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 21
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Jesse Scott is well known and most highly re- spected. His success as a farmer has been noted in the county. while his admirable traits as a man have won him the esteem of all who have come into contact with him.
ISAAC S. FUNK was born Feb. 21, 1845, in East Hempfield township, Lancaster county.
Martin Funk, father of Isaac S., was born in Manor township, Lancaster county, Nov. 10, 1808. His father ched when he was eight years old and he was bound out at that age to Abram Miller, ci Manor township, where he lived for eight years. He then went to live with his stepfather, John Breneman, of Manor township, where he made his home for nearly seven years. He then married Miss Elizabeth Shertzer, of Manor township. Nov. 12. 1835, and commenced farming for Abram Stoner. of East Hempfield township. He continued at that until 1845, when he removed to Manor township and engaged in general work for three years. He then bought the farm where his son Isaac now re- sides and remained there until his death, March 31. 1876, up to that time following farming exclusively. During the seven years that he lived with his step- father he walked twice to Dayton, Ohio. The first time he walked all the way home, but on his second journey home he bought a horse and rode him back, afterwards trading him for a gold watch. H. was a consistent member of the Old Mennonite Church. He always voted the Democratic ticket but never sought an office. Mr. and Mrs. Martin Funk were the parents of the following children : Elias and Abram, deceased : Elizabeth, the wife of Levi Good. of Conestoga; Mary S., who died in childhood : Isaac S .: Barbara, deceased ; and Char- lotta, the wife of John Henry, of Conestoga.
Isaac S. Funk remained at home with his father until the death of the latter in 1876. Three years afterwards he purchased the farm and has since
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given his entire time and attention to its manage- ment. He is a member of the Old Mennonite Church and is one of its trustees. Like his father he is a member of the Democratic party but the only office he has ever held was that of assistant as- sessor of his township for one term. He married Annie, daughter of John Warfel, of Conestoga township. They have but one son, Martin, who lives with his parents.
Mr. Funk owns a farm of ninety-three acres which has a magnificent view of the Susquehanna river and is one of the finest places in the county. This gentleman is in prosperous circumstances and is fully abreast of the times in all his ideas. He is greatly respected and is a good substantial citizen.
THEODORE M. STORB, one of the leading business men of New Holland, Pa., conducts in this borough a large and prosperous business in marble and granite cutting, established by his father, and now conducted in association with his two sons, under the firm name of T. M. Storb & Sons.
Theodore M. Storb comes of excellent parentage, his father, Theodore Storb, having been for many years a highly appreciated teacher of languages in the schools of Pennsylvania, and later the founder of the business which is so ably carried on by his descendants. Theodore Storb, Sr., was born in Prussia, in 1794, a son of Hermann Storb, a black- smith near Dusseldorf. He came to America at the age of twenty-three, landing in Philadelphia, and locating first in Lehigh county, Pa., where he mar- ried a Miss Grobb, the children born of this union being Albert, of Pottstown, Pa .; Caroline, deceased ; and Augustus and Sarah, who died in childhood, Mrs. Storb also passing away. In 1831 he married Elizabeth Minker, of Berks county, this marriage resulting in the birth of: Hannah and Henry, who died in childhood; Theodore M., born Aug. 16, 1835; Elizabeth, of New Holland: Mathias, de- ceased; and Amelia, who married David S. Schlauch, of New Holland. The father died in 1872 and the mother in 188.4.
The education of Theodore M. Storb, was re- ceived in the excellent schools of Montgomery county, Pa. He came with his father when the lat- ter located in New Holland in 1854, and upon his father's death in 1872 he succeeded to the business, since that time greatly extending it and taking into partnership his two very capable sons. Lewis M. and Harry K. Mr. Storb is a practical man, thor- oughly understanding all of the details of his line of trade; he has prospered and is now justly re- garded as one of the substantial men of the local- ity, his name carrying with it financial responsibil- ity and business confidence.
In Oct., 1860, Theodore M. Storb was married to Miss Mary S. Mentzer, of Earl township, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Kurtz) Mentz- er, of Lancaster county, and to this union have been born: Ella, who married Dr. John B. Kohler, of
New Holland, and has two children-Mary and Clara; Lewis M. and Harry K., both connected with their father in the marble business. Harry K. Storb married Mary Besore, of New Holland, and has two children, Henry and Theodore.
Mr. Storb is a prominent Republican of Earl township and occupies a number of important po- sitions in the county, being a director in the Down- ingtown and Lancaster Railroad Company ; manager of the New Holland Turnpike Road Company ; a di- rector in the New Holland Water Co., and also con- nected with various other enterprises of minor im- portance. He is a member and trustee of Earl Lodge, I. O. O. F., of New Holland. Mr. Storb is thoroughly representative, and the type of man who has given Lancaster county its prominence in the eyes of the business world.
WILLIAM C. GEIGER, a well-known busi- ness man of Quarryville, Lancaster county, was born Sept. 29, 1849, near Baltimore, Md., son of Christopher and Annie ( Beates) Geiger.
Mr. Geiger is descended from one of three brothers who came to America from Germany and settled at Gibraltar, Berks county. Of these, An- thony bought a tract of land from the Penns. That he reached Berks county at least as early as 1735 is shown by a land warrant issued to him in that vear. Christopher Geiger, son of Anthony, was born in 1720, married Mary Robeson, and died in 1805. Elisha Geiger, son of Christopher, was born in 1776. He married Mary Jones, daughter of Thomas Jones, Jr., and died in 1821, leaving two sons, Christopher and Elisha, and several daugh- ters. Elisha settled in Lancaster county, where he died some years ago. Susan died unmarried. Kit- ty married a Mr. Robinson, who died in Lancaster county, leaving his widow and one son. Charles, now a retired business man of New Jersey, and one daughter, Annie, who married a Mr. Poik, and moved to Philadelphia.
At the death of his father Christopher Geiger, then a lad of eighteen years, being the eldest, be- came the chief support of the family. He con- tracted for work on the Reading canal when it was building, and after that was manager in a foundry at Pottsville, Pa., of which he later became owner, conducting the business for some time and finally selling it. He then built a hotel in Pottsville, which he ran for a number of years. About 1837 he mar- ried a Miss Park, of York county, Pa., who died shortly afterward, leaving one daughter, Mary, now Mrs. Heitshu, of Lancaster, and two sons, Samuel and Philip, both deceased. In 1848 Christopher Geiger again married, his second wife being Miss Annie Beates. They located at the Ashland Fur- nace, sixteen miles from Baltimore, where Mr. Geiger carried on an extensive iron business for a number of years, and which he had, in partnership with Philip and Samuel Small, of York county, Pa., and Edward and Joseph Patterson, of Baltimore
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(the brothers of Jerome Bonaparte's wife), built in 1846. In 1840 Mr. Geiger and the Small broth- ers had built Manor Furnaces in York county. He finally sold out, and moving to Lancaster city en- gaged again in the foundry business at that place, until ISoo, when he sold out and removed to Blair furnace. There he purchased a furnace which soon afterward was entirely destroyed by fire, entailing a serious financial loss to Mr. Geiger. He then re- moved to Hollidaysburg, Blair county, where he engaged in furnace work for a year, and then moved back to Lancaster. and began operating in mines near Knoxville. Md. This was after the con- clusion of the Civil war, and about 1868. In 1870 he removed to Quarryville, and followed mining and ore shipping for several years. In 1884 he built the Sarah Furnace. in Harford county, Md., which he operated. He again moved to Lancaster, where he lived retired until the time of his death, in 1889. at the age of eighty years. His wife died in Lancaster in 1880, leaving a family of five chil- dren: William C., who is the eldest; Annie, born in 1851, who lives in Lancaster county, and is un- married; Charles, born in Lancaster county in 1854, and now living at Quarryville, a United States Deputy Revenue Collector ; Edward, born in Lancaster county in 1857, unmarried and a resident of Reading : and Laura, born in Lancaster county in 1860. the wife of P. T. Watt, a general merchant of. Lancaster, who has four children, James, Charles, Donald and Laura.
William C. Geiger was reared in Lancaster county, and obtained his education in the public schools. When a young man he acted as superin- tendent of mines for his father near Quarryville and other places. In 1877 he married Mrs. Rebecca J. Lovett, of an old Lancaster county family, dangh- ter of Martin and Rebecca Hess. Mrs. Geiger was born in Drumore township. July 17, 1856, and after growing to young womanhood married William Lovett, a business man of Quarryville borough, who died shortly after their marriage, and left no children. Mr. and Mrs. Geiger were located near Quarryville, where he engaged in mining and ship- ping ore in partnership with the late C. M. Hess. After the death of his partner, Mr. Geiger contin- ted the business until 1889, when he engaged in general storekeeping in Quarryville borough for three years. In 1876 he was in partnership. in a
general merchandising business, with Charles Geiger, where the Hawes Dickinson establishment now is. He sold out his store in 1891. and again carried on mining and shipping ore. In 1888 he purchased his present home. a fine brick residence on Church street, where, in 1895, Mrs. Geiger opened a millinery business, which she still carries on. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Geiger, as follows: William F., born in 1877. was educated in the graded schools of the place: he is unmarried, and is engaged in the plumbing busi- ness. C. Martin, born in 1879, is unmarried, and is
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engaged in business in Lancaster city. Walter : born in 1883, travels for his brothers, who may". facture neckwear in Lancaster city. Harry E., b. .. in 1883, is at present of the firm of Geiger Br .. manufacturers of neckwear, Lancaster city. Ci .. ter A., born in March, 1887, is at present a study : in the borough schools. Anna R. was born in j :: I889, and Joseph Hess was born in 1891.
In politics Mr. Geiger is a Republican, and i :. has held the office of street commissioner of [ .... borough. Mrs. Geiger is an active member of :: Reformed Church. Her parents, Martin and R -- becca Hess, located on a farm in Drumore townsh .. in 1849. Mr. Hess also kept a hotel in connection with his other enterprises. Later he purchased ; large farm near Quarryville and built a fine brick residence upon it, in which he resided for about thirty-five years. He then purchased a property !!! Quarryville, in which his son-in-law, Mir. Fritz. now resides. Mr. Hess died while a resident of the village, in 1887, and his wife died at the famtr place in 1901. This worthy couple had one son an i four daughters: Abby A., wife of Jacob Fritz: Joseph, unmarried : Susan, wife of Ezra Fritz ; Re- becca J., Mrs. Geiger ; and Emma, wife of I. G. Le- fever, of Quarryville.
Mr. Geiger is well and favorably known in business circles over the entire county, and is a man of fine character and social qualities. Ever read: to help, his advice is frequently sought by young men entering life's struggle. Mrs. Geiger is a lady of fine mental and business abilities, and of kinda disposition.
WITMER. The Witmer family is one of the oldest and longest-known in Lancaster county. It is of Swiss origin, the first American progenitors. John Witmer and Benjamin Witmer, having been born in Switzerland; John about the year Ioss. They were first cousins, and emigrated to America together, in 1716, John bringing his family, consist- ing of his wife, Catharine, and two small children. Elizabeth and Michael, the latter then about two years of age. They came directly within the border of the present Lancaster county. Benjamin located a short distance to the eastward of the pres- ent city of Lancaster, where he died in 1753, leaving a number of children and grandchildren. He was the grandfather of Abraham Witmer, the originat. t. builder and proprietor of the present stone turn-pixe bridge over the Conestoga, east of Lancaster, an .: who died in 1818.
John Witmer continued beyond and settled on ? tract of vacant land on a branch of the Little Cones- toga Creek, three and a half miles west of the pres- ent city, lying on the south side of and adjoining what is now known as the Lancaster and Columbia turnpike, containing 200 acres and allowance of six per cent. for roads and highways, bounded on the north by the lands of Christian Pellmas and Henry Parr (now A. B. Kready, Henry Witmer and
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the turnpike aforesaid) ; on the east by the land of Andreas Coffman (now Susan C. Kready) ; on the south by vacant land (now John F. Charles ) : and on the west by vacant land and the land of Christian Pellman ( now John F. Charles and A. B. Kready, respectively). With the exception of a strip of mead- ow along said stream, the tract was thickly covered with timber. He built a small log cabin close to a large spring, near the central part of the tract, and worked hard to fell timber, make improvements and a scanty living until 1728, when he died. leaving the widow and three children to support themselves as best they could, for he had not yet obtained a title to the property, nor paid anything on it. In 1724 the names of John Witmer, Benjamin Witmer and Ben- jamin Witmer, Jr., were the only Witmer names then on the assessment list of all the territory now em- braced within the bounds of Lancaster county, then known as Conestogoe, and as a part of Chester coun- ty, then extending westward and northwestward an indefinite distance beyond the Susquehanna river. The future town site of Lancaster was at that time still covered with timber, with the exception of a swamp in the southern part, and another in the north- eastern part, and a portion thereof was still vacant land. About this time one George Gibson erected a tavern near a large hickory tree, a short distance cast of the present Centre Square, alongside of the great highway leading from Philadelphia to Wright's Ferry (now Columbia), and which became known as the "Hickory Tavern" at Gibson's pasture. On Feb. 26, 1729. the first survey of a portion of the bound- ary of the present town site was made, but was not completed until sometime during 1730, at which time the locality was still known by the same name, al- though it had then attained to a small hamlet of about two hundred souls.
The inventory of the estate of John Witmer, ap- praised Dec. 17, 1728, is on file in the register's office, at West Chester, and contains only the follow- ing five items : The improvements of 200 acres of land, f34, IOS .; a parcel of horses, mares and colts, £51; a cow, calves and sheep, £17, 15s. ; all the house- hold goods and gears, etc., for the plantation, fig, 7s. ; a parcel of books, 5s. ; total amount, £122, 17s.
The administrator, Christian Vitty, after settling up the estate, married the widow, but died within a few years ; and, as the records show, the widow then made application, and on June 4. 1735. obtained a warrant of survey in her own name as the widow of Christian Vitty, deceased. The land was surveyed, the survey returned, approved and confirmed : and during the latter part of the same year John Penn, Richard Penn and Thomas Penn, as absolute propri- etors and governors in chief of the province of Penn- sylvania. and the counties of Newcastle. Kent and Sussex, in Delaware, executed to her a Patent Deed for the said tract, graciously specifying and granting to her therein, among other things, the privilege to hunt, hawk, fish and fowl, on said premises, at all times. The consideration money therein mentioned 35
is f20 to them in hand paid, and the premises sub- ject to a yearly quit rent of one silver English shil- ling for every hundred acres, to be paid annually thereafter, on the first day of March, at the town of Lancaster. Three full and clear fifth parts of all Royal Mines, free from all deductions and reprisals for digging and refining the same, is also fully ex- cepted and reserved therein. The said deed is dated Nov. 18, 1735, in the ninth year of the reign of King George Il. over Great Britain, etc.
Of the three children, Elizabeth married Christian Swartz, and Barbara became the wife of George Kendrick. The son, Michael, married Anna Long, and on Oct. 21, 1751, a tripartite deed from his mother and his sisters and their husbands was exe- cuted to him for the said tract of land, the consid- eration money for the same mentioned therein being now increased to {250, the land subject to the same reservations as before. The widow died in 1700. Of the laughters and their descendants we give no further record.
Michael Witmer, the son, was an unexception- able, far-seeing, hard-working man, endowed with superior business abilities, and prospered far above and beyond the average farmer of his time and lo- cality. The issue of his marriage was five chil- dren : John, born in 1750, married Elizabeth -- , and died June 3. ISI7, leaving a widow and nine chil- dren : Abraham, born in 1756, married Maria | Swartz, and died Feb. 21, 1826, leaving a widow (they never had any children ) ; Anna, born Aug. 5, 1700, married Jacob Eberly, and died as his widow Feb. IS, 1831, leaving six children (her hus- band had died Dec. 2, 1810) ; Mary, born in 1763, married Jacob Knopp, and died in 1789, leaving her husband and an only child, also named Jacob; and Herman, born July 22, 1753, was twice married, and died Jan. 5. 1829. His first wife was Widow Barbara Groff, who was born Oct. 6, 1749, and died July 27, 1797. His second wife was Barbara Schucker, born Oct. 15, 1779, who died Jan. 1, 1862.
In and by the last will and testament of Michael Witmer, bearing date Aug. 27, 1789, executed only a few days before his demise, he bequeathed to his son, John Witmer, a tract of land bordering on the south side of the Mahantango Creek, and on the west side of the Susquehanna river, in the northeast cor- ner of what is now Juniata county, containing 232 acres, and allowance of six per cent. Also, another tract adjoining it, but lying on the opposite side of the creek, in what is now Snyder county, containing 150 acres, more or less. To his son, Abra- ham Witmer, he gave a tract of 150 acres and allowance, located at and embracing the well-known "McKee's One-Half Falls Hotel" and store property. fronting along the west shore of the Susquehanna river, thirty-six miles above Harrisburg, and also in Snyder county since the division of Union, in 1855. To his son. Herman Witmer, he gave the original home tract of 200 acres and allowance, and valued it to him at
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£1,600. The daughters, the will says, he had previ- i cash and securities sufficient to give to the daughter. ously provided for. to some extent, and he gives to Elizabeth, an equal share in money. Anna the balance of her equal share in cash. To his grandchild, Jacob Knopp, Jr., he gives f150, to be put on interest for him until he arrives of age, and then to be paid to him. with the interest. . His wife. Anna, lie also provided for liberally and far beyond her needs, and an itemized list of the various and numerous now ohsolete articles given to her would appear ridiculously strange if inserted into a will at the present time. He died during the first week in September. 1789. and his widow in the beginning of March, 1702. The three sons occupied, lived and died on the respective tracts of land devised to them.
Herman Witmer, in his youth, learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he carried on, along with his agricultural pursuits, for a long time. He was an amateur blacksmith, cooper and carpenter, and did his own blacksmithing, horseshoeing and repairing in the line of comper and carpenter work required on the farm. He also carried on a distillery on the farm, as most of the farmers did at that time. He was ingenious and inventive, a leader in experimenting with and introducing new implements, machinery and features on the farm and in the household. He took great delight in pomology, was an expert in grafting, and introduc- ing new varieties of fruit, and at the time of his death there was probably not another farm in Manor township containing such an abundance and varicty of fruit, and all grafted by his own hands; and, as a novelty, he frequently grafted many varieties of apples and pears promiscuously on the same tree. He was an industrious and persevering reader, and a well-informed man, and at the time of his death had accumulated quite an extensive library of books. mostly in the German language, and on one of the fly-leaves at the end of many of the volumes he left a memorandum in his own handwriting, stating that he had read the book through, and expressing his opinion of the contents.
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By his first wife Herman Witmer had one son, Dr. John Witmer. horn May 10, 1785, who married Anna Baer, and died Dec. 14. 1847, leaving a widow and nine children. His widow was born Nov. 24. 1789, and died May 31. 1854. By his second wife Herman Witmer had two children, Jacob S. and Elizabeth. The latter was born Dec. 25, 1813, bc- came the wife of Daniel Graybill, a farmer of East Hempfield township, and died Dec. 21, 1885, leaving a husband and five children-Magdalena (wife of Daniel Kreider ), Herman W., Amos, Benjamin and David W. The husband and father died Oct. 29, 1890.
Herman Witmer divided his land, the 200-acre tract, during his lifetime, between his two sons, giv- ing to John a little the larger portion. Although having suffered a heavy loss through a loan and en- dorsement for an unworthy friend, he was still suf- ficiently prosperous to leave, at the time of his death,
Jacob S. Witmer, son of Herman, was born Jar. IT, 180.4. Htc married Mary, oldest daughter . : Abraham and Elizabeth Rohrer, of Manor townshi on May 30, 1826. She was born Aug. 15, 1802 an { died Aug. 23, 1877. To them were born ten chi .- dren-five sous and five daughters. He carried on farming nearly all his lifetime. In 1837 he sol .: his portion of the original farm to his half-brother. Dr. John Witmer, and purchased another farm. in the western part of the township, which he occurie. until ISU5, when he sold it also and retired to privat life in the village of Millersville until after the death! of his wife, when he made his home with his son. A. R. Witmer, during the remainder of his life. H .. was a man of strict integrity, of a kindly disposition. a reliable and helpful friend to the poor, ever willing and ready to do a favor, even when against his own interest, and thereby was often imposed on, and suf- fered numerous financial losses in consequence. He possessed good business abilities, and was very ac- curate aud methodical in all business matters, and settled up more decedents' estates, as executor ani administrator, than any other person in his section of Manor township. He was assessor and a schon. director of Manor township for many years. H. also held the offices of prison inspector and counts and township auditor, but was never a professional politician.
It may not be out of place to remark that all the members of this Witmer family, from the Swiss pro- genitor down to the present time, always voted the Republican ticket, or what had previously been its equivalent. Jacob S. Witiner was a good penman. a very rapid writer, and very industrious reader, but never a devoted student. He died March 12, 1800.
Of the ten children, Elizabeth, born Aug. 17. 1828, was married March 16, 1849, to Joseph S. Berger, a son of Philip Berger, of Manor town- ship. In 1865 they moved to Canton, Ohio, where they and their children still reside. Henry R. Wit- mer, born April 6, 1830, married, Nov. 25, 1852. Fanny Kindig, a daughter of John Kindig, of Maner township, and in 1866 moved to Canton, Ohio, and a few years later from thence to Jasper county, Iowa. 3 where he died March 30, 1899. His widow and chil- dren still reside there. Anna was born Nov. 14. 1831. and on Dec. 27, 1863, was married to Emar- uel S. Frey, of Manor township. In 1865 they moved to Jasper county, Iowa, where he died Oc :. 14, 1901. His widow and two sons still survive. Jacob R. Witmer was born Dec. 29, 1833, and, after returning from the war for the Union, became a resident of Jasper county, Iowa, and there, on July 4, 1869, married Elizabeth Kindig, a daughter of John Kindig, of the same place. She died Feb. 6, 1900. Himself and children still reside ther .. . Benjamin R. Witmer was born March 19, 1835, and! on Dec. 23, 1856, married Catharine Kauffman. a
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