BIO: James CULLEN, Huntingdon County, PA

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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, page 133.
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  JAMES CULLEN, Spruce Creek, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in 
County West Meath, Ireland, July 27, 1819.  He received his education 
under the strict, severe old-time schoolmasters, in a "mud school 
house" in his native country, and was set to work on the farm early in 
life.  On the same farm, the Cullens have lived and labored for two 
hundred and fifty years; it is now in possession of the brother next in 
age to Mr. Cullen, who is the eldest of the family.  His father was the 
agent of the Monks estate; he and his wife both died in West Meath. 
Their children are: James; Thomas, who is unmarried, and farms the 
homestead; Ann, widow of Bernard Rooney, Altoona, Pa.; Marcellina, 
widow of John Hornung, of Altoona; Patrick, came to this country some 
time after his brother James, married and resided in Altoona, where his 
wife died, after which he sold his property, moved away, and has been 
lost sight of; Mary (Mrs. McKeown), deceased, as is her husband also, 
and Jane (Mrs. Clinton), a widow, living in Ireland.
  John* Cullen worked faithfully on the homestead farm, and acquired a 
high reputation as a ploughman; he was, however, of an earnest and 
inquiring mind, and after the labors of the day were over, spent much 
of his time in study, attending a night school; in this way he obtained 
most of his education.  He was in his twenty-second year when he set 
sail from Liverpool for America in the "Republic," a sailing vessel, on 
board of which was a statue of George Washington.  After a voyage of 
thirty-five days, he landed in New York, and soon found himself in 
Reading, Pa., where he expected to obtain work on the railroad.  He 
remained there for seven or eight years, working for the Reading R.R. 
Co. as a laborer; during that time he was captain of a watch on a 
wooden bridge, five miles west of Reading.  At the end of that time Mr. 
Cullen came to Spruce Creek, to enter the employ of the P.R.R. Co.; the 
distance from McVeytown was then made by stage.  He commenced work on 
February 8, and continued until September 16, occupied in preparing 
ballast and assisting in laying track.  He was then made assistant 
foreman for the P.R.R. Co., and after holding that position for a 
month, was promoted to be a foreman of the sub-division of the road 
between Tyrone and Fostoria.  In 1854, when the mountain division was 
opened, he was ordered to Wilmore, and for four months acted as 
assistant supervisor, after which he resumed his former position as 
foreman.  For two summers before this appointment he had conducted a 
ballast train.  He received the appointment to his present post, that 
of supervisor of No. 8 Division, P.R.R., January 1, 1861.  He has ever 
since most faithfully and satisfactorily fulfilled the duties of his 
position; has seen many disastrous wrecks, and had many interesting 
experiences.  Mr. Cullen is a tried and trusted employee, the oldest 
one in the service of the road, in which he will soon have numbered 
forty-six years.  When Mr. Cullen first came to this country, and lived 
in Reading, he espoused Whig principles; but he has since become a 
sound Democrat.
  James Cullen was married July 4, 1852, in the Catholic church in 
Sinking Valley, Blair county, Pa., by Rev. Father James Bradley, to 
Mary Catherine, daughter of William Halen.  She was left an orphan when 
only a year old.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Cullen are: Ann; Mary 
Catherine; Jane F.; Agnes (Mrs. Emery Worden); James F., civil engineer 
on the Delaware bridge; Bernard A., civil engineer, has his office at 
Mifflin, Pa.; William F., graduate in music at University of Boston, 
and teaches both instrumental and vocal music; Thomas A., graduate of 
Seaton Hall, N.J.; all of the family except the two civil engineers 
reside with their father.  Mrs. Cullen died April 5, 1894, after an 
illness of only one or two days.  She was comparatively young.  Mr. 
Cullen is a member of St. John's R. C. church, Altoona, Pa.

*Probably supposed to be James not John.