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882	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY
P.L. Stitts, manager of the Hastings Mercantile Company, is among the substantial young business men of Cambria County. He was born at Hastings, May 28, 1899, and is the son of John and Anna (Hrincko) Stitts.     Both John Stitts and his wife were born in Austria-Hungary. Many years ago they emigrated to this country and settled at Hastings, where Mr. Stitts worked in the mines. For several years he conducted a general mercantile business at this place. He died in 1924 at the age of 63 years. His widow resides in Hastings. Mr. and Mrs. Stitts had ten children, of whom John and Anna are deceased.     P.L. Stitts spent his boyhood in Hastings and after his graduation from high school attended St. Bernard's Business College. When he was 17 years old he entered the employ of the Mountain Mercantile Company at Hastings, and after several years became manager of the business. In 1923 he purchased the business in partnership with Mr. Detrick and his brother, George Stitts. The business has since been known as the Hastings Mercantile Company and they rank among the largest concerns of this type in the county.     Mr. Stitts is a member of the Catholic Church and is secretary of the Loyal Order of Moose at Hastings. He is a member of the city council.     P. O. Holtz is among the successful and representative business men of Hastings. He was born in Susquehanna Township, Cambria County, April 23, 1888, and is a son of Leonard and Helena (Strittmatter) Holtz.     Leonard Holtz, a prosperous farmer of Susquehanna Township, was born in that township Feb. 27, 1859, the son of Joseph Holtz, who settled in Cambria County in 1850, having come here from Germany. Leonard Holtz has always been interested in farming and stock raising and owns a well improved farm of 100 acres. He is a Democrat, a member of the Catholic Church. His wife was born near Carrolltown, the daughter of Peter and Maria (Long) Strittmatter. To Mr. and Mrs. Holtz ten children were born, of whom Anna and Bertha are deceased.     P. O. Holtz received his education in the district schools of Susquehanna Township and also attended a business college in Pittsburgh. He began his business career as a bookkeeper in the employ of the Carnegie Men's Furnishing Company and after two years was associated with Louis Glaw of Hastings. In 1911 Mr. Holtz established his present business, which is the leading establishment of its kind in the city. He handles

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