BIO: George Mafflin D. Eckels, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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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
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                             CHAPTER XXXIX. 

                        BOROUGH OF MECHANICSBURG.

410  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  GEORGE MAFFLIN DALLAS ECKELS, teacher, Mechanicsburg, a member of the 
Pennsylvania Legislature, is a native of Cumberland County, born near 
New Kingston, December 23, 1844, son of Nathaniel H. and Margaret 
(Williams) Eckels, natives of this county and members of New Kingston 
Lutheran Church.  Nathaniel H. Eckels, a farmer by occupation, taught 
school when a young man; served as county commissioner of this county, 
1859-61.  He is a son of Hon. Francis L. and Isabella (Clendenin) 
Eckels, the former of whom was elected, by the people of Cumberland 
County, representative to the Legislature in 1840; he was also a farmer 
and justice of the peace, and a descendant of the hardy Scotch-Irish 
Presbyterians who, driven from the North of Ireland by religious 
persecutions, sought homes in America and settled in Pennsylvania.  The 
subject of our sketch is the second son and child in the family of five 
girls and two boys that lived to be men and women.  His life, until 
sixteen, was passed on the farm, and in attending school, winters; he 
then entered Millersville Normal School, where he remained three terms; 
then taught school in this county for two winters, and was subsequently 
principal of the Wickersham Academy at Marietta, Penn., for a year, 
when he returned to Mechanicsburg, and taught in the public school 
here.  In 1878 he formed a partnership with W. H. Humer, in a general 
store at New Kingston, but sold out his interest to his partner in 
1882.  He was elected Democratic representative to the Legislature by 
the people of Cumberland county March, 1882, re-elected in 1884, and is 
the present incumbent.  He served on the committees of ways and means, 
general judiciary, education, constitutional reform, agriculture and 
elections.  He has taught two terms in the Cumberland Valley State 
Normal School, located at Shippensburg, Penn., and at present holds the 
chair of pedagogics and general history in that institution.  Mr. 
Eckels was married, June 6, 1871, to Miss Anna Humer, born in Silver 
Spring Township, this county, daughter of Daniel and Jane (Brownawell) 
Humer, also natives of Cumberland County.  To this union have been born 
three children:  Minnie G., George H. and Nathaniel O.  Mr. Eckels and 
wife are members of the Lutheran Church, of the Sunday-school of which 
he has been superintendent for ten years.