| Our History goes back to the man whose name we bear J. Simpson Africa. He was well known in Bucks county, where he frequently visited and read papers before the Historical Society. He was born September 15, 1822, his grandfather, Michael Africa, being one of the pioneers of Huntington Pennsylvania. He became a surveyor and civil engineer and in 1853 was elected County Surveyor. In 1858-59 he was chosen one of the clerks of the State of Pennsylvania, and in 1859 was elected to represent his native county in the Legislature. After serving as a member of the town council and the school board of Huntington, Mr. Africa in 1874 was elected burgess of the town. When the Department of Internal Affairs was created by the new Constitution of 1873 the late General McCandless, of Philadelphia, was chosen its first secretary. He appointed Mr. Africa deputy secretary. The entire labor organizing this new department of the State Government devolved upon him. 1878 he was nominated as the Democratic candidate for Secretary of Internal Affairs, but was defeated. He was supervisor of the census of the Seventh Pennsylvania District in 1880. In 1882 he was elected Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania on the Democratic ticket. After the conclusion of his term he was elected president of the Union Trust Company of Philadelphia, which position he held at his death. In 1883 he wrote the "History of Huntington and Blair Counties." He was a member of Standing Stone Conclave Improved Order of Hentasophs, past grand master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Masons in the years 1891-1892 and first president of the Huntingdon Fire Company. Our namesake died Wednesday August 16,1900 |
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Don Clifton's history of JSA Lodge Around 1986 Don Clifton then Secretary of JSA lodge took it upon himself to extract from the minutes and records a history that would be available in written form. If any of you lucky enough to have seen this spiral bound book and leafed through its history, you can see this labor of love. to share it with as many people we can fine, I have converted it into Adobe Acrobat and included it here for all to enjoy. We obviously need someone to pick up this torch as this record concludes December 27th 1989 and we need to bring it up to date. Volunteers? |
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| It is a little known fact that Don Clifton is a living breathing history textbook. He retired from Hughes printing in 1984 and has become a good friend to me over the years I have been involved in the Lodge. He has collected and edited a great history and little known facts about the area and these can be found here | Click here for the history of |
