BIO: Joseph C. STEINKERCHNER, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 952 & 953.
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  JOSEPH C. STEINKERCHNER, one of the most successful farmers in Clearfield 
county and one of the county's best known citizens, is also postmaster at 
Drifting, this county, his property being located in this (Cooper) township.  He 
was born January 31, 1849, son of George and Cora (Sundaman) Steinkerchner.  The 
parents of our subject were born in Germany, the father coming to America when a 
young man, the mother being eight years younger.  After coming to America George 
Steinkerchner was engaged at shoemaking at Bellefonte, Center county, Pa., he 
was a shoemaker by trade.  He and his brother purchased a farm three miles from 
the present farm of our subject in Cooper township, it being the first one he 
purchased.  The latter was born at Millsburg, Center County, settling on this 
place in 1855, at which time not a tree or bush had been cut on it.  He first 
built a small shanty, which he afterwards replaced by a neat four-room, two-
story residence.  This house is still standing.  His farm consisted of 114 
acres.  He had several brothers, one of whom died at Milesburg the year they 
moved to this place.  George Steinkerchner died about 1892 in his seventy-fifth 
year.  His wife died in 1877 at the age of sixty-two.  They were the parents of 
four children, two of whom died in infancy, the subject of this sketch being the 
oldest survivor.  The other is Catharine, wife of William McGowan, of 
Clearfield.  The father was a Democrat in politics and a communicant of St. 
Severine's R. C. church.  Both parents are buried in the Catholic cemetery.
  Joseph C. Steinkerchner in his boyhood days attended a log school house two 
and a half miles from where he now resides.  He aided his father in clearing the 
farm and later became its owner by purchase.  The present house he erected in 
1892, and about 1898 he built a fine barn 45 x 65 feet.  For the past six years 
he has been engaged in mercantile business and has been postmaster at Drifting 
for two years, his daughter Cora, and later his son John, having been previously 
in charge of the postoffice.
  Mr. Steinkerchner was married in the Catholic church in Cooper township, 
August 21, 1879, to Miss Elizabeth Ollinger, of Pine Glen, Center county, Pa.  
Her parents were John and Mary Ollinger, the former of whom died about sixteen 
years ago.  Of this union there have been children as follows:  Cora, wife of 
Clement Coudriet, of St. Mary's, and the mother of four children; John, of 
Philipsburg, who worked for three years in the brewery there, and who married 
Miss Catharine Beezer, of Bellefonte, Center county, and has two children, a son 
and daughter; Mary residing in Buffalo, N. Y.; Agnes, residing at home, who 
looks after the store and postoffice; Austin, who died at the age of six months; 
William B., who married Margaret Gleason of Snow Shoe, Center, and who conducts 
a hotel at Peale, Clearfield county, and has one child living; Nora, who is 
single and resides in Buffalo, N. Y.; Lucy and Simon, unmarried and residing at 
home.
  Mr. Steinkerchner has a fine orchard, he himself having set out about one-half 
of the trees, the others having been planted by his father.  His farm is in an 
excellent state of cultivation and is highly productive, being provided also 
with substantial and commodious buildings.  Formerly for a time he was in the 
lumber business.  He has seen many changes and improvements since his early days 
in the county, since his father used to take hides to the tannery at the old 
Gillen Mill at Gillentown, Center county, to get leather, of which he made boots 
and shoes, and carried grain to market to the same place on his shoulders.  He 
has kept pace with the times, has availed himself of all modern improvements in 
the methods of agriculture, and his efforts have been rewarded by a gratifying 
degree of prosperity.  He is one of the substantial citizens of his town and a 
man highly esteemed by his neighbors for his personal characteristics.