USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, personal and genealogical with portraits, Volume I > Part 12
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CHARLES EDWARD THEOBALD, of Pittsburg, Pa., a leading member of the Pittsburg bar, with offices in the Bakewell building, was born on Oct. 23, 1872, in Shaler Township, Allegheny Co., Pa., a son of Charles and Caroline (Oliger) Theobald, both natives of Germany, and residents of Allegheny county since 1850. The mother now resides at Millvale, Pa., the father having died on Oct. 5, 1899. C. E. Theobald acquired his literary edu- cation in the public schools, and was graduated from the Allegheny high school in June, 1890. He then took up the profession of teaching, having been identified with the Millvale public schools for a num- ber of years with marked success. He later abandoned the school room and matriculated in the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, graduating from that famous seat of learning in June, 1898, with the degree of bachelor of laws. He was admitted to the Allegheny county bar the same year, and has since continuously pursued the practice of law at Pittsburg as a member of all the State and federal courts, enjoying a splendid practice. Politically, he has always been a republican and an aggressive worker in the ranks of that party.
EDWARD H. FLOOD is one of a group of talented and ambitious young attorneys upon whose shoulders will some day fall the burden of conducting the ex- tensive legal interests of the wealthiest and most progressive business center of the United States-the city of Pittsburg and Allegheny county. Mr. Flood was born in Pittsburg, Dec. 6, 1877. His father, James Flood, has been connected with the firm of Arbuckle & Co., in that city, for upwards of thirty years, and at the present time holds the position of
manager. His mother is a native of Allegheny county, her parents, Edward and Mary A. Houston, being one of Pittsburg's pioneer families. Mr. Flood received his education in the schools of his native city, and, in 1898, graduated with honors from the
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Pittsburg central high school. . He then entered the law depart- ment of the Western University of Pennsylvania and graduated with the class of 1901. While in attendance at the university, he became associated with the management of the Western Uni- versity Courant, holding the position of editor until his graduation. Conscientious and careful in his profession, Mr. Flood has already acquired a responsible and important practice at the Allegheny county bar.
GEORGE W. FLOWERS, an attorney- at-law, with offices at No. 1214 Frick building, Pittsburg, Pa., is a descendant of some of the oldest families in western Pennsylvania. His father, John H. Flowers, was a native of Allegheny county, and his mother, Sarah A. (Lenhart) Flowers, was born in West- moreland county, and is still living in the little town of Irwin in that county. George W. Flowers was born in Alle- gheny county, May 15, 1860. His primary education was acquired in the schools of Irwin. He then attended Washington and Jefferson col- lege at Washington, Pa., for one. year, and graduated from Yale college with the class of 1884, receiving the degree of bachelor of arts. Soon after graduating, he entered the law office of Judge Alexander D. McConnell, of Greensburg, Pa., and began the study of law. While thus employed he was appointed by Governor Beaver to the office of prothonotary of Westmoreland county, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of John Chamberlain. Although a young man, he filled the office for the remainder of the term, acquitting himself with credit and demonstrating the wisdom of the governor in making the appointment. He finished his legal studies in 1889, and was admitted to the bar of Westmoreland county. The following spring he removed to Pittsburg, and shortly after taking up his residence in that city, he was admitted to the Allegheny county bar. His practice extends to all the courts of the two counties of Allegheny and Westmoreland, as well as the State and federal courts. At the present time he is the solicitor for the borough of Irwin, a position he has held for a num- ber of years, which shows the confidence reposed in him by those who know him best and whose interests have never been neglected
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when intrusted to his care. He is also interested in a number of important enterprises, being a director and solicitor of the Parkers- burg iron and steel company and the Cannonsburg iron and steel company, president of the Central foundry and car company, and a director in several national banks. On June 14, 1894, he was married to Miss Sara E. Gregg, of Irwin, Pa. Mr. Flowers is a member of the county bar associations, and a member of Westmore- land lodge, No. 518, Free and Accepted Masons, and has been honored by his lodge by being elected to the office of worshipful master, the highest in the lodge, where he fully sustained the good opinion of his brethren who conferred upon him this distinc- tion. Besides his membership in the Masonic fraternity, he belongs to the University and Union clubs and the Reformed church.
HUSTON QUAIL WALKER, of Pittsburg, Pa., a prominent attorney, with offices in the Bakewell building, was born in Clinton township, Butler Co., Pa., on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1862, son of William H. and Caroline (McCafferty) Walker, the former born in Butler county, Pa., and the latter at Lewistown, Pa., and both now residing in Butler
county. Mr. Walker was educated at Washington and Jefferson college and by private tutors, and for a time taught in the public schools of Butler. He studied law in the offices of Judge McJunckin and Judge Galbraith, was admitted to the bar of Butler county, May 25, 1891, and there practiced with much success until January, 1895, when he removed to Pittsburg, having been previously admitted to the bar of Alle- gheny county in December, 1894. Since then Mr. Walker has con- tinuously practiced at Pittsburg, where he is a member of all Pennsylvania and the United States district and circuit courts. He has held the position of a school director of Wilkinsburg, where he resides, and is well known throughout that section of the county. He was married in Butler county, Pa., Sept. 5, 1888, to Margaret E. Bovard, and, while they have no children, yet their home life is a rarely happy one. Mr. Walker and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian church and are prominently identified with its works of charity and benevolence.
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MAJOR ROBERT M. EWING, a Pittsburg attorney, with offices in the People's savings bank building, was born in Bell township, Westmoreland Co., Pa., Jan. 31, 1868. His parents, James H. and Eleanor J. (Rhea) Ewing, were natives of Armstrong county, where the Ewing family were among the pioneer settlers. Both parents of our subject are still living, residing at Saltsburg, Indiana Co., Pa. The maternal great-grand- father of Major Ewing was Hon. William Findlay, a member of every session of congress from 1790 to 1820, save two, the sixth and seventh. At the convention of the western counties of Pennsylvania, held in 1794 at Parkinson's Ferry, which was called in connection with the whiskey insurrection, Hon. William Findlay was one of the two special deputies appointed to wait upon President Washington at Carlisle, to assure him of their willingness to submit, and to dis- suade him from sending an armed force west of the Allegheny mountains. Their mission was successful. Robert M. Ewing was educated in the common schools of Westmoreland county, the Saltsburg academy, and Washington and Jefferson college, Wash- ington, Pa. While taking his collegiate course, he taught in the public schools, and was for a time an instructor in the preparatory department of Kiskiminetas college. Upon leaving college he entered the law offices of Watson & Keener, Indiana, Pa., and, in June, 1892, was admitted to the Indiana county bar. Soon after- wards he removed to Allegheny county, where he was admitted to the bar in June, 1893, and since that time has been in continuous practice in that county. In 1889, while reading law at Indiana, he enlisted in Company F, 5th regiment, Pennsylvania national guard, and during the Homestead riots was clerk of the company. When he left Indiana county he severed his connection with the military organization, but in 1896 he was appointed regimental sergeant- major of the 14th regiment, Pennsylvania national guard, and, in February, 1898, was elected second lieutenant. In July, 1898, he recruited a company, which was afterwards attached to the 17th regiment, Pennsylvania national guard, and in August of the same year he was elected junior major of the regiment. When the 17th regiment was mustered out and the 14th was reorganized, lie was made the senior major of the regiment, a position which he still
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holds. Major Ewing was married, June 14, 1894, to Miss Anna S. Davis, a daughter of McLain and Caroline Davis, of Indiana, Pa. One daughter, Caroline Isabel, has been born to this marriage, on March 13, 1897. In politics Major Ewing is a republican. He takes an active interest in political matters, particularly in those affecting the welfare of Wilkinsburg borough, where he lives, and which he has ably represented as a school director. He and his wife both affiliate with the Presbyterian church. His father is the son of John and Martha (Hart) Ewing and his mother the daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Carruthers) Rhea, all belonging to the oldest families of Armstrong county.
JOHN L. PRESTLEY, of Pittsburg, Pa., a prominent attorney, with offices in the St. Nicholas building, was born in Upper St. Clair township, Allegheny Co., Pa., Nov. 4, 1870, son of James Prestley, D. D., who died on April 1, 1885, and his wife, Martha Lindsay, who is now living. The Prestley family is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and the name was originally spelled Priestley. James Prestley, father . of the subject, was a son of Nathan and Elizabeth (Betty) Prestley, and was born in County Down, Ireland, June 23, 1815, and accompanied his parents to America in 1819. He was a gradu- ate of the Western university, and was a minister of the United Presbyterian church, with charges in Cincinnati, New York and Pittsburg, and died at Carnegie, Pa. John L. Prestley was edu- cated at the University of Wooster, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1891. Subsequently he read law in the office of Hon. J. J. Miller, a prominent and able attorney (now judge of the orphans' court, Allegheny county), and was admitted to the bar in Decem- ber, 1893. Mr. Prestley is a member of all courts and of the Alle- gheny county bar association, and enjoys a lucrative practice. He resides at Carnegie, Pa., and at present is burgess of that borough. He is a member of Centennial lodge, No. 444, of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is closely identified with that great fraternity. On May 12, 1898, he was mustered into the United States service as second lieutenant of Company K, 14th Pennsyl- vania volunteers, for duty in the Spanish-American war, and served until mustered out on Dec. 20, 1898.
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JAMES F. KANE, of Pittsburg, Pa., a well-known attorney, with offices at No. 503 Wylie Ave., was born in Pitts- burg, Aug. 28, 1868, son of William and Ellen (Mckeever) Kane, the former a native of Ireland, who came to America, first settled in New York and subse- quently resided in Pittsburg for fifty years. His mother was a native of Alle- gheny county, resided there all her life and died on Feb. 5, 1898. James F. Kane was educated in the public schools of Pittsburg, and was graduated from the St. Charles college of Maryland and later from the St. Vincent's college of Westmoreland county, Pa. Mr. Kane read law in the office of W. J. Brennan, a prominent lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in September, 1896. Since then he has been continuously in the practice, is a member of all courts and has a splendid standing among the attorneys of the county. Mr. Kane was appointed a police magistrate by Mayor Hayes, on April 1, 1903, and is making a fine record in that capacity. He was married in Pittsburg, July 20, 1898, to Ella A., daughter of Thomas F. and Catherine Breen, and they have one son, Joseph, who was born on May 23, 1899. Mr. Kane is well known in Pittsburg as an able lawyer, an upright judge and a good citizen.
ALFRED CAHEN, of Pittsburg, Pa., a well-known attorney, with offices at No. 412 Grant St., was born at Zanesville, Ohio, Nov. 16, 1870, son of Marx and Johanna (Berg) Cahen, the former a native of France, who died in 1887, and the latter born in Germany, and now resid- ing at Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Cahen was well educated in the literary branches in the public schools of Columbus, Ohio, and then studied law at the Ohio State university, where he was graduated on June 12, 1894, with the degree of bachelor of laws. He was admitted to the supreme court of Ohio on Dec. 7, 1893, and subsequently read law in the offices of Joseph Stadtfeld, and was admitted to the bar of Allegheny county in September,
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. 1894. Mr. Cahen is a member of all courts, including the supreme court of the United States, and has a splendid practice. In 1898 Mr. Cahen enlisted in Company D, 18th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, as a private for service in the Spanish-American war; was mustered into the United States service at Camp Daniel H. Hastings, at Mt. Gretna, Pa., May 12, 1898, and served in the capacity of a private soldier until the command was mustered out of service at Pittsburg, April 19, 1899, when he was commissioned by Governor Stone as captain of Company D. Mr. Cahen was married at Pittsburg, Pa., Dec. 17, 1902, to Edith, daughter of Emanuel and Pauline Weiler, and their married life has been a happy one.
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WILLIAM E. NEWLIN, attorney-at- law, with offices located at No. 404 Frick building, is probably one of the busiest lawyers in the city of Pittsburg. Besides his large clientage, he is interested in various manufacturing and mercantile enterprises, being the president of the Heilman-James company, the secretary and treasurer of the Farmers' manufac- turing company, and within the last year he has organized the Pittsburg casket . company, of which he is treasurer and one of the directors. Much of the suc- cess of all these undertakings is due to his intelligent and well- directed efforts. He was born in West Newton, Westmoreland Co., Pa., May 30, 1861. His parents were Benson H. and Ann H. (Van Kirk) Newlin, the latter still living. As a boy, he attended the public schools of Elizabeth and the Mckeesport academy. Later he attended the Indiana State normal school, and, in 1889, graduated from the law department of the Michigan university, Ann Arbor, with the degree of bachelor of laws. In September of the same year he was admitted to the bar of Allegheny county, and began his professional career. His course has been steadily onward and upward. Besides his private practice and the business enterprises with which he is so intimately associated, he is the city solicitor for the city of Mckeesport. In his domestic affairs he is as fortunate as he is in his business matters. He was married to Miss Elizabeth M. Harrison, of Mckeesport, and one son has been born to them.
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GEORGE AUSTIN JOHNSON, attor- ney-at-law, No. 422 Fifth Ave., Pitts- burg, Pa., was born in Washington county, the same State, and is the son of George Wolfe and Eunice (Smith) John- son, the former a native of Green county, and the latter of Washington county, both of Pennsylvania. George A. John- son was educated in Waynesburg college, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1885 with the degree of bachelor of science. Soon afterwards he entered the law department of the Uni- versity of Michigan and completed a full course of studies therein, graduating in the class of 1890. Previous to his attendance at this famous school, he read law in the office of Wyly, Buchanan & Walton, Waynesburg, Pa. In December, 1890, he was duly admitted to the bar of Green county, and continued to practice at Waynesburg for the space of three years as the junior member of the firm of Teagarden & Johnson. In 1893 he secured admission to the bar of Allegheny county, and the same year formed a part- nership with J. F. Calhoun, Esq., under the business name of Calhoun & Johnson. He has since continued to practice his pro- fession at Pittsburg with steadily increasing success, until at the present time he has a large and profitable clientage. His success has been most gratifying, and is due solely to his fitness for the higher duties and responsibilities of the greatest of all professions. His power at the bar is shown by his splendid success both as a pleader and as a counselor. He practices in all the county, State and United States courts, and has won many notable cases by sheer force of intellect and knowledge of the law. At the present time he is the solicitor for Versailles borough, for the city of Mckeesport school district, for North Versailles township and school district, and for Versailles township and school district. For a time Mr. Johnson held the office of burgess of Waynesburg borough. The confidence reposed in him by his fellow-citizens is due to his high ability in his profession. He takes an active and successful part in the public affairs of Mckeesport, in which town he resides. He has found time amid the arduous duties of his pro- fession to polish his mind and manners by reading good books and joining good company. He is a member of Versailles council, Royal Arcanum. He was married, on May 18, 1889, to Miss
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Debbie Thomas, of Waynesburg, Pa., she dying on May 14, 1895. On Nov. 2, 1898, he was united in marriage with Miss Ella Nira Wilson, of Beaver Falls, Beaver_Co., Pa.
ROBERT GIBSON MATTERN, de- linquent tax collector for Allegheny county, for county, road, poor, dog and State taxes, was born in Hollidaysburg, Blair Co., Pa., March 29, 1859. George Mattern emigrated from the valley of the Rhine in 1750, and settled in Maryland. He came from near the Swiss mountain, the Matterhorn, from which it is thought the family name was derived. He was the father of nine children, one of whom, Jacob, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, settled in the Spruce creek valley, Huntingdon Co , Pa., about the year 1779. It is worthy of note that some member of the family has ever since resided in the house that he at that time erected. It was there that Jacob Mattern, Robert's father, was born in 1806. Upon arriving at manhood, he followed farming for several years, when he removed to Pittsburg and engaged in merchandising. He retired from business, was married to Margaret Gibson, a native of Bedford, Pa., and removed to Blair county, where he lived retired at Holli- daysburg until the death of his wife, in 1873, when he again took up his residence in the city of Pittsburg, and died there in May, 1893. Three children were born to Jacob and Margaret (Gibson) Mattern, viz .: Robert G., Frank H., and Margaret, who died in her early childhood. Robert G. Mattern was educated in the pub- lic school of Hollidaysburg and at a private school in the city of Pittsburg. He began life as a clerk in the glass works of Bake- well, Pears & Co. Since that time his clerical ability has been recognized by some of the leading banking and commercial con- cerns of Pittsburg. On leaving the glass works he became the corresponding clerk for the Penn bank. He was next in the employ of the Pittsburg oil exchange, then with the Pittsburg steel works for a number of years, and later with A. M. Byers & Co., wrought iron pipe manufacturers. He left this firm to become the secretary and treasurer of the Standard boot and shoe company, where he remained until appointed to his present position. He received the appointment of tax collector in February, 1903, but
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did not assume active duty until the following September. In all the positions held by Mr. Mattern, his conduct has been marked by the fidelity, integrity and ability with which he discharged his duties. Few men have ever served their employers more faith- fully or have been more honored in the service than he, and to his splendid ability and sterling integrity is chiefly due his appoint- ment to his present honorable and responsible position. In this place he has the entire confidence of his superior officers, as well as the people of the community, and it is safe to predict that he will retire from it with a clean record and greater laurels. Mr. Mattern is a member of Pittsburg conclave, Order of Heptasophs, and resides in the twenty-second ward of that city. He was mar- ried, Feb. 16, 1893, to Miss Minnetta Ihmsen, of Pittsburg. Mrs. Mattern is a daughter of William and Jane (McCloskey) Ihmsen, and a granddaughter of Christian Ihmsen, the founder of the glass bottle industry in Pittsburg.
CLARENCE ELMORE WALLACE, attorney-at-law, whose offices are located at No. 1214 Frick building, Pittsburg, Pa., is a descendant of the Wallaces of Westmoreland county. His father, Wil- liam M., and his mother, Ellen M. (Smith) Wallace, were both born of Scotch-Irish parentage in the county of Westmoreland. Mrs. Wallace died in 1877, but the father is still living in the county where he was born and where he is now engaged in agricultural pursuits. Clarence E. Wallace was born in Fairfield township, Westmoreland Co., Pa., Sept. 1, 1873. Like all farmer boys, he attended the district schools until he was old enough and far enough advanced in his studies to attend the academy, after which he entered the higher institutions of learning, and graduated from the California State normal school with the class of 1894. For the next three years he was employed as a teacher, one year of which he was principal of the Glenfield public schools, and two years vice-principal of the Derry schools. He then attended the law department of the Michigan university for one year and the law department of the Western University of Pennsylvania for two years, graduating with honors from the latter institution in 1900. While attending the Western university, he read law in the offices
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of G. C. Lewis and George W. Flowers, two eminent Pittsburg attorneys. In June, 1900, he was admitted to the bar, and since that time has practiced his profession in all the courts of Allegheny county. He is solicitor for the school board of Homewood sub- school district of Pittsburg, Pa. On Sept. 28, 1900, he was mar- ried to Miss Sara E. Zahniser, of Fredonia, Mercer Co., Pa. They have one child, Margaret J. R., who was born on Dec. 26, 1901. Mr. Wallace is a member of the Hamilton Avenue United Presby- terian church, and lives in the twenty-first ward of the city of Pittsburg.
CURTIS M. WILLOCK, of Pittsburg, Pa., one of the younger members of the bar, was born in Allegheny city, Pa., .Dec. 17, 1875, son of Samuel M. and Linda (Haines) Willock, both surviving and residing in Allegheny city, Pa. The great-grandfather of Curtis M. Willock, Alexander Willock, and his brother, Noble Willock, were two of the original 107 voters on the first registry list of the county, compiled in 1804. The ancestry of the Willock family is of Scotch descent. Alexander Willock settled in Pittsburg in 1792, and kept the first inn opened in that city. In 1815 he and his family removed to what is now known as Willock Station, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, where he spent the remainder of his life. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was born at Willock Station, and engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death in 1892. The father of Curtis M. was born on the old home- stead farm at Willock Station in 1841, and is now proprietor of the Waverly oil works of Pittsburg. Curtis M. Willock was graduated at Princeton university in 1896, and from Harvard law school in 1899, and was admitted to the bar at Pittsburg, March 24, 1900. He is a member of all courts, stands well with his fellow members of the bar, and controls a good practice. He was married in Pitts- burg, May 3, 1900, to Mary C., daughter of John Stevenson, Jr., of Sharon, Pa., and their home life is an ideal one. Mr. Willock is secretary of the Voters' civic league, member of the Third Pres- byterian church, and resides in the twentieth ward.
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WILLIAM SHERMAN MAXEY, attorney-at-law, with offices at No. 1409 Keystone building, Pittsburg, Pa., is the son of Thomas and Ann (Price) Maxey, both of whom were natives of Wales. Thomas Maxey came to America about the time he reached his majority. For a number of years he worked as a coal- miner in the vicinity of Carbondale and in Carbon county, Pa., but for the last forty-eight years he has been a resident of Susquehanna county, where he now lives retired. Ann Price came with her parents to America when she was seven years old, and lived in Pennsylvania until her death, which occurred in April, 1895. She was the mother of seven children, as follows: John, Annie, widow of Z. D. Jenkins; Margaret, wife of C. P. Chamberlain; Jennie, wife of W. G. Morgan; Thomas J., of Homestead, Pa. ; William S., and Edwin M. Maxey. William S. Maxey was born in Clifford township, Susquehanna Co., Pa., Nov. 26, 1868. His education was obtained in the common schools, the Keystone academy, of Factoryville, Pa., and, in 1890, he was one of a large class that graduated from the State normal school at Mansfield. Soon after this he was duly registered and read law in the office of F. I. Lott, of Montrose, Pa. At the August term of court, in 1893, he was admitted to the bar of Susquehanna county. He immediately formed a partnership with his old preceptor, and practiced in Montrose, as the junior member of the firm of Lott & Maxey, until 1899. During this time the firm were the solicitors for Susque- hanna county for five years. In 1899 Mr. Maxey retired from active practice. In 1901 he graduated from the Southern normal university, Huntingdon, Tenn., with the degree of bachelor of laws, and in September of that year he was admitted to the bar of Allegheny county. Since that time he has been practicing his profession in the city of Pittsburg with gratifying results. Among his clients is the Gilkinson American detective bureau, for which he is the general counsel. He is a past chancellor of Montrose lodge, No. 473, Knights of Pythias; a member now of South Side lodge, No. 158, of Pittsburg, and a member of Aneas conclave, Independent Order of Heptasophs, of Montrose, Pa. Mr. Maxey takes an active interest in political matters, and in both State and national campaigns has rendered service as one of the political
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