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/691

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES school, teaching a system invented by himself. Rev. Jam es Dickson served as pastor in various charges from 18 53 until 1890. From the last date till 1892 he did missionary work and then retired to live in Berw ick, and at any time prior to his death, which occurred Ju ly I 9 >3 > could be found at home in his study, deeply engrossed in Greek and Hebrew liter­ ature and research. A R T H U R S T E V E N S O N C L .A Y, Division Engineer of the Pennsylvania State H ighw ay Department, with headquarters at Blooms­ burg, was born .Aug. 20, 18 8 1, at Philadelphia, P a., son o f Richard F. Clay, a sawmill owner o f Boston, Philadelphia and Williamsport. H en ry T. C lay, the grandfather, w as born in Gardiner, Maine, o f Puritan ancestors, and owned there a .sawmill and planing mill, which was finally burned, entai ing a severe loss. H e also ran a line o f tug and freight boats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. H is fam ily consisted o f three daugliters and two sons. Richard F. C lay, father o f .Arthur S. Clay, w as bom in 1849 in Boston, M ass.. and edu­ cated in the public schools o f that city. H e followed lumbering, like his father, and owned mills in Boston, Philadelphia and W illiam s­ port. H e was a Republican, a member of the Episcopal Church, and a M aster Mason. He m arried Edith, daughter o f G coige V. Kctlcr, and they had children as follow s: W alter B., deceased, who is buried in i ’hiladvlphia; A rth u r S., mentioned below; Helen, deceased, who is buried in Philadelphia, and Edna H., living in Philadelphia. A rthu r S. C lay graduated from the excel­ lent public schools o f Philadelphia, attended the afanual T raining School and took up engineering with Harold V'anduzen. a civil engineer o f that city. H e did consultation w ork fo r one ye ar and w as engaged one vcar in the maintenance o f w ay department or the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at Kenovo, P a., and then look a four years' course in civil engineering at Lehigh U niversity, being em­ ployed on various engineering projects during summer vacation periods. In 1905 he grad­ uated. and immediately entered the se m c c of the State H ighw ay Department, being ap­ pointed by Commissioner Joseph W. Hunter. H e started in at the bottom, as chief o f a corps in Franklin county, with headquarters at Chambersburg. going from there to H arris­ burg, then to Chester and Montgomery coun­ ties on survey work. In M ay. 1906. he came to Bloomsburg as Division Engineer of the

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Department, taking charge o f highway con­ struction in Sullivan. Luzcm c, Columbia, Montour, Northumlicrland, Union and Snyder counties, and has since been reappointed in tlie .same capacity under successive administra­ tions. M r. C lay is an cnthusi.'ist on the subject o f highway improvement and has few superiors in knowledge of the methods and materials that go towards the making o f goo<l roads. H e takes a personal interest in all road mat­ ters and is prepared to supply information and assistance to all who are endeavoring to im­ prove the disgraceful highw.iys of the State. On N ov. 3, 1909. M r. C lay married Laura S ., daughter o f John L. M oyer, o f Blooms­ burg. and they have one child, A rthu r S .. J r ., bom X o v. 1 2, 1 9 1 3. M r. C lay is a Republican, and is intcrcsttx] in the success o f his party. H e is a trustee of the Presbyterian G m rch, and IS very prominent in Masonic circles, be­ ing a member o f Washington Lodge, No. 265, F. & A. M., o f Bloomsburg. C L A R K F. H .A R D E R, form erly a promi­ nent contractor and liuiUlcr o f Catawissa, was bom in Columbia county Sept. 28, 18 4 1, son o f Thom as and Catherine (F iste r) Harder, also natives o f Pennsylvania. H is grandpar­ ents were among the first settlers o f Cata­ wissa, coming to this section previous to the terrible W yoming massacre. H is maternal grandparents were from Germ any and those on his father's side from Switzerland. Grand­ father H arder w as a blacksmith, .and Grand­ father F ister for a number o f years kept a tavern where the present Catawissa House stands. T hey both took an active part in the politics of their times, the form er as a Demo­ crat and the latter as a W hig. Thom as H arder, the father o f Clark F.. w as born In Catawissa township, where he learned the trade o f blacksmith, following the w ork fo r a number o f years and also carr>'ing on fam iing operations. H e was a Republican in politics and a member of the G cm u n Reformecl Church. On N ov. 23, 1824, he m ar­ ried Catherine Fister, and they had children as follow s: Anna M ., W illiam, Fister, E rr, Clinton and C lark F. C lark F. H arder w as only fourteen years o f age when his father died, and he remained with his mother until her death in 1872. A t the age o f sixteen he began mastering the trades o f carpenter and cabinetmaker, and had ju st completed his apprenticeship when the w ar broke out. In August. 1862, he enlisted in Company 11, I32d Pennsylvania Volunteers.