USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Commemorative biographical encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania : containing sketches of prominent and representative citizens and many of the early Scotch-Irish and German settlers. Pt. 2 > Part 22
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William attended the public schools for only a few winter terms. At, twelve years of age he went to work on the canal with Jacob Frantz, and remained with him for seven years. He then bought a boat and began business for himself, running from Middle- town and Pottstown to Philadelphia, and making the round trip in a week's time. He worked under contract with Benjamin Frick, and was engaged in boating for him for
eight years. In 1851 the canal was widened and larger boats came into use, and the fol- lowing year Mr. Snyder bought a large Penn- sylvania boat, and went into the lumber trade, shipping from Williamsport and Lock Haven to Philadelphia and Baltimore, tak- ing two weeks for a round trip. He had a boating contract with the men at the Star mills for four years, and he had another con- tract with George Lentz, a lumberman, at Williamsport, for five years. Altogether he was engaged in boating on the canal for thirty-eight years. He then abandoned boating and engaged in farming. Mr. Sny- der was married, August 12, 1849, to Miss Sarah Pancake, daughter of Valentine and Catherine (Shreedley) Pancake. Their chil- dren are: Clara; Alice, wife of Allison Bal- bough, deceased ; Elmer E., and Malon H., died in 1889, aged thirty-eight years. In his political views Mr. Snyder is a Republican. The parents of Mrs. Snyder were both na- tives of Dauphin county. Their children are: Anna, Sarah, Jacob, Mary, David, all living; and Andrew, John, Catherine and Elizabeth, all deccased. Elmer E., son of William, was born June 11, 1861, received his primary education in the public schools of East Hanover township, and took a course at Lebanon Valley College, Annville. In 1882 he began teaching, and has since been engaged in that vocation.
SHIRK, JACOB S., general merchant, Grant- ville, Pa., was born in East Hanover town- ship, Lebanon county, Pa., June 30, 1844; son of Michael and Elizabeth (Swoke) Shirk. The father was born in the same township, and resided there until 1845, where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits. JIe then removed to Dauphin county, where he con- ducted the same business until his death in December, 1867. His wife was born in Beth- lehem township, Berks county, Pa., but was reared by her aunt in Lebanon county, her mother having died while she was a child. She removed with her husband to East Han- over township, and lived there until his death, and for the past sixteen years has been a resident of Harrisburg. Their chil- dren are : Emma M., died, aged five years ; Galen, died at the same age; John H., died at the age of thirty-one years. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; practiced medicine at Ann- ville, Pa., for a year and a half, and at the time of his death was practicing at Phila-
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delphia. Their living children are: Cathe- rine G., wife of Henry C. Orth, musical in- strument dealer, at Harrisburg; Jacob. S., and Mary Elizabeth, wife of Harry Uhler, real estate dealer in Harrisburg.
Jacob S. was brought by his parents to East Hanover township, Dauphin county, when he was but fifteen months old, where he acquired his education in the district schools. He took a course in the Commer- cial College of Bryant & Stratton, at Phila- delphia, and became a salesman in, his father's store, in which capacity he was em- ployed until 1866, at which date he was ad- mitted to a partnership in the business. His father died in 1867, and the following year he took entire charge of the business, which he has conducted since that time. He was married, in East Hanover township, Feb- ruary 14, 1867, to Miss Emma R. Early, daughter of Amos and Mary Early. Their children are: Marie Ellen, died November 18, 1889, aged nine years; Edward M., Robert E., and Emma L. Mr. Shirk has served efficiently in the offices of auditor, tax collector, and assessor. He was an ac- ceptable postmaster for thirty years, and in politics was a Republican. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church.
SHERTZER, BENJAMIN F., postmaster and harness maker, Grantville, Pa., was born in the Jower end of Fishing Creek Valley, Dau- phin county, Pa., September 18, 1844; son of Paul and Susan (Unger) Shertzer. He acquired his education in his native place, and when nineteen years of age removed to Linglestown, where he learned the trade of harness maker and where he pursued this occupation four years. In 1868 he removed to East Hanover township, where he has been engaged in business twenty-nine years. Under the first Cleveland administration he was appointed postmaster, and is now serv- ing his second term in the office. He was married, in West Hanover township, July 10, 1873, to Emma Bouchter, daughter of John and Leah Bouchter, residents of Lebanon county. Two of their children died in in- fancy, and those living are: Bertha May, Mrs. Golen Boyer ; Kate E., Wesley B., and Mabel M. In politics he is a Democrat, and in his religious faith and fellowship he and the family are with the United Brethren church.
HALIFAX TOWNSHIP.
LEEBRICK, GEORGE T., retired, Halifax. Dauphin county, Pa., was born in that town, September 23, 1844, and still resides in the house in which he was born, which was in- herited from his grandparents.
The lineal descent of George T. Leebrick is as follows : Capt. Benjamin Parke, born in Westerly, R. I., 1735, who was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. George T. is the son of John P. Leebrick and Han- nah Mary (Parke) Leebrick, grandson of Thomas Parke and Eunice (Chaplin) Parke, great-grandson of Capt. Benjamin Parkeand Hannah (Stanton) Parke, great-great-grand- son of. John Parke and Elizabeth (Miller) Parke, great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Parke and Abigail (Dix) Parke, great-great- great-great-grandson of Richard and Sarah Fallier Parke, of London, England, who settled in Cambridge, Mass., in 1632. Capt. Benjamin Parke assisted materially in the struggle for American independence, being captain of a company which participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was also a member of the committee that drew up the celebrated resolutions protesting against the infringements of the rights of the colonies, the tax on tea in 1774. (See Denison's Westerly, page 210). The Captain, while on a visit to his sister, Mrs. Pendleton, at Ston- ington, Conn., marched to the relief of Bos- ton during the Lexington alarm, in April, 1775. (See adjutant general's report of Con- necticut in the Revolution, page 22). Ac- cording to the report, " the said Capt. Ben- jamin Parke marched at the head of a com- pany of minute men to the relief of the American army, near Boston, in June, 1775, and participated in the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, in which battle he was mortally wounded." For further accounts see Narragansett Historical Register, vol. 1. page 217, Denison's Westerly, page 74, and Drake's Dictionary of American Biography, page 687.
George T. Lecbrick's great-great-grand- father, John Philip Lebreg (as the name was then spelled), was born in Manheim, Ger- many, in 1696, and died in Manheim Pa., at the age of eighty-two. He had a family of four children: Nicholas, born in Man- heim, Pa., in 1748, married Catherine Franks. The other children were girls: one married
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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Daniel Bridgian, another Charles Wilstach, and the third a Mr. Newman.
The children of Nicholas and Catherine (Franks) Lebreg, great-grandparents of George T. Leebrick, were as follows: John, born in Manheim, Pa., May 27, 1770, died October 9, 1804, unmarried; Philip, married Mary Castle; Daniel, date of birth and death unknown, married Elizabeth Peters; George, grandfather of George T., born February 7, 1779, married by Rev. Mr. Ilgen, at Mifflin- burg, Pa., March 17, 1801, to Mary Mohr, was a tanner and merchant, settled in Hali- fax in 1811, and spent the remainder of his life in this town; his death occurred March 12, 1847. His children were nine in num- ber.
His son, John P. Leebrick, father of George T., was born February 10, 1804, married Mary Parke, February 17, 1831, died Sep- tember 24, 1869, and his wife died May 3, 1852. They had six children: Ellen, born June 24, 1832, in Halifax, died July 9, 1833; John Eberle, born in Halifax, December 31, 1833, died July 16, 1862; Louisa Parke, born November 11, 1835, resides at the home. stead; Anna Mary, born February 10, 1837, died July 28, 1838; Henry Clay, born No- vember 12, 1839, died August 23, 1842; George Thomas, born September 23, 1841. John P. Leebrick, like his father, resided all his life in Halifax and was extensively en- gaged in mercantile pursuits and in railroad and canal contracts. He was a prominent and progressive man, a stockholder and di- rector in canals and railroads, and interested in other like industrial ventures.
George Thomas Leebrick is the son of the late John Philip and Hannah Mary (Parke) Leebrick. He was born and has always had his home in Halifax. His early educa- tion was received in the public schools and under his mother's tuition. Before he was ten years old he attended an academy in Juniala county, Pa. Later he was at the Mt. Joy Academy, Lancaster county, Pa., and still later the Western Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio, since removed to Cleve- land, Ohio, and now called Adelbert Col- lege.
His education finished, Mr. Leebrick taught school during one winter. In April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in company D, Fif- teenth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, and served three months; he was discharged at Carlisle, Pa., August 7, 1861; re-enlisted September 2, 1861, in company D, Forty-
sixth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, and served in this regiment unti! December 2, 1862, when he was again discharged by the Secretary of War, at Maryland Heights, Md. He took part in the battles of Cedar Mountain and Antietam. In 1863 Mr. Lee- brick commenced the study of law with A. H. Dill, of Lewisburg, Pa., and remained with him two years. He then returned to Halifax, where he has since spent most of his time.
Mr. Leebrick was married, in Halifax, April 5, 1877, to Sarah R., daughter of Sam- uel and Susanna Noblit, early settlers of Halifax township. They had no children. Mr. Leebrick belongs to H. M. Slocum Post, No. 523, G. A: R .; is a Democrat, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The fourth child of Nicholas Lebreg, great- grandfather of George T. Leebrick, was Will- iam Mohr, who died in 1872.
SHOPE, JACOB W., physician and surgeon, Halifax, Dauphin county, Pa., was born in Linglestown, Dauphin county, August 22, 1845. He is a son of John and Mary (Mason) Shope. John Shope was born in Lingles- town in 1815. From the date of his mar- riage he was a resident of Linglestown and was engaged in the butcher business. In 1864 he removed to Dauphin, Pa., where he now resides. Mrs. John Shope, who was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in 1816, died July 17, 1885, in the borough of Dauphin. They had nine children: an infant that died ; David, who died from the effects of a fall ; Harriet, wife of P. D. Felty ; Elizabeth, wife of A. T. Gerberich ; Dr. Jacob W., Will- iam, George, John, and Mary, wife of. W. Manley, residing at Rockville, Dauphin county.
Jobn W. Shope spent his boyhood in his native town. After leaving the public schools, in which he was educated, he was for one year clerk in a dry goods store .. He then learned the trade of shoemaking, at which he worked for some time. On August 22, 1864, Mr. Shope enlisted in company C, Two Hundred and First regiment, Pennsyl- vania volunteers, and served until the close of the war, being mustered out at Harris- burg. He then carried on the retail shoe business at Dauphin, Pa., for two years. This business he sold out in 1867, and was for sev- eral years engaged in bridge building. Again he took up the shoe business at Dauphin and
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DAUPHIN COUNTY.
carried it on until 1876. In this year Mr. Shope began the study of medicine. In the fall of 1878 he entered Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia, Pa., and was graduated in March, 1880. Since that date he has been a continuous resident of Halifax and a suc- cessful practitioner in his profession.
Dr. Shope was married in Halifax, Janu- ary 7, 1870, to Margaretta J., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Oswald) Shope. They have three children : Charles R., editor of the Halifax Gazette; Minnie O., and Susan E. Dr. Shope is an active worker in the Re- publican party. He has been a member of the school board and its president. He be- longs to Susquehanna Lodge, No. 364, F. & A. M., of Millersburg. He and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
NACE, WILLIAM BENJAMIN, druggist, Hali- fax, Dauphin county, Pa., was born in Hali- fax township, April 19, 1857. He is a son of Henry and Elspy A. (Lebo) Nace. John Nace, his great-grandfather, removed with his family from Montgomery county, N. J. He came in company with a man named Wilson. They bought large tracts of land in Dauphin county, and settled in Halifax township, where John Nace died, at the age of sixty. He had been twice married, and reared seven children, and at his death he left a farm to each of his seven sons.
William B. Nace received his early educa- tion in the common schools of Halifax, and afterwards attended the Lykens high school, where he finished, not having the means to secure a more liberal education. He went to Harrisburg, and obtained a position as clerk in the drug store of Howard S. Die- trich, in which he served three years, and was then for two years with A. M. Steever, of Harrisburg.
After leaving the Lykens high school Mr. Nace taught school three consecutive terms in the same school in which he received his early education. In June, 1887, he left Harrisburg and opened his present place of business in Halifax, where he has built up an extensive trade. While learning the drug business his wages were only two dol- lars and a half per week, so that in begin- ning business for himself he had not one dollar of capital.
Mr. Nace was married, in Halifax, July 5, 1887, to Miss Alice A., daughter of George
and Louisa Lantz, natives of Dauphin county. She was born in Halifax township, October 15, 1863. They had one child, Raymond E., born July 18, 1889.
Mr. Nace is a Republican. He holds membership in Charter Lodge, No. 82, I. O. O. F., and in Syrian Commandery, No. 133, Millersburg, Dauphin county. IIe and his wife are members of the United Brethren church in Halifax.
NACE, JOHN E., merchant, Halifax, Pa., was born in Halifax township, Dauphin county, Pa., April 1, 1835. He is a son of David and Barbara (Enders) Nace. He re- ceived his education in the common schools of his native place. At sixteen years of age he went to Dauphin, where he served an ap- prenticeship of three years at carpentry with his uncle, Isaac Nace. He then worked at his trade in Dauphin for seven years, after which he was for seven years in business for himself, as a contractor. In 1865 Mr. Nace opened a general store in Fisherville, where he transacted business for about six years, after which he sold his business and was idle for one year. He then formed a part- nership with J. E. Rutter, and opened a butchering business at Lykens, Pa. At the end of the first year he sold his interest in this concern to his partner and bought a share in a planing mill in the same town and was made a superintendent of the same. This enterprise proving unprofitable owing to the panic of 1871, in two years he lost the money he had invested in the mill. Dur- ing the next five years Mr. Nace was em- ployed as time clerk at the steel works at Steelton. He then bought the general store of J. E. Lyter, at Halifax, where he has since continued in business with the most gratifying success.
Mr. Nace was married in Halifax, Janu- ary 8, 1861, to Miss Lydia A., daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Londmilch) Fetter- hoff, born in Halifax township, December 8, 1841. Of their three children, two died in infancy; the survivor, Oscar C., is a mer- chant at Harrisburg, Pa., and married Emily Smith.
Mr. Nace's political views are strongly Republican. He has served Lykens bor- ough one term as councilman and one as burgess, and he was councilman at Steelton for one term. He is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.
4
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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
MILLER, CLAYTON C., M. D., Halifax, Pa., was born in Jackson township, Dauphin county, Pa., August 4, 1859. He is a son of Samuel B., and Mary (Fitting) Miller.
Peter Miller (1), great-grandfather of Dr. Miller, was born in Jackson township, in 1780, and died there in 1847. He was a farmer. He married a Miss Weaver; their children were three sons and three daughters. The Christian names of the daughters are not now accessible; they were all married, one to Valentine Straw, another to Christian Snyder, and another to John L. Keiter. The sons were Peter, Daniel, and Joseph. Peter Miller (2), grandfather of Dr. Miller, was born in Jackson township, December 14, 1805. He grew to manhood in his native place. He was reared on the farm and be- came a farmer. He married Susan Snyder. Their eldest children, Annie and Daniel, died while they were small children. The only one remaining is Samuel, father of Dr. Miller.
Samuel B. Miller was born in Jackson township, February 4, 1838. He received a common school education, was brought up a farmer, and made farming his occupation for life. His wife, Mary (Fitting) Miller, sur- vives him and resides with her son, Dr. Mil- ler. Their children are: Clayton C .; Susan Alice, wife of James A. Gipple, of Lancas- ter, Pa .; Penro P., farmer in Jackson town- ship; and Florinda J., wife of C. E. Sweigard, Jacksonville, Pa. Mr. Miller took an active part in local affairs, was a school director for many years, and was secretary and . treas- urer of the board. He was a life-long Dem- ocrat. He died October 2, 1870, and is buried in Fairview cemetery, Jackson town- ship.
Clayton C. Miller received his early edu- cation in the common schools of his native place. In 1877 he entered Berrysburg Sem- inary, Dauphin county, and in 1882 com- menced the study of medicine with Dr. Wetzel, at Jacksonville, Dauphin county. lle subsequently entered the medical col- lege at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1885. Soon after he began the practice of medicine at Lykens, Dauphin county, and continued there until 1886, when he removed to Matamoras, in the same county. There he remained until April 1, 1895. Desiring a more central location, he removed to Halifax, where he has built up a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Miller is among the foremost in his profession, and is
held in high estimation throughout that section of the country.
Dr. Miller was married, in Jacksonville, Pa., September 10, 1882, to Ann Jane Helt, born in Dauphin county, July 4, 1862; daughter of John F. and Margaret (Enders) Helt, natives of Dauphin county. They have five children : Ada B., born December 22, 1883; Florence A., June 18, 1886; Bou- lah M., October 11, 1887 ; John Calvin, April 8, 1893; and Harry C., October 13, 1894.
RYAN, CHARLES W., cashier of Halifax Bank, was born in Powell's Valley, Halifax township, Dauphin county, Pa., February 17, 1841; son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Gay- man) Ryan, natives of Middle Paxton town- ship, Dauphin county. James Ryan, his great-grandfather, was a native of Ireland. When a boy he came with a party of Scotch- Irishmen to America, settled near Derry Church, Dauphin county, Pa., and married a Miss Boyd. His remains are interred near Derry Church.
John Ryan, grandfather of Charles W .. was born in Dauphin county. He married a Miss Gondy. Their children are: John, James, Andrew, father of C. W. Ryan, Sally, and Mary. John and James settled in Erie county, Pa., when that region was a wilder- ness. The land they owned is now a part of the city of Erie. James was a noted hunter and fighter of the Indians; he and John took part in the war of 1812.
Charles W. Ryan received only a limited education ; he attended school but three months of each year, and that only until he was eighteen years of age, and he was obliged to walk three miles to reach the school house. His parents died when he was in his tenth year, but the eldest member of the family, Andrew. a worthy young man, twenty-seven years old, was for two years father to the orphan children and kept the family together. At the end of two years Andrew died, and this sad event dissolved thetie which held the children together. Mr. Ryan then made his home with his brother- in-law until he was seventeen years old, and then, with his brother Isaac, worked the home farm for three years. During the next year he worked as a farm hand for David B. Mather at $9 per month. At the end of the year, having become of age, Charles and his brother Isaac bought their sisters' share in the estate and divided it between themselves. He was engaged in farming until 1882, and
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Clayton & Miller , W . D .
Aaron C. Coble, M.L.
John . Ho. Cumblen
Spau yter
721
DAUPHIN COUNTY.
in addition to this he had for ten years pre- vious to this time dealt in coal and lime in Halifax. In 1871 Mr. Ryan became a stock- holder in the Halifax Bank, and in March, 1883, he succeeded William Shammo as cashier of that bank, which position he still holds. He also owns stock in the First Na- tional Bank at Millersburg, Pa. Mr. Ryan was married, in Halifax township, December 22, 1864, to Mary L., daughter of Joseph and Mary (Hepler) Collier, born in Halifax town- ship, January 11, 1848. Their children are : Harras J., professor of electric engineering at Cornell University, N. Y., he married Cathe- rine F. Fortenbaugh ; Laura M., at home ; Luther W., merchant at Halifax, married Mary Gilbert.
-LOMIS, ALBERT SCOTT (formerly Loomis), merchant, Halifax, Pa., was born in Halifax township, Dauphin county, Pa., April 25, 1836, and is a son of Anthony W. and Maria (Brubaker) Lomis. Anthony W. Lomis, father of Albert S. Lomis, was born in Al- stead, N. H., in 1811, and died in Halifax township, Dauphin county, Pa .; in August, 1864. He came to Dauphin county when a young man. Having acquired a good com- mon school education in his native place, he left home to seek his fortune. He was blessed with a robust constitution. Having been reared a farmer's son, he was not afraid of hard work. He taught school for some years after coming to Dauphin county, and being frugal and economical, he saved enough from his earnings to start in business. He rented a saw mill at the foot of Berry's moun- tain, which he operated, but through a serious misfortune lost all he possessed. He afterwards engaged in agricultural pursuits, later in mercantile pursuits. Mr. Lomis sub- sequently owned and edited a newspaper called the Halifax Herald, being assisted in the office work by his son, Albert S., who distributed many of the papers on each day of publication. . Mr. A. W. Lomis was re- garded as a man of strict integrity and fair dealing. He was capable in business mat- ters, and possessed large views and great public spirit. His death was lamented by all; in him the town lost one of its most valuable citizens.
Mr. A. W. Lomis had been twice married. His first wife, Maria Brubaker, had four children: Albert Scott, Daniel B., William A., and Barbara, widow of B. B. Brubaker, who lives in Halifax. The second wife of
Mr. Lomis was Mary Murray, sister of the late Judge Murray, of Harrisburg. Their children were: Frank M., Charles C., George O., Walter J., Margaret O., and Mary. Mr. Lomis was a life-long Democrat.
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Albert Scott Lomis was educated in the common schools of Halifax township. He worked as a mule driver on the old canal and other pursuits from the time he was thirteen years old until he was eighteen ; from eighteen to twenty years of age he owned and operated a small iron foundry in Halifax, except during the winter of his nineteenth year, when, at the earnest solici- tation of the school board, he taught school in Halifax township. At the age of twenty- one years he had accumulated one thousand dollars, which he invested in his enterprise. While building and operating the foundry times became hard and money was scarce, consequently he disposed of his plant at a loss. In 1864 Mr. Lomis went to work for his father in the saw mill and was thus em- ployed until the death of his father, in Au- gust, 1864. He assumed charge of his fath- er's business and was appointed executor of the estate. In 1865 he greatly enlarged the business. In 1868 he disposed of the saw mill business at a great sacrifice and for the next few years did practically nothing.
In 1876 Mr. Lomis formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, B. B. Brubaker, un- der the firm name of Brubaker & Lomis, and engaged in the lime and coal business. This venture proved successful and in 1888 they added a general store to this business. In February, 1892, Mr. Brubaker died and Mr. Lomis purchased his deceased partner's interest in the business, which he has since conducted alone.
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