Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 34

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 34
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 34
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 34
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 34

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he lived retired. In early life he was a Whig. and supported that party when only two Whig ballots were cast in the township; later he was a stanch Abolitionist, and in 1856 voted the Re- publican ticket. He died September 15, 1858, his wife on October 24, 1864, and they were buried in Centre Hill cemetery, They, too, were consistent members of the Presbyterian Church, and the Boal family has for a century been one of the most highly respected in Potter township.

The children of George W. and Sarah Boal are as follows: Martha C., born April 6, 1824, is the widow of Dr. Henry Orlady, and the mother of Judge Orlady; James C., born Decem- ber 27. 1826, was a well-known citizen of Potter township, and died March 27, 1895; his widow resides in Centre Hall. John S., born January 18, 1829, married Elizabeth R. Cunningham, and lives in Centre Hall. George A., born Jan- uary 16, 1831, died in George's Valley December 28, 1834. Samuel R., born November 7, 1832, died October 29, 1841. William A., born Sep- tember 13, 1835, resides in Potter township. George M. is the next of the family. Elizabeth E., born June 21, 1842, died August 13, 1844.

George M. Boal, whose name begins this record, was born in Harris township, Centre county, March 17, 1839, and when he had at- tained a sufficient age began his education in the Rock Hill school, under the direction of Chris- tina Wieland. He mastered the rudimentary branches in the district schools, was a student in Boalsburg Academy when Rev. Austin was its principal, and attended Kishacoquillas Seminary for one term. When not in the school room he assisted his father in the cultivation of the home farm, with the exception of two years when he served as salesman in the general store of Ard & Dunlap, at Pine Grove Mills, Centre county. On August 16, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company D, 148th Infantry, and his first active service was at Chancellorsville. After that bat- tle he served on detached duty as clerk at the headquarters of the First Division, Second Army Corps, under Gen. Hancock. Later he was in the general recruiting service at Harrisburg. On March 10, 1865, he was commissioned first lieu- tenant and quartermaster of the 83d P. V. I., joined that command at City Point, and was with the regiment in the field until the close of the war, when in June, 1865, he was honorably discharged.

While home on a furlough in February, 1863, Mr. Boal had married Miss Ellen Love, and on the close of the war hastened to his wife. She is a native of Potter township, born February 29, 1840, a daughter of Judge W. W. and Agnes

(Williams) Love. On his return to civil life, Mr. Boal located on the old homestead of his father in Harris township, the property being owned by himself and brother Shannon. In the spring of 1867, he sold to his brother Shannon, and pur- chased the John Durst farm in Potter township, where he has since carried on agricultural pur- suits. He owns more than 200 acres of valuable land, and has one of the best improved farms in the township, its well-tilled fields and neat ap- pearance indicating his careful supervision. He and his wife have five children: Martha J., wife of D. A. Boozer, of Centre Hall; Mary A., wife of Charles Meyer, of Centre Hall; Margaret L., wife of Charles Slack, of Potter township, and Blanche and Mabel, at home. This family occupy a leading position in social circles, and ; have the warm regard of many friends.

Mr. Boal is a stanch Republican, and as he cares naught for office it is easily seen that his earnest support comes from a firm belief in the principles of the party as productive of the great- est good to the greatest number. He has a broad understanding of the questions which divide parties, and is also well informed on all general topics. He is a member of the Grange, and a charter member of Samuel Shannon Post, No. 282, G. A. R., at Centre Hall. He and his wife hold. membership in the Presbyterian Church. A substantial farmer, he has won success by his own efforts, and he is a man of kind and gener- ous impulses, widely and favorably known, and is best liked where best known.

T HOMAS H. HARTER. A definite purpose in life, pursued with resolute, vigorous will, is the distinguishing mark of a successful career, and no one who reads the following biog- raphy can fail to join the many friends of the able and energetic editor of the Keystone Gasette. of Bellefonte, in their confidence in his future. Mr. Harter's early perception of the path best suited to his talents was the first step, and a most important one, in the pathway to prosper- ity and honor, and his alert, forceful and.judi- cious use of all the resources at hand has already placed him in a position to command success. A ready writer, an efficient manager, and a thoughtful student of every phase of human life and effort. he is well equipped for his chosen work, and we may add also that his characteris- tic lionesty-fearless, outspoken, clear-sighted honesty -- has had much to do with his building up and maintaining his influence.

Mr. Harter belongs to a representative .. Penn- sylvania-Dutch " family, and his history is an in-

O.N. Starter

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teresting one. He was born May 28, 1854, at Aaronsburg, Centre county, upon a farm which formerly belonged to his grandfather. Andrew Harter, a pioneer of what is now Haines town- ship, Centre county, who came from Lancaster county, Penn., about the year 1800, and located at the lower end of Penn's Valley in the primeval forest, clearing and improving his property after the custom of that early day. For some twelve years a blanket took the place of a door in his humble home, and oiled paper served as glass for the windows. Wild beasts from the sur- rounding woods were frequent visitors, and one night his large bull-dog was thrown over the fence by one. Andrew Harter and his wife, Sallie (Rupp), had seven children: George (who died in Penn township, Centre county), Andrew, Jacob, William, John, Mrs. Henry Swartz and Mrs. George Noyer.

William Harter, our subject's father, was born at the old homestead near Aaronsburg in 1812, and passed his life there in agricultural pursuits, his death occurring in 1885. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religious faith was a Lutheran. He married Miss Rebecca Hess, who was born in Penn's Valley, Haines township, Centre county, in 1815, and is still living in Aaronsburg. Our subject was one of twelve chil- dren: (1) Israel, a resident of Canal Fulton, Ohio; (2) Anna (Mrs. Fred Kurtz), of Centre Hall, Penn .; (3) Jonathan, a retired farmer in Millheim; (4) Sarah (Mrs. Mench), who resides at the old homestead; (5) John, a resident of Os- ceola, Crawford Co., Ohio; (6) William, a butcher at Hartertown, Union Co., Penn .; (7) Daniel, a tanner at Smithville, Ohio; (8) Re- becca (Mrs. Levi Murray), of Centre Hall; (9) Andrew, a tanner at Rockford, Ill .; (10) Aaron, the chief engineer of the Harrisburg electric light works; (11) Thomas H., our subject; and (12) Kate (Mrs. Samuel Campbell), of Millheim. The eldest of these is upward of sixty years of age, and the youngest thirty-six, all living, only one death having occurred in the family in sixty years.

Thomas Harter's education was not obtained without difficulty, as his parents objected to much learning for fear that it " might make him a ras- cal." Perhaps we may find here the basis of that sensitive conscience, inherited and developed, which makes him so careful to avoid the least misrepresentation as to known facts. Conscious of his own rectitude, and not sharing his parents' fear of perversion, the lad kept up his search for knowledge, obtaining his books by employing his spare moments on the farm in the service of others. He attended school until 1871, when he

went to Smithville, Ohio, to learn the tanner's trade with his brother Dan, and while there he pursued his studies at the Smithville Normal School. On his return in 1872, he learned the printer's art with his brother-in-law, Hon. Fred Kurtz, of the Centre Hall Reporter, and then at- tended Penn Hall Academy for a year. In 1876 he purchased the Nevada, Ohio, Enterprise, a weekly paper of limited circulation, which he soon established on a paying basis. But he longed to plant his feet on his "native heath," and in 1882 he sold the Enterprise and bought the Post, of Middleburg, Snyder county. This also was in an unsatisfactory condition, but his industry and zeal again worked wonders, and the paper soon came to be recognized as one of the most sprightly and interesting of its class. The advertising in- creased, and the Post was enjoying well-earned prosperity, when, desiring a wider field, Mr. Har- ter disposed of it and, in March, 1894, purchased the Keystone Gazette, at a bargain. His success there was a certainty from the first, and the in- creased popularity of the paper is no surprise to those who knew the efficiency of its new proprie- tor and editor.

Mr. Harter is the author of the famous "Boon- astiel " letters, in the Pennsylvania-Dutch dialect. which were begun in the Middleburg Post, and later published in book form in answer to a de- mand from the public for their preservation in accessible form. As a critic has said, it is a vol- ume of legend, story and song, full of fun and philosophy, and every chapter points a moral or adorns a tale. One thousand copies have been issued, and a second edition will soon be pre- pared which will, no doubt, be illustrated.

In 1876 Mr. Harter married Miss Mary Izora Musser, daughter of James Musser, a well-known citizen of Harterton, Union county. In his po- litical affiliations our subject is a Republican, but although firm in that faith he has never taken part in partisan work as a candidate for office. wishing to deal with the principles rather than the machinery of the organization. Socially, he is a member of the F. & A. M. His chief recrea- tion is hunting and fishing, for which he has in- herited a liking, and his cheery nature is always ready to take advantage of the pleasures which lie within his reach.

A LEXANDER McCOY is one of the most enterprising and progressive citizens of Centre county. He has a wide circle of friends. and by his genial manner and kindly disposition is constantly adding to that number .. He is descended from honored ancestry of Scotch-Irish

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blood, those races being largely represented in the settling of Penn's Valley, which thus became the home of a prosperous, reliable and substan- tial people. .

Mr. McCoy belongs to the third generation of the family in America, his grandfather, Alexander McCoy, being the first to come to the United States. He located in Mifflin county, where he married Miss Elizabeth McDowell. After re- moving to Centre county, he became the well- known host of the "Old Fort Hotel," and sub- sequently he purchased of the Potter family the farm upon which our subject now resides. He located thereon in 1847. and continued his res- idence there until his death, which occurred in 1870, when he was aged seventy-eight years; his wife died several years previously, and both were buried in Centre Hill cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, and in pol- - itics the grandfather was an Old-line Whig. He was a large, portly man, very robust, and was never ill until seized with the sickness that' ter- minated his life. His children were John, father of our subject; Mary A., who became the wife of Dr. A. S. Harshberger, and died in Mifflin county; John F., who died on the home farm; Margaret, who died in Lock Haven, Penn .; and Hannah, widow of H. H. Van Dyke, of Lock Haven.

John McCoy, father of our subject, was born in Mifflin county, in 1817, and was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads of that period. His school privileges were limited, but he eagerly perused much of the literature that came in his way, and in his later years was an almost con- stant reader, so that he became a well-informed man. From 1847 until his death he lived on the old family homestead. He married Agnes Mc- Cormick, who was born in Penn's Valley, in 1827, and was a daughter of John and Hannah (Shannon) McCormick. Her death occurred at the age of seventy-four years, and Mr. McCoy died November 26, 1895, the result of an injury done to his hand in a corn husker; their remains were interred in Centre Hill cemetery. He sup- ported the Whig party until its dissolution, when he became a stanch Republican, firm in support of its principles. His children are Jane A., wife of Robert Sartain, of Mercersburg, Penn. ; Bettie, wife of J. W. Wolf, of Centre Hall; Emma; Alexander; and John, of Harrisburg, Pennsyl- vania.

Alexander McCoy, whose name introduces this review, was born at " Old Fort," in Potter township, August 3. 1845. and during his early boyhood accompanied his parents to Potters ; Mills, where he acquired his education. When a

boy he attended a select school, of which Prof. Love was principal, and also pursued his studies in the public schools. Realizing the value of mental training. he is a warm friend of the cause of education, and does all in his power to advance the interests of the schools of his locality. His boyhood days were spent under the parental roof, and when a young man he began dealing in live stock. Soon he became an excellent judge of stock. and his business transactions were there- fore crowned with success. He purchased stock which he shipped to Philadelphia and to Dela- ware county, Penn., and throughout his life he has followed that pursuit in connection with farm- ing. After his marriage he took up his residence in one of the two houses on the home farm, and at various times was his father's partner in busi- ness. He rented land of his father, and August . 15, 1896, purchased a portion of the old home- stead. He now owns a valuable tract of 150 acres of arable land, together with some mount- ain land and a small tract near Potters Mills. He readily sees the advantage to be derived from improved machinery, and is one of the truly pro- gressive farmers of the township, utilizing the most advanced methods and improved imple- ments in his farm work. In October, 1895, he suffered a very painful accident, losing the third and fourth fingers of his left hand while operat- ing a corn husker and fodder cutter.

At the age of twenty-five, in Boalsburg, Mr. McCoy wedded Mary E., daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Jack) Wilson, and a native of Boalsburg. Their children are Agnes, wife of A. D. Potts, a Lutheran minister of Youngstown. Ohio; Samuel W., who married Merab Randol. of Williamsport, Penn., and John F. and Katy (twins); the last named died at the age of five years, and John F. is now a merchant at his home, Potters Mills.

Mr. McCoy is unwavering in his allegiance to the Republican party, which he has supported since casting his first Presidential vote for Lincoln in 1864. He warmly advocated the Republican doctrine, and does all in his power to insure the success of his party. He served most effectively as chairman of the Republican committee of Potter township, and is the advisor and counselor of his party in this section, but has never sought office for himself. His wife belongs to the Pres- byterian Church, to the support of which he con- tributes. He is a man of scholarly tastes, one who has read extensively, and is widely informed on matters of general interest. His business has brought him into contact with many, and the circle of his friends is almost as extensive as the circle of his acquaintances. He is most hospit-

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able, is pleasant and genial in manner, and wherever he goes his genuine worth wins him the respect of all classes.

H H. HARSHBERGER, of Bellefonte, is a prominent member of the Centre County Bar, and in his chosen profession, and previously in his work as an educator, he has manifested abilities of a high order. He was born June 10, 1849, in Walker township, Centre county, and is a descendant of a German family long resident in Pennsylvania. Various members settled in Lebanon county at an early day, Christian, Bar- bara and Ann locating there in 1737, Caspar and Jacob in 1749, Johannes in 1754. Henrich in 1768, and David in 1770.

Christian Harshberger, our subject's great- grandfather, passed his remaining years in Leb- anon county, but he took up new lands in Bern township, Berks county (then Lancaster. county), in 1745, 1753 and 1755. His son, Abraham (who died in 1818), the grandfather of our sub- ject, became one of the pioneer farmers of Penn's Valley, Centre county, and helped to drive the Indians from that locality. His children were: (1) John, a farmer in Penn's Valley, who died there at the age of eighty years; (2) Joseph, who died in Ohio at an advanced age; (3) David, our subject's father; (4) Abraham (deceased), a well- known physician at Milroy, Penn., who served as a surgeon during the Civil war: (5) Henry (deceased), a successful physician in Juniata county, Penn .; (6) Catherine, who never mar- ried, and is now eighty-nine years old.

David Harshberger was born in Penn's Val- ley in 1804, and was there married to Miss Nancy Rhone, also a native of the Valley, born in 1810. They passed their wedded life upon farms in Snow Shoe and Walker townships, Centre Co., Penn., and were active members of the Lutheran Church, and leaders in many pro- gressive movements, the father being prominent in the early days as an Abolitionist and later as an ardent Republican. He died in 1881, and the mother in 1878. Of the twelve children of this esteemed couple all but three are living: John is a farmer and peppermint distiller in Michigan; Jacob was a soldier in the Civil war, a member of Battery M, 3rd N. Y. Light Artillery. and was killed at the taking of Richmond; David, a member of Company 1. 3rd Mo. Cav., lost his life in the service, and was buried near Browns- ville, Ark .: Abraham is a practicing physician in Philadelphia; Elizabeth married John Baney, of Zion, Centre county; Fannie died at the age of eighteen years; Mary A. married James J. Lower,

and resides in Grand Junction, Colo .; Zachariah resides in Milesburg. Centre county; H. H. is mentioned more fully below; Nancy J. married John S. Yerick; Samuel is a physician at Port Matilda, Centre county, and Jeremiah died in childhood.

Mr. Harshberger's early years were spent on his father's farm in his native county, but his liter- ary education was completed at Dickinson Sem- inary, in Williamsport, Penn. He then became a teacher, and after three years as superintend- ent of the Orphans' School at Chester Springs, Penn,, he prepared for the legal profession, tak- ing a course in the law school at Albany, N. Y., graduating in 1872, and subsequently spent a year in the office of the late Judge A. Hoy, and traveled extensively in quest of lost health. As he resumed the work of teaching temporarily. it was not until 1882 that he established himself in practice at Bellefonte, entering into partnership with the Hon. Seth H. Yocum, since deceased. Since that time he has been devoted to his pro- fessional work, and has met with well-deserved success. Besides his professional duties, he finds pleasure in agriculture, and superintends the work on several large farms besides his own, and is eminently successful.

On November 9, 1882, Mr. Harshberger married Miss Julia C. Barnhart, a native of Cen- tre county, born May 12, 1852. She died Jan- uary 29, 1894, leaving four children: Ralph C .. James B., Mary R. and David R.

As an intelligent observer of current events, Mr. Harshberger is naturally interested in polit- ical questions, his allegiance being given to the Republican party. In religious faith he is a Methodist, an official member of his Church, and superintendent of the Sunday-school for the last ten years. As an educator he was in advance of his fellows, for as early as 1878 he, in a lecture delivered before the Centre County Teachers In- stitute, advocated a compulsory and free text book law, and asked that body to memorialize the Legislature to enact such a law, which reso- lution was defeated, and his hopes were not real- ized until he had gone out of the profession. when, in 1895, the Legislature enacted just such a law as was mapped out in his lecture.

L OT R. HENSYL, M. D., an eminent physi- cian and surgeon of Howard, Centre county, was born on the 6th of January, 1840, near Trevorton, Northumberland Co., Penn., of which county his parents, John D. and Susan ( Rother- mel) Hensyl, were also natives. The father was an extensive lumber merchant and farmer, and

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a prominent and influential man in his commu- nity, in which he served with destinction in sev- eral local offices. He was a Republican in poli- tics, and a consistent member of the Evangeli- cal Church. He died November 26, 1895, at the ripe old age of eighty-two, and his wife passed away December 30, 1894, at the age of eighty. She was own cousin to Peter Frederick Rother- mel, the celebrated artist, who painted the "Battle of Gettysburg" for the State of Penn- sylvania, for which he was paid $35,000.

Dr. Hensyl is the second in order of birth in their family of ten children, as follows: Cathe- rine, wife of Levi Conrad, a miner of Trevor- ton, Penn .; Nathan, a railroad engineer residing in Shamokin, Penn .; Lot R .; Daniel, who died at the age of thirty-eight years; Mary, who died in infancy; Silas, also an engineer, living in Shamokin; Rev. John, pastor of the Evangeli- cal Church of Mahanoy City, Penn .; Louisa, wife of William Vanzandt, a railroad engineer of Shamokin; Sallie, wife of Peter Neidig, a merchant of the same place; and W. L., a prac- ticing physician of Shamokin.

George and Eva (Dunkelburger) Hensyl, the paternal grandparents of our subject, spent their entire lives upon a farm in Northumberland county, Penn., but the great-grandfather was a native of Germany, whence he came to America when he was twelve years of age. Abraham and Mary (Hunter) Rothermel, the maternal grandparents, made their home in Reading, this State.

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study of medicine with Dr. C. P. Herington, of Ashland, Schuylkill Co., Penn., with whom he remained for two and one-half years, and in 1866 and 1867 .attended lectures at the Jefferson Medi- cal College. On receiving his diploma Dr. Hen- syl located at Howard, where he soon built up a large and flourishing practice, which his skill and ability justly merits.

Dr. L. R. Hensyl married Miss Sarah E. Heim, who was born in Lebanon, Penn., Octo- ber 15, 1849, a daughter of Rev. William and Lydia (Hepler) Heim, the former a native of Northumberland county, and the latter of Schuyl- kill county, Penn. Rev. Heim was born in Upper Mahanoy township, a son of John and Sophia (Kohl) Heim, and his paternal grand- father was one of the pioneers of that locality. 'He bore the name of George Heim, and in the early records of Northumberland county, we find him paying taxes in 1778. He often traded with the Indians, and was never molested by the Red- men but once, which was a short time before the French and Indian war and the Wyoming mas- sacre. He had sent his family and drove of cat- tle to Reading, and while all alone the Indians knocked at his door and were admitted. After giving them milk and such food as the early set- tlers had at that time, a young Indian began flourishing a tomahawk around him, showing what he intended to do, but Mr. Heim arose and with his closed fist knocked him out of the house. After thus disposing of the leader, the rest be- came his friends, telling him that he had done right.

Our subject remained under the parental roof until seventeen years of age, when he went John Heim, the grandfather of Mrs. Hensyl, and a farmer and school teacher by occupation. died in 1824. He was twice married, by the first union having one son and seven daughters. while by the second there were six sons and two daughters. Sophia (Kohl), his second wife, lived to the advanced age of eighty-eight years. Her children were as follows: John, of Richfield. Juniata Co., Penn. ; George, of Upper Mahanoy township, Northumberland county; Diana; wife of John Straub, of Lykenstown, Penn .; Mollic. wife of Peter Beisel, of Upper Mahanoy; Peter. of Watsontown, Northumberland county; Will- iam, the father of Mrs. Hensyl; Daniel, of Nor- thumberland county; and Jonathan, a resident of Illinois. to Philadelphia, and began clerking in the coal office of his uncle, Samuel H. Rothermel, where he remained for several months. Returning home, he worked for his father during the sum- mer in a sawmill, while through the winter sea- son he attended school until twenty years of age. thus acquiring a good literary education. He then began reading medicine with Dr. S. S. Smith, but on the outbreak of the Civil war laid aside his books and enlisted in Company D, 52nd P. V. I., under Capt. James Chamberlain. For over three years he valiantly fought for the preser- vation of the Union; he helped to storm all the forts in South Carolina; at Morris Island he was detailed as shipping clerk, and by special order was sent to Jacksonville, Fla., where he served Rev. William Heim remained upon the home farm until twenty years of age when he entered the ministry of the Evangelical Association, and ever afterward devoted his time to the preaching of the Gospel. His death occurred at Millers- in that capacity for three months. By order of Gen. Foster, he then returned to Morris Island, and was in the Ordnance Department until dis- charged in 1864. He was a brave and valiant soldier, always found at his post of duty. Re- , burg, Dauphin county. He was the father of five turning home, sour subject again resumed the children: Frederick, Catherine, Charles and

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 34

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1358

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358