Borough of Etna - Centennial Festivities Yearbook (Etna, PA)

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ln 1918, he came to Etna and served as superintendent until his retirement due to ill health in 1934. He died in the following year. It was durinff Professor Stewarfs regime that the high school buillding was built. E GEORGE A. SPEER 1Vl.D. Dr. Speer was born in Robinson Township on Feb- ruary 18, 1859. He graduated from the University of Western Penn- sylvania in 1899 and opened his first office at 351 Butler Street in the little house where Dr. Wm. ,lohnston had practiced. He played violin in the Y.lVl.C.A. Orchestra, and was a member of council and elected burgess several times. For twenty years he served on the Etna School Board. Dr. Speer was a member of the Royal Arcanum Lodge, The Foresters, and a charter member of the Etna Elks. Of his eight surviving children, three still live in Etna. H. ALBERT STOLL H. Albert Stoll was born and lived ,his life in Etna. He was born in 1878 in the building at the corner of Butler and Freeport Streets, then the Union Hotel, owned by his father. IT f, His chief interests had always been mechanical, his first business venture a bicycle shop. Mr. Stoll served as Superintendent of the Etna Water and Light Plantg operated the hotel his father had built, had his own trucking company, and served as an engineer for the Pgh. Brewing Co. lVlr. Stoll was a director of Peoples Savings and Loan Assn., serving as its president for 14 years. He was also a charter member of the Etna Elks Lodge 4932. He was a director of the Etna Public Schools for 18 years, serving as president for 10 years. MRS. ANNA SMITH WEBER lVlrs. Anna Vlfeber was born in Wales in 1891 and came to America in 1912. She worked on the North Side when she met Fred Henry Weber, a native of Etna, born here 1887. They were married in 1916 and had six children. Two of their sons, George Lee and lra Smith, were fi . N ' 'wfltfi-Z - - eff ,IL-jf f lr . . -Eg!!! fr if Wi ,, killed in World lffui' Mrs. Weber lim-f 1111 15111111 Avenue with her daughteris family llVlr. aml rlplllfrlllfli Dukes and Gwen and Lesliel and her s1111. Elf. llarry Weber. 139

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THE JOSEPH E. PUNTURER1 FAMILY Joseph and Mary Zatterio Puntureri settled in Etna in 1918. Their present home and shop is at 21 Grant Avenue. Joseph was born in Ardore. Italy on July 12, 1885. He arrived in America on May 3, 1911. Mrs. Pun- tureri was born in Beaver Falls and grew up there. Together they have raised three sons: Anthony I. Puntureri, M.D., Samuel D.. chemical engineer, and Hugo, who is teaching in the Etna schools. MATT SEGINA The first Croatian to come to Etna and settle here is said tn have been Matt Segina. His home, 137 Butler Street. has since been demolished. l I38 Mr. Segina wasii'BoTrr-SeptemlJer 20T1863j' in Yugos- lavia. He migrated to Lawrenceville. A labor agent brought him across the river to the Isabella Blast Fur- nace. He was the father of five children. Matt Segina, while still working at the Furnace, started making Croatian bologna and barbecueing young lamb. He sold these at a nominal price to his Croatian neighbors who savored them as a homeland delicacy. He was an organizer and active member of the C.F.U. He died in his 87th year. C MAVRO tMORRlSH SPELIC Mavro tMorrisl Spelic of 69 Maplewood Street came to America in 1902 at age fifteen from Croatia, Yugos- lavia. He got his first job at Isabella Furnaces. At the age of nineteen he was promoted to Hhot blast- man. ' Later Morris Spelic was made Assistant Super- intendent of the Furnaces. He and his '4Queen Isabellaw retired in 1953 after fifty-two years together, she to oblivion and he to other activities. Mr. Spelic has served as a trustee of St. Nicholas Church. Millvale. and is a member of Etna Lodge No. 4- of the C.F.U. Mr. and Mrs. Spelic celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 8. 1969. WILLIAM STEWART Professor IVilliam M. Stewart for many years served as Etna's Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Stewart was born in 1372 and grew up in the vicinity of West Sunbury. Pa., attended Westminster College. and graduated in 1899 with a B.S. Degree. Later he earned his M.A. Mr. Stewart never married. N

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. 'r ,'Q'1tEfN CL 'WIYSCHEL Lawrence fx mscliel was born August 10. 1309, in Alsace. Lorraine. He came to this country. Married and became the father of six children. one of whom was Jacob J. Wilischel. born in Sharpsburg on January 10, 1857. Jacob entered the hardware business as a partner of John Farmerie at 369 Butler Street next to the Union Hotel. He died suddenly on May 23, 1904. and his widow, Ann M. Winscbel secured the property at 346 Butler Street. This is the present site of the Winschel store. 'St id rf- SAMU'E1:'HENR1xLY79s'HRES f Samuel Henry Yahres, a life-long resident of Etna, was born in 1844-. Samuells first work was a roller in Wfhe Mill. He left in 1864 to enlist in the Union Army. After his return from the war the house at 218 fnow 3221 Butler Street. Mr. Yahres served on the borough county and after his retirement was Justice of the Peace. Samuel Yahres also served as toll collector on the 62nd street bridge, before it was taken over by the county. Mrs. Yahres died in 1916. Mr. Yahres in 1922. -Q11 Q f '- - av--sy' JOHN WESLEY WILLIAMS John W. Williams was born in 1345 in a log cabin in Reesville about where Short Street is now. He joined the Union Army when he was about 16 years old. Mr. Williams served as Tip Staff in the Allegheny County Court House and Superintendent of Mt. Royal Cemetery. He belonged to Zaradatha Lodge 4448. the General Custer Post 42438 of the GAR. and was the last of the Civil War veterans left in this area. Mr. Williams died in 1937. MARK VINSKI Mark Vinski was born on February 2, 1892 and has been a life-long resident of Etna. His education included two years of night school at the University of Pittsburgh and two years at Duquesne University. Mark served as Etnais mayor for two years. He also served as a borough councilman was a mem- ber of tbe board of directors of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America and helped organize the Croatian Citizenship Club of Etna in 1913. Mark conducted a nationality radio precalled Croa- tian Memoriesf' He is a member of the CFU Scholar- ship Committee and on the University Tamburitzan board of directors. LUDWIG ZOERB Ludwig left at the age of eighteen his home in Frank- fort on the Rhine where he was born in 1335. His son, George, now 95 years old. lives in Fox Chapel. Mr. Zoerb built a house on the property now occupied by Vinski Brothers and operated a grocery store there. N