Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 74

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 74

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Samuel L. Haffly was educated in the public schools of Bedford County and the Normal School at Bedford, at the time Prof. Harry Fisher was superintendent. Later, Mr. Haffly entered the Eastman National Business Col- lege, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he was graduated in July, 1883. For thirteen terms Mr. Haffly then taught school in Bedford and Blair Counties, never, however, entirely sepa- rating himself from agricultural pursuits for which he has always had a taste and in which he has been eminently successful. Since 1893 he has lived in North Woodbury Township, Blair County, for the past five years being located on his own farm near Martinsburg. Mr. Haffly is one of the progressive and wide- awake agriculturists of this section and he was one of the organizers of that admirable society in Blair County known as the Farmers' Re- union Association, in 1898, of which he was the first president. Its annual meetings are held at Henrietta, Pa.

Mr. Haffly was married to Miss Margaret E. Burget, of North Woodbury Township, Blair County, a daughter of Levi B. and Mary A. (Smith) Burget. Mr. and Mrs. Haffly are members of the Presbyterian church. He is identified fraternally with Cove Lodge, Odd Fellows, at Woodbury, Pa. and of Grange, No. 1387, P. of H., at Martinsburg, of which he is secretary. He has served at times in township offices, being a school director and on one occasion was auditor of Middle Wood- bury Township.

Almost all of the old pioneer families have interesting annals of those who dared the hard- ships and dangers of the wilderness in early times. Mr. Haffly relates a story of the family

HON. GEORGE M. PATTERSON

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of his great-grandfather, Captain Simonton. He was a near neighbor to the Dean family which was so cruelly massacred by the Indians in Blair County and it happened that the night before this event a young son of the Simon- tons was visiting the Deans over night. For some reason he was taken a captive by the savages the next day and when they left the murdered Dean family and their burning cabin, they carried off this lad. All knowledge of his fate was lost to his people until many years later when his identity became known to two of his brothers while they were serving as soldiers in the War of 1812. By that time all his interests were Indian, he having married in the tribe and reared a family and he never returned to civilization.

HON. GEORGE M. PATTERSON, who is engaged in the mercantile business at Wil- liamsburg, Pa., with his two sons, J. C. and G. G. Patterson, was born February 14, 1840, on the corner of Second and Spring Streets, Williamsburg, Pa., and is a son of Thomas S. and Margaret (Dean) Patterson.

Thomas S. Patterson was born in 1800, in Huntingdon County, Pa., and was there reared to maturity. His marriage with Margaret Dean, who was also born in Canoe Valley, Huntingdon County, Pa., resulted in the fol- lowing issue: Mary Amanda; Jane Elizabeth, who died in 1863; George M., our subject; John Dean, who died in-1905; and Robert G., who died in 1906. Both parents were members of the Presbyterian church, and they were buried at Williamsburg, Pa. The father was politically a Whig during his early life, and later a Republican.

George M. Patterson was reared in Wil- liamsburg and was educated in the common schools and the Williamsburg Academy. He has followed various lines of business but has chiefly devoted his time to farming and the mercantile business. In 1863 Mr. Patterson enlisted for service in the Civil War, in Co. D, Ist Battalion of the 22nd Pa. Vol. Cav., and rose from the ranks to be sergeant of the company. Mr. Patterson is identified with the

Republican party in politics. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1896, his fourth term expiring December I, 1910. Mr. Patterson is a member of the G. A. R. Post No. 474, at Williamsburg, and affiliates with the Masonic lodges of Juniata and Hollidaysburg. He holds membership with the Presbyterian church.

In January, 1869, Mr. Patterson was joined in marriage with Miss Mary R. Roller, who is a daughter of James and Margaret Roller, well known residents of Blair County, Pa. Mrs. Patterson had one sister, Catherine, now deceased, who was the wife of O. J. Mc- Calister; and one brother, Edwin. The follow- ing children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pat- terson : Mabel, James T., Marion D., J. Carl, George, and Mildred, who is the wife of T. Dean Ross. Mr. Patterson has been a member of the Pennsylvania Soldiers' Orphans' School Commission since 1907.

ROBERT D. ELDER, proprietor of the R. D. Elder Lumber. Company, and one of the leading contractors and builders of Juniata, Blair County, Pa., was born July 2, 1866, in Cambria County, Pa., and is a son of John C. and Julia (Dillon) Elder. His father is a resi- dent of Colorado, and although now in his eighty-first year, is still hale and active, with the appearance of a much younger man. The mother of our subject was born near Gettys- burg, Adams County, Pa., and was a sister of A. J. Dillon, who was one of the pioneers of Altoona.

Robert D. Elder was about one year old when his parents removed from Cambria County, Pa., to Indiana County, and was there reared and educated. He went west with his parents when about eighteen years of age, and spent the greater part of the next eleven years in Colorado. He then returned to the east and located in Altoona, Pa., where he resided six years and during four years of that time was an employe of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. For the past seven years Mr. Elder has been identified with the business interests of Juniata, where he first followed general

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

contracting for a time. Two or three years after coming here he drifted into the lumber business, and first established, a small lumber yard where he now lives. This he operated until March 16, 1908, when he purchased the Anchor Lumber Company, who were successors to the old Parker Brothers Lumber Company. Mr. Elder has an extensive lumber yard, and also carries paper, hardware, etc., and is one of the principal contractors and builders in Juniata and East Altoona. He has built a large percentage of the residences in Juniata and East Altoona, besides many barns and other buildings, and has furnished the material for many more of which he was not the con- tractor.

Mr. Elder was united in marriage with Agnes J. Ling of Indiana County, Pa., and of their union have been born six children: Philip L., who is a carpenter; Benjamin L .; Roberta J .; William Bryan; Charles A. and Robert, who died aged four years.

In politics Mr. Elder is a Democrat, although inclined to be independent, and in 1896 was a delegate to the Colorado State Convention. He is a member of the Juniata Borough Council, and was the first Democrat ever elected to that office in this borough. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and the M. W. A., of Altoona, having been a member of the latter for sixteen years.

E. G. BOBB, manager of the D. M. Bare Paper Company at Roaring Spring, Pa., in which he is also financially interested, is an ex- perienced man in this business, having been identified with it for twenty-two years. He was born at Tyrone, Pa., June 21, 1856, and is a son of Major Alexander and Matilda (Mattern) Bobb.

Major Alexander Bobb was long a distin- guished citizen of Blair County. He was born in Hanover Township, York County, Pa., in 1823, and died at Martinsburg, May 25, 1910. His parents were natives of Germany and his father, Frederick Bobb, came to America in 1818. Alexander Bobb learned the trade of moulder and prior to the Civil War worked in

a number of foundries through the country and at Martinsburg became very popular with his fellow workmen and citizens generally. This was definitely shown at the time that the first company was raised at Martinsburg for the Civil War. After reaching Harrisburg the men became dissatisfied with their captain and refused to be mustered in. In this emergency, Mr. Bobb was invited by telegraph to become captain of the company, an office he accepted only after he was convinced that he was the only man that was equally acceptable to all the volunteers. This company served out an en- listment of three months and all returned home but Captain Bobb at once recruited a second company, for a service of nine months, and again as captain led them to the front. The records of those dark days tell of the gallantry of this company at Antietam and at Fredericks- burg and particularly of Capt. Bobb, who there had command of the right wing of the 133d Pa. Vol. Inf. He commanded also at Chan- cellorsville. At the termination of the nine months he returned home once more but only to recruit a third company, of which he was commissioned major by Governor Curtin. He saw hard service up to the close of the war and on April 2, 1865, while taking the breast- works at Petersburg, he especially distinguished himself for bravery and was at once breveted lieutenant-colonel, being one of the limited number of veterans in this section to have won that high official position. From the founding of the Grand Army Post at Martinsburg, he took a deep interest in its affairs and there are many who recall when his home was the ac- cepted meeting place for the public gatherings on Decoration Day, appropriate exercises, in which he took an active part, being held on his front porch. Until the close of his life he was a true and patriotic citizen.

After his military service was over, Major Bobb resumed his business interests, purchasing a part of the Martinsburg Foundry, but later moved to Roaring Spring, where he conducted a foundry for three vears, when his plant was destroyed by fire. In his political sentiments he was a Republican and on that ticket, in 1873,

E. G. BOBB

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was elected sheriff of Blair County. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, having united with this body in early manhood. Major Bobb married Matilda Mattern, in 1847, and three sons were born to them : William M., Edward G. and James S.

E. G. Bobb was small when his parents lo- cated at Martinsburg. He attended the public schools there and later, Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, 'Pa. He left school to enter the shipping department of what is now the D. M. Bare Paper Company, at Roaring Spring, and has advanced step by step until he became man- ager, in 1898, in the meanwhile having acquired partial proprietorship. He has a number of additional business interests, being president of the Roaring Spring Blank Book Company and vice president of the Roaring Spring Bank, in which he is also a director.

Mr. Bobb married Miss Clara S. Bare, who is a daughter of Hon. D. M. Bare, of Roaring Spring, and they have had two sons, Ralph D. and Chester, the former of whom is deceased. Mr. Bobb is a Republican in his political views but has no desire for public office. Neither is he identified with organizations outside of the business world, but possesses the characteristic American devotion to home life and to quiet recreations.

H. A. DAVIS, a prominent attorney and one of the leading citizens of Altoona, Pa., has been identified with the legal profession of Blair County, Pa., since 1895, and was born July 4, 1867, in West Township, Huntingdon County, Pa. Mr. Davis was reared in Hunt- ingdon County, and obtained his education at the Stone Valley Academy, at Juniata College, and the West Chester State Normal School, of which he is a graduate and post-graduate. He taught in the public schools of this state and South Dakota, and also taught mathematics in the State Normal School at West Chester, Pa. While a student of law in the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, he devoted some time to literary work, and graduated in law from the University of Michigan with the class of 1895, and on December 2, of that year was

admitted to the bar. Since then he has been located at Altoona, where he has been actively engaged in professional work, and also has a large practice in all the courts of the state, the District and Circuit Courts of the United States and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Davis is attorney for four corporations, and for the Anti-Saloon League of Altoona and Blair County, as well as for the State Anti-Saloon League.

Mr. Davis is a prominent and an active member of the Presbyterian church as well as an elder, to which office he was elected in January, 1899. He had the honor of sitting as a commissioner in the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church in 1906 and 1907, where he did some valuable work in the in- terests of the temperance cause. He has been chairman of the Forward Movement committee of the First Presbyterian church since the or- ganization of that body, and is a very active worker in the Presbyterian Brotherhood, which he served two successive terms as president. Mr. Davis is a member of the Blair County Bar Association, and is one of its board of managers. Fraternally he is a member of the Heptasophs, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Royal Arcanum, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the Patriotic Order of Sons of America.

On November 4, 1896, Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Miss Roberta S. Clark, of Chambersburg, Pa., and they have two chil- dren: Margaret Elizabeth and Janet Wilson Davis.

REV. FREDERICK R. ZOOK, of the Church of the Brethren, is a highly regarded minister in this body, and a respected citi- zen of North Woodbury Township, living near r Martinsburg, Pa. He was born in North Woodbury Township, Blair County, Pa., November 10, 1870, and is a son of John H. and Hannah (Fishel) Zook.

John H. Zook and wife were both born in Pennsylvania, he in Blair County and she in Bedford County. They now reside at Curryville, Pa. The Zooks came originally

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from Switzerland, the earliest one to settle in what is, now Blair County being John Zook, a pioneer blacksmith. His son, Frederick Zook, was the grandfather of Rev. Frederick R. Zook. The brothers and sisters of the latter are: Irvin F., residing at Curryville, Pa .; Annie, wife of Reuben Quarry, of Martinsburg; Sadie, living at Curryville, and Simon F. and Mary, also residents of Curryville. The parents of the above family are members of the Church of the Brethren. In politics John H. Zook is a Republican.

Frederick R. Zook obtained a public school education in North Woodbury Township, and afterward assisted his father on the home farm until he entered the Pa. Railroad shops at Altoona, where he was employed for five years. Mr. Zook owns a finely cultivated farm of twenty-four acres, and is a member of the well known firm of Zook & Seedenburg, threshers, who do a large amount of business in this section every season. Since 1905 Mr. Zook has been an accepted minister in the Church of the Brethren and in this relation is esteemed and beloved.

Mr. Zook married Miss Annie Seeden- burg, a daughter of George Seedenburg, of North Woodbury Township, and they have five children: Martha G., Elizabeth, Paul, Esther and Larue. Although a good citi- zen and ever lending his influence in the support of good government, Rev. Zook, on account of his religious beliefs, takes no act- ive part in politics.

FRANK GLESSNER, one of the old and representative business men of Hollidays- burg, Pa., whose department store is situ- ated on the Diamond, on the corner of Alle- gheny and Montgomery Streets, has been a resident of Blair County since 1867. He was born on a farm in Somerset County, Pa., May 10, 1848, and is a son of Josiah and Judith (Landis) Glessner, both being prominent old Somerset County families.

When fifteen years of age, Mr. Glessner left the farm and became a clerk for Ed- mund Kiernan, who kept a cross-roads' store, and after a year's experience went in- to a store at Johnstown, where he worked for eighteen months and later was employed for two years in Westmoreland County. After that he was with the house of Wood, Morrell & Co., now the Pennsylvania Traf- fic Company, for sixteen years, attaining the responsible and lucrative position of dry goods buyer for that firm, which was then located at Hollidaysburg. In 1882 he em- barked in a general mercantile business for himself and for sixteen years occupied the west corner of the Diamond. In 1898 he bought the Opera House Block, his present location, and now operates the largest store in Hollidaysburg. He has floor space 40 by 100 feet, and carries a general line of mer- chandise, specializing on dry goods and shoes. He requires the services of four clerks.

On January 1, 1873, Mr. Glessner was married to Miss Alice C. Buoy, and they have one daughter, Mary, named for Mrs. Glessner's mother. The family residence is at No. 907 Allegheny Street. Mr. and Mrs. Glessner are members of the Presbyterian church. He is a Republican in politics. For a number of years he has been a Free Mason and belongs to Blue Lodge and Chapter at Hollidaysburg, and also to the Heptasophs. Mr. Glessner is one of the broad-minded, liberal men of this city and takes an interest in everything promotive of its welfare.

THOMAS FRANCIS MARTIN, de- ceased, at the time of his death, on October 26, 1909, was living retired after many years of active effort, thirty of which he spent at Altoona, Pa. He was one of the city's old- est contractors and one of the most capable and reliable, and had been prominently iden- tified with some of the most important en- gineering enterprises in Pennsylvania for a quarter of a century. Mr. Martin was born

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in County Cavan, Ireland, in 1843, and when two years old was brought to Amer- ica by his parents.

Mr. Martin's boyhood was spent in the city of New York. When he first came to Altoona he entered the employ of Campbell Brothers, who soon recognized the real abil- ity of the young man. In a surprisingly short time, considering circumstances, he embarked in business for himself and al- though almost alone among strangers, won favorable attention at once which later re- sulted in wide-spread celebrity in his line of endeavor. Space here would not be suffi- cient to name all the important work done by Mr. Martin in the comparatively few years of his great activity, but probably those which will serve to perpetuate his name for ages was the building of Lake- mont Park, and the construction of the big impounding dam at Kittanning Point. Many other exceedingly important con- tracts were completed under his direct supervision, some of these being of a public character and located at Washington, D. C. Another was the magnificent reservoir at Pottsgrove, Pa. During the closing year of the Civil War, he served as a soldier in the IOIst Pa. Vol. Inf.

Mr. Martin was twice married, his first wife dying in 1900. His second marriage was to Miss Roberta Roddy, who, with two sons, Francis and James, survives, residing in the family home at No. 409 Third Ave- nue, Altoona. Mr. Martin was a faithful member of St. Mark's Catholic church. He was a man of kind heart and generous im- pulses and was ever ready to respond to the calls of charity.

ELI D. SMITH, one of Huston Town- ship's prominent and reliable men, who is now filling the office of township assessor, to which he was elected on the Democratic ticket, was born May 2, 1857, on the farm of 200 acres which he owns and resides on, this being one of the old and valuable properties of Huston Township, Blair County, Pa.

His parents were Jacob B and Susan (Dill- ing) Smith.

Jacob B. Smith was a lifelong resident of Huston Township. His father, John Smith, came very early to this section, set- tling on the farm which has descended from father to son for several generations. Jacob B. Smith followed agricultural pursuits. He was a Democrat in politics and at times served in township offices but he was a quiet, home-loving man and found his great- est happiness in attending to his daily duties and providing for the comfort of his family. He married Susan Dilling, who was also a native of Huston Township, and of their children the following survive: David D., Jacob D. and Eli D., all residing in Huston Township; Henry, residing at Martinsburg ; John D., living in Huston Township; and Elizabeth D., wife of Aaron B. Mock, of Martinsburg. Jacob B. Smith and wife were members of the Church of the Breth- ren.

Eli D. Smith was reared on his present farm and since boyhood has taken part in its cultivation. This large estate is known as Smithfield Farm and he devotes it to general farming and . stockraising. Mr. Smith was educated in the public schools of Huston Township, and like his late father has always taken a deep interest in them. He has served in many public offices and for six years was tax collector of the town- ship, is serving in his second term as asses- sor, has also been auditor and judge of elec- tions and for seven years was a justice of the peace. This prominence speaks for itself as a proof of the confidence in which he is held by his fellow citizens.

Mr. Smith was married to Miss Sallie Likens, who was born at Mine, Huston Township, a daughter of Isaac Likens, a well known citizen in former days. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have thirteen children, namely : Clarence L. and Eldie L., who live in Hus- ton Township; Mary L., who is the wife of Samuel Brumbaugh, of Huston Township; Lucy, who is the wife of Sanford Rhodes,

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

of Huston Township; and Allen, Heaster, Minnie, Olney, Aman, Denver, Beulah, Ger- trude and Robert.

DAVID H. C. BRUMBAUGH, a repre- sentative citizen and substantial agricultur- ist of North Woodbury Township, Blair County, Pa., who resides on his finely culti- vated and well improved farm of ninety-two acres, was born in this township, August 15, 1860, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Hoover) Brumbaugh.

Samuel Brumbaugh was a son of George Brumbaugh, an early settler in North Woodbury Township, and both followed farming as an occupation. Samuel Brum- baugh was twice married and of his numer- ous children, the following are yet living : Hannah H., who is the wife of John S. Stodnour, of Martinsburg; William H. C., who lives at Clover Creek ; John H., who is a farmer in Huston Township; Susan H., who lives in North Woodbury Township, is the widow of Isaac Kensinger ; Catherine H., who is the widow of Adam Baker; Levi H. and David H. C., both of whom reside in North Woodbury Township; Mary H., who is the wife of Luther Steele, of Martins- burg: Jeremiah H., who lives in Huston Township; Aaron H., who follows farming in North Woodbury Township; Andrew H., who lives in Huston Township ; and Edward H., whose home is in Taylor Township.

When David H. C. Brumbaugh was about fifteen years old his father died, but the youth continued to live in North Wood- bury Township and there attended school. He has devoted himself almost exclusively to farming and stock raising, and owns property that is very valuable. He married Miss Jennie Glass, a daughter of the late William Glass, a former prominent resident of this township, and they have three chil- dren: Bessie G., who is the wife of Irvin H. Benner, of Roaring Spring; Elvin G., who is in business at Roaring Spring; and John M., who lives with his parents. In politics Mr. Brumbaugh is a Democrat.

HON. J. LEE PLUMMER, an ex-mem- ber of the Pennsylvania House of Repre- sentatives, a foremost member of the Blair County bar and a prominent citizen of Hol- lidaysburg, Pa., was born in Snyder Town- ship, Blair County, Pa., September 20, 1859, and is a son of James S. and Charlotte (Wharton) Plummer. The early members of the Plummer family came from England and the first to be recorded in Pennsylvania was Richard Plummer, who was the great- great-grandfather of J. Lee Plummer. This ancestor settled in Huntingdon County in 1780, and his son, John Plummer, located in Cambria County in 1804.

William R. Plummer, son of John and grandfather of J. Lee Plummer, was born in Cambria County in 1812. He was in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany during the larger part of his life, and met an accidental death on the road, in 1879, while in the performance of his duty. Of his eleven children, James S. Plummer, father of J. Lee, was born in what is now Blair County, in 1835.

James S. Plummer was a leading citizen of Blair County for a number of years. He served as postmaster at Tyrone and resided there until 1880, when he was elected regis- ter and recorder of Blair County and then moved to Hollidaysburg. He was subse- quently re-elected and served until 1887. At the present writing (1910) he is serving in the office of court crier. He married Charlotte Wharton, a daughter of Alexan- der Wharton, the latter of whom was born in Ireland. A family of eleven children has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Plummer.

J. Lee Plummer was educated in the pub- lic schools of Tyrone, and his first exper- ience in business was as a clerk in the Ty- rone yards of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He found his duties congenial, and one year later became a brakeman on a passenger train over the Tyrone Division and remained with the company until 1881, when he moved to Hollidaysburg and be- came his father's deputy in the office of reg-

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 74

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