He took an active interest in the social life about, and was concerned always in all that tended to the betterment of his town and country. His kindly disposition and open, generous, genial nature endeared him to all, and at his funeral there was a great gathering of all ages and conditions of life. He arranged for his funeral, wishing no display, asked that the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians be read and prayer offered at the house, and that the Odd Fellows have charge of the ceremonies at the cemetery. In religious faith he was a Universalist. [GPHAV, 366]
His paternal grandfather, William Dale, was a Quaker of influence and prominence. [HMEF, 927] But this does not agree with other sources about the history of this family. There is unclarity about the maternal side of this family also, the same source stating that his grandfather on that side was Henry Gates.
General Notes: Wife - Nancy Agnes Holeman
Tionesta, Forest Co, PA