BIO: John B. Heck, 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 XLV. EAST PENNSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF CAMP HILL. 468 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: JOHN B. HECK, surveyor, P. O. Wormleysburg, is son of John K. Heck, who was born in Lower Allen Township, this county, in 1799, and who married Miss Sarah Bechtel, born near Reading, Penn., in 1811, a descendant of the Adams family, who are so numerous and influential in Berks and Lancaster Counties, Penn. For twenty-two years John K. Heck followed distilling, when he inherited a farm near Oyster's mills, in East Pennsborough Township, this county, to which he removed and on which he lived until his death, in 1877. He had an extraordinary strong constitution, bur had a stroke of paralysis in 1852, and numerous others, until one finally terminated his life. His widow is still living. They had three sons and four daughters. The living are John B., Bella, Sarah, wife of D. W. Sheetz, M. D., of Northumberland; Hannah, wife of Wilson Miller, of Shiremanstown, and William H., a practicing physician in Philadelphia. John B. Heck was born at his grandfather's, near Oyster's mills, this county, April 3, 1840. When but twelve years of age he took the oversight of both his father's farms; when thirteen he went alone to Bloomfield, paid the taxes on some unseated lands, and redeemed them. Because of disease in his joints, in his fourteenth year he gave up school, but received private instruction at home, and obtained his higher education at Mount Pleasant College, Westmoreland County. In 1855 he studied surveying, and the following year did some public work in Perry County, and has continued the profession to the present time. The same winter and for six consecutive years he taught school, at the same time overseeing his father's farms. In 1869 he married Miss Sarah J., daughter of William F. Martin, of Fairview Township, this county. They have one son, John F., thirteen years old, and one daughter, Elizabeth Helen, aged ten. Mr. Heck was twice a candidate for the nomination to the Legislature, but, running solely on his merits, he was defeated by corrupt combinations. In 1869, in a total vote of over 4,000 he was barely defeated by twelve votes. In 1875, a combination on the judicial nomination again defeated him. For several years after his father's death he carried on the farm (which belongs to the estate still) together with doing some surveying. He also has charge of the Bridgeport warehouse. He is a member of Eureka Lodge, F. & A. M., and of Samuel C. Perkins' Chapter, of Mechanicsburg, and of St. John's Commandery, of Carlisle. An incident of his career is especially worthy of mention. His father and neighbors felt the need of a bridge across the Conodoguinet, and got a grant for one from the court, but for twenty years the commissioners refused to build it. Our subject went quietly to work, and by his energy and shrewdness got it built in 1868. It is known as Heck's bridge. But for him, it is safe to say this great public convenience would not yet be built. He is public spirited and enterprising, and has the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens, and deserves the success he has achieved. Mrs. Heck is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.