Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 53

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

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459

OF BLAIR COUNTY.

and Jacob H. Samuel Sparr (of Christian D.) was born September 3, 1863, married, July 7, 1885, Alice M. Howard, resides at Williamsburg, and has one child, Mary. Jacob Sparr, twin brother of Samuel, was born September 3, 1863, and died March 25, 1872. Daniel Sparr ( of Samuel) was born July 1, 1832, and died October 12, 1834. Catharine Sparr was born March, 1836, married Joseph Kipe, about 1857, re- sides near Williamsburg, and they have five children : John A., Samuel S., Joseph II., Susan, and William. Samuel Sparr was born December 21, 1839, married Julia A. Bittle, and had four children, two dying in infancy, and Peter B. and Blair living to manhood. Julia A. Sparr died October 10, 1873. He afterward married Mary Ann Snively, and has five children by his second marriage: Florence, Steel, Melda, Celia, and Junie, and resides near Williamsburg. Peter B. Sparr was born December 30, 1864, married Mary A. McGraw, January 30, 1883, resides near Williamsburg, and had two children, Lawrence and an infant daughter, at the time of his death, January 14, 1892. Blair Sparr was born July 9, 1867, married Maggie Daniels August 22, 1888, resides near Williamsburg, and has two children, Orval and Grace.

David Sparr ( fifth child) was a farmer by occupation, and was married to Cath- arine Boal, of Centre county, May 31, 1821, and to them were born nine children: a dead-born son, March 22, 1822; Susannah, born April 15, 1823; William, June 16, 1824; Jesse, June 30, 1825; John, July 14, 1826; Isaac, February 14, 1828; dead-born son, January 25, 1829; Levi, May 18, 1830; Christian, January 18, 1832. Susannah died when small. William was married to Rachel M. Hess, December 11, 1849, and

William died May 20, 1865. To William and Rachel were born six children : Mary C., born October 11, 1850; Elizabeth H., May 5, 1853; Lucy B., January 24, 1857; Rebecca, November 13, 1859; David B., May 29, 1860; John T., January 23, 1862.

Isaac Sparr was born February 14, 1828, married Mary Ann Buckwalter, February 15, 1859. She died April 6, 1880, and he married Hattie Belle Hammond, Septem- ber 26, 1882, resides near Williamsburg, and has three children : Hattie, Henry, and Jessie. Christian Sparr was born January 18, 1832, married to Catherine Snively Oc- tober, 1853, has one child, Lizzie, and re- sides near James Creek, Huntingdon county. Lizzie Sparr was born April 6, 1855, mar- ried John Collins, and they are both dead. Their two children, Lizzie and Thomas, re- side with their grandparents, Christian and Catherine Sparr. Margaret Sparr ( sixth child') married Jeremiah Yerger, February 10, 1820, and has five children: David, Christian, Polly, Elizabeth, and Margarette. David Yerger was born January 23, 1821, married Mrs. Dunlap, of Somerset county, and resided there until his death. He had one daughter, Mary L., who resides with her mother at Myersdale. Christian Yer- ger was born August 19, 1823, married to Jane Toole, and has five children : Mary M., James, John, Ellen S., and Annie E., all of whom are unmarried, except John. Polly Yerger was born December 25, 1826, and died at the age of about twenty-five years. Elizabeth Yerger was born Sep- tember 24, 1829, married Robert Thomp- son, of Erie, and they have five children : Alice, Charles, Frank, Walter, and George. Margaret Yerger was born May 1, 1832, married Jacob Ropp, and went to Iowa, where she died May 15, 1852.

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

This race of people has generally chosen the Lutheran faith, are republican in poli- ties, and being of German descent, were naturally inclined to be farmers, and deal- ers in the finest draft horses of their time, and in this their superior judgment has always been commented on.

JACOB BIEHL, a native of the old and a citizen of the new world, is the senior member of the firm of Biehl & Roehel, of Tyrone. He was born in Reihnprensen, Prussia, March 17, 1857, and is a son of Michael and Barbara (Singer) Biehl. Mi- chael Biehl was a native and life-long resi- dent of Reihnprensen, where he died in 1880, at fifty-eight years of age. He was an industrious farmer, and wedded Barbara Singer, who died in the same year as her husband, whose junior she was in age by five years. They reared a family of chil- dren, of whom two sons and three daugh- ters are living. Of these surviving children four came to America in 1881: John, a glass blower of Jeannette, Westmoreland county ; Mary, widow of a Mr. Schueltz, and who now resides at Spiketown, Alle- gheny county ; Anna, wife of Peter Buch- eist, who is now employed in a rolling mill in Pittsburg; and Jacob.

Jacob Biehl was reared in his native pro- vince, and received his education in the excellent public schools which Prussia has had in successful operation for the last half century. At twenty-four years of age he left his native country and came to Penn- sylvania, where he was a resident of Eliza- bethtown, Lancaster county, for one year. At the end of that time he went to Pitts- burg, where he was employed in a leading brewery until October, 1890, when he came

to Tyrone and formed a partnership with Louis Rochel. They leased the plant of the Bavarian Brewing Company, which they have operated successfully ever since. The brewery has a capacity of two thousand barrels per year. It is located well for business, and the malt house and brewery buildings are substantial and well equipped throughout with first-class modern machin- ery. Under Mr. Biehl's energetic manage- ment the business has developed to its present large dimensions, and by his knowl- edge as a practical brewer, an article of beer has been produced for which an extensive demand exists, both at home and abroad.

On May 7, 1884, Mr. Biehl was united in marriage with Mary Lippel, and to this union has been born a family of four children : Mamie, Jacob, jr., Charles, and Franklin.

Jacob Biehl is a democrat in politics, and has firm faith in the principles of the party of Jefferson, Jackson and Cleveland. IIe is a member of St. Matthew's Catholic church of Tyrone, and possesses his full share of energy and patient industry, which are two of the distinguishing characteristics of the great German race.

M TARTIN HOELLE, proprietor of the large brewery in Altoona, which occu- pies the square between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, on Fifteenth avenue, is a son of John and Kate (Seivert) Hoelle, and was born in Hohenzollern, Prussia, February 4, 1840. His parents were both natives of that place, and both died in that country -his father in 1881, aged seventy- two years, and his mother in January, 1889, aged eighty-four. Ilis father was a black- smith by trade, and a member of the Catholic church.

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

Martin Hoelle grew to manhood in his native land, and was educated in the public schools there. After leaving school he served an apprenticeship at the machinist trade, and worked at that business in the Fatherland until 1865, when he emigrated to America and located in the city of Al- toona, Pennsylvania. Here he has since re- sided. During the first six months of his residence in this city he worked at his trade in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and then embarked in the brewery business in a small way, be- coming in time one of the largest operators in that line in central Pennsylvania. IIe has continued this business to the present time, and now owns a fine and thoroughly equipped brewery, extending from Thir- teenth to Fourteenth street, on Fifteenth avenue, with a capacity of ten thousand barrels of beer per year. In 1886 he erected the large and, beautiful brick building in which he now resides, located near the brewery.

In November, 1866, Mr. Hoelle was mar- ried to Matilda Endress, of this city. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in politics occupies an independent position. He served one term in the com- mon council. He now owns considerable real estate in this city, although he came here a poor man, and may therefore be regarded as a self-made man, and entitled to all the credit which such an achievement deserves.

J AMES FUNK, ex-sheriff of Blair county, and a popular business man of Duncansville, was born in Black Log valley, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1823, and is the eldest son of John and Jane (Goshorn ) Funk. The Funks

are of German ancestry, and Mr. Funk's paternal grandfather, Jacob Funk, was born at Frankstown, Washington county, Mary- land, where his ancestors had settled at an early day, and where the Funk family had become prominent in the local history of western Maryland. Later in life Jacob Funk came to Black Log valley, where he resided until his death. His son, John Funk (father), was born in Maryland, and came with his father to Black Log valley, where he followed farming until his death. Ile was an old-line whig, and afterward a democrat in politics, and had been a zealous member of the German Baptist or Dunkard church for many years before his death. He married Jane Goshorn, who was a daughter of Jacob Goshorn, an early Scotch settler of Tuscarora valley. Mr. and Mrs. Funk were the parents of six children : James; Mary, wife of William Ayers, a miller of Sharps- burg, Allegheny county ; Henry, who died young ; Nicholas (deceased ), who was in the insurance business at Hollidaysburg; Abra- ham, now dead; and Sarah, who died young.

James Funk received a good English education, and became a conductor on the old Portage railroad, which he left one year later. In 1850 he engaged in his present prosperous lime business. He is now run- ning at four different places in the county a number of kilns, whose aggregate capacity is twelve hundred bushels per day, employs thirty-five men, and ships lime over a wide area of territory. IIe has two kilns at Frankstown, which cost over twelve thous- and dollars and are claimed to be the largest lime kilns in America, each one being forty- four feet long, thirty-one feet wide, and thirty-seven feet high.

Mr. Funk married Susan J. Long, who died afterward and left nine children, of

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

whom are : Margaret, wife of J. Rock Wil- liamson, a farmer of Humbolt, Nebraska; Missouri, wife of William P. Irwin, depot master in Altoona; John S., in business with his father ; Matilda, who married George P. McCormick, a foreman in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's shops in Altoona; Nicholas G., a conductor who runs between Altoona and Pittsburg; Ed- ward B., a foreman in the Duncansville rolling mill ; and Landis, superintendent of his father's kilns at Frankstown. After his first wife's death, Mr. Funk was united in marriage with Mary Dasher, and has by his second marriage three children : May, Ira, and Nannie.

In politics Mr. Funk is a Cleveland den- oerat. He served thirteen years as a school director, and then declined another re-ëlee- tion. He was shortly afterward elected as a justice of the peace, but refused to take out his commission. He was elected cor- oner in 1855, on the American ticket, and before his term closed, in 1858, he was elected sheriff as the fusion candidate on the people's ticket. Mr. Funk was the first democratic jury commissioner elected in the county; was twice defeated as the demo- cratie candidate for the assembly, although once lacking one hundred votes of being successful when the republican majority stood at fifteen hundred, and was once de- feated for associate judge, though running ahead of his ticket. He is a man of busi- ness ability, of energy and system in all of his different enterprises. He owns a beau- tiful home at Duncansville, and an excellent farm adjoining that borough. Mr. Funk has been for thirty-four years a member of Juniata Lodge, No. 282, Free and Accepted Masons, of Hollidaysburg, of which he has been a past master for twenty-eight years.

One well acquainted with James Funk has written of him : " Although now denied by the calls of his large manufacturing in- terests from taking his old-time part in polities, yet he is nevertheless thoroughly abreast with the progress of affairs that mark the history of American advancement, and takes especial pride in advising himself as to the march of social and political events at home and abroad."

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SAMUEL CALHOUN STEWART.

The history of the great iron industry of central Pennsylvania would be incomplete without record of Samuel Calhoun Stewart, of Tyrone, whose life has been one of activ- ity and usefulness. He is a son of David and Sarah (Walker) Stewart, and was born at Pennsylvania Furnace, in Franklin town- ship, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1824. The first Stewart of this family of whom we have any history was John Stewart, one of the wonderful and ever memorable Scottish Covenanters of the seventeenth century. He abandoned his native hills on account of the persecu- tion of the Covenanters by King Charles II, and settled in County Down, Ireland, which was then a refuge for the oppressed Presbyterians and Covenanters of Scotland. IIe died in County Down in 1720, and left one son, Robert Stewart, who was born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1665. IIe went with his father to County Down, and after the death of the latter he settled near the city of Belfast, but shortly returned to Scot- land, where he died near the city of Glas- gow, in 1730. The lives of John and Robert Stewart embraced one of the most remark- able periods of English history, beginning in the reign of Charles I, and extending

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

into that of George II. Robert Stewart reared a large family, and one of his sons, Samuel Stewart, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1698, and went with his father and grandfather to Ireland, in 1720. In 1735 he and his youngest brother, Hugh, set sail for America, and landed at Phila- delphia, where they remained but a short time before settling in Drumore township, Lancaster county. Samuel Stewart married Mary McClay, and died in 1750, leaving a large family. His son, Samuel Stewart, jr. (grandfather), was born in County Down, Ireland, and grew to manhood in Drumore township. He afterward settled on a farm in Hanover township, which was an exposed portion of Lancaster county, and its first settlers were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who often had to flee from Indian attacks. The memories of the persecutions of their ancestors in Scotland, and again in Ireland, by English kings, caused these Scotch-Irish to hate George II, and when the oppressive acts of his ministry led to Lexington and Bunker Hill, Hanover township, on June 4, 1774, pronounced for independence. It was one of the first movements toward National independence. Samuel Stewart, jr., was one of the leaders in this move- ment. He was a private in Col. Timothy Greene's battalion for the defence of the frontier, and on June 6, 1774, enlisted in Captain Rodgers' company, which saw camp duty and severe fighting in the Jerseys. After the revolutionary war he removed to Dauphin county, where we find his name on one of the first juries of that county. Ile married Nancy Temple, of Hanover township, who bore him eight children, and after her death, in 1789, he married Agnes Nancy Calhoun, by whom he had four chil- dren, the second of whom was David Stew-

art, the father of the subject of this sketch. David Stewart was born in Hanover town- ship, Dauphin county, October 30, 1792, went, in 1813, to Centre county, and after- ward removed to Franklin township, Hunt- ingdon county, where he became manager of the Pennsylvania furnace. In a short time he became associated with John Lyon and Anthony Shorb in the ownership of the furnace, and they manufactured the famous Juniata iron. In 1831 he removed to Coleraine Forges, where he died in May, 1869, aged seventy-seven years. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and a prominent and wealthy citizen, well known for his generosity. He married, on May 22, 1822, Sarah Walker, whose parents, John and Mary Walker, were natives of County Straban, Ireland, and settled at Alexandria, in Huntingdon county. Mrs. Stewart died at Coleraine Forges, April 24, 1874.

Samuel Calhoun Stewart was prepared for college at St. Paul's school, Long Island, and entered Jefferson college of Cannons- burg, this State, from which he was grad- uated in 1846, in a classical course. Leav- ing college he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he entered the einploy of the iron company of Lyon, Shorb & Co., to learn the business thoroughly. He commenced at the bottom of the work and rose gradually up in six years to the position of book-keeper. Ile then (1853) became a member of the firm of Goodwin & Stewart, and was en- gaged in the manufacture of lard oil and candles in St. Louis until 1857, when he returned to Coleraine Forges, where he was successively a manufacturer of blooms, superintendent of the works, and a partner of the firm of Shorb, Stewart & Co., which operated these forges. In 1864 he removed to Tyrone Iron works, of which he was first

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

superintendent and then a member of the firm of Willis M. Lyon & Co., which operated them until 1876, when the works became the property of the Tyrone Mining and Manufacturing Company, and Mr. Stew- art was retained as general superintendent. Afterward he came to Tyrone, where he has resided ever since.

On June 15, 1865, Mr. Stewart married Margaret, daughter of D. N. W. Sample, of Lancaster county. Their children are: Robert L., who married Grace Sylvester, of Denver, Colorado, and is a railroad engineer of that city; Jeannette S., Carrie HI., Betty W., Samuel C., Margaret H. and Nathaniel S.

In politics Mr. Stewart is a republican. He is a member of Tyrone Lodge, No. 494, Free and Accepted Masons, and Birming- ham Presbyterian church, of which he has been a ruling elder for fifteen years. Al- though nearly seventy years of age, he is one of the most active and energetic busi- ness men of Tyrone, and since June, 1891, has been serving as president of the Blair County bank, in addition to the manage- ment of his own affairs and the general supervision of the works and property of a large mining and manufacturing company. Ile is pleasant and courteous, a true friend and a good citizen, and a man of earnest will and vast industry.

HOWARD B. CALDERWOOD, a

well qualified and energetic business man, and the leading insurance agent and real estate dealer of Tyrone, is a son of James M. and Matilda ( Hunter) Calder- wood, and was born at Tyrone, Blair county, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1859. The Calder- woods are of Scotch-Irish descent, and John

Calderwood, the paternal grandfather of Howard B. Calderwood, was a native of Scotland.

James M. Calderwood ( father) was born at Birmingham, Huntingdon county, March 19, 1822, and died at Tyrone, June 25, 1887, at sixty-five years of age. He commenced life in boyhood as a collier, received a good education, and at an early age commenced teaching, which he followed most success- fully, at Ironville and Tyrone, for twenty- one years. He came to Tyrone about 1851, was appointed express agent, and afterwards commissioned as a notary pub- lic. He was always prominent in the municipal affairs of Tyrone, served as bur- gess for one term, and in various ways was useful to his fellow-townsmen until his death. Mr. Calderwood was one of the oldest and leading members of the Tyrone Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a steward and trustee. Ile organized the first Sunday school in the borough, and was its honored and efficient superintendent for twenty-one consecutive terms. Ile was a republican in politics, commanded the esteem and respect of all who knew him, and lived a life of honor and usefulness. He was twice married. Ilis first wife was Matilda Hunter, who died in August, 1870, aged forty-six years, and left three chil- dren : William L., married Mary Leedy, of Harrisburg, and is employed in the loss and damage department, in Philadelphia, of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company ; Howard B., and Ella. Mr. Calderwood married for his second wife Cinderella Hemler, of Ak- ron, Ohio, by whom he had two children, Jessie and Anna.

Howard B. Calderwood received his edu- cation in the public schools of Tyrone, and then became a clerk in the general mercan-

مجمـ

البلية

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OF BLAIR COUNTY.

cile house of Van Valzah & Wilson, in which he remained for twelve years. At the end of that time, in 1887, he engaged in his present general insurance and real estate business, and in the same year was appointed notary public, in which capacity he has served ever since. He is secretary of No. 3, Tyrone Loan and Improvement association, and was president for two years (1889 and 1891) of the Central Loan association. In politics Mr. Calderwood is a republican, and has served one term as assistant burgess, and several terms as aud- itor of Tyrone. He is a member of Ty- rone Lodge, No. 152, and Tyrone Encamp- ment, No. 279, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a past grand of his lodge, and has served as a representative to the Grand Lodge of the State. Howard B. Calder- wood is ever active in the interests of his party, does a large and remunerative insur- ance and real estate business, and has at- tained a prominent position by his ability, integrity, and energy. He is pleasant and agreeable, and very popular in his native borough.

On August 21, 1888, Mr. Calderwood was united in marriage with Irene Dixon, daughter of Elwood C. and Fannie ( John- son ) Dixon, of Tyrone. To Mr. and Mrs. Calderwood have been born two children : Bessie and Virginia.

JAMES A. BRENAMAN, the veteran

painter and dealer in painter's supplies, at Altoona, who for more than two decades was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in their painting department, is a son of Samuel and Emma (White) Bren- aman, and first saw the light of this world on January 15, 1846, at Eldorado, Blair

county, Pennsylvania. The Brenamans are of German descent, but are an old resident family of the Keystone State. . Samuel Brenaman (father) is a native of what is now Blair (but was formerly Huntingdon) county, being born in 1812. Hle now resides in the city of Altoona, in the eightieth year of his age, having lived here since 1865. After removing to Altoona he entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and was with that company for many years. Since 1884 he has lived a retired life, being no longer able for active business. In politics he has been a straight republican ever since the organization of that party in Pennsylvania. He married Emma White, by whom he had a family of children. Mrs. Brenaman is a native of this county, of Scotch descent, a devoted member of the United Brethren church, and is now in her seventy-fourth year.

James A. Brenaman was reared princi- pally in the city of Altoona, and received his education in the common schools here. In 1862 he started in to learn the trade of house and sign painting, and has been identified with the painting business ever since. From January, 1862, to March, 1882, he was employed in the paint department of the Pennsylvania railroad, and during six years of this time he served as foreman in that department. In 1882 he formed a partnership with S. H. Bowers, under the style of Brenaman & Bowers, and engaged in contract painting. This firm existed until 1887, when Mr. Brenaman purchased the interest of his partner in the business, and admitted his brother, Samuel HI. Bren- aman, into partnership with himself, under the firm name of Brenaman & Brother. They did business up to 1890, when Samuel

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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

II. Brenaman sold out to his brother and retired from the firm. Since that time the subject of this sketch has operated the business alone and in his own name. In connection with painting he also conducts a store, located at No. 1207 Ninth avenue, where he carries a nice stock of wall paper and all kinds of painters' supplies. He does a large business in contracting and painting, and by energy, enterprise, and careful attention to details, has become very prosperous and successful.

On the 4th of July, 1867, Mr. Brenaman was wedded to Sadie Paul, of the city of Johnstown, this State. She is an intelli- gent, capable woman, and has done much to further her husband's success in life.

In his political affiliations Mr. Brenaman has always been republican, and while not a politician still takes a deep interest in the success of his party and its principles. Ile owns some valuable real estate in this city, and can point with pride to his suc- cessful business career. He is a regular attendant on the services of the Methodist Episcopal church, and contributes liberally toward its support.

WILLIAM HARNISH, an old and re- liable farmer and a highly respected citizen of Frankstown township, is a son of Tobias and Catherine (Keller) Harnish, and was born in Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, April 6, 1817. Tobias Harnish was born in Lancaster county, where he was reared and received his education. Leaving school, he learned the trade of tammer, which he followed for some time, and then removed to Huntingdon county, where he died in Canoe valley. He was engaged for many years before his death

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Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Part 53

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