Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 43

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

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with his company from the service at Pittsburg, June 26, 1865. For six years after returning from the army he worked at engine-building in Pittsburg. In 1871 he removed to Latrobe and became a member of the firm of Metzger Bros. & Co. The other partners were Edward and Frederick Metzger (see sketch of the latter). They purchased the Loyalhanna Paper Mills and operated it until 1874 when the company was reorganized under the present firm name of James Peters & Co. The Loyalhanna Paper Mills were established in 1865 by Bierer, Watt & Co. and subsequently bought by G. S. Christy & Co., who sold to Metzger Bros. & Co. in 1871. In October, 1879, the mill burned, and in 1881 the present brick one was completed. In October, 1879 to 1881, they rented the Beaver Falls Paper Mills and thus kept all their mill hands employed. They have run steadily and successfuly from 1881 until the present time and have increased their capacity from time to time as it has been required until they can make thirty thousand pounds of paper per day. They employ forty men and manu- facture mostly felt paper. Their works cover over three acres of ground. Their rag room is 32x60 feet and the bleaching room 60x80. They have two beater buildings one a two-story with basement, 30x70, and the other, one-story and basement, 32x70. The machine room is 30 x 1161, boiler house 78x44, and the ware and finishing house is a two-story struct- ure 82×74, with an office attached which is 14x28 in dimensions.

In 1867 he was married to Susanna, daughter of John M. Johnson, of Pittsburg. They have five children : Mary A., Jennie M., William II., James F. and Malinda B.

James Peters is a republican and has served one term as burgess of Latrobe, three terms as a member and is now president of the town council. He is W. M. of Loyalhanna Lodge, No. 275, A. Y. M., Past Regent of Latrobe Council, N. of R. A. and is serving a second

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term as Commander of Post No. 4, G. A. R. He is a charter member and present director of the First National bank of Latrobe and a member of the Presbyterian church.

ENRY B. POTTHOFF, the leading as well as the most progressive jeweler of Latrobe, is a son of Henry and Cathe- rine (Wessendorff) Potthoff and was born in Essen on the Ruhr, kingdom of Prussia, April 5, 1858. Henry Potthoff is a descendant of an old and honest German family whose ancestry goes back into the early history of the Father- land. Ile was born in Essen, Prussia, on the river Ruhr in 1832 and has always followed coal mining for an occupation. He has always lived in Essan, is an active, hard-working man and a devout member of the Catholic church. His wife was Catherine Wessendorff, who was a native of Prussia, a member of the Catholic church and died in 1864, leaving two children, Henry and Herman.

Henry B. Potthoff was reared in Essen where he attended the excellent public schools of Prussia. He learned the trade of jewler and watchmaker. After completing his required ap- prenticeship and being recommended as a skilled workman by his employers, he traveled over Prussia for six years and worked at watch making and repairing. At the end of this time (1880) he came to the United States and located at Ebensburg, Cambria county, this State, where he worked for six months with Carl Re- vinius, after which he commenced in the jewelry business for himself at Carrolltown, in the same county. He left a very good trade at the last named place in 1886 to locate at Latrobe, where he has remained ever since and has been actively and successfully engaged as a jeweler and dealer in watches and clocks. Ilis store is a spacious and attractively fitted up apartment and contains in the line of stock carried a com- plete and well-arranged assortment of beautiful

and artistically designed wares, including watches, clocks, jewelry and silverware of every description. He is a courteous gentleman, a skilled workman and has achieved a well-deserved as well as a well-earned success.

Henry B. Potthoff united in marriage on July 29, 1884, with Mary Wirtuer, daughter of Benjamin Wirtuer, of Carrolltown, Cambria county, Pa. Their union has been blessed with two children, both sons: Benjamin H. and Henry B. Potthoff, Jr.

ARRY F. SEANOR, one of Latrobe's enterprising young men and a member of the firm of Seanor & Bierer, dealers in agricultural implements, was born at Fort Wayne, Indiana, July 29, 1860, and is a son of Adam and Salina (Tweedy) Seanor. He is of Ger- man-Irish descent. His paternal grandfather, Adam Seanor, was a native of Salem township, where he followed farming and was a member of the Presbyterian church. His maternal grand- father, William Tweedy, was born in Westmore- land county and pursued farming for a liveli- hood. ITis father, Adam Seanor, Jr., was born in 1819 in Salem township, this county, where he now owns a fine farm of two hundred and sixty- five acres of land. He is a republican, deals in stock and is an efficient member of the Presbyterian church. Ile married Salina Tweedy and they resided in Indiana for a few years before making their permanent home in Westmoreland county.

At five years of age Harry F. Seanor was brought by his parents from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Salem township, this county. IIe attended the common schools and was engaged in farming until he was twenty-two years of age. Ile then became a traveling salesman for an agricultural implement house and remained with them for four years. In 1886 he removed to Latrobe where he engaged in the agricultural implement, hay and feed business, but in 1889

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was compelled to drop the last named business on account of the increase of his trade in agri- cultural implements. He has the largest estab- lishment of its kind in Latrobe, if not in the county, which is heavily stocked with reapers, mowers, hay rakes, sulky plows, improved har- rows, corn planters and grain drills. He next entered into partnership with Mr. Bierer, the firm name being Seanor & Bierer. He is a re- gular attendant upon the services of the Presby- terian church. He is a republican, an energetic and successful business man and a member of the Royal Arcanum.

In 1881 he was married to Laura MeKelvey, daughter of John McKelvey of Latrobe. They have three children : James C., Fred M. and Harry.

The prosperity of a nation is largely based on the vocations of agriculture, and the success of agricultural pursuits now largely depend upon the improved machinery that has been intro- duced into general use during the last quarter of a century. A new industry has been created to manufacture this machinery, and one of the most reliable houses for its sale is the popular and well-patronized establishment of Seanor & Bierer, dealers in agricultural implements

HIOMAS W. SHIELDS, a young busi- ness man of Latrobe and junior member of the firm of D. Shields & Son, manu- facturers and wholesale and retail dealers in fine carriages, buggies, cutters, carts and harness, is a son of David and Sarah E. (Humes) Shields and was born in Salem township, Westmoreland county, Pa., July 11, 1866. David Shields is a descendant of the Shields family of Franklin county, whose ancestors immigrated from the north of Ireland. James Shields (grandfather) was born in 1770 near Chambersburg, married Elizabeth Wilson and removed to Salem town- ship in 1798. He died in 1841 and his widow passed away March 23, 1873, when lacking but

one year of being a centenarian. They had nine children, seven sons and two daughters, of whom David was the fifth son. He was born in 1816 and was a farmer in Salem township until 1872. In that year he removed to Latrobe and established his present business of manufactur- ing carriages and buggies. He married Sarah E. Humes who is descended from an old and highly respectable family of Westmoreland county. Mr. Shields is a good business man, honorable, liberal and fair in his dealings and well respected by all who know him. Ile and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church.

Thomas W. Shields was reared on a farm until six years of age and then was brought by his parents to Latrobe. He attended the com- mon schools, took a full course at Duff's Com- mercial Business college at Pittsburg and was graduated from that institution in 1884. In the spring of 1885 he became a partner with his father in the manufacture of carriages and buggies and has continued until the present as a member of the firm of D. Shields & Son. Their factory is a large three-story frame building, fronting fifty feet on Miller street and extending one hundred feet back. Their warerooms are on the corner of Jefferson and Railroad streets. They employ twenty men in their works and are manufacturers and wholesale and retail dealers in fine carriages, buggies, cutters, carts, harness, whips and robes. They make a specialty of the celebrated bay spindle wagon and have a large and extensive wholesale trade to which they principally give their attention. Thomas W. Shields is a republican in political belief. He has good business ability and is courteous, polite and gentlemanly in appearance.

ILLIAM A. SHOWALTER. One of the mos influential and substantial citi- zens and the oldest resident inhabitant of Latrobe is William A. Showalter, who is a I successful and highly respected business man.

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Hle is a son of John and Mary Ann (Donnelly) Showalter and was born in Whitely township, Greene county, Pa., December 4, 1826. Ilis father, John Showalter, was born in Virginia in 1796 and learned the trade of bricklayer and burner. He crossed the Alleghenies into P'en- sylvania temporarily halting for a year in Fay- ette county on his way to Greene county, where he resided within ten miles of Waynesburg for twenty-five years. Ile owned a farm there which he tilled when not engaged at his trade. In 1845 he came to Westmoreland county and lived on the "Convent farm " in Unity town- ship. He made the brick for the convent build- ing and was industriously employed in farming and at his trade for many years. His death oc- cured August 11, 1880. Ile was a striet mem- ber of the Catholic church, a fine workman and a democrat in polities. Ilis wife came from Ireland at two years of age ; she was a member of the same church as her husband and passed away March, 1851.

William A. Showalter resided with his parents in Greene county until he was nineteen years of age when he accompanied them to Westmore- land county. Ile followed farming and brick- making with his father until 1852, then moved to Latrobe and has continued to reside there ever since. Mr. Showalter found but the mere be- gining of a town at Latrobe in 1852, yet his judgment proved not at fault in selecting it for a future business center. He grew up with the town and his business extended as the town in- creased in prosperity. In 1856 he engaged in his present butchering business. He made the brick for and erected some of the finest brick- houses in the borough. In 1883 he built the "Showalter Opera House," which is one of the finest buildings of its kind in the State outside of the cities. He owns the opera block square, on which he has erected several fine brick build- ings, besides other valuable and desirable prop- erty in Latrobe.

On October 12, 1848, he was married to

Celia Burgoon, whose parents, Jacob and Martha Burgoon, were natives and residents of West- moreland county. Mr. and Mrs. Showalter have five sons and two daughters: Mary M., John A., James A., Daniel J., Ellen T., William A., Jr. and Harry II.

In politics Mr. Showalter is a stanch demo- crat and in religion an earnest member of the Catholic church. In the fall of 1851 he wit- nessed the trial trip of the first locomotive that ever ran into Latrobe. It was called the Henry Clay and ran between Latrobe and Beatty's station on the Pennsylvania railroad. Like all men who have won there own way to success and influential standing, Mr. Showalter experienced hard work and trying times in beginning the battle of life. He mauled rails for fifty cents per day and labored at all kinds of farm work at very low prices, but having the will to succeed he never despaired but worked steadily on until his prospects brightened. William A. Show- alter is one of Latrobe's pioneer citizens. Ile has added to that town many fine buildings which are a credit and ornament to the place and are so many monuments to his enterprising nature.

a NANIAS SIIUMAKER, one of the prominent citizens and substantial busi- ness men of Latrobe, is the subject of sketch, who is the pioneer of one of the lead- ing industries of that borough and is largely interested in the wholesale jobbing shoe busi- ness. lle is a son of Jacob and Polly (Hoover) Shumaker. He is the third of five children and was born in Somerset township, Somerset county, Pa., May 22, 1842. The Shumakers are of German descent. Ilis tather, Jacob Shumaker, was a son of Peter Shumaker, who was a native and well-to-do farmer of Somerset county. Jacob Shumaker was born on his father's farm in 1804 and died in 1850. Ile was a member of the Lutheran church and married Polly Hoover. She was born in 1812,

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survived her husband twenty-four years and died in Cook township, this county.

Ananias Shumaker was reared on a Somerset county farm until sixteen years of age when he became an apprentice to learn the shoemaking trade. After serving the required three years of an apprenticeship he started a small shop for himself at home and soon gained a large custom. In 1862, after six months' work, he closed his shop to serve his country. August 20th, 1862. he enlisted in Co. F, 142d reg. Pa. Vols., and served until May 29th, 1865, when he was honorably mustered out of the service at Washington, D. C. He participated in all the battles of his regiment from the first Fredericksburg fight until the close of the war, and during his term of service never asked for and never received a furlough. When he re- turned from the army he came to Stallstown, this county, to which his mother had moved some time previous. He started a shoe making shop near that place, but did not continue long, until he removed to Mount Holly, Knox county, Ohio, where for two years he operated a shoe shop and small retail shoe store. He sold out his Ohio business in the fall of 1868 and emi- grated westward across the " Father of Waters " in quest of a good location on the western prairies. He went to Tamer City, Tamer county, Iowa. There he was not pleased with the prospects for his line of business at that place or elsewhere he had seen on his westward journey and immediately returned to this county. In 1869 be removed to Latrobe, where he opened a shoe shop and shoe store in Young's block and continued until 1872, when he sold a share in his business to William Roberts of Woodbury, Pa, and a year later disposed of his remaining interest to Mr. Roberts, Mr. Shumaker having secured his present position as traveling salesman with the wholesale boot and shoe firm of Graff, Son & Co. of Philadel- phia, Pa. In the spring of 1885 he formed a partnership with I. N. Horrel and HI. P. Hart-

ley under the name of Latrobe Manufacturing Company and engaged in the manufacture of men's shoes, and two years later he withdrew from the company to engage in the wholesale jobbing shoe business in which he handled exclu- sively the product of the Latrobe company till April 1st, 1889. In 1888 he formed a partner- ship with J. B. Anderson and C. II. MeLaugh- lin, under the firm name of Anderson, Shumaker & Co., and engaged in the retail shoe business. At the present time he is successfully engaged in both his wholesale and retail shoe business.

On January 29, 1866, Mr. Shumaker was married to Mary Ann Campbell, by whom he has had five children, two sons and three daughters : Milton W., Blanche (dead) ; Ada (dead) ; Ella and Charles W. The eldest son, Milton W., graduated from the Latrobe High school in 1883, attended the Indiana State Normal and was in the senior elass at Dickinson college when he was engaged to teach in the Latrobe High school and left college to accept that position. After two years' teaching he accepted his present position as bookkeeper for the firms of A. Shumaker & Co. and Anderson, Shumaker & Co., and in 1888 became a member of the former firm. Mrs. Shumaker is a member of the M. E. church, and is the youngest living child of William B. and Sarah Campbell, both na- tives and residents of Cook township, this county, and members of the Presbyterian church.

Ananias Shumaker is a member of Latrobe Lodge, No. 868, Royal Arcanum ; Latrobe Lodge, No. 30, Ancient Order of United Workmen ; Latrobe Lodge, No. 177, Knights of Pythias ; P. A. Williams Post, No. 4, Grand Army of the Republic, and Latrobe Methodist Episcopal church.

AMES A. STORY, of English descent and the oldest, most enterprising and lead- ing liveryman of Latrobe, was born in Jacksonville, Indiana county, Pa., June 13, 1846, and is a son of John and Mary (Pease)

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Story. The Storys are of English lineage. James A. Story's great-grandfather Story came from New Jersey to near the site of Latrobe and purchased a largo tract of land in an early period of the county's history. Ho was the founder of the Story family west of the Alle- ghenies. One of his sons was the father of John Story, whose son James A. Story is the subject of this sketch. John Story was born in 1812, and in after years went from Westmore- land to Indiana county. He was employed for several years in boating coal from Pittsburg to New Orleans. Leaving the Ohio and Mississippi rivers he engaged in blacksmithing at Jackson- ville and followed that business steadily for over thirty years. In 1876 he returned to West- moreland county, where he died three years later. He was a democrat, an industrious citi- zen and a member of the Presbyterian church. Ilis wife was a member of the Catholic church and died at Jacksonville, Pa., in 1872, at the age of fifty-seven years.

James A. Story was reared at Jacksonville and educated in the common schools. In 1874 he came to Livermore and engaged in the livery business and also in buying and selling horses. In the fall of 1875 he left Livermore, removed to Latrobe and established his present livery, sale and feed stables, which he has personally con- ducted until the present time, except two years (1886-87) in the same business at Greensburg, Pa.

On October 15, 1868, he was united in mar- riage with Mary C. Crusan, of New Alexandria, Derry township. Their family consists of three children : William P., Ward C., and Floyd A.

James A. Story is a democrat, has served three years as member of the town council and is now serving his second term as school director. Ile is a member of Latrobe Lodge, No. 541, and Shallum Encampment, No. 141, Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; Loyalhanna Lodge, No. 950, Knights of Honor, and Latrobe Lodge, No. 177, Knights of Pythias. A well-equipped livery is now a marked feature of any progres-

sive town, and in this respect Latrobe has no reason to complain, as it contains the excellent and carefully conducted livery concern of James A. Story. His livery, sales and feed stables are situated on Depot street. He has a large number of carriages and buggies and a large stock of excellent and carefully chosen saddle and harness horses. His patronage is large and constantly increasing. For the last ten years, in addition to his livery business, Mr. Story has been engaged in buying and shipping horses. He is a man of enterprise and ability in his particular line of business, and is well worthy of the success which he has achieved.

ROF. WILLIAM W. ULERICH, one of Westmoreland county's foremost teachers and principal of the Latrobe public schools, is a son of John N. and Mary Ann (Caylor) Ulerich, and was born in Ligonier township, Westmoreland connty, Pa., February 5, 1860. His paternal grandfather, Samuel Ulerich, came from Germany to Carlisle, this State, and afterwards removed to Westmoreland county, where he died in 1876, aged seventy- six years. One of his sons is John N. Ulerich, who was born in 1831. He is a promi- nent farmer and stock-dealer, of Ligonier town- ship, where he owns two hundred acres of valuable and well-improved farm land. Ile is a republican and has served ten years as school- director. In religious belief he is a methodist and has been for over thirty years a consistent member of the Ligonier church, of that persua- sion, in which he has served for many years as a trustee and class-leader. His wife was a native of Westmoreland county, a devout mem- ber of the M. E. church, and died in 1873, at forty-two years of age. Her father, John Cay- lor, was a farmer of Unity township, this county.

Professor Ulerich received his rudimentary education in the common schools, attended the academy at Ligonier, entered the State Normal

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school, Indiana, Pa., April 7, 1881, and was graduated from that favorably known institution July 14, 1884. He taught six terms in the common schools while pursuing his academic and State Normal courses. After graduating he was elected vice-principal of the Irwin schools and served one year. In 1885 he was elected principal of the Latrobe public schools and was re-elected in 1886, 1887, 1888 and 1889 to that important, honorable and respon- sible position. The Latrobe school-work is satisfactory to the directors and patrons of the schools, and shows clearly the wisdom of the Latrobe School Board in selecting, placing and retaining at the head of their schools such a man as Professor Ulerich, who is a gentleman of high character, eminent ability, thorough education and professional training. For the past four years he has been elected a member of the Westmoreland county examining committee for State permanent certificates, serving most of the time as its chairman. In 1888 he was elected trustee of the " Ridge View Park Asso- ciation." Ile is a republican in his political views and is a member of Meridian Conclave, No. 177, Improved Order of Heptasophs. Pro- fessor Ulerich is a member of Latrobe Methodist Episcopal church and has been the efficient superintendent of its Sunday-school for several years.

OUIS WEBER, one of the county's leading German citizens and prosperous merchants of Latrobe, is a native of the Kingdom of Prussia, Empire of Germany, where he was born April 1, 1851, and is a son of Nich- olas and Elizabeth (Keiber) Weber. Nicholas Weber was born, reared and educated in Prussia, where he learned and followed the trade of shoe- maker. Ile was an industrious and honest man and member of the Protestant church. His death occurred in November, 1855. He was a man of considerable means. He married Elizabeth (Kciber) Klein, widow of George Klein. Ile

left two children, the subject of this sketch and Peter, a leading druggist of Pittsburg.

Louis Weber, with his mother and step-brother and sister came to Pittsburg from Germany in 1864. His mother was born in 1810, tenth of October, resides in Pittsburg and is a consistent member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He attended public school in Germany from six years up to thirteen. From the age of thirteen years Louis Weber supported himself and educated himself at the night-schools in Pittsburg, where he made good use of his time and opportunities. While he remained in that city, by his faithfulness and industry he gained the confidence of his employers and was never out of work. He has been a citizen of Westmoreland county since 1870; in that year he settled at Latrobe and engaged on a small scale in the gro- cery and queensware business. From year to year he has steadily enlarged his stock and gradually increased his sales until he has at the present time a large and well-filled store-room and a substantial and flourishing business. His place of business is situated at the corner of Ligonier and Thompson streets.

On 17th of January, 1871, Mr. Weber was married to Louisa Kraling, of Pittsburg, who is the daughter of the late Casper Kraling, a leading business man of St. Louis, Mo. To this marriage have been born nine children, of whom six are living : Louisa, Edward, Philip, Lydia, Nellie and Paul. The three deceased ones were: Louis, Jr., born in 1872, died in 1878; Lizzie, born in 1873, died in 1879 and Stella, born in 1882 and died in 1886.

Louis Weber is a democrat of the Jeffersonian type but he takes no active part in political matters. Hle is also a member of Lodge No. 541, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a substantial member of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Latrobe. Mr. Weber is a gentleman of affable manners, of honesty of purpose and is deserving of the confidence of the people and the success he is achieving.

Jeannette, Manor and Penn

P ROF. JACOB BEAMER was born March 22, 1830, near Murrysville, Franklin township, Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of IIenry and Elizabeth (Lauffer) Beamer. John Beamer, his grandfather, whose trans-Atlantic ancestors were natives of Switzer- land, was born near Hagerstown, Md., and was a man of extensive knowledge, which, together with his integrity and energy, made him a pro- gressive leader in his community. In church matters he was prominent, being instrumental in having a Reformed church erected which was known as the " Beamer church ; " he was also an old time democrat. He married Eva Buten- barger, a native of Maryland. Henry Beamer was born in Maryland but about the beginning of the nineteenth century was brought by his parents to Westmoreland county, l'a., at the age of six years. He became a successful farmer and advocated the principles of the Democratic party. Ile identified himself with the Reformed church in which he served as an officer nearly all his life. He married Elizabeth, a daughter of John Lauffer, of Penn township, by whom he had seven children : John, Henry, Seth, Jacob, Michael, Sarah, and Susan, all living except Seth and Susan.

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 43

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