BIOGRAPHY: George FRYSINGER, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 497-498.

  GEORGE FRYSINGER, Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., was born in Hanover, York 
county, Pa., November 4, 1811.  He is a son of George and Elizabeth (Ritter) 
Frysinger;  his father was a descendant of an Austrian, his mother of a Swiss 
family.  George Frysinger, Sr., was a native of York county, Pa., where he was 
educated in subscription schools, and learned wagon-making.  For a number of 
years he pursued that occupation with success in Hanover, Pa., where he was a 
prominent citizen, valued for his character and his public services.  He was a 
Federalist, and was active in the local and political affairs of York county.  
After serving in several county offices, he was elected in 1811, by a 
substantial majority, to the State legislature, in which he had a seat for one 
term.  He was a member of a militia company at Hanover, with which, in 1814, he 
took part in the battle of North Point, near Baltimore, Md.;  here he was 
promoted to the rank of captain of his company.  In 1835 he was appointed clerk 
of the courts of York county;  after having fulfilled the duties of this office 
for three years, he was relieved of them by the adoption of the new 
Constitution.  All this time he had continued to conduct the business of wagon-
making in Hanover, and was more or less actively engaged in that business so 
long as his health and strength permitted.  George Frysinger, Sr., was married 
in 1804 or 1805 to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Magdalena (Mott) Ritter.  
Their children are:  Jesse, who married Caroline Grumbine;  Elizabeth (Mrs. 
Horatio Price);  Mary (Mrs. Jeremiah Houck);  George, Jr.;  Matilda (Mrs. 
Francis Shriver);  Jacob, who married a lady of Baltimore, Md.;  and William, 
who married Henrietta Stine.  Mrs. George Frysinger, Sr., died May 21, 1852, at 
the age of sixty-six years;  Mr. Frysinger died at the age of eighty-seven, 
April 5, 1870.  Both were consistent Christians.
  The education of George Frysinger, Jr., was begun in the private schools, and 
completed in the academy at Hanover.  After leaving school he learned printing 
as an apprentice in the office of the Baltimore American, Baltimore, Md., and 
then worked at his trade for several years in Washington, D. C.  Being disabled 
by an accident, he returned to his home in Hanover, Pa., where in 1835 he 
established the Hanover Herald, and published it for several years.  In 1841 he 
purchased the Lebanon Courier, Lebanon, Pa., but his health failing, he sold 
that paper.  In 1846 Mr. Frysinger purchased the Lewistown Gazette, at 
Lewistown, Pa., of which he was the editor and publisher for over thirty-five 
years.  This paper he sold in 1883 to Messrs. George and James Stackpole, who 
have continued to be its editors and proprietors up to the present time.  Mr. 
Frysinger is a veteran of the newspaper fraternity, and by his ability and 
honorable conduct when actively engaged in the business, merited and obtained 
the respect which ought to attach to that character.  He did all in his power to 
promote the interests of the community.  He was formerly a Whig, and after the 
change of party lines and names, became an ardent supporter of Republican 
principles.  During the earlier part of his career he was elected to several 
borough offices;  he served four terms as chief burgess.
  George Frysinger, Jr., was married June 16, 1839, to Sarah S., daughter of 
Daniel and Maria (Mohler) Barnitz.  Their children are:  Rev. William M., of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, now stationed at Carlisle, Pa., married Sarah Allen;  
George R., married Elizabeth Smith, of Armagh township, and had one child, 
Margaret Belle, who died aged six years;  and Charles, died at Lebanon, Pa., at 
about two years of age.  The second son, George R. Frysinger, learned his 
father's trade, and was for many years a printer;  he has now been for several 
years editor and proprietor of the Lewistown Free Press.  Mr. and Mrs. George 
Frysinger attend the Lutheran church.