...In the maternal line Mr. Blank is descended from a family prominently identified with the development of Westmoreland county.  The Cribbs family traces its ancestry to the province of Alsace-Lorraine, in Germany.  The founders of the family in this country came to America about 1750, landing at Philadelphia.  Their children were: George; John, see forward; Jacob, who purchased land and settled in Westmoreland county shortly after the war of the revolution; Susan, married and resided in Philadelphia; Peter George, who served with bravery and was killed in the war of the revolution.
    (I) Captain John Cribbs, a representative of the second generation of this family in America, was a soldier of the revolution and was killed at the time of St. Clair's defeat, November 4, 1791, leaving to survive him a widow, Catherine (Harrold) Cribbs, and seven children: Peter, married ____ Steelsmith; Christopher, see forward; John, married Elizabeth Kieffer, Clarion county; George, married ____, Canton, Ohio; Elizabeth, married Joseph Berlin; Mary, married George Repine; Susan, died in infancy.
    (II) Christopher Cribbs, second son and a child of Captain John (I) and Catherine (Harrold) Cribbs, was born February 10, 1780,  He married (first), November 18, 1800, Mary Magdalene Silvis, born November 4, 1780, and had children: 1. John, born August 9, 1801, died July 25, 1804.  2. Peter, born February 3, 1803, married Catherine Miller, December 30, 1824.  3. Catherine, born January 13, 1805, married Daniel Miller, February 25, 1824.  4. Sarah, born January 15, 1807, married Peter Miller, October 8, 1829.  5. Anna, born April 6, 1808, married John Fox, November 18, 1828.  6. Joshua, see forward.  7. Levi, born April 10, 1811, married Hannah Miller, September 19, 1833.  8. Elizabeth, born November 2, 1812, died September 20, 1819.   9. Mary, born November 13, 1814, married Jacob Miller, April 17, 1834.  10. Magdalene, born June 6, 1816, married Peter Smeltzer, March 19, 1837.   11. Samuel, born March 14, 1818, married Sarah Smeltzer, October 27, 1839.     12. George, born April 15, 1820, married Jane Skelly, of Hempfield township, September 4, 1845.  13. Leah, born November 26, 1821, married Jacob Altman, May 20, 1847.  14. Susannah, born April 23, 1823.  Christopher Cribbs married (second), April 30, 1847, ElizabethFisher.
    (III) Joshua Cribbs, third son and sixth child of Christopher (2) and Mary Magdalene (Silvis) Cribbs, was born October 6, 1809.  He married Elizabeth Miller, February 9, 1832, and among their children was Susannah Louisa.
    (IV) Susannah Louisa Cribbs, daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Miller) Cribbs, married Henry Blank, September 12, 1850, and their eldest child was John Alfred Blank; whose name heads this sketch.