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/680

 COI.UMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES F an iw rs' Institutes o f I'cnnsylvania. in that capacity delivering many talks in his own and neigliboring counties. T h is he continued un­ til the strenuous nature of the work in get­ ting about, and consequent exposure to the elements, together with advancing age. caused him to desist. In recognition o f his all-around fam iliarity with agricultural conditions, and o f valuable scr-iccs rendered, he was ap|K)inted a member of the State board o f agri­ culture, on which he has sen-ed for the last fifteen years. H e assisted in the establish­ ment of the Farm ers I’ roducc Kxchange, Lim ited, at Bloom sbu ^. and w as one of the m anagers of the same fo r several years, re­ tiring when (Ici»rturc from the principles o f its establishment, by a m ajority, in his opin­ ion meant ruin, which speedily followed. Ilis indefatigable labors in the general interest arc well illustmted tn his endeavor to have the road from Rohrsburg to M illville, which runs pa.st his f.amj, built; it was only granted after a severe contest, extending over a long period. M r. Young working fo r twenty-five years be­ fore success rewarded his efforts. M r. Y ou n g's public spirit has drawn him into all things affecting the local w elfare, and he has filled various position.s o f trust. He scrcd six years as school director, during all tliat time .acting as secretary of the board, and it w as during his term that the best school building in the township w as erected. F o r one term he fillcil the office o f justice of the I>eacc. and fo r several terms w as township auditor. H e has been a candirLatc fo r the l.^ s la t u r e. I'olitically he has been .associated with the Democratic parly since the candidacy o f Horace Greeley fo r president. On Jan. lO. i8 6 t. Mr. Young married R a ­ chel Wilson, ilaughtcr o f Reuben Wilson, a farm er o f Madison township and well known member of the Society o f Friends in this sec­ tion. F ou r children have been bom to them: .Mice graduated from the Hloomslnir^r Nomial School and taught two years licforc her m ar­ riage to .Mfreil H. Fotts, o f Parkcsburg. Chester county; .she dieil leaving six children. K lla. also a gradu.atc of the Bloomsburg N or­ mal. is living at home. Em m a is living at home. M ary, dcceaseil. w as the w ife o f Hcnrx' Sh affer, of Rohrsburg, and had one chilil. JO H N B E C H T E L T .A N D IS. who is numl*ercd among the well known ami progressive citizens o f Berwick, Pa., where he is superin­ tendent o f (he forge department fo r the .American C ar and Foundry Company, was bom .Aug. I . 1877. Boycrtown. Berks Co.,

571

P a., son o f David E. and Sarah (Bechtel) I.andis. David F„ Landis, father o f John Bechtel Landis, w as bom Dec. 24, 1852, at Boyertown, where he w as educatcil in the ]Hiblic schools. Under the prcccptorshlp o f his father he teamed the trade 0 1 tanner, and fol­ lowed that vocation fo r some time at Boyertown, but subsequently moved to Rock Glen, Luzcm c county, continuing to be engaged in the same business there until 1897. In that year M r. Landis turned his attention to the greenhouse business, and at the present time IS the proprietor o f an establishment at Kock Glen. M r. Landis married Sarah Bechtel, daugh­ ter o f John and M ary (Lon gacrc) Bechtel, and to this union have l^ m (he follow ­ ing children: John Bcchtcl; I^aura B., a teacher in the schools o f Hazleton, P a .; Sam ­ uel B., a teacher in the I’ hilippines; David B.. a chemist with the W est Virginia Pulp & PajKT Company, who marrieil Blanche Violet Ricks, and resides at Covington. V a .; William B., a law yer, who resides at Scranton. P a .; Florence B., who married Clarence Shepherd, boys' secretary of the Young Men’s Christian Association at Lynchburg. V a .; George B . and E dgar B., who are associated with their father in business. John Bechtel Landis received his element­ ary education at Kock (ilen, and prepared for c o l l i e at the Bloomsburg State Normal School. H e w as gm diiatcd there in 1897, and following this taught (wo years in Kock Glen, (•uzeme county. He took the regular four vears' course in electrical engineering at the W nnsylvania State College, being graduated in 1903 with the degree o f Irachelor o f arts, and three years later was given his degree o f mechanical engineer. In kx > he entered the 3 employ of the American C ar and Foundry Company, at Berwick, in the fo ige depart­ ment. as assistant to the su|Krintcndent. and in December, 1906. succeeded Mr. Faust in the sujierintendency. Afr. T^indis married Em ily McCullough, daughter o f W illiam J. and Em ily Brooks (.Alexander) McCullough, o f W ilkes-Barre, Pa. T h ey have one daughter. Em ily .Alexan­ der. bom Ju n e 2. 19 12 . Mr. Landis is a mem­ ber of the Methodist Church and an active memlier of the Young Men's Christian A sso­ ciation. H e is much interested in athletics, and has some local reputation .as a baseball player. W illiam Jam es McCullough came from Port Deposit. M d.. to Philadelphia, as a boy.