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William A. Louden
WILLIAM A. LOUDEN, who occupies a high position among the prosperous
and representative business men of Kittanning, was born July 10, 1853, in
Clarion county, Pa, son of David and Lydia (Westner) Louden. David Louden was
born in Westmoreland county, Pa., but settled in Clarion county in 1850, and
there reared his family of ten children, viz.: Francis, William A., Henry A.,
Jennie, George W., Mary, John, Elizabeth, Rena and Annie. The father of these
children followed farming all his active life. He is now eighty-seven years
old.William A. Louden attended public school at Cherry Run, Clarion Co., Pa.,
and worked on the homestead farm until sixteen years old, when he went to Oil
City, Pa. For twelve years thereafter he was engaged in drilling gas and oil
wells in that vicinity. He then went to the Clarion oil fields to work at tool
dressing for five years, when he resumed his drilling of wells, spending
twelve years more in this line. By this time he was able to buy an outfit, and
began drilling wells under contract. Owing to his good judgment and experience
Mr. Louden is able to select fruitful spots, having only twenty dry holes
against him, a most remarkable record, for he has drilled over six hundred
wells in Pennsylvania alone, besides many in West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio and
Illinois, His record for Armstrong is about three hundred, and in nearly all
of them he found gas as well as oil. For some years Mr. Louden has been
working with a partner, W. H. Smith, under the name of Louden & Smith
Company, this firm being one of the best known in this line in Pennsylvania.
In 1906 the firm rented and subsequently bought out the Kittanning Tool
Company, owners of a well equipped shop, furnished with all machinery for
manufacturing and repairing all kinds of oil well tools and other appliances.
Mr. Louden has accumulated considerable valuable realty, and is building
several houses in Kittanning, for he has great faith in the future of this
city, from which he conducts his business operations.In 1884, Mr. Louden married Martha Dison, daughter of Robert Dison, of
Monroe county, N. Y. Six children were born of this marriage, three of whom
died in infancy: William J., who is in business with his father, having charge
of the repair shop at Kittanning; Clarence E., also engaged with his father,
drilling wells; and Clara May. Mr. Louden belongs to the Masonic lodge at
Bellview, Pa. In religious faith, he is a United Presbyterian, being a member
of the church of that denomination at Kittanning, and serving it as trustee
for several years.Source: Pages 439, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Vaughn Davis 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:
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