USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > Book of biographies : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania > Part 26
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OHN BEUTER, a prosperous and suc- cessful pharmacist of Beaver Falls, Pa., whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, wants it distinctly understood that he is a Republican of the deepest dye, and always has affiliated with that party ever since he was old enough to vote. He has been one of its most active members in Beaver county,
and was one of the three Republican delegates to the state convention, held in Harrisburg, in 1898, and the only one of the three from Beaver county, who supported William A. Stone for governor, and had the satisfaction of seeing his man not only nominated, but elected.
John Beuter was born January 29, 1860, and is a son of John and Pauline (Tyfel) Beu- ter. His father was a native of Germany, and came to America with his parents when but twelve years of age. He located in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he followed the retail liquor business for a period of forty years. He laid down the burden of life, in 1894, and entered into rest.
John Beuter received his scholastic train- ing in the public schools and afterward at- tended St. Vincent's College in Wheeling,- from which he graduated. After leaving col- lege, young Beuter entered the employ of Logan List & Co., wholesale and retail drug- gists of Wheeling, and remained with that firm for a period of eight years. He then took a course in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in the autumns of 1879, 1880 and 1881. As these courses included only the fall months, he improved his unoccupied time by taking a special course in chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania.
After he became a full-fledged pharmacist, he took charge of the laboratory of the whole- sale drug business of Bailey & Porter, of Zanesville, Ohio. Leaving Zanesville, he went to Pittsburg, where he entered the em- ploy of George A. Kelley & Co., having com-
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plete charge of their second floor shipping department, where he remained for a short period. He then went to Beaver Falls, and was for some time a clerk for W. H. Hamil- ton. On seeing an opportunity to better his condition, he went to Pittsburg and took charge of the Twenty-fourth street drug store of Emil G. Stookey,-the same business now being conducted by N. B. Stookey. Mr. Beuter remained there until 1894, and then went into the drug business for himself at 619 Seventh avenue, Beaver Falls, where he conducts a first-class drug store.
In connection with his regular line of drugs, he is the patentee and manufacturer of the celebrated medicine known as "No-Dys-Pep" compound, having a large sale throughout the country.
The subject of this biography won for his bride, Hattie W. Hays, daughter of Charles Hays, of New Brighton. Pennsylvania. Mrs. Beuter has a kind and sweet disposition and is a great favorite in all classes of society. She is well and favorably known throughout Beaver county. Mr. Beuter is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Rochester, Pa. ; of Beaver Falls Lodge, No. 293, Knights of Pythias, and of Walnut Camp, No. 2, Woodmen of the World, of Beaver Falls.
John Beuter has worked hard and earnestly, and with a determination that is bound to be rewarded by success. He believes in doing thoroughly everything that is required of him; he keeps a fine line of pure drugs for his cus- tomers, and also makes a specialty of filling prescriptions with promptness and care.
DWARD KNOX HUM. The Beav- er National Bank, of Beaver, Pa., was fortunate in having as an orig- inator and promoter the gentleman whose name heads these lines, who now serves effi- ciently as vice-president of that institution. He is a man of thorough business ability and a sturdy supporter of all enterprises tending to improve the interests of the community,-his name being one familiar to the residents of Beaver county. He was born in Beaver, August II, 1858, and is a son of James W. and Margaret (Briggs) Hum.
His great-grandfather, who established the Hum family in this country, was Jacob Hum, a native of Germany, who settled in Ohio and there followed the trade of a hatter. His business was first located at Columbiana, Columbiana county, Ohio, but he thereafter engaged in a similar line of business at Salem, Ohio. He married a lady of Scotch birth, who bore him the following children : David ; Jolin; Jacob; Adam; Margaret ; and George. He died at the age of eighty-three years.
David Hum, the grandfather of Edward Knox Hum. was born in Columbiana county. Ohio, and early in life undertook the trade of a hatter, but, later, became a merchant of Lisbon, Ohio, where he died at the age of eighty years. He was four times married. and by his first wife, Mary Ann Hickox, who died at the age of thirty-six years, he had the following offspring: Angelina (Hatcher); James Winnard, who married Margaret Briggs; Richard Winchester, an early set- tler of Lowellville, Ohio; Columbus C., who
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lives near Toledo, Ohio; Martha (Throne), of East Palestine, Ohio; and Elizabeth, deceased. His second union, with Rebecca Thorn, was blessed by the birth of a son, John. His third wife's given name was Esther, and his fourth union was with Mary Silverthorn.
James W. Hum, a record of whose life ap- pears elsewhere, and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Deerfield township, Columbiana county, Ohio, February 16, 1827. He left home at the age of ten years to live with his uncle, John Hum, with whom he re- mained four years. He then began to shift for himself and received employment on a steamer on the Ohio River as a cabin boy, and later learned the trade of boat carpenter. He mani- fested considerable natural ability in this line, and, after leaving the river, manufactured an ingenious machine known as a fanning mill. Threshing was at this time all done by hand, and this machine was used to clean the grain. It met with marked success on the market and his business increased rapidly, resulting in the employment of a goodly number of men. He subsequently became interested in the lightning rod business, and in 1849 was one of the founders of the American Light- ning Rod plant at Philadelphia. The west- ern section of the country was assigned to him, and he established a large wholesale and retail store at No. 19 Market street, Pitts- burg. In 1882, he was joined in the business by his son, E. K. Hum, and together they con- tinued until the father retired from active busi- ness duties in 1892. He built the home resi- dence, in which Mrs. Hum now lives, in 1868,
and he was also possessed of considerable real estate in Bridgewater and Beaver at the time of his demise, March 17, 1895. James W. Hum's faithful companion in the pathways of life was Margaret Briggs, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Westcoat) Briggs. Henry Briggs was born in Dighton, Mass., and was a son of Matthew and Cecelia (Reed) Briggs, and grandson of Matthew Briggs, a blacksmith by trade, who came to this country from Eng- land. Matthew, Jr., was born in Dighton, Mass., and was also a blacksmith, following that occupation all of his active days. By his first wife he had three children, as fol- lows: Matthew, Elizabeth, and Deliverance. He formed a second union with Cecelia Reed and they had five children: Henry, Nancy. Mary, Joseph, and Cecelia. Henry Briggs, the father of Mrs. Hum, learned the trade of a blacksmith, and, in 1836, removed to South Beaver township, Beaver county, Pa., where he purchased a farm. In addition to general farming, he was engaged at his trade all of his active life, but spent his last days in re- tirement, dying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Hum, in the eighty-fourth year of his age. His wife survived him several years, and died at the remarkable age of eighty-nine years. She had made several trips to her na- tive state, Massachusetts, and had returned from one of these trips but two months prior to her death. Their children were: Henry, who died young ; Mary ; Julia ; William; Eliza- beth; Margaret ; and Spencer.
Mr. and Mrs. James W. Hum were the par- ents of the following: Henry Thornton, now
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of Pike county, Ill., who first married Jose- phine Blake, by whom he has one child, Harry C., and secondly married Elizabeth Hughes, by whom he has one child. Carl D .; Edward Knox, the subject of this personal history ; Mary Elizabeth, deceased, the wife of Frank Robinson, by whom she had one child, Lois ; James Weston, a farmer of Columbiana county, Ohio, who married Matilda Hineman, and had the following children,-Edward K., Guy H., Mary A., Martha T .. James W., and Wayne A .; Fred Cook, deceased. who married Florence King, by whom he had a son, Forrest, deceased ; Arthur Westcoat, an electrical engineer, of Bridgewater, who mar- ried Mary Doing, deceased; and Margaret Mott, the wife of Samuel P. Provost, a flour manufacturer and merchant, of Pittsburg. Fraternally, he was a member of the Masonic lodge at Beaver, being one of its charter members.
Edward K. Hum attended Beaver College, and while a young man became associated in business with his father, under the firm name of J. W. Hum & Son, wholesale and retail dealers in lightning rods and fixtures, at Pitts- burg. Some twelve years later, after the death of his father, he formed a partnership with W. M. Leatherman, the firm name being Hum & Leatherman, at No. 8 Market street, Pitts- burg. The subject of this sketch was the leading spirit in the organization and build- ing of the Beaver National Bank, of Beaver, Pennsylvania. It has a capital of $100.000, and its officers, who are among the most sub- stantial and public-spirited citizens of Beaver
county, are as follows: Jesse R. Leonard. president; Edward K. Hum, vice-president ; Charles M. Hughes, cashier ; and W. P. Judd, assistant cashier. The directors are: Jesse R. Leonard; Edward K. Hum; U. S. Strouss, M. D .; Thomas F. Galey : Joseph HI. Evans ; Winfield S. Moore. and Agnew Hice.
The Beaver National Bank is one of the prettiest specimens of business architecture in Western Pennsylvania. being constructed of Cleveland sandstone and having large plate- glass windows. It is richly finished, furnished in elegant style, and its arrangement is most convenient for the transaction of business. The bank has shown its patrons the greatest courtesy, and by their enterprise its officials have made it one of the leading financial in- stitutions in the county.
Mr. Hum, although his business was for many years located at Pittsburg, has always been a loyal citizen of Beaver, and when not attending to business affairs he is always to be found enjoying the companionship of his family at his elegant home. In 1885 he built a residence on Third street, in which he re- sided until 1896. when he disposed of it to James Galey and built his present dwelling, a fine brick structure supplied with all modern conveniences for the highest enjoyment of life. He also owns considerable real estate in Beaver. On September 26, 1882, Edward K. Hum was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Emma L. Young, a daughter of Jacob and Lucinda M. Young, of Columbiana county, Ohio, and they have two children, namely: James Winnard and Anna. Fra-
1
THOMAS M. FITZGERALD.
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ternally, Mr. Hum is a member of St. James Lodge, F. & A. M., of Beaver ; Eureka Chap- ter, R. A. M., of Rochester; Pittsburg Com- mandery, No. I, Knights Templar, of Pitts- burg ; and Syria Temple of the Mystic Shrine, ยท Pittsburg. A man who has ever faithfully en- deavored to be of benefit to his fellow-citizens of Beaver county, the subject of our sketch is held in the highest esteem, and numbers his friends by the score.
HOMAS M. FITZGERALD, a re- cent portrait of whom is shown on the opposite page, is descended from a line of ancestral gardeners, and is very fond of the culture of flowers, which he has made his like-work. He conducts one of the most beautiful gardens in Beaver county, situated in the borough of Beaver, and he has estab- lished a reputation as one of the best artists in his profession. He was born in Hulton township, Allegheny county, Pa., February 27, 1868, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Healey) Fitzgerald.
The father of Thomas M. was born in Lis- towel, County Kerry, Ireland, and when a boy, learned the trade of a gardener and be- came an expert in the culture of flowers; for nine years he managed the grounds and hot- house of Lord Colliss, of Tarbert township, County Kerry, Ireland; he then engaged with Dr. Barrington, of Glin, County Limerick, Ire- land, for fifteen years. He subsequently went to Hamilton, Canada, where he spent two
years, and, as he had many friends and ac- quaintances in Pittsburg, Pa., he located there in 1866, and worked for many prominent men of that city, who owned large and handsome properties ; he was employed by Mr. Mur- dick, Mrs. Deeny, and Mr. Charles McGee; he now has charge of Mr. M. C. Miller's grounds at Turtle Creek. While working in the employ of Lord Colliss, he made the ac- quaintance of his present wife. Both being poor and not able to buy a home in their native country, Thomas decided to come to America in the effort to seek home and for- tune; his plans being crowned with success, three years later he wrote for his intended wife, and, upon her arrival here, they were happily united in marriage. A few years later the health of Mr. Fitzgerald's mother began to fail, and he sent his wife and five children to his old home in Ireland, where they re- mained four years,-returning in much bet- ter health and spirits. Mr. and Mrs. Fitz- gerald are the parents of eight children : Joseph, deceased ; John; Thomas M. ; James ; Annie; Mary ; Edward, who served at Manila in Company B, 10th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf .; and William, deceased.
The subject of this memoir attended school, four years, at Tarbert, Ireland, and in this country, at New Castle, Pennsylvania. While a mere boy, he assisted his father in the culti- vation of flowers and improved every oppor- tunity to gain a thorough knowledge of the art ; in 1889 he came to Beaver to take charge of the beautiful grounds and hothouse of Hon. J. F. Dravo, but a year later he leased the
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hothouse, and a part of the grounds, of his employer, and now keeps one of the finest displays of flowers ever seen. The beds and plants are artistically arranged, and the choice, blooming flowers present an exquisite appear- ance; he is prepared to furnish flowers, on short notice, for funerals, weddings, and other occasions, and he also ships largely to other points. Mr. Fitzgerald is well deserving, and worthy of his large patronage, and he has shown the people of the vicinity that they always have at their command the most se- lect assortment of floral beauties. He is genial and accommodating to all, and his pleasant manners and honest business methods, have won for him the esteem and good will of all who know him. He has not only adopted Beaver as his place of business, but likewise as his home, and he owns two fine lots on Commerce street, upon which he erected a handsome residence in 1893. In July, 1899, he purchased the Campbell estate, consisting of six and one-half acres on Fifth street, on which he will erect a large range of greenhouses to better accommodate his grow- ing business.
Mr. Fitzgerald wedded Nora, a daughter of Jeremiah Minihan, of County Cork, Ireland, and three children have resulted from their union : Mary Catherine, born July 16, 1896; John Leo, born February 23. 1898; and Joseph Thomas, the last two being twins. Re- ligiously, our subject is a member of the Catholic church ; politically, he is independent in his views.
OHN R. EAKIN, who owns a controll- ing interest in the Olive Stove Works, at Rochester, Pa., of which he is secre- tary and treasurer, is one of the most es- teemed citizens of Beaver, Pa., and, although in the seventieth year of his age, he is today as active a man as can be found in Beaver county. He has seen Beaver grow from the little settlement called Beaver Town, to its present stage of development, as one of the - finest and most prosperous boroughs in Western Pennsylvania. John R. Eakin was born July 20, 1829, in Beaver, Pennsylvania. He is a son of James and Mary (Quaill) Eakin, and grandson of John Eakin, who was of Scotch-Irish descent.
James Eakin, father of John R., was born in County Derry, Ireland, within fourteen miles of Londonderry. He was reared under the old Presbyterian methods, and took a great dislike to the controlling element of Ire- land. In 1808, at the age of sixteen years, he packed his few belongings and started for "free America." Having a fine education for that day, and being active and energetic, he had no fear of meeting with failure in the new world, but looked eagerly forward to the time when he could make a home for himself, and rear a family in accordance with his own ideas. Upon his arrival in the United States, he drifted to Philadelphia, Pa., where he began working at the trade of a chandler, which con- sists of candle making. He remained at that place for about fourteen years, removing, in 1822, west to Pittsburg, and followed the same occupation with B. C. Sawyer, of that city.
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Later, he began teaching school; being a fine scholar and a splendid writer, he experienced no difficulty in obtaining a desirable situation. He went to Beaver, Pa., where he taught in the old academy which stood there many years ago. Mr. Eakin also opened a store on the same site where the Quay business block was later erected. Still later, he built a residence and store on the corner of Third street and College avenue. There his death occurred, in 1847, at the age of sixty-four years. In politics, he was a Whig, and served many years as justice of the peace, and as burgess of Beaver. He also owned a fine farm, which was subsequently the property of Mr. Hardy.
James Eakin was united in marriage with Mary Quaill. She was born in Washington county, Pa., in 1804, and passed away from her earthly home in 1892. Their union was prolific of the following children: Mary Jane; John R .; Eliza Ann; Sarah; James Q .; Mar- garet; Victoria; Emma; and Matilda. Mary Jane is the wife of Daniel Risinger, a prom- inent blacksmith of Beaver. John R. is the subject of these lines. Eliza Ann is the widow of John D. Davidson; she resides in Middle- sex, Pennsylvania. Sarah is the wife of Abraham Wolf, of Beaver. James Q. is de- ceased; he married Elizabeth Strock, who still survives him, and resides in Bridgewater. Margaret is the wife of J. M. Dunlap. Vic- toria is the wife of H. H. Newkirk, of Rochester, Pennsylvania. Emma, who is de- ceased, was the wife of Jacob M. Johnson. Matilda is the wife of J. B. Wilson, of Beaver.
John R. Eakin pursued a course of study at Beaver Academy, and, like his honored father, he adopted the profession of instruct- ing youthful minds. But upon the death of his father, who left a widow with a fam- ily of small children, it devolved upon John, the eldest son, to assist his mother in rearing the smaller ones. He realized this to be his first duty, nor was that duty shirked; rather may it be said that it was performed in a faithful manner, quite worthy of emulation by those similarly situated. He accompanied his bereaved mother and the family to the farm which the father's thrift and prosperity had provided. This farm he conducted and managed to the best of his ability, and as- sisted his mother in every possible way to rear and educate the children. After eight years upon the farm, he felt free to seek other pursuits, and became a steamboat clerk on the Ohio River; he followed river life for a period of twelve years, during all of which time he held the position of either clerk or captain. Desiring to settle down in order to be more with his family, he then accepted a place as clerk in the county commissioner's office, and also became deputy treasurer, serving two years. Later, he was interested in the manu- facture of glass at Beaver Falls, for five years. In 1875, he was elected county treasurer of Beaver county, serving one term. Subse- quently, in company with others, he pur- chased the Olive Stove Works in 1879. This plant was established in 1872, and was sold at sheriff's sale, in 1879. Mr. Eakin was at once appointed secretary, treasurer, and general
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manager of the works, and under his careful, judicious management, the business took an- other turn, and has since been a very progres- sive and prosperous plant. The original works have been enlarged, in addition to which new buildings have been added; with increased facilities and capacities, the plant now turns out as fine a line of stoves and ranges as any plant of its size in America. It is located on Railroad street, and the controlling interest is now owned by Mr. Eakin. In addition to his business interests, Mr. Eakin also owns the premises on Third street, formerly belong- ing to his beloved father, and his present resi- dence on College avenue, which is a beautiful, modern brick dwelling.
John R. Eakin was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony with Margaret Mitchell. This most happy union resulted in the birth of two daughters and one son, whose names are: Annie M., Emma E. and Joseph Mitchell. Annie M., the eldest daughter, is the wife of J. Rankin Martin, a leading attorney of Beaver Falls, whose sketch also appears in this volume. Emma E., the second daughter, is the widow of James J. Davidson, whose life history appears elsewhere in this volume of biographies. Joseph Mitchell, the third child, and only son. is in business with his father, being a partner and bookkeeper in the Olive Stove Works. He pursued a course of study in the Beaver high schools, and at Beaver Falls, and, when seventeen years of age, be- came interested in the plant to which his whole life has been devoted. He is fast as- suming the heavier duties of the works. He
wedded Minnie White, and they have a son, whom they call John Mitchell. Joseph M. Eakin is a Knight Templar Mason, a Shriner, an Odd Fellow, and a Knight of Pythias.
Our subject and his family are of the Pres- byterian faith. Mr. Eakin is a member of the borough council, and has always been a pub- lic-spirited man, having done much to further the progress of Beaver. He is spending the sunset of life, surrounded by loving friends and many comforts, and is reaping the just reward of earnest and well-directed efforts.
Joseph Mitchell, father-in-law of John R. . Eakin, was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1822, at the age of thirty- four years. He located at New Brighton, Pa., and engaged in agricultural pursuits, re- moving in 1826 to Beaver, where he went into mercantile pursuits. He was very suc- cessful in this line, and purchased ground ad- joining Beaver on the north and west, until he was the owner of much valuable acreage. He built a handsome brick residence at Van- port, now known as the Purdy farm. He continued to prosper until he had accum- ulated a nice property. He served as a justice of the peace and as a school director. He did business at the Pittsburg Bank, and at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, just as he was about to start to Pittsburg on busi- ness, he slipped and fell, breaking his leg, which caused his death shortly afterward, in 1876. He was joined in marriage with Anne McCreary, a daughter of James McCreary, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. She died in 1846 at the age of thirty-six years. Their
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children were: Eliza, deceased; Sarah, wife of Jesse Cruthers, of Beaver county; Mar- garet, wife of the subject of this sketch; Esther, wife of H. M. Cunningham, of Ohio; Maria L., wife of the late T. B. Cunningham, of Ohio ; James, who married Lucinda Green- lee, of Vanport, Beaver county ; and Shannon R., who married Annie E. Stokes.
R. JOHN D. COFFIN, deceased, was for many years a most distin- guished physician of Beaver Valley. Having an established reputation before locat- ing there in 1865, he soon acquired an ex- tensive practice. His profound knowledge of therapeutics and his most thorough man- ner of diagnosing, first gained for him the con- fidence of the people in a professional way, and as closer relationships sprang up he be- came the honored friend of his patients. In the latter years of his life he lived in partial retirement in Beaver Falls, just retaining suf- ficient practice to employ his time. The Cof- fins are an old English family with genealogi- cal records dating back to the twelfth century. The family is one of the most prominent in New England, and includes many bankers and men of mark in all professions. At the family reunion held at Nantucket in 1884, there were about eight hundred names regis- tered as descendants of a common ancestry, who were then living. The first of the line in America was Tristam Coffin, who came from Devonshire, England, early in the seven-
teenth century and settled at Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. In the course of time one branch of the Coffin family went over to Newburyport, Mass., and settled there. It is from this latter branch that Dr. Coffin is descended. He was born in Newburyport, Mass., in 1809, and was a son of Nathan E. and Eunice (Emory) Coffin.
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