HEADER
John Martin Dosch, Sr.
JOHN MARTIN DOSCH, Sr., who has occupied his present home at No. 218
South McKean street, Kittanning, for over fifty years, is a native of Germany,
born Nov. 16, 1827. When four years old he was brought by his parents to
America. His father dying shortly after the family arrived here, the child was
put out among strangers, and thus he never knew the comforts of parental care.
He scarcely remembers his father. After being separated from his mother for
many years they were reunited in her later life, and she lived with him for a
number of years. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Welfer, of
Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, aged about seventy-eight.Until he was fifteen years old Mr. Dosch made his home with John
McCullough, of Butler county. Then he went to Allegheny, Pa., where he
followed his trade, that of potter, for seven years. At the end of that time
he came to Kittanning, Armstrong county, which has since been his home. At the
time of his marriage, which took place on his birthday, Nov. 16, 1852, he and
his wife went to live in a shanty which he built on South McKean street, about
opposite whre they now reside. He followed the pottery business there, and
later had a shop. Mr. Dosch then began teaming, and built up the transfer
business known by his name until his retirement, in 1905. Though he began life
under the most adverse circumstances, losing his parents before they could
give him any of the advantages of education or other training, Mr. Dosch had
made his way and accumulated a competency, and he has had an industrious and
upright career which has been a credit to himself and to the community in
which he has lived.On Nov. 16, 1852, Mr. Dosch was united in marriage with Ann Truby, who was
born in 1827 in Armstrong county, daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Mechling)
Truby, pioneers of this section, the latter a sister of Hon. Philip Mechling.
Eight children have been born to them, namely:(1) Wilfred M., who is deceased, married Annie Garvey, and they had one
daughter, Mamie, now the wife of Emory Jasper, of Madison, Wis., where they
reside; they have one son, Emory, Jr.(2) Guy Orton, now in Los Angeles, Cal., married Louise Duffy, and they
have four children, Edna, Cary, Bess and Guy, Jr.(3) Cora Lena, deceased, was the wife of Charles Barthold, and had six
children, Cora, Althea, William, Charles, Edward and Lousie.(4) John M., a drayman, who succeeded his father in the transfer business
in 1905, married Ora Mains, and they have three children, Madison, Earle and
Ray.(5) George, deceased, was married to Eliza Silvis and six of their children
are living, Florence, Calvin, Marion, Freda, Silvia and George.(6) Harry Edward married Mary Cunningham, daughter of John Cunningham, and
has three children, Edward, Paul and Theodore.(7) Albert is engaged in the plumbing business in Kittanning, having his
shop on Market street, and is a member of the Elks and Fire Company No. I. He
married Hattie Silvis, daughter of William and Helen S. Silvis, and they have
one child living, Ruth L.(8) One child died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs Dosch are members of the Lutheran Church. In 1858 he built the
home which they have ever since occupied.Source: Pages 542, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Nancy Cain Knepper 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
Â
Return to the
Armstrong County Genealogy ProjectÂ
Return to the
Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the
Armstrong County Genealogy Project
(c) Armstrong County
Genealogy Project
About Author
