Northumberland-Dauphin County PA Archives Biographies.....Savage, Robert Henry 1859 - ************************************************ 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@gmail.com August 6, 2005, 4:36 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. ROBERT HENRY SAVAGE, D.D.S.,* proficient and successful dentist of Sunbury, Pa., is a man who, by perseverance and energy, has won success despite adverse circumstances for which he was in no way responsible and which he could not control. Dr. Savage is a son of James and Elizabeth (Ball) Savage and was born in Wiconisco. Dauphin County, Pa., August 3, 1859. Our subject's grandfather, James Savage, was a native of Wales and with his wife, Eleanor, and family immigrated to the United States, settling in Minersville, Schuylkill County, Pa., where he died. He was a miner in his native country and continued as such in this country. James Savage, father of the subject of this review, was born in Minora, County of Denbigh, North Wales, the home of his ancestors for many years, February 25, 1823; in 1835, when the family settled in Minersville, he was but twelve years of age. He obtained a limited education in the public schools and grew to manhood in the town in which the family settled. When twelve years old James entered the mines as a mule driver. He continued in the mines as a laborer, pursuing the various lines of work and being regularly promoted until finally he undertook the operation of a colliery on his own account at Lykens, Dauphin County, Pa. He conducted the colliery a short time and in 1859 migrated to California, where he engaged in gold mining for six years. Returning to Schuylkill County Mr. Savage became superintendent of a colliery at Gilberton, subsequently occupying a similar position in a colliery at Lykens operated by the Lykens Valley Coal Company. Some time later the company, Savage Bros. & Kauffman, was formed and took charge of and operated the Brookside Colliery at Tower City, the colliery being the largest one in the world. It is now owned by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company. When the colliery was sold to the Philadelphia & Reading company Mr. Savage entered the employ of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. Co., as superintendent of a gang of men engaged in prospecting in various parts of New Mexico for the railroad. He continued in that position until his death at Cimarron, New Mexico, on November 10, 1881. Mr. Savage married Elizabeth Ball, by whom he had seven children, four sons and three daughters. Mrs. Savage also has passed to her final rest beyond earthly bounds. His primary scholastic training was obtained by Robert Henry Savage in the public schools of Tremont and subsequently he acquired a good English education in Lebanon Valley College at Auville. Having decided to become a dentist. Mr. Savage entered upon the study of his chosen profession and was so fortunate as to place himself under the preceptorship of P. K. Filbert, D. D. S., a leading practitioner of Pottsville, Pa., under whose direction he quickly acquired a good, general knowledge of dentistry and fully prepared himself to enter a dental college. Unfortunately his father, James Savage, met with financial reverses and the son was compelled to defer his course in a dental college until such time as he had earned sufficient money to defray the expenses of a dental-college course. Determined to succeed and to master his chosen profession Mr. Savage, in 1879, went to Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pa., where, as assistant, he practiced his profession for two years under the direction of Dr. Van Buskirk. In 1881 Mr. Savage removed to Sunbury and served as assistant to Dr. G. M. Renn, with whom he remained until 1884, when he entered upon practice alone, which he continued successfully for two years. In 1886 he formed a co-partnership with Dr. Renn, the firm name being Renn & Savage, and this firm continued pleasantly and profitably for five years, when it was mutually dissolved. Soon after separating from Dr. Renn Mr. Savage, in 1892, matriculated at the Pennsylvania Dental College in Philadelphia, and after taking a two years' course received the degree D. D. S., in March, 1894. He returned to Sunbury after he was graduated from the college. He has by diligent attention to the duties and details of his intricate and most important profession and by his skilful practice and courtesy built up a large and lucrative clientage. Our subject is a member of the Royal Arcanum and is identified with the Reformed Church. On July 12, 1885, Dr. Savage was united in marriage to Adelia Florine Garing of Sunbury, and to them two children have been born: Effie, born September 5, 1886, and Mamie, whose death cast over a happy home its first sorrow. Additional Comments: * The information contained in this biography was supplied by the subject of this sketch. A type-set copy of the biography was sent to the subject to be proof-read, but the subject did not edit and return the copy, so this biography may contain typographical errors. 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.poppet.org/pafiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb