Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Biography of William Paxton Hazen

William Paxton Hazen, who died at Chetopa, Kansas, April 16, 1909, was for many years a successful Kansas banker. His widow, Mrs. Addie (Glass) Hazen, who survives him, is widely known in women’s circles in Kansas, and is especially active in charitable and philanthropic enterprises in her home city. Mr. Hazen died when at the high tide of his usefulness. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 10, 1858. His father, David Hazen, was a lawyer by profession, practiced for many years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but died in Erie, Kansas. Mr. Hazen’s maternal grandmother, Mary Ewing, had her pew in … Read more

Biography of Thomas J. Reynolds

Thomas J. Reynolds. The “Poot of the Wakarusa” was the title bestowed upon that beloved old pioneer of that section, Thomas J. Reynolds. He was a man better versed in the arts and skill of the woodsman, the plainsman, the humter, the miner and the pioneer than making poetry, but there was a fine spirit dwelling in his nature, and it found expression in such a way as to bring him the title above noted. He arrived in Kansas in 1854 and pre-empted land near where Wakarusa now stands. Thomas J. Reynolds was a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, born in … Read more

Rea, George Whitefield – Obituary

George Whitefield Rea was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct. 7, 1839. He was early thrown upon his own responsibility by his mother’s death. When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Rea was desirous of enlisting, but as he was in the railroad service when he was needed in the transportation of troops and supplies, he was not permitted to enlist till the year 1864. He served to the end of the war and was honorably discharged. After the war Judge Rea took up the study of law, and followed that profession ever since. He first practiced in Nebraska, and in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles B. Murray

Murray, Charles B.; chemist and metallurgist; born, Worcester, Massachusetts, April 6, 1866; son of Peleg F. and Mary Prince Murray; educated, common schools at Worcester; took B. S. degree at Polytechnic Institute, at Worcester, Mass., in 1887; married, Attleboro, Mass., Jan. 29, 1890; Ellen Lincoln Robinson; issue, two children, Philip F., and Mildred A.; after leaving school, asst. chemist at Joliett Steel Co., Joliet, Illinois; spent a year in Buena Vista, Virginia, as chemist, and a year with the Minnesota Iron Co.; January, 1893, was appointed chief chemist and metallurgist at the Eliza Johnson Works, of the Carnegie Steel Co.; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ivan T. Quick

Quick, Ivan T.; general insurance; born, Canada, April 5, 1888; son of Oscar and Clara Clark Quick; educated, Lincoln, Ill., Odd Fellows Orphan’s Home, eighth grade; clerk in wholesale grocery house in Aurora, Ill., in 1904; 1905, came to Cleveland; formed partnership of Quick & Hunter, in Pittsburgh, in 1906, failed; was then in the employ of the East Ohio Gas Co. for a year and a half; employed by The Paul E. Kroehle Co., merchandise brokers, in 1908; employed by The Manhattan Soap Co., of New York City, as salesman, in 1909; started in the insurance business in Cleveland, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Paul J. Brown

Brown, Paul J.; automobile business; born, Zanesville, O., Nov. 10, 1864; public school education; started with The Jacob Smith Carriage & Wagon Co., 1875-1879; then went to Pittsburgh in various carriage and wagon shops; came to Cleveland in 1890; foreman for The Jacob Hoffman Wagon Co., 1890-1898; then went to Cincinnati with The O. Armleder Co. until 1901; returned to Cleveland and formed partnership with firm of Broc Carriage & Wagon Co.; upon incorporation of firm, in 1903, elected vice pres. and gen. mgr.; in 1908, sold his interest and retired to the farm; in 1909, formed the Brown Auto … Read more

Life and travels of Colonel James Smith – Indian Captivities

An Artists rendition of James Smith

James Smith, pioneer, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1737. When he was eighteen years of age he was captured by the Indians, was adopted into one of their tribes, and lived with them as one of themselves until his escape in 1759. He became a lieutenant under General Bouquet during the expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1764, and was captain of a company of rangers in Lord Dunmore’s War. In 1775 he was promoted to major of militia. He served in the Pennsylvania convention in 1776, and in the assembly in 1776-77. In the latter year he was commissioned colonel in command on the frontiers, and performed distinguished services. Smith moved to Kentucky in 1788. He was a member of the Danville convention, and represented Bourbon county for many years in the legislature. He died in Washington county, Kentucky, in 1812. The following narrative of his experience as member of an Indian tribe is from his own book entitled “Remarkable Adventures in the Life and Travels of Colonel James Smith,” printed at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1799. It affords a striking contrast to the terrible experiences of the other captives whose stories are republished in this book; for he was well treated, and stayed so long with his red captors that he acquired expert knowledge of their arts and customs, and deep insight into their character.

Biographical Sketch of James Rudolph Garfield

Garfield, James Rudolph; ex-Secretary of the Interior; born, Hiram, O., Oct. 17, 1865; son of James Abram (20th President of the U. S.) and Lucretia Rudolph Garfield (q. v.); brother of Harry Augustus G. (q. v.) ; A. B., Williams College, 1885; studied Columbia Law School.; (LL. D., University of Pittsburg, 1909) ; married, Helen Newell, of Chicago, Dee. 30, 1890; admitted to bar, 1888; member Ohio Senate, 1896-1899; member U. S. Civil Service Commission, 1902-1903; commissioner of corporations, U. S. Dept. of Commerce and Labor, 1903-1907; Sec’y of the Interior in cabinet of President Roosevelt, March 4, 1907-March 4, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Kornman

Kornman, William; prop. cafe; born, Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 21, 1866; son of Peter and Marguerite Frank Kornman; educated, public schools, Pittsburgh, Pa.; married, Cleveland, 1907, Jennie Pendergrast; one son, William H. Kornman, Jr.; member National Order of Eagles and Knights of Pythias.

Biography of Rev. Berry Edmiston

Rev. Berry Edmiston, of Riverside, located there in 1878. He first resided on the Government tract at the head of Magnolia avenue, on Palm avenue. In the spring of 1880 he purchased a ten-acre tract on the west side of Bandini Avenue, about three miles south of Riverside. Upon this tract he erected his cottage residence and devoted him-self to horticultural pursuits. He has now three acres in budded orange trees of the Washington Navel variety, two acres in apricots and about four acres in raisin grapes. In 1881 he purchased a ten-acre tract adjoining him, on the south and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Pendleton Palmer

Palmer, William Pendleton; manufacturer; born Pittsburgh, June 17, 1861; son of James Stewart and Eleanor Pendleton (Mason) Palmer; graduated Pittsburgh Central High School, 1878; married Mary Boleyn Adams, of Chicago, Aug. 24, 1898; sec’y Carnegie, Phipps & Co., 1887; gem sales agent, 1888-1894, asst. to pres., 1895-1896, Carnegie Steel Co.; second vice pres. Illinois Steel Co., 1896-1898; gen. mgr. and pres. American Steel & Wire Co., 1899 ; pres. Trenton Iron Co., Newburg & S. Shore R. R. Co., American Mining Co.; director Bank of Commerce of North America, Cleveland Trust Co.. Rowfant Bindery Co., H. C. Frick Coke Co.; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alfred Arthur

Arthur, Alfred; music teacher; born, Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct. 8, 1844, son of Hamilton and Margaret Hanna Arthur; educated, Boston School of Music, married, Delaware, O., Dec. 12, 1871, Kate S. Burnham; two sons, Alfred Franklin and Edwin Denison; served from 1861 to July, 1865, in the 23rd Regiment, O. V. V. I., during the Civil War; at an early age studied flute and piano; studied voice with B. F. Baker, form and composition with Julius Eichberg and August Luch, also studied with Henry Brown and Mathew Arbbuck, noted soloists; was tenor in the Church of the Advent in Boston; moved … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph L. Szepessy

Szepessy, Joseph L.; real estate and steamship agency; born, Kassa, Hungary; high school education; married, Pittsburgh, Pa., Jan. 16, 1889, Irene Balczer; issue, three sons, George, Theodore and Edward; staunch Republican, organizing many Republican clubs; elected decennial assessor in 19th Ward; instrumental in naturalizing thousands of his countrymen; first Hungarian real estate agt. in the city; through his efforts many of his countrymen acquired homes; organized several societies, which are still flourishing; founded the first Hungarian paper published in Cleveland, called Szabadsag (Liberty); long time director Woodland Ave. Savings & Trust Co., and instrumental in building up of branch on … Read more

Biography of Louis Schorn

Louis Schorn President of the Olive Milling Company, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1839, came to the United States in 1856, and engaged as clerk for a dry-goods merchant in Alabama until 1861, when he returned to the old country to visit his parents. In 1864 he again sought “the land of the free.” After clerking three years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he spent one year in Kansas, and then until 1882 he was successfully engaged in the grocery and milling business in Texas. Then he came to California and purchased forty acres of land northwest of Anaheim, where he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harry Edgar Walkey

Walkey, Harry Edgar; contractor; born, Cleveland, Aug. 19, 1882; son of Wm. W. and Lida Stephens Walkey; educated, Fairmont school; married, Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept. 7, 1905, Louise Cargill; issue, two children; general contractor; member Maccabees. Recreations : Hunting and Motorcycling.

Biography of Edwin R. Christman

Edwin R. Christman, secretary of the Silurian Oil Company of St. Louis, was born September 6, 1887, in Wheeling, West Virginia, a son of Edwin A. Christman, a native of Tennessee and a representative of one of the old Pennsylvania families of Dutch descent and also of early American Quaker ancestry living in Pennsylvania. Edwin Christman was united in marriage to Margaret Cahill, a native of Tennessee and of Irish lineage. They have become the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters. Edwin R. Christman, the second in order of birth, was educated in the public schools of … Read more

Biography of Charles South

Charles South. The oil industry in the Mid-Continent field of Kansas had an able representative in the person of Charles South, of Chanute, who had been producing in this field since 1903. Like many of the men interested in the business here, Mr. South had his introduction to oil production in the Pennsylvania fields, and when he arrived in Kansas had a number of years of experience back of him to assist him in his enterprises. Mr. South was born near the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1864, and is a son of John and Vilinda (Everly) South. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Mathews

Mathews, James; lawyer; born, Bellwood, Pa., Sept. 4, 1868; educated at Mifflintown; graduated, Princeton University, 1890, degree A. B., Cincinnati Law School, 1893, degree LL. B.; admitted to the bar, and began practice in the United States attorney’s office, in Pittsburgh, Pa., 1893; come to Cleveland in 1894, as attorney for Cleveland, Akron & Columbus R. R.; formed partnership with Senator H. W. Wolcott, continuing until Wolcott was made gen. mgr. Kansas City & Leavenworth Ry.; then with Berkley Pearce, firm name Mathers & Pearce; member Century, Euclid and Hermit Clubs; politically Independent.

Clarence Lewis Todd of Pittsburgh PA

Clarence Lewis Todd8, (Lewis C.7, Lewis C.6, Caleb5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Feb. 23, 1849, in Nelson, Portage County, Ohio, died May 5, 1905, in Pittsburg, Penn., and was buried in Ashtabula, O., married Emma Wiley. Children: *2401. James G., b. June 16, 1876. 2402. Lena, b. Feb. 28, 1878. 2403. Agnes. 2404. Sarah.

Biographical Sketch of Isaac Morris

Morris, Isaac; manager; born, Cradley, England, Aug. 4, 1853; son of John Morris; educated, English common schools; married, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mary Allen Southall; issue, two sons and two daughters; citizen-Republican; one of the common people; business career, messenger, 1863; telegraph operator, 1870; steelworker, 1872 to 1878; Western Union Telegraph Co., as operator, chief operator and mgr., 1878 to 1903; mgr. American District Night Watch and Fire Alarm System, 1903 to date; F. & A. M., past presiding officer of all bodies; Oriental Commandery, K. T., past commander and present prelate; A. A. S. R., past master Rose Croix Chapter. Recreation: … Read more