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 23
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 23
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 23
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Mr. Hibbs married Miss Annie B. Smith, daughter of Andrew J. and Margaret (Waggoner) Smith. They have six children namely, Della B., Margaret S .. Geneveve C., Sylva C., Benjamin K. and Millie E.
WILLARD ATKINSON GRIFFIN is the son of M. S. and Emma C. (Minchart) Griffin and was born in Bridgeport, Fayette County, Pa., July 20, 1876. He received his early education in the public schools of Brownsville and at Washington and Jefferson College, at Washington, Washington County, Pa.
After completing his education at W. & J. College, he entered the dry goods business in which he has ever since been engaged and in which he has met with that degree of success that invariably attends energy, ability and close application to business.
Mr. Griffin is a Democrat and has always been active in his party. In 1902 he was a candidate for the General Assembly from Fayette County and while he had for his opponent a man of great popularity and wealth; as well as unquestioned ability, he was defcated by only 231 votes. Last spring he was elected a member of the Brownsville borough council for a term of three years. He is very popular with all who know him and is always in the front ranks of those who seek to promote the interests of the community in which they live.
August 15, 1900, he married Miss Sara M. Sloan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Phil Sloan, of Brownsville.
EDGAR T. BRASHEAR was born January 6, 1870, in Redstone Township, Fayette County, Ohio, and is the son of Otho R. and Elizabeth (Davidson) Brashear. lle received his early education in the schools of the township and in the Brownsville high school. He afterwards attended the California, Pa., normal and took a course in the Redstone Academy at Uniontown.
Mr. Brashear remained on the farm until he was eighteen years old and afterwards taught school two terms in his native township. He then moved to Brownsville and commenced clerking and bookkeeping. He was appointed notary public in the spring of 1902 and on the first of September, 1903, entered into the real estate business at which he is still engaged.
He was tax collector from 1900 to 1903, and was elected a member of council in the spring of 1903 which position he still holds. He once served as clerk of council for four years.
January 24, 1895 Mr. Brashear married Miss Margaret, daughter of Isaac L. and Nancy Burd. They have two children, Donald E. and E. Maurice.
273
Chas. W. Coulter- C. W. Gregg
JAMES F. COLLIER is a son of Marchant and Hannah (Hustead) Collier and was born in Georges township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1871. lle received his education in the common schools, in Smithfield High School and in the West Virginia University at Morgantown, W. Va.
Mr. Collier was raised on the farm but later learned the plumbing business and has followed it principally since 1893. He is also a general contractor for street paving, sewering, excavating and the like. He has been auditor and councilman of Brownsville two terms each and was again elected councilman of the borough last spring for a term of one year.
In January, 1896, Mr. Collier was married to Miss H. Ellen Steele, a daughter of Samuel S. and Elizabeth (Conwell) Steele of Brownsville.
CHARLES W. COULTER, the son of John H. and Mary E. (Smith) Coulter, was born in Brownsville, Fayette County, Pa., August 8, 1870, and received his education in the public schools of that town. After leaving school he clerked in his father's hardware store till 1898 when he accepted the position of purser on one of the boats of the Pittsburg and Morgantown line of packets, which position he held till 1901 when he entered into partnership with his father and has ever since been engaged in the hardware business, meeting with gratifying success. He is a Republican in politics but has never aspired to office though he is now serving his third term as clerk of the borough council.
June 21, 1893, Mr. Coulter married Miss Mary B. Cline and to this union there have been born two children, Margaret and Carolyn. Mr. Coulter is a young man of superior business tact and an enterprising citizen and is highly esteemed by all who know him.
CHARLES WALTER GREGG was born in West Brownsville, Washington County, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1860. and received his education in the common schools of that borough and in the California Normal. He is a son of William K. and Mary Ellen (Nicholls) Gregg. Mr. Gregg followed carpen- tering till 1880 since which time he has been engaged in the mercantile business. He is a Democrat and has served as burgess and councilman. 11e was elected a school director last spring.
In 1883, Mr. Gregg married Miss Jennie M. Patton, daughter of John and Annie Adelia (Brown) Patton of West Brownsville, Pa. To them have been born eight children, Harry C., Ella B., Robert A., Marie C., Flint Mc. Jean, John W., and Charles W., the last two named having died in infancy.
CHARLES W. BOWMAN, the subject of this sketch, is a son of Nelson B. and Elizabeth I. (Dunn) Bowman. He was born where he now resides, in Nema- colin Castle, Brownsville, September 19, 1867. He was educated at Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., from which he graduated in 1887. After this period he took a course in architecture, at Columbia College, New York. After his return from college he spent three years with D. Knox Miller, in Pittsburg, as architect. Since his service with D. K. Miller he has resided in his native town.
274
Dr. C. C. Reichard - Dr. L. N. Reichard
On June 30, 1897. he married Miss Lelie Colvin Jacobs, daughter of the late John N. and Sarah Jacobs, and grandaughter of the late Adam Jacobs.
Mrs. L. C. Bowman is a native of Brownsville. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman have one child, Nelson Blair Bowman. Charles W. Bowman has been vestryman of Christ Church for a number of years. He is a very pleasing young man and inherits the hospitable qualities of his forefathers.
Mr. Bowman has served as burgess of Brownsville and is at present justice of the peace. He is a Republican but never aspired to office, though his popularity would readily carry him to high public office.
DR. CYRUS CLAY REICHARD was born at Ringgold's Manor, near Hagers- town, Md., November 6, 1844, and received his early education at Hagers- town. In 1867 he entered the Chicago Medical College, the medical depart- ment of the Northwestern University, and graduated in 1870. He located near Des Moines, Iowa, where he remained two years. He then removed to Monongahela City, Pa., remaining there three years, and coming to Browns- ville in 1875, where he still remains in active practice.
He was married in 1871 to Mary L. Woodward (born Jaunary 12, 1850) daughter of Capt. Isaac C. and Maria (Brashear) Woodward.
To Dr. Reichard and wife five children have been born: Anna M., married S. B. Chalfant; Nellie W .: Dr. Lewis N., a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, class of 1899 and practicing at Browns- ville: Mary K., and Isaac Woodward Reichard.
The Doctor is a member of the Fayette County Medical Society, having served as president; also is a member of the State Medical Society and American Medical Association. He served as surgeon-in-chief of the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment for five years, and the Pittsburg riots of 1877 occurred during his term of service. He is at present president of the board of health of Brownsville.
DR. LEWIS NYMAN REICHARD, is a son of Cyrus C. and Mary (Woodward) Reichard, and was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1877. Hc was educated in the Brownsville public schools, in the University of West Virginia, and in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md .. graduating from the latter when he was only about twenty-one years old.
In 1899 Dr. Reichard commenced the practice of medicine in Brownsville having his office with his father Dr. C. C. Reichard.
Dr. Lewis N. Reichard is a young man of exceptional ability, is popular and has already built up a large and lucrative practice. He is at present serving as secretary of the board of health of Brownsville.
ALVIN C. PATTERSON, the present efficient chief of police of Brownsville, was born at Buena Vista, Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County, Pennsyl- vania, May 18, 1864. He is a son of Wm. E. and Arthusa A. Patterson. He attended the common schools of his native town until he was fifteen years of age when he went to Irwin and attended the high school at that place for one year.
275
J. T. Ross -F. M. Gadd
He has been a detective and police officer almost continuously since 1889 and has run down many noted criminals and landed them in the penitentiary, and in fact his name has become a terror to evil doers along the Monongahela Valley.
January 10, 1895, he married Miss Almeada Thompson, a daughter of John L. Thompson at New Castle, Pennsylvania, and to this union were born two children, Howard R. and Almeada.
Mr. Patterson has been chief of poilee in Brownsville for the past four years and has had but little trouble in controlling the rough element that came to Brownsville with the advent of the P. & L. E. and the Monongahela railroads. While he is stern and unyielding in the discharge of his duty he is affable and courteous to those whose deportment merit courtesy.
J. T. Ross is a son of Thos. B. and Elizabeth (Bailey) Ross and was born at Carmichael, Greene County, Pennsylvania, September 24, 1861. He received his early education in the schools of that village and in Clarksville and Greensburg.
After completing his education, Mr. Ross learned the cabinetmaking trade and then embarked in the furniture and undertaking business at which he had been engaged most of the time since. After selling out his business in Greene County, he traveled for some time for the furniture and undertaking firm of Thompson & Co., of Pittsburg and for the Mckeesport Casket Co., and was also for a short time engaged as a contracting carpenter and builder in Philadelphia.
In 1896 he came to Brownsville and entered into a partership with Geo. C. Steele under the firm name of Steele & Ross. In 1902 he bought out Mr. Steele and has since then conducted the business alone. . He now occupies an elegant building, just completed, which he built expressly for the furniture business. It is of gray brick trimmed with cut stone, three stories in front and five in the rear, and is a model of elegance and convenience. In the sub-basement in the rear he has fitted up one of the finest and most convenient and sanitary morgues that one can find anywhere. The floors and walls are cemented and the ceiling is covered with white enameled iron. He also has one of the finest ambulances in this part of the country.
Mr. Ross was a member of the borough council for some time and is at present a member of the board of health. He is also serving his sixth year as deputy coroner of Fayette County.
In 1883 Mr. Ross married Miss Martha Pogue, a daughter of W. L. and Emma (Moudy) Pogue of Jefferson, Greene County. They have three children, Homer J., Fannie and Hazel Ross.
FRANK M. GADD of Brownsville, was born in Heistersburg, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1874 and is a son of Stephen 1. and Mary .1. (Ridge) Gadd. When he was quite young his parents moved to Merrittstown where they resided till he was fifteen years of age and where he received his carly education in the old academy that is famous for the men of mark who laid the foundation of future greatness within its walls.
276
Chas. H. Storey - Josepli Grafinger
Mr. Gadd learned the trade of blacksmith and horseshoer under his father and is one of the most expert horseshoers in this part of the State. They conducted the business in Sandy Hollow for about fifteen years when they came to Brownsville where Frank now conducts a good business, his father having been compelled to quit the business on account of old age, he now being over 80 years of age while his wife is past 72, her mother having recently died at the ripe old age of 94.
Mr. Gadd has an excellent business and during the winter season when it is icy often drives as high as a hundred shoes a day. Five years ago Mr. Gadd was chosen as a juryman in the United States court at Pittsburg, being then only 24 years old and the youngest man that up to that time who had served on such a jury. He is a staunch Democrat and last year was a delegate to the State convention at Harrisburg, and was selected as member of the committee on resolutions.
October 2. 1902, Mr. Gadd married Miss Bessie L. West, a daughter of Frank and Priscilla (McLain) West, her father being proprietor of the cooper shop near the Hamburger distillery. Mrs. Frank M. Gadd is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church and has for several years been leader of the choir. Mr. Gadd is also at present a member of the school board of Brownsville.
CHAS. H. STOREY is a son of Capt. Matthew and Julia E. (Baker) Storey, and was born in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, April 23, 1873. He was educated in the Brownsville public schools, graduating with the class of 1891.
After quitting school, Mr. Storey learned the trade of glass cutter at the Brownsville factory where he continued to work for two years. He then spent one year in Philadelphia, two years at Latrobe, and two years at Browns- ville to which point he had returned. He then became proprietor of the Brunswick Billiard and Pool Parlors in which business he continued till the Connellsville Central railroad bought the property up in securing right of way. He then sold out and the building was demolished. Since that time he has been in the hotel business with his father, running the old and popular Storcy House. He was elected last spring as a school director.
November 25, 1903, Mr. Storey married Miss Elizabeth Cox, a daughter of Edward and Margaret Cox, of Brownsville. They reside at the Storey House.
JOSEPH GRAFINGER Was born in Belle Vernon, Fayette County, Pa., July 5. 1877, and is a son of Louis and Elizabeth (Reider) Grafinger. He was educated in the schools of Belle Vernon and Brownsville, and worked for some time in the Brownsville Clipper office. He then went into the drug store of H. W. Robinson and commeneed studying for a druggist. He continued there till 1901 when he accepted a position with the Pennsylvania railroad as car tracer. He was next a clerk in the auditor's office of the same road, and is now clerk in the car record office of the Monongahela railroad at Brownsville.
Last February he was elected auditor of the borough of Brownsville for a term of three years.
277
J. A. Huston - Edw. S. DeLaney
June 19, 1902, Mr. Grafinger married Miss Florence L. Coulter, a daughter of John and Mary (Smith) Coulter of Brownsville,, They have one chikl, Earnest,
DR. JOSEPH A. Hustox who has practiced dentistry here for the past twenty-five years first with Dr. J. M. Abrams, and since then by himself, is one of the oldest and best known dentists in this part of the county. Ile is a son of John and Eliza (McCreadt) Huston and was born in Petersburg, Ohio, February 8, 1850. He received his early education in the common schools of Ohio and in Richmond College and Harlem Springs College, Ohio.
Dr. Huston has never aspired to public office though he is now a member of the school board of Brownsville and is always interested in the advance- ment of the community in which he lives. He is also a member of the Health Board.
August 23, 18SS, Dr. Huston married Miss Elizabeth Fishburn, at Wash- ington, Pa. She is a daughter of William C. and Jane Elizabeth (Entrikin) Fishburn. To this union there has been born three children, Holmes, McCready and Smith Huston.
EDWARD S. DELANEY was born in Bridgeport, Fayette County, Pennsyl- vania, October 10, 1866, and was educated in the public schools of the borough. He is a son of Daniel and Bathiah (Redman) DeLaney, and is at present serv- ing his fourteenth year as assistant postmaster in Brownsville.
Mr. Delaney is a Republican and has been honored a number of times with municipal offices by his fellow-townsmen. He has served as school director and has been one of the auditors for the past five years, and assessor from 1901 to 1904.
In 1895 Mr. Delaney married Miss Ella W. Moorhouse, daughter of Robert P. and Dora (Johnson) Moorhouse of Brownsville, and to them have been born two children, Kathryn E. and Robert P.
WILLIAM GRAHAM ACKLIN is a son of Charles P. and Sarah (Graham) Acklin, and was born in Brownsville, April 11, 1870. He was educated in the Brownsville and Pittsburg schools and is now engaged in the bakery business with his father. He is also a member of the school board of Brownsville.
ALEXANDER LABIN was born in Sunderland, England, March 18, 1858, and is the son of John and Ann (Tenent) Labin. He was educated in the common schools of England and then went to work in the coal mines of that country where he continued till September 19, 1881, when he came to this country. He first settled at Danville, Montour County, Pa., and worked in the blast furnaces. He did not remain there long, however, but moved to Snow Shoe, Center County, Pa., where he remained working in the mines till 1886 when he went to Philipsburg, same county, and continued in the mines till July of that year. He then came to Dunbar. Fayette County, where he was employed in the mines for about two months when he moved onto the farm of Richard Braithwaite near Brownsville and commenced gardening. He
278
Robert Johnson - Frank Gabler
followed this for two years and then came to Brownsville to live and returned to work in the mines.
In 1898, Mr. Labin was elected a member of the council of Brownsville for one year and filled the postion with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is now a member of the police force and also health and truant officer.
October 24. 1883, he married Miss Jeannett Howie, daughter of Robert and Mary (Pope) Howie of Snow Shoe. They have cight children living and two dead. The names of the living are, John, Robert, Mary, Matthew, Alexander, Thomas Lewis, James, George Poundstone.
ROBERT JOHNSON of Brownsville is a son of O. M. and Elizabeth (Smith) Johnson, and was born here October 7, 1836; He received his education in the public schools of his native borough and for a number of years after leaving school he followed steamboating, being an engineer. From 1864 to 1884 he was engaged in the lumber business part of the time with his father and part of the time by himself. . After this he again engaged as engineer on the river but later took a position with the Home Natural Gas Co. where he remained for five years. Mr. Johnson next took the position of engineer for the Brownsville Water Co., continuing with them till the first of November, 1903, when he resigned. In April of this year he was elected street commis- sioner of Brownsville.
December 22, 1859, Mr. Johnson married Miss Elma Virginia Gaskill. daughter of Albert and Sarah (Jacobs) Gaskill. To this union there have been born six children, Monroe B., Mary, now the wife of Robert Gillis; residing at Latrobe; Olive, now the wife of John McCormick, residing at Beaver Falls; Ida, now Mrs. John M. Meese of Brownsville Township: Charles S. of Belle Vernon, and Robert D. of Bridgeport.
FRANK GABLER is a son of P. E. and Ellen M. (Sowers) Gabler, and was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1864. He received his education in the Brownsville schools and has lived all his life in his native town where he enjoys the esteem and confidence of all who know him.
Mr. Gabler is a blacksmith and pipe fitter by trade, and is at present a mem- ber of the board of education of Brownsville.
Mr. Gabler married Miss Eva M. Burd, daughter of I. L. and Nancy J. (Fitzgerald) Burd, at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. They have two sons, Raymond B. Gabler and Harold S. Gabler.
THOMAS C. WORCESTER, now a member of the police force of Brownsville, was born March 9, 1878, in Bridgeport, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and was educated in the public schools of his native town. He is a son of Samuel and Ilettie (Potts) Worcester, and has spent most of his life in the borough where he was born.
After leaving school, he commenced working in the glass factories where he continued off and on, till the works closed or were run so irregular that it was necessary to seek other employment.
History of Bridgeport
REESE CADWALLADER FOUNDER OF BRIDGEPORT-FIRST BOROUGH OFFICIALS --- PRESENT BOROUGH OFFICIALS WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHE-THE OLD MARKET HOUSE, WAREHOUSE AND WHARF-BRIDGEPORT IMPROVE- MENT SOCIETY-READING CIRCLE-BRIDGEPORT'S PUBLIC FOUNTAIN- THE OLD RED PUMP -- BRIDGEPORT CEMETERY -OTHER PICTURES AND REMINISCENCES.
Reese Cadwallader bought the land where Bridgeport now stands, in 1783 and laid out the town in 1794. The land had previously been held by different parties, first having been preempted or taken up by Capt. Lemuel Barrett and Angus MeDonald under a military permit, but it seems they never had a title to it.
WHEN INCORPORATED.
After passing through several hands, Mr. Cadwallader bought it and laid out the town as before stated, in 1794. The town was incorporated by an Act of Assembly approved March 9, 1814. The election of officers for the borough, it seems, was not held, however, till May of the next year, at which time the following officers were elected :
FIRST BOROUGH OFFICIALS.
Samuel Jones, burgess; John Cock, Joseph Truman, Enos Grave, Morris Truman, John Bently, and William Cock, councilmen. Bridgeport Town- ship was formed in 1815. Samuel Jones was the first justice of the peace for Bridgeport Township and borough of which there is any record and he was appointed February 17, 1817. Justices were regularly appointed after this until 1840 when Albert G. Booth and James Truman were elected.
PRESENT BOROUGH OFFICIALS.
BURGESS: T. A. Jefferies.
COUNCIL : W. V. Winans, President; Harry Marshall, Geo. M. Rathmell, Jas. I. Thornton, A. M. Sargent, O. K. Martin, B. R. A. Tilghman.
SECRETARY : Edwin P. Cousc.
SCHOOL DIRECTORS: Geo. L. Moore, Pres .; Daniel H. Pearsall, Geo. L. Stewart, U. F. Higginbotham, Alex. Lockhart, R. R. Bulger, Jas. H. Gray. Sec'y; Caleb J. Miller, Jas. Herbertson, Wm. Levy, Rev. Richard H. Bumry. BOROUGH TREASURER: National Deposit Bank.
280
The Old Market House
ASSESSOR L. C. Waggoner, retiring; Wm. DeLaney, elect.
AUDITORS: Henry Mossett, Jas. Herbertson, Robert Buffington.
TAX COLLECTOR : Eli Cope.
POLICEMEN : Eli Cope, chief.
CONSTABLE: John Thompson.
STREET COMMISSIONER : J. S. Lindy.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE: David M. Hart, retiring: Edw. L. Moorehouse, C. T. Baldwin, elect.
BOARD OF HEALTH : Henry Eastman, M. D., Pres. ; Alfred C. Smith, M. D., Sec .; Geo. L. Moore, Geo. S. Herbertson, Alex. Lockhart.
THE OLD MARKET HOUSE.
Long before Bridgeport became a borough, it had a market house which stood where the public park or grass plat now is. Its existence is evidenced by the fact that on the 22d day of July, 1814, the same month in which the town was incorporated, an ordinance was passed declaring "that from and after the first day of the ninth month next a market shall be established and held in the market house of this borough, and on the fourth and seventh days of each week, and from daylight until nine o'clock a. m., on each of the said days in the first, second, third, tenth and eleventh and twelfth months, and from daylight until eight o'clock a. m., on each of said days in the fourth fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth months." An addition was after- wards built to this market house. In 1829 the old market house was sold to D. H. Chalfant for ten dollars twelve and one-half cents. In the fall of 1832 it appears that a new market house had been built. Its dimensions are given as 62 ft. 6 in. by 30 ft. The main part of this building was after- wards occupied as a town hall and council chamber. It was burned some years later.
THE WAREHOUSE AND WHARF.
A part of the public ground was rented to Israel Gregg, in 1815, for a term of ten years, on which he erected a warehouse 50x20 feet, one and a half stories high. It was stipulated that this building should revert to the borough at the end of ten years which it did. It was then rented to different parties till 1844 when it was sold and removed and a wharf was built on the site. The wharf was built in 1845 by Henry Marshall at a cost of $963.54. In August of that year the borough council fixed the first rate for wharfage of steamboats. The rate was $1.00 per trip and 50c per day when lying over in a navigable stage of the river, and $5.00 per month in winter. Keel boats were charged 25c per landing or the same per day.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
On the 29th of November, 1842, the council of Bridgeport, in accordance with "the will of the people, expressed at a town meeting called for the
281
Bridgeport Improvement Society
Old Falling Rocks, Bridgeport. Keller & Crossan, Contractors, tore all of these rocks down with one massive blast
purpose, " subscribed one hundred dollars for the purchase of a fire engine for the use of the borough. Afterwards the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars was subscribed by the citizens, when, as one hundred dollars more was necessary, that additional amount was subscribed by the council. An engine was then built for the borough by Faull & Herbertson, and a company was raised and organized to take charge of and work it. The subsequent history of Bridgeport with regard to the extinguishment of fires has been the same as that of Brownsville. Fire companies have been raised from time to time, and have as often gone down and disbanded, and at the present time Bridgeport, like Brownsville, is without a fire depart- ment or any effective means of preventing serious disaster to the borough from the ravages of fire.
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