Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/562

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

his office, although the largest port o f his prac­ tice is before the Columbia county bar. H e is an active and energetic worker, and his great success is due to hts natural abilities and su­ perior legal qualifications. H e is attorney for the Philadelphia & Reading R ailw ay Com­ pany, the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron Company, and Pennsylvania Paper Mil). In politics Mr. Rhawn is a Democrat, and stands high in the councils of the local or­ ganization. H e is a member o f (he Metho­ dist Church, and of the B. P. O. Elks. A L E X A N D E R B I L L M E Y E R, whose in­ terests have alw ays been centered at W ash­ ingtonville, Montour county, is one of the foremost men o f that section. H e repre­ sented his district in Congress several years ago, and from early manhood has filled a prominent place in its business life. H is beautiful home property in D erry township, including "B illm eyer Park,” is one of the notable estates o f that part of the county. T he Billm eyer fam ily has lieen in this region fo r several generations, Martin Billmeyer, grandfather o f A lexander, having come to Liberty township, in what is now Montour county, with his father, who took up a large tract o f (and on the Chillisquaque. There he died, and the land w as attcrw ards divided among three o f his sons. G eoige, M artin and Andrew. T hey erected a sawmill on the creek (the first tn the township) which is still in use and is known as the Billm eyer sawmill. Martin Billm eyer died there in the early fiftie.s, his w ife, M aigarct (H im m elrigh), sur­ viving him several years. T hey were the i>arents o f six sons and six daughters: D aniel; M artin; Ja c o b : M a ry; Catherine: F an n ie; Peter, at one time sheriff o f Columbia county, who made his home at Bloom sburg: John, who lived in Liberty township; Andrew Ja c k ­ son, of the same tow*nshlp; Sarah, w ife o f John Gougcr, and M argaret, w ife o f George W agner, both o f Limestone township: and H arriet, w ife o f A. J. Maus, of V alley town­ ship. A ll are now deceased. Jacob Billm eyer, father o f Alexander Billmeycr, w as bom Oct. 17, 1808, and lived in Liberty township until a year or two before his death, which occurred M ay 30. 18 8 1. He had been a fam ier and lumberman all his life. H is w ife, Eliza H ower, was bom in N orth­ ampton county. P a., Aug. 16, 18 14, and died Feb. 5, 1873. T hey had seven children, nam ely: .Alexander; Hcnr)*, o f Liberty town­ sh ip: Sarah, w ife o f Martin Blue, o f D erry township: Mar>*, w ife o f B . F . Umstead, o f

.Anthony township; M argaret, w ife o f David Springer, o f Liberty township; Jacob H., of Anthony township; and Daniel, o f Talb^ county, Maryland. A lexander Billm eyer w as bom Ja n. 7. 1841, and remained at home until twenty-six years old. Meantime he went to work for his uncle in the sawmill, receiving fifty cents a day, and being ambitious and encigctk he took advantage o f every opportunity to forge ahead. Having obtained a contract to furnish the walnut lumber fo r the Grove mandon at Danville, at $65 per thousand feet, he filbl the order by running the mill evenings after his regular day's work was over, paying his help himself, and had to keep at it sometimes until midnight, or even later. Subsequently he bought his father's share in a mill owned by the Latter and two o f his brothers, Peter and Jackson, and then began to make a spedalty o f getting out white oak timber, which line he fotuid very profitable. For eight years he w as associated with his brother H enry, fann in g and lumbering, the sons buy­ ing their father's interests, paying o ff the ligations he had incurred, and b r in in g (heir affairs into excellent condition. W hen they dissolved partnership, A lexander Billmeyer bought the lumber business, his brother tak­ ing the homestead. They* had acquired other h id in g s, including the 400-acrc tract which is now .Alexander Riltmcyer's home farm, ex­ tensive tracts o f timber on the eastern shore o f M aryland, and others in Clarion county. Pa. (at what is now Bethlehem), Somerset county, Pa. (at F.lk L ic k ), and W est 'irginia. Mr. Billm eyer continued to look a fte r his lumhcr business in Montour county person­ ally. sending a hrothcr-in-Liw to superadsc the manufacturing in the other sections where he owned timber. H e had the largest share of (he lumber business in his home neigliborhood. his progressive policy, and sincere desire to g ive his patrons ihc best that could be obtained anywhere, holding their custom throughout all the changes which have attendeil the production and use o f lumber. In 1872 M r. Billm eyer began to invest in farm Lands, and he has made purchases from time to lime until his possessions now include fif­ teen farm s with an area o f about two thousand acres, of the best agricultural property in the county, all but about 150 acres being clcarc<l. H aving extensive business affairs M r. Billmeyer has naturally taken an interest in the financial institutions o f his section, and he is now one of the directors of the D anville N a­ tional Bank. H e has also taken an active part