BIO: Charles Theodore FRYBERGER, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  CHARLES THEODORE FRYBERGER, a leading and influential resident of 
Philipsburg, Centre county, is well worthy of prominent mention in the 
pages of this work, as a more eventful history than his would be 
difficult to find, for in both war and peace he seems to have the 
faculty of being in the midst of the most important happenings.
  Capt. Fryberger was born January 15, 1844, at "Near Mackelavy's 
Forge," on the Schuylkill river in Schuylkill county, Penn., and was 
named after Charles Theodore Knuskie, of Berks county, Penn. He is of 
German descent, his paternal grandparents having come from Germany to 
America early in the present century. Their son John, father of our 
subject, was born in Schuylkill county, Penn., in 1809, and not long 
afterward they consigned him to the care of some maiden aunts, and set 
out on a return voyage to the Fatherland, but were never heard from 
again. John Fryberger married Sarah Moyer, who was born in Berks 
county, Penn., June 13, 1817, a descendant of an old and highly 
respected Pennsylvania-Dutch family, and she now resides at Milesburg, 
Penn. Of her nine children, the eldest, Reuben by name, died when four 
years old; John died in infancy; Amanda married Adam Grim, and lives in 
Jasper county, Mo.; Mary is the only deceased sister, and was the wife 
of Emanuel Shuey; the subject of this sketch comes next in order of 
birth; Anna married Joseph Garbrick; Eliza wedded Dr. Fisher, of Zion, 
Penn.; Sadie married George W. Campbell, of Milesburg; and Mahlon C. 
died at the age of thirty-two years.
  On April 1, 1845, John and Sarah (Moyer) Fryberger moved to Reber's 
Mill, on the Union canal, six miles northwest of Reading, Penn., and 
April 2, 1850, the family, then consisting of father, mother, our 
subject, and three daughters, went to Farmers Mills ("Fishers Mill"), 
in Pennsylvania, one and one-half miles from "The Penn Cave," in Centre 
county. On April 1, 1852, the family again moved, this time to the 
brick gristmill belonging to James Gordon, within a half mile from 
Hecla Furnace (and now known as Hecla Park, on the line of the Central 
Railroad of Pennsylvania). About the year 1855 the family removed to 
Sugar Valley, Clinton Co., Penn., where for three years they lived at 
or near Tylersville, in 1858 returning to Centre county, and making 
their home at what is known as the old McKinney Mill, belonging to the 
Hecla Furnace Co. (destroyed by fire in 1866).
  We now come to the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, at which 
time the subject of this sketch springs into prominence, having 
previously been employed at milling, and such out-door work as the 
management of the, then, Hecla Iron Co. saw fit to have him do. Having 
to work hard in order to provide for the family (the father having been 
disabled by an accident in the machinery at the mill), also being 
constantly put to work that should have been given to stronger men, he 
tired of the yoke and decided to volunteer into the Union army, under 
the lead of Dr. James P. Gregg and of Austin Curtin, with Evan R. 
Goodfellow and others-all uniting to sound the war slogan. At 
Harrisburg a company was formed September 14, 1860, with Austin Curtin, 
captain; Dr. James P. Gregg, first lieutenant; Evan R. Goodfellow, 
second lieutenant, with Charles T. Fryberger as one of the privates of 
Company D, 45th Regiment, P. V. Infy., which served during the entire 
struggle. Promotions came rapidly to Private Fryberger, he being 
advanced successively to corporal, sergeant, orderly-sergeant, first 
lieutenant, and, lastly, captain of the company. For a time his 
regiment was attached to Sherman's forces in South Carolina, and then 
served under Grant in the West, later being assigned to the Army of the 
Potomac, and taking part in the campaign which ended in Lee's 
surrender. Capt. Fryberger participated in some of the most important 
battles of the war, includ-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  449

ing the engagements at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, 
Vicksburg, Jackson, Blue Springs, Lenore Station, Campbell's Station, 
the siege of Knoxville (where for four days his rations were limited to 
one ear of corn a day), the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania 
Court House, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, the siege of Petersburg, and 
the sanguinary conflict at the Weldon railroad. At the close of the war 
he gave up army life, having received an honorable discharge by general 
order from the War Department, and in 1865 retired to civil life, in 
good health, having escaped everything that could injure him in any 
way, save an attack of chills and fever while serving in East Tennessee 
in the winter of 1864.
  Two days after his discharge our subject arrived at Bellefonte, 
Centre Co., Penn., where the family were then residing, and commenced 
clerking for John W. Cook & Co., dealers in dry goods, etc. On April 1, 
1866, he commenced in the cigar and tobacco trade at Bellefonte, for 
his own account, retiring from same in 1870, and forming the firm of 
Fryberger & Grim, general merchants. In 1873 an additional firm 
(Fryberger & Moran) was started in the general grocery business. Both 
these stores were in Bellefonte, and both proved profitable ventures. 
The sudden death of Mr. Moran, of the one firm, and the withdrawal of 
Mr. Grim (who removed to Missouri) from the other, brought about the 
first reverses and second serious trouble in Capt. Fryberger's life 
(for in the meantime he had lost his fist wife, as will be related in 
due course); so, disposing of both stores in Bellefonte, he associated 
himself with the extensive lumber firm of Hoover, Hughes & Co., of 
Philipsburg, Penn., at which time a general store was started in 
connection with their lumber and planing-mill business. For eight years 
after this Capt. Fryberger managed the various stores connected with 
the mills, his interest therein being one-fourth of the profits. At the 
same time he was chief of the office force for the lumber and mill 
company; also assistant manager of the various sawmills, as well as 
confidential assistant to G. W. Hoover. On February 15, 1884, Capt. 
Fryberger formed a partnership with L. G. Kessler, under the firm style 
of Kessler & Fryberger, proprietors of a general store in Philipsburg, 
Penn., which continued until February 15, 1888, when the firm 
dissolved, Capt. Fryberger retiring.
  In the meantime, from 1884 to 1888, our subject also held a one-third 
interest in the firm of Fryberger & Co., of Tipton, Blair Co., Penn., 
and of Fryberger, Aurand & Co., of Irvona, Clearfield Co., Penn. In 
1887, in company with John Butterworth and John Fenton, he opened up 
the land of Kentuck Hill, in Decatur township, Clearfield Co., Penn., 
and they formed the company known as the Kentuck Coal Co., which did a 
successful business until the death of Mr. Butterworth, when the 
interests of both partners were secured, and the business was continued 
under the same firm name. On November 11, 1889, Capt. Fryberger's 
present grain, flour and feed business was established on North Front 
street, where a general wholesale and retail trade has since been 
successfully conducted in connection with the coal firm, and is still 
increasing. In 1893 the heirs of the J. F. Steiner estate selected our 
subject to act as agent for the entire estate, and he was in part 
instrumental in effecting a lease to remove the coal underlying the 
lands of the estate; by his personal effort about 300 acres of the 
surface of the Centre county side of the estate's land was placed on 
the market and sold to various parties.
  Capt. C. T. Fryberger has been twice married, first time on January 
23, 1869, to Mary J. Brackbill, of Bellefonte, and one son, John Edgar, 
was born to them February 7, 1870, who is now a clerk in the First 
National Bank, of Philipsburg. On April 25, 1875, the mother died, and 
was laid to rest in the cemetery at Bellefonte. On April 22, 1879, at 
"Hill Side," the home of the bride, our subject wedded Miss Ida V. 
Steiner, of Clearfield county, by whom he had seven children: Alton 
(deceased), Mahlon S., Elizabeth S., Mary S., William S., Philip S., 
and Dorothy S.
  Socially, our subject was, in 1873, eminent commander of Constance 
Commandery No. 33, Knights Templar, at Bellefonte. In 1890 he was 
commander of John W. Geary Post No. 90, G.A.R.; in 1891 was president 
of Mountain Lodge No. 144, Order of Tonti; in 1892 was regent of Centre 
Council No. 803, Royal Arcanum; in 1888 was elected trustee of the 
Grand Army Post NO. 90, and has since been continuously re-elected to 
that incumbency, holding it at the present time. In 1892 he was 
appointed aid-de-camp to A. G. Weissert, commander-in-chief of the 
Grand Army of the Republic of the United States of America, with rank 
of colonel. Politically, Capt. Fryberger is a Republican, and his 
popularity, both within and without the party, has been frequently 
practically demonstrated. In 1888 he was on the Republican ticket for 
Assemblyman to the Pennsylvania Legislature, facing a Democratic 
majority of 1,100, and was defeated by but 21 votes, reducing the 
formidable majority practically to a minimum.
  The Captain is a leading member of Trinity 

450  COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  

M. E. Church at Philipsburg; for five years, from 1876 to 1881, he was 
secretary of the board of stewards of the Church, and in 1889 he was 
appointed one of the eight trustees, which office he has held 
continuously ever since.
  To give a detailed account of all the pleasure trips that have filled 
Capt. Fryberger's leisure time would fill a book in itself, so we can 
but simply refer to the more important among them: in 1876, in company 
of his wife, Ida, he visited the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia; 
in 1878 they were present at the Juniata Valley Camp Meeting of the M. 
E. Church; in 1879 they visited Philadelphia on the occasion of the 
reception accorded Gen. Grant on his return from his trip around the 
world; the same year they enjoyed a three-months' sojourn at Penfield, 
Clearfield Co., Penn., on Bennett's branch of the Susquehanna river. In 
1884, along with John, Mahlon, Elizabeth, Mary and William, Capt. and 
Mrs. Fryberger passed a week visiting the historic battlefield at 
Gettysburg. In 1890 Capt. and Mrs. Fryberger paid Boston a visit, 
"taking in" Bunker Hill, Boston Common, Cape Cod, Plymouth and Plymouth 
Rock, where the Pilgrims from Holland landed in 1616. returning 
homeward via New York, they visited Grant's tomb; the Hudson river; the 
Brooklyn bride across East river; Wall street; Trinity Church; Castle 
Garden; the Bartholdi "Statue of Liberty," which they ascended until 
the giddy height caused our subject to beat a retreat, whilst his wife, 
though of the "weaker sex," continued the ascent regardless of any 
danger, imaginary or real. In 1891 they were present at the Pittsburg 
Industrial Fair, at the same time visiting uncle S. H. Keller at 
Williamsburg, Penn. In 1892 they found themselves at Washington, D. C., 
with headquarters opposite the White House, and during their week's 
stay there they called at the Soldiers' Home, Smithsonian Institute, 
Arlington National Cemetery and the War Department; attended a 
reception held at the White House, and Mrs. John A. Logan's reception 
at the Capitol. They also visited the Treasury Building, Washington's 
tomb at Mt. Vernon, the Confederate Monument at Alexandria, Va., the 
Alexandria Episcopal Church, at Alexandria, Va., and sat in the pews 
occupied by Gen. (and Pres.) George Washington and Gen. Robert E. Lee, 
respectively. While in the Senate Chamber of the United States they sat 
in the chairs occupied by the two Pennsylvania Senators - Hon. Donald 
Cameron and Hon. Matthew S. Quay.
  In 1893 Capt. and Mrs. Fryberger visited the "World's Fair" at 
Chicago ("the greatest city we ever saw," says the Captain), spending 
one week viewing, among other objects and places of interest, Lincoln 
Park, Lake Michigan, and had a sail on the "Whaleback," the only vessel 
of the kind in the world for passenger service exclusively; the Masonic 
Temple; Haymarket Square (where the Anarchists threw the bomb some 
years ago, killing several policemen); the Auditorium; the Stockyards; 
"Libby Prison," which originally stood in Richmond, Va., &c., &c. In 
1894 they attended the National Encampment of the Grand Armey of the 
Republic, held at Pittsburg, Penn., one of the most pleasing and 
entertaining reunions ever held by that body, and they also visited 
Hiland and Schenley Parks; also Wilkinsburg, Penn.; the heights above 
the city of Pittsburg; the Monongahela; and the Carnegie Library, 
together with all the attractions of the city of Allegheny. On August 
22, 1897, they visited the Falls of Niagara, the "Bison City" 
(Buffalo), and all the attractions of those great and grand places. 
During their week's sojourn in and about Buffalo, the President of the 
United States, Maj. William McKinley, received the old soldiers of the 
war of the Rebellion, who were there in force as an organization of the 
G.A.R. During this trip Capt. and Mrs. Fryberger visited the oil fields 
of Pennsylvania, and beheld all the wonders of that marvelously 
thrilling, oily, greasy section of this fair land.
  Thus the life of Charles Theodore Fryberger bears testimony in 
language not to be misunderstood, to what it is possible for man, with 
willing heart and hands to accomplish; how, from the bottom rung of the 
ladder, upward, to work out for himself and honorable competency, a 
solid reputation and a good name.