BIO: John H. Law, Tillard Pen Pictures, 1911, Blair County, PA Contributed April 2003 for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ Pen Pictures of Friends and Reminiscent Sketches by J. N. Tillard Altoona, PA: William F. Gable & Co., Mirror Press, 1911 Splendid Type of Self Made Man Captain JOHN H. LAW of Hollidaysburg Rose from Poor Boy to Prominent Citizen EVERYBODY in Hollidaysburg knows John H. Law, and a good many people outside of that town are on speaking terms with the kindly-faced captain who has been one of the human landmarks of the county capitol for almost half a century. He has been a business man all his life and has been conspicuously successful. When he was a boy destiny was waiting just around the corner as it is today, and he hurried and caught up with it. When he found his opportunities for advancement gone he made new opportunities. He is one of the best examples Blair County has of a self-made man; and Blair County is full of self-made men. John H. Law was born at Spruce Creek, January 22, 1840, and was a son of Joseph and Mary Ann Learner Law. He was reared on a farm near that village by two maiden aunts, Misses Katie and Nancy Law. He received a very limited education in the schools of Water Street, Spruce Creek and Tussey's Farm School. He was handicapped in his school studies. He had to work in the summer months and in the winter bad weather interfered with his attendance. At the age of fourteen years he began to make his own living, his first work being on a farm for Jacob Walters at the fabulous price of five dollars per month, and his employer said he was dear at that. However, he remained with Mr. Walters five months, and never got paid for his service until nine years afterwards. He returned to Spruce Creek and began to buy turkeys and chickens which he in turn sold to the railroaders until he gathered together $300. He located in Hollidaysburg in June, 1861, and engaged in the general merchandise business, his grandfather, the late Henry L. Leamer, a prominent and influential citizen of that day, loaned the young and ambitious Law his name, and the business was carried on under the firm name of Law & Leamer. About one year afterwards Mr. Law became inspired with patriotism, and entered the nine months' service under the late Captain Thomas McFarlane. At the expiration of this service his enthusiasm had not abated, and he re- enlisted as private under Captain Bell, Company K, Thirteenth Cavalry, and served until honorably discharged at the close of the Civil War. He then returned to Hollidaysburg and devoted his entire time to mercantile business, which prospered even beyond his most sanguine expectations. Being naturally ambitious and elated with his success he determined to branch out, and opened a store at Yellow Springs. This venture did not work out as anticipated so, after two years' trial, he divided the stock, taking part to Spruce Creek and the remainder to Williamsburg. The Williamsburg store was placed under the management of Lynn A. Brua, now president of the Citizens' National Bank of Hollidaysburg. It may not be out of place to say here, that the first $1,000 made by Mr. Brua was while in the employ of Mr. Law, and since then he has added over $99,000 more to the first one. The Spruce Creek store was given into the hands of James Stehley, now a wealthy citizen of Kansas. Mr. Law at one time owned and controlled five stores, two in Hollidaysburg and one each in Spruce Creek, Williamsburg and Duncansville, and two extensive coal yards. Two years ago he disposed of his business interests, selling the Williamsburg store to Hooker Roller, who had entered his service when but fourteen years of age. The general store at Hollidaysburg was purchased by Mr. Leventhal, who has since converted it into a department store. The clothing store was sold to Thomas Lawly, also a clerk who took charge of the store when a boy of fourteen years of age. Mr. Law turned his coal interests over to his son, Jos. D. Law, who is now successfully conducting the same. One of Mr. Law's peculiar characteristics, was that when a clerk or any one in his employ ever gained his confidence, his faith was never shaken unless by convincing and indisputable proof. This was evinced to a remarkable degree when he disposed of his stores to the respective clerks, to whom he turned over the stock without a penny, trusting to their honesty for the purchase price, and he takes pride in saying that his implicit confidence was not misplaced, for in every instance he has been paid in full. Among the persons who began life as a clerk in Mr. Law's stores and afterwards became prominent business men and women may be mentioned: Lynn A. Brua, Mrs. Annie Ditting Irvine, Miss J. Guss Ditting, the latter having real estate in Hollidaysburg valued at $50,000; Miss Lizzie Wilson, now the wife of a prominent Huntingdon County farmer; George D. Bechtel, deceased, assistant cashier of the First National Bank, Altoona; William Bancroft, who is now a well known real estate owner of Altoona; Edward P. Dobbins, assistant postmaster of Hollidaysburg, and Howard Leamer, who for thirty-two years was Mr. Law's chief clerk, now employed in the Goodfellow Sons' hardware store, Hollidaysburg. Mr. Law during his mercantile career in Hollidaysburg was in a certain sense a philanthropist in that he endeavored to give his patrons the advantage of the lowest price for any commodity he might have. He was the first man, twenty years ago, to furnish coal to the citizens of the town at $2 per ton, when other dealers sold it for $3 and $3.25 per ton. At that time he gained for himself the cognomen of "The poor man's friend." He always took especial pride in financially assisting those who manifested a disposition to help themselves. Mr. Law now divides his time between his home in Hollidaysburg and two productive farms which he owns near Fredericksburg. He spends almost all the summer months in looking over his farming interests, taking special pride in raising choice stock of all kinds. He attributes much of his success to being able, with his limited education, to compute interest. He was always chary about borrowing money, but was a cheerful, but careful, lender. Mr. Law has a pleasant home life in the Thaddeus Banks homestead on Allegheny Street, Hollidaysburg, which he owns, and where he lives with his wife and two children, both being married: Joseph D. Law and Mrs. Ida Keiser. During his business career he has lost in bad debts many thousands of dollars, and was one of the heaviest losers in the Gardner and Morrow Bank failure in the year, 1896, but in spite of these reverses, he accumulated a fortune variously estimated at from $150,000 to $200,000. In politics he adheres to the principles of Democracy and for many years filled the offices of burgess and councilman, despite the fact that the town is strongly Republican. His elections were a citizen's tribute to the personal popularity of a splendid type of American citizen. #