Biographical Sketch of William Fleming Abel

Abel, William Fleming; manager; born, Pittsburgh, Pa., April 2, 1875; son of Joseph and Louise Marchand Abel; educated, Washington-Jefferson college; married, Pittsburg, Pa., March 18, 1899, Mary D. Coyle; member Iron and Steel Institute of England, International Society for Testing Materials, Automobile Engineers; member F. & A. M., Tyrian Lodge, Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, Rotary and West Brook Country Club.

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 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 William J. Bovaird

William J. Bovaird. Due to the important position occupied by Independence in the oil and gas fields of Kansas and Oklahoma, it had become the center of many large business corporations, and one of these is the Bovaird Supply Company of Kansas, whose president is William J. Bovaird. Mr. Bovaird had been identified with the manufacture of tools and apparatos used in the oil fields since an early age, his father having established a business of that kind in Western Pennsylvania in the early days. In 1903 Mr. Bovaird located at Independence and established the Bovaird Supply Company, at first … Read more

Biography of George Gumbert

The proprietor of the city meat market and the pioneer butcher of Boise, where he has been in business since 1864, is George Gumbert, who is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having taken place in Pittsburg on June 11, 1835. Of German extraction, his ancestors were early settlers of Pennsylvania and his great grandfather, Gumbert, fought in the colonial army during the Revolutionary war. His paternal grandfather was a farmer in Westmoreland County. His father, George Gumbert, was born in Pittsburg, where he followed the meat business nearly all his life, having attained the advanced age of ninety years. … 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

Philadelphia To Steubenville

Monday, Oct. 4, 1819.–Dr. Hall and myself left Philadelphia at 1 o’clock p. m. after taking an affectionate leave of friends and acquaintances. Fair and pleasant weather, and the roads very fine in consequence of a refreshing shower of rain which fell on the night previous to our setting out. After traveling twenty-two miles and passing some rich and well-cultivated farms we arrived at West Chester at 7 o’clock. West Chester contains about 600 inhabitants, several places of worship, a gaol, etc., etc. A man named Downey is confined in the gaol of this place for debt. He was once … 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

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 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.

Biographical Sketch of Rufus E. Cable

Rufus E. Cable was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He came to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1856, and was employed as a clerk in the establishment of W. E. Proctor, who was the proprietor of a general store. The store of Mr. Proctor and all other business houses in Kansas City, Missouri, were at that time on the levee along the south bank of the Missouri River. The residences were scattered about on the hills back of the business houses. At that time M. J. Payne was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Cable in 1865 moved to Wyandotte, now Kansas … Read more

An Account of the Sufferings of Mercy Harbison – Indian Captivities

On the 4th of November, 1791, a force of Americans under General Arthur St. Clair was attacked, near the present Ohio-Indiana boundary line, by about the same number of Indians led by Blue Jacket, Little Turtle, and the white renegade Simon Girty. Their defeat was the most disastrous that ever has been suffered by our arms when engaged against a savage foe on anything like even terms. Out of 86 officers and about 1400 regular and militia soldiers, St. Clair lost 70 officers killed or wounded, and 845 men killed, wounded, or missing. The survivors fled in panic, throwing away their weapons and accoutrements. Such was “St. Clair’s defeat.”

The utter incompetency of the officers commanding this expedition may be judged from the single fact that a great number of women were allowed to accompany the troops into a wilderness known to be infested with the worst kind of savages. There were about 250 of these women with the “army” on the day of the battle. Of these, 56 were killed on the spot, many being pinned to the earth by stakes driven through their bodies. Few of the others escaped captivity.

After this unprecedented victory, the Indians became more troublesome than ever along the frontier. No settler’s home was safe, and many were destroyed in the year of terror that followed. The awful fate of one of those households is told in the following touching narrative of Mercy Harbison, wife of one of the survivors of St. Clair’s defeat. How two of her little children were slaughtered before her eyes, how she was dragged through the wilderness with a babe at her breast, how cruelly maltreated, and how she finally escaped, barefooted and carrying her infant through days and nights of almost superhuman exertion, she has left record in a deposition before the magistrates at Pittsburgh and in the statement here reprinted.

Kay, James Steven – Obituary

J. S. Kay Is Called To His Last Rest Succumbs After Long Illness Survived By Widow and Six Children J. S. Kay, well known and well liked resident of the county, died at Hot Lake Monday night, July 21, 1924, at 8:30 o’clock. Death followed a long period of illness. Mr. Kay suffered for some years with high blood pressure which gradually changed and became low blood pressure. Mr. Kay became steadily weaker this spring and Friday went to Hot Lake to take a few baths for his health. He was feeling well until Monday evening when he began to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. Loomis Spriggs

Spriggs, E. Loomis; realty and building; born, Washington, Pa., Oct. 17, 1880; son of Edward and Josephine E. Greenlee Spriggs; educated, Ohio Northern University, Ada, O.; treas. The Commonwealth Realty & Building Co.; identified with the agency force of The Pittsburgh Life & Trust Co.; subsequently in the Federal service at Pittsburgh until 1906, when he resigned, to become associated with his brother, C. H. Spriggs, as Cleveland real estate operators; this partnership became the basis for the formation of The Commonwealth Realty & Building Co.; member Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, and Lakewood Lodge, F. & A. M.; Progressive Republican … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. Wilkes Moore

J. Wilkes Moore. Mr. Moore was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and March 16, 1840. Received a collegiate education, graduating at Iowa State University. In 1861 he joined the First Regiment, Company G, Davenport, Iowa, and in August 1862, joined Company G, Twentieth Iowa. Was in the battles of Wilson’s Creek, Perry Grove, Vicksburg, Morgan and Mobile. Entered the service as a private and was promoted to the position of Captain. After the war he returned to Davenport, and became afterwards Marshal and Chief of Police of that city. In 1876 was a steel-blower for the Bessemer Steel Co. of Pittsburgh … 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

Biography of Thomas R. Durning

Thomas R. Durning, of St. Louis, president of the Monroe Clothes Shop and also of the Burton Clothes Shop, ranks with the leading merchants of the state by reason of the enterprise and progressiveness which he displays in the management of the interests under his control. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 17, 1882, and is a son of Joseph S. Durning, deceased, who was a native of London, England. On crossing the Atlantic to the United States he took up his residence in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was a whitesmith by occupation. He was the possessor of marked inventive … Read more

Leslie B. Todd of Pittsburgh PA

Leslie B. Todd9, (Hollis D.8, Ora B.7, Bela6, Caleb5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Sept. 10, 1877, married May 23, 1906, Mittie Smith, who was born Aug. 11, 1878. He has a position in the P. O. at Pittsburg, Pa. Children: 2771. Kenneth V., b. July 7, 1907. 2771a. Katherine.

Biography of James King

A leading representative of the building interests, of Boise, and the present register of the land office of this city, James King is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Pittsburg, on the 15th of August 1832. He is of both German and English descent, his ancestors of those nationalities having settled in New York in 1664. They came with General Braddock and always remained in this land. In the war of the Revolution the family was represented by loyal Americans, who fought for liberty, and throughout many years they were prominently identified with the Presbyterian Church. The … 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