BIO: Solomon Perry Gorgas, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

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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.

413  BOROUGH OF MECHANICSBURG.

  SOLOMON PERRY GORGAS, banker, Mechanicsburg, is one of the pioneer 
children of Cumberland County, born August 31, 1815, on the old 
homestead farm, in Lower Allen Township, the youngest in the family of 
four sons and three daughters of Solomon and Catharine (Fahnestock) 
Gorgas, natives of Pennsylvania, who were married in Lancaster County, 
Penn., and came to this county about 1803, settling on the old farm now 
owned by their son, William R., in Lower Allen Township.  Solomon 
Gorgas, Sr., was a prominent man of his day; was elected by the people 
of this county to the Legislature two terms; he opened a store and 
hotel on his farm in Lower Allen Township (the only store and hotel in 
that part of the county for many years), and died here September 21, 
1838, aged seventy-four years, seven months and four days.  His widow 
died August 9, 1853, aged seventy-nine years, five months and six days.  
Both were members of the Seven Day Baptist Church.  Solomon P. Gorgas 
married, May 8, 1845, Miss Elizabeth Eberly, born in Hampden Township, 
this county, March 31, 1822, daughter of Benjamin and Barbara 
(Kauffman) Eberly, natives of this county.  Our subject farmed in 
Fairview Township, York Co., Penn., until 1850, when he came to 
Mechanicsburg, this county, and in 1855 purchased fifty-six acres of 
what is now a part of the east side of the city.  In 1859 Mr. Gorgas, 
in company with Levi Merkel, Jacob Mumma, Jacob, Levi F. and Samuel 
Eberly, William R. Gorgas, John Nisley and John Brandt, formed a 
banking company, under the firm name of Merkel, Mumma & Co., with John 
Brandt, president, and Levi Kauffman, cashier.  In 1861 the bank became 
the Mechanicsburg Bank, chartered under the State law, Levi Merkel, 
president.  In February 1864, the bank was chartered as the First 
National Bank, with Solomon P. Gorgas, president, and re-chartered in 
February, 1883.  To our subject and wife have been born nine children, 
of whom one son and three daughters are living:  Kate E., wife of Dr. 
J. Nelson Clark, of Harrisburg, Penn.; William F., formerly connected 
with the First National Bank, in Mechanicsburg, now residing in St. 
Louis, Mo.; Anna B., wife of Jacob H. Kohler, a member of the firm of 
J. B. Kohler & Co., manufacturers, Mechanicsburg, Penn.; and Mary E., 
wife of William C. Hicks, proprietor of the "Peoples Tea Store," at 
Harrisburg, Penn.  Mr. Gorgas has been identified with this county for 
the past seventy years.  He built the Irving Female College, of 
Mechanicsburg.  He and his wife stand high in the estimation of all who 
know them.  They reside in the house in which they were married forty 
years ago.  Mrs. Gorgas is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  
Our subject is not only one of our old settlers, but one of the honest, 
upright, solid business men.  He has held various local offices of 
trust in his town, and has lived to see Mechanicsburg and Cumberland 
County undergo many interesting and important changes.