BIO: Henry P. SANKEY, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by MFS Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ 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. _____________________________________________________________________ H. P. SANKEY. It would be difficult to find in Potter township a man who has more friends than this gentleman, who has spent his entire life here, and has so lived as to win the high regard of all. In an old log-house, which was weatherboarded and painted red, and which stood on his present farm, he was born June 19, 1834. Different branches of the family claimed descent from French, English and Scotch ancestry, and probably there flows in the veins of the progeny the blood of all these races. Thomas Sankey, the great-grandfather of our subject, was the first to locate on the farm which the latter now owns. He died in 1797, and his will, which is dated August 17, 1794, and was recorded at Lewistown, Penn., is now in the possession of H. P. Sankey. Jeremiah Sankey (grandfather of our subject), and his brother Thomas, purchased the old family homestead, on which their father had located, buying the same in 1802 from the executors of the estate of Gen. James Potter. The grandfather started out in life a poor man, but after a few years purchased his brother's interest in the farm, and later became an extensive and successful agriculturist. He married Margaret Neil, and they now rest in Centre Hill cemetery, the grandfather dying when about sixty years of age. James Sankey, the eldest son of the family, was born in Potter township, Centre county, in 1798. He was married in his native township to Rebecca Pennington, who was born in Potter township, in 1802, a daughter of Henry and Margaret Pennington. They began their domestic life in the Nittany Valley, near Salona, where James Sankey and his father purchased a farm. About six years later he removed to Potter township to occupy the old homestead, which was left vacant by his father's death, and there he remained until he, too, was called to the home beyond, June 10, 1868. His wife died December 20, 1887, and they were buried in Sprucetown cemetery. In politics he was a Democrat until the organization of the Know 374 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD Nothing party. When the Republican party sprang into existence he joined its ranks and continued as one of its supporters through his remaining days. During the war he was a loyal and stanch Unionist. For several years prior to his death he was an invalid. In religious belief he was a Methodist, took a very active part in the local work of that denomination, and held a number of official positions in the Church. The children of James Sankey were as follows: Mary A., who died in childhood; an infant daughter, who died unnamed; Sarah C., who married Adam Stahl, and died at Potters Mills; Rebecca, who became the wife of John Wolf, and died in Potter township; Nancy J., deceased; James W., who served in Company G, 49th P. V. I., and is now in Humbolt county, Iowa; H. P., of this review; Jeremiah A., who served in Company I, 148th P. V. I., and died at City Point, Penn.; Robert A., who served for three months in an emergency company during the Civil war, and is now an attorney of Wichita, Kans.; Isaac P., who died at the age of nineteen years; Mary M., wife of Leonard Rhone, of Potter township; and John E., who died in infancy. The history of the Sankey family cannot fail to prove of interest to many of our readers, for its representatives have been connected with the history of Centre county for more than a century. H. P. Sankey has likewise been a prominent resident of the community, and is looked upon as a leader in questions that concern the public welfare. He began his education in an old school house, long since destroyed, in Potters Mills, his first teacher being John Gilliland. After leaving the common schools he spent a year in study in Mount View Academy, at Potters Mills, after which he began teaching in Potter township, having charge of a four-months' school. Subsequently he attended school in Williamsport, and throughout his life he has added to his knowledge by extensive reading, carrying his researches far into the fields of literature. He is a man of scholarly tastes, of retentive memory, strong mentality and broad general information. He remained at home until his enlistment in the Union army, April 19, 1861. Hardly had the thunder of Fort Sumter's guns ceased ere he offered his service to his country, and throughout the war he was a valiant defender of the Nation's honor. He met the enemy on one battlefield, was taken prisoner, and confined in Confederate military prisons for one year; his term of service as a soldier was fourteen months. Returning to his home, he was married, October 10, 1865, in Potter township, to Elizabeth E. Rhone, who was born in Potter township, October 12, 1841, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Kerstetter) Rhone. On April 1, 1866, they moved to their their [sic] present home, and the following children have come to bless their union: Edith M., a graduate of Lutherville Seminary; James A., who operates the home farm; Mabel S., a teacher; and Marcellus A., a student in the Lock Haven Normal School. The family occupy a high position in social circles, and one of the charms of their home is its free-hearted hospitality. For four years Mr. Sankey has been unable to attend to the duties of the farm owing to ill health, resulting from hardships which he endured as a prisoner of war, but he gives to the farm his careful supervision, and its business interests are ably managed. In politics he is a Republican with Prohibition proclivities, and is well informed on the issues of the day. He has held various offices in Church and Sunday- school, and he and his family are prominent in Church work. Few men in Potter township are more widely known than Mr. Sankey, and he commands the highest respect of all. He is a man of the strictest integrity, benevolent and kindly, and his life has been ever upright and true. 1900 Potter Township, Centre County census - Henry Sankey, 67 Emily E. Sankey, 58 Edith M. Sankey, 33 Mabel S. Sankey, 26 Marcellus A. Sankey, 23