USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Bridgeport > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 19
USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > West Brownsville > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 19
USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Brownsville > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 19
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
In 1864 he married Miss - Myers, a daughter of H. H. and Eliza Myers of Canton, Ohio. To this union there were born five children, A. M. R., Helen, Aun, Laura and Leda now dead.
Mrs. Jacobs died and some years later, in 1893, Mr. Jacobs married Belle S. Stoner, a daughter of Harry and Elizabeth Stoner of the East End, Pittsburg. To this latter union there were born two children, Katherine and Edward.
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W. H. Bright
W. 11. BRIGHT, the subject of this sketch, is a son of George and Nancy (Saville) Bright and was born near Bridgewater, Rockingham County, Vir- ginia, June 28, 1852. His father died when he was about six years old and he was taken to raise by John and Anna (Grabill) Senger with whom he remained till he was seventeen years old, and who were as dear to him as his own parents could have been. He had grown up on the farm and up until this time had spent but little time in school. At the age of seventeen he bade the old home good-bye and turned his face toward the great west. He stopped at Dayton, Ohio, and went to work on a farm in Montgomery County, where he spent his spare time in studying, and so diligently and persistently did he prosecute the task he had set himself that in a few years we find him as principal of the Centre schools in that county and a few years later as principal of one of the schools in Dayton. He taught here for several years and then went to lowa where he taught school and learned telegraphy on the Burlington & Quincy railroad.
It was about this time he fell in with George R. Stephens at Mt. Ayr, Iowa and commenced a newspaper career that has covered more than a quarter of a century and has been remarkable for the extent of his operations. He has owned and operated newspapers in lowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. In all of these states he would frequently occupy the position of principal of the school or one of the schools while publishing and editing the paper, but his time has been devoted principally to newspaper work since 1880. In the interim he traveled all over the west and south, in fact visited every state and territory in the Union and followed the Mississippi from lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Missouri for many hundreds of miles along its lower course.
In 1879 he commenced to turn his mind in the channel of invention, and along with his other enterprises, invented and patented many novel and use- ful mechanical devices among them being a reciprocating electric motor, a rotary steam engine, a combination sprocket wheel for bicycles, a combi- nation hand piece for dental engines, a combination lock on which he was allowed a patent in February of this year, a copy-paper holder for typewriter and a twin hose coupler, considered the best ever vet produced.
Mr. Bright is the author of many serial stories, column sketches or short stories and poems of exceptional merit; among the latter may be named "The Old Monongahela Still," written expressly for this book, and several shorter ones that appear duly credited. His "Moonlight on the Floor," "The Old-Fashioned Hollyhock," and "Thoughts of the Past," are excep- tionally good and have appeared in many publications.
February 1, 1877 Mr. Bright married Miss Anna V. Musselman, a daughter of Henry and Lena (Bright) Musselman of Montgomery County, Ohio. To this union there were born five children, Clyde S., Walter R., Homer, Edith Pearl, and Iola May. Clyde is now a passenger brakeman on the P., V. & C. and resides in West Brownsville: Edith Pearl is the wife of Gilbert Monroe and resides in Portsmouth, Ohio, while the other three are dead. Homer died in lowa at the age of one year, Walter at Portsmouth, Ohio at the age of twenty-one and lola May died at Oakdale, Pennsylvania, aged sixteen.
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J. Percy Hart
Mr. Bright is now engaged in literary work and in company with J. Percy Hart the publisher of this book and Harry Marshall, merchant of Brownsville, is engaged in promoting a corporation for the development of vast industries in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.
J. PERCY HART was born in Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, May 18, 1870, and was educated in Bridgeport and Monongahela City schools, attending school during the day and clerking in the grocery store of his grand- father, John S. Wilgus, in the evening and Saturdays, at Monongahela City. He is the son of David M. and Sarah Melissa (Wilgus) Hart who are among the oldest and most prominent citizens of the Three Towns, and their ances- tors were among the pioneers of Western Pennsylvania, James G. Hart, grandfather of J. Percy, having been associate judge of Washington County, Pennsylvania, being first elected in 1856 and again in 1861, serving two terms. The Wilguses were also very prominent, John Wilgus, the great-grandfather of J. Percy Hart being the man who first proposed the building of the Union Pacific Railroad.
J. Percy Hart took early to the newspaper business, first carrying papers and afterwards learning the printer's trade in the Monitor office where he continued about nine years serving most of the time as foreman, but after- ward becoming editor and publisher. He is a staunch Republican and has always taken an active interest in the work of his party. He has served as secretary of the council of Bridgeport, and also as secretary of the board of health. He is at present engaged in the real estate business as junior partner of the firm of Marshall & Hart, the firm doing an extensive business, and is secretary of the Buckskin Gulch Mining and Milling Company, a corporation operating a gold mine in Park County, Colorado.
Mr. Hart is of an inventive turn of mind and has perfected a number of ingenious mechanical devices among them being the Humane Check Rein, a device by which the driver can rein or unrein the horse he is driving without getting out of the buggy or carriage, and on which he obtained letters patent of the United States, in 1899.
January 16, 1893, Mr. Hart married Miss Finley Z. Taylor, a daughter of John W. and Katherine (Wherry) Taylor of West Brownsville, Pennsylvania. To this union there have been born four children, Russell W., Melissa M., T. Benton, and J. Percy, Jr. Russell W. and T. Benton died in infancy. Mr. llart with his family resides in the Dr. Grooms homestead on Second Street, Bridgeport, Pa.
ROBERT PETRIELLO while a native of Italy, is a citizen of the United States and has been prominently identified with many gigantic enterprises. Hc was born at Torre le Nocello, Avellino, Italy, April 5, 1863, and came to America in 1878. He is a son of Raggo and Rose Petriello and was raised on a farm. When he set out for the New World, he determined to do what ever his hands found to do that was honorable and in this he has persevered and has met with flattering success.
On landing at Castle Garden, the first work that offered, was picking okl paper and rags, and while it held forth to him no flattering inducements, he
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Robert Petriello
took hold with that vim and energy that has characterized his subsequent career. At the end of one week he secured a position with a gang of men who were working on a railroad up the St. Lawrence river to Winnipeg, where he handled the pick and shovel for nine months.
We next find him at Pottsville, Pa., as foreman of a gang of men that he furnished for a contractor at that place. He remained here about three years and during that time in addition to handling a gang of men, he also run a bakery, furnishing bread for the men, as well as other supplies. From here he went to Upper Tyrone to superintend the work of building stone arches for a bridge at that place that Contractor HI. E. Gaines was erecting. When this work was completed he went to Wilkesbarre as foreman for Charles McFadden, in railroad construction work. After eighteen months of work at Wilkesbarre he went with McFadden to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he owned the commissary and also built a large bakery.
Mr. Petriello only remained at Poughkeepsie three months when he went to Philadelphia and opened up a wholesale grocery house. His good nature and faith in his fellow-men, however, was his undoing here for after trusting out about $10,000 worth of goods, and not being able to realize on his accounts, he went to the wall losing everything he had. This was only an episode, how- ever in the life of Mr. Petriello for he had not embodied in his vocabulary, the word "fail," so we next find him at Pottstown with George Potts, for whom he furnished a number of men, and from whom he also secured sub- contracts amounting to about $9,000. The work went on all O. K., but about pay time, Potts ran away and Mr. Petriello again found himself loser.
This was a little discouraging, but Mr. Petriello took it philosophically and at once went to Laughan at Philadelphia where he furnished Keller & Crosson a lot of men and was made foreman over a number of crews, or a kind of general boss. This was in ISSS. After nineteen months of work here he went with the same firm to Loretta, Cambria County where he furnished them a number of men and also secured a sub-contract from Chas. McFadden for five miles of grading and another sub-contract for grading about two miles for McManus & Riley. During this time he was running a bake shop and furnishing bread for the men on the works. Here, however, Mr. Petriello again found himself up against it, for what he supposed was black dirt that was to be removed, turned out to be solid rock and at the end of a year he found himself $14,000 worse off than when he started the work. He then set about to make good the deficiency to his men and parted with the last dollar and the last dollars' worth of property he had in order to pay his just debts. His wife's jewelry, valued at about $1,000 went with the rest, bringing only about $150. He then went to Ebensburg, and when he had raised all he could. which was about $5,000, he started for Loretta but missed the train and getting a friend to help him they walked eight miles carrying the $5,000 in silver. This paid the men all off with the exception of three dollars cach. but when they found what sacrifices he had made they exonerated him from paying the rest. Here then he found himself after many years of hard work, without a dollar, but he still had his indomitable will and once more gathered up the tangled threads of fortune and started in to win.
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Robert Petriello
He again joined Keller & Crosson at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, where he remained for two years furnishing them men, bossing a gang and run- ning a commissary and bakery. His next work was for Filbert, Porter & Crosson at Queen Lane Reservoir in Philadelphia. This reservoir covered about ninety acres of ground. It took three years to complete the work, but before it was quite finished, he went to Mt. Joy, leaving his brother Sylvester, in charge of his men and the commissary. At Mt. Joy he secured a sub-con- tract from Filbert, Porter & Crosson for laying the trolley line all over Fair- mont Park. It took him about a year to complete this work, when he secured another sub-contract from the Franklin Engineering Co., for building a trolley line all over Strawberry Mansion Park, and also another sub-contract for building a ninety-foot driveway through the same park.
When this work was completed, Mr. Petriello secured a contract from the city of Philadelphia for sewering, paving and like work amounting to over $100,000. It took him five years to complete this work. He then secured a contract for putting in seven miles of sewer in Morristown, New Jersey. This work was done by the firm of Petriello Bros. & David Peoples. Here Mr. Petriello remained thirteen months when he left the work in charge of his brother Sylvester and came to Brownsville where he took a sub-contract from Keller & Crosson to build six miles of the Monongahela railroad being that section from Bridgeport to LaBelle. He also furnished men for Keller & Crosson and run the commissaries. His brother, Sylvester, has been a partner in all his undertakings since the latter came to this country in 1889, and at present they have a contract and are building 300 coke ovens at Orient on the Connellsville Central Railroad, up Dunlap's Creek, and also a lot of railroad track. These contracts cover about $90,000.
While Mr. Petricllo and his brother Sylvester, have lost several fortunes, they have never surrendered to circumstances, but have pushed ahead and are now worth about $100,000, owning $25,000 worth of property in Italy. Robert Petriello is a director in the Italo-American Trust Company of Phila- delphia.
Robert Petriello married Miss Ella Ritslow of his native home, December 24, 1899.
Sylvester Petriello, the brother and partner of Robert, was born in Torre le Nocellio, Avellino, Italy, May 15, 1865, and married Miss Annie Skocelia of his native town.
Robert Petriello and his wife visited their home in Italy last year sailing from New York December 10, and returning to this country this year arriving in New York on the steamer Princess Irene March 31, last.
Both Robert and Sylvester Petriello are naturalized American citizens, and are affiliated with the Republican party, always taking an active part in the work of their party as well as lending substantial financial aid. Their permanent home is one of the most elegant residences in Queens Lane, Philadelphia.
243
John Alfred Brashear
JOHN ALFRED BRASHEAR. - Prof. John Alfred Brashear who now resides in Pittsburg and who is one of the most eminent astronomers and manufac- turers of astronomical instruments in the United States, if not in the world. is a son of B. B. and Julia Brashear, and was born in Brownsville. November 24, 1840. His father, Basil Brown Brashear was the son of Basil Brown Brashear, Sr., whose father, Otho Brashear, came to Brownsville in 1775. Otho Brashear, the great-grandfather of Prof. John Alfred Brashear, married a sister of Thomas and Basil Brown who were among the earliest settlers in this section of the country, the former being the founder of the town of Brownsville, and as elsewhere stated, was buried in what was known as Jeffries' burying ground, and on whose tombstone there was inscribed this quaint epitaph: "Here lies the body of Thomas Brown, who once was owner of this town."
Professor Brashear's grandfather on his mother's side, was Nathaniel H. Smith, who was well known in the early days of Brownsville for his remark- able mechanical skill. He constructed, while living here, one of the first telegraphic instruments ever made, and also an cleetrie engine or motor that was run by a battery and that worked nicely. It is authentically stated that Mr. Smith made some of the first Daguerreotypes in this state. He was a man of exceptional inventive ingenuity and mechanical skill and it is prob- ably from him that Professor Brashear inherited his taste and ability for mechanics and science. It was he who taught the now illustrious astrono- mer and scientist. Professor Brashear, the constellations, as he was also the first person to obtain for his apt pupil, views of the moon and of Saturn, with a telescope which was brought here from Mckeesport about the year 1840, by " Squire" Wampler.
Professor Brashear attended the public schools of Brownsville where he received a good common-school education and laid the foundation for the future achievements that have marked his career. Among his teachers were William Chalfant, Mrs. Lucy Rheasa, an aunt of Mr. Brashear, and finally Mr. George Wilkinson, of whom Mr. Brashear says, "He was the best teacher Fever knew."
After finishing his school work under Mr. Wilkinson, he kept a store for Joseph Price for some time, when he accepted a position in the grocery store of Thomas Murphy. This was not to his liking, however, so he secured a position with the Snowden Engine Manufacturers as an apprentice and here learned the trade of pattern maker. Here he was more in his element and had an opportunity to gratify, to some extent, his taste for mechanics. He was much attached to his employers and says of them that they treated him more like a son or brother than like an employe. After completing his trade he spent a year at Louisville, Ky., at engine building and then removed to Pittsburg, where for twenty years he had charge of the machinery of several of the largest rolling mills in that city.
During all this time he never forgot the lessons in science his grandfather had given him, nor did his love of scientific studies abate. He was still gazing at the upper deep with an admiration only exceeded by his determination to
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John Alfred Brashear
bring it closer to earth for the purpose of deeper and more effective research. It was this determination and his love for science, particularly in the domain of astronomy, that led him in 1875, to make his first telescope. This was followed in 1877 with a twelve-inch telescope of ten feet focus with which many of his subsequent studies of the moon and comets were made.
In 1880, he gave up his position in the mill and commenced the manufac- ture of astronomical instruments at which he has ever since been engaged, and the fame of which has long since circled the globe. If evidence of this was necessary it could be found in the fact that he has made instruments for almost every astronomical observatory and every physical laboratory in the world. Nearly all the large and important astronomical spectroscopes and spectrographs have been made by him or under his direct supervision, as well as many of the more important astrophysical instruments for original research. Further evidence of the superiority of Professor Brashear's in- struments is found in the fact that the optical instruments used by the army and navy, such as "Range Finders," "Gun Sights," "Meridian Instruments," etc., were made in his workshop.
While Professor Brashear has been active and untiring in his research along scientific lines as well as in the prosecution of his chosen profession, he has not been without reward financially, nor has honor justly earned, been withheld. He has been elected to honorary and active membership in the following societies: "Royal Astronomical Society" of Great Britain, "British Astronomical Society" of Great Britain. "Royal Astronomical So- ciety" of Canada, "Société Astronomique de France," "Société Astro- nomique de Belgique," "American Philosophical Society," "American Society of Mechanical Engineers," "American Association of Science," "American Astrophysical Society," "Astronomical Society of the Pacific," "Academy of Science and Art," and "Engineer Society of Western Pennsylvania," besides many others of less import. He has been given the degree of LL. D. by Wooster University and Washington and Jefferson College, and the degree of Se. D. by the Western University of Pennsylvania.
Among the more important positions he has held may be mentioned, that of Chancellor of the Western University of Pennsylvania; Acting Director Allegheny Astronomical Observatory; Past President of the Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania; Past President of the Academy of Science and Art; Past Vice President of the American Association of Science.
Notwithstanding the strenuous life Professor Brashear has led and the many honors that have been bestowed upon him, he has never forgotten the scenes of his childhood nor the good people of his native town, and often expresses regret that he cannot see more of them and more frequently visit the scenes of his early trials and triumphs, and gaze down upon the placid waters of the historic Monongahela from the hills of old Fayette, from one of which, in 1858, he looked upon that grandly magnificent sight, Donati's comet, of which he still speaks with enthusiasm.
September 25, 1862, John Alfred Brashear married Miss Phoebe Stewart, a most estimable and accomplished lady of Fairchance, Fayette County,
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Isaac M. Mason
whose ancestors were prominent in the early history of Western Pennsyl- vania, and like many other men who have gained fame and fortune, owes much to the Spartan bravery and constant help and encouragement of his wife.
ISAAC M. MASON .-- It is always a pleasure to note the prominence and success of those who were once citizens of Brownsville, and who in after years cast their lot in other lands or in distant cities. Of these, and there are many of them, Capt. Isaac M. Mason stands preeminent. And, while over forty years have passed away since Captain Mason removed his family from the banks of the Monongahela River to those of the Great Father of waters, the older citizens remember him well and the present generation is as familiar with his name as if he were still here, for almost every day they see his name on one of the boats, that beautiful and popular excursion steamer, the "Isaac M. Mason," and many is the merry excursion party that this boat still carries up and down the Monongahela River during the summer season.
Isaac M. Mason was born in Brownsville, Pa., March 4, 1831. and received his education in the primitive schools of that day, but, notwithstanding the limited and primitive facilities for acquiring an education, that were at his command, his close application and observation amply qualified him to fill the many high positions that he has been called upon to fill since then.
After leaving school, he clerked for about a year in the store of Zephaniah Carter and then commenced the long career of steamboating that has not only brought him fame but fortune as well. He served first as second clerk and next as first clerk on the Brownsville packets, for about four years and then commenced running from Pittsburg to St. Louis and from St. Louis to St. Paul, in which service he continued till 1865. He was general freight agent of the Northern Line for eleven years and served as Marshal first, then as sheriff of St. Louis which forms what is known as City of St. Louis County, for eight years. After this Captain Mason was, for over ten years, general super- intendent of the St. Louis and New Orleans Anchor Line of packets and also president of the company. He then retired from the river business and was elected auditor of St. Louis in which capacity he served for four years. His popularity is shown by the fact that in this election he received 23,845 majority over his opponent. He has served as President of the Merchants' Exchange, President of the Mercantile Trust Company and in many other important positions of honor and trust. Captain Mason was 73 years old the fourth day of last March and is still hale, hearty and actively engaged in business in St. Louis.
CAPT. SAMUEL S. BROWN, of Pittsburg, is one among the many men who, while he does not reside here, has large interests in Fayette County and has been largely instrumental in spreading her fame abroad. His fine farm of 9993 acres, all underlaid with coal, for which it is said he has refused $1,000 per acre, that is now and has for some time been under the efficient manage- ment of William Darby, and his stable of fine, thoroughbred horses just above Bridgeport, are known far and wide. Mr. Brown is a genial gentleman
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Capt. Samuel S. Brown
affable and courteous and is a popular man and a favorite everywhere. The following from the Pittsburg Dispatch of April 28, 1904, under the head of Prominent Pittsburghers, is a brief sketch of his business career:
"Among those whose name does much to advertise Pittsburg, is Capt. Samuel S. Brown. He was born in Minersville in what is now the Thirteenth Ward, Pittsburg, and has grown up with the Smoky City development in which he was and still is a prominent factor.
After serving in the Civil War with great credit, having enlisted when but nineteen years of age, he took an active interest in the immense coal business that had been established by his father, W. H. Brown. This took much of his time and after the death of the senior Brown, Capt. Samuel Brown took charge, greatly enlarging the business, and when the River Coal Combine was organized his and his brother's interests were among the largest holdings transferred. He now holds the position of Master of Transportation of that corporation but refuses to draw any salary for his services.
He now owns among other property in Pittsburg, that old and popular hostelry, the Monongahela House, having purchased it some years ago.
In the summer of 1897, when the locks on the Monongahela River were de- clared free, his boat, the Mariner, was the first to go through the locks with- out paying toll.
For years Captain Brown took much interest in breeding race horses and has given to the world some of the finest horses on the turf. In the eighties he astonished the racing world with Troubadour, who was the fastest long distance running horse of his day. During the last few years the develop- ment of horseflesh has taken up much of his time and attention. At present he has a Stud of more than one hundred fine horses, among them being the following stars of the present day: Conjurer, Proceeds, Audience, Auditor- this being considered the best and most valuable quartet in the world.
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