BIO: George SPRANKLE, Huntingdon County, PA

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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 199-200.
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  GEORGE SPRANKLE, Alexandria, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in 
Porter township, Huntingdon county, February 19, 1827, son of Peter and 
Fanny (Breidenbaugh) Sprankle. His grandfather, George Sprankle, was a 
native of York county, Pa. He was married in York county, Pa., to Miss 
Null, and became a resident of Morris township, where he passed his 
life in farming, and where he died. His wife survived him many years, 
arriving at the rare distinction of being a centenarian; she too died 
in Morris township. Their sons were: George; Peter; Jacob and Michael. 
Mr. Sprankle's maternal grandfather, Michael Bridenbaugh, was a German 
by birth; upon his emigration to this country, he first settled in 
Lebanon county, Pa., where he married Miss Whitmer. Some time after, 
they removed to Huntingdon county, and resided first on a farm near 
Petersburg, and afterwards in Sinking valley. After the death of her 
husband Mrs. Bridenbaugh resided for a number of years on the farm, and 
for five years had a home in the house of her son-in-law Peter 
Sprankle; there, at the age of eighty-seven, she too passed away, and 
was interred, according to her wish, in the quiet little graveyard on 
the farm near Petersburg, beside her husband.
  Peter Sprankle, father of George Sprankle, was born in October, 1795, 
in York county, Pa. He grew up on his father's farm in Canoe valley, 
Morris township, assisted from an early age in farm work, and obtained 
a common school education. He married Miss Fannie Bridenbaugh; their 
children are: Susan, widow of James Allen, of Porter township; Mary Ann 
(Mrs. Matthew Martin), deceased, her husband died in Huntingdon; John, 
married in Indiana, and resides there; George; Michael, farmer near 
Petersburg, married to Elizabeth Piper; Peter, on the old homestead in 
Porter township, married to Barbara Winters. The family resided for 
twelve years in Porter township, between Barree and Alexandria, and 
later purchased the "Foot farm," in Porter township. In 1851, Mrs. 
Peter Bridenbaugh* died of cancer, which appeared first in the form of 
a wart on the back of her hand. The disease making rapid and 
threatening progress, her arm was amputated above the elbow, but too 
late. It had taken such a hold of her system that in two years it re-
appeared in the shoulder, and caused her death. Her husband died in 
1873. They were devout and excellent people, faithful to their family, 
their church, and the community. Mr. Sprankle was of a retiring 
disposition, and took no active part in public affairs. They rest as to 
their bodies side by side in the cemetery at Shaffersville.
  Their son, George Sprankle, before he was seven years of age, 
attended school in the old log building on the banks of the canal near 
Alexandria. His parents then removed to the Loop farm, and he finished 
his studies in the "Loop" school-house. His eldest brother then gave 
his whole time to the farm; but George attended school during the 
winter, and assisted in the farm work during vacations. His advantages 
were certainly slender, but by his fondness for good reading, and his 
alert and thoughtful interest in current events, Mr. Sprankle has 
largely made up for the lack of literary culture in early life. He has 
a large library, consisting of well selected books, and subscribes for 
all the leading periodicals of the county.
  George Sprankle was married in 1855, when he was twenty-eight years 
old, to Emily Beatty, a native of Porter township. He then rented his 
aunt's farm in Morris township, in the cultivation of which he was very 
successful. After his aunt's death, he bought the farm of her heirs. 
Six years later, Mr. Sprankle sold that farm to Joseph Isenberg, and 
removed to the McMurtrie farm, 150 acres, in Franklin township; this 
farm also he bought, but two years after sold it to John I. Adams, and 
removed to his present home in Porter township, the 119-acre farm which 
formerly belonged to Robert Cunningham. Since that purchase, Mr. 
Sprankle has added forty acres to the place, besides a grist-mill. At 
first, two other persons were partners with him in the mill property, 
but he finally bought out their interests, and became the sole owner. 
He built a convenient barn, of modern style, in 1876. His present home 
was erected in 1868. Mr. Sprankle belongs to the Republican party. He 
is a member of the Reformed church of Alexandria; having no children, 
his kindness of heart seeks and finds expression in helping those who 
are in need of sympathy and aid.
 *should be Mrs. Peter Sprankle not Bridenbaugh