USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 60
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 60
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Mr. Lindner at the present time is serv- of great courage and his two sons, who
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had no other weapons than the yokes of their plows. The old man upbraided the fu- gitives for cowardice and rallied them so that, turning upon the Danes they defeated them and compelled them to fly. After the victory the old man was found lying on the ground and wounded, crying "hay! hay!" which became the sirname of his poster- ity. As a reward for his service the King gave the brave old Scotchman a portion of the best land in the country. The extent of this tract was to be as much as a falcon should fly over before alighting on the ground. The bird that was released flew over an extent of ground six miles in length and alighted on a stone which con- tinues to this day to be known as the Fal- con Stone. As a further reward the King ennobled the family and assigned as its arms a device of three shields or escutcheons, signifying that the father and two sons were three fortunate shields for Scotland.
The land referred to was in the famous Gowrie district, the very garden spot of Scotland. It has been said that "none of the name have ever been known to submit gracefully to a defeat, except when they could not help it." Certain it is, that pluck fortitude, gallantry and other noble quali- ties have often in succeeding generations exemplified the striking characteristics of the family.
John Hay, great-great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Alsace, then in France, about 1733. He emigrated to America and was naturalized, 1760, in the county of York. He was one of the pro- vincial magistrates; a commissioner of the county from 1772 to 1775; a member of the committee of correspondence to send aid to the people of Boston in 1774; was chosen a member of the committee of safe- ty for York county, December 16, 1774: was made treasurer of that committee and was re-elected a member for one year on
November 3, 1775; and was a delegate to the provincial convention held in Philadel- phia, January 23, 1775. During the war between the colonies and the mother coun- try he served as first lieutenant of the In- dependent Light Infantry Company, com- manded by Captain George Irwin, which was a part of the first battalion of York county, and of Colonel James Smith's bat- talion of Associators. He was elected a member of the State convention in 1775, and was a delegate to the provincial con- ference to form an independent govern- ment which met at Carpenter's Hall, Phil- adelphia, June 18, 1776; and also to the convention of July 15, 1776, which met at Philadelphia to frame the first constitution of that city. In 1776 Mr. Hay served as first lieutenant of Captain William Baily's company and marched with his comrades to form the flying camp in Eastern New Jersey. He was appointed sub-lieutenant for York county, March 12, 1777, and re- signed to accept the office of treasurer in 1778, a position which he filled almost un- interruptedly until 1801. During the years of 1779-1782-1783-1784, he served as a member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania. Subsequent to 1776, he had been appoint- ed sub-lieutenant of York county with the rank of lieutenant colonel and, as resi -. dent military officer in the continental ser- vice, he had charge of the organization, equipment and destination of the York county troops. His name appears in the list of those entitled to pay for service in the militia. He died in April 1810. His son, Jacob Hay, grandfather of our subject, was born in Scotland, and during the Rev- olution, served as a corporal in Moylan's cavalry regiment. He became a successful merchant and justice of the peace at York. His son, Dr. Jacob Hay, Sr., was a gradu- ate of Princeton college, read medicine with the celebrated Dr. John Spangler,
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and after graduating at the University of Maryland, in medicine, practiced his pro- fession for more than a half century in York county. He was active and promi- nent as a citizen as well as successful and influential as a physician. He served as president of the York bank for a number of years, was a devoted friend of education and for a long term of years was a trustee of the York County Academy. The date of his birth was 1801 and of his death April 29, 1874. He married Sarah Beard, a daughter of George Beard, who in early days settled in Spring Garden township, where he secured his title to a large tract of land through the exchange of a pick and shovel to the Indians then dominant in this section of the county. He subsequently fol- lowed farming and milling to good advan- tage and with profitabe results. Mrs. Hay died July 24, 1874, aged 70 years, leaving to survive her a family of eight children: Dr. John, deceased; Mary E., widow of Rev. J. A. Brown, D. D., one time presi- dent of the Lutheran Theological seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Caroline: Louisa, widow of W. H. Davis; Dr. Jacob, subject; William, a graduate of Pennsyl- vania college, and member of the York County Bar, deceased; Henry and Sarah, both deceased.
Dr. Jacob Hay grew to the years of ma- turity in York, obtained his literary educa- tion in the York County Academy, and at 19 years of age, after the usual preliminary preparation, entered the medical depart- ment of the University of Maryland, Bal- timore, from which he was graduated in the class of 1854. After his return from Balti-
more he commenced the practice of his profession and soon advanced himself to a position of respect and prominence in his fraternity. This position has been emi- nently sustained through his subsequent professional career. No one is held in
higher esteem either as a citizen or medical practitioner than is Dr. Hay. He is a member of the County, State and National Medical Associations, in each of which he is held in regard as a valued member. He is president of the York and Susquehanna Turnpike Company, and for the past 18 years has served as director in the York National Bank. When the city of York was still in its boroughhood, he was elected a member of the school board, and to a place in its council, and when the honors of cityhood came, he was still retained as an advisor of unusual wisdom and care in the educational and municipal affairs of the conimunity. Dr. Hay is a Knight Templar Mason and in politics has long been an in- telligent supporter of the Republican party. He is a member of St. Paul's Lutheran church, is philanthropic in spirit and was one of the first advocates of the establish- ment of the York City Hospital and Dis- pensary.
In 1865, Dr. Hay married Catharine Louisa Elizabeth Smyser, a daughter of Joseph Smyser, and a descendant of Ma- thias Smyser, who came from Wurtenberg, Germany, in 1731. The Smyser family is one of the noted historic families of York county, and has been fully traced in connec- tion with other sketches in this volume. Dr. and Mrs. Hay, have five children: Sarah Ellen, wife of Francis A. Stevens, of New York city; Lucy Kate; Catharine Smyser; Joseph Smyser and Jacob.
S. S. NEELY, Attorney-at-Law and a citizen of Gettysburg, is a son of J. Cassat and Alice (Schmucker) Neely, and was born in that borough on April 7th, 1866. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His paternal grandfather was Col. James L. Neely, who was born in Tyrone township, Adams county, Pa., February 20th, 1801. His great-grandfather, James Neely, was
28
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
born in Adams county and was a farmer throughout life. His great-great-grand- father, Samuel Neely, came from the North of Ireland and settled in Adams county in 1730. He took up a large tract of land and named it Tyrone, after his native county in Ireland. S. S. Neely's paternal grandfather's children were Mary J., Mar- garet, Josephine, J. Cassat and J. Upton. On his maternal side the grandfather was Rev. Samuel S. Schmucker, D. D., first president of the Theological Semin- ary at Gettysburg, who continued to be President for nearly 40 years, and was, for many years, at the head of the Lutheran Church in the United States. Col. James L. Neely was a candidate for the Legisla- ture in 1854, but was defeated by the Know Nothing movement. J. Cassat Neely was educated at Pennsylvania College; gradu- ated in 1856; studied law with Hon. D. McConaughy, and was admitted to the Bar in 1859. He was in continuous practice until the day of his death, May 21st, 1894. In politics he was a Democrat. He served as District Attorney for 6 years for Adams county, and was Internal Revenue Collec- tor during President Jackson's Administra- tion. He was a gentleman of high char- acter; a consistent member of the Presby- terian church of Gettysburg, and one of its trustees for a number of years. He was highly and honorably esteemed by all who knew him. His children were S. S., our subject; James L .: deceased; Mary C., and Sarah C. His wife is still living. He and our subject were in partnership 6 years be- fore he died. He was very obliging and had a multitude of friends and left behind him a reputation of which his descendents may well be proud. S. S. Neely, the sub- ject of this biography, was educated at Pennsylvania College in Gettysburg and was a member of the Class of 1885. He read law with his father and was admitted
to the Bar April 7th, 1888, entering at once into partnership with his father and remain- ing with him until the latter's death. Since that time he has conducted the practice alone. In politics he is a Democrat. He was appointed State Statistical Agent for the Department of Agriculture in May, 1892, and is now agent for the States of Penn- sylvania and New York. He was married to Agnes White Chaney of Allegheny, Pa., May 15th, 1894. They have one child, Martha Booth. Mr. Neely is a member of Good Samaritan Lodge, No. 336, F. & A. M., of Gettysburg, Pa.
H ON. SAM'L MCCURDY SWOPE, President Judge of the Adams-Ful- ton judicial district and a resident of Get- tysburg, Adams county, was born in the latter borough October 4, 1850, the son of John A. and Nancy (McCurdy) Swope, both natives of Adams county. On his father's side he is of German ancestry and on his mother's side of Scotch-Irish des- cent. Adam Swope, grandfather of our subject, was among the early settlers of Adams county and by occupation a tanner.
Mr. Swope's father, John A. Swope. was born in Gettysburg and received an ordin- ary school education. Being a man of nat- urally strong and bright mind and a great reader, he became an intelligent and promi- nent citizen of Gettysburg, where he follow- ed the business of saddle-tree making. Dur- ing the anti-slavery agitation he became one of the original abolitionists in Adams county, and a bitter opponent to that bale- ful institution. He died in Gettysburg in October 1880, at the age of sixty-five years. His wife was Nancy McCurdy, a daughter of James McCurdy and Martha (Moore) McCurdy, and their marriage resulted in the birth of four children: James Adam, Lydia Jane, Samuel McCurdy and John Franklin.
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Our subject was the third child. He grew to manhood in Gettysburg, mean- while passing through the public schools of the town. With the intention of entering the legal profession he became a student at Pennsylvania college, at Gettysburg, and there graduated in the class of 1872. Two years afterward he entered the office of Hon. David Wills, of Gettysburg, with whom he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1876. Two years later he was ad- mitted to practice before the supreme court of the State.
Mr. Swope twice filled the office of dis- trict attorney before becoming judge. The first time in 1879 and the second time in 1882. Although a candidate of- the minority party, the Republican, he was not only twice elected, but the second time without opposition. In 1894 he was nomi- nated on the Republican ticket for judge of the Adams and Fulton district and was elected by a large majority, thus on three occasions establishing evidence of a pro- nounced and unusual popularity. In reli- gion Judge Swope is a Presbyterian and holds the office of elder in the Presbyterian church at Gettysburg. In 1876 he mar- ried Anna Kate, a daughter of William and Mary Bentz Stair, of York, Pennsylvania, and to that marriage have been born four children: Marion, James Donald, Mary Stair and Amy McCurdy, the latter three of whom are now living.
I OHN W. HELLER, a leading attor- ney-at-law and a politician of promi- nence in York county, was born at Franklin, Pendleton county, Va., October 24th, 1838. His parents were Rev. Jeremiah and Eliza (Fisher) Heller. The Hellers trace their American ancestry back into colonel times when members of the family came hither from Germany. The father of Jeremiah Heller was an Adams county far-
mer who reared quite a large family. They have all been people of medium size, of hardy constitution and long lived; and have engaged in a wide range of pursuits.
John W. elected to be a lawyer and laid the foundation of his education in the schools of Ohio and Pennsylvania. It was in the former State that he studied law and in 1863 he was admitted to the Bar in Fre- mont, Ohio. He served three months in the late civil war as a member of Company F., 8th Ohio Volunteers. In 1865 he came to York county and was admitted to the Bar February 13th of that year, from which time he has resided here and has built up a large and lucrative practice. He served one term as district attorney and has been at various periods counsel to the County Commissioners, the board of poor directors and the county auditors. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Heptasophs. Mr. Heller is a very ac- tive member of the Democratic party and has been a familiar figure in its county conventions and standing committees. He married Ella J., daughter of Jesse Engle, deceased, and has reared four sons and two daughters: Thomas E., clerk; George, a machinist; John W., law student; Harry T., telegraph operator; Sallie E., and Fran- ces Louise.
Thomas Engle Heller is at present serv- ing his second term as clerk to the commis- sioners of York county. He was born in 1868, grew to manhood and obtained his education in the public schools, supple- menting this with a business training at the National College of Commerce, Phila- delphia. He has been largely identified with clerical work, principally in the county offices. His present is the only elective public office he has ever held and he ob- tained his second nomination to it unop- posed. He has been a firm believer in the principles of the Democratic party and has
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served with distinction in the councils of his party. Upon the organization of the Young Men's Democratic Society he ident- ified himself with it and has worked vigor- ously for the advancement of its interest ever since, serving one term as its presi- dent. He holds membership in York Lodge, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; Crystal Lodge, Knights of Pythias; Keystone Conclave of Heptasophs; Chosen Knights Commandery, Knights of Malta; and the Rex Hook and Ladder Truck Company. Mr. Heller is affable, courteous and industrious in the discharge of his dut- ies and has won deserved popularity in and out of office.
H ON. JAMES W. LATIMER, one of the leading lawyers of the York County Bar, and former law judge of the courts of York county, was born in West Philadelphia June 24, 1836. He is of Scotch-Irish and French Huguenot des- cent. His great-grandfather and two sons were soldiers in the war for Independence and the British commanders offered a re- ward for their capture, dead or alive. When Mr. Latimer was but two years of age his parents removed to York county, and he was consequently brought up and educated in his adopted county. He attended the York County Academy under the princi- palship of Professor George W. Ruby, Ph. D., and Professor Daniel M. Ettinger, and after the completion of a good English and classical education began the study of law with the late Edward Chapin, Esq. He was admitted to the bar of York county on July 5, 1859, and has been in the active practice of his profession since that time with the exception of ten years as incumbent of the law judgeship of York county.
Mr. Latimer was united in marriage with Anne Helen Fisher, a daughter of the Hon. Robert J. Fisher, of York.
Politically Judge Latimer is a stanch Re- publican and has always given his party in- telligent and substantial support but has persistently held himself aloof from parti- san politics. On October 13, 1885, he was elected additional law judge of York county and served with entire capability until Jan- uary 1886, when he was succeeded by Hon. WV. F. Bay Stewart. He is now the senior partner in the well known legal firm of Latimer & Schmidt.
H ON. HARVEY W. HAINES, mem- ber of the State Senate, from the Twenty-eighth Senatorial District (York county) is a resident of Windsor township, York county, Pa., but by birth a native of Columbiana county, Ohio, where he was born October II, 1838, the son of Charles and Barbara (Funk) Haines. The Senator is of German origin.
Henry Haines, who was the grandfather of Harvey W. Haines, was a native of Phil- adelphia, where he was born in 1785. He remained in the city of his birth until 1814, when he removed to Windsor township, York county, and began farming, an oc- cupation which engrossed his time and at- tention up to the time of his death in 1850. Previous to his removal from Philadelphia Mr. Haines married Phoebe Trautman, an estimable young German woman, who had emigrated to America with her parents from the Fatherland. This excellent lady bore him ten children: Charles, the father of our subject, being born in Windsor township in 1815. The elder Haines was a man of pronounced judgment. In poli- tics he was one of the most active men. locally, in his party, the Democratic; but he never aspired beyond the minor, yet honorable positions of trust with which the people of the community honored him. He was a fervent Christian and of the Meth- odist faith.
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NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Charles Haines, the father of our sub- ject, was reared on his father's farm in Windsor township and when old enough, was apprenticed to learn carpentering, which he followed for many years with great success. In 1835 he married Barbara, a daughter of Martin Funk, of Lancaster county, Pa., and moved to Ohio, where Harvey W. was born. Life in the Buck- eye State did not prove as congenial, how- ever, as York county could make it, and Mr. Haines returned to his old home about 1840. He settled down to farming in 1852 and made that his occupation ever after- ward. He is still living on his farm in Windsor township; but Mrs. Haines has been dead for some time. In politics he is a Democrat and the campaigns in which he contributed actively to that party's cause would make a long list. Religion has also found him active in response to its de- mands. He is a member of the Evan- gelical Church. Mr. Haines is the father of four daughters and three sons: Mary A., deceased; Harvey W., our subject; Sarah J., who married J. B. Baughman, of York; George W., of Chicago; Louisa, de- ceased; Charles F., of Philadelphia; and Agnes, who married Dwight Lee, of Col- orado.
Harvey W. Haines was educated for the profession of teaching, first pursuing the ordinary common school course in his na- tivetownship, and then a professional course at the Millersville State Normal School. Leaving the latter institution he began teaching at the age of 18 and for twenty- five years followed that calling in York and Lancaster counties and in Baltimore, Md. In 1880 he relinquished teaching and located in Windsor township on the farm which is his present home. It is a fine tract of fertile land of one hundred acres extent and Mr. Haines has put it in a high state of cultivation. Besides being
thoroughly practical in his methods he possesses a fair knowledge of the scientific aspect of farming and utilizes it judiciously in the production of fine crops.
In politics Mr. Haines is recognized as cne of York county's sturdiest Democrats. He is always active in behalf of his party's candidates and measures and has been re- warded several times by election to lead- ing offices. His first election to the Leg- islature was as a representative in the House in the session of 1889-91. There he made a record for honest and intelli- gent service. Taxation was one of the leading subjects considered at that session and Mr. Haines gave the matter of equal- izing its burdens serious and thoughtful attention. He advocated the measure drafted under that title with the design of effecting the desired reform; and gained quite a reputation through his earnest ef- forts. Mr. Haines was well placed in the matter of committees, by being assigned to those on agriculture and education. Upon the expiration of his term he re- turned to farming. In 1895 he was elected to the State Senate by his party, being one of the six successful Senatorial candidates to be elected that year by the Pennsylvania Democracy. In the sessions since his election, the Senator has taken a conspic- tous and able part in legislation and today he is one of the leading men of the party in the State. In his personal bearing, the Senator is affable and companionable, his integrity is strict and incorruptible, and he is looked up to with respect and esteem everywhere through York county.
In 1871 Mr. Haines was married to Mary E., a daughter of David and Anna Mary Leber, of Windsor township. Mr. Leber and wife are both dead. They have five children living: Reuben M., married to Mary Bentz, of York; Charlotte A., wife of Reuben Hengst, of Baltimore; Melinda
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E., wife of Alfred Hauser, of Hellam town- ship; Sarah Jane, wife of Eli Strickler, of Wrightsville; and Mary E., the wife of Sen- ator Haines.
Senator Haines and wife have two chil- dren: Florence L. and Horace B. Flor- ence L. is home with her parents and Hor- ace B. is away at school. Senator Haines is a member of the F. and A. M.
R EV. JACOB O. MILLER, D. D., the venerable and honored pastor of Trinity First Reformed church, of York, is a son of Jacob and Anna Mary (Ott) Miller, and was born in Woodstock, Shenandoah county, Virginia, December 30, 1822. He is a member of that sterling German Pro- testant element infused into the eastern part of Pennsylvania through religious per- secution in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the refugees from religious persecution in Alsace, France, was Jacob Mueller, the ancestor of our subject. He first fled from Alsace in France, and was driven by the Huguenot persecutions to seek a home more in harmony with his religious ideals. He found a home tempo- rarily beyond the Rhine, by the Hartz Mountains. The grandfather of our subject came to this country, locating in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he lived and died in Reading. By occupation he was a miller, and during the Revolutionary war served under Washington as a brigade commissary, and at one time had charge of supplying the garrison at Mineral Springs, near Reading, where some of the Hessian prisoners, taken at the battle of Trenton, were kept in surveillance. He was a mem- ber of the Reformed church, and married Miss Hallacher, of Germantown, Pennsyl- vania, who, sometime prior to their nuptials, came from Germany. Their family con- sisted of two sons and four daughters. One of the sons, Colonel John Miller, represen-
ted Berks county in the State Senate, and the other Jacob H. Miller, the father of Rev. Dr. Miller, was a hatter by trade and carried on his craft successively at Read- ing, Hagerstown, Maryland, and Wood- stock, Virginia. From the latter place he returned to Reading in 1827, and retired from active business in 1830. During the war of 1812 he had served as orderly ser- geant of a company of riflemen, and during the period of his service was detailed for duty at the defense of Richmond, Virginia. He was born February 1Ith, 1775, and died 1860, and his remains now rest in the Charles Evans cemetery of Reading. He was officially connected with the Reformed church and united in marriage with Anna Mary Ott, in Hagerstown, Md., July 30, 1797, by whom he had II children: John; William, one time assistant United States Marshal at Philadelphia; Philip; Colonel Alexander, connected for several years with the treasury department at Harris- burg, and afterward prominent in the poli- tics of the State of Ohio; Howard; Rev. Jacob O .; and two sons who died in early life; the daughters were Elizabeth, Matilda and Caroline, all of whom grew to maturity and were married.
Rev. Jacob O. Miller spent his early boy- hood at Woodstock, Virginia, and Read- ing, Pennsylvania, being but five years of age when his parents returned to the latter place. He received his elementary educa- tion in the common schools, and at the age of 16 years began life as a teacher. After teaching a couple terms, he prepared him- self for college in private schools, and in 1845 entered the Sophomore class in Marshall College, Mercersburg, Pennsyl- vania, from which institution of learning he was graduated in 1848. He was valedic- torian of the largest class in the history of the college. Immediately after graduation he entered the Reformed Theological Sem-
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