USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 66
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of the Nineteenth Congressional District, Pennsylvania > Part 66
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
470
BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
professional diploma as a graduate of that institution. He located in Wrightsville shortly after graduation and has remained there ever since, acquiring a large general practice. He has also identified himself with the town by a commendable display of interest in its growth and welfare. Per- sonally the doctor is a very agreeable gen- tleman, while professionally he is courte- ous, studious and proficient. In politics he is a Republican and in religion a Pres- byterian. He is a member of Chihuahua Lodge, No. 317, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of Susquehanna Council, No. 89, Junior Order United American Me- chanics. He is also one of the most pop- ular members of the York County Medical Society.
October 31, 1895, he married Stella, a daughter of John M. and Martha Gish (Engle) Brandt, of Mt. Joy. One child, Frederick B., has been born to that union.
T HOMAS G. NEELY, of Huntington township, Adams county, Pennsyl- vania, is the son of James H. and Mary (Godfrey) Neely, and was born in Frank- lin township, York county, Pennsylvania, April 24tl1, 1838.
His paternal great-grandfather, Thomas Neely, was born in Huntington township, Adams county, and was a farmer all his life. His paternal grandfather, Samuel Neely, was born March 19th, 1775, in Huntington township, and likewise pur- sued the occupation of farming in said township and county. He married Ann Robinette, daughter of George Robinette, of Latimore township, Adams county. The children of this union were: Agnes (Mrs. George Gardner), James Harvey, Elizabeth (Mrs. Joseph Diehl), Mary Ann (Mrs. Jacob Jones), George and Samuel Allen, and are all deceased. In politics he was a Federal- ist. He died March 18, 1841. His maternal
great grandfather, William Godfrey, came from Wales early in the 18th century and settled upon the farm upon which is situ- ated the historic Valley Forge,and when his son, Thomas Godfrey, grandfather of the subject of this article, was but five or six years old, sold that farm to Benjamin Potts and purchased 800 acres of land in the upper end of York county. Thomas God- frey learned the milling business, and after he came of age leased the Darby mills in Virginia, and at that time met and married his wife, Mary Settle, the daughter of Ed- ward Settle, a prosperous planter of Cul- pepper county in that State. After some years he removed to Franklin township, York county, Pa., and there lived the bal- ance of his lifetime. In politics he was a Democrat and for many years held the office of justice of the peace. He was born June 6, 1770. His children were Lucy Ann (Mrs. Elisha Allen), Evaline (Mrs. Ca- leb Beales), Francis S., Jane F., (Mrs. David Cox), Mary L., (Mrs. J. H. Neely), Harriet, Caroline (Mrs. Davis), who is liv- ing in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, Charles M. Elizabeth M. (Mrs. Thomas Williams), and Stephen F. Edward Settle God- frey, a son of Dr. Charles M. Godfrey, is Major of he Seventh Regiment, United States Cavalry, and is stationed at Fort Apache, Arizona. James Harvey Neely (father of Thomas G.) was born in Huntington township, near Five Points, January 15, 1811, and was married to Mary L. Godfrey March 25, 1835, and died April 6, 1862. His wife was born May 19, 1810, and died January 28, 1886. He received a common school education of that period and lived nearly all his life on his farm, which was his father's, and is now owned and is the residence of this subject. In politics he was a Whig and filled the local offices of assessor and school director in Huntington township. He was an active
471
NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
member and an elder of the Presbyterian church at York Springs. He also belonged to a Volunteer Infantry company for seven years, known as the Petersburg Invin- cibles . His children were Mary Ann, who died in infancy; Thomas Godfrey and James Robinette.
Thomas G. received a common school education, attended private schools and then the Academy at New Bloomfield, which he left on account of ill health. He worked on the farm and also taught school four terms in Huntington township. In No- vember, 1866, he was, under President Johnson, appointed assistant revenue asses- sor and served until April, 1868. In March 1869 he was elected justice of the peace and served until the fall of 1871, when he re- signed. He was elected Prothonotary in October, 1871, and again in Nov., 1874, and served two terms. In 1876he was a del- egate to the Democratic National Conven- tion, which met at St. Louis, and nomi- nated Hon. Samuel J. Tilden for President, and was frequently delegate to Democratic State Conventions. He was chairman of the Democratic County Committee from 1876 to 1882. In January, 1879, he was appointed bank assessor for Adams county. On the 4th of July, 1885, he was appointed deputy revenue collector and served until January, 1890, and was again elected jus- tice of the peace in February, 1896. He has been a director of the Gettysburg Na- tional Bank for some years, and has set- tled up a large number of estates. He still devotes considerable attention to farming, and owns two fine farms, one in Hunting- don and the other in Latimore township. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a Presby- terian and a Free Mason. He was married to Margaret A., daughter of Thomas A. and Lydia A. Dicks, of Reading township, by whom he has six children: Cora A., Charles G. (a druggist of the firm of Long
& Neely, 12th and Chestnut streets, Phila- delphia,), Mary (Mrs. D. A. Gardner), Alice (Mrs. Dr. E. W. Cashman), Edgar L. (who married Zulu B., daughter of Dr. A. B. Dill),and Margaret, who died when eight inonths old. His paternal ancestors were Scotch-Irish.
J OHN NEIMAN, of York, Pennsyl- vania, president of the Dover Fire In- surance Company, is a son of George and Mary (Rupert) Neiman, and was born July 2, 1820. This event took place in an old stone house in Conewago township, built over a hundred years ago and former- ly occupied by his grandfather, George Neiman. This ancestor was a farmer and owned two fine and fertile farms, contain- ing about seven hundred acres. He was a Whig in politics and a Lutheran in religion. By his marriage with Elizabeth Wentz he became the father of a large family.
The father of our subject was born on the same homestead. He grew up in his native township and became quite an ex- tensive farmer owning and tilling a consid- erable portion of 700 acres of land. His decided political opinion caused him to af- filiate with the Whig and later, with the Republican party. In religion he was of the Lutheran faith and filled all the offices in the church in which he held membership. He was twice married, first to the mother of our subject, by whom he had a family of nine daughters and four sons; ten of these children are still living. His second wife was a Mrs. Eisenhart. He died April 10, 1879, near the old homestead, on which he was born. Our subject's mother died September 27, 1862. Both are buried in Quickel's church cemetery in Conewago township. --
John Neiman had limited educational op- portunities, teaching in those days being
472
BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
rather rudimentary; and beside this, much of his time was devoted to farm work. He remained with his father until he had at- tained the age of twenty-three years, when he engaged in farming for himself on a tract of land adjoining his father's. He subsequently continued in that pursuit for twenty-six years on a farm three miles northwest of York, in West Manchester township, on the Carlisle road, where he still owns 172 acres of land. Since remov- ing to York in 1874 he has partially re- tained his connection with farming, which consists principally in looking after his es- tate. He owns also a roller flouring mill which is situated on his farm, and is known as Shiloh mill, located on the Carlisle road on the Little Conewago creek. This mill was erected by Mr. Neiman about the year 1888, and has been conducted by him up to this time.
Mr. Neiman is the only living charter director of the Dover Fire Insurance com- pany, organized in 1856. In 1874 he was elected president of that company and has ever since filled that position with honor and fidelity. Though a Republican in poli- tics and strong in his faith in the national principles of the party, yet Mr. Neiman lays no claim to partisanship. He has the repu- tation of being quite liberal and independ- ent in the use of the franchise locally, voting, as the saying goes, for the best man in home elections. He has held several public offices in his time, among which are township assessor and school director. His religious views are those of the Lutheran church, and he is a member of Christ Luth- eran congregation of York, Pa., in which he has filled the position of elder. Like his father Mr. Neiman has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Cassandra Heilman, of Manchester township, to whom he was united December 29, 1842. They had eleven children. Mrs. Neiman died June
19, 1889, and Mr. Neiman's second mar- riage was contracted September 10, 1891, when he married Mrs. Isabella Strick- houser, nee Zellers.
Mr. Neiman's ancestors were of German origin and he inherited many of the dis- tinguishing and worthy traits of that na- tionality. With these as the groundwork of habits and character, he has worked out a very successful and commendable career. By industry, honesty and conscientious en- deavor he has prospered in the goods of the world, but better yet, has won for himself the esteem which men render upon the ex- hibition of such worthy qualities. He is rounding ont a successful life in comfort and contentment at his home on West Market street and as his people have been longlived, bids fair to live many years yet.
R EV. J. W. REESE, a well-known and popular Lutheran clergyman, of York Springs, is a son of Edward and Eliza (Kreusin) Reese, and was born No- vember 14, 1838, at Bustleton, Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania. He is of Welsh des- cent, his father having been born in Wales, July 29, 1809. He received the common school education of that country and came to America about 1824, locating in Phila- delphia. He then again attended the pub- lic schools and worked on a farm. He finally took up farming as a vocation and followed it until he retired from active la- bor and resided at Valley Forge, Pa. He still lives there. In politics he was a Whig. Throughout his life he was an exemplary Christian and was an elder in the Baptist church. His children are: Rev. J. W. Reese, the subject of this biographical sketch; William H .; Edward; Mary Jane; Sarah (Mrs. Harry B. Bornmann); Lydia (Mrs. Stewart); Phoebe (Mrs. Frank Schneider); and Elizabeth. The others died in infancy. The mother died in 1857.
473
NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
The subject of this memorandum re- ceived his education in the schools of Phil- adelphia, after which he engaged in the pursuit of gardening in that city for a few years. He then entered Pennsylvania Col- lege, at Gettysburg, but did not complete the course on account of ill health. Sub- sequently he studied theology under Rev. Dr. Ziegler at Missionary Institute, Selins Grove, Pennsylvania, and, having been or- dained, took charge of a church in Curls- ville, Clarion county, in this State. He re- mained there one year and then went to Butler county, where he had charge at North Washington. He remained there from 1872 to 1875, and from the latter year until 1878 was located in Lairdsville, Pa. From 1878 to 1885 he was located at Bed- ford, and then until 1889 in Homer city, Pa. From there he came to York Springs to become pastor of the Lutheran church and has since been identified with interests, moral and spiritual, of that village.
R EV. P. P. HEMLER, of New Ox- ford, Adams county, Pa., is the son of David and Susan (Smith) Hemler, and was born April 8, 1859, in Mount Pleasant township, Adams county, Pennsylvania. This was also the birth-place of his father, who received a common school education as a lad, and became a farmer. In 1866 he removed to Carroll county, Maryland, and hired there on a farm for ten years. He then went to Frederick county, near Mount St. Mary's, and continued farming until 1887, when he died mourned, as he had been respected where he lived, by a multitude of friends. He was a Democrat and a devout member of the Catholic church. His children were nine in num- ber: Samuel, Lewis, Katharine, Sarah (Mrs. Hugh Roddy), Agnes, John, Frank, the subject of this sketch, and Mary. His wife died in the year 1862.
The subject of this biographical mono- graph, Rev. P. P. Hemler, received his rudimentary education in the public schools, graduated front Mount St. Mary's College, Maryland, and was ordained to the priesthood October 5, 1888. He was ap- pointed assistant priest at Chambersburg, Pa., where he remained for two years, and was then assigned as assistant priest to St. Mary's church, Lebanon, Pa. There he remained only ten months, when in May, 1891, he was appointed pastor of the Catho- lic church in New Oxford, which position he now holds. He was the first pastor ap- pointed to take this place, and since com- ing here has erected a large brick parson- age, enlarged the church edifice and built the present parochial school building. He prides himself on his successful efforts in building and is now taking steps to erect a new church structure in the early future. In politics Rev. Father Hemler is a Demo- crat, but in local affairs always votes for the candidate he esteems the most worthy. It is not fulsome praise to say that he is one of the most popular, influential and highly esteemed citizens in this thriving town.
H ON. GERARD CRANE BROWN, one of the best known public men of the State of Pennsylvania, was born No- vember 12, 1842, in the tower of London, the son of Benjamin F. and Mary Sophia (Cops) Brown. He is of Puritan, Colonial and Revolutionary stock and is a direct descendant in the seventh generation of Thomas Brown, Esq., of Rye, county of Essex, England, who emigrated to Con- cord, Mass., in 1832. The family is a younger branch of the Browns of Beech- worth, county of Kent, England, which was founded by Sir. Anthony Brown, a Knight of the Bath, upon whom that heraldic dig- nity was conferred at the coronation of
474
BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
Richard II, 1377. Senator Brown's great- great-grandfather, Major Hachaliah Brown, commanded the Westchester Levies in the French and Indian war of 1757-8, at the siege of Louisburg, under Gen. Lord Am- herst. His great-grandfather, the second son of Major Brown, served under Wash- ington in the Revolution.
Benjamin F. Brown, the father of Sena- tor Brown, was born in Somers, New York, January 11, 1799, and spent twenty-five years of his life in traveling. In 1841 he married Mary Sophia, a daughter of Alfred Cops, Esq., of the tower of London, where, on November 12, 1842, his eldest child, the subject of this sketch, was born. In Au- gust, 1845, he returned to the United States with his family and re-occupied his farm in Carmel, Putnam county, New York, where he died September 25, 1881.
Senator Brown received his education at the North Salem Academy, Westchester county, New York, Phillips Academy, An- dover, Mass., where he was a member of the class of 1859, and at Yale University, where he was a member of the class of 1863. He left Yale when 18 years old on the day following the bombardment of Fort Sum- ter, and began raising a company on April 15, 1861, before Lincoln had issued his call for seventy-five thousand volunteers. Sen- ator Brown served as first lieutenant of Company G, 38th Regiment, N. Y. S. Vol., and was wounded at the battle of Bull Run, July 21, and was honorably dis- charged September 20th, 1861. He en- gaged in farming at Croton Falls, New York, and since 1874 he has been farming at Yorkana, York county, Pennsylvania. Since his removal to this county Mr. Brown has taken an active and prominent part in Democratic politics and has risen to the position of one of the State leaders of that party. He was first elected State Senator to represent the 28th Pennsylvania
district, in 1886, re-nominated by acclama- tion and re-elected by four thousand two hundred majority in 1890. In the Legisla- ture of 1893 he served on the committees on agriculture, finance, game and fish, in- surance and library; and was the caucus nominee of his party for president, pro tempore, of the Senate. He was recognized leader in the cause of equalization of taxa- tion ; the enforcement of the 16th and 17th articles of the constitution, and all legisla- tion for the advantage of agriculture and the benefit of the farmer's interest. In State and National campaigns Senator Brown has been actively engaged as a speaker and in 1892 he stumped in West Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Con- necticut. As a Tariff Reformer he has a national reputation. His arguments against a high protective tariff made before the Ways and Means Committee of Congress in 1890 and 1891 have been printed as Democratic campaign documents.
Since becoming a resident of Pennsyl- vania Senator Brown became identified with the Grange and in 1886 was elected State Lecturer and re-elected in 1888. He is the State Deputy for York county since 1876 and for 10 years a member of the leg- islative committee. He has also served as associate editor of the Farmers Friend. In 1879 he organized the Lower Windsor Mu- tual Fire Insurance company, of which he has since been secretary. He was a prom- inent member of the Pennsylvania Tax Conference which codified the Revenue Laws of the State 1893 to 1895.
February 8, 1872, Mr. Brown married Caroline Victoria, a daughter of the late Dr. J. W. Barcroft, of Fairfax county, Virginia. Five children have been born to this union: Benjamin, Gerard, Mary Bar- croft, Eva Wolverton and Caroline Vic- toria. The family are members of St. John's Episcopal church of York.
475
NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Senator Brown has an immense popular- ity in York county, and from his tried and proved devotion to their service possesses the confidence of its people. In his own neighborhood he is known as a hard work- ing and energetic farmer.
In political campaigns the Brown house is frequently a Mecca for politicians from all over the county, district and State, for the Senator is recognized as a man of keen political insight and his advice and judgment are much sought and followed. He is a splendid shot and when not occu- pied with the cares of political life or the more arduous labors of the farm he in- dulges in his favorite recreation of hunting. For some years the Senator has been re- garded as available timber in the make up of State and district tickets and the day may not be far distant when his party may again call him to some high office in the gift and service of the people.
R EV. ALFRED B. MOWERS, of Shiremanstown, Pa., is the son of Simon and Catherine (Piper) Mowers, and was born near Carlisle April 28, 1866. The Mowers are of German origin and were among the early settlers of this county, residing near Shippensburg. George Mowers, great-grandfather of Rev. Alfred, was a native of Germany and the original settler of the Mower's family in the county. He was one of the principal farmers in that community and a member of the United Brethren church. He was a resident of the county prior to the Revolutionary war. John Mowers, grandfather of our subject, was a wagonmaker of Mowersville, a vil- lage named after him, and of which he was the founder. He was one of the prominent men of his day and was a well known mer- chant and business man. He married a Miss Souders, by whom he had eleven children: Six are dead.
Simon Mowers, the father of our subject, was born at Mowersville, January 16, 1822. He was a coach-maker by trade which vocation he relinquished after a few years and engaged in farming. In 1867 he moved to Dauphin county and subsequent- ly purchased a farm six miles east of Har- risburg, Dauphin county, which he culti- vated until 1885. He has been a member of the East Pennsylvania United Brethren Conference since 1865. His principal ap- pointments were Linglestown and Rock- ville, where he remained for nine or ten years .He has always been a very devoted and loyal member to his church, a man of influence and popular where he resided. He was retired from active work in 1895. He married Catherine, daughter of Daniel and Barbara (Piper) the father being the son of a grocer and farmer of Franklin county. To that union were born John F., minister of the United Brethren church, now located in Bethlehem; Mary S., wife of Robert C. Harvey, of Oberlin, Pennsylvania; Dixon W., minister of the M. E. church (South) of Richmond, Virginia; Simon S., a wood worker of the Pennsylvania railroad shops; Samuel T., retired minister of the United Brethren church, now in the meat market of Philadelphia; David, railroader of Chi- cago, Illinois; Zephaniah C., minister of the United Brethren church, Elmwood, Indiana; Harriet E., wife of Rev. Anson L. Hasler, a Presbyterian minister, of In- dianapolis, Indiana; Harry H., pastor of the First Baptist church, of Lebanon, Pennsyl- vania : Joseph E., carpenter of Mckeesport and Rev. Alfred B., of whom we write. The latter received his education in the common and high school and at the Union Biblical Seminary of Dayton, Ohio, graduating in 1889. That same spring he became pastor of the Peth valley charge where he served six years. He came to this town in 1896, where he is pastor of the Shiremanstown
476
BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA.
United Brethren church. He is connected with the Pennsylvania Conference which is composed of vigorous and thriving churches.
He was married to Annie M. Biggs, daughter of William and Lucy (Bixler) Biggs, of Westminster, Maryland, Febru- ary 12, 1889. Mr. Biggs is a native of Scot- land and came to America about 1840. He is a farmer by occupation. Rev. and Mrs. Mowers have three children: Eva L., Earl B., and Alfred G.
G UYON H. BUEHLER, proprietor of the Star and Sentinel, of Gettys- burg, Adams county, is the oldest son of David A. and Fannie J. Buehler, and was born June 4, 1856. On December 3, 1873, he entered the printing ofnce of the Star and Sentinel, and since that date has been connected with it continuously in one ca- pacity or another. In 1877 he became bus- iness manager, in 1893 part proprietor and on May 23, 1896, the sole proprietor of the paper. Mr. Buehler has had a long and varied journalistic experience and thistrain- ing has been invaluable in holding up his paper to the high standard it attained under previous management.
.
Adams county was created by act of as- sembly January 22, 1800. On the 12th of November, 1800, The Adams Sentinel, the first paper established in the new county, was issued by Robert Harper, who contin- tied to be its editor down to November 8, 1816. On this latter date he was suc- ceeded by his son, Robert G. Harper, whose connection with the press of the county was long and honorable. This Adams Sen- tinel, was the forerunner of the present Star and Sentinel, but several papers have been consolidated and numerous firms and editors have been engaged in the process of its making.
On April 17, 1830, John S. Ingram estab- lished a paper called the Anti-Masonic Star. A few months later on July 10, 1830, he sold the plant to Robert W. Middleton, who changed the name to the Star and Republican Banner and continued as editor and owner until December 4, 1838, when he disposed of the plant to Cooper, Sriy- ser and Co. Changes followed rapidly and on January 4, 1839, Robert S. Paxton's name appears as editor. He retired on January 28, 1840, in favor of G. Washing- ton Bowen. In 1845 David A. Buehler became the owner and on March 23, 1849, he sold a half interest to his brother, C. H. Buehler. They continued their partnership until January, 1856, when they sold to John T. McIlhenny. In 1867 the two pa- pers, the Adams Sentinel and the Star and Republican Banner were consolidated un- der the management of Harper, McPher- son and Buehler and the name was changed to the Star and Sentinel. Upon the death of Mr. Harper in 1870, his inter- est was purchased by his partners and Da- vid A. Buehler became the editor and con- tintied to be until his death in 1887. After the death of Mr. D. A. Buehler, one of the partners in 1893, the property was sold to John B. McPherson, Guyon H. Buehler and A. Danner Buehler. This partnership continued to May 23, 1896, when Messrs. McPherson and A. Danner Buehler retired and Guyon H. Buehler became sole pro- prietor. The journal has stood for all that is best in the development of the town and county and has attained a high standard in the State. It still has a mission to per- form and all citizens who look to the growth of healthy moral sentiment in the political arena expect the Star and Senti- nel to stand in the future where it has stood in the past. It is the Republican paper of the county.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.