David Geisinger (1790 - 1860)

Born 28 Dec 1790 in Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine Russell (Pearce) Geisinger — married about 1816 in Boston

Died 5 Mar 1860 at age 69 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Family
Married Catherine Russell Pearce, daughter of Charles Russell Pearce and Emaline Sumner. ^[1] David was the father of George Francis Geisinger, for whom the Geisinger medical center in Danville, PA, was named (it was built by Abigail Geisinger).

Career
Naval officer. Entered the navy November 15 1809 and was appointed midshipman April 11 1810. On May 21 1810, he was ordered to duty aboard the brig SIREN and served on her until April 1812. On May 19 1812, he received orders to the frigate CONSTELLATION, serving until September 20 1813. When was was declared against England on June 18 1812, the COSTELLATION was blockaded at Norfolk by a superior enemy force before she could be out to sea.
^[2]

He served on board the WASP during the remainder of the war. When the WASP was lost with all on board, David Geisinger was not on board, however. He was commanding a captured British brig, the ATALANTA to Savannah, and was thus the sole survivor of the WASP's crew.^[3]

He was promoted to master commander (commander) on March 1 1829 and to captain on May 24, 1838. In 1847, he was named to command the East India squadron. he returned to the US in June 1850. His final assignment was as governor of the Naval home at Philadelphia from 1851 until 1854.^[4]

He died at his home in Philadephia on Monday March 5, 1860, at age 70.

Sources

1. ↑ Abney Metzger, C. A. 1978 "In search of Kate, Abney, Geisinger, Davis, Parks, McClanahan, Shelton, Van Lear families" [1]
2. ↑ Abney Metzger, C. A. 1978 "In search of Kate, Abney, Geisinger, Davis, Parks, McClanahan, Shelton, Van Lear families" [2]
3. ↑ Letter from Captain Blakeley to the Navy Department, Washington D. C. 22 September 1814
4. ↑ Abney Metzger, C. A. (1978) Genealogical R. & P., St. Louis, Mo, "In search of Kate: Abney, Geisinger, Davis, Parks, McClanahan, Shelton, Van Lear families

• Birth record:Maryland, Church Records, 1668-1995, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4ZW-VBF : 24 February 2016), David Geissinger, 25 Feb 1791; citing Christening, Fredrick, Fredrick, Maryland, United States, various libraries, churches, historical and national societies, private and public records; FHL microfilm 13,931.
• See also the Wikipedia page for David Geisinger [3] and the Smith-Geisinger collection at the university of Michigan [4] and Ashbury J. W. Frederick County Characters (2013) The history Press, Charleston, SC, USA [5]
• The Daily Exchange Baltimore, Maryland · Thursday, March 08, 1860 Notice of death of David Geisinger, with biography