BIOGRAPHY: Albert B. PETRIKIN, 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. 204-5
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ALBERT B. PETRIKIN, a merchant and business man, of Johnstown, and a well-known 
citizen of the county, is a son of Thomas J. and Martha (Park) Petrikin, and was 
born at St. Clairsville, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1838. He is in 
the third generation from his old-world ancestor, who was a native of Scotland, 
and who built the second cabin in Centre county, where he died at Bellefonte. 
This Scotch-Irish immigrant reared a family of useful and distinguished sons in 
his Centre county home. William A. was president of the Lycoming Insurance 
company; Dr. David was a member of congress during Jackson's administration; 
Henry, the first white child born at Bellefonte, Centre county, served as 
Secretary of State under Governor Shank, James was an able lawyer, of Central 
Pennsylvania; Thomas J., the father of the subject of this sketch, became 
prominent as an editor and educator.
     Thomas J. Petrikin was born July 4, 1801, at Bellefonte, Centre county, 
where he received a good education, and became editor of the Bellefonte Gazette, 
which he made a power in the State for the election of Jackson. He battled 
bravely for Jackson and his policy as President, and supported the Democratic 
party up to 1856, when he turned to the Republican party, then just on the 
political stage. Although “born and cradled a democrat,” the issues of the new 
party set him firmly on the “rock of republicanism,” where he remained until his 
death, at Johnstown, 1881. He was a fine writer, being employed on different 
papers, and his articles were read throughout the State. He taught in Bedford 
county for several years, but after coming to Johnstown, in 1859, retired from 
teaching. He was a practical printer as well as an efficient editor, and ex-
governor Packer served his apprenticeship as a printer under him. Mr. Petrikin 
married Martha Park, who lived to reach her sixty-fifth year, dying in 1881. She 
was a methodist, and her father, David Park, a native of Scotland, was in his 
day one of the largest wholesale grocers of Philadelphia. His marriage resulted 
in the birth of the following children: William, Henry, and James, now deceased, 
who both served in the Civil War; Martha and Lucy, both deceased; David, who has 
been in the employ of the Cambria Iron company for thirty years, is now a master 
mechanic, and has charge of the rolling machinery, and Albert B., the subject of 
this sketch.
     Albert B. Petrikin was principally reared in Bedford county and Johnstown, 
and received but ten months' schooling, often studying his lessons at night by 
the light of a pine knot. At an early age he became a clerk in the large 
mercantile house of When & Walters, with whom he remained until 1861. In that 
year he was appointed assistant-postmaster of Johnstown under J. E. Chandler, 
and served for four years. He then was railroad mail agent between Altoona and 
Pittsburg for five months, and at the end of that time became a salesman in 
Wood, Morrell & company's establishment, where he remained until 1881. That year 
saw him and Nathan Miller as partners in a grocery house, which was washed out 
in the flood of 1889. When the city straightened up he opened his present 
grocery house, where he has a well-selected stock of goods, and a first-class 
and growing patronage.
     On August 3, 1884, Mr. Petrikin married Mrs. Frances S. Long, a daughter of 
Jonathan Horner. He has four children: Edna L., Irene, Bruce and Byron and three 
step-children, Elfra, Jennie and James Long.
     In politics Albert B. Petriken is a republican. He has been a member of 
Alma Lodge, No. 523, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, since 1864, and has held 
active membership in Cambria Lodge, No. 278, Free and Accepted Masons, for 
twenty-four years. Mr. Petriken, since early years, has been the architect of 
his own fortune, and that his history is the record of a busy and useful life is 
apparent at a glance. His aim in life is clearly mirrored in successful results, 
and the many obstacles that he has overcome but attest his business capacity and 
reveal the persistent genius peculiar to the Scotch-Irish race, of which he is a 
worthy member.