BIO: Armstrong B. DILL, M.D., Huntington Township, Adams County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/ _______________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886 _______________________________________________ Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 456-457 ARMSTRONG B. DILL, M. D., York Springs. The family from whom Dr. Dill is a descendant, in a direct line, were of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and came to America during a very early date in its history. They were Presbyterians and some of their descendants have occupied high positions of trust and honor in public office and in the different professions. John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, president of Princeton College, New Jersey, married a Mrs. Ann Dill, the widow of Dr. Armstrong Dill, of Dillsburg, York County, the place being named after the family. The first now known by name was a Capt. Matthew Dill, who obtained his official title in the early Indian wars, and lived in Carroll Township, York County, or at Dillsburg, where he was buried in 17--. His son, Col. Matthew Dill, was an officer in the Revolution, and seven of his sons and one son-in-law, named Johnson, served in the Continental Army. He died about 1816, and was buried at Fairfield, Adams County. Nothing definite is known of Col. Matthew Dill’s seven sons, except Thomas and George. The former moved to Washington County, Penn., and several of his grandchildren became very prominent in the ministry, viz.: Prof. Henry Wilson, said to be one of the ablest Presbyterian divines in the State, also Revs. Calvin Dill Wilson and William R. Paxton, now of Princeton College, were descendants of the same family. The latter was a soldier in the war of 1812, and after serving through that struggle, while returning home, died of disease. He had two children: George and Matthew. Matthew, last named, was born at Dillsburg, about 1790, and was married to Hannah Brawley. They had a family of thirteen children, only six living to reach manhood: Mrs. Jane A. Pike, of Lafayette, Ind., Col. D. J. Dill, of Prescott, Wis., commanded the Thirtieth Regiment Regular Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was the last provost-marshal in Kentucky, enlisted and uniformed a company at his own expense at Prescott, and they were mustered into the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served four and a half years; Geo. A. Dill died March 24, 1886; William J. Dill died at Sandusky City, Ohio, in 1872; Dr. Armstrong B.; Ellen E., who married William Clears of Prescott, Wis.; Matthew T., of Prescott, and John Wesly, who, while a student at Lafayette, Ind., aged about twenty, enlisted in an Indiana regiment, and died in the war for the Union, and was buried at Lafayette, Ind. Dr. A. B. Dill was born August 28, 1835, a son of Matthew and Hannah (Brawley) Dill, and was reared on a farm near Dillsburg, York County. He obtained his literary education in the schools of the vicinity and at a select school at Wellsville, York County. In his twenty-second year, he began reading medicine with Dr. William H. Coover, of Dillsburg. He attended Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, in 1859, and graduated at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, of New York, in 1865. On the 26th of March, 1860, the Doctor began practice at York Sulphur Springs, and has been in continuous and successful practice since. He is a Democrat, and was elected and served in the sessions of 1869 and 1870 in the Pennsylvania Legislature from Adams County. He has also served as president of the school board in the borough, and in various offices. He married January 2, 1868, Emma J. Breechbill, of Schuylkill County, Penn., and they have eight children: Zula B., George McKendree, William Frost, Hannah Ellen, Matthew Thompson, Emma J., Hope and Alice Johnson. The Doctor and his wife are both members of the Methodist Church, and he has served in nearly all church offices. He is one of the most substantial of its supporters in the community. Andrew H. Dill, a prominent candidate a few years since for governor of Pennsylvania, was a great- grandson of Col. Matthew Dill, before mentioned. The Doctor is now very comfortably situated, the owner of two good farms, near the borough, and a residence in the town where he lives.