Norman Gasbarro | December 15, 2010
(Part 2 of 4). John Carson Gratz was born in 1843, probably in Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the third son of Theodore Gratz and Ann Ellen [Carson] Gratz. In 1850, John was living with his family in the large brick house on West Market Street, Gratztown. His father gave “none” as his occupation, possibly indicating […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 14, 2010
(Part 1 of 4). Corp. John C. Gratz died on 26 (or 25) January 1862 at Camp Northumberland, Virginia, while serving as a member of Company G of the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry. The official cause of death was an “inflammation of the brain.” Three documents in the collection of the Gratz Historical Society record […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 13, 2010
The Gratz House – from a Mural in the Gratz Community Building Theodore Gratz (1811-1863), the third son of Simon Gratz and Mary {Smith] Gratz, was born in Philadelphia. Theodore’s father, Simon, was the brother of Rebecca Gratz, and therefore Theodore was Rebecca’s nephew. Because of the estrangement of Rebecca and her brother Simon, probably […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 9, 2010
A church building and cemetery may be found on north Center Street in Gratz that looks much as it did in the Civil War period, 1861-1865. From a history of the Simeon United Lutheran Church, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, we read the following: A small number of Lutheran and Reformed people united in the year […]
Norman Gasbarro | November 24, 2010
About a year ago, longtime friend, Bob Linblad, invited a small group to visit the Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia. He had just completed his “certification” as a docent and wanted to practice on some of us who he knew would challenge his knowledge of the collection. The tour began in a small room […]
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