BIOGRAPHY: Michael BRACKEN, 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. 260-1 ____________________________________________________________ MICHAEL BRACKEN, a highly respected citizen and successful lumber merchant and contractor, of Gallitzin, this county, is a son of Michael and Mary Coughlin Bracken, and was born in Johnstown, this county, March 26, 1832. His father, Michael Bracken, was born in Kings county, Ireland, and for a number of years was a tenant of Lord Ross, the scientist. He emigrated to America in 1827, and located for a short time in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and in 1828 removed to Johnstown, where he resided for six or seven years. From Johnstown he removed to the Viaduct, near Mineral Point, this county, where he remained until his death in 1863, aged seventy-four years. He engaged in farming to some extent, but devoted a large part of his time to contracting. His wife was also a native of Ireland, and with her husband was a devout member of the Roman Catholic church. She died in 1847. Michael Bracken was reared a farmer boy on the old homestead farm near Mineral Point, and received his early education in the common schools. He remained on the farm until 1852, when he engaged in the lumber business near Mineral Point. In 1854 and 1855, Mr. Bracken and his brother, Patrick Bracken, secured the contract for laying several miles of the track for the new Portage railroad. Having fulfilled the terms of the above contract, in 1856, Mr. Bracken returned to the lumber business, which he has since conducted with much success. In 1864 he removed to Gallitzin, this county, where his large planing mill is located. He leases large tracts of timber land, and by means of his portable saw-mill manufactures all the lumber he handles. His saw-mill is at present located near Bennington, Blair county, where he has control of a large tract of timber. From 1885 until 1895, Mr. Bracken also conducted a general store in Gallitzin, and in connection with his lumber interests has been engaged as a contractor and builder. He has furnished the lumber for, and built nearly one- half of the houses of his borough, besides having built the fire-brick school house and the Opera house. He owns a tract of coal land near Mineral Point, which for the last fifteen years has been leased to other parties, who have been operating mines in that section. Mr. Bracken has always been an enterprising citizen, and has been largely instrumental in the material development and growth of the town in which he lives. In 1889 he was the prime mover in the organization of the Gallitzin Water company, in which he is also the largest stockholder. Prior to the incorporation of the company, many deaths occurred in the borough which were traced directly to the use of impure water. Now the town is well supplied with pure water pumped from wells three hundred feet deep. In political sympathy he is a democrat, and has faithfully served his town in different offices. But aside from the natural interest displayed by every patriotic citizen, he has never taken an active part in local politics. In religious opinion he is a devout member of the Roman Catholic church, which receives his most liberal support. In 1866 he was united in marriage with Miss Louisa, a daughter of Martin Christy, of Blair county, Pennsylvania, and their union has been blessed in the birth of the following children: Frank B., a lawyer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; James H., William C., John P., Paul V., Michael J., Louis C., who died in 1893, aged twelve years, and Joseph, who died in 1876.