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422	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
he had received disabled him for active work during the remainder of his life. Later he again went to Portage, where he lived a retired life until his death, which occurred in 1899. He was a member of the United Brethren church, and in polities was a Republican. He married, in 1852, Mary A. Miligan, of Blair county. Their children were: 1. Sarah, born 1854; married George Gunnett. 2. Frank, born 1856; married Martha Plumer, of Cambria county; contractor and builder. 3. Elizabeth, born 1858, died at the age of twenty-two years. 4. Ellen, born 1860; married Caleb Plumer, postmaster of Portage; she died in 1904. 5. Clara, born 1862; married S. Yoder, of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania; died at the age of twenty-two years, 6. William, born 1864; living at Portage; a carpenter. 7. Joseph C., subject of this sketch. 8. Margaret, born 1867; married Albert A. Alanbough, of Cambria county; died in 1902. 9. Ida, born 1869; married Orlando Stultz, of Blair county. 10. Albert, born 1870; married Lena Krugg, of Blair county. 11. Blanche, born 1872, is a music teacher in Portage. 12. George, born 1874, died at the age of five years. The mother of these children died October, 1902.     Joseph C. Lauffer, third son and seventh child of Valentine and Mary A. (Miligan) Lauffer, was born in Poplar Run, Blair county, Pennsylvania, July 6, 1866. He 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 fifteen years. Later he was in the employ of the Pennsylvania Company, and then turned his attention to the business of life insurance for some time. He then became interested in real estate business and general insurance, and is engaged in this at the present day (1906). He has been very successful, as he is enterprising and progressive. He is popular in social, financial and political circles. His political affiliations are Republican, and he has held various offices. He was elected auditor of the borough in 1897-1898 and 1899; was appointed collecter of the borough, and took the census in 1900; and was elected justice of the peace in 1904, an office which he filled very acceptably. In the spring of 1906 he was elected burgess of Portage. He is a member of the Lutheran church. He married, January 1, 1902, Augusta Hess, of Portage, and they have three children: 1. Ethel, born June 9, 1903. 2. Harry, born April 1, 1904. 3. Laura Althea Grace.     Mrs. Lauffer was born in Westphalia, Germany, April 7, 1878, the daughter of August and Dora (Bruning) Hess. The father, August Hess, served in the Franco-German war, after which he was high sheriff. He died in his native land in 1880. His widow came to America soon after the death of her husband, locating at Portage, Pennsylvania, where she married Lewis Waiters, about 1882. She had four children by her former marriage: William, of California; Harry, of Laydell; Augusta, and August. By the second marriage, three children: Emma, Fred and Edna.     WILLIAM JOHN BEATTY, of Johnstown, was born on Easter Sunday, 1841, in county Cavan, Ireland, son of Snell and Elizabeth Beatty, whose other children were: James, living in Ireland; Eliza, died in 1900; Martha, and Ellen, both of whom are now living in New York. The mother of the family died in April, 1851, and the father passed away in July, 1862.     William John Beatty embarked, August 3, 1865, on the steamer "Moravian," bound for Quebec, whence he continued his journey by

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