BIOS: Joseph OLDHAM, Shade Township, Somerset County, PA 

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth

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History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pa.; Bedford County by E. Howard 
Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub.: The Lewis 
Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 410-11.

Joseph Oldham, of Shade township, Somerset county, is a great-grandson of Thomas 
Oldham, who came from England in 1768 and settled in Philadelphia, subsequently 
moving to Adams county.  He married a Blackburn and their family consisted of 
three children: William, mentioned at length hereinfter; Thomas, born in 1782, 
married ______ McCreary; anad Alice, born in 1784, wife of Aaron Frazier. 
William Oldham, son of Thomas and ______ (Blackburn) Oldham, was born in 1781 in 
Adams county, and in 1825 moved from Bedford county to Shade township, where he 
purchased two hundred and fifty acres of land at fifty cents an acre, paying for 
it by hunting wolves.  He was an expert hunter, once shooting seven wolves in 
one day.  After killing six he took a torch, went into the den, drove out the 
seventh and shot it.  Mr. Oldham, assisted by a neighbor, once killed nine deer 
in one day.  On one occasion he saw a large black bear in the woods, and, 
creeping within ten rods of it, leveled his rifle and fired.  The bear ran 
directly toward the hunter, going several rods behind him, and then, turning 
sharply round, came toward him.  Mr. Oldham began to climb a tree, the bear 
pursuing, and just as he reached the tree dropping dead, to the great relief of 
the hunter.
The first sawmill in Somerset county was built by Mr. Oldham in 1833.  He did 
all the work with a broadax, using no sawed timber or boards in its 
construction.  Thenceforth he engaged in the lumber business.  He also built a 
gristmill, and in 1840 erected the Rockingham furnace, the second in the 
township.  It was not, however, a success, and he returned to farming and 
lumbering for the remainder of his life.  He was a Democrat and a member of the 
Society of Friends.
Mr. Oldham married, about 1806, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Calathan, and 
their children were: 1. Thomas, born about 1810, married Elizabeth Bone and had 
five children.  2. Rebecca, born in 1812, wife of John Elison [sic], had six 
children, one of whom, John, died in the army in 1860.  3. Polly, born in 1816, 
wife of Charles Wilson, had four children, one of whom, ______ Heninger, had 
seven children.  6. Hettie, born in 1820, wife of William Cardif, had six 
children.  7. William, mentioned at length hereinafter.  8. Elizabeth, twin to 
William born September 9, 1822, wife of Nathan Miller, had six children.  9. 
John, born in 1824, married ______ McGrew had six children.  10. Jethro, born in 
1826, married Sarah Barder [sic], had four children.  The death of Mr. Oldham 
occurred in 1854.
William Oldham, son of William and Elizabeth (Calathan) Oldham, was born 
September 9, 1822, in Napier township, Bedford county, and settled on the farm 
he now occupies.  He served two terms as supervisor of the township.  He is a 
Democrat and an orthodox member of the Society of Friends.  Mr. Oldham married, 
April 12, 1847, Mary, daughter of Samuel Berkebile, and they were the parents of 
the following children: 1. Emily, born April 12, 1849, wife of Jacob Hight 
[sic].  2. Joseph, mentioned at length hereinafter.  3. Nathan, born April 7, 
1852, married Clara Kuhns, had one child.  4. Marian, born November 25, 1853, 
wife of ______ Crum, had eight children.  5. Harrison, born April 7, 1855, 
married Hannah Rodgers, had six children.  6. Rebecca, born March 15, 1857, wife 
of George Laton, has two children. 
Joseph Oldham, son of William and Mary (Berkebile) Oldham, was born September 2, 
1850, and is a farmer, living on and owning the old homestead.  He is a Democrat 
and a member of the Christian church.  Mr. Oldham married a daughter of ______ 
Berkebile and the following are their children: 1. William E., born January 16, 
1876, mrried Lizzie Herthrew, has three children.  2. Alda, born June 13, 1878, 
wife of Harris Lambert, has two children.  3. Frank J., born October 28, 188?, 
married Jennie Smith, has one child.  4. J. Hite, born February 21, 1883.  5. 
Harold A., born May 28, 1884.  6. George C., born July 17, 1889.

[Transcriber's note:
I will fill in some of these blanks for this bio. since they are some of 'my 
gang' and the info. is at my fingertips - this info. is not part of the 
published biography.
Para. 1: Thomas Oldham, who came from England, married Rebecca Blackburn. 
Thomas, born in 1782, married Hannah McCreary.
Para. 2: William...son of Thomas and Rebecca (Blackburn) Oldham...
Para 4: Rebecca...1812..wife of John Allison... John, 1824...married Elizabeth 
Rebecca McGrew... Jethro...1826..married Sarah Border
Para 5: Emily...born...1849...wife of Jacob A. Hite... I show the 'Marian, born 
1853' as Miriam, wife of Jesse Crum.
Para 6: Joseph Oldham...1850...married Minerva Berkebile]