Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 43

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

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376

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

Ilewit (father), who ranked high as a busi- ness man and public spirited citizen. IIe was born July 24, 1809, and died February 19, 1883. He was an old-line whig, an act- ive politician, and an intimate friend and compeer of Thaddeus Stevens from 1830 to 1850. Mr. Hewit was one of the leading citizens of his county, and, under Governor Ritner's administration, built that part of the old Pennsylvania canal between IIolli- daysburg and Huntingdon. He never al- lowed his close attention to politics to take any of his necessary time from his business affairs, as he regarded the prosperity of the citizen as the corner stone of the prosperity of the State. His political convictions were very strong and were steadfastly maintained, and, possessed of a great capacity for work, he entered into every campaign of his party with energy and zest. He married Mary Murphy, who died April 30, 1871, when in the fifty-ninth year of her age. They had one child, Benjamin L. IIewit.

Benjamin L. Hewit attended the common schools, and was prepared for college at Tuscarora academy, under the guidance of Prof. David Wilson, distinguished for schol- arship, and by an additional course of train- ing under the tutorship of Prof. D. Wil- liams at Hollidaysburg. He entered Prince- ton college in 1851, and was graduated from that celebrated institution of learning in the unusually large class of 1854, with high rank in scholarship, and particularly in a literary point of view. Leaving college, he took a legal course of study under the tutor- ship of that distinguished scholar and law- yer, IIon. S. S. Blair, of Hollidaysburg, was admitted to the bar in October, 1856, and soon won a liberal and lucrative clientage. He was elected district attorney in 1857, was honored by a reelection in 1860, and

two years later left an excellent practice to enlist as a private in Co. A, 23d Pennsyl- vania infantry. At the expiration of his term of enlistment he served for a short time as a private in Co. A, Independent battalion, and during 1863, 1864, and part of 1865, acted as a field paymaster, with the rank of a major of cavalry. As a paymas- ter he was frequently assigned to special service on account of his familiarity with the organization of the army and the laws of the pay department. Ile was honorably discharged in September, 1865, and returned to Hollidaysburg, where he resumed the active and successful practice of his profes- sion, and was thus engaged until 1870, when he was elected as a member of the house of representatives of Pennsylvania. In 1871 and in 1872 he was reelected, and during the session of his third term he was selected as chairman of the committee of ways and means, and during 1873 served as chairman of the house committee on the re- vision of the civil code. In 1878, 1879, 1880, and in 1881 he was elected as a mem- ber of the house, and served efficiently and faithfully in the interests of his county and the State. During the session of 1878-79 he was chosen as chairman of the general judiciary committee, and in 1881 was elected by a handsome and flattering majority as speaker of the house of representatives, re- ceiving both the stalwart and independent republican vote, and one democratie vote. He presided with such fairness and impar- tiality over the sessions of the house that he received unusual commendatory notice from the press. Since 1882 Mr. Hewit has prac- ticed his profession most assiduously and successfully at Hollidaysburg, and takes an active part in politics, being a stalwart re- publican, and at this writing is a candidate

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for the legislature. He owns a pleasant home at Hollidaysburg, and has consider- able farming interests in Blair county and Dakota, which afford him recreation as well as profit.

On June 18, 1857, Mr. IIewit was united in marriage with Miss Lilly Davis, daughter of Judge Davis, deceased, of Bedford, Penn- sylvania, and they have two sons living : Oli- ver II. Hewit, esq., of Duluth, Minnesota, and Ilarry D. Hewit, a farmer in Dakota, their mother dying March 25, 1873. On Decem- ber 4, 1874, Mr. Hewit was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary W. Smith, daughter of Joseph Smith, esq., late of Hollidaysburg, deceased.

In 1873 Mr. Hewit was appointed by Governor Hartranft as fish commissioner, and served until 1882, during which time he selected the different fishery sites and planned the Corry hatching house, which was conceded at that time to be the best fish hatching establishment in the country, while its founder was regarded as one of the leading practical fish culturalists of the day. He still takes an interest in fish culture, and frequently contributes interesting arti- cles to the press on that subject.

Ilis political career as a legislator has been marked by his fearless and efficient support of every measure calculated for the best interests of his constituents and the welfare of the grand old Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On account of his parlia- mentary tact, readiness and ability as a de- bater, and thorough knowledge of all ques- tions affecting the policy of his party or public interests, he was always recognized as one of the republican leaders of the house. He was chairman of the committee, in 1873, that presented an able and elab- orate report on the revision of the civil

code, on which action was postponed by advisement of the Supreme court judges of the State. Ile was also chairman of the celebrated George O. Evans' war claim. In 1879 he and his compeers, Wolf and Mapes, made State reputations by their prevention of the passage of the riot bill, whose pro- visions would have taken four million dollars from the State treasury for unjust purposes. During the great struggle in 1881, over the . election of a United States senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Hewit's name was fre- quently mentioned in connection with that high office, for which, on different ballots, he received several votes. Mr. Hewit is an interesting and entertaining speaker, an attractive and convincing jury pleader, and an able and sound reasoner. He has a fine vocabulary, is apt in expression, and by ability, integrity and earnestness has won prominence and honor in the legislative history of Pennsylvania.

WILLIAM KELLERMAN, for many years a popular hotel keeper in Blair county, and who recently died, was a son of Christian and Catherine (Pool) Kellerman, and was born April 11, 1816, at Tyrone, Blair county, Pennsylvania. His grand- father, Frederick Kellerman, was a native of Germany, but was brought to America in the British army at the beginning of the revolutionary war. His sympathies were with the struggling colonists, and embracing the first opportunity, he deserted from the British forces, joined the American army, and did good service in the cause of liberty and independence. On one occasion he was detailed and served in the guard at Valley Forge. Ile was a blacksmith by occupa- tion, and died at Woodbury, Bedford county,

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

this State. Christian Kellerman (father) was born in Lancaster county, March 12, 1790, but removed to what is now Blair county during the first year of this century, locating with his father, near Tyrone. Later he removed to Colraine Forges, Huntingdon county, and from there to Bald Eagle furnace in 1826. He was a teamster by occupation, and died in 1858, aged sixty-eight years. He was a Lutheran in religious belief, a demo- crat in politics, and married Catherine Pool. She was born in this county, was a devoted member of the Lutheran church, and died January 21, 1862, in the seventy-second year of her age.

William Kellerman was reared in Blair county, and educated in the old log school houses which were the temples of learning in those early days. After leaving school he engaged in wagoning and working around iron furnaces. In 1836 he went to Sarah Furnace, Bedford county, where he remained ten years, engaged principally in hauling cordwood for the furnace. He then returned to Blair county and opened a hotel at Bob's creek, near the foot of the moun- tain, which he conducted for two years. Later he removed to Centre county, where he erected a new building on the turnpike running from Tyrone to Phillipsburg, and continued the hotel business for two years at that place. In 1854 he came to Gays- port, and for a long time successfully oper- ated a leading hotel there, known as the Kellerman hotel, retiring from active busi- ness only a few years ago. He resided at Gaysport, superintending the two farms which he owned in Blair township. IIe also owned considerable valuable property at Gaysport, and accumulated a handsome competency of this world's goods, notwith- standing he began life as a poor teamster,

and had to depend on his own efforts while making his way in the world. Among his early experiences were several trips made with a team between Baltimore and Cin- cinnati before the era of railroads.

In 1842 Mr. Kellerman was married to Luvicy Hamilton, a daughter of John Ham- ilton, of this county. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and in political belief was a stanch democrat. He was all his life a hard working, energetic, and enterprising man, and always acted on the principle that whatever was worth doing at all was worth doing well. As a consequence he achieved financial success, and stood high in the esti- mation of his neighbors and friends.

2 ATRICK J. DELANEY, who is a reliable and skillful plumber and steam fitter of over twelve years' experience in the Mountain City, was born in Altoona, Blair county, Pennsylvania, May 4, 1864, and is a son of Patrick and Honora ( Crini- mers ) Delaney. The Delaney family is one of the old families of Ireland, which trace their ancestry through centuries of change, of want and war to an early period in the history of the Emerald Isle. Patrick De- laney (father) was born in 1837, in County Kerry, province of Munster, southern Ire- land. He was reared in his native county, and received his education in the schools of his neighborhood. From the fifteenth een- tury down to the present time the mechan- ical arts as well as manufactures have con- tinually increased in many of the towns and cities of Ireland, although the past curse and the present woe of the beautiful island is land monopoly and political greed. Not caring for an agricultural life, Patrick

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

Delaney learned the trade of plumber and steam fitter, and in 1852 came to Pennsyl- vania, where he settled in Schuylkill county. HIe worked there at coal mining until 1860, when he came to Altoona, where he has been a resident ever since. Ile is a skilled workman, which fact is attested by his forty years' continuous service in the employ of a railroad company that never keeps any but first-class workmen in any department of their railroad affairs. Ile is a democrat in politics, and a Catholic in religious faith. He married Honora Crimmers, a native of County Cork, Ireland, and to their union was born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters.

Patrick J. Delaney grew to manhood in Altoona, and received his education in the excellent parochial schools of that enter- prising and progressive city. He learned the trade of plumber and steam fitter in the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany, in whose employ he worked for twelve years. At the end of that time, in 1891, he embarked in the plumbing and steam fitting business for himself. His es- tablishment is on the corner of Twelfth avenue and Twelfth street. His twelve years of practical experience, and his su- perior advantages for learning the more complicated parts of his trade, enable him to give satisfaction in every difficult job of work. He has a large and increasing pat- ronage.

In politics Patrick Delaney is a democrat, but for county and city officers he always votes for those whom he thinks best quali- fied for the office, independent of political considerations. He is industrious, energetic and reliable as a business man, and has been for several years a member of St. John's Catholic church of Altoona.

W E. CURRY, an enterprising young business man, and the present assist- ant freight agent of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company at Curry Station, is a son of Robert and Nancy ( Stifler) Curry, and was born in Frankstown township, Blair county, Pennsylvania, September 9, 1857. James Curry ( paternal grandfather ) came from Pittsburg, in the year 1843, to Franks- town, where he died in 1869. He was a farmer by occupation, a republican in pol- ities, and a Presbyterian in religious faith and church membership. He was thrice married, and reared a family of fifteen chil- dren. By his first wife, Agnes Patterson, he had nine children : Hugh, Henry, Eliza- beth, George, Abraham, Jane, John, William and Robert. His second wife, Jane Stew- art, bore him three children : Laura, Mar- garet, and Harvey. By his third wife, Elizabeth Price, he had three children : James, Laura, and Mary. Robert Curry, the sixth son, and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Pittsburg, in 1833, and was employed on different rail- roads for several years. He then came to Hollidaysburg, and afterward removed to Frankstown township, where he was en- gaged in farming ( except eight years spent in Wisconsin ) until his death, which oc- curred November 30, 1888. During the late civil war he enlisted in the 50th Wis- consin infantry volunteers, and served in the northwest. Robert Curry was a repub- lican in politics, and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and married Nancy Stifler, who now resides in Martins- burg. Mr. and Mrs. Curry reared a family of five children, two sons and three daugh- ters : W. E., Ilarry B., Annie, Jennie, and Junia. Mrs. Curry was a daughter of Joseph Stifler, of Canoe Creek, this county,

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

who was born near Loop Gap, and who passed the latter part of his life at Canoe Creek, Frankstown township. Joseph Sti- fler was a farmer, a member of the German Baptist church, and a republican in politics, and had served as postmaster at Canoe Creek for twenty-five years, He married and reared a family of eleven children: William, Harry, Jacob, George, Abraham, Sylvester, Mrs. Nancy Curry, Jane, Sarah, Esther and Susan.

W. E. Curry was reared in Frankstown township and in the state of Wisconsin, and received a good common school educa- tion. Leaving Wisconsin, he returned to Blair county, where he was engaged in business, at Hollidaysburg, until 1883. In that year he removed to Curryville, where he has served ever since as assistant freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany. Mr. Curry owns a good residence at Curryville, is a stanch republican in pol- itics, and has been a member of the Re- formed church for several years. He is a man of good business ability, noted for promptness and reliability, and has rendered good satisfaction to his company and the public.

On November 29, 1883, Mr. Curry was united in marriage with Ella Burket, of Curryville. Their union has been blessed with one child, a daughter, named Jessie Fern, who was born December 12, 1885.

HRISTIAN BRENNECKE, a self-

made man, and one of the most substan- tial and reliable business men of Altoona, is a son of Christian, sr., and Elizabeth ( Acre) Brennecke, and was born in the kingdom of Hanover, now a province of Prussia, July 22, 1822. Christian Brennecke, sr., was one

of Napoleon's veterans, and served under the Man of Destiny until he was one of only twenty-one men that was left out of the entire regiment. Leaving the army he fol- lowed farming until his death, in 1836, at seventy-three years of age. He was a hard working man, and a member of the Evan- gelical Lutheran church. He was a native and life-long resident of Hanover, where he married Elizabeth Acre, who died in the latter part of the year 1822.

Christian Brennecke passed his boyhood days and grew to manhood in his native country, where he received his education in the excellent public schools for which Prus- sia has been noted for the last half century. Leaving school he worked on a farm until 1845, when he came to the United States, where he landed at New Orleans, and went up the Mississippi river to Missouri, in which State he worked for a few months. At the end of that time he became dissatis- fied with the western country, concluded to return to Hanover, and when he had come as far as Hollidaysburg on his way to Phil- adelphia, to embark for Germany, he was induced to stop and work a while on the canal dam, at fourteen dollars per month. Ile learned to speak the English language, and becoming favorably impressed with the country, he abandoned his idea of returning to the Fatherland, and on March 28, 1854, came to Altoona, where he rented a farm of one hundred and nine acres, which he tilled up to 1884. This farm is now within the city and is covered with buildings. On a part of this farm, which Mr. Brennecke owns, he erected his present large brick residence, which is one of the most com- fortable and substantial buildings in the city. This residence stands on the corner of Sixth street and Eighth avenue, and is

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

well fitted up and completely furnished throughout. He owns some other valuable property in the city, and has an assessed real estate value of over thirty thousand dollars.

On April 10, 1849, Mr. Brennecke mar- ried Anna Mary Selbitz, of this county, and to their union were born seven children, one son and six daughters: William C., Anna Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Harmenia, Amelia, and Jennie R. Mrs. Brennecke was a member of the Lutheren church, and died January 3, 1892, aged sixty-two years.

Christian Brennecke is a democrat in polities, and has been a member and trustee for twenty-seven years of the St. James Evangelical Lutheran church of Altoona. He has, by hard labor and judicious man- agement, acquired a competency in life, and within the last few years has retired from all active business pursuits. IIe is a pleas- ant and agreeable man, and enjoys the re- spect and good will of his fellow townsmen.

G EORGE LOTZ, a well respected citi- zen and a successful farmer of Sinking Valley, is a son of John J. and Catherine (Troxel) Lotz, and was born in Antis township, Blair county, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 9, 1816. John J. Lotz was born in the western part of Germany, near the boundary line of that country and France. Ile was a miller by trade, and came in early life from Germany to Bells Mills, now Bell- wood, this county, where he resided for several years He then went to McClain's mill, near Hollidaysburg, and after operat- ing that mill for two years removed to Chrisman's mill, where he was killed by the falling of a tree, in 1826, when about fifty- five years of age. IIe was a man of good education, speaking the German, French and

English languages with ease and fluency. Ile was a strict and consistent member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and sup- ported the Federal Republican party of that day, during the latter years of his life. Ile married Catherine Troxel, by whom he had seven children, five sons and two daugh- ters. Mrs. Lotz, after her husband's death, removed with her children to the Ore farm, in Tyrone township, where she died on August 1, 1835, when in the fifty-sixth year of her age.

George Lotz received his education in the old subscription schools of his day, and has always followed farming. He now owns a valuable farm of one hundred and eighty- six acres of land, of which one hundred and sixty-six are under cultivation. Mr. Lotz is a member and elder of the Evangelical Lutheran church, of whose Sunday-school he has served as superintendent for several years. He is a republican in politics, and has served as collector and as supervisor of Tyrone township. Mr. Lotz is an advocate of temperance and agriculture, and has been for some time a member and the chaplain of Grange No. 484, Patrons of Husbandry. He has always been prominent and active in church circles, and never lack- ing in support of any movement for the im- provement or prosperity of his community.

October 13, 1840, Mr. Lotz married Annie M., daughter of David Fleck, of Tyrone township. To Mr. and Mrs. Lotz have been born eight children : Abigail A., wife of C. E. Fleck, a farmer of Hollidaysburg; David M., who served in a Pennsylvania infantry regiment during the late civil war, married Lydia Clough, and resides near Hollidaysburg, where he is engaged in teaching; Mary C., now dead; Emma J. (deceased) ; John II .; Edward M., married

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

Flora Lindays, and resides at Hollidays- burg, where he is manager of the car build- ing shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company; Leslie L. L., married Mollie Carner, and is in the grocery business at Hollidaysburg; and Harvey C.

SAMUEL M. HOYER, a well known and popular coal dealer in Altoona, who has been a resident of that city since 1880, is a son of Jacob and Mary ( Dimond ) Hoyer, and was born March 13, 1856, in Croyle township, Cambria county, Penn- sylvania. The Hoyers are of German- Scotch descent, but have resided in our sis- ter commonwealth of Maryland for several generations. In that state Jacob Hoyer, sr., the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared. He was a farmer by occupation, and in 1840 removed to Cambria county, this state, where he resided until his death, in 1872, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. Ile was a democrat in politics, was mar- ried, and had a family of six children. One of these, the only son, was Jacob Hoyer, jr., who was also a native of Maryland, where he grew to manhood, and received an ordi- nary English education. When twenty- three years of age, in 1847, he removed to Cambria county, this state, and has been a resident of that county ever since. He has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, in which he has been very successful, and now owns a fine farm in Croyle township, that county, on which he is spending the even- ing of his days in quietude and comfort, being now in his sixty-eighth year. He is a democrat in politics, and at various times has been elected to and served in different township offices. Ile married Mary Di-

mond, and reared a family of eleven chil- dren. She is a native of Croyle township, Cambria county, and is now in the sixty- third year of her age. She is a member of the Roman Catholic church.

Samuel M. Hoyer was reared on his father's farm, in Cambria county, and in- ured to labor from his early years. He at- tended the public schools of his neighbor- hood, where he obtained a good common school education, and when twenty-two years of age, forsook the farm and engaged in coal mining. After following this oc- cupation for some time, he began mining and dealing in coal on his own account, and in 1880 removed to Altoona, where, on August 1st, he opened a retail coal business, under the firm name of C. A. Dimond & Co. At that time he was also operating a mine near South Fork, Cambria county, with the firm of C. A. Dimond & Co. In 1882 Mr. Dimond disposed of his interest in the business to S. S. Reighard, and the firm name became Iloyer & Reighard. Ten months later Mr. Hoyer purchased his part- ner's share of the enterprise, and has since conducted it in his own name, being very successful in building up a large and pros- perous business.

On the 24th of October, 1881, Mr. Hoyer was married to Clara D. McClelland, a daughter of John and Elizabeth McClel- land, of Bells Mills, this county. To their union has been born a family of six chil- dren, five sons and a daughter: Mary Jeneva, James Graham, Charles Jacob, Walter Aloisis, Roy MeClellan, and Clod Joseph.

In politics Mr. Hoyer follows the tra- ditions of his family, and is an ardent and active democrat, as were his father and grandfather before him. He is serving a

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

term as a member of the select council from the Sixth ward of Altoona, and has served as chairman of the committee on streets and sewers. Ile takes an interest in all public questions, and is a man who keeps well posted in regard to political move- ments and the world's progress, and is at present serving a two-year term as presi- dent of the select council of Altoona.

G EORGE M. EICHHOLTZ, one of the experienced and most successful teach- ers of Frankstown township and Blair county, who has taught continuously for nearly a quarter of a century, is a son of George and Eve (Lower) Eichholtz, and was born on Piney creek, near Williams- burg, in Woodbury township, Blair county, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1849. His paternal great-grandfather, John L. Eichholtz, came from Germany, and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he died. His son, Charles Eichholtz (grandfather), was born in Lancaster county in 1779, and came to Blair county, where he was engaged in farming near Williamsburg until his death, in 1855, at seventy-six years of age. Ile married and reared a family of eight chil- dren, four sons and four daughters. One of these sons, George Eichholtz (father), was born in Blair county in 1810, and fol- lowed farming until his death, which oc- curred January 17, 1865, when in the fifty- sixth year of his age. He was a democrat in politics, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and stood high in his com- munity as a man, a neighbor, and a citizen. In 1835 Mr. Eichholtz married Eve Lower, a daughter of George Lower, who was born near Williamsburg, where he died in 1854, at the ripe old age of seventy-seven years.

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Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 43

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