BIOGRAPHY: Simon KIRSCH, Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann 
Olsen. 

Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty 
Mirovich and Sharon Ringler.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 200-1
____________________________________________________________


SIMON KIRSCH, a prosperous farmer of Barr township, this county, is a son of 
Joseph and Catherine (Bear) Kirsch, and was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, 
December 27, 1820.
     His grandfather, Mathias Kirsch, was a native of France, and came to 
America in 1777, an under the noble Frenchman La Fayette fought in the 
Revolutionary War for American independence.
     Joseph Kirsch (father) was born in Alsace-Lorraine, and came to America in 
1832, locating on a tract of woodland in Barr township, this county, where he 
cleared a good farm. Having learned the trade of a weaver, he followed this 
trade in connection with his agricultural pursuits, and during the winter he 
threshed large quantities of grain for neighboring farmers. He was a devout 
member of the Roman Catholic church.
     He married Miss Catherine Bear, and to them were born the following 
children: Simon, Mary, deceased; Michael, a farmer of Barr township; John and 
Joseph, both deceased.
     Simon Kirsch was but twelve years of age when his parents removed to this 
country and located on a farm in Barr township, where he was reared. He adopted 
the life of a farmer, and in 1847 located on a tract of woodland and cleared 
about seventy-five acres, reserving about twenty-five acres of timberland; later 
he purchased an adjoining farm of one hundred acres. His land was all underlaid 
with coal. And he disposed of a large part of it at a good profit.
     Mr. Kirsch is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and has been twice 
married. May 31, 1849, he married Miss Mary Ann Shearran, and to them were born 
two children: Philamina, wife of John Kline, of Barr township and Simon P., a 
farmer in Barr township. His second wife was Miss Anna Bromansparger, whom he 
married October 18, 1854. To this marital union seven children have been born: 
Joseph W., a farmer; John E., a farmer, located in Ohio; Philip, a farmer; 
Annie, at home; Magdalena, the wife of Peter J. Bell, of Spangler; Stephen, a 
business man, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Maud.