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1202	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY
Mr. Campbell is a Democrat, a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Elks Lodge, and Loyal Order of Moose. He is prominent in Portage and the surrounding community.     Joseph C. Lauffer has been for a number of years prominently identified with the public interest and welfare of Portage, of which he is serving as burgess and justice of the peace. He was born at Poplar Run, Blair County, Pa., July 6, 1866, the son of Valentine and Mary A. (Miligan) Lauffer.     Valentine Lauffer was born in Germany 1828. He was one of a party who came to this country in 1829, and when a youth accepted a position as coachman for Doctor Shunebarger, the great iron master of the Sayer furnace, and this he held for some years. He then bought a farm at Poplar Run, about 1866, and lived there until 1872, when he removed with his family to Portage. During the Civil war he served as a member of Company A, Fifty-fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was actively engaged in a number of the most important battles of the war, including Bull Run, Fortress Monroe, New Orleans, Gettysburg and the battle of the Wilderness. He returned to Blair County at the close of the war and later again went to Portage, where he died in 1899. He was a member of the United Brethren Church and in politics was a Republican. Mr. Lauffer married, in 1852, Miss Mary A. Miligan of Blair County. Their children were: Sarah, born in 1854, married George Gunnett; Frank, born in 1856, married Martha Plumer of Cambria County; Elizabeth, born in 1858, died at the age of 22 years; Ellen, born in 1860, married Caleb Plumer, Portage, who died in 1904; Clara, born in 1862, married S. Yoder, Clearfield County, died at the age of 22 years; William born in 1864, lives at Portage; Joseph C.,, the subject of this sketch; Margaret, born in 1867, married Albert A. Alanbough, died in 1902; Ida, born in 1869, married Orlando Stultz, Blair County; Albert, born in 1870, married Lena Krugg, Blair County; Blanche, born in 1872, Portage; George, born in 1874, died at the age of five years. The mother of these children died in October 1902.     Joseph C. Lauffer received a good education in the common schools of his township and then entered upon his business career. His first work was in the coal mines and he worked there 15 years. Later he was in the

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