Peter Shively And Wife, Elizabeth J. Gelbach, Who Lived In Adams County, Pennsylvania

The following information was taken from the History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Warner, Beers and Company, 1886, page 447.

Hamiltonban Township        PETER SHIVELY, hotel keeper, Fairfield, is a native of Chambersburg, Franklin Co., Penn.  His grandfather, on his father’s side, was born in Perry County, Penn., and on his mother’s side his grandfather was a Revoluntionary soldier, who settled in Chambersburg after the war.  His father, Daniel Shively, was born in Perry County, Penn., in 1780, and came to Chambersburg when a young man, living there until his death; he died in 1863 at the age of eighty-three.  Our subject's mother, nee Elizabeth Hennaberger, born in Chambersburg in 1786, died there in 1861, aged seventy-five.  They hand nine children:  Catherine, widow of Emanuel Gipe, living in Harrisburg; Eliza, widow of William Deckert, living in Blairsville, Indiana Co., Penn.; Maria, widow of Benjamin Keefer, living in Chambersburg; William, married to Elizabeth Minafee, who died in the spring of 1886 (he lives in Lafayette, Ind.); Indiana, widow of Louis Wamfler, living in Chambersburg; John, living in Chambersburg, Penn.; Peter, our subject; Susan, who was married to John McCleary, of Chambersburg, both deceased; and Mary Ann, who died when quite young.  Peter Shively was born on July 16, 1819 and in his youth learned the trade of a saddler, which he worked at only a few years.  In 1841 he came to Fairfield, and kept hotel for three years, then the hotel at Gettysburg, known as the “Eagle Hotel,” for three years, and then he returned to Fairfield, and bought the “Mansion House” property, which he has ever since conducted.  March 19, 1845, Mr. Shively was married to Elizabeth J. Gelbach, born April 23, 1826, whose ancestry is given in this history book under the name of John Gelbach.  Our subject and wife have had five children:  Laura C., born May 21, 1846, wife of Joseph Sullivan, who is traveling in the West, while she makes her home with her parents (she has two sons, one of whom, Charles, is now in the drug store of his uncle in Waynesboro, and Percy, with an uncle in the produce business in Monrovia, Md.); and the other children are Mary Elizabeth, born December 12, 1849, wife of J. Upton Neely, of Fairfield, ex-member of the State Legislature; William M., born May 11, 1852, died November 21, 1859; George G., born March 20, 1854, married to Miss Jennie Shaeffer, of Lancaster (he is a physician and druggist in Waynesboro); and John Charles, born September 1, 1856, died December 7, 1859.  Mr. Shively is a member of Good Samaritan Lodge, No. 336, A.F.&A.M., of Gettysburg; also a member of York Springs Lodge, No 211, I.O.O.F., of Adams County, Penn.  He is a member of the Reformed Church of Fairfield, to the erecting of a church building for which body he contributed liberally.  In politics he is a Republican.

Gettysburg Compiler, Tuesday, August 30, 1898

THE HAND OF DEATH – Peter Shively, one of Fairfield’s oldest citizens, and a man well known throughout our county, died at his home last Saturday at the age of 79 years, 1 month and 11 days.  General debility due to old age was the cause of death.

The funeral services were conducted on Monday at Fairfield by Rev. John F. Mackley.  The interment took place here in Evergreen Cemetery with Masonic rites, Good Samaritan Lodge being present in a body.  The bearers were Hon. S. McC. Swope, S. S. Neely, Esq., Geo. F. Young, James M. Caldwell, Hon W. H. Tipton, and Captain Calvin Gilbert.  The deceased is survived by two daughters, Mrs. J. U. Neely, and Mrs. Sullivan, both of Fairfield.  A son, Dr. Geo. Shively, died some years ago.

Mr. Shively was well known to our older citizens.  In the years 1855 and 1856 he was proprietor of the Eagle Hotel, this place, and resided here for a time.  Many years ago he removed to Fairfield and conducted the hotel at that place.  A few years ago he retired and Wm. H. Gelbach took charge of the hotel and is now succeeded by Andrew Ramer, the present proprietor.  He owned the house in this place now occupied by Rev. W. S. VanCleve.

Gettysburg Compiler, Wednesday, March 31, 1909, Page 4, Column 1

MRS. ELIZABETH J. SHIVELY, widow of Peter Shively, died Tuesday afternoon of last week, at her home in Fairfield, Adams county, as the result of a fall the preceeding Sunday, when she sustained internal injuries.  Mrs. Shively was descending the stairs and thought she had reached the floor.  One more step remained and she fell heavily.  She remained in a serious condition until her death.  She would have been 83 years of age in a few weeks and was one of the oldest and most respected residents of Fairfield.  Mrs. Shively was a member of the Presbyterian church.  Mrs. Shively was the widow of Peter Shively, who for many years conducted the hotel in Fairfield and was at one time proprietor of the Eagle hotel in Gettysburg.  She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. J. U. Neely, of Fairfield and Mrs. Joseph P. Sullivan, of Dayton, Ohio.  The funeral service was on last Friday with interment in Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Compiler, Wednesday, April 14, 1909, Page 5, Column 1

--In recent note of death of Mrs. Elizabeth Shively of Fairfield, we were in error in stating the she was a member of the Presbyterian Church.  Mrs. Shively was a member of the Reformed Church of Fairfield and when Andrew Carnegie contributed one half of the price of an organ for the church, Mrs. Shively contributed one-fourth of the required amount.