William Frederick Specht and Adelaide Octavia Brownell

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Husband William Frederick Specht ¹

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           Born: 15 Oct 1857 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 1
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         Father: William Specht (1825-      ) 2
         Mother: Elizabeth Heinemann (1827-Abt 1881) 1

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       Marriage: 

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Wife Adelaide Octavia Brownell ¹

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           Born: 10 Oct 1864 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 1
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         Father: William Shaw Brownell (1818-1900) 1
         Mother: Octavia C. Howard (1822-1882) 3

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Children

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1 M Frederick Specht ¹

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           Born: 15 Jul 1890 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 1
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2 F Edna Specht ¹

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           Born: 21 May 1893 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 1
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General Notes: Husband - William Frederick Specht

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He was educated in the public schools, continuing school attendance until he was sixteen years of age. He then secured a position in the drug store of Armstrong, Rogers & Company, also learning telegraphy under the instruction of M. L. Armstrong. In 1875 he entered the employ of Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad, a branch of the Pennsylvania railroad system, as exchange man, filling temporarily vacant positions along the line. In 1876 he entered the employ of Hamlin & Townsend at Clermont, Pennsylvania. In 1877 he was located in Bradford as assistant in a flour, feed and coal business. There he was stricken with typhoid, and as a result was compelled to remain idle until January 1, 1878. He then entered the grocery and drug store of Hamlin & Sartwell at Eldred, Pennsylvania, remaining until their store was destroyed by fire in October, 1878. In 1879 he returned to Smethport and entered the employ of Haskell & Gifford, general merchants. When Mr. Gifford sold out his interest and retired from the firm, Mr. Specht became manager of the store, continuing until 1881, when it was also destroyed by fire. In 1892, after becoming familiar with the insurance business with Haskell & Burdick, Mr. Specht having secured agencies from several companies, opened an office for the transaction of general insurance business. He was very successful and developed one of the largest underwriting agencies in the borough. For twenty years he was deputy prothonotary of McKean County, serving as such under four prothonotaries, regardless of politics, only resigning the position on account of the pressing demands of his growing insurance business.
He was a Republican in politics, served four years as councilman, one year as chief burgess, and school director many years. He was prominent in the Masonic order; was past master of McKean Lodge, No. 388, Free and Accepted Masons, and served as secretary; member of Bradford Chapter, No. 260, Royal Arch Masons; Bradford Council, Royal and Select Masters; Trinity Commandery, No. 58, Knights Templar; Zem Zem Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and a thirty-second degree Mason of Coudersport Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He was also past master of Select Knights, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Smethport Lodge, No. 182. In religious faith he was an Episcopalian, member of St. Luke's Parish of Smethport.

1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 114
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2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 125.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 115.