USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Juniata Valley and its people, Volume III > Part 20
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In the year 1884 Mr. Starr married Miss Jennie McGarvey. Mr. and Mrs. Starr had six children: Amanda, Hilda, Lawrence, Lea, Herbert and Dallas. Mrs. Starr is deceased.
HENDERSON Sprung from Irish stock, the Henderson family of Huntingdon county has been in this country for a number of generations. Robert Henderson, the immigrant ancestor, came from County Derry, Ireland, to this country during the revolutionary war. He reared a family of nine sons and one daughter. He settled first in Chester county, and later moved to what is now Center county.
(I) David Henderson, the first of the family of whom we have more detailed information, was born in Taylor township, Center county, Pennsylvania, in Bald Eagle Valley. Like his father he learned the trade of shoemaking, and followed this successfully for a long period of time. For a while he was located in Franklin township, and lived
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in various other places. He supplied the employes of neighboring forges with their footwear, which was an important contract at a time when all work had to be done by hand. He finally abandoned this business in favor of farming and retired to his farm near Spruce Creek. Later he removed to Spruce Creek, where he died, October 7, 1882, at the age of eighty-six years. In 1821 he married Margaret Jane, daughter of and Elizabeth Conrad, who died April 10, 1877. They had children: 1. Elizabeth, married Daniel Waite. 2. Robert L., was a farmer, and died in Spruce Creek township, Huntingdon county, at the age of seventy-four years. 3. Isabella, died at Tyrone; married John G. Waite. 4. Mary .L., never married, and died in May, 1911, at the age of eighty-nine years. 5. Thomas K., a farmer, and at one time sheriff of Huntingdon county, died at Warriors Mark, aged seventy- four years. 6. Samuel C., a farmer, died near Birmingham, Huntingdon county. 7. Margaret Jane, married the Hon. Samuel Dysart, and both died in Lee county, Illinois. He was commissioner of agriculture, and in 1900 represented the United States Agricultural Department in Paris, France. 8. John, died in infancy about 1842. 9. David Porter, see forward.
(II) David Porter, son of David and Margaret Jane (Conrad) Henderson, was born in the house in which he has since lived, in Frank- lin township, now Spruce Creek township, Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, April 8, 1839. He was educated in the public school in the vicinity, and from his early years devoted himself to agricultural inter- ests. He enlisted, August 7, 1862, in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth regiment, and was honorably discharged May 18, 1863. The battles in which he participated were those of Antietam and Chan- cellorsville. Because of his civil war record he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. After his marriage he rented the home farm for one year, and purchased it in 1867. This consisted of one hundred and sixty-five acres in Spruce Creek township, and he has added to it, so that it now consists of one hundred and eighty acres. He has kept the old buildings in an excellent state, and has had the barn remodeled. He is a supporter of the Democratic party, and has filled very acceptably a number of local offices. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a trustee since about 1875.
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Mr. Henderson married, February 15, 1865, Esther Jane Stover, born on Eden Hill, Spruce Creek township, December 28, 1848. She is the daughter of Jacob Stover, born in Blair county, Pennsylvania, who later engaged in farming in Huntingdon county, where his death occurred. He married Mary Waite, who was born and died in Hunting- don county. Jacob and Mary (Waite) Stover were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and had children: John, Miles and Emory, all living in Huntingdon county; Susan, deceased, married John H. Wallace; Frances, deceased, married George Bribenbaugh; Esther Jane, mentioned above; Mary, married F. Pierce Gray, and lives in Center county, Pennsylvania. Children of David Porter and Esther Jane (Stover) Henderson: I. Mary Belle, married (first) Oscar L. Borst, of Spruce Creek, Huntingdon county; (second) Newton Neidigh, a farmer, and they live near State College, Center county, Pennsylvania. 2. Charles Milton, a farmer near Meringo, Center county, Pennsyl- vania, married Cynthia Rider. 3. Warren M., see forward. 4. Eliza- beth, married Rush Horrell, and lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 5. John S., is a farmer on the old homestead; he married (first) Dora Houtz, and (second) Edith Miller. 6. Cora Ella, married Wilson Gramling, a farmer, and lives at Ashley, Indiana. 7. Esther, married Walter L. Scultz, a merchant and farmer of Spruce Creek. 8. William Wallace, a clerk; he is unmarried.
(III) Warren M. Henderson, son of David Porter and Esther Jane (Stover) Henderson, was born in Spruce Creek township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1869. His early life was spent on the homestead farm, and his education was commenced in the public schools of that locality. Later he took up studies in Juniata College and West Chester State Normal School. When seventeen years of age he began teaching, following that profession four years in Franklin and Warriors Mark townships. He entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1890, at Pittsburgh. In 1901 he entered the Dickinson Law School at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, also studying under John W. Wetzel, of the bar of Cumberland county. He was graduated from the law school, June 4, 1894, and was admitted to the Cumberland county bar. On July 2, of the same year, he was admitted to the bar of Hunting- don county, beginning to practice there the following month. He has been practicing there constantly since that time, and by his honorable
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and upright course in his legal dealings, has won for himself the respect of the court and the trust and confidence of a large clientele. He is a member of the Huntingdon County Bar Association, and politically a Democrat. He has served as borough attorney and as sheriff's attorney, and for a time was chairman of the Democratic County Committee. He is a member of the Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 300, Free and Ac- cepted Masons ; Standing Stone Chapter, No. 201, Royal Arch Masons ; Juniata Lodge, No. 117, of Huntingdon, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Henderson married, June 22, 1897, Elizabeth, daughter of Abra- ham and Susan Heffner, natives of Huntingdon, and they have children : Robert Heffner, born July 13, 1898; and Elizabeth, born July 5, 1907.
The Noltes of the Juniata Valley came to the United States
NOLTE from Germany, the emigrant ancestor being George (I) Nolte, who came with wife and family in 1848, settling in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, about 1850. He was a cooper by trade, an honorable, industrious man, who spent his quarter century of American life in Huntingdon county, and there died prior to 1870. He had children: George (2) of further mention; John, whose inter- esting and successful career is traced in another Nolte sketch in this work ; Nicholas, and Mary.
(II) George (2), son of George (1) Nolte, was born in Germany, in 1820, there was educated, and learned the trade of cooper. He came to the United States with his father, and settled in Huntingdon county, where he followed his trade of cooper, learned the trade of stone mason and worked in a brewery. He was accidentally killed on the Pennsyl- vania railroad at Tipton, Blair county, Pennsylvania, and is buried in Huntingdon. Both he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. He married Elizabeth Cough : children: Martha, never mar- ried : Henry, died October 27, 1912, in Harrisburg, a Pennsylvania rail- road conductor, married and left issue Ella and Hughes; John, now a train dispatcher for the Pennsylvania railroad, located at Altoona, Penn- sylvania, he married Laura Wharton; George (3), of whom further.
(III) George (3), son of George (2) and Elizabeth (Cough) Nolte. was born at Lewistown, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1860. He was educated in the public schools of Huntingdon, and when a young man was em-
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ployed in the Cambria Steel Works at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In 1880 he entered the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad, serving six years as assistant conductor and for the past twenty-four years as conductor. He is an old and trusted employee of the company and has fairly won the respect and confidence of his official superiors and of those who are under his orders. He is a member of the Lutheran church; the order of Pennsylvania Railroad Conductors, the Pennsylvania Railroad Relief Association, the Pennsylvania Railroad Old Veterans' Associa- tion, and the Patriotic Order Sons of America. He married, June 21, 1888, Flora May, daughter of Samuel and Rachel (Ayres) Dickson. Samuel Dickson is a fireman on the Pennsylvania railroad.
The Bayers came to the United States from Germany, BAYER where for many generations they had been seated. The emigrant ancestor settled in Maryland, from whence came John Bayer when a young man. His father was a farmer of Maryland and reared a large family including sons: John. Joseph, Daniel, Henry, and George; and daughters: Mary, Susan, Nancy, Katherine, Hannah, and Barbara.
John Bayer, born in Washington, Maryland, there was educated and learned the trade of miller. On coming to Pennsylvania he settled in Franklin county, where he married and lived until his death, February 27. 1875. He married, in Franklin county, Mary Ann Miller, born there and died May 25, 1880, daughter of Daniel and Margaret Miller, both of German parentage-he a farmer of Franklin county; she had brothers Adam and Levi, and sisters Katherine, Eve, Elizabeth and Margaret. Children of John and Mary Ann (Miller) Bayer: I. John, died aged four years. 2. Sarah, died aged sixteen years. 3. David B., a tile manufacturer of Bellefontaine. Ohio. 4. Joseph M., died in 1911, at Tyrone, Pennsylvania, a wholesale grocer. 5. Adam M., a farmer of Bellefontaine, Ohio. 6. Henry, a farmer of Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. 7. Margaret Jane, born in Franklin county, Pennsyl- vania. March 29, 1859. She was educated in the public schools, and for several years resided at home after reaching womanhood. In 1897 she opened a ladies' drygoods and notion store in Huntingdon, where she proved an eminently capable, enterprising and successful business woman. In 1907 she erected her present store building, a structure fifty
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by fifty feet, three stories in height. She is a member of the Reformed church, and interested in the woman's department of church and social life. Miss Bayer is unmarried. 8. Theodore F., of whom further notice will be found in this work.
Ireland herein records another contribution to the con-
STEEL monwealth of Pennsylvania in the Steel family of Hunting- don county. The member of the family who first came to America was Samuel Steel, a merchant. He located in Huntingdon county at an early date and there founded the present family. Both he and his wife were members of the United Presbyterian church. He married Jane McCartney, also a native of Ireland. Children: I. Peggy, married David Blair, a minister of the Presbyterian faith. 2. Betsey, married John Williamson, a lawyer. 3. John, a physician of Hunting- don. 4. George, of whom further. 5. David.
(II) George, son of Samuel and Jane ( McCartney) Steel, was born in Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in 1814, died there April 23, 1872. He obtained his education in the public schools of the place of his birth and early in life engaged in mercantile dealing, later entering the lumber business, which he followed all his life. He was a Republican in politics, and served one term as postmaster. Both he and his wife were members and regular attendants of the Presbyterian church. He married Elizabeth McMurtie, born September 25, 1814, died November 9, 1891, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Elliott) McMurtie, natives of England, he a farmer, who came to America about the last of the eighteenth century. They were married in 1791, and were both members of the Presbyterian church. Politically he was a sympathizer with the Tory party. Children of James and Elizabeth (Elliott) McMurtie: Sarah, married a Mr. Garmer : Martha, mar- ried Jesse March; Elizabeth (of previous mention), married George Steel; Ellen, married Robert McCoy ; Mary, married Dr. John McCul- len, a physician of Huntingdon; David, a farmer ; William, a farmer of Shavers Creek, Pennsylvania; Charles, a farmer of Shavers Creek : Elliott (deceased), a farmer. Children of George and Elizabeth (McMurtie ) Steel: I. Elizabeth Jane, born October 3. 1843, married Milton Libel. a historian. 2. Samuel Aston (deceased), born 1844, for six years prothonotary of Huntingdon. 3. Mary E., born Feb-
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ruary 25, 1846, married J. C. Carroll (deceased). 4. Martha, born March 17, 1848, married E. T. Swain, a druggist of Renovo, Pennsyl- vania. 5. George Given, of whom further.
(III) George Given, youngest child of George and Elizabeth (McMurtie) Steel, was born in Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania, April 17, 1856. He was educated in a private school taught by Mr. Welch, and later attended the academy for several years. His entire life has been spent in Huntingdon, where he has successfully engaged in lumber dealing with his father, the grocery business, and the wholesale distribution of ice cream, from all of which he has retired and at the present time ( 1913) is serving as solicitor for the Huntingdon National Bank, a position he ably and efficiently fills. He is a Re- publican in politics, and for six years served the county as prothonotary. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church, while fra- ternally he is affiliated with the Order of Heptasophs.
He married, February 17, 1876, Ida T., daughter of John W. Mat- terson, a lawyer, and Harriet (Snyder) Matterson. Children of George Given and Ida T. Steel: I. Harriet, born December, 1876; married Theodore Humphreys, an engineer in the employ of the H. B. Smith Company ; children : George E. and Theodore Frank. 2. Mary Cath- erine, born May 1, 1878. 3. John Matterson, born June 26, 1880, a physician of Huntingdon. 4. Addie, died in childhood. 5. Carlotto, born February 4, 1884, died in childhood. 6. Irene, born August 2, 1885 ; married W. B. Fretchey, a commercial salesman of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 7. Letta J., born January 18, 1887; married Earl B. Swoope, a railroad crew checker at Altoona, Pennsylvania. 8. James Richard, born May 16, 1891, employee of Equitable Life Insurance Company. 9. Edmina, born June 28, 1893, a graduate of the normal course, Juniata College; a school teacher. 10. Virginia, born March 5, 1900, died in infancy. II. David Elliott, born April 2, 1901, attends school.
BALDWIN Baldwin is an old name and appears as early as 672 A. D. It appears on the "Roll of Battle Abbey" and has been a common name in both England and America for many years. The founder of the family to which this branch be- longs was John Baldwin, who came from Oxfordshire, England, about
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1682, settling in Aston township, Chester (now Delaware) county, Pennsylvania. He followed his trade of carpenter there for many years, then moved to Chester, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in mer- cantile life, acquiring a large and valuable estate. He was a member of the Society of Friends, as was his wife, Catherine Carter, who, when married to John Baldwin, 4 mo. 4. 1689, was the "widow Turner." The line of descent was through John (2) Baldwin, who married 4 mo. II, 1719, Hannah Johnson. Their son, John (3) Baldwin, married 9 mo. 9, 1743, Ann Pierce, and in 1751 settled in East Caln township, Chester county, on a tract of land ( five hundred acres ) purchased by his grand- father in 1702.
(V) Robert, a grandson of John (3) Baldwin, was born in Chester, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. He purchased a farm there when twenty-two years of age and there lived until his death at age of ninety years. He left three sons: Francis H., died unmarried in Delaware county, a carpenter; Robert Porter, of whom further; William, a ser- geant of artillery, serving in thirty engagements during the war between the states, died in the state of Washington.
(VI) Robert Porter, son of Robert Baldwin, was born in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, on the Baldwin homestead, there grew to man- hood and learned the miller's trade. When a young man he moved to Mifflin county, where he followed his trade, operating a mill near Mif- flintown. He married about 1859, and two years later enlisted in the Union army, serving in Company I, in a regiment of Pennsylvania volun- teer infantry until the close of the war, when he was honorably dis- charged. After the war he again engaged in milling at Mifflintown, but finally returned to the old home in Delaware county, where he pur- chased a part of the old homestead and there lived until his death. He was independent in politics and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married (first) Martha Warner, who died in 1871. He married (second) Mary Knisely, of Lewistown, Pennsylvania. Chil- dren by first marriage: George B. McClellan, a bricklayer and con- tractor of Westchester, Pennsylvania ; Francis, of whom further ; James, died aged twenty-seven years ; a child, died in infancy.
(VII) Francis, son of Robert Porter and Martha (Warner) Bald- win, was born at Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1866. He was educated in the public schools there and at "Thornbury Western"
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in Delaware county. At about the age of seventeen years he began learning the tailor's trade in Westchester and after becoming proficient worked as a journeyman tailor in several Pennsylvania towns. In the fall of 1892 he moved to Huntingdon and there started in business for himself. He was first located on Penn street, but later moved to his present place of business on Fifth street, where he is well established and successful. He is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 300, Free and Accepted Masons; Standing Stone Chapter No. 201, Royal Arch Masons; Huntingdon Commandery No. 65, Knights Templar; Jaffa Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Patriotic Order Sons of America; the Royal Arcanum; and is a communicant of St. John's Protestant Episcopal church.
He married, in February, 1889, Bertha, daughter of Jacob Taylor, of Westchester, Pennsylvania; children: Edna M., resides at home; Anna T., now studying kindergarten systems in a training school for teachers at Baltimore, Maryland; Francis (2), graduate of Huntingdon high school, class of 1914.
The Stryker family, of which William Shaw Stryker,
STRYKER of Alexandria, Pennsylvania, is a representative, is descended from two brothers, who came over from Holland more than two and a half centuries ago and settled in New York. One was Peter, the lineal ancestor of William Shaw Stryker, and the other was John, who settled in New Jersey. Peter located in Long Island, where his descendants may still be found. The Strykers were actively patriotic in revolutionary times. One of the family, General William S. Stryker, was adjutant-general of New Jersey during the civil war.
(I) John Stryker was born, reared and married in New Jersey. He was a poor man at the time of his marriage and, some time after this event, with all his worldly property in an old wagon, which was drawn by two blind horses, he moved to Huntingdon county and made his home at Shavers Creek. So industrious and energetic a man was he that, at the time of his death, he was able to give each of his sons a fine farm, with the exception of Joseph, who preferred to take the value of it in a fine education. For some years prior to his decease John Stryker lived in Logan township. He married Elizabeth Thompson, of
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New Jersey, and they had children: 1. Thompson, died in Blair county. 2. Peter, see forward. 3. Samuel, a farmer, died in California. 4. Mahlon, died at Shavers Creek Valley. 5. Joseph, studied law and was engaged in legal practice in Washington, District of Columbia, for a nun1- ber of years. For six years he held the office of consul at Pernambuco, Brazil, and he died in Washington. 6. William, died on the home- stead near Petersburg. 7. Eliza, married Adam Lightner, and died at Grafton, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. 8. Mary, married Adamı Leffard, and died at McVeytown, Pennsylvania. 9. Amelia, married Judge Perry, and died in Missouri. 10. Caroline, married Lewis Light- ner, and died in Illinois.
(II) Peter, son of John and Elizabeth (Thompson) Stryker, was born at Shavers Creek, West township, Pennsylvania, in 1820, and died March 9, 1858. He grew up on the farm, attending school during the winter months. About 1841 he purchased a farm in Porter township from the heirs of his father, and resided on that until his death. He was an influential citizen, and active in the interests of the Whig party, and was selected to fill a number of local public offices. As a member and elder of the Presbyterian church, he did good service in the cause of religion, and his loss was deeply felt by the entire community. He contracted a cold while engaged in active work, and succumbed to this at the end of one week. Mr. Stryker married Jane Newell, who died March 7, 1886, and is buried beside her husband in the cemetery at Alexandria. She was the daughter of Andrew and Margaret ( Dorris) Newell, both natives of Ireland, who came to America in 1812 and settled in Huntingdon county. He engaged in farming, of which he made a decided success. They were both members of the Presbyterian church. They had children: William, a farmer, who died in Illinois ; Thomas, in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, died in Huntingdon; Dorris, a physician, who died in Chicago; John, a car- penter, died in Iowa ; Alexander, lives in Mercer county, Pennsylvania ; Jane, mentioned above; Mary, married J. E. Harper, and died in Hunt- ingdon county ; Ellen, married R. M. Hewitt, and died in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Stryker had children: Mary, died in infancy; John, died in infancy; William Shaw, see forward; Alice, died in infancy; Lizzie, died at the age of sixteen years; Mar-
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garet, unmarried, lives with her brother, William Shaw; Lydia, married John Huyett, and lives in Philadelphia.
(III) William Shaw, son of Peter and Jane ( Newell) Stryker, was born in Porter township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1851. He was educated in the public schools of Porter township and of Alexandria, and for one term was a student at the Millersville State Normal School. He was not yet seven years of age at the time of the death of his father, and, upon leaving the normal school, at once engaged in teaching, an activity he continued for a period of two years. He then took charge of the homestead farm, on which he lived until 1913, when he sold this property and retired to private life in Alex- andria. October 12, 1892, his barn was destroyed by fire, together with one thousand bushels of wheat, thirty tons of hay, and a considerable amount of other property; the barn was rebuilt the following spring. For many years he has served as an elder of the Presbyterian church, of which his wife is also a member. He has been active in the ranks of the Republican party, and has served a number of terms as school director and as supervisor.
Mr. Stryker married in Porter township, January 19, 1882, Mary, daughter of Samuel and Eliza Hatfield, he an old iron master. Chil- dren: 1. Mabel, taught music for three years at Bellevue, New Jersey ; married Chalmers Brumbaugh, and lives in Baltimore, Maryland. 2. Annie, taught school one year; married Edward Black, and lives in Brooklyn, New York. He is a missionary, and they have one son: Robert. 3. Ella, has been a teacher in Mississippi for the last three years, making a specialty of music and physical culture. 4. Eliza, un- married, lives with her parents. 5. Mary, was graduated from the music department of the Indiana Normal School.
Allen Cutshall, of Three Springs, Huntingdon county, CUTSHALL Pennsylvania, descends from an old German family of the same name, long established in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Caspar Cutshall emigrated from his native place, Wür- temberg, Germany, to the province of Maryland in America about 1700. He was a learned man, and was quite an acquisition to the colony at that time. He married in Maryland, reared a large family, and died in
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Frederick county, a highly respected member of the community. Among his descendants was Conrad, of whom further.
(1) Conrad Cutshall was born about 1740, in Frederick county, Maryland. His name appears on the roster of the soldiers furnished by Frederick county to the Continental army in 1776, thus it is known that he espoused the cause of the colonies against Great Britain. In 1800 he moved from Maryland to Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and located in what is now known as Springfield township. He either took up or purchased from the state a large body of wild land. He cleared, fenced, erected houses of logs, and planted grain the first year,- a feat in those days. Later he acquired more land, and when he died he was able to bequeath to each of his children a farm. He married Hannah Morrison, daughter of John Morrison, of Frederick county, Maryland, where she was born. John Morrison was also a soldier of the revolution, and was wounded in the battle of Brandywine. He was an important man, owning much land and many slaves. Among the children of Conrad and Hannah ( Morrison) Cutshall was Peter, of whom further.
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