USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III > Part 15
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He then enlisted for a service of three months in Company H, Captain Eastly, Tenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and this time was chiefly spent at Chambersburg, Hogestown, Martinsburg and Harrisburg. At the end of this period he returned to his home and worked at the mill for a few months, and as his parents were opposed to his re-enlisting, he ran away from home in September, 1861, and enlisted at Harrisburg for three years, in Company A, Captain John P. Suter, known as the Zouaves of the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He re-enlisted in the same command January 1,
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1864, for another three years or during the continuation of the war, and served until July 15, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. During his time of service he was an active participant in many battles and skirmishes, and was many times com- mended for bravery. While he was serving under his third enlistment he was in about twenty-eight or thirty engagements. He was with his command at all times until July 18, 1864, at the battle of Snicker's Gap, when he was struck in the left temple by a bullet. This was re- moved nine months later. At the time of receiving, this wound, Mr. Fredericks was sent to the field hospital and from thence to the Fred- erick City Hospital. He obtained a veteran's furlough, returned to his home and remained there for thirty days with the remainder of the company, and then marched with them as far as Hogestown, where the doctors refused to allow him to proceed any further. He was sent to a hospital in Maryland, where the bullet was probed for but not found, and he begged to be sent to his regiment, but his request was refused and he was transferred to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and there the ball was extracted by Dr. O'Brien, and two weeks after this was done Mr. Fredericks returned to the front. He was then sent to Rich- mond to rejoin his regiment, remained there for a few weeks until the conclusion of hostilities and then returned to Harrisburg. He set the example to the young men of his district. He was the first to re-enlist in his regiment, and although the others wished to re-enlist from Pitts- burg in order to get the six hundred dollars bounty which that city of- fered, he persuaded them to enlist from Johnstown, their own city, although the bounty was but two hundred dollars. During the raid at Lynchburg, Mr. Fredericks was without food for four days and nights. He was in the battles of Piedmont, Stanton, Lexington, Buchan- an, Lynchburg, Snicker's Gap and a number of others.
Five days after his discharge he returned home, and two months later he went to Lonaconing, Maryland, and there obtained work as a teamster. Later he resided in Cumberland, Maryland, and worked in the Baltimore and Ohio rail mill as heater, and heated the first two rails that were rolled in that mill, and in the latter part of 1871 he went to Newark, Ohio, where he was also employed as a heater. About one year later he removed to Wheeling, West Virginia, and worked in the same capacity for two years, after which he returned to Johns- town, Pennsylvania, and worked as heater as long as rails were being made there. He accepted a position in the blast furnaces of the Cam- bria Company in 1878, and remained with them for twenty years. He has been active in the public affairs of his community, and was elected city health officer and served for five years, and was water inspector for one year. He associated himself as one of the firm with the Johns- town Dry Grain Company, in April, 1904, and has since been elected to the office of vice-president in that company. He is not a member of any church, but his wife and family are members of the First English Lutheran church. He is a member of Camp No. 60, Union Veteran Legion. Politically he is a strong supporter of the Demo- cratic party, and he casts his first vote for General George B. Mc- Clellan. He is also a member of the following organizations: Lonacon- ing Lodge No. 84 since 1865; Jackson Encampment, No. 23, Lonacon- ing, since 1866.
Mr. Fredericks married, February 6, 1866, in Cumberland, Mary- land, Annie M. Easter, of that city, a daughter of Emanuel and Mary (Neff-Miss) Easter, and they have had children: Annie Neff-Miss,
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married Jacob Gruber, of Johnstown : 2. Emma J., married Edward Walton, of Cumberland, Maryland; 3. Mary Ella, unmarried, is an operator in the Western Union Telegraph office at Johnstown.
GEORGE HOERLE, deceased, late of Johnstown, whose honored memory, despite the fact that nearly thirty years have elapsed since his death, is still cherished by his many friends, was born January 31, 1844, in Baltimore, Maryland, son of Caspar Hoerle, who was born in Biedenkopf, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, where he received a good education and learned the cabinetmaker's trade. After coming to the United States, Casper Hoerle lived for a time in Baltimore, and then moved to Johnstown, where he followed his trade, having his shop on Main street, next to the house which is now the residence of Mrs. Cover. He and William Orr were at that time the only cabinetmakers in Johns- town. Mr. Hoerle gave up his business in 1865. In politics he was a Democrat, and he and his wife were devout members of the Lutheran church.
Caspar Hoerle married, it is supposed in Baltimore, Anna Hinkle, and their children were: 1. Henry, married Matilda Wells, killed in 1866 by falling through an opening in the bridge connecting Stonycreek and Cambria; 2. Louis, of Johnstown, married Margaret Snedden ; 3. George, of whom later: 4. William, deceased, married Kate Jones; 5. Frank, of Johnstown, married Lizzie Parsons; 6. Edward, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, married Ella Rambler; 7. Lizzie, wife of Samuel Wike, died in Somerset, Pennsylvania; 8. Catharine, wife of James Benford, died in Johnstown. Caspar Hoerle, the father, was a patternmaker as well as a cabinetmaker, and while having some work done at a planing mill on Centre street, was struck in the heart and instantly killed by a piece of wood which flew from a board passing through a circular saw. His widow survived until 1887. Both are buried in Sandyville cemetery.
George Hoerle, son of Caspar and Anna (Hinkle) Hoerle, was three years old when his parents moved to Johnstown, and in the very good sehools of that city he received an excellent education. He learned the cabinetmaker's trade under the instruction of his father, and fol- lowing that calling in the service of the Cambria Iron Company for fourteen years. He was then, for a portion of two years, clerk in the office of the furnace plant of James Fronheiser, in East Conemangh, and was filling this position at the time of his death. He prospered as he deserved, and was the owner of a pretty and comfortable home on Fourth street. He belonged to the Knights of Honor, and for many years held the office of secretary in that body. He adhered throughout his life to the principles of the Republican party. and was a member of the First English Lutheran church.
Mr. Hoerle married, November 26, 1864, in Johnstown, Nancy J. Howard, and the following children were born to them : Jessie May, died in infancy : Howard, also died in infancy; Minnie V., died at three years old; Camelia A., died at the same age: Gertrude Rachel, married John W. Fletcher, and died in Johnstown, August 1, 1901, leaving two children : Howard W. and Gertrude Mary.
In the death of Mr. Hoerle, which occurred August 20, 1878, his family and friends sustained an irreparable loss. He was regarded by all who knew him with respect and affection, uniting, as he did, strict principle and upright conduct to a kindly and charitable dis- position. He was a lover of the beautiful in nature and art, but his
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greatest delight was in his family and in the quiet enjoyments of home life.
Mrs. Hoerle is a daughter of John Howard, whose father was a native of England, and when a young man emigrated to the United States. He had received a superior education, and was among the early settlers of Somerset county, making his home near Jenner town- ship. Ile married Margery Hanlon, who was born in Ireland, and had, like himself, been given a liberal education. Their children were: John. of whom later: Alexander, farmer near Johnstown, married Mag- dalena Seich, and died December 25, 1889; James, married Mary Hoff- man, and went in 1868 to Santa Barbara, California, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits until the elose of his life. Mrs. Howard, the mother, lived to the advanced age of eighty-three, and during the last ten years of her life endured the great affliction of blindness.
John Howard, son of Henry and Margery ( Hanlon) Howard, was born in Somerset county, where he became a large landowner, and was a man of high standing in the community. He served for many years as prothonotary and justice of the peace. He married Lavinia, born in Somerset county, daughter of John and Anna (Berkey) Gard- ner, members of the Dunkard church. Mr. and Mrs. Howard were the parents of the following children: Margaret. died in childhood; James F., of Johnstown, married Mary Ream; Henry C., deceased; Levi G., of Johnstown. married Florilla Earych; Nancy J., born in Conemaugh township, Somerset county, wife of George Hoerle ; Rebecca M., married John H. Lenhart. died in Johnstown, May 25, 1905; Franklin K., of Johnstown. John Howard, the father, died February 14, 1864.
SAMUEL MOORHEAD SWAN, M. D. Shortly before the Ameri- can Revolution, a Seotchman by the name of Swan left his native country and located with his family in New York city, where he re- mained for a short period of time. From there he removed to the beautiful island of St. Dominico, in the Bahamas, where the Rev. Samuel Swan, father of Dr. Samuel M. Swan, was born. Later the family returned to Scotland, where they remained twenty years, at the expiration of which time they again crossed the Atlantic and located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Rev. Samuel Swan was born on the island of St. Dominico, No- vember 30, 1798, and died at Blairsville, Pennsylvania, August 5, 1877, aged seventy-eight years, eight months and five days. During the residence of his parents in Scotland he received that liberal edu- cation which was largely the groundwork of his future usefulness. Completing his course of literary studies at the University of Glasgow when he was about nineteen years of age, he then came with his father and the family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his theologieal train- ing was obtained at the Princeton Theological Seminary. Immediately afterward he was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Huntingdon, and in April, 1824, he was unanimously called to his first charge, the pastorate of the congregations of Fairfield, Ligonier and Donegal, in Westmoreland county, succeeding the Rev. George Hill. He was ordained June 17, 1824. when in his twenty-sixth year. About 1840 Mr. Swan met with an accident which lamed him for life, but did not seriously mar his splendid physical proportions. Owing to this accident it became impossible for him to serve all of his congrega- tions with that conscientiousness which was a marked trait of his
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character, and the charge was about to be divided when an event oe- cured which caused him to leave the valley and come to Johnstown. The event was the sudden death, June 3, 1841, of Rev. Shadrach Howell Terry, pastor of the Presbyterian congregation of Johnstown. It is a remarkable circumstance that Mr. Swan had been requested to assist Mr. Terry at a communion service, and that when he came to fulfill this appointment he found Mr. Terry dead. Mr. Swan administered the communion and preached the funeral sermon of his deceased friend. A call was soon afterward extended to him to take charge of the Johns- town congregation, and this he accepted, resigning his valley charge October 5, 1841, and being installed at Johnstown, November 9, 1841. Shortly after this date Mr. Swan brought his family to Johnstown, purchasing the residence of George S. King, with the ample grounds which then surrounded it. His pastoral relations with the Johnstown congregation were dissolved April 18, 1852. He then had charge of a church at Armagh, Indiana county, and in 1856 removed to Le- land, Illinois, where he served as a missionary for a number of years. Mr. Swan continued to reside in Illinois, preaching frequently, until a few years prior to his death, when he removed to Blairsville, Pennsyl- vania, where he occasionally filled the pulpit of a Presbyterian brother. During the twenty-eight years of his active ministry in Ligonier valley and at Johnstown, Dr. Swan preached many sermons, but never one that had not been fully prepared. He preached the truths of the Bible, and no man or woman could listen to his sermons without being in- structed. Not gifted as an orator, his delivery was nevertheless earnest and impressive, his diction was classic and elegant, drawn from the well of English undefiled. He was a scholar, a conspicuously conscien- tious man, mindful of the smallest duty, a Christian in whom there was no guile, and a gentleman always.
Rev. Dr. Samuel Swan married (first) Sarah Moorhead, daughter of Samuel Moorhead, a wealthy farmer of the Valley, a prominent and reliable man, of fine judgment and sturdy attainments, for a long time justice of the peace in the county, and a descendant of one of the oldest and most respected families in the Ligonier Valley. Six children were the issue of this marriage. Mrs. Swan and her two daughters- Agnes and Mary-died within one year, during the residence of the family in Johnstown. He married (second), in Johnstown, Mary Priestly, daughter of Shepley Priestley, one of the first three elders of the Johnstown congregation. Five children were the issue of this marriage.
Samuel Moorhead Swan, son of Rev. Dr. Samuel and Sarah ( Moor- head) Swan, was born upon a farm near the town of Ligonier, March 10, 1833, died July 23. 1898. in the sixty-sixth year of his age. He attended the public schools of Ligonier and Johnstown, and prepared for his college course at Elder's Ridge Academy, of which he was one of the first students. Here he studied Latin, Greek and the higher mathematics, his preceptors being Rev. Dr. Alexander Donaldson and John M. Barnett. He was of a studious turn, and therefore made rapid progress in his studies. He next entered the junior class of Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1849, from which noted institution he was graduated with honor in 1851, when but little more than eighteen years old. He began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Campbell Sheridan, in Johnstown, and attended the lectures of Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated at a Doctor of Medicine in 1854. He at once formed
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a partnership in the practice of his profession with Dr. Thomas St. Clair, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, which continued for one year. He then removed to the west with his father and the remainder of the family, settling at first in Illinois and later in Iowa. Returning to Illinois he practiced his profession for five years and also engaged in farming in De Kalb county. At the breaking out of the Civil war in 1861, he was commissioned assistant surgeon of the Twelfth Illi- nois Regiment of Infantry. For two years he discharged the duties of this office with an efficiency and earnestness which gained for him a promotion to the surgeney of the One Hundred and Eleventh Illi- nois Regiment, with which he remained during the war, going with Sherman to the sea near its elose and participating in the grand review at Washington, D. C.
After the war Dr. Swan returned to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and entered into a professional partnership with his old preceptor, Dr. Sheri- dan, which continued for ten years, and from that time until 1894 prac- tieed his profession alone. In the performance of his professional duties, he was to his numerous patients a benefactor and kind friend, and he enjoyed the respect and confidence of his professional brethren and of the entire community. He served as president of the Cambria County Medieal Society, and was a member of the American Medical Associa- tion and of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. He served as delegate to the meetings of the Pennsylvania Medical Society twice, once when it was held in Philadelphia and once at Bedford Springs. He was also a delegate to the American Medical Association at one of its meet- ings in Washington and one in Philadelphia. In addition to these honorable and responsible positions, Dr. Swan served during the ad- ministration of President Arthur as a member of the pension examin- ing board of Cambria county, and in 1897 was re-appointed, holding this position at the time of his death. He received the appointment from H. Clay Evans, commissioner of pensions. He was a member of the Board of Health, of the Union Benevolent Association, of Cambria Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, with which he united in 1866, of Post No. 30. Grand Army of the Republic, a trustee of the Johns- town Savings Bank, and an incorporator of the Conemaugh Memorial Hospital. Dr. Swan was the possessor of an acute intelleet and a pleasing personality. He was amiable, genial, kind and gracious, never shrank from the performance of a duty, never sought an honor, but was ever ready to give support and encouragement to all who came within his sphere of usefulness. He was a great reader, well informed upon publie questions and familiar with general literature, a good citizen and in all the relations of life an exemplary man. He was a liberal contributor to charitable institutions and always one of the first to propose a united help for worthy eauses.
Dr. Samuel M. Swan married, May 25, 1869, Elizabeth Collins, daughter of Thomas M. Collins, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. One son was the issue of this marriage, Collins Moorhead Swan. After a pain- ful illness, extending through many months, Dr. Swan passed into rest at his home at Vine and Stonyereek streets, July 23, 1898. He went to his long home sincerely and profoundly lamented by all who knew him. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. C. C. Hays, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, and the interment was in Grand View cemetery.
Collins Moorhead Swan, only child of Dr. Samuel M. and Elizabeth (Collins) Swan, was born December 1, 1874, in Johnstown, Pennsyl-
THE NEW YORK PUBLI LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Fourdations, 1909
CHIEF-
Ino.S. Harris
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vania. He attended private schools until the flood of 1889, after which he attended the public schools, from which he was graduated. He then began the study of law in the offices of Hon. Henry Wilson Storey, but was suddenly stricken by death March 17, 1900, after an illness of but three days. His life was an exemplary one, never, in his short span of twenty-six years, eausing his parents one moment of pain, which is an eloquent testimonial, the best that any parent can give of their children. He possessed true nobility of character, which stamps its ineffaceable tracery on the features, and makes each action one of un- selfish devotion. He also possessed an ever ready sympathy, a broad intellectuality and unswerving fidelity to every duty and obligation devolving upon him. He was a thorough Christian, morally beyond reproach, universally beloved by all, and his sudden taking away cast a cloud over his large circle of friends and broke a fond mother's heart, who had stamped her individuality on the character of her son, and whom she believed would have been spared to comfort her in her widowhood.
JOHN THOMAS HARRIS, of Johnstown, business man, private detective and dealer in real estate, is a native of Wales, and has lived in Pennsylvania forty-five years. During that time he has been as- sociated with the best and most interesting history of the city of Johns- town and Cambria county. No man knows Johnstown better than he, for his official position under both the borough and city governments has given him rare opportunities to become acquainted with existing conditions, and what is right he has upheld and what is wrong he has endeavored to suppress. In one capacity and another for almost forty years he has been connected with municipal government in Johnstown, being the active head of its department of police for many years, then county detective, and later a private detective.
Mr. Harris comes of pure Welsh ancestors. His great-great-grand- father, Morgan John Harris, was born and spent his life in Swansea Val- ley, about twelve miles from the town of Swansea, Breeknockshire, Wales, where his forefathers had lived for generations and generations be- fore him. In many respects the vicinity of Johnstown in its geographi- cal and topographical features closely resembles the Swansea Valley, which is at the junetion of the Twrch and the Tawe. There the chief industry in earlier days was tin manufacturing, and while the hills about were known to contain vast deposits of coal there was no thought of mining it. for then there was no market for the product. In later years, however, iron mining declined and coal came into demand, for the Welsh coal from Swansea Valley was found to be the equal of any coal in the world.
The Harrises of Wales have followed iron and coal mining for many generations, one after another. Morgan John Harris, with whom our narrative begins, married and had a family, and among his chil- dren was a son John, who in turn married and had a son John, whose son, John J. Harris, left Wales and the Swansea Valley in 1863, and came with his family to America. John Thomas Harris was the means of bringing his father's family to this country, and in all later years neither ever had occasion to regret the action, for much good came of the immigration, both to the family and to Cambria county, as the sons of John J. Harris were strong and willing workers, loyal men, and two of them entered the Union army before they had become American citizens, and all of them were loyal to the cause for which the north
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and the government were contending during the dark years of 1861- 1865.
Mr. Harris lived in Johnstown from 1863 to the time of his death, August 3, 1880. His widow lived until January 17, 1889, when she died. Her name before marriage was Jane Thomas, and she was born in Wales. Both were members of the Calvinistic church. They raised to maturity a large family of children, all of whom with their parents, except Lewis and John Thomas, constituted the little family colony that came to America in 1863. The children of John J. and Jane (Thomas) Harris are as follows : William Harris, married Mary Roberts, who was lost in the Johnstown flood, in May 1889; William died in July, 1904: Henry Harris, married Elizabeth Ann Priee; he is re- tired from active business and lives in Johnstown ; John Thomas Harris, married Margaret Davis, lives in Johnstown; Morgan Harris, married Dinah Reese, he served in the Union navy during the Civil war, his vessel being attached to the Gulf Squadron; he now lives in Home- stead, Pennsylvania; Louis Harris, married Sarah Edwards; he was a soldier of the Fifth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery in the War of 1861-1865; after the war he returned to Wales and died there; Thomas Harris, married Maggie Morgan ; he is now an employee in the pattern shop of the Cambria Steel Company, and lives in Westmont: Richard Harris, married Maggie Reese, and lives at Pueblo, Colorado; Mary Harris, married James Meredith, lives at Braddock, Pennsylvania ; Edward Harris, married Margaretta Davis, lives in Seranton, Penn- sylvana ; Daniel Harris, married Hattie Fleek, lives at North Braddock, Pennsylvania; David Harris, married Margaretta Howard, lives in Seranton, Pennsylvania; Isaae Harris, married Julia Hansom, and is a constable of Johnstown.
John Thomas Harris was third in the order of birth of the sons and daughters of John J., and Jane (Thomas) Harris. He was born at Ystradgynlais, South Wales, on the 29th day of March, 1843, and in early youth became a minor, after the manner of his forefathers for many generations before his time. In 1861 he left home for America in the ship "Resolute," Captain Freeman, and was forty-five days at sea in crossing the Atlantic to the port of New York. After a short stay in that great eity he came to Johnstown, and worked at iron and coal mining, as he had done at his old home in Wales. With the money he earned he managed to obtain an education by attending night school, both in the old country and in Johnstown, on Market street, and in Wales he attended one three months' term of day school each year between his tenth and fifteenth years.
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