USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 62
USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong counties, Pennsylvania > Part 62
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J. LUTHER LONG. One of the most es- sential industries in the growth of a town is that of the lumber business, and a leading and representative lumber manufacturer and dealer of Freeport is J. Luther Long. He is a son of William A. and Elizabeth A. (Cunningham) Long, and was born at Freeport, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, April 15,
1855. His paternal grandfather, John Long, was of German descent. He came, about 1840, from Westmoreland county to Freeport, where he died in 1868, aged seventy-three years. He was a carpenter by trade and a mem- ber of the Lutheran church. His son, William A. Long (father), was born in Westmoreland county in 1820 and came to Freeport in 1840. He is a carpenter and contractor of many years' successful experience, and ranks high as a skilled workman. He is a republican and a lutheran and married Elizabeth Cunningham, of this county, who was a member of the Lutheran church and died December 16, 1869, at forty-nine years of age.
J. Luther Long was reared at Freeport, re- ceived his education in the public schools and learned the trade of carpenter with his father. At fifteen years of age he began to work at carpentering for himself and has followed it ever since. For the last ten years he has also been engaged in contracting. In 1885 he started a planing-mill, which burned down on September 23, 1890. In the fall of 1889 he de- termined to embark in business upon a larger scale, and accordingly opened at first a feed store, which venture was successful, and in Sep- tember, 1890, he established his present gro- cery. To these different lines of business, which he is conducting very successfully, he gives the most of his time.
In politics Mr. Long is a republican of liberal views and has been serving for some time as a member of the borough council. He isa mem- ber of the Freeport Lutheran church, of which he is an elder. Mr. Long manufactures and deals in doors, sash, frames, mouldings, brack- ets, flooring, siding, shingles, lath, standard wall plaster, calcined plaster, lime, cement and other building material. He also deals in all kinds of country produce, grain, flour, mill feed, seeds, baled hay and straw. His office and ware-house are on High street above Seventh, while his general office and mill are on
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Seventh street and the W. P. R. R. Mr. Long has been the architect of his own fortunes in life, and the valuable property which he owns at Freeport has been honorably acquired by his own determined, persistent efforts.
FRANK MAXLER, president of the Buffalo Milling, Freeport Planing-mill and Schenley Ferry companies and proprietor at Freeport of one of the leading merchant tailor- ing establishments of the county, is a son of John and Barbara (Helbling) Maxler, and was born at Freeport, Armstrong county, Pennsyl- vania, November 4, 1844. John Maxler was born and reared in Byron, Germany, where he learned the trade of stone-mason. He came, in 1838, to Venango county, where he settled at Cherry Tree, on Oil creek, and remained one year. He then came to Freeport, which he made his residence until his death, which oc- curred March 4, 1886, when he was in the seventy-sixtlı year of his age. He followed stone-masoning during the summer seasons, and worked at coopering during the winters. He was a catholic and a democrat, and was married in Pittsburgh to Barbara Helbling, a native of Ba- varia and a member of the Catholic church, who died November 27, 1888, at seventy-eight years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Maxler were an honest, industrious and well respected couple.
Frank Maxler was reared at Freeport and at- tended the public schools. Leaving school, he entered Fullerton's woolen factory and learncd the woolen manufacturing business, at whichi he worked for several years. On February 14, 1865, he enlisted in Co. E, 78th regiment, Pa. Vols., for one year and served until September 11, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Harrisburg. After the war he worked in woolen factories until 1872, when he entered J. H. Shoop's merchant tailoring establisliment, of Freeport, and served as a clerk for five years. At the end of that time he went to Europe, where
he traveled through England, Belgium, Ger- many and Switzerland and spent several days in London, besides visiting the birthplace and early home of his parents. s. After returning from the old world he entered into partnership with his former employer, under the firm-name of Shoop & Maxler. This partnership contin- ued until 1883, when Mr. Maxler withdrew and built his present largetwo-story brick busi- ness house on Market street. He then engaged in the gents' furnishing and merchant tailoring business, in which he has continued successfully ever since. His exquisite taste and good judg- ment in selection of cloths, woolens and furnish- ing goods, coupled with fashionable tailoring done at reasonable prices, has secured him his large and growing patronage.
In politics, Mr. Maxler is a democrat, has served as assistant burgess and is a member of the present borough council. He is a member of the Catholic church and a popular business man who has ever retained the confidence of the public.
H' ENRY N. MILLER, supervisor of Divi- sion No. 19, West Pennsylvania railroad, is a resident of Freeport, where he is known as a reliable citizen and an efficient business man. He is a son of Michael and Christina (Burns) Miller, and was born in Young township, In- diana county, Pennsylvania, February 6, 1835. The Millers are of German descent, and settled in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in the early part of the last century. Michael Miller, the paternal grandfather of Henry N. Miller, was a native of Pennsylvania, wliere he was born, in Lancaster county, December 24, 1775. He was a shoemaker by trade and died in Indiana county, aged seventy-five years. His son, Michael Miller (father) was born in eastern Pennsylvania, and came, in an early day, into Indiana county, where he now resides, in Cone- maugh township. He learned, when young, the
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trade of shoemaker, which he followed for several years before engaging in his main life pursuit of farming. Within the last few years he retired from all active business pursuits, and resides in a pleasant home with comfortable surroundings. He was born Ang. 28, 1806, and has passed his eighty-fourth milestone on the pathway of life. He is a republican in politics and a member of the United Presbyterian church. He married Christina Burns, who was a native of Scotland, and was brought by her parents to the United States when she was only three years of age.
Henry N. Miller was reared in Indiana county and received his education in the public schools and Jacksonville academy, which he attended during four summer terms between 1850 and 1860. He commenced life for him- self as a teacher in the common schools of In- diana county, in which he taught eleven terms. In April, 1863, he engaged as a laborer on the Pennsylvania railroad, at Blairsville, but was soon promoted to track foreman, and had charge of a work-train for over five years. On March 1, 1874, he was appointed as a supervisor of the road, and stationed at Freeport, where he has remained ever since in the discharge of the im- portant duties of his responsible position. In 1887, 1888 and in 1890 he built twenty-two miles of the second track on the West Penn. R. R. east of Allegheny city, in connection with his regular duties as supervisor.
On April 2, 1861, he united in marriage with Fannie C. Nesbit, daughter of Nathaniel Nesbit, of Indiana county, Pa. To this union have been born four children, three sons and one daughter: Martin E., ticket and express agent and telegraph operator at the W. P. R. R. depot at Freeport ; Thomas G., a brakeman on the W. P. railroad, who married, in Sept., 1885, and resides at Freeport, Pa. ; Wilbert H. and Jessie E.
Henry N. Miller is a republican in politics, and a member of the United Presbyterian church of Freeport, in which he has served for
several years as an elder. He deals, to some extent, in real estate, and owns, at the present time, a very good farm in Conemaugh town- ship. He has served as a councilman of his borough, and is a member of the school board at the present time. Mr. Miller has had many years of practical experience in railroad matters, and has always rendered good satisfaction in the position which he occupies.
TTON. J. A. MCCULLOUGH, ex-member of the House of Representatives of Pennsyl- uania and an old and prominent member of the Armstrong county bar, was born in Allegheny township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1817, and is a son of Squire James and Margaret (Patterson) Mccullough. His paternal grandfather, James McCullough, was born in Scotland and came to what is now Allegheny township, Westmoreland county, when there were but three white families in that section. He took up a large body of land and often had to flee from Indians to the fort below the site of Freeport. He was a member of the Associate Reformed church, had a large library for that day, was a great reader and had quite a fund of religious information. He planted the first apple-orchard that was ever in Allegheny township. Of his four sons, one was Squire James McCullough (father), who was born in 1785. He was a successful farmer and a strong democrat, and served as justice of the peace for twenty years before his death. He was a prominent member of the Associate Reformed church, and married Margaret Pat- terson, daughter of Thomas Patterson, of Loyal- hanna township, that county. They reared a family of nine children.
J. A. Mccullough was reared and received his education in his native township. Leaving school, he taught six terms, one of which was at Greensburg, Pa. He then read law one year witlı Albert Marchand, and then for another
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
year with Noble Nesbit. Leaving Greensburg in 1848, he came to Freeport, and during the next year was admitted to the Armstrong county bar, of whose members now but two rank him in years of practice. After his admission to the bar he returned to Freeport, where he has been engaged ever since in the active and successful practice of his profession. He is a member of the Freeport Uuited Presbyterian church, in which he has been a trustee for twenty-one years. He is a democrat in politics, was for- merly very active in political affairs, and, some years back, frequently stumped the county iu the interests of his party. In 1862 he was elected to the legislature of Pennsylvania as a member of the House of Representatives, and served very creditably during the session of 1862-63.
June 17, 1848, lie married Caroline E. Hagy, who is a daughter of Philip Hagy, of Adams county. To their union were born three children : John, who read law at Greensburg, Pa., was admitted to the bar and died at thirty- one years of age; Dr. James T., and William, who died when nineteen years of age.
James T. McCullougli, A.M., M.D., the second son, was born at Freeport August 31, 1851. He attended the Freeport public schools and Westminster college, and in 1872 eutered Wooster university of Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1874. He then read medicine, entered Jefferson Medical college, from which he was graduated in the class of 1877 and located at Parker City. In September, 1881, he came to Freeport, where he has built up a good practice. He is a democrat and a lutheran, and married Catherine Evans, daughter of Lewis Evans, of Parker City. They have two children : Caroline and Catherine.
H TERMAN H. SCHWIETERING, a well- established and prosperous merchant of Freeport, and one of the survivors of the old
and well-known 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, was born at Buffalo, Butler county, Pennsylva- nia, June 11, 1843, aud is a son of Frederick D. and Elizabeth (Walters) Schwictering. Fred- erick Schwietering was born aud reared in Germany, where he received his education in the excelleut schools of that country. In 1831 he became a member of the colony that was formed, to come to the United States, by the great bridge builder, John Roebling, whose son built the wouderful Brooklyn bridge. Wheu this colony arrived in this country Mr. Schwieter- ing settled at Saxonburg, Butler county, where he remained until 1863, when he came to Free- port, aud was engaged in the general mercan- tile business until his death, which occurred July 12, 1888, at eighty-one years of age. He opened the first store at Saxonburg, and during his long career of forty-seven years as a mer- chant, he so conducted his business as not only to secure good success, but to command the confidence and esteem of the communities in which he resided at different times. He was a consisteut member of the Evangelical Lu- theran church, and a man whose word was as good as his bond. Straightforward, reliable, generous and energetic, he possesssed a host of friends and enjoyed the respect of all who knew him. He was a republican in politics, and married Elizabeth Walters, who was born in Butler county in 1812. She is a member of the Lutheran church and resides at Freeport. They were the parents of nine children, of whom four are living.
Herman H. Schwietering was reared at Sax- onburg and received his education in the com- mon schools. Leaving school, he assisted his father in the mercantile business until Febru- ary 23, 1864, when he enlisted in Co. L, 14th regiment, Pa. Cavalry. He participated in the various skirmishes and battles of his regiment, and was honorably discharged at Ft. Leaven- worth, Kansas, in August, 1865. Returning home from the army, he became a partner with
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ARMSTRONG COUNTY.
his father in the mercantile business, under the ·firm-name of Schwietering & Co. This part- nership continued from 1865 to 1885, when he withdrew and removed to his farm, in South Buffalo township, where he was engaged in farming for five years. In the spring of 1890 he returned to Freeport and opened his present general mercantile establishment. He has a well-arranged building which is eligibly located, and carries a choice stock of the best and most desirable goods. His trade is rapidly assuming the large proportions of his former patronage of five years ago.
On June 26, 1866, Mr. Schwietering united in marriage with Sadie E. Burtner, daughter of Philip Burtner, of Allegheny county, this State. Seven children have blest this union, three sons and four daughters : Lizzie L., a talented and accomplished musician, had a music class of forty-seven pupils at Freeport, in 1890, when she was cut down by the hand of death ; Mary E., who died in infancy ; Frederick P., Walter R., Minnie C., Herman B. and Nina A.
Herman H. Schwietering is a member of the Freeport Lutheran church and Henry S. Wea- ver Post, No. 32, Grand Army of the Republic. He is a republican in politics, has held various borough offices, and for the last ten years has been a member of the school board. Reliable and respected as a citizen, he is a man of enter- prise and business merit.
SAMUEL TURNER, senior member of the furniture and undertaking firm of S. Turner & Son, is one of the old and substan- tial citizens and business men of Freeport. He was born ncar Noblestown, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, July 8, 1828, and is a son of Samuel and Charlotte (McCarty) Turner. His father and grandfather were native-born citizens of Allegheny county.
Samuel Turner was reared at Leechburg, 28
where his father had located April 1, 1839. He received his education in the public school and then served an apprenticeship of four years at the trade of cabinet-maker with John Wana- maker, of Leechburg. He then engaged in cabinet-making, and worked for various firms until 1853, when he came to Freeport and opened a shop in partnership with his brother, John Turner, in a small frame building which stood on the corner of Fifth and Higli streets. They did business under the firm-name of Turner & Brother. John Turner retired from the firm in 1856, accepting a situation in the grain and mercantile establishment of P. S. Weaver, which position lie held until May, 1859, at which date he formed a partnership with A. N. Hamor in the grocery and provision business at Freeport, under the firm-name of Hamor & Turner, selling out his interest to A. N. Hamor in April, 1861, engaging for a short time in the early oil business, but became a partner of Levi Bush, January 1, 1862, in drug, grocery, pro- vision and shoe business under the firm-name of Turner & Bush, which did a profitable and suc- cessful business up to 1871, when by mutual consent the business was closed out entire, since which time John Turner has been engaged in the different oil producing fields with the usual ups and downs incidental to the business. He is at present operating and producing some oil in Greene county, Pa., and has resided permanently at Freeport since March 31, 1845.
Samnel Turner removed in 1856 to his pres- ent location on Fifth street, purchasing from his brother John the lot and brick portion of the present building and from which date to the present has continued to hold the entire control of the undertaking, and we may safely say, monopoly of the furniture business of Frec- port and vicinity. On February 2, 1885, Mr. Turner associated his son, William Fred, witlı him, under the present firm-name of S. Turner & Son. In 1888, Mr. Turner erected the addi- tional handsome two-story frame building, mak-
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BIOGRAPHIES OF
ing it a model, if not the most complete fur- niture establishment in western Pennsylvania.
The aggregate floor space of the entire build- ing is 9000 square feet; they carry a complete stock of furniture, comprising many grades to suit the tastes of their numerous patrons. In ad- dition to their full and complete line of furni- ture, they have a fully equipped undertaking department.
On July 10, 1863, Mr. Turner united in marriage with Margaret Jane Clark, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Loughery) Clark. Two children have been born to this union : Wil- liam Fred, born April 28, 1864, and an infant daughter, who died. Mrs. Turner passed away on December 29, 1883, aged fifty-three years.
Samuel Turner is a republican in politics, has been a member of the borough council and was once elected burgess, but refused to serve. He is enterprising and reliable in business, and has always been ready to give his assistance to whatever would advance the interests of his borough.
William Fred Turner, the junior member of the firm and only son of Samuel Turner, was reared and educated at Freeport; in addition to attending the public schools he took the full course at the " Actual Business college," of Pitts- burgh, Pa. Ever since attaining his majority he has been actively and successfully engaged in business ; in addition to his responsible position in the furniture firm he has been treasurer of the Freeport Building and Loan association since its organization, January 1, 1877, and gives some attention to other business matters, and is at present serving as burgess of the bor- ough, to which he was elected by an overwhelm- ing majority in February, 1889. On January 20, 1887, he married Lida Bricker, daughter of John L. Bricker, of Freeport, Pa. Mr. Turner is a member of the Jr. O. U. A. M. and the Masonic fraternity.
FULTON WATT. J. The jewelry estab- lishment of J. Fulton Watt, of Freeport, is one of the most reliable, responsible, substan- tial and representative in its line in Armstrong county. J. Fulton Watt, who has been promi- nently identified, for the last seven years, with the jewelry trade in Pittsburgh and at Freeport, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania, April 26, 1856, and is a son of David and Mary (Thompson) Watt. Of the Scotch- Irish who were early settlers of Westmoreland county was the Watt family. The Christian name of the founder of the family in this part of the State has been lost, but one of his sons was John Watt, grandfather of J. Fulton Watt. John Watt was born in Allegheny township, of that county, where he married and spent his life in farming. His son, David Watt (father), was born in 1819, on the homestead farm, and is one of the active farmers of his township, although verging rapidly on his seventieth year. He is a republican politically, and has been a consist- ent member of the United Presbyterian church for many years. He married Mary Thompson, who was a native of the county and a member of the same church as himself. She died in 1857.
J. Fulton Watt was reared on the farm and attended the common schools until he was four- teen years of age, when he went to Franklin county to learn wood engraving with a firm who was engaged in magazine illustration. In a short time, however, he went to Wheeling, W. Va., where he completed his trade with John H. Zevly, then a contractor for furnishing the post- office department with wood engraving work. Leaving Wheeling, he worked at his trade some time and then went to Lancaster, Pa., where he entered the Lancaster watch factory and learned watch-making. He then repaired to Pittsburgh and served a full apprenticeship in the manu- facture of jewelry in the large establishment of Terheyden. Having thus thoroughly mastered watch-making and the manufacture of jewelry
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ARMSTRONG COUNTY.
in all of their branches, he was prepared to enter those lines of business for himself with every prospect of success. He engaged in 1884 with T. B. Barrett & Co., the well-known wholesale jewelers of Pittsburgh, and was employed for five years in artistic engraving and upon the manufacture of the finest lines of jewelry. In April, 1889, Mr. Watt came to Freeport, where he established his present large and thoroughly equipped jewelry house.
In 1876 he united in marriage with Eva M. Kenneston, daughter of Mary E. Kenneston, of Freeport. To their union have been born six children, two sons and four daughters: Frank, Maggie M., Mary, Eva, Ruth and Paul.
J. F. Watt is a member of the United Pres- byterian churchı, and a republican in politics. He is a member of the Jr. O. U. A. M. and the Knights of the Golden Chain. With a practi- cal and business experience of nearly twenty years, Mr. Watt is enabled to offer advantages that are only to be obtained at a few jewelry establishments in western Pennsylvania. His stock of goods is from the leading jewelry and watch manufacturers of Europe and America, and is remarkable for delicate beauty and superiority of workmanship. His display of silver-ware is fine, while his gold and silver watches are late in style and reasonable in price. His trade is large and is extending rapidly over a wide area of territory. His great success has been achieved on the broad basis of merit. Mr. Watt has established his business upon such an extended scale as to be a benefit to Freeport, and his ability, energy and honesty have gained him an enviable reputation both as a business man and a private citizen.
DAVID ALTER, M.D .- " Among those members of the medical profession of Armstrong county who have earned high repu- tation in the walks of science, Dr. David Alter, who died in 1881, deserves to be mentioned.
" Dr. Alter was born on the 3d of December, in the year 1807, in Westmoreland county, Penna., in what is now Allegheny township, and within a few miles of the town of Freeport, in which he lived a great part of his life, and died, on the 18th of September, 1881.
"In the year 1878," says Dr. Cowan, "I called upon him at his residence in Freeport, and found him, in appearance, an old man, with a calm and kindly conntenance, in stature above the ordinary, albeit stooped and shrunken with age, still pursuing his profession, that of a physician, for a livelihood, while in effect he was the puzzle or sphinx that every philosopher must be to those around him who cannot appre- ciate the work of his hands in an objective form in the open day, much less encompass in the depth, the distance, and the darkness of his windowless mind, the complexity of cerebration and entanglement of thought from which his work has been evolved.
" The ultimatum attained by Dr. Alter in science and invention, namely, the discovery and application of the principles of the prism in that marvelous mode of investigation uni- versally known to-day as spectrum analysis. And here, in setting forth his claim to this achievement, which in effect has added almost a new sense ;to mankind, beyond the statement which the doctor made to me that lie made his discovery in 1853, I desire to give in evidence only that which is unimpeachable and indisput- able, namely, the documents setting forth the discovery in detail, which were published in a leading scientific journal and spread before the eyes of investigators and inventors throughout the world. And in doing so I doubt not that I shall do all that my lamented friend, were lie here, would ask or allow to preserve liis name among his fellow-men, without condemning either the encyclopædists for ignoring him, or the distinguished scientist, who, perhaps uncon- scious of the prior claim of another, wears the crown of glory to which he, Dr. Alter, is entitled.
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