BIOGRAPHY: Lewis ORRIS, 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. 390-2 ____________________________________________________________ LEWIS ORRIS, a remarkably energetic business man, and the proprietor of the Wilmore Roller process flouring mills, is a son of George and Sarah (Shaffer) Orris, and was born at Cambria city, now Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, October, 4, 1842. His paternal grandfather, George Orris, was of Scotch-Irish extraction, and lived and died in the State of Virginia. His son, George Orris, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1810. He was largely a self-educated man, having attended the old district schools of his neighborhood but for a few weeks. Reared on a farm, he always followed farming, but gave a part of his time to merchandizing and other lines of business, in all of which he was successful. In early life he came to Johnstown, when there were but three houses in the place. Fifteen years later he purchased a farm in Adams township, on which he resided for twenty years. He then spent seven years in farming at Geistown, and next removed to Elton, at which place he conducted a store for six years. From Geistown he removed to Richland township, where he followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1886, when in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Mr. Orris was an energetic and successful business man, who carefully planned his work, and then with the same care worked his plan, having plenty of industry, and not lacking in the patience required in an emergency. He was a staunch friend and loyal to duty, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of all who knew him. He was a member and trustee of the United Brethren church, and gave his house for a meeting-place for a number of years, before there was a church of any kind built in the community where he resided. He was an Odd Fellow, and when the common schools were opened, he acted for several years as an examiner of teachers in his township. He was a Jacksonian democrat, and once in Somerset county was the only man at his polling place to cast a Democratic vote. He served as constable in 1832, and was school-director for several terms. He married Sarah Shaffer, who was born in Cambria county, and is now deceased. Their children were: Catherine, wife of Daniel Baumgardner, of Adams township; John, a resident of Richland township; Levi, who died at thirty-five years of age; Mary, married John Baumgardner, and is now dead; Hiram, who resides in Richland township; Lewis, whose name heads this sketch; Elizabeth, wife of William Myers, of Richland township; Joseph, who is a resident of Johnstown; George, now living in Adams township; and Henry, of Lorain, Ohio. Lewis Orris grew to manhood on his father's farm, received his education in the common schools, and at twenty-two years of age left home to work at stave mills in Somerset and Cambria counties, and four years later went to Pittsfield, Warren county, where he worked one year longer at the stave business. From Pittsfield he went to the oil country, above Pittsburg, and was engaged for nearly a year in drilling wells for the Columbia Oil company. Then he turned his attention to farming in Adams township, and twelve years later he removed to Conemaugh, where he was in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad company for twelve years. At the end of this time, in 1893, he purchased his present Roller Process flouring mill, at Wilmore, and has been engaged ever since in the manufacture of flour and mill-feed, in connection with the management of his farm, which adjoins the mill property. On March 24, 1865, Mr. Orris married Amanda Kring, whose father, George Kring, was a resident of Croyle township. To their union have been born seven children, two sons and five daughters: Emma, wife of Dr. Swank, of Somerset county; Jennie, married Ephraim Burkhart, of Johnstown; and William, Junieta, Claudia, James, and Mabel, who are still at home. In business Mr. Orris has always been prompt, accurate, and reliable. Like his father before him, he takes a justifiable pride in always having his enterprises well in hand, and in faithfully fulfilling all of his contracts, and has achieved success and an enviable record. He resides on his farm, which is in Croyle township, but spends a portion of his time at his mill, and in looking after other business enterprises in which he is interested. His mill is well equipped with late and necessary milling machinery, has a daily capacity of twenty-five barrels, and receives a large patronage. He is a member of the Shiloh United Brethren church, in which he takes an active interest in all church work, and of whose Sunday-school he served as superintendent for several years. He is a member of Johnstown Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In political matters he is rather independent, supporting merit and the man, instead of party or creed. Mr. Orris has attained his present position of independence and influence entirely by industry and his own force of character, and bids fair to be actively identified with the business interests of Wilmore for many years to come.