Franklin County Pennsylvania Biographies
GEORGE H. MERKLEIN, late of Chambersburg, was born June 27, 1816. He was the son of George Henry Merklein, an early and prominent citizen of Franklin County. His father, like himself, was a printer by trade and, like himself, his father possessed literary abilities of no mean order, being engaged for some time in translating from the German for the Franklin Republican, then owned and published by John Hershberger. This engagement was from 1810 until 1812 or thereabouts. George Henry Merklein, Jr., the hero of this sketch, received a fair education in the schools of his native town. He was afterward received as an apprentice in the office of the Whig then published by Joseph Pritts. Here it was that he learned his trade, subsequently becoming foreman of the office. In 1840, in connection with S. D. Brown, he published a small campaign paper which bore the title of the The Tilt-Hammer and which supported the fortunes of Harrison and Tyler in the exciting presidential contest which waged that year. With P. D. Frey he afterward started the Semi-Weekly Dispatch which, under the firm name of G. H. Merklein & Co., was continued until June, 1803, when it was merged with the Repository. Prior to this, namely, in 1857, he had become one of the proprietors of the Repository, remaining as such until the establishment of the Dispatch in 1861. In 1854 he was elected register and recorder by the Know-Nothing or American party, his term lasting until December 1, 1857. He was married in January, 1843, to Miss Margaret A. Nave, daughter of a well-known citizen of the county. Five children blessed this union, two of them still surviving, viz.: Dr. Chas. H. Merklein, now practicing medicine in Philadelphia, and Mrs. Mary C. Wood, wife of Geo. H. Wood, of Chambersburg. His son, Dr. Merklein, graduated in pharmacy in 1868, and in medicine at Pennsylvania University, Philadelphia, in 1869. Mr. Merklein, the subject of this sketch, was a consistent member of the Methodist Church, a Republican of the sternest type, a charter member of No. 75, I. O. O. F., Penna., and a man of many sterling qualities. He was a writer of marked ability and a citizen who had the respect of everybody. He died October 14, 1863, widely mourned. His widow, Mrs. M. A. Merklein, still survives him. History of Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1887, p. 667. - Transcribed and Donated by Carol Parrish |
| F. C. MERKLEIN, late of Chambersburg,
was born in 1806 in Chambersburg, Penn., and was educated at Chambersburg
Academy. He was a man of more than ordinary ability. He was a brother of
G. H. Merklein, who served as register and recorder of Franklin County in
the years 1854, 1856 and 1857. He was at one time editor of Franklin Repository,
also published a monthly called Gazetteer, in 1883, and afterward a weekly
paper called The Village Mercury. In 1847 he established at Mifflintown,
Juniata County, the Sentinel, which still exists. He was a popular writer,
critical, erudite and polished. He left the impress of his genius on the
journalistic and literary circles of the State of almost half a century ago.
His knowledge in literature, morals, science and the arts was large and extended.
No man in southern Pennsylvania, in his day, had a stronger hold on the people.
He died in September, 1885, at the advanced age of eighty-one years.
History of Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1887, p. 667. Transcribed and Donated by Carol Parrish |
| SAMUEL PHILLIPPY, farmer, P. O.
Greencastle, was born at his present residence in February, 1833, a son of
Samuel and Catherine (Rauch) Phillippy. Christian and Barbara (Reed) Phillippy,
grandparents of our subject, came to Antrim Township, this county, from Lebanon
County in 1817, and here the former rented land some four years, and, in
1821, he bought the farm of 160 acres, where our subject now lives, at sheriff's
sale for $48 per acre; the present stone house then stood as it does to-day,
though the barn and outbuildings were built by the father of our subject
in 1835. The old roof still remains good, the shingles of which were hauled
from Harrisburg by wagon. This farm was purchased in three tracts, as follows:
First dated November 24, 1761, as recorded in Patent Book, "AA, Vol. II,
page 446; second dated October 24, 1765, as recorded in Patent Book AA, Vol,
page 152; third dated December 28, 1813." The tracts were purchased from
Penn's heirs by John Brotherton; deed made to Christian Phillippy by Brotherton
April 8, 1822. The Phillippys are members of the Lutheran Church, and the
father of our subject was an elder in that church for many years; he was
a member of the building committee in building the new church at Greencastle.
Samuel and Catherine (Rauch) Phillippy had nine children: Christian, who
married Uriah P. Smith (they live in Monroe County, Mich.); Jonathan, married
to Catherine Harbaugh; Eliza, who married John Young (now a widow); Mary
Ann (who married Christian Whitmore); Isaac, married to Catherine Shank;
Samuel; Jacob, of Chambersburg, married to Susan Lesher; Catherine, who married
Daniel M. Baker; Margaret, who married Adam Vandrau. Samuel married Mary
Grove, a daughter of John Grove, of this county, and they have three children;
John G., Miriam M., James Franklin, all at home. Mr. Phillippy has the 160
acres of land that his grandfather first purchased. He is a member of the
Lutheran Church; in politics a Democrat; is one of the most solid farmers
of Antrim Township.
History of Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1887, p. 722 - 723. Transcribed and Donated by Carol Parrish |
| THE RAHAUSER FAMILY. The first of
this family to settle in Franklin County was Jonas Rahauser, a native of
Germany, born near Hesse Darmstadt, in 1777. He was brought to the United
States by his parents, who settled in York, York Co., Penn., in 1781, and
came with his brother Daniel, who was a minister of the Reformed Church,
to Franklin County in 1790, and soon after became an apprentice to the blacksmith
trade at Greencastle. After completing his apprenticeship, he was married
at Greencastle, to Miss Catherine Drooks, by whom he had three children:
Maud Catherine, Gideon and Jonathan. He was a prominent and active member
of the Reformed Church (three of his brothers, Frederick, Daniel and Jonathan,
were ministers of this society). He died in 1853, leaving a comfortable estate
to his family, his wife having died in 1849, and they are buried in the Lutheran
graveyard at Greencastle. Gideon Rahauser, son of Jonas and Catherine (Drooks)
Rahauser, was born in Greencastle, this county, in 1814. He was a farmer,
owning in Antrim Township a farm of some 180 acres, and from his marriage,
in 1849, always lived on that farm, located one and one-half mile southeast
of Greencastle. His wife's name was Margaret Stover, daughter of William
Stover of Greencastle, and by this union there were five children: Susan
A., William S., Joseph P., George W. and Gideon J. The father of this family
died in 1859, aged about forty-five years; he was one of the most respected
citizens of the township. His widow died in 1879, and they are both buried
in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Joseph P. Rahauser, hardware merchant, Greencastle,
the third child in the above family, was born in 1854, at Greencastle; he
obtained his education at the free and select school of Greencastle, and
Millersville Normal School, and subsequently (from 1872) he taught school
for seven years, three years at Greencastle, one year at Shady Grove and
three years at Belmont. Since 1877, he in company with J. M. Stover accepted
the agency of the "Stover Wind Engine Company" for four States: Pennsylvania,
Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. In 1880 this partnership was dissolved,
and in 1882, he in company with his brother, Gideon, under the firm name
of J. P. Rahauser & Bro., established the present business of dealers
in general hardware and agricultural implements, including the wind engines;
this is one of the most important business enterprises of the borough, the
sales amounting some years to $45,000 or $50,000, averaging about $35,000.
History of Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1887, p. 723-724. Transcribed and Donated by Carol Parrish |
| J. B. SCHEIBLE, ice dealer, Chambersburg,
was born in Philadelphia, Penn., April 14, 1813, eldest child of John Martin
and Catharine (Geyer) Scheible. John M. Scheible, born about 1776, was a
native of Germany, and emigrating to America soon after the commencement
of the century, came with his wife and two children to Chambersburg in 1816,
where he engaged in butchering till stricken down with paralysis in 1821,
which terminated his life in 1847. He reared to maturity a family of three
children, of whom J. G. is the sole survivor. Our subject received a fair
education in the public schools, and, when fourteen years of age, commenced
an apprenticeship which lasted seven years, at the trade of tailor in
Philadelphia. He then returned to Chambersburg, and in 1834 embarked in
mercantile business, which he conducted for some five years. In 1840 he took
up tailoring and conducted a clothing establishment until 1862, when he carried
on farming in St. Thomas Township, this county, for two years. In 1865 he
went to Indiana, where he purchased a farm and lived seven years. He returned
to Chambersburg, Penn., in 1872, purchased a brickyard and conducted the
same successfully, doing an extensive business, for seven years. In 1879
he commenced the ice industry which he still continues; has been very successful
and puts up about 1,500 tons of ice a year. Mr. Scheible was married, May
1, 1833, to Eliza C. Goodwin, born in Trenton, N. J., May 20, 1817. To this
union were born thirteen children, eight of whom are living - four sons and
four daughters. They are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Scheible has
been a member of the Masonic order for thirty years, and of the I. O. O.
F. for thirty-five years. In politics he is a Democrat. He was appointed
justice of the peace by Gov. Porter some forty years ago, and served then
four years. While resident of Indiana he filled the same position for four
years. Early in life he was captain of a militia company.
History of Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1887, p. 688.
History of Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1887, p. 687. Transcribed and Donated by Carol Parrish |