BIO: John Andrew WEIR, Dauphin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JAWB

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
_______________________________________________________________ 

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 225.
_______________________________________________________________ 

  WEIR, JOHN ANDREW, son of Samuel Weir and his wife Mary Wallace, born 
January 19, 1802, at Harrisburg, Pa.; died October 10, 1881.  He was 
educated in the private schools of the town and at the Harrisburg 
Academy.  He learned coach-making, and, subsequently, went into the 
hardware business, which he continued a number of years, afterwards 
connecting with it the drug trade, taking into partnership his nephew, 
D. W. Gross.  During the administration of Governor Ritner he served as 
a clerk in the office of the secretary of the Commonwealth.  In 1840 he 
was elected prothonotary of Dauphin county, a position he filled two 
terms (six years).  While serving in this office he was chosen a 
director of the Harrisburg Bank, and afterwards became teller in that 
institution, in which capacity he continued until 1880.  While 
performing these duties he was treasurer of the State Lunatic Hospital, 
at Harrisburg, from its first establishment in 1850 to 1880.  For 
nearly fifty years he was an elder in the first Presbyterian church of 
Harrisburg, and took a warm interest in the promotion of the Sunday-
school system.  He was one of the first, firmest and influential 
friends of the anti-slavery cause in Dauphin county.  Mr. Weir married 
twice; first, Catharine E. Wiestling, born February 21, 1810, died May 
18, 1845, daughter of John S. Wiestling; and secondly, Maria Matilda 
Fahnestock, born December 15, 1808, died August 28, 1883, in 
Harrisburg, daughter of Abed Fahnestock.