USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 47
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 47
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Mr. Niles, during the active years of his professional career, has been a close sttt- dent of the law and has been identified with many intricate and important cases. He is joint counsel for the Edison and West- inghouse Electric Light companies of York, the Security Title and Trust com- pany, the York Southern Railroad com- pany and a number of other corporations and concerns, whose combined capital rep- resent vast sums of money. Aside from strictly professional business he is identi- fied with varied business interests of his adopted city, and has always been among those most solicitous for its material im- provement and development. He is vice- president and stockholder in the York Se- curity Title and Trust company, and also a member of the Hubley printing company. He was admitted to practice in the Supreme and other higher courts in Pennsylvania,
The professional career of Henry C. Niles has been one of close application and well directed activity. He is widely read in the literature of the law, a man of good judgment and large discretion, a skillful tactician and an advocate of unusual force and skill. Outside of his more purely legal acquirements he is a man of good mental endowment, literary tastes and an orator possessing unusual gifts.
SRAEL F. GROSS, president of the T Drovers and Mechanics National Bank, of York, was born in Dover town- ship, this county, on March 4th, 1832. He is a son of Samuel and Susanna (Smyser) Gross.
On both the paternal and maternal side, Mr. Gross is a descendant of old and promi- nent families-the former of French and the latter of German lineage. For more than one hundred years both families have been identified with varied interests in York county. Samuel Gross, father of Israel F., was born in York county, Dover town- ship, May Ist, 1807, died June 26th, 1874,
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and was interred at Strayer's church burial ground. Grand-father George Gross, was born April 4th, 1779, and died February 8th, 1858, and great-grandfather, Samuel Gross, was born April 25th, 1750, in the same county, and died on February 13th, 1831. The former, George, was married to a daughter of John Felker (born 1756, died 1847) who came from Germany to America at the age of fourteen years and settled in York county near Lewisberry. Mr. Felker in early manhood learned the trade of a tanner and at the time of his death was a resident of State Line.
Samuel Gross was a farmer by occupa- tion and was esteemed as a man of thrift, economy and good civic qualities. He was the parent of twelve children, two of whom died in infancy. Those still living are: Israel Felker, subject; Louisa, widow of Wm. F. Julius; Caroline E., intermarried with Henry Menges; Edwin S .; George W .; Dr. Jacob M .; Benjamin F .; Sarah A., wife of Edward Fickes; Samuel L. and Milton H.
Israel F. Gross was brought up on his father's farm in Dover township, educated in the common schools and when he reach- ed his majority engaged in the milling business, in which he continued success- fully for a period of ten years. Subse- quently, he became proprietor of the Mot- ter House, in the city of York, and re- mained in possession of that well known hostelry for some twenty years.
Under his management the hotel ac- quired a well deserved popularity, and his long years of proprietorship resulted in considerable financial profit. At the end of this time, Mr. Gross retired from the hotel business and devoted considerable time to the stock and cattle trade. This has continued uninterruptedly down to the present time. In 1889 he was elected one of the Commissioners of York county, and
served with credit and dignity for a term of three years. Prior to this, however, in 1866, he was the nominee of the Republi- can party for the office of sheriff, and re- duced the majority of the opposition, which was strongly Democratic, more than five hundred votes. In both the above named instances, as well as his candidacy for chief burgess of York, Mr. Gross was never an active office seeker, but was pushed for- ward by his party on the basis of his pop- ularity and well known integrity. In 1889 he was elected president of the Drovers and Mechanics Bank of York, of which financial institution he was one of the orig- inal promoters and organizers. He held a directorship in the bank from the time of its organization until his election as presi- dent. In connection with his duties as chief officer of the bank he still continues to deal extensive in livestock, George W. Maul being associated with him.
Mr. Gross has a wide and varied busi- ness experience, as well as a large ac- quaintance with men and affairs. He is aggressive, liberal minded and unostenta- tions and has always been accounted by his fellow citizens as a man of the strictest in- tegrity.
In January, 1854, Mr. Gross was joined in wedlock to Malinda, daughter of Philip Hantz, of York county. They have one son, George W., who is the present prin- cipal of the York County Academy, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.
Mr. Gross is a member of the Masonic fraternity in high standing and a staunch Republican in politics.
R EV. H. H. WEBER, General Secre- tary of the Board of Church Exten- son of the General Synod Lutheran Church was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pa., on August 4th, 1860. His parents were
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Germans. His early education was re- ceived in the German parochial schools of Philadelphia and in 1868 he was sent to Wacker's private German and English Academy in Baltimore, Md. After gradu- ating there he attended the public schools of Baltimore, and in 1873 received the prize from the Vienna, Austria, Exposition, as the best boy writer in the public schools of Baltimore. He next attended Balti- more City College, after which he was in the wholesale dry goods and notion busi- ness for four years. In the the fall of 1878 he entered Pennsylvania College, Get- tysburg, Pa., and graduated with second honor in 1882. He received honorable mention in connection with the Freshman prize, was librarian of Phrena Society, ora- tor for the anniversary, and delivered on graduation day the German oration. He pursued a three year course at the Theo- logical Seminary in Gettysburg and grad- uated in 1885. During his Seminary course he supplied for a time the pulpits of Zion's Lutheran church, Newville, Pa., and Trinity Church, Hagerstown, Md., which today owns the fine stone structure on Third Avenue and Roland Avenue. Upon graduation he was sent again by the Board of Home Missions to Baltimore, Md., and after a short time organized Grace English Lutheran church on Broadway. During his stay of four years there, the congregation grew to a membership of over six hundred, a Sunday school of over seven hundred, and a property worth sixty thousand dollars. The congregation is to day the largest in the Synod of Maryland, and also one of the most liberal. In 1889 he was called by the Board of Church Extension to the General Secretaryship and has served in this capac- ity with marked success for the past eight years. The finances are in good shape and the systemized work of the Board has been a model for that of many other similar or-
ganizations. Mr. Weber has almost phe- nomenal success in securing money, espe- cially at the dedication of churches. A minister who is very close to him and knows his work, says that in eight years of his Secretaryship he secured for churches and the Board all told nearly one million dollars. Mr. Weber was married in 1890 to Miss Emma Crist, of Baltimore, Md., and their married life has been one of great joy.
Mr. Weber is business manager of The Lutheran Missionary Journal, having a cir- culation of thirteen thousand, and The Children's Missionary, having one of eleven thousand. He has been a large contribu- tor to all the weekly church papers, having perhaps furnished more matter than any one connected with the papers, except the editors. He is a prolific gatherer of church news and personals.
Mr. Weber is also largely interested in business enterprises. He is a director in The Security Title and Trust Co., and a member of its finance committee, he is a director and vice president of The Security Building and Loan Association, a director in the York and Wrightsville Electric Rail- way Company and the York and Dover R. R. Co. He with Messrs. D. F. Lafean and Geo. E. Neff, is interested also in the real estate business He was Secretary and Treasurer of the old York Brick, Stone and Lime Manufacturing Co., which in its day did the largest business in Southern Penn- sylvania.
I ACOB D. SCHALL, President of the First National Bank and a financier of recognized ability, of York, Penn- sylvania, is a descendant of an old and hon- orable Pennsylvania family. His ancestry on the maternal side were of Revolutionary stock whose lives and efforts are bound up with the early history of this State.
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Jacob D. Schall was educated in the pub- lic schools and York County Academy. Shortly after the completion of his educa- tion he engaged in the stove and house furnishing business and from 1847 until 1895 was prominent and well known in the retail business circles of York. In con- nection with this business he instituted a plumbing and gas fitting department about the year 1850, and this henceforth became an important part of his original enterprise. Both branches of his business met with a creditable degree of success and before the lapse of many years Mr. Schall was in pos- session of a handsome competency. His business for many years was located at No. 9, West Market street, York, and is re- membered by the citizens as one of the old- est and best established business empor- iums in their city. In 1864, Mr. Schall be- came one of the organizers and a director of the First National Bank of York, with which he has been identified during its en- tire existence. He continued in its direc- torate until April, 1895, when upon the death of Z. K. Loucks, he succeeded to the presidency. Prior to that time, he had acted in the capacity of vice president for about two years. In addition to his con- nection with the First National Bank, Mr. Schall is a large real estate owner in York and vicinity and is interested in a number of minor projects. His residence, located on West Market street, in the residential portion of the city, is one of York's hand- somest and most imposing structures. In 1851, Mr. Schall was married to Catharine D., a daughter of Daniel B. Weiser. This union resulted in the birth of five children, four of whom are still living: Daniel W., Jacob H., Elizabeth M., wife of R. Hatha- way Shindel, cashier of the City Bank, of York, Margaret M., wife of Horace Smith, of the wholesale drug firm of William Smith & Co., of York, and one deceased.
In politics Mr. Schall has always been a staunch Republican, active in the interests and councils of that party and at one time served as a councilman during the period when the City of York was still in its bor- oughhood. He is a member of St. John's Episcopal church, and one of the promi- nent members of its vestry, as well as ac- tive and influential in the various move- ments for extending the power and fruit- fulness of the church's mission. Fratern- ally he is a member of the Lodge, Chapter and Commandery of the Masonic Order, one of the oldest initiates of the Indepen - dent Order of Odd Fellows and is also connected with the Independent Order of Red Men.
In his official capacity as president of the First National Bank, Mr. Schall is recog- nized as a conservative, painstaking incum- bent, possessing the highest integrity. He is well and favorably known through his long connection with the business interests of York as a man of good executive ability, sagacity and carefulness, while on matters of finance he adheres to a sound and judi- cious policy.
P AUL J. BECK, cashier of the First National bank of Glen Rock, is des- cended from sturdy and highly respected German ancestry. His ancestors on both sides had settled in this county before the Revolutionary War. The family has long been located in this country and the Beck's have become prominently identified with York county. The paternal grandfather of our subject was John Beck, a carpenter at York; afterwards he kept a hotel at Logan- ville, Pa. His father's name was George Beck, of Manchester, York county. He married Mary Fahs, daughter of Joseph Fahs and Barbara (Lanius) Fahs. They had nine children, four living; Sarah, widow of Peter Goodling; Emma, widow
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of John Bahn; Mary, wife of John Tyson, and Jolin. The elder discontinued the ho- tel business at Loganville, and later in life, upon the death of his wife in 1864, moved to York, where he died 1879, aged 80 years. John, father of our subject, was born in the city of York August 16th, 1829. In early life he moved to Spring- field township and began farming which he continued until 1889. He took a strong in- terest in politics and in 1884 received the Republican nomination for county com- missioner, resulting in his election as the minority member of the board. He also served as a school director, auditor and in other offices of Springfield township. In religion he was a Moravian, but later in life changed to Lutheranism and be-
came a regular church attendant. In 1852 Mr. Beck married Matilda, a daugh- ter of Joseph and Catharine (King) Leader. The father of Joseph Leader, Frederick Leader, served 7 years in the Revolution- ary war. They had nine children: Mary C., married to Zacharias Reigart, of York; Charles F., a Springfield township farmer; Milton G., of York; Franklin J., Logan- ville, stageman; Paul J., our subject; Emma A., wife of Alex Diehl, of York; Harry C., State of Washington; Martha J., married to Charles Fahs, of Jacobus, and Harvey G., a young physician of Baltimore, who has graduated with high honors and is now taking post graduate studies in foreign hospitals.
Our subject was born in Springfield township January 24, 1860, attended the common schools and for three sessions was a student at a summer normal school con- ducted in York. He began teaching school in Springfield township, where he filled one term in 1876-77. He then taught six terms in Manheim township, after which he went to Carroll county, Maryland, and taught eight terms. At this time he was offered
and accepted the cashiership of the First National bank at Glen Rock and therefore discontinued his educational work and moved back to Pennsylvania, assuming his position in October, 1892. Mr. Beck is also treasurer of the Glen Rock Wire Cloth Company and Borough treasurer; is a Re- publican in politics and was one of the cen- sus enumerators of Carroll county in 1890. He is a Lutheran in religion and takes an active part in religious work in his com- munity, being at the present time a deacon and a Sunday school teacher and treasurer. In 1889 he married Annie C. Hoover, daughter of George and Mary A. (Shutt) Hoover, of Springfield township.
C APTAIN JOHN P. BRINDLE, a veteran officer of the Army of the Potomac, is a son of George and Elizabeth (Duey) Brindle, and was born at Carlisle Springs, Cumberland county, Pennsyl- vania, April 8, 1825. His paternal grand- father, Marks Brindle, was a native of Ger- many, and settled in Cumberland county about the time of the Revolutionary war. He was a member of the Reformed church and his son, George Brindle, was born June 21, 1791. George Brindle was reared on the farm and learned, with his brother Jacob the trade of miller, which he followed until his marriage. He then removed to his father-in-law's farm at Carlisle Springs, where he died on July 8, 1867. He was a substantial farmer, held several township offices and served one term as director of the poor of Cumberland county. He was a member of the Reformed church, served in the State Militia, and married Elizabeth Duey, whose father, Peter Duey, served under Washington and was at Valley Forge. Mrs. Brindle died January 30, 1864, aged 63 years, II months. Mr. and Mrs. Brindle reared a family of four sons and two daughters: Captain John P.,
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Margaret E., William D., and Andrew J., who both died young; David P., a farmer; and Catharine, who wedded Hezekiah Chandler and is dead.
Captain John P. Brindle was reared on the farm, received a common school educa- tion, and assisted his father in farming un- til 1850, when he worked at carpentering 11ntil 1862, when on October 3rd, of that year he enlisted in company G., 84th Regi- ment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry. He participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wapping Heights, Thor- oughfare Gap, Freeman's Ford, Bristow Sta- tion, Kelly's and Jacob's Fords, Locust Grove, Mine Run, Morton's Ford, Wilder- ness, Spottsylvania, Pamunkey River, North Anna River, Tolopotomy, Hauses Shops, Pleasant Hill, Cold Harbor, Peters- burg and Weldon Railroad. He was raised from a private to first lieutenant, October 17, 1862, promoted to captain August 15th, 1863, and discharged for disability in the field in front of Petersburg, Va., on July 16th, 1864. His disability was brought about by a severe attack of typhoid fever, and after returning home he worked some little at carpentering for a couple of years. In 1866 he was elected prothonotary of Cumberland county and served in that office for three years. He then followed contracting and building until 1872, when he accepted the office of deputy prothono- tary, which he held until 1875, in which year he resumed contracting and building. Ten years later he was elected justice of the peace and at the close of his term was re-elected. His second term of five years expired in May 6th, 1896, and on May 6th, of that year, he was appointed as notary public by Governor Hastings. Captain Brindle's record as a soldier is one of pri- vation, suffering, and of hard fighting on twenty-seven battlefields of the Republic; while his career as a county and borough
official has been distinguished for efficiency and usefulness. He is a Democrat in poli- tics and a member of the Reformed church. He is a charter member of Capt. Colwell Post No. 201, Grand Army of the Republic, of which post he has been com- mander for eight years. In connection with his work as notary public he does a large amount of pension business, in which he has been quite successful.
On May 9, 1850, Captain Brindle wedded Amanda R. Cornman, a daughter of David Cornman, of Carlisle Springs at the time of marriage. To their union have been born seven children: Charles W., Mary E., David E., and Albert N. Anna and John P. both passed away in child- hood and Minnie C. Chas. W. died aged 12 years, Mary E. died aged 7 years and 8 months. David E., Albert N. and Min- nie C. are living. Amanda R., wife, died March 21st, 1894, aged 64 years, 10 months and was born May 23rd, 1829. J. P. Brin- dle served as a member of town council. two terms as chief burgess and also as cor- oner of the county for six years.
TOHN AHL, M. D., one of the oldest and most prominent physicians of
York, is a son of Peter and Mary (Stroman) Ahl, and was born in York bor- ough April 15th, 1822. The Ahls are of German lineage, and came to this country prior to the Revolutionary war. Dr. Peter Ahl, the paternal grandfather of John Ahl, served as a sergeant in the Continental army. He was also a minister in the Ot- terbein church, and but little record is pre- served of him beyond the fact that he was a good physician and led rather an itinerant life. His remains rest in the cemetery at Baltimore, Maryland. His son, Peter Ahl, was born in Virginia, learned the trade of hatter here and for a number of years car- ried on that business in the city of York,
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in which latter place he died at the age of 82 years and 8 months. He wedded Mary Stroman, a daughter of John Stroman; both are deceased, and left surviving them six children.
Dr. John Ahl, grew to manhood in the city of York, received a good rudimentary education in the public schools and then pursued a literary and scientific course at the York County Academy. When nine- teen years of age, he commenced to read medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. William McIlvain and at the conclusion of his course entered Washington University, now the School of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, Maryland, from which medi- cal institution he graduated in the class of 1845. After graduation he practiced in York for six months and then removed to Dover, where he remained up to 1875. In that year he returned to York, where he has since been located, rapidly built up a large and successful practice, and now holds a respectful and affectionate regard in the hearts of his fellow townsmen.
Dr. Ahl married Elizabeth (Nes) Cole- man, widow of Morgan Coleman, of Balti- more, and daughter of - Nes, of Bal- timore. Dr. Ahl reared and educated Dr. John H. Seiffert, now a successful practic- ing physician of Chicago, Illinois.
In public life, Dr. Ahl has always been averse to holding any strictly political office, and has been persistent in adhering to the ethics of his profession. For twelve years he served York county as its coroner, has been physician to the county home by appointment for several years, and was health officer of his native city for three years. He was a member of the school board of Dover township, when he resided at Dover, and where also, by solicitation, he served several terms as chief burgess of the village. He has always been unswerv- ing in his support of the Democratic party,
though he has firmly stood aloof from par- tisan politics. Fraternally Dr. Ahl is con- nected with the Masonic Order, with which he has been connected for over 45 years, is a member and the examining physician of Keystone Lodge No. 12, Improved Or- der of Heptasophs. He was among the earliest members of the York County Med- ical Society,and during his period of prac- tice extending over half a century, has been identified with all the important interests of his profession since its organization.
T. BRUCE BIRCH, professor of Latin ยท in Irving College, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the son of Richard and Ruth (Edwards) Birch, and was born at Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Pennsyl- vania, September II, 1866. Mr. Birch is of English origin, his father having been born near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Eng- land. While yet a young man he came to America and located at Bloomsburg, where in his capacity as a mining engineer, he se- cured charge of iron ore mines in that locality which were under contract to sup- ply the neighboring furnaces. Shortly after coming to this country Mr. Birch married Ruth Edwards, a native of his own shire in England, who was born within three miles of his birth place. This young woman emigrated to America with her brother, Richard Edwards, who also located at Bloomsburg. Two sons were born to the Birch family: Joseph Henry, residing at Bloomsburg, and T. B. The elder Birch was a man of considerable musi- cal talent, a good singer and in his English home had served in the capacity of choir master. Fraternally he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He died October II, 1867; the wife sur- vives, still residing at Bloomsburg, at the age of fifty-seven. She is a regular wor-
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shipper in and active member of the Luth- eran church.
T. Bruce Birch began his education in the public schools of Bloomsburg, from which he graduated at the age of 17. He then entered the Bloomsburg State Nor- mal School, where he graduated in 1885, and this equipped him for educational work. He began teaching at Vicksburg, Union county, Pennsylvania, where he re- mained two years. This secured for him a second diploma from the normal school. In 1880 Mr. Birch entered the junior class at Missionary Institute, Selins Grove, now Susquehanna University, and in the fall went to Pennsylvania College, at Gettys- burg, as a junior, graduating from the lat- ter college in 1891. His object being to enter the Lutheran ministry, in the fall of his graduating year he enrolled as a student of the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and after three years of study and tutoring in the preparatory depart- ment of Pennsylvania College, graduated in May, 1894, and was ordained by the Susquehanna Synod, at Milton, Pennsyl- vania. The only charge he supplied was Boiling Springs. There he remained until September 1, 1896, when he was elected to his present position. For this chair his thorough training and his experience in the work of teaching have admirably equipped him. September 15th, 1894, he married Sarah, daughter of Geo. W. and Elizabeth (Slear) Himmelreich, of Cowan, Union county, a union in which there was added adaptability from the fact that Miss Him- melreich was a graduate of the institution in which her husband now teaches and in whose fortunes both are, therefore, higlily interested. They have one son, George Henry.
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