Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Rohrbach, Lloyd T. 1839 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 2, 2005, 8:49 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. LLOYD T. ROHRBACH, ex-prothonotary and clerk of Northumberland County Courts, treasurer of the Sunbury Nail, Bar & Guide Iron Manufacturing Company, treasurer of the Sunbury Water Company, dealer in ice and coal, and manufacturer of brick, is also a lawyer by profession, and an active, all-around business man. He was born in Upper Augusta township, Northumberland County, Pa., January 22, 1839, and is a son of George and Mary C. (Artley) Rohrbach. The family is of German descent and was among the earliest pioneers of Eastern Pennsylvania, where our subject's grandfather was engaged for many years in conducting a charcoal furnace in conjunction with farming. He was a sedate man who attended strictly to affairs of his own concern; he was adverse to praise or flattery, had no aspirations for public life, and strictly adhered to his occupation and was a very successful and influential business man. He married Catherine Fenstermacher and they reared a large family of children, among them George Rohrbach, father of our subject. George Rohrbach was born in Columbia County, Pa., in 1808. He became interested in the iron industry and was engaged in the foundry and furnace business all of his active days. In 1838 he located in Upper Augusta township where he resided a few years, then removed to Sunbury, living there more than half a century and passing from this life in 1894. He was an active member of the Lutheran Church and was one of the founders of that church in Sunbury; he filled the office of trustee for a long time and also served in other offices of the church. He chose for his life companion, Mary C. Artley. They had a family of nine children, two of whom died in infancy. The others were: Clinton, who married Sarah Engle and was engaged in lumbering, farming and the foundry business, making a success of this trio of enterprises,—he died in Upper Augusta township; Jacob, who was also engaged in the foundry business, was afterward appointed postmaster at Sunbury, and is now living a life of retirement; Elizabeth, the widow of Thomas G. Cooper of Sun-bury; Catherine, the widow of Harry Bourne, also of Sunbury; Lloyd T., subject of this sketch; Edward, who died at the age of eighteen years; William, who engaged in foundry work for many years, later was superintendent of the Sunbury Water Works, and died February 9, 1898. Our subject's mother passed to the life beyond in 1887, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. Lloyd T. Rohrbach received his primary education in the Sunbury public schools after which he entered Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, passing through the freshman class, and subsequently entered the Susquehanna University at Selinsgrove, Pa., and was graduated therefrom in 1861. In April of the same year he enlisted in the Union Army and was assigned to Company F, nth Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and served as clerk of the company. He was in the battle of Falling Waters, Va., and did army service for about three months, when he returned home and entered upon the study of law, reading in the office of the late Horatio Wolverton, and later in the office of Judge William M. Rockefeller of Sunbury, Pa. In 1865 our subject was admitted to the bar of Northumberland County and immediately began the practice of his profession in Sunbury and continued the same to the exclusion of all else until 1872, meeting with much success and bringing himself prominently before the people. In 1868 he was appointed U. S. commissioner and filled that office until 1872 when he resigned to accept the office of prothonotary and clerk of the Orphans' Court. He was re-elected to the same office in 1875, serving in all a period of six years. Mr. Rohrbach has always been a Republican, taking a leading part in the councils of his party, in county, state and national politics. At the time of his first election the county was conceded to be Democratic by a majority ranging between 1,200 and 1,500, yet Mr. Rohrbach was elected on the Republican ticket by a majority of 600 votes, and was re-elected by a majority of about 300 votes. In 1896 he was a prominent candidate for the nomination for state treasurer and had a strong following, but withdrew his name before the balloting began. In 1878 he engaged in the manufacture of lime, also dealing in coal and ice, which business he has since continued, excepting the manufacture of lime, which he relinquished a few years ago. He assisted in organizing the Sunbury Water Works Company, which organization was effected in 1883, and has since been its secretary and treasurer. On December 20, 1866, our subject was united in the bonds of wedlock with Jennie C. Haas, daughter of John P. Haas of Sunbury, whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. They are the parents of three children, John Haas, deceased; George Edward; and William R. George Edward is a member of the firm of Rohrbach & Son, dealers in coal and ice. He is also engaged extensively in dealing in land and lumber, having an interest in the firm of M. H. Kulp & Company. To reach a correct idea of the magnitude of the land and lumber speculations of this enterprising firm, M. H. Kulp & Company, see personal history of M. H. Kulp, to be found in another part of this volume. George E. is also interested in the sand business. William R. is attending Susquehanna University. For many years our subject has been elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Sunbury and is a prominent and leading church worker, contributing liberally to the support of his favorite denomination. He has always been an aggressive business man, and his success is not surprising to those who know his traits of character. He is a gentleman, pleasant and genial in his manners, large-hearted and liberal in his views, and thoroughly temperate in all his habits; in fact, he is a model citizen, one whose presence would be welcome in any community. Socially he is a member of Sunbury Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M., also of the Chapter. His portrait is shown on a page in proximity in connection with the foregoing sketch. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 6.7 Kb