Richard M. J. Zahniser and Lillian Sheriff

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Husband Richard M. J. Zahniser ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: 29 Nov 1836 - Mercer Co, PA 2 3
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         Father: William Zahniser (1789-1856) 1 2 4
         Mother: Eleanor Stotler (1790-1852) 4 5

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       Marriage: 14 Mar 1885 2 3

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   Other Spouse: Elizabeth "Lizzie" Hirst (      -1883) 2 3 6 - 21 Oct 1859 7

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Wife Lillian Sheriff ^{2 3}

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           Born: 
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         Father: William W. Sheriff (      -      ) 2
         Mother: 

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Children

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1 M Richard Sheriff Zahniser ²

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           Born: 14 Feb 1886 2
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General Notes: Husband - Richard M. J. Zahniser

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He was educated in the common schools of Pennsylvania, then in the infancy of their existence. In 1850 he engaged in the drug business at Mercer, and successfully continued therein for seventeen years. In 1867 he retired from the drug trade to engage in the lumber and planing-mill business. In 1879 he removed from Mercer to Somerset county, PA, where he with others purchased a large tract of timber land and was engaged for three years in converting this timber into lumber. In 1881 he became a resident of Mt. Pleasant, where he was engaged for five years in operating a large lumber trade. In 1886 Mr. Zahniser removed to Greensburg and engaged in the lumber busi­ness. He became the senior partner of Zahniser & Co., the leading lumber dealers of Greens­burg and Westmoreland county, and proprietors of the Central planing-mill. [BHCWC 1890, 183]

While yet a mere boy, he entered the employ of Henry Forker druggist, at Mercer, PA, where he remained till 1857 when he became a merchant, later en­gaging in the lumber business. In 1879 he moved to Somerset County, in 1883 to Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland County, and in 1886 to Greensburg, PA, where he resided till 1901. At all these places he was a lumber dealer. After 1901 he resided in Pittsburgh where he was a real estate agent. He was a Republican and a member of the Presbyterian Church.

1 Editor, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1018.

2 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 183.

3 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 165.

4 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 157.

5 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 601.

6 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 304.

7 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 183, 184.