William Edgar Piper

Bill Piper

The 52 Ancestors theme this week is “taxes” so I’m writing about someone in my husband’s family that did taxes for a living.

William Edgar Piper, son of George Ray Piper, Sr. and Effie Dunlap McConnaughey, was born on January 26, 1924 in Ligonier, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He had a sister named Catherine Jane Piper and a brother named George Ray Piper, Jr. He was most likely named for his paternal grandfather, William Edgar Piper, who was killed in a September 1937 mining accident at the Marietta Mine in Ligonier. He went by Bill and was the husband of my husband’s first cousin 1x removed. Bill and my husband have no common relatives.

On April 3, 1930, Bill and his family lived in a rented house on West Market Street in Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. At age six, he was attending school. His father was a bookkeeper in a coal mine.

On April 30, 1940, Bill and his family lived in Truxall, Bell Township of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His father was still working as a clerk at the coal mine. Bill was 18 years old when he registered with the U.S. Army in 1942. At the time, he lived in Truxall and worked at Truxall Mine for the Westmoreland Mining Company in Blairsville. Bill had a ruddy complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He was 5’, 10” tall and weighed 145 pounds. Bill entered active service with Company L of the 87th Infantry in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania on April 30, 1943 and was sent overseas to fight in World War II (WWII). His service ended at the McGuire General Hospital in Richmond, Virginia on December 19, 1945. I don’t know the circumstances of his injury, but Bill lost a leg during the war.

World War II registration card

Bill married Alma Margaret Smith, daughter of Howard Stanley Smith and Myrtle Mary Stewart, in 1946, most likely in Apollo. Together they had three children during the 1950s—Jeffrey William Piper, Brian Edgar Piper, and David Alan Piper. During their marriage, Bill and Alma owned and operated Piper’s Jewelry Store in Apollo for 12 years and Piper’s Accounting Service in Kiski Township for 32 years. It doesn’t surprise me that Bill opened an accounting business since his father was a bookkeeper himself.

On May 19, 1950, Bill received $335 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a bonus compensation paid to honorably discharged veterans and those still in active service. For serving 29 months of active domestic service, Bill received $290. For 3 months of active foreign service, he received $45. It doesn’t seem like much money for what the men who fought WWII went through but I image it was welcome income.

Alma was my mother-in-law Mary (Athya) Murphy’s cousin. Mary often spoke fondly of Alma. As young girls, they lived fairly close so most likely saw each other often, at least enough that they exchanged letters most of their adult lives. I have some of Alma’s letters to Mary which I’ll use to fill in some of the dashes of Bill’s life in this blog post.

In 1959, Bill ran for and was elected as Armstrong County’s treasurer—the “first Democrat to be elected to a courthouse office in 40 years” according to the Daily Leader-Times in Kittanning. He was sworn in on December 31, 1959. The Armstrong County Young Democrats held a banquet in July 1960 to honor him for this achievement. After leaving office in 1963, auditors discovered that funds amounting to $9,180.65 were missing from the treasurer’s office—$5,102.13 from the Tax Claims Bureau and $4,078.52 from the general fund. A female clerk who worked in Bill’s office was eventually charged and found guilty of embezzlement in the case. According to the Daily Leader-Times, “The jury accompanied the verdict with a recommendation for leniency, “because of the inadequate supervision of the treasurer’s office.” The Insurance Company of North America, the bonding agent for Bill and his employees, felt Bill was responsible as he should have been aware of what was going on in his office.

At some point in the late 1970s or early 1980s, Bill’s son Brian was involved in a motorcycle accident and badly injured. His left kneecap and collarbone were both shattered and he had a compound fracture near his left wrist. Alma wrote in one of her letters that “the bones were so smashed, they had to shorten his arm.” She also wrote that “a nerve was severed by a bone fragment.” He had no feeling in his fingers and thought his arm was laying across his chest when it was actually suspended from an IV stand. Brian never regained the use of his arm.

Bill retired at the end of 1985, although he still planned to do the tax returns for his monthly clients—just a few of the simple ones. Once they got past tax season, Bill and Alma planned to visit family and clean up a much-neglected house (her words, not mine). But late the next year Alma had a heart attack. That, along with complications from diabetes that Alma had suffered from for the past 12 years, put a halt to their plans. Bill had health issues of his own as well—a hernia that caused him to choke on food, gall bladder issues, and three prostrate operations. He nearly died at one point on September 21, 1985 although Alma’s letter doesn’t mention from what. Bill lost a lot of blood though and had to have his stomach pumped. In 1986, Alma wrote that the period of January to April 15 was horrible. Bill was sick in bed for several days in a row and work got “piled up.” She said they filed for more extensions than ever that year and it seemed like they did tax returns all year. Bill was again in the hospital in May and June that year, and then on September 17 had one and a half inches amputated from what was left of the leg he lost in World War II. He had to wait several months before he could be fitted for a new leg. Alma wrote that their social hours those days were going to the doctors! Bill was still in the midst of doing sales tax reports and had to work through a lot of pain. Bill and Alma did manage to get some work done on the house that year—new garage doors, new floors, part of a wall re-built, the living and dining rooms painted, new living room furniture and blue carpet—but still needed to paint the other rooms in the house and replace the carpet. Those would have to wait until the next year though, like so many other things. In a Christmas card one year, Alma wrote “Next year—honest—after taxes we are going to do some things. Heck with the house and yard.” In another Christmas card she wrote “Hope you are all well and able to enjoy the holidays. Surprise us May, June, August, September, November, or December!!! January, February, March, and April we might as well rent up upstairs!” If you work in the tax business, you basically give up a good part of your year.

On November 9, 1992, Bill lost his wife Alma to stomach cancer. She was buried at Riverview Cemetery in Apollo. Less than three years later, Bill died at home in Apollo on June 9, 1995. Sadly, the cause of death listed on his death certificate was a self-inflicted gunshot to the chest. Bill was laid to rest beside Alma at Riverview Cemetery.

The Piper plot at Riverview Cemetery. Their son Brian died
on August 16, 1998 and was buried beside Bill and Alma.

Active in his community, Bill was a member of the Apollo United Presbyterian Church, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, the Apollo Lions Club, Limestone, N.Y. Masons, Pittsburgh Syria Shrine, Coudersport Consistory, the Apollo Elks Lodge, Kiski Township Fire Department, and the Apollo Hose Company Number 2.

In Alma’s letters, she often spoke of not being able to take time off due to work or health issues. There were many promises of “next year.” I hope at some point they were able to make that time before their deaths.

______________________

Simpsons’ Daily Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA, December 31, 1959, July 22, 1960, February 20, 1962, March 7, 1964, April 10, 1964, September 4, 1964, September 22, 1964, and September 2, 1965.

Alma M. Piper obituary, newspaper unknown, 1992.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania death certificates for Alma Piper (1992) and William Edgar Piper (1995).

Multiple personal letters written by Alma (Smith) Piper to Mary (Athya) Murphy.

Keziah Chambers Horne

Keziah Chambers Horne, daughter of Moses Horne and Elizabeth Larimer, was born on July 24, 1873 in Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. She was one of eight children—Amanda Larimer Horne, Jennie Horne, Lydia E. Horne, Josephine B. Horne, Ollie Bertha Horne, George Richard Horne, Sr., Keziah Chambers Horne, and one unknown child. I don’t know the sex or name of the eighth child. It was noted in 1900 census records when Elizabeth Horne was enumerated as having had eight children. I have only found seven children for her. Keziah was my husband’s great grand aunt.

5/3/24 update: The unknown child was William Alexander Horne, born November 23, 1871, and likely died an infant. Also, Ollie Bertha Horne is incorrect. I believe her correct name to be Olean (or Olena) “Ollie” R. Horne. And Lydia's middle name is likely Etta.

On June 26, 1880, Keziah and her family lived in Apollo. His father was a “dealer in groceries” and her mother a dressmaker. She was enumerated as Kizzie. Keziah was received from probation at Apollo United Methodist Church in Apollo on August 25, 1889. She was baptized there on September 10, 1889.

1880 census record

Keziah married Lewis Hamland Shepler Jr., son of Lewis Hamland Shepler Sr. and Louisa Reeves, on May 23, 1896 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in a ceremony performed by Rev. C. B. King. Lewis was part of the Shepler family that originated in Germany and whose presence in America dated back prior to the Revolutionary war. Lewis was employed as a merchant, involved in the family business—dry goods. Together Keziah and Lewis had seven children—Bryon Reeves Shepler, Elizabeth Horne Shepler, Josephine Marie Shepler, Louise Margaret Shepler, Harry Thomas Shepler, Howard Moses Shepler, and Harold Lewis Shepler. Bryon was born on August 5, 1896 in Leechburg, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, just over two months after Keziah and Lewis were married.

Marriage License for Keziah and Lewis

Keziah’s daughter Elizabeth was born in Leechburg on May 3, 1900. The census enumerator visited their home on June 1 and found Keziah, Lewis, and their two children (Bryon and Mary) renting a home there in Leechburg. A daughter was enumerated as Mary (age one month) so I assume that was Elizabeth. The age is correct. Keziah and Lewis had been married four years. She was enumerated as having had two children, both of which were living. Lewis was a dry goods merchant. Lewis’ brother Van T. Shepler opened a dry goods store in Leechburg in 1897. Perhaps Lewis was working in that store with or for his brother. There was an 18-year-old black woman named Eva M. Taylor living in the home, enumerated as a servant.

1900 census record

Keizah’s daughter Josephine was born February 3, 1904 in Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, about 25 miles from Apollo. Van Shepler opened another store in Blairsville in 1902 so perhaps Lewis moved the family there to work in that store. They were still living in Blairsville when their daughter Louise was born on August 7, 1906. Keziah and Lewis lived in Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in 1908. Lewis was working in the dry goods and notions business. Again, Van Shepler opened a Kittanning store in 1905 so I’m wondering if Lewis moved the family again to work in that store.

1908 city directory

Keziah’s father Moses died of heart disease on April 11, 1910 in Apollo. Moses was buried on April 13 at Apollo Cemetery. I don’t know if Keziah was living in Apollo at the time but by April 20, 1910, she and her family had moved to Apollo where they lived on North 9th Street. Keziah and Lewis had celebrated 14 years of marriage by the time the census enumerator came around. It was the first marriage for both. Keziah was enumerated as the mother of four children, all of which were living. Lewis worked as a manager in a dry goods store. On December 18, 1910, Keziah gave birth to twin boys in Apollo—Harry Thomas Shepler and Harold Lewis Shepler. Tragically, Harry died a month later on January 25, 1911 of catarrhal pneumonia (a leading cause of infant mortality in the early 1900s) after being sick for just three days. Baby Harry was buried at Apollo Cemetery on January 26. On February 18, 1912, Keziah gave birth to a baby boy they named Howard Moses Shepler. Howard was given the middle name Moses I assume to honor Keziah’s father. Keziah’s mother Elizabeth died in Apollo on May 1, 1913 after suffering from senile dementia for three years. Elizabeth was buried beside her husband at Apollo Cemetery on May 3. The Pittsburgh Daily Post carried a death notice on May 3:

Mrs. Elizabeth Horne, 83 years old, widow of Moses Horne, died in her home, in Apollo.

Keziah’s brother George was tragically killed in 1915 in a train accident. He died on December 19, 1915 from a fractured skull and other injuries caused after being struck by a locomotive on the Conemaugh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad at the West Apollo Crossing. George was buried at Vandergrift Cemetery in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

By January 13, 1920, Keziah and her family had moved to 133 Lafayette Avenue in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, the home Keziah would live in for the rest of her life. Her son Bryon no longer lived in the home and Lewis was no longer working at a dry goods store. Instead, he was a chamber man at an acid plant. Keziah’s sister Lydia died in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania on October 2, 1923. She was buried at Vandergrift Cemetery.

1920 census record

On April 11, 1930, the census enumerator again found the Shepler family living on Lafayette Avenue in Vandergrift. They owned the home which was valued at $7,500. In performing this census, the enumerator checked to see if the family had a radio. She (Mrs. Carrie Bell) didn’t find one at this home. Keziah and Lewis had now celebrated 25 years of marriage. Lewis was still a chamber man but now at a steel plant. The only children living in the home were Harold and Howard. Harold, at age 19, was married and joined by his wife Mildred. Harold worked at a gasoline station as an attendant.

On April 3, 1940, Keziah and Lewis are living alone in the Lafayette Avenue home. The house had gone down in value to $4,500. At age 68, Lewis was retired, or rather, pensioned, as written by the census enumerator. The highest grade that Keziah had completed in school was the 10th. Lewis graduated from high school, completing 12 grades. Keziah’s sister Josephine died in Apollo on March 24, 1941 of mitral stenosis at the age of 76. She was buried at Apollo Cemetery on March 26. Josephine was blind and never married. Her sister Amanda Larimer Horne Smith died on January 11, 1943 in Washington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Amanda was buried at Apollo Cemetery.

1940 census record

On January 29, 1953, 79-year-old Keziah suffered a fatal heart attack at her Lafayette Avenue home in Vandergrift. She died 12 hours later. Keziah was buried on February 1 at Riverview Cemetery (also known as Apollo Cemetery) in Apollo. Lewis lived for another five years before his death on June 13, 1958 in Oklahoma, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He was buried at Riverview Cemetery with Keziah.

I don't have a picture of Keziah but do have pictures of two of her sisters and several of her children so you can imagine what she might have looked like.

Sisters Josephine and Amanda

Sisters Amanda and Josephine