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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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GEORGE WASHINGTON ATTICKS, for a number of years one of the prominent and representative men of Lower Allen township, Cumberland county, now a resident of New Cumberland, comes from old German ancestry which can be traced back to Rotterdam, beyond the days of his great-grandfather.

Hans Peter Addicks, his great-grandfather, born at Rotterdam, Holland, came on the ship “Friendship,” Capt. Vitterly, landing at Philadelphia Sept. 3, 1739. At that time the name was spelled Addicks.

Henry Atticks, son of Hans Peter, spent most of his life in Fairview township, York county, and died there in 1844, aged sixty-eight years. He followed farming and blacksmithing. He and his wife were leading members of the Presbyterian Church. The maiden name of his wife was Heck, and they reared the following children: John, who married Miss Kline, settled in Franklin township, where he died, and he was buried at Dillsburg; Henry H. was the father of our subject; Elizabeth was the wife of James Starr, and died at Lisborn; Peter died young.

Henry H. Atticks was born in Fairview township, on the old home farm near Lewisberry, York county, in February, 1800, and died in March, 1872. His education was obtained in the district schools of his day. He learned the trade of carpenter and cabinetmaker and followed the same in connection with farming, accumulating a large body of land, some six farms, aggregating 378 acres. He was a man of exemplary life, noted for his domestic virtues and quiet, unassuming manners, and for his unobtrusive interest in all that conduced to the betterment of his community. For many years he served as school director, and he performed all the duties of a good citizen with fidelity.

In January, 1828, Mr. Atticks married Elizabeth Peterman (daughter of Jacob Peterman) who died in 1887, aged eighty-two years. She was a member of the Church of God, a good Christian woman and devoted mother and wife. The children of this marriage were: Susanna, Mrs. Mathias Betner, of Mechanicsburg; Henry and Jacob, twins, who died in infancy; Henry (2), who married Harriet Greenfield, and died in 1887 in Fairview township, York county, aged fifty-three years; John, who was accidentally killed in 1860, falling from a load of oats; Sarah, who married John F. Hursh, and moved in 1879 to Kansas, where he died; Catherine, wife of Rev. Samuel Herring, a Lutheran clergyman at York, Pa.; George W., of this sketch; and Elmira, Mrs. John Sunday, who died in 1865.

George Washington Atticks was born Feb. 5, 1842, in Fairview township, York Co., Pa., and still owns the old home farm where his birth took place, and which has many tender memories for him. It has been in the family since 1828, was deeded by his grandfather to his father, and by the latter to his daughter Kate in 1873. The latter sold it to her brother Henry in 1876 and in the spring of 1884 George W. Atticks purchased the property for himself, and it is very probable that it will not change hands again during his life. The original tract consisted of seventy acres, to which George W. Atticks has added thirty more of the father’s estate.

At the age of six years Mr. Atticks became a pupil in the district school, which was in session three months in the year. As he grew older he filled the various round of duties which fall to the share of the “boy” in a family on a big farm, his training resulting, however, in making a practical farmer of him while he was still a youth. He remained with his father until he was twenty-three years old and then started out to see something of other localities, working sometimes on farms in the different States, and for eight months served in the capacity of clerk in a warehouse at Ocoya, Ill. During his four years of travel he saw pretty thoroughly the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, and gained much knowledge that could never have been learned from books. In 1869 he returned to Ohio, and in the fall of that year was married at Ashland, Ashland Co., Ohio, to Miss Lucinda Fluke, who was born in Orange township, Ashland Co., Ohio; June 8, 1846, was reared in Orange township, and attended the schools of Hayesville. Her parents were David and Anna Fluke, the former of whom died in 1866, but the mother still survives and bears her seventy-nine years well. Philip Fluke, the grandfather of Mrs. Atticks, went to Ohio from Bedford county, Pa., and her maternal grandfather, Jacob Stein, also settled in Ohio, migrating from Montour county, Pa. Both families belong to the most respected residents of Ashland county.

After his marriage Mr. Atticks located on the old home farm which he operated for his father for three years, and then bought a farm of fifty acres, in 1874, from Dr. George Hursh. In 1884 he sold this farm back to Dr. Hursh and bought the old home farm, as mentioned above, where he remained until December, 1901, since when he has been a resident of New Cumberland. Mr. Atticks was reared in the soundness of the principles of the old Democracy and could scarcely be anything but a stanch Democrat. He has been called upon many times to fill official positions and has met the expectations of his friends in a very satisfactory manner at all times. For six years he has been a school director in Fairview township, and for two years was assessor. While a resident of the farm he served three years as county commissioner of York county, and it was during his term that the imposing county court house was erected, a building which was completed at a cost of $426,197.47. He has served as president and secretary of the Fairview Fire Insurance Co., and has other financial interests. Mr. and Mrs. Atticks have two sons, both prominent business men, Lee F. and Kelcey. The former is a graduate of the Millersville Normal School and for some years was prominent as a teacher and in newspaper work. He is now connected with the York Gas & Water Co. He married Dolly Gardner. The latter son attended the Millersville Normal School, graduated at the Columbus (Ohio) Art School, and is now a member of the faculty of the Baltimore Business College, filling the chair of penmanship, bookkeeping and mathematics. He married Grace Sweeney of Fairview township, York county.

Mrs. Atticks is a member of the Church of God, to which Mr. Atticks gives liberal support.

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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. 

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