29 May 1946
Unknown Newspaper from Punxsy Historical Society

Thomas T. Haggerty Dies in Reynoldsville

Thomas T. Haggerty, esteemed Reynoldsville resident, died in his home Wednesday at the age of 81 years. He had been ill three weeks but his death came as a profound shock to his many friends in this section, where he was well known as a miner, farmer and labor organizer for the United Mine Workers of America.

The deceased was born in Turney Hill, Scotland, May 13, 1865, a son of Hugh and Mary (Marshall) Haggerty. He was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Ketzel, February 9, 1886 and had lived in Reynoldsville since 1900, except for a few years spent in West Virginia. Between the years 1895 and 1915, he devoted a great deal of his time and energy as a labor organizer with the UMW, and was an officer in that union.

He is survived by his wife and the following sons and daughters: Mrs. Mary Sanson, Charleston, W. Va.; Mrs. Sue Miller, Limestone; Mrs. Foster Withroup, New Bethlehem; Mrs. Elizabeth McKenney, Uniontown; Mrs. Agnes Keenan, Poland, O.; Mrs. Kathryn Armagost and Hugh Haggerty, Reynoldsville; Andrew, Waterman and John, Clarion.

Friends will be received in the Ober Funeral Home until 9 o'clock Saturday morning when the body will be removed to St. Mary's Catholic Church, Reynoldsville. Rev. Daniel Fitzpatrick will officiate and interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Reynoldsville.

Taken from “Jefferson County, Pennsylvania - Her Pioneers and People,” Vol. II, by Dr. William James McKnight, published in 1917 by J.H. Beers & Company, Chicago, page 552.

THOMAS HAGGERTY, who resides upon his fine farm near Reynoldsville, in Winslow township, has been one of the world’s noble army of productive workers, and his sincere, earnest and loyal nature has found definite expression in his supreme appreciation of the dignity and value of
honest toil and endeavor, as well as in his able and influential efforts in advancing the rights and privileges of laboring men. He is a skilled miner and has been nationally prominent in the
organic and general activities of the United Mine Workers of America, as a valued coadjutor of John Mitchell, the honored and distinguished leader of this great national organization.

Mr. Haggerty was born in Dumbartonshire. Scotland, in May, 1865, son of Hugh and Mary Haggerty, both representatives of sterling old Irish families. Hugh Haggerty became identified with the mining industry in his native land when he was a youth, and there he continued his activities as a sturdy coal miner until 1870, when, leaving his family at the old home in Scotland he came to the United States and settled in Clarion county, Pa. There he readily found employment as a skilled workman in the coal mines, which work he followed in this State during the remainder of his active career. Later he and his wife were residents of Washington township, Jefferson county, until they died, and their remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at DuBois, Clearfield county.

Mrs. Haggerty and some of the children joined the husband and father in America in 1880. The eldest two sons, Hugh Jr., and Andrew, were residents of Punxsutawney, Jefferson county, at the
time of their deaths; Mary still resides in Scotland; John and Jane died in their native land; Elizabeth resides near Glasgow, Scotland; Susan is deceased, and her remains rest beside those of her parents, at DuBois, Clearfield county; Agnes and Catherine died in Scotland; Thomasc completes the family.

Thomas Haggerty gained his early education in the schools of his native land, and the experiences of an active and useful life have broadened his mental ken and made him a man of wide information and mature judgment. He early began work in the coal mines of
Scotland, whence in 1880 he came with his mother and others of the children to the United States. Here he first found employment as a miner at the West Mountain coal mines, where he
remained until 1888. For the ensuing three years he was employed in the mines at Horatio, Jefferson county, after which he gave two years of similar service at Coal Glen, this county. For
two years following he conducted a hotel at Clayville, near Punxsutawney, selling this business to engage in the same line of enterprise at Sugar Hill, this county. One year later he resumed his
work as a skilled miner, and in this line he continued his activities three years. With deep and abiding sympathy for the laboring classes, and with intense interest in conserving the rights of the worthy and productive laborer, Mr. Haggerty has proved specially fortified as an organizer among men, whose confidence and respect he invariably commands.

In 1899 the great leader of the United Mine Workers of America, John Mitchell, appointed Mr. Haggerty national labor organizer for this great body of workmen, and he retained this position until 1901, when he was elected a member of the national board of the organization for the United States and Canada, five of the twenty-eight members of this board being from Pennsylvania. In the interests of the organization Mr. Haggerty traveled extensively through the Middle West, and has given most effective service as an organizer and counselor of mine workers in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Alabama. He is specially well known in mining circles in West Virginia, in which State he passed about ten years, and as one of the still active and influential members of the official board of the United Mine Workers of America he now maintains his official headquarters at his attractive and valuable landed estate in Winslow township, where he is the owner of a well improved farm of 272 acres. This represents the tangible results of his years of earnest endeavor, and he takes great satisfaction in giving his supervision to the fine farm, the while he is zealous and loyal in looking after all regular details and contingent affairs appertaining to his influential official position with the United Mine Workers of America, of whose official board he is now the oldest member. As the dean of this body he has the unqualified esteem of his confreres.

For many years Mr. Haggerty gave his allegiance to the Democratic party and was active in the support of its cause. In consonance with his well ordered convictions he finally transferred his political affiliation to the Republican party, of whose principles and policies he has since continued a stalwart supporter. He is a strong and convincing public speaker, specially well known for his leadership as a representative of the United Mine Workers. He and his wife are communicants of the Catholic Church, and he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Mr. Haggerty married Jennie Kitzel, a daughter of Frederick Kitzel, and we give a brief record of their children: Mary is the wife of Walter Hetchner, of Morgantown, W.Va.; Susanna is the wife of William Hummel, of Punxsutawney, Jefferson county; Alice remains at the parental home; Hugh is a professional ball player, a skilled and well known pitcher, and maintains his home at Reynoldsville; Elizabeth is the wife of Charles McKinney, of Blairsville, Indiana county; Thomas remains at the parental home, as does also Agnes, who is the wife of Carlisle Wells; Catherine likewise is a member of the home circle; Maggie is deceased, as are also John and Frederick, who were twins; the younger children of the home circle are Andrew and John, both of whom are attending school.