Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Swenk, Jacob H. 1846 - 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 7, 2005, 9:22 pm



Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



JACOB H. SWENK, train-master of the Sunbury and Shamokin division of the

Pennsylvania Railroad, stationed at Sunbury, Pa., is a son of Justus and Hannah

(Harris) Swenk, and was born August 18, 1846, at Milton, Northumberland County, Pa.



  The family is of German origin and the name was formerly spelled Schwenk.

Prior to the Revolutionary War the family settled in Montgomery County, Pa., at

or near "The Trappe." Jacob Swenk, the grandfather of our subject, was born at

"The Trappe," grew to manhood, married there and subsequently moved to Milton,

Northumberland County, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying in 1870

at the age of seventy-four years. He bought produce in large quantities and by

means of several canal-boats which he owned transported it to various Eastern

markets on the Pennsylvania Canal, and on his return brought goods for various

merchants along the route, as railroad facilities at that time were few and

inadequate.



  One of Jacob's sons, who was named Justus Swenk, and was our subject's father,

was born at "The Trappe" and moved with his parents to Milton, where he spent

nearly all his active career. He, however, moved a few years prior to his death

to Lock Haven, Pa., and died there in April, 1886, aged seventy-six years. Early

in life he engaged in the manufacture of rope which business he continued

successfully at Milton until 1867. He was also associated for many years with

his father in buying and shipping produce. He married Hannah Harris, who died in

1873, aged fifty years. Their family consisted of three sons and three

daughters, as follows: Mrs. C. C. Straub of Milton, now dead; Mrs. Mary E.

Frymier of Williamsport, Pa.; Mrs. Anna Deffenbach of Brooklyn, N. Y., now dead;

R. H. Swenk, a prosperous farmer residing at Pleasant Valley, Pa.; Jacob H., our

subject; and Thomas G., a merchant of Muncy, Pa., and also operator for the

Western Union Telegraph Company at that place.



  Jacob H. Swenk, our subject, attended the common schools of Milton until he

attained the age of fifteen years when he entered the Miltonian printing office

at Milton and remained there five years, mastering the trade of a compositor.

While in that office he learned telegraphy and in 1866 entered the employ of the

Pennsylvania Railroad as telegraph operator at Jersey Shore, Pa. He. however,

remained there but two weeks when he was transferred to Sunbury, Northumberland

County, in January, 1867, as a telegraph operator for the Pennsylvania Railroad

Company. He worked in various capacities until 1870 when he was made

train-despatcher and division operator, continuing thus thirteen years. In the

latter part of 1883 he was relieved of the duties of train-despatcher; and, in

addition to his duties as division operator, was made assistant train-master. On

May 1, 1891, he was promoted to the position of train-master which he is now

efficiently filling.



  Our subject is a Republican and has been elected to the borough council for

two terms. He has been for many years an active and prominent member of St.

Matthew's Episcopal Church of which he is junior warden, and is also treasurer

of the parish house connected with the church. On November 2, 1871, our subject

married Clara Haas, a daughter of Daniel Haas of Sunbury. They have two sons:

Dr. Charles H., who was graduated from the Sunbury High School and subsequently

spent three years in Bucknell University at Lewisburg, Pa., after which he

studied medicine and in 1897 was graduated from the Medico-Chirurgical College,

Philadelphia,—he then spent nine months in the Miners' State Hospital at

Ashland, Pa., in practical clinical work and is now located at Shickshinny, Pa.,

where he is practicing his profession and is also surgeon for the Pennsylvania

Railroad Company: and Raymond, who is attending school.





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: 4.5 Kb