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Abigail Geisinger’s Generous Hand
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  • 31°
    • Sunbury, PA (17801)

      Today

      Partly cloudy skies early followed by periods of snow showers late. Low 22F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

      Tonight

      Partly cloudy skies early followed by periods of snow showers late. Low 22F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.

      Updated: February 24, 2026 @ 4:54 pm

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Tuesday, February 24, 2026
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Photo courtesy of the Reichen Family Collection.

Abigail Geisinger 1827-1921

6. Groundbreaking 1913.jpg

On May 1, 1913, Abigail Geisinger, center with a shovel, broke ground for the George F. Geisinger Memorial Hospital.

  • Photo provided
14. GMHca1915.jpg

Photo provided

The original George F. Geisinger Memorial Hospital opened in 1915.

Abigail Geisinger at laying of cornerstone-1.tif

Photo from _____________________ The laying of the cornerstone on _____________ was attended by hundreds of people. It is the only known photo of Mrs. Geisiger laughing (lower right).

Mrs Geisingers car (GMC).jpg

Photo courtesy of the Reichen Family Collection Mrs. Geisinger’s car — with her driver — was often used as an ambulance to take local residents to the hospital in Bloomsburg.

Abigail Geisinger’s Generous Hand

  • Mary Bernath For Inside PA
  • Feb 14, 2024
  • Feb 14, 2024 Updated May 18, 2024
1 of 5

Photo courtesy of the Reichen Family Collection.

Abigail Geisinger 1827-1921

6. Groundbreaking 1913.jpg

On May 1, 1913, Abigail Geisinger, center with a shovel, broke ground for the George F. Geisinger Memorial Hospital.

  • Photo provided
14. GMHca1915.jpg

Photo provided

The original George F. Geisinger Memorial Hospital opened in 1915.

Abigail Geisinger at laying of cornerstone-1.tif

Photo from _____________________ The laying of the cornerstone on _____________ was attended by hundreds of people. It is the only known photo of Mrs. Geisiger laughing (lower right).

Mrs Geisingers car (GMC).jpg

Photo courtesy of the Reichen Family Collection Mrs. Geisinger’s car — with her driver — was often used as an ambulance to take local residents to the hospital in Bloomsburg.

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Devoted as she was to her one big project, the George F. Geisinger Memorial Hospital, she was much aware of other needs in the town of Danville. For example, Mrs. Geisinger set up an endowment fund to use for operating expenses at the YMCA . In 1912, according to the Danville Morning News, “she further endowed the building with $32,000 when it was enlarged and the present swimming pool and gymnasium constructed and the bowling alleys installed.”

She was a generous contributor to her church, the Mahoning Presbyterian Church, and had a special interest in caring for indigent women. To that end, she made provisions to found the Abigail A. Geisinger Home for Friendless Women, and during her lifetime she received letters from indigent, elderly women seeking placement in the home. After her death, a farm was purchased in Mausdale for that purpose, but the project floundered for lack of sufficient funds to sustain it, and so in 1933, the money she had committed to it was repurposed to fund medical care at the hospital for indigent local women.

Abigail had no direct descendants, but when a group of her nieces, who received small inheritances, challenged her will in 1923, her wide generosity was made public. For those close to her, like her coachman, she was very generous with money and a house for life. She also gave substantial gifts to the Presbyterian Church, to the Indian Training School at Carlisle, and to Lincoln University in Chester County, the second historically black college founded in the U.S. But the bulk of her money went to her two main charities, the Geisinger Hospital and the Home for Aged and “Friendless”" Women.

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