Arthur Lightowler was born May 10, 1876 in Thornhill, West Yorkshire, England. He was one of four children born to David and Sarah (Braithwaite) Lightowler. He was baptized July 23, 1876 at St. Michael & All Angels in Thornhill.

    In 1881, Arthur's family emigrated from England on the 'City of Chester'. They arrived in New York on May 2, 1881 and soon after came to live in Hackett (Washington County), Pennsylvania.

    On October 18, 1899, Arthur married Emma Celeste Hohn, daughter of Isaac & Theresa Jane "Jennie" (Decker) Hohn. They married in Hackett and had at least fifteen children, ten of them that lived beyond birth/infancy:
 1. David (m1. Sadie Smith, m2. Rose E. Katula)
 2. Hazel May (m1. Florance Smith, m2. Charles Shaw, m3. Jim King)
 3. Alice Mabel (m1. Theodore M. Gasser, m2. Albert Briggs, m3. William B. "Pappy" Biddle)
 4. William (died at age 5 from diphtheria)
 5. Annie (m. Lory Shoaf)
 6. Son (Stillborn, dates and interment unknown)
 7. Arthur Jr (died at 21 days old from spinal malformation)
 8. Elsie Janis (m1. William Phillips, m2. Joe Grass)
 9. Edna Emma Lightowler (m. Harry Lehew)
 10. Fred (died at one month old from pneumonia)
 11. Ada Ruth (m. David Lee Hertzog)
 12. Blanche (m. William Simpson)
 13. George (died at four months old from cholera)
 14. Dorothy (m. Herbert Liebel)
 15. Edward (m. Muriel "Mutsy" Pilgrim)

    Arthur and Emma started their family in the Finleyville area. Arthur worked in the coal mines and at one point was a fire boss (the person responsible for checking the mine for explosive gasses--an extremely dangerous job in the early 1900s!).

    By 1920, the family had moved to West Mifflin. They lived on New England Road in a house which was affectionately dubbed the Lightowler Homestead by family. This is where they continued to have and raise their children, and where some of their children raised children as well.

    Family notes indicate that Arthur had a severe case of dropsy (edema), presumably linked to kidney disease. In his 50s he learned or suspected that he was dying. In the summer of 1931, he traveled back to England, determined to spend his final days there. He lived with his sister Annie during this time. On September 17th, 1931, he collapsed at home and was pronounced dead at Staincliffe Hospital in Dewsbury from Bright's Disease (chronic nephritis). He was buried in Dewsbury Cemetery.

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