BIO: Col. A. Frank SELTZER, Lebanon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/lebanon/ _______________________________________________ Biographical Annals of Lebanon County Pennsylvania. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1904 _______________________________________________ Pages 18-19 COL. A. FRANK SELTZER, a prominent member of the Lebanon County Bar, was born on the old Seltzer plantation at Union Water Works, in Lebanon county, and is descended from two of the oldest families in the county. The name Seltzer is derived from Seltzer Springs, in the Duchy of Nassau, Germany, from which place Mathias Seltzer, the founder of the American branch of the family, emigrated. He located at Union Water Works, Lebanon county, in 1730. There his grandson, Jacob Seltzer, was born. Jacob married Eleanor Clark, who was born in Lebanon county, a daughter of Benjamin Clark, also a native of the county. John Clark Seltzer, son of Jacob and Eleanor and father of A. Frank, was born at the old homestead at Union Water Works, and became a prominent man. He was the first postmaster at Mt. Nebo, then called Seltzerville. In politics he was an old-line Whig, and on the disintegration of that party became a Republican, and he was always active in public affairs. He married Elizabeth Faber, a native of Lebanon county, and a daughter of Jacob Faber, a granddaughter of Philip Faber (born in Lebanon county), and a descendant of Adam Faber, who emigrated to America in the seventeenth century. A. Frank Seltzer is an alumnus of Franklin and Marshall College, and received from that institution the honorary degree of Master of Arts. He entered the United States military service in June, 1862, as first lieutenant of Company G, One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Third Brigade, Second Division, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. He was promoted to captain in July, 1863, and participated in some of the most important battles of the war, among which were Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was honorably discharged from the service on March 30, 1864, on account of physical disability. In 1865 he was admitted to the Lebanon County Bar, since which time he has been in continuous and successful practice of his profession, taking high rank. He is a member of the Bars of both the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and of the United States. From January, 1893, to January, 1896, he served as district attorney of Lebanon county. In 1899 he was appointed aid-de-camp on the staff of Gov. William A. Stone, of Pennsylvania, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, which position he holds at the present time. Col. Seltzer is active in Grand Army circles. He is a charter member of Sedgwick Post, No. 42, G. A. R., and a past commander of same. He is a member of the Lebanon County Historical Society, of the Pennsylvania German Society, and of other organizations. Some years ago Co. Seltzer contributed humorous articles to a number of well known journals, under the nom-de-plume of "Paul Grave." He also delivered humorous lectures before Teachers' Institutes and other assemblies throughout the eastern part of the United States. Col. Seltzer has been an active Republican campaigner. In successive State and National contests he addressed many important meetings. He made a tour of the world in 1898, and before and since that time has been an extensive tracker.