BIOGRAPHY: John BURKHARD, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 220-1
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JOHN BURKHARD, the popular and enterprising proprietor of the City Hotel, 
Johnstown Pennsylvania, is a son of Peter and Elizabeth Burkhard, and was born 
in West Taylor township, this county, April 11, 1855.
     Leonard Burkhard, grandfather, was a native of Szeilengstadt, Frankfort-on–
the-Main, and died in the land of his nativity. Peter Burkard was born in the 
same place in 1812, was reared and educated in his native country, where he 
followed the avocation of a turf-digger, owning and operating some territory 
until he came to America, in 1854. Coming to this country he located at what was 
then known as Cambria furnace, a suburb of Johnstown, this county, where he 
worked in the coke-yard; but preferring agricultural pursuits rather than 
working about public works, he rented a farm in what is now West Taylor 
township, this county, and for about twenty-eight years conducted a successful 
dairy business. Retiring from active life he removed into Cambria city, where he 
spent the remainder of his days, dying March 27, 1885. Politically he was a 
democrat, but never sought nor held any political office.
     The grandfather of John Burkhard, on the maternal side of the family, was 
Michael Burkhart, who was also a native of Frankfort-on-the-Main. He came to 
America with his son-in-law in 1854, and for a time located at Cambria furnace, 
but later at Coopersdale, where he lived at the time of his death, which took 
place in his eighty-fourth year, being accidentally killed while actively 
engaged as a mail-carrier.
     John Burkhard is one of a family of the following children: Elizabeth, wife 
of Charles Fritchie, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Peter H., a resident of 
Bethlehem, this State; Michael, a resident of the same place; Catherine, wife of 
Joseph Kern, of Johnstown; Leonard, also of Johnstown; subject; David and Annie, 
both deceased.
     Mr. Burkhard received a fair German and English education in the schools of 
Cambria city. When he took up the battle of life on his own account it was in 
the employ of the Cambria Iron company, where he was engaged for sixteen years, 
six in the puddling-mill and ten as a rougher on the rolls. He then tried the 
fortunes of the dairy business one year, at the end of which time, in 1886, he 
embarked in the hotel business, which he has pursued to the present time.
     Mr. Burkhard is a democrat in political faith, takes an active and 
intelligent interest in affairs pertaining to his ward, and served as councilman 
of the borough of Cambria city before it became a part of the city of Johnstown.
     June 28, 1886, he married Catharine Heckman, and to this union have been 
born the following children: Minnie, born January 21, 1877; Charles, born July 
17, 1878; Catharine, January 10, 1880; John, December 4, 1882, and is now 
deceased; Clara, born November 30, 1885; Gertrude, born February 13, 1887; 
William, born May 13, 1889, Albert, born February 4, 1891, and is now deceased, 
Agnes, born November 16, 1893, and Emma, born August 13, 1895.