History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 152

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 152

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).

The visits of distinguished men to any town or community are events of great im- portance. Hanover has been favored by the presence of four of the most distinguished men in American history. In 1755 a man already noted in Colonial times started from Philadelphia, and passing through Lancas- ter and York stopped at a store and public inn at the northeast corner of Baltimore houses and mechanics in it. At this place, and Middle Streets. There was really no in a good inn, we breakfasted, and in town here at that time and this was one eighteen miles more reached York, where of the few frontier taverns west of the Sus- we dined and lodged."

quehanna River.

When Washington approached the vil- The man who arrived on horse- lage of Hanover which then contained Franklin. back and lodged for the night in this building was Benjamin about 600 people, tradition says he stopped at the first house on Frederick Street, now Franklin, who was then the leader of the owned by Miss Mary Forney, Here he Pennsylvania Assembly. He went as far asked about a public inn at which he says in his diary he breakfasted. He took this meal at a building which then stood on the south side of Frederick Street, three doors west as Frederick, Maryland, where he met Sir Edward Braddock, an English officer, who was organizing an expedition to pro- ceed against the French and Indians then in from Centre Square, and was owned by possession of Fort Duquesne, now the site

Paul Metzgar. After eating his breakfast, of Pittsburg. Upon his return from Fred- he walked down Baltimore Street with erick he again stopped at the site of Han- over at the frontier inn and store kept by Richard McAllister, who eight years later laid out the town. Colonel Richard McAllister, the founder of Hanover, who had commanded a regiment in the Flying Camp, during the year 1776. Other revolutionary soldiers accompanied them on their walk. As it was summer time, the President watched a number of men reaping wheat in a field to the right of Balti- more Street. He left Hanover about II A. M., and arrived at York at 2 P. M., when all the church bells of the town were ringing. After he had driven up to his lodgings near Centre Square, York, fifteen rounds were fired from a cannon, one round to represent each state which then formed the Union.

On July 1, 1791, George Washington. Washington entered Han- over from the southwest. This was during his first administration as President. Soon after the adjournment of the First Congress at Philadelphia, which was then the capital of the United States, in the spring of 1791, he started on a tour of the southern states, going as far south as Charleston, S. C. After remaining about two weeks at Mount Vernon upon his re- President Washington on this occasion travelled in an elegant chaise, which had turn from the south, he went to George- town and selected a site for the national been made for him by David Clark of Phila- capitol and the executive mansion in the his diary :

delphia. It was said to be the finest private District of Columbia. He then records in carriage then owned in the United States. It was drawn by four white horses. Be-

"Being desirous of seeing the nature of sides his private secretary, Major Jackson, a

850

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

coachman and three other servants accom- nized as one of the finest specimens of panied him. One of the servants drove a American literature.

baggage wagon and another had in charge three horses.

Washington passed through Hanover in 1794 on his return from western Pennsyl- vania where he had gone to aid in quelling the Whiskey Insurrection. On this occa- sion he stopped at a hotel at the corner of Centre Square and Carlisle Street.

In November 1863, a train from Lincoln. Washington by way of Baltimore and Hanover Junction brought another great man to Hanover. He did not come for the purpose of visiting the town, but as the train approached the railroad station on the edge of the Public Common, hundreds of people had gathered to catch a glimpse of the President of the United States, who was then guiding the destiny of the Union through one of the greatest wars in history. It was necessary for the engine to take in a supply of water before

In 1868, during the first year of his

Grant. Presidency, General Grant arrived

in Hanover, traveling over the same route that President Lincoln had come in I863. He was on his way to Gettysburg to visit the battlefield for the first time. The arrival of this distinguished soldier was not known to many citizens when the Presi- dential train reached the railway station. The exchanging of engines required ten or fifteen minutes, and during that time Presi- dent Grant sat in the center of the car by a window, silent and motionless. The train then started for Gettysburg where the Presi- dential party spent two days examining the principal points of the battlefield.

James Buchanandelivered a speech in Han- over from a platform erected underneath three elm trees which stood at the corner of Carlisle Street and Centre Square. This oc- curred in the fall of 1851, when William the train moved toward Gettysburg. The Bigler was elected governor of Pennsylva- vast crowd that had assembled awaited with nia by the Democratic party. He was en- tertained for the night by Dr. John Culbert- eager interest for the President to come out and make a short speech. "Father Abra- son, a local physician. ham, your children want to hear you," Grover Cleveland, the President of the was called out in clarion tones, by the United States, while on his way to Gettys- pastor of one of the churches of Hanover. burg May 3, 1886, stopped for a short time and was greeted by hundreds of people who Soon after these words were heard a man six feet four inches tall emerged through surrounded the train on the Public Common. the door of the rear car, and stood on the Andrew G. Curtin, the great war gov- platform. He was so tall that he had to ernor of Pennsylvania, also addressed an remove his high hat to walk through the audience in Centre Square in 1864, during the campaign when Lincoln was re-elected President. This is said to have been the ablest political speech ever delivered in the door to the platform. The engine was now almost ready to start with the train for Get- tysburg, the place of destination. Before the train pulled out, this great man, Presi- borough.

Samuel W. Pennypacker, while serving as governor of Pennsylvania, presided over the ceremonies at the unveiling of the battle

The purchase and sale of western

horses and mules began in Han-

dent Lincoln, with kindly expression looked over the audience and spoke a few words. He asked if the people had been loyal to the state and government when the enemy monument in Centre Square, in 1905. passed through this region before the battle of Gettysburg. "If you are not all true Horses patriots in support of the Union, you should be," was the sage remark of the great Presi- Cattle.

and over in 1844. During that year, William Wallace brought from dent, and then the train moved quietly Virginia and Ohio one hundred away. On the following day Lincoln made fine horses and disposed of them to the a brief speech at the consecration services people of Hanover and vicinity. In 1847, on the battlefield of Gettysburg. This Davis Garber resided at Clarksburg, West speech lasted only five minutes, but on ac- Virginia. Hearing that Hanover was a count of its eloquence, patriotism and pro- good market for valuable horses, he found thought, has been universally recog- brought in several carloads that year and

851

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

continued to do the same for six years, and had seven children: Henry, Jacob, Wil- when he removed to Hanover and during liam, Mary, Catharine, Lydia and Deliah. the succeeding twenty years sold a large number of western horses in this borough. Mary was married to Jacob Eichelberger; Catharine to George Emmert; Lydia to Adam Forney, and Deliah to Dr. George W. Hinkle. Christian Wirt died March 2, 1842.

Al Smith began to sell horses at Hanover before the Civil War, and continued the business for thirty years. Since 1885, Han- over has become one of the most noted

horse markets in southern Pennsylvania. tian Wirt, was born at Hanover, October 9,

From that year to 1907, from two thousand to five thousand horses and mules from the

1789. During his boyhood he attended a school taught by John Mclaughlin, a west have been sold annually by these Scotchman, when Henry Wirt and one dealers. Among the most prominent en- other pupil were the only ones who studied gaged in this business in recent years were English grammar. He entered his father's Jacob H. Shriver, Al Smith, H. W. Parr, store as a clerk and in 1816 succeeded his Curvin J. Smith, H. A. Smith and H. G. Shriver. Horses have been sold by these gentlemen to many customers from all over retired and devoted his attention to his the southern and western parts of Pennsyl- vania.

In 1879 L. P. Brockley, Joel Henry, L. H. Eckert, Samuel H. Hostetter, William Anthony and George Anthony organized a chartered company and established drove yards at Hanover for the purchase and sale of cattle. Since that date about 3,000 cat- tle have been brought to Hanover annually from West Virginia, Ohio and other states and disposed of to farmers who fattened the cattle and then resold them to the dealers at Hanover. The trade in fattened cattle, which have been sent to Baltimore and Philadelphia markets, has been a prosper- ous business at Hanover during the last twenty years. L. P. Brockley alone has sold as many as 2,000 cattle in one year.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

HENRY WIRT, the eldest son of Chris-

father in the dry goods business which he conducted with success until 1827, when he private affairs. Henry Wirt aided in es- tablishing the first Sunday School at Han- over. In 1835 Mr. Wirt aided in securing the adoption of the public school system for his native town. He was one of the chief supporters of the plan to construct a rail- road to Hanover Junction, the largest con- tributor to the capital stock of this railroad, and a member of the board of managers for many years. For a long time, he was di- rector in the Hanover Saving Fund Society, and of the Gettysburg Bank, and president of two turnpike companies that extend from Hanover. During the War of 1812, he served as a lieutenant in the company com- manded by Captain Metzgar, which took part in the battle of North Point, Septem- ber 12, 1814. Henry Wirt was married to Catharine Swope. He died in 1859, leaving six daughters and one son.

CHRISTIAN WIRT, for many years a HENRY WIRT, only son of Henry Wirt, Sr., was born at Hanover in 1827. He obtained his education in the public schools, and at the age of twenty, engaged in the mercantile business, which he con- tinued until 1850 and then retired, devoting the remainder of his life to public enter- prises and his private affairs. Mr. Wirt served as president of the Hanover Saving Fund Society for eight years; secretary and director of the Hanover Branch Railroad Company; chief burgess of Hanover; di- rector of the National Bank of Gettysburg; charter member and director of the Han- over Water Company, and president of sev- eral turnpike companies. He was deeply leading citizen of Hanover, was born May 12, 1763, in Heidelberg Township, near Iron Ridge Station. He was the son of Henry Wirt, a native of Germany, who came to America in 1738 and in 1750 pur- chased a large tract of land where his son was born. In his early life, Christian Wirt followed the occupation of a saddle and harness maker. In 1800, he purchased from the heirs of Richard McAllister the property on the southeast corner of Centre Square and Baltimore Street, where he engaged in the dry goods business. This place was long known as the Wirt Corner. In 1816 he retired from business with a competency. He was married to Eve Catharine Gelwix interested in the cause of education, and

852

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

MATTHIAS NACE FORNEY, editor,

served for a period of fifteen years as a member of the Hanover school board, and inventor and mechanical engineer, was born at Hanover in the paternal home, at the

devoted his best energies toward improving the public schools. For many years, he northeast corner of Chestnut and High was one of the most influential members of the board of trustees of Franklin and Mar- shall College at Lancaster, and gave lib- erally to the support of that institution of learning. He bequeathed a considerable sum of money for the permanent support and maintenance of a library connected with Emmanuel Reformed Church, of which he served as elder for twenty years or more. Henry Wirt was married in 1854 to Louisa, daughter of Matthias N. Forney. They had no children. He died in 1890.

Streets, March 28, 1835, son of Matthias and Amanda Nace Forney. He obtained his education in the schools of his native town and at a preparatory school connected with the University of Maryland, where he spent three years. In his boyhood he be- came interested in mechanism and science, often decorating the woodshed with minia- ture windmills, constructing water wheels driven by the stream near his home, and making toy cannons out of anything which would hold a charge of powder. In 1852 he went to Baltimore, where he entered the shops of Ross Winans, the famous builder

JACOB WIRT, second son of Christian and Catharine Wirt, was born February 24, 1801. In 1827, he succeeded his brother, of cars and locomotives. He spent three Henry, in the management of the large years as an apprentice in the shops and one mercantile interests at the Wirt Corner, year in the drafting department, and the Centre Square and Baltimore Street. After succeeding three years was a draftsman in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad shops in that city. From 1858 to 1861 he engaged in the mercantile business in Baltimore. During the Civil War he was employed as a draftsman in the Illinois Central Railroad eleven years, he retired from mercantile pursuits and engaged in the lumber and coal business. In 1849, when a company was laying plans for the construction of a rail- road from Hanover to Hanover Junction, Mr. Wirt was chosen president, but re- office at Chicago. It was during this period signed the next year. From 1860 to 1865, that he invented an "improved tank loco- motive," known as the Forney engine, and for which he received a patent in 1866. In 1876 the Forney engine was introduced for general use on the elevated railroads of New York City, was also adopted by the Brooklyn and Chicago elevated lines, and after the patent expired was put into gen- eral use. he was a director in this company and an active promoter of its interests. He was recognized as an exact and careful business man and an excellent financier. He served as president of the Hanover Saving Fund Society until his death. In politics he was an active Republican, and, in religion a member of Emmanuel Reformed Church. Mr. Wirt was married to Amelia Danner in

In 1870 he became associate editor of the 1827. He died in 1869, leaving to survive Railroad Gazette, which in 1871, after the him his widow and five children: Emma C., great fire, was removed from Chicago to New York City, where Mr. Forney has since resided. Two years later, he became half owner of the paper, one of the leading railway journals in America, and continued

married to Dr. John A. Swope, of Gettys- burg; Eliza Ann, married to George W. Forney, and Martha, married to Albert Bar- nitz, of York. Calvin C. Wirt, the youngest son, was active in the organization of the his connection with that paper until 1883. Hanover Water Company and other public During his connection with railway journal- ism Mr. Forney conducted the engineering and mechanical departments. Meantime he was elected a member of the American So- ciety of Civil Engineers. In 1874 he was chosen by this society one of a committee to devise plans for rapid transportation in the city of New York. The deliberations of this committee were largely instru- mental in establishing the system of ele- enterprises. He died in 1874, at the age of thirty years. Robert M. Wirt, the youngest son of Jacob Wirt, has been president of the Hanover Saving Fund Society since 1885, and for many years served as secretary of the Hanover Branch and Harrisburg and Baltimore Railroad companies, and was secretary and treasurer of the Hanover Water Company.

853

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

vated railroads in New York City. About

Mr. Forney resides in New York City, this time Mr. Forney was elected a member where he has retired from business, and in- of the American Railroad Master Me- terests himself in matters pertaining to his chanics Association, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Master Car Builder's Association, of which he was for a number of years secretary and is now a life member.

early occupations and career. He is a member of the Union League and Engi- neers Clubs, and for a number of years be- longed to the Century and City clubs, but from these he resigned.

CAPTAIN A. W. EICHELBERGER,

In 1886 Mr. Forney purchased the American Railroad Journal and Van Nos- for more than half a century prominent in trand's Engineering Magazine, and consoli- dated them as the Railroad and Engineering Journal, which he owned and edited until 1895. During his arduous work as an editor Mr. Forney devoted his leisure time to invention and secured patents for thirty- three different designs and plans for loco- motive cars and car building. The most profitable of these inventions was the tank locomotive and the improvements to car seats, both of which yielded him consider- able revenue. The mechanical features of all his inventions show original talent and a wide knowledge of mechanical engineering.

Mr. Forney has also been interested in political, social and economic problems. He is the author of "Political Reform by the Representation of Minorities," " Pro- portional Representation in Municipal Gov- ernment," and " Minority Representation in Municipal Government." The preface of one of these books contains an avowal of his political faith in which he said he was "a free trader; a civil service reformer; op- posed to the extension of the sovereignty of the United States over subject peoples; in favor of narrowing the domain of mere force as a governing factor in the world; of that party and later was an active Re- and of the unlimited coinage by the Na- publican. tional Government of ounces of gold and silver for all who own any and want it so coined. He also believes in the principle that people who will not obey the laws should have no voice in making them, and is therefore in favor of disfranchisement as a penalty for many legal transgressions."

His work entitled " The Catechism of the Locomotive," was written in 1873 and has had a large sale. It is largely used by rail- road employees and in many of the technical schools of this country, and is considered an authority on the subject of which it treats. He is also the author of the first edition of a "Dictionary of Terms used in Car of which he was the active head, and at the Building." time of his death, in 1901, was the oldest

the business and railroad interests of Han- over and vicinity, was born December 6, I819. He was a great-grandson of Philip Frederick Eichelberger, a native of Sin- sheim, Germany, who first settled in Lan- caster County and in 1761 purchased 220 acres of land a few miles southeast of Han- over. Early in life Captain Eichelberger learned the carpenter's trade, but never fol- lowed that occupation. From 1843 to 1852 he spent much of his time in the State of Georgia, where he shipped carriages and da- mask coverlets from the north, and also joined his brother, Jacob, in the ownership of a grist mill and saw mill in the State of Alabama. During his early manhood, Cap- tain Eichelberger drilled and disciplined the "United Blues," an excellent military or- ganization composed of young men in and around Hanover. This company, in 1846, volunteered to enter the American army during the Mexican War, but as the quota from Pennsylvania had already been made up their services were not required. Later he drilled the "Fourth Dragoons," com- posed of fifty mounted men. In politics he was a devoted Whig during the supremacy

In 1853, on account of his administrative and executive abilities, Captain Eichel- berger was elected president of the Hanover Branch Railroad Company. This road, through his influence, was afterward con- solidated with the Gettysburg Railroad. Later he became president of the Baltimore & Hanover, Bachman Valley, Berlin Branch and Baltimore & Harrisburg Rail- road companies, projected largely through his enterprise, and whose history is de- scribe elsewhere in this volume. He spent the remainder of his life building up and developing the interests of the corporations

854

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

railroad president in term of continuous service in the United States.

During his whole career, Captain Eich- elberger held an influential position in the public affairs of Hanover. By nature he was benevolent, warm hearted and earn- estly interested in the public welfare of the community, of which he was an honored member. In 1894 he purchased a con- trolling interest in the Glenville Academy and awarded a large number of free scholar- ships. Later he erected a commodious and ornamental school building on elevated ground in the northwestern part of Han- over. In this building Eichelberger Acad- emy was conducted for a few years, and in 1902 he presented the building and the grounds, in all valued at $35,000, to the bor- ough of Hanover as a public high school. This institution has since been known as the Eichelberger High School. This gen- erous act has endeared his name and repu- tation to the people of Hanover, and will be a lasting memorial to his name. Captain Eichelberger died at his residence on Fred- erick Street in 1901.

WILLIAM GRUMBINE, for a period of thirty years a prominent merchant of Han- over, was born March 24, 1824. He was the son of George and Mary Schultz Grum- served with credit as a soldier of the Revo- lution, and lived to an advanced age in Hanover, where for many years he was a leading citizen. William Grumbine ob- tained his education in his native town, and early in life engaged in the manufacture and sale of carriages. For many years he owned and conducted a successful drug and grocery store at the corner of Carlisle Street and Centre Square. He was suc- cessful in all his business efforts and became favorably known as a merchant and citizen of Hanover.

up the material interests of the community. In politics Mr. Grumbine was an ardent Re- publican. In 1863 he was one of the founders of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, and in 1885 purchased, in Baltimore, the famous Oriole bell which had been used at the sesqui-centennial of that city. He had this bell placed in the steeple of St. Mark's Church, and with the necessary appliances presented it to the borough council as a town clock.

Mr. Grumbine was married March 24, 1848, to Elizabeth Newman, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Ickes Newman. He died December 31, 1888. Mrs. Grumbine survived him until May 2, 1892. They left one daughter, Anna M. Grumbine, who ob- tained her education in Hanover and in a select school. In June, 1890, she married A. H. Melhorn, a prominent merchant of Hanover, engaged in the drug and grocery trade in Centre Square. They have had four children: William, Helen E., Anna Kathryn and Newman. Mrs. Melhorn owns a large amount of real estate and per- sonal property in the borough of Hanover, among which are several business blocks near the centre of the town.

J. W. GITT, a prominent citizen of Han- over, was born in 1819 and died in 1897 at

bine. His grandfather, Peter Grumbine, the age of seventy-eight years. Early in life he engaged in the mercantile business at the southeast corner of Centre Square and Baltimore Street. He also owned sev- eral farms. Mr. Gitt prospered in all his efforts and the store conducted under his name became widely known over a large section of country. After his death the business was conducted by his sons, H. N. Gitt, George D. Gitt and other partners. The business has been incorporated as The J. W. Gitt Company, who now own a large department store and carry on an extensive business. H. N. Gitt, president of the com- pany, has large financial interests in a num- ber of manufacturing enterprises in Han- over, Charleston, West Virginia, Baltimore and elsewhere. He is public spirited in all his efforts and within recent years has ex- erted a strong influence in building up the business and manufacturing interests of his native town.

Mr. Grumbine was elected a member of the town council several times, was chief burgess at the opening of the Civil War and served as a member of the school board, of which he was chosen president in 1879. He took an active interest in every movement intended to promote the welfare of his na- tive town and served as a director in the Hanover Branch and the Baltimore & Har- Biographies of Captain Nicholas Bit- tinger, Colonel Henry Slagle, Jacob Rudi- risburg Railroad companies, two lines of transportation which have aided in building sill, Jacob Hostetter, Rev. Frederick Valen-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 152

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372