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 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114
Mr. Martin and his wife were connected with the Presbyterian Church.
DAVID MYERS, one of the leading men of Strasburg township, is a worthy representative of one of the old settlers of Lancaster county. Grand- father John Myers, with his estimable wife. Polly (Creamer) Myers, came many years ago from his home in Germany and settled in this county, becom- ing one of the large landholders and successful farm- ers. and leaving behind them, at death, the record of worthy lives. Most especially was Grandmother MIvers, who lived a beautiful life for eighty years, be- loved by the community for her deeds of neighborly kindness, and her loving care over the children who ever found in her a sympathetic friend. She sur- vived her husband thirty years, and was the de- voted inother of these children: Sophia, who died unmarried : Sally, who married Henry Reminskey ; Polly, who died unwedded : Fannie, who married John Graham: John, a farmer of Strasburg town- ship : Frederick, a farmer of Bart township : David ; and Benjamin, who died early.
David Myers, father of the subject of this biog- raphy. was always a farmer of Eden township, where he became a man of property and prominence, and faithfully served as township supervisor, being
506
J.4. Ziegler
508
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
trusted and esteemed by his fellow-citizens. His marriage had been to Mary Homsher, who lived to the age of fifty-one, and became the mother of ten children : Abraham and Eliza, twins, the former now a resident of Lancaster City, the latter deceased at the age of twenty-one: Samuel. a farmer of Eden township : Jacob, a resident of Eden ; Mary. deceased, Elias, born Oct. 13. 1867, lives on the farm where he and all his children were born. He married Mar. Snyder, and has these children, Nettie. Aaron, Ross. Clarence, Maud and Anna Marv. (8) Sarah, bir in Sept., ISto, married Henry Kreider, a farmer r: Bart township, and has three children, Elva, Fran : and Blanch. (9) Margarett was born Jan. 2, 1:02 the wife of John Johnson, also deceased; Fannie, the | and died the following August. (10) David wa; born in May, 1860, and died May 13, 1864, just for years old to a day. ( II) Louisa, born April 5, 1865. died Aug. 6. 1865.
widow of Jacob Readman, a farmer of Bart town- ship : Margaret, late wife of Robert Swisher, de- ceased ; David: Henry, deceased. a farmer of Bart township : Julia, the youngest, the wife of Dr. Kee- ley, of Georgetown, in Bart township.
.
David Mivers (2) was born in what now is Eden township. on April II. 1828, a son of David and Mary (Homsher) Myers. He was brought up on his father's farm in early boyhood. and was edu- cated in both subscription and public schools. At the age of sixteen, as his services were not needed at home, he engaged with neighboring farmers at work, by the month, his father receiving his wages until he was twenty-one. When David Myers started out for himself. he continued to engage in agricultural labor, finding plenty of employment. both by the day and by the month, and soon accumu- lated money which he wisely saved, using it at a la- ter date in the purchase of land. When about twen- ty-five years old he married. and then purchased a sinall farm in Strasburg township. but he later dis- posed of it, first renting and then purchasing the farm upon which he has since resided. This farm became Mr. Myers' property in 1872; it contains sixty-five acres of very valuable land, and here he followed general farming, with such excellent re- sults that in 1896 he was able to retire from active life and enjoy the rest earned by a long season of in- dustry.
The marriage of David Myers took place Dec. 14. 1852, to Mary A. Wirth, a daughter of Powell Wirth. She was born in 1826. in Germany, where she lived until the age of nine : she died Jan. 22. 1899, the devoted and unselfish mother of a family of elev- en children. (1) Henry, born in Sept., 1853, is a farmer of Chester county, Pa., married Clara Ed- wards, and has these children, David, Aaron, Mary. Mattie, Benjamin, Harry, Allan and Elias. (2) John, born in Sept .. 1856, is a farmer of Paradise township, married Frances McCleary, and has these children, Harry. Annie, David. May, Lizzie, Ada and Frank. (3) Elam, born in March, 1858, is a car- penter, residing in Lancaster City, married May Keeley, and has these children. Estella. Paul. Iva, Helen and Jerome. (4) Annie, born in March, 1859. married Jacob Weaver, of Bart township, and has these children, Mary and Ross. (5) Mattie, born in August, 1863, married George Wirth, a farmer of Bart township, and has these children, Annie. Mary, Kate. John. Martha, Sadie, George, Gertrude and Clayton. (6) Katie, born in March, 1866, married John Burkholder. of Strasburg bor- ough, and has two children, Jacob and Edna. (7)
1
Surrounded by his numerous descendants. Mr. Myers is almost like a patriarch of old, and it don't- less gives him much comfort and satisfaction to know that the greater number cling to the old reiz- ious faith in which he and his beloved wife so care- fully reared them. For many years he has been ? leading member of the Old Mennonite Church, and is most highly estcemed and respected. while the whole family is regarded as one which fairly can be said to represent the best class of citizens in their part of Lancaster county.
JACOB LINDEMUTH ZIEGLER, M. D .. Las been actively engaged in the practice of medicine in At. Joy for a period of fifty-eight years, though of late he has given over the more arduous work to his son, who has been in partnership with him for some time. There has been no more apprecia- tive witness to the many changes which have taken place in Lancaster county during his long life than Dr. Ziegler, and he has given practical and sub- stantial encouragement to many of the most import- ant improvements.
The Doctor was born Nov. 17, 1822, in East Donegal township, this county, at the old famil" home on the banks of the Susquehanna river, a little west of Rowerna. He is of Swiss ancestry in the paternal line, his great-grandfather, who was one of the earliest white settlers in Manor township, having been a native of the "Mountain Republic.' Conrad and Magdalena (Schock) Ziegler, gran :- parents of the Doctor. were born in Manor town- ship, and after their marriage settled in East Done- gal township, where they passed the remainder of their days. He was a farmer by occupation. Their children were Mrs. Henry Strickler: Jacob: Mrs. Lewis Lindemuth; Martha, Mrs. Joseph Strickier, of York county; and Conrad, who married Miss Schoch. Mr. Ziegler died in 1831, his wife in 1825. and their remains rest in Peck's cemetery, in East Donegal township.
Jacob Ziegler, the Doctor's father, was born in Manor township and passed the greater part of his life in East Donegal township, where he engaged in farming until he retired, some seven years be- fore his death. He was a successful man, accumu- lated a comfortable competence, and was one of the directors of the Lancaster County Bank. He mar- ried Barbara Lindemuth, a native of East Donegal township, who survived him, passing away in 1873.
509
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
ar the advanced age of eighty-nine years. His death occurred in Maytown in 1870, when he was aged eighty-six. Both are buried in the Lutheran ceni- etery in Maytown. Mrs. Ziegler was a member of the Lutheran Church. Of the children born to this worthy couple, David died when two years old. Alartha, now residing in Maytown, is the widow of Dr. Shireman, of East Donegal township. Jacob L. is the subject proper of these lines. Barbara ( de- ceased) was the wife of John S. Mann, who is a farmer of Manor township. Anna married M. M. Hoffman, of East Donegal township. Mrs. Bar- bara Ziegler was descended from German stock, her grandfather having been a native of Germany, whence he emigrated to this country in 1764, set- tling in East Donegal township, where he was one of the earliest pioneers. He engaged in farming. 1 Peter Lindemuth, Mrs. Ziegler's father, was born | in East Donegal township, as was also his wife, whose maiden name was Wolfe. Mr. Lindemuth followed farming there until he retired, shortly be- fore his death, which occurred in 1830. He and his wife passed their last days in the home now occu- pied by Dr. Ziegler, and they are buried in Nit. Joy cemetery. Their family consisted of seven children, Jacob, Peter, Barbara (Mrs. Ziegler), Christiana (Mrs. Long), Jolin, George and Lewis.
. Jacob L. Ziegler lived on the farm until he was thirteen years old, and received his early instruc- tion in the local public schools. Thereafer he pur- sued his literary studies in Rev. Mr. Simpson's In- stitute, at Marietta, John Beck's Academy, at Lititz, and the Mt. Joy Institute. He taught school one season, in 1839-40, and in 1840 took up the study of medicine, reading with Dr. Nathaniel Watson, of Donegal Springs, for the next four years. Mean- time, in 1842-43-44, he also attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in 1844. He con- tinued with his preceptor until Aug. 5, that year, when he came to Mt .. Joy, where he has ever since remained. Dr. Ziegler has always enjoyed the con- fidence of his fellow citizens, in both professional and private life, and he has been the recipient of many honors, especially in medical circles. He is a valued member of the Lancaster County Medical Society. of which he was twice clected president ; a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical So- ciety, of which he was elected vice-president in IS79, and president in 1881 ; a member of the Society of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia, of which he has been president five terms, and is still serv- ing, having been re-elected in November, 1901 ; a member of the Pathological Society, Philadelphia ; and of the American Medical Association. Since 1886 the Doctor has been surgeon of the Pennsyl- vania Railway Company.
In 1862 Dr. Ziegler was sworn in as a private in Co. E, Ioth P. V. I., and sent to Hagerstown, MId., where he was detailed in his professional ca- pacity. He returned home after a few weeks' serv-
! ice. The Doctor holds membership in the G. A. R.
Though his duties as a general practitioner over a wide field have been arduous, Dr. Ziegler has found time to indulge his literary tastes, which have taken him particularly into the field of his- tory and genealogy. In this connection he is a zealous member of the Lancaster Historical Society, the Pennsylvania Historical Society, the Presby- terian Historical Society, the Pennsylvania Genea- logical Society, and the Forestry Society, and he is a recognized authority in local history. His chron- icles are reliable, and well set forth. Since 1875 the Doctor has been collecting data for a history of Donegal Church, which has been recently published. In ISSo he was honored by Lafayette College with the degree of A. M.
. Dr. Ziegler has attended the Donegal Church since 1840, and has been on the membership list since 1845. He is an elder at present and has never shirked his part in the benevolent work of the congregation. Though not particularly active in public affairs, at any rate as an office holder, the Doctor served two years, 1861-62, as burgess of Mit. Joy. He is a Re- publican in political sentiment. All in all, he has played a useful part in the community where his lot has been cast, and he has commanded the highest esteem from all with whom he has been associated.
On April 18, 1848, Dr. Ziegler was married, at his present home in Mt. Joy, to Miss Harriet B. Patterson, who was born in Rapho township, this county, daughter of Col. James and Mary ( Wat- son) Patterson. They were natives, respectively, of Rapho and East Donegal townships, and passedi their latter days retired in Mt. Joy, dying in the home now occupied by Dr. Ziegler. Mrs. Ziegler passed away july 9, 1900, in her eighty-third year, and her remains rest in the Donegal Church cemetery. She was the mother of the following named chil- dren: James P., M. D., who practices with his fa- ther ; Walter M. L., M. D., of Philadelphia ; J. Stan- ley, who is in the Government employ at Washing- ton, D. C .; Thomas M. B., ticket, freight and ex- press agent at Luray, Va .; and Mary R., who died at the age of eight vears. The sons are all unmar- ried.
CHRISTIAN EBY, deceased. The Eby fam- ily is one of the oldest and best known in Lancaster county, and among its noted representatives a cen- tury ago was Bishop Peter Eby. Christian was the second son of this well known bishop and was born on the homestead at Eby's Curve in Salisbury town- ship, Aug. 22, 1795. He was a life-long farmer and remained on a portion of the old homestead until 1847, when he removed to Strasburg township and there spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1877, aged eighty-one years. He was a man of superior mental and moral attainmenis, though quiet and unostentatious in manner. Before the free school system was established he took a deep inter- est in the cause of education and served in the ca-
510
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
pacity of trustee. But though public-spirited, pro-
He is highly respected for his many estimable qual- gressive and the strong advocate of law and order, I ities and ranks high in influence and worth. he was content to live his own quiet, individual life, He married in January, 1856, Miss Mary Ann and did not seek public office nor public prominence. | Eshenshade. daughter of Adam and Mary ( Kre :- | der) Esbenshade. Mr. and Mrs. Eby are the par- ents of three children, Kezia, Phares E., and Eli- zabeth. Kezia is the wife of Henry Pickel, who conducts the stage line between Lancaster and Par- 1 adise and resides at Paradise Village. Phares E .. associated with his father in business, was married first to Hettie Snavely, who died without issue : second. to Salinda Hershey, who left one son, Franklin H .; and third, to Mary Ann Rutt. Eli- zabeth is the wife of Henry S. Denlinger a farmer of Paradise township. They have four children, Lloyd. Annie, Lottie and Irvin. Mr. and Mrs. Eb- and their family are members of the Mennonite Church.
When a young man he married Miss Rebecca Wit- wer, a native of Earl township, daughter of David and Mary (Rife) Witwer. To Christian and Re- becca Eby were born a family of twelve children, namely: Mariah, widow of Henry Brackbill, re- siding in Paradise township, south of Leaman Place ; Margaret, who died unmarried. at the age of sev- enty-two years: David, who resides on the old homestead in Strasburg township; Elizabeth, un- married : Levi, a resident of Lancaster city; Re- becca, wife of Henry Rohrer, of Hagerstown, Md .; Samuel, a sketch of whom appears below; Benja- min, a resident of East Lampeter township; Cath- erine, wife of Emanuel Neff, a resident of Stras- burg township; Emanuel : Peter, who was killed in childhood : and Anna, who died in infancy. The parents were devout members of the Mennonite Church.
SAMUEL EBY, son of Christian and Rebecca Eby, was born April 19, 1834, in Salisbury town- ship. He was reared on the farm, receiving his education in the common schools of Salisbury and Strasburg townships. At the age of twenty-two years he began his own individual career by taking a farm in Strasburg township to work on shares. Later he purchased from his father a farmi of 117 acres in Bart township. This he operated for a period of six years, when he sold it and removed to Nottoway county, Va., purchasing a farm there and occupying it for ten years. Returning to Lancaster county, he re-engaged in farming, locating first in Strasburg township and managing the J. F. Herr farm for two years. After one year spent on a farm in East Lampeter township. he moved to the old Eby homestead at Eby's Curve, where he resided for seven years. He then removed to the B. J. Leckler farm, north of the Gap, where he remained for five years. Making public sale of his effects, he spent one year on a small farm of twelve acres and then in 1896 came to Paradise village and engaged in the coal, feed and lumber business, as partner in the firm of Buckwalter & Eby. Three years later Mr. Buckwalter, the junior partner, withdrew and Mr. Eby's son became associated with him, the firm name changing to Eby & Son. The busi- ness was established by Adam K. Witmer & Bro., about the time the Pennsylvania road was com- pleted. The present firm do a general warehouse business and Mr. Eby gives it his entire attention. He possesses superior business ability and more- over possesses that broad view of life which looks to the general weal of the community in which he lives. He is one of the most public spirited men in this part of the county, and not only gives pas- sive assent, but active and influential co-operation to enterprises and measures for the public good.
ALEXANDER K. MORRISON, a highly re- spected citizen and excellent farmer of Lancaster county. resides on his farm of 107 well-improved acres, in Little Britain township, at King's Bridge. and was born in Colerain township, Sept. 30. 1837. His parents were Alexander W. and Margaret (Mc- Common) Morrison, natives of the same township, but of Scotch-Irish ancestry.
Great-grandfather Gabriel Morrison came to Lancaster county and bought a large tract of land in Colerain township: his son, also Gabriel. married Ann Love. the three children of this union being, Thomas I ... Alexander and Julia Ann.
Alexander W. Morrison was born in 1796 and died in 1872. In 1823 he was united in marriage to Margaret McCommon, and eight children were born to this union. Ann Eliza is the widow of Vin- cent King, of King's Bridge, and the capable house- keeper for A. K. Morrison. She was born in 1824 and her living children are: Elizabeth, the wife cf Emmerson Walton, of Colerain township: Vincent. of Colorado; Laura, the wife of John Furniss, of Little Britain : Horace, of Christiana ; Joseph M., of California : and Thorwald, of Philadelphia. James MI. is a resident of the State of Oregon, a minister I in the Presbyterian Church. Joseph B. is a resi- dent and practicing physician of Missouri. The life, of Alexander K. is given below. Samuel WV. died in 1800: the other three children died in infancy.
Alexander Kinkade Morrison grew to young manhood on the farm, and acquired his education in the public schools of his locality. In August. 1862. he testified to his loyalty to his country by enlisting as a volunteer in the 122nd P. I., and took part in some of the fiercest battles of the Civil war, notably. Fredericksburg, the second battle of Bull Run. Chancellorsville and the Potomac campaign. being honorably discharged in May, 1863. Having es- caped both imprisonment and injury, Mr. Morrison returned home and resumed farming, closely apply- ing himself to the line he had chosen. His present fine farm is well improved and bears testimony to his
511
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
excellence as a farmer, while the respect in which he is held by the community speaks for itself as to his upright character as a citizen.
In politics Mr. Morrison is an active Republi- can ; he served as deputy coroner from 1882 to 1885 and again from 1893 to 1900. He took the census in 1890 for his township, Little Britain: in 1002 he was elected school director for the same township. He is a leading member of the Union Presbyterian Church in Colerain township. Fraternally he be- longs to the G. A. R. post, and enjoys talking over the times of stress with comrades who, like himself. were not found wanting when their country's call came. Mr. Morrison has never married, his be- loved sister giving him loving care and doing the honors of his hospitable home.
----
!
HENRY N. EBY, a general farmer of the township of West Hempfield, Lancaster, was born where he is now living Aug. 16. 1837, a son of Jonas and Veronica ( Nissley) Eby, who were born in Eli- zabeth and Rapho townships, respectively, and came in 1826 to the farm on which Henry N. is now living.
Jonas Eby was engaged from 1820 to 1826 in the milling business on the Little Conestoga river. In 1846 and 1847 he operated the Chiques Valley mill. A man of considerable importance in the local affairs of his time, he served as school director for many years. Born March 14, 1799, he died Oct. JI, 1884. Airs Veronica Eby was born June 21. 1798, and died Oct. 30, 1839. The father was buried at the Landisville Meeting House cemetery, and the mother on the old Nissley farm. They were members of the Mennonite Church. His standing in the business world is evident from the fact that he served several years as a director of the Union Bank of Mt. Jov. Their children were: John, who is a retired farmer of Lancaster, Pa .; Fanny, late wife of Martin Peiffer, of Salunga, Pa .; Elias, a retired farmer of East Donegal ; Samuel, a retired merchant of Mt. Joy; Simon, a retired farmer of Mt. Tov : Amos, died unmarried in 1860; Henry N. Both father and mother were twice married. Dec. 12, 1819, Jonas Eby was married to Veronica Niss- ley, and Nov. 12, 1863, to Martha Strickler, who died in West Hempfield township, Aug. 7, 1876, at the age of sixty years and almost eight months. She was a daughter of Abraham Strickler, of Lan- caster county, who married a Miss Hostetter. Mrs. Veronica (Nissley) Eby, was first married to Abra- ham Hoover in 1815, and there was born to them Nancy, who was twice married, first to John Boss- ler, and then to Daniel Kreider, and who is now dead.
John and Mary (Witwer) Eby, the grandparents of Henry N. Eby, were both born in Elizabeth town- ship in this county, and were farming people. The grandfather followed milling along with his farm- ing labors. John Eby died May 25, 1845, at the age of seventy-seven years, and his wife, who died
Aug. 25, 1856, was eighty-three years old. They were buried on the old homestead where their long and useful lives had been passed. Born to this union were: Catherine: Jonas: Mary: Rebecca ; Elias, who married Elizabeth Erb: Elizabeth. who mar- ried Samuel Risser : Levi, who married Anna Niss- ley; Anna, who married Samuel Hershey.
The paternal great-grandparents of Mr. Eby were Christian and Catherine ( Bricker) Eby, who spent their lives on the old homestead, in the town- ship of Elizabeth, where both were born. Chris- tian Eby was the son of Christian, and the grandson of Theodorus, the pioneer settler of the family in this part of the state. Theodorus Eby was a noted man in the family records. The son of Bishop Jacob Eby, he was born in Switzerland in 1663. and, because he was a devoted Mennonite, was compelled to leave his native country in 1704 to escape unendurable persecution. For about eleven years he made his home in the "Palatinate." Germany, but here per- secution was quite as severe as at home. and with other co-religionists he left for Philadelphia, Pa. in the spring of 1715, and some time in August of the same year effected a settlement in Lancaster county, where he lived until his death, in the full enjoyment of that liberty that seemed denied elsewhere through all the world. He died Dec. II. 1737. leav- ing four sons and one daughter, as follows: Peter ; Hannes : Jacob: Christian: Elizabeth, who married Hannes Baehr. The sons were all skilled in the mechanical arts of the day. and it is a matter of tradition that their father built an important mill with no other assistance than they were able to render him.
The maternal grandparents of Mr. Eby were Bishop Sammuel Nissley. of Rapho township and Anna Mumma, of West Hempfield township. Bishop Nissley was married three times, to Barbara Greider, to Anna Mumma, and to Maria Long- necker.
Henry N. Eby was twice married, first in 1860, in Lancaster county, Pa., to Mary Franck, becom- ing by this marriage the father of the following family: Daniel, who died of diphtheria in 1871; Amos F., a farmer in East Donegal township, who married Anna Reist : Fanny, who married Simon E. Garber, of West Donegal township: Jonas, who died at the age of seven months: Levi. a farmer, who married Kate Stauffer. of East Donegal township; Anna, wife of Elias Linde- muth, a farmer of East Donegal township. Mrs. Mary (Franck) Ebv, who was born in Warwick township, died Jan. 3. 18,6, at the age of thirty-five years, and was buried in Landisville ; she was the daughter of Christian and Catherine (Snyder) Franck. Her father was the son of Dea- con John Franck. of Warwick.
The second marriage of Mr. Eby occurred Nov. 6, 1878, in Manheim, Pa., when he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Hostetter, and there were born to this marriage, Henry and Elizabeth, twins,
1
Henry R. Erb
512
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
and David, all living at home. Elizabeth ( Hos- tetter) Eby was born near Manheim, Pa., Sept. I, 1841, and was a daughter of David and Maria (Peiffer) Hostetter, both natives of Penn township, where they lived and died. David was the son of Bishop Jacob Hostetter, who passed his entire life on the old homestead of the family in Penn town- ship, a pioneer settler of Lancaster county. They came from Switzerland about 1712, and were Men- nonites in the home country.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.