THOMAS
VANATTA, farmer, post-office Mercer, was born December 20, 1833,
in Lawrence County, Penn., to John, born June 5, 1803, and Mary
(Crawford) Vanatta, born May 23, 1802. The parents were natives of
Beaver County, and the father was of German and the mother of
Scotch-Irish extraction. They came to Mercer County in 1838 and settled
in Lackawannock Township, where he engaged at his trade, that of a
carpenter. While working on a building he fell and broke three ribs
loose from the backbone, and two in front. He served as a justice of
the peace in Lackawannock Township for five years. He died July 25,
1885, and his wife died June 9, 1865. They were married March 30, 1826,
and were members of the Presbyterian Church. Their children were
Benjamin, died January 17, 1837; Hannah, married Mitchell Roland; Ruth,
married Martin Davis; Thomas, Margaret J., married William Clark; Mary
A., died October 18, 1884; John, and Eliza, married William Ransom. The
father was a Democrat until the breaking out of the war, when he became
a stanch Republican. The subject of this sketch was educated in the
common schools and was brought up at rural pursuits. He began for
himself when twenty-four years of age, at which time he rented the old
home place, where be remained until 1881, when he bought the farm he
now lives on. He was married April 13, 1858, to Elizabeth, daughter of
William and Nancy (Boyd) Clark. Her father was born April 27, 1802, in
Ireland, and came to America when twenty-one years old. Her mother was
born January 14, 1801. Her parents were married in Lawrence County,
September 27, 1832, the result being seven children: Mary, Agnes,
Elizabeth, William, Rebecca, Margaret and Samuel. Her father died
November 18, 1882, and her mother, April 26, 1884, and were members of
the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Vanatta was born May 25, 1835, and has
blessed her consort with eight children: Nancy J., John W., a farmer in
Kansas; Robert, Frank, Maggie E., deceased; Elizabeth A., Sarah E. and
Clara M. Mr. and Mrs. Vanatta and their three oldest daughters are
members of the Cool Spring Presbyterian Church. He is a Republican, and
is one of the honest, upright farmers of Mercer County.
History of Mercer County, 1888, page 993
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