BIOGRAPHY: Hiram GOUCHNOUR, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 214
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HIRAM GOCHNOUR, a trustworthy locomotive engineer of many years' experience, was 
born in Taylor township, this county, on July 27, 1840, and is a son of Daniel 
and Catherine (Amesbaugh) Gochnour.
     The family, of which Hiram Gochnour is a worthy scion, is of German origin, 
and was one of those families that settled in Maryland at an early day. His 
grandfather was Daniel Gochnour, born in Maryland. He emigrated when a young man 
to Cambria county, ranking as one of the pioneer settlers of the county. He was 
a wagon-maker by trade, but upon coming to this county took up the necessary 
pursuits of farming and lumbering. He purchased a large tract of woodland, 
containing six hundred acres, in the vicinity of Conemaugh. His father and 
mother came from Germany to Maryland. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Gochnour 
was Adam Amesbaugh, also of German stock, and died in Shelby county, Ohio.
     Daniel Gochnour (father) was born on the old Gochnour homestead, near 
Conemaugh, in 1799, and resided upon it all his life, dying in 1870. The pioneer 
character and surroundings of the home of his early boyhood were such as to 
develop within him a genius for many kinds of labor, and he could turn his hand 
with skill to almost any kind of work requiring the display of mechanical 
genius.
     Hiram Gochnour was reared upon his father's farm, where he made himself 
useful in attending the flour and saw-mills of his father, attending, during the 
winter months, the public schools of the neighborhood. 
     In 1873 he began his career as a railroad man, entering the employ of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad company as a fireman, and remained in that positian [sic] 
until September, 1881. Upon the latter date, his fidelity as an employee was 
rewarded by being promoted to an engineer, and he has faithfully served his 
company in that capacity ever since. His run extends, and has, through most of 
this long service, from Gallitzin to Conemaugh.
     Mr. Gouchnour has made Conemaugh his home since 1873, and is thoroughly 
identified with its progress and history. He is a progressive citizen, and his 
aid and influence are cheerfully given in every move tending to promote its 
progress. He is a stockholder and director in the Conemaugh Water company, the 
Conemaugh Building and Loan association, and is president of the Independent 
Fire company of the same place.
     On November 14, 1861, Mr. Gochnour married Mary A. McCreery, of Taylor 
township, and to their happy union have been born the following children: 
William, who married Mary L. Ressler, of this county; Hiram R., Benjamin J., 
died in infancy; Ephraim E., who died when nine years of age; Catherine, who is 
deceased, was the wife of Samuel Burkhart; and Martha J., who died at the age of 
twenty-five years.
     Mr. Gochnour and his wife are members of the United Brethren church at 
Conemaugh, in which organization he is a deacon. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and the Junior order of United American 
Mechanics.