USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, personal and genealogical with portraits, Volume I > Part 11
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WALTER R. BLACK, chief clerk to the Hon. J. O. Brown, recorder of Pitts- burg, was born in Saltsburg, Indiana Co., Pa., Nov. 15, 1867. In 1872 his par- ents moved to Tarentum, Allegheny county, and there the subject of this sketch was reared and educated. He graduated from the Tarentum schools in 1882, tutored two years, and then taught five years in the public schools at Taren- tum and other places in Allegheny county. Mr. Black came to Pittsburg in 1890, obtaining the position of registra- tion clerk in the office of the bureau of health. Here he remained three years, and, in 1893, was made chief clerk in the bureau of fire. He held this position until February. 1900, when he returned to the bureau of health as chief clerk, and, on Dec. 1, 1901, was appointed to the responsible position which he has since held. Mr. Black is a member of the Blue lodge in Masonry. In religious belief he is a Methodist, and is a prominent member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church of Tarentum, in which he has served as trustee, and, since 1898, as Sunday-school superintendent. He is also assistant superintendent of the Sunday-schools of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal church in Pittsburg.
DANIEL J. MCCARTHY, who, at the time of his death, was jury commissioner of Allegheny county, was born in Eng- land in 1861, but spent almost all his life in America. Coming to Braddock, Alle- gheny county, in 1863, he was reared in that city, and attended school until he reached the age of fourteen, when he started to learn the printers' trade. From a printer he became a journalist, and, in 1881, started in Braddock a weekly paper, which he called the Tribune, continuing the publication of this paper until 1891. In 1890 Mr. McCarthy bought the News, a Braddock daily paper, and ran this paper until 1900. He had long been interested in politics, and was, in 1887, appointed by President Cleveland to be postmaster of Braddock, and had at that time the distinction of
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being the youngest postmaster in the United States. He was elected jury commissioner in 1897, and re-elected in 1900. Mr. McCarthy was a member of St. Brendan's church. Among his business interests he was secretary of the Sadie Belle gold mining company at St. Joseph's, Utah. Mr. McCarthy was married, June 27, 1889, to Sarah E. Churchill, daughter of Michael and Sarah (Beach) Churchill. Two children were born to them, Madeleine and Ursula. Mr. McCarthy died, May 6, 1903.
GEORGE B. PARKER, of Pittsburg, Pa., a well-known attorney-at-law with offices at No. 426 Diamond St., was born in West Finley township, Washington Co., Pa., Oct. 2, 1862, son of the late Warren and Margaret (Sutherland) Parker. His father was born in Washing- ton county, Pa., Oct. 19, 1826, and was a son of Hiram and Nancy (Heaton) Parker. Warren Parker spent his entire life in his native county, where he was extensively engaged in agriculture until his death, Dec. 24, 1892. Margaret Suther- land Parker was born in West Finley township, Washington Co., Pa., in February, 1830, daughter of Daniel Sutherland and his wife, who, prior to marriage, was a Barnes. Mrs. Parker now resides in her native township and is the mother of three children, viz. : George B., Addie M., and C. WV. Parker, bookkeeper in the Second National bank of Pittsburg, who married Gertrude Mccullough, and has a son, Theodore. George B. Parker was reared on his father's farm and acquired his early educational training in the common schools of his native township. Later he attended the State normal school of California, Pa., where he was graduated in 1888, and then for several years taught school with much success in Washington and Allegheny counties. Subsequently he read law in the office of Thomas D. Chantler, of Pittsburg, Pa. ; was gradu- ated from the law department of Dickinson college, of Carlisle, Pa., in 1896, and has since continuously practiced in Pittsburg. Mr. Parker is a member of all courts, has a splendid practice, and stands high among the attorneys of Allegheny county.
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JOHN S. WELLER, of Pittsburg, Pa., a successful attorney-at-law, with offices in the Park building, was born in Somerset county, Pa., Nov. 1, 1867, son of the late Dr. Fred S. and Mary A. (Hammer) Weller. His elementary edu- cation was acquired in the public schools of Bedford county, by private tuition, and later attended the Pennsylvania State college, where he was graduated as a civil engineer in the class of 1889. Sub- sequently he was employed on the sur- veying staff of the United States geodetic survey, where he made a fine record. Then Mr. Weller read law in the offices of Russell & Longenecker, prominent attorneys of Bedford county, and he was there admitted to the bar in Septem- ber, 1891. He prosecuted his practice in Bedford county with suc- cess, served as district attorney for that county from 1894 to 1897 and, in 1898, was elected to the State senate from the thirty-sixth district for a four-year term. Mr. Weller removed to Pittsburg in the fall of 1901, where he is a member of all courts and enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He is a member of Hyndman lodge, A. F. and A. M., and of Bedford chapter of Royal Arch Masons. His political affiliations are with the republican party.
JOSEPH HAYS, attorney at No. 429 Diamond St., Pittsburg, is a native of Washington county, Pa., where he was born Jan. 9, 1832. His father was Alexander Hays, also a native of Wash- ington county, where he resided from the date of his birth, in 1795, until his death, in 1845. His mother was Ann V. (Ste- venson) Hays, also born in Washington county, in 1802, and died in 1881. Joseph Hays attended a private school at Cross Creek, Pa., and later attended Washington college, graduating in 1857. Hereadlaw in the office of Montgomery & Gibson, of Washington, and was admitted to the bar of Washington county in 1865, and to the Alle- gheny county bar the same year. He has been in continuous prac- tice in Pittsburg since that date, and is one of the oldest
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practitioners in Allegheny county. He has served five terins as a member of the select council for the thirty-sixth ward, Pittsburg, and represented the fourth legislative district in the legislature during 1875-1876. Mr. Hays has always affiliated with the demo- cratic party. He is a member of Franklin lodge, No. 221, F. and A. M., of Pittsburg, and his religious views are Presbyterian. In 1859 he was married to Elizabeth A. Crawford. They have three children: Edgar V., cashier of the Union savings bank; Frank C, bookkeeper in the Allegheny National bank, and Anna M., wife of Rev. S. J. S. Moore, residing in Minnesota. Mr. Hays is regarded as one of Pittsburg's prominent and respected citizens.
CHARLES A. LOCKE, of Pittsburg, Pa., a successful practitioner of law, with offices in the St. Nicholas building, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 8, 1875. His father was John Jacob Locke, of Philadelphia, who died in 1879, and who, at the age of sixteen, enlisted as drummer boy in Company E, 20th Ohio heavy artillery, and later served as a lieutenant of mounted infantry in a Tennessee regi- ment of the Union army in the Civil war. His mother was Emma (Wiese) Locke, daughter of Adam Wiese, who was the first president of the German National bank of Allegheny. Pa. Mr. Locke graduated from the Allegheny high school in 1893 and from the law department of Western University of Pennsylvania in 1897. He read law with George Elphinstone, city solicitor of Allegheny city, and also with John Scott Ferguson. He was admitted to the bar of Allegheny county in September, 1897, to the supreme court of Pennsylvania in October, 1902, and to the superior court of Pennsylvania in April, 1903. He is also a mem- ber of the United States district and circuit courts and of the Alle- gheny county bar association. Mr. Locke is a member and a steward of Calvary Methodist Episcopal church of Allegheny city, and is a director of the central branch of the Y. M. C. A. of Pitts- burg. He is a young man of ability, integrity and energy, and is sure to achieve permanent success in the great and exacting profes- sion which he has chosen as his life's work and in which he has already made rapid strides.
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LUCIUS L. HILL, superintendent of Station D of the Pittsburg postoffice, at Wilkinsburg, has been in the postal serv- ice since he was sixteen years old. He was born in Pittsburg in 1874, and edu- cated in the public schools. His first position in the public service was that of messenger at Station B, at Lawrenceville, under his father, Robert A. Hill. He remained at the Lawrenceville station six years, attaining the grade of mailing clerk, and was then transferred to Station A, in the East End, where he remained nearly two years as a distributor. Mr. Hill was then appointed ยท chief clerk on the mail car running between Stations A and B, held this position some three and a half years, and, in February, 1901, became superintendent of Station D. Mr. Hill is a republican in political belief. He is a member of the Jr. O. U. A. M. and belongs to the Presbyterian church.
GEORGE J. KAMBACH, of Pitts- burg, Pa., a well-known lawyer, with offices in the Bakewell building, was born in Pittsburg, Sept. 5, 1876, son of George A. and Lillie E. (Nolte) Kambach. His ancestors on both sides were of German extraction, and his grandparents settled in Allegheny county about 1835. His
paternal grandfather was Frederick Kam- bach, a successful stone-mason and con- tractor, and his maternal grandfather was Jacob Nolte, a prominent citizen of his day. George A. Kambach, father of the subject, was born in Pittsburg, May 3, 1850; is a successful glass-worker, and has spent his entire life in that city. He has served as a member of the school board of the twenty-sixth ward, and is prominently identified with the trade organizations, in which he has held a number of important offices. George J. Kambach was educated in the splendid public schools of his native city, attending the graded and high schools, and is well equipped by natural and acquired qualifications for a professional career. He read law in the office of Henry Meyer, a prominent attorney of
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Pittsburg, and subsequently attended the Pittsburg law school, where he was graduated, in 1900, with the degree of bachelor of laws. He was admitted to practice in September, 1899, and is meeting with much success in his professional career.
MARION H. MURPHY, of Pittsburg, Pa., a leading attorney, with offices in the Bakewell building, was born in Alle- gheny city, Jan. 27, 1875, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Hayleigh) Mur- phy, both now residing in Pittsburg. His father was born in Pittsburg, and for many years was engaged in the whole- sale commission business in that city, but is now retired from active affairs and is quietly spending his declining years in his native city, where he is highly esteemed and respected. The mother of the subject was born in Tennessee, where her father was a promi- nent ante-bellum planter and a distinguished citizen. His parents had the following children: Agnes, wife of John M. L'Amour, of Pittsburg; Aida V., wife of W. C. Weckerle, of Pittsburg; William H., Francis W., Marion H., and Horace Dorsey (deceased). Marion H. Murphy was educated in the schools of Pittsburg, attending the graded and high schools, and later read law in the office of Watterson & Reid, prominent attorneys of Pittsburg. Mr. Murphy was admitted to the bar in September, 1896, and has since been in continuous and successful practice, being a member of all State courts and of the United States supreme court. He is the legal representative of the London guaranty and accident company (limited), of Chicago, and also of the Standard life and accident association of Detroit. Mr. Murphy is prominently identified with the democratic party, was secretary of the county democratic com- mittee for three years, and has also occupied the same position on the city committee of his party. He has been closely connected with the political affairs of the city and county for a number of years, and has performed herculean tasks for his friends. He is also president of Duquesne council, No. 264, Knights of Columbus, resides in the twentieth ward, and is widely and favorably known throughout the county.
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OLIN G. A. BARKER, M. D., of Pittsburg, Pa., specialist on the disease of the eye, was born in Ebensburg, Cambria Co., Pa., Jan. 14, 1872, son of Florentine H. and Margaret (Zahm) Barker, his father being a native of Lovell, Me., who came to Cambria county in 1857, and is engaged in the mercantile business at Ebensburg. He was edu- cated in the graded and high schools of his native town, graduating from the lat- ter institution in 1890, and one year later entered Lafayette college, where he was graduated in 1895, with the degree of bachelor of philosophy, and in 1899 his alma mater bestowed on him the degree of master of science. He matriculated in the medical department of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania in 1895, and was graduated from that famous institution in 1898. He was resident physician in the State hospital at Ashland, Pa., for one year, when he went to Europe and took special courses on the diseases of the eye. He attended lectures at Berlin, Vienna and London, and devoted two years to the study of his specialty. In 1901 he returned to Pittsburg, and since has practiced with much success, his entire time being given to diseases of the eye, his office being at Nos. 1114-1117 Westing- house building; hours, 9 a. m. to 2 p. m. He is a member of the ' dispensary staff of Mercy hospital and of the staff of Pittsburg free dispensary. He is also a member of the Allegheny county, the Pennsylvania State and the American medical associations, the American academy of medicine, and of the Monongahela club. He is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity, being a thirty-second degree Mason, and a member of the Mystic Shrine. Dr. Barker is a member of the East Liberty Presbyterian church. The great-great-grandfather of Dr. Barker was John Barker, born in 1742, who, with a brother, served in the Revolutionary war, and was specially mentioned for gallant conduct at the battle of Bunker Hill. Dr. Barker's father served two years in the Civil war as a member of the 209th Pennsylvania volunteers, and upheld the record of his ancestors for gallant and meritorious services. Richard Barker, who was one of the original settlers of Andover, Mass., and who received the first land-title issued by that town (1643), was the head of the Barker family in America, and from him Dr. Barker is descended.
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WILLIAM FISHER and MARY (DUNLOP) . FISHER, his wife, both now deceased, were natives of Paisley, Scotland. Mr. Fisher was born Dec. 22, 1822; attended school, and learned the trade of a broadcloth weaver in Paisley, and came to America in 1845. He first located at Canton, Ohio, to which place his brother, James, had come some years before. There he worked for awhile at his trade, when he removed to Pennsyl- vania, locating at Pittsburg. Finding no WILLIAM FISHER. opportunity open to him as a weaver, he found employment in various occupations for a time, and then entered the iron works of James Rees as an apprentice. By close attention to his duties, he learned rapidly and was promoted accordingly until he became the foreman of the works. A little later he purchased an interest in an iron mill at Sixteenth street and Penn avenue, and finally bought out the other five partners, becoming the sole owner of the works. About the year 1881 he removed to Twenty-fourth and Smallman streets, where he con- tinued the business until his death, which occurred May 5, 1895. During his resi- dence in Pennsylvania he lived in Alle- gheny city, Glenfield and Pittsburg. In all these places he was affiliated with the Presbyterian church, to which he was a liberal contributor. He was also a prom- inent Mason, being a member of St. John's lodge, No. 219, F. and A. M. ; Zerubba- bel chapter, No. 162, R. A. M. ; charter member of Ascalon commandery, No. 59, K. T., and Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, thirty-second degree, S. P. R. S. MRS. MARY FISHER. Mary Dunlop was the daughter of William Ritchie and Martha (Lang) Dunlop. Her father was a shawl manu- facturer of Paisley, and she learned the business of shawl-making in her father's factory. At the time of her marriage to William Fisher, she was the widow of Mr. Mackie, but had no children. Her father was a native of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland; he was twice married, and by his first wife he had several children, all of whom, except William and Mary, died young. After the death of his first
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wife, he married Isabella Marshall. One son, David, was born to this second marriage. When he was about five years old he removed with his parents to Glasgow, where he learned the business of designing, engraving and lithographing, and since 1890 he has been a resident of Pittsburg. William Fisher and Mary Dunlop were married at Allegheny city, July 3. 1850. To them were born eleven children, viz. : Janet, born April 7, 1851, now the wife of Thomas McNeill, of Homewood, Pa. ; Martha, born Feb. 5. 1853, married William Phillips, and died May 3, 1899; David. born Feb. 27, 1855, and died Nov. 26, 1897; William, born Feb. 26, 1857, and died July 22, 1868; James, born Oct. 30, 1858, and died Nov. 21, 1872; Mary, born Nov. 7, 1860, and now the wife of George Gray; Andrew, born April 11, 1863; Elizabeth, born July 24, 1865, and now the wife of A. F. Leggate, a real estate dealer on Fourth avenue, Pittsburg, Pa .; Isabella, born July 24, 1865, now the wife of Albert N. Eames; Margaret, born Dec. 4, 1867, and died Oct. 11, 1888, and Lilly, born March 13, 1870. Mrs. William Fisher died Feb. 2, 1900. Andrew Fisher was born in the third ward, Allegheny city, Pa. He was educated in the public schools of Allegheny city and Glenfield, a private school in Alle- gheny city, and two years in the Western University of Pennsyl- vania. He then read law in the office of John Barton & Sons, one of the leading law firms of Pittsburg, and was admitted to the bar of Allegheny county, Dec. 22, 1888, since which time he has been in continuous practice. He practices in all of the local, State and federal courts, though he confines his practice entirely to civil cases. He was married in Allegheny city, Feb. 27, 1890, to Miss Evalina L., a daughter of August and Henrietta Hartje. They have three children: Eleanor Marie, born May 16, 1892; Harold Edward, born Jan. 31, 1895, and Henrietta, born Oct. 21, 1899. The family lives in the twenty-second ward, and both Mr. and Mrs. Fisher belong to the Presbyterian church.
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ROBERT J. CUNNINGHAM, con- troller of Allegheny county, Pa., was born at Elizabeth, Pa., in 1860, and came to the second ward, Pittsburg, with his parents when three years old. From there the family moved to Sewickley, Allegheny county, which Mr. Cunning- ham has since made his home. When a boy, he attended school in Pittsburg, graduating from the Pittsburg schools in 1872, and then finished his schooling at Dickson's academy in Sewickley, from which he graduated in 1878. Mr. Cun- ningham became a pilot on the river, under his father, Capt. William Cunningham, and was so engaged for three years. After this he spent a year as circulation man for the Pittsburg Times, and for two years was special editor of the Sunday edition of the Pittsburg Leader. In 1892 he took up the life insurance business, in which he was engaged for several years, until he was elected to his present responsible position. Before this he was for seven years a member of the Sewickley council. Mr. Cunningham is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a prominent republican, and is actively interested in local party affairs.
WILLIAM WASHINGTON CAMP- BELL, of Pittsburg, Pa., a prominent attorney, with offices at No. 413 Grant St., was born at Paisley, Scotland, May 26, 1842, son of Hugh and Agnes (Johns) Campbell. His family is of Scotch ances- try, and his father, Hugh Campbell, was a son of William and Jane Campbell, and a shawl manufacturer in his native land, He came to America in 1847 with a com- pany which intended to manufacture shawls in California, but owing to the con- stant harassing of the Indians, this project was abandoned, and Hugh Campbell became a trooper in the United States cavalry. He saw distinguished service in the Mexican war, participated in a number of bloody fights, and was so severely wounded at Pueblo that he died from the effects of his wounds.
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He had three children : William W .; Hugh, who died in Aberdeen, Miss., in May, 1901, and John P., who resides at Marietta, Ohio. Mrs. Campbell, mother of the subject, died in Fairmont, W. Va. William W. Campbell accompanied his parents to America when only five years of age, and after a short stay in St. Louis, removed to West Virginia. He was educated in the Marietta academy and college of Marietta, Ohio, and at the beginning of the Civil war entered the government service as a telegraph operator, and at the same time also acted in that capacity for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. He was stationed at Oakland, Md. ; then at Rowlesburg, W. Va., and, in 1864, at Fairmont, W. Va., where he received and published the bulletin pertaining to Lee's surrender. At the close of the war he was placed in charge of a station for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad at Fairmont, where he remained for a number of years, and subsequently held the same position with that company for many years at Farmington, W. Va. In the meantime he was devoting his leisure to the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1880, after passing a splendid examination conducted by John J. Hoag, Altheus Heymond and Judge A. Brooks Fleming. He practiced in West Virginia with much success until 1889, when he removed to Pittsburg, was admitted to the bar of Allegheny county, and since has continuously practiced in that city. Mr. Campbell is a democrat, and while living in West Virginia took an active part in politics, holding the office of commissioner of deeds and being defeated for the office of county clerk by the narrow margin of eleven votes. He has been twice married-first, to Elmina, daughter of Jacob and Jane Straight, of Fairinont, W. Va., and they had ten children: Jane Agnes, who died at the age of six years and six months; Mary Martha, wife of Robert T. Walsh, of Mckeesport; William H., who married Jessie Griffith and resides in Pittsburg; Guy Edgar, who married Edith Phillips and is a broker in Pittsburg; Betsey Blanch, wife of Harry T. Foley, of Philadel- phia; Clyde S., a resident of Texas; Maud Ella, wife of Elmer Schrock, of Mckeesport; Lula Margaret, wife of W. R. Worthing- ton, of Greensburg; Otto C., resident of Pittsburg, and Ruhamie Belva, wife of Malcolm B. Brady, of Philadelphia. Mrs. Campbell died in Crafton, Pa., Oct. 19, 1897, and is buried in the Phillips burial ground near Crafton. Mr. Campbell was married the second time, on Feb. 28, 1899, to Catherine, daughter of Matthew and Jessie Howard, of Allegheny city, and they have one daughter, Aurelia Alta, and one son, Robert Burns, born Sept. 19, 1903. He is a member and past noble grand of Henry Lambert lodge,
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No. 475, I. O. O. F., of Pittsburg and is past grand of Electic lodge of Farmington, W. Va., of which lodge he is a charter mem- ber, and also of Campbell lodge of Spencer, W. Va. He is a past chief patriarch and representative to the grand encampment. Mr. Campbell is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Crafton, and resides at Wilkinsburg, Pa.
THOMAS J. WILSON, whose offices are located at No. 422 Fifth Ave., Pitts- burg, Pa., is one of the prominent and successful attorneys of the Allegheny county bar. He was born, June 9, 1864, in North Sewickley township, Beaver Co., Pa., and is the son of Jefferson and Lizzie (Couch) Wilson. His father was a native of North Sewickley township, Beaver county, and his mother was born at New Castle, Pa. Both are still living and now reside in Chippewa township, Beaver county, where Mr. Wilson is an extensive fruit-grower as well as an inventor of considerable merit. Thomas Jefferson Wilson was educated in the common schools of his native county, after which he took a course in Geneva college, at Beaver Falls, Pa. While attending this institution he read law at home, and after leaving the college, he entered the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, graduating with the class of 1891. He located at Roanoke, Va., where he was admitted to the bar and where he practiced for about a year, when he contracted malarial fever which compelled him to seek a change. For the next two years he traveled through the south for the purpose of eradicating the malarial fever from his system. In this he was successful, and, in 1894, located at Pittsburg, was admitted to the Allegheny county bar, and has since that time been engaged in practicing in the local and State courts, his attention being given almost exclu- sively to civil cases. He has a large clientage, which is constantly increasing. He has been solicitor for the borough of Pitcairn ever since its incorporation, and is one of the most popular residents of that borough, in the affairs of which he takes a deep interest, not because he is the solicitor, but because he feels it to be his duty as a citizen. In this matter his example is worthy of emulation, for the highest duty of citizenship is to know what to do, and then to have the courage to do it.
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