The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-05-06
IN MEM0RIAM.

A few weeks ago an article appeared
in the columns o. the HERALD, giving
short notice of five old ''Pike Boys"
then living in Addison township: Dr.
III. y. Hartzell, Ephraim Stuck, James
Mccartney, Henry Rishebarger, ESD,
and G.. w. Turney. Since then the
two oldest have been taken away from
friends and relatives, and have entered
into the Great Beyond. DIR. Hartzell
and Mr.. Stuck both died inside of two
weeks; Dr. Hartzell two weeks ago
and Mr.. Stuck last Saturday morning.
Both had lived long past the allotted
time of the Psalmist, and had been
living "on trust for good many
years. DIR. Hartzel.'s 5 death was NEIL
toned in late issue of the HERALD.
Ephraim Stuck was born in, what
was then Allegany, now Garrett
county, Maryland, August %, ls0S, and
died April Is, 1896, at the time of his
death being the oldest person in Addi-
son township. He died about as far
north of Mason and DiXon's line, as
he had been born south of it. He was
appFentieed, in early life, to learn the
blacksmith trade, with a man named
Simmons. The articles of apprentice
ship are now in possession Of his son,
Peter Stuck, a wounded veteran of the
late war, of Listonburg, where Mr..
Suck died. 1t is written after the
quaint manner of the time, and quite a
curiosity in its way. Mr.. stuck be-
came an expert master Of his trade, in
all its branches, but he particularly
eXcelled in the manufacture of the Gel
ebrated butt-chains and double-linked
breast-ehains used among the old wag
oners on the pike, as was mentioned
in the paper referred TO. He worked "a
number of years in Petersburg, for
some time in a shop which stood
where Ross store has been standing
for long time. From Petersburg he
went east on the pike to an Old tavern
that stood mile beyond the line in
Maryland, where he worked for some
years, after which he came back To
Pennsylvania, TO the top of Winding
Ridge, where he built house and
shop. His next move was TO the foot |
of Winding Ridge, to the old Wable |
tavern, and from there to ListOnburg, !
where he bought property, and resided |
until his death. Mr.. Stuck was an
indefatigable worker at his trade, rs |
indeed he was compelled to be, for, a
stated in some Of these papers, there |
was an abundance Of work for all /
blacksmiths during the prosperous
days of the pike. Mr.. Stuck was a /
man of great strength, but gOod-natur-
ed and peaceable throughout his long /
life He seldom, if ever, became EN-
broiled in the quarrels and fights 80 /
frequent in those days. He was a /
friend of everybody, and everybody 1
was his friend. For the last few years 4
he has been unable to work, on ac-
count of his advancing years, but, as
long as he could work, his deligdt was 4
to make his butt and breast-chains. |
During the last year or two his mem /
DRY, as i 50 often the case with aged /
persons, has been blank, almost, to re- 4
cent events but bright and clear in /
regard to things that happened fifty,
sixty or seventy-five years ago. His
anecdotes and "reminiscences of things 4
that occ1rred long years ago, were in
and entertaining. His long /
residence on and near the pike had en-
abled him to see all that was worth
seeing, and there was much To be seen
then. He could give the genealOgy of
every family in the neighbOrhOOd,
whncee they came, whom they mar
ried, when they died and where they
were buried. Mr.. Stuck was widow
er for nearly thirty years, his wife
having died in 1867, and during his
years he was kindly attend
ed by his children, and, while he suf-
fered from the diseases incident to old
age, and latterly, with what was sup
posed TO be 'Grippe," his real pain
was not great, and when the end came
he passed away as gently as the pleas
ant spring-time breezes that famed his
wasted brow. He was member of
the NJ. +. Church, South, and his OBJ
saquies were attended by Rev. Brown,
and an immense cOncourse of people
from all the su rounding country.
Addison, Pa, VI.