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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
ILLUSTRATED
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887
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Fannett Twp. -
D. O. SHEARER, farmer, P.
O. Dry Run, was born July 29, 1844, on the J.
Miller place, a son of William Shearer,
who was born near Strasburg, this county, in
1809, a son of Christopher Shearer, who
was one of a family of twelve sons.
William, who married Emma, born in
1812, a daughter of David Neal,
was for nearly half a century a member of the
Presbyterian Church of Upper Path Valley; served
as school director several terms, and was a
substantial citizen. He died, as he lived,
a Christian, passing away Mar. 3, 1885. Of
the ten children born to him four are now
living, viz.: Denton O., our subject;
Maggie, wife of William P. Kolb;
John P. was a teacher for a number of years,
is a lawyer, but now a resident of Indiana,
where he is United States pension examiner; and
Susan A., wife of Daniel Wolff,
of Spring Run. Denton O. was
brought up on the farm, and received an
education which he improved by five years'
teaching, in the course of which he attained to
a professional certificate. Dec. 29, 1870,
he married Mary A. Elder, only daughter
of Joseph and Mary (Wolff) Elder, and
with them he has resided since his marriage,
engaged in farming. He is a member of and
elder in the Presbyterian Church of Upper Path
Valley, and an active worker in the
Sunday-school, hating been either superintendent
or assistant in the different Sunday-schools
with which he has been connected for twenty-two
years, the last five years superintendent of the
Dry Run Presbyterian Sunday-school. He has
also been Chorister for the same length of time.
He was church trustee five years, and served his
township for two terms (term three years) as
school director, and one year as registry
assessor. He was elected a delegate to the
Democratic State Convention which met in
Allentown, Penn. , in March, 1884, and in the
same year was elected one of the directors of
the "Children's Aid Society," of Franklin
County, which was organized that year in
Chambersburg. In addition to farming he
has since his marriage been somewhat extensively
engaged in other business, such as the
settlement of estates, acting as guardian for
wards, and managing estates as agent, etc.
He has been executor, administrator and
assignee, and is at present executor in three
estates and guardian for seven wards.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
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ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 755 |
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Metal Twp. -
GEORGE W. SHEARER, farmer,
P. O. Willow Hill, was born Oct. 23, 1851, on
the old homestead, where he now resides
one-quarter of a mile north of Willow Hill.
His father, Jacob Shearer was born Jan.
1, 1801, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth
(Buzzard) Shearer. He married Agnes,
a daughter of William Campbell and
located on the farm now owned by George W. where
he died Oct. 5, 1867; his widow died Jan. 12,
1881. They reared five children to
maturity: Maria E., Josephine, Anna,
Jacob F. and George W., all residing
in the county. Our subject has remained on
the homestead, which he took charge of at the
time of his father's death, and Feb. 10, 1876,
married Annie, daughter of Jacob and
Lavina Flickinger. Mr. Shearer
is a member of the school board, and a member of
and elder in the Presbyterian Church (elected in
1885), in which his father was elder.
Politically he is a Republican, with which party
his father was also identified, and though firm
in his convictions was no partisan. Mr.
Shearer owns 120 acres of land.
They live on the property which once belonged to
Mrs. Shearer's great-grandfather,
Alexander, who sold his farm to Mr.
Shearer's paternal grandfather.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
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ILLUSTRATED -
Publ. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1887 - Page 841 |
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Fannett Twp. -
SAMUEL
A. SHEARER, tanner, P. O. Spring Run, was
born Mar. 31, 1828, near Strasburg, this county,
a son of Christian (a blacksmith) and
Susan (Probst) Shearer, to whom were born
the following named children: William, Mary,
Ann, Susanna, Rebecca, Katie, Samuel A.,
Benjamin and Adaline. Samuel
A. when a boy learned the tanner's trade.
Feb. 14, 1847, he married Harriet
Piper, who was born in Amberson's Valley,
Jan. 28, 1822, a daughter of Daniel
Piper, who was born in this county, Nov. 25,
1777. Her mother was Mary (Witter),
born Mar. 26, 1784. Daniel Piper
was a son of John and Catherine (Sollinger)
Piper, and died June 19, 1838; his widow
died May 25, 1865. After marriage Mr.
and Mrs. Shearer moved to Juniata County,
Penn., where they remained eight years, and then
came to Path Valley, farmed eight years, then
returned to Juniata County. After residing
there four years and a half, they moved to Shade
Gap, Huntingdon Co., Penn., and lived two years
and a half, and in the spring of 1871 located at
Spring Run, where they have since remained.
They have six children living: Mary S.,
Elizabeth C, Rebecca F., William H., Emma M. and
H. Ada. Emma M. is the wife of
David I. Culbertson of Shippensburg, Penn.,
formerly of Amberson' s Valley. Mr.
Shearer is a member of the church of the
United Brethren in Christ, and has been
officially connected with thp same; and of which
his son, William H., is a trustee.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 754 |
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Fannett Twp. -
WILLIAM SHEARER, farmer,
P. O. Spring Run, was born Nov. 12, 1841, on the
farm which he now owns, one-half mile from the
south part of the township, the eldest son of
Elias Shearer, who was born on the
dividing line between Metal and Fannett
Townships, Jan. 1, 1814, and who was a son of
Jacob Shearer (an early settler in
the Valley), and married Eliza Campbell,
Apr. 14, 1836; she was born July 3, 1814, a
daughter of William Campbell.
After marriage they removed to the farm now
owned by their son, William C., and
remained until their death, he dying June 3,
1885, and she in November of the same year.
They reared eight children: William C., Maria
Catherine A., Margaret I., Sarah A., Mary
J., Larue B. and Clara E., Huntingdon
County. In 1868 our subject married
Martha A. Kirkpatrick, a daughter of
James and Agnes (Shetler) Kirkpatrick, and
they have six children living: William W.,
Anna E., Ella A., Clara E., Sarah C. and
George H. Mr. Shearer operates
a threshing machine in connection with farming.
He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
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ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 754 |
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Southampton Twp. -
JOHN SHOAP, farmer, P. O.
Shippensburg, was born Nov. 30, 1819, in
Cumberland County, Penn. His grandfather,
Nicholas Shope (as the name was then
spelled), a blacksmith, came from Germany and
settled in this county. He was married,
reared several children and died near Roxbury.
His son, William Shope, who was a farmer,
died in Cumberland County, when over ninety
years of age. He married Nancy Gerrick,
who also died there, the mother of the following
named children: Maria, Betsey, Agnes,
John, Martha, William and Ann. Of
these, John Shoap our subject, was reared
on the farm and has followed agriculture all his
life. In 1849 he married, and resided
three years in Mifflin Township, Cumberland
County; later came to Franklin County and farmed
one year on the John Smith place.
In the spring of 1854 he came to the farm of
Dr. Rankin and carried it on for nineteen
years. It was then sold to Mr. McClean,
and Mr. Shoap still remains as a tenant.
He proposes to relinquish farming the coming
spring (of 1887) and remove to the borough of
Shippensburg. His wife is Barbara A.,
a daughter of Samuel Heberlig, of
Cumberland County, Penn., and their children are
Samuel H., Mary C., S. Ann, Hannah J.,
William John, David R., Emma E. and
Edward. Mary C. married William
Kitzmiller, and is now deceased.
Mr. Shoap is identified with the Democratic
party. The family attend the worship of
the German Reformed Church.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
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ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 924 |
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Fannett Twp. -
JOHN ALFERD SHOEMAKER,
merchant of Amberson's Valley, was born Feb. 15,
1848, about midway between Roxbury and
Strasburg, the eldest son of William and Mary
(Hefflefinger) Shoemaker, residents of
Letterkenny Township, this county. John
A. remained at home on the farm until
twenty-years of age, and then went to learn his
trade in the Franklin Tannery. In 1871 he
entered mercantile business, buying out the
interest of S. J. Eckenrode, and has
since been engaged in this line. He was
elected justice of the peace in the spring of
1885, and served as postmaster from 1873 to
1885; has also been auditor and assessor of the
township; has been a director in the Path Valley
Mutual Fire Insurance Company for ten years, and
has filled other positions of trust. He is
prominently connected with the interests of
Methodist Protestant Church and Sunday-school,
being officially connected with the same.
Oct. 21, 1868, he married Frances L. Stake,
born Mar. 23, 1849, daughter of Daniel Stake,
a well known resident of Amberson's Valley, this
county, and they have five children:
Daniel H. born Sept. 2, 1869; Dora,
born Apr. 23,1872; William O., born Oct.
13, 1875; Lulu P., born Sept. 17, 1878;
Carrie M., born Nov. 5, 1881.
Mr. Shoemaker is a member of Worshipful
Master of the A. Y. M., No. 262; also I. O. O.
F., No. 419, and Encampment, and Red Cloud
Tribe, No. 150, I. O. R. M. He is a
leading Democrat, and this year was elected a
member of the State convention.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
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ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 755 |
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Fannett Twp. -
B. F. SHOPE, M. D., Dry
Run, was born in 1855 in Huntingdon County,
Penn., a son of John Shope.
He was reared to farming, but seeing outside the
pale of husbandry a wider field of usefulness,
and which he fancied was more congenial to his
tastes, he resolved to take up the study of
medicine. In the winter of 1879 he
commenced reading at Orbisonia, under Dr. W.
T. Browning, and pursued his studies up to
the time of his final graduation Mar. 15, 1882,
at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York
City. On the 6th of September, 1884, he
married Sadie E. McKee, a daughter of
James McKee of Cleveland, Ohio, and settled
down in Dry Run in February, 1884, as the
successor of the late Dr. J. H. Flickinger,
and has since enjoyed an excellent practice.
In politics the Doctor is a Democrat.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 756 |
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Fannett Twp. -
DR. W. M. SHULL, Concord,
was born in Spring Township, Perry Co., Penn.,
August 14, 1859, the youngest of his father's
family. His father, Samuel Shull,
was a native of Perry County, and a son of
Frederick Shull. Subject's
mother's maiden name was Alvina Albert,
also a native of Perry County. The Doctor
was reared to farming, acquired a good
education, and began teaching at the age of
eighteen. He taught for five years, a
portion of the time as assistant at Wilson
College. In the spring of 1882 he began
the study of medicine, first with Dr.
McMorris, of Duncannon; later with Dr.
Stricker, of New Bloomfield, finally
graduating at Jefferson Medical College in the
spring of 1885. He immediately began the
practice of his profession in Blaine, Perry
County, where he met with success. In
February, 1886, the Doctor came to Concord,
where he has since received an excellent
patronage and is meeting with success.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 756 |
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Borough of
Chambersburg -
ADOLPHUS A. SKINNER, retired farmer,
Chambersburg, was born in Fannettsburg, Franklin
Co., Penn., Apr. 14, 1844, a son of William
W. and Mary Ann (Ramsey) Skinner.
He received a far education in the schools of
his native town, in the academy at Spring Run in
Franklin County, and in Miln Wood Academy at
Shade Gap, in Huntingdon County, in addition to
which he was in attendance one term at Academia,
Prof. Shoemaker's academy in Juniata
County. Subsequently he taught school
three or four winter terms, and in 1863 entered
the store of his uncle, John S. Skinner
in Fannettsburg, as clerk, remaining with him a
year or fifteen months. In 1866, in
company with Captain J. H. Walker, he
engaged in the shoe and notion trade at
Fannettsburg, under firm name of "Skinner &
Walker," which firm for two years did an
extensive business. On the death of his
father in 1867, our subject bbecame the owner of
the home farm, which is still in his possession,
and upon which he resided until 1872, when he
was elected register and recorder, and, in
November, 1872, removed to Chambersburg,
Franklin County. In 1875 he was re-elected
to that office and filled the same until 1879,
when for three years he led a retired life, and
in 1882 accepted the position of deputy register
and recorder, which he filled until April, 1884.
Since the spring of the latter year he has
devoted his attention to the management and
improvement of several farms in Franklin County,
and to the building of houses in Chambersburg
and Fannettsville. Oct. 16, 1879, Mr.
Skinner married Miss Susie E.,
daughter of John Keefer, a well known
citizen of Chambersburg, and to this marriage
have been born two children: Adolphus
L., and Mary Ann; the former Born
Dec. 25, 1880, and the latter born Apr. 4, 1882.
Mr. Skinner is a member of the I. O. O.
F./; in politics a Republican. He and his
family are attendants of Central Presbyterian
Church, Chambersburg.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED - Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 692 |
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Fannett Twp. -
D. J. SKINNER, farmer, P.
O. Dry Run, is a descendant of one of the old
pioneer families of Path Valley, this county,
where he was born Aug. 10, 1822, the third son
of John and Judith (Doyle) Skinner.
John Skinner was born Apr. 17, 1786, in
this township, as was also his wife, Judith,
daughter of Barnabas Doyle, whose
ancestors came here as early as 1748. The
grandfather of David J. was William
Skinner one of the pioneers of Path Valley.
Our subject remained at home until he was
twenty-two years of age, when he married
Catherine, daughter of Andrew and Sarah
(Stark) Barkley, the latter a daughter of
Isaac Stark. Mr. Skinner remained on
the homestead farm fifteen years after his
marriage, and, about 1859 moved to the Adam
Crouse farm, where he remained until 1869.
He then moved to his present residence where he
has since lived, and up to the present time has
been continuously engaged in farming pursuits,
having several hundred acres of choice land,
highly improved. He is the father of ten
children, as follows: Washington, Sarah
A., John M., William B., Anna A., Lizzie C.,
Jennetta A., David M., Ada B. and Lotta
B., all of whom are residents of the county,
except John M. and William B., the
former a merchant, the latter an attorney, in
Mount Vernon, Mo. Washington
entered the service of his country at the age of
sixteen, and returned as captain; he was
subsequently elected county treasurer.
Mr. Skinner is a member of the Presbyterian
Church. In politics he is a Democrat.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page |
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Fannett Twp. -
DAVID DUNCAN SKINNER, farmer, P. O. Dry
Run, was born Oct. 11, 1815, the sixth child of
Stephen Skinner a son of William
Skinner. He remained at home until
he was of age and for several years drove a team
to Pittsburgh. At the age of twenty-five,
he married Margaret, daughter of John
Flickinger. She died leaving eight
children, but one now living, Stephen.
Mr. Skinner's' second wife is Jane Beers,
a native of Huntingdon County, and a daughter of
Alexander Beers. To this union ten
children were born (nine now living), viz.:
Robert, Eldorado, Gilson, Nancy M., Clinton,
Wilbert, Mary, Retta J., Emma C. and
Anna M. (latter deceased). In 1844
Mr. Skinner moved on the place where
he now resides, and on which he has put all the
improvements. He had but $700 when he
bought the property, and has now three farms,
making 600 acres in all. Mr.
Skinner has been very industrious and
probably did more hard work than any other man
in this Valley. In politics he is a
Republican.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 757 |
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Fannett
Twp. -
STEPHEN McGINLEY SKINNER, retired farmer,
P. O. Dry Run, is of the fourth generation of
the family in this country, and was born Mar.
25, 1818, on the farm which he owns, and on
which his father, Stephen Skinner,
located in 1808. The latter was born in
Cumberland County, in March, 1783, and was a son
of William Skinner and Martha Duncan.
John Skinner, his father, came from England
and located first in New Jersey, then came to
Cumberland Valley, where he purchased land in
1782. He had children as follows:
Anna, William, Archie, George, Phebe, and
some whose names cannot be determined.
William, the grandfather of our subject, was
born Nov. 15, 1757, and by his wife, Martha,
had quite a family. The sons were
William, John, Stephen, David, Enoch, and
Daniel; John and Stephen
settled in Path Valley. Stephen
married Nancy Morrow, the mother of our
subject. She was born Jan. 7, 1785, a
daughter of Richard Morrow.
Stephen Skinner died Oct. 30, 1851; his
widow in August, 1855. Their children were
Ezra, Daniel, William, Thomas, Morrow R.,
David D., Agnes, Stephen McGinley, Martha,
Catherine, Mary, Enoch and James W.,
all living in the Valley, except Enoch, James
and Thomas. Our subject was
reared on the farm, where he has always resided,
with the exception of five years he spent at Dry
Run, then removed to the homestead, where he has
since remained. Mar. 26, 1840, he married
Margaret Culbertson (who was born in Path
Valley, Mar. 18, 1818), a daughter of Samuel
Culbertson. Mr. Skinner owns
100 acres of land. He has seven children
living, viz.: Calvin M., Isaac, Drusilla,
James W., West C., Daniel M. and Maggie
S. Elizabeth died when six years of
age; James W. resides in Gunnison City,
Col.; Isaac and Drusilla reside
near Bloomington, McLean Co., Ill. Mr.
Skinner is now retired from active business,
enjoying the quiet and pleasure of his home.
He has been for many yeas an elder in the
Presbyterian Church, which position his father
held before him. He has in his possession
the warrant and patent which his grandfather,
William, got from Thomas Blair, the
first owner the warrant laid on June 3,
1762, and patented Mar. 12, 1775. The
tract consisted of 436
¾ acres, which was
afterward divided into four farms, of which
Mr. Skinner's is one. For twenty-five
years our subject was chorister in the church;
politically he was first a Whig and later a
Republican. He sent two sons to the civil
war: Calvin and Isaac.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 756 |
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Borough of
Chambersburg -
WILLIAM C. SKINNER, brick
manufacturer, Chambersburg, was born in Fannett
Township, Franklin County, Penn., June 18, 1849,
youngest son of William and Sarah Ann (Aikin)
Skinner, the former of whom is also a native
of Fannett Township, this county, born in 1818,
his father, John Skinner, having been one
of the pioneers of that township.
William Skinner was a merchant in Dry Run,
till his election to the office of sheriff in
1854, when he removed to Chambersburg, where he
containued to reside until his death in 1878.
He reared to maturity a family of four children
- two sons and two daughters. He was a
successful business man. William C.
Skinner received a fair education in the
public schools and academy at Chambersburg, also
at Academia academy in Juniata County, Penn.,
which he attended some three terms. In
connection with his father and brother (under
firm name of William Skinner & Son), our
subject conducted a dry goods and notion store
for three years. In 1873 he commenced the
manufacture of brick, in which he still
continues, and has an extensive yard where he
makes some 800,000 bricks per annum, usually
employing some twenty hands. In 1875 he
was
appointed and served as deputy sheriff three
years. In the fall of 1880 he was elected
sheriff, filling that office for a term of three
years, since when he has devoted his attention
to brick manufacture. Mr.
Skinner married, in 1873, Alice R.,
daughter of Melchor Hassler, a
former well known resident of St. Thomas
Township, this county. Mr. and Mrs.
Skinner are parents of six children, of whom
four sons survive. Our subject and wife
are members of the Presbyterian Church. In
politics Mr. Skinner is a
Democrat.
Source: History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania
-
ILLUSTRATED -
Publ.
Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co.,
1887 - Page 692 |
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