June 22, 1901, became the proprietor of the City hotel, the management of which he has personally supervised since that time. He is an enterprising and progressive man of business and noted for his integrity and reliability. He is constantly on the lookout for any improvement which may appear in his particular line of business, and immediately adopts it as soon as convinced of its utility. He is a member of St. Columba's Catholic church, and is an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party. He is also a member of the Order of Knights of the Golden Eagle.
He married, January 6, 1891, in Johnstown, Mary Higgins, daughters of John and Lucy (Bruton) Higgins, of Johnstown, and they have had children: 1. Vincent, born November, 1891, died in infancy. 2. Josephine, born October 30, 1892. 3. Francis Paul, born February 19, 1894, died November, 1895. 4. Mary Estella, born June 16, 1895. 5. Daniel Bruton, born May 22, 1897. 6 and 7. Catherine and Mary (twins), born June 3, 1901. 8. Evelyn, born February 3, 1906.
JAMES P. BURNS. James P. Burns, the well known proprietor of the Arlington Hotel, situated at No. 171 Iron street, Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, has by ambition, perseverance and energy attained the position he now holds. He is a descendant of an honored family of Ireland.
Cornelius Burns, grandfather of James P. Burns, was born in Letter-McAlvord, county Donegal, Ireland, in 1812. He received a good education and was apprenticed to the trade of stone masonry, a calling with which he was connected throughout his life. He later entered into the business of contracting, in which he was successful. He married Catherine Coll, and both died in Ireland. Their children were: 1. Cornelius, unmarried, came to the United States in 1850, and located at what is now (1906) South Fork, Cambria county, Pennsylvania. He was in the employ of the construction department of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and died in 1903. 2. James, of whom see forward. 3. John, arrived in the United States in 1851, and also took up his residence at South Fork, where he received employment similar to that of his brother Cornelius. He married, 1861, and they now reside in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. 4. Bridget, married Thomas Coll and came to the United States in 1852. They resided in Johnstown for a time and then removed to Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where they died. 5. Nicholas, came to America in 1871 with his wife and family. He was a cabinet maker by trade and took up his residence in Cambria City, where he was engaged in this occupation until 1873. During the strike he removed to Schuylkill county, rather than participate in it.
James Burns, second son and child of Cornelius and Catherine (Coll) Burns, was born in Letter-McAleord, county Donegal, Ireland, in 1831. He had but limited opportunities for acquiring an education, as there were no public schools at that time in Ireland, and all the tuition he received was from private teachers. While still a young lad he was employed on neighboring farms and engaged in fishing, as his home was on the sea coast. At the age of nineteen years he decided to seek his fortune in the new world, and with the small amount of money he had contrived to save he paid for his passage to the shores of America. He set out from Liverpool in a sailing vessel for New York, arriving in that city April 10, 1850. His ultimate destination was Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, where he had friends from Ireland who had made their home in that city. He was fortunate in obtaining employment with
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