Peter N Bardo
History of
Kentucky and Kentuckians, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1228-29.
Peter N. Bardo is a retired manufacturer, but is joint owner with Thomas Ford in
the Bourbon Copper & Brass Works, whose capital stock is $50,000 and also has
numerous other interests, among them a high official capacity in the Citizens'
Commercial & Savings Bank of Newport. He is one of the city's substantial
citizens, and has from time to time played a prominent
and valuable part in the management of its affairs.
He was born in
Cincinnati, Ohio, April 4, 1847, and is the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth
(Greenwall) Bardo, the former a native of Italy and the latter of Pennsylvania.
The senior Bardo came to the United States when young and located in Cincinnati,
where he married and engaged in the confectionery trade for a number of years,
meeting with much success in this vocation. He resided in Newport for a good
many years, prior to his death, which
occurred in 1865, at the age of fifty-four years. His wife preceded him to
the beyond, her demise being when she was but thirty-five years of age. They
were the parents of seven children, all of whom are deceased with the exception
of Mr. Bardo and a sister Elizabeth who became the wife of James Pratt of
Cincinnati.
Peter N. Bardo, who was the third child in order of
birth, was about eight years of age when his parents moved to Newport.
Here he was reared and here received his education in the public schools.
When he was a very young man he entered a brass foundry in
Cincinnati and during his employment became master of all the details of the
trade. He served in various capacities in the business for about eighteen
years and in the early seventies, in partnership with Thomas Ford, John G. Hatch
and John Ellihorst, bought the Robinson Brass Foundry, the establishment in
which he had worked for so long a time. It was then
known as the Bourbon Copper & Brass Works and was one of the oldest businesses
of its kind in Cincinnati. It has since been carried on under the same
name and at present and for several years past the plant has been owned jointly
by Mr. Bardo and Thomas Ford, who in 1903 incorporated the same under the laws
of Ohio with a capital stock of $50,000. It is
most successful and of extensive operation, having in years past built the
majority of the distilleries in Kentucky.
Mr. Bardo was one of the organizers of the Citizens'
Commercial and Savings Bank of Newport and is a member of the board of
directors. He is likewise a member of the water works commission and served for
two years on the board of aldermen. In politics he is an uncompromising
Democrat and fraternally he is associated with the Newport Elks, of
which he is one of the oldest members, his membership number being 47.
He and his family are communicants of the Catholic church. Mr. Bardo was
married in 1872 to Miss Mary Ford, a native of the state of Maryland and
daughter of Owen Ford, who was born in Ireland and upon emigrating to America,
lived first in Maryland and then in Newport.
Mr. Ford was the father of four children only one of whom is living, a
son named Thomas. Those deceased are Patrick, James and John, all of
whom grew to maturity.
The union of Mr. and
Mrs. Bardo was blessed by the birth of ten children, of whom the following are
living: Peter Jr., Alice, Stella, Catherine, John, William, Thomas and Gertrude.
A daughter Mary is deceased. Mrs. Bardo died in August 1907, and her
mortal remains
were interred in St. Stephens cemetery. During the Civil War Mr. Bardo
served as a member of the Home Guards.
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