USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97
94
BIOGRAPHIES OF
ried Rasina Plandzin, both born in the cast. George Hammer was a stone-mason and miller by trade, and died on his farm near Greens- burg, Pa., in the early part of the eighteenth century. Jeremiah Hammer, in connection with his farm interests, ran a saw and grist mill which was located on his farm; he also opened coal mines on his farm and in part sup- plied Greensburg with coal for over twenty years. The Hammers are of that sturdy German stock of people who have been such strong element in the development and in the making of this county what it is. Of Jeremiah Hammer's ten children six are living: Theodore, a grocer of Greensburg; Inez, Maggie, William J., a den- tist of Greensburg; Carrie and Robert B. The family are all members of the Lutheran church.
Robert B. Hammer was educated in the pub- lic schools at Greensburg, and for awhile was a special student at the Greensburg seminary. In 1878 he entered the University of Pennsylvania, and after three years as a student was graduated from the medical department of that college in the class of 1881. He subsequently took a post-graduate course under the instruction of the eminent J. Ewing Mears, of Philadelphia, making a specialty of microscopic work and surgery. He was elected coroner of Westmore- land county in 1884 and re-elected in 1887. In the Johnstown disaster Dr. Hammer officiated over two hundred and thirty-four bodies, and returned his inquests without any charges what- ever. He was the first republican coroner ever elected in Westmoreland county. He is active and progressive in his profession and is well skilled in the science of medicine.
W. HARVEY, M. D. One among the young and rising physicians of Westmore_ land county is Dr. J. W. Harvey, of Lud- wick borough. He was born at Delmont, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 31, 1862,
and is a son of Joseph and Angeline (Metzgar) Ilarvey. The Harveys are of Irish descent. His paternal grandfather, James Harvey, was a native of this country. He was a prominent democrat during his day, served one term as sheriff of Westmoreland county and was an influential citizen of the community in which he resided. One of his daughters is the wife of Judge Ilunter. Joseph Harvey (father) was born at Greensburg in 1829. He always votes the democratic ticket and supports the nominees of his party, but neither takes an active part in politics or cares anything for office. He has been a Presbyterian for many years and is a ruling elder in that church. IIe married Ange- line Metzgar, who is a daughter of Daniel Metzgar, and was reared near Murrysville. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have had six children, of whom four are living.
Dr. J. W. Harvey received his education in the common schools and Murrysville academy, and taught one term in the common schools during the winter of 1880. He read medicine with Dr. J. A. Fulton, now of New Florence, and in 1882 entered Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, from which he was graduated March 29, 1884. Immediately after graduation he opened an office for practice of medicine at Salina. In the fall of 1886 he came to Greens- burg and located at Ludwick borough in the active practice of his professon, which he has continued until the present time. In connection with his practice he conducts a drug store, and keeps a carefully selected stock of fresh and pure drugs, chemicals, toilet articles and per- fumery goods. Dr. Harvey is rapidly building up a practice in his chosen profession of medi- cine, and if present indications are any index to the future, he will attain the full measure of success that always follows ability and energy.
Hle united in marriage with Sarah Moore- head, who is a native of Salem township and a daughter of W. L. Moorehead, now of Greens- burg. Dr. and Mrs. Harvey are the parents of
95
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
four children : Plumer, Joseph, Mary and Ethel. Dr. Harvey is a democrat politically and an active member of the First Presbyterian church of Greensburg.
II. IIUBER, proprietor of one of the leading music stores of Greensburg and owner of the largest and finest green house and conservatory in Westmoreland county, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1838, and is a son of Isaac and Eliza- beth (Hood) Huber.
The progenitor of the Huber family in the United States was Rudolph Huber (great-grand- father), who came from Zurich, Switzerland, and died in Philadelphia at forty-eight years of age. One of his sons was Henry Huber (grandfather), who was born and educated in Philadelphia. He was a fine scholar, served as a clerk in the courts of that city and married a Miss Engle, of Swiss descent. Their children all lived well toward the century mark in years : Mrs. Mary Sell attained the age of ninety-three years and nine months ; Rudolph, Jr., made a record of twelve days past his ninetieth birth- day ; Joseph lived ninety-one years, nine months and fifteen days ; Mrs. Anna Ocker reached half-way between her ninety-first and ninety-second year ; Isaac, who is wearing well on into the last year necessary to make him a nonogenarian, and Josiah, who lives in Cali- fornia and has his four-score years by several birthdays.
Isaac Huber (father) was born in Bucks county, Pa., in the spring of 1801 and is still living and in the enjoyment of good health. In the carly part of his life he was a miller. Ile next followed weaving and later in life became a farmer. When young he went to Montgomery county where he now resides. He is a member of the Reformed church, has been successful in his business pursuits, has always supported the
Democratic party, served as tax collector of his township for several years and in 1863 way elected county commissioner of Montgomery county. He married Elizabeth Hood, a daugh- ter of John Hood, who was a large land-owner of that county. They had six children, of whom only three lived to years of man and womanhood.
J. HI. IIuber was educated in the common schools, Washington Hall select school and the public schools of Allentown. Leaving school, he engaged in teaching, which he followed in Mont- gomery and Bucks counties until 1862. IIe was organist for four years of several churches in his native county. He subsequently came to Greensburg as organist in one of the churches. He also organized classes of from thirty to forty pupils in vocal and instrumental music, which he instructed for several years. He quit teaching to engage in his present business of selling musical instruments and tuning pianos. Later he established his present large and beautiful green ohuse and conservatory, which is the only one of note in Greensburg.
On March 19, 1864, Mr. Huber united in marriage with Angeline Graff, daughter of John and Catherine Frederick (Graff) of Montgomery county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Huber have had eight children, of whom five are living : John, born February 23, 1866, and a florist for his father; Charles F., born September 1, 1867, attending Pittsburg School of Pharmacy ; J. Nevin, born March 18, 1871, a printer ; Harry G., born December 3, 1871, attending school, and Mary A., born June 2, 1886.
Politically he is a conservative democrat. He is a member of K. of P., Chosen Friends, Home Circle and the Second Reformed church, of which he is a trustee and choir leader. Mr. IIuber has recently patented a lamp shade which gives promise of being a great success. If properly advertised and pushed upon the market it will no doubt take the place of all the present ones now in use.
96
BIOGRAPHIES OF
EORGE FRANKLIN HUFF. One of the most energetic and public-spirited men of Westmoreland county is Ex-State Senator George F. Huff, of Greensburg, a remarkably able and widely-known banker and financier. He is prominently identified with every industry of any magnitude or importance that exists in the county, and was especially in- strumental in the organization of many of those industries developed within the limits of West- moreland during the last quarter of a century. Hle was born at Norristown, Montgomery county, Pa., July 16, 1842, and is a son of George and Caroline (Boyer) Huff. ITis pater- nal ancestry dates back to Baldwin Von Hoof (now written Huff), who resided on the family estates near the city of Passau, Bavaria. He was famous among the Bavarian knighthood and nobility, and lost his life in the first crusade in July, 1099, at the storming of Jerusalem. George F. Huff's paternal great-grandparents were John Frederick and Susanna (Kime) IIuff, both natives of Berlin, Germany. The former was born July 8, 1734, and died April 26, 1818, at Huff's Church, Berks county, Pa., so called because of the donation of land at that place by him for a church site and burial ground ; the latter was born on Christmas, 1739, and died May 12, 1809. They had four sons and five daughters living in 1818. One of these sons was George Huff, Sr. (grandfather), who was born August 1, 1779, at Huff's Church, where he followed farming and hotel-keeping until his death in 1845. He married Anna Mull, who lived to be nearly ninety-two years of age. Of their children one was George IIuff (father), who was engaged in mercantile business at Huff's church for a short time and then re- moved about 1840 to Norristown, Pa. From there he went to Middletown and five years later removed to Altoona, Pa., where he died January 19, 1858, aged forty-five years, four months and twenty-six days. Ile married Caroline Kreps Boyer September 16, 1835, at Boyertown, Pa.,
which was named for her family. She died at Altoona February 3, 1876, aged fifty-eight years, four months and twenty-nine days. George F. Iluff on his maternal side traces his ancestry back four generations to Jacob Bayer (now written Boyer), who came from Germany with his wife and three sons, Valentine, Philip and Jacob. The latter had four sons : Philip, Jacob, Daniel and Henry (maternal grand- father), who was born October 19, 1778, and died March 18, 1857. Ile was a member of the Legislature from Berks county in 1823, 4, 5, 6 and 1831. He was one of the early founders of the flourishing borough of Boyertown, which was laid out in lots in 1835 and duly incor- porated in 1851. He was married March 3, 1800, to Sarah Kreps, who was born February 28, 1784, and died July 7, 1858. They had eleven children, one of whom, Caroline Kreps Boyer, married George Huff and was the mother of Senator George F. Iluff.
At four years of age George F. Huff was taken by his parents to Middletown, Dauphin county, Pa., where he attended the public schools until 1851, when his parents removed to Altoona, Blair county. There he attended the public schools till at the age of seventeen years. He then entered the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Altoona to learn the trade of car-finishing. After three years of assiduous labor he received, without solicitation upon his part, a high recommendation from his railroad employers to the banking house of William M. Lloyd & Co., who were at that time the leading bankers of Blair county. They invited him to take a position with them, which he accepted. In 1865 they sent him to Ebensburg, Cambria county, Pa., to establish a banking house. In that mission he was successful beyond the ex- pectations of all concerned, and in one year was recalled to the home house at Altoona. In 1867 he removed to Greensburg and established the Greensburg Deposit Bank of Lloyd, Huff & Co., with branches at Latrobe, Irwin and Mt. Pleas-
Geo Stuff
99
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
ant. These banks went out of business in 1873 on account of the serious financial embarrass- ment of the senior member of the firm, Mr. W. M. Lloyd. In 1871 Mr. Huff organized the Farmers' National Bank of Greensburg, with a capital of $100,000, and was its first president, remaining at the head of the bank until 1874, when he took the active management of its busi- ness as cashier and General Richard Coulter was elected president. Subsequently the officers of the bank procured an act of Congress chang- ing its location and name ; it then became the Fifth National Bank of Pittsburg, and upon its removal to that city Mr. Huff was chosen vice- president, which position he held until 1876, when he resigned. In 1874 he helped organize the Greensburg Banking Company, one of the solid and substantial banking institutions of western Pennsylvania, and few banks in the state wield such an influence or maintain so prominent a position in the confidence of the public as this bank. IIe was elected cashier of the Greensburg Banking Company and served as such until 1887. Ilis management of this institution was based upon wise, safe and economical financial principles, which best sub- serves and largely protects the business interests of the county, and this conservative manage- ment of the bank has held its ample resources, secured its immense deposits and built up its wonderfully large volume of business. Hle is also a director of the First National Bank of Greensburg. He is largely interested in the coke and coal industries of Westmoreland county and was mainly instrumental in the establish- ment of the Greensburg Coal, the Hempfield Coal, the Argyle Coal, the United Coal and Coke, the Mutual Mining and Manufacturing, the Manor Gas Coal, the Latrobe Coal and the Carbon Coal Companies, which furnish employ- ment for many hundred men. Col. George F. Huff also took an active and prominent part in the organization of the Southwest Pennsylvania Railway Company, whose main line passes
through the heart of the celebrated Connellsville coke and coal region. This road has been ever since its construction one of the best paying railroad properties in the United States. He was its treasurer until that office was removed to Philadelphia, and since then has served as a director. He is identified with and director in the Greensburg Electric Street Railway Com- pany, Greensburg Fuel Company, Greensburg Gas (illuminating) Company and Greensburg Steel Company. He is president of the Greens- burg Electric Light and Westmoreland Water Companies and has been an important factor in the development of the Jeannette natural gas region and the building of the town of Jeannette. At Burrell, the adjoining station, he lately donated seven acres of land for a manufacturing site.
To the material development of Greensburg, no citizen of the place has contributed more than Sena- tor Huff. He has built a fine residence, put up a block of brick buildings and has erected on South Main street the finest and most imposing business building within the county-a structure of archi- tectural beauty and permanent solidity, which is pronounced by competent judges to be equal in every respect to any building of its size in either Philadelphia or New York. His " Rose Foun- tain Farm " which adjoins the borough, contains about one hundred and eighty acres of land. with its four miles of drive, handsome groves, large fish ponds and many springs of pure, cold water; it has become a favorite drive and pedestrian re- sort for the citizens of Greensburg.
Senator Huff was married March 16, 1871, to Henrietta Burrell, of Greensburg, daughter of IIon. Jeremiah Murry Burrell, formerly presi- dent Judge of the Tenth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, and afterward United States as- sociate judge of the territory of Kansas, and who died at Greensburg on October 21, 1856. To Senator and Mrs. Huff have been born eight children, of whom four are living : Lloyd Bur- rell, the eldest, is now attending the Rensselaer
100
BIOGRAPHIES OF
Polytechnic Institute, at Troy, New York. Mrs. Huff is active in church work, interested in her husband's business affairs and counsels with him on all his important enterprises.
Senator George F. Huff is a progressive re- publican and " can justly claim a larger personal political following than any other man in his county." His political career commenced in 1880, when he came into national prominence in the republican convention at Chicago as one of the " Old Guard," or " Immortal 306," which was led by the imperious and incorruptible silver- haired senator of New York in support of the " Great Commander " for the presidential nomi- nation. In 1884 Mr. Iluff was the republican candidate for State senator in the Thirty-ninth Senatorial District, comprising Westmoreland county. He was elected by seven hundred ma- jority over his democratic opponent, and served his constituents of all parties faithfully for four years as a member of the State Senate of Penn- sylvana. In 1887 he was nominated for Congress in the Twenty-first District by the republicans of Westmoreland county, but the nomination was secured after a close contest by Samuel A. Craig, of Jefferson county, the district being Westmoreland, Indiana, Armstrong and Jeffer- son counties. "Socially, he is the same affable, approachable gentlemen to high and low alike, and has won success and position in life by his intellectual ability, untiring energy and indomi- table perseverance. He is now in the very prime of matured manhood and the zenith of his power is yet before him.
ILLIAM A. HUFF. One of the young and progressive bankers of Westmore- land county and western Pennsylvania is the gentleman whose name appears above. William A. Huff was born in Altoona, Pa., January 21, 1856, and is a son of George and Caroline (Boyer) Huff. (For ancestry see sketch of Col. George F. Huff.)
William A. Huff was reared and educated at Altoona, Blair county, Pa., learned telegraphy, entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company and served for two and one-half years as a telegraph operator in their offices from Pittsburg to Harrisburg. In June, 1873, he engaged in banking and since that year has been principally employed in various positions, latterly as cashier, by the Greensburg Banking Company, whose place of business is at Greens- burg. February 17, 1885, he united in mar- riage with Catharine E. Heller, who is a daugh- ter of Captain F. P. Heller, of Reading, Pa. They have three children : George F. Iluff, Jr. born January 15, 1886; Rose Caroline Huff, born September 18, 1887, and Edith Angeline . Huff, born February 24, 1889.
W. A. Iluff is a member of Greensburg Coun- cil, No. 44, Royal Arcanum, and Greensburg Council No. 82, Junior Order of United Ameri- can Mechanics. IIe is prominent in the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Westmoreland Lodge, No. 519, a High Royal Arch Mason of Urania Chapter, No. 152, a Knight Templar of Kedron Commandery, No. 18, and has taken the Mystic Shrine degree of Freemasonry. His business qualifications and well-known integrity have recommended him to the leading men of various successful enterprises, and he is now treasurer of the Greensburg and Hempfield Elec- tric Street Railway, Dunbar Dimension and Building Stone, Greensburg Coal, Alexandria Supply, Globe Sand and Stone and South Fork Supply Companies, and of the Westmoreland and the Home Building and Loan Associations. He is a director of the Hempfield Coal, Carbon Coal and Greensburg Electric Light Companies, and of the First National Bank of Greensburg, which was organized in 1881 and is one of the flourishing banks of that place. IIe is also sec- retary of the Corona Coal and Coke Company of Corona, Ala. The rapid strides Greensburg is making toward taking her place as a leading city of Pennsylvania is largely due to her intelligent,
101
WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
honorable and enterprising citizens, among whom none are more prominent or favorably known than William A. Huff, whose business re- lations have brought him in contact with and secured for him the good will of the leading busi- ness men of the State. Ile is cashier of one of the most substantial and best conducted banking houses in western Pennsylvania. This institu- tion was organized as the Greensburg Banking Company by Col. George F. Huff and several other of the leading capitalists of Greensburg, who are prominently identified with the coal and railroad interests of this county and who stand high as business men and able financiers. This bank is the depository of the Pennsylvania and Southwest Railroads, and its eastern correspond- ents are the National Bank of the Republic and Cassatt & Co., Philadelphia, and the American National Bank of New York City. It is one of the oldest banks in Greensburg, and its con- stantly increasing volume of business is correctly and rapidly transacted by W. A. Huff. He is a reliable and efficient cashier and has won an enviable reputation for good judgment, correct business methods and financial ability.
AMES ALEXANDER IIUNTER, ex- president judge of the tenth judicial dis- triet (Westmoreland county) of Pennsyl- vania, is the son of Scotch-Irish parents, who were married in Lancaster county in 1832 and removed to this county in 1811; he was born April 18, 1835, in Lancaster county, Pa., and is a son of James K. and Eliza (Stewart) Hun- ter. "James K. Ilunter was a native of London- derry, Ireland, emigrated to the United States, and died at Greensburg in 1879 at the age of ninety years. His wife, Eliza Stewart, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and died Octo- ber 9, 1886, at the age of eighty-seven.
After receiving a common school education Judge Hunter obtained an academic training by his own efforts, teaching common and select
schools for some years. Having read law at Greensburg with Judge James Todd, formerly of Philadelphia, he was admitted to the bar in 1858 and at once began practice in this county. His first partner was Col. J. W. Greenawalt, who died from a wound received in the battle of the Wilderness ; his second partner was Hon. J. R. McAfee, afterwards editor of the Tribune. After the death of Jacob Beaumont, his third partner, Judge Hunter formed a partnership with W. HI. Klingensmith, with whom he con- tinued until appointed to the bench to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge James A. Logan. He was commissioned by Gov. Hoyt, July 12, 1879, his commission run- ning to the first Monday of January, 1880, and took the oath of office July 14, 1879. In the fall of that year he was the candidate of the Re- publican party for the same office, and was elected by a majority of more than a thousand although the county was Democratic. He re- tired from the bench January 5, 1890, having presided for more than ten years over the courts of the county with ability, firmness, fairness and faithfulness, and carrying with him the con- fidence and esteem of the bar and of the public.
In 1869 Judge Hunter was elected to the Legislature of Pennsylvania, but on account of professional duties refused to stand for re-elec- tion.
On September 20, 1859, he married Cynthia. A. Harvey, a daughter of Major James Harvey (deceased), who was sheriff of Westmoreland county in 1840-44. In politics he has always been a republican, taking an active part in all important campaigns, and he so avoided giving offense to opponents and conducted all political affairs with so much shrewdness that whether suc- cessful or not he always gained new friends while retaining old ones. He is recognized as a man of much political forecast in his party, is just and fair and a sworn enemy of the " cliques " and " rings " whose unscrupulous methods so often defeat the will of the people.
102
BIOGRAPHIES OF
ILLIAM FREAME JOHNSON. In two adjoining townships in Westmore- land county and at places not a half dozen miles apart, were born two of the chief magistrates of the " Keystone State." They were William Freame Johnson and John White Geary, both of Scotch-Irish descent. William Freame Johnson, Governor of Pennsylvania from July 26, 1848, to January 20, 1852, was born at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., No- vember 29, 1808, and was a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Freame) Johnson. Alexander Johnson was of Scotch extraction. He was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, July 10, 1773, and died near Youngstown, this county, July 10, 1872. Ile came to America in 1797 and soon thereafter settled at Greensburg, where he married Elizabeth, second daughter of William Freame, who was a native of Belfast, Ireland, and had fought under Wolfe at Quebec. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson reared a family of eight sons and two daughters. Alexander Johnson held several important county offices and was the old- est Mason in the United States at the time of his death.
William Freame Johnson received but a limi- ted common school and academic education, but by reading and study acquired a vast fund of information. Ile read law with Maj. John B. Alexander, was admitted to the Greensburg bar in May, 1829, and removed to Armstrong county, where he soon rose to a position of commanding influence. He was appointed district attorney, represented the county in the Assembly of Penn- sylvania for several years, and in 1847 was elec- ted a member of the State Senate. He was an acknowledged political leader and his bill author- izing the State to issue relief notes in alleviation of the panic of 1837 made him very popular throughout Pennsylvania. In 1847 he was elected president of the Senate, and as such served as acting governor from the resignation of Governor Shunk in 1848 until a new elec- tion could be ordered. At this election, held in
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.