Political History

George S. Messersmith

messersmith | fleetwood area historical society

The “Diplomat of Democracy”

Born in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania on October 3, 1883.
Died in Dallas, Texas on January 29, 1960.

George S. Messersmith Introduction

George S. Messersmith lived in Fleetwood for his first 18 years. I must assume he graduated from Fleetwood schools (the historical society has not been able to locate any records to confirm this) but he did graduate from Kutztown Normal School in 1900 at the age of 18. His younger brother Robert (1883-1929) graduated from Fleetwood High School in 1902. The early years of his grandfather and father in Fleetwood coincide with all the legendary names in the early history of Fleetwood, including Schlegel, Wanner, Schaeffer, Kutz, Gambler, Sholl, Cox, Messersmith, Melot, Reifsnyder, Merkel, Folk, Hoch, Young, Hill, Kelchner and many others. Click to Read More

messersmith_time | fleetwood area historical society

George S. Messersmith: Diplomat of Democracy
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1987.
Author: Jesse H. Stiller

Jesse Stiller, whose primary research on Fleetwood native and United States career diplomat George Messersmith was based on the collection of Messersmith’s personal papers located at the University of Delaware Library, wrote: Click to Read More

book_cover | fleetwood area historical society