BIO: Christian B. Niesley, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
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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.

428  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  CHRISTIAN B. NIESLEY, wholesale and retail coal and produce merchant, 
Mechanicsburg, engaged in agricultural and horticultural pursuits, was 
born on the old family farm in Middlesex Township, Cumberland Co., 
Penn., August 15, 1834.  He attended school and assisted his father on 
the farm until he was seventeen, when he taught school winters and 
studied with a private tutor, and one year in the academy of Juniata 
County, Penn.  At twenty-one he went to Osborn, Ohio, and taught school 
there one year; then engaged as manager and salesman for the Neff & 
Carson Nursery Company, of Dayton, Ohio, one year; then took charge of 
the nursery business himself for several years, extending his trade 
into the Southern States. Having been successful he returned to 
Cumberland County, purchased the farm his father had selected for him, 
and soon after settled in Mechanicsburg.  He was married here, November 
12, 1861, to Miss Mary C. Merkel, born in Lower Allen Township, this 
county, daughter of Levi and Susan (Martin) Merkel.  Mr. Merkel, who 
was one of the first bankers in Mechanicsburg, organized what is now 
the First National Bank.  Since his marriage, Mr. Niesley has been 
engaged in commercial, agricultural and horticultural pursuits.  Mr. 
and Mrs. Niesley are active members of the Presbyterian Church.  He was 
sent as commissioner to the last General Assembly at Minneapolis.  They 
had two children, one son living - Charles Merkel, born in 
Mechanicsburg August 9, 1865, graduate of Lafayette College, 
Pennsylvania, class of 1886.  Mr. Niesley takes a lively interest in 
common schools, and has been director for many years; is chairman of 
the Pennsylvania State Sabbath-school Association, and he was one of 
the organizers of the Cumberland County Sabbath-school Association, 
organized at Carlisle, September 13, 1873; was elected chairman of the 
executive committee; then president, serving three successive years, 
and has been associated with it officially ever since; and, seeing the 
great need of better preparation by the Sunday-school teachers for 
their responsible position, he was one of the leading spirits in 
establishing and conducting the Cumberland Valley Sunday-school 
Assembly at Williams' Grove, where some of the best normal and primary 
instruction was given and some of the most noted lecturers of the age 
were heard.  Our subject is a son of Jacob and Mary (Miller) Niesley, 
natives of Lancaster county, Penn., the former of whom was born in 
Donegal Township November 8, 1797, and died March 13, 1869; the latter, 
born July 21, 1802, died August 8, 1877; they were members of the 
Mennonite Church; had four sons and two daughters, of whom Christian B. 
is the youngest.  Our subject's great-grandfather, Christian Niesley, 
came from Switzerland, during the religious persecutions, with two 
brothers, and settled in Lancaster County, Penn.  Christian B. 
Niesley's maternal grandfather came to Lancaster County, Penn., from 
Switzerland.  The subject of our sketch is one of the enterprising 
business men and representative citizens and stands high in the 
estimation of all as an upright, honest, Christian gentleman.  He has 
one of the most beautiful residences in Mechanicsburg, situated on Main 
Street, where he and his family reside.