Peter Loucks known for drive, ambition throughout Scottdale

This is another in the continuing stories of the Loucks family, which are being presented as part of the “Days Gone By” column. In this week's edition, the column tells the story of Peter Stauffer Loucks.

PETER

Peter Stauffer Loucks, third son and sixth child of Martin and Nancy Stauffer Loucks, was born at the family homestead in 1841.

Of all the children he was perhaps the one most attuned to the challenges and opportunities brought on by the technological shifts of the mid-19th century.

A man for his times, he was ready to seize the day. In vigor, drive, and ambition he was not, perhaps, unlike his second cousin Henry Clay Frick.

Peter became owner of the family farm and although he always maintained an interest in operating it progressively, his commercial activities led him into a wide range of business investments.

At the same time he held important positions of leadership in civic and community affairs.

He and his Stauffer cousins established the first bank in Scottdale (The Scottdale Bank) in 1882.

He owned farms in Kansas and established two banks there. Locally, he acquired deeds that took up pages in the record books of the Greensburg Courthouse.

Is one surprised that the first telephone in Scottdale (1889) was in the house of Peter Loucks?

Peter married Mary Ann Boyd in 1878 and with her had five children. At some point (in the early 1880s), it was determined that Mother Nancy and her daughters would move out of the homestead and leave the home to Peter, Mary Ann and their growing family.

A new brick Victorian-style home was built for them on a 110-foot-square lot on the corner of N. Chestnut and Loucks Avenue (No. 217).

Reverend Martin's will had granted life-time occupancy of a portion of the homestead to his widow and daughters, plus other privileges.

Peter, therefore, would have had to pay a considerable amount of money to “buy out” his mother and sisters. This money probably financed the new home.

Martin S. would join his mother and sisters in this household. The date of the house and the shares of ownership are murky.

In 1881, Peter sold two lots at the corner of Mulberry and Hickory to the Methodist (Episcopal) Church for $400. He helped design the building to be erected and was awarded the contract for its construction.

He and his family actively supported this church for years. However, it was not until March 27, 1897, that he was baptized, as an adult in his home, by the Rev. H. C. Beacom.

Peter, church member, died of cancer on Nov. 6, 1897, “in quiet peace”.

With Peter's death, Mary Ann was left a widow with children ranging from 3 to 17. Although burdened with the tasks of managing the estate and raising her children alone, she had the good fortune to be financially secure.

The land that is now Loucks Park was deeded to the borough in 1898 by the heirs. It was not being farmed and they did not want to pay taxes on it.

The original farmhouse (circa 1835) was remodeled in Victorian style in the late 1880s after the mother and sisters moved out to allow Peter's family sole possession.

Further alterations were made in the 20th century (the wooden Victorian porch was replaced) as the needs and styles of the day changed.

The house at 527 N. Chestnut St., which for more than a century was referred to as the Peter S. Loucks house, is now simply called the Loucks Homestead. It is owned by the Scottdale Historical Society.