BIO: GEORGE WILLIAM GEBHART, 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 565-567 _____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/zeamer/ GEORGE WILLIAM GEBHART, formerly one of the well-known railroad men of Cumberland county, but now living retired in a comfortable home in Lemoyne, is one of the self-made men of his locality, and as such receives, as he deserves, the respect of his fellow citizens. He was born March 6, 1846, in Dover township, York Co., Pa., a son of Nicholas and Theresa Catherine (Gebhart) Gebhart. Nicholas Gebhart was born in 1812, in Baden, Germany, and came to the United States in 1836. At York, Pa., he learned the cooper's trade, which he followed many years. Soon after his arrival in York he married Theresa Catherine Gebhart, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and came to the United States with her brothers. In 1867 the parents removed to Adams county, Pa., after keeping a hotel for over two years in Dover township, York county, and followed farming on a small scale. There he died Jan. 19, 1885, his widow surviving until Feb. 22, 1895. In their own land they had been reared Catholics, and in America brought up their children in the same faith. The children were: Jacob, who 566 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. married Mary Ann Neff; Mary, wife of Henry Kuhn, of Adams county; Nicholas, who married Mary Staub, and they reside at Centennial, Adams county; George William, of this sketch; Frank K., of Sugartown, Pa.; Kate, who married Peter Wagerman, of Adams county; Christian, who married Louisa Wagerman, of Adams county; Theresa Elizabeth, who married Henry Rang, of Machiastown, York county; and Martin, of Adams county. Mr. Gebhart's maternal grandparents came to the United States, and the grandfather died on the way between Missouri and Pennsylvania. He was a peddler of notions. George William Gebhart may be called the father of Riverton as his house, erected in 1890, was the first one in the village. Until he was twelve years old he attended the winter sessions of the district school, spending his summers in farm work. After leaving school he hired out to Christian Hertzler, of Churchtown, and received his board and $18 a month. For three years he continued with Mr. Hertzler and then entered Benjamin Givler's mill, on Yellow Breeches creek, on a part of Mr. Clark's farm. His next employer was Michael Landis, a farmer near Churchtown, and he hired out to different men for the next seven years, his value as a workman continually increasing. In 1866 Mr. Gebhart entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Steel Co., at Steelton, as a laborer, but had worked only six months when an attack of malaria, which was epidemic there on account of the swampy condition of the surroundings, made him seek other employment. This proved to be driving the omnibus for the "Bolton House" at Harrisburg, and he remained there two years. In 1869 he went on the railroad as section hand on the Northern Central, served three years, and was then promoted to assistant foreman. After six years in this position he was made foreman, and continued thus until 1899, when he resigned, and has lived retired ever since. Through many hardships Mr. Gebhart has made his own way to success, and he was fortunate in securing a wife who assisted him in every way she was able, so that they both can now enjoy the results of their former industry and economy. Mr. Gebhart was married, Aug. 15, 1870, in the German Catholic Church at Harrisburg, by Rev. Father Koppernagle, to Miss Margaret Neff, who was born in Perry county. When she was one year old her parents located near Port Royal, Juniata county, where she grew to womanhood. From the age of eleven years she has been self-supporting, and has proved a capable, estimable woman in every relation of life. Her father, John Neff, was born in 1809, in Ireland, and accompanied a brother to the United States when he was six years of age. John Neff married Sally Kalebaugh, who was born in York county, and they lived in Perry county and then in Juniata county, moving to Cumberland county in 1870. Mr. Neff died in 1887, at Boiling Springs, Cumberland county, in his seventy-ninth year. Mrs. Neff survived until April 2, 1901, reaching the age of eighty-eight years. John Neff and his wife had children as follows: Sarah married Joseph Hosier, of Silver Spring township, Cumberland county; Harriet married Adam Fisher, of Mifflin, Juniata county; Christian, of Juniata county, married Mary Sween, of Cumberland county; George is now a resident of Kansas (he served one year in the Civil war); Henry, who served three years and nine months in the Civil war, resides at Bowmansdale; Mary Ann married Jacob Gebhart, brother of our subject, who served nine months during the CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 567 Civil war, and died April 12, 1875; Augustus, of Harrisburg, was another member of this patriotic family, giving one year to service in the Civil war (he married Mrs. Lydia Fistle); Margaret is Mrs. Gebhart; Amanda is the widow of William Hamilton, of Boiling Springs. Mr. and Mrs. Gebhart are consistent members of the German Catholic Church at Harrisburg. In politics he is a stanch Democrat. They had one child, that died in infancy, and they took a child to bring up, Lawrence E. Gebhart, son of J. J. Gebhart, who died when this son was an infant. Lawrence E. Gebhart died after being with Mr. and Mrs. Gebhart eight years and five months.