OBITUARIES:  ECKELS, James; 1919; West Taylor Twp., Cambria Cnty., PA

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THE JOHNSTOWN TRIBUNE
Wednesday Evening, 9 Apr 1919
page 18, column 2


JAMES ECKELS, AGED WOODSMAN, IS DEAD
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Octogenarian Passed Away Late Last Night at Home of Son-in-Law in West Taylor Twp.

James Eckels, a veteran woodsman, died at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. 
and Mrs. Joseph Gilkey, in West Taylor Township, near Cambria Furnace, between 11 
and 12 o'clock last night, in his 84 years. His death was due to general debility. The 
deceased was a woodsman and worked for many years at charcoal furnaces in western 
Pennsylvania, including Millcreek, Benscreek, and Cambria Furnace, in this vicinity, and 
some in Indiana, Westmoreland, and Huntingdon counties. Following the Johnstown 
Flood of May, 1889, he worked for several years in the Locomotive Department of the 
Cambria Iron Company. Funeral services will be held at the Gilkey home at 10 o'clock 
Friday morning by the Rev. F. D. Ellenberger, of Dale, Presiding Elder of the Somerset 
District of the United Evangelical Church, with burial in Benshoff's Cemetery.

The deceased was a son of Mr. and Mrs. James Eckels and was born in East Wheatfield 
Township, Indiana County, on January 22, 1836, being one of a family of five sons and 
four daughters, all of whom are dead except Mrs. Delilah Eckels Allshouse, of West 
Taylor Township. James Eckels and Maria Stephens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel 
Stephens, of Somerset County, were married in Perkinsville, now the Twenty-first Ward, 
in May 1858, by Justice Slick of West Taylor Township. Three sons and four daughters 
were born to this union. The sons, Andrew, James, and George Eckels, have been dead 
for some years. Mrs. Eckels died in September, 1910, in her 72d year. A daughter, 
Isabella Eckels, died in infancy at Spruce Creek, Huntingdon County, many years ago. 
The surviving daughters are: Mary E., wife of Joseph Gilkey; Sarah E., wife of Edward 
Bush, and Delilah N., wife of David Gordon, all of West Taylor Township. Besides his 
daughters, the deceased is survived by 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. 
Two of his grandsons are in the U.S. Army. They are William Bush, who has been at 
Camp Lee, Virginia, for about a year, and Webster Clyde Gilkey, who is at Civrac, 
France, with the 328th Regiment, 82d Division.