Joseph A. (James) Lauffer

  General Notes:

James residence was70 West 2nd Street. Greensburg, PA,

From the 1906 Lauffer History

The fifth son of the generous hearted Peter Lauffer was reared on the home farm near Harrison City, Pa. He received a good education, and at the age of 21 he engaged in the grocery business in Greensburg, Pa., which he had pursued all his life. He was a staunch Republican and a member of the First Reformed Church of Greensburg, Pa., taking an active part in Sunday school and general church work. Having served as treasurer of their C. E. Society and Sunday School for 13 years. For nearly 4 years he had not been absent from Sabbath school a single Sabbath.

He served a term in the N. G. P., 10th regiment, Co. I., of Greensburg, Pa.

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHY OF JOSEPH A. LAUFFER FROM ANOTHER SOURCE.

Joseph A. Lauffer, Chairman of the Lauffer History Publication Committee, is one of Greater Greensburg's leading business men. His store is located on West Second Street, near the corner of Mill Street. This store is favorably situated in a residence portion of the city, and enjoys the patronage of a number of Greensburg citizens, who reside in that immediate locality, as well as the good will and trade of many in other parts of Greensburg, and from the country districts.

The stock of goods kept by Mr. Lauffer consists of what is usually term “general merchandise,” embracing groceries, dry goods, hardware and, in fact, about everything a household requires. In the selection of his stock Mr. Lauffer is guided by the light of an ample experience, and he aims to keep what the people need, and to keep a first quality of goods, which he sells at a fair and equitable price.

In addition to these principles, he cherishes and is governed by the greater principles embodied in the Golden Rule, by which his patrons have learned that they can always rely upon honest and courteous treatment.

That the above is the true foundation of a successful business career, has been frequently demonstrated, and the success of Mr. Lauffer as a merchant is but another instance of the truth.

His first experience in merchandising was in South Greensburg, where he embarked upon the sea of enterprise in 1891. After four years he came to Greensburg and leased the old Blythe stand, on Maple avenue.

When contemplating leasing this room Mr. Lauffer's friends did what they could to discourage the venture, pointing out the fact that others had failed to succeed in that location. Despite these well-meant efforts, however, he leased the room, which he successfully occupied for four years. He then leased the store room in the Pollins building, corner of Mill and Second streets.

This room had also been looked upon as an unfortunate point, but during the seven years it was occupied by Mr. Lauffer he enjoyed a large and lucrative patronage.

Having a justifiable ambition to own property, Mr. Lauffer purchased his present residence, and, after fitting up two rooms for store purposes, he removed thereto on April 1st of the present year. The present arrangements are but temporary in character, as it is his purpose to materially improve his present facilities.

In addition to the business of merchant, Mr. Lauffer is engaged in the poultry business. He is an ardent advocate of improved breeding, and he keeps only the best varieties of fowls, furnishing eggs for setting to many people in the country and elsewhere.

He also furnishes canary birds of the best quality, and has seven pairs of breeders of those known to fanciers as St. Andreasburg. These birds are the best known, and those kept by Mr. Lauffer are the purest thoroughbreds, imported from Germany. Prices on these birds can be had on application.

The sacred writer says: “A good name is better than precious ointment,” and many of our citizens have ample cause to entertain a justifiable pride in the name they have inherited from their ancestors. We recently saw a history of the Lauffer family, and from which we learned that it is loosely interwoven with the history of our country for a long period of time. It is a name that seems to have always been synonymous with good citizenship, history and patriotism, and while this work of the Lauffer historian is of special interest to those who have descended from that branch, there is much therein that is of interest to all.

Joseph A. Lauffer, of whom we write, was born in Penn township, near Harrison City. His only recollection of man's greatest friend - his mother - is of sitting on her knee, before an old-fashioned wood fire. She died when he was but four years of age. His father married again, securing an estimable lady for his wife, who proved a model step-mother to his sister's motherless child. The love of this good woman was fully returned, and the bond of sympathy between the step-mother and orphan became as strong as links of steel, and as lasting as time. Joseph attended the country school, and assisted his father on the farm. He afterwards graduated in a high school and was thus prepared to step out into the world, qualified for any ordinary business pursuit.

The excellent woman who supplied a mother's place taught him to love the things that are good, and carefully guided his young feet along the paths of righteousness. This training, together with the example of an upright father, instilled within him the virtues that have characterized his life, and have enabled him to win and retain many friends.

Mr. Lauffer is a staunch Republican in politics, and as active member of the First Reformed church of Greensburg.

When visiting in the vicinity of Latrobe he met Miss Elizabeth C. Bridenthal, daughter of Mr. Harry A. Bridenthal, the result of which meeting was a wedding, and it seems that Mr. Lauffer's lucky star was in the ascendancy, as he secured a prize in the matrimonial lottery, and a wife who proved herself a loyal helpmate in every sense of the term. They have one child, a bright little girl, Grace Mildred.

After their marriage permit us to say, Mrs. Lauffer took an extensive hand in helping to gather the Lauffer history as it now is; for two years they gave of their time and close attention to the work.

Mr. Lauffer is an active member in the church of which he is a member, and his creditably filled a number of offices therein. He is also closely identified with the Sabbath school and is a regular attendant, seldom missing a day. As a citizen and neighbor he is respected by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance, and that his life and conduct fully come up to the high standard set by his ancestors is a fact beyond dispute.

It give us pleasure to be able to speak well of a gentleman who is perfectly worthy of the highest eulogy we might write.

Joseph married Elizabeth C. Bridenthal on 1 Jan 1904 in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. (Elizabeth C. Bridenthal was born on 24 Oct 1880.)