History of Franklin County, PA (1887)--Bios--Adams to Black USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. This file was submitted for use in the USGenWeb Project Archives by Joyce Moore, From HISTORY OF FRANKLIN CO. PA ILLUS., 1887 JAMES ADAMS JAMES ADAMS, engineer, Chambersburg, was born in Adams County, Penn., October 10, 1810; a son of Ignatius and Mary (Hoffman) Adams. He was reared on a farm until eighteen years of age, and received such an education as was generally given to farmers' sons. He then commenced an apprenticeship at the cooper's trade, which he completed at Chambersburg, to which place he came in the spring of 1928, and remained with his employer, Robert Stewart, as journey- man for some years; then, in 1835, he engaged in the same business for himself, and in this he was occupied until 1841 or 1842, when he entered the employ of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, first as striker in the blacksmith department, and was soon advanced to the position of fireman on a locomotive. He served as fireman two years, when he was promoted to the responsible position of engineer, (this was the day of strap-rail track, and open cab on the engine), and in such capacity served until February 1882. In April, that year, he commenced working in the Cumberland Valley Railroad shops, where he is still employed. Our subject married April 23, 1835, Martha Stewart, daughter of Robert Stewart, a former resident of Chambersburg, where she was born in March 1817. To this marriage were born six children, three of whom are living: James R., a resident of Chambersburg; Martha J., wife of Dr. John E. Kline, a physician, of Chambersburg; and Mary E., who resides with her father. The family belong to the Catholic Church. Mr. Adams is said to be the oldest engineer on the Cumberland Valley Railroad now living. In politics he is a Democrat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JAMES R. ADAMS JAMES R. ADAMS, baggage-master, Chambersburg, was born in Chambersburg, this county, February 15, 1845, son of James and Martha (Stewart) Adams, and was educated in the schools of his native town. In July, 1864, he entered the employ of the Cumberland Valley Railroad Company and acted as brakesman and baggage-master until 1873; then was conductor of a mixed train two or three years, and after that till 1882 was conductor of passenger trains. In December, 1882, he was appointed baggage-master at Chambersburg. He also fills the position of special conductor. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage, in 1879, with Sophia M., daughter of Adam Christ, a well-known citizen of Chambersburg. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Adams has never desired a political position. He is a Democrat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROF. M. R. ALEXANDER PROF. M. R. ALEXANDER, Chambersburg, was born in Lewistown, Miffin County, Penn., January 14, 1846, eldest son of James H. and Elizabeth (Rothrock) Alexander. He was reared on a farm and received the rudiments of an education in the neighboring schools, and in a preparatory school. In 1872 he entered Lafayette College, and was graduated from that institution four years later, Being a member of the class of 1876. While in college he fitted himself for the profession of teaching. For seven years from 1876, he was assistant princi- pal of the "Hill" school for Pottstown, Penn. In August 1883, he came to Chambersburg and took charge of the Chambersburg Academy, and has since conducted the same with ability. In 1880 Prof. Alexander was married to Margaret Hutchison, and they are the parents of two sons. Prof. And Mrs. Alexander are identified with Falling Spring Presbyterian Church. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- J. C. ANDERSON J. C. ANDERSON, builder and contractor, Chambersburg, was born in Waynesboro, Penn., September 28, 1838, eldest son of Joseph and Amelia (Taylor) Anderson, the former of whom was a tailor by trade. The father of our subject was born in Franklin County, Penn., in 1811, was a son of John Anderson, a weaver by trade, who came from Ireland in the early days and settled in this county. Joseph Anderson reared to maturity a family of nine children, eight of whom are living - three daughters and five sons - and died in 1883. Our subject was educated in the public schools of his native borough and when sixteen commenced an apprenticeship (of four years) at the cabinetmaker's trade with Jacob Henning, of Chambersburg, Penn. He then worked as journeyman for some years. About 1862 he took charge of the sash and blind factory of William A. Hazlit there, and this he conducted for some seven years, thence went to Greencastle, Penn., and took charge of J. B. Crowell & Co's sash and blind factory there for eight years. He returned to Chambersburg about 1877, but one year later again became a resident of Waynesboro, Penn., where he remained for three years. He returned to Chambersburg, Penn., about 1881, and began building and contract- ing, which business he has since followed. He is a successful builder, employing at times as many as twenty-five hands. Mr. Anderson was married, in 1858, to Sarah R., daughter of David Lippy, a former resident of Chambersburg. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have one daughter, Mollie J., now the wife of John J. Corbett, of Waynesboro, Penn. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Anderson is a member of the I.O.O.F. ROBERT McFARLAND BARD Robert McFarland Bard was born near Mercersburg, Franklin Co., Penn., December 12, 1809, the son of Captain Thomas Bard, who commanded a volunteer company enlisted in that vicinity, and marched them to the defense of Baltimore against the threatened attack of the British, in 1814. During his early life his parents removed to Washington County, Md. He attended the academy of Hagerstown as late as 1829, and in 1830 began the study of law in Chambersburg, Franklin County, in the office of Hon. George Chambers, and was admitted to practice January 14, 1834. He rose rapidly as a lawyer and as a public man, acquiring, by his ability and integrity, the confidence and admiration of the people. In 1842, he was associated in the law with James X. McLanahan, which partnership was dissolved in 1844. In 1850 he was nominated for Congress on the Whig ticket, but at that time his health had failed, and he was no longer able to attend to the duties of his profession. He had attained a commanding position at the bar of his native county, and reputation throughout the state as a lawyer of great ability. Had he lived, he might have reached the highest honors of the State and Nation. His death occurred on the 28th of January 1851, at the early age of forty-one. His frank and generous nature, his open, kind, unassuming and affable manners, had drawn around him a large circle of warm hearted and admiring friends, and his death was the cause of grief and sadness in many a heart besides those of his immediate family. Mr. Bard possessed fine literary tastes, and in his leisure moments produced a number of poems that were received by the public as rare gems. He anticipated the day when he could feel justified in devoting his whole time to literary pursuits. An article in the Philadelphia Press, entitled "The Chambersburg Bar of Thirty Years Ago," says of him: "Robert M. Bard was a peculiarly gifted man intellectually. He had a profound knowledge of the law, was ardently devoted to his profession, managed every case entrusted to him with masterly skill and force, and would, had not death removed him in the meridian of his years, have been one of the country's grandest jurists." Mr. Bard in early youth was studiously inclined, and devoted much of his leisure time to the acquisition of useful knowledge, and formed then the habits of study and reflection that were the foundation of his subsequent usefulness and eminence. His views of the profession of the law were exalted; he pursued it with unvarying devotion. He regarded the law as a science in the truest and highest sense of the term, demanding, for the attainment of distinction in its practice, a more varied and comprehensive equipment than is required for the successful prosecution of any other profession. He sought, by careful analysis and study of the leading cases in the various departments of the law, to comprehend fully, and to make his own, the underlying principles and reasons on which the decision of them was founded. The knowledge of these principles furnished the weapons on which he relied, and to which, vigorously and skillfully used, he was indebted for many a victory in subsequent legal combats in which he was a contestant in the arena of the bar. His mind was active, vigorous and logical; his addresses to the court and jury were cogent, eloquent, and free from all redundancy; he saw clearly the strong points of his case, and pressed those points lucidly and earnestly upon his auditors, and judiciously refrained from dwelling at length upon points of minor importance. Although ever studious to be correct in his opinions, he was a man of strong convictions; and when he gave a legal opinion to a client on a difficult point of law, he gave it with confidence, and it was received by his client with confidence, assured that it was the result of a careful consideration of the matter by one fully competent to determine it. As early as 1843 he had, by his natural and acquired endowments, achieved an enviable eminence in his profession. Mr. Bard was conspicuous as an influential and consistent advocate in the cause of temperance, at a time when that cause had comparatively few friends, and when its advocacy was regarded so differently from now, and rather as an evidence of fanaticism than as a wise, philanthropic, statesmanlike concern for the happiness and prosperity of the community. JOHN A. BENEDICT John A. Benedict, clerk of the courts of Franklin County, was born in Peters township, Franklin County, Penn., January 18, 1855, the youngest son of Jacob and Mary M. (Kiefer) Benedict. He was educated in the public schools of Peters Township, and was a pupil in the normal school at Shippensburg for two terms. He then taught school for nine winter terms, during which time he also engaged in farming on the home place in the summers. In the fall of 11884, Mr. Benedict was elected clerk of the courts of Franklin County for a term of three years. He married, in March 1876, Sarah E., daughter of M. H. Keyser, a former resident of St. Thomas Township, this county. The parents are members of the Church. In politics Mr. Benedict is a member of the Republican party. GEORGE BIETSCH George Bietsch, manufacturer of cigars and dealer in cigars, tobaccos, etc., Chambersburg, was born at Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, August 30, 1843, the youngest child of Frederick and Elizabeth (Eckstein) Bietsch. He received a plain education in the schools of his native town. In 1861 he, in company with his parents, came to America and direct to Chambersburg. In the same year, George commenced an apprenticeship with George Bruner at the trade of cigar making, and was next in the employ, as clerk and journeyman, of Moses Greenawald, and continued with these gentlemen, respectively, until 1863. In that year he taught a German public school at Chambersburg one session. Following the destruction of Chambersburg, he filled a similar position at Pittsburgh for some four years. In the fall of 1868 he returned to Chambersburg, and commenced the manufacture of cigars and the tobacco trade, in his present location at No. 79 South Main Street, where he is doing a fair business, usually employing from six to eight hands. In 1865 Mr. Bietsch married Elizabeth Pressler, and to them have been born eleven children, nine of whom are living, five daughters - Eva, Katie, Lottie, Gertie and Alice - and four sons - Emil, George, Charles and Thomas. Mr. Bietsch is organist of the Episcopal Church, a position he has held in the past ten years. His family attend the same church. Mr. Bietsch has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1870, and master of George Washington Lodge, No. 143, for the past two years. JAMES L. BLACK James L. Black, merchant and borough treasurer, Chambersburg, was born in Adams County, Penn., December 8, 1808, eldest son of James and Jane (Lindsay) Black. He grew up on a farm and in about 1820 went to live with his uncle in Guilford Township, this county. At the age of sixteen he began serving an apprenticeship of five years at the trade of tanner and currier. After finishing his apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman in Manchester, Va., one year, then returned to Chambersburg and began clerking in the store of George S. Eyster. About the year 1836, he, in company with his cousin, John V. Lindsay, purchased the business from Mr. Eyster, and carried it on for some years, when Mr. Black purchased the interest of his partner, and has since conducted the concern. During the fire in 1864, he suffered greatly, losing his building and much of his stock. His books were saved, he having buried them in the garden. He rebuilt on the same site in 1865-1866. In 1836 Mr. Black was married to Mary B., daughter of George K. Harper, one of the early editors and newspaper men of Chambersburg. To this marriage were born eight children, six of whom are living - three daughters and three sons - and are residents of Chambersburg, except one, Rev. J. Harper Black, now pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Clearfield, Penn. Mrs. Black died April 5, 1885. Our subject served as an associate judge of this county for a period of five years, having been elected at the same time as Judge Kimmell. He has been a member of the town council one term, and for six years has served as borough treasurer. Mr. Black has been identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church for nearly half a century. As a citizen he is highly esteemed and respected, and is one of the pioneer business men of the county.