BIO: Waldo R. FARGO, 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 906 & 907. _____________________________________________________________ WALDO R. FARGO,* dealing in meats and market supplies, is one of the prosperous and enterprising business men of Clearfield and maintains shops on Nichol street, on the West Side, and on the corner of Third and Market streets, both locations being in the busiest trading centers. Mr. Fargo was born in Berkshire, Mass., August 29, 1863, and is a son of Ezekiel R. and Hannah (Daughenbaugh) Fargo. Ezekiel R. Fargo was of New England parentage and was born in Massachusetts. In early manhood he removed from there to Center county, Pa., where he married and lived until 1869, moving then to Clearfield, Pa., where he followed the carpenter's trade and was active until near the close of his life. He died in July, 1895, aged sixty-seven years, his wife having previously passed away. They had four children: Elizabeth, who became the wife of Joseph Harris; Waldo R.; John W.; and Alice, who is the widow of Edward Stanton. Waldo R. Fargo was one year old when the family returned to Center county from Massachusetts, and in a short time came to Clearfield so that practically all his life has been spent in this county. He went to school until he was about twelve years old and then started out independently, relying on his own efforts to provide for his necessities. His first employer was Adam Kephart, of Osceola Mills, for whom he did farm work in the summers and had a chance to attend school in winter, receiving no wages except board and clothes, but having a comfortable home for three years. He went then to D. C. Burkett, a merchant at Clearfield, and remained with him for three years, receiving his board and ten dollars a month in wages. Finding that a more active life would be better for his health and that he could secure excellent wages by going into the woods, he worked along the river and on the mountains chopping down trees until he was twenty-two years old. Mr. Fargo then worked in a tannery at Clearfield for three years and in 1889 he opened up a meat market at Woodland, Pa., buying a half interest in the business of Welcher & Miller, the firm then becoming Miller & Fargo. Three years later he sold his interest and in the following year purchased his Nichol street shop from August Brinn. Finding himself well qualified for this line of business, Mr. Fargo invested more capital, in July, 1909, buying the business of J. I. Heller, on the corner of Third and Market streets. He has his two sons as assistants in his business and has a very capable meat man in charge of his Market street shop and runs a wagon from the same, having in the meantime acquired some of the best trade in the city. He has become a man with large interests but these have not been gained through any fortunate combination of circumstances but have been acquired through personal effort and testify to his steadiness as boy and man, to his industry and natural good judgment. In September, 1888, Mr. Fargo was married to Miss Wilhelmine Dale, a daughter of the late William Dale, and nine children were born to them: Helen, Frank, Blair, Louis, Mary, Martha, Glenn, Genevieve and Isabella. Of these, Mary and Martha (twins) are deceased. Frank and Blair assist Mr. Fargo in his markets. He is identified with the Odd Fellows, the Eagles and the Order of the Moose.