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HARRISON HAYES SWEENEY, postmaster at Houtzdale, Pa., has been a resident of this borough for thirty years and
for the past twenty five years has been associated with his father in the furniture and undertaking business. He
was born at Powelton, Center county, Pa., June 2, 1872, and is a son of John and Mary (Hayes) Sweeney.
John Sweeney was born in Ireland in 1836 and learned the cabinet making trade in his own land. In 1863 he embarked
for the United States and safely reached America after a voyage of six weeks and three days. He found work at his
trade in the city of Philadelphia, where he remained for two years and then moved to Broad Top, Huntingdon county,
and in 1873 from there to Houtzdale, where he embarked in the undertaking and furniture business. His records show
that he has conducted more burials than any other undertaker in the same length of time, in all Clearfield county.
He married Mrs. Mary (Hayes) Corbin, in 1869, who was the widow of Jesse Corbin, who had been superintendent of
schools in Center county. She was born in Blair county and was but six years old when she was left an orphan. Three
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Corbin: Clara, a Mrs. Hayes, who lives at Glen Campbell; B. M., who is a conductor
on the Middle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, at Altoona; and Nettie, who is the wife of Dr. D. S. Rice,
a noted physician of Clearfield county. To Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney the following children were born: Minnie, who is
the wife of J. R. Cornelius, of Patton, Pa.; Harrison Hayes; and Nellie, who is assistant postmistress and is associated
also in the undertaking business.
Harrison Hayes Sweeney was reared at Houtzdale and is a graduate of the Houtzdale High School and also of Duff's
Business College, at Pittsburg. Prior to settling permanently in the borough, he was on the road for seven years
for John Murphy & Co., in undertaking supplies and also taught embalming, being a graduate of an embalming
school. He is not only a very enterprising and reliable. business man but he has been active in public affairs
at Houtzdale, where he served for six years as a member of the council, during five years of the period being its
president, an unusual honor. He has been a member of the school board for the past two years and in February, 1911,
was appointed postmaster at Houtzdale. He is identified with the Repubican party. and is in close touch with party
organizers.
Mr. Sweeney was married in January, 1906, to Miss Alice Gleason, who was born and reared at Houtzdale, and is a
daughter of Andrew Gleason, who was one of the old and successful merchants of this place. Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney
have had three children, but one of whom survives, John Burke, a sturdy little lad of two years. Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney
are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Sweeney is an interested and interesting teacher in
the Sunday school. He is identified fraternally with a number of organizations, including the K.nights of Pythias,
the Brotherhood of America, the P. O. S. of A., the Elks at Clearfield, and the I. O. R. M. at Brisbin, together
with the United Commercial Travelers, of Clarksburg, W. Va. He is a charter member of Fire Company No. 1, at Houtzdale.
Personally Mr. Sweeney is of frank and engaging manner and as a public official cannot fail to meet with the approbation
of his fellow citizens.
Note - Sketches unrevised by subscribers are distinguished by a small astrict (*).
From:
Twentieth Century History of
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
and Representative Citizens.
BY: Roland D. Swoope, Jr.
Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co,
Chicago, Ill. 1911
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