USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III > Part 29
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in the fall of 1858 Mr. Edwards was appointed coal weigher for the Cambria Iron Company, and it became his duty to weigh the coal as it came from the mines for use at the works. This position he held until 1868, when he resigned and went to Canada in the interest of Pittsburg operators to prospect for iron ore. The company failed, however, and in 1870 he returned to Johnstown, purchased the stock and good will of a mercantile house, and began business as a merchant. This he con- tinued about three years, and in 1813 became sales agent for the Laflin & Rand Powder Company in Cambria and the counties adjoining. In his new vocation the sales agent did an extensive business for several years, until the Cambria Iron Company leased its land to Wood, Mor- rell & Co., and the latter purchased the Lafin & Rand Company's in- terest in this section of the state.
Mr. Edwards returned to the work of the ministry some time pre- vious to 1880, and that notwithstanding the fact that for several years he had suffered with a severe bronchial trouble. In the meantime he also had returned from the Methodists to his own church, became its minister and officiated in that capacity until his death.
In many respects Rev. R. R. Edwards was a remarkable man, and had he so desired could have accumulated a large property : but he was inclined to consider the wants of those about him rather than his own, and of his means he contributed to the erection of church edifices, the support of needy members of his congregations and to many worthy chari- ties. If he knew of any person or family in want he could not rest until the sufferers were made comfortable, and he would share his last dollar to relieve distress, even if he knew that the recipient had done him an injury either by word or act. However, before his death Mr. Edwards had erected seven tenements on his land in the Second ward of the borough of Johnstown. The use and benefit of all his property he gave to his devoted wife for the term of her life.
Ann Roberts, who married Rev. Richard R. Edwards, was born in
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1819, near the birthplace of her husband. They were married in Capel Sion, Merthyr Tydvil. She became the mother of nineteen children, all of whom except five died in infancy. They who survived and grew to maturity were David, Sarah, Mary, Catherine and Joseph Edwards. Mrs. Edwards was a victim of the Johnstown flood, May 31, 1889. Her body never was recovered, unless by some possibility it was picked up and interred with the hundreds of unidentified dead. With her, too, the awful flood of waters swept away every house and building on her hus- band's land, and not one thing of value remained on the site.
DAVID R. EDWARDS, eldest son and child of Rev. Richard R. and Ann ( Roberts) Edwards, was born at Pont Morlais, South Wales, on the 10th of December, 1841, and was a child of about five or six years when his parents came to America. The story of his father's life, narrated in the preceding sketch, is written from data furnished by him, as he had heard it repeated by his parents for the entertainment of old acquaintances and friends whom they had known in the land of their birth.
One incident in connection with his own early life, however, Mr. Edwards remembers distinctly, and that is his personal appearance at the time of his parents' immigration, the frock and petticoat he then wore, his first new suit of American pattern, and it's almost premature ruin. In writing of this in his autobiography, Mr. Edwards says his frock and petticoat looked very odd in this country for a boy "drawing for six years of age, I being the only boy, and my father having con- siderable pride in me. It was only natural that his son should inherit the same trait. However, to relieve my girlish appearance they bought me a pair of pants and a jacket of the salt and pepper pattern, which I filled with a good stout body and limbs, with pride sufficient to show them up. The first wearing of my new suit was on Sunday as I was taken to church. After dinner my parents were invited out to spend the afternoon and they took me along. We walked about two miles out in the wilds-not the country, for everything was new then, the towns, villages, houses, railroads and cars : so was the location new, also I was new and the trees were all new to me.
"The little village in which my parents went to visit their friends was in the midst of a yellow pine forest, a thing about which I knew noth- ing at all, but the idea of being out in the woods was enough for me, and a thing I never before enjoyed ; it was such sport to climb the trees, but in so doing I spoiled my new clothes with the pitch from the pines. When I returned to my parents and they had seen my condition, I was promised a 'full dividend' when we returned home: and it was paid in full, although I think my father was sorry afterward, for my clothes were not entirely ruined and served me very well for every-day wear after they had been cleaned.
"This is one of the reasons why I never can forget our family life at Minersville. My father then followed coal mining for a livelihood and always lived at places where the means of securing an education for his children was limited. The only school I attended until I was eleven years old was the Sunday school, and my first real schooling was received at Easton, in Northampton county; but our stay there was so short that few impressions of the place now remain with me. We next removed to Cambria county, which then was another country region where my school- ing was indeed meagre. Later we moved to the new part of Johnstown, the older settlement being in Conemaugh township, afterward Cone-
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mangh borough, while the four wards of Johnstown proper were a part of Upper Yoder township, where the schools were very poor when I was a boy. At the age of fifteen I began work for the Cambria Iron Company at thirty-seven and one-half cents per day, but soon afterward went to 'timbering' in the mines, and from that to tracklaying inside and out- side of the mines. After that my employment was that of driving a horse and cart, then two horses tandem .. and later drew water out of the mines, and anything would I do that gave an increase of five or six cents a day in wages.
"When the Civil war broke out I was a young man, and my father was a rank abolitionist. At the first call my desire was to enlist for the three months' service. but my father declared that I was too young. Then came the call for men of twenty-one years for three years' service, but I was not yet twenty. Then I ran away from home and worked my way to Harrisburg, where enlisted men were mustered into service; and I tried to enlist, but on appearing before the examining board was told that I could not be accepted without the consent of my parents. I wrote home, but got no reply ; then at my request Colonel Campbell and Lieu- tenant-Colonel John P. Linton wrote to my father, stating my wishes, and secured the necessary parental consent. On the 30th of October. 1861, I was mustered into service as being twenty-one years old on the following 10th of December, when in fact my age then would be just twenty years. I served my time in full, and was mustered out and dis- charged on the 30th of October. 1864, at Cedar Creek, in the Shenan- doah Valley. Free transportation was furnished back to Harrisburg, where one hundred dollars bounty money was paid me, and I arrived home in Johnstown on the 4th of November. My regular monthly army pay had been sent to my parents, and on my return I found myself pos- sessed of several hundred dollars. With this, like many returned sol- diers, I bought a black suit, overcoat and silk hat, then took to travel, visiting . Pittsburg, Cleveland, Newburg and Youngstown, Ohio, New Castle, Pennsylvania, and then came home, where it was found that my money was so far spent that I must look around for work.
In this narrative of Mr. Edwards' early life and experiences there is repeated the story of thousands of other lives of young men of Penn- sylvania. The foregoing recital follows nearly the wording and style of the autobiographer himself. and his dietion is original and interesting. After returning home from his pleasure trip, through the influence of his father, Mr. Edwards was appointed to weigh coal at the mines, under blast furnaces Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and this position he held until 1868, when his father went to Canada to prospect for ore. After that until 1871 he was employed in the weighing department of the Cambria Roll- ing Mill mines, and then was transferred to the mines to see that a sufficient supply of coal was kept on hand at the company mills.
In 1876 Mr. Edwards left the Cambria Iron Company's service. In fact, he was removed from his position because he declined to give his personal and political support to the congressional candidacy of Daniel J. Morrell, resident manager of the Cambria Iron Company, in opposi- tion to that of Colonel J. M. Campbell, under whom he had served three years in the Union army. Mr. Morrell had already served two terms in congress and asked a renomination, and naturally songht the support of all the employes of the company of which he was local manager. With Mr. Edwards. Colonel Campbell's claims upon him were the stronger, for he had been a comrade in arms, and because he preferred to support his old commanding officer and felt bound to him by stronger ties than
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the mere considerations of employment, he was summoned to the com- pany offices and after a heated argument was dismissed. The event, how- ever, was not without compensating results, and he was soon given a good position by William R. Jones, manager of the Braddock Steel Works for Carnegie & Co. He was in this employ until 1879, when he returned to Johnstown and entered the dry goods business with part- mers, with whose methods he was not in sympathy, resulting in his with- drawal from the concern in a short time. He then engaged in the gro- cery business on his own account, but soon changed location and became a general merchant, dealing in dry goods and groceries.
In 1885 Mr. Edwards secured a responsible position in the shear shops of the Gautier Steel Works, and then gave his mercantile interests into the charge of his wife, except that his evenings were spent in the store. In the course of time the stock was sold, although at some loss; but he sold none too soon, for afterward a business and financial panic fell upon the mercantile community of the city and was followed by many failures of houses with greater capital and more resources than Mr. Edwards could hope to command. But now he was well established in his new position, and with the help of warm-hearted associates his success was assured. Among those to whom he feels especially grateful for generous assistance Mr. Edwards mentions Fred Krebs, Jr., Thomas Hamilton, Emory West, George Thompson, George H. Brown and others.
May 31st, 1889, the city of Johnstown and its vicinity was deso- lated by the awful flood, and among the thousands of buildings de- stroyed was that in which Mr. Edwards was employed. His own home, too, was swept away, and both he and his wife were carried down on the raging torrent, clinging for life to the roof; and as they drifted along they managed to pick up twenty-seven persons who were less securely placed than themselves. At length all were rescued and given temporary shelter on Kernsville Hill, at the house of William J. Davis, who was' Mrs. Edwards' brother. Of those who found rest and shelter at the Davis home Mr. Edwards mentions Richard W. Jones and wife and eight children, John Cooper and wife and six children. John A. Jones and wife and two children, John E. Lewis and wife, William J. Davis and his family of five persons, besides Mr. Edwards and wife and three others. The disaster of 1889 was followed by a period of suffering before the valley was restored again to anything like order. Both Mr. Edwards and his wife were made to feel the distress of the occasion, but like thousands of others they were brave and administered aid and comfort to many who were less strong than themselves. Finally work was to be had, and in time the iron company resumed operations. Then he again took his place in the works, but in 1895 his health failed and compelled him to give up hard manual labor.
In December. 1865, David R. Edwards married Winifred Davis, daughter of James W. and Margaret Davis. Two children were born of this marriage-Anderson and Newton Edwards, both of whom died in 1842. Mrs. Edwards died in 1897.
JOSEPH R. EDWARDS, who is the youngest of the living child- ren of Rev. Richard R. and Ann (Roberts) Edwards, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on the 27th day of February, 1853, and received his education in the common schools. At the age of eleven years he went with his father to the mines and was employed there as office boy; and at night he attended the evening classes of his father, which were established for the benefit of boys who were at work
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about the mines during the daytime. When he was thirteen Joseph operated the wagon scales at Cambria Rolling Mill, and about 1876 he was advaned to the position of weighmaster at Minersville. Later on he did the same work at the Benshoff ore mines and the Rolling Mill mine on Stony creek.
On leaving the company service Mr. Edwards turned his attention to business pursuits and for about two years was a serap iron and junk dealer at Connellsville, Pennsylvania, and afterward for about the same length of time carried on a mercantile establishment on Main street, in Johnstown ; but when the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company built the branch from the main line through Somerset county he secured the agency for the Laflin & Rand Powder Company, and looked after its interests along the new road. This he did for about one year, and then became foreman of the stockvards of the Gautier Steel Company. He remained there three or four years and then was made inside foreman at the mill, which place he filled until the time of the flood disaster in 1889. When industrial interests resumed after the flood. he was placed in charge of the new ten-inch mill, and when in 1893 the fourteen-inch mill and still later the eight-inch mill were put in operation. his foremanship was extended over these several branches of the company's great works.
Mr. Edwards is well known in social circles in Johnstown and en- joys celebrity as a vocalist. He is a member of the Congregational church, and takes an active interest in its choir service, and also is a member of several musical organizations in the city, frequently appear- ing in concerts and other public performances. In politics he is a Re- publican, but never has sought or held office.
On the 2d day of September, 1874, Joseph R. Edwards married Han- nah Davis. She was born December 26, 1852, a daughter of John and Hannah (Jenkins) Davis, of Johnstown. The Davis family is of Welsh descent, but among them were some of the earliest residents of Pitts- burg. The immediate ancestors of John Davis came from Ohio. His occupation was mining, and in Johnstown he was employed by the Cam- bria Steel Company. Children of Joseph R. and Hannah (Davis) Ed- wards : Anderson Edwards, born March 8, 1875; died in infancy. Margaret Edwards, born December 29, 1878; a professional nurse living in Johnstown. Richard J. Edwards, born April 8, 1880: a roll turner by trade; married Lillian Hamilton, and lives at Vandergrift, Penn- sylvania. David Edwards, born February 14, 1883. William Edwards, born January 15, 1885; died in infancy. Gomer Edwards, born Jan- uary 28, 1888. Lawrence Edwards, born May 14, 1890. George Ed- wards. born May 11, 1893.
LEVENTRY FAMILY. Henry Leventry, of Mengerenhausen, Waldeck, Germany, where he was born and always lived, was a shoo- maker. He died in 1845, leaving one child, a son, who was named after his father.
Henry Leventry, son of Henry, the shoemaker of Mengerenhausen. was born in that place October 18, 1814, and learned the trade of his father. In 1846, at the age of thirty-two years, he emigrated from Ger- many and came to America to establish a home for himself in this coun- try. He took up his abode in Pennsylvania, at the head waters of Ben's creek, in Cambria county, and there found work for a time at Hoover's Furnace. Some time afterward he bought a small farm not far from Forwardstown, in Somerset county, and worked it besides doing shoe- making in the township. After a number of years he left the farm and
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went to Tyre Hill, in Conemaugh township, Somerset county, where he followed his trade, but in 1873 came to Johnstown and settled in what now is the Eighth ward of the city, at the place known as Grubbtown. Six years afterward he bought the Henry Constable farm above Moxham (now in the Seventeenth ward), and lived there until his death. Octo- ber 28, 1887. Henry Leventry is remembered as an honest, industrious German citizen of Cambria county. While he did not acquire large means, he lived, comfortably, brought up his family in the teachings of the German Lutheran church, and left to them the good example of his own life, and they have profited by his early teachings. He did not take an active part in public affairs and voted as he felt it his duty. Orig- inally he was a Democrat, but later became a Republican.
He was married twice. The family name of his first wife was Unver- zagt, and she bore him one child, who died in infancy. In 1850, after the death of his first wife, Henry Leventry married Mary Catherine Eliza- beth Wulbrandt, daughter of Frederick Wulbrandt, who was a dealer in grain and cattle. Mary Wulbrandt was born in Prussia, and came to America with the late Charles Von Lunen, Sr., of Johnstown, in whose family she lived for some time. She was eighteen years old when she made the voyage to this country, and she died December 6, 1898. Chil- drn of Henry and Mary Catherine Elizabeth (Wulbrandt) Leventry : 1. William Leventry, born January 2, 1851 : president of Highland Coal Mining Company ; market gardener and cattle dealer. ?. Henry Fred- erick Leventry, born July 16, 1853 ; business man : coal operator and real estate dealer. 3. Herman Leventry, born March 9, 1856 : married Annie Gochnour, and lives in Richland township. 4. Edward Leventry, born May 12, 1858 : drowned July 13, 1873. 5. Louis Leventry, born May 4, 1861 ; married Ida Von Innen. and lives in Johnstown. 6. Louisa Leventry, born September 14, 1863: married Isaiah Miller; died Au- gust 6, 1899. 7. Charles Leventry, born August 12, 1865: a real estate dealer of Johnstown. 8. Josiah Daniel Leventry (twin), born Decem- ber 28, 1867 ; married Ettie Stahl, and lives in Johnstown. 9. Elizabeth Eva Leventry (twin), born December 28, 1861; married Daniel Cauf- field, and lives in Johnstown.
WILLIAM LEVENTRY, eldest son and child of Henry and Mary Catherine Elizabeth (Wulbrandt ) Leventry, was born near Forwards- town, in Somerset county, January ?. 1851. and was eight years old when his father moved with his family to Tyre Hill, in Conemaugh township, where William attended school. When about thirteen or fourteen years old he left home and went to Johnstown to learn the trade of a shoemaker-the trade of his father and grandfather-with Conrad Schirmer. At the end of two years he was a practical journey- man and worked in various places, at one time in the shoemaking. shop of the Cambria Iron Company (a department long ago abolished), and finally located at East Conemaugh, where he lived until 1875. He then went back to Tyre Hill, did shoemaking, collected tolls for the company that operated the Davidsville and Ben's Creek turnpike, and also carried on a small farm. In this way he gained some money. and with it purchased four lots in what now is the Eighth ward of the city of Johnstown. but which then was commonly called Grubbtown. He built two houses on the lots and occupied one of them until 1888, when he bought twenty-two acres of his father's farm in Stony Creek township, near Johnstown, where he has since lived. After he came to live in and near Johnstown, Mr. Leventry worked but little at his trade, finding
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other employments more profitable. He worked one year for the Cam- bria Steel Company, and eleven years for the Lorain Steel Company as rail inspector. During six years of the latter employment he was in Lorain, Ohio, to which place the company had moved its works, but he did not change his residence. Since moving to the farm in 1888, he has devoted his attention to growing small fruits and berries and to market gardening, dealing in real estate, and to coal mining operations, he being president of the Highland Coal Mining Company at this time. In politics he is a strong Republican, and has served three terms as super- visor and one term as school director.
On the 16th of August, 1874, William Leventry married Henrietta Gochnour, daughter of Paul and Delena (Leff) Gochnour, of Taylor township, Cambria county, and a descendant of an old German family of this part of the state. Children of William and Henrietta (Gochnour) Leventry: 1. Ida May Leventry, born September 23, 1875; married John Waugaman, and lives at Ferndale, near Johnstown. 2. Jessie Elizabeth Leventry, born July 31, 1877; married George Von Lunen, a plumber of Johnstown. 3. Elda Catherine Leventry, born January 20, 1879 ; married, first, Nelson W. Miller ; married, second, Robert Dishong; lives in Stony Creek township. 4. John Leventry, born December 23, 1880; died August 8, 1888. 5. George Leventry, born August 3, 1882. 6. Ger- trude Emma Leventry, born August 23, 1884; married John G. Hartley, a contractor of Moxham. 7. Carl Earl Leventry, born April 25, 1888. S. Mabel Viola Leventry, born August 30, 1890. 9. Bessie Edna Lev- entry, born July 19, 1892. 10. Della Edith Leventry, born July 17, 1894. 11. Florence Ellen Leventry, born December 10. 1895. 12. Wil- liam Russell Leventry, born April 5, 1905, died July 1, 1906.
CHARLES LEVENTRY, seventh child and sixth son of Henry and Mary Caroline Elizabeth (Wulbrandt) Leventry, was born at Tyre Hill. in Conemaugh township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1865. and was a small boy when his parents moved to Johnstown.
He was educated in the public schools, and at the age of twenty- two years began his business career as proprietor of a livery. Later on he was a grocer, and still later carried on a dairy. About 1900 he pur- chased one hundred acres of land in Stony Creek township, just outside the limits of the Seventeenth ward (Moxham) of the city of Johnstown, and opened there a coal mine. In 1904 the Highland Coal Company was incorporated for the purpose of operating mines on this land. The company officers are William Leventry, president, and Charles Leventry, secretary. treasurer and general manager. The business has developed into a splendid success and returns good profits to the stockholders. Mr. Leventry also deals extensively in real estate, buys with excellent judg- ment and knows when to sell. He is one of the incorporators and a stockholder of the Suburban Realty Company of Johnstown. Mr. Lev- entry has made a success of whatever business he has undertaken, whether as liveryman, grocer, dairyman, coal operator or real estate speculator, and those who know him well and are competent to judge say he is one of the best business men in Cambria county, a man of the highest in- tegrity of character and perfectly honest in every transaction. For many years. too, he has been an active figure in Cambria county and Johns- town city politics, and is regarded as one of the most loyal Republican leaders in this part of the state. For three years he was county commis- sioner, besides which he has at various times filled minor offices. As a Republican and something of a politician his principal aim has been in
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the interest of good, honest government rather than for personal or party advantage. He was brought up under the teachings of the German Lutheran church. He is a member of Vestal Camp No. 33, Woodmen of the World, and of Moxham Lodge of Jr. O. U. A. M .; also Johns- town Lodge of Masons.
On May 1st, 1890, Charles Leventry married Julia Von Lunen, daughter of Louis Von Lunen, of Johnstown. Their children: 1. Ruth Emily Leventry, born June 10, 1893. 2. Edward Bruse Leventry, born February 16, 1902.
PETER A. BARNHART, senior member in the firm of P. A. Barn- hart Plumbing & Heating Company; and one of the foremost business men of Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, represents the third generation of the Barnhart family in this country, they having come from Holland.
John Barnhart, grandfather of Peter A. Barnhart, and the pioneer ancester of this family in the United States, emigrated to this country from Holland about the year 1780. He settled in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he took up a tract of timber land. He cleared this of timber, which he sold to advantage, being a most excellent man of business, and set about cultivating the land thus cleared. He prospered to such an extent that he was subsequently able to purchase other and larger tracts of land, and ultimately became the owner of six large farms, and was considered one of the most successful of the pioneers of the region, having attained this competency mainly by thrift and incessant industry. In politics he was a strong Whig, and he worshipped in the Lutheran church. He married Mary Friedland, and among their chil- dren were the following: John, George, Adam, Jacob, Peter, David (sce forward), Sarah, married Blouch.
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