BIOGRAPHY: John FENLON, Esq., 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. 57-8
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JOHN FENLON, ESQ., the nestor of the Cambria county bar, is a son of James and
Catherine (MacDonald) Fenlon, and was born in Ireland in 1816. About 1834 he
emigrated to this country, and for a short time located in Philadelphia, where
he was employed by Robert Towland, a wholesale merchant of that place. At a
later date he removed to Ebensburg, this county, and after remaining here six
months, he removed to Indiana, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, where he entered
the law office of Judge Thomas White, a distinguished attorney of that place,
afterwards judge of the Tenth Judicial district of Pennsylvania. On finishing
the study of law under this able preceptor, he was admitted to the Indiana
county bar in 1837.
Immediately after his admission to the Indiana bar, he came to Ebensburg
and was admitted to the Cambria county bar, where he has since practiced his
profession. Politically he was reared a whig, but became a democrat during the
campaign that resulted in the election of James Buchanan for President, for
which candidate he voted. In 1848 he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature
on the Whig ticket, but at the end of that time retired from political life
until 1879, when, because of an issue involving an effort to remove the county
seat to Johnstown, he was persuaded to again stand as a candidate for election
to the legislature. He was elected and served until 1882. In addition to this he
has served his borough in the capacity of councilman and later as burgess.
Mr. Fenlon married Miss Catherine R. Myers, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and
this union has been blessed in the birth of the following children: John M., who
is at present in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana; Harry E., of Bellefonte,
Pennsylvania; Paul B., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Philip G. and Catherine,
the wife of Celestine Blair, of Ebensburg; Rose C. and Grace M. Philip G.
Fenlon, postmaster at Ebensburg, this county, was born June 15, 1867, in
Ebensburg, Cambria county, and received his early education in the schools of
that county. He learned the trade of a printer in the office of the Cambria
Freeman; after serving his apprenticeship he worked at his trade for two years,
when he accepted a position in the register and recorder's office under
Celestine Blair as deputy register and recorder. He remained in this position
four years. In 1893 he was appointed postmaster of Ebensburg, which position he
how holds. He has always affiliated with the Democratic party.
Mr. Fenlon is a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs.