HON. GEORGE C. FAGNAN. — This prominent citizen of Bradford is a native of Buffalo, where he was born, October 10, 1852. He received a common-school education. He was in the employ of the Lake Shore Railroad Company for a number of years, and later with the Denver and Pacific Railroad with headquarters at Denver, Col. He then went with the Buffalo, New York and Pittsburg. In 1879 he was transferred by the company to the narrow-gauge railroad running between Eldred and Bradford, and in 1891 he located permanently in Bradford. After resigning his position with the railroad company he purchased the drug business of W. O. Neely. He is associated in business with Charles Green, a pharmacist of note. The subject of this sketch is greatly interested in the oil business, and has other interests which demand much of his attention. In politics he is a Democrat. He was elected County Treasurer in 1892, and Mayor of Bradford in 1895. He is an active member of Johnson Hose Company, and is popular with all classes.

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Originally published in 1899, and now in the public domain, this excerpt is from "Between the ocean and the lakes;: The story of Erie"
by Edward Harold Mott.

From the chapter titled, “Men Of Mark In Erie Towns”.

C. B. WHITEHEAD was born Tioga County, Pa., January 8, 1840. at Lawrenceville, He was educated in the schools of his native county, and in 1860 went to Titusville, Pa., where he was employed by Brewer, Watson & Co., extensive oil producers. He returned to Tioga County and was engaged in mercantile business four years. In 1870 he went to Blossburg, Pa., and from there to Bradford in 1878, where he engaged in oil producing, and where he died, January 31, 1899. Mr. Whitehead was a Democrat. When Bradford was incorporated into a city in 1876 he was one of the first select councilmen, and served until 1884, when President Cleveland appointed him postmaster of Bradford. When his term as postmaster expired he was again elected to the Common Council, in a Republican ward, by a handsome majority. Mr. Whitehead built more than forty houses in Bradford. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity. He was married in 1875 to Miss Mary Ferris. Two children were born to them : Sarah and Waldo M.

BENJAMIN F. HAZELTON. — Born at Machias, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., March 26, 1847. The subject of this sketch worked on his father’s farm until he was fourteen, and then went to the oil region of Oil Creek, where he assisted as a well-driller. He was a spectator when the famous Rouse well was burned, and Mr. Rouse lost his life in the terrible conflagration. In the winter of 1861-62, although but fifteen years of age, he enlisted, and participated in the famous battle of Shiloh. In 1863 his parents removed to Oconomowoc, Wis., and he followed them there. He embarked in the meat business in that place and made money enough to enter a preparatory school at Horicon, Wis., and Lawrence University of Appleton, Wis. He taught school in the winter months, and continued with his studies at the University, but his health failed him. He later took a business course in the Worthington Commercial College, and there married Miss Clarissa Florence Purple, a daughter of Assistant State Treasurer C. H. Purple. Five children were born to them.

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HON. LEWIS EMERY, Jr. — Senator Emery is perhaps the best-known citizen of Bradford. He was born near the village of Cherry Creek, Chautauqua County, N. Y., August 10, 1839. His father met with financial reverses in the construction of a railroad, near Olean, for the old Erie company, and in other ventures. He went west and located with his family in Michigan, where he carried on the milling business, having mastered the trade of cloth-making when young and being a skilled mechanic.

The subject of our sketch was educated in the common schools, and after learning the trade of his father, attended the Hillsdale College, of Hillsdale, Mich., where he finished his training. He then taught school, and worked for his father in his mill. In May, 1846, he went to Illinois, where he engaged in general merchandizing and built a mill.
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AUGUSTUS W. NEWELL

AUGUSTUS WILLIAM NEWELL was born October 9, 1832, at Newton, Mass. He attended the schools of Brookline, Mass. At the age of thirteen years he began the study of civil engineering. He was in his father’s office when a young man, and later helped survey the routes of different railroads. Daniel Kingsbury, his uncle, had purchased of the United States Land Company 200,000 acres of land in McKean County, Pa., and young Newell gave his uncle the money he had saved to invest in land in that county. He then settled at Bradford. He helped survey the route for and to build the Buffalo, Bradford and Pittsburg Railroad, his uncle being president and a large stockholder of the company. The company went into bankruptcy, owing young Newell considerable money.
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