************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ GEORGE F. ARNEY, M. D., a graduate of Jefferson Medical college and a successful physician of Altoona, is a son of Jacob and Rachel (Meyer) Arney, and was born in Centre Hall, Potter township, Centre county, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1853. His father, Jacob Arney, was born at Hummelstown, Dauphin county, this State, in 1808, and died at Centre Hall, Potter township, Centre county, in 1887, aged seventy-nine years. When but a boy he went into Centre county, where he was engaged in farming during the active part of his life. He was a democrat in politics and a member of the Reformed church. At the time when Mr. Arney commenced life for himself in Centre county he did not have the advantages possessed by farmers of to-day, and had to cut and store his harvests by hand, as farm machinery was almost unknown at that day. He married Rachel Meyers, and to them were born a family of twelve children, six sons and six daughters: John, who is a farmer by occupation, resides in his native township; Benjamin, also a farmer and a resident of Potter township, Centre county; Rev. W. James, a minister of the Presbyterian church, who is a graduate of a well known college of the United States, and now resides at Kane, McKean county, where he has charge of the Presbyterian church of that place; Dr. George F., the subject of this sketch; Charles, a farmer like his brothers, John and Benjamin, and also a resident of Potter township, Centre county; Frank, who learned painting and follows that trade in his native township; Sarah, residing at Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is the wife of Henry Dasher, now the general agent for the old and well known McCormick Reaper Manufacturing Company; Minnie, who married Moses Richards, a carpenter of Potter township, where they reside; Lydia, wife of Conrad Peck, a wagon and carriage manufacturer by trade, and a resident at the present time of Lincoln county, Kansas; Mary, married James Herring, who is now engaged in the general mercantile business in Altoona; Laura, wife of John Lee, a carriage manufacturer of Centre Hall village; and Lizzie, married to John Mullen, of Renova, Pennsylvania, where he is engaged in the shoe business. George F. Arney spent his boyhood days at Centre Hall, and received his literary education in the normal schools of Pennsylvania. He read medicine with Dr. Neff, of Centre Hall, and Dr. C. F. Fisher, of Boaldsburg [sic], this State, and entered Jefferson Medical college, of Philadelphia, from which well known institution he was graduated in 1878. Immediately after graduation he opened an office at Homer City, the largest town on the Indiana Branch railroad between Blairsville Intersection and Indiana, the county seat of Indiana county. He remained there one year, and then, in 1879, came to Altoona, where he soon built up and has enjoyed a good practice ever since. While a general practitioner, yet he makes a specialty of the eye and has had good success in that special line of practice. In June, 1881, Dr. Arney married Lucy Boggs, of Altoona, and they have one child, a son, named Ralph, who was born in June, 1882. Dr. Arney is rather independent in politics, and has been for several years a member of Christ Reformed church, of Altoona, which was organized in 1863. For the last four years he has been one of five physicians composing the staff of the Altoona hospital, and is recognized as a physician of ability and skill. Transcribed and submitted to the Blair County, PA, USGenWeb archives by Lyn Frieda areume@hotmail.com