BIO: T. F. CASEY, 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 977 & 978. _____________________________________________________________ T. F. CASEY is owner and proprietor of the Central Hotel, a comfortable and well patronized hostelry at Curwensville, Pa., and also owner of a valuable farm on the borough line. This farm is in a high state of cultivation but is more valuable on account of being underlaid with fire brick clay and coal. Mr. Casey was born near Corsica, Jefferson County, Pa., on August 5, 1861, eldest son of John L. and Margaret (Daly) Casey. John L. Casey was a native of Ireland, emigrating to New York City at the age of nineteen. He was a graduate of Dublin University and was well fitted for the occupation of contracting builder, which he followed the remainder of his life. The family moved to DuBois in the early 80's, where Mr. Casey died after a lingering illness of several years and was buried in the Catholic cemetery at DuBois. He was married to Margaret Daly at Grampion Hills in 1856. To this union were born ten children, seven of whom are living. Mrs. Casey still lives at her pleasant home at 519 South Main Street, DuBois. One daughter, Mrs. Reyburg and family also live in DuBois. Two daughters, Mrs. James Marshall (the eldest) and Mrs. Rosco Zimmers, reside in Nebraska and Mrs. James Gaffey in Olean, N. Y. J. D. and F. A., both in the U. S. mail service, reside respectively in Buffalo, N. Y., and Harrisburg, Pa. T. F. Casey obtained what education he got in the public schools of Jefferson and Clearfield Counties before the age of fourteen, when he started to battle with the world for a living for the large family left to his care by the father, who did not regain his health after about this time. His first work was on farms, he afterward working in the pine woods where he learned to be an expert camp cook. He remained in the woods in this capacity several years. This was an excellent preparation for operating a restaurant, which he established in DuBois in 1889. After building up what was then said to be the best restaurant business in that section of the state, he sold in 1893, at a good price, buying the Central Hotel, DuBois, Pa., which place he conducted successfully for ten years. Before leaving the hotel he became interested in life insurance and took up a special agency with the New York Life Insurance Company. Mr. Casey proved very successful in this line, to which he was well adapted. He stuck to this business for two years after he sold the hotel, or until the big Hughs shakeup. Business becoming slack, he started to look for work and found it at the Central Hotel, Curwensville, buying the property from L. C. Bloom and the hotel business from E. C. Lewis; he took possession on Thanksgiving Day, 1905, two years after buying the farm from the Vorice Clark Estate. Mr. Casey is known as one of the town's hard workers and a representative citizen; he says he likes the place, is going to build a country home and live his days out here. The Central Hotel under Mr. and Mrs. Caseys' management is a well kept, orderly, up-to-date hotel and is patronized by the best of the traveling public. Mrs. Casey, herself, being a high class cook, looks after the culinary department of the house at all times and sees that everything going to the tables is first class. Mr. Casey was married to Mary, daughter of Philip and Margaret Reitzel (now) of Winterburn, Pa., in Williamsport, on October 7, 1885, theirs being the first license recorded in Clearfield County under the marriage license law of 1885. The Caseys were residents of DuBois sixteen years, Mr. Casey having been watchman on the big mill one year, and connected with restaurant three years, hotel ten years, and insurance two years. In politics Mr. Casey was known as an aggressive democrat, always ready to fight for what he thought was right. His standing in DuBois was shown when in 1892 he ran for chief burgess against James P. Rosco, a well known prominent Republican and came within fifty-three votes of winning, although the normal Republican majority was over 500. He was one of the organizers of the Volunteer Fire Department, served two years as its treasurer and two years as assistant chief. He was three years a member of Council, being chairman of the Fire Apparatus Committee, also serving on the Water Committee at the critical time that had much to do with the building up and making one of the best country towns in the United States. He was a charter member of the Elks, being one of its first officers, also a charter member of the Royal Order of Moose, Curwensville, being its first ruler. This was the youngest Moose lodge in the state to buy and own their own home. Mr. Casey is probably one of the best known sportsmen in the county, taking an active interest in everything pertaining to the propagation and protection of game and fish. He is a director of the McGonigal Rod and Gun Club of Karthaus, Pa., one of the best equipped and most prominent clubs in western Pennsylvania.