Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 82

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 972

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II > Part 82

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Company, he is president of the Brookville Manufacturing Company, vice president of the Brookville Glass & Tile Company, and senior member of W. N. Humphrey & Brother, gas operators. He is also heavily interested in other industries.

In 1875 Mr. Humphrey was united in mar- riage with Katherine Bullers, daughter of John Bullers, of Warsaw township, and to them have been born two children, Lee B. Humphrey and Marie Humphrey. In 1904 he purchased a home in Brookville borough, at No. 135 Jefferson street, where he still re- sides.

JAMES MALCOLM HUMPHREY was born at Port Barnett June 30, 1873, and has resided there since. On the death of his father he be- came associated with his brother W. N. Hum- phrey in a partnership under the firm name of W. N. Humphrey & Brother, operating the lumber business at Port Barnett until this property was taken over by the Humphrey Brick & Tile Company in 1902. W. N. Hum- phrey & Brother have also drilled extensively for gas. At this writing he is general man- ager of the Humphrey Brick & Tile Company, as well as president of the Union Auto Spe- cialties Company.

LEE BARNETT HUMPHREY was born May 22, 1876, in the old "Barnett Inn" building at Port Barnett, used at that time as a store and dwelling by his parents, and lived therein until he was seven years old, when with his parents he moved to their new home adjacent. He at- tended the Port Barnett schools and later the Brookville public schools, graduating there- from in 1893. Subsequently he studied at the Clarion State Normal School for two years, and then took a business course at Duff's Col- lege, Pittsburgh, Pa. During vacations he had assisted in the lumber business, and on the completion of his schooling took active charge of the sales and shipping of lumber from the Port Barnett mill, continuing in this position until the lumber was exhausted, besides buy- ing and selling extensively on his own account. In 1902 he was instrumental in organizing the Humphrey Brick & Tile Company, assuming the position of secretary and sales manager, which he has since occupied, and which has given him a very extensive acquaintance among the members of the building trades throughout Pennsylvania, New York and New England.

In 1900 Mr. Humphrey was united in mar- riage with Nellie J. Conrad, daughter of John Conrad, Esq .. of Brookville borough, and moved to Brookville borough, where he has

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since resided, having recently purchased a residence at No. 264 Jefferson street. Four children have been born to this union, Viola Constance, Mary Helen, Raymond Conrad and Wilbert Lee.

The Humphrey Brick & Tile Company, com- posed of W. N. Humphrey, J. M. Humphrey and Lee B. Humphrey, commenced business in 1902, taking over the lumber business and property of W. N. Humphrey & Brother, at Port Barnett, and erecting a factory at that point for the manufacture of clay products, of which hollow tile has been the principal output.

Hollow tile are made of plastic fire clays and shale clays, mixed in proper proportion, and burned in covered kilns until they are similar to brick, only larger and hollow. They are used for the outside walls, partition walls, floors and backing-up brick work of buildings of all kinds, from the cheapest outbuilding to the most palatial skyscraper. The hollow air spaces being nonconductors of heat, cold and moisture, and the tile having already been subjected to a heat greater than any building fire could produce, they are therefore fire- proof.

To date hollow tile has been shipped by this company into fourteen States, as well as the District of Columbia. Canada and Cuba. Among some of the more notable buildings supplied are the National Museum, Washing- ton, D. C .: John Wanamaker's store, Phila- delphia, Pa .; Philadelphia public schools ; high school, Portland, Maine; Masonic Temple, Baltimore, Md .; Masonic Temple, Binghamton, N. Y. ; "Hotel Onondaga," Syra- cuse. N. Y .; Baldwin Locomotive Works and Machine Shops, Eddystone, Pa .: Railroad office buildings, Montreal, Canada; Notre Dame School, Boston, Mass. : Cornell Univer- sity, Ithaca, N. Y .: Pittsburgh Gage & Supply Company building, Pittsburgh, Pa. ; Municipal Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa .; "Hotel Casey," Seranton, Pa .; Bethlehem Steel Works, Beth- lehem, Pa .: United States post offices ; Mrs. Mary C. Thaw's residence, Pittsburgh, Pa. : Insane Hospital, Warren, Pa .; Tuberculosis Sanitariums, Mount Alto and Cresson, Pa .; Ladies' Seminary, Birmingham, Pa. ; Charles M. Schwab's residence, Loretta, Pa .: Johns- town Trust building, Johnstown, Pa .; Johns- town Presbyterian Church, Johnstown, Pa .; Blair Memorial Hospital, Huntingdon, Pa .; many private dwellings in the vicinity of New York City ; Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y .; Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass .;

Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass. ; Yale Col- lege, New Haven, Connecticut.

The Port Barnett property contains several veins and deposits of clays and plastic shales suitable for the manufacture of a wide range of clay products, as well as being partly un- derlaid with three veins of coal and natural gas deposits, to develop which, up to date, twenty-six wells have been drilled on this property or in its immediate vicinity, for the purpose of providing fuel for manufacturing. The operations have also disclosed natural gas in twelve different formations or sands, from five hundred and fifty feet to three thousand feet in depth. This drilling has also disclosed a large vein of salt water at a depth of five hundred and fifty feet below the creek level, which at some later date should prove the source of a considerable industry in the ex- traction of salt and other minerals and chem- icals with which this water is heavily laden.

As suitable clays and cheap fuel are neces- sary to the economical manufacture of hollow tile, this property is ideally supplied with the proper materials for this purpose. The prop- erty is the most historic in the county, embrac- ing that originally owned by the Barnetts when they first came to this section, and comprising the major portion of the village of Port Bar- nett, together with adjacent land. The com- pany own in fee simple approximately seven hundred acres in that immediate locality, as well as mineral rights on more than that amount additional. The large brick smoke- stack at the junction of Mill creek and Sandy creek, on the property of this company, which was erected in 1880 by James Humphrey and W. N. Humphrey for their steam sawmill, also marks the site of Barnett's mill, part of the foundations of which, together with the handmade spikes used at that time, was found when digging for the foundation of this stack, and which it is proposed to let stand as a monu- ment to mark the site of Jefferson county's first manufacturing industry conducted by white men.

In the flat across Sandy creek, and where history records was once an Indian village, but which is now a field, it is a common thing to plow up arrowheads and pieces of flint and broken arrowheads in large numbers, indicat- ing that a considerable industry in arrow- making was at one time carried on at this point by the Indians.

Across Mill creek, westward from the stack, facing Sandy Lick creek, is where tradition says Andrew Barnett was buried, and recently in plowing a large flat stone turned edgeways

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has been exposed to view, which is thought to be the marker for his grave.

FRANCIS D. PRINGLE, M. D., is a medi- cal practitioner whose success in both private practice and hospital work makes him one of the most valuable members of his community. He has been established at Punxsutawney throughout his professional career, and re- ceived substantial recognition of his efforts in his appointment, seven years ago, to the super- intendency of the Adrian Hospital, one of the leading hospitals of this section of the State. Dr. Pringle is thoroughly imbued with mod- ern ideas on community welfare work and gen- eral education of the public in matters relat- ing to hygiene and the value of betterment of all standards of life, and he has labored faithfully to spread the doctrine as an inciden- tal but important part of his duties, accom- plishing much good in this respect. He has devoted himself so thoroughly to his medical work that every other interest of his life is bound up in it, and when he is referred to as a particularly good citizen it is inevitable that his value from the professional standpoint should be foremost. Nevertheless, he is no less esteemed for his personal qualities, which sup- plement his professional attainments admir- ably.

Dr. Pringle was born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa .. June 3. 1871. His father, Dennison Pringle, was a merchant at Plymouth, Luzerne Co., Pa. Ilis early education was acquired in the public schools at Wilkes-Barre and Plymouth, and was continued at the Wyoming ( Pa.) Sem- inary and Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. Then he entered the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadel- phia, from which he was graduated in 1903. After about a year and a half of service in the Howard Hospital at Philadelphia he entered the practice at Punxsutawney. He has followed general practice, and for the last seven years has also acted as superintendent of the Adrian Hospital, where a large share of his time is taken up with the work of that institution. Dr. Pringle holds membership in the Jefferson County Medical Society, the State Medical Society and the American Medi- cal Association. He has a wide acquaintance among the local fraternal bodies, belonging to John W. Jenks Lodge, No. 534, F. & A. M .: Pittsburgh Consistory, thirty-second degree ; Jaffa Temple. A. A. O. N. M. S., of Altoona. Pa. ; the B. P. O. Elks, and the Knights of Pythias. His religious connection is with the Methodist Church.

Dr. Pringle married Edith M. Powell, of Wilkes-Barre. Pa., and they are the parents of four children, namely: Dorothy, Francis, Helen and Ruth.

ISAAC A. CARRIER is the owner of a valuable property in Clover township and a highly respected citizen. He has led an indus- trious life, thoroughly consistent with the high reputation attaching to the name, which for several generations has been considered syn- onymous with good citizenship.

In the year 1820 six brothers, Hiram, Darius, George, Nathan, Euphrastus and John Carrier, purchased ninety-six acres of land and all the mills at Troy, now Summerville, Jeffer- son county, they and their descendants con- tinuing to own the same for many years, re- building the mills several times. Nathan Car- rier especially became extensively interested in lumbering in Jefferson county. He died at the age of seventy-three years, his wife, Lu- cinda Loomis, passing away in 1884; they had a family of nine children, three sons and six daughters.

Hiram K. Carrier, father of Isaac A. Car- rier, owned a farm at Summerville which his sons operated after they became old enough, while the father carried on merchandising in that town all his business life. He and his wife spent their later years in retirement on their farm near the borough, Mr. Carrier dying May 4. 1906, aged seventy-nine years, while Mrs. Carrier passed away Oct. 3. 1912, aged seventy-eight years. He was an intelligent man. liberal in his views, progressive in his ideas, and was chosen to various local offices, being one of the first auditors of Summerville and a member of the first school board. He married Susan Mank, daughter of Jacob Mauk, and like himself a native and lifelong resident of Jefferson county. They became the parents of thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, ten of whom still survive, viz. : Mary Malinda, now Mrs. Eshelman, of Sum- merville. has three children : Helen, Mrs. Ed- ward Ditty, has a family of eight children : Isaac A. is next in the family : Charles E., born in 1860, died April 24, 1915. leaving a widow ( nee Emma Carrier) and seven children (he was cashier of the Union National Bank of Summerville ) ; William Hull, a farmer of Sum- merville, is now a widower with three children : Marcella is the wife of Felix Kunselman, a farmer and hotelkeeper of Cool Spring and has six children, four sons and two daughters : Walter, now of Pittsburgh, engaged at the Westinghouse plant, is married and has three

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sons ; James died when thirty-five years old. leaving a widow and one daughter (the widow subsequently married Dr. A. J. Simpson) ; Harriet I. is the widow of H. W. Wick, and has two children, a son and daughter; Frank- lin Pierce, of Summerville, married Josephine Barr, but has no family ; Anna Dora, now liv- ing in Tennessee, is the wife of Charles D. Dickey, a lumberman, and has two children ; Susan died in infancy; Hiram Chester, of Summerville, married Nellie Guthrie.

Isaac A. Carrier was born at Summerville Aug. 17, 1858, and has spent all his days in the vicinity. For ten years he operated a store at Worthville. He has led a busy life, follow- ing agriculture and lumbering successfully. For ten years he was associated with his three brothers in the operation of a coal mine with an output of fifty thousand tons annually. He has also been selling coal from the deposits under his own farm. He was elected school director for a number of years, giving faith- ful service in that capacity. Politically he is independent, supporting the best man, and his religions association is with the Methodist Episcopals, he being a trustee of that church at Summerville.

In his twentieth year Mr. Carrier married Helen Plyler, of Beaver township, who died Nov. 4. 1912. Six children were born of this union, namely: Nettie Blanch, born June 25. 1880, married Everett C. Campbell, of Summerville, and has four children, Chester E. (born Jan. 15, 1002), Winfield Lee (born July 30, 1903), Gwenith M. (born Nov. 15. 1908) and Herman Donald (born Nov. 17. 1911 ) : Ilalbert Ernest, born March 8, 1882. is now train dispatcher at Kittanning ( he mar- ried Nellie Gaynor. of St. Marys, Pa., and has five children ) ; Milo, born July 16, 1884. died Feb. 20, 1887: Tina Elizabeth, born Dec. 10, 1891. is the wife of Foster E. Mathews, a telegraph operator. and they have two liv- ing children: AArthur J., born Dec. 17. 1806. is a railroad man. now at Summerville (he married Ella Smith and they have one child. Hazel D.) : Harriet Ruth, born July 25, 1899, is the wife of Ilaven Brosius, at Brookville. On Nov. 7. 1913. Mr. Carrier married Mrs. F. P. letrick. a sister of his first wife. She had six children by her first marriage, of whom Ida Alice is deceased ; Elmer Alvin is a resi- dent of Akron, Ohio: Emma E. H. is the wife of Hosea Martz. of near Brookville ; Emmin F. is a minister of the Evangelical Church at South Fork; Ralph was a minister of the Evangelical Church at Brookville and his last charge was near Johnstown, where he died

Nov. 18, 1916; Gleason Knox is a minister of the same church in Somerset county.

Mr. Carrier lives on his father's old home- stead. The residence was built in 1876, and the barn in 1916. For three years he and A. F. Reitz have conducted lumbering opera- tions jointly.

REV. JOSEPH N. ZUBRZYCKI, the able, zealous and revered pastor of St. Adrian's Catholic Church in the village of Adrian, has brought to bear all of consecrated earnestness and fidelity in the work of his parish, and his administration has given true spiritual and temporal prosperity to the church over which he is priest in charge. Father Zubrzycki was born in Suwalki province of Russian Poland, · on the 15th of August, 1870, and in his native land he not only gained his early academic discipline but also initiated the course of phil- osophical and ecclesiastical studies to fit him- self for the priesthood. On the 15th of July, 1891, he arrived in the United States, and pre- pared to prosecute the work which he had chosen with characteristic earnestness and de- vo'ion. Ile completed his theological course in St. Bonaventura College, Allegany, N. Y., and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop T. Mullen on the 24th of March, 1895. On the 15th of the following month he assumed his present pastoral charge, and all depart- ments of parish work have been vitalized under his zealous regime. The church edifice was buil. by the congregation with the assistance of Adrian Iselin, the well known New York capitalist, who has been closely identified with the development of the coal mining industry in this section of Pennsylvania, and was dedicated .Aug. 21. 1890. Father Weinker serving as pastor until April 15. 1895, and being suc- ceeded by the present incumbent. Father Zubrzycki is the true shepherd of his flock, guide. counselor and friend to all his par- ishioners, and such is their confidence in him that he ever receives loyal, unfaltering cooper- ation. The congregation now comprises one hundred and eighty families. of different na- tionalities, and the work of the parish in all departments is solidified, harmonious and sys- tematic. The first parochial school of St. Adrian's was opened in the basement of the church building. on the Ist of October, 1892, when eighty children were enrolled. In 1898 the present six-classroom modern brick school building was erected. each room being in charge of a devoted sister of the Order of Merev. This is pronounced one of the best parochial schools in the county, and in 1904

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the convent building or sisters' residence was erected, the same having a corps of seven Sis- ters of Mercy. The enrollment of the school now aggregates three hundred and sixty, and the curriculum has been amplified to corre -. spond to the secular high school course. It will be noticed, therefore, that the work of the parish has been significantly broadened under the administration of Father Zubrzycki, who is indefatigable in his labors, and whose fine intellectual attainments, earnest service and deep civic loyalty have gained him the high regard of the entire community. St. Adrian's Church is picturesquely situated on the hillside at Adrian, the post office of which village i's known as Delancey.

THOMAS A. SADLER, of Brookville, gives his attention principally to the manage- ment of the valuable real estate holdings he has acquired. He is a citizen of substantial worth, a representative member of a family whose name has come to be synonymous with thrift and capability, and his townsmen look to him for support in all forward movements. He is keenly alive to the importance of en- couraging the onward tendency which has manifested itself in Brookville during the last decade or so, and highly appreciative of the benefits to be obtained by introducing modern ideas into the community, an interest of which he has given proof on many occasions.

Mr. Sadler is a descendant of an old Penn- sylvania family, the branch to which he be- longs having been founded in western Penn- sylvania by his great-grandfather, Robert Sad- ler. Robert Sadler was born in one of the eastern counties of the State, and was a pio- neer settler in Indiana county, where he died, in South Mahoning township. His children were: Isaac, Robert, James, Thomas, Rachel (married James Morrison ), Martha ( second wife of Charles Bryan) and Mary ( first wife of Charles Bryan, who married her sister Martha after her death).

Thomas Sadler, son of Robert Sadler, was a native of Indiana county, and during his early manhood was engaged in milling in South Mahoning township. Later he bought a farm of 130 acres situated in Young township, Jef- ferson county, the property now owned by his son Thompson M. Sadler. Here Thomas Sad- ler lived and died. living to the age of eighty- one years, and is buried in the old cemetery at Punxsutawney. He was married three times, by his first wife, Mary (McBride), having two sons, Martin and John ; the latter was killed at the second battle of Bull Run.

One son, Thompson McKee Sadler, was born to his second marriage, with Nancy McKee, daughter of Hugh McKee, who was a captain in the Revolutionary war. There were no children by the third union, to Mary Hopkins Work.

Martin Sadler, son of Thomas Sadler, was born on his father's farm near Punxsutawney and had the ordinary advantages afforded to boys of his day. He learned the trade of car- penter, and eventually established himself in Brookville as a contractor and builder, in which line he worked up an extensive busi- ness. He put up many residences and barns in and around Brookville which are still stand- ing in evidence of his conscientious workman- ship and skillful planning, which made him a popular figure in the material development of the borough. He was enterprising and public- spirited in regard to town affairs, and at one time served as councilman. His religious con- nection was with the Presbyterian Church, in whose welfare he took a live interest, and he held the office of trustce. Fraternally he was an Odd Fellow. holding membership in the lodge at Brookville. His death occurred in 1906, and he is buried at Brookville. He mar- ried Mary Miller, daughter of Benjamin Miller, and of the two children born to them Thomas A. is the only survivor, the daughter, . Mary, having died in childhood.

Thomas A. Sadler was born at Oil City, V'enango Co., Pa., and came to Brookville with his parents. Ilis education was obtained at the public schools, and he entered business life under his father's wing, learning the car- penter's trade and later becoming associated with him in contracting and building. At present, however, most of his time is devoted to looking after his property, which has in- creased steadily in value with the growing im- portance of the borough. It is but fair to Mr. Sadler to say that he has done his full share toward the promotion of such projects as have lad important bearing on the development of the town, which offers unusual attractions to wide-awake tradesmen and manufacturers. He has a very favorable place in the esteem of his fellow citizens. Mr. Sadler is unmarried.

S. 1 .. STEWART has been a lifelong resi- dent of Jefferson county, and is especially well known in Perry township, where he was born and reared and where the family home- stead is located. He was engaged in its culti- vation until recently, when the appreciation of his fellow citizens, for his agricultural knowledge and executive ability was mani-

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fested in choosing him as superintendent of the County Ilome, in which responsible ca- pacity he is now connected with the public service. Though it is only a few months since lie entered upon his ditties there are a num- ber of beneficial changes. to show for his efforts, with every prospect that he will make a record as one of the most efficient workers in the employ of the county.

James P. Stewart, father of S. L. Stewart. was a farmer all his life. His death, which occurred when he was fifty-eight years old. was caused by an accident, a sled upsetting. He married Frances Howard, who like him- self was from Connecticut, and to them was born a family of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. Seven sons survive at this writing ( 1916). All the daughters are deceased.

S. L. Stewart was born July 14. 1855. in Perry township, where he grew to manhood and received an education limited to such ad- vantages as the country schools then afforded. However, he progressed so well that in time he became qualified to teach, and followed the profession for fifteen years in all. He re- mained on the old Stewart place in Perry town- ship until Jan. 3. 1916, when he removed to Brookville to become superintendent of the County Home, at present devoting all his time to the duties of that position. Mr. Stewart made a reputation as a successful farmer in the management of his own property, and he is showing the same skill in the care of the County farm, which comprises 240 acres of good land. There are a number of large build- ings on this tract, the accommodations being for as many as two hundred inmates. Though there are always from one to two hundred at the Home. Mr. Stewart looks after the cul- tivation of the land and the care of the build- ings with the aid of one chief assistant and two hired hands, a test of managerial com- petency for which he deserves great praise. Everything about the property is kept neatly and in the best of order. a feature of the eco- nomical direction which is Mr. Stewart's espe- cial pride. Looking after all the details properly requires a close knowledge of every department and incessant personal supervis- ion. which he aims to give, and he also has a faculty for placing his help advantageously which works admirably and with considerable saving. While a resident of Perry township Mr. Stewart served faithfully as school direc- tor. an office for which he was particularly well fitted by reason of his long experience as a school teacher ; for ten years he was town-

ship auditor. His political sympathies have always been with the Republican party.

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 82

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers Number of Pages: 972

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 972