BIO:  David S. TANGER, 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/
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, Hanover Borough and Penn Township, Pg 69

DAVID S. TANGER, of the firm of D. S. Tanger & Son, hardware dealers, of 
Hanover, was born in Lancaster County, May 29, 1831, and is the second of two 
children of Jacob and Esther (Snavely) Tanger.  His father was of Scotch descent 
and his mother of German extraction, both natives of Lancaster County.  Jacob 
Tanger, by a previous marriage, had seven children.  In his early life he was a 
mason but abandoned this trade and for many years conducted a distillery, which 
he also discontinued, and engaged in farming, which occupation he followed until 
his death.  David S. Tanger, the subject of this sketch, and now a prosperous 
and influential merchant of this town, upon the death of his mother, when he was 
only one year old, became a member of the family of his grandfather, Jacob 
Snavely, with whom he lived until the age of fourteen years.  After returning to 
his father’s home for one year, he began to learn the trade of wagon-making, and 
followed it three years.  He then removed to Petersburg, Adams County, and 
engaged in the mercantile business as a salesman, remaining there until 1852, 
when he located in Hanover.  Here he began the business of carriage-making, 
which was an important industry of Hanover.  At the expiration of five years he 
quit the carriage business and was elected high constable of his adopted town, 
serving four years during the time of the civil war, and was an ardent advocate 
of the Union cause.  In 1864 he engaged in the hardware trade, which he has 
conducted with unabated success since he began, and is now enjoying a large and 
prosperous business, with his son, John, as partner.  He was married to Susanna 
C. Rump, February 22, 1855.  Their children were Fannie E., married to Samuel 
Hostetler; John Carroll, his present partner in business, and Mary R., deceased.  
His wife died November 9, 1859.  November 13, 1863, he was married to Lizzie 
Harnish.  The children, by this marriage, were Grant S. (deceased), Frank L., 
Annie Sue (deceased), Eva L., David A., Lizzie C. and Viola G.  The family are 
members of the Reformed Church.  Mr. Tanger has repeatedly been elected chief 
burgess, a member of town council, and school director of Hanover.  He is a 
liberal, public-spirited citizen, and takes an active interest in education.  He 
became a member of the Masonic fraternity in 1861.