USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 14
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 14
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BISHOP CONRAD GILLIAN LINT.
Bishop Conrad Gillian Lint, who for over fifty years has served as pastor of the local congregation of the German Bap- tist Brethren church at Meyersdale, was born May 19, 1834, at Meyers Mills (now Meyersdale), Somerset county, Pennsylva-
Bishop C. G. Lint
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nia, the son of Gillian Christian and Elizabeth (Hochstetler) Lint, of Swiss and German descent, respectively.
Christian Lint, grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania. He became a farmer in Somerset county, and later in life removed to Ohio, where he died. His wife was Miss Lichteberger, of Westmoreland county. They had children as follows: Chris- tian, John, Jacob, Conrad, Daniel, Elizabeth (Mrs. Baker), and Gillian C. Jacob bought the home farm, where he died at the age of ninety.
Gillian Christian Lint, father, was a native of Somerset county, born March 19, 1808, in the section that is now known as Jefferson township, a short distance west of Somerset town. He was a blacksmith by trade, and followed this occupation for a number of years in Meyers Mills. He was the first justice of the peace in Summit township and served in that capacity for fourteen years, and during this period never had a case re- versed by the courts.
Gillian C. Lint married, March 6, 1832, Elizabeth Hoch- stetler, who was born April 18, 1812, a daughter of Jacob Hoch- stetler, of Somerset county. The following children were the issue of this marriage union: Conrad Gillian, see forward; Margaret (Mrs. Samuel Foust), born February 14, 1836, died May 2, 1884, at Meyersdale; Eliza (Mrs. M. D. Miller), April 12, 1838; Anna (Mrs. Israel Berkley), January 4, 1841; William Gillian, March 14, 1843, died July 1, 1903, at Meyersdale; Mary (Mrs. Isaac Miller), August 4, 1844; Daniel Gillian, February 1, 1847, died February 9, 1905, at Cross Roads; Zacharia, Octo- ber 1, 1848, died May 19, 1849, at Meyersdale; Lydia (Mrs. Alex. E. Shoemaker), April 24, 1850; Sarah Jane, November 5, 1852, died August 25, 1854; and Edward, born and died Octo- ber 1, 1859. Gillian C. Lint died May 20, 1893. His wife, Eliz- abeth, died June 25, 1881.
Conrad Gillian Lint obtained his early intellectual training in the subscription schools of his day under the preceptorship of some of the prominent educators of the country. Among. them were numbered Alexander Stutzman, who later became a leading attorney of Somerset county; Joseph Stutzman, after- wards the first school superintendent in the county after the installation of public schools; Christ Stutzman, M. D .; Frank Stutzman, an attorney-at-law; W. J. Baer, later judge in the court of common pleas; C. C. Musselman, afterwards an assem- blyman; and General William H. Koontz. Under these emi- nent instructors Mr. Lint acquired an education of no mean di- mensions, and was prominent in the numerous literary societies of the day. Being of a studious nature and a great reader, Mr. Lint succeeded in amassing a fund of information on all sub- jects, that became of inestimable value to him when he entered
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the ministry. Early in young manhood, and before he left the school-room, he entered into an apprenticeship to learn the blacksmith trade with his father. He was engaged in this occu- pation until 1866, and during the period spent at the smithy became very proficient. It is said that he had few if any equals in the work of the anvil, while he attained to an unusual degree of success in the more technical points in the trade. During the seven years or more in which he was engaged at this hard labor lie attended night schools, and pursued his studies with the utmost assiduity and earnestness.
He was baptized June 16, 1855, by Elder Jacob Blough, in the church over which he now presides. On the same day he was made deacon of the church, which was a most unusual event. The confidence and trust reposed in him by the members of the congregation are attested by the fact that on the 24th of June, eight days after his baptism, he was admitted to the ministry. He was but twenty-one years of age at this time, but of ability and wisdom beyond his years. His advancement in the church was rapid, and the trust reposed in him by the church has been in no manner betrayed. The district in which his church is located was at that time called Elk Lick. It was later changed to Dale city, but in 1870 assumed its present form, Meyersdale.
In early life Rev. Lint had taken several courses in vocal culture, and at the time he was elected to the ministry he was engaged in teaching vocal music in the evenings. He had three large classes in the community, but finding it necessary to de- vote his entire time and attention to his church work he imme- diately closed his music classes. Rev. Lint's life was a very busy one at that time. Laboring at the blacksmith shop every day, diligently studying evenings. and filling widely distributed ministerial appointments on Sundays, his time was very closely occupied. When he began his ministerial work the church mem- bership was about one hundred and seventy-five in the entire district, embracing six regular preaching stations. It was the custom of the bishop to start out early Sunday morning on horseback, no matter how inclement the weather might be or how impassable the roads. Frequently he would return late at night, sometimes having eaten nothing during the day but a light meal before starting.
In 1865 the bishop of the district, Rev. John Berkley, died, and in 1867 Rev. Lint was made his successor, the church mem- bership having grown at that time to three hundred. For over half a century this has been his field of labor, and during this time he has officiated at over five hundred funerals, covering a territory as far east as Wellersburg, and west to Somerfield. Services were at first conducted in private residences; in 1847 the Summit Mills meeting house was built, and in 1852 the first
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Phillow.
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meeting house in Meyersdale was erected on the site of the present German Baptist Brethren church.
Bishop Lint is possessed of unusual ability as a preacher, and having been, during all the years he spent in the ministry, a close student of the Bible, few have a clearer understanding than he concerning the things spoken of therein. His sermons are interesting and direct, and great numbers are always at- tracted on the occasions of their rendering. He is still in charge of the Myersdale church.
June 24, 1905, was the fiftieth anniversary of his election to the ministry, and on the following Sunday he preached a ser- mon in honor of the event. Personally Bishop Lint is a man of genial and pleasant disposition, and greatly loved by all who know him. In his political relations he accords allegiance to the Republican party. All his relatives are Democrats, except his father, who joined the Republican organization in 1856. The bishop has never held public office, although repeatedly urged to do so. He is deeply interested in educational affairs and served as school director for five terms of three years each, from 1858 to 1873.
He married, in 1855, Catherine Flickinger, a daughter of Samuel Flickinger, of Elk Lick township. No children have been born of this marriage union.
SAMUEL BRUBAKER PHILSON.
Samuel Brubaker Philson, president of the Citizens' Na- tional Bank of Meyersdale, is a worthy descendant of a prom- inent family founded in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, by his grandfather, Robert Philson, about the year 1785.
Robert Philson was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, in 1759. He settled in Berlin in the year above named (1785), and be- came prominent in both mercantile and political life. He was a prosperous merchant, and founded a business which is still carried on by his descendants. He was associate judge of the district for twenty years, a member of the state legislature, and was elected to congress in 1819 from the sixteenthi Pennsylva- nia district, but owing to a serious accident was compelled to resign before completing his term. Robert Philson married Julia Lowry, daughter of John Lowry, and she bore him eleven children. Robert Philson died July 25, 1831, after a long and useful life of seventy-two years.
Samuel Philson, who was the last surviving child of Rob- ert and Julia (Lowry) Philson, was born at Berlin, Pennsyl- vania, November 11, 1812. He was educated in the Berlin schools, which he attended until he was fourteen. He worked at farming for two years. but inheriting the business instinct of his father, at the age of seventeen he entered mercantile life
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as a clerk in the Berlin General Store, owned by James Platt, where he remained as employe five years. In March, 1834, he became a partner, the firm name being Platt & Philson. After the death of Mr. Platt, Mr. Philson purchased the interest of the widow, and in 1839 became sole owner under the name of S. Philson & Company. In 1852 the firm became Philson & Brubaker. In 1875 Mr. Philson retired from the firm and con- fined his attention to his other large business interests, estab- lished during the years mentioned. In 1857 he had engaged in the lumber business at Philson Station, and for twenty-five years this was an important branch of his business. In 1866 he organized and opened the first bank in Berlin; this was a pri- vate bank under the name of S. Philson & Company, and is now the Philson National Bank, with his son, Robert Philson, as president. In 1869 he extended his banking operations to Meyersdale, where, in company with his son-in-law, James S. Black, he opened the banking house of Philson, Black & Com- pany, which afterward became the Citizens' Bank, and is now the Citizens' National Bank, with his son, Samuel B. Philson, as president, and his grandson, Robert H. Philson, as cashier. Samuel Philson was one of the promoters of the Buffalo Valley Railroad from Garrett to Berlin, and was the president of that road until it became a part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad system. In his early manhood Mr. Philson became a member of the Lutheran church at Berlin, for forty years was officially connected with church and Sabbath school, and his membership of the congregation only terminated with his death. Politically he was a Democrat, his first vote having been cast for Martin Van Buren. He was never an office seeker and persistently re- fused all offered nominations for public office. Although deeply engrossed in business, Mr. Philson always had a love for the soil and owned several farms. During the latter part of his life he personally superintended a fine dairy farm in Brothers valley.
Samuel Philson married (first) Elizabeth McGowan, of Ligonier, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1836. She bore him one child, Elizabeth, born April 27, 1837, married James S. Black, and died June 9, 1893, leaving two children : Charles W. and Robert M. Black. Elizabeth (McGowan) Phil- son died August 17, 1837. Mr. Philson married (second), De- cember 3, 1839, Anna Maria Brubaker, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Lowry) Brubaker, of Berlin. The living chil- dren of the marriage are: Belle C., widow of C. A. M. Kriss- inger; Ella Catherine; Julia Ann (Mrs. Dr. Fisher) ; Robert; Samuel Brubaker, of whom later; and Horace B. Mrs. Anna (Brubaker) Philson died January 13, 1898, in her eighty-first
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year. Samuel Philson's busy and useful life terminated July 18, 1902, having extended over the unusual term of ninety years. Samuel Brubaker Philson was born in Berlin, Pennsylva- nia, October 14, 1856. He attended the public schools of Ber- lin until 1873, and engaged in school teaching in 1875-76, one term, in Brothers Valley township. In 1877 he engaged in mer- cantile business, opening a general store in Berlin. In 1878 he relinquished this business and turned his attention to farming, which occupation he followed with excellent success until 1882, when he removed to Meyersdale and there assumed charge of the Bank of Philson, Black & Company, established by his father in 1869. The name was changed to the Citizens Bank and was operated as a private bank until 1901, when it was in- corporated under the National banking laws and opened for business June 3, 1901, as the Citizens' National Bank, with Samuel Philson as president. The bank has had a very suc- cessful career. The capital stock is $65,000, and the last annual statement, June 18, 1906, shows deposits of $416,706.92, with a surplus fund of $41,000. Shortly after the death of his father, Samuel B. Philson became president of the bank. He is also a stockholder and secretary of the Sand Spring Water Com- pany of Meyersdale, having been connected with the company in the above capacity since its organization in 1888. He is a stockholder in the Meyersdale Sheet Steel Company and the Philson National Bank of Berlin. Besides his other varied busi- ness interests, Mr. Philson owns a fine farm in Brothers Valley township, which is well located and laid out and in a good state of cultivation.
Mr. Philson is a Democrat in politics. He served for nine years-1887-96-as a member of the borough council, and was borough treasurer for eight years at different times, serving two-year terms, his last terms being from 1900 to 1904. In re- ligious faith he is a member of the Zion Lutheran church at Meyersdale. Fraternally Mr. Philson is a Free and Accepted Mason and past master of Blue Lodge, No. 554; past high priest of Royal Arch Chapter, No. 272; member of Tancred Com- mandery, No. 48, Knights Templar, and Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. The two former bodies are located in Meyersdale and the latter two in Pittsburg.
Samuel B. Philson married Addie E. Gardill, a daughter of George and Hannah (Guss) Gardill, of Berlin. George Gardill was born in Germany and came to Pennsylvania about 1844, set- tling at what is now Summit Mills, where he remained two years, working at his trade of tailor. He then settled in Berlin, where he died in 1904. Mr. Gardill was a veteran of the Civil war, having served as second lieutenant of Company F, One Hundred and Forty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. Mrs.
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Gardill is living in Berlin at the present time (1906). The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Gardill were: Harry F., a traveling sales- man of Philadelphia; Matilda, died in childhood; Amelia (Mrs. McDevitt, of Philadelphia) ; Ellen (Mrs. Ehmer, of Sunnyside, Washington) ; Annie (Mrs. S. P. Brubaker) ; Addie E. (Mrs. Samuel B. Philson) ; J. William, of Berlin; James G., late of the United States navy, now with the Baldwin locomotive works of Philadelphia; and Cora, died in childhood. Addie E. (Gardill) Philson was born in Berlin, Pennsylvania, educated in the pub- lic schools, and married, March 11, 1880, Samuel B. Philson. The only child of this marriage is Robert Harry, born Febru- ary 2, 1882. He is a graduate of Meyersdale high school and Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, class of 1903. He was for a time with the engineering corps of the Somerset Coal Company, and for one year with the engineering department of the Erie railroad at Jersey City, New Jersey. In the spring of 1906 he was elected cashier of the Citizens' National Bank of Meyersdale. He is unmarried.
As will be seen from the foregoing, the Philson family has been prominent in the business life of Somerset county for the past one hundred and twenty-five years. They seem predestined for the banking business, and the present generation worthily deserves the prestige of the family name. They have the con- fidence of the banking public, and in financial circles, outside their own homes, are recognized as able and conservative bus- iness men.
EDWIN DEAL.
Edwin Deal, an honored and respected citizen of Meyers- dale, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, who is now in his eighty- third year, is a remarkable example of good health, energy and mental faculties, well preserved by a life replete with useful- ness and good will toward his fellow creatures. His pleasant face and cheery manner are known and have endeared him to young and old, and his numberless acts of charity and kindness are known to but few ontside of the immediate family circle. He is descended from an old family of Virginia, whose thrift and industry bore their due share in building up the prosperity of the country.
Peter Deal, grandfather of Edwin Deal, was born in the state of Virginia. He was a clever millwright and an exception- ally skilled worker in woods. He built windmills of the old- time wooden construction, cider presses, spinning wheels, looms and all kinds of wooden machinery. He removed to Greenville township, Pennsylvania, after his marriage, and then added farming to his manifold occupations. A number of the grist mills in various parts of the county were of his construction.
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He married Margaret Stein and their children were: Peter, Jacob, see forward; George, Joseph,. Abraham, Eve, married Jacob Fair; and Hannah, married John Findley. Peter Deal died in 1828 at an advanced age.
Jacob Deal, second son and child of Peter and Margaret (Stein) Deal, was born near Sheppardstown, Virginia, Septem- ber 17, 1790. He was about fifteen years of age when his family removed to Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and as he had in- herited the mechanical skill of his father, it was but natural that he should adopt the same line of work. He was thrifty and industrious and soon owned a farm of considerable extent, which he cleared and cultivated. He erected a sawmill on his land and in this the virgin forest was converted into lumber with a large amount of profit. He was a man of deep religious con- viction, and he and all the members of his family were members of the Lutheran church, of which he was a deacon and elder. His political support was given to the Democratic party, he being what was known as a "Jackson Democrat." He was act- ive in his support of the party and held several political offices. His death occurred November 4, 1869, and he and his wife are buried in the churchyard of the Union Lutheran and Reformed church, in Greenville township. He married Susanna Engle, who was born and raised at what is still called Engle's Mills, near Salisbury, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1790, died April 30, 1860. Their children, fifteen in number, were as follows: Mary, born May 3, 1813; Isaiah, January 22, 1815; Sally, September 11, 1816; Margaret, February 14, 1818; Jeremiah, July 8, 1820; Leah, December 3, 1821; Edwin, see forward; Julia Ann, March 9, 1825, married Abraham Derrimore, of Iowa; Levi, December 1, 1826; Lucinda, March 13, 1829, married Alexander Kelly, of Kansas; Joel, May 27, 1831, is a farmer in Montana; Hettie, June 30, 1832; Jacob, December 14, 1833; Harriet, December 31, 1835; and Lavina, January 12, 1838, married Alexander Lint, of Iowa.
Edwin Deal, third son and seventh child of Jacob and Su- sanna (Engle) Deal, was born on the farm of his father in Greenville township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, October 11, 1823. This farm adjoined that of his grandfather, Peter Deal, and it was here that all the children of this family were born. His education was as complete as the time and the schools of the district afforded, and at an early age he dis- played marked aptitude in handling tools of all descriptions. Until he was twenty-one years of age his life was spent in as- sisting his father in clearing and cultivating the land in their possession, in attending to the sawmill and helping in the shop. By this time he had acquired great skill in his work and com- menced the business of millwright and builder in his own right.
Vol. III 9
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He purchased a complete set of woodworking tools, fitted them with handles of his own manufacture, as was the custom of those days, and undertook his first contract. This was the building of a mill for Moses Yoder-the first overshot water- wheel mill in the township, all previously built having been of the under "flutter wheel" style. About 1850 he built for Daniel Lepley two mills-a sawmill and a gristmill-and these were considered models of their kind. After his marriage he became the manager of these mills and remained in this capacity for a number of years. Subsequently he bought the farm and mill properties in Larimer township, and later acquired other farm and timber lands until he owned about nine hundred acres, some of which is still in his possession. Mr. Deal resided on the farm he had acquired and personally conducted the mill operations until 1888, when he removed to Meyersdale, Somer- set county, Pennsylvania. There he erected a gristmill and several dwelling houses, in one of which, an attractive brick residence on Center street, he now lives. He has practically retired from active participation in his business affairs, giv- ing, however, considerable time to a general oversight of the various interests. He has been a lifelong member of the Lu- theran church, in which he was baptized at the age of eight days, and has consistently devoted much time and effort to the furtherance of the church interests. He has held various offices in the church, including those of deacon and elder in the county church, and since his residence in Meyersdale has served as elder continuously. Although he would gladly resign this office, he has been earnestly solicited to continue his good work. His wife was and his children with their respective families are communicants at the same church. Politically Mr. Deal was for many years a stanch Democrat, but for the past sev- enteen years he has given his allegiance to the Prohibition party as being more in accord with the principles to which he has adhered throughout his long and useful life. He has al- ways been firm in his belief in total abstinence from all intoxi- cants and narcotics, and attributes his long life and excellent health to this cause. He has also served Larimer township as school director and as justice of the peace.
He married, February 7, 1850, Nancy Lepley, born Febru- ary 8, 1832, died August 16, 1902, daughter of Daniel Lepley. Mrs. Deal was a woman of strong character and many excel- lent qualities. She was greatly beloved and esteemed for her many charities and kindly disposition, and her death was deeply deplored. She and her husband led an exceptionally happy married life for the period of fifty-two years. They had a fam- ily of sixteen children, all of whom are now (1906) living: Herman, born March 15, 1851, a merchant in Meyersdale; he
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married Agnes Bowman, daughter of Samuel Bowman, of Som- erset county. William H., born June 26, 1852, a coal and lum- ber operator, with mines and mills in West Virginia; married Alice Cook, a daughter of Jesse Cook, and their children are Roy, Earl and Jessie. Louisa, born April 3, 1854; married W. H. Reiber, a farmer of Somerset county, near Confluence, and their children are: Bertha, married William Burnworth, and has children: Ruth and Lucille (the first and only great- grandchilden of Edwin Deal) ; Art, and Pearl. Matilda, born February 25, 1855; married J. M. Cook, a candy manufacturer of Meyersdale, and has one son, Dalton. Daniel, born August 12, 1856, is in business in Cumberland, Maryland; he married Myrtle Feichner, daughter of Jacob Feichner, of Palo Alto, and has children: Nellie, Jacob, Ferdinand and Helen. Ezra, born September 17, 1857, is a coal operator in Ohio; he married Alice Smith, daughter of Robert Smith, of Cumberland, Mary- land, and has children: Robert, George and Mary. Almira, born February 7, 1859, married J. H. Pfahler, a merchant of Meyersdale, and has children: Ralph, Carl and Ida. Levi, see forward. Charles, born September 21, 1861, is a lumberman in Colton, West Virginia; married Anna Griffith, daughter of John Griffith, of Frostburg, Maryland, and has three children, Homer, Walter and an infant son. Anna Elizabeth, born June 6, 1863; married E. J. Boyles, a merchant of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and has children: Ethel and Marie. Simon, born September 23, 1864, is engaged in the lumber business in Cumberland, Maryland; married Venie Clawson, daughter of George Claw- son, of Ellersley, Maryland, and has children: Mary, Edna, Anna Frances, Gladys, Thomas and Loydie. Nancy Agnes, born March 26, 1866, is devoting her life to keeping up a com- fortable home for her aged father. Ida Ellen, born Septem- ber 13, 1867, married E. E. Conrad, the leading photographer of Meyersdale, and has children: Esther, Lucille, Ellsworth, Mary, James and John. Clara, born July 3, 1870, married D. P. Ford, a coal operator; they reside in Madisonville, Ken- tucky, and have one child, Emily. Calvin E., born March 29, 1872, owns and operates the grist and flour mill in Meyersdale; married Margaret Lenhardt, daughter of Samuel Lenhardt, of Somerset, and has children: Claude and Harry. Harvey, born October 14, 1873; is engaged in business at Meyersdale, is un- married and resides with his father and sister.
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