Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/415

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES C ham berlin; Arthur, married to M iss Alice D ieh l, daughter o f Joseph D ichI; Alice, mar­ ried to WiUiam H. Browne, a prominent attor­ n ey o f Philadelpliia; l^ u ra, married to Kcv. ^ h n D cW ilt, D. D., professor in Princeton T heological Sem inar)'; and Elizabeth Stewart, m arried to Lemuel E. W ells, o f New York. T h e only members of this fam ily living at the present writing are M rs. Brown, residing in Philadelpliia: and M rs. Lemuel E . Wells, now residing in DanviUe. Voung M en’s Christian Association T h ere had been an organization of the Y o u n g Men's Christian Association long prior to the building of the L ibrary and the Y . M . C. A . buikling. In 1872 an Association was or­ ganized in the Mahoning Presbyterian Church, an d the following officers were elected: Presi­ dent, Samuel C . B u tler; vice president, John S w e isfo rt; secretary, John R . R o te; librarian, H . H . Y orgy. T he first managers of that Association w ere: Jam es M . Coulter, William M cCorm ick, C. F . Lloyd, John Sw cisfort. C. P . Bradway. A fte r some years this Association w as abandonc<l and at the time the new building was erected there was no Association in existence. 'rh c experience o f most Young Men's Cliristian Associations is that an Association labors fu r some years in building up an organization until a building becomes a necessity. T h e ex­ perience of the Danville Association was just the reverse. A building was erected and then an As.sociation had to ^ made to fit it. This w a s more difficult than the ordinary experience. H ow ever, an organization was effected soon a ft e r the building was completed, and has been maintained to the present time. It has had its u p s and downs, especially its downs. .■t times th e possibility o f abandoning the work stared the ..ssociation in the face. A t last, however, in 19 12, M rs. A. A. Geis­ in ger came to the rescue and at a total cost of S32.OO0 so enlarged and improved the build­ ing that the Association w as able to offer much rcatcr advantages to young men than ever bcorc. The gymnasium was cnlargcil, a bowling alley was added and a swimming pool w as in­ stalled. The Iniilding w as opened wilh ap­ propriate exereiscs Ju ly 27. 19 13 . T he iircsent general secretary is Janies A. Klyth, and the physical director Gustave Lindner. T he general secretaries since the erection of the building have liccn: F. H. Townsend. J. T. Gillison, H. E. Dodge, George R. W aters,

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W alter A. Edw ards, W. D. Laum aster, George B. Bernhard, Samuel Miller, H. A. Messier, Jam es A. Blyth. George F. Geisinger M em orial Hospital Built upon a terrace at the foot of the range o f hills that bound Danville upon the norui, this handsome modem hospital occupies one of the commanding viewpoints for which the town is famou.s. p'rom this elevation the en­ tire valley in which lies the industrial borough o f Danville may be viewed. On the right the bold crest o f “ Baldlop” rears its majestic fo rm; with the high summit o f Montour ridge stretching down the riv e r; in front arc to be seen the turrets of the old but still beautiful G rove mansion, and beyond in the distance is the cluster o f great buildings that form the State Hospital fo r the Insane; while spread out to view between arc the homes and fac­ tories of the town for which this beneficent building w as constructed. The inspiration fo r this magnificent hospital came through the desire o f M rs. Abigail .A. Geisinger to perpetuate the memory o f her de­ parted husband, George Francis Geisinger, who wa.s one o f Danville’s roost substantial and useful citizens. N o more enduring .md utilitarian memorial could have been con­ ceived than an institution to relieve suffering and extend the lives of those of the citizens o f Danville whose means are insufficient to pay fo r the services of .specialists, or who need the prompt attention o f skilled suigcon.s at the moment when life hangs by only a thrc,id. It was during the early jiart o f September, 19 12, that M rs. Geisinger purchased (he tract o f five acres, part of the .Vlagill c.si,ate. upon which the hospital now stands; and in October following she liouglit nine more acres adjoin­ ing. in order to prevent encroaching residences shutting off the cliarming view from the oc­ cupants o f Ihe building. T he street upon which the building fronts w as gra<lc<l and the name o f Pleasant avenue given it. T his street is parallel with the Bloomsburg ra id and in a section that fo r many years has been unoccu­ pied by buildings. It is expected (hat a subdi­ vision o f which the town may well feel proud will soon be laid out surrounding the hospital. Planning fo r the Future.— lieforc the plans were drawn for the hospital Mrs. Geisinger selected a committee, consist­ ing o f Dr. J. M. Baldy, W. L. M cO ure and Thomas J. Price, to cooperate with the architect, John H. Bniglcr, in ihc prejiaration of the plans, Tliis commiitce visited Pliila-