BIO: Philip BOLINGER, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 392-393. __________________________________________________________________ PHILIP BOLINGER, Valley Point, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in Tell township, Huntingdon county, Pa., January 19, 1842. He is a son of Jacob and Rachel (Gifford) Bolinger. His paternal ancestry is German, his great-grandfather having come to America from the fatherland, enlisted in the Revolutionary war, and settled in Tell township, Huntingdon county, after the close of the war. His son, the grandfather of Philip Bolinger, was a farmer. The maternal grandparents, the Giffords, were natives of New Jersey, where Mr. Gifford was a farmer and blacksmith. They had nine children. Both Jacob Bolinger and his wife were born in Huntingdon county; he was a farmer during all of his life. He filled the office of supervisor. He was married in 1826; his wife was the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Stillwell) Gifford. Of their children, three have died: Mary, died in 1843, aged two years; Sophia, died in 1874, aged thirty-eight years; and Margaret A., died in 1890, aged sixty years. The remaining children are: John; Elizabeth (Mrs. George Swanger); Hannah (Mrs. James Barkley); Jemima; Philip; and Christiana (Mrs. Jacob Love). The father died in 1888, at the age of eighty-four; his wife died in 1880, aged seventy-four years. They were members of the Dunkard church. The education of Philip Bolinger was carried on in the winter school, the common school of his township, which he attended until he was eighteen. After leaving school, he assisted his father in the work of the farm on which he had grown up, until he became of age, and a few years beyond that time. In August, 1864, Mr. Bolinger enlisted in Company K, Two Hundred and Second Pennsylvania Volunteers, Capt. A. W. Decker, and served until the close of the war. This patriotic service performed, he went back to the homestead, and assisted his father there for another year. In 1867, he went to Kansas, and worked for one summer on a farm in that State; also as a general laborer. In the fall of that year, he came back as far as the State of Indiana, and remained there until the spring of 1868. Then he came to Black Log valley, Huntingdon county, and for a few years did various kinds of work. After this he purchased a farm, and regularly engaged in cultivating it; he has made this his business ever since. The township offices which Mr. Bolinger has held are as follows: supervisor of Shirley township, one year; a few years later school director for one year; in 1895, again elected supervisor, served a year; re-elected in 1896, and still holds the office; election offices, such as judge and inspector, at various times; for some years he was clerk. He is a member of General Kane Post, No. 292, G.A.R., of Mount Union. Philip Bolinger was married September 14, 1871, to Melinda, daughter of David and Mary (Crownover) Gilliland. Their children are: David F.; Laura A. (Mrs. Frank L. Oppel), of Oppelsville, Juniata county; and William O. The parents of Mrs. Bolinger were born in Huntingdon county. Her father was a blacksmith, and later a farmer. His wife, Mary, was the daughter of Daniel and Grace Crownover. Their children are: Melinda (Mrs. Bolinger); and Elliot. The father died at the age of eighty-six years; Mrs. Gilliland died aged sixty-four years. They belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church.