BIO: William GETTIS, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Denise Phillips

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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 101-102.
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  WILLIAM GETTIS, Neffs Mills, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in 
Barree township, January 20, 1834, a son of Patrick and Victoria 
(Montgomery) Gettis.  Robert Gettis, his grandfather, was a tailor.  He 
was born in Ireland, as was also his wife, Elizabeth Dougherty, who was 
of Scotch descent.  They had several children.  Robert Gettis enlisted 
for the war of 1812, and was in some engagements of Lake Erie; he never 
returned home, but died in Ohio.  Their son, Patrick Gettis, received a 
common school education, and learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, 
which was his life-long vocation.  He resided in West and in Barree 
townships.  Mrs. Patrick Gettis was born in West township, daughter of 
Alexander and Elizabeth Montgomery.  Their children are:  Catherine, 
deceased; Eliza J., wife of H. A. Sisler, of Iowa; Martha, widow of 
Daniel Baker, of Scottdale, Pa.; Alexander M., farmer, Barree township; 
William; Robert, deceased, a soldier in the war of the Rebellion; 
James, also a soldier, was killed on the railroad, at Altoona, Pa.; 
Mary A., deceased; Agnes, wife of U. L. Armstrong; Ann, wife of George 
W. Bell, of West township; and one that died in early childhood.  
Patrick Gettis was a Republican in his politics.  He was a member of 
the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a good and honorable man, well 
regarded by those who knew him.  Both he and his wife died in Barree 
township, Mr. Gettis at the age of ninety-two.
  William Gettis enjoyed but slight educational advantages, attending 
school only three months of each year, in his early boyhood.  At nine 
years of age he went to work on a farm for his board and clothing; four 
years later he engaged to do farm work at four dollars per month; this 
engagement continued for five years.  At about eighteen years of age he 
began cultivating a farm of 175 acres for his father, for four years, 
or up to the time of his father's death; a year later he bought the 
farm, and has had it under cultivation ever since.  He is a stock 
raiser.  He has made some improvements on the property, and during 1896 
built a handsome and convenient dwelling.  His political views are 
Republican.  Mr. Gettis is unmarried.