The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-30

!, 1Sl2, consequently bIotuGi AA4hut4p
w. Bliss, OF Wheeling, West Va, mas
hut recently passed his eighty-siHta
birthday. Our Brother Bliss comes OF
an old Puritan family, and has a large.
ave. numerous klnship residing not only
IN the New England states, but in fact
In all sections OF our grand country, and
who were reared during the past three
centuries or more, from true American
patriot stock. serving not only In the
colonial, but also IN the revolutionary
wars The family has u written history
of their kin for four hundred years. The
sweet singer, Bliss, who lost his life IN
the railroad wreck In Northern Ohio.
was connected with the Bllsses of
Wheeling.
When Timothy was five years of age,
he with his parents, left Stonington to
locate in Sandusky, Ohio, and to take
mn a war claim which they we're enu-
tied TO, by patent his father possessed.
The conveyances then In vogue were
the wagon Cknown In after gears as
the "prairie schooner'O, or riding on
horse or oxen, or the more common way
OF footing It," as no railroads existed.
and but few miles OF canal. ana even
the hauling Of the cars over the Ale
ghenys, by aid OF stationary engines
were then unknown. 1t is true saying
and applied In the present case. wv mere
ignorance is bliss. It's folly to be wise"
So the Bllsses started upon their jour
ney towards their new home In the
Buckeye state, not knowing what DIM
cultles they would encounter, nor the
time required to reach their jour
ueV's end: but after hundred miles
travel and as many more ahead OF them
OF GnnFttrgi{T. they
came TO the conclusion, and also show
ed their wisdom thereby, when they
ended the Journey and located near to
the town of Donegal, In Fayette Coun-
ty, Pa, on q section Of land known as
Chestnut Ridge, near Laurel Hill, and
lust west OF the Allegheny mountains.
The farm was beautifully located, Tor
mountain land, aud said to have been
very productive OF large crops OF snakes
and chestnuts and hucldeberries II
must have been agreeable and healthy
for young Timothy, for he remained
there twelve years, following the pillow,
killing snakes. gathering nuts ana pick
ing berries, as well as In the last few
years OF tramplng from farm to town
ard returning daily. rs an apprentice TO
the trade Of making hats, business ne
| followed mang years thereafter.
When Brother Bliss had served his
time as an apprentice and was seven
| teen years Of age, he found the town OF
Donegal rather small In which to heEln
business, and so for some years he
Travelled about the country working at
his trade In fact, he made hats In sew
enteen states About the year lS32 he
| came to wheeling and started bust
/ ness, which he continued for thirty ODD
years. making the hats himself, or eu-
perintondlnE the many men he employ
| cd for that purpose, and ONLY ceased to
do 30 early IN the sixties, when the cas-
| tern manufacturers, aided by machinery
and the cheaper transportation by rail-
road, lowered the cost Of production. so
| that there was no profit to be had IN
making them by hand. He then turned
| his mind and means IN another channel
| and engaged for number or years
| boating produce md fruit home from
! the upper Ohio river country 60 New
orleans. and other southern cities. That
| business did not paw very long FOR ran
| road transportation carried those pro-
| ducts to the southern markets quicker
| than he could boat them, So he gave up
| TINT business, Just before the close or
| the ClvIl war. and the brethren OF the
| fraternity OF wheeling, finding him out
OF employment, and n suitable person
to assist thCm I'm their work. engaged
| him TO take charge OF their Temple, and
| other things necessary for their meet
ings.
Brother Timothy W, Bliss, Is mem
Der OF Ohio Lodge, No. I, OF Wheeling,
W. Va, Formerly No. iOl Of virginia..
It was organized In the year 1918, and
has now been continuously working
eighty three years. He was initiated In
Ohio Lodge on June 10. 1850, passed
August S. 1919, and raised october ],
| 1870, ana has been q member Ia good
standing thereof FOR forty-nlnc year''
Ohio lodge has good record, one of
the most notable events recorded about
that body was that ~ Lafayette h1N-
log visited II during the year 'esa when
reception and banquet was rendered