Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers, Part 93

Author: Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899. dn; Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [Chicago, Ill.] : Beers
Number of Pages: 1186

USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers > Part 93

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and wife were born: Amos, whose name intro- (luces this article : David. deceased : and Elias, a . farmer in East Donegal township.

Previous to huis marriage with Susannah Herr, David Shelly had wedded Susannah Engle, who be- : came the mother of the following children : Martha, deceased, who married John M. Engle : Heury E., born July 18, 1839, now a farmer in Rapho town- ship; Israel and Harriet, who both died unmarried ; and Eli, a farmer in East Donegal township. Mrs. | Susannah Engle died in 1850, at the age of thirty- six years. She was born in Rapho township, and with her parents belonged to the Dunkard Church.

Amos Shelly was married May 14. 1878, in | Lancaster, to Fanny Nissley, by whom he became the father of these children : Emma, deceased ; Amos N. and Ada N., at home : and Elien .N., de- ceased.

Mrs. Fanny ( Nissley) Shelly was born in West Hempfield township May 13, 1858, a daughter of Christian E. and Fanny ( Breneman) Nissley, both of whom were born and reared in Lancaster county. Her father died in Salunga, Pa., in 1880, at the age of seventy-one years. For eleven years prior to his death he lived retired, and for nine years he held the position of school director. His widow died in 1896, at the age of seventy years. Her remains · were laid to rest in Landisville, Pa. They were all who knew them, and members of the Mennonite Church. They had eight children, of whom Henry B. is a farmer in East Donegal township ; and Fanny is Mrs. Shelly.

honorable and upright people, much respected by | highly esteemed citizens of New Providence, a very

Amos Shelly came to the farm where he is found to-day with his parents when he was eighteen years old, and here he has won for himself a very credita- ble standing among the leading citizens of the town. In religion he belongs to the Mennonite Church, and in politics is a Republican.

H. R. HEAGY, the very capable agent for the Pennsylvania railroad, at New Providence. is one of the most highly respected citizens of that town- ship. He was born in the borough of Manheim Dec. 8, 1856, son of Francis and Lydia ( Rover) Heagy, who were also residents of that part of Lan- caster county. Francis Heagy was born in Ger- many, and came to America while still a youth. He is now a retired farmer of Penn township. His five children were : H. R., whose name opens this sketch: Catherine, wife of Frank Ritter, of Penn township; Elizabeth, wife of Cassius Snyder, of Manheim: John, of Penn township ; and Frank, of Lancaster.

H. R. Heagy grew up on the farm and received his education in the public schools. When nine- teen years old he began to study telegraphy with J. B. Niver. of Lancaster Junction, and on March I. 1877, he came to New Providence and took charge of the station at that point. His capital then con- sisted of his knowledge of his trade and his deter-

mination to succeed. and by steady application to his duties he soon gained the favor of his empie- 1 ers and gradually won his way into the esteem of the public. By a provident husbanding of his mean- Mr. Heagy soon became independent and acquired property, owning now a handsome residence and a prosperous business, in partnership with his son. in the lumber, coal and fertilizer line.

Mr. Heagy is a stanch Republican, and he was elected justice of the peace in 1893. efficiently per- forming the duties of that office ever since. He has been very prominent in the affairs of the Reformed Church in New Providence, and is president of the Christian Endeavor Society.

On July 11, 1882, Mr. Heagy married Miss Lydia Groff, daughter of John and Maria ( Bru- baker ) Groff, of New Providence, and this mar- riage has been blessed with seven children, viz: Miss Florence. a teacher in the Lancaster county schools: John F., with his father in the railroad of- fice: Maria and Walter, at home; Holen, deceased ; and Ruth and Paul Hiram, at home.

Mr. Heagy has been very successful in his busi- ness career, and when questioned about it, frankly attributes it to hard work. As an indication of his close attention to duty it may be mentioned that he has been absent from his post but ten days in the past twenty-five years. He is one of the most public-spirited one, and few men in this locality have more attached personal friends.

MILTON THOMAS GARVIN. dry goods merchant of Lancaster, was born in Fulton town- ship, Lancaster county, Aug. 14, 1860.

Milton Y. Garvin, his father, was descended from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterian Garvins who settled in Delaware about 1750, and the English Quaker family of Brown, who were among the first Quaker settlers of Chester county. Milton Y. Garvin married Hannah R. Hannum, whose ances- tors were the Welsh Quaker family of Hannum, and the English Quaker family of Reynolds, both of whom settled in Pennsylvania during the governor- ship of William Penn.

Mr. Garvin spent his early boyhood with his father's sister on a farm in Cecil county, Md. At the age of thirteen years, his uncle having died, he came to Lancaster City to live with his mother, who was now married to William J. Baer. A few months later, at the age of fourteen, he entered the dry goods store of R. E. Fahnestock as errand boy. and two years later was promoted to be salesman. In 1882, through physical infirmities, Mr. Fahne- stock was obliged to have some one to manage his business and assume its cares, and the selection feil t upon Mr. Garvin, who had just reached his major- itv. Appreciating the responsibility of the posi- tion. he took vigorous hold, and managed this busi- ness for twelve years.

In 1886 Mr. Garvin married Catherine A.,

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widow of Abijah D. Gyger, and a daughter of An- thony and Catherine ( McLaughlin) Lechler, who was born at Paradise, this county, where her father was famous as a hotel keeper, but who subsequently moved to Lancaster, where for years he kept the County House.

Early in 1894, on account of old age and total disability, Mr. Fahnestock decided to retire, and : ! Mr. Garvin took over the business and succeeded him. On March 5th, of the same year, under the : firm name of M. T. Garvin & Co., he opened the store at the old stand. Nos. 35 and 37 East King street, next to the Court House, which, under the popular name of "The Leader" is to-day one of Lan- caster's best-known shopping marts. Mr. Gar- vin's business is conducted on strictly up-to-date cash principles, with one price to all and discounts to none as one of the fundamentals. The interests of the employes, of whom there are an average of forty-five, are well cared for and kindly considered.

In early life Mr. Garvin received only such edu- cation as was obtained at the short winter sessions of a log cabin school, in Maryland, but the founda- tion laid there was afterward built upon by the de- votion of spare moments to reading and study, and the knowledge thus gained has stood him in good stead in later years. While not a member of any church, Mr. Garvin takes an active interest in the Friends' Association of Lancaster, and the new Unitarian movement. In politics he is independent and progressive, and usually affiliates with the Democratic party. Mr. Garvin is connected with various interests. in his adopted city. He is an of- ficer of the Mechanics' Circulating Library : an ac- tive member of the Board of Trade, of which he is president ; a director of the General Hospital : sec- retarv of the Lancaster Dry-goods Association: a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cru- elty to Animals; the Lancaster County Historical Society; the Society for Psychical Research, and others, and he is always to be counted upon as an active supporter of Lancaster's charitable institu- tions.

JAMES PRANGLEY, JR .. of the general in- surance and real estate firm of James Prangley. Jr., No. 27 East Orange St .. Lancaster, was born in that city March 28, 1864.

His grandfather, also named James, was an en- gineer near Liverpool. England. His father. James Prangley (2), came to America sixty years ago. when nine years old. His first employment was with the saw manufactory of Henry Disston & Sons. He went to Lancaster in 1863, and opened a "Cheap John" store in North Queen street. between Orange and Chestnut. He then moved to the pres- ent location of Watt & Shand's New York store in East King street. In 1872 he retired from the store, and in 1879 engaged in the leaf tobacco trade. In 1881 he established a cigar factory, employing from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five people.

He remained in this until 1897. Mr. Prangley also manufactured brick for twenty years, until the piant was destroyed by fire in April, 1900. Late in 1900 he engaged in the coal business, and still continues in that line. Mr. Prangley married Miss Mary Ma- caulif, daughter of John Macaulif, a musician of England, and of this marriage three children were born: Lidia and Bessie, at home; and James. Jr. A half sister of the latter, Alice, was the wife of Henry Martin, of the Henry Martin Brick Machine Manufacturing Co., but she died several years ago. Mrs. Mary ( Macaulif) Prangley died in August, 1890.

James Prangley, Jr., of the third generation bearing the same name, was educated in the Lan- caster schools, leaving the Boys' High School to at- tend Weidler's Business College, from which insti- tution he was graduated. He became a partner of his father in the cigar factory, but quit it in 1807 to enter his present business as partner of Martin Rife. This has proved highly successful.

On October 17, 1803, Mr. Prangley married Miss Catherine Knapp, daughter of the late Law- rence Knapp of Knapp Villa, a place familiar to all. Two sons have been born of this marriage: James, named for his father, grandfather and great- grandfather : and Lawrence, named for his grand- father Knapp. Mr. Prangley has a pleasant home at No. 690 Columbia avenue. He is a member of Trinity Lutheran congregation, and has played the chimes of that church for the past twelve years, his early morning concerts being features of all church festival days, such as Christmas, Palm Sunday, Easter, etc., while his patriotic airs arouse the peo- ple at four o'clock on every Fourth of July morn- ing. For nine years he was a warden of Trinity, and both he and his wife are members of the church choir, in which they are very popular. Mr. Prang- ley belongs to the Odd Fellows. the Royal Arcanum, the Knights of Malta and the Elks.

GEORGE GABRIEL GOLDBACH, the suc- cessful florist and landscape gardener, located oppo- site the Lancaster county Almshouse, on the Phila- delphia turnpike, is a son of Lorenz Goldbach, now leading a life of well-deserved retirement at his home on the Groffstown road, just east of Lancaster.

Lorenz. Goldbach came to America from Ba- varia, and settled on a farm near Bareville, this county, in 1876. removing to Lancaster in the spring of 1885, and locating on Rockland street, where he carried on gardening. In 1895 he removed to his present home, on the Groffstown road, where he car- ried on trucking until recently, when he retired from active pursuits. His first wife was Miss Gertrude Busenbrugge, of Westphalia. Germany, by whom he had the following children: John, who died at Spokane Falls, Wash., in ISSo; Theresa, wife of Oscar Hilbert, of the New Era job department ; Charles, a traveling salesman for a Philadelphia drug house ; Henry, a shoe cutter, who died in 1894,

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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

while in the employ of the Kray Shoe Co. : Herman, a florist and gardener, now managing his father's place on the Groffstown road; and George G. Af- ter the death of the mother of these children Mr. Goldbach married, in January, 1882. Miss Anna Kiehl, of New York, who was born in Germany, and the following children have blessed this union : Amelia, a dressmaker: Frank, who works for George G. Goldbach, the florist; Mary and Lizzie. at home : and Anthony, who died in 1896, aged four years.

George Gabriel Goldbach was born in Upper Leacock township Feb. 6, 1878, and, his parents re- moving to Lancaster when he was young, his educa- tion was received in St. Anthony's Parochial School. When he was thirteen years old his father placed him with A. D. Rohrer & Bro., florists, and there he re- ceived the training that has made him the expert florist and landscape gardener that he is to-day. In 1897, in association with his brother, Herman, he leased the Rohrer hothouses, and until September, 1900, they carried on the business as Goldbach Bros. The firm was then dissolved, George G. Goldbach continuing the business alone. He con- fines himself largely to wholesaling, finding a ready sale for all he can produce in the Philadelphia mar- kets. He makes a specialty of growing violets, and his annual output in this flower alone is the bloom of 10,000 plants. With 15,000 feet under glass, the plant, flower and vegetable producing capacity is immense. As a landscape gardener Mr. Goldbach's work stands high, the flower beds at Rocky Springs Park having been laid out and planted by him for several years in the past.

On June 26, 1900, Mr. Goldbach was married to Ida, daughter of the late John Ransing, of Lan- caster. They began housekeeping in a pretty cot- tage on the Philadelphia turnpike, almost directly opposite the hothouses, but Mr. Goldbach recently purchased a lot of ground at the corner of East Orange street and Ranck avenue, where he intends building himself a fine home. One child, Agnes Mary, born May 1, 1901, has blessed their marriage. Mr. Goldbach is a member of St. Anthony's Cath- olic Church, of St. Michael's Society, the Knights of St. John, St. John's Beneficial Society, the Young Men's Democratic Society, and the American Flor- ists Association. Industrious, energetic, intelli- gent and prompt in his business methods, he cer- tainly gives promise of a most successful future.

ELLIS PICKEL, proprietor of the grocery store at South Duke and Church Streets. Lancaster, is descended from a family who have been promi- nent in agricultural circles in Lancaster county for many generations.

Leonard Pickel, his father, owned a farm at Georgetown, Bart township, and from there re- moved to a point between Nickel Mines and the Furnace. where he bought another farm and en- gaged very successfully in- its cultivation. Promi-

nent in politics, and enjoying an excellent reputa- tion, he was elected a director of the poor on the Re- publican ticket. He died over twenty years ago, respected by all who knew him for his private and public worth.

Ellis Pickel was educated in the schools of his home district, leaving school at the age of eighteen years to drive ore teams for his father, in which work he was engaged for about three years. For a time following this he was a clerk in the White Hall store of Milton Heidelbaugh (since then a member of the State Legislature), and later on farmed for himself for three years on a place near Gap. Then he came to Lancaster and took a posi- tion with Flinn &: Breneman, which he held three years; for three years he rented and farmed the Elmaker place near Gap : and then he again entered the employ of Flinn & Breneman, remaining withi them this time for a period of sixteen years. In 1897 he bought the grocery store noted above, and the business has already proved a flattering success, presenting most encouraging prospects.

Mr. Pickel married Miss Mary Jane Brooks, daughter of Boyd J. Brooks, a farmer of Bart town- ship, and to this union was born one daughter, Elsie, who is now the wife of A. Heber Francis, a well-known cigar broker of Lancaster.

Mr. Pickel has long been associated with church work, and was a trustee of his church while living in the country. He is now a member of the First Methodist Church of Lancaster, and fraternally is a member of the Knights of Malta, the American Mechanics, and the Artisans. Conscientious. courteous and accommodating, he has made hosts of friends, whose friendship grows the stronger the longer he is known.

THOMAS HIBSHMAN KELLER. Among the prominent citizens of Lititz is Thomas Hibsh- man Keller, who comes of most excellent stock, his ancestors having been among the oldest and best- known people in this section of the State. He is a grandson of the well-known John Keller, a native of this county and a farmer of Ephrata township, whose father's farm extended along Indian Creek, toward Ephrata. On the maternal side he is a grandson of Hon. Henry Hibshman, a senator of the State of Pennsylvania. belonging to a family whose members were distinguished as jurists and in the affairs of the State.

Harry B. Keller, father of Thomas H., was a merchant of Lincoln, this county, where he died in 1854. He married Mary Hibshman, and to this union the following named children were born : Henry B., who occupies a responsible position in the United States Mint, in Philadelphia; and Thomas H., of Lititz.

Thomas Hibshman Keller was born at Lincoln. this county, in 1853, and was educated in the public schools of the district, leaving school at the age of fifteen years and becoming a clerk in Royer's store,

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at Lincoln. Later he engaged in clerking in Weid- man's store, at West Lincoln, remaining there three years, at the end of which time he began baking the now famous Lititz pretzels, and has been so engaged ever since.

In 1876 Mr. Keller married Miss Clara V. Sturgis, daughter of Julius F. Sturgis, the original manufacturer of the Lititz pretzels, and to this union nine children were born, seven of whom are living: Mary Jane, wife of William Fishburn. editor and publisher of the Ephrata Reporter ; Julius Henry, an artist in modeling, in Philadelphia : Lottie Cecelia and Carrie M., both at home ; Thomas H., Jr., attending the Lititz high school; and Lewis R. and Philip Deichler, at school, the latter attending a kindergarten.

Mr. Keller is a stanch Republican in politics. and he has served as a member of the school board of Lititz for a term of three years. He is a devout Moravian in religion, and fraternally he is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Golden Eagle. Apart from his business and church affairs, and his societies, Mr. Keller has given much time and attention to enterprises look- ing to the welfare of the historic borough of which he is so popular and progressive a citizen. He was one of the most active managers of the first Lan- · caster County Fair ever held in Lititz, and has also been manager of eight county fairs held in MieGran- nis Park, Lancaster, being one of the gentlemen most closely concerned in the fine fairs held in 1899 and 1900; he was secretary as well as manager of the latter, the most successful fair in the history of the county. Kind and courteous to everybody, ever ready to help a friend, and ready to give of his time. efforts and interest, as well as means, to promote the interests of the community in which he lives, Mr. Keller has fairly earned a prominent place. in the public regard.

As an inventor Mr. Keller has made an enviable record. His first invention ( 1879) was a pretzel machine, and for the past seven years he has been working on and perfecting an automatic cigar ma- chine, in company with B. W. Snavely, of New Brunnerville. Their first patent on this was re- ceived Jan. 10, 1899, since when additional patents have been granted on the invention. This machine is expected to revolutionize the cigar manufacturing industry throughout the world.

JOHN W. ARMSTRONG. Among the pop- ular extra conductors on the Pennsylvania railroad makes his home in Columbia. He is a native of Lancaster county, born in Marietta, Nov. 8, 1864, a son of Jolin W., Sr., and Kate (Kugle) Arm- strong.

none have more friends than this gentleman, who : cally, Mr. Armstrong affiliates with the Republican

John W. Armstrong, Sr., was born at Donegal Springs, same county, a son of Hon. Andrew A. and Mary A. ( Brenneman) Armstrong, the former a native of Silver Springs township, Cumberland

Co., Pa., the latter of MIt. Joy township, Lancaster county. Both died in Mt. Jov. Andrew A. Arm- strong was a farmer in early life, and being one of the most prominent and influential men of his com- munity, he was elected to the State Legislature. On his retirement to private life, he embarked in the gray and malleable iron business, which he carried on until his death, which occurred in 1876, when he was sixty-seven years of age. His father, James Armstrong, was of Scotch-Irish extraction, and emigrated from Scotland to the United States in 1745, locating in Silver Springs township, Cumber- land Co., Pa., where he conducted a tannery through- out the remainder of his life. John W. Armstrong, Sr., the father of our subject, followed farming until the Civil war broke out. when he entered the service as a member of Co. B. 45th P. V. V., and was killed at Petersburg. Va., July 17. 1864. at the age of twenty-two years. His widow afterward married William McNeil, and by that union had seven chil- dren. She is a resident of Marietta, where she was born, a daughter of George Kugle, an agriculturist of Lancaster county.

John W. Armstrong, of this review, spent the first three years of his life in Marietta, and then went to live with his paternal grandfather at Donegal Springs, remaining with him until the latter's death, when he was sent to the Soldiers' Orphans' School at Mt. Joy, where he was graduated in November, 1880. He was his father's only child. After leaving school he commenced learning the printer's trade, at which he worked in Carlisle. Pa., from November, 188c, until the next April. when the firm with which he was connected sold out, and he went to St. Louis, No. After working on the Mississippi river for nine months, Mr. Armstrong returned to Lancaster county, Pa., and worked at the molder's trade in Mt. Joy until January, 1886. when he came to Co- lumbia and entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. as brakeman. In September, 1892, he was made flagman, and was promoted to extra conductor April 10, 1900.

On Sept. 5. 1884. at Florin, Lancaster county, Mr. Armstrong married Miss Anna A. Buck, who was born in York, Pa., Nov. 10. 1868, a daughter of Nathaniel and Susan ( Lowe) Buck, also natives of York county. The father, a farmer by occupation. is now residing in Lehigh county, Pa. He was a soldier of the Civil war and was wounded in the ser- vice. To Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong were born four children, namely: Oscar C .; Mamie E., who ‹lied Ang. 28, 1886: Edward S .; and John W. Politi- party, and fraternally is connected with the Brother- hood of Railroad Trainmen. the Knights of Pythias, and the Improved Order of Red Men.

LEVI BECKER. The prosperity of the great State of Pennsylvania does not rest upon her com- mercial relations, nor upon her wealth of mineral deposits, as much as upon her great agricultural re-

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sources. The farmers are the backbone of the State. and in no county are they more prosperous and thrifty than in wealthy, solid and respected Lancas- ter county. The revenue gathered into the coffers of the State from that county alone would give sur- prise to many of those unfamiliar with existing con- ditions.

Among the successful agriculturists of Ephrata township is Levi Becker, a most estimable and highly respected citizen, who owns 112 acres of some of the choicest land in the county. He was born Feb. 21, 1872, a son of the late Israel and Caroline Decker, of this county. Israel Becker was a son of Henry Becker, a prominent farmer of the county, a German by ancestry, and the father of a family of fourteen children. Israel Becker was also a farmer. and well and favorably known in the neighborhood near Lititz, and reared these children: Henry B. married Mary Seibert; John B. is a farmer located about two miles from Lititz, in Warwick township : Leah resides near Brunersville, Pa .; Henry; Levi; and Katie, deceased.

Levi Becker was reared on a farm, and as his father before him, chose farming as his life work. His education was received in the common schools of his district, and soon after finishing the course, he engaged extensively in agricultural pursuits, his fine, well cultivated farm showing that he thoroughly understands all matters pertaining to the proper tillage of the soil.

On Jan. 7, 1804. Levi Becker was married to Miss Lillie Habecker, of Clay township, the esti- mable daughter of Augustus Habecker. and two children have been born of this union: Elsie, born in 1895 ; and Leroy, born Oct. 6, 1897. In his polit- ical affiliations, Mr. Becker has always voted with the Republican party, but has never taken the time to seek for office, leaving that for those who have less fine land to cultivate. Although not formally connected with any religious denomination. he be- lieves that a moral life is better than many protesta- tions, and is regarded by his neighbors as a model husband and father, and as one of the best and most reliable of the citizens of Ephrata township.

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Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers, Part 93

Author: Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899. dn; Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [Chicago, Ill.] : Beers Number of Pages: 1186

Author: Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899. dn; Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [Chicago, Ill.] : Beers
Number of Pages: 1186