Other Events:

• Occupation: blacksmith
• Census: 1850, Miles Township, Centre County, PA

Notes:

326 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
CHARLES BEIRLY, a prominent agriculturist of Brush Valley, residing near Rebersburg, is a man whose patriotism has been tried amid the hardships and exposures of the battlefield, the camp and the march, and survived the still more trying test of hospital life. At the age of twenty-two, in obedience to his country's call, he enlisted, August 22, 1862, at Rebersburg, in Company A, 148th P. V. I. After a short stay at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, for equipment and drill, the new recruits went to the front, their first experience in battle being at Chancellorsville. Mr. Beirly took part in the other engagements of his regiment until he was wounded in the evening of the second day at Gettysburg while he was crossing the stone fence. He was removed from the field in an ambulance, and spent nine months in a hospital in Philadelphia. Nothing daunted by this experience, he determined to remain in the service, but being incapacitated for active work in the field he was transferred to the Invalid Corps, and for some
time was on guard duty in New York City. Later he was detailed for hospital work at Washington, and he did not leave the service until the war was ended, being mustered out June 26, 1865.
Mr. Beirly is a member of a pioneer family of Brush Valley. The name is properly spelled Bierly, but at the time of his enlistment it was placed on the army rolls as Beirly, and he has since adhered to that form. He is a grandson of Anthony and Maria (Kratzer) Bierly, and a son of Melchoir Bierly, who was born in Miles township, July 20, 1815, and became a leading citizen there. At twelve years of age he began to learn the blacksmith's trade in his father's shop, and always followed that occupation. Melchoir Bierly was married December 3, 1836, in Miles township to Catharine Gephart, who was born in Berks county, Penn., November 1, 1811. Her parents, Daniel and Hannah Gephart, removed to Union county when Catharine was but a babe, and after nine years there they settled at Madisonburg, Centre county. Mr. Gephart followed the weaver's trade. Later they went to Seneca county, Ohio, and died there. Mrs. Bierly was the eldest of ten children — six sons and four daughters. Of the five children of this marriage, two lived to adult age: Charles; and Mary J., now the wife of William Brumgart, of Nittany Valley; three children — one daughter and two sons — died in childhood.
Melchoir Bierly was a Republican and strongly loyal, being an ardent admirer of Lincoln and opposed to slavery. In local affairs he was influential but he never sought office. He was a large man, well built, a hard worker, and was nearly eighty years when he died, January 11, 1894. He had but fifty cents when he was married, and he fought his own fight, winning a comfortable competence. He and his wife both united with the Lutheran Church, and were always in sympathy with religious and philanthropic work. Mrs. Bierly still lives in Rebersburg, and is well preserved for one of her age. Since his father's death our subject has given his mother a good home, and has cared for her with filial devotion.
Charles Beirly was born near Rebersburg, April 18, 1840, and attended the schools of his day at Rebersburg, John Burket being his first teacher. He had some difficulty in committing his lessons to memory, but was an apt scholar in some respects. He began to learn the blacksmith's trade when he was twelve years old, and when not in school he was to be found in his father's shop, where there was always plenty of business, several men being constantly employed. After his return from the army he resumed work at his trade.
Mr. Beirly was first married September 10, 1865, in Brush Valley, to Miss Amelia Snook, the daughter of Levi and Margaret (Wolford) Snook. They began housekeeping in Rebersburg, and Mr. Beirly became a partner in his father's business, which they continued until they came to his present farm in 1874. He rented the place at first from his father, and in November, 1893, acquired the title. The farm contains 106 acres, and Mr. Beirly has erected every building on it except the residence and corn crib. He owns a home in Rebersburg and also has a small tract of mountain land.
The children of the first marriage were:
Margaret J., now Mrs. C. O. Mayer, of Selins Grove, Penn.;
Warren M., of Franklin county, Penn. ;
Alvin M., who died at the of age sixteen years;
George A., who died in infancy;
and Charles H., a farmer of Brush Valley.
The mother, who was a devout Christian and a member of the Lutheran Church, died in November, 1874, and her remains now lie buried at Rebersburg.
For his second wife, Mr. Beirly was married, March 12, 1876, to Miss Mary M. Moyer, born in Penn's Valley Penn township, Centre county, May 12, 1845, daughter of Elias and Susan (Young) Moyer, who removed to Boone county, Iowa, when she was ten years old. She was reared there, and taught a subscription school when but seventeen years old. Her father died there in 1864, and soon afterward she returned with some of her family to Pennsylvania, where she met Mr. Beirly. She was the eldest of nine children — six sons and three daughters — and is now the only one of this family left in Brush Valley and Penn's Valley.
Two children were born of this marriage:
Lowell S.
and Orpha C, both at home.
Politically, Mr. Beirly is a Republican, but while he is a stanch member of the party he is no office seeker. He and his wife are prominent members of the Lutheran Church, and he has held the office of deacon therein. Socially he belongs to W. W. Beirly Post, G. A. R., at Millheim, of which he was one of the organizers. A substantial, industrious and honest farmer, he is one of the best of citizens, and he is held in high esteem by all who know him.

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76773039/melchior-bierly

Family/Spouse: Catherine Gephart. Catherine was born on 1 Nov 1811; died on 19 Mar 1901; was buried in Saint Peters Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Rebersburg, Centre County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Occupation: blacksmith
• Census: 1850, Miles Township, Centre County, PA

Notes:

Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania, J.H. Beers & Co., (Name: Beers & Co, 1898;).

Anthony Bierly, Jr.,... was born September 8, 1787, and was but a child at the time of the removal to Centre county. He learned the blacksmith's trade in Aaronsburg, and followed it for many years in Brush Valley and later in Rebersburg. His parents were well-to-do, and gave a liberal start in life to all the other children; but owing to some misunderstanding he received but little if any assistance from them. He succeeded, however, and had an extensive business, employing several hands. Of large build and active temperament, he was capable of doing an immense amount of work; but although he made a great deal of money he never became wealthy, as his kind and generous disposition was often imposed upon to his loss. He was a stanch Democrat, and a leader in many local movements, serving for some time in the Home Militia as chief musician.
In 1814 he married Miss Maria Kratzer, who was born near Shamokin, Penn., in February, 1793 and died February 9, 1860; his own death occurred July 18, 1857. Both were devout members of the Evangelical Church of Rebersburg, where their remains now rest. They had eight children, as follows: Meichoir, born July 20, 1815; John is a blacksmith at Tylersvilie, Penn.; William, born September 19, 1818, is a farmer and shoemaker at Rebersburg; Susan, born June 20, 1824, is now Mrs. Joseph Miller, of Rebersburg; Rachel, born in 1826, married Rev. George Young, an Evangelical minister, who died at Baltimore; George is a blacksmith and miller in Nittany Valley; Daniel, born September 9, 1828 (now deceased), was a blacksmith at Tylersvilie, and Joseph C., born February 22, 1834.

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58590413/anthony-bierly

Anthony married Maria Magdalena Crotzer in 1814. Maria was born in Feb 1793 in Shamokin, Northumberland County, PA; died on 09 Feb 1860 in Rebersburg, Centre County, PA; was buried in Saint Peters Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Rebersburg, Centre County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Find a Grave gives her maiden name as Kratzer.

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58590465/mary-ann-bierly

Notes:

Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania, J.H. Beers & Co., (Name: Beers & Co, 1898;).

page 235 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

BIERLY. The Bierly family has held for so many years a prominent place in this section, that the purpose of this work would not be fulfilled if the part which they have taken in local history were not given a place. Like most of the early settlers, they are of German extraction, the name having been formerly written Bherly. The founder of the line in this region, Melchoir Bierly, came from Bavaria, Prussia, with his wife, before the Revolutionary war, probably before the French and Indian war, and about the time of the Revolutionary war, located in Snyder county, near Mahantango creek. During that war they were obliged to flee from the Indians, probably at the time of the "Run away" in 1778, which has become a historical event, and they never returned, as Melchoir Bierly found employment in the iron works of Lancaster county, and made his home there. He met his death while crossing the mountains to visit friends. He had two sons, of whom the elder. Nicholas, settled in Ohio; and Anthony.
Anthony Bierly was the progenitor of all the Bierlys in Sugar Valley, Clinton county, and Brush Valley, Centre county. He came from the region of the Mahantango, near McKee's Half Falls (now in Snyder county), in 1791 or '92, and leased from Col. Samuel Miles a tract of 300 acres of land a short distance north of the present site of Rebersburg. Tradition says that he was the first man to travel over the Brush Valley Narrows with a team after the completion of the road there, and a tedious journey it was, according to all accounts, the way being extremely rough, and for lack of other accommodations the party was compelled to camp out at night. On arrival at their destination a log cabin was constructed, and the work of subduing the wilderness and creating a home was begun. Naturally, Anthony Bierly became a leader among the pioneers of the locality, and his foresight and public spirit deserve recognition at this day. He was one of the leading men in the building, in 1804, of the first church in Rebersburg. He died April 7, 1825, aged about eighty-two years, and his wife, Anna Maria Warner, who was born November 15, 1752, passed away April 3, 1844, the remains of both being laid to rest in the Lutheran and Reformed cemeteries at Rebersburg. They had twelve children: (1) Margaret married (first) John Phillips, (second), Peter Greninger, and (third) a Mr. Carter, and died in Venango county, Penn. ; (2) Nicholas died near Rebersburg, July 25, 1848, in his seventy-fourth year (his wife, Lucy (Buchtel), died March 26, 1851); (3) Lizzie married Peter Berry; (4) Catherine, a taiioress by occupation, never married; (5) John, who was born in Northumberland county, February 8, 1779, married Catherine Berry, and died in 1870 in Sugar Valley, near Tylersvilie; (6) Sarah married (first) Henry Greninger, and (second) George Lesh; (7) Eva married Michael Ketner; (8) Rosina married Christian Gramly, and died in Miles township. Centre county; (9) Barbara married Fred Womeldorf, and died in Sugar Valley, (10) Anna married Philip Glantz, of Sugar Valley; and her death occurred there; (11) Anthony, Jr., is mentioned more fully below; and (12) Mary (Mrs. Michael Kahl) died in Brush Valley, and is buried at Rebersburg.

Page 243 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Anthony Bierly, ... was a man of note in his day, possessing an unusually keen intellect and forceful character. He was versed in the ancient science of Astrology, and practiced it for a time at Guy. In 1791, probably in the spring, he came to Brush Valley and settled with his family upon a tract of 300 acres, which was leased from Col. Samuel Miles.

Mr. Bierly and his son Nicholas, our subject's grandfather, had come to the place in the fall previous to clear a portion of it and plant grain for the next summer's harvest. About half an acre had already been cleared by Mr. Strawbridge, who had also built a hut there, and when Mr. Bierly first came, there were a few huts standing in the woods through other parts of the Valley.
Mr. Bierly's house was situated about half-way between the present homes of Peter S. and Anthony Bierly. There are upon the place several apple trees which were brought from the old-home, and one now measures thirteen and one-half feet in circumference. During the Revolutionary war Anthony Bierly while living on the Mohantango served in the militia, but it is not known what engagements he took part in. On one or two occasions, he with other parties followed Indians who had murdered white families. When he brought his family to Centre county he came through Brush Valley Narrows, over the road which Col. Samuel Miles had opened but a short time before, and it is said that Mr. Bierly was the first man. who traveled over it in a vehicle. He took an active part in the development and improvement of his locality, and was especially interested in the village of Rebersburg, which was established upon his tract of land. He died in 1825 at the age of eighty-two, and he and his wife, whose maiden name was Warner, were both buried in the Lutheran Reformed Cemetery at Rebersburg. Neither has a tombstone with an inscription. Their children, none of whom are now living, were: Nicholas, our subject's grandfather; John; Anthony, Jr.: Margaret, who married John Philips; Mary, wife of Michael Kehl; Sarah, who married (firsts Henry Greninger, and (second) George Lesh; Anna, wife of Philip Glantz; Barbara, wife of Frederick Womeldorf; Rosina, who married Christian Gramley; Elizabeth, wife of Peter Berry; Eva, wife of Michael Ketner, and Catherine, who never married.

History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania; John Blair Linn; Philadelphia; Louis H. Everts; 1883.
Anthony Berly (Bierly)
(1747-1825)

He was one of the pioneer settlers of Brush Valley. He leased a tract of three hundred acres, on part of which Rebersburg is now situated, from Col. Samuel Miles in 1791, and it is probable that he brought his family into the valley in the spring of the same year.

They came from Mahantango Creek, now Snyder County. Mr. Bierly and his son, Nicholas, had been up during the previous fall to clear and put in grain a small piece of ground for the family¡¦s subsistence. A Mr. Strawbridge had cleared about half an acre; and built a hut on this tract when Mr. Bierly first came, and there were a few huts standing in the woods through other parts of the valley. Mr. Bierly¡¦s house was situated about midway between the present homes of Peter S. and Thony Bierly. There are several apple trees around the place which were brought from below, one of which measures thirteen and one-half feet in circumference.

During the Revolutionary War Anthony Bierly served in the militia, but it is not known in what engagements he took part. On one or two occasions, he, with other parties, followed Indians who had murdered white families. This occurred while he was still living along the Mahantango. He came to the valley with his family through Brush Valley Narrows, over the road which Samuel Miles had opened but a short time before, and was the first man that traveled it in a conveyance. Anthony Bierly was a native of Bavaria; his parents and an only brother, Nicholas, came to America at the same time probably, but in what year is not known. His brother settled in Ohio somewhere. His father¡¦s name was Melchior, and he lived along the Mahantango also until the Indian troubles of 1778, when he left with the ¡§great Runaway,¡¨ and never returned from the eastern part of the State. His wife brought along a beautifully ornamented bottle from the old country, which is today a cherished relic in the family of a great-grandson, Melchior Bierly, of Rebersburg. Anthony Bierly was married to a Miss Warner; he died in 1825, and was eighty-two years of age; both he and his wife lie buried in the Lutheran and Reformed graveyard, Rebersburg, and neither grave has a tombstone with an inscription. Children:
Nicholas
John
Anthony
Margaret, married to John Philips; Mary, married to Michael Kehl
Sarah, first married to Henry grenninger, and after his decease to George Leash
Anna, married to Philip Glantz
Barbara, married to Fredereick Womeldorf
Rosina, married to Christian Gramly
Elizabeth, married to Peter Berry
Eva, married to Michael Ketner
Catharine not married

All the children are dead. (Meyer)
Wife: Anna Maria Warner
Parents: Melchior Bierly and Maria Barbara Ocker


Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34029337/anthony-bierly

Anthony married Anna Maria Warner. Anna was born on 15 Nov 1762 in Pennsylvania; died on 3 Apr 1841 in Rebersburg, Centre County, PA; was buried in Saint Peters Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Rebersburg, Centre County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34029486/anna-maria-bierly

Notes:

Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania, J.H. Beers & Co., (Name: Beers & Co, 1898;).

Page 235

BIERLY. The Bierly family has held for so many years a prominent place in this section, that the purpose of this work would not be fulfilled if the part which they have taken in local history were not given a place. Like most of the early settlers, they are of German extraction, the name having been formerly written Bherly. The founder of the line in this region, Melchoir Bierly, came from Bavaria, Prussia, with his wife, before the Revolutionary war, probably before the French and Indian war, and about the time of the Revolutionary war, located in Snyder county, near Mahantango creek. During that war they were obliged to flee from the Indians, probably at the time of the "Run away" in 1778, which has become a historical event, and they never returned, as Melchoir Bierly found employment in the iron works of Lancaster county, and made his home there. He met his death while crossing the mountains to visit friends. He had two sons, of whom the elder. Nicholas, settled in Ohio; and Anthony.