nothing more than a wilderness. He converted his tract into an excellent farm, and in 1871 removed to the village of Dixonville, where he followed the mercantile business for seven years. He then purchased a farm adjacent to his own, and now spends the larger part of his time in their management and improvement, although still residing at Dixonville. He is a republican politically; has served as supervisor and assessor of his township, and has always taken an active interest in politics. He is one of the founders and working members of the Wesleyan Methodist church, is earnest and industrious, active and influential, and has gradually enlarged the scope of his business, until he is now one of the acknowledged public-spirited citizens of his township. Mr. Longwill married Miss Sarah Henderson, who was a native of Saltsburg, Indiana county. To their union were born ten children: Harmon H., a resident of Indiana, this State; Hail and John A., living at Dixonville; Robert T., subject of this sketch; A. Lincoln, now living at Irvona, Clearfield county; Frank B., of South Fork, this county; Harry, residing on the home farm; A. Burton, of Freeport, Pennsylvania; Belle, still at home; and Charles, who died at twelve months of age.
Robert T. Longwill received his education in the public schools, Marion Centre select school, and the Indiana State Normal school of Pennsylvania, and was a teacher for four years in the schools of his native township. He then, in 1885, entered the store of S. S. Gibson & Co., at Dixonville, where he remained one year as a clerk, and from there went to Irvona, Clearfield county, at which place he served for three years as a clerk for H. Haupt & Co. By this time he had made himself thoroughly conversant with the de-
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tails of the general mercantile business in all of its lines, and, removing to Portage, formed a mercantile co-partnership with L. A. Haupt, under the firm name of L. A. Haupt & Co. Mr. Longwill has the personal management of the store, which is heavily stocked with goods, and has built up a fine and renumerative trade. This store building was built and used as the first store at Portage, and Mr. Longwill does the leading mercantile business of the place. Soon after coming to Portage, Mr. Longwill organized the Longwill Supply company, of which he is president, and established its store and centre of operations at South Fork, where it is doing a profitable business. In 1892 he formed the firm of Lukens, Haupt & Co., and purchased coal mines at Portage and South Fork, which they operated until 1895, when he sold his interest to the South Fork Coal Mining company. While a member of this coal company, he had full charge of the mines and managed them to good advantage. He is a man of practical business ideas, very enterprising, and ever ready to push an enterprise rapidly when circumstances will justify; progressive, but not rash; energetic, but not reckless; with a purpose in life, he has overcome all obstacles in his way to business success. Mr. Longwill has always been a republican in politics, and, while not a politician, yet is active in the interest of his party when an energetic support is necessary. He served as a member of the school, board of Portage, and was secretary during his term of service. In religion he is a Methodist, and has been a member for several years of the Wesleyan Methodist church. He is a member of Summit Lodge, No. 312, Free and Accepted Masons, of Ebensburg; and Conemaugh Valley Conclave, Improved Order of Heptasophs, of South Fork.
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