My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE A. GAMBER, proprietor of the Green Spring Mill, Newville, Cumberland county, once known as the Snyder Mills, was born in this county, in April, 1836, son of William and Agnes (Sites) Gamber.

William Gamber was born in Dauphin county, Pa., in 1800, son of George Gamber, a native of Germany. He learned the trade of a shoemaker, and in the earlier days, would go from family to family making shoes, and he worked at his bench for fifty years. His wife Agnes Sites, daughter of George Sites, was born in Cumberland county, near Newville, about 1806, and she died in 1863. The children born to William Gamber and wife were as follows: Catherine, Eliza, Sarah, Joseph, John, George A., Mary, Matilda, Margaret, William and Emanuel (a widower now residing in Ohio).

George A. Gamber received the greater portion of his education at what was called the Bridgewater schoolhouse. When he was only seventeen, he began teaching in the country, but not liking this calling, he learned the trade of milling, and completed it with Calvin McLeaf, proprietor of the Conedoguinet Mills in Hopewell township, and remained with him for two years. From the latter place he went to the Pifer Mills in Newton township, thence to the Allen Mills, and finally to the Maclay Mills, Lurgan township, Franklin county, Pa. In 1862 he entered the service of his country, enlisting in Company B, 158th P. V. I., Col. McKibben commanding the division, and was soon thereafter mustered in, and ordered to Newbern, N. C., but was taken sick, and discharged on a surgeon’s certificate, after an honorable service of fifty-seven days.

Returning to his home in Franklin county Mr. Gamber engaged in farming and stock raising, and so continued until 1880, when he went to Kansas. In that State he spent a year, and then returned to Pennsylvania, locating in Cumberland county, where he once more engaged in milling, operating what was known as the Maclay Mills for some years, and later the Newville Mills, which were situated on the waters of the Big Spring. In 1890 Mr. Gamber took charge of the Green Spring Roller Mills, which were originally burr mills. Since taking charge of them, he has introduced new machinery and processes, and manufactures a very good product, while his business is a large one, extending over a wide territory.

In 1857, Mr. Gamber married Levina McLaughlin, of Newburg, Pa., a daughter of Robert McLaughlin, who was born in Newton township, this county. She died in 1896, leaving one daughter, Agnes S., who married Martin Walters, of Green Spring, Pa. In politics, Mr. Gamber is a Republican, but he has never aspired to public honors. Fraternally, he is a member of the Path Valley Lodge, No. 419, I. O. O. F., and he is also a member of Newburg Post, No. 292, G. A. R.