USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Portrait and biographical record of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 70
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Captain Ilerr is the eldest of seven children surviving of his parents' family, which origi- nally numbered ten; until 1833 he was mainly a resident of Manheim Township. At that time he went to Dayton, Ohio, being engaged in a dry- goods store for a short time, and afterward, during 1856 and 1857, was engaged in teaching school in this county. In April, 1857, he became a student in Millersville Normal School, graduating from the scientific course in the first class in 1858, and immediately became a teacher in the same institu- tion. For a number of years, or until March, 1862, he was Professor of penmanship, drawing and
bookkeeping, making a successful teacher in these branches.
In the spring of 1862 the subject of this sketch, in company with Professor Byerly and David N. Fell, raised a company which was consolidated with Col. Emil Franklin's men, which together formed the One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. The com- pany raised by our subject was known as Company E. Professor Byerly was made Captain, our sub- jeet First Lieutenant, and David N. Fell Second Lieutenant of the company, in which were enrolled thirty-six of the Normal School students, and this company had the honor of carrying the regiment colors. Their term of enlistment was for nine months, and after taking part in the second battle of Bull Run were assigned to Whipple's Division in the defense of Washington and afterwards were transferred to General Mcclellan's command, join- ing the Army of the Potomac, and being placed in the Third Division of the Third Army Corps. In December, 1862, they were in the battle of Freder- icksburg, and then with General Hooker at Chan- eellorsville, where General Whipple was shot. May 16, 1863. Captain Ilerr was mustered out at Ilar- risburg and then went to Philadelphia, and in Col. John Taggert's school assisted in training officers for colored troops. Afterwards going to Washing- ton and passing General Casey's Board of Exam- ination he was recommended by the Board for the grade of Lieutenant-Colonel, but accepted an ap- pointment as Captain of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment of colored troops, United States Volunteers, and was assigned to Company F, organized at Lexington, Ky. This regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac and took part in all the operations before Petersburg and Richmond.
During the summer of 1863, when Robert E. Lee made his raid into Pennsylvania, Governor Curtin issued a call for volunteers to serve during the emergency. Captain Herr, with several others, responded, raised a company and reported at Har- risburg, at which place six companies from Lan- easter County and four from other parts of the state organized the Forty-seventh Regiment, Penn- sylvania militia. They were mustered into the
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service of the state and of the United States to do duty wherever ordered. J. A. Wickersham, of the Pennsylvania State Normal School at Millersville, was made Colonel of the regiment, while the sub- ject of this sketch was made Adjutant. This regiment did service with the reserved forces of the Army of the Potomac during the battle of Gettysburg, and followed General Lee's forces on their retreat to the banks of the Potomac River, after which they were sent to Miners' Hill, in Schuylkill County, to quell the miners' riots. Ilere they served nntil peace was restored and the regiment was sent to Reading and dis- charged. Captain Herr then returned to Lancas- ter. On the surrender of Lee the Twenty-fifth Army Corps was formed under General Weitzel and sent to Texas. Captain Herr was detailed by General Weitzel as Assistant Inspector-General stationed at Corpus Christi, Tex., until the spring of 1866, when the troops were discharged.
Returning to Lancaster, Captain Herr was a draftsman in the Norris Locomotive Works until they were closed, after which he was in business in Reading for ten years. Next going to Philadel- phia he made that city his headquarters for some time while engaged as a commercial traveler. Be- ing offered a position as teacher in the Mulberry Street Grammar School, he accepted the place, which he occupied during 1879 and 1880, and then taught sehool at Florin for the succeeding year. In 1881, once more becoming a resident of Laneas- ter, he became bookkeeper for Richard Blicken- derfer and afterwards mechanical draftsman for D. II. Kulp. Ilis inclinations and talents seeming to lead in that direction, the Captain began mak- ing patent drawings and succeeded so well that in 1890 he embarked in his present line of bus- iness, in which he is meeting with gratifying suc- cess.
In Philadelphia our subject was married in 1879 to Miss Emma Adams, born in Lebanon County, and they have one son, Paul A., who is a member of the high school Class of '95. Mrs. Herr's father, Jacob Adams, was a merchant tailor in Reading, later running a hotel in the same city, and in 1875 became a resident of the Quaker City. Captain Herr and his wife are members of the St. James'
Episcopal Church. He is a true blue Republican and a member of George II. Thomas Post No. 84, G. A. R.
Early in 1875 he was appointed Major and Aid- de-camp on the staff of Major-General Bolton, commanding the Twenty-ninth Division, Pennsyl- vania National Guards, with headquarters at Nor- ristown. Ile did service during the railroad riots of 1876 and 1877, participating in the National Guard Eneampment of ten days during the Cen- tennial Exhibition of 1876 and remained with the National Guards until its re-organization into one division, as it now exists.
ILLIAM PATTON was born in Coun- ty Tyrone, Ireland, in 1817, but came to America within a year after his birth. His father, James Patton, attempted to come to this country in 1812, but the hostilities between this and the Mother Country of that year were just about to begin, and the merchant vessel in which he had sailed was overhauled by an Eng- lish man-of- war and he with his half-dozen com- panions was taken into custody. They were given the choice of either enlisting in the British army or going to prison. As Mr. Patton's ideas on the sub- jeet were firmly fixed, he refused to enlist and was imprisoned, but was afterwards released through the influence of leading officials. Soon after his re- lease he married Ann Ramsey, of County Tyrone, Ireland, and in 1817, the date of his son William's birth, he again sailed for America, where upon arriving, he settled in West Goshen Township, Chester County, Pa. Six years later he purchased a farm near West Chester, where he resided until 1850, when he removed to Columbia and engaged in the Inmber trade, his two sons, William and Scott, being associated in the enterprise. Ile died at his son William's residence in Columbia in 1883, at the ripe old age of ninety-five, having lived at Columbia all the intervening time with
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the exception of three years, during which he lived in Erie.
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Until he was twenty-two years old William Pat- ton's time was spent on the farm, assisting his father in cultivating the soil and acquiring such educational advantages as the schools afforded. When the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad (the first in Pennsylvania) was built, however, he was appointed State Agent, and relinquished his agri- cultural labors to accept the office. At the end of one year he resigned the position and entered the service of the road as a locomotive fireman. After three months' service in that capacity he volun- teered to run an engine from Parkesburg to Co- lumbia and performed the duty with such satisfac- tion that he was at once promoted to the position of engineer.
In 1841 Mr. Patton quit the service of the road and opened a forwarding house and lumber and coal yard at Fairview, Lancaster County, which business occupied all his energies until 1843, when he was again induced to enter the employ of the state as Train Dispatcher at Columbia, but he con- tinned his business operations. The following year he associated his brother Scott in the enter- prise and added a general mercantile business to it. This relation was maintained until 1852, when he abandoned merchandising and turned his atten- tion to contracting. His first work in this line was the construction of the round-house at Colum- bia for the state, after which he built in turn the greater portion of the Huntingdon & Broad Top Railroad, and, in conjunction with others, eighty- two miles of the Western end of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, extending from Erie to the Me- Kean County line, through the counties of Erie and Warren, and extending into Elk. In the con- struction of the Huntingdon & Broad Top Road he erected the once famous Stonerstown bridge, which spanned the Raystown branch of the Juniata River. It was a structure of two thousand feet in length, built of wood and masonry, and was, at the time, one of the most gigantic structures of the country.
In 1865 Mr. Patton gave up the business in which he had been so eminently successful, to en- gage in the more congenial and less hazardous
employment of manufacturing iron. In pursuance of this determination he became General Manager of the Susquehanna Iron Company, in Columbia, Pa., of which enterprise he has since been the head. In this time he has earned an en viable reputation. The Susquehanna Rolling Mill, under his manage- ment, has become one of the most successful estab- lishments of its kind in the state, and has been properly styled the "Golden Argosy," on account of its uninterrupted prosperity. Of course it has had periods of depression and has shared with other establishments of its class the vicissitudes of busi- ness; but, taking its history as a whole, its success has been phenomenal, and this fact is attributable in large measure to the skill and intelligence of its manager. In all the quarter of a century of its exist- ence, most of which time it was in operation night and day, there have been only two strikes of its employes, one of which was settled by arbitration, and the other by a determined and successful stand.
Mr. Patton has been largely identified with, and a liberal promoter of, the growth of Columbia, and takes just pride in his work in this direction. In addition to his iron interests he has been exten- sively engaged in building operations. Nor has he been unmindful of his duties as a citizen. With- out ever soliciting office he has always been ready to serve his community in a public capacity when important interests for all would be thereby sub- served. In the borough government he has occu- pied the position of Chief Burgess and has several times served in the School Board and in the Town Council. In every trust of this character he has given the most complete satisfaction and exhibited the same carnestness and intelligence he has shown in his private business. lle has served as Director in several of the most prominent industrial, benev- olent and financial institutions of the borough. He was President of the original Board of Trus- tees of the Odd Fellows' Ilall Association, a Direc- tor of the First National Bank of Columbia, the Susquehanna Iron Company and of the Keeley Stove Works.
Mr. Patton is one of the oldest members of Co- lumbia Lodge No. 286, F. & A. M., and is an ar- dent and honored member of the Methodist Epis-
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copal Church. Ile has frequently represented the local organization in the conferences of this denom- ination, and in his local church government has been Class Leader. Steward, Trustee and Sunday- school Superintendent. He has contributed freely to all church undertakings and is a devoted friend of the cause of foreign missions.
Politically Mr. Patton is an earnest and stead- fast Democrat, and though never an aspirant for office, has accepted such honorary positions as del- egate to county, state and national conventions. He was a member of the conventions which nomi- nated Horatio Seymour in 1868. and Grover Cleve- land in 1884. During a temporary residence in Erie, in 1862, he was unanimously nominated for Congress in that district, but the death of his only son soon after the event so depressed him that he subsequently declined the nomination and re- moved to Columbia. He was nominated for the same office in Lancaster County in 1874, and. though he ran far beyond his party strength, his antagonist, Hon. A. Herr Smith, was elected.
In 1841 Mr. Patton married Susan, daughter of Joseph Withers, who died in 1884. She was a de- vout Christian and a devoted wife. The couple entertained lavishly at their magnificent residence in Columbia. The fruits of the union were eleven children, three of whom, Annie V., wife of William Hayes Grier; Josephine, and Clara, wife of De- Witt C. Denney, survive and reside in Columbia.
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P ROF. WILLIAM WARD MOORE. A. M. To this gentleman is due the credit of mak- ing Franklin and Marshall Academy, of Lancaster, a success. In 1886 he and his estimable wife took charge of the institution, which then had enrolled only six pupils. It has constantly grown and now numbers sixty-three students. As the name of the academy indicates, it stands in close connection with Franklin and Marshall College
and partakes of all the advantages, both in point of location and general management, of that noted place of learning. The object of the academy is to provide a preparatory school for Franklin and Marshall College, but the standard of instruction is so high that students are prepared for any other first-class college in the United States. Professor Moore was born in McConnellstown, Huntingdon County, Pa., December 24, 1849. Ilis paternal grandfather, Charles Moore, was a native of Ire- land, was a farmer by occupation, and in religious faith was a Presbyterian. The Professor's father, Thomas Moore, was like him a native of MeCon- nellstown. He died in 1884, when in his sixty-fifth year. His wife, who was of Irish descent, before her marriage bore the name of Sarah Dunn. By their union were born three sons and a daughter, but only one of the family survives.
Until seventeen years of age the Professor con- tinued to reside in and near MeConnellstown and then became a student in Kishacoquillas Academy and Williamsport Seminary, then pursued his studies in Mercersburg College, where he completed the Freshman year and in 1872 entered the Sophomore Class of Franklin and Marshall Col- lege. In 1873 he commenced his career as a teacher in Huntingdon County and continued there for several years. In 1877 he went to Linn County, Iowa, and became Principal of a school in Wyom- ing, Jones County, a short time afterwards. In 1880 he returned to this state and was offered the principalship of Lumber City Academy, a position he held for a year.
In August, 1886, Professor Moore located in Lancaster. where he had been appointed as Rector of Franklin and Marshall Academy. He has fonr assistant teachers and is meeting with an encour- aging degree of success in the management of the school. lIe has charge of several of the higher classes, being Professor of Mathematics, Latin and Greek. By a recent action of the Board of Trus- tees, ladies are entitled to admission into the regu- lar classes and are granted all advantages afforded the other sex. In 1887 Professor Moore received the degree of Master of Arts from Franklin and Marshall College. Mrs. Moore is Matron in the academy, is a most excellent and deserving lady
A. HI. HERSHEY.
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and endeavors to make the resident students feel at home and that she is specially interested in their welfare.
The marriage of Professor Moore was celebrated in Lisbon, Iowa, February 6, 1879, with Miss Ada Douglass, who was born in the same town as was her husband. Her paternal great-grandfather was a native of Scotland, who, on his coming to Amer- ica, settled in central Pennsylvania and was one of the pioneer teachers. Iler grandfather followed the calling of a blacksmith in MeConnellstown, near which place Mrs. Moore's father, Joseph Doug- lass, was also born. Ile was a merchant for many years in that place and died in December, 1882. Ilis wife, formerly Nancy Johnston, was born in the same locality as was her father, James Johnston. He was a farmer by occupation and a soldier in the War of 1812. Mrs. Douglass died in April, 1889, leaving five children to mourn her loss, two others having preceded her to the better land. Pro- fessor and Mrs. Moore have two children, Ralph D. and Carl B. In his political faith onr subjeet uses his influence and ballot in favor of the Prohi- bition party.
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A NDREW H. HERSHEY, Sheriff of Lancas- ter County, is acceptably discharging the duties of the office, and the people are well satisfied with his manner of conducting affairs. Aside from his official position he is one of the most successful and prominent business men of the county, being the proprietor of a general store at Cordelia, and having an extensive trade as a coal and lumber merchant. Ile was born in East ITemp- field, April 9, 1850, and is the son of John L. and the grandson of Andrew Hershey, natives of the above township, where they were farmers by occu- pation. The former was also the owner of a coal yard in Petersburg, and was a fine example of the self-made man. He departed this life in 1891, when in the seventy-third year of his age.
The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hanlen, was born in Petersburg,
East Hempfield Township, and departed this life when sixty-three years old. She was the mother of seven children, all of whom are living. Andrew II., of this sketch, was the recipient of a good edu- cation. and when twenty-five years of age started a coal and Inmber yard at Petersburg. In 1876, in company with his father, he opened a coal and lumber yard, of which he assumed the entire man- agement. The following year another brother purchased the interest of the father in the business, and in addition to trading in lumber and coal the brothers began handling leaf tobacco extensively, and also raised that weed on land which they owned. Mr. Hershey is still interested in the yard and the tobacco warehouse in Petersburg.
In 1888 the original of this sketch removed to the village of Cordelia, in West Hempfield Town- ship, and opening up a large stock of general mer- chandise, did a paying business from the first. The postoffice was located in his establishment and he succeeded in having one of his clerks appointed Postmaster. In the fall of 1893 he removed from Cordelia to Mountville, but, as above stated, still maintains his business interests in the former vil- lage. Ile is a stockholder and Director of the People's National Bank of Lancaster, stockholder in the Northern National Bank of this city, and in the Agricultural Implement Factory at Mount- ville.
In 1890, upon the Republican ticket, Mr. Hershey was elected a member of the Board of Prison In- spectors, and the first year served as its Secretary, one year officiated as Treasurer, and during the last year of his service was President of the Board. In the spring of 1893 he was the successful candi- date for the office of Sheriff, being nominated by a majority of nineteen hundred and forty-nine votes over his three competitors, and in November following was elected by over eight thousand ma- jority. In January of 1894 he took the oath of office. To aid him in carrying out the law he has three deputies, namely: Chief Deputy A. L. Galla- gher, MI. B. Dissinger and F. W. Ilall. He is a man well qualified by natural gifts for his responsible position, the duties of which he discharges in a manner highly satisfactory to his fellow-citizens.
January 2, 1877, Mr. Hershey was united in mar-
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riage with Miss Salinda B., only child of John M. , and best railroad contractors in the state, having Kauffman. of East Hempfield Township. An in- entered into his first work in 1820. In the con- duct of that work he showed himself to be indus- trions, energetic and honest. Ile gradually ac- quired wealth, and in 1857 he established a bank- ing house in Lancaster. He was very successful, and always noted for his liberality and genial dis- position. During the entire period of his life in this state Mr. MeGrann was in some way connected with most of the public improvements, and when such a man departed he left a void not easily sup- plied. lluential Republican, our subjeet has served as a member of the County Committee and has borne an honorable part in the civic life of his county. Ile stands high in the various social orders to which he belongs, being connected with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows in Columbia, and the Mystic Chain in Mountville. He is well known as one of the prosperous business men of the com- munity, and his many fine qualities of head and heart have placed him high in the regard of his fellow-men.
B ERNARD J. MeGRANN. The native born citizens of Lancaster County have come rapidly to the front in various lines of work. The gentleman above named is one of the shrewdest and most intelligent business men in Lan- caster, worthily representing an honored ancestry. Ile is the son of Richard and Alice (Sheridan ) Me- Grann, and was born in Manheim Township, on the New Holland Pike, June 24, 1837. This farm is located just one mile northeast of Lancaster. where Mr. MeGrann makes his home, although his business interests are eentered in the city.
The father of our subjeet was a native of Ire- land, having been born in County Cayan, and in 1819 emigrated to America. Hle had been mar- ried three years previously to Miss Sheridan. who was also a native of County Cavan, and on arriving in this country engaged in railroad contracting. Later, however. he was largely interested in the banking business in Lancaster and owned the estate on which our subject now resides. In politics Rich- ard MeGrann was a stanch Democrat and always manifested great interest in the success of his party.
The father of our subjeet departed this life Oc- tober 14, 1867, and the community learned of his death with great sorrow. He was one of the oldest
The parental family of our subject included four sons and three daughters, namely: Richard, Brid- get, Elizabeth, John, Alice, Patrick and Bernard J. Alice became the wife of John McGonigle, who was four times Mayor of Lancaster. All the mem- bers of the family with the exception of our sub- jeet are deceased. The mother of these children, who was a devont member of the Catholic Church, departed this life in 1848.
Bernard J., of this sketch, was the recipient of a fine education, having completed his higher studies in Mt. St. Mary's College at Emmetsburg, MId. On the death of his honored father he succeeded to the banking business, and for a number of years thereafter was extensively engaged in railroad work, building many of the important roads, among them the C'atawissa extension from Milton to Wil- liamsburg, the Delaware & Boundbrook, including the bridge across the Delaware River, and the Pitts- burg & Erie from the former city to Youngstown, Ohio, a distance of some seventy miles. IIe located that road and completed it, turning it over to the company in one year, which was the shortest length of time in which a road of that length had been constructed in that day. The great railway bridge crossing the Olno River at Beaver Point is part of this line.
On the death of his father our subject became a partner in the Reed, MeGrann & Co. Banking House in Lancaster, a reliable institution com- manding a splendid business. Mr. McGrann is a member of the Catholic Church and an ardent Democrat in politics. Ile was brought prominent- ly before the public as candidate for the office of State Treasurer and was a delegate to the conven-
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tion which nominated General Hancock for Presi- dent.
January 3, 1872, Bernard J. MeGrann was unit- ed in marriage with Miss Mary Frances, daughter of Philip Daugherty, of Harrisburg, this state, and to them have been born two sons, Richard P. and Frank.
H ENRY N. HOWELL, Chief Engineer of the Fire Department of Lancaster, is very much interested in the success of the sys- tem, and has made a study of the best in use by the large cities. Under his supervision the Fire Department has been brought into excellent work- ing order, and few cities of the size have better fa- cilities and fewer disastrous conflagrations.
The birth of our subject occurred in this city April 17, 1819, he being a son of Charles M. Hlow- ell, a native of Philadelphia. Ilis great-grandfa- ther, Amos Howell, owned the ferry at Trenton, and had the honor of carrying over the Delaware River General Washington and some of his troops during the Revolutionary War. The family is of Scotch descent, and Amos, Jr., the grandfather of our subject, was born in the Quaker City and was engaged in the manufacture of coaches at the cor- ner of Eighth and Arch Streets. Charles M. Hlow- ell was a mason and marble cutter, which trade he learned in Philadelphia. About 1843 he settled in Lancaster and opened a place of business on East King Street, where he remained for several years. He then removed to the location where the business is continued in his name by his son Henry. Ilis shop and yards are at No. 135 North Queen Street, and a specialty is made of fine monuments. Many of the most valuable and largest pieces of work in this line have been done at this place, which is one of the oldest in the city. The father served for a term of three years as County Treas- urer, being elected on the Democratic ticket, the only instance of the kind in the history of this county. For two terms he also served as City
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