Biographical annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, Part 112

Author: Genealogical Publishing Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Genealogical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 994

USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families > Part 112

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HOWARD LESLIE MITTEN, editor and proprietor of The Shippensburg Chron- icle, was born at New Windsor, Carroll Co., Md., Jan. 13. 1873, son of James Knox and Julia (Warner) Mitten, natives and mem- bers of old families of Maryland. At the age of one year he moved with his parents to Smithsburg, Washington Co., Md., where he was reared to manhood. He was educated in the public schools of Washington county, Md., and the High School at Hagerstown, and he taught in the public schools for several years. Mr. Mitten spent several years in Baltimore. Md., and in March, 1897, went to Hunting- don, Pa., where he engaged in business and in May, 1898, became proprietor of the Huntingdon Semi-Weekly News, a paper founded by the late Hugh Lindsay. Mr. Mitten edited the paper until Nov. 1. 1902. when by reason of ill health he was forced to seek a more healthy climate.

On Oct. 6, 1897, Mr. Mitten was mar- ried to N. Margaret Morton, daughter of the late Rev. John B., Morton, a prominent Presbyterian clergyman of Ohio, at the home of the late General Ferd Van Derveer. in Hamilton, Ohio. One child, Margaret Morton Mitten, was born Sept. 15. 1898. Mr. Mitten became proprietor and editor of The. Chronicle, April 1. 1903. removing

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from Hagerstown, Md., where he resided with his family several months, having ob- tained possession of it from Mrs. R. Belle Wolfe, now Mrs. Evans, who for fourteen years carried on the work successfully. The paper is still in a flourishing condition, and continues to be one of the best family papers published in the county.

Mr. Mitten is a member of the Episcopal Church, and one of the founders of St. Andrew's Mission, established in Shippens- burg in May, 1903.

JARRED C. BUCHER, one of the rep- resentative citizens of Cumberland county, residing at Boiling Springs, is a native of York county, Pa., and a descendant of Michael Bucher.

Michael Bucher, father of Jarred C., was educated at Oxford College, Adams Co., Pa .. and studied civil engineering. He located at Hanover, York county, where he assisted in laying out the town, and became one of the road engineers engaged in sur- veying for the Northern Central railroadl. The instruments he used in his work are among the treasured possessions of his son Jarred. For many years he served as justice of the peace in Hanover, and was also asso- ciate editor of a paper in that place. He dealt largely in real estate in and about Hanover, and a large body of realty is still held in his name in that borough, although he has long been dead. He was very suc- cessful in all of his operations. His death occurred when he was seventy-two years of age, in 1869. His widow lived to the age of eighty-two years, dying Sept. 3. 1896. She was formerly Miss Eliza Barnitz, daugh- ter of Jacob, Barnitz, of Cumberland county. Mr. and Mrs. Bucher were members of the Lutheran Church. Six children were born to them: Henry Clay, a retired business

man of Philadelphia: Mary J., widow of J. W. Barnitz, of Delanco, N. J .; Michael Augustus, unmarried, of Philadelphia, a real-estate agent ; Ella E .. who married Jesse Bollinger, of Hanover ; Clara E., married to Dr. Joseph Bittinger, of Hanover, a rising young physician ; and Jarred C.

Jarred C. Bucher was born Feb. 14, 1860, and was educated at Penn College, Gettys- burg, from there going to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in a mercantile line for six years. Coming at that time to Cum- beriand county, he located at Boiling Springs, where he took charge of the Boiling Springs flouring-mills. Having been engaged in the grain business at Barnitz, he was able to appreciate the importance of certain condi- tions, and refitted the mills with the roller process, which has now been in operation therein for ten years. He also operated, until 1894, the old Carlisle Iron Works, which were established as early as 1762, this plant manufacturing charcoal iron for pro- jectile purposes and carwheels, which were sold to different railroads and manufacturers of railroad engines and cars. Large con- signments were sold to the Government. Mr. Bucher has in his possession a mold for com- mon projectiles used in the mill which bears the inscription : "Adam Carr Fecit [made this] in 1762." From this forge projectiles were carted to Valley Forge to Washington's army during the Revolution on sleds drawn by oxen. Since 1899 Mr. Bucher has been prospecting in Cumberland county as well as throughout adjacent territory for min- erals, and in this short time has discovered and developed several mines, which turn out silica, some of which runs as high as 99.0800, ferri oxide 0.015, alumina 0.185, and min- erals, phosphate of aluminum, copper ore, white clay of the highest grade, and graphite lead ore.

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Mr. Bucher has served as a member of the Republican county central committee, and is often called upon to act as delegate to county conventions. He is an untiring worker in this line and has been doing much stumping, in 1896, 1900 and 1904. In 1900 he was sent to Crawford county, where he spent some nineteen days. He is eagerly sought in State and National campaigns, for his worth as a public speaker is fully recog- nized. Few men are more efficient workers than he.

On Oct. 1, 1887, Mr. Bucher was mar- ried to Miss Helen Hall Mullin, of Mt. Holly Springs, a daughter of W. A. Mullin, and they have two children, William and Helen Francis. Mr. Bucher's home on Highland Terrace is one of the most pleasant in Cum- berland county, and there he and his charm- ing wife dispense a most delightful hospital- ity. Mrs. Bucher is an accomplished woman, of more than average intelligence. besides being an active member of the Fortnightly and Civic Clubs of Carlisle. She has great musical talents, and for more than ten years was leader of the choir of St. John's Luth- eran Church, which consisted of some twenty voices, as well as an orchestra.

Mr. Bucher is deeply interested in church work, and since taking up his residence at Boiling Springs he has associated himself with St. John's Lutheran Church, and has done much toward the erection of the new church edifice. For the past ten years he has been superintendent of the Sunday- school, and teacher of the Bible class, which has a membership of forty-five. It is not only in the political field that Mr. Bucher shines as an orator, for he is well known on the lecture platform as a representative of the Y. M. C. A. One year he lectured through Lancaster county, at Philadelphia, and at various points in York and other coun-

ties throughout the State. The subject of his lecture that season was "The Secret of Suc- cess," which he handled in a very convincing and able manner.

JOHN D. BLAIR. Among the old set- tlers of Cumberland county the members of the Blair family take a leading place, whether as to age, numbers or respectability. The grandfather of John D. Blair, of Upper Allen township, was a prominent farmer who re- sided near Lewisberry.

Peter Blair, his son and the father of John D., was born in York county, where he followed the trade of butcher in early life, but later became a farmer in Cumber- land county, operating the Martin Best and the John Musser farms. During the later years of his life he worked in Seidle's Spoke Works in Mechanicsburg. In politics he was a Republican and he served at various times as inspector of elections. He was a most worthy member of the United Brethren Church. In 1844 Peter Blair married Sarah Millard, now deceased, a daughter of Isaac Millard, of York county. Mr. Blair's death occurred Aug. 26, 1901, at the age of eighty- two years. Mr. Blair had the following sisters and brothers: John, living in Fair- view, married Sarah Finney, who is de- ceased, and is survived by the following chil- dren : Ellen, Kate, Gertrude, Anna and Ed- ward. Sarah is the widow of William Stevens, and resides in Harrisburg; her chil- dren are Kate, Anna, Carrie and Lillian. Mary married Simon Hinkel, of Kingston. and both are deceased, being survived by children : William, Anna and Carrie, Sam- uel being deceased. Rebecca became Mrs. Taylor, of Altoona, and has two daughters- Mary, widow of John Gross, living at Car- lisle, had two children, Bessie and Myrtle, the latter deceased; Sarah, wife of George

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Hobble, lives in Mechanicsburg, and their children are Charles. Harry. Edward, Rose and Daisy. Elizabeth married William Heffner, of York, and they have two chil- dren. Fannie and Laura, unmarried, living in Mechanicsburg. George, who follows the butchering business in Harrisburg, married Ellen Bitzle, and has Charles, Irene and Mary. Joseph is a molder by trade and lives in York; he married Catherine Bum- barger, and has children-Joseph, Bertha, Annie and Sarah. William married Helen Van Nazel. is a butcher in Harrisburg, and has two children, Bertha and Frank.

John D. Blair, eldest in the family of Peter Blair, was born Aug. 28, 1845, at Camp Hill, where he attended school and commenced farming. When but eighteen years of age he enlisted, in 1863, in Harris- burg, in the 3d Pa. Heavy Artillery, Com- pany C. Capt. Bickley commanding. Col. Roberts being regimental commander. His regiment was stationed at Fortress Monroe during the greater part of the war and he was mustered out in 1865. The balance of Mr. Blair's life has been devoted mainly to farming. and in 1896 he became the owner of his present property. It consists of forty- three acres of highly cultivated land, form- erly belonging to the Jonathan Fortney estate.

In 1867 Mr. Blair married Susan Sheely, who belongs to an old family of German «lescent. old settlers in Cumberland county. Her grandfather, John Sheely, lived to a good old age, and her father. Andrew Sheely, died Sept. 22, 1891, aged eighty- eight years. Her mother, Fannie ( Eckel- berger ), died in June, 1884. aged seventy- seven years. They are buried in the ceme- tery of St. John's Church at Shiremans- town. Their family consisted of: Susan ( the wife of John D. Blair), Samuel, Kate,

Elizabeth, Fannie (deceased). William (de- ceased), Mary, Levi and John.

Mr. and Mrs. Blair have one child, Min- nie, who is the wife of Ember Givler, a blacksmith living at West Fairview, and they have one child, Hazel. Mr. Blair has held various township offices, serving as supervisor and as auditor for three years. He is a member of the United Brethren Church, and is a man much esteemed and thoroughly respected by all who know him.

JOSEPH SHARP QUIGLEY was born April 17, 1854. on the old Quigley homestead in Hopewell township.

James Quigley. his great-great-grand- father, was born in Ireland, and came to America in 1730, the first of the family to settle on these shores. Coming to Pennsyl- vania and to Cumberland county, he took up a tract of 400 acres of land, lying along the creek, building a log house for residence. The bridge, which later was built across the stream, was named the Quigley bridge. Be- yond the fact that his wife was named Janet. and hence was probably of Scotland, nothing is known except her death at this old home- stead, where he died in 1782. The chil- dren of James Quigley and wife were : Sam- uel, who died May 28, 1753; John; Martha, June 12, 1753 ; Agnes, Aug. 26, 1783 ; Mary. born Aug. 16, 1735, died Oct. 20, 1783. wife of Capt. John Sharp; Brady Robert, born 1744, died Sept. 1, .1815, married Elinor Jacobs.

John Quigley, of the above family, grew . to manhood and took part in the Colonial, service, March 25, 1756, in Robert Steel's company of Cumberland County Rangers. He was also a private in the Revolutionary war, in Col. Robert Adams' company, Sixth Pennsylvania Battalion.

Brady Robert Quigley, of the above fam-

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ily was born in 1744, at the old homestead, and followed farming as an occupation. He built there a fine brick house, in which he died Sept. 1, 1815. He married Elinor Jacobs, born in 1745, and died July 9, 1821. They had children : James B., born in November, 1770, died Nov. 6, 1822; Eleanor, born June 12, 1772, died Sept. 16, 1825; Janet, born May 6, 1774, died Oct. 14, 1823; Dinalı, born Feb. 6, 1776, died Sept. 29, 1823; Agnes, born Ang. 8, 1780; Joseph, born April 1, 1783, died in June, 1857; and John, born Feb. 18, 1785, died in 1848.

Joseph Quigley, grandfather of our sub- ject, was born on the old homestead in Hope- well township and followed farming there all his life. He married, June 9, 1808, Mary Sterrett Sharp, daughter of James and Mary Jane Sharp, who was born in 1786, and died March 12, 1853. Both died at the old home- stead. Their children were: Mary B., born March 5, 1809, died Sept. 5, 1864; James A., born Oct. 19, 1810, died young ; Robert, born Jan. 24, 1812, died June 6, 1864; John, born Oct. 10, 1813, died Sept. 15, 1891 ; Margaret J., born Feb. 6, 1815, died Sept. I, 1854; Joseph, born May 30, 1816, died in July, 1833; Eleanor, born Feb. 5, 1818, died May 27, 1858; James Sharp, born Jan. 20, 1820, died Aug. 9, 1892; William B., born Oct. 6, 1824, died young ; Agnes B. was born Aug. 14, 1825; Isaac, born Feb. 3, 1829, died March 29, 1888; David G., born Nov. 13, 1830, died July 14, 1882 ; and one child died in infancy.

James Sharp Quigley was reared on the old homestead as his forefathers had been, and he obtained his education in the schools of that neighborhood. His occupation was farming and he lived out a long and un- eventful agricultural life, passing away in the home where he was born. He was a man of exemplary life and character, and was

esteemed by all who knew him. On Jan. 2, 1852, he married Elizabeth Clark Hemphill, born Aug. 15, 1817, daughter of Moses and Margery Clark Hemphill, early settlers in Cumberland county. To this union were born the following children : Joseph Sharp; Anna Margary, born May 11, 1856; Caro- line H., born March 20, 1860; Mary Belle, born Feb. 26, 1858, resides in Newville; Maggie Ellen and Bridella, twins, born Dec. 15, 1862, of whom the latter is deceased, and the former is the wife of William E. McCune, a farmer of Middlespring, South- ampton township; and Jane McFarland, born Sept. 16, 1864, is the wife of William S. Means, a farmer at Middlespring.

Joseph Sharp Quigley was born April 17, 1854, and attended school until about eighteen years old, in his own locality. He then remained at home, assisting his father. on the farm, until the latter's death. The succeeding two years he operated the farm for his mother, and then married and moved to his father-in-law's farm in Hopewell township, which was located about three- quarters of a mile west of Newburg, along the State road, later buying twenty-five acres. When his father-in-law died, Mrs. Quigley inherited this farm of 147 acres. Since com- ing into possession of this property, Mr. Quigley has spent a large amount of money in making fine improvements of all kinds and has made it one of the most valuable as well as attractive farms of the county.

In 1893 Mr. Quigley was united in mar- riage with Ella Amanda Gross, daughter of Andrew Gross, Sr. Mrs. Quigley was edu- cated at the Shippensburg Normal School, and is a lady of much culture and refinement, and was a teacher some years prior to her marriage. Their daughter, Helen Blythe, born Jan. 15, 1895, is a student at Mt. Airy- Seminary, at Newburg.

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The Quigley family have all been noted for adherence to the Presbyterian Church, and to affiliation with the Republican party. The family attend church at Middlespring, and all their dead are buried in Southampton township, Cumberland county. The past generation supported the church with much liberality and the family has been noted for the zeal with which they have always per- formed religious duties.

Andrew Gross, Sr., was born July 27, 1807, in Dover township, York county, a son of Henry Gross, who died in York coun- ty. Andrew Gross came to Cumberland county when a young man, and located near Carlisle, where he married Sallie Paul, born in 1811, daughter of Henry Paul, of Middle- sex township. For a long time he followed his trade of weaving, and then went to team- ing and wagoned for two years to Baltimore. In 1850 he located in Hopewell township, and settled on the old Laughlin farm, which our subject now owns, buying it in 1853. Here he farmed for fifty-three years. In 1882 he bought a home in Newburg, where he lived retired for eight years prior to his death, in August, 1890. His wife died in 1860, and both were buried at Newburg. Their children were: Mary, who died young in York county, and was buried there; Henry, who married Angeline Kuhn, who died in Mifflin township and was buried at Prospect Hill, West Pennsboro township; Jacob, who died young ; Angeline, who mar- ried James Graham, and died near New- burg; John, who died aged nine years; Daniel, who died young, and was buried at Newburg; Andrew, who married Agnes Gochenour, and resides in Lurgan township, Franklin county; and Christian Paul, who married (first) Maria Holby, who died in 1892, and was buried at Zion Church, and ( second) Mrs. Catherine Miller, and they

live in the borough of Newburg. In 1864 Mr. Gross married (second) Amanda C. Blythe, daughter of Robert and Maria Blythe, residents of Franklin county. Mrs. Gross died June 21, 1894, leaving but one child, who is Mrs. Quigley. The Blythe family comes also of Revolutionary stock, and is one of importance in Franklin county.

HON. CHARLES B. PENROSE. Charles Bingham Penrose is admitted under Reed. He was born near Philadelphia, Oct. 6, 1798. After reading law with Samuel Ewing, Esq., in Philadelphia, he immedi- ately removed to Carlisle, and was admitted to our Bar, August term, 1821, at which he soon acquired a prominent position. In 1833 he was elected to the State Senate, and at the expiration of his term was re-elected. In this capacity he achieved distinction even among the men of ability who were then chosen to fill this office. In 1841 he was ap- pointed, by President Harrison, Solicitor of the Treasury, which position he held until the close of President Tyler's administra- tion. He settled afterward in Lancaster, then in Philadelphia, in both places success- fully pursuing his profession. In 1856 he was again elected (as Reform candidate) to the State Senate, during which term he died after a short illness of pneumonia, at Harrisburg, April 6, 1857.

In appearance .Mr. Penrose was slightly above the medium height, with white hair, and fine intellectual, but determined, expres- sion of countenance. In his character he was unselfish, benevolent, self-reliant and earnest in whatever he undertook to accomplish; his manners were polished, gentle, courteous and genial, and his whole demeanor, in short, that of a Christian gentleman.

Mr. Penrose was married to Valeria Ful- lerton Biddle. Their oldest son, William M.

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Penrose, was a prominent member of our Bar; the second, R. A. Penrose, is a dis- tinguished practitioner of medicine in Phil- adelphia, while their third son, Clement Bid- dle Penrose, Esq., holds a high position at the Bar of that city. [Wing's History of Cumberland County. ],

COL. WILLIAM M. PENROSE. Col. William McFunn Penrose is admitted under Hepburn. He was born in Carlisle, on the 29th day of March, 1825; he graduated with honor at Dickinson College, in 1844. and seems even then to have been known as a dili- gent student, and as possessed of extraordi- nary powers of application. This seems to have been the reason of his great success in after life, in the chosen field of his profes- sion. He was admitted to the Bar of Cum- berland county on the Ioth of November, 1846. His committee of examination con- sisted of the Hon. John Reed, Hugh Gaul- lagher, Esqrs., and Hon. James H. Graham, before the Hon. John Stuart, then an Associ- ate Judge of the court of this county.

Col. Penrose was the oldest son of the Hon. Charles B. Penrose. "He came by in- heritance to the high position which he held. His easy and classical education was of the highest type. His father and uncle were both ornaments to the Bar of our county and state. He entered the arena when Reed and Biddle and Gaullagher were leaders of the Bar-when Adair and Bonham were brilliant young men."

Mr. Penrose was a man of refined, gen- tlemanly feelings, of a kindly disposition, and of courteous professional deportment toward all-to the court, but more par- ticularly was he generous and kind toward his younger brethren at the Bar, a quality the value of which only those educated in the profession can rightly appreciate.

He needed to found no distinction on the de- precation of his inferiors. He was too noble for this. He affected no importance from the miserable accident of seniority or station, and laughed to scorn the pretentionless stu- pidity that seeks, like the cynic, enforced reverence to its rage and its dotage.

Generous to a fault, and careless in re- gard to his own monetary affairs, but with a heart full of sympathy for the sufferings of others, his aid and counsel were sought by great numbers of people who were totally unable ever to remunerate him for his pro- fessional services.

At the breaking out of the Rebellion Mr. Penrose was elected and served for some time as colonel of the 6th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves. But such a life was ill-suited to a constitution naturally delicate. He paid dearly for his patriotism afterward in continuous ill-health, for in the exposure of camp life he probably laid the foundation of disease which ended eventually with his death.

During life Mr. Penrose was a hard student, and was devoted exclusively to his profession. The law, as it is said, is a jeal- ous mistress, and he was constant in his af- fection, and content to woo no other. To the study and practice of his profession he threw all the energies of his intellect. As a lawyer he was eminently. successful-learned, quick and accurate in his perceptions, cogent in argument, and fluent as a speaker, he sel- dom failed to convince a jury. In all ques- tions of practice he seemed particularly at home. Expert to take advantage of every point, he was a merciless antagonist, and woe to the unwary adversary, who, but for a mo- ment, should drop his shield. Nor was he less successful in his arguments In Banc. "His comprehensive mind was familiar with all the distinctions in the books, and his

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astuteness was so great that he marked out with wonderful quickness the almost evanes- cent boundaries which sometimes separate the principles which govern cases."

Benjamin Junkin, then President Judge, said, on the occasion of Mr. Penrose's death : "His astuteness, vigor of thought, and keen- ness of perception in grasping the result of a principle and wielding it with a steady hand, I have never seen surpassed. He stripped all questions down to the bones, and then handed over to the jury the issue in this clarified condition. In his manner he was terse, sententious and precise. He contin- ued all contests 'until the bellows were burned, and the lead was consumed of the fire,' then, and then only, did he yield."

In appearance Col. Penrose was tall and slender in form, with an intelligent, emaci- ated face, and was possessed of an active and nervous temperament. He was quick in his motions as in his thoughts. He was careless in his dress and walked our streets often in slippers, with a careworn and pre-occupied look, as it his attention was always upon the important responsibilities which were com- mitted to his care.

He died Sept. 2, 1872, in the prime of life, in the midst of his usefulness and in the enjoyment of a large and lucrative practice, well merited by a life of untuing devotion to the duties of his profession. [Wing's His- tory of Cumberland County.]

CHARLES BAUMSTER MECK (de- ceased), formerly engaged at his trade of saddler in Carlisle, Cumberland county, is descended from early Pennsylvania pioncers. The Meck family is connected with the Bretz family, the founder of which landed at Phila- delphia in 1750; and with the Baumgartner family, one of whom was an old Boniface in Harrisburg in the early days.

Jacob Meck, father of Charles B., was a son of Henry Meck, and was born in Perry county, Pa., where his early years were passed. He received some education in the district schools, but was, after the custom of the time, soon put to work to earn his own vay. His boyhood was passed on a farm. Coming in young manhood to Cumberland county, he began a business career that was financially successful, but which included a variety of occupations. For some time he was the landlord of the "Rising Sun" tavern, two miles above Carlisle, a popular resting place for the teamsters on. the way to and from Baltimore. He, himself, also teamed to Baltimore at one time. Later he kept a tavern on what is now the vacant lot next to the New Lutheran Church, Carlisle. He also followed butchering, having an estab- lishment near Plainfield, and attending the Carlisle market. On Jan. 7, 1819, he mar- ried Sarah Fossler, a native of Cumberland county, who bore him nine children, as fol- lows : Ephraim, born Oct. 19, 1819, married, and died in Harrisburg; Leander William, born Aug. 10, 1821, died young; Humphrey Jacob, born Sept. 10, 1822, a Methodist minister, married Sarah Elliott, and died in Logansport, Ind .; Alexander F., born May 28, 1825, a coachmaker, married Sarah Park- inson, and died in Carlisle; Mary Isabella, born Sept. 4, 1827, died young; Sarah, born Ang. 13, 1829, . died young; Charles Baumster, born March 8, 1832; Margaretta, born Oct. 31, 1834, died young; and John D. Jacob Meck, the father, died in 1846, near Plainfield, and his wife passed away in Carlisle in 1844.

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Biographical annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, Part 112

Author: Genealogical Publishing Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Genealogical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 994

Author: Genealogical Publishing Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Genealogical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 994