Port Allegany Planing Mill



1888



1904
OUR BUILDING ENTERPRISE

Lynn Hall

Cameo Doll Company
 

OUR BUILDING ENTERPRISE
from the Souvenir Book of Port Allegany
by Eugene B. Squires, 1904
Information donated by Jim Young of Port Allegany

In noting the changes which have been made in this section in the past fifty years probably no business man of today has had more to do with or noted than Mr. John G. Hall, proprietor of the Port Allegany Planing Mill. Commencing business fifty years ago when the country about here was one solid mass of timber and continuing in the lumber business up to the present time. He has had ample opportunity to note the changes occurring during that period. Mr. Hall built the old planing mill on its resent site in 1888. He afterwards sold to Ventress Bro's., who later sold to E.P. Dalrymple. Mr. Hall, with his two sons, Walter J. and Howard H., then built a mill on the Benton estate and commenced building houses to rent or sell, erecting some forty houses which accounts for the rapid growth of that section. In March, 1903, the Dalrymple estate mill burned, Mr.Hall and sons bought back the old site and erected the present establishment which now covers a ground space of 20,000 sq. ft. J.G. Hall is the proprietor of the planing mill, W.J. Hall is dealer in builders supplies, dressed lumber, flooring, ceiling, siding, shingles, lath and plaster, roofing and building papers; in fact anything necessary in building. W. J. Hall has not a little prominence as an architect and builder. His motto is "Houses good to work in, good to live in and good to look at," and judging from appearances off houses erected this year he is verifying his motto admirably. To confirm this, one need only to stroll up Arnold avenue and see for themselves the pretty places he is building. The Reznor residence, a cut of which is given elsewhere in this book is now nearly completed and is a most modern built house throughout. The two residences belonging to G. A. Spraker and Howard Hall will when completed add much in a decidedly artistic manner to make Arnold avenue the prettiest street in Port Allegany. Any of our townspeople, or others, who are contemplating the erection of a model home, will do well to visit the establishment here mentioned as the proprietors will be glad to give you any information or estimate on the cost of same.

Port Allegany Doll Company Takes Over Planing Mill Plant
From the McKean County Democrat, January 9, 1936

The Cameo Doll Company, whose plant was completely destroyed by a $75,000 fire here last fall, today started work improving and enlarging the Hall Planing mill property on Mill Street, for occupancy within a few weeks. Sale of the property, which consists of two brick buildings, was completed by Howard H. Hall, planing mill owner, yesterday. Andy Anderson and his son, Lester Anderson, have the contact for construction and addition to the place. Mr. Hall, whose father John G. Hall, started the planin mill business on the site 75 years ago, retained a 36-foot strip of the lot, on which he will construct a smaller mill for his business. Meanwhile he will operate temporarily in the building formerly occupied by the Teacup Restaurant.

MILL MOVE TO LYNN HALL

At one time the Planing Mill, that was owned and operated by John G. Hall, was moved to Lynn Hall by John G Hall's son Walter Hall where production continued on a smaller scale while the Mill property was in the hands of another entrepreneur.

Dalrymple Related Articles

Kieth Dalrymple Again
McKean County Democrat, June 23, 1910

Last week the democrat made mention of the fact that Keith Dalrymple, a Port Allegany young man, had notified his Eastern friends that he was confined in a Nebraska jail charged with a serious crime. Saturday Sheriff Morrison received a postal from the Sheriff of the county in which Aurora, Nebraska, is located, saying that young Dalrymple had escaped from the jail at the place on Thursday of last week, and asking for information as to the present whereabouts of the young man, and offering a reward for his apprehension. The postal stated the young man was being held on charge of burglary and car breaking. The young man was the youngest son of the Late E. P. Dalrymple, of Port Allegany, and a grandson of the late Fitz Henry Arnold, who, for many years, was a prominent business man and capitalist of Port Allegany. Young Dalrymple will, when he becomes of age, come into possession of a fortune of upwards of $100,000. The young man, who was evidently been tramping about the country ever since he so mysteriously disappeared in a Western City a few years ago, has gone radically wrong, notwithstanding the bright prospects he had in life.

Final Account of Dalrymple Estate Filed
The McKean County Democrat, December 17, 1914

It is believed that Keith Dalrymple, the Port Allegany boy who is the heir to $365,000, is the victim of foul play. The seven-year search has been futile. When 13 years old he was taken to Long Beach, California, to reside with his grandmother, Mrs. F. H. Arnold. A few months later the boy left the Arnold home to visit a friend and since no trace of the boy has ever been found. A sad incident in connection with the mysterious case was the death of the missing boy’s mother, which occurred on the day that her son would have been 21 years old. The death of the mother was directly due to worry over the disappearance of her son. The final account of the estate of E.P Dalrymple and Keith E. Dalrymple has been filed by W. A. Dusenbury, executor of the estate of J. E. Dusenbury, who was guardian of Keith Dalrymple and executor of the E. P. Dalrymple estate. The guardians’s account show a balance of $365,000 belonging to Keith E. Dalrymple.

Keith Dalrymple, The Missing Boy Reported Located - The Port Allegany Heir Possibly Alive. - A Los Angeles Newspaper Story
McKean County Democrat April 15, 1915

For several years past this country as been scoured from coast to coast in fruitless search for Keith Dalrymple, the youngest son of the late E. P. Dalrymple, and a grandson of the late Fitz Henry Arnold, two of Port Allegany’s wealthiest citizens, who mysteriously disappeared while stopping in a western town some eight or nine years ago, in company with an uncle. Young Dalrymple is the heir to an estate of $300,000, which in the event the young man does not soon turn up soon will revert to the children of is late brother, Hugh Dalrymple, who passed away a few weeks ago. The Los Angeles, Cal., Express of recent date contains the following item, which it is sincerely hoped may prove to be cleared up, and that the rightful heir of this big fortune may come into possession of the same:
That a young man answering the description of Keith Dalrymple, reputed heir to an estate of 300,00 in Pennsylvania and who has been sought by relatives for nine years is in or about Los Angeles, was learned today. W. B. Linney, general agent of an insurance company with offices in the Merchants’ National Bank building, said he had met a young man, giving the name of K. D. Dalrymple, who may be the missing heir. Mr. Linney said he first met Dalrymple in McGill, Nev., and that the young man had told him that he had run away from home in Pennsylvania when a boy, as the missing heir did. The Dalrymple known by Mr. Linney was an engineer and automobile expert an married. The missing heir, when thirteen years old, left the east, it is said, to go to Long Beach.


Dalrymple Again Missing
McKean County Democrat July 20 1916

Keith Dalrymple of Port Allegany, PA., who was left a fortune of $400,000 by his father and who was found in Missouri about three months ago after a search that lasted eight years, has again disappeared. At east he could not be found here last night. The now famous Dalrymple will case was to have come up in surrogate’s court here on Monday. When Dr. Palmer of Charles City, in whose custody the young man has been for the last three months, was seen last night, he refused to discuss the case. W. A. Dusenberry, president of the First National Bank here, custodian of the Dalrymple fortune, also declined to be interviewed. Soon after being found, as it was claimed by his relatives, in a state hospital, in Missouri, last March, Dr. Palmer brought the lad east, and he spent several days in Port Allegany and Smethport, after which he was taken back to Charles City by Dr. Palmer, who is his cousin, and who desires o be made the young man’s guardian although Dalyrmple is over 21 years of age. Keith impressed those who knew him and who saw him on his visit here, as being perfectly normal, but as apparently laboring under a mental strain. He was closely guarded by the ones who were with him. It seems as if the courts should have power to settle up this peculiar case for all time. And it is high time that if any chicanery is being resorted to, that the facts should be ascertained.


Dalrymple Case Near Settlement
The Mckean County Miner, January 10, 1918
Thursday proceedings were held before the Orphan’s Court of McKean County at Smethport, for the purpose of obtaining a decree settling the accounts of John E. Desenbury, as guardian, and A. W. Dusenbury, as temporary administrator, of Keith Dalrymple’s estate. Friday Mr. Dusenbury applied to the surrogate’s court of Cattaraugus County for an order discharging him as temporary administrator and turning over the assets of the estate either to Keith Dalrymple or some lawfully constituted trustee of Keith Dalrymple. Friday hearing was adjourned until next Monday. It is understood that a trust company in Charles City, Iowa, will be designated as guardian of young Dalrymple’s estate and that Friday’s adjournment was made for the purpose of giving the trust company an opportunity to file a larger bond. John E. Dusenbury late of Portville, NY, was appointed by the will of Keith’s father, testamentary guardian of Keith Dalrymple. The will appointing Mr. Dusenbury was admitted to probate in the courts of McKean County, where Dalrymple hen resided. The estate at the time Mr. Dusenbury assumed guardianship was small, but largely through his business ability it enormously increased in value until at the time of his death it had attained a size reported to be approximately $400,000. Prior to the death of J. E. Dusenbury, Keith Dalrymple had disappeared and although efforts were made through various sources, including the Pinkerton detective agency, he could not be found. At the death of John E. Dusenbury W. A. Dusenbury, vice-president of the First National Bank and one of the executors of the will of John E. Dusenbury, was appointed temporary administrator of the estate of Keith Dalrymple. The administration was granted by the Surrogates’s Court of Cattaraugus County. The jurisdiction to make the appointment was band on two facts: (1) The large part of the estate consisted of securities in Safe deposit vaults in the First National Bank; (2) The continued absence of Keith Dalrymple which gave rise to the resumption of his death, subsequently about a year and a half ago other members of the family, entitled to shares in the estate in the event of his death, began proceedings in the Surrogate’s Court in Olean to compel distribution of the estate. The citation was served upon Keith Dalrymple by publication. On the return day of the citation Keith Dalyrmple appeared in person in the Surrogate’s Court of Cattaraugus County at Olean, NY. This was the first evidence that W. A. Dusenbury or any member of the family had since the disappearance of Keith Dalrymple, that he was still alive.


Keith Dalrymple Dies - Ran Away to Circus - Heir to huge Fortune
Mckean County Democrat, January 18, 1934

The news of the recent death of Keith Edwin Dalrymple of Los Angeles, California, has just been received by local kindred and friends. This closes the chapter of the most spectacular life of a man who was born in this place, disappeared about the year 1907 and remained missing for seven years. Proceedings had been started to declare him legally dead, when he appeared again just in time to prevent these proceedings from being carried through. Soon after being located again in the southwest, he came back to Port Allegany, but stayed only a short time to visit old surroundings and schoolmates. During his absence he had been a member of several carnival companies and circuses. Upon his return here he found that he was heir to a fortune of several hundred thousand dollars. His return here caused great excitement throughout this entire section. He later went to California, where he had since resided. Keith was the youngest son of the late Edwin P. Dalrymple and wife, Kale Arnold Dalrymple, and was born the day before the death of is mother. His father died not many years later ad his only brother, Hugh Dalrymple, passed away several years ago. Keith married about eight years ago, his wife and the following nieces and nephews surviving: Helen and Dorothy Dalrymple, both married and residing in Hamburg, N. Y., and Virginia and Norman Dalrymple of North East, Pa. One niece, Majorie, died about four years ago. The family was once the most outstanding and prominent in this part of the state. His maternal grandparents, Judge and Mrs Aaron S. Arnold ( she was formerly Miss Elen Medbury of Chenango County, N. Y.) came to Smethport in 1832 and removed to this place in 1886. Their only son, Fitz Henry Arnold, was born in April, 1834, just a century ago. Their only daughter, Vilentia, died at the age of 12. Judge Arnold died in 1874, the wealthiest man in the community. His son F. H. Arnold married Mis Justina Coats on January 1, 1857, who died in Long Beach Cal., several years ago. Their only child was the late Mrs. Kate Dalrymple, who died at the birth of Keith. F. H. Arnold was elected president of the national bank at its incorporation, May 2, 1888. probably to no other family is Port Allegany more indebted tan to Keith's forebears, especially to his father, the late E. P. Dalrymple, whose love and interest in his home town was proverbial. That circumstances have cheated this community of the benefits of the immense fortune that was accumulated by them through their efforts in the natural resources of those early days is no fault of theirs. It would seem that by the death of Keith, this may be written at the close of the chapter. However, the family plot just east of the Presbyterian Church will for ages silently recall the family's greatness