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 11
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JAMES K. DRENNEN, a substantial citizen of Fulton township, Lancaster county, is classed among the justly esteemed men of his neighborhood.
Mr. Drennen was born in Chester county, Pa., July 23, IS30, and is of Irish and Scottish origin. He is a son of William and Mary ( Boyd) Drennen, who were married in 1820, and had children as fol- lows: Mary Jane, born Nov. 20, 1821 : Ebenezer, Aug. 30, 1823: John M., Oct. 20, 1825, residing in Wrightsville, York county, as a retired farmer ; William C., Jan. 26, 1828, living in York county; James K., July 23, 1830 ; Helena, Sept. 23, 1835, residing in York county ; David D., Jan. 1, 1838, deceased; Margarette E., July 25, 1839, deceased ; and Walker, twin of Margarette, residing in York county. The father of this family was born in Chester county in 1796, and his wife was born in 1798.
James K. Drennen married Miss Martha Isa- bella Reed, of Fulton township, Jan. 5, 1858. She was a daughter of John and Elizabeth ( McKillough) Reed. Mr. and Mrs. Drennen have had the follow- ing children : Elizabeth K., born Oct. 23, 1858, the wife of William J. Ankrum, of Drumore ; Winfield Scott, born Sept. 23, 1861, who married Miss Belle Ankrum, and lives at home ; William Lincoln, born Aug. 15, 1864, at home, unmarried ; Clement R., born Aug. 29, 1868, deceased : Harry J., born April IO, 1873, a merchant in Fairmount, Lancaster coun- ty, who married Miss Winona Shoemaker, of Ful- ton township: Ada M .. the youngest, born April 5, 1877, and died in 1890. Mrs. Drennen died April
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14, 1890. She was a good Christian woman and a kind mother.
Mr. Drennen was reared on the farm and started out in life for himself when but fifteen years of age. In 1847 he came to Lancaster county with his par- ents, who settled on the place he now owns. Mr. Drennen owns two good farms, the home place, comprising 190 acres with good improvements, and a fifty acre place in Drumore township. Politically Mr. Drennen is a strong Abraham Lincoln Repub- lican, and believes in the party as it was under the guidance of the martyred President ; he is a leading citizen in his community, having served in almost all the local offices in Fulton township-judge of elections, school director, supervisor of roads and township auditor. Mr. Drennen is a member of the Presbyterian Church and was one of the pioneer organizers of Sabbath-schools in the township. In 1847 his brother, John M. Drennen, organized the first Sunday-school of the Little Britain Presby- terian Church, and James K. Drennen served as superintendent. He organized and superintended afternoon Sabbath-schools at Eldora Station, Fair- view Shops, Cherry Hill School House and at his own home, and all these exerted a strong moral influence. Mr. Drennen's life is an illustration of the proverb, "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children."
SAMUEL E. LANE, the genial landlord and proprietor of the "Millway Hotel," belongs to one of the old and respected families of Lancaster county. His grandfather, Abraham Lane, was com- missioner of the county and lived and died there. He was a farmer and followed that occupation all his life. He married Miss Anna Long, by whom he had four children, viz .: Andrew L., a farmer of Oregon, Pa .: Abram L., of Lititz, a retired farmer ; Matilda, the wife of John B. Earl, a retired citizen of Lititz; and Amelia, who married Samuel Bare, both being now deceased.
Andrew L. Lane, father of Samuel E., was born in Manheim township about 1840, and has followed farming all his life, with the exception of a short time when he lived retired. He has been very active in politics, and is a stanch Republican. He held the office of school director for some years. Mr. Lane married Miss Barbara B. Erb, of Warwick town- ship, and they became the parents of nine children, three of whom died in infancy. The others are: Abram E., a merchant in Clay township; Samuel E .; Elmer E., a farmer of Millway ; Cameron E., a dentist ; Harry E. and Clyde E., at home.
Samuel E. Lane was born in Manheim township, Nov. 9, 1866, and remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, receiving his education in the common schools, at the Millersville Normal, where he spent one term, and at Weidler's Business College, of Lancaster, from which latter he gradu- ated. He then began life for himself, farming one year in Neffsville, whence he moved, and six years
on his father's farm in Millway. After this he pur- chased the hotel at Millway, of which he is now the proprietor. He has won a substantial place among the men of Millway by his honorable meth- ods and hearty spirit, and he has proved his loyalty to local interests on many occasions. In politics he is a Republican, and he has held the office of school director for nine years.
Mr. Lane wedded Miss Ann Mary Landis, daughter of Jacob R. and Susan Landis, and to this union have been born two children, Samuel L. and Anna B., both at home.
ROBERT GIRVIN. At the little settlement of Iva, located in Paradise township, Lancaster coun- ty, Robert. Girvin has been for many years a mer- chant. He was reared in that vicinity and pos- sessing decided business talents and tastes, he has there developed and exercised them, becoming one of the prominent citizens of the township and one of its benefactors.
Mr. Girvin is named from his grandfather, Rob- 'ert Girvin, the emigrant, who founded the family in Lancaster county. Some time between the years 1776 and 1780 the latter left his native heath in County Derry, Ireland, and settled in Lancaster county, locating later in Paradise township, about one-half mile west of what is now Iva post-office. Here he purchased a tract of fifty acres, upon which he devoted himself to farming during the balance of his active career and where he lived to the ripe old age of ninety-three years. He married Miss Mary Smith, a native of Lancaster county, by whom he had a family of nine children, as follows: James, the father of Robert ; William, a farmer of Lancas- ter county ; John, a farmer of Lancaster county ; Samuel, a farmer of Lancaster county; Daniel, a speculator of Lancaster county: Isaac, a farmer, merchant and justice of the peace: Annie, who mar- ried Samuel Rissler : Margaret, who married Peter Niedick ; and Sarah, who married Samuel Bowers. Robert and Mary Girvin, the parents, were mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church, as were also their children.
James, the eldest, was born in Paradise town- ship in 1797. He was there reared to manhood and there engaged for life in agricultural pursuits, own- ing and operating a farm of about 100 acres, and was one of the substantial citizens of the county. He married Miss Nancy Keene, of Eden township, and to them were born the following children : Mary, widow of Benjamin Winters, of Iva; Isaac, a farmer of Paradise township, now deceased; John, a resident of Paradise township; Henry, a farmer of Bart township, now deceased : Samuel, a resident of Paradise township, a lime burner near the Gap; Anna, a resident of Iva; Robert; and Elias, a resident of Lancaster. James, the father of Robert, lived to the age of seventy-one years, and his widow survived him six months only.
Robert Girvin was born on the farm in Paradise
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township, June 2, 1837. He was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the com- mon schools. Deciding upon a mercantile career, he spent three years as a clerk and then at the age of twenty-five years he began business on his own account. He was engaged in a general store in Georgetown and later in Strasburg, and in 1868 he started in business as a general merchant at Iva, where he has ever since continued successfully, starting out in business with a general line of goods and so continuing ever since, building up a steady and an increasing trade and becoming one of the representative and public spirited men in that part of Lancaster county, ever ready to lend his aid and influence in the furtherance of enterprises for the public good. In 1884 he secured the location of the post-office, made the name of Iva, and has ever since remained the postmaster. In politics Mr. Girvin affiliates with the Democratic party, and he has served as justice of the peace in Paradise township.
He married, in 1865, Miss Abbie Hamsher, daughter of Anthony Hamsher and a native of Strasburg township. To Robert and Abbie Girvin have been born a family of nine children, namely : Sally; Charles, who married Miss Hattie Hart and is a merchant of Williamsport; Jesse, who married Helen Daly and is a clerk for H. K. Mulford & Co., of Philadelphia; Mary, wife of Albert Althouse, of Quarryville, and mother of one child, Joe; Joe, who is the assistant in his father's store; and four who died in infancy. Mr. Girvin is a member of the Reformed Church of New Providence, and Mrs. Girvin is a member of the Lutheran Church of Strasburg.
MILTON L. WEAVER, one of the enterprising and successful farmers and business men of West Hempfield township, was born in East Lampeter township, this county, Feb. 29, 1860, son of Isaac and Catherine (Barr) Weaver. The father, a prosperous farmer, retired from the old homestead in Lampeter township in 1883, and resided in Lancaster city until his death, Oct. 27, 1887, at the age of sixty- eight years. He is buried at Longenecker's meet- ing-house, in West Lampeter township. His widow, who was born in 1822, is now a resident of Leola. · They were members of the Reformed Mennonite Church. To Isaac and Catherine Weaver were born the following children : Mary, wife of John F. Gir- vin, a farmer of Leola: Joseph, a farmer of East Lampeter township; Aaron, a farmer of Manor township; Benjamin, a farmer of Manor township; Milton L., of West Hempfield township, of whom we are particularly writing; Lillie, who died young and Ephraim E., a farmer of Manor township.
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Milton L. Weaver was reared on his father's farm, receiving his education in the neighboring schools. At the age of seventeen years he engaged in farm work with his brother Joseph, with whom he remained ten years. He then began farming for himself in Pequea township, and there conducted the
farm successfully until 1898, when he purchased his- present place in West Hempfield township, the prop- erty known as Swarr's siding, where he conducts a general line of business in coal, flour, grain, feed, straw, salt, fertilizers, etc. The mill was erected by Harry Swarr in 1886. It is of fifty-horsepower capacity, and its product includes all kinds of feed. Mr. Weaver ranks among the leading young citizens of West Hempfield township.
Mr. Weaver was married, in ISS9, at West Wil- low, Pequea township, to Miss Cecilia Christ, and to them have come four children, three sons and one daughter, namely : Isaac, Frank, John and Mary. In politics Mr. Weaver is a Republican. Though com- paratively young in years he has prospered notably in a business way, combining ripe judgment with industry and progressiveness of action. He is awake to modern improvements in method, while he clings to the sterling principles of the past, and he has thus exemplified in his career the best type of success. He is highly esteemed by his wide circle of acquaint- ances for his many most estimable qualities.
HENRY STAUFFER MUSSER, late of the firm of Musser & Miller, lumbermen and manufac- turers in East Donegal township, Lancaster county, Pa., was born in his present home July 16, 1820, a son of Jacob and Martha (Stauffer) Musser, na- tives of the same township. Jacob Musser was a farmer by calling; he died in December, 1831, at thirty-two years of age, the father of six children, viz. : Henry S .; Anna, deceased wife of Rev. H. N. Graybill, a Dunkard preacher and a farmer; Eliza- beth, who died young; Martha, widow of Lewis Lindermouth, of Marietta; Jacob, who also died young ; and Abraham, who is living in retirement in Marietta.
Mrs. Martha Musser, who was born August 13, 1802, was next married to John Miller, a farmer, and to this union were born four children, viz .: John, of whom a biography is printed on another page; Joseph, the junior member of the firm of Musser & Miller, whose biography will also be found elsewhere; Isaiah, deceased; and Sarah, wife of John Conley, a retired ·banker of Lancaster. John Miller, the stepfather of Henry S. Musser, did quite an extensive business as a lumber manufac- turer in addition to farming, and operated the mill, afterward owned by Musser & Miller, until his death in 1867, at the age of sixty-one years. Mrs. Martha (Musser) Miller survived until 1885.
Henry Stauffer Musser lived on the home farm until the death of his father, when he went to West Hempfield township and for five years lived on the farm of an uncle, Rev. Hostetter, a Dunkard min- ister : he then returned to his mother, who by this time had re-married, and lived in the old homestead again until he had reached his majority (1841), when he was awarded his share of his father's es- tate, which he invested in connection with his step- father in the lumber business. In 1863 he was
RESIDENCE AND GRIST-MILL OF M . L.WEAVER
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joined by Mr. Miller in the business which he con- ducted so successfully up to his death, which oc- curred Jan. 17, 1901, when he was aged eighty years, six months and one day.
Mr. Musser was married in July, 1847, in East Donegal township, to Miss Anna M. Greisinger, and six children crowned this union, viz .: Eliza- beth, wife of Charles Johnson, of Philadelphia ; Stephen, who married Mary Sellers, but is now de- ceased; Frank, who was killed in December, 1867, when he was thirteen years of age. by a pile of ium- ber falling upon him in his father's yard : Ada, mar- ried to Dr. John J. Steiner, of Jefferson county. Pa. : Stanton, of Columbia, married to May Grier ; and Lincoln, member of the firm of Johnson & Musser Seed Co., who married Emma Pomeroy. Mrs. Anna M. (Greisinger) Musser was born Oct. 3. 1828, in Rapho township near Mt. Joy, Lancaster county, and is a daughter of Jacob and Anna MI. (Lindersmith) Greisinger, of East Hempfield town- ship and Mt. Joy respectively. Jacob Greisinger was a coachmaker by trade and also followed farm- ing, but lived retired for several years prior to his death, in 1868, at the age of seventy-five years. His widow survived until 1873, when she died at the age of eighty. They were members of River Brethren Church and their remains were buried in
the Florin cemetery. They were the parents of four children, viz .: Barbara, widow of Christopher Sher- ick, of Mt. Joy; Stephen, a farmer of Rapho town- ship; Anna M., Mrs. Musser : and Sarah M., de- ceased wife of Henry Gish. The paternal grand- parents of Mrs. Musser were Stephen and Mary (Brubaker) Greisinger, the former of whom was a farmer near Landisville.
Henry S. Musser, in addition to his lumber busi- ness, owns considerable land, which he laid out in town lots, besides other valuable property in close proximity to Marietta borough. He was a director in the First National Bank of Marietta, and also in the Marietta Turnpike Company. He was very well preserved for his years, and seldom had occa- sion to use spectacles. In politics he was a Repub- lican, and for six years served as county prison in- spector. In religion he was a Dunkard. and bore an unblemished reputation for integrity, both in private and business life.
DAVIS A. BROWN. of Fulton township, may be well classed among the prominent and substantial men of Lancaster county. He was born in East Earl township, this county, near Terre Hill, Ang. 28, 1830.
Nathan B. Brown, his father, was born in Sus- quehanna county, Pa., in 1796, and came to Lancas- ter county when a young man. He died in East Ear! township in 1864. In 1818 he married Miss Susannah Gabel, of Berks county, Pa., and they had eight children: Mary A., who is the wife of Isaac Foltz, of Terre Hill, Pa .; W. W. (deceased), an attorney in Lancaster for many years; George W., and honored families of Lancaster county.
, a resident of Philadelphia; Isaiah (deceased), who was a doctor for many years; Davis A. : Levi B., a resident of Davenport, Iowa; Phianna, the wife of Oliver Stephens, of Michigan; and Samuel H., de- ceased.
Garrett Brown, the grandfather of Davis A., was a native of Susquehanna county. He had the following family: Nathan B., Thomas, Jolin, Rob- ert, Garrett, Margaret and Johnson, of whom the last named still lives in Davenport, Iowa. The old Garrett Brown family founded the town of Browns- ville, in Canada, and sonie of its members became very wealthy. The family is of Irish stock.
Davis A. Brown married Miss Rachel Patton, of Fayette county, Pa., Nov. 24, 1857. She is a daugh- ter of Thomas Patton, who was of English origin, and who married Emma Harris. They had eight children, namely: four boys -- J. Harris, of New York City, an author and historian of note. num- [ bering among his works a history of the United States : R. Johnson. deceased; J. Finley, who lives in the family homestead in Favette county, Pa .; and Thomas, a real-estate man of Greensburg, Pa .; four 1 daughters-Rebecca Finley, deceased ; Sarah, wife of S. W. Boyd. ex-sheriff of Favette county ; Har- riet, widow of E. F. Houseman, editor of the Greensburg Herald, living at Greensburg: and Rachel. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born the following named children: W. T .. the present able district attorney of Lancaster county ; Anna R., wife of I. Haines Dickinson, a general merchant. of Quarryville, Pa. ; Mary, wife of Ira H. Herr, a real estate dealer at Lancaster; Dr. B. L .. a druggist and practicing physician at Philadelphia : Clara L., wife of, Davis Gillespie, superintendent of mining in West Virginia : Ada. a teacher in the public schools ; Elizabeth, wife of Henry Westerhoff, of Ephrata, proprietor of silk mills: and Hampton H., the youngest, a druggist in Philadelphia.
Davis A. Brown was educated in the public schools, for a time taught in the schools of the coun- ty, and has been director of schools for his town- ship. In 1866 he received the appointment, under President Johnson, of revenue assessor for the 9th district, Lancaster county. Pa., which office he ad- ministered with ability and justice. He is a strong Republican in politics, and religiously is associated with the Presbyterian Church. He is the present justice of the peace of Fulton township, having been once appointed by the Governor and twice elected to that incumbency. Mr. Brown bought his pres- ent 200-acre farm in the above named township in 1862. The Brown family is one of the most promi- nent in the county. The Squire has a family of which he may well be proud, while he himself is one of the most popular and beloved men in his com- munity.
JACOB B. WISSLER, now living retired in the village of Lititz, descends from one of the old
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The first member of this branch of the Wissler family in America sailed with his wife from Ger- many to Philadelphia in 1720. On the voyage. to- gether with other. able-bodied men on the vessel. he ! was impressed into the naval service by a man-of- war. His wife continued the journey to Philadel- phia, where he joined her on the expiration of his . term of service. She was employed by a farmer of Germantown and he also took service with a farmer in the same locality, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Andrew Wissler, their son, removed to Lancaster county, Pa., where he entered the em- ploy of Jacob Groff, an extensive farmer in what is now Clay township. In 1767 he married the only daughter of his emplover, and in this way became the owner of the old Groff homestead, which was taken up in 1724 by John Jacob Groff, father of Jacob. It was divided into four farms by Jacob Wissler, son of Andrew, but has ever since remained : in the Wissler family. Andrew had two sons, John and Jacob, the former of whom died unmarried.
Jacob Wissler, son of Andrew, was born in Clay township in 1778, and was one of the successful farmers of that section, giving his entire attention to agriculture until his death, which occurred in 1850. He had accumulated a fine property at the time of his death, owning four farms. He was one ;
.of the old Mennonites of the county. Jacob Wiss- , section, and became a heavy stockholder in it. For ler in 1800 married Miss Anna Ely, and they were the parents of ten children : Andrew, a farmer and merchant, who died in Michigan: Jacob, the father of Jacob B .: Christian, a miller and farmer : Ezra, a farmer of Clav township; Magdelina, wife of Ja- cob Landis of Ephrata township; Levi, a farmer and tanner : Samuel, a miller of Canada ; Mary, wife of Levi Erb : Catherine, deceased ; and John, a tan- ner, who died in Virginia.
Jacob Wissler was born in Clay township in 1803. He, too, followed farming extensively until one year before his death, when he retired. He was a member of the Old. Mennonite Church. He mar- ried Miss Barbara Bomberger, and to them were born five children: Anna, wife of Christian Hess ; Jacob B. : Martha, wife of Samuel R. Hess : Mary, wife of Peter B. Rohrer; and Levi, who died when eight years of age.
Jacob B. Wissler was born in Clay township, Sept. 4, 1828. He lived at home until he was twenty-six years of age, during his boyhood attend- ing the common schools. He began life for himself at farming, in Clay township, on one of his father's farms, where he remained twenty-two years, after which he purchased the place where he now resides, and on which he has made extensive improvements : his home is in the village. Mr. Wissler is engaged to some extent in raising tobacco, though he is prac- tically retired. In politics he is a Republican, and he held the office of school director for some years. Mr. Wissler was married Sept. 5. 1854. to Miss Anna R. Brubaker, daughter of Joseph and Susanna Brubaker, and to this union have been born five
| children, two of whom died in infancy, and one i ?? childhood. Joseph is a farmer of Clay townsh ?.. : Lizzie is the wife of Christian B. Resser. Mr. and Mrs. Wissler are both members of the Old Men- nonite Church. They enjoy the good-will and ( -- teem of all who know them, and Mr. Wissler has always been regarded as one of the representative substantial citizens of the community.
EMANUEL F. HOSTETTER, one of Man- heim's most active and enterprising business men, : as well as one of its representative citizens, is a na- tive of Lancaster county, born on the Hostetter homestead in Penn township, Mav 24. 1835. and a son of John and Elizabeth ( Forney) Hostetter, now deceased, the former having died in 1865, the latter in 1867.
John Hostetter was a son of Jacob Hostetter, a Mennonite minister, was born and reared on a farm in Penn township and throughout life followed farming. He was also one of the heaviest cattle dealers of his day, and for twenty years was engaged in that business. buying his stock in the West and shipping it to Lancaster county for distribution. ; He was also one of the most progressive men of his i time, was instrumental in securing the building of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad through this years he was a director in the Lancaster County National Bank, and was one of the organizers of : the Manheim National Bank, of which he was also a director. During the 'sos he divided his farm between his two sons, John and Ephraim, and pur- chased the Manheim mill from John Bosler, which he conducted for some ten years, at the same time owning and operating a mill and distillery near Liverpool, Perry Co., Pa. About 1860 he retired from active life and lived quietly in Manheim until his death. Politically he was at first a strong Whig and later a Republican. He was twice married, his first wife being a Miss Stauffer, by whom he had three children : Henry S., a resident of Penn town- ship, Lancaster county : Elizabeth. deceased wife of T. L. Stehman. of Lititz ; and Sarah, widow of Dan- iel Grosh. of the same place. The father's second wife was Miss Elizabeth Forney, a daughter of John Forney, who lived near Brownstown, and to them were born five children, namely: Emanuel F .; Benjamin, who died in childhood: John F., a farmer. now deceased : Ephraim, who has been pro- prietor of "Hotel Superior" in Chicago, Ill., since 1890 : and Maria. deceased wife of John Kurtz.
Emanuel F. Hostetter was reared on the home farm until fourteen years of age, and attended the public schools of the neighborhood, completing his education, however, by one term at Lititz Academy. Coming to Manheim at the age of fifteen. he en- tered the store of John Schaeffer as clerk, and re- mained in his employ two years, at the end of which time he went to Lancaster and worked eighteen months for David Bear, a merchant of that place.
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Having a desire to see something of the country, he then went west to Illinois, and located in Free- port, where he spent eight years, clerking in a dry goods store two years. For one year he was en- gaged in the grain business with Joseph S. Bru- baker and John Slott, as a member of the firm of Slott, Hostetter & Brubaker; for two years he con- ducted a grocery establishment, and then engaged in the real estate business for the remainder of his stay in Freeport. In 1860 Mr. Hostetter returned to Manheim, Pa., but for one year operated his fa- ther's mill in Perry county, this State. Since then he has made his home permanently in Manheim and has been prominentiy identitied with its business in- terests. He established the first coal vard here, but after conducting it one year he sold out to a Mr. Kline; the yard is now owned by B. H. Hershey. He was next engaged for two years in mercantile business at Lancaster, under the firm name of Hos- tetter & Bruner, selling out at the end of that time in order that he might settle up the estates leit by his father and father-in-law. After two years de- voted to that. he embarked in the manufacture of brick at Manheim, opening in 1865 the second yard established here. and he has since engaged in that business. From 1867 until 1899 he also conducted a store in Manheim, carrying a line of clothing, hats, caps and gents' furnishing goods, but in May of the latter year he disposed of his stock. Since 1885 he has been interested in the livery business in Manheim, and for the past quarter of a century has engaged in the cultivation of tobacco. He is a good type of the energetic, wide-awake and progressive man.
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