USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume II > Part 2
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farming on his own land. He married Margaret, daughter of Captain Daniel Stoy, who came from Ireland to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, thence to Somerset county, with the earlier settlers of the northern part of Somerset county. He became the owner of a large amount of land, his first settlement being the present site of Stoystown, of which he is considered the founder. While he devoted some time to the primitive agriculture of pioneer days, he was at first more of a hunter than farmer. Tradition has it that during Indian troubles he was compelled more than once to leave his mountain home and take refuge at Fort Bed- ford : also that he killed an Indian from the door of his cabin, which was afterward burned by the savages. It is quite certain that he was a man of good standing and in 1783 was assessor for Quemahoning township. At a much later period he served several terms in the Pennsylvania leg- islature. He served in the revolutionary war and held the rank of cap- tain, his company being known as "Stoy's Riflemen." His wife, a Miss Higgins, was born in county Down, Ireland, as was their daughter Mar- garet, but she was married to Abraham Spangler in Somerset. They were the parents of fourteen children, all of whom grew to mature years, the last survivor, Franklin, dying in Somerset county, at Shanks- ville, in 1912, aged ninety-three years.
(III) Daniel, son of Abraham and Margaret (Stoy) Spangler, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, about 1818. He grew up a farmer, but later became a contractor, a business he followed all his life. He also owned and operated a farm in Somerset county, and there died February 14, 1898. Both he and his wife were reared in the Lutheran church, but after marriage, there being no church of that denomination near their home. they became members of the United Brethren church. In political faith, Mr. Spangler was a Democrat and filled many town- ship offices. He married Sophia Myers, born in Somerset county, Oc- tober 6. 1821, who survives him, now residing in Shanksville, Somerset county, aged ninety-two years. She is a daughter of Conrad and Mar- garet (Lowrie-Harris) Myers, the latter a daughter of Captain Francis Lowrie, an officer of the revolutionary war. Captain Lowrie was born in Ireland of Scotch-Irish parents, as was Margaret Lowrie, his daugh- ter. They came to America together, settling in Somerset county, where she married (first) a Mr. Harris and (second) Conrad Myers. She had issue by both, but none are living, except Mrs. Sophia (Myers) Spang-
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ler. of previous mention. Children of Daniel and Sophia (Myers) Spangler: I. Died unnamed. 2. Catherine, unmarried, and lives in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 3. John, died in 1906, a veteran of the civil war. He never applied for a pension, although serving under two en- listments : First, in Company D, 133d Regiment ; second, in Company H. 187th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. 4. Wilson B., enlisted at the age of fourteen years in the Ninety-first Regiment Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, served throughout the war, then enlisted in the regular United States army, served with General Crook in his In- dian campaign, and there contracted a disease which proved fatal in 1873. 5. Rev. Alexander Hamilton, of whom further. 6. Conrad, died about 1905, a merchant of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 7. Nelson, died in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. 8. Rev. Wesley H., a minister of the United Brethren church at Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania. 9. Margaret, resides in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
(IV) Rev. Alexander Hamilton Spangler, son of Daniel and Sophia (Myers) Spangler, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania. Feb- ruary 16, 1852. He was educated in the public schools and at Wooster University, Wooster, Ohio, whence he was graduated, class of 1873. He then began the study of law at New Bloomfield, Perry county, Penn- sylvania, and was admitted to the bar. In 1885 he began the study of, Divinity, entered Union Theological Seminary, and was there graduated, class of 1888, and was ordained a minister of the Lutheran church. He began ministerial work as pastor of the church at New Bloomfield, Perry county, Pennsylvania, remaining there four years. He was pastor at Middleburg, Snyder county, two years, thence to Port Royal, Juniata county, eleven years and in 1893 was called to the Lutheran church at Yeagertown, where he has been located ever since that date. He is an educated Christian gentleman, and preaches by his daily life and ex- ample as eloquently of the beauties of the Christian life as from his pulpit, at regular services. He is beloved by his people and has exerted an influence for great good in his community. He is also interested in the development and material welfare of Yeagertown as well as in the spiritual uplift. He is vice-president of the Saxton Coal Company ; a director of Saxton Vitrified Briek Company and has accumulated prop- erty consisting of town lots and houses. He is a life member of Mifflin- town Lodge, No. 324, Free and Accepted Masons and a life member of
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the Patriotic Order, Sons of America, Philadelphia Lodge, No. 734. In political faith he is a Democrat, is active in public affairs and often presides over party conventions and meetings. In 1906 Rev. Spangler toured continental Europe and the Holy Land, visiting the principal points of historical interest and many of the more inaccessible localities, using the form of locomotion most available in the desert places, the donkey.
He married ( first) April 20, 1874, Cynthia Penrod, born in Somer- set county, died January 23, 1905, daughter of John and Lydia ( Bell) Penrod. Children : 1. Marion, died in infancy. 2. Herschel K., edu- cated at Port Royal Academy, now a journalist of Pittsburgh: he mar- ried Margaret Johnston. 3. Wilson P., graduate of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, died aged twenty-one years. 4. Thaddeus S., educated at Susquehanna University, now pattern clerk of the Standard Steel Works Company ; married Gertrude Craig. 5. Luther Stoy, graduate of the Theological School of Susquehanna University, class of June, 1913, now pastor of the Lutheran church at Pine Grove Mills, Center county, Pennsylvania. Rev. Spangler married (second) January 28, 1906, Ger- trude M. Shannon, who was born in Middleburg, Pennsylvania, and who died without issue, April 2, 1912, daughter of Joseph and Mary Shannon.
Joseph Henderson McClintic, of Belleville, Pennsyl- MCCLINTIC vania, is of Scotch-Irish descent, a strong combina- tion found in many of the foremost public men of the United States. The McClintic family is widely scattered over this country, and there are many of the name to be found in every state of the Union.
(I) James McClintic, the first of the family in America, landed on the inhospitable shores of the New World previous to the revolutionary war. He was a farmer and followed that pursuit, going to Pennsylvania. He took up land, cleared and cultivated it. After the "Boston Tea Party" he gave encouragement to the cause of the colonists, and in 1776, when the various colonies called for volunteers, he threw his fortunes in with the continental army raised in Pennsylvania and went to join General George Washington. He served throughout the eight years, suffering untold hardships. He was in all of the battles of that region of
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Pennsylvania. At the close of the war he returned to Pennsylvania and settled in Decatur township, Mifflin county, and there died.
(II) James (2), son of the revolutionary hero, James (1) Mc- Clintic, was born in Pennsylvania, there lived and died on a farm. He was probably born in Mifflin county, though of that there is no posi- tive record. He married Margaret Lee, a daughter of another revolu- tionary patriot. They went to Decatur township where he took up wild land, cleared and cultivated it, building thereon a house of logs. Here both he and his wife died. They were the parents of twelve sons, who scattered to the four corners of the United States, and from whom sprang many of the name. They were: Andrew, John, James, of whom further : and nine other boys. Margaret Lee was born in England, and came to America with her parents when she was a mere baby. Her parents located in eastern Pennsylvania, and later went to Mifflin county, where she married James McClintic. Her father joined the army of the revolution, remaining with it during the entire war.
(III) James (3), son of James (2) and Margaret ( Lee) McClintic, was born in Decatur township in 1816, and died near Belleville in 1861. He married Catherine Isenberg, born April 21, 1821, near Allensville, Pennsylvania, died January 4, 1896, daughter of David and Catherine (Steele) Isenberg, and old-time residents of Allensville. David Isenberg was a farmer ; after his second marriage he went west and settled in In- diana and there died. He was the father of five children by his first wife and two by the last. Catherine (Isenberg) McClintic was a child of the first marriage. James McClintic and his wife Catherine were members of the Lutheran church. He was a Republican and served as school director, besides holding other minor county offices. Children: I. A daughter, died unnamed. 2. Joseph Henderson, of whom further. 3. David Rolandus, is on the police force of Tyrone, Pennsylvania. 4. James Evander, died aged nine years. 5. George Vance, lives in Okla- homa City, in mercantile business. 6. John Davis, in Union township; is proprietor of Valley View Poultry Farm. 7. Margaret Ann, widow of Dr. Henry C. Walker, lives in Lewistown. 8. Martin Luther, un- married; is shipping clerk for Susquehanna Coal Company. 9. Sarah Elizabeth, wife of George F. Stackpole, editor of the Lewistown Gasette.
(IV) Joseph Henderson, son of James (3) and Catherine (Isen- berg) McClintic, was born June 23, 1846, in Union township, Mifflin
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county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on his father's farm and re- ceived his preparatory education in the common schools of the town- ship. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted, December 2, 1802. in Company B, Nineteenth United States Regulars, and served for nine months. He was promoted to first lieutenant and transferred south of Washington city to drill negro troops. He remained there four months. Next he did staff duty around Washington. During this service he was at Gettysburg, the last two days of that historic battle. He resigned from the army April 8, 1864, and reenlisted in the summer in Company A, Seventeenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served through the rest of the 1864 campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, and other portions of the state. He saw much active service ; was at Harper's Ferry, Berryville, Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. lle was slightly wounded in the leg at Monocacy, in the side at Winchester, in the neck at Berryville, and at Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. his left leg was taken off by grape shot. He lay three days and nights on the field in this condition. He was at last moved to a hospital in Balti- more and, having a sound constitution, soon recovered. He was placed in charge, as lieutenant, of the invalid corps to guard the hospital until the cessation of hostilities. After the close of the war he returned home to Pennsylvania for a time. He attended school in Baltimore and at Reading, Pennsylvania. He taught one term in Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, and then began farming on a small scale in Union township, where he lived until 1906. He erected a comfortable home in Belleville, where he has since resided. He does general farming with great success. Ile is a Republican in politics, and that party has conferred many deserved honors upon him. He was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature in 1891, and reelected in 1893. serving the people faithfully four years in the capacity of representative to the state general assembly. During the time of his incumbency of the office he introduced the bill that gave medals to the First Defenders, or Logan's Guards. He served as chair- man of pensions and gratuities committee, was a member of appropria- tions committee, counties and townships committee and compare bills committee. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has been commander of his post for the past fifteen years, there being only ten members left of the local post. Both he and his wife are de- vout members of the Lutheran church.
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He married, January 1, 1868, Libbie Markley, from near Lewistown, daughter of Henry and Harriet (Bair) Markley. Mrs. Markley was born in Baltimore and he in southeastern Pennsylvania. Each came with parents to Mifflin county, and here met and married; both were Luther- ans. He died at the age of seventy-four and she died May 29, 1895. Children of Mr. and Mrs. McClintic: I. Mary Minerva, born March 13, 1869 ; married Ezra T. Ealy and they live on the farm of Mr. McClintic; they have one daughter, Allegra Josephine. 2. Margaret May, born No- vember 6. 1873; married Professor Jamnes F. Wills, superintendent of schools of Mifflin county; they have four children : Margaret Rachel, Mary Jane Elizabeth, Nellie Allegra and James Henderson. 3. Marian Markley, born May 26, 1894; a student in Belleville high school.
GARDNER Although of English antecedents, George Adam Gard- ner, the founder of this branch of the Gardner family in the United States, came from Holland. He settled prior to the revolution in what is now Montgomery county, Pennsyl- vania, near Philadelphia, and with his son John served in the revolu- tionary army, fighting at Germantown. He married and left sons, John and George Adam, also two daughters. He moved later in life to Lancaster county, where he died.
(II) George Adam (2), son of George Adam (1) Gardner, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. His elder brother, John, fought at the battle of Germantown and later moved west, settling in Ohio. George Adam accompanied his father to Lancaster county, later lived near Harrisburg, and finally, about the year 1800, moved to the Kishacoquillas Valley, settling in Armagh township, where he engaged in farming. About the year 1836 or 37 he moved to Venango, Penn- sylvania, where he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on which he lived until his death in September, 1855, at the age of ninety- two years. He was an ardent Democrat, and during the "Whiskey In- surrection" served with the government forces under General Lee. He was educated in German only, having no knowledge of the written Eng- lish language. He was a member of the Lutheran church and a man of good standing. He married, about 1793, a Miss Kearns. Children : 1. John, lived in Mifflin county until after the death of his first wife, then settled at La Harpe, Hancock county, Illinois, where he was concerned
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in the movement that drove the Mormons from Illinois; he died aged about eighty-one years; he married (first) a Miss Williams, (second ) Mrs. Jane Stone. 2. Sophia, remained with her father until his death; she never married. 3. Abram, of whom further. 4. Christina, married Alexander Orr, a farmer of Decatur township, where both died. 5. Mary, married Samuel Huston, lived in Venango county, Pennsylvania, where both died and are buried at Mickleville. 6. George, married Betsy O'Neil and had thirteen children; he was a farmer of Venango county. 7. Thomas Kearns, died in Venango county ; was a farmer ; he married (first) a Miss Jolly, (second ) a Miss Donaldson, who died leaving a daughter, after which he married a third time. 8. Catherine, married Samuel Bushey, a farmer of Venango county, where both died.
(III) Abram, son of George Adam (2) Gardner, was born in Lykens Valley, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1805, died in Columbiana county, Ohio, in December, 1863. He attended public school, and moved with his parents to Mifflin county, where he married and lived until 1855, engaged in laboring and farming near Reedsville. After his family was grown he moved to Columbiana county. Ohio, and there purchased a farm of one hundred and thirty-three acres on which he lived until his death in his fifty-ninth year and is there buried. During the Mexican war he offered his services as a volunteer, but was rejected. He was a strong Democrat, held several local offices, and was a devoted member of the Presbyterian church. He married Nancy, born in the Wyoming Valley, died about 1867, daughter of John and Jeannette (Williams) Huston, both born in Ireland, of land owning families. After their marriage they came to Pennsylvania, finally settling in Mifflin county, where both died in Brown township. He is described as a small man but "stout and sturdy." Both were members of the "Seceder" church, as was their daughter Nancy. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Hus- ton: 1. Letitia, married Allen McAlevy, a son of General Mc. \levy, of McAlevy's Fort; they moved to Illinois, where both died. 2. Nancy, married Abram Gardner. 3. Ann, married James Estill and died in Columbiana county, Ohio. 4. Thomas, lived and died in Stone Valley, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. 5. Mary, married Benjamin Cres- well and both died in Stone Valley. Children of Abram and Nancy Gardner: I. James H., died in Venango county, Pennsylvania ; was a carpenter ; married Harriet Kerns and left issue. 2. George, lived and
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died in 1911 in Mifflin county ; was a farmer ; married Nancy Aultz and left issue. 3. Catherine, married Edward Garside; died in Ohio. 4. John, married in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, but died in Ohio. 5. Wil- liam C., of whom further. 6. Levi, a farmer and stock raiser, died in Ohio; married Lucinda Camp. 7. Jane, married a Mr. Kern and died within a year after her marriage.
(IV) William C., son of Abram and Nancy ( Huston) Gardner, was born at Barrville, Brown township, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 22, 1835. He attended school at the old "Back Mountain" school house, and a term at Tuscarora Academy under Professor J. H. Shoemaker, which was interrupted by the removel of the family to Ohio. After a few years in Ohio spent in farming, he returned to his native county and during the winter terms taught school. He then took a course at Millersville State Normal, whience he was graduated in class of 1862. He left there with other students and enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving nine months under Captain ( Professor ) A. R. Byerly, seeing hard service with the Army of the Potomac, taking part in the bloody battles, Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. He served out his term of enlistment and was honorably discharged, May 17, 1863, and then returned to Mifflin county. He again taught in the public schools of that county, then for four years was principal of the high schools at Gardner and La Harpe, Illinois. He again returned to Mifflin county, where for several years he taught in public schools and was principal of Stone Valley Academy in Huntingdon county. In 1875 he was elected superintendent of instruction for Mifflin county, serving one term of three years. After his term of office expired he returned to his profession and taught continuously until 1895, when he retired with an enviable record as an educator of youth. In 1900 he was elected justice of the peace, an office he yet holds through suc- cessive reelections. In this office he is more the peacemaker than the magistrate, settling all cases possible without recourse to the law. His long years spent in the different school rooms of the county, and as county superintendent, brought him in contact with so many people of all ages that he is perhaps the best known man in the entire county. His life has been a useful one, but the results of the good seed sown, the encouraging words dropped, can never be known, but all over this broad
W. C. Gardner.
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land are men and women who can trace their success in life to the wise counsel and encouragement of the "Village schoolmaster." In his latter years many such instances have been revealed to him and surely they must be a rich recompense for his many years of unselfish effort to help others the better to fight life's battles. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian church, which he has served as trustee.
He married (first) September 22, 1865, Martha Jane McClure, born in Juniata county, daughter of Duffield McClure. She died December y, 1871, leaving a daughter Edith, born July 31, 1866, now a graduate nurse of Hartford, Connecticut ; a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and unmarried. He married (second) September 22, 1875, Margaret Ann, daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Margaret (Fleming) Wilson, both born in Mifflin county of the old and well known county family of that name. Children: 2. Nancy Margaret. born December 19, 1882; graduate of Belleville high school and Grove City College, now assistant principal of the former school. 3. Anna Wilson, born August 11, 1885; graduate of Belleville high school and an attendant of Grove City College; she is now a teacher in the public schools.
Special mention should be made of special work done by Professor Gardner. In 1847 he first joined a Presbyterian Sunday school and has ever since taken an active interest in that department of church work. He graduated from pupil to teacher very early and as teacher and super- intendent has been continuously in service for over half a century. He is yet in the work, and every Sunday teaches the International Bible lesson in two Sunday schools in Belleville, the Presbyterian and the Methodist. Recently his long length of service in Sunday school work was recognized by the Pennsylvania Sunday School Society by the pre- sentation to him of a suitable medal. Truly his has been a wonderfully full life and no man can measure the harvest.
Joseph Hartzler Byler, of Belleville. Pennsylvania, a Swiss
BYLER by direct descent and a born and bred American in the truest sense of the word, comes from honorable people on both the paternal and the distaff side. Both the Byler and Hartzler families are reckoned among the most substantial in Pennsylvania, and
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have contributed their quota to the wealth, prosperity and upbuilding of the state.
(I) Rev. John Byler, among the first of the name born in the United States, was of straight Swiss descent. The family lived for hundreds of years in an Alpine valley in the homes that they inherited from their sturdy progenitors. He was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when that country was yet young. He moved to Mifflin county, Penn- sylvania, and settled near Allensville, in Menno township. He died there and was the first adult male to be buried in the Amish Mennonite cemetery, near Allensville. He followed farming as an occupation and was a bishop of high standing in the Amish Mennonite church. He was one of the prominent men of his township and was known far and wide for the exceeding fairness of his judgment. He accumulated con- siderable property, among it being a farm now owned by Joseph Kanagy.
(II) Joseph, son of Bishop John Byler, of the Amish Mennonite church, was born, reared and married in Allensville. He married Mary Lantz, a daughter of a neighbor of the same faith as himself. After their marriage he purchased the interest of the other heirs in his father's farm and lived there for some time. Later he bought a farm near Coldwater. Union township, and there he died at a good old age. He followed agriculture as a life pursuit, making it bring him good re- sults. He lived a quiet, uneventful life, devoted to his faith and the Amish Mennonite church ; a good neighbor, a staunch friend command- ing the respect of all coming in contact with him. He was an active supporter of the Republican party, especially locally, though never hold- ing office. Children: Elizabeth, Leah, John L., of whom further; Joseph, Benjamin, Solomon, Jonathan, David, Isaac, Eli. Mary and Samuel. David, Eli and Samuel live in Mifflin county, and Mary, the wife of David Blank, lives in Lancaster.
(III) John L., son of Joseph and Mary (Lantz) Byler, was born in Mifflin county, in 1827. He married Elizabeth Hartzler, born in 1826, in Mifflin county, and lived after marriage for five years in Union county (see Hartzler line). John L. moved next to Mifflin county, where he purchased a small farm in Union township. He died here, October 23. 1866, at the age of thirty-nine, of creeping paralysis. Both he and his wife were members of the Amish Mennonite church, of that locality. His wife married a second time, becoming the wife of Chris-
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tian Zook, and after his death moved to Goshen, Indiana, where she makes her home with her daughter, Eri. Children: 1. Eli. lives near Newton, Kansas, where he farms. 2. Eri, widow of Ruins Yoder. makes her home at Goshen, Indiana. 3. Joseph Hartzler. of whom further. 4. Christian, lives in Champaign county, Ohio, a farmer and a minister of the Mennonite church. 5. Mary, married Joseph E. Hartz- ler, and lives in Cass county, Missouri. 6. Hannah, married Samuel Plank, now living in Goshen, Indiana. 7. John, in mercantile business in Newton, Kansas.
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