History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III, Part 73

Author: Storey, Henry Wilson
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 940

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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

superintendent a year and a half; returned to the South Fork Coal Company and was with them for two years; then back to the Stineman Coal & Coke Company for a time and then was with the Lackawanna Coal Company until he engaged in the hotel business, as the proprietor of the Lake Hotel at South Fork, Pennsylvania, which he has operated since 1902. Mr. Ott belongs to Alma Lodge, No. 523, Odd Fellows Order at Johnstown : Red Men at Conemaugh, No. 438. In politics he is a Republi- can.

Mr. Ott married Emma Appleman, of Bedford county, in 1883. She is the daughter of Henry Appleman and wife. Of this union five children were born: 1. Edna, born February 9, 1884, married E. J. Ashcroft. 2. Verna, born November 8, 1889, died January, 1891. 3. Verda, born July 15, 1892, died at the age of six months. 4 and 5. John C. and Harry C., (twins), born March 17, 1894.

DANIEL A. SIPE, a well known owner and operator of Summer Hill, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, a man who has served his town in a public capacity traces his descent to German ancestors. He is a representative of the third generation of his family in this country.

Daniel Sipe, grandfather of Daniel A. Sipe, and the founder of the Sipe family in the United States, came from Germany when a young man and settled in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. His children were : Peter, of whom later : Daniel. a tailor, went to Ohio when a young man; Elizabeth, married Michael Calvert, resided in Altoona, Pennsyl- vania, where she and her husband died.

Peter Sipe, son of Daniel Sipe, was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1810. He was a tailor by trade, and occupied himself chiefly with custom work. He established himself in business in Alle- gheny Furnace, Blair county, Pennsylvania, from there removed to Colin- ville, and later to Frankstown, finally purchasing a farm in the Allegheny mountains, in Cambria and Blair counties, and on this he passed the remainder of his davs. His church affiliations were Lutheran, and he was a member of the Democratic party. He married Maria Pottsgrove, of Blair county, Pennsylvania, and their children were: 1. Daniel A., the subject of this sketch. 2. Sarah. born 1841. 3. Margaret. 1843. 4. Mary, married James Knox, resides in Ohio, and has children: George; John ; Ida : and James.

Daniel A. Sipe, eldest child of Peter and Maria (Pottsgrove) Sipe, was born at Allegheny Furnace, Blair county, Pennsylvania, in 1839. He had a common school education, and was apprenticed to the miller's trade. His first work was in his native county, and he then went to Altoona and operated a steam mill for John Steinbarger. He next pur- chased the old Croyle mill at Summer Hill. Cambria county, Pennsyl- vania, which was the first mill erected in this county. It was destroyed by fire in 1893, and Mr. Sipe then built a modern mill with all improve- ments, on the site of the old one. This he still operates. It is operated by water power, and the water supply was sufficient always to grind fifty bushels of wheat in a day up until 1902, since which time the supply at times runs short on account of excavations by the Railroad Company. He has been enterprising and ready to adopt all inventions that seem to have practical utility. Politically he is a Republican. and has served his borough as a school director. He is a member of the Lutheran church.

He married Elizabeth Lafferty, daughter of George Lafferty. of Blair county, and they have children: 1. Peter P., married Elizabeth Bergane. 2. Anna, married William Davis, attorney at Ebensburg. Their

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children are Bert; Clinton P .; Anna; Esther; and Charles, deceased. 3. Ella, married Joseph Karr, a contractor and builder living in Virginia. 4. Sadie, married Joseph Barlo, superintendent of coal mines in Virginia, McDonald county. 5. Mary, resides with her parents. 6. George I., re- sides at home, is employed in the grist mill of his father. Their mill is situated on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad which gives them the best shipping facilities, enabling them to fill all orders promptly.

DAVID S. BURKHART, justice of the peace at Morrellville, and an active Republican in political affairs, was born on the homestead farm in Jackson township, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, January 11, 1859, son of Philip and Mollie (Shoemaker) Burkhart, respectively of Scotch and German descent.

His paternal grandfather, Joseph Burkhart, was a lifelong resident and successful farmer of Jackson township, in which he owned a farm containing a large vein of cannel coal, then quite valuable. This farm was bought for $31,000 by a prospective mining company that failed, and it was taken back by Mr. Burkhart, who resided upon it until his death at eighty-one years of age. Joseph Burkhart was a member of the Brethren church, a Republican, and a music teacher. He was twice married. His first wife died at sixty-three years of age, leaving a fam- ily of five sons and six daughters. By his second wife, who is still living, he had one child, a daughter. Of the five sons by the first marriage, Philip was the father of Squire Burkhart, whose name appears at the head of this sketch.

Philip Burkhart was born on the home farm, received his educa- tion in the schools of his neighborhood, and then followed farming and teaming as his lines of special business. He was an active Republican, like his father, and, like his father. would never accept an office. He was an active church worker. He married Mollie Shoemaker, a daughter of Jacob Shoemaker. To their union were born four children: Samuel, a confectioner in Johnstown; David S .: Frank, engaged in the butcher- ing business ; and James, who died in infancy. Mrs. Burkhart comes of a family noted for its longevity, her grandmother living to be ninety- three years. and her great-grandmother dying at one hundred and two years of age.

David S. Burkhart grew to manhood on the old homestead farm in Jackson township, where he received his education in the public schools. Upon attaining his majority he left the farm and farm pursuits to en- ter the employ of the Cambria Iron Company, for which he worked for several years. at Johnstown. Then the Pennsylvania oil field became to him. as to hundreds of others at the same time, an inviting field for labor, and he removed to McKean county, but not finding sufficient in- ducements in the oil business there, he learned the trade of barber. Two years later he returned to Johnstown, and after working in the mills of the Cambria Iron Company for one year, he opened, at Rosedale a general mercantile store, which he sold in 1886 to the late Eli Rodgers. In the same year he came to Morrellville, where he opened up his present barbering establishment. Mr. Burkhart is a member of the Brethren church. In political opinion he has always been a staunch and work- ing Republican. who believes in the principles of the party as enunciated by Lincoln. Grant and Harrison. In success and through adversity Mr. Burkhart has always been a Republican, and has always yielded unswerv- ing allegiance to his party. In 1894 his ward elected him as justice of the peace, but technical difficulties, unforeseen, and hence unprovided

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for at the time, prevented him from taking the office upon the certificate of his election, and he was enabled to serve by special appointment of Governor Robert E. Pattison for one year; in the spring of 1896 he was elected for a term of five years as justice of the peace. After serving successfully in that capacity for two years, he resigned under Governor D. H. Hastings, and removed to Vandergrift, Westmoreland county, where he opened up a barber shop, continuing there for seven years, when he again returned to Johnstown, opening up a shop on Iron street. Fourteenth ward. In the spring of 1906 he was elected alderman of said ward and is now serving in that office. On Christmas, 1883, Alderman Burkhart was united in marriage with Anna C. Findley, a daughter of Abel Findley, of West Tailor township, Cambria county. To their union have been born five children, two sons and three daughters. Howard, Elda, Laura, deceased, Willard and Blanche, who died in her second year. Mrs. Burk- bart died March 15, 1906, aged forty-four years, nine months and two days, and is buried in Pleasant View cemetery.

ALBERT E. BENDER, the genial and popular proprietor of the "Hotel Bender," whose versatility has enabled him to fill various public offices with the same success and satisfaction that has accompanied all his business ventures, is a representative in the present generation of one of the old families of settlers, who braved many hardships in the endeavor to found a peaceful and quiet home.

John Jacob Bender, great-grandfather of Albert E. Bender, and founder of the family in America, was a poor gunsmith living in West- phalia, Germany, born in 1740. He was desirous of coming to the new world, thinking to better the condition of himself and family, but this was beyond his means unless they decided to sell themselves upon land- ing in their new home. He set sail with his wife and four children for Philadelphia, in 1795, and upon their arrival there each sold his or her services to pay their individual fare, and they were bought by differ- ent masters, all, however, belonging to the sect of Quakers. After the parents has served their time they settled between Buck's Mills and Loretto. Cambria county, Pennsylvania, where they lived until the death of Mr. Bender in 1829. He had a natural bent for mechanics, and made a clock which served as the timepiece of the family for a great many years, and was probably the first clock made west of the Allegheny mountains. Notwithstanding all the hardships to which the carly pio- neers were subjected, Mrs. Bender lived to the advanced age of one hun- dred years. As the children served out their time, which was when they had attained the age of twenty-one years, they followed their parents to Cambria county, with the exception of William. who settled in Mary- land. and was exceedingly prosperous there.

Emericus Bender, eldest son of John Jacob Bender, was born in Westphalia, Germany, 1785. He was set free by his master at the fun- eral of George Washington, whither his master had taken him. He came to Cambria county in the same year, 1799, and was one of the first set- tlers of Carroll township. He, Conrad Luther and John Byrne, the first three settlers, were permitted to buy land at six dollars per acre. no payment being required for the first six years. They bought a tract of land, four hundred and forty aeres each, and this is the old Henry Bender farm. Later he bought another tract of four hundred and forty acres. Emeriens walked to Philadephia, in 1810, to get his sister, Mary Ann, whose time had expired, and she was married one year later to John Byrne. The war of 1812 then broke out, and Emericus formed a

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company of hardy mountaineers and was chosen their lieutenant. They marched to the shores of Lake Erie, and there fought bravely in de- fense of their country. After the war the victorious soldiers returned to their mountain homes. Emericus became known as "Old 'Squire Bender." He died January 26, 1869. He was the father of nine chil- dren. four sons and five daughters. The youngest child being John, father of Albert E. Bender.

John Bender, son of Emericus Bender, was born in Carroll town- ship, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, December 8, 1828. He acquired. by purchase, a portion of the second tract of land which had been bought by his father, which was located three-quarters of a mile east of Carroll- town. In 188? he removed to St. Augustine and engaged in the hotel business with one of his sons, Albert E., whose name heads this sketch. He came to Ebensburg in 1885, and became the proprietor of the "Cam- bria House" on the site of the present "Metropolitan Hotel." He removed to Altoona, Pennsylvania, 1893, where he lived in retirement from busi- ness activities until his death, January, 1905. His widow still resides in Altoona. He married Barbara Buser, and they had ten children, of 1. Albert E., of whom whom the following named are now living : later. 2. Melinda, married Charles Burus, of Altoona, Pennsylvania. 3. Mary, unmarried, lives at home. 4. Maud, married Dr. E. J. Bradley, of Gallitzin. 5. Vincent, resident of Altoona, Pennsylvania. 6. Francis, a bugler in the regular army, resides in San Francisco, California.

Albert E. Bender, eldest child of John and Barbara (Buser) Bender, was born in Carroll township, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, April 3, 1854. Ile was brought up at home on the farm, and was educated in the common schools of the district. He remained on the farm for some time after completing his education, working for his father, and then removed to St. Augustine. From this time until 1893 he was associated with his father in the hotel enterprises of the latter, and upon the re- moval of his father to Altoona, Albert E. continued in this business alone. When the old "Cambria Hotel" was torn down preparatory to erecting the present "Metropolitan Hotel," Mr. Bender purchased the old Col- lins' property and remodeled it, making it perfectly modern in every re- spect. He keeps himself well-posted on all the improvements made in his line of business and introduces them as soon as practicable, making his hotel the resort of all who care for elegant, commodious and home- like surroundings. He is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, although not in the least an office-seeker. He is an earnest member of the Catholic church.

Mr. Bender married. July 13, 1886, Ella Dunnegan, daughter of Edward R. Dunnegan. of St. Augustine. Mr. Dunnegan is a prominent merchant of St. Augustine, and for twenty-five years served as justice of the peace. He was a member of the county commission of Cambria county, and was also clerk of that body at the time of the building of the court house. He is one of the best known men of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Bender have had seven children, of whom five are now living: Philip. Marie. Edward, Robert, George.

EDWARD H. KNEE. well known citizen of Ebensburg, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, official detective for the county, and one of the most popular men in it is descended from a family that settled in Amer- ica many years ago.

George D. Knee, father of Edward H. Knee, was born probably in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where he was reared and educated. For

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many years he was connected with work on the railroad, being conductor on the Broad Top railroad. He located in Johnstown, about 1882, and accepted a position with the Cambria Steel Company, with whom he was associated at the time of his death. He lost his life in the great flood at Johnstown, May 31, 1889, in which also perished a daughter, Lydia, together with her husband, James Baker, and their child. He married Phoebe Shirey, and they had eleven children, of whom seven are now living: 1. Mollie, married Theodore Switzer, of Williamsport, Penn- sylvania. 2. Alice, married R. S. Donaldson, of Saxton, Pennsylvania. 3. Ellsworth, resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a railroad conductor. 4. Catherine married Charles Cobaugh, of East Conemaugh, Pennsyl- vania. 5. Grant, resides in Johnstown. 6. Harry, lives in Johnstown. 7. Edward H., of whom later.

Edward H. Knee, youngest surviving child of George D. and Phoebe (Shirey) Knee, was born near Riddlesburg, Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, September 19, 1872. He was reared at home, and acquired his education in the public schools of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After the great flood he came to Ebensburg for a short time, and was in charge of a string of horses belonging to Dr. Prothrow. He was then offered and accepted a position as assistant to the warden of the Cambria county jail-J. T. Young-and retained this for three years, being then ap- pointed warden under Sheriff D. W. Coulter. This position he held for nine years, until January, 1904. when he was appointed county detective for Cambria county, an office which he now fills very capably, and to the entire satisfaction of all in the community. He seems to be exceptionally well-fitted for the position he holds, being shrewd, keen-witted, alert, and vet circumspect and deliberate, and enjoys great popularity. In politics he is a staneh Republican, and in religion a member of the Lutheran church, while his wife is a member of the Catholic church. He is a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs, and of the Home- less Twenty-six.

He married, October 20, 1896, Catherine MeBreen, of Ebensburg. daughter of Thomas McBreen, now deceased.

THOMAS PEACH, deputy sheriff of Cambria county. Pennsyl- vania, is a native of Susquehanna township, Cambria county, born April 3. 1855, son of Hugh and Mary Ann (Davis) Peach, and is one of four living children in his parents family, as follows: Mary J., wife of Mathias Shortencarrer, of Spangler, Cambria county; Joseph, died Au- gust 17, 1906: Thomas Peach ; and Amanda, wife of Philip Plummer, of Altoona.

The father was a native of England, coming to America when a boy, locating in Cambria county. For several years he was connected with the old Portage railroad in the capacity of catcher. In later years he moved into Susquehanna township, where he engaged in farming and resided there up to his death, about 1863. aged fifty-one years. He was a member of the Catholic church, and was buried in the cemetery at old St. Joseph's church, in what is now the town of Benedict. He married Mary Ann Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Davis. The father was for many years a well known man and industrious farmer of Sus- quehanna township.

Thomas Peach, the subject, acquired his education at the common schools, but was obliged to quit when but eleven years of age and begin the duties of a farm hand. He worked for the neighbors, and his small pay went to his mother for the support of the family. In 1877 he bought

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a farm, a portion of which the town of Spangler now occupies. He re- sided there until 1885, engaged at general farming and sheep raising, also dealing in live stock, buying and shipping to Philadelphia. In 1885 he came to Ebensburg as warden of the jail and deputy sheriff, in which capacity he has served three years. He then engaged in the livery business in Ebensburg, but in 1889 went into the same business at Lor- etto, remaining there five years, when he returned to Ebensburg, since which time he has been identified with the livery business here, having the leading barn. Mr. Peach is a Democrat, and has served in numerous local offices in his township and borough, and is at present a member of the borough council. He is connected with the Catholic church.

Mr. Peach was married to Miss Mary J. Bagley, in June, 1876. She is the daughter of William Bagley, a well known farmer of Carroll township, Cambria county, now deceased. By this marriage were born the following children: Adaline, wife of Richard E. Russell, of Phila- delphia ; William P., of Altoona; James A., at home; Dorothy A., wife of R. Edgar Lahy, an attorney of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania; Annicetus F., at home; Harry J., at home.

HUGH BROWN, of the Central Hotel at Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, was born in that place, July 17, 1881, the son of Patrick Francis and Charlotte (O'Hara) Brown and is one of seven, in a family of whom five survive. They are as follows: Victoria M., single, and resides at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; May M., wife of W. N. Bolsinger; Hugh Brown, the subject; Conrad J., of Ebensburg; Reardon F., of Ebens- burg.

The father was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1854, son of Henry and Margaret (Cole) Brown. Henry was a native of Germany, and his wife of Ireland. He came to this country when a young man, and was one of the early stage drivers out of Johnstown, and later was iden- tified with the tavern business, also a merchant. Sometime in the seven- ties he purchased and moved to a farm in Richland township, Cambria county, where he resided but a short time, thence came to Cambria town- ship and bought a farm. When he left his sons on the farm, he went to Wilmore, where he resided until his death, being nearly ninety years of age.

The subject's father took charge of the farm after the removal of his father to Wilmore, residing there three years, and in 1877 came to Ebensburg and purchased the Central Hotel, which he conducted to the date of his death, November 1, 1895. He was a man universally re- spected, and while he was endowed with the rare ability of money making, he died comparatively a poor man. No man ever applied to him for assistance in vain; his pocketbook was always at the command of his friends, and no accounts were kept of monies loaned; if they chose to repay well and good, if not. nothing was marked against them. In politics, he was a stanch Democrat. He was a member of the Cath- olic church.

Hugh Brown, the subject, was reared at home and received a com- Inon school education at Ebensburg and at St. Vincent's College in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania. When he was of age he purchased from the father's estate the hotel property, and in company with W. N. Bol- singer, his brother-in-law, assumed proprietorship of the Central Hotel. over which his father had presided for eighteen years. Mr. Brown is a Democrat, and a member of the Catholic church. He is known far and near as the popular landlord of Ebensburg.

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Of the subject's mother, it may be said that she was born in Muns- ter township, Cambria county, 1856, the daughter of Daniel and Susan (O'Connell) O'Hara, both natives of the same county. She died in 1888, aged thirty-two years.

JOHN THOMAS BLAIR, one of the successful business men of the borough of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, was born at that place, July 2, 1864, son of John A. and Jane N. (Evans) Blair, and is one of eleven children in the family, eight of whom still live:

1. Worth W., of Ebensburg. 2. Margaret, wife of Thomas McDer- mott, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. 3. Jennie, wife of the Deputy Sher- iff, M. D. Beaver, of Cambria county. 4. John Thomas, of whom later. 5. Cornelia, wife of W. A. Harn, Johnstown. 6. Anna, wife of O. E .. Wilkinson, Ebensburg. 7. Joseph R., Elyria, Ohio. 8. Harry E., of Ebensburg. The deceased members of the family were: Melissa. Mary, died at about twenty-three years of age. Celestine J., died at the age of forty-one years; was for two terms register and recorder of Cambria county ; deputy sheriff two terms, and deputy treasurer one term. He left a widow and eight children, namely: Frank, Mary Grace, Louise, Pauline, Jessie, Catharine, Celestine, and Fannie. The father was a veteran in the Mexican war, also ex-treasurer and ex-sheriff of Cambria county, and one of the leading politicians of the county.

John T. Blair acquired his education in the public schools of Ebens- burg, and in young manhood went to Johnstown, where he served an apprenticeship at the trade of butcher. He returned to his native place, for two and a half years was a clerk in the county recorder's office, and in 1889 engaged in the butcher business at Ebensburg, being associated with the meat trade up to 1896, when he disposed of his market and gave his entire attention to the ice business. In this he was highly suc- cessful, and extended it to include both the wholesale and retail business. In 1897 he acquired the property of Lake Rowena, a clear body of water, originating in pure springs, covering a territory of twenty-two acres, from which he derives his ice supply. In 1897 Mr. Blair opened a mod- ern pool and billiard room, and in 1905 added a bowling alley, giving him now one of the most up-to-date amusement parlors in his section of the county. He is a Democrat, and in religious faith a Catholic Among the societies to which he belongs is the Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Blair married, November 11, 1902, Sarah C. Mellon, daugh- ter of Esquire James Mellon, of Patton, Pennsylvania. By this mar- riage were born: Ellen Frances, Elizabeth Ann, and Cecilia Virginia.

MICHAEL H. NAGLE, of Hastings, was born March 5, 1844, in Carroll township, and is a representative of a family which was founded in this country by Richard Nagle, who came hither from Ireland be- fore the revolutionary war. Throughout the conflict he served under Washington and was a good soldier, his courage and endurance more. than making up for his deficiency in size. During an engagement in which he participated he was completely covered with earth by the dis- charge of the enemy's artillery, and as soon as he could speak his first words were: "God damn their souls!" After the close of the war he set- tled in Pennsylvania, where he died.

Jacob Nagle, son of Richard Nagle, was born in Ireland, and came to this country when a young man. He settled in Carroll township, where he worked as a laborer before purchasing his farm. He was a Democrat and a Roman Catholic. He married Honor Baum, who bore

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History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III, Part 73

Author: Storey, Henry Wilson Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 940

Author: Storey, Henry Wilson
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 940