BIO: Jackson Levi SPANGLER, 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 54-55

JACKSON LEVI SPANGLER, of Bellefonte, Centre county.  Achievements more than 
words, things done rather than things said, have constituted the contribution of 
the German element of our population to the great political and industrial 
fabric which has been reared upon the foundations laid by William Penn for the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania more than two hundred years ago.
   Johannes Spangler, who came to the port of Philadelphia August 17, 1731, from 
the Palatinate, in the ship "Samuel," Hugh Piercy master, was no exception to 
the rule.  He and his descendants have had their full share of the solid, every-
day work in making the commonwealth what it is.
   Col. Jackson Levi Spangler, the sixth generation from Johannes, the elder, is 
the eldest son of John Spangler and Annie Berger, and was born in Adamsburg, 
Snyder Co., Penn., September 27, 1849.  His early life was without special 
incident.  He attended the common schools of Snyder county until 1860, when his 
father removed to Centre county, and has resided at Centre Hall, in one of the 
most beautiful valleys of Pennsylvania, from that time until this, except during 
his official term as sheriff of Centre county, to which office he was elected in 
the year 1877.  Col. Spangler attended the common schools in Centre county and 
was there fitted for Dickinson Seminary at Williamsport, from which institution 
he graduated with honors in June, 1871.  His relations with the seminary have 
been very cordial ever since.  He delights in attending its commencements, and 
at the last commencement was the alumni orator, and entertained a large audience 
by his graphic and vivid description of the development of this portion of 
Pennsylvania.  He entered the office of Orvis & Alexander in the latter part of 
1871, pursued the study of the law diligently and with success, and was admitted 
to the Bar of Centre County in January, 1874.  He at once took his rank in the 
legal profession, and his abilities were so quickly recognized that in the 
summer of the same year he was nominated for the office of District Attorney of 
Centre county, and was elected by a large majority in the fall of the year.  He 
filled the office ably and acceptably to the people for the full term of three 
years, and would have undoubtedly been renominated and re-elected in 1877 but 
for the fact that he declined a renomination, apparently for the reason that his 
father was a candidate for sheriff in that year.  Col. Spangler continued the 
practice of his profession, after his official term ceased, for a number of 
years alone, and subsequently, as the senior member of the firm of Spangler & 
Hewes.  He had high standing at the Bar, and was an especially persuasive 
advocate, his genial disposition and temper making him an especial favorite with 
the jury.  During his professional life he was also interested in local 
politics, in reference to which he was always an influential adviser in his 
party.  He was the chairman of the Democratic County Committee during the 
celebrated campaign of 1880, when Gen. Hancock received a majority of 996-an 
unusual one in Centre county, and larger than that of any other Presidential 
nominee since.  In 1890 he was the cordial choice of his county for the 
nomination of Congress in the Twenty-eight District, and would have undoubtedly 
been nominated at the conference of the representatives of the several counties, 
but the fact that his nice sense of honor forbade his making an arrangement 
which he thought was not in accordance with an implied promise he had made.  His 
mental equipment and education would have fitted him admirably as a successful 
candidate of his party, and if nominated, he would undoubtedly have been 
elected, and those who knew him best are satisfied that the district would have 
been worthily represented, in case of his election.
   Col. Spangler's services in the National Guard of Pennsylvania have been 
valuable and almost unique.  In 1877, at the time of the great railroad riots 
which convulsed the country, he accompanied Gen. Beaver, then commanding the 5th 
Division of the National Guard, as a volunteer aide, when the Division was 
called into action.  The headquarters were established at Altoona, where there 
was great unrest and much dissatisfaction on the part of the employees of the 
Pennsylvania railroad.  A careful investigation of the situation revealed the 
fact that the ferment was largely maintained by the demagogical appeals of a man 
who had lately come into the community, and was little known, but who had 
exerted a great influence by his street-corner addresses to the crowds which 
assembled to hear him.  The civil powers seemed to be paralyzed, and neither 
mayor nor sheriff would undertake to arrest the disturber of the peace.  At the 
request of Gen. Beaver, Col. Spangler (then without military rank) and Major 
M'Farlane were sworn in by the mayor as deputy policemen.  The second day after 
their arrival at Altoona, they located this man in a saloon, had a carriage 
driven to the door, arrested him, hurried him to the carriage and drove to 
Hollidaysburg, the county seat of Blair county, before the fact of his arrest 
became known.  From that day the spirit of unrest at Altoona decreased, and it 
was not long before complete order was restored.  In recognition of his 
services, Gen. Beaver recommended him for aide upon his staff, with the rank of 
major, which was promptly confirmed by Gen. Hartranft, then Governor of the 
Commonwealth.
   Immediately after the unprecedented disaster caused by the flood at Johnstown 
in the latter part of May, 1889, Col. Spangler, who was in that part of Cambria 
county, hurriedly repaired to Johnstown in company with Gen. Hastings, and was 
so overwhelmed with the necessity for prompt action on the part of all who could 
render service to the afflicted people there, that he remained upon the ground 
and volunteered to render such service as he might, in the distribution of 
provisions to those who were in need.  He organized the Commissary Department, 
and was so efficient in the discharge of his duties connected therewith that, in 
recognition of his services, he was appointed by Gen. Beaver, then Governor of 
the State, assistant commissary-general, with the rank of lieutenant colonel.  
Most men discharge their duties in National Guard service because of rank 
previously bestowed; in Col. Spangler's case, however, the services were 
rendered, and the rank followed in recognition of them.  So much impressed were 
the officers and men who were on duty in connection with the Commissary 
Department at Johnstown, that at the conclusion of their term of service they 
presented Col. Spangler with a handsome sword as recognition of their 
appreciation of the ability with which he had met all the requirements of the 
position.
   In the fall of 1887, Col. Spangler became acquainted (through several 
gentlemen who had the control of a number of options upon coal lands in the 
northwestern corner of Cambria county) with the marvelous mineral wealth of this 
region.  He visited this locality, and was impressed with its extent and value.  
As a result of it, he enlisted the interests of others in such a way as to 
induce an effort to secure control of a large body of coal in this neighborhood.  
As a result, the Blubaker Coal Co. was formed, of which he may be said to be the 
original founder.  Others united with him, and the business was followed so 
intelligently and persistently that the company became the owner of some 12,000 
acres of the best coal land in this region.  Col. Spangler has continued as a 
director of the Blubaker Coal Co. since its organization, and is one of the 
prominent stockholders.  As a result of this business connection, he became 
interested in the Sterling Coal Co., and when the business interests of the 
latter company increased in the region to such an extent as to demand active and 
energetic supervision, Col. Spangler was appointed general manager, and has 
resided in Hastings, acting in that capacity for several years.  He had 
considerable experience at Bellefonte in the development of real estate, and 
became interested in this region in the Hastings Improvement Co., and was one of 
the original and energetic movers in the development of the Spangler Improvement 
Co.  In recognition of the services rendered by him as treasurer and trustee of 
the latter company, village on the West branch of the Susquehanna, which is 
destined to be the center of a larger number of coal operations than any 
locality outside of Houtzdale basin, was named "Spangler."
   On March 24, 1890, Col. Spangler was married to Mrs. Eliza Wagner Holliday, 
and enjoys the domestic comfort to which he is entitled in his elegant and 
hospitable home at Bellefonte.  Although so largely interested in this locality, 
and spending most of his time either at Hastings or Spangler, he maintains his 
residence in Bellefonte.  We are persuaded that to no one man does northern 
Cambria county owe more of its recent development than to the subject of this 
sketch.