BIOGRAPHY: Col. David D. BLAUCH, Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann 
Olsen. 

Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty 
Mirovich and Sharon Ringler.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 274-6
____________________________________________________________

COL. DAVID D. BLAUCH, a man of varied and successful business experience, and a 
leading real-estate dealer of Johnstown, is a son of David and Barbara (Fyock) 
Blauch, and was born in Paint township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, June 11, 
1849. The Blauch and Fyock families respectively are of Swiss and German origin, 
and were among the early settlers of Somerset county. Jacob Blauch was a native 
of the celebrated city of Berne, Switzerland, and settled at an early day in 
Somerset county, where he followed farming until his death at an advanced age. 
Of his sons who remained in the county, one was David Blauch, who was born in 
1789, and died in 1872. He was a shoemaker by trade, but followed farming during 
his long and useful life. He was a member of the Mennonite church, and passed 
his years with remarkable exception from pain and sickness, never being ill a 
day until his summons came to rest from the toils of life.
     Mr. Blauch married Barbara Fyock, a native of Somerset county, and a member 
of the Seven-Day Baptist church. She was born in 1808, and passed away in 1884, 
at seventy-six years of age. Her father, John Fyock, an old and well-known 
resident of Somerset county, lived to a ripe old age.
     Col. David D. Blauch did not grow to manhood in his native township, but 
after receiving his education in the common schools came to Johnstown when in 
his sixteenth year. He served as a clerk for some time in a general mercantile 
establishment; next learned the trade of carpenter, and then took charge of a 
stationary engine for the Cambria Iron company. Later he was transferred to the 
roofing department of the works, and after working in all of its different 
divisions was promoted to chief roofing clerk, which position he held until the 
time of the great flood of 1889. After the city had passed from the immediate 
effect of the flood Mr. Blanch turned his attention to contracting and building, 
which was then so badly needed, and during two years contributed his part 
towards rebuilding Johnstown. Retiring from contracting and building in 1892, he 
embarked in his present real-estate business.
     On November 10, 1874, Colonel Blauch married Emma Campbell, a daughter of 
Christopher Campbell, of Indiana county, Pennsylvania. Their union has been 
blessed with two children--daughters: Jessie May, died at the age of two and a 
half years, and Barbara, a member of the junior class of Johnstown high school, 
aged fourteen.
     As a business man Colonel Blauch is capable and well qualified, and 
conducts with skill and sound judgment whatever enterprise he may be engaged in. 
He is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Johnstown, in which he 
is useful and efficient for the promotion and advancement of every good 
enterprise. While active in business and useful in the church, yet Col. David D. 
Blanch has found time to be serviceable to his city in various other ways. He is 
prominent and influential in various beneficial and secret societies. He is a 
member of Washington Camp, No. 583, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and 
Johnstown Lodge, No. 538, Free and Accepted Masons, and Portage Chapter, No. 
195, Royal Arch Masons. He is also a member and past chancellor of Johnstown 
Lodge, No. 57, Knights of Pythias, and a member and past representative of 
Independent Castle, No. 51, Ancient Order of the Knights of the Mystic Chain, 
and the organizer of the castle. In 1880 he was awarded a gold medal by the 
Select Castle of Pennsylvania for having organized the largest number of castles 
in the State. Colonel Blauch is a member of Pride of Cambria Castle, No. 52, of 
Johnstown, and Monarch Temple, No. 7, of Washington City, of the Knights of the 
Golden Eagle. He is colonel of the Sixth regiment of the Uniformed Rank of the 
Eagles. For six years he was colonel of the Seventh regiment, and for three 
years was on the staff of the lieutenant-general, and past grand chief of the 
jurisdiction of Pennsylvania, and a member of the Supreme Castle of the United 
States. As an organizer in this branch of the order he has few equals, having 
introduced the order in four counties, besides organizing some thirty-four 
castles. Colonel Blauch is a representative member of the Order of the Knights 
of the Golden Eagle, whose teachings, if they could find expression in the daily 
acts of all men, would put a new color into life and a new light on the face of 
humanity."