BIO:  William HELTZEL, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/
_______________________________________________ 

History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
_______________________________________________ 

Part II, Biographical Sketches, Hanover Borough and Penn Township, Pg 64

WILLIAM HELTZEL, ex-editor of the Hanover Citizen, and a leading Democratic 
politician of York County, was born at New Lisbon, Ohio, May 13, 1840, and is a 
son of Hon. Nicholas and Mary (Knepley) Heltzel.  The Heltzel family is of 
Scotch-German lineage.  The father of Mr. Heltzel was born in York County in 
1805, and his mother in Georgetown, D. C., in 1818.  The father of our subject 
has long been one of the prominent men of Adams County, Penn., and during the 
years 1867 and 1868 he represented that county in the general assembly.  Mr. 
Heltzel was educated at the public schools, and at New Oxford College, in Adams 
County, Dr. Pfeiffer, principal.  In 1859 he began serving an apprenticeship to 
the printing trade in the office of the Gettysburgh Star.  For some years he did 
journey work, but spent most of his time in the Patriot office at Harrisburg.  
During the time spent at Gettysburgh he was also a law student under Hon. Moses 
McClain.  In November, 1865, he came to Hanover and purchased the Hanover 
Citizen, which he conducted until 1879, when on account of ill health he was 
forced to abandon journalistic work.  He has been a life-long supporter of the 
Democratic party, and for many years he had taken an active part in politics.  
He was married in 1865, to Miss Mary E. Doan, daughter of Dr. George Doan.  Four 
children have been born to this marriage, viz.:  Milton, Albert, George N. and 
Alda M.  He is a Mason and a member of the Reformed Church.