| Notes |
- https://archive.org/details/commemorativebio04jhbe/page/n5
Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania
by J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date 1898
GEORGE GROSS, a highly respected resident of New Berlin, Union county, can look back over more than seventy years of life, during which his retentive memory has treasured many interesting reminiscences of the past. During the greater portion of his life he has been identified with the mercantile and agricultural interests of this section. At present he is living in retirement and enjoying the fruits of his past labors.
Mr. Gross is a member of an old Pennsylvania family, his ancestors having settled in Montgomery county in an early day. Henry Gross, his grandfather, was born there, being one of a large family of children, several of whom left the old home to locate elsewhere. One brother moved to the western part of Pennsylvania, another lived in Dauphin county, Penn., a sister died in Mifflin county, another brother died in New Orleans, a sister died in Franklin county, Penn., and still another brother at Beavertown, Snyder Co., Penn. Henry Gross was married in York county, Penn., to Miss Phoebe Havice, and came on horseback with his bride to what is now Beaver township, Snyder county, in the latter part of the eighteenth century. He established a mercantile business at Middleburg, but in 1801 his store was burned, and he then engaged in farming, purchasing land below MeKees Half Falls. In 1814 he bought the land upon which New Berlin now stands, and he followed farming there for a number of years. This land formerly belonged to George Long, and the village, when first laid out, was called Longstown. At one time Henry Gross owned six farms. His death occurred in 1842, when in his eighty-third year. His wife died in 1837, as the result of injuries received from an accident in falling down stairs. Henry, his eldest son, who served as justice of the peace and surveyor in Snyder county in an early day, in 1830, went west, locating in Seneca county, Ohio, where he died sixty-five years ago. The children of Henry and Phoebe (Havice) Gross were as follows: Henry (mentioned in the foregoing), Elizabeth (Mrs. George Herald), Sarah (Mrs. John Hilbish), Catherine (Mrs. Jacob Dubbs), Philip (father of our subject), John (who died near Chattanooga, Tenn.), Polly (Mrs. Col. Henry Royer) and Barbara (Mrs. George Kleckner). None of these children are now living. Mrs. Kleckner died one year after her marriage.
Gen. Philip Gross, the father of our subject, was born in 1797, in Middleburg, and his educational opportunities in youth were limited to the schools of that place. He always resided upon the old homestead, following agriculture as an occupation, and at times did considerable business as an administrator and executor in the settlement of estates. He was a robust man, well-proportioned, and was seldom ill. Throughout his life he took keen interest in military affairs, and, only his ineligibility on account of age, prevented him from serving in the Civil war. He filled every office in the home militia from private to general, and was the last to serve in that rank under the old regime in the brigade of Union and Northumberland counties. He was a stanch Democrat, as was his father before him, and lie held a number of offices, serving one term as county treasurer before the separation from Union county, when the county seat was at New Berlin. For more than forty consecutive years he served as justice of the peace. In religious faith he was a Lutheran, and for many years held the office of trustee in the Church. He died in 1879. His wife, who died in 1894, at the age of ninety-one years, was Elizabeth Schoch. She was born March 31, 1803, in Snyder county, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hendricks) Schoch. Her remains now rest beside those of her husband in the cemetery at the old homestead. They had the following children: Henry died in Philadelphia, in February, 1890; George is our subject; Jacob died in infancy; Jacob (2) died in 1889, in Limestone township; Phoebe is the widow of Thomas Yearick, of Aaronsburg, Penn.; Mary J. married John Stauffer, and died in Boyertown, Penn.; Elizabeth C. is the widow of Rev. George B. Dechant, of Catawissa, Penn.; Benjamin F. died at the age of nineteen; John died in childhood; an infant son died unnamed; Elmira died in childhood; Susan married Dr. Jerry Hay, and died in Bloomville, Ohio; Laura is the widow of Marion Schnure, of Selins Grove, Union county, and John died in infancy.
George Gross was born August 23, 1823, at the old homestead, and his education was begun in the schools of New Berlin, his first teacher being Mr. Hague. After attending the common schools until he was nineteen years old, he spent two is at the Lewisburg Academy, and. although qualified to teach, he never cared to do so. On leaving school he returned home to engage in farm work. In the fall of 1844, he, with three other young men, went to Seneca county, Ohio, driving the entire distance. He had relatives in that locality, and for a year was employed as a clerk by an uncle in Bellevue. Later he worked in the same capacity for a time at Tiffin, Ohio, and then returned to Pennsylvania, and entered the employ of his brother Henry, then a merchant at Aaronsburg. On August 13, 1846, he was married at New Berlin, to Miss Elizabeth C. Nettle, a native of Carlisle, Penn., and a daughter of Isaac Nettle. He then located on his father's farm for a year, whence in 1847 he removed to Rebersburg, where he established a general mercantile business. In 1848 he started a branch store in Loganton, Sugar Valley, under the firm name of Gross, Bogar & Co., Mr. Gross owning a half interest. For some time, in addition to his other work, he held the office of postmaster at Rebersburg, but, in 1858, he sold his store there and returned to the old homestead. In 1858 he disposed of his interest in the Loganton store, and in 1861, he bought out John D. Bogar, of New Berlin, and continued business for six years under the firm name of Gross & Lutz, and afterward as Gross & Wilson, until 1878, when he sold out and retired from active business in that line. In May 1859, he became a director in the Lewisburg National Bank, and he has attended every meeting of the board since that time with possible exceptions of three or four regular weekly meetings in a year. He is the surviving executor of his father's estate, and for years he looked after his mother's interests. Since 1861 he has occupied his present home at New Berlin, a beautiful place, which was at one time owned by Hon. Joseph Casey, who afterward became Judge of the Court of Claims Washington, D.C. , and who died in that city February 10, 1879. His wife was a sister of Mrs. Gross. Mr. Gross, in religious faith, is a Lutheran, but as his wife is a Presbyterian, he attends that Church regularly. They have had three children: William G., now a resident of Philadelphia; and two, George A. and Rosa K., who died in infancy. In politics Mr. Gross has always been a Democrat, and has held numerous offices in the borough of New Berlin. He was a senatorial delegate to the State Convention held at Erie, Penn., in 1875; he was also a member of the State Democratic Committee during the year 1879.
George Gross – subject of article
Henry Gross (George’s grandfather) Henry Gross was married in York county, Penn., to Miss Phoebe Havice. His death occurred in 1842, when in his eighty-third year. His wife died in 1837, as the result of injuries received from an accident in falling down stairs.
Henry and Phoebe’s children
Henry (mentioned in the foregoing),
Elizabeth (Mrs. George Herald),
Sarah (Mrs. John Hilbish),
Catherine (Mrs. Jacob Dubbs),
Philip (father of our subject),
John (who died near Chattanooga, Tenn.),
Polly (Mrs. Col. Henry Royer) and
Barbara (Mrs. George Kleckner). Mrs. Kleckner died one year after her marriage.
Philip (father of our subject), was born in 1797. He died in 1879. His wife, who died in 1894, at the age of ninety-one years, was Elizabeth Schoch. She was born March 31, 1803, in Snyder county, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hendricks) Schoch.
They had the following children:
Henry died in Philadelphia, in February, 1890;
George is our subject; was born August 23, 1823. On August 13, 1846, he was married at New Berlin, to Miss Elizabeth C. Nettle, a native of Carlisle, Penn., and a daughter of Isaac Nettle. They have had three children: William G., now a resident of Philadelphia; and two, George A. and Rosa K., who died in infancy.
Jacob died in infancy;
Jacob (2) died in 1889, in Limestone township;
Phoebe is the widow of Thomas Yearick, of Aaronsburg, Penn.;
Mary J. married John Stauffer, and died in Boyertown, Penn.;
Elizabeth C. is the widow of Rev. George B. Dechant, of Catawissa, Penn.;
Benjamin F. died at the age of nineteen;
John died in childhood;
an infant son died unnamed;
Elmira died in childhood;
Susan married Dr. Jerry Hay, and died in Bloomville, Ohio;
Laura is the widow of Marion Schnure, of Selins Grove, Union county, and John died in infancy.
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1823 - 1909 (85 years)
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