USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania > Part 68
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Christian A. Rhodes grew to manhood on the farm, received his education in the sub- scription schools of what is now Catharine township, and engaged in farming, which he has followed very successfully ever since. Hle purchased his present farm of one hun- dred and forty acres of land in 1854. Ilis farm is fertile and productive, and lies con- venient to school, church and market. Mr. Rhodes is a republican in politics, and al- though no extremist, yet never fails to
support the principles of his party, and votes for its standard bearers at State and National elections. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, of which he has served most acceptably as an elder for several years.
On June 20, 1843, Mr. Rhodes married Sarah Daugherty, daughter of Hugh and IIannah Daugherty, of Blair county. To Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes have been born eight children, four sons and four daughters: William, now engaged in farming; Jacob, a farmer and carpenter; Abraham, a car- penter; Houghton, a farmer; Mary E., wife of Holliday Reynolds, of Martinsburg; and Lucinda, Hannah, and Martha E., who are dead.
In life Mr. Rhodes has made it his aim to do well whatever he has attempted, and his well improved farm gives evidence that he has done well in his farming operations, to which he has always given the most of his time and attention.
JACOB ISEET, of German descent, but a native of Bucks county, came to Sink- ing Valley about 1785, as a single man, and by trade a shoemaker. He first lived near the deserted Fort Roberdeau, or Lead Mine Fort, where he followed his trade, taking in lieu of money for his pay wheat at fifty cents per bushel. This he stored in one of the buildings of the old fort, when the failure of the wheat crop caused the price to advance several dollars per bushel. With the money secured from that source he bought the tract of land on which is the Arch spring, where he put up a saw mill and a small grist mill about 1788. Later he removed, but resided at the Arch spring from 1799 until his death, June 1, 1852, at the age of ninety-
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577
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
two years. In 1795 he was married to Eleanor Stockdale, and reared three sons and four daughters, two of the latter dying young. Mary, a daughter, remained single, and died at the age of eighty-two years. Eleanor, the other daughter, became the wife of the Hon. John C. Bucher, of Har- risburg, dying March 6, 1881, at the age of eighty-three years. John S., the oldest son, a well known citizen of Spruce Creek ; Samuel, the second son, owner of the Etna iron works in Catharine township; and Thomas M., the other son, resident of Mon- treal, Canada.
JACOB ROLLER settled in the upper
part of the valley, in Tyrone township, prior to the revolution. He was of German descent, and came from York county. Ilis eldest son, Jacob, was killed in the township by Indians. Other sons-John, Henry, Baltser, and Caleb-moved to the west. One of his daughters married Joshua Igo, of the Tuckahoe valley, and another, John Burley, of Bald Eagle valley. Peter was the youngest son, and Philip, the next older in age, married Jane Moore, daugh- ter of Joseph Moore, and lived first on the old Roller place, but later moved into Mor- ris township, living on the present Perry Moore farm, where he died about 1840. Of fourteen children, eleven attained ma- ture years: daughters, Nancy, who was married to Thomas Reese, a silversmith at Water Street, and for her second husband, Chris. Hewitt, of Williamsburg; Elizabeth became the wife of James Dysart, of Frank- lin township; Ann, of Daniel Hewitt, of Alexandria; Jane, of George Henderson, who removed to the west; Sarah, of Lewis Knode, of Porter; Ellen, the youngest, mar-
ried John M. McCoy, who became a citi- zen of McVeytown. The sons of Philip Roller were Joseph, who lived near Wil- liamsburg; George; Caleb, married Mary Dean, and settled on Clear creek; Joshua, married Elizabeth Moore, was a merchant at Williamsburg, and the father of Dr. Roller, of Hollidaysburg. The youngest son, John Milton, died when a youth.
ROBERT W. ROBISON, a successful farmer, and one of the present school directors of Frankstown township, is a son of James and Elizabeth ( Curry ) Robison, and was born in Blair county, Pennsyl- vania, August 14, 1855. His grandfather on the paternal side, James Robison, set- tled in early life on a farm near Franks- town, on which he resided until his death. He was a whig in politics, married and reared a family of five children : James, Harriet, Margaret, Abraham, and Allen. The eldest son, James Robison ( father), was born in Frankstown township, where he followed farming for many years before his death. He was a republican in politics, and held the township offices of supervisor, auditor, and school director. He married Elizabeth Curry, a daughter of James Curry, and to their union were born four- teen children : Maud, Maggie, Winfield, Squires, Blair, Forest, who died in infancy ; Robert W .; Sarah C., deceased; Lilly, now. dead; Lizzie, Blanche, Gertrude, Andrew, and Archey.
Robert W. Robison grew to manhood in his native township, received a good En- glish education, and was engaged in teach- ing for four years in Frankstown township. At the end of that time he quit teaching to embark in farming, which he has followed
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
with good success ever since. Ile owns a farm of one hundred and fifteen acres of good farming and grazing lands. Mr. Rob- ison is a republican in politics, has always given his party an earnest support, and has served his township for several years as a member of its school board, in which po- sition his intelligence and his experience as a teacher enable him to contribute much to the success of the public schools of Frankstown township.
Mr. Robison was united in marriage with Lida C. Kyle. To their union have been born four children, one son and three daughters : Della M., born December 10, 1882; Florence E., born February 14, 1884; Frank W., born October 13, 1887; and Mary Zelda, who was born in 1889.
DOLPH C. LEHRSCH, contractor and builder, and dealer in all kinds of lumber, is one of the energetic young busi- ness men of Altoona who is rapidly forging to the front and winning reputation and ability. He was born in the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1868, and is a son of George Lehrsch. The latter was a native of Heidelberg, Germany, who came to Amer- ica in 1867, and located in Altoona, this county, where he still resides. He is a machinist by trade, and is now in his forty- ninth year. In politics he maintains an independent attitude, while in religion he is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church.
Adolph C. Lehirsch was reared principally in his native city, and obtained his educa- tion in the public schools here. After leaving the common schools he took a course of training in a business college of Altoona, and when only fourteen years of
age started in to learn the carpenter trade. After completing his trade he engaged to some extent in contracting, and followed the combined business of house carpenter, contractor, and builder until 1886, when he formed a partnership with W. P. Geib, of Altoona, under the firm name of Lehrsch & Geib, and engaged extensively in the planing mill, building, and contracting business, their headquarters being located on Tenth street. This firm continued active operations until August 7, 1890, when their planing mill was destroyed by fire. Mr. Lehrsch then formed a co-part- nership with II. Richers, the style of the firm being Lehrsch & Richers, and resumed business, the mill having an eligible loca- tion on the corner of Fourth avenue and Tenth street, while the office is on Ninth street, between Fourth and Fifth avenues. The new firm soon had a flourishing trade, and did business until March 15, 1892, when Mr. Lehirsch purchased the interest of his partner, and has since conducted the enterprise in his own name. He controls a fine trade, making and executing con- tracts for all kinds of buildings, and dealing in rough and dressed lumber of every de- scription.
In 1891 Mr. Lehrsch was wedded to Edith Pottsgrove, a daughter of George Pottsgrove, of Logan township, this county. In politics he is independent, concerned only in such measures as appear to him to be for the best interests of the whole people, caring not for the personal ambi- tions of political leaders, and a foe to that feverish excitement which usually consti- tutes the atmosphere of oft-recurring elec- tions. In religion he is a Roman Catholic, and a member of St. Mary's church at Altoona.
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OF BLAIR COUNTY.
EORGE W. HAWKSWORTH, the
well known and popular florist of Al- toona, is a veteran of the civil war, and a man whose life has been active and useful. Hle is a son of George W., sr., and Susan (Groff ) Hawksworth, and was born March 31, 1840, in the city of Harrisburg, Penn- sylvania. The Hawksworths were among the English families who early embraced the doctrines of George Fox, and became Quakers. Representatives of the family came over with William Penn, and were among the earliest settlers of this State. From them the subject of this sketch is descended. George W. Hawksworth, sr., ( father) was a native of Kent county, Maryland, where he grew to manhood and received such education as was afforded by the country schools of that day. In that county he learned the trade of blacksmith, serving an extended apprenticeship under a competent workman. After attaining man- hood and finishing his trade, he removed to Lebanon, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, where he carried on coach and carriage smithing for several years. At Lebanon he became acquainted with and married Susan Groff, who bore him a family of nine chil- dren, eight of whom are yet living. From Lebanon he removed to Lancaster, this State, where he was employed for some time by a firm engaged in the building of stage coaches, and then went to Parksburg, Chester county, on the old Portage railroad, and worked in the railroad blacksmith shop in the employ of the State authorities. Later he removed to the city of Harrisburg and accepted a position in the blacksmith shops of the old Lancaster Railroad Com- pany, remaining in their employ until the road was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He then worked for the latter
company at Harrisburg until 1852, when he was sent by them to Mifflin, Mifflin county, to take charge of their shops at that place. Ile remained at Mifflin only one year, when he was transferred to Altoona, this county, and made foreman of the motive power blacksmith shops in this city. IIe was the first foreman in these shops, and held the position up to the time of his death, De- cember 20, 1891, when in his eighty-third year. His was a life of earnest industry and usefulness. He was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church from the age of nine years, and of the Harrisburg Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for more than half a century. In politics he was a republican, but broad minded and liberal in his views. He won the respect and esteem of all who knew him, from the highest to the lowest position, and stood forth as an exemplar of Nature's noblest work-an honest man. His wife, who is of German descent, still survives him, being now in the eighty-first year of her age. She also has been a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is greatly esteemed and loved by a wide circle of friends. She now resides at her comfort- able home in this city.
George W. Hawksworth passed his early boyhood in the city of Harrisburg, and came to Altoona with his father's family. He received his education principally in the common schools of this city, and after leav- ing school learned the blacksmith's trade with his father. He worked at his trade in the Pennsylvania railroad shops in Altoona for a period of fifteen years, being assistant foreman under his father, and in 1883 was compelled to resign his place in the shops on account of declining health. He then engaged in the business which he has ever
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
since successfully conducted, that of a florist, and now has large, handsome, well arranged and well kept greenhouses, with every species of plant and flower usually kept by a first-class florist.
In April, 1861, Mr. Hawksworth enlisted with Capt. A. M. Lloyd, of Hollidaysburg, in Co. HI, 3d Pennsylvania infantry, for three months, and after the expiration of his first term, reenlisted under Capt. Henry Wayne, of Altoona, in Co. F, 76th Penn- sylvania infantry, for three years. On April 1, 1862, Mr. Hawksworth was at- tached to the United States signal corps at Hilton Head, South Carolina, and served in that position until October 16, 1865, when he was discharged from the service at Hilton Head. During his service in the army he contracted disease from which he has ever since suffered, and which com- pelled him to resign his position in the railroad shops and seek employment less exacting and laborious. In politics he is a republican, and takes an active interest in the success of his party.
On December 22, 1865, Mr. Hawksworth was wedded to Amelia J. Major, daughter of Joseph A. Major, formerly of Hollidays- burg, this county, but at that time a resi- dent of Lewistown, Mifflin county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hawksworth has been born a family of four children, two sons and two daughters: William J., Susie, Calvin P., and Laura A., all living at home with their parents at their handsome residence in the city of Altoona.
ERMAN K. MCCAULEY, secretary
of the Altoona Iron Company, and who has been closely identified for the last decade with the important iron industry of central Pennsylvania, is a son of Thomas
and Ann ( Ramey) MeCauley, and was born in Altoona, Blair county, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 6, 1856. His paternal grandfather, Henry McCauley, settled in early life in Blair county, where he died. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and married and reared a family of children. His son, Thomas Mc- Cauley (father ), was born in 1824, removed to Altoona in 1854, and died there in 1880. He was foreman of the Pennsylvania railroad shops until 1860, when he embarked in the planing mill business, which he followed for several years, and then turned his attention for some time to operating several portable steam saw mills in Clearfield county. He was a republican, and a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Second Presby- terian church of Altoona. Thomas Me- Cauley was a man of talent, individuality and great energy. Commencing his life as a poor boy, he won his way into prominence in business affairs, and for several years exerted a marked influence in several im- portant commercial enterprises, but lost heavily in the great panie of 1873, in which thousands of well established business men went down before the black tidal wave of financial ruin that then swept over the land. He was interested in the welfare of Altoona, and often made his influence felt in measures for the prosperity of the city in whose de- velopment he always had strong faith. Ile married Ann Ramey, who was a member of the Presbyterian church, and died in 1885. Mrs. McCauley was a daughter of Frederick and Martha ( Keller) Ramey, and whose ancestral history will be found in the sketch of her brother, David K. Ramey, which ap- pears elsewhere in this volume.
ITerman K. McCauley grew to manhood in Altoona, and at the close of his academic course entered Lafayette college, from which
581
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
well-known institution of learning he was graduated in 1879. Immediately after grad- uation he returned to his native city, and in September of the same year became a clerk for the Altoona Iron Company. He was soon promoted to a responsible position, and in May, 1882, was elected secretary, which position he has held ever since.
On November 4, 1880, Mr. McCauley was united in marriage with Sadie M., daughter of John Crawford, of Sinking valley. To their union have been born three children, one son and two daughters: Anna D., Mar- tha, and Russel.
In politics Herman K. McCauley is a re- publican. He is a member and ruling elder of the Second Presbyterian church, of whose Sunday school he has been superintendent. While ever interested in politics and always active in church membership, yet his time ir principally given to the iron business. lle is a stockholder as well as the secretary of the Altoona Iron Company, whose capital stock is in the neighborhood of two hundred thousand dollars. Their large iron plant, which has been valued at nearly a quarter of a million, is just south of the city limits at Allegheny Station, on the Hollidaysburg branch of the Pennsylvania railroad. The company has a large rolling mill on their plant, which has a capacity of fifteen thous- and tons of iron per year. They employ between one hundred and fifty and two hundred men, and manufacture all kinds of merchant bar iron. Mr. McCauley, in busi- hess affairs, has fixed views, and although conservative in his policy, yet when occa- sion requires, acts boldly, energetically and decisively. He is a man of clear perception, good judgment and firm will, and his knowl- edge of business has been derived from actual observation and experience.
EDWIN L. STUDY, of whom it may
be said, without detracting aught from any other of Tyrone's useful citizens, that his career of successful industry and efforts for the development and prosperity of his town, furnish a worthy example for the young men who aspire to positions of use- fulness and respectability. He was born at Littlestown, Adams county, Pennsylvania. The Study family is of German lineage, and settled in Adams county.
Edwin L. Study was reared at Littles- town, and received his education in the schools of that place. Leaving school he learned the trade of tailor, which he fol- lowed until some time after his marriage, when he removed to Fairfield, in Adams county, where he was engaged in tanning until 1855. In that year he made a trip west, and passing through Tyrone, met there some of his friends who were resi- dents of that place, and induced him to stop over night in the then village of Tyrone on his return. He was so well pleased with the place and so favorably impressed with its business opportunities that he returned home, and after disposing of his Fairfield property came to Tyrone before the close of the year 1855. Immediately after set- tling here he formed a partnership with Pius Sneeringer and T. B. Heims, and they were engaged in the general mercantile business until 1861, when Mr. Sneeringer withdrew, and the firm was Study & Heims up to 1865, in which year Mr. Study pur- chased the fine brick block on the corner of Main and Juniata streets, where were sold the first goods brought to the village. He then associated his brother, S. M. Study, with him, under the firm name of E. L. 'Study & Bro., and they continued in the mercantile business until 1873, when they
582
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
sold their extensive establishment to J. A. and W. L. Study and HI. L. Africa, which firm continued until 1877. It was suc- ceeded by Study Bros. & Co., who sold the gro- very department to S. M. Study, who, in 1890, sold it back to A. L. and W. L. Study, who have continued the combined business ever since under the firm name of Study Bros. In 1874 Edwin L. Study aided in organiz- ing the Blair County Banking Company, of which he was president until his death in 1880. He was active and instrumen- tal in the formation of the firm of Study & Co., which was organized in Ty- rone May 1, 1879, for the purpose of de- veloping the minerals on the lands of George and J. H. Shoenberger, in Hunt- ingdon county. The company erected ex- pensive machinery to wash one hundred and twenty tons of ore per day, built a nar- row guage railroad of three miles to con- livet with the Pennsylvania railroad, and employed about one hundred and twenty- five hands. After Mr. Study's death the company was merged into the present Ju- niata Mining and Manufacturing Co., of Tyrone. He was a man of unusual busi- ness ability, and widened the sphere of his operations at Tyrone into many different fields, where he met with good success. He was engaged extensively, at the time of his drath, in lumbering on Clearfield Creek, in Clearfield county, and in the milling business at Tyrone forges and Laurel Spring mills.
Ile married Caroline MeIlvaine, and reared a family of eight children : Allie II., wife of P. A. Reed, of Tyrone; Mollie J., married H. J. Coleman, a clothier and real estate dealer of Altoona; Virginia, (de- ceased); Emma J., wife of HI. L. Africa, a salesman for R. J. Allen & Co .; James A .;
W. L., who married Minnie Thomas, and is a member of the firm of Study Bros .; Charles A., who married Minnie Whitney, and died August 17, 1891, at thirty years of age; and Harry, now dead. Mrs. Study was a daughter of Gen. William MeIlvaine, who served in the revolutionary war under General Lafayette, and then kept for many years the old hotel which is still standing on the old Baltimore pike near his home farm.
Edwin L. Study was a republican in pol- itics, and in religious faith and church membership had been a Lutheran previous to coming to Tyrone, where he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a consistent and useful member un- til his death. His business career was one of continued activity, and the impress of his life-work will long remain on the. financial and commercial interests of Ty- rone. Death came suddenly to him by a stroke of apoplexy on the 17th of January, 1880, when he was examining an ore mine.
James A. Study, the eldest son and fifth child of Edwin L. and Catherine G. ( Mc- Ilvaine ) Study, was born at Fairfield, Adams county, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1853, but was reared and received his edu- cation at Tyrone. After being graduated from the Iron City Business college, of Pittsburg, in 1870, he engaged in the mer- cantile business with his father, and is now a member of the well known firm of J. A. Study & W. L. Study. He is a strong re- publican, an excellent business man, and a consistent member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Tyrone. In August, 1876, he married Anna V., daughter of J. II. and Mary ( Burkett ) Lever, of Centre county. To Mr. and Mrs. Study have been born two children : IIelen M. and Edwin L.
583
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
BENJAMIN L. HEWITT, one of the
older business men of Williamsburg, and a descendant of two of the old and parly settled families of the county, is the third son and only living child of Christian and Mary ( Roller ) Hewitt, and was born at Williamsburg, Blair county, Pennsylvania, October 2, 1818. His paternal grandfather, Nicholas Hewitt, was of German parentage, and came to Huntingdon county, where he settled on Shaver's creek, near Huntingdon, this State. He cleared out a farm of two hundred acres, upon which he and his wife both died at an advanced age. Ile married a Miss Lambert, of Maryland, by whom he had eleven children, six sons and five daugh- ters. His son, Christian Hewitt (father), was born on Shaver's creek, in Huntingdon county, and in 1814 removed to Williams- burg, where he died in 1858. He kept a hotel on the site of John Law's store from 1814 to 1838. He was a democrat, and married Mary Roller, by whom he had three children : Joseph R., George W., and Ben- jamin L., of whom the two former are now dead. Mrs. Hewitt, who died at Williams- port in 1865, at seventy-two years of age, was a daughter of Philip Roller, a son of Jacob Roller, sr., and a brother of Jacob Roller, jr., who was killed and scalped by Indians near Arch spring. Philip Roller was of German descent, was a Presbyterian, married Jane, daughter of Joseph Moore, and died on the Perry Moore farm at an advanced age, in 1840.
Benjamin L. Hewitt was reared at Wil- liamsburg, and received his education in the schools of that place and Washington, of Washington county. Leaving school he served for a short time as a clerk in a hotel, and was engaged in the mercantile business with his brother Joseph for three
years. At the end of that time, in 1845, his health becoming impaired, he engaged in farming, which he followed until 1871, when he purchased property at Williamsburg, where he has resided ever since.
On January 10, 1845, Mr. Hewitt married Barbara Neff, daughter of Jacob and Nancy Neff, of Shaver's creek settlement, in Hunt- ingdon county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt have been born nine children : Lemuel S., who married Elizabeth Miller; John R., a merchant, who resides in Colorado; George N., married Nellie Gibson, and is a salesman of Denver city, Colorado; Joseph R. and Benjamin N., merchants of Los Angeles, California; Mary (deceased ); Ellen, wife of Lot Firstine, of Utica, this State; Annette, married Samuel Herr, a coal dealer of Du- rango, California; and Sarah E., wife of Robert Metz, of Altoona. Mrs. Hewitt died in 1864, aged thirty-seven years. In 1865 Mr. Hewitt wedded for his second wife Eliza Eichholtz, daughter of Charles and Margaret Eichholtz, of Woodbury town- ship.
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