H. Clay Beistel and Marie McConnell

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Husband H. Clay Beistel ¹

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           Born: 24 Dec 1868 - Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 2
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         Father: David F. Beistel (      -1904) 3 4
         Mother: Hannah Ruff (      -Abt 1902) 4

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       Marriage: 4 Jan 1900 2

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Wife Marie McConnell ²

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         Father: William J. McConnell (      -      ) 2
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Children

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1 F Mary Bernice Beistel ²

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2 M John Bothwell Beistel ²

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General Notes: Husband - H. Clay Beistel

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He was born on his father's farm in Hempfield township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and passed the days of his childhood and early youth in his native region. He was educated in the local public school, but later went to Indiana, Pennsylvania, and there studied in the Indiana State Normal School, graduating from that institution in the year 1893. It was his intention at first to follow the profession of teaching and he actually was a teacher for some two years in the local schools of Westmoreland County. Experience, however, taught him that teaching was not the most congenial activity for him and his attention was turned to another profession in which he had long been interested. This was the law and he decided to make it his career. Accordingly, he matriculated at Dickinson College at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he took the law course and graduated from that department with the class of 1897. While in Dickinson College, Mr. Beistel was extremely prominent in college work generally and it was to him that the monthly journal, known as the "Dickinson Law Review," owed its origin. The manner of its founding was as follows. While a student, Mr. Beistel was an attentive listener to the opinions of his learned professor, Dr. William Trickett, Dean of the school, and conceived the idea that to preserve these would mean much to the student of law. Accordingly, he conceived and organized the scheme of printing and publishing these opinions with the result that a periodical came into being, the germ of the later law review. Another achievement of Mr. Beistel, while in the law department at Dickinson College, was in connection with the competition for the members of his class, which took place under the direction of the Dean of the Faculty and the prize for which was a set of "Pleading and Practice" by the Edward Thompson Publishing Company, New York, in twenty-six volumes. Mr. Beistel came out first in the competition and won this valuable prize. After graduating from the law school, Mr. Beistel came to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and was there admitted to the bar of Westmoreland County in 1899. He made his home and carried on his legal practice in that region thereafter. In the autumn of 1899, he formed a partnership with Judge John B. Steel, which continued until Mr. Steel gave up the active practice of the law and took up his duties as judge on the bench of Westmoreland County. The large practice of the firm then devolved entirely upon Mr. Beistel. He remained in the old offices of the law firm until the retirement of Judge Steel from the bench, and then removed to new quarters at No. 140 North Main street, Greensburg. His practice included all branches of the civil law and he came to be regarded as one of the leaders of the bar in Westmoreland County.
Mr. Beistel was also an extremely active participant in many of the other departments of the community's life and was connected with a number of important business concerns at Greensburg. He was a director in the Barclay Westmoreland Trust Company and the treasurer of the John W. Pollins Company.
Mr. Beistel was always an ardent supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican party, but while regarded as a power in the political situation there, he never consented to hold office.
He was a prominent member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of the Greensburg Country Club and other associations. His interest in athletics was deep and he was a devoted follower of many outdoor sports and pastimes.

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General Notes: Wife - Marie McConnell

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She was educated in Cleveland, Ohio, and held the position of instructor in Literature and Oratory in Westminster College, she being the founder of the branch of oratory there.

1 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 537.

2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 539.

3 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 425.

4 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 538.