BIO: Austin BLAKESLEE, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 464 & 465.
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  AUSTIN BLAKESLEE, one of Clearfield county's leading business men, who is 
identified with important enterprises in different sections, has been a resident 
of DuBois, Pa., since 1903, and is president of the United Traction and Street 
Railway Company, also president of the DuBois Traction Company and of the DuBois 
Electric Company.  He was born October 24, 1854, in a lumber camp, at a small 
place called California, near Bear Creek, Luzerne county, Pa., and is a son of 
Jacob and Clarissa (Winter) Blakeslee.  Jacob Blakeslee was largely interested 
in lumbering in Monroe and Luzerne counties, Pa., and died in the former.  His 
family consisted of eleven children, five daughters and six sons, Austin being 
the only one residing in Clearfield county.
  Austin Blakeslee spent a large part of his boyhood in the lumber regions and 
attended country schools in the section where his father's business required 
that the family should live.  In 1869 he took a business course in the Wyoming 
Seminary, in Luzerne county, after which he went to Bradford, Pa., where he 
secured a position as office boy at the mines and from that humble situation 
gradually advanced during the thirteen years he remained there, to the position 
of superintendent.  In 1885 he moved to Jefferson county, Pa., where he became 
general manager of the Coal Glenn Mines, which office he still holds, and from 
there, in 1903, he came to DuBois and established his home in this thriving 
borough.  Mr. Blakeslee was not slow in forming an opinion as to the future 
development of the town and his business sagacity has been shown in the 
investments he has made and in the public enterprises he has furthered.  He was 
one of the organizers of the United Traction & Street Railroad, which line was 
built in 1905, and he also bought interests in the DuBois Electric Company and 
the DuBois Traction Company.  Other capitalists associated with him were:  
Walter Hatten, A. L. Cole, W. H. Cannon, J. H. Beadle now deceased, and M. I. 
McCreight.  Mr. Blakeslee succeeded Walter Hatton as president and subsequently 
the former's four sons also became stockholders:  Robert B., Irvin, Frank and 
Albert.  The Electric Company gives employment to about fifty men in the various 
departments and give an excellent street car service through DuBois and run an 
interurban line to Sykesville, Big Run and other points and supplies electric 
light for DuBois, Sykesville and Big Run.  Mr. Blakeslee was also one of the 
organizers of the Deposit National Bank at DuBois, of which he is one of the 
directors.
  Mr. Blakeslee was married in Bradford county, Pa., to Miss Martha Cronk, who 
was a daughter of James Cronk, a native of New Jersey, who was one of the sturdy 
old lumbermen of Luzerne county, who operated saw mills for many years and 
prepared timber for ship building purposes.  Mr. and Mrs. Blakeslee have eight 
children, all of whom have enjoyed exceptional educational and other advantages.  
Robert B., the eldest son, who is general superintendent of the electric 
concerns in which he and father are interested, is a graduate of Cornell 
College, of the class of 1899.  He married Eliza Osborn and they have two 
children.  Frank B., the second son, who is superintendent of the mines at Coal 
Glenn, is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary.  He married Blanche Blakeslee and they 
have three children:  Robert, Helen and Dorothea.  Charles Albert, who is a 
graduate of the civil engineering department of Cornell College, in the class of 
1903, resides at Falls Creek, Pa., and is secretary and treasurer of the Crystal 
Window Glass Company.  He married Jessie Ormella Coal and they have three 
children:  Arthur, Martha and Jean.  Irvin Blakeslee, the fourth son, who is a 
graduate of Cornell College, in the class of 1906, is assistant superintendent 
and purchasing agent for the above electric company.  Kathryn, the eldest 
daughter, is the wife of Morde Ginter, of DuBois, and they have one daughter, 
Louise.  Colson Edward, who is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, 
Philadelphia, class of 1909, is employed as bookkeeper for the electric company 
in which he is a stockholder.  He married Mabel Fry.  The two youngest children, 
Lucy and Russell, reside at home.  The family residence is at No. 159 Long 
Avenue, DuBois.  Mr. and Mrs. Blakeslee are members of the First Methodist 
Episcopal church.  He is identified with the Masonic fraternity and belongs to 
the Blue Lodge and Commandery at DuBois.