Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 107

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 107

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

To Mr. and Mrs. Irvin ten children were born, as follows: Daniel Judson, who died at the age of twenty-five years; Ellen, who resides at Bellwood; Mary, who is deceased (was the wife of William Wertz, of Bell- wood and is survived by three children- Irvin, Herman and Elizabeth); Edward, a resident of Sante Fe, N. M., who married Elizabeth Closson, and they have one son, Thomas Franklin; Elizabeth, who is the wife of James V. Smelker, of Bellwood, and they have a daughter, Anna Elizabeth; Minnie, who died at the age of two months; William John, who is the home farmer for his mother, having 168 acres under his man- agement; Alice S., and Annie, both of whom reside with their mother; and Mar- garet, who died at birth. Mrs. Irvin and children are members of the Logan Valley Baptist Church. The family is one of the oldest in the county and it is possible that the grandfather was born here, although the old records that might prove it have been lost. The late Adie Franklin Irvin was a worthy member of this family, honorable, reliable and trustworthy both in times of war and those of peace, acquitting himself in every position in which the circumstances of his life placed him, with the utmost credit.

COL. J. BLAIR SHOENFELT,* a prominent and successful business man of Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he is exten- sively interested in the production of oil, is a scion of an old and representative fam- ily of Blair County, Pa. Colonel Shoenfelt, as he is familiarly known to his many friends, is a summer resident of Blair County, occupying his estate, which is sit- uated near Roaring Spring. He was born at East Sharpsburg, Blair County, Pa., Feb- ruary 14, 1859, and is a son of George M. and Christiana (Burkett) Shoenfelt.

George M. Shoenfelt was born in Taylor Township, Blair County, in 1822, and has always resided there. His father was Jacob Shoenfelt and his grandfather was William Shoenfelt, the latter of whom came as a

pioneer to Taylor Township, from Hagers- town, Md. Jacob Shoenfelt, grandfather of Col. Shoenfelt, is remembered as one of the finest specimens of physical manhood ever produced in Blair County. He was noted for his size, his strength and his power of endurance as well as for his ster- ling qualities of mind and character. His business was farming but in early days he did a large amount of teaming also and transported merchandise from Baltimore to this section and also pig iron from Maria Forge to Pittsburg.

George M. Shoenfelt, father of Col. Shoenfelt is now in his eighty-eighth year and still remains hale and hearty. In early manhood he taught school and later made farming his main interest. He has served many years on the township school board and is now its president and in spite of his age takes much interest in its deliberations and his sound advice is followed by his fellow members. He married Christiana Burkett and the names of his surviving sons are as follows: Horace G., of East Sharps- burg; Ethan Allen, of Roaring Spring; J. Blair, of Oklahoma; George, also of Okla- homa; Adam, of Taylor Township, Blair County ; Daniel, of Geneva, N. Y .; and Ed- ward, of Taylor Township.

J. Blair Shoenfelt was reared on the home farm in Taylor Township and was afforded excellent educational advantages, these in- cluding attendance at the Brethren's Normal School at Huntingdon, Pa., and three years as a student at the University of Indiana, where he was graduated in 1880. He had studied law and was admitted to the bar of Indiana, in March of that year, and shortly afterward went to South Dakota, finding what promised to be a good opening in a professional way, at Estelline, in Hamlin County. In November, 1880, he was elected the first county judge of Hamlin County and served on the bench for several years. After South Dakota became a state, he was elected the first circuit judge of the Third Judicial Circuit of South Dakota and served in that

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position for two years. He continued in the practice of law at Estelline until 1890, when he removed to Douglass, Wyoming, where he also became prominent in his profession and a leader in public affairs. He was elected prosecuting attorney and served through several terms, giving Converse County an honest and progressive adminis- tration. While a resident of Wyoming, he was honored by the late President Mckinley who appointed him Indian agent, the ap- pointment coming to Col. Shoenfelt without any solicitation on his part.

Col. Shoenfelt entered upon the duties of agent for the five civilized Indian tribes of Indian Territory, on June 30, 1899, and served with efficiency until June 30, 1905, when he resigned. When he took charge of the office, two clerks only were employed and as an indication of the activity and busi- ness enterprise of the new agent, it may be mentioned that when he retired the depart- ments he had organized required eighty stenographers and about 150 bookkeepers, clerks and other minor officials. The busi- ness transacted was vast in extent and volume and never had the Indian affairs of that section been in such complete order. For a number of years he has been promi- nently identified with the oil industry in Oklahoma and also in valuable mines in Mexico. His business interests are varied and important particularly along these lines. He is a director and a member of the ad- visory board of the Mid-Continent Life In- surance Company, which has its headquar- ters at Muskogee, Okla., and he is a director of the Altar Placer Gold Mining Company, which has headquarters at Hermisillo, Mex., of which he is also president.

For a number of years Col. Shoenfelt has been interested more or less in military mat- ters. He was colonel of the first regiment of the Wyoming National Guards which was recruited for the Spanish-American War and by order of the adjutant-general went to Cheyenne, Wyo., where it went into camp and was drilled in preparation for active

service and was ordered to the front just before the termination of the war. He con- tinued to serve as colonel of this regiment as long as he remained a resident of Wyoming and is affectionately remembered by his old comrades.

Colonel Shoenfelt was married in May, 1883, to Miss Anna E. Isenberg, who was born at Alexander, Pa., and is a daughter of J. Miller Isenberg, of Johnstown, Pa. Col. and Mrs. Shoenfelt have three children: Pearl, who is the wife of Dr. C. A. Thomp- son, of Muskogee; Cecil E., who is general superintendent of the Blair Oil Refining Company located at Muskogee, a very suc- cessful young business man; and Doris E., who resides with her parents. During the winter months the family resides at Musko- gee, taking a prominent part in the pleasant social life of the place, but when summer comes, the old farm in Taylor Township offers a welcome and attractions that only one's native place can give. During Feb- ruary, March and April of 1910, Col. Shoen- felt and family enjoyed an extended West Indian cruise and visited the Isle of Pines and other points of interest.

In political adherence, Col. Shoenfelt is a Republican but in late years has declined all political honors, his extensive business in- terests absorbing his time and attention to a large degree. He is prominently identified with Masonry and belongs to the minor branches as well as the Commandery at Muskogee and also is connected with the Elks at this point.

Col. Shoenfelt has had an interesting career and has done his full share in bring- ing about the development of sections of the Union which, in his youth, were considered entirely uncivilized. He went into the far West with the training of a collegian, the courage of a brave man and the enterprise which overcomes difficulties. Called upon to assume judicial duties before he had en- joyed any measure of legal experience, he made no mistakes and when he retired from one official position it was but to assume the

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

duties of a still more important one. In South Dakota, Wyoming and Muskogee, Okla., he is looked upon as a foremost citizen but it is when he returns to Blair County that he realizes the pride and affec- tion with which his fellow citizens claim him as one of their own.

DR. EMORY H. MORROW, one of Al- toona's skilled physicians and highly es- teemed citizens, has been identified with the medical profession of this borough for the past 21 years. He was born in 1858 in Clearfield, Pa., and was there reared and obtained his education in the local and a private school. He subsequently entered what is now the Cleveland Medical College, from which he graduated with the class of 1883, and on May 10, 1883, located at Ty- rone, Pa., where he began his career as a physician and surgeon. In December, 1888, he came to Altoona, Pa., where he has since been continuously and successfully engaged in following his profession. He is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, the Central Homeopathic and the State Homeopathic Societies, and is a member of the staff of surgery and gynecology of the new hospital of Altoona. Dr. Morrow is fraternally a member of the I. O. O. F., the Forresters and Heptasophs, the University Club, and some insurance organizations.

In 1891 Dr. Morrow was married to Laura M. Smith of Tyrone, and they have one daughter, Ada Lee Morrow. Dr. Morrow is a member of the First M. E. Church, of which he has served as a member of the board of trustees. He holds two chairs on the Mercy Hospital Staff, Surgery and Gynecology.

GEORGE WASHINGTON KYPER, who passed out of this life on November 22. 1901, was for many years identified with the business interest of Bellwood, Pa., and built what is known as the Central Hotel, but was during his earlier life actively engaged in agricultural pursuits in Tyrone Township,

Blair County, Pa. He was born March I, 1846, in McConnellstown, Huntingdon County, Pa., a son of John and Susanne (Nail) Kyper, both of whom were also na- tives of Huntingdon County, Pa., and a grandson of Daniel Kyper, who was one of the pioneers of Huntingdon County. Dan- iel Kyper was a stone mason by trade and . built the old jail and nearly all of the old stone buildings now seen in Huntingdon.

George W. Kyper was reared in Hunt- ingdon County, but his education was ob- tained mainly at Petersburg. He was a farmer by occupation and in 1865 with his parents moved to Sinking Valley, Tyrone Township, Blair County, Pa. There he farmed on the place on which his father located until 1875, when he moved to An- tis Township, where he carried on farming on the B. F. Bell farm until 1883. He was eminently successful as a farmer, and in 1883 came to Bellwood, the site of which was at that time principally timberland, and was one of the first builders to locate on Main Street. He erected the Central Hotel, and with the paper wood taken from the lot on which it was built paid for the glass. that went into the building. Here he successfully conducted a hotel until the spring of 1891 without a license. He then built a fine brick house in which he resided three years and during the time of the panic sold the hotel, which was afterwards re- bought by his oldest son, and is now owned by Mrs. Kyper. He subsequently built a house on the lot adjoining his brick resi- dence, and lived there until the hotel again came into the possession of the family, then lived in the hotel which he had built, until the time of his death from Brights disease, on November 22, 190I. While proprietor of the hotel, he was in the livery business continuously from 1883 until his death, and also sold farm implements and fertilizers.

Mr. Kyper was married December 28, 1871, to Abigail Susan Ramey, who was born in Sinking Valley, Tyrone Township,

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Blair County, Pa., June 25, 1845, a daugh- ter of Daniel and Rachel (Fleck) Ramey. Her father was born in Berks County, Pa., a son of Francis and Catherine (Ginter) Ramey, the former being a native of France, and the latter of Germany. Fran- cis Ramey and his wife came to America and located in Berks County, Pa., where he followed bridge building. He met an ac- cidental death by falling off a bridge and his widow moved with the family to Ty- rone Forge, Blair County, Pa., where she subsequently married George Fleck. Dan- iel Ramey was a small child when his mother removed to Tyrone Forge, and he there learned the shoemaking trade, which he subsequently followed in Sinking Valley until the time of his death at the age of 77 years. He married Rachel Fleck, who bore him three sons and one daughter, namely : John F., deceased, who was a resident of Colorado; Gabriel Henry, deceased, who resided in Virginia; Sanford D., who is a resident of Trenton, N. J .; and Abigail S. (Mrs. Kyper).

Mr. and Mrs. Kyper became the parents of the following children: Leslie Ramey, of Bellwood; Martha Mary, who died aged two years and eight months; Nora Cath- erine, who died aged eight years and four months; Abbie Maud, born February 15, 1879, who is the wife of W. T. Stevens, a resident of Bellwood and an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad (they have three daughters, Susan Evaline, Naomi Genevieve, and Georgia Kyper Stevens) ; John Daniel, born December 5, 1884, in Bellwood, Pa., who is a rural route deliv- erer (he married Harriet Ellen Martz and they have one daughter, Marian Moyer Kyper) ; and Don Cameron, born January 19, 1888, who is a well known physician of Tyrone.

Leslie R. Kyper was born December 17, 1872, in Sinking Valley, and being the eld- est of the family grew into his father's busi- ness, having had charge of the livery busi- ness, which he continues to conduct. In

1900 he established a meat market in his father's hotel building, but later removed to his present quarters on Main and Cam- bria Streets, and is one of the prosperous and enterprising business men of Bellwood. The family owns the building his store is in, the drug store adjoining, the hotel build- ing, and the residence the daughter of our subject resides in. Mrs. Kyper, spends her winters in Florida. She is a member of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Kyper was also a member.

JACOB CARN, justice of the peace in Greenfield Township, Blair County, Pa .. and for many vears identified with public affairs in this section, has been a resident of Claysburg, Pa., since 1871. He was born December 26, 1853, in Imler Valley, Bedford County, Pa., and is a son of Will- iam and Susan (Pressel) Carn and a grand- son of George Carn and Isaac Pressel, early settlers in Bedford County, who left many descendants.

Jacob Carn was reared in his father's house with brothers and sisters and at- tended the local schools until he was about eighteen years of age. He then came to Claysburg to learn the furniture and un- dertaking business with S. E. Hoenstine, with whom he served an apprenticeship of three years. For some years afterward, Mr. Carn worked as a journeyman, but in 1896 .he embarked in business for himself and still continues in the furniture and un- dertaking line. He commands the respect and enjoys the confidence of his fellow cit- izens to an unusual degree and has prob- ably been more frequently elected to re- sponsible township offices than any other resident. For several years he served as constable of Greenfield Township, for ten years served as township clerk, for some years as road tax collector, for more years as treasurer and in 1890 was elected justice of the peace, in which office he has served ably and continuously ever since with the exception of one year.

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Mr. Carn was married to Miss Matilda Shock, a daughter of Capt. Daniel Shock, one of Claysburg's most respected and ven- erable citizens, he having reached his eighty-seventh year. To Mr. and Mrs. Carn eight children were born, namely : Mattie R., who is the popular postmistress at Claysburg; William F., who lives at Martinsburg; Charles O., who is in busi- ness at Roaring Spring; D. Ray, who is in the mail service and lives at Juniata, Pa .; John L., Margaret V. and Frederick L., all of whom live at Claysburg; and Stan- ton, who is deceased. Jacob Carn is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows and for a quarter of a century has been secre- tary of the Claysburg Lodge.

DAVID W. IRWIN, a representative citizen and prosperous agriculturist of An- tis Township, Blair County, Pa., who re- sides on his valuable farm of sixty-eight acres, was born on this place, December 16, 1862, and is a son of Walter Scott and Ann (Hamilton) Irwin.

Walter Scott Irwin was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 1820, and came to America in 1845, making the voyage in one of the old-time sailing vessels that required fourteen weeks to cover the distance that is now covered in one week or less. He lo- cated at Hollidaysburg, Pa., where he worked as a cooper, having learned the trade under his father. He invested his money in town property and at one time owned a whole square situated back of the court house there. In 1859 he purchased the old Russ farm, in Antis Township, on which he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1895. His burial was in the Asbury Cemetery. He was an ex- cellent business man and was well known all through this section. He married Ann Hamilton, then in her twenty-seventh year, who was living in the home of her cousin, Jonathan Hamilton, near Altoona. Mrs. Irwin was born in County Down, Ireland. She not only possessed many of the per-

sonal attractions which have made Irish women admired in every land, but was also unusually gifted in intellect. Although she never enjoyed any superior educational ad- vantages, she made such good use of those she had that when little more than a girl she was accepted as a teacher in her own country and after coming to America, with her sister, Mrs. Sarah Lowther, she con- tinued to teach for a time in Logan Town- ship. Her children value very highly a prize that she won in Ireland by being able to spell every word in the old Webster Dic- tionary, a feat that many a college graduate of the present day might not succeed in. She survived until August, 1890, and was buried by the side of her husband. Eight children were born to them, namely: Jen- nie, who resides on the homestead; Mag- gie, deceased, who was the wife of Alex- ander Cornmesser; William H., a very prominent citizen of Blair County, who served two terms in the state legislature and three terms as county register and re- corder and resides at Altoona; Joseph, who is also a resident of Altoona; James and John C., both of whom are deceased; David W .; and Annie R., who is a popular teacher in the Altoona schools.

David W. Irwin was reared in Antis Township and attended what was then called the Crider, but now is known as the McKnight school and his first teacher was Ira Fleck. He has followed farming and stock raising on the old home farm ever since. He was married in 1892, to Miss Emma Cox, who was born on an adjoining farm and is a daughter of Asbury and Alice Cox, and they have four children : Alice M., Ruth H., Clara N. and William M. Mr. Irwin and family attend the Presbyte- rian church at Juniata. He votes the Re- publican ticket and takes a good citizen's interest in public matters. He has never desired office, but when elected to the same has performed every duty with the greatest efficiency. He served six years as township

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supervisor and three years as school di- (Colyer) Robeson, who were well known rector.

A. M. JACOBS, a representative business man of Altoona, Pa., where he is engaged in the fire insurance, real estate, mortgage and loan line, has been a resident of this city for eight years and has become thoroughly iden- tified with its leading interests. He was born at East Berlin, Adams County, Pa., in 1880.

Mr. Jacobs was educated in the schools of East Berlin and at the Millersville State Nor- mal School, where he was a student for three years. After completing his school course he became Principal of the Juniata schools, which position he held for five years, and then be- came manager for the new business depart- ment of the Altoona Gas Company, a position he acceptably filled for eighteen months. In December, 1908, he bought out the old T. J. Trout Insurance Agency, a business formerly conducted by B. F. McCartney. Mr. Jacobs has proved his enterprise by his progressive methods and within the past two years has se- cured the agency of twelve of the leading in- surance companies of the country, dealing in fire and life risks. His dealings in real estate `have been exceedingly important. During 1909 he erected fourteen new houses and dur- ing the first five months of the current year started the building of seventeen more dwell- ings.

Mr. Jacobs was married in December, 1905, to Miss Mae Grogg, of East Berlin, Adams County. He is a member of the Lutheran church and an elder in the same and is serving as assistant superintendent of the Sunday- school. He is identified with the Lodge of Odd Fellows and the Elks and belongs also to the Modern Woodmen of America.

JOHN B. ROBESON,* an enterprising citizen of Williamsburg, Pa., is engaged in operating a fine farm of 107 acres in Cath- erine Township, Blair County, and with the exception of two years spent in railroading, has been a life-long resident of this county. He was born January 21, 1855, in Altoona, Pa., and is a son of D. M. and Mary Ann

agriculturists of this county. The father was born on a farm, where the borough of Altoona is located, a son of William Robe- son. His union with Mary Ann Colyer, who was a daughter of John Colyer, re- sulted in the following issue: John B., sub- ject of this record; Sarah, who married George Fonner; Howard S .; and Amanda, who is the wife of David Morningstar. The family held membership with the Lu- theran church.

John B. Robeson attended the common schools of Catherine Township and with the exception of two years, when he worked on the railroad, has always lived on his present farm, which he bought from his father in 1899. Here he carries on farming in a general way, and raises stock sufficient for his own use, but makes his home in Williamsburg. 1

In 1876 Mr. Robeson married Maggie E. Forest, a daughter of Jacob and Jane (Soulsby) Forest, the former a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and the latter of England. She was one of the following children born to her parents: John; Sam- uel; Albert; Jennie, who married Jacob Goodwin; and Ellen, who is the wife of Elmer McGill. Mr. and Mrs. Robeson are parents of the following children: Anna Bell, is the wife of Alfred Hicks; Gertrude, married Homer Patterson; Bessie, married Warren McDowell; Charles; Sylvester; Lawrence; Rhoda; Edna; Beulah; and Maxwell. The religious connection of the family is with the Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Robeson takes an active inter- est in the Republican party.

WILLIAM RILEY BUSH, general farmer and a well known citizen of Antis Township, Blair County, Pa., where he owns sixty-two acres of well improved land, was born in Love's Valley, Huntingdon County, Pa., September 13, 1862, and is a son of William Luther and Mary (Glas- gow) Bush.

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William Luther Bush was born in Berks County, Pa., and came from there to Blair County. With the exception of several years spent in Huntingdon County and two years in Clearfield County, the greater part of his subsequent life was spent in Blair County. When the Pennsylvania Railroad was being erected, he operated a steam saw-mill for the company, at Fostoria, but maintained his home in Antis Township, where later he became a prosperous farmer. His death occurred in 1900 and his burial was in the Logan Valley Cemetery. He married Mary Glasgow, who was a daugh- ter of Taylor Glasgow and was born and reared in Blair County. She met an acci- dental death, in 1897, being run down by a railroad train. Her burial also was in the Logan Valley Cemetery. They were highly respected residents of Antis Town- ship. They had three children, namely .: William Riley; Charles Lawson, who lives at Bellwood, Pa .; and Alice May, who is the wife of Frank Wesley, of Bellwood.

William Riley Bush was reared in Blair and Antis Townships, having accompanied his parents to Blair County in 1866. His education was secured in the public schools. Farming has been his business, one that he has carried on with care, industry and good judgment, the same having resulted in a large degree of prosperity.

Mr. Bush was married May 24, 1898, to Miss Ida Cherry, who was born and reared in Antis Township. Her parents were Samuel and Jennie (Irwin) Cherry, the former of whom now resides in Colorado. Mrs. Cherry died in April, 1885, and her burial was in the Logan Valley Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Bush's children are as fol- lows : Robert Wilson, Charles Francis, William Leroy, Helen Dorothy (deceased), Mabel Loretta and Harold Wesley. Mr. Bush is one of his township's most active and interested citizens. In his political views he is a Republican and is serving in the office of township supervisor, being sec- retary of the board. He is a member of the

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 107

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036