WILLIAM
GIEBNER. There is something peculiarly interesting in the history
of a post-octogenarian, whether he be intimately connected with the
development of any particular locality or not. But when the incidents
in the life of a man, who has lived the major portion of his four-score
years in one place, and has fought for his country in the troublous
times of 1812, are to be placed upon the records of a county
history, the interest in the narration of such incidents becomes
general, and are perused with avidity by the casual reader. Such a
record is enjoyed by the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and
whose venerable portrait adorns our pages.
William Giebner was
born in Westmoreland county, Pa., on the 4th of July, 1794. At an early
age, he removed, with his parents, to Sandy Lake township, Mercer
county, Pa., where he permanently located. At the time of the arrival
of the Giebner’s, this section of country was in its primitive
wilderness, and the noble red man constituted the most numerous portion
of the inhabitants. True, they were semi-civilized, and the subject of
our sketch remembers many a frolic he and his brothers have had in the
forest with the Indians. Young Giebner grew to manhood, on the land
settled by his father, and became thoroughly inured to the hardships
consequent to pioneer life. He became also quite an expert with the
rifle, as, in fact, all who raided hereabouts in those days, of
necessity learned the practical use of that weapon. Bears, wolves, wild
cats, and other ferocious animals, infested the, infant settlements,
and it required both skill and courage to protect the humble
habitations of the inhabitants from their ravages.
When about
eighteen years of age, the second war with Great Britain broke out, and
young Giebner was among those who enlisted to defend the hearths and
homes of the citizens of these United States, who, less than half a
century before, had gained eternal independence. He was mustered in
General Meade’s army, and fought in the engagement with the British, at
Erie, where the American forces were victorious, mainly through a neat
stratagem of the commanding officer.
After the close of
hostilities, he retired to a farm, situated about three. fourths of a
mile from his present homestead. In 1817, he married Miss Helena
Parrish, a native of Virginia, by whom he had four children—three sons
and one daughter. One of the daughters died in infancy, another at the
tender age of eleven, leaving but two who reached maturity. Of these,
the son Charles William, married Miss Amelia Vath, daughter of the
wellknown and much-respected Dr. J. P. Vath. He (Charles W.) served
three years in the Union army, during the Rebellion, and died April
23d, 1865. Sarah Jane married Abraham Farrah, a farmer, of her native
township.
For nearly seventy years, William Giebner has been a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was, for many years, a
class-leader, and has also held other official positions in the church.
In politics, he is a Republican. He is now in his eighty-second year,
and having lived a moderate and industrious life, enjoys excellent
health, and, with the exception of a slight deafness, has the free use
of all his faculties. It is possible that he may yet live to complete a
century—and dying, will be lamented by a large circle of friends, who
esteem him for his many excellent traits of character, and for his
irreproachable integrity and rectitude.
History of Mercer County, 1877, page 135
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