Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 60

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 60

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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

After the close of his military service Mr. Kephart returned home and remained with his mother until his marriage. In 1870 he came to Osccola and after the town was burned he lived at Moshannon colliery until 1879. He then spent one year in Kansas and then came back to Osceola where he has resided ever since. He is a valued member of the Grand Army Post at this placc.

On June 25, 1868, Mr. Kephart was married to Miss Amanda G. Peary, who was born in Clarion County but was reared in Center County. She is a daughter of John C. and Adaline (Lamborn) Peary, the former of whom died in the Union Army during the Civil War, a member of Co. E, 45th Pa. Vol. Inf., and his burial was at Fortress Monroe. Mrs. Kephart was the second born in a family of seven children. To Mr. and Mrs. Kephart, six children were born, as follows: Glencora, who is the wife of Thomas Hobba, and they live at Scalp Level, Cambria County, Pa .; Maud, who is the wife of Harry Taylor, of Osceola Mills ; Annabel, who is the wife of James Ash- worth, of Osccola Mills: Walter Forest, who died when aged three years and II months : George C., who lives at home : and Bessie L., who is the wife of Barney Press, of Ashtola, Somerset County, Pa. Mr. Kephart and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Re- publican in his political views.

FRANK HAHNE, who is identified with many of the leading enterprises of DuBois, Pa., has been a resident of this borough since 1896. He was born in Germany, March 31. 1856. and being left an orphan when quite

young, has mainly made his own way in the world and stands today as a telling example of what an honest, right-minded, hard working boy can become.

Mr. Hahne attended the excellent German schools and at the age of seventeen years started to learn the brewer's trade. In 1875 he came to America in search of better indus- trial conditions, landing in Milwaukee, Wis., where he found employment in a brewery. One year later he went to Iowa, where he worked at his trade for three years, when, having ac- cumulated some capital, he took up Government claims in South Dakota, where he engaged in farming for two years. In 1881 he became a resident of Chicago, Ill., and there again went into the brewing business and remained until 1887, at which time he went to Allegheny. He was there until 1896, and then came to Du Bois, where his business interests have been exten- sively developed.

When Mr. Hahne decided that this Pennsyl- vania town offered excellent business oppor- tunities, he organized first the DuBois Brewing Company and was made its president. The plant at the beginning was not more than one- half the size of the present one but the growth of the enterprise has been continuous, under Mr. Hahne's judicious management and the time will come when the present commodious quarters on South Main Street, on the B. R. & P. Railroad, will have to be enlarged and still better facilities provided. It is a growing business. The buildings are of brick construc- tion and an average of eighty men are em- ployed. The main office is at DuBois, Pa., with branch offices at Buffalo, N. Y., and New- ark. N. J. In connection with the brewery proper, the company has a complete ice plant and by contract. the Hygienic Ice Company

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takes all their over-production of ice. In ad- dition to supplying the local trade from the brewery, shipments are made to many points, including Hamilton, Canada. The main brands of beer manufactured are: DuBois Budweiser, DuBois Wurzburger, Haline's Ex- port and Hahne's Porter. The officers of the DuBois Brewing Company are well known capitalists. Frank Hahne is president ; J. Weil, is vice president; Frank I. Schwem is treasurer, and M. I. McCreight is secretary. Mr. Hahne is also president of the DuBois Storage and Carting Company ; is a director of the DuBois Electric and Traction Company ; a director of the United Traction Company, and formerly was president of the J. Mahler Glass Company which sold out to the American- French Belgium Glass Company, in 1909.

Mr. Hahne has also prospered as a farmer and stock raiser. He manages a farm of 180 acres of valuable land belonging to the Brew- ing Company and situated near Luthersburg. in Clearfield County, where he has a large or- chard selected by the state as a model demon- strating orchard. He is much interested in the breeding of thoroughbred liorses and cattle, making a specialty of Percherons and Hol- steins. His 1800-pound Percheron stallion, DuBois, has taken many blue ribbons when exhibited. Improvements of every kind have been made on this farm and Mr. Hahne has been heard to express the wish that he may spend his last years in the midst of these beau- tiful surroundings.

On May 30, 1883, Mr. Hahne was married first to Miss Carrie A. Trom, of Chicago, Ill., who died in 1896. Four children were born to that union, namely: Emelia T., Maria A., Frank John and Carolla A. In 1900, Mr. Hahne was married secondly to Mrs. Maria

Strey, whose death occurred May 16, '1910. Mr. Hahne and children are members of the Roman Catholic church. He is identified fra. ternally with the Elks, at DuBois, and socially with the Acorn Club of DuBois and the German Club, of Pittsburg. He belongs also to the Pennsylvania Brewers' Association. In 1903 Mr. Hahne erected his substantial and com- fortable dwelling on South Main Street, Du- Bois, which has been the family home ever since.

E. K. TURNER, owner and proprietor of a grist mill in Wallaceton Borough, Clearfield County, Pa., and of a farm of 175 acres, situ- ated in Graham Township, and a second farm of 100 acres, in Bradford Township, belongs to one of the old pioneer families of the county. He was born in Graham Township, Clearfield County, February 12, 1853, and is a son of John W. and Martha (Dixon) Turner.

John W. Turner was born in Clearfield County, a son of Samuel and Susan (Wisor) Turner. He came to Graham Township when few settlers had yet taken up land and settled on what became the homestead farm before any of the timber had yet been cut. He cleared this land and developed a fine farm. He mar- ried Martha Dixon, a daughter of James and Ella Dixon, and to them were born the follow- ing children: E. B .; Margaret, who is de- ceased, was the wife of Martin Taylor; E. K .; Annabel, who is the wife of Charles Russell; and Martha, who is the wife of William Ham- bright. John W. Turner and wife were peo- ple of sterling worth and were widely known. They were members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.

E. K. Turner attended the common schools in Graham Township and spent two terms in

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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

the State Normal School at Millersville, Pa. a son of James and Elizabeth (Smeal) His life since then has been devoted to lumber- Boal. ing, farming and milling. In 1908 he pur- chased his grist mill from Harvey Reidy and has operated it continuously ever since and handles grain and flour quite extensively. He received 100 acres of the homestead farm from his father and later purchased 175 additional acres. For some years he has been a large dealer in stock. He is a man of practical knowledge along his various lines of business and has met with much success in his under- takings.

Mr. Turner was married in August, 1876, to Miss Jane A. Graham, a daughter of John and Gwen (Dale) Graham. The father of Mrs. Turner was a farmer and lumberman in Bradford Township, Clearfield County. Of his children, Mrs. Turner was the first born, the others being: Asbury, Elizabeth, who married Jerome Wilson; Mary, who married Zachariah Hoover; Hettie, and James B. Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Turner, as follows: J. W .: Effie, who is the wife of Frederick Fuge: Carrie, who is the wife of Clark Hummel; Ella, who is the wife of Orvis Hubler : and Gwen, Anna, Mabel. William, Ernest, Lynn and Wendell. Mr. Turner and family attend the Methodist Epis- copal church. He is a Republican in politics and has served very acceptably and usefully as a member of the school board. Mr. Turner is one of the leading members of the Grange at Wallaceton.

CALEB T. BOAL, general farmer re- siding three miles northeast of Curwens- ville, Pa., on a farm of ninety acres situated in Pike Township, Clearfield County, was born in this township, April 26, 1868, and is

James Boal was born and reared in Cen- ter County and remained there until he reached manhood, when he came to Clear- field County and for some years after his marriage to Elizabeth Smeal, lived on the George Smeal farm, afterward going to the West, where he died in 1877. His widow survived until February, 1901, dying at the age of seventy-two years. Her burial was in the Center Cemetery. She was a daughter of Caleb Bailey and the widow of George Smeal. Two sons were born to James and Elizabeth (Smeal) Boal, Charles E. and Caleb T. The former was born December 25, 1865, and owns a one- half interest in the farm on which Caleb T. Boal resides, the latter owning the other one-half interest. On August 20, 1891. Charles E. Boal married Ella Cleaver, a daughter of Charles Cleaver, of Penn Township, and they have eleven children, namely : Lela, Orvis, Curtis, Maude, Eliza- beth, Mary, Clark, Ai, Howard, Sarah and Mabel.

Caleb T. Boal obtained his education in the schools of Pike Township and has de- voted himself to farm pursuits, continuing to live on the homestead. The substantial buildings on the place he has erected and has made many other excellent improve- ments. Thirty acres of the farm is still in valuable timber. Mr. Boal raises the grains which do best in this climate, is also to some degree interested in growing stock. has fine orchards, and in fact is surrounded with all that necessarily contributes to a farmer's comfort and independence.

On August 27. 1895. Mr. Boal was mar-

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ried to Miss Anna B. Spencer, a daughter of E. Bellman Spencer, of Penn Township, and they have six children: Zeula, Pearl, Russell, all three of whom attend the pub- lic schools and are bright pupils, and Lester, Williard and Carrie. Mr. and Mrs. Boal are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, as were their parents. In politics Mr. Boal is a Republican. He is a member of the Curwensville Rural Telephone Com- pany of Pike Township.

ANTHONY M. GORMAN, who is man- ager of the Standard Oil Co.'s plant at La Jose, and a man of much local prominence, was born on the old Gorman homestead, near Mt. Joy church, May 9, 1877. His parents were Dan- iel and Elizabeth (McGarvey) Gorman. His paternal grandfather was a resident of Indi- ana county, where he held the office of tax col- lector, and who, while traveling his rounds, lost his way in a severe winter storm and was found frozen to death.

Daniel Gorman, who was born at Indiana, Pa., subsequently settled at New Washington, Clearfield county, and was the founder of the homestead near Mt. Joy church. He died in October, 1885, at the age of 60 years. He was thrice married : first to Nancy Maria Neff, a daughter of J. B. and Catherine ( Barnhart) Neff, of which union there were three children -William, James L. and Maria; secondly to Nancy King, daughter of John and Nancy (McCreary) King, to which marriage there were six children, the four present survivors being John, Horace, Rachel and Arthur G. Of Daniel Gorman's third marriage, to Eliz- abeth McGarvey, there were three children- Anthony M., David, and Daniel Gorman. The mother of these children was a daughter

of Anthony McGarvey, who came from Ire- land at an early day, settling in Chest town- ship.

Anthony M. Gorman was but seven years of age when his father died and he was reared until the age of 21 by his grandfather McGar- vey. He spent a year in the woods, cutting timber, but in 1899 entered the employ of the Atlantic Refining Co., now a plant of the Standard Oil Company, at La Jose, where he has since remained, being now in charge of the works. He belongs to Lodge 574. F. & A. M. at Coalport, to the Consistory at Williams- port and the Shrine at Altoona. A Democrat politically, he has held the office of tax collector for six years and for the past four years has been constable of the borough. He is also a member of the school board.

Mr. Gorman married Laura Keirn, who was born in Burnside township, this county, in 1877, a daughter of Daniel Keirn, a farmer. Our subject and wife have two children : Eve- line, aged four years ; and Kathleen, aged one year.

J. B. SWOOPE, justice of the peace at Blue Ball, Pa., and proprietor of a general store here, is one of the representative citi- zens of the place. He was born March 26, 1872, in Allegheny county, Pa., and is a son of C. G. and Margaret E. (Stuart) Swoope.

During the greater part of his life the father of Mr. Swoope was connected with the coke and coal business. He was never a politician but he was an intelligent citi- zen and was identified with the Republi- can party. He married Margaret E. Stuart and they had the following children born to them: Henry, George, J. B., Edward,

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Ida May and Allen A. The one daughter is the wife of Homer Wolfe and they live in the state of Indiana.

J. B. Swoope was educated in the public schools. He then entered the U. S. Army, becoming a member of Co. C, 7th Regu- lars and served five years and fifty-one days, being in the service during the entire period of the Cuban War. For several years afterwards he worked in the mines and then came to Blue Ball, where he con- ducted a barber shop for seven years. On January 10, 1909, he started his present general store and is doing a very satisfac- tory business.

On July 2, 1901, Mr. Swoope was mar- ried to Miss Minnie B. Ammerman, a daughter of Alfred G. and Laura P. (Sen- ser) Ammerman, of Blue Ball. Mr. and Mrs. Ammerman had the following chil- dren : William A., Minnie B., George, Myrtle, Leroy and Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Swoope have one daughter, Margaret Eveline. In politics, Justice Swoope is a Republican and he has served as school di- rector and in 1907 was elected a justice of the peace. He belongs to the P. O. S. of A., at Blue Ball, and to the Odd Fellows at Windber, in Somerset County.

JOHN I. BLOOM, a highly respected re- tired farmer of Pike Township, Clearfield County, Pa., owns 165 acres of valuable land on which he was born March 22, 1831. His father was John Bloom and his grandfather was William Bloom, the latter of whom was the founder of this large and prominent fam- ily in Clearfield County.

Center County, Pa., and later to Clearfield County. He became a farmer in Center Coun- ty and was there married to Susanna High, who was born in that county, a daughter of John High, June 7, 1788. After marriage, John Bloom bought this farm of 165 acres, in Pike Township, from Matthew Taylor, of Center County, this land then being included in that county. It was en- tirely undeveloped and so dense was the forest that then covered it that John Bloom was forced to join in with other settlers to make a road through this section of country in order that they might reach Curwensville. John Bloom was a man of much enterprise and became a citizen upon whom rested public cares to some degree as his neighbors relied upon his judg- ment and often sought his advice. He was a Democrat in his political views and at one time was tax collector for the whole county. His death occurred June 30, 1872. He mar- ried as stated above and his widow survived but two years afterward, her death taking place May 26, 1874. Their burial was in the McClure Cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian church. Eleven children were born to John and Susanna Bloom, as follows : Mary, who was born September 22, 1806, mar- ried Thomas Spackman, and died November 7. 1876: Effie, who was born July 17, 1809, was the wife of Peter Mays, of Knox Town- ship, and died in August, 1900; Katherine, who was born February 22, 1811, died Decem- ber 1, 1859; Abraham, who was born May 20, 1813, married Elizabeth Kyler and died De- cember 1, 1862; Matthew, who was born May 12, 1816, married Sarah Polhamus and died in June, 1900; Margaret, who was born August 22, 1818, was the wife of George W. Robins,

John Bloom was born in New Jersey, in Jan- uary, 1786, and accompanied his father to and died December 26, 1878; George, who was

JOHN I. BLOOM

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born March 2, 1821, married first Hannah Car- Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bloom : son, and second, Jennie Replow, and died in February, 1905; David, who was born May 18, 1823, married Mary Sloss, and died Septem- ber 30, 1897; Sophia, who was born April 8, 1826, died in December, 1906, her first husband being Martin Hoover, and her second, James Leech; Abigail, who was born July 12, 1828, married John B. Garrison; and John I. Bloom, of Pike Township, the youngest of the family and one of the two survivors.

In boyhood, John I. Bloom first attended the cross roads school which was near the Price farm, a log building with very primitive ac- commodations. Later he attended the Bloom- ington school for three winter months. He then helped his father and brothers to clear off the land and to place it under cultivation. Being the youngest, he remained on the home- stead and after his brothers settled on farms of their own and his father grew old, he took over the entire management. When he came into full possession he erected the present com- fortable and substantial farm buildings. The land is all cleared with the exception of forty acres of valuable timber. A coal bank on the farm is leased to the Bloomington Coal Min- ing Company and its output is 400 tons daily. Until he retired from active labor, Mr. Bloom carried on general farming and was always considered a careful and judicious agricultur- ist. He has practically spent his entire life on this farm. During the Civil War he was twice drafted for military service but on both occa- sions was declined on account of physical dis- ability.

Mr. Bloom was married August 22, 1854, to Miss Mary Frantz, who was born May 5. 1838, in Clarion County, Pa., a daughter of George Frantz and Eliza (Taylor) Frantz.

J. Showers, Jefferson, Eliza, Alice, Blake, Lucy, Frank, Annie, Howard and Willard. J. Showers Bloom was born December II, 1855. He married Elizabeth McHenry and they had four children: Lavada (deceased) ; Winfield; Alverda, who is the wife of John Shaffer; and Lloyd, who married Pearl Bloom. Jefferson Bloom was born July 26, 1857. He married Mary Peterman and they had three children : Margaret, who is the wife of Abra- ham Holden; Grover who married Belle Hart; and Lura, who married Calvin Rowles. Eliza Bloom was born June 8, 1860, married C. M. Bloom, and they have three children : Thad- deus, who married Ella Byers; Milford, who married Clara Murphy; and Edna, who lives at home. Alice Bloom was born November 17, 1864 and married David Crider. Blake Bloom was born June 8, 1866, married Sarah Evans and they have one child, Rossie, who is a school-teacher in Clearfield County. Lucy Bloom was born March 29, 1870, and died No- vember 9, 1899. Frank Bloom was born March 30, 1872, married Luella Wise and they have three children : Roland, Wilfred and Har- old. Annie Bloom was born March 9, 1876 and married O. B. Wise. Howard Bloom was born August 2, 1879 and married Della Rowles. Williard Bloom was born November 21, 1881, married Emma J. Bloom and they have one son, Donald. Mr. and Mrs. Bloom are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. He is a Dem- ocrat in politics and for sixteen years served in the office of constable. He is a member of generation. When John Bloom moved first the Bloomington Grange.

Mr. Bloom is a very entertaining conversa- tionalist, having an excellent memory and a wide acquaintance with the other old families

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of this section which have also assisted in its development. He also recalls much that his father told him and many of these tales of early times possess interest for the present to Clearfield County he settled near the river where a tannery now stands. One day a stranger came up the river and visited him with a tale of a valuable silver mine that he and some comrades had discovered in this vi- cinity, when they had made a hunting trip through this region, twenty years before. At that time, he represented, that five hunters had each carried off twenty pounds of silver to their distant homes and all intended to return but he was probably the only one who ever came. After showing John Bloom a piece of the ore he said he had picked up, Mr. Bloom con- sented, for hire, to assist him in finding the location of the mine, which the stranger repre- sented as being between Rock Lick and Pee- wee's Nest. They had no ax with which to blaze their path and thus they lost their way. Mr. Bloom and the stranger worked over two acres of land but without results and if there ever was a silver mine in that locality it prob- ably is still there. Among his father's posses- sions which Mr. Bloom has carefully preserved and one that he treasures highly, is a rifle that undoubtedly is 200 years old. It was given to John Bloom by an old pioneer. Its present owner has used it, in his earlier years being considered a fine shot and has brought down birds from a great distance.

sylvania to Kentucky and then returned to In- diana County, Pa., where his death occurred.

David S. Herron was quite young when his parents moved to Indiana County, and he was educated in the public schools and the Ohio State University, and was graduated from that institution with the class of 1865. He then read law in the office of Hon. H. W. Wier, of Indiana, Pa .. and was admitted to the bar in 1868, after which he located in Beaver County and continued in the practice of his profession there for two years. He then went to St. Petersburg, Clarion County and remained there until 1883, when he came to DuBois. At that time this borough was in its infancy, as it were, but far-thinking men were even then convinced of its future development and certain importance. Mr. Herron has been an active and valuable citizen ever since coming here, taking a deep interest in all that has has brought about the general welfare. On the Democratic ticket he has frequently been elected to office and has always done his duty whether at the head of municipal affairs or in a minor position. He has a large and lucrative prac- tice and maintains his office in the Deposit Na- tional Bank Building, and he is a stockholder in the Falls Creek National Bank.

On October 19, 1876, Mr. Herron was mar- ried to Miss Eva C. Dunning, of Buffalo, N. Y., and three children have been born to them: James G., who is in business at Du- Bois, and married Lucy Burr : they have three children-Homer. Arthur and Theodosha ; Charles S., who is in the drug business at St. Mary's, Pa .; and Lafayette. Mr. Herron is well known as a Free Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge at Petersburg and the Royal Arch at Kittanning, Pa., Pittsburg Commandery,

HON. DAVID S. HERRON, formerly bur- gess of DuBois, Pa., and at present city solic- itor, is one of the representative men of this borough, to which he came in 1883. He was born at Frankfort, Ky., April 24, 1843, and is a son of James Herron, who went from Penn- and Jaffa Temple, Mystic Shrine, at Altoona,

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Pa. He and his family reside at No. 28 Park Avenue, DuBois, Pa.

CHARLES OLIVER MATTERN, a prosperous farmer and dairyman, residing on his well improved farm of ninety-five acres, situated in Decatur Township, Clearfield County, Pa., was born on the old homestead farm on which his father still resides, in Decatur Township, July 30, 1872, and is a son of George Perry Greene and Angeline (Conrad) Mattern, and a grandson of Samuel Mattern.

Samuel Mattern was born and lived out his life on Spruce Creek, Huntingdon County, Pa., where the family can be traced back for 185 years and a farm there has been in the possession of the Mattern family for 125 years. The Matterns are of German and Swiss descent. Samuel Mat- tern was a hatter by trade, was also a mer- chant and, in association with his son, operated woolen mills. He married Mary Elizabeth King, who lived to the age of ninety-six years, while his life span was eighty years. They had seven children, namely: John W., who is now deceased, was a lawyer in Huntingdon County ; Wil- liam, who is deceased, lived for a time in Clearfield County but subsequently re- turned to Huntingdon County; George Perry Greene : Catherine, who now lives on Coal Run in Decatur Township, was mar- ried first to George Tate and second to John R. Martin: Eliza Jane who spent her life on the old homestead; one who died young in Spruce Creek; and Mary Ann, who is the wife of Jeremiah Mattern and they live at Gaysport, Blair County, Pa.

George Perry Greene Mattern was born

August 6, 1826, on the old family home- stead in Huntingdon County and when he grew old enough he learned the hatter's trade and the woolen manufacturing busi- ness with his father. In 1855, with his brother William he came to Clearfield County where they took up land which was valuable on account of its coal deposits, but they were not able to pay for it and William then went back to Huntingdon County and the younger brother moved to a wild tract in Decatur Township, which was then cov- ered with a heavy growth of timber. There was an old abandoned church building on the place which Mr. Mattern converted into a residence and he set about clearing his two and one-half acres as speedily as pos- sible. Through his persevering industry he prospered and as he gradually added to his land from time to time he became possessed of a farm aggregating 200 acres. He married Angeline Conrad, who was of German extraction and was born Decem- ber 2, 1834, in Huntingdon County. Her parents were John and Mary Ann (Stone- breaker) Conrad, the former of whom, a shoemaker by trade, made his home at Franklinville.

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Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 60

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Swoope, Roland D. (Roland Davis), 1885-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1040