USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III > Part 20
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Mr. McCready was married to Eliza Jane Orr, daughter of Matthew and Susanna (Johns- ton) Orr, of Easton, and they have two chil- dren: Ernest F., and Horace E.
His father, Robert B., was born at Summit Hill, in Carbon county, on Nov. 27, 1849, where he learned the business of a green grocer and con- ducted a store until 1879, when he moved to Easton and there he has since been engaged in it. He was married to Anna, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Carter) Purdon, of Beaver Run, in Carbon county, and they had three children : Ernest Brodhead; Ada Carter, who died in in- fancy; and Robert Purdon.
Mr. McCready's grandfather was John Mc- cready, born in 1815, at Artcliff, near Colerain, Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1843, land- ing at New York City, then locating at Summit Hill, where he died in 1887. He was married
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
to Jane Mclellan, born at Artcliff in 1815, and died at Summit Hill in 1873, and they had seven children: Nancy, married James Clark; Mar- garet, married James Ross; John, married Mar- garet Lees; Robert B .; Thomas, married Re- becca; Jane, married (1) James Flemming, (2) William Johnson ; and Mary, married John Mc- Cready, not a relative.
MCDERMOTT FAMILY.
John McDermott, the pioneer of the family of Lehigh county, Pa., is a native of the County Mayo, Elphin, Ireland, and was born in 1837. In 1860 he emigrated to America and located at Trexlertown, Lehigh county, Pa., where he con- tracted work in ore mines until his location in Allentown in 1875, where he afterward resided. After coming to this city he was employed with the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company until his retirement in 1900. He died on Nov. 2, 1912.
His wife was Mary Cunningham, a daughter of Patrick and Mary (Brennen) Cunningham, a native of Ireland, but later residing at Catasau- qua, Pa. Mrs. McDermott died July 3d, 1902, aged 49 years. Mr. McDermott and his family were members of the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception at Allentown. They had eleven children, nine survive as fol- lows: Kate, who married Michael Tighe and died in June, 1898; Bernard J .; John H .; Pat- rick F .; Michael J .; Elizabeth, who married Peter Ruane, of Baltimore, Md .; James, of Al- lentown; Mary E., married to Wilbur Price; Thomas J.
Bernard J. McDermott was born at Trexler- town, Pa., September 29th, 1867, and at the age of ten years learned the trade of boiler making. In 1895 he became a member of the firm of Mc- Dermott Bros., which began business at Beth- lehem, and continued there until 1908, when the McDermott Engineering Company was organ- ized by Mr. McDermott and his brother Pat- rick F.
In 1899 he was married to Catherine Sweeney, daughter of Eaward and Hannah Sweeney, late of Hazleton, Pa.
JOHN H. MCDERMOTT was born December 3d, 1869, at Trexlertown, Pa., and was educated in the public schools of Allentown. At an early age he learned the boiler making trade and in 1895 became one of the organizers of McDer- mott Bros., of Bethlehem, and continued there until 1908, then organized the McDermott Bros. Company, at Allentown, of which firm he is the president and general manager.
Mr. McDermott is an active Democrat and is one of the influential men of the community in which he lives. At the age of twenty-two he was
appointed assistant chief of the fire department of Allentown, under the late ex-Chief George Kline, and served in that capacity for three years. In 1904 he became a member of the Allentown Water Department and served as chairman for five years, also was the president of the Hibernia Fire Company for two years. He is a member of the Allentown Lodge, B. P. O. E., Allentown, No. 130; Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of Hiberians and of the Lehigh Democratic Club.
On June 9, 1896, he was married to Jet Ward, daughter of the late Bernard and Margaret Ward, of Allentown. Their children are, Jo- seph, Bernard, Maria, Charles and Margaret.
Patrick F. McDermott was born at Fogels- ville, Pa., October 10th, 1870, and was educated in the public schools of Allentown and later attended night school while engaged in the day- time. At an early age he learned boiler-making and in 1891 became a member of the firm of Mc- Dermott Brothers, and in 1908 Mr. McDer- mott and his brother, Bernard J., organized the McDermott Engineering Company, of which they are the owners and proprietors. He is an active Democrat and is a member of the Lehigh Democratic Club. He was for fourteen years a member of the section school board and for six years a member of the board of control, repre- senting the Sixth Ward of the city. He is con- nected with the following organizations: Ancient Order of Hiberians and was the county presi- dent; Knights of Columbus and is the present Grand Knight of Calvary Council and an active member of the Allentown Flag Day Association.
In 1902 he married 'Margaret H. Crilly, daughter of James Crilly, of Allentown, and they have two children : Mary H. and Helen C.
Thomas J. McDermott was born at Allen- town in 1883 and was educated in the public schools of the city. In 1899 he was graduated from the Allentown High School and then en- tered the employ of McDermott Brothers, con- tinuing with them until their incorporation in 1908, when he became vice-president and at the present time is the assistant manager. He is a member of the Lehigh Democratic Club and of the Order of Knights of Columbus.
In 1905 he was married to Alice McIntyre, daughter of Robert J. and Alice (Donohue) Mc- Intyre of Allentown, and their children are: Thomas, Alice, Robert and John.
McDermott Brothers Company, of which John H. and Thomas J., are members, erected a large cement mill at Napa Junction, Cal .; a cement mill at Belleville, Ontario, Canada; a cement mill at Martins Creek, Pa., for the Na- tional Cement Company ; three mills for the Le- high Portland Cement Company ; a large mill for
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
the Allentown Portland Cement Company at Evansville, Berks county, Pa., and constructed the iron work for the Guth Bros. Bldg., Allen- town; remodeled two of the Thomas Iron Com- pany furnaces at Hokendauqua; erected the stand pipes for the Borough of Catasauqua, a stand pipe for the Bethlehem City Water Company in East Allentown, and the stand pipes for the Lehigh Car Wheel and Axle Works at Catasau- qua. In 1911 they erected a large cement mill at Union Bridge, Md., for the Tidewater Ce- ment Company, of which firm Governor John K. Tener was president. They have shipped dryers to all parts of the United States and exported some to Japan. The firm of McDermott Broth- ers are members of the Chamber of Commerce of Allentown.
The McDermott Engineering Company, of which Bernard J., and Patrick F., are the own- ers and proprietors, put up the iron work for the following buildings: J. O. U. A. M., Cata- sauqua; Washington School Building, Emaus; Bethlehem Club Building, Bethlehem; and in 1910-1911 they put up the structural iron work for the Jackson school building, of Allentown ; the Buckley building at Eigth and Hamilton streets ; the Keystone Textile Company building, and constructed a large coal conveying apparatus for the Electric Light and Power Company of Atlantic City, N. J., and for the Federal gov- ernment at the Brooklyn and the Charleston Navy Yards, and smoke breeching on the new Congressional Building at Washington, D. C.
CORNELIUS J. MCFADDEN.
Patrick McFadden was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1816. In 1867 he came to America, locating at Allentown, where he re- sided until his death in 1893, with the exception of about ten years, during which time he lived at Beaver Meadow, in Carbon county, where he worked in the coal mines. His wife was Celia O'Donnell. She died in 1906, aged 84 years. They had three children: Amandus, Marjory and Cornelius J.
Cornelius J. McFadden, proprietor of the Lyric Cafe, in Allentown, was born October 28, 1859, in County Donegal, Ireland. He came to America in 1867 with his parents. In 1882 he became the proprietor of the Brunswick Hotel at Front and Allen streets, which he conducted for 9 years, after which he purchased a half interest in the old Ritter bottling establishment and later also the Bergenstock bottling works and was there three years. He next managed the Rathskeller of the Hotel Allen for one year. In 1900 he became the proprietor of the Lyric
Cafe, which he conducted for 11 years. After having been away for a year he again took charge of it in 1912. He is a member of the Demo- cratic party, and holds membership in the fol- lowing organizations: Lehigh County Demo- cratic Club, The Saengerbund, the F. O. E., and Hibernia Fire Company. He represented the Sixth ward in Select Council for eight years, and was a member of the Fire Committee for seven years and of the Police Committee for a num- ber of years.
In 1888 he married Sarah McGee, who was a former school teacher of the city. She is a daughter of Hugh and Mary (McCafferty ) McGee. They are the parents of the follow- ing children: P. Francis, a graduate of the Al- lentown High School, 1904, who attended the Lehigh University Preparatory school and is now a student in Lehigh University; John; Ver- onica; Agnes and Edward.
JOHN S. MCFADDEN.
John S. McFadden, shoe merchant, of Al- lentown, was born in Allentown, December 16, 1864. He was educated in the public schools of his native place and when sixteen years of age learned the silk weaving trade, which he fol- lowed for about seven years. In 1893 he was. one of the chosen representatives of the Phoenix Silk Co., of Allentown, representing this com- pany at the World's Fair. He received a dip- loma with Honorable Mention from the Board of Managers of the World's Fair. In 1893 he started the retail shoe business at 317 Ridge avenue, where he is at present located. He carries a large line of footwear and is conduct- ing a splendid business. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Foresters of America. Mr. McFadden is a member of the Catholic church of the Immaculate Conception and a member of the choir. He was married June 3, 1896, to Kate Carroll, daughter of James and Anna Carroll, of Tamaqua. Mr. McFadden is a man of fine intelligence, well liked in the com- munity in which he lives and devoted to his family. His children are: Charles, Anna, John, `Agnes, James and George.
Charles McFadden, the father of John S. Mc- Fadden, was a native of County Donegal, Ire- land, where he was born in 1837. He died in the Allentown Hospital, February 3, 1905. He was married to Hannah Dugan, with whom he had children, as follows: Mary; Sarah, wife of T. F. Waters, of Germantown ; Catharine; John S .; Ellen, and Anna, who under the veil is known as Sister Francis Claire. She is stationed in a convent at Chestnut Hill, Pa.
874
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
McFETRIDGE FAMILY.
Archibald McFetridge, a native of County Derry, Ireland, made two trips to the United States, where he was a laborer in the iron in- dustries. While working for the Thomas Iron Company at Hokendauqua, Pa., he was accident- ally killed upon the railroad tracks of the Iron Company, in the year 1864, aged 68 years. His wife died with her son, Daniel McFetridge, who lived at Laughbridge, Lehigh county, on March 4, 1877. She is buried by the side of her hus- band on the Fairview Cemetery at Catasauqua, Pa. They had twelve children, among whom were: John; Margaret; Eliza (who died in California) ; James (who died out West) ; Jo- seph; Mary (wife of A. B. Watson of Potts- ville, Pa.) ; Hugh (of Bethlehem) ; and Rev. Nathaniel (who was the pastor of the Wakefield Presbyterian Church at Germantown, Philadel- phia, which he built, and he died Dec. 3, 1885, while serving as president of the McAllister Col- lege, in Minnesota). The children have all died excepting Joseph, Mrs. Watson and Hugh.
John McFetridge, son of Archibald, was born in County Derry, Ireland, November 7, 1825, and upon coming to this country first located at Catasauqua, Pa., where he was employed by the Thomas people. Upon the organization of the Thomas Iron Company in 1854 at Hokendauqua, he was made their foreman and several years later was promoted to the superintendency of the shipping of pig iron and he served that position until a few years before his death. He built the first private house at Hokendauqua on Front street, and afterwards he sold this to his brother Joseph, who now occupies it. He did much to- wards establishing the Presbyterian church at Hokendauqua and he and his family belonged to that faith. He was a Republican.
His wife, Margaret Ann Henry, was a native of Ireland, but later lived at Summit Hill, Pa. She was born April 23, 1833, and died July 24, 1906. He died December 21, 1904. Both are buried on the Fairview Cemetery, Catasauqua. Their children are: Jane, John H., Mary A., Emma, William E., James, Thomas F., and Ella.
Joseph McFetridge the oldest resident at Hokendauqua, Pa., and the oldest living em- ployee of the Thomas Iron Company, was born in Ireland, March 4, 1833, and he emigrated to this country in the year 1850, located at Cata- sauqua, Pa., where he secured employment under Samuel Thomas. After Thomas had located at Hokendauqua, on Good Friday in 1854, he brought Mr. McFetridge with him, and the Thomas Iron Company was served faithfully by
Mr. McFetridge for fifty-two years and nine months. In a period of thirty-one years he missed but one day and upon that occasion he attended the funeral of a relative in Philadelphia. Mr. McFetridge ran the first steam engine for the iron company ; also the first locomotive for them in 1856, which he continued to do for several years. For almost fifty years he was the com- pany's yard master.
During the Civil War he was enlisted in Com- pany B, 38th Regt. Penna. Reserves at Read- ing, Pa., and he desired to re-enlist in Capt. Hunt's Company of Catasauqua, but his em- ployer, Samuel Thomas, persisted that he stay at home, saying: "the country also needs men at home." Clandestinely, however, Mr. Mc- Fetridge went to Reading, and there re-enlisted. He is a member of Fuller Post, No. 378, G. A. R., at Catasauqua. He was a Republican com- mitteeman of Whitehall for twenty years.
He and family are Presbyterians. He mar- ried Martha Mclaughlin. She died May 16, 1906, aged 72 years and at the time of her death she was the oldest member of the Hokendauqua church-having been a member for forty-two years. They had these ten children :
Daniel W., of Allentown.
James S., of Scranton.
Abraham L., of Hokendauqua.
Minnie, widow of Fred'k Ross.
Rebecca, a graduate of the K. S. N. S., Kutztown, Pa., and since 1889 a public school teacher.
Molton, of Allentown.
Nathaniel, of Hokendauqua.
Archibald, of Philadelphia.
Samuel, Thomas, both died in infancy.
JOHN H. McFETRIDGE, of Allentown, was born at Hokendauqua, Pa., August 2, 1860. He began assisting his father, John, on the iron wharf when only a lad of twelve years of age. Afterward he was in business at Catasauqua, Pa., for a short time, then for five years a freight conductor upon the L. V. R. R., at Bethlehem, Pa. The following seven years he was a con- ductor on a trolley car at Allentown. In 1900 he engaged in the local transfer business at Al- lentown, and he now employs two teams. Mr. McFetridge while residing at Hokendauqua took an active interest in Republican politics. So- cially he is a member of Catasauqua Lodge, No. 269, I. O. O. F., and of the Encampment. He resides with his family at 536 N. Fourth street, Allentown.
He was married in 1891 to Elmira L. Gross, a daughter of Joshua and Malinda (Snyder) Gross. They have two sons: Henry W. (an artist and photographer at 612 Jordan street, Allentown) ; and John F. (employee of the Dietrich Motor Car Co., Allentown).
875
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
McHOSE FAMILY.
Isaac McHose, emigrated from Scotland to America soon after the first half of the eighteenth century. He settled in Northampton county, Pa., and was an early settled of his community. He had a son, Isaac, who was born Sept. 27, 1783, in Northampton county. The latter was a contractor and builder in Northampton county ; was a pioneer ironmaster of Eastern Pennsyl- vania, and helped to build the first anthracite furnace at Catasauqua, in 1839; he served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and afterward he moved across the Northampton county line into Lehigh county, settling at Rittersville, Pa., where he died on Jan. 15, 1861, aged 77 years, 3 months, and 18 days. His wife was Elizabeth Laubach. She was born Feb. 6, 1791, died on Feb. 23, 1853, aged 62 years, and 17 days. Mrs. McHose hailed from a pioneer family of North- ampton county, whose full history appears in this volume. They had the following ten children: Elizabeth ; Julia (1812-1882), married Henry Rockel; Samuel, Owen, Isaac, John, Hannah, William ( 1828-1904), Lavinia, and Josiah, who died in the Civil War.
The last surviving of these children was Isaac McHose, who died at Reading, Pa., July 24, 1912. He was born at Rittersville, Dec. 6, 1822. For thirty years he was engaged in build- ing blast furnaces in Reading, Robesonia, Top- ton, Macungie, Temple, and other places. He developed the Reading Fire Brick Works; was president of the Keystone National Bank; Presi- dent of the Reading Library Co., interested in the Reading and Homeopathic hospitals, serving as the first president of the latter; and since settling in Reading in 1892 was a foremost citi- zen. He is survived by the following children: Ambrose A., Wilson V., Isaac, and Susan E., wife of Jerome L. Boyer, of Reading.
HON. SAMUEL MCHOSE, son of the second Isaac, and a brother of Isaac, of Reading, was the first mayor of Allentown. He was born in Lower Saucon township, Northampton county, Feb. 16, 1816; and for many years was prom- inently identified in the business, political and financial affairs at Allentown. He built nearly all the blast furnaces in the Lehigh valley. His death occurred in April, 1893, after an illness of two weeks. When he was a lad of five years his parents moved to Rittersville, where his father carried on the trade of a mason and brick-layer. When Samuel arrived at the proper age, he be- came an apprentice under his father in the same business, which he followed until attaining his twentieth year. He paid particular attention to the erection of blast furnaces, and among the
most important furnaces which he built were the Thomas Iron Company's, at Hokendauqua; the Crane Iron Company's, at Catasauqua; the Cop- lay Iron Company's; the Lehigh Iron Com- pany's; the Allentown Iron Works, and the Al- lentown Rolling Mills. He was a projector of the Roberts Furnace, and at one time an exten- sive stockholder. Mr. McHose also built several blase furnaces in New Jersey, and was the con- tractor who erected the Durham Iron Works, near Richmond, Va.
In 1854 Samuel McHose, in company with O. A. Ritter, established the Allentown Fire Brick Works, at Front and Gordon streets, and they were associated in business for a quarter of a century under the firm name of McHose & Rit- ter. In 1861, Mr. McHose built the Hope Rolling Mill, and was one of its proprietors, which about fifteen years later was the source of heavy financial loss to him. For ten years before his demise he was engaged in the manufacture of a fire-clay brick, which business is now carried on by his son, Lucius H.
The political life of Samuel McHose is equally as interesting as his business career, and volumes could be written of his experience in the political arena. In early life he was a Democrat, but during the 50's, while in Richmond, Va., he saw a slave sold from an auctioneer's block, which caused him to change his political sentiments. After that time he was just as ardent a Republi- can as he had been a Democrat. In 1856 he be- came a resident of Allentown, and at once became active in politics, serving what was then the North ward, in the council for several years.
In 1867, when Allentown was made a city, both political parties began to look around for available candidates for the mayorality. Mr. McHose was nominated and elected over his Democratic opponent, Robert E. Wright, by a majority of ninety-two. In 1883 he was elected a member of the select council from the Demo- cratic Fifth ward, and at the organization of that body, was made its president, a position he served with honor and rare ability for several years. During the administration of Mayor Allison he was a member of the board of health; and in 1861 was a delegate to the national convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln and again was, a delegate in 1868, when General U. S. Grant was nominated for the presidency. During the last ten or twelve years of his life he was regu- larly elected a delegate to all the Republican county and city conventions, and was in truth a "war horse" in that party.
While residing at Rittersville, Samuel Mc- Hose was married to Mary, a daughter of Solo- mon Flores. She died in 1887, survived by five
.
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
children: Edwin, Monroe, Wilhelmina, married to Dr. A. J. Laubach, a captain in the Civil War, both deceased; Hiram; Lucius H .; and Mrs. A. T. Blank, of Allentown.
LUCIUS H. McHOSE, manufacturer, banker, and enterprising business man of Catasauqua, Pa., was the youngest of the family of the late Hon. Samuel McHose. He was educated in the public schools in Allentown; the Allentown Col- legiate Cadet School; the State Normal School, at Kutztown, and a preparatory school in Provi- dence, R. I., after which he engaged in the brick manufacturing business with his father, at Al- lentown.
In the spring of 1877, Mr. McHose went to Colorado, prospecting, and remained seven years. During his Western trip, he visited the states of New Mexico and North Dakota. In 1884 he returned to Allentown, where he re- sided twelve months, and then removed to New Jersey, and began working in the clay banks at Perth Amboy. He has since become an exten- sive shipper and dealer of fire brick clay and of sands and of late years has become the largest in- dividual clay and sand miner in the state of New Jersey.
In November, 1885, he came to Catasauqua, as foreman of the Lehigh Fire Brick Works, and in 19II, became the president of this success- ful enterprise. Mr. McHose, in company with David Hunt, in 1892, leased the above plant, and by the manufacture of a superior fire brick, established a large trade.
Lucius H. McHose is prominently identified with the financial, political, social, and religious institutions of the "Iron Borough" of Pennsyl- vania. He is a director since 1908, of the Na- tional Bank of Catasauqua, which was established in 1857; has served as a member of the borough council; is a high degree Free Mason, and a member of the Catasauqua Club. He is a Re- publican politically, and one of conservative far-sighted, and successful business men.
While a resident of New Jersey, in 1886, he was married to Miss Sarah S. Weikle, at Phil- lipsburg, N. J. Her parents were David and Sarah ( Horrish) Weikel, who hailed from an old Moravian family from Bethlehem. She was born and reared in Allentown. They have these three children: Josephine, the youngest, died in childhood; Howard H .; and Malcolm, who both are graduates of the Catasauqua high school and the Mercersburg Academy. Howard H. gradu- ated from Cornell University in 1913, and Mal- colm graduated from the same institution in 1914.
DAVID MCKENNA.
David McKenna was well known in connec- tion with the material, political, and social prog- ress of Slatington, and was a typical representa- tive of his Scotch nationality. He was born near Newton Stewart, Wigtonshire, Scotland, Jan. 10, 1838, and died on Dec. 25, 1908.
His parents were David and Agnes McKen- na. They received such education as the schools of their native country then afforded. They were zealous adherents of the Covenanter or Presbyterian faith. By his first wife, David Mc- Kenna had three children: William, Helen, and Margaret; and by his second wife but one child, David McKenna, of this review. His fa- ther died in Scotland in 1841, when he was only three and a half years of age. The widow and her son came to America in 1843, and settled in Wyandotte county, Ohio, amongst friends who had emigrated from Scotland and located there some few years before, and there they made their home for thirteen years.
Mr. McKenna was sent to the schools of his native parish in Scotland at a very early age, and at that time the Bible was about the only text- book in school. After settling in this country, he entered the public schools of Ohio, and availed himself of the limited educational opportunities of that region, and also studied at different times under private teachers. He was reared in the famous "Northwestern Territory," as that part of Ohio was then called, and early developed traits of industry and enterprise.
In 1856 he and his mother came to Pennsyl- vania, and located at Slatington, when there were less than a score of houses in the village, his mother living with him until her decease in 1879, aged 94 years. He secured employment with the Lehigh Slate Company, the first chartered or- ganization of its kind in Pennsylvania, and of which Robert McDowell was superintendent and treasurer. After being employed by them in var- ious capacities during the year he was appointed station agent for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, early in 1857 and was also telegraph operator, mail carrier, and express agent, de- voting his time and energies to his multitudinous duties for eight years. Upon retiring from the railroad service he became assistant superintend- ent of the Lehigh Slate Company, and filled that position until the death of his father-in-law, Robert McDowell, in 1878, when he was elected superintendent of said company and served until 1880. He then engaged in business for himself, and was instrumental in the development of quite a number of slate quarries, the more prom-
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