USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, personal and genealogical with portraits, Volume II > Part 7
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DUANE P. SMITH, a prominent manufacturer of McKeesport, and for eight years member of the school board, was born in Mckeesport, Pa., Dec. 12, 1869. He attended the grade schools, then the high school. and after graduat- ing, took a supplementary course in a business college. Thus prepared, he began his successful business career, and since 1888 has been connected with the Mckeesport machine company. In 1895 he was elected to the school board, and has served as school director continu- ously since that time, being for four years secretary of the board. He has also served on the republican city committee, and is promi- nent in local affairs. Mr. Smith was married, in 1894, to Miss Allie Reed, daughter of Samuel H. Reed, of Knoxville, Pa. He is a member of Lodge No. 109, Jr. Order of American Mechanics, and Mckeesport lodge, No. 238, Royal Arcanum. Mr. Smith is a member of the Baptist church.
DAVID A. FOSTER, of the firm of Foster & Auld, furniture dealers, of Mckeesport, was born in that city in 1874, being a son of A. D. and Amanda L. Foster. He attended the Mckeesport public schools, and then took a commer- cial course at the Iron City business col- lege in Pittsburg. After this he was employed by the Howard plate glass com- pany, of Duquesne, for about six months, and then, coming to Mckeesport, was engaged for several years by R. E. Stone, a prominent furniture dealer, and learned the business thoroughly, and then, in December, 1901, formed a partnership with V. A. Auld and opened a store at Nos. 523 and 525 Walnut St., where the firm is now in business, and doing well. In politics Mr. Foster is a republican, and at the last election was a candidate for school controller of the sixth ward. He was defeated by a majority of seventy-six votes. Mr. Foster attends the First Baptist church. He is a member of the American Mechanics, the Knights of Malta, and Mckeesport lodge, No. 583, F. and A. M.
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PHILLIP L. HOFFMAN, JR., was born at Dravosburg, Allegheny Co., Pa., Dec. 14, 1858, being a son of Phillip and Caroline Hoffman. He attended the public schools, studied for a short time at Duff's business college, and then worked for his father, who was a black- smith by trade. Coming to Mckeesport in 1875, he entered the employ of the National tube company as assistant time- keeper, was later promoted to time-keeper, and has served in this capacity ever since. On Sept. 1, 1891, Mr. Hoffman married Miss Hannah L. Nill, daughter of D. and Hannah Nill, and has eight children, Anna, Emma, Johanna, Phillip, William, John, Elizabeth and Frederick. He is a member of Lodge No. 44, F. and A. M., of Mckeesport ; Lodge No. 552, I. O. O. F., and Titus lodge, No. 207, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Ger- man Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Hoffman is a republican. His home is in the seventh ward, Mckeesport.
EDWARD O. SEIFERT, of Mckees- port, Pa., a leading dentist, was born in Jefferson county, Pa., in 1878, a son of Edward and Josephine Seifert. Dr. Seifert received his earliest instruction in his native county, and when quite young accompanied his parents to Mckeesport, where he attended the graded and high schools. In 1897 he matriculated at the dental department of the University of Pennsylvania, and was graduated from that famous school in 1900. He returned to McKeesport, began practicing with Dr. A. C. Cope, and continued with him until July 5, 1902, when he opened an independent office in the Keystone building, on Locust street. Dr. Seifert now has a high standing among the dentists of western Pennsylvania, and has a splendid practice among the best people of that section. He is prominently identified with the Masons, being a member of Commandery No. 1, K. T., of Pittsburg, and Penn consistory, Valley of Pittsburg, S. P. R. S., thirty-second degree, and of the Mystic Shrine. Dr.
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Seifert is also a member of the Theta Nu Epsilon and the Xi Psi Phi Greek letter fraternities, the Darby dental association, the First Methodist church, and the republican party. Dr. Seifert is a young man of sterling qualities, is making a decided success of his professional career, and stands high in the esteem of all who know him.
JAMES P. BLACKBURN, M. D., of Mckeesport, Pa., a well-known physician, was born in Fayette county, Pa., in 1863, a son of the late John Blackburn and his wife, Margaret Irwin Blackburn. Dr. Blackburn attended the public schools, later the State normal school at Califor- nia, Pa., and then the Jefferson academy, of Canonsburg, Pa., where he pre- - pared himself for college, subsequently attending Washington and Jefferson col- lege. He read medicine under Dr. Louis Sutton, of West Newton, Pa .; later matriculated at the medical department of the University of Penn- sylvania, and was graduated from that famous school in 1891; to this he added a post-graduate course in the London hospitals. For one year he was located at the Allegheny county hospital at Wood- ville, Pa .; was appointed physician to the Western Pennsylvania penitentiary at Riverside, Allegheny county, and six months later became physician to the Pittsburg city hospital at Homestead, Pa. In 1893 Dr. Blackburn resigned that position to take up private practice, located at Mckeesport, and has since enjoyed a large practice in that city. He has his residence and office at No. 313 Penn Ave., and ranks high among the leading physicians of Mckeesport. He was married, on Sept. 24, 1896, to Emma C. Menke, of Homestead, Pa., and they have one child, Bernice. Dr. Blackburn is a republican, and served as school controller in 1898. He has been surgeon to the local hospitals, and also for the Pitts- burg & Lake Erie railroad since 1894, and has rendered splendid service in those positions. He is closely identified with the higher branches of Masonry, having taken the Chapter and Knight Templar degrees, and is a member and trustee of the First Presby- terian church.
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THOMAS H. VERNER, superinten- dent of the water department, McKees- port, was born in Westmoreland county in 1864. He came to Mckeesport when a boy, attended school there, and after- wards completed his education at the Iron City business college, which he attended until he reached the age of twenty-one. Mr. Verner was for many years successfully engaged as a con- tractor in Mckeesport, at first alone, and afterwards for ten years in company with his brother, S. S. Verner, and then, in 1898, was elected to the position which he has since ably filled. In politics he is a republican. He is a member of Mckeesport lodge, No. 136, B. P. O. Elks, and is an enthusiastic member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree, and is a Knight Templar and Shriner. Mr. Verner was married, in 1900, to Miss Minnie Hamilton, of Duquesne, Pa., and has one son, Thomas H., Jr. The family reside in Mckeesport, in the fifth ward.
CHARLES AUSTIN RANKIN, M. D., was born in Mifflin township, Allegheny Co., Pa., Nov. 25, 1873, and has been a practicing physician in Mckeesport since 1896, his office being at No. 1020 Walnut St. He is a son of William and Mary A. Rankin. William Rankin, for several years retired from active life, resides at No. 1016 Walnut St. He was born in Mifflin township in 1836, received in the district schools of the time such educa- tion as they afforded, and was a farmer until he reached the age of forty-eight, since which time he has resided in Mckeesport. He was married, in 1859, to Miss Mary A. McClure, of Mifflin township, and has, besides the subject of this sketch, two older children, Howard M. and Mary E. Dr. C. A. Rankin attended the Mckeesport public schools, graduating from the high school in 1892, and prepared for professional life at the Western Pennsylvania medical college, graduating from that institution in March, 1896. Coming to
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Mckeesport, he began a successful practice, at which he has since been engaged. On April 12, 1899, he married Miss Bell Allen, daughter of Mrs. Helen Allen, of Coal Valley, Allegheny county. Dr. Rankin is a member of the alumni association of his university, belongs to the Allegheny county medical society, and is a member of the staff of the Mckeesport hospital. He is also a member of the Home Guards of America, the Order of Americus, the Knights of the Maccabees, Foresters of America, and Aliquippa lodge, No. 375, Free and Accepted Masons. The doctor belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
ANDERSON SOLES, of Mckeesport, Pa., has passed his entire life in the city of which he is now an honored citizen. He was born in 1861 on a farm located in what is now the eighth ward, and is the son of Alexander and Catherine (Dunn) Soles. His father died in 1886, but his mother, who is a native of Scotland, is still living. Anderson obtained his edu- cation in the common schools of his native town, and worked on the farm with his father until the latter's death, when he succeeded to the estate. In 1887 he opened stone quarries on the old homestead, in a small way at first, but his business gradually increased until at the present time his operations are on an extensive scale. Besides operating the quar- ries, he is a contractor of stone work of all kinds and employs a number of men in the various branches of his business. He was married, in 1884, to Miss Molly Catherine Livingstone, of Johns- town, Pa., and three children have been born to them, viz. : David L., born in 1887; Herbert A., born in 1888, and Walter D., born in 1890. In politics Mr. Soles is a republican, and he stands high in the councils of his party. He has served two terms as a member of the common council from the eighth ward, after which he was elected to the select council. He was re-elected to this body at the special election in May, 1903. Both his business and his political career have been characterized by a strict attention to the matter in hand. Concerning his rules of conduct, it might be truthfully said that he is guided by the Biblical injunction, "Whatsoever thy hands find to do, that do with thy might."
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FREDERICK H. COURSIN, a prom- inent real estate dealer, of Mckeesport, is a descendant of one of the pioneer families of that city. His ancestors came originally from New Jersey. His grand- father, Peter Coursin, a carpenter by trade, located in Elizabeth in the latter part of the eighteenth century. His family consisted of three daughters and two sons: the oldest daughter married a Belum Grimes, of West Elizabeth; Catherine, afterwards Mrs. Hamilton, died at the age of ninety-nine years, two months and twelve days; Nancy, afterwards the wife of George Cunningham; Isaac, who was drowned in early manhood, and Benjamin, the youngest of the family. Peter Coursin lived to the extreme old age of 101 years. Benjamin Coursin began his busi- ness career in the boat yards of Samuel Walker, at Elizabeth, where he rose to be foreman and held that position for several years. He then formed a partnership with James Irwin and Richard Stephens as contractors and builders of steam vessels. The firm conducted a successful business until 1849, when the partnership was dis- solved. Mr. Coursin then went to Mckeesport and located on the Reynoldton side of the Youghiogheny river, in what is now the tenth ward of the city of Mckeesport. There he erected a saw- mill, and soon afterwards began the boat-building business on his own account. He prospered in his undertaking, and also became interested in a number of steamboat lines operating on the different rivers of the country. After the Civil war he was succeeded by the firm of Hommit, Milliken & Chrissinger. This gave Mr. Coursin an opportunity to devote his time and attention to the different transportation companies in which he was interested, the principal ones being the Northern Line packet company, which ran . twelve large steamers, the finest on the Western waters, between St. . Louis and St. Paul; the Pittsburg, Brownsville & Geneva packet company, and the Elizabeth & Pittsburg line. In each of these companies he was a director, and he was the president of the last- named for several years. At one time the Northern Line paid dividends amounting to fifty per cent. of the capital invested. The others also paid large dividends. Besides his shares in these lines, Mr. Coursin held an interest in several large steamers plying between Pittsburg and New Orleans, Cincinnati, St. Louis and
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other points. At that time Elizabeth township included all the territory at present embraced in the townships of Elizabeth, Forward and Lincoln, and on election days some of the voters would have to go several miles to reach the voting place at Elizabeth. On such occasions Benjamin Coursin, who was an ardent republican, would furnish one of his steamers to transport the voters of his party living along the river to the polls and return them to their homes after they had cast their votes. He died at his home in Reynoldton, in his eighty-eighth year. His wife was Christina Rhoads, the daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Rhoads, who lived in a palatial stone mansion overlooking the Monongahela river, opposite the mouth of Peters creek. Benjamin and Christina Coursin were the parents of seven children-six sons and one daughter. They were: Isaac, Benjamin B., Frederick H., John McD., David, James P. and Mary E. Isaac, the eldest son, was engaged in several enterprises, first among them being the boat- building industry, in which he was associated with his uncle, George Cunningham. Later he was interested with his father-in- law, Mr. Wilson, in the milling business, at Bloomington, Ill. Dur- ing the Civil war, and for some years afterwards, he was in the internal revenue service. Benjamin B., the second son, was at one time extensively interested in the coal mining industry, operating the Aliquippa mines in Mifflin township, now owned by what is known as the "River Combine." He was also the owner of the Mckeesport Times, then a weekly paper, but now the Daily Times. At the present time he is the owner and manager of the Clementine bath house at Mt. Clemens, Mich., the famous health resort. He is also the owner of the Eastman hotel, the finest at Mt. Clemens. John McD., the fourth son, enlisted in early manhood in Company I, 9th Pennsylvania reserve corps, but died about 1864 from lung trouble, brought on by a severe cold. David died in his infancy, and James P., the youngest son, is now the proprietor of the pop- ular Ringgold hotel in McKeesport. The daughter is now Mrs. B. D. Downey, of New Philadelphia, Ohio, and is interested with her brother in real estate transactions. Frederick H. Coursin, the third son of the family, began business as a coal operator in the sixties. In this business he met with success and abandoned it only to go into the banking business with his father. They opened the first bank in Mckeesport, which, after a number of years, was sold to the Commercial banking company, of Pittsburg, and oper- ated as a branch of that institution. After a few years it was reorganized as the First National bank of Mckeesport, and it is
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one of the strongest financial institutions in western Pennsylvania. Mr. Coursin is at present engaged in buying and selling real estate. He is one of the large property owners of the city, and his office, at No. 519 Market St., is one of the leading real estate marts of Mckeesport. Mr. Coursin married Miss Louise, the daughter of Robert and Augusta (Von Sabach) Forsythe. Mrs. Coursin's mother is a native of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Germany. To this mar- riage there were born ten children, viz .: Harry, Frederick and Edna, deceased; William, now in charge of an engineering corps on the Wabash railroad, and stationed at Bridgeville; George, who is in the real estate business at Glassport; Augusta, now the wife of William Larmer, the representative of the Westinghouse company at Manchester, England; Sarah F., at home, a teacher in the Mckeesport schools; Ruth D., now attending art school in Pitts- burg ; John B., a graduate of Staunton military academy and pre- paring himself for a surveyor, and Martha J., attending school and living at home with her parents. Mr. Coursin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Mckeesport, and all his transactions have been characterized by his uprightness and fair dealing.
WILLIAM DEWEESE FAWCETT, of Mckeesport, Pa., a leading dentist, was born in the city where he now resides on Feb. 8, 1870, a son of Thomas R. and Katherine B. Fawcett. Dr. Fawcett accompanied his parents to Pittsburg when only one year of age, and was edu- cated in the elementary branches at the Birmingham school, on the South Side. Then for one year he clerked in a shoe store, later went with the Oliver wire company to learn the machinist trade, and received his certificate as a machinist on May 8, 1890. Dr. Fawcett remained with that concern for seven years, and became foreman of the steam-fitting department. While occupying that position he attended the Iron City college in the evenings, and on Oct. 4, 1897, matriculated at the dental depart- ment of the Western University of Pennsylvania. He prosecuted his studies there with great vigor, achieved high standing in his classes, and during his vacations worked at his trade to secure funds for the needs of the succeeding year. He was graduated on April 4, 1899, and a short time afterwards was licensed to practice by the
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State board of examiners. Dr. Fawcett also holds a certificate from the State of Ohio, and is a graduate of the Pittsburg school of anatomy. He has practiced his profession with much success since Oct. 15, 1899, maintains splendidly-equipped offices in the Dittmer block, on Fifth avenue, Mckeesport, and has a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Fawcett was married, on Oct. 2, 1902, to Eliza Ann, daughter of J. William and Sarah E. Mitchell, of Elizabeth, Pa., and their wedded life has been one of ideal felicity. Dr. Fawcett is a member of the Psi Omega fraternity, the Odontological society of western Pennsylvania, the alumni associ- ation of the Western University of Pennsylvania, the Masons, the First Methodist church, and the republican party. Dr. Fawcett and his wife are very popular, and are prominent in the social circles of Mckeesport.
REV. KALMAN KOVATS, pastor of St. Stephen's (Magyar) Roman Catholic church, Mckeesport, was born in Hun- gary in 1863. He received a liberal edu- cation in the schools of his native country, was a professor there two years, for six years a minister, and for three years editor of a political newspaper. Coming to America in 1899, he took charge of St. Stephen's parish, and has had charge since then. He has also been instru- mental in organizing many churches in various parts of the country. Besides his ministerial duties, Rev. Kalman Kovats is editor and manager of the Magyarok Csillaga, a paper that has a wide circulation among the Magyars throughout America. The paper is now four years old. Father Kovats' church has a membership of about 1,500, and the house of worship, which was dedicated in August, 1901, cost approximately $50,000, which bespeaks the greatest liberality on the part of the congregation. Andrew Carnegie, who is interested in the Magyars, recently offered to donate $1, 500 toward a church organ, if the congregation would duplicate the amount. Father Kovats, with characteristic energy, started out immediately in search of contributions, and in a comparatively short time raised enough money so that the congregation might fulfill its part of the contract.
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JAMES W. DUNCAN, superintendent of the butt-weld department of the National tube company at Mckeesport, is a young man who has, in a compara- tively short time, risen by his own efforts to a position in which he has charge of 900 men. Mr. Duncan was born in Mckeesport in 1874, son of George and Mary Duncan, was educated in the Mckeesport public schools, and went to work in the piping department of the National tube company. Later he became millwright, and after that was promoted to his present responsible position. His home is in the fourth ward, Mckeesport. He is a member of Titus lodge, No. 207, Knights of Pythias.
JOHN K. SKELLEY, indisputably the leading merchant of Mckeesport, and well it can be said of the Mononga- hela valley, has had a varied and deeply interesting career. With untiring energy, perseverance and stable honesty, he has won for himself an enviable position in the healthy business world. Bright, entertaining and withal cheerful, even under the weight of a decidedly strenu- ous business career, Mr. Skelley is con- tinually adding to his wide circle of admirers. Prominent and influential, his remarkable and most successful career is the guiding star for many a younger merchant whose ambition points to the pinnacle upon which Mckeesport's merchant prince sits. Mr. Skelley is decidedly a self-made man. In tender years the bright-faced messenger boy, weary of a treasury, sought a more arduous duty. In the lad's mind's eye he believed he saw in the station of a printers' "devil" the first rung in a ladder that would lead to fame, but fortune's kindly hand led the boy from the printing office of John W. Pritchard, an able and conscientious editor, to the duty of a paper carrier at a salary of two dollars per week. During the boy's career as messenger for the Western Union telegraph company, he gained a valuable knowledge of the town and its people, and it
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served him well as a carrier of newspapers. He carried news- papers for a number of years and attended the parochial school. When about seventeen years of age, or in 1878, he left school and purchased a newspaper route, which he conducted with energy and profit for nine years, having at that time probably 3, 000 customers. In 1878 young Mr. Skelley established a cigar store and took into partnership his brother, H. C. Skelley. The capital was small, but by commendable industry, patient perseverance and strict integrity, he carved for himself a way to a greater business career -great then, but exceedingly small as the mind of the merchant of to-day recurs to the struggling times of his boyhood days. In the course of ten years the young merchant saved sufficient money from the two enterprises to enter the dry-goods business, and, in July, 1889, he disposed of his interests to purchase the dry-goods establishment of Ferdinand Riber. His brother was at the begin- ning associated with him in the business, but upon his death, Aug. 29, 1889, Mr. Skelley bought the interest, and has since individually conducted the business. In 1895 Mr. Skelley moved to his present location, and has now the largest and by far the best equipped mercantile establishment in Mckeesport. In addition, Mr. Skelley owns dry-goods stores in Monessen and Turtle Creek, and is president of the Skelley dry-goods company, which operates stores in Homestead and Braddock. He has a controlling interest in the firm of Skelley & Haney, Mckeesport, and Haney & Co., No. 710 Penn Ave., Pittsburg. A new venture in which he has lately become interested is the Skelley & Haney furniture com- pany, Mckeesport, of which he is president. Mr. Skelley is a director of the First National bank of Mckeesport, and is the youngest member of the board of that substantial institution. Besides, he is a director in the Union National bank of Braddock, and is prominently identified with banking institutions at Turtle Creek, Monessen and Homestead, and in other financial concerns. He is a member of the Mckeesport lodge of Heptasophs, the National Union, Ben-Hur and other secret and beneficial organ- izations. He carries a very heavy life insurance. John K. Skelley was born at Latrobe, Westmoreland Co., Pa., in 1862. He is a son of Michael and Ann Skelley. He attended the parochial school at Latrobe for a brief period, and in 1871 went to Mckeesport, where he has since resided. Mr. Skelley's mother and one sister are liv- ing. He was twice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth Kane, of Fort Wayne, Ind. By that union seven children were born, four of whom are living. In the fall of 1902 he married Miss
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Anna Harvey, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles K. Harvey, of Mckeesport, formerly of Greensburg, Pa. Mr. Skelley is now in the full prime of matured manhood, enjoying good health, possess- ing all the desired comforts of life, and surrounded by a happy family and a host of warm and admiring friends, who are justly proud of his success and his high standing in the town and who fully appreciate his great moral worth as a man and a citizen.
JAMES CAMPBELL, general inspect- or of the National tube works, is a native of Prince Edward Island, where he was born in the year 1838. At the age of fourteen he left the parish school and went to sea on a merchantman, but while on a voyage to the United States he left his ship, soon afterward engaging as a sailor on an American vessel. From that time until about the year 1870 he followed the sea, the last few years being passed as master of a ship. During the Civil war he served in the United States navy, and was for three and a half years with Farragut. He was present at the famous naval engagement in Mobile bay, was with the fleet at Galveston when Harriet Law was taken, and participated in the blowing up of Westfield. Part of the time during his service he was a petty officer, and was honorably discharged from the navy in 1864. Upon giving up a seafaring life, he entered the employ of the tube works, first at Boston, and later at Mckeesport. Altogether he has been with the company for thirty-three years; twenty-two years of that time were spent in the finishing depart- ment, and for the last four years he has held the position of general inspector. He came to Mckeesport while it was still a borough, and for eleven years was a member of the common and select council. Four years of that time he was chairman of the select council, and was a member of that body when the city government was organized in 1891. In politics he is a republican, and it was as a representative of that party that he was elected to the council, though while serving in that capacity he never allowed his parti- sanship to stand in the way of the public good. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Aliquippa lodge of Masons, the Heptasophs, and the Protected Home Circle. He is the son of Roderick and Isabella (Stewart) Campbell. His father was a
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