BIOGRAPHY: The LUKE Family, Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann 
Olsen. 

Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty 
Mirovich and Sharon Ringler.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 181-2
____________________________________________________________


THE LUKE FAMILY, of which Daniel W. and Dr. John C., of South Fork, are worthy 
scions, is of sturdy Scotch-Irish ancestry and origin. The grandfather of these 
representatives of the family was James Luke, who was born in County Anteroom, 
Ireland. Here he wooed and wedded Miss Mary McClain, a Scotch lady, and near the 
close of the eighteenth century, or shortly after the war for Independence, they 
sought a home in the newly-born republic across the Atlantic. They settled in 
the vicinity of the present town or Armagh, Indiana county, then a dense forest, 
broken at but rare intervals with the clearings of a sturdy pioneer. With 
characteristic industry and energy he set about the task of clearing out a farm 
and the founding of a home, upon which homestead he spent the remainder of his 
days. Coming to this country during the formative period of our government, the 
various theories of government and party principles were hotly discussed, and 
Thomas Jefferson was the political idol of a large following of worshipers, he 
became a staunch democrat, and adhered steadfastly to that party all his life. 
He was a devout Presbyterian, and stood high in Masonic circles.      His 
marriage with Mary McClain resulted in the birth of seven children, all of whom 
are deceased. They were James, who did honorable service for his country in the 
War of 1812, and afterward settled in Black Lick township, this county, where he 
held honorable place among his neighbors, and served as a justice of the peace; 
William, who emigrated to the state of Iowa and followed farming; Elizabeth, who 
married Jacob S. Ambough, who was also a soldier in the War of 1812; John, the 
father of the older members of the family; Daniel W. and Dr. John C., of South 
Fork; George, died young; David, died young; Catherine, and Alexander, who was a 
farmer near the old homestead of the family at Armagh, and with whom Catherine 
lived.
     John Luke (father) was born in Indiana county, and attended the 
subscription schools of the vicinity of Armagh which were noted as being in 
advance of those of other sections of the country at this period. He was 
diligent and industrious in his studies, and secured an equivalent of a good 
common-school education, and for a number of years followed teaching.
     After his marriage, or about 1828, he, with his wife, with no other 
possessions than a strong arm, a stout heart and unyielding courage, removed 
into the virgin forests of Black Lick township, this county, and there founded a 
home and cleared to cultivation one of the finest farms in the township. Prior 
to 1860 he was a democrat, but, upon the issues of that campaign, became a 
republican. His wife died in 1858, fourteen years prior to his death in 1872, 
and he made his home with his children at Riter's Furnace, Indiana County, 
Pennsylvania. In 1871 he was afflicted with a stroke of paralysis, but through 
kind nursing and good medical attention, was supposed to have entirely regained 
his health in 1872, when in August of that year he started afoot for Summerhill, 
to visit his son, Daniel W., who then lived at that place. On account of 
sickness, or some unknown cause, he lost his way and never reached his 
destination. As soon as it became known that he was missing, the alarm was 
given, and hundreds of people scoured the woods diligently searching for him; he 
was not found until twelve days had elapsed, when he was found quietly sleeping 
the sleep that knows no waking on a rude bed of leaves and moss he had hastily 
constructed by a log, only a short distance from his old home.
     His marriage with Charlotte George resulted in the birth of the following 
children: N. G., who, after attending Meadville College, joined Erie conference 
as a Methodist preacher; Mary, widow of the late Philip W. Pringle, of 
Summerhill, this county; James, deceased: Elizabeth deceased, was the wife of 
William C. Ellis, of Iowa; Dr. John C., whose sketch follows; Charlotte, wife of 
Patrick Bremen, of McKean county, this State; Daniel W., whose sketch follows; 
Catherine wife of Hugh Roberts, Jacob, William, and David, deceased.