BIO: Henry Beam Piper, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Anne Stone Copyright 2001. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ Dr. Henry Beam Piper >From the History of Huntingdon and Blair Co. By J Simpson Africa 1883 p210-211 Among the old families of the Ligioner Valley in Westmoreland County, PA, are the Pipers. The first of the name who came to America from Germany some time previous to the war for independence of the colonies, settled in Lancaster county Pa. But little is known of him, only that he served in the patriotic army, and after the war continued to live in Lancaster county. His family moved into Franklin county, and settled at a place called Piper's Run, where a good number of his descendants still live. He reared a family of children, of whom Peter Piper was one. He was born in Lancaster county in 1756, and remained there until he was eighteen years of age, when he turned his steps westward. He found his way into what was then Indian country, crossing the mountains following Indian paths or trails, and at Fort Ligioner joining a party of Indian scouts. Their operations extended from the above-named fort to Fort Proctor. When Hannastown, the county seat of Westmoreland county, was burned, Peter was in Ligioner Valley, and at once joined the party who pursued the Indians who had been engaged in the destruction of the town and the murder and capture of some of it's people. He afterwards became in the hazardous business of packing supplies across the mountains to the early settlers of Western Pennsylvania. After the worst of the Indian troubles were over, and his occupation as a scout was gone, he went to work for a Mr. Baldridge (who built the first mills in that part of the State), and learned the millwrights trade. In carrying on their trade in building small mills, where mountain streams made the necessary power, they were compelled to carry their arms with them to defend themselves against Indians and wild animals. Mr. Piper marries Miss Catherine Carnes, daughter of Nicholas Carnes, whose family was among the first in the valley. After his marriage he settled on a tract of wild land on Four Mile Run, in what was then Donegal, now Cook township, which he cleared and improved when not working at his trade. On this farm all of their children were born. There were eight sons and three daughters. Of the sons we will only speak of William. He also became a millwright, and followed the business more or less during his lifetime. After the death of his father, which occurred in 1853, he bought the home farm, which became the birthplace of his five sons and two daughters. The second child, H.B. Piper, was born Oct. 15, 1831. He also learned his father's trade, which he followed when not teaching for a number of years, in fact nearly to the time of the Rebellion. Up to eighteen years of age his educational advantages had been confined to the district schools. He then attended the Somerset Academy two sessions, after which he taught school winters, and worked at his trade summers, until he reached his majority, when he attended the Sewickley Academy for two years. While attending the Somerset Academy he boarded with Dr. Fundenburg, under whose direction he studied medicine during his leisure hours and continued to do so until the spring of 1858, when he went to the office of Dr. L.T. Beam, of Ligioner, and commenced the study of medicine in earnest. His studies and his plans, like those of a great many young men of his age, were rudely broken in upon by the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861. When the first call was made for troops, he volunteered as a private, April 21, 1861, in company K, Eleventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. At the expiration of the three months the regiment was mustered out of service, and at once reorganized, Dr. Piper going out this time as second lieutenant. On the 30th day of August, 1862, he was promoted to a first lieutenancy, which on the 3d day of June , 1863, was followed by a captaincy. Capt. Piper participated in the following battles: Falling Waters, Cedar Mountain, Rappahannock Station, Thoroughfare Gap, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam (where he received a severe wound in the right shoulder), Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church, in front of Petersburg, and the battles incident thereto. The regiment, which was commanded by "fighting Dick Coulter" and was one of the best, reenlisted in the winter of 1864 for there years or during the war, but owing to his wounds and disease contracted in the Virginia swamps, Capt. Piper was discharged on account of disability, Nov. 23, 1864. On his return home he again entered Dr. Beam's office, and continued his studies therein when not attending the Philadelphia University of Medicine and Surgery, from which he graduated in the spring of 1866. After graduating he opened an office in Harrison City, Westmoreland Co., where he remained until 1873, then for three years practiced in Greensburg, the county seat of his native county. He then came to Tyrone, where he has acquired a good practice, and is very pleasantly situated. In politics the doctor is a Democrat, and while in Westmoreland was elected to represent the county in the lower branch of the State legislature, and served during the sessions of 1874-76. He served as chairman of the committee on education, was also a member of the committee on railroads, geological surveys, et al. On the 29th day of April, 1869, he was married to Mrs. Mollie E. Gay, daughter of Joseph K. Gibson, of Philadelphia. She was born in-----, Chester Co.,Pa.,June 27, 1842. To them have been born six children, viz: Herbert O., born March 7, 1870; Charles A., born Feb 12, 1871; James E., born July 15, 1872, Kate E., born Sept 17, 1874; Harry A., born Feb. 18, 1878; and William W., June 27, 1881.