Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 68

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 68

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Mr. Garner married Miss Margaret Greaser, a daughter of Daniel F. and Sarah A. Greaser, formerly of Huston Township but now residents of Townsend, Tenn. Mr. and Mrs. Garner have four children: Wal- ter G., Daniel Z., Rosanna and John M. They are members and liberal supporters of the Lutheran church. In politics, Mr. Garner is a Republican and at present is serving as a member of the school board of North Woodbury Township and has filled other township offices. As a public official, as a business man and as a neigh- bor, Mr. Garner enjoys the confidence, re- spect and good will of his fellow citizens.

ANTHONY REISER, who is proprietor of a meat market at Hollidaysburg, Pa., deals exclusively in home dressed meats, and has one of the leading markets in the

borough. He was born January 10, 1871, in Wurtemberg, Germany, and is a son of Matthias and Kunigadie (Naute) Reiser. His father and mother, who are seventy- five and seventy-one years of age respect- ively, are both natives and have been life- long residents of Germany, and are now residing at Wurtemberg. They are the parents of seven children, as follows: Jo- seph, who is deceased; Sabina, who is the wife of Earnest Doan of Switzerland; Pe- ter, who was overcome by heat in 1903 when thirty-two years of age, was a baker by trade and a resident of New Jersey at the time of his death; Anthony; and three who died in infancy.

Anthony Reiser spent his boyhood on the farm in Germany, and when fourteen years began working for John Spanagel, a butcher, with whom he spent two years. He then worked four years at the business in Switzerland, and in 1891 came to Amer- ica, locating first in Patterson, N. J. Three months later he came to Altoona, Blair County, Pa., and entered the employ of Herman Smith, who owned a market on Fifth Avenue, and then worked one year and ten months for Henry L. Bunker, of Hollidaysburg. In 1893 he embarked in the business for himself at his present loca- tion, and for some time operated the busi- ness in partnership with John Binder. Mr. Reiser has established an extensive and profitable business and in 1907 erected a fine slaughter house, where he dresses all of his own meat. He also owns his resi- dence on Canal Street, a fine brick building, which was erected in 1897, and is the owner of six residence properties in Gaysport.

Mr. Reiser is politically a Democrat and has served as a member of the borough council. He is fraternally a Knight of Col- umbus, and his religious connection is with St. Michaels Catholic Church. Mr. Reiser was married in 1892 to Josephine Noll, a native of Altoona, Pa., and their union has resulted in the following issue: Frank, who attends college; and Joseph, Edward,

JACOB S. LEISENRING

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Marie, Carl, Herman, Anthony, Paul and James.

JACOB SHINDEL LEISENRING, whose death occurred at Detroit, Mich., January 23, 1910, was for many years one of the most prom- inent members of the bar in central Pennsyl- vania, being in continuous practice at Altoona from 1873 up almost to the time of his death. He was a recognized authority on commercial law and was the author of a valuable work on law entitled "Leisenring's Book of Forms." In addition to all this he was a business man of ability, serving for years as vice president of the Second National Bank of Altoona, in which he was also a director.

Mr. Leisenring was born at Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pa., April 2, 1847. His pa- rents were Gideon and Louisa Henrietta (Shin- del) Leisenring, and he was a grandson of Peter and a great grandson of John Conrad Leisenring, whose father came to Pennsylvania from Germany in 1742.

Peter Leisenring, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was for many years a prominent citizen of Northumberland County, Pa., where he died about 1820. He had four children and in the division of his large estate his son Gideon came into possession of the old homestead situated near Sunbury, Pa.

Gideon Leisenring, father of Jacob S., was born at White Hall, Lehigh County, Pa., in 1802, and died at Charlestown, Jefferson County, W. Va., in March, 1880. He is re- membered as a man of determined character, which was forcibly shown during the early days and preceding the outbreak of the Re- bellion. From Sunbury he removed to Selins- grove in 1845, but the development of his many business enterprises required his presence in Baltimore, to which city he accordingly re- moved in 1858. To him, with other loyalists, credit has been given by historians for the re- fusal of Maryland to secede from the Union in the turbulent days preceding the spring of 1861, and it is a fact that over his residence in Balti- more was unfurled to the breeze the first United States flag after the historic April 19th of that

year. He continued his residence at Baltimore until the close of the war and then removed to West Virginia. In 1828 he was married to Louisa Henrietta Shindel, who died at Selins- grove, March 27, 1853. She was a daughter of Rev. John Peter and Susan (Mccullough) Shindel, a granddaughter of Hon. John Peter Shindel, who served in the Pennsylvania legis- lature, and a great-granddaughter of John Peter Shindel, who came from Germany and settled in Lebanon County, Pa., about 1740, and who served in the Continental army.

Jacob Shindel Leisenring, the direct subject of this memoir, was educated at the Missionary Institute, now the Susquehanna University, and in the public schools of Baltimore. Although then very young, he served for a time in the Federal army, enlisting in Company G, First Pennsylvania Independent Battalion. After the close of the war he accompanied his father to West Virginia, and, possessing many of his late father's characteristics, and entertaining the same views on public questions, he there came into considerable prominence as a Re- publican.

He prepared for the bar in the office of Hon. William H. Travers, of Charlestown, and was admitted to practice in Jefferson County in 1870. He then returned to Pennsylvania and for several years was associated in practice with C. F. Shindel, at Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pa. In 1872 he was admitted to the Luzerne County bar at which he practiced from April to September in that year. He was then appointed district attorney in a newly organized district in western Kansas and during the following year he attended to the duties of this position, residing at Hays City. In 1873 he again re- turned to Pennsylvania and then established himself at Altoona and this city was his chosen home from that time until his death. He was at one time a member of the firm of Stevens and Leisenring, at Tyrone, this county, com- posed of A. A. Stevens, esq., and himself. In 1877 he left Tyrone and removed to Altoona, where in 1880 he became associated in the prac- tice of law with A. V. Dively, esq., under the firm name of Dively & Leisenring. After the

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dissolution of this firm he continued in the practice of law by himself until 1904, when he formed a co-partnership with Harry F. Wal- ters, under the firm name of Leisenring & Walters, which continued until the time of his death.

In 1887 Mr. Leisenring ran on the Repub- lican ticket for the office of city recorder of Al- toona, but the city being heavily Democratic, he was defeated by the late John A. Doyle, his opponent on that ticket. Mr. Leisenring was for many years up to the time of his death chairman of the board of examiners of the Blair County bar and was also chairman of the censors of the Bar Association. , He was a charter member of the Commercial Law League of America and a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and of the American Bar As- sociation. As a lawyer he established a large and profitable practice. He took part in many important cases and enjoyed the confidence of the members of the bar and of the people. He was one of the leading commercial lawyers of the country, was a writer of ability and fre- quently contributed articles to newspapers and magazines and to the commercial publications in which he was interested, besides being the author of the valuable book already referred to. He was a wise and conservative counsellor; a safe, careful and successful practitioner ; always impatient of sham, true to the court, true to his clients, courteous to his fellow members of the bar and careful of his professional conduct and deportment. Those who did not know him well sometimes considered him brusque and cold, but those who knew him better recog- nized him as a man of kindly and charitable dis- position-one to whom no deserving person ever appealed for aid in vain. Though he did not form friendships lightly, he never lost a friend once formed. In the society of his in- timates he often showed an inimitable wit and humor, and this agreeable faculty was so well known to them that he was often called upon to act as toastmaster at social gatherings, in which capacity he acquitted himself to perfection.

During his residence in West Virginia Mr. Leisenring was a prominent Mason and deputy

grand master of the state. He was also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, in which he held many important positions and was past commander of S. C. Potts Post, No. 62, Department of Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the order of Elks of this city and was chairman of the memorial committee of the order at the time of his death, and was a charter member of the order of Heptasophs.

Mr. Leisenring's membership in the Repub- lican party has been already mentioned. Dur- ing the later years of his life he acted with the independent wing of that party in Pennsylvania and he is credited with having been one of the prime movers in the political revolution which resulted in the election of W. H. Berry for state treasurer and forced the nomination by the Republican party of Edwin S. Stuart, ex-governor of this commonwealth. Mr. Leisenring's name was frequently men- tioned as one of the prominent candidates for additional law judge of this county.

Just previous to the funeral services of Jacob S. Leisenring, a meeting was held at the home of the Elks on Twelfth Street, which was pre- sided over by Judge Thomas J. Baldrige, who paid an eloquent tribute to his deceased friend, the substance of which is contained in the present article. Appreciative ad- dresses were also made by Attorneys A. A. Stevens, Oliver H. Hewit, J. D. Hicks, Harry F. Walters, T. H. Greevy and W. L. Woodcock, while W. S. Pascoe presented the resolutions prepared by the association committee, of which he was chairman. The latter were as follows:

Resolved, That in the death of Jacob S. Lei- senring, esq., this bar has lost one of its most active and prominent members, a good lawyer," a safe counsellor and practicioner, a faithful friend and courteous gentleman; the commu- nity in which he lived a public-spirited citizen, distinguished for wisdom, courage, independ- ence and charity ; and his family a kind, affec- tionate and indulgent husband and father.

Resolved Further, That this minute and res- olutions be spread upon the records of the

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court, published in the newspapers and a copy thereof presented to the family of the deceased.

WILLIAM L. PASCOE, THOMAS H. GREEVY, O. H. HEWIT, MATTHEW CALVIN,

A. J. RILEY,

Committee on resolutions, Blair County Bar Association.

Mr. Leisenring was married on September I, 1875, to Miss Annie M. Cherry, who with one daughter-Henrietta Shindel, wife of A. E. James-survives him.

JESSE C. SELL, is a native of Blair county, Pennsylvania. He is the second son of James A. and Esther B. Sell, and was born at Leamersville, July 21, 1872. His great-grandfather, Abraham Sell, was one of the pioneer settlers of the Juniata valley in Blair township, having moved there about the close of the Eighteenth century. His grandfather, Daniel Sell, was also a life-long resident of Blair county and died at the advanced age of 90 years.

His mother's maiden name was Stiffler. His great grandfather on the maternal side was Henry Stiffler, who settled in the Loop, in Frankstown township, also about the close of the Eighteenth century. His grandfather, Joseph Stiffler, spent his en- tire life in Frankstown township and died at the ripe age of 91 years. Thus the sub- ject of this sketch is a thoroughbred Blair countian and a descendent of a hardy stock.

At a very early age he evinced a fond- ness for books,and such was his desire for learning, and it came to him so easily, that when he commenced going to school when only four years old he started in the second reader grade. Within two years he had made such progress that he was regarded as the best speller in the school and was studying all the braches taught in the school, displaying an especial fondness for history. He commenced teaching when 17 years old, but held a good certificate two

years before. Teachers were not admitted to the profession under 18 years of age, but an exception was made in his case. He taught school for eight years, in Freedom, Blair and Logan townships and in Newry borough and attended school at the Roar- ing Spring Academy, conducted by Prof. W. R. Vaughn and at Juniata College, Huntingdon.

After leaving college he commenced the study of law under the instruction of Will- iam S. Hammond and J. Banks Kurtz, in Altoona, and was admitted to the bar on September 7, 1896. He opened an office in Altoona, but the strenuous work of prep- aration had undermined his health and he was compelled to give up his practice and retire from active business to recuperate. His strong constitution was in his favor and within a year he was again able to en- ter upon the world's activities. He now turned his attention to journalism and ac- cepted a position on the editorial staff of the Altoona Times. In 1903 he was ten- dered the position of city editor of the Al- toona Evening Gazette, which he has re- tained to this time. During the greater part of this time he has acted as editor of the paper, doing most of the editorial writ- ing.

In politics Mr. Sell is a staunch Repub- lican and has taken an active part in the po- litical affairs of the city and county. He was elected a member of the city common ¿council from the Fourth ward in February, 1908. He introduced and the councils passed ordinances providing for a semi- monthly payday for municipal employes, providing for an inspection of all electric wiring and creating the department of city electrician, abolishing paving and sewer viewers and other important legislation.

On June 27, 1901, he was married to An- nie R. Maher, a daughter of Michael and Mary Maher of Altoona.

CHARLES T. WITHEROW, deceased, formerly motive power clerk for the Grand

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Division Eastern Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at Altoona, and a valuable cit- izen of much native force and ability, as well as usefulness, was born in Bloomfield, Perry County, Pa., July 23, 1856. His par- ents were John and Maria (Roth) With- erow. The father, in his later years a well- to-do retired farmer, conducted the With- erow Mills, near Bloomfield, Perry County.

The subject of this sketch, who was the only child of his parents, was educated in the public and high schools of his native county, and at the Academy at Bloomfield, Pa. His first self-supporting occupation was that of school teacher, in which he con- tinued for two years. He then entered the office of the New Bloomfield Freeman, later merged with the Advocate, where he learned the trade of printer. In 1875 he came to Altoona, securing employment as a job printer in the office of the Daily Trib- une, with which paper he remained until January, 1876. He then obtained a posi- tion in the Altoona offices of the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, as clerk under the late B. F. Custer, who was then chief motive power clerk. On September II, 1880, Mr. Witherow was transferred as clerk to the Altoona shops, and on July I, 1883, he was promoted to the position of assistant motive power clerk. This he held until October 1, 1892, when he became chief motive power clerk, which position he retained up to the time of his death, which took place October 2, 1907.

Though Mr. Witherow gave his full at- tention to the duties connected with the railroad company, he found time to take part in various other activities, and was one of Altoona's prominent citizens, both in business and social life. He was partic- ularly well informed in matters of invest- ment, was one of the pioneers in the build- ing association field, and was secretary for many years of the Blair County and Vigi- land Building and Loan Association. In 1885 he was elected by a big majority, on the Democratic ticket, to the office of city

controller, being the first Democrat ever elected to that office, in which he served the full term, and which was the only public office he ever sought. He took an active interest, however, in matters connected with the success of his party, to which on various occasions he rendered effi- cient service. He was still more deeply interested in matters concerning the gen- eral welfare of the city and often lent a helping hand in plans for advancing its prosperity, his assistance contributing largely to the results obtained. Among his other business activities he served as a di- rector of the Fairview Cemetery Associa- tion.

Mr. Witherow was a Mason in high standing, being a member of Mountain Lodge, No. 281, F. & A. M., of which he was Past Commander and was treasurer at the time of his death; Mountain Chap- ter, No. 189, R. A. M .; Mountain Council, No. 9, R. & S. M .; Mountain Commandery, No. 10, K. T .; also the Consistory at Pitts- burg and Jaffa Temple. He was also a charter member of Altoona Lodge of Hep- tasophs, No. 132. With his family he was a member of the Presbyterian church and at one time served as superintendent of the Sunday school, besides being a trustee of the church. Notwithstanding his varied activities and his influential position in the city of his adoption, Mr. Witherow, like most truly strong natures, was a man of modest and unassuming manners, always approachable, and intensely human in his sympathies, and these qualities gained for him a legion of friends, who will long hold him in affectionate remembrance. His surviving brothers and sisters are: Sam- uel S., a resident of New Bloomfield, Pa .; John N., of McVeytown; Mrs. Rebecca Dern, of Altoona; Mrs. Clara Klinepeter, of New Bloomfield, and Mrs. Alice V. Strouse, of Mexico, Pa. Mr. Witherow's funeral services, held on October 4, 1907, were in charge of the Mountain Lodge of Masons, and his remains were interred in

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. the private cemetery known as Fairview, to which reference has already been made.

Mr. Witherow was united in marriage to Miss Anna J. Clark, a daughter of the late John Clark, the well known banker of Al- toona, and a granddaughter of John and Eliza (Thompson) Clark. Her paternal great-grandfather, James Clark, fought for American independence in the Revolution- ary War, and was wounded at the battle of the Brandywine, September II, 1777.

Mrs. Witherow's grandfather, John Clark, was born in Huntingdon County, Pa., in 1789. At one time he operated a tan- nery at Birmingham, Pa., but later retired and died on his farm in Morris Township, at the age of seventy-four years. He was twice married; first to Catherine Whitzel, who died early. His second union was with Eliza Thompson, a native of Spruce Creek Township, where her father had been an early settler. Her death occurred in 1866, and she had attained the age of sixty-six years.

John Clark, second of the name and Mrs. Witherow's father, was born in Canoe Val- ley, Catharine Township, Blair County, Pa., December 13, 1833. He was educated at Williamsburg Academy, and until 1873 was engaged in stock raising and agriculture on the home farm. He then became cashier of the Williamsburg bank, which was or- ganized at that time, and his subsequent career was one of importance to the com- munity. He made a very popular official and for many years was a prominent factor in the development of the financial inter- ests of the county. He was a large land owner, having much valuable property at Williamsburg, besides ore and coal prop- erties and limestone quarries elsewhere in the county, and a fine farm of 250 acres. Mr. Clark was married, May 27, 1858, to Miss Mary J. Sisler, who died May 6, 1873. Of this union there were six children born, namely: Edgar Thompson, who married Lucretia Moore, of Scotch Valley; Anna J., who is the widow of the subject of this

sketch; John Grier; Charles H., Dean, and Ida. The last mentioned is the widow of Clarence C. Clemson, who was a prominent business man of Pittsburg, where she now resides.

Mr. Clark was a Republican primarily, and at various times was called upon to serve in offices of public trust, in which he invariably acquitted himself with credit, justifying the confidence of his fellow cit- izens in his integrity and ability. Subse- quent to 1880 he espoused the cause of Prohibition, to which he devoted his best efforts, and although he was not privileged to witness the general success of his party, for which he hoped, he was able to note much progress to that end, to which he him- self contributed not a little. Few citizens of Blair County were more conscientious in the performance of public and private duties and few, if any, were more highly es- teemed. The death of Mr. Clark took place on January 21, 1904, in Altoona, and struck a chord of sorrow in the hearts of all those in the community who knew him for what he was.

The children born of the marriage of Charles T. Witherow and Anna J. Clark were: Mary, who married George B. New- bold of a prominent Pittsburg family, and resides in Louisville, Ky., and Kenneth C., who is a student in the Altoona high school and lives with his mother. Mrs. Witherow resides in an elegant mansion at No. 1014 Lexington Avenue. She is a prominent figure in the best Altoona society, and it would be hard to find a worthy local cause that has not benefited by her aid and in- fluence.

JOHN S. BONEBREAK, M. D., physi- cian and surgeon at Martinsburg, Pa., where he has been established since 1896 and is in the enjoyment of a satisfactory practice, is a native of this borough, born April 19, 1872. His parents were Dr. D. W. and Mary (Shubert) Bonebreak. The late Dr. D. W. Bonebreak was a member of one

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of the early families of Martinsburg and for years a prominent physician here, entering into practice in 1864 and continu- ing up to the time of his death, in 1895. He was held in high esteem by his fellow cit- izens and was known professionally all over Blair County.

John S. Bonebreak was reared at Mar- tinsburg and attended the public schools and also Juniata Institute, after which he prepared for a medical career under his father, following his studies there by a sea- son in the medical department of the West- ern University of Pennsylvania, at Pitts- burg, where he was graduated in 1896. Shortly afterward he entered into practice at Martinsburg and has continued in his . native place, one where the name he bears has long been held in esteem, and to which he has added professional luster. He is a member of the Blair County Medical So- ciety, the Pennsylvania State Medical So- ciety and the American Medical Associa- tion.

Dr. Bonebreak was married to Miss Cath- erine Keim, a daughter of Nelson Keim, of Martinsburg, and they have three children : John K., Glenn and Kenneth, while one, Paul, is deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Bonebreak are members of the Reformed church. He is identified fraternally with Roaring Spring Lodge of Odd Fellows, at Martinsburg and with the Masonic lodge at Roaring Spring.

MICHAEL LEBERFINGER, residing on a farm 160 acres in Frankstown Town- ship, was born in Germany in 1873, and is a son of Andrew and Frances Leberfinger. Andrew and Frances Leberfinger have al- ways resided in their native country, and are the parents of the following children : Frances, who is married, is a resident of Germany; Mary, who is the wife of Mi- chael Stinglhammer of Altoona, Pa .; Mag- dalena, who is married, lives in the native country; Caroline, who also lives in Ger- many; and Joseph, who was a resident of America for three years, returning home

on a visit and was captured by the German authorities and according to German law, was forced to enter the German army for a certain time.

Michael Leberfinger was reared in his native country and there obtained his edu- cation. When he first came to the United States he located at Altoona, Pa., where he worked in various factories until 1907, when he purchased his farm of 160 acres in Frankstown Township from Blair J. Bougs- lough, and has since carried on farming in a general way.

In November, 1889, Mr. Leberfinger was joined in marriage with Miss Grace Cellner, who is a daughter of Godfrey and Mary Cellner. Her parents were natives of Ger- many, and the father, who was a laborer, died at Altoona, in 1906. They were the parents of the following children: Frances, wife of Louis Augustine; Theresa; and Minnie, wife of Richard Bender. Mr. and Mrs. Leberfinger have had the following chil- dren: Frank, Michael, Mary, Godfried, Jo- seph and Andrew. Mr. Leberfinger is politically a Republican. With his family he belongs to the German Catholic Church of Hollidaysburg. He is a member of the Knights of St. George, and of the Bavarian Benefit Society of Altoona.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 68

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