USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania > Part 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
506
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
until the present time. His shop, yards, and office are at No. 1,127 Seventh avenue, where he is well prepared to fill any order in his line of business. Ile has the largest and most heavily stocked marble yards in the county, and makes a specialty of fine monuments of granite and Italian and all other leading or desirable kinds of marble. Ile employs first-class workmen, personally supervises his business in all of its details, and furnishes his patrons with the best of work.
In 1878 Jacob A. Fox was wedded to Sallie, daughter of Abraham Berry, of Leb- anon county, Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Fox has been born a family of four children, three sons and one daughter: Ervin, Clarence, Earl, and Viola.
In politics Mr. Fox is a republican, and while no politician, yet gives his party a whole-hearted support. He is a member of the United Brethren church of Altoona, which was organized in 1869, and a mem- ber and past officer in the Patriotic Order Sons of America. Mr. Fox is a very pleas- ant and courteous gentleman, a good neigh- bor and useful citizen, and an honest, re- liable man, who has carved out by his own unaided efforts a successful career in busi- ness life.
T HOMAS W. COLE, resident of the Mountain City since 1867, and the su- perintendent of the Altoona Gas Company, is the eldest son and child of James and Caroline (Jones) Cole, and was born at St. Michael's, Talbot county, Maryland, May 10, 1845. The Cole family is of English and Scotch lineage, and James Cole was born on January 20, 1816, at Aberdeen, Maryland, where he died January 15, 1892, ·when lacking but five days of having
completed his seventy-sixth year. His grandfather Cole was an old resident and a well -to-do farmer of Harford county, Maryland, and died at Aberdeen, that State. James Cole was the eldest of a family of eleven children, and learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed for many years. He was an industrious man, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married. His first wife was Caroline Jones, who died at St. Michael's in 1859, leaving a family of eleven children. Mr. Cole, in 1866, married for his second wife Hannah Osborn. Mr. Cole's first wife, Caroline (Jones) Cole, was a daughter of Major Jones, an American officer, who served with distinction in the revolution and the war of 1812, and died at St. Michael's. He was a native of lower Mary- land, and reared a family of seven children, all of whom are dead except Capt. Thomas Jones, who is a ship owner, and has been engaged for many years in the carrying trade between Charleston, South Carolina, and Liverpool, England.
Thomas W. Cole was reared in his native State, received his education in the public schools of St. Michael's, and learned the trade of machinist in the Washington navy yard. Leaving Washington city, in 1867, he came to Altoona, where he was em- ployed in the machine shops of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company until 1874, when he was transferred to the draughting room, under the personal charge of J. B. Collins, the mechanical engineer of the company, and served there for seven years. At the end of that time, in 1880, he resigned his position to become superintendent and general manager of the Altoona Gas Com- pany, in which capacity he has served con- tinuously and successfully ever since.
507
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
In 1872 Mr. Cole wedded Frances E., daughter of Charles Fisher, of Blair county. To their union have been born seven chil- dren, five sons and two daughters: An- netta, who died in 1883, aged ten years; Frank, Edgar, William, Hildah, James, and Fred.
Thomas W. Cole is a democrat in politics, and served for three consecutive terms- from 1882 to 1891-as a member of the city school board. Ile is a member and deacon of the First Evangelical Lutheran church of Altoona, and a member and past officer of White Cross Lodge, No. 354, Knights of Pythias. Ile is also a member and past officer of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained high rank, being a member of Logan Lodge, No. 490, Free and Accepted Masons; Mountain Chapter, No. 189, Royal Arch Masons; Mountain Council, No. 9, Royal and Select Masters ; Mountain Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar; and Syria Temple, Ancient Ara- bie Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburg. Mr. Cole, aside from the many duties of his present responsible position, · has given some time and thought to the material development of his city, and has served as one of the directors of the Fidel- ity Building & Loan association of Altoona, ever since its organization, in 1884. The business men of Altoona are conspicuous for their enterprise and ability, and in their ranks Thomas W. Cole occupies an honor- able and well deserved position.
C HARLES J. BRAMELL, one of the active young business men of the Mountain City, is the only child of Andrew and Mary (Schenk ) Bramell, and was born in the city of Altoona, Blair county, Penn-
sylvania, April 16, 1868. The Bramell and Schenk families are of German lineage, and have been resident of Germany for several centuries. Andrew Bramell, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1846, in one of the provinces of the present German empire, where he was reared and received his education. At twenty years of age he left the Fatherland to settle in Altoona, where he was engaged in the tailoring business until his death in 1869, at the early age of twenty-three years. He was a consistent member of the Catholic church, and married Mary Schenk, who two years after his death wedded A. Greissen, of Altoona, and has four children by her second marriage. Mary Schenk's father was a native of Germany, who settled in Altoona, where he died in 1871. His widow (grand- mother), who died in 1884, aged seventy years, was a woman of energy and enter- prise. She built the Schenk business block at the corner of Fourteenth street and Eleventh avenue, erected the Brant House at the corner of Twelfth street and Tenth avenue, and contributed liberally toward the erection of the present church edifice of St. Mary's Catholic congregation, of which she was a consistent and highly esteemed member.
Charles J. Bramell was reared in Altoona, where he has always resided. He received his education at the well known St. Vincent's college, of near Latrobe, in Westmoreland county, which was founded by the saintly Rt. Rev. Boniface Wimmer, who revived in America the grand institutions of the Benedictine abbeys of the middle ages. Leaving college, he was engaged for several years as a mercantile clerk in the employ of Andrew Gamble, Harry Bell & Son, and J. W. Leslie, of Altoona. In 1889 he and
508
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
his stepfather, A. Greissen, formed a part- nership and opened a grocery store, which they conducted until 1890, when Mr. Bramell purchased his stepfather's interest. Since then he has conducted a most successful business, and has enjoyed a large and continually increasing trade. In his gro- cery establishment is a well selected stock of everything to be found in a first-class store.
In 1891 Charles J. Bramell was united in marriage with Henrietta O'Brien, daugh- ter of James O'Brien, of Altoona.
In politics Mr. Bramell is a strong and zealous democrat, and a member of St. Mary's Catholic church. Mr. Bramell is an energetic, clear-headed young business man, honorable and fair in all of his trans- actions, and well-deserving of the success which he is achieving.
R. WILLIAM S. SHIMER, a well
read veterinary surgeon of seven year's successful experience in the city of Altoona, is a son of William S., sr., and Hannah S. (Shantz) Shimer, and was born at Shimers- ville, in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1865. His paternal great-grandfather came to America in 1740, and settled on the present site of Shimersville, Lehigh county, which town was named in honor of him. He married and lived there until his death. From him are descended the various Shimer families of this and adjoining states. Ifis son (grandfather) was born in the first year of the present century and died in 1884, when he had nearly reached the eighty-fourth year of his age. He was a farmer, married, and reared a family of industrious children. His son, William S. Shimer, sr., was born on the old Shimer
homestead, where he has resided ever since. Ile is a farmer by occupation, and married Hannah S. Shantz.
William S. Shimer passed his boyhood and youth at Shimersville, received his edu- cation in the common schools and Muhlen- burg college of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and then entered Ontario Veterinary college of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, from which he was graduated in the class of 1885. Having thus scientifically and thor- oughly qualified himself for his chosen profession, he returned home, and in a few weeks afterwards came to Altoona, where he has been very successful as a veterinary surgeon ever since. Ample and scientific qualifications are now demanded in every profession and calling of life, and in this respect Dr. Shimer has well prepared him- self for his work.
In politics he is a republican, but has little time to spare from his veterinary work to give to political affairs. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Altoona, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Although young in years he has met with good success, and ranks high as a well read and skillful veterinary surgeon.
F RANK S. TIERNEY, who has fol- lowed plumbing in the Mountain City successfully for the last five years, is a son of Charles W. and Catherine Tierney, and was born in the city of Altoona, Blair county, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1869. His paternal grandfather was born and reared in the beautiful island of Ireland, where the Tierney family had been resident, in all probability, for centuries. In this most wonderful land of splendid castles and lowly cabins, whose children have genius although
---
- ---- --
509
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
oppressed by want, Mr. Tierney resided until some time prior to 1821, when he joined in the western tide of emigration that had steadily swelled in volume after the unsuccessful revolution of 1798 for Irish independence. He settled in Pennsylvania, and was killed in a railroad accident near Duncannon, Perry county. His son, Charles W. Tierney, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia, and of revolutionary fame, in 1822. He learned the trade of machinist, and came to Altoona, where he was employed for many years in the car and machine shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He died in Altoona in 1889, at fifty-three years of age. After the commencement of the late civil war he enlisted in the Union army, and served three years and six months.
Frank S. Tierney was reared in Altoona, and received his education in the public schools of his native city and the excellent parochial schools of Columbia, Lancaster county. Leaving school, he learned the trade of plumber, worked for three years as a journeyman, and then commenced the plumbing business for himself, in which he has been very successful for a young man. Hle is well prepared to do all kinds of work in plumbing and gas fitting, is a careful workman, uses first-class material, and has rendered good satisfaction wher- ever employed. Mr. Tierney is a repub- lican in politics, and. has been for several years a member of the Catholic church of Altoona.
In 1890 Frank S. Tierney was united in marriage with Anna Mingel, daughter of Francis Mingel, of the city of Altoona. Their union has been blessed with one child, a daughter, named Gertrude M.
W. S. HOSTLER, an active and suc- cessful coal and coke dealer of Al- toona, and the 'senior member of the firm of W. S. Hlostler & Co., is a son of John and Barbara ( Domer) Hostler, and was born in Sinking valley, Tyrone township, Blair county, Pennsylvania, February 11, 1852. The Hostler family is of German descent, and John Hostler, the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was an early settler of Centre county, from which he re- moved to Sinking valley, where he died. He was a blacksmith by trade, and pur- chased a good farm in Sinking valley, which is now in the possession of his son. Another of his sons, John Hostler (father ), was born in Centre county, in August, 1814, and in early life came to Blair county, of which he has been a resident ever since. His business in life has been chiefly that of farming and stock-raising, and he now owns a valuable farm at Bellwood. Although well advanced toward his four score years, he is still active, and personally supervises all of his farming operations. He is a con- sistent member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and in politics supports the Repub- lican party. He has held several of his township's offices, and made a good record as a public official who was conscientious and firm in the discharge of his duties. Mr. Hostler married Barbara Domer, who was born in 1825, and they reared a family of children. Mrs. Hostler is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and her father, Jacob Domer, was an early settler in that section of Blair county, in which he died.
W. S. Hostler spent his boyhood days and grew to manhood on his father's farm, where he was actively employed in agricul- tural work and carefully trained to econom- ical business habits. He received his
610
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
education in the common schools and Logan academy. From the school room he went into the busy world of life with a home training of incalculable value. For seven years he was engaged during the winter months in teaching in the public schools, and in the summer seasons followed farm- ing with his father. At the end of that time, in 1877, he became head clerk and book-keeper for the lumber firm of F. Vo- winkle & Co., at Loydsville, Cambria county, and remained with them in that capacity until 1880, when they sold out their busi- ness. He then came to Altoona and took charge of the books of G. A. McCormick, and of the firm of Diehl & Co. These par- ties were coal dealers, and he remained with them seven years, during which time he gained a thorough knowledge of all the details of the coal business. In 1887 he left their employ and formed his present partnership with J. H. Dietrich, under the firm name of W. S. Hostler & Co. They are wholesale and retail dealers in coal and coke, and have built up a very fine trade in those two great staples of central Pennsyl- vania, which are now in such demand in so many cities and towns.
In 1876 Mr. Hostler was united in mar- riage with Letitia Huston, daughter of George Huston, of Bellwood. Their union has been blessed with one child, a daughter, named Edna K.
In politics W. S. Hostler is a republican, but he is no politician, and gives his time chiefly to his varied business interests. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, in which he is now serving as foreman. Mr. Hostler is a successful and well known dealer in the coal and coke business, where his many years of practical experience render him an excellent judge
of the best grades of coal and coke. Ile takes great care in shipping the required grade of material demanded by his patrons, and has been very successful in furnishing exactly what was wanted. Mr. Hostler possesses good executive ability, and ranks high as an honorable, upright business man. He is a pleasant and approachable gentleman, who is imbued with that true spirit of energy and enterprise that insures a continuation of his present prosperity.
SYLVESTER ERMINE, a resident of near Tipton, and one of the old and substantial farmers of Blair county, is the sixth child and third son of George and Sabina (Devlin) Ermine, and was born in Sinking valley, Blair county, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1820. George Ermine was a resident for many years of Sinking valley, in which he died at the advanced age of eighty-one years in 1866. He learned, in early life, the trade of blacksmith, which he followed to some extent, but gave the most of his time to farming, in which he took considerable interest. He was a Jacksonian democrat in polities, and had been for many years before his death a consistent and use- ful member of the Catholic church. IIe married Sabina Devlin, a native of Sinking valley, and who died in 1863, when in the seventy-fifth year of her age. To them were born ten children, six sons and four daughters : John, Maria, Eleanor, Lucy A., Matthew, Sylvester, George, Aaron, Cath- erine A., and Martin D. These children are all dead except Sylvester, the subject of this sketch, and George, who is engaged in farming in Sinking valley.
Sylvester Ermine grew to manhood in Sinking valley, and was carefully trained
511
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
in all of the operations and details of farm- ing. He received his education in the last old subscription and the first of the com- mon schools, and commenced life for him- self as a teamster at Allegheny furnace. In a short time he left teaming to remove near Fostoria, where he was engaged in farming until 1865, when he purchased his present farm near Tipton. His farm, which lays well and is very productive, consists of one hundred and thirty-three acres of well im- proved land.
Sylvester Ermine married Eleanor Har- rison, and to their union were born eight children, four sons and four daughters : John H., who married Nancy McFarland, and is a butcher and stock speculator at Tyrone; Alice Emma, deceased; Thomas F., a teamster at Tyrone, who married Mary Glasgow; Lulu, wife of William Fuoss, a miller of near Tyrone; Irene, now dead; W. Murray, of Bellwood, married Bertha B. Reilly, and is a trainmaster on the Pennsylvania & Northwestern railroad; Florence E., and George S. Mrs. Eleanor Ermine is a daughter of Jerome and a granddaughter of Capt. John Harrison, the latter of whom was a native of Philadel- phia, and became a pioneer settler of Logan valley, where he owned several large tracts of land. He was a whig, and married and reared a family of eight children : James, Jerome, John, Hamilton, Mary, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Lucy. Jerome Harrison ( father of Mrs. Ermine) was born in 1812 in Phil- adelphia, where he was reared and edu- cated. He came with his father to Blair county, but soon returned to Philadelphia, where he learned the trade of coachmaker, after which he returned to Blair county and settled near Birmingham. He was an old- line whig, followed coachmaking, and was
for many years a deacon in the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married. Ilis first wife was Nancy Stephens, by whom he had three children : Thomas, Eleanor, and Alice. By his second wife, Margaret Clawson, daughter of Josiah Clawson, he had one child, Sylvester.
Sylvester Ermine is a democrat in poli- tics, and has cast his ballot for all the dem- ocratic candidates for president from James K. Polk, in 1844, down to Grover Cleve- land, in 1888.
Thomas Harrison served in the Mexican war, and has for the past twenty-eight years been located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Alaska, in the mining of gold and silver.
Lt AURENCE P. STICH, proprietor of
the Enterprise brewery at Altoona, is one of the energetic and successful business men of that city, and a local leader of con- siderable influence in the Democratic party. He is a son of Julius and Theresa ( Karl ) Stich, and was born in Carrolltown, Cam- bria county, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1857. Julius Stich (father) is a native of Germany, and was reared and educated in his native land. At the age of twenty-one he emigrated to America, and about 1849 settled at Carrolltown, Cambria county, this State. He was a shookmaker by trade, and was thus employed in Carrolltown for a period of ten years. He then engaged in the brewery business at the same place, which he successfully conducted for about fifteen years, after which he retired from active life, and in 1884 removed to the city of Altoona, where he still resides, being now in his sixty-fifth year. He is an ardent democrat in politics, and a member of the Roman Catholic church. While residing in
512
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Cambria county he took an active part in polities, and was among the most prom- inent local leaders of his party. He still owns his brewery and a hotel at Carroll- town, and some fine residence property in this city. When he landed in the United States, in 1848, he did not own a dollar, and is now comparatively wealthy, all the result of his own industry and careful business management. IIe married Theresa Karl, a native of Bavaria, Germany, who is also a member of the Catholic church, and now in the forty-ninth year of her age.
Laurence P. Stich grew to manhood in his native village of Carrolltown, and re- ceived a good practical education in the public schools of that place. He learned the brewery business with his father, and continued to work in his father's brewery until 1881, when he came to the city of Altoona and accepted the position of fore- man in the brewery of Gustave Klemert. In that capacity he remained with Mr. Klemert until 1884, when he resigned his position, purchased the Enterprise brewery, and embarked in business for himself. Ile successfully conducted that brewery until 1888, when it was accidentally destroyed by fire. He then erected his present large brick brewery, located on the corner of Third avenue and Seventh street. In this building he resumed business in 1889. It is also known as the Enterprise brewery, and has a capacity of nearly eight thousand barrels yearly. In 1891 Mr. Stich built a distillery at Gallitzen, Cambria county, with a capacity of twenty bushels per day, which he still owns and manages.
.
In November, 1891, Mr. Stich united in marriage with Louisa Lawrence, a daughter of George W. Lawrence, of Gettysburg, this State. He is a member of the Roman
Catholic church, and in politics a straight democrat of the old school. He takes an active interest in local politics, and is an enthusiastic worker for the success of his party.
BERNARD LEE BESANT, senior
member of the wholesale grocery house of Besant & Hennaman, at Altoona, and a young business man of great executive ability and unusual promise, is a son of James H. and Margaret A. (Reed) Besant, and was born November 1, 1865, at Fred- erick, Maryland. The Besants are of French descent, though residents of this country since early times. James Besant, paternal grandfather, was a native of Mont- gomery county, Maryland, and died in that county. He was a merchant by occupation, and a Jacksonian democrat in politics. He married and reared a family of children, among whom was James H. Besant ( father). The latter was born in Frederick county, Maryland, about 1814, and died at his home, near Frederick city, in 1889, after a life spanning three-quarters of a century. He also was a merchant and grain dealer, and served as justice of the peace in Fred- erick county for many years. Politically he was a democrat, and in religion a mem- ber of the Roman Catholic church. He married Margaret A. Reed, by whom he had a family of children. She is a native of Montgomery county, Maryland, a mem- ber of the Catholic church, and now resides in the city of Frederick, that State, in the sixty-seventh year of her age.
Bernard Lee Besant was reared in the city of Frederick, Frederick county, Mary- land, and received a good practical educa- tion in the common schools of that State, after which he took a course of training in
513
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
the St. John's college. He then became associated with his brother in the grocery business at Frederick city, and remained there until August, 1890, when he came to Altoona. IIere he formed a copartnership with John Hennaman, under the firm name of Besant & Hannaman, and the new firm embarked in the wholesale grocery business in this city the same year. Their estab- lishment is located at No. 917 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, where they carry one of the largest and finest stocks of plain and fancy groceries to be found in western Pennsylvania. The members of this firm are young business men of great enterprise and ability, and have already secured a large and lucrative trade. With the rapid growth of population connected with the development of this part of the Keystone State, the necessity for such enterprises as these gentlemen are engaged in becomes every year more apparent, and it will not be long until this city at the foot of the Alleghenies will be the recognized base of supplies for the retail merchants of an ex- tended region of surrounding territory.
In his political affiliations Mr. Besant follows the traditions of his ancestors, and is a stanch democrat, giving that party a hearty support in both general and local politics. He is a member of the Catholic church of this city.
H ARRY J. WHITE, the head of the well known and highly popular whole- sale grocery house of H. J. White & Co., of Altoona, is a son of John and Fannie (Gettis) White, and was born in Allegheny city, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, July 27, 1857. His paternal grandfather, White, was of that wonderful Scotch-Irish race
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.