Joseph Eric Hoffman's Page

I recently started research to try and confirm a family legend that my ancestor was born in an Indian wigwam, as mentioned in the obituary below. I thought this might interest you. What amazes me is that Henry P. Trcziyulny's father was a Polish exile. How in the world did he communicate with the Indians well enough that his wife gave birth in a wigwam. It sounds pretty far-fetched, but who knows? 

The Centre Democrat; Bellefonte PA

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In Memory of (Henry) Phillips Stegner-Trcziyulny

Who was one of Centre County's pioneer surveyors born August 28th, 1800, in an Indian Wigwam where the borough of Phillipsburg now stands. He was adopted as their white chief. His father Baron Chas Trcziyulny, being a trader and friendly with Red Man of the forest, he too was a pioneer engineer and surveyor. There they learned the self sacrificing of life, that they both led for  bettering the future generation. Henry P. Stegner Trcziyulny died at his home in Boggs Township, February 21, 1878. His son Franklin J. P. Trcziyulny a surveyor enlisted in the sixties to serve his country and was killed in battle at Fredericksburg, Va. December 13, 1862. Henry P. S. Trcziyulny was a great temperance worker and an official in the Temple of Honor and other organizations. His sole survivor are a son and daughter: Charles Trcziyulny born in Bellefonte, Nov. 2, 1840 and Mrs Sara Gibbs both residing in Milesburg Pa.(This is from a handwritten note describing a newspaper clipping in the Family Bible)