Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 7

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 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 7

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

his many kindnesses to those in need of his helping hand. He has been sadly missed 'in Bellefonte by the many beneficiaries of his bounty, and the simple perfectness of his straightforward life will keep his memory bright in the hearts of those who knew him.

On December 7, 1843, Edward C. Humes was married to Miss Lucy Alexander (born August 4, 1811), a niece of Mrs. William W. Potter, and three children were born to this union, two of whom are living: William P. and Miss Miley; Hamilton, the younger, died March 21, 1892. Mrs. Humes died February 18, 1886,. aged sixty- nine years. She was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church, and a most gentle-hearted, generous and in every way excellent Christian lady. In her death the Church was deprived of a stanch friend and supporter. Mrs. Humes was connected with some very prominent families. Her maternal grandfather. William Winters, came from Berks county in .1778, and settled on a farm now within the city limits of Williams- port, this State. He was twice married; his first wife was Ann Boone, a sister of Col. Daniel Boone of Kentucky. The eldest daughter, Han- nah, by his first wife married Thomas Lincoln, the grandfather of President Lincoln, and shortly before his death, Lincoln (who was killed by the Indians) visited William Winters at his home, now Williamsport, and John Winters, his brother- in-law, returned to Kentucky with him, whither Mr. Lincoln had removed, after his marriage, from Virginia, John being deputed to look after some lands taken up by Col. Boone and his father. The second wife of William Winters was Ellen Campbell, whom he married in 1774. Mr. Winters died in 1794, and his widow resided where Williamsport now is, where she remained and reared her children as follows: Mary be- came the wife of Charles Huston, who adorned the Bench of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Ellen became the wife of Thomas Burnside, a member of Congress, judge of common pleas, and a justice of the supreme court. Sarah be- came the wife of Benjamin Harris, of Williams- port. Elizabeth became the wife of Thomas Alexander, of Williamsport. Lucy became the wife of Hon. William W. Potter, a leading pol- itician of Centre county, who died a member of Congress; he was the son of Gen. James Potter. one of the earliest settlers of Centre county.

On the death of Mr. Potter in 1838, the widow resided at Bellefonte, and after the mar- riage of her niece to Edward C. Humes, made her home with them the rest of her lifetime. She was married in 1816, and died May 30, 1875, at the ripe old age of nearly eighty-five

years. Her character was a very decided one, perceiving the right course to pursue and never swerving therefrom. A consistent Christian, and member of the Presbyterian Church for more than half a century. She had no children of her own, and so fixed upon herself the affections of the children of her niece, to which during her life she was an always present, ready and willing friend and ally.

William P. Humes, the subject proper of this sketch, was born in Bellefonte September 21, 1844. He received his education in the academy at Bellefonte and at Pennsylvania State College. returning from the latter to Bellefonte the first year of the Civil war, where, after assisting in closing up the business of E. C. Humes & Bro .. he became connected with what was more gen- erally known as Humes, McAllister, Hale & Co., private bankers, composed of E. C. Humes, H. N. McAllister, James T. Hale and A. G. Curtin, which bank later became the First National Bank of Bellefonte (our subject's father being the hon- ored president), with which institution William P. Humes has through all the intervening years been associated. He is a director in the bank and also a large stockholder. Enterprising and progressive in business lines, Mr. Humes sustains. the reputation secured by his father and grand- father in the community in which they so long fig- ured in business affairs, and in which they so long enjoyed the confidence of all. Heis of a diffident. unassuming and retiring disposition, very gener- ous and most kind to those in need; a member of the Presbyterian Church, he is one of its ablest supporters; in politics he is a Republican; socially. a member of the Union League Club of Phila- delphia, as well as of several other organizations.

On December 27, 1877. Mr. Humes was mar- ried to Miss Eliza D., daughter of James D. and M. A. Harris, and to this union was born a daugh- ter, Lucy Hamilton, who died at the age of six months. Mrs. Humes died July 1, 1881, in the forty-fourth year of her age. She, too, was a most consistent member of the Presbyterian Church and devotedly attached to its welfare; was most charitable and kind to all, and her sud- den death, which brought such a shock and so much sorrow to those nearest and dearest to her, caused a gloom over the whole community. She was one of a family of six children, three of whom are now deceased: James, who died quite young, with Mrs. T. M. Potter and Mrs. Eliza D. Humes; those living are: Mrs. Nancy D. Orbi- son, Mrs. Jane H. Sommerville, and Mrs. Louisa H. Hoy.

Mr. and Mrs. Harris, father and mother of Mrs. Humes, were among the early settlers of

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Bellefonte, closely identified with its best inter- ests, and connected with its most prominent families. They were both most worthy members of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Harris also having served as a most efficient ruling elder in this Church. Mr. Harris died February 26, 1842, almost nine years before Mrs. Harris, whose death occurred February 1, 1851.

G NOV. DANIEL H. HASTINGS. The life history of Daniel Hartman Hastings, gov- ernor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, can- not be too deeply impressed upon the minds of the aspiring youth of to-day. It would be dif- ficult to imagine a less promising environment than that in which were spent the early years of this distinguished orator, lawyer, soldier, finan- cier and statesman.

William Hastings, his father, was born in Ire- land, and, not long after marriage with a native of Scotland, left his home in County Derry, Ire- land, to come to the New World, settling in 1832 in what is now Clinton county, near his father, who had preceded him to America. The Penn- sylvania canal was then in process of construc- tion, and George Hastings, the grandfather of the subject of this notice, having obtained a con- tract for the construction of a section of it, his father worked upon it as a laborer for some time, but afterward found employment as a farm hand. Neither parent had been given educational ad- vantages-even of a rudimentary sort-and their log cabin, two miles from Salona, could be sup- plied with but limited comforts on their meagre income of fifty cents a day. Nine children shared its shelter and their parents' love, and Governor Hastings, who first saw the light there February 26, 1849, doubtless owes much of his practical common sense to the lessons learned amid the close economies and stern realities of a poor man's home. He was named for Rev. Daniel Hartman, a venerable minister of the M. E. Church, to whom the success of his namesake was a source of joy and pride. The public schools of that day and locality were not of the best, but the means required to place the bright boy under more suitable training could not be spared froin the slender purse of the parents. Mr. George Hopson, of Farrandsville, however, generously made provision for his attendance at a select school taught by Miss Mary A. Crosby. Through her care and influence he acquired a fair knowledge of the English branches, but at an early age he was obliged to leave school in order to assist in the task of gaining a livelihood. When the Civil war broke out his elder brothers

took up arms in defense of the Union, and young as he was the future governor showed his mar- tial spirit by running away repeatedly from his home with intent to enlist in some fighting regi- ment. On his first attempt he succeeded in reaching Lock Haven, and on the second he made his way to Williamsport; but each time he was captured and taken home. The third time he reached Carlisle, had actually donned the un- iform of a private soldier, and was rejoicing in the attainment of his wish when his father again appeared, and the boy sorrowfully returned to the Nittany Valley farm, and resumed his distasteful toil with the hoe and the plow.

In the winter of 1863, a school in Wayne township, Clinton county, became vacant through the appointment of its teacher, Col. W. W. S. Snodely, as county superintendent. Although but fourteen years old the future governor de- termined to apply for the place and, borrowing a dollar, he trudged eighteen miles through the snow on a wintry day, and secured a promise of appointment should he pass the examination. He walk back to Lock Haven on the same day, gained the required certificate, and the next morning walked to the school in time to open the day's session. His dollar had been spent, however, and during this first trying day in his new sphere he had nothing to eat. His success in the school made further employment easy to obtain, and for some years his winters were spent in teaching, while in the vacation he as- sisted his father as before. His evenings were devoted to study, and so. rapidly did he progress in learning and in professional skill that in 1867 he was elected principal of the Bellefonte Acad- emy, and superintendent of the public schools of Bellefonte, his duties including the oversight of all the schools in the borough. While there he pursued a course of study in Latin and Greek with Prof. W. H. Murray, of the Episcopal School, as a tutor. From 1867 to 1875 Gov. Hastings filled the position of principal with marked success, and during two years of this period he displayed conspicuous ability in jour- nalism as assistant editor of the Bellefonte Re- publican. By some means known only to him- self he also found time to read law, and on April 29, 1875, was admitted to the Bar. He became at once a member of the firm of Bush, Yocum & Hastings, which continued until the withdrawal of Mr. Bush in 1877, when the firm name of Yocum & Hastings was adopted. In 1878, when Mr. Yocum was elected to Congress, a new part- ner was taken. and the business continued under the name of Hastings & Reeder.

In the meantime our subject had married (in

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1877) Miss Jane Armstrong Rankin, daughter of James H. Rankin, who at the time of his death was the senior member of the Centre County Bar. His success in his profession and his grow- ing reputation as an orator brought him into prominence in public life, and he was elected a member of the school board, then burgess of Bellefonte, trustee of the M. E. Church, and trustee of the Pennsylvania State College, of Dickinson College at Carlisle, and of other edu- cational institutions. In July, 1877, the Penn- sylvania National Guard was called out to sup- press the well-remembered riots, and at Gen. Beaver's request our subject accompanied the command to Altoona as an aid on the General's staff. His long-suppressed inclination for mili- tary life made this opportunity a welcome one, and his energy and ability quickly attracted at- tention. In July, 1877, he was appointed a cap- tain in the 5th Regiment; in March, 1878, he was elected and commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 5th. In June, 1883, he was appointed assistant adjutant-general of the 2d Brigade, and in March, 1884, he was elected colonel of the 5th Regiment, which in the annual inspec- tion of 1886 achieved the highest standing of any in the State.

So capable did he prove himself in military affairs, that he was offered the appointment of adjutant-general of the State, and in January, 1887, he resigned the colonelcy to take this wider sphere of responsibility, in which he won new laurels. At the time of the division en- campment at Mt. Gretna, in 1887, when Gen. Sheridan reviewed the eight thousand guardsmen, the sight of the long ranks of infantry in perfect alignment, each soldier equipped as for actual warfare with uniform and accoutrements com- plete, and the cavalry and batteries following in like perfection of detail, the hero of Winchester was heard to say, "that looks more like business than anything I have seen in this country since the disbandment of the army at Washington in 1865." To the united energies and vigilance of Gens. Hartranft and Hastings this success was attributed, and the National Guard had cause on this and other occasions to note Gen. Hastings' weal and efficiency. He was appointed with Gen. Hartranft and others upon a commission to revise the military code, and rendered excellent service in the preparation of the bill under which the militia has since been given increased strength and effectiveness.

An ardent Republican from his youth up, Gov. Hastings has always taken deep interest in politics, and, fitted as lte was by nature and training for usefulness in that field, it is not sur-

prising that he was early called to take an active place in the front rank of workers. His first triumph was as a manager of the Congressional campaign of 1878, when his partner, Seth H. Yocum, was a candidate. The task was no light one, as the Democratic majority usually reached 3,000; but through shrewd and tactful manage- ment Mr. Yocum was elected, defeating ex-Gov- ernor Andrew G. Curtin. In 1882, during Gen. Beaver's campaign for the office of governor, Gen. Hastings, as a personal friend and political sympathizer, supported him with untiring energy. In no wise disheartened by the defeat of that year, he presented Gen. Beaver's name to the State Convention of 1886 for renomination, and succeeded in having justice done to a brave and generous man against whom misrepresentation and prejudice had temporarily prevailed. In 1887 Gov. Hastings was chairman of the State Convention which nominated Henry W. Williams for Judge of the Supreme Court, and William B. Hart for State Treasurer. In Pennsylvania his power as an orator had long been known, but it was not until the Republican National Convention of 1888 that the country learned of his ability. Hon. John Sherman was Pennsylvania's choice for President, and Gov. Hastings, who was pres- ent as a delegate-at-large, was elected to bring the name of that candidate before the conven- tion. It was a time. a place, a theme, to arouse our spokesman to do his best, and in his half- hour address he gained a national reputation, and the newspapers throughout the land paid tribute to his brilliancy and charm as an orator. "Gath " telegraphed to the Chicago Tribune that day: "Sherman was best put in the field. The Pennsylvania man who lives in the little mount- ain town of Bellefonte made the best speech which has been heard at this display. It was worthy of being the party platform. Hastings, who made it, they say will some day be heard in the Senate or run for governor."

Murat Halstead, of the Cincinnati Commer- cial-Gasctte, wrote in his paper: "As to the reception of the presentation of nomination there was no marked preference shown for any candi- date until the splendid oration of Gen. Hastings, of Pennsylvania, nominating Sherinan. Then things took a more decided shape. Gen. Hast- ings has a magnificent appearance and delivery. and his superb ringing sentences fell one after another, bright as new coin, each word clear as a bugle note; the mighty multitude felt the magic of oratory, of a man speaking worthily on a great occasion. There never was a finer speech made on such an occasion, and I remember Ingersoll's nomination of Blaine at Cincinnati. Gen. Hast-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ings walks up at once to a place. among the few of our public speakers." His success made so deep an impression that he was called upon by the presiding officer to take the chair for the day, and was also invited to second the nomination of Hon. Levi P. Morton for the Vice-Presidency. As may be supposed he was the most popular orator of the campaign of that year, and he did noble service in New York, New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, contribut- ing greatly to the success of the cause. The in- fluence thus gained has been strengthened and widened in succeeding campaigns, and in the memorable struggle of 1896 his rare gifts were devoted with supreme energy to the task of up- holding his country's honor and integrity.

These and similar triumphs won admiration. It remains to mention a time when Gov. Hastings won also the love of every kindly heart. The story of the Johnstown disaster followed, as the weeks passed, by the story of rescue and restora- tion under the guidance of the clear brain, keen eye and sympathetic heart of the man who took charge of that scene of desolation. On the fate- ful day of May 31, 1889, Gen. Hastings was at Hastings, a flourishing town in Cambria county, named in his honor, looking after the extensive coal-mining operations there in which he is inter- ested in partnership with Gov. Beaver, Robert Coleman and Col. J. L. Spangler. During the night news came of the frightful devastation in the valley of the Conemaugh, and with the break of day Gen. Hastings started with Col. Spangler to drive over flooded roads and broken bridges to Johnstown, where they arrived at 4 P. M. He lost no time in telegraphing to Gov. Beaver for supplies, and then he took off his coat and bent his energies to the work of relief. His executive ability and forceful character, no less than his official rank, indicated the man for the hour, and by general consent he assumed the practical man- agement of affairs, and as has been said won "by his uniform kindness and sympathetic actions the gratitude of his fellow citizens throughout the State." The surviving inhabitants of the stricken city gave a public recognition .of his great work on the evening of July 13, 1889, when the Gov- ernor took his leave of the place, and the soldiers of the G. A. R. manifested the appreciation of his soldierly qualities by presenting a badge of their order beautifully set with diamonds, claim- ing that by his gallant and faithful service on that field of death and living agony he had proven himself a worthy comrade.

Pennsylvania has learned to look to this sec- tion for first-class gubernatorial timber, and the supply furnished in the past has abundantly tes-

tified that confidence. What more natural than that this distinguished son should be called upon to administer to the affairs of the State! The story of his election in 1894 by the largest ma- jority ever given in Pennsylvania to the head of the State ticket need not be retold here. Since January 15, 1895, Gov. Hastings has filled his high office in a manner to disarm criticism, and his steadily increasing fame points to yet more ad- vanced posts of duty.

In the words of one who knows him well: "As a citizen he is clever, generous and univer- sally popular, and in thorough and complete sym- pathy with the people. No one hesitates to ask him a favor, for his disposition is gentle and oblig- ing. Entertaining and agreeable in conversation, he is a citizen of sterling worth, and exemplary in the discharge of all his social duties. His practical acquaintance and thorough sympathy with all that concerns the public welfare, his readiness to respond to every just call upon him as a citizen and as a man at whatever sacrifice, have had a thorough public test, and the whole career of his life affords an example worthy of imitation. Nothing but the louder cry of his country ever came in conflict with his duty to his parents; as a teacher he was painstaking, con- siderate and successful; as a lawyer he brings to the discharge of his duties honesty and earnest- ness of purpose, commendable zeal and energy, good judgment, strong convictions of duty and great knowledge of the law. In official position he has been equal to every emergency that arose, and in all cases brought great credit to the offices he has thus far been intrusted with.

G EORGE W. ATHERTON, LL. D., Presi- dent of the Pennsylvania State College, was born in Boxford, Essex Co., Mass., June 20, 1837. The Atherton family came to New Eng- land between 1620 and 1630. The name was one of the most honorable in the early history of Massachusetts, one of its members, Maj .- Gen. Humphrey Atherton, being to the Massachusetts Colony what Miles Standish was to the Plymouth Colony. This family was a branch of the old English stock whose seat is still at Leigh, near Manchester, England.

At the age of twelve years, the subject of this sketch was left, by the loss of his father, to carn his own living, and to contribute in part to the support of a mother and two sisters. Circum- stances thus early developed the indomitable will and tenacity of purpose which have been his leading characteristics in later life. By work in a cotton-mill, on a farm, and. later, by teaching.

Faithfully jours, Www. W. stheron.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he made his way through Phillips Exeter Acad- emy, and in the fall of 1860 entered the sopho- more class of Yale College, from which he was graduated in 1863. Meantime the war of the Rebellion had temporarily diverted him from his single and absorbing purpose of obtaining a col- legiate education. On the recommendation of President Woolsey and other friends, he was ap- pointed to a first lieutenancy in the 10th Con- necticut Volunteers, which formed a part of the Burnside expedition against North Carolina. He was constantly on duty in all the preliminary op- erations of the expedition, and was in command of his company through the battles of Roanoke Island and Newbern, his captain having been wounded at the very beginning of the former en- gagement. After the battle of Newbern, he was promoted to a captaincy, was engaged for some months in camp and outpost duty at Newbern, afterward took part in the movement under Du- Pont and Hunter from Hilton Head, South Caro- lina (to which his regiment had been transferred), against Charleston. The part assigned to the land forces in the movement was to take posses- sion of Seabrook's Island, for the purpose of holding the mouth of the Edisto river as a ren- dezvous for the ironclads. The immediate land- ing was effected without resistance. The confi- dence of his superior officers was shown at this time by the fact that Capt. Atherton with his company was detached from the main body and ordered to make an independent reconnoissance up the western side of the Island, without guides, in a strange country known to be occupied by e enemy, with instructions to rejoin the main dy at the upper end. This duty he performed 1 a way that secured the warm approval of his superior officers. The next four or five months were passed in camp and out-post duty in the constant presence of the enemy, but with no par- ticular incident except occasional reconnoissance and skirmishes. He was repeatedly detailed as judge advocate of regimental and brigade courts- martial. Meanwhile Capt. Atherton had passed through one period of protracted, and nearly fatal, illness, and found his health in the sum- mer of 1863 so much impaired that this consid- eration, coupled with the apparent prospect of a long period of useless inactivity, led him to offer his resignation. The step was taken with the greatest reluctance, and only after consultation with his colonel and chaplain and other trusted friends in the regiment, and notwithstanding the assured prospect of early promotion.

After several months of recuperation, our subject was appointed to a professorship in the Albany Boys' Academy, one of the best fitting

schools in the country, in which he had taught before entering college. During the succeeding years, while continuing his teaching, he com- pleted the branches of study which he had omitted during his absence in the army. In June, 1864, he returned to New Haven, passed examination in those subjects, and, as a special recognition of his standing in college and the oc- casion of his absence, received his degree (B. A.) to date back with his own class of 1863. Dur- ing the next three years he continued teaching in Albany, and then accepted a professorship in St. John's College. Annapolis, Md., where he also acted as principal nearly the entire year, in the absence of Dr. Henry Barnard. In the follow- ing year he left Annapolis, and became a member of the first Faculty of the Illinois State University, which was opened for students in 1868, with the Hon. John M. Gregory as regent. Here his work and relations were of the most congenial kind; but before the close of his first year of service he accepted a very flattering and urgently repeated offer of the newly-established chair of History, Political Economy and Constitutional Law in Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N. T. He occupied this chair nearly fourteen years. During these fourteen years he not only vigor- ously maintained the professional work of the class-room, but was active in all matters pertain- ing to the general work and interests of the in- stitution, as well as in a great variety of other and more public duties, such as lectures, ad- dresses, newspaper work, etc. In 1873, he was a member of the board of visitors to the United States Naval Academy. In 1875, he was ap- pointed, by President Grant, a member of the Commission to investigate charges of mismapage- ment and fraud at the Red Cloud Indian Agency. The charges were, at the time, a matter of great public notoriety, but the work of investigation was so thoroughly done, and the report submitted to the President so conclusive, that the House of Representatives, which during the succeeding winter made a point of investigating every branch of the government service, inade no attempt to traverse the conclusions of this Commission.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 7

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