BIO: J. S. BRIEL, 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, pages 837 - 839. _____________________________________________________________ J. S. BRIEL, one of the representative business men of Karthaus, Pa., of which he has been a resident since 1882, is engaged in the funeral directing business, is a stockholder and director in the Karthaus Fire Brick Company, and a director and formerly treasurer of the Karthaus Rural Telephone Company. He was born in Covington township, Clearfield county, Pa., November 27, 1854, and is a son of John and Margaret (McGonigal) Briel. John Briel was born in 1827, in Germany, a son of John and Margaret Briel. Grandfather John Briel came to America in 1838, having married a second time, his first wife having died in Switzerland. He worked in a foundry at Baltimore, Md., until 1842, when he came to Karthaus and for a time was in the employ of Peter Karthaus but later returned to Baltimore, where his second wife subsequently died. Their youngest child was born on a raft in the Susquehanna river. They had six children, namely: John; Mary, who is the wife of John Hoyt, of Baltimore; Nancy, who married a Mr. Ritz, of Baltimore; George, who was drowned in his fifteenth year; and Margaret and Agnes, all being now deceased. John Briel (2d), father of J. S. Briel of Karthaus, was eleven years old when he accompanied his parents to America. He was suffering from fever and ague when his people came to Karthaus and was unable to come with them but later also became a resident of Karthaus and learned the blacksmith's trade under Peter Karthaus, on the place where his son lives. Some years later he went to Salt Lick and worked as a blacksmith for Edward McGarvey and then started into business for himself at Mulsonburg and continued as a blacksmith and lumberman during the remainder of his active years, his death occurring May 23, 1869. He was an energetic, industrious man and made an honorable name for himself in business although he had many drawbacks to contend with. John Briel was married in Clinton county, Pa., to Margaret McGonigal, who was born at Bellefonte, Pa., and spent the closing years of her life at Frenchville, in Clearfield county, where she died September 8, 1909. Her parents were Hugh and Grace McGonigal, who were natives of Ireland. Nine children were born to John and Margaret Briel, as follows: Nancy J., who is the wife of Ernest T. Mignot, of Girard township; John Samuel; Grace, who is the wife of Sylvester McGovern, of Baltimore; Anna E., who is the wife of Ferdinand A. Mignot, of Covington township; Agnes and Cecelia, both of whom died in childhood; Sarah, who is the wife of John D. Gill, of Cambria county, Pa.; George D., who died in Covington township when aged nine years; and Joseph J., who died in Covington township at the age of fourteen years. The father of the above family was a Democrat in politics and on several occasions was elected to township offices. He was a leading member of the Catholic church at Frenchville. John Samuel Briel attended the Covington township schools and then learned the blacksmith's trade which he continued to follow there until 1882, when he came to Karthaus, where he opened his own smithy and conducted it until 1892. In that year he embarked in the hardware business with Dr. W. L. Gilliland but at the end of two years withdrew from the firm. In the meantime, in 1893, he formed the firm of Mignot & Briel, with Ernest F. Mignot as a partner. They built a modern mill, a three-story structure, with roller process and conducted a very successful business until 1905, when they leased the mill and in 1909 sold the property. Mr. Briel was one of the enterprising citizens who prospected when clay was discovered here and did much to bring the subject to the attention of the public. As a wide awake and public spirited citizen he has shown an interest in and has lent his influence in the direction of bringing about various movements that have resulted in benefit to this section. As a business man he has always stood high. Mr. Briel was married August 17, 1879, to Miss Lucy A. Hugar, who was born in Girard Township, Clearfield County, Pa. Her parents were James and Rennet (Bigleman) Hugar. Her maternal grandfather, Christopher Bigleman, served as a soldier under the great Napoleon and took part in the Siege of Moscow. Her paternal grandfather, Francis Hugar, emigrated from France to America and purchased a tract of timberland in Girard Township, where he developed a farm on which he lived until his death in 1876. James Hugar, father of Mrs. Briel, was born January 15, 1837, at Bloomington, Clearfield County, Pa., being a son by his father's first marriage and by his mother's second marriage. He married Rennet Bigleman, who was born at Mulsonburg, Pa., August 15, 1834. She is a daughter of Christopher and Frances (Grosstat) Bigleman, who spent their last years at Mulsonburg. James Hugar and wife now reside at Karthaus, having moved here from Covington Township. Mrs. Briel was the first born of her parents' family, the others being: Antied, who lives at Karthaus; John, who died at the age of twenty-one years; Angeline, who is the wife of Victor Renaud, of Karthaus; Caroline, who is the wife of James Murray, of Goshen Township; Ida, who died when aged seven years; Joseph, who is a resident of Renova; Fred, who died when aged eighteen years; and Edmund, who lives at Renova. For many years the father of Mrs. Briel engaged in teaming and was also a pilot on the river. The family and its connections are members of the Roman Catholic church at Frenchville. Mr. and Mrs. Briel have had fifteen children born to them, not all of whom survive, but those living make up a happy, united family and are well known and respected members of society. The family record reads as follows: Clara, who died at the age of two years; Cecelia, who resides at Karthaus, is a professional trained nurse; Ida, who lives at Frenchville; James John, who is a resident of Karthaus; a babe that died unnamed and which was a twin with James John; Maude, who married Ferdinand Maines, and has two children - Clare and Gard; Frances, who is a teacher in the public schools at Frenchville; Janet, who lived to the age of seven years; Ferdinand, who met an accidental death on October 21, 1908, from the discharge of a gun (was a promising youth of fourteen years); the tenth in order of birth a babe that died unnamed; Geneva, Henrietta, Julia and George, who are all making fine school records; and a babe, the youngest of the family, which passed away before being named. The children have all been reared in the Catholic church, and have had school and social advantages. In politics he is a Democrat and has served as auditor and on the school board more or less for the past twenty-five years. He is identified with the Elks at Clearfield, and the I. O. R. M. at Karthaus. He is a member of the St. John and Paul Roman Catholic Church.