GEORGE WASHINGTON CRIBBS, farmer of West Wheatfield township, Indiana county, and formerly also engaged in blacksmithing, is an enterprising and respected citizen of that section and has lived at his present home there for over thirty-five years. He was born April 28, 1840, on the present Joseph McCracken farm in the same township, and is a son of George Cribbs and, grandson of Jacob Cribbs.
Jacob Cribbs settled at an early day in Blacklick township, Indiana Co., Pa., where' he owned a large tract of land. He was a wheelwright by trade and became a noted wagonmaker in his day, in addition following farming and stock raising. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812. In religion he was a Lutheran, belonging to the Evangelical Church, and he was laid to rest in the Lutheran cemetery in Blacklick township. His wife, whose maiden name was Stofenel, was a native of Germany. They had the following children: Jacob was twice married; George is mentioned below; David married Catherine Cribbs; Betsey married John Repine and went West; Mary married William Fair and lived for a time in Blacklick township, later moving to Altoona, Pa., where they died (their children were: Peter, Susan, who married Washington Bell; Mary Jane, who married Jackson Bell; Elizabeth, who married Samuel Doty; Henry, who married a Miss Gilger; Sarah, who married Abe Mikesell; Julia, who married Christopher Mikesell; and William).
George Cribbs, son of Jacob, was born in 1798 in Blacklick township, on his father's farm (now the George H. Cribbs farm), and received his education in the subscription schools. After learning the trade of blacksmith he moved to West Wheatfield township, where he bought the Samuel Waddell farm of ninety acres and settled down to farming and stock raising, also, following his trade. He was a Democrat up to 1852, subsequently joining the Republican party, and took some interest in local affairs, serving as school director. Originally a member of the Lutheran Church, he later joined the M. E. Church, toward which he contributed liberally. He died in 1866, at the age of sixty-eight years.
Mr. Cribbs was married to Jane Barr, who was born in 1800 in Ireland, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Patterson) Barr, and died in 1884. Six children were born to this union, viz.: Jacob married Nancy Boyle and (second Margaret Repine, and had one child by the first wife, George I., and the following by the second marriage, Charles, Jesse, Albert and Ida; Andrew J. B. died while serving in the Civil war as a member of the 2d Iowa Regiment; Peter I., who also served in the 2d Iowa Regiment during the Civil war, married Adaline McBride, and has children, Marcelles Mc., Mary A., Catherine and Joseph; George W. is mentioned below; Christopher M., who served in the 112th Pennsylvania Provisional Regiment, Heavy Artillery, married Margaret Crusan and (second) Catberine Metz, and resides in Blacklick township (his children are Lina, Ralph and Nellie); Mary J. married Joseph D. McCracken, and they had six children, William, Marion, Barr, Edward, Mary Elizabeth and George I.
George Washington Cribbs received a common school education, and learned the trade of blacksmith with his father. Shortly after he attained his majority, on Aug. 5, 1861, he enlistedd in the Union army, becoming member of.,Company A, 83d Pennsylvania Volunteers, with which he served over three years, being honorably discharged in October, 1864. His officers were Capt. Charles Morgan and Capt. D. P. Jones, and Cols. John M. McClane, Strong Vincent and O. S. Woodward. Besides twenty small battles and skirmishes, he saw active service at Yorktown, Meadow Bridge, Hanover Court House, second Bull Run, Braindy Station, Bristoe Station, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, four engagements at Petersburg and two at Yellow House.
From 1864 to 1866 Mr. Cribbs followed blacksmithing at Oil City, thence moving to Heshbon, in Brushvalley township, Indiana county, where he continued to work at his trade until 1875. That year he bought the Palmer farm of 106 acres in West Wheatfield township, and besides cultivating that property he worked at his trade, having a shop opposite his home. He gave up blacksmithing in 1907. Mr. Cribbs has given particular attention to the raising of small fruits, in which he is quite extensively interested, though he follows general farming very successfully. He has done well at his various undertakings, and has also taken part in the administration of public affairs in the township, having served twelve years as justice of the peace, and he also held the office of school director for ten years, and was secretary and treasurer of the board. In 1890 he was census enumerator. He has been a prominent worker in the M. E. Church at Heshbon, serving as trustee and class leader, and was superintendent of the Sunday school. Socially he holds membership in Findley Patch Post, No. 137, G. A. R., of Blairsville, Indiana county.
Mr. Cribbs was married April 20, 1865, to Sarah Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Henry and Sarah Ann (Oaks) Palmer, formerly of Burrell township, this county, and fivc children have been born to them, namely: (1) Harry Albert is a civil engineer by profession, but is now employed as chief clerk of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, at St. Paul, Minn. He married Gertrude Hoskinson, and their children are Ernest, Margaret, Virginia, George and William. (2) William B. 0. is engaged in farming in Shelby County, Ind. He married Eva Limpus, and has children, Edith and Irene. (3) Orrin L., station master for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at, Dunbar, Pa., married Clara Wakefield, and their children are Bertha, Grace, George and Kenneth. (4) Charles Crocker is deceased. (5) Clarence Alexander Scott who works with his brother at Dunbar, Pa. Married Dora Mack and their children are Francis, Mary, Mervin, and Harry Mack.
And this from an earlier Indiana County history...
GEORGE W. CRIBBS was born on the present Joseph McCracken farm, West Wheatfield township, in 1840, and was a son of George and Jane Cribbs. The latter was born in 1800, in Ireland. The former died in 1866, at the age of sixty-eight. He was born on the George H. Cribbs farm, Black-lick township, and was a cousin of Daniel Cribbs, Young township, of whom see sketch. George Cribbs' children were: Jacob, m. first to Nancy Boyle, d., and second to Margaret Repine; A. J. B., d. while a member of the second Iowa; Peter I., m. to Adaline McBride; George W., m. to Elizabeth Palmer; Christopher M., m. to Margaret Crusan; and Mary J., m. to Joseph D. McCracken. Peter I. served in the second Iowa. George W. was in company A, 83d Pennsylvania volunteers about three years. He was in the following battles: Yorktown, Meadow Ridge, Hanover Court House, second Bull Run, Brandy Station, Bristow Station, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, Bethesda Church, Gold Harbor, four battles at Petersburg, two at Yellow House; also in twenty small battles and skirmishes. He served as justice of the peace for twenty years, and school director and secretary of board for three years. His children were: Harry A., W. B. O., Orrin L., Charles Crocker, d., and Clarence Alexander Scott.