My Genealogy Hound

JAMES LOUDON. Archibald Loudon, printer and publisher, whose history appears above, was married twice. His second wife was Mrs. Hannah Holcomb, formerly of Kentucky, who after the death of her first husband had come to Carlisle with her little children to live near her brother, Dr. Lemuel Gustine.

Archibald and Hannah (Gustine) (Holcomb) Loudon, had two daughters and one son. The son was named James and was born March 9, 1799, in a house which stood on West Main street, where Horn’s drug store now stands. The house was a two-story log structure and was painted white, from which circumstance it was known as “White Hall.” Being the only son, he naturally came into possession of his father’s printing, publishing and drug business. Later he added to his stock books and stationery, and continued in business at that place until he was obliged to retire because of the infirmities of old age. After the death of his father, and the place descended to him, “White Hall” was torn down to make way for a more modern building. “White Hall” had been built in the early days of Carlisle’s existence, when timber in the vicinity was yet abundant, and the logs in it had seasoned to a hardness that was the surprise and comment of all who examined them. The building that took its place was of brick, and the first in Carlisle to have a pressed brick front. The pressed brick were brought from Harrisburg, and the skilled mechanics who laid them were also brought from a distance. The white sand with which the mortar was made was brought from Philadelphia and the bricklayers took special pains to have the walls exactly right, making frequent use of the spirit level and plumb bob. In this building James Loudon for many years kept the only book and stationery store that was in Carlisle. He also did bookbinding, was express agent, and carried on a large and prosperous business. He was active and prominent in the affairs of the town, was a member of the town council, borough treasurer, treasurer to the board of poor directors and upon one occasion was a candidate for county treasurer on the Whig ticket. He was a musician of more than ordinary ability and could play upon nearly every musical instrument he had on sale in his store. Dr. Isaac Snowden, of Hogestown, was married to Margery Loudon, daughter of Archibald Loudon, of Silver Spring township, and with his wife would sometimes visit James Loudon and family. The Doctor was also a good musician and fond of playing upon the flute. Seeing the flutes in the store he would select one, and with James Loudon as accompanist on another flute or a clarionet would make a melody that would resound up and down the street and attract clusters of people about the store door.

James Loudon, on July 21, 1821, was married to Mary C. Maloney, who bore him the following children: Henrietta, Archibald, Anna Maria, Alfred, Isabella, Oberlin, Duffield, William and James. Henrietta married Robert Halbert. She died in Carlisle on Aug. 7, 1900. Archibald died unmarried at Carlisle in 1871. Anna Maria married James Fleming, a druggist, and removed to Alameda, Cal., where both died within three months of each other. Alfred, who was born April 7, 1827, became a machinist and worked in various sections of the country. He never married and is now at the Soldiers’ Home at Hampton, Va. Isabella, born Dec. 13, 1828, married a man named Rippey and is living at Winterset, Iowa. Oberlin, born Dec. 6, 1830, married a lady of Ardmore, near Philadelphia, and is now living at Loomis, Okanogan Co., Washington. Duffield, born Dec. 12, 1832, died at the National Soldiers’ Home, at Dayton, Ohio, on Sept. 10, 1897. William, born Oct. 20, 1833, died June 30, 1844. James died in infancy. Mrs. Mary (Maloney) Loudon died June 23, 1835, at the birth of her last child, James.

On Oct. 6, 1836, James Loudon married for his second wife Elizabeth Ann Loudon, of Raccoon Valley, Perry county, Rev, John Dickey performing the ceremony. Elizabeth Ann Loudon was a daughter of Matthew Loudon, who was a brother of James Loudon’s father, consequently James Loudon and his second wife were first cousins. Matthew Loudon was born in the Raccoon Valley and always lived there. He inherited a large body of land from his father’s estate upon which he had a modest but comfortable home. Although his land was fertile and yielded bountifully, he did not farm much of it. He was the mighty hunter of all that region and preferred roaming through the woods and mountains for game to tilling the soil and reaping crops. When yet a boy of only fourteen years he shot his first bear, and all his lifetime he was noted for being a deadly foe to bears. Deer then were plentiful in that section and in season his table was always well supplied with venison and other game. When he was especially successful in the chase he would provide venison feasts and invite his neighbors and friends to help eat them, and would send quarters of venison around to neighbors who could not attend, or to whom he owed favors.

Matthew Loudon’s wife was dead, and Elizabeth Ann, being his only daughter, it was a great loss to him when she married. He and his only other child, a son, afterward lived with tenants to whom he rented his farm, but he was not contented and whenever he could find it convenient he would come to Carlisle and visit his daughter, generally traveling on horseback. Being a very old man, these long trips were a heavy tax upon his strength, and after one of them he fell sick and died at the home of his daughter in Carlisle. His remains are buried in the Old Graveyard.

By his second marriage James Loudon had issue as follows: Matthew, Mary Matilda, James Augustus, Edward P., Charles Ogilby, William, Thomas C. and William C. Matthew was born May 18, 1838, and is living in Mechanicsburg. Mary Matilda, born in 1840, died in 1891. James Augustus, born March 5, 1843, died Sept. 11, 1861. Edward P., born Dec. 10, 1847, is employed as a clerk at the Pennsylvania railroad depot in Pittsburg. Charles Ogilby, born March 3, 1849, was last heard of sixteen years ago at Pittsburg, when he was on the way to some point in Ohio. William died in infancy. Thomas C., born July 14, 1852, is working as an upholsterer in the Pennsylvania railroad car shops at Altoona. He married a Miss Reed, of Petersburg, Adams county.