Hugh McGeehin    

HUGH McGEEHIN, merchant, Ridgway, is a native of Ireland, born in October, 1840, son of James and Bridget (Connohan) McGeehin. He was reared and educated in his native country, where he remained until 1868, when he came to the United States and located at Ridgway, Penn. His first employment in this country was with the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad Company, but later he engaged in peddling dry goods and notions, in which he was successful. He relinquished this business, however, in January, 1872, and leased his old store building from W. C. Healy, Ridgway, where, in conjunction with a partner, he entered upon a general mercantile business. The lease of this building terminating at the end of three years, the property was purchased from Mr. Healy by the firm. The partnership continued until 11883, and a good and prosperous trade had been done, but in the latter part of 1882, however, Mr. McGeehin, seeing the necessity of making improvements in order to keep pace with the progress of the town, and thinking that his partner might not favor the idea, proposed a dissolution, and, in order to get away from the old stand, which he did not consider to be very desirable, offered his interest in the real estate at so low a figure that his partner promptly accepted the proposition. Mr. McGeehin then erected a new store in what he considered to be a more popular part of the town, and opened it for business in March, 1883, since which time he has been alone, and has carried on a trade second to none in the borough, considering the amount of capital invested. Mr. McGeehin is also a member of the firm of Bogert & McGeehin, at Johnsonburg, Penn., owning one-half interest in by far the leading general store in that prosperous town, it being conducted under the supervision of P. F. Bogert. In addition to his mercantile interests, Mr. McGeehin is also owner and proprietor of the Bogert House at Ridgway, a resort of no mean reputation and one that is conducted on a sound financial basis. This hotel be established in 1880, and leased to P. F. Bogert (his present partner at Johnsonburg), who conducted it for five years, and then went out worth $25,-000 more than when he came in. In 1886 Mr. McGeehin took charge of the establishment, which he now conducts in connection with his other business, and, although a little out of his line, he has been very successful in securing a very large share of the public patronage. In fact, in all his varied enterprises be has exhibited a business ability of no mean order, and he is emphatically a self-made man. Notwithstanding the pressure of his private business affairs, he finds time to devote to the interests of his town and county, and has held several official positions in the township and borough. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and although not an office seeker, yet he has never been defeated when he allowed his name to be used in connection with local politics. In February, 1877, Mr. McGeehin married Miss Ellen Laughlin, who was born February 4, 1854, a daughter of Lawrence and Catherine (Collins) Laughlin, and to this union have been born four children: James Lawrence, born April 4, 1878; William, born August 28, 1880; Mary Catherine, born September 1, 1882, and died October 12, 1884, and John Hugh, born June 26, 1887. The family are members of the Catholic Church.

History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania with biographical selections, including their early settlement and development, a description of the historic and interesting localities, sketches of their cities, towns and villages, portraits of prominent men, biographies of representative citizens, outline history of Pennsylvania, statistics.. Chicago. J.H. Beers & Co.. 1890, pages 734-735. Read this book on line - Free Trial Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

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