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PENNYPACKER, Elijah Funk, reformer, born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, 20 November, 1804; died in Pheonixville, Pennsylvania, 4 January, 1888. He was educated in the private schools in Burlington, New Jersey, taught there, and subsequently engaged in land surveying in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania He then became interested in real estate, was in the legislature in 1831-'5, chairman of its committee on banks, and a principal mover in the establishment of public schools. In 1836-'8 he was a canal commissioner. He joined the Society of Friends about 1841, and thenceforth for many years devoted himself to the abolition movement, becoming president of the local antislavery society, and of the Chester county, and Pennsylvania state societies. He was an active manager of the " Underground railroad," and his house was one of its stations. With John Edgar Thompson he made the preliminary surveys of the Pennsylvania railroad. He aided the suffering poor in Ireland in the famine of 1848, and subsequently identified himself with the Prohibition party, becoming their candidate for state treasurer in 1875. He was an organizer of the Pennsylvania mutual fire insurance company in 1869, and was its vice-president till 1879, when he became president, holding office till January, 1887, when he resigned. John G. Whittier says of him : " In mind, body, and brave championship of the cause of freedom he was one of the most remarkable men I ever knew."--His nephew, Galusha, soldier, born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1 June, 1844, received an academical education, and at seventeen years of age entered the National army as a private. He was appointed captain in the 97th Pennsylvania volunteers in August, 1861, and major in October, served in the Department of the South, and was engaged in the operations in Florida, and against Charleston, South Carolina He was wounded three times at Drury's bluff in May, 1864, was commissioned colonel in August, and in September was at the siege of Petersburg. He commanded a brigade in the 10th corps, and was wounded at Fort Harrison, and again at Darbytown road. He led his brigade in the final attack on Fort Fisher, and received severe wounds, which confined him to the hospital until 1866. He was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers, 15 January, 1865, for gallant service at the capture of Fort Fisher, was given that full rank, 18 February, 1865, brevetted major-general of volunteers, 13 March, 1865, "for gallant and meritorious service during the civil war," and received the same brevets in the regular army on 2 March, 1867. He became colonel of the 34th United States infantry in 1866, and in 1883 was retired by reason of wounds received in action.
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