BIOS: H. Charles MATTHIAS, Rockwood, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 470/1 H. Charles MATTHIAS. H. Charles Matthias, a representative business man of Rockwood, was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1875, a son of William and Rachel (Gallagher) Matthias, grandson of John Matthias, and a descendant of a family of German extraction. John Matthias (grandfather) was a native of Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and was by trade a gunsmith. William Matthias (father) was also a native of Huntingdon county, and was a carpenter and contractor by trade. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, namely: Minton, H. Charles, Clinton, Joseph, Albert, Blaine, Bruce and Ray Matthias. H. Charles Mathias received his education in the common schools adjacent to his home, completing the same at the age of fifteen years. After serving three or four years apprenticeship at the trade of blacksmith in his native county, he went to Pittsburg and there secured employment as a journeyman, remaining for a short period of time. He next located in Moorhead, Minnesota, where he worked at his trade for eighteen months, and at the expiration of this time returned to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and for the following three years was engaged there. In 1903 he took up his residence in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and there established a blacksmithing business, being also a dealer in all kinds of wagons. He is a man of energy and enterprise, honorable and conscientious, and therefore merits the success which has attended his efforts. He is a Republican in politics. Mr. Matthias married, December 18, 1901, Nettie Mangle, born November 16, 1874, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Shoners) Mangle, and granddaughter of David Mangle, a native of Germany. John Mangle, who was a native of Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and a farmer by occupation, was the father of six children, as follows: Grace, Nettie (Mrs. H. Charles Matthias), Howard, Harvey, Mary and Esther Mangle. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Matthias, Helen, September 14, 1903.