GLATZ, ABRAHAM HEISTAND

Detail of portrait in 1868. Courtesy Collection of the York County Heritage Trust, York, PA

General A. Hiestand Glatz was an antiquarian and coin collector since boyhood in the 1840's. He later became Pennsylvania State Senator Glatz.

Abraham Heistand Glatz (1835-1894), was born November 3, 1835, a fraternal twin with his sister Margaret, son of Dr. Jacob Glatz (1803-1845), and Susan Hiestand (1802-1883), of Lancaster and Accomac (Glatz’s Ferry), York County, Pennsylvania.

After his father died his family moved in with his mother's family in Marietta, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

In 1850, he entered Princeton, then called the College of New Jersey.

In 1854, he graduated Princeton.

He was elected to the Pennsylvania State House, 1858-1859.

He was a Brigadier General in the State Militia before the Civil War.

The 1860 U. S. Census lists him as a gentleman living with his mother.

On May 3, 1861, he enlisted as staff Quartermaster, 16th Pennsylvania Regiment, Jackson Guards.

He was elected to the state Senate, 1861-1868.

After the Civil War he ran the family farm as his lifelong career together with politics.

For antiquarian purposes he had an engraving made of the John Schulz farmhouse built in 1734 that was on his family estate.

He served as a Trustee of Millersville College, 1864-1867.

In 1867, he served as Vice-President of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Pennsylvania.

He served as Grand Master of the Mason’s Lodge.

He was a charter member of the Pennsylvania German Society.

The 1870 U. S. Census tells us he was living with his mother and listed as former senator.

The 1880 U. S. Census tells us he was living as a boarder in his aunt Sarah Wilson's boarding house.

There are several pieces of correspondence of Glatz to the Chapman Brothers beginning in the 1880's in the Lupia Numismatic Library.

Glatz correspondence with the Chapman Brothers postmarked Hellam, Pennsylvania, July 9, 1888. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Chapman Family Correspondence Archive.

On December 28, 1894, he died of apoplexy at his home 15 South Beaver Street, York, Pennsylvania. He was 59 years old. His funeral was in St. John's Episcopal Church, York, Pennsylvania. He is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery, York, Pennsylvania.

Glatz's coin collection was sold at his estate auction sale in his home just 37 days after his demise. Mrs. A. Matthews of Baltimore bought the entire numismatic collection : Large Cent collection for $21,. half cent collection sold for $4, and that of medals for $2. The York Daily, Sunday, February 4, 1895, page 1.

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