BIO: Charles STRATFORD, 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, pages 362-363.
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  CHARLES STRATFORD, Mount Union, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in 
Lewistown, Mifflin county, October 17, 1838, and is a son of Charles 
and Catherine (Rowe) Stratford. Charles Stratford, Sr., was a native of 
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, where he was born about 1812. He 
came to the United States at eighteen years of age, and landed at 
Easton, Pa., where he learned marble cutting. From Easton he removed to 
Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., where he passed the remainder of his 
life, carrying on the Lewistown Marble Works, until 1860, after which 
he practically lived retired. Mr. Stratford was married to Catherine, 
daughter of Daniel Rowe, a member of one of the oldest families in 
Mifflin county. They had eight children: Charles, of Mount Union, Pa.; 
Susan L., deceased, who married Timothy Sweeney, also deceased; 
Temperance, who died in infancy; Prudence, widow of Alfred Smither, of 
Lewistown, Pa.; Frederick, of Altoona; Annie, who died August 31, 1876; 
Daniel, of Lewistown, married Mary Ellinger, daughter of Jacob 
Ellinger, of Decatur township, Mifflin county; Laura, married Grafton 
Anderson, of Dakota, and resides on the old homestead at Lewistown. 
Mrs. Stratford died in March, 1882, aged sixty-three years. Mr. 
Stratford died May 1, 1893, aged seventy-nine. Mr. Stratford was a man 
of good education and was from his youth a lover of books; he collected 
a large and well selected library. He was a man of strong moral 
convictions and was a life-long opponent of the liquor traffic. He was 
a prime mover in the organization of Washingtonian societies in 
Mifflin, Centre, Huntingdon and Blair counties, and bore the same 
relation to the Good Templar movement, organizing lodges in the four 
counties named. So ardent, earnest and enthusiastic was he in this work 
that he became known as the "War horse of Temperance" in Pennsylvania. 
He made three trips across the Atlantic to England, and there, while 
visiting his childhood's home, organized Good Templar lodges, many of 
which received his name. In religion, his ideas were liberal; he gave 
his adherence to the doctrines of the Universalist church. A man of 
marked individuality of character, he clung tenaciously to his settled 
convictions. Right with him was a matter of principle, and what he 
believed to be right he advocated with a fearlessness that won him 
deserved respect and esteem.
  Charles Stratford, Jr., received a common school education, and 
learned marble cutting under his father. In 1880, he embarked in 
business for himself in Mount Union, and is now the sole proprietor of 
the Mount Union marble works and the Lewistown marble works, the latter 
being in charge of his brother Daniel. He is also a partner with his 
brother Frederick, under the firm name of Stratford Brothers, in the 
Mountain City marble works at Altoona, Pa. His life has been one of 
industry and his business success has been achieved by unremitting hard 
work and a strict adherence to honorable methods. Mr. Stratford was 
married October 10, 1859, to Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Jane 
Gray, of Lewistown. Her father, Joseph Gray, was born near Hagerstown, 
Md., in 1806, and died in Lewistown, January 14, 1866. He was of Dutch 
descent, and a forgeman by trade. He lost both his parents before 
reaching manhood, and when twenty years of age, removed to Jersey 
Shore, Lycoming county, Pa., where he married Jane Gilday. They have 
the following children: Catherine, widow of William Call, resides in 
Lewistown; Mary (Mrs. Anthony McCartney), of Burnham, Mifflin county; 
Samuel J., who was wounded in the service during the war of the 
Rebellion and is now an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, O.; 
William, who was killed by an explosion at Washington furnace, Clinton 
county, July 4, 1862; Amanda, widow of John W. Jones, resides in 
Lewistown; Joseph, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
preaching in the James Creek circuit, Huntingdon county; Barbara A. 
(Mrs. William Yeaman), of De Smet, S. D.; Hiram D., of Williamsport, 
Pa.; Jane E. (Mrs. Sylvester Vilett), of Burnham, Mifflin county; John 
T., deceased. Mrs. Gray died November 28, 1894, aged eighty-five years 
and three months. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stratford have fourteen 
children, as follows: Charles R., Jane and Joseph, who died young; 
Catherine (Mrs. James C. McBirney), of Altoona; Carrie M., at home; 
Annie B., deceased, wife of R. M. Longacre, of Mount Union; William and 
Mary A., twins, the former resides in Shirley township, the latter died 
in infancy; Edgar R., editor and publisher of the Mount Union Times; 
Herbert G., died in infancy; Bessie (Mrs. Richard M. Kiel), of Mount 
Union; Thomas F.; Robert U., died in infancy; and Harriet D., at home.
  Like his father, Mr. Stratford is an uncompromising enemy of the 
liquor traffic, and an earnest advocate of prohibitory legislation. 
During the earlier years of his manhood he acted with the Republican 
party, but is now a Prohibitionist. He has served as a member of the 
borough council and of the school board, and is regarded as a 
representative citizen of Mount Union. He is progressive and public 
spirited, and gives support to such enterprises as are calculated to 
promote the public good. Mr. and Mrs. Stratford are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of Lewistown Lodge, No. 97, 
I.O.O.F. In October, 1864, Mr. Stratford enlisted in the One Hundred 
and Thirty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, and reported for duty at 
Harrisburg. A few days after his arrival, he was taken ill with 
smallpox, and was discharged without having an opportunity to go to the 
front.