BIO: George G. HASTINGS, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  GEORGE G. HASTINGS. History shows that the most prosperous nations of 
the world have had large agricultural interests to uphold their 
commercial and other business relations, and it is conceded that the 
stability and progress of this country is largely due to the farming 
class. Among the leading agriculturists of Centre county is numbered 
Mr. Hastings, who is now successfully operating a rich and valuable 
tract of land in Benner township, near Bellefonte.
  Thomas Hastings, grandfather of George G., was by occupation a 
surveyor, and came to Bellefonte in the early settlement of the place 
where he resided. He took up large tracts of land in Centre county. His 
children were: Daniel and Mary, the latter of whom never married. 
Daniel was born on Cedar creek in Haines township, Centre county, June 
2, 1794; on April 16, 1846, he married Mrs. Mary A. Hartsock, who was 
born in Half Moon township, Centre county, October 14, 1814, a daughter 
of George and Sarah (Flegel) Gray, and granddaughter of Peter Gray, who 
came from Frederick, Md., to the Half Moon country in 1788, and their 
children were: Enoch and George G. The former was a member of the 53rd 
P.V.I. during the Civil war, and is now a merchant at Beech Creek, 
Clinton county, Pennsylvania.
  George G. Hastings was born April 11, 1848, in Centre county, Penn., 
and spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the county of his 
nativity. He is indebted to the public-school system for the 
educational privileges which he enjoys. Throughout the greater part of 
his business career he has followed agricultural pursuits, but in 1869 
he embarked in the lumber trade, and for four years carried on 
operations along that line. In the spring of 1873 he commenced farming 
in Benner township on land belonging to the estate, and three years 
later he bought his present farm, then comprising one hundred acres, to 
which he has since added from time to time until he has now 260 acres 
of good land. On the farm 

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  457

are substantial buildings, and his improvements are all modern. In 
farming methods he is progressive, and his labors have resulted in the 
acquirement of a comfortable competence. In 1871 Mr. Hastings was 
married to Miss Loretta Rogers, and to them have been born children as 
follows: Mary Agnes, April 1, 1872, at Beech Creek, married Edward P. 
Gray February 9, 1897, and they reside on the old homestead in Patton 
township; Enoch T., November 12, 1783, in Benner township; George Gray, 
June 2, 1875, in Benner township; Harriet Belle, January 8, 1877; Sarah 
Loretta, September 27, 1878; Henry B., May 17, 1880; Anna Elizabeth, 
May 17, 1882; Eliza O., August 9, 1886; and Nellie Jennette, August 8, 
1888. Mrs. Loretta Hastings was born at Beech Creek on December 9, 
1846, a daughter of T. A. S. and Agnes Ann (Miller) Rogers. The latter 
was a native of Lancaster county, Penn., born in 1819, and died in 
July, 1883, at Beech Creek, in Clinton county. He was by trade a 
blacksmith. Agnes Miller was a native of Mifflin county, Penn., born in 
1814, and died in August, 1882, at Beech Creek. Their children were: 
Clarinda, Loretta, Henry B., John Thomas, Robert W., Susan E., and one 
that died in infancy.