BIO: JOHN T. BRESSLER, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson OCRed by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ _____________________________________________________________ >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 734-736 _____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/ JOHN T. BRESSLER. The Bressler family is a large and important one and widely distributed, not only in Pennsylvania, CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 735 but through many of the Western States, and its members everywhere are noted for their excellent character. This branch of the family traces its beginning to Germany and its American founder was George Bressler, who was born in Germany, and on coming to America settled in Pennsylvania. George Bressler, grandfather of John T., was born at Strasburg, Lancaster county, was a farmer, and a citizen of good standing. He died at Mill Hall in old age, the father of these children: George, Charles H., John, Daniel, Henry, Huston, Sarah Ann and Charlotte, two of whom, Daniel and Charlotte, are still surviving. Dr. Charles H. Bressler, father of John T., was born at Mill Hall, Clinton Co., Pa., in 1821, and was graduated with the degree of M. D., at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1844. He also studied under the late Dr. Washington L. Atlee. From 1839 to 1849 he was engaged in the practice of medicine at Lancaster, and he practiced dentistry and medicine at Bellefonte until 1855, when he removed to the city of York, resuming his profession there. Having become associated with the late Dr. Ely Parry, one of Lancaster's most noted dentists, and becoming proficient in dentistry himself, he practiced same in connection with his first choice, and enjoyed an extensive practice in both lines. He was one of the original organizers of the Jefferson Dental College of Philadelphia, and by voice and pen aided in making it what it is, one of the greatest colleges in dental surgery to-day. His death occurred at York in February, 1894, at the age of seventy-three years. Dr. Bressler was an ardent Republican, and at one time was a candidate for Congressional honors, later appearing on the State ticket of his party as candidate for congressman at large. In 1866 he was commissioned, by Gov. Curtin, as sheriff of York county, to fill a vacancy. He was a devout Methodist in religious faith, and few stood higher in the estimation of his associates in the Church. Dr. Bressler married Sarah Ann Tonner, daughter of Rev. John N. Tonner, of Bellefonte, Center county, a Methodist minister, who died at Canton, Ohio. They were both schoolmates of Gov. Andrew Curtin, the beloved war governor of Pennsylvania, and one of Dr. Bressler's children, by his request, was made his namesake. Dr. Charles H. and Sarah Ann Bressler had children as follows: John T. is mentioned below; George B., of Lancaster, a prominent citizen and alderman there, married Ella M. Henry; Emma Barnett, Clara V. and Ella M., unmarried, live in York county; Wilbur C., a graduate of the Baltimore Dental College, married Molly Snyder, of York, and practices there; Andrew Curtin, a traveling salesman, is a resident of York; Charles died in infancy. Mrs. Bressler died in 1868, at the age of thirty-eight. John T. Bressler was born Feb. 25, 1850, in Bellefonte, and was five years old when the family moved to York, where he received his early education. He studied under Rev. A. M. Eberly, at Cottage Hill College, where he graduated. Then he took up dentistry with his father at York, upon completing his course of study removing to Upper Allen township, and has practiced his profession at Shepherdstown ever since. For seven years Dr. Bressler has been justice of the peace, and he has served two terms as assessor of his township. In addition to being a skillful dental practitioner he has won a justifiable reputation as an inventor, one of his designs being a wheel washer, a device for hubs to utilize lost motion. His covered shaft clip is now 736 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. being introduced, and his latest invention is a combined roller and harrow, which is about perfected. In 1870 Mr. Bressler married Alice Pollinger, daughter of George Pollinger, a former register of York county, and the following children have been born to them: Sarah Matilda died in infancy; Alice Alda, born Nov. 27, 1871, is the wife of W. Edwin Green, a coach trimmer living at Shepherdstown; Violet May, born May 2, 1874, is the wife of Oden E. Warfield, a car builder for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in Philadelphia, and they have one child, Beulah E.; Virginia Tonner, born May 5, 1876, is the wife of Henry C. Swartz, who is in the tailoring business at Albany, N. Y., and they have had two children, Sylvia May and Stanley Du Hadway, the former of whom died at the age of six years; Bessie Jane, born Oct. 24, 1878, is the wife of Edwin Nailor, of Mechanicsburg, who is engaged in the cress business, and they have two children, Edwin Saltau and Vance O'Tonnor; Maude Ella, born Jan. 30, 1880, is the wife of Lawrence J. Eckels, a butcher in Steelton, Pa.; Nellie, born July 14, 1882, resides at home; Jessie Myra, born Oct. 7, 1883, lives at home; Robert Wilbur, born Dec. 1, 1884, is engaged with the Bell Telephone Co. at Harrisburg; and James Albert, George Pollinger and Charles all died in infancy. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Bressler are as follows: Elmira, widow of Hezekiah Weaver, lives in Harrisburg, and has children - John, Frank, Fulmer, Miller, and Harry; Josephine is the wife of William Lantz, of Bowmansdale; Maggie is the wife of Millard Saul, of Harrisburg; George Albert is a resident of Montana; Louisa, widow of Jacob Hartman, living in Baltimore, has three children, George, James and Bessie; Amanda, widow of George Hetrick, lives in Canton, Ill.; Jane, and her husband, A. R. Miller, of Mechanicsburg, are both deceased, their surviving children being Jessie, George, Gertrude and Agnes; Ann Eliza is a resident of Baltimore; John, deceased, married Anna Bucher and had children - William, Robert (deceased), Minnie, Laura (deceased), Ella, and Susan (deceased). Elijah M. is living in Montana; James is now a resident of Alaska. Dr. Bressler is a stanch Republican in his political sentiments. The family is attached to the M. E. Church. Its members are widely separated, but they are closely bound by the ties of mutual esteem and affection.