FAMILY ASSOCIATION ROOTS

     Most of the information relating to our families early history was compiled by Jacob C. Poorbaugh.  Without his relentless dedication to the cause we would have little information on the life of our ancestor, Philipp Burbach.  

     Between the years of 1910 and 1920 Jake started collecting data on the Poorbaugh Family.  In the 1930's he extended his search by writing to those of the family who had moved far from Somerset County.  At that time many of the third generation were still living and thus he had a wealth of first hand information to draw on.  Without Jake Poorbaugh's efforts the data he recorded would have been impossible to obtain after World War II.  

     How the name Burbach became Poorbaugh and then Purbaugh is unclear.  In colonial grammar and penmanship style "u" could easily have been construed as "oo" and the "B" as a "P".  It is known that some family members who moved to the west officially changed their name to Purbaugh. 

     In the summer of 1952 Myrtle Alice Shafer, from Lincoln Nebraska, came to Somerset, where her mother was born and raised, to visit relatives.  Myrtle realized that it would be impossible to visit all her relatives so she suggested a family gathering.  This first reunion was held July 6th, 1952 at the Mt. Lebanon Church Grove.  This site is about one mile west of the Philipp Burbach homestead farm.  At this reunion it was decided to organize an Association to be known as the Burbach-Poorbaugh-Purbaugh Association.  The annual family reunion has been held every year following 1952 on the second Sunday of July.  The 2001 reunion will be the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the association.