USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 39
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Joseph C. Beam was reared in Cambria county, attended the common schools and learned milEng and mill-wrighting with his father. From 1854 to 1864 he was engaged in the milling business at Johnstown. In 1864 he built a flouring mill at Hillsboro Summit and operated it for seven years. In 1871 he sold his mill, returned to . Johnstown where he re- mained in a mill for two years. In 1873 he removed to Bolivar, this county, bought an in- terest in Reese, Hammond & Co.'s mill, which he retained for seven years. In 1880 he and his brother-in-law, Charles Von Lunen, bought his father's mill at Johnstown and ran it for four years. In 1884 he came to Latrobe and took charge of the " Premium Roller Mills " which he had purchased the proceding year.
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He remodeled and operated them until July, 1887, when John Golde became a partner with him under the firm name of Beame & Golde. They have roller process with a capacity of forty barrels per day, manufacture the celebrated brand of " Gold Medal " flour and enjoy a large and substantial patronage. (For full descrip- tion of mill, see sketch of John Golde.)
On September 24, 1861, he was married to Julia A., daughter of Jacob and Susan Berke- bile, of Somerset county. Mr. Beam has six children : Norman L., J. Arthur, Alex. R., Frank, Clark and Nettie.
J. C. Beam is a republican and member of the town council. He is a deacon in the Chris- tain church at Johnstown. He is treasurer of Excelsior Lodge, No. 366, Sr. O. U. A. M. and trustee of Meridian Lodge, No. 177, I. O. of II. He is one of the energetic upright and substanial business men of Latrobe.
OWARD S. BOSSART, an enterprising citizen, a progressive business man and a leading clothier and furnisher of Latrobe, is a son of John and Susanna (Shirey) Bossart and was born one mile south of Youngstown, in Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., August 30, 1862. His paternal grandfather, Henry Bossart, was born in this county in 1795 and lived to be eighty-seven years of age. Ile was a faithful member of the German Reformed church of Youngstown. His father, John Bossart, was a brick-layer and stone-mason and together with his brothers, Joseph, Paul, Henry and Alexander, worked in every section of the county and were accounted fine workmen. He was a republican, a member of the Lutheran church and died in 1887, at sixty-five years of age. Ilis widow, now in the sixty-seventh year of her age, resides at Youngstown. Her father, Samuel Shirey, who died in 1812, was a driver on the old Pittsburg and Philadelphia pike.
Howard S. Bossart was reared principally at
Youngstown. He attended the common schools, and in 1881 with a view to fitting himself for an active business life, he entered the Iron City Business college at Pittsburg and was graduated from that institution September 1, 1881. From 1877 to 1881 he served as a clerk in the store of John B. Anderson at Youngstown. After completing his commercial course at Pittsburg he became bookkeeper for Anderson, Mellon & Albert, limited, at Latrobe. He continued in their employ as bookkeeper and clerk for four years. In 1885 he established the extensive clothing and furnishing business which he now carries on at Latrobe.
On January 24, 1883, Mr. Bossart was mar- ried to Annie J. Cribbs, daughter of James Cribbs, of Youngstown. Their children are : James C., Olive M., John L., and Howard S. Jr.
H. S. Bossart is a republican and has served as borough auditor for the last two years. He is a member of Loyalhanna Council, No. 16, Chosen Friends and the Evangelical Lutheran church. In 1886 Mr. Bossart embarked in business for himself. Ilis clothing and furnish- ing house is located in the " Parker House" block (No. 811) Ligonier street, Latrobe. Their establishment is neat, attractive and commodious in its arrangements. The stock is varied and complete, includes the latest and best ready- made clothing in the market and is suited to the wants of all classes. Their hat, cap and gen- tlemen's furnishing department is amply stocked with stylish and elegant goods. II. S. Bossart is a successful and well-known business man and since the establishment of his clothing house he has held a large trade in his section of Westmoreland county.
ICHAEL BOSSART is one of the old prominent and substantial merchants of Latrobe, and has been closely identified with the general mercantile business for nearly
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fifty years. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Poorman) Bossart, and was born at Pleasant Unity, Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 9, 1811. John Bossart and his wife were natives of Franklin county, Pa., and came to Westmoreland county in 1805. Mr. Bossart was a tailor by trade but was engaged in keeping hotel at Pleasant Unity for several years previous to his death, which occurred in 1822. Mrs. Bossart then assumed charge of the hotel and conducted it for several years. She died at Blairsville in October, 1842.
Michael Bossart was reared on the farm of his uncle, Michael Poorman, until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to Pleasant Unity and learned the trade of hatting with John Armstrong. He worked at hatting for about three years and then accepted a clerkship with John Graff at Blairsville, on account of the eastern hat factories ruining his trade. Ile remained with Mr. Graff for seven years, then went to Ohio and was engaged for two years in the mercantile business and operating an ashery for making potash. In 1848 he returned to Westmoreland county, opened a store at New Derry which he conducted for six years, then entertained an idea of becoming a partner with Mr. Graff, but gave it up for lack of capital and went to Millersburg, Ohio. He remained there one year, but not liking the business methods of that place he boxed his goods and returned to Pennsylvania. In 1857 he came to Latrobe, opened a general mercantile store and has con- tinued successfully in that line of business until the present time. His mercantile establishment is at the corner of Main and Ligonier streets, and is well filled with a large and fine stock of dry-goods, notions, groceries, glassware and everything that is called for in a first-class house of its kind. Mr. Bossart has a large and per- manent trade and his business has grown up with the borough in its wonderful material development.
Michac! Bossart was married December 29,
1840, to Aun Johnston, a daughter of Hon. William Johnston, who was a democrat and served in the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1839, 1840 and 1841. They have five children : Albert J., Julia E., Jennie F., Martin B. and William.
Ile is a republican in political opinion and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Bossart, in June, 1888, sold seventy acres of his land adjoining the borough to some eastern capitalists who erected the Latrobe steel-works on this tract. He has been success- ful in all his enterprises and has acquired quite a competency by careful management, good judgment and judicious investments.
L. BRINDLE, one of the reliable busi- ness men of Latrobe, and a member of the grocery and queensware firm of Kep- ple & Brindle, is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Aukerman) Brindle, and was born in Unity township, Westmoreland county, November 15, 1847. Among the carly settlers of Unity township who came from Franklin county, Pa., was John Brindle (grandfather). He was a member of the Reformed church, came in 1798 and purchased a farm which has never passed out of the hands of the . Brindle family. Jacob Brindle (father) was born in 1800 on the farm ou which he died August 3, 1889. Ile lived one and one-half miles from Youngstown. Ile was a stirring, energetic man, a prosperous farmer, a republican in politics and an officer in the Reformed church. His widow, Margaret (Aukerman) Brindle, is descended from an early settled and well-to-do family of Unity township. She was born in 1811 and is a member of the Lutheran church.
E. L. Brindle was reared on his father's farm and carefully trained to farm-work and farm-management. Ilis education was received in the common schools of his native township. Leaving school, he was successfully engaged in
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farming and stock-raising for nearly twenty years. In the spring of 1886 he removed to Latrobe and became a partner with A. S. Kep- ple in their grocery business under the firm name of Kepple & Brindle. Their establish- ment is located at No. 215 Depot street. It is wellfitted up and carefully arranged for their line of business. Their stock comprises all kinds of staple and fancy groceries, glass, queensware, tobacco, cigars, foreign and domes- tic fruits, country produce and every other article in the grocery line. The proprietors endeavor in every way possible to fully merit the extensive and first-class patronage which is bestowed upon them.
On November 15, 1871, Mr. Brindle was married to Rachel Lohr, daughter of John Lohr, of Somerset county, Pa. To this union have been born two children : Alice C. and Harry L.
E. L. Brindle has been a member of the Reformed church for many years and is well- known in business circles as a gentleman of strict integrity and honorable in all his dealings.
$ AMUEL E. BURCHIFIELD, M.D., one of Latrobe's bright and promising young physicians, was born December 24, 1854, at Tarentum, Allegheny county, Pa., and is a son of Edwin R. and Rachel (McCall) Burch- field, both of whom were natives of Allegheny county. Edwin R. Burchfield was born in Pitts- burg, taught school in his native county for a num- ber of years and spent the last twenty-five years of his life in agricultural pursuits. He held several township offices and was for many years an elder in the Presbyteran church at Tarentum. On account of his sterling qualities, his social and moral worth he was highly esteemed by his entire community. He died in 1886 at the age of sixty-three years, but his widow yet survives, residing on the old homestead. His father, Samuel C. Burchfield, was also a native of Alle- gheny county, Pa., but lived a long time in the
State of Indiana, near Ft. Wayne. He was of English descent and a farmer by occupation. He died in 1874 at the age of seventy-eight.
Dr. Samuel E. Burchfield was reared in his native town, attended the public school, the Tarentum academy, the Oakdale academy, the Edinboro State Normal school of Erie county, Pa., and the Western University of Pennsylva- nia at Pittsburg. For seven years he then devoted his time, talent and energy to the noble though not remunerative profession of teaching, serving as principal of the Oakdale and the Tar- entum public schools. In 1878 he began reading medicine with Dr. George M. Getze of Taren- tum, and graduated from the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical college June 30, 1881; began practice at once at Ionia, Michigan, but in October removed to Latrobe, Pa., where he continued to practice until March 1, 1886, when he removed to Houtzdale, Clear- field county, Pa. On account of ill-health he, in July, 1888, left the latter place and went to Tarentum to recuperate. In September, 1889, he again located at Latrobe where he is now practicing his chosen profession. Dr. Burch- field is a member of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of Pennsylvania and contributes largely to the medical journals. In 1885 and 1886 he was physician for the poor of Latrobe and vicin- ity. He is a member of the Houtzdale Lodge, No. 990, I. O. O. F. ; Tarentum Council, No. 91, Jr. O. U. A. M. ; Tarentum Tent, No. 41, K. O. T. M., and Loyalhanna Council, No. 16, O. C. F. In the last named order he has filled the highest offices.
Dr. S. E. Burchfield was married in 1883 to Emma, a daughter of Capt. J. J. Bierer of Latrobe, who died in 1888 leaving one child, a daughter Alice.
Dr. Burchfield is a member of the Presby- terian church in which he has been an elder and a Sabbath-school worker and superintendent. He makes a specialty of the study of botany and geology and contributes liberally to the city and
roxor bu
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county papers, mostly on scientific subjects. Dr. Burchfield belongs to the school of home- opathy and is an excellent physician as well as a Christian gentleman.
OHN COUGHENOUR. " Great libraries make few intelligent men and women, but newspapers lift the nations into sunlight." A good newspaper is a mirror of life itself and is a blessing to any community in which it is pub- lished. One of the fifteen able newspapers pub- lished in Westmoreland county that is worthy of especial mention is the Latrobe Enterprise, founded by John Coughenour, a son of Jacob and Hetty (Evans) Coughenour. He was born in Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, Pa., December 13, 1844. The Coughenours are of German descent. Jacob Coughenour was born in 1819, is a member of the Reformed church and resides on his well-improved farm in Hempfield township. In 1841 he married Hetty Evans, daughter of Walter Evans, who was a successful farmer of the above township and a striet lutheran in religious belief.
John Coughenour was reared on his father's farin, attended the common schools and learned the trade of shoemaker. He followed shoemak- ing from 1860 to 1875 and then was engaged in the manufacture of hosiery for eight years at Irwin. In 1884 he removed to Latrobe, engaged in the printing business and in January, 1885, founded the Latrobe Enterprise which he sue- cessfully conducted until January 9, 1889, when he admitted his two sons, Benjamin F. and Wil- liam F., into partnership with him under the present firm name of J. Coughenour & Sons.
John Coughenour was married June 7, 1886, to Harriet, daughter of Joshua Mensch, of Greensburg. They have four children : Benja- min F., William F., Jennie M. and Harriet.
John Coughenour is a member of Excelsior Council, No. 366, O. U. A. M., Meridian Con- 1 clave, No. 177, Improved Order of Heptasophs
and the Methodist Episcopal church. The La- trobe Enterprise is a four-page paper containing thirty-two columns and is published at No. 909 Ligonier street, on Wednesday of each week at $1.00 per year. It is devoted to the interests of Latrobe and vicinity and contains all the local news of general interest besides a vast amount of valuable information. A complete job printing department has been added to the office and the firm has every facility for executing neatly and handsomely all kinds of work in that line. Mr. Coughenour has been successful in estab- lishing a first-class paper of wide circulation and good reputation.
ILLIAM DALE, who has energetically and successfully carved out his own ca- reer in life, and is a member of tho prosperous firm of Dale & Womer, merchant tailors, gents furnishers and clothiers of Latrobe, was born in Clarion county, Pa., May 28, 1851, and is a son of Henry and Hannah (Womer) Dale. Henry Dale was born in 1821 in West- moreland county, Pa., and his parents removed to Clarion county while he was yet an infant. He died at Latrobe in 1886. Hle removed in early life to Blair county, this State, where he married Hannah Womer, and lived for many years. In 1880 he came to Latrobe and passed his last days at that place, where his widow now resides with the subject of this sketch.
William Dale passed his boyhood and youth in Blair county. He attended the common schools of that county and at an early age went to the lumber regions of Centre and Clearfield counties, this State, in quest of more remunera- tive employment than he could secure in Blair county. Ile worked by the month in the lum- ber camps of these counties for about ten years, and carefully husbanded his savings with a view of eventually embarking in some kind of business. In 1877 he had acquired by hard labor sufficient means to engage in business, and acordingly
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formed a partnership with C. G. Hirlinger, of Philipsburg, Pa. They opened a clothing store at Blairsville, Indiana county, Pa., where they continued in business under the firm name of C. G. Hirlinger & Co. until 1879, and then moved to Latrobe, Pa. In 1882 E. S. Womer, of Blair county, purchased Mr. Hirlinger's interest and the firm became Dale & Womer, who founded their present clothing and merchant tailoring establishment, which is eligibly located on the corner of Ligonier and Depot streets. It is the largest house of its kind at Latrobe. Their well-stocked store contains a most excellent and carefully selected assortment of clothing and piece goods, including, also, the finest domestic and foreign fabrics, cassimere's, cloths and suit- ings. They employ skilled workmen in their | merchant tailoring department, allow nothing but neat-fitting and stylish garments to leave the store and refer to their patrons for a rec- ommendation of their tailoring. In 1886 they opened a branch store in Philipsburg, Centre county, and Mr. Womer is now there in charge of it.
Believing their business would prosper better and their many patrons receive better attention, Mr. Dale learned the art of cutting in 1889, and now pays strict attention to that part of the ' the manufacture of salt. His mother, Margaret business himself.
On September 4, 1873, he was united in marriage to Susanna Beamer, daughter of Jacob A. Beamer, of Centre county, Pa. To their union have been born seven children, three sons and four daughters : Iva M., Ella V., George E., Naomi B., Frank W., and Oakana R. and Ilenry A., who died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Dale is a democrat and has held several township offices. He is a member of Loyalhanna Lodge, No. 275, F. & A. M., Latrobe Lodge, No. 177, Knights of Pythias, Loyalhanna Council, No. 16, Chosen Friends, and Excelsior Council, No. 366, Order of United American Mechanics. Mr. Dale conducts his establishment upon fair and correct business
principles and has secured a liberal share of public patronage. His specialty is fashionable merchant tailoring, in which he has achieved abundant and well-merited success. By his own exertions and energy he has overcome many obstacles in his way and achieved business suc- cess and social standing.
ENRY LEANDER DONNELLY, M. D. One of the oldest, most highly re- spected and widely known physicians of Westmoreland county is Dr. Henry Leander Donnelly, who has been prominent in military and conspicuous in political life.
He is a son of John and Margaret (McGill) Donnelly and was born in the vicinity of Free- port, Armstrong county, and near the West- moreland county line, February 27, 1829. IIe is of Irish lineage. Ilis father, John Donnelly, was born in the first year of the nineteenth cen- tury and died in the early prime of manhood in April, 1831, at Freeport, Pa., where his remains lie entombed. He was a native of Pennsylvania, a zealous worker of the Catholic church and at the time of his death was actively engaged in (McGill) Donnelly, was born at West Chester, Chester county, Pa., April 17, 1805, and who had just passed the seventy-fifth milestone on the pathway of life the day before she died. Her father, James McGill, left county Derry, Ireland, at sixteen years of age and settled in Chester county, Pa., where he made his home until the second war between the United States and Great Britain. At the opening of that great struggle he crossed the Alleghenies with a team and settled in Derry township, this county. Soon after his arrival in Westmoreland he was drafted and served a year under Gen. William Henry Harrison in his campaign on the north- western frontier and in Canada. He was a well- to-do farmer, a stanch democrat and died at his
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home in Derry township at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.
After the death of his father Dr. Henry L. Donnelly was brought by his mother to Derry township, where he was reared upon the farm of his maternal grandfather. Leaving school at eighteen years of age he entered the office of Dr. J. W. Blackburn, of New Derry, and began the study of medicine. After two years' read- ing with Dr. Blackburn he went to Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, where he took a four years' course and was graduated from that institution March 9, 1853. In the summer of 1853 he went to Youngstown, Pa., and formed a partnership with Dr. D. J. Cantwell of that place in the practice of medicine. One year Dr. Cantwell went to Blairsville, Indiana county, Pa., and two years later Dr. Donnelly left a very paying practice which he then en- joyed at Youngstown and removed to Latrobe, where he became a partner of Dr. John W. Coulter. They practiced together with good success until Dr. Coulter was elected to the Legislature. Ile was postmaster at the time of his election, which office he resigned in favor of Dr. Donnelly, who was afterwards appointed and commissioned postmaster of Latrobe by President Buchanan. Dr. Coulter caught a severe cold at Harrisburg in the early days of the session, when he came home and shortly afterwards died from its effects. Dr. Donnelly then gave the postoffice over to Dr. Coulter's widow and gave his entire attention to his pro- fession. His own practice was steadily increas- ing and succeeding to Dr. Coulter's he found himself in possession of quite a large practice. The civil war came with all its horrors and among the first who responded to their coun- try's call for troops in the dark and trying days of 1861 was Dr. Donnelly, who enlisted April 20, 1861. He was commissioned first lieutenant of Co. K (Capt. W. B. Coulter), eleventh reg. Pa. Vols. and served his three months' term of enlistment along the upper Potomac. He was
with his regiment when it and the First Wiscon- sin met and defeated the Confederates at the battle of Falling Waters, " where the afterwards famous name of . Stonewall Jackson ' was first heard." The eleventh was mustered into the United States service April 26, and mustered out August 1, 1861. Dr. Donnelly returned home and in August, 1862, recruited in four days a company of 101 men from Latrobe, Lig- onier and New Alexandria. One half of the members of this company were law, medical and college students and school teachers and min- isters. It became Co. G of the one hundred and thirty-fifth reg. Pa. Vols .. and Dr. Don- nelly was commissioned its captain. He was in command of the company at the battle of Chancellorsville, and soon after that fight he was attacked with acute rheumatism which confined him to his bed for several months and from which he has never fully recovered. He was compelled to resign and return home. After recovering his health he resumed and has con- tinued successfully in the practice of his pro- fession. Dr. II. L. Donnelly is a Jefferson democrat and was the worthy nominee of his party in 1886 for Congress in the district com- posed of Fayette, Greene and Westmoreland counties, but was defeated by dissensions in his own party. In 1888 he was unanimously nom- inated for Congress by the democrats and re- ceived the solid vote of that party, but was de- feated, as the district which was then composed of the counties of Indiana, Jefferson, Armstrong and Westmoreland was hopelessly republican that year by over 5,000 majority.
In 1870 he married Mary Beaver, daughter of James A. Beaver, of Indiana. They have one child : Pauline M.
Dr. Donnelly is chief surgeon of one of the divisions of the Pennsylvania railroad, surgeon for St. Vincent college and St. Xavier's acad- emy and president of the pension examining board of this district. He is a member of the Catholic church, president of the Latrobe water
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company and a director of the electric light company of that place. He is plain, unassum- ing and rather reserved in manner, congenial and is an excellent conversationalist. He is , proficient in history, possesses a vast store of - general information and is a very fine statisti- cian. Not given to public speaking, yet his articles on public and important subjects are comprehensive and able and which evince care- ful thought and ample preparation. Logical in thought and clear in language he is strong and forcible. He is charitable and generous, and in thirty-five years of practice as a physician never sent any of his patrons a bill or brought suit against any one for medical services. But over and above all in making a record of Dr. Donnelly is his unquestioned integrity and moral character, which is without blot or stain and is above the breath of suspicion.
ENRY G. DONNELLY is an enterpris- ing, energetic and thoroughly reliable gentleman and one of the prominent, well established and important business men of Latrobe and of Westmoreland county as well. He is a son of Col. Thomas and Elizabeth (Grey) Donnelly and was born in Derry town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 12, 1831. Col. Thomas Donnelly was born and reared in Ireland, where he was educated for the priesthood in the Roman Catholic church, but he preferred a secular to clerical career and de- clined to become a priest. He immigrated at an early age to the United States and eventually found employment at the salt wells on the Alle- gheny river, Pa. He was steady and indus- trious and invested his hard-earned savings in land. In a few years he had acquired means sufficient to engage in the salt manufacturing business which he prosecuted successfully for many years. In the meantime the oil excite- ment arose and he found his land to be situated within the greatest coal-oil region of the world
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