BIOGRAPHY: Michael BRACKEN, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 260-1
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MICHAEL BRACKEN, a highly respected citizen and successful lumber merchant and 
contractor, of Gallitzin, this county, is a son of Michael and Mary Coughlin 
Bracken, and was born in Johnstown, this county, March 26, 1832. His father, 
Michael Bracken, was born in Kings county, Ireland, and for a number of years 
was a tenant of Lord Ross, the scientist. He emigrated to America in 1827, and 
located for a short time in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and in 1828 removed to 
Johnstown, where he resided for six or seven years. From Johnstown he removed to 
the Viaduct, near Mineral Point, this county, where he remained until his death 
in 1863, aged seventy-four years. He engaged in farming to some extent, but 
devoted a large part of his time to contracting. His wife was also a native of 
Ireland, and with her husband was a devout member of the Roman Catholic church. 
She died in 1847.
     Michael Bracken was reared a farmer boy on the old homestead farm near 
Mineral Point, and received his early education in the common schools. He 
remained on the farm until 1852, when he engaged in the lumber business near 
Mineral Point. In 1854 and 1855, Mr. Bracken and his brother, Patrick Bracken, 
secured the contract for laying several miles of the track for the new Portage 
railroad. Having fulfilled the terms of the above contract, in 1856, Mr. Bracken 
returned to the lumber business, which he has since conducted with much success. 
In 1864 he removed to Gallitzin, this county, where his large planing mill is 
located. He leases large tracts of timber land, and by means of his portable 
saw-mill manufactures all the lumber he handles. His saw-mill is at present 
located near Bennington, Blair county, where he has control of a large tract of 
timber. From 1885 until 1895, Mr. Bracken also conducted a general store in 
Gallitzin, and in connection with his lumber interests has been engaged as a 
contractor and builder. He has furnished the lumber for, and built nearly one-
half of the houses of his borough, besides having built the fire-brick school 
house and the Opera house.
     He owns a tract of coal land near Mineral Point, which for the last fifteen 
years has been leased to other parties, who have been operating mines in that 
section. Mr. Bracken has always been an enterprising citizen, and has been 
largely instrumental in the material development and growth of the town in which 
he lives. In 1889 he was the prime mover in the organization of the Gallitzin 
Water company, in which he is also the largest stockholder. Prior to the 
incorporation of the company, many deaths occurred in the borough which were 
traced directly to the use of impure water. Now the town is well supplied with 
pure water pumped from wells three hundred feet deep. In political sympathy he 
is a democrat, and has faithfully served his town in different offices. But 
aside from the natural interest displayed by every patriotic citizen, he has 
never taken an active part in local politics. In religious opinion he is a 
devout member of the Roman Catholic church, which receives his most liberal 
support.
     In 1866 he was united in marriage with Miss Louisa, a daughter of Martin 
Christy, of Blair county, Pennsylvania, and their union has been blessed in the 
birth of the following children: Frank B., a lawyer, of Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania; James H., William C., John P., Paul V., Michael J., Louis C., who 
died in 1893, aged twelve years, and Joseph, who died in 1876.