BIO: Henry Hursh, 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 XLVIII. HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF NEWBURG. HENRY HURSH, hotel proprietor, Newburg. Henry Hursh, grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania 143 years ago, and from the most authentic information to be obtained was a resident, from the time of his birth, of Fairview Township, York County. His father had three children: Abraham, Henry and Susan, each of whom inherited large farms in that neighborhood. Henry was married as early as 1793, but to whom can not be learned, and three children were born: John, Joseph and Henry. Of these, John the eldest, was born in 1794; married Barbara Brookart about 1817, and commenced married life on a part of the grandfather's homestead, to which was added, by subsequent purchase, the Asten farm; and on this land were born nine children: Henry, our subject; John, married to Sarah Livingston; Joseph, married to _____ Hogan; Abraham, married to _____ Frank; Elizabeth, widow of George Rupp, and David, married to _____ Hale, are residents of Cumberland County. The deceased are Daniel, Susan and Mary. Our subject was born May 17, 1819, and remained with his father until his marriage, in 1841, with Catharine, daughter of Henry Deitz, of York County, Penn. His father owned a distillery, which Henry managed from the time he was old enough to attend to the business until after his marriage, when he tried farming on his own account. In 1843 he and his brother purchased the farm now owned by the Westhafer heirs. Farming was too dull for Henry Hursh, however, and he erected on this farm a hotel, which was known as the "Bulls Head," and was a great resort for cattle drovers, then very numerous in this county; he was a popular landlord, and made money in the business. In 1852 he left the "Bulls Head," and became proprietor of the "Big Springs Hotel," where he established a fine reputation for the hostelry. This place had been a losing investment for its former proprietors, but the cordiality and good business qualifications of the new host brought its usual reward, and he reaped a golden harvest. He also engaged in the stock business about the year 1855, with Col. Gracy and John Brown as partners. Later he purchased the "Black Horse" hotel in Shippensburg, which he conducted for a number of years, and then engaged in selling farming implements and cattle. Nothing proved so congenial to him, however, as hotel life, and again he took possession of the "Big Spring Hotel," and later the "Union Hotel," in Shippensburg. The next year he engaged in the wholesale and retail liquor business, in which he continued till the local option law was passed, when he removed to Hagerstown, Md. After the repeal of that law he returned to Ship- 488 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: pensburg, where he carried on the same business two years more. Again the hotel business was an inducement to him, and for the third time he became proprietor of the "Big Spring Hotel;" and after his two years' lease had expired he took charge of a new hotel at Shippensburg, Penn., and three years later he took charge of the "Exchange," at Newburg, and he has lost none of his popularity as caterer to the tastes of the public. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hursh: Adaline (deceased), Daniel and Ann, who is housekeeper for her father.