USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 15
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ed by his son S. Y. From Norristown the latter removed to St. Mary's, Elk county, Pennsylvania, where he remained in business for two years and in 1871 became a resident of Girard, Erie county, there succeeding to the business of C. I. England. In 1857 he married Mary B. Johnson. Mr. Rossiter died at Girard, October 8, 1899, his widow still surviving him.
U. P. Rossiter, of this review, received his preliminary education in the common schools of Norristown, St. Mary's and Girard and his higher literary studies were pursued at Swarthmore College, Swarth- more, Pennsylvania. He then read law with J. Ross Thompson, of Erie, was admitted to the bar in June, 1887, and remained in private practice until his election to the office of district attorney in 1893. His official duties and the fine record and wide acquaintanceship which he made in this capacity induced him to become a permanent resident of Erie. In addition to his large legal practice he has become interested in various business and industrial enterprises and was one of the founders of the Cascade Foundry and is, as already has been stated, its secretary, having held this position since its organization. His prominence as a Republican is indicated by his services as chairman of the county committee of that party. As a fraternalist he is an active Mason, Odd Fellow and Elk, being one of the incorporators of the building association connected with the last named order and which had the active superintendence of the fine Elks' Club recently completed ; he is also exalted ruler of the order. Mr. Rossiter is an influential member of the Chamber of Commerce and is identified with the Country Club of Erie.
Mr. Rossiter's wife was formerly Miss Ella A. Nichols, a native of Girard, Pennsylvania, and on her mother's side is a representative of the old Hay family of this county of which the late John Hay, the distin- guished writer and diplomat, was a member. Mrs. Rossiter's grandfather had the honor of being Erie's first postmaster. Mr. and Mrs. Rossiter have become the parents of one child, Samuel Y. Rossiter.
G. LA VERNE PRATT. The successive steps in the career of a success- ful business man are readily ascertained if one simply marks his onward movements, step by step, and in every instance he will discover that his progress has been attained not at all by the aid of outside influence but altogether by the expression of his inborn merit. Such is true in the case of G. La Verne Pratt, who from a small beginning, on the strength of his own resources, has developed one of the largest commercial en- terprises now in operation in this city, and who is known throughout the entire state as a furniture dealer whose business methods are above question and whose judgment and keen discernment in business affairs are of a nature naturally disposed to bring success to their possessor. When Mr. Pratt started out on his commercial career there was nothing more ahead of him than that which may appear ahead of other young men but he was gifted with a foresight to see opportunity and he lead himself along pathways in which there was apparently nothing and which were passed by by others and through patience and perseverance pursued his way, working hard all along the line until now he is ac- counted among the worthy and most prominent business men of the city of Erie.
Mr. Pratt is a native of Chenango county, New York, born Decem- ber 10, 1866, and a son of Ogden Alanson and Welthy (Hough) Pratt, the father being a native of Connecticut, while the mother was born in
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Chenango county, New York. Both families were originally from the state of Connecticut and were numbered among the old-fashioned Puritan stock, Grandfather Pratt having been a wealthy manufacturer of Connec- ticut, while Grandfather Hough served as a member of the Connecticut state legislature. Both families came westward and located in Chenango county, the Empire state, this being before the days of railroads, and there they pursued agriculture for a livelihood, death having summoned both grandfathers to the life beyond in that county. Ogden Alanson Pratt, father of G. L. Verne, engaged in agricultural pursuits during the greater part of his life and is now living retired in Chenango county, while his wife passed away thirty years ago.
On the home farm G. La Verne Pratt was reared, passing through the experiences common to the country lad during his boyhood days, assisting his father in agricultural duties during the summer months while in the winter season he took advantage of the district schools to obtain his preliminary education. Later he was given the advantage of a course of study in the high school and after he was graduated from that institution being then in his nineteenth year, he was ambitious to become engaged in the commercial world, and, leaving the farm, he took up his abode in the village where he accepted a position as clerk in a general store on a salary of five dollars a month with board. He performed his duties in this position for about two years and a half, during which time he displayed uncommon ability and was promoted as far as the enter- prise would permit. Desirous of larger opportunities and a wider range of business experience he resigned his position and became a traveling salesman, handling a general line of household goods, his territory lying throughout the Empire state. As a drummer he attained eminent success and continued to follow this line of work for eight years, at the expiration of which period he had reached the limit of possibilities offered by that vocation by way of experience and salary and his last year as a traveling salesman he spent in the city of Erie, this being in 1894. In the following year he engaged in business on his own account, securing quarters in a small room above Illig's clothing store on Peach street, and, while starting the enterprise, he did his own canvassing and having had a wide and varied experience in that line, success attended him from day to day. his business witnessing rapid growth until in 1901 his trade had reached such volume as to necessitate roomier quarters, so he removed to No. 1610 State street. All this while he handled a full line of household goods, particularly furniture and the borders of his business so widened and his trade assumed such proportions as to surround him with un- common financial prosperity. He negotiated for the erection of a large building in which to carry on his enterprise and in 1907 he completed one of the finest brick structures in the city, located at the corner of State and Seventeenth street. The building is one of the most modern here, being three stories high with basement, the entire structure being built out of brick decorated with stone trimmings with floor space em- bracing one hundred and twenty-five by forty feet, the entire space in the building, which may be devoted to business purposes, including fourteen thousand feet without counting the cellar. This elegant structure stands as ample evidence of his prosperity and is a living monument to the keen business judgment, patience and perseverance and straightforward hon- orable methods of its owner. Mr. Pratt, who as proprietor of the estab- lishment is one of the foremost financial factors in the city.
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Mr. Pratt wedded Miss Anna Gillow, a native of Tompkins county, New York, and the couple have since been enjoying the surroundings of a cultured home, graced with every convenience designed for domestic happiness. Mr. Pratt is largely interested in all movements having for their object the upbuilding of the city and belongs to the Business Men's Exchange, of which he is president, while at the same time he is also an influential member of the Erie Chamber of Commerce. His fraternal relations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he belongs to the First Methodist Episcopal church. His career thus far has been wonderfully successful and he deserves great credit, in as much as his present prosperity and prominence in the commercial and industrial circles of the city are due solely to his own exertions, reinforced by honesty and straightforwardness in his dealings and as a business man he is one of the most valued assets to the commercial life of the city.
DANIEL STEPIEN HANLEY, an undertaker at Erie, Pennsylvania, and coroner of Erie county, was born at the old Hanley homestead, corner of Seventh and Myrtle streets, this city, on September 12, 1871, son of John and Mary (Lane) Hanley. Mr. Hanley's parents are natives of county Cork, Ireland. They emigrated to this country in 1850, and settled first at Philadelphia, where they lived five years, after which they came to Erie, where for more than half a century the family home has been maintained. On their settlement here, John Hanley took charge of the Erie Gas Works, with which he was connected, as superintendent, for many years, up to 1884, when he retired. He is still living, and has long been regarded as one of Erie's valued citizens. He and his wife had fourteen children, twelve of whom are living: James P., who was three times elected and served as treasurer of Erie, is now a resident of Wheeling, West Virginia; John R., a practicing dentist of Bay City, Michigan ; Edward C., for the past three years acting engineer of the U. S. S. Wolverine, on the Great Lakes; Joseph A., money order clerk in the post office, and secretary of the civil service board; Julia, who died December 8, 1893, at the age of thirty-seven years; Minnie A., who married John J. Burgoyne, of Erie; Katherine, wife of John T. Dillon, of Erie, now president of the Titusville (Pa.) Forge Co. ; Rose M., wife of Daniel P. McMahon, of Buffalo, New York; Jennie M., wife of P. J. O'Connor, of Erie; Agnes V., wife of C. Harrison Elliott, of Erie; Clara M., wife of Francis A. Carrick, of Erie; William, who was acci- dentally killed at the age of four years ; Daniel S., whose name introduces this sketch ; and Edward C. and Miss Nellie, at home.
Daniel S. Hanley was reared in Erie, and was educated in the parochial schools of this city. He learned the trade of machinist at the Erie Forge, serving an apprenticeship of three years, which work he left to take a position as clothing salesman for P. A. Meyer, of Erie, and later was with Straus Bros., still later traveling in New York state as the representative of the Cleveland Dental Supply Manufacturing Co. In May, 1895, he took a position as assistant in the undertaking establishment of Hogan & Co., of Cleveland, with whom he remained until June, 1898, during that time giving close attention to and thoroughly learning every detail of the business. Returning to Erie in 1898, he de- cided to establish himself in the undertaking business. Before doing so, however, he was required by law to have his petition signed by three undertakers. These signatures, for reasons, were withheld by those ap- proached and Mr. Hanley was balked in his plans in Erie, temporarily.
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He then tried at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but again was prevented, for the same reason. He next tried Philadelphia, but with like results. Com- ing back to Erie, he determined to test the constitutionality of the law, and as a means of doing so, engaged in business without a license. At the funeral of the late Bishop Mullen, Mr. Hanley was arrested at the cathedral and was placed under bond. He continued his business, and was rearrested a number of times. In October, 1899, he was brought into court, and his case was decided against him. Defeated but not dis- couraged, he went to the Superior Court at Pittsburg, which rendered a verdict in his favor, and he was ordered to report to the State Board at Philadelphia, where he passed the examination and was granted a license, on March 4, 1900. From that time he was successfully engaged in business. His parlors were at No. 1213 Sassafras street, and April 1, 1909, he moved to new parlors at 1230 Peach street, his present place of business. On January 9, 1906, Mr. Hanley was appointed acting cor- oner of Erie county, and in November, 1908, was elected to the office.
Fraternally he is identified with numerous organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, Eagles, Elks, Moose, Modern Woodmen, Mar- quette Club and Progressive League Club. Mr. Hanley is married and has one child, J. Daniel. Mrs. Hanley, formerly Miss Catherine A. Wagner, is a native of Greene township, Erie county, and a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Wagner, old residents of the county; she was married at Kersey, Elk county, Pennsylvaina, the Rev. Father J. Wagner, her brother, performing the ceremony.
CONRAD KLEIN, as proprietor of the Reed House, the leading hotel of the city of Erie, is specially well-known both in local business circles and to the traveling public. He has had diversified and ample experience in the hotel business, in which his reputation has been further fortified by his able direction of the affairs of the house of which he is now the popular head.
Mr. Klein was born in New York City, on the 6th of December, 1869, and is a son of Conrad Klein, who was a native of Germany, where he took part in the historic revolution of 1848. When the patriot cause failed he escaped to America and became one of the argonauts to Cal- ifornia in the ever memorable year 1849. He passed the closing years of his life in New York City. The Klein family is of French Huguenot lineage, and the founders of the family in southern Germany were ref- ugees who fled from France in the opening years of the seventeenth century to escape the persecutions incidental to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
Conrad Klein, Jr., was reared and educated in his native city, the national metropolis, and in 1886 he initiated his career in connection with the hotel business, in which his training has been most scrupulous in all departments, so that he is specially well fortified for the manage- ment of such a fine hotel as that of which he is now the head. He began his association with the hotel business in New Haven, Connecticut, and thereafter was identified with hotels in other cities. From 1898 until 1901 he was in Europe, and in the latter year he assumed the mangement of the Continental Hotel, in the city of Newark, New Jersey. In the following year he became associated in the ownership of the Morgan House, at Poughkeepsie, New York, the management of which he was thus identified with until 1905, when he sold his interest in the business and assumed control of the Reed House, in Erie, where he has since
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remained and where he gained to his hotel a signally high reputation. He is loyal and progressive as a citizen, holds membership in both the Erie Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade, as well as the Business Men's Association.
WILLIAM E. HAYES, president of the Hayes House Furnishing Com- pany of Erie, but for the past few months virtually retired from active business, is also widely interested in various important industries and commercial enterprises of the city, and has earned his honorable leader- ship in the community by three decades of well directed activities. He is a native of Erie county, descended from two of its noteworthy families of pioneers-the Hayeses and Grahams. The father of William E., and the founder of their fortunes in the county, was Lester Hayes, of Scotch extraction, born at Granby, Connecticut, in 1800. In 1818, when a boy of eighteen years and weighing but seventy-five pounds, Lester came to Erie county, remained a few months and then returned to Granby. In 1820, however, he located permanently in Harbor Creek township, having made the last journey afoot, as well as the two preced- ing trips. In the locality which he finally selected, he built and operated the pioneer woolen mill of the county, but ill health compelled him to abandon that enterprise and settle on a farm in Greene township. A few years later his father Martin and family joined him there, and it was in this township that he married Mary Graham, the daughter of pioneer parents. Lester Hayes died June 19, 1869, and his widow on November 4, 1884.
William E. Hayes of this biography was born on the old Hayes farm in Greene township, April 22, 1846. He continued at the family home- stead until 1879, when he came to Erie and became member of the firm of Patterson and Hayes, house furnishers and galvanized cornice man- ufacturers. In 1886 the business was divided, Mr. Hayes becoming owner of the house furnishing department. Subsequently he received as partner, D. W. Nason. but that gentleman retired a few years later and Mr. Hayes continued the business alone until 1902, having in the meantime added wall-paper to his stock. In the latter year he turned this depart- ment over to his son Arba W., who formed a partnership with Walter Willert. In September, 1908, the other branch of the business was in- corporated under the name of the Hayes House Furnishing Company, Mr. Hayes becoming its president, but retiring from its active manage- ment. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Mutual Telephone Company and a director in the Petroleum Telephone Company of Oil City. At the inception of the Lake Erie Traction Company, when the line to northeast Erie was projected, Mr. Hayes was president of the corporation. He was also an incorporator of the Edison Electric Light Company of Erie, and was one of the founders and promoters of the Erie Gas Mantle Manufacturing Company, in which he is still interested.
While a citizen of Greene township, Mr. Hayes held various town- ship offices, having served as county auditor for three terms. He is a charter member of the Erie Chamber of Commerce; was one of the organizers of the Business Men's Exchange and its first president, and has been a delegate to all its conventions. He is a member of the Erie County Historical Society. For years Mr. Hayes has been an earnest Presbyterian, before coming to Erie being an elder in the Bell Valley church and since locating in the city has been likewise elder of the Central church. On September 15, 1870, he married Miss Mary Adela,,
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daughter of the late Captain Thomas and Emily (Smith) Perrin, the father having been a captain on the Great Lakes for many years. He was a native of England and settled in Erie City many years ago. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. William E. Hayes : Clemina B., after her graduation from the University of Michigan in 1893, married Benjamin F. Chase, who was appointed United States consul to Italy, but after a year's service was obliged to resign on account of ill health; Arba W. Hayes married Miss Addie Wilkins, daughter of the late Captain Wilkins ; Gertrude A. married Charles P. Reiley, with the First National Bank of Erie.
GEORGE P. COLT. Macaulay, great as a statesman, historian and biographer, finally concluded that a nation or epoch was best pictured in the lives of its men and women. The truth of his dictum is well illustrated in the record of the late George P. Colt, of Erie, which is so closely woven into the history of the city as well as by the public and business careers of his father and his grandfather. At his death Mr. Colt was a representative of the well-known firm of private bankers, Ball and Colt, and since the decease of the senior member had been the sole manager of its affairs. Outside of his substantial business abilities, Mr. Colt was a man of strong personality, and while his life work was that of an able financier, at no time did he neglect his public duties and was an active force in the advancement of measures of real benefit to the city and state.
The deceased was born in Erie, March 7, 1834, and was a son of Thomas G. and Catherine A. (Kellogg) Colt. His parents were both natives of Massachusetts, his father being reared in the home of Judah Colt, one of the earliest and most prominent pioneers of Erie county. In 1795 his cousin named migrated from the Old Bay state and settled with his family in this county. Judah Colt came into this locality as agent of the Pennsylvania Population Company which had purchased large tracts of land in what is still known as the "Triangle," in which he himself became largely interested as a proprietor. In the following year he located in what is now Greenfield township, opening a land office at what has ever since been known as Colt's Station. In 1797 he opened a road from Lake Erie to that place, its western terminus being at the mouth of Sixteen-mile creek, now Freeport. This work was of great benefit to the early settlers, as it enabled them to more readily transport their supplies into the interior of the county. Moving to Erie in 1802, Judah Colt was for many years a leader in the development of the stable interests of the town. His cousin, Thomas G. Colt, became very prominent in both business and public affairs, serving first as the head of the borough government and subsequently as first mayor of the city. He was also for many terms a most valued member of the municipal council, and his death in 1861 was a loss of deep concern to many interests and numerous citizens.
Educated in private schools and at the old Erie Academy, George P. Colt began life for himself as a clerk in the private banking house of William C. Curry, of Erie, entering his institution in 1850. In 1854 he went to Chicago to assume a bank clerkship in that city, and four vears thereafter became a grain broker continuing thus for six succeed- ing years. Mr. Colt returned to Erie in 1867, and in company with P. H. Ball founded the banking firm of Ball and Colt, which became one of the leading institutions of the kind in the city and which, as stated, he
NEW YORK ĮPUBLIC LIBRARY
ATER LENOX TIDEN FOUNDATIONS
I.S. Wheeler
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RESIDENCE OF W. S. WHEELER
E NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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was conducting alone at the time of his death, November 5, 1908. In his civic relations, the deceased was a valued adviser, and rendered especially active service as a member of the school board, Hamot Hospital and Erie cemetery. In his religious faith, he was an Episcopalian connected with St. Paul's church, and for many years an earnest and efficient superin- tendent of its Sunday-school at one of its missions. He also served as vestryman, junior warden and treasurer at St. Paul's. His wife, whom he married in 1861, was Nancy I. Glover, daughter of Rev. Bennett Glover, long rector of that church. Mrs. Colt is a native of Erie, but received the most of her education at St. Xavier's Convent, Pittsburg. Her life has been an elevating influence, both intellectually and morally.
WALTER S. WHEELER. The Wheeler family has long been a potent factor in the development of the horticultural and live stock interests of Erie county, Walter S. himself being one of the largest raisers and handlers of fine beef cattle in this locality. He is a native of Le Boeuf, this county, born March 13, 1858, son of Charles and Sarah Jane (Clark) Wheeler. The father was born near New Ipswich, New Hampshire, in 1826 and died April 26, 1904, while the mother, a Massachusetts lady, was born at Townsend Center, July 9, 1835, and is living in LeBoeuf township. Charles MI. Wheeler removed to Erie county about 1853, in that year buying land in the township named and devoting it to farming and live stock purposes for the balance of his life. At the time of his death he was a large land owner, being proprietor of an extensive tract of wheat land in Marshall county, Minnesota, as well as the owner of his large and productive farm in Erie county. He had prospered in worldly possessions and had also earned an honorable reputation as a public man, having been a member of the Pennsylvania legislature for two terms. In Masonry, he had attained to the thirty-second degree, being at the time of his death a member of Perfection Lodge of Erie, Erie Chapter and Commandery and Pittsburg Consistory.
Walter S. Wheeler, of this biography, was the second of six sons and was educated at the Edinboro Normal School and Waterford acad- emy, graduating from the latter institution in 1878. He lived with his parents and assisted his father until he was twenty-one years of age when he was placed in control of the home farm and continued to conduct it from 1878 until 1893. He then purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land two miles east of North East borough, twelve acres of this tract being at the time cultivated to grapes. Since that time he has success- fully developed eighty acres of different varieties of grapes, also fine orchards of apples and peaches. The balance of his estate is devoted to the raising of live stock, and he has christened his place the "Walter S. Wheeler Stock and Fruit Farm." As he grows the finest of fruits, he naturally commands the highest of prices, and the same may be said in regard to his raising of beef cattle. As this has all been accomplished through his own persistency and agricultural skill, he naturally takes great pride in the appearance and the productiveness of his farm. In politics, he has always been a firm Republican.
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