OBIT: Jacob SZINK, 1872, Altoona, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ Col. Jacob Szink. The subject of this sketch, who died in this city on Thursday, the 1st inst., of dropsy of the heart, after a short illness, was born in Cumberland county in July of 1824, and was consequently a little over forty-eight years of age. He received an ordinary education, and went to the coach-smith trade at the age of sixteen years and served with distinction as a superior workman in the manufacturing establishment of John Palmer, of Mechanicsburg. At the early age of nineteen he was married to Mary, eldest daughter of Joseph Singizer, an eminent forwarding merchant, late of Mechanicsburg. In 1843 he removed to Harrisburg, where he was foreman of a smith-shop. His mechanical ideas and abilities having been highly appreciated by Messrs. J. Van Heuten and Herman J. Lombaert, he was in 1849 removed to this city to take charge of the extensive smithshops of the Pennsylvania railroad company. Here he served with zeal and ability, and stood foremost in the rank of foreman up to the time of his death. During that time he held the position of captain of the "Logan Rifle Rangers." At the breaking out of the war he entered the service and was commissioned as captain of E. Co., Third Regt., Pa. Volunteers. He participated in the battles of Antietam and Chancellorsville, and was complimented for his gallantry by brigadier-general Kane. He was afterwards commissioned as major of the First Batalion for the period of one hundred days. Col. Szink was the founder of the present system of blending iron for car- work by leverage. He had earned in his long career the confidence of his employers, as well as the respect and esteem of those who worked under him. A kind and affectionate husband and father and a good neighbor, his loss will be universally regretted in our city. He died in the triumph of that faith which was once delivered to the saints. Peace to the ashes of Col. Jacob Szink. Altoona Sun, Altoona, Pa., Friday morning, August 9, 1872