The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-29
MORE INFORMATION SECURED
ON PARENTAGE OF THE
STANDARD OIL MAGNATE.
Interest Has Been Awakened In the
Rockefeller Family In WASH
inston County, Pennsylvania

has been awakened in Pennsylvania
by the presentation of the portrait
of Nathan Rockefeller of this county
to the Washington County Historical
society. Nathan Rockefeller was
brother of Samuel Rockefeller, grand
father of John D. Rockefeller of the
Standard Oil fame. The records of
the Rockefeller family are in possess
sion of Jacob Large Hockey, superin-
tendent of the children's home of
Washington county, who presents the
portrait. This information and fami-
ly tradition does not agree in all re-
spects with the information furnished
by Ida Tarbell, the author of the his
tory Of Standard Oil and tne character
sketch of John D. Rockefeller. The
historical records go back further than
the history given by Miss Tarbell
Mr.. Hockey, who presents the por-
trait of his grandfather to the histor-
residents Of Washington county. When
he became of age he dropped the "fel-
ler' and called himself Hockey. There
are many in this county who claim to
be direct descendants of the Rookie
Teller family. The presentation of the
Rockefeller portrait brings to the at
tention many facts and traditions.
Settled at Braddock.
The great-grandfather of Jacob l..
Hockey was Peter Rockefeller, a Hol-
lander, who is also the great-grand-
father of John D. Rockefeller. He
came from New York at the close of
the eighteenth century and located at
Braddock's field, now Braddock. Peter
Rockefeller married Abigail Large,
Samuel, Nathan and William. Peter,
according to the traditions of the fam
lily, was murdered early in the last
century and his widow afterward
married a Mr.. Lovejoy, by whom she
had one daughter.
The children Of Peter Rockefeller
were raised by their grandfather
Large. Samuel, the oldest brother,
was for many years captain on a
boat on the Ohio river. Family traii-
ton has it that he was a very strong
man, one of whose capital exploits was
to lift barrel of whiskey and drink
out of the bunghole. His physical
construction was most remarkable.
His ribs were SO grown together as
to make a solid bone. He mad four
nipples, double elbows and two caps
On each knee. William Rockefeller,
the youngest son of old Peter Rookie
Teller, located near Portsmouth, Ohio.
Nathan Rockefeller came to Washing
ton county and located on what is
now the Moniger homestead, near
Houston, about five miles from Wash
ington. He married Rachel Marthen
of Canonsburg, with whose uncle,
Robert Martnen, Rockefeller learned
the fulling business. He worked for
some time at Amity, Washington
county, and afterwards purchased
about 800 acres of land in the south
western part of the county. He was
born in 1888 and died in West Finley
township in 1859. He was appointed
justice Of the peace by Governor
Ritner and served twenty years.
Spelled Name "RockefelIer."
The deeds to him and those from
him to others are all spelled with the
name of Rockefeller. His commission
as justice of the peace, his will, and
inscription on his tombstone at West
Finley all follow the same spelling.
the grandchildren dropped the last
two syllables and adopted the name
of Hockey. Jacob Large Rockey, who
has the picture of his grandfather in
his possession, and with whom he
lived for many years, was "a years
old when his grandfather died.
Nathan Rockefeller, the Washington
county part of the family, was a pow
erful man. He was six feet three
inches tall and we'll proportional. He
was man of education and had the
most complete library in that section
of the county. At the time of his death
it was said that it required a four.
horse team to haul away the books
Rockefeller had accumulated. He was
a great student of Shakespeare and
could quote whole acts from this au-
thor and from many others as we'll.
AS a financier Nathan Rockefeller had
those qualifications which are charac-
teristic of the great Standard Oil mag
nate. During his life he gave a farm
to each of his children and left fort
une Of over $4,000 when he died-a
large sum in those days. He took a