Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 64

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 64

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Wheelersburg. Prof. Barrett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is an independent voter.

HOWARD G. PURNELL, M. D., who has been engaged in medical practice at An- sonville, Pa., for the past nineteen years, and is county physician for both Knox and Jordan townships, Clearfield county, also having the largest country practice in Clearfield county. He was born at Georgetown, Sussex county, Del., July 1, 1869, and is a son of Hon. Charles T. and Maggie (Wingate) Purnell.

Charles T. Purnell, who is now mayor of Georgetown, Del., for many years was en- gaged in lumbering. For ten years he was deputy sheriff of Sussex county and for four years was sheriff. The family is one of prom- inence in that section. Dr. Purnell is the eld- est born of his parents' family, the others be- ing: Mattie, who is the wife of Dr. George Messick; Mary, now deceased, who was the wife of Eben Townsend; and Anna, who is the wife of George Sharpley.

Howard G. Purnell was educated in the public schools of Georgetown and the Newark Delaware College, and then studied pharmacy and was graduated in the same at the Phila- delphia College of Pharmacy. For eight years afterward he was in the drug business in Philadelphia, and then turned his attention to medicine, entering Jefferson Medical College, where he was graduated April 1, 1892. For two years prior to locating at Ansonville, he served as resident physician in the Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia. He was one of the founders of the Clearfield Hospital and gave much of his time to the work.

Dr. Purnell was married in April, 1900, to Miss Cora Straw, a daughter of John T. and

Priscilla ( Barrett) Straw, the former of whom was county commissioner of Clearfield county and a man of public worth. Mrs. Purnell has one brother and six sisters, namely: John; Myrtle, wife of Stewart Williams; Iva Belle; Carrie, wife of Clyde Bollinger ; Blanche, wife of Benjamin Gates; Nora and Sarah. Dr. and Mrs. Purnell have three sons: Charles, John and Garrett. They attend the Baptist church. Dr. Purnell is a Democrat in his political views and is serving as school director. He is a man who stands very high in the esteem of his fellow citizens both personally and profes- sionally. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity at Georgetown, Del.

R. F. KLEINGINNA, a representative business man of long standing and excellent repute, who is engaged in the manufacture of cupboards and wardrobes at DuBois, Pa .. came to this borough in its infancy and is iden- tified at present with its best interests. He was born in Schuylkill county, Pa., in 1867, and is a son of John and Sarah (Smith) Kleinginna. The mother died when her son was four years old and he was reared by a maternal aunt, with whom he came to DuBois in April, 1881.

R. F. Kleinginna is a self made man in every sense of the word. He had few oppor- tunities in his youth and that he has developed into a well informed and successful business man and respected and valued citizen, is owing entirely to his own steling traits of character. His first work was in the coal mines, 'where he was a trapper. Later lie was employed for two years in the sash and door factory of Bar- ber & Scully, after which he engaged with John E. DuBois for two years and then was employed for a short time by Sidney Fuller

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but soon returned to Mr. DuBois and worked two more years for him. He then was em- ployed for one year by the Whirlpool Wash- ing Machine Company. All this time he had been hoping that some turn of fortune might give him a little unemployed capital so that he could work out his own practical mechanical ideas for he has a natural gift in that line. Se- curing an old barn as a work-shop, about this time he started to construct musical instru- ments and later, at the suggestion of John Goodyear, who was a pioneer furniture dealer here. he began the manufacturing of some- thing needed in every house, kitchen cup- boards. Mr. Kleinginna soon had three com- pact, durable and attractive appearing cup- boards finished and these Mr. Goodyear imme- diately took off his hands and paid for them at once. This was the beginning of what he has developed into a very large enterprise, one that requires the assistance of seven traveling men to cover the wide territory of his business. his shipments going to New York, Virginia. West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio.

There are men who at once would have gone into debt for proper machinery, with this en- couragement, but Mr. Kleinginna was not of that kind. . As he had no money and would not borrow, the only way he could solve what was a very important question, was to make his own machinery and his first work was done in the okl dilapidated cow-barn, with a foot-power rip saw and with the other ma- chinery that he fashioned for himself. and after his goods became known he installed a four-horse power engine and boiler and built wings on each side of the barn. Business grew so rapidly that in a comparatively short time he had to find more commodious quarters and he purchased two acres of land and built his

plant, on Hamor street. His factory occupies two floors of the building at Nos. 14-16 Ha- mor street, each floor 70 x 48 feet, with suf- ficient power and modern machinery, although some of this which is best suited to the work, is of his own invention and construction. He has large ware-rooms and a dry-house with dimensions of 20 x 38 feet. Mr. Kleinginna is justified in the pride he takes in the success he has won and DuBois respects him and points to him as an illustration of what an honest. industrious, persevering youth may be- come if he be willing to strive hard enough.

GEORGE H. PLANTEN, division fore- man for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Westover, and a prominent citizen of the borough, was born at Clacton-on-Sea, county Essex, England. October 9. 1860. His parents were William and Susan ( Dove) Planten, and he is a grandson of John and Sarah Planten, the former an English farmer who lived to a good old age. William Planten, who was born in Suffolk, England. also spent his industrial years in agriculture, and is still living at the age of 83 in London, England. His wife, Sarah Dove Planten, died in 1910 at the age of eighty-four. The Dove family from which she sprang are well known in English mari- time circles as large ship owners. Of their children. in addition to the subject of this sketch, there are three sons living and two daughters, namely: Anthony, a steamship captain, residing in Scotland; William, a sea- faring man residing in England; Charles, a care taker, in London, England; Alice, wife of E. Holmes, of London, England; and Eliz- abeth, wife of J. J. Easton, also of London.

George H. Planten, after his school days were over, entered the English army, in which

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he served five years. At the age of 20 years he came to America, settling first in Philadel- phia, where at first he did manual labor and afterwards was in the milk business for one year. Going then to New York, he became connected with the bridge building industry and worked at it for three years in various states. Leaving his employer in New Orleans he went by steamer to Costa Rico. South America, to work for a German-French Rail- way company and was in their employ fifteen months, engaged chiefly in bridge construc- tion. He was next sent to the vicinity of Montreal, Canada, to construct a bridge over the St. Lawrence river. After this work was done, he returned to New York and soon after entered the employ of a French and Belgium railway company, who sent him to Venezuela as superintendent of bridge and trestle work. Returning then to Philadelphia. he married, and soon after entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Cresson. and has since remained with this company as foreman a period of eighteen years. He came to Westover in 1894. He is a member of the United Evangelical church, and belongs to the I. O. O. F. lodge at Patton. Politically a Re- publican, he has been active on behalf of his party and served the local committee two terms as president and three years as chair- man. He was also a delegate one year to the party convention at Harrisburg. He was elected justice of the peace in 1906 but re- signed the office in 1908. As an instance of his faithful performance of duty. it may be mentioned that on one occasion he received a $50 prize from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, for services to the company.

Mr. Planten was married in 1903 to Mrs.

Grace Zella Lake DeCoursey Stout, who was born in Ireland, March 14, 1860, a daughter of Patrick Sexton and Mary Annie (Burch) DeCoursey. Mrs. Planten's parents are both deceased, her father dying in 1896 at the age of 72 years, and her mother in 1895 at that of 69. They came to America in 1867, residing first in New York and later removing to Prov- idence, R. I., where the rest of their lives were spent, Mr. DeCoursey being engaged in busi- ness as a merchant tailor. Their children, in addition to Mrs. Planten, were Zella, Ellen, Edward, Johanna, James and Patrick Henry.

WILLIAM T. WINK, general farmer and dairyman, who owns 105 acres of excellent land situated in Pike township, one and one- quarter miles northwest of Curwensville, was born in Fulton county, Pa., October 24, 1874. His parents were Elias and Florence ( Hock- insmith) Wink. Elias Wink died September 6, 1878, and his burial was in Fulton county. His widow still resides in Fulton county, where she was born July 7, 1849.

William T. Wink remained with his wid- owed mother until he was old enough to pro- vide for himself. He attended school in Bel- fast township and lived in Fulton county until he was twenty-one years old and then ac- cepted farm work in Franklin county. In 1896 he came to Clearfield county, after which he worked one year at lumbering in Brady township. After his marriage, in 1904, he settled on the old Neeper farm and has con- tinued to reside here, having made many im- provements including the remodeling of all the buildings. He is a member of the Clear- field County Agricultural Association and is one of the model farmers of this section. His

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IHISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY

dairy is maintained with from twenty-five to thirty cows and his milk is disposed of at Cur- wensville. Mr. Wink is a stockholder in the Curwensville Rural Telephone Company of Pike township.

Mr. Wink was married December 1. 1904, to Miss Ruthanna Neeper, who was born on this farm, May 11, 1870, and is a daughter of Robert R. and Jane ( Hartshorn) Neeper, and a granddaughter of Joseph Neeper, who was a veteran of the War of 1812 and one of the carly elders in the Presbyterian church at Curwensville. Robert R. Neeper was born July 20, 1826, where the opera house now stands in Curwensville, and from there went with his father to Brady township and resided there until his father's death. Then he and his widowed mother moved onto the farm on which he lived till his death, which took place March 4, 1902. He was married on April 15. 1863, to Jane Hartshorn, who was born Jan- uary 19. 1832. and died October 16, 1904. They were well known residents of Pike town- ship and were respected and esteemed. Mir. and Mrs. Wink have four children, namely : Robert, born December 19, 1895; Florence Irene, born March 3, 1906; and George New- ton and Harold Devere, twins, who were born March 20, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Wink attend the Presbyterian church. In politics he is an independent Republican but has never con- sented to hold a township office. As men- tioned above he is deeply interested in farm- ing in all its branches and is a valued member of Susquehanna Grange, of which he is stew- ard and to which his wife also belongs. Mr. Wink belongs to the order of Red Men, at Curwensville and to the Order of the Moose. at Clearfield. He is one of Pike township's representative men.

EDWARD AMOS VIEBAHN, owner and proprietor of the Smoke Run Hotel, at Smoke Run, Clearfield county, Pa., is one of the enterprising and successful young business men of Bigler township. He was born in 1882. in Clearfield county, and is a son of Julius Viebahn, a wholesale merchant and prominent citizen of Houtzdale. Pa.

Edward .A. Viebahn was educated in the public schools and graduated from the Wood- ward High School on June 15, 1900. He then took a commercial course at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he was graduated April 7, 1903. Mr. Viebahn took charge of the Smoke Run Hotel in 1905 and he has conducted it along lines which have made it a credit to the place and which have established his reputation as a host. To his guests he offers substantial comforts, an excellent table and attentive ser- vice, all at a reasonable price.

Mr. Viebahn was married in Germany, in April, 1904. to Miss Hedwig Wienhaus, a daughter of Frantz and Ida Wienhaus, who have two other children, Carolina and Frantz. Mr. and Mrs. Wienhaus have never settled in the United States although they spent one pleasant year visiting Mr. and Mrs. Viebahn. Mr. and Mrs. Viebahn are members of the Lutheran church. He is a Republican in his political views. He belongs to the Elks at Tyrone and to other organizations.

HARRY FRANKLIN KRESGE, who does a large business in meats at Du Bois, Pa., having a well arranged shop on South Brady Street, has been a resident of this borough for twelve years and is very gen- erally known. He was born on his father's farm in Luzerne county, Pa., April 23, 1870, and is a son of Amos and Julia ( Barton)

IION. ALONZO S. MOULTIROP

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Kresge, both of whom reside at DuBois. Of the four children of the family, Harry Franklin is the eldest. He has two broth- ers and one sister: William, residing at Tyler, Pa .; Charles, living at DuBois; and Ella, wife of C. S. Nale, whose home is at Niagara Falls.

Harry F. Kresge was three months old when his parents left the farm and settled in Clarion county, Pa., where his father was a butcher and when the youth was but twelve years old he started to learn the trade with his parent. Later he became in- terested in the oil industry, and established meat markets in the oil fields of Western Pennsylvania, where he spent twenty years. In 1889 he came to DuBois and entered the employ of Solomon Spears, who conducted a butcher shop on East Long Avenue, and remained with him for four years. Mr. Kresge then embarked in the meat busi- ness for himself, at his present stand, and has prospered and now handles a large amount of the best trade. He requires the assistance of five men in his .business .:

In 1892 Mr. Kresge was married to Miss Nellie Hardy, who was born in McKean county. Pa., and they have one child, Helen Elizabeth. The pleasant and attractive family residence stands at No. 21 West Washington Avenue, DuBois. In politics Mr. Kresge is a Republican but he devotes much more time to his business than he does to public affairs. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, belonging to the En- campment, and also is a member of the Modern Woodmen.

HON. ALONZO SYLVESTER MOUL- THROP, a member of the Pennsylvania Leg-

islature, serving in his third term in that august body and ably and usefully representing his constituents, has been a resident of DuBois, Pa., since 1876. He was born at Westport, Clinton County. Pa .. April 2, 1863 and is a son of Sylvester and Ellen ( Winn) Moulthrop.

Sylvester Moulthrop was born in Carbon County Pa. From 1863 until 1865 he was a soldier in the Civil War, serving as a member of Co. I, 143d Pa. Vol. Inf., and after the close of the war returned to his home practically un- harmed. In 1876 he moved to DuBois with liis family and embarked in a general mercan- tile business which he continued until his death which occurred April 23. 1883, in his forty- seventh year. His widow survived until De- cember 24. 1904, she being sixty-eight years old. They had five children, namely : Frank. who died at the age of thirteen years; Alonzo S .: John Oliver: Isabella, who is the wife of J. E. Swartz, of DuBois: and Francis, who died young.

Alonzo S. Moulthrop was thirteen years old when his parents came to DuBois and has seen this place grow from a little town of 400 pop- ulation to the thriving center it now is and he has been connected with its business interests for many years. He had the distinction of being the first newsboy and also was em- ployed in the capacity of post boy, carrying the mail from the east side to residences in other sections, being in the employ of Postmaster David Throw. Mr. Moulthrop thinks that about this time also his future political ambi- tions had their inception and humorously re- lates how he and a few companions, in a stir- ring political campaign, in 1876, managed to make a display of banners and bunting on the public thoroughfare that materially aroused enthusiasm where it had been lukewarm and

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won for the young patriots and politicians the approval of the candidates. Mr. Moulthrop never changed his political adhierence and in the course of time proudly cast his first Presiden- tial vote for Hon. James G. Blaine.

In his boyhood, as indicated, Mr. Moul- throp early began to make his own way in the world and hence had no school advantages to boast of except those he provided for himself, night study and the reading of good books fill- ing his mind with useful information that he was naturally quick enough to make use of in his daily life. For about six years he was in the employ of P. S. Weber, who conducted a general store at DuBois, and in 1882, with D. E. Hibner, he bought out the general store of John Goodyear. Mr. Hibner was suc- ceeded by a Mr. Miller, and the latter by George McClellen, when the firm style became Moulthrop & McClellen and so continued until the great fire of 1888 burned their stock. After this disaster, Mr. Moulthrop and partner em- barked in the carpet and shoe business, Mr. McClellan being succeeded by H. E. Ginter and the new firm continued until 1892, when Mr. Moulthrop sold his interest. He had no idea, however, of retiring and on January 1, 1893. he entered into partnership with his brother, J. O. Moulthrop, in the hardware business on West Long Avenue, and later, as it expanded and demanded larger quarters the Moulthrops added to their floor space and now occupy Nos. 223-225 W. Long Avenue. They carry a large stock and they also operate four drilling ma- chines and outfits for well drilling, coal test- ing. etc. Enterprise and energy have marked the course of Mr. Moulthrop all his business life and the independent position he fills in commercial affairs, he has won for himself. He is a director of the DuBois National Bank

and of the Keystone Mercantile Company, vice president of the State Mercantile Insurance Company, at Huntingdon, Pa. and also di- rector of the Central Y. M. C. A. In 1907 he was elected a member of the General Assembly, on the Republican ticket and in 1909 was re- elected to this distinguished position, and also in 1911, approval being thus repeatedly shown of his conduct of public affairs. . Aside from purely personal matters Mr. Moulthrop has been an active and useful citizen, earnest in his support of law and order and willing to share in the responsibilities which rest on all good citizens. He was one of the organizers of the Sons of Veterans at DuBois and was the first captain of the order and in 1898 was state commander. During the Spanish-American War he organized a military company which offered their services to the Government but the war closed before the company was called to the front. Since 1885 he has been a mem- ber of the volunteer fire department and con- tinues his interest in this organization.

Mr. Moulthrop was married on December 25, 1890, to Miss Elizabeth Ginter a daughter of II. E. Ginter, a representative citizen of Du Bois, and they have one son Henry Sylvester. The family residence is at No. 221 W. Long Ave- nue. Mr. Moulthrop belongs to the Elks and to the Acorn Club. Mr. and Mrs. Moulthrop are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustee and since 1880 has been an official in the Sunday school.

A. C. WILLIAMS, who resides on his farm of fifty-seven acres, situated in Penn township. Clearfield county. Pa., one and one-half miles from Grampian, on the east, has been in the butchering business for some twenty-three years and is proprietor of a

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well patronized market at Grampian. He of the five survivors who reached land. was born November 7, 1857, in Jordan township, Clearfield county, and is a son of J. G. and Matilda (Knapp) Williams.

J. G. Williams was born and died on the same farm, situated in Jordan township, to which his father, David Williams had come, from Center county. Grandfather Williams built the first grist mill in Jordan township. He bought 500 acres of land and cleared 200 of it. He donated the land to the Baptist church on which that edifice was built and the land contained in old Zion cemetery, in which rest all the former members of this family. J. G. Williams lived to be seventy-six years of age. He married Matilda Knapp and they had eight chil- dren: A. C., Julia. David, Chauncy, John, Mollie, Harriet and Blair.

A. C. Williams obtained his education in the schools of Jordan township and when old enough to become useful to his father began to assist on the home farm and con- tinued until his marriage. Then he moved to Bower, on the John Bell farm, after which he bought the excellent farm on which he lives, purchasing of the Cochran estate. He operates a coal mine, having a three-foot vein, and delivers coal in Gram- pian. Mr. Williams has always remained in Clearfield county but his next younger brother, David Williams, has ventured far from home and has had a more or less ex- citing life. He left his native place when Goldfield, Colo., came into the lime-light as the center of the gold mining industry, and worked there for a time. Seeking further adventures he became one of a crew of forty-two men to start out in a whaling ex- pedition, on the Pacific Ocean. He was one

Then he went to the Klondike region, in Alaska, where he met with considerable success. Later he visited his kindred at Grampian and made himself so popular with friends and relatives that they all lamented when he returned to the West.

Mr. Williams married Miss Mary Ellen Strunk, who was born at New Millport, Pa., a daughter of E. L. Strunk, and they have had the following children: G. E., who is a train dispatcher for the New York Central Railroad, at Jersey Shore, Pa., married Edna Arnold and they have two children; Arthur, who resides on his father's farm, married Mabel Freeman, a daughter of Ralph Freeman; Nellie, who is the wife of Ollie Hendrick, who is a machinist in the shops of the New York Central at Wil- liamsport ; Dollie, who is the wife of Elmer Beam, an engineer on the Beech Creek branch railroad : and Elby, who is the wife of Orvis Curry, who is a brick molder, em- ployed at Stronach, Pa. Mr. Williams, like his late father, is a Republican. He is a member of the order of Odd Fellows and of the P. S. of A., at Grampian. He is one of the respected citizens and honorable busi- ness men of Penn township.

CHARLES W. MOORE, manager of the meat market for the Madera Trading Com- pany, at Madera, Pa., and the owner of one of the fine residences of this place. was born in Blair county, Pa., in 1845, and is a son of Jesse and Eliza (Smith) Moore.

The parents of Mr. Moore were farming people in Blair county and spent their lives there, the father dying when Charles W. was ten years old Their other children

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were Ada, Jesse, James, Lucretia, Samuel and Candace.

Charles W. Moore enjoyed no other edu- cational opportunities than those offered by the common schools of Blair county. For twenty-two years after leaving school he followed farming and then went into the meat business, with which he has been con- nected ever since.

In 1873 Mr. Moore was married to Miss Emma Hewitt, of Hollidaysburg, and they have the folowing children; Samuel, Thomas, William, Walter, John, Maude and Helen. Maude is the wife of H. B. Swoope. Mr. Moore and family attend the Presby- terian church. In politics he is a Republi- can but has accepted no office except mem- bership on the school board, on which he served for several years.

ISAAC HOYT, proprietor of Hickory Lanc Farm, consisting of 115 acres, situated about eight miles northeast of DuBois, Pa., is one of the enterprising, progressive and successful agriculturists of this section. He was born on his father's farm in Huston township, Clearfield county, Pa., June 18, 1861, and is a son of Hiram M. and Barbara (Brown) Hoyt, and a grandson of Dr. Wil- liam Hoyt, who came from New England and bought property in Huston township, at Hickory Kingdom, where many of his descendants still reside.

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Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 64

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