BIOGRAPHY: John DOWLING, 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. 274 ____________________________________________________________ JOHN DOWLING is one of the enterprising merchants of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Walter and Mary (Hanna) Dowling, and was born at Mount Savage, Maryland, in 1855. His father was born in Ireland in 1814, and came to America at the age of twenty-five. He first settled at Baltimore; about a year later he moved to Mount Savage, and was employed as an ironworker until 1861, when he came to Johnstown and found employment at the Cambria Iron company's coke yard. He remained in their employ for more than twenty years, and was strong and active until near his death, which occurred in 1884. He took an active interest in public-affairs and served for a time in the town council. In politics he was a democrat; in religion a devout Catholic, a member of the St. John's church. He left a family of six sons and three daughters; one of the sons has since died. John Dowling, after receiving a small amount of schooling, went to work in the mills of the Cambria Iron company and worked in nearly all the departments of the works. He finally became a roller. In 1885 he left the mills and began business as a merchant on Broad street, Cambria borough, now in the Sixteenth ward of the city of Johnstown. Mr. Dowling is still doing business on Broad street, and by many years of square dealing and up-to-date business methods has built up a fine trade in dry-goods, notions, and general merchandise. Mr. Dowling is a public-spirited citizen, and is always ready to aid any enterprise that will benefit the community in which he lives. He is a member of St. Columba's Catholic church. He is one of the stockholders of the Cambria City Water company, and served as president of the company for one year, then resigned the office. In politics Mr. Dowling is an ardent democrat and an active party worker, and has had a share of the honors and rewards of active party service. He was treasurer of Cambria borough for six years--from 1884 to 1890. When that borough was merged into the city of Johnstown, in 1890, Mr. Dowling was made the democratic nominee for city controller and was triumphantly elected, and has the honor of being the first controller of the city of Johnstown. He entered upon the duties of his office in April, 1890, and served until the expiration of his term in April, 1893. In January, 1891, he was married to Miss Mary T. Fromald.