USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers > Part 10
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Mr. Given is a Democrat in politics, but too much absorbed in business to seek political office or to take a working interest in political matters. He attends the services of the Episcopal Church, in which his wife is a communicant. As a manager of men Mr. Given is a complete success. While liberal and kind of heart, he is strict with his employes where the welfare and safety of the patrons of the road he manages are concerned, and demands of every employe a strict attention to duty. While his men know that neglect of duty will be followed by reprimand or worse, they also know that they will have justice, and because of this he is respected by every man in his employ.
On May 25, 1897, at Columbia, Mr. Given was married to Mrs. Mary Gordon Schram, widow of the late William M. Schram, a well known jeweler of Lebanon, Lebanon Co., Pa. Mrs. Given is one of thirteen children born to William and Margaret
(Blaykes) Gordon, twelve of whom died in child- hood. Her parents originally lived near Dublin, Ire- land, whence they emigrated to America. Her fa- ther was a man of large means, and prominently identified with various transportation interests. Mr. Gordon died Aug. 20, ISSI, aged sixty-two, and his widow passed away Aug. 4, 1884, in her fifty- ninth year, both in the religious faith of the Estab- lished Church. Mrs. Given's first husband, Mr. Schram, died in September, 1889, within five months after their marriage, at the early age of twenty- two years. A posthumous child was born, a daugh- ter, Hilpa S., who lives with her mother and step- father. Mr. and Mrs. Given are endowed with na- tive refinement and culture, are unassuming in man- ner, affable and courteous to all, in every station of life. Their home is one of the handsomest in Co- lumbia, and in it thev delight to dispense a gener- ous hospitality. Mr. Given's genial disposition has won and kept hosts of friends, while his sagacity and probity command universal respect.
PETER E. WITMER, a very well known and successful farmer of Rapho township, Lancaster county, was born in East Donegal township Aug. 26, 1838, a son of Peter F. and Elizabeth (Eshleman) Witmer.
Peter E. Witmer was married Dec. 28, 1865, in Lancaster, Pa., to Elizabeth M. Strickler, by whom he had the following children : Noah S., a farmer in Penn township, married to Anna B. Snively, by whom he has had one son, Jacob, now deceased ; Sarah S., unmarried, and living in Landisville, Pa .; Anna S., living with her brother, Jacob; Jacob S., a farmer of East Donegal township, who was married Sept. 6, 1900, to Mary Brubaker ; Elizabeth S., Ellen S., Peter S. and Fanny S. are all at home.
Mrs. Elizabeth M. (Strickler) Witmer was born on the farm where they are now living Sept. 26. 1841, a daughter of Ulric and Sarah (Miller ) Strickler, natives of Rapho and Strasburg townships. respectively. Her father died on what is now the Witmer home farm Nov. 17, 1864, at the age of sixty-three years ; her mother survived until March 31, 1890, when she passed away at the age of seven- ty-nine years. Her father was buried in a private cemetery on an adjoining farm. This was the old Strickler farm, and is closely associated with the early history of the Strickler family. The mother was buried in Salunga, Pa. These were their chil- dren : Mary, the wife of Benjamin Herr, who has a home near Quarryville; Elizabeth, who is Mrs. Witmer; Peter, who died young : Fanny, who died young; David, a farmer in Rapho township : Anna, who married a Mr. Horst, and is dead ; John, a farmer in Manheim township; Sarah, unmarried, and residing in Salunga, Pa., as does her brother, Henry M., who married, in 1902, Martha Hover, from Lancaster City.
The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Peter E. Wit- mer were John and Anna (Lehman) Strickler, both
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· of Lancaster county, as were her maternal grandpar- ents, John and Elizabeth ( Kramer) Miller.
Peter E. Witmer remained with his parents until three years after his marriage, when he rented a farm in Rapho township, on which he lived a year, and then for eleven years cultivated rented farms. At the end of that time he bought his present home- stead, and has made himself a very creditable stand- ing among the farming citizens of this end of the county. He and his wife belong to the Old Men- nonite Church, and exert a wholesome moral and re- ligious influence on those with whom they come in contact. In politics he is a Republican, and his opinions command respect because they are based on observation, and are the result of sound reflection.
CHRISTIAN ROHRER, deceased. There passed away from the scenes of life on June 18, 1897, in his seventy-ninth year, a citizen of Lancaster county whose life had been most usefully spent in his native county, and whose career was more than ordinarily successful. Christian Rohrer possessed those sterling traits of earnestness, industry and in- tegrity which lie at the base of all true success, and in addition was a man of unusual intelligence and business sagacity, which contributed not a little in establishing his status as one of the influential citi- zens of Paradise township, where he spent most of his active adult life.
Christian Rohrer was born in Strasburg township Aug. 3, 1818, the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Ston- er) Rohrer, among the old and prominent residents of that section. He was reared in his native town- ship, and soon after his marriage, when twenty-six years of age, he settled on a farm of III acres, lo- ·cated in Paradise township, three miles east of Strasburg borough, and there began a career which was continued most happily and successfully through a long course of years. Upon the farm was located an old saw and grist mill which had been operated by water power. Mr. Rohrer soon tore down this old mill and erected on its site the substantial milling plant which is still operated by his son., Henry S. This mill Christian Rolirer conducted in connection with farming, until he retired in favor of his son, Henry S., in 1877. He was eminently qualified for that industrial occupation, for he was one of those men, valuable products of American civilization, who possess mechanical genius of a high order. He took deep interest in public matters and for twenty years or longer was a member of the local school board. He was one of the early stockholders of the Stras- burg National Bank and for years was one of its di- rectors. His interest in the general welfare of the community and county was keen and his active aid contributed to the advancement of many worthy en- terprises. About 1885 he took a trip to Missouri and there made large investments, which resulted satisfactorily. His keen insight into business af- fairs and his business judgment continued bright and unerring in his after years.
Christian Rohrer married, Dec. 28, 1843, Miss Maria Buckwalter, born Nov. 18, 1820, daughter of Martin Buckwalter, and to them were born the following children: Elizabeth, widow of Jolin Bachman, of Strasburg township ; Martin B., a resi- clent of Strasburg borough ; Henry S., whose sketch appears below; Emma, wife of William Homan, a resident of Chariton Co., Mo .; Elmira, at home ; Ezra, who died at the age of twenty-three years ; Mary, who died in September, 1899, the wife of John Stoner, of Chariton county, Mo .; Ada Susan, who died aged two and a half years ; Ella, who resides at the old homestead : Ida, wife of Elias Mellinger, of Strasburg township. The parents of these children have been devoted and consistent members of the Mennonite Church. Christian Rohrer died June IS, 1897. His widow still survives.
HENRY S. ROHRER, son of Christian and Maria (Buckwalter) Rohrer, was born Jan. 12, 1848, in Paradise township, on the farm which he now occu- pies. He was educated in the public schools and also attended the academy at Strasburg for two sum- mers. In 1877 he took charge of the home farm and mill, which his father had managed so successfully for many years, and he has since carried the busi- ness to greater proportions. The mills are fitted with the most approved machinery. They are equipped with both steam and water power, and the products include flour and grist, lumber, shingles, lath, etc. A large amount of work is turned out each year. In 1895 Mr. Rohrer built a large reser- voir adjacent to the mill, which supplies it with power and is also used for ice making. He recog- nizes the importance of possessing the best and latest industrial appliances and his plant is a model in that respect.
Mr. Rohrer married, Jan. 8, 1877, Miss Annie M. Haverstick, who was born in Lancaster town- ship in 1853, daughter of John N. Haverstick. 4 family of seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rohrer, namely, Ross H., Mary Alice, John C., Frank H., Ezra (deceased), Anna M. and Henry G. Mr. Rohrer is one of the prosperous and suc- cessful business men of the county. His political convictions are deep and his courage and fidelity in their advocacy have won him influence and wide re- spect. He believes in the Prohibition principles and affiliates with the party advocating the same. Mr. and Mrs. Rohrer are members of the Old Mennonite Church.
ABRAHAM R. DENLINGER (deceased) was born Nov. 13, 1846, on the farm adjoining that on which the most of his active life was passed. His death occurred Feb. 22, 1898, in the home where his family still resides. His ashes were 'interred in the Resh burying ground, a well-known cemetery in Leacock township.
Mr. Denlinger was a son of Henry and Lydia (Resh) Denlinger, both natives of Lancaster county, and farming people. They were parents of the fol-
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lowing family : John and Henry, both of whom are dead; Mary, the widow of George Funderburg, of Dayton, Ohio; Anna is the widow of Isaac Bright, also living in Dayton; Abraham R. The paternal grandparents of Abraham R. Denlinger were John and. Elizabeth Denlinger, farming people, who were born in Lancaster county.
Mr. Denlinger was married in New Holland, Pa., Sept. 12, 1872, by the Rev. M. J. Mumma, to Susanna Groff, by whom he had one child, Fannic F. E., who is now a school teacher.
Mrs. Susanna Denlinger was born in Leacock township in 1850, and was a daughter of David and Fannie (Miles) Groff, of East Lampeter town- ship, who lived at the time of hier birth near Provi- dence township. Her father was a justice of the peace for many years, and was a school teacher for a long period. Among his many useful labors was surveying for the community. He died in 1857, at the age of fifty-four years ; his widow died in 1878, at the age of seventy-eight. Both were buried in Resh cemetery, in Leacock township. To them were born: Lydia, wife of Edwin Brenizer, a cigar manufacturer of Leacock township ; Reuben, a resi- dent of Leacock township; Isaiah, Amos and Solo- mon, all deceased : Susanna; Elias, a coach maker of Paradise township.
Abraham R. Denlinger followed farming until 1872, when he sold his place and gave up farming on an extensive scale. He located at Gordonville, Pa., where he had a small estate of six acres. He traveled for several years quite extensively. In 1890 he entered into business relations with the Mutual Life Insurance Company, of New York, and became one of their agents.
In his politics he was a Republican, and held a creditable position in the community.
THOMAS BAKER, a retired farmer and surveyor of Colerain township, Lancaster county, was born at Chatham, Chester Co., Pa .. July 13, 1822, son of Lewis and Diana (Jackson) Baker, both of whom were born in Chester county, he in 1790, she a few years later.
Mr. Baker traces his ancestry back definitely to Sir Richard Baker, who was born in the county of Kent, England, in 1568, and died in February, 1644. He was the author of the "Chronicles of the Kings of England." His son, John Baker, born in 1598, died about 1672. They are first found in the North of England, where they were property owners in the fifteenth century, and in the seven- teenth century were strong supporters of George Fox, and suffered imprisonment under Cromwell. About 1650 representatives of the family were at or near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The first of the family to come to this country was
(1) Joseph Baker, born in 1630, son of John. before mentioned. He was of Shropshire, England. With his wife, Mary, he settled in Edgemont town- ship, Delaware Co., Pa., in 1685, upon a large
tract of land. He was a representative from Chester county in the Provincial Assembly in the years, 1701, 1703, 1706, 1710, 1711 and 1713. Ile was a member of the Society of Friends. He died in 1716, and his will, dated Dec. 19, 1714, is in the register's office at Westchester, Pa. Ilis children, all born in England, were: John, Sarah, wife of Thomas Smedley ; Robert, and Joseph.
(II) Joseph Baker (2) son of Joseph, born in 1667, died in 1735. He married Martha Wood- ward, and they had children as follows: Richard, Aaron, Ann, Susanna, Jane, Jesse, Sarah, Joseph, Rachel, Nehemiah and John.
(III) Aaron Baker, son of Joseph (2), was born in 1701, and died in 1783. He married Mary Edwards, and they had six children: John married Hannah Pennock in 1747. Mary married Thomas Carrington in 1752. Martha married John Clay- ton in 1753. Esther married William Chalfant. Aaron is mentioned below. Samuel lived in West Marlboro township, Chester Co., Pa., where he founded a branch of the family.
(IV) Aaron Baker (2), the great-grandfather of Thomas, was born in 1729, in Chester county, where, in 1759, he married Sarah Haves. They reared the following family: James (who settled near Coatesville, Chester county, where his descendants still live), Nathan, Elisha, Levi, Joshua, Aaron, John, Hannah, Mary, Rachel and Sarah.
(V) Aaron Baker (3), grandfather of Thomas. was born in Chester county in 1767, and died there in 1853. He married Hannah Harland, also a native of Chester county, and their children were as follows: Lewis, the father of Thomas ; Reuben, who married Mary Davis; Susanna, wife of William M. Davis: George, who never married ;. Jacob, who married Lydia Lamborn ; Thomas, who married Ann Rakestraw: Samuel, who married Mary Rakestraw: Aaron, who married M. Ottey; Harland, who married Hannah Eastburn : and Hannah, unmarried.
(VI) Lewis Baker, father of Thomas, was born in 1790, in Chester county, and in 1820 mar- ried Diana Jackson. They settled near Chatham, Chester county, and were farming people all their lives, becoming quite prosperous, and adhering strictly to the Quaker faith. Mr. Baker died in 1835, leaving his widow and three sons. The sons bought a tract of land in Colerain township, on which Thomas Baker was located, the mother re- maining in Chester county, where she died in 1853. Thomas was the eldest child ; Lewis, the second son, married Mary Greenfield, and located on a farm near the old homestead in Chester county, where he died in 1846, leaving a widow, who still lives on the old home : Robert A. died when a young man.
Thomas Baker was well educated in the public schools of Chester county, and for twenty years was a teacher in the public schools of Lancaster and Chester counties, pursuing that profession long
Thomas Baker
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
after his marriage. In 1840 he commenced to study surveying, preparing for that work under Jonathan Goss, at Unionville Academy, Chester county, and it has been his main occupation during most of his active life. He has surveyed over 650 farms in Lancaster and Chester counties, as well as land in Virginia, and made his best survey in 1902, when almost eighty years of age.
Thomas Baker was married in June, 1855, to Miss Eliza, daughter of James and Abigail Jackson, prominent residents of Lancaster county. Mrs. Baker was born in Chester county, in May, 1834, and was for a number of years a teacher in Lan- caster county. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Baker began married life on a farm in Colerain township, where he erected a brick house and a frame barn. There they remained until 1879, when the present hand- some brick house on one quarter of the farm was built, in which they have since resided. He is leading a quiet and retired life, doing, however, some little tasks in surveying. His son Lewis has charge of the farm. Mrs. Baker, while on a visit to her son in Philadelphia, in 1893, took cold, and died in that city, her husband and four children, out of a family of seven born to them, surviving: (I) Abbie, born in 1856, married Howard Brinton, a farmer of Colerain township, and died leaving two sons, Thomas B. and Lewis B. (2) Allison, born in 1858, married Miss Anna Maule, of Colerain township, a daughter of J. Comly and S. Emma Maule, and is living on his farm in Sadsbury township. (3) James E., born in 1859, was gradu- ated from the State Normal School at Millersville, and is now principal of the Friends Central School, Philadelphia ; for some twelve years he has followed teaching very successfully. He married Miss Emma MacIntyre, of Philadelphia, and they have had six children : Walter, born in 1886; Ralph, 1888; Jean- etta, 1889 (deceased) ; Marian, 1891; Edna, 1895 ; and Eugene, Jr., 1897. (4) Xanthus, born in 1863, married Della Girvin, of Colerain township, and resides on his farm near Union, in that township; they have three children: Arthur, born in 1893; Eliza, 1894; and Victoria, 1896. (5) Lewis, born in 1864, died in childhood. (6) Lydia, born in 1872, died in childhood. (7) Lewis, born in 1870, was a student at the Millersville State Normal, married Miss Kate Girvin, of this county, and they reside at the family homestead, he being manager of his father's farm. He has one son, Richard Veryl, who was born in April, 1897.
Thomas Baker has always been a Republican. He has never aspired to political station, though he was once elected school director in Colerain town- ship, when it was strongly Democratic. He .and his family are devout adherents to the Quaker faith, to which their ancestors have been committed. Mr. ·Baker and his wife took a trip to Europe, visiting England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and all of the German states, spending much time in many places of interest. Thomas Baker is a man esteemed
by his neighbors for his many good qualities and excellent character, and in disposition he is a man of warm heart and kindly feeling. He is a man of con- siderable learning, and is a Latin and French scholar. While in England he purchased a book published in 1548, a commentary on the wars of Europe (in Latin), which he prizes very highly.
HARRIS A. GLATFELTER, one of the promi- nent and leading agriculturists of East Donegal township, was born in Codoras township, 11 York county, Nov. 17, 1833, a son of Samuel and Eliza- beth (Aerman) Glatfelter, wlio came to Lancaster county in 1857, settling in East Donegal township; there the former died in 1875, at the age of seventy- six and the latter in 1878, at the same age, both of them having been consistent members of the Lu- theran Church.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Glatfelter were: Margaret, wife of John Walters, deceased ; Zacharias, deceased; Isabella, who married John Smyser, and lives in Marietta; Maria, residing in Harrisburg; Matilda, the widow of Michael Leb- hart, residing in Lancaster; Harris A .; Martin, a resident of Mt. Union, Pa .; Elizabeth E. married James I .. Jacobs, of Abilene, Kan .; Malinda, mar- ried to Ed. Bowen, of Philadelphia ; Kate, unmar- ried, in Philadelphia : and Samuel, who is a retired hotel manager of Columbia, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Glatfelter remained with his parents during childhood and young manhood, and from early vouth showed a willing and ambitious spirit, endeav- oring by work for the neighboring farmers to assist his poor parents. As early as 1851 he worked in the York mill factory, going from thence to the Strickler mill, also in York county, where he remained for a year ; then he went back to the town of York and en- tered the steam mill, remaining four years, going next to a mill near Berlin, in York county, where he remained another year ; for six months he worked at Highspire, Pa .. going from there to Columbia, where his brother-in-law gave him employment in hauling for a few months ; but finally he went into the Stauffer mills at East Donegal, where he re- mained for the following two years, and then op- erated the Summy & Heaston mill, in Rapho town- ship for two years more.
By this time Mr. Glatfelter was tired of mill life, although a most efficient and capable workman, so he came to his present farm and for four years op- erated it on shares for his father-in-law, at the end of which period he returned to milling, taking charge of Musselman's mill, on Big Chickies, remaining for four years. In 1870 he returned to the farm and has since given his time to an agricultural life. For five years he was the township supervisor, fill- ing the office most acceptably.
In Elizabethtown, in 1860, Mr. Glatfelter was married to Elizabeth Hollinger, and to this union was born Horace H., who married Emma Baustick, and is a farmer of this township, with one child,
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
Irvin B. Mrs. Glatfelter was born on the farm where she died in 1886, at the age of fifty-two. Her parents were John and Elizabeth (Brandt) Hol- linger. In 1889 Mr. Glatfelter was married, in Columbia, to Barbara Weaver, and one child was born of this marriage, Ella G. Mrs. Glatfelter was born in East Donegal township, a daughter of Godfrey Weaver, and died Dec. 4, 1897, at the age of thirty-seven.
Mr. Glatfelter is well and favorably known through the county, is a prominent Republican, soci- ally is connected with the O. U. A. M. and the K. of P., and is considered a representative and sub- stantial citizen.
JACOB DENLINGER was one of those men of quiet force and character who help to mold and elevate the communities in which they live. He was a life-long resident of Paradise township, Lancaster county, and for thirty-four years was a deacon in the Mennonite Church, of which from boyhood he had been an earnest and consistent member. He was a man of excellent business abilities and was one of the substantial and influential citizens of the town- ship, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He was, however, decidedly domestic in his tastes and through life cultivated his well-improved farm of 103 acres. He married Miss Annie Brubaker, and to them came a family of fourteen children. We have record of : Mary, who died in childhood ; Annie, wife of John L. Kreider, of Chariton county, Mo. : John B., a farmer of Paradise township, whose sketch appears below ; Abraham B., a retired farmer of Strasburg borough ; Lizzie, wife of Tobias Leaman, of Leacock township ; Tobias, a farmer of Drumore township ; Benjamin, deceased, who was a farmer of Leacock township ; Hattie, wife of Christ Mamery, of Paradise township ; Mattie, wife of Esaias Kling, of Leacock township; Amos, a farmer of Paradise township; Henry, retired, of Lancaster ; and Aaron, a farmer of Soudersburg. Jacob, the father, died in 1884, aged seventy-three years. His wife died at the age of sixty-two years.
JOHN B. DENLINGER was born in Paradise town- ship, July 17, 1838. He was reared on the farm, receiving his education in the neighboring public schools. In the spring of 1861 he located on the farm which he still occupies, a well cultivated prop- erty of 141 acres, situated three miles east of Stras- burg. Here he followed farming successfully until the spring of 1893, when he retired from active life, though since continuing to reside on the farm. He has made many improvements on the place and has been one of the most progressive farmers.
Mr. Denlinger was twice married. His first wife was Miss Lizzie Shaub, of West Lampeter township, daughter of Henry Shaub. By this mar- riage there were four children, Jacob, Henry, Mary and the latter's twin sister, who died in infancy. Jacob married Ella Eby, and they have one child, Elsie. He occupies and cultivates the home farm in
Paradise township. Henry is also a farmer of Para- dise township. He married Elizabeth Eby, and has three children, Lloyd, Annie and Lottie. Mary is unmarried and is now matron of the Philadelphia Mennonite Home Mission. She has spent four years as one of the workers of the Chicago Home Mission. The mother of these children died in 1875. For his second wife John B. Denlinger married Jan. 1, 1878, Susan Buckwalter, widow of Israel R. Buckwalter. She was born in East Lampeter town- ship, Sept. 15, 1837. By this second marriage there were two children, Ste B., at home, and an infant, deceased. Mrs. Denlinger had two children by her former marriage: Luietta, wife of John K. Lefever, of East Lampeter township; and Phares Buck- walter, a resident of Leacock township, who mar- ried Miss Anna Leaman and has four children, Mary, Earl, and Leon and Lila, twins. Mr. and Mrs. Denlinger are worthy and consistent members of the Old Mennonite Church and the family are among the influential and highly respected residents of Lancaster county. Mr. Denlinger has served for many years as auditor of Paradise township and has also been supervisor. He has been prominent in the administration of local affairs, has kept in close touch and sympathy with the best interests of the community and been ever ready to assist any cause or enterprise for the general good.
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