PittBuff.com | History & Genealogy of the Pittsburg Buffalo Company    LINKS Main: Introduction The Company Corporate Offices Bibliography Email Jay Holsing MINES Osceola 1878 Ivill 1881 Catsburg 1889 Rostraver 1890 Gallatin 1897 Johnetta 1899 Hazel 1902 Marianna 1907 Annabelle Francis 1903 JONES James Jones 1835 John H. Jones 1866 Thomas P. Jones 1868 William I. Jones 1869 David G. Jones 1871 Harry P. Jones 1873 Mary Agnes Jones 1877 E. Frank Miller 1882 IVILL William Ivill 1819 Ann Agnes Ivill 1845 John J. Ivill 1862 William C. Ivill 1881 Harry E. Ivill 1885 HOLSING W. F. Holsing 1840 W. J. Holsing 1869 Fredrick Holsing 1896 Stella Holsing 1900 James J. Holsing 1902 Holsing Family Photos Patzsch Family 1912 OBITUARIES James Jones 1912 Ann Agnes Ivill 1895 David G. Jones 1915 William I. Jones 1905 W. J. Holsing 1929 John H. Jones 1959 MEDIA John H. Jones Mayor '05 James Jones B-day '07 THE GAR "After the Civil War had ended and the soldiers who survived the war had gone home, some of these veterans began to miss the friendships and camaraderie that they had shared during the war. Veterans’ clubs began to spring up all around the country. Many were local and most did not last very long, but a few went on to become nationwide organizations. One of these was the Grand Army of the Republic." "The Grand Army of the Republic, often referred to as the G.A.R., was founded at Decatur, Illinois on April 6, 1866. Dr. Benjamin Franklin Stephenson founded the organization on the three cardinal principles of Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty and these principles guided the G.A.R. throughout its existence. To become a member of the Grand Army a man must have served in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Revenue Cutter Service (today’s United States Coast Guard) between April 9, 1861 and April 12, 1865. He must have been honorably discharged from the service and have never taken up arms against the United States of America." From the GAR Museum PATZSCH FAMILY: Canonsburg, PA The Patzsch family that settled into Canonsburg PA were the descendents of the German immigrant Charles Gottlieb Patzsch. Karl, as Charles was known, came to America in 1854 when he was 22. In 1857 he married Catherine, also from Germany. They were living in Allegheny County when the Civil War broke out and he served in the Union Army. "He probably enlisted in one of the German speaking companies, possibly the Fifth Ward Home Guards." Gina Nestor After the war Karl and Catherine had at least three sons. John, Albert, and my Great Grandfather George Charles Patzsch. They did some moving around before settling in Canonsburg. John C. was born in Indiana and George Charles was born in Pennsylvania. Karl and Catherine both died in 1916 after nearly 60 years of marriage. He was 83 years old and they are buried in Oak Spring Cemetery, Canonsburg, PA. His grave is marked with a GAR {Grand Army of the Republic} marker on Memorial Day. Thanks to Gina Nestor for her attention to his grave and all the Civil War veterans buried there. George Charles was a tall man with a medium build. He had blue eyes and brown hair. He was married to Emma Brown in 1899 when she was just 16. They had seven children who survived into adulthood. My grandmother's twin sister Edith died at birth. There were two sets of twins. The George Charles Patzsch Family about 1912. Back: Emma Mae, {my grandmother} George Charles, his wife Emma, and Lois. Front: Clarence {Hank}, Harry, Grace, Mabel {Sally}, and George. Grace & George are twins. The 1910 census show the names and ages of the George Charles Patzsch family. It says that they were married for 11 years at the time and that Emma had seven children, six who lived. Harry was born after the census was taken. None of the boys were old enough to fight in WWI although their father George Charles had to fill out a draft registration card in 1918 when he was 44. Harry fought in the South Pacific in WWII. I have the hand grenades he brought back from his tour. Census contributed by Janice Patzsch Graham My grandmother Emma Mae {she was called just Mae} described her mother Emma as a stern woman. She said that Emma would just tightly grab any unruly children and squeeze her nails into their arm for discipline. This was accompanied with a dissaproving look from her dark brown eyes. Canonsburg historian James T. Herron remembers her. "Emma might have been stern to her children, but in her old age she was a pretty woman with twinkling eyes and a warm smile." George and his wife Emma settled onto Iron Street in Canonsburg and he took a job nearby with the Fort Pitt Bridge Works. By 1918 he was a Foreman with the company. They employed about 700 men at the time. The Patzsch house still stands today and was in the family for over 75 years. George was 68 when he died. Emma was 89 and they are also buried in Oak Spring Cemetery. This is a page from the 1924 Pleiad. She looks like a sweetheart! The Fort Pitt Bridge Works in Canonsburg PA around 1909. You can see the company houses from the Hazel Mine on Buffalo Hill in the far background. Photo contributed by James T. Herron Click to enlarge. The Fort Pitt Bridge Works was first organized in 1896. During the company's first thirty-five years, it fabricated and erected bridges and buildings for the country's expanding industrial economy. In World War I, the company cooperated with the Submarine Boat Corporation in building prefabricated cargo ships, as well as fabricating large numbers of airplane hangars for the United States and France. From the 1947 Canon Log