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JOHNSTOWN, PA 1911
Monday, 20 Feb 1911
Called to Bedford County. Boswell, Feb. 20. -- Miss Gertrude McClelland, an operator at the local exchange of the Somerset Telephone Company, has been called to Fishertown, Bedford County, by the serious illness of her mother. Mrs. McClelland has been ill for a long time. Glen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wil___ Reese, died this morning at the parental home in the rear of No. ___ Third street, Conemaugh, aged one[?] year and one month. The funeral will take place at 2 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, with interment in Headrick's Cemetery, above Conemaugh. Spangler, Feb. 20. -- Leonard Dar___, aged twenty-nine, of Barnesboro, is in the Miners' Hospital with the cap of his left knee broken. He fell while walking along the railroad tracks. Mike Swetter, thirty years old, received a compound fracture of his right leg Saturday while working in No. 6 Mine. Josiah Lehman Victim of Heart Trouble at Memorial Hospital. Josiah Lehman, of near Elton, aged forty-six, died at the Memorial Hospital this morning of heart trouble. The deceased has been in ill health for some time. He was admitted to the Eighth Ward institution on February 6th. Mr. Lehman is survived by his widow and these children at home: Louis, Irvin, Edith, Royal and Dorothy [?]. Another daughter, married, resides in Moxham. The deceased's mother, brother and sister, live near Ogletown, Somerset County.
18 Aug 1911
Hahns, Varners, Weavers, and Murphys, Gather in Annual Session Near City MEETINGS GREATLY ENJOYED Yesterday was a day or reunions among the clans of Somerset and Cambria counties, no less than four of the leading pioneer families of this part of the State holding their annual gatherings, with a heavy attendance at each meeting place. The Murphy family and related branches gathered in the Shaffer Grove at Scalp Level; the Hagn-Reinhart-Kammer relationship was in evidence at the country clubhouse of the Busy Bees, along Paint Creek; those professing relationship to the Weaver family met at the new Berwind-White Recreation Center in Windber, and the Varner family assembled at Maple Park, Walnut Grove.
Members of the Weaver family and related branches, the the number of about 600, who met in the new Recreation Park in Windber yesterday, were so pleased with the advantages and attractions at the resort that it was agreed to meet at the same place next year. A most enjoyable program of addresses and songs onstituted the principal entertainment of the day. Addresses were delivered by Chairmann W. J. Weaver; J. Wilson Weaver, of Huntingdon County; Prof. M. J. Baumgardner, supervising principal of the Adams Township schools; R. M. Luther, and the Rev. M. J. Weaver, of Pittsburg. Miss Bessie Shaffer presided at the piano, and Jonas Weaver and his sister, Mrs. John Hoffman, sang "Angry Words, O Let Them Never." The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, W. A. Weaver, of Scalp Level; Vice President, Moses Weaver, of Davidsville, Secretary, Lewis Weaver, of Johnstown, and Treasurer, Jonas A. Weaver, of Paint Township.
The meeting of the Hahn-Reinhart-Kammer family, which was described in The Tribune yesterday, was featured by the reading of the family history, by a hot ball game, and by dancing, singing, and juvenile games. William H. Hahn, of this city, was elected President; The Rev. Frank Beiswenger, of Pittsburg, was made Secretary and Treasurer, and Conrad Hahn, of Johnstown, was named Historian. The founder of the clan was Jacob Hahn. Investigations conducted by the Rev. Mr. Beiswenger lead him to believe that Jacob Hahn was born in Germany in 1724 and died at his birthplace. He was employed as shepherd by one of the titled houses of the fatherland. Among his children was Conrad Hahn, who also died in Germany. Conrad Hahn had three children, who came to this country and settled in the vicinity Benscreek. These children were John, Mary, and Elizabeth Hahn. John Hahn was the father of William H. Hahn, Ex-County Commissioner Conrad Hahn, and Mrs. Katherine Ahems, of Johnstown. Both John Hahn and his wife are dead, the former having passed away in Johnstown about fifteen years ago. Mary Hahn, a member of the third generation, married John Reinhart. Both Mrs. Reinhart and her husband are dead, but the following children are living: Frank, John, William, Joseph, and Charles Reinhart, and the wife of the Rev. Mr. Beiswenger. Another child, Mrs. Katie Recke, was drowned in the Flood of 1889, while several children died in infancy. Mrs. Recke was the mother of Paul Recke, of Pittsburg, whose young son, Francis Recke, is the only child that has been born in the seventh generation. Elizabeth Hahn, the third member of the third generation, married John Kammer. She died in Johnstown about twelve years ago. Her husband is also dead. Three children of Mr. and Mrs. Kammer, who grew to manhood and womanhood and reared familieis, are John Kammer, Mrs. Mary Bader, and Mrs. Elizabeth Thom. The majority of the descendants of John Hahn, Mrs. Mary Reinhart, and Mrs. Elizabeth Kammer now reside in Johnstown, Altoona, Tyrone, Newark, N.J.; Pittsburg, Wilkinsburg, Wheeling, Lorrain, and Cleveland.
Members of the Murphy clan, who met in the Shaffer Grove at Scalp Level yesterday, also decided that their meeting place next year should be in the same spot. There were between 400 and 500 present yesterday, and the family spirit was much in evidence. Addresses and songs were the principal feature of the day. The speakers included the Rev. D. L. Yoder, Prof. M. S. Bentz, of Ebensburg; Miss Daisy Shaffer, of Scalp Level, who will leave this fall for China to do missionary work for the United Evangelical Church; Attorney Lee Smith, of Altoona; Hiram Murphy, of Conemaugh; the President, George Felix, of Salix, and the Rev. J. E. Felix, also of Salix. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Hiram Murphy, of Conemaugh; Secretary and Treasurer, W. H. Blough, of Scalp Level. The following committees were also appointed: Resolutions - Mrs. M. F. Hutchinson, of Pittsburg; Miss Clara Smith, of Uniontown, and Miss Cora Felix, of Altoona; Program - J. J. Murphy, of Moxham; Howard Murphy, of Conemaugh, and John Murphy, of Scalp Level; Arrangements - Cloyd Shaffer, of Scalp Level. The Murphys trace their ancestry back to three brothers - William, John, and Conrad Murphy - who came to this part of Pennsylvania and located in Adams Township more than 100 years ago. Little is known of the descendents of William and John, but Conrad was the grandfather of four brothers and several sisters, who were children of John Murphy and lived in Adams Township. these four brothers all served in the Civil War and all have since passed away. Alexander Murphy, father of J. J. Murphy, of Moxham, who was ill when last year's reunion was held, died last August. He was one of the four brothers. John Murphy, the father of Hiram Murphy, of Conemaugh, and another of the brothers, died last January in Conemaugh. He was present at last year's reunion. The other two brothers have been dead for some years. Mrs. Rachel Smith, of Uniontown, is the only survivor of this family, and she was a conspicuous figure at yesterday's reunion.
The sixth annual reunion of the Varner family was attended by about 600 people, including many persons well known in this part of the State. A feature of the day was the address of Attorney C. C. Greer, who is related to the clan. The music of the Dale Temple Orchestra was also greatly enjoyed. A letter from Vespasian Warner, of Clinton, Ill., Commissioner of Pensions of the United States Government, gave indications that the lost branches of the family which went West many years ago and changed the "V" to "W," thus making the name Warner, may yet be traced and brought into connection with the clan. Stophel Varner, progenitor of the family, was a native of North Germany and came to this country about 100 years ago. He located first in Lancaster County, this State. One of his sons, Nicholas, removed to Somerset County and later located in what is now Cambria County. His family consisted of four girls and six boys, all of whom are now dead. They were Peggy Snyder, Susan Reighard, Mary Cable, Elizabeth Kring, and Justus, Jacob, George, Peter, John, and Samuel Varner. The son John and daughter Elizabeth removed to Ohio, John building a raft and floating down the Conemaugh River into the Ohio, a feat impossible in this present day. About all that the historians of theVarner family have since been able to learn about the family of John is that his sons were lawyers and became wealthy. In his letter V. Warner stated that his ancestors, among them his father, had at one time changed their name from Varner to Warner, and that he believed some of his relatives had been lawyers. He expressed his intention of making a thorough research. It was decided at the business session in the afternoon to hold the 1912 gathering at the same place. The old officers were re-elected, as follows: President, M. L. Varner, of Dale; Vice President - B. F. Stull, of Dale; F. S. Smith, of Walnut Grove, and Daniel Statler, of Moxham; Secretary, Walter Varner, of the Seventh Ward; Treasurer, L. C. Varner, of Portage. M. L. Varner presided, the program rendered being as follows: singing, "America," assemblage; music, Dale Temple Orchestra. Miss Olive Varner presided at the organ. |