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GEORGE WASHINGTON LUKE, M.D., of Arnold, an efficient and successful physician of Valley township, is a son
of James and Annie (Lynn) Luke, and was born in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1835. His paternal grandparents
were James and Mary (McLane) Luke; the former born in county Armagh, Ireland, and the latter a native of the highlands
of Scotland. They came to Pennsylvania in 1791, and purchased a farm within two miles of Armagh, Indiana county,
where they resided as long as they lived. Their son, James Luke (father), was born in 1791 on shipboard while they
were crossing the Atlantic ocean. He was reared in Indiana county, served under Gen. Harrison in the war of 1812,
and afterwards settled in the forks of Black Lick creek, in Cambria county, where he remained until 1861, when
he came to Armstrong county. Ten years later he passed away at the advanced age of eighty years. He was a stanch
democrat and married Annie Lynn, of Bedford county, who was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church and
passed from the toils and troubles of earthly life May 20, 1864, when in the seventieth year of her age.
George Washington Luke was reared in Cambria and Clarion counties and received his education in the common schools
and Dayton academy, this county. From twelve years of age he commenced, to make his own way in life, and for several
years worked at any kind of labor that was honorable. In 1859 he commenced to read medicine at Reynoldsville, Jefferson
county, and two years later, when the storm of civil war burst upon the land, he left his studies to enter the
Union army. He enlisted on August 29, 1861, as a private in Co. H, 105th regiment, Pa. Vols., and four months later
was made hospital steward of Gen. Kearney's division. On October 5, 1863, he was discharged by an order of Secretary
Stanton for the purpose of giving him an opportunity to enlist as a hospital steward in the United States army,
which he accordingly did. He served until November 10, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Brownsville, Texas
While in the service he was captured once and was confined in Libby prison for one month before being exchanged.
After the war he resumed his medical studies, under Dr. D. R. Crawford of Smicksburg, Indiana county, and attended
lectures at the medical department of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in 1867. In the fall
of 1867 he opened an office at Goheenville, but in May, 1874, on account of his wife's health, removed to Templeton,
on the A. V. R. R., where he remained until December, 1876, when he went to Salem, in Clarion county. At that place
he remained until the fall of 1881, when he came to Valley township, where he has had a large and remunerative
practice ever since.
April 7, 1870, Dr. Luke married Sarah Speace, daughter of G. W. Speace, of Valley township. They have twochildren
living: Annie L. and Susie B.
Dr. Luke is a republican in politics and when Arnold post office was established, in 1888, he was appointed postmaster,
which position he has held ever since. He owns and resides upon a farm of fifty acres, which is underlaid with
coal. Dr. Luke has always been successful as a physician and is recognized as one of the prominent and leading
citizens of Valley township.
From:
Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia
of Indiana and Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania
Samuel T. Wiley, Historian & Editor
John M. Greshan & Co.
Philadelphia, 1891
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