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Civil War Blog

A project of PA Historian

Gov. William Alexis Stone

William Alexis Stone (1846-1920) served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1899 to 1903.  He was born in Delmar, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, the son of Israel Stone (1802-1887) and Amanda [Howe] Stone (1806-1871). When the Civil War started, William Stone was too young to join a regiment, and although he tried to enlist by falsifying his […]

Halifax Bank Robbery – The Robbers

WESTON MERRITT KEIPER Weston Merritt Keiper, born in 1879, was the oldest son of William Henry Keiper and Susanna [Row] Keiper of Lykens.  Weston’s father, William Henry Keiper, was a coal miner, who was described as a “large man” who had a “fondnesss for drink.”  He would frequent the saloons on Friday evenings when he […]

Halifax Bank Robbery – Charles W. Ryan

The murder victim of the Halifax bank robbery of 14 March 1901 was Charles W. Ryan.  Ryan was one of the three bank officials who were present in the bank at the time that Wesley Keiper and Henry Rowe entered the bank attempting to rob it.  In the gunfire that ensued, Charles W. Ryan was […]

Halifax Bank Robbery – Isaac Lyter

At age 55, Isaac Lyter was the youngest of the three bank officials present the day the Halifax National Bank was robbed, 14 March 1901.  He was the owner of five shares of stock in the bank and was its assistant cashier.  During the course of the robbery, he somehow was able to slip out […]

Halifax Bank Robbery – Abraham Fortenbaugh

The Halifax Bank, the first bank in the Borough of Halifax, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was organized in 1871 and was located on Market Street.  By October 1900, the Halifax Bank bank closed and was re-established as the Halifax National Bank. Within a year, a robbery attempt was made at the bank which resulted in the […]