| Notes |
- Page 276 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
DANIEL BRUNGART (deceased) was a member of one of the oldest families of Brush Valley, their settlement dating back a full century. The family originated in Germany, where our subject's great-grandfather was born. Martin Brungart, the grandfather of our subject, was the first to settle in Centre county, Penn. , having left his former home in the neighborhood of Hanover, York county, Penn., in 1798 to locate in the east end of Inrush Valley, where he died, his remains being laid to rest in the old graveyard at Rebersburg. He had a large family of children, namely: Martin, Jacob, Johan George, John and several daughters, two of whom remained in York county.
Johan George Brungart (commonly known as George), our subject's father, was born July 20, 1788, in Manheim. York county, and was but a lad when his parents removed to Centre county.
He was married April 9, 1811, to Salome Kahl, who was born January 14, 1787, at Heidelberg, Berks county, Penn., a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Kahl.
Seven children were born of this union, the names with dates of birth being as follows:
Catharine, January 20, 181 2, married Jacob Erhard, and died in Miles township. Centre county;
Jacob, January 9, 18 14, died in Rebersburg;
Johannes, March 9, 181 7, died in January, 1825;
Susan, March 10, 1819, married Jeremiah Haines, and is deceased;
George, February 4, 1821, lives at Rebersburg;
Daniel, July 4, 1823, is the subject of this sketch;
Sarah, April 22, 1825. married Samuel Frank;
and Margaret, March 15, 1827, married John Hosterman, and died in Miles township.
George Brungart was a farmer, also an extensive land owner, and was one of the substantial citizens of his time. In 1820 he built on his farm a tannery, which was superintended by Jacob Steffy, also from York county, and the leather he took to Philadelphia by team, bringing back goods for the merchants, the trip occupying three weeks. He never learned the trade, but was a most skilled mechanic, and spent most of his time in a shop on his farm, where he made tools and instruments of various kinds. He made a plow which was an improvement over the clumsy ones then in use, and which became well known. It was the one alluded to in the old saying common in Brush Valley, that "no man was much unless he owned a long-barrelled shot-gun, a red wamus, and a Brungart plow. " He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Lutheran Church, in which he held an influential place. Tall and slender in person, he possessed much vitality, and lived to see his ninetieth year, dying December 21, 1877. His wife died some years previously, being over seventy years of age, and both were buried at Rebersburg.
The subject of this sketch had but meager educational privileges, and attended the old-time subscription schools for a few weeks in winter each year. Reared as a farmer boy, he always followed that occupation, and, after working for his father several years in early manhood, he bought the old farm in Miles township. Centre county. In May, 1846, he was married in Milestownship, to Miss Phoebe A. Royer, who was born in that township, February 19, 1825, the daughter of Col. Henry and Polly (Gross) Royer. Col. Henry Royer came from Berks county, and at one time owned much of the land around Rebersburg, as well as a large tract of mountain land. In 1877, Mr. Brungart removed to Rebersburg, where he built the present substantial brick residence. He had two children: Elmira E. , born February 6, 1847, died February 15., 1850; and Jasper R., born June 17, 1851, of whom special mention will presently be made. Daniel Brungart died April 8, 1897, and is buried in the cemetery at Rebersburg.
Politically, Mr. Brungart was a Democrat, and he held several minor offices in his township but was never a politician. He was a leading member of the Reformed Church, as is his widow, and he was at one time an elder therein. He owns an excellent farm containing over 165 acres, and two valuable lots in Rebersburg. While he never posed as a philanthropist, he contributed to almost every worthy movement seeking aid, and he and his estimable wife were noted for their kindness of heart.
Jasper R. Brungart, the only living child of our subject, received his education in the schools of the township, after which he followed teaching some five years. In 1879 he entered mercantile business in Rebersburg, buying out J. Spiglemyer, and continued same for five years, at the end of which time he commenced farming, which vocation he followed up to 1890, when he built his pleasant home at Rebersburg, where he has since lived retired. In December, 1894, he graduated from the Chautauqua University at Syracuse, N. Y. , and is at present taking a reading course from that institution.
On October 3, 1876, Jasper R. Brungart was married in Union county, Penn., to Mary E. Long, who was born June 28, 1850, a daughter of Ephraim and Margaret (Slear) Long, highly respectable farming people. Her father was a native of Berks county, Penn., born April 8, 1814, and died January 13, 1856, a son of Ludwig and Hannah Long, natives of Pennsylvania. Ephraim Long was twice married, first time to Sarah Snook, by whom he had two children — Esther and Isaac — who lived to maturity. For his second wife, Ephraim was married. May 12, 1848, to Margaret Slear, and three children were born to them, two of whom died in infancy, and Mary E. (Mrs. Brungart). Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Long are both deceased, he having passed away January in, 1856, and she on July 27, 1863.
Mr. and Mrs. Jasper R. Brungart are active members of the Reformed Church. In politics he is a Democrat, and has filled various township and school offices. [5]
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1823 - 1897 (73 years)
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