BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Alfred Newlon WAKEFIELD, 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. 422-3
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DR. ALFRED NEWLON WAKEFIELD, son of Samuel Wakefield, D.D., LL.D., whose sketch 
appears above was born on his father's farm, near Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland 
county, Pennsylvania, December 7, 1842. At the age of six he removed with his 
parents to Pisgah, where they resided two years, during which time he attended 
the public schools in an old two-story frame building on Marbury street, now De 
Quesne way. They returned to the farm near Mt. Pleasant, but soon sold it and 
bought another in Rostraver township, near West Newton, same county, to which he 
was taken at ten years of age. Here he attended the public schools during 
winter, and worked on the farm at other times, until about seventeen years of 
age, when he allowed his ever-present dislike for farm work to conquer, and he 
entered the West Newton academy, where he pursued the regular course of study 
for three years and in 1861 began the study of medicine under the direction of 
Dr. David Porter, and old and distinguished practitioner of that neighborhood. 
After two years of continuous reading in his office, Mr. Wakefield was compelled 
to change preceptors by the retirement of Dr. Porter to private life, and his 
removal from the county. He finished the prescribed course of reading with Dr. 
H. S. Lindley, of Ligonier, after which he went to Philadelphia, in 1865, and 
took a course in anatomy under Professor Forbes, whose kindness and attention at 
this time he still cherishes in his memory. In the fall of 1866 he matriculated 
at the Western Reserve university medical department, Cleveland, Ohio, taking 
two courses, and graduating March 4, 1868. Returning to his native county, he 
immediately began practice by purchasing the property and good-will of Dr. D.W. 
McConaughy, of Madison, remaining there four years. In 1872 he sold out and 
removed to Johnstown, locating on the South Side, thus being the pioneer 
physician in that section, and for seven years the only physician on that side 
of the river, where today there are four other physicians located. In the great 
flood his residence, with all his household and office furniture, were ruined or 
washed away; he and his family fortunately escaping the following day to the 
hill, were he immediately began the work of relief to the sick and injured, and 
the same day he secured a practice here, and established what proved to be the 
first dispensary opened, and the last to be closed in that memorable period. The 
doctor became a member of the Cambria County Medical society shortly after its 
reorganization, and was its president the year of the flood, and , by direction 
of the society, received and disbursed to twenty-seven physicians, relief money 
to the about of $6,967.60. He is one of the directors of the Conemaugh Valley 
Memorial hospital, and a member of the surgical staff; a permanent member of the 
State society, and a member of the American Medical society. On the first day of 
July, 1894, the board of trustees of the Medico-Chirurgical college of 
Philadelphia, elected him a censor of that institution, with all the privileges 
belonging thereto. He was for several years physician to the outdoor poor of the 
vicinity of Johnstown; United States examining surgeon for four years, and the 
first president of the Johnstown Board of Health.
     Dr. Wakefield has been twice married. In October, 1865, he married Miss 
Missouri B. Mathews, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Their marriage resulted in the 
birth of two children, Carl and Missouri. The latter died. Mrs. Wakefield died 
in 1873. Dr. Wakefield married, January 20, 1875, Miss Clara Wagner, sister of 
Dr. George W. Wagner. To this union have been born three children, Earl, Mary, 
and Jesse. The latter died in infancy.