Blair County PA Archives Biographies.....Burkholder, Thomas J. February 18, 1851 - ????
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Source: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Blair Co, PA: Philadelphia, 1892.
Author: Samuel T. Wiley

THOMAS J. BURKHOLDER,
a prosperous merchant, and who established the first store in Juniata, whose
post office is Kipple, is a son of John J. and Lydia (Trout) Burkholder, and
was born in Antis township, Blair county, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1851.
The Burkholder family is of German descent, and were among the early settled
families of Pennsylvania. John J. Burkholder, the father of the subject of
this sketch, was a native of Bedford county, this State, and died at his home
in Antis township, August 21, 1885, when in the seventy-fourth year of his
age. Early in life he settled in Antis township, where he followed farming
and dealing in horses on an extensive scale for many years. During the late
civil war he purchased large number of horses for the United States
government. He was a republican in politics, and lived an active, useful
life. Mr. Burkholder had twelve children, of whom were: P. G., a farmer of
Antis township; Margaret J., wife of A. S. Marks; Mary E., who married Norval
Hawk, of Juniata; David M., who was born in 1844, stood six feet five and
one-half inches in height, weighing two hundred and twenty pounds, and while
serving in Captain Huff's company, was mortally wounded by a sharp shooter
when in the act of cooking his breakfast, after the battle of Cold Harbor;
Julia A., who married H. A. Rossman, of Chambersburg, and died in October,
1874; Henry C., a farm manager, near Houtzdale, this State, for the
Clearfield Coal Company; Lowanda, widow of Daniel Ainsworth, who died from
cold contracted while attending the centennial at Philadelphia; Thomas J.; W.
Lloyd, an assistant foreman in the car repair shops at Altoona; Vinetta, wife
of James P. Funk, a cigar and tobacco dealer of Philadelphia; and J. M., who
resides on the home farm. His widow, Mrs. Lydia (Trout) Burkholder, was born
in 1817, and still resides on the home farm in Antis township. She is a
consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and her father, John
Trout, was an early settler and large landholder of Antis township, where he
died.
      Thomas J. Burkholder was reared on the farm, received his education in
the common schools, and followed farming until 1874, when he came to Altoona
to enter the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a laborer. In a
short time he was given charge of the wheel and axle platform, which position
he held up to 1885, when he resigned to give his time fully to the mercantile
business, in which he had embarked in partnership with R. J. Buchanan, in
1881, at Juniata. This was the first store in Juniata, and was operated on a
small scale until the village began to attain some size. Mr. Burkholder
purchased his partner's interest in 1885, and now has a large establishment,
heavily stocked with dry goods, groceries, provisions, flour, feed, and
everything else to be found in a first-class general mercantile store. Mr.
Burkholder delivers goods promptly, deals fairly, and has a large patronage.
      In 1874 he married Minerva J. Buchanan, a daughter of John Buchanan, of
Huntingdon county, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, who died
November 9, 1888, leaving six children: John Lester, Dossy M., Laban E.,
Lydia E., Myrlee A., and Paul I. On January 14, 1890, Mr. Burkholder was
united in marriage with Martha J., daughter of William and Sarah Chesney, of
Huntingdon county, and by this second union has one child, a son, named Lee
Plummer.
      Thomas J. Burkholder is a republican in politics, and a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, of whose board of trustees he is president. He is
a charter member of Hancock Castle, No. 124, Ancient Order Knights of the
Mystic Chain; Belleview Lodge, Nov. 497, Independent Order of Odd Fellows;
and Washington Camp, No. 402, Patriotic Order Sons of America.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2001. Transcribed by Annie Whiteman  Annie2ws@aol.com

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