BIO: Daniel BRUNGART, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  DANIEL BRUNGART (deceased) was a member of one of the oldest families 
of Brush Valley, their settlement dating back a full century.  The 
family originated in Germany, where our subject's great-grandfather was 
born.  Martin Brungart, the grandfather of our subject, was the first 
to settle in Centre county, Penn., having left his former home in the 
neighborhood of Hanover, York county, Penn., in 1798 to locate in the 
east end of Brush Valley, where he died, his remains being laid to rest 
in the old graveyard at Rebersburg.  He had a large family of children, 
namely: Martin, Jacob, Johan George, John and several daughters, two of 
whom remained in York county.
  Johan George Brungart (commonly known as George), our subject's 
father, was born July 20, 1788, in Manheim, York county, and was but a 
lad when his parents removed to Centre county.  He was married April 9, 
1811, to Salome Kahl, who was born January 14, 1787, at Heidelberg, 
Berks county, Penn., a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Kahl.  Seven 
children were born of this union, the names with dates of birth being 
as follows: Catharine, January 20, 1812, married Jacob Erhard, and died 
in Miles township, Centre county; Jacob, January 9, 1814, died in 
Rebersburg; Johannes, March 9, 1817, died in January, 1825; Susan, 
March 70, 1819, married Jeremiah Haines, and is deceased; George, 
February 4, 1821, lives at Rebersburg; Daniel, July 4, 1823, is the 
subject of this sketch; Sarah, April 22, 1825, married Samuel Frank; 
and Margaret, March 15, 1827, married John Hosterman, and died in Miles 
township.
  George Brungart was a farmer, also an extensive land owner, and was 
one of the substantial citizens of his time.  In 1820 he built on his 
farm a tannery, which was superintended by Jacob Steffy, also from York 
county, and the leather he took to Philadelphia by team, bringing back 
goods for the merchants, the trip occupying three weeks.  He never 
learned the trade, but was a most skilled mechanic, and spent most of 
his time in a shop on his farm; where he made tools and instruments of 
various kinds.  He made a plow which was an improvement over the clumsy 
ones then in use, and which became well known.  It was the one alluded 
to in the old saying common in Brush Valley, that "no man was much 
unless he owned a long-barrelled shotgun, a red wamus, and a Brungart 
plow."  He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Lutheran 
Church, in which he held an influential place.  Tall and slender in 
person, he possessed much vitality, and lived to see his ninetieth 
year, dying December 21, 1877.  His wife died some years previously, 
being over seventy years of age, and both were buried at Rebersburg. 
  The subject of this sketch had but meager educational privileges, and 
attended the old-time subscription schools for a few weeks in winter 
each year.  Reared as a farmer boy, he always followed that occupation, 
and, after working for his father several years in early manhood, he 
bought the old farm in Miles township, Centre county.  In May, 1846, he 
was married in Miles township, to Miss Phoebe A. Royer, who was born in 
that township, February 19, 1825, the daughter of Col. Henry and Polly 
(Gross) Royer.  Col. Henry Royer came from Berks county, and at one 
time owned much of the land around Rebersburg, as well as a large tract 
of mountain land.  In 1877, Mr. Brungart removed to Rebersburg, where 
he built the present substantial brick residence.  He had two children: 
Elmira E., born February 6, 1847, died February 15, 1850; and Jasper 
R., born June 17, 1851, of whom special mention will presently be made.  
Daniel Brungart died April 8, 1897, and is buried in the cemetery at 
Rebersburg.
  Politically, Mr. Brungart was a Democrat, and he held several minor 
offices in his township, but was never a politician.  He was a leading 
member of the Reformed Church, as is his widow, and he was at one time 
an elder therein.  He owns an excellent farm containing over 165 acres, 
and two valuable lots in Rebersburg.  While he never posed as a 
philanthropist, he contributed to almost every worthy movement seeking 
aid, and he and his estimable wife were noted for their kindness of 
heart.
  JASPER R. BRUNGART, the only living child of our subject, received 
his education in the schools of the township, after which he followed 
teaching some five years.  In 1879 he entered mercantile business in 
Rebersburg, buying out J. Spiglemyer, and continued same for five 
years, at the end of which time he commenced farming, which vocation he 
followed up to 1890, when he built his pleasant home at Rebersburg, 
where he has since lived retired.  In December, 1894, he graduated from 
the Chautauqua University at Syracuse, N.Y., and is at present taking a 
reading course from that institution.
  On October 3, 1876, Jasper R. Brungart was married in Union county, 
Penn., to Mary E. Long, who was born June 28, 1850, a daughter

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  277

of Ephraim and Margaret (Slear) Long, highly respectable farming 
people.  Her father was a native of Berks county, Penn., born April 8, 
1814, and died January 13, 1856, a son of Ludwig and Hannah Long, 
natives of Pennsylvania. Ephraim Long was twice married, first time to 
Sarah Snook, by whom he had two children - Esther and Isaac - who lived 
to maturity.  For his second wife, Ephraim was married, May 12, 1848, 
to Margaret Slear, and three children were born to them, two of whom 
died in infancy, and Mary E. (Mrs. Brungart).  Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim 
Long are both deceased, he having passed away January 13, 1856, and she 
on July 27, 1863.
  Mr. and Mrs. Jasper R. Brungart are active members of the Reformed 
Church.  In politics he is a Democrat, and has filled various township 
and school offices.