Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers, Part 32

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 32

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).

On March 25, 1901, John Meck passed away, at the age of sixty-eight years, and his influence, al- ways in the direction of temperance, education and morality, is much missed in the community. He and his wife were both exemplary members of the Old Mennonite Church. Since his death his widow and her daughter have lived in the village of Lam- peter.

MARTIN MILLER, for many years a promi- nent farmer citizen of Lititz, Lancaster county. where he was living retired at the time of his death. was born Aug. 20, 1823, on the home farm in Man- heim township, and was educated in the district school.

John Miller, father of Martin, was born Jan. 16. 1797, and died Nov. 4, 1883. By his marriage in 1822 with Charlotte, daughter of John Weidler, of Manheim township, he became the father of the fol- lowing named children : Martin ; Mary Ann, widow of Jonas B. Nolt, residing on North Duke street. Lancaster : Andrew, who died in early childhood : Susan, who also died when a child; and Lavinia. wife of Aaron H. Summy, of Lancaster. The mother of these children died in February, 1882.

Martin Miller assisted on the home farm until he was twenty-three years old, then married, and two years later purchased a farm of 160 acres about one mile northwest of Lititz, which he made into a model place. He resided upon it until 1868, when he turned it over to his son, and retired to pass the remainder of his years in ease and comfort at Li- titz.

Mr. Miller was four times married. His first wife, whom he wedded in 1846, was Miss Catherine Johnston, a daughter of Benjamin Johnston: she was born near Lancaster City, and died in 1868, at the age of forty-four years, leaving one child, Johns- ton Miller ; he became one of the leading farmers in Warwick township, though later he removed to Lititz and followed the insurance business. He

The second marriage of Mr. Miller took place in 1874, to Mrs. Ann ( Wallace ) Wise, widow of Chris-

! ler chose for his third wife. Mrs. Elizabeth Shirk. widow of Isaac Shirk. Mrs. Elizabeth Miller passed away in 1896, and in the fall of 1897. Mr. Miller contracted his fourth marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Minnich, widow of John Minnich, and daughter of James and Ellanor ( Leslie ) Stillwell. They lived in quiet contentment in Lititz, where his death took

Mr. Miller was a stockholder in the Lancaster

HOFFER. With the best development of Mt. Joy township the name of Hoffer has ever been connected : Lancaster and adjoining counties have had more than one occasion to be grateful to some representative of the family bearing that honored name.

Matthias Hoffer, from whom the Hoffers in this country are descended, was born in Klein Heuni- gen, Canton Basle, Switzerland. Aug. 24, 1718 (old style), and immigrated to America, landing at Phila- delphia, Sept. 2, 1743. He married Maria Wohl- weider, daughter of a farmer, and settled near Man- heim. The wife died Jan. 25. 1778, leaving six sons and six daughters. Mr. Hoffer subsequently mar- ried a second wife, who hore him five sons and one daughter.

John Hoffer. fifth son of Matthias, married Bar- bara I.ong, and resided in Londonderry, now Cone- wago township, Dauphin county, where he died Dec. 4, 1837 . He was the father of eight children, six sons and two daughters, of whom Samuel. George. john and Joshua. all settled in this locality and reared families. Their descendants are still living in this and adjoining counties.

John (2), fourth son of John, married Mary Reider, and resided in Conewago township, Dau- phin county, where he died May 21, 1866. He had three children: Isaac, of Lebanon; Jacob R., of Mt. Joy ; and Mary, widow of Rev. William Hertz- ler, residing in Elizabethtown. Isaac was the first mayor of Lebanon, Pa. He died Feb. 18, 1893. leaving three sons, Amos (since deceased), John and Allen, and one daughter, Mrs. George S. Bow- man.

JACOB R. HOFFER was born on a farm in Dau-

501

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

in county June 23, 1823. District schools in ·se days afforded but meagre opportunities for quiring an education, but young Hoffer took ry advantage of such as they were. He also at- oded Brown's School at Mt. Jov, and later James' Academy in Philadelphia. His early ambition :: rned toward the printer's trade, but circumstances . cipelled him to pass his young manhood on his faber's farm. His uncle. Squire Samuel Hoffer. of Conewago township, Dauphin county, was a man si considerable learning and high reputation, who Had established himself as a surveyor and scrivener : an l having taken a fancy to his nephew Jacob. Squire Hoffer gave him a thorough understanding "i the intricacies of his profession. This Mir. Hoffer continued to follow until 1864, when ill health compelled him to abandon a work that re- quired such great physical endurance ; he conducted a notion store to the time of his death, and also, true to his early predilection. he turned to the printing office, in 1864 becoming proprietor of the Mt. For Herald, which had been established by Mr. F. H. Stauffer in 1854, Although not a practical printer. Mr. Hoffer soon gained a thorough knowledge of the details of the business, and during his career 25 editor and proprietor of the Herald he greativ ad- vanced the standard of journalism in his locality. He was broad and liberal in his views, and gave to the public a paper clean and wholesome : conserva- tive in his expressions, he was a wise moulder of public opinion, and the farmers and business men all held him and his paper in high esteem. Since his death, his sons, John E. Hoffer and Uriah E. Hoffer, are conducting the paper for the estate.

Jacob R. Hoffer was united in marriage with Martha Engle. His death occurred April 15. 1892. and of his children two sons and five daughters survive: John E., Uriah E., Mary E., Rebecca and Hannah, all of Mt. Joy : Helen. of Philadelphia : and Annie A., wife of Dr. C. G. Gabel, of Lancaster.

HENRY S. RUTTER, a retired farmer and tobacco packer, is a director of the Gap National Bank, and has his home in Intercourse, Pa. Hc was born in Leacock township. Lancaster county, Oct. 15, 1836, and is a son of Eli and Elizabeth ,

(Skyles) Rutter.

Eli and Elizabeth Rutter were married Oct. 25. 1832. They were of Leacock and Salisbury town- ships, respectively. Mr. Rutter operated a hotel in Leacock township, and was a farmer four years in Williamstown, where later he was a merchant for some fifteen years. At the expiration of that period he retired. He was born Sept. 17, 1806, and died Dec. 30, 1878: Mrs. Elizabeth Rutter was born Feb. 26, 1805, and died Aug. 21, 1884; both were buried in the cemetery of Christ Church at Intercourse, Pa. Mrs. Rutter was a member of Christ Church. To them came the following family: Harriet A., born May 20, 1834, who is the widow of John Hess, a farmer, and lives at Gap, Pa .; Henry S .; Hannah

E .. born May 4. 1830. living at Intercourse. the widow of George Diller, at one time a hotel man and a drover: Jacob R., born Nov. 14, 1842, who mar- ried Maggie P. Lincoln, and is a farmer at Inter- course, l'ennsylvania.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Rutter were Jacob and Hannah ( Trout) Rutter, and they were married Jan. 21, 1800. They were farming people. and also kept a hotel in Intercourse many years. Jacob Rutter was born April 24. 1700, and died April 10. 1845. while his wife was born Aug. 6. 1779, and died Oct. o. 1860 : both were buried in the Cemetery of Christ Church at Intercourse. They had the following family: Elizabeth, born Oct. 22. 1800, married to George Rutter : Mary, born May 25, 1802: Uriah, married to Eliza Baker: Eli, who died Dec. 30, 1878, in the seventy-third year of his age; Anna L., who died Feb. 14, 1865, in her fifty- sixth year, unmarried: Sarah, who died Oct. 20. 1883, at the age of seventy-one years, nine months and twelve days, the wife of John Miller : Rachel. born Sept. 21. 1816, married to John Varnes: Han- nah V., who married Harvey Varnes, of Washing- ton, D. C., and is now dead.

The maternal grandparents of Mr. Rutter were Henry and Rebecca (Dunlap) Skyles, of Salisbury township, where he was engaged in business, both as a farmer and a potter.

Henry S. Ritter was married March ;. 1865. in Williamstown, Pa., to Miss Sarah E. Eckert, by whom he has had the following family: Bianch, who died at the age of eight years ; Laura J., an invalid. at home unmarried : Hannah, who married Adam Diller, a farmer and a drover at Intercourse, Pa .. and who is the mother of four children ; Elizabeth. who married Tobias Leaman, of Gordonville. Pa .. and is the mother of one child: Sarah, married to Harry Weiler, a clerk in a store in White Horse, Pa. : Harry E., a merchant at New Holland, unmarried : Jacob P., a hardware clerk. living at home : Etta E .. at home; Chauncey E., a druggist in Lancaster. P'a. ; Howard. L., at home.

Mrs. Sarah E. Rutter was born in Leacock town- ship in 1842, and is a daughter of Jacob K. and Hannah (Varnes) Eckert. Mr. Eckert was a farmer, and died in 1863, at the age of sixty-four : his widow died in 1870. at the age of sixty-nine years; both were buried in the Rolands Cemetery in Earl township. They were the parents of the following family: Rev. John V .. a Lutheran preacher, who died in 1808: George, living retired in Lancaster: Susannah, married to Jeremiah Se !- domridge. a retired farmer of Leacock township: Lewis, now of Philadelphia: Henry, deceased ; Mary A., late wife of Robert Hoar : Sarah E. ; Jemi- mah, the widow of Henry Harsh, living in Lan- caster ; Evaline, deccased wife of Josiah Zook: Re- becca, married to Moses Hess, of Duncannon, Penn- sylvania.

Henry S. Rutter remained on the paternal homestead until he was eighteen years old, when he

592

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

went to White Horse. Pa., and was employed two years as a clerk by William Bunn ; then he went to Williamstown, Pa., where he was engaged with Harry Worst two years in the mercantile business. i

At the expiration of that time, in company with his father, he bought out Mr. Worst, and operated the stand until 1865. That year his brother Jacob bought his father out, and the two were 'in partner- ship until 1871. That year Jacob retired from the firm, and Mr. Rutter was alone in the business for some two years, when he sold the store to Harry Brackbill. Moving to Leacock township, he bought a farm, where he remained until ISSo, and in that year came to Intercourse and began business as a tobacco packer. At present Mr. Kutter has retired from both farming and the tobacco packing indus- tries and is enjoying in his latter years a well-earned rest.

Mr. Rutter belongs to the Knights Templars ; in politics is a Democrat, and holds a prominent posi- tion in the community. His personal qualities have won him friends, while his business abilities have : 1897, and was admitted to practice Sept. 15, 1900. made him wealthy.

ABRAHAN HAINES POWDEN, EsQ., of No. 49 North Duke street, is one of the most promising young members of the Lancaster Bar, . and is a striking illustration of what the American youth can accomplish even in the face of most adverse circumstances. He was born July 24, 1876, at Altoona, Pa., son of A. H. Powden and Margaret Young. His father was employed at the Pennsyl- vania Railroad shops at Altoona, and died there three months before his son's birth; his mother dying when her boy was only sixteen months old, the young orphan was brought to Lancaster by his grandfather, Isaac B. Powden, who is a wholesale dealer in cigars and at this time is still traveling about on business of his house, though over eighty- four years of age. His grandmother was Elizabeth Haines. He was kept by his paternal grandparents until he was four years of age, at which time, upon the death of his grandmother, he was placed in the care of a paternal uncle with whom he had his home until he was eight years of age, and at whose instance he was sentenced to the House of Refuge at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Poor, and almost friendless, young Powden was presented on the day of his sentence to the House of Refuge, with a silver dollar, by a gentleman of Lancaster, and encouraged by that kind act, he resolved to secure an education and become a lawyer. How bravely and successfully he clung to that resolution and purpose is now a matter of record. The silver dollar is carried by him to-day, and is treasured above all his other possessions. bearing an inscription from whom the coin came, to whom it was given, and under what circum- stances.

Through the efforts of his new benefactor and other friends who took up his cause, he was

released from the House of Refuge at the end of : three weeks, and placed in the Children's Home at Lancaster, Pa., where he remained until ten years of age, at which time he went to live with Samuel O. Frantz, at Rohrerstown, where he worked on the farm during the summer and attended school in the . winter, and remaining with this kind-hearted family until he was sixteen years of age. Striking out for himself at that age he secured a position in. a general merchandise store at Mechanics Grove. where he remained one year, and then returned to Lancaster as a clerk for Ezra F. Bowman & Co., wholesale jewelers, with whom he spent four years. Clerking during the day, he pursued special studies by night, giving much attention to Latin, under the tutorship of a graduate of Franklin and Marshali College.

Upon the financial failure of the firm of Ezra F. Bowman & Co., young Powden entered the law · office of C. Reese Eaby. Esq., and after faithful study passed his preliminary examination. Dec. It ... He also holds a commission of Notary Public, and is a member of the Superior and Supreme Courts of this state.

Mr. Powden is a member of the First Presby- terian church of Lancaster. and also a trustee vi White Cross Commandery No. 150, Ancient and Illustrious Order of Knights of Malta. In politics he is a stanch Republican and very active.

No man of his years has worked more indus- triously or systematically than this bright and pro- gressive young member of the legal profession. Mr. Powden is a man of genial and courteous address, honest and upright as the day is long, and has won a host of friends, who justly prize his manly qualities and genuine work.

DAVID L. MILLER. Through its numerous descendants and by marriage and inter-marriage with leading families, the Miller name is well known all over Lancaster county. A worthy rev- resentative of this family, who resides in affluence in Mt. Joy, retired from active business life. is Da- vid L. Miller, a highly esteemed citizen. and one who for the past ten years has been a director of the Union National Bank of Mt. Joy.

Mr. Miller was born in Conoy township, July 16. 1834, a son of David and Anna ( Longenecker ) Miller, the former of whom was well known in the county and township, acting many years in the ca- pacity of school director. He died in 1887, at the age of eighty-two, after several years of retirement : his widow survived until 1894. and both were buried in Donegal township, old and prominent members of the Mennonite Church.

The children of David and Anna Miller were : Elizabeth, whomarried Abraham Martin, a farmer of Conoy township ; Fanny, who married Henry Metz- gar, of Dauphin county : Anna, unmarried, a resident of Conoy township; Christian, a retired farmer of

ale Ho Powden-

593

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER. COUNTY

Conoy township : David L .; John, who died young; Henry, a retired farmer of West Donegal township; Farbara, who married John Erb, a farmer of Dau- rhin county ; Mary, who married Andrew Stoner, a. firmer of Conoy township: Leah, who married Ja- ··· · D Erb, a farmer in Kansas : Abraham, a farmer of West Donegal township ; Martin, a farmer of Conov township: Samuel, a farmer of Mt. Joy township; and Mattie, deceased, who married Amos Zimmer- man. The paternal grandparents were Ernest and Elizabeth Miller. of Ephrata, and the maternal grandparents were Christian and Fanny ( Brenne- man ) Longenecker, of Lancaster county, all of these being old and leading families of the greatest finan- cial stability, and of honorable standing in their several communities.

One of a large and happy family, David L. Mil- ler grew up in his comfortable farm-house home, surrounded by the good influences which a pious fa- ther and mother brought into the household. His education was acquired in the public schools, and until he was twenty-two years old he remained un- der the parental roof. For some years he then op- erated a rented farm, but later, at the time of his second marriage, purchased a farm in Rapho town- ship, and there became a prominent farmer and a leading factor in township affairs, for three years giving his services as school director and doing much for the encouragement of education.

The first marriage of Mr. Miller was in 1858. in Lancaster. to Fanny Garber. a daughter of John and Catherine (Seachrist) Garber. Mrs. Miller was born in West Donegal township, where she lies buried, having died on March 1, 1861, at the age of twenty-three. Her children were: John, who married Fanny Heaston, a retired farmer of Mt. Joy; and Fanny, who died young. The second marriage of Mr. Miller was in 1863, to Leah Niss- ley, and to this union has been born this family: Anna, who resides with her parents: Barbara, who married Amos Stauffer, a miller of East Donegal township; Mary, who married Harry Miller, of Mt. Toy ; Milton, who resides on the old farm, in Rapho township; and Elizabeth, who married F. B. F. Hoffer, a hardware merchant in Christiana, Penn- sylvania.

Mrs. Leah (Nissley) Miller was born in East Donegal township, Aug. 30. 1835, a daughter of Peter and Catherine (Krider) Nissley, the former of whom was a well-known preacher in the Men- nonite Church, and also a farmer. His birth occur- red July 22, 1802, and his death in 1893, after a long life full of good deeds. The beloved mother had preceded him many years before, her death taking place in 1851. Both were buried in the cemetery of the Donegal Mennonite Church, where he had min- istered for forty years.

The children born to Rev. Peter and Catherine Nissley were: Mary, who married Rev. Solomon Swartz, a U. B. minister in Dauphin county ; Esther, who died at the age of twenty-one; John K., de- 38

ceased : Leah, who is the only survivor of her fam- ily : Christiann, who died unmarried ; Barbara, who married C. F. Hostetter ; Catherine, who died when but seventeen; and Annie, who died at the age of two.

The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Miller was Rev. Christian Nissley, of Donegal township, where he was for many years a Mennonite minister of prominence. He married a Miss Graybill and they had three sons, John. who became a dencon in the Mennonite Church : Hon. Jacob, a farmer, who also became an Assemblyman from this county; and Peter, the father of Mrs. Miller. On the maternal side the grandfather also was a minister. the Rev. John Krider, who married a member of the Denlinger family, of Lancaster county.

Mr. Miller is a stanch Republican. and is one of the leading members of the Mennonite Church, with which the family has so long been prominently con- nected.

CHARLES RYNEAR. now a retired farmer of Bart township, Lancaster county, was born in Upper Dublin, Montgomery county, Nov. To, 1822, a son of William and Sarah ( Spencer) Rynear, both of whom were born in Montgomery county, where they were married. For some years they lived in what was known as the Indian Settlement. near Rochester. N. Y., and then moved to Oxford. Chester county. to engage in a hotel business for several years. The last few months of his life, William Ryncar spent at Dry Wells, in Eden township, Lancaster county. After his death. his widow with her four children moved to the "Old Trap Tavern" on the Newport road in Bart township. She later became the wife of Frederick Rogers. and made her home at George- town. There she died, leaving one daughter. hy her second husband, Catherine, now the wife of Arthur Stewart. of Georgetown.

Charles Rynear is the oldest child born to his parents. Elizabeth, the oldest daughter, was born in New York. She married Peter Ibaugh, a ma- chinist. who died several years ago. She lives in Christiana and has five children: Sarah. Spencer, George, Bruce and Louis. The second daughter. Harriett, married Isaac N. Lewis : both have passed away, Mr. Lewis on July 20, 1891, and his wife May JI, 1896. They had three children. Ellen and Jenette, deceased. and William E., of Harrisburg. The fourth child of William Rynear was Jonathan Rynear, who was born in Montgomery county, and became a soldier in the Civil war. He enlisted in a company formed in Juniata county, and made a good record, both as a gallant soldier, and a loval. and devoted citizen. After the war he married in Juniata county, where he still resides. They have three children ; Sarah, Edwin and Charles.

Charles Rynear was reared to manhood in Lan- caster county, and given a somewhat limited educa- tion. After the death of his father much of the care of his younger brother and sisters fell on him. Mr.

594

BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

Rynear was married in January, 1849, to Rachel M., the daughter of Henry and Eliza A. (Swisher) Key- lor, one of the prominent families of Bart township.

Henry Keylor was born in Germany in 1792, and his wife in Colerain township, in September, 1809. She was a daughter of John and Rachel ( Woodrow ) Swisher, who had their home in Colerain township. and came of Swiss parentage. Henry Keylor was married in 1827, and established his home on a farm in Bart township, where he lived until a few years before his death. He bought a home at Nine Points. where he died in 1875. His widow passed to her rest in 1891.

To Henry Keylor and his wife were born five children. ( 1) Rachel, who is Mrs. Rynear, was born in May, 1828, and was given a very fair education in the public schools of the day. (2) Martha E., born in 1830, the widow of Joseph Clark, lives in Chester county, near her four children, Henry, Harland. Jen- nie and Walter, Oscar and Samuel C. having died. (3) Elizabeth J., born in Bart township in December. 1832, is the widow of Robert A. Ferguson, and still lives at Nine Points with her two daughters. Nora and Ellen ; Ellen is the wife of Samuel McComsey of Philadelphia. (4) John J., born in 1834, married Jane McClure, and has a home in Mechanicsburg. They have three children, Dr. Walter M., Lillie E. and William J. (5) Jacob K., born in 1837, married Rebecca Rutter, of Bart township, where they live on their farm. They have five children, Howard, Maggie J., Ella, Adam and Henry.

Mr. and Mrs. Ryncar settled at their present home in 1849; on this place he has made extensive improvements, clearing over a hundred acres, erect- ing a good set of farm buildings, and developing one of the choice country homes of Bart township. To them have come two children.

William B. Rynear, who was born in 1851. mar- ried Anna M. Keylor, a daughter of Milton Keylor, of Colerain township. They reside in that township on their fine farm, with their two children : Rebecca A., and Spencer C .: Rebecca A. is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State Normal School at Millersville and is now teaching.

Margaret J. Rynear. the daughter, was born in 1854, and is the wife of William Hollis, a prosperous farmer of Bart township.

Mr. Rynear is associated with the Friends. He is a Democrat, and has held the position of school director for fifteen years, also serving one term as supervisor of Bart township. Mr. and Mrs. Ry- near have lived to see Bart township grow from al- most a wilderness to its present rich and prosperous condition, and their industrious and useful lives have contributed much to the welfare of the community.

ABRAM KLINE has for many years been one of the most prominent residents of Lancaster county, his active connection with numerous enterprises of interest and benefit to that section early bringing him into favorable notice, and he has throughout

life sustained the highest reputation for honor and integrity in every association. No citizen of Man- heim has shown a more progressive spirit, or more enterprise in undertaking and carrying on to com !- pletion whatever he thinks will promote the welfare of the town ; and he is equally interested in the well being and prosperity of his friends and neighbors, a fact which accounts for the confidence displayed by them in intrusting him with public affairs.

Mr. Kline is a native of Lancaster county, born June 17, 1828, near Silver Spring, in East Hemp- field township, where his father, Jacob Kline. was also born. Jacob Kline spent his early life in his na- tive township, and at the time of his death was a resident of Schoeneck, this county. He was first en- gaged as a stone mason, later as a farmer, and ac- quired a comfortable competence. In religion he was a devout member of the Mennonite Church. Mr. Kline married Miss Susan Hiestand, who, like himself, was of German descent. She was the third in order of birth of the large family of John Hie- stand. The later was an extensive land owner near Landisville, and one of the first distillers of his re- gion.

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 32

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