BIO:  Abraham SHEELY, New Oxford, Adams County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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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 502

ABRAHAM SHEELY, dealer in lumber, New Oxford, was born near Littlestown, Adams 
Co., Penn., January 20, 1828.  His father was Jacob Sheely, a son of Nicholas 
Sheely, who emigrated from Germany in an early day and settled in Mountpleasant 
Township, on land now owned by Solomon Snyder, which he entered from the 
Government.  He subsequently married Elizabeth Rife, of this county, and their 
first son, Jacob, was born in 1799.  Jacob’s birth was followed by that, of 
John, Hannah, Mary and two other daughters, whose names are unknown.  Upon the 
farm the parents remained until the death of the sire, when the mother 
rented the farm and remained upon it until her death, which occurred in 1840.  
Jacob was married to a daughter of Diederich Bishop, by whom he had six 
children, of whom John, David, Rebecca and Eliza were reared.  Jacob, by trade, 
was a blacksmith, and had a shop near Alloway’s Creek on the Gettysburg 
Turnpike; he also owned a small farm in that vicinity.  The death of his wife 
occurred about 1820, and two years later he was married to Catherine, daughter 
of John Erhart, of this county.  Subsequently he moved to Germany Township, and 
worked at his trade, one and a half miles distant from Littlestown, where our 
subject was born.  Six children were born to Jacob Sheely and his wife 
Catherine, of whom he reared Abraham, Joseph and Catherine, the others dying in 
infancy.  Jacob purchased a farm in that vicinity, and erected a blacksmith 
shop, and there lived for several years.  Our subject was educated principally 
in Germany Township, and was married, at the age of twenty-four, to Catherine 
Eckert.  They commenced housekeeping on a small farm in Union Township, now 
owned by William Weikart.  For a number of years he was engaged in the huckster 
business, and in 1861 came to New Oxford, and in connection with huckstering 
engaged in the dry goods trade.  Later this was abandoned for the grain and 
produce business, to which, in 1867, he added a stock of lumber, to which branch 
of business he has since devoted his attention.  He was one of the members of 
the first borough council, after the incorporation of New Oxford borough, and 
from that time to the present, with the exception of two years, he has remained 
a member of that body.  His popularity and business qualifications made him the 
choice of the Democratic party, in 1884, for county commissioner, to which 
office he was elected, and is now one of the present incumbents.  To Mr. and 
Mrs. Sheely nine children have been born, seven of whom are living:  George C. 
(married to Clara Diehl), Charles H. (married to Sallie Chronister), William F., 
Catherine Elizabeth (wife of H. C. Sanders), Sarah Jane, John A. and Edward V., 
all residents of New Oxford except Mrs. Sanders, who resides at Harrisburg.  
During the long business life of Mr. Sheely his sterling qualities have made him 
a central figure in commercial circles, and as a man of merit his repeated 
official terms furnish abundant proof.