BIO:  Frank A. ZIEGLER, 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 72

FRANK A. ZIEGLER, Pennsylvania Railroad agent at Hanover, was born in 
Littlestown, Adams Co., Penn., February 27, 1844, and is a son of Charles H. and 
Margaret (Brothers) Ziegler, of Adams County, and of German descent.  His 
father, who died in 1879, had been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad 
Company as collector of tolls on the Pennsylvania Canal at Clark’s Ferry, and 
subsequently at Middletown, from the time the canal passed into the hands of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad till within four years of his death.  The last two years 
he spend as bridge toll collector at Wrightsville.  Frank A. is the eldest of 
seven children, and grew up principally in his father’s office.  At the age of 
fifteen years he began learning telegraphy, and soon after occupied a place as 
operator in his father’s office at Clark’s Ferry, but remained only six weeks, 
and went to Harrisburg, where he was until August 22, 1863, when he enlisted in 
Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; he 
served nine months, and was honorably discharged at Harrisburg.  On his return 
he took his old position as operator in his father’s office, which he kept until 
1870, when he was transferred to Middletown, and at the end of two years went to 
Alexandria, Va., where he was clerk in the freight office of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  After a few months he was appointed agent and operator at Bowie, on 
the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad, which position he held for three years, and 
then was removed to Baltimore City as clerk in the car record office of the 
Northern Central Railroad.  At the establishment of the Frederick division of 
that line he was transferred to the superintendent’s office at York, and 
remained there from 1875 to 1879, when he came to Hanover, where he has since 
held the office of the agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad.  In July, 1884, he, 
in company with D. P. McKeefer, established the telephone at Hanover, but sold 
out to the Pennsylvania Telephone Company.  In 1866 he was married, in Dauphin 
County, to Ellen Garman, of that county, and has had five children:  George S., 
Grace G., Carrie M., Mary C. and Carl E.  The family are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church.  Mr. Z. is a Mason, a member of the I. O. O. F., in 
which latter he is a trustee, and a member of the G. A. R.  In 1883 he was 
elected councilman of his ward, but was defeated as chief burgess in 1884.