USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III > Part 81
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JAMES M. WALKER, one of the well known men in the commer- cial and industrial circles of Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, and in the employ of the Cambria Steel Company for many years, is one of the most public-spirited citizens of the city. Although a native of this
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Aster, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 1909
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country, he is of the first generation here, tracing his descent to an hon- ored family of England.
George Walker, father of James M. Walker, was one of four children -Daniel, Emma, Charles and George-and was born in England in 1829. He emigrated to America in 1853, went to Brady's Bend, and from there to Johnstown, where he located permanently. His occupation was that of mining, and he was one of the first miners to work the Rolling Mill mine. The main entry to this mine is called "Walker's Entry." He was in the employ of the Cambria Steel Company for about thirty-four years. He married Ann Hughes, and had children: 1. Mary, married James Will- iams, and has children: George W. and Annie C. 2. William G., re- ceived a common school education, and has been in the employ of the Cambria Steel Company for a number of years as engineer. He took a position as night engineer, in 1891, of the Cambria Incline Plane, was later promoted to that of day engineer, and then made superintendent, a position he now (1906) holds. 3. James M., see forward. Other children of George and Ann ( Hughes) Walker died in infancy.
James M. Walker, second son and youngest child of George and Ann (Hughes) Walker, was born in Johnstown, Cambria county. Pennsyl- vania, March 18, 1868. He had the advantage of a good education in the public schools of his native city, and in 1884 entered the employ of the Cambria Steel Company as clerk. He has been in their employ contin- uously since that time, being advanced steadily through the various grades until October, 1904, when he was made assistant paymaster, which posi- tion he is holding at the present time. In addition to his work with the ('ambria Steel Company, he has many interests to which he devotes him- self. He is president of Assistance Fire Company, the oldest volunteer fire company in Johnstown. He is now serving his second term as school commissioner for the second ward. He is a member of the Episcopal church, and a stanch Republican. He is a man who has made many friends in business, political and social circles.
JOHN D. MURPHY, weighmaster with the Cambria Steel Com- pany, in whose employ he has been for fifty years, is a citizen of Johns- town, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, of whom the town may well be proud. He is a native of Ireland, but has thoroughly adopted this country for his own, and when the need arose to offer life and property in her de- fense, he was one of those who responded carliest and most enthusias- tically.
Timothy Murphy, father of John D. Murphy, was a native of Ire- land and a son of John Murphy. He was one of a large family. His oc- cupation was that of farming, and he was a devout member of the Roman Catholic church. He married Rose Sweeny, and they had children : Mary, deceased ; John D., see forward ; Johanna, married Bernard Carney ; Den- nis, married Mary Gavin: Myles ; Timothy, deceased ; Edward, married Elizabeth McDonald ; and Rose, deceased.
John D. Murphy, second child and eldest son of Timothy and Rose (Sweeny) Murphy, was born in Ireland, February 14, 1842. His edu- cation was that to be obtained in the common schools of that period, and upon its completion he entered the employ of the Cambria Steel Com- pany, about 1856, where his faithful performance of his duties, reliability and many other good qualities obtained for him advancement, step by step, until he attained his present position. His services are greatly appre- ciated. and he is held in high esteem by all the members of the company as well as by his fellow workers. The only interruption to his work was
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at the time of the Civil war. He enlisted September, 1861, at Johnstown, in Company C, Fifty-fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was sent to Harrisburg. From there, by way of Baltimore, to Camp Hamil- ton. Virginia, where they were on camp duty for about five weeks; then to Port Royal to camp and picket duty; to Stonowe's plantation, on guard duty for four weeks : Bull's Island for four weeks; then to Ladies' Island, where they remained for about five months. They were then sent to Bu- ford, where they were stationed until the spring of 1864, when they left for Virginia, the main seat of operations at that time. They disem- barked at Gloucester Point, moving in the direction of Richmond, under the command of General Benjamin F. Butler. The Eighteenth Army Corps came to a final halt at Drewry's Bluff, May 16, 1864. Mr. Mur- phy was captured on that day, was taken to Libby prison at Richmond, and from there; June 1, 1864, to Andersonville prison, from which he was paroled November 4, of the same year. He was sent to Annapolis, and after a stay there of two weeks. succeeded in getting a furlough for two weeks. He then returned to Annapolis. and was mustered out January 15, 1865. His record was one of bravery and gallant service.
Mr. Murphy married, July 4, 1866, Leah Hawthorne, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Sterling) Hawthorne. and one of seven children: William. married Anna Cassidy: Samuel. married Rachel - -: Leah, mentioned above : Joshua: Ellen, married Thomas Carroll; John, mar- ried Louisa -; Albert. The children of John D. Murphy and Leah (Hawthorne) Murphy were: Florence E. ; Mary S., married John Knuff ; Rose E .. married William Lee: Anna Josephine; Agnes, married George Friday ; John B., and Francis B.
DR. CASPER F. HAGER, a dental surgeon of Johnstown. Pennsyl- vania. was born in that city, December 16, 1863, son of Casper and Mary ( Klinefelter) Hager.
Nicholas Hager (grandfather) was a shoemaker of Rodach Horzog- thum, Coburg, Gotha. Germany. Casper Hager (father) with three brothers and a sister came to this country in 1847. Fred and Andreas, brothers, settled in Philadelphia, while Casper and George came to Johns- town in 1857. The sons had all learned their father's trade, and Casper followed it in Johnstown as long as he lived, and at the same time speeu- lated in real estate considerably. The date of his death was October 7. 1848. His wife, Mary, was the daughter of Henry Klinefelter, a native of York county, who finally removed to Johnstown, where he died in 1860. Mrs. Hager was among the unfortunate victims of the great flood of May 31, 1889. having been drowned. Both she and her husband were exemplary members of the German Lutheran church.
Dr. Casper F. Hager was educated in the public schools of Johns- town and graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery. He established himself in his chosen profession in his native place. where he has ever since practiced. He is a member of the Christian church, and connected with the Children's Aid Society of Johnstown.
Dr. Hager married, October 15, 1891, Anna Von Lunen, daughter of Charles and Catherine (Berkebile) Von Lunen, farmers, residing in Johnstown.
JOHN C. CONFER, one of Johnstown's retired business men, was born January 26. 1851. in Blair county, Pennsylvania. son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Knowles) Confer. Daniel Confer died March 9. 1871.
John C. Confer received his education in the public schools of Blair
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county, and later went to Johnstown, where he conducted a grocery store in Franklin street. For ten years he carried on a successful business, and by reason of failing health was forced, at the end of that time, to dispose of his establishment to Nathan Miller. He afterward opened a meat store in the same street, which in the course of time he relinquished in order to undertake the management of the Osborne farm at Roxbury, his wife's estate. He also carried on a considerable truck business. In recent years he has engaged in no active work beyond the management of the Osborne estate and an occasional transaction in real estate.
Mr. Confer married Agnes M. Osborne, born October 20, 1856, and they have been the parents of the following children: George W., born August 26, 1874, died October 24, 1880. Elizabeth A., born April 13, 1826. wife of M. J. Corner, of Johnstown. Harry F., born October 24, 18:1. Sarah Agnes, born September 11, 1879, wife of W. R. Ellis. John O., of whom later. Mary Margaret, born August 20, 1884, died Novem- ber 23, 1885. Almira Frances, born March 20, 1886. Emma Irene, born September 15, 1888. Walter Eugene, born December 27. 1890. Edward Columbus, born September 5, 1892, died November 21, 1892.
John O. Confer, fifth child and third son of John C. and Agnes M. (Osborne) Confer, was born August 26, 1882. He received his edu- cation in the public schools of Johnstown, graduating in 1902 in the largest class that ever left the high school. He was an active member of the High School Athletic Association and was a favorite, not only with his classmates, but with the faculty and the student body at large. At one time he was business manager of the school paper, "The Spectator," and later served as one of its assistant editors. Soon after graduating he went to work in the Cambria Axle plant, and was employed there at the time of his death, which occurred February 14, 1903. He very soon endeared himself to his associates by his sterling qualities and amiable disposition, and it may truly be said of him that he was one of the most popular young men in the city. His death was a severe affliction to his parents and his many friends.
Mrs. Confer is a daughter of George W. Osborne, Jr., and a grand- daughter of George W. Osborne, Sr., who was twice married, his first wife being Elizabeth Fulton, who bore him one child. Stewart. His sec- ond wife was Adelaide Hoover, now deceased, and their children were: Kate : George W., of whom later : and Edward.
George W. Osborne, son of George W. and Adelaide ( Hoover) Os- borne, was born in 1811, on the homestead in New Alexandria, Westmore- land county, and began his business career as a dry goods merchant with James Stewart, in New Alexandria. afterward moving to New Florence, where he conducted a large general store, also buying and selling great quantities of bark for tanning purposes. For many years he was the owner of a boat on the old canal. Later he went to Johnstown and en- gaged in the dry goods Business with John Dibert, grandfather of Scott Dibert. This business he carried on for many years, having in the mean- time purchased a farm of about three hundred acres in Upper Yoder township, now the eighth ward of Johnstown. He eventually took up his abode there, managing the farm and doing an extensive market garden- ing business. In addition to many other enterprises he was actively in- terested in the banks of Johnstown, being director in two of them. He was for a time in the banking business with John Dibert. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he served as trustee.
George W. Osborne married Margaret Murphy, born about 1821, and
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their children were: 1. Margaret Jane, deceased, married John H. Fisher, also deceased. Of their children, Edward O. and Louella are the only survivors of a family of nine, the others having been lost in the flood. 2. George W., Jr., married Phoebe Myers, of New Florence. 3. William B., married Adelaide Saylor, of Johnstown, children: William, Frank, Edgar (deceased ), Louella and Elizabeth. 4. Mary, died young. 5. Eliza- beth, also died young. 6. Almira, married (first) E. A. Vickroy, chil- dren : Florence, Julia, Cornelia and Ruth. Her second husband was S. .1. Weimer, to whom she bore one child, Austin. 7. Agnes M., wife of John C. Confer. 8. Sarah, wife of George P. Suppes, children: George O., Conrad, Margaret, Frances Agnes and Chauncey Osborne.
Mrs. Osborne, the mother of this family, died May, 1880, and the father passed away May 15, 1886, on his farm in Upper Yoder township. Part of his estate descended to his daughter, Agnes M., wife of John C. Confer, and there she and her husband now reside, in a comfortable modern house which they erected in 1902.
JOSEPHE KERN, of Johnstown, who has been for years associated with the Johnstown Supply Company, was born April 5, 1846, in the village of Horlach, Bavaria, Germany, only child of John and Margaret (Schwartzman) Kern, the former a native of the same place and by trade a weaver. John Kern died in Germany, and in 1852 Mrs. Kern emigrated to the United States, bringing Joseph with her, and making the voyage from Bremen to Baltimore on a sailing vessel. From Baltimore they went to Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Joseph Kern attended the kindergarten in his native place, walking three miles from his home to the school, and after coming to the United States finished his studies in the school at Thomas's Mills, Somerset county, where his mother made her home for seven years. After leaving school he became clerk in the store of his stepfather, R. Durach, in Johns- town. He afterward served as clerk in different stores and was at one time driver for a bakery. At the age of sixteen he entered the store of F. W. Hay, remaining nineteen years. Since then he has been employed by the Cambria Iron Company, and has worked at Gautier's mills and in plumbing shops. For the last twelve years he has held the position of fireman for the Johnstown Supply Company. His political principles are those of an Independent Democrat, and he is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church.
Mr. Kern married, May 5, 1868, in Johnstown, Catharine, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Burkhart, and they are the parents of the fol- lowing children : Margaret E., wife of Robert B. Ott, of Bethlehem, Penn- sylvania. Gertrude, wife of W. E. Johnson, of Johnstown. John Joseph, of Johnstown. married Ada Forsha. Eulalie, unmarried. L. Edward, unmarried.
PETER F. DOWLING, a well known resident of Johnstown, Cam- bria county, Pennsylvania, who has been in the employ of the Cambria Steel Company for many years, and now holds the responsible position of engineer, to the entire satisfaction of the company, and with great credit to himself, is descended from an old and honorable family of Ire- land.
Walter Dowling, father of Poter F. Dowling, was a native of county Mayo, Ireland. He emigrated to the United States, lived for a time in Maryland, then settled in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he found em- ployment with the Cambria Steel Company, with whom he was connected
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until his death. He married Mary Heenahan, also a native of Ireland, and they had a number of children.
Peter F. Dowling, son of Walter and Mary (Heenahan) Dowling, was born at Mount Savage, Maryland, July 18, 1850. Hle removed with his parents to Johnstown in 1859, and acquired his education in the pub- lic schools of that city. He was very young when he commenced to work for the Cambria Steel Company, and beginning at the bottom of the ladder his ambition, force of character and strong will have carried him to his present position, which he has now (1904) held for some time. He lived in Cambria City until 1896, and while there filled the office of school director and treasurer of the school board. He now (1907) re- sides with his family in the sixth ward of Johnstown, at No. 643 Na- poleon street, and owns a considerable portion of the adjoining property. In politics he has always been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and he is a member of the Catholic church and one of its most liberal supporters. Mr. Dowling married, November 19, 1896, Mary E. Carney, daughter of John and Ellen ( Kelley) Carney. Mrs. Carney, mother of Mrs. Dowling, resides with her daughter, and is of advanced age. She was born in the parish of Bacom, county Mayo, Ireland, March 25, 1819, and is a daughter of John and Cecelia (Loyns) Kelley, natives of the same county. John Kelley was a farmer, and his death occurred in 1875, when he had almost reached the advanced age of one hundred years. He married Cecelia Loyns, daughter of John and Margaret (Welch) Loyns, and their children were: John; Catherine; Mary, who emigrated to America : Ellen ; Ann, married Thomas O'Connor, of Milford, New Hamp- shire : Michael ; Margaret, died in Johnstown.
ROBERT E. DAVIES, of Johnstown, well known as an expert slate roofer, was born June 10, 1869, in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, son of Ellis R., borir in Wales, 1844, and Jane ( Roberts) Davies, born in Wales in 1843, and grandson of Robert Davies, who worked in slate quarries. Ellis R. Davies (father) received a limited education, and early was put to work in the slate quarries. He married in his native land, and in 1864 emigrated to this country, landing in New York city, and from there came to Slatington, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, where he found employment in the slate quarries. He acted as a foreman there until his death, which occurred by an accident in the mine by which he was crushed by a stone weighing half a ton. He was an expert slater, and a man of high character. He was of the Methodist Episcopal faith, and in polities an ardent Republican. His wife still survives him. Their children are: 1. Mary ( Mrs. John Jones), died at Slatington, Pennsyl- vania, in February, 1906. 2. Ellen, at home. 3. Robert E., of this no- tice. 4. Lizzie (Mrs. Charles Vogt), died in New York city. 5. Maggie (Mrs. John Williams), of Slatington, Pennsylvania. 6. Jennie (Mrs. Benjamin Morris). of Slatington. 7. Katy (Mrs. Will Dibert), of Slat- ington. 8. Ellis E., at home.
Robert E. Davies was a pupil in the schools of his native place from the age of five years to seventeen. He was an apt scholar and always stood at the head of his class. When but twelve years of age he went out to work for farmers, during his vacation time, receiving fifteen cents a day. He was next employed in a slate factory where school slates were produced ; here he received but fifteen cents a day. During the winter months he attended school. When he was fifteen years of age he re- ceived from one to one dollar and a quarter a day for his work in the slate quarries, dressing slate. He was the youngest boy ever put at such
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kind of work. Being small for his age he could scarcely reach up to the machine employed. He was advanced through various departments of the quarries until 1882, when he went to New York city, where for one year he was a waiter in Smith & MeNeal's Hotel. opposite Washing- ton Market. He also served as catcher in a baseball team, but soon re- turned home and arranged to attend the State College of Pennsylvania. He again resumed the slate business as a roofer, which he followed two years. In 1888 he went to Bellefont. Pennsylvania, and from there to Tyrone and later to Altoona. During this time he was employed by the Union Mining & Roofing Company, for whom he worked by the day for one year and then became manager for the company, at Altoona and Johnstown. He held such position five years, when he purchased the company's interest at Johnstown, since which time he has built up a large business of his own. The date of his location in Johnstown was in the autumn of 1889. He has roofed many of the buildings in Johnstown, among which were the beautiful Van Lunen residence on Bedford street ; St. Joseph's church; German Lutheran church; St. Patrick's church ; Pennsylvania freight depot; Conemangh school house, and many other school buildings in the city of Johnstown. He did the first slate roofing ever put on for the Lorain Steel Company; also roofed for the gas and electric light companies and Johnstown passenger railway barns. Mr. Davies is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, and in politics is a stanch Republican.
September 5, 1893. Mr. Davies was united in marriage to Augusta Edelman, daughter of Sylvester Edelman, deceased, who was one of the best known contractors in Johnstown. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Davies were: Emmet, died in 1902, aged seven years. Leo, born in 1896. Raymond, born in 1899. Paul, born in 1904. Francis. an infant.
JOHN PHILIP THOMAS. In Bavaria, Germany, where he was born, John Philip Thomas was by occupation a stone mason, and after coming to this country he became an industrious, practical and successful farmer. More than that, he was the founder and head of a substantial family of nine sons and daughters, and among them are some of the sue- cessful business men of southern Pennsylvania.
John Philip Thomas was a native of Bavaria and came to America about the year 1830, accompanied by his wife and two sons, Nicholas and George Thomas. He was made a citizen of Pennsylvania, January 12. 1839, and his naturalization papers are a treasured relic in possession of one of his grandsons. Having settled at Allegheny City he worked for a time as a stone mason, and after about five or six years moved to a farm cast of Greensburg and still later to another farm, which he purchased. near Beatty Station in Westmoreland county, where he lived throughout the remaining period of his life.
His wife was Elizabeth Memor, also a native of Bavaria, who died August 6, 1887, at the age of eighty-four years. Mr. Thomas died October 6, 1879, at the age of eighty-two years. Children of John Philip Thomas and Elizabeth Memor, his wife, were: 1. Nicholas, married Hannah Ruff- ner, and lived on the old home farm until his death: 2. George, a grocer at Johnstown from 1861 until his death. July 14, 1902, married Jane Massena, who survives him and now lives in Johnstown : 3. John, of Johnstown, head of the house of John Thomas & Sons: 4. Michael, of Johnstown, unmarried ; 5. Elizabeth, died at the age of eighteen years ; 6. Joseph G., city weighmaster of Johnstown: ". Christina, now living at St. Mary's Convent, Pennsylvania, unmarried: 8. Barbara, married
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William Geiger, and lives at Latrobe, Pennsylvania ; 9. Andrew, married Teresa Markel, and lives near Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
John Thomas, third son and child of John Philip Thomas and Eliza- beth Memor, his wife, founder and head of the mercantile house of John Thomas & Sons, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, one of the organizers and present president of the Johnstown Trust Company, and withal one of the foremost business men of Cambria county, is a native of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, born on the 3rd of April, 1833. His young life was spent on his father's farm, where he was brought up to work, and he was sent to the common schools of the township and there acquired a good elementary education. At the age of eighteen he started out for himself and from that time has made his own way in life. In the begin- ning his capital consisted of a good physical constitution and a determina- tion to succeed, and this he invested to good advantage when he worked for a year and a half on the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad east of Greensburg. In 1852 he came to Johnstown and learned a good trade, that of plasterer, and worked at it steadily for thirteen years.
Of frugal habits he saved his wages during these years of hard work as a mechanic, and with that as a money capital he started a general store in 1865 in a little sixteen by thirty feet building on Main street in Johns- town, which then was considered quite an enterprise, but which now would be regarded as hardly a fractional part of the great department store of John Thomas & Sons, which stands on the same site and is in fact the outgrowth of the venture of forty or so years ago, and which some men in Johnstown then said was a doubtful undertaking for the young mechanic. But Mr. Thomas himself did not take the same view of affairs, and went straight forward, adding to his stock and increasing the size of his establishment until he became proprietor of one of the largest mercantile houses between Pittsburg and Philadelphia. As his sons came to their majority they were taken into the partnership, and for many years the firm name of John Thomas & Sons has been well known in all business circles in southern Pennsylvania. The destructive flood of 1889 damaged the building and much of the stock and en- tailed a loss to the firm of more than one hundred thousand dollars, but after the excitement of the period had passed, there still remained abun- dant capital with which to rebuild and restock on a larger scale of opera- tion than ever before.
Besides the business house of which he is the head, Mr. Thomas for many years has been variously identified with other interests of Johns- town and Cambria county. At one time he was president of the Citizens' National Bank. He was one of the founders of the Johnstown Trust Company and succeeded Mr. C. S. Price as president of that institution. He also has extensive real estate and coal interests. His capacity as a business man has been fully shown in his success during the last fifty years of his active life, and in all business circles he enjoys the reputation of being a man of the highest integrity and moral worth. For more than forty years he has been a member of the United Brethren Church, and throughout that period has served in various official capaci- ties in the church and its society.
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