History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 82

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended > Part 82

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HON. JAMES S. MITCHELL.

James Mitchell was born near the village of Rossville in Warrington Township, this coun- ty, received his early education in the schools of his native township, mostly at the War- rington Friends' Meeting House School of his township, and was a member of the society of Friends. In 1812 he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature and re-elect- ed in 1810 and 1814. He was elected a rep- resentative for York County in the Seven- teenth Congress, as a Democrat; was re-elect- ed to the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Con- gresses, serving from December 3, 1821 to March 3, 1826. At the expiration of his

term of service he moved west where he died.

HON. ADAM KING, M. D.

Mr. King was born at York. After receiv- ing an academical education, he studied medicine and practiced at York. He was elected clerk of the courts and prothonotary of York County, in 1818, serving one term. For many years he was one of the editors and proprietors of the York Gazette. He was elected a representative from York County to the Twentieth Congress as a Jackson Demo- crat, and re-elected to the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses, serving from De- cember 3, 1827, to March, 1833. On January 30, 1825, he was one of the committee to escort Gen. Lafayette from York to Harris- burg. He was defeated for the election to the Twenty-third Congress by Charles A. Barnitz, a Clay Whig. His unaccountable death occurred in York, May, 6, 1835.

HON. CHARLES A. BARNITZ.

Charles A. Barnitz was born in York, September 11, 1780; received a liberal edu- cation, studied law and was admitted to the bar, and praticed at York, where he attained an excellent reputation in his profession and a very large and lucrative practice. For a number of years he was the attorney for the heirs of Penn in the affairs of the Springets- bury Manor. He was elected to the State senate of Pennsylvania in 1815, aud elected representative from York County in the Twenty-third Congress as a friend of Henry Clay, defeating Dr. Adam King, and served from December 2, 1833, to March 3, 1835. He was president of the York bank for many years. He died in York, January 8, 1850. For twenty years Mr. Barnitz was the recog- nized head of the York bar, and was a gen- tleman of high culture and of very courteous manners.

HON. HENRY NES, M. D.

Hon. Henry Nes, M. D., was born in York in 1799; received a liberal education; studied medicine, and praticed for many years; filled several local offices; was elected to represent York County in the 'wenty-eighth Congress, as an Independent, receiving 4,016 votes against 3,413 votes for Dr. Alexander Small, Democrat, serving from December 4, 1843, to March 3, 1845; he was again elected to the Thirtieth Congress as a Whig; and was re- elected to the Thirty first Congress, receiving 6,599 votes against 5,989 votes for J. B. Danner, the Democratie Candidate, serving from December 6, 1847, to September 10, 1850, when he died at York. Dr. Nes was a

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

man of remarkable popularity, and possessed an extraordinary faculty for electioneering. He was a member of the House of Representa- tives wheu ex-President John Quincy Adams, theu a fellow member, fell from his chair from a stroke of apoplexy. Dr. Nes was one of his attending physicians.

HON. WILLIAM H. KURTZ.

Hon. William H. Kurtz was born in York, where he resided, and was a member of the bar, and deputy attorney-general for some years; was elected a representative from York County in the thirty-second Congress as a Democrat, receiving 5,765 votes against 5,372 votes for his Whig opponents; was re- elected to the thirty-third Congress, receiving 9,523 votes against 7,306 for Biddle, the Whig candidate serving from December 1. 1851 to March 3, 1855. He died in York.

HON. ADAM J. GLOSSBRENNER.

Hon. Adam J. Glossbrenner was born in Hagerstown, Md., August 31, 1810, and was self-educated. At the age of nineteen he commenced learning the printing business, and in 1827 began the publication of the Ohio Monitor at Columbus, Ohio, for Judge Smith. In 1828 hestarted the Western Tele- graph, at Hamilton, Ohio. In 1829, he vis- ited York on an engagement to remain a month or two. The visit was protracted to a term of fifty years. In 1831, he started the York County Farmer; in 1833, married Charlotte, daughter of Dr. Thomas Jameson of York, and the same year published the History of York County. In 1834, he became a partner in the publication of the York Gazette, and continued his connection with that paper until 1860; was chosen clerk of enrollment of bills in the house of representatives at Harrisburg, in 1836, and two years later was appointed by Gov. Porter to take charge of the motive power of the Columbia & Phila- delphia Railroad. In 1843, he became cashier of the contingent fund of the house of rep- resentatives at Washington; in 1847, was ap- pointed by President Buchanan to have charge of emigration and the copyright bu- reau, in the department of State at Washing- ton; in 1850 elected sergeant at-arms in the United States House of Representatives, and was re-elected to four successive congresses, serving until 1860, when he became private secretary to President Buchanan; in 1862, established the Philadelphia Age; in 1862 nominated for Congress by the Democratic Convention of York County against Joseph Bailey, who had been elected as a Democrat to the thirty eighth Congress, but was repudiated

by the party in York. The conferees of the district met at Bridgeport. The York dele- gates protested against Bailey, who in the meantime had become "a good enough Repub- lican" to suit all the anti Democratie ele- ments. The York conferees, headed by Hon. Jere S. Black, retired from the conference, and proclaimed their determination not to sup- port Mr. Bailey. The conferees of Cumber- land and Perry Counties adhered to Mr. Bailey and placed him in nomination, while those of York maintained the position taken by their county convention, and united in pre- senting Mr. Glossbrenner. This course was endorsed at the polls by a larger majority for Mr. Glossbreuner than had ever been given for any candidate of any party in the county. The Democrats of Cumberland and Perry Counties, however, aided by the entire Repub- lican strength of the District, succeeded in electing Bailey by a small majority. In 1864, he was nominated by the Democratic Congressional Conference of York, Cumber- land and Perry Counties without opposition, aud elected by 3,492 votes; in 1866 again nominated, and elected by 3,341 majority. Mr Glossbrenner at present, 1885, is con- nected with the Pennsylvania Railroad at Philadelphia.

COL. HENRY LOGAN.

For Col. Henry Logan see Carroll Town- ship.

DR. E. H. GERRY.

For Dr. Gerry see Shrewsbury Township.

OFFICERS OF THE ARMY AND NAVY.

GEN. EDMUND SCHRIVER, U. S. A.

This officer was born at York, and was appointed to the military academy from this congressional district. The follow- ing record of his military services and his civil history is taken from Cullum's Register of Gradnates of West Point.

Military History .- Cadet at the United States Military Academy from July 1, 1833, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut. 2d Artillery July 1, 1833.

Served in garrison in Tennessee, and at Fort Mitchell, Ala., 1833-34; at the military academy as assistant instructor of Infantry Tactics, March 18, 1834 to

[Second Lieut. 2d Artillery July 31, 1834.] November 23, 1835, in the adjutant general's office at Washington D. C. November 25,

[First Lieut. 2d Artillery November 1, 1836.] 1835 to July 7, 1838 as assistant adjutant- general in adjutant-general's office,

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HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES.

[Capt. Staff Asst. Adjutant-General, July 7, 1838.] Washington 1838-39-in Florida War 1839, in adjutant-general's office,

[Captain 2d Artillery, August 17, 1842 to June 18, 1846.1

Washington, D. C., 1839-41-and at head- quarters of Eastern Department, September 1, 1841, to July 31, 1846. Resigned July 31, 1846.

Civil History .- Treasurer of Saratoga & Washington Railroad Company, New York, 1847-52; of Saratoga & Schenectady Com- pany, 1847-61, and of Rensselaer & Sara toga Railroad Company, 1847-61; president of Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad 1851-61.

Military History .- Served during the Re- bellion of the seceding States, 1861-66; as Col. Staff-aide-de-camp to Gov. Morgan, of New York, April to July 14, 1861; in recruiting, organizing, and instructing his regiment

[Lieut. Colonel, 11th Infantry, May 14, 1861.]

at Fort Independence, Mass., July 18, to October 14, 1861, and at Perryville, Md., Oc- tober 16, 1861, to March 15, 1862; as chief of staff of First Corps (Army of the Potomac), March 15, 1862, to January, 1863; in the advance upon and occupation

[Col. Staff-additional aide-de-camp May 18, 1862.] of Fredericksburg, Va., May 25, 1862; in the Shenandoah campaign, June to July, 1862; as chief of staff of First Corps, in northern Virginia campaign August to Sep- tember, 1862, being engaged in the battle of Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862; passage of the Rappahannock, Angust 24-27, 1862; battle of Manassas, August 29-30, 1862; battle of Chantilly, September 1, 1862 as acting inspector

[Col. Staff-Inspector General U. S. Army, March 13, 1863.]

general, January-March, 1863, and inspector general, March 13, 1863, to March 22, 1865, of the Army of the Potomac being engaged with at the battle of Chancellorsville (Rap- pahannock campaign) May 2-4, 1863; bat- tle of Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863, (Pennsyl vania campaign), and bearer to the War De- partment of thirty-one battle flags, and other trophies of victory from that field, pursuit of the Rebel Army through Virginia, ending with the Mine Run expedition, November 30, 1863, and in the Richmond campaign from the Rapidan to

[Bvt. Brig. General, U. S. Army, August 1, 1864, for faithful aud meritorious services in the field. ]

Petersburg; on special duty under orders of the secretary of war, March 22, to

[Bvt. Maj .- General, U. S. Army, March 13, 1865, for meritorious and distin- guished services during the Rebellion. ]

June 23, 1865; on tour of inspection of quar- termaster depots June 28 to August 23, 1865; in waiting orders August 23 to October 7,1865; on tour of inspection October 7 to No- vember 30,1865; on special duty in secretary of war's office, and in charge of inspection bureau, December 10, 1865, to-

as inspector of military academy July 30. 1866, to April 15, 1871; on tour of inspection in Texas, New Mexico and Kansas, and of the recruiting service, October 1872 to Janu- ary 25, 1873; in preparing reports in Wash - ington, particularly about the affairs in the Freedmen's Bureau, January to October, 1873; on duty in the War Department October, 1873, to May, 1876; as inspector of the Division of the Pacific, May 29, 1876, to -, and as member of Retiring Board at San Francisco, Cal., November 16 to December 15, 1877; and of board to examine the case of Dr. Ham- mond, late surgeon general, United States Army, November 19, 1878. Retired January 4, 1881, being over sixty-two years of age.

GEN. WILLIAM B. FRANKLIN.

William B. Franklin was born in York, Penn., February 27, 1823. He was appointed to the military academy from this district and graduated at West Point, in 1843, at the head of his class. In the summer of 1845 he accompanied Brig. Gen. Kearney on an expe- dition to the South Pass of the Rocky Moun- tains. In the war with Mexico he served on the staff of Gen. Taylor at the battle of Buena Vista, and was breveted first lieutenant for his part in it. In 1848 he became assistant. professor of natural and experimental phil osophy at West Point. In 1852 he was ap- pointed professor of the same science, to- gether with civil engineering at the New York City Free Academy. During the next eight years he was continually employed as consulting engineer and inspector on various public works. He was engineer secretary of the lighthouse board, and superintendent of the capitol extension, and other government buildings in Washington, D. C.

In May 14, 1861, he was appointed colonel of the Twelfth Regiment of Infantry, and in July was assigned a brigade in Heintzelman's division of the army of northeast Virginia. At the disastrous battle of Bull Run, accord- ing to the official report of Gen. McDowell, he was "in the hottest of the fight." In Au- gust he was made brigadier-general of volun- teers, his commission to date from May 17, 1861. In September he was appointed to

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

the command of a division in the Army of the Potomac. He was sent to reinforce Gen. McClellan. After the evacuation of York- town he transported his division by water to West Point, on York River, and repulsed the enemy under Gens. Whiting and G. W. Smith, who attempted to prevent his landing May 7, 1862.

During the movement to the James River, which began June 27, he repulsed the enemy on the right bank of the Chickahominy, June 27 and 28, and again in conjunction with the corps of Gen. Summer at Savage's Station, June 29 also commanded at battle of White Oak Swamp bridge on the 30th. He was pro- moted to rank of major-general of volunteers July 4, previously having been appointed brevet brigadier-general in regular army, June 4. In the battle of South Mountain Septem- ber 14, he distinguished himself by storm- ing Crampton's Gap. He was in the battle of Antietam, September 17, and in November was placed in command of the left grand division of the Army of the Potomac, includ- ing the First and Sixth Corps, which he commanded in the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13. The next year he was trans- ferred to the department of the Gulf, com- manded the expedition to Sabine Pass, 1863, and was second in command in Bank's Red River expedition, April, 1864, being in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads. His capture by and escape from Maj. Harry Gilmore, of the Confederate Army, which occurred near Baltimore, when he was on his way from Washington to New York, is a very interesting chapter of his life. He was breveted major- general in United States Army in 1865, and resigned March 15, 1866. He is now vice- president of Colt's Manufacturing Company, of Hartford, Conn., and has held many positions of trust in his adopted city and State. He was consulting engineer of the commission for the erection of the new State House. He is a director of the Connec- ticut Mutual Life Insurance Company and holds several other positions of prominence and responsibility.

In 1875 he was one of the commissioners of the Centennial Exposition, chairman of the department of engineering and architec- ture. In the same year he was chosen one of the electors for president from that State throwing his vote for Tilden. In June. 1880, he was elected by Congress a member of the board of changers of the National House for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. In July, 1880, he was elected president and treasurer of the board. His term expired in 1884, when he was re-elected to serve for six years.

COL. GRANVILLE O. HALLER."

Granville Owen Haller born in York, Penn., January 31, 1819; education confined to private schools in York and the York County Academy, Rev. Stephen Boyer, prin- cipal, and Daniel Kirkwood, assistant teacher; served several years in the store of Jacob and Charles Weiser; was an applicant for West Point Military Academy, 1839. Rev. Dr. Cathcart, as president of the board of trustees of York County Academy, signed the resolutions of that body, strongly recommending him; was invited by Secretary of War Joel R. Poinsett to Washington, D. C., to appear before a board of military officers for examination; received the commis- sion of second lieutenant Fourth United States Infantry to rank from 17th of Novem- ber, 1839 (not then quite twenty-one years of age); served in the Indian Territory 1840-41; was ordered by Gen. Zachariah Taylor to muster and feed a large body of destitute wild Indians; removed by the United States dragoons from the Choctaw and Chickasaw country into the Creek Indian limits near the mouth of Little River, until the new corn was far enough advanced for them to feed themselves, a novel but interesting duty. Six companies of the Fourth Infantry proceeded to Florida, fall of 1841, from Fort Gibson; Lieut. Haller was with his Company (A), and present under fire in the Big Cyprus, Maj. Belknap, Third Infantry, commanding, and at the closing engagement at Palaklikaha (which led to the surrender of Halleck Tustewugga's band), Col. Worth, Eighth Infantry, commanding.

When the Fourth Infantry was ordered to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1842, Lieut. Haller, acting adjutant, was ordered to relieve the assistant surgeon United States Army at New Orleans, La., and receive and receipt for his medicines and instruments; lost only one man by death on the trip, out of a numerous sick list; was appointed adjutant Fourth Infantry, January 1, 1843; resigned September 10, 1845; promoted to first lieu- tenant, July 12, 1846; was part of the army of observation on the border of Texas, army of occupation on St. Joseph's Island and at Corpus Christi, and army of invasion in Mexico, under Gen. Z. Taylor, 1845-46-47; was brigade major Third Brigade; marched overland from the Rio Nueces to the Rio Grande; was relieved as brigade major, and as assistant commissary was assigned to that duty in Third Brigade; receipted for and was responsible for all the subsistence.

*An Autobiography.

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HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES.

stores; taken from Brazos St. Iago with Gen. Taylor's army to Fort Brown, when met by the Mexican Army and the battles of Palo Alto, May 8th, and Resaca de la Palma, May 9, 1846, were fought; acted as aide-de-camp to Lieut .- Col. John Garland, commanding Third Brigade, during the action; invoiced the immense supplies of subsistence stores, captured at Resaca from the Mexican Army, and took them up on his returns of subsist- ence; crossed the Rio Grande with Amer- ican Army, which took possession of Mata- moras; marched to Comargo, thence with army subsistence in wagons to Monterey. In addition to assistant commanding Third Brig- ade, was assigned the duties of acting quarter-master and assistant commissary of subsistence to First Division, Gen. Twiggs commanding.

On Gen. Worth's division moving to the Saltillo Road, vast supplies of subsistence stores were abandoned for want of transpor- tation, when Lieut. Haller was directed to take up all the army provisions and make issues to the several brigades. The impor- tance of economizing at this time and mak- ing the subsistence hold out, was a source of great anxiety to Gen. Taylor, who greatly enlarged his (Haller's) authority, and threw upon Haller great responsibility.

When Gen. Scott's expedition to Vera Cruz was organized. the Fourth Infantry was transferred from Gen. Twigg's First Di- vision to Gen. Worth's division, now desig- nated First Division. As officers who com- manded companies, were at the same time assistant commissaries of subsistence, and could not at the same moment be with the company in action and superintending the issues of provisions, Gen. Worth directed such officers to select which of the two duties they preferred. Lieut. Haller preferred commanding his company, and thereupon turned over his commissary duties to Lieut. U. S. Grant, ex-president, and late general United State Army, deceased.

Lieut. Haller served under Gen. Scott with Company (C), worked in the trenches before Vera Cruz; commanded the guard who received the infantry arms at the for- 'mal surrender of the Vera Cruz garrison. Marched on foot the entire distance from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico; was engaged at Cerro Gordo; was with the advance that took possession of the castle of Perote; also at Amazoque, when Santa Anna, with his cavalry, made his descent to cut off Gen. Worth's command, and in the triumph- ant entry into the city of Pueblo; fought in the several battles before the City of Mex-

ico and in the valley while approaching; was breveted captain, September 8th, and breveted major, September 13, 1847; re- ceived his commission of captain Fourth Iufantry to rank from Ist of January, 1848; commanded a battalion at the city of Pueblo (while Col. Albert Ramsay, of York, com- manding Eleventh Infantry, was commander) as the war closed, and conducted it to New Orleans, where he mustered the men out of service; was placed on recruiting service in Baltimore, Md., 1848-49-50; was mar- ried in York, Penn., June 21, 1849, to Miss Henrietta M. Cox; rejoined his com- pany (I) at Fort Howard, Wis., in 1850; in 1852 was ordered to the Pacific coast; sailed around Cape Horn, stopped at Montevideo on the Atlantic side, and at the Robinson Crusoe Islands (Juan Fernandez) on the Pacific side; was seven months on this voy- age. After a short stay at Fort Vancoouver, Wash. T., was stationed at Fort Dalles, Oreg., 1853-56; made two campaigns from Fort Dalles into the Snake Indian country, be- tween the Hudson Bay old forts of Boise and Hall, to chastise the murderers of the Ward party, and give protection to the im- migrants; hung a number of the assassins. Returning from the second expedition, found the Indians along the Columbia River greatly excited and preparing for war; as- certained and reported the murder of Maj. Boland, the Indian agent, expecting imme- diate orders to chastise the offenders; and organized the recruits and old garrison into two companies of fifty men each, with ammu- nition and provisions, ready to move at a moment's warning.

Orders for one company to march, and that for another purpose, were received. To delay for further orders involved responsibil- ity about as much as to march with both companies, and Haller assumed the responsi- bility to move with both companies. On the fifth day a body of hostile Indians disputed his approach to Toppinish Creek, resulting in a brisk tight, in which the Indians were driven off, leaving the field in his possession, however, next day the Indians collected by thousands (Father Pandoza, a Catholic priest, held by the Indians in duress, says there were 1,500 Indians), and surrounded the com- mand. Fortunately, they were not provided with many guns, and fought in small detachments, at different points, at dif- ferent times making the assaults less for- midable than if delivered simultaneously. The want of grass for the animals, and water for men and animals, obliged the command on the second night to fall back

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

towards Fort Dalles; in the darkness the rear guard (forty strong) took the wrong trail, and the advance, waiting for its rear to close up until daylight came, found its small body, reduced by wounded men, exposed to the assaults of the Indians, now flushed with triumph, but marched successfully in retreat for several miles, when a suitable place for defense was found, and the Indians finally driven by a bayonet charge from their only point of attack, when the soldiers were allowed to return to the Dalles unmolested. The loss was five killed and seventeen wounded.

Subsequently Maj. Raines, Fourth In- fantry, commanding the district with five or six companies of regulars, and six companies of Col. Nesmith's (afterward senator) Regi- ment Oregon Volunteer Cavalry, invaded this same country; encountered the Yakima tribe with some neighboring Indians, who kept the entire command at bay one entire day. Toward sundown, while the command was encamped, the warriors presumed upon the white man's hesitation, and became aggressive, and descended from their butte, fired upon the soldiers, when Maj. Haller, with his company, made a charge and brushed the flushed Indians from the timber and their elevated position without the loss of a man. The Indians, finding the whites too many for them, withdrew.

Col. George Wright, Ninth Infantry, with a new regiment, and provided with rifles and minié-ball, was assigned to the command of the district and took the field. Finding the Indians disposed to fight, he ordered Maj. Haller's company (left to garrison Fort Dalles) to join him in the field, and the forces he presented to the Indians, when he offered them peace, or war to the death, sat- isfied the Indians that resistance would be suicidal, and they thereupon accepted his terms.

A major's command was left under charge of Brevet Maj. Haller, in the Kittetas Val- ley, for observation, which, being near the families of the Indians, disposed them to preserve peace. Hostilities east of the Cas- cade Mountains having terminated, was or- dered to Port Townsend, on Puget Sound, to establish a military station, where the in- habitants of that section could find an asy- lum in case of Indian raids, as the Indians from the British and Russian possessions frequently would come into the American waters and indulge in acts of war. They killed, and carried off the head, of the ex- collector of customs, Col. Isaac N. Ebey, to avenge the death of a Hyda (Russian) chief

killed by the discharge of a cannon on the United States steamer "Massachusetts," when his band defied the navy, upon being ordered to return to their own country.

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History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 82

Author: Gibson, John, Editor Publication date: 1886 Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104