BIO: Mrs. Laura N. SANKEY, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 386 & 389.
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  MRS. LAURA N. SANKEY, who resides in great comfort on her valuable farm of 
180 acres, situated in Goshen township, Clearfield county, Pa., came to this 
place with her late husband some fifty years ago.  Mrs. Sankey was born in 
Lawrence township, Clearfield county, Pa., two miles east of Clearfield, and is 
a daughter of Henry and Mary (Ogden) Irwin, and the widow of John Sankey.
  Henry Irwin was of Irish parentage but his birth took place in Lawrence 
township, Clearfield county, where his life was spent, his death occurring in 
1890.  For many years he was a representative man in his neighborhood and he 
and wife were well known and highly regarded people and were leading members of 
the Presbyterian church.  They were parents of three sons and eight daughters 
and one son and three daughters still survive.
  Laura N. Irwin grew to womanhood on her father's farm and was instructed in 
all housewifely arts by a careful and capable mother.  She obtained her 
education in the Wolf Run school in Lawrence township.  In December, 1854, she 
was married to John Sankey, who was born in Center county, Pa., and died in 
1893, in Goshen township, Clearfield county.  His father was William Sankey, an 
old resident of Center county and John Sankey worked on the home farm and then 
learned the blacksmith's trade.  After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Sankey resided at 
Shawville for six years, where he worked at the blacksmith's trade, and then 
bought the present farm, of Abraham Leonard.  Mr. Sankey almost completed the 
clearing of this land and engaged in farming to some degree, but gave the 
larger part of his time to blacksmith work, erecting his own shop on his farm.  
He was a quiet, reliable, home-loving man and was respected by his neighbors 
and by all who had business dealings with him.  At the time of his death he was 
sixty-one years of age.  He was a consistent member of the Goshen Methodist 
Episcopal church and his burial was in the cemetery attached to this church.  
In politics he was a Republican and he took an intelligent interest in the 
public affairs of his community and at times served efficiently in public 
office.  He was a charter member of the Goshen Grange.
  To Mr. and Mrs. Sankey the following children were born:  Mary L., who is the 
wife of William Lansberry, of Goshen township; William Henry, who died in 
infancy; John Wesley and Ira B., both of whom also died in infancy; Elva Lucy, 
who is the wife of Charles Hall, of West Newton, Pa.; Lillie Maude, who is the 
wife of Irwin Passmore, living in California; U. S. Grant, who lives in Goshen 
township, married Anna Morrison; Annie L., who is now deceased, was the wife of 
Harry Shirey; Myron L., who is the wife of John Lynch, of DuBois, Pa.; Stella 
Belle, who resides at Colton, Calif.; Burton G., who is a resident of 
Clearfield, married Estella Read; and Samuel Irwin, in business at Clearfield, 
who married a Miss Hockenberry.  Mrs. Sankey is a member of the local Bell 
Telephone Company, belongs to and takes part in the social life of the Goshen 
Grange and is a charter member of the Goshen Methodist Episcopal church.