History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III, Part 75

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.

In 1903 he relinquished his trade to engage in the hotel business. at his present location. His hotel he erected in 1902-03. The dwelling con- nected with the hotel. where he resided, was built in 1829. Mr. Ilueb- ner is a member of the German Lutheran church, and is a life-long Democrat. He served as assessor of the fourth and seventh wards of his city, and was on the first council after the city was incorporated. For three years he was a member of the school board. He belongs to the Turn Verein.

In 1824 Mr. Huebner married Louisa Ott, by whom was born the following children : Walter C., of Moxham, married Emma Garhart. Annie, now Mrs. William H. Bloch, of Johnstown. Margaret, now Mrs. A. C. Stiver, of Johnstown. Edward, of Altoona, married Lulu Carter. Othelio, now Mrs. George Friedel, of Johnstown. Edna, at home. Nor- man, died in infaney. Arthur, died in infancy. Mrs. Huebner died January 6, 1906.

JOSEPH BEITER. It may safely be asserted that few residents of Johnstown are more widely or more favorably known to their fellow- citizens than is Joseph Beiter, the genial and successful proprietor of the Monroe Hotel. Mr. Beiter was born August 8, 1857, in Summerhill (now Portage) township, son of Mathias Beiter, and grandson of Cas- par Beiter, natives of Germany. Caspar Beiter emigrated to the United States more than sixty years ago and settled on a farm in Munster town- ship, where he passed the remainder of his life. He and his wife were devout Roman Catholics. The children of Caspar Beiter and his wife were the following: Phronia, wife of Nicholas Freidoff, deceased. John, settled on farm in Munster township and died there. Ignatius. bought homestead and still lives there. Susie, wife of Anthony Sheiver, of Munster township. Otto, of Loretto. Pennsylvania. Mary. wife of Valentine Kramer, of near Portage. Mathias, of whom later. Philip, deceased. Donatus, of Washington county, Kansas.

Mathias Beiter, son of Caspar Beiter, received his education in the schools of his native country, and was twelve years old when the family came to this new land. He worked for his father until reaching man- hood, when he found employment on the old Portage railroad and later in a warehouse which stood on the site now occupied by St. Joseph's Ro- man Catholic church. He then bought a farm in Summerhill township. consisting of eighty-four aeres, for which he paid four hundred dollars. With the exception of four acres it was all timber land, and in the clear- ing stood an old log cabin consisting of one room sixteen by twenty feet. In this room they lived until their new home was erected, after which they converted the log cabin into a stable. Mathias Beiter, with the help of his sons, cleared up sixty-five acres, and became a prominent man in the township. During the Civil war he served in the army, thus testifying to his allegiance to his adopted country. In politics he was a life-long Democrat. He took an active part in church affairs. he and his family being members of the Wilmore Roman Catholic church and also of the church at Loretto.

Mathias Beiter married Catharine Humpf, a native of the same part of Germany as himself, and their children were: Theresa. wife of Ul- rich Bernschneider, of Summerhill. Joseph, of whom later. Peter, died at the age of four. Andrew, owned homestead, married, died in 1902, in hospital at Johnstown. John F., married Mary McAnnally, died at Portage in 1904. George, engineer of East Conemaugh, married Emma Meyers. Frederick, of Portage. married Lettie Ritchie. Lizzie. wife of

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Thomas Collins, of Portage. The father of this family died in 1885. aged sixty-three years, and the mother, at her death, which occurred about 1900. was sixty-nine years old. Both are buried in Wilmore ceme- 1erv.

Joseph Beiter, son of Mathias and Catharine (Humpf) Beiter, at- tended the schools of Summerhill township for several months of each vear until he was about fifteen years old. He was trained to hard work, and at the age of twelve began to assist his father in clearing off the land. He remained at home until the age of twenty and then went to Kansas, where for thirteen months he was employed by the farmers. He then returned home and for the next two years was the driver of a street car in Johnstown, after which he purchased the saloon of John Jobel and carried on the business until the flood of 1889. In this great calamity he lost five hundred dollars in cash and over fifteen hundred dollars in stock. After the flood he erected on the site of the old build- ing a sixteen by twenty-four plank structure, and completed the period for which his license had been issued. His next place of business was in the Arcade Building, on Clinton street, opposite the Brimstone cor- ner. and he afterward opened a shoe store in what is now the Quirk Building. on Washington street, with John Rosenbaum as partner, con- tinuing the business for one year. His next venture was to rent the Ex- change Hotel, on Washington street, and the event proved that in so doing he had found his niche in life. He conducted the establishment for eleven years and in March, 1903, purchased the Monroe Hotel, the interior of which he has since completely reconstructed. refitting and refurnishing throughout. The establishment is one of the best known in Johnstown, and the source of its well deserved popularity is to be found in the administrative ability and cordial bearing of the host. His chief recreation is afforded by hunting and fishing, in both of which he ex- cels. In politics he is an Independent Democrat. He and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church.

Mr. Beiter married, April 24, 1884, in Johnstown. Mary Schonhardt, and they have been the parents of the following children: Catharine, born February 8. 1885. Mathias. born 1886, lost in the flood at the age of two years. Frederick George. horn 1887. Mathias (?), born July 18, 1890. Henry B., born 1893, Lawrence, born 1896. Raymond Irving. born January 6, 1898. Mary Agnes, born January 10, 1899. Victoria, died in infancy. An infant that died unnamed. Mrs. Beiter was born August 14, 1857. on Goose Island. in Johnstown, daughter of Frederick and Victoria (Blocher) Schonhardt. Frederick Schonhardt in early life was an ore-digger, and in his latter years was employed at the Gautier works. During the Civil war he served in the army. He died at the home of his son-in-law. Joseph Beiter, aged seventy-five years. His wife perished in the flood and her body was never recovered.

CAPTAIN ALBERT K. GEISELHART, the genial and hospita- ble proprietor of the well known Ninth Ward Hotel, who has achieved an honorable and well deserved record as an Indian fighter, is a de- scendant of an old and honored family of Germany.

John Geiselhart, father of Captain Albert K. Geiselhart, lived for many years in Prussia, Germany, where he was engaged in the brick manufacturing industry. and his ancestors had been for a number of generations. He was a prosperous man of business. He served three years in the German army, and was actively engaged in the struggle at the time of the revolution of 1848. He married Johanna Leippert, and

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had children: Ing, residing in Germany; Katy, also in Germany; Jo- hanna, deceased; Johannus; Mary, deceased; and Albert K., see for- ward.

Captain Albert K. Geiselhart, youngest child of John and Johanna (Leippert) Geiselhart, was born in the city of Riedlinges, Wurtemburg, Germany, April, 1855. He acquired an excellent education in the schools of his native town, which he attended until he had attained the age of fourteen years, and then spent some months in a college. at Debringer. Upon leaving this institution he emigrated to the United States, where several of his uncles already resided. He embarked on a steamship at Bremen and landed in New York city, April 17, 1872. From there he went directly to an uncle who resided in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and there he obtained a position as a barber. This work, however, was not congenial, and at the expiration of nine months he enlisted, at Pittsburg, in the Seventh United States Cavalry, for a period of five years. He joined his regiment at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota, where he spent the following five winters, the summers being occupied with scout work and fighting the Indians. He fought against the Sioux in 1876, under General Custer, being an active participator in the dreadful experiences of that time. He was under the personal command of Major Reno and Captain W. H. Bentin, of Custer's army, at the time of the dreadful massacre at the Little Big Horn, June 25, 1876. Major Reno had been ordered to guard pack trains only three miles from the terrible scene, and but for these orders might have been able to have given the gal- lant Custer the assistance he so much needed. The Indians then pro- ceeded to attack Major Reno, fighting from eleven o'clock in the morn- ing until sundown. Many of them as they made their approach wore the uniforms of officers and soldiers of the United States army, and carried the flags of the, regiment. At some distance it was supposed they were our soldiers, but as they came nearer, they were recognized for what they were and the dreadful truth was partly surmised. The following day Major Reno proceeded to Little Big Horn, and the re- sults of the massacre met their horrified gaze. They buried the dead with all the military honors at their command, Captain Geiselhart per- sonally assisting in the interment of the ill-fated General Custer, and upon the succeeding day he was appointed a non-commissioned officer for gallant and faithful service. One year later, July, 1877, he was de- tailed to assist, under Captain Michael Sheridan (brother of General Philip Sheridan), in taking up the bodies of those who had been in- terred at Little Big Horn, identifying them, and forwarding them to their final destinations. Captain Geiselhart assisted in the transporta- tion of the body of General Custer to a vessel on the Missouri river, from whence it was taken to Bismarck, North Dakota, and finally to West Point, where it was buried with military honors. Subsequently Captain Geiselhart's regiment was under the command of Colonel Miles (now general), at Cedar Creek, on the Missouri river, and was engaged in fighting the Nes Perces Indians under Chief Joseph, at Bori Palm mountains, the battle raging four days, when the Indians surrendered to Colonel Miles. While making a charge up the mountain during this battle Captain Geiselhart was wounded in the right side by an arrow. He then went with his company to Fort Totten, Dakota, his regiment proceeding to Fort Abraham Lincoln. The regiment was ordered to the Black Hills in May, 1878, to build Fort Meade. and while there, on March 18, 1879, Captain Geiselhart was honorably discharged. He went to Columbus, Ohio, and re-enlisted as a member of Company E, Captain

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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

John S. Worten, Nineteenth United States Infantry, for another term of five years. He was in active service in the Ute campaign in 1881, under General Me Kenzie, and from that time until his discharge in April, 1884. at Fort Ringgold, was on duty in Texas.

Upon leaving the army he came to Johnstown. Cambria county, Pennsylvania, and obtained a position in the rod mill of the Cambria Steel Company, which he filled very efficiently until the terrible flood of May. 1889. Immediately after the flood he purchased his present hotel from J. C. Darby, and has conducted it with a great amount of success since that time. The hotel is one of the finest of its size in the state, being conducted in a progressive and up to date manner; the rooms are comfortably and neatly furnished, and the cuisine is unex- ceptionable. Captain Geiselhart. by his courteous. affable manner, wins the affection and esteem of all those who know him, as he merits the ad- miration of all for his gallant conduct as a soldier. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church of St. Joseph, and he is president of the St. Joseph's Society, director and one of the organizers of the Knights of St. George Association. His political affiliations have always been with the Democratic party, and he has filled very acceptably a number of minor offices.

Captain Geiselhart married. September 29, 1875, at St. Joseph's church, Rev. Father Otto, O. S. B., officiating, Katy Frick, daughter of John Frick, who was born in Germany. They have had children: Al- bert, assistant-cashier in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company; Rosie, married Joseph Boxeler, of Johnstown; Otto, Henry, Clara, and Stella.

CHARLES MANEVAL, proprietor of the Hotel Maneval, Johns- town. comes of Italian and German ancestry, the family having been transplanted, at a remote period, from Italy to Germany and having re- mained there through many generations, intermarrying with the Ger- mans and thus modifying the original stock.

Jacob Maneval, grandfather of Charles Maneval, was born in Wur- temburg. Germany. and in 1820 emigrated to the United States with his wife and children. He settled near Williamsport, Lycoming county. Pennsylvania, where he purchased a farm on which he lived during the remainder of his life.

Jacob Maneval, son of Jacob Maneval, the emigrant, was eighteen years old when he came with his parents to the United States. He be- came an extensive agriculturist in Lycoming county, buying timber land, clearing it and making good farms. He was a Democrat. but iden- tified himself with the Republican party at the time of its organization and adhered to it until the close of his life. He and his wife were mem- bers of the United Brethren church. Jacob Maneval married Sarah Miller, born and brought up in Berks county. Pennsylvania, and their children were: Caroline, died unmarried. John, went in 1853 to Min- nesota, took up land in Hennepin county and died there. Susan, wife of John Reichard, of near Williamsport. Jacob, enlisted in a Pennsyl- vania regiment from Centre county, and was killed in first battle of Bull Run. Elizabeth, died at the age of twenty-one. Magdalena, wife of Conrad Barth, of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Sarah, died at the age of eighteen. Leah, wife of Charles Ade, of Kansas City. David, enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment, in latter part of Civil war. em- barked with troop's on transport and was never heard of more. Char- lotte, wife of Charles Kast, drowned in flood. Peter, of Williamsport. Charles. of whom later. The father of this family died in Williamsport,

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in 1881. aged eighty-five years, the mother having died in the same place about fifteen years before.

Charles Maneval, son of Jacob and Sarah (Miller) Maneval, was born September 5, 1849, on the homestead farm, near Williamsport, and attended school during a part of every winter from the age of six to that of fourteen, when his father sent him to learn the butcher's busi- mess with John Kline, of Williamsport. After serving his time he re- mained with Mr. Kline three years, and then, upon the death of his employer, abandoned the business, which was not to his taste. He found employment in the lumber woods, working in the saw mills and cutting and floating logs, and continued to labor in the lumber camps until 1881. In that year he was invited to Johnstown by his brother-in-law, Mr. Kast, proprietor of a hotel in that city, and on going thither was employed by Mr. Kast until the latter's death in November, 1882. He then un- dertook the management of the hotel on behalf of his sister, continuing until the building was destroyed by the flood and Mrs. Kast lost her life. The hotel had been known as the Kast House and stood opposite the site of Mr. Maneval's present hotel.

Immediately after the flood Mr. Maneval put up a temporary frame structure on the same site and conducted the business until the spring of 1892, when he purchased the building which stood on the site of his present hotel. In December, 1892. this building was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt in the spring of 1893, being replaced by the present structure of three stories, containing eighteen rooms and furnished throughout with all modern improvements. He belongs to the 1. O. O. F. and the I. O. R. M., and in politics is an Independent, voting, with- ont regard to party, for the man whom he deems best fitted for the office. He is a member of the English Lutheran church.

Mr. Maneval married, July 5. 1870, in Williamsport, Elizabeth. daughter of Frederick and Lydia ( Bird) Drum, of that city, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Maneval had two children: Alice May, wife of Horace W. Ross, an Adams Express messenger; and Clarence, who lost his life in the flood, at the age of fifteen.

JOHN BISCHOF, proprietor of the Hotel Imperial, Johnstown, was born December 19, 1852. in the town of Klein Mohr, Austria, son of Emeric Bischof, a native of the same place. The father of Emeric Bischof died a comparatively young man, and Emeric, as a boy, began working in the ore mines of his native place, and throughont his life followed the calling of a miner. Emeric Bischof married Rosella Fitz. and their children were: Frank, of Johnstown. Charles, of the same place. John, of whom later. Rosella, deceased. Theresa, who lives in the old home.

John Bischof, son of Emeric and Rosella (Fitz) Bischof. attended the schools of his native place until the age of twelve years, when he began herding cattle on a large estate and for a year thereafter was thus occupied. In 1871 he went to work in the ore mines and continued to labor there until 1825, when the company suspended business, and he found employment in a rolling mill, Frank Olberich Son & Beligan, where he remained until his emigration to the United States. He sailed from Bremen, April 28, 1880, on the steamship "Salier." and on landing in New York, May 16, went immediately to Johnstown, where he found employment as a laborer in the Cambria Steel plant. After a short time he was placed in the rod mill of the company, and in 1882. when the rod mill shut down, went to work in that department of Gautier's plant.

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

where he remained until December, 1884. He then bought a hotel kept by Joseph Riedel and standing on the site now occupied by the Hotel Riedel. In the spring of 1891 John Devlin built a hotel opposite, and Mr. Bischof became proprietor of the establishment, conducting it until June, 1904. He was then for a short time out of business, ultimately purchasing the Hotel Imperial, of which he has since been the success- ful proprietor. He belongs to the German-Austrian Musical and Bene- ficial Society, the Germania Quartet Club. and the German Band. In politics he is a Democrat. IIe and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church.

Mr. Bischof married, in 1884, in Johnstown, Francesca Metzner, who was born in Vienna, Austria, and came to the United States in her seventeenth year. Mr. and Mrs. Bischof have had the following chil- dren : Frank, deceased; Charles, Henry, John, Mary, William and Leo.

PHILIP BENDER, of Spangler, was born May 2, 1861, in Aus- tria, and in 1884 emigrated to the United States, settling at Portage, Pennsylvania, where for seven years he followed the trade of black- smith, which he had learned in his native land. He then moved to Glen Campbell, Indiana county, and there, for three years, engaged in mer- cantile business, going in July, 1895, to Barnesboro, where for six years he gave his attention to general mercantile business. In 1902 he went to Spangler and there established himself in the wholesale liquor busi- ness, conducting it for two years. He was then employed for nearly two years as general agent by the Spangler Brewing Company. after which he returned to the business which he had established in 1902 and which he is still conducting. He belongs to the C. M. B. A .. of Span- gler, and is a Democrat in politics. He and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church.

Mr. Bender married Polly Susko, and the following children have been born to them: Joseph. died at the age of nineteen; Frank. in part- nership with his father; Blanche. Edward. Caroline. Annie, Philip and John. All the surviving children are at home with their parents.

HENRY G. LAMPMAN. of Barnesboro, was born February 1, 1875. a son of Henry G. Lampman, and a grandson of Henry G. Lamp- man, being the third in lineal descent to bear the name. Henry G. Lampman, the grandfather, was born and bred in Hoosick Falls, New York. where he passed his life as a farmer. He was the father of five children: Frank, Charles. Henry G .. of whom later; Caroline, wife of J. D. West ; and Mary, wife of John Reznor.

Henry G. Lampman, son of Henry G. Lampman. was born Feb- ruary 22. 1840. in Dresden, New York, and was a baker, for some years following his trade in connection with the grocery business. He is now proprietor of the United States Hotel, Oil City. In politics he has al- ways been an active Democrat. He married Mary O'Flarity, born near Dublin, Ireland. and they have been the parents of five children: Mollie. wife of Jerry Condron, of Erie. Pennsylvania; Harry D., died at the age of four years: Flora S .. wife of John Stubler, of New Brighton ; Alice. single, at home : and Henry G., of whom later.

Henry G. Lampman. son of Henry G. and Mary (O'Flarity) Lamp- man. was educated in the common schools, and at the age of fifteen be- gan working in a machine shop. where he remained one year. He then entered the service of the Erie Railroad Company as clerk at Oil City, where he remained one year, being then transferred to Meadville, where

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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

for four years he was chief clerk to the general manager. At the end of that time he went to Pittsburg, where for five years he was employed as division freight agent by the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Com- pany, after which he went to Parkersburg, West Virginia, where for two years he was superintendent of the Wabash. He then left the company and for one year engaged in the wholesale liquor business in Potter county, removing thence to Barnesboro, where he purchased the whole- sale liquor business of E. Bearer, which he still conducts, having the largest and most successful establishment of the kind in northern Cam- bria county. He belongs to Lodge No. 27, Knights of Pythias, and Lodge No. 319, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, of Meadville. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church.

Mr. Lampman married Mary L., daughter of C. P. and Catharine Harris, of Meadville; they have one child, Henry G., being the fourth in lineal descent to bear the name.

WILLIAM WOOD, of Barnesboro, was born in 1862, at Quarring- ton Hill, Durham, England, son of James Wood, a native of the same place, where he was born January 21, 1842. In 1868 he emigrated to the United States, settling at Falls Creek, Bradford county, Pennsyl- vania, thenec to Ohio, from there to Tennessee, and after a return trip to his native land, located at Houtzdale, Clearfield county, where he was employed in the coal mines until 1890. He then moved to Jefferson county, where he became mine foreman for the Burwin White Coal- mining Company, a position which he still holds. He has served two terms of four years each on the mine-foreman examination board, and for a number of years was school director. In politics he is a stanch Re- publican. Mr. Wood married, before leaving England, Sarah Roxley, who was born, by a singular coincidence, in the same place, and on the same day of the same year as himself. Their children were: William, of whom later: John, mine foreman of Punxsutawney; Elizabeth, wife of James Cowser, of Rossiter, Indiana county; Edward, bookkeeper for the Finch Golden Wedding Liquor Company, of Pittsburg: and James M., paymaster and clerk for the Walnut Run Coal Company.

William Wood, son of James and Sarah (Roxley) Wood, was six years old when brought by his parents to the United States, and was engaged in mining coal at Houtzdale until 1886, when he was appointed check-weighman. In 1891 he moved to Horatio, Jefferson county, where he followed the same calling until 1900. In that year he went to Barnes- boro and took the position of mine foreman for the Sterling Coal Com- pany at Mine No. 11. After remaining one year he was placed by Barnes & Tucker in charge of two mines, but at the end of one year's service returned to his original position, the Walnut Run Coal Company having purehased Sterling No. 11. At this mine Mr. Wood is still serv- ing as foreman. He is very popular with the men who work under his orders, and has never had a strike or a fatal accident at any mine of which he had charge. He holds both first and second class certificates as mine foreman. also as fire boss.

In 1904 he was elected a member of Barnesboro town council, and the following year was chosen president. of that body. When chosen to sit in the council he received all but four votes of the entire number cast. He is an active Republican, a member of the eounty committee, and was sent as a delegate to the last county convention. For many years he was a prominent member of the United Mine Workers and secretary of the first union organized in the Clearfield region. He is an active member

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History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III, Part 75

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