USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Book of biographies : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania > Part 14
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Dr. John Corran McCauley, after complet- ing his preliminary education in the public schools, began the study of medicine with J. S. Boyd, M. D., of New Brighton, Pennsyl- vania. He entered into his work with char- acteristic energy, and in 1890 was graduated from the Homeopathic Medical College, of Cleveland, fully qualified for his chosen pro- fession. He immediately located at Rochester, where he succeeded to the practice of Dr. G. H. Smith. He has built up an extensive patronage, and enjoys the confidence and good will of his fellow-citizens to the fullest extent. In 1893, he built a fine residence in Rochester, with an office in connection. He is a member of the Beaver County Homeo- pathic Medical Society; the State Homeo- pathic Medical Society; and the American
PAULUS E. KOEHLER.
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Institute of Homeopathy. He is also a mem- ber of the board of censors of the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical College. He is also on the staff of the Beaver Valley Hospital.
Dr. McCauley was united in marriage with Jennie C. Parks, a daughter of Theodore Parks, of New Sewickley township, Beaver county, and they have one child, Mary E., born March 28, 1897.
AULUS E. KOEHLER, who owns an elegant four-story hotel in Mon- aca, and also has extensive real estate interests there, is a prosperous citizen of that place, where he has resided for a great many years. A portrait accompanies this biog- raphy.
Mr. Koehler was born in Prussia, April 10, 1856, where he attended the public schools. He was also a pupil of the high school, and pursued the study of theology, with the in- tention of becoming a missionary. He was a brilliant scholar, and gained the honors of his class, but he never took orders, as he pre- ferred a business career. He learned the trade of a decorator of porcelain under the talented E. Schledmich, the celebrated Prussian ex- porter, and was with that gentleman until 1881, acquiring the highest degree of skill in his art. He then came to America, and lo- cated at East Liverpool, Ohio, and took charge of the decorating shop of George Homlichhaus, also doing contract jobs for other firms. One year later, he accepted a very
good position with the Phoenix Glass Com- pany of Monaca, Pa., and had the honor of decorating the first piece of work ever turned out by that firm, which is the largest glass firm in the world in that line of business. Mr. Koehler built two kilns, and remained in their employ until 1884, when the factory was burned to the ground, and he then started a shop of his own in Monaca, do- ing work for various glass firms. He has always been a very fine work- man, and some of his productions show a per- fection of finish which is hard to surpass. When the Phoenix works were rebuilt, the firm prevailed upon Mr. Koehler to accept his old position, although his business was in a flourishing way. He built the first clay kiln ever constructed for firing decorated glass, those in use previous to that time being of steel. He is a very clever and ingenious man, and made a number of discoveries which have proved of great value to him. Upon return- ing to the Phoenix Glass Company, he took the work on contract, and with good results. He held this position until 1897, when he gave up the business on account of failing health, after a satisfactory connection of almost twenty years.
In 1883, Mr. Koehler first began to deal in real estate, and since that time he has handled over $100,000 worth of property in Monaca. Being convinced that the borough had a bright future before it, he purchased a piece of property in 1883, and has erected several houses, all of a class which are an improve- ment to the town. He was one of the or-
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ganizers of the Citizens' Improvement Com- pany, which has been active in developing the interests of the community. There is a large tract of land on Dorchester Heights for manufacturing and residence sites, all nicely laid out, and in it the subject of this sketch owns twenty- one lots, individually, besides holding an interest in the company. He was also in the business of developing gas, and bought gas lands quite extensively. He owns ten acres of building lots in the borough, and is a direc- tor and local representative in the Building & Loan Association. In 1898, he built the Hotel Monaca, a fine four-story building of buff brick, and it is undoubtedly the finest in Beaver county, on the south side of the Ohio River. The interior is in keeping with the beautiful exterior, hav- ing fine, lofty rooms and offices, with appointments complete in every particular. It contains fifty large rooms, its dimensions being 86x46 feet, and is a first-class hotel, enjoying the patronage of all the high-grade transient trade. Mr. Koehler's confidence in the future of Monaca remains unshaken, and he contemplates the erection of a business block, similar in style to the hotel, imparting a metropolitan air to the town. He was ac- tive in his efforts to secure a bridge across the Ohio River, and is now a stockholder of the bridge company.
In 1876, Mr. Koehler was united in mar- riage with Marie Schilling, and they have nine children : Anna (Betts); Henry, a graduate of Butcher's Business College, who is a mold-
maker by trade; Louisa; Otto M., a decor- ator, who is also a graduate of Butcher's Bus- iness College; Howard; Amelia; Elsie; Ed- ward; and Sophia. They had also four who died in infancy. Religiously, he is a liberal supporter of churches. He is a Republican in politics, and has been a member of the council since 1896 (having been re-elected in 1899), and has served on the county committee. Socially, he is quite prominent, and belongs to a number of orders. He has been grand district deputy of R. A .; past chancellor, K. of P .; a member of the Woodmen of the World; B. P. O. E .; Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. In the Masonic Order he is a mem- ber of Rochester Lodge, No. 229; Record Chapter, No. 167; Ascalon Commandery, No. 59; and the Consistory of the Scottish Rites, No. 320.
OHN M. KELSO, a veteran of the Civil War, is the proprietor of one of the finest general merchandise stores in Beaver county, and resides at New Galilee. He was born in Noblestown, Pa., August 31, 1843, and is a son of Mark and Mary (Bor- land) Kelso.
John Kelso, the grandfather of John M., was born in Franklin county, Pa., in 1750. and obtained his education in the East. Upon the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he volunteered his services to the cause of In- dependence, and, in all, served seven years and six months, holding the rank of sergeant major when he retired from the army. He
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was a brave soldier and has an honorable war record. At the close of the war he removed to Allegheny county and took up a large tract of wild land, which he cleared, and upon this he erected log buildings. He married Miss McCormick, who was born in Allegheny county, and they reared six children : George ; John; Benjamin; Mark, the father of John M .; Jennie (Ormond); and Mary (Cook). Politically, he was a Whig. Religiously, he was a member of the Associate Reformed church. He passed to the world beyond, in the year 1810.
Mark Kelso was born in Allegheny county, Pa., in 1802, and, notwithstanding the many difficulties he encountered, obtained a good education. He assisted his father in cultivat- ing the farm, and upon the latter's death suc- ceeded to the possession of the old home- stead. He was a large sheep-raiser and wool- grower, and was proud of the quality of his stock. He was a Whig and later a Repub- lican. He was a faithful member of the United Presbyterian church, and was an elder therein for years. He died in 1865, and his wife survived him many years, dying in 1889, at the age of eiglity-one. His union with Mary Borland, a daughter of Matthew Bor- land, of Allegheny county, Pa., resulted in the following issue: Margaret (Nesbit); Mary A. (Woods); John M., the gentleman whose name heads these lines; Matthew B., who died in infancy; George H., a farmer ; and Joseph A., a merchant, who, prior to his death, in 1898, was a partner of the subject of this sketch.
John M. Kelso received his mental training in the public schools of Allegheny county, and was engaged as a teacher until 1883, when he moved to the borough of New Gali- lee. It was a very small place at that time, there being but three stores located there, but our subject predicted its future growth, and, in partnership with his brother, Joseph A. Kelso, bought out the store of A. F. Reed. There they did business for five years, at the end of which time they bought a building of Mr. Porter. In a very short time they ac- quired a large and lucrative trade, and at the present time John M. Kelso is the leading merchant of the town. The building in which le is located consists of one story, a basement and a stock room, and is without doubt one of the most completely stocked stores in Beaver county, carrying a full line of dry goods, boots and shoes, hats and caps, cloth- ing, notions, hardware, crockery, house fur- nishings, jewelry, drugs, confectionery, to- bacco and cigars. He is a man of great energy and enterprise, and the manner in which he caters to the wants of his customers has brought him into public favor.
John M. Kelso, fired with the patriotism of an American citizen who loves his country, enlisted, in 1864, in Company I, 112th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., near Pittsburg. After doing garrison duty around Washington, D. C., he was sent to the seat of war and took part in some of the hardest-fought battles, such as the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, and Chapin's Farm. He
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was taken prisoner, and was forced to endure the tortures of Libby Prison, Belle Isle, and Salisbury, being confined in these no- torious places for about six months. He was then exchanged, but the harsh treatment to which he had been subjected, and the lack of proper food, had undermined his robust con- stitution, and he was stricken with typhoid fever, from which he did not recover until after the close of the war.
Mr. Kelso formed a marital union with Caroline H. Imbrie, a daughter of Rev. David R. Imbrie, and a granddaughter of Rev. David Imbrie. Her great-grandfather was a native of Scotland, who came to New York City, where he remained for a short period, and then returned to his fatherland. Upon again sailing for this country, he was shipwrecked and lost most of his valuables and personal effects,-in fact, the proceeds of most of his property. He settled in Service, Pa., buying a large tract of land, which he cleared, and then erected houses and barns. He was a suc- cessful stock-raiser. He married Miss Flack, and they had two children : David ; and John, who engaged in farming, in Beaver county.
Rev. David Imbrie was educated at Canons- burg, studied for the ministry, and was licensed to preach in the Associate Reformed church. He preached for many years at Bethel, Lawrence county, Pa., and at Darling- ton. His death came very suddenly and in a very dramatic manner. He died one Sab- bath morning as he was entering the pulpit. His son, Rev. David R. Imbrie, received his collegiate or theological education at Canons-
burg. He was pastor of a church at New Wilmington, Pa., for more than twenty-five years, and was held in the highest esteem. Ile married Nancy R. Johnston, who was born in Franklin county, Pa., and they had eight children, four of whom are now living, namely: Rev. J. J., who was educated at New Wilmington and in Westminster College, is a graduate of the Allegheny Theological Sem- inary, and now holds two charges in Butler county ; Rev. D. R., who received the same educational training as his brother, and is chaplain of the Allegheny County Work- house; Nannie I., the wife of R. S. Clark, a well-known farmer; and Caroline H., who at- tended the public schools at Ottawa, Kansas, and Bridgewater Academy, Pa. She taught school for three years and was then united in marriage with the subject of this biography. They are the parents of four children: Fred- erick L .; George N .; Joseph A .; and Nannie I. Religiously, Mr. Kelso is a member of the U. P. church and has been an elder since 1888. He is a Republican in politics, and held the office of school director for six years.
AMES T. CONLIN may be classed among the self-made men of Beaver county, having begun at the foot of the ladder and worked up to his present position; he is public-spirited, a man of fine business qualities, and enjoys the respect and good will of a multitude of acquaintances. He was born at Freedom, Pa., June 1, 1855, and is a son of John and Mary (Carroll) Conlin.
HENRY SEPP.
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Mr. Conlin's parents were born near Castle Bellingham, County Louth. Ireland, and after their marriage, in 1845. they came to the United States, first locating in Baltimore, re- maining there three years, and then moving to Rochester. He worked on the railroad at Freedom, Baden, and Rochester, and passed his latter days in Rochester, dying in 1881, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife died in 1876, aged fifty-five years. To them was born the following family of children : Mar- garet, who was married to M. Maloney, both of whom are now deceased ; Catherine, who is the wife of J. Gildernew, of Pittsburg; Annie, who is the widow of Charles O'Donald ; Joseph P., a resident of Alliance, Ohio, who was wedded to Miss Mary Hogan; and James T.
When Mr. Conlin was three years of age, his parents moved to Baden and there he ob- tained his primary education; at twenty-one years of age, he began railroading as a section man. He was promoted next to tie inspector, then to baggage master, and September I, 1889, he was appointed assistant ticket agent at Rochester and July 17, 1899, was appointed ticket agent to succeed W. G. Masten,-in which capacity he is at present serving. Mr. Conlin bought a small residence on Washing- ton street, which he later sold, and built a large house on Pinney street ; in 1897, he sold the latter place to Benjamin Pfeiffer, and pur- chased a lot of J. J. Hoffman, on the corner of Hinds and Penn streets, where he erected a handsome dwelling, which he makes his home. Mr. Conlin is secretary of the Central
Building & Loan Association; a director of the Keystone Tumbler Co., Limited; a direc- tor of the First National Bank of Rochester; and a partner in the S. M. Hervey & Com- pany Insurance Company, the largest insur- ance agency in the county.
Mr. Conlin has served three terms in the council. Religiously, he is a member of the Catholic church, while socially, he belongs to the Woodmen of the World, is a member and collector of the Royal Arcanum, and has passed through all the chairs of the Elks lodge. The subject of this sketch was joined in marriage with Miss Annie Huering, a daughter of Theodore and Mary Huering, and they are the parents of five children, namely: Elizabeth; Theodore; Theodora ; Mary; and James. Mrs. Huering resides in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Mr. Huering died in June, 1898, and at the time of his death, was residing in Rochester.
ENRY SEPP, whose wholesale liquor establishment is the largest and best in Western Pennsylvania, is located in Beaver Falls where he is numbered among the foremost business men. He is a son of Bernard and Martha (Hahn) Sepp, and was born in Hessen, Germany, May 27, 1849. Mr. Sepp's portrait accompanies this sketch.
The grandfather of Henry Sepp was Henry C. Sepp, a prosperous farmer living in Ger- many, whose father was a man of education and a surveyor by profession. The instru-
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ments by which the latter earned a livelihood are treasured heirlooms of the family. Ber- nard Sepp, the father of the gentleman whose name heads these lines, followed an agricul- tural life, owning and working a fine farm of sixty-six acres, and making a specialty of cat- tle raising and dairying. He married Martha Hahn, who was born and schooled in Ger- many, and they had five children: Conrad, a baker of Braddock; Anna M., who died in infancy; Henry, the subject of this personal history; Lizzie A. (Eppel), whose husband is a butcher at Braddock; Mary (Marx) of Chip- pewa township; and Adam C., deceased.
Henry Sepp received his schooling in Hes- sen, Gerinany, spending his youth on the farm. When sixteen years of age, in 1865, le came to America, locating in Allegheny, Pa., where he learned the trade of an axe polisher, accepting a position with Joseph Graff, doing work by contract. The fact that this is the only firm for which he worked in this country,-continuing with him for twenty-six years,-speaks volumes for the steadiness and perseverance of Mr. Sepp. When the concern was removed to Beaver Falls, in 1871, he accompanied it and con- tinued in its employ until he went into the liquor business at the corner of Fifteenth street and Fourth avenue, renting a building for that purpose. He remained in that store for four years, when he erected his present building, which he has since occupied. He has one of the most complete stores and bot- tling plants in Western Pennsylvania, it being large and roomy, and equipped with the most
approved machinery. The bottling and wash- ing are done by machinery, which is driven by a gas engine, and the capacity is 200 dozen bottles per day. Next to these rooms is the large cooling room, for keeping the liquor in condition for use at all times,-the plans for this room being devised by our subject. It is double-walled, and filled with paper. Next to this is the sale room, in which he has a large line of expensive liquors, including rare old wines of ancient vintage, both domestic and imported. Across the yard is another store room, a wagon shed, and stables. In fact his facilities for this line of business are unex- celled, and the business has grown to such proportions that he finds it necessary to keep three delivery wagons going at all times. Three men are employed in the bottling de- partment, and the cooler has a capacity of two carloads. He has an extensive line of goods for medicinal purposes, in which his trade is very large. Although a man of the greatest enterprise, his honesty and conscien- tiousness are unquestioned, and he has refused . to give credit in all cases in which he thinks it will encourage debt and shiftlessness.
Mr. Sepp was joined in the bonds of wed- lock with Elizabeth Theis, who was born in Hessen, Germany, and they reared nine chil- dren: Henry, Jr .; Elizabeth, who died at the age of five years; Mary (Roy); William, who is assisting his father; Bertha; Lena; Katie, an accomplished musician; Eddie, who died at the age of five years; and Edna. The four youngest children are students, and contem- plate entering college. In political affilia-
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tions, Mr. Sepp is a strong Republican, whilst in religious faith and fellowship, he is a mem- ber of the German Lutheran church. Frater- nally, he is a member and past master of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, and a member of the German Druids.
Henry Sepp, Jr., the oldest child born to his parents, was born in Beaver county, June 22, 1871, and received his mental instruction in the public schools. He then learned the trade of a glass maker and followed that un- til his twenty-first year, when, after complet- ing a course in Rand's Business College, he engaged as bookkeeper for his father. He has continued in that capacity up to the pres- ent time, and is a man of tried business quali- ties. When he was but thirteen years old, he began studying music, taking lessons on the violin; he is now an accomplished musician and the leader of Sepp's orchestra, one of the most favorably known musical organizations in this section of Pennsylvania. Mr. Sepp was united in marriage with Clara Stauffer, who was born in Canada and moved with her parents to "Brownstone," Michigan, where she attended school. She later moved to Beaver Falls, Pa., where she was mar- ried to the
son of Henry Sepp. Henry Sepp, Jr., is an aggressive Republi- can, and although he has often been urged to accept office in the borough, he has uni- formly declined. Religiously, he is a Luth- eran. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias; Nonpareil, A. C .; and the Beaver Falls Turnverein. The residence he now oc-
cupies is a two-story frame building, adjoin- ing his father's home, which he bought in February, 1897.
LFRED P. MARSHALL. Among the eminent lawyers of Beaver county, is the gentleman whose name appears at the opening of this brief biography. Slowly, but continuously, from a briefless attorney, he has attained, by conscientious and unremitting labor, a large and lucrative practice. As a lawyer, he is careful, painstaking and of calm, judicial temperament. His ability to grasp large and intricate problems of law, his sound judgment in business matters, and his untir- ing energy are some of the factors which have made him successful. He was born in Perry township, Lawrence county, Pa., May 17, 1850, and is a son of Joseph A. and grandson of James Kyle Marshall.
The father of James Kyle Marshall was a native of Ireland, and he came to this country and settled in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania. James Kyle Marshall was supposed to have been born on the vessel while en route for America; he lived on the farm now owned by Josiah Blythe, located in Washington county. He wedded a Miss Andover, and they reared a family of children; those who grew to maturity were: John, James, Joseph, Nancy, Mary, Margaret, and Susanna.
Joseph A. Marshall was a native of Wash- ington county, but spent the greater part of his life in Perry township, Lawrence county, Pa., where he was the owner of a fine farm,
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which he put under a high state of cultivation. He was married to Delilah Houck, to whom was born a family of twenty children as fol- lows: James Kyle, deceased; Sarah, who was wedded to J. W. Hyde; Jonathan D., who is farmer in Franklin township, Beaver county ; William B., deceased; John C., who is a farmer in Butler county ; Rebecca, who is the wife of A. L. Vangorder; Amanda; Lina A., who wedded W. I. Scott; Lucinda, who is the wife of James Duncan ; Mary Agnes, who was the wife of Rev. T. L. Scott, and died in India; Alfred P., to whom this sketch relates; Clinton B., who is a farmer of Perry town- ship, Lawrence county, Pa .; Frank B., who is a farmer of Allegheny county; Matilda, de- ceased, who was the wife of J. M. Scott; Joseph, who is a farmer of Perry township; Margaret, deceased; and four others, who died in infancy. Politically, Mr. Marshall was first a Democrat, but being opposed to slav- ery, he became a Republican. He was elected to many township offices, which tends to prove his popularity and the esteem in which he was held by his fellow-citizens. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church. He departed from this life in his sixty-seventh year.
Our subject attended the public schools, Westminster College, Pa., and Mount Union College, Ohio, and spent his leisure hours on his father's farm. Being very ambitious to acquire a thorough education, he attended college during the summer months, while in the winter he taught school, and in that way secured ample funds to carry him through an
educational course. This he continued for a period of seven years and then he entered the law office of Hon. John G. Hall, of Ridgway. Pennsylvania. He subsequently entered the office of Samuel B. Wilson, of Beaver, Pa .. and was admitted to the bar of Beaver county. in April, 1876. He immediately began prac- ticing in Beaver, where he has remained ever since. Later, he took Mr. McCoy as a partner under the name of Marshall & McCoy, but since the latter's death, in 1890, he has continued the practice of his profession alone. Mr. Marshall has won an enviable promi- nence as a business lawyer and man of af- fairs; since his admission to the bar he has been actively engaged in the practice of law, meeting with exceptional success. His well-known studious habits, and the conscien- tious, thorough and exhaustive manner in which he deals with all matters undertaken by him, assures a continuous and ever increasing professional prosperity.
Mr. Marshall was united in the bonds of matrimony with Miss Cora F. Bentel, a daugh- ter of Charles H. Bentel, and granddaughter of Philip and Margaret (Smith) Bentel. Three children have been born to them: Annie B., Charles B., and Lillian C. Philip Bentel, the great-grandfather of Alfred P. Marshall's wife, was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and came to Beaver county, Pa .. with the Economites, locating in Economy. His wife was Margaret, by whom he had one child, Philip. Philip Bentel, after attaining his manhood, opened a general store in the house he erected in 1832, in the village of
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DONALD C. ALLEN.
MRS. DONALD C. ALLEN. DONALD C. ALLEN. JR
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