BIO: S. M. BICKFORD, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, page 567. _____________________________________________________________ S. M. BICKFORD, one of the leading business citizens of Curwensville, Pa., is secretary, assistant manager and assistant treasurer of the Bickford Fire Brick Company, and is also identified with other large enterprises of this city. Mr. Bickford was born at Lock Haven, Clinton county, Pa., the third of the twelve children born to J. A. and Sarah (Bruner) Bickford. Mr. Bickford obtained his education in the local schools and early in life started in on a business career. He became associated with the Bickford Fire Brick Company, of which his father, J. A. Bickford, is the general manager and treasurer, and this firm in December, 1907, bought the plant of the Curwensville Fire Brick Company. Since that date the capacity of the plant has been doubled, it now averaging 100,000 brick per day and employing 400 men. The plant, which is 560x100 feet in size, is the largest fire brick plant under one roof in the country, and the company receives its raw material from nearby land by the tram- road from its own 1,157 acres of fire clay land and 385 acres of coal land. The company uses about 100 tons of coal daily. Mr. Bickford is also connected with Arch Davidson of Curwensville and Dr. Woodside of Lumber City in the Bickford Store Company and the Bickford Meat Market, both of Curwensville. Mr. Bickford was married to Estelle Bowes, the daughter of W. T. Bowes, of Lock Haven, Pa., and to this union there has been born one child, S. M. Bickford, Jr. The pleasant Bickford residence is situated on State Street, opposite the B. R. & P. Ry. depot.