USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 53
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 53
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he removed to Hedgville, West Virginia, and there engaged in the lumber business. He later moved to Martinsburg in the same State, where he engaged in a similar busi- ness, and afterwards became superinten- dent of Baker & Bros. large lime works, which connection was maintained up to the year 1886, when he removed to Baltimore, and engaged in the wholesale leather busi- ness. Three (3) years later he disposed of his interest there and removed to York, and subsequently organized the "Wrightsville Lime Co." assuming active management of same. This company owns valuable lime- stone quarries, and operates large kilns at Wrightsville, Campbells Station and Bain- bridge, Pennsylvania. These combined plants have a capacity of more than a mil- lion bushels per annum, and in point of quality the lime product is among the best produced in the State. In addition to his connection with the Wrightsville Lime Co. he is also secretary, and treasurer of the Keystone Coal Company which operates large mines in Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania, and ships on an average, a thousand tons of coal per day. This same company is the owner of coal lands in West Virginia, which as yet have not been operated. Mr. Baker brings to all these industries a wide and diverse experience in business manage- ment. He is recognized as a man of good organizing, and executive ability. Politi- cally he is a Republican, and in the year 1896 was elected to represent the Second ward in the Common Council of the City of York. Beyond this, however, he is not a candidate for political preferment, and has always been content to exercise the privileges and duties of a citizen, irrespect- ive of political aspirations. He is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church which he has uniformly given active and cordial support.
On November 9, 1887, Mr. Baker was
united in marriage with Mary S., daughter of the late Charles Billmyer, of York, Pa. To this union have been born two children, one son and one daughter. Mr. Baker is practically a self-made man. He is a man of good mental equipment, business tact, fertile resources, and tireless energy-qual- ities that have done much toward his pres- ent success. Personally he possesses many commendatory social characteristics, that have placed him in touch with the leading men and interests of his adopted county.
J. J. CONRAD, one of the members of the firm of Ehrhart, Conrad and Company, of Hanover, York county, was born in that town, October II, 1861, the son of Lewis G. and Charlotte (Noel) Conrad. He is descended from German and French ancestry.
Lewis G. Conrad, father of our subject, was born in McSherrystown, Adams county, on July 3, 1832. He was the son of Jacob Conrad and after finishing his ed- ucation in the common schools, he learned the trade of carpenter and followed contracting throughout his life in Hanover. He did a large business and became the principal contractor of the town. In poli- tics Mr. Conrad is a Democrat of the sound money persuasion but does not display an active interest in party affairs. In religion he is a member of the Catholic church. In Hanover he married Charlotte, a daughter of John L. and A. Mary Noel, by whom he had seven children: Harry Leo, William F., deceased; Jacob J., Frank A., Edward J., Agnes, wife of L. D. Kelly, and Nettie.
Jacob J. Conrad was educated in the common schools of Hanover and at the ter- mination of his school career entered a grocery store in his native town and clerked for three years. He then entered upon the wholesale and retail grocery business upon a small scale, but the business has since
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
developed until the present house, Ehrhart, Conrad & Co., and is the leading empor- ium of the town. Mr. Conrad, like his father, is a faithful believer in the prin- ciples of Jefferson but, of the two Demo- cratic platforms of 1896, that adopted by the so-called Gold Democracy at Indianap- olis is to his reason and judgment the true Democratic doctrine of this period. He is, therefore, a sound money Democrat. In religion he is a member of the Catholic church.
September 27, 1893, Mr. Conrad married Alice, a daughter of Thomas J. and Bridget Bateman, of Philadelphia.
Mr. Conrad is held in high esteem in Hanover, not only among the business men, but by all who know him. He has an excellent reputation for business integrity, probity of character and the enlightened spirit of his citizenship. He is a type of the thinking American citizen who reasons out his own business or professional destiny as well as his proper course in his civic rela- tions, and who, acting entirely upon judg- ment and not from impulse, is inflexible in his convictions and consistent and un- swerving in maintaining and practicing them.
D ANIEL K. TRIMMER, ESQ., a prominent member of the York county Bar, who has been in continuous and successful practice for a period of 20 years, is a native of Dover township, York county, Pennsylvania, the date of whose birth was September 10th, 1846. His par- ents were Daniel and Elizabeth (Kauffman) Trimmer, whose ancestors on his father's side were formerly residents of New Jer- sey, but for the past five generations, iden- tified with the life and interests of York county. The first of the name transplanted to York county, of which we have any rec- ord, was George Trimmer, the great grand-
father of William Trimmer, a well-to-do citizen and an adherent of and bishop in the German Baptist church, whose son, Daniel B. Trimmer, was the father of Dan- iel K.
Daniel B. Trimmer was born on April 15, 1809, on the old homestead farm in Dover township, and adopted the occupa- tion and religious faith of his father. He was a Whig, and subsequently, a Repub- lican in politics, and died on October 4, 1873. He married Elizabeth Kauffman, the representative of an old Pennsylvania family, five generations ago almost entirely confined to Lancaster county. To this un- ion were born II children of whom six are living: William, Reuben, Nancy, inter- married with George B. Stauffer, Elizabeth, wife of John R. Altland, Alice and Dan- iel K.
Daniel K. Trimmer, at the age of ten years left his father's farm and lived for some years with his aunt, who resided in West Manchester township. He received his education in the common schools in West Manchester township, and in the York County Academy. Succeeding this, he engaged in teaching in the public schools of his county, to which he devoted himself for eight years. During the latter part of his period of teaching he commen- ced the study of law in the office of Hon. George W. Heiges, of York, and was ad- mitted to the Bar, October 23, 1874. Some years after his admission, Mr. Trimmer ac- quired a large general law practice, but at the present time confines himself largely to orphans' court business, corporation law and real estate. He is solicitor for the York Street R. R. company, counsel for the Bal- timore & Harrisburg R. R. company, East- ern Extension, and besides is acting solici- tor and counsel for a number of other com- panies and corporations. He is a member of the Philadelphia Lawyers' club, and also
Engraved by J R Rice & Sons, Philad'a
Daniel M. Trimmen
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
of a similar organization in the city of a speaker of much force, and one of his York.
Aside from an earnest and praiseworthy devotion to the practice of his profession, Mr. Trimmer has always taken an active interest in the material enterprises and projects benefitting his city or county. He was one of the originators of the West End Improvement Company, which has been a powerful factor in developing and beauti- fying the suburban districts of his city. He is vice president of the York Street Rail- way Company, in which he is also a stock- holder, secretary of the York Hotel Com- pany and large holder of real estate., city and farming, which former he has steadily improved.
Mr. Trimmer has always been a staunch Republican in politics, and although lo- cated in a district strongly Democratic, he has frequently been honored with nomina- tions for public official positions, and has always proved a strong standard bearer. In 1877 he was a candidate for district attor- ney; in 1881 his party placed him in nomi- nation for the office of State Senator and in 1892 he was a candidate of the Republi- can party for Congress in opposition to Hon. F. E. Beltzhoover, of Carlisle, Cum- berland county. He served as chairman of the Republican county committee in 1879 and again in 1884, conducting the cam- paigns of those years with efficiency and ability.
Though more often vanquished than vic- tor in his political career, yet Mr. Trimmer has borne defeat with fine spirit, conscious of the fact that the difficulties standing in the way of his election were almost insur- mountable. It has been through just such persistent opposition as that evinced by Mr. Trimmer that the Democratic majority in his native county has been reduced to a matter merely nominal. He has been a vigorous and intelligent campaign worker,
party's wisest counselors.
In his religious predilections, Mr. Trim- mer is an Episcopalian, while he also holds membership in a number of fraternal or- ganizations, the most prominent of which are the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Masons. -
J. Q. ALLEWALT, president of the · Penn Milling Company, of Hanover,
York county, is a native of Adams county, where he was born July 14, 1836, the son of Solomon and Barbara (Hoff- man) Allewalt. He is of German origin. The family located in America two gener- ations previous to our subject, when Ber- nard Allewalt, his paternal grandfather,emi- grated from Germany to America and lo- cated in Adams county. This ancestor followed farming.
Solomon Allewalt, the father of our sub- ject was born in Adams county, secured his education in the public schools of his time and then took up farming as his occu- pation. His farm was located in Berwick township and his entire life was spent upon it. He was one of the most prominent farmers of the county and took a suffic- iently active part in Whig politics to secure his election to local offices, beyond which he never aspired. In religion he was a member of the Lutheran church, and here, too, he was active and held offices. His age at the time of the war precluded active military service and he remained at home as a member of the reserve known as the home guards.
He married Barbara, a daughter of Michael and Barbara Hoffman, by whom he had eight children: Peter, John Q., and George W., Delia, Amanda, Harriet, Lydia, and Sarah. Mr. Allewalt died in 1873 and his wife in 1881.
J. Q. Allewalt received his education in
25
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
the common schools of Berwick township, Adams county, and for several years after engaged in the profession of teaching. He then acquired the trade of carpenter, fol- lowed that five years and then engaged for a similar period in farming near Gettys- burg, Adams county. He then went to Baltimore and engaged in the commission business, which he followed for twenty-one years and abandoned it in 1889 to come to Hanover as a manager of the Penn Milling company. Subsequently he became a di- rector and then president of the company.
Mr. Allewalt has led a rather active life since coming to Hanover. He has be- come identified with many of its leading interests and besides his connection with the Penn Milling Company is a director of the People's Bank, of Hanover, and served in a similar capacity on the board of the Electric Light company. His activity is not confined to the business interests of Hanover, however, for he manifests a com- mendable spirit toward the moral and spir- itual welfare of the town and is superin- tendent of St. Matthew's Lutheran Sunday school and a member and ex-official of the congregation. Mr. Allewalt takes an in- telligent part in politics as a member of the Republican party. His fraternal affilia- tions are confined to Hanover Lodge, No. 327, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
May, 1859, he married Lauranda Crist, a daughter of Michael and Mary Crist, by whom he has had two children, Emma and Lillie, one deceased. Lillie is still living and is the wife of Charles Sebright.
C APT. JOSEPH G. VALE, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, is the son of Elisha and Edith (Griffith) Vale, both residents of York county, and was born June 27, 1837.
The Vales are of English descent. Rob- ert Vale, the great-grandfather of Joseph, was born in London, England. He was
the youngest son of a Protestant family who spelled their name Veale. From what is known of him he was a highly ed- ucated man and a graduate of Oxford University, in England. While yet a young man he joined the Society of Friends and emigrated to America September 17, 1744. He located in York county, where he bought a piece of land, parts of which are located in the present townships of Fair- view, Warrington and Washington. After locating he married Sarah Buller, of War- rington township. From that time on he followed farming, teaching and surveying and was the first person to hold the office of constable in Warrington township.
To this union with Sarah Buller were born four sons and one daughter: Robert married Sarah Cook. Anna married Abel Walker and had a large family. Joshua married Elizabeth Cleaver. John was first married to Deborah Thomas and afterward to Deborah Griffith, nee McMillian. Wil- liam Vale, the second son of Elisha Vale and grandfather of our subject, was born on the homestead, near Mt. Top, York county, November 22, 1754. He married Ann Wetherald January 15, 1778, at War- rington meeting, and died January 5, 1834, at his birth place. He is buried in the grave yard adjoining the old Quaker meet- ing house, in Warrington township, where all his brothers except John and his only sister, repose. William Vale was in his day a farmer and school teacher and was a very active member of the society of Friends. He was twice married, his first wife being Ann Wetherald, who was of Irish parentage, and came from county Armagh, Treland. To this union was born a large family, many of whom died young. Sarah died single in 1863. Isaac, Lydia and Joseph died young. Hannah married Samuel England and left an issue. Ann married Jeddiah Hussey and left issue.
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
John, Maud, Lydia, Garrettson. Mary mar- ried Uriah Greist. Phoebe married Eli Cooksin. All these left issue.
Elisha, the father of our subject, was born on the old homestead January 21, 1788, and died in Latimore township, Adams county, May 27, 1855. Like his fatliers before him he followed surveying, teaching and farming and for many years was superintendent of the York, Susque- hanna and Baltimore Turnpike Company. He was an active member in the Society of Friends. December 27, 1813, he mar- ried Martha, a daughter of Jacob Kirk, of York county, by whom he had eight chil- dren. John and Maria died in infancy.
Jane married Robert Raymond. Ruth Ann married William Raymond. William E. married Mary Skeels,and is living near Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio. Ann married Jesse Patterson. After the death of his first wife Mr. Vale married Edith Griffith, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Griffith, of Warrington township, by whom he had six children: Erastus, Caroline, Re- becca, Joseph G., Guilielma and Josiah. Josiah M. is an attorney of Washington, D. C., and has one son. Guilielma, now Mrs. William Spangler, resides in Ross- ville, York county.
Joseph G. Vale, our subject, was reared upon the farm and acquired his education in the common schools of Adams county and at White Hall Academy. He then taught from 1854 until 1861, when the out- break of the war induced him to become a member of Company K, Seventh Penn- sylvania Cavalry, under Col. George E. Wynkoop, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. En- tering this organization as a lieutenant he by meritorious service won promotion to the captaincy of Company M, May 1, 1863. In the battle of Gallatin, Tennessee, Sep- tember 21, 1863, he was wounded in the left leg and taken prisoner. He remained
in confinement for a few weeks and then was liberated on parole and sent to Ann- apolis, Maryland. He returned to his company in time to take part in the charge at Stony Run, Tennessee, January 13, 1863, where Bragg's Army was defeated. He fought under General Rosecrans and other commanders of the Army of the Cumberland in the memorable engage- ments of 1863 and 1864, which preceded Sherman's march to the sea. April 21, 1863, he assisted in the capture of McMinn- ville, Tennessee, where he received a saber wound in his right hand. August 17, 1863, he participated in an attack on Foret's command at Sparta, Tennessee, in which he was wounded in the right shoulder by a ball. The remainder of Capt. Vale's military record, which is most honorable and illustrious, and shows him to have been a gallant and able soldier, was made in the memorable advance on and capture of Atlanta, Ga., in 1864, under General Sher- man. September 26, 1864, he left the army by reason of disability and returning home engaged in teaching in White Hall Academy until that institution became a soldier's orphan school. He then became a member of the faculty upon its organiza- tion for the care and education of soldier's orphans. In 1870 he withdrew and resumed the study of law, which the war had inter- rupted and was admitted to the bar in Har- risburg in 1871. In 1872 he came to Car- lisle and has practiced his profession there ever since. Capt. Vale is a member of the Church of God and politically is a staunch Republican. He is a member of Lodge 301, Free and Accepted Masons; Chap- ter Royal Arch Masons; Capt. Colwell Post No. 201, Grand Army of the Repub- lic, and a member of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland.
December 27, 1863, while at home re- cruiting, he married Sarah, daughter of
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
Thomas Eyster, of Camp Hill, Cumber- land county. To that union were born: Thomas E., a graduate of Dickinson Col- lege, now attorney at law in Carlisle; Elisha Mode, a graduate of Dickinson Col- lege and a professor of languages; Charles S., Robert B., at present managing editor of the New York division of the Philadel- phia Press; Ruby R., professor at Milford Academy, Milford, Delaware; Joseph, who died in infancy, and Grace, a student at Dickinson College. Mrs. Sarah Vale died at Carlisle January 28, 1892, aged 45 years. January 29, 1895, Captain Vale married Annetta, a daughter of William Sadler, of Camp Hill, Cumberland county.
Beside giving active attention to the practice of law, Capt. Vale has found time to enter the field of literature and has writ- ten entertainingly upon a number of sub- jects. Among his works are one on the history of the Second Calvary Division of the Army of the Cumberland. He is also the author of "The Enslavement and De- liverance of the Children of Israel," a Sun- day school work. At present he has in manuscript a history of the development of life as shown in the geological forma- tion of the earth.
D. D. EHRHART, senior member of the firm of Ehrhart, Conrad & Co., of Hanover, York county, was born in Shrewsbury township, York county, Feb- ruary 13, 1849, the son of Henry and Julia (Diehl) Ehrhart. The Ehrharts, as the name, presumably "heart of honor," indi- cates, are of German origin.
William Ehrhart, the paternal grand- father of D. D. Ehrhart, was born in York township, near the town of York and farmed during his entire life. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a mem- ber of the Lutheran church, the nearest congregation of which was in the town of
York, and it was to that place that William Ehrhart went, summer and winter, to at- tend worship. Soon after attaining his majority he married, taking as his wife Nellie Runk, a daughter of John Runk, by whom he had six children: Emanuel, Henry, Marie, William, Louisa and Eliza.
Henry Ehrhart, the father of our sub- ject, was born during the residence of the family in Shrewsbury township, and was reared upon his father's farm. After at- tending the rural schools and securing an education, which in those days required the perfecting influence of experience to render it useful,except in the most ordinary
callings, he learned the trade of carpenter and, in connection with farming, engaged in that occupation throughout life. Al- though the Ehrharts were bred Demo- crats, Henry Ehrhart became a member of the Republican party, and the fact that he held local offices is evidence of his activity in public affairs. He grew up a member of the Lutheran church and took an active part in its affairs, for many years holding the various church offices in the congrega- tion of which he was a member.
In 1848 he married Julia, a daughter of Adam and Catharine Diehl, who became the mother of our subject and five other children: Charles, Samuel, Louisa, wife of H. A. Young; Elsie, wife of W. D. Bort- ner, and Millian Ann, wife of John Bowin. Mr. Ehrhart died in 1877, his wife still sur- vives.
Daniel D. Ehrhart spent his earlier years on his father's farm in Shrewsbury town- ship and secured his education in the pub- lic schools and the Shrewsbury Academy. He left school at an early age and worked for a few years on a farm. At the age of nineteen he entered upon the profession of teaching and for six years taught in the schools of York county. He then located in Hanover and engaged in the retail gro-
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
cery business, which in 1883 was enlarged into a wholesale business now conducted by the firm of Ehrhart, Conrad & Com- pany. Since his location in Hanover Mr. Ehrhart has risen to prominence in that town, partly through his business relations and partly through his activity in politics and public affairs. He is a Republican and votes at every election. For eight years he was a member of the school board of Hanover. At present he is a trustee of St. Matthew's church and teacher in the St. Matthew's Lutheran Sunday school and an active member of the congregation of the same church. He is a member of the Hanover Building and Loan Association and has done much to make that institu- tion a success. Mr. Ehrhart is connected with three of the secret societies of Han- over, being a member of McCallister Council, No. 980, Royal Arcanum; of Washington Camp, Patriotic Sons of America; and of Minnewaukuri Tribe No. 250, Improved Order of Red Men. Mr. Ehrhart is one of the most popular men of Hanover and has attained the esteem of his fellow townsmen not only through his business, fraternal, religious and civic asso- ciations but through that display of enter- prise and energy which has done so much to encourage the growth of the town and foster the splendid civic spirit for which Hanover people are noted. Once the able and experienced teacher, he is now the superior and trained man of business. In his personality he is agreeable, his in- tegrity is conceded and his character and reputation are alike of a high order.
February II, 1872, Mr. Ehrhart married Martha, a daughter of Samuel A. and Delia Frey, of York, by whom he has had four children: Harry Samuel and Robert Leroy living, and Alma B. and Donald Frey, de- ceased.
J
LAWRENCE WILLIAMS, a promi- nent young attorney of Gettysburg,
was born Nov. 19, 1869, at Gettys- burg, the son of M. F. and Sarah (Utz) Williams. He is of Welsh ancestry on his father's side and German on his mother's
About the year 1680 three Williams . brothers emigrated from Wales to America. One settled in New York, one in Chester county, Penna., and the other in South Carolina. Lawrence Williams is a de- scendant of the New York branch of the family. His paternal great-grandfather, John Williams, was born in Vermont; his maternal great-grandfather was Robert Meader. John Williams, his paternal grandfather, was a sea captain and was lost with his vessel on Lake Michigan when he was about 50 years of age. His children were Charlotte, Josephine, Law- rence, Hallock, Marion F. and Jolin. The first three boys served in New York regi- ments during the civil war, Hallock and Marion F. being wounded.
Marion F. Williams, the father of our subject, was born at Plattsburg, New York in 1844. He received a common school education which he supplemented by a course in the Commercial College at Bing- hanıton, N. Y. Before he could engage in any profession or pursuit, however, the war broke out and he enlisted in the 16th New York Infantry regiment, taking part in thirteen hard fought battles, beginning with the first at Bull Run, and was wounded seven times at Gaines' Mill June 27th, 1862. After his discharge from the hospital he secured a clerkship in the War Department at Washington and served until July, 1863, when he was appointed ambulance driver for the Gettysburg cam- paign, and was then recalled to his clerk- ship from which he was discharged for par- ticipating in a McClellan-his corps com- mander-parade during the political cam-
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