Augustine Snowden Karns and Lillian Collins

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Husband Augustine Snowden Karns ¹

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            AKA: Augustine S. Karns,2 Augustus S. Karns,3 Gustine S. Karns 4
           Born: 27 Aug 1857 - Cranberry Twp, Venango Co, PA 4 5
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1919
         Buried: 

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         Father: Samuel T. Karns (1831-1903) 4 5
         Mother: Sarah Frawley (1835-1914) 4 5

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       Marriage: 1910 - ? Venango Co, PA

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   Other Spouse: Florence A. Kribbs (      -1909) 5 6 - 26 Sep 1882 - Edenburg, Beaver Twp, Clarion Co, PA 4 5

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Wife Lillian Collins ⁵

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           Born:  - Franklin, Venango Co, PA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Thomas Collins (      -      ) 7
         Mother: Rose Ann Major (      -      ) 7

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Augustine Snowden Karns

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He was a child when the family removed to Franklin had the advantages of the excellent public schools there. When he began work it was in the employ of J. and R. H. Woodburn, merchants, with whom he continued for twelve years, from 1872, acquiring valuable experience. In 1884, with his father and brother Samuel, he formed the firm of G. S. Karns & Co., handling no­tions wholesale, and was so engaged for the next six years. From that time he devoted practically all of his attention to the freight transfer and storage business, which had been growing steadily, and which he con­tinued after his father's death. In 1907 it was incorporated as the S. T. Karns' Sons Company. The company has erected a brick storage warehouse eighty by two hundred feet in dimensions, and had facilities for handling and storing vast quantities of goods of all kinds. Some idea of the volume of business done may be gained from the fact that twenty-five teams were in daily operation, besides two large auto trucks. He was well known socially as a member of the Franklin and Wanango Clubs and the local lodge of Elks, as well as the Knights of Honor. Politically he was a Democrat, in religion a Baptist, belonging to the First Church of Franklin. [CAB, 669]

He was still a young boy when he moved to Franklin, PA, with his parents in 1864. He was educated in the local public schools and assumed the active responsibilities of life at an early age, selling papers as a newsboy on the old Jamestown & Franklin Railroad. He was the first to obtain the privilege on this line. Afterward he launched his business career with the Franklin mercantile firm of J. and R. W. Woodburn, in which he eventually became a junior partner and so con­tinued for twelve years. In 1884, with his father and his brother, Samuel Karns, he established a wholesale notion business, which was conducted for six years under the name of G. S. Karns & Company. When they were burned out by a disastrous fire in 1890, the partners turned to a new field, entering the transfer and storage business. He be­came sole owner of the enterprise at his father's death in 1904, purchasing all outstanding interests, and in 1907 incorporated the business as the S. T. Karns Sons Com­pany. In the years after he was president of the company, and his youngest son, Frederick P. Karns, was vice-president and general manager. Their joint efforts built up an organization well equipped to handle expeditiously the large volume of business which the company enjoyed. An extensive fleet of motor trucks was in daily operation and the corporation's brick storage warehouse, measuring eighty by two hun­dred feet in dimensions, had every facility for storing and handling freight and goods of all kinds, together with the most modern equipment.
During his long career at Franklin he gave most generously of his time and effort, as well as his means, to promote the development of the city and its civic progress. He was largely responsible for the organization of the Franklin Home Building & Loan Association and served as vice-president from the time of its inception. He supported the useful institutions of his community on all occasions and in 1925 was one of the most active members of the executive committee for the celebration of Franklin's “Old Home Week.” During the World War period, the responsibilities which he assumed in behalf of his coun­try's cause were manifold and no man in the county contributed more to the war effort. Among his principal interests at that time were his services as chairman of the Venango County Fuel Administration; as county director of transportation for the Council of National Defense; chairman of transportation for the Liberty Loan County Committee; secretary of the Financial Committee of the Franklin Chapter, American Red Cross; and a member of the Permanent Committee for the solicitation of funds for war purposes.
Mr. Karns was affiliated fraternally with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and was also a member of the Knights of Honor, the Franklin Club, the Franklin Ro­tary Club and the Wanango Country Club. A leading Baptist layman of Franklin, he was a deacon of the First Baptist Church and served for many years as a member of the board of trustees of his church. [HNP, 76]

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General Notes: Wife - Lillian Collins

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She was edu­cated in the public schools of Franklin, PA, and entered the employ of the S. T. Karns Company in 1898, the year following her graduation from high school. When it was incorporated in 1907 she was elected a member of its board of directors, afterwards became secretary and later secretary-treasurer of the company. Like her husband, she had many civic and com­munity interests outside the realm of business and achieved a notable record of service during the first World War, when she was county chairman of the Venango County Food Conservation Committee and secretary of the Venango County Liberty Loan Committee. She was an active worker in St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, of which she became a member in girlhood. She was a member of the executive board of the Franklin Chapter, American Red Cross beginning when it was organized, serving in later years as its secretary.

1 Joseph Riesenman, Jr., History of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. III (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., 1943), Pg 76.

2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 668.

3 Venango Co, PA, Marriage License.

4 Editor, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 827.

5 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 669.

6 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 1448.

7 Joseph Riesenman, Jr., History of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. III (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., 1943), Pg 77.