USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
John B. Westley was reared in Berks county at a day when school advantages were poor, and received but a limited edu- cation. The school which he attended was some three miles from his father's house, and never ran longer than three months during the year, and that during the coldest winter months, when there was but little farm work to do. At the end of his school days, he learned the trade of carpenter, and in 1838 came to the site of Altoona, which was then principally in the wilderness. IIe followed his trade in the farming country around the site of the city until 1851, when he erected the first house in the village of Altoona, which had been laid out in 1849. This house was for the occupancy of the engineers who were surveying the route of the Pennsylvania railroad through Altoona. Soon after this he erected about twelve
188
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
more houses in the new-born village, and worked by hand all the lumber used in their construction. After this other carpenters came to the place, but Mr. Westley never lacked for work at his trade, and for fifteen years was busily engaged in erecting build- ings of all kinds in the Mountain City. IIe then purchased a farm of one hundred and fifty acres of land, which is now partly within the city limits, and followed farming until 1880, when he retired from active life.
In 1838 he married Julia Ann Walton, a daughter of William Walton, who came to Blair county, and died near Altoona. She died in 1848, and left three children, all daughters : Susanna, widow of Samuel Kep- ple, and a resident of Blair county ; Harriet, who married Daniel Houseman, and is now dead; and Mary, of Altoona. After Mrs. Westley's death, Mr. Westley united in marriage with Jane Orr, of Blair county, and by his second marriage had five chil- dren, three sons and two daughters: Anna, at home with her father; John II., who married Emma Curlin, and is employed at Altoona by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company ; Sylvester, married Clara Mox- ley, and has a position in the Altoona bank; Flora, wife of John Cole; and Sam- nel HI., who is married to Jennie Allen.
In politics Mr. Westley is a prohibition- ist; while in religious faith he is a Lutheran, and has been for several years a member of the Second Evangelical Lutheran church of Altoona, which was founded in 1871, and prior to uniting with this church was a member of other churches of the same de- nomination for over thirty years. John B. Westley is a stockholder and director of the Altoona bank, which is well known known throughout central Pennsylvania as a substantial and reliable financial institu-
tion. IIe is a worthy member of his church, and his industry and integrity have won for him the respect of his neighbors and all who know him.
ROF. DAVID S. KEITHI, a veteran
from the ranks of Blair county teachers, who has served since 1874 as superintendent of the public schools of Altoona, is a son of John and Mary ( Shiffler) Keith, being born March 26, 1847, at Woodbury, Bedford county, Pennsylvania. The Keiths are of Scotch extraction. Adam Keith, the great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in England, from which he came to America at an early day, and settled in Pennsylvania. He was among the carly settlers of Huntingdon county, where he lived until his death, at an advanced age. He married and reared a family of three children, one son and two daughters. John Keith (grandfather) was born in Hopewell township, that county. IIe was a farmer by occupation, and resided in Huntingdon county up to a short time prior to his death, when he removed to the State of Wisconsin, town of Lancaster, where he died about 1858, having attained man's alloted age of three-score and ten years. IIe was a whig in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married a Miss Russell, by whom he had a family of five children. Their son, John Keith (father) was also a native of Huntingdon county, but moved to Bedford county in 1840, and located in the neighborhood of Woodbury. There he resided until 1871, when he removed to Taylor township, Blair county, and died at his home in that township in 1874, in the sixty-third year of his age. IIe was a school teacher during the earlier part of his life, in which vocation he won
189
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
considerable reputation, but in later years became a farmer. He was an active and influential member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and a republican in politics. He was elected and served as township auditor several terms. IIe married Mary Shiffler, a native of Blair county, and to them was born a family of six children. She was a devoted Christian woman, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and died in 1889, having nearly reached her sixty-sixth birthday.
David S. Keith was reared principally at Woodbury, Bedford county, where he attended the common schools until his fifteenth year, when he entered Juniata academy at Martinsburg, this county, and later took courses of training in the Normal school at Millersville, finishing his education in the collegiate branches under the in- struction of Prof. S. M. McCreery, of In- diana, this State. When only sixteen years of age David S. Keith began his career as a teacher, having charge of a district school in Huntingdon county. IIe taught a number of terms in this and Huntingdon counties, being thus engaged until 1871, when he was offered a position as teacher of the grammar department of the public schools at Indiana, Pennsylvania. Accepting this position, he remained there until 1873, at which time he became principal of the High school at Altoona, and served some fourteen months in that capacity, until the resigna- tion of Prof. John Miller, superintendent of the public schools of the city of Altoona, in 1874, when he was elected to succeed Professor Miller, and resigned the princi- palship of the High school to accept the responsibilities of the larger trust. Since that year Mr. Keith has served continu- ously as superintendent of the public schools
of Altoona, having been re-elected seven times in succession. This fact tells more eloquently than any words we could use, of the energy, ability, and fidelity with which Professor Keith has devoted himself to the up-building and improvement of the public schools of this city, and of the popularity he enjoys in recognition of these services.
On the 13th of June, 1883, Professor Keith was married to Margaret Crawford, a daughter of Armstrong Crawford, of Ty- rone, this county. To them have been born two children, both sons: Charles Russell and Ralpli Crawford.
In his political faith Professor Keith is a republican, and gives his party a steady support on all National and State issues, though never actively engaged in practical politics. He is inclined toward indepen- dence in local matters. IIe is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Altoona, and has served for some years as an elder in that church. Ile is also a member of Mountain Lodge, No. 281, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and of Cove Lodge, No. 368, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
C APT. GEORGE A. MCCLELLAN, a
reliable business man of Altoona, and who rose from the ranks to the command of his company, which he led in some of the hardest battles of the Army of the Potomac, is a son of William and Elizabeth (Etter) MeClellan, and was born at Miles- burg, Centre county, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1842. The MeClellan family in central Pennsylvania is of Scotch lineage, and was founded by the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who came from Scotland to Centre county in the first decade of the present century. Ile was a resident of
190
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Bellefonte, that county, for many years, and then removed to Clarion county, where he followed farming until his death. ITis son, William McClellan, the father of George A. McClellan, was born in Centre county in 1809, and learned the trade of shoe- maker, which he followed until his death. In 1868 he removed from his native county to Altoona, where he died in May, 1877, when in the sixty-eighth year of his age. He married Elizabeth Etter, who died in June, 1890, aged seventy-eight years.
George A. Mcclellan was reared in Centre county, received his education in the early common schools of Pennsylvania, and was engaged in the charcoal business until the opening of the late great civil war. He was one of the first to respond to his country's call for troops, and on April 15-the day when the stars and stripes went down on Sumter's storm-battled walls-he enlisted at Huntingdon furnace as a private in Co. A, 5th Pennsylvania reserves. At the end of his three months' service, on August 17, 1861, he enlisted in Co. C, 49th Pennsyl- vania infantry, and served until December 23, 1863, when he re-enlisted in the field in the same regiment. He continued to serve until Lee grounded arms at Appomattox Courthouse, and was honorably discharged. from the Union service at Hall's Hill, Vir- ginia, July 16, 1865. His regiment was in the 3d brigade, 1st division, 6th army corps of the Army of the Potomac. HIe enlisted as a private ; was promoted to cor- poral, September 4, 1861; sergeant, Sep- tember 18, 1862; first lieutenant, December 25, 1863; and commissioned as captain of Co. F on June 3, 1864. IIe participated in the following battles of the Army of the Potomac: Williamsburg, the severe Seven Days fight, Second Bull Run, An-
tietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Brandy Station, the Wilderness, Spott- sylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, Ream Station, Petersburg, and Sailor Creek ( April 6, 1865), the last engagement with Lee's army. Captain Mcclellan served in the siege of Yorktown, was wounded in the left arm in a charge at Fredericksburg, and his regiment fought for seventeen hours contin- uously at Spottsylvania Courthouse, where it lost more men than any other Union regiment in that terrific struggle. Captain McClellan was in the masterful campaigns of Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley, and participated in the battles of Opequan, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. After the close of the war, Captain Me- Clellan went to Pennsylvania Furnace, where he resumed the charcoal business, and continued in it until 1872. In that year he came to Altoona and embarked in his pres- ent coal business. IIe gives close attention to his business, handles the best grades of coal, and has a large and increasing trade.
On January 25, 1866, he married Carrie, daughter of Frederick and Catherine Fultz, of Pennsylvania Furnace, Hunting- don county. To Captain and Mrs. Me- Clellan have been born eight children : Catherine, Ida, Margaret, Laura, Clara (living) ; and Mary, William, and Arthur (deccased ).
In politics Captain Mcclellan is a repub- lican. He is a member of the Reformed church of Altoona; Stephen A. Potts Post, No. 62, Grand Army of the Republic; Camp No. 17, Union Veteran Legion ; and Wash- ington Camp, No. 31, Patriotic Order Sons of America. He is a respected citizen, and in every station of civil or military life which he has occupied he has always been active, efficient and successful.
--- -.
191
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
C APT. JAMES HI. MARSHALL, the
well known architect of Altoona, who is one of the honored veterans of the civil war, and a highly respected citizen of Blair county, is the eldest of the two sons of David B. and Isabella ( Hill) Marshall. He was born January 30, 1833, at New Bloomfield, Perry county, Pennsylvania. Ilis paternal grandfather, Michael Marshall, was of Scotch-Irish extraction, and became one of the early settlers and pioneer farmers of Perry county, living at New Bloomfield for many years. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, was an old-line whig in poli- ties, and a member of the Presbyterian church. He married, and reared a family of three sons, of whom one, David B. Marshall ( father), was born at the old homestead, in Perry county, received an ordinary education in the schools of that day, and after leaving school learned the trade of tanner. He owned and operated a tannery at New Bloomfield for a long period, and died there in 1835. He was a member of the volunteer militia of Pennsyl- vania, in that county, and served as major of the regiment for a time. Politically he was an old-line whig. Ile married Isabella Hill, who was born in 1808, at Bloomfield, Perry county, and to them was born a family of two sons: William C., who enlisted in Co. F, 104th Pennsylvania infantry, and served for a short time during the civil war, but is now a carpenter, residing at Altoona; and James HI., the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Marshall is a daughter of James Hill, a native of Ireland, who was one of the early settlers of Perry county. He was a farmer by occupation, and died at New Bloomfield, Perry county, in 1852, at the advanced age of seventy-three years. Mrs. Marshall resided at New Bloomfield
until 1883, when she removed to Altoona, and now lives with her eldest son, James II., in that city.
James II. Marshall passed his boyhood years on the farm, and received his educa- tion in the common schools of his neighbor- hood. When about seventeen years of age he commenced working at the trade of house carpentering, and shortly afterward be- gan the study of architecture. In 1870 he came to Altoona and opened an architect office, and, with the exception of a few years during the civil war, has been engaged here as an architect and builder until the present time. Among the more important and pretentious buildings erected after plans drawn by him, may be mentioned the fol- lowing: William Murray's business block, the Herr building, the residence of Mrs. Mary Couch, the Gallitzin school building, residence of A. J. Anderson, Goetz & Schni- der's hotel building, residences of S. J. Westley, Davis & McDowell, Sol. Blunien- thal, II. L. Nicholson, and Clement Jaggard's business block.
On September 10, 1864, Mr. Marshall enlisted in Co. I, 208th Pennsylvania in- fantry -having recruited part of the com- pany -and was commissioned captain. He served until the close of the war, and was mustered out at Alexandria, Virginia, on July 2, 1865. Captain Marshall's company served in front of Petersburg, being present at the surrender of that stronghold. IIe took part in the battles of Hatcher's Run and Fort Steadman, being shot in the head during the latter engagement. After the capture of Petersburg, Captain Marshall ac- companied the Union army in their opera- tions in front of Richmond, and took part in all the maneuvering in that part of the country, until the surrender of General
-
192
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, or Burk- ville.
On March 25, 1858, Captain Marshall was united by marriage to Ella A. Powers, a daughter of Washington Powers, of Perry county. To this union was born a family of five children : Ida Belle, married Peter Clare, a moulder by occupation, now living in Altoona; Charles J., a carpenter, who married Lolo B. Ilinkle, and also resides in Altoona; Calvin L., now a resident of Alle- gheny city; Eliza J., married John S. Evans, a brass moulder, of Altoona; and William A. Marshall, at present a resident of Delphos, Ohio.
Politically Captain Marshall is a republi- can, and has always been firm in his support of the principles and policy of that party. In local affairs he is somewhat inclined to- ward independence. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and of Adams Lodge, No. 319, Free and Accepted Masons. IIe is also a prominent member of Stephen Potts Post, No. 62, Grand Army of the Republic.
C APT. THOMAS S. McCAHAN is a
veteran of the civil war, who was ac- tively engaged in twenty-two regular bat- tles and not less than sixty-five skirmishes, and won distinction by his bravery, receiv- ing injuries from which he has ever since suffered, and which have left him almost a helpless invalid. He was born at Laurel Springs, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1836, and is a son of John K. and Mary ( Taylor) McCahan. His paternal grandfather, John McCahan, was a native of the Emerald Isle, being born at a small village called Drumnahaigh, in the north of Ireland, in November, 1780. When only twelve years of age he came to the United
States, and in 1801 located at Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, this State, and began business for himself. He was editor and publisher of the old Huntingdon Gazette, and was connected with the printing busi- ness until 1828, when he retired from the Gazette and was succeeded by his son, John K. MeCahan. After leaving the paper John MeCahan embarked in the real estate busi- ness, in which he became very successful, and continued to reside at Huntingdon un- til his death, which occurred on Sunday, March 22, 1857, at the age of seventy-seven years. He began life as a poor boy, but by energy and activity accumulated property and became a man of affluence. In politics he was an old-line whig, and in religion a member of the Presbyterian church, though broad minded and noted for his liberal con- tributions to all religious denominations. Hle gave two eligible lots to the Huntingdon church, on which the Presbyterian church was built. He married Martha Anderson, by whom he had a family of three sons and two daughters: John E. (father), James A., Thomas S., Jane, and Mary. All dead.
John K. McCahan (father) was born in Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, this State, August 8, 1804. Ile grew to manhood in that city, and received the best education the public schools of that day were able to afford. He was an apt pupil and an earnest student, and became known as the best scholar in this section at that time. After leaving school he entered his father's print- ing office, learned the "art preservative of arts," and retained his connection with jour- nalism and the general printing business all his life. He continued the publication of the Huntingdon Gazette until 1834, when he removed to Laurel Springs. There he engaged in farming for a time, but in 1858
193
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
returned to Huntingdon, and, after settling up the estates of his father, retired from active business, and spent his declining years in quietude, surrounded by all the comforts of life. He died January 16, 1883, at the ripe old age of seventy-nine years. Polit- ically he was an ardent republican, and took a lively interest in all public questions dur- ing his active years. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and liberal in his support of the various interests of his church. On April 23, 1829, he was united in marriage to Mary Taylor, the officiating minister being the now sainted John Peo- bles. To this union was born a family of seven children, four sons and three daugh- ters : Martha, now deceased; John, enlisted on April 17, 1861, in Co. C, 3d regiment Pennsylvania infantry, re-enlisted in the 1st Pennsylvania cavalry, with which regi- ment he served till the close of the war, and now resides near Birmingham; Anna Mary, married Joseph R. Carmon, of Hunt- ingdon ; Thomas S .; James A., who died in 1845; Warren K., who died in 1862; and Jane, now the wife of B. F. Igenberg, of the city of Huntingdon. Mrs. McCahan, the mother of these children, was born in Huntingdon, August 24, 1800, and died at her home in that city February 12, 1879.
Capt. Thomas S. McCahan was reared in Huntingdon county and received a fine academic education, taking courses of in- struction at the Birmingham academy in that county and an academy in Juniata county. After leaving school he engaged in the milling business in his native place, Laurel Springs, and continued in that line until the opening of the civil war, when, on April 17, 1861, he enlisted at Tyrone in Co. D, 3d Pennsylvania infantry - Captain Bell's company- as a private; April 22d, at Cas-
keysville, Maryland, was promoted regimen- tal commissary sergeant ; was in the battle of Falling Water, Virginia, and assisted Dr. Jackson to take off a leg of the first soldier wounded there. When his first term of three months expired he re-enlisted, and as- sisted in raising a company for General James' brigade of infantry, being again mustered into service October 24, 1861, as a member of Co. M, 110th Pennsylvania in- fantry. On Christmas day following the company was transferred to the 9th Penn- sylvania cavalry as Co. M-promoted to 2d lieutenant, then 1st lieutenant, after which he was promoted to be captain, and served as such until compelled to resign on account of wounds. He was several times wounded - first at Crab Orchard, Kentucky; then at Sparta, East Tennessee; and again at the battle on Cumberland mountains. At this time he received a wound in the ankle from a pistol shot fired by Major Wragan, of Colonel Hughes' guerilla band of the Con- federate army. Captain McCahan knocked the pistol from the hand of the major, after his wounding him, and the latter was killed on the field; the pistol, marked with his initials, was found on the ground. Captain McCahan has this pistol, with several other pistols which he captured while in the army, and which he regards as valuable trophies of the war; he also has the sabre he car- ried for three years, which shows its service, being broken in one charge. He served with the historic Army of the Cumberland, and during his connection with it was en- gaged in twenty-two general engagements, and took part in sixty-five skirmishes; every time wounded was in a skirmish. On ac- count of the wound in his ankle, the ball remaining in his ankle, he was sent home on a furlough in January, 1864, but rejoined
194
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
his command in July following. He was honorably discharged from the service near Atlanta, Georgia, in February, 1865, and soon after returned to Pennsylvania. Re- suming the peaceful occupations of civil life, he was for two years employed in his father's steam flouring mill at Huntingdon, after which the physical disability resulting from exposure and wounds received in the army prevented him from active labor. He has always resided at the old homestead in Huntingdon county, near Birmingham, where he was born and reared.
On September 21, 1870, Captain MeCa- han united in marriage with Ella Galbraith, a daughter of Colonel R. C. Galbraith, of Sinking Valley, this State. In his political opinions Captain McCahan is a republican of the strictest school, and very firm in his convictions. He is a member of Tyrone Encampment, No. 36, Union Veteran Le- gion, of which he served as commander for two years; and of Colonel D. M. Jones Post, No. 172, Grand Army of the Re- public, of which he was commander three terms.
M ILTON ALEXANDER, a prominent
lawyer of Altoona, and ex-district attorney of Blair county, is a son of Robert and Mary ( Rodkey ) Alexander, and was born in the borough of Williamsburg, in Woodbury township, Blair county, Penn- sylvania, January 2, 1846. Ilis paternal grandfather was a native of the north of Ireland, and left his island home to settle in Hart's Log valley, Huntingdon county, where he participated in the Indian troubles of that county during the American revolu- tion. Ile married, reared a family, and died in 1813, aged sixty-four years. One
of his sons was Robert Alexander, the father of the subject of this sketch, and who was born June 5, 1805, near Alexandria, in Hart's Log valley, Huntingdon county. IIe removed to Williamsburg in 1827. Ile was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was for many years engaged in the general mercantile business at Williamsburg, which he left in 1874 to remove to Altoona, where he died at his home on Union avenue, August 13, 1884, when in the seventy-ninth year of his age. He was a straightforward man, who despised shams and subterfuges, and for many years had been an active and consistent member of the Presbyterian church. He was also a member of the Sons of Temper- ance, and is entitled to the honor of being the founder, besides acting as president for many years, of the society of the Silver Grays, which organization admits no one to membership who has not attained to sixty- five years of age. Ile was a republican in politics, and had served during the late civil war as an assistant revenue assessor. After coming to Altoona, he retired from active business and enjoyed the comforts of his home and the conversation of his many friends, yet he never neglected church work or lost interest in political affairs while he lived. IIe celebrated his golden wedding August 4, 1879, and when he passed away, left the record of a life well spent, which, while not eventful, yet was useful and worthy of im- itation. On August 4, 1829, he married Mary Rodkey, who was born on the same day of the same month and in the same year as her husband, and died June 27, 1882, aged seventy-seven years. She was reared in the Presbyterian faith, and had been a consistent member of different churches of that religious denomination from youth.
195
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
Milton Alexander passed his boyhood days at Williamsburg until he was sixteen years of age. After fitting for college, in preparatory schools, he entered Jefferson college, at Canonsburg, in Washington county, from which he was graduated in the class of 1866, under the united colleges of Washington and Jefferson. He then read law with David Lawson, of Clarion, Penn- sylvania, and entered the celebrated Albany law school, from which he was graduated in the winter of 1869. He was admitted to the Blair county bar on June 26, 1869, practiced at Altoona until 1871, when he was elected district attorney of Blair county and served a term of three years. At the expiration of his term he returned to the practice of his profession, and two years later he formed a partnership with his former law student, H. H. Herr, who had been admitted to the bar in 1873, under the firm name of Alexander & Herr, which partnership lasted until the death of Mr. Herr, in October, 1889. Since that time Mr. Alexander has had no partner, and has continued to practice in the courts of Blair and adjoining counties.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.