USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 15
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Rev. and Mrs. Laird were the parents of several children, Harrison P. being their young- est son. He received his early education under Jeremiah O'Donovan, a superior teacher of his day, and Rev. David Kirkpatrick, D. D., a fine classical scholar. He then entered Jefferson college, Washington county, Pa., from which he was graduated. After graduation he assumed charge of Madison academy, Ky., for one year and then entered Transylvania university, at that time the most renowned institution in the great valley of the Ohio, and took courses of lectures for a year. At the end of that time he returned to Pennsylvania, read law with Hon. Charles Shaler of Pittsburg, was admitted to the Allegheny county bar, and immediately after admission located in Greensburg, where he is still engaged in the practice of his profession.
Shortly after his arrival at Greensburg, H. P. Laird was elected to the State Legislature for
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three terms in succession, and as chairman of the bank committee, he drew up the banking law of Pennsylvania of 1850. In 1880 he was elected to the State senate from the thirty-ninth senatorial district, then consisting of Westmore- land county, and served for four years in that body with fidelity to his constituents and credit to himself.
AMES M. LAIRD, one of the editors of the Pennsylvania Argus, is a member of an old and most highly respected family of the county ; he was born December 13, 1837, in Murrysville, Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of John M. and Rebecca (Moore) Laird. The Lairds are of Scotch-Irish and English ex- traction. One of the ancestors, John Laird, was a resident of County Donegal, Ireland, whose farm is still in the Laird name. John Laird (great-great-grandfather) married in Ire- land a lady named Martha Russell, and with her emigrated to America, settling in York county, afterwards in Adams county, Pa., where he reared a family of which the youngest son William Laird (great-grandfather), who married Jane MeClure. Francis Laird, the youngest son of this marriage (and the grandfather of James M. Laird), was a Presbyterian minister and began his clerical career about 1800 in Westmoreland county. Ile married Mary Moore, whose father, Ilon. John Moore, was the first president judge of Westmoreland county and also a State sena- tor. The eldest of the sons of Rev. Francis Laird was John M. Laird, father of James M., who died January 25, 1887. He was editor of the Argus from 1850 to the time of his death, and succeeded in making it one of the leading weekly papers of the State. John M. Laird was a democrat of the old school and was a vigorous champion of the principles of the party to which he belonged. Ile was a man of very decided and positive views on all questions and fearless in the expression. During the civil war he was
persecuted beyond endurance by reason of his convictions, and many times was his life threat- ened and his office besieged by mobs, but he boldly and bravely bid defiance to all attempts against his person or property. He was elected and served one term as register and recorder, and was for many years a justice of the peace, both in Murrysville and Greensburg ; while serving in the latter place he was coroner by common consent, no coroner being elected dur- ing his term as justice. Although able and deserving he never aspired to State or national positions. He was a friend and intimately ac- quainted with James Buchanan, Thaddeus Ste- phens and the leading characters of that day. Edwin M. Stanton learned the printer's trade with him while he was editor of the Steubenville (Ohio) Gazette. In the " Buckshot war " Mr. Laird was a private, taking his own arms with him. He was first married to Mary Martin of the State of Ohio, by whom he had one daugh- ter, Mrs. George W. Hankey, of Franklin township, this county. After her death he mar- ried Rebecca, a daughter of James Moore, of near New Alexandria, who died in 1875, and who bore him four children : James M. Laird and Francis V. B. Laird, the present editors of the Argus ; Kate R., and William, who died in 1876.
James M. Laird was educated in the common schools and in the printing office, where he has spent his life. Hle and his brother are editors and proprietors of the Argus, a weekly demo- cratie paper, which is one of the most widely- known and quoted journals in the State. He with others organized the " Arthur St. Clair Guards," known as Co. I, tenth reg., N. G. P., and was elected captain December 31, 1878, which position he held more than four years, when he was elected major of the tenth reg., N. G. P. He held that position until the captaincy of Co. I became vacant, when he resigned to ac- cept his former position, that of captain of his old command, in which capacity he remained
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until June 10, 1888, when he resigned. He was also orderly sergeant of Co. C, in the fifty- fourth reg., Vol. militia (in the U. S. service), which went out in July, 1863, to repel or cap- ture " Morgan, the confederate raider." The capture of this noted guerilla chieftain was effected while raiding through Ohio, and is a part of the history of the great Rebellion. Mr. Laird is an uncompromising democrat, a fear- less and forcible writer and a man of much ability and practical experience.
James M. Laird was united in marriage April 13, 1865, with Sarah B. Fullwood, then a resident of Pittsburg, and who was a daughter of Gen. David Fullwood, in his time a prominent man in this county, having held various offices, among others those of sheriff and prothonotary, and who was collector of the Pennsylvania canal at the port of Johnstown. James M. and Mrs. Laird are the parents of three children, two of whom are living : Maggie F., born October 9, 1866, who is the wife of William J. Coshey, of Greensburg ; and John F. Laird, born Decem- ber 18, 1867, who is engaged in the plumbing business.
James M. Laird is a public-spirited, wide- awake citizen, a man of generous impulses, a firm and constant friend, whose courage, honor and integrity are beyond question.
ON. JOHN LATTA, of Scotch-Irish decent, an able member of the Westmore- land county bar, and one of the best-known citizens of the county, was born March 2, 1836, in Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., on the old Latta farm. His grandfather was John Latta, who, with his brother Moses, came from eastern Pennsylvania and settled in Mt. Pleas- ant township, where the Mammoth Coke works are now located ; he married a Miss Storey, of New Jersey, by whom he had four children. Moses Latta (father), the second of these chil- dren, was born in Mt. Pleasant township, six
miles north of the borough of Mt. Pleasant, in 1790, and in early life removed to Unity town- ship where he successfully carried on farming until his death, which occured February, 1848. During the war of 1812 he enlisted in the com- pany commanded by Capt. Reynolds, but before the company reached the seat of war, Jackson's victory at New Orleans had caused Great Britain to sign a treaty of peace, and the troops returned home. Mr. Latta was married to Eliza, a daugh- ter of Robert Graham, who was a native of Greensburg, and a horse dealer by occupation, and to their union was born two children : Mary Jane, married to George R. Hugus, who resides on the old Latta homestead, and John, the sub- ject of this sketch.
IIon. John Latta received his education in the country schools and at Sewickley and Elder's Ridge academies, in which he spent about five years. In 1857 he entered the law department of Yale college, graduated from that institution in 1859, and in November of that year was admit- ied to the bar of Westmoreland county, since which he has been almost continuously engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1863 he was the choice of his native county for State senator, was also endorsed by Fayette county which was then a part of the district, and was elected. Afterward, in the Indiana and West- moreland legislative district, Mr. Latta was the democratic nominee, but the district being strongly republican, he was defeated. In 1871 and 1872 he was elected to the Legislature and served two terms with fidelity to his constituents and credit to himself. In 1874 he was nomina- ted and elected Lieutenant-Governor of Pennsyl- vania, serving in that office from January 19, 1875, to January 21, 1879; he led the State ticket in that election, his majority being over four thousand. As the office of Lieutenant-Gov- ernor was created by the " New Constitution," which went into effect January 1, 1874, Mr. Latta was the first man elected to the position. At the expiration of his term Gov. Latta re-
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turned to Greensburg and resumed the practice of law. In 1886 he was nominated for Congress by the conference of the district composed of the counties of Westmoreland, Fayette and Greenc. Another conference had nominated Gilbert T. Rafferty, and the two nominees referred the mat- ter to the State executive committee, which decided in favor of Mr. Rafferty, a resident of Allegheny county, who was overwhelmingly defeated at the general election.
Gov. Latta attends the Episcopal church, in which he was for years a vestryman ; is a mem- ber of the A. O. U. W., a Mason and a Knight Templar and Royal Arch Mason.
Hon. Jolin Latta was married September 12, 1855, to Emma A. Hope, a daughter of C. C. Ilope, of Uniontown, and a sister of W. H. Hope, a land speculator of the city of Mexico. Of their four children three are living: Cuth- bert HI., born September 7, 1866, now contract- ing agent for the Chicago & North Western railway, and located at Philadelphia; Mary Maude, born March 17, 1868, who is the wife of W. E. Ryan, city passenger agent of the Mexican Central railroad, who resides in the city of Mexico, and Isabel G., born February 17, 1875. llis first wife having died in 1876, Gov. Latta, on December 25, 1877, was married to Rose MeClellan, a daughter of E. B. McClel- lan, of Ludwick borough, and the fruits of this union are five children, all living : Rose, born December 21, 1879; Marie Josephine, July 23, 1881 : John, May 15, 1883; Pollard, January 15, 1885, and Sarah Marguerite, October 18, 1886.
Gov. Latta is pre-eminently a man of the peo- ple, and has ever raised his voice in behalf of the poor and the oppressed. Ile is a logical reason- er, an eloquent speaker and a vigorous champion of all measures tending to advance the interests of his country, or benefit the great mass of our people, believing that in all governments, but especially in a democracy, every man, whether in public or private life, should labor strenu-
ously to secure " the greatest good to the great- est number."
E. LAUFFER, the present efficient and faithful district attorney of Westmoreland county, and a popular and genial young lawyer and politician of Greensburg, is a son of Joseph and Esther (Berlin) Lauffer, and was born near Murrysville, Westmoreland county, Pa., June 3, 1861. The Lauffers of this county trace their ancestry back to John Lauffer (grandfather), who was born in Allen- town, Lehigh county, Pa., and came to West- moreland county about seventy-five years ago. Ile settled in Franklin township, where he owned and operated a flax-seed oil mill in con- nection with his farming interests. He was an industrious farmer, a correct and honest business man and an earnest democrat in politics. Ile was married in Philadelphia to Elizabeth Andre, who was born near that great city. They reared a family of several children, and after Mr. Lauffer's death his sons operated the mill and conducted the farm for several years before any division of the estate was made. One of the sons is Joseph Lauffer (father), who was born in 1833 near Murrysville. Ile has always been a farmer, has never aspired to any county office, yet has served for many years as a member of the school board of his township. He is an elder in the Evangelical Lutheran church. He married Esther Berlin, who was born in 1834. "They have seven children, one son and six daughters. Mrs. Lauffer is a daughter of Col. Eli and Sarah (Ament) Berlin. Col. Berlin was the youngest son of Jacob and Eva (Car- baugh) Berlin, who settled in Franklin township in 1795, near an uncle, Jacob Berlin, who had located in the township about 1775.
I. E. Lauffer received his education in Bel- mont academy and Laird institute. Leaving school he was engaged for five years in teach- ing. He taught five winter terms of comnon
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school and five spring and summer terms of normal or academic school. Three years of this time he taught at Greensburg. Hle read law aud was admitted to the Westmoreland county bar in 1885. He was unanimously nominated by his party, the democrats, for district attorney in 1889 and was elected. On January 1, 1890, he qualified as district attorney, and has been serving with credit in that responsible and im- portant office ever since. Mr. Lauffer is a logi- cal reasoner and a forcible speaker. He manages his cases with good tact and judgment and is a convincing pleader before a jury. He is intelli- gent and well read, active and energetic, and has made good use of his time and opportunities. He is a scholarly gentleman, a successful lawyer, and has the promise of a bright future before him in the field of his chosen profession.
R. EV. PIRMIN LEVERMAN, O. S. B., an accomplished and scholarly gentle- man and the present pastor of the Catholic church of the Most Holy Sac- rament, at Greensburg, was born February 19, 1829, in the famous city of Strasburg, province Alsace-Lorraine, Germany (then France). He received his education principally in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. Ile was engaged for many years in missionary work in Pennsyl- vania, Illinois and Kansas, but the " Keystone State " was the principal field of his labor and to which he devoted the most of his time. On October 1, 1889, he succeeded Rev. Father Agatho, O. S. B., as pastor of the Greensburg Catholic congregation, Diocese of Pittsburg. This congregation has constantly increased in numbers and prosperity with the growth of the town.
The history of the Catholic church of the Most Holy Sacrament, at Greensburg, is a most interesting one. In 1787 and 1788 six German catholics came with their families to Unity township, this county. They were John Propst,
John Jung, Patrick Archibald, Simon Ruffner, Christian Ruffner and George Ruffner. These pioneers in March, 1789, purchased an acre of ground on what is now North Main street, Greensburg. They, as trustees of the Catholic congregation of Greensburg, bought this lot of ground from Philip Freeman for the sum of five shillings, " good and lawful money of Pennsyl- vania." Upon this land they laid out a grave- yard and proceeded to erect a church, which was a primitive structure of round logs. It was never completed and was torn down in 1800. In 1845 a brick church was erected and used until 1887, when the congregation became too large for its seating capacity. In that year, June 28, the foundations of the present beauti- ful aud commodious edifice were laid by Rt. Rev. Richard Phelan. It is a fine specimen of architectural skill, was erected at a cost of $15,000 to $20,000, and is one of the handsom- est churches of Greensburg. The old parsonage, built in 1854 by Rev. Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., was superseded by the present handsome brick parsonage, which was erected by Rev. P. Agatho, O. S. B. A few years ago the trustees sold the north half of their five-shilling lot to Col. George F. Huff for $15,000. This money was expended in the erection of the present church. This congregation in the first century of their existence has grown from five to one hundred and twenty-five families. In June, 1789, Rev. John Bpt. Causey held the second celebration of holy mass west of the Alleghenies at John Propst's house, ten miles east of Greensburg, for this congregation. Their pas- tors have been, from 1789 to 1890 as follows : Supplied by St. Vincent Church until 1849; Rev. William Pollard, 1849 to 1853 ; Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., 1853 to 1856; Luke Wim- mer, O. S. B., 1856 to 1859; Placidus Pils, O. S. B., 1359 to 1861; Utho Huber, O. S. B., 1861 to 1863; Leander Schnerr, O. S. B., 1863-64; Otto Kopt, O. S. B., 1864 to 1871 ; Placidus Pils, 1871 to 1875 ; Augustine Wirth,
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O. S. B., 1875 to 1881 ; Aspanusing Hin- tenach, O. S. B., 1881 to 1883; P. Agatho, 1883 to 1889, and from October, 1889, to the present time the congregation has been ably served by Rev. Pirmin Leverman, O. S. B., who has always been actively and successfully engaged in church work.
ENRY G. LOMISON, M. D., a leading physician of Westmoreland county, is one of that distinguished class of men who not only deserve success but win it. He was born near Danville, Columbia (now Montour) county, Pa., July 17, 1831, and is a son of William and Anna (Fulkerson) Lomison. Dr. Lomison is of English extraction on his paternal side and of Dutch descent on the maternal side. His immigrant ancestor, Lawrence Lomison, was born at Bristol, England, and came to Chester (then called Upland), Pa., on December 11, 1682. In a few years he married a lady by the name of Von Kindel, who was a native of Holland. They soon removed from Chester to near Ger- mantown, Pa., where they reared a large family of children, all of whom left Germantown. Some of them went to Northampton county, Pa., others located near Trenton, N. J., and Belvi- dere in that State. A descendant of the Belvi- dere branch was William Lomison, the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born near Belvidere in 1788, and died in 1862 in Penn- sylvania. In 1811 he married Anna Fulkerson, who was born in 1787 and died December 11, 1856. She was a daughter of Col. John Ful- kerson, of Northumberland county, Pa., who was a native of Holland. William and Anna Lomi- son were the parents of eight children, of whom the youngest was Dr. H. G.
Ilenry G. Lomison was reared on his father's farm in what is now Montour county, Pa. IIe received his education in the common schools and Danville academy. He taught school for two years, then read medicine with Dr. James
M. Stewart of Indiana county, this State, and attended lectures at Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated March 6, 1852. After graduation ho commenced to practice at Saltsburg, Indiana county, Pa., where he remained until 1860. During the winter of 1858 he attended the course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York city, and in the succeeding winter he attended the medical lecture course of the University of Pennsylvania In 1860 he removed to Greensburg and followed his profession until 1869, when he made an eight months tour of Europe and visited the chief hos- pitals of England, France, Germany, Switzer- land, Austria and Italy, in which he studied medicine and surgery as practiced in those countries. Returning from his tour he resumed his extensive practice, which he has held and continually increased ever since. In politics Dr. Lomison is a democrat, and in 1878 the democrats of Westmoreland county presented his name as a candidate for nomination to Con- gress, but another county secured the nominee. Since then he has peremptorily refused to be a candidate on account of his professional and business interests.
He was married to a Miss McCausland, of Greensburg, who is now deceased.
In addition to the practice of his profession Dr. Lomison has taken a great interest in the material prosperity of Greensburg, and has been a potential factor in its progress. Hle built the Dixon house on Depot street, and on West Ot- terman street the Lomison Opera House, which is a tasteful and substantial structure with suffi- cient floor space to comfortably seat one thousand persons. Hlis residence is one of the finest in the county. It is a graceful and splendid speci- men of modern architecture. It is a three-story brick structure and fronts on West Otterman street. The interior more than fulfills the ex- pectations awakened by its external attractive- ness, and is fitted up and furnished in modern
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style and the best of taste. Dr. Lomison owns several hundred acres of valuable farming and mineral lands in the county and has been very successful in his various business enterprises.
YRUS T. LONG, ex-county surveyor, an accommodating gentleman and one of the leading surveyors of western Penn- sylvania, was born three miles north of Mount Pleasant in Mount Pleasant township, West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, November, 22, 1840, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Tedrow) Long. The progenitor of the American branch of the Long family was Jacob Long (grandfather), who was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1759. Ile emigrated to America, served as a teamster in the war of the Revolution, and came to Westmoreland county in 1803. The farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres which he purchased was near Mount Pleasant. He died in 1841 at the advanced age of eighty-two years. He had four sons and two daughters, all of whom are dead. Jacob Long (father) was born in Caernarvon township, Lancaster county, Pa., November 19, 1797, and came with his parents to this county at six years of age. He wasa successful farmer, a republican in political opinion, and a stanch member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. lle was a quiet, unassuming man, and passed away September 26, 1871. Ilis wife was Eliza- beth Tedrow, youngest daughter of Henry Ted. row, of Fayette county, Pa. They were the parents of two children : Cyrus T., and Nancy, widow of William G. Kell.
Cyrus T. Long received his education in the common schools and Sewickley academy, which he attended for two and one-half years, when it was under the charge of Profs. L. Y. Graham and W. A. Raub. Mr. Long made a specialty of mathematics during his academic course, yet made a very creditable record in his Greek and Latin studies. In 1859 he commenced to read
law with Hon. Henry D. Foster, and four years later he went to Johnstown, Pa., and completed his legal studies with his cousin, Cyrus L. Persh- ing, who is now a judge in one of the eastern counties of the State. On September 6, 1864, he was admitted to the Cambria county bar, and in August, 1865 was admitted to practice in the courts of Westmoreland county. He soon left the practice of the law to devote his time to sur- veying, which he had commenced in boyhood. Ile was elected county surveyor in 1871 and re- elected in 1874, and for the last sixteen years has been continuously employed in surveying for private parties and large corporations. Hle is well informed, owns a very fine library, and is thoroughly conversant with every detail of his profession. It is generally conceded that as a scientific and practical surveyor he has no superior in the county and but few peers in this part of the State.
Cyrus T. Long, on July 8, 1872, was united in marriage with Barbara S. Durstine, a daugh- ter of Henry Durstine, of near Mount Pleasant. Mr. and Mrs. Long are the parents of three children : John D., born February 12, 1874; Henry Durstine, March 13, 1876 ; and Edwin C., April 13, 1878.
In politics Mr. Long is a democrat but takes no active part in political campaigns. Ile is a member of Philanthropy Lodge, No. 225, A. Y. M. and of the Presbyterian church of Greens- burg.
K. LONG, one of Westmoreland's promis- ing young men, was born about one mile south of Greensburg, in Hempfield town- ship, Westmoreland County, Pa., October 27, 1863, and is the youngest child of Samuel and Mary (Scepter) Long. Samuel Long was born in Westmoreland county, near Adamsburg, in 1822. He learned the trade of blacksmith, at which he labored successfully until 1881, when he purchased his present farm. For a number
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of years prior to removing to his farm he was actively engaged as a coal merchant. He has always been a pronounced democrat, has always taken part in bringing about the success of his party, and has worked untiringly in the inter- ests of Westmoreland democracy. IIe is a man of decided convictions, a close observer of cur- rent events, a careful student of the political questions of the day, and a member of the Knights of Honor. In 1845 he was united in marriage with Mary Scepter, daughter of Fred. Scepter. They have six children. Mr. Long is a son of Nicholas Long, who was an old set- tler of Westmoreland county.
J. K. Long was educated in the common schools of Hempfield township. IIe began teaching in 1881, taught eight consecutive terms in the common schools, and in January, 1889, was appointed deputy clerk by James D. Best, clerk of the courts of West- moreland county. Mr. Long has so far satis- factorily discharged the duties of his responsible and important position. He is one of the ear- nest, enthusiastic, progressive and active young democrats of Westmoreland. In December, 1889, he was united in marriage with Rosella Spiegel, daughter of John Spiegel.
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