USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, personal and genealogical with portraits, Volume II > Part 45
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M. W. CHAMBERS, assistant engineer in the Westinghouse works in East Pittsburg, and for nine years a respected resident of Turtle Creek, was born in Lancashire, England, Jan. 14, 1858, son of Miles and Mary (Malton). Chambers. Miles Chambers was a supervisor and architect in Liverpool. M. W. Chambers was edu- cated in the public schools, learned the carpenters' trade, and in 1880 came to America, locating in Pittsburg. He was employed for about a year by the Pittsburg & Lake Erie railroad company, and then for several years by William Sterling, on Seventh avenue. In 1887 he entered the employ of the Westinghouse company, where by ability and faithful attention to duty he has won promo- tion to his present responsible and lucrative position. Mr. Chambers was married in England, Dec. 23, 1878, to Agnes
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Hayton, daughter of Thompson and Martha (Wiseman) Hayton. The Hayton family is a prominent one in the town of Wygan, England. The children born of this union are: Thomas, foreman in the employ of the American steel and wire company; Agnes, at home and Adelia, wife of W. L. Jones, auditor for the Pittsburg coal company. Mr. Chambers is a republican in politics, but does not vote according to party lines when the better candidate is a mem- ber of a rival party. He is a member of the F. and A. M.
JOHN I. RANKIN, superintendent of production and stores for the Westinghouse air brake company, was born in Pittsburg, Feb. 9, 1867. The Westinghouse plant at Wilmerding is the largest of its kind in the world, employing over 3,000 hands. The subject of this sketch is a son of James I. and Catherine B. (Warmcastle) Rankin, of Pittsburg. James I. Rankin was a black- smith by trade, while the Warmcastles were farmers in the territory which is now East End, Pittsburg. John I. Rankin was educated in the public schools, from which he graduated in 1880, and then . was employed for many years by the Pennsylvania railroad com- pany. In 1890 he was appointed agent of the company at Wilmer- ding, held that position until Jan. 1, 1898, when he entered the employ of the Electrical manufacturing company, of East Pitts- burg. . On Jan. 1, 1900, he left the service of this company to become storekeeper for the Westinghouse company, and on Aug. 1, 1902, was promoted to his present responsible position. Mr. Rankin has served several years as councilman in Wilmerding, is president of the board of trustees of the Y. M. C. A., and a member of the United Presbyterian church, of which he has been treasurer since 1895. Politically, he is a republican. Mr. Rankin was married, on New Year's day, 1901, to Miss Mary Ada, daugh- ter of the late Ezra B. and Mary A. (Binsley) Westfall, of Wil- liamsport, Pa. Mr. Westfall was for many years a prominent division superintendent for the Pennsylvania railroad company. Mr. and Mrs. Rankin have two children : Lillian M. and Carl S.
JOSEPH C. CAROTHERS, a well-known Turtle Creek farmer, was born in Allegheny county, Jan. 5, 1859. He received his education in the common schools, at Turtle Creek academy, Wilkinsburg academy, and Washington and Jefferson college, and has spent almost all his life on the farm in Patton township on which he now resides. The place is known as the old Carothers homestead. He is a member of the school board of Patton town-
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ship, and of the First Presbyterian church of Turtle Creek, in which he has served as trustee. In politics he is a republican. Mr. Carothers is a grandson of Charles Carothers, who was born in County Down, Ireland, about 1769, and died in 1848. He came to America and was married in Allegheny county to Margaret McDade. They had four sons and two daughters, of whom Robert, the father of the subject of this sketch, was the first-born. Robert Carothers was born in 1790, and died in 1863. He married Sarah, daughter of David and Jane Show, of Versailles township, Alle- gheny county, and had nine children, of whom Joseph C. was the eighth. Robert Carothers, a farmer by vocation, was a colonel of militia; served in the state legislature at Harrisburg, was also a county commissioner, and was appointed for life to the position of justice of the peace. He and his father, Charles Carothers, were elders in the Beulah church, and later in the Cross Roads church. Dr. Charles Carothers, brother of Robert, and uncle of the subject of this article, was for many years a practicing physician in Wil- kinsburg. He also was an elder in the Beulah church.
ABRAM H. S. BLACK, borough clerk of Sharpsburg, was born in New Berlin, Union county, Pa., Feb. 7, 1865, and is a son of Abram and Elizabeth (Franz) Black, natives of Lebanon county. Mr. Black was educated in the schools of Oil City and at the Ger- man institute, Randolph, N. Y. He has been borough clerk of Sharpsburg for the past three years, and was formerly township auditor for one year. He is a republican in politics and active in local party affairs. Before he obtained his present position he was for four years engaged in the undertaking business in Sharpsburg. Mr. Black is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, is a Knight Templar, and also belongs to the Sons of Veterans and the Independent Order of Heptasophs. He is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. He was married, in 1891, to Emily Bean, daughter of Reuben and Mary Bean, respected residents of Akron, Ohio. Mr. Black's home is at No. 216 Thirteenth St., Sharpsburg.
DILLA A. LANE was born in Geneva, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, in 1859, son of James and Manda (Troop) Lane. Mr. Lane was educated in Geneva, and when a young man was employed in rail- road work as a brakeman. Later he was promoted to the position of conductor and it was while working at this that he suffered an accident which changed his future life. He resigned his position, was for three years engaged in the hotel business and then went
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into the manufacture of toothpicks by means of a machine of his own invention, which machine is still in use. Mr. Lane next invented a machine for making skewers, and was engaged in the manufacture of that article for two years, when his apparatus was destroyed by fire. Mr. Lane rebuilt the machinery and sold out to M. C. Geider, of Marietta, Ohio, guaranteeing the machine to cut 125,000 skewers per day. In 1888 he returned to his old home in Geneva and the next year entered the employ of the National safe and lock company, of Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained until Oct. 1, 1902. He then became superintendent of the Clark safe and vault company, at Elizabeth, which was recently organ- ized and is already doing a prosperous business, with its main offices at Pittsburg. The plant is an up-to-date concern with a constantly increasing capacity and expects to employ about 250 men. Mr. Lane married Miss Nellie Belknap, of Geneva, Ohio, and has three children: Lena, now Mrs. Otto Vagts, of Elizabeth; Chester and Cora. In national politics he is a republican.
HERMAN SHULTZ, of Springdale, Pa., foreman of the polish- ing department of the Heidenkamp mirror company, was born near Berlin, Germany, May 26, 1878, son of Frank and Katharine Shultz, both natives of Germany. His father was connected with the glass-works of Germany, and in 1886 removed his family to America, where he died. Herman attended the public schools of Germany until he was eight years old, and after coming to the United States and settling at Tarentum, he attended the schools of Harrison township. When he was twelve years of age his father died, and as the support of the family devolved on him, the rest of his education was secured at night school. He was employed in. the bottle-works at Tarentum for about eighteen months, went into the plate glass works at Tarentum and there remained until 1901. He occupied nearly all positions in the works during this time, and in 1901 he was appointed foreman in the polishing department at Springdale and has thirty-two men under him in that department. He has two brothers and two sisters: Paul, foreman in the glass- works; Frank, attending school; Pauline, wife of Fabian Gross, an employe of the glass-works at Springdale, and Melia, at home. Mr. Shultz is a member of the Catholic church and a trustee of same, member of the Knights of St. John Sacred Hearts, and is a repub- lican in politics. Mr. Shultz's father was a soldier in the German army for three years and made a splendid record in that capacity.
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AUGUST BELSMEYER, foreman in the clothing department of the firm of Jones & Laughlin, Pittsburg, Pa., was born in Columbus, Ind., in 1863. He received his education in the public schools of his native city and in 1881, in connection with an uncle, established the firm of Greenwood & Belsmeyer, merchant tailors, at Wilson, N. C. Later he was in the merchant tailoring business at Raleigh, N. C., and still later he was the head of the firm of A. Belsmeyer & Co., merchant tailors, at Durham, N. C. In 1889 he entered the employ of William Smith & Son, Washington, Pa., as foreman and cutter in their merchant tailoring depart- ment. Five years later he engaged with Mr. E. Gray, general manager for the Jones & Laughlin Co., with whom he is still associated. Mr. Belsmeyer was one of the incorporators of the St. Clair savings and trust company and is now one of the directors. In political matters he is a consistent republican and at the last municipal election was chosen to represent Knoxville borough in the council. In the social life of Knoxville he is well known, being a member of several fraternal societies. He was married, in 1886, to Miss Susan E. Hudson, a daughter of Edward T. Hud- son, of Richmond, Va. To this marriage there have been born four children: Mary, Dorothea, Bernard and Louis. Mr. Bels- meyer's business career shows what a boy of pluck and determina- tion can do. Starting in boyhood without special advantages, he has worked his way up to his present responsible position by his own efforts.
JAMES SHANER, of Aspinwall, Pa., a well-known citizen and prominently identified with the oil business of that section, was born in Butler, Pa., Nov. 23, 1855, son of James A. and Susan (Shirley) Shaner, his father having been long connected with the shoemaking industry of that town. Mr. Shaner attended the public schools until thirteen years of age, when he left his studies to engage in the oil business, which he has followed since that time. He began in the oil well supply business at Parker's Land- ing, Armstrong Co., Pa., removed to Millerstown in 1878 and there remained until 1882. For some time he was employed at Rich- mond, N. Y., and in 1884 became connected with the Jarecki manufacturing company, stationed at Butler, Pa., until 1890, when he was transferred by the company to Washington, Pa. He remained there until 1895 and was again sent to Butler as local manager, remaining until 1898. For the next two years he served this company in West Virginia, came to Pittsburg as their repre- 11-32
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sentative in 1900, and since has continued to represent them in western Pennsylvania, though he has resided in Aspinwall since 1895. He was married, in 1882, to Ella M., daughter of Capt. James and Fannie B. Hazlett, and to them have been born three children, viz. : Fannie; Shirley S., with the Standard oil company, and Raymond D. Mr. Shaner is a prominent member of the First United Presbyterian church of Aspinwall. He is one of the lead- ing secret order men of that city and is a member of the Odd Fel- lows, the Masons, of which order he has taken the thirty-second degree; the Maccabees, the Elks, the Knights of Honor, the Royal Arcanum, and Junior Order of United American Mechanics. He comes of a long line of stanch republicans and is considered the lead- ing member of that party in Aspinwall. He served three years as councilman of Oakdale, Pa., and was elected a member of council the first year of his residence in Aspinwall. He has also been elected justice of the peace on several occasions but has declined to serve.
ADAM LANG, of Coulter, Pa., a prominent citizen and a suc- cessful coal-miner, was born in Allegheny county, Pa., June 26, 1850, son of Henry and Katharine Lang, both Hessians by birth. Mr. Lang has devoted his entire business career to coal-mining, of which vocation he has made a decided success and has accumu- lated a competency. He was married, on July 3, 1877, in Alle- gheny county, to Abbie, daughter of Horace and Elizabeth Gib- bons, of Coulter, Allegheny county, Pa., and they have the follow- ing children : James, William and Katharine. Mr. Lang is prom- inently identified with a number of the leading fraternal orders and holds membership in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is one of the leading citizens of that portion of the county and is well and favor- ably known throughout that community.
JOHN THADDEUS AUSTEN, of Aspinwall, Pa., a promi- nent citizen, was born March 26, 1864, in Bakerstown, Allegheny county, son of Charles and Anna (Jones) Austen, the former a leading carpenter of that town. He was educated in the public schools, and at the age of fifteen years began to learn the carpen- ters' trade under his father. After four years spent at this trade he engaged with E. Myrick, of Sharpsburg, in the hardware busi- ness and for seven years followed that vocation. For the next eighteen months he was employed in a pipe mill at Pittsburg and
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then entered the hardware store of S. J. Saint, of Sharpsburg, where he remained for seven years. He engaged in the feed busi- ness under the firm name of Austen Bros., at Etna, and con- ducted this business for four years. In 1899 he opened a grocery store in Aspinwall and met with much success in this venture, selling his interest in the business in March, 1903. Since then he has resided in Aspinwall and is one of the leading citizens of that city. He was married, on Jan. 27, 1887, to Hattie E. Robinson, and to them have been born six children, five of whom are now living, viz. : Clarence, Irene, Ruby, Willard and Elizabeth. Mr. Austen is a member of the Sharpsburg Baptist church, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Royal Arcanum, and is a republican in politics. The great-grandfather of Mr. Austen was Charles Austen, a distinguished soldier of England, holding the posi- tion of captain in the guards and also serving as a lieutenant in the royal navy. He came to America in a sail-boat in 1820, and was the head of this branch of the Austen family in the United States.
JOSEPH REINHART, of Coulter, Pa., a prosperous and suc- cessful butcher, was born in South Versailles township, Allegheny county, Pa., April 8, 1860, son of Florean and Monica (Miller) Reinhart, his father having died in 1875. Mr. Reinhart was educated in the public schools of his native township and on leav- ing school learned the butchers' trade, at which he has worked all the years of his business career, and since 1884 has been in business at his present stand in Coulter, Pa., where he has prospered and enjoyed a large and paying business. Mr. Reinhart was married, in 1885, to Mary A., daughter of James and Mary (Driscoll) McLaughlin, of South Versailles township, and they have five children, viz. : Frank, Stella, Celia, James and Harry, all residing with their parents. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church and a widely-known and highly-respected citizen. Mr. Reinhart also operates a large dairy on his farm of 200 acres in South Versailles township, and has a splendid standing in the commercial and financial world.
HENRY EDWARD KELLY, of Cheswick, Pa., superintendent of the Cheswick manufacturing company, was born in Forest county, Pa., on Aug. 7, 1876, son of Archibald B. and Frances A. (May) Kelly. His father is cashier of the Forest County National bank and is prominently identified with the lumber business of that section. Young Kelly attended the Kiskiminetas Springs
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school for four years, and later the Western university, of Pitts- burg, graduating in the electrical engineering course in 1898. He then accepted a position with the Pressed Steel car company and was with them for two years. In 1900 he became treasurer of the Pittsburg electric lamp company, remaining two years, when he accepted the position of superintendent of the Cheswick manufac- turing company, of Cheswick, Pa., of which he is also treasurer. They manufacture agricultural steel and hollow ware, and have a large and prosperous business. This company was chartered in 1893 with a capital stock of $50,000. Mr. Kelly is a Presbyterian, and in politics a republican, all of his ancestors having been closely identified with that party. John May, a progenitor of the mother of Mr. Kelly, was one of the Puritans who came to America in 1640. Mr. Kelly is a progressive and capable business man and · has achieved unusual success in his commercial career.
REV. CLEMENT KROGMANN, pastor of St. Wendoline's church, Carrick, Pa., was born Oct. 23, 1858, in Lohne, Oldenburg, Germany, and is the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Tombrael) Krogmann. His elementary education was acquired by eight years' attendance in the parochial schools of his native town, and four years in the high school in the same place. Afterwards he entered the gymnasium of Vechta, where he remained until he completed the entire course of study. On March 25, 1884, he landed in the United States, and went directly to Carthagena, Mercer Co., Ohio, where he studied philosophy for one year. He then went to Latrobe, Pa., and took a three-year course in theology in St. Vincent's college. On March 21, 1888, he was ordained to the priesthood by the Right Rev. R. Phelan, at Latrobe, and entered upon his duties. Father Krogmann said his first mass in St. Mary's church, at Pine Creek, Allegheny Co., Pa., and his first administration was in St. Joseph's church, at Pittsburg, where he stayed four and a half years. After leaving St. Joseph's, he was one year in charge of St. Alphonsus' church, at Wexford, Pa. ; one year at St. Aloysius' church, in Reserve township, Allegheny county; three and a half years at Verona as pastor of St. Joseph's church, and on Aug. 15, 1891, he entered upon his present charge. During the twelve years of his service at St. Wendoline's he has seen his work blessed with success. The congregation has steadily increased in numbers under his charge, and he is beloved by all his parishioners.
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ANDREW COLEMAN, liveryman and hauling contractor, has been a resident of Clairton since 1900 only, but he is one of the best-known men in the city. He is a son of John and Mary Jane (Ramsey) Coleman, and was born in the town of Camden, Pa., in 1872. His father was born in 1846, and died in 1900. His mother is still living. Andrew was educated in the public schools of Camden, after which he worked in the mines there until 1900, when he came to Clairton and engaged in the contract hauling business. Prompt attention to business and reasonable prices for his work brought him plenty to do, and from the first his business has prospered. Within the last year he has added a livery depart- ment to his business, and he is now the leader in that line in Clairton. He was married, in 1894, to Miss Alice Lewis. They have three children: Margaret, born in 1896; John, born in 1897, and Joseph, born in 1899. Mr. Coleman is a member of Coal Valley council, No. 98, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and in many ways is a model citizen. Although he is interested in public affairs, he does not neglect his business to take an active part in political contests, finding more pleasure in his family circle than in the primaries, and more profit in attending to his growing business than in the political arena.
HOWARD G. DOUGAN, one of the leading plumbers and gas-fitters of Clairton, Pa., was born in the city of Buffalo, N. Y., April 29, 1872. His father was Thomas Dougan, a native of New York city, but now deceased, and the maiden name of his mother was Mary Jane Summerville. She is a native of County Armagh, Ireland, and is still living. H. G. Dougan received his education in the public schools of Buffalo. Upon leaving school he worked about two years as a messenger boy for the Western Union tele- graph company. He then went into a lithographing establishment as an apprentice, but only remained at the business about a year, when he decided to learn the plumbers' trade. He therefore entered the employment of Early & Stygail, of Buffalo, and served his apprenticeship, learning the plumbing business in all its details. He worked at his trade as a journeyman until 1899, when he became the manager of the Smith Bros. plumbing business, at Ridgeway, Pa. About a year later he accepted a position as man- ager for the Charleroi plumbing company, and removed to Clairton. On Nov. 17, 1902, he opened a shop of his own and does a general plumbing and gas-fitting business. During his long career as a journeyman he learned that only skilled labor should be trusted
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to do plumbing, and consequently only that kind of labor finds a place in his establishment. All his work is done under his personal supervision, which insures satisfaction to his patrons. He is a member of the Pittsburg branch of the National plumbers' associa- tion. In 1900 he was married to Miss Marie Secheien, of Wilcox, Elk Co., Pa. They have one little daughter, Marie, born April 8, · 1901. Mr. Dougan is a member of the Presbyterian church, and an evidence of his popularity may be seen in the fact that in June, 1903, he was elected tax collector for the borough of Clairton.
JOHN W. RANKIN, of Boston, Pa., a successful farmer and a prominent citizen, was born in Elizabeth township, Allegheny Co., Pa., June 30, 1862, son of Samuel C. and Rebecca (Williamson) Rankin, his father having been a prosperous farmer of Elizabeth township until his death in 1895, at the age of sixty-five years. John W. Rankin was educated in the public schools of his native county, and since leaving school has devoted his entire attention to farming, of which vocation he has made an unqualified success and has a splendid place in Elizabeth township. Mr. Rankin is an ardent and active republican, and has occupied a prominent place in the public affairs of the township, having been elected to his present position on the school board in 1902, and also having served for two years as tax collector of the township.
ANDREW F. PEAIRS, a prominent dairy and stock farmer of Elizabeth township, is a descendant of one of the oldest families in western Pennsylvania. One of his ancestors entered a homestead in the year 1778, in what is now Elizabeth township, Allegheny Co., Pa., and it has been in possession of the Peairs family ever since, and is now the residence of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Peairs was born upon this farm, Feb. 2, 1850. His parents were Joseph and Margaret (Fife) Peairs. His father died in 1897. Andrew F. Peairs was educated in the Elizabeth public schools, and has spent his entire life upon the homestead where he was born and where he is now engaged in conducting one of the finest dairy and stock farms in this section of the country. He makes a specialty of Guernsey cattle, and a glance at some of his herds shows that he thoroughly understands the business of breeding and rearing cattle. Mr. Peairs disposes of the surplus of his herds, amounting to about twelve head a year, for breeding purposes and for which he receives very fancy prices. He is unmarried, and is an independent in politics.
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ROBERT J. SHIELDS, M. D., of Industry, Pa., a prominent physician and surgeon, was born in Washington county, Pa., April 28, 1854, son of James and Amanda C. Shields, both of Irish descent, who resided the greater part of their lives in Washington county, where his father, a successful miner, died in 1868. Dr. Shields accompanied his parents to Allegheny county when a mere infant, and was educated in the common schools of that county and at the West Pennsylvania university, where he was graduated in medicine in 1888, with the degree of doctor of medicine. The same year Dr. Shields initiated his professional career at Industry, and has since been one of the leading physicians of that part of the county. His practice is a large and lucrative one and is among the best families of that community. He was married, in 1890, to Mary, daughter of James and Anna (Brown) Black, of Coulters- ville, Pa., and their married life has been a halcyon one. Dr. Shields is a member of the Odd Fellows and the Foresters, and is one of the most substantial and highly respected citizens of that section.
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