USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume II > Part 8
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(III) Captain Lewis Miller, son of John and Christianna (Cham- berlain) Miller, was born in Washington township, Snyder county. Pennsylvania, died in Snyder county, Pennsylvania. He learned the car- penter's trade, also was a millwright, which trade he followed until the outbreak of the civil war, when he enlistetd in the One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, served three years, and attaining the rank of captain, succeeding Captain Ryan. He was a gal- lant soldier, won his promotion by actual field service, and after the war returned to peaceful pursuits, rounding out a full and complete life. He married Sarah Stalnecker, who died in 1910. Children : Harvey, died in infancy ; Kate, deceased; John H., of whom further ; Jemima, married William Moyer, of Snyder county.
(IV) John H., son of Captain Lewis and Sarah (Stalnecker) Miller, was born in Washington township, Snyder county, Pennsylvania, May 22, 1868. He was educated in the public school and grew to manhood on the farm owned by his father, and operated by him in addition to his trade of carpenter and millwright. He traveled for about three years in early life, visited twenty-two states, including California, attaining his twenty-first birthday in that state. After about three years of travel he returned home, and for six years cultivated the home farm for his father. He then bought a farm in Oliver township, Mifflin county, which he worked with such success that he is now the owner of five farms in Mifflin county, with sand bank and clay pits at Burnham, and three saw mills-one at Burnham, two in Huntingdon county. He also
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is engaged in contracting and has other business interests. Since 1906 he has resided in Lewistown, managing his large interests from that cen- tral point. He was one of the organizers of the Ferguson Valley In- surance Company, and assisted in promoting the telephone company in that valley. He employs about one hundred men to carry on his different operations, and in his lumbering operations is associated with Henry E. Knepp under the firm name of Miller & Knepp. In politics he is a Re- publican, but has never accepted public office, being entirely satisfied with a business career.
He married, in 1891, Alice Hare, born in Snyder county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1872, daughter of Perry Hare, now deceased. Children : Harvey Henry, Daniel Lewis, George, Sarah, Jay.
William Grant Smith, of Belleville, Mifflin county, Pennsyl-
SMITH vania, comes from the widely scattered Smith family that has branches in every state in the Union. The name of his immigrant forbear is lost, but he is known to have drifted into Pennsyl- vania about 1723. On the colonial records of that period appear the names of several Smiths. Some were Indian fighters, others did garri- son duty, still others were with the Royal Americans when they met and fought Lord Montcalm, the French general. Some manned the block houses, while others tilled the fields as a few companions stood guard. watching for the red men to rush upon them from the forest. Of such sturdy and heroic stock is the Smith family of Pennsylvania.
(I) John Smith, the first of the name of whom there is any definite knowledge, had English forbears, as his name indicates. He was born in Pennsylvania, possibly in Union township, and he and his wife were for many years regarded as its prominent citizens. They both died and are buried in Union township. Among his children was William T., of whom further.
(II) William T., son of John Smith, was born in Union township and received his education in the common schools of that time. Dis- continuing school while yet young he became a laborer and was a farni hand for years. In politics he was a Republican, and in religion a member of the Lutheran church. He married Phoebe Fultz, also of Union township, daughter of Joseph Fultz, a neighboring farmer. Chil- dren: I. John, died in infancy. 2. Kate, died young. 3. Sadie, mar-
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ried Henry Manbeck of Belleville; one child, Ralph. 4. Maggie, mar- ried W. A. Sankey and has two children : Carrie, deceased, and Foster. 5. George, making his home in Belleville. 6. Matilda, married John Brindle, of Belleville, both are deceased; children: Charles, at West Point, New York, in United States army ; Melvin, a machinist in Colum- bus, Ohio. 7. Jennie, wife of Elmer Young, of Bondville, Champaign county, Illinois; children : Helen and Warren. 8. Mary, married Dr. B. R. Kohler; one son, Frank. 9. William Grant, of whom further. 10. Josephine, died young.
(III) William Grant, son of William T. and Phoebe ( Fultz) Smith, was born August 23, 1870, in Union township, Mifflin county. Pennsyl- vania. He was reared in the township and received his education in the public schools. Leaving school he engaged in fence building, and continued in that occupation for twenty-one years, making a record for himself by the thoroughness of his work. On February 27, 1912, he opened a hardware business in a house that he himself had erected. In one year he has established a prosperous and ever growing business, handling the best class of hardware in all its lines. He owns his own home, one of the prettiest of the town. In politics he is a Republican, always giving his franchise to that party; he is a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and of the Lutheran church.
He married in November, 1898, Mary Bennett, of Belleville, daugli- ter of Nelson and Clara Jane Bennett, of Belleville; the father is de- ceased and the mother is living in Belleville. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child : Marian, born November 26, 1899, a student at school.
STERRETT The first official record of the Sterretts in the Juniata Valley is of Ralph Sterrett, who took up one hundred and forty acres in Beale township. Juniata county, July 27, 1762. He was an Indian trader and at home in the woods most anywhere. The run that crosses hereby was known as Sterretts Run. He came to the valley from Lancaster county and dealt in squatter claims. He sold the tract previously mentioned, March 25, 1764. his wife Martha joining with him in the sale.
(II) William, son of Ralph and Martha Sterrett, who is said to have been the first white child born west of the Tuscarora mountains, was born at Bingham Fort. He was part owner of a forge on Licking creek
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and once sheriff of Mifflin county. He married and had a son William.
(III) William (2), son of William ( I) Sterrett, was born January 25, 1801, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His parents were for a time residents of Lancaster county, settling in Juniata county in 1807. William (2) Sterrett became a farmer, continuing in Juniata county until his death, January 25, 1889. He married. January 8, 1835, Rachel Thompson, born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, August 25, 1801, died several years before her husband. Children: John Thompson, born July 16. 1836; James, June 10, 1838: William N., of whom further ; Robert. February 14, 1842.
(IV) William North, third son of William and Rachel ( Thompson) Sterrett, was born in Juniata county March 21, 1840, died January 22. 1912. He was educated in the public school and resided at the home- stead farm, later owning a farm set off from the original Sterrett farm, a large tract located in Milford township, Juniata county. He was a very successful farmer, continuing in active management of his own acres until 1905, when he retired and moved to Mifflintown, locating there on April 7th of that year. During eight years of his life he was engaged in mercantile business at Patterson, Pennsylvania, but continued his resi- dence at the farm. He was a Republican in politics, served as county commissioner and associate judge of Juniata county, also filling many township offices. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife belonged to the Presbyterian church. He was a man of upright character, energetic in business, but rendering to every man his just due. Quiet and unobtrusive, yet firm and decided in his opinions and convictions, he won the regard of his fellow men and left behind him an honored name.
He married, April 27, 1871, Jane E. Black, born in New Bloomfield, Perry county, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1845, daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Zimmerman) Black, born in Perry county, where Thomas Black died comparatively young. Margaret, his wife died in 1891, aged eighty-two years. Children of William N. and Jane E. ( Black) Ster- rett, all born at the farm in Juniata county: 1. William E., born Feb- ruary 2, 1872; he was educated in Mifflintown high school and l'itts- burgh Business College, and is now a clerk in the employ of the Pennsyl- vania railroad offices at Denholm. 2. Samuel Thomas, born August 16, 1875, educated in Mifflintown high school, now a farmer on the old home-
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stead ; he married Norma Ernest and has children : Harold Earl, Samuel Glenn, James Fay, Anna Elizabeth, and Edgar Ernest, twin of Anna E. 3. James Thompson, born September 17, 1884, educated in Mifflintown high school and Pierces' Business College, now assistant cashier of the Juniata Valley Bank ; he married Alma Robinson. 4. Edgar Black, born June 26, 1888, educated in Port Royal high school and Bank's Business College of Philadelphia, now a bookkeeper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
William Luck, of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, had for his LUCK forbears in America, honest, upright Germans, the first of whom came from the Fatherland in the latter part of the seventeenth century, settling, as did so many of his compatriots, in Penn- sylvania. From him descended Isaac Luck, of whom further.
Isaac Luck was born in Snyder county, Pennsylvania, his father be- ing one of the pioneer settlers of the county, and is buried at Salem Church. Isaac was a farmer, taking up wild land, clearing and culti- vating it, and erecting on it a comfortable house for his family. He was much respected by his neighbors, and died at the age of ninety-four. He married Susan Ritter, daughter of a German family of that name, who were also pioneer settlers in Snyder county. She died at the age of eighty-seven. They were members of the Lutheran church. He was first a Whig and then a Republican, voting the latter ticket when he was a very old man. Children: 1. Joel, now aged eighty-nine. 2. Elizabeth, deceased. 3. Maria, deceased. 4. Annie, deceased. 5. Sam- uel, deceased. 6. Benjamin, deceased. 7. Samuel, twin of Benjamin, deceased. 8. Sarah. 9. Charles. 10. Lydia, deceased. II. William, of whom further. 13. Daughter, died in infancy. 14. A daughter, died in infancy.
William Luck, son of Isaac and Susan ( Ritter) Luck, was born, April 1, 1843, in Snyder county, Pennsylvania. He received his educa- tion in the common schools of the county. On leaving school he engaged in carpentry, and in 1890 came to Mifflin county and now owns property on Main street of Mifflintown. He enlisted for service in the civil war. in September, 1864, in Company D. 208th Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, serving until the close of the war in 1865. He was in several battles, one of them being at Petersburg, Virginia, and another at Fort Steadman. He was with his regiment during the entire time of his en-
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listment. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Wilson Post, No. 134, and is also a member of the Lutheran church. In politics he is a Republican.
He married (first) in 1870, Rachel Ewig, who died in 1882; he married (second) in 1883, Eliza Yeakly, who died in November, 1911, daughter of John Yeakly, a pioneer of Juniata Valley. Children by first marriage : I. Harry, born in Snyder county in 1873 ; married Myra Dimm; he is in the marble and granite business in Lewistown, Pennsyl- vania; one child, Edgar. 2. Claude, born 1875, in Snyder county ; was employed for some time in Elkhart. Indiana, living at Edwardsburg, Michigan; he married Cora Corner. 3. Ord Isaac, born 1878, killed by electricity in 1912, at South Bend. Indiana, while foreman of repair work; he married Sadie Smith, of Indiana : children : Veloise and Ruth. There were no children by the last marriage of William Luck.
Barbara Yoder, widow, whose husband died on the pas-
YODER sage and was buried at sea. had nine children, all of whom she brought with her to Pennsylvania, eight sons and one daughter, all born in Switzerland. They arrived in Pennsylvania prior 10 1727, settling in what is now Oley township, Berks county, one of the first Amish Mennonite families that came to Pennsylvania. One of her sons, Yost Yoder, with his brother Hans pushed forward beyond the Oley Hills, and finally settled on the Manatawney near the "planta- tion" of Johannes Keim.
(II) Yost Yoder was one of the most active of the early frontiers- men of Pennsylvania, his chief occupation being hunting and trapping, although he also cleared and cultivated a "plantation". The Yoder Bible, brought by the family, dated 1530, was printed during the lifetime of Martin Luther and was held by the family as late as 1860. It is de- scribed as a fine specimen of the output of the German press of that day. had few illustrations and the texts were not arranged in verses. It was held as a priceless treasure by the early family and was as a "lamp to their feet" in their flight to America. Yost Yoder married and had issue : Johannes, born 1718, died April 7, 1812, married Catherine Lyster in 1745 and lived with her sixty-six years; Jacob, of whom further : Samuel, settled on a plantation half a mile from Pleasantville, Berks county, which he received from his father; a daughter, married
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Lazareth Weidner. There was another son, David; and four daughters of Yost Yoder who cannot be named with certainty.
(III) David, son of Yost Yoder and grandson of Barbara Yoder, was born in 1735 in Berks county, Pennsylvania. He removed to the west side of the Schuylkill and became a farmer and saddler. He en- listed November 6, 1757. in the provincial service of the state of Penn- sylvania and was saddler for three years in Captain Nicholas Weather- holt's company, stationed in Heidleburg township, Northampton. He also served in the revolution as private in Peter Nagle's company and later in Captain Charles Gobin's company, Sixth Berks County Militia. Colonel Joseph Heister commanding, August 10 to September 9, 1780. He married ( first) Mary Keim: (second) Catherine Blank, daughter of John, son of Hans Blank, born in Switzerland and his wife Magdalene. Among the children of David Yoder was a son Yost, of whom further below.
(IV) Yost (2), son of David Yoder, was born about the year 1800 in Berks county. Pennsylvania. He moved to the Juniata Valley, set- tling in Union township. Mifflin county, became a wealthy farmer and large land owner of that township and there died. He married Catherine Zook, also of an old Amish Mennonite family, coming from Switzer- land. Among their children was a son, Christ Z.
(V) Christ Z., son of Yost and Catherine (Zook) Yoder. was born in Union township. Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, about 1830, and is now living retired in Belleville, Pennsylvania. He became a farmer of Union township, owning a farm of seventy acres. Later he became a tanner, continuing in that business until his retirement. Both he and his wife belong to the Amish Mennonite church; he is a Republican in politics. He married Annie McGonigal. Children: I. Elizabeth, died in infancy. 2. Yost, a farmer of Union township. 3. Levi M., of whom further. 4. John, of Goshen, Indiana. 5. Joseph W., a professor in music and a farm owner near Philadelphia; unmarried.
(VI) Levi M., son of Christ Z. and Annie ( McGonigal) Yoder, was born in Union township, Mifflin county. Pennsylvania, January 10, 1863. He obtained his education in the public school and grew to manhood at the home farm. He taught school in his earlier life, also learned the carpenter's trade and worked at that occupation for about fifteen years during the summer months, teaching in the winter. In 1896 he
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L. M.Under
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began the manufacture of carpets at Belleville in a very small way, being the entire working force himself. He has prospered and expanded until he has a large plant employing one hundred people, much of the filling being prepared by outside families. All his factory buildings were erected by himself or under his supervision, as was also a fine residence on Chestnut street. He does a prosperous manufacturing business, his goods having an established reputation and much in demand. He has also become heavily interested in local real estate, owns about one hun- dred and fifty lots at Highland Park, also a tract of thirty-five acres adjoining Belleville, laid out in lots for manufacturing and residence sites, known as the "L. M. Yoder Addition". He has also erected several modern dwellings and has given an impetus to building operations in Belleville by his energy and enterprise. He is also interested in the auto- mobile business, having a garage in Belleville thirty-two by one hundrd and five feet. He is a capable, energetic man of business, and varied as are his interests, he is easily master of every detail and always the master of every situation occurring in any department of his affairs. He is a Progressive Republican, but has never sought or accepted public office. He is a member of the Amish Mennonite church and in all things an honorable, upright Christian gentleman.
He married in 1885, Annie Hartzler, born in Menno township, Mif- flin county, daughter of Menno S. Hartzler and his wife Mary King, now of Menno township. Children: I. Lena, graduate of Belleville high school, attended Goshen College, now a student at Defiance, Ohio, taking a course in domestic science. 2. Nellie, married John Detweiter, of Belleville. 3. Chester, educated at Belleville high school and Goshen College and has been assistant secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association work at Burnham. 4. Trella, now a student at Belleville high school, class of 1913. 5. Harry, at home. 6. Dorothy, at home.
The ancestor of the Pennsylvania families of Pan-
PANNEBAKER nebecker, Pannebaker, Pennybaker and Penny- packer, was Hendrick Pannebecker, a Dutch pa- troon. He founded a family that includes a governor of Pennsylvania, a state senator of Virginia, a major-general of Pennsylvania, a state treasurer of Tennessee, a state agent of Kentucky, and sent into the Union army during the war between the states two generals, four
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colonels, twenty-two other commissioned officers and many privates, including in all one hundred and forty-eight men.
Hendrick (sometimes called Heinrich) Pannebecker was born in the village of Flomborn, on the Rhine, not far from the city of Worms, March 21, 1674; although born in Germany, he was of Dutch lineage, his ancestors having moved from Holland to Flomborn, a village of five hundred souls, a large proportion of them being named Pannebecker. The name is of Dutch origin, signifying "a maker of titles". The exact date of his coming to Pennsylvania is not known, but it was soon after the first thirteen Dutch and German families had founded the settle- ment at Germantown. The first record of him is of his marriage at Germantown in 1699 to Eve Umstat, daughter of Hans Peter and Bar- bara Umstat, who arrived on the "Francis and Dorothy" from Crefield in 1685. In 1702 he settled on a tract of two hundred acres purchased from Matthias Van Bebber in the deed dated December 25, 1702, to which he added two hundred and four acres in 1708. He spoke fluently the three languages of his community, Dutch, German and English ; was a competent surveyor and wrote deeds and other legal papers in both German and English. For the Penns he surveyed the manors of Mana- tawney, Gilberts and others, also laying out most of the roads in that part of Philadelphia county, now constituting the county of Montgomery. He became a large land owner, holding title to four thousand seven hun- dred and seventy-two acres and was a prominent figure in his com- munity. He was the spokesman for his countrymen in all matters with the proprietory and provincial government and is referred to in a num- ber of recorded instruments as "gentleman". He died April 4, 1754, his large estate being divided among his children. His wife Eve was a granddaughter of Nicholas Umstat, who died at Crefield on the Rhine, October 4, 1682. Her father, Hans Peter Umstat, came with his wife Barbara and three children, Johannes, Eve and Margaret, settling in Germantown. The Umstats brought with them from Crefield, a German Bible, published at Heidelberg in 1503, which has been owned in the family since 1652. Children of Hendrick and Eve Pannebecker: I. Martha, born June 15, 1700, died in September, 1761 ; married Anthony Van der Sluys (Vanderclise) and their son Henry was later sheriff of Berks county, a surveyor and conveyancer in the neighborhood of Perki- omen and Skippack. 2. Adolph, born 1708, died in May, 1789, like his
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four brothers he was a miller, lived and died in Limerick township. 3. Peter, of whom further. 4. John, born August 27, 1713, died June 14, 1784 ; married Annette Keyser, and became the ancestor of United States Senator Isaac S. Pennypacker, of Virginia. 5. Jacob, born 1715, died May 27, 1752; he married Margaret, daughter of Matthias and Barbara Sellen Tyson and granddaughter of Cornelius Tyson, who was born at Crefield, Germany, in 1652 and came to Germantown with his wife Margaret and several children. Jacob became the ancestor of ex-Gover- nor Samuel W. Pennypacker. 6. Henry, born 1717, died May 31, 1792; married Rebecca Kuster, also of a prominent early Germantown family. 7. Barbara, born in 1720, married Cornelius Tyson. S. Susanna, mar- ried Peter Keyser and lived in Worcester township, now Montgomery county.
(II) Peter, son of Hendrick and Eve (Umstat) Pannebecker, was born in Bebbers township, Philadelphia county. He was a miller by trade, associated with his brothers, marketing their product in Phila- delphia. He was born March 8, 1710, died June 28, 1770. He married Elizabeth Keyser, of a prominent Germantown family. He is the ances- tor of many descendants in eastern Pennsylvania and the Juniata Valley, bearing the name Pennypacker and Pannybaker.
(III) A son of Peter Pannebecker settled in Bucks county, where he lived and died a miller, operating a mill at a point long known as Pannebecker Mills, which at one period in the war was used by Washing- ton as a headquarters building. He married and had a son, William. (IV) William Pannebaker, grandson of Peter and Elizabeth (Key- ser) Pannebecker, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1772, died in Fermanagh township, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, about 1852. He was but a young boy during the revolution, but remembered the wounded men being brought in and laid on the kitchen floor, he after- ward helping to clear away the blood that flowed over the floor. He came to Fermanagh township in 1811 and until 1830 operated a saw mill. He also owned land which he cleared and cultivated. He married his cousin, Elizabeth Pannebecker, their descendants spelling the namne (as on the tombstone) Pannybaker. She was born in Bucks county in 1778, died in Fermanagh township, July 27. 1864. Children : Benjamin, Wil- liam, Jonas, Moses, Joseph, of whom further; and Hannah, who died in Illinois.
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(V) Joseph, son of William and Elizabeth Pannebaker, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, died in 1853. He was brought to Fermanagh township, Juniata county, in 1811, and there passed his life as a farmer. He was a Whig in politics and a member of the German Baptist church (Dunkard) ; his wife was a Lutheran. He married Magdelene Wert, born in Union county, Pennsylvania, in 1805, died in Fermanagh township in 1846. Children : Philip, deceased; Ann Eliza, married John G. Hackenberger, of Juniata county ; Daniel, of whom further ; Mary, deceased ; Joseph ; Rebecca, deceased; Moses and John.
(VI) Daniel, son of Joseph and Magdalene (Wert) Pannebaker, was born in Fermanagh township, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, No- vember 23, 1834. He attended public school and assisted at the home farm until nineteen years of age. He then began learning the black- smith's trade. After finishing his years of apprenticeship he located in Mifflintown, where he conducted a shop until about 1897. when he en- gaged in the hardware business, retiring in 1911. He has been success- ful in business and is highly respected in his community. Ile was a Democrat in politics until 1897, since which date he has acted with the Republican party. In 1862 he enlisted in Company I, 126th Regiment. Pennsylvania Infantry, serving nine months. In 1864 he reënlisted in Company E, IoIst Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry, and served until the close of the war between the states, receiving an honorable discharge. He is a member of Lieutenant D. H. Wilson Post, No. 134, Grand Army of the Republic and of Mifflintown Lodge, No. 131, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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