390

BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA

Martinsburg, West Virginia, then Virginia, and received a common-school and academic education, after which he accepted a position as book-keeper and salesman in a large drygoods store, where he remained until 1873. On account of his health he then resigned that position at Martinsburg, and came to Johnstown. Needing out-door labor to improve his health, he entered the Cambria Iron company's rolling-mill, and held numerous positions up to 1890, when he was appointed assistant superintendent, and has served in that capacity ever since.     In 1878 Mr. Keedy wedded Mary E. Brixner, and they have one child, a son, named Roy. Mrs. Keedy is a daughter of Christian and Barbara Brixner, of Johnstown.     Aside from his official duties in the rollingmill, Mr. Keedy has been engaged, to some extent, in business for himself during the last twenty years. He was a member of the firm of Beutsch Brothers & Co., at the corner of Main and Bedford streets, for several years, but, fortunately for himself, had sold his interest just before the great flood, which not only swept away the property of the firm, but also everything of Mr. Keedy's. With the proceeds of his sale he was enabled to recover from his losses by the flood, besides having an interest in other enterprises. He is a member of the English Evangelical Lutheran church; Cambria Lodge, No. 278, Free and Accepted Masons, and Johnstown Council, No. 401, Royal Arcanum, of which, he has been secretary for the last ten years. Thomas P. Keedy is a staunch republican in politics, and has been serving for three years as burgess of Westmont. He has held numerous and important borough offices. He served for several years as a member and president of the school board, and as treasurer and bur-

gess of the borough of Millville, now comprising the Thirteenth and Fourteenth wards of the city of Johnstown. He was chairman of the Republican County committee in 1887, and is always consulted by leaders of his party upon all matters of political importance. When a member of the school board he was instrumental in securing the erection of the Peelor or Thirteenth Ward School building; and, in recognition of his disinterested and valuable service in securing that building, his name is inscribed on its bell. LEWIS ORRIS, a remarkably energetic business man, and the proprietor of the Wilmore Roller process flouring mills, is a son of George and Sarah (Shaffer) Orris, and was born at Cambria city, now Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, October, 4, 1842.     His paternal grandfather, George Orris, was of Scotch-Irish extraction, and lived and died in the State of Virginia. His son, George Orris, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1810. He was largely a self-educated man, having attended the old district schools of his neighborhood but for a few weeks. Reared on a farm, he always followed farming, but gave a part of his time to merchandizing and other lines of business, in all of which he was successful. In early life he came to Johnstown, when there were but three houses in the place. Fifteen years later he purchased a farm in Adams township, on which he resided for twenty years. He then spent seven years in farming at Geistown, and next removed to Elton, at which place he conducted a store for six years. From Geistown he removed to Richland township, where he followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1886, when in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Mr. Orris

Title Page

Contents

Image

Index