Author: Gordon Laws
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Abraham Plank and the Cane Left Behind
Abraham Plank was a Pennsylvania farmer whose property lay on the southern end of Herr’s Ridge, near the Black Horse Tavern in Cumberland Township (Gettysburg area). He married Sarah Mickley (born 1802) and raised a family there. Census and genealogical records indicate their children included Josiah (b. 1827), Abraham (b.1832), John W. Plank (b.1840), and daughter Henrietta…
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Francis Bream’s Legacy and the Black Horse Tavern
Francis Bream (1805–1882) was a prominent Adams County, Pennsylvania landowner, tavern-keeper, and public official, best known as the proprietor of the historic Black Horse Tavern (also known as Bream’s Tavern, and later occasionally called the “Dark Horse Tavern”). This tavern, a large stone inn west of Gettysburg, played a notable role during the Civil War’s…
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Catherine Wills: Gettysburg’s Unsung Heroine
Catherine Jane Smyser, known affectionately as “Jennie” and in history as Catherine Wills, was born on August 12, 1834, in Pennsylvania. She was the eldest child of Daniel Martin Smyser and Catherine Barbara (Miller) Smyser. Catherine’s father was a prominent lawyer-turned-judge who had practiced in Gettysburg and later served on the Pennsylvania judiciary in Norristown.…
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David McConaughy, David Wills, and the Feud that Gave Us the Gettysburg National Cemetery
In September 1863, David Wills and David McConaughy were featured side-by-side on the front page of the Adams County Sentinel. In the left column was David Wills magnanimously creating the National Cemetery, and in the right column was David McConaughy generously buying up battlefield land in order to create the Gettysburg National Battlefield Park. Unseen…
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Cemetery Hill: The Birthplace of Evergreen Cemetery
Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill are forever joined in history because of the great battle fought on their grounds—but they also share a common family history going back generations. Prior to becoming hallowed ground, Cemetery Hill was known locally as Raffensperger’s Hill, a prominent rise just south of Gettysburg. In the early 19th century it…
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Culp’s Hill: Battle and Family Heritage at Gettysburg
Culp’s Hill and the Culp family remain inextricably intertwined with the story of Gettysburg. The Culp family’s presence in Gettysburg dates to the town’s very founding in the late 18th century. In 1787 – just one year after Gettysburg was laid out – a German immigrant named Christopher “Christophel” Kolb (later Americanized to Culp) purchased a 239-acre farm…
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David Troxell: Gettysburg’s Historic Harness Maker
Today, David Troxell is known mostly for having a house that still stands and for the shell that still sticks out of it, but he was far more than his brief involvement in the battle. David was born on September 4, 1809, to John Troxell (1781–1855) and Catherine “Kitty” Ackerman Troxell (1786–1870). The Troxell family…
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The Life and Legacy of Rebecca Keefer Markey
Almost certainly among the people sheltering in David Troxell’s basement during the battle was Rebecca Keefer. Rebecca Rosenberger (later known as Rebecca Markey or Rebecca Keefer) was born March 7, 1802, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Abraham Rosenberger Jr. (1754–1821) and Catharine (Catherine) Keefer (1778–1863). Rebecca’s family was part of the…
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David Forney: The Artist Who Etched History at Elephant Rock
In 1849, a 21-year-old artist named David Forney spent an afternoon in nature south of his hometown (likely around the Rose farm and the Michael Bushman farm). He was apparently sketching and painting, and when he was finished for the day, he carved his first initial, his last name, and the year into the rock…
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The Life and Legacy of Dr. John Edward Herbst
John Edward Herbst was born on February 24, 1828, into one of the long-established Pennsylvania German families of Gettysburg. He was the son of Rev. John Herbst Sr., a German Reformed minister and farmer, and Juliana Kurtz Herbst. Raised in a household that valued faith, education, and public service, John Edward was destined for a…