This sketch was drawn by David A. Plank, probably in the 1850s. Allen was the name of Churchtown's post office. Purchased locally. Privately owned.
David A. Plank was born near Churchtown, Cumberland County on June 13, 1838, the son of Anna Maria and Jacob Plank, Sr.1 David spent his early years on his father’s farm and later worked in his wheel factory at Churchtown. Spurred on by the gold fever, in 1859 he went to Pike’s Peak to make his fortune. Becoming discouraged, he sold his claim and returned home.2 Even though he didn’t strike it rich, he must have had interesting stories to tell friends and family about his time out west.
Plank had not been home long when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in Company H, 7th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Corps at Camp Wayne on July 18, 1861. Just three days later, during the first battle of Bull Run, one of the fingers on Plank’s left hand was shot off. As a result, he was honorably discharged two months later.3
Like several of his brothers, Plank became a doctor. After graduating from Jefferson Medical College in 1865, he married Ellen Swisher of Mechanicsburg,4 and they settled in St. Clairsville, a small village in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Plank was not only involved in the lives of his patients, but in the professional and medical life of the community as well. He served as the secretary of I.O.O.F Lodge #292 of St. Clairsville, created in 1876.5 He was elected President of the Bedford County Medical Society in 1883,6 and in 1888 the Republican party of East St. Clair Township put his name forward as a candidate for the legislature.7
Dr. Plank died in St. Clairsville on April 12, 1902, and is buried in the Trinity United Church of Christ Cemetery in Osterburg, PA. He and his wife had two children, Dr. Raymond A. Plank who died on March 27, 1896 at Roaring Springs, Blair County, PA, aged 27,8 and Carl W. Plank of Philadelphia.
Churchtown, a village in Monroe Township (originally in Allen Township) is located 6 miles from Carlisle, about 2 ½ miles from Boiling Springs, and 5 ½ miles from Mechanicsburg. The center of the village is crossed by Old Stone House Road and Rt. 174.
[1] Jacob Plank, Sr. earned a reputation as a plow-maker, and in 1836 patented an improvement on the Coulter Plow. Edmund Burke, List of Patents for Inventions and Designs, Issued by the United States, from 1790 to 1847 (etc.). (Washington: Printed by J. & G. S. Gideon, 1847), 18.
[2]Bedford Gazette, April 18, 1902. Although Dr. Plank’s obituary gave the date of the Colorado gold rush as 1849, it was from 1858-1861.
[3] Pennsylvania, Civil War Muster Rolls 1860-1869.
[4] Bedford Gazette, July 7, 1865.
[5] Everett Press, January 4, 1876.
[6] Ibid, June 27, 1883.
[7] Ibid, June 6, 1888.
[8] Ibid, April 10, 1896.