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 113
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Charles B. Meck was born in Cumber- land county, and there grew to manhood and spent his life. In his youth he learned the saddler's trade, and consistently followed that occupation all his life, attaining no little skill
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in his line. He had as a partner Robert R. Noble, and their shop was located on Main street. He passed away at his home May 4, 1888, in the faith of the Lutheran Church. Earlier he had belonged to the Methodist faith, but eventually became a member of the First Lutheran Congregation. His politics were Republican, and he was active in local party work, and for some time he served as constable.
On April 14, 1870, in Harrisburg, Mr. Meck was united in marriage, by Rev. G. F. Stelling, pastor of the First Lutheran Church, to Sophia Comp. Two children blessed this union : William H., who died at the age of three years; and Helen Augusta, who graduated at the Carlisle high school in 1898, and is now at home with her mother. Mr. Meck was a man of strict integrity, and was highly respected in the business world. He was kind to his family, and was greatly missed among his many friends.
Mrs. Sophia (Comp) Meck was born on ยท a farm near New Bloomfield, in Perry coun- ty, March 8, 1844, a daughter of Andrew Comp, and there was reared to womanhood. She has managed her affairs since her hus- band's death with a marked business ability, but with it all has kept her home a true home, like the noble woman she is.
Andrew Comp was born near New Bloomfield and was a farmer all his life. He died in the spring of 1854, and his wife, Abigail Sunday, a native of the same neigh- borhood, died some years later. Andrew Comp was a son of Andrew Comp, Sr., one of the best known farmers in Perry county in his day, who died on his farm, leaving a large estate.
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WILLIAM WILT (deceased). For many years the late William Wilt was one of the most highly respected citizens of Cum-
berland county, Pa. He was a self-made man, starting out in life as a poor boy and gaining an ample fortune and the esteem of all who knew him, entirely through his own efforts.
Mr. Wilt was born Nov. 3, 1823. in Manchester township, York Co., Pa., a son of John and Julia ( Mosey) Wilt, farm- ing people and natives of York county. When he was eight years of age, his parents moved to a farm near Yocumtown, York county, and here he had very few educational opportunities, starting to work when a mere lad. This was before the day of railroad transportation through this section and much necessary teaming was done to Baltimore. It was no unusual sight to see William Wilt starting off for the long journey over dan- gerous roads, with a valuable cargo in charge, and there is no recorded instance when he did not return with business satis- factorily attended to.
On March 5, 1846, Mr. Wilt was united in marriage with Sarah Smith, daughter of Michael and Catherine (Miller) Smith. They located first on Dr. Young's farm in Cumberland county, but later went back to York county and some years after, Mr. Wilt bought the Michael Smith farm of 150 acres, and here Mrs. Wilt died, July 8, 1882. She was a member of the Lutheran Church.
In 1885 Mr. Wilt removed to New Cum- berland, where he resided until his death, April 2, 1903. For a number of years he had lived retired. He was identified politically with the Republican party for many years but latterly had voted with the Prohibitionists. He was a consistent mem- ber and liberal supporter of the Lutheran Church.
Mr. Wilt was married (second), May 9, 1893, to Catherine Miller, born in Silver Spring township, Cumberland county. She
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is a daughter of Daniel and . Elizabeth (Steen) Miller. Daniel Miller was born May 14, 1800, in Silver Spring township, and died June 8, 1876, one of the most highly esteemed citizens of his community. The mother of Mrs. Wilt was born Feb. 16, 1802, at New Holland, Lancaster Co., Pa., a daughter of John and Margaret Steen, an old and honorable family of that locality.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Wilt were : Catherine died in childhood : John, who mar- ried a Miss Chapman, was accidentally killed at Steelton; Joseph, residing on the home farm, married a Miss Beckley; Julia mar- ried Lewis Kilmore, of York county ; Harry married a Miss Gross and is in business at Steelton : and Ella is the wife of Jacob Le- fever, of New Cumberland.
WILLIAM HIPPENSTEEL, one of the highly respected citizens of Fairview, a deputy county constable, and the owner. of a pleasant, comfortable home here, was born April 9, 1854. in Pine Grove, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania.
John Hippensteel, his grandfather, was born in Germany, and his three children were : Barbara, who married and is living at Mount Alto, Pa .; William; and Jolin (2), the father of our subject.
John Hippensteel (2) attended the local schools in his boyhood, and as soon as able to work, began the business of charcoal burn- ing, which he followed in Pennsylvania and Maryland for some seventeen years, under- standing the whole management of the char- coal pits, a business with many details and which requires close and careful attention. He married Sophia Davis, daughter of James Davis, a native of Ireland, who later lived in the vicinity of Burnt Cabins, Fulton county. After his marriage John Hippen- steel lived for a short time in Cumberland
county, and then went to Maryland, where he followed his trade until the spring of 1872, at which time he returned to Cumber- land county. He died at Fairview in Deceni- ber, 1894, and was buried at Zion Lutheran Church. His wife died in 1886, and was in- terred at the same place. They were mem- bers of the Methodist Church. In politics he was a Republican. Their children were: Samuel, who was employed by the govern- ment, died aged seventeen years ; James, who married Jennie McCombs, lives in Harris- burg; William is mentioned below; Charles Theodore, who married Sallie McCombs, sister of his brother's wife, lives at Fairview (she died in 1894) ; Denton O., who married Sallie Glessy, lives in Harrisburg, and is in . the iron business; Elmer lives at Steelton, where he is a member of the police force: Sherman, who married Catherine Staller, is a butcher at Steelton ; Annie married Robert Irwin, an iron worker in Clearfield county; and Samuel, who married Annie Hoffman, is an iron worker at Clearfield.
William Hippensteel attended the com- mon schools until eleven years of age, and then went to work in an ore bank in Mary- land, and continued working in iron ore until he was seventeen years old, when he came to Fairview, and learned heating and puddling in the furnaces here. This hard work Mr. Hippensteel followed industriously for twen- ty-nine years, accumulating a competency that enabled him to buy a comfortable home at Fairview in 1883.
On June 4, 1876, Mr. Hippensteel mar- ried Margaret Seidle, who is a daughter of Gotleib Seidle, of Cumberland county, and they have had these children : Edward, born April 26, 1877, took a course at a business college, and now has a position as material man at Lenota; Mary died when seventeen months old; Clinton died when seven years
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old; Annie, born Aug. 26, 1882, married John Koffman, a railroad man. and they live at Jersey City; George, who is learning the blacksmithi trade, lives at home; Virgie, Nora, Laura, and William, Jr., complete a pleasant, united family.
In politics Mr. Hippensteel is a Repub- lican. In 1903 he was appointed to the office of deputy constable and he was re- appointed at the expiration of his first term. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Eureka Lodge, No. 203, A. F. & A. M., of Mechanicsburg, and Harrisburg Consistory, thirty-second degree, of Harris- burg.
SAMUEL BOWERS, a successful and enterprising farmer of Mifflin township, Cumberland county, who has, by his energy, thrift and good common sense, won for him- self a comfortable competence, comes of good German stock. His grandfather, Andrew Bowers, and three brothers came from Ger- many, the three brothers penetrating farther into the great West, where little was after- ward known of them or their families. An- drew Bowers settled in Lancaster county, Pa. He was a weaver by trade, and also followed farming. His marriage occurred after his emigration to America, and he died in the county of his adoption, leaving three sons : Henry, who died in Lancaster county ; Jacob, who died in Mifflin township, Cum- berland county; and David, father of Samuel.
David Bowers was born in Lancaster county, where he remained until after he had acquired some education in the common schools. He then went to Dauphin county, where he learned the trade of weaver, but like his father, he combined work at his trade with farming. After his marriage he came to Cumberland county, and locating
in Mifflin township, bought 120 acres of land, which he farmed for a number of years. His death, however, occurred in Dauphin county, in 1884. He married Nancy Stout, daugh- ter of a well-to-do farmer of Dauphin coun- ty. She died in 1874, in Mifflin township, and was buried at Center. The remains of the husband and father rest in Dauphin coun- ty. In politics he was a Democrat, but never took any especial interest in political mat - ters. He was a member of the Dunkard Church. To David Bowers and wife were born the following children : John, who mar- ried Nancy Landis; David, who died at the age of thirteen, and is buried at Center ; Mary, living in Newton township; Cath- erine, who married John Henry, a weaver in Newville; Annie, who married William Hoover, and lives in Newton township; Lydia and Sarah, twins, of whom Lydia died and Sarah married Jacob Landis and is living in Dickinson township; and Samuel, who completes the family.
Samuel Bowers was born in Mifflin town- ship in 1849. He received the benefits of the common schools until old enough to as- sist on the home farm. Under the careful and watchful instructions of his father he early became familiar with the many duties that fall to the lot of the general farmer's son, and before he was old enough to vote he was capable of taking entire charge of a farm, and carrying it on to success. After his marriage he first located in Hopewell town- ship, and after three years spent on the Hahn farm, and one year on the Coover farm in Newton township, he returned to Mifflin township, and purchased a farm of sev- enty-two acres, which he cultivated for six years, when he had an advantageous offer for the farm and accepted it. Not finding any land for sale that met with his ideas he rented farms for three years, and then pur-
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chased.a tract of 102 acres in Mifflin, which he sold at the end of three years to purchase the one upon which he has resided since ISS7-a place formerly owned by his father- in-law, who erected all the buildings. This farm consists of 160 acres of rich land, to which Mr. Bowers has given every possible attention. That he takes great pride in his farm is but natural. When he left his father and began life for himself at the time of his marriage, his assets consisted of his own energy and determination and one hundred dollars cash. All that he has he has acquired with the cheerful assistance of a faith- ful wife, who has ever seconded his efforts to win ease and comfort for their declining years. They are now ranked among the most substantial farming people of the coun- ty, and in their struggle for a competence, they have maintained such a high reputation for honesty and uprightness of purpose that they have never in any way forfeited the good opinion of the best people of the county.
On Feb. 23, 1871, Mr. Bowers was mar- ried to Elizabeth Geese, daughter of John and Susan (Berstline) Geese, formerly of Perry county, but later of Mifflin township, Cumberland county, where our subject now resides. Mr. Geese died at the age of sixty- eight years, and his wife passed away aged sixty-five years, and both rest in the cemetery at Zion's Church in Hopewell township. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers are the parents of the fol- lowing children: Clarence, who married Alice Boldorser, and is engaged in farming in Newton township; Frank, who married Effie Wisthler, and died at the age of thirty- two years, leaving a widow and two chil- dren, Earl and Elizabeth; John, who mar- riedl Bertha Myers, has five children, Ruth, Mary, Clair, Samuel and John, and is en- gaged in farming near Shippensburg; Sam- uel Emerson, who married Emma Snyder,
has a son, Samuel Ervin, and lives in West Pennsboro township; Cora, who married John Clippinger, a farmer near Newville, and has one daughter, Elizabeth Agnes; James, who married Ella Clippinger, and is engaged in farming near Newville; and Harry and Mabel Grace, at home.
Mr. Bowers is a Democrat in politics. His religious connection is with the Re- formed Church. No man in the township. is more deserving of the high esteem of his fellow citizens than is this plain, straight- forward, honest self-made man-a good citi- zen, a loyal friend, a kind neighbor, and an affectionate husband and father.
HENRY P. SMALING, a well known resident of New Cumberland, Pa., who owns a fine farm in Fairview, was born Jan. 9, 1860, in Lancaster county, a son of Henry and Annie ( Peters) Smaling.
The Smaling family was one well known in parts of Lancaster county, where Jacob Smaling, the grandfather of our subject, was born and where he passed his entire life. He conducted a butchering business at Lan- caster City for a time, and then retired to a farm_ which he conducted until his death. He married a Miss Musselman, whose an- cestors, like his own, come from Germany. They had seven children : Henry; George, deceased; Frederick,-deceased; Jacob and Benjamin, of Lancaster City ; Margaret, who married (first) , a Daveler, (second) a Graeff; and Elizabeth, deceased.
Henry Smaling, father of our subject, was born in Lancaster county and married there. When our subject was five years old, he settled on a farm in Fairview, Cumber- land county, upon which he lived until 1895, when he retired to New Cumberland, and died in that town, aged seventy-one years, in 1898, his wife having passed away in the
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previous year, aged seventy-two years. They had three children : Elizabeth, wife of N. F. Reed, of New Cumberland; Henry P .; and John J., who died at the age of thirty-five years.
Henry P. Smaling was educated in the schools of Fairview, and remained on the home farm until 1895, when he came to reside in New Cumberland. In the follow- ing year he married Miss Anna Fink, of York county, and they have an interesting family of four children: Earl, Elizabeth, Park and Miles. In politics, Mr. Smaling is identified with the Republican party. He is a consistent member of the U. B. Church.
ADAM J. MOUNTZ, one of the repre- sentative citizens of Carlisle, comes of an old and honored family of Cumberland coun- ty. His grandfather, Adam Mountz, was born in York county, Pa., in Peach Bottom, came to Cumberland county when a young man and settled in Lower Frankford town- ship, near Possum Hill school-house. There he purchased a small farm of some sixty-five or sixty-seven acres, now known as the Yarrett farm, and here he made his home until his death, which occurred when he was eighty-one years of age. He was a very public-spirited man and took a deep interest in all things designed for the betterment of the community in general. By all he was regarded as a substantial citizen and kind- hearted friend. In politics he was a Repub- lican, as were all of his sons except the one bearing his own name. In religious belief he and his family were Lutherans. His children were Daniel, Jacob, Michael, Adam, Simon, Catherine and Lizzie, of whom Catherine married a Mr. Walker and Lizzie married a Mr. Bear.
Jacob Mountz, father of Adam J., was born and reared in Frankford township,
where he also married, and he followed dis- tilling during his business life in his native township. Moving to Carlisle, he was en- gaged in trucking for a time, and then com- menced railroad work, running individual cars between Carlisle, Harrisburg and Phila- delphia. Still later he became a train dis- patcher for the Cumberland Valley road, with office at Harrisburg, and thus con- tinued for many years. This was a very im- portant office and required not only native ability, but careful thought and training. On account of his superior fitness for the posi- tion, although he had long wished to be relieved on account of his age, his resigna- tion was not accepted until after the Civil war. He then retired to Mechanicsburg, where he died about 1887, aged seventy-six years. He was one of those honorable, up- right men who have made this country what it is, and set an excellent example for the coming generation. Mr. Mountz was a member of and elder in the Church of God, and after his death it was found he had left sufficient money to pay off the indebtedness of the church of his faith in Mechanicsburg. It was one of his principles never to go into debt for anything.
Jacob Mountz married Elizabeth Shoff, who died about 1893, aged eighty-three years. They had children as follows : Mary Ann married Samuel Chamberlain; John went west to Illinois where he died (he served during the Civil war); Adam J. is mentioned below; Jacob, a coachmaker of Williamsville, Sangamon Co., Ill., served in the 7th P. V. Reserve Corps, as musician, for eighteen months; William A. is a gold miner in the Black Hills, where he owns mining property, although he is now resid- ing temporarily in Brooklyn, N. Y. (he also served in the volunteer army during the Civil war) ; Theophilus was killed at the
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battle of Bainbridge, East Tennessee, while serving in the 9th Pa. Cav., as first lieu- tenant; Simon is a printer of Mechanics- burg. Pa .; Elizabeth is deceased: Catherine died young.
Adam J. Mountz was born Jan. 23, 1833, and was reared in this county. He received a rather limited education, and when a youth learned the trade of pumpmaking, which he has followed for about forty-five years, meet- ing with marked success. He too has a war record worthy of special mention, he hay- ing enlisted in Battery A, Ist Pa. Artillery Reserves, and was honorably discharged by general orders from the war department. Nov. 23, 1862. In December of that same year he re-enlisted in Company I, 3d Heavy Artillery, of which he was made principal musician at once, continuing as such until March 5, 1865. He was twice wounded, at the battle of Gaines Mills, in the left leg and right foot.
After his war service was ended he re- sumed his pumpmaking business. In 1899 he was elected county commissioner of Cum- berland county, and held that office for three years. He was elected on the Democratic ticket, being a stanch supporter of that party. Mr. Mountz has always been one of the active supporters of all measures of pub- lic interest and is an influential politician. Having always taken a deep interest in musi- cal matters, he has been identified with musi- cal affairs throughout the county, and or- ganized the Mechanicsburg Band. Fratern- ally he is a member of Post No. 415, G. A. R., Mechanicsburg, although he has resided in Carlisle since 1890.
On June 7, 1855, Mr. Mountz married Sarah Ellen Karns, daughter of John Karns, of Cumberland county. They have one child living, Cora Ellen, wife of George B. Nissley, of Philadelphia, and her children
are Lulu, Helen, Wilbur, Margaret, Walter and Madeline. Mrs. Nissley was formerly married to a Mr. Shaffer, by whom she had one son, Charley, who is now employed at the Broad street station of the Pennsylvania railroad in Philadelphia. Mrs. Mountz is a consistent member of and active worker in the Church of God.
Mr. Mountz is justly numbered among the leading and representative men of Car- lisle, where he has done so much toward the development of the city, and the enhancing of its material welfare. He is very well known, not only in the city but throughout a wide territory, and the friendship which is extended him is cordial and sincere. After a long and successful business career it is. a pleasure to be able to look back upon years spent in honorable labor, all of which tended toward prosperity and an eventime of plenty, peace and happiness. Such a life as that lived by Mr. Mountz cannot help but prove beneficial in many ways, and per- haps more than all in the fact that he has never willingly wronged a man, or acquired property other than by perfectly legitimate methods.
WILLIAM HENRY SEILER, one of the prosperous men of Silver Spring town- ship, Cumberland county, was born about a mile from Hogestown, Aug. 30, 1854.
Henry Seiler, his paternal grandfather, the first ancestor of whom there is any definite record, was also a resident of Silver Spring township, and lived about four miles northeast of Hogestown. He was a tailor by trade, and a very excellent man in every respect, hardworking and thrifty. His wife, Catherine Fireoverd, was a descendant of one of the early settlers of the county. They were the parents of twelve children.
Simon Peter Seiler, son of Henry and
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father of William Henry, was born in Silver Spring township, Aug. 4, 1825. He fol- lowed the occupation of blacksmithing from the time he was nineteen years of age until about six weeks prior to his death. He mar- ried Mary Ann Fink, who was born Nov. 18, 1830, daughter of William and Mary (Lutz) Fink, residents of the same township, but formerly of Lancaster county. William Fink was born Sept. 28, 1805, and died Sept. 8, 1879, while his wife was born March 18, 1808. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, of whom Mrs. Seiler was the eldest, the others being : Benjamin, born Aug. 7, 1832; Edward, Oct. 21. 1835; Matilda. Dec. 25, 1837; John, Sept. 3. 1839; Eliza. Oct. 16, 1841; Catherine, May 27, 1844: Adeline, Feb. 15, 1847; Ellen, Feb. 23. 1851 ; and William H., Oct. 1, 1853. To the marriage of Simon Peter and Mary Ann (Fink) Seiler came four daughters and one son, namely : Elizabeth married J. W. Loose, son of John Loose, a merchant of Hogestown ; William H. is our subject; Miss Laura Emma, twin to William H., is at home; Mary Ellen married Alfred J. Loudon, of Silver Spring township; Clara died when two years old.
Of the above family, William H. Seiler was educated in the common schools of his vicinity, which he attended until he was fif- teen years of age. He then became a clerk in the store of his brother-in-law, J. W. Loose, and thus continued for two and one- half years, when he began to work at his father's trade of blacksmithing, and was so successful that he has since continued along these lines.
On Feb. 8, 1881, Mr. Seiler was married to Miss Annie E. Senseman, daughter of William and Anna (Musselman) Senseman, of New Kingston. Their only child died at birth. Mr. Seiler has been a Democrat since
casting his first vote, but has never aspired to political distinction. He is a stanch mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church, and gives very liberally towards its support. For forty-seven years Mr. Seiler has been an honored resident of Hogestown, and has fol- lowed his trade here for thirty-two years, achieving success through industry, integrity and thrift, and of him it may be truly said that he is an excellent example of the sub- stantial men of Cumberland county.
GEORGE B. WEBER, one of the prom- inent farmers and dairymen of East Penns- boro township, Cumberland county, was born Nov. 29, 1862, son of Henry Weber, who was born Oct. 6, 1831, near New Cumber- land, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania.
The founder of the family in Cumber- land county was one Henry Weber, who was born in Lancaster county, Pa., and settled in Lower Allen township, Cumberland coun- ty, where he followed milling along the Yel- low Breeches creek, dying there at the age of sixty years. He was buried on his prop- erty. His son Abraham', grandfather of George B., was born in Lancaster county in 1800, came to Cumberland with his father, and engaged in farming on the Col. Hughs farm, in Upper Allen township. He died in 1875. He was a faithful member of the Mennonite Church. His wife was Mary, daughter of Peter Zimmerman, and she died aged eighty-four years. They had the fol- lowing children born to them : Esther, widow of Isaac Burgert, lives in Lancaster county, and her children are Mary, Rebecca and Amos; Mattie is the wife of David Groff, of one of the wealthy old agricultural fam- ilies of Lancaster county; Anne (deceased) married John Castle, of Lancaster Junction ; Elizabeth, unmarried, lives with her brother Henry in Upper Allen township; Mary died
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in infancy ; Barbara died at the age of thirty- eight years, wife of Daniel Bear, of Lancas- ter county, leaving children-Benjamin, Mary, Annie, Martha and Elizabeth; Abra- ham died in infancy ; Susan died unmarried, aged forty years; Catherine, wife of Christian Hertzler, of Upper Allen town- ship, has children-Mary, Barbara, Abra- ham, Henry, Annie and Alice.
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