OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

241

tian association, and has done much to build up that institution in Johnstown by his contributions of both time and money. He was a member of the building committee that erected the fine Young Men's Christian Associations [sic] building on Main street, and for five years has been a member of the board of directors. He is a member of Mineral Lodge, P. of P., of Johnstown. THOMAS GRIFFITH was of Welsh descent, whose father Griffith Griffith, came to this country from Wales with his parents, William and Jane G., about the year 1805 or '06, when twelve or thirteen years of age.      They located on the little Conemaugh, about three miles south of Ebensburg, and followed the trade of carding and fulling, while Griffith grew to manhood.     In 1816 he married Hannah Reese, a daughter of one of the early Welsh settlers. As a result of this union eight children were born, Thomas, the subject of this sketch, being born October 20, 1818. When about two years old his parents purchased land and erected a carding and fulling-mill on the little Conemaugh, one half mile south of Ebensburg, here he continued to live for over fifty years, moving into Ebensburg in 1876, where he lived for fourteen years, dying January 5, 1890.     During his early years he worked hard, assisting his father at his trade. His educational advantages were very meagre, he never having attended over three months at school. By far the best part of his mental training was obtained by self-study and business experience.     Arriving at maturity, he and a brother purchased the farm, including the carding-mill

and a water-power saw mill, from their father, and continued to carry on the business, but upon the death of his brother; two or three years later, he turned his attention almost entirely to the saw-mill as the most profitable.     Commencing the business over half a century ago on a small scale, and when the facilities for the manufacture of lumber were of a very primitive nature, he was a practical witness to the many improvements for the cutting of timber and the handling of lumber that characterized the last decade. He kept pace with the progress of the age in which he lived, and was not slow to adopt new and improved methods.      His motto was "upward and onward," and at the time of his death he ranking among the large lumbermen of the State, having saw-mills in Cambria, McKean and Elk counties, and was, perhaps, the most extensive cherry lumber dealer in the State. For a perod of about twenty years he operated a retail lumber-yard in Philadelphia. During the latter part of his life he was somewhat interested in the oil-producing industry of the State, and also at his death owned a large tract of coal land in the Blacklick coal regions, embracing about four thousand acres.      Politically he was a staunch republican, and always took a commendable interest in the success of his party and for the promotion of its principles.      In 1873 he was the nominee of his party for the office of county treasurer, and although the county was Democratic by about twelve hundred voters, he came within twenty-eight votes of being elected. In 1879 he was the successful nominee of his party for the office of sheriff, overcoming a very large majority, and had the distinction of being the first Republican sheriff elected in Cambria county.

Title Page

Contents

Image

Index