The Lock Haven Express - History - Old Photo Album
by Jim Davy

A quiet man from Monument

Editot's note: Jim Davy often works closely with the Express staff for help with researching special stories, much aas this one, Jim Davy researches the life of E. (Elmer) P. (Perry) Gummo, these are his findings. Thank you, Him, for sharing your research with our readers.,...................
By Jim Davy 4 Nov 2015
Special to the Express
Monument--many times in our busy lives we tend to forget about people who are quiet, gentle folks and keep to themselves in the community E.P. (Perry) Gummo from Monument was such a man. A life-long bachelor, he spent virtually his entire adult life in a small 10 by 12 foot log cabin i the isolated town of Monument. But there was much more to Perry tat most people in the community ever knew.
He was born in Beech Creek Twp., on 3 Jan 1878, and came to Monument early in his life. His log cabin was located away from the main part of town - across the creek near a small group of roughly built structures called "Shanty Town". He woroked at the Plane Hill mines nearly all of his working career. But there was much more to tis small gentle man than meets the eye.
Perry was an Elder in the Monument Church of Christ, beginning in 1921 and remained in that respected position for nearly all of his life. For many years he was a director at Beech Creek National Bank, as well as an early entrepreneur and inventor.
He conceived and designed a small hand tool that he cal a "Shock Tyer." The tool; was designed to hold, tie and cut the twine used around a common corn stock. After submitting official blueprints, he was granted a patent in the United States Patent office in Washington D.C. for the unique little device. It was that manufactured by the Cincinnati Tool & Dir Co, in Cincinnati, OH. However, all this aall required a considerable length of time, perhaps as much as several years.
Sadly, time was not on Perry's side, and before he could introduce it to the agriculture market, the mechanical corn picker was invented and put into farm use, making his "Shock Tyler" obsolete.
Upon his death in Dec 1959, many wooden crated containing hundreds of the tools were found in the timy cellar unerneath his log cabin

-----------------------------------------
11 Jun 1880 Beech Creek Twp., Clinton Co., PA
Family History Library Film 1255113
NA Film Number T9-1113 Page Number 514B
Pg#14/B sup: 7 en: 243
Gumms(Gummo), John E. 35 PA ENG ENG
(John Edward 1845-1927)
farmer
w/ Elizabeth 33 PA Baden,Ger Baden,Ger
(Elizabeth B. Stephen 7 Jul 1869)
d. Emma E. 8 PA PA PA
(Emma Ellen 1871-1904)
(M: William Casper Peters 1891)
s/ Samuel R. 6 PA PA PA
(Samuel Richard 1873-1935)(?never married)
d/ Ida J. 5 PA PA PA
(Ida Jane 1874-1908)(?Never Married)
d/ Clara A. 3 PA PA PA
(Clara Agnes 1876-1950)
(ML Abraham Bruce Writers abt 1903)
s/ Elmer P. 2 PA PA PA
(Elmer Perry 1878-1959)
s/ Ellery I. 9/12 PA PA PA
(Elery Irvin 1879-1902)
Glossner, John F. 21 PA PA Baden,Ger
works on farm
(John Frank Glossner 1875-1962)
(2nd cousin 3x's removed from Mary K. Gummo)
----------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Beech Creek, Clinton, Pennsylvania
Family History Library Film 1255113 NA Film Number T9-1113 Page Number 514B
--------------------------------------
6 Jun 1900 Beech Creek Twp., Clinton Co., PA
sheet#4/30A sup: 11 en: 8 ward: --
im 7 of 22 line 47-50 hh 64/65
Gummo, John E. May 1845-55 m-28 PA PA PA
farmer own/free/farm
w/ Elizabeth S Feb 1847-53 m-28 PA PA PA
kids: 10 of 10 living
s/ Samuel R.(Richard) Jun 1873-26 PA PA PA
single(never married) miner/Fin Clay
d/ Ida J.(Jane) Dec 1874-25 single PA PA PA
(never married)(20 Sec 1874-7 Jun 1908)
next page line 51-57
d/ Clarra A.(Agnes) Aug 1876-23 single PA PA PA
(M: Abraham Bruce Writers/Wintes abt 1903)
d?/S/ Elmer P.(Perry) Jan 1878-21 single PA PA PA
farm laborer/family farm
s/ Elery I.(Irvin) Aug 1879-20 single PA PA PA
(never married)(25 Aug 1879-17 Dec 1902)
family farm laborer
d/ Elsie M.(Minerva) Jun 1887-18 single PA PA PA
(M: Warren B. Caldwell)
s/ Charles E.(Edward) Aug 1883-16 PA PA PA
(M: Edna Grace Sankey 28 Aug 1914)
s/ Jessie C.(Clarence) Sep 1886-13 PA PA PA
(no marriage listed)
d/ Mary B.(Blanche) Apr 1888-12 PA PA PA
(M: George Alfred Breion/Brion, Sr. 14 Sep 1910)
===================
1910
==========
1920
============
1930
========
18 Apr 1940 Beeck Creek Twp., Clinton Co., PA
sheet#7/B sd: 16 ed: 18-5
im 14 of 22 line 61 12/0/50
Gummo, Perry E. 62 single PA
===================================
U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
serial #4838 order#2559
Name: Elmer Lerry (Perry) Gummo
residence: Monument, Centre Co., PA
City: Bellefonte
County: Centre
State: Pennsylvania
Birth Date: 3 Jan 1878 age: 40
occ: miner
Emp: Harbison Walker Refractories, Monument, Centre Co., PA
known by: Mr. John Gummo (Father)
RFD, Beech Creek, Clinton Co., PA
height: tall build: medium eyes: brown
hair: auburn marks: no
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1877833
12 Sep 1918 Crist Harrison
Bellefonte, PA
================================
U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
serial#1004 order# --
Name: Elmer Perry Gummo
residence: (East-Side of Creek, Monument, in Clinton Co., PA
Birth Date: 3 Jan 1878 age: 64
Birth Place: Beech Creek, Pennsylvania
Residence: Clinton, Pennsylvania
known by: Mr. Charles Gummo, Monument, Centre Co., PA
emp: unemployed