Edward Grant Procious
EDWARD GRANT PROCIOUS has been in business at Kittanning since 1903, having lumber and mercantile interests there. He was previously a general merchant at Oak Ridge, Armstrong county. Mr. Procious was born June 22, 1868, in Mahoning township, son of William and Catherine (Gearhart) Procious.William Procious was of German descent, and was born in Northumberland county, Pa. He settled in what is now Mahoning (then Red Bank) township, Armstrong county, in 1840, purchasing 105 acres of land in the northeastern part of the township, which was then nothing but wilderness. He cleared and improved his tract, and died there March 14, 1887, at the age of seventy-two years. By his first marriage, to Anna Shick, Mr. Procious had four children who grew to maturity: Adam, now deceased; Catherine, deceased, wife of Wesley Doverspike; Betty, who married Abraham Bodendorn; and Henry. To his second marriage, with Catherine Gearhart, where born nine children: John C.; Susan, who married William Lanker; William; Jennie, who married Monroe N. Shoemaker; Carrie, who married Marion J. Morrison; Edward Grant; Ella, who married A. Calvin Shaffer; Mattie, who married Ezra L. Doverspike; and Reuben S., who is on the homestead.
Edward Grant Procious was reared to manhood on the old homestead, and began his education in the local public schools. Later he attended the Berlin University in Center county, Pa., and Bucknell College, at Lewisburg, Pa., from which he was graduated in 1889. The same year he graduated from the Michaels business college, at Delaware, Ohio, and in 1890 he began his business career as proprietor of a general merchandise store at Oak Ridge, Armstrong county. He carried that on very successfully up to 1903, when he moved to Kittanning, selling out to Frank Williams & Co., who still conduct it. As proprietor of the Kittanning Supply Company he has the largest stock of house furnishing goods carried by any house in Armstrong county, and he is also extensively engaged in the automobile and lumber business. By wife management and judicious buying he has kept the line in his store complete and up-to-date, and his earnest desire to please customers has deservedly brought him a large patronage. Honorable dealing and satisfactory service have brought him continued success, and he has the respect and good will of all with whom he comes in contact in any of the relations of life. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason, a member of the Elks, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, and widely known in the fraternal organizations. Politically he is a Republican.
On Jan. 10, 1890, Mr. Procious was married to Dora B. Hankey, daughter of George W. and Abigail (Long) Hankey, of Red Bank township, this county, and they have a family of five children: Avanell Ruth, Marion, John Ellsworth, Mildred and Edward Grant, Jr.
Source: Pages 787-788, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 2001 by Lisa Strobel for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.Return to the Beers Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project