Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 44

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

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Mr. and Mrs. Eichholtz reared a family of eight children, three sons and five daugh- ters, all of whom are living except one son. Mrs. Eichholtz, who was a consistent mein- ber of the Evangelical Lutheran church, survived her husband until July 15, 1876, when she passed away, in the sixtieth year of her age.

George M. Eichholtz received his educa- tion in the common schools of Frankstown and Martinsburg academy. Leaving the academy, he was employed for several years in teaching during the winter, and assisting his brother on the farm during the summer. At the end of that time he purchased a part of his present farm, and has continued in the profession of teaching until the present time.

On August 6, 1874, Mr. Eichholtz was united in marriage to Ellen, daughter of Thomas and Jane Loudon, of Piney creek, Woodbury township. To Mr. and Mrs. Eichholtz have been born five children, three sons and two daughters: Edward C .; Thomas L .; Dean L., who died March 2, 1885, aged six years ; Katie R .; and Lelia D.

George M. Eichholtz is a republican in politics, and has served in various township offices for sixteen successive years. He has been for many years a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Williams- burg and of Hollidaysburg, and at present of Geeseytown. IIe owns a part of a farm of sixty acres of well improved land in Franks- town township, which he carefully culti- vates; but his greatest interest lies in his profession of teaching, and the development of the physical, mental, and moral powers of the minds of his pupils, whom he wishes to see grow up into useful men and women. He has taught for twenty-three years in the public schools, and his efficiency as a teacher

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is attested by his employment in one school for eleven winters-a fact that tells of abil- ity, usefulness, and success more forcibly than any words of deserved commendation could express.

ON. SAMUEL McCAMANT, now a

leading lumber dealer of Tyrone, has long been prominently identified with the business interests of Blair county, and served with distinction in the legislature of 1867-68. He is a son of Graham and Mary (Meadville) McCamant, and was born at Tyrone Forges, Blair county, Pennsylvania, March 23, 1833. The founder of the Mc- Camant family in this country was Alex- ander McCamant, who emigrated, between 1730 and 1735, from County Armagh, in the north of Ireland, with the second large coming of the Scotch-Irish to America. He resided a number of years after he came to this country in Philadelphia, and then located on Pequea creek, Lancaster county, and the land that he took up came from the Penns, by their charter, under their seal and coat of arms. The deed for said land is yet in the possession of the Misses McCamant, who live near the Pequea Presbyterian church, in Salisbury township. Ile had a large family of children, and his son James married and reared several children, one of whom was James McCamant, the grand- father of Hon. Samuel McCamant. He was a native of Honeybrook township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and served as a cap- tain the revolutionary war under the direct command of General Wayne. After peace was declared he returned to Honeybrook township, and spent the balance of his life there, dying in 1825, at an advanced age. Hle and his wife, who died in 1822, are buried in the church-yard of Pequea church,

of which he was one of the incorporators. He was a farmer and blacksmith by occu- pation, and in polities a Jacksonian demo- crat. In religion he was a Presbyterian, as are nearly all his descendants. He married Miss Abigail Graham, by whom he had a family of nine sons. One of these sons was Graham MeCamant (father), who was born in Honeybrook township in 1787, and in early manhood went to Codorus Forge, York county, where he entered the employ of the Grubbs' as manager of their forges at that place. Later he removed to Lebanon, in the employ of the Colemans as manager of their iron works, where he remained until 1828, when he came to Tyrone Forges and took charge of the forges owned by Lyon, Shorb & Co. Here he remained as manager until 1834, when he purchased the forges, which were owned at that time by Dysart & Lloyd. They were located near Tipton, Blair county, and were owned and operated by Mr. McCamant until his death, in June, 1851. In the management of his iron business, and in other enterprises, he became very prominent and successful. In politics he was a democrat, until President Jackson vetoed the United States bank bill, when he left that party and identified him- self with the opposition, being an anti- slavery and free soil whig. He served as justice of the peace for many years, and was also a school director for some time. IIe was a prominent member of the Presby- terian church, and married Mary Meadville, in 1832, to whom was born a family of four sons and one daughter. The. eldest of these was Samuel, the subject of this sketch. The second son was James G., who married Jane Henry, is a farmer by occupa- tion, and resides at Dixon, Illinois. The third son was Henry Clay, who married

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

Mary Ann Beyer, and now lives at Hunt- ingdon, this State. Ile is a clerk in the auditor general's office at Harrisburg. The next son, Thomas, married Delia Rollins, and resides in the city of Harrisburg, where he occupies the office of auditor general of Pennsylvania, having been elected thereto in 1889. IIe is a republican, and has al- ways been active in politics. For many years he was chief clerk in the state depart- ment at Harrisburg, and also served for some time as chief clerk in the office of the auditor general in that city. Ile is among the most prominent and popular politicians in the old Keystone State, and has acquired a position of power and influence in the counsels of his party. IIe is a graduate of Lafayette college, and was a lieutenant in the 125th Pennsylvania infantry during the late war. The fifth child of Graham Mc- Camant was a daughter, Mary Jane, who resides with her brother, Henry C., at Hunt- ingdon.

Samuel McCamant removed to Tipton with his father's family and remained there until the spring of 1856, when he entered the office of William M. Lyon & Co., at Ty- rone Forges, as book-keeper and clerk. IIe remained there until September, 1857, when he was transferred by the firm to Bald Eagle furnace as manager of that establishment. Ile remained in that capacity up to April, 1861, when he resigned his situation and returned to his old home at Tipton. In 1861 he was elected to the responsible posi- tion of sheriff of Blair county, and served the full term of three years, discharging the duties of that office in an able and accept- able manner. After retiring from the sheriffalty he engaged in the iron business, in 1864, at Elizabeth Furnace, in partner- ship with B. F. Bell, under the firm name

of Bell & McCamant. This partnership ex- isted until 1868, and during that time (in 1866) Mr. McCamant was elected to the State legislature, and represented Blair county in the sessions of 1867-68. In June, 1868, he removed to Tyrone and engaged in the general lumber business, at the same time operating a large planing mill, under the style of McCamant & Co. In this com- bined business he has ever since been en- gaged, and now has a large and lucrative trade. He is serving as president of the board of managers of the Pennsylvania In- dustrial Reformatory at Huntingdon, hav- ing been appointed by Governor Beaver, May 15, 1888.

On December 30, 1858, Mr. MeCamant was united in marriage to Harriet K. (Boyer) Thomas, widow of John Thomas. To this union was born a family of two sons : Andrew HI., who read law with S. S. Blair, of Hollidaysburg, this county, spent a year and six months at Columbia Law school, and was admitted to the bar in 1884, since which time he has been in regular practice in the courts of Blair county ; and John G., who is engaged in the lumber and planing mill business with his father.

W ALTER J. HAMOR, editor and pro- prietor of the Sunday Graphic News of Altoona, is a son of John W. and Mary (Campbell) Hamor, and was born in Alle- gheny city, Allegheny county, Pennsylva- nia, April 4, 1865. The Hamors are of German descent, and Mr. Hamor's paternal grandfather, George Hamor, was a native of Northumberland, and settled in Blair county, where he followed his trade of shoe- maker to some extent, his death occurring in 1880, at eighty-four years of age. His

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

son, John W. Hamor (father), was born in this county, and learned the trade of nailer, which he followed at Pittsburg until 1868. In that year he came to Duncansville, which he left in 1876 to remove to Northumber- land county, in which he resided up to 1882, when he returned to Duncansville, where he died nine months later, at fifty- three years of age. He was a Free Mason and Odd Fellow, a republican in politics, and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He married Mary Campbell, who was born in 1844, and they reared a family of three children, one son and two daugh- ters. Mrs. Hamor, who is of Scotch-Irish descent, has been for years a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and now re- sides in Altoona.

Walter J. Hamor received his education in the high schools of Northumberland, this State, and learned the "art preservative of arts" at that place, where he worked until 1882, when he became a clerk at Altoona for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in whose employ he remained up to 1889. On September 9th of that year he purchased the Sunday Graphic News from the heirs of Ilomer Vaughan, and has continued as its proprietor and editor ever since.

On November 25, 1890, Mr. Hamor was united in marriage with Addie, daughter of Mrs. Sarah Watson, of Tyrone. Their union has been blessed with one child, a. son, named Charles McOmber.

Walter J. Hamor is a republican in poli- ties, and is a charter member of Altoona Lodge, No. 102, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.

The Sunday Graphic News is a twelve- page quarto, filled with all the important news of the day, beside much choice and interesting miscellany. It is the only Sun-

day paper in the county, and has a large and constantly increasing circulation, which extends into adjoining counties. Mr. Hamor also owns and operates a first-class job office. He is active and energetic, and has made a decided success of his Sunday paper in the field of journalism.

JOSEPH HART, a reliable citizen of

Hollidaysburg, and one of the largest brick manufacturers of Blair county, is a son of Martin and Mary (Wolf) Hart, and was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, in southern Germany, October 26, 1826. Mar- tin Hart was born, reared and received his education in Bavaria, where he learned the trade of weaver, which he followed until 1832, when he left his childhood's home by the waters of the " Blue Danube," to seek his fortune in lands across the sea. He landed at Philadelphia, and shortly afterward came to Hollidaysburg, where he resided until his death, which occurred June 16, 1855, when in the fifty-seventh year of his age. He was rather independent in poli- tics, voting for the man more than the party. He was a member and the chorister of St. Mary's Catholic church of Hollidays- burg. IIe was honest and industrious, warm in his friendships and reliable in whatever he engaged to do. He married Mary Wolf, who died January 6, 1866, aged seventy- eight years. They were the parents of four children, all of whom died except the sub- ject of this sketch.

Joseph Hart was principally reared at Hollidaysburg, and received his education in the public schools of that place. Leav- ing school he was variously engaged until 1848, when he formed a partnership with William ITartsock, under the firm name of

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

Ilart & IIartsock, and they were engaged in the manufacture of brick for two years. Mr. Hart then retired from the firm to carry on the brick business for himself, which he successfully did until 1852, in which year he became superintendent of the brick yards of Thomas Burchinal, of Hollidays- burg, and held that position up to February, 1865, when he enlisted as a private in Co. D), 192d Pennsylvania infantry. IIe served until the close of the war, and was honor- ably discharged from the Federal service on August 24, 1865, at Harper's Ferry. Re- turning home from the army he was vari- ously engaged until 1883, when he again embarked in the brick business, which he has followed very successfully ever since. Hle is assisted by his sons, and manufactures both common and pressed brick, and the output of his plant is one and one-half million bricks per year. ITis brick are in good demand in the market on account of their durability and superiority in manufac- ture. Mr. Hart is a republican in politics, and has been for many years an active, use- ful and influential member of St. Mary's Catholic church. Ile is a member of Col. William G. Murray Post, No. 39, Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Hart is pleas- and convivial, honest and energetic, and is generous and liberal. Ile has honorably won and with justifiable pride enjoys his business success in life.

On January 22, 1850, Mr. Hart married Barbara Smith, daughter of Martin Smith. They have seven children : Martin, married Lavina Hammond; William, who married Carrie McKnight; Mary; John, who mar- ried Mary Mulligan; Lizzie, wife of John O'Brien, a telegraph operator at Hollidays- burg; Alice; and Joseph, who married Lena Webber.

L EMUEL L. FAIR, the founder of

Fair's addition to Juniata, on the north of Altoona, and who was a soldier in the Army of the Potomac, is a son of William and Mary (Cribbs ) Fair, and was born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1843. Ilis paternal grandfather, Peter Fair, and his two brothers, John and Jacob, came from Germany to Philadelphia, which Peter soon left to reside a short time suc- cessively in Blair and Westmoreland coun- ties, after which he became one of the early settlers of what is now Black Lick town- ship, in Indiana county, where he died in 1830, at seventy-seven years of age. He was a spy and scout during the last Indian troubles in Pennsylvania, and often gave notice to the frontier forts of threatened Indian attacks. Ile was one of the first jurors ever impaneled in Indiana county. His son, William Fair (father), was born in Black Lick township in 1798, and died there in 1885. Ile was a prosperous farmer, had been a useful member and officer of the Evangelical Lutheran church for over sixty years, and was an old-line whig and repub- lican in politics. IIe was a stirring, ener- getic man, had held several of his township's offices, and married Mary Cribbs, a daugh- ter of Jacob Cribbs, of German descent, who owned a farm and followed wagon making in Black Liek township, where he died in 1832, aged sixty-seven years. To Mr. and Mrs. Fair were born eleven children, six sons and five daughters, all of whom except two are now living. Mrs. Fair was born in 1805, has been a member of the Lutheran church for sixty-seven years, and is now re -; siding with her son, the subject of this sketch.

Lemuel L. Fair was reared on the farm, received his education in the schools of

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his native township, and was engaged in teaching, which he followed for some time. Ile went, in 1867, to Dakota county, Ne- braska, where he was engaged in farming in the Missouri valley and in teaching until 1876, when he disposed of his property and returned to Indiana county to take care of his parents. After returning to his native county he purchased the home farm, which he tilled until 1887, when he sold it in order to purchase a farm near some city. After visiting several cities, he was most favorably impressed with Altoona, and ac- cordingly purchased his present farm, just beyond the northern limits of the city. He has now laid out a part of his farm in town lots, in a plan known as Fair's addition to Juniata, which will be one day a part of Altoona. IIe has sold over one hundred and fifty of the lots, and circumstances seem to warrant that the entire number of lots will soon be disposed of to those who are seeking city homes of their own. Ilis farm is only twenty minutes' walk from the engine works in the northern part of Al- toona. Mr. Fair still follows farming, and has a nice vineyard, which he intends to increase in size.

On November 27, 1867, Mr. Fair married Mary, daughter of John Bridenbaugh, of Dakota county, Nebraska, and they have five children : John S., a student of Penn- sylvania college; Mary V., attending Al- toona High school; Elda May; H. Maud; and Philip W.

In 1863 Mr. Fair enlisted as a private in Co. D., 206th Pennsylvania infantry, and served until June 1, 1864, when he was honorably discharged. He was in the bat- tles of Fort Harrison and Spring Hill, be- sides many skirmishes. Lemuel L. Fair is a republican in politics, and has held several

township offices. He owns, besides his farm, some valuable. property in the village of Juniata. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church ; Grange No. 889, Patrons of Husbandry ; and Fred. C. Ward Post, No. 46, Grand Army of the Republic ..

ADOLPHUS M. LA PORTE, a vet-

eran soldier of the Army of the Poto- mac, and the present active and efficient superintendent of the Juniata Mining and Manufacturing Company, is a son of John and Mary A. (Jones) La Porte, and was born near Franklinville, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1844. The La Portes are of French ancestry, and the paternal grandfather of Mr. La Porte was a native of France.

Adolphus M. La Porte attended the com- mon schools of Franklin township and Millwood academy, of Shade Gap, Hunt- ingdon county, until 1862, when he enlisted in Co. A, 125th Pennsylvania infantry, in which he served nine months. At the ex- piration of his term of service he re-enlisted, and served in Battery L, 2d Pennsylvania artillery, until February 12, 1866, when he was honorably discharged from the Federal service, at Philadelphia. He was in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chan- cellorsville, Cold Harbor, and in all of the engagements in front of Petersburg, where his regiment was among the first to break ground in front of that stronghold of the Confederacy. He was wounded in the foot at Cold Harbor, and after returning home from the army attended Millwood academy for some time. IIe then ( July, 1867,) be- came a clerk in the iron works office of Lyon, Shorb & Co., of Pennsylvania Fur- nace, with whom he remained until in

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

August, 1874, having served in the mean- time as a clerk and book-keeper in the office and superintendent of mines. In the fall of 1874 he received an appointment in the railway mail service, between New York city and Pittsburg, and had charge of a postal car from February, 1876, to the autumn of 1884, when he resigned to accept his present position as superintendent of the Juniata Mining and Manufacturing Company.

On May 2, 1870, Mr. La Porte married Martha Diven, of Newville, Cumberland county, who died January 2, 1872, at the age of twenty-eight years, and left one child, a daughter, named Martha D., who is now attending the college at Bryn Mawr. Mr. La Porte was re-married on February 24, 1881, to Myla Porter, daughter of George B. Porter, of Alexandria.

Since May, 1881, Mr. La Porte, has been a resident of Tyrone, where he has a pleas- ant home. He is a stanch Republican in politics, and has been for several years an active member and a deacon of the First Presbyterian church of Tyrone. A. M. La Porte is a practiced and thorough busi- ness man, has made a first-class record as a mine superintendent, and is a man of prom- inence and influence in the community where he resides.

W ILLIAM A. AMBROSE, a success-

ful lawyer, and the junior member of the able and well known law firm of Neff, Ilicks & Ambrose, of Altoona, is of Scotch- Trish extraction on the maternal side, and was born at Milton, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, October 26, 1854. Patrick Ambrose was a native of County Armagh, Ireland, and a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian,

who came to the United States in 1754, served as a non-commissioned officer in the revolutionary war, and died in 1793 at his home on Spruce Creek, Huntingdon county, where Alexander Ambrose, the grandfather of William A. Ambrose, was born, in 1790. He was one of the most expert furnacemen in the state, " blew " nearly all the furnaces in Huntingdon county, and in 1857 came to Fostoria, where he died in 1879. He was a Methodist and a democrat, and had served as a justice of the peace. He was a hale and hearty man, who retained all his mental faculties unimpaired until his death, had excellent descriptive powers, which he used to great advantage in relating stories and events of the past, and when in the eighty-ninth year of his age his health and physical strength were such that he planted and cultivated a field of potatoes from which he gathered, unaided, a crop of over one hundred bushels.

William A. Ambrose was reared at his grandfather's home, in Antis township, and after attending the common schools, entered the Pennsylvania State Normal school, of Lock Haven, Clinton county, from which excellent educational institution he was graduated in the class of 1880. Before entering the normal school, and during its vacations, he had taught five terms in the public schools of Blair and Clearfield coun- ties, and immediately after graduation he became a law student in the office of Judge G. R. Barrett & Son, of Clearfield. IIe was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1883, and opened an office at Phillipsburg, but only remained a few months, when he came to the city of Altoona, where he has practiced his chosen profession successfully ever since. In 1884 he formed a law part- nership with William L. Woodcock, which

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

continued one year, when he withdrew to become a partner with Capt. Robert John- son, in the real estate business, under the firm name of Ambrose & Johnson. Their partnership existed until August, 1890, when it was dissolved, and Mr. Ambrose became a partner with D. J. Neff and J. D. Hicks in the present firm of Neff, Hicks & Ambrose, which has one of the largest law practices of central Pennsylvania.

On April 13, 1881, Mr. Ambrose was united in marriage with Mary E., daughter of James L. and Sarah J. McCoy, of Al- toona. Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose have one daughter, named Florence.

William A. Ambrose is a republican in politics, and a member of the Eighth ave- nue Methodist Episcopal church of Altoona. He has always been active in the best in- terests of his party and church, enjoys a good law practice, has served since 1885 as United States Commissioner for the western district of Pennsylvania, and is a stockholder and director of the Altoona, Clearfield & Northern railroad.

DANIEL G. RHODES, a prosperous

farmer and an influential citizen of North Woodbury township, is a son of Rev. Frederick and Nancy ( Grabill ) Rhodes, and was born at Fredericksburg, North Wood- bury township, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1827. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Rhodes, was born in Maryland in 1779, and came in early life to Woodbury township, where he followed farming and distilling, and where he owned and operated a flouring mill near Fredericksburg. He was a dem- ocrat, and a member of the Mennonite church, and married Catherine Grub, by whom he had a family of ten children,

seven sons and three daughters, of whom were: Paul, John, Nancy, Daniel, Rev. Frederick, Abram, Isaac, and Catherine. Rev. Frederick Rhodes (father ) was born in 1799, near Fredericksburg, where he fol- lowed farming until his death, in 1871. Ile was a democrat, a minister of the Mennonite church, and married Nancy Grabill, by whom he had six children, three sons and three daughters: Daniel G., Samuel, Fan- nie, Catherine, Elizabeth, and John. Mrs. Rhodes was born in 1805, and died in 1883. Her father was a native of York county, who settled on a farm near Martinsburg. He was a democrat, and a member of the German Baptist church. He was twice married, and his second wife was Elizabeth Lower, of near Roaring Spring, in Taylor township.

Daniel G. Rhodes grew to manhood on the home farm near Fredericksburg, re- ceived his education in the subscription and common schools, and engaged in farming, which he has followed ever since. ITis farm, which consists of one hundred acres of good land, is well improved, and lies east of Fredericksburg. He also owns a valuable and very desirable farm of one hundred and twenty-seven acres in Huston township. He is a democrat in politics, a consistent member of the German Baptist church, and an honorable, honest and useful citizen in the community where he resides.

On April 20, 1851, Mr. Rhodes married Anna Shriver, and to their union have been born twelve children, four sons and eight daughters: Nancy, wife of Daniel Snow- berger, engaged in the foundry business at Martinsburg; Elizabeth, married C. L. King, a farmer of South Woodbury township, Bed- ford county ; Rebecca, wife of M. S. Smith, a preceptor in the Huntingdon reformatory ;

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Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 44

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