. Uncle Rube was a streetcar conductor in Altoona. Uncle Rube was one of the first conductors for the Logan Valley Electric Railway Company, having operated one of the first electric cars in the Area. He retired in 1941 after 41 years of service. When the local TV station made a film regarding the end of the streetcar era, Uncle Rube was in the film, showing him taking the last ride on the last streetcar. It was the only job he ever had. He is the only conductor who was never fired for stealing. When he died, it was thought that he was possibly the oldest retired street car conductor in the nation. I remember as a very young child we would ride the streetcar from the train station down to Mom and Pop's apartment in Juniata.

Uncle Rube was born in Coalport and came to Altoona in 1890 where he married Aunt Annie (Bartow). He was a lifelong member of the Altoona Bible Church. He had six children, four of whom were still living at the time of his death in 1960. Cause of death was heart disease, hypertension, and cirrhosis of the liver.

I remember Uncle Rube well, as do my sisters. He was a nice gentleman and always seemed full of fun as I can remember. I did not spend an extreme amount of time around Uncle Rube, mostly at the “Cousin's Club” and a few visits here and there when we were visiting Mom in Altoona. But I remember liking him. I was 14 when he died and too young to realize the value of those older members of our family and all I could have learned from them, but even as a youngster, I did enjoy being around them.