BIO:  IRA S. EBERLY, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 572-573
  _____________________________________________________________

  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/zeamer/


    IRA S. EBERLY, one of the well-known business men and representative
  citizens of Mechanicsburg, a member of the well-known lumber firm of L. F.
  Eberly Sons, was born Dec. 8, 1847, in Upper Allen township, Cumberland
  county, son of Levi F. and Eliza (Shuey) Eberly, the latter a daughter of
  Christian and Magdalena (Mily) Shuey, of Lebanon county.

    The Eberly family is of Swiss origin, and its founder in Pennsylvania was
  Johannas Eberly, who settled in the Pequea Valley, Lebanon county, in 1730.
  He was the father of a son, John, born about 1745, who, in 1771, married
  Elizabeth Bricker, of Lancaster county, and they had a family of eight sons
  and four daughters, namely: Jacob, John, David, Benjamin, Samuel, Henry,
  Joseph, Peter, Sarah, Elizabeth, Nancy and Mary.

    David Eberly, son of John, married Catherine P. Frankenberger, and they had
  nine children, namely: Levi F., father of Ira S., born in 1818; David, born in
  1820; Jacob; Nancy; Mary; Katherine; Sarah; Rebecca and Fannie, all deceased
  with the exception of David, who resides in Mechanicsburg. The Eberly family
  became firmly established in Cumberland county in 1791, and its members
  brought with them the quiet, peaceful ways of the Mennonite Church, in which
  religious body many of the family have been prominent.

    CUMBERLAND COUNTY.  573

    On Oct. 24, 1839, Levi F. Eberly was married to Eliza Shuey, and with his
  wife removed to Lebanon county where he engaged in farming for several years,
  when he sold his property there, and removed to a fine farm in Upper Allen
  township, Cumberland county. In 1859 he came to Mechanicsburg, and
  established the Eberly Lumber Company, in which business he has been
  succeeded by his sons. The four sons of Mr. Eberly were: Harrison W., David
  H., Edward M. and Ira S.

    Harrison W., born Nov. 16, 1840, now deceased, was long one of the leading
  citizens of Mechanicsburg; on May 25, 1863, he married Mary C. Power, of
  Perry county. David H., born Oct. 14, 1842, married Kate A. Waidley, of
  Cumberland county. Edward M. Eberly, born April 1, 1845, married Margaret
  Zacharias, of Cumberland county. Ira S. is the subject of this sketch.

    In 1873 Ira S. Eberly married Laura Meloy, daughter of the late James
  Meloy, of Cumberland county. The three children born to this marriage are:
  Guy, engaged with his father in the lumber business; and Bessie and Miriam,
  at home. In politics Mr. Eberly is a Republican. He is a prominent business
  man, on the directing board of the First National Bank, and one of the city's
  sound financial citizens. He is the director and leader of the Singer Band,
  and belongs to the Washington Fire Company of Mechanicsburg. He has a host
  of friends, and is very popular.