Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 5

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 5

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EWIS F. ARMBRUST, who served as an officer in the late civil war and who has been connected with the newspaper business for over twelve years, is now the pro- prietor and successful editor of the Independent, one of Greensburg's live and widely-read papers. Ile is the son of William and Margaret (Gonga- ware) Armbrust, and was born at Adamsburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., November 28, 1843.

His paternal grandparents were John and Cath- arine (Shelter) Armbrust, who emigrated from Germany. His father, William Armbrust, was born in Greensburg, and is now in the milling business at Weaver's Old Stand. (For further ancestry, see sketch of J. W. Armbrust, of Hempfield township.)

Lewis F. Armbrust received a fair common school education, and at nineteen years of age entered the Union army. He enlisted in Co. I, 168th Reg. Pa. Vols., on the 16th of October, 1862, and served until his regiment was discharged at Harrisburg, Pa., on July 25, 1863. Returning home he assisted his father on the farm and in the flouring mill for about a year, when the roar of cannon came louder and nearer, and the government was calling for more volunteers, which so strongly appealed to his patriotism that he again enlisted, August 31, 1864, as a corporal in Co. E, 206th Reg., P'a. Vols., and served until the close of the war. His regiment helped to dig Dutch Gap canal, on the James river, which was continually shelled by the rebel batteries from the hill above. He also helped to build Fort Brady, which was fre- quently shelled by rebel forts in close proximity, and did picket duty in front of Richmond the last winter of the war, and it is claimed his regiment was the first to enter that city after its surrender. After the close of the war he was discharged with his regiment at Richmond, Va., June 26, 1865. He then returned home and assisted his father two years on the farm and in the mill, when he opened a store at Weaver's Old Stand, which he ran for two years and sold to his brother. He then went to Penn station and purchased a store, which he con- ducted for a year. Here he became acquainted with Miss Nannie Speer, daughter of James B. Speer, who then resided there. They were united in marriage October 14, 1869. Of their marriage have been born : Harrison B., engaged in printing ; Lilian Frances and Mary Edith, who are attending school. Shortly after mar-

BIOGRAPHIES OF

riage he purchased two lots at Turtle Creek, Pa., a thriving mining town, where he built a dwelling and store-room, to which he removed in the spring of 1871. He sold his store and property five years later, and on December 22, 1877, he printed the first copy of the People's Independent, a six-column four-page weekly ; this he conducted a little over six months; about this time the Greenback party was organized and he was appealed to remove his paper to Westmoreland county, and at a county conven- tion of the Greenback party it was made the official organ for Westmoreland county, and on May 15, 1878, he removed his office and family to Greensburg. The paper was shortly changed in name to The National Issue, which he con- ducted and edited about a year and a half, when he sold out to Col. John T. Fulton and the Rev. Uriel Graves ; they managed the paper a short time, when they sold to Brunot & Laux, the present owners of the Press.

In 1881 Mr. Armbrust removed to McKees- port, where he engaged in the mercantile business and contracted in house building. In 1882 he established the Mckeesport Tribune and Herald, which he published until January, 1890, when he consolidated it with the Greensburg Inde- pendent, which he had founded August 6, 1887. It is an eight-page five-column paper, and has for its motto "Devoted to the interest of labor and the advancement of thought." It contains local, State and national news, and gives much space to the various reform movements. It is regarded as a champion of labor and political reform. In 1888 he erected the Independent building at Nos. 77, 79 and 81 West Otterman street, Greensburg, Pa .; it is a very large and neat structure, which is well adapted for a news- paper office and dwelling. In July, 1888, he removed his family and printing office from Mckeesport to this building, not yet completed. In 1880 Lewis F. Armbrust was an elector on the presidential ticket of J. B. Weaver. In 1884, while residing at Mckeesport, he was a

candidate for the Legislature in the Fifth Dis- triet of Allegheny county, being nominated by the Prohibitionists, Labor party, and endorsed by the Democratic party, and polled more votes than all three parties combined in the district for other candidates, but the district being Re- publican by a large majority, was of course not elected. In 1886 his friends in the Labor party again nominated him for the Legislature, but was not elected and did not expect to be. In 1888 he was a presidential elector on the Union Labor party ticket for Hon. A. J. Streetor.

Lewis F. Armbrust, upon his removal to Greensburg, was made County Chairman of the Union Labor party, which position he is still holding ; he is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church; Gen. John A. Logan Command No. 2, Union Veteran's Union; Gen. Geary Council, No. 342, O. U. A. M .; Daughters of Liberty ; and Master Workman of Good Will Assembly, No. 6905, Knights of Labor. He detests hypocrisy, whether found in the church, in political or social life, and does not admire pride anywhere. He does his own thinking and acts from his convictions regardless of what may seem public opinion.

As an editor Mr. Armbrust has won an hon- orable reputation. He made labor interests and local news the chief features of the Independent, and its success and permanent establishment followed as fruits of his enterprise and sagacity. The Independent is a power to-day in the labor and grange organizations of the county. Mr. Armbrust's success in life is due to his per- severance, energy and enterprise.

ANIEL A. ARTER, one of the old, suc- cessful and favorably known physicians of Greensburg, was born in Salem town- ship, Columbiana county, Ohio, October 26, 1828, and is a son of Col. Simon and Elizabeth (Burger) Arter. His paternal grandfather, Abra- ham Arter, was a native of Maryland and of

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WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

English descent. He was a quiet citizen, a consistent church member, an industrious man, and in 1802 removed to Columbiana county, Ohio. His wife was Magdalena Hahn. One of his sons, Col. Simon Arter, was born near Strasburg, Maryland, and was reared and trained to the life of a farmer. In 1802 he removed to Ohio, engaged in farming and became quite wealthy. He was an active member in the Evan- gelical Lutheran church ; was elected colonel in a militia organization ; a whig, and afterwards a republican, in politics, and was noted for being upright and liberal to the poor and distressed. After a long, useful and active life Col. Simon Arter passed away on February 27, 1883. In 1824 he was married to Elizabeth Burger, daughter of Daniel Burger, of Bedford county, Pa. They had seven sons and four daughters. Mrs. Arter was born in 1806. Her grand- father, Nicholas Burger, came from Switzerland to Bedford county, and in 1806 removed to what is now Columbiana county, Ohio.

Dr. Daniel Arter, after attending the public schools entered New Lisbon academy, from which he was graduated in 1847. One year later he began reading medicine under the in- struction of Dr. D. Springer, of New Lisbon, Qhio. After satisfactorily completing the pre- paratory course of medical study with his pre- ceptor he entered the Cincinnati Electic Med- ical college, where, with commendable zeal, he soon won an honorable position in the profession of his choice. Dr. Arter began practice at Blairsville, Indiana county, Pa., but after five months' residence there he removed to Lock- port, which was in the spring of 1851. August 2, 1851, he came to Westmoreland county and opened his present office at Greensburg, where he has been in continuous active and successful practice ever since.

In 1851 he was married to Mary Jane, daughter of Samuel MeCune, of Blairsville, Pa. She died in 1856 and left him three chil- dren, names and births as follows : Charlotte

B., March 3, 1852, married to Charles R. Mil- ler, of Greensburg ; Mary E., October 15, 1854, wife of B. W. Stanley, a mechanic of Salem, Ohio, and S. Marcus, November 17, 1856, mar- ried to Sarah E. Loughrey, and is a clerk in the county register's office. Dr. Arter, on Oc- tober 15, 1857, was married to Caroline A., daughter of Jacob M. Miller. His second mar- riage was blessed with two children : Elsie B., born October 22, 1858, and Anna S., born July 11, 1863, married II. S. Sembower, of Union- town, Pa., and died June 18, 1888.

Dr. Daniel A. Arter is a self-made man in the true meaning of the term. Beginning life without anything except his energy and deter- mination to win, he has acquired considerable money and real estate. He is a member of the K. of H., Royal Arcanum, United Workmen and Philanthropy Lodge, No. 225. In politics he is a republican, and was prominently identified with the Republican party when it was in a minority of 2100 in the county. In religious matters he is an unassuming but faithful member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. His life has been mainly devoted to the study and practice of medicine ; he is well read, is skilled in the med- ical sciences and is a useful and an honorable gentleman.

& DWARD H. BAIR, one of the progres- sive young men of Greensburg, who gives promise of a very successful business ca- reer in the future, was born at the village of Congruity, Salem township, Westmoreland county, Pa., March 6, 1859, and is a son of II. H. and Elizabeth (Keener), Bair. Henry H. Bair was born in Manor school district, Penn township, February 2, 1825. He was a car- penter and a machinist. He, with his brothers Isaac and Jacob, were the inventors and manu- facturers of a tumbling shaft threshing machine. It was an invention out of which they made some money as well as fame. Ile was an ardent democrat, but never aspired to office,

BIOGRAPHIES OF

and never would serve in any office except that of school director, to which he was frequently elected. Ile was one of the founders of the New Salem Reformed church, in which he served as a deacon till his death. He was a prominent Odd Fellow and a strong advocate of the free-school system, and died January 14, 1873, from the effects of a fall received in re- turning from a school visitation. In 1845 he married Elizabeth Keener, who is still living. They had five children : Emma, who married W. H. Keck and died in 1875, leaving one child, Helen ; Anna M., wife of W. W. Marts ; Lizzie J., who married W. F. Jackson ; E. HI. and Jacob, who died at 14 years of age.

E. H. Bair was educated in the common schools and Delmont academy. He taught four terms of school in his native township, was prin- cipal of New Salem schools in 1881, and served in 1882 and 1883 as principal of Scottdale schools. He resigned at Scottdale with the view of reading law, but was soon urged to take and accepted the principalship of Ludwick pub- lic schools, which he held for two years. Dur- ing the summers of 1882 and 1883 he and I. E. Lauffer (present district attorney) conductep the Delmont Normal and Classical institute. In 1884 he was principal of the Scottdale Nor- mal school, and in 1885 was associated with J. R. Speigel and I. E. Lauffer in teaching the Greensburg Normal school. In 1886 he quit teaching to embark in the real estate business ut Greensburg, and became a partner of the present well known real estate and insurance firm of Gay & Bair. (For full description of this firm see sketch, of F. L. Gay). They transact a large amount of business and have branch offices at Jeannette and Penn station.

On October 14, 1885, he was married to Esther Suydam, daughter of the late Joseph L. Suydam, of Coatesville, Pa., who was superin- tendent of the Wilmington and Delaware Rail- road at the time of his death. Their union has been blessed with two children : Paul Suy-

dam, born May 20, 1887, and Kenneth HI., born June 25, 1889.

In politics Mr. Bair is a democrat. He is a member of the Second Reformed church and Secretary of the Greensburg Homestead Loan and Trust Company. He is active, enterprising, affable and popular, and is a fine business man.

DDISON R. BARNHART, of Greens- burg, was born in the historic village of

Hannastown, Westmoreland county, Pa., January 26, 1865, and is a son of William HI. and Mary (Rumbaugh) Barnhart. The Barn- harts are of German origin. David Barnhart (grandfather) came to Westmoreland county, where he followed the occupation of farming. He married Elizabeth Hugus. One of his chil- dren was William H. Barnhart, who was born near Mt. Pleasant, this county. He was a farmer, and for some years engaged in the patent- right business. Being very successful he ac- quired much valuable property, and for a number of years previous to his death he lived in Greens- burg, retired from the active duties of life. Politically he was a republican, but was fair- minded and by no means a biased partisan ; he was a useful member of the Reformed church, in which he served many years as a deacon. William H. Barnhart was an excellent business man, social, intelligent, of good judgement, and stood high in the estimation of all his friends and acquaintances. He died March 21, 1887. Mr. Barnhart was married to Mary Rumbaugh, a daughter of James Rumbaugh, of Mt. Pleasant township, who bore him one child, a son named Addison R. Barnhart.

Addison R. Barnhart was educated in the public schools of his native township and the excellent schools of Greensburg. He is yet quite a young man, and proposes to soon open a wallpaper and tile mantel establishment, in which it is safe to predict for him most excellent success, as he is a popular and energetic gentleman. In politics he

WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

is a republican, and is active and useful in the party to whose principles he adheres. Mr. Barnhart is a pleasant companion, genial and frank ; he is a member of the Second Reformed church of Greensburg; of Greensburg Council, No. 82, Jr. O. U. A. M .; and of Greensburg Commandery, No. 2, U. A. M.

YRUS T. BARNHART, one of Greens- burg's leading furniture dealers, was born November 11, 1849, in Hempfield town- ship, Westmoreland county, Pa., and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Rugh) Barnhart. Ilis grandfather, John Barnhart, was a native of Pennsylvania, and lived for many years in Hempfield township, about four miles from Greensburg. His first wife was a Miss Brinker, and after her death he married a widow by the name of Swartz. One of his children was William Barnhart (father), who was born in 1819, and is now living near Mt. Pleasant. All his life he has followed farming, in which he has met with excellent success ; he believes in the principles of the Republican party, is a member of the Reformed church, in which he has held all the various offices. He married Elizabeth, a daughter of Jacob Rugh, of near Greensburg, who is still living, and they have had fifteen children, of whom ten are living.

Cyrus T. Barnhart, one of the living children, received a common school education at what is known as Barnhart's school in Hempfield town- ship. The first eighteen years of his life were spent on the farm ; he then learned the cabinet- making and carpentering. For eighteen months he was with Henry Rugh, of Greensburg, who was accidentally killed, and after that Mr. Barn- hart followed the trade of carpentering until 1878, when he opened a furniture store on East Pittsburg street, Greensburg, where he remained three years. He then removed to his present location on Pennsylvania avenue. In 1881 he erected a fine building, and during the past year

(1889) he remodeled it, making an elegant three- story structure. Ilis stock of furniture is large and complete in every respect, and his trade a most desirable one. He is a republican and with his wife is identified with the First Reformed church of Greensburg.

C. T. Barnhart was married December 11, 1879, to Emily, a daughter of Philip Walthour (deceased), a resident of Greensburg and a printer by occupation. Mr. Barnhart belongs to Centennial Lodge, No. 100, A. O. U. W., and is a first-class citizen, upright, industrious, enterprising and progressive.

ON. JAMES S. BEACOM, ex-member of the House of Representatives of Penn- sylvania, and a prominent member of the Westmoreland county bar, is a son of Rev. II. C. and Mary A. (Spear) Beacom, and was born at the village of Merwin, Washington township, Westmoreland county, Pa., December 9, 1853. James S. Beacom's paternal great-grandfather was a Westmoreland county farmer whose birth- place was in Ireland. His paternal grandfather, James Beacom, died early in life. Ilis maternal grandfather, James Spear, was a resident of Pittsburg. His father, Rev. H. C. Beacom, D. D., was born May 29, 1830, in the northern part of Westmoreland county. In youth he manifested those distinguishing traits of character that have so honored him in manhood. From a professional school teacher he passed to the ministry and was licensed to preach by the Methodist Episcopal church in 1860. In 1865 he became a regular member of the Pittsburg M. E. conference, and is now the able and popu- lar pastor of the Main Street Methodist Episco- pal church, West End, Pittsburg. He was chiefly instrumental in erecting one or che finest church edifices in that city. On December 2, 1850, he was married to Mary A. Spear, daughter of James and Margaret Spear, of Pitts- burg. Rev. and Mrs. Beacom were the parents

BIOGRAPHIES OF

of six children, three sons and three daughters : Adaline, died in infancy ; Hlon. James S. ; Angeline, intermarried with T. F. Hamilton, assistant superintendent of the Gautier works, at Johnstown, Pa. ; Henry C. Jr., a farmer of Johnson county, Iowa ; John Wesley, married to Isabella Fish, of Allegheny city, and resides at New Brighton, and Eva J.

James S. Beacom received his elementary in- struction in the common schools of Pennsylvania, completed his academic studies at Elderton, this State, in 1870, and after six years spent out of school he entered Washington and Jefferson college in 1876, and was graduated with high standing in the class of 1880. In 1881 and 1882 he was principal of Blairsville academy, and at the same time was editor of the "Blairs- ville Enterprise." In 1881 he registered as a student-at-law, read with W. H. Klingingsmith, of Greensburg, and was admitted to the West- moreland county bar January 14, 1884. In 1886 he was elected to the Legislature of Penn- sylvania as a member of the House of Repre- sentatives, being the only candidate on the republican ticket that was successful that year in Westmoreland county. He served creditably during the sessions of 1886-7 and 1887-8, and was a member of the Committees on Judiciary General, Constitutional Reform, Centennial Af- fairs, Iron and Coal and Mines and Mining. In 1887 and 1888 he served as chairman of the republican county committee, and conducted the campaigns of those respective years very suc- cessfully, the republican ticket being successful · both years. In 1889 he was nominated by the republicans for District Attorney of Westmore- land county but was not elected, the county being democratic that year by a majority of 770 votes on the State ticket. Since 1884 Mr. Beacom has been engaged in the successful practice of law at Greensburg.

July 17, 1888, he was married to Mary H. Zimmers, daughter of Jacob Zimmers, a well- known citizen of Blairsville, Indiana county,

Pa. They have one child, Robert Zimmers Bea- com, born September 10, 1889. Mrs. Beacom was educated at Blairsville seminary, and was graduated from that favorably known institution of learning in the class of 1878.

James S. Beacom is an active and earnest re- publican leader in Westmoreland county. He is a fine scholar, an influential citizen, a good lawyer, and enjoys a fair and constantly in- creasing practice at the Greensburg bar.

LBERT H. BELL, a member of the Westmoreland county bar, was born November 20, 1857, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is the son of John R. and Margaret (Singer) Bell. David Bell, his grandfather, was a native of Westmoreland county, where he followed school teaching most of his life ; he was a brother of Judge James Bell, one of the early associate judges of this county. In poli- tics he was a firm democrat and did much for the success of the measures of his party. IIe married Mary Robinson, a native of this county, and a daughter of John Robinson, one of the pioneer settlers of " old Westmoreland," and a soldier in the Revolution, whose wife was Isa- bella Guffey, a sister of John Guffey, the ances- tor to the numerous Guffey family. John R. Bell (father) was born December 17th, 1824, in this county, and he, too, was a pedagogue for a number of years ; he was also for years a justice of the peace in Donegal township. In 1879 he was elected clerk of the courts of West- moreland county by the Democratic party, which position he filled with credit for three years. Since 1883 he has been living a retired life, but always takes an earnest, active part in be- half of the members and principles of the Demo- cratic party. Mr. Bell first married Margaret Singer, a sister of R. W. Singer, whose family history appears in this volume. They had three children : Mrs. Emma Lenhart, of Greensburg ; Albert II., and Mrs. May M. Cairns, now

WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

dead. After the death of his first wife he married Margaret Kalp, by whom he had three children, one of whom, James E. Bell, is living and engaged as teller with Greensburg Banking Co.

Albert II. Bell attended the public and select schools of Westmoreland county and in 1877 entered Mount Union College, and pursued his studies two years in that well-known institution. Following in the footsteps of father and grand- father, he entered the pedagogical ranks, taught seven years in this county, and conducted a normal class one year at Mount Pleasant. From 1880 to 1883 he was deputy clerk of courts under his father, and in 1876 served six months as clerk in the Prothonotary's office. In 1880 he registered as a law student with James S. Moorehead, and was admitted to the bar in September, 1884, since which time he has been actively engaged in the practice of his profes- sion. Mr. Bell is an active and useful member of the U. P. Church, of Greensburg, in which he is an elder. He is a diligent, modest and pleasant gentleman, careful in business, affable in man- ner, intelligent and efficient in his profession, and is a worthy descendant of an excellent family.

Albert H. Bell was married March 19, 1885, to Mary C., a daughter of Judge James C. Clarke, of Greensburg, by whom he has two children-a son and a daughter : James Clarke, and Mary M.

AMES BENNETT, one of the most suc- cessful railroad contractors of Pennsyl- vania, and senior member of the firm of Bennett & Talbott, general contractors, at Greensburg, was born near Cadiz junction, Jefferson county, Ohio, August 21, 1852, and is a son of John and Mary (Nolan) Bennett His paternal granfather was a physician in the west of Ireland. His maternal grandfather, John Nolan, was a farmer who resided in county

Limerick, Ireland. His father, John Bennett, was born at the town of Escatin, 12 miles dis- tant from the city of Limerick. In 1846 he emigrated from Ireland to Quebec, but immedi- ately left there and came to Vermont. lis stay in that State was short, as western Penn- sylvania offered him superior inducements in his line of business.

He received and completed several large con- tracts on railroad work, and at the time of his death had an important contract on the Ashtabula and New Lisbon railroad company. He was soon afterwards thrown from his horse and died from injuries he received. IIe was intelligent and well educated, a strict member of the Catholic church and an exemplary temperance man. He never drank a drop of liquor or smoked a cigar during his life. In politics he was a democrat and cast his first presidential ballot for James Buchanan. IIe married Mary Nolan, a resident of his native county. They had six sons : Patrick Henry, a contractor in Virginia with Senator Camden ; Daniel, a contractor with the subject of the sketch ; James; John, a passenger conductor on the New Jersey Central railroad ; Thomas, a promising young man who was killed in a boiler explosion in 1880 at Duke Center, near Bradford, where he was telegraph operator for the Standard Oil Company, and Joseph, who is so badly crippled as to be unable to work.

James Bennett received his education in the common schools of Pennsylvania and Ohio. He elected to follow his father's business and began . when sixteen years of age with pick and shovel at the very bottom rung of the ladder to work. Prompted by a laudable ambition he did his work so well that he was promoted in three years to be foreman under the Mackay Bros. After this he was engaged by different contract- ors until 1880, when he took a contract under Booth and Flynn, of Pittsburg, on the Somer- set and Cambria railroad. IIe built the branch road from Leisenring to Vance's Mill for the

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Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Part 5

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