USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Biographical annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families > Part 47
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became the mother of four children. Cath- erine married John Jacobs, of Middlesex township.
Michael Garman was born in Dauphin county Sept. 24, 1835, and was brought to Cumberland county when only three years of age, being reared within its confines, and re- ceiving a fair education at the schools of Silver Spring township. After attaining his majority he married Hannah Susan ( Al- bright) Garman, widow of his brother Ben- jamin, and assumed the care of his three children, caring for them as though they were his own. Six children were born to himself and wife: Emma married H. A. Thomman, a farmer of Middlesex township. Benjamin F. is our subject. George mar- ried Miss Anna Burget, and is now living in Frankford township, and they have eight children. Suvillia married John Young, lives in Plainfield, Pa., and has eight chil- dren. Alice married Clayton Snell, of Silver Spring township, and they have two chil- dren. Ida married Leonard W. Ziegler, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere.
Benjamin F. Garman was educated at Fairview Hall school, Silver Spring town- ship, attending there until he was about eighteen years of age. After leaving school he worked on the farm for his father until he was twenty-nine years of age.
On March 18, 1888, Mr. Garman was married to Miss Susan Zeigler, daughter of Andrew and Mary (Gutshall) Zeigler, of Middlesex township, and two children were born to them, Verda May and Jessie, both of whom are at home. Mrs. Garman died April 30, 1903, deeply lamented by her fam- ily and a wide circle of friends. Mr. Gar- man has been a member of the Lutheran Church since boyhood, and is a very active worker in that body. He has allied himself with the Democratic party, and was elected
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school director, but refused to qualify, pre- ferring to devote his time to his children. All of his life he has followed farming, and at present makes his home on his fine farm of 148 acres, the greater portion of which is under cultivation and in an excellent condi- tion. All of his life he has been industrious. working hard and practicing thrift in his daily life. As a result success has crowned his efforts, and he is to-day numbered among the solid, reliable men of his township.
CHRISTOPHER HARMAN, J. P., of Mt. Holly Springs, Cumberland county, Pa .. is a native of South Middleton township, born April 30, 1839. His parents, George and Julia (Baker ) Harman, were natives of York county, the father born in ISoo, son of Philip Harman. The great-grandfather of our subject, whose name is not known, was the founder of the family in Cumber- land county, coming here from Germany, and settling first in York county, but later in South Middleton township, Cumberland county, where he rcared his family and, passed away.
Philip Harman, the grandfather, was born and reared in York county, Pa., where he married, but later came to Cumberland county, and here spent the remainder of his life. He lived to be about seventy-five years of age, and his remains are interred in the old burying-ground at Mt. Holly Springs, where his wife is also buried. The following children were born to them: George, Philip, Henry, John, Sarah, Rebecca, Louisa, Katie, Catherine, Elizabethi.
George Harman, the father, was born in York county, where he passed his boyhood days, but when he was about eigh- teen or twenty he came to Cumberland coun- ty, and spent the remainder of his life within its confines. He was a cooper by trade, and
followed that calling in early life. but later engaged in farming, fmally retiring. His death occurred at the age of seventy-three years. He was a man who took a deep in- terest in the welfare of the community, and was successful financially. Being a self- made man, he deserved all the more credit for the success he attained to, for he started out at the very bottom of the ladder. He was an attendant upon the services of the United Brethren Church, of which his wife was a member. She died aged sixty-six years. Both are interred at Mt. Holly Springs cemetery. The following children were born to them: Christopher: Jacob, a resident of Harrisburg, employed in the Mc- Cormick Iron Works: George, a resident of Mt. Holly Springs, where he is engaged in farming; Barbara, deceased, wife of Samuel Shaeffer, of Boiling Springs; Philip. a re- tired farmer of Mt. Holly Springs: William A., a resident of Mt. Holly Springs, who is in the lumber and coal trade at Mt. Zion, Cumberland county, Pa .; John, a salesman of Mt. Holly Springs ; and Sally, who mar- ried John Kutz, a farmer of Cumberland county.
Christopher Harman was reared upon the farm until he was eighteen years of age. and was educated in the public schools. At the age of eighteen he entered a mercantile establishment at Boiling Springs, and for two years served as clerk. He then moved to Mansfield, Richland county, Ohio, and spent the following two years farming. The Civil war had burst upon the country, and the patriotic zeal of the young man was so great that in August, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, ist Ohio Squadron of Cavalry. He participated in battles and skirmishes in eastern Kentucky and western Virginia, and later was in Sherman's famous march to the sea.
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During his long service he was never wounded or taken prisoner, and was mus- tered out in August, 1865. He then re- turned to Cumberland county, to his old home at Mt. Holly Springs, and engaged in business on his own account as a general merchant, and for twenty-five years he con- ducted a first-class establishment upon an extensive scale. At the expiration of his quarter of a century in this line he sold his business to his brother Philip, and retired from active life for a time. But he is too energetic a man to remain idle long, and he was soon engaged in conducting another business, that of quarrying sand and clay, in which he is still interested. In 1895 he ac- cepted the position of superintendent and treasurer of the Mt. Holly Springs Water Works, of which he is still the incumbent. He is serving his third term as justice of the peace at Mt. Holly Springs. He has also been a member of the school board, and of the borough council, and for five years was secretary of the board of health. He has served as a member of the county com- mittee and has always been a leading and active Republican. Mr. Harman is also a successful and progressive farmer, and in every respect is one of the representative men of Cumberland county. Naturally he is a great G. A. R. man, and is a member of Kennedy Post, No. 490, of which he is past commander. He has served as delegate upon several occasions to the G. A. R. encampments. As a justice he has a clean record for judicial and thoughtful de- cisions, and during the many years he has held this office but two of his decisions have been reversed.
In June, 1867, Mr. Harman was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Reed, daugh- ter of Nathaniel Reed, of Newville. They have the following interesting children :
William A., Jr., a resident of Mt. Holly Springs, married Miss Shefler, and has chil- dren, Pauline and Jenette; Minnie married Harry Butterori, of Mt. Holly Springs, a baker; Nettie married Grant Good, of Ben- dersville, a telegraph operator ; Ida, the wife of Abraham Herr, died leaving a child, H. Ray, who lives with our subject; Sara, Bertha and Nellie Wier are unmarried and at home. The family are all consistent and active members of the Methodist Church, of which Mr. Harman is recording steward, and he also holds the office of steward in that organization. Few men are more highly esteemed than Squire Harman, as he is familiarly called, and he and his most ex- cellent wife have many friends throughout Cumberland county, and even over the State.
WILLIAM BATCHELOR (deceased ) was born in England, and came to America when about forty years of age. In 1889 he married Mary Ann Snyder, of Mt. Holly Springs, daughter of Abraham and Jane Snyder.
Abraham Snyder was born in Adams county, and learned the tanning trade, and settled at Mt. Holly Springs in 1868, where he lived retired, dying in 1882; his wife died in 1893, both passing away at Mt. Holly Springs. Their children were: Wil- liam, who lives on the hill road at Mt. Holly : John, Philip and James, who are also resi- dents, on the hill road ; Libby and Mary Ann. twins, the former marrying Albert Myers, who lives on the hill.
After their marriage William Batchelor and wife took up their residence at No. 107 Pine street, Mt. Holly Springs, which he had purchased a few years prior to his mar- riage, and made into a very comfortable home. For a quarter of a century this truly good man was an employe of the Mt. Holly
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Paper Company, becoming in time boss of the rag room, a position he was ably filling at his death, which occurred in 1895. from paralysis, and his remains were laid to rest in the beautiful Mt. Holly cemetery.
Mr. Batchelor was a well educated man. fond of reading, and he spent many happy hours among his beloved books. Fratern- ally he was a member of the K. of P. Lodge of Mt. Holly, and was very popular in that body. Both he and his excellent wife were consistent members of the Methodist Church of Mt. Holly Springs. In England he was a local preacher, and after coming to this country, he took a great interest in Sunday School and church work, and in every way endeavored to follow the teachings of the Master. In his death Mt. Holly Springs lost one of its best citizens, the church a faithful worker, and his family its honored head.
JACOB GARVER (deceased) was one of the well known and successful farmers of York and Cumberland counties for a period of forty years. He was born in Fairview township, York Co., Pa., Aug. 12, 1823, a son of Christian and Nancy ( Hursh) Garver.
Jacob Garver was reared to manhood on his father's farm and secured the ordinary district school education of the day. As his parents were well-to-do, he was given rather better advantages than many others. but was put at farm work as soon as old enough, and he remained with his father until his marriage, Dec. 24, 1846, to Miss Elizabeth Musselman. She was born April 24, 1828, at New Kingston, Cumberland county, where she was educated, and was a daughter of Samuel and Anna ( Eberly) Musselman, the former of whom was born in Lancaster county. The mother of Mrs. Garver was born in East Pennsboro town-
ship, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Eberly. Samuel Musselman was a farmer near New Kingston, to which place he re- tired some years prior to the close of his life, dying there in 1874, at the age of sev- enty-five years; he was survived by his widow for ten years. The children of San- uel Musselman and his wife were as fol- lows: John, who married Margaret Musser, and died in Mechanicsburg; Elizabeth, who became the wife of Jacob Garver; Anna, who married William Senseman, of New Kings- ton; and Simon, who located at Dayton, Ohio.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Garver settled on his farm in Fairview township, York county, where they lived for fifteen years. They then removed to a farm just north of New Cumberland, where Mr. Garver continued to carry on agricul- tural pursuits, with much success, for twenty- five years. Forty years is a long time to continue active work as a farmer, and at the close of this period, which had been one of prosperity and of much enjoyment to him, in spite of its many hardships, he retired to New Cumberland, where he resided until his death, Aug. 6, 1899.
In his death the M. E. Church lost a faith- ful member and officer and a liberal sup- porter. He served for many years as steward and trustee and set an example of true Christianity. Mrs. Garver also joined the church with her husband, soon after mar- riage, and she has always been one of its active and useful members. Mr. Garver was a domestic man, taking pleasure in his own fireside with his books, papers and family. Although he voted regularly the Republican ticket, believing in its principles, he never sought office.
Children as follows were born to Jacob Garver and his wife : Catherine, Mrs. Charles
JACOB GARVER.
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Kutz, of Middlesex township, Cumberland county ; Lizzie, who is at home; John MI., who married Lizzie Beck and moved to Aberdeen, Kans. : Mary. married to Geral- dus Hartman, of Mechanicsburg; Samuel, who married Cora Grove. of Valley Center, Kans. ; Benjamin, who married Annie Hartz- ler and resides in New Cumberland; and Carrie, wife of Edward Snavely, of Spar- rows Point, Maryland.
Christian Garver. father of Jacob Gar- ver, was born in Lancaster county, and his wife was a native of York county. After marriage he settled on a farm in Fairview township, York county, and died at New Market, whither he had retired after a long and busy life, aged seventy-five years. His wife was accidentally killed in a runaway some ten years previously. In religion both were Mennonites. Their children besides Jacob were: Christian. of New Cumberland ; Anna, who married John Musselman and died at Churchtown: Mary, who died un- married; Susan, Mrs. Samuel Eberly, who died in Cumberland county; and Fanny, who became the second wife of Samuel Eberly.
JOHN D. HIPPLE. one of the substan- tial and highly respected business men of Lower Allen township. Cumberland county, and one of the self-taught and self-made men of this locality, was born Sept. 12, 1859. at West Fairview, East Pennsboro township.
Jacob Hipple, father of our subject, was a nailer by occupation. but intending to set- tle down to farming. he purchased a farm in Dauphin county. One day, while assist- ing a river man with his flat boat, he was accidentally killed. He married twice, the two children of his first marriage being : Noah, a boat builder of West Fair- view ; and Susan. Mrs. Dennis Mu- shaw, of Hollidaysburg. His tragic
death left his second wife with three children, the eldest, our subject, being but five years old, and the others: Jacob, of West Fairview township, who married Lot- tie Wagner ; and Lizzie, Mrs. Daniel Knabe, of Williamsport. Pa. Later Mrs. Hipple contracted a second marriage, with Alexan- der De Vall, by whom she had two children : George, who married a Miss Hess; and Mary, who married George Robeson. Mrs. De Vall died in 1901. She was a devoted mother and possessed all the virtues of a good, Christian woman. For many years she was a member of the U. B. Church.
The early death of his father brought many hardships to our subject, and one of these was the deprivation of school privi- leges. Just as soon as he could command any wages, he went to work in the nail works at West Fairview, at six years old, being placed to watch the "self-feeders," and later he learned to feed the nails, at this job get- ting sixty-five cents a day. Later he went on the river, boating sand to McCormick's plate mill, and also got out sand for other parties. During the winter seasons he worked as puddler at West Fairview and at Harrisburg ; as nail feeder at Pittsburg and Northumberland, in all some seven years.
In 1889 Mr. Hipple came to his present location, and married Miss Fanny Eichel- berger, of East Pennsboro township, daugh- ter of Jacob and Susan Eichelberger. In 1893 he removed to Wormleysburg, renting a home and engaging in the hauling business. His beginning was with a $35 horse and a $15 wagon, and wherever he could get an order, he hauled sand or other commodities. As trade increased he and his most capable wife went into the woods and cut a sapling from which they fashioned a tongue for their old wagon, bought another old horse, and thus had a team. Such thrift brought its own re-
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ward, and the business continued to in- crease. Sometime afterward Mr. Hipple bought an old flat boat from Thomas Nolan and brother, builders who constructed the great railway bridge across the Susquehan- na river. and who formerly were his em- ployers. Considering his present many con- venient appliances and improved machinery, it is interesting to recall those early days when he had to depend alone upon his physi- cal strength. He would push the old flat boat into the river, and there load it up where the water was low. Business had prospered indeed with him, when he was able to build not only one new flat boat, but more, until now he owns eight flat boats, a steamboat and a dredge pump to take the place of the old work with a shovel. This modern dredge is worked by steam. It is seven years since Mr. Hipple began to take out coal from the bottom of the river and he now has appliances by which he can dredge the coal and dump it on the flat boats, man- aging it just as he does his operations in sand. He has thus built up a large coal trade. Mr. Hipple owns and uses ten head of horses and carts and wagons of all kinds, and has a business which is one of the flour- ishing ones of this locality. It gives him considerable solid satisfaction to know that his success has come entirely through his own efforts, he having had no assistance from any one, with the exception of his most es- timable wife. Mrs. Hipple has been a help- mate indeed, and deserves much credit.
In politics Mr. Hipple is a Republican. Fraternally he belongs to the Jr. O. U. A. M. and the Heptasophs.
JOHN S. DAVIDSON was for many years one of the most substantial citizens of West Pennsboro township, Cumberland county, where for over thirty years he made
his home on the farm now occupied by his widow.
Mr. Davidson was born March 2, 1829. in West Pennsboro township, son of Alex- ander Davidson and grandson of John Day- idson. His father was also a native of Cum- berland county. He settled on a farm in the Kerrsville district, and prospered in his ag- ricultural work so that he was enabled to add to his possessions until he owned five hundred acres. In 1858 he retired from ac- tive work, locating in Newville, where he and his wife passed the remainder of their days, Mr. Davidson dying Oct. 19, 1865, at the age of seventy-eight years. He married Miss Jane Woodburn, daughter of John and Jane Woodburn, of Dickinson township. Cumberland county, and she survived him a number of years, passing away Aug. 19. 1879, when eighty years and eight months old. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson were the pa- rents of eight children.
John S. Davidson received his early ed- ucation in the local schools, and supple- mented the instruction there received with study in the academy at Lititz, Lancaster Co., Pa. After starting life on his own ac- count he carried on merchandising at Plain- field, in West Pennsboro township, from 1851 to 1859. in the latter year abandoning mercantile pursuits and settling on his fine farm of 150 acres in the township, where he passed the remainder of his days. He died . there in 1891, and his widow has lived there ever since. The place was formerly owned by Rev. Joshua Williams, a Presbyterian minister, who built the handsome residence which still adorns the place. Mr. David- son was a successful business man, and, like his father, was a director of the First Na- tional Bank of Newville, of which at the time of his death he was president. He al- ways took a lively interest in public affairs,
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served many years on the township school board, and was appointed internal revenue assessor for the townships of Dickinson, West Pennsboro, and Frankford. His po- litical support was given to the Republican party.
On Jan. 1, 1856, Mr. Davidson was united in marriage with Miss Jane A. David- son, daughter of John Davidson, who was a native of West Pennsboro township. and there followed farming throughout his ac- tive years.
ABRAHAM STRICKLER. The Strickler family of Cumberland and Lan- caster counties is of German origin, and its members have all been honest, industrious citizens of temperate habits, in this the land of their ancestors' adoption.
Ulrich Strickler was born in Lancaster county, and came in his young manhood to South Middleton township. Cumberland county, where he followed agricultural pursuits, and where he died at the age of four score years. He married Catherine Hertzler. a native of Cum- berland county, and they had two sons, Abraham and John. Of these, John received a common school education in his native township ( South Middleton ), and there be- came the owner of a good farm ; he married Catherine Rull, a native of the same county, and their two children are: Ida, who mar- ried Herman Devinney ; and Emma.
Abraham Strickler was born in Middle- sex township, Cumberland county. July 15, 1834. His mother died when he was four years of age, thus depriving him of her tender care throughout practically his whole life, and as his father never remarried. his house being cared for by hired help, the lad knew nothing of a woman's influence in his early home life. He reeived such education
as the common schools of the neighborhood afforded, and he helped his father, who was an excellent farmer and business man, on the home farm until his own marriage. When his father died Abraham came into posses- sion of the farm, and there hie resided until his death, which occurred in 1887.
Abraham Strickler married Barbara Herr, daughter of Christian and Mary Herr, formerly of Lancaster county. She died May 17, 1899, and her remains, as well as those, of her husband, lie in the family lot on the old farmn. Their children were: Jacob Edwin, of Monroe township, who married Jennie Kitch, and has three children. Ruth Romaine, Cora Agnes and Clara Ellen ; Emma Grace and Mary Grace, twins, who live at Churchtown ; and Barbara Alice, who married Frank Greegor, and lives on a fine farm of 122 acres about four miles east of Carlisle.
Abraham Strickler was a Republican in politics. He was always interested in edu- cational affairs, and served many years as school director, for some time being treas- urer of the board. Both he and his wife were members of the Mennonite Church, and were much beloved by all who knew them.
JACOB EDWIN STRICKLER, the owner of a good farm in Monroe township. Cumberland county, where he is engaged in general farming and butter making, is a son of the late Abraham and Barbara ( Herr) Strickler. He was born in South Middle- ton township, in 1868, and there in the dis- trict schools acquired his education. Under the practical tuition of his father, he early became familiar with all kinds of farm work, so that by the time he attained his majority he was capable of managing wisely a farm on his own account. In 1903 he bought the old Jacob Snyder farm of forty acres of very
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fertile and productive land in Monroe town- ship. Moving thither he at once set about caring for it according to the most improved modern methods, and now has a most at- tractive place. He keeps a fine lot of cows. and makes a large quantity of high grade butter, attending regularly the Harrisburg market. Everything about his place is kept in perfect order. Like his father before him. he is a Mennonite in religion, belonging to the Church of that faith in Churchtown. He votes the Republican ticket.
Jacob E. Strickler has been twice mar- ried. On Sept. 26, 1888, he wedded Lizzie Albright, daughter of John and Mary (Leonard) Albright, of Monroe township. She died March 29, 1892, and was buried in the family lot on the old homestead. Their children were: Barbara Mary, born March 5. 1890, died Sept. 29, 1892; and Ruth Romaine. born Feb. 24. 1891, is attending school. On Nov. 14, 1895, Jacob E. Strick- ler married Jennie Kitch, daughter of Jacob and Hettie Kitch, of Middlesex township. Three children have blessed this union : Cora Agnes, born Sept. 12, 1896; Jacob David, born Nov. 14, 1898, died Dec. 30, 1898; and Clara Ellen, born Oct. 20, 1900.
CAPT. WILLIAM BAUGHMAN. dealer in farming implements of all kinds at Shippensburg, was born May 22, 1829, in Newton township, Cumberland Co., Pa., on the banks of the Conedoguinet, son of Wil- liam and Mary (Fosnot) Baughman.
William Baughman was born in 1795, in Lancaster county, Pa., and for many years was a distiller of rye and corn whisky. He married Mary Fosnot, born in 1795, in Lan- caster county, daughter of Conrad and Eliz- abeth ( Williams) Fosnot, an old Lancaster county family of German descent. In early life William Baughman removed to Cumber-
land county, becoming a prosperous farmer, and dying in 1872. His widow survived un- til 1880. They had five children, as follows : Anna and Rebecca, deceased; Capt. Wil- liam; and Katherine and Reynolds, both de- ceased, our subject being the only surviving member of the family.
Capt. Baughman was reared on a farm and attended the district schools of Cumber- land and Franklin counties, during the win- ter seasons until his eighteenth year. Start- ing out in life for himself, he engaged in teaming for his father, who was a large ship- per of grain, produce and liquor from Ship- pensburg to Baltimore. After six years so engaged, the young man took a trip through the West, spending a year in traveling through Ohio, Indiana and other States.
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