BIOGRAPHY: Joseph H. ALTER, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 464-465.

  JOSEPH H. ALTER, Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., was born at New Berlin, Union 
county, Pa., April 14, 1825, son of Abraham Alter.  The parents were German by 
birth.  Left an orphan at six years of age, Joseph grew up in the home of his 
brother-in-law, Michael Uppermyer, in Snyder county, Pa.  It was in a rural 
district, and the lad received the usual training of farmers' sons.  When he was 
eighteen, he began an apprenticeship of three years at carpentry, with his 
brother, Daniel Alter.  For several years after, he was a journeyman.  Coming to 
Lewistown in 1845 he worked as such at boat building, and continued for several 
years in the same occupation.  Then, associating with himself Charles Gaskin, 
under the firm name of Alter & Gaskin, they carried on a prosperous trade in 
boat building until 1865.  Mr. Alter enlisted January 31, 1865, in Company C, 
Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Captain Selheimer, and was assigned with 
his regiment to the western army, under General Thomas.  He was honorably 
discharged at the close of the war, and returned to Lewistown.  There he was 
soon after employed by the Glamorgan Iron Company as master carpenter, an 
honorable and responsible position, which he has held since that time.  Mr. 
Alter is esteemed as a good friend and neighbor, and a worthy citizen.  He is a 
member of the F. and A. M., Blue Lodge, No. 205;  of Chapter No. 186, and 
Commandery No. 26, all of Lewistown; also of K. of P., Lodge No. 255;  of 
Ougpatonga Tribe, I.O. of R. M., and of Post No. 176, G. A. R., all of the same 
place.  He is of the Republican party.
  Joseph H. Alter was married, July 5, 1852, to Martha, daughter of Martin and 
Jane (McCurdy) Webb.  Having no children, Mr. And Mrs. Alter in 1854 adopted 
Matilda Mann, a young girl of Swedish parentage, as their daughter.  She is now 
the widow of Jacob C. Blymyer, and has had a family of six children, two of whom 
are deceased:  Jacob J. and Ray Mann.  Those surviving are:  Martha A.;  Josie 
A.;  Lafayette Webb;  and Henrietta Mann.  Mr. Blymyer died November 12, 1894.  
Mr. Alter and his family attend the Lutheran church.
  Mr. And Mrs. Martin Webb, Mrs. Alter's parents, were born, the former in 1800, 
the latter in 1805.  Mr. Webb died in 1857, and Mrs. Webb in 1862, both at the 
age of fifty-seven.  Mr. Webb was for some years superintendent of a warehouse 
in Lewistown.  Three of their children died in infancy.  The others are:  
Lafayette, married Mary McFadden;  Martha (Mrs. Alter);  Thaddeus B., married 
Louisa Nicholas;  Robert McCurdy, died at St. Louis, Mo., and is supposed to 
have been killed for his money; and Martin, died when about one year old.  Mrs. 
Alter was born in the Kishacoquillas valley, and the family removing to 
Lewistown while she was still very young, she was educated in the public schools 
of that place, and resided in the home of her parents until she was married.