USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 24
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 24
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"The point where the Pittsburgh coal bed touches the county five miles from the centre of the Chestnut Ridge anticlinal, and only a mile and a half from the Indiana anticlinal; and the reason why the outspread of the bed westward from the synclinal is here reduced to such narrow limits, is not because of the topog- raphy of the county, but because the southeast dips from the Indiana anticlinal correspond in sharpness to the comparative shortness of the interval over which they are felt. It is diffi- cult to make persons unaccustomed to geologi_
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cal thought appreciate the force and extent of such dips, and the causes sometimes produced by them. That the Pittsburgh coal bed should overshoot the summit of Chestnut Ridge at the Packsaddle by nearly a thousand feet, and that the great sandrock forming the romantic cliffs at Oaks Point should underlie the streets of Blairsville by the same amount of interval= these and many more facts of a similar nature seem so simple as scarcely to require an ex- planation; but for the lack of their proper ap- preciation by property holders much vain and fruitless search has been expended, especially along the flank of Chestnut Ridge, for what cannot possibly be found there.
"The synclinal axis of the Third basin runs under the centre of the town of Blairsville, which, as before stated, is only a mile and a half distant on a direct line from the Indiana anticlinal."
When the western division of the Pennsyl- vania canal was completed to Blairsville, in 1828, it came rapidly into public notice and be- came an important point for shipping. Its prosperity was slightly checked by the abandon- ment of the canal and the opening of the Penn- sylvania railroad to Pittsburgh, but fully revived with the building of the West Pennsylvania railroad. It has retained its position as a lead- ing town of western Pennsylvania by the thrift and energy of its citizens. It contains several handsome churches, a fine graded public school, under the charge of Prof. G. W. Innes, and a large number of industrial establishments.
The Enterprise describes Blairsville as fol- lows: "Surrounded by a rich farming country, the hills underlaid with coal, to be mined by drifting. Blue stone, lime-stone and fire clay in various places. Has adjoining it coke and coal works, and within the borough limits the West Penn Glass works; two brick works (one just outside), foundry and machine shop, two planing mills, woolen mill, two flour and feed mills, and the shops of the West Penn
railroad. Has an excellent system of water works, natural gas, will soon have electric lights. The West Penn and Indiana Branch railroads pass through the town and intersect three miles distant with the Pennsylvania Cen- tral."
The Blairsville Record, the second paper in the county, was established in 1827 by Murray & McFarland, and continued democratic under different managements until 1844, when it was succeeded by the Citizen, which existed for about one year. In May, 1846, Richard B. McCabe and R. B. Woodward started the Apalachian, which advocated "free soil" doc- trines and existed until 1855. In 1858 the Blairsville Record was founded as a democratic paper and supported that party until 1864, when it was discontinued. About 1859 the True American, a republican sheet, was started, but its name was soon changed to that of the Blairsville Journal, which ceased to exist in 1861, On April 27, 1865, the New Era was started, and in 1866 the name was changed to the Blairsville Press, which went out of exist- ence in 1869. In 1880 the Blairsville Enter- prise was founded, and six years later passed into the hands of its present proprietor and editor, Joseph Moorhead, who has labored earnestly and successfully in his work and issues one of the best county papers in the State.
The physicians of Blairsville for sixty years after its founding were : E. P. Emerson, Dr. Sim- mons, Dr.Craighead, Dr. Duffield, R.J. Marshall, Dr. Gillespie, S. P. Brown, John Gilpin, Dr. Andrews, R. M. S. Jackson, Dr. Hammell, Dr. Gemmil, Bishop I. W. Wiley, Dr. McKim, Dr. Fundenberg, M. L. Miller, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Anawalt, T. M. Laney, T. J. Cantwell, F. M. McConnoughey, J. W. Hughes, S. R. Rutlege and L. S. Claggett. Among its present success- ful physicians are Dr. I. P. Klingensmith and Dr. J. B. Carson.
The Blairsville Ladies' seminary was estab-
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lished in 1851 by Rey. George Hill, D.D., with forty pupils. Nearly 2,000 young ladies have attended this school, and its attendance grows larger every year. In 1868 the Blairs- ville academy was founded with normal, clas- sical and business departments.
The first church at Blairsville was the Pres- byterian, which was organized in 1822, and whose present pastor is Rev. George Hill, D.D. The other churches of the borough, with the years of their organization and the names of their present pastors, are as follows: United Presbyterian, 18-, Rev. W. H. McMaster; Baptist, 1824, Rev. D. W. Swigart; Methodist Episcopal, 1824, Rev. T. H. Woodring; S. S. Simon & Jude's Catholic church, 1829, Rev. Francis Brady, and A. M. E. Zion, 18-, Rev. Nelson Davis.
The W. C. T. U. holds two meetings every month.
The present secret society organizations of Blairsville are: Acacia Lodge, No. 355, Free and Accepted Masons; Blairsville Lodge, No. 436, Independent Order of Odd Fellows: Pil- grim Lodge, No. 96, American Order of United Workmen; Finley Patch Post, No. 137, Grand Army of the Republic; Active Lodge, No. 1601, Knights of Honor; Mechanics' Lodge, No. 166, Knights of Honor; Keystone Coun- cil, No. 1, of Pennsylvania, Order of Chosen Friends ; S. S. Simon and Jude's Beneficial So- ciety, No. 351, I. C. B. U .; St. Joseph's Branch, No. 117, E. B. A .; Local Branch, No. 22, Order of the Iron Hall; Local Branch, No. 505, Sisterhood of the Iron Hall; Blairsville Lodge, No. 13, Order of Tonti; Blairsville Council, No. 831, Royal Arcanum; Blairsville Assembly, No. 82, Royal Society of Good Fellows; Bethel Castle, No. 189, Knights of the Golden Eagle; Assembly No. 238, Knights of Labor; Blairsville Council, No. 216, Junior Order of United American Mechanics; Blairsville Conclave, Independent Order of Heptasoplis; Blairsville Lodge, No. 9, Order of Solon; West
Penn Lodge, No. 392, B. of L. F .; Blairsville Lodge, No. 108, B. of L. E .; Graff Lodge, No. 39, Order of Pente; Blairsville Assembly, No. 5, American Fraternal Circle; Washington Camp, No. 535, P. O. S. of A., and Blairsville Lodge, No. 140, Sexennial League.
The burgesses of Blairsville from 1825 to 1875 have been: John Cunningham, 1825; Aaron Devinny, 1827; William G. Davis, 1828; R. B. McCabe, 1829; George Grier, 1830; J. N. Nesbit, 1831; John McCrea, 1832; Daniel H. Barr, 1833; Thomas Boyle, 1834; John Bruce, 1836; Wm. T. Smith, 1837; Samuel Steel, 1838; Moses Culbertson, 1839; Stewart Davis, 1841; A. R. Chapman, 1842; James C. Day, 1844; R. Bartley, 1846; R. H. Woodward, 1847; A. Alters, 1848; John Graff, 1849; Daniel H. Barr, 1850; Robert Bartley, 1851; W. T. Smith, 1852; Edward Dully, 1853; Archibald Davis, 1856; C. C. Davis, 1857; John P. Ford, 1858; Edward Dully, 1859; J. I. Chapman, 1869; John G. Long, 1871; W. G. Triece, 1872.
Blairsville's population at each census from 1830 to 1890 has been: 1830, -; 1840, 990; 1850, 1,137; 1860, 1,009; 1870, 1,054; 1880, 1,162; 1890, 3,113. In 1827 the population was reported, from an actual count, at 500.
Blairsville is noted for its important and rapidly increasing manufacturing industries.
The West Penn glass works, as they are called, lie on the southern borders of the bor- ough, along the West Pennsylvania railroad. They are built entirely of brick. The plant. consists of warehouse, packing room, leer building, blacksmith shop and factory proper. The factory is two stories high and is known among the glass trade as the best arranged and ventilated in the State. It is always cool, although a sixteen-pot furnace is going at white heat continually. The product of the factory is a car-load of bottles per day. The members of the first firm-John T. Birney and Charles E. Barr-were killed in the wreck of a portion
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of the works in the high winds of about a year ago. The factory building was in course of construction and it was feared the storm would blow in the south gable. The managers were overseeing the work of strengthening the wall when it came down with a crash, burying them beneath the ruins. By a strange fate none but the managers of the company were killed. The work was taken up by other hands, however, and about 200 men and boys are now employed in the factory, and they are all residents of Blairsville or neighboring boroughs. It was through the persistent efforts of R. W. Wehrle that the means were raised to procure the ground which was asked for by the company as a con- dition of establishing their works at Blairs- ville.
The Sloan heirs and the West Penn glass company are laying out a number of building lots on the ground between the works and the town, all of which are in the borough limits.
Two very important factors in the develop- ment of the neighborhood have been the Blairs- ville coke-works and the Blairsville brick- works. They are close together on the Indiana railroad, just on the outskirts of Blairsville. Ed. J. Graff is manager of the brick-works and Jacob Graff of the coke-works. The brick works employ twenty-five men and are operated by a forty-five horse-power engine. The clay is near at hand, and an inclined railway brings it to the presses. The capacity of the works is 20,000 bricks per day. The coke-works are turning out a large quantity of coke from twenty-six ovens. The coal is mined from adjacent hills. Another extensive brick- works is that of Isaac Wynn & Son. It is situated near the West Penn railroad in the southern section of the town. Their capacity is also about 20,000 bricks per day. They have recently put in machinery of an improved type.
The hills around the town are rich in deposits of blue stone, which recently has been develop-
ed very extensively. There is none better than the Blairsville blue stone for Belgian blocks and fine building purposes. Wilson's Feldman quarries on the Bolivar branch between Blairs- ville and Bolivar employ 185 men-including laborers and blockmakers. They turn out from 3,500 to 5,000 blocks per day and five car-loads of ballast. Stark Brothers' stone quarry lies just above that of Wilson's. They employ 100 men and have large railroad contracts to keep their hands busy continually.
The production of coal for shipment to the very best eastern market is another industry in which Blairsville is developing considerable im- portance. The Robert Smith coal mines are about three-fourths of a mile up the Indiana railroad. They employ about fifteen diggers and put out a large quantity of excellent coal. The J. Mckinney Turner mines are adjacent, and their output is about the same. The Thomas Maher coal works, just across the hol- low, employ twenty men and fill four cars daily.
Blairsville rightly lays a claim to the big Isabella furnace, although it is across the bor- ders of Westmoreland county. The 300 em- ployes of the company buy all their supplies in Blairsville, and are no small contributors to its commercial prosperity. The Isabella coke-works include 240 ovens, capable of producing twenty- two cars of coke per day. They are located at Cokeville.
The immense blue stone quarries of Booth & Flinn at the Intersection, although also in West- moreland county, throw the trade of their many employes to Blairsville, and she claims them as her own. The quarries of Evan Jones, the Pittsburgh contractor, are on the other side of the Intersection, and they also turn many a dollar into the tills of the Blairsville merchants.
Turning from the development of raw ma- terials to their application in the arts and trades, we come first to the foundry and machine shops of C. L. Tittle. They occupy two large build-
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ings on Brown street. His principal line of work is metal supplies for coke ovens and coal mines.
Blairsville has two large planing mills. That of Kennedy & Fair occupies a triangular space just back of the passenger depot and bor- dering upon the West Penn tracks. It is a complete mill, occupying two large buildings and employing fifty men. The planing mill of Harbison & Ferguson, Brownstown, is also an extensive establishment, and a busy one. The woolen mill of John Moorhouse is another in- dustry giving employment to a large number of persons.
. One of the oldest and most important indus- tries of Blairsville is found in the repair shops of the West Penn railway. They give employ- ment to 225 men. Their work is generally in repairs, but occasionally they turn out a new car. The yards surrounding the shops are a mile long, and as wide as the limits of obtain- able space permit. There are six tracks lead- ing to the round-house, and the bridge just above town is being widened so as to allow that number to cross there and thus extend the yards. An appropriation of $35,000 has recently been made for new shops on the West Pennsylvania railroad, and Blairsville has very good pros- pects of getting them. We are indebted for many facts concerning Blairsville to the Enter- prise and Gazette.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
A UGUSTUS M. BALLARD, an enterpris- ing citizen of Blairsville, and junior mem- ber of the well-known firm of Wilcox & Ballard, is a son of Jesse and Lucy (Brown) Ballard, and was born in Pontiac, Michigan, May 12, 1853. His father, Jesse Ballard, was born in Seneca county, New York, Feb- ruary 20, 1822, learned the trade of carpenter,
and in 1838 moved to Pontiac, Michigan, where he established himself as a contractor and builder, and where he still lives-one of the substantial citizens of that city. He is a prominent member of the Congregational church, and an enthusiastic supporter of the Democratic party. He married Lucy Brown, who was born in Canada, in 1826, and is a member of the Baptist church of Pontiac.
Augustus M. Ballard was reared in Pontiac, and after receiving his education in the public schools of that city, learned the trade of carpen- ter and joiner, under his father, for whom he worked for four years. He then accepted a position as a clerk with one of the well-known mercantile firms of Pontiac, with whom he continued some three years. After leaving their employ he entered the office of the P. O. & N. R. R., at Pontiac, as a clerk, which posi- tion he held until 1888, when he came to Blairsville, and in December, 1889, went into partnership with George F. Wilcox, for the purpose of dealing in groceries and queens- ware, under the firm-name of Wilcox & Bal- lard. They are both endowed with energy and perseverance and from their present rapidly increasing trade have every prospect of future patronage and success.
On April 27, 1885, he married Mary Dono- hue, daughter of William Donohue, of Arm- strong county. Their union has been blest with three children, one son and two daughters: Jesse, named in memory of his grandfather ; Alice and Edith.
A. M. Ballard is an energetic member of the Patriotic Order of Sons of America, and of the Junior Order of American Mechanics. In politics, he has been all his life an active worker in the cause of democracy. He is well qualified for mercantile life ; full of energy and ambition, lie has made liis own way in life, overcoming many obstacles in his pathway to success that would have defeated a less determined man. With a keen sense of right-
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dealing, and full of pluck and perseverance, the firm of Wilcox & Ballard is fast advancing to the front rank among the mercantile firms of Blairsville.
J ONAH B. BAUGHMAN, one of the suc- cessful men and a prominent and leading carriage manufacturer of Blairsville, is a son of Seth and Christina (Smith) Bauglıman, and was born at Youngstown, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1848. Seth Baughman was born and reared in Westmore- land county, where he lived until his death, in 1849. He was a cabinet-maker by trade and was successfully engaged in the cabinet-making business at Youngstown for many years. His chairs, which he manufactured in large quanti- ties, had quite a reputation and sold readily. He was a consistent member of the Reformed church, and died in 1849, when the subject of this sketch was an infant. He married Christina Smith, who was born in Westmore- land county, in 1814, and died in 1854, five years after her husband's death. She was a regular attendant and consistent member of the Reformed church.
Jonah B. Baughman was brought to Blairs- ville by his mother when he was three years of age and has made his home there ever since. He attended the public schools and afterwards entered a carriage factory to learn the carriage manufacturing business. After serving an ap- prenticeship of several years, he engaged as a workman with a carriage firm in whose employ he remained until 1873. In that year he en- gaged in business for himself and established his present carriage manufactory, on Campbell street, at Blairsville. It is a large two-story frame building, carefully fitted up with work and paint shops and storage and salesrooms. He manufactures elegant carriages, fine buggies and neat and serviceable vehicles of all kinds which are to be found in a first-class carriage
manufactory. He has a complete repairing de- partment attached to his establishment and gives personal supervision to all work which is repaired. Mr. Baughman is a practical car- riage-maker, employs constantly three ex- perienced workmen and personally inspects all of his work in its various stages of construc- tion.
In 1872 he married Salome Wonder, daugh- ter of Steven Wonder, of Bedford county. To their union have been born eight children, two sons and six daughters : Clara B., Ida B., Mary K., Sarah J., Maggie M., Jesse C., William and Alice C.
He is a republican and has served several terms as a member of the town council. He is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church and one of the thrifty and substantial citizens of Blairsville. He owns his factory and three dwelling-houses besides, some other property. Bereft, at the early age of six years, of both father and mother, he has, unaided, attained to the possession of a good business, and by commendable industry has secured a re- spectable competency.
EDWARD H. BERLIN, a leading and popu- lar photographer of Blairsville, is a son of William and Martha (Jamison) Berlin, and . was born at Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1859. Sol- omon Berlin was a native of Pittsburgh, and died in 1859, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. His son, William Berlin (father), was born in Pittsburgh, in 1819, and was a marble cutter by trade. He opened a marble-yard at Mt. Pleasant and remained at that place until 1867, when he removed to Ludwick borough, adjoining Greensburg, the county-seat of West- moreland county, where he conducted a marble- yard and shop until his death, which occurred in 1878. He was an industrious man, a repub- lican in politics and a member of the Presby-
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terian church. He married Martha Jamison, a daughter of Robert Jamison, a native of Unity township, Westmoreland county, who served in the war of 1812, and who died December 26, 1886, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. The Jamison family is of Irish descent. Mrs. Martha Berlin was a member of the Presbyterian church, and died May 2, 1885, aged sixty-eight years.
Edward H. Berlin was reared principally at Ludwick, where he attended the public schools of that borough. He learned the trade of cigar-maker at Greensburg and worked at cigar- making for several years. He then learned photography with a well-known photographer, M. E. Low, of Greensburg, with whom he re- mained for three years. In 1885 he established himself at Blairsville, where he has acquired a good reputation as a photographer and has secured a large patronage. His fine gallery is eligibly located and is handsomely furnished with an unusually beautiful display of his work as an artistic photographer and a fine line of art goods including engravings, photographs, picture frames, easels and other goods of both a useful and decorative nature.
On September 2, 1885, he married Mary A. Keighley, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Keighley, of Westmoreland county. They have three children : Mary J., Paul E. and Ruth.
He is secretary of the Blairsville Conclave, I. O. Heptasophs, No. 178, and a member of Blairsville Lodge, No. 436, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a democrat politically. Ed- ward H. Berlin has rapidly grown in favor with the public as a photographic artist and as a man who aims to give excellent work at reasonable prices.
ROBERT BLACK, who was a highly re- spected citizen and industrious and com- petent contractor and carpenter, was born in Indiana county, in 1815.
In 1840 he married Sarah Johnston, daugh- ter of William Johnston, a prosperous farmer of Armagh, this county. They moved from Fairfield, Westmoreland county, to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1844, where, in July, 1854, when cholera made its appearance, Mr. and Mrs. Black fell victims to the dread disease. The eldest daughter is Mrs. Mary L. Birkman, widow of Major R. M. Birkman, of Indiana.
TOHN B. CARSON, M.D., a young and ris- ₾ ing physician of Blairsville, and a great- grandson of Capt. Matthew Jack, a Revolu- tionary hero and a prominent actor at the burn- ing of Hannastown, is a son of Dr. Thomas and Jennie S. (Jack) Carson, and was born at Elderton, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, April 18, 1866. The Carson family is of Irish descent, and James Carson (great-grandfather) emigrated from Ireland to America in 1817. He married Catherine Allison, who lived to be over ninety years of age. They had four chil- dren : John, William, Susan, wife of James Dalzell ; and James. The eldest son, John Carson (grandfather), was born in county Fer- managh, Ireland, in 1815, and emigrated from Ireland to America, in 1826, with his uncle, William Carson, and located on the Peter Shep- ler farm in Washington county. In 1846 he removed to Armstrong county, and in 1864 came to White township. He is a Methodist and a democrat. In 1840 he married Hannah Henderson, daughter of William and Margaret (Paul) Henderson, of Westmoreland county. Mr. and Mrs. Carson have seven children, of whom two, Jolin and Thomas, are physicians. Dr. Thomas Carson (father) was born in Deer creek township, Allegheny county, was edu- cated at Elder's Ridge academy, read medicine with Dr. James K. Park, of Cochran's Mill, Pa., and in 1865 was graduated front Jefferson Medical college. He located at Elderton, Arm- strong county, in 1865, and remained there until
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1874, when he went to Hutton station, Pa. In 1875 he came to Saltsburg, where he has re- mained ever since and has an extensive practice. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, the A. O. U. W., the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of Honor. He married Jennie S. Jack, daughter of Samuel Jack, of Westmore- land county, whose father, Capt. Matthew Jack, was a son of Samuel Jack, and served as a captain in the Eighth Pennsylvania regiment of the Continental Line, after which he returned to Westmoreland county and distinguished him- self by his daring and bravery at the burning of Hannastown, in July, 1782.
John B. Carson was reared at Saltsburg and received his literary education in the public schools, Saltsburg academy and Indiana Normal school. He read medicine with his father for ' four years and attended Jefferson Medical col- lege, Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1889. After graduation he practiced for a few months at Niles, Ohio, and then came to Blairsville, where he has remained ever since. He is building up a remarkably good practice for a young phy- sician.
TOHN M. CONNER, an industrious and re- liable citizen of Blairsville and a member of the well-known contracting firm of Kennedy & Fair, was born on the site of Altoona, Blair county, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1851, and is a son of John and Charity (Myers) Conner. The Conners, as the name would indicate, are of Irish descent. John Conner was born near Cherry Tree, this county, and after leaving school engaged in railroading, which he followed with but little interruption till his death. He married Charity Myers, who was born and reared in Blair county. They reared a family of two sons and one daughter.
John M. Conner lost his parents when he was quite young, and was reared in Bedford
county, where he attended the common schools for some time and since then has acquired much information by reading and observation. He learned the trade of carpenter, and came, in 1872, to Black Lick, where he followed carpen- tering up to 1886, when he came to Blairsville. In April, 1890, he became a member of the present carpentering and contracting firni of Kennedy & Fair, whose members are Capt. J. P. Kennedy, W. A. Fair, D. M. Fair and John M. Conner. They are the successors of the late firm of Fair & Kennedy, and deal in all kinds of rough and worked lumber. Their large planing-mill and lumber-yards are near the depot and their trade is extensive and increas- ing. (For a more complete account of their business enterprise, see sketch of Capt. J. P. Kennedy.)
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