Dr. David Alter

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Husband Dr. David Alter ^{1 2}

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           Born: 3 Dec 1807 - Westmoreland Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 18 Sep 1881 - Freeport, Armstrong Co, PA 3
         Buried: 

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         Father: John Alter (1771-      ) 2 4
         Mother: Helenor Sheets (      -      ) 4

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       Marriage: 

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• Biographical Sketch: George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882).
To read this brief biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.

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Wife

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M Dr. Myron H. Alter ⁵

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           Born: 23 Jan 1851 - Freeport, Armstrong Co, PA 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 22 Jan 1896 5
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Dr. David Alter

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He ran his doctor's buggy by electricity as early as 1836. At that time, too, he had a complete telegraphic system running about his farm by which the family talked from one end of the farm to the other. This was eight years before the Morse telegraph. Some remarkable articles upon the future of electricity were published by him in various magazines of that day.
The great achievement of Dr. Alter, however, was the discovery of the Spectrum Analysis, one of the most valuable contributions ever made to science. In the "American Journal of Science and Art" of 1854, Dr. Alter explains his theory of the Spectrum Analysis. Many other lesser inventions owe their beginnings to his conscientious efforts.
Dr. Alter's fellow-citizens of Freeport, Pennsylvania, have raised a granite monument in his honor on which they have inscribed the following tribute:
DR. DAVID ALTER
Christian
Inventor of Telegraphy
Physician
Scientist
Friend
Soon after Jacob Alter settled in Washington County, his third son, David, removed to Westmoreland County, building a grist mill, the remains of which may still be seen on "Big Puckety Creek," about two and one-half miles from Parnassus. David Alter had ten sons and three daughters. Tradition says that these ten sons measured seventy feet in height and that in harvest they cut ten swathes across the field at once.

1 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 357.

2 George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (SW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 188.

3 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 358.

4 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 489.

5 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 98.