USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 26
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JAMES P. OWENS, one of the progressive business men of Scott- dale, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, was born in Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, March 19, 1855, a son of Jonathan and Sarah A. (Donohoe) Owens, both natives of Bedford county, and grandson of William Owens, who was also a native of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where his entire life was spent ; he engaged in agricultural pursuits and was an excellent farmer. His wife was Elizabeth MeVicker, and they reared a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, all of whom removed to the west. James Donohoe, the ma- ternal grandfather of James P. Owens, was a native of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States, locating in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and engaged for many years in the conduct of a tannery.
Jonathan Owens, son of William Owens, and father of James P. Owens, was a wagon and carriage manufacturer at Centerville, Bedford county, a bus- iness which he conducted successfully for many years. Politically he was a sound Democrat, and a public-spirited, exemplary citizen. In church relations he affiliated with the Roman Catholic faith. He married Sarah A. Donohoe, and the following named children were born to them : Mary J., wife of W. J. Miller, of Scottdale ; Alexander, deceased ; Elizabeth A., James P., mentioned here- after ; Margaret F., wife of Martin Ames, of Scottdale : William T., deceased ; Ella K., deceased ; and Emily, deceased. The death of Jonathan Owens oc- curred in 1866, and in his demise the community lost a useful, industrious citi- zen. His wife passed away in 1874, in Cumberland, Maryland.
James P. Owens was reared in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and received his educational training in the common schools of that county. He worked the home farm for his mother until he attained his majority, when he became a worker in the iron industry, being variously employed as a puddler. In 1880 he removed to Scottdale, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and in 1886 was appointed by President Cleveland postmaster at Scottdale, taking charge of the office on September I of that year. He was thus engaged for four years, dis- charging his duties with great credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the community. In 1890 he engaged in the livery business and stock dealing, and three years later was appointed United States revenue gauger of the Twenty- third Pennsylvania district, which position he resigned in 1898. He took a
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course in embalming in the Pennsylvania College of Embalming, and entered into the livery and undertaking business. In August, 1900, he entered into part- nership with William Ferguson, and together they formed their furniture and undertaking business, which they have since conducted with the most gratify- ing success.
Mr. Owens is a prominent active worker in the Democratic party, and has held various elective offices in his borough, among them being that of chief burgess, to which he was elected in the spring of 1900. He has also served as member of the borough council, and for years has been a member of the Demo- cratic county committee. He holds membership in the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, No. 777, Scottdale Lodge, of which he was the first exalted ruler and is the present treasurer. He is a member of the St. John the Baptist's Catholic church. In 1880 Mr. Owens was married to Eva, daughter of Casper Gloss of Cumberland, Maryland. Her death occurred in 1897. They were the parents of the following named children : J. Raymond, a plumber at Elkins, West Virginia : Lulu M., Maud A., Ralph T., Joseph V., and Clarence E.
THEODORE C. KENNEY, a prominent factor in the business cir- cles of Scottdale, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and a man who has very materially assisted in the upbuilding and advancement of the town, is the son of John W. and Catherine (Keller) Kenney, both natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and of Irish origin. The progenitor of the Kenney family in America was the great-grandfather of Theodore C., who emigrated to the United States from Ireland, accompanied by his wife and family, locating in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in a very early day of its settling. Among his children was a son named Thomas.
Thomas Kenney, grandfather of Theodore C. Kenney, was but five years of age when he came with his parents to this country, and his entire life was spent in Berks county. In 1797 he married Rebecca McMichael, and reared a family of seven children, namely: Robinson, William, John W., Sariah, Lu- . cinda, Margaret and Patty Ann.
John W. Kenney, third son of Thomas and Rebecca ( McMichael) Kenney. was born July 5, 1817, in Berks county. He was by trade a mining engineer. which occupation he followed all his active business life, and in which he was very proficient : he also owned and cultivated a farm. Mr. Kenney was a pub- lic-spirited man, interested in all local affairs, and served his township as school director, besides holding various other local offices, and was a member of the F. and A. M. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and an carnest and efficient church work. Mr. Kenney married Catherine Keller, who was of German origin, the daughter of Jacob Keller, a farmer of Berks county, Pennsylvania. Their children were: Jacob Franklin, deceased ; William Rob- inson, deceased ; Theodore C., mentioned hereafter ; Elizabeth Ellen, deceased ; Thomas Jefferson. now a resident of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, where he is employed as a mill worker: Clara, wife of Michael Bannon, and they live in Geigertown, Berks county, Pennsylvania ; Aarona P., deceased : John Wayne, a farmer of Pottstown : Webster, of Reading, a conductor on the Philadelphia and Reading railroad : and Lucinda, wife af Adam Styre, a farmer of Chester county. Pennsylvania. The death of John W. Kenney occurred in 1898, at the advanced age of eighty-one years, and his wife passed away in 1895.
Theodore C. Kenney, third son of John W. and Catherine ( Keller) Ken- ney, was born in Carnarvon township. Berks county, Pennsylvania, and there received his intellectual training in the common schools. He learned engineer-
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
ing with his father, and receiving an advantageous offer from a Mr. Richards, builder of blast furnaces, accompanied him to southern Illinois and worked for some time as time-keeper. His diligent, conscientious work soon won for him a promotion to foreman on the construction of a large furnace. He retained this position for eighteen months, and then went into the machinery depart- ment, where he assumed charge of the blast engine and pumps, remaining there for four and a half years. He then removed to Pittsburg, where he was em- ployed as engineer in the firm of Laughlin & Company, running their blast en- gine for nearly two years. His next removal was to Scottdale, October, 1872, and there he identified himself with the "Charlotte Furnace Company," having charge of the blast engine and machinery of their furnace. In 1880 he re- ceived an excellent offer from an Ohio furnace company in Steubenville, and going there assumed charge of a blast furnace, remaining there but five months Mr. Kenney then decided to go into business for himself, and believ- ing Scottdale to be a good field, removed to that place and formed a partner- ship with J. D. Hill. They engaged in the foundry and machine shop business under the firm name of Hill & Kenney. In August of 1880 they purchased land on which to erect their foundry and the machine shop of Everson, Macrum & Company. The firm made a specialty of coke manufacturers' supplies, and carried a full line of brass and iron fittings, brass castings and machinery sup- plies. They conducted a very successful business, and the goods that left their shop won a reputation for reliability and quality. They employed twenty men and transacted a business of $40,000 a year. This arrangement existed until 1884. when Mr. Hill retired from the business and Mr. A. K. Stauffer became his successor, the firm name changing to Kenney & Company. The works have since been enlarged, new departments have been added, and the manu- facture of stationary steam has been added to their business. 'The firm of Ken- ney & Company existed until December, 1901, when it was merged into a cor- poration of the same name, capitalized at $125,000. This was effected after the shops were destroyed by fire, October II, 1901, which was almost a complete loss. The business had rapidly increased, the transactions amounting to $125,- 000 per year. The former officers of the new corporation were : A. K. Stauffer, president ; E. L. Rutherford, vice-president and secretary ; Walter L. Stauffer, treasurer ; and T. C. Kenney, general manager. The board of directors were: A. K. Stauffer, E. L. Rutherford, T. C. Kenney, E. A. Humphries, Worth Kill- patrick, Robert Skemp. B. F. Stauft, John Dick, J. R. Smith, B. F. Overholt, M. J. Kennedy. J. S. Parker, Martin Loucks. The present officers of the cor- poration are : B. F. Overholt, president ; A. K. Stauffer, vice-president ; E. L. Rutherford, secretary : and Walter F. Stauffer, treasurer. The present board of directors are : B. F. Overholt, A. K. Stauffer, E. L. Rutherford, E. A. Hum- phrics, J. A. Armstrong, M. J. Kennedy, J. S. Parker, Martin Loucks and Walter F. Stauffer.
In 1904 Mr. Kenney resigned his position as general manager, and in No- vember of the same year accepted a position with the Vulcan Iron Works, man- afacturers of hoisting and haulage engines and general mining machinery, of Wilkes-Barre. He covers territory west of the Allegheny mountains. Prompt, reliable and energetic, Mr. Kenney has rendered the most valuable services to the last named firm, and also represents the Pennsylvania Boiler Works, manufacturers of all types of boilers, tanks and general plate steel work, Erie Pennsylvania. His entire business career has been successful, due in a great part to his upright, honorable business methods and unimpeachable integrity. Politically he is a sound Republican. He is a member of Marion Lodge, No.
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562, F. and A. M. : Urania Royal Arch Chapter, No. 192, of Greensburg, Ked- ron Commandery, K. T., No. 18, of Greensburg.
Mr. Kenny married, April 28, 1874, Emma J. Gant, of Pittsburg, a daugh- ter of Joseph Gant. Their children were: 1. Joseph C., a machinical engineer, for six years served as superintendent of his father's works ; he is a Republican in politics, and was for three years a member of the borough council of Scott- dale : he married Jane Stillwoggan, and they have one child, Emma J. 2. John F., in the employ of the Westinghouse Machine Company, having charge of one of the order departments: he served for over two years in the Spanish- American war, a member of the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment. 3. William 11 .. a machinist in the employ of the United States Steel Company of Pitts- burg. 4. Charles Morgan, also a machinist with the United States Steel Com- pany. 5. Janet M. Mr. Kenney and his family are members of the Presbyterian church.
JOHN F. EICHER was born July 12, 1868. He attended the public schools until he was about fifteen years old, and then took a position as a daubler and motcher in the sheet mills in Scottdale; remaining there for two years. He then learned the trade of carpentering with his father and continued at that for about five years. In 1888 he went to Greensburg and spent one year there as a journeyman carpenter, thence to Jeannette, remaining there four years as journeyman. He then returned to Scottdale and worked as a jour- neyman there for a short time, then formed a partnership with his brother, L. R. Eicher, and did contracting and building under the firm title of Eicher Bros. This name existed for five years and nine months, at the expiration of which time L. R. Eicher returned to journeyman work and John F. continued contracting and building alone. To-day he is the leading contractor in Scott- dale and furnishes employment to some forty men, his operations extending through Fayette and Westmoreland counties. He has been awarded many of the largest contracts in that portion of the state, among them being : the public school building at Alverton ; the municipal building at Scottdale ; the Fairchance public school building, and numerous others of less importance. He also does considerable private building and selling on his own account. In 1902 the, Broadway Planing Mill Company was formed, Mr. Eicher being one of the promoters and half owner of the concern ; they do a general planing mill busi- ness, with lumber yards, etc. He established the shoe business at 106 Pitts- burg street in company with W. H. Niswanger, where they have a large trade the firm title being Niswanger and Eicher. He is a stockholder in the Scott- dale Savings and Trust Company, the Broadway National Bank, and is one of the promoters and a stockholder in the Braddock Trust Company, formerly knowr as the People's Trust Company, of Braddock. He also has interests in the Scottdale Foundry and Machine Company, whose plant he erected. In local affairs he is ever glad to further the interests of the community, and has served on the borough council for three years, officiating as chairman for one year. His politics are Republican. He is a member of the A. I. O. K. M. of Scott- dale.
Mr. Eicher married, July 2, 1887. C. Belle Ridenour, daughter of George W. and Priscilla ( Booher) Ridenour, of East Huntingdon township, West- moreland county. They have two children, Bessie M. and V. Elizabeth Eicher. living, and one, Frank .1., who died at the age of eleven. They attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
LEWIS R. EICHER, contractor and builder of Scottdale, was born November 23, 1859. He attended the public schools of his native place, then took a course of bookkeeping and read medicine at the State Normal school at Valparaiso, Indiana, during the winter of 1880-81. In the spring of 1881 he returned to Scottdale and took up the trade of carpentering with his father. He continued at that for two years, and then entered the sheet mill, beginning at the bottom and working up through all the grades to that of roller. At the end of four years his health failed, so he returned to the carpenter business, working as a journeyman in Jeannette and Scottdale. In 1894 he and his brother, John F. Eicher, formed a partnership as contractors and builders under the firm title of Eicher Bros., which firm existed for a period of five years and nine months. Lewis R. Eicher then withdrew and engaged in contracting and building on his own account, then entered the employ of J. W. Ruth as outside foreman, and during a period of two years erected the First National Bank, the Savings and Trust Company's building and the private residences of Messrs. Hill, Keister and Jarritt. In 1902 he again went into contracting on his own account, since which time he has erected the J. S. Parker block, the Overholt flats, the dwelling of George Warner, the dwelling of Martin King, at New Haven, Pennsylvania, and many others. He confines his operations mainly to Scottdale and vicinity, and has as many as fifteen people in his employ. Mr. Eicher is a stockholder in some of the largest and most important enterprises of Scottdale, and is a member of the borough council. He is a charter member of the A. I. O. K. M., No. 342, Arpad Lodge, of Scottdale.
Mr. Eicher married, October 20, 1881, Cynthia M. Graft, daughter of Jacob L. and Harriet Graft. Their children are: Charles F., Ruby, Florence. Herman R., Harrison C., Leroy, Ethel May, William, Alfa, and Ralph G., who died in infancy. They are members of the Presbyterian church.
JAMES H. POOL, of Scottdale, Pennsylvania, general manager of the Broadway Planing Mill Company, is a native of Hempfield township, West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, born November 26, 1854. He is a son of Sam- uel and Sophia ( Bierer) Pool, and grandson of Zachariah Pool and John Bierer. Zacharialı Pool (paternal grandfather) was a native of eastern Penn- sylvania, but in his younger days crossed the mountains and located in West- moreland county, where he devoted his attention entirely to agricultural pur- suits until his death in 1881, at the advanced age of ninety-eight years. John Bierer (maternal grandfather) was a native of Germany, from whence he came to America, locating in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, being one of the earliest settlers in the vicinity of Greensburg. His death occurred in 1849, he having attained a ripe old age. Samuel Pool ( father) was a native of West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, where he successfully conducted extensive farming operations, from which he derived a comfortable livelihood and a fair competence for his declining years. He was a member of the English Lutheran church, and a worthy citizen of the community in which he resided. His wife, whose maiden name was Sophia Bierer, died in 1887, and he then made his home with his son, Zachariah T. Pool, at Greensburg.
James H. Pool was reared on his father's farm, and his boyhood was spent in attending school in the winter and assisting with the varied duties of the farm during the remainder of the year. When seventeen years of age he left his home and went to Greensburg in order to learn the trade of carpenter, and for five years thereafter worked at the same, having located at Manor station some eight miles from the county seat. In the fall of 1879 he took up his resi-
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. HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
dence in Scottdale and formed a partnership with Samuel J. Zearley, the firm name being Zearley & Pool. They engaged in the planing mill business, and in their extensive mill and factory, which were brick buildings, equipped with the finest and most improved modern machinery, and operated by a large force of skilled mechanics, they manufactured doors, sash, blinds, frames, floors, siding, etc. In 1894 Mr. Pool purchased the interest of his partner and operated the plant alone for two years, at the expiration of which time he disposed of the business to Corral Brothers. In 1897 he accepted the office of general man- ager of the Broadway Planing Mill Company, in which capacity he is serving at the present time (1905). Mr. Pool is one of the most enterprising citizens of Scottdale, bears a full share in the promotion of community interests, and has won for himself an exceptional record for strictest integrity and uprightness. He is a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church of Scottdale, and holds membership in the Royal Arcanum and the Protected Home Circle. Mr. Pool was married September 24, 1885, to Ellen Rainer, daughter of A. L. Rainer, of Scottdale, and two children have been born to them, Edna B. and Gertrude R. Pool. Mrs. Pool, the mother of these children, died November 22, 1895.
ELMER WELSH, a representative citizen of Ruffsdale, where he is serving at the present time (1905) in the capacity of justice of the peace, is a lineal descendant of John Welsh, a native of Maryland, from whence he mi- grated to the state of Pennsylvania, settling in Beaver county about the year 1790, where he took up land, followed farming and was also the proprietor of a hotel. In May, 1905, he built a new store room and business block on the main business street of Ruffsdale, with residence and banquet hall in connec- tion, and does a general merchandise business, dealing in dry goods, notions, hardware, groceries, furniture, in fact everything to be found in a first class general merchandise store, and has built up a good business. He was a lieu- tenant in the Revolutionary war, and during one of the battles in which he participated lost one of his legs, thus incapacitating him for further active service. He was the fatehr of two sons : John and William Welsh.
William Welsh, son of John Welsh, was born, lived and died in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where he followed farming and contracting, furnishing the stone for the Erie canal. His life was a useful and honorable one, and in all the relations of his career he displayed the utmost integrity. He married Beu- lah C. Cooper, whose father was a doctor of some note. He practiced his pro- fession in Bedford county, where he also conducted a hotel for a number of years. Their children were: Seth McClure, of whom later ; James ; Mary, mar- ried Samuel Barnes : Annie, married Anthony Douhett ; Beulah, married Sam- uel McClure; George B. : Sidney ; Benjamin F., deceased.
Seth McClure Welsh, eldest son of William and Beulah C. (Cooper) Welsh, was born A. D., 1819, in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer and a rural coal operator, which lines of work he followed successfully for a number of years in his native county. Accompanied by his family, in 1878, he went to Kansas, where his death occurred in 1879. He was also a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, and his influence for good was largely felt in the community. He married Sarah Ann Ilannum, daughter of John and Margaret Hannum, and their children were: Philip, a farmer of Kansas : Artemus, a resident of Kansas; Mary J., wife of Abram Simberly; Anna M., wife of Henry Siebkey : Charles, died in childhood : Elmer, of whom later : Emma E., wife of William Shanafelt, of Portland, Oregon.
Elmer Welsh, youngest son of Seth McClure and Sarah Ann (Hannum)
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Welsh, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, March 2, 1864. He was ed- ucated in the common schools and the State Normal School of Illinois, and when fourteen years of age accompanied his parents to Kansas. In that state he engaged in farming, was night machine man two years for the Consolidated Barbed Wire Manufacturing Company, and for a period of one year followed the building of bridge abutments. He returned to Pennsylvania, in 1886, set- tling in Westmoreland county, where he was engaged mostly in farming until April, 1904, since which time he has been engaged in the coal business, buy- ing and selling coal lands in Washington and Westmoreland counties. He is a member of the Episcopal church of Scottdale, and of the Grand Fraternity, Lodge No. 8, Ruffsdale, in which he passed several chairs. He is a staunch Republican in politics, and exerts his influence in behalf of the party whose principles he advocates. He has held several township offices, and is serving as justice of the peace, having been elected to that office in February, 1905. Mr. Welsh married Annie Porter, daughter of W. Newton and Mary Porter. Their children are: Mary A., born May 26, 1888, a graduate of Scottdale high school, class of 1905; Florence A., born June 28, 1890; Emma K., born De- cember 24, 1892; Nelson P. and Nellie I., twins, born September 18, 1895 ; Elizabeth C., born August 16, 1897; W. Newton, borni April 12, 1903; and Elmer Edward, born October 1, 1905.
FREDERICK L. KECK, the genial and popular proprietor of the Hotel Albion, at Ruffsdale, Pennsylvania, is a son of Christian Keck, who emi- grated from Germany about 1865 and settled at New Stanton, Pennsylvania, where he followed the boiling of salt for a livelihood for a period of almost five years. He then located in the town of Morgan, remaining for about seven years, during which time he was engaged at general work. Later he moved to Scottdale where he engaged in the mercantile business for three years, after which he changed his place of residence to Everson, Fayette county, where for a period of about eight years he engaged in mercantile pursuits and the management of a hotel, both of which enterprises proved financially success- ful. He married, October 16, 1866, Anna Hunker, daughter of John G. and Ossilla ( Hough ) Hunker, and their children were: Anna N., unmarried, re- sides at home ; Martin Christian ; Frederick L., of whom later.
Frederick L. Keck was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, January 8. 1878. His preliminary education was obtained in the public schools adjacent to his home, and later he pursued advanced studies at the Greensburg Sem- inary. Upon attaining the age of twenty-one he engaged in the hotel business in Ruffsdale, Westmoreland county, and for three years successfully managed the old Ruffsdale Hotel which was largely patronized. In 1902 he built the hotel which he now occupies, known as the Albion, which has accommodations for sixty guests, is equipped with all modern improvements which adds to the coniforts and pleasure of his guests, is noted for its excellent cuisine, and in all respects ranks among the leading hotels in the county and well merits the patronage of the traveling public. Mr. Keck is courteous and attentive to the regular patrons and to the transient guests of the house alike, and is well a lapted to the line of business he has chosen or his life work.
HON. NEVIN A. CORT. Among the well-known members of the Westmoreland county bar must be numbered Hon. Nevin A. Cort, of Greens- burg. He was born March 20, 1867, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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