EGLE, William Henry, historian, born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17 September 1830. After receiving a public school education he spent three years as a printer in the office of the " Pennsylvania Telegraph," and subsequently had charge of the state printing. In 1853 he became editor of the "Literary Companion," and also of the " Daily Times," both of which were soon discontinued. He then turned his attention to medicine, and was graduated at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1859, after which he settled in Harrisburg.

He served during the civil war as surgeon of Pennsylvania volunteers, and in the Appomattox campaign was chief medical officer of General David B. Birney's division in the 24th army corps. Since 1870 Dr. Egle has been surgeon of "militia, and is now (1887) senior medical officer of the National guard of Pennsylvania. He turned his attention to historical research in 1871, and has been elected corresponding member of various historical and learned societies in the United States and England. In March 1887, he was appointed state librarian of Pennsylvania. Among his works are "History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" (Harrisburg, 1876); "Notes and Queries relating to Interior Pennsylvania" (3d series, 1881'7), "History of the County of Dauphin" (1883); "History of the County of Lebanon" (1883): " Historical Register" (2 vols., 1883'4); "Pennsylvania Genealogies, Scotch, Irish, and German" (1886); "Centenary Memorial of the Founding of the City of Harrisburg" (1886); and "Pennsylvania in the Revolution " (2 vols., 1887). He has also edited, with John Blair Linn, "Pennsylvania Archives" (2d series, 12 vols., 1874'80).