My Genealogy Hound

PATRICK BRIODY, the genial Postmaster of South Bethlehem, is an enterprising, public-spirited and liberal gentleman, who in former years was Superintendent of Furnaces in the Bethlehem Iron Company. A native of County Meath, Ireland, his birth occurred September 30, 1836. His father, Thomas Briody, was also a native of the Emerald Isle, where he followed agricultural pursuits. In 1850 he set sail for America with his family, and, locating in Brooklyn, was for a couple of years employed on public works. In 1852 he became a resident of Easton, this county, which he continued to make his home until his death, at the good old age of eighty-five years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Cavanah, also died in Easton.

In his father’s family of nine children, our subject is the fourth in order of birth. When setting forth to make his own livelihood he first worked in the ore mines in Williams Township, and in 1853 became an employe in the furnaces of South Easton, now known as the Glen Furnaces. In 1863 he came to South Bethlehem and helped to start the first furnace in this place. After building two more, in 1871 he went to the Lucy Furnace at Glentown, where he remained for eighteen months, and then, returning, took charge of all the five furnaces here, of which he has since been Superintendent. In addition to these he has also had the superintendence, during late years, of three other furnaces on the outside.

In March, 1894, our subject received the appointment of Postmaster and was installed in his office March 19. This office is one of the second-class, with free delivery service, and is located at the corner of Fourth and Brodhead Avenue. From 1875 until recently Mr. Briody was a member of the School Board, with the exception of the year and a-half when he was a non-resident. At the time of his resignation, in the spring of 1894, he was the oldest member of the School Board. He was on the committee for building the Central High School, and the Webster, Excelsior, Packer, and two smaller schools. Thus it will be seen that he has been particularly active along the lines of education. In religion he is a Catholic, belonging to the congregation of the Holy Infancy.