This genealogy of the Walter Greenland Africa family comes from a four volume set of genealogy research compiled in the early 1900s. Each generation is shown in parentheses ( ). Begin with one individual and continue that line through the furthest generation currently known before starting a new descendancy for the next sibling. This method keeps each family group intact, while presenting the families of siblings separately but under the same generational number.
This family is typical of the patient, persevering, progressive German stock which peopled Pennsylvania, cleared away the forest, settled farms, developed mines, and made it the second state in the Union in point of wealth and population.
(I) Christopher Africa, a native of Hanover, now a part of Prussia, came to America about 1750, and settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania, from which he afterward removed to Hanover, in York county. He had two sons, Michael and Jacob.
(II) Michael Africa, elder son of Christopher Africa, was born in York county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, in 1791. He became one of the founders of the Lutheran Congregational Church of that place, in which he was an elder. He married Katherin Graffius, of York, Pennsylvania.
(III) Daniel Africa, son of Michael and Katherin (Graffius) Africa, was born March 19, 1794, in Huntingdon, and passed his entire life in that town. He was a man of much intelligence and ability, and became prominent and influential in the community. He was deputy surveyor of Huntingdon county from 1824 to 1830, was justice of the peace for twenty-two years, and was noted for the extent and accuracy of his legal knowledge. He married a daughter of John Simpson, a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and a Revolutionary veteran, probably of Scotch ancestry. His wife was a daughter of James Murray, who took part in the Revolutionary war as captain of the Lancaster company. The latter was born in Scotland, and came to America in 1730, while still very young, and resided in Paxton, now in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.
(IV) John Simpson Africa, only son of Daniel Africa, was born September 15, 1832, in Huntingdon and died there August 8, 1900, near the close of his sixty-eighth year. He acquired his education in the common schools and in the academy of his native town. For the pursuit of his chosen profession, surveying and civil engineering, he received practical training under the instruction of his father, and his uncle, James Simpson. In January, 1853, he became a member of the engineering corps of the Huntingdon & Broad Top Mountain Railroad, on its organization under Samuel W. Mifflin, chief engineer, and assisted in the location of the road. He was just twenty-one years old when he received his first public office, that of county surveyor of Huntingdon county, in October, 1853. He was the Democratic nominee, and although the normal Whig majority was over six hundred, he obtained a majority of one hundred and sixty-five. In 1856, a Presidential year, he was again a candidate, the vote resulting in a tie. But the court six months later appointed his opponent. In the meantime he kept up his surveying and became known as one of the most competent in central Pennsylvania. In 1853 he and Samuel G. Whittaker established a weekly paper called the Standing Stone, and for two years he was the proprietor and one of its editors. In 1883 he edited the History of Huntingdon and Blair counties, a valuable work. In public addresses, newspaper articles, and in various other ways, he largely contributed to the history of the commonwealth, and especially that of the Valley of the Juniata.
During the sessions of the senate of Pennsylvania, in 1858 and 1859, he served as journal clerk. In October, 1859, he was elected member of the house of representatives, serving during the session of 1860. During the Civil War, while he did not forsake the Democratic party, he supported the government. When the office of the Monitor, the organ of the Democracy of Huntingdon county, was wrecked by a mob, he was among the first to join in a letter publicly denouncing the outrage, and helped to re-establish the paper. In May, 1875, he was appointed deputy secretary of internal affairs, serving until May, 1879. The department was created by the Constitution of 1873, and its organization devolved upon Mr. Africa. In 1880, at the request of William A. Wallace, then United States senator, President Hayes appointed him supervisor of the census for the seventh district of Pennsylvania, taking in fourteen counties in the center of the state. The duties of this office he discharged very thoroughly. Soon after he was appointed cashier of the First National Bank at Huntingdon. In 1882 he was elected secretary of internal affairs, and resigned his cashiership. His term was for four years, which ended in 1887. He was one of the incorporators of the Union Trust Company of Philadelphia, in 1882, and was one of its directors until his death in 1902. October 13, 1887, he was chosen president, and held this position until he died. He was director of the First National Bank of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and of the Fidelity Mutual Life Association of Philadelphia. He was a member of Mt. Moriah Lodge, No. 300, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and of Standing Stone Chapter, No. 201, at Huntingdon. He served as grand master of Masons of Pennsylvania during 1891-92, and was on standing committees of the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter. He also belonged to the Engineers’ Club, the Franklin Institute, and the Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish Society.
On January 1, 1856, Mr. Africa married, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dorothea Corbin Greenland, of Huntingdon, who was born 1834, and died November 15, 1886. She was the daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Wright) Greenland. Five children were born of this union, of whom three are now living: Benjamin Franklin, the second child, is manager of the Gas and Electric Light Works at Huntingdon; James Murray, the third child, is a civil engineer and resides at Huntingdon. He is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic School at Troy, New York. Walter G., twin brother of James, is the subject of the next sketch. Benjamin F., the eldest, and Bessie, the youngest child of this family, died young.
(V) Walter Greenland Africa, fourth son and child of John Simpson and Dorothea Corbin (Greenland) Africa, was born in Huntingdon, April 11, 1863. He was educated in the public and private schools of that town, and at Huntingdon Academy. After graduation he took a place in the First National Bank of Huntingdon, where he remained about a year and a half, devoting his evenings and other leisure time to the study of civil engineering. Leaving that place he became connected with the firm of Elkins & Widener, the well known gas promoters of Philadelphia, who with their associates controlled the gas franchises of Philadelphia and many other cities in the United States. In 1885 he leased the Huntingdon Gas Works, which he successfully operated until June, 1887, when he removed to Manchester, New Hampshire, at the time of the organization of the People’s Gaslight Company, which soon acquired control of the Manchester Gaslight Company. He served as superintendent of the new company for two years, and was then elected treasurer, and has since filled both positions. Before leaving Pennsylvania his abilities and technical knowledge had been recognized by the state authorities, and he was appointed to investigate the glass sand mining industry of that state, and at the conclusion of his labors in 1886 published an illustrated report upon it. In addition to his work in connection with the People’s Gaslight Company, he has many other cares in his business relations with various industries in Manchester. He was treasurer of the Manchester Electric Light Company twelve years, and was president of the Manchester Union Publishing Company; is treasurer of the Brodie Electric Company; treasurer of the Ben Franklin Electric Light Company; director of the Merchants National Bank; director of the Amoskeag National Bank; director in the Elliot Manufacturing Company; trustee of the Hillsborough County Savings Bank; president of the Manchester Garment Company; treasurer of the Robey Concrete Company; president of the Cohas Building Company; director in the East Side Company; and director of the Derryfield Company. Mr. Africa is connected actively with so many of the leading enterprises of Manchester that few have a greater influence upon its industrial life than he. He is a comparatively young man, an untiring worker, and a success in everything he has undertaken. He is an active member and first vice-president of the New England Association of Gas Engineers, and a member of the American Gas Institute and secretary of the Guild of Gas Managers of New England. In politics he is a Democrat, but not an active personal participant in party affairs. He is a member of the Franklin Street Congregational Church, and president of the Manchester Young Men’s Christian Association. He is a member of the following named Masonic bodies in Manchester: Washington Lodge, No. 61, in which he is senior deacon; Mount Horeb Royal Arch Chapter, No. 11; Adoniram Council, No. 3, Royal and Select Masters; and Trinity Commandery, Knights Templar, in which he is eminent commander; of Edmund A. Raymond Consistory of the Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret of Nashua; and of Bektash Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine, of Concord. He is also a member of Wildey Lodge, No. 45, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
He married, November 17, 1887, Maud Eva Cunningham, who was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, daughter of Robert and Agnes Myton (Oaks) Cunningham, of Huntingdon. They have four children: Dorothea Cunningham, born November 18, 1888; Esther Bessie, January 21, 1890; Walter Murray, April 22, 1892; Maud Isabel, April 8, 1907; all born in Manchester.
Source
Stearns, Ezra S., Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, 4 vols., New York : Lewis Publishing Co., 1908.