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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania published in 1905 by The Genealogical Publishing Company.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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H. A. DICK, one of the most skillful embalmers and undertakers of Cumberland county, and an extensive furniture dealer of Mechanicsburg, Pa., was born July 2, 1849, in the city of York, York county, Pa., son of A. J. and Magdalena (Stambaugh) Dick, and grandson of Samuel Dick, a cooper by trade.

Samuel Dick was born in Maryland, and came of an old Scotch-Irish family. By occupation he was a cooper.

A. J. Dick was born in York county, Pa. He learned the cooper’s trade, and followed it in connection with farming. He married Magdalena Stambaugh and they became the parents of fourteen children, namely: H. A.; William, deceased; Frank, of Cumberland county; Samuel, deceased; Mary; Edward, of Kansas; Charles, of Perry county, Pa.; Annie, unmarried, of Kansas; Michael, of Kansas; Catherine, of Kansas City; and four who died young. About 1875 Mr. A. J. Dick and his wife moved to Kansas where both died. In politics he was a Democrat, while in religious belief he was a Lutheran.

Until he was fourteen years of age Mr. H. A. Dick remained with his parents in York county, and he then worked for farmers for several years, after which he came to Cumberland county and located on a farm near Mechanicsburg. A few months later, however, he returned to York county, where he learned the trade of a wagonmaker. Once more he settled in Cumberland county, this time at Wertzville, and he followed his trade for twenty-five years. During this time he learned embalming and undertaking, and in 1901 he moved to Mechanicsburg, where he established himself as an undertaker and furniture dealer at No. 44 West Main street.

On April 18, 1872, Mr. Dick married Miss Agnes Walters, a native of Cumberland county, and a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Walters, the former of whom also a native of Cumberland county, was a blacksmith by trade. Mrs. Dick is a member of a family of six, the others being; Simon, of Cumberland county; Mary, the wife of Jeremiah Bretz; John, a farmer of Cumberland county; Joseph, and Agnes. Three children were born to Nr. and Mrs. Dick: Andrew W. and Walter, twins, born Oct. 16, 1873; and Murray Luther, born Oct. 18, 1879, who is a clerk in the First National Bank of Mechanicsburg. Andrew W. and Walter both died Feb. 24, 1898, and were buried together. Walter was a teacher in the schools of Cumberland county, and Andrew, a graduate embalmer. Both were intelligent and promising young men, leading devoted Christian lives. This mournful event was one which affected the entire community, and called forth many tokens of warm sympathy and affection for the sorrowing parents and brother.

In politics Mr. Dick is a stanch Democrat, and for six years was a wise and judicious school director. Mr. Dick is very active in the work of the Lutheran Church in which he has held prominent positions, and he is very active in the Sabbath school.

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This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in the Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania published in 1905 by The Genealogical Publishing Company. 

View additional Cumberland County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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