USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > A history of the Coventry Brethren church in Chester county, Pennsylvania, the second oldest Brethren church in America > Part 3
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Of the fourth generation, Rudolph Harley and Bar- bara Bach had eleven children,-Rudolph, Samuel, John, Abraham, Rev. Jacob, the first of the two Harley preachers of the Coventry Church ; Sarah, wife of Jo-
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
seph Reiff; Elizabeth, wife of Abram Grubb; Barbara, wife of Peter Stager ; Hannah, wife of John Reif- snider ; Mary, wife of David Grubb ; and, by a second marriage, Benjamin, late justice of the peace in North Coventry Township, Chester County.
Jacob Harley was the last who preached in German in the Coventry Church. Many of his predecessors had used the English language in their preaching.
DAVID KEIM.
The first of the Keim family came to America about 1709 and settled originally in Oley Township, Berks County. On page 10 of Rupp's "Collection of Thirty Thousand Names" the following paragraph occurs : " Germans and French located [between 1709 and 1717] on the fertile lands of Wahlink [Oley]. Among the prominent families in Oley were the Turcks or De Turcks, Bertolets, Berdos, De la Plaines, Delangs, Loras, Levans, Yoder, Keim, Herbain, Schaub, Engel, Weidner, Schneider, and Alstadt."
Subsequently members of the family moved out in different directions. One branch located in Reading, one in Bucks County, and a third in Chester County at the Yellow Springs. The head of this last branch was named Hans or Johannes,-in English, John. Afterwards this Hans or John settled at or near the present village of Harmonyville, in Warwick Town- ship. He had four sons,-George, John, Peter, and Stephens.
George Keim, just named, was the grandfather of Rev. David Keim. He was born December 3, 1753, and died December 3, 1838. His wife was Catharine Shingle, born January 5, 1757, and died June 5, 1838. The parents of Rev. David Keim were Jacob Keim,
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
born February 6, 1776, and died September 21, 1823, and Hannah Switzer, born May 14, 1781, and died April 4, 1855. Hannah Switzer was daughter of Ulrich Switzer and Hester Urner.
The property or homestead that Hans Keim, great- grandfather of Rev. David Keim, purchased at Har- monyville has been in the family ever since. It is now owned by Jonathan Keim, of Pottstown, the nur- sery-man.
Rev. David Keim at one time lived in Coventry Township, Chester County, but in 1845 he moved to Warwick Township, and soon commenced building up a Brethren interest there. His labors were blessed, and he lived to see the interest grow and develop into the present Harmonyville Church, with its fine, commo- dious meeting-house. He was a bishop in the Brethren Church.
The parents and grandparents of Rev. David Keim are buried in the cemetery of the Second Reformed Church of Coventry (Shenkel's). His remains and those of his wife are interred in the Coventry Brethren Graveyard.
Rev. Lewis M. Keim is a grandnephew of David Keim.
PETER HOLLOWBUSH.
Rev. Peter Hollowbush, for thirty years an accept- able and loved minister of the Coventry Brethren Church, was descended from Christian Hollowbush, a great-grandfather, who came to America from the Palatinate in Germany in 1720 and settled near Zieg- lersville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Chris- tian Hollowbush had a son Henry, whose second son, John, living in Limerick Township, was the father of the preacher. Peter Hollowbush was born in Limerick
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
Township, June 2, 1805. In early life he learned the milling business, and located as a journeyman miller in what is now known as Parkerford. On March 25, 1828, he married Hannah Wilson, daughter of John and Mary (Parker) Wilson. The family of his mother- in-law, the Parkers, gave name to Parkerford, and it was at the Parker mill, situated at the old Parker Ford crossing the Schuylkill River, that he worked as journeyman miller.
About the year 1840 he united with the Brethren Church, and on November 5, 1842, he was elected to the ministry, in which he labored faithfully until the time of his death, March 13, 1872.
Mr. Hollowbush was blessed in having six children, who grew up and married, of all of whom there are offspring now living. There are four daughters, all living,-Mrs. John S. Frederick, Mrs. Harrison Har- ley, Mrs. Joseph H. Stamm, all of North Coventry Township, Chester County, and Mrs. Mary Cook, of Harrisburg,-and two sons, both dead,-John H. Hol- lowbush, survived by one daughter, Miss Stella Hollow- bush, of Pottstown, and Henry H. Hollowbush, sur- vived by one son, William H. Hollowbush, Esq., of Mount Joy, Lancaster County.
JACOB CONNER.
Jacob Conner, son of Jesse and Susanna Conner, née Landis, was born in Skippack Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, March 7, 1834. He was raised in Limerick Township, Montgomery County, as farm- ers' boys usually were, and educated in subscription day schools in the common branches of reading, writing, and arithmetic. He was converted and baptized at the Indian Creek Brethren Church in the eighteenth year
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
of his age. His parents were converted and baptized about five years prior. He married Hannah Jane Eisenberg in his twenty-third year, she being the daughter of John and Hannah Eisenberg and sister of John Y. and William Y. Eisenberg. His wife's par- ents were members of the Coventry Brethren Church. He moved into Coventry Township, Chester County, in 1861, but did not transfer his membership to the Coventry Church till several years later, at which time he entered heartily into church and Sunday-school work, being a Sunday-school teacher for some years. He was elected to the ministry May 25, 1872, having previously served as deacon for several years. His efforts received good encouragement from the church and the community. When advanced to the second degree in the ministry later, so as to be authorized to baptize and solemnize marriages, still more of his time and attention was required. His labors in the ministry were not only in the Coventry Church, but also in the Parkerford and Harmonyville Churches and at Frank- lin. He also filled appointments in other churches in adjacent counties. He also served at funerals in and out of the church in the community. He attended District and Annual Conferences as representative. For a number of years he was a member of the Mission Board of Eastern Pennsylvania. The school interests at Huntingdon were encouraged from their earliest or- ganization both by funds and patronage. For some years he was a trustee of the college at Huntingdon. All his children attended that college. He served in the Coventry Church until 1889, when he moved back to Montgomery County, to Gratersford, where he has been laboring in the ministry every since.
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
ISAAC URNER BROWER.
Isaac Urner Brower, the sixteenth minister in order of succession in the Coventry Brethren Church, was elected and installed into the sacred office A.D. 1875, and advanced to the second degree of the ministry A.D. 1880.
He was the third son of Gilbert and Lydia Brower, and was born in Coventry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, upon the old Martin Urner homestead, January 7, 1844. His ancestry on the paternal side has been traced back five generations, to Hubert Brower and Anna, his wife, Mennonites, who came from the Palatinate and settled on the Schuylkill as early as 1726. His maternal ancestry descended from the old and historic Urner family of Canton Uri, Switzerland, one of whose members, Ulrich Urner, went in 1682 to Alsace, France, from whence he, with his three sons, Jacob, Martin, and John, came to Phila- delphia in 1708. Jacob Urner died in 1744, and his son, Martin, second Bishop of Coventry Church, was the father of Martin Urner, Jr., whose son, John Urner, married Elizabeth Grubb, to which union were born Isaac N. Urner and Lydia Urner, the mother of the subject of this sketch.
Isaac Urner Brower had the advantage of a good academic and normal school education, whereby he be- came fitted for an instructor of youth. Subsequently he taught for a period of twelve terms in the public schools of his own and adjoining counties.
Early in life he became identified with the Brethren Church, by which, in after-years, he was called to the ministry. He also served, for a number of years, as the efficient superintendent of the Brethren Sabbath- school of the Parkerford Church.
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
The subject of this sketch was united in marriage to Mary A. Johnson, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Johnson, January 2, 1868. They have one child, Dr. Charles J. Brower, born June 29, 1871, now engaged in the practice of medicine in Spring City, Pennsyl- vania.
JESSE P. HETRIC.
Jesse P. Hetric was born of German parentage in Mahoning Township, Armstrong County, Pennsyl- vania, on December 20, 1843. His father was a farmer, and the son resided on the farm and worked as most farmer boys are required to do. He attended the dis- trict school near by for the usual term of three months annually. In this way, by dint of effort and use of spare moments, he qualified for teaching, and took his first teacher's examination in the fall of 1863, and taught his first term of three months during the winter of 1863-64 at the salary of nineteen dollars and fifty cents per month. His early religious convictions were very marked and singularly clear. But with his nat- urally light-minded disposition and fondness for the pursuits of pleasure, he was able for a time to stifle his sense of responsibility. Two events in his life enforced and deepened his convictions and hastened his con- version. He nearly lost his life by drowning on a Sunday boating expedition, and at another time, when recklessly riding a young horse in the field, he was thrown and came near being trampled to death. Though a careless youth, yet in these preservations God's hand was so clearly manifest as to enforce thoughtfulness as to duty to God. The death of his mother in December, 1863, and that of his oldest brother the following January, had a strong bearing in completing conviction and conversion. He was bap-
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
tized and received into the old Redbank Church by Elder James Quinter on September 5, 1864. Being anxious for more mental training than the common schools afforded him, he in the spring of 1865 entered Reid Institute and continued there till he graduated in the fall of 1870. His intention was to enter the medical profession, but this was changed for him when on June 30, 1865, he was elected to the ministry in the Redbank Church. He yielded his own chosen profession for the Master's call to duty. He continued his studies to thus fit himself for more usefulness in the higher calling, and the record of his life, the nu- merous conversions under his preaching, abundantly justify his divine call. The charge of his home church soon fell to his lot. At the close of his school life two other churches, the Glade Run and Cowanshanock, became part of his charge. With three churches to minister to and numerous calls for evangelistic services, his time and talents were taxed to the utmost.
On the 19th of November, 1872, he was united in marriage with Hannah J. King, daughter of Jacob and Sarah A. King, of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, an estimable lady, an old school friend, and his assistant teacher for two terms of school work.
In April, 1874, he removed to Philadelphia and took charge of the Marshall Street Church, where he con- tinued for eight years as pastor, at the same time making frequent trips for evangelistic services in the surrounding country. In April, 1877, he met with the great loss and sorrow of his life in the death of his estimable wife. Notwithstanding he was broken down in physical health and discouraged in heart, he took up the duties of life alone in the city church.
In June, 1882, he resigned his city charge and took
6
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
a vacation of five months. In November of the same year he moved to Parkerford, Chester County, Penn- sylvania, and entered upon his labors in the Coventry Church, where he is located at the present time. After laboring in this church for sixteen years he, on Jan- uary 8, 1898, formally presented his resignation as pastor-still remaining the elder-of the church. The church, at his request, has tried to supply the pulpit with a younger minister, thus giving the subject of this sketch a release from the more arduous duties of the pastorate and an opportunity of more retirement.
JOHN Y. EISENBERG.
Lawrence Eisenberg was born 1763, and married Ruth Jones in 1790. A number of children blessed this union, of whom John was the eldest and father of the subject of this sketch.
John Y. Eisenberg, son of John and Hannah Eisen- berg, was born in Limerick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, June 2, 1840. On the 30th of April, 1851, John Eisenberg, father of John Y., died, leaving the young John to battle life without a father. His educational advantages were such as the ordinary public schools afforded to the youth of his age, with an addition of three terms of three months each spent at Washington Hall, Trappe. He commenced teaching school November 3, 1856, and taught twelve consecu- tive terms. He has spent the balance of his life as farmer and clerk respectively. He was married to Mary A. Isett, January 3, 1863. Three surviving children blessed this union,-Ida Emma, J. I. Linwood, and Paul I.
John Y. Eisenberg was converted to God and bap- tized and received as member of the Brethren Church
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
August, 1858, at Mingo, known as the Indian Creek Church, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He moved to Chester County, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1863, and transferred his membership to the Coventry Church. He was elected deacon May 25, 1872, and was elected to the ministry August, 1880. He labored for the Coven- try Church at Harmonyville, Parkerford, and Coven- try, and also filled appointments, by request, at Mingo, Germantown, Norristown, Upper Dublin, and at Roy- ersford mission.
Since April 1, 1893, he has been identified with a mission at Royersford, giving most of his ministerial labor to said mission.
AS TO THE NAME,
DURING THE EARLY AGE OF THE CHURCH, DURING ITS MIDDLE AGE, AND DURING THE MODERN AGE.
The three historic churches of the Brethren denomi- nation are the Germantown Church, founded Decem- ber 25, 1723 ; the Coventry Church, founded November 7, 1724; and the Ephrata Church, Lancaster County, founded November 12, 1724; all within less than one year of each other. No other churches of any im- portance were founded then for some years; not until several years after the arrival from Europe in 1729 of the second colony of Brethren of thirty families with Alexander Mack.
For the early history of the Coventry Church we are indebted to the intimate relation that existed be- tween its first preachers and the preachers of neighbor- ing churches ; all records that may have been kept by the church being subsequently lost. Morgan Edwards, of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, and the
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
" Chronicon Ephratense" of the Ephrata Church have preserved its history for us. Subsequently, no records being kept, the church went into eclipse for years, and when it emerged some of the members had so completely lost all knowledge of its history that they did not even know its name, and when they wished to speak of it they used the name of one of its preachers. Abroad, every- where it continued to be known by its real name. At times some Brethren thought it wrong to keep church records. But that is changed. The world moves, and the Coventry Church moves too, as does the great Brethren denomination.
Recently the president of the most prominent of the Brethren colleges has written to the authorities of the Coventry Church for information about Martin Urner, the founder of the church, and for items in its history. He is preparing a history of the early churches and the denomination.
Quite recently, too, an organization has been formed for gathering and preserving material for an extensive history of the various churches and of the denomi- nation at large. Among the officers of this organiza- tion, Abraham H. Cassel, of Harleysville, has been made president, a, prominent preacher of Virginia is vice-president, a rising preacher of our neighborhood is secretary, and a Philadelphia preacher is treasurer.
The Brethren denomination has become numerous, wealthy, and progressive, and its one hundred thousand members will exert immense influence on this nation and on the world. There was a time when some of the Brethren discouraged education, especially of the higher kind. Now they have eight or ten colleges in as many different States.
As is thus perceived, the church has been known in
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
the past and is now known everywhere, except by some in the immediate surrounding neighborhood, as the Coventry Church, or, more specifically, as the Coventry Brethren Church. Morgan Edwards, in his " Materials toward a History of the American Baptists," who wrote in 1770, knew the church by that name, and knew it by no other name, because it had no other name. Abraham H. Cassel, of Harleysville, Montgomery County, the recognized historian of the Brethren Church, knows it by no other name; see, for example, on page 19, preceding, " A Short Sketch of the Cov- entry Brethren Church." The late Isaac Price, in his frequent visits to the Parkerford (then Lawrenceville) Brethren Church, in referring to the Coventry Church, always spoke of it as the Coventry Church, or " Coven- try Meeting."
It is not uncommon for churches in their home lo- calities to be spoken of for temporary convenience by the name of the preacher then in charge. Some twenty- five or thirty years ago Emanuel Lutheran Church of Pottstown was frequently spoken of and written about in the local newspapers as Kepner's Church, the name of the preacher in charge at that time; the Church of the Transfiguration was then Koerner's Church, after its pastor at that time ; and Trinity Reformed Church Evan's Church. But that is changed now. Pottstown has got to know her churches by their own names, and not by the names of their preachers.
While churches may temporarily be known by the name of the preacher, when he leaves, the church re- sumes its own name. To this common, usual course there are, however, occasional, rare exceptions in strug- gling country churches. Some one man, or several it may be, who thinks keeping a family name fastened on
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
the church will be a sort of patent of nobility, com- mences a fight to force the poor church to retain the family name as its permanent name. The two principal means employed are, first, to keep the coveted name before the public through the local newspapers on all possible occasions, and, secondly, utilizing, through the supervisor if possible, the road-pointer boards at all cross-roads leading towards the church.
But suppose there are two names. Originally and for long years this church was known everywhere as the Coventry Church. Abroad everywhere still it is known by that name. At home some know it by the name of " Price's Meeting." Which name should be adopted ? The rule always is to take the first or original name, unless there is some special reason to the contrary. " Priority is the fundamental law of nomenclature." This rule is of common application. It prevails in historical works, in treatises on the sciences, and else- where generally.
Generally the name adopted or fastened upon a church does not matter much. Sometimes it is of much importance. That is the case with the Coventry Church, because this church is one of the three origi- nal historic churches of the Brethren denomination in America. Excepting possibly the Germantown Church, it is historically the most important of all the Brethren churches. To allow any other name than its historical name to be fastened upon it is to blot out its history. "He who ignores his past gives up his fu- ture." This principle applies to churches as well as to nations and individuals. Many years ago Peter Keyser was a prominent preacher of the Germantown Church. Suppose the members of that church were to call it Keyser's Church, as probably they sometimes did while
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
he was preacher, ignoring the real name of the church and its history and its early organizers and upholders, Peter Becker, Alexander Mack, and others, would not the world be justified in thinking that they, the Ger- mantown Brethren, who ignore their past, their early history, are giving up their future? that they do not deserve to have a future ?
LIST OF MEMBERS.
List of members in 1890 of the Coventry Brethren Church and of its two sister churches, the Parkerford Brethren Church and the Harmonyville Brethren Church. The list is a copy of the one placed in the corner-stone, when the third church building was erected in 1890.
Adlington, Frances. Amole, Ann.
Hiram.
Ayres, Ida.
Baily, Annie.
Bealer, Sarah.
Bennets, Willie. Bergy, David. Elma. Milton.
Susan. Bowers, Elmira.
Brannon, Keziah. Newton. Brewer, Mary. Thomas.
Brower, Ańnie. Blanch. Charles J. Gilbert.
Brower Isaac U. Lizzie.
Mary A. Sallie. William, M.D.
Brown, Frank. Maria.
Brownback, Annie. Clinton.
Mary. Stephen. Buckwalter, Ella. John. Burns, Aaron. Lizzie.
Conner, Elmer. Jacob. Laura. Sarah E.
Susie E.
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
Creasinger, Mary.
Davis, Benjamin. Emma. De Hart, William. Detwiler, Annie. Dismant, Emma. Lizzie. Dyer, Ada.
Ebert, Annie. Joel. Lizzie.
Ecker, Hettie. Jacob.
Lydia.
Eisenberg, Ella S. John Y.
Lottie.
Mary A. William T.
Ellis, Albert.
Angeline.
Emaline.
George. John.
Emery, Harvy. Ergood, Jacob. Mary. Essick, Lydia.
Evans, Elizabeth. Exmoyer, Sally.
Fisher, John. Mary.
Frederick, Benjamin. Elizabeth. Emily.
Emma.
Ida E.
Kate.
Frederick, Lizzie. Fregh, Frederick. Lydia. Frick, Albert. Annie.
Charles.
Elmira.
Ethel.
John.
Lydia.
Mary.
Myra.
Frock, Irene. Rosie.
Geyer, Jacob.
Grubb, Henry.
Ida.
Kate.
Mary A.
Guest, James.
Haldeman, David.
Mrs.
Hannah.
Rebecca.
Sallie.
Halderman, Hannah.
John.
Harley, Emma. John.
Leah.
Mary.
Rebecca.
Rudolph.
Rudolph, Jr.
William. William E.
Hause, Elizabeth.
Hensey, Charles. Ella.
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
Hetric, Flora L. Ida. Jesse P. High, Lizzie. Martha. Hitner, Christopher. Mary. Hoffman, Catharine. Mary. Nathan. Huey, James. Josie. Hunsberger, Sue.
Irwin, Percy. Isett, Ettie L. Lizzie.
Johnson, Ada.
Andrew. Hannah. Joseph.
Keeler, Elizabeth. William. Keeley, Annie. Keim, Annie. Asenath.
Barnie. Catharine.
Daniel, Mrs.
David.
George.
Harry.
Henry.
Hiram.
Jonathan H. Josiah.
Kate. Lizzie.
Maggie.
Keim, Margaret. Sally. William.
Keiter, Aaron. Hannah. Mary.
Kendall, Elizabeth.
King, Annie.
Krause, Samuel.
Kulp, Aaron.
Annie.
Belle R.
Byzara.
David H.
Elizabeth.
Ella. Emily.
John R.
Kitty.
Naomi.
Samuel.
William H.
Lachman, Mary.
Latshaw, Horace.
Leopold, Annie. Jonas. Sarah.
Ligget, Alice. Lloyd, Charles.
McCully, Maurice. McKissick, Morris. Martin, Jennie. Mary. Massee, Bayerd
Metz, Rebecca.
Miller, Maggie. Missimer, Deborah.
Mock, Annie. Moore, Mary.
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
Ortlip, Isaac. Susan.
Patterson, Hannah. Pennypacker, Harriet S. Henry S. J. Stauffer. Kate. Perkins, Joshua.
Pirches, Rachael.
Price, Catharine D. Elizabeth D. Elmira.
Lizzie.
Prim, James.
Rader, Sophia.
Reagan, Mary.
Reiff, Ada.
Clementine B.
John B., Sr. John B., Jr.
Reifsnyder, Emma. Hannah. Reinhart, Annie. Lavinia.
Reynolds, Bessie. Ettie.
John.
Lizzie.
William.
Rhoades, George.
Henry.
Joseph. Mary.
Richards, Llewellyn.
Roberts, Ann.
Root, Kate.
Rosen, Isaac.
Jane.
Mary.
Rosen, Mary A. Samuel. Suc. Rothtrock, Ann. John. Mary. Roger, Annie. John.
Saylor, Katie. Lizzie.
Savage, Amelia.
Schlipf, Mamie.
Seidel, Susan.
Shafer, Hettie. Mrs.
Shantz, Katie.
Shileigh, Ameriah.
Showalter, Emma.
Sprague, James. Jessie.
Squibb, Samuel.
Stackhouse, Elizabeth.
Stafford, William.
Stager, Alice. Jacob. Jacob, Mrs.
Stamm, Carrie.
Hattie.
Stauffer, Abraham M. Clara.
Henry.
Henry P.
Jennie.
John.
John, Mrs.
M. Emma.
Martha.
Rebecca.
Rebecca E.
Steinmetz, Jennie.
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COVENTRY BRETHREN CHURCH.
Steinmetz, Mary. Stern, Elizabeth. Katie. Nathan. Thomas. Stoneback, Ann. Stubblebine, Henry. Mary.
Taylor, Samuel. Titlow, Sue.
Towers, Annie.
Trego, Hattie M. Turner, Alice. James. William.
Tyson, Emma. Henry. Katie.
Mary.
Umsted, Katie. Urner, Charles. Sarah.
Vanderslice, Elwood. Mary Jane.
Walter, George.
Wanger, Ada. Bertha.
Emma. Wells, Annie. David. David G.
Elmira.
Katie.
Keziah, Sr.
Keziah, Jr.
Lewis S.
Oliver.
Wick, Ella. Williams, Joseph. Wilson, Lillian. Wismer, Flora. Katie.
Winfield.
Yocum, Sarah. Susan.
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