USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume II > Part 28
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Rev. Andrew H. Parker married, May 30, 1878. Margaret J. Mc- Dowell, born in Mifflin county, May 4, 1847, daughter of John and Mary (Brisbin) McDowell, who survives him, a resident of Reeds- ville, a lady of culture, piety and benevolence ; children : 1. John Mc- Dowell Parker, born July 12, 1879, died May 22, 1880. 2. Frank Mc- Dowell Parker, born September 9, 1880, educated in the public schools of Reedsville, Chambersburg Academy. Washington and Jefferson Col- lege ; now assistant cashier of the Reedsville National Bank ; he married Mabel Taylor Smith, and has: Andrew James, born November 6, 1911, and Frank McDowell Jr., born May 7, 1913. 3. Mary Brisbin Parker, born April 7. 1884. married Rev. H. M. Campbell, now located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ; child: Margaret McDowell, born December 3. 1912.
(McDowell Line).
The McDowells are of Scotch ancestry, the emigrant, John (1) McDowell, born in that country, coming to America prior to the revo- lutionary period. He first settled within the present limits of Franklin county, then a part of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, but in 1754 moved to Mifflin county, settling in the Kishacoquillas Valley. He married and left issue, including a son John.
John (2) McDowell was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1767. died September 29, 1849. He was a farmer and merchant, having a store at Perrysville, now Milroy. He was a man of great energy and ambition, filled many local offices; was sheriff of Mifflin county prior to the erection of Juniata, and served well the interests
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of the community in which he lived. He married, and by first wife had children : William, and Elizabeth, who married, February 8, 1817, Alexander McCoy, of Potters Mills, Center county, Pennsylvania. He married (second) Jane Mitchell, of Irish lineage, who survived him until January 1, 1864, aged nearly eighty-eight years. Bothı were devoted members of the Presbyterian church and were widely and highly esteemed. He was known as "Colonel John," a rank he held by appointment in the Mifflin county militia. He was a genial, companionable man, held in high regard for his private virtue, as well as his valuable public service. Children by second marriage : 1. John (3), (of whom further). 2. Samuel, born April 20, 1802, died unmarried, April 13. 1832. 3. Margaret, born February 9, 1804, died at Law- rence, Kansas, September 21, 1869. She married January 11, 1825, William Mckinney, of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. 4. Rosanna, born August 21, 1806, died November 13, 1882; she married (first). April 26, 1827, Alexander Sharp, of Cumberland county; (second) William Barr, of Newville, Pennsylvania. 5. Alexander S., born Sep- tember 17, 1808, died unmarried, January 7. 1837. 6. George, born September 29, 1811, died April 18, 1885; married, January 6, 1847, Elizabeth Kyle. 7. James, born July 20, 1814, died unmarried at War- rington, Florida, September 13, 1852. 8. Mary Jane, born September 22, 1817, died April 5, 1844; married, March 19, 1839. Abraham Adams, of Cumberland county.
John (3), son of John (2) McDowell and his second wife, Jane Mitchell, was born June 26, 1800, died after a short illness, March 29, 1863. He obtained a limited education in the subscription schools, but by self study, reading and experience became a well-informed man. He was a farmer, but of so strong a character and of such intelligence that he was called to important trusts, managing large estates, also filling township and county offices. He was shrewd, thrifty and reso- lute, possessing prudence and sound judgment, yet of so genial, gentle and unassuming manner that he drew men to him for sympathy and advice. Like his father, he held the military rank of colonel, serving by appointment of Governor Pollock on the latter's staff with the rank of colonel. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, as was his wife-he a Republican. He married, December 21, 1841, Mary Bris- bin, born near Reedsville, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1814, died April
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8, 1892, daughter of James and Margaret ( McManigle) Brisbin ; he a native of Center, she of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. James Brisbin had children : Elizabeth, Mary (of previous mention), James, Sallie, William John, William, John and Mary ; the latter three dying young. Children of Jolin (3) and Mary ( Brisbin) McDowell, all born at the home farm in Armagh township, Mifflin county: I. An infant son, died unnamed. 2. John (4), now deceased, inherited and farmed the old homestead, was a trustee of the Presbyterian church and a man of sub- stance. He married, October 11, 1888, Elizabeth R., daughter of Alex- ander and Mary L. (Taylor) Reed; children: Alexander Reed and Mary Lyon. 3. Margaret J. (of previous mention ), widow of Rev. Andrew H. Parker. 4. A child, died unnamed.
WENZEL "Born in Germany" signifies that he who can claim that distinguishing mark is of steady, industrious, thrifty habits, is usually well educated, possesses a trade or definite occupation, and, if he remained in his native country long enough, has had the valuable training in discipline, self-restraint, obe- (ience and respect for those in authority, gained by service in the Ger- man army. Such a man is Charles Wenzel, now engaged in the livery business in Mount Union, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania.
Charles Wenzel is the son of Heinrich Christian and Coralina ( Rausch) Wenzel, both of whom lived and died in Germany-he a teamster and farmer and both members of the Lutheran church. Chil- dren : Hendrick, a soldier of the German army, married and resides in Germany ; Charles (of further mention).
Charles Wenzel was born in Hanover, Germany, February 2, 1854, and continued his residence in his native land until reaching the age of twenty-four years. He was educated in the public schools, learned the trade of brick and stone mason, at which he worked until called to the colors by German law. He served three years and eight months in the army, and in 1878 bade adieu to family and native land, arriving in the United States on October 21. He gradually worked westward, finally deciding to remain in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, engaging there as a bricklayer for three years. He then worked for a year in the steel works at Braddock, settling in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1884. There he remained until 1898. During this period he began brick and
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stone contracting, building up a good business in those lines and accumulating capital. He then moved to Mount Union, Huntingdon county, where he began and for several years engaged in the manu- facture of brick. He discovered there a deposit, rich in silica, and established a plant for the manufacture of silica brick. This plant is now known as the Harbison-Walker Brick Company and, greatly en- larged, employs seven hundred men in its operation. Mr. Wenzel continued in the brick business until 1912, when he retired, and in November of that year engaged in the livery business in Mount Union, purchasing the property where he is now located in successful operation. He is a capable man of affairs, energetic and always to be relied upon. He is an Independent in politics and for six years served on the bor- ough council at Mount Union. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church.
He married, January 23, 1874, in Germany, Mary, daughter of Heinrich and Sophia (Waushousen) Bormann, both of whom lived and died in Germany. Children of Charles and Mary Wenzel : William, Henry, Fred, Anna, Frank, Charles, Rosa, August and Otto.
MINICK The Minick emigrant ancestor, on coming from Ger- many to Pennsylvania, settled in Lancaster county, where he lived until death, leaving issue.
(II) Peter Minick, son of the emigrant, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood and learned the tailor's trade. He also followed farming, continuing both occupations alternately all his life. After leaving Lancaster county, he moved to Cumberland county, thence going to the borough of Carlisle. His last years were spent in Orrstown, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, where he died, aged eighty-six years. He married Mary Curran, of Irish par- entage, who died at the age of thirty-six years.
(III) John, son of Peter and Mary (Curran) Minick, was born in Carlisle in 1817, died at Shade Gap, Huntingdon county, in 1893. He attended school for three months, the instruction there received being entirely in the German language. With but this slender founda- tion for an education, he went out into the world, working first on a farm, but at age fourteen began learning the shoemaker's trade. Two years later he moved his residence to Franklin county, Pennsylvania,
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there learning the tanner's trade, at which he worked until 1849 for others. At age twenty-four years he had married, and through all the years from boyhood had steadily pursued a course of self study that placed him in the ranks of fairly well educated men. He excelled as an accountant and as a bookkeeper had few superiors. Having accumulated some capital by close economy, and feeling sure of his ability to manage both the bookkeeping and manufacturing depart- ments of a business, in 1849 he purchased the tanning plant of John M. Blair, in Dublin township, Huntingdon county, paying therefor the sum of three thousand dollars. His purchase included the tannery, twenty acres of good farm land and six hundred acres of mountain land. An old stone house stood on the property, which later he greatly improved and made his residence. He prospered in business and at his death in 1893 was one of the substantial, highly respected men of his town. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, faithful and devoted to its every interest. For many years he was a class leader and superintendent of the Sunday-school. Ile was very benevolent and turned away no worthy applicant for assistance. He married, in 1841, Maria Kuhn, also of German parentage, who died in 1880, aged sixty-two years; children: I. Elizabeth ("Lizzie"), mar- ried D. R. P. Neely and lived in Washington, D. C. 2. Peter, a sol- dier in the Union army, Company I, Pennsylvania Bucktails, killed in front of Petersburg, aged nineteen years, unmarried. 3. John M., wounded while in the Union army and died in the hospital shortly afterward. He was but eighteen years of age, very large for his age, weighing one hundred and eighty pounds. 4. Ellen H., married Rev. William H. Zimmerman, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, later stationed at Lawrence, Kansas. 5. Susan, married Scott Lysinger. register and recorder of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. 6. Alfred A. (of whom further). 7. Cambridge D., superintendent of the bark department of the Elk Tannery Company of Ridgway, Elk county, Pennsylvania: married Minnie Lupfer. S. S. Newton, deceased, a farmer, who cultivated the old home farm; married Anna Swan.
(IV) Alfred .A., son of John and Maria (Kuhn) Minick, was horn at the old stone house on the tannery property, in Dublin town- ship. Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1853. He was educated in the public school and at Milnwood Academy in Shade Gap.
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During his early life he worked in his father's tannery, but during a period of depression its doors were closed for two years, and the young man sought other employment. He engaged for eight months as clerk in a store at Shade Gap, then pursued a full course at business college in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, graduating therefrom in 1886. In 1887 he became assistant superintendent of the Schlosser tannery at Westminster, Maryland, remaining there thirteen months. He then returned home and reopened the tannery, which he operated for many years; greatly increased the output of the plant, made extensive im- provements, and gained a steady market for his tanned hides in New York City. He added considerable real estate to his holdings and was rated both successful and reliable. He married in 1876 and continued in business, residing at Shade Gap until 1903, when he moved to Ashe- ville, North Carolina, where he now resides, superintendent of the tannery and extract work of Hans Rees Sons & Company. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, is a de- voted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics a Republican. He took a deep and lively interest in public affairs while residing in Huntingdon county and served Dublin township in several official capacities. He married, in 1876, Sarah M., born April 15, 1858, at Burnt Cabins, Fulton county, Pennsylvania, daughter of William and Susan (Giles) McGowan, born in Franklin county. Wil- liam McGowan was a hotel proprietor in Huntingdon and Bedford counties and was at the time of his daughter's marriage proprietor of the hotel at Shade Gap, where he yet resides. He has children : Thomas, married Jennie Weller ; Sarah M., wife of Alfred A. Minick; Emory, now residing at Tyrone, Pennsylvania; Jane, married a Mr. Roach; John, a hotel proprietor; William, clerk for the Pittsburgh Steel Company, married Ritta Caldwell; and three others died young. Children of Alfred A. and Sarah M. Minick: 1. John M. (of whom further). 2. Ira C., born April 1, 1881, now an electrician, residing at Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania; he married Elaine Ingersoll. 3. Lillian L., born February 3, 1892. 4. S. LaRue, born May 20, 1894. 5. Nor- man R., born April 2, 1899.
(V) John MI., eldest son of Alfred A. and Sarah M. (McGowan) Minick, was born at Shade Gap, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, September 27, 1877. He was educated in the public schools, then in
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1897 entering the National College of Pharmacy at Washington, D. C. He pursued the full course there and was graduated, class of 1900. In 1901 and 1902 he was associated with his cousin, Guy Minick Neely, a druggist of Washington, and in the latter year established a drug business in Mount Union, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, under the firm name, Neely & Minick. In 1904 the firm dissolved, Mr. Minick continuing the business under his own name, and is well estab- lislied and prosperous. He is a Republican in politics and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
He married, October 7, 1903, Alice H., daughter of Rudolph and Susan (McIntyre) Sechler ; her father is freight agent at Mount Union for the East Broad Top Railroad.
The Rhoads family of Perry county, Pennsylvania, is RHOADS of Hungarian origin, the immigrant ancestor. John, coming to the United States in the first quarter of the nineteenth century and settling in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He served in the war of 1812-1814 under the American flag. He died near Rockville, Pennsylvania. He married and had two children: A daughter, who married Mr. Collins, and George (of further mention).
(II) George, son of John Rhoads, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1812, died in Perry county, Pennsylvania, 1892. He spent most of his life in Rye township, Perry county, being employed on the various farms of the locality. In politics he was a Democrat and hield several township offices. He married Margaret Mclaughlin, born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, 1807, died January 1, 1865, daughter of George Mclaughlin, a native of what was then Cumberland county, and son of the immigrant ancestor. Children of George Mclaughlin: 1. Margaret, married George Rhoads. 2. Jane, died unmarried. 3. Mary, died unmarried. 4. George, resident of Rye township, Huntingdon county. 5. William, died in Perry county. 6. Susan, died in Cumberland county, Penn- sylvania ; married John Reed. 7. Ann, died in Cumberland county ; married (first) Philip Danner, (second) David Houdeshell. 8. Craw- ford, died in the west. Children of George and Margaret (McLaugh- lin) Rhoads: 1. John II. (of further mention). 2. Cyrus, a railroad employee and veteran of the civil war, died in Perry county. 3. Joseph
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WV., served in Company M, Seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, lives in Rye township. 4. George W., railroad employee, died at Marys- ville, Perry county, Pennsylvania. 5. James (of further mention). 6. Margaret (deceased), married (first) Samuel Harrow, (second) Leo Lentz, (third) Elijah Davis.
(III) John H., son of George and Margaret (Mclaughlin) Rhoads, was born in Rye township, Huntingdon county, April 24, 1843. His education was obtained in the public school of the township and his early life was spent on the farm. He enlisted in the Union army, Company M, Seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, February 26, 1864, and served until the end of the war, seeing active service at the battles of Atlanta, Resaca, Rome, Lovejoy Station and Chattahoocha River. From March 19, 1865, until the date of his discharge. June 30, 1865, he was on a hospital boat. At the conclusion of the war he returned to Pennsylvania and entered the employ of the Northern Central Railroad, as hostler in one of the roundhouses, a position he held for about two and a half years. He then accepted a position at the Seidel Brothers forge, where he remained for eighteen years. At this time he was compelled to retire from active labor by approaching blindness. In 1889 he purchased fifty acres of ground in Rye township, near his old house in Rye township, and in 1911 erected thereon a handsome residence, where he lives at the present time, retired, but still retaining great interest in the affairs of county, state and country. He married, April 29, 1861, Louisa Dale, born in Perry county, Penn- sylvania, daughter of John Frederick and Margaret (Baer) Dale; child : Anna Mary, born September 11, 1862, married John H. Shone, who cultivates her father's farm. Children of John H. and Anna Mary (Rhoads) Shone: John; Lucy, married Harvey Baker and has two children; Margaret, married William Forney, they have children; Charles, William, Sarah. Annie.
(III) James, son of George Rhoads, was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, died in 1865 in Perry county. He was for many years an employee of the Pennsylvania railroad and was a veteran of the civil war, although his term of service was a short one. He married in Marysville, Pennsylvania, leaving a widow and children. His wife, Susan Hoover, was born of German parents, survived her husband and married (second) Israel Houdeshell; both she and her second hus-
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band dying in Baltimore. Children of James Rhoads: I. Levi, an en- gineer, residing in Steelton, Pennsylvania, married Sarah Wagner. 2. John, a track foreman for the Pennsylvania railroad. He married Stella Champion. 3. George Washington (see forward). 4. Sarah, married Frank Slade and resides in Baltimore. 5. Fannie, married Frank Cooper, a locomotive engineer, and resides in Baltimore.
(IV) George Washington, son of James and Susan (Hoover) Rhoads, was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1862. He was educated in the public schools of Marysville, Pennsylvania, and learned the tinner's trade, beginning at the age of fourteen years. He worked at his trade for several years, then entered the railroad employ, continuing about nine years. He then returned to the tinning business, which he followed until 1912. He then purchased the hotel at Marysville, of which he is now proprietor. He is a Democrat in politics and a keen, foresighted business man.
He married, in 1883, Margaret, daughter of Isaac and Margaret (Strine) Platt, of Marysville. Children : Pearl, married John Strickey. a boiler inspector for the Pennsylvania railroad; Myrtle, married Al- fred Flickinger, a fireman on the Pennsylvania railroad; Violet, mar- ried Wesley Kerstetter, a brakeman on the Pennsylvania railroad ; Earl, a tinner, unmarried ; George, a fireman on the Pennsylvania rail- road, married Violet Wilson and resides at West Fairview; Edna, resides at home.
SHOEMAKER One of the contributing causes to the greatness of the United States has been the large influx of German emigrants who came from the Fatherland to better their worldly condition and to assist in the upbuilding of this country. They have succeeded in doing both, and there is no element in the heterogeneous mass of nationalities that go toward making this re- public the greatest on earth that has done more than the Germans. Of this thrifty race is Harry W. Shoemaker, of Newport, Pennsyl- vania, descended. The name was originally written Shumacher, but as generation has succeeded generation in America it has become Anglicized.
(I) Jacob Shoemaker, a direct descendant of the first Shumacher to emigrate to the United States, was born in Pennsylvania, near
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Harrisburg. He was at first a day laborer, then he acquired a farm on which he grew tobacco. He married (first) Barbara Boosier, like himself of German descent. Children by this marriage: 1. Amanda, who died young. 2. Ann, died unmarried. He married (second) Re- becca Goss, and to them were born: 1. Daniel G., of whom further. 2. Jacob, a laborer at Steelton, Pennsylvania ; married Mary Crone. 3. Mary, died in childhood. 4. A son, twin of Mary, died in infancy. 5. Fannie, married Daniel Redman, a laborer. 6. Harry, married Het- tie Hawk.
(II) Daniel G. Shoemaker, son of Jacob and Rebecca (Goss) Shoemaker, was born November 10, 1849, in Dauphin county, Penn- sylvania. He married, December, 1869, Mary Ann Wolf, born De- cember 30, 1848, at Goldsborough, York county, Pennsylvania, daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth (Souders) Wolf, of Goldsborough, Penn- sylvania. Mr. Shoemaker was first a farm laborer, then was a farmer in Dauphin county for over eighteen years, on a leased farm. In 1904 he moved to Newport, Pennsylvania, and has since resided there. He and his wife are members of the Church of God. Children: I. Fannie, born April 1, 1871, now deceased; married Daniel Marion. 2. Elizabeth, born July 7, 1874, married Hugh Crumbling, a miller at Steelton, Pennsylvania. 3. Harry W., of whom further. 4. George, born February 10, 1879, died June 6, 1880. 5. Katie, born August 28, 1881 ; married Fred Dupler, a teamister. 6. Adaline, born October 16, 1884, unmarried. 8. Anna, born April 17. 1891. unmarried. The parents of Mrs. Shoemaker, John and Elizabethi (Souders) Wolf, were old time residents of Goldsborough, Pennsylvania. They were both born in York county, Pennsylvania, and died in Goldsborough. He was a fish net manufacturer, and was for years an invalid. Children: 1. Catherine, married (first) John Dugan ; married (second) Jesse Funk. 2. Lydia, married Luke Rhinehart, a farmer of York county. 3. Jacob, married Catherine Bone; he is a railway employee. 4. Benjamin, a farmer ; married Hannah Gingrich. 5. William, of Cly, York county. Pennsylvania. 6. Mary Ann, married Daniel G. Shoemaker. 7. Eliza- beth, married Augustus Wise. 8. Eliza Jane, died in infancy. 9. George, married Lydia Grooms. There were others, but no record has been kept of their birth, marriage or death.
(III) Harry W. Shoemaker, son of Daniel G. and Mary Ann
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(Wolf) Shoemaker, was born in Highspire borough, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, June 19, 1877. He was educated in the Highspire public school, and later in the Harrisburg Business College, graduating in 1894. He was employed by the Highspire Distillery Company soon after graduation and remained with them four years, and for the last three years of that time was foreman of the extensive warehouse of the distillery company. At the end of four years he entered the em- ploy of the Pennsylvania Steel Company at Steelton, where he did clerical work for two years; in August, 1904, he moved to Newport, Pennsylvania, and established a shirt factory in a building which he leased. He employed at that time twenty-five people to help him in the business. In 1906 he took possession of a more commodious plant, which he purchased May, 1910, and now has in his employ sixty men and women, with an average output of six hundred and fifty dozen shirts per week. The business is constantly growing and it will not be many years before additions will be needed to meet the demands for greater space, or a larger building erected or bought. Mr. Shoemaker is member of the Senior Order of American Mechanics, of Highspire ; the Masonic order of Newport, No. 381, F. & A. M. He is a Republi- can, but has never held nor aspired to office. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
He married, August 13, 1904, Sadie F. Ferree, daughter of Andrew and Barbara (Wilson) Ferree ; he is a truck farmer near York Haven, York county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker have one child, La Rue Ferree, born July 27, 1912.
BAILEY The Baileys of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, descend from Daniel Bailey, a native of county Monaghan, province of Ulster, Ireland, who arrived in Philadelphia in February, 1758. Later he settled in Monaghan township, now Carroll, York county, Pennsylvania, his farm being near the site of the present bor- ough of Dillsburg. His name occurs in a "list of the taxables" of 1783 as the owner of fifty acres. He married and left issue.
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