My Genealogy Hound

JOHN R. CRIBBS, merchant, Verona, was born in Livermore, Westmoreland county, in 1830, and is the son of John and Sarah Cribbs, of German ancestry. His mother died before he was ten years old, and at nine years he was employed as driver on the Pennsylvania canal, during the summer, and worked for his board among the farmers during the winter. When seventeen years of age he began mining ore in Clarion county by contract, and also did something at blacksmithing, often spending the hours between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. at the anvil. When petroleum was discovered in Venango county, he operated wells successfully at Walnut Bend, and in 1861 moved to Oil City, where he dealt in oil territory. During eleven months he made $240,000 in cash, but continued to invest in lands, and lost very heavily when values fell off. Since then he has twice moved to Illinois, and back; and held large tracts in Tennessee and Missouri. He is now the owner of a finely improved farm of 242 acres near Iola, Kan., and oil-lands in Meigs county, Ohio. After keeping hotel four years at Johnstown, Penn township, he built, in 1873, the fine store in which he does business in Verona, and moved his family to the apartments above. He carried a general merchandise stock valued at $10,000, and lumber, stone and builders’ supplies of half as much. Besides the store he built five houses, part of which he still owns. He also owns a dry goods, notion and men’s furnishing store in Ft. Scott, Kan., valued at $9,000. Mr. Cribbs is a republican, has been a member of the school board and has spent several terms in the borough council as chairman of the finance committee. In 1849 he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Mayse (of Irish parentage), born in Clarion county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Cribbs are Sarah Jane (Needham), Elizabeth (Moore), Oliver L., Eva (Simpson), Fielding D., Hyatt M., Cora V. and Walter T. Two died in infancy.