BIO: Daniel Drawbaugh, Cumberland County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ ______________________________________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc. Illustrated. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm ______________________________________________________________________ PART II. HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA. CHAPTER XLIX. LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF NEW CUMBERLAND. 493 LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP. DANIEL DRAWBAUGH, machinist, Eberly's Mills. From a German ancestry on both sides has emanated a man whose name will not only become famous throughout the civilized world, but from the obscurity in which his talent had been for so many years hidden it comes with an intensity which brightens the pages of Cumberland County records and forever perpetuates the name of one of her most talented sons, who was born and reared in Lower Allen Township. He is a son of John and Leigh (Blozier) Drawbaugh, and was born July 14, 1828. His father was a blacksmith and also engaged in the manufacture of edge tools and gun barrels. Daniel Drawbaugh was put to work at an early age, for boys then were supposed to be worth only what they could earn - education was a secondary thought, and his father paid no attention to matters of this kind. The genius of his son was developed at an early age, and he became quite expert with a jackknife, fashioning a clock, etc., and many inventions made in his younger days were never patented. At seventeen he learned coach-making with his brother, J. B. Drawbaugh, and while thus engaged largely improved the machinery used in that work. At fifteen he had made a steam engine, which he disposed of only a few years ago. He also displayed great talent for drawing from nature, and his portfolio is full of fine sketches. He also improved the methods of photographing on paper in an early day, but only engaged in that business experimentally; wood engraving was also one his fortes. January 1, 1854, he was married to Eisetta J., daughter of John and Mary (Thompson) Thompson. Mr. Thompson was for several terms a member of the State Legislature, and was also commander of a company of men during the Buckshot war. Daniel Drawbaugh and his young wife commenced housekeeping in the house where he was born. They had eleven children, of whom Emma C., Laura V., Iola O., Bella B., Maude C. and Charles H. are living, and Dovan T., Naomi E., Emma C., Ida M. and Harry W. S., are deceased. The long and useful life of Mr. Drawbaugh promises to become of especial interest. Naturally of an inventive turn of mind, he has perfected and had patented more than fifty useful appliances and instruments. His crowning success in life was the invention of the telephone, which has been claimed and for a time awarded to A. G. Bell, but a suit at law will determine his right to such invention. There is no doubt but that the principles of that medium were first put in operation in the little workshop in the hamlet of Milltown. Should this suit be decided in his favor, Mr. Drawbaugh at once becomes the most noted man in Cumberland County; should the decision be adverse he is none the less a talented gentleman and has earned for himself a high place in the inventive fraternity. Our subject employs a number of men and operates quite a large factory in which electrical and other apparatus form the basis of experimentation. His family has been reared in a style of modern elegance and the education carefully looked after.