USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, personal and genealogical with portraits, Volume II > Part 12
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ject of this article, has always followed farming as a vocation. His wife was formerly Miss Alice P. Hays, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Stewart) Hays, and granddaughter, on her father's side, of Jacob Hays. Jacob Hays, born in 1778, was married, in 1799, to Jane Hardin, then a girl of twenty, who was a daughter of Thomas Hardin, an officer in the Revolution. Jacob Hays was a son of Abraham Hays, who came from Maryland and settled in Mifflin township, opposite Braddock, in 1769. Abraham Hays married Miss Fannie Pitter, daughter of a distinguished French officer who fought in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Calhoun's maternal grand- father was Lazarus Stewart, the first sheriff of Allegheny county, who officiated at the first and only public hanging in Allegheny county. David K. Calhoun and wife are the parents of seven children: Mary H., John K. (deceased), Sarah J., Flora H., Alice E., David R. and Charles S. (deceased). Mr. Calhoun is an attend- ant and supporter of the United Presbyterian church. In politics he is a republican.
H. A. MCLAUGHLIN, of Aspinwall, Pa., superintendent of the water and light departments of that city, was born on Aug. 6, 1842, in Fairview township, But- ler .Co.,'Pa., son of John and Katharine (Green) Mclaughlin, and the grandson of Patrick McLaughlin, one of the first settlers of Butler county. Mr. McLaugh- lin was reared on his father's farm and was educated in the schools of Fairview township. When eighteen years of age he became assistant to his father in con- ducting the farm, and at the death of his father, took charge of it, successfully combining farming with the oil business until 1894, when he removed to Aspinwall, Pa. There he became connected with the Aspinwall land company as assistant superintendent of the water plant, and, in 1898, when the borough bought the water and light plant, he still held the position of assist- ant superintendent. In June, 1902, he was promoted to the super- intendency of the water and light plants, and also was given charge of the sewer and highway departments, filling both positions very ably. Mr. Mclaughlin was married, on Oct. 11, 1877, to Katharine, daughter of William and Rosanna (Ferry) McCarthy, of Brady's Bend, Armstrong county, and to them were born the fol-
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lowing children: Clarence, who conducts a barber shop in Aspin- wall; Harry, a machinist, of Pittsburg; John C., a teacher of the piano in Sharpsburg and Aspinwall; Rose Emma, a stenographer, of Pittsburg; Richard F., a stenographer for the Pennsylvania railroad company at Pittsburg; Katharine Agatha and Joseph Emmett, attending school. Mr. Mclaughlin served one term as constable in Butler county, two terms as assessor, and was tax collector dur- ing the oil excitement in that vicinity, collecting $15,000 in taxes in one year, this being the greatest amount ever secured in that township. He has also invented a folding bed of merit. He is a member of the Catholic church and the republican party, and is an honored citizen of Aspinwall.
LOUIS J. GOLDSMITH, a prominent merchant in Braddock, was born in New York city, in October, 1852. His parents, Josiah and Bertha (Wenneck) Goldsmith, came to this country from Amsterdam, Holland, before the middle of the past century. Louis J. Goldsmith attended school until he was fourteen years old, and then began clerking, and has since devoted his life to mercantile pursuits. In 1881, in company with his brother-in- law, Leo A. Katz, he started a small clothing store on Main street. After five · years the Baldridge building was secured and the business greatly enlarged. In 1895 it had outgrown these quarters and the first section of its present quarters was secured, at Nos. 803, 805, 807 and 809 Braddock Ave. The business now occupies the two adjoining stores, also, and has grown into a department store of which any city might well be proud. Mr. Goldsmith was married, Aug. 27, 1882, to Hannah, daughter of Abraham and Julia (Hecht) Katz, and has four children. Edna is a graduate of Darlington seminary, of Westchester, Pa., class of 1901 ; Josiah will graduate from Shady Side, Pittsburg, class of 1905; Malcom is attending Braddock high school, and Herbert is also in school. Mr. Goldsmith is a member of the Heptasophs, Woodmen of the World, Jr. O. U. A. M., of Braddock, past grand of Angerona lodge, I. O. O. F., of Pitts- burg, and of the Concordia club, of Pittsburg. He and his family are members of Rodef Sholem temple, Reformed Hebrew congre- gation of Pittsburg.
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GEORGE S. T. DEBOLT, the oldest established wholesale and retail dealer in grain, hay and feed of all kinds in Home- stead, was born in Monongahela town- ship, Greene Co., Pa., July 3, 1863. His parents, Teegarden S. and Catherine (Tanner) Debolt, were both born in Greene county, and of German descent. Teegarden S. Debolt, a distiller by trade, was for many years in the employ of William Gray & Sons. George S. T. Debolt was reared in his native township and educated in the public schools. In 1888 he came to Homestead, where he entered the employ of W. S. B. Hays, as a farmer. Later he was employed in the mills of the Carnegie steel company, and in 1895 embarked in his present business, in which he has met with marked success, and is the lead- ing merchant in his line in Homestead. He is also interested in real estate. On Oct. 14, 1891, Mr. Debolt was married to Sarah J., daughter of George and Sarah (Renn) Pollin, of Pittsburg, and has three children, Mino T., George E. and Mary Ethel Renn.
HERMAN HUNDHAUSEN, of Ches- wick, Pa., superintendent of the Standard leather company, was born at Berlin, Germany, June 15, 1861, and is a son of Charles and Augusta (Damman) Hund- hausen, the former the proprietor of a leather factory in Germany. Mr .. Hundhausen was educated in Berlin and at the college at Crefeld, which latter institution he attended for eight years. In 1878 he left school and engaged in the manufacture of patent leather with his father, remaining in this business in Ger- many until 1891, when he came to America and located in Newark, N. J. He assisted in the formation of a company to conduct a patent leather works, and was successfully engaged in that business until 1898. He removed to Cheswick, Pa., and organized the Standard leather works, of which concern he is superintendent, director and stockholder. He is also superintendent of the branch of this company which is located at Allegheny city. They make
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patent leather and enamel for the shoe, furniture and carriage trade, with a capital of $400,000, and do a large and profitable busi- ness. He was married, in 1894, to Augusta Behnke, of Newark, N. J., but a native of Germany, and they have two children, Herman and Theodore. Mr. Hundhausen is a member of the Lutheran church, is a republican and is one of the leading citizens of Cheswick.
WILLIAM C. MEYER, of Sharps- burg, Pa., the oldest merchant and chief of the fire department, was born in Alle- gheny city, Pa., March 28, 1844, son of William Meyer, a native of Prussia, who came to Allegheny county in the early part of its history, and for many years was a well-known grocery man of Alle- gheny city. W. C. Meyer attended the fourth ward school of Allegheny city for two years, and when only twelve years of age, faced the world to earn a living, securing employment first in the Banner cotton factory, of Allegheny city. Three years later he went with the Hope cotton factory, in the batting room, and after one year transferred the scene of his employment to McCaulay's glass house, of Pittsburg, where he remained about four months. He was with McClintock, of Pittsburg, in the keg factory ; for one year with the Shoenberge steel mill as pull-up boy, and with Knapp & Woods, of Pittsburg, in the nut and bolt factory. In 1861 he learned carpentering, and worked at that trade until the day that Lincoln was killed, when he quit that business to clerk in the dry- goods store of his brother, H. H. Meyer, in Allegheny city. He remained in that capacity for two years, and in 1867 came to Sharpsburg, where he started a dry-goods store with $2,200 of bor- rowed money. The first year his sales amounted to $25, 000 and assured the success of his venture. He now has the finest dry- goods and department store in Sharpsburg, occupies a large three- story building and enjoys a splendid patronage. He helped organize the Columbian fire company of Allegheny city in 1859 and organized the first company in Sharpsburg in 1871. He was elected first chief by the council, and has served as chief ever since, bearing the reputation of being one of the best fire fighters in the county. He was the organizer of the Western Pennsylvania State
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firemen's association, and has taken an active interest in its work- ings. Mr. Meyer was married, in 1867, to Sophia, daughter of Her- man and Sophia (Beckfield) Milter, and to them have been born seven children: W. H. J., cashier of the Turtle Creek National bank; Charles H., with the right of way department of the C. D. & P. telephone company; Edward J., manager of the Sharpsburg supply company; Albert P., an attorney of Pittsburg; Herbert H. and Howard, in their father's store, and Lilian, a student of the public schools. He is a member of the First German Lutheran church, and is an ardent member and active worker for the republican party. He was one of the organizers of the Concord orphans' home, in 1882, which is supported by the Lutheran church synod, and this magnificent institution is a monument to his benevolence and humanity. Mr. Meyer is known to almost every one in that section of the county, and possesses their confidence and esteem. His career has been one of probity and honor, and no man stands higher than he in his community.
JOHN O. JONES, clerk of North Brad- dock, was born at Irwin, Pa., Jan. 20, 1875, but has lived in Braddock since he was two years old. His parents, David D. and Mary (Reese) Jones, came origi- nally from' Wales, and his maternal grand- mother, Mrs. Reese, was one of the many who lost their lives in the Johnstown flood in 1889. The children of David D. and Mary Jones are: Mary, wife of Dr. Bartilson, of Braddock; John, the subject of this sketch; Margaret, at home; Anna, now teaching at Shady Park, and Harry, attending the North Braddock grammar school. David D. Jones followed his trade as a stone-cutter until he was severely injured, in 1887, and has since been employed as watchman at the steel works. John O. Jones was educated in the North Braddock schools, and also took a course at Curry university, of Pittsburg. He was for some time employed at the Bessemer mills, and was then for several years connected with the Union switch and signal company, of Swissvale. In January, 1900, he was appointed to the responsible position which he now holds, and has made an enviable record for himself by conscientious performance of the duties of his office. The borough of North Braddock elected its first officers
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in May, 1897, and the census of 1900 gave it a population of over 6,300. Mr. Jones is a member of Braddock Field lodge, No. 510, F. and A. M .; is a thirty-second degree Mason; Tancred com- mandery, No. 48, Knights Templars, and Syria temple, A. A. O. of the M. S., of Pittsburg.
DANIEL RISHER MCCLURE is a member of one of Pennsylvania's old and prominent families. He is descended from John McClure, who came to Amer- ica from the north of Ireland about 1705. He married Janet McKnight, and settled in what is now Cumberland county, tak- ing up a large tract of land, on part of which the city of Carlisle was afterwards built. He died in 1757, leaving, among others, a son, John McClure, who was, at the time of his father's death, coroner of Cumberland county. Two years later Mr. McClure disposed of his property at Carlisle and removed to Pittsburg, or Fort Pitt, as it was then called, immediately after its capture by the English. Here he engaged in the Indian trade and became very wealthy. He married Martha Denny, daughter of William Denny, and aunt of Major Ebenezer Denny, the first mayor of Pittsburg. In 1786 John McClure purchased 32972 acres of land where Homestead now stands, a part of this property still. being in the possession of the McClure family. John McClure's second son, also John, married Agnes Toppins, of Westmoreland county, and farmed the large plantation on the banks of the Monon- gahela river which was left to him by his father. Mr. and Mrs. McClure raised a family of ten children, among whom was Abdiel, father of our subject, born July 18, 1816. Abdiel McClure was a man of unusual prominence in religious and business affairs, and was universally loved and respected. Politically he was a republi- can, and held the office of recorder for Allegheny county from 1863 to 1866. After this he farmed "the Homestead," and also became interested in wholesale business in Pittsburg. When he sold 113 acres of the farm to the Homestead bank and life insurance com- pany, of which he was a member, he wisely set apart building lots for schools and churches. He was also a contractor and builder; conducted a planing mill at Homestead; was for several terms justice of the peace, and often chosen to settle estates. He was an
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earnest Christian, a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church, and during the latter part of his life actively interested in temperance reform. Mr. McClure married Anne W. Risher, born in Alle- gheny county Dec. 14, 1818. She was the daughter of Daniel C. and Sarah (Cready) Risher, and a direct descendant of Daniel Risher, who served in Braddock's army in 1755. Daniel R. McClure, the subject of this article, was born in Homestead, Oct. 17, 1846; attended the public schools and Penn institute, and later graduated from Duff's business college. He served for two years as deputy county recorder, and then became bookkeeper in the old Fort Pitt bank, and is now a director in the First National bank and president of the Homestead building and loan association. He was for four years a councilman, and has always been prominent in public life. When a young man, he worked for his father in the Homestead planing mill, and was for some time engaged in the grocery trade. For several years past, however, his time has been mainly occupied in the care of the family estates. He is a promi- nent member of the Masonic fraternity and a member of the Pres- byterian church. Mr. McClure was married, Feb. 2, 1876, to Miss Mary E. Gleasdall, daughter of Joseph and Mary E. (McCaslin) Gleasdall, of Pittsburg. Mr. and Mrs. McClure have three chil- dren, Daniel R., Mary G. and Robert M.
VALERIAN J. JANDA, pastor of St. Michael's Archangel Slovak Catholic church, Homestead, was born in Pilsen, Bohemia, Oct. 26, 1874. His parents, John and Anna (Title) Janda, came to America in 1880, and located in Chicago, where Father Janda was raised and edu- cated. After attending St. Procopius' parochial school and St. Ignatius' college, of that city, he completed his education at St. Paul's seminary, a school attended by theological and philosophical students, graduating from that institution in 1895. In September, 1897, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Phelan, and assigned to St. Michael's church, which, under his supervision, has increased in membership from 60 to 250 families, and now has an aggregate of about 1, 200 members. In connection with the church is a parochial school, in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph, with an enrollment of 190 pupils. During the five years
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of Father Janda's pastorate, he has secured for his church the three adjoining properties, which are used as a convent and parochial residence, and has maintained his parish in a flourishing condition. On Sunday, Sept. 28, 1902, Father Janda celebrated the fifth anni- versary of his connection with the parish, and was on this occasion presented with a handsome silver service by the trustees of the congregation, as a mark of appreciation for his faithful services. Father Janda is a member of the First Catholic Slovak union of America, and numerous other Catholic societies.
GEORGE H. MOORE, SR., post- master at Verona and a leading citizen of that place, was born in Johnstown, Pa., Sept. 23, 1845, and is a son of George H. and Mary M. (Mercer) Moore, the father a native of England, who came to America when twelve years old. He was a boatman on the old canal between Johnstown and Pittsburg, and acted as agent for Leach & Co. He died in Cin- cinnati in 1854, at the age of thirty-eight, and his wife, in 1859. They had five children, of whom four, two sons and two daughters, are living. The subject of this sketch received but a limited education when a boy, and, in 1859, started out to make his own living. He located in Iowa, and remained there until 1862, when he enlisted in Company G, 21st regiment, Iowa volun- teer infantry. He served with this regiment all during the war, as musician, and, having been mustered out in July, 1865, returned to Iowa, and a short time afterwards came to Pittsburg. Mr. Moore resided in Pittsburg until 1876, and has since then made Verona his home, filling a large place in local activities. He was engaged in the oil business for some ten years, and spent several years as an oil refiner. For the past ten years he has been local agent and foreman for the Philadelphia gas company, and has been superin- tendent of the Verona water-works for ten years. In political belief Mr. Moore is a republican. He has served his borough two terms as burgess, four terms as alderman, and was for nine years justice of the peace. He resigned the latter position in 1897, to become postmaster. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum. Mr. Moore was married, in 1866, to Miss Mary Porter. She died in 1867, and, in 1879, he married Miss E. A. Cribbs, daughter of
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J. R. Cribbs. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have had eight children, of whom all but Walter, the third born, are living. They are: George' H., Bess D., Walter, Florence, R. Hyatt, J. R., Mary M. and Helen.
JESSE HODGSON, a prominent dealer in drugs at Verona, was born in Washington county, Pa., May 11, 1863, and is a son of John and Margaret (Harden) Hodgson. John Hodgson, born in England, July 15, 1812, came to America when eighteen years old, in company with his parents, Thomas and Mary (Seikield) Hodgson, who settled in 1832 in Birmingham, Alle- gheny county, then moved in 1842 to Collier township, where Thomas died, in 1844, and his wife, at the age of eighty-four, in 1868. The maternal grandparents of the subject of this sketch were James and Sarah (Hays) Harden, natives of America, though of French and Irish descent. James Harden's father, also named James, was a soldier in the Revolu- tion. Sarah (Hays) Harden was a daughter of Abraham Hays, who married Miss Fannie Pettee, a French lady, and, in 1767, settled with his wife in Allegheny county, a mile above Homestead, on property still held by their descendants. Abraham Hays was an earnest Presbyterian, an honest and upright man. He was a son of William Hays, a native of Scotland, who settled in Ireland and died there. John Hodgson, father of the subject of this sketch, spent most of his life in the coal business and in farming. He and his wife were members of the Twentieth Street Presbyterian church, South Side, Pittsburg. He died in 1891, but his widow is still liv- ing, and well and strong at eighty-three. He and his wife had seven children, of whom three are living, William, Jesse, and Mrs. Mary Goff, who lives on the South Side, Pittsburg. Jesse Hodgson, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Pittsburg and educated in the public schools. He worked in Pittsburg for some time as a. nailer, and then spent fifteen years as traveling salesman for Healy & Bigelow, of New Haven, Conn. He came to Verona in 1891 and, in 1900, engaged in the drug trade, in which he has been most successful. Mr. Hodgson is a republican, but has never aspired to hold office. He is a member of Iona lodge, Knights of Pythias,
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and the B. P. O. E. of Greenville, Pa. Mr. Hodgson was married, in 1888, to Miss Sarah Wray, of Indiana county, Pa. They have one adopted child, Grant Hodgson. They are members of the United Presbyterian church at Verona. A brother of Jesse Hodgson, William B. Hodgson, is foreman for the tin and copper shop of the Pennsylvania railroad company, at Verona. He was born in Can- nonsburg, Washington Co., Pa., Aug. 29, 1857, and was educated in the Pittsburg public schools. He then learned the tinsmith trade, worked at it for a time in Pittsburg, and for two years in the west, and in 1882 came to Verona, where he has since been employed, and risen to the responsible position which he has held for the past two years. He is a republican in politics, was for three terms justice of the peace, and eleven years school director. He is a member of Verona lodge, No. 548, F. and A. M., and Gen- eral Mcclellan lodge, No. 150, Jr. O. U. A. M. Mr. Hodgson was married, in 1884, to Miss Anna B. Gray, of Verona, and has three children, Bessie, Margaret and Lois. He and his wife are mem- bers of the St. John's Episcopal church of Oakmont.
SAMUEL E. STEWART, a promi- nent real estate and insurance man of Braddock, was born in Clarion county, Pa., Nov. 30, 1861. His father, Robert Stewart, was the son of Robert, Sr., and Sarah (McCall) Stewart, both old settlers of Clarion county, and his mother, Catharine (Peters) Stewart, was the daughter of Jacob Peters, of Armstrong county, who married a Miss Bristel, of Westmoreland county. Samuel E. Stewart attended the public schools, took the Clarion county State normal course, and taught for three years in his native county. He later conducted a meat market in Rimersburg for two years, and in 1895 located in Braddock, where for a year he devoted himself to mercantile pur- suits. He went into the real estate and insurance business with John Rinard, and the firm now carries on an extensive business, with offices in the Dean building on Library street, under the name of Rinard & Stewart. Mr. Stewart was married, Aug. 25, 1892, to Luella K., daughter of Samuel and Mary (Thompson) Boyd. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have one son, Robert L., born Nov. 7, 1893, now attending the Braddock schools. Mr. Stewart is a II-10
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member of Valetta commandery, No. 129, Knights of Malta, and of the Woodmen of the World. He and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian church of Braddock.
JOHN ALVIN POUNDSTONE, a popular grocer of Tarentum, was born in Masontown, Fayette Co., Pa., Dec. 17, 1855. He is a great-grandson of John Poundstone, a native of Germany, who came to America about 1750 with two brothers, and located in Fayette county, where he spent the rest of his life, and a grandson of John Poundstone, who was born in Fayette county, and died there in 1902, at the advanced age of ninety- nine. The grandfather was for three- quarters of a century an honored member of the Lutheran church, was by trade a cabinet-maker, but also, when a young man, ran keel boats on the Monongahela river, and was for some years a farmer. In politics he was a life-long demo- crat, and held various township offices, being for many years a school director. His wife, Susan (Rider) Poundstone, a native of Fayette county, died there in 1869. They were the parents of ten children, of whom four are living. The father of the subject of this sketch, William H. Poundstone, also a native of Fayette county, is living, at the age of seventy-six. In political belief he is a democrat, and has held various township offices. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which his wife, Mary J. (Debolt) Poundstone, was also a member, and who died in 1868. She was a daughter of Reason and Anna (Long) Debolt, the father an early settler of Fayette county, and the mother a native of Greene county. John A. Poundstone, whose name begins this article, lived in Masontown till he reached the age of twelve, was educated in the country schools of Fayette county, and, when a boy, began to learn the blacksmith trade, at which he worked from 1871 to 1893. After that he was employed in the revenue service until April, 1900, and in October of that year came to Tarentum, where he has since engaged successfully in the grocery business. In politics he is an ardent democrat, actively interested in the wel- fare of his party. He is a member of Tounaleuka lodge, No. 365, I. O. O. F., and Jr. O. U. A. M., and was a charter member of the Heptasophs at Uniontown, of which place he was for twenty-five
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