BIO: George W. Paxton, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2010.  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 XLIV.

                           DICKINSON TOWNSHIP.

464  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  GEORGE W. PAXTON, postmaster of Hunters Run, was born in Carroll 
County, Md., in 1849.  Being abandoned by his mother when he was an 
infant, he was brought to Hunters Run, in this county, when he was nine 
months old, and was reared in the family of Godfrey Fenner, one of the 
first residents of this part of the county.  Our subject spent his 
boyhood on a farm, cutting wood and doing the general work of a 
farmer's boy in this mountain community.  He attended the primitive 
schools of those times, and has since acquired a good education by 
private reading and study.  From his twelfth to his twentieth year he 
worked with Mr. Philip G. Howe.  In 1873 he engaged in merchandising at 
Gardiner's store, South Mountain, locating in 1876 in Myerstown in his 
own building, which he had erected for that purpose in the spring of 
that year.  In addition to this enterprise he opened another store, in 
1880, at Hunters Run Station, and also dealt in coal and grain, and 
acted as freight agent for the South Mountain Railroad Company, and 
also for the Adams Express Company.  From 1873 till 1882 he was 
extensively engaged in the manufacture of charcoal, selling to the 
South Mountain Mining and Iron Company, at Pine Grove Furnace, 
Cumberland Co., Penn., and to C. W. Ahl & Son, of Boiling Springs, 
Cumberland County, the contract for coal running as high as 150,000 
bushels per year, giving employment at certain times to 100 men in 
cutting cordwood, coaling, hauling, etc.  The amount paid for labor, 
for four years, ranged from $5,000 to $7,000 annually, the most 
extensive work done and the greatest number of laborers employed having 
been during the four years mentioned, the year 1882 representing the 
maximum.  In 1881 he sold his store at Myerstown, but still retained 
ownership of the building, and continued business at Hunters Run until 
March, 1885.  He began the manufacture of lumber, near Hunters Run, in 
1872 and continued it until 1885, when he sold the mill, which has 
since been removed.  In addition to all these business enterprises Mr. 
Paxton has done a very extensive business in real estate, handling more 
real estate than any other ten men in his vicinity.  Mr. Paxton 
married, July 1, 1875, Anna M. Myers, a native of this county and 
daughter of David and Julia Myers, and to them have been born four 
children:  Ellis M., Morris T., Jessie Armeda and Irvine (latter 
deceased).  Mr. Paxton is a Democrat in politics.  He was appointed 
postmaster at Hunters Run January 23, 1883, which office he still 
holds.  He took a very active and energetic part in the encouragement 
and construction of the Gettysburg & Harrisburg Railroad, from Hunters 
Run to Gettysburg, which was built and formally opened for travel in 
the early part of 1884.  Our subject has led a very active and 
successful business life, and has acquired a handsome estate.  He and 
wife are members of the Lutheran Church.