Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers, Part 15

Author: Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899. dn; Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [Chicago, Ill.] : Beers
Number of Pages: 1186

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 15

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).

side, her native place having been on the site of what is now Lapps postoffice.

Grandfather William C. Harper was a native of County Derry, Ireland, a nail maker by trade. and he came to America at the time of the Irish insur- rection. His marriage was to Mary Weldon, and they settled in Chester Co., Pa., on a farm near Rus- sellville, and both belonged to the Presbyterian Church. The maternal grandparents of Joseph Dickinson Harper were Joseph and Phoebe ( Mor- ris) Dickinson, of Lancaster Co .. Pa. Mr. Dickinson in connection with his farming engaged in mer- chandising also, and erected what is now Lapps store, for his son, Joseph.

Father Jacob W. Harper was a blacksmith bv trade and a veterinary surgeon by profession, te- came prominent in his township and held many of the local offices. His death occurred in 1885. at the age of seventy-four years, and that of his wife in 18;7, at the age of sixty-five years. Their burial was at Faggs Manor Presbyterian cemetery. in Chester county, the former having been a member of the Presbyterian Church, while the latter ad- hered consistently through life to the tenets of the Society of Friends. Their children were: Joseph D. : Mary W., who married Harry Witmer, a grocer in Lancaster ; Phoebe A., who married Henry Bow- man, a farmer of Buck Run, Chester county ; Rachel. who died young: Emma J., deceased, who married Samuel Brookhart, of Silver Spring, Pa., a con- ductor on the Philadelphia & Reading R. R. ; and John, who died from the effects of a kick from a horse, in 1875.

At the age of eight years Joseph Dickinson Harper went to live with his paternal grandpar- ents and remained there, going to school and work- ing on the farm, until he was seventeen years of age, returning then to his father, under whom he learned the blacksmith's trade. At the age of twen- ty-one he went to Russellville and worked for twenty-three months in a carriage-making estab- lishment, going from there to Jennerville, where he rented a large carriage-making shop for a period : of two years. For four years he was in the same . business in Cochranville, coming to Christiana in 1876. Here he bought out the establishment con- ducted by Lingerfield & Hirst, and has successfully pushed this business ever since, becoming a leader : in this part of the county. Mr. Harper has been noted for his industry and his present large busi- ness is mainly due to the honest and upright meth- ods which he has adopted, in connection with a close attention and thorough, practical knowledge of all details.

The marriage of Mr. Harper was on Jan. 15. IS74, in Lancaster, to Miss Eliza A. Harvey, and the children born to this marriage were: Taylor W., who lives at home, unmarried, and follows the trade of carriage painter; Arvilla J .. a talented teacher : Chester T., who is attending college at New Brunswick; and Myra E., at home. The birth OI

$16

FARM AND HOME OF E . E . WEAVER , MANOR TP.

517

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

Mrs. Harper was in West Fallowfield township, Chester county, in 1844, a daughter of Capt. Joseph and Eliza (MIcGloughlin) Harvey. The former was a farmer and also a blacksmith, was captain of the old Pennsylvania militia, and died in 1872, at the age of seventy-eight years, the mother surviving until 1879, dying at the age of seventy-five. Both parents of Mrs. Harper were consistent members of the Baptist Church. Their children were: Streeter, who died young; James, who died aged seventy; E. Pennock, a farmer of Chester county ; Rebecca, who resides with her sister, Eliza A., Mrs. Harper ; Joel M., a butcher and grocer, in Parkes- burg, and Taylor, deceased.

Mr. Harper has long been a member of the Pres- byterian Church where he contributes liberally of his means. In political belief he is a Democrat, al- though his personal feelings lead him to favor much that he finds in the Prohibition party. In all things he is a good citizen, and fills every duty to his fami- ly, church and community in a way to secure to him the high esteem of his fellow-citizens.

DAVID S. HORST, a watchmaker and former- ly a farmer of Rapho township, was born in Mt. Joy township, Jan. 1, 1824, son of Peter and Chris; tina (Shelley) Horst, of Lancaster county.

Peter Horst was a miller, as early as 1816 build- ing a mill in Mt. Joy, on the Little Chiques creek which he ran for forty years. The property still remains in the family. Mr. Horst died in 1876, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years; his wife died in 1870, at the age of seventy-four years. They are both buried in private burying grounds in Ra- pho township. They were members of the Men- nonite Church. This couple had children as fol- lows: Abraham S. who died at the age of seventy years, married to Mary Musser: Henry S. who died at the age of seven years ; Catherine S .. de- ccased wife of Peter Risser: Fanny S .. late wife of Samuel Meckley: David S .; Elizabeth S., who lives at Mt. Joy, Pa .; and Anna S., who is also un- married, and lives with her sister Elizabeth. The grandparents of Mr. Horst were Michael and Ver- onica (Shelly) Horst, of Lancaster. In the year 1780 Michael Horst built a stone house which ad- joins the residence property of his grandson, David S. Horst. The grandfather, who was a farmer, died in 1820, at the age of seventy-seven years, and his wife died fifteen vears later.

There were three brothers of the family who came from Switzerland, one settling in Groffs Dale, Lancaster county, who was the great-great-grand- father of David S. Horst ; one near Lebanon, Pa., and the other in York county. Pa. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Horst were Christian and Anna (Engle) Shelley.

In 1850 in Lancaster, David S. Horst married Miss Mary Hershey. the ceremony being performed by Rev. Mr. Strine. There have been no children born to Mr. and Mrs. Horst. Mrs. Horst was born

in Rapho township in November, IS25, daughter : of Jacob and Catherine ( Witmer) Hershey, of Lan- caster county. Her father, who was a farmer, died in 1841, at the age of fifty years. His wife died in 1863, at the age of seventy-two years, and they are buried in Cross Roads Meeting House cemetery, East Donegal township. They were members of the River Brethren Church. There were born to this couple the following children: Joseph, de- ceased ; Catherine, deceased wife of John Heisey ; Barbara. deceased wife of David Martin: Eliza- beth, deceased wife of Benjamin Ritter: Mary, wife of David S. Horst: Veronica, late wife of Joseph Gish, of Rapho township; Susan, wife of Abraham Young, of Mt. Toy; and Jacob, deceased. Mrs. Horst's grandfather was Christian Hershey, of Lan- caster county.

David S. Horst remained with his parents until his marriage, when he came to his present home. He worked in the mill part of the time, and part of the time on the farm. He had when a hoy of nine acquired a knowledge of the watch making trade, and followed it from that time on whenever he had the time and occasion ; as a child he made wooden clocks for his own amusement. Mr. and Mrs. Horst are members of the River Brethren (Dunkard) Church. In politics, Mr. Horst votes the Republi- can ticket, but he has never been a sceker after office. He is in affluent circumstances, and prominent in. the community in which he resides. Although well along in years his health is excellent, and he is able to attend to business as well as a much younger man.

CHARLES H. HINKLE, deceased. There are men who possess a certain kindliness of heart, steadiness of purpose, and stanch assertion of prin- ciple, combined with unassuming manners that at- tract irresistibly to them as steadfast friends all right minded individuals. A man of that character was Charles H. Hinkle, whose life was cut off most prematurely, when he was but forty years of age, and when he was entering upon a career of extended usefulness. In his younger years he was a fireman on the Pennsylvania Railroad, but he abandoned that hazardous occupation to accept the position of messenger and watchman in the Columbia National Bank, a position which he held for nine years to the day of his death in 1885. But he was not only a messenger and watchman. He rose to the position of director as well. He was also at the time of his death a director of the Columbia Gas Company, of which he was for a time secretary and treasurer. He possessed keen business ability and had already acquired a competence when overtaken by death.

Charles H. Hinkle was born in West Hempfield township in 1845, the son of Henry and Sally ( Mc- Gee) Hinkle, representatives of the oldest families of Lancaster county. His grandfather, Hommes Hinkle, was born near Lancaster in 1775. His father, Henry Hinkle, also a native of Lancaster county removed to Maytown in 1768, and remained

518

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

there until 1778. He was drafted into the Revolu- tionary war but ran away with several other drafted men and took refuge on Mundorff's Island, below Safe Harbor, where he was captured by a detach- ment of soldiers and brought to Lancaster. He was detailed to drive a team in the supply train of the Continental army, and participated in the battles of Trenton and Brandywine. He remained in the army until honorably discharged.

Honnes Hinkle had the following children : Joseph, who became a farmer of York county : William, who settled in Donegal township, Lan- caster county: John, who moved to Ohio: Honnes : Henry; Isaac: Patience, who was married to Joseph Mays; Catherine, who married Henry Knights. a tanner and also for a time proprietor of the "Black Horse Hotel" in Columbia: Nancy, who married Jacob Attstatt. and Elizabeth, who married John Lockard. Honnes was a man of rugged pioneer type, honest and blunt in manner. and a general favorite among the early settlers. He married a Miss Kauffman.

Henry Hinkle, son of Honnes, was born in West Hempfield township. near Columbia, in ISor. After the death of his father, which occurred about 1830, Henry and his brother Isaac took charge of the home farm, and continued joint tenants for more than thirty years, occupying the same residence and eating at the same table. Isaac's health failing. the property by mutual agreement was divided, and Isaac removed to Columbia, where he died a few years later. Henry also removed to Columbia in after life. and there he died Aug. 24. 1875. He had become a director of the Columbia National Bank, and left an estate of over $80,000. to be divided among his children. His wife, whose maiden name was Sally McGee, also died at Columbia. Their children. were as follows: Rebecca, who married Christian Hershey, and is now deceased: Isaac, a retired farmer of Wrightsville: Joseph. who died in ad- vanced life. a retired farmer ; William, who oper- ated the hotel at Wrightsville, and is now deceased : David, proprietor of a hotel at Columbia: Charles H .; John. deceased, and Catherine, wife of William Hardy. a blacksmith at Columbia, for the Pennsyl- vania Railroad.

Charles H. Hinkle was reared on the farm. In 1867, in Columbia, he married Miss Amelia M. U1- mer, daughter of Joseph and Mary Gertrude ( Hine- land) Ulmer. Five children were born to Charles H. and Amelia Hinkle, namely : James B., of Columbia : Lizzie C., wife of Edward Becker, a bookkeeper of Columbia : Lotta, deceased : Clara, deceased. and Mary, deceased. Mr. Hinkle, the husband and father, died in 1885 aged forty years. He was buried at Columbia. His widow, eight years later, married John Rodkey, of West Hempfield township, whose sketch appears elsewhere. Charles H. Hinkie was a member of Chiquesalunga Tribe. Red Men, and at the time of his leath was secretary of the Columbia Gas Company. He was one of the promi-

nent, progressive business men of Columbia, whose personal influence and efforts were ever directed to the upbuilding of the city's interests.

MARTIN R. SHEAFFER. One of the pro- minent and eminently successful farmers of Upper Leacock township, is Martin R. Sheaffer, who also has been extensively engaged in tobacco packing.

The birth of Mr. Sheaffer occurred in Earl town- ship, July 25, 1843, and he was a son of Philip and Leah (Rutter) Sheaffer, who were natives of Earl and Leacock townships, respectively. The great- grandfather of Mr. Sheaffer of this record cante from Germany and was one of the pioneers of the first settlement of Earl township, and bore the name of Martin Sheaffer. this being a family name. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Sheaffer of this sketch were Martin and Mary (Miller) Sheaffer. the former of whom was born in 1770 and died at the age of forty-nine years. in 1821. He was a successful farmer and well-known and respected cit- izen of Earl township. and became the father of seven sons and five daughters. The materna! grandparents of Mr. Sheaffer were Henry and Elizabeth (Rover) Rutter, farming people of Lan- caster countv.

Philip Sheaffer was born in December, 1803. and died on April 13, 1864, and was buried in the Groffdale cemetery. In his early life he carried on a distilling business, but later settled down to agricultural pursuits. The mother of Mr. Sheaffer of this sketch was born on Aug. 25. 1813, and is now an honored member of his household. Mar- tin R. was the only child of this marriage.

Martin R. Sheaffer, who is the subject of this biography. attended the district schools during bor- hood and assisted his father on the homestead farm until he was twenty years old, then beginning to farm on his own account and continuing thus en- gaged at the same place until 1876. At this date he retired from farming and moved into the village of Bareville, where he resided for five years. Then he returned to the farm for one year. but finally disposed of it and returned to town life and engage i in tobacco packing in Bareville, where he has since remained, one of the most substantial citizens. Jir. Sheaffer is a Republican in politics, and actively upholds the principles and candidates of his party. For the past six years he has been a director in the New Holland Bank. one of the firmly established financial institutions of the county.

The first marriage of Mr. Sheaffer was on Nov. 17, 1864. in Mechanicsburg. to Caroline Gravbili, and the children of this marriage were: Graybill, who died May 5, 1866: Martin G., who is an attorney of Lancaster city, married Anna M. Leight, to whom have been born two children. Dorothy and Martha : Cora, who married John W. Eshleman, of Ephrata, Pa., where he is engaged in the manufacture of cigars, and whose children number four. Fanny. Esther. Caroline and Martin S .: Caroline, who re- -

519

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

sides at home; Clayton R., who resides in Phila- delphia; Blanche E., deceased; and Walter, de- ceased.

Mrs. Caroline (Graybill) Sheaffer was born in Earl township on March 6, 1846, and died on May 25, 1886, and her burial was at Groffdale, Pa. She was a daughter of Levi and Fanny ( Kinport) Gray- bill, natives of Lancaster county, of Swiss ancestry.

The second marriage of Mr. Sheaffer was on June 18, 1888, in Lancaster, to Lottie A. Myer, and the children born to this union were: Leah M., deceased; Amanda M., who died in infancy; and Rebecca, who lives at home.

. Mrs. Lottie A. (Myer) Sheaffer was born in. Upper Leacock township Jan. 19, 1860. daughter of Samuel R. and Amanda (Evans) Myer, the former of whom was for many years a prominent minister in the German Baptist Church. A sister of Mrs. Sheaffer is the well-known instructor, Miss Elizabeth Myer, of the Elizabethtown College.

Mr. Sheaffer is a man for whom his neighbors have the highest respect ; his business ability is firmly established and his integrity unquestioned. The family is an old and honorable one in Lancaster county.

JACOB H. MECKLEY, who unites the business of a lumber merchant and a farmer in Bainbridge, was born in Conoy township, Oct. 2, 1840, Conoy not having then been set apart from Donegal township.

Benjamin and Barbara ( Haldeman) Meckley, his parents, were born in Mt. Joy and Rapho town- ships, respectively, and both died in Conoy town- ship. The father was a farmer, and operated a saw- mill from 18449 to 1880. He was a successful man, occupying a prominent place in the community, and serving as a school director for several years. For some ten years prior to his demise he lived retired, dying in 1892, at the age of seventy-six years. Mrs. Barbara Meckley died in 1850, at the age of forty-two years, and both were buried in Good's Meeting House Cemetery in West Donegal town- ship. Benjamin Meckley was a member of the Mennonite Church, and his wife of the United Brethren. They had the following children: Ja- cob H .: Christ H., a cigar maker at Lock Haven, Pa .; Anna H., wife of Benjamin Fink, a carpenter and contractor in Conoy township; Elizabeth, widow of Andrew Shank, living in Bainbridge : Mrs. Barbara Meckley died in 1850, at the age of Abraham H., of Columbia, Pa., mentioned else- where : Benjamin H., who died young : Samuel H., who was married and died at the age of twenty-two years : and Martin H., single and living in Mt. Joy township.

The paternal grandparents of Jacob H. Meck- ley were Melchior and Elizabeth ( Hoffer) Meck- ley, both natives of Lancaster county. and life-long residents of Mt. Joy township, where their lives were devoted to farming. Mr. Meckley's maternal grand-

parents were Christian and Barbara (Swartz) Hal- , dieman, both also natives of Lancaster county, who passed their lives on a farm in Rapho township. | Mr. Mecklev is related to the Meckleys and Hoffers of Elizabethtown, sketches of whom are found in another place.

Jacob H. Meckley was married in Conoy town- ship, Dec. 23, 1877, to Miss Anna Wilhelm, and to this union were born the following children : Franklin B., Mary W., Elizabeth W., Benjamin Harrison and Jacob W. Mrs. Mecklev was born in Maytown, a daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Nev) Wilhelm, of Conoy township, where they both died. ; her father, a veteran of the War of the Rebellion, in 1866, and her mother in 1872, at the age of fifty vears. They were devoted members of the Lutheran Church, and were laid to rest in the cemetery at Bainbridge.

Mr. Meckley spent the first eighteen years of his life at home with his parents, and then became an apprentice at the carpenter trade in Manchester. Pa., where he spent two years. At the end of that time he came back to his native township, and fol- lowed his trade until September, 1862, when he en- listed in a regiment that was being raised by Col. Dickey, and went to Chambersburg and Green Castle, but was rejected as not meeting the physical requirements of the service. Coming home, he ici- lowed his trade until 1866, when he was put in charge of the Meckley sawmill, which he carried on until 1871. From that time until 1888 he had charge of the Locust Grove steam sawmill in Conoy town- ship. At the end of this time he moved to Bain- bridge to start a lumber vard, and at the same time engaged in farming. Mr. Meckley is a hustling and energetic man, and has been quite successful in his various undertakings, accumulating a fair com- petence and winning a very enviable standing in the community. For the past sixteen years he has served as school director, and is a member of the Church of God. He belongs to the Senior O. U. A. M. In his politics he is a Republican.

GEORGE M. MAURER. In thriftiness. in- dustry and all those sterling qualities essential to permanent success on the farm George M. Maurer takes prominent rank among the citizens of West Hempfield township, Lancaster county. He has for many years engaged in general farming and garden- ing on the well-improved and well tilled acres which his father purchased more than forty years ago.

The father, George Maurer, was born June 9, 1817, in Niederlierbach. Hessen-Darmstadt, son of Frank and Mary ( Kline) Maurer. There were three sons and one daughter, of whom George. the youngest, was the only one who ever came to Amer- ica, although all the others have descendants here. George started to earn his own living when a mere boy, and in 1830 we find him at Schloss Neuburg, near Heidelberg, an old castle which had been re- built, and was then occupied by Johann Friederich

520

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

Schlosser, a renowned author and translator. Here the boy acted as valet to Father Heinrich Lemcke, the family priest, a man who had been first a soldier, fighting against Napoleon for five years, then was ordained as a Protestant minister and finally, in 1826, was converted to the Catholic faith. In 1833 Bishop Kenrick, of Philadelphia, issued a circular letter to the Catholic priests of Germany, asking for help for the German Catholics scattered through western Pennsylvania. Father Lemcke decided to be one of the missionaries, and urged George to go with him, promising to do for him all that a father could, but friends persuaded the boy to refuse, a decision he regretted all his life.

After losing this good friend George drifted from one employment to another among the Ger- man upper classes, at last becoming gardener to the Rev. Stapleton, a minister who had a small congre- gation of English at Heidelberg during the sum- mers. By this time his parents had died and George had married Anna M. Melbert. Becoming filled with democratic ideas and with the hope of earning better wages, he determined to go to America; in 1852, leaving his family in Germany, he came to this country and settled at Cordelia Furnace, in West Hempfield township. Lancaster county. Here he found employment, and his family joined him the i next year. Almost his first act in America was to 1 make inquiries for Father Lemcke. Now, the priest's meeting with Prince De Gallivin in the Alleghanics, his labors there and later in Arkansas, are matters of history, but then George Maurer found it im- possible to get a trace of him, and not until a vear before his death did he hear of his old master. Then, in a Catholic almanac, he found a sketch of Father ! Lemcke's life and the notice of his death in Arkansas, a year previously. Meantime, Maurer was prosper- ing ; in 1861 he purchased a farm of twelve acres in West Hempfield township and there began in a modest way an agricultural career which continued uninterruptedly until his death, which occurred Oct. 22, 1885, at the age of sixty-eight years. George Maurer was a tall, strong man, over six feet in height and of proportionate build: in ali business .papers he was designated as "George Maurer (big)," to distinguish him from others of his name, and among the Ger- man-speaking people about him he was usually known as "Der grosse Maurer." For his character. it is sufficient to say that his word was as good as his bond. His widow survived until ISgo, passing away at the age of sixty-seven years. They were buried at Columbia. Pa. Both were devout mem- bers of the German Catholic Church. Two chil- dren blessed their union, Barbara, who married John Geltz, and is now deceased, and George M.

The latter was born in Hesse-Darmstadt. Ger- many, March 20, 1848, and was brought to America by his mother in 1853. He was reared in West Hempfield township. Lancaster county, and has ever

since resided there. remaining with his father unty the latter's death, in 1885. He then took charge of the little farm, which he has since conducted most profitably. He married, Nov. 17, 1870, in Columbia. Miss Mary Michael, who was born in Prussia. Ger- many, July 22, IS48, daughter of Mathias and Mar- garet (Michael) Michael. She emigrated to Amer- ica in 1850 with her parents, who settled in :It. To- township, Lancaster county. The father enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment and served in the army dur- ing the Civil war. Soon after his honorable dis- charge he removed to Missouri where he took up a homestead and remained until his death, which oc- curred in ISTI. He was a member of the Catholic church. To Mathias and Margaret Michael were born a family of four children, namely: Peter. who died in Missouri ; Catherine, wife of John Kline, a farmer of West Hempfield township : Mary. wife cf Mr. Maurer : and Stephen, who resides in Missouri.

To George M. and Mary Maurer have been born ten children. as follows: George, Stephen ani John. deceased: Mary, wife of George Sipp, of West Hempfield township; Frank, a silk weaver, who married, Sept. 25, 1902, Mary, daughter of Samuel Steckler: Joseph. deceased: Elizabeth, Simon and William, at home; and Charles. deceased. Mr. Maurer and family are members of the Catholic Church.

HENRY ZAHM RHOADS, who retired from the jewelry and art goods business some six years ago, only to engage more actively than ever in other pursuits, has an ancestry on both his father's and mother's side that goes back to the early days of 1700.

The first Rhoads of whom we have any account ·was Yohon Ludwig Roth fas the name was spelled in those days), who came to America from Bonfeld, Alsace, about 1728, and settled near the Trappe, in Montgomery county, Pa. Philip Roth, a son, ac- companied him. In 1800 John Rhoads, grandfa- ther of Henry Zahm, began writing the name as it is now written-Rhoads, instead of Roth. John Rhoads had three sons. William. Daniel and Jacob. All three became hatters, although their father was a tailor, learning their trade with John H. Fox, a hat manufacturer, who had married their sister. Daniel and Jacob came to Lancaster in 1831 and began the hat business. Daniel retiring from the business in 1852, and Jacob in 1856. After dis- continuing his trade Jacob Rhoads bought a large tract of land in the Eighth ward, and proceeded to develop that section, the commodious home which he built, and the fine orchard which he planted. be- ing still in the possession of Henry Z. Rhoads. Jacch Rhoads was married, in 1838, to Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Godfried Zahm, a well-known brushmaker. prominent in the affairs of Lancaster. Five chil- dren blessed this union. two of whom are living. Henry Zahm and Emma, the latter the widow of

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.

Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers, Part 15

Author: Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899. dn; Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [Chicago, Ill.] : Beers Number of Pages: 1186

Author: Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899. dn; Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [Chicago, Ill.] : Beers
Number of Pages: 1186