USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Biographical review : v. 24, containing life sketches of leading citizens of Pittsburgh and the vicinity, Pennsylvania > Part 44
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to his church. His has been the home to which the new minister came, and he has been ever ready to help the pastors with friendly advice or with never-failing sympathy. Mr. Hamilton is also an active temperance man, and is warmly interested in missionary and hospital work.
HARLES FRENCH SHERIFF, of the Sheriff Machine Company, Pitts- burg, was born in this city, May 6, 1848, a son of the late John Black Sheriff. The Sheriffs are probably of Saxon origin, al- though it is impossible to clearly trace the branch to which Charles French belongs, be- yond the ancestor that fled from religious per- secution in Scotland to the northern part of Ireland, where he founded a home for himself and family. In 1785, as near as is known, three young men, John Sheriff, John Leslie, and John Anderson, sailed from Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland, to seek their fortunes in the New World. Coming to Pennsylvania, they located in the Cumberland valley, near Carlisle. Here they formed the acquaintance of Adam Neal and his family. The latter in- cluded two sons, John and James, and six daughters, Mary, Nancy, Martha, Jeannette, Anne, and Rachel. From this family each of the young Irishmen took a wife.
The above-mentioned John Sheriff, the pa- ternal great-grandfather of Charles French Sheriff, was born and reared in County Antrim, Ireland. He had been in this country but a little more than a year when, in 1786, his mar- riage with Miss Neal took place. Soon after the marriages of his daughters Adam Neal, with his family, including his sons-in-law, crossed the mountains, and settled in this vicinity, some in Washington County and some in Allegheny County. Mr. Neal died at Can- onsburg. His widow, with four of her chil-
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dren, John, James, Anne, and Rachel, moved into what is now Pulaski township, Lawrence County, where they subsequently lived and died, and where the descendants of the family bearing the name of Neal now live. After living near Carlisle for two or three years, John Sheriff and his wife moved to Cumber- land County, whence in. 1789 they came to Allegheny County, locating at Peter's Creek. From there they moved to Saw-mill Run, where John was employed in building saw and grist mills, and where both he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Their children were: William, born near Carlisle, Pa., June 21, 1787; Adam, born in Cumber- land County, Pennsylvania, who died October 12, 1857; John, born at Peter's Creek, this county, who died June 14, 1873; James, born at Peter's Creek, who died August 15, 1870; Samuel and Jeanette, born at Saw-mill Run, who died in infancy; and Sarah L., born in 1796, who died January 30, 1885.
John Black Sheriff, a son of John and Rachel Sheriff, was born at Pulaski, Lawrence County, February 2, 1810, and was there reared to maturity. He had but little school- ing; but, being a good reader and a man of great observation, he obtained a good educa- tion. At the time of his death, February 22, 1892, he had been a prosperous business man of Pittsburg for sixty-three years. Learning the trade of a coppersmith when a boy, he fol- lowed it for two years, and then started in business for himself as a manufacturer of salt- well tubing, one of the leading industries in the early days of the city. He furnished the first line of pipe, which was made of copper with brass connections, for the Drake well, the first oil well that was sunk. Iron pipe at that time had not been invented; but after it was placed in the market he was the first dealer in iron pipe for oil wells, having
branches in Franklin, Oil City, Petroleum Centre, and Pithole, and for many years was one of the best known business men in Pitts- burg. He was prominent in military affairs, and previous to the late Civil War he was a Colonel in the National Guard of Pittsburg. Colonel Sheriff was married July 11, 1837, to Miss Sarah Hyatt McGraw, who bore him six children - William, James, Anna Maria, Re- becca Jane, Charles French, and Agnes La- vina. Anna Maria is the wife of Isaac Taylor, of Pittsburg; Rebecca Jane married S. Oliver Wylie; and Agnes Lavina is the wife of Matthew Winterburn. In 1887 the parents celebrated their golden wedding in Elizabeth, on which happy occasion the entire family joined in the festivities, there not having been a death in the family for the entire fifty years of their wedded life. Both the father and mother were members of the Pres- byterian church.
Charles French Sheriff obtained his early education in the public schools of the Second Ward of Allegheny. When a lad of fourteen he left school to enlist in the independent company, which was doing provost guard duty in Pittsburg, being stationed at the Girard House, now the Central Hotel, from April, 1863, until the following December. During the ensuing two months it was at Greensburg, this State. After being dis- charged in February, 1864, he enlisted in Company K, One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and spent his sixteenth birthday fighting in the battle of the Wilder- ness. He afterward served in the Grant cam- paign, participating in the battles of Spottsyl- vania, North Anna River, and Cold Harbor. The brigade to which his regiment belonged made the first advance on Petersburg, June 17, and was at the front on that memorable July 30, 1864, afterward being present at the en-
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gagement at the Weldon Railroad, August 19, and at the Poplar Grove Church, September 30. At the latter place Mr. Sheriff was taken prisoner, and sent first to Pemberton, in Rich- mond, thence to Salisbury, N.C., where he spent the winter, coming out in the spring a mere shadow of his former self, his weight having been reduced from one hundred and forty pounds to seventy. Reaching Annapo- lis, March 13, 1865, he was there tenderly nursed by his mother and brother for weeks before he could be safely taken home. On May 29, 1865, he received his honorable dis- charge, but it was more than a year after that before he was well enough to engage in any work. For the first two years after he had re- covered his health Mr. Sheriff continued his studies, attending the academy at Elizabeth, Pa. Having subsequently learned the trade of a plumber and steam-fitter, he was asso- ciated with the firm of J. B. Sheriff, Sons & Co., for ten years. In 1880 he established his present business as manufacturer of hangings and couplings, in which he has met with signal success. In addition he is agent for the Boston Blower Company, and also repre- sents several New England manufacturers. He is also a stockholder in the Pearl Laundry Company of Pittsburg and in the Caribou Gold Dredging Company. He is one of the original promoters of the latter company, which realized nothing from its investments on the Fraser River until Mr. Sheriff sent out special machinery, by the use of which a cubic yard of the sand or gravel was made to yield about four and a half dollars' worth of gold.
Mr. Sheriff is an active worker in the Re- publican ranks. He has been many times a delegate to city and county conventions ; and he was instrumental in placing the Hon. John W. Morrison before the people as the soldier
candidate for the office of State Treasurer, and finally electing him. Very prominent in Ma- sonic circles, he belongs to Allegheny Lodge, No. 223, of which he is Past Master; to Alle- gheny Chapter, No. 217; to Ascalon Com- mandery, No. 59, K. T., of which he is Past Eminent Commander; and to the Grand Com- mandery, attending all the State conclaves and many of the triennial. He is also Past Exalted Ruler of the Pittsburg Lodge, a mem- ber of the Grand Lodge of the United States, and the father of the Allegheny Lodge, No. 339, which he formed in the spring of 1896, and of which he is a trustee. He likewise belongs to the Ancient Essenic Order, and is Past Eminent Commander of the Elks. In the Grand Army he is a Past Commander of the Abe Patterson Post of Pittsburg; he was a delegate to several department encampments ; and he was national delegate in 1893 'to In- dianapolis, when Pittsburg was selected as the place for the next encampment. He is also a member of the Americus Club of this city.
In 1881, October 13, Mr. Sheriff married Miss Carrie V. Smith, of Allegheny. Mrs. Sheriff is one of the most active and promi- nent workers in the social circles of this part of Pennsylvania. She served ably as presi- dent of the Colonel J. B. Clark Circle, No. II, Ladies of the Grand Army; and at the en- campment in Shamokin she was elected de- partment president. During her term of office the Johnstown flood occurred, and, appealing to her department for financial aid for the families of the soldiers of that town, she was the first person to carry money to distribute after that terrible disaster. At Altoona she was not allowed to retire, but was re-elected as department president; and at Washington, in 1892, she was elected national president for the following year. She is past president i and now secretary of the Ladies' Auxiliary
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OLIVER L. BLACHLY.
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to the Union ex-prisoners of war, and is |time until he removed to Wilkinsburg he president of the Ladies' Hospital Saturday and Sunday Association. She is likewise president of the Wimodausis Country Club, i an auxiliary to the Masonic Country Club, which is composed exclusively of the wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters of Masons. Mr. and Mrs. Sheriff are both members of the North Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.
LIVER L. BLACHLY, M.D., has been a resident of Wilkinsburg, Alle- gheny County, since 1893, and in that time has built up a practice. He was born October 5, 1852, at Sparta, Washington County, this State, a son of Dr. Stephen L. and Sarah (Lindley) Blachly, and comes of ancient and honored antecedents, dating his ancestry on his mother's side back to the early Plymouth colonists, and representing a family some of whose male members for several gen- erations (at least two hundred years) have been practitioners of medicine. In the sketch of his father, which appears on another page of this volume, a fuller ancestral history may be found. The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood in his native county, where also he obtained his elementary educa- tion, this being supplemented by a thorough course of study at 'Waynesburg College, at which he graduated in 1874. Having early in life made a choice of the medical profes- sion, he entered his father's office as a student soon after his graduation, and made such good use of the excellent opportunities there afforded him that he was soon qualified to enter Jefferson Medical College, from which he received a diploma in 1877. Returning to Sparta, the Doctor was admitted to partner- ship with his father, with whom he was asso- ciated thirteen years. From the end of that
conducted practice alone, his father having retired. In 1893, as above mentioned, the Doctor came to Wilkinsburg, where he is numbered among the leading members of his profession. He is connected with various so- cial and professional organizations, belonging to the Washington County Medical Society, the State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and the Wilkinsburg Medical Club; he is also a member of the Jefferson Medical Alumni Association, and, outside of his profession, of the Independent Order of Heptasophs. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party. He has a hand- some brick residence at 810 Wood Street, which he built in 1893, and in which his office is located.
On May 18, 1880, Dr. Blachly married Miss Anna R. Sherrard, daughter of the Rev. John Il. and Kizie Fulton Sherrard; and into their pleasant home circle three children have been born - Stephen L., John S., and Mary F. Dr. and Mrs. Blachly are valued members of the Presbyterian church, the teachings of which they endeavor to exemplify in their daily lives.
B ENJAMIN LOMAX HORRSLY DABBS,* of Pittsburg, a maker of portraits by photography, has built his reputation as an artist of the first rank on the safe and sure basis of excellence. He was born in London, England, November 30, 1839, a son of George and Elizabeth (Cropper) Dabbs.
George Dabbs was reared, educated, and married in England. He came to this coun- try about the year 1845. Locating in New York City, he soon after became a member of the firm of L. Chapman & Co., and carried on business there for ten years. In 1856 be re-
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moved to Philadelphia, becoming a member of the firm of George Dabbs & Co., and was a pioneer in the manufacture and sale of da- guerreotype materials and goods, in which he met with great success. He continued in that business as long as he lived, but during the last few years of his life resigned its manage- ment to his sons. Of the seven children born to him and his wife six grew to maturity: Benjamin L. H .; Walter G .; William H .; Emma, who married Edward Martin, of Phila- delphia; James C .; and Frances E. The par- ents were members of the Episcopal church.
Benjamin L. H. Dabbs was educated in the public schools of New York City. When quite young he entered his father's store in one of the lower positions, and by faithful and strict attention to his duties worked his way up until he became salesman. In this position he won a reputation when but nine- teen years old of being the best salesman in his line of goods in the country, and was earnestly sought for by several large New York houses, who tempted him with offers of a larger salary. In 1860 he was admitted to the firm; but the next year he sold out his interest, and, coming to Pittsburg, opened a store for the sale of ambrotype and photo- graphic goods. Previous to this time but one house in Pittsburg handled this class of goods. Another one was, however, very soon estab- lished; and because of Mr. Dabbs's reputation, which had preceded him, they combined to work against him, but, notwithstanding the competition, he succeeded in building up a business of one hundred thousand dollars a year. He continued in that trade until 1869, when he gave his personal attention to work in his studio, having been somewhat interested in photography for seven or eight years. He soon found that he had an especial talent in this line of art, producing lifelike effects with
the camera. He has the happy gift of throw- ing the light on the face of the subject in such a manner as to bring out the best and strong- est expressions of character, seemingly having an intuitive conception of the particular posi- tion required to produce the desired effect. It is his constant study to improve the art, which has made such rapid progress during the past decade, and which has given such valuable aid to science and many departments of industry. Many prominent people of this vicinity and strangers from a distance, including eminent Europeans, have sat in front of his camera, obtaining most satisfactory portraits, which have won for him highly prized commenda- tions from connoisseurs. One of the finest portraits ever taken of Andrew Carnegie was made by Mr. Dabbs, who has also had as a sitter Francis Murphy, the great temperance worker, and his son, T. Edward Murphy.
Mr. Dabbs married in June, 1861, Miss Mary Harbaugh, of Philadelphia, who died three years later. His son George, born of this union, is a photographer at Mckeesport; and his daughter, Mary A., is the wife of L. W. Welden, of Pittsburg. In religious faith the first Mrs. Dabbs was an Episco- palian. Mr. Dabbs married for his second wife Miss Sarah Q., daughter of Dr. John Dickson, of this city. Ten children were born to them, and six are now living; namely, Joseph N., Benjamin L. H., Jr., John D., Frank H., Sarah Louisa, and Marian Vir- ginia. The mother of these children died in 1883. She was a Presbyterian. The maiden name of the present Mrs. Dabbs was Engle. Mr. and Mrs. Dabbs have a beautiful resi- dence on Highland Avenue at the East End. Among other things of interest and value in its furnishing and adornment is a choice art collection. Mr. Dabbs is prominent in social circles, belonging to the Sportman's Club, the
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EDWARD A. CAMPBELL.
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Country Club, the Bellefield Club, the Na- tional Photographic Association, and the Pittsburg Art Society. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He was made a Mason in Allegheny Lodge, No. 223, F. & A. M., and has advanced to the Royal Arch degree.
6 DWARD ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, one of the leading manufacturers of art glass in Pittsburg and one of the most extensive dealers in that article of com- merce, belongs to a family which for three or more generations have been prominent in this branch of industry, both in Pennsylvania and Ohio. His grandfather, Edward, who claimed a Scotch ancestry, was a pioneer man- ufacturer of glass in Cincinnati, where he was born.
Samuel Campbell, the father of Edward A., was born and reared in his Cincinnati home. After attaining his majority, he removed to Monongahela City, Washington County, this State, where he was successfully engaged in the making of glass of different kinds until his death, which occurred April 10, 1871. His wife, whose maiden name was Isabelle McNeill, having survived him a quarter of a century, passed away November 12, 1896, at a venerable age. She had seven children, .. namely: Calvin L., who is connected with the United Glass Company of Orestes, Ind .; Isa- belle, the wife of Samuel Larimer, of Monon- gahela City, Pa. ; Samuel H., a resident of Laramie City, Wyo., where he is engaged in the glass business; William R., who is in the glass business at Lancaster, Ohio; John D., of the glass works at New Kensington, Pa. ; Harry R., of Monongahela City; and. Edward A., the subject of this sketch.
Edward A. Campbell was reared and edu-
cated in his native city. Entering his father's glass factory at the age of fifteen years, he may be said to have grown up with the busi- ness, with all the details of which he became thoroughly familiar. Since coming to Pitts- burg, he has established a most profitable business in the manufacture of art stamped glass, of which he makes a specialty, the pro- ductions of his factory being well known in all parts of the Union. In addition, he has a large trade in window and plate glass.
On October 12, 1880, Mr. Campbell was united in marriage with Miss Camilla I., daughter of George W. Bracey, of Pittsburg. Born of the union is one daughter, Bessie B. Campbell, an attractive young maiden. Mr. Campbell is a stanch advocate of the prin- ciples of the Republican party. He is a member of Zeno Lodge, No. 748, I. O. O. F .; and of the Junior O. U. A. M. Both he and Mrs. Campbell are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
ATHIAS F. DETHLEFS, of Sharpsburg, now living in retire- ment, was a prominent minister of the Lutheran church. He was born March 16, 1815, in the village of Trennworth, Hol- stein, Germany. His father, Martin Dethlefs, was a farmer at the time of his wife's death. which occurred at the birth of her son. After this Martin removed to Meldorf, where he was engaged in business during the re- mainder of his life.
Mathias was educated in the Congregational school and in the gymnasium. He studied for the ministry in Kiel and Jena in Saxony, tak- ing the regular theological course, and preach- ing in the meantime to enable him to pursue his studies. Subsequently, with the consent of the church authorities, being unwilling to
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swear allegiance to the Danish crown, of which he was a subject, he came to the United States, locating near Buffalo, N. Y., in the year 1845. Here he preached for eighteen months, after which he. accepted a call to the German Evangelical United Church on Ohio Street, then a young parish. He built the present church edifice in 1849, and remained in charge afterward until 1855, by which time the society had considerably increased in mem- bership. Besides attending to his pastoral duties, he conducted a private school, and taught German to many people who have since become prominent in Pittsburg and Allegheny City. When his wife's father died, he removed to Sharpsburg, and engaged in missionary work throughout the county. Shortly after, he received and accepted a call to Galion, Ohio. Here he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he returned to,Pittsburg. After working for a short time in missions in Etna, Mr. Dethlefs organized the First German Lutheran Church of Sharps- burg, was chosen as its first pastor, and re- mained with the society until it became self- supporting, in the meantime maintaining him- self by teaching in the public school, and conducting private classes in German. Afterward he was engaged in missionary work in Armstrong, Butler, and other coun- ties, in connection with the Pittsburg Lu- theran Synod. The scene of his last mission- ary labors was Liverpool, Ohio. Mr. Dethlefs has now retired from active church work, but has retained a regular connection with the Pittsburg Lutheran Synod. For the past six- teen years he has been in the employment of Spring, Chalfant & Co., and is now their assistant manager.
In 1849 Mr. Dethlefs married Miss Mary Sozin, of Sharpsburg. Of his nine children Eliza, Emma, Martin E., and Charles are
living, and reside with their parents. Charles has been clerk of the International Revenue office. His pleasant and spacious homestead was bought by him from the other heirs in 1855. He is a member of the Trinity Lu- theran Church of the city. Actively identified with the Republican party, he has been a member of the Borough Council, serving two terms on the Finance Committee, was elected Burgess of the borough in 1893, and was re- elected in 1895. During his term of office two electric light plants have been put in, and the town sewerage system has been completed.
A" LBERT C. SPEER, M.D.,* of 2452 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburg, Pa., a skil- ful and successful young physician of the regular school of practice, was born in Washington County, this State, October 15, 1864, a son of Solomon C. and Anna Eliza (Walker) Speer. His grandfather Speer was born in Pennsylvania, of German parentage.
Solomon C. Speer was likewise a native of the Keystone State, and in his earlier man- hood years was captain of a passenger boat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. On giving up this life, Captain Speer bought a farm at Belle Vernon Station, Pa., where he is now prosperously engaged in the sand business. He married Ann Eliza Walker, whose father died when she was a young child. Five chil- dren were born to the parents, and four of them are living; namely, Charles P., Albert C., Bessie, and Jessie. The mother, a woman of strong Christian character and a Baptist in religious belief, died in 1882. The father is a Cumberland Presbyterian.
Albert C. Speer remained an inmate of the parental household until eighteen years of age, acquiring his early knowledge of books in the common schools. After that he attended
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JAMES C. DUNN.
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Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and Mount Union College at Mount Union, Ohio. He then entered the depart- ment of medicine of the University of Penn- sylvania, pursued the course of study, and received his medical diploma in 1889. The following year Dr. Speer spent in the Mercy Hospital at Pittsburg, gaining valuable experi- ence, and since that time has been an active practitioner in this city, having by persever- ance and marked ability succeeded in building up a good general practice.
On the first day of June, 1892, Dr. Speer married Miss Hattie W. Coyle. Dr. and Mrs. Speer have two children - Louie Helene and Anna Elizabeth, bright and attractive little girls. The Doctor is a member of the Alle- gheny County Medical Society. Politically, he is a straight Republican. Mrs. Speer is a member of the Presbyterian church.
EORGE B. HILL * is a representative financier of Pittsburg, having been closely identified during the last twenty years with important business interests in the city. Since coming to Pittsburg in 1865, Mr. Hill has acquired large and varied interests. He recognized the stupendous natural resources of the city and its unsur- passed opportunities for investment and ex- pansion. In these respects no city in the Union is more favored than Pittsburg. The enormous railway interests, the Westinghouse concerns, the Philadelphia Gas Company, the Union Switch and Signal Company, the Standard Underground Cable Company (the stock of which is twenty-seven million dol- lars), and a long list of steel companies, man- ufacturers, banks, insurance companies, and so forth, offer a striking array from which to choose investments. As a financier no man in
Pittsburg is more prominent than Mr. Hill. Thirty years of tireless and well-directed energy, together with a remarkable natural aptness for finance, have made him a conspic- uous figure in moneyed circles throughout the State. He has figured in some of the heaviest stock transactions that have ever been consum- mated in Pennsylvania. Perhaps the most notable of these was the famous gas stock deal out of which grew the Philadelphia Gas Com- pany. Mr. Hill is president and director of the Allegheny Traction Company, president and director of the Allegheny & Manchester Traction Company, director of the Second National Bank of Allegheny and of the Stand- ard Underground Cable Company. He is a member of the firm which includes, besides himself, W. I. Maston and J. Nicholson. Their office is on Fourth Avenue. Mr. Hill is a thoroughly self-made man. He started with one dollar, energy, and brains, and has reached a position of broad influence, and has commanded the admiration and respect of his associates by his honorable and successful business dealings and by his personal worth.
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