My Genealogy Hound

JAMES J. BOOTH, contractor, Pittsburgh, was born in Duckinfield, Cheshire, England, in June, 1836, and is a son of Jonathan and Ellen Booth, who were also bred in the same locality. In early life he was placed to work in a cotton-mill, but his ambition was not satisfied with this sort of life. Being anxious to become a bricklayer, and being denied the privilege of learning the trade, he ran away from home in 1854, and came to Pittsburgh.

He first found employment on the river, but soon found an opportunity to gratify his long-cherished wish. After working independently and as a journeyman bricklayer, he began, in 1869, to take contracts for street construction and buildings. In 1878, the firm of Booth & Flinn was established, and five years later they began the manufacture of brick. Many of the finest streets in Pittsburgh were built by this firm, such as Winebiddle, Linden and Simon avenues, and McPherson and Barton streets. They also paved Penn, Liberty and Second avenues with Belgian blocks. In 1888, they built the Citizens’ Traction railway, and following year the Central.

Mr. Booth is a useful member of Trinity P. E. Church; is identified with the I. O. O. F., and is a Past Master of Freemasons, and a Knight Templar. Politically he is a republican. In 1861 he married Priscilla Jane daughter of Samuel Turbot, of Irish extraction, and following are the names of their children: Ellen (widow of Harry E. Bray), Ulrich Dahlgren, Carrie, Ethel May and Blanche Olive.