From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, pages 215-216.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


P. J. ALTMEYER

P. J. Altmeyer, of Wheeling, now in the furniture and undertaking 
business at No. 5505 Jacob street, has been occupied during the 
greater part of his life in the nail industry, being one of the most 
skillful of the artisans to whom the prosperity of the city is so 
largely indebted. Mr. Altmeyer was born in Pennsylvania in 1847, the 
son of John Altmeyer, a native of France, and his wife, Lizzie, who 
was born in Germany.  During the infancy of the subject of this 
sketch the parents removed to Wheeling, and the father found 
employment at the Belmont mill, rising to the position of shipper of 
nails at that establishment.  Subsequently the family removed to 
Benwood, having their home where the Riverside iron plant now stands, 
and thence they moved to Steubenville, where their home was for five 
years.  Returning subsequently to Benwood, they removed thence to 
Wheeling, resided in the Fifth ward some time, and then removed to 
the vineyard on Chapline hill, where the father died in 1873.  The 
mother died in Benwood two years later.  These parents had a large 
family of children, ten of whom survive.  They were devout Catholics, 
and members of the cathedral, and later of St. Alphonsus church.  The 
subject of this mention at the age of six years began work in nail 
mills, and from that time until 1889, followed nailing as his 
occupation.  Such was the efficiency that he soon acquired that he 
was for ten years continuously employed at the Top mill, and 
subsequently for ten consecutive years at the Benwood mill, working 
up to the most important job in the establishment, the charge of the 
big spike mill.  During the strike he ran the spike job at Brilliant, 
Ohio.  Subsequently Mr. Altmeyer took a well-earned vacation, and 
devoted it to a visit to California, where he spent about six weeks 
in the Pacific Nail works at Oakland, giving an illustration there of 
the way work was done in West Virginia.  While there he cut the first 
steel nail cut in California, and operated a spike and four self-
feeders at the same time.  Few nail men have a more successful career 
than Mr. Altmeyer, and ever having an unpleasant word with any of his 
superintendents.  From this business Mr. Altmeyer retired in 
September, 1889, and embarked in the undertaking and furniture, where 
he is having a good success.  Mr. Altmeyer was married in 1874, to 
Mary Dimmy, by whom he has three children, and he and his family are 
members of the Catholic church.   


(Linda Fluharty)