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/654

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIKS o f Germany, and was a butcher ami marketman in W urtcmbcrg all his life. Joscjih Divcl» the father, was also hom in Germany, am! fo l­ lowed the trade o f butcher all his active days. In 1839 he came to the United States* arriv­ ing at New Y o rk C ity, whence he proceeded to Milton, P a. H e next went to Harrisburg, where he worked as a journeyman fo r some time, and then returned to Milton, where he formed a partnership with Jaco b Bowers, opening a butcher shop. T hey continued the business fo r two years and then dissolved partnership, M r. Divel going to, Mooresburg. Montour county. There he engaged in the meat business, which he carried on until his death, in 1884, at the age o f seventy-five years. M r. Divel w*as twice married, his first w ife being M aria Bowers, a native o f Ckrmany. T o them were born two children, H enry and M ary, the latter the w ife of John M oyer, o f M ilton, Pa. M r. Divel chose fur his second w ife Catherine Grifif« by whom he had the follow ing children: Sophia, w*ifc o f Robert M ills, o f Lock Haven, P a .; Joseph R. a veteran of the C ivil w a r; Joanna, who wedded P. Lym an Ritter, of Mooresburg. P a .: and three who died in infancy. Henry Divel w as educated in the common schools o f his native town and at the age of sixteen years went lo work with his father, learning the trade o f butcher, which Inisincss he has since followed. In 1859 he removed to Danville and worked a s a journeyman for M oyer Lyon six years, during this period of employment losing only one week’s work, and that was owing to a felon on one o f his fingers. On Ju ly 4, 1865. in company with Jo h n Rock fellow, he opened a butcher shop at No. 334 M ill street. On A pril t. 1875. Theodore Hoffman purchased the interest of M r. Kockfellow and the firm was then known as HofTman & Divel until 1900, >vhcn Mr. D ivel purchase<l Hoffm an’s interest. M r, Divel married Bartwra Fleckenslcin, a daughter of Peter Fleckcnstcin, torn A pril 2, 1843, and children as follow s have hccn born to them : Em m a, w ife o f S. G. Johnson, a large real estate dealer o f New M exico; M ary Elizabeth, who married W. L. Sidler, Register and Recorder o f Montour county. P a .; Lilly M ay, married to Henry Woolhcatcr, a farm er o f Montour county. P a ,; CTiarlottc: M argaret, deceased; I^tura, now the w i(y o f (ieorge W. Billm an. o f Reading, Pa., insurance adjuster and agen t: Ella, a trained nurse, now in Phil­ adelphia; Minnie, also a trained nurse in that c ity : Joseph, who married laiella W erkhciser. o f D anville; and Anna, marricil to .Ammon


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K ciscr, ticket agent at Danville for the Dela­ ware* Lackawanna & Western Railroad Com­ iiany. M r. Divel owns a liandsomc residence at No. 404 Church street* and two large tenement houses. He and his family are members of the Lutheran Church at Danville. Politically he is an earnest adherent o f Democratic prin­ ciples and lends the w'cight o f his influence to the sup]K)rt o f that party, l i e enjoys the con­ fidence and respect o f his fellow townsmen* has served one term in the council, and two terms as associate judge* from 1890 to 1900, Socially Ju d gc Divel is a member of Dan­ ville Ixidge* No. 516, F . & A. M. He be­ longs to the Pine Street Lutheran Church, of the General Synod. F R A N C IS E U G E N E H A R P E L * M . D., a physician and surgeon o f Danville, Montour Co., l^a., w as bom at Reading, Berks Co.* Pa., Ju n e 15. 1844, son o f M ark and Martha (M organ ) Harpel. M ark Harpel was bum N ov. 10* i8 to, at I Philadelphia* P a., and w as a Lutheran min­ ister al) of his mature years. A n accomplished linguist, he s|>okeand wrote Greek, French, German and English. He died at Shamokin, at the home o f his son Dr. M. H. Harpel. N ov. 16* 1892. Francis Eugene Harpel aciptired his early education in the public schools o f Bethlehem and in toncastcr county, and took summer courses at MillersviUe. In order to defray the expenses o f tuition he taught during the w'intcT seasons. In Lancaster county he learned the trade o f nurbic cutter, but his health failing him he resumed school teach­ ing in that county, where he w as so engaged until 1868, when he conimenced the study of medicine at Shamokin with hts brother. Dr. M. H. Har]ie 1. In [869 he entered Hahnemann Medical College, at Philadelphia, and was graduat€<l from that institution in 1871* im­ mediately afterw ard coming to to n v illc, where he followed general practice a short time. Removing to W hile O ak, near Manhcim, Lancaster county, he was located there fo r one year, and w as then associated in prac­ tice with his brother at Shamokin fur three months, after which he spent a short time at H am buig, Berks county, returning lu Dan­ ville in 1873. He has lieen in practice there continually since. During the C ivil w ar D r. Harpel wms not found lacking in patriotism, for he enlisted from toncastcr county with the militia, be­ ing mustered out after three weeks’ service