BIO: Samuel Clarence GORSUCH, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 387-391. _________________________________________________________________ SAMUEL CLARENCE GORSUCH, a machinist by trade, has been connected for many years with iron and steel works and has been a resident of Beaver Falls, Pa., since 1883, being, until recently, a heater in a plant there, which he assisted in building. He was born February 21, 1860, in Springfield, Blair county, Pa., and is a son of Henderson and Elizabeth (Gates) Gorsuch, and grandson of Benjamin Gorsuch. The first of the family who came to America, was the great-grandfather of Samuel Clarence; and was a native of Wales. After reaching America, he settled in Baltimore, where he spent his last years. He, with his brother, was engaged in the cotton business. His son Benjamin, the grandfather of the subject hereof, was reared near Baltimore, where he became apprenticed to learn the trade of a blacksmith. After completing his apprenticeship, he engaged in that line of business on his own behalf, and was known as a very successful business man and a skilled mechanic; he followed that line of business all his life. He removed to Huntingdon county, Pa., for some years, but later settled in Blair county, near Klopperstown. He followed blacksmithing 388 BOOK OF BlOGRAPHIES until middle age, when he went into the iron business. Henderson Gorsuch, father of the subject of this record, was born in June, 1833, in Huntingdon county, Pa., where he was reared, receiving a limited education in "book learning" in that county, and also in Blair county. In early manhood, he lived at Springfield, Blair county, where he, too, learned the trade of a blacksmith, thereby following the same inclinations as his father. Henderson also learned the art of making axes entirely by hand. He held an important position at the Springfield furnace for a period of three years, as master mechanic, and subsequently accepted a similar position at the Martha furnace. At a later period, he discontinued working about machinery, and engaged in the transfer business, taking contracts for general hauling. Being frugal and industrious, he soon saved considerable money with which he purchased a fine farm. He then moved to Roaring Spring, and built himself a fine residence, blacksmith and carriage shop, and conducted this business the balance of his life. In his political views, Henderson Gorsuch was, in early life, an ardent Republican, but later became a strong Prohibitionist and a great temperance worker. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for the twenty-five years preceding his death, and was a class leader and trustee of that denomination. His demise occurred February 11, 1896, and his life was considered well and nobly spent. His wife was Elizabeth Gates. She proved to be a most helpful companion, and assisted in rearing a family of nineteen children, one of whom was Samuel Clarence, the subject of these lines. Samuel C. Gorsuch attended the public schools, after which he partly learned the blacksmith's trade, and then acquired the trade of puddling, in the Cambria Iron Works, at Johnstown, Cambria county. He then learned heating at Tyrone, and subsequently went to Beaver Falls, where, after working for about a year and a half, he became a heater, and assisted in building the plant of the American Steel & Wire Co. there, from which he was transferred to that company's plant in Rankin, where he has charge of the heating department. In his political action he has always followed the leadership of the Republican party, but has had no political aspirations, whatever. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of Beaver Falls, and also of the I. O. O. F. lodge. He was joined in marriage with Harriet McClellan, a lady with many graces. Their marriage occurred October 15, 1883. Mrs. Gorsuch is a daughter of James McClellan, and is a native of Blair county, Pennsylvania. Seven bright, attractive children came to bless their home; their names and ages are as follows: Alpha, born, March 26, 1885; Nellie, born January 22, 1887; Clarence, born September 19, 1889; Clifford, born June 27, 1891; Hazel Belle, born January 9, 1893, and deceased September 13, 1893; Olive, born November 3, 1895; and Forest, born June 17, 1899. The subject of this sketch and his family are BEAVER COUNTY 391 regular attendants of the Methodist church and contribute liberally to its support. By careful and judicious management he has been able to acquire a snug competence, - due entirely to his own efforts, - while at the same time, he has gained for himself a reputation for honesty and uprightness in all his dealings.