Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 110

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 110

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DR. BROOKLYN B. LEVENGOOD, a prominent member of the medical profess- ion of Bellwood, Pa., has been a resident of this borough for 22 years, and has been con- tinuously and successfully engaged in the practice of his profession here. He was born June 21, 1868 in Glendale, Berks County, Pa., and is a son of William W. and Matilda (Boyer) Levengood, one of the early families of Berks County, Pa. The mother still survives and is a resident of Pottstown, Pa., and of the four children

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

born of her union with William W. Leven- good three are still living.

Dr. Brooklyn B. Levengood was reared in Glendale, and his education was obtained in the common schools and at Arms Acad- emy, and also at the Jefferson Medical Col- lege, from which he graduated in 1889. He was first associated with Dr. W. Y. Leven- good of Bellwood in the practice of medi- cine and after the retirement of the latter succeeded to his practice and enjoys the confidence and is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens. , He has been railroad sur- geon for twenty years, is a member of the medical staff of Mercy Hospital of Altoona, Pa., a member of the County, and State Medical Societies, and a member of the board of Health of Bellwood. He is a mem- ber of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Bellwood and is politically inclined to be independent. His fraternal connection is with the Masonic order, being a member of the Tyrone Lodge No. 494; the Consistory at Harrisburg and the Shrine at Altoona. Dr. Levengood was joined in marriage with Estelle M. Smith, a native of Kansas City, Mo., who came with her parents to Bellwood, Pa., and they have one son, Rodman Whitley Levengood.

FRED CLARK FARRAND, D. O., a leading practitioner of the curative system of Osteopathy, located at Tyrone, Pa., was born at Westfield, N. Y., March 1, 1885, and is a son of Nathaniel W. and Florence (Vader) Farrand.

Nathaniel W. Farrand, father of Dr. Far- rand, is manager of the Husted Milling Company, at Buffalo, N. Y., which is now the family home. Four children, two of them older than Dr. Farrand, make up the family, the three sisters being: Jennie, who is the wife of Samuel V. Barton, of Pitts- burg, Pa .; and Mabel L., and Mildred E., both residing with their parents.

Fred C. Farrand received his early edu- cation in the schools of Geneva, N. Y. and later completed his High School course at

Buffalo, in 1903. Many circumstances, in- cluding reading and personal experience, led him to enter upon the study of osteop- athy with the intention of making its prac- tice his life work, and in 1903 he became a student in the Union College of Osteopathy at Wheeling, W. Va., where he was grad- uated January 15, 1907. For some months he engaged in practice at Pittsburg but on February 6, 1908, became a resident of Ty- rone, establishing his offices in the First National Bank Building. He has built up a large and lucrative practice and has met with remarkable success in some cases of long standing as well as those of more or- dinary type. He is a member of the Penn- sylvania Osteopathic Society and is secre- tary of the Blair County Osteopathic So- ciety.

Dr. Farrand married Miss Jessie B. Mc- Kinney, a daughter of John G. and Adelaide B. Mckinney, and they have one son, Wayne Gray Farrand. Dr. and Mrs. Far- rand are members of the First Presbyterian Church. He is identified fraternally with Allegheny Gateway Lodge, No. 187, Odd Fellows, and Sinking Spring Lodge No. 127, Knights of Pythias, Tyrone. He is not active politically but is interested in all pub- lic matters where, in a professional way, he can be useful or add to the general welfare by good and intelligent citizenship.

PROF. H. ATLEE BRUMBAUGH, principal of the Taylor Township, Blair County, High School and supervising prin- cipal of the public schools of Taylor Town- ship, is one of the foremost educators of Blair County, and is a man of culture, high aims and great executive ability. He was born in South Woodbury Township, Bed- ford County, Pa., October 10, 1874, and is a son of John F. and Maggie (Imler) Brum- baugh, both of whom were also born in Bedford County.

H. Atlee Brumbaugh enjoyed both com- mon school and collegiate advantages, pro- viding for the latter by teaching school in

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

his native township. He is a graduate of Juniata College, at Huntingdon, Pa. He has effectively filled numerous positions of responsibility as an educator, serving as as- sistant principal of the public schools at Roaring Spring; for one year as principal of the Juniata High School; for two years as principal of the Logan School, at Juni- ata ; for one year as principal of the Llyswen School at South Altoona, and in September, 1909, assumed his present duties. He is essentially an educator and can look back with considerable satisfaction to what he has accomplished along this line. He has other talents also and has become well known as an author, a number of published books standing to his credit, while his mag- azine and newspaper contributions are nu- merous. He has a talent for versifying and, although he does not call himself a poet, his many friends call attention to productions that seem to prove it. Among his published works are the following : Life in Verse, Life in Song, and Tom Marx and Poems. He is a regular contributor to The Inglenook, which is a magazine of merit published by the Brethren Publishing House, at Elgin, Ill., and also to the Sunday-school papers of the same church, of which he is a member. The following is a selection from his writ- ings, which brings comfort and happiness to all who read and remember it:

SUNSHINE AND SHADOWS.

Our days sometimes are darkened By clouds that gather low; Some clouds in life must gather, And rainy winds must blow ; The nightly shadows whisper : "We will not long remain;" So never be discouraged, The sun will shine again.

Your light will scatter shadows; This lesson you must heed :

You heal a heart that's wounded, Or help to make it bleed;

The winds are softly lisping:

"A smile will shine in rain," The smile that you give daily Will come to you again.

Prof. Brumbaugh married Miss Lydia Ebersole, of Bedford County, a daughter of Daniel C. Ebersole of South Woodbury Township, and they have two children : Mabel A. and Harold C. As a citizen he is held in very high esteem at Roaring Spring, which is his place of residence. His friends have put him forward as a candidate for the superintendency . of the public schools of Blair County.

HERMAN K. McCAULEY,* secretary and treasurer of the Altoona Iron Company, manufacturers of refined bar iron, has been identified with this important business con- cern ever since his graduation from college. Mr. McCauley is a native of Altoona, born February 6, 1856, and is a son of Thomas and Ann (Ramey) McCauley.

The late Thomas McCauley, father of Herman K., was born in Blair County, in 1824, and was a son of Henry McCauley, one of the early settlers whose parentage was either Scotch or Irish, Scotland and Ireland both having contributed largely to the sturdy class that first invaded this sec- tion and, surmounting dangers and difficul- ties, developed its hidden resources. Thomas McCauley located at Altoona in 1854 and spent the remainder of his life here, his death occurring in 1880. He mar- ried Ann Ramey, who survived him six years.

Herman K. McCauley was educated in the schools of Altoona until prepared for college and then became a student at La- fayette College, at Easton, Pa., where he pursued the full course and was graduated in 1879. Mr. McCauley is a man noted for his decision of character and this was shown at the very entrance of his business career. Fresh from college and a long period of close attention to his studies, he sought no

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

recreation but almost immediately started to work, accepting a clerkship in the Al- toona Iron Foundry and has been connected - with the Atchison Railroad, now lives re- with the iron industry ever since. He has tired at El Paso, Tex .; William Scott, who died at home when aged twenty-six years; Samuel, who lives in Everett, and owns the old farm in Bedford County; Valentine, who is an engineer on the Great Northern Railroad, lives at Minneapolis; Margaret, who is the widow of Dr. Thomas Rhodes, of Saxton, Bedford County; R. L .; and Mary, who is the wife of James H. Craig, of Altoona. climbed step by step, showing efficiency in every department, by 1882 becoming secre- tary of the company and in 1893 was also made treasurer. He is now numbered with Altoona's representative business men. The Altoona Iron Company was organized in 1872 and incorporated in 1873. It has large resources and its president is John P. Levin, one of Altoona's capitalists. The plant covers ten acres and is situated at Ninth Avenue and Thirtieth Street, and sev- eral hundred men are employed.

Mr. McCauley was married November 4, 1880, to Miss Sadie M. Crawford, a daughter of John Crawford, of Sinking Valley. They have three children : Anna D., Martha and Russell. The family residence stands at No. 1301 Sixth Avenue, Altoona. With his family, Mr. McCauley is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church. In politics - he is a Republican.

ROBERT L. PIPER, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon at Tyrone, Pa., and an interested and useful citizen, was born on the old Piper homestead in Bedford County, Pa., on which his great-grand- father, John Piper, had settled and in which he erected what was known as Piper's Fort, a strong building used as a place of refuge from the Indians. The parents of Dr. Piper were James and Lydia (Fink) Piper.

one of the following family of children : Ed- ward, who, for thirty years was connected

Robert L. Piper was graduated from the Collegiate Institute, at York, Pa., in 1886, after which he taught school for two years and then entered Hahnemann College, Phil- adelphia, where he was graduated in 1892 and in the same year located at Tyrone. Here he is in the enjoyment of a large practice and has repeatedly been shown the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens. He is a member of the Blair County Med- ical Society and of the American Institute of Homeopathy and is one of the trustees of the State Homeopathic Society. He is identified also with Tyrone Lodge, F. & A. M., Council, Chapter and Shrine; the Odd Fellows, and the Junior order of A. M.

Dr. Piper was married to Miss Maud L. Eberly, who is a daughter of Lee L. Eber- ley, of York, Pa., and they have two chil- dren: Robert L. and Agnes E. The son is a student in the military school at Chester, Pa., and the daughter is a student in a private school at Tyrone, preparing for col- lege. Dr. Piper and family are members of the Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Republican. The attractive family home is situated at No. 1225 Logan Avenue, Tyrone.

The Piper family is one of the oldest in Bedford County. Three brothers of the name came to this section from Ireland and the great-grandfather settled on the farm in Bedford County, now owned by Samuel Piper, a brother of Dr. Piper, in 1770. Here generations of the family have been E. THOMPSON CLARK,* tax collector of the borough of Williamsburg, and fore- born and a number of them have become prominent in different walks of life. The man of the paper mill, was bornMarch17, grandfather of Dr. Piper was a veteran of 1860 in Catherine township, Blair County, Pa., and is a son of John and Mary (Sisler) Clark. the War of 1812 and a grand-uncle, was a member of the legislature. Dr. Piper is

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JOSEPH B. SNIVELY

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John Clark was a son of John and Eliza Clark, and during his early life followed farming, but spent the last 25 years of his life as cashier of the Williamsburg Bank, which was a branch of the First National Bank of Hollidaysburg. He was politically a Republican in early life, and later a Pro- hibitionist, and was a member of the Pres- byterian Church. Six children were born to John and Mary Clark: E. Thompson; Anna, who is the wife of C. T. Witherow; Ida, who married C. C. Clemson; J. Grier ; Charles, and Dean.

E. Thompson Clark was reared in Cath- erine township, where he attended the com- mon schools, and later learned the miller's trade, which he followed for 25 years. In 1903 he became identified with the paper mill of Williamsburg, where he is engaged as outside foreman, and is also serving as tax collector of the borough. He is politic- ally identified with the Republican party and has served in nearly all of the town offices.

In 1889 Mr. Clark was joined in marriage with Lucretia Moore, a daughter of Elias and Amanda Moore, who also had another daughter, Ola, the wife of Elmer Brua. Mrs. Clark died in 1897 leaving four chil -. dren,-Edgar, Ellen, Donald, and Isabel. Mr. Clark formed a second union with Edith Moore, a half sister of his former wife, and a daughter of Elias and Margaret (Stewart) Moore, who were parents of the following children: Ruth, Clyde, Joseph, and Edith, who is the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are members of the Presbyterian Church.

JAMES P. FRANCISCUS, one of the leading and representative business men of Tyrone, Pa., and prominently identified with and interested in its progressive commercial activities, is a native of Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pa., and is a son of F. G. and Ellen (Parker) Franciscus.

F. G. Franciscus was born at Baltimore, Md., and died at Lewistown, Pa., in 1900,

at the age of seventy-seven years. For fifty-one years he had been in the hardware business, and was a substantial and re- spected citizen of Lewistown. He married Ellen Parker, a native of Mifflin County, who died when her children were small. The two survivors are, James P., and Mrs. Catherine Lindsey, wife of Ellwood C. Lind- sey, of Philadelphia.

James P. Franciscus attended Tuscarora Academy and was educated both at Lewis- town and Philadelphia. He then became interested with his father in the hardware business at Lewistown and continued there until 1892, when he established himself in the same business at Tyrone. Owing to the death of his father he and his sister came into possession of his interests and he still carries on the hardware business there.

Mr. Franciscus married Miss Mary Wal- lace, a daughter of Rev. R. M. Wallace, formerly pastor of the Altoona Presbyterian Church, and they have two children, Elea- nor and Rodger. In his political views, Mr. Franciscus chooses to be independent. He is a valued member of the Business Men's Association, is connected with the Improve- ment Building and Loan Association of Tyrone and is a member of the Tyrone Club. He is a man of pleasing personality and is recognized by his fellow citizens as one of business qualifications of a high order.

JOSEPH B. SNIVELY, proprietor of one of the leading furniture and undertaking es- tablishments of Williamsburg, Pa., is also a stockholder and director of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of this borough, and comes of one of the old established families of the county. He was born August 16, 1849, in Blair County, Pa., and is a son of David and Hannah (Bayer) Snively, who were also na- tives of Blair County. The family originally came from Germany and was established in Blair County more than one hundred years ago, the old homestead, which has been in the

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

family for 115 years, having been purchased from a Capt. Phillips.

David Snively was a son of Jacob. Snively, and was a farmer and miller all his life. He was politically an adherent of the Republican party. He and wife were members of the River Brethren church. Of his union with Hannah Bayer were born the following chil- dren: Susan, deceased; Joseph B .; Eliza- beth, wife of William Lower; Sarah, de- ceased; Barbara; George; Jacob, deceased; Hiram, deceased; Catherine, wife of Walter Worley; and Myra, who is the wife of George Batzell.

Joseph B. Snively was reared to manhood and educated in the county, and became a miller by trade, having followed that business for a number of years. Since June 14, 1898, he has been proprietor of his present furniture and undertaking establishment, which occupies three ground floors and two rooms upstairs.

In March, 1868, Mr. Snively was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Henderson, a daugh- ter of George and Jane ( Roller) Henderson, who were well known farmers of Blair County, and of their union were born the fol- lowing children: David R .; Cora; Howard O .; Gertrude, who is the wife of Anderson Fay; Frank Melvin; and Daisy. Mr. Snively is politically a Republican and has served one term on the town council, and one term as supervisor.

JOSEPH U. BLOSE, M. D., whose suc- cess as a physician and skill as a surgeon has advanced him to the front rank among the professional men of Central Pennsyl- vania, has been actively engaged in medical practice at Altoona since 1886, coming to this city with six years of professional ex- perience behind him. He was born in North Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pa., October 3, 1856, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Shaw) Blose, and a grand- son of Michael Blose.

William Blose was born in Armstrong County, Pa., January 21, 1825, and was a son of Michael and Sarah (Wangaman)

Blose, who were natives of Germany. In 1850 William Blose moved to North Ma- honing Township, Indiana County, where his subsequent life was spent, agriculture being his occupation. During the last year of the Civil War he served honorably as a soldier, being a member of Co. B, 67th Pa. Vol. Inf. He married Elizabeth Shaw, who was brought from Ireland by her father, Thomas Shaw, and was reared in Arm- strong County. To them were born chil- dren as follows : Calvin ; Dr. Daniel A., who graduated from the Lewisburg University and later took a theological course at Au- burn Seminary and became a clergyman; Joseph U .; William T .; Dr. James Miles, who graduated from Oberlin University and later became prominently identified with one of the most noted musical colleges of the United States ; Benjamin F .; Sarah, who married Phineas Work; Jennie, who mar- ried Henry Knauf; and Ella, who married Charles Perritt.

Joseph U. Blose remained at home dur- ing his early school period and later took a classical course at Glade Run Academy in Armstrong County, after which he became a student of medicine in the office of Dr. John W. Morrow, a prominent physician and leading public man of Indiana County. On February 26, 1880, Dr. Blose was grad- uated from the Columbus Medical College, at Columbus, O., and in 1895 took a post- graduate course in the Ohio Medical Uni- versity at Columbus. Prior to coming to Altoona on November 15, 1886, Dr. Blose practiced for two years at Pine Flats and for four years at Cherry Tree, Pa. He has identified himself with all the leading med- ical organizations of the country and has been admitted to membership in the Al- toona Academy of Medicine and Surgery, the latter being an organized body of trained scientists. He is a member of the staff of the Altoona Hospital, Surgeon to the Mercy Hospital, and has served on the city board of health. He is ex-President of Blair County Medical Society. In his

JOHN WILSON

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political preferences he is a Republican. Personally he is a man of courteous and dignified address, and aside from his pro- fession as well as in this connection, has al- ways commanded the respect of his fellow citizens.

Dr. Blose was married in 1875, to Miss Lillie T. C. Brown, who is a daughter of the late Gen. Samuel C. Brown, who was a distinguished officer in the Civil War. Dr. and Mrs. Blose had four daughters: Edith Edna, Tina Marie, Ethel, and Helen. Helen died October 27, 1905. Edith Edna married Robert L. Gamble, a business man of Altoona, and Tina Marie married Robert Lingenfel- ter. Ethel is still at the home. Tina Marie Blose Lingenfelter is still director of the well known Blose orchestra. Dr. Blose maintains both his home and office at No. 401 Howard Avenue, Altoona. The relig- ious connection of the family is with the Episcopal Church.

JOHN WILSON, proprietor of the Cen- tral Hotel, at Tyrone, Pa., conducts a first class hostelry and takes that personal inter- est in his guests that makes them feel at home and inspires the feeling that makes many of them return to his hospitable roof whenever opportunity offers. Mr. Wilson belongs to one of the old families of North- umberland County, England, where he was born March 20, 1857. His parents were James and Hannah Wilson, plain, quiet, in- dustrious people who lived useful lives and died with the respect and esteem of all who had known them. By a remarkable coinci- dence, they both passed away on the same day, in 1896, at the same age, both having been born in 1812. Of their nine children there are three survivors: William, a resi- dent of Luzerne County, Pa .; Thomas W., a resident of Northumberland, England ; and John, of Tyrone.

John Wilson remained in England until 1881, when he came to America and for about two years was engaged in coal min- ing at Plymouth, Luzerne County, Pa. In

1883 he went to Houtsdale, in the Clearfield County mining district, and again engaged in mining and continued in that industry for some twenty-two years longer. He was the proprietor of the Imperial Hotel at that place for nine years and then came to Ty- rone and took charge of the Central Hotel, which he has successfully conducted ever since, having been in the hotel business for fifteen years. He is known all through this section and he is one of the most personally popular hosts in the city.

In 1889 Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Jane Smiles, a daughter of Matthew Smiles, of Houtsdale, and they have had six chil- dren: William S., Joseph, Helen, Mary, John, and David Black, the last named be- ing accidentally killed by a fall from a wagon, in Tyrone. Mr. Wilson is a Repub- lican but official life presents no temptation to him, his business affairs and family and social interests absorbing his time. He is identified with Clearfield Lodge, B. P. O. E.

GUY H. SMITH, a progressive and suc- cessful farmer of Frankstown Township, Blair County, Pa., who is the competent manager of all of the home farm of 250 acres which is tillable, was born on this place, January 10, 1871, and is a son of Will- iam C. and Angeline (Mckenzie) Smith.

William C. Smith, who is one of Franks- town's substantial men, owns 577 acres of valuable land in this township, of which he is a native, born here in September, 1846. His parents were Samuel and Elizabeth

(Brotherlin) Smith, the former of whom was born in Frankstown Township in 1817. Samuel Smith was a farmer all his life and was one of the reliable and responsible men of his day and was made financial agent for the Government in handling funds in rela- tion to drafted men during the Civil War. He was a staunch Presbyterian and a liberal member of the church. The Smith family came originally from Scotland and in the person of James Smith, settled in Blair County in 1787.

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

William C. Smith attended the district schools and spent one term at Juniata Acad- emy, and then turned his attention to farm- ing and became interested also in the saw- mill industry. Industry and good judgment have been elements in bringing about his financial independence, while honesty and probity have made him a citizen worthy of the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens. Like his father and grand- father, he is a member of the Presbyterian church. In 1869 he married Angeline, a daughter of Hamilton and Angeline Mc- Kenzie, who came from Beaver County, Pa., to Blair County, in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie had the following children: Cor- nelia, who is the widow of Thomas Jackson ; Margaret, who is the wife of W. J. Moore ; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of Will- iam Wilson; Alvin and Thomas, both of whom are deceased; Emeline, who is the widow of M. M. More; James, and Ange- line, who is Mrs. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two sons: Guy H., and Samuel Chester, both being farmers.

Guy H. Smith was educated in the public schools and at Dickinson Seminary, at Will- iamsport, Pa., for one term, after which he went into the grocery business at Altoona, where he continued for six years. He then became interested with his father in buying timber and manufacturing lumber, sawing for the railroads. In 1907 he took upon himself his present responsibilities and since then has confined himself closely to agri- cultural activities.

On September 18, 1901, Mr. Smith was married to Susan Olive Stewart, who is a daughter of Angus and Ruth (Robinson) Stewart, and they have one son, William Stewart. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Presbyterian church at Hollidays- burg. In politics he is a Republican. He served two terms acceptably to his fellow citizens in the office of tax collector. and one term in that of mercantile appraiser.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 110

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