BIOGRAPHY: Robert E. Creswell, 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. 416-7 ____________________________________________________________ ROBERT E. CRESWELL, a member of the Cambria county bar, and who has been in active and sucessful practice for many years, is a son of Thomas H. and Ellen (Burke) Creswell, and was born at Strongstown, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, November 2, 1859. The name of Creswell is well and favorably known in Maryland, where, near Hagerstown, Robert Creswell, the paternal grandfather of Robert E. Creswell, was born and reared, and became successively a resident of Franklin, Blair and Indiana counties. His son, Thomas H., was born in Indiana county, 1827, and in early life became a furnace superintendent for the celebrated iron- master, Dr. Peter Shoenberger, of Pittsburg, who operated extensively in Blair and Cambria counties. When there came a depression in the iron business Mr. Creswell went to Strongstown, Indiana county, which was then quite a centre for lumbering, and engaged in the lumber business, which he followed up to the time of his death, May 11, 1882. He also opened a store, which he conducted in connection with his lumber dealing, as long as he lived. Politically he believed in the principles of the Democratic party, but, beyond local affairs, and voting for State and National nominees, he took no active part in politics. In religion he followed in the footsteps of his ancestors, who were of the Catholic faith. He married Ellen Burke, who was born at Cherry Hill, Indiana county, and is still living. She is a daughter of Edmund Burke, a native of County Waterford, Ireland, and most likely of a branch of the celebrated Burke family, of Ireland, so famous in history through some of its talented members. Edmund Burke came to New York city, then removed to Baltimore, and finally came to western Pennsylvania, where he was a contractor on a number of pikes. After working on these pikes Mr. Burke went to Bellefonte, and later settled at Strongstown, where he died. To Mr. and Mrs. Creswell were born eight children: Edmund B., of Ebensburg, who is an electrician; Robert E.; Michael and Joseph, who both died in infancy; Kate B., Francis, a civil engineer of Johnstown; Thomas N., who died young, and Ella B., residing with her mother. Robert E. Creswell was reared in his native county, received his education in the common schools and the Pennsylvania State Normal school, at Indiana, and then entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad company as a receiving clerk at Altoona. After some time spent at Altoona he resigned his position and went West, where he accepted service at Denver, Colorado, with the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad company. He discharged there, very acceptably, the duties assigned him for a number of years; but during the later years of his railroad service he had given some thought to the profession of law, and upon severing his railroad relations at Denver, he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in the class of 1889. Returning then to Pennsylvania, he was admitted to the bar of Cambria county, January, 1890, and commenced the practice of his profession in Johnstown, where he has remained ever since. Attentive and diligent, he is growing into a good practice, and becoming well acquainted with the people of the county. He is a democrat, and was postmaster at Strongstown, Indiana county, rendering satisfaction to the patrons of the office.