BIO: J. S. Sponsler, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2011.  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 LVI.

                        SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP.

544  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  CAPT. J. S. SPONSLER, farmer, P. O. New Kingstown.  The Sponslers, of 
Scotch-Irish origin, first settled in New Jersey.  The great-
grandfather of the subject of this sketch came to Cumberland County at 
a very early date, and his son George was born in this county in 1785, 
and owned a farm in North Middleton Township, on the Harrisburg Pike, 
two miles east of Carlisle.  George Sponsler married Miss Jane Mortier, 
of this county, by whom he had six children:  George, Jane, Margaret, 
Oliver, Jesse and Alexander.  His wife died, and he afterward married 
her sister, Mrs. Margaret Ruperd, a widow, and to this union were born 
three children:  Sarah, Frank and Alfred.  After the decease of his 
second wife Mr. Sponsler married Miss Susan Harman, of this county.  He 
was a Presbyterian in religious belief; in politics an old-line Whig.  
He was a man of strict business habits, and bore an excellent 
reputation.  His son George (father of our subject) was born on the old 
homestead in 1810; married Miss Sarah Coover, of Mahoning County, Ohio.  
To them were born five children:  Eliza, William, Joel S., Harriet, 
Marilla.  When a young man of but sixteen, George Sponsler went to 
Ohio, and returned to Cumberland County when about forty years of age.  
He is a member of the Evangelical Church; in politics a Republican.  
Our subject was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1837, and came with 
his parents to Cumberland County when a lad of ten years.  He received 
a common school education, and in 1856 married Miss Annie, daughter of 
John and Mary (Gruver) Dull, of Franklin County, Penn.  This union was 
blessed with six children:  John O., William S., Annie K., Robert P., 
George F. and Julia M.  In September, 1862, Mr. Sponsler enlisted in 
Company F, Seventeenth Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry.  He left his 
quiet home, wife and family of small children to fight the battles of 
his country, went to the front, and served with honor to the close of 
the war.  His regiment, the famous Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, 
was one of those which won imperishable renown, and its gallant deeds 
are memorialized on every field of battle, from the Rappahanock to the 
James, and in all the battles (57) in which this regiment engaged Mr. 
Sponsler was present, among which Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, 
Winchester, Appomattox and the Wilderness were the most prominent.  He 
was promoted for gallant services from private to first sergeant, 
second lieutenant, lieutenant and captain.  He was mustered out June 
20, 1865.  After the close of the war Capt. Sponsler returned to 
Cumberland County and settled down to the peaceful pursuit of farming 
in Silver Spring Township, and here has remained on the same farm 
twenty years, and is well known throughout the county as an honorable 
and industrious man.  He is a Republican in politics.