USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume III > Part 85
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Wesley A. Adams married Mary Jane Waugh, a daughter of James
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R. Waugh, granddaughter of James Waugh. and great-granddaughter of John Waugh, of Scotch-Irish deseent, who settled in Easton, Penn- sylvania, at an early date, and there followed farming as a means of livelihood.
ROBERT PARSONS, the oldest tailor in the city of Johnstown, where for fifty-four years he has been engaged in his calling, was born January 18. 1833. in Trowbridge, England, son of William Parsons, a native of Shepton-Mallet. Wiltshire, England. and by occupation a cotton weaver. William Parsons married Elizabeth Jarvis, who was born in Taunton, Somersetshire, England, and earned a livelihood by weaving in silk. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, at the time of their marriage, settled in Trowbridge, where they became the parents of ten children, all of whom remained in England, with the exception of Robert and a daughter, who resides in Australia. Mrs. Parsons died at Trowbridge, and the death of Mr. Parsons occurred at Shepton-Mallet. where he was on a visit to his sister and fell a victim to cholera, which was then epidemie.
Robert Parsons, son of William and Elizabeth (Jarvis) Parsons, enjoyed but few educational facilities, but his father, who was deter- mined that all his children should have trades, required Robert, at a very early age, to assist him in weaving. When but eleven years old he was apprenticed to a tailor in Trowbridge, with whom he served seven years, after which he went to Cardiff, Wales. whence, having worked a short time at his trade, he proceeded to Merthyr-Tydvil, Wales, and there followed his calling. Subsequently he emigrated with his wife to the United States. embarking at Bristol in a sailing vessel, and making the voyage to New York in upward of ten weeks, having suf- fered shipwreck in mid-ocean. Mrs. Parsons had a brother in Pitts- burg, Thomas Aubrey, who commended his sister and brother-in-law to the care of friends in New York, but on leaving that city they took an emigrant train and were one week in making the journey to Pittsburg, being sidetracked at many places in order to allow faster trains the right of way.
After remaining a short time in Pittsburg, they went to Johns- town, and settled on what was known as "Goose Island." There Mr. Parsons worked at his trade as journeyman for a Mr. Burns, and later removed to Main street, where he lived two years on the site now occupied by John Thomas' store. Their next removal was to Franklin street, and in 1861 they settled on the Heiser property on Market street, whence they migrated to their present place of abode on Walnut street. Until 1872 Mr. Parsons worked at his trade for different employers, and then embarked in business for himself at his own home, building up a large trade and numbering among his patrons the best people of the city. During the flood he lost four houses and a stock of goods. His present home was built after the disaster.
During the Civil war he was one of those to respond to the call for troops, enlisting in 1861 from Johnstown, in Company E. Fifty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Captain Patrick Graham and Colonel Jacob M. Campbell commanding. He was in all the battles in which his regiment participated up to Newmarket, where he was taken prisoner and sent to Lynchburg, whence he was transferred suc- cessively to Andersonville, Charleston and Florence, being paroled at the last-named place and sent to Annapolis. There, owing to his en- feebled condition, he was obliged to be carried from the boat, and re-
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ceived an honorable discharge shortly before the elose of the war. He belongs to the Veteran Legion, Grand Army of the Republic, and the Encampment, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics he is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Christian church.
Mr. Parsons married, September 22, 1853, Naomi, daughter of John Aubrey, a boss miner, and they have been the parents of the fol- lowing children : John, died in Johnstown, aged forty; employed for twenty-eight years in Cambria Company's store; he married Ella Byers. Robert Aubrey. foreman for Cambria Steel Company, married Eva Karns, who was drowned in flood. Thomas, deceased. Elizabeth, wife of Frank Hoerle, of Johnstown. Naomi Matilda, wife of Newton B. Swank, of Johnstown. Charles, deceased. Joseph, of Johnstown, married (first). Ella Replogle, (second) Minnie Crawford. Daniel, attorney of Johnstown, married Annette Border. Melissa, died in infancy.
CONRAD BADER, for many years a stone masonry eontractor in the city of Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, and who has held with great benefit to the community a number of publie officers of trust and responsibility, is a deseendant of an old and honored family of Germany, from which he has inherited many excellent qualities.
Frederick Bader, father of Conrad Bader, was born in Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, in 1805. ' He was a stone mason by trade, and thinking the new world offered better fields for advancement than the old, emigrated to the United States with his family in 1864. He imme- diately proceeded to Johnstown, where he arrived August 17. He took up his trade of stone masonry in that city, branching out into the con- tracting business for this kind of work, and was an eminently successful man of business. He was thus occupied until his death, which occurred January 8, 1872. He married Maria Deubel, and had children: 1. Martin, of whom little is known save that he followed the sea and be- came a captain in the merchant marine. 2. Peter, married Christina Martin, and has one daughter, Catherine, who married Michael Scanlon. 3. Conrad. see forward. 4. Charles, married Mary Kammer, and has children : John, married Minnie Singling: Angusta. 5. John, married Elizabeth Wolf, and had children: George Edward, Theodore, Walter J., Lena, Louisa, Annie. Ida and Clara.
Conrad Bader, third son and child of Frederick and Maria (Deubel) Bader, was born in Inheiden, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, October 21, 1839. The first twenty-five years of his life were spent in Germany, and he received his education in the public schools of his native town. He had learned the trade of stone masonry under the able tuition of his father, and came with the latter and the remainder of the family to Ameriea. Immediately upon his arrival in Johnstown he sought and found employment with the Cambria Iron Company. He remained with this corporation but a short time, when he took up the stone- mason's trade, and has been busied in that line of industry since that time. His main interests lie in contract work, and he has built the foundations of many of the school buildings of Johnstown, a number of the churches, and that of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad station. Among the foundations for school buildings which were laid under his careful supervision was one located at Lincoln and Union streets, which. al- thongh exposed to the full foree of the flood of May, 1889. remained standing in good condition after the waters had subsided, although the majority of the buildings in that seetion of the city had suceumbed to
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the terrible impact of the mass of water. Mr. Bader has been very actively interested in the political situation of the community since the year 1882. At that time he was elected a councilman of the borough and served for a period of three years. He was then elected street commis- sioner and served in that capacity until 1890, at which time all the boroughs were incorporated in what is now the city of Johnstown. Under Mayor Boyd he again held the office of street commissioner, and when Mayor Pendry was in office, Mr. Bader served as market master for three years. He was elected director of the poor by a very large majority in November, 1906, an office which he is holding at the present time (1907). He is a man of great energy, enterprise and executive ability, and any project which has succeeded in arousing his attention and which promises for the welfare and advancement of the city is certain to meet with his earnest efforts to carry it to a successful termination.
Mr. Bader married, November 5, 1864, Margaretta Lichaw, born March 26, 1842, daughter of Henry and Margaretta (Snyder) Lichaw, both natives of Germany: the former was a wagonmaker by occupation, the latter died in Johnstown July 7. 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Bader have had children: Lena, born October 11, 1865; Charles, January 12, 1868; Elizabeth, October 30, 1871.
WALLACE E. SHISSLER, one of Johnstown's enterprising busi- ness men, was born January 26, 1871, at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, son of John L. Shissler, and grandson of Henry Shissler, who was by trade a shoemaker, but for many years was engaged in the drug business, making over the business to his son, John L., only a short time before his death. He was of German stock and was descended from the early settlers of Pennsylvania, the family having been for some time settled in Port Carbon. Henry Shissler married Elizabeth , and their children were: John L .. of whom later; Edward, Henry, Frank, George, William, Elizabeth and Elmira.
John L. Shissler, son of Henry and Elizabeth Shissler, combined his father's drug business with the hardware business, and was also interested in many other enterprises, operating in real estate and carry- ing on an insurance business. When the Civil war broke out he was prospecting in the gold fields of the far west, but responded to the call for the defense of the Union and enlisted in the First Regiment, Cali- fornia Volunteers, serving with distinction for three years and six months. For more than twenty-five years he held the office of justice of the peace, and in politics was a stanch Democrat. He belonged to Allison Brothers Post. Grand Army of the Republic, Port Carbon. This post was named in honor of the Allison family, which gave the lives of eight of its members for the defense of the Union. He was an active member of the Presbyterian church. John L. Shissler married Annie Lilley, and their children were: Isabel. Louisa, wife of J. S. Beck, of the Acme Printing Company: four children : John S., Ade- laide, Elinora and a baby daughter. Elizabeth, wife of J. F. Line; one child, Clayton. Wallace E., of whom later. The death of John L. Shissler, the father, occurred in 1891.
Wallace E. Shissler, son of John L. and Annie ( Lilley) Shissler, received his education in the common schools of Port Carbon, and suc- ceeded his father in the hardware business in that town. He conducted the business there until 1899, when he moved to Johnstown and was there employed in the hardware business by F. E. Newman until July,
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1906, when he opened a store for himself in the same line on Central avenue. Moxham. He belongs to Lodge No. 1044, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Moxham, and in politics is an ardent, uncompromising Republican.
Mr. Shissler married Clara L .. daughter of Edward and Phoebe Freed) Noble. Edward Noble was for many years connected with the Loman Steel Company. Mr. and Mrs. Shissler are the parents of three children : John Lewis. W. Edward and Philip Noble.
IIARVEY CONDRON LOCKARD. Harvey Condron Lockard, one of the prosperous business men of JJohnstown. was born in 1871, at Mount Union, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, son of Jacob C. Lockard, and grandson of John Lockard, who was of Scotch-Irish ex- traction and settled at New Granada. Fulton county, Pennsylvania. where he engaged in farming.
Jacob C. Lockard, son of John Loekard, was born in 1821, and was brought up in Fulton county, where he enlisted during the Civil war in Colonel Decker's regiment. serving throughout the confliet. After his return home he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and was afterward employed by the East Broad Top Rail- road company. At the time of his death he held the office of super- visor. Jacob C. Lockard married Elizabeth Frances Willett, and their children were: David B., married Anna Early, has one daughter, Alice M., wife of Frederick Hess. Winfield Scott, married Sally Bright- bill. Thomas G., married Lily Walker, one son, Ralph Harvey Condron, of whom later. Annie B., deceased, was wife of Jacob Sproul, six chil- dren. Ella M. Jacob Lcekard, the father, was killed in a railroad aeci- dent in 1889.
Harvey Condron Loekard, son of Jaeob C. and Elizabeth Franees (Willett ) Loekard. was well educated in the schools of Orbisonia, Hunt- ingdon county, and after finishing his studies was employed as a clerk by E. M. MeNeil and by the firm of Reed & Gilliand, of Orbisonia. He then moved to Johnstown. where for three years he was employed by George M. Cypher. in the grocery business. In 1897, in partnership with James H. Hunter, he opened a grocery store at Moxham, in the Seventh ward. At the end of four years the connection was dissolved and Mr. Loekard has since successfully conducted the business alone. He belongs to Moxham Lodge. No. 1044, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Lockard married Myrtle, daughter of John and Lavinia (Steck) Reel, and they are the parents of a daughter and two sons: Helen Elizabeth, Donald Reel and Harvey Atley.
E. BENNETT HORNER. one of Johnstown's prosperous business men, was born October 27. 1868. at Stovestown, Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, son of Henry J. Horner, who was born in the same county February 2. 1840, and received but a limited education. He was a son of - -- Horner. whose other children were: Cyrus, Frank, Andrew, William and Mary.
Henry J. Horner (father) engaged in farming until the outbreak of the Civil war. and on September 4. 1861. enlisted for three years in Company C. Fifty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Colonel John P. Linton commanding. The regiment formed part of the Army of the Potomac. and participated in the following battles: Newmarket, Virginia. May 15, 1864: Piedmont, Virginia, June 5, 1864;
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Lynchburg. Virginia, June 17-18, 1864: Hatchers Run, Virginia, Feb- ruary 5-7. 1865; Fall of Petersburg, April 2, 1865; Lexington and other engagements. He was discharged February 22. 1864, on the ex- piration of his first term of service, and re-enlisted in Company H. Fifty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for one year or during the war. He was taken prisoner at Farmville, April 6, 1865, and was released on April 9, at Lee's surrender. receiving his final dis- charge May 31, 1865. After his return home he followed the calling of a woodworker.
Henry J. Horner married Rebecca, born October 7, 1836, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Noehsinger) Zimmerman, whose other chil- dren were : Elizabeth, Mary. Nancy, Sarah, Louisa, Ellen, Herman, Samuel and Isaiah. Henry J. and Rebecca (Zimmerman ) Horner were the parents of the following ehildren: Anna, wife of Dennis Wissinger; children : Elsie, wife of William Campbell, and Curtis, married Nora Pebley. Jenora, wife of Frank Megrew, one child, Curtis. E. Bennett. of whom later. Maggie, wife of Bunn Cuppet : children : Lillian, Dean, Vera and Margaret. Charles, married Glen Stineman : one child, Mat- thew. Mary, wife of Launce Lonsinger: children: Dorothy, Eugene and Charles. Mrs. Horner, the mother of this family. died March 6, 1903, in Johnstown, and the death of Mr. Horner occurred in the same plaèe October 1, 1903.
E. Bennett Horner, son of Henry J. and Rebecca (Zimmerman ) Horner, received a public school edneation, and after completing his course of study learned the business of a buteher, in which he has been successfully engaged ever since. In his political views and principles Mr. Horner is an Independent. He and his family are attendants at the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Horner married, December 24, 1887, Velira, daughter of Ed- ward and Isabel ( Keener) Willower, who were the parents of another daughter, Lilly, wife of Thomas R. Shotts. Mr. and Mrs. Horner have one son. Harry, born November 26, 1889.
LOUIS LEVENTRY. of Johnstown, contractor and builder, and whose connection with the business history of that city has extended over a period of more than twenty-five years, was born at Fire Hill. in Somerset county, May 4, 1861, son of Henry and Mary Catherine Elizabeth (Wulbrandt) Leventry. He was eleven years old when his father came to Johnstown, and since that time he has witnessed the growth of the borough and its development into a splendid eity, and in a most direet way has been a factor in that growth and has contributed a full share to its prosperity.
When a boy he went to the public school at Grubbtown, as the Eighth ward of the city was then called, and at the age of sixteen left school and went to learn the earpenter trade with Joseph Freidhoff. He worked for a Mr. Friedhoff three years, for the next six years for .J. J. Strayer, and for two years thereafter for Louis Von Lunen. In 1889 Mr. Leventry formed a partnership with George Von Lunen. his brother-in-law, and began contracting, building and dealing in lumber. Two years later the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Leventry con- tinued alone six years more. During that time he conducted an ex- tensive business in the locality called Moxham, where the Johnson Company works were then located. but in 1894 that company moved its plant to Lorain, Ohio, which so affected all interests in Moxham that Mr. Leventry prudently withdrew from further operations there and
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turned his attention to other pursuits. Previous to this time he had purchased a part of his father's old home place, and when he stopped building in Moxham he moved to the farm and began growing berries and small fruits for the Johnstown market, and also dealt extensively in cattle. In 1903 he moved to the old Von Lnnen homestead, where he still lives, and returned to contracting in company with his brother, Josiah D. Leventry, although at the present time his entire personal attention is given to the affairs and management of the Highland Coal Company and its mining operations on lands owned by himself and his brothers, William and Charles. These lands are underlaid with good, workable coal beds, and for their development the company just men- tioned was incorporated in March, 1905. From what has been stated it will be seen that Lonis Leventry has been an active business man in Johnstown and its vicinity for many years. Few men in the city have wider acquaintance than he, and it is gratifying to his family to know that he has been a factor in its splendid growth from a small borough to a modern industrial municipality. Mr. Leventry is a Republican.
Mr. Leventry married, in 1888, Ida Von Lunen, oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Von Lunen, and to this union eight children were born : Roy. Park, Earl, Rex, Emily, Claire, Mary and Irma Leventry. The two Jast mentioned, Mary and Irma, died young.
JOSEPH EWEN SHREVE, who is well and favorably known in the wholesale and retail business circles of Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, with a flourishing business at No. 451 Franklin street, is a representative of a family which has been domiciled in the United States for some generations, but he is the first of the family to make his home in the state of Pennsylvania.
John C. Shreve, grandfather of Joseph Ewen Shreve, was born in New Jersey, in 1804, and died there in 1901. He was one of the old tavern keepers of the state, and the oldest in his seetion of it. The inn, which was called the "Blue Anchor." was located in the village of Blue Anchor. New Jersey. on the post road between Philadelphia and the ore fields, long since abandoned, in the eastern part of New Jersey. His business was a very flourishing one and he was engaged in it for many years. He married Rebecca Albertson, and they were the parents of children as follows: David A .. see forward; William, married Louisa Lord: and Charles. married Maggie Kelten.
David A. Shreve, eldest child of John C. and Rebecca ( Albertson) Shreve, was born in the "Blue Anchor" tavern, December 6, 1828. He was educated in the public schools of his district, and succeeded his father as the keeper of the inn. He conducted it for some years and then removed to Haddonfield. New Jersey, where he became an extensive purchaser of land, and gave his entire attention and time to farming. in which proceeding he was eminently successful. He has long since retired from active work and is living in Atlantic City. New Jersey. He married Martha Ewen. daughter of Joseph and Sybilla (Insten) Ewen, and they were the parents of children: 1. John C., born De- cember 5, 1867, married Sarah Carlisle. 2. Joseph Ewen, see forward. 3. Florence L .. born February 24. 1874. married Howard Jones, and has children : Clarence and Forrest. 4. D. Pancoast, born September, 1879. died May 1, 1906.
Joseph Ewen Shreve, second son and child of David A. and Martha ( Ewen) Shreve, was born on the Shreve homestead in Haddonfieldl. New Jersey. February 13. 1873. He acquired his education in the public
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schools of his native township. and until he had attained the age of twenty-two years assisted his father in the cultivation and management of the home farm. He then accepted a position as traveling salesman for Charles E. Hiers, who was in the root beer business, and at the end of one year accepted a similar position with C. E. Napheys, lard dealer, and then entered the business of Ingersoll & Company, vanilla bean and extract dealers, of Philadelphia, in the same capacity. He came to Johnstown in 1900 and established himself in the ice-cream and con- fectionery business at No. 327 Vine street, buying out the interests of Richard Baners. Here he conducted a profitable business for three months and then removed to his present quarters at No. 451 Franklin street, where he has a large and constantly increasing patronage. His establishment is conducted on both a wholesale and retail basis, and he enjoys an enviable reputation in the business world. He is the only confectioner on the South Side who makes a specialty of dealing in home-made candies. In polities he is an independent voter, having the courage of his convictions, and he has for some time held the office of secretary of the Merchants' Association of Johnstown. He is also con- nected with the following organizations: Johnstown Lodge, No. 538. Free and Accepted Masons: Conemaugh Lodge, No. 191, Independent Order of Odd Fellows: United Order of American Mechanics, and Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Mr. Shreve married. April 26, 1900, Esther Killie, daughter of Joseph and Mary B. (Lippincott ) Killie, of Moorestown, New Jersey, and they have children: B. Andrew. born January 1, 1904; John C., born April 24, 1906.
JOHN WOY, of Johnstown, organizer and head of the Johnstown Planing Mill Company, was born November 5, 1846, at Shanksville. Somerset county, Pennsylvania, son of Jonathan Woy. and grandson of John Woy, who was the parent of two other sons: Reuben, married Elizabeth Ann Shaffer; one daughter. Emma, wife of - Burget, children. Theodore and Willis; and Jeremiah, married and had child, John. The family is of German origin, the founder having emigrated to this country at some period prior to the revolutionary war.
Jonathan Wov, son of John and Elizabeth (Boyer) Woy, was born March 23, 1823, in Somerset county, near Somerset, and obtained his education in the subscription schools. After completing his course of study he taught for a time in the schools of his native township, and afterward followed the carpenter's trade and engaged in farming. For many years he served as clerk of elections. His political principles were those of the Republican party, and he was an active member of the English Lutheran church, in which he held the offices of elder and trustee.
Jonathan Woy was the father of the following children: Sarah. wife of William Bowman: children: Irwin. Jacob. Minnie, Elizabeth and Ollie. Catharine, wife of Ephraim Brant : children : Annie. Irwin. Jane, Gilbert. Leonard and William. John, of whom later. Etta, wife of Simon Baltzer: children: Martha, Mollie. Naomi and Annie. Jona- than Woy, the father, died April 13. 1880. He was endowed with fine oratorical powers and was for his time a man of considerable learning.
John Wov, son of Jonathan Woy. received his edueation in the common schools of Somerset county. and learned the carpenter's trade with Charles Shank, of Shanksville, by whom he was employed thirteen
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years. In 1880 he went to Johnstown, where he held the position of foreman in the planing mill of J. J. Strayer. After the flood he en- gaged in business for himself as a contractor and builder until 1895, when he organized the Johnstown Planing Mill Company, which he has successfully conducted to the present time in partnership with Nor- man and Daniel Statler.
In 1863 he enlisted in Company H. One Hundred and Eighty- seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, for three years, serving until the close of the war. He went through the entire campaign from the Wilderness to the surrender at Appomattox Court House, partici- pating in most of the important battles and engagements, among them Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Weldon Road, and also taking part in numerous skirmishes. He was honorably discharged August 7, 1865. He has been a member of the Grand Army since its organization, affiliating with Post No. 30, in which he has held all the offices, and in the interests of which he has been an active worker. He has served twenty or more times as delegate to state encampments, and has been three times a delegate to the national encampment. In politics he is a Republican. His family attend the United Brethren church.
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