AREA HISTORY:  The York Club, Borough of York, York County, PA

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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THE YORK CLUB – Page 569

Among the social institutions of York worthy of notice is the York Club.  The following is 
abstracted from a sketch delivered at its twenty-fifth anniversary by William H. Jordan, 
treasurer since its commencement to the present time:

In 1857, a few young men, who were accustomed to congregate at the “Old Washington House,” 
established this club.  A room was selected on the second floor of Hartman’s Building, and the 
following-named persons each subscribed $10 for the purpose of furnishing the same, viz.:  Dr. 
Alexander Small, Dr. T. Tyrell, John Gibson, Dr. Richard Dingee, W. H. Jordan. E. C. 
Eichelberger, J. Milton Bonham, F. J. Rosenmiller, D. W. Barnitz, F. A. Eichelberger, J. C. 
Jordan, Peter Bentz, W. H. Strickler, Jacob Emmitt, Jr., and Jere Carl.

The first officers elected were:  president, Dr. Alexander Small; vice-president, John Gibson; 
secretary, Jere Carl; treasurer, W. H. Jordan; executive committee, John Gibson, Peter Bentz 
and E. C. Eichelberger.  Of the original members, six have died.  Three have retained their 
membership uninterruptedly to date, viz.:  J. F. Rosenmiller, J. C. Jordan and W. H. Jordan.

April 1, 1872, the quarters were removed to the room which they now occupy in Centre Hall.

Two members of the club have been members of congress, viz.:  A. J. Glossbrenner and Levi 
Maish; four have served as members of the senate and house of representatives of Pennsylvania:  
W. H. Welsh, A. H. Glatz, Levi Maish and G. W. Heiges – Mr. Welsh being chosen speaker of the 
senate in 1858; Chauncey F. Black has recently been elected lieutenant-governor of this State; 
John Gibson was elected and served as a member of the State constitutional convention of 1873, 
and in 1881 was elected additional law judge for York County, which position he now holds; W. 
C. Chapmen, J. W. Bittenger, and John Blackford, have each held the position of district 
attorney of York County; W. H. Welsh, secretary of the American legation at the court of St. 
James, under Hon. James Buchanan; Jere Carl, chief-burgess of York; James A. Schall, cashier of 
York County National Bank; G. E. Hersh, president of York National Bank, and Farmers Fire 
Insurance Company; David Strickler, secretary of Farmers Fire Insurance Company; N. F. Burnham, 
president of York Opera House Association; E. W. Spangler, secretary of the same, and now 
editor of the York Daily; W. S. Roland, president York County Agricultural Society; A. H. Glatz 
and E. Chapin, secretaries of the same; Horace Bonham, United States assiessor; M. S. 
Eichelberger, J. W. Bittenger, J. W. Latimer, W. F. Bay Stewart and Daniel K. Trimmer, borough 
attorneys; H. H. Carter, superintendent Middle Division Pennsylvania Railroad; H. E. Passmore, 
assistant supervisor Northern Central Railroad; John K. Gross, agent of the same at York, and 
Alexander Wentz, treasurer of York County.  The fame of Edward Havilland as an architect is 
widely known.  Thirteen have given their services to their country in the late war, viz.:  Levi 
Maish, John Schall, A. E. Lwis, J. Emmitt, Jr., Henry W. Spangler, A. H. Glatz, H. S. McNair, 
W. H. Lanius, E. R. Herr, E. W. Spangler, Charles Fox, John M. Young and O. K. Harris.  The 
club itself, in the emergency caused by the invasion of Gen. Lee in 1862, formed a company 
called the Keystone Guards, and under the leadership of John Gibson, as captain, was fully 
equipped, mustered into service of the State, and was ready to march to its defense.  They were 
detained at York by a dispatch from Gov. Curtin, and when the emergency ended were disbanded.

The visitors of the club include some of the most prominent men of the country, viz.:  Govs. 
Hoyt, Hartranft, and Curtin, of Pennsylvania; Cochran and Stenger, members of congress; Coms. 
Wells and Gibson, of the United States navy; Gens. Kilpatrick, Gibson and Small, of the United 
States Army; Judges Jere S. Black, Pere L. Wickes, and R. J. Fisher, members of the Grand Lodge 
of F. & A. M. of Pennsylvania; Capt. J. M. Marshall, of the regular army, and Lieut. Reeder of 
the navy; Col. Devin and other officers of the New York Sixth Cavalry; Col. J. M. Riely, of 
Winchester, Va.; Gilmore Hoffman and H. W. corner, of Baltimore, Md.  The late Dr. George 
Griffith, of California, was a frequent visitor and warm friend, and his handsome present, 
purchased in London, is proof of the esteem in which he held the club.  George D. Prentice, 
Robert Tyler, Park Benjamin and Dr. Shelton Mackenzie, lectured for the club in its earlier 
days.

Among the resolutions adopted by the club, we find the following:  “Resolved, that no games of 
chance or gambling of any kind be permitted in the York Club,” which was carried unanimously, 
and has been adhered to ever since.

List of Members from 1857 to 1882 – Dr. Alexander Small, John Gibson, J. F. Rosenmiller, W. H. 
Jordan, Jere Carl, J. C. Jordan, W. H. Strickler, J. M. Bonham, D. W. Barnitz, Peter Bentz, E. 
C. Eichelberger, Dr. T. Tyrrell, F. A. Eichelberger, Jacob Emmitt, Horace Bonham, A. M. 
Barnitz, Levi Arnold, David Strickler, John W. Schall, W. C. Chapman, S. S. Hersh, A. E. Lewis, 
John A. Weiser, Alex Wentz, Dr. R. Dingee, O. K. Harris, Robert Gibson, George Fisher, W. H. 
Welsh, H. W. Spangler, B. F. Spangler, John Wiliamson, A. H. Glatz, A. Gartman, W. H. Kurtz, 
William Parrott, L. F. Allen, Charles Sprigg, C. F. Black, John McIntrye, J. F. Shunk, Martin 
S. Eichelberger, J. W. Latimer, J. W. Bittenger, G. E. Hersh, J. D. Heiges, James Smith, Henry 
Black, Charles F. Sheafer, H. E. Passmore, L. M. Blackford, John Hough, S. Kochenour, J. A. 
Schall, N. F. Burnham, G. A. Heckert, W. S. Roland, W. H. Throne, T. K. White, Thomas White, E. 
Havilland, Charles Bell, G. W. Heighes, J. B. Hauer, William Smith, H. S. McNair, H. M. Smyser, 
J. M. Danner, W. H. Lanius, A. J. Glossbrenner, Charles Karg, J. H. Hause, Levi Sprenkle, 
Charles J. Fox, C. S. Weiser, Jacob Brillinger, E. R. Herr, J. K. Gross, E. Chapin, John 
Blackford, Horace Keesey, E. W. Spangler, J. M. Young, H. H. Carter, Levi Maish, W. F. Bay 
Stewart, D. K. Trimmer, John M. Young.

List of Active Members, 1885 – John W. Bittenger, N. F. Burnham, Edward Chapin, James M. 
Danner, M. S. Eichelberger, Alfred Gartman, John Gibson, George W. Heiges, E. R. Herr, W. H. 
Jordan, John C. Jordan, Horace Keesey, W. H. Lanius, J. W. Latimer, H. S. McNair, Levi Maish, 
H. E. Passemore, J. F. Rosenmiller, H. M. Smyser, E. W. Spangler, W. F. Bay Stewart, W. H. 
Stirckler, D. K. Trimmer, Charles Mayer, Grier Hersh, Richard E. Cochran, Schall Wilhelm, Gates 
B. Weiser.

Deceased Members of the Club, 1885 – Dr. Alexander Small, Dr. Thomas Tyrrell, B. Franklin 
Spangler, D. Wagner Barnitz, Albert M. Barnitz, Thomas White, John Hough, Robert Gibson, Edward 
C. Eichelberger, Jacob B. Hauer, John Williamson, Edward Havilland, Samuel S. Hersh, Louis F. 
Allen, Levi Sprenkle, Charles J. Fox, William Parrott, James F. Shunk, Lewis M. Blackford, 
Frederick A. Eichelberger, Jacob Emmitt, George A. Heckert, Samuel Kochenour, Charles C. 
Sprigg, John Blackford, O. K. Harris.

Officers, 1857 – President, Dr. Alexander Small; vice-president, Hon. John Gibson; secretary, 
Jere Carl; treasurer, William H. Jordan.

Officers, 1885 – President, James W. Latimer; vice-president, N. F. Burnham; secretary, Horace 
Keesey; treasurer, William H. Jordan.