USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III > Part 79
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THE W YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 1909
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
the rank of corporal, before Petersburg, Virginia, and there honorably discharged at the close of the war. For a long period after his discharge he was laid up by reason of sickness. When finally recovered sufficiently he resumed his trade.
Mr. Smith followed his trade until he accepted a position as car inspector at East Conemaugh, which place he held for ten years, then went back to his trade again. He also worked at carpentering for the Cambria Steel Company until the flood of 1889, after which he helped to erect the Gautier Mills and was the company's watchman for a time. About 1902 his health failed, since which time he has practically been re- tired, although being ambitious, he has served as janitor of the school building and of the municipal block three years. Notwithstanding Mr. Smith is close to three score and ten years, he recently completed a com- bination book-case and desk, all hand work, out of red oak. He is also the patentee of a slaw cutter and is now perfecting a new one. His work shop and work room are equipped with up-to-date machinery. His own house and those of two of his sons are heated from boilers, and his en- gine runs clothes washers, lathes, etc. Mr. Smith and wife are mem- bers of the Progressive Brethren church. He has been the assessor for Franklin township. He is a member of Grand Army Post, No. 30, at Johnstown.
In 1863 Mr. Smith came home on a twenty day furlough, and was married to Sarah, daughter of Samuel Varner and wife, whose maiden name was Gitfen. They went to housekeeping on Main street, Franklin, a place he bought from Peter Rubertz. Mrs. Smith died in 1866, leav- ing one child, Frank Smith, now of East Conemaugh, who married a Miss Layman. Mr. Smith married for his second wife, January 20, 1867, Mary Ann, daughter of Isaac and Barbara Ann (Brown) Hor- ners. She was born on the old homestead in Richland township, Cam- bria county, August 27, 1845. She attended the Hoffna school until fifteen years of age. Their children are: Amanda, died in infancy. George W .. of Franklin borough, married Jennie Pergman, children : Irma and Lillian. Curt J., a teamster in Franklin, married a Mrs. Ber- key.
WILLIAM C. COVER, one of Johnstown's enterprising business men, was born April 4, 1859, in the fourth ward of the city in which he now resides, son of William and Mary (Saylor) Cover. At the age of six years he became a pupil in the public school taught by Miss Marv Gageby, who is still engaged in her labors as an educator. From this school he was gradually advanced, and at fifteen graduated under the in- struction of Miss Brookbank.
He was then employed, at a compensation of fifty cents a day, at grinding bark in the tannery of Peter Levergood, and adhered to this oe- cupation one year. At the end of that time he went to work in the livery stable of David Fulton, having always taken great interest in horses. He then spent one year in the livery establishment of Charles Zimmer- man, after which he was with Ben F. Orr in the undertaking business one vear, and ther engaged in the drav business for ten years. Meanwhile he purchased the livery business of S. B. Arthurs, situated where the King livery now stands, and at the end of ten years abandoned the drav business with the intention of devoting his entire time to livery, and to tlie study of veterinary surgery.
In 1885 he took his brother, Charles B. Cover, as a partner, and erected a business building on lots on Main street, adjoining the Cover
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
homestead. This structure was completely washed away in the great food, its destruction involving a loss of thirty-three thousand dollars. After the flood Mr. Cover and his brother separated, the former rebuild- ing the livery on one lot and the latter erceting a tenement on the other. The fire of April 11, 1891, which started in the Henderson building, de- stroyed the structures which were monuments of the enterprise of the two brothers. Mr. Cover succeeded in saving all his horses, moved his stock to Center street, Conemaugh borough, and for one year conducted business in the Castlow stables. After this he was, in company with J. C. Pender, engaged in the livery business on Davis street for one year, at the end of which time the partners separated and Mr. Cover moved to the McDermott barn on Locust street, where for eleven years he car- ried on a successful business. When the Cambria Steel Company bought the property as a site for their office building, Mr. Cover arranged with them to move the barn to his own lot adjoining, where he has since con- ducted an extensive and high-class business. He has owned a great many fast horses which he has placed on the race-track. He also carries a license for a starting judge of the National Trotting Association. He also buys and sells the best horses he can find. He is also president of the Johnstown Vehicle Manufacturing Company. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; the Homeless 26; the Aerie; Fra- ternal Order of Eagles; the Knights of Pythias; the Knights of the Golden Eagle; the Knights of the Mystic Chain, and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. He is a Republican and a member of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Cover married, in 1879, in Johnstown, Sadie, daughter of Pat- rick Scott, of Prospect, and six children were born to them, two of whom survive; William S., and Genevieve, who reside at home. The mother of these children, died October 4, 1895, and in 1898 Mr. Cover married Emma, daughter of J. J. Strayer, of Johnstown. The issue of this mar- riage has been a son and a daughter: Charles Robert, and Alice Beatrice.
WINFIELD SCOTT SHAFFER, of East Conemaugh, one of the veteran railroad men of Cambria county, was born September 4, 1852, in Plumville, Indiana county, son of Christian Shaffer, and grandson of Jacob Shaffer, born in Huntingdon county. in 1792, came to Cambria county, 1800. Married Elizabeth Pringle.
Christian Shaffer was born in 1828, received his education in the common schools and was trained to farm life on the old homestead, sit- uated near Wilmore, which is still in the possession of the family. All his life he followed agricultural pursuits, and now lives in retirement at Wilmore. Christian Shaffer married, September 12, 1850, Susan Ober, and their children were: Winfield Scott, of whom later. John E., en- gineer, of Altoona. George, engineer, of Altoona. Amanda, wife of George A. Davis, of Altoona. Daniel W., of Conemaugh. engineer on Pennsylvania railroad. Lucy, wife of W. L. Fleck, engineer of Altoona. Sherman, engineer, of Altoona. Alice, wife of Wallace Sherbnie, of Wil- more. Clark, of Wilmore, signal man on railroad. May, wife of Walter L. Simmons, of Scalp Level.
Winfield Scott Shaffer, son of Christian and Susan (Ober) Shaffer, received his primary education in the public schools of Pringle Hill, the first one which he attended being situated two miles from his home. He was accustomed, however, to take the long -walk regardless of weather. His next school was at Wilmore. He was reared on the farm. and on leaving school, at the age of seventeen, became a teamster for the firm
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of P. M. Woolslogle & Son. At the age of twenty he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as fireman, plying between Cone- maugh and Pittsburg, and served in this capacity seven years. He then, in 1879, was promoted to the position of engineer, serving for the first few years as extra. His first permanent run as engineer was between Pittsburg and Altoona, on a freight train, since which time he has had various transfers. For fifteen years he hauled what was known as the "Pinkeye" between Conemaugh and Dunbar, Fayette county. This was a coke train owned by the Cambria Steel Company. For a short time he ran a shifter at night in Conemaugh yard. Since March, 1906, he has been engineer on what is known as the "moonlight local," running be- tween Conemaugh and Cresson.
He has held the offices of president and director in the First Na- tional Bank of East Conemaugh, and has been a director in the Cone- maugh & Franklin Water Company. He is president of the Union Cem- etery Association. He held the office of school director five terms. for two of these serving as secretary of the board, and for a time acting as president. He is identified with the Masonie fraternity, and in politics is a Republican. He is a member of the United Brethren church, in which he serves as treasurer and trustee.
Mr. Shaffer married, in Johnstown, September 14, 1876, the Rev. George Wagner, of the United Brethren church, officiating, Annie E., daughter of James and Margaret (Pringle) Palmer, of East Conemaugh, and the following children have been born to them: Lillian. widow of Edwin A. Moon, of Franklin borough. Gertrude, wife of James F. Dev- lin, of East Conemaugh. Virginia, wife of John G. Tayler, of Turtle Creek, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania.
JOSEPH A. GRAY, of Spangler, was born September 5, 1846, in what is now Spangler borough, son of Philip Gray, and grandson of Caleb Augustine Gray, a native of Germany, who emigrated with his wife to the United States and settled in Huntingdon county, but after a short time moved to Cambria county and made his home in Susquehanna town- ship, where he gave his attention to farming, having previously been an iron-worker. He was reared a Presbyterian, but in later life joined the Roman Catholic church. He and his wife were the parents of the following children : Daniel, George, Jacob, Henry, Philip, of whom later; Catharine, wife of Patrick Gartland: Sarah, died single: and Elizabeth, wife of Vendal Fogle. The father of the family died in 1849, at the age of eighty-three.
Philip Gray, son of Caleh Augustine Gray, was born in 1810, in Huntingdon county, and passed the greater part of his life as a farmer and lumberman in Cambria county. He adhered to the Democratic party, took an active part in local politics, and was a member of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Grav married Susanna, daughter of Joseph and Mary Lantzy, and their children were: Caleb A., deceased ; Elizabeth. wife of Matthias Hoffman : Joseph A., of whom later ; Mary Ann, wife of Charles C. MeCombey ; Catharine, wife of Michael H. Nagle; Daniel, deceased : Philip, farmer of Cambria county: Susanna, wife of M. C. MeMullen ; William, coal-miner of Hastings: and Rosillia, died in child- hood. The death of Mr. Gray ocenrred April 29, 1893.
Joseph A. Grav, son of Philip and Susanna (Lantzy) Gray, was reared on the farm, receiving bis education in the common schools. He began life for himself as a lumberman on the Susquehanna river. From 1876 to 1886 he ranked as one of the leading Inmberman of the state.
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and about 1881 he founded a coal and real estate business, leasing and selling several coal mines and handling tracts of ten and twelve thousand acres of land at a single sale. He also gave some attention to agricult- ural pursuits. In 1906 Mr. Gray erected in Spangler a distillery with a capacity of one hundred gallons per day. Ile is also a stockholder of the Spangler Import Company, and Spangler Water Company, also director in the latter. In 1903 he erected a large feed mill at Spangler, which was destroyed by fire in 1904. He was the main factor in run- ning the building of the railroad through Spangler. He has been ac- tively engaged in building up the town of Spangler, owning upwards of forty houses in the borough, most of which he had erected himself. He is also the owner of several tracts of valuable coal and timber lands in this and adjoining counties, as well as in West Virginia. Ile started in life when a youth and has by his own efforts amassed a considerable for- tune. He was one of the organizers of the Spangler National Bank and has been a director ever since.
In 1885 he was elected sheriff of Cambria county for a term of three years, and discharged the duties of the office in a manner satisfactory to his constituents. For a number of years he was a member of the county committee, and for three terms served as chairman. He represented his party at the National Democratic convention at Chicago, in 1896. For some years he has been a councilman of Spangler. He and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church.
Mr. Gray married, July 18, 1869, Margaret, daughter of Adam Hibsch, of Chest township, and the following children have been born to them: 1. Clarretta. at home. 2. John W., Carpenter, graduate of St. Vincent's College, Latrobe. 3. Iranes A., at home, also graduate of St. Vincent's College. 4. Archibald R., of Spangler, owner of the Brandon Hotel. 5. Bertha R., at home. 6. Joseph A., graduate of Ponghkeepsie (New York) College, served three years and three months in the United States service at Manila, dispatcher the last fifteen months of his serv- ice, now stenographer in Pittsburg; married Elizabeth Glosser. . Mar- garet F., at home, graduate of St. Aloysins' Academy, Cresson. 8. Ed- win, student at St. Vincent's College. 9 and 10. Died in infancy.
WATKINS FAMILY. The pioneer ancestor of the Watkins family in this country was Thomas Watkins, a native of Wales, who emigrated to this country about the year 1821, settling in Johnstown. Pennsylvania, and was a typical representative of that sturdy Welsh element of our citizenship, whose industry, genius and thrift are found in every avenue of life. He was a coal operator in the city of Johnstown, where he lived and died, and was buried in the old Union cemetery. His body was washed away with hundreds of others at the time of the great flood, and city records being lost at the same time, all official records of Thomas Watkins were lost with them.
John Watkins, son of Thomas Watkins, and father of Benjamin F. Watkins, was a cabinetmaker and was killed in Wales but a short time before Benjamin F. and his brother and sisters came to this country. John Watkins married Margarette Reese, and their children were: Cath- erine, married John Davis. Elizabeth; married William Campbell, and remained in Wales. Mary, married John Jones. Margarette, married William Reese. Benjamin F., see forward. George, married Margarette Reese.
Benjamin Franklin Watkins, son of John and Margaret Watkins, was born in Merthyr Tydvil. Wales, March 28, 1840. In 1851 he and his
B. J. Martins
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 1909
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
brothers and sisters, above named, with the exception of Elizabeth, were brought to this country by an aunt, settling first in Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania, and two years later removing to Johnstown, same state. At the age of thirteen years, after acquiring a practical education, he began an apprenticeship in the Cambria foundry. and his connection with iron and steel casting extended over almost half a century and his ingenuity in that line resulted in many inventions and appliances, which have greatly advanced the business all over the country. One of his inventions is the silica wash which is used for the washing of moulds in foundries : another is a core oven, which is used in all the large steel plants through- out the country. By thoroughly and persistently applying himself to the business he mastered all the details, and in 1872 was fully competent to assume charge of the Cambria Foundry, succeeding John E. Fry, and remained with the local concern until 1883 with the exception of a short time spent in Chattanooga, his service in the army and while at La Salle, Illinois, where he and his brother, George Watkins, together with John G. Reese, Thomas John and Thomas R. Morgan, owned and operated a foundry and machine shop, which was totally destroyed by fire.
In 1883 Benjamin F. Watkins went to Alliance, Ohio, and took charge of the foundry department of the Thomas R. Morgan Engineer- ing Company at that place. In 1888 he returned to Pennsylvania. lo- eating in Sharon, and with some capitalists of that place organized the Sharon Steel Company. In the spring of 1889, just a short time prior to the great flood which wrought such devastation in the city of Johns- town, Mr. Watkins returned to that city and took charge of the iron, steel and brass foundries of the Johnson Company. afterwards the Lorain Steel Company, remaining in charge until 1895, when he retired on ae- count of failing health and spent several winters in the south in order to recuperate. At the time of the great flood, in 1889, Mr. Watkins and family were residing on Franklin street. or Morris street as it was then called, and although crowded into the attic for thirty-six hours on rather limited rations they all managed, after the water had somewhat sub- sided, to pass out over the roof and to then slide down a plank upon a section of an old roof and then over the roofs of other houses to the Kernville hill and to safety.
At the breaking out of the Civil war Mr. Watkins was in Chat- tanooga, Tennessee. whither he had gone to assume charge of an iron foundry, but realizing at once that the services of loval men would be needed, returned to the north, enlisted and was assigned to a company of musicians in a regiment organized at Norristown, Pennsylvania, serv- ing, however, only eleven months as the band was dismissed while he was in the hospital at Roanoke. Virginia. after Burnside's expedition against Roanoke Isle. Mr. Watkins was one of the organizers of the first Silver Cornet Band in Johnstown. He was a composer of no mean ability in band music, some of the compositions being still in the possession of the family. These pieces were written before our music was printed to any great extent, and even the sheet music for the entire band was copied off by hand. Mr. Watkins was a member of Cambria Lodge of Masons. having attained the thirty-second degree in that order; Syria Temple and Rose Croix Chapter. Pittsburg: Mineral Lodge, Knights of Pythias ; Emory Fisher Post, Grand Army of the Republic : and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Upon his return from the Civil war Mr. Watkins married Miss Sara Reese. of Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, born in Pont-v-Pridd, Wales, Jan- mary 17, 1843, daughter of Job and Margaret (Watkins) Reese, whose
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family consisted of the following children: Jennie, now living in Cleve- land, Ohio, wife of Evan Davies, a heater in the mills of Pittsburg. Mary, wife of George Watkins, both having died in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Two daughters who died in infancy. John Gomer, married Elizabeth Barnes, of Somerset county, Pennsylvania. J. G., died in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. William, married Mary Ann Goff, daughter of Captain John Goff. of Butler county, Pennsylvania, and resides in St. Louis, Missouri. Jacob, died in infancy. Esau. died in infancy. Job Reese, father of these children, was married in Pout-y-Pridd, Wales, came to this country in 1844, settled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and was em- ployed as a heater in the mills in that city. He was a son of John Reese. who was a Baptist minister with a charge in Pout-y-Pridd, and his wife, Sara (Evans) Reese, of the same place. Four sons and two daughters were born to Benjamin F. and Sara ( Reese) Watkins:
1. William J., born July 10, 1870, in La Salle, Illinois, studied chemistry under the present city chemist of Pittsburg, Mr. Ashman, was employed with his father at Sharon. Pennsylvania, and from 1889 to the present time (1906) has been in the employ of the Lorain Steel Com- pany ; is now in charge of the open hearth furnaces of the company. He is by occupation a steel melter and chemist. He is president of the Sunnyside Coal Company. Johnstown. He married Annie Craver, of Jenner township, Somerset county. April, 1899. No children.
2. Benjamin Franklin, Jr., born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1875, attended the common schools of Johnstown, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, three years. He was employed as a machinist by the Cambria Company for one year; was employed at Philadelphia for eighteen months: returned to Johnstown, 1900, and worked for the Lorain Steel Company for about six months; was employed in the Johnstown Wall Paper Company for one and a half years ; was employed in the general office of the Cambria Steel Company for three and a half years, and in July. 1905, formed a partnership with his brother Reno in the real estate business. He married, December 14, 1901, Clara B. Picking, of Jennertown, Somerset county, a daughter of Worth and Dorathea (Fleischhaner) Picking, who were the parents of five sons- Henry. Fred. Howard and two who died in infancy-and four daugh- ders-Clara B., Marion. Kathleen and Margaret. Dorathea (Fleisch- haner) Picking was born in Germany, daughter of Phillip Erich and Yetta (Mengel) Fleischhauer, who were the parents of five sons-Fred. Carl, Christopher C., George Andrew and William Erich-and seven daughters-Bertha. Ureka, Dorathea, Caroline, Louisa, Marea Magde- Jena and Katherine. Three children were born to Benjamin F., Jr., and Clara B. (Picking) Watkins: Thomas Picking, March 18. 1902; Robert Hayes, December 13, 1903: Sara Dorothy. August 15. 1906.
3. Elizabeth Torrence, born December 22, 1876, married Albert Stammelbach, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1905. He is a me- chanical engineer for the National Tube Company.
4. Jesse Reno, born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1880. He received an excellent common school education, and is considered one of the rising young business men of the city. He is associated in partnership with his brother. Benjamin F., Jr., in the real estate and insurance business, with offices in the Lincoln building. He takes ap active interest in all publie matters. is greatly in favor of any proposi- tion which tends to the improvement and advancement of the condition of the city, and is ready to further it in any manner that is within his power. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, Sons of Veterans,
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Knights of Pythias, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He married, January 29, 1901, Emma Leninger, and their children are: Eugene, born August 28, 1903; William, born October 16, 1904. Emma (Leninger) Watkins, born April 11, 1877, in Garrett county, Maryland, is a de- scendant of George Leininger, as the name was then spelled, who came to this country from Germany in 1723. His son, Samuel Leninger, who changed the name to its present form shortly after settling in this coun- try, was born in Bavaria, Germany, was brought to America by his par- ents when a babe and died in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1793. Lewis Leninger, son of Samuel Leninger, born in Chambersburg, Mary- land, married Margaret Sheddern, a native of Chambersburg, Maryland, and twenty children were born to them, fifteen of whom survive, all of whom are married and reside in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Nebraska and West Virginia. George Leninger, son of Lewis and Margaret (Shed- dern) Leninger, married Sara Speicher, daughter of Austin and Mary (Frantz) Speicher, of Garrett county, Maryland, where Austin Speicher taught school for a few years. Mr. and Mrs. Speicher left Maryland and settled on a farm in Addison township, Pennsylvania, in 1896, and there Mrs. Speicher died in 1890. Their children were: Asa, a physician, who practiced in Salisbury, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, afterwards going to Los Angeles, California, where he now resides. Katherine, married Jacob Bughley, a farmer of Accident, Maryland. Sarah, married George Leninger, of Addison, Pennsylvania. Ross, married and resides in Colo- rado, where he owns and operates a stock ranch. Frank, a farmer, mar- ried and resides in Kansas. Elizabeth, married and resides in Garrett county, Maryland. Charles, married and resides in Accident, Maryland. Allie, married and resides in Garrett county, Maryland ; Clara, married and resides in Garrett county, Maryland. Children of George and Sara (Speicher) Leninger were: Emma (Mrs. J. R. Watkins) ; Clara : Mary, married Otto Mikem; Nora, married Robert Lytle; Louis; Charles.
5. George, died at the age of nine years.
6. Adeline, died in infancy.
Benjamin Franklin Watkins, who discharged his business and so- cial duties with honor and efficiency, and who made and kept friends by the affability of his manner and the generosity of his nature, succumbed June 3, 1903. His death was sincerely mourned by a wide circle of friends. He left to his family the priceless heritage of a good name, which is far better than great wealth.
HARVEY B. FRYE, JR., Chief of the Order Department of The Lorain Steel Company, in Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, is a member of a family which has been identified with the industrial and commercial circles of Pennsylvania for some generations.
Harvey B. Frye, father of Harvey B. Frye, Jr., was a son of Abra- ham P. and Rebecca (Scott) Frye, and for a number of years was one of the prominent coal operators of Pittsburg and Fayette City. The Carondolet Coal Company of Pittsburg, of which he was a partner, were extensive shippers of coal to Cincinnati, New Orleans and Vicksburg. He married, July 7, 1862, Ellen B. Kitts. and they have children : John K., married Georgia Arnold; Charles S., married Elizabeth Spangler ; Anna F., and Harvey B., Jr.
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