BIO: Hon. Frederick KURTZ, Centre County, Pennsylvania

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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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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD, pages 39-40

HON. FREDERICK KURTZ was born in York, Penn., December 28, 1833, and came from 
there to Aaronsburg in the fall of 1846. After conducting the Centre Berichter 
for upward of ten years, he removed to Centre Hall. Here he established the 
Centre Reporter on the 1st of April, 1868. From the start Mr. Kurtz conducted 
the business of his office in business

40  COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

style, editing its columns with vigor and to the best interests of his party, 
and diversifying his reading-matter with more original matter than is contained 
in the majority of inland journals.
  Success has crowned his efforts, and the Reporter is now one of the largest of 
the county papers, and is a dominant factor in county politics. Mr. Kurtz has at 
all times stimulated public enterprise, and is the embodiment of a go-ahead man. 
He was elected to the Legislature in 1866 over Gen. James A. Beaver, and 
reelected in 1867 by a largely increased majority, and the highest vote upon the 
Democratic ticket. His record as a legislator was unsullied, and rendered him 
still more popular among his constituents. Among other indications of this is 
the fact that at a public meeting of the citizens of the county, irrespective of 
party, held at Bellefonte in the winter of 1867, his course in opposition to the 
railroad monopoly was heartily indorsed by Hon. H. N. McAllister and other 
leading citizens. It is to the credit, too, of Mr. Kurtz that he was one of the 
hardest and most earnest workers for railroad facilities for Penn's Valley, 
devoting days and weeks canvassing for subscriptions, and giving the enterprise 
continued editorial support, while he was also one of the most liberal 
subscribers for the stock.
  Mr. Kurtz always has taken high ground in support of educational interests, 
especially advocating the establishment of teachers' institutes, and speaking on 
that behalf at various points in the Valley. He served some twelve years as a 
school director. For over a dozen years he was president of the joint council of 
the Lutheran charge; for about sixteen consecutive years he has been elected 
president of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Co., of Centre county; for some 
twenty-six years has been president of the Centre Hall Water Co.; was chairman 
of the building committee in the erection of the handsome Lutheran church 
building at Centre Hall, and for nearly ten years has been an elder in that 
Society - all of which positions he has filled with characteristic zeal and 
efficiency. Centre Hall is also indebted to him for the reconstruction of its 
water-works, and change of the wooden pipes to iron pipes of the best modern 
style, and he has added to the improvement of the town itself a large roller 
flouring-mill and five dwellings. Moreover, the beautiful little town owes much 
of its reputation abroad to the columns of the Reporter, through which its 
exceedingly healthful location has become far famed.
  On January 26, 1861, Mr. Kurtz married Miss Anne Harter, who was born 
September 6, 1835, daughter of William Harter, of near Aaronsburg, and children 
as follows were born to them: William L., April 12, 1862; Charles R., October 
31, 1864, John F., May 23, 1868; George W., March 21, 1874.