Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 36

Author: Wiley, Samuel T., editor. cn
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Philadelphia, Gresham
Number of Pages: 1160

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania > Part 36

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).

he managed until his death. His son, George Stewart (father), was born, in 1810, in the city of Harrisburg, where he learned the trade of gunsmith, which he followed for a short time. In 1830 he removed to Lewis- town, where he was engaged in the plumb- ing and gas fitting business, and was also justice of the peace two terms in Lewis- town. He then came to Altoona and formed a partnership with A. B. Long, under the firm name of Stewart & Long, and they opened a plumbing and gas fitting estab- lishment. This -firm continued until 1861, when Mr. Long retired, and Mr. Stewart admitted his son, George M., to partner- ship, under the firm name of Stewart & Son. This second firm existed until April 1, 1873, when Mr. Stewart retired, and his son, Henry C., succeeded in the new firm of G. M. Stewart & Co. Mr. Stewart, after retiring from active business in 1873, re- moved to Harrisburg, where he died October 17, 1890, when he was in the eightieth year of his age. His remains were interred in the family lot in St. Mark's cemetery at Lew- istown. He was a man of honor and in- tegrity, and was highly respected by all who knew him. He was a member of the Pro- testant Episcopal church, had served as a member of the city council of Altoona, and married Corriene Homer, of French descent, June 12, 1835. She was born in Shippens- burg, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1816, and is still living and resides at Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsyl- vania. They reared a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters.

George M. Stewart received his education in the public schools of Lewistown, and after leaving school was engaged for about three years as a clerk in a drug store. Ile then learned the trade of plumber with his

318

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

father, and worked at Lewistown and at Huntingdon, this State, until 1859, when he came to Altoona to work for the firm of Stewart & Long. Two years later he suc- ceeded Mr. Long as a member of the firm, and in 1873 his father retired. Mr. Stewart and his brother, Henry C., formed a part- nership, under the firm name of George M. Stewart & Bro. This firm lasted until No- vember 28, 1887. His brother, Henry C., died March 7, 1892, and was interred in the family lot at Lewistown. Mr. Stewart has continued by himself successfully in the plumbing and gas fitting business.

On December 11, 1888, Mr. Stewart was united in marriage with Harriet Mc- Cracken, daughter of Samuel McCracken, of Altoona. To their union have been born two children : George W. and Charles A.

In religious faith and church membership Mr. Stewart is an Episcopalian, while in politics he is an independent republican, who supports the cardinal principles of his party, but votes for the best man for city and county offices. He was a member, for over thirty years, of the first martial band that was organized in . Altoona. He is an intelligent and industrious citizen, and thoroughly understands his business in all of its various branches.

WILLIAM L. PENNOCK, one of the

prominent young business men of Al- toona, who is engaged in a number of enter- prises here and elsewhere, and bids fair to achieve still greater distinction in the busi- ness world, is a son of John L. and Cyntha (Snead) Pennock, and was born November 23, 1860, at Frankstown, Blair county, Pennsylvania. The Pennocks are descended from an ancient Scotch family, prominent

in the early history of the Scottish high- lands; and the American branch of the family traces its ancestry back to Christo- pher Pennock, who emigrated from Scot- land and settled where the city of Philadel- phia now stands before the arrival of Wil- liam Penn in this country. John L. Pennock (father) is a native of the old historic county of Chester, where he was born in 1814. He was reared and educated in that county, and resided there until middle life. IIe was a soldier in the late war. In 1861 he re- moved to this county, locating at Franks- town, where he remained until 1876. At that time he came to Altoona, where he has continued to reside until the present time. He is now in the seventy-sixth year of his age. While at Frankstown he was engaged in the tanning business, and became quite successful and prosperous. After coming to Altoona he accepted a place in the freight department of the Pennsylvania railroad, and is still engaged in discharging the duties of that position. In religion he is a Friend, or Quaker, and in politics a repub- lican. He married Cyntha Snead, a native of Maryland, and to their union was born a family of seven children: Mary I., Eliza- beth R., Joseph E., Eva A., Elmer E., Nellie H., and William L., the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Pennock is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and is now in the sixty-sixth year of her age.

William L. Pennock was reared princi- pally in Altoona, and received his education in the common schools of this city and in the academy at Kingwood, West Virginia, from which institution he was graduated in 1880. In a short time thereafter he entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a clerk in the office of the superintendent of motive power at Altoona.

319

OF BLAIR COUNTY.

He remained there four years, and was then transferred to and made chief clerk in the office of the superintendent of the Altoona division of the Pennsylvania railroad. In this office he spent four years, and at the end of that time resigned his position and embarked in the coal and wood business in Altoona. His office and coal yards are located on the corner of Fourth street and Eighth avenue, and by careful attention to the wants of the public, and the enterprise, energy, and ability which has always dis- tinguished his management of any enter- prise, he has succeeded in building up a fine trade. He has telephone connection, and gives personal attention to all departments of his business. In addition to this enterprise, he is also engaged in contracting in the line of grading, excavating, and other city work, and is the senior member of the firm of W. L. Pennock & Co., general jobbers in sup- plies of all kinds, in this city. He is also engaged in the lumber business at Royer, this county, besides being interested in real estate here and in the city of Buffalo, New York. Along with his other business affairs he is superintendent of the Altoona Stone Company, and in all these different departments has given evidence of an energy and an executive ability which is infrequent, and is bound to command suc- cess in life.

On October 28, 1886, Mr. Pennock was wedded to Bertha Ramey, a daughter of D. K. Ramey, of the city of Altoona. To Mr. and Mrs. Pennock have been born three children, two sons and a daughter: Ruth Lorena, Eugene Ramey, and Donald Mc- Gowan.

In politics Mr. Pennock follows the ex- ample of his venerable father, and is an ardent republican, giving his party a hearty

support on all general questions, but in- clined toward independence in local affairs. He is a member of the Evangelical Lu- theran church, and is superintendent of the infant Sunday-school connected with that church in this city. He is also a member of the Junior Order of United American Me- chanics, and an affable gentleman as well as a very successful business man.

C. BLYTHE JONES, who for seven- teen years has meted out justice to the citizens of Hollidaysburg, and acquired an unusual popularity among the citizens of this county, is a son of Joseph and Mary (Moore) Jones. He was born at Peters- burg, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, February 4, 1827. His grandfather, John Jones, was a native of England, born in 1730, and emigrated to the United States in . 1756, locating in Path valley, Franklin county, this State, where he became a land owner and successful farmer. He resided in that county until his death, in 1841, hav- ing reached the remarkable age of one hun- dred and eleven years. He served as a sol- dier in the revolutionary war. Joseph Jones (father) was born in Path valley, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1794, and removed to Frankstown, Blair county, in 1833, where he resided until his death, in 1858, at the age of sixty-four years. For a long period he was a hotel proprietor at Frankstown and became widely known, but retired from active busi- ness some time prior to his demise. He was a democrat in politics, and for many years a member of the Baptist church. IIe married Mary Moore, to whom was born a family of six children. Her father, Robert Moore, died at Manor ITill, in the adjoining

320

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

county of Huntingdon, where he was engaged in merchandising. Mrs. Jones (mother) was born in that county, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and died in 1830, when the subject of this sketch was but three years of age. At the age of six years he came to this county with his father's family, consisting of his father and five sisters, all his seniors, and was reared at Frankstown, attending the com- mon schools for some years, and later tak- ing a course at the Litiz academy, in Lan- caster, and also at Huntingdon academy. After leaving school he boated on the old State canal, and soon afterward embarked in the mercantile business at Frankstown, and continued therein until 1857, when he removed to Scott county, Iowa. There he purchased a farm and engaged in cultivat- ing the soil for two years, during which time he was elected and served as justice of the peace. In 1859 he returned to Blair county and located at Hollidaysburg. In 1866 he became a citizen of Gaysport bor- ough, where he has ever since resided. About seventeen years ago he was elected justice of the peace here, and has been reg- ularly reelected at each recurring election. During the civil war he served as a clerk in the office of the provost marshal. In 1887 he was elected county commissioner for a term of three years, on the democratic ticket, and reelected to this office in 1890 for a like period.

In 1883 Mr. Jones became the candidate of his party for the office of county treas- urer, and when the returns came in he only lacked forty-four votes of election, although the county is republican by nearly fifteen hundred majority. This is a testimonial of popularity seldom accorded a political opponent, and is the more remarkable be-

cause he made little or no effort during the canvass, thinking the majority against his party was too large to be overcome. In 1884 he was nominated on the democratie ticket for State senator from this district against H. A. Boggs, the republican nominee.

In 1851 Mr. Jones was united in mar- riage with Malinda Gast, a daughter of George Gast, of Frankstown, this county, and to them were born four children, all now deceased. He and Mrs. Jones are members of the Baptist church. He is a member of Juniata Lodge, No. 282, Free and Accepted Masons, and takes rank with the most popular and substantial citizens of Blair county.

J. LEE PLUMMER, register and re- corder of Blair county, and an active leader in local politics, is a son of James S. and Charlotte (Wharton ) Plummer, and was born September 20, 1859, in Snyder town- ship, Blair county, Pennsylvania. The family is of English extraction, and was planted in America at a very early day. Richard Plummer, the great-great-grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was a resident of Woodcock valley, Huntingdon county, this State, in 1780. His son, John Plummer (great-grandfather), was one of the first settlers in Cambria county, having located there in 1804. William R. Plum- mer (grandfather ) was born in that county in 1812, and while yet a young man re- moved to Huntingdon county. IIe was a forgeman by occupation, and worked at different forges in that and Blair counties. Ile became a policeman for the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, and after being employed in that capacity for several years, was accidentally killed by a train at Tyrone,

;

! i

J. Lee Dl. emmert

323

OF BLAIR COUNTY.

this county, in 1879, when he had attained the age of sixty-seven years. In politics he was an ardent republican, and took an act- ive part in the work of his party. He was an enthusiastic friend of free schools, and served as school director of Snyder town- ship, this county. He married Catharine Traister, by whom he had a family of eleven children. James S. Plummer ( father ) was born in what is now Blair county in 1835, and resided at Tyrone Forge until 1860, when he removed to Tyrone borough, where he lived until 1881. He served as postmaster at Tyrone for a number of years. Ile was a member of the old State militia, and while encamped at Hollidaysburg, in 1858, he was badly crippled, having the major portion of both hands blown off by the premature discharge of a cannon while he was acting as rammer. In 1880 he was elected register and recorder of Blair county on the republican ticket, and removed to Hollidaysburg, where he has resided ever since. In 1883 he was reelected, and served until 1887. Hle owns a valuable farm, and now gives it most of his time and attention. Ile married Charlotte Wharton, and to them was born a family of eleven children. Her father, Alexander Wharton, was a native of Ireland, but came to the United States about 1811, and was engaged in teaching for many years. John Plummer, the great- great-unele of the subject of this sketch, was killed by the Indians in Bedford county in 1780.

J. Lee Plummer was reared principally at Tyrone, and received a good practical English education in the public schools of that borough. After leaving school he ac- cepted a position as clerk in the Tyrone yards of the Pennsylvania railroad, and served in that capacity for one year, when

he became a brakeman on a passenger train running over the Tyrone division of that road. He was thus employed until 1881, when he resigned and removed to HIolli- daysburg to accept the position of deputy register and recorder in his father's office. He discharged his duties as such until Feb- ruary, 1889, when he announced himself as a candidate for the office of register and re- corder on the republican ticket, and was elected to the office in November of that year. He assumed entire charge in Jan- uary, 1890, and is engaged in discharging the responsible duties of that official posi- tion. He was renominated unanimously for the same office in the republican con- vention, held in Hollidaysburg, May 17, 1892, and as the county is overwhelmingly republican, his reelection is assured.

On April 18, 1882, Mr. Plummer was united by marriage to Mary A. Silknitter, a daughter of John Wesley Silknitter, of Huntingdon county. Their union has been blessed by the birth of one son and one daughter: Ethel, born July 27, 1888; and J. Lee, jr., born December 27, 1889.

Politically Mr. Plummer has always been a stanch republican, and is prominent in local polities, having served as secretary of the republican county committee from 1884 to 1886, and as chairman during 1887 and 1888. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church; of Juniata Lodge, No. 282, Free and Accepted Masons; of Mount Moriah Chapter, No. 166, Royal Arch Masons; and of Mountain Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar. IIe is also a member of Elmo Castle, Knights of the Golden Eagle, at Altoona; and the Arti- sans' Order of Mutual Protection. He has been for some time a member of the Phoenix Fire company, of Hollidaysburg.

F !

324

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

JOHN CLINGERMAN, a highly re- spected citizen of Altoona, who has had a wide experience in life, and represents the sturdy German element, which has been so prominent in the development of this State, is a son of Jacob and Sarah ( McKin- ley) Clingerman, and was born July 20, 1827, near the village of Everett, Bedford county, Pennsylvania. The Clingermans are of direct German descent, Peter Clingerman (grandfather) coming from that country to America in 1760, and settling in what is now York county, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer by occupation, and served as a soldier in the revolutionary war, fighting shoulder to shoulder with native born Amer- icans to secure the independence of his adopted country. He lived to be a very old man, and died at his home in York county, this State. He married and reared a large family, among his children being Jacob Clingerman ( father), who was born in York county in 1782, but removed to Bedford county at an early day, and settled on a farm near Bedford. He remained on the farm until 1831, when he went to Piper's Forge, that county, and in 1833 removed to Franklin Forge, Huntingdon county. After one year's residence at the latter place, he went to Etna Furnace, where he was em- ployed for two years, part of the time in hauling stone for the furnace at Point Look- ont. He then resided successively at Short Mountain Bank and Springfield Mines, and in 1844 moved to Duncansville, now this county, where he did the framing for the Portage Iron Company for several years. He died at his home in that village in 1876, at the good old age of ninety-four years. He was a very stout, hearty man, and hunted and fished through this section when it was not unusual to see from thirty to forty deer

together in the woods. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a whig and republican in politics. Hle mar- ried Sarah Mckinley, by whom he had a family of ten children. Mrs. Clingerman was a native of Fulton county, this State, and a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church. IIer father was of Scotch- Irish descent and her mother of German descent. She died at Duncansville in 1860, at the advanced age of seventy years.

John Clingerman was only ten years old when he was put to work in the ore mines, driving horse and cart at Springfield mines, and about sixteen years of age when he came to Duncansville with his father's fam- ily. His education, only a very limited part, was received in the common schools of this State, partly in this and partly in Hunt- ingdon county. Being put to work when very young, he had not the advantages that boys now have of public school education, but studied in the evening, and during the long winter nights by the light of the fire on the hearth, or a tallow candle, and re- ceived the greater part of his education after he was twenty-one years of age. Hlav- ing worked in the rolling mill several years, he learned the puddlers' trade, and worked at that business until his health began to fail. In the fall of 1851 he entered the em- ploy of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Duncansville, under Col. Thomas Scott, who at that time was baggage agent and train dispatcher at Duncansville, but subse- quently rose to be president of the great corporation he then served, and became famous as one of the railroad kings of Amer- ica. Mr. Clingerman began as a brakeman on the road, was later made freight agent for the mountain division, and afterward became a freight conductor. He remained

325

OF BLAIR COUNTY.

with the company until 1855, and still pre- serves a letter of recommendation, given him by Mr. Scott when he quit, by which he pro- cured a situation on a branch of the Illinois Central railroad, running from Chicago to Kankakee. IIe only remained there a short time, and then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he procured a situation on a passen- ger train between Cincinnati and Xenia. In the fall of 1855, when the train was dis- continued for the season, he returned to his old home at Duncansville, this county, and again took up his studies, attending the academy at Hollidaysburg during the winter, and also receiving private instruction from the Rev. Doctor Junkin, a Presbyterian minister at Hollidaysburg, and in the spring of 1856 went to Duff's Commercial college, taking the full commercial course, and grad- uating there that year (1856). He then taught school two years at the foot of Plain Ten, this county, after which he took charge of the Duncansville High school, which he taught for three years. During all this time he was a very close student, desiring to stand at the head of his profession, receiv- ing instruction from Professor Miller and other eminent instructors of that day. In 1862 he came to Altoona and embarked in the mercantile business, which he only con- tinued for a short time. In the fall of that year he sold out his business, and, as he could not enlist in the 125th Pennsylvania infantry, that went from Altoona and vicin- ity, on account of lameness, Col. Jacob Higgins gave him the position of sutler for this regiment, which he held for nine months. He then returned to Pennsylvania and became superintendent in the saw, shingle and lath mill of Holmes & Wigton, at Snow Shoe, Centre county. In 1867 he engaged in the grocery business in this city,

and continued in that line for six years, after which he spent two years selling sew- ing machines, and then once more started into the mercantile business, running two stores here for about two years. In 1880 he began shipping milk to this city, and is the pioneer in that enterprise. He now has a nice business, and owns some nice real estate in this city.

On May 15, 1866, Mr. Clingerman mar- ried Rebecca Hicks, a daughter of Daniel Hicks, of Duncansville. To this union was born a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters, a son and a daughter dying in infancy : Mary B., assistant prin- cipal in the high school of this city; Walter HI., served an apprenticeship with the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company, and is now in the draughting room at Altoona; Addie B., Annie L., and Chester P.

Politically Mr. Clingerman is a republi- can, and takes an active part in politics. Ile has twice made the race for the nomi- nation of prothonotary, and served in the city council from 1872 to 1874. Hle is a member and trustee of the Third Methodist Episcopal church of this city, having united with the Eighth Avenue Methodist Episco- pal church in 1871.

H' ENRY F. W. JENKS, a skilled iron worker, and who is now employed by the Portage Iron Company (limited), of Duncansville, is a son of Joseph and Mary Ann (Jewkes) Jenks, and was born at Wolverhampton, England, July 21, 1860. Ilis paternal grandfather, Isaac Jenks, was born at Bilston, South Staffordshire, Eng- land, and died at Wolverhampton in 1870 or '72. He was a heater by trade, and had served for several years as manager of an iron

326

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

mill. He was a liberal in English polities, a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church, and married and reared a family of ten children. He was a life-long resident of his native county, and his son, Joseph Jenks ( father), was born at Bilston in 1823. ITe received his education in the schools of his town, and learned the trade of roller, which he followed some years. At the end of that time he became manager of a steel mill, which position he filled efficiently and ac- ceptably for a number of years. He is still alive, and visiting his children in America. He resided during most of his life at Wol- verhampton, in South Staffordshire, where he was a member of the Wesleyan Metho- dist church. He was a liberal in English political affairs, and married Mary Ann Jewkes, who died in 1883, aged fifty-seven years. They reared a family of eleven chil- dren, five sons and six daughters : Joseph, an iron merchant in England; Thomas, who died at an early age; Walter I., who came to Pennsylvania, and is a boss roller in La Bell Steel mills, Allegheny, this State; Albert E., now engaged in the iron busi- ness with his brother Joseph in England; Henry F. W .; Mary A., wife of William George Merriman, of Duncansville, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Agnes, who married William Blakemore, the manager of a large colliery in England; Matilda M., wife of Rev. John Watson Blakemore, an eminent clergyman of Sun- derland, England; Rebecca; Ada L., who married Samuel Evans, a merchant of Man- chester, in her native country; and Mar- tha E.

Henry F. W. Jenks was reared at Wol- verhampton, received a good English edu- 'cation, and learned the trade of roller, which he followed in England until 1882, when he

came to Pennsylvania. After being va- riously employed in several different roll- ing mills he came, in 1889, to Duncansville, where he has been employed ever since as boss roller of a ten-inch train of rolls in the rolling mill of the Portage Iron Company. Mr. Jenks is a republican in politics, and in religious sentiment and church membership has been for some years a Wesleyan Meth- odist. He is a competent and energetic workman, well acquainted with all the de- tails of rolling mill work, and is a pleasant and intelligent gentleman.

On November 21, 1885, Mr. Jenks was united in marriage with Annie E. Fawsitt, of Hanley, North Staffordshire, England, and their union has been blessed with two children : a son named Earnest, who was born May 21, 1889; and Ethel May, born January 27, 1890, and died July 17 of the same year.

J AMES M. SMITH, M. D., a graduate of the Pennsylvania university and one of the leading physicians of Tyrone, who has been in successful practice here for more than two decades, and is now president of the Blair County Medical society, is a son of Levi and Mary ( Pheasant ) Smith, and was born in Union township, Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, February 18, 1848. Ilis great- grandfather Smith was a native of Germany, but leaving the Fatherland, he crossed the ocean and settled in Baltimore county, Maryland, where he lived until his death. HIe married and reared three sons, two of whom moved to Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, and the third settled in West Virginia. One of the two who came to this State was George Smith (grandfather), who was a native of Baltimore county, Mary- land, and died in Huntingdon county, Penn-

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.

Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 36

Author: Wiley, Samuel T., editor. cn Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Philadelphia, Gresham Number of Pages: 1160

Author: Wiley, Samuel T., editor. cn
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Philadelphia, Gresham
Number of Pages: 1160