BIOGRAPHY: John FENLON, Esq., Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann Olsen. Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty Mirovich and Sharon Ringler. USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ ____________________________________________________________ From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 57-8 ____________________________________________________________ JOHN FENLON, ESQ., the nestor of the Cambria county bar, is a son of James and Catherine (MacDonald) Fenlon, and was born in Ireland in 1816. About 1834 he emigrated to this country, and for a short time located in Philadelphia, where he was employed by Robert Towland, a wholesale merchant of that place. At a later date he removed to Ebensburg, this county, and after remaining here six months, he removed to Indiana, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, where he entered the law office of Judge Thomas White, a distinguished attorney of that place, afterwards judge of the Tenth Judicial district of Pennsylvania. On finishing the study of law under this able preceptor, he was admitted to the Indiana county bar in 1837. Immediately after his admission to the Indiana bar, he came to Ebensburg and was admitted to the Cambria county bar, where he has since practiced his profession. Politically he was reared a whig, but became a democrat during the campaign that resulted in the election of James Buchanan for President, for which candidate he voted. In 1848 he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature on the Whig ticket, but at the end of that time retired from political life until 1879, when, because of an issue involving an effort to remove the county seat to Johnstown, he was persuaded to again stand as a candidate for election to the legislature. He was elected and served until 1882. In addition to this he has served his borough in the capacity of councilman and later as burgess. Mr. Fenlon married Miss Catherine R. Myers, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and this union has been blessed in the birth of the following children: John M., who is at present in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana; Harry E., of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; Paul B., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Philip G. and Catherine, the wife of Celestine Blair, of Ebensburg; Rose C. and Grace M. Philip G. Fenlon, postmaster at Ebensburg, this county, was born June 15, 1867, in Ebensburg, Cambria county, and received his early education in the schools of that county. He learned the trade of a printer in the office of the Cambria Freeman; after serving his apprenticeship he worked at his trade for two years, when he accepted a position in the register and recorder's office under Celestine Blair as deputy register and recorder. He remained in this position four years. In 1893 he was appointed postmaster of Ebensburg, which position he how holds. He has always affiliated with the Democratic party. Mr. Fenlon is a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs.