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1910 Census Upper Yoder, Cambria Co., PA. page 10B age 72 1910 Census Upper Yoder, Cambria Co., PA. page 16A ABEL PEDEN , SARAH C. PEDEN , CHARLES PEDEN b. 1-?-1878 , JOSEPH PEDEN b.10-?-1887, and ARNOLD SAYLOR grandson b.6-1899 see History of Cambria Co. Vol 3 page 602 Abel Peden (William2, George1) was born in Ligonier Valley, PA October,1834. Abel died May 23, 1921 in Johnstown, PA, at 86 years of age. Thefollowing obituary for Abel Peden was printed in the Johnstown Tribune onMay 24, 1921. Abel Peden, Aged 87, Carpenter, Dead -- Deceased was Brought Here fromthe Ligonier Valley by His Parents in '43 Abel Peden, a resident of this vicinity since 1843, died last night atthe Peden home along the Southmont Boulevard, aged 87 years. He had beenill for over a year suffering from a complication of diseases, includinghardening of the arteries. Funeral services will take place from thePeden home at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon, and will be conducted by theRev. William Robbins, formerly pastor of the Seventh Day AdventistsChurch, this city, now of Pittsburg. Burial will be made in the Pedenplot in Grandview Cemetery. The sons and grandsons of the deceased willact as pallbearers. The deceased was born in the Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland County, in1834. He was a son of the late William Peden, of Scotch parentage, whocame to America from County Derry, Ireland, 100 years ago and settled inPhiladelphia. A few years later William Peden and his wife crossed themountains into the Ligonier Valley, from which place he came to Johnstownin 1843. They were among the settlers in the Fifth Ward, formerly knownas Kernville, where both Mr. and Mrs. William Peden died many yearsbefore the Johnstown flood of 1889. William Peden was a carpenter and several of his sons followed the sameoccupation, among them Abel Peden, whose first work in this locality wason the Old Portage Railroad. Later Abel Peden worked for his brother,also a carpenter, and helped to build many of the early houses inKernville. Some 30 years ago Mr. Peden removed from the South Side toUpper Yoder and had since resided in that district. He and Miss SarahCollier, of Baltimore, were married in Johnstown soon after the CivilWar. Abel Peden and one of his brothers were in Government service atWashington D.C., but returned to Johnstown soon after the surrender ofLee. Abel Peden was a brother of James, Henry, Edward and John Peden, allof whom preceded their brother to the grave. Besides his widow, the deceased is survived by a daughter, Mrs. CharlotteWangler, of Akron, O.; five sons, George of Upper Yoder; William of Gray,Somerset County; Charles, of Salix, and Albert and Joseph, at home. He isalso survived by 23 grandchildren, among them Roy Peden, who served withthe American Expeditionary Forces in France and Germany and is now astudent at Otterbein University, Westerville, O. His body was interred May 25, 1921 in Johnstown, PA, Grandview Cemetery. He married Sarah Catherine Collier in Johnstown, PA, March 18, 1866?.Sarah was born in Baltimore, MD October 18, 1845. Sarah was the daughterof James Oliver Collier and Catherine. Sarah died November 24, 1937 inLambertville, MI, at 92 years of age. Her body was interred November 27,1937 in Johnstown, PA, Grandview Cemetery. The following 90th birthdaystory about Sarah Collier Peden was printed in the Toledo Blade, Friday,October 25, 1935. Devastating Flood Added to Harrowing Childhood - Lambertville Woman of 90Recalls Escape From Johnstown Disaster After Fleeing From Cruelty ofWoman Kidnaper. Lambertville, MI, Oct. 25 -- To have been listed as a survivor of theJohnstown flood would be considered by most anyone as experience enoughfor one lifetime, but, Mrs. Sarah Peden, who celebrated her 90th birthdayanniversary recently by entertaining 22 relatives and friends, had achildhood experience that sounds like a story that might have been takenfrom a popular magazine that specializes in true experiences. Born in Baltimore, Mrs. Peden was one of a family of five children whosesurname was Collier. The mother, a tailoress, seldom was at home duringthe day. One day when 8-year-old Sarah and her 4-year-old brother werehome alone, a strange woman came to the door and the method she used toentice the children away never has been remembered by Mrs. Peden. Theonly memory she has is of riding in a covered wagon over rough roads fora long distance. They made a brief stop at Mount Savage and thencontinued to Johnstown, Pennsylvania. That was the beginning of years of inhuman treatment for those twoyoungsters. They had been kidnaped by a woman, who not only sold liquorin her home, but was one of her own best customers. Tasks were assignedto the tots that required more strength than they possessed and when theyfailed, a lashed whip that made marks on the children's bodies, whichalways were stripped for punishment always was forthcoming. In addition to being child slaves, they were taught to steal. One oftheir tasks was to hop coal cars and throw off enough fuel for theestablishment. WATCHMAN CATCHES HER STEALING BRICKS One night, when the girl was about14 years old, she was apprehended by a watchman at the brick yard whereshe had been sent to purloin bricks for a walk at the rear of the house.In desperation, she told her story to the watchman and although he hadthe woman arrested and fined, apparently nothing could be done to assistthe kidnaped children. According to Mrs. Peden, a law prevailed at that time in Pennsylvaniawhereby a person was fined $100 for aiding a bound-child and they wereconsidered bound children because their kidnaper had in some way obtainedpapers to that effect. Shortly after the brick stealing incident, the girl decided to run away,and watching for a chance, managed to secret herself in a stable leftwhere she hid three days. Kind hearted neighbors, who wanted to assistthe abused children, but were afraid of violating the existing law, didmanage to get food to her. When the child had summoned enough courage to make the break for freedomshe put as much distance between herself and the woman as was possibleduring the daylight hours. She slept in fence corners at night. FARM WOMAN GIVES HER HOME Finally she approached a farmhouse at Latrobe,Pa. and after telling her story to the motherly looking woman who livedthere, the timid child asked if she might stay at the farm. The woman wastouched by the frail girl's almost unbelievable story and said althoughshe could not pay her wages, she would give her a good home for herassistance. She was given 12 cents a week for spending money, however. After being returned to Johnstown several times because he was a boundchild, the boy, Robert, managed to make a getaway. The little girl now was a young lady and although she appreciated thegood home and kind treatment she felt she must obtain employment whereshe could earn money. She went back to Johnstown to seek such a place. She worked several places where there were small children and she studiedwith them as they did their work for she now was conscious of the factthat she never had been permitted to attend school. A position was offered her in a home where a woman had suffered a brokenhip. She remained there much longer than she had anticipated for March18, she married her employer's son, Abel Peden. After Mrs. Peden was the mother of six children, a friend urged her toplace an advertisement in the Baltimore Sun and see if she could get intouch with her people. The advertisement brought letters immediately andone from a sister brings tears to Mrs. Peden's eyes as she relates it. MOTHER SEARCHES CITY CONTINUOUSLY The letter informed her that her fatherwas living and had remarried shortly after the death of their mother. Thesister said that after the children were kidnaped Mrs. Collier walked thestreets, searching for her little ones. Often she would creep up tolighted windows and peep in to see if the child she heard crying could beher little girl or boy. Relating the story of the flood which occurred May 31, 1889, Mrs. Pedensaid that exceptionally heavy spring rains had made the river overflow sothat water covered their yard in the morning and kept rising until thedam ? miles above the town gave way at 4 in the afternoon. The rush ofwater swept away everything in its path. Mr. and Mrs. Peden, their seven children, together with four otherpersons who were living with them (one an 80-year-old paralytic) hadassembled in the upstairs of the upright part of their house, for thewater was up to the second story windows. Suddenly they felt the houserise up into the air and then settle down -- off the foundation, and theywent floating-down stream. Luckily, all 13 members of the Peden householdwere saved although they lost all their possessions. Mr. Peden died in 1911 (sic, should be 1921). Six of her childrensurvive. Mrs. Peden came from Pennsylvania several years ago to make herhome with her son, J. B. Peden of Lambertville.
Gilbert D.
Slagle
