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Biographies |
John Heisley Weaver was born May 15, 1860 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the son of George and Elizabeth (Heisley) Weaver. A prominent businessman in the area, George was a dealer in salt, lime, plaster and cement. Although he had the means to offer his son educational advantages, the elder Weaver educated his son through the Williamsport public school system. J.H. Weaver found his first employment with the Western Union Telegraph Company as a messenger. He next joined the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in the same capacity, quickly advancing to a clerkship. He then worked for the Williamsport Iron & Nail Company in a managerial position, and eventually went to the Donaldson & Thomas, Coal & Coke Merchants of Philadelphia as a salesman. By the age of 25, Weaver had become president of a bank then known as the West Philadelphia Bank. But the coal and coke business seemed to offer him the most rewards. Working as an agent representative for large mining operators, he was successful enough that in 1889, he formed his own business - J.H. Weaver & Company, Handlers of Coal and Coke, based in Philadelphia. As early as 1899, Weaver was purchasing coal properties in western Pennsylvania (in both Indiana County and Cambria County) and northern West Virginia. By 1904, Weaver had considerable holdings in Pine, Green, and Cherryhill Townships (Indiana County) and was ready to begin building his own “model town.” Located in Pine Township, he named it “Heilwood,” which was probably a combination of his nickname (“Heil”) and the name of his first coal mine in Kingwood (Preston County), West Virginia (“Heisleywood”). With an initial capital investment of $100,000, Weaver began building homes and businesses in this rural area. By 1906, with six mines in operation producing over 112,000 tons of coal, Weaver divested himself of the entire operation, selling it to the Pennsylvania & Maryland Coal Company (aka Penn Mary Coal Company) for a reported $1.8 million dollars.
Heilwood was just one of the many coal and railroad-related businesses Weaver was involved in throughout the region. To facilitate movement of the coal from his West Virginia holdings, Weaver became the founder and president of the West Virginia Northern Railroad. Weaver also purchased both the ‘B’ and ‘D’ seams of coal on land owned by the Hines Coal Company around Starford, Pennsylvania, a town on the Cherry Tree & Dixonville Railroad (named after James Starford, one of Weaver’s mine superintendents). The Hines Coal Company drove five headings (No. 1 through No. 5) around Starford, but by 1911 newspaper accounts report that the Starford mine was “worked out” and that some houses were being torn down and taken to Colver to be rebuilt. After divesting himself his holdings in and around Heilwood, Weaver purchased the Dixon Coal Company at Idamar (four miles north of Clymer, Pennsylvania), also on the Cherry Tree & Dixonville Railroad. Around the year 1909, Weaver became partners with B. Dawson Coleman and together they began to buy and invest in coal properties in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The two men first acquired the Nanty-Glo Coal Company and its two mines. In 1910, they purchased the Ebensburg Coal Company and opened the Colver Mine. In addition to the coal lands, they purchased an old logging railroad called the Blacklick & Yellow Creek Railroad in Cambria County, which in 1911 became known as the Cambria & Indiana Railroad when it was extended into Indiana County. The C&I later connected to the New York Central at Manver (now known as Pine Flats), Pennsylvania. In 1915, the Heisley Coal Company was established to operate the Nanty-Glo No. 3 mine. The following year, the Monroe Coal Company was formed in order to oversee the operation of the newly opened Revloc Mine. Together, the Colver, Revloc, and Nanty-Glo mines were among the most productive in Cambria County, and remained in operation for over 50 years.
In 1922, Weaver and Coleman dissolved their partnership, with Weaver gaining control of both the Heisley Coal Company and the Monroe Coal Mining Company. Weaver also retained a controlling interest in the Cambria & Indiana Railroad. Coleman took sole ownership of the Ebensburg Coal Company and its related pieces. With his business successes, Weaver purchased the home of a former Pennsylvania Railroad president, Frank Thomson, in 1921. The 15-acre property was located along the exclusive “Main Line” in Merion, Pennsylvania (outside of Philadelphia), and Weaver soon had the original home “Corkerhill” demolished, in order to build a new home called “Maroebe” (named after his two daughters: MAR-ion and ph-OEBE (see photo at right). Horace Trumbauer, a prominent architect known for his conspicuous shows of wealth, designed and built the new house. It was reported that many of the furnishings and the wood used to finish the interior were imported from Europe. There was a staff of 29, including a watchman for the grounds, a personal maid for Mrs. Weaver, and a valet for Mr. Weaver. There was also a personal railroad car for Weaver kept at the Overbrook Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Weaver also had a summer home in Ventnor City, New Jersey. During World War I, Weaver was very active in various patriotic affairs, and did much to expedite the movement of coal to the Allies. In recognition of this activity, the King of Italy conferred on him the “Order of a Knight of the Crown of Italy” in 1921. This award was designed to honor military men, but was also given to foreigners as a reward for signal merit and direct interest in Italy. Weaver accepted the honor from Rolandi Ricci, Italian Ambassador to the United States, at a dinner at the Hotel Biltmore in New York City. In 1924, Bucknell University awarded a Doctor of Law degree to Weaver, who had been elected a trustee of that institution some time before. Weaver was also very involved with various activities and societies. He was a member of: the Union League of Philadelphia; the Lotos of New York; Philadelphia Country Club; Gulph Mills Golf Club of Philadelphia; Metropolitan Club of Washington, D.C.; Williamsport Country Club; Ross Club of Williamsport; the Pennsylvania Society (New York City); and the Surf Club of Miami, Florida. Governor John K. Tener of Pennsylvania appointed Weaver a member of the commission to select the site and build the Industrial Home for Women, which was constructed at Muncy, Pennsylvania in 1920. John Heisley Weaver married Ida Irona Davidson, daughter of Alexander Davidson of South Williamsport, Pa., on April 28, 1887. They had two daughters: Phoebe (who later married John Farrell Macklin) and Marion, (who was first married to Robert Simpson Kampmann, and later to E. Hall Downes). On April 26, 1934, John Heisley Weaver died at his home in Merion, Pennsylvania and was buried in the Weaver mausoleum in Wildwood Cemetery, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. |
THOMAS RICHARDS JOHNS Thomas Richards Johns (T. R. Johns), the son of Welsh parents William T. and Angeline Richards Johns, was born on October 13, 1865 in Coalmont (located in the Broad Top section of Huntington County, Pennsylvania). At the early age of 12, he entered the mines of the Broad Top coalfields as a “trapper” and “breaker boy.” Between 1877 and 1885 he worked as a miner in both central Pennsylvania and Bessemer, Alabama. After leaving Alabama and returning to Pennsylvania, Johns found employment as a clerk, cashier, and bookkeeper for several merchants and businesses in the towns of Brisbane and Houtzdale. In 1888, at the age of 23 and with the help of his uncle (a local mine superintendent), Johns joined the Berwind-White Coal Company near Punxsutawney as its chief office clerk. After working there for seven years, he left to assume similar positions and duties with the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company in Indiana County from 1895-1913. Up until 1916, Johns served as either a superintendent or general manager for the following coal mining operations: Keystone Coal & Coke Company (Westmoreland County); Ebensburg Coal Company (Colver, Pa.); Carbon Fuel Company (West Virginia); Cabin Creek Coal Company (West Virginia); and the Penn Mary Coal Company (Heilwood, Pa. and Morgantown, West Virginia). In 1916, Bethlehem Steel acquired the Penn Mary Coal Company’s properties in Heilwood and retained Johns to direct the operation. Sometime later, he became the General Manager of the Bethlehem Mines Corporation in Johnstown (later known as Industrial Collieries Corporation), which managed and operated the steel corporation’s affiliated coal mines. Under his leadership, Bethlehem Mines Corporation expanded its mining properties and coal producing facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. By 1940, Johns was Vice President of the Industrial Collieries Corporation, and Bethlehem’s holdings included nine mines employing over 7,000 employees. Johns also promoted company sponsorship of the competitive first aid meets, which involved the mine safety and rescue teams of the constituent mines and publicized mine safety preparedness. Johns was also instrumental in building the corporation’s political base in Johnstown and Cambria County between 1923 and 1942, serving as a political agent in those mining communities where the company had vested economic and political interests. T. R. Johns retired from the Industrial Collieries Corporation in 1942 at the age of 77, having devoted 27 years to Bethlehem Steel. He was also a member of or affiliated with the following coal mining organizations: the Advisory Board of Mining at Pennsylvania State College (serving as chairman for some time); the Mining Advisory Board at the Carnegie Institute of Technology; and the U. S. Bureau of Mines. He also held memberships in the Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania; the American Iron & Steel Institute; the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers; and the Lehigh Valley Engineers Society. Johns was also a member of the Pennsylvania Society of New York; the Johnstown Chamber of Commerce; and the Sunnehanna Country Club. His church affiliation was with the Westmont Presbyterian congregation. He also held membership in numerous groups of the Masonic order, including: the Maple Lodge of Greensburg; the Acacia Club of Williamsport; Consistory: John W. Jenks Lodge, No. 534, F. & A. M., Punxsutawney (of which he became a life member in 1920); and the Jaffa Temple, Altoona, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He was married to the former Mary Jane Jones (July 8, 1865 - October 5, 1915). Their family included four children: John Rosslyn Johns; Gladys Gertrude Johns; Spurgeon Stanley Johns; and Lucille Genevieve Johns. |
HARRY PATTON DOWLER Harry was born June 5, 1869, the son of Captain James and Cornelia (Patton) Dowler. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Clearfield County, and in 1894 he graduated from the Pennsylvania State College in Mining Engineering. His first position was with the Mitchell Coal Company of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, where he remained for four years. During this time, he also served as First Lieutenant in the State Cavalry, 2nd Sheridan Troop. From 1899 to 1900 he was employed in coal operations at Glen Campbell, and then went to Pittsburg, where he started dealing in coal and timber lands. In 1906, he accepted the position of Superintendent of Mines for the Penn Mary Coal Company in Heilwood. While employed in Heilwood, Dowler began a safety program whereby each mine not only had a facility for first aid and rescue, but the employees also received training in first aid. In addition, he had specific teams from the mines undergo extensive training in first aid and mine rescue. These teams participated in annual meets with other coal companies, winning many awards for their proficiency. In 1914, the entire Penn Mary Coal Company operation in Heilwood was purchased by the Cambria Steel Company of Johnstown, and all upper management positions were terminated. Mr. Dowler then moved his family back to Clearfield, Pennsylvania.
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JOHN McMURRAY THOMPSON John was born April 11, 1872 at Marion Center (Indiana County), the son of Horace John Thompson and Annie I. McMurray. He attended his first school at Decker’s Point and later in Marion Center. In addition, he spent two years at the Indiana Normal School in Indiana, Pennsylvania. At 19, he became associated with his father’s mercantile business in Decker’s Point and became sole owner of the business in 1894, when his father returned to Marion Center and turned his attention to real estate. In 1904, John moved to Heilwood to assume the manager’s position in the newly constructed Heilwood Company Store. During his time in Heilwood, J. M. Thompson would hold the position of store manager, postmaster, and manager of the Heilwood dairy farms. In 1914, when the Cambria Steel Company of Johnstown purchased the Penn Mary Coal Company operations, Thompson was relieved of all his duties and replaced by James Eck. John went back to work for his father in the Marion Center National Bank, where his father was one of the founders as well as president. On May 5, 1928, at the age of 56, John McMurray Thompson passed away. |
DR. RALPH McHENRY Ralph F. McHenry was born in Frostburg, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 1869, the son of George and Anna McHenry. Living in Jefferson County for sixteen years, McHenry received his early education in the Frostburg schools. Upon moving to Indiana County, he attended Pickering Run school and afterwards, taught for four years in the public schools. In 1892, he entered the Western Pennsylvania Medical College and in 1895, he graduated with his M.D. Upon graduation, McHenry bought the practice and property of Dr. William E. Dodson of Marion Center, Pennsylvania and worked there for ten years. In March 1905, he left his practice in Marion Center to become the chief physician and surgeon for John H. Weaver in Heilwood. He would remain in Heilwood until October 1914, at which time he resigned and shortly thereafter, became the resident physician at the hospital in nearby Windber, Pennsylvania. In 1915, Dr. McHenry died at the age of 46 from typhoid fever. |
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JOHN S. BOWERS John S. Bowers was born on January 3, 1842 in Cherryhill Township (Indiana County). His father was also named John Bowers, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Hempfield. Bowers received his education in the country schools of Cherryhill Township and at the age of 17, he and his family moved to Pine Township. During the Civil War in 1863, Bowers enlisted in the Union army at Pittsburgh, becoming a private in the 2nd Battalion (Company E) of the Pennsylvania volunteer infantry for six months service. Upon returning from the war in 1864, he purchased a small farm in Cherryhill Township and along with his wife Sarah Jane (Deyarmie), farmed there until 1869. Bowers then purchased 106 acres in Pine Township, which he continued to farm until 1901, when John Heisley Weaver purchased his property. This property became the primary piece of land upon which the town of Heilwood was begun in 1904, including the acreage for the first school. With the sale of his property, Bowers retired from farming and moved his wife and son to Indiana, Pennsylvania, residing at 244 Church Street. Bowers passed away on June 18, 1925 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery (Indiana, Pennsylvania). |
JOHN MILTON GUTHRIE John Milton Guthrie was born in Armstrong County in 1833, the son of Samuel and Hannah (Speer) Guthrie. He received his early education in nearby schools and in 1847, at the age of 14, he went to Blairsville where he worked as a clerk with his uncle, James Speer, a merchant. Guthrie studied surveying from 1852-1857 and was involved in the preliminary and construction surveys of the North Western-West Penn Railroad - now the Conemaugh division of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. While employed there, he became close friends with George B. Roberts, the head of the Engineer Corps, and it was through this friendship that the Pennsylvania Railroad later made the original survey along Twolick and Yellow Creek in Indiana County in order to access the rich coal fields along those streams. In 1858, Guthrie moved to Jacksonville and was engaged in merchandising for nine years. He also had stores in Clarksburg, West Lebanon, and Elders Ridge. In 1867, he purchased the Mitchell’s Mills in Diamondville and also managed a store there for one year. Moving to Indiana in 1868, Guthrie purchased a general store at the corner of Church and Ninth Street from the A.T. Moorhead & Company. In addition to general merchandise, Guthrie became involved in the lumber business at this location. Along with Moorhead, he opened an additional store in Mechanicsburg, operating it for two years. In 1869, he erected a building in Homer City and managed a general store there for three years. It was reported in an August 1874 edition of The Indiana Progress that Guthrie’s steam saw mill, located on Laurel Run in Cherry Hill Township, was completely destroyed by fire. Nearly 300,000 board feet of lumber was destroyed with a total loss of about $5,000. There was no insurance coverage on the loss. The very same week, one of Guthrie's tenant houses located in White Township was destroyed by fire at a loss of $500. A defective flue was the cause of this fire, and like the mill fire, there was no insurance coverage. In 1879, Guthrie formed the St. Charles Improvement and Mining Company in Homer City, along the waters of Yellow Creek. He constructed a saw mill capable of producing 20,000 feet of lumber a day. He also operated two portable mills in Center Township and shipped over 32 rail cars of lumber per day. In 1889, Guthrie, Jacob Graff and G.T. Kirkland purchased the coke operations of George Mikesell, near present day Graceton. As Guthrie, Graff & Company, the partners constructed an additional 37 beehive ovens on the site and remained in business for one year. They sold their holdings to the partnership of J.W. More of Greensburg along with Harry and John McCreary of Indiana. In 1890, Guthrie purchased a 100-acre tract of land in Pine Township, along Yellow Creek, from Archie Fowler and his wife - this became the site of Guthrie’s Mills. The site consisted of a grist mill, saw mill, a store and about 15 houses. Around 1894, with the lumber business diminishing, Guthrie was facing difficult financial times. Unable to acquit himself with his creditors, his lands were sold at a sheriff’s sale in 1896, and some were purchased by J.M. Stewart of Indiana, Pennsylvania. A portion of these lands became the site of the "model town" of Heilwood, Pennsylvania, founded by John H. Weaver of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. J. M. Guthrie was married twice. His first marriage, in 1860, was to Jennie C. Wallace, daughter of Samuel Wallace of Blairsville, and ended with the death of his bride within a year. On October 18, 1864, he married Anna M. Donaldson, daughter of the Reverend Alexander Donaldson (founder of the Elders Ridge Academy) who performed the ceremony. They had five children: Speer W.; William A.; Nellie M.; Murray Hamilton; and Anna Donaldson. On October 12, 1918, J. M. Guthrie passed away at his home along Wayne Avenue in Indiana, Pennsylvania from pneumonia at the age of 85. |
