George M. Pahel

History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Genealogical Memoirs, pp 542-3, John W Jordan, LLD, VOL II, Lewis Publishing,NY & Chicago, 1906 

GEORGE M. PAHEL, boss machinist in the railroad shops at Youngwood, was born near Duryea Station, April 1, 1864, and is a son of James and Jane Pahel. The father is now residing with his son Henry in Duryea, at the age of seventy eight years. In his early life he followed the canal for a number of years, after which he entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,with which he was connected until his retirement from active business life. In politics he is a staunch Democrat, and is a member of the Reformed Church, in which he served as deacon for a number of years. He is also a veteran of the civil war, being one of six brothers who enlisted in defense of the Union cause, and two of the number were killed at the front. James Pahel is now a member of Henry Gibson Post, No.384, GAR. His children, six in number, all yet survive: Henry 0., a locomotive engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad and resides at Duryea; Robert L., a caller for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at Duryea; Jacob W., a conductor on the same road and lives at Duryea; George M.; Mary, wife of Abendego Sylvester, of Duryea; and Matilda, wife of John Eckman, at Duryea. 

George M. Pahel acquired his education in the public schools, and at the age of sixteen years entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, being engaged at repair work under Andrew McCullough, track foreman of the Pittsburg division. For two years, he was located at Duryea, at the end of which time he accepted a position in the paper mills at West Newton, where he was employed for five years. In 1887 he again entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, accepting a position under Mac McClellan, roundhouse foreman at Duryea, in the capacity of machinist. In the fall of 1900 he was promoted and sent to Youngwood to act as boss machinist in the shops of this place. He is an expert machinist, thoroughly conversant with the work of building a locomotive in every part, and is therefore well qualified for the additional responsibility given him. Mr. Pahel married January 9, 1884, Catherine E. Baer, daughter of Ephraim Baer, of West Newton, Pennsylvania,and they have four children: Harry M., William D., Mamie and Sadie. In his political views Mr. Pahel is a Democrat, and in 1903 was elected a member of the borough council of Youngwood. He belongs to Youngwood Lodge, No.667, 100F; Duryea Tent, KOTM, and the Voluntary Relief Association of the Pennsylvania Railroad. 

Source Pages 542-543 History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N. Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906 
Transcribed August 15, 2001 by Michael Pahel Wayne for the Westmoreland County History Project 
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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NOTE: This article referred to Duryea Station and/or Duryea ten times. However, I have been unable to find any town by that name having ever existed in Westmoreland County (there is a Duryea in the eastern part of the state). Considering his affiliation with Youngwood and West Newton, I believe Duryea should read “Derry”. MPW