Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Shindel, Will L. 1867 - living in 1899

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Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



DR. WILL L. SHINDEL. Prominent among the successful professional men of

Northumberland County stands its present coroner, Dr. Will L. Shindel, a

prominent physician and expert surgeon of Sunbury. His portrait is shown on a

preceding page. He is a son of Dr. Daniel W. and Sarah E. (Irwin) Shindel, and

was born in Sunbury, January 7, 1867. Dr. Will L. Shindel obtained part of his

education in the schools of his native place, but educated himself mainly by

self-tuition and newspaper work. In early life he was employed on the staff of

the Sunbury Daily as reporter, and subsequently was the city editor of the

Shamokin Daily Dispatch. During that time he was also staff correspondent for

several metropolitan papers, among them the New York Sun, New York Press. While

engaged in newspaper work he also studied medicine under his father, afterward

taking a course at the Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia from which he

was graduated in 1893, after three years of hard study and work, a full-fledged

M. D. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Sunbury and met

with much success. In 1893 he was nominated and elected coroner of the county by

his party, the county being at the time a Democratic stronghold, and was

re-elected to the same office in 1896.



  The family is of German origin and the name was originally "Von Schindel." The

first of whom we have an account is one Conrad Schindel who, with his wife,

Barbara Schindel, lived at Gemmelsbach, Germany, in 1678. Their son, named

Johanna Conrad Schindel, was baptized October 18, 1685, and was married January

22, 1710, to Susanna Trexler. Subsequently the Schindel family removed from

Gemmelsbach, the home of the husband and his ancestors, to Airsbach, the home of

the wife and her ancestors. From that time on, Airsbach was the home of the

Schindel family. The next and third in line of descendants was Johanna Peter

Schindel, born at Airsbach February 28, 1732, and baptized March 2, of the same

year. He married Maria Margaret Gebhart and in 1751 immigrated to the United

States, settling in Lebanon County, Pa., where his death occurred May 29, 1784.

He was one of the earliest pioneers of Lebanon Valley.



  Fourth in line of descent was also Johanna Peter Shindel, born in Lebanon

County, Pa., August 21, 1766, and died there September 17, 1829; he married

Maria Menges and reared a large family, one of whom, Rev. John Peter Shindel, D.

D., was the grandfather of our subject. He was born in Lebanon County, Pa.,

October 3, 1787. He obtained a classical education, graduating and receiving the

degree of D. D. He was one of the ablest and best known Lutheran ministers of

Pennsylvania; he went to Sunbury, June 4, 1812, and his death occurred there

October 26, 1853. He preached from 1812 to 1851, covering a period of forty

years, in the service of the Sunbury church and other congregations in the

vicinity. Rev. Mr. Shindel was a fluent speaker and an effective organizer of

church work; he was the leader of the New Church movement, which resulted in the

establishment of the East Pennsylvania Lutheran Synod, in the 40's and was the

first president of the Synod. He married Susanna McCullough, of Irish descent,

by whom he had eleven children, as follows: Rev. Jeremiah, a Lutheran minister,

who served in the Assembly and two terms in the State Senate as a Democrat, and

resigned to become chaplain of the noth Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., in the Civil War,

serving three years; John Peter, Jr., D. D., who was also a prominent Lutheran

clergyman, spending his entire life in the service of the church; Jacob,

formerly associate judge of Snyder County, and a prominent druggist of

Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pa.; Solomon, who was a civil engineer by profession

but did not follow it to any great extent, was a Democrat, arid served several

terms in the State Legislature; Dr. Newton, who was a graduate of Jefferson

Medical College, and practiced medicine at Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pa.; Dr.

Daniel W., father of our subject; Martin L., D. D., a Lutheran minister of

Danville, Pa.; Philip M., who was employed in the U. S. revenue service most of

his life; Louise, who married Gideon Leisering; Mariah, intermarried with

Benjamin Hendricks; and Susanna, who wedded Samuel Gobin, she becoming the

mother of Gen. John Peter Shindel Gobin, the present lieutenant-governor of

Pennsylvania.



  Dr. Daniel W. Shindel, father of our subject, was a worthy scion of this

illustrious family. He practiced medicine in Sunbury for nearly half a century

and was regarded as one of the ablest and most skilful practitioners of the day.

He was regarded as the best authority on fevers in the West Branch Valley. He

was a close student not only of medical works but also of general literature and

was a scholar of recognized ability; he adhered strictly to his profession and

attained eminent success locally. He, like all the family, was a member of the

Lutheran Church.



  Dr. Daniel W. Shindel was born in Sunbury, Pa., November 17, 1822, and

received his primary education at Sunbury Academy, beginning the study of

medicine while he was teaching school. He graduated from the Pennsylvania

Medical College in 1850; he served in various local offices, as councilman,

assistant burgess, and school director. He was a member of the school board for

twenty-one years; also was U. S. pension examiner from 1865 to 1885. He was

twice married; first, in Sunbury, June 17, 1851, to Mary Wharton, who was the

mother of three daughters. Mrs. Shindel died in January, 1863, and a year later

Dr. Shindel was united in marriage with Elizabeth Irwin and six children

resulted; Will L., subject of this sketch; Jane, deceased; Carrie, deceased;

Minnie; Georgia A.; and Webster, also deceased. Dr. Daniel W. Shindel's death

occurred December 12, 1895.



  Our subject is president of the Northumberland County Medical Society, a

member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Association, and president of the

Sunbury Board of Health. He is also surgeon to the Mary M. Packer Hospital and

has done considerable in that line. He does medico-legal work before courts and

is, therefore, considered an expert witness. Dr. Shindel is a member of the

following lodges: Sunbury Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M., of which he is a past

master; Northumberland Chapter, No. 174, R. A. M.; Calvary Commandery, No. 37,

K. T.; Lulu Temple, A. A. O. N. of the M. S. of Philadelphia; and the I. O. O.

F. In political belief he is a stanch supporter of the principles advocated by

the Republican party.





Additional Comments:

Extracted from:



Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District

Published by 

Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)



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