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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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SAMUEL GLEIM, one of the representative men of South Middleton township, and a man who comes of an honorable and well-known family of that name, was born April 20, 1828, son of Samuel Gleim, who in turn was born Oct. 16, 1795. Samuel Gleim, Sr., was a son of Frederick Gleim, who came from Germany. Although a wheelwright by trade, he engaged in farming after coming to America, until his retirement twenty years prior to his death, which occurred in 1851, when he was aged eighty-four years.

Christopher Gleim, a brother of Frederick Gleim, was the first sheriff of Harrisburg, Pa., and officiated at the first hanging — a negro. After his term of service expired, he established a newspaper, which appeared in both English and German. His death occurred at St. Louis, Mo., about 1845. During a long and exceedingly useful life, he became a prominent politician of the Democratic party, and was a scholar of no mean ability.

Samuel Gleim, Sr., was born in Lancaster county, Pa., but came to Cumberland county, and settled in Monroe township. He received a common school education, and worked upon his father’s farm until he was twenty-two years of age. At that time, he married Annie Hoover, daughter of Michael and Annie Hoover, and settled on the old homestead in South Middleton township. Nine children were born to them: Elizabeth, deceased; Frederick, deceased; Michael, deceased; Samuel; Levi, deceased; John, deceased; William, living in Iowa, where he is a farmer; and Jacob and Annie, both deceased.

Samuel Gleim, our subject, was reared in Cumberland county, and attended both the public and pay schools, at the same time assisting upon the home farm. He learned the trade of weaving, and worked at it for some five years, when he went to Ohio and there learned the carpenter’s trade. Returning to Cumberland county, he worked as a millwright for five years, and then took up his trade in South Middleton township, continuing very successfully as a builder and contractor until his retirement in 1902.

Mr. Gleim married and became the father of the following children: Henry W. married Mary Fair, and is working as a carpenter; Anna M. married William Hough; S. A. married Emma Rudolph, and is a carpenter; Rosealtha married William Meals, a farmer of South Middleton township; Jacob S. is deceased; Elizabeth K. married David Deitch; Emma E. is deceased; Bertha M. is at home; Ira C. is a clerk at Mt. Holly, and is a very promising young man. Mr. Gleim is a very highly respected retired business man, and although not active in public affairs, votes the ticket of his party, and is interested in good government.

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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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