USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 25
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 25
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On September 27, 1876, John M. Conner married Harriet Fair, daughter of James H. Fair, of Black Lick. To their union have been born four children, one son and three daughters : James, Eva, Cora and Dora.
In politics, Mr. Conner is a republican. He is a member of the Blairsville Presbyterian church; Assembly Lodge, No. 82, Royal So- ciety of Good Fellows, and Blairsville Lodge, No. 9, Order of Solon. Industrious and enter- prising, he commenced life without capital, but has worked his way up to a useful position in business and has acquired a competency.
GEORGE W. CREDE, Jr., a prosperous merchant of Blairsville, is a son of George W. and Catherine (Stolz) Crede, and was born in Allegheny city, Pennsylvania, January 28, 1852. His father, George W. Crede, is a native of Allegheny city, and in early life was engaged as a boatman on the Pennsylvania canal. He then removed to Pittsburgh, where he drove the first team which the Adams Ex- press company employed in that city. He re- mained with the above-named company until
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1885. He is a republican and a member of the Reformed church. He married Catherine Stolz, daughter of John Henry Stolz, of Allegheny city, who was a native of Hesse, Germany. He was one of the thousand Hessians captured by Washington at Trenton, after he made his famous passage through the floating ice in the Delaware river on Christmas night, 1776. John Henry Stolz was hired, with others of his countrymen, by his ruler, to George III., of England, and, without his consent, was sent to America to fight against the Colonies. He was not averse to being captured and never asked to be exchanged. After being held as a prisoner for a short time he was released and came to Allegheny county, where he resided until his death.
George W. Crede, Jr., was reared in Alle- gheny. After being graduated from the high schools of that city, he attended the Iron City Business college, from which he was graduated at the end of his term. He then accepted a position as assistant clerk on a government boat running between Pittsburgh and the head-waters of the Missouri river, continuing on different boats for some two years. During these trips the lives of all on board were frequently en- dangered by attacks of the Indians. In 1871 he became a book-keeper in the cork factory of Armstrong Brothers & Co., of Pittsburgh, and held that position for seven years. In the spring of 1877 he opened a general mercantile establishment at Blairsville, which he has con- ducted successfully ever since. He has a choice selection of dry goods, notions, carpets, etc. His store is on the corner of Walnut and Market streets and he has secured a liberal pat- ronage.
In 1873 he married Lizzie Speiss, daughter of Louis Speiss, of Blairsville.
He is a republican in politics, and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America.
In 1868 he joined Heath's Zouaves, of Alle- gheny city, which organization became Com- pany A, 14th regiment, and afterwards was made Company D, 18th regiment National Guard of Pennsylvania. He served in these companies until 1877. In June, 1888, he was appointed inspector of rifle practice, which posi- tion he held until May 31, 1890, when he resigned. George W. Crede attends the United Presbyterian church and is a useful citizen as well as an active business man. He is, in point of service, the oldest member of the Na- tional Guard of Pennsylvania in Allegheny county.
TOHN H. DEVERS, senior member of the firm of Devers & Miller, of Blairsville, has been for thirty-five years one of the leading, successful and popular traveling salesmen of western Pennsylvania. He was born about two miles from Ligonier, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1833, and is a son of Hugh and Isabella (McConaughey) Devers. His paternal grandfather, Henry De- vers, was a native of France and came to the Ligonier Valley, in Westmoreland county, where he purchased and ran a grist-mill until his death, which occurred in 1836. His mater- nal grandfather, James McConaughey, whose father came from Scotland, was a presbyterian in religion, a whig in politics and a farmer by occupation, and came, when well up in years, from Westmoreland to Indiana county, where he died, in 1886, aged eighty-two years. Hugh Devers (father) was born and reared near Lig- onier, in Westmoreland county, where he learned the trade of hatter, which he followed for a few years. He then came to what is now Homer City, this county, where he engaged in the general mercantile business and was the first merchant in the county to buy eggs and produce. He also started the first huckster team in the county and hauled his produce to Pittsburgh.
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He was for nearly forty years the leading mer- chant of Homer City. He died while on a visit to Missouri, on October 6, 1859, at sixty-nine years of age. He was a methodist, a democrat and a man who had been very successful in all of his business enterprises. He married Isa- bella McConaughy, who was a member of the Methodist church, and died in 1879, when in the sixty-ninth year of her age. They were the parents of four children : Margaret, Isabella, James and John H.
John H. Devers was reared principally at Homer City, where he received his education in the public schools of that place. He assisted his father in the store until he was seventeen years of age, when he went to Saltsburg, where he was a clerk for some time, and then bought the store of his employer, although he had but a very small amount of money. After three years of successful experience as a merchant he disposed of his store and became a traveling salesman for the wholesale dry-goods and notion house of Young, Smith, Field & Co. His field of territory was western Pennsylvania, which he held for twenty-six years and only resigned in 1886 to accept a similar position with Mills & Gibbs, one of the largest importing firms of white goods, linens, notions, etc., of the United States. He has traveled ever since for this firm in western Pennsylvania. In 1885 he became a member of the clothing firm of Devers, Hill & Neal, which did business at Blairsville until their house was burned, December 28, 1887. In 1888 Mr. Devers rebuilt, at Blairsville, one of the finest mercantile rooms in the county, and in April, 1889, embarked, with J. J. Miller as a partner, in his present clothing and gents' furnishing goods business. They carry a hand- some stock of goods and have a fine patronage.
On July 24, 1862, Mr. Devers married Elizabeth M. Ogden, a daughter of John Og- den, of Westmoreland county, Pa. To them has been born one child, a son, Edward H., born November 1, 1872.
John H. Devers is a republican, a member of the M. E. church, and removed from Homer City to Blairsville, July 1, 1890. When he started on the road as a salesman, over thirty years ago, his laudable ambition was to reach the topmost round of his business, a position which he soon attained and which he has easily held ever since.
ILLIAM DUNCAN, one of Blairsville's prosperous merchants, is a son of James and Sarah (Clark) Duncan, and was born in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, March 27, 1838. The Duncan family is of Scotch descent, and in the latter part of the eighteenth century the paternal grandfather, William Duncan, emi- grated from Scotland to America, in company with two of his brothers, and settled in Dauphin county. From these three brothers have sprung a numerous progeny. James Duncan (father) was born in 1800, in Dauphin county, but re- moved in early manhood to Cambria county and for several years drove a six-horse team and hauled goods on the old pike, between Phila- delphia and Pittsburgh. Leaving the pike, he engaged in farming, lumbering and milling until his death. He was a whig and an attend- ant of the Presbyterian church, to whose sup- port he contributed liberally. He inherited those sterling qualities of his race, for industry and thrift, and at the time of his death, which occurred in 1859, he had succeeded in gaining considerable material wealth. He was kind to the poor and enjoyed the respect of all who knew him. He married Sarah Clark, who was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and lived to the advanced age of eighty-two years, dying in 1889. Her remains are interred beside her husband in Belsano cemetery, Black Lick township, Cambria county. . Her father, Thomas Clark (maternal grandfather), was a native of Ireland, and located in Indiana county, where he purchased two or three farms, but soon
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INDIANA COUNTY.
removed to Cambria county and built the first saw-mill that was erected on Black Lick creek. He delighted in hunting deer, bears and panthers and was known as the greatest hunter in Cambria county and died in 1850, at an ad- vanced age.
William Duncan was reared in Cambria county and attended the public schools. He assisted his father in the lumber and flour busi- ness until 1883, when he went to Johnstown and for three years was engaged in taking contracts for the Cambria Iron company. In 1886 he came to Blairsville and opened his present mercantile establishment on the corner of Diamond and Liberty streets. He deals in dress goods, notions, carpets and tinware and also handles watches and jewelry. His stock of goods is well selected and adapted to the wants of his many patrons.
On December 9, 1862, he married Emily Emerson, daughter of the late Dr. E. P. Emer- son, who was one of the pioneers of Blairsville. In 1821, Dr. Emerson built the first hotel in that place, on the lot now occupied by Ray's ware-house. He was a native of Ireland, where he was graduated from a well-known medical college, and came to America to seek a wider field for the practice of his chosen profession. To him belongs the distinction of having been the first physician of Blairsville. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are the parents of three children : Sadie M., William B. and Thomas E.
Williain Duncan is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and a stanch republican. He owns the block in which his store is situated and has an interest in a large lumbering and flouring-mill business in Cambria county. He is affable, genial, enterprising and well re- spected.
PAUL GRAFF. In Western Pennsylvania as nowhere else in this country are con- centrated those industrial forces and facilities
so necesary to an enlarged and enduring success in manufacturing, and one of Indiana county's useful citizens, who has always been active in developing the mineral resources of his own county, is Paul Graff, president of the First Na- tional Bank of Blairsville and a member of the well-known firm of John Graff's Sons. He is a son of John and Lucy S. (Hacke) Graff, and was born at Blairsville, Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, on Independence Day, 1838. His paternal grandparents, John, Sr., and Barbara (Baum) Graff, were among the early settlers of Westmoreland county. John Graff, Sr., was born at Newid, Germany, April 15, 1763, and his grandfather resided at Grafnauer, which meant nobility and castle or nobleman Graff's castle. John Graff, Sr., came to Westmoreland county in 1783 and died December 31, 1818. He was a deeply religious man and married Barbara Baum, who was born in Path Valley, Huntingdon county, and died in 1846, aged seventy years. She was remarkably strong, as were all the members of her family, which was appropriately named Baum-a word in German meaning tree. She was once captured by In- dians, but former kindness bestowed by her upon an old warrior of the marauding party which had taken her, caused him to secure her release. John Graff, Sr., and his wife Barbara were the parents of twelve children: Henry, Mary Lose, Sarah Barnes, William, Margaret Colcasure, Joseph, Elizabeth Armstrong, Peter, Jacob, Matthew, Paul and John. One of the sons, John Graff (father), was born August 3, 1800, near Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland county, re- ceived a fair education, conducted a store at Pleasant Unity for three years and in 1837 re- moved to Blairsville, where he purchased a half interest in a warehouse and store owned by his brothers Peter and Henry. Two other houses were subsequently erected, and in 1847 he as- suined charge of the three houses and their mer- cantile business. He admitted his three sons, Jacob, Paul and Charles, into partnership with
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
him and established the present general mer- cantile house of John Graff's Sons. He was a decided opponent of human servitude and was run by the Liberty party of the county as a candidate for the Legislature and afterwards for Congress. He was a zealous and efficient member of the M. E. church, to which he came from the Reformed church. He advocated the free school law of 1834, served under it as a school director, and was successively a whig, free soiler and republican in politics. He died in 1885, and was at that time the senior, as re- garded age and durability of commercial life, of all the merchants then doing business in the county. As a man, his aim was to do good and his character was above suspicion. In 1824 lie married Lucy Sophia Hacke, who was a daughter of Nicholas Hacke, of Baltimore, Md., and died March 4, 1876, aged seventy-one years. Their children were Henry, Caroline Shields, dead ; Alexander, Jacob, who married Sallie Davis ; Paul and Charles, who married Margarct Loughry.
Paul Graff was reared at Blairsville. Here- ceived his education in the common schools and Plainfield academy, near Carlisle, Pa. He was carefully trained to business under the watchful care of his father, and in order to fully qualify himself for commercial life, he took the com- plete course of Duff's Business college, of Pitts- burgh. Leaving school, he became a partner with his father and brothers, Jacob and Charles, in the mercantile business and since his father's death has continued in partnership with his brothers, under the firm-name of John Graff's Sons. They have one of the largest and best stocked general mercantile establishments in the county. Mr. Graff is a member of the Royal Arcanum, Knights of Honor, Chosen Friends, Bankers' Association, Heptasophs and Mer- chants' and Salesmen's Association.
In 1860 he married Elizabeth A. Mowry, daughter of Henry and Charlotte Mowry, of Blairsville. Mr. and Mrs. Graff are the parents
of five children : George R., who is employed in the freight department of the W. P. R. R .; Frank M., a graduate of Lafayette college and in business with his father ; Wilber P., in the senior class of Lafayette college; Laura M., now in her senior year at Blairsville seminary; and Walter R., at school.
Paul Graff is a very strong and active re- publican and has been president of Blairsville school board for three terms. He is a trustee and has been class leader of the Blairsville M. E. church for the last twenty-one years, as well as superintendent of its Sunday-school for nearly . the same length of time. He is also treasurer of the board of stewards and was a member of the building committee which erected the present fine church structure which was dedicated in December, 1889. To his church he has always been a generous and willing contributor and also has always en- countered all moral and religious enterprises. He is president of the First National bank of Blairsville, treasurer of the Blairsville Brick company and a stock-liolder in the Cheswick Land company. While active in mercantile and financial enterprises, Paul Graff has also been one of the foremost men to push forward the material development of his section of the county. He was largely instrumental in the organization of the Blairsville coke-works and the Cheswick Land company. For over thirty years he has been in close contact and compe- tition with business men all over the southern part of the county, yet nothing unfair or dis- honorable has ever been charged against him, and his word is as good as his bond. As a citizen Mr. Graff is public-spirited and patri- otic, concerned for the welfare of both his home and his country. He is not ambitious for political honors, though he never shrinks from any official duty and never refuses to serve his fellow-citizens in a public capacity whenever they call upon him to do so.
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INDIANA COUNTY.
J AMES M. HARVEY. The position occu- pied by any town is due to the energy, enterprise and judgment of its business men. The leading and representative grocer and boot and shoe dealer of Blairsville is James M. Harvey, a very energetic and remarkably suc- cessful young business man. He was born in Derry township, Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania, November 18, 1854, and is a son of John C. and Margaret (Keelan) Harvey. John C. Harvey was born, reared and educated in Ireland. He came, about 1840, to Pennsyl- vania, where he settled in Derry township, Westmoreland county. He became a stage- driver on the old pike between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. When the railroads superseded the pikes as routes of travel, he turned his time and attention to farming in Derry township, Westmoreland county, and Burrell township, Indiana county. He was a member of the Catholic church and always supported the democratic ticket after coming to the United States. He was a thorough-going and honest man and died April 12, 1878, aged fifty-five years. He married Margaret Keelan, daughter of Patrick and Mary Keelan, and born in Derry township, September 15, 1826. She is a member of the Catholic church and resides now at Blairsville with her children: James M., Rebecca, Maggie and Mary.
James M. Harvey was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the Catholic schools of Blairsville, which were then, as they are now, under the charge of experienced and competent instructors. Leaving school at four- teen years of age, he entered the general store of Nicholas Maher, of Blairsville, as a clerk, and remained with Mr. Maher for thirteen years. During that period of time he was suc- cessively promoted to book-keeper, and general manager of the store. In 1882 he left Mr. Maher and opened a small grocery store. Con- ducting his business on strictly legitimate principles, he soon acquired a patronage which
enabled him to increase his stock of goods. In a short time after this his grocery trade had so increased as to justify him in embarking in that line of business on an extensive scale, and he removed to his present large and well-arranged grocery house on the southeast corner of Market and Spring streets. In April, 1889, he formed a partnership with D. M. Kier and D. A. Fen- lon, under the firm-name of Kier & Co., and established a large boot and shoe house on Market street, which is rapidly growing in favor with the public. Mr. Harvey now owns the fine brick business block in which his stores are situated, besides other property at Blairsville. Aside from his own various business enterprises he cheerfully gives his time toward whatever advances the material interests of his town, and is now serving as a director of the Conemaugh Building and Loan association, of Blairsville.
On the basis of correct business principles Mr. Harvey has built up a large trade and his grocery house, which ranks as one of the largest grocery establishments in this part of the State, is admirably arranged and equipped with every facility and convenience for the transaction of business. He employs from twelve to fourteen salesmen and carries a complete assortment of choice imported and domestic staple and fancy groceries, crockery, lamps and special family supplies. He is a democrat in politics and a member of the Catholic church. James M. Harvey is the only democratic member of the present town council of Blairsville, and has been honored, in recognition of his business ability and integrity of character, by his party, with the nomination for treasurer of Indiana county. Mr. Harvey is a conspicuous example of what may be accomplished in Indiana county by energy, industry, economy and perseverance. Starting in life with no means, lie has raised himself, by continued success, from a poor boy to the position of a wealthy and popular busi- ness man and an honorable and influential citizen.
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
TSAAC HICKS, a well-qualified business man and a member of the enterprising firm of Kinter & Hicks, is a son of Isaac and Susan W. (Dobson) Hicks, and was born at Blairs- ville, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 26, 1848. His grandfather, Hicks, was a native of Centre county, but early in life, moved to Rayne township, this county, where he engaged in farming. His son, Isaac Hicks, Sr. (father), was born on his father's farm, in Centre township, in Centre county, in 1808, and came to Indiana county when a mere boy. During the latter years of his life he was a coal merchant of Blairsville. He was a faith- ful member of the United Presbyterian church, and an uncompromising democrat. He was highly esteemnd by the community in which he lived, and for several years was borough con- stable. He died January, 1887, when lie was seventy-eight years of age. He married Susan W. Dobson, daughter of John Dobson, of Cen- tre township, Indiana county, by whom he had ten children : William, Cynthia, Priscilla, John, Elsie J., wife of John F. Steck; Isaac, Penina, wife of Charles Martin ; Edward A. E., Charles M., and Susan I., wife of Robert Drewbell. Mrs. Hicks makes her home at Blairsville; is in the seventy-ninth year of her age, and an esteemed member of the United Presbyterian church.
Isaac Hicks was reared at Blairsville, and at- tended the public schools of that borough. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. K, 193d regiment, Pa. Vols., for a four months' service in the Union army: After he was honorably discharged, in Pittsburgh, he engaged in farming in Burrell township, which he followed for one year. He then opened an office at Blairsville, where for twenty-three years he dealt in coal.
In June, 1888, he went into partnership with J. Austin Kinter, under the firm-name of Kinter & Hicks, since which time they have dealt in groceries, flour and feed and by careful attention to their business have succeeded in
building up a good trade, and are now eligibly located in a fine and commodious building at No. 125, on Walnut street.
On June 19, 1867, he married Harriet Young, daughter of James Young, of Washing- ton township, who was killed in the battle of the Wilderness during the late civil war. They have had no children, but have adopted a little girl whom they are rearing as their own.
Isaac Hicks is a straightforward republican, and attends the United Presbyterian church. He is numbered among the substantial citizens of Blairsville and as one of its self-made men belongs to that class of progressive and public- spirited men whose honor, enterprise and social qualities give character to any community in which they reside.
R EV. GEORGE HILL, D.D. A pleasant and long-to-be-remembered occasion is the semi-centennial of Dr. George Hill's pas- torate of the Blairsville Presbyterian church, which was held from the 8th to the 11th of June, 1890. This great gathering was in honor and respect of one who has given a half a cen- ·tury of his best life-work and thought for the intellectual, moral and religious advancement of his people. Rev. George Hill, D.D., is a son of Hon. John and Jane (Moorhead) Hill, and was born September 18, 1815, in that part of the Ligonier Valley which is in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania.
The first settlers of western Pennsylvania were of presbyterian faith and were gathered into churches by such able men as Finley, Power, McMillan and Smith, who were gradu- ates of Princeton college and fine classical schol- ars. Among the men who were educated for the presbyterian ministry under the immediate successors of these distinguished ministers, was Rev. George Hill (grandfather). He was born in York county March 13, 1764, and at nine- teen years of age removed with his father to
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Fayette county, where he was licensed to preach December 22, 1791. On November 13, 1792, he was installed as pastor of Fairfield, Donegal and Wheatfield congregations. On April 11, 1798, he resigned the charge of Wheatfield and accepted a call to Ligonier. In these charges he labored until his death, on June 9, 1822. He was a man of remarkable vigor of constitu- tion and wonderful will to work. He was very sensitive and exceedingly modest. When duty required, however, that he should take decided ground and appear in the defense of the truth he showed himself to be equal to the crisis, and displayed much firmness of character, as well as acuteness of intellect. He married Elizabeth McClelland, of Fayette county. One of his sons was Hon. John Hill (father), who was born March 20, 1790, and died August 22, 1856. He was a member of the Fairfield Presbyterian church, but would never accept an eldership. He was a strong democrat, frequently repre- sented Westmoreland county in the legislature and served as a member of the State senate for several terms. He commanded a company of troops under Gen. Harrison in the war of 1812. He married Jane Moorhead, of Derry township, Westmoreland county, who was born June 30, 1795, and died December 18, 1854. She was a presbyterian and sleeps in Fairfield cemetery, where her husband and his father and grand- father are likewise sleeping.
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