My Genealogy Hound

JARRED C. BUCHER, one of the representative citizens of Cumberland county, residing at Boiling Springs, is a native of York county, Pa., and a descendant of Michael Bucher.

Michael Bucher, father of Jarred C., was educated at Oxford College, Adams Co., Pa., and studied civil engineering. He located at Hanover, York county, where he assisted in laying out the town, and became one of the road engineers engaged in surveying for the Northern Central railroad. The instruments he used in his work are among the treasured possessions of his son Jarred. For many years he served as justice of the peace in Hanover, and was also associate editor of a paper in that place. He dealt largely in real estate in and about Hanover, and a large body of realty is still held in his name in that borough, although he has long been dead. He was very successful in all of his operations. His death occurred when he was seventy-two years of age, in 1869. His widow lived to the age of eighty-two years, dying Sept. 3, 1896. She was formerly Miss Eliza Barnitz, daughter of Jacob Barnitz, of Cumberland county. Mr. and Mrs. Bucher were members of the Lutheran Church. Six children were born to them: Henry Clay, a retired business man of Philadelphia; Mary J., widow of J. W. Barnitz, of Delanco, N. J.; Michael Augustus, unmarried, of Philadelphia, a real-estate agent; Ella E., who married Jesse Bollinger, of Hanover; Clara E., married to Dr. Joseph Bittinger, of Hanover, a rising young physician; and Jarred C.

Jarred C. Bucher was born Feb. 14, 1860, and was educated at Penn College, Gettysburg, from there going to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in a mercantile line for six years. Coming at that time to Cumberland county, he located at Boiling Springs, where he took charge of the Boiling Springs flouring-mills. Having been engaged in the grain business at Barnitz, he was able to appreciate the importance of certain conditions, and refitted the mills with the roller process, which has now been in operation therein for ten years. He also operated, until 1894, the old Carlisle Iron Works, which were established as early as 1762, this plant manufacturing charcoal iron for projectile purposes and carwheels, which were sold to different railroads and manufacturers of railroad engines and cars. Large consignments were sold to the Government. Mr. Bucher has in his possession a mold for common projectiles used in the mill which bears the inscription: “Adam Carr Fecit [made this] in 1762.” From this forge projectiles were carted to Valley Forge to Washington’s army during the Revolution on sleds drawn by oxen. Since 1899 Mr. Bucher has been prospecting in Cumberland county as well as throughout adjacent territory for minerals, and in this short time has discovered and developed several mines, which turn out silica, some of which runs as high as 99.0800, ferri oxide 0.015, alumina 0.185, and minerals, phosphate of aluminum, copper ore, white clay of the highest grade, and graphite lead ore.

Mr. Bucher has served as a member of the Republican county central committee, and is often called upon to act as delegate to county conventions. He is an untiring worker in this line and has been doing much stumping, in 1896, 1900 and 1904. In 1900 he was sent to Crawford county, where he spent some nineteen days. He is eagerly sought in State and National campaigns, for his worth as a public speaker is fully recognized. Few men are more efficient workers than he.

On Oct. 1, 1887, Mr. Bucher was married to Miss Helen Hall Mullin, of Mt. Holly Springs, a daughter of W. A. Mullin, and they have two children, William and Helen Francis. Mr. Bucher’s home on Highland Terrace is one of the most pleasant in Cumberland county, and there he and his charming wife dispense a most delightful hospitality. Mrs. Bucher is an accomplished woman, of more than average intelligence, besides being an active member of the Fortnightly and Civic Clubs of Carlisle. She has great musical talents, and for more than ten years was leader of the choir of St. John’s Lutheran Church, which consisted of some twenty voices, as well as an orchestra.

Mr. Bucher is deeply interested in church work, and since taking up his residence at Boiling Springs he has associated himself with St. John’s Lutheran Church, and has done much toward the erection of the new hurch edifice. For the past ten years he has been superintendent of the Sunday-school, and teacher of the Bible class, which has a membership of forty-five. It is not only in the political field that Mr. Bucher shines as an orator, for he is well known on the lecture platform as a representative of the Y. M. C. A. One year he lectured through Lancaster county, at Philadelphia, and at various points in York and other counties throughout the State. The subject of his lecture that season was “The Secret of Success,” which he handled in a very convincing and able manner.