BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Benjamin F. TOMB, 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. 342-3
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DR. BENJAMIN F. TOMB, a successful practitioner of Morrellville, the most 
important suburb of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is a native of Indiana county, 
Pennsylvania. The Tomb family, of which he is a member, is one of the oldest and 
most numerous in Indiana county. Their ancestors came from County Armagh, 
Ireland, and at the beginning of the present century, with other emigrants from 
the same neighborhood, settled in Indiana county, in and around the village of 
Armagh.
     The Tombs were ideal pioneers, being men of strong muscle and industrious 
habits. In the family were represented all the trades and pursuits necessary in 
a pioneer community--farmers, saddlers, millers and blacksmiths.
     David Tomb, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came to America 
about the year 1800, and settled near Armagh about the year 1812. He was a 
farmer by occupation, and, while living on his farm near Armagh, his son Hugh, 
the father of the subject of this sketch, was born, and there he died, He was 
also a tiller of the soil. He was united in marriage to Nancy Devlin, who was a 
native of County Armagh, Ireland. To this union were born twelve sons and one 
daughter.
     In politics Hugh Tomb was known as an old-line democrat. But his time and 
attention were so much occupied in raising his large family of stalwart sons and 
training them to be useful citizens, that he had little time for partisan 
politics. He never sought political office, and never held any, except that of 
constable of his township.
     Benjamin F. Tomb, son of Hugh and Nancy (Devlin) Tomb, was born near 
Armagh, Indiana county, July 14, 1835. He was educated in the public schools 
near his home, and at Elder's Ridge academy. He studied medicine with his 
brother, Robert J. Tomb, at Armagh. Having attended the Western Reserve Medical 
college at Cleveland, Ohio, 1859-66, he began the practice of medicine at Chest 
Springs, Cambria county, in June, 1860. He remained there three years, when his 
brother Robert entered the military service of his country; he returned to 
Armagh, and took care of the latter's practice until the close of the war.
     He then entered into partnership with his brother until the autumn of 1866, 
when he again entered the Western Reserve college, and graduated there in the 
class of 1867. After graduating he located at Mechanicsburg, Indiana county, and 
practiced there until 1884, when he removed to Morrellville, a rapidly growing 
suburb of Johnstown, and has been a successful practitioner there ever since.
     Dr. Tomb married Sarah O'Dell, daughter of Jonas O'Dell. She was born in 
the State of New York, but her father moved to the State of Ohio in her early 
childhood. Dr. Tomb is a member of the medical societies of both Cambria and 
Indiana counties, and has been a member of the board of pension medical 
examiners of Cambria county. Fraternally he is a member of the Royal Arcanum.