Daniel Hartman Hastings was the 21st Governor of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

 from 1895 to 1899. Although he was only 12 years old at the outbreak of the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, the young Hastings made three successive attempts to run away from home and enlist in the Union army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

, each time stopped by his father. At the age of 14, Hastings was hired as a teacher in Clinton County, Pennsylvania

Clinton County, Pennsylvania

As of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...

, a job he held for four years. Elected principal of Bellefonte High School at the age of 18, Hastings finally pursued higher education, including at Bellefonte Academy

Bellefonte Academy

Bellefonte Academy was a historic school building located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The original building was built in 1805, as a two-story, rectangular limestone building. It was enlarged between 1839 and 1845, with the addition of two bays and wings to the north and south...

, to further his career and, like many governors before him, studied law. As a leader in the Pennsylvania state militia, led the relief efforts immediately following the 1889 Johnstown Flood

Johnstown Flood

The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...

, for which he gained statewide attention and praise. He sought the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1890 and finally captured in 1894, winning the governor's office by a landslide majority. Following his term, Hastings died in 1903. He was buried in Union Cemetery

Union Cemetery (Bellefonte, Pennsylvania)

Union Cemetery located on East Howard Street in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania was established in 1795. Burials occurred as early as 1808, and the cemetery itself was chartered in 1856. It is the final resting place of Bellefonte's founding families, Pennsylvania Governors and their wives, U.S...

 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

Bellefonte is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies about twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...

.

Hastings Hall on the University Park

University Park, Pennsylvania

University Park, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the location of the flagship campus of the Pennsylvania State University....

 campus of Penn State

Pennsylvania State University

The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...

 is named after him.

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