John H. Veazey

REV. JOHN H. VEAZEY, A. M., a clergyman of the Presbyterian Church who has been identified with mission work pertaining to that body for many years, now occupies the position of financial agent and registrar of Westminster College, at New Wilmington. Dr. Veazey was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1843, and is a son of Elisha and Eliza (Reed) Veazey.

Elisha Veazey, father of Dr. Veazey, was a son of Elijah Veazey, who came from Baltimore, Md., as early as 1775 and settled in Western Pennsylvania.

John H. Veazey secured his early education in the schools of Beaver County, going from there to Henryville, Ind., in early manhood. From that point he enlisted for service in the War of the Rebellion, entering the Federal Army in Company D, Forty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served through three years of the war, being attached to the Army of the Cumberland. Although he escaped all serious injury, at the battle of Champion Hills he came near death, a bullet passing through his garments. He saw much hard service, participating in the Red River campaign, the engagements in Kentucky, the battle at Arkansas Post, the bombardment of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and Black River Bridge, two charges at Vicksburg, the campaign in Texas, under General Canby and the Red River expedition. At the close of his term of enlistment he was honorably discharged, having been a faithful and efficient soldier, and was mustered out at Indianapolis, Ind.

Dr. Veazey resided during the next year at Waterloo, Ind., after which he returned to Beaver County and engaged in teaching, becoming principal of the Clinton High School and the Frankfort Academy. He pursued a higher course of study and received his degree of A. M. from Muskingum College, and spent four years at the Allegheny Theological Seminary. After this he was licensed by the Frankfort Presbytery and served the charge at Emsworth, Pa., for seven years. From there he went to Chase City, Va., where he took charge of the Thyne Institute and devoted ten years to the upbuilding of that institution. For one year he served as Home Missionary in Kansas, and for seven years was a member of the Board of Home Missions for America. Dr. Veazey then located at New Wilmington in order to afford his children superior educational advantages, accepting his present responsible position with Westminster College.

On June 16, 1876, Dr. Veazey was married, at Murdockville, to Miss Martha A. Armor, who is a daughter of John and Maria (Culley) Armor, and they have four sons, namely: John A., who is a teacher in the department of physics in Lehigh University; William R., who is a teacher of chemistry in the Case School of Science, at Cleveland, and James M. and Ralph C., both of whom are students at Westminster College, the latter giving particular attention to music.