HEADER
Robert M. Trollinger
ROBERT M. TROLLINGER, president of the Rural Valley National Bank, was
born at Rural Valley, Armstrong Co., Pa., April 25, 1866, son of Henry and
Martha (McElroy) Trollinger.Michael Trollinger, his grandfather, was born in Germany in 1801, and died
in Rural Valley, Pa., in 1866, aged sixty-five years, nine months, seven days.
His wife, born in 1812, died Oct. 8, 1865, aged fifty-three years, six months,
seven days, and they are interred in the cemetery at Rural Valley. Michael
Trollinger came to America in young manhood, locating first in Philadelphia,
and in 1845 brought his wife and family to Armstrong county, settling in what
afterward became Cowanshannock township. He and his wife had the following
children: Susan, who married Reisinger Yount; Laanna, who married John Boyer;
Henry; Isaac; and Elizabeth, who married Michael Reanch.Henry Trollinger was born in 1837 at Philadelphia, where he began to learn
shoemaking with his father. In 1845 he came with the rest of the family to
Armstrong county, and continued to work as a shoemaker. On Oct. 1, 1897, he
was appointed postmaster at Rural Valley, and still held that office when
death claimed him, On July 5. 1905, aged sixty-seven years, eight months five
days. His wife, Martha (McElroy), died April 9, 1895, aged sixty-two years,
four months, twenty-eight days, and both are buried in the- cemetery at Rural
Valley. The children born to them were: Anna, who married John S. McFarland,
postmaster at Rural Valley; Rebecca, who married Thomas B. Garden, of
Vandergrift, Pa.; John A., with the Cowanshannock Coal & Coke Company, of
Yatesboro, Pa.; Margaret, and Robert M. Mr. Trollinger was a member of the
Presbyterian Church. The candidates of the Republican party had his hearty
support, and he was active in politics. During the Civil war he served in the
105th Heavy Artillery Regiment of Pennsylvania, until the close of the
conflict. After the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic he belonged to
the local post.John A. McElroy, maternal grandfather of Robert M. Trollinger, was one of
the early merchants of Rural Valley. A well educated man, he taught the
academy at that place for a number of years, and was a leading factor in his
locality. His daughter Martha married Henry Trollinger.Robert M. Trollinger attended public school and the Rural Valley Academy
before he began clerking, at which he was engaged in various stores for
several years, in Armstrong county. He was then in the county treasurer’s
office under George W. McNees. Following this he conducted a general store for
two years, at Rural Valley, and for the next twelve years was superintendent
in the gas fields. Mr. Trollinger next turned his attention to real estate and
fire insurance, and when he deemed there was sufficient demand for proper
banking facilities to justify his action he organized the Rural Valley
National Bank, becoming its first president. This institution opened its doors
for business Feb. 2, 1902, and in 1911 erected the present handsome bank
building, which is one of the most thoroughly modern in the county. The
present officers of the bank are: R. M. Trollinger, president; J. A. Bowser,
vice president, and C. C. Farren, cashier. The board of directors is as
follows: R. M. Trollinger, S. E. Ambrose, James Craig, W. S. Blaisdell, J. A.
Bowser, J. A. James, F. C. Lang, S. A. Rinn and C. C. Farren. The bank is
capitalized at $30,000, and there is a surplus and undivided profits fund
amounting to $24,606. Under the wise control of the officers this bank has
gained an enviable position among similar financial institutions in the
county, for it is their policy to administer its affairs conservatively, with
due regard to the interests of depositors. A special feature is made of the
attention paid to small accounts. In addition to his affairs already mentioned
Mr. Trollinger is a director of the Kittanning Telephone Company, and
interested in a number of other large concerns. A strong Republican, he was
one of the organizers of the borough of Rural Valley, and was one of the
members of its first council. He takes an active interest in educational
matters, and has rendered valuable service as a member of the school board, a
portion of the time as its treasurer, and also as president. Fraternally Mr.
Trollinger belongs to Kittanning Lodge, NO. 244, F. & A. M.; Kittanning
Chapter, NO. 247, R. A. M., and Pittsburgh Commandery, No. 1, K. T. He is also
a member of Rural Valley Lodge, No. 766, I. O. O. F. The Presbyterian Church
has in him a generous and loyal member.Mr. Trollinger married Margaret McKelvey, daughter of William McKelvey, of
Rural Valley. They have one daughter, Dorothy, who is attending school.The development of Mr. Trollinger from clerk to bank president has been
gradual but steady. There has been nothing spectacular in his rise, for it has
been but the natural outcome of well directed efforts along legitimate lines.
With no special training for his work, he has applied himself diligently to
it, and all of his transactions bear the imprint of earnest and intelligent
foresight and integrity of purpose. Few men stand any higher in Armstrong
county than he, and his community has every reason to be proud of him and what
he has accomplished for it as well as for himself.Source: Pages 443, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past
and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Vaughn Davis for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.Return to the Beers Project
Â
Return to the
Armstrong County Genealogy ProjectÂ
Return to the
Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the
Armstrong County Genealogy Project
(c) Armstrong County
Genealogy Project
About Author
