OBIT: John HALFPENNY, 1882, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Death of Colonel John Halfpenny. We received on Monday morning a note announcing the death of Colonel John Halfpenny, of Bellwood, but not until after our paper had gone to press. In answer to our request a member of his family has kindly given us the following details of his last hours: He returned home from Hollidaysburg on Wednesday, having been engaged in closing up his business as a commissioner of the county, and was apparently in good health, although complaining of a pain about the heart. This increased until Saturday evening when it became necessary for him to take his bed. This was about 6 o'clock in the evening. Dr. Levengood came in to see him and left him some medicine. He did not improve any and had no rest during the night. At 3:30 o'clock a. m., he had another stroke of paralysis, making the fourth in all. He died almost instantly upon receiving the shock. Col. John Halfpenny was born in Washington, Columbia county, this state, April 1, 1309 and was consequently almost 73 years of age at the time of his death. He came to this county in 1853, from Oak Hall, Centre county, and engaged in the woolen business at Bellwood. In 1867 he built the Logan woolen factory which was destroyed by fire in 1875. This was the second time he was burned out, having met with a similar disaster while a resident of Centre county. He was the father of eleven children. His wife and six children survive him - two sons and four daughters, all of them residents of Bellwood, except one daughter who resides in Bedford. His family consisted of five brothers and two sisters. This is the first death that has occurred in the family. Three of his brothers and one sister reside in Lewisburg, Pa., his other brother resides in Hartleton, Union county, and the remaining sister in Saxton, Bedford county. His funeral will take place on Wednesday at 10 o'clock a. m. The services will be held in the Baptist church, of which he was a consistent member. Colonel Halfpenny was elected commissioner of this county in 1874 and reelected in 1877. He was one of the commissioners who erected the new court house and it is his best monument. A pleasant, genial gentleman, hundreds will regret his death. Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, January 12, 1882, page 3