USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 19
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 19
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Jeremiah S. Black, while but the author of two books, both Supreme Court reports, in addition to his distinguished legal la-
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bors found time to write many excellent articles on controverted subjects in differ- ent fields of literature.
Stephen Gill Boyd, much of whose life has been given to the study of literary and scientific subjects, will be long remem- bered by his work, Indian Local Names with their Interpretation, which was issued in 1885. This book is dedicated to the common school teachers, and "will awaken a deeper interest in the subject of which it treats, and in the history, habits and man- ners of the aboriginal races of America." Mr. Boyd in his introduction says, "Scat- tered all over our continent are to be found scores upon scores of local names standing as silent but most eloquent memorials of the previous existence of aboriginal races. To all appearances those names are almost as imperishable as the objects to which they are attached, and whilst the sweet melody of their sounds is the subject of unceasing admiration, their signification though known to comparatively few per- sons, are no less entitled to the attention of those who admire the exercise of good judgment in the practical affairs of life, and the beautiful in thought and sentiment. To bring into clearer relief some of those char- acteristics of our aboriginal races, as illus- trated in their local nomenclature, as well as to give greater zest to the study of our local history and geography, is the chief purpose of this compilation." Mr. Boyd succeeded well in his object and his work is accepted as a standard on Indian local names.
Chauncey Forward Black, distinguished in politics and journalism, often wanders in- to graceful lines of literature in which he has done much good work.
Grier Hersh is another native of York county, who has written some widely read articles, one of which on the Scotch-Irish of York and Adams counties is published in
the proceedings of the Eighth Scotch-Irish Congress of America which met in Harris- burg in 1896.
H. L. Fisher has written numerous poems and prose articles of merit, and is best known by his Olden Times or Penn- sylvania Rural Life, some fifty years ago, which tells in verse of the old home, pious and popular superstitions, old time customs habits, employments and recreations. In his prefatory remarks he says "The family honie is a divine institution; a heaven-like retreat in our earthly pilgrimage; the scene of births and deaths, of hopes and fears, joys and sorrows. Yet to it we turn from the toils and troubles of life for rest and comfort as to the shadow of a great rock in a weary land or a fountain in the desert. We would not, even if we could, turn back the hand of progress and real improvement, so as to restore the state of things that ex- isted a half century or more ago. All that is claimed or urged is a due respect or veneration for the good, old, simple, hon- est, and more social, ways, manners and customs of the past; more especially on ac- count of their inseparable association with our own Merry Olden Times. Such, and such only is the crude, but, as is hoped, trutlıful picture attempted to be sketched in the following pages of the home-life of our honest country-folk, as it was within the memory of many still living." Want of space compels all further mention of the different subjects treated except the record- ing of two or three verses:
"So various are our checkered lives, And pressing are our days- As quilts, at firesides made and rolled, Our lives like fireside tales are told.
"Not all the wealth of India's mines Could fill the farmer's place, And heaven's smiles are mirrored In the sweat in labor'a face.
"Beyond the dark and gloomy river,
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Whose surging billows near me roll, Immortal youthland, bright forever,
Invites the weary, wand'ring soul."
William Lenhart, one of the most emi- nent diophantine algebraists that ever lived, died from bodily afflictions which ren- dered him incapable ofattainingto his high- est efforts and best work. He possessed imagination, susceptibllity, wit and acute- ness in a high degree and wrote some very fine pieces of poetry.
Lewis Miller, while industrious and somewhat eccentric, was a man of genial na- ture, quick perception and aesthetic taste, who delighted in drawing and sketching, in which he was quite successful. He was a poet of more than ordinary ability. Some of his verses have been preserved, and when an octogenarian in years he still voiced his thoughts in poetic form. From one of his last pieces we quote:
"The hand of Time upon my brow may trace its lines ;
From Memory's page efface fond recollection's tear,
But not the treasured thought of friends who yet can cheer
This saddened heart of mine."
Henry Harbaugh, minister, scholar and author, possessed a delicate vein of humor and some poetic ability, but lived more in the future than in the present and wrote seven theological and religious books of interest and merit.
George R. Prowell, historian and histori- cal writer, has contributed many valuable articles on the special history of York county and the early settlements along the Susquehanna.
Mrs. Mary C. Fisher has written well of Hospital Work at York during the late civil war and of other kindred subjects.
John Gibson, president-judge of the York county courts, acted efficiently as his- torical editor of the History of York County published in 1886.
R. C. Bair has written on various topics, and his article on the Scotch-Irish has been widely read.
James Wilson, one of the first judges of Supreme Court of the United States, was a resident for some years of Carlisle, and his Lectures on Jurisprudence were published between 1790 and 1798.
Charles Smith, president-judge of the courts of Cumberland and Franklin coun- ties, was the author of the compilation known as Smith's Laws of Pennsylvania in which he treated very fully land and crim- inal laws.
John Bannister Gibson, a giant in phy- sique and intellect, was a fine musical con- noisseur and art critic, and when appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court became the Ulysses of the bench. His accuracy in language was partly due to his close study of synonyms. He reviewed a work on Limited Partnership, wrote decisions of great importance and Judge Jere S. Black said of him, "In the various knowledge which forms the perfect scholar he had no superior."
Frederick Watts, who was president- judge of the courts of Cumberland, Perry and Juniata counties, and afterwards served as commissioner of agriculture under Hayes, was reporter of the Supreme Court for fifteen years, writing three volumes of reports and assisting largely in the pre- paration of nineteen other reports.
Rev. George Norcross, pastor of the Sec- ond Presbyterian church of Carlisle, is a polished and graceful writer whose articles on the early Presbyterian churches of the Cumberland Valley is published in the pro- ceedings of the Eighth Scotch-Irish Con- gress of America.
Joseph Alexander Murray, secretary of the Historical Association of Carlisle, and a well known Presbyterian minister, deliv-
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
ered a number of discourses and addresses, which have been published.
Robert Lowry Sibbet, a prominent phy- sician of Carlisle, has been a frequent con- tributor to the literature of his profession.
Conway Phelps Wing, who wrote the larger part of Scott's History of Cumber- land county, was a distinguished Presby- terian minister, and contributed many ar- ticles to religious periodicals, Bible com- mentaries, and leading encyclopedias be- sides delivering several sermons and ad- dresses which were published; he published also two editions of a history of the Wing family in America.
George H. Russell, of Cumberland county, is the author of New Discoveries in Physiology on the Ductless Organs and their Functions, which he claimed was to regulate the circulation of the blood and also to electrify it.
Samuel S. Wylie, a Presbyterian minis- ter is author of an authentic history of Middle Spring Presbyterian church.
H. Louis Baugher, editor and commen- tator of the Luther Publication Society, was born at Gettysburg and served for a number of years as Franklin professor of the Greek language and literature in Penn- sylvania College.
Philip M. Bikle, Pearson professor of the Latin language and literature in Penn- sylvania College, was elected as editor of the Lutheran Quarterly in 1880, and has furnished a number of articles to different periodicals.
Edward S. Breidenbaugh, Ockershausen professor of chemistry and the natural sci- ences in Pennsylvania College, is the author of a number of publications on var- ious subjects.
Moses Kieffer, an ex-president of Heid- elburg College and once publisher of the Quarterly Review, furnished many contri- butions to the religious press.
Edward McPherson, one of the most dis- tinguished men in political life that Adams county has ever produced, is known all over the Union by his literary productions in the field of politics. His services as a Congressman were distinguished by several able speeches. As clerk of the House of Representatives for six Congresses he gath- ered special materials for his political his- tories of the United States during the Re- bellion and the period of reconstruction. He commenced his series of Hand Books of Politics in 1872, and delivered many addresses on educational and other pro- gressive matters that have been published.
Samuel S. Schmucker, first president of the Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary, and one of the most active and influential ministers of his denomination in the United States, was a prolific author in the fields of theology, church history and mental philosophy. His publications were over forty, of which many were important and passed through numerous editions. He devoted the latter part of his life to lit- erary labors.
Aaron Sheely, an educator and county superintendent of prominence, wrote many magazine articles, prepared the educational chapter of the History of Adams county published in 1886, and is the author of Anecdotes and Humors of School Life.
Joel Swartz, a Lutheran minister and seminary professor, became popular as a lecturer, and his volume of poems, Dream- ings of the Waking Heart, has received warm commendation.
Milton Valentine, a professor in the Get- tysburg Theological Seminary, is the au- thor of Natural Theology or Rational The- ism, and a number of his sermons, essays and discussions have been published in pamphlet form.
Edward W. Spangler, Esq., of York, in a recently published volume entitled, "An-
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
nals of the Spangler Families of York County, Pa., with Biographical and Histor- ical Sketches, and Memorabilia of Contem- poraneous Local Events," has made an important and painstaking contribution to the genealogical, biographical and histor- ical literature of the State. Mr. Spangler's book has been very favorably noticed, both by the public press and by individual attes- tation. The following is quoted from the Philadelphia Press:
It is rather a far cry from Pennsylvania in these piping days of the nineteenth Cen- tury to a Bavarian bishopric in the Twelfth Century, but such a leap into the past Mr. Edward W. Spangler found necessary in clearing up the genealogy of the Spangler family, as is fully set forth in his work, "The Annals of the Families of Caspar, Henry, Baltzer and George Spengler, who settled in York county, Pa., respectively in 1729, 1732, 1739 and 1751; with bio- graphical and historical sketches and mem- orabilia of contemporaneous local events." The Spanglers, or Spenglers, as they origi- nally spelled their name, Mr. Spangler by his most minute and painstaking research has discovered were descended from a cer- tain George Spengler, who held the office of cup-bearer to the Bishop of Wurzberg in 1150. This study of the genealogy of the Spenglers is, however, not a mere family tree analysis. On the contrary Mr. Spang- ler by his side lights on the doings of colon- ial and post-colonial times in York, town and county, in which he again shows his aptitude and qualifications for historical work, has made a valuable contribution to colonial literature. Among his discoveries are the original muster rolls of thirty-five of the York county companies in the Revolu- tion, and his facts gained from contempo- raneous records make up an historical mo- saic of early Pennsylvania days of great in- terest.
Edmund J. Wolf, a Lutheran minister and seminary professor, is a religious author of standing and authority. He has written several volumes, published a num- ber of sermons, and contributes many ar- ticles to different church papers and peri- odicals.
Elias D. Weigle, a Lutheran minister and a man of classical education, is a liter- ary correspondent of several papers and periodicals.
The Press. Newspapers and periodicals comprise a part of the reading of all, and constitute nearly all of the reading of some. They are popular educators, cover a wide field of activity in every department of thought, and are recognized as an inipor- tant factor of development in the political, medical, scientific, literary and religious world.
The press of the Nineteenth district has won its present prominent position from very small beginnings. The first printing- press erected west of the Susquehanna was that of Hall and Sellers', of Philadelphia, which was brought to York in October, 1777, by the Continental Congress, which had it used for printing public information and a quantity of Continental money. In June, 1778, this press was taken back to Philadelphia. Franklin's Pennsylvania Ga- zette was published at York during the time that Congress met there. After the removal of the Gazette to Philadelphia in 1778 there was no newspaper west of the Susquehanna until July, 1785, when the Carlisle Weekly Gazette, a small four- paged sheet, printed on blue paper, was issued by Kline & Reynolds. The next paper was the Pennsylvania Chronicle and York Weekly Advertiser, whose first num- ber was issued in 1787 by M. Bartgis & Co., who continued two years and then re- moved to Harrisburg. Succeeding this paper came the Pennsylvania Herald and
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
York General Advertiser, founded on Jan- uary 7, 1789, by James and John Edie and Henry Wilcocks. Their press was made in York and their ink at Germantown and their sheet ran for II years without change of name. In 1796 Solomon Meyer estab- lished Die York Gazette, the first Ger- man paper, which ran until 1804, and three years later the Carlisle Eagle, by John Thompson, and the Der Volks Verichter by Andrew Billmyer of York, made their appearance, the former running until 1824 and the latter going out of existence by 1804. On November 12, 1800, Robert Harper established the Centinel, at Gettys- burg where it ran for sixty-seven years.
The early papers contained but little local intelligence, but a few advertisements and devoted their columns largely to po- litical discussions. The press of the pres- ent century before the late Civil War im- proved slowly on the early papers and local news only became a prominent feat- ure as late as 1867.
The first daily paper in the district was the York Daily, which was started at York October 5, 1870, and eleven years later, on December 13, 1881, the daily Valley Sen- tinel was established. Since 1881 the press of the District has been fully up to the high standard of the modern inland newspaper in all of its numerous departments, and to- day is a potential factor of its progress and prosperity.
Since 1800 the growth of the York county press has been slow but substantial. In 1800 the Herald changed to the York Re- corder and 30 years later was succeeded by the York Republican and it in turn by the Pennsylvania Republican which ran until 1834 Der Wahre Republican started in 1805 as the successor of the Verichter, in 1830 hecame Der Republicanische, and fin- ally ran as the Republican until its years numbered nearly 100. The Expositor was
formed in May, 1808, and ceased to exist in 1814, while the Village Museum ran from 1810 to 1814, and Der Union's Freund ex- isted from January 19, 1815, to October, 1816. The initial number of the York Ga- zette was issued May 18, 1815 and is now the oldest paper in York county. Die Evangelical Zeitung ran from 1828 to 1830, the Harbinger, brought from Shrewsbury, existed but a few years, and the York County Farmer had a two year existence from December, 1831. The Democratic Press was established in June, 1838, to op- pose the erection of the court house on its present site, the York Pennsylvanian was founded in 1851 and both are now leading papers of the county. The York Advo- cate, of Whig principles, and the American Eagle, of American policy, were both short lived sheets. The Weekly Dispatch was founded June 7, 1864, under the name of the True Democrat, and was the first paper printed by steam in York. The York Daily was established October 5, 1870, and the Evening Telegram ran from October, 1873, to June, 1875, being the first paper in York county to be connected with the As- sociated Press, and paying 30 dollars per week for dispatches. The Teachers's Jour- nal was established in 1874; the daily Even- ing Dispatch, May 29, 1876; and the daily Age, January 24, 1883, while the Fountain, a school monthly, was founded in Septem- ber, 1883. The Commercial Monthly and the Record were two short lived sheets. The present leading papers of York are the Age (daily), Christian Guide (monthly), York Daily, York Dispatch (daily and semi- weekly), York Democratic Press (weekly), York Gazette (daily and semi-weekly), York Pennsylvanian (weekly), and the York Weekly. The American Home Mag- azine is published monthly, besides other monthlies and a few quarterly periodicals which are printed in the city.
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
The York Daily and York Weekly. The first number of the York Daily made its appearance October 5th, 1870, under the management of J. L. Schaw, C. H. Glassmeyer, and A. P. Burchell, all of whom were strangers in York. It was printed in a Columbia office, and brought to York in the morning trains. Its orig- inal size was 14x21 inches. The business office was Capt. Solomon Myers' building, No. 304 W. Market Street. After a few weeks existence, Rev. J. C. Smith, a highly respected clergyman of York, and F. B. Raber, coal merchant, each having a son who was a practical printer, purchased printing material and placed it in the hands of the original firm, with the condition that their sons, John C. Smith and Lewis B. Raber become printers in the business. The arrangement ceased on account of the ex- penses exceeding the income, when Isaac Rudisill, in connection with Raber and Smith, by reducing the size of the paper, continued its publication. Its size after the reduction was 12x20 inches. Under this management the press work was done by S. H. Spangler, at the office of the American Lutheran. The paper was en- larged to 18x26 inches and its circulation began to increase. John B. Welsh, of the Gazette, purchased one-half interest in it, April 4, 1871, and during the following June became the sole proprietor, with Isaac Rudisill as local editor. In September, 1871, the office was moved to No. 3 South Beaver Street, where it remained until April, 1874, when it was removed to No. 4 North Beaver Street. During this time new machinery and material was pur- chased and Associated Press news was re- ceived. On September 4, 1876, the Daily was sold to Isaac Rudisill, John H. Gibson and A. P. Moul, who formed a co-partner- ship in its publication. All of them were at the time employes in the office. April I,
1877, the paper was enlarged and greatly improved. The Daily had long before be- come a necessity in York, even though for a time during its early history it struggled for an existence. In 1881 it was moved to its present place opposite the court house. On January 26, 1882, it was purchased by its present proprietors, E. W. Spangler, John B. Moore and S. C. Frey. In Feb- ruary of the same year it was increased in size, and made a sheet of 25x36 inches. During the following July the price was changed from $3.00 to $4.00 per annum, and a more complete supply of associated press dispatches received. It thus became one of the largest and newsiest of inland dailies. April 1, 1885, the issue of a twenty page paper from this office was con- sidered a marvel of enterprise. Though suffering two fires which entirely destroyed its fine plant, it never missed an issue and is now better equipped than ever.
On February 21, 1887, a charter was ob- tained for the York Daily Publishing Com- pany, and E. W. Spangler was elected President, John B. Moore, Secretary, and S. C. Frey, Treasurer; these officers con- tinued until the death of John B. Moore in January, 1894, since which time E. W. Spangler has been President, and S. C. Frey Treasurer. On May 29, 1886, the Daily was enlarged to an eight column paper, and on May 13, 1893, to a nine col- umn paper, being now four pages 26x45 inches each,-the largest paper published in the city. The Mergenthaler Linotype machines are used in this office. Its cir- culation and influence have kept pace with its growth and size, and it is the represen- tative paper of York.
The York Weekly is now published on Tuesdays and Fridays; the Tuesday edition being a four page paper and the Friday an eight page paper with a circulation of 6,- 000, by far the largest circulation of any
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
paper printed in the 19th Congressional District. The two papers are unsurpassed, either as newspapers or advertising med- iums, and are firmly entrenched in the af- fections of the people of York county.
In connection with these papers there is a Job Department, the largest in the city, with all the modern conveniences and facil- ities for the execution of the best of work. This Department has executed, and is pre- pared to execute, work that no other office in the city would attempt, yet the smallest jobs will receive as careful and prompt at- tention as the largest contract; whether book, poster or business-card, the aim is to do the best work at the most reason- able price.
The "Lutheran Missionary Journal," the "Medico-Legal Journal," the "Lutheran World," the "Childrens' Missionary," the "York Lutheran," and the "York Legal Record" are some of the publications that are issued regularly from this establish- ment.
The York Gazette. The York Gazette, which is issued in the ordinary daily, a Sunday and a semi-weekly editon, at York, Pennsylvana, is one of the pioneer news- papers of the Nineteenth Congressional District. There is reliable evidence that the first issue of the Gazette, which was in German, made its appearance not later than 1796. Though the succession which brings the history of the paper down to the present day is somewhat broken and the records somewhat indefinite, yet that Ger- man weekly was clearly the beginning of the Gazette of to-day. One evidence of this fact still existed several years ago in more or less complete files of the paper of 1796, but these have been destroyed, through ignorance of their value as a proof of the connection between the little weekly of 1796 and the daily of a hundred years la- ter, assuming that the meagerness or total
absence of local news deprived them of any local historical value. As an English pa- per, the Gazette was first published in York, on May 18, 1815. Die York Ga- zette, the German paper previously referred to, as having been established not later than 1796, may, however, have antedated that year, as tradition without any reliable rec- ords to sustain it, fixes the year of its incep- tion in 1795. It is known that its founder was Solomon Meyer, and that it was the first German paper established in York county. In 1804 it belonged to Christian Schlichting and by him its publicaton was stopped and the press, type and other pub- ishing paraphernalia were sold to Daniel Heckert, who in turn sold the outfit to Stark and Lang, of Hanover. These gen- tlemen then started the Hanover Gazette, which was continued until 186 ..
The founder of the English Gazette was supposed to have been William Harris, for his name appears as publisher at the head of the first column and the oldest known copy, now extant, dated November 30, 1815. The paper was published every Thursday and its subscription rate was two dollars per annum. The first issue consis- ted of four pages 20x16 inches in size, four columns to the page. In April, 1816, the paper appeared under the title of York Ga- zette and Public Advertiser. About this time Mr. Harris died and W. M. Baxter is supposed to have succeeded to the owner- ship of the paper; though no issue bearing his name is known to be extant to confirm this supposition. May 13, 1819, the paper appeared in size 193x12} to the page and was published by King & Mallo. In the early part of 1820 Mr. Mallo was suc- ceeded in the firm by a Mr. Abbott, and the size of the paper was increased to 202x 30 inches, with six columns to a page. In 1824 the firm again changed, becoming King and Welsh. The new member, Henry
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