Westmoreland County PA Archives Biographies.....Horn, John J. May 14, 1831

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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 14, 2018, 2:06 am

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JOHN J. HORN, one of the prominent business men of Pleasant Unity, is
pre-eminently a self-made man, who has overcome many obstacles in his way to
success. He is a son of George Horn and was born on his father’s farm in Salem
township, Westmoreland county, Pa., May 14, 1831. George Horn was a hardworking
man, who owned a small farm on the road leading from Salem to Saltsburg. He died
in 1837 when comparatively a young man.

    John J. Horn, when an infant of but eighteen months of age, was taken by a
Mr. Mitchell, of near Greensburg, who was to rear him, give him eighteen months
schooling and when he became of age to present him with a “ freedom suit” and
one hundred and twenty-five dollars in money. He worked faithfully for Mitchell
until he was nineteen years of age, when having received no schooling and
seeing that the latter did not intend to give him anything he left Mr. Mitchell
and commenced to do for himself. He worked as a farm laborer at ten dollars per
month for two years, was with a carpenter for one year and in 1859 went back to
farming, which he followed for six years. In 1859 he came to Pleasant Unity,
where he opened a blacksmith shop. Although he had never worked at
blacksmiithing, yet he was a natural mechanic and succeeded beyond bis
expectations as a blacksmith. He soon connected a wagon-making and coach
establishment with his blacksmith shop and has pursued both lines of business
successfully until the present time. In 1886 he opened his hardware and grocery
store. Within the last few years he has been assisted in his different business
enterprises by his two sons, David M. and William R.

   On the 23d of September, 1852, he married Margaret Gardner, daughter of
Abraham Gardner of Unity township. They have five children: David M., married to
Miss E. L.  Truxal; William R., who married Miss Rebecca Brinker, a daughter of
Dr. T. H. Brinker; Lizzie K., wife of William R. Wilson of Donegal; Virginia,
married to W. G. Lang, a traveling salesman of Ligonier, and Roberta.

    Politically Mr. Horn is a democrat. He is a member of the Lodge, No. 14,
Chosen Friends, and member of the M. E. church, of whose board of trustees he
has been president for fifteen years. Mr. Horn is like President Andrew
Johnson—he learned to read and write after he was of age. He is a remarkably
fast as well as a very fine workman and his trade extends over the country for
several miles around Pleasant Unity. His stores are heavily stocked and well
patronized, he is energetic and pushing but honest and honorable, and is a
popular business man and a respected citizen.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from
Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Compiled and Published by John M. Gresham & Co.
Samuel T. Wiley, Chief Assistant
1890


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