My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE L. WALTER, lumber-manufacturer, post office Sharpsburg. Peter Walter, a native of Darmstadt, Germany, born in 1805, a shoemaker by trade, immigrated to America in 1824, and located in Pittsburgh in 1830, where for a number of years he was engaged in the retail shoe business. His wife, Anna B. Neiderhiser, was born in Switzerland in 1815, came to America with her parents when eighteen years of age, and was married to Mr. Walter at Pittsburgh in 1834. Ten children blessed their union, nine of whom are living, George L. being the youngest. He was educated at the public schools in Allegheny City and the Western University of Pittsburgh. At the age of sixteen he entered the Workingman’s Savings bank of Allegheny as messenger-boy, in which institution he remained ten years, filling every position from messenger-boy to cashier. In 1880 he came to Sharpsburg and commenced the sawmill business, operating the Kelly mill in partnership with James R. Darragh. In 1884 he entered into partnership with James G. Saint in the planing-mill and lumber business. In 1885, owing to the sickness of his partner, Mr. Walter became sole owner of the business, which he has successfully conducted with increased facilities. He married, in 1884, Bella S. Kelly, of Saltsburg, Pa. Mr. Walter is a Knight Templar, a member of the Presbyterian Church, secretary and treasurer of the Allegheny County Lumber-Dealers’ association; politically he is a republican, and has filled the position of borough treasurer.