USA > Maryland > Washington County > Leitersburg > History of Leitersburg District, Washington County, Md.: Including Its Original Land Tenure. > Part 24
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wife of William Johnson; Daniel S., and Elizabeth, who married John Barnhart. Andrew and John C. removed to Wabash, Ind.
DANIEL S. LOWMAN was born on the 11th of May, 1828, the son of Daniel and Catharine (Leiter) Lowman. He obtained his education at the school house west of Leitersburg, and learned the trade of tailor under Jonathan Humphreys and Thomas At- kinson. After completing his apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman for Stephen G. Stahley several years. In 1849 he embarked in business individually at Leitersburg. Here he has lived all his life, and is one of the oldest native residents of the village and District. In 1849 he married Caroline, daughter of James and Eleanor (Burkhart) Lytle, and to this union were horn the following children: Alvin M., of Wallula, Wash .; Com- modore F., of Mechanicsburg, Pa .; James D., of Seattle, Wash .; Catharine, wife of William Stickell of Hagerstown, and William, of Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Lowman died in 1864 and in 1866 he mar- ried Elizabeth Summer; their children were Nettie, wife of Harry Forney of Hagerstown and Charles A., of Grand Forks, British Columbia. Mr. Lowman has been a member of the Lutheran Church since 1849 and is a Republican in politics.
GEORGE POE was born near Jefferson, Frederick County, Md., October 7, 1791. It is known that his mother's family name was Willard. Adam and Andrew Poe, the celebrated Indian fighters of the Ohio valley, are supposed to have been his father's brothers, and it is thought that he was descended from the Poes who orig- inally owned the site of Leitersburg, but this can not be positively stated. Left an orphan at an early age, George Poe was brought up by H. B. Hockman, who lived near Antietam creek at the farm owned by the heirs of the late Henry G. Clopper. When the house on this farm was built he assisted the nail maker, and thus gained his first experience at blacksmithing. In early manhood he was also employed at a gun-barrel factory on the creek near Hockman's. In 1816 he entered into partnership with Andrew Leiter in blacksmithing near Leitersburg, and in 1826 he pur- chased the old Leiter homestead west of the village and engaged in business individually. Several years later he removed to Funks- town, Md., where he conducted a similar establishment, manufac- turing the iron-work for the Hagerstown jail and iron frames for
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locks on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. He again returned to Leitersburg and engaged in blacksmithing, which he subsequently relinquished and made farming his occupation the remainder of his life, operating successively the Shiess farm, now owned by Daniel Oller; the Jacob Barr farm, now owned by Samuel Hartle, and the Ziegler farm, then a tract of four hundred acres, after which he returned to his own property and resided thereon until his death, February 14, 1869. On the 7th of May, 1818, he mar- ried Catharine, daughter of George Ziegler, who was born August 5, 1797, and died January 11, 1861. Their children were Barbara, who married John Lambert; Mary, who married Peter K. Harter; James R .; Elizabeth, who married Ephraim Hartle; Sophia; Oliver; Martha; Isaiah; Helen, widow of John W. Bell; Samuel; Mark Z., and David A., all of whom grew to maturity except Samuel, who died in infancy. George Poe was a Whig, and was elected county commissioner as the candidate of that party. He was also nominated for sheriff. After the dissolution of the Whig party he became a Republican. He was a member of the German Baptist Church.
OLIVER POE was born in Leitersburg District, November 9, 1827, the son of George and Catharine (Ziegler) Poe. He re- ceived a common school education. In 1855-56 he was at Canton. Ill., whence he returned to his native District, where he was engaged in dealing in country produce from 1856 to 1862. He operated one of the Ziegler farms in 1862-64, and from 1864 to 1828 he was employed as farmer and teamster by Samuel Strite. He was engaged in farming in Leitersburg District from 1878 to 1892, when he leased the farm of John M. Hess in Washington Township. Franklin County, Pa., where he now resides. In 1860 he married Susan, daughter of Archibald and Isabel (Gower) Mc- Afee, and their children are George A .; Minnie M., wife of Albert Martin: Ralph G., a miner in British Columbia; Charles E .; Mary, wife of George Kreps; Annie, wife of Harry Wishard; Edith, and David. Mr. Poc is a Republican in politics.
MARK 'Z. POE was born in Leitersburg District on the 22d of AApril. 1810, the son of George and Catharine (Ziegler) Poe. He obtained his education at the local schools, and was reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1823 he entered the internal revenue service of the United States government as ganger and store-
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keeper in the district embracing Western Maryland, continuing in the service fourteen years. In 1878 he married Clara Virginia, daughter of David G. and Elizabeth (Ziegler) Martin, and their children are Ruth and Mary. Mr. Poe is a Republican in politics and an active supporter of his party.
DAVID A. POE was born in Leitersburg District, October 14, 1842, the son of George and Catharine (Ziegler) Poe. He ob- tained his education in the schools of his native District. In 1864 he located at Galesburg, Ill., where he was employed as clerk by George V. Dietrich. In 1875 he removed to Essex, Ia., and en- gaged in the lumber and coal business, which he has since con- tinued. In 1877 he married Miss Bessie Ferguson Soutar, a native of Dundee, Scotland, and they are the parents of three sons: James Ferguson; George David, and Robert Burns. Mr. Poe is a member of the Presbyterian Church and in politics a stanch Republican.
CHARLES E. POE, V. S., was born in Leitersburg District, May 3, 1868, the son of Oliver and Susan (McAfee) Poe. He received his education at the Leitersburg schools. After an extended course of private study in veterinary science he began the practice of his profession in 1888, and gradually acquired experience and the confidence of the community. On the 19th of November, 1894, he received the certificate issued by the Maryland State Board of Veterinary Examiners. He located in Leitersburg in 1893 and has since given exclusive attention to his profession. In 1893 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Mayberry G. and Sietta (Stover) Freed, and they are the parents of one child, Howard R. The Doctor is a Republican in politics.
STEPHEN MARTIN was born in Lancaster County, Pa., January 14, 1777, the son of Adam and Dorothy (Holbrenner) Martin. The family settled in Lancaster County carly in the eighteenth century. Adam Martin was born on the 7th of October, 1750, and died in Leitersburg District, January 22, 1837. His father was Hans Stephan Martin, a native of Germany, who settled in Lancaster County in 1751. Dorothy Holbrenner was a native of the Middletown valley in Frederick County, Md. Stephen Martin came to Leitersburg District in early manhood. In 1817 he pur- chased from Christian Good, his father-in-law, the farm of 220 acres near Martin's school house upon which he resided until his
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death. Here he erected the present substantial improvements, now owned by Daniel W. Durboraw; he also established and op- erated a distillery. In 1829 he bought the mill property near Leitersburg now owned by Samuel Strite and this he also owned until his death. As a business man he was energetic and success- ful, and his operations as farmer, miller, and distiller were among the most extensive in the District. He was a Whig in politics and a member of the Reformed Church. His death occurred on the 29th of August, 1839. His wife Barbara, nee Good, was born on the 31st of October, 1788, and died on the 27th of March, 1853. Stephen and Barbara (Good) Martin were the parents of the fol- lowing children: Catharine, who married Lewis Tritle; Elizabeth, who married Benjamin Garver; Ann, who married John Kissell; Barbara, who married John Martin and after his death Joseph Skinner; David G .; Samuel F .; Susanna; Stephen G .; Adam B., and Lydia, who married John F. Ziegler. David G. operated the farm in Leitersburg District after his father's death and subse- quently engaged in the grain and flour commission business at Baltimore. Adam B. was a soldier in the Mexican War and cap- tain of Company H, Sixth Maryland Volunteers, in the Civil War; his brother, Stephen G., was sergeant of this company.
CHRISTIAN SHANK was born in 1778, probably in Lancaster County, Pa., where his father, John Shank, resided in 1784 and doubtless earlier. Before the close of the century John Shank removed to Washington County, Md., and located between Leitersburg and Smithsburg near Buena Vista school house on the Old Forge road. He died about the year 1818 and his surviv- ing children were Andrew; John; Christian; Henry; Jacob; Abra- ham; Daniel; Anna, who married Christian Newcomer, and Mag- dalena, who married Peter Witmer. John Shank, Sr., was a Mennonite in faith. He has numerous descendants in Washing- ton and Franklin Counties and in the West.
Christian Shank was a tailor by trade and pursued that occu- pation for many years. In 1812 he purchased from John Barr 139 acres of land in Leitersburg District, now owned by Henry L. Strite, Athalinda Bell, John C. Miller, and Edward M. White. In 1820 he built the stone house on the farm of Henry L. Strite and here he died in the spring of 1855 at the age of seventy-six years, six months, and thirteen days. His first wife was Sophia,
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daughter of Frederick and Susanna Hersh, and their children were Henry; Jonas; Christian; John; Jacob; Frederick; Noah, and Sophia, who married Henry Myers. Henry, Jonas, Christian, and Jacob removed to Putnam County, Ohio, and John to Bed- ford County, Pa .; Frederick was a life-long resident of Leitersburg District, and Noah now resides at Hagerstown. The second wife of Christian Shank, Sr., was Elizabeth Myers. He was a member of the Mennonite Church and trustee of Miller's church from the time of its erection until his death.
FREDERICK SHANK was born in Leitersburg District, Novem- ber 9, 1817, the son of Christian and Sophia (Hersh) Shank. His education was obtained at the local schools. In 1841 he began farming on his father's land, residing near the Leitersburg turn- pike. He was also engaged in farming near Huyett, Md., Green- castle, Pa., and in Leitersburg District at the farm owned for many years by Levi Fox. In 1848 he located upon his father's farm near Miller's church, which he operated as tenant until the latter's death, when it became his property; here he died on the 1st of October, 1863. In 1840 he married Susan, daughter of Peter and Mary (Reiff) Eshleman, and their children were Mary, who married John Strite; Noah E .; Elizabeth, who married John Lesher; Christian, and Peter. Their mother died on the 9th of April, 1854, and in 1855 he married Mary, daughter of John and Anna (Crider) Lesher; the children born to this union were Anna, who married Daniel Lehman; John, and Susan, who married Henry Myers. Frederick Shank was a member of the Mennonite Church, in which he held the office of trustee.
NOAH E. SHANK was born near Huyett, Washington County, Md., August 10, 1843, the son of Frederick and Susan (Eshleman) Shank. His education was obtained principally at Rock Hill school. In 1868 he began farming as tenant on the farm near Miller's church formerly owned by his father; this he operated until 1873, after which he was engaged in farming near Eshle- man's school house two years. In 1875 he retired from farming, and has since resided at Wingerton, Pa. In 1887 he purchased the farm near Miller's church which he has since owned. In 1867 he married Martha, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Strite) Strite. Mr. Shank is a member of the Mennonite Church and a Republican in politics.
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DANIEL V. SHANK was born in Cavetown District, Washington County, Md., March 23, 1858, the son of Isaac B. and Elizabeth (Unger) Shank and grandson of Daniel Shank, whose father, John Shank, removed from Lancaster County, Pa., to Washington County, Md., in the last century. He received a common school education and was reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1886 he engaged in farming in Leitersburg District on the farm of 103 acres of which he is the owner and here he has since resided. In 1880 he married Clara L., daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Rine- hart) Spessard, and their children are Clarence A .; Virgie L., and Howard E. Mr. Shank is a member of the Lutheran Church and in politics a Republican.
BENJAMIN HARTMAN was born on the 11th of January, 1788. He removed from Juniata County, Pa., to Leitersburg District, about the year 1810, and here he resided for some years. His death occurred at Cavetown, Md., January 12, 1852. He was a tailor by trade. IIe married Judith, daughter of Jacob and Ju- liana Leiter, and their children were George; Benjamin; Andrew; David; Jacob; William; Rebecca, who married George Bowers; Catharine, who married Joseph Kimler; Dorothy, who married Jonathan Bowser; Elizabeth, who married Charles Martin, and Julia, who married Samuel Mentzer.
BENJAMIN HARTMAN was born in Leitersburg District in 1813, the son of Benjamin and Judith (Leiter) Hartman. He was a farmer by occupation and was engaged in this business in Leiters- burg District for some years; at the time of his death, July 28, 1875, he was tenant on the farm of Governor Hamilton near Ha- gerstown. He married Rosanna Bell, and their children were Helen, who married Albert Suman; Frederick; Daniel; Andrew; Samuel; Julia Ann; Joseph, and Catharine, wife of William Tro- vinger. Mr. Hartman was a member of the Lutheran Church.
SAMUEL HARTMAN was born in Leitersburg District, April 26. 1845, the son of Benjamin and Rosanna Hartman. He obtained a common school education and served an apprenticeship to the milling business at Brown's Mills, Pa., under his uncle, Andrew Hartman, by whom he was subsequently employed at the Old Forge mill, which he afterward operated. From 1867 to 1880 he was employed as a farm laborer. In 1880 he operated the Old Forge mill in partnership with George II. Bowman, after which
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he was employed for three years by the Kemps in their mill at Breathedsville. He was then engaged in farming until 1896, with the exception of two years and a half, when he was toll collector on the Sharpsburg turnpike. Since 1896 he has operated the Morning Star mill in Leitersburg District and served as postmaster at Startown. In 1867 he married Sarah A., daughter of Philip and Mary (Hill) Warfield, and their children are Rosella; Benjamin C .; Frederick P .; Emory W. McC .; Cath- arine; Samuel S .; E. Emma; Charles; Harvey, and Cora M. Mr. Hartman is a member of the German Baptist Church; he is inde- pendent in politics.
JOHN MINOR was born on the 28th of October, 1790, the son of William Minor, a native of Germany who settled in Washing- ton Township, Franklin County, Pa. He learned the trade of tailor under his father and pursued this occupation for some years. He married Phoebe, daughter of George and Catharine (Winters) Burkhart, and their children were Henrietta, who mar- ried Jacob Hovis; Catharine, who married Samuel Frey; Chris- tina, who married William Anderson; Frank; William; John; George; David; Jacob; Louis; Oliver; Henry, and Washington. John Minor, Sr., died on the 4th of June, 1847. He has numer- ous descendants in Leitersburg District.
MAJOR JOSEPH TROVINGER was born in Washington County, Md., December 11, 1790, the son of Christopher and Barbara Tro- vinger. Christopher Trovinger was probably a native of Ger- many, but he resided in Pennsylvania as early as 1773; he was a weaver by occupation and was so employed in Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, in 1780. Prior to 1790 he removed to Wash- ington County, where he pursued this occupation until his death in 1821. He owned sixty-eight acres of land on the Hagers- town and Leitersburg turnpike near Ziegler's mill, and here he resided. Joseph Trovinger succeeded to his father's farm and business; he usually operated five looms in the manufacture of blankets, table linen, bagging, etc. In the War of 1812 he served as a private in the companies of Captains Cushwa and Snyder. On the 23d of June, 1819, he was commissioned as captain in the Eighth Regiment, Maryland Militia, of which he was major in 1827. For a number of years he was connected with the county militia organization, in which he was a popular and efficient offi-
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cer. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry and Barbara Clopper, and their children were John; Samuel; Elizabeth, de- ceased wife of David Kershner; Daniel; Barbara; Joseph; Benton; Annie, deceased wife of Henry Hartle; Emily, widow of Henry Funk; Frank; Catharine, widow of Cornelius Middlekauff; Nancy, wife of William Shiess, and Martin L. Major Trovinger was a member of the Lutheran Church and a Democrat in politics. His death occurred on the 17th of May, 1851.
MARTIN L. TROVINGER was born on the 22d of January, 1847, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Clopper) Trovinger. He re- ceived a common school education and learned the trade of wagon maker at Middleburg, Pa., under his brother Daniel. He pur- sued this occupation at Wingerton, Pa., five years, and subse- quently at his present residence, where he located in 1881. In addition to this property of thirty-one acres he also owns the farm of sixty-eight acres formerly owned by his father. In 1876 he married Missouri A., daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Snyder) Middlekauff, and their children are Lester M., deceased; Jennie M .; Joseph B. and Emory L., both deceased; Alice R., and Lelie G. Mr. Trovinger is a Democrat in politics.
HENRY CLOPPER was the ancestor of the several families of this name in Leitersburg District. He was a German, and prch- ably a native of the Fatherland. Authentic information regard- ing his history begins with his residence in Antrim Township, Franklin County, Pa., where he lived about one mile north of Wingerton on the Greencastle road directly opposite the Hollo- well church and school. His name is sometimes spelled "Glaber." "Klaber," and "Klopper." He married Barbara, daughter of Ja- cob Ritter, a pioneer of Leitersburg District, and their children were John; Henry; Samuel; Jacob; Joseph; Elizabeth, who mar- ried Joseph Trovinger; Barbara, who married Peter Rummel, and Mary, who married James Glenn. Their mother, who was born March 15, 1776, died December 8. 1858, and is buried at Jacobs church. Other members of the family are doubtless buried there. Several of the sons appear to have had a strong predilection for military tactics, Henry, Samuel, and Jacob having risen to the rank of captain in the militia.
JOHN ('LOPPER was born in Antrim Township in 1796, the son of Henry and Barbara (Ritter) Clopper. In 1830 he purchased
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from the executors of Simon Lecron twenty-six acres of land, now the property of his son, Simon Clopper; he improved this land and here he resided for many years. He married Nancy, daughter of Simon Lecron, and their children were Rose Ann, who mar- ried John Beaver; Simon; Henry; David; Rebecca, and John. Mr. Clopper adhered to the Reformed Church and was a Democrat in politics.
JOSEPH CLOPPER was born in Antrim Township, Franklin County, Pa., July 22, 1813, the son of Henry and Barbara (Ritter) Clopper. He learned the carpenter trade and worked at it in his native township until 1852, when he bought the farm in Leiters- burg District now owned by his son Upton and located thereon. In 1867 he purchased the saw-mill, plaster-mill, etc., east of Lei- tersburg on the Smithsburg road and here he resided until his death, August 6, 1876. His wife, whose maiden name was Mar- garet Ridenour, died January 26, 1871, at the age of fifty-eight years. They were the parents of the following children: Frank- lin; Upton; Sarah E., who married Benjamin Stouffer; Margaret A., who married Joseph Martin; Athalinda, who married D. J. D. Hicks, and Barbara C., who married Jeremiah Young. Joseph Clopper was a life-long Democrat. He was a member of the Lutheran Church and an elder in the Leitersburg congregation.
HENRY CLOPPER was born in Franklin County, Pa., April 4, 1801, the son of Henry and Barbara (Ritter) Clopper. He was a carpenter and undertaker by trade, and was first engaged in business at Hollowell near Wingerton, Pa. In 1846 he purchased from Matthias Kayhoe the farm and saw-mill adjacent to the Marsh turnpike now owned by his son-in-law, Jacob A. Snively: here he erected the present improvements and operated the mill and farm until 1862, when he located in Leitersburg District, where he died on the 1st of March, 1879. In 1832 he married Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Neusbaum) Graeber, and their children were John H., deceased; Elizabeth G., widow of John S. Petrie; Sydney K .; Nancy, wife of Jacob A. Snively; Barbara, wife of William A. Lohr, and Mary, wife of Lewis My- ers. While a resident of Pennsylvania Captain Clopper was con- nected with the militia and thus acquired the title that was al- ways thereafter associated with his name. He was a member of the Lutheran Church and a Republican in politics.
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SIMON CLOPPER was born November 24, 1823, the son of John and Nancy (Lecron) Clopper. He began life as a farm laborer, and was employed in this capacity by F. C. B. Wilms seven years. After locating upon his present property he developed thereon a valuable deposit of building sand, and for fifteen years was en- gaged in hauling it to Hagerstown. He married Nancy, daughter of Daniel Light, and their children were Mary E .; Anna R., who married Louis Snyder; Susan C .; John D., a farmer in Illinois; Sarah J., deceased wife of Jacob Weigand; George W .; Jacob H .; Alice A .; Ida M., who married Emory McKee; Charles M., prin- cipal of schools, Cavetown, Md .; David E., a practicing physician at Argentine, Kans .; Lucinda; Olivia, and Alvey G. Mr. Clopper is a member of the Christian Church and a Republican in politics.
HENRY G. CLOPPER was born in Washington Township, Franklin County, Pa., August 10, 1829, the son of Samuel and Catharine (Gordon) Clopper and grandson of Henry Clopper. Samuel Clopper was captain of a militia company at Waynesboro during the War of 1812. After the death of his wife he removed to Middleburg, Pa., and there Henry G. was brought up, obtain- ing a limited common school education. He worked as a farm laborer until his marriage, after which he purchased a small prop- erty in Maugansville, and there he resided until 1869, when he bought the farm of fifty acres on Little Antietam creek in Leiters- burg District whereon he lived until his death, November 5, 1891. In 1855 he married Margaret E., daughter of George and Catha- rine (Welty) Petre, who was born May 26, 1835, and died March 13, 1895. Their children were George H .; Samuel G .; Henry A. M .; Welty H .; Amy K., who married Clinton Deibert, and Louis E. Mr. Clopper was a member of the German Baptist Church and in politics a Democrat.
UPTON CLOPPER was born in Antrim Township, April 4, 1841, the son of Joseph and Margaret (Ridenour) Clopper. He was brought up in his native township and in Leitersburg District and obtained a limited common school education, having at- tended school but five months after he was eleven years old. In 1870 he engaged in farming as tenant on his father's farm in Lei- tersburg District; this farm he purchased in 1878, residing thereon until 1892, when he erected his present residence in Lei- tersburg and removed to that village. In 1869 he married Anna
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Margaret, daughter of John and Margaret (Flaugher) Lowman, and they were the parents of the following children: Effie Flor- ence; Joseph McHenry, and John, all deceased, and Annie Mar- garet. Joseph had chosen the ministry of the Lutheran Church as his career in life, but died in early manhood. Mr. Clopper has been a life-long Democrat. He is a member of the Leitersburg Lutheran Church, in which he has served as member of the coun- cil for some years and as superintendent of the Sunday school since 1883.
DANIEL JACOBS was born near the village of East Berlin, Adams County, Pa., in 1787, the son of Samuel Jacobs, a native of Switzerland, whose parents were among the first settlers in that locality. Here he was brought up, and after his marriage he began farming in the Pigeon hills. While thus engaged he was induced by his father-in-law, Henry Myers, to rent a farm he had purchased in Leitersburg District. Subsequently he purchased this farm, which is now owned by his great-grandson, J. H. Hykes; here he erected the present improvements and resided until his death in 1838. He married Eve, daughter of Henry Myers, and of the children born to them the following grew to maturity: Mary, who married Jesse Hykes; Barbara, who married Jacob Hykes; Daniel, who was engaged in farming at Welsh Run; Isaac, and Henry M. Mr. Jacobs was a member of the River Brethren Church, and meetings for worship were frequently held at his house.
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