Altoona Pennsylvania

Slave Narrative of George Pretty

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: George Pretty Location: Vero Beach and Gifford, Florida Age: 84 George Pretty of Vero Beach and Gifford, Florida, was born a free man, at Altoona, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1852. His father Isaac Pretty was also free born. His maternal grand-father Alec McCoy and his paternal grand-father George Pretty were born slaves who lived in the southern part of Pennsylvania. He does not know how his father came to be born free but knows that he was told that from early childhood. In Altoona, according to George, there were no slaves during his life there … Read more

Biography of Horace Saunders

Horace Saunders, one of the representative orange-growers of Riverside, owns a ten-acre tract on Colton avenue, on the corner of Russell street, about one mile north of the business center of Riverside. This grove was planted with seedling oranges as early as 1872 by its then owner, W. P Russell, and later many of the seedlings were replaced by budded trees. The grove now contains 800 seedlings and 400 budded orange trees, besides a small variety of deciduous fruits for family use. Mr. Saunders purchased the place in 1880, and has since conducted its cultivation. He has made many improvements … Read more

Biography of Peter Fries

Man whose personality was strongly A impressed on Rock Island County, was Peter Fries, distiller, banker, and man of affairs. Mr. Fries was born May 4, 1822, on the family estate known as “Guss-Hof,” situated on the River Main, in Bavaria, Germany. He died July 20, 1902, in Rock Island, Illinois. His father’s name was Johann, his mother’s, Gertrude (nee Brand), of Reistenhausen. Johann Fries was the owner of the Guss-Hof, the estate which had descended from father to son for many generations, and was situated near Stadt Prozelten. Peter Fries, the subject of this sketch, was the youngest of … Read more

The Johnstown Pennsylvania Flood

The Great Conemaugh Valley Disaster

An in-depth history of the Johnstown Pennsylvania Flood, complete with many images, both drawn and photographed, maps, and videos depicting the horrors of the flood. – On May 28, 1889, a storm formed over Nebraska and Kansas, moving east. When the storm struck the Johnstown-South Fork area two days later it was the worst downpour that had ever been recorded in that section of the country. The US Signal Service estimated that 6 to 10 inches (150 to 250 mm) of rain fell in 24 hours over the entire section. During the night small creeks became roaring torrents ripping out trees and debris. Telegraph lines were downed and rail-lines were washed out. Before daybreak the Conemaugh River that ran through Johnstown was about to leave its banks…