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William Henry Herlinger
(1852-1923)

William Henry Herlinger was born on March 13, 1852 in Indiana County, PA, the son of Frederick and Anna Mariah (Younkin) Herlinger Sr.

He made his home in Brush Valley Township, Indiana County.

He married Jemima Adams (March 13, 1853-1911), daughter of William and (?) (Hess) Adams. 

The Herlingers were longtime farmers and made their lives in Brush Valley.

The known children born to the couple were Emma Jane Herlinger, Francis A. Herlinger, Ernest J. Herlinger, Clyde H. Herlinger, William "Russell" Herlinger, Spear G. Herlinger, Sadie M. Spahr and Annie M. Herlinger.

Grief cascaded over the family when, at age 58, Jemima suffered a ruptured cerebral artery and died a day later on March 19, 1911. 

William was burdened with an enlarged heart and, after he contracted influenza, the angel of death swept him away in Brush Valley on Feb. 1, 1923. Russell Herlinger of Homer City, PA gave vital information for the death certificate. Burial was in the United Presbyterian Cemetery in Brush Valley.

Indiana, PA, showing the Methodist Church, Normal School and County Home

~ Daughter Emma Jane Herlinger ~

Daughter Emma Jane Herlinger (1871-1942) was born on April 9, 1871. 

She never married. 

Emma Jane spent most of her long life in Brush Valley, although circa 1900 she made a residence in Pittsburgh. 

She was stricken by a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 70 and taken to Indiana Hospital, where she died 14 hours later on Feb. 10, 1942. An obituary was published in the Indiana Democrat. Rev. Ralph S. Robinson officiated the funeral service, with interment in Brush Valley Cemetery.

~ Son Ernest J. Herlinger ~

Son Ernest J. Herlinger (1880-1957) was born on March 11 or 17, 1880 in Indiana County.

Harry relocated to Pittsburgh as early as 1896 and initially was an apprentice carpenter. He was a boarder in 1900 in the residence of James and Maria Cooper on Friendship Avenue. His home in 1903 was 131 Edmund Street.  

On Sept. 23, 1903, he wed Mary Carmichael (1883- ? ). Rev. H.H. Marlin officiated at the wedding, held in Allegheny County.

Four known children of the pair were William Herlinger, Dorothy Maxwell, Harry Herlinger plus one who died young prior to 1910. 

The federal census enumeration of 1910 shows the young family in Pittsburgh, with Ernest plying his trade as a house carpenter. Census records for 1920 list them in Pittsburgh on Pearl Street, and Ernest working as a contractor's carpenter.

They are known to have resided in Glenshaw near Pittsburgh circa 1926-1930 and in nearby Millvale in 1931.

Ernest and the family liked to return to Brush Valley to visit relatives and also to hunt. He often was mentioned in the Indiana newspaper gossip columns at these visits.

Then in 1957, the couple dwelled at 1308 Anderson Road in nearby Shaler Township, possibly with a son.

Millvale, near Pittsburgh, where Ernest Herlinger resided in 1931

Sadly, Ernest was stricken by a heart attack and passed away at home in Shaler on Dec. 15, 1957, at the age of 77. Burial of the remains was in Mount Royal Cemetery.  

Son William C. Herlinger (1905-1978) was born in about 1905. A bachelor at age 25, in 1930, he resided with his parents in Shaler and was employed as an assistant manager in a motion picture theater. He was married and became the father of three -- Susan Dyson, Judy Conroy and David W. Herlinger. William eventually joined United States Steel Corporation as a paymaster, and retired from the company. His final home was in Moon Township. He died in Sewickley Hospital at the age of 74 on Oct. 19, 1978. His funeral mass was held at St. Margaret Mary Church in Moon, with interment in Resurrection Cemetery. an obituary was published in the Pittsburgh Press.

  • Granddaughter Susan Herlinger married (?) Dyson and dwelled in Moon Township.
  • Granddaughter Judy Herlinger entered into marriage with (?) Conroy. She resided in Green Tree near Pittsburgh in 1978.
  • Grandson David W. Herlinger relocated to Denver.

Daughter Dorothy E. Herlinger (1911- ? ) was born in about 1911 in Pittsburgh. She got a job in young womanhood as a stenographer with an insurance company. She was united in matrimony with (?) Maxwell ( ? - ? ).

Son Harry R. Herlinger (1913-1964) was born on Jan. 19, 1913 in Pittsburgh. He learned the trade of carpentry which he used to earn a living. He married Gladys Eyler ( ? - ? ). The pair made a home at 610 Greenlee Road in Pittsburgh's Whitehall Borough section. They had a summer cottage at Brandon's Ferry near Kennerdell, Rockland Township, Venango County. Sadness blanketed the family when, at their summer home, Harry was felled by a heart attack and died at the age of 51 on July 14, 1964. His remains were lowered into eternal repose in Mount Royal Cemetery, Shaler Township. An obituary was printed in the Oil City (PA) Derrick and the Franklin News-Herald.

~ Daughter Sarah M. "Sadie" (Herlinger) Spahr ~

Daughter Sarah M. "Sadie" Herlinger (1875-1923) was born on Sept. 24, 1875. 

She married Edwin Spahr (June 14, 1873-1916), son of Joseph and Mary Spahr. 

One daughter born to the pair was Edna Olbeter.

The couple dwelled in Pittsburgh, where Edwin was employed as a steelworker. They often made visits to Sarah's parents in Brush Valley. 

Tragically, Edwin contracted pulmonary tuberculosis and in 1913 was sent for treatment to the Pennsylvania State Sanatorium in Cresson, Cambria County. There, he died at age 42 on March 12, 1916. His remains were placed into the sleep of ages in Homer City, PA. 

Sarah lived for another seven years as a widow. Sadly, while visiting the old homestead in Brush Valley occupied by her brother Russell, she was felled by a stroke of paralysis and died on Sept. 7, 1923, just 17 days shy of her 48th birthday. News of her sudden passing was printed in the Indiana Weekly Messenger. Burial was in the United Presbyterian Cemetery in Brush Valley.

~ Daughter Anna M. "Annie" Herlinger ~

Daughter Anna M. "Annie" Herlinger (1878-1949) was born on Jan. 29, 1878. 

She never married. 

While she dwelled in Pittsburgh in 1902-1903, her home for decades was in Brush Valley. 

At the age of 69, she contracted cancer of the uterus and suffered for two years. She was admitted to the Indiana County Home in White Township. She died after seven weeks in the Home on Aug. 7, 1949. The remains were laid to rest in Brush Valley Cemetery.

~ Son Clyde H. Herlinger ~

Son Clyde H. Herlinger ( ? - ? ) 

He made a home in Butler, Butler County, PA in the 1940s and 1950s.

~ Son William "Russell" Herlinger ~

Son William "Russell" Herlinger (1882-1961) was born on April 14, 1882 in Brush Valley. 

He never married. Except for a few years spent in Butler and Pittsburgh, he resided for many years on his parents' old farm in Brush Valley. 

His final residence was in Homer City, Indiana County. 

As his health declined, from the effects of dementia, malnutrition and skin ulcers, he was admitted to the Indiana County Home in White Township. Death swept him away on Feb. 5, 1961, at the age of 79. Mrs. William C. Stephens of Indiana was the informant for the death certificate. The remains were lowered under the sod of the Brush Valley United Presbyterian Church Cemetery following services conducted by Rev. W.S. River. An obituary ran in the Indiana Gazette.

~ Son Spear G. Herlinger ~

Son Spear G. Herlinger (1888-1955) was born on Feb. 6, 1888 in Brush Valley, Indiana County. 

He was married but eventually divorced. 

He and his wife were the parents of Royden S. Herlinger. 

As a young man he lived in Brush Valley and for a time in Pittsburgh. He spent part of his working career as a teacher in Indiana-area schools. By 1931, he relocated to Oregon, settling in Portland, OR. 

He is known to have visited with his widowed cousin Sadie Van Horn in Lexington, NE while on a trip from Portland to Boston in September 1931. 

Then in about 1931, Spear returned to Brush Valley. 

His final years were spent with the effects of hypertension. After an acute digestive system infection leading to severe vomiting, and then a cerebral hemorrhage, he was admitted to Indiana Memorial Hospital. He surrendered to death there on Feb. 1, 1955. Rev. Kenneth H. Conant led the funeral. The remains were interred in the United Presbyterian Cemetery in Brush Valley. An obituary in the Indiana Gazette reported that his son was living in Sisters, OR.

Son Royden S. Herlinger ( ? - ? ) lived in Sisters, OR in 1955. His two children were Teddy Herlinger and Janet Herlinger. 

 

Copyright © 2021-2022 Mark A. Miner
Minerd.com extends its gratitude to the late Donna (Younkin) Logan for her research contributions to this biography.