George Washington Probst and Sarah J. Little
Husband George Washington Probst 1 2
Born: 5 Aug 1833 - Gilgrist Farm, Westmoreland Co, PA 2 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: John Probst (Abt 1831-1861) 2 3 4 Mother: Rebecca Smith ( - ) 2 3
Marriage: 24 Dec 1856 or 1857 3 5
Wife Sarah J. Little 3
AKA: Sarah H. Little 5 Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: James Little ( - ) 3 Mother:
Children
1 M William J. "Willie" Probst 3 5
Born: 2 Feb 1857 or 1859 3 5 Christened: Died: 8 Mar 1861 or 1862 3 5 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
2 M John George Probst 5
Born: 21 Feb 1860 5 Christened: Died: 24 Mar 1863 5 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 F Anna E. Probst 3 5
Born: 22 Nov 1862 3 5 Christened: Died: 20 Jan 1869 3 5 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
4 M Charles L. Probst 3 5
Born: 12 Mar 1864 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 3 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Katherine Campbell ( - ) 5
5 F Emma G. Probst 3 5
Born: 13 Jul 1866 3 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Jacob Thomas ( - ) 5Spouse: L. Anshutz ( - ) 5
6 M Robert E. Probst 3 5
Born: 9 Sep 1869 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Annie Cumming ( - ) 5 Marr: 5 Sep 1894 6
7 F May H. Probst 3
AKA: Mary H. Probst 5 Born: 23 Nov 1871 3 5 Christened: Died: 17 Jul 1872 3 5 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
8 M Harry L. Probst 3 5
Born: 25 Dec 1872 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 3 6 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Clara Benford ( - ) 6
9 M Alexander K. "Allie" Probst 3 5
Born: 27 Dec 1874 3 5 Christened: Died: 3 Sep 1878 3 5 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
10 M Arthur Probst 3 5
Born: 4 Feb 1877 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 3 6 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Jennie Le Sage ( - ) 6
11 M George M. Probst 3 5
Born: 31 May 1879 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 3 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Ruth Merrill ( - ) 6 Marr: 26 Jul 1903 6
General Notes: Husband - George Washington Probst
He attended the schools of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, until seventeen years of age, whenhe became a stage driver and drove for three years on the pike from Greensburg to Pittsburgh. At twenty years of age he moved to Pittsburgh to learn the trade of harness and saddlery. He became an apprentice with R. W. Mackay on Wood street, but completed his trade with John Neely on the same street. His first employment for himself was at the United States arsenal building, where he worked for a few months at the time of the Crimean war in Europe. From Pittsburgh he went to New Castle, Pennsylvania, remained a short time and removed to Youngstown, Ohio. After a year's residence in the "Buckeye State," although enjoying a good patronage, he resolved upon establishing himself in business at his native town, and accordingly returned to Greensburg about 1855. He obtained the position of manager and foreman of C. H. Stark's harness and saddlery shop. This position he filled until 1862. In that year he engaged in business for himself and for thirty years or more continued to operate a harness and saddlery establishment in Greensburg, except two years that he was foreman in a harness manufactory in Macon, Georgia. His saddlery and harness manufacturing establishment in Greensburg was at No. 9 East Pittsburg street, where he employed from five to six hands, some of his work going to many points outside of Westmoreland county. He had harness and saddlery hardware, trunks, satchels, a large stock of harness, saddles, collars, bridles, whips and all horse equipments. His specialties were the making and laying of carpets and trunk and satchel repairing.
He acquired his education at the local public school, but his advantages in this direction were decidedly slender. When sixteen years of age, he left school and became the driver of a stage on the old Pike, between Greensburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and continued in this occupation for about three years. He then learned the harness-making trade, having apprenticed himself to Robert Mackey, of Pittsburgh, who was engaged in that business, and put in about a year and a half at this work. He was then fortunate enough to secure a position with the government at the Allegheny Arsenal, at Allegheny, where he remained about three months. From there he went to New Castle and from there to Youngstown, Ohio, where he worked at his trade of harness-making. In 1855, however, he returned to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and made it the scene of his active business career. After first returning to the town, he was employed by Mr. C. H. Stark to operate a shop for him there, but after completing five years of service with this gentleman, he opened a similar establishment on his own account on Main street. Here he remained about two years and then moved to Otterman street. About this time Mr. Probst accepted a position as foreman with a large manufacturing company at Macon, Georgia, and remained there about two years, after which he once more returned to Greensburg and took up his interrupted business. For a time he was located in the Baughman building, from which he moved to the Traugar building, and then to the Stoner block on Maple avenue. In the last named location he remained for six or eight years, and on June 13, 1904, opened a store at No. 106 South Pennsylvania avenue, where he carried a complete line of harness and saddlery. On November 1, 1911, his son Robert was admitted to the firm, the firm name becoming George W. Probst & Son.
Mr. Probst always took an active part in public affairs and was actively identified with the local organization of the Republican party, although he consistently refused to run for public office of any kind. He is a very active figure in the social world, and was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which he joined February 8, 1856. He was first a member of Greensburg Lodge, No. 50, which he represented at the Grand Lodge. He secured the charter for Westmoreland Lodge, No. 840. He served as district deputy in each order he held membership in. On February 8, 1906, he was presented by his lodge with a fine jewel in honor of his fifty years' service in the order. Even when eighty-four years of age he was still active in the team work of the order. For a number of years he represented Westmoreland Lodge at Ben Avon Home for Orphans. He was one of the first contributors to the fund for the first home established for old and indigent Odd Fellows in Pennsylvania. Other organizations to which he belonged were: The Royal Arcanum, which he joined in 1878; the Knights of Pythias, the Chosen Friends and the Home Circle.
For many years Mr. Probst was chief of the Greensburg Fire Department and rendered the community an invaluable service in this capacity. In his religious belief Mr. Probst was a Lutheran and was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church of Greensburg, attended divine service there for many years, and was a deacon there for a long period. Later he joined the Westminister Presbyterian Church at Greensburg, in which he became ruling elder, and three times represented his church at the Presbytery.
1 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 152.
2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 209.
3 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 153.
4 —, The History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Part II (Chicago, IL: A. W. Warner & Co., 1889), Pg 641.
5 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 210.
6
Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 211.
Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List
This Web Site was Created 15 Apr 2023 with Legacy 9.0 from Millennia