BIO:  Capt. James HERSH, Cumberland Township, Adams County, PA

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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 402

CAPT. JAMES HERSH, farmer, P.O. Gettysburg, was born at New Oxford, Adams 
County, Penn., January 24, 1833, a son of George and Nancy (McClellan) Hersh 
(the latter a sister of Col. McClellan, of Gettysburg) natives of Pennsylvania.  
His father was of German origin and early in life a merchant, but later a 
farmer.  He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics was first a 
Whig and then a Republican.  His death occurred in 1871.  James Hersh, who is 
ninth in a family of fourteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity, was 
reared on the farm and wisely chose the latter occupation of his father for a 
life work.  He obtained a fair education in the common schools of his 
neighborhood and in New Oxford Academy.  On the breaking out of the civil war he 
enlisted in Company I, Eighty-seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
and September 12, 1861, was promoted to the office of second lieutenant of the 
company, and March 1, 1863, to that of quartermaster of the regiment.  He was 
captured and made a prisoner June 15, same year, at Winchester, Va., and was 
confined nine months in Libby prison.  He was exchanged and joined his regiment 
at Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864, and was discharged from the service at 
expiration of his term, October 13, 1864.  He has since followed farming, 
excepting while sheriff of Adams County, from 1872 to 1875.  The captain grows 
and deals in fine stock, and has done much to improve all kinds of stock through 
his portion of the State.  He raises and deals in thoroughbred and trotting 
horses and Jersey cattle.  In the hog line he gives attention to the Poland-
China and Berkshire breeds, and among his poultry can be found the Bronze 
turkey, the Pekin duck and the Leghorn and Plymouth Rock chickens.  He farms 600 
acres of well-improved land.  In 1880 he was a delegate to the convention at 
Chicago, which nominated James A. Garfield for president, being one of the 
famous 306 that voted for Gen. Grant, and holding the medal which was given him 
in honor of the event, and which he appreciates very highly.  Capt. Hersh is a 
member of the G. A. R.; also of the National Guards of Pennsylvania, with the 
rank of captain.