Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 40

Author: Gresham, John M. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia [Dunlap & Clarke]
Number of Pages: 1422

USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania > Part 40

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and sold it for several hundred thousand dollars. Hle then removed to Pittsburg where he pur- chased a controlling interest in the Fourth National bank of Pittsburg, of which he served as vice-president for one year and president for over twenty years. He died April 15, 1886, in the eighty-fourth year of his age, at his resi- dence on Butler street in the eighteenth ward of Pittsburg. He was thorough-going and per- severing in all of his enterprises and never seemed contented unless he was actively engaged in business. Devotion to duty was a prominent trait of his character as well as good judgment and clear insight into everything. He never endangered his business by venturesome specu- lations, but slowly and safely, by perfectly honest and legitimate means, acquired a hand- some fortune of over three-fourths of a million dollars. He was an exemplary member of the Roman Catholic church and was always ready to help those who were in distress. He married Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Martin Gray, who was a resident farmer of Westmoreland and a native of Berks county, Pa.

Henry G. Donnelly was reared in Derry township, this county, and educated in the com- mon schools. On attaining his majority he en- gaged and continued in the general mercantile business at Livermore for over two years. In 1854 he removed to Latrobe when it contained only a few houses and established his present large and prosperous mercantile establishment. In 1886 he admitted his two sons, Harry and Joseph, into the partnership under the firm name of II. G. Donnelly & Sons; he intrusted in their hands the active management of the store and since that time has given his attention largely to real estate transactions. The large mercantile establishment of Mr. Donnelly is centrally located, well arranged for conducting the business and displaying the immense stock of goods which he carries to supply his large patronage among all classes. Dry goods, notions, groceries, wall papers, carpets and every-

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thing of general merchandise that modern con- veniences can suggest or present necessities de- mand are to be found in his stock.

In 1856 Mr. Donnelly was married to Martha Henry, daughter of Coonrod Henry, of Derry township. She died in 1860 leaving two sons : Thomas and Harry. In 1862 he was united in marriage to Kate MeCalley, daughter of Nathan- iel MeCalley, a cousin of George Bancroft, America's great historian. By the second mar- riage he has five children : Joseph, Maggie, Kate, Januarius and Mamic.

II. G. Donnelly is a man of push and enter- prise and is thoroughly conversant with every phase and feature of the different lines of busi- ness in which he is so actively and successfully engaged. He has accumulated in the neighbor- hood of $50,000 worth of property at Latrobe besides numerous other investments. Ile is a strong democrat, a good school director, a use- ful member of the Roman Catholic church and director of the First National bank of Latrobe. IIe has often been asked to allow the use of his ! name as a candidate but has always steadily and firmly declined, as his large business interests demand all his time.

importance demands and the plumber has become essential to our comfort and health. Among those engaged in this business is James T. Donohue, of Latrobe, who has followed plumbing for twenty-ene years in England, New York and Pennsylvania. He is a son of William and Margaret (Murray) Donohue, and was born in the city of Liverpool, England, April 25, 1847. William Donohue was born in England in 1826, learned the trade of shipbuilder, which he pursned in the city of Liverpool until his i death in 1886. He was a very industrious man, a good workman and a consistent member of

the Catholic church. He married Margaret Murray and reared a family of children. Mrs. Donohue is a native of England, a devout mem- ber of the Catholic church and resides in Liver- pool. She is now in the sixty-second year of her age.

James T. Donohue was reared in Liverpool and received his education in the public schools of that great commercial city. Ile learned the trade of plumbing, came to the United States in 1869 and located at Niagara Falls, New York, where he continued to reside for two years. Ile then removed to Buffalo, in the same State, where he pursued his trade for ten years. At the end of this time he migrated to Bradford, Pa., and followed the plumbing business for six years when he removed to Latrobe where he opened his present plumbing, gas and steam-fitting establishment. He has constantly on hand a thorough assortment of plumbers', gas-fitters', water, ventilating and steam supplies of every description. He is also a contractor in his branch of trade and is always prepared to fit up buildings of all kinds in a satisfactory man- ner. In politics Mr. Donohue is a republican. In religious belief he is a Catholic.

James T. Donohue united in marriage in 1871 with Ellen Nolan, daughter of Luke and Mary Nolan, of Liverpool, England. Mr. and Mrs. Donohue are the parents of seven children : Honora.

J AMES T. DONOHUE. Of late years plumbing has attracted the notice which its i Frank, Nellie, Grace, Agnes, Melicent, Luke and

EUBEN EISEMAN, M. D., a young and rising physician and surgeon of Latrobe, who has a promising future before him, is a son of Lewis and Margaret (Ferguson) Eiseman, and was born in Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., February 12, 1862. Ilis paternal grandfather, Henry Eiseman, was an extensive farmer and popular stock-dealer in his day. He owned several hundred acres of land, settled a large number

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of estates and was a member of the Lutheran church. His maternal grandfather, William Ferguson, owned one of the best farms in the county near Beatty's station, and was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church. His father, Lewis Eiseman, who now resides with his daughter, Mrs. Laura Kuhn, owns one of the best gas farms in the county. It is three miles northwest of Latrobe. He is a member of the Lutheran church, while his wife, who died June 14, 1888, belonged to the Presbyterian church. Ile was born in 1821, is a straight democrat, and has held the offices of tax collector and as- sessor in Unity township.

FOIIN D. EVANS, M. D. Among the leading physicians and substantial citizens of Latrobe is Dr. J. D. Evans, who was born May 10, 1836, at Ripley, Ohio, and whose parents were John D. and Jane (Courtney) Evans, both natives of Kentucky ; the former having been born in Lexington and the latter in Bath county. John D. Evans (father) was quite young when his father removed to Ohio and located near Ripley. When he grew to man- hood he engaged in the general mercantile busi- ness and also in trading with New Orleans- domestic commerce it would now be called. Ile died at Ripley, Ohio, aged fifty years, and his widow survived till 1878, when she was gathered to her fathers, being seventy-seven years of age.

Dr. Reuben Eiseman was educated in the common schools, Latrobe and Youngstown high schools and the celebrated college at Oberlin, Dr. J. D. Evans was educated in the Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, from which he gradu- ated in 1858. In 1860 he began reading medicine but in the fall of 1861 concluded to take up arms in defence of the Union and en- listed in the naval service. He went on board the iron-clad Indianola, which ran a blockade at Vicksburg in February, 1863, running up and down the Mississippi from Memphis to the Yazoo river. After the Indianola ran the blockade she with other vessels steamed down to the mouth of the Red river where they met a Con- federate fleet, which being too strong for them chased the northern vessels up the river, and twenty miles below Vicksburg overtook and cap- Ohio. He taught school for five years, and in 1882 he commenced the study of medicine with Drs. Donnelly and Anderson, of Latrobe. After four years reading he attended lectures at Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, and was graduated from that institution April 4, 1887. While at Philadelphia he took a special course with Prof. J. V. Shumaker, a specialist on the diseases of the skin, and a special course also with Prof. Charles Meigs Wilson, an eminent specialist on diseases of women. After gradu- ation he returned to Latrobe, opened an office, and has successfully practiced medicine there ever since. Dr. Eiseman is a member of . Latrobe Lodge, No. 541, 1. O. of O. F., Jr. O. i tured the Indianola with all her crew. The U. A. M. In political matters his interest is Rebels sank the iron-clad and took the crew to Vicksburg, thence to Jackson, thence after a month to Richmond, and finally to Libby prison, where they were kept four months before being exchanged. Mr. Evans then went to Cin- cinnati, and from there down the river on the gun-boat Champion, on which he remained as sergeant-steward until he was discharged at the mouth of the Red river, December 23, 1864. HIe then returned to Cincinnati where he read medicine with Dr. John M. Soudder, the pro- fessor of Theory and Practice in the Eclectic always with the Democratic party and his vote cast for its nominees. He is a frequent contribu- tor to medical journals and is a member of the " Westmoreland county Medical Society." Dr. Eiseman has paid particular attention to the diseases of the eye, and has been remarkably successful in the treatment of all cases of that kind that have come under his care. He is a courteous and obliging gentleman and a skillful physician and surgeon, who is achieving success in his chosen profession.

L DO 200867

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Medical college of that city. After two years of reading, John D. Evans attended a course of lectures in same college in 1886, and remained in Dr. Scudder's office till 1879 assisting him in his practice. In 1870 and 1871 he continued his studies in the college and graduated there- from in 1871. Immediately thereafter he re- moved to Latrobe, Pa., where he has ever since been engaged in active practice, which is large and lucrative and in which he is very successful. Dr. Evans is a member of the Central Eclectic Medical Society, the Presbyterian church, the Royal Arcanum, the G. A. R., the A. Y. M., also of the Northwestern Masonic Aid Society.

In 1866 Dr. J. D. Evans united in marriage with Elizabeth, a daughter of David Crawford, of Cincinnati. Dr. and Mrs. Evans have no chil- dren of their own, but have an adopted daughter, Nellie, to whom they are warmly attached.

Dr. Evans has+ably served his borough as school director and councilman, having been elected on the republican ticket, which he sup- ports. He is a successful physician, an agree- able companion, an excellent citizen and a man of moral, mental and social worth.

APT. BENJAMIN F. GEIGER, a soldier of the " Western Frontier " and who is making a fine record as justice of the peace for Latrobe, is a son of John and Margaret (MeAdams) Geiger, and was born at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., January 28, 1831. John Geiger was born in Lancaster in 1791 and was reared in Westmoreland county. He fol- lowed farming in Unity township for a few years and then removed to Somerset county, Pa., where he resided on a farm until his death in 1859. He married Margaret MeAdams who was born in Ireland in 1806 and died in Somerset county, Pa., in 1859. They were both members of the Lutheran church.

Benjamin F. Geiger was reared on a farm in Somerset county. He received his early educa-

tion in the common schools and attended one term at a high school. At eighteen years of age he left the farm and learned the coach paint- ing business at Stoystown, which he followed in Somerset county until 1856. In that year he emigrated to Wappello county, Iowa, where he continued to reside until 1861. On May 10, 1861, he enlisted in the 4th Iowa cavalry as a musician, but was soon promoted to first lieutenant in the regimental commissary department. Au- gust 24, 1863, he received an order of promotion to the rank of captain and assistant quartermas- ter, and was directed to report from his home in Iowa to the secretary of war. IIe did so and was ordered to report in person to Gen. MeCane at Omaha. From the latter place he was sent to Fort Kearney, Nebraska, and served there until May 21, 1866, when he was honorably dis- charged from the United States service. In 1866 he returned to Somerset county, this State, where he was engaged in coach painting for the next nine years In 1875 he removed to La- trobe and became a florist. His efforts in that direction were rewarded with success until the spring of 1889 when he retired from the floral business. At the February election of 1889 Mr. Geiger ran for justice of the peace on the democratic ticket, and was elected in a borough largely republican. Ile is serving his third term as a democratic county committee-man of Westmoreland county.

On the 29th day of November, 1855, he was married to Martha J., daughter of Jacob M. Smith, of Somerset county, Pa. Their children are : Annie, Minerva, Maggie, Mattie, George W., Albert J. and William W.

Squire Benjamin F. Geiger has been an Odd Fellow for the last thirty-seven years and since 1880 has served as a member of the board of managers for the Pennsylvania Odd Fellows Endowment Association. Ile is an earnest mem- ber of the Lutheran church. As a citizen he is well liked. As a justice of the peace he is giv- ing satisfaction.

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JJ FOHN GOLDE, a gentleman of twenty-five years experience as a business man and a member of the enterprising firm of Beam & Golde, proprietors of the Premium Flouring Mills at Latrobe, was born in East Pittsburg, Pa., December 24, 1849, and is a son of Con- rad and Catharine (Sohle) Golde. They were natives of Germany who immigrated in 1849 to the United States and settled at Pittsburg, where Contad Golde engaged in market gardening with satisfactory results. Ile was among the pioneers in this line of business at the Iron City. In 1857 he removed to Johnstown, Cambria county, Pa., and continued in market gardening until his death, which occurred in 1877. Ile was a member of the Lutheran church, a steady, in- dustrious citizen and a successful business man. Ile died in his seventieth year. His widow was born in 1817, resides at Johnstown and is a member of the Lutheran church.

John Golde was eight years of age when his parents removed from Pittsburg to Johnstown ; there he attended the public schools for seven years. In 1864 he became a clerk in the cloth- ing-house of D. C. Morris where he remained for eighteen months. He then accepted a clerkship in the clothing and dry goods department of Wood, Morrell & Co's mercantile establishment, and continued in their employ for fifteen years. In 1883 he went to Beaver Falls, Beaver county, Pa., and engaged in general mercantile business which he pursued for nearly two years. In 1885 he disposed of his store, engaged with Boggs & Buhl, a dry goods firm of Allegheny City, Pa., and remained with them for two years. July 1, 1887, he entered into partner- ship with J. Clark Beam, the firm name being Beam & Golde. They purchased the " Premium Flouring Mills" of Win. Anderson at Latrobe, and have conducted them energetically and snc cessfully until the present time. The mill is situated on the corner of Railroad and Jefferson streets. It is four stories high, 45 x 50 feet in dimensions and is equipped throughout with

first-class machinery. The premises embrace two lots of ground situated in the central part of Latrobe, fronting along the Pennsylvania railroad with siding running past the doors. An excellent well supplies all the water needed for the boilers even in the dryest season of the year. The firm has a large run of custom and enjoys a good reputation for first-class work. The capacity of the mill is forty barrels per day. They use roller process and are wholesale and retail dealers in and manufacturers of roller flour and feed of all kinds ; they make the celebrated " gold medal " flour. Mr. Golde was married on September 1, 1873, to Angeline Beam, daugh- tef of John and Ann Beam, of Johnstown, Cam- bria county, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Golde have two children : Anna K. and Lottie R.

John Golde is a member of Latrobe Lodge, No. 541, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which was chartered May 22, 1858. He is one of the solid and substantial business men of the town.

D AVID PORTER HARR (deceased). One of those who risked their lives to pre- serve the American Union was the late David Porter Harr, who was for a quarter of a century known throughout the State as one of the most efficient and courteous passenger con- ductors on the Pennsylvania railroad. He was a son of Henry and Martha (Brittain) Harr and was born at Lockport, Westmoreland county, Pa., August 29, 1838. The Harrs are of Ger- man descent. His grandfather, Henry Harr, was a native of Prussia and followed farming in this county till his death. His maternal grand- father, Horace Brittain, was born in what is now Indiana county, Pa., served through the Revo- Intionary war and died soon after returning to his home. His father, Henry Harr, was born in the Ligonier Valley while his mother, who died in 1850, at sixty-two years of age, was a native of Fairfield township. Henry Harr built boats on the Conemangh river for several years,

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helped to construct the Pennsylvania canal and then engaged in hotel keeping at Lockport where he died in 1872, aged seventy-nine years.

David P. Harr was reared at Lockport and in its immediate vicinity until he was fifteen years of age, when he went to Latrobe and learned the trade of carpenter. In 1859 he went on the P. R. R., where he served as freight brakeman, fireman and freight conductor. On the 26th of August, 1861, he enlisted in Co. D, fourth Pa., cavalry and served till the spring of 1862, when he was discharged on account of disability, but shortly afterward was made sergeant of the Pro- vost Guards in Philadelphia and served until the close of the war. In 1865 he became a brake- man on a passenger train and during the follow- ing year was promoted to passenger conductor and ran as such between Pittsburg and Altoona for twenty-four years. During that time he never had an accident or had a passenger hurt. He died on March 11, 1890, and his remains were interred by the Free Masons.

Ile was a member of the M. E. church and the Masonic fraternity. He was a straight demo- crat, had been a member of the borough council and served as school director for twelve years.

D. P. IIarr was married December 15, 1864, to Indiana V. Elberti, daughter of Lawrence Elberti of Lewistown, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Harr were born two sons and two daughters : Lawrence . II., Pattie E. (deceased) ; Lottie P., a teacher, and Ray D.

Lawrence HI. Harr, the eldest son, was mar- ried October 12, 1887, to Mary L., daughter of R. S. Elliott of New Florence, and has one child, a daughter, who is named Imogen E. L. HI. Harr is engaged in the retail boot and shoe busi- ness at Latrobe. He is a member of the firm of Horren & Harr, limited. They carry a fine stock of boots and shoes and have a good trade. L. HI. Harr is a young, progressive and popular merchant, a man of good business ability and a courteous and affable gentleman.

AMES W. HARTMAN, funeral director, embalmer and dealer in fine furniture, is one of Latrobe's leading and successful business men. He was born in Fairfield town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pa., September 5, 1854, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Wiley) Hartman. His grandfather, Hartman, was a native of Westmoreland county, this Stato. He was a farmer and undertaker. Ile made his coffins and used a heavy wagon to carry the dead to their last resting place. His father, Samuel Hartman, was born on his father's farm, reared to farming and engaged extensively in that line of business. Ile was a democrat, an elder in the Presbyterian church, and died December 10, 1885, aged sixty-five years. He stood high in his community where he had a large circle of friends. In 1843 he married Elizabeth Wiley, daughter of James Wiley, a Westmoreland county farmer. Mrs. Hartman was born in 1824, is a member of the Presbyte- rian church and resides at Derry station.

James W. Hartman was reared on a farm and received the educational privileges afforded by the common schools of his native township. At eighteen years of age he went to Johnstown, Cambria county, Pa., to learn the trade of car- penter which, however, he completed at New Florence, this county. In 1877 he removed to Derry station, Derry township, and engaged in the carpentering and house contracting business for six years. During the last year of this time he operated an undertaking establishment. Re- fleeting upon the advantages to be derived from establishing his business in a larger town, he made choice of Latrobe as a favorable site and removed in the fall of 1883 to that place, where he purchased of Joseph Nichols the oldest under- taking establishment of Latrobe. Ilis calcula- tions were more than justified and the trade that he built up exceeded his expectations. His cus- tom had so increased by 1889 that he was war- ranted in providing new and more ample quar- ters for its accommodation. He tore down his

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shop and erected on its site at No. 322 Main street his present establishment. This building is a three-story brick with a basement and is 100x28 feet in dimensions. It is equipped with plate-glass windows and is filled with one of the largest and finest stocks of furniture and funeral caskets to be found in the county. His enlarged stock, new buildings and added facili- ties for business has been met on the part of the publie by an increased volume of trade. In ad- dition. to his furniture and undertaking business Mr. Hartman successfully conducts all kinds of embalıning.

He was married on September 1, 1887, to Frances K. Saxman, daughter of Matthias Sax- man, who is a well-known coke manufacturer. They have one child, a daughter : Marion R.

Step by step Mr. Hartman has made his own way from an apprenticeship to the proprietor- ship of a large establishment. Latrobe is well known for its enterprise and energy, but in no branch of business in the town has greater pro- gress been made than in that of fine furniture and undertaking as exhibited by the representa- tive house of J. W. Hartman. Ile is a self- made man and stands in his line of business second to none in the county.

FOHN A. HARTMAN, D. D. S. West- J

moreland county has many skilled practi- tioners of dentistry and prominent among them is Dr. John A. Hartman, a well-known and popular dental surgeon of Latrobe. He is a son of Dr. Abraham B. and Catharine (George) Hart- man, and was born in Oleny, Illinois, Septem- ber 16, 1860. Dr. Abraham B. Hartman was a native of New York City, New York. He was a good physician and dentist. In medicine he made a specialty of surgery and in dentistry of fine gold work. He removed in 1855 to Blairsville, Indiana county, Pa., and a year later came to Latrobe where he remained for three years. In 1858 he joined the westward

emigration to Illinois and settled in that State at Oleny, where he was making a fine record and building up a large practice as a physician at the time of his death, which occurred Novem- ber, 1860. Ile was pious, conscientious, frank and friendly, and won many warm friends wherever he went. August, 1858, he married Catharine, daughter of the late John George, of Unity township, this county. Mr. George was born in 1811, served as an officer in the Presbyterian church for years and died in 1886. Mrs. Hartman was born in 1839 and makes her home with the doctor and her daughter, Mrs. Mary D. Miller.

Dr. John A. Hartman was brought by his mother to Westmoreland county in 1861, and was reared on his maternal grandfather's farm until he was sixteen years of age. Ile then began the study of dentistry with Dr. A. C. Keepers of Latrobe. After two years study he entered the old Philadelphia Dental college in 1878 and the next year became a student in the Philadelphia School of Anatomy. Ile was" graduated from both these institutions in 1880. From the former January and from the latter February 13. He was one of the youngest students that ever graduated from either of these well-known schools. In the summer of 1880 he came to Latrobe, engaged in the active practice of dentistry and has succeeded in building up a large, profitable and desirable practice. Hlis dental parlors are in Citizens' National bank building. They are pleasantly, conveniently and tastefully arranged and are fully equipped with special electrical and all modern appliances for rapid, thorough and pain- less dental operations.

On November 19, 1884, he was married to H. Ella Fulton, of Latrobe. They have two children, a son and daughter : Mary D. and George F. Mrs. Hartman is a daughter of Abraham P. and Elizabeth Fulton. The Ful- ton family is a branch of the Boyd family. The Fulton family is one of the oldest families

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 40

Author: Gresham, John M. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia [Dunlap & Clarke] Number of Pages: 1422

Author: Gresham, John M. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia [Dunlap & Clarke]
Number of Pages: 1422