FRANK
MUNSHOWER, of Leechburg, Armstrong County, engaged as sheet roller in the
employ of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Company at Leechburg, was born
Dec. 25, 1873, son of Samuel Munshower.
The first ancestor of the Munshower family in America came to this
country from Germany, settling in Maryland.
Thence John Munshower, great-grandfather of Frank Munshower, came to
Indiana County, Pa., settling in Center township, where he followed his trade,
that of blacksmith, the rest of his life.
He died there about 1840. In
Maryland he married Catherine Baker, and a family of nine or ten children was
born to them.
William Munshower, son of John and Catherine (Baker) Munshower, came
with his parents to Center township, Indiana Co., Pa., where he grew to
manhood. He was a lifelong
farmer, and cleared a tract of land in that township upon which he resided
until his death, which occurred there in 1881 when he was eighty-two years
old. The property of seventy acres was all in the woods when he came to it,
and the first improvement was the clearing he made for the erection of his
shanty. His wife, Anna (Kunkle),
lived to the advanced age of ninety-seven years.
Their children were: Catherine
died when three years old; John died at Parkers Landing, Pa.; Samuel, is
mentioned below; William, who lives at Cookport, Indiana county, is a justice
of the peace; Huston lives at Blairsville, Indiana county; Harrison lives at
Blairsville; Mary, twin of Harrison, is the wife of Chambers Yuengling, of
Canton, Ohio. The five survivors
of this family are all over seventy. All
of the sons served in the Union army during the Civil war.
Samuel Munshower, son of William Munshower, was born July 3, 1834, upon
his father�s farm in Center township, Indiana county, and in early life
followed farming. During three
months of the year he had such privileges as were afforded at the old log
schoolhouse in the neighborhood, where the furnishings were of the most
primitive character, slab benches and other rude appliances being the rule at
that time. He worked for his father until he was twelve years old, after which
he hired out among other farmers, and following his marriage he farmed on his
own account from 1857 until the spring of 1865.
On March 8, 1865, he enlisted in Indiana for one year, becoming a
private in Company F, 74th P. V. I., and was discharged at Clarksburg, W. Va.,
Sept. 24, 1865. Upon his return
home he worked at the carpenter�s trade, also doing contracting, and
prospered, continuing in this line until his retirement, in 1906.
In the spring of 1871 he moved into the borough of Indiana, where he
has resided continuously since, making his home at the corner of Church and
Eleventh streets. He helped on
the construction of the first of the normal school buildings at Indiana, and
has worked on many other notable structures there, churches, public buildings,
etc. Mr. Munshower is an active
member of the Republican party, belongs to Post No. 28, G. A. R., of Indiana,
and holds membership in the Lutheran Church.
On Jan. 8, 1857, Mr. Munshower married Susanna Kinnard, daughter of
Joseph Kinnard and his wife Mary Ann (Hartzel).
Mrs. Munshower is a member of the M. E. Church.
To this union have been born the following children:
Jemima, Mrs. John Kooser, of Rayne township, Indiana county; Ariettta,
who died when three years old; Laura A., who is unmarried; Ida, widow of Corry
C. Boggs, of Indiana county; Charles of Breckenridge, Allegheny county; Frank;
and Annie G., wife of John D. Skelton of Wellsville, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania.
Frank Munshower was born at Indiana, Indiana county, and there began
his education in the common schools, later attending the State normal school
in that borough. He then learned
the trade of marble cutter there, following same for five years, and in
February, 1895, began to work in the sheet mill.
In 1897 he became a roller, and he has since continued to fill this
responsible position. Mr.
Munshower has prospered in his undertakings, and he built the Kilpatrick block
at the corner of Third and Market streets, Leechburg.
He has long been recognized as a citizen who can be depended upon to
look out for the best interests of his borough, and in the spring of 1909 was
elected a member of the council. He
is a Republican on political questions. Mr.
Munshower takes an active part in almost every cause or enterprise with which
he becomes identified. He is a
member of the Presbyterian Church, and is at present serving as chairman of
the board of trustees. Socially
he belongs to Leechburg lodge of Elks, No. 377, and is one of the trustees of
that body.
On Aug. 30, 1894, Mr. Munshower married Rosa B. Shull, daughter of
Philip and Mary (Van Tine) Shull, of Leechburg.
They have no family.
