My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL ALEXANDER GARLAND, a prominent retired farmer of Carlisle Springs. Cumberland county, was born Jan. 29, 1830, in Saville township, Perry Co., Pa., and comes of an old German family which settled in Berks county at an early day. His grandfather, John Garland, was born in Perry county, as was also his son John, the father of our subject. John Garland, Jr., was born on a farm between Loysville and Shermans Dale, in 1791, and his death occurred in 1863. On March 12, 1815, he married Mary Ann Minick, daughter of John Minick, whose ancestors also came from Germany, and she died in her eighty-fourth year. The children born to this marriage were as follows: Nancy Ann, wife of Jonathan Saunderson; Julia Ann; Catherine, Mrs. Jacob Clouser, of Perry county; John, of Perry county; Daniel, who served as a soldier in the Civil war from Perry county; Anna, second wife of Jonathan Saunderson; William, a veteran of the Civil war, of Lanark, Ill.; Sarah, widow of Jacob Smith, of Perry county; and Samuel Alexander, the seventh member of the family. John Garland was a Democrat, but being opposed to slavery changed his political allegiance to the Republican party.

Samuel A. Garland was educated in the local schools, the first one he attended being held in an old blacksmith shop; at that time the schools were conducted on the subscription plan. Later he went to school at Andersonburg, where he applied himself so closely that he was given a certificate to teach school, which vocation he followed for six years. He then began farming, an occupation he followed until he retired in April, 1903. In 1871 he bought a farm of 124 acres in North Middleton township, Cumberland county, which he occupied until 1897, when he removed to a farm owned by his second wife in Middlesex township, on which he remained five years, at the end of that time buying his present comfortable home at Carlisle Springs.

About 1855 Mr. Garland married Sarah Agnes Averill, of Perry county, who died in 1893, in North Middleton township. His second marriage, which took place in June, 1898, was to Mrs. Anne E. Kell, widow of Harry Kell, and daughter of Jacob Weary. No children have been born to this union. Those of the first marriage were as follows: Lemuel Todd, who is engaged in a shipping business in British Columbia; Walter L., deceased; George A., of Illinois; Stinson P., of near Greason, Cumberland county; James, of Cumberland county; Blaine, of Nebraska; Kate Olive, deceased; and Grace, Mrs. Harry Hershman, of Harrisburg.

Both Mr. Garland and his wife are leading members of the Lutheran Church. In politics he has been a Republican since the first campaign of Abraham Lincoln, of whom he was a great admirer. Mr. Garland has many personal friends in North Middleton township, where he was elected for six terms as supervisor on the Republican ticket, although the township is largely Democratic. Formerly he was connected with G. A. R. Post No. 201, of Carlisle, to which connection he was entitled by virtue of his service in Company A, 20th Pa. Vol. Cav. He enlisted June 16, 1863, and served until Jan. 10, 1864, participating in various battles and skirmishes.