BIO: James Murray AFRICA, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lana Clark Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 32-33 __________________________________________________________ JAMES MURRAY AFRICA, civil engineer, Huntingdon, Pa., was born in the borough of Huntingdon, April 11, 1863, and is a son of J. Simpson and Dorothea C. (Greenland) Africa. J. Simpson Africa was born in the town of Huntingdon, September 15, 1832; his wife was a daughter of the late Joshua and Elizabeth (Wright) Greenland, and was born in Cassville, Huntingdon county, September 29, 1834. Mrs. Africa died in November, 1886. J. Simpson Africa, Esq., now resides in Philadelphia. During the childhood of James Murray Africa, his parents removed to Philadelphia, and afterwards to Atsion, Burlington county, N.J., where he attended a private school for a short time. In 1870 the family returned to Huntingdon, where James Murray pursued his studies in the public schools, and at Juniata College. His education was finished at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., where he took a thorough course in civil engineering, was graduated June 13, 1888, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession, making the town of Huntingdon his headquarters. Mr. Africa's first professional enterprise of any magnitude was the designing and construction of the water-works plant at Palmyra and Riverton, N.J., where the water is brought from a well having natural filtration. This work has given general satisfaction. Mr. Africa's record as an engineer, from its beginning, is as follows: In 1875 he entered an engineer's office as student; in 1881, was appointed member of the commission to determine the lines of Jackson, Miller and Barree townships, Huntingdon county, Pa.; in 1882-3, was in charge of topographical and boundary surveys of coal and ore lands of R. H. Powell & Co., in Huntingdon and Clearfield counties, Pa.; also lands of Huntingdon Broad Top R.R.; in 1884 and 189-, was elected city engineer of Huntingdon, Pa., and designed and constructed the sewerage system of the borough of Huntingdon; in 1887, designed the Huntingdon water works; in June, 1888, graduated at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.; in the same year, he designed the water works already mentioned for Palmyra and Riverton, N.J., and was consulting engineer for the Union Trust Co., of Philadelphia, Pa., furnishing funds for the Westmoreland county water works; October 20, 1888, was elected a member of the Engineers' Club, of Philadelphia; in December, 1888, became assistant engineer of the Chautauqua Lake R.R., Jamestown, N.Y., of which he was made chief engineer in January, 1889; in July of that year, the office of general manager of the Chautauqua Lake R.R. was added to that of chief engineer, and he also became general manager of the Chautauqua Steam Boat Co.; in 1890, he was chief engineer and general manager of the Etowah Iron Co., Cartersville, Ga., and constructed twelve miles of railroad; also designed and erected a mill for the concentration of manganese ore; this office, in February, 1891, he was obliged to resign on account of ill health, and was until June of that year at the University Hospital, in Philadelphia. From July to December of that year, he was in charge of the survey of the lands pertaining to the Rockhill Iron and Coal Co., of Huntingdon county; 1892-3 were passed in designing and superintending the street improvements of the borough of Huntingdon; and in 1894, he was elected chief engineer of the Pennsylvania Midland R.R., at the general office, at Huntingdon, Pa. During the past twelve years, Mr. Africa has designed and erected six Howe truss bridges, not included in the above enumeration of his engagements, and has been employed on important surveys by Eckley B. Coxe, Drifton, Pa.; William Thaw, Pittsburg, Pa.; the Lehigh Valley Coal Co., Pa.; the Pa. R.R. Co.; the Pa. Canal Co., Cresson Springs Co., of Cresson, Pa., and the Tyrone Mining and Mfg. Co., Tyrone, Pa. He holds at present the position of chief engineer Pa. Midland R.R., and of city engineer of Huntingdon, Pa. On October 2, 1896, he was elected a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. At this writing, Mr. Africa is Master of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 300, F. and A.M., of which he has always been an active member; also of Standing Stone Chapter, No. 301, R.A.M., and Huntingdon Commandery, No. 65, K.T.; of Standing Stone Conclave, No. 134, and of the Improved Order of Heptasophs. Mr. Africa's political opinions are Democratic. J. Murray Africa was married at Reading, Pa., June 1, 1893, to Eleanor, daughter of Charles B. and Elizabeth McKnight, of that city, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Africa have two children: J. Murray, Jr., born May 21, 1895, and Charles McKnight, born October 3, 1896. The family attend the Presbyterian church.