Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 84

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 84

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In December, 1868, Mr. Carper was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Falkner, (was born November 2, 1837) a daughter of John Falkner, who was once a prominent citizen of Henrietta. Mr. and Mrs. Carper had one daughter, Rosanna, who is now deceased. Mrs. Carper died in March, 1907. She was a good, Christian woman, an active worker in the Church of God to which she and husband had long belonged, he being one of the elders of the church.

JOHN K. PATTERSON, deceased, for- merly a leading member of the Altoona bar and a citizen who was equally prominent in politics and business in this section, was born at Newry, Blair County, Pa., Septem- ber 15, 1857, and died in the midst of his usefulness, September 29, 1901, at his home at Altoona.

Thomas Patterson, father of the late John K. Patterson, was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland. In 1854 he came to America and in the course of years acquired valuable farming land near Newry, in Blair County, Pa. He married Isabella McConaghy, who was born in Ireland in 1820. They were members of the Presbyterian church at Newry, Thomas Patterson being one of the elders for a number of years.

John K. Patterson was reared on the homestead near Newry and attended the village schools and later Hollidaysburg Academy. His first venture into business was in the capacity of fireman on the Penn- sylvania Railroad. He faithfully performed the duties of this position for three years

although he knew it was but a temporary one, for he was ambitious for a professional career. Being well educated he made up his mind to turn his acquired knowledge to account and began to teach school, in which he

was successful and continued thus engaged for six years. By that time he was prepared to begin the study of law and became a student in the office of Attorney N. P. Mervine, at Altoona, being admitted to the bar of Blair County, June 20, 1887. From that time until the close of his active life, Mr. Patterson continued in practice, soon winning a leading position at the county bar. Aside from his profession, Mr. Patterson had numerous business interests and at one time was the largest tax-payer in the city. He was ever an enterprising and public spirited citizen. In early man- hood he had identified himself with the Republican party and frequently served as a member of the common and select council of Altoona, but seldom accepted county or state offices, prefering to show loyalty to his party and friends merely as a private citizen.

On October 22, 1890, Mr. Patterson was married to Miss Margaret Hegarty, a daughter of Oliver Hegarty, of Altoona. Mrs. Patterson resides in a very attractive home situated at No. 414 Sixth Avenue, Altoona. In the death of Mr. Patterson, the Third Presbyterian church of this city lost a valued member and liberal supporter. He was identified with Portage Lodge No. 220, F. & A. M.

JOSEPH S. AKE, who is one of Woodbury Township's most highly respected citizens is also one of the most substantial, being the owner of 435 acres of valuable land. He was born October 20, 1820, in Catherine Township, Blair County, Pa., and is a son of Joseph and Nancy (Vinache) Ake.

The parents of Mr. Ake were natives of Blair County, but were of Prussian parentage. They were people of good standing, owned their homestead and supported the Methodist Episcopal church. They had eight children:

JOSEPH S. AKE FAMILY GROUP

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William, Henry, Joseph S., Catherine, Ro- sanna, Elizabeth, Clara and Martin.

When Joseph S. Ake was a boy, school op- portunities were not so general as at the pres- ent day but his advantages were as good as were those of any of his companions. When he was nineteen years of age he started out to manage a farm for himself and in 1840 he settled on his present farm in Woodbury Township. During many years while he was in the prime of manhood, he carried on exten- sive farm operations and through thrift, pru- dence and industry, became a man of ample fortune. He has always been regarded with respect by his fellow-citizens and can look back over a long, peaceful and useful life.

Mr. Ake married Miss Margaret Cahill, a daughter of Leonard and Rachel Cahill. Her father was a prominent farmer in this section and he and wife were of Irish ancestry. To Mr. and Mrs. Ake the following children were born: Sophia M., who is the wife of D. J. F. Arnold and they have one son, Harvey Ar- nold; and .P. W., who manages his father's large property. P. W. Ake married Mary Deffenbaugh, a daughter of James E. and Elizabeth Ann Deffenbaugh, and they have four children, as follows: James Howard, who is pastor of the Methodist church at Ber- wick, Pa .; Anna, who is the wife of David Chalmer Stone, of Williamsburg; and Harry F., and Joseph Edgar.

J. A. BENDER, proprietor of - Hotel Colma, which is located at No. 1700 Eighth Avenue, Altoona, Pa., has engaged in this business since April, 1906, and was born in this borough, November 13, 1872, a son of Anthony and Catherine (Harmon) Bender. His father was a native of Germany, and the mother a native of Blair County, Pa. They were parents of the following chil- dren : William, John A., Charles P., Oscar, Catherine, Emma, Mary, Lewis, and Joseph.

Mr. Bender was reared and has always lived in Altoona, and during his early man- hood clerked in a grocery store in this borough, but later worked seven years as a

sheet iron worker for the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company. He has been engaged in the hotel business in this city since April 1906, now being proprietor of Hotel Colma. "In 1905 Mr. Bender was united in marriage with Chloe Kephart, at Milwaukee, Wis., although she also is a native of Blair County, Pa. In politics Mr. Bender takes an active interest in the affairs of the Repub- lican party, and is fraternally identified with the L. O. O. M. and the Owls. He is a member of the Catholic church.

DAVID K. RAMEY,* deceased, for many years one of Altoona's capitalists and one of the largest lumber manufacturers in the State of Pennsylvania, is survived by many of those who witnessed his development from the com- paratively humble position of a carpenter's apprentice to a high station in the building trades and labor to that of one of the great cap- tains of industry of modern times. He was born at Tyrone Forge, Blair County, Pa., October 8, 1821, and died at Altoona, March 20, 1904. His parents were Frederick and Martha (Keller) Ramey.

Frederick Ramey was born in Alsace- Loraine, then part of France, a son of Francis Ramey, who, it is said, was exiled from his native land on account of speaking the hated German tongue. In 1788 Francis Ramey and his family came to America. In his early years Frederick Ramey worked as a foundry- man and such was his occupation at the time his son, David K., was born. Later he bought land in Sinking Valley, Blair County, Pa., where he lived until his death in 1865. He was loyal to his adopted country and served under Commodore Perry, in the War of 1812. In 1807 he married Martha Keller and they had ten children .. They were members of the German Lutheran church.

David K. Ramey remained on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age when he became apprenticed to the allied trades of carpenter and house builder and worked at the same at Hollidaysburg from 1840 until 1865, i11 the latter year coming to Altoona. Here he

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operated a planing mill for nine years, after that being extensively and successfully en- gaged in the lumber business, which included the purchase of immense timber tracts in dif- ferent parts of the country and this subse- quently led to investments in mines and other properties. For many years his interests were large in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Nebraska and Kansas. Ere he reached middle life he was recognized as an able and astute business man. He was much more. With his excep- tional business qualifications he combined a large measure of public spirit together with a profound and active religious faith that im- pelled him to aid both in the upbuilding of civic enterprises and also in the founding and sup- porting of philanthropic and religious ones.

Thus he was interested financially and otherwise in the Altoona electric street car line and other important concerns directly beneficial to the general public; was a stock- holder and one of the organizers of the Al- toona Iron Company, and also, on occasion, took time out of his busy life to serve on the city council, where his experience and judg- ment made his advice exceptionally useful. He was one of the first to encourage the establish- ing of the Altoona Hospital, gave liberally in the beginning and continued until his death to serve on its board of directors. His deep, genuine and conscientious attachment to the Evangelical Lutheran church and to its vari- ous branches of educational work, was evi- denced in innumerable ways. He was a strong advocate of temperance and throughout life set an example of exemplary living that left a lasting impress.

David K. Ramey was married February 22, 1844, to Mrs. Catherine (Leamer) White, widow of Gaston White. She died April 28, 1863. The following children were born to this union: Frederick, who now lives retired at No. 1109 Twelfth Avenue, Altoona; Jennie R., who is the widow of Henry B. Huff, and resides at No. 1112 Eighth Avenue, Altoona; Susan, who is the wife of T. Blair Patton, formerly postmaster at Altoona; Samuel S. B., now deceased, who was formerly in the insur-

ance business at Altoona, and is survived by his widow, who resides at No. 2009 W. Chest- nut Street, Altoona; Catherine, who is the wife of William W. Wingard, of Altoona; and one that died in infancy. Mr. Ramey's second marriage, in August, 1865, was to Mrs. `Anna R. (Knight) Brewer and five children were born to them, namely: Bertha, Lorene, Alice, Annie Rebecca and David W. Bertha is the wife of W. L. Pennock, a well known contractor at Altoona. Lorene is the wife of Lieut. John S. Fair, an officer in the U. S. Army. Alice is the wife of W. L. Nicholson, who is in the insurance business at Altoona. Annie, R. is the wife of R. M. Snyder and they reside with her mother. W. L. Nicholson has charge of the insurance affairs concerned with the Ramey estate, while T. B. Patton, now a resident of Huntingdon, Pa., where he is superintendent of the reformatory, is the executive of this large estate. Mrs. Ramey resides in one of the handsome homes for which Altoona is justly noted, it being situated at No. 1216 Twelfth Avenue. The family has been socially prominent for years. They are attendants of the Evangelical Lutheran church at Altoona.

BENJAMIN F. SHOEMAKER, whose valuable farm of 100 acres, lying in Taylor Township, Blair County, Pa., is devoted to farming and stock raising, is a representa- tive citizen of this section and an honored survivor of the great Civil War. He was born in Somerset County, Pa., September 6, 1843, and is a son of John and Hannah (Sevets) Shoemaker, both of whom were born also in Somerset County.

Benjamin F. Shoemaker was six years old when his parents moved to Middle Wood- bury Township, Bedford County, Pa., and there he grew to manhood and obtained his education in the district schools. In August, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Co. C, 110th Pa. Vol. Inf., which became a part of the Army of the Potomac, and remained a brave, willing, efficient soldier and brought credit on the

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Federal blue on many a battlefield before he received his final and honorable dis- charge, on July 3, 1865. The battle of Win- chester, Va., in March, 1862, was the first of a long series of important engagements in which he took part which included: Fort Republic, Cedar Mountain, Second battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellors- ville, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. At the time of the surrender of the Confeder- ate forces at Appomattox, his command was not far distant from the famous meeting place of Generals Grant and Lee. Mr. Shoe- maker was promoted to the rank of second sergeant of his company as a reward of faithful service. He is a valued member of Lieut. Lower Post, No. 82, G. A. R., at Roaring Spring, in which he has served as vice commander.

After the close of his military service, Mr. Shoemaker returned to Bedford County and remained there until 1871, when he came to Blair County and settled in Taylor Town- ship, and in 1899 came to his present farm, near Ore Hill. Mr. Shoemaker devotes con- siderable attention to his stock interests, growing a fine grade of cattle and also horses.

Mr. Shoemaker has been thrice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth Teeter and after her death he married Miss Sarah Bulger, who, at death, was survived by one daughter, Sarah. His third marriage was to Miss Leah Kauffman, who was born in Bedford County, a daughter of the late Michael Kauffman, of Taylor Township, and they have two sons: Warren and Jesse. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker are members of the Church of God, at Woodbury, Pa. He is a Republican in his political views but has never accepted any office except that of school director in which he served one term. Mr. Shoemaker is an example of a success- ful self made man, and he is respected and esteemed by his neighbors and fellow citi- zens.

B. J. CLARK, chief of the police depart- ment of Altoona, Pa., and one of the lead- ing politicians of the Democratic party in this section, was born May 14, 1865, at Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pa., and is a son of Bernard Clark, who was a native of West Ireland. The father came to America and located in Hollidaysburg in 1854, where he helped to build furnaces. In 1891 he came to Altoona, where his death occurred July 4, 1904.

B. J. Clark was reared in Hollidaysburg and obtained his educational training in the Catholic Sisters' schools and the common schools of that city and at Gaysport. Early in life he began working in the blast fur- naces, and also was employed in the rolling mills and the Gaysport Foundry and Machine Shops, and in 1887 came to Altoona, where he spent some time work- ing in the machine shops of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company. In 1893 he was appointed special officer of the police force, but the following year returned to the rail- road shops where he worked continuously until 1908, at which time he was appointed chief of the police department. He is politic- ally a Democrat, and was chairman of the Blair County Democratic Committee at the time State Treasurer Berry was elected and carried Blair County by 600 majority. He has also served on the board of Health, and the board of Water Commissioners, resigning the latter position to accept his present office. Chief Clark is fraternally a member of the Heptasophs, the Eagles and the Moose, and his religious connection is with the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. In 1887 Chief Clark was joined in the bonds of wedlock with Susie Hufford of Bedford County, Pa., and they have sons, namely : Robert E., Charles S., John W., Bernard H. and Thomas Allen.

SAMUEL MOYER, whose excellent farm of 161 acres lies in Woodbury Township, Blair County, Pa., was born in Huntingdon County, Pa., February 12, 1854, and is a son

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of George and Elizabeth (Shontz) Moyer. The parents of Mr. Moyer were well known and highly respected people of Huntingdon County, where the father engaged in farming. They were members of the Reformed church. They had the following children: Margaret, who married Jonathan Brindle; John; Daniel; Mary, who married Isaac Long; Christopher ; Jacob; Nancy, who married Anthony Cun- ningham; George; Samuel; Benjamin; Will- iam and Scott.

Samuel Moyer obtained a district school ed- ucation. Farming has been his business since reaching man's estate and he is well qualified to meet any condition pertaining to agricul- tural matters. He bought his farm in Wood- bury Township from George G. Patterson, paying a fair price as it had already been im- proved. He cultivates the usual grains of this section, raises some stock and has abundant orchards.

In 1892, Mr. Moyer was married to Miss Laura Garner, a daughter of A. B. Garner, whose other children were: Harry, Daniel, Albert, Norah, Charles and Ada. All survive except Norah, who was the wife of David Kiler. Mr. and Mrs. Moyer have four chil- dren: Frederick, William, Nellie and Robert. They are memberes of the Reformed church. Mr. Moyer casts his vote with the Republican party.

WILLIAM HENRY WYERMAN, a well known citizen of Allegheny Township, Blair County, Pa., has resided on his farm of sixty- eight acres, situated near Duncansville, for about twenty years, and was born in this township, July 18, 1857. His parents were John and Mary B. ( Balheimer) Wyerman.

Both parents of Mr. Wyerman were born in Germany and came to America as young people. After their marriage they settled per- manently in Allegheny Township, Blair County, where they followed an agricultural life and became well known and respected residents. The father was a Democrat in pol- itics and for several years prior to his death was a member of the Lutheran church. Of the

children born to John and Mary B. Wyerman, five survive, namely: Catherine, who is the widow of John Turnbaugh, of Allegheny Township; George W., who lives in Iowa; Caroline E., who is the wife of E. M. Clapper, of Allegheny Township; William Henry; and David A., who is a resident of Logan Town- ship.

William Henry Wyerman grew to manhood in Allegheny Township, where he has always lived. After he was eighteen years of age he worked for himself at public works about seventeen years and then worked as a farmer. and in the course of years became possessed of the excellent farm on which he carries on dairying in addition to general farming. Mr. Wyerman married Miss Mary E. Caltabaugh, a daughter of the late Charles Caltabaugh, of Allegheny Township, and they have had nine children born to them: Maud E., Albert R., Luther E., Olive R., Harold R., Mildred G., Charles L., Paul K., and one who is deceased. Mr. Wyerman and wife are members of the Lutheran church of Duncansville, in which he was formerly a deacon. In politics he is a Democrat.

LOUIS SIGRIST, one of Altoona's best known German-American citizens, and propri- etor of the Sixth Ward Hotel, situated at Nos. 714-16 Seventeenth Street, Altoona, was born in Germany, August 24, 1865, the second in a family of four children born to Morris and Elizabeth Sigrist, who never came to America.

When fifteen years of age, Mr. Sigrist crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the United States and came immediately to Altoona, and this city has continued to be his home. During the larger part of his business life he bas been con- nected in some capacity with the hotel business and thoroughly understands it. For two years prior to coming to the Sixth Ward Hotel, he managed the Union Exchange Hotel and came from there to his present property in 1907. He has a commodious and well-kept-up build- ing, with twelve sleeping rooms and all mod- ern conveniences. The Germans have an es- tablished reputation for fine cooking and Mr.

EDWARD HAIR

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Sigrist gives his guests the best that is on the market.

Mr. Sigrist married Miss Elizabeth Crum, a daughter of Casper Crum, of Hollidaysburg, and they have the following children: Marie, Margaret, Anna, Louis, Jr., Joseph, Agnes and George. Marie is the wife of Rudolph Ernest and they have one daughter, Marie. Mr. Sigrist and family attend the Roman Catholic church. In politics he is a Republican and -fraternally he is identified with the order of Eagles.

EDWARD HAIR, a highly respected and widely known retired citizen of Roaring Spring, Pa., of which place he has been a resi- dent for thirty-six years and during this period has been prominently connected with its busi- ness and public affairs, was born in Bedford County, Pa., April 28, 1850, and is a son of Samuel R. and Margaret (Smith) Hair. The Hairs and the Smiths were early settlers in Bedford County, and many representatives of these families still are numbered with that county's best citizenship.

Edward Hair attended school in his native place until he was seventeen years of age and then became a clerk in a general store and af- ter several years of experience, became man- ager of a store at Baker's Summit, for C. R. Stover, and remained four years. In 1874 he came to Roaring Spring and embarked in a general mercantile and drug business, in which he continued until February, 1910, when he sold out to Dr. W. M. Eldon, of Roaring Spring. In politics, Mr. Hair is a Democrat and he was appointed postmaster at Roaring Spring during the first administration of Presi- dent Cleveland and served over four years in that office. Mr. Hair enjoys a large amount of public confidence and to find out how long he has served Roaring Spring in the office of treasurer, it is necessary to go back to the date of its organization as a borough, in 1888. He has been a director in the Roaring Spring Bank since the founding of this sturdy finan- cial institution.

Mr. Hair married Miss Elizabeth Pote, of Baker's Summit, and they have one daughter, Mabel, who is the wife of Frederick Garver, of Roaring Spring. He is identified frater- nally with the order of Odd Fellows at Roar- ing Spring, and with the Masons, belonging to the Chapter at Hollidaysburg and the Com- mandery and Shrine at Altoona. Mr. Hair is justly numbered with the representative men of this section.

GERMAINE CASANAVE,* one of Altoona's representative business men, a capitalist and leading citizen, conducts the largest harness, saddlery and horse furnish- ing goods establishment in all Central Penn- sylvania and has additional business inter- ests in this section. He was born at Escott, France, April 23, 1848, and is a son of John F. and Julia (Casaurancq) Casanave.

The parents of Mr. Casanave were natives and lifelong residents of France. The father was a man of intellect and education and for many years was a school teacher. Both he and wife were worthy members of the Catholic church. They were the parents of eight children, three sons and five daugh- ters, and two of these came to America and made their permanent homes here.

Germaine Casanave was educated in the schools of his native province and then learned the saddlery and harnessmaking trade. His older brother, Francis D. Cas- anave, had emigrated to America in 1863. In 1870 Germaine decided to follow his example and in that year landed at the port of New York and from there came to Altoona, Pa. In the spring of 1871 he estab- lished himself in the harness and saddlery business in a modest way, and from that beginning his present large business has been built up. His store and manufactory at No. 1213 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, has several times been enlarged and its capacity increased in order to meet the demands of trade, and for a number of years his has been the leading house in its line in this sec- tion. Mr. Casanave has kept fully abreast

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with the times and his stock is complete in every particular. While many pieces of improved machinery have been introduced since the business was established, Mr. Cas- anave still superintends all the work and is as particular with every bit of finished prod- uct as he was when it was all his own handiwork. He has been an astute business man and has acquired a large amount of valuable realty at Altoona and has vastly improved some sections through attractive building. He erected the handsome brick block on Eleventh Street, which bears his name, and also his fine private residence at No. 1105 Thirteenth Avenue. He is identi- fied with the Republican party but has always declined public office.

Mr. Casanave was married at Altoona in 1871, to Miss Mary M. Kurtz, who died October 24, 1886, and was survived by four children: Nicholas J., Anthony J., Joseph D. and Mary J. Mr. Casanave and children are members of St. John's Catholic Church at Atloona.

JAMES R. HUMES, M. D., the leading physician and surgeon at Hollidaysburg, who is a practitioner in the Homeopathic School of Medicine, has been a resident of this city for some thirty-five years and dur- ing this time has thoroughly identified him- self with her interests. He was born in Allegheny County, Pa., October 18, 1847, and is a son of John V. and Elizabeth (Ran- dolph) Humes.

John V. Humes, father of Dr. Humes, was one in a family of ten sons and he was born in Westmoreland County, Pa. His father was James Humes, who was also born in Westmoreland County. The family is of Scotch-Irish ancestry but since the days of the great-grandfather, has been of Pennsylvania. James Humes moved from Westmoreland to Allegheny County with his family and the present village of Tar- entum stands on a part of his old farm, where he died in 1865, aged seventy-two years. For many years John V. Humes

engaged in farming in Allegheny County and then retired to Tarentum. He was a man of high standing in his community and frequently was elected to local offices. He married Elizabeth, who was a daughter of Obediah Randolph, of Welsh extraction. They were worthy members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 84

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