USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, personal and genealogical with portraits, Volume I > Part 41
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CHARLES LUDLOW LIVINGSTON, attorney-at-law, with offices at No. 1102 Frick building, Pittsburg, Pa., is a native of New York city, having been born there June 10, 1870. The Livingston family is one of the oldest in the state of New York and adjoining states, Robert Livingston, the founder of the family in this country, coming to New York in 1672, where he acquired a vast tract of land on the Hudson river and founded Livingston manor. William Livingston, the great-great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, and grandson of Robert, was the famous Revo- lutionary governor of New Jersey, while his great-grandfather, Brockholst Livingston, was a prominent attorney of New York, a judge of the supreme court of New York, and at the time of his death was a justice of the United States supreme court. He was also a colonel in the Revolutionary war and a general in the War of 1812. Through his paternal grandmother, Mr. Livingston is descended from William Allen, who was chief justice of Pennsyl- vania before the Revolution. Charles Ludlow Livingston is the son of Ludlow and Mary (Kieft) Livingston and the grandson of Anson Livingston. He was educated at Fordham college and New York university, graduating in 1891. Upon leaving college, he came to Pittsburg and perfected himself in the science of steel manufacture and electricity. Perceiving the immense advantages
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of his previous technical education if applied to the field of patent law, in 1899 he took up the study of law at the Western University of Pennsylvania, completed the course and commenced practice in January, 1903, devoting his entire attention to patent causes, for which his previous mechanical and electrical experience had emi- nently fitted him, and in which line he has built up a lucrative clientage. He was married, on Nov. 12, 1891, to Miss Mary E. Keating, daughter of A. F. and Emily Keating, and three children have been born to them. They are: Dorothy, Philip Anson and Carroll Ludlow. They reside at Oakmont, a suburb of Pittsburg. Mr. Livingston is just approaching the age when men accomplish their greatest achievements, and as his thorough knowledge of patent law, combined with his practical electrical and mechanical experience, brings him into close touch with ingenious and inven- tive minds and great industrial corporations, it is safe to predict for him a brilliant future and a career as illustrious as that of any of his historic ancestors.
ROBERT E. CLULEY, cashier in the Pittsburg postoffice, was born in Pittsburg in 1866. He was reared and educated in Pitts- burg, graduating from the high school in 1884. Since that time he has had a successful career in the public service, being employed in several city offices before he obtained his present position. Mr. Cluley's first position was that of clerk in the office of the assessors of Pittsburg, where he remained four years. In 1888 he became bookkeeper in the department of charities, and was five years later promoted to the position of chief clerk, in which capacity he served seven years. Mr. Cluley then became chief clerk in the office of the director of public works, and was employed there until June, 1902, when he was made cashier of the Pittsburg postoffice.
ANDREW J. PITCAIRN, superintendent of the bureau of health, Pittsburg, was born in that city in July, 1853. He was reared in Pittsburg, attended school until he reached the age of twelve, and afterwards studied in a night school. Mr. Pitcairn's first occupation was in a tobacco factory, where he remained about a year. He entered the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad, working in the dispatcher's office, and while there learned teleg- raphy. He afterwards spent seven years of his life as a telegraph operator. In 1875 he gave up this business and was for three years deputy in the sheriff's office. After this he became a passen- . ger brakeman for the Pennsylvania company, and after two years
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in this position, his ability and attention to duty won him promo- tion, and for the next twenty-one years, until September, 1901, lie was a railroad conductor. He received the appointment to his present position Oct. 1, 1901, and has proved a capable and faith- ful official. Mr. Pitcairn has always taken great interest in public affairs. He served in the city council of Pittsburg from 1884 to 1896, representing the eighth ward, and was in 1897 member of the state legislature from the third legislative district. Mr. Pitcairn is a Knight Templar and Mystic Shriner. He is a mem- ber of the First Presbyterian church.
SAMUEL COULTER, chief of police of East Pittsburg, was born in England, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Aug. 18, 1868, son of James William and Elizabeth Coulter. His mother died when Samuel Coulter was three years old. His father left England to try his fortunes in America, and secured work in the coal mines of Ohio, sending for his children later. Samuel Coulter was educated in the schools of Perry county, Ohio, and learned the plumbing and pipe-fitting trade, at which vocation he was engaged for a number of years. Hearing of the rapid rise of East Pittsburg as a manufacturing town, lie moved there in 1899, and secured a position as patrolman. After three years' service, he was made head of the force in March, 1902, and has proved an able and efficient chief. The police force of East Pittsburg consists of only three patrolman, besides the chief, yet so effective is the service that this small number is able to keep the peace in a town of 8,000 workmen. Mr. Coulter was married, July 4, 1889, to Ella, daugh- ter of Edward and Elizabeth Duffy, early settlers of Perry county. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter have four children: James William, born July 2, 1890; Agnes, born April 25, 1893; Laurettie, born Dec. 22, 1899, and Clara, born Aug. 17, 1902. Chief Coulter is a member of Turtle Creek lodge, No. 777, I. O. O. F. ; past chancellor of Oak Hill Knights of Pythias; member of Court Pride of the Union and Foresters of Braddock. In religious belief he is a Methodist. He has been prominent in democratic politics, holds the position of inspector, and is also a member of the county committee.
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WILLIAM MARSHALL STEVEN- SON, librarian of the Carnegie free library, of Allegheny, was born in Johns- town, Pa., Nov. 30, 1855. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and can trace his family history back to Robert Stevenson, who emigrated from Scotland to Ireland in 1677, and was a very prominent man in his day. He is the son of Ross and Martha Ann (Harbison) Stevenson, the father born in Strabane, Ireland, Nov. 12, 1814, and died in Washington, Pa., Jan. 10, 1893, and the mother born at West Lebanon, Pa., in 1831, and is still living. The family consisted of six sons and one daughter: Lizzie Hurst, now Mrs. Jerome W. Potts; Matthew Harbison, a practicing attorney of the Pittsburg bar; Thomas John, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Han- nibal, Mo. ; Robert Francis, a prominent business man of Washing- ton, Pa. ; Joseph Ross, pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church, New York city; Henry Patterson, who died in May, 1892, and William Marshall, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Stevenson was graduated with honors from Washington and Jefferson college in 1876, having acted as tutor in mathematics in his alma mater during his senior year. For two years after his graduation he was instructor in ancient and modern languages in the Placerville acad- emy, California, and for the next two years studied music and languages at the leading institutions of the continent, chiefly at the University of Leipsic, the conservatory at Dresden, and at the Col- lege de France, Paris. While there he was under the instruction of some of the noted scholars, among them being Breal, the philologist, and Renan, the great French critic. Upon his return to the United States, Mr. Stevenson was called to the chair of Greek and Latin in the Pittsburg central high school, which posi- tion he held for four years, resigning to take up the study of law. He entered the office of John D. Schafer, was admitted to the bar one year later, and from 1885 to 1890: spent his time equally in the practice of law and in journalism, in the latter case on the staff of the New York Tribune, and later, a writer for the Chicago Mail, the Chronicle-Telegraph, the Times, and the Commercial Gazette, of Pittsburg. His connection with the Pittsburg newspapers was in the capacity of musical and dramatic editor and special reporter on legal topics. In 1889 he again visited Europe, this time in the
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study of the Spanish language and literature, and shortly after his return, was elected librarian of the Carnegie free library, of Alle- gheny, the first public, tax-supported library founded by Mr. Carnegie. Mr. Stevenson came to his position when the library had not one volume on its shelves, with no one to help him in his task of organization, and now it contains 50, 000 volumes catalogued, and 10,000 pamphlets, documents and duplicates not catalogued. In 1899 he secured from Mr. Carnegie an additional gift of $25,000 for additions and improvements. Mr. Stevenson was a delegate to the international conference of librarians held in London in 1897, is a member of the American and the Keystone state library associa- tions, the Pennsylvania free library commission, was first president of the West Pennsylvania library club, an honorary member of the Western Pennsylvania historical society and of the Deutscher Lese Verein. Mr. Stevenson is very versatile in his attainments, speaks German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian fluently, reads Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Portuguese, modern Greek and Polish, with the aid of a dictionary, and has studied Sanskrit, Gothic, Turkish, Finnish, Arabic and Chinese. His literary work has been mostly contributions to periodicals and local histories, and in 1899 he published a sketch, "Mr. Carnegie and His Libraries," which met with very favorable and enthusiastic reception. In politics he is a republican, and in religion a Presbyterian. He has never married, but, as he expresses it, "is wedded to his work."
LINFORD L. DILWORTH, chief clerk of the department of public works, Pittsburg, was born in the fourteenth ward of that city in 1855. He was reared there and attended the public schools, and afterwards became a student at the West Philadelphia academy, from which he graduated in 1874. He then spent eight years as clerk for his father, John S. Dilworth, in the grocery of Dilworth & Co., being also for three years of the time engaged in tlie prod- uce business for himself .. In 1884 he embarked in the brokerage business, in which he was engaged until 1892, when he entered the employ of the Carnegie steel corporation. He remained with this concern three years, and then, in 1895, began his career in the city service as inspector in the bureau of water supply. After two years in this position, Mr. Dilworth was transferred to the board of viewers as clerk, was made chief clerk the same year, and served as such until June, 1902, when he was given his present office. Mr. Dilworth is a Presbyterian in religious belief, and in politics an influential republican.
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SAMUEL G. BAILEY, attorney-at- law, whose office is at No. 807 People's savings bank building, Pittsburg, was born in Bavington, Pa., July 21, 1874. His parents were William S. and Esther Ann (Galbraith) Bailey, both of whom are living and respected residents of Washington county. The former is an ardent republican, and has acceptably filled the office of county commissioner of Washington county for two terms. Samuel G. Bailey received his education at the Ingleside academy and at West- minster college, at Lawrence, Pa., and also at Princeton uni- versity. He began reading law in the office of O'Brien & Ashley, then took the full law course in the Western University of Penn- sylvania, graduating in 1897. He was at once admitted to the bar and began his practice in Pittsburg, and is now a member of all the courts. He is a tireless worker in his profession and is rapidly forging to the front in his practice. Politically, he is a republican, but has affiliated to some extent with the citizens' inovement in its fight for cleaner and better local and state government. He was a candidate for the legislature on the citizens' and democratic tickets from the eighth legislative district in 1902, and although defeated by a small margin, he demonstrated his popularity. Mr. Bailey is chairman of the citizens' organization in the thirty-seventh ward, and is alert to its welfare. He is a member of Oakland lodge, No. 535, F. and A. M.
EDWARD MEYER, funeral director at No. 4705 Liberty Ave., Pittsburg, was born in Pittsburg, in the ninth ward, in 1858, and was there reared and educated in a parochial school. Leaving school in 1870, he became associated in business with his father, Anthony Meyer, who, prior to his death in 1887, conducted a retail furniture store and undertaking business in the ninth ward. Mr. Meyer remained in the employ of his father until 1880, and then started for himself in the undertaking business in the sixteenth ward. He moved to his present pleasant quarters in 1894. Mr. Meyer is an independent in politics. He is an earnest member of St. Joseph's Catholic church. He is a man of unblemished char- acter, as honest in his business as he is proficient, and enjoys the respect of all who know him.
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JESSE H. WRIGHT, of Stonedale, Pa., closely identified with the industrial interests of that section, was born April 18, 1866, son of Robert and Sarah Wright, the former a successful farmer and the son of Irish parents who came to the United States and settled in Franklin township, Allegheny county, Pa. His parents were both born in Franklin town- ship and had thirteen children, four of them dying in infancy, Baxter B. in 1898, and the others are: Mary E., John F., James E., Robert M., Minnie E, Jesse H., Harry R. and Luella M. Jesse H. Wright has been engaged in industrial lines the greater part of his business career and is now in the employ of the South Pennsylvania company, of Oil City. He was married, on Oct. 21, 1894, to Ida Downing, and they have had three children: Sarah Eliza May, the eldest, born March 14, 1896; Raymond Percy Wilson, born May 28, 1897, and a son born. February 13 and died March 2, 1901. Mr. Wright is well and favorably known in the community in which he resides and enjoys the confidence and respect of his neighbors and acquaintances. Mrs. Wright is the daughter of Archibald Downing, both father and mother being natives of Clarion county, the former born July 3, 1826, and the latter in 1829. They were married in 1851 in Venango county, removing in 1866 to Allegheny county, where they have since resided.
THOMAS EDGAR, alderman from the twenty-ninth ward, Pittsburg, was born in Pittsburg, in the thirty-third ward, in 1862. In 1866 he moved with his parents to the twenty-ninth ward, where he was reared and educated in the public schools. Upon leaving school he was employed for three years in the office of Lewis, Oliver & Co., now Oliver Bros., as office boy. He obtained a position with the Lewis foundry and machine company, where he learned the machinists' trade, remaining with this firm three and a half years. After this he was employed for about three years in the Westinghouse foundry and machine works, and for a year at Beaver Falls, Pa., in the Hartman steel works. Returning to Pittsburg, he was employed by Oliver Bros. for three years, and by Jones & Laughlin about two years. In 1892 Mr. Edgar engaged to work for Mr. F. O. Wolff, a civil engineer, remaining at this
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employment until his election as alderman from the twenty-ninth ward in 1895. In the council, Mr. Edgar performed his duties in a manner so satisfactory to his constituents that they re-elected him in February, 1902. Before this time, from 1894 to 1897, he had served as school director. Mr. Edgar is a member of the United Presbyterian church. In politics he is an active republican.
THOMAS RENSHAW, a prominent mine superintendent, residing in Car- negie, was born in Nottinghamshire, England, Nov. 26, 1850, son of Severn and Sarah (Burton) Renshaw. Severn Renshaw was a farmer in England. He and his wife were members of the Estab- lished church. They both died in Eng- land. Thomas Renshaw, the subject of this sketch, is the third of four children. Of the other three, John died in England in 1892, when fifty-eight years old; Edward is living in England, and Mary, also a resident of England, is the wife of James Lawrence. Thomas Renshaw came to America in 1869, locating in Pittsburg, and immediately commenced work in the coal mines, and has been engaged in coal-mining ever since that time. Commencing at the bottom, he has worked his way up and is now one of the best- known men in his business in Allegheny county. He formerly owned a quarter interest in the Nottingham coal mines, which was sold to Henry Floshheim and disposed of by him to the Pittsburg coal company. After the Nottingham mine was sold, Mr. Renshaw was employed by the Oak Ridge coal company for about six months, and then entered the employ of the Essen coal com- pany, where he has for the past ten years been superintendent, with full charge of the mine. The Essen coal company has now been sold to the Pittsburg coal company, but Mr. Renshaw still has charge of the mine, where his ability and faithful attention to duty have made him a valuable superintendent. In politics Mr. Renshaw is a republican, and served three years as auditor of Union township, Allegheny county, resigning at the end of that time because of a change in residence. On May 30, 1875, Mr. Renshaw married Miss Elizabeth Hepplewhite, daughter of Ralph Hepplewhite, who was born in England, and Elizabeth (Marshall) Hepplewhite, a native of Banksville, Allegheny Co., Pa. Mrs.
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Renshaw is the second of three children. An older sister, Mary J., married Ernest Salt, and resides at Millville, Allegheny county, and a younger sister, Isabella, lives at home with her mother. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Renshaw have had six children. The first-born, Sarah B., died when two years old, and the youngest, Alvarine, born Aug. 16, 1896, died Oct. 26, 1899. Of the four living, Margaret married J. B. Davis, and has one child, Ralph S. ; Ralph Marshall is a machinist; Lizzie Vietta and John D. are younger children at home. Mr. Renshaw and family attend the Episcopal church. Mr. Renshaw is a prominent and influential Mason and a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle.
WILLIS A. BOOTHE, of Pittsburg, Pa., a prominent attorney, with offices at No. 413 Fourth Ave., was born in Pittsburg, in that part of the city now included in the thirteenth ward but formerly called Minersville, Aug. 6, 1851, son of Willis and Mary Ann (Pusey) Boothe, the former having died in November, 1889, and the latter in April, 1891. His mother was a daughter of Nathan Pusey, one of the early residents of Washington county, Pa., and a well-known citizen of that part of Pennsylvania. His father, Willis Boothe, was born in Derby, Conn., in 1806, and in his boyhood removed to New York state, locating at Binghamton, where he was reared and educated. In 1828 he removed to Pitts- burg and engaged in different mercantile pursuits, a large portion of his time being devoted to the lumber business. While in no sense of the word a politician, yet Mr. Boothe held several minor offices and was well known throughout the city. He was an active member of the Seventh Presbyterian church and for many years an elder of that organization. He was married to Mary Ann Pusey, in Washington county, in 1834, and they had the following children: Martha, who married John H. Claney and died in September, 1894; Julia, wife of Fred Dickinson, of Chicago; Mary E., who married H. A. Lavely and died Oct. 27, 1897; Willis A., and Nathan P., who married Ada Brandt, of Des Moines, Ia. Willis A. Boothe was educated in the splendid public schools of Pittsburg and later attended the Western university, which at that time was located in Pittsburg. He read law in the office of David Reed, was admitted to the bar in 1874 and since has continuously practiced in Pittsburg. Mr. Boothe is a member of all courts, has a fine practice and stands well among his legal brethren, as is evidenced by his election to the position of treasurer of the Alle- gheny county bar association, which office he still holds. He was
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married in Salem, Ohio, Sept. 14, 1876, to Sarah H., daughter of Dr. Clements and Emilia Baelz, and they have had four children: Emilia B., Willis, Clements, who died in childhood, and Sarah Hester. Mr. Boothe and his family are members of the Third Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Boothe is an elder. He is a republican in his political views and, while not a seeker for office, yet holds the position of president of the school board of the twenty-second ward. Mr. Boothe is an able and popular member of the Allegheny county bar, commands a splendid legal business and is highly esteemed throughout the city for his manly qualities and strict integrity.
WILLIAM H. LINSLEY, mine super- intendent, was born in Durhamshire, England, Jan. 25, 1856, son of William and Margaret Linsley. The father was a locomotive engineer in England and was killed in a wreck when twenty-seven years old, in 1858. In 1862 his widow married William Robinson, and shortly after this came to America, bringing with her her only child, William. On coming to America, William Robinson followed for a time his vocation as a blacksmith in Temperanceville, now West End, Pitts- burg. He now resides in Carnegie, where he kept a grocery store. His wife died July 21, 1902, at the age of sixty-four. She was a daughter of William and Anna (Bell) Henderson, both now deceased, and was one of eight children, five of whom are still living : Thomas, a resident of Spring Valley, Ill. ; Mrs. John Byers, of Mount Washington; John, who lives at Finleyville, Washington county ; Mrs. David Fulton, of Castle Shannon, Pa., and Launce- lot, also a resident of Castle Shannon. William H. Linsley, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the public schools. He has also recently completed a course in mining at the International correspondence school, Scranton, Pa. When a young man Mr. Linsley worked five years in a coal mine and then learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed for twelve years, about a year of that time being located in Carnegie. In 1884 he returned to the mines and was for five years engaged in weighing coal at the Nixon mine, Chartiers Valley coal company, and then became mine superintendent and foreman at the same mine, remaining there
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until 1899. At this time the mine was bought by the Pittsburg coal company and Mr. Linsley remained as superintendent and still holds that position. Besides this he is superintendent at the Harrison mine and the Esser coal mine, making three mines in all under his management. Mr. Linsley is widely and favorably known as a miner of exceptional ability and the importance of the trusts which he holds gives evidence of the confidence in which he is held by his employers. On Christmas day, 1877, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Boden, daughter of David and Helen (Cook) Boden, who are mentioned on another page of this work, and has eight children, viz. : Mabel Irene, graduate of the Duquesne busi- ness college, Pittsburg, class of 1897, now employed as clerk in the delinquent tax office, county court house, Pittsburg; Nellie V., graduate of Curry college, Pittsburg, class of 1898, for the past three years clerk in her father's office; William F., an electrician, employed in one of the mines of which his father is superintendent; Richard E., student at Duff's business college, Pittsburg; Robert Cook, attending graded schools; Clara I., Leile M. and Emma Eugene. Mr. Linsley takes an active interest in republican politics. He has for the past three years been school director in his township. He is an enthusiastic Mason, being a member of Centennial lodge, No. 544; Cyrus chapter, No. 280, and Chartiers commandery, No. 78.
FRANK F. SNEATHEN, of Pittsburg, Pa., a prominent attorney, with offices at No. 413 Fourth Ave., was born in Pitts- burg, Oct. 24, 1857, son of John B. and Mary A. (Kiefer) Sneathen. John B. Sneathen was born in Dauphin county, Pa., in 1832, of Scotch ancestry, his parents having come from Scotland at an early date and settled in eastern Pennsylvania. John B. Sneathen came to Allegheny county when a mere boy, there acquired a thorough education, and when manhood was reached, engaged in the business of a commission merchant and coal shipper on the Ohio river. He was a prominent and progressive citizen, served as a councilman front the twenty-second ward for sixteen years, a school director for about twelve years, and died on June 10, 1896. His wife died on June 17, 1877. Frank F. Sneathen attended the schools of the second and twenty-second wards of Pittsburg, and spent the years from 1870 to 1873 at the Western University of Pennsylvania. Later he attended the Pennsylvania military acad- emy at Chester, Pa., where he was captain of Company A, of the academy corps of cadets. He was graduated from that institution
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