ORRIN L. CRIBBS - Orrin L. Cribbs, who for the past fifteen years has been the efficient and capable freight agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, is a member of a family which has for a number of generations been prominent in the State.
He is a son of George Washington Cribbs, who was born on the old Cribbs homestead in West Wheatfield township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, where he passed his life and was a prominent man in the community. Mr. Cribbs, Sr., was born April 28, 1840, and was brought up a farmer's boy of the pioneer type, as the community where his childhood and youth were spent was at that time very wild and undeveloped. He learned the blacksmith's trade with his father, and later located at Oil City, Pennsylvania, where he conducted a machine shop for a company until the year 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted as a private in Company A, Eighty-third Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served actively throughout the course of that long and sanguinary struggle. He was captured at the battle of Fredericksburg and kept a prisoner for some time by the Confederates, but was finally released. He served throughout the entire war in the Army of the Potomac under General McClellan and took part in twenty-one important battles including that of Gettysburg, besides numberless smaller engagements and skirmishes. He received his honorable discharge at the close of the war, and at once returned to Oil City, Pennsylvania, and there continued his business for a time. He later removed to Heshbon, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and there engaged in the machinist business and conducted a shop for a number of years. He then purchased the old Palmer homestead, which had long been in the possession of his wife's family, and has resided there up to the present time. He is a Republican in politics, and is a very prominent figure in the community, having held a number of responsible township offices. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Cribbs, Sr., was united in marriage with Sarah F. Palmer, a native of Indiana county, born February 18, 1843, a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Oaks) Palmer. To them the following children were born: Henry, who now resides in St. Paul, Minnesota; William, of Shelbyville, Indiana; Orrin L., of whom further; and C. Scott, who now makes his home at Hillsdale, Pennsylvania. Mr. Cribbs' grandfather. George Cribbs, was a partner and blacksmith in Wheatfield township, Indiana county, where he married Jane Barr. They both died on the old Cribbs place, and were the parents of six children, as follows: Joe, Jackson, Irwin, George Washington, already referred to above, Marian and Mary.
Born March 9, 1873, in the village of Heshbon, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, Orrin L. Cribbs passed his childhood and youth in his native region. He became a student at the public schools of West Wheatfield township when only eight years old, his first teacher being Professor Wakefield, who is now connected with the engineering department of the City of Pittsburgh. This well-known educator and excellent man was not over lenient with his pupils, but found in young Mr. Cribbs so enthusiastic and earnest a student that he took a great liking to the lad and did much to assist him in his work. His schooling amounted at first to but five months during the year, the remainder of the time being spent on his father's farm, assisting the elder man with the work of its operation. The months of his schooling were later increased to the number of six and he completed his studies at the public schools when sixteen years of age. He had decided in the meantime to take up teaching itself as a profession, and accordingly entered a teacher's training school at Armagh, Indiana county, and there studied under Professor C. A. Campbell for a number of years. After completing his course at this institution, he taught school for three years, one of which was spent in Butler township, Indiana county, and the second in West Wheatfield township, his native place. He still continued during his vacation and other spare time to work on his father's farm, but at the age of twenty he left the parental home and made his way to the town of Scio, Ohio, where he took a commercial course in the Scio Business College. After graduating from this school, he went to Indianapolis, Indiana and there secured a position with the Big Four Railroad, and worked in their employ for a short time. He then became connected with the advertising department of the "Indianapolis News," but only remained there for a few months before returning home. He made this move at the request of his parents, as their other children had all left home and they were in great need of his assistance in running the place. On this occasion Mr. Cribbs remained with his parents until 1899, and in the autumn of that year secured a position in the general store of Robinson & Company at Garfield, Indiana county. He worked for this concern for some three years, and then became connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and thus began the long association which continues to-day. His first position was as a clerk at Bolivar, Pennsylvania, where he remained for a number of months, and in the spring of 1906 was appointed extra agent of the Pittsburgh division of the railroad and served in that capacity till the fall of 1911. He then was appointed agent at Dunbar, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1913, and was then sent to Connellsville, Pennsylvania, where he worked in the same capacity until February, 1915. He was then appointed to his present position at Greensburg, where he makes his home to-day. Like his father before him, he is a staunch Republican in politics, while in his religious belief he is a Methodist and attends the church of that denomination at Greensburg. He is also a prominent Mason in this city, and a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons here.
Orrin L. Cribbs was united in marriage, March 16, 1899, with Clara J. Wakefield, native of West Wheatfield township, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of James C. and Sarah E. (St. Clair) Wakefield. To Mr. and Mrs. Cribbs five children have been born, as follows: Gladys Ruth, who died when she was young; Bertha Elizabeth, Grace Leona, George Marion, and Kenneth.