BIO: Col. A. Frank SELTZER, Lebanon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lebanon/
_______________________________________________ 

Biographical Annals of Lebanon County Pennsylvania.
Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1904
_______________________________________________ 

Pages 18-19

COL. A. FRANK SELTZER, a prominent member of the Lebanon County Bar, was born on 
the old Seltzer plantation at Union Water Works, in Lebanon county, and is 
descended from two of the oldest families in the county.  The name Seltzer is 
derived from Seltzer Springs, in the Duchy of Nassau, Germany, from which place 
Mathias Seltzer, the founder of the American branch of the family, emigrated.  
He located at Union Water Works, Lebanon county, in 1730.  There his grandson, 
Jacob Seltzer, was born.  Jacob married Eleanor Clark, who was born in Lebanon 
county, a daughter of Benjamin Clark, also a native of the county.

John Clark Seltzer, son of Jacob and Eleanor and father of A. Frank, was born at 
the old homestead at Union Water Works, and became a prominent man.  He was the 
first postmaster at Mt. Nebo, then called Seltzerville.  In politics he was an 
old-line Whig, and on the disintegration of that party became a Republican, and 
he was always active in public affairs.  He married Elizabeth Faber, a native of 
Lebanon county, and a daughter of Jacob Faber, a granddaughter of Philip Faber 
(born in Lebanon county), and a descendant of Adam Faber, who emigrated to 
America in the seventeenth century.

A. Frank Seltzer is an alumnus of Franklin and Marshall College, and received 
from that institution the honorary degree of Master of Arts.  He entered the 
United States military service in June, 1862, as first lieutenant of Company G, 
One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Third Brigade, 
Second Division, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac.  He was promoted to captain 
in July, 1863, and participated in some of the most important battles of the 
war, among which were Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.  He was 
honorably discharged from the service on March 30, 1864, on account of physical 
disability.  In 1865 he was admitted to the Lebanon County Bar, since which time 
he has been in continuous and successful practice of his profession, taking high 
rank.  He is a member of the Bars of both the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and 
of the United States.  From January, 1893, to January, 1896, he served as 
district attorney of Lebanon county.  In 1899 he was appointed aid-de-camp on 
the staff of Gov. William A. Stone, of Pennsylvania, with the rank of 
lieutenant-colonel, which position he holds at the present time.  Col. Seltzer 
is active in Grand Army circles.  He is a charter member of Sedgwick Post, No. 
42, G. A. R., and a past commander of same.  He is a member of the Lebanon 
County Historical Society, of the Pennsylvania German Society, and of other 
organizations.

Some years ago Co. Seltzer contributed humorous articles to a number of well 
known journals, under the nom-de-plume of "Paul Grave."  He also delivered 
humorous lectures before Teachers' Institutes and other assemblies throughout 
the eastern part of the United States.  Col. Seltzer has been an active 
Republican campaigner.  In successive State and National contests he addressed 
many important meetings.  He made a tour of the world in 1898, and before and 
since that time has been an extensive tracker.