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years. He is a man of enterprise, business foresight, and great executive ability, and since his accession to office has made many improvements in the political situation of his ward. He is a member of the Lutheran church and of the following organizations: Johnstown Lodge, No. 175, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Mineral Lodge, No. 89, Knights of Pythias; Lodge No. 245, Ancient Order of United Workmen; also Johnstown Conclave No. 140, I. 0. H.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STULL, one of the best known real estate men of Dale borough, the suburb of Johnstown, was born on a farm in Richland township, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, 1850, son of Rev. William H. and Margaret (Varner) Stall, both of whom are now deceased, Mrs. Stull having died November, 1902.
The Stulls are of German descent. Jacob Stull, great-grandfather of Benjamin F. Stull, emigrated from Germany in the last years of the eighteenth century. His son, Jacob Stull, Jr., was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Cambria county, where he purchased a farm and reared a large family of sons and daughters. Politically he was a strong believer in the principles of Democracy, and in his religious faith a member of the Evangelical church. He married Elizabeth Paul, by whom he had eleven children: 1. Barbara, married John Paul. 2. Mary, became the wife of Rev. Louis Dunmire. 3. Elizabeth Oster. 4. Catherine, married Henry Dunmire. 5. John F., residing at Salex. 6. Jacob R., who served thirty-two years as justice of the peace in Richland township, Cambria county; also one term as county commissioner. 7. Susan. 8. Rev. William H., see forward. 9. Daniel. 10. Lydia, married John S. Wissinger. 11. Leah, married Lewis Shank. These are all deceased, except John F. Stull.
Rev. William H. Stull, father of Benjamin F. Stull, was born August, 1825, died October 5, 1875. He was a man of a fair education, and self-made in the true sense of the term. He entered the ministry of the Evangelical church, in 1856, and was in the Bedford circuit two years; Indiana circuit two years; Preston, West Virginia, two years; Fairview, one year and Somerset two years. Early in life he was an ardent Whig and later supported the Republican party and was a hearty supporter of the Union cause during the Civil war. He also took much interest in educational matters, especially the public school system. He married Margaret Varner, a woman of Scotch extraction, the daughter of George Varner and wife. Their six children were as follows: 1. Sarah Jane, died in 1863. 2: Benjamin F., see forward. 3. Christianna, deceased, was wife of Alexander Story. 4. Martha Elizabeth, married William G. McKee. 5. Lorenzo Dow. 6. Amanda, married Herbert Benner, of Atlantic City.
B. F. Stull, of this notice, was reared on the farm and attended the common schools of his township and Dayton Union Academy. He followed teaching school, several terms in the public schools, winters, while he devoted his summer months to farming and carpentering. He also attended the county normal at Stoyestown, where he first made the acquaintance of the woman who later became his wife. He resided in Conemaugh six years and then moved to Johnstown where he lived four years and removed to Bethel, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the mercantile business, remaining there until 1887, when he suffered much loss by a flood which devastated that section. From that point he came to Dale borough, where he resumed his mercantile trade,
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