Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 86

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 86

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JAMES FRANKLIN MENTZER, a rep- resentative citizen of Frankstown, Pa., dis- trict health officer, resides in a comfortable home in the village and also owns four acres of valuable land. He was born at Loysburg, Bedford County, Pa., November 23, 1850, and is a son of Jeremiah and Mary (Working) Mentzer.

Jeremiah Mentzer was a miller by trade and followed the same through all his ac-

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tive life. He lived retired for fifteen years prior to his death. He married Mary Work- ing, who is also deceased. They were members of the Lutheran church. They had the following children: Charles; Mary, who is the widow of Oliver B. Fluke; James Franklin; Albert, of whom nothing has been heard since 1907; Irving; Will- iam Scott; George; Samuel and Emma.

James F. Mentzer obtained his education in the district schools and afterward taught school for one year and then went to Mich- igan, where he was clerk in a hotel at East Saginaw, for three years. He then re- turned to Pennsylvania and for three years engaged in farming and then became a mil- ler and was engaged in the flour mill busi- ness for twenty-six years. He is now re- tired from active business pursuits.

On February 25, 1875, Mr. Mentzer was married to Miss Sarah A. Slippey, a daugh- ter of Jonathan and Rebecca Slippey, old residents of Frankstown who are now de- ceased. Mrs. Mentzer had four sisters, namely : Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Morrison Lindsey; Rebecca, who is the wife of Irvin Mentzer; Blanche, who is the wife of Joseph M. Delozier; and Clara, who is the wife of William S. Reese.

Mr. and Mrs. Mentzer have two daugh- ters: Elsie B., who is the wife of Grant McClelland; and Myrtle, who is the wife of Frank Geesey. Mr. Mentzer and family are members of the Lutheran church. He is a Republican in politics and has taken an active interest in township matters, for a long time serving on the school board and being its secretary at the present time. He is also the health officer of the district which includes Blair and Frankstown Town- ships. . He is a member of Lodge No. 282, F. & A. M., at Hollidaysburg; of the Com- mandery at Altoona, and of Jaffa Temple, Mystic Shrine, at Altoona.

WILLIAM B. HICKS, one of Altoona's successful young business men, who has been engaged at his chosen pursuits here

for the past nine years. was born in Tyrons, Blair County, Pa., November 25, 1872. His father, Hon. J. D. Hicks, who is of Welsh descent, was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War. Since then he -was admitted to practice law, beconiing a leading attorney at the Blair County bar. He served his district for six years as a member of Congress and during his last term of service, was chairman of the com- mittee on patents. On his mother's side of the house, Anna Mary Sparr, was the daughter of Isaac Sparr. She was born on Cedar Brook farm along Clover Creek, this county, which is the old Sparr homestead of four generations and now owned by her daughter, Mrs. Hattie W. Cadle, and son, the subject of this sketch. The Sparr fam- ily is of German ancestry and emigrated to this country about 1700. Mrs. Anna Sparr Hicks died suddenly of pneumonia at Ty- rone in the Summer of 1875.

Mr. Hicks attended the Tyrone and Al- toona public schools, finishing his educa- tional training as a student for two years at the Pennsylvania State College. He then went into the newspaper work at Altoona at managing The News, a morning news- paper, and shortly after accepted a position in the employ of the New York World. Returning from New York City to Altoona, he commenced active business duties in conducting a fire insurance and steamship agency and acting as local press correspond- ent for several leading metropolitan daily newspapers, notably the New York World and Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburg Gazette-Times, Post and Dispatch and Chicago Tribune. As an insurance under- writer and steamship agent he has built up by energetic work, one of the largest agen- cies of the kind in central Pennsylvania. He represents many of the largest, old-line fire insurance companies in existence, and leading steamship lines of the world. In the capacity of a newspaper correspondent, Mr. Hicks has won distinction and is recog- nized as an able, forcible writer. He is a

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

director of the Phoenix Building & Loan association, of Altoona, Pa., a strong finan- cial institution. On Cedar Brook farm, of which he is part owner, are located exten- sive limestone quarries, operated by the Pittsburg Limestone Company, an auxil- iary to the United States Corporation. In politics, Mr. Hicks is an active Republican, giving his party earnest and intelligent sup- port on all leading issues. He displays good business tact and his success attained against keen competition is deserved from being well earned.

On January 25, 1906, Mr. Hicks was mar- ried to Miss Martha S. Maize, daughter of Joseph and Anna Maize, of Altoona, and they reside in their own home which Mr. Hicks had built at No. 2107 Seventh avenue, this city, shortly before their marriage. Mr. Hicks is an attendant at the Second Meth- odist church of Altoona. He is a member of the Altoona Lodges Nos. 102, B. P. O. Elks, and 286, Fraternal Order of Eagles.

EDWARD N. ROOT, who has been act- ively engaged in the fire insurance business at Bellwood, Pa., since 1907, is a representative of several of the leading old line companies, and was previously for many years in the serv- ice of the Bell's Gap Railroad. He was born October 7, 1852, in Antis Township, Blair county, Pa., and is a son of John M. and Mary Ann (Nelson) Root.

Lemuel Root, great-grandfather of subject was a native and for many years a resident of the New England States and served in the Revolutionary war, after which he came to Blair County, Pa. He settled in Antis town- ship, where he owned a large farm, on which he built a log cabin, and here spent his declining years, dying at the advanced age of 93 years. The gun which he carried in the Revolutionary war has been passed to the eldest son from generation to generation, and is now possessed by Lemuel Root, a second cousin of our sub- ject and a son of Jacob Root, who was a son of Lemuel Root. John Root, grandfather of our subject, was born on the old homestead

place in Antis township, then Huntingdon County, and after his second marriage moved to Ohio, where he owned considerable land near Gallion. He met an accidental death at the age of 68 years, being run over by a corn wagon.

John M. Root, father of Edward N., was born on the old home place and lived there practically all his life, returning here about one year after the family moved to Ohio. He was of English descent. After his marriage he left the home farm and during the greater part of his life followed the lumber business, and subsequently became the owner of a farm near Elizabeth Furnace. He spent the latter years of his active career in the service of the railroad acting as first night watchman for several years previous to entering the lumber business. In the spring of 1865 he enlisted for service in the war, in Company E., Sixth Penna. Cavalry, and served until its close. He then returned to lumbering for a time, after which he again went into the railroad business and continued with the company until seventy years of age, when he was entered on the company's retired list and so remained until his death seven years later.

John M. Root first married Mary Ann Nel- son, who was born in Antis township, a daugh- ter of James Nelson, who was of Scotch par- entage. Of this union were born five children : Edward N .; Lemuel A., a resident of Bell- wood; Luther, who died at Port Huron, Mich .; James, who died in infancy; and Mary Mar- garet (Mrs. Glasgow) who died in Bellwood. Mrs. Root died November 12, 1865, and was buried in Antis Cemetery. Mr. Root formed a second union December 31, 1867, with Mrs. Lydia H. West, and to them were born one son, John Preston Root, who resides in Ohio. Mr. Root died March 1, 1904, at Bellwood, and his second wife died July 20, 1902.

Edward N. Root grew to man's estate in Antis township, and after completing his edu- cation taught some eighteen terms in Clear- field, Center and Blair Counties, his last school being a subscription school. On March 29, 1879, he moved to what was then known as

EDWARD N. ROOT

JOHN M. ROOT

JOSEPH EUGENE ROOT

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Bell's Mills, and on August 3, 1882 entered the railroad service. He was continuously in the service of the railroad until May 30, 1907, and was identified with the Bell's Gap Railroad as ticket and freight agent and weigh master at Bellwood, and continued as such until trans- ferred to the Middle Division. At that time (Dec. 1888) a joint agency was established with the P. & N. W. R. R., after which he served as coal clerk until the time of his re- tirement from the service in May, 1907. He has since that time been actively engaged in the fire insurance business, representing several of the leading old line companies.

Mr. Root is a Democrat in politics, although inclined to be independent. For the past six- teen years he has been a member of the school board, and was a member of that body when the town was formed into a borough. He has been treasurer of the local fire company since its organization, August 18, 1891. Mr. Root is fraternally a member of the I. O. O. F., the Royal Arcanum, the K. O. T. M. and the Sons of Veterans.

On December 26, 1876, Mr. Root married Mary Eleanor Iddings, who was born in the vicinity of Unionville, Center County, Pa., April 5, 1853, and died March 6, 1907. She was a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth ( Allen) Iddings, who were people of affluence and the owners of several valuable farms. Four chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Root, namely: Joseph Eugene, born September 21, 1879, who graduated from Bellwood High School in 1898, and from the Pennsylvania State College in 1907, in the course of Civil Engineering, and is now an instructor in the University of Cincinnati, at Cincinnati, Ohio. He married Elsie Selma Richter of Cumberland, Md .; Margaret Elizabeth, born November 16, 1881, who graduated from the Bellwood High School in 1898 and from the Millersville State Normal in 1902, taking a later course in 1905, and who is now teaching in the public schools at Camden, N. J .; Alice Lydia, born June 22, 1884, who is the wife of George E. Wentz (they residing with Mr. Root) ; and Ruth Isabella, born October 23,

1893, who is now a senior in the Bellwood High School. The religious connection of the family is with the Lutheran church.

ANDREW C. BIDDLE, who is engaged in general farming and stock raising on a farm of 152 acres in Woodbury Township, has been a resident of Blair County since 1891, and was born July 19, 1852, in Bed- ford County, Pa., a son of Jacob and Susan (Marsden) Biddle. Jacob Biddle followed farming in Bedford County, Pa. His union with Susan Marsden resulted in the birth of the following children : Malinda, de- ceased, wife of William Cochran; Caroline, deceased, wife of Alex Boor; Myra, wife of S. F. Hetrick; Gilbert; and Andrew C., the subject of this record. Jacob Biddle was politically a Republican. He held membership with the Lutheran church.

Andrew C. Biddle spent his boyhood on his father's farm in Bedford County, Pa., and after obtaining a common school edu- cation, engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he has followed all his life. In 1891 he purchased his present farm of 152 acres in Woodbury Township, from the heirs of the George Hewitt estate. The barn which was on the place at the time of his purchase, was struck by lightning and entirely de- stroyed, and was later replaced by the fine bank barn, which is now on the farm. Mr. Biddle carries on farming in a general way, and raises sufficient stock for his own use.

In 1871 Mr. Biddle married Rebecca Lyons, who is a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Lyons, and is one of the follow- ing children born to her parents: William, Anna, Rebecca, Elias, Joseph, Grant, and Benjamin. Her father was a native of Lan- caster County, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Biddle are parents of the following children : Anna, who is the wife of William Swisher; Ida, who married George Zeigler; Charles; Sophia, who is the wife of Albert Fry; Min- nie, who married Thomas Steward; Grace, and Nell. Mr. Biddle is identified with the Republican party.

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

EDWIN M. AMIES,* who is recognized as one of the leading members of the Blair County bar and is a prominent citizen of Al- toona, was born in the city of Philadelphia, October 19, 1859, and is a son of Oswald A. and Elizabeth C. (Mather) Amies.

The Amies family is of French extraction but for many generations has been purely American. Oswald A. Amies was born at Philadelphia, Pa., a son of Thomas Amies, a native of Delaware. The latter was a large manufacturer of paper at Brandywine, Del., and later Oswald A. was concerned in. the same line of business. Oswald A. Amies was one of the first to answer President Lincoln's first call for troops, in 1861 ; he served through a first enlistment and after reenlisting, fell on the battle field of Gettysburg. He left a young wife with four children. He had married Elizabeth C. Mather, a native of Philadelphia also, who survived until 1882. She was a woman of great fortitude and many Christian virtues and was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Edwin M. Amies was three years old when he was left fatherless. His mother returned to Philadelphia with her little children and there he was educated and with the class of 1876, was graduated from Girard College. In making a choice of profession he decided upon the bar, for which his natural talents and inclination seemed to fit him, and after four years of study in the office of Alexander & Herr, at Altoona, he was admitted to the bar of Blair County, in December, 1880. He im- mediately opened his law office in Altoona and this city has continued to be his field of effort and the scene of his many legal triumphs. For almost thirty years he has been in the legal arena and at no time have his actions inspired anything but the highest esteem and respect, not only for his ability as a lawyer, but also because of his genial personality and his high standard of manhood. He has served in political offices, being an active and earnest Republican, but his aims have been directed to attaining professional eminence rather than political advancement. ,

Mr. Amies was married November 2, 1881, to Miss Laura Bower, a daughter of Jacob and Mary Bower, prominent old residents of Lan- caster County, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Amies re- side in a pleasant home which is situated at No. 1308 Fourteenth Avenue, Altoona, and he maintains his offices in the Central Trust Building, Rooms 28-30, an admirable location. He is identified with a number of fraternal or- ganizations, these including Logan Lodge, No. 490, F. & A. M .; Mountain Chapter, No. 189, Royal Arch Masons; Camp No. 12, Sons of Veterans; Blair Lodge, No. 281, Knights of Pythias ; and Altoona Lodge, No. 102, Elks. He is president of the Altoona Republican Club.

ALBERT A. COWEN, a prominent agri- culturist and leading citizen of Taylor Town- ship, Blair County, Pa., is a representative of one of the sturdy Irish families that came to America shortly after the close of the Revolu- tionary War, these colonists having made a large part of what is the best citizenship of the United States. Albert A. Cowen was born in Taylor Township, September 27, 1849, and is a son of David N. and Elizabeth (Croft) Cowen, and a grandson of Edward Cowen, who settled near Roaring Spring, on what is now known as the Woodbury turnpike road.

The Cowen ancestry has been traced by other investigators and reaches to the north of Ireland. From there two brothers, Edward and William Cowen, emigrated to America, and after a long and stormy passage, reached Philadelphia, Pa., in 1785. Before starting out to secure a pioneer farm, Edward Cowen was married in January, 1786, at Philadelphia, to Elizabeth Pote, a native of Germany, who had been a fellow passenger. She proved an admirable helpmate, cheerfully shared the hardships that attended them for many years, frugally preserved their scanty means and proudly became the mother of his twelve sturdy children. In the succeeding years these married and intermarried and at the present time the leading families of this section have

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a strain of the Cowen-Pote blood and fre- quently the family characteristics.

David N. Cowen was born on the tract of government land that his father had secured through the Penn heirs, this patent calling for a body of land extending from the Dunning's Mountain on the west across the valley just one mile south of Roaring Spring. At that time there were so many springs found on his land, that Mr. Cowen named his property Spring Garden, but the larger number of these have disappeared. The farm now owned by Albert A. Cowen was originally a part of what was called the Ullery Tract, on a portion of which the borough of Roaring Spring now stands. David N. Cowen followed an agricul- tural life. It was one of industry and quiet usefulness and when he passed away he left behind him the record of a good man. He married Elizabeth Croft and of their family of children the following survive: Albert A .; George L., who is a minister in the Baptist church, is located at Chesterfield, N. J .; and Eli C., Mary L., and Annie, who all reside in Taylor Township; and Edward D., who is a physician in practice at Cottonwood, S. Dak.

Albert A. Cowen was reared in Taylor Township. He attended the district schools and Martinsburg Seminary and also received valuable instruction in a private Normal School at Bedford, Pa. Mr. Cowen then be- came a teacher for a short period, teaching three terms in Blair and Bedford Counties, since when he has devoted himself to farimng and moderate stock raising. In addition to his Taylor Township farm of Eighty-six acres, he owns a farm of like acreage in Woodbury Township, both of these being productive properties.

Mr. Cowen married Miss Susan Long, a daughter of David Long, of Bedford County, and seven children were born to them, three of whom, Emory, Charles and David, are de- ceased. The survivors are: W. Howard, Warren G., Arthur O. and Vora M., all resi- dents of Taylor Township. In his political views, Mr. Cowen is a Republican.

WILLIAM M. HARE, one of Altoona's prominent and substantial business men, who has been identified with livestock in- terests for many years, has been a resident of this city since 1868. He was born at Al- lensville, Mifflin County, Pa., October 12, 1842, and is a son of William and Matilda (Goodman) Hare.

William Hare was left an orphan at an early age and was obliged from boyhood to provide for his own necessities. He devel- oped into a man of strong character, honor- able and upright, winning success where others would have failed. When he passed out of life he left not only a large estate to his family, but also a name they could hold in high regard. He was a native of Mifflin County, and died in Catherine town- ship, Blair County. He married Matilda Goodman, who was born in Lancaster County and died in 1883, surviving her hus- band for two years.

William M. Hare came into life under more fortunate conditions than did his father and was reared in a home of kind- ness and comfort. He remained on the home farm in Catherine Township until he was twenty-two years of age, in the mean- while having secured a good common school education. He then left the farm and en- gaged in the meat and butchering business at Altoona. For a number of years he car- ried on a large business in this line, but about 1889 he became in terested in dealing in livestock and then disposed of his meat business and has given almost all of his attention in late years, to developing the stock industry. He is an extensive owner real estate, his city realty including a beau- tiful home at No. 909 Chestnut Avenue, while his farming properties include the old homestead in Catherine Township and val- uable land adjacent to Altoona. He is numbered with the enterprising and pro- gressive citizens, being at the same time one of the most solid and reliable.

Mr. Hare was married in 1866 to Miss Harriet Lafferty, of Logan Township, Blair

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County, and they have seven children. The five daughters are all more or less artistic and Mr. Hare has afforded them every edu- cational advantage and they are prominent in the social life of the city. The two sons, Samuel B. and Harry. Hare, are both rep- resentative business men of the county. The former is a prominent attorney, with office at No. 2 Nicholson Building and pri- vate residence at No. 1208 Tenth Street. The latter is engaged in agricultural pur- suits and resides in Catherine Township, on the old family homestead. Mr. Hare and sons are all identified with the Republican party as was his father who served for forty-seven years as a justice of the peace in Mill Vale, Mifflin County.

ISAAC C. HESS, postmaster at Dun- cansville, Pa., where he also conducts a drug store, is one of the representative business men of this place, where he has resided since 1882. He was born in Luzerne County, Pa., May 2, 1858, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah (Kline) Hess, natives also of Luzerne County. The mother survives and resides at Scranton, Pa., but the father went out as a volunteer in the Civil War and never returned.

Isaac C. Hess was about four years old when he lost his father and his school op- portunities were lessened on account of having to start out for himself very early in life. He was reared in Luzerne and Col- umbia Counties and his first permanent business connection was with the Jackson and Wooden Manufacturing Company, of Berwick, Pa., where he was an employe for nine years. Subsequently that firm was merged into the American Car and Foundry Company. Mr. Hess then learned the drug business and in 1882 established himself at Duncansville, where he has con- ducted a drug store for over a quarter of a century. He has additional business in- terests and is a leading man in the public affairs of the town. In partnership with H. S. Wertz, they conduct the Duncans-

ville Granite and Marble Works, success- ors to H. F. Peck, and do an extensive business in cemetery and other monument work. In politics he is a Republican. For some years he has been a member of the town council and at present is president of this body, his usefulness in this position being very generally recognized. He has served as postmaster since March I, 1904, the office being one of considerable import- ance, a large amount of mail being handled here daily, two free rural routes being at- tached to this office.

Mr. Hess was married first to Miss Jo- sephine Malay, of Berwick, Pa., and they had one son, John, who is a resident of Al- toona, Pa. His second marriage was to Miss Annie M. Myers, a daughter of the late Daniel Myers of Duncansville, who was killed while serving as a soldier in the Civil War. Three children have been born to the second union: Estelle, Mary M. and Esther. Mr. Hess is well known also in Masonic circles, being a member of the Blue Lodge at Berwick, of the Consistory at Williamsport, and of the Shrine at Altoona.

ELMER B. WHITE, a prosperous farmer and much respected citizen of Wood- bury Township, Blair County, Pa., is the owner of a farm of fifty-eight acres, and was born May 1, 1870, on this farm, and is a son of Daniel M. and Elizabeth (Bowers) White. Both the paternal grandparents, Andrew and Martha White, and also the maternal grandparents, Michael and Mary Bowers, were of German descent.

Daniel M. White was born in Hunting- don, Pa., and his wife was a native of Wood- bury Township. He taught forty winter terms and ten summer terms of school in the county, which is believed to be a record. They attended the Dunkard church, and the father was a Republican in politics. Six children were born to Daniel and Eliza- beth White, namely: Lisander, Charles, Samuel, Mary, who is the wife of Frank Fields, Dillie, and Elmer B.

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Elmer B. White grew to maturity on his present farm, and was educated in the com- mon schools of the township. After leav- ing school he spent one year doing agricul- tural work by the month, then returned to the home farm, which he and his sister Dil- lie inherited from his father, and has since been engaged in general farming here. He has repaired and remodeled the old home residence and has erected a fine bank barn. He and his sister attend the Dunkard church, and in politics he is identified with the Republican party.

CAPT. JOHN H. BLACK, an honored veteran of the Civil War and a prominent cit- izen of Duncansville, Pa., which has been his home since 1865, was born in Allegheny Township, Blair County, Pa., July 28, 1834. His parents were Jacob and Mary (Swove- land) Black.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 86

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