Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 103

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 103
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 103
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 103
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 103

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On December 31, 1885, in Gregg township, Mr. Krape was married to Miss Birdie R. Fetter- alf, a native of Spring Mills, and a daughter of Elias and Rachel Fetteralf. She is a faithful member of the Lutheran Church, while Mr. Krape is connected with the Reformed Church, to which he has been a liberal contributor, aiding greatly in the erection of the house of worship. He has served as deacon, and secretary of the Sunday-school, as well as chorister, his excellent tenor voice well fitting him for such service. He is one of the leading and inost active ineinbers of the Republican party in his community, work- . ing hard for its success, and has been elected auditor of Gregg township, overcoming a large Democratic majority, a fact which plainly indi- cates his popularity. Socially, he affiliates with the Grange.

L AWRENCE C. HARMAN, M. D., a well- known physician and surgeon of Philipsburg, Centre county, is no less noted for his ability in business and finance than for his skill in his pro- fession. He is president of the Mahoning Lum-

ber Co., and has extensive real-estate holdings, including a fine brick residence in Philipsburg and a tract of 145 acres of land at Aughwick Mills, Huntingdon county, Penn., where he erected a beautiful villa about eight years ago. His professional interests are not sacrificed to any others, however, as his best energies are given to his practice. For three years he was assistant surgeon of Philipsburg hospital, and for almost four years he was surgeon-in-chief.

Dr. Harman was born in Huntingdon county. October 7, 1860, and is the son of Jackson and Mary (Slack) Harman. His father is a native of Mifflin county, Penn., was in early life engaged in the furniture business, and for eleven years was superintendent of the County Home in Hun- tingdon county. He is now living at the age of sixty-eight years; and takes charge of our sub- ject's lands, spending his winters in Philipsburg and his summers at the villa at Aughwick Mills. He is a stanch Republican in politics, and a prominent member of the M. E. Church. His wife was a daughter of Joab Slack, a leading resident of Salisbury, Penn., and a manufacturer of plows and other iron implements and utensils. Her mother died at the age of fifty, and her grandmother, whose maiden name was Crown- over, attained the age of ninety. The Crown- overs were prosperous millers and agriculturists of Huntingdon county. Jackson and Mary (Slack) Harman had seven children: (1) Clara, Mrs. J. B. Shipton, of Ennisville, Huntingdon county; (2) John A .. a farmer at Manor Hill, Penn. : (3) Oscar, who died in infancy; (4) Lawrence C., of this sketch; (5) Sadie (Mrs. George W. Miller), who died in June, 1895, leaving a son- Frank Lawrence Miller-who resides with our subject; (6) Annie M., and (7) Minnie, both of whom also make their home with our subject.

The Doctor's youth was spent in his native county, where he attended the common schools. When prepared, he entered Stone Valley Acad- emy, and later studied at Dickinson Seminary, afterward teaching for one year. His medical studies were then begun under the direction of Hon. W. P. McKnight, of Shirleysburg, and con- tinued in Jefferson Medical College, Philadel- phia, where he was graduated in 1882. For a time he practiced with his preceptor, and he then located in Philipsburg. Here his professional abilities won speedy recognition. He is an active member of the State Medical Association, of the West Branch Medical Association, and of the County Medical Association. As a citizen he is deeply interested in the movements of the time, and he firnily believes in the doctrines of the Re- publican party. Socially he belongs to the

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Royal Arcanum. He is a director of the Moshan- non National Bank, which was established May 12, 1897, he being one of the organizers, and is a director of the Citizens Building & Loan Co .. serving his second term. Up to this time he has maintained a state of single blessedness.

W ILLIAM J. SINGER, an able and ener- getic lawyer of Bellefonte, now serving his second term as district attorney, is deserving of especial mention in these records as one of Centre county's enterprising sons. Like many of the most successful citizens of this country, he is of German descent in both paternal and maternal lines.

Conrad Singer, father of our subject, was born near Wetzlar, in southwestern Prussia, in 1837, and came to America with his widowed mother in 1850. He was the eldest of four chil- dren, the others being: (2) Margaret, who mar- ried John Creger, of Centre county; (3) Eliza- beth, who married John Glassner (both are now deceased); and (4) William, also deceased. This little band landed at Baltimore, Md., and a per- manent home was soon found in Bald Eagle Val- ley, Centre county. Conrad Singer became a blacksmith, and carried on his trade at Romola for many years. His wife, Margaret Glassner, was born in Centre county in 1840, her father, Christian Glassner, having come from Germany, soon after his marriage, to settle in Curtin town- ship. He had been in the military service in his native land, but fortunately his adopted country made no call upon him for other than deeds of peace. He was a good citizen, a man of deep religious feeling, and a member of the Reformed Church. Our subject's mother, who resides in Nittany Valley, was the youngest of a family of four children, the others being: Henry (de- ceased) was a resident of Centre county; Samp- son (deceased) was by occupation a farmer and cabinet maker; Jacob is a laborer in Centre county.

Of the six living children of Conrad and Mar- garet Singer, our subject is the eldest; (2) Fran- ces married John Royhorm, of Clearfield; (3) Malinda is not married; (4) Clara is the wife of William Beck, of Snydertown, Penn .; (5) Mabel and (6) Benjamin are not married; one child died in infancy.

W. J. Singer, our subject, was born April 21. 1862, in Curtin township, Centre county. Until the age of fifteen he attended the public schools of Romola, but his further progress requiring bet- ter opportunities, he subsequently attended the academies at Howard and Spring Mills, prepar- .

ing for the work of teaching, the usual stepping stone of ambitious legal aspirants who depend upon their own resources. He was just seven- teen when this hope was realized, and by teach- ing one term he secured funds for a summer's. study in the Normal School at Lock Haven, Penn. He taught school for four winters, and then entered the freshman class in State College. his studies there being supplemented with one year under a private tutor, and a short time in the academy at Spring Mills. In April, 1886, he went to Bellefonte and began to read law with Orvis, Bower & Orvis, and April 22. 1889. he was admitted to the Bar. He remained with his preceptors until the fall of 1892, when he was elected on the Democratic ticket to his present office, which he has filled satisfactorily since Jan- uary 1, 1893, having been re-elected in Novem- ber, 1895, for another term.

On November 20, 1890, Mr. Singer married Miss Edna Clark Trafford, who was born March 9. 1868, in Huntingdon county, Penn. They take great interest in various social and religious movements, and are identified with the Reformed Church. Two sons, Edward L. and John Traf- ford, brighten their home. Mr. Singer has been a member of the Fifth Regiment Pennsylvania National Guard since 1885, having entered as a private. In 1888-he was promoted from the ranks to the post of commissary sergeant of the brigade. In May, 1892, he was appointed com- missary of the Second Brigade. His post is no sinecure, and he had charge of the commissary of the brigade at Homestead and Punxsutawney.

L YMAN T. EDDY, the efficient and popular manager of the McCoy & Linn Cold Blast Charcoal Furnace. Rolling Mills and Chain Works, located at Milesburg, Centre county, was there born January 30, IS41, and is a son of Thomas H. and Sarah M. (Moses) Eddy, natives of Connecticut, where they were married and re- mained until 1838, when they came to Centre county, locating near the Harvey Mann's Axe Factory.

For about four years the father was a heater and striker in the same, and then removed to Milesburg, where, in connection with his brother- in-law. Reuben Loveland, he opened an axe fac- tory of his own, conducting the same for three years. On going to Clinton county, this State, on the expiration of that time, he operated an axe factory under the firin name of Loveland & Eddy until his death, which occurred in August. 1865, when he was aged fifty-two years. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal

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Church, a great Sunday-school worker, and be- ing an excellent vocalist took quite a prominent part in the singing at camp meetings. He was first a Whig in politics, later giving his support to the Republican party. After his death our subject took charge of his business interests for two years, and then leased his share of the fac- tory to Mr. Loveland for three years, who later purchased the same.

The mother of our subject, who was born August 2, 1818, died February 6, 1897; she, too, was an earnest member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. In her family were four children: Walter, who was scalded to death at the age of two years; Lyman T., of this review; Nancy, wife of Samuel Watson, of Lamar; and Ira C., a bookkeeper, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The educational privileges afforded Lyman T. Eddy were rather meagre, and as a farm hand he earned the money with which to pay his tui- tion at Dickinson Seminary, which he attended at intervals for six years. At the age of sixteen he was compelled to lay aside his text books, and in October, 1857, began teaching in the pub- lic schools of Lamar, his term there covering a period of seven months. For the two succeed- ing winters he taught at Hublersburg, Centre county, then again at Lamar, and the next winter at Flemington, Clinton county, while the follow- ing year he had charge of a school at Williams- port, ·Penn., from the Ist of September until the Ist of November. For thirty-eight months he followed that profession mostly during the winter season, before attaining his majority, while the summers were spent in farm work and in attend- ing the seminary at Williamsport. Mr .- Eddy then entered the employ of the Washington Iron Works, at Lamar, where he remained some ten years, filling the positions of bookkeeper, sales- man and manager. On November 1, 1872, he ac- cepted his present responsible position, which he has so capably and acceptably filled, as his long retention plainly indicates.

On August 10, 1862, Mr. Eddy was married to Miss Margaret E. Walker, and to them have been born two children: Alma F .; wife of Calvin Zimmerman, of Milesburg; and Clarence P., de- ceased when one year old. The mother's birth occurred in Clinton county, October 30, 1837, and she is a daughter of Philip and Judith ( Moyer) Walker, of Centre county, where the father died. He was a prominent farmer, was called upon to fill several official positions of honor and trust, and was an active worker in the Evangelical Church. The mother, who was born in 1808, is still living on a farm at Clintonville, Penn. In their family were six children, namely: Margaret

E., wife of our subject; Cyrus, who operates the old homestead farm in Clinton county; Nannie B., at home with her mother; Harry A., a merchant of Lock Haven, Penn. ; James, who was killed by the kick of a horse; and Abigail J., de- ceased.

For almost a quarter of a century, Mr. Eddy has been prominently identified with the business and political interests of Milesburg, being elected to several important official positions, the duties of which he has always promptly and faithfully discharged. He has served as school director. councilman and auditor, filling the last named office at the present time. Fraternally he is con- nected with Bald Eagle Lodge No. 410, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed all the chairs.

Like his honored parents, Mr. Eddy is also a prominent Church worker. belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Milesburg, in which he has served as steward, recording stew- ard, trustee, secretary of the board of trustees, president of the Epworth League, and class leader for seventeen years." For thirty years he has also been teacher in the Sunday-school, ten years of which time he-served in that capacity in Lamar, and the past twenty years he has been superintendent of the Sunday-school at Miles- burg. He takes great delight in music, which he reads readily, is a vocalist of much ability, and has devoted his talent in this respect toward raising money for Church work. The poor and needy always find in him a warm friend, and no man in Milesburg is more universally beloved and respected than Lyman T. Eddy.

R OBERT NELSON LOYD. A unique in- terest attaches to everything which is asso- ciated even indirectly with the days when this section was a " waste, howling wilderness." and its thriving towns existed not even in the fertile imagination of the hardy pioneer who cleared the forest from the sites upon which they have since been established.

The subject of this sketch, who was born No- vember 9, 1825, in Philipsburg, Centre county, at what is now known as Grant's Corner, is a son of Charles Loyd, an Englishman by birth, who went to that locality as a young man, with Dr. Plumb, and for some time conducted a boarding- house for Philips and Plumb. He was also the "boss farmer " for Mr. Philips, who was then en- gaged in clearing extensive tracts of land. Charles A. Loyd was married at Philipsburg to Miss Mary A. Nelson, and his death occurred a few years later, when he was aged thirty-one. Being a member of the State militia, he was buried with

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military honors. Three children were born of this union, viz .: (1) Robert N. is our subject. (2) Sarah Ann married Joshua Carney, of Phil- ipsburg, and both died and were buried at that place. (3) Martha married William Washburn, and died at Philipsburg. Our subject's mother was born in Delaware about the year 1800, and died in 1875. In early womanhood she accom- panied her mother and stepfather, Mr. McClos- key, to Centre county. She was of old New England stock, her ancestors having come to America in early Colonial days. After the death of her first husband, she married a Mr. McClos- key, whose mother taught the first school at Philipsburg, the sessions being held at night.

As Mr. Loyd was a mere child when his fa- ther died, he was placed under the care of an uncle, William Parker, residing at Bellefonte, and he afterward kept the " Black Bear Hotel," four miles east of Philipsburg. In the spring of 1840 he returned to Philipsburg, where he has since resided. In 1842 he learned the wagon- maker's trade, which he followed until 1859, when he engaged in the hotel business, building the "Loyd House." This he conducted for twenty years with gratifying success, and in the meantime he was interested also in the lumber business to some extent. Since retiring from the hotel he has given but little attention to business, looking well to his property. He was one of the six who organized the old Moshannon Bank in 1881. He is interested in mining at Winburne, and owns some real estate at N. Philipsburg.

Mr. Loyd was married the first time, in 1849, to Miss Amanda J. White, a native of Philips- burg. They had two children: (1) Charles, who is married and resides at Vulcan, where he is en- gaged in mining, and (2) Martha, who was edu- cated at Tipton Seminary, in Blair county, Penn. She married E. W. Bradner, and has four children: Robert, John, Josephine and Carrie Russell. The mother of these died in 1852, and Mr. Loyd for his second wife married Miss Eliz- abeth Ayers, who died leaving one daughter, Miriam, now the wife of George W. Morrison, of Jersey Shore, Penn .; they have three children- Edwin Loyd, Louis and Frederick.

After the death of his second wife, Mr. Loyd married Miss Mary Ann Stewart, by whom he had five children: ( 1) Ida M., who married Will- iam E. Tyson, and has one son-Edwin Loyd; (2) Lula Belle, who was educated at Bordentown, N. J., and is now at home; (3) Robert P., (4) William P. and (5) Harry A. Death again en- tered our subject's home, taking the mother of this little family; and Mr. Loyd formed a fourth matrimonial union, this time with Miss Margaret

Cross, his present wife. They have no children. Mr. Loyd is an Episcopalian in religious faith; socially he has for many years been a member of the Masonic fraternity; politically he is a Repub- lican, and he has always taken great interest in public questions. He has been a councilman for several years, also served on the school board, and was supervisor several terms. In 1863, when the State was invaded, he responded to the Governor's call for "emergency men," and served under Capt. Ganoe and Lieut. Williams, of Bald Eagle.

E AMANUEL HARTER, a prominent and well- to-do agriculturist of Miles township, Cen- tre county, is deserving of mention in this vol- ume not only for his own achievements, but be- cause of his being a member of a well-known pioneer family.

Andrew Harter, his grandfather, was reared on the banks of the Tulpehocken river, and shortly after marriage with - Miss Sally Rupp set- tled (about 1790) in Haines township, Centre county, near Aaronsburg, upon a farm of 100 acres which he had previously purchased. The journey was made in a covered wagon, and a shoemaker accompanied the party to its destina- tion. Andrew-Harter was a carpenter by trade, but most of his time was given to clearing and cultivating his land, which he took in a primitive state. He built a cabin of hewed trees in one day, occupying it the next, and in this humble abode blankets two years served as the only doors they had. Although he never became wealthy, he acquired a competence, and after twelve years the original cabin was replaced by a more commodious structure. In religion he was a Lutheran, and he helped to found the Aaronsburg Church. One noticeable trait was his frankness of speech, even the minister being subject to this outspoken critic on occasion. Honest and upright, his " word was as good as his bond" in a business deal. His political cou- victions as a Democrat were maintained with characteristic firniness. During his later years he did no work at his trade except in improving his own property, but throughout his life he was often called upon to doctor horses, as he seemed to have a talent for understanding and treating their ailments. At the time of his death, which occurred during the Civil war, he was in his eighty-eighth year, yet every one of his teeth was in place and perfectly sound. His wife had died many years before, and the remains of both were interred at Aaronsburg. They had nine children, of whom six lived to adult age; John

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died in Gregg township, Centre county; Jacob, in Nittany Valley; Andrew, in Penn township, Centre county; George is mentioned more fully below; William died in Haines township, Centre county; and Lydia (Mrs. Henry Swartz) died near Pleasant Gap, Centre county.

George Harter, the father of our subject, was born in Haines township, Centre county, in 1805, and was reared to farm work. There were no free schools then, his early instruction being secured entirely in the German schools of the day. He was an excellent penman, and in later years became a prominent citizen of the locality, noted for his successful management of his farms, his estate being at his death estimated at $17,000. He was five feet, eight inches in height, and weighed 155 pounds, was strong and robust, and an industrious worker. Although he was never afraid to give voice to his opinion, he was not quarrelsome, and never sued or was sued in court. He was a Lutheran in early life, later becoming an active member of the U. B. Church, and he always took great interest in all that pertained to local improvement. In politics he was a Democrat. His first wife, Mary (Wolfe) (our subject's mother), was born in Haines town- ship, in 1808, a daughter of George Valentine and Sally (Wise) Wolfe. The young couple set- tled upon a rented farm in Haines township, Andrew Harter giving to this son, as to all the others, two horses, a wagon, a cow and two pigs. Nearly all of the boys prospered after being thus started in life, and George Harter was able, in 1841, to buy from Jefferson Royer a farm of 210 acres near Rockville, Centre county. Later he sold this and purchased the old Haines farm, in Penn township, Centre county, where he lived until old age caused him to retire from active work. His last days were spent at Millheim, and there he died at the age of seventy-eight. His first wife passed away in Penn township, aged fifty-three years, and his remains rest beside hers at Millheim.

His second wife, Mrs. Sally Droxel, a widow, survived him, and after his death returned to hier early home at Annville, Lebanon Co., Penn., where she died. There were no children by the second union, but by the first there were twelve, namely: Polly, widow of George Royer, of Rebersburg; Lydia, who died in childhood; Emannel, our subject; Absalom, a farmer of Haines township, Centre county; Susan (Mrs. Michael Fiedler), of Millheim; Sarah, who married Rev. Lewis Fleisher, a minister of the U. B. Church, and died in Lebanon county, Penn .; Daniel, a farmer of Brush Valley; Cath- erine, widow of William Neese, of Brush Valley; Reuben, of Penn township, Centre county ; Jamies,

who died in childhood; Phoebe (Mrs. A. R. Alex- ander), of Penn township, Centre county; and George W., of Millheim.

Emanuel Harter was born on the old farm in Haines township, Centre county, July 31, 1831, and while he was a boy his parents removed to Brush Valley. As he was the eldest son and his help was needed at home, his school attendance was irregular, and he could not even take full advantage of such opportunities as the locality af- forded. His father was engaged for many years in hauling merchandise to and from Lewistown, Lewisburg, Lock Haven, Flemington and other points, and often hauled coal from Snow Shoe for the use of blacksmiths. Emanuel proved him- self so capable and trustworthy that at an early age he was placed in charge of a team, helping even to haul clover seed to Little York, a trip requiring fifteen days, and in all his work he never had a horse die or a wagon break down, or met with any serious accident of any kind. After the age of eighteen he did not go to school at all, but remained at home until he was about twenty-five years old, his labor being given to his father. He was a dutiful son, and there was never an impatient word passed between him and his parents. On January 19, 1856, he was mar- ried in Millheim to Miss Lavina Bierly, of Brush Valley, a native of Rebersburg, and a daughter of John aud Priscilla (Wolfe) Bierly. Mr. Har- ter rented the old Jacob Brungart farm in Brush Valley, and established himself there temporarily. his outfit being entirely second-hand and pur- chased mostly " on time." He also lived for a time upon rented farms in Penn township, Centre county, and in the Nittany Valley, Clinton coun- ty, but in 1868 he purchased 218 acres of land near Rebersburg, and has ever since resided there. He sold 102 acres immediately after its purchase to Samuel Loose, and for the portion retained, which was worth $9,000, he went in debt, having only about $7,000, which he had saved, to apply upon it. About 1875 he pur- chased an additional thirty acres from William Foster for $3,000, and this is now a part of his farm. At various times Mr. Harter has owned extensive tracts of mountain land, and still has some of it, although he has sold portions as oc- casion offered. His farm is well-improved, and a number of substantial buildings have been built by Mr. Harter, in addition to those upon the homestead. His home is well-furnished, the equipment including a fine piano, one of the few in Brush Valley. While both Mr. and Mrs. Har- ter have received property from their parents, their losses have been greater than the amount thus obtained, and their present prosperity is due

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to their own effort. They had three children: James C. died at the age of five years; Susan Ella married C. C. Loose, of Rebersburg; and Sally, an accomplished young lady, is at home.

Mr. Harter's sympathies are with the Demo- cratic party in the main, but when the best men are on the other ticket he is sufficiently patriotic and independent to vote for them. He has been supervisor and overseer of the poor, and his pub- lic work has been marked by the same quiet de- votion to duty which has won his success in his private business. For nineteen years he was manager of the Bald Eagle, Nittany, Penn, and Brush Valleys Turn Pike, this long term of suc- cessful service reflecting great credit upon him. He is not connected with any Church, but has lent more substantial assistance to various re- ligious movements. than many who are members.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 103

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1358

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358