BIO: William Bernard 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 951 & 952.
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  WILLIAM BERNARD STEINKERCHNER, proprietor of the hotel at Peale, Cooper 
township, this county, was born February 12, 1887, on the parental farm at 
Cooper (P. O. Drifting), a son of Joseph C. and Elizabeth (Ollinger) 
Steinkerchner.  His grandparents were George and Cora (Sundaman) Steinkerchner, 
natives of Germany, the former being a shoemaker by trade, who, however, after 
coming to America, was engaged in mining at Bellefonte, Pa., for some time.  
Later he engaged in farming in Cooper township, this being about 1855, when the 
place was practically wild land, no timber having being cut.  Here he developed 
a good farm, building also a neat residence.  He died about 1893 at the age of 
seventy-four years, and his wife in 1877 at the age of sixty-two.  They were 
Catholics in religion.  Of their four children two died in infancy, the living 
being Joseph C., the father of our subject; and Catherine, wife of William 
McGowan of Clearfield.
  Joseph C. Steinkerchner aided his father to clear the farm and later became 
its owner by purchase.  He built the present residence in 1894 and about 1898 
built a fine barn 45 x 65 feet, besides carrying on agriculture he has been 
engaged in mercantile business for the last six years, and is postmaster at 
Drifting.  He was married in 1877 to Elizabeth Ollinger, of Pine Glen, Pa., a 
daughter of John and Mary Ollinger, of which union there were eight children.
  William B. Steinkerchner was educated in the local school, working in the 
intervals on the farm of his parents, which also included a fine orchard.  He 
was graduated at Williamsport Commercial College in 1908.  He continued 
agricultural pursuits up to the age of twenty-one years and during the winter of 
1906-7 he worked on the Pennsylvania Railroad.  In June, 1909, he purchased the 
Peale Hotel from Wilbur Holt and has conducted it successfully to the present 
time, making a genial and popular landlord.  He is a communicant of St. 
Severine's R. C. church and in politics is a Democrat.  He belongs to the K. of 
C. at Bellefonte and to the B. P. O. E. of Philipsburg.  Mr. Steinkerchner 
married Miss Margaret Gleason, a daughter of Thomas and Mary Gleason of Snow 
Shoe, Pa., the marriage taking place December 1, 1908.  They have one daughter, 
Genevieve, aged two years.  In addition to carrying on the hotel business, Mr. 
Steinkerchner is a dealer in live stock.  He has been all his life a resident of 
Cooper township and is popular wherever known.  He suffered a severe loss by the 
burning of his hotel, but it is not the sort of man to let such an event 
discourage him, and his energy and perseverance are meeting with due reward.