Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1912
Kiefer Family Biography
The father of Martin A. Kiefer, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, was Charles F. Kiefer, born in Zweibrucken, Rhenish, Bavaria, who in 1832 came to the United States and settled in Reserve township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the butcher business. In 1852 he engaged in the tanning and namufacturing of leather, which he carried on successfully until his death in Octover, 1865. He married Mary E. Lappee, born in Gros Umstadt, in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, came to the Untied States in 1833 with her parents who settled in Reserve township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where she was married in 1839. Children of Charles F. and Mary E. Kiefer: George J., desceased; Matilda M., deceased; Bertha, married Louis Straub and resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Rosalie, deceased; Charles F., Jr,. deceased; Adam J., a resident of Pittsburgh; Henry W., residing in the state of Idaho; Fred W., now of Bellevue, Pennsylvania; Amelia, deceased; Martin A., of who further; Albert C., deceased; Mary A., deceased; Edward C. W., of Missouri.
(II) Martin A., son of Charles F. Kiefer, was born November 22, 1855, in Reserve township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. His boyhood home is now a part of the city of Pittsburgh. He was educated in the public schools of Allegheny City, now Pittsburgh, North Side. When but a lad of fourteen years of age he entered the employ of J. B. Heard & Company, dry goods merchants of Pittsburgh, as cashier, remaining one year. His health and strength not being equal to this position he resigned, and for the following three years was employed in a meat market. In 1874 he went to Youngstown, Ohio, where he was employed in a meat market until 1876, when he engaged in the same business for himself, continuing successfully until 1891. In that year he disposed of his business in Youngstown and took a position with Armour & Company at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, remaining three months. On April 28, 1891, he established the Uniontown branch of Armour & Company, continuing with that company for eight months. In 1892 he opened a retail meat market in Uniontown, which he successfully and profitably conducted until 1905. In 1908 he opened a real estate and insurance office, continuing one year.
In 1910, in association with J. S. Amend and C. R. Wilson, he established the coal and coke brokerage business under the film name of "The National Fuel Company," in which he still continues.
He is a Republican in politics and has always been active in public affairs. In 1899 he was elected a member of the school board for a term of five years, and in 1903 or 1904 was chosen president of the board. In 1901 he was the candidate of his party for sheriff of Fayette county, being defeated by only fifty-six votes. In 1904 he was unanimously nominated for the same office by the Republican county convention and the followingNovember was elected by a plurallty of two thousand nine hundred and fifteen, the largest ever given a candidate for sheriff in the county. He served three years in the sheriff's office, wininng from the court the compliment of being the most efficient sheriff within their recollection. In 1911 he was again the successful candidate for sheriff, being elected by a large plurality. He has various outside business interests; he is a director of the Fayette Title and Trust Company, serving since 1906; is interested in the Wolf Creek Lumber Company of West Virginia, and is a director of the Chamber of Commerce. He is liberal, public-spirited in his views and has always labored for the improvement and development of his city. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Eagles, Heptasophs and German Beneficial Order.
He married (first) January 22, 1878, Catherine, daughter of Christ and Anna Deibel, of Youngstown, Ohio; married (second) August 25, 1891, Carrie E. daughter of David and Sarah C. (Shupe) Stoner. Mr. and Mrs. Kiefer are active members of the First Presbyterian Church of Uniontown.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.
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