John E. Gable's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.1031

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History of Cambria County, V.2

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY 1031

land in Somerset County. He opened up a mine there, known as the Sherbine Coal Mining Company. At about the close of the war he sold the plant and entered into what was known as the State Mining Company. He served in the capacity of superintendent and general manager.
    Mr. Sherbine was married Sept. 23, 1901, to Miss Sallie Heisz, the daughter of Philip and Susan Heisz of Wilkes Bare, Pa., both now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Sherbine two children were born: Allie M., married to Prof. R. B. Beard, supervising principal of Portage schools, and they have one daughter, Marie Louise; and George Philip Sherbine, married Helen Sickles and is living at Wilmore, Pa.
    Politically Mr. Sherbine is a Republican. He was township treasurer for a number of years and served on the board of education eight years. He is a Lutheran and member of the Grange. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Portage, Pa.
    Speaking of early days in Cambria County, Mr. Sherbine said: "I learned the value of a dollar pretty young. I remember when I was about seven years of age, 50 years ago, when two old pioneers were working and they were chopping cord wood at 50 cents a cord, and this country was a forest of beautiful large timber-hemlock, cherry, maple, beech, ash, cucumber and lin, three or four feet in diameter. There were no saws around here that I knew of; the ax was in use. In the dead of winter they would hop upon one of these great trees and you would hear that old ax all day. The chopper would be wearing neither hat, coat or gloves, but you would notice lots of steam about him. After pegging away for six hours he would step down and partake of some frozen corn pone and a little side pork. After the meal it would be necessary to chop. Two cords would make a dollar. Any person who did that sort of work and did not know the value of a dollar was some sport. I remember of helping Mr. Jacob Fenn, a baker in the City of Johnstown, put up ice at 25 cents a day. Two large ice houses were filled. I was 12 years old then. My first work at railroading was for 16 cents an hour. That was considered fine wages at that time. I remember the first oil lamp we got; we only used it when we had company. It was considered wonderful. Our light usually consisted of a pan with a little fat of some sort and a little cotton wicking. We had no matches in those days. We covered our fire at night, and if the fire happened to go out we would have to go to the nearest neighbor to borrow a few coals. Our clothing was manufactured at home.

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY	1031
land in Somerset County. He opened up a mine there, known as the Sherbine Coal Mining Company. At about the close of the war he sold the plant and entered into what was known as the State Mining Company. He served in the capacity of superintendent and general manager. Mr. Sherbine was married Sept. 23, 1901, to Miss Sallie Heisz, the daughter of Philip and Susan Heisz of Wilkes Bare, Pa., both now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Sherbine two children were born: Allie M., married to Prof. R. B. Beard, supervising principal of Portage schools, and they have one daughter, Marie Louise; and George Philip Sherbine, married Helen Sickles and is living at Wilmore, Pa. Politically Mr. Sherbine is a Republican. He was township treasurer for a number of years and served on the board of education eight years. He is a Lutheran and member of the Grange. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Portage, Pa. Speaking of early days in Cambria County, Mr. Sherbine said: "I learned the value of a dollar pretty young. I remember when I was about seven years of age, 50 years ago, when two old pioneers were working and they were chopping cord wood at 50 cents a cord, and this country was a forest of beautiful large timber-hemlock, cherry, maple, beech, ash, cucumber and lin, three or four feet in diameter. There were no saws around here that I knew of; the ax was in use. In the dead of winter they would hop upon one of these great trees and you would hear that old ax all day. The chopper would be wearing neither hat, coat or gloves, but you would notice lots of steam about him. After pegging away for six hours he would step down and partake of some frozen corn pone and a little side pork. After the meal it would be necessary to chop. Two cords would make a dollar. Any person who did that sort of work and did not know the value of a dollar was some sport. I remember of helping Mr. Jacob Fenn, a baker in the City of Johnstown, put up ice at 25 cents a day. Two large ice houses were filled. I was 12 years old then. My first work at railroading was for 16 cents an hour. That was considered fine wages at that time. I remember the first oil lamp we got; we only used it when we had company. It was considered wonderful. Our light usually consisted of a pan with a little fat of some sort and a little cotton wicking. We had no matches in those days. We covered our fire at night, and if the fire happened to go out we would have to go to the nearest neighbor to borrow a few coals. Our clothing was manufactured at home.