BIO:  Joseph GELBACH, Hamiltonban 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/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Page 441-442

JOSEPH GELBACH, farmer, P.O. Fairfield, is a son of John Gelbach, who emigrated 
from Wittenberg, Germany, in 1818, when twenty-two years old.  When Prussia was 
at the feet of Napoleon, John Gelbach served in the army of the conqueror, but 
when his country asserted herself he was in her armies and was in the memorable 
battle of Waterloo, when but nineteen years old.  His future wife accompanied 
him to this country, and they were married on landing at Baltimore.  He worked 
as a blacksmith and his wife in the house of George Trostle, at Marsh Creek, for 
a year, to pay for their passage.  Afterward they lived near the Monocacy until 
he bought a house and lot, one mile west of Fairfield, where he worked at his 
trade until 1839, at which time he bought a farm one mile east of Fairfield and 
built the house in which Joseph lives.  Several years later he built a house in 
Fairfield, in which he and his wife passed a peaceful old age.  He was a man of 
noted piety, identified with the Reformed Church from early life.  He was born 
March 16, 1796, and died March 28, 1879.  His wife, nee Maria E. Filgel, born in 
Prussia February 14, 1794, died December 25, 1884.  They had seven children:  
George, deceased in 1883, who lived in Baltimore thirty-six years and was three 
times married-first to Christiana Herring, next to Julia Smith and then to Susan 
McDowell, all of the city of Baltimore, latter of whom survives him; John, who 
died in 1844, aged twenty-two; Joseph, our subject; Mary Ann, who died in 1844, 
aged twenty; Elizabeth, now wife of Peter Shively, of Fairfield; Samuel David, 
who died in 1848, aged eighteen; Sarah Eliza, who died at the age of three 
years, in 1840.  Our subject was born March 21, 1828, and was about twelve years 
old when his father bought the farm he now owns, and worked for his father until 
his marriage, when they (he and his father) farmed the place on shares.  Our 
subject then bought, in 1871, this farm.  September 23, 1851, he was married to 
Eliza Jane Raffensberger, who was born February 11, 1833, and to this union 
eleven children were born, all now living:  John Winfield, born July 26, 1852, 
married to Millie Musselman, and they are living in Fairfield; Anna Mary, born 
December 8, 1853, wife of John Frank Hartman, of Mummasburg; Laura Catherine, 
born September 16, 1855, wife of Ephraim Swope, of Fairfield; Eliza Jane, born 
April 30, 1857, wife of Robat Ogden, living in Kansas; George Washington, born 
March 11, 1860, single, also in Kansas; Alice Naomi, born April 23, 1863, wife 
of Ed Weikert, of Bonneauville; Fanny Luella, born October 23, 1864; Minnie 
Hermione, born November 22, 1866; Clara Elizabeth, born December 10, 1868; 
Charles Edward, born February 11, 1872, and Lida Grace, born May 3, 1875 (the 
last five are living with their father).  The mother of this numerous family 
died suddenly October 4, 1883.  A good Christian wife and mother, her death was 
a great loss to her husband and family.  Mr. Gelbach has had several township 
offices, and has been director of the poor for the county.  He is ruling elder 
in the Reformed Church.  In politics he is a Democrat.