BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Henson 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. 120-1
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DR. HENSON F. TOMB, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is a son of Washington and Mary 
(Ling) Tomb, and was born December 16, 1861, in Armagh, Indiana county. This 
neighborhood has been the birthplace of many of the successful professional men 
of the neighboring city of Johnstown. The pure air of the country gives the cool 
brain and robust health so necessary to success in the crowded walks and keen 
competition of professional life.
     Washington Tomb, the father of our subject, was an elder brother of Dr. B. 
F. Tomb, whose sketch appears elsewhere. He was a son of Hugh and Nancy (Devlin) 
Tomb, and was born near Armagh, March 30, 1827. He learned the trade of moulder 
in the foundry of the Cambria Iron company at Johnstown, and worked at that 
trade for several years. He abandoned his trade and began farming near Armagh. 
He continued farming until recently when he left the farm to younger hands and 
removed to Armagh, where he now resides.
     On February 28, 1856, Washington Tomb was married to Mary Ling, daughter of 
William Ling, of Indiana county. To this union were born five children: Agnes, 
who died in infancy; Alice, wife of James Elder, a farmer of Indiana county; 
Henson F.; Emma, wife of Frank Conrad, a farmer of Indiana county, and Harry, 
who lives on the old homestead, and is a farmer and stock-dealer. Mrs. Mary Ling 
Tomb died December 16, 1866, and Washington Tomb married as his second wife 
Lizzie Bracken, daughter of Wm. Bracken, of Indiana county August 8, 1867. To 
this union no children were born.
     The subject of this sketch attended the district schools near his home 
during the winters and a select school at Armagh in the summer. He also attended 
two terms at Dayton, Armstrong county, preparing for college. In the fall of 
1882 he entered Allegheny college at Meadville, Pennsylvania, being a member of 
the class of 1886, but quit school in his junior year. He taught several winter 
terms of school before entering college, and one term at Morrellville 
afterwards. After leaving school he began the study of medicine with his uncle, 
Dr. R. J. Tomb, at Armagh, and subsequently entered Jefferson Medical college at 
Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1887 and located in Morrellville. He 
practiced at that place for about a year and then moved to Johnstown, where he 
is at present located and has a growing practice.
     Dr. Tomb is a member of Cambria County Medical society and of the 
Pennsylvania State Medical association, and is one of the board of three pension 
examiners of Cambria county. He is also examiner for a number of life insurance 
companies, and a member of the medical staff of the Conemaugh Valley Memorial 
hospital. Of the latter institution he is one of the incorporators.
     Politically Dr. Tomb is a Democrat. In religion he is a Methodist, and is a 
member of the board of trustees of that church. During the Great Flood he served 
on the field hospital and did his duty at that trying time, both as a physician 
and a Christian. He is a member of Council No. 401, Royal Arcanum, and of 
Johnstown Lodge, No. 538, F. and A. M.
     On December 28, 1887, our subject was married to Miss Emma Matthews, a 
sister of Dr. W. E. Matthews. To this union two children were born: Jessie, born 
February 18, 1890, and Ralph, born January 24, 1895.
     Most of the ancestral history appears under the heading of his uncle, Dr. 
B. F. Tomb.