Allegheny-Statewide County PA Archives Obituaries.....Matthews-Faustmann, Isabella (nee Toal) April 27, 1909 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patti Schacht Pattib9460@aol.com February 13, 2008, 2:07 pm Pittsburgh Gazette Times - 28 April 1909 April 28, 1909, from the Pittsburgh Gazette Times: CARNEGIE FAMILY FRIEND IS DEAD Mrs. Faustmann Bound Shoes With Mother of Laird of Skibo. ------------------ WHEN ANDREW WAS A BAIRN Family Lived in "Barefoot Square" in Old Allegheny City. ----------------- Mrs. Isabella Toal-Faustmann, 84 years old, widow of William F. Faustmann of Braddock, one of the older settlers of the Braddock and Turtle Creek valley districts, a close friend of the parents of Andrew Carnegie when he lived in Allegheny city as a boy, died yesterday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Isabella Wills, wife of James E. Wills, at 650 Corey Avenue, Braddock. Her death was due to shock following a fall, a fortnight ago, when her right arm was broken. Mrs. Faustmann was the daughter of James Toal, a cooper of Dumfries, Scotland, and was born on January 12, 1826. Her mother, father, and two nephews passed away in the great cholera epidemic which passed over Scotland in the early forties. Miss Toal was married to John Matthews of Kirkcudbright, near Dumfries, and in 1851 (? hard to read) he came with his wife to the United States, settling in Allegheny city, adjoining Carnegie and wife, and their children, Andrew and Thomas Carnegie. Mrs. Matthews or Faustmann, as she later became, [I think they meant Mrs. WILLS here, because Mrs. Faustmann's parents died in Scotland!] often told of the days in which her parents lived in "Barefoot Square", when, following the death of Thomas Carnegie, the mother of Andrew Carnegie often in evenings, to eke out existence, "bound over" shoes for John Matthews, who was a maker of boots and shoes in the old hand fashion. Andrew Carnegie being a "bobbin boy" in the old Allegheny cotton mills, in which his father had labored before his death. Mrs. Faustmann in her later days retained happy recollections of Mrs. Carnegie and her sister, Mrs. Aiken, who often came out to Turtle Creek to visit in late years, together with the former’s son, Andrew. The Matthews family removed to Turtle Creek shortly before the civil war, and in 1861 John Matthews enlisted in the Fourth Heavy artillery, at Braddock, and was stationed at Camp Copeland, Braddock, before being assigned to Fortress Monroe. He served throughout the war with distinction, and died at Turtle Creek in 1866. Mrs. Matthews married in 1869 William F. Faustmann of Oak Hill. North Versailles township, a pump maker, who had also served throughout the war in a regiment recruited from the Braddock and Irwin districts. He died in 1878. Mrs. Faustmann was one of the charter members of Maj. A. M. Harper circle No. 4, Ladies of the G.A.R. of Braddock and was deeply interested in charitable and all philanthropic work. She was one of the most ardent supporters among the small body of enthusiasts of circle No. 4 of Braddock almost 20 years ago, who suggested and brought to fruition, the Ladies of the G.A.R. Home at Hawkins Station, and until a year or so ago was a frequent visitor at the home. She was a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Braddock for over 25 years. She is survived by three children by her first husband, Mrs. G.O. (Ellen) Roberts of Dennison, O., Mrs. James E. (Isabella) Wills of Braddock, and Mrs. Annie Crosby (married to Josiah Crosby) of Ensley, Ala.; one son by her second husband, William Rinard Faustmann of Cleveland, O, a steel blower of the Newberg steel mills, 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. The funeral will probably be held Friday at the Wills home, 650 Corey Avenue, Braddock, conducted by the Rev. Dr. William W. Hall of the First Methodist Episcopal church, Braddock, and burial will be in Monongahela cemetery, that place. ****************************************************************************** Additional Comments: I had always "heard" about this family relationship with the Carnegies, but never gave it much credence. Imagine my surprise to read this obit while doing family research at the Carnegie Library Pennsylvania Room!! The additional info in parentheses were my addition. Hopefully, they give some clarification. Patti Jones Schacht, g-g-granddaughter of Isabella (Toal) Matthews Faustmann This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb