BIO: George Young HALFPENNEY, 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 857. _____________________________________________________________ GEORGE YOUNG HALFPENNEY, who has been connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at McGee, Pa., since the station was first opened in 1887, is a well known railroad official, serving as agent here and in other capacities. He was born at Bellwood, Pa., November 29, 1864, and is a son of Col. John and Mary Ann (Fisher) Halfpenney. The late Col. John Halfpenney was a prominent figure in Blair county politics for a number of years, being appointed in 1856 on the staff of Governor Pollock, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was born April 9, 1809, in Columbia county, Pa., and died in his native state in January, 1881. From 1851 until 1875, when his factories were destroyed by fire, he was engaged in manufacturing, and his products, including jeans, woolen cloth and blankets, were known and in wide demand all over the country. In 1856 he moved to Bellwood and continued in business there until he retired. In his early political life he was a Whig and later became an active worker in the Republican party, in 1875 being elected a county commissioner and serving continuously until 1881. He married Mary Ann Fisher, who was born in 1817 and died in 1891. They had eleven children, George Young being the youngest born. There are two other survivors: Catherine, who is the wife of William West, of Olean, N. Y.; and Benjamin B., an engineer, who lives at Braddock, Pa. George Y. Halfpenney attended the Bellwood schools and afterward learned telegraphing and was an operator at Bellwood for three years. He was then appointed agent at McGee, or McGee's Mills, and opened the office here. In 1908 he engaged with the New York Central Railroad as traveling agent. He is an active citizen in a public spirited and political way and has frequently served as a delegate to conventions of the Republican party. For years he has served as auditor and on the school board, and has also been chairman of the borough vigilance committee for fifteen years. Mr. Halfpenney was married to Miss Anna May Knoll, who was born February 8, 1872, at Howard, Center county, Pa., a daughter of William and Susan O. (Mahaffey) Knoll. The mother of Mrs. Halfpenney is a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Holter) Mahaffey, and she still survives, being in her sixty-third year. After the death of her father, Mrs. Halfpenney, who was one of four children, was reared in the home of Thomas A. McGee. Mr. and Mrs. Halfpenney have one daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who was born September 23, 1900, and is now in school. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and of the Epworth League. Mr. Halfpenney is identified with the Elks at Punxsatawney.