USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume II > Part 14
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(II) Matthew, son of Robert Taylor, was born and reared on the ex- tensive Taylor homestead in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. He was edu- cated in the common schools, at that time held in log houses. He also farmed on the homestead. He was a soldier of the revolution, and again offered his services to his country in the war of 1812. He married Mrs. Sarah (Sample) Mayes, a widow, by whom he had four sons: Robert, John, Henry, of whom further ; Sample.
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(III) Henry, son of Matthew and Sarah ( Sample-Mayes) Taylor, was born on the Taylor homestead, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the common schools of the township, and began farming on reaching his majority. He married (first) Ann McNitt; (second ) Rosanna McFarlane; (third) Priscilla Turbett. Children by third mar- riage : I. Sarah Jane, married Samuel Laird, of Juniata county. 2. Anna, married James Kyle. 3. Henry, of whom further. 4. Priscilla, married William Thompson, of Center county. 5. Matthew B., married Eliza Jane Means. 6. James, married Nancy Hughes.
(IV) Henry (2), son on Henry (I) and Priscilla (Turbett ) Taylor, was born November 25, 1825, on the Taylor homestead at the head of Tea creek, Brown township, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, died February 22, 1905. He was educated in the township schools, and at the Tus- carora Academy, and at the age of twenty-five began farming for him- self. He was one of the most successful farmers of his section, and in 1884 bought the J. Ferren Mann place. He retired twenty years before his death from active participation in the business world. He was a Re- publican, advocating the principles of that party in all national issues. He was a zealous member of the Presbyterian church, and a liberal- minded, public-spirited man, co-operating with his fellow citizens in all laudable ways for promoting the public good. He married (first) Pris- cilla Ann Kyle. Children: 1. William Henry, married Rhoda Henry. 2. Joseph Charles, married Lula Spear ; resides in Albany, Texas. 3. James, married Elizabeth Taylor. Henry Taylor married (second) Mary Ann (Jack) Johnson, widow of James Johnson. She was born near New Holland, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1834, daugh- ter of James and Ann Eliza (De Haven) Jack. She married (first) James Johnson, November 30, 1854, and lived in Center county until her marriage (the second time) to Henry Taylor, January 15, 1874. They had one child. George De Haven, of whom further. Mrs. Taylor was the daughter, as has been said. of James and Ann Eliza (De Haven) Jack. He was the grandson of James Jack, who came from Belfast, Ireland, to America to colonial days, settled in Pennsylvania, and there lived and died. His name appears on the church record at Brandywine Manor, Chester county, in 1756; he was a farmer. His son Adam was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and died in Warren county, Olio. Among his children was James, who was born in 1806, in Chester
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county, Pennsylvania, and there grew up. While yet a young man he moved to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, near New Holland. He was a wheelwright by trade, but later farmed in various places, among them being Center county. He married Ann Eliza De Haven, a member of an old family of that part of the state. They had one child, Mary Ann (Jack) Taylor. In their old age they moved to the home of their daugh- ter. He died in 1886 and his wife in 1878. They were both members of the Presbyterian church.
(V) George De Haven, son of Henry (2) and Mary Ann (Jack- Johnson) Taylor, was born February 21, 1876, near Reedsville, Pennsyl- vania. He received his preparatory education in the public schools and finished at the State College, supplementing his education with a me- chanical course. Leaving school he was employed by the Standard Steel Works at Burnham, Pennsylvania, where he remained for seven years. Leaving the company he went to Albany, Texas, with his brother, Joseph Charles Taylor. At the expiration of two years he returned to Pennsyl- vania and formed a partnership with H. Gottschalk for the manufacture of baker's machinery. They began in a small way at Burnham, but the business increased to such proportions that at the end of a year they de- cided to enlarge it and moved to Reedsville for that purpose. They pur- chased the old opera house on the Honey creek road, a building fifty by one hundred and seventy-five feet, and installed their machinery. The increase in their output was wonderful, but it did not keep pace with the demand. They now employ from eight to twelve men, and their products are special machinery, dough mixers and pan filling machines. Their products find ready markets all over the world, in Australia as well as England. Their establishment is one of phenomenal growth and they are adding special and new inventions all the while, all of which are patented. The factory is up-to-date in equipment and the machinery ordered is made and changed to suit the conditions and individual re- quirements of their patrons. They take the greatest precautions in fill- ing orders, and are expeditious as circumstances will permit. The busi- ness grew to such proportions that it was incorporated in April, 1909, with H. Gottschalk as president, and George De Haven Taylor as secre- tary and treasurer, with the stock held and controlled by Messrs. Gott- schalk and Taylor. Mr. Taylor adheres to the Republican party, giving it his vote and influence. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian
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church, and he of Lewistown Lodge, No. 203, Free and Accepted Masons.
He married, June 30, 1902, Mary Ella Gilmore, born in Wellington, Kansas, daughter of F. H. and Mary S. Gilmore, prominent people in Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have no children.
SHUMAKER The Shumaker family, of Mifflin county, Pennsylva- nia, is evidently of German origin, and they have in- herited the endurance, loyalty, industry and patriot- ism which characterize the natives of Germany. The name was probably spelled Schuhmacher in the mother country, and a slight change has an- glicized it. They have borne their share bravely in all the trials and troubles which have fallen to the lot of this country, since the earliest member of the family made his home here. The grandfather of John A. Shumaker was in active service during the revolutionary war, giv- ing not alone his time and services, but generously of his means to fur- ther the cause of American liberty. His team wagon was driven by him from place to place during that memorable struggle, and was always to be found where it could be of the greatest service.
(II) Daniel Shumaker, son of the preceding, was born in 1814, and died in April, 1885. He married Sarah Ann Bailey, who was born in 1817, and died in September, 1891. They are both interred in the Pres- byterian cemetery at Reedsville, Pennsylvania. They had children : Mary E., married Jeremiah Slagle, and has five children; John A., see forward; Anna L., married Joseph Forsyth, and has two children; Mat- thew T .. married, and removed to Kansas, where he died : Charles D., re- moved first to Iowa, then to Springfield, Missouri, where he died, leav- ing a widow and one child, a daughter; Sammuel, died in Iowa ; James, a farmer in Brown township: William, also of Brown township, married Rebecca Maybin.
(III) John A., eldest son and second child of Daniel and Sarah Ann (Bailey) Shumaker, was born near Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pennsyl- vania, November 28, 1841. The public schools of his native township gave him the means of acquiring a satisfactory education, and when this had been completed he assisted his father in the cultivation of the home- stead farm. With the exception of twelve months he was thus occupied, during this short period his employment being on another farin. He was
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one of the earliest to enlist in the service of his country upon the out- break of the civil war, and his patriotism and personal bravery are worthy of an extended record. Enlisting August 15, 1861, he became a member of Company H, Forty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teers, Captain Ralph L. Maclay. The many forced marches and fatigue duty this company was called upon to endure proved the individual worth of its members. The battles in which Mr. Shumaker was engaged were as follows: Yorktown, Williamsburg, Goldens Farm, Savage Sta- tion, Malvern Hill, White Oak Swamp, second battle of Bull Run and Antietam.
At the battle of Goldens Farm, Mr. Shumaker earned espe- cial distinction. There had been a call for two volunteers for especially perilous work and Mr. Shumaker volunteered, providing a certain com- rade would accompany him. Colonel Irwin, of the regiment, happened to be present on this occasion and was a witness of the brave devotion of Mr. Shumaker. Not long afterward, at White Oak Swamp, Mr. Shu- maker again had an opportunity to earn distinction. The Union forces had had uninterrupted fighting for four days in succession, and in addi- tion to this were exhausted by long marches. They were overtaken while on the march by General "Stonewall" Jackson, and were in an open field, hemmed in by their wagon trains and artillery, when the rebel general opened fire upon them with a large and well conditioned force. There was almost a panic among the men, who had suffered so greatly from loss of rest and exposure, and the officers were practically helpless and would have lost control completely were it not for a few cool-headed ones among the rank and file. Prominent among these was Mr. Shumaker who, as his captain was not on hand at the time, succeeded in rallying the scattered members of his company in so effective a manner that it at- tracted the attention of Colonel Irwin, who was passing near by. He at once declared that bravery of so high an order well merited a commis- sion, and he would see that it was reported in the proper quarters. This was never done, as Colonel Irwin was wounded very shortly afterward, and Mr. Shumaker having been sent to a hospital on sick leave, the mat- ter was never taken up. By the time Mr. Shumaker returned to the army his regiment had been consolidated with another. He never took any steps to claim any reward for the arduous and dangerous duty he had so gallantly performed, although he was very justly entitled to one.
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At the battle of the Wilderness Mr. Shumaker was in the front rank and, while repelling an attack of cavalry, his gun was struck by a ball which glanced downward and wounded him in the leg, while the recoil of the gun against his head threw him to the ground. At Cold Harbor. June 1, 1864, a musket ball inflicted a wound in his left arm and thus ended his active military service. He was honorably discharged Oc- tober 24, 1864.
Upon his return to Mifflin county, he commenced to farm on shares with Crawford Kyle in Brown township, and three years later purchased land in the same township, cultivating it alone for a further period of three years. During the next nine years he was engaged in cultivating rented ground, and amassed a considerable fortune by this proceeding. In 1883 he purchased the homestead of eighty acres near Milroy, Penn- sylvania, and has made many improvements on this piece of property. He lived on this homestead until 1899, when he removed to Milroy and there erected two houses and engaged in the harness business with which he is still identified. He is active in the public affairs of the community. and is a man of influence in the councils of the Republican party. His religious connections are with the Congregational church at Milroy. He is an active member of the Colonel Hulings Post, No. 176, Grand Army of the Republic, at Lewistown, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Shumaker married, March 12, 1867, Sarah Ann, second daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Peters) Witman, and granddaughter of John and Eva (Hile) Witman, whose children were : Isaac, mentioned above. and Catherine, who married Jesse W. Horton. Mr. and Mrs. Shumaker have had children: I. and 2. Grace and Bessie, twins, who died in child- hood. 3. Boyd. died at the age of eighteen years. 4. Elsie, married John Krotzer, and has five children: Bertha, Boyd, Blaine, Estella and Bartley. 5. Mary B., married Archie Grove, and has one child, Lorena. 6. Margaret, attending school at Berea, Kentucky, where she is taking a six-year course, will be a graduate in the class of 1914.
The Witman family has been identified with the agri-
WITMAN cultural and other interests of the state of Pennsylva- nia for very many years, the progenitors of the family. the great-grandparents of Lewis Elwood Witman, having come to this country from the hardy little country of Switzerland.
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(I) Washington Witman was a large land owner in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in farming the greater part of his life. He attained the advanced age of eighty years and, in addi- tion to devoting time to agriculture, he conducted a well known hotel for the greater part of his life. He was a staunch supporter of the princi- ples of the Whig party until the birth of the Republican party, when he gave his allegiance to the latter. In religious faith he and his wife were members of the Evangelical church. He married and had children : Jolın, who was also a farmer, died in Hamburg, Pennsylvania ; Cyrus, for many years followed boating on the Schuylkill canal, and is now living in retirement; Henry, see forward; Washington Jr., who served with honor during the civil war; Charles H., spent his entire life in Schuylkill county, where he was in business as a merchant and grocer ; William, a hotel and restaurant proprietor in Schuylkill county ; a daugh- ter.
(II) Henry, son of Washington Witman, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His death was caused by drowning on a very dark night in the canal. For some years he was engaged in farm labors, but abandoned them in favor of the life of a boatman on the canal, and it was while in discharge of these duties that his accidental death occurred. His residence in Schuylkill county was considered a very fine one. He married in Schuylkill county, Amelia, daughter of Gabriel and Margaret Krohn, of Philadelphia. Mr. Krohn had been a sailor for many years, and died at the age of eighty-two. Mr. Witman was a staunch Republi- can in political matters, and he and his wife were members of the Evan- gelical church. They had children: 1. Joanna Margaret, born in 1857 ; married Robert Garth, who is employed in Philadelphia, and they have a number of children. 2. Lewis Elwood, see forward. 3. Edward De- catur, born in August, 1860; lives in Philadelphia, where he is engaged in the tea and spice business; married Annie Karcher, and they have one daughter. 4. Gabriella, born in 1862; married Ephraim Sherman, a barber in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. 5. William Henry, born in 1864, lives in Philadelphia; was formerly engaged in farming, and is now in the dairy business ; married ( first ) Laura Bartlett, (second) Amy Wager. 6. Elmira, born in 1866; married Thomas Long, a stone cutter of Phila- delphia.
(III) Lewis Elwood, eldest son and second child of Henry and
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Amelia (Krohn) Witman, was born in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, April 1I, 1858. He was educated in the district school of his native county, but this education was a very limited one. In many respects Mr. Witman may be considered a self-educated man, as he has never lost an opportunity of acquiring useful knowledge, and his keen powers of observation have been a great and decided advantage to him.
From his earliest youth he was bright and wide-awake and the varied occupations in which he has been engaged were of material assistance to him in the acquisition of knowledge. In his early manhood he was engaged for a period of four years as a driver for a boat on the canal, but finding the occupation becoming monotonous after a time, he sought and found employment in the woolen mills. He made a special study of that branch connected with the dyeing of the materials, and learned the intricacies of this in every detail. He then established him- self independently in the dyeing business, with which he has now been connected in a very successful manner for thirty years. He removed from Philadelphia to Milroy, in 1904, and has since that time resided there. He has three acres of ground around his residence, and during the past three years has made a specialty of raising chickens. He is esteemed by his townsmen as a good citizen, casting his vote for the Republican party. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is also a member of the Order of American Mechanics, of Philadelphia.
Mr. Witman married, September 1, 1880, Mary Ann, born April 4, 1860, daughter of Francis and Harriet (Winterbottom) Garth, both natives of England, who came to the United States in 1845. Mr. Garth was a hand mule spinner who made his home in Philadelphia, where he died November 18, 1909, his wife having died June 7, of the same year. Mr. and Mrs. Witman have had children: 1. Frank Elwood, born June 7, 1883 ; is a dyer in Groveville, New Jersey ; married Mary Field- ing, and has two children. Grace E. and Frank E. 2. Russell Garth, born May 10, 1886; is now studying medicine in Philadelphia; married (first) Esther B. Erhart, who died September 29, 1908; he married (second) Margaret Kohler, of Philadelphia; his only child, Russell Garth Jr., born May I, 1907, is being raised by Mr. and Mrs. Witman. 3. Ross Henry, born October 19, 1890, died December 21, 1892.
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The name Lynn is one well known in both Scotland and LYNN Ireland and was anciently borne by a distinctive Scotch fam- ily. A branch settled in the North of Ireland, from whence in 1870 came Samuel Lynn and his wife, Mary E. Dougal. They were both born in the North of Ireland and on coming to the United States settled in Milton, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1900, she in 1907. Both were members of the Presbyterian church and he was a Republican in political faith. Children: James D., of whom further; George F., Samuel, Mary, John, Annie, Arthur and Norris; all living.
(Il) James D., eldest son of Samuel and Mary E. (Dougal) Lynn, was born in the North of Ireland March 31, 1862. He was eight years of age when his parents came to Milton, Pennsylvania, where he was educated, finishing in the high school. He began business life as a clerk in the store of N. A. Dougal, at Milton, remaining one and a half years. In 1879 he entered the employ of Spencer L. Finney, of Milton, continuing until 1893. He was with Somerville & Company, of Wind- burne, Clearfield county, until 1905. For the next six years he was em- ployed in different stores in Jersey Shore, Phillipsburg and Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, coming to Burnham in 1911, as manager of Logan & Com- pany ( incorporated) Stores, a position he now holds. He is a progressive Republican, and while in Windburne served for four years as school director. He belongs to the Masonic order, holding membership in Moshannon Lodge, No. 391, Free and Accepted Masons. He married in April. 1891, Minnie A. Trego, born in Milton, Pennsylvania. Chil- dren : John, Robert, Mary, Minnie, Harry and Edward.
This particular branch of the Smith family has been domi-
SMITH ciled in the state of Pennsylvania for three generations, where they have left their impress upon business and social life. They came from Germany, where the name was originally spelled Schmidt. but became anglicized in the course of years.
(I) Daniel Smith was born in Germany and came to the United States after his marriage. He decided upon Miller township as his place of residence, and it was there that his death occurred. In his native country he had been a traveling shoemaker, and he pursued that calling after his arrival here. In addition to this occupation he engaged in
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farming, having acquired by purchase a considerable amount of land. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. Of their thirteen children the following names are on record: William, Daniel, Jacob, John, Henry, Kate, Peggy and Charles K., mentioned below.
(II) Charles K., youngest child of Daniel Smith, was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, in May, 1827. For a time he was engaged in farming, then commenced the manufacture of bricks, being the pioneer in that field of industry in Perry county. Subsequently he purchased a farm of two hundred and sixty-seven acres, which he cultivated until his death in 1899. He was a staunch Democrat in political matters, and a devout member of the German Reformed church. Mr. Smith married Angeline C., daughter of Jacob Sheibley, a farmer and large land owner near Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Smith was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, May 7, 1837, and died May 26, 1913. They had chil- dren : Carrie, who died at the age of fourteen years; Annie, Sallie and Minnie, who died in infancy; Jacob, living in Newport, married Ocilla Stephens, is a land owner and engaged in farming; Singer J., men- tioned below.
(III) Singer J., son of Charles K. and Angeline C. (Sheibley) Smith, was born in Miller township, Perry county, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 27, 1868. The common schools of Newport, Pennsylvania, fur- nished his education until he had attained the age of ten years, and he was then obliged to remove to the farm with his parents and bear his share in its cultivation until he was eighteen years of age. Then until his thirty-first year he was in the employ of others, also at farming work until 1899, when he came to Newport where he purchased a butcher shop, remaining thus employed for three years, after which he clerked in a hotel: then he purchased a wholesale liquor establishment which he carried on for three years. In 1911 he came to Mifflin and bought his present hotel. It is a large hotel and well equipped for the purpose for which it was intended. The cuisine is of the best and the service unexceptionable, and it has a reputation which is far more than a merely local one. Mr. Smith has also been engaged in building operations, and erected the first complete flat which was constructed in Perry county. He is greatly interested in whatever concerns the welfare of his town, state or the country at large, and is earnest in his support of Demo- cratic principles. He is a regular attendant at the Reformed church,
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while his wife is a member of the Episcopalian denomination. His fra- ternal affiliations consist of membership in Newport Lodge, No. 102, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Newport.
Mr. Smith married, March 2, 1905, Nora, daughter of Arthur Priestley. Mrs. Smith was born in England, and came to this country at the age of eighteen years.
Elliot Groninger, of Port Royal, Juniata county,
GRONINGER Pennsylvania, descends on the paternal side from good Dutch stock which has long been planted in this country. Many of the name fought with the Continentals in their war of independence with the English, and some of them left a bril- liant record. They also established records as Indian fighters, and were among the first to be called on for defense of the wilderness block- houses, which were erected in nearly every settlement for the protection of the women and children.
(I) Jolin Daniel Groninger came direct from Holland in the small sailing vessel, the "Marbourgh", and landed at Philadelphia September 23, 1741. He established himself soon thereafter as a farmer, taking up wild land, clearing and improving it, building thereon houses for his family. He was successful in all his ventures and when he died, in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1786, he left quite a large estate. Among his children was Leonard S., of whom further.
(II) Leonard S., son of John Daniel Groninger, was born in 1758, on his father's farm. His meager education was obtained at such schools as the times afforded. He was a farmer by occupation and died on his farm in Milford township, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, where he had spent most of his life. He was a soldier of the revolution as well as an Indian scout. In 1780, previous to his coming to Milford township, he was on a hunting and scouting expedition when he was surprised and taken captive by the Indians. He was held by them for two years, and at last succeeding in making his escape, he found his way through the almost impenetrable forests to his home. He lived a long and useful life, dying in 1831. He married, in 1788, Barbara May, the daughter of a neighbor. Children: Leonard Jr. ; Henry ; George, married Miss Martin; Jacob, of whom further; Margaret, married John Hench ; Susannah, married John Wisehaupt: Mary, married Jacob Kepner.
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(III) Jacob, son of Leonard S. and Barbara (May) Groninger, was born March 6, 1799, died in 1892, in Milford township, where he was born and reared. Necessarily his education was limited to the ad- vantages offered by the schools of that day, and on leaving them he entered the occupation of farming. He took up two hundred virgin acres in the forest, cleared. erected buildings on it and cultivated it, putting in corn and such crops as the time and seasons permitted. He was unusually successful, and at his death left a nice estate. He was a staunch Presbyterian, supporting his church generously, and was a good man, friend and neighbor, which meant much more in those days of isolation from human companionship than it does today. He married (first) Nancy Hench, who died in 1831 ; married ( second ) Sidney Wil- son, born March 14, 1814. died July 3. 1892. Children by first mar- riage: John, who was twice married ; Mary Ann, married Abram Car- baugh; Barbara, married Stewart T. Turbett ; Elizabeth, married Jesse Reynolds ; Leonard, of whom further ; Jacob, married Margaret Jacobs ; Orrin, married Malinda Jacobs ; Henry, married Mary Jacobs. Children by second marriage: Wilson. married Elizabeth Notestine: Han- nah J., married D. K. Suloff; George, married Amanda Rhine; Samuel, married Elizabeth Galbraith; William, married Catherine Ritzman; Benjamin, married Matilda Kepner; Euphemia, married John G. Hertzler; James, married Alice Hertzler: Matilda, married Jonas K. Hertzler.
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