Joseph McCord Means and Danna McCullough

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Husband Joseph McCord Means ¹

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            AKA: McCord Means
           Born: 22 May 1834 - Newville, Cumberland Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1905
         Buried: 

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         Father: Joseph McCord "Squire" Means (1796-1880) 3
         Mother: Jane Woods (      -1878) 3

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       Marriage: 5 Mar 1903 4

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   Other Spouse: Catherine Eliza McClelland (      -1901) 5 - 9 Dec 1858 - near Upper Strasburg, Franklin Co, PA 6

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Wife Danna McCullough ⁴

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           Born: 15 Oct 1846 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: James McCullough (      -      ) 4
         Mother: Jane Hays (      -      ) 4

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Joseph McCord Means

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"The early education of McCord Means was such as could be obtained in the public school of his native village. Born in the year the "Common School" Act was passed, it is not strange that at his arrival at school age such an institution should be found in a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian community. The building-octagonal in shape-is still [1905] standing in Newburg. Originally the pupils sat facing the outer wall, but later this was changed and the pupils sat facing inward with a writing desk in front-the smaller children being seated on low benches within. Here, when not engaged in grinding bark in his father's tanyard, Mr. Means gained some knowledge and the rudiments of an education. The school generation of to-day can form little correct idea of the conditions surrounding village life even so limited a number of years ago. The shoemaker came to the home, took his measures, and made the shoes, his bench being placed in the kitchen. The clothing was made from what they called "thick cloth." The wool, after being carded at the mill into rolls, was spun into yarn and woven into cloth by his mother and sisters. Four miles away, at Middle Spring, was the church. In good weather he and his brothers walked to church. He says, "It was not safe not to listen to the sermon when there, as father always examined us on where the text was and how many heads Rev. John Moodey divided his sermon into and what he said on firstly, secondly, etc., until he got through." The father's training, the pastor's teaching and the pious mother's example, with the blessing of the Spirit, led Mr. Means to unite with this church at an early age and he has remained a member of this denomination to this day. That with these early settlers, the fact that their religion, although perhaps stern and in keeping with the difficulties of their surroundings, was to them real and worthy of the Divine source they recognized, is too well attested to need weak words here. One of the writer's earliest recollections is of standing in the family pew in this same Middle Spring Church and hearing this sainted grandmother raise her thin and quavering voice in praise to one she knew would hear, receive and answer. In 1856 he moved with his brother James to South Middleton township, and worked on a farm, remaining until 1861, when he moved to his father's farm near Shippensburg. In 1863 he built the new buildings on land purchased in Franklin county, just across the Middle Spring from this property. It was customary when possible, as in this case, to cut the timber for these large bank-barns in the vicinity, haul it to the spot and frame it on the ground. This remained the homestead until 1899, when he moved into Shippensburg, and later built a house on the west side of Normal avenue. From 1856 to 1899 Mr. Means carried on practically the work of farming. In the earlier portion of this period but little improved farm machinery was in use. Nor would it have been possible to use much of it in the then broken condition of the ground. By untiring effort the land was brought under cultivation and the rocks, stumps and stones removed, making it possible to introduce much new farm machinery as brought into general use." [BACC 1905, 228]

At no little sacrifice of time and money each of his children was sent to school and kept in school. Feeling the lack of this early training himself, recognizing its value and availability, he left no suitable opportunity pass to impress these needs upon his children, and to give them every opportunity within his power.
For a number of years he was school director in Southampton township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and during his incumbency by his interest and example, both with his fellow directors and with the patrons, did much to raise the standard of work and attainment in that section. In May, 1873, he was appointed a State trustee of Cumberland Valley State Normal School and served on the Committee of House, Buildings and Grounds, and from 1874 to 1895 on the Discipline and Instruction Committee.
He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church, first at Middle Spring and later at Shippensburg. In both churches he served at different periods as trustee.

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General Notes: Wife - Danna McCullough

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from near Newville, Cumberland Co, PA

1 Editor, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 93, 227.

2 Editor, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 227.

3 Editor, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 92, 227.

4 Editor, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 230.

5 Editor, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 229, 750.

6 Editor, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 229.