BIO: Winfield Scott HUYETT, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 214, 217.
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  WINFIELD SCOTT HUYETT, farmer, of Porter township, Huntingdon county, 
is a son of John and Anna C. (Harnish) Huyett. His great-grandfather, 
Louis Huyet (so the name was originally spelled), was born in France, 
where it is supposed he grew to manhood. On account of religious 
persecution, he emigrated to Germany, and thence to America. First he 
settled in Washington county, Md., where he farmed and accumulated a 
considerable amount of land; he died in that county. John Huyett, son 
of Louis, succeeded to his property, and grew to manhood on the home 
farm in Maryland. In 1795, at the age of eighteen, he came to Harts 
Log, valley, Huntingdon county, to take possession of the land, then 
comparatively a wilderness, which his father had purchased for him 
directly from William and Thomas Penn. Clearing portions of his 
extensive estate, he built a log cabin where "Stone Hall" now stands, 
and close by a large and beautiful spring, which still pours forth in 
abundance its cool, sweet water. About the year 1797, Mr. Huyett 
married Elizabeth Grove, who with her brother, Jacob Grove, had lately 
come from Lancaster county, and to the cabin by the spring he took his 
bride of seventeen summers. Their home, though humble, soon became a 
favorite resort for young and old. From Maryland, especially, many 
young cavaliers and maidens came in parties on horseback up through 
what was called the "backwoods of Pennsylvania," ostensibly for sport 
and to visit friends in Huntingdon county, but really to look up homes 
for themselves upon which to settle after they should be wedded. The 
Huyett home was the objective point for most of these happy travelers, 
and tradition says that the cabin was so large that it was never 
completely filled. 
  In 1812 "Stone Hall" was built, and in it Mr. and Mrs. Huyett lived 
until they passed away, he in 1833 and she in 1845. Within its great 
kitchen, spacious halls, and delightful shades, these children grew up: 
Mary, wife of Daniel Neff, of Porter township, both deceased; Daniel, 
never married, died in Ohio; Jacob, married Catharine Piper, both 
deceased; William, who married Miss Grove, went to Missouri, where both 
died; John, father of Winfield Scott; Susan, widow of John Neff, 
residing at Williamsburg, Pa.; Catharine, widow of William Patton, of 
Washington, D. C., two of whose daughters, Mrs. Carrie Hammel and Mrs. 
Dr. Richard, are employed in the Pension Bureau at Washington; Joseph, 
married to Harriet Adams, for many years superintendent of the Insane 
Asylum at Rock Island City, Ill., also a surgeon in the late war.
  Col. John Huyett gained possession of "Stone Hall" and its land after 
his father's death, and, with the exception of three years, 1851 to 
1853, spent at Neffs Mills, passed all his days at "Stone Hall." His 
scholastic training was only that of the public schools; but, thanks to 
the habit of reading, and a good memory, he obtained such an education 
as fitted him for any position. Except during his residence at Neffs 
Mills, when the farm was leased, he always gave it personal attention. 
During the years spent in West township, he was engaged in constructing 
a railroad. He also had an interest in certain steam saw-mills, on the 
Raystown branch of the Juniata river, and at Fostoria (the first steam 
saw-mills in the county), which supplied in large quantities timber for 
constructing canals and railroads. These enterprises were not always a 
financial success; sometimes the contractors were heavy losers. His 
last venture was in the construction of the West Pa. R. R., now a 
division of the P. R. R. The firm of Huyett & Seeds, one of the 
heaviest contractors, became insolvent. The contractors lost heavily, 
the Colonel himself losing over $80,000. After this he returned to the 
farm; he was very progressive, and about 1847 was the first to 
introduce grain reapers into his part of the State. The Colonel was a 
Whig, and joined the Republican party at its organization. He has 
filled most of the township offices, and at one time was a candidate 
for the lower house of the State legislature. On March 25, 1834, he 
married Anna C., daughter of Samuel and Susanna (Keller) Harnish. Their 
children were: (1) Samuel Lewis, born November 12, 1836, who, 1849 to 
1851, attended school at Williamsport, and who served as book-keeper 
for Huyett & Seeds, 1853 to 1856. In 1861 he entered the army as 
captain of Company D, One Hundred and Tenth Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, but resigned in December, 1862. During the last four years 
of the war he served consecutively as captain of Companies F and A, of 
the Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. During these four years, "Toby," a 
fine black horse from his father's stables was his inseparable 
companion. This noble animal carried him through many a hot skirmish, 
and after traveling over much of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, 
Alabama, Louisiana and Texas, now lies in one of the lower bayous of 
the Mississippi river. After the war, the Captain, with four companies 
of the regiment, was retained in government service in Texas. Returning 
home in the latter part of 1866, he married Miss Vanetta L. Russell and 
has one child, Paul Burton. For twenty-one years he was in the service 
of the P. R. R. Company, running their store at Altoona. He is now in 
the employ of the Phoenix Oil Company, of Cleveland, traveling most of 
the time through the south; (2) Caroline, born March 17, 1838, first 
married to Reuben Oaks, whose children were Mary A. and William, 
deceased, and now the wife of William A. Whittaker, of Porter township, 
whose children are: Frederick O.; Wilbur Huyett; Mabel Clare, deceased; 
and Ralph R.; (#) William H., born February 14, 1839, and died seven 
days later; ($) Elizabeth H., born December 30, 1840, who is the wife 
of Rev. A. C. George, a minister of the Reformed church, now of 
Childsville, Bedford county, and the mother of one child, Anna Bessie; 
(5) Susan, born October 22, 1844, wife of Dr. J. A. Rohrer, of Altoona, 
Pa., whose children are: Frank A., deceased; Fannie H.; Carrie Maude; 
Harry, deceased; Mary; Ralph; and Anna B.; (6) Mary, born November 28, 
1845, died December 11 of the same year; (7) Frances N., born August 4, 
1847, married to Benjamin Beck, of Chewsville, Washington county, Md., 
whose children are: Carrie H.; Maude, deceased; Alice M.; and Annie E.; 
(8) Winfield Scott; (9) Alice M., wife of Jacob C. Neff, of Porter 
township, and mother of Blanche H.; Mabel H.; Fanny R.; Guy M.; and 
Maude B.; (10) John S., born February 2, 1857, married to Lydia M. 
Stryker, and living on a farm in Porter township; (11) William R., born 
April 3, 1864, and died at Alexandria, Pa.   
  Winfield Scott Huyett was educated in the common schools of Porter 
township, and was a student at Mercersburg College in 1868 and 1869. 
After completing his studies he began farming at home, and at his 
father's death, which occurred March 12, 1882, obtained possession of 
"Stone Hall." He married, December 24, 1872, Miss Laura E. Neff. Their 
children are: Charles A., born October 11, 1874, taught three terms, 
then prepared at Mercersburg Academy, and entered Franklin and Marshall 
College in September, 1896, to study for the ministry; Harry A., who 
died when four years old; Mary, born July 31, 1878, now at home; Anna, 
born April 11, 1884; Norman, born October 4, 1886; and Ella, born 
November 16, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Huyett began housekeeping on the old 
homestead, where they lived two years; then they resided eight or nine 
years on a farm owned by his father above the homestead; at the end of 
that time he purchased the homestead from his mother and has cultivated 
it ever since. The farm now consists of about 145 acres. Mr. Huyett is 
an ardent Republican and takes an active part it politics. He has 
served on the school board for more that twelve years, also as 
assessor, judge of elections, supervisor - in fact, he has filled every 
office in the gift of the people of that town-township. He is a member 
of the Reformed church at Alexandria, of which he has been a trustee 
for several years. He is one of the most influential and useful 
citizens of the township.